It was in the autumn of the year 1742, that a gentleman from Badsey, in Worcestershire - Seward by name - passed through the town of Hay in his journey to a place in the interior of Wales.  The town at that time was noted for wickedness, and the great spiritual darkness of the people.  If tradition speaks truly, Mr Seward was a man full of the Holy Ghost and of faith.  Pitying the ignorance of the people, he resolved before he left to preach to them the Word of Life.  At one end of the town is an open plain or "Green", which is interesting as the spot where he stood up to address the people.  It now bears the name of "Black Lion Green".  Above is a portion of the old town wall, and below runs the little brook which divides the counties of Hereford and Brecon.  Making it known that he was about to preach on the Green, the man of God stood up with the love of Christ in his heart, and a message of gladness on his tongue.  For a while he was listened to in silence by the wondering people; but before his discourse was ended, Satan began to rage in earnest.  Some of the most reprobate among the inhabitants, raising a disturbance, began rudely to assault the preacher.  Stones were cast at him, and several of the bystanders were injured.  One cowardly ruffian, standing behind the preacher, threw at him a huge stone, which, striking his head, caused him to fall senseless to the ground.  He was carried to the inn at which he had been staying, and there died from the effects of the blow.  Whether he died shortly after or lingered some days in pain is not now known; but it is said that with his last breath he forgave his murderer, and requested that no efforts should be made to punish him.  The man who hurled the fatal missile was well known, and lived for many years after.  But he lived and died unchanged, and his deathbed was attended with peculiar horrors, and, in the words of one who witnessed it, "the room seemed full of devils".

The martyred man was buried in the churchyard of Cusop, in Herefordshire, a small village about a mile from the town of Hay.  A well-worn stone beneath a giant yew-tree marks the place where he lies, indicating what is always spoken of as "The Martyr's Grave".  The inscription it bears is so worn as to be scarcely legible and runs thus: