John Thulis

John Thulis (also spelt Thules, Thewlis) (c. 1568 – 18 March 1616) was an English Roman Catholic priest. Beatified in 1987, he is one of the Douai Martyrs.

Life Thulis was born at Up Holland, Lancashire, probably about 1568. His baptism is recorded in the Whalley Parish Register on 28 December, 1568, the son of William. He arrived at the English College, Reims, on 25 May 1583, and received tonsure from Cardinal Louis de Guise on 23 September following. He left for Rome, on 27 March 1590, where he was ordained priest, and was sent on the English mission in April 1592.

When he arrived back in England he was soon arrested and sent as a prisoner to Wisbech Castle, Cambridgeshire, Thulis converted four thieves while in prison.

On 18 March 1616 Thulis was hanged, drawn, and quartered. His head was affixed to Lancaster Castle; his quarters displayed at Lancaster, Preston, Wigan and Warrington; that at Preston was hung from the church steeple. Wrennall was hanged as a felon for having assisted Thulis.

A metrical account of his martyrdom, as well as portions of a poem composed by Thulis, were printed by John Hungerford Pollen in his Acts of the English Martyrs (London, 1891), 194–207.