And lost myself for a while in that heady atmosphere’

A ruin now, the once proud stone

Set down, midst Beauvale land

Should haunt the ghost of Henry’s vilest past

And taunt him once again

Those Martyrs set their lives at nought

And never yielding, soon were caught

They could have chosen King ’bove God

They could have given ‘liegence to a mortal tyrant he

They could have hailed him as the grace

Above their own beliefs

They would have known his minions were too grand

Yet doomed to hang, they kept their faith

And did not bow to threats of his command

Centuries slipped away as visitors were welcomed to the cluster of tents: heraldic flags and banners-flying high, proclaiming we had reached the encampment of ‘Team Falchion’ fourteenth century re-enactment knights: dedicated to the memory of Sir Nicholas de Cantilupe, Lord of Ilkeston and founder of Beauvale Priory, and whose remains lie at rest in Lincoln Cathedral.

The pious knights, squires, levied peasantry and retinue were realistically dressed in the most natural way with artefacts and weaponry genuinely created, to accurately reflect living and working conditions of the time.

I entered a Roman Catholic knight’s cosy, circular tent, containing his bed, complete with decorative inner curtain and feather pillows, sheepskin rugs, laid on authentic matting. An iron banded wooden trunk sat just inside the entrance, containing his personal possessions and doubling as a low table. Spread over this, on an embroidered sleeve, lay his strung-bead-Rosary, tankard, and green-bohemian-glass goblets, his sheathed dagger, working knife and wooden food bowl.

We were treated to displays of ‘knights, in man to man combat’ Squires doing battle, full of enthusiastic violence: if not such skilful moves: archery exhibitions with the longbow and demonstrations of field manoeuvres by fully armed soldiers. These included pikemen and bowmen and the new musketry of the time, loading and firing (we were told these weapons would never catch on – far too slow and ponderous.)

There were yeoman farmers and their wives and monks and minstrels mingling with the crowd.

Robin Hood was alluded to, and Dougie the Wood, had his beautifully crafted artefacts on display.

Many other enthusiasts were present, giving displays and selling their medieval wares, including ‘The Knights of Skirbeck’ from Lincolnshire with interactive displays of food, cookery and games, as well as armour and weapons (all their equipment being freely accessible.)

All credit to Abbey Farm’s proprietors; Anne and Tony Whyte: for having the inspiration, commitment and determination to present this vivid spectacle of medieval life: for one unforgettable, fascinating weekend, the past was king.  

The men refused to work for less than 10 shillings a week, their wages had been reduced to just 7 shillings and were to be dropped again to just 6. A local landowner, James Frampton, wrote to the Prime Minister in 1834 complaining about the union and used in his favour an obscure law from 1797 that prohibited people from swearing oaths to one another. The six members of the society had done this. The six, one a Methodist preacher, were sentenced to transportation, Thomas Standfield and his son John were amongst that group of six. They were each given a seven year sentence.

Their story quickly spread and they became heroes for many oppressed workers at that time. Over 800,000 signatures were collected in a petition for their release. A political march was organized, it was one of the first successes of such a demonstration in the UK. Five of the six were released in 1836. James Hammett was not released at that time for he had a previous conviction for theft. Hammett was released the next year. The British Home Secretary in 1836 Lord John Russell gave his support to their being released.

Of the five released in 1836, four returned to England and a plaque in Plymouth, next to the Mayflower steps commemorates their return. They first lived in Essex, just to the north of London, before moving across the Atlantic Ocean to Canada and London, Ontario. A monument at that location honours the men. James Hammett returned to Tolpuddle after his release and remained there until he died in 1891.

In the Dorset village of Tolpuddle they are not forgotten. The Tolpuddle Martyr’s Museum features displays and exhibits about the men and the impact they had on the trade unions. A monument was erected in the village to mark the centenary in 1934 and a sculpture was added to the front of the museum in 2001.

There is an annual festival, it features a parade involving many trade unions, a service of memorial, speeches and music. It is held in the 3rd week of July and known as the Tolpuddle Martyr’s Festival.

     For all the readers i would say sorry in advance for my gramatical mistakes as i am not a perfect writer. 

