Sir Thomas More is an Elizabethan play and a dramatic biography based on events in the life of the Catholic martyr Thomas More, who rose to become the Lord Chancellor of England during the reign of Henry VIII. The play is considered to be written by Anthony Munday and Henry Chettle and revised by several writers. The manuscript is particularly notable for a three-page handwritten revision now widely attributed to William Shakespeare.Long, William B. The Occasion of the Book of Sir Thomas More. Howard-Hill, T. H. editor. Shakespeare and Sir Thomas More; essays on the play and its Shakespearean Interest. Cambridge University Press. (1989) . pp. 49–54
Content This play is not a biography; it is a drama that deals with certain events in More's life. Other significant facts are not described: there is no mention of his literary career, his book Utopia, or the dispute between Henry VIII and Pope Clement VII. The life of Sir Thomas More is at times dramatized, with certain events altered or expanded beyond historical sources for theatrical purposes. The play centers on themes of obedience to the crown, the rule of law, and the populace’s xenophobic anger. More is faced with King Henry VIII’s demand to recognize the monarch as the supreme head of the newly established Anglican Church. When he refuses to sign the required oath, he is tried for high treason and ultimately executed, becoming a martyr to his principles.Long, William B. The Occasion of the Book of Sir Thomas More. Howard-Hill, T.H. editor. Shakespeare and Sir Thomas More; essays on the play and its Shakespearean Interest. Cambridge University Press. (1989) . pp. 49–54
There are three primary actions in the drama: First is the uprising of 1517 known as Ill May Day and More's quelling of the rioters. Second is the portrayal of More's private life, his family and friendships, demonstrating his generosity, kindness, and wit. Third is his service as Privy Councillor and Lord Chancellor, and the principled stand he took in opposition to the king, which leads to More's execution.
The particular articles More refuses to sign are never described, so the play avoids the specific conflict that occurred between the Catholic Church and the breakaway English church, allowing the story to focus on the issue of freedom of an individual conscience from worldly authority. This explains why Munday, who fought against the Catholic Church, would be an author of a play that vindicates More, a Catholic martyr. Munday's abiding interest, as demonstrated in his other plays, was in speaking out against attacks on an individual's freedom, attacks that came from both church and state.Melchiori, Giorgio. The Book of Sir Thomas More: Dramatic Unity Howard-Hill, T.H. editor. Shakespeare and Sir Thomas More; essays on the play and its Shakespearean Interest. Cambridge University Press. (1989) . p. 78
Considered in terms of theatrical performance, it is seen as effective and dramatic in the scenes dealing with the rioting, it is warm and human when dealing with More's private life, and it is sympathetic and admiring as More sticks to his principles in the conclusion of the play. Charles Forker and Joseph Candido consider the work to be the best of the dramatic biographies of the era. Even with these qualities it would not have attracted as much later interest if it were not for the association this play has with Shakespeare.
Characters Sir Thomas More has an unusually high total of 59 speaking parts, including 22 in the first 500 lines of the play; this, plus crowd scenes, would have taxed the ability of any playing company of the time to stage it. The job could only be managed through complex doubling and more-than-doubling of roles by the actors. Out of necessity, the play is structured to allow for this multiple doubling of roles: it is set up in three phases—More's rise; More's Chancellorship; More's fall—with very limited overlap between the thirds. Only three characters, More himself and the Earls of Shrewsbury and Surrey, appear in all three portions; seven other characters—Lady More, Clown Betts, Palmer, Roper, Sergeant Downes, the Lord Mayor, and a sheriff—appear in two of the three segments.
Thomas More – undersheriff of London; later Sir Thomas More and Lord Chancellor
In London Earl of Shrewsbury Earl of Surrey – characterised as Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey, but historically the events depicted involved his father, Thomas, Duke of Norfolk John Lincoln – broker (the only executed rioter named in Holinshed's Chronicles). Williamson – carpenter (a conflation of two citizens mentioned in Holinshed). Doll – Williamson's wife George Betts – rioter Clown Betts – Ralph, his brother (Holinshed mentions two brothers named "Bets" who were sentenced to death but pardoned). Sherwin – goldsmith (mentioned in Holinshed as sentenced to death but pardoned). Francis de Barde – a Lombard (Lombard banking was common in London). Cavaler – a Lombard or a Frenchman, associated with de Barde Lord Mayor of London – historically John Rest Justice Suresby – magistrate Lifter – cutpurse Smart – plaintiff against Lifter (non-speaking role) Recorder
In Court Sir Thomas Palmer – soldier and friend to King Henry VIII Sir Roger Chomley – historically the Lieutenant of the Tower, but portrayed in the play as a member of the Council Sir John Munday – an alderman Downes – Sergeant-at-Arms to the King who is injured in the riots Crofts – messenger Randall – More's servant Morris – secretary to the Bishop of Winchester Jack Falconer – Morris' servant Erasmus – Renaissance humanist and Catholic priest
Lord Cardinal's Players Inclination Prologue Wit Lady Vanity Luggins
More's Party Lady More – More's wife; historically his second wife, Alice Middleton William Roper – More's son-in-law Roper's wife – More's daughter More's other daughter – either Elizabeth (b. 1506), Cicely (b. 1507), or his stepdaughter, Alice. Catesby – More's steward Gough – More's secretary Dr. Fisher, Bishop of Rochester
Others Lieutenant of the Tower of London Gentleman Porter of the Tower Three Warders of the Tower Hangman A poor woman – a client of More More's Servants – Ned Butler, Robin Brewer, Giles Porter, and Ralph Horse-Keeper Two Sheriffs Messengers Clerk of the Council Officers, Justices, Rioters, Citizens, City Guard, Attendants, Serving-men, Lords, Ladies, Aldermen, Lords of the Council, Prentices; .
