Humphrey Middlemore
Encyclopedia
Blessed Humphrey Middlemore (died c. 1535) was a Roman Catholic priest
and Carthusian
monk, from England
. He is considered a martyr
by the Catholic Church. Middlemore was beatified by Pope Leo XIII
, on 9 December 1886.
, 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 was professed at the London Charterhouse
, ordained, and subsequently appointed to the office of procurator. He was esteemed by the prior, John Houghton.
In 1534 the question of 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 government was at first anxious to secure the public acquiescence of the monks of the London Charterhouse in this matter, since for the austerity and sincerity of their mode of life they enjoyed great prestige. Accordingly, the royal commissions paid a visit to the Charterhouse, and required the monks to take the oath to that effect. 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.
In the following year, on 4 May 1535, the authorities sent to their death at Tyburn Tree for refusal to take the new Oath of Supremacy
, three leading English Carthusians, first among them John Houghton, prior of the London house, but also Robert Lawrence and Augustine Webster, respectively priors of Beauvale
and Axholme. This led to Middlemore becoming vicar of the Charterhouse. Meanwhile, Thomas Bedyll
, one of the royal commissioners, had again visited the Charterhouse, and endeavoured, both by conversation and writing, to shake the faith of Middlemore and his community in the papal supremacy
. His efforts left them unmoved, and, after expostulating with them, he obtained authority from Thomas Cromwell to arrest three leading monks of the London house: Middlemore, as the vicar, and with him William Exmew and Sebastian Newdigate. All three were thrown them into prison, where they were treated with cruelty, being bound to posts with chains round their necks and legs, and compelled so to remain day and night for two weeks. They were then brought before the Council, and required to take the oath. They refused, and gave arguments from Scripture and the Church Fathers in favor of the papal supremacy. They were accordingly condemned to death, and suffered death at Tyburn Tree on 19 June, a little more than a month after their fellow monks. This process of attrition was to claim fifteen of the London Carthusians.
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
and Carthusian
Carthusian
The Carthusian Order, also called the Order of St. Bruno, is a Roman Catholic religious order of enclosed monastics. The order was founded by Saint Bruno of Cologne in 1084 and includes both monks and nuns...
monk, from England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. He is considered a martyr
Martyr
A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...
by the Catholic Church. Middlemore was beatified by Pope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII , born Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci to an Italian comital family, was the 256th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, reigning from 1878 to 1903...
, on 9 December 1886.
Life
Though the date of his birth is uncertain, his father was Thomas Middlemore of EdgbastonEdgbaston
Edgbaston is an area in the city of Birmingham in England. It is also a formal district, managed by its own district committee. The constituency includes the smaller Edgbaston ward and the wards of Bartley Green, Harborne and Quinton....
, Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
, 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
Pillaton Hall
Pillaton Hall was an historic house located in Pillaton, Staffordshire, just outside of Penkridge, England. For more than two centuries it was the seat of the Littleton family, a family of local landowners and politicians.-Origins and history:...
, Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
. Attracted to the Carthusian Order, he was professed at the London Charterhouse
London Charterhouse
The London Charterhouse is a historic complex of buildings in Smithfield, London dating back to the 14th century. It occupies land to the north of Charterhouse Square. The Charterhouse began as a Carthusian priory, founded in 1371 and dissolved in 1537...
, ordained, and subsequently appointed to the office of procurator. He was esteemed by the prior, John Houghton.
In 1534 the question of Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
's marriage with Anne Boleyn
Anne Boleyn
Anne Boleyn ;c.1501/1507 – 19 May 1536) was Queen of England from 1533 to 1536 as the second wife of Henry VIII of England and Marquess of Pembroke in her own right. Henry's marriage to Anne, and her subsequent execution, made her a key figure in the political and religious upheaval that was the...
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 government was at first anxious to secure the public acquiescence of the monks of the London Charterhouse in this matter, since for the austerity and sincerity of their mode of life they enjoyed great prestige. Accordingly, the royal commissions paid a visit to the Charterhouse, and required the monks to take the oath to that effect. John Houghton and Humphrey Middlemore refused, and were, in consequence, imprisoned in the Tower of London
Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
; but, after a month's imprisonment, they were persuaded to take the oath conditionally, and were released.
In the following year, on 4 May 1535, the authorities sent to their death at Tyburn Tree for refusal to take the new Oath of Supremacy
Oath of Supremacy
The Oath of Supremacy, originally imposed by King Henry VIII of England through the Act of Supremacy 1534, but repealed by his daughter, Queen Mary I of England and reinstated under Mary's sister, Queen Elizabeth I of England under the Act of Supremacy 1559, provided for any person taking public or...
, three leading English Carthusians, first among them John Houghton, prior of the London house, but also Robert Lawrence and Augustine Webster, respectively priors of Beauvale
Beauvale Charterhouse
Beauvale Charterhouse was a Carthusian monastery in Beauvale, Nottinghamshire. It is a scheduled ancient monument.-History:...
and Axholme. This led to Middlemore becoming vicar of the Charterhouse. Meanwhile, Thomas Bedyll
Thomas Bedyll
Thomas Bedyll was a divine and royal servant. He was royal chaplain and clerk of the Privy Council of Henry VIII, assisting him with the separation from Rome.-Biography:...
, one of the royal commissioners, had again visited the Charterhouse, and endeavoured, both by conversation and writing, to shake the faith of Middlemore and his community in the papal supremacy
Papal supremacy
Papal supremacy refers to the doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church that the pope, by reason of his office as Vicar of Christ and as pastor of the entire Christian Church, has full, supreme, and universal power over the whole Church, a power which he can always exercise unhindered: that, in brief,...
. His efforts left them unmoved, and, after expostulating with them, he obtained authority from Thomas Cromwell to arrest three leading monks of the London house: Middlemore, as the vicar, and with him William Exmew and Sebastian Newdigate. All three were thrown them into prison, where they were treated with cruelty, being bound to posts with chains round their necks and legs, and compelled so to remain day and night for two weeks. They were then brought before the Council, and required to take the oath. They refused, and gave arguments from Scripture and the Church Fathers in favor of the papal supremacy. They were accordingly condemned to death, and suffered death at Tyburn Tree on 19 June, a little more than a month after their fellow monks. This process of attrition was to claim fifteen of the London Carthusians.