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Sir Thomas More defied a king, and was named a saint.
The Act of Supremacy allowed Henry VIII to divorce his first wife. |
IN LIGHT OF recent Health and Human Services mandates--if I lived in Europe, I'd be tempted to say, "plus ca change, plus c'est la même chose"--yes, the more things change, the more things stay the same. Human nature doesn't change. Those in power seek more of it. Unless they possess a keen understanding of natural law and inalienable rights--as our founders did--they tend to remake the mistakes of governments gone awry.
The issues may vary according to the age, but in the words of Robert Whitehill speaking in the Pennsylvania Ratifying Convention on Nov. 28, 1787: "[W]e know it is the nature of power to seek its own augmentation."
Centuries separate us from Thomas Becket and Thomas More but this history is eerily familiar.
The epic struggle between King Henry II of England (1154-1189) and the archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket, is instructive. Henry had many troubles with the bishops of England. To fund his war with France, he decided to tax the Church. Upon the death of Archbishop Theobald of Canterbury, Henry seized upon the idea that he could control the Church if he tapped his dear friend and chancellor, Thomas Becket, to the post.
Becket and Henry were, after all, friends and sinners on and off the battlefield. It was a sure bet to control those unruly bishops, who loathed Becket as an unworthy, unwashed chancellor, undeserving of being the archbishop. Henry was convinced that Becket would do his bidding as he was so loyal a friend and such an unlikely candidate for archbishop.
Much to Henry's chagrin, after being consecrated as archbishop in 1162, Becket decided to render to Caesar only what was actually Caesar's. At every step, Becket opposed the king's authority over the church, and Henry was not pleased. Becket was driven into exile in France after being summoned to answer false charges by a kangaroo court.
When he returned to England in 1170, it was not long before a drunken king said, "Will no one rid me of this meddlesome priest?" Four knights were happy to take the king's words literally, and Thomas Becket was martyred in Canterbury Cathedral. American playwright T.S. Eliot penned "Murder in the Cathedral" and Jean Anouilh wrote "Becket," from which the movie "Becket" was based.
ANOTHER HENRY
Another example of a king run amok over religious liberty is that Henry VIII (1509-1547). As the Catholic king of England, he wanted to "change his woman." He was king and accustomed to no opposition. Cardinal Wolsey, the chancellor of England who would come to regret his decision, helped the king ask the pope for dispensation from a dispensation he had received to marry his first of six wives--Catherine of Aragon--in the first place. Henry felt entitled to take a new wife since Catherine had failed to provide him with a male heir.
The Act of Supremacy in 1534 declared Henry head of the Church in England. Important subjects and bishops were required to take an oath acknowledging the king's supremacy over the Church in England and the legitimacy of his heirs with Anne Boleyn (who would later be beheaded). Chancellor Thomas More, dear friend of the king, and Bishop John Fisher of Rochester refused to take the oath. Thomas More obeyed his conscience after all the bishops, save John Fisher, had surrendered theirs. Both men were tried for treason and beheaded.
Two excellent movies of Robert Bolt's play "A Man for All Seasons" told about Thomas More's struggles. Robert Bolt himself was not a Catholic but was so impressed by the story of St. Thomas More that he felt compelled to tell it for all ages. The character of Everyman in the play is better done in the second version starring Charlton Heston, with the lesson being, if Everyman did what Everyman should, people like Thomas More would never be put in the dungeon.
THE ORDINARY MAN
The character of Everyman provides profoundly insightful commentary on the role of ordinary people in society. As the jailer slams the door on Thomas More, he says, "You understand my position, sir, there's nothing I can do; I'm a plain, simple man and just want to keep out of trouble." More's pained response--"Oh, Sweet Jesus! These plain, simple men!"--reveals his exasperation for those who go along to get along.
We are not living in Tudor England but 236 years into American history, which is founded in freedom and grounded on the principle that inalienable rights come from our creator, and no government can take them away. If there is no creator, then it would stand to reason that the government is the dispenser of all rights--those rights that it grants can just as easily be taken away.
Our founders saw it differently. The Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution lest there be any doubt about the things that government may be tempted by, in a moment of power, to take away. These rights are bundled together. When they are picked apart, one by one, the bundle begins to loosen.
Roger Sherman of Connecticut, signer of both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, wrote, "The only real security that you can have for all of your important rights must be in the nature of your government. If you suffer any man to govern you who is not strongly interested in supporting your privileges, you will certainly lose them."
Mary Walsh is a freelance writer who lives in Spotsylvania County.
Mary Walsh is a freelance writer who lives in Spotsylvania County.
