Childhood:
Sir Thomas More was born on the 7th February 1478 in London. He was the son of Sir John More and his wife Agnes. He was educated at St Anthony’s School which was one of the finest schools of the time. He studied at Oxford University after John Morton, a man he served for two years, nominated him for a place there as he felt there were high hopes for the young More. This enabled him to become well educated in Greek and Latin.
Career:
More represented Great Yarmouth in parliament and was also an undersherrif of the City of London. By doing this he gained a considerable reputation as an effective public servant. He also undertook a diplomatic mission to the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V, in which he gained a knighthood. He was the personal advisor and secretary of Henry VIII. In 1923, he became the House of Commons speaker and was also a liaison between Henry and Wolsey (Henry’s Lord Chancellor). Two years later, he was made Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. After Wolsey fell in 1529, More became Lord Chancellor, despite refusing to help with Henry’s divorce from Catherine of Aragon.
Importance in Henry’s Reign:
More was important in Henry’s reign for a variety of reasons. He was his secretary and advisor and so would have helped Henry in many ways. For instance, he helped write Henry’s Defence of the Seven Sacraments and also established free speech in parliament. However, he was also a man who defied Henry, perhaps honourably or perhaps naively. He didn’t attend the coronation of Anne Boleyn and was also accused of agreeing with the Nun of Kent’s view that Henry shouldn’t have broken away from Rome. In 1534, he refused to swear to the Act of Succession and the Oath of Supremacy and was sent to the tower of London resultantly. His final words before his beheading were ‘The King’s good servant, but God’s first’ showing how strong his beliefs were and his defiance of a king that had arguably gotten too big for his boots.
Lewis Angell
Sir Thomas More was born on the 7th February 1478 in London. He was the son of Sir John More and his wife Agnes. He was educated at St Anthony’s School which was one of the finest schools of the time. He studied at Oxford University after John Morton, a man he served for two years, nominated him for a place there as he felt there were high hopes for the young More. This enabled him to become well educated in Greek and Latin.
Career:
More represented Great Yarmouth in parliament and was also an undersherrif of the City of London. By doing this he gained a considerable reputation as an effective public servant. He also undertook a diplomatic mission to the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V, in which he gained a knighthood. He was the personal advisor and secretary of Henry VIII. In 1923, he became the House of Commons speaker and was also a liaison between Henry and Wolsey (Henry’s Lord Chancellor). Two years later, he was made Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. After Wolsey fell in 1529, More became Lord Chancellor, despite refusing to help with Henry’s divorce from Catherine of Aragon.
Importance in Henry’s Reign:
More was important in Henry’s reign for a variety of reasons. He was his secretary and advisor and so would have helped Henry in many ways. For instance, he helped write Henry’s Defence of the Seven Sacraments and also established free speech in parliament. However, he was also a man who defied Henry, perhaps honourably or perhaps naively. He didn’t attend the coronation of Anne Boleyn and was also accused of agreeing with the Nun of Kent’s view that Henry shouldn’t have broken away from Rome. In 1534, he refused to swear to the Act of Succession and the Oath of Supremacy and was sent to the tower of London resultantly. His final words before his beheading were ‘The King’s good servant, but God’s first’ showing how strong his beliefs were and his defiance of a king that had arguably gotten too big for his boots.
Lewis Angell