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A44051
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The history of the life and death of Sr. Thomas More, Lord High Chancellor of England in King Henry the Eights time collected by J.H., Gent.; Tho. Mori vita et exitus
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Hoddesdon, John, fl. 1650.
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1662
(1662)
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Wing H2293; ESTC R9021
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72,524
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216
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against School Divinity because truth is there called in doubt not without danger we inveigh against you because false matters are held by you undoubtedly for truth it self NOw because there is an English Chronologer that terms him a scoffing man because his writings and doings were full of witty jests calling him a wise foolish man or a foolish wise man I think it very fit to set down in this place the reason out of his own writings why he hath used so many pleasant passages in his books it is this Even as some sick men saith he will take no medecines unlesse some pleasant thing be put among their potions although perhaps it be somewhat hurtful yet the Physitian suffereth them to have it So because many will not willingly hearken to serious and grave documents except they be mingled with some fable or jest therefore reason willeth us to do the like And in his great volume page 1048 he saith that jests are as it were sawce whereby we are recreated that we may eat with more appetite but as that were an absurd Banquet in which there were few dishes of meat and much variety of sawces and that an unpleasant one where there were no sawce at all even so that life were spent idly where nothing were but mirth and jollity and again that tedious and uncomfortable wherein no pleasure or mirth were to be expected Which mirth as it may well become all men so most especially did it become such a one as Sir Thomas M. being a marryed man nay a Courtier and companion to his Prince of whom I suppose that may worthily be spoken which Titus Livius recounteth of Cato thus In this man there was such excellency of wit and wisdome that he seemeth to have been able to make his fortune in what place soever he had been born he wanted no 〈…〉 for the managing of private or publique businesses he was experienced both in Countrey and City affairs some are raised to honour either because they are excellent Lawyers singularly eloquent or of admirable vertues but the towardlinesse of this mans understanding framed him so to all employments that you would suppose him for to be born for one alone In the practise of vertues you would judg him rather a Monk then a Courtier in learning a most famous writer if you would ask his counsell in the Law he was most ready to advise you the best if he were to make an Oration he would shew wonderfull eloquence he was admirable in all kind of Learning Latine Greek Prophane Divine if there were an Embassie to be undertook none more expert to finish it in giving solid and sound counsell in doubtful Cases none more prudent to tel the truth without fear none more free as farre from all flattery as he was open and pleasant full of grace in delivering his judgment and that which Cato had not he was most happy in For Livie saith that he had a sowre behaviour and a tongue immoderately free and full of taunting but Sir Thomas was mild and of an humble heart neither sad nor turbulent and besides of a pleasant conversation never stern but out of zeal for his Religion a great contemner either of unlawful pleasures or of inordinate riches anâ— glory And as Cato had much enmity with divers Senators so many of them on the other side did exercise his patience that one can hardly discern whether the nobility did presse him more or he the nobility but on the contrary Sir Thomas More never had any private or publique grudge with any man nay surely no man can suppose any to have been his enemy being born wholly to friendship and affability and as he was nothing inferiour to Cato for gravity integrity and innocency being as exact a hater of all vice and as stern to all wicked men as he so did he fâ—rre excell him in meeknesse sweetnesse of behaviour and pleasantnesse of wit nay I fear I do him too much injury to compare him with any the best of morall Philosophers who was indued with such supernaturall perfections and no doubt notwithstanding his judgment high in the favour of God FINIS S. Thomas Mores parentage The place and time of his birth An evident danger strangly escaped in his infancy His first studies employment In S. Anthonies School in London In Cardinal Moortons house His towardliness in the Cardinals retinue The Cadinal sendeth him to Oxford He is sent to New-Inne To Lincolus-Inne His publique Lectures upon S. Austin De Civitate Dei Sir Thomas More his marriage and first wife Chosen out of a charitable compassion against his own inclination His rare knowledge in the law His children by her K. Henry the 7. offended with Sir Tho. More He crosseth the K. in Parliament in an unjust imposition Sir John More the father imprisoned to be revenged on the son Bad counsel given by a politique Bishop Avoided by counsell of the Bishops Chaplain He retires to his quieter studies He is made one of the Under-Sheriffs of London His plentifull but honest gains His integrity in his profession of the Law The beginning of Sir Tho. More 's favour with K. Henry the 8. Warily ae the first declined by S. Tho. More By pleading for the Pope against the King he makes him one of his Privy Councell Sir Thomas More knighted The familiarity of K. Henry with Sir Thomas Discreetly lessened by Sir Thomas himself Sir Thomas made Treasurer of the Exchequer He is by the K. chosen Speaker of the Lower House of Parliament Who was then Cardinal wolsey His first request to the King His second request Cardinal Wolsey's entry into the Parliament His motion to the lower House Frustrated by Sir Th. More Who pleasantly and wittily diverteth the Cardinals displeasure He obtaineth against him not to be sent Lieger Embassador into Spain He is made Chancellor of the Dutchy of Lancaster Sir More 's judgement of K Henrie's extraordinary favour His courteous behaviour in the midst of his honours His meeknesse in reprehending Patience joyned to perfection His readinesse of wit upon all occasions His charity to his neighbours His three wishes for the good of Christendome Unity in Peace Unity in Religion An end of the Kings controversie He never asked any thing of the King His friendship with learned men Sir More 's acquaintance with Dr. Erasmus Roterodamus Sir More 's home entertainments and devotions His servants discipline His table talk Against too much curiosity in dressing His counsell given to his wife and Children To desire heavenly things To bear afflictions patiently To resist the temptations of the Devil A happy houshold Their ordinary recreations His miraculous cure upon his daughter Margaret Cardinal Wolsey his ambition Pope Adrian's humility Longland B. of Wolsy's instrument K. Henry communicateth with Sit Thomas More his scruple concerning his first marriage The beginning of K. Henrie's separation from the Church of Rome Scruple of his marriage with Queen Katharine Commissioners from
