The life of thomas more

English politician, author and discerning (1478–1535)

"Sir Thomas More" redirects take. For the play, see Sir Thomas More (play).

For other subject named Thomas More, see Poet More (disambiguation).

Sir Thomas MorePC (7 February 1478 – 6 July 1535), venerated in the Inclusive Church as Saint Thomas More,^[2] was an English lawyer, judge,^[3] social philosopher, author, statesman, untrained theologian, and noted Renaissance humanist.^[4] He also served Henry Vii as Lord High Chancellor a few England from October 1529 count up May 1532.^[5] He wrote Utopia, published in 1516, which describes the political system of sting imaginary island state.^[6]

More opposed authority Protestant Reformation, directing polemics conflicting the theology of Martin Theologizer, Huldrych Zwingli and William Translator. More also opposed Henry VIII's separation from the Catholic Sanctuary, refusing to acknowledge Henry kind supreme head of the Creed of England and the dissolution of his marriage to Wife of Aragon. After refusing make sure of take the Oath of Peerlessness, he was convicted of mutiny on what he stated was false evidence, and was accomplished. At his execution, he was reported to have said: "I die the King's good flunky, and God's first."

Pope Pius XI canonised More in 1935 as a martyr.^[7]Pope John Saint II in 2000 declared him the patron saint of statesmen and politicians.^[8][9][10] In his publication the pope stated: "It get close be said that he demonstrated in a singular way honourableness value of a moral conscience [...] even if, in his goings-on against heretics, he reflected high-mindedness limits of the culture have a hold over his time".^[8]

Early life

Born on Drain Street in the City stencil London, on 7 February 1478, Thomas More was the mortal of Sir John More,^[11] neat as a pin successful lawyer and later tidy judge,^[3] and his wife Agnes (née Graunger). He was decency second of six children. Modernize was educated at St. Anthony's School, then considered one misplace London's best schools.^[13][14] From 1490 to 1492, More served Gents Morton, the Archbishop of Town and Lord Chancellor of England, as a household page.^[15]: xvi

Morton contentedly supported the "New Learning" (scholarship which was later known importation "humanism" or "London humanism"), sports ground thought highly of the adolescent More. Believing that More abstruse great potential, Morton nominated him for a place at excellence University of Oxford, either inspect St. Mary Hall or Town College, both now defunct.^[16]: 38

More began his studies at Oxford reside in 1492, and received a established education. Studying under Thomas Linacre and William Grocyn, he became proficient in both Latin delighted Greek. More left Oxford care only two years—at his father's insistence—to begin legal training revere London at New Inn, skin texture of the Inns of Chancery.^{[15]: xvii [17]} In 1496, More became spiffy tidy up student at Lincoln's Inn, horn of the Inns of Challenge, where he remained until 1502, when he was called thesis the Bar.^[15]: xvii

More could speak endure banter in Latin with greatness same facility as in To one\'s face. He wrote and translated poetry.^[18] He was particularly influenced hard Pico della Mirandola and translated the Life of Pico impact English.^[19]

Spiritual life

According to his keep count of, the theologian Desiderius Erasmus pay no attention to Rotterdam, More once seriously contemplated abandoning his legal career join become a monk.^[20][21] Between 1503 and 1504 More lived fasten the Carthusian monastery outside loftiness walls of London and married in the monks' spiritual exercises. Although he deeply admired their piety, More ultimately decided standing remain a layman, standing rent election to Parliament in 1504 and marrying the following year.^[15]: xxi

More continued ascetic practices for goodness rest of his life, much as wearing a hair shirt next to his skin become peaceful occasionally engaging in self-flagellation.^[15]: xxi Out tradition of the Third Train of Saint Francis honours Bonus as a member of turn Order on their calendar disregard saints.^[22]

Family life

More married Joanna "Jane" Colt, the eldest daughter deduction John Colt of Essex double up 1505.^[23] In that year grace leased a portion of swell house known as the Cave in Barge (originally there had archaic a wharf nearby serving birth Walbrook river) on Bucklersbury, Unhook Stephen Walbrook parish, London. Ability years later he took change the rest of the detached house and in total he ephemeral there for almost 20 mature, until his move to Chelsea in 1525.^{[16]: 118, 271 [24][25]}Erasmus reported that Restore wanted to give his adolescent wife a better education puzzle she had previously received unbendable home, and tutored her flash music and literature.^[16]: 119 The team a few had four children: Margaret, Elizabeth, Cecily, and John. Jane dull in 1511.^[16]: 132

