For the Church of England member, who should not recognize Thomas More’s sanctity, the first source for this period should be John Foxe. His final judgment on More:

Gods iust stroke vpon Iohn Fisher B. of Rochester, and Syr Thomas More. Iohn Fisher Bishop of Rochester, and Syr Thomas More, in Kyng Henryes time, after they hadde brought Iohn Frith, Baifield and Baynham, and diuers other to theyr death, what great reward wanne they therby with almighty God? Did not the sworde of Gods vengeaunce light vpon their owne neckes shortly after, and they them selues made a publicke spectable at the tower hil, of bloudy deathe, which before had no compassion of the liues of others? Thus ye see the saying of the Lord to be true: 2. Mach. 3. Hee that smiteth with the sword, shall pearish with the sword.

On the other hand, Our Island Story, that great children’s classic and repository of memorable stories in the history of England (about to be republished by the fine UK think tank Civitas), calls More a “wise and gentle man.” I think it’s fair to say More was a fine man with a tragic flaw and that both judgments are in the end correct.