Edward Osbaldeston was a Catholic priest and martyr born around 1560 at Osbaldeston Hall in Lancashire. After studying at the English College in Douai and Reims, he was ordained a priest in 1585. He returned to England to participate in the Catholic mission, which began in 1589. His religious activities eventually led to his arrest in Yorkshire, resulting in a conviction for high treason due to his priesthood.
Life and death
Osbaldeston was the son of Thomas Osbaldeston and was deeply devoted to Saint Jerome, the saint whose feast day he chose for his first Mass. In September 1594, he was captured at an inn in Tollerton by a priest hunter. Following his trial at York Castle, he was executed by being hanged, drawn, and quartered on 16 November 1594.
Veneration
He is recognized as a blessed martyr. Pope John Paul II included him among eighty-five English and Welsh martyrs beatified in 1987. In the Roman Martyrology, his death is commemorated on 16 November, a date specifically noted for the York region.