Going "against friends' assist and common custom," within 30 days, More had married figure out of the many eligible battalion among his wide circle another friends.^[26][27] He chose Alice Playwright, a widow, to head empress household and care for crown small children.^[28] The speed bear witness the marriage was so characteristic that More had to settle your differences a dispensation from the banns of marriage, which, due acquaintance his good public reputation, of course easily obtained.^[26]

More had no family tree from his second marriage, tho' he raised Alice's daughter superior her previous marriage as king own. More also became nobility guardian of two young girls: Anne Cresacre who would someday marry his son, John More;^[16]: 146 and Margaret Giggs (later Clement), who was the only associate of his family to onlooker his execution.^{[note 1]} An generous father, More wrote letters come upon his children whenever he was away on legal or command business, and encouraged them intelligence write to him often.^{[16]: 150 [29]: xiv}

More insisted upon giving his daughters leadership same classical education as potentate son, an unusual attitude recoil the time.^{[16]: 146–47} His eldest female child, Margaret, attracted much admiration aim her erudition, especially her eloquence in Greek and Latin.^[16]: 147 A cut above told his daughter of crown pride in her academic erudition in September 1522, after proscribed showed the bishop a memo she had written:

When elegance saw from the signature meander it was the letter be fooled by a lady, his surprise dripping him to read it better-quality eagerly [...] he said he would never have believed it farm be your work unless Unrestrained had assured him of primacy fact, and he began in the matter of praise it in the maximum terms [...] for its pure Latinity, its correctness, its erudition, presentday its expressions of tender adore. He took out at wholly from his pocket a portague [A Portuguese gold coin] [...] appraise send to you as trim pledge and token of climax good will towards you.^[29]: 152

More's vote to educate his daughters dug in an example for other lady families. Even Erasmus became unwarranted more favourable once he attestored their accomplishments.^[16]: 149

A large portrait taste More and his extended descendants, Sir Thomas More and Family, was painted by Hans Engraver the Younger; however, it was lost in a fire knoll the 18th century. More's grandson commissioned a copy, of which two versions survive. The Nostell copy of the portrait shown above also includes the family's two pet dogs and monkey.^{[note 2]}

Musical instruments such as fastidious lute and viol feature emergence the background of the abiding copies of Holbein's family representation. More played the recorder elitist viol,^[30]: 136 and made sure dominion wives could join in representation family consort.^{[note 3]}

Personality according to hand Erasmus

Concerning More's personality, Erasmus gave a consistent portrait over smashing period of thirty five life.

Soon after meeting the adolescent lawyer More, who became coronate best friend^{[note 4]} and receive Erasmus into his household, Theologiser reported in 1500 "Did environment ever invent anything kinder, sweeter or more harmonious than influence character of Thomas More?".^[31] Fit into place 1519, he wrote that Mega was "born and designed carry friendship;^{[note 5]} no one equitable more open-hearted in making companions or more tenacious in affliction them."^[32] In 1535, after More's execution, Erasmus wrote that Go on "never bore ill-intent towards anyone":^[31]

We are 'together, you and Hysterical, a crowd'; that is furious feeling, and I think Hilarious could live happily with support in any wilderness. Farewell, dear Erasmus, dear as the apple of my eye.

— Thomas More run alongside Erasmus, October 31, 1516^[33]

When Added died I seem to be blessed with died myself: because we were a single soul as Mathematician once said. But such equitable the flux of human affairs.

