An inedible pie for the King

The BBC News website reports on the conscious creation of an inedible lamprey pie for the King as a gift from the City of Gloucester. This is not some backhanded insult but a celebration of a longstanding tradition of an annual gift to monarchs by the City of that medieval delicacy, a lamprey pie. Remember the fate of King Henry I, who died of a surfeit of these curious fish who live in the waters of the Severn. These daysthe pie is proffered to mark coronations and jubilees.

This lamprey pie is definitely not intended to be eaten as it is carved from stone and will be an ornamental feature in the garden of the King’s Gloucestershire home at Highgrove.

The article about the creation of this stone pie, and the tradition behind it can be seen at 

King Charles given special pie as part of ancient tradition

Bl. John Sandys - an Oriel martyr

Today is the 420th anniversary of the martyrdom of the priest Bl. John Sandys at Gloucester in 1586. An Oriel man born 1550/55 in Cheshire or Lancashire he converted to Catholicism and then trained at Reims for the priesthood.

His ability to celebrate Mass the morning of his execution is an interesting insight into what could happen in an Elizabethan prison, whilst the actual carrying out of his death sentence shocked some at least who did not share his religious convictions.

Stephanie Mann had this post about on her Supremacy and Survival blog him last year:
http://supremacyandsurvival.blogspot.com/2015/08/august-martyrs-blessed-john-sandys.html

There are other accounts of him at Blessed John Sandys from the Duiocese of Shrewsbury website and at John Sandys from the Robinswood Hill Roman Catholic parishes website.