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Matthew Lambert was a Wexford baker who had arranged with five sailor
acquaintances to provide safe passage by ship out of Wexford for James Eustace,
Viscount Baltinglass and his Jesuit chaplain Robert Rochford when English troops
were pursuing them after the fall of the Second Desmond Rebellion (1579-83). The
authorities heard of the plan beforehand and Matthew was arrested together with
his five sailor friends. Thrown into prison, they were questioned about politics
and religion. Lambert’s reply was: “I am not a learned man. I am unable to
debate with you, but I can tell you this, ‘I am a Catholic and I believe
whatever our Holy Mother the Catholic Church believes.’”
They were all found guilty of treason and sentenced to be hanged, drawn and
quartered. Only three of the names of the five sailors are known – Robert Tyler,
Edward Cheevers and Patrick Cavanagh. Their execution took place in Wexford in
1581.
These pages © Ronald Eustice, 2007 |
