Welsh Journals

THE CATHOLIC MARTYRS OF WALES We regret greatly that owing to the heavy de- mands on our space in this final number of the "Welsh Outlook," we have been unable to pub- lish a somewhat lengthy article sent us by Mr. T. P. Ellis in answer to Mr. J. Arthur Price's review (published in our November issue) of Mr. Ellis's book, "The Catholic Martyrs of Wales." We append, however, a letter from Mr. Arthur Price, from which we hope our readers will be able to gather the substance of Mr. Ellis's ob- jections. Mr. Ellis points out that the martyrdoms were nearly all subsequent to the partial suspension by the Pope of his Bull, to which only one martyr- dom is referable, and that the processes against the martyrs were under the Statutes passed after that partial suspension and promulgated in answer to B. Edmund Campion's "Challenge" and Cardinal Allen's "Defence of English Catholics." He has also supplied us with a copy of a trans- lation of S. Carl Borromeo's letter. Mr. Price has seen this since writing the appended letter, but he has nothing to add to what he had already written. As Mr. Ellis could not see his way clear so to curtail his article as to bring it within the limits of two pages of the "Welsh Outlook," which we offered him for his reply, we are glad to inform our readers that the substance of Mr. Ellis's article will be duly published in the "Welsh Catholic Times" at an early date, and we would advise them to read the account of the proceed- ings of the persecution which will be given in our contemporary. Sir,-I understand that Mr. T. P. Ellis con- siders that I have accused him of the offence of suppressing a material fact, viz: the excommun- ication of Queen Elizabeth by !Pope Pius V. I express my regret that my language should have suggested that Mr. Ellis had intentionally sup- pressed a material fact. Personally, I still hold that the excommunication was to a considerable degree the cause of the persecution, but I am now CORRESPONDENCE EDITOR. as equally convinced that Mr. Ellis does not think so, and, thinking as he does, that he is not to be blamed for not mentioning the excommunication. Our difference here is simply one as to the psychological effect of the Pope's action on the rulers of England and Wales at the time. I had not remembered when I wrote that the effect of the Bull had been partially modified as to the duty of Roman Catholics in regard to its operation, but the modification was only partial, and was not sufficient, in my view, to remove the panic which the original Bull had created. I admit, however, that Mr. Ellis is perfectly honest in holding the contrary view, and I allow that the facts and the dates which he puts forward in a measure tend to support his view. Knowing, however, what statesmen and nations are like in times of war panic I am not convinced that the Bull was not the cause of nearly all the trouble, and in my view it was certainly the cause of the final alienation of the Church of England from the Church of Rome. 2. I am glad to hear that Lord Acton was mis- taken in his translation of S. Carl Borromeo's letter (which I quoted) and admit that his state- ment misled me. I have not seen the copy of the letter but I unhesitatingly accept Mr. Ellis's statement as to its contents. 3. Mr. Ellis stated that the sanctuary known as Hereford Cathedral was stolen (p. 108). Anglo-Catholics do not admit this. Had Mr. Ellis said that in the opinion of Roman Catholics it was stolen I should have said nothing. Any- way I accept Mr. Ellis's statement that he did not intend to attack the subjective honesty of Anglo-Catholics. Finally may I say that I have in no way altered the general view of the treatment of English and Welsh Roman Catholics which I expressed in "The Welsh Outlook" in 1930 and which Mr. Ellis quotes. A perusal of Roman Catholic historians alone has convinced me that the un- fortunate Bull of Pius V was the cause of the present unhappy disunion amongst Christians in this country and my feelings on this point explain my language. Yours faithfully. J. ARTHUR PRICE. READERS who wish to have the numbers of the Welsh Outlook for 1933 bound in cloth should send same forthwith to the Manager, Welsh Out- look, Newtown, Mont. The charge for binding is five shillings, plus postage. Binding cases two shillings and sixpence. The Index for Vol. XX (1933) of the Welsh Outlook will be ready shortly, price 7d. post free.