Plot,
Part 6
Midi Music Thomas Campion 1567-1620, "Follow your Saint," 4k
The wondrous miracle of Garnet's straw.
As
Garnet's
body was being dismembered on the block, his head was flung into a basket
which had been lined with straw to soak up the blood. It landed with such
force that some of the straw was thrown out and one piece containing an
empty ear of wheat fell into the hands of a young man standing nearby.
Being a Catholic, he kept the straw as a relic of Garnet's
martyrdom, especially since on one of the husks was a drop of Garnet's
blood. He carried it away safely and delivered it unto a Catholic gentlewoman
of his acquaintance who kept it in a reliquary with great devotion.
After three or
four days, a devout Catholic gentleman coming thither. She showed him the
bloody straw which he was also glad to see and revere. But beholding the
same more curiously than the others had done, he saw a perfect face as
if it had been painted upon one of the husks of the empty ear and showed
the same unto the company. They all did plainly behold and with no small
wonder. Father Richard Blount, whom Garnet
had appointed to take his place until another Superior could be named,
said in a letter dated Nov. 8,1606:
They spy in the ear of the straw a perfect face of a man dead his eyes nose beard and neck so lively representing Mr. Garnet as not only in my eyes but in the eyes of others which knew him it doth lively represent him. This hath been seen by Catholics and Protestants of the best sort and divers others who much admire it...This you may boldly report for besides ourselves a thousand others are witness of it. It cannot be a thing natural or artificial. The sprinkling of blood hath made so plain a face so well proportioned so lively shadowed as no art in such a manner is able to counterfeit the like.The Privy council heard about the corn and needed, of course, to see it. But it was in a safe place when they did visit it, in the hands of the Spanish Ambassador Don Pedro de Cuniga. Many of the council were quite worried that they may be undone. The famous straw ended up at the Jesuit college of Liege but disappeared after the suppression of the Society in 1773. Countless painters and artists were called to replicate the artwork but none were able to. Father Gerard
was to leave England, being helped by the just released Anne Vaux.
However, he could not get a group of prominent Catholics to smuggle him
on board ship except after Garnet
was executed. The minds the group's minds. Father Gerard was given Spanish
clothes so as to blend in and crossed over to France. He never returned
to England.
Anne Vaux
was released in August 1606. She continued a life dedicated to her religion
and was last heard of in 1635 running a convent school in Derbyshire. 
Thus endith a
short summary of these important and nearly forgotten events of nearly
400 years ago. It is no wonder that such a time so rich in real life drama
and with such well written records and well crafted statements should have
also produced Shakespeare. While two lengthy poetic tracts were produced
there is as yet no play or film. Surely these events deserve attention
from the writers of our time.
So too the concepts
and problems of the rule of law and society need to be carefully examined.
We, 400 years later, are still surrounded with terror and with organized
violence and threats to our political order by those who draw their lives
and very existence from its tolerance. Perhaps a further reflection upon
this history will be refreshing for those of us who see the problems of
our day to be ours alone, when in fact they are part of a much wider human
condition.
A few new tales
to tell around the bonfire of these very brave men and of the times and
of all men, a worthy celebration. Take the time to tell their tale! From
this tale came the celebration of the deliverance of a nation and of a
way of government from tyranny and terrorism. There is as much a tale in
the history of celebration as there is in the history of the plot itself.
It has indeed evolved into something entirely different. Take a look at
our celebration pages to find out the nature and history of celebration
click here.
Conrad Jay Bladey
This account is
a compilation of those found in our bibliography.
We hope you will consult it to further
your own study of the plot! The end of the Story |
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