A Man I Had So Mean An Opinion Of, In Reference To His Truth And Honesty
One can imagine the obituaries, had there been newspapers in 1557:
Richard Rich, 1st Baron Rich of Leigh, a conniving invertebrate, who betrayed his friends and the Truth in the pursuit of political power, died in his home on June 12.
Rich, universally honored as the Patron Saint of Cowardly Politicians and Kowtowing Ladder-Climbers, first came to power when his dishonest testimony brought about the death of Sir Thomas More, former Lord Chancellor of England – a position to which Rich ultimately climbed over the bodies of others. He maintained himself in positions of power by shifting alliances through years of political and religious intrigues.
Enamored of the young Anne Boleyn, England’s Henry VIII determined to put aside Catherine of Aragon, but ran full-on into his stubborn and devout Lord Chancellor, Thomas More.
The son of a London lawyer, More studied and worked his way through England’s labyrinthian 16th Century legal world, ultimately representing a number of London companies in negotiations with Antwerp merchants, becoming one of two undersheriffs – “the pack-horses of the City” government. More was prized as an impartial judge, “general patron of the poor,” Christian Humanist and philosopher, author of a History of Richard III, and, ultimately, secretary, confidant and “intellectual courtier” of Henry VIII.
Despite his opposition to Henry’s libidinous quest for an annulment, he accepted the king’s offer of the position of Lord Chancellor – trusting Henry’s promise to keep him out of the annulment imbroglio. On May 15, 1532, English clergy submitted to the king’s demand that all ecclesiastical/church law submit to royal assent.
More resigned the following day and retired from public life. Most critically, relying on the legal precedent “qui tacet consenire videtur” (“one who keeps silent seems to consent”), More kept his own counsel, refusing to discuss the issues of succession and supremacy even with his own family.
Almost a year after his marriage to Anne Boleyn, Henry issued a series of decrees, requiring all to swear the Oath of Succession, recognizing the offspring of the new royal couple as legitimate successors to the crown and declaring Princess Mary (daughter of Catherine) to be illegitimate.
In April 1534, More was summoned to Lambeth Palace to swear the Oath of Succession, the preamble of which renounced papal primacy and affirmed Royal Supremacy over all religious matters.
More refused.
In November, the Act of Treason made “malicious” denial of the royal supremacy punishable by death. More, having retired from public office, declared that his life was now reserved to “study upon the passion of Christ” and his own “passage out of this world” and refused to “meddle with any matter of this world.” Finally, he declared in a letter to his family:
“I am, quoth I, the King’s true faithful subject and daily bedesman and pray for his highness and all his and all the realm. I do nobody harm, I say none harm, I think none harm but wish everybody good. And if this be not enough to keep a man alive in good faith I long not to live.’”
Imprisoned in the Tower of London, More refused to yield. The trial began on July 1, before a “jury” packed with Anne Boleyn’s father, uncle and brother. The defendant insisted that, although he had not taken the oath, he never spoke out against it and his silence could be accepted as his “ratification and confirmation” of the new laws.
Enter Solicitor General, Richard Rich, testifying that, in his presence, More – who had spoken not a word about the Oath and Succession to any of his family – had denied that the king was the legitimate head of the Church in England. Privy Counselor Richard Southwell and his servant Mr. Palmer, who were both present during the conversation, denied having heard the details of the conversation.
More responded:
“Can it therefore seem likely to your Lordships, that I should in so weighty an Affair as this, act so unadvisedly, as to trust Mr. Rich, a Man I had always so mean an Opinion of, in reference to his Truth and Honesty, … that I should only impart to Mr. Rich the Secrets of my Conscience in respect to the King's Supremacy, the particular Secrets, and only Point about which I have been so long pressed to explain my self? which I never did, nor never would reveal; when the Act was once made, either to the King himself, or any of his Privy Councillors, as is well known to your Honours, who have been sent upon no other account at several times by his Majesty to me in the Tower. I refer it to your Judgments, my Lords, whether this can seem credible to any of your Lordships.”
More also had words to address directly to Richard Rich:
“If this oath of yours, Mr. Rich, be true, then pray I that I may never see God in the face… In faith, Mr. Rich, I am sorrier for your perjury than for my own peril, and you shall understand that neither I, nor no man else to my knowledge, ever took you to be a man of such credit as in any matter of importance I or any other would at any time vouchsafe to communicate with you.'
The jury “deliberated” only fifteen minutes: Sir Thomas More, former Lord Chancellor of England, was sentenced to be hanged, drawn, and quartered – the punishment for traitors who were not members of the nobility; Henry commuted the sentence to execution by decapitation.
On the night before his execution, More’s friend Sir Thomas Pope cautioned that he should not make a long speech on the scaffold, for fear of offending the king. More reportedly responded, “I am most bound to him, that his Majesty is pleased to rid me of the miseries of this wretched world.”
