He was the second son of Thomas Lambton of Malton-in-Rydale, Yorkshire, and Katharine, daughter of Robert Birkhead of West Brandon, Durham. Joseph's maternal uncle, George Birkhead was Archpriest in England from 1508 to 1514. In September 1584 Thomas was admitted to the English College, then at Reims, along with Anthony Page and two others. It was while he was at Reims, that Parliament passed legislation by which priests and religious entering the realm were to be deemed traitors unless within three days of their arrival they had taken the Oath of Supremacy before a Justice of the Peace. In August 1589 he went to the English College, Rome. Eager to go on the English mission, he was allowed to curtail his theological course, and was ordained priest in the Lateran Basilica on 28 March 1592, with a dispensation as Lambton was two months short of the canonical age. He left for England to work in Westmorland on 22 April 1592. He was arrested at Newcastle soon after landing and condemned with Edward Waterson, at the next assizes under 27 Eliz., c. 2. To avoid a crowd, the execution was scheduled for early Monday rather than the previous Saturday. It was decided that Lambton should be executed alone, and Waterson given a brief reprieve to allow him time to consider changing his views. Lambton was cut down alive, and the hangman refused to complete the sentence, which was carried out by a Frenchman practising as a surgeon at Kenton. The sheriff then took part of the remains and showed them to Waterson in an effort to frighten him, but Waterson viewed them as holy relics. According to Wainwright, the day of his death is variously given as 23 June 23 July, and 27 July, and the year as 1592 and 1593; but from a letter of Lord Huntingdon it is clear he died before 31 July 1592, and Father Holtby's Stonyhurst MS. says he died on a Monday, so that the probable date is 24 July 1592. The VenerableEnglish College at Rome places it on Monday, 31 July 1592, "the execution having been postponed from the previous Saturday because of fear of 'a great multitude of people."
