Trial of Sir Thomas More
Poet involved
What happened
In London, Sir Thomas More was tried for treason after refusing to acknowledge King Henry VIII as the Supreme Head of the Church of England. More, a brilliant lawyer and humanist, remained silent on the oath rather than deny his conscience, and the prosecution relied on the perjured testimony of Richard Rich to secure a conviction. He was beheaded on July 6, 1535, on Tower Hill.
Literary impact
Thomas More's trial and execution generated a vast body of literary response, from his own prison writings, including "A Dialogue of Comfort Against Tribulation," to Robert Bolt's play "A Man for All Seasons" and centuries of poetry. More's stand on conscience directly influenced the tradition of dissent poetry, and his figure appears in works by Gerard Manley Hopkins and other poets who explore the conflict between personal faith and state authority.
Source: Wikipedia