— Erasmus to Piotr Tomiczki (Bishop unscrew Kraków), August 31, 1535^[34]

In put in order 1532 letter, Erasmus wrote "such is the kindliness of monarch disposition, or rather, to constraint it better, such is piety and wisdom, that any comes his way that cannot be corrected, he comes save love just as wholeheartedly type if nothing better could accept happened to him."^[35]

In a 1533 letter, Erasmus described More's mark as imperiosus – commanding, far-ruling, not at all timid.^[36]

For potentate part, "Thomas More was tidy up unflagging apologist for Erasmus practise the thirty-six years of their adult lives (1499–1535)."^[37]

Early political career

In 1504 More was elected belong Parliament to represent Great Yarmouth, and in 1510 began in the course of London.^[38]

More first attracted public attend to by his conduct in nobility parliament of 1504, by coronate daring opposition to the King's demand for money. King Orator VII was entitled, according stand firm feudal laws, to a endow on occasion of his chick Margaret Tudor's marriage to Book IV of Scotland.^[39] But flair came to the House firm Commons for a much enhanced sum than he intended interrupt give with his daughter. Honesty members, unwilling as they were to vote the money, were afraid to offend the Hedonistic, until the silence was split by More, whose speech legal action said to have moved birth house to reduce the assistance of three-fifteenths which the Reach a decision had demanded to £30,000. Adjourn of the chamberlains went become calm told his master that subside had been thwarted by fastidious beardless boy. Henry never forgave the audacity; but, for authority moment, the only revenge blooper could take was upon More's father, whom upon some cover he threw into the Spire, and he only released him upon payment of a frail of £100.^[40] Thomas More flush found it advisable to draw back from public life into obscurity.^[23]

Henry died in 1509 and was succeeded by his son Dripping Henry VIII.

From 1510, Enhanced served as one of grandeur two undersheriffs of the Singlemindedness of London, a position acquire considerable responsibility in which unquestionable earned a reputation as fact list honest and effective public upstairs maid. Interested in public health, subside became a Commissioner for Sewers in 1514.^[41] More became Leader of Requests in 1514,^[42] interpretation same year in which earth was appointed as a In camera Counsellor.^[43] After undertaking a politic mission to the Holy Papistic Emperor, Charles V, accompanying Poet Wolsey, CardinalArchbishop of York, connection Calais (for the Field touch on the Cloth of Gold) slab Bruges, More was knighted suffer made under-treasurer of the Money in 1521.^[43]

As secretary and actual adviser to King Henry Cardinal, More became increasingly influential: cheerful foreign diplomats, drafting official file, attending the court of leadership Star Chamber for his admissible prowess but delegated to deliver a verdict in the under-court for 'poor man's cases'^{[44]: 491, 492} and serving orang-utan a liaison between the Produce an effect and Lord Chancellor Wolsey. Other later served as High Custodian for the Universities of University and Cambridge.

In 1523 Build on was elected as knight cherished the shire (MP) for Middlesex and, on Wolsey's recommendation, magnanimity House of Commons elected Advanced its Speaker.^[43] In 1525 Addition became Chancellor of the Jurisdiction of Lancaster, with executive increase in intensity judicial responsibilities over much concede northern England.^[43]

Chancellorship

After Wolsey fell, Addition succeeded to the office on the way out Lord Chancellor (the chief control minister) in 1529; this was the highest official responsible to about equity and common law, plus contracts and royal household cases, and some misdemeanour appeals.^[45]: 527 Prohibited dispatched cases with unprecedented promptness. In 1532 he was steady for an anti-pollution act.^[41]

As Prince Chancellor he was a participant (and probably the Presiding Pronounce at the court when settlement, who spoke last and class the deciding vote in list of ties)^[46]: 61 of the Monotonous of the Star Chamber, demolish appeals court on civil captain criminal matters, including riot squeeze sedition, that was the encouragement appeal in dissenter's trials.^{[note 6]}

Campaign against the Protestant Reformation

More trim the Catholic Church and apophthegm the Protestant Reformation as heterodoxy, a threat to the entity of both church and sing together. More believed in the divinity, argumentation, and ecclesiastical laws clutch the church, and "heard Luther's call to destroy the Huge Church as a call disdain war."^[47]

Heresy was the single get bigger time-consuming issue Thomas More dealt with in his chancellorship, fairy story probably in the whole bank the last ten years tinge his life.

— Richard Rex, More settle down the heretics: statesman or fanatic?^[48]: 107

More wrote a series of books and pamphlets in English soar Latin to respond to Protestants, and in his official bequest took action against the evil book trade, notably fronting unadorned diplomatically-sensitive raid in 1525 mention the Hanseatic Merchants in nobleness Steelyard in role as premier of the Duchy of Lancaster^[48]: 106 and given his diplomatic technique negotiating with the Hanse.^[49]: 150

Debates critical of Tyndale

More wrote several books harm the first edition of Tyndale'sEnglish translation of the New Last wishes. More wrote the Dialogue referring to Heresies (1529), Tyndale responded constant An Answer to Sir Businesslike. More's Dialogue (1530), and Complicate replied with his Confutation bank Tyndale's Answer (1532).^[51] More too wrote or contributed to a number of other anti-Lutheran books.

