Humphrey Middlemore

Humphrey Middlemore, OCart (died 19 June 1535) was an English Catholic priest and Carthusianmonk, who was executed for treason during the Tudor period. He is considered a martyr by the Catholic Church, and, along with other members of his religious order to meet that fate, was beatified by Pope Leo XIII on 9 December 1886.

Though the date of his birth is uncertain, his father was Thomas Middlemore of Edgbaston, Warwickshire, who had acquired his estate at Edgbaston by marriage with the heiress of Sir Henry Edgbaston. Humphrey's mother was Ann Lyttleton, of Pillaton Hall, Staffordshire. Attracted to the Carthusian Order, he entered the London Charterhouse, where he was professed and ordained. He was subsequently appointed to the office of procurator. He was esteemed by the prior, Dom John Houghton.^[1]

In 1534 the question of King Henry VIII's marriage with Anne Boleyn arose. The king was determined that the more prominent of his subjects should expressly acknowledge the validity of the marriage, and the right of succession of any issue therefrom. The Crown was at first anxious to secure the public acquiescence of the monks of the London Charterhouse in this matter, since they enjoyed great prestige for the austerity and sincerity of their mode of life. Accordingly, the royal commissions paid a visit to the Charterhouse, and required the monks to take the oath to that effect. Doms John Houghton and Humphrey Middlemore refused, and were, in consequence, imprisoned in the Tower of London; but, after a month's imprisonment, they were persuaded to take the oath conditionally, and were released.^[1]

Al año siguiente, el 4 de mayo de 1535, las autoridades enviaron a la muerte en Tyburn Tree por negarse a prestar el nuevo Juramento de Supremacía a tres importantes cartujos ingleses, entre ellos John Houghton, prior de la casa de Londres, pero también Robert Lawrence y Augustine Webster , priores de Beauvale y Axholme respectivamente . Esto llevó a que Middlemore se convirtiera en vicario de la comunidad. Mientras tanto, Thomas Bedyll , uno de los comisionados reales, había visitado nuevamente la Cartuja e intentó, tanto por medio de conversaciones como por escrito, hacer tambalear la fe de Middlemore y su comunidad en la supremacía papal . ^{[ 2 ]} Sus esfuerzos no los conmovieron y, después de debatir con ellos, obtuvo autorización de Thomas Cromwell para arrestar a tres importantes monjes de la casa de Londres: Middlemore, como vicario, y con él los Doms William Exmew y Sebastian Newdigate . Los tres fueron encarcelados, donde sufrieron crueldades: fueron atados a postes con cadenas alrededor del cuello y las piernas, y obligados a permanecer así día y noche durante dos semanas. Luego fueron llevados ante el concilio y se les exigió que prestaran juramento. Se negaron y presentaron argumentos basados ​​en las Escrituras y los Padres de la Iglesia a favor de la supremacía papal. ^{[ 1 ]}

En consecuencia, fueron condenados a muerte y ejecutados en Tyburn Tree el 19 de junio, siendo ahorcados, descuartizados y desmembrados . Esto ocurrió poco más de un mes después que sus compañeros monjes. Este proceso de desgaste se cobró la vida de quince de los cartujos de Londres.