Thomas More was born in London on February 7, 1478; his father, Sir
John, was a magistrate. The boy was placed in the household of the
Chancellor, Cardinal Morton, and went to Oxford. The young man had
thoughts of entering the religious life, but finally chose the law.
His most intimate friend was the great Dean Colet, and his
relations with Erasmus, the chief of the Humanists, were of the
most affectionate kind. He stood with these two in the forefront of
the great effort for the intellectual and moral reform of the
Church, which was soon to be overwhelmed in the political and
theological Reformation. Drawn into public life by Henry VIII., he
became Chancellor after the fall of Wolsey, later resigned on a
point of conscience, and was finally beheaded on a charge of
treason on July 7, 1535, with Bishop Fisher, virtually for refusing
to acknowledge the secular supremacy over the Church. In 1886 he
was beatified. The "Utopia: Nowhere Land," was written in 1516, in
Latin. The English version is the rendering of Ralphe Robynson,
published in 1551. The three factors in its production were, the
discoveries in the New World, Plato's "Republic," and More's
observation of European affairs.
_I.--How Master More Met Master Raphael Hythloday_
The most victorious and triumphant king of England, Henry VIII., of that
time, for the debatement of certain weighty matters sent me ambassador
into Flanders, joined in commission with Cuthbert Tunstall, whose virtue
and learning be of more excellency than that I am able to praise them.
And whiles I was abiding at Antwerp, oftentimes among other did visit me
one Peter Gyles, a citizen thereof, whom one day I chanced to espy
talking with a stranger, with whom he brought me to speech. Which
Raphael Hythloday had voyaged with Master Amerigo Vespucci, but parting
from him had seen many lands, and so returned home by way of Taprobane
and Calicut.
Now, as he told us, he had found great and wide deserts and
wildernesses inhabited with wild beasts and serpents, but also towns and
cities and weal-publiques full of people governed by good and wholesome
laws, beside many other that were fond and foolish. Then I urging him
that, both by learning and experience, he might be any king's counsellor
for the weal-publique----
"You be deceived," quoth he. "For the most part all princes have more
delights in warlike matters and feats of chivalry than in the good feats
of peace." Then he speaking of England, "Have you been in our country,
sir?" quoth I. "Yea, forsooth," quoth he, "and there was I much bound
and beholden to John Norton, at that time cardinal, archbishop, and Lord
Chancellor, in whose counsel the king put much trust.
"Now," quoth he, "one day as I sat at his table, there was a layman
cunning in the law who began to praise the rigorous justice that was
done upon felons, and to marvel how thieves were nevertheless so rife."
"'Nay, sir,' said I; 'but the punishment passeth the limits of justice.
For simple theft is not so great an offence that it ought to be punished
with death, nor doth that refrain them, since they cannot live but by
thieving. There be many servitors of idle gentlemen, who, when their
master is dead, and they be thrust forth, have no craft whereby to earn
their bread, nor can find other service, who must either starve for
hunger or manfully play the thieves.
"'Moreover, look how your sheep do consume and devour whole fields,
houses, and cities. For noblemen and gentlemen, yea, and certain abbots,
holy men, God wot, where groweth the finest wool, do enclose all in
pastures, pluck down towns, and leave nought standing but only the
church, to make it a sheep-house. Whereby the husbandmen are thrust out
of their own! and then what can they do else but steal, and then justly,
God wot, be hanged? Furthermore, victuals and other matters are dearer,
seeing rich men buy up all, and with their monopoly keep the market as
it please them. Unless you find a remedy for these enormities, you shall
in vain vaunt yourselves of executing justice upon felons.
"'Beside, it is a pernicious thing that a thief and a murderer should
suffer the like punishment, seeing that thereby the thief is rather
provoked to kill. But among the polylerytes in Persia there is a custom
that they which be convict of felony are condemned to be common
labourers, yet not harshly entreated, but condemned to death if they
seek to run away. For they are also apparelled all alike, and to aid
them is servitude for a free man.'
"Now the cardinal pronounced that this were a good order to take with
vagabonds. But a certain parasite sayeth in jest that this were then an
excellent order to take with the friars, seeing that they were the
veriest vagabonds that be; a friar thereupon took the jest in very ill
part, and could not refrain himself from calling the fellow ribald,
villain, and the son of perdition; whereat the jester became a scoffer
indeed, for he could play a part in that play, no man better, making the
friar more foolishly wrath than before.
