Saint Margaret Clitherow
Margaret's maiden name was Middleton. Born in 1556, her father was a wax chandler. She was baptised at St Martin-le-Grand, Cooney Street, and brought up a Protestant. In 1579 she married John Clitherow, a butcher, who became a special constable (to hunt down Catholic suspects)and later chamberlain of the city of York. Margaret was a good wife and mother. She became a Catholic and started sheltering seminary priests. She was put in prison several times and used her time to learn to read and write.
'The Imitation of Christ' was one of her books of devotion. Everyone loved her. her friends would turn to her for help; servants respected her and so hr husband turned a blind eye to her work.
She would often walk barefooted to the Knavesmire Gallows to meditate and to honour the martyrs who died there.
In 1585 an Act was passed by Parliament that anyone sheltering a priest could be put to death. On March 12th her home was raided and vestments found. She was put on trial in the Guildhall and told the court 'Having made no offence I need no trial.' She did not wish the jury to share the Judge's guilt,though she knew the consequences of not pleading-to be pressed to death, being stripped naked, laid on the ground and as much weight laid upon her as she was able to bear, with a stone under her back ; for 3 days being allowed only a little barley and puddle water.
The sentence was carried out at the Toll Booth near the bridge, her last word were 'Jesu, Jesu, Jesu, have mercy on me.'
She died at York on March 25th 1584.