sanction of Cranmer in the Archbishop's Court
to his divorce from Catherine, and the King's marriage with Anne Boleyn
was confirmed by Parliament. In 1534 the Royal Commissioners called upon
the prior and monks of the Charterhouse to make formal approval of the
marriage. Prior Houghton and the procurator Humphrey Middlemore were
committed to the Tower, the Commissioners being dissatisfied with the
nature of their answers. After a month's imprisonment they were induced
to swear to the King's laws "as far as the law of God permitted," and
were released and returned to the Charterhouse. The Commissioners
extracted from the rest of the community a similar oath, by which the
succession to the Crown was fixed upon the issue of Anne Boleyn to the
exclusion of the Princess Mary. This, however, was but the beginning of
troubles. The oath by which Henry was declared Head of the Church of
England was a more serious matter. To deny him this title became high
treason. Prior Houghton addressed the assembled fathers in a touching
manner, and bid them prepare for death. The days were solemnly devoted
to spiritual exercises. Their fears were only too well founded, and
after interrogation Prior Houghton and Robert Lawrence were committed
to the Tower by Cromwell. With them was arrested a third father,
Augustine Webster, prior of the Charterhouse in Axholme. In the Tower
they were visited by Cromwell and the Royal Commissioners, and memoranda
of the interview remain.[65] John Houghton says that "he cannot take the
King, our Sovereign, to be supreme head of the Church of England afore
the Apostles of Christ's Church."

Robert Lawrence says that "there is one Catholic Church and one Divine,
of which the Bishop of Rome is the head; therefore, he cannot believe
that the King is supreme head of the Church." On 29th April, 1535, after
a trial lasting two[66] days, the three Carthusians and Father Richard
Reynolds were condemned to be drawn, hanged, and quartered. On their way
to the scaffold they passed their fellow-prisoner, Sir Thomas More, who
saw them from his prison cell. "Lo, dost thou not see, Meg," he said to
his daughter Margaret, "that these blessed fathers be now as cheerfully
going to their death as bridegrooms to their marriage." When the
scaffold was reached Father Houghton preached a brief but touching
sermon:

"I call to witness Almighty God and all good people, and I
beseech you all here present to bear witness for m