Saints celebrated on the 4th of May
BLESSED JOHN HALE, PRIEST AND MARTYR
With the group of famous martyrs listed below¹ died a secular priest, Blessed John Hale [Haile], LL.B., Fellow of King's Hall, Cambridge, and Vicar of Isleworth, Middlesex, since August 13, 1521. He took this living in exchange for the Rectory of Cranford, Middlesex, which he had held since September 11, 1505. There is nothing to identify him with the Rector of Chelmsford of 1492. He may possibly be the person of this name who became scholar of Eton in 1485. He was indicted April 20, 1535, with the perpetual curate of Teddington, Middlesex, named Robert Feron, for offences against 25 Henry VIII, c. 22. Both pleaded guilty and were condemned; but Robert Feron was pardoned.
[Fr John was beatified on December 29, 1886 by
¹The Tyburn Martyrs: Blessed John Houghton, prior of the London Charterhouse, 1531/35; and of provincial visitor, 1532/35, the protomartyr of the persecution under Henry VIII, was executed at Tyburn, May 4, 1535. The procurator, Blessed Humphrey Middlemore, suffered the same fate for refusing to swear that the king's marriage with Queen Catharine was invalid, and for refusing the oath of supremacy. Blessed Robert Laurence, who had succeeded him as prior of Beauvale, and Blessed Augustine Webster, prior of Axholme, Lincolnshire, formerly a monk of Sheen.
These priors, and Blessed Richard Reynolds, a Brigittine of Syon, were indicted April 28, 1535, under 26 Henry VIII, c. 1, for refusing the oath of supremacy. The jury at first refused to find them guilty, but were intimidated by Cromwell into doing so the next day. All were hanged in their habits without being previously degraded, and all were disembowelled while fully conscious, John Houghton being the first to suffer, John Hale the fourth, and Richard Reynolds the last.
Source: Catholic Encyclopedia, 1913
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