This undoubtedly contributed to the King's fury when in early July 1536 he learned of the marriage contract of Lord Thomas and Lady Margaret since Lady Margaret was at the time next in the line of succession as a result of the King's bastardization of his daughters Mary and Elizabeth.
The couple were committed to the Tower, and on 18 July 1536 an Act of Attainder accusing Howard of attempting to 'interrupt ympedyte and lett the seid Succession of the Crowne' was passed in both houses of Parliament.
While in the Tower, Lady Margaret fell ill, and the king allowed her to be moved to Syon Abbey under the supervision of the abbess.
[5] Lord Thomas's nephew, Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey, referred to his death in a poem to "his Geraldine" (Lady Elizabeth Fitsgerald):— If you be fair and fresh, am I not of your hue?
And for my vaunt I dare well say, my blood is not untrue; For you yourself doth know, it is not long ago Sith that for love one of the race did end his life in woe, In Tower both strong and high, for his assured truth, Whereas in tears he spent his breath, alas, the more the ruth!