He fought for the King during the English Civil War and came off badly. After the Restoration he lived in peace with his family until, at the age of 66, he was caught up in the Titus Oates false accusations and committed to the Tower of London.
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| Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Church, Chideock |
After two years imprisonment in the Tower he was brought for trial to The House of Lords where he was subjected to a legal barrage for four days. During this period he remained calm in the face of adversity. Finally, he was found guilty by his peers on a vote of 55 against 31.
On his way to the scaffold he was advised to put on his cloak to which he readily agreed: "Lest I shake from cold, but never from fear."
Brave words from a brave man.
He gained his martyr's crown on 29th December 1680 in the reign of Charles II - dubbed "the Merry Monarch".
VENERABLE WILLIAM STAFFORD - ORA PRO NOBIS
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