"Now, none of them would have harkened to my counsel until the cardinal
did approve it. So that if I were sitting in counsel with the French
king, whose counsellors were all urging him to war; and should I counsel
him not to meddle with Italy, but rather to tarry still at home; and
should propose to him the decrees of the Achoricus which dwell over
against the Island of Utopia, who having by war conquered a new kingdom
for their prince, constrained him to be content with his old kingdom,
and give over the new one to one of his friends; this, mine advice,
Master More, how think you it would be heard and taken?"
"So God help me, not very thankfully," quoth I.
"Howbeit, Master More," quoth he, "doubtless wheresoever possessions be
private, where money beareth all the stroke, it is almost impossible
that the weal-publique may be justly governed and prosperously flourish.
And when I consider the wise and goodly ordinances of the Utopians,
among whom all things being in common, every man hath abundance of
everything, yet are there very few laws; I do fully persuade myself that
until this property be exiled and banished, perfect wealth shall never
be among men. Which if you had lived with me in Utopia, you would
doubtless grant."
"Therefore, Master Raphael," quoth I, "pray you describe unto us this
land."
_II.--Of the Island of Utopia, and the Customs of Its People_
The Island of Utopia is shaped like a new moon, in breadth at the middle
200 miles, narrowing to the tips, which fetch about a compass of 500
miles, and are sundered by eleven miles, having in the space between
them a high rock; so that that whole coast is a great haven, but the way
into it is securely guarded by hidden rocks, of which only the Utopians
have the secret. It hath fifty-four large and fair cities, all built in
one fashion, and having like manners, institutions and laws. The chief
and head is Amaurote, being the midmost. Every city hath an equal shire,
with farms thereon; and of the husbandmen, half return each year to the
city, their place being taken by a like number.
The city Amaurote standeth four square, upon the River Anyder, and
another lesser river floweth through it. The houses be fair and
gorgeous, and the streets twenty foot broad; and at the back of each
house a garden, whereby they set great store.
Each thirty families choose an officer, called a Siphogrant, and over
every tenth Siphogrant is a Tranibore. The prince is chosen for life by
the Siphogrants. All other offices are yearly, but the Tranibores are
not lightly changed. The prince and the Tranibores hold council every
third day, each day with two different Siphogrants. They discuss no
matter on the day that it is first brought forward. All the people are
expert in husbandry, but each hath thereto his own proper craft of
masonry or cloth-working, or some other; and, for the most part, that of
his father. They work only six hours, which is enough--yea, and more for
the store and abundance of things requisite, because all do work. There
be none that are idle or busied about unprofitable occupations. In all
that city and shire there be scarce 500 persons that be licensed from
labour, that be neither too old nor too weak to work. Such be they that
have license to learning in place of work. Out of which learned order be
chosen ambassadors, priests, tranibores, and the prince.
For their clothing, they wear garments of skins for work, and woollen
cloaks of one fashion and of the natural colour; and for the linen, they
care only for the whiteness, and not the fineness; wherefore their
apparel is of small cost.
The city consisteth of families; and for each family the law is there be
not fewer than ten children, nor more than sixteen of about thirteen
years. Which numbers they maintain by taking from one family and adding
to another, or one city and another, or by their foreign cities which
they have in the waste places of neighbour lands. The eldest citizen
ruleth the family. In each quarter of the city is a market-place,
whither is brought the work of each family, and each taketh away that he
needeth, without money or exchange.
To every thirty families there is a hall, whither cometh the whole
Siphogranty at the set hour of dinner or supper; and a nursery thereto.
But in the country they dine and sup in their own houses. If any desire
to visit another city, the prince giveth letters of licence. But
wherever he goeth he must work the allotted task. All be partners, so
that none may be poor or needy; and all the cities do send to the common
council at Amaurote, so that what one lacketh another maketh good out of
its abundance.
Their superfluities they exchange with other lands for what they
themselves lack, which is little but iron; or for money, which they use
but seldom, and that for the hiring of soldiers. Of gold and silver they
make not rich vessels, but mean utensils, fetters, and gyves; and jewels
and precious stones they make toys for children.
Although there be not many that are appointed only to learning, yet all
in childhood be instructed therein; and the more part do bestow in
learning their spare hours. In the course of the stars and movings of
the heavenly sphere they be expert, but for the deceitful divination
thereof they never dreamed of it.
