Background
John Finch was born about 1548.
John Finch was born about 1548.
He is a Catholic martyr, beatified in 1929. He was a yeoman of Eccleston, Lancashire, from a Catholic family, but brought up an Anglican. When he was twenty years old he went to London where he spent nearly a year with some cousins at Inner Temple.
He drew on himself the hostility of the authorities, and at Christmas, 1581, he was entrapped into bringing a priest, George Ostliffe, to a place where both were apprehended.
lieutenant was given out that Finch, having betrayed the priest and other Catholics, had taken refuge with the Earl of Derby, but in fact, he was kept in the earl"s house as a prisoner, sometimes tortured and sometimes bribed in order to induce him to give information. He was removed to the New Fleet Prison, Manchester, and afterwards to the House of Correction.
After three years" imprisonment, he was sent to be tried at Lancaster. There he was brought to trial with three priests on 18 April 1584.
He was found guilty and, 20 April, was executed with James Bell at Lancaster.