CAMPIAN, Edmund ( 1540-1581), a celebrated English Jesuit, was born of humble parentage at London in 1540. From Christ’s Hospital he removed to Oxford University, where he took a degree and became fellow of St John’s. He was admitted to holy orders in the English Church, and in 1567 was ordained deacon. Being convinced that he could not assent to the Protestant formulary required by the Church of England, he left Oxford and went to Ireland, where he occupied himself in writing a history of the country. He then joined Allen and others at Douay, and passed his novitiate as member of the Society of Jesus. After residing for a short time at Brünn, Vienna, and Prague, where he taught philosophy and rhetoric, he was sent by Gregory XIII., along with Father Parsons, on a propagandist mission to England. He arrived in England in 1580, and entered on his duties by challenging the universities and clergy to dispute with him. In July 1581 he was apprehended along with Parsons and two other agents at Lyford in Berks, and thrown into the Tower, on a charge of having excited the people to rebellion, and holding treasonable correspondence with foreign powers. Having been found guilty, he was condemned to death, and was executed at Tyburn, Dec. 1, 1581, with several others of his order. He is admitted to have been a man of great abilities, an eloquent orator, a subtle philosopher, and able diplomatist; and he is praised by all writers, whether Protestant or Roman Catholic, not only for his talents and acquirements, but also for the amiability of his disposition. A full account of the Jesuit mission in which Campian took part will be found in Froude’s History of England, vol. xi.