Thomas More – The King’s Lord Chancellor: The end
By author and historian, Amanda Harvey Purse
Certainly not an act of treason, as Thomas had apparently already written to the King, suggesting that he was acknowledging Anne Boleyn as Queen Consort of England, but Thomas’s action to not appear at Anne Boleyn’s coronation in 1533, was seen as a suggestion Thomas was not fully in line with the King’s wishes. This, with past arguments Thomas had, had with the King, seems to suggest the start of Sir Thomas More’s downfall. – Ives, Eric W (2004), The Life and Death of Anne Boleyn.
At first there were charges put against him that Thomas had accepted bribes, but the evidence for this lacking and Thomas was released. Then Thomas Cromwell had accused Thomas of giving advice to the “Holy Maid of Kent,” Elizabeth Barton, a nun who had prophesied that the king had ruined his soul and would come to a quick end for having divorced Queen Catherine. – Peter Ackroyd (2012). The Life of Thomas More. Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group.
Although it was indeed thought dangerous for anyone to have anything to do with Barton, Thomas had met her, and was impressed by her. But, Thomas had told her not to interfere with state matters.
Nevertheless, Thomas was called before a committee of the Privy Council to answer these charges of treason, and after his respectful answers the matter seemed to have been dropped and had gone away. – Lee, Sidney (1904). Great Englishmen of the Sixteenth Century. London: Archibald Constable, Limited.
Once again, on 13 April 1534, Thomas was asked to appear before a commission and swear his allegiance to the parliamentary Act of Succession. Thomas did accept Parliament’s right to declare Anne Boleyn the legitimate Queen of England, but he refused to take the oath of supremacy of the Crown in the relationship between the kingdom and the church in England.
Refusing to support the King’s annulment or supremacy, Thomas once again refused to sign the 1534 Oath of Succession confirming Anne’s role as queen and the rights of their children to succession.
In doing so, Thomas had sealed his own fate…
For his enemies within court had enough evidence to have the King arrest him on treason and four days later, this was exactly what King Henry did. Thomas was imprisoned in the Tower of London. Thomas Cromwell had made several visits to the Tower, to urge Thomas to take the oath, knowing that the King would have probably welcomed Thomas back, with open arms if he did, but still Thomas refused.
The trial was held on 1 July 1535, before a panel of judges that included the new Lord Chancellor, Sir Thomas Audley, as well as Anne Boleyn’s uncle, Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk, her father Thomas Boleyn and her brother George Boleyn. The jury took only fifteen minutes, however, to find Thomas guilty.
The execution took place on 6 July 1535 at Tower Hill. When he came to mount the steps to the scaffold, it was thought that he may collapse due to being so weak. So much so that it is suggested Thomas said to one of the officers,
“I pray you, master Lieutenant, see me safe up and [for] my coming down, let me shift for my self” – Elizabeth M. Knowles, ed. (1999). The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations. Oxford University Press.
Not quite the end…
It is believed that Thomas’s daughter Margaret, later rescued the severed head of her father from London bridge. – Thomas Edward Bridgett (1891). Life and Writings of Sir Thomas More: Lord Chancellor of England and Martyr Under Henry VIII. Burns & Oates.
It is believed that she took with her to Canterbury for it to rest in the Roper Vault of St Dunstan’s Church, Canterbury, of which there are stained glass windows depicting him, perhaps with the remains of Margaret and her husband’s family.
However, it would be also fair to state that some have claimed that the head is buried within the tomb erected for More in Chelsea Old Church. – Doyne Courtenay Bell (1877). Notices of the Historic Persons Buried in the Chapel of St. Peter Ad Vincula: In the Tower of London. J. Murray.
This is the last chapter in this series of Sir Thomas More and I hope this interesting man’s life story was intriguing, looking past his role for King Henry VIII and the reasons for his execution.
Thomas is still remembered today in various different forms, whether it be in stained glass windows or in plaques form, as we have seen earlier within this series and below with the monument plaque within Westminster Hall. Thomas More has a street named after him, close to St Katherine Dock, ironically near the Tower of London and he has many statues dedicated to him, as seen below. Showing perhaps, no matter how we personally feel about him or his actions, that his presence in this world, is not forgotten and is still remembered, even after all this time…
About the author
Being a member of the Royal Historical Society, Amanda has written academic papers and given lectures for universities and special events including the Hampton Court Palace Field of the Cloth of Gold event and University of Kent’s Medieval Festival.
She has written articles for many magazines, websites and Societies. These include The Whitechapel Society Journal, The True Crime Dagger Magazine, The Charles Dickens Society, The Anne Boleyn Files, Book Reviews and more website and Rotten Ramsgate website, to name but a few.
Amanda has also worked with many museums and television companies behind the scenes on displays, items and programmes in various time periods, while also writing historical books.
The titles of which include
‘The award winning’ Martha (the lives of the people involved in the Martha Tabram murder investigation of 1888).
The Cutbush Connections: In Flowers, In Blood and in the Ripper Case.
‘ The award winning’ Inspector Reid: The Real Ripper Street (the life and times of Inspector Edmund Reid whose most famous case was to investigate the Jack the Ripper case of 1888. Royalties from this book went into the headstone fund for getting Inspector Edmund Reid a headstone in Herne Bay, Kent).
‘The Jack the Ripper book of the year nominee’ Jack and Old Jewry: The City of London Policemen who Hunted the Ripper (not only going into the lives of the policemen who investigated the sad death of Catherine Eddowes in 1888, as the title would suggest, this book also goes into the lives of Catherine Eddowes herself, doctors at the scene as well as the history of the murder site with Mitre Square and the mortuary upon Golden Lane), published by Mango Books.
She is currently working on two books published by Amberley Publishing, the first titled The Boleyns: From the Tudors to the Windsors is due out in 2022, with a second book following.
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