Thomas More Snr. (more often referred to as Thomas More II to distinguish him from Sir/Saint Thomas More, his grandfather) married once, and that was to Mary Scrope, born at Hambleden, Buckinghamshire, in 1534. They had thirteen children.

It was Thomas II's marriage, which set the pattern of his early career. His mother Anne Cresacre married again and retained her Yorkshire lands until 1577, when they passed to Thomas More II. Thomas married Mary Scrope, daughter of John Scrope of Hambleden, Buckinghamshire, and his wife Phillis, daughter of Ralph Rokeby of Mortham, Yorkshire. It was at his wife’s home at Hambleden in Buckinghamshire that Thomas II spent his early married life and there that his first two children, both daughters, were born. The marriage may also have contributed to his election for Ripon. Marmaduke Wyvill, whose son was Mary More’s brother-in-law, sat for Ripon in the Parliament of October 1553 and Ralph Scrope, More’s brother-in-law, sat for Knaresborough, a borough likewise in the patronage of the duchy of Lancaster and the council in the north, in those of October 1553 and November 1554. On the other hand, More’s kinsman William Rastell sat for Ripon in the intervening Parliament and it may have been this relationship which was the most important factor in his own return. More was one of the Members who quitted the Commons without leave before the Parliament was dissolved: the fact that his prosecution in the King’s bench was to result in a fine of 53s.4d. implies that he was believed to have absented himself deliberately. By contrast, Ralph Scrope’s absence did not entail proceedings, and he was therefore acceptable as one of More’s sureties for payment of the fine, the other being another of More’s kinsmen, Richard Heywood. It is unlikely that More aggravated his offence by provoking an issue of privilege towards the close of this Parliament: the Thomas More whose attachment of Robert Massey servant moved the House to invoke privilege on 5 Jan. 1555 was probably his namesake the London merchant.5

Early in her reign Mary had done something to repair the forfeiture of Sir Thomas More’s possessions. On 26 Dec. 1553 she granted to Anne Cresacre and her eldest son the reversion of the manor of Gobions in North Mimms, Hertfordshire, which in March 1550 had been given to Princess Elizabeth for life or until she married; in 1566 Elizabeth leased it to Sir Ambrose Cave, and half a century was to pass before it came to More. His parliamentary dereliction may have cost him any further favours from Mary and he was given no appointment during her reign. By the close of it he was established at Barnbrough, which was to be his home for upwards of 20 years.

For more information about Thomas More II, his family and descendants see "The Family and Descendants of St. Thomas More". By Martin Wood. Published in the UK by 'Gracewing'. April 2008.

Links

1. http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1509-1558/member/more-thomas-ii-1531-1606