 In the year 2010 more than 115 people got martyred in the peaceful protest but it all started again when a innocent boy namely Tufail Ashraf Matoo of 17 years got killed by indian army when he was just returning from his tutions. Innocent kashmiri people who already dont like india got for protests. The huge protests got for 6 months within hardly 7 days for work in these 6 months. The call of protest was given by famous kashmiri leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani. The Cheif Minister of india Omar Abdullah was not with people of kashmir but with india. The Government continiously imposed curfews in Valley for Months as according to law you cannot impose curfew for more than 4 days but the kashmiri people still protested. India got very much worried after again hearing the slogans of freedom and after observing  that schools,colleges,universities closed since months, the reason for this was international pressure otherwise they dont really care. The role of media was they never tried to inform the world the slogans of freedom from kashmir. They always tried to make i a different issue. On 15 august 2010 the independence of kashmir CM Omar Abdullah was on function to wave the indian flag there a police officer namely Abdul Ahad Jaan throw a shoe on Cheif Minister Omar Abdullah and began to give slogans of freedom, this was very impressive as a Kasmiri Policeman had done it, he was then suspended and torchered to give names of kashmiri leaders. The policeman got terribly injuried and that affected his kidneys but he survived. The people began after a very long time as indian media showed nothing. The valley was burning and media remained silent like ther was nothing like kashmir. The kashmiri people expected a lot from european and american countries and also from U.N.O. India after promising people again to take decisions remained silent and ignored everything as they know kashmir is not there part. It was not just in 2010 it also was in 2008 when land of kashmiris was trying to be sold out but kashmiris saved it. Before that in 1989’s when terrorism took place in kashmir india then also killed a huge amount of people ruthlessly. Since 1989 more than 1.5 lac people have been killed by Indian Army and before that indian killed 6 lac people cheating with them. As its guaranteed it will start again and kashmiris will get freedom its a request for all christians and other europeans tob care for kashmir.

Every so often we hear of a terrorist atrocity. Innocent civilians have been maimed or killed in an explosion. At the centre of this horrendous act: often some “suicide bomber”. How horrible.

Sometimes we hear about the background to one of these “martyrs”. They lead normal family lives with wife and kids (or husband), leave a, “I Love You” letter or video, then go along with their “colleagues” and bring a sudden end to it all. Just imagine travelling to your “target”, knowing full well it will be your very last act. For me that would be ten times worse than going to the dentist for serious surgery. Words fail me. Of course this is not new: remember the Japanese Kamikaze pilots of the Second World War.

Life is so precious

Some of these martyrs do explain why they do this. They say that under their religion they will be granted a place in heaven for what they do. Poppycock. I maintain that nobody can guarantee life after death. It is highly likely that for most of eternity we are dead. Sorry, but that appears to be the truth. I Hope that I am wrong: that God or Allah or someone will give us eternal life, in some spiritual realm. Yet I can only Hope. No more. So how you would-be bombers can go ahead with killing yourselves is totally beyond my comprehension.

Why kill yourselves?

Most would-be martyrs claim that they are doing what is right: taking vengeance on the “wicked West”. They say that Westerners have done great evil in The Middle East and parts of Asia. Al Qaeda and others yell about a “Jihad” against us “Satanists” (or something of the sort).

This is where I’ll probably show my blissful ignorance. The ordinary man in the British street has little knowledge of what goes on in The Middle East. We have followed the Iraq War and the Afghanistan saga. The Israel issue keeps popping up on the news. Sure, we have a vague idea that Western nations tend to support Israel no matter what they do. The Egyptian civil war fills our news right now, and we watch with interest. We’ve heard that there is oil in the middle east, and that Iran (formerly Persia remember) might be building a nuclear arsenal. Yet all people do here is see the price of petrol go up and wonder why. In short Mr Average “Westerner” is quite innocent.

So why do it?

The bottom line, then, is that I have no idea why you martyrs do what you do. In my humble view you are all utterly mad. You might have a case that somehow we Westerners are exploiting you. However, the Tunisia and Egypt situations do suggest that it might be your own governments that are to blame. We have the same problem to some extent. Look at any Banksy picture: clearly not all is sweetness and light here in Britain either. We all have our issues. Yet there is no need for you to kill yourselves, or anyone else for that matter. Better to Talk with your “adversaries”. Engage with them. Come to some understanding. Make Peace.

