Humphrey Middlemore facts for kids

Humphrey Middlemore (died 19 June 1535) was an English Catholic priest and a Carthusian monk. He was executed for treason during the time of King Henry VIII.

The Catholic Church considers him a martyr, which means someone who died for their faith. He was later recognized as "Blessed" by Pope Leo XIII in 1886.

Early Life and Monastic Calling

Humphrey Middlemore was born in England, but we don't know the exact year. His father was Thomas Middlemore and his mother was Ann Lyttleton.

He felt called to join the Carthusian Order, a group of monks who live very simply. He became a monk at the London Charterhouse, a famous monastery in London. He was later chosen to be the "procurator," which meant he managed the monastery's daily needs. The leader of the monastery, Prior John Houghton, thought highly of him.

Conflict with King Henry VIII

In 1534, King Henry VIII wanted to divorce his wife and marry Anne Boleyn. He also wanted everyone in England to accept his new marriage and his power over the Church. This was called the Oath of Supremacy.

The king's officials visited the London Charterhouse. They wanted the monks to agree to the king's new rules because the monks were respected for their honest lives. Prior John Houghton and Humphrey Middlemore refused to take the oath. Because of this, they were sent to the Tower of London. After a month, they were released after agreeing to take the oath with some conditions.

Standing Up for Beliefs

In May 1535, three other Carthusian leaders were executed for refusing the new Oath of Supremacy. One of them was John Houghton, the prior of the London Charterhouse. After this, Humphrey Middlemore became the new leader, or "vicar," of the monastery.

A royal official named Thomas Bedyll visited the Charterhouse again. He tried to convince Middlemore and the other monks to accept the king's power over the Pope. But the monks did not change their minds.

Imprisonment and Execution

Since the monks would not agree, Thomas Cromwell, a powerful minister to the king, ordered the arrest of Humphrey Middlemore and two other monks, Doms William Exmew and Sebastian Newdigate.

They were thrown into prison and treated very cruelly. They were chained to posts and forced to stay like that for two weeks. Then, they were brought before the king's council. They were asked again to take the oath, but they refused. They explained their reasons using the Bible and the teachings of early Church leaders.

Because they refused, they were sentenced to death. Humphrey Middlemore, William Exmew, and Sebastian Newdigate were executed on 19 June 1535. This happened just over a month after their fellow monks were killed. Many other Carthusian monks from London also lost their lives during this time.