wherein I may really show vnto you my loue there God vvilling I vvill neuer be vvanting Commende me to my Mistrisse your vvife for I dare not novv inuerte the order begunne and to your vvhole familie vvhome mine doth vvith all their harts salute From my house in the Countrie this 10th of Iune 1528. Conradus Goclenius a Westphalian was commended by Erasmus vnto Sir THOMAS MORE thus I praise your disposition my dearest MORE exceedingly for that your content is to be rich in faithfull and sincere friends and that you esteeme the greatest felicitie of this life to be placed therein Some take great care that they may not be cosened vvith counterfaite ievvells but you cōtemning all such trifles seeme to yourself to be rich enough if you can but gett an vnfayned friend For there is no man taketh delight either in Cardes dice Chesse hunting or musike so much as you doe in discoursing vvith a learned and pleasant conceyted Companion And although you are stored vvith this kinde of riches yet because that I knovve that a couetous man hath neuer enough and that this manner of my dealing hath luckily happened both to you and me diuerse times heretofore I deliuer to your custodie one friend more vvhome I vvould haue you accept vvith your vvhole hart His name is Conradus Goclenius a Westphalian vvho hath vvith great applause and no lesse fruit lately taught Rhetorick in the College nevvly erected at Louaine called Trilingue Novv I hope that as soone as you shall haue true experience of him I shall haue thankes of you both for so I had of Cranuilde vvho so vvholy possesseth your loue that I almost enuie him for it But of all strangers Erasmus challenged vnto himself his loue most especially which had long continued by mutuall letters expressing great affection and increased so much that he tooke a iournie of purpose into England to see and enioy his personall acquaintance and more intire familiaritie at which time it is reported how