(From Challoner’s Memoirs, i. 98 and 227)

DR. BRIDGEWATER relates that Mr. Ailworth, a secular gentleman, for his constancy in the faith was not only cast into prison and there put in irons, but also thrust by the jailer into a nasty dungeon, or rather a common sewer, where he perished by the stench within eight days.[1]

Henry Holland in a letter gives some further details of his sufferings and death — 

‘I cannot pass over in silence Mr. Ailworth,[2] a young Irish gentleman, of a singular zeal for religion, who had hired a house not in any street but among the gardens, commodious enough for preaching and mass, where the Catholics sometimes met in a pretty good number for the divine service, much to his content and satisfaction, who set more value upon what belonged to the honour and worship of God than upon any earthly toys. 

But the thing became known and reached the ears of Fleetwood, the Recorder of the city.

This furious man with constables came to the house, and finding Mr. Ailworth in his chamber, carried him away to prison, even to the very worst prison in London. 

And in this way being displeased at some word that the gentleman spoke, gave this most constant confessor a violent blow on the head, then ordered him to be put into a filthy dungeon, destitute of all things, strictly forbidding any one to be admitted to visit him or give him anything so that the young gentleman in eight days’ time was brought to his end by the stench and filth of the place. 

[1] Concertatio p. 412
[2] A family of this name lived at Faithlegg, Co. Waterford. There is a shield over the doorway of the old castle of Passage East, inscribed Ailward’ in black letter. Sir Richard Aylward, in 1606, showed great servility in the matter of religion. See C.S.Pl. (1603- 1606), p. 466

Please pray for final perseverance for all of us!
May the martyrs of old inspire us all.