More than his name on the line: by the time John Hancock had signed the Declaration of Independence, he had already put his life and fortune on the line.(History--Greatness Of The Founders)

The Founding Fathers who signed the Declaration of Independence pledged their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor. But John Hancock, who signed the document first and with the largest signature of all, already had his life on the line. Hancock signed the Declaration with much bravado, in his well-known style, reputedly claiming that King George could read his signature without spectacles. But his bravado was anticlimactic compared to historical reality.

The real story of Hancock's patriotism is told in the events leading up to that day, and in the events that followed. He and his friend and fellow signer Samuel Adams had already lived with a price on their heads ...