MORE, HENRY (1614-1687).—­Philosopher, b. at Grantham, and ed. at Camb., took orders, but declined all preferment, including two deaneries and a bishopric; and also various appointments in his Univ., choosing rather a quiet life devoted to scholarship and philosophy, especially the study of writings of Plato and his followers.  He led a life of singular purity and religious devotion, tinged with mysticism, and his writings had much popularity and influence in their day.  Among them may be mentioned Psychozoia Platonica (1642), repub. (1647) as Philosophicall Poems, Divine Dialogues (prose) (1668), The Mystery of Godliness, and The Mystery of Iniquity.  His life was written by his friend Richard Ward.

MORE, SIR THOMAS (1478-1535).—­Historical and political writer, s. of Sir John M., a Justice of the King’s Bench, was b. in London.  In his 16th year he was placed in the household of Morton, Archbishop of Canterbury, who was wont to say, “This child here waiting at the table ... will prove a marvellous man.”  In 1497 he went to Oxf., where he became the friend of Erasmus and others, and came in contact with the new learning.  He studied law at New Inn and Lincoln’s Inn, and for some time thought of entering the Church.  He was, however, in 1504 sent up to Parliament, where his powerful speaking gained for him a high place.  Meanwhile, he had brilliant success in the Law Courts, and was introduced by Wolsey to Henry VIII., with whom he soon rose into high favour.  He became Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Speaker of the House of Commons, 1523, and was sent on missions to Charles V. and Francis I. At length, on the fall of Wolsey, M. was, much against his will, appointed Lord Chancellor, an office which he filled with singular purity and success, though he was harsh in his dealings with persons accused of heresy.  But differences with the King soon arose.  M. disapproved of Henry’s ecclesiastical policy, as well as of his proceedings in regard to the Queen, and in 1532 he resigned his office.  In 1534 he refused the oath which pledged him to approval of the King’s marriage to Anne Boleyn, and for this he was imprisoned in the Tower, and on July 7, 1535, beheaded.  His body was buried in St. Peter’s in the Tower, and his head exhibited on London Bridge, whence it was taken down and preserved by his dau., the noble Margaret Roper.  All Catholic Europe was shocked at the news of what was truly a judicial murder.  Among his works are a Life of Picus, Earl of Mirandula (1510), and a History of Richard III., written about 1513.  His great work, Utopia, was written in Latin in two books—­the second 1515, and the first 1516.  It had immediate popularity, and was translated into French 1530, English 1551, German 1524, Italian 1548, and Spanish 1790.  It gives an account of an imaginary island and people, under cover of which it describes the social and political