William Way

The Venerable William Way (alias May, alias Flower) (died 1588) was an English priest and martyr.

Way was born in the Diocese of Exeter; Bishop Richard Challoner said he was born in Cornwall, and earlier authorities say in Devonshire.

Way is frequently confused with others. These include:
*the martyred layman Richard Flower, alias Lloyd, who suffered at Tyburn, 30 September, 1588,
*the priest William Wiggs, alias Way, M.A., a notable prisoner at Wisbech, and
*with William Wyggs, M.A., of New College, Oxford.

The subject of this entry received the first tonsure in the Cathedral of Reims from the Cardinal of Guise on 31 March, 1584, and was ordained subdeacon, 22 March; deacon 5 April; and priest 18 September, 1586, at Laon, probably by Bishop Valentine Douglas, O.S.B.

Way set out for England on 9 December, 1586, and in June 1587, had been imprisoned. He was indicted at Newgate in September, 1588, for being a Roman Catholic priest. He declined to be tried by a secular judge, whereupon the Bishop of London was sent for. Way, refusing to acknowledge him as a bishop or Elizabeth I as head of the Church, was immediately condemned.

He was much given to abstinence and austerity. When he was not among the first of those to be tried at the Sessions in August, he wept and, fearing he had offended God, went at once to confession, "but when he himself was sent for, he had so much joy that he seemed past himself".

On 23 September 1588 Way was "hung, drawn and quartered" at Kingston upon Thames.