Wisbech Stirs facts for kids

The Wisbech Stirs was a big disagreement among English Roman Catholic priests who were held prisoner at Wisbech Castle in Cambridgeshire. This happened near the end of Queen Elizabeth I of England's rule. The argument was mainly between two groups of priests: the secular clergy (priests who didn't belong to a special religious group) and the regular clergy, especially the Society of Jesus (known as the Jesuits). The Jesuits were becoming important leaders and wanted everyone in the prison to live a more organized, communal life.

The arguments became very heated in 1594 and 1595. They tried to fix things, but people still didn't trust each other. The Wisbech Stirs showed what was to come, leading to conflicts that lasted for two generations. This included the Archpriest Controversy, which also involved disagreements between some Catholic secular priests and Jesuit missionaries in England. This division among Catholic priests in England was a big issue for a long time, from 1587 well into the 1600s.

Why the Disagreement Started

At the time of the Stirs, Wisbech Castle was a grand house belonging to the Bishop of Ely. From 1580, the castle was used as a prison for Catholic priests. They were arrested under special laws called penal laws, which were strict rules against Catholics in England.

The problems that exploded at Wisbech had been building for at least 15 years. Important Catholic leaders had recently died, which created a power vacuum. This meant there was no clear leader for the Catholic community in England. This lack of leadership made the disagreements among the priests even worse.

The Groups at Wisbech

The two main groups arguing were led by Christopher Bagshaw and the Jesuit priest William Weston. Bagshaw led the secular priests, and Weston led the Jesuits.

The immediate reason for their fight was about following fast days. These were special days when Catholics would eat less or avoid certain foods as a religious practice. Some priests wanted to follow these rules very strictly, while others were more relaxed.

There were about 33 Catholic priests held in the castle. Most of them were priests. A list from 1595-1596 shows 32 prisoners. A group of 18 priests, including Weston and Thomas Pounde (a lay brother, not a priest), wanted to live a more organized, religious life, similar to how monks live. Henry Garnet, who was the main Jesuit leader in England, agreed to this in February 1595.

However, there wasn't really enough space in the castle for two separate groups to live apart. In 1584, a limit of 20 prisoners had been set. Garnet's decision to allow the Jesuits to live separately caused strong protests from Bagshaw and his supporters.

Later, Bagshaw wrote a book about the conflict. He blamed Weston for starting the Stirs, saying Weston was acting on behalf of another Jesuit leader, Robert Parsons. The tension over Parsons and the lack of a clear Catholic leader in England played a big part in the arguments. But local issues also contributed, such as Bagshaw criticizing those who wanted a more structured life. He even compared them to strict Protestants called Puritans.

The conflict spread beyond the castle walls. Bagshaw was in touch with other important people who had connections in France and Rome.

To try and solve the problem, two priests named John Bavant and Alban Dolman were called in. But they couldn't agree on what to do. Later, in October 1595, two more people, John Mush and Richard Dudley, stepped in to help. They had more success. Mush was more understanding of Bagshaw's anti-Jesuit group. However, the problem came back in 1596.

In late 1600 or early 1601, 36 priest prisoners from Wisbech Castle were moved to Framlingham Castle in Suffolk.

Images for kids

• Wisbech Castle.jpg

  Wisbech Castle, where the priests were held.