Thread by @ColemanDennehy

A legal-historian of early modern Irish crime and punishment, I will 'live-tweet' the last days and hours of John Atherton, a bishop of Waterford & Lismore and ally of the Wentworth executive, who was executed on 5 Dec 1640 in Dublin.

One of the primary sources for this is Nicholas Bernard, 'The penitent death of a woefull sinner', published in London in 1651. Bernard attended to Atherton's spiritual needs in the condemned cell at Dublin Castle, whilst being transported north of the river, and at the scaffold

Bernard is largely sympathetic, but there were a number of other more hostile sources in later years, either horrified by Atherton's behaviour or using it to embarrass and damage the episcopal state church.
Some of the best modern material is that by Clarke and by Marshall, etc

The son of a clergyman, Atherton was educated locally in Somerset, before heading to Oxford, where he excelled at canon law. He was ordained in the Church of England and had a laving in his home county by 1622.

There was rumour of scandal (incest - relations with wife's sister, and a baby born) before he came to Ireland and some of the it was to follow him to Waterford, but little came of it, immediately at least.
Although it did make Laud suspicious of him.

He moved to Ireland in the late 1620s, being made a fellow of @tcddublin and also a prebened @cccdub with responsibility for St John's around the corner on Fishamble Street, the graveyard of which he is buried in, in a desolate corner where the rubbish was normally left.

Active in 1634 convocation and on commission for ecclesiastical causes, he is made honorary DD of @tcddublin, chancellor of @cccdub, and then by May 1636 he was made Bishop of @ChristChurchWFD and #Lismore - appointed due to his skill at #law and administrative ability

His primary concern is to build up church finances and to recover church lands and incomes from the earl of Cork - 'there is no such terrier in England for the unkennelling an old fox'. Making an enemy of Cork, and taking a lot of his cash, would be one reason Atherton died.

The potential rap sheet is too long for twitter, but it's fair to say that additional problems were his attack on vested interests, his association with Wentworth, and his personality and personal behaviour.
Sodomy was the way they got him, as much as the reason

Formal accusations are made in parliament in Summer 1640 by his proctor and lover, John Child (right), turning king's evidence. Initially having bail, it is suggested that Atherton didn't take the charges very seriously
He was indicted in the Winter for sodomy and rape, and tried

Deprived of access to defense counsel (they never appeared in court on criminal matters), it's difficult to be sure if the rape charge succeeded, but Atherton was found guilty by jury of 12 men on 27 November in a trial that is unlikely to have lasted more than a few hours

As has already been mentioned today, the unexpected death of Christopher Wandesford today creates two issues for the bishop.
1 / There will be no process of deconsecration and so the bishop is hanged as Bishop of Waterford & Lismore

2 / A vacuum at central government, it's questionable as to who wields power, and so there was rumour that he might have some reprieve or even a pardon - Bernard states that 'it moved him not, as if chusing a present deserved death than the prolonging of an ignominous life'

Thinking of royal prerogative, Atherton had considered the idea of petitioning for a beheading, for which precedent could be found, but he answered that with indignation 'that a dog's death was too good for him...that he wished his grave were the bottom of the sea'
#LaudBeheaded

This morning, Thursday 3rd, Atherton took communion with his spiritual advisor, Bernard, whom he begged to stay for dinner, 'his last set meal', and he also consoled his wife that God had forgiven the sin, and would abate the scandal 'if she could by Faith rely upon him'

In the afternoon, a few days after requesting it, his coffin was delivered to his cell and it was to remain in it until Saturday. He viewed it 'with little consternation of mind, as on his bed he must sleep in'.

Before bed, Atherton's prayers impress Bernard
He gives thanks for his death as opposed to that of Wandersford's, who's death was sudden and his soul was in danger for the lack of preparation.
Lots of time for prayer, thought, and letters tomorrow, before the big day on Saturday

We don't know what time Atherton awoke today, which was to be his last full day in his life.
Most of it will be spent in recollection, in prayer, reading, and in some mundane preparations for death.