Paul Butters

Crucifixion of 6,000 Rebel Slaves

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The crucifixion of rebel slaves during the so-called Third Servile War is one of the most notable cases of crucifixion in history of mankind. Triggered by abuses and maltreatments, between 73 BC and 71 BC a band of slaves, numbering about 120,000, under the leadership of Spartacus (a slave and gladiator) were in open revolt against the Roman republic. For two years the terrorized Rome but due to lack of unity and squabbles among leaders, the rebellion was eventually crushed. While Spartacus himself most likely died in the final battle of the revolt, approximately 6,000 of his followers were crucified along the 200 km road between Capua and Rome, as a warning to any other would-be rebels.

Crucifixion of the Ten Thousand Martyrs of Mount Ararat

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This is by far the largest number of crucifixion in history. The ten thousand martyrs of Mount Ararat were Roman soldiers who, led by Saint Acacius, converted to Christianity and were crucified on Mount Ararat in eastern Turkey by order of the Roman emperor. The story is attributed to the ninth century scholar Anastasius Bibliothecarius. The martyrs are commemorated by the Roman Catholic Church but not by the Eastern Orthodox Church or the Armenian Apostolic Church. Despite its questionable veracity, the event was extremely popular in Italian Renaissance art, as seen for example in the painting 10,000 Martyrs of Mount Ararat by the Venetian artist Vittore Carpaccio.

Crucifixion of the Twenty-six Martyrs of Japan

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In the orient, one of the most notable crucifixions was the execution of The Twenty-six Martyrs of Japan. This refers to a group of Christians who were executed on February 5, 1597 in Nagasaki, Japan. On August 15, 1549, St. Francis Xavier, Fr. Cosme de Torres, S.J. and Fr. John Fernandez arrived in Kagoshima, Japan from Spain with hopes of bringing Catholicism to Japan. On September 29, St. Francis Xavier visited Shimazu Takahisa, the daimyo of Kagoshima, asking for permission to build the first Catholic mission in Japan. A promising beginning to those missions-perhaps as many as 300,000 Christians by the end of the sixteenth century-met complications from competition between the missionary groups, political difficulty between Spain and Portugal, and factions within the government of Japan. Christianity was suppressed. By 1630, Christianity was driven underground.

The first Martyrs of Japan are commemorated on February 5 when, on that date in 1597, twenty-six missionaries and converts were killed by crucifixion. Two hundred and fifty years later, when Christian missionaries returned to Japan, they found a community of Japanese Christians that had survived underground.

Saint Peter’s Crucifixion

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Saint Peter is one of the 12 apostles of Jesus Christ and traditionally regarded as the first pope of the Roman Catholic Church. According to tradition, he was crucified upside down at his own request (hence the Cross of St. Peter), as he did not feel worthy to die the same way as Jesus. Note that upside-down crucifixion would not result in death from asphyxiation (condition of severely deficient supply of oxygen to the body that arises from being unable to breathe normally).

Crucifixion of Saint Andrew

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Saint Andrew is one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ and was the brother of Saint Peter. According to tradition, St. Andrew was crucified on an X-shaped cross, hence the name St. Andrew’s Cross. It is generally agreed that he was crucified by order of the Roman Governor, Aegeas, at Patrae in Achaia, and that he was bound, not nailed, to the cross, in order to prolong his sufferings. The cross on which he suffered is commonly held to have been the decussate cross, now known as St. Andrew’s. His martyrdom took place during the reign of Nero, on 30 November, A.D. 60.

Saint Bartholomew’s Crucifixion

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Another apostle of Jesus who suffered much and died by crucifixion was Saint Bartholomew. Along with his fellow Apostle Jude, Bartholomew is reputed to have brought Christianity to Armenia in the 1st century. Thus both saints are considered the patron saints of the Armenian Apostolic Church. He was not crucified the usual way but was flayed alive and then crucified head down.

