Thomas Johnson (monk)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For other persons named Thomas Johnson, see Thomas Johnson (disambiguation).

Blessed Thomas Johnson (died September 20, 1537) was a Carthusian monk who was left to starve in Newgate gaol because he would not sign the Oath of Supremacy. Margaret Clement brought him and the other Carthusians some food by entering in disguise, but on discovery this was ended. Thomas Johnson took the longest to die of starvation possibly because food had been allowed for him in hopes he would ultimately be executed instead of starved to death. Another monk, named Horne, survived and was not executed until 1540. In that year he was hanged, disembowelled, and quartered at Tyburn.

Thomas Johnson and the other Carthusian martyrs were beatified by Pope Leo XIII in 1886.[1]