SirThomasMore, sonofSirJohnMore, ajusticeoftheKing'sBench, wasbornin1478, inMilkStreet, 'sSchool, inThreadneedleStreet, hewasplaced, asaboy, inthehouseholdofCardinalJohnMorton, 'slivery, , afterwards, ; wasbusyafterwardsinhostilitytoRichard; andwasachiefadviserofHenryVII., whoin1486madehimArchbishopofCanterbury, —oftalkatwhosetabletherearerecollectionsin "Utopia"—, "Whoevershalllivetotryit, shallseethischildherewaitingattableproveanotableandrareman."
Attheageofaboutnineteen, ThomasMorewassenttoCanterburyCollege, Oxford, byhispatron, wherehelearntGreekofthefirstmenwhobroughtGreekstudiesfromItalytoEngland—, aphysician, whoafterwardstookorders, wasalsothefounderoftheCollegeofPhysicians.In1499, MoreleftOxfordtostudylawinLondon, atLincoln'sInn, andinthenextyearArchbishopMortondied.
More'searnestcharactercausedhimwhilestudyinglawtoaimatthesubduingoftheflesh, bywearingahairshirt, takingalogforapillow, -oneheenteredParliament, andsoonafterhehadbeencalledtothebarhewasmadeUnder-SheriffofLondon.In1503heopposedintheHouseofCommonsHenryVII.'sproposalforasubsidyonaccountofthemarriageportionofhisdaughterMargaret; , therefore, , andhadthoughtsofleavingthecountry.
, 1509, whenMore', whereitissaidherefusedtopleadincaseswhichhethoughtunjust, andtooknofeesfromwidows, orphans, , ofNewHall, inEssex, butchosehereldersister, thathemightnotsubjecthertothediscreditofbeingpassedover.
