An accidental death It is sometimes believed that English Catholics were only punished after the Reformation because they threatened national security: that those who were willing to live quiet, lawful lives would be left in peace. The martyrdom of Richard Herst shows that this is not the whole truth. In 1628, the Bishop of Chester sent three men to arrest Herst, who was known to be one of Lancashire’s recusants. When they arrived at Herst’s farm, his wife and three others rushed over to defend him. A woman servant struck one of the men, Dewhurst, in the head. He ran away but, partly because he was dizzy from the blow, he fell and broke his leg. The wound turned bad and Dewhurst died a fortnight later. Asked to apostatise Clearly Herst was in no way responsible for the man’s death. But he was tried for murder – as the judge admitted – to make an example of him. He was offered a reprieve if he swore an oath repudiating Catholicism; he refused. He was dragged over the ground to an Anglican church, but blocked his ears so that he would not hear false doctrine. “They have tortured my body,” he said, “but, thank God, they have not hurt my soul.” Dying wishes While awaiting execution in Lancaster (left), he wrote to his confessor: “I had rather choose to die a thousand deaths than to possess a kingdom and live in mortal sin; for there is nothing so hateful to me as sin, and that only for the love of my Saviour.” He asked for his six children to be looked after and for his friends to help with his existing debts. On the scaffold, when the Anglican minister began to question him, he said: “I believe according to the faith of the Holy Catholic Church.” He offered to help the hangman, who was struggling. He died saying the names of Jesus and Mary.