St. John Houghton was the first of England’s martyrs to be killed under King Henry’s revolt from the Catholic faith.

John was born in 1486 and educated at Cambridge. He joined the Carthusian order of monks in 1515, and in 1531 was elected to lead the community’s monastery in London.

Three years later, King Henry VIII enacted the Act of Succession, which attempted to legitimize his second marriage and the children it produced (namely Elizabeth, who was later to become queen). The act was accompanied by a requirement that all subjects swear an oath recognizing it and the king’s supremacy.

As the act stood in contradiction to Church teaching on marriage and divorce, John requested an exemption for his community. He was arrested and imprisoned in the Tower of London.

After several months of imprisonment, a compromise was reached that allowed Catholics to take the oath in good conscience by adding the phrase, “as far as the law of Christ allows.”

Soon afterwards, however, Henry declared himself the head of the Church of England with the Act of Supremacy. Again, all subjects were forced to swear an oath to acknowledge this second act; John and several other Carthusian leaders refused and asked for an exemption. They were arrested by Thomas Cromwell and thrown into prison again. In 1535, they were condemned to death, and on May 4 of that year, they were hanged, drawn, and quartered; John was the first to suffer.

They were taken to the place of their execution while still wearing their habits. St. Thomas More, also imprisoned for refusing the oath, could see John and his fellow Carthusians being drawn (dragged) by horse to their fate. Thomas’ daughter was visiting at the time, and he said to her, “Look, Meg! These blessed Fathers be now as cheerfully going to their deaths as bridegrooms to their marriage!"

After being hanged nearly to death, and before being quartered, the executioner tore open John’s habit to expose his chest. John exclaimed, “O Jesus, what would you do with my heart?”

John was the first Carthusian martyr, and the first among the 40 Martyrs of England and Wales. The 40 Martyrs are representative of the hundreds of Catholics who were tortured and killed in this dispute between England and the Church between 1535 and 1679. In 1970, the Church selected 40 from among these martyrs—men and women, laypeople, ordained, and religious—to represent the 300 or so who died. In Wales, these saints are honored today; in England they are celebrated on May 4.

St. John Houghton, you gave your heart to Jesus and your life for the truth—pray for us!