More, Saint Thomas

More, Saint Thomas

(born Feb. 7, 1478, London, Eng.—died July 6, 1535, London; canonized May 19, 1935; feast day June 22) English statesman and humanist. He studied at Oxford and was successful as a lawyer from 1501. He served as an undersheriff of London (1510–18) and endeared himself to Londoners as a fair judge and consultant. He wrote the notable History of King Richard III (1513–18) and the renowned Utopia (1516), which was an immediate success with humanists, including Desiderius Erasmus. In 1517 More was named to the king's council, and he became Henry VIII's secretary and confidant. In 1523 he was elected speaker of the House of Commons. He wrote A Dialogue Concerning Heresies (1529) to refute heretical writings. After the fall of Cardinal Wolsey (1529), More succeeded him as lord chancellor, but he resigned in 1532 when he could not affirm Henry's divorce from Catherine. He also refused to accept the Act of Supremacy. In 1534 More was charged with high treason and imprisoned in the Tower of London, where he wrote his Dialogue of Comfort Against Tribulation. In 1535 he was tried and sentenced to death by hanging, which the king commuted to beheading.