Born in London on the 7th February 1477-78 and was martyred on the 6th July 1535. The son of a barrister and judge Sir John More and his first wife Agnes. At age 13 he was placed in the care of Cardinal Morton, Archbishop of Canterbury and later sent by the Archbishop to Oxford to further his studies. In 1494 he was sent to New Inn to study as a law student, then later in February 1496 to Lincoln's Inn.
He was a gifted student knowing Latin, Greek, French and his writings were said to be eloquent and went a long way towards furthering the English language. His other interests included poetry and he could also play the flute and violin.
As his studies continued he became noticed by the governors of Lincoln's Inn and became a lecturer on law. But this did not consume all his time and he became interested in the priesthood between 1499 and 1503 studying Augustine and other scholars, preaching in the Church of St. Lawrence Jewry at that time. He considered joining the Carthusians and the Observant Franciscans, religious orders that were less strict than the priesthood, however he decided to marry.
In 1501 he was elected to the Parliament and there immediately began opposing the excesses of King Henry VIII, and suceeded in doing so but enraged the King who placed his father in the tower over a simple unpaid fine of 100 pounds, until such time as it was paid.
In 1505 he married Jane, daughter of a gentleman, John Colte of Newhall, Essex. With Jane he had three daughters, Margaret, Elizabeth and Cecelia and a son John, however Jane died in 1511. He married a widow soon after, Jane Middleton (7 years his senior) who loved and cared for his children.
In 1510 More was made Under-Sheriff of London, and four years later was chosen by Cardinal Wolsely as one of an embassy to Flanders, to protect English merchants interests. This role saw him abroad for 6 months in 1515. In 1516, the King and Cardinal Wolsely want to secure More's services at the Kings Court, so he was made a member of the embassy to Calais, and the next year became privy councillor at the same time. In 1519 he resigned as Under-Sheriff and became completely attached to the Kings Court. In 1521 he was knighted and made sub-treasurer to the King.
In 1523 he was elected Speaker of the House of Commons and became the High Steward of Cambridge University in 1525. During the same year he was Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. He moved to a mansion that he built in Chelsea about 100 yards from the Thames. The King would sometimes come and visit More here, and would walk in the garden with him. More however was only well aware that his favour was only due to how his work had favoured the King, and he said to his son in law Roper, "If my head should win him a castle in France, it should not fail to go". The Lutheran controversy had now spread throughout Europe and, with some reluctance, More was drawn into it. He wrote several controversial letters many of which can be read today.
In October 1529 More was succeeded Cardinal Wolsely as Chancellor of England, a post that had never before been held by a layman. He enforced the anti-heracy laws of the time, choosing to hate the heracy but not the persons, as he wrote in one of his documents (Apologia). In November 1529 he opened the Parliament not knowing of the encroachments into the Church, that the Parliament would soon make.
A few months later a royal proclamation was made ordering the clergy to acknowledge Henry as "Supreme Head" of the Church "as far as the law of God will permit", and at this More at once offerred his resignation of the chancellorship, which however was not accepted. However More's firm opposition to Henry's designs in regard to the divorce, the papal supremacy, and the laws against heretics, speedily lost him the royal favour, and in May, 1532, he resigned his post of Lord Chancellor. From there he spent the next 18 months in seclusion to avoid a public display against the King and hence avoided the coronation of Anne Boleyn.
Here he remained until his nephew William Rastell wrote a pamphlet supporting the Pope and the Catholic Church, which was attributed to More's views. More wrote a letter to Cromwell declaring that even though the King was well aware of His views, he did not seek to publicly embarass the King, and knew his duty to the King. More was questioned by a Council to the King over his views and was later released, however in March 1534, the "Act of Succession" was passed which required that all who should be called must take a oath acknowledging the legitimacy of the marriage of Henry and Anne Boleyn and repudiating the authority of any foreign prince or potentate. More refused and was thrown into prison in the Tower of London.
In April and May, 1535, Cromwell visited him in person to demand his opinion of the new statutes conferring on Henry the title of Supreme Head of the Church. More refused to give any answer beyond declaring himself a faithful subject of the king.
On 1 July 1535 , at Westminster Hall, More was indicted for high treason. More denied the chief charges of the indictment, however the jury found him guilty and he was sentenced to be hanged at Tyburn. Some days later this was changed by Henry to beheading on Tower Hill.
Pope Leo XIII formally beatified Thomas More in the Decree of 29 December, 1886. Pope Pius XI canonised him in 1935.
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