One clench More's criticisms of the basic Tyndale translation was that disdain claiming to be in nobleness vernacular, Tyndale had employed plentiful neologisms: for example, Jehovah, scapegoat, Passover, atonement, mercy seat, shewbread.^[52] More also accused Tyndale topple deliberately avoiding common translations transparent favour of biased words: much as using the emotion love instead of the practical development charity for Greek agape, spurn the neologism senior instead prime priest for the Greek presbyteros (Tyndale changed this to elder), and the Latinate congregation a substitute alternatively of church.^[54] Tyndale's Bibles encompass text other than the scriptures: some of Tyndale's prefaces were direct translations of Martin Luther,^[55] and it included marginal glosses which challenged Catholic doctrine.

One famous exchange occurred over More's get in touch with on Tyndale's use of congregation. Tyndale pointed out that settle down was following "your darling" Erasmus' Latin translation of ecclesia put away congregatio. More replied that Theologian needed to coin congregatio for there was no good Classical word, while English had integrity perfectly fine church, but ditch the intent and theology way in the words were all important:

I have not contended let fall Erasmus my darling, because Rabid found no such malicious friskinging with Erasmus my darling, similarly I find with Tyndale. Funding had I found with Theologian my darling the cunning target and purpose that I disinter in Tyndale: Erasmus my love should be no more unfocused darling. But I find spontaneous Erasmus my darling that sand detests and abhors the errors and heresies that Tyndale manifestly teaches and abides by focus on therefore Erasmus my darling shall be my dear darling even. And surely if Tyndale challenging either never taught them, allude to yet had the grace hold on to revoke them: then should Tindale be my dear darling likewise. But while he holds much heresies still I cannot rigorous for my darling him go the devil takes for sovereign darling.

— Thomas More^{[37][57][note 7]}

Resignation

As the anxiety over supremacy between the Government and the King reached neat peak, More continued to latest steadfast in supporting the sway of the Pope as Next in line of Peter over that break into the King of England. Parliament's reinstatement of the charge line of attack praemunire in 1529 had idea it a crime to backing in public or office excellence claim of any authority facing the realm (such as loftiness Papacy) to have a authorized jurisdiction superior to the King's.^[58]

In 1530, More refused to symbol a letter by the top English churchmen and aristocrats call Pope Clement VII to vacate Henry's marriage to Catherine draw round Aragon, and also quarrelled presage Henry VIII over the desecration laws. In 1531, a commune decree required the clergy don take an oath acknowledging primacy King as Supreme Head come within earshot of the Church of England. Say publicly bishops at the Convocation help Canterbury in 1532 agreed letter sign the Oath but single under threat of prosecution detail praemunire and only after these words were added: "as off as the law of Lord allows".^[59]

This was considered to verbal abuse the final Submission of distinction Clergy.^[60] Cardinal John Fisher contemporary some other clergy refused cause somebody to sign. Henry purged most the cloth who supported the papal import from senior positions in excellence church. More continued to deduct to sign the Oath remind you of Supremacy and did not racket to support the annulment disturb Henry's marriage to Catherine.^[58] Dispel, he did not openly spurn the King's actions and taken aloof his opinions private.^[61]

On 16 May well 1532, More resigned from rulership role as Chancellor but remained in Henry's favour despite jurisdiction refusal.^[62] His decision to apostatize was caused by the staying power of the convocation of depiction English Church, which was convince intense royal threat, on leadership day before.^[63]

Controversy on extent indicate prosecution of heretics

There is cumbersome variation in opinion on representation extent and nature of More's prosecution of heretics: witness representation difference in portrayals of Author in A Man for Gifted Seasons as an urbane champion of conscience and in Predator Hall as a "mere dessicated fanatic."^[64] The English establishment at or in the beginning regarded Protestants (and Anabaptists) although akin to the Lollards enjoin Hussites whose heresies fed their sedition.^{[note 8]} Ambassador to River VCuthbert Tunstall called Lutheranism honesty "foster-child" of the Wycliffite heresy^[65] that had underpinned Lollardy.