Synopsis Act I The play dramatises events in More's life, and it deals with issues of obedience to the crown and rule of law, particularly when a populace has become stirred up in an anti-alien fervour. It consists of 17 scenes, four of them cancelled. It begins with the Ill May Day events of 1517: Foreign nationals, who have immigrated to England from Lombardy, which is the northern region of what is now known as Italy, are misbehaving in a variety of ways, and are treating the citizens of London with abuse and disrespect. This is outraging the workers of London, who decide to join together on May Day and seek revenge on the newcomers. London noblemen are having difficulty deciding what to do about this, when rioting breaks out all across London, and even the Mayor of London is endangered. The noblemen decide to engage Sheriff Thomas More, who is popular and respected by the people, to try and calm the civil unrest.
Act II A group of native Londoners plan to set fire to the foreigners' homes. Others urge a military response. More decides the best way is for him to speak to the rioters.
More arrives at St. Martin's gate. The rioters express their complaints, then agree to hear from More. More begins by saying that the riots are disgracing England, and that if disorder prevails, civil society will fall apart, and none of the rioters will live to an old age. He tells them that when they rebel against the law, they rebel against God. More offers a deal to the rioters: If they will behave, and go to prison in peace, he promises that they will be given a pardon. The only other option for them is death. The rioters accept More's offer, and are taken away.
Act III The rioters are about to be hanged. One of their leaders, Lincoln, has already been executed. Then Surrey arrives to announce that the execution order has been stayed by order of the King, because More has pleaded for their lives.
Act IV More is knighted and promoted to Privy Councilor for his role in ending the riots.
At home, More is visited by his friend, the Dutch philosopher and theologian, Erasmus. More then hosts a visit by the Mayor of London. For the guests' entertainment, a play is performed, The Marriage of Wit and Wisdom.
Later in Whitehall, the Privy Council, including More, is meeting, when Sir Thomas Palmer enters with undisclosed articles from the King, King Henry VIII, who wants them signed. More refuses to sign, because he is conscientiously opposed. Rochester, who also refuses to sign, is taken away to the Tower of London. More resigns his office and is placed under house arrest. His fellow Privy Councilors urge him to change his mind and sign, but he will not.
More goes home and informs his family. He discusses the situation and how it will affect them, and he comforts them, all the while maintaining a positive demeanor and his moral position. The Earls of Surrey and Shrewsbury arrive to encourage More to sign the articles; he will not and is taken away to the Tower.
Act V Catesby goes to More's house to inform the family that More has been sentenced to death.
More's family arrives at the Tower on the eve of his execution. They urge him to change his mind, but he is resolute. The next day, on Tower Hill, More is positive and resolved as he mounts the scaffold and prepares to die by beheading. More has thoughtful and considerate exchanges with the noblemen, who are present, and his executioner, and then is taken off-stage to his fate.
Manuscript The original manuscript, involving so many revisions, has led to the view that the play has been pieced together or is in poor condition. However, the revisions are generally considered, in recognizable theatrical terms, as a script's natural progression towards its being readied for production.Metz, Harold G. Voice and Credyt: The Scholars and Sir Thomas More. Howard-Hill, T.H. editor. Shakespeare and Sir Thomas More; essays on the play and its Shakespearean Interest. Cambridge University Press. (1989) . pp. 11–54Long, William B. The Occasion of the Book of Sir Thomas More. Howard-Hill, T.H. editor. Shakespeare and Sir Thomas More; essays on the play and its Shakespearean Interest. Cambridge University Press. (1989) . pp. 49–54
The original manuscript is a handwritten text, now owned by the British Library. The manuscript is notable for the light it sheds on the collaborative nature of Elizabethan drama and theatrical censorship of the era.
Now Harley MS 7368 in the collection of the British Library, the manuscript's provenance can be traced back to 1728, when it belonged to a London book collector named John Murray. He donated it to the collection of Edward Harley, 3rd Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer, who bequeathed it to the British Museum with the rest of his manuscript collection in 1753. Some time between 1728 and 1753 the play was bound with another manuscript, The Humorous Lovers.
Now in poor condition, the original manuscript probably consisted of 16 leaves—31 handwritten pages of a working draft of the play (foul papers), with the last page blank. Two or three of the original leaves have been torn out, and seven leaves and two smaller pieces of paper have been inserted.
Aside from folios 1 and 2, the wrapper of the manuscript proper, the revised extant manuscript comprises the following: