SOUTHWELL, Robert, English poet and Catholic martyr: b. Horsham, Norfolk, about 1561; d. Tyburn, 21 Feb. 1595. He was edu cated at Douai and Paris under Jesuit influ ence and was ordained to the priesthood in 1584. In 1586 he returned to England, but owing to the laws against Catholics and especially against priests, was obliged to live in the greatest seclusion. In 1589 he became do mestic chaplain to the Countess of Arundel and composed various pieces of prose intended to give comfort and encouragement to his co-re ligionists in their trials. Chief among the objects of his solicitude was the Earl of Arun del, under sentence of death in the Tower. On 20 June 1592 Southwell was arrested for visit ing the house of Richard Bellamy, a Catholic under suspicion. He was many times tortured in order to extort from him confessions that might be used in prosecuting other Catholics; but his only answer was that he was a Jesuit and was prepared to die. In February 1595 he
was tried for treason under the statute that prohibited the presence in England of Jesuits or seminary priests. He was hanged, drawn and quartered at Tyburn. Shortly after his execution collections of his poems were pub lished and many subsequent editions have ap peared. A collected edition was edited by Wal ter in 1817 and by Turnbull in 1856. Of his verse the most notable examples are 'Saint Peter's Complaint) and the 'Burning Babe,) a beautiful Christmas carol, of which there are different modern musical settings. Of his Eng lish prose tracts, 'Mary Magdalen's Teares' may be mentioned. His 'Complete Poems,' edited by Grosart are published in the 'Fuller Worthies Library> (London 1872).