Robert Campion: Edmund Campion's Brother?

Abstract

In a recent, short monograph, Leslie Campion has attempted to link Edmund Campion to his namesake, the son of an Edmund Campion of Sawston, Cambs., who (Edmund Sr) died in 1544. The argument, though circumstantial, is plausible. However, one piece of additional evidence is not considered—nor could the author have been aware of it. This is the Oxford apprenticeship indenture of one Robert ‘Campian’ to Christopher Noke, freemason, made on 4 October 1579, which is printed below. There Robert is identified as the son of an Edmund Campian, late of London, stationer, deceased. This, of itself, would suggest that Robert was a brother of the Jesuit, and, indeed, the newly proposed Campion pedigree indicates a Robert Campion as an older brother of Edmund. Unfortunately, this would require our apprentice to be over 40 years old! A more likely candidate is a Robert Campian, aged ca 14 years, who made a deposition before the University (Vice-) Chancellor's court on 8 January 1573 regarding William Goodyere, Under Butler of St John's College. The connection to St John's is, of course, significant, as is the apprenticeship to Noke, who was suspected of recusancy in 1577. Thus, it is tempting to join the two Oxford Roberts together and to identify him as Edmund Campion's younger brother, but, if we do, then we must look for an Edmund Sr who lived into the later 1550s at least. Additional investigation would be needed to determine where (or whether) he could be grafted on to Leslie Campion's tree, but the name ‘Robert’ requires at least a reexamination of the Witham branch, and the author himself seems to allow this possibility (p. 55). As for Robert Campian, the apprentice freemason, he cannot be traced in later Oxford records in spite of the provision for his subsequent entrance into the craft guild and the freedom of the City.