homas if a man is prepared to take an oath then he must stand by that oath. However, in this case the signing of the oath would compromise these principles and therefore he can not sign. He displays this view when he says, " When a man takes an oath, Meg, he's holding his own self in his own hands. Like water..." (Bolt, p 140) More goes on to explain that he can not doubt his soul. If he were to go against his moral conscience, in a sense he would be killing his soul, and without the soul there is nothing. More's conscience is extremely important to him. He could not live with himself if he were to go against his conscience. To sign the Act of Supremacy More must go against his conscience and that is something he can not do. This is easily understood when he says, " It is not so, Master Cromwell- very and pure necessity for respect of my own soul." (Bolt, p 153)At one point, a long time friend of More, the Duke of Norfolk, tries to convince More to sign the oath. More responds to Norfolk by saying, " And when we stand before God, and you are sent to Paradise for doing according to your conscience, and I am damned for not doing according to mine, will you come with me, for fellowship?" (Bolt, p 132). What More means by this is that he must do what he thinks is right because in the end God is his judge and he will face the ultimate consequences.More never gives in to pressures. He does not sign the oath, and right up to his execution he believes he is doing the right thing. His final words perfectly sum up his reasons for not signing. He says to his executioner " friend, be not afraid of your office. You send me to God." (Bolt, p 162) Ultimately this means that he has made the right decision and is now going to a better place.If someone feels so strongly about something and sincerely believes in their heart that it is right, such as More did, then the right decision is an easy one. Sir Thomas More thought about it and knew what he had to ...
