11
The penalty for high treason
was to be hanged, drawn
and quartered and anyone
convicted of assisting a
priest would be treated as a
felon and hanged. Once in
prison, Fr. Postgate was not
strictly confined to his cell,
but was allowed to visit other
areas such as kitchens, the
wash house and exercise yard,
which implied that he was a
trusted person. In addition, as
a priest, he was allowed to
retain his portable Mass kit
and so he offered Mass daily
in his cell, and in the cells of
others who requested it. It
was not long before he built
up a small but enthusiastic prison
congregation, with wardens ignoring
this development which, in their view,
provided the prisoners with activity
which kept them happy and occupied.
Instead of ministering to the people of
the moors, he found himself ministering
to the inmates and their visitors. He
realized that the Word of God must be
made available to all prisoners and he
did his utmost to provide it to them.
Without exception, all the visitors
asked for his priestly blessing which
he freely gave.
Father’s trial was held for the crime
of high treason. He was probably the
oldest and meekest defendant they were
likely to encounter. The judge did his
best for Fr. Postgate but the jury was
determined to find him guilty. The
members of the jury retired to take
their vote: “We find the prisoner,
Nicholas Postgate, guilty as charged.”
Father replied, “God be with you, Your
Honor, for providing me with a short
route to Heaven.” Later, the main
witness against him came to visit
Father in tears. She shared her shame
and sorrow for having done this to
Father, and his reply was prompt:
“I forgive you, Elizabeth;
after all, you have done
nothing but to tell the
truth. Who can criticize
you for doing that?
I am not afraid to meet
my Maker. You have
speeded up my end.”
News got out that the Catholic
priest called ‘Postgate’ was
about to be martyred and
crowds of people made their
way to York. Special time was
set aside for Father to receive
pilgrims, offer Mass and
counsel those who came to
see him. The execution was
to take place on August 7, 1679.
Father gave his portable altar stone to
a close friend, and the candle sticks
and Mass kit to another. Among the
large crowd who had come to witness
his execution would be friends who had
come to bid him farewell and others
who came to relish the violence of the
execution. Tears came to Father’s
eyes, not due to fear, but due to the
faithfulness of his friends. He thought,
“I am dying for my Faith and I will
pray for them all. I am beginning
to feel like Christ on His way to be
crucified. But I cannot match Him
for holiness a nd bravery.
I AM NOT AFRAID TO DIE!”
In the prison yard, a horse-drawn
sledge awaited him. Father Postgate
was ordered to lie on the sledge, on
his back, and his arms and legs were
then lashed to the woodwork. There
was no mattress and no cushioning,
not even a handful of straw to make
his final journey over the rough road.
His destination was more than a mile
distant. The sledge was bumping and
sliding along the route, hurting his
thin body and bruising it in the fleshy
parts. He did not grumble but he
coughed heavily in the dry air.