He didn't sleep well on Thursday night / Friday morning. He took that as as punishment for his desire of it.

Friday morning, the day before, Bernard went to the Lord Chief Justice Shurley and Justice Hugh Cressy (KB), to request that Atherton not be pinioned until arrival at the gallows on Oxmanstown Green, although the sheriff of Dublin County does not accede, citing security.

Atherton spends much of the day dwelling on his sin, the 'immodest pictures and naughty books', wishing they were burned, but we aren't (frustratingly) told what the texts were.
He also spends time reading Foxe's Book Of Martyrs, which is pushing it a bit really 🙄

Atherton speaks of one time in revenge, scaring his Mammy, he said ‘he would goe hang himselfe on a common gallows they rode by, with his horses bridle’.
His father, long since dead had predicted he would end up hanged.
#DaddyIssues #MammyIssues

Sent for clerk of St John’s (Fishamble St) to ensure he is not buried inside the church, but outside, in the yard, in the ‘furthest corner, where some rubbish used to be cast, and where none could be remembered ever to have been buried before’

6pm
A messenger, at Bernard’s request, goes back to the judges and returns with a command in the hand of the Lord Chief Justice Shirley that Atherton not be pinioned until arrival at the gallows.
Again, this is not acceded to.
#PostSentenceJudicialInvolvement

This order was agreed to by all the judges, who were dining at @KingsInns that evening. They had put off their dinner to discuss the issue.
Brave sheriff of Dublin County to ignore such a command, but did they have authority to interfere in the way sentence is carried out?

Night has descended over Dublin -whilst the town may be boisterous, Bishop Atherton is quietly reflective and writes a letter to his wife from the condemned cell
#DoAsISayDontDoAsIDo

And one to his five daughters!

Later that night – Atherton sent for his servants, ‘and with teares gave them such savoury admonitions, that they all wept’.

4am
awake with ‘sweetnesse in my soule, those refreshments in my heart….such confidence of God’s love, and assurance of pardon, such a longing to be dissolved, and to be with Christ, such joy and inward consolation, as if he had been in the suburbs of Heaven already’
#delirious

7am -
His man spots Atherton through the peep hole on his knees in prayer for 15 mins.
When he enters he’s greeted with a smiling countenance.
Recounts the martyr Robert Glover praying for comfort and receiving it on the gallows.

9am
Prisoners in the castle gathered for Atherton to take his leave of them, and conducts morning prayers
Reads various psalms, visitation prayers and funeral prayers. Spends time on 15 of 1 Corinthians - #Resurrection
#AssuredOfHisSalvation
Resurrection of the Flesh,Signorelli

10am Morning – Degraded from his honorary DD at @tcddublin apparently with Atherton’s approbation.

Time to posthumously restore it?

11
Breakfast of beer, brown bread and salt butter.
Only has a little as Atherton is expectant to ‘to be invited to the supper of the Lambe in another world, when he should need none of these things’

Midday
‘When the time drew nigh, and he heard the noyse of the people gathering, he told me his heart began to quiver’

Reads and repeats last verse of Psalm 42:
Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God

And confirms that the sheriff should be a welcome messenger

Atherton disposes of gifts and tokens to his friends - gloves, girdle, staff, some books and pious devotions.
The last thing he gives is his gold seale ring from his finger to Bernard, the author of the source for his last days

Just waiting on the sheriff to arrive now
Big crowd

Sheriff of County Dublin (as opposed to sheriff of Dublin City) arrives to take control of events.
Executions is one of the few times the sheriff of the county has authority within the city.

The sheriff is ‘a Papist’ and although everyone agrees Atherton was not anti-Catholic (and favour persecuting Protestants more) and the Catholics played no real part in his downfall, the sheriff was not kind to him

As discussed last night, the sheriff refuses to let him travel to Oxmamstown Green with bring pinioned (rope bound around his arms and torso), despite order of the judges, and the sheriff of the city offering him body for body.

