Thomas Vavasour facts for kids
Thomas Vavasour was an English doctor who lived a long time ago, from about 1536 or 1537 until 1585. He was a Roman Catholic and studied at St John's College, Cambridge. He became a physician, which is a type of doctor.
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Who Was Thomas Vavasour?
Thomas Vavasour was a very smart student. In 1549, when he was still quite young, he took part in important debates at Cambridge University. These debates were about religious ideas, like Transubstantiation and the Sacrifice of the Mass, which are beliefs in the Catholic Church.
Becoming a Doctor
After his studies in England, Thomas Vavasour traveled to Venice, a famous city in Italy. There, he earned his degree as a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.). This meant he was officially qualified to be a doctor.
In 1556, he received a special permission from the College of Physicians of London to practice medicine for two years. This allowed him to work as a doctor in England.
Life in York
Thomas Vavasour lived in the city of York. His house was near a "common school house." During those times, there were strict rules about religion in England. In 1570, it was reported that Catholic Mass was held at his house.
Later, in 1572, he was accused of having a famous Catholic priest, Edmund Campion, stay at his home. This was a serious accusation back then.
Challenges and Imprisonment
Because of his Catholic beliefs, Thomas Vavasour faced many difficulties. In November 1574, he was first kept at his own house in York for about nine months. After that, he was sent to Hull Castle and kept alone.
A leader named Edmund Grindal described Vavasour as someone who used clever arguments and sometimes made fun of others when he couldn't win a debate with his knowledge. Grindal also said that Vavasour strongly believed in the literal meaning of "hoc est corpus meum" (which means "this is my body"), using it to support the idea of transubstantiation.
By June 1579, Thomas Vavasour was back at his house in York, and Mass was again held there.
Final Years
Later, he was imprisoned again, this time in the Gatehouse in Westminster. He was released after he agreed to accept the royal supremacy in religious matters. This meant he would acknowledge the King or Queen as the head of the church, not the Pope.
However, he was put in prison once more as a recusant, which was someone who refused to attend the official Church of England services. He was held in Hull Castle, York, where he passed away on May 2, 1585.
His wife, Dorothy, also faced difficulties and died in a prison called the New Counter in Ousebridge, York, on October 26, 1587.
