Background
Gibson was the son of Lord George Gibson II (+1590) of Goldingstones, Fife, Scotland, a judge of the High Court of Scotland, who was a "free baron" under charter of King James IV of Scotland.
Gibson was the son of Lord George Gibson II (+1590) of Goldingstones, Fife, Scotland, a judge of the High Court of Scotland, who was a "free baron" under charter of King James IV of Scotland.
With him also suffered the Blesseds George Errington of Herst, Northumberland. William Knight of South Duffield and Henry Abbot of Howden, also in Yorkshire. His great-uncle and namesake, Bishop William Gibson, Dean of Restalrig, had been one of the leading Catholic clergymen in Scotland prior to the Scottish Reformation.
He frequently represented King James V to the Holy See, and, with the support of Cardinal David Beaton, his writings in defense of the Catholic faith had earned him the papal title of "Guardian of the Scottish Church" (Latin: Custos Ecclesiae Scotiae).
The younger William Gibson was accused of treason for being a Catholic and denounced to the authorities. He was at once seized and committed to the custody of a noted pursuivant named Colyer, who treated him with indignity and severity.
Gibson was sent in August 1593 to York Castle, where he was joined shortly thereafter by fellow future martyrs William Knight and George Errington, both arrested for participation in a rising. A certain Anglican clergyman chanced to be among their fellow prisoners.
With the connivance of the authorities, he was directed to Henry Abbot, then at liberty, who endeavoured to procure a priest to reconcile him to the Church.
They were all found guilty, before (with the exception of Abbot, who was executed later) suffering hanging, drawing and quartering at York on 29 November 1596. Gibson was one of the Eighty-five martyrs of England and Wales beatified by Pope John Paul II on 22 November 1987 in the course of a visit to the United Kingdom.