The Lord Chancellor of England was in a dangerous position. He was asked to make a decision that was already settled in his own mind. Could the King lawfully put aside one wife to marry another? Sir Thomas More, Lord Chancellor to King Henry VIII, said no. In so saying, he pronounced his own death sentence.
Thomas More was an outstanding lawyer, scholar, humanist and diplomat. He did not seek the riches and power that came with the position of first advisor to the King. But his ability was so great, his love for his sovereign so deep, that when he was called to this duty, he had to obey. For Thomas More, only God could claim more devotion than the King of England.
He served his King in many capacities with great distinction, but when Henry wanted to divorce his wife Catherine of Aragon to marry Anne Boleyn, and proclaim himself supreme over the Pope, Thomas More could not agree. Against the wishes of all his friends and family, he refused to sign the Oath demanded by King Henry. His last words were, "I die the King's good servant, but God's first."
This is the story of an extraordinary man who lived during one of the most exciting periods in English history. It is a story of great drama, integrity and courage.
Thomas More was declared a saint in 1935.
—from the dust jacket
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