They dispute of the qualities of the soul and reason of virtue, and of
pleasure wherein they think the felicity of man to rest; but that the
soul is immortal, and by the bountiful goodness of God ordained to
felicity, and to our virtues and good deeds rewards be appointed
hereafter, and to evil deeds punishments. Which principles, if they were
disannulled, there is no man but would diligently pursue pleasure by
right or wrong. But now felicity resteth only in that pleasure that is
good and honest. Virtue they define to be life according to nature,
which prescribeth us a joyful life.
But of what they call counterfeit pleasures they make naught; as of
pride in apparel and gems, or in vain honours; or of dicing; or hunting,
which they deem the most abject kind of butchery. But of true pleasures
they give to the soul intelligence and that pleasure that cometh of
contemplation of the truth, and the pleasant remembrance of the good
life past. Of pleasures of the body they count first those that be
sensibly felt and perceived, and thereto the body's health, which
lacking, there is no place for any pleasure. But chiefest they hold the
pleasures of the mind, the consciousness of virtue and the good life.
Making little of the pleasures of appetite, they yet count it madness to
reject the same for a vain shadow of virtue.
For bondmen, they have malefactors of their own people, criminals
condemned to death in other lands, or poor labourers of other lands who,
of their own free will, choose rather to be in bondage with them. The
sick they tend with great affection; but, if the disease be not only
incurable but full of anguish, the priests exhort them that they should
willingly die, but cause him not to die against his will. The women
marry not before eighteen years, and the men four years later. But if
one have offended before marriage, he or she whether it be, is sharply
punished. And before marriage the man and the woman are showed each to
the other by discreet persons. To mock a man for his deformity is
counted great dishonesty and reproach.
They do not only fear their people from doing evil by punishments, but
also allure them to virtue with rewards of honour. They have but few
laws, reproving other nations that innumerable books of laws and
expositions upon the same be not sufficient. Furthermore, they banish
all such as do craftily handle the laws, but think it meet that every
man should plead his own matter.
_III.--Of the Wars and the Religion of the Utopians_
As touching leagues they never make one with any nation, putting no
trust therein; seeing the more and holier ceremonies the league is knit
up with, the sooner it is broken. Who perchance would change their minds
if they lived here? But they be of opinion that no man should be
counted an enemy who hath done no injury, and that the fellowship of
nature is a strong league.
They count nothing so much against glory as glory gotten in war. And
though they do daily practise themselves in the discipline of war, they
go not to battle but in defence of their own country or their friends,
or to right some assured wrong. They are ashamed to win the victory with
much bloodshed, but rejoice if they vanquish their enemies by craft.
They set a great price upon the life or person of the enemy's prince and
of other chief adversaries, counting that they thereby save the lives of
many of both parts that had otherwise been slain; and stir up neighbour
peoples against them. They lure soldiers out of all countries to do
battle with them, and especially savage and fierce people called the
Zapoletes, giving them greater wages than any other nation will. But of
their own people they thrust not forth to battle any against his will;
yet if women be willing, they do in set field stand every one by her
husband's side, and each man is compassed about by his own kinsfolk; and
they be themselves stout and hardy and disdainful to be conquered. It is
hard to say whether they be craftier in laying ambush, or wittier in
avoiding the same. Their weapons be arrows, and at handstrokes not
swords but pole-axes; and engines for war they devise and invent
wondrous wittily.
There be divers kinds of religion. Some worship for God the sun, some
the moon; there be that give worship to a man that was once of the most
excellent virtue; some believe that there is a certain godly power
unknown, everlasting, incomprehensible; but all believe that there is
one God, Maker and Ruler of the whole world. But after they heard us
speak of Christ, with glad minds they agreed unto the same. And this is
one of their ancientest laws, that no man shall be blamed for reasoning
in the maintenance of his own religion, giving to every man free liberty
to believe what he would. Saving that none should conceive so base and
vile an opinion as to think that souls do perish with the body, or that
the world runneth at all adventures, governed by no divine providence.
They have priests of exceeding holiness, and therefore very few. Both
childhood and youth are instructed of them, not more in learning than in
good manners.
"This is that order of the commonwealth which, in my judgment, is not
only the best, but also that which alone of good right may claim and
take upon it the name of a commonwealth or weal-publique," quoth he.
But, in the meantime, I, Thomas More, as I cannot agree and consent to
all things that he said, so must I needs confess and grant that many
things be in the Utopian weal-publique which in our cities I may rather
wish for than hope after.