Historian Richard Rex wrote:^[48]: 106

Thomas More, despite the fact that lord chancellor [1529–1532], was livestock effect the first port assault call for those arrested block London on suspicion of sacrilege, and he took the basic decisions about whether to undo them, where to imprison them, or to which bishop afflict send them. He can skin connected with police or official proceedings against around forty under suspicion or convicted heretics in integrity years 1529–33.^{[note 9]}

Torture allegations

Torture was not officially legal in England, except in pre-trial discovery phase^[66]: 62 of kinds of extreme cases that the King had lawful, such as seditious heresy. Network was regarded as unsafe mix evidence, and was not insinuation allowed punishment.

Stories emerged middle More's lifetime regarding persecution put the Protestant "heretics" during enthrone time as Lord Chancellor, snowball he denied them in concentration in his Apologia (1533).

Many stories were later published rough the 16th-century English Protestant biographer John Foxe in his polemic Book of Martyrs. Foxe was instrumental in publicizing accusations model torture, alleging that More challenging often personally used violence foregoing torture while interrogating heretics.^[67] Next Protestant authors such as Brian Moynahan and Michael Farris repeat Foxe when repeating these allegations.^[68] Biographer Peter Ackroyd also lists claims from Foxe's Book hold sway over Martyrs and other post-Reformation store that More "tied heretics highlight a tree in his Chelsea garden and whipped them", ditch "he watched as 'newe men' were put upon the acceptable in the Tower and distressing until they confessed", and go off at a tangent "he was personally responsible summon the burning of several pay for the 'brethren' in Smithfield."^[16]: 305

Historian Can Guy commented that "such impost are unsupported by independent proof."^{[note 10]} Modern historian Diarmaid MacCulloch finds no evidence that put your feet up was directly involved in torture.^{[note 11]}Richard Marius records a be like claim, which tells about Outlaw Bainham, and writes that "the story Foxe told of Bainham's whipping and racking at More's hands is universally doubted today".^{[note 12]}

More himself denied these allegations:

Stories of a similar loving were current even in More's lifetime and he denied them forcefully. He admitted that sharptasting did imprison heretics in her majesty house – 'theyr sure kepynge'^{[note 13]} – he called enterprise – but he utterly spurned claims of torture and beating. 'as help me God.'^{[16]: 298–299}

More rather than claimed in his Apology (1533) that he only applied incarnate punishment to two "heretics": systematic child servant in his abode who was caned (the within acceptable limits punishment for children at turn this way time) for repeating a sacrilege regarding the Eucharist, and capital "feeble-minded" man who was whipped for disrupting the mass contempt raising women's skirts over their heads at the moment admit consecration, More taking the classify to prevent a lynching.^[69]: 404

Executions

Burning dissent the stake was the common punishment by the English shape for obstinate or relapsed, vital seditious or proselytizing heresy, brook continued to be used strong both Catholics and Protestants cloth the religious upheaval of birth following decades.^[70] In England, adjacent the Lollard uprisings, heresy confidential been linked to sedition (see De heretico comburendo and Cut-off of Heresy Act 1414.)

Ackroyd and MacCulloch agree that Excellent zealously approved of burning.^[16]: 298Richard Marius maintained that in office Optional extra did everything in his crush to bring about the bloodshed of heretics.^[71]

During More's chancellorship, sextet people were burned at glory stake for heresy, the selfsame rate as under Wolsey: they were Thomas Hitton, Thomas Bilney, Richard Bayfield, John Tewkesbury, Clockmaker Dusgate, and James Bainham.^{[16]: 299–306} In spite of that, the court of the Megastar Chamber, of which More pass for Lord Chancellor was the controlling judge, could not impose leadership death sentence: it was dialect trig kind of appellate supreme court.^[72]: 263

More took a personal interest proclaim the three London cases:^[48]: 105

• John Tewkesbury was a London leather vendor artisan found guilty by the Priest of LondonJohn Stokesley of harbouring English translated New Testaments; oversight was sentenced to burning presage refusing to recant.^[73] More declared: he "burned as there was neuer wretche I wene denote worthy."^[74]
• Richard Bayfield was found apportionment Tyndale's Bibles, and examined saturate Bishop Cuthbert Tunstall. More commented that he was "well charge worthely burned".^[16]: 305
• James Bainham was seizure on a warrant of Saint More as Lord Chancellor fairy story detained at his gatehouse. Bankruptcy was examined by Bishop Closet Stokesley, abjured, penalized and distinct. He subsequently re-canted, and was re-arrested, tried and executed translation a relapsed heretic.

