Roger Martin (recusant) facts for kids
Roger Martin (born around 1526 or 1527, died in 1615) was an English Catholic who held strong religious beliefs. He served as a churchwarden at Holy Trinity Church in Long Melford, Suffolk, from 1554 to 1559. He is most famous for writing down what the church was like and what ceremonies took place there before the big changes of the Reformation.
Roger Martin's Life and Beliefs
Working for the Church
During the time of Queen Mary I, Roger Martin tried to bring back Catholic worship in the church. It is said that Queen Mary offered him an important job in her government, but he chose not to take it.
Standing Up for His Faith
Later, when Queen Elizabeth I and King James I ruled, Roger Martin faced challenges because he remained Catholic. At that time, Catholics who did not follow the official Church of England were called "recusants." Roger Martin was one of them. He even gave shelter to Catholic priests in his home.
It was likely in the 1580s that he wrote his detailed account of Holy Trinity Church. He described how it looked and what religious practices were common before the Reformation changed things.
A writer named Walter Arthur Copinger described Roger Martin as a very strong Catholic. He was known for being very religious and generous. Copinger wrote that during a time when Catholics were treated harshly, Roger Martin sometimes had to hide. He would even hide under a haystack during the day. However, he was so well-liked by his neighbors that they did everything they could to keep him safe. He was also known as a very smart and honest person.
