- Thomas Pormort
Thomas Pormort (b. at Hull about 1559; executed at
St. Paul's Churchyard,20 February 1592 ) was an EnglishRoman Catholic priest. He wasbeatified in 1987. [ [http://www.gcatholic.com/saints/jpii-blesseds03.htm Blesseds Beatified by John Paul II (1987-1988) ] ]Life
He was probably related to the family of Pormort of
Great Grimsby andSaltfletby ,Lincolnshire . After receiving some education at Cambridge, he went toReims , 15 January, 1581, and from there, 20 March following, to Rome, where he was ordained priest in 1587. He entered the household ofOwen Lewis ,Bishop of Cassano , 6 March, 1587.On 25 April, 1590, Pormort became prefect of studies in the Swiss college at Milan. He was relieved of this office, and started for England, 15 September, without waiting for his faculties. Crossing the St. Gotthard Pass, he reached Brussels before 29 November. There he became manservant to Mrs. Geoffrey Pole, under the name of Whitgift, the Protestant archbishop Whitgift being his godfather. With her he went to
Antwerp , intending to proceed toFlushing , and thence to England.He was arrested in London on St. James's Day (25 July), 1591, but he managed to escape. In August or September, 1591, he was again taken, and committed to
Bridewell , whence he was removed to Topcliffe's house. He was repeatedly racked and sustained a rupture in consequence. On 8 February following he was convicted ofhigh treason for being a seminary priest, and for reconciling John Barwys, or Burrows, haberdasher, to the Catholic Church. He pleaded that he had no faculties; but he was found guilty.At the bar he accused Topcliffe of having boasted to him of indecent familiarities with the Queen. Hence Topcliffe obtained a "
mandamus " to the sheriff to proceed with the execution, thoughArchbishop Whitgift endeavoured to delay it and make his godson conform, and though (it is said) Pormort would have admitted conference with Protestant ministers. Thegibbet was erected over against the haberdasher's shop, and Portmore was kept standing two hours on the ladder, while Topcliffe vainly urged him to withdraw his accusation.References
*John Hungerford Pollen, "English Martyrs 1584-1603' (London, 1908), 187-190, 200-2, 208-10, 292; "Acts of the English Martyrs" (London, 1891), 118-20
*Richard Challoner , "Missionary Priests', I, no. 95
*Joseph Gillow , "Bibl. Dict. Eng. Cath.", s. v.
*Harleian Society Publications, LII (London, 1904), 790
*Thomas Francis Knox , "Douay Diaries" (London, 1878), 174-7
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
