William Lacy (Catholic priest)

William Lacy (Lacey) (died 1582) was an English Catholic priest and martyr.

He had a brother Ralph of Preston in Amounderness, a sister Barbara, and nephews (apparently her sons) Robert and William (Cal.

One of this name, probably a relative, was a coroner for the West Riding in 1581-2 (Dasent, "Acts of the Privy Council", xiii, 358).

Having been advised by them that he could not in good conscience attend Protestant churches, his absence was noted and he was forced to give up his position.

He was subject to repeated fines, until he had to leave his home and stay with friends, but never long in one place.

He suffered great hardships, being loaded with heavy irons, confined in an underground dungeon, and subjected to numerous examinations.

[3] He arrived at Douai in 1577 and, after the transference of the English College to Reims,[4] he was ordained subdeacon there, along with Richard Thirkeld, on 14 March 1579.

After condemnation the two priests shared one cell in a turret till 10 August, when Kirkman was removed to an underground dungeon.