William Flower
WILLIAM FLOWER
William Flower, sometimes called Branch, was born at Snow Hill, Cambridge. He entered the Abbey of Ely and was made a monk at the age of seventeen, observing all the rules of the order, becoming a priest, and celebrating Mass. But at the age of twenty-one, Flower left the order, abandoned his habit, became a secular priest, and returned to Snow Hill. There he celebrated Mass and taught children for about six months.
He moved to several other places before he settled in Tewkesbury for a while and married; then he moved to London. One Easter morning, Flower saw a priest giving Communion to the people in St. Margaret’s Church in Westminster. Suddenly offended at the ceremony and the priest, he drew his knife and slashed the priest on the head, arm, and hand, causing the chalice, with its consecrated host, to fall to the floor, where it mingled with the priest’s blood.
When he was brought before Bishop Bonner, Flower admitted he had acted in an unchristian manner by striking the priest and should be punished for that. But as far as his beliefs about Communion went, he refused to submit. He told the bishop that he could do as he chose with his body, but he had no power over his soul, which belonged to God.
Given a few hours to think about it, Flower returned to the bishop, who asked him to reconsider his views of Communion. “I’ll stand by what I’ve said,” Flower stated. “Let the law punish me.” Every time he was seen by the bishop, his answer was the same: “I have nothing to say. I’ve already said all I have to say, and I won’t change that.”
On April 24, Flower was brought to St. Margaret’s churchyard to be burned. First his left hand was held behind him while his right hand was cut off, then the fire was lit. As he burned, he cried aloud three times, “O Son of God, have mercy upon me!” Then he spoke no more, holding the stump of his arm up as long as he could with his other hand.