Saint Philip’s Crucifixion

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Still, another apostle of Jesus who died by crucifixion was Saint Philip. He is traditionally described Philip as the apostle who proselytized in Greece, Syria and Phrygia. He was martyred by crucifixion in the city of Hierapolis. According to this account, through a miraculous healing and his preaching Philip converted the wife of the proconsul of the city. This enraged the proconsul, and he had Philip, Bartholomew, and Mariamme all tortured. Philip and Bartholomew were then crucified upside down, and Philip preached from his cross. As a result of Philip’s preaching the crowd released Bartholomew from his cross, but Philip insisted that they not release him, and Philip died on the cross.

Crucifixion of Saint Rajden the First-Martyr

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Saint Rajden the First-Martyr also known as Saint Razdhen of Tsromi was a Persia-born Christian saint and martyr in Georgia, who died during the oppression of Christian Iberia (E. Georgia) by the Persian Empire. In 456, king Peroz I of Persia demanded that the Iberians joined his expedition against the Byzantine Empire. King Vakhtang refused to comply and a Persian army attacked the country. The forces were uneven and the Iberians suffered defeat. Rajden, who headed a defense of the Armazi fortress at the capital Mtskheta, was captured alive and sent to the Persian court. After a brief imprisonment, he was handed over to the Persian governor of Tsromi, Georgia. He was ordered to renounce Christianity, but Rajden refused. Subjected to extensive tortures, he was finally crucified and struck by several arrows.

Crucifixion of Johanan ben Ha-galgol

Johanan ben Ha-galgol is the name of a man whose remains in an ossuary were discovered by archaeologists in 1968 near Jerusalem. The remains show clearly that the man had been crucified. One of the notable facts about the discovery of this man’s remains is that it proves crucifixion victims were nailed through their wrists, as opposed to the palms. Both the grave and the remains have been dated to between 7 A.D. and 70 A.D. One nail had also been driven through both of the man’s feet, as described in the Bible in relation to the crucifixion of Jesus.

Crucifixion of Saint Simeon

Simeon of Jerusalem was the son of Clopas was a Jewish Christian leader and is traditionally considered the second Bishop of Jerusalem. He was crucified either 106 or 107.

Crucifixion of Joseph ibn Naghrela

Joseph ibn Naghrela or Joseph ha-Nagid (1035-1066) was a vizier (governor) to the Berber king Badis al-Muzaffar of Granada, during the Moorish rule of Andalusia, and the leader of the Jewish community there. On December 30, 1066 (9 Tevet 4827), Muslim mobs stormed the royal palace where Joseph had sought refuge, then crucified him. In the ensuing massacre of the Jewish population, most of the Jews of Granada were murdered. “More than 1,500 Jewish families, numbering 4,000 persons, fell in one day.”

Crucifixion of Archbishop Joachim of Nizhny Novgorod

Archbishop Joachim of Nizhny Novgorod was reportedly crucified upside down, on the Royal Doors of the Cathedral in Sevastopol, Russia in 1920.

Crucifixion of Wilgefortis

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Wilgefortis was venerated as a saint and represented as a crucified woman. Her name is thought by some to derive from the Old German “heilige Vartez” (holy face), a translation of the Italian “Volto Santo”; others believe it to derive from the Latin “virgo fortis” (strong woman). In England her name was Uncumber, and in Dutch Ontkommer (where her name means escaper). In German lands she was known as Kümmernis (where her name means “grief” or “anxiety”). She was known as Liberata in Italy and France, and Librada in Spain, again as “liberator” from tribulations or husbands.

Crucifixion of Jesus Christ

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The crucifixion of Jesus Christ is the best-known case. Jesus of Nazareth was condemned to crucifixion (most likely in AD 30 or 33) by Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Iudaea province. According to the New Testament, this was at the instigation of the Jewish leaders, who were scandalized at his claim to be the Messiah. The civil charge was a claim to be King of the Jews.

Crucifixion was in use by the Persians, Seleucids, Carthaginians, and Romans from about the 6th century BC up to the 4th century AD. In the year 337 AD, Emperor Constantine I abolished it in his empire, out of veneration for Jesus Christ, the most famous victim of crucifixion. It has sometimes been used even in modern times.

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