William Hart

, a most zealous young Man for the R. Cath. Cause, was born in Somersetshire, entred in his puerile years into Lincoln Coll. an. 1572, where after he had been instructed in Grammar and Logick, left it without a Degree, his relations and Country, and going beyond the Seas to Doway, compleated his studies in Philosophy. Afterwards he travelled to Rome, studied Divinity and was there made a Priest. At length being sent into the mission of England before he was 24 years of age, settled in Yorkshire, where he administred comfort to the afflicted Catholicks for a considerable time, with little or no interruption. At length being taken and imprison’d at York, he wrot,

Letters to certaine Catholicks.

Letters to his spiritual Sons.

Letters to the afflicted Cath. and to those that suffer in Prison.

Letters to a noble Matron—All which, at least 10 in number, were as I presume written by him in the English tongue. The Latine copies, with many things of their Author, you may see in a book entit. Concertatio Ecclesiae Catholicae in Anglia, p. 104. mention’d in Joh. Bridgwater among the writers following, under the Year 1594. This Will. Hart was hang’d, drawn, and quarter’d, for being a R. Priest,1582-83. at York, on the 15 of March in Fifteen hundred eighty and two, and his quarters afterwards hanged up in publick places. In his time were several young Scholars of Lincoln Coll. educated, and afterwards professed themselves openly to be R. Catholicks, having received instructions from some of the Fellows that were inclined that way, but chiefly from the Rector thereof Job. Bridgwater before-mentioned, who always at last his Rectory to prevent expulsion. Some of them I shall mention, as they lay in my way.