Records Volume 47: The History of English Persecution of Catholic and the Presbyterian Plot Part 1

Editor's Introduction BIOGRAPHICAL OUTLINE .

John Warner, the author of this history, was born in 1628 , the third son of Robert Warner of Ratcliffe, Co. Warwick. * He was educated in Spain and ordained priest there, probably at Seville . He then went to Douay , at that time under the Presi-

dency of George Leyburne , and in 1657 became Professor of Philosophy , and from 1658-1662 Professor of Divinity. In 1662 he entered the Society of Jesus , and in 1667 was appointed Professor of Theology at Liège. It is not known at what date he went on the English mission , but in 1672 he went to Paris as Procurator, and there made his profession of the four vows, which was witnessed by several distinguished personalities, including Abbot Montagu , Dr. Gage and Fr. Gough. While occupied at Paris as Procurator, he also undertook the offices of spiritual director to the Benedictine convent at Pontoise and to the Blue Nuns at Paris . § In 1675 he was present at Paris with Abbot Montagu and Fr. Stephen Gough at the discussion between John Sergeant and Bp. Peter Talbot, which was to have such an important influence in determining Sergeant's future course of action. In the same year there was with Warner in the Rue St. Antoine the foolish St. Germain , who mentions him in his letters. St. Germain endeavoured to conceal from Warner his futile intriguing , and Warner's only correspondence from Coleman seems to have been in the form of professional newsletters . In December 1677 Warnerleft his Procurator's post in Paris, and early in 1678 was installed as Rector of Liège. The outbreak of the Popish Plot in England brought with it the imprisonment of Fr. Whitbread, the Provincial, and the consequent lack of communication with England . Warner was created ViceProvincial, §§ and after the martyrdom of Fr. Whitbread was made Provincial in December 1679. During his tenure of office the Province passed through one of the most difficult * C.R.S. , viii , 431 ; and Foley, Collectanea, p. 816.

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C.R.S. , xi , 539.

Westminster Archives, vol . 34, f . 179; and Dodd, iii, 491. § C.R.S. , viii, 21 ; vi , 65; and Westminster Archives, vol . 34, . 327 sq. Blackloanae Haeresis (1675) , p. 312. H.M.C., Fitzherbert MSS ., pp . 72, 80 , 82, 92, 98, 111 , 112.

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** C.R.S. , vi, 68.

Foley, Collectanea, p. 817 . §§ Warner, MS. History, inf. . 48. Foley, v, 284.

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Records Volume 47: The History of English Persecution of Catholic and the Presbyterian Plot Part 1

Published on Jan 1, 1953

The Catholic Record Society

John Warner, the author of this history, was born in 1628, the third son of Robert Warner of Ratcliffe, Co. Warwick. * He was educated in Spain and ordained priest there, probably at Seville. He then went to Douay, at that time under the Presidency of George Leyburne, and in 1657 became Professor of Philosophy, and from 1658-1662 Professor of Divinity.~ In 1662 he entered the Society of Jesus, and in 1667 was appointed Professor of Theology at Liege. It is not known at what date he went on the English mission, but in 1672 he went to Paris as Procurator, and there made his profession of the four vows, which was ,witnessed by several distinguished personalities, including Abbot Montagu, Dr. Gage and Fr. Gough.