Born 1480.—Died 1535.—Edward IV.—Edward V.—Richard III.—Henry VII.—Henry VIII.
Was born in Milk Street, London, brought up in the household of Cardinal Morton under Henry VII. He was early distinguished by great attainments, wit, and dauntless love of truth. When Speaker of the House of Commons, he came into collision with Wolsey upon a loan of £800,000 demanded by the king. As not a member would open his lips, Wolsey appealed to More, who said that unless all the statues around him could put their wits into his head, he could not answer His Grace. More refused to take the oath of supremacy to Henry VIII. as head of the English Church, and he was executed on Tower Hill. His daughter, Margaret Roper, rescued his head. He was a man of deep and various learning, and his Utopia, or romance of a model republic, is well known.
WILLIAM TYNDALE.
Born 1447.—Died 1536.—Henry VI.—Edward IV.—Edward V.—Richard III.—Henry VII.—Henry VIII.
Was born in Wales, educated at Cambridge, and with Miles Coverdale made a new translation of the New Testament, the Pentateuch, and the book of Jonah. He was strangled and burnt at the stake at Vilvoord, in consequence of the success of his translations of the Bible.
THOMAS CRANMER,
Born 1489.—Died 1556.—Henry VII.—Henry VIII.—Edward VI.—Mary.
Born at Aslacton, in Nottinghamshire, was a tutor at Cambridge, and was made at one bound Archbishop of Canterbury. He owed his rise to his clever suggestions for enabling Henry VIII. to divorce Queen Katherine, and became the favourite of Anne Boleyn in consequence. As Primate he sanctioned three divorces of Henry VIII. He drew up the Book of Common Prayer. He perished at the stake at Oxford in 1550, under Mary, after signing several recantations which he finally repudiated, and died with firmness.
SEBASTIAN CABOT,
Born 1447.—Died 1557.—Edward IV.—Edward V.—Richard III.—Henry VII.—Henry VIII.—Edward VI.