Report by Johnny McLaughlin on Blessed John Cornelius and Blessed John Carey
John Cornelius was born John Conor O’Mahoney in 1557 to Irish parents living in Bodmin,
Cornwall. He was born specifically on the estate of Sir John Arundell, a member of the English
Parliament and a prestigious (and staunchly Catholic) Arundell family member. Sir Arundell
took an interest in young John and arranged for him to study at Exeter College, Oxford. John
was ordained a priest in 1583, and Rome sent him back to England as a missionary. He
became the Arundell family’s priest. He Latinized his original name to John Cornelius.
John Carey was an Irish layman. He was born in Dublin at an unknown date. Not much is
known about his early life or how he came to England, but he became a servant of one Thomas
Bosgrave, a nephew of Lady Arundell.
The Arundell Estate, also known as Chideock Castle, became a base of operations for
Cornelius and his mission. It also became a haven for priests and other Catholics hiding from
Anglican persecution. The Elizabethan government passed the Jesuits, etc. Act of 1584, or “An
act against Jesuits, seminary priests, and such other like disobedient persons”. The act stated
that all priests who remained in England after 40 days of passage would be punished for high
treason, unless they swore an oath to obey the Queen. Seeking ordination overseas and
returning to England was also considered high treason.
Despite this, John Cornelius continued his ministry. He convinced one of the Arundell
daughters, Dorothy Arundell, to become a nun during this time, and was instrumental in
converting many Englishmen to Catholicism despite the persecution. One fateful day, John saw
a manservant named William Holmes, who was bothering and harassing one of the maids.
Cornelius interfered and reprimanded Holmes.
In response, Holmes informed the sheriff of Dorsetshire that there was a Catholic priest
in Chideock Castle. John Cornelius was arrested on April 24, 1594, and dragged out of the
castle. Witnessing this, Thomas Bosgrave stepped in to help John, and so he was arrested as
well, along with John Carey and another servant named Patrick Salmon.
The four men were brought to London before the Lord Treasurer and the Archbishop of
Canterbury. They were questioned and tortured, but refused to either recant their Catholicism
or admit that the Arundells were harboring them. John Cornelius was charged with high
treason, and the other three were charged with felony for aiding a priest. They were given one last
chance to recant and embrace Protestantism, but they refused.
On July 4, 1594, the four martyrs ascended the scaffold before a jeering crowd. John
Carey, the Dublin-born layman, kissed the noose, exclaiming “O precious collar!” and was hanged.
Patrick Salmon was next, exclaiming to the crowds to convert to Catholicism one last time
before he, too, was dropped. Thomas Bosgrave was the third to be hanged. John Cornelius was the
last, and after quoting St. Andrew, “O good Cross, long desired”, praying for his executioners
and for the Queen, he was hanged, drawn, and quartered. His head was nailed to a gibbet, but
Lady Arundell soon had it removed, and his body (along with the other martyrs) was given a
proper burial.
Three other men, Blessed Hugh Green, William Pike, and John Jessop, were martyred in
Chideock between the years of 1535 and 1681. 352 other men and women were martyred in
England for their Catholic faith during this time period. John Cornelius, John Carey, Patrick
Salmon, and Thomas Bosgrave were all beatified in 1929 by Pope Pius XI. Their feast day is
July 4.
Chideock martyrs, pray for us!