Atherton removed his mourning gown and offered the sheriff a black ribband or black girdle for more decency.
The sheriff refused all and ‘bound him with a three penny cord, as a common Rogue‘

One last prayer in the cell. The sheriff withdraws, and ‘such a powerful, excellent prayer did I scarce ever heard, so that all both wept and sob’d with him’

Into the coach with a sheriff of the city, sub-sheriff of the county, Bernard, Atherton, and his man.
It’s reminds him of Elijah’s chariot which carried him to heaven

The exact route is not clear but Castle Street to Skinners Row is certain, and then crossing the bridge, left onto Hangman’s Lane and onto Oxmanstown Green

Along the way they pass @cccdub where a single bell tolls, Atherton recites psalm 23 (The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not wan), some ‘private ejaculations’, and a discourse concerning the departing of the souls from the body.
The route is thronged.

Crossing the sole bridge in Dublin, by The Brazen Head, Atherton gets first sight of the gallows out of the coach window.

‘There is my Mount Calvary, from when I hope to ascend to heaven’

Arrival at the gallows.
In order to make space at the arrival, the sheriff of the city clubs some people, one of whom turned out to be Atherton’s footman who run along by the coach.
The blood appears to have unnerved the bishop.

Once Atherton is out of the coach, a local jumps up on the platform, deriding the bishop and interrupting his speech.
He ignores him.
A second calls with papers and leases, attempting to conclude business, but it shouted down by the crowd.

The speech, by the seventeenth century an integral part of the theatre that is an execution, is too much to tweet, but is boiled down by Bernard here.
Atherton ‘dies a good death’, acknowledging his sins and begging forgiveness

Atherton invites those viewing to pray with him, and Bernard tells is (probably ladling it on thick), that Catholic’s and evening their priests knelt and wept.
‘Confession, aggravation of his sins, begging for mercy, that his soul may be bathed in the blood of Christ’

More psalms are sung - 116, 38, 42, and my personal favourite, 51:
The neck verse, also known as the Miserere

Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

That done, he turns to the sheriff, still on horseback with his hat on despite the prayers and psalms sung, and he forgives him.
He removes his morning gown, his hat, and cap and calls for his other hat.

Seeing so many weeping, he declares ‘I thank God I dread not death’
He moves up the the ladder, asking the hangman to give him time to declare himself ready, giving him a payment of money he had, and asking the sheriff him not to turn the ladder until he spoke.

The cap pulled over his face, he said ‘Lord now let thy servant depart in peace according to thy word, for mine eyes hath seen thy salvation that thou hast prepared for mee’

‘Now I am ready’

Have mercy, have mercy’

The ladder is turned and his hands gown down by his side.

Modern pathology of hanging suggests he would lose consciousness after perhaps 15 seconds, but those watching would probably observe intense wriggling for man minutes, perhaps with lose of bodily functions including urination and voiding of bowels.

45 minutes later, the body was taken turn and returned in the coach with Bernard to an unknown location, perhaps the house of Bernard but more probably to Dublin Castle.
It will remain there for approximately eight hours before being buried.

7pm the verger of @cccdub arrives to Bernard’s house saying the people were expectant of some words or sermon.
A huge crowd showed up for the sermon (according to the preacher) and apparently contained huge numbers of Catholics

Bernard’s sermon was so inspirational that, according to Bernard, one catholic ‘who came casually thither fell into teares in the very church and was converted’

99 page long sermon. Not bad for an off the cuff, winged few words.

The modern front outside the back of St Michan’s (westerly side), which would have been the edge of Oxmanstown Green which was where the gallows were and where the execution took place. Now st / Smithfield
Picture thanks to @thomasbrunkard

10pm, same day as execution, Atherton is buried in St John’s (Fishamble St), in the yard, in the ‘furthest corner, where some rubbish used to be cast, and where none could be remembered ever to have been buried before’
Roughly where civic offices are today
Pic @thomasbrunkard

As seen in the burial register for that day, wrongly recorded as DD (deprived of his honorary DD that morning)

Pic courtesy of @thomasbrunkard

Bar all the posthumous arguments and pamphlets, that’s the end of the Atherton thread. Considering all that was to follow in the next year, he might have been as well off.
Night folks!