Today in Welsh history... 15 October 1584, Saint Richard Gwyn was martyred by being hanged, drawn and quartered for high treason. He was canonised by Pope Paul VI in 1970 as one of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales.
Richard Gwyn was born c. 1537 in Montgomeryshire and studied at the universities of Oxford, Cambridge and Douai, before returning to Wales as a teacher. He taught at illegal ‘underground’ Catholic schools and was a Bard who wrote both Christian and satirical poetry in the Welsh language.
Richard Gwyn was indicted for high treason in 1583 and despite his defence and objections to the dubious practices of the court, Gwyn was executed by hanging, drawing and quartering, at the Beast Market in Wrexham on 15 October 1584. His last words, in Welsh, were reportedly "Iesu, trugarha wrthyf" ("Jesus, have mercy on me").
Richard Gwyn was born c. 1537 in Montgomeryshire and studied at the universities of Oxford, Cambridge and Douai, before returning to Wales as a teacher. He taught at illegal ‘underground’ Catholic schools and was a Bard who wrote both Christian and satirical poetry in the Welsh language.
Richard Gwyn was indicted for high treason in 1583 and despite his defence and objections to the dubious practices of the court, Gwyn was executed by hanging, drawing and quartering, at the Beast Market in Wrexham on 15 October 1584. His last words, in Welsh, were reportedly "Iesu, trugarha wrthyf" ("Jesus, have mercy on me").