London-born Thomas More, the son of prominent English jurist John More and his wife Agnes (née Graunger), has been educated at St Anthony's School, considered one of London's finest schools.

More from 1490 to 1492 had served John Morton, the Archbishop of Canterbury and Lord Chancellor of England, as a household page.

Morton, an enthusiastic supporter of the "New Learning" (now called the Renaissance), thought highly of the young More and, believing that More had great potential, had nominated him for a place at Oxford University (either in St. Mary's Hall or Canterbury College, both now gone).

More had begun his studies at Oxford in 1492, and received a classical education.

Studying under Thomas Linacre and William Grocyn, he had become proficient in both Latin and Greek.

More had left Oxford after only two years—at his father's insistence—to begin legal training in London at New Inn, one of the Inns of Chancery.

More became a student in 1496 at Lincoln's Inn, one of the Inns of Court, remained there until 1502, when he was called to the Bar.

According to his friend, theologian Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam, More once seriously contemplated abandoning his legal career to become a monk Between 1503 and 1504, More lived near the Carthusian monastery outside the walls of London and joined in the monks' spiritual exercises.

Although he deeply admired their piety, More ultimately decided to remain a layman, standing for election to Parliament in 1504 and marrying Jane Colt the following year.

In spite of his choice to pursue a secular career, More will continue ascetical practices for the rest of his life, such as wearing a hair shirt next to his skin and occasionally engaging in flagellation A tradition of the Third Order of St. Francis honors More as a member of that Order on their calendar of saints.

Jane is five years, one month younger than her husband, quiet and good-natured.

Erasmus reported that More wanted to give his young wife a better education than she had previously received at home, and tutored her in music and literature.

The couple have had four children before Jane's death in 1511: Margaret, Elizabeth, Cicely, and John.

More within thirty days marries one of the many eligible women among his wide circle of friends, choosing a rich widow, Alice Harpur Middleton.

The speed of the marriage is so unusual that More has had to get a dispensation of the banns, which due to his good public reputation he had easily obtained.

Alice More lacks Jane's docility; Erasmus, however, calls their marriage happy.