Circa 1561–1595

Introduction

Born: Circa 1561, Hor­sham St. Faith, Nor­folk, Eng­land.

Died: Feb­ru­ary 21, 1595, Ty­burn, Eng­land.

portrait
National Portrait Gallery

Creative Commons License

Biography

Robert was the son of Ri­chard South­well and Bridg­et Cop­ley, daugh­ter of Sir Ro­ger Cop­ley of Rough­way (or Rough­ay), Sus­sex.

Educated in Pa­ris and Rome, he en­tered the So­cie­ty of Je­sus at Rome, Oc­to­ber 17, 1578. He spent part of his no­vi­ti­ate at Tour­nai, Bel­gium, but re­turned to Rome and com­plet­ed his stu­dies there.

He was or­dained a priest in 1584, and re­turned to Eng­land in 1586.

In 1592, he was ar­rest­ed on a charge of high trea­son. Af­ter tor­ture, and three years of so­li­ta­ry con­fine­ment in the Tow­er of Lon­don, he was for­mal­ly tried at West­min­ster, and ex­e­cut­ed the next day.

Sources

Lyrics

  1. Before My Face the Pic­ture Hangs
  2. Burning Babe, The
  3. He That His Mirth Hath Lost
  4. I Dwell in Grace’s Courts
  5. I Praise Him Most, I Love Him Best
  6. If Vir­tue Be Thy Guide
  7. In Pas­chal Feast, Ye End of An­cient Rite
  8. Let Fol­ly Praise That Fan­cy Loves
  9. Lopped Tree in Time May Grow Again, The
  10. New Hea­ven, New War
    • This Lit­tle Babe So Few Days Old
  11. New Prince, New Pomp
  12. O Lord, My Sins Doth Ov­er­charge Thy Breast
  13. O Plea­sant Spot, O Place of Rest
  14. Our Sav­ior, Pat­tern of True Ho­li­ness
  15. Praise, O Zi­on, Praise Thy Sav­ior
  16. To Blaze the Ris­ing of This Glo­ri­ous Sun
  17. When Thou Dost Talk with God
  18. When Words Are Weak
  19. Who Lives in Love, Loves Least to Live
  20. Yet God’s Must I Re­main