Sir Thomas More, a friend of Erasmus, was an English statesman and author. More was born in London England, and was the son of Sir John More, who was a prominent judge. He attended school at St Anthony's School in London. When he was young, he served as a page in the household of Archbishop Morton, who anticipated More would become a "marvellous man." More went to study at Oxford. During this time, he wrote comedies and studied Greek and Latin literature. One of his first works was an English translation of a Latin biography of the Italian humanist Pico della Mirandola.
Around 1494, More returned to London to study law. Also in London, he wanted to become a monk, taking part of the monastic life. The prayer, fasting, and penance habits stayed with him for the rest of his life. More's desire for monasticism was finally overcome by his sense of duty to serve his country in the field of politics. So, he entered Parliament in 1504, and married for the first time in 1504 or 1505, to Jane Colt and had four children. However she died in childbirth so he married again to Alice Middleton.
More became a close friend with Desiderius Erasmus. They produced Latin translations of Lucian's works, printed at Paris in 1506, during Erasmus' second visit. On Erasmus' third visit, in 1509, he wrote Encomium Moriae, or Praise of Folly, (1509), dedicating it to More.
More was executed by Henry in 1535 after his former Lord Chancellor, a loyal Catholic, had refused to recognize the king as the supreme head of the Church of England. More’s most famous work was Utopia, which was considered to be one of the finest Socratic dialogues of all time.
Around 1494, More returned to London to study law. Also in London, he wanted to become a monk, taking part of the monastic life. The prayer, fasting, and penance habits stayed with him for the rest of his life. More's desire for monasticism was finally overcome by his sense of duty to serve his country in the field of politics. So, he entered Parliament in 1504, and married for the first time in 1504 or 1505, to Jane Colt and had four children. However she died in childbirth so he married again to Alice Middleton.
More became a close friend with Desiderius Erasmus. They produced Latin translations of Lucian's works, printed at Paris in 1506, during Erasmus' second visit. On Erasmus' third visit, in 1509, he wrote Encomium Moriae, or Praise of Folly, (1509), dedicating it to More.
More was executed by Henry in 1535 after his former Lord Chancellor, a loyal Catholic, had refused to recognize the king as the supreme head of the Church of England. More’s most famous work was Utopia, which was considered to be one of the finest Socratic dialogues of all time.