When statesmen forsake their own private conscience for the sake of their public duties they lead their country by a short route to chaos.

The law is not a "light" for you or any man to see by; the law is not an instrument of any kind. The law is a causeway upon which so long as he keeps to it a citizen may walk safely.

We speak of being anchored to our principles. But if the weather turns nasty you up with an anchor and let it down where there's less wind, and the fishing's better.

Even at our birth, death does but stand aside a little. And every day he looks towards us and muses somewhat to himself whether that day or the next he will draw nigh.

The nobility of England, my lord, would have snored through the Sermon on the Mount.

Roper:So now youd give the Devil benefit of law!Sir Thomas More:Yes. What would you do? Cut a great road through the law to get after the Devil? Yes, Id give the Devil benefit of law, for my own safetys sake.