Once I was a clever boy learning the arts of Oxford... is a quotation from the verses written by Bishop Richard Fleming (c.1385-1431) for his tomb in Lincoln Cathedral. Fleming, the founder of Lincoln College in Oxford, is the subject of my research for a D. Phil., and, like me, a son of the West Riding. I have remarked in the past that I have a deeply meaningful on-going relationship with a dead fifteenth century bishop... it was Fleming who, in effect, enabled me to come to Oxford and to learn its arts, and for that I am immensely grateful.


Tuesday, 11 October 2011

Bl. William Howard Viscount Stafford


Today is the feast day in this diocese of Bl. William Howard, Viscount Stafford (1612-80) who died a martyr's death on Tower Hill as a result of the Popish Plot.

The Oxford DNB life can be read here and there is another account here.

If I have put the link in correctly there should be an article about his death here by my friend Anne Barbeau Gardiner.

This portrait shows him as a young man, just after he obtained the Stafford peerage by his marriage.

File:Vandyck - willianhoward01.jpg

Lord Stafford by Sir Anthony Van Dyke
1638-40
Sao Paulo Museum of Art

Image:Wikipedia

I understand that the upper part of the altar in the private house chapel - and thus not accessible to the public - at the Oxford Oratory comes from Viscount Stafford's chapel.

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2 comments:

Stephanie A. Mann said...

Sorry to report that the Latin Mass link does not work; also, why today when his date of martyrdom is on December 29--because of the conflict with St. Thomas of Canterbury?

12 October 2011 at 01:03
Once I Was A Clever Boy said...

Sorry about the link - I will see if I can repair or correct it.
I assume the commemoration was set so as to avoid St Thomas - I will see if I can find out why October 11th was selected

12 October 2011 at 10:04

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