At approximately nine in the morning of June 6, 1535, on Tower Hill, Thomas More told one of the officials charged with his execution "I pray you, master Lieutenant, see me safe up and [for] my coming down, let me shift for myself.” On the scaffold, he declared that he was “dying in the faith and for the faith of the Catholic Church, the king’s good servant and God’s first.” He then kissed his executioner, gave him forgiveness, and cautioned the axman "Pick up thy spirits, man, and be not afraid to do thine office; My neck is very short, take heed therefore thou strike not awry for having thine honesty,” before defying tradition and blindfolding himself, playing “a part of his own” to the very end.
Thomas More’s head was severed with one clean blow.
It is reported that the king was out hunting.
More’s head was set on a spike and displayed on London’s Tower Bridge, where it remained for months before his beloved daughter Margaret – “Meg” - retrieved it and brought it home for a proper burial.
After More’s death, Richard Rich joined forces with Thomas Cromwell, More’s successor as Chancellor of England, and became instrumental in carrying out the dissolution – confiscation - of the monasteries of England. In this position, he often claimed monasteries, convents and churches and their precious vessels and artworks for himself, enriching himself with each new property. He was elected speaker of the House of Commons in 1536, and was named a privy councilor in 1540. Following the death of Henry VIII in January 1547, he was made Baron Rich and then Lord Chancellor. Rich played the game of royal politics throughout his career - aiding in the overthrow of Edward Seymour, regent to the young Edward VI, before supporting the cause of Mary Tudor, a Roman Catholic who ruled as Queen Mary I.
Why - four-hundred-and-fifty-seven years after the death of the self-enriching, loyal-to-no-one, perjuring Richard Rich – do we write about Sir Thomas More and the man who became exorbitantly wealthy by ransacking England’s monasteries and institutions of higher education.
The answer is found in one of the closing scenes of Robert Bolt’s play – subsequently adapted for screen and directed and produced by Fred Zinnermann, winner of the 39th Academy Award for Best Picture – A Man For All Seasons.
In the play and movie, having completed his perjury, Richard Rich, wearing the chain- and medallion-of-office of the Attorney General of Wales, walks past the man whom he had just betrayed and whose death he had guaranteed.
Facing imminent death, More observes:
“That is a fine chain of office you are wearing Richard; may I see it?
“Master Rich has been made Attorney General for Wales.
“Ahh but Richard it profits a man nothing to gain the whole world if he should lose his soul… but for Wales Richard?”
If we are quiet enough, we can hear the courageous More:
“Marco, you called him ‘a con artist’ and said ‘Friends do not let friends vote for con artists.’ But now, because you are afraid of loosing his endorsement, Marco? For his endorsement? Ahh but Marco it profits a man nothing to win reelection to the Senate if he should lose his soul….”
“Lindsey. Poor Lindsey. It profits a man nothing to gain the whole world if he should lose his soul… Oh Lindsey!”.
“Kevin, it’s on tape and we have the videos. You said, ‘I’ve had it with this guy. What he did is unacceptable. Nobody can defend that, and nobody should defend it… But let me be very clear to all of you, and I’ve been very clear to the president: He bears responsibility for his words and actions [in all that led up to and on January 6, 2021].’ And yet, Kevin, you ran down to his hotel by the beach to have your picture taken with him and pretend January 6 never happened. For Speaker of the House, Kevin? For Speaker of the House? Ahh but Kevin it profits a man nothing to win the Speakership if he should lose his soul….”
“For governorships and so you can run for president if he gets convicted or doesn’t run, Greg and Ron. For governorships and to be president? Ahh but Greg and Ron it profits a man nothing to win reelection and hope to be president if he should lose his soul…”
“Jim, you said nothing while so many athletes who trusted you were being sexually abused and you say nothing while he shouts the great lie of stolen elections just so you can be reelected. Ahh but Jim it profits a man nothing to win reelection if he should lose his soul…”
“Mitch, with that dirge-slow cadence of yours, you said, ‘[The January 6 insurrectionists] did this because they had been fed wild falsehoods by the most powerful man on earth. Former president Trump’s actions [that] proceeded the riots were a disgraceful, disgraceful dereliction of duty… There’s no question: practically and morally President Trump is responsible for the events of the day… There is no question about it.’ But to be Senate Majority Leader now you remain silent. Ahh but Mitch it profits a man nothing to gain the Speakership if he should lose his soul.”
“Raised-fist Jogging-Josh and so-‘fraid-of-the-cold-I-had-to-go-to-Cancun Ted, so terrified of his anger. Even though you know in your hearts you want his job, you won’t stand firm in honest courage and faith… Ahh Josh and Ted it profits a man nothing to placate the king and survive for another election if he should lose his soul.”
“To the 147 members of Congress who voted against the ratification of the People’s vote on the night of January 6-7, Ahh it profits a man or woman nothing to hold tight to the symbols and prestige of office if he or she should lose his or her soul.”