John Felton (martyr) facts for kids

John Felton lived in England a long time ago, from before 1566 until August 8, 1570. He was an English Catholic who was executed during the time of Elizabeth I, the Queen of England. He is remembered as a martyr because he died for his religious beliefs. Felton was arrested for putting a special message from the Pope on a church gate in London. This message said that Queen Elizabeth was no longer the rightful queen.

John Felton's Life

Most of what we know about John Felton comes from the stories told by his daughter, Frances Salisbury. Her writings don't say exactly how old he was. But they do tell us he was a wealthy man.

Felton's family came from Norfolk, and he lived near Southwark at a place called Bermondsey Abbey. This "abbey" was actually a large house built from the stones of an old monastery. John Felton was known to be a strong Catholic. He was also the father of Thomas Felton.

A Dangerous Message

John Felton was arrested for putting a copy of a special letter from Pope Pius V on the gates of the Bishop of London's palace. This palace was near St. Paul's. The letter was called a "papal bull," and its name was Regnans in Excelsis, which means "reigning on high."

This papal bull was very serious. It said that Queen Elizabeth was no longer a true queen. It also told her subjects, the people of England, that they no longer had to obey her.

Why the Message Was Dangerous

Queen Elizabeth and her advisors were very worried about this letter. In the 1500s, some powerful Catholic countries might have tried to remove Elizabeth from her throne. The Pope's letter could have encouraged them to do so.

Putting this letter up was seen as a very serious act against the Queen, known as treason. For the letter to have legal power, it needed to be made public in England. Felton's action changed how the Queen treated Catholics. Before this, some Catholics could quietly practice their faith. But after the letter, the Queen's government became much stricter.

The Consequences

This public display of the Pope's letter also helped start a secret plan called the Ridolfi plot. In this plot, some people wanted to kidnap or kill Queen Elizabeth. They planned to put Mary, Queen of Scots, on the throne instead. Then, the Duke of Norfolk hoped to marry Mary and become the real ruler of England.

Records say Felton put the letter up late at night on May 24, 1570. But his daughter said it was early in the morning of the next day, which was a special church holiday. Felton had received these letters in a French city called Calais. He gave one copy to a friend named William Mellowes.

The authorities searched many Catholic homes in London. They soon found the copy of the letter. Mellowes was questioned and told them about Felton. John Felton was arrested on May 26. He immediately admitted what he had done. He even said that the Queen "ought not to be the queen of England."

Felton was found guilty on August 4. He was executed four days later, on August 8, in St. Paul's Churchyard in London. He was beatified, which means declared "blessed," by Pope Leo XIII in 1886.