GARNET or GARNETT, HENRY (1555-16o6), English Jesuit, was born at Heanor, Derbyshire, educated at Winchester and afterwards studied law in London. Having become a Roman Catholic, in 1575 he joined the Jesuits in Italy, and in 1587 was made superior of the English province. Fearless and indefatigable in carrying on his propaganda and in ministering to the scattered Catholics, even in their prisons, Garnet is remembered for his con nection with the Gunpowder Plot for which he suffered death. On June 9, 16o5 Garnet was asked by Catesby whether any under taking which should involve the destruction of the innocent to gether with the guilty was lawful. Garnet answered in the affirma tive, giving as an illustration the fate of persons besieged in time of war. Afterwards, however, he admonished Catesby against in tending the death of "not only innocents but friends and neces sary persons for a commonwealth," and showed him a letter from the pope forbidding rebellion. According to Sir Everard Digby, Garnet, when asked the meaning of the brief, replied "that they (meaning the priests) were not to undertake or procure stirs, but yet they would not hinder any, neither was it the pope's mind they should, that should be undertaken for Catholic good. . . . This answer, with Mr. Catesby's proceedings with him and me, gave me absolute belief that the matter in general was approved, though every particular was not known." A few days later, according to Garnet, the Jesuit, Oswald Tesemond, known as Greenway, in formed him of the whole plot "by way of confession," but he urged Greenway to do his utmost to prevent its execution. Garnet's con duct in now keeping the plot a secret has been a matter of consid erable controversy not only between Roman Catholics and Protes tants, but amongst Roman Catholic writers. He appears to have taken no decisive steps to prevent the crime, and his movements immediately prior to the attempt were certainly suspicious. In September, shortly before the expected meeting of parliament on Oct. 3, Garnet organized a pilgrimage to St. Winifred's Well in Flintshire, which included Sir Everard Digby, Rokewood, John Grant and Robert Winter. During the pilgrimage Garnet asked for prayers "for some good success for the Catholic cause at the begin ning of parliament." After his return he went to Coughton where it had been settled the conspirators were to assemble after the ex plosion. On Nov. 6, Bates, Catesby's servant and one of the con spirators, brought him a letter with the news of the failure of the plot. On the 3oth Garnet addressed a letter to the government in which he protested his innocence. On Dec. 4, Garnet and Greenway were, by the confession of Bates, implicated in the plot. In com pany with another priest, Oldcorne alias Hall, Garnet hid himself, but at last on Jan. 3o, 1606, surrendered and was taken up to Lon don. Examined by the council on Feb. 13, he refused to incrimi nate himself. Subsequently, Garnet and Oldcorne having been placed in adjoining rooms and enabled to communicate with one another, their conversations were overheard on several separate occasions and considerable information obtained. Garnet at first denied all speech with Oldcorne, but later on March 8, confessed his connection with the plot. He was tried at the Guildhall on the 28th.
In the eyes of the law, Garnet was guilty of misprision of treason, i.e., of having concealed his knowledge of the crime, an offence which exposed him to perpetual imprisonment and for feiture of his property. His trial, like many others, was influenced by the political situation, the case against him being supported by general political accusations against the Jesuits as a body, and with evidence of their complicity in former plots. The prisoner himself prejudiced his cause by his numerous false statements, and by adhering to the doctrine of equivocation. He was declared guilty, and executed on May 3, 1606. He acknowledged himself justly condemned for his concealment of the plot, but maintained to the last that he had never approved it. Garnet's name was in cluded in the list of the 353 Roman Catholic martyrs sent to Rome from England in 1880. His aliases were Farmer, Marchant, Whalley, Darcey, Meaze, Phillips, Humphreys, Roberts, Fulgeham, Allen. Garnet was the author of a letter on the Martyrdom of Godfrey Maurice, alias John Jones, in Diego Yepres's Historia particular de la persecucion de Inglaterra ; a Treatise of Schism; a translation of Canisius' Summa of Christian Doctrine (162 2) ; a treatise on the Rosary; a Treatise of Christian Renova tion (1616) .