Everald Hanse facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Blessed Everald (Everard) Hanse
Stained glass from St Edmund's College Ware
Martyr
Born	Northamptonshire, England
Died	31 July 1581 Tyburn, London, England
Honored in	Roman Catholic Church
Beatified	29 December 1886 by Pope Leo XIII
Feast	30 July
Attributes	Book, noose in neck, martyr's palm

Everald Hanse (died 31 July 1581) was an English priest. He is remembered as a martyr of the Roman Catholic Church.

Everald Hanse's Early Life

Everald Hanse was born in Northamptonshire, England. He studied at Cambridge University. After his studies, he became a priest and had a comfortable life.

His brother, William, also became a priest in 1579. William tried to convince Everald to change his religious views. At first, Everald did not agree.

A Change of Heart

However, Everald became very ill. This sickness made him think deeply about his life and beliefs. He decided to leave his comfortable positions as a priest.

In 1580, he traveled to the English College in Reims, a city in northern France. This college was a place where English Catholics could train to become priests.

Becoming a Priest and His Return

Everald Hanse became a priest on March 25, 1581. Soon after, he returned to England. His time serving as a priest there was very short.

Arrest and Trial

In July 1581, Everald was visiting Catholic prisoners. He was trying to keep his identity secret. However, a prison guard noticed his shoes looked foreign. This made the guard suspicious.

Everald was questioned closely. It was soon discovered that he was a Catholic priest. At that time, there was no specific law against being a priest. So, the authorities needed to find another reason to charge him.

He was asked in court what he thought about the Pope's authority. Everald said he believed the Pope had the same power as he did 100 years before. He was then asked if the Pope was wrong to remove Queen Elizabeth I from the Church. Everald replied, "I hope not."

His words were written down as a charge against him. When asked if he wanted others to believe as he did, he said, "I would have all to believe the Catholic faith as I do."

Charged with Treason

Because of his words, another charge was added. The authorities claimed he wanted others to become "traitors" like himself. He was found guilty of "persuasion." This was considered high treason, a very serious crime against the Queen.

Everald Hanse was sentenced to death. He was executed at Tyburn, a place in London where executions happened, on July 31, 1581.

Everald Hanse's Legacy

Everald Hanse's trial was unusual. It was one of the most extreme cases where someone was charged with treason just for what they said. The government later had to change how they handled such trials.

His last words were "O happy day!" People who saw him were very inspired by his bravery. The Spanish ambassador at the time wrote that after his death, people took every bit of earth where his blood had fallen as a special souvenir.

See also

• Catholic Church in the United Kingdom
• Douai Martyrs

Sources

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain:  "Blessed Everald Hanse". Catholic Encyclopedia. (1913). New York: Robert Appleton. 

Images for kids

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  Stained glass from St Edmund's College Ware