On the night before his execution in 1535, Thomas More said farewell to his friend Thomas Pope, promising that they would meet merrily in heaven, and then in imitation of St Cyprian set aside thirty gold pieces for his executioner. He would have left him his finest clothes, but the Lieutenant of the Tower persuaded him not to wear them.

As Sir Thomas climbed the scaffold, he commented to the Lieutenant that it seemed very unsafe going up, but coming down would be easier. He gave a short statement of his belief in the Catholic faith, said some prayers and, after putting heart into his anxious executioner, allowed himself to be beheaded on July 6th, 1535.

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