Sir Thomas More's life, politics, and relationship with King Henry VIII

Sir Thomas More

Thomas More was born in London on February 7, 1478 to a respected judge. He received a good education at St. Anthony's School in London. When he was in his teens, he served as a in Archbishop Morton's home. Morton predicted that More would become a "marvelous man." (Ackroyd, 1998)

More attended college at Oxford University, where he wrote comedies and studied Greek literature. One of his very first projects was an English translation of a Latin biography of Pico della Mirandola, which was published by Wynkyn de Worde in 1510.

After college, More studied law in London and became a barrister in 1501. However, to the dismay of his father, he did not become a judge. Instead he pursued life as a monk, under the strict discipline of the Carthusians. He developed spiritual habits, including fasting, regular prayer and penance, which would be a part of his life forever.

However, More strayed from the monastery, after realizing that his thirst for politics was prevalent. More joined Parliament in 1504, and got married shortly after. When More joined Parliament, he strongly felt that justice needed to be fair and truly just. One of his first moves was to suggest a decrease in a proposed pay for King Henry VII.

As a result, the king took vengeance on More, throwing his father in prison and refusing to let him go until More paid a hefty fine and resigned from Parliament. More lay low until the king's death in 1510, and then became politically active again.

In 1510, More was appointed an undersheriff of London, which was considered a prestigious position. As undersheriff, he earned a reputation for being impartial, and a patron to the poor. Around this time, More's first wife died while giving birth. He remarried shortly after to Dame Alice.

More and King Henry VIII

King Henry VIII was drawn to More and his influence (Marius, 1984). In 1515, More traveled with a delegation to Flanders to help resolve trading disputes. Utopia refers to this delegation. More also played a key role in pacifying a 1517 London uprising against foreigners, which is enacted in the play Sir Thomas More. More also went with the king and the king's court to the Field of the Cloth of Gold. In 1518 he was elected a member of the Privy Council, and was knighted in 1521.

The Fall of Sir Thomas More

More's work in the courts was renowned but he resigned in 1532, claiming that he was ill. However, historians believe that he opposed the king's beliefs regarding the church. When More neglected to attend the coronation of Anne Boleyn in 1533, the king was furious.

The following year, More was accused of involvement with Elizabeth Barton, a nun who opposed Henry's break with Rome (Wegemer, 1995). However, he was not attainted because the Lords refused to pass the bill until More's name was taken off the list of accused people. While More never openly supported papal supremacy, he did show support for the Pope's primacy and the historical position of authority in the Holy See in Rome.

Shortly afterwards, More refused to swear to the Act of Succession and the Oath of Supremacy, and was committed to the Tower of London. He never gave a reason for this refusal. He remained in prison for 15 months while the king tried to figure out a legal way to try him.

Basically More was a well-respected scholar, lawyer, and ambassador, with excellent morals. The king wanted Sir Thomas More to publicly affirm the supremacy of the king over the church and approve of his divorce of Catherine so that he could marry his mistress, Ann Boleyn. More did all he could to avoid conflict with the king and did not condemn the king publicly for his actions.

But this was not enough for the king, who wanted More to make a public profession, believing that if a man of such integrity and virtue as More approved of his divorce, all of England would also approve.

While More was in prison, the king divorced his wife and made himself the Supreme Head of the Church of England (Ackroyd). More would not accept this break with Rome so he was accused of treason for refusing the King one of his lawful titles. He was found guilty. He told the jury that convicted him:

More haue I not to say, my Lordes, but that like as the blessed Apostle St. Pawle, as we read in thactes of the Apostles, was present, and consented to the death of St. Stephen, and kepte their clothes that stoned him to deathe, and yeat be they nowe both twayne holy Sainctes in heaven, and shall continue there frendes for euer, So I verily truste, and shall therefore hartelye pray, that thoughe your Lordshippes haue nowe here in the earthe bine Judges to my comdemnacion, we may yeat hearafter in heaven meerily all meete together, to our euerlasting saluacion and thus I desire Almighty God to preserue and defende the kinges Maiestie, and to send him good counsaile." (Wegemer)

In 1535, he was beheaded after saying his last words: "The King's good servant, but God's First." (Ackroyd) More was beatified in 1886 and canonized by the Catholic Church as a saint by Pope Pius XI in 1935.

Conclusion

More was placed in a situation of moral dilemma when he was imprisoned and accused of treason (Marius). If he stuck to his spiritual beliefs, the king would behead him. If he did not, he was rejecting his beliefs.

More could have easily signed the oath, even though he did not believe in it. His daughter urged him to sign the paper while thinking just the opposite. During his trial, he was given the option of repenting his "obstinate opinion" (Wegemer). He refused.

More argued, during his trial, that it was impossible for him to have committed treason, since he has remained silent, never uttering a treasonous word or participating in a treasonous act. Under civil law, he argued, silence gives consent. Still, he was told that his silence was an act of treason.

More's steadfast loyalty to the church made him a public enemy of the king when he became head of the English church. Many other clergy submitted to the king's wishes despite their beliefs. More was unable and unwilling to do this.

Because More was so well-known, the king insisted that he submit to his wishes. It infuriated the king that he could not be bribed or threatened. The king feared him and wanted him locked up, which was why he was thrown in the Tower of London.

More played his cards right while imprisoned, but it did not matter in the end. He refused to give an opinion on anything, forcing his enemies to condemn him for refusing to speak. Only when he knew he had nothing left to lose did he speak out against the king's actions. Afterward he did so, he wrote a prayer, saying, "Good Lord, give me the grace, in all my fear and agony, to have recourse to that great fear and wonderful agony that Thou, my sweet Savior, hadst at the Mount of Olivet..." (Reynolds, 1965)

In reality, More's only "crime" was that he truly believed that a marriage could not be dissolved and that the Church should not be divided. This was treason to the king and cause for murder. More could not relinquish to Henry's power and paid with his head rather than giving up his soul.

More showed true faith in his beliefs, which were just and honest, but unfortunately had to pay with his life because of an unjust, evil and unethical King and council.