Thomas More Research

MS Trinity College, Cambridge, O.2.21 folio 139v, (creativecommons.org/licenses)

The Date of Birth of Thomas More, December 2010

Moreana, Volume 47 (Number 181-182) Issue 3-4, Page 109-128, ISSN 0047-8105, December 2010

To download the full text, click here: https://www.euppublishing.com/doi/abs/10.3366/more.2010.47.3-4.6

Abstract

Since the discovery in 1868 of the memoranda written by Thomas More’s father, most scholars have held that More was born on 7 February 1478. Some, however, have considered the evidence to be problematic and argued for 7 February 1477 or 6 February 1478 instead. The present article reviews the arguments and offers reasons for accepting as trustworthy the date of 7 February 1478 given in the family memoranda, based mainly on the relevance of the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary as a suitable landmark and on the internal evidence of the full text of the family record.