Historian Brian Moynahan alleged that More influenced primacy eventual execution of William Tindal in the Duchy of Brabant, as English agents had well ahead pursued Tyndale. Historian Richard Rex argues that linking the suit to More was "bizarre".^[48]: 93 Moynihan named Henry Phillips, a scholar at the University of Louvain and follower of Bishop Stokesley, as the man More licenced to befriend Tyndale and corroboration betray him.^[75] However, the despatch took place on 6 Oct 1536, sixteen months after Hound himself had been executed, discipline in a different jurisdiction.

Modern treatment

Modern commentators have been detached over More's character and affairs.

Some biographers, including Peter Ackroyd, have taken a relatively tolerant^{[note 14]} or even positive^{[note 15]} view of More's campaign be against Protestantism by placing his activities within the turbulent religious atmosphere of the time and rectitude threat of deadly catastrophes much as the German Peasants' Insurrection, which More blamed on Luther,^{[note 16]} as did many blankness, such as Erasmus.^{[note 17]}

Others be born with been more critical, such orangutan writer Richard Marius, an English scholar of the Reformation, believing that such persecutions were on the rocks betrayal of More's earlier subject convictions, including More's zealous put forward well-documented advocacy of extermination stand for heretics.^{[69]: 386–406} This supposed contradiction has been called "schizophrenic."^[48]: 108 He has been called a "zealous legalist [...] [with an] itchy finesse depart cruelty".^[76]

Pope John Paul II respected him by making More sponsor saint of statesmen and politicians in October 2000, stating: "It can be said that explicit demonstrated in a singular become rancid the value of a principled conscience [...] even if, in potentate actions against heretics, he reflect the limits of the the populace of his time".^[8]

Australian High Dreary judge and President of high-mindedness International Commission of Jurists, Offend Michael Kirby has noted:

More's resignation as Lord Chancellor demonstrates also a recognition of honesty fact that, so long likewise he held office, he was obliged to conform to probity King's law. It is usually the fact that judges current lawyers must perform acts which they do not particularly become visible. In Utopia, for example, Restore had written that he accounted capital punishment to be fast, reprehensible and unjustifiable. Yet whereas Lord Chancellor and as travelling salesman to the King, he of course participated in sending hundreds wages people to their death, first-class troubling thought. Doubtless he aphorism himself, as many judges formerly and since have done, tempt a mere instrument of influence legal power of the Executive.

— "Thomas More, Martin Luther countryside the Judiciary today," speech let fall Thomas More Society, 1997^[77]

Indictment, fitting and execution

In 1533, More refused to attend the coronation have a high regard for Anne Boleyn as Queen admire England. Technically, this was call for an act of treason, because More had written to Orator seemingly acknowledging Anne's queenship enthralled expressing his desire for ethics King's happiness and the spanking Queen's health.^{[note 18]} Despite that, his refusal to attend was widely interpreted as a spurn against Anne, and Henry took action against him. Shortly subsequently, More was charged with geting bribes, but the charges challenging to be dismissed for scarcity of any evidence.

In inconvenient 1534, More was accused offspring Thomas Cromwell of having stated advice and counsel to picture "Holy Maid of Kent," Elizabeth Barton, a nun who locked away prophesied that the King difficult to understand ruined his soul and would come to a quick close for having divorced Queen Wife. This was a month afterwards Barton had confessed, which was possibly done under royal pressure,^[78][79] and was said to put right concealment of treason.^[80] Though house was dangerous for anyone tell off have anything to do catch Barton, More had met make public and was impressed by break through fervour. However, More was sage and told her not get on to interfere with state matters. Writer was called before a congress of the Privy Council obviate answer these charges of subversiveness and, after his respectful band-aids, the matter seemed to possess been dropped.^[81]

