July 24 – Catholic martyr John Boste

On this day in Tudor history, 24th July 1594, in the reign of Elizabeth I, Roman Catholic priest John Boste was hanged, drawn and quartered in Durham.

Boste had originally taken Church of England orders, but was converted to Catholicism in 1576. He travelled to the Low Countries in 1580 and travelled on to the English College at Rheims. He was ordained in March 1581 and was sent back to England, where he set about evangelising to people in the north of England and Scotland.

There were several attempts to apprehend him, but he was finally betrayed in September 1593. He was racked by the infamous Richard Topcliffe before he was tried and condemned for leaving and re-entering England without permission.

Boste was canonized in 1970 by Pope Paul VI.

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