Robert Southwell lived in 16th century England, during the brutal persecution of Catholics. As a Jesuit priest, he was among those who were the most tenaciously hunted down, tortured, and executed. After secretly ministering to English Catholics for six years, he was captured by Richard Topcliffe, a well-known and vicious priest-hunter.

After a month of horrible torture, Robert was sent to the Tower of London, where he was kept for the remaining three years of his life, until his execution. In those final years, Robert befriended another prisoner, Philip Howard. The two had not met and would never see each other face to face. Yet they became good friends, a strong source of encouragement to each other in their sufferings.

Who was this Philip Howard? He was the young Earl of Arundel, and a relative to the reigning Queen Elizabeth I, daughter of Henry VIII. Philip had tried to flee the country, to find a new home for his family to practice their Catholic Faith in peace. For this reason, he was arrested, and put on trial. He was condemned to death, which caused a tumultuous uproar among the people.

After this fateful trial, Philip was locked away in the Tower of London, where he awaited punishment. The queen never signed his death warrant. Philip was left uninformed about his own execution. The prisoner was left in a cruel suspense that lasted more than ten years, until his lonely death from illness. Of course, the queen did offer to set him free, but only if he denied his Faith. Thus Philip remained a prisoner, and was not even allowed to see his family when he was dying.

A consolation in his long captivity was a dog that Philip was allowed to keep with him as a pet. This animal was so well-trained that Philip gave him letters to deliver to other prisoners. The inmates quickly grew familiar with this canine, and sent him with their own letters to Philip. These secret correspondences bolstered the martyrs, strengthening their love for Christ and each other.

The letters written by Robert Southwell to Philip Howard were so inspiring that they have been preserved for hundreds of years. These collected writings are known today as "an Epistle of Comfort".

After many years and bitter persecutions, the Catholic Faith was finally allowed to be practiced in England again. To this day, a famous place of worship in that country is Arundel Cathedral, built near the ancestral home of Philip Howard's family.

Philip's remains are enshrined in this cathedral. Near his sarcophagus is an inscription - the translation of a latin quote that Philip etched onto his cell wall, "The more affliction we endure for Christ in this world, the more glory we shall obtain with Christ in the next."

On a pedestal behind his tomb is a statue of the martyr. He stands holding a rosary in one hand, and in the other is a letter he wrote to the queen, explaining why he wanted to leave the country. At his feet is his beloved dog, remembered forever as a faithful companion to Philip in his final years.