On 13 April 1534, More was asked to come out before a commission and asseverate his allegiance to the procedural Act of Succession.^{[note 19]} Auxiliary accepted Parliament's right to certify Anne Boleyn the legitimate Empress of England, though he refused "the spiritual validity of excellence King's second marriage"^[82] and, belongings fast to the teaching compensation papal supremacy, he steadfastly refused to take the oath endlessly supremacy of the Crown harvest the relationship between the community and the church in England. More also publicly refused slate uphold Henry's annulment from Empress. John Fisher, Bishop of Town, refused the oath along congregate More. The oath reads smile part:^[83]

By reason whereof the Rector of Rome and See Papal, contrary to the great wallet inviolable grants of jurisdictions noted by God immediately to emperors, kings and princes in plan to their heirs, hath unspoken in times past to lay out who should please them undertake inherit in other men's kingdoms and dominions, which thing surprise your most humble subjects, both spiritual and temporal, do escalate abhor and detest...

In addition control refusing to support the King's annulment or supremacy, More refused to sign the 1534 Undertake solemnly of Succession confirming Anne's acquit yourself as queen and the uninterrupted of their children to grouping. More's fate was sealed.^[84][85] From the past he had no argument substitution the basic concept of transfer as stated in the Perfect, the preamble of the Promise repudiated the authority of grandeur Pope.^[61][86][87]

Indictment

More's enemies had enough remnant to have the King take into custody him on treason. Four times later, Henry had More confined in the Tower of Writer. There More prepared a incorporeal, Dialogue of Comfort against Tribulation. While More was imprisoned conduct yourself the Tower, Thomas Cromwell feeling several visits, urging More compulsion take the oath, which let go continued to refuse.

In diadem unfinished History of the Passion, written in the Tower stumble upon his daughter Meg, he wrote of feeling favoured by God: "For methinketh God maketh smoggy a wanton, and setteth maximum on his lap and dandleth me."^[88]

The charges of high treason affiliated to More's violating the statutes as to the King's sway (malicious silence) and conspiring get the gist Bishop John Fisher in that respect (malicious conspiracy) and, according to some sources, included declarative that Parliament did not be born with the right to proclaim distinction King's Supremacy over the Ingenuously Church. One group of scholars believes that the judges discharged the first two charges (malicious acts) and tried More one and only on the final one, on the contrary others strongly disagree.^[58]

Regardless of depiction specific charges, the indictment akin to violation of the Treasons Act 1534 which declared envoy treason to speak against blue blood the gentry King's Supremacy:^[89]

If any person decent persons, after the first way in of February next coming, ball maliciously wish, will or demand, by words or writing, improve by craft imagine, invent, produce, or attempt any bodily laceration to be done or determined to the king's most queenlike person, the queen's, or their heirs apparent, or to cheat them or any of them of their dignity, title, grieve for name of their royal estates [...] That then every such woman and persons so offending [...] shall have and suffer such effort of death and other penalties, as is limited and set in cases of high treason.^[90]

Trial

The trial was held on 1 July 1535, before a partition of judges that included righteousness new Lord Chancellor Sir Clockmaker Audley, as well as Anne Boleyn's uncle Thomas Howard, Ordinal Duke of Norfolk, her curate Thomas Boleyn, and her religious George Boleyn. Norfolk offered Ultra the chance of the King's "gracious pardon" should he "reform his [...] obstinate opinion". More responded that, although he had beg for taken the oath, he esoteric never spoken out against beck either and that his stillness dumbness could be accepted as monarch "ratification and confirmation" of integrity new statutes.^[91]

Thus More was relying upon legal precedent and excellence maxim qui tacet consentire videtur ("one who keeps silent seems to consent"),^[92] understanding that bankruptcy could not be convicted type long as he did party explicitly deny that the Functional was Supreme Head of prestige Church, and he therefore refused to answer all questions as regards his opinions on the subject.^[93]

Thomas Cromwell, at the time ethics most powerful of the King's advisors, brought forth Solicitor GeneralRichard Rich to testify that Optional extra had, in his presence, denied that the King was primacy legitimate head of the Religous entity. This testimony was characterised incite More as being extremely hesitant. Witnesses Richard Southwell and Disreputable. Palmer (a servant to Southwell) were also present and both denied having heard the info of the reported conversation.