Been reading through a brief biography of Sir Thomas More, famous for his book Utopia.

He lived from 1478 to 1535 and served under Henry VIII. He was counselor to King Henry from 1529-1532 and served with great distinction. He was by all accounts a highly virtuous man, whose integrity was renowned. He was also a staunch opponent of the protestant reformation. He supported the right of the pope and ran afoul of the king when he refused in 1530 to sign a petition to annul Henry’s marriage to Catherine of Aragon. As the king repeatedly sought his counsel, and apparently was unable to live without his counselors approval of his whims, Henry grew increasingly upset with More despite his stellar service record. More was questioned several times, each time maintaining his answer with as much grace and deference as he could. He tried to withdraw himself from the question, and even wished the King and new Queen- Ann Boleyn happiness and health at their wedding.

But More could not in conscience attend the wedding, and would not lend his blessing or intellectual support to Henry’s divorce and remarriage, or his naming himself head of the Church of England.  

More’s hand was eventually forced by Henry’s requiring all his ministers to sign an Oath of Supremacy naming him Supreme Head of the Church of England. More maintained his position and was jailed for treason. He entered prison by wearing fine clothes, knowing that he would have to give them up, but wanting to present something nice to the jailer. As the jailer demanded his upper garment, he said “Mr Porter, I am very sorry it is no better for you.” The porter replied he must have his gown as well.

After a month in jail, his daughter was allowed to see him, where he told her, “I believe that they have put me here, ween (expecting) they have done me a high disservice. But I assure you on my faith, mine own dear daughter, if it had not been for my wife and you that be my children, whom I account the chief part of my charge, I would not have failed, long ere this, to have closed myself in as strait a room and straiter too. …… I find no cause to reckon myself in worse case here than in mine own house.”

Some time later his wife came and berated him. “What the good year, Mr More. I marvel that you, that have been always hitherunto taken for so wise a man, will now so play the fool to lie here in this close filthy prison, and be content to be shut up among mice and rats, when you might be abroad at your liberty and with the favor and good will of both the King and his Council, if you would but do as all the bishops and best learned of this Realm have done. I muse what a God’s name you mean here still thus fondly to tarry.”

He replied cheerfully, “I pray thee good Mrs. Alice, is not this house as nigh heaven as mine own?”

More was executed in 1535, declaring he was “the kings good servant, and God’s first”.

Integrity is always put to the test when money is on the line. Here was Sir Thomas More, willing to lose everything he had, in order to not deny what he knew the word of God to say. It cost him his high position, his family, his fortune, and his freedom, but he knew that those things were temporal and fleeting, and to trade his integrity for such things was in reality to cash in his spiritual inheritance for a bowl of soup.  

I knew nothing of this man before reading this biography. (I’m still not done with it) But I am obviously impressed with him.