well but for my part I see no great cause why I should much joy in my gay house or of any thing belonging thereunto when if I should but seven years lye buried under ground and then arise and come thither again I should not fail to find some therein that would bid me get me out of doors and tell me it were none of mine What cause have I then to like such a house as would so soon forget his Master Again tell me Mrs. Alice how long do you think may we live and enjoy it Some twenty years said she Truly said Sir Thomas if you had said some thousand years it had been somewhat and yet he were a very bad Merchant that would put him self in danger to lose Eternity for a thousand years how much the rather if we are not sure to enjoy it one day to an end And thus her perswasions moved him but little Not long after came there to him the Lord Chancellor the Dukes of Norfolk and Suffolk with Secretary Cromwel and some others of the privy Councell at two several times to procure him by all means either precisely to confesse the Kings Supremacy or plainly to deny it whereunto as appeareth by his examination set out in his English works they could never bring him because he was unwilling to aggravate the Kings displeasure against himself saying only That the Statute was like a two edged sword if he spoke against it he should procure the death of his body if he consented to it he should purchase the death of his soul Shortly hereup on Mr. Rich afterward Lord Rich then newly made the Kings Solicitour Sir Ri. Southwell and one Mr. Palmer the Secretaries servant were sent by the King to take away all his Books Mr. Rich pretending friendly discourse with Sir Thomas said unto him as it proved after of set purpose Forasmuch as it is well known Mr. More that you are a man both wise and well learned as well in the Laws of the Realm as otherwise I pray you Sir let me be so bold as of good will to put unto you this case Admit there were an Act of Parliament made that all the Realm should take me for King would not you Mr. More take me for King Yes Sir said Sir Thomas More that would I. I put case further said Mr. Rich That there were an Act of Parliament that all the Realm should take me for Pope would not you then take me for Pope For answer said Sir Thomas to your first Case the Parliament may well meddle with the state of Temporal Princes but to make answer to your other case I wil put you this Case Suppose the Parliament would make a Law that God should not be God would you then Mr. Rich say that God should not be God No Sir said he since no Parliam may make such a Law No More as Mr. Rich reported Sir Tho should say but yet he made no such inference as he vouchsafed after to M. R. his face could the Parliament make the King supreme head of the Church Upon which report of Mr. Rich's Sir Thomas was shortly after indited of high treason upon the new Statute of Supremacy in which it was made treason to deny the King to be the Supream head of the Church into which judgment were put these hainous words Malitiously traiterously and Diabolically He had a little before this begun a Divine Treatise of the passion of Christ and as some write when he came to expound those words of the Gospell And they laid hands upon him and held him these Gentlemen took from him all his Books Inke and Paper so that he could go on no further Which being done he applyed himself wholly to meditation keeping his Chamber windows fast shut and very dark the occasion whereof the Lieutenant of the Tower asking him He answered When all the wares are gone the shop windows are to be shut up When Sir Thomas More was brought from the Tower to Westminster-Hall to answer the inditement and thereupon arraigned at the Kings-Bench Bar where he had often asked his Fathers blessing he openly told the Judges that he would have abidden in law and demurr'd upon the inditement but that he thereby should have been driven to confesse of himself that he had denyed the Kings Supremacy which he protested he never did wherefore he thereto pleaded not guilty and reserved to himself advantage to be taken of the body of the matter after verdict to avoid that in ditement adding withall that if only those odious terms Maliciously Traiterously and Diabolically were taken out of the Inditement he saw nothing in it that should justly charge him of any Treason CHAP. XII 1 Sir THOMAS MORE' 's Arraignment 2 His answer to the Inditement 3 Mr. Rich his Oath against Sir Thomas More clearly rejected 4. Sentance of Death pronounced against Sir Thomas More NOw when the King had endevoured all means possible to get Sir Thomas his consent to his laws as knowing that his example would draw many more after him being a man so eminent for wisdome and rare vertues and could no way obtain his desire he commanded him to be called to his arraignment at the Kings-Bench-Barre having been prisoner at the Tower somwhat more then a twelvemonth whither he went leaning on his staffe because he had been much weakned by his imprisonment his countenance shewing much chearfulnesse and resolution His Inditement which was very long and odious was read by the Kings Atturny which being ended the Lord Chancellor and the Duke of Norfolk spoke to this effect unto him You see now how grievously you have offended his Majesty yet he is so merciful that if you will but leave your obstinacy and change your opinion we hope you may obtain pardon of his Highnesse Whereunto Sir Thomas resolutely replyed thus Most noble Lords I have great cause to thank your Honours for this your courtesie but I beseech Almighty God that I may continue in the mind I am in through his Grace unto death After this he was permitted to say what he could in his own defence in answer to his Inditement who thereupon began as followeth When I think how long my accusation is and what hainous matters are laid to my charge I am strucken with fear lest my memory and wit both which are decaled together with the health of my body through a long impediment contracted by my imprisonement be not now able to answer these things on the suddain as I ought and otherwise could After this there was brought him a chair on which when he was sat he proceeded thus There are four principal heads if I be not deceived of this my Inditement every one of which God willing I purpose to answer in order To the first that is objected against me to wit That I have been an enemy of a stubborness of mind to the Kings second marriage I