Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1914-07-13
TRIAL OF
SIR THOMAS MORE

Thomas More. More, when quite
young. was taken into the family OF
Cardinal Morton, then Archbishop of
Canterbury, merely on account of
his ready wit and pleasing looks.
This same cardinal sent him first
to oxford and then to the courts to
study law. Later he grew in great
favor with Henry VIII, and as a
proof of his friendship Henry show
e.ed upon him the greatest honors
that We're in his power, among them
the office of lord high chancellor,
which office it is said none ever
than he
His troubles first began when Hen :
ry was wed to Anne Boleyn, which
wedding More refused to attend, and
so on the 10th of May, 153. he
thought fit to deliver the great seal
to the king, on the ground that there
were several troubles and proceed
ipgs in court of which he did not
approve. Soon after this some of
his correspondence was seized, es-
pecially that with Elizabeth Barton,
then called The Holy Maid of
Kent" Subsequently they were
both thrown into prison.
Thomas WAS kept in the Tower
for little more than a year and
was brought to his trial on the eth
of May, 1888. Eight persons were
constituted to try him, every one of
them being a knight. The charge
was very long. so long, indeed, that
Sir Thomas said in reply TO it that
it was so long that he could remem-
Der but one-third of it. The main
charge, however, was his refusing
the oath of succession.
Before the trial began he was eX-
tended the leave to change his opin-
ion and gain favor once more in the
kings sight To this Thomas re-
Piled Most noble lords, | have
great reason to return thanks for
your honors, for this your great
cNility; but | beseech Almighty God
that | continue in the mind | am in
through his grace unto death" He
then began his defense. in which he
whether it was criminal to tell ones
own mind when fairly and straight
ly asked.
Most of the evidence that was re :
lied upon was his correspondence
with a certain man named Fisher
ard the alleged conversation that
had taken place in the Tower be-
tween one of mis- judges, Rich and
himself. Owing mainly to his great
nfirmities incurred during his i'm
prisonment in the Tower, More was
allowed to be seated. Sir Thomas
denied the principal charges with
much dignity He also swore that
he had never opposed the marriage
OF the king to his second wife, Anne
Boleyn-
Rich then alleged that More had
advised Fisher to disobey the act of
supremacy, and that also he had
described that act as "a two-edged
sword, approval of which ruined the
soul and disapproval of which ruined
the body"
Rich said More, was a prevari-
Gator and a perjurer and he would
show it to the court But there
are none so blind as those who will
not see, and Mores evidence was of
no avail. After hearing this last
appeal the jury retired and were
scarcely out for an hour when they
returned with a verdict of guilty.
The lord chief justice then began
to give the sentence, but More sar-
oastically nterfered and reminded
the Judge that when he was upon
the bench it was the custom to ask
the prisoner for any reasons that he
had as to why the sentence would
not be carried out.
Checking himself, the judge gave
More leave to proceed. More made
strong argument in his defense,
but it was decided that he should
not live and so the lord chief justice
Sir John Fitz-James, pronounced the
sentence: That he should be car
ried back to the Tower of London
from thence drawn on a hurdle
through the city to Tyburn at which
place he should be hanged till hall
dead, cut down alive and. his -four
quarters set over the four gates OF
the city and his head set on Lon
don bridge
Through the mercy" of the king
| this sentence was committed to one
| CT beheading which was carried out
on the sixth of July. Before going
to the scaffold, More gave all his
fine clothes to his jailer and on the
| scaffold kissed his executioner ant
gave him piece of gold saying
Thou wilt do me this day a ia
vor greater than ever any morta
can do
| When the news was brought t
the king he sat playing cards at {
table. Looking at Anne he said
| Thou art the cause of this man.
DEATH" and left the table in a mel
ancholy state.
Tomorrow: Trial Of Francis Re
vsiIIac.