Nicholas Garlick facts for kids

Nicholas Garlick (born around 1555 – died 24 July 1588) was an English Catholic priest. He was killed in Derby during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I because of his faith. People who die for their beliefs are called martyrs.

His Early Life

Nicholas Garlick was born around 1555 near Dinting in Glossop, Derbyshire. In January 1575, he started studying at Gloucester Hall, which is now Worcester College, Oxford. He was known for being good at poetry, public speaking, and philosophy.

However, he only stayed at Oxford for six months. He left without getting a degree. This might have been because of the Oath of Supremacy, which was a promise to accept the Queen as the head of the church. After leaving Oxford, he became a school teacher in Tideswell.

Garlick taught at Tideswell for about six or seven years. People said he was a very good teacher who cared about his students. Three of his students later became priests. One of them, Christopher Buxton, was also killed for his faith. Another student, Robert Bagshaw, saw Nicholas Garlick's death.

Becoming a Priest

Nicholas Garlick decided to become a priest. He joined the English College in Rheims on 22 June 1581. He became a priest in March 1582. In January 1583, he returned to England to serve as a priest.

Not much is known about his first few years back in England. But in 1585, he was arrested and sent away from the country with 72 other priests. He arrived back in Rheims in October 1585. Just two days later, he was on his way back to England again!

Garlick worked as a priest in England for another two and a half years. Records show he was in London in April 1586. A report from September 1586 said he was working hard in Hampshire and Dorset. By March 1588, a government list showed he was in Derbyshire.

Arrested and Tried

On 12 July 1588, Nicholas Garlick was finally arrested. He was with another priest named Robert Ludlam. They were at the home of the FitzHerbert family in Padley. This family was known for being Catholic during a time when it was difficult.

The house was raided by George Talbot, the Earl of Shrewsbury. He was looking for John FitzHerbert. Finding two priests there was an unexpected bonus for him. Garlick, Ludlam, John FitzHerbert, his son, three of his daughters, and ten servants were all arrested. They were taken to jail.

In Derby Gaol, Garlick and Ludlam met another priest, Richard Simpson. Simpson had already been sentenced to death. He had been given a delay, possibly because he seemed willing to attend a Protestant church service. However, after meeting Garlick and Ludlam, Simpson became firm in his Catholic faith again.

During his trial, Garlick was asked if he wanted a jury to decide his case. He knew he would be found guilty no matter what. He said he didn't want ordinary people to be responsible for his death. But he was convinced to agree to a jury trial.

The Trial's Outcome

The three priests were found guilty of treason. This was a very serious crime, often meaning disloyalty to the Queen. They were sentenced to a very harsh form of execution. This punishment was meant to be carried out the very next day.

As they left the courtroom, Nicholas Garlick said, "I thought that Cain would never be satisfied till he had the blood of his brother Abel." This was a strong statement about the injustice he felt.

His Final Day

Henry Garnet wrote that the priests spent their last night in the same jail cell as a woman who was going to be executed for murder. During the night, they helped her become a Catholic. She was executed with them the next day.

The Chapel of St Mary on the Bridge was there when Nicholas Garlick died. Today, a plaque marks his death there.

On 24 July 1588, the three priests were taken on carts to St Mary's Bridge. This was where they would be executed. Nicholas Garlick stayed cheerful and witty even at the end. A person passing by reminded him that they used to go shooting together. Garlick replied, "True, but now I am to shoot off such a shot as I never shot in all my life."

When they arrived at the bridge, the equipment for the execution was not ready. This often happened in smaller towns because the local people were not used to such events.

Garlick used this extra time to give a long speech to the crowd about saving their souls. He ignored officials who tried to make him stop. He ended his speech by throwing papers he had written in prison into the crowd. He said these papers would prove what he believed. It is said that everyone who got these papers later became Catholic.

Richard Simpson was supposed to be executed first. But reports say that Garlick quickly went to the ladder and kissed it, going up first. Some people thought Simpson might be scared. Others believed Garlick wanted to make sure his friend's courage didn't fail. Simpson was executed next. An eyewitness said he was very brave, but not as joyful as Garlick. Ludlam was the last to be executed. He reportedly smiled while Garlick was being executed and kept smiling when it was his turn.

What Happened After?

The heads and body parts of the three priests were put on poles in different places around Derby. Nicholas Garlick's student, Robert Bagshaw, wrote about what happened next. He said that he and two other brave Catholic gentlemen went out at night. They took down one of the heads from a house on the bridge. The town watchmen saw them but didn't stop them. They buried the head with as much respect as they could. Later, others secretly took away the rest of the body parts.

A historian from the 1800s, Dr. Cox, mentioned a story that Garlick's head was buried in the churchyard at Tideswell. However, it has never been found.

The three priests were declared "venerable" in 1888. This is a step towards becoming a saint. They were among the eighty-five martyrs of England and Wales who were beatified by Pope John Paul II on 22 November 1987. To be beatified means to be recognized as "Blessed" by the Catholic Church.

See also

• Douai Martyrs