Discussion: Thomas More's execution

"I know myself and Ms. Squirrly, was stating, how episode 5 was the best yet. I am a Christian woman, and I remember More made me feel like I'd given my life to Christ all over again. The Pope mentioned on the serious that they would be remembered, and men just don't get a chance to die for Christ anymore don't quote me I am very tired but he said something like that.

I had a whole new respect for More. I did feel he went a little crazy in the jail when his wife and daughter came to see him, but Christ said that even in prison if you give all to him he would remove the mind from that place (jail).
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"Yes I thought there was some brilliant acting both by Jeremy Northam at the trial and execution and Jonathan Rhys Meyers as he anguished by himself waiting for More's execution. It was a very emotional episode especially when Fisher said he was just a man who was frightened of death and the crowd shouted God bless you. Peter O'toole managed to appear as somewhat sarcastic that he and Campeggio couldnt' be martyrs for their faith and how lucky Fisher was that he could be.

As for the real Thomas More himself, I don't view him totally as a saint because he was instrumental in the burning of people who he deemed heretics, even watching as they died in agony. Obviously I am not a catholic so I tend to think differently. By not accepting the Oath of Supermacy he made life very hard for his wife and children. He was totally inflexible and unbending which in my mind makes him just as arrogant as Henry or Anne. "

"Well, everyone sees things differently. Unfortunately burning heretics was a fact of life in those times and both sides did it; both sides thought they were doing the right thing. With our 21st century hindsight, we know better, but we need to try to see through 16th centtury eyes. Being a martyr (and from everything I've read, More did not set out to be which is why he avoided as long as possible giving his opinion on "the King's Great Matter".) requires following your conscience regardless of consequences, and that is not something everyone is capable of. "

"Yes but the heavy irony of this is that those very heretics he burned and watched dying in the flames ( a much slower death than beheading) followed their consciences too regardless of the consequences."

"Well, everyone sees things differently. Unfortunately burning heretics was a fact of life in those times and both sides did it; both sides thought they were doing the right thing. With our 21st century hindsight, we know better, but we need to try to see through 16th centtury eyes. Being a martyr (and from everything I've read, More did not set out to be which is why he avoided as long as possible giving his opinion on "the King's Great Matter".) requires following your conscience regardless of consequences, and that is not something everyone is capable of. I believe that more of the German people Who did not agree with them did not protest the abuses of the Nazis in WWII because of possible consequences to their familes.
John Fisher was that fairly rare creature in the RC church in those days. He practiced what he preached, was ascetic, and was faithful to his vows. If you contrast him with Wolsey, who lived an opulent life and had a mistress, you will see the difference. He admitted his fear, yet remained steadfast in his convictions. Truly, he was the stuff of which Martyrs were made. I hope I could be like him if I had to. "

"Yes but the heavy irony of this is that those very heretics he burned and watched dying in the flames ( a much slower death than beheading) followed their consciences too regardless of the consequences."

"More's crumbling skull still exists in the Roper Family vault. I read in more than one article online that Margaret More Roper, his beloved daughter had bribed the person responsible for pitching the heads of the executed into the Thames after a period of time and retrieved the head of her father. She was buried at her early death with his skull in her hands. More's body, impossible to identify when the bodies buried there were exhumed, remains in the crypt of St. Peter ad Vincula.
Margaret had married William Roper, and his other daughters were also married. I believe that aside from confiscating his estate and Chelsea, Henry left More's family pretty much alone. I am just conjecturing, but I think the daughters and their husbands probably took care of Alice. Margaret was a noted Latin scholar and communicated and assisted Erasmus of Rotterdam in doing translations of some of his works. "

"More's crumbling skull still exists in the Roper Family vault. I read in more than one article online that Margaret More Roper, his beloved daughter had bribed the person responsible for pitching the heads of the executed into the Thames after a period of time and retrieved the head of her father. She was buried at her early death with his skull in her hands. More's body, impossible to identify when the bodies buried there were exhumed, remains in the crypt of St. Peter ad Vincula.
Margaret had married William Roper, and his other daughters were also married. I believe that aside from confiscating his estate and Chelsea, Henry left More's family pretty much alone. I am just conjecturing, but I think the daughters and their husbands probably took care of Alice. Margaret was a noted Latin scholar and communicated and assisted Erasmus of Rotterdam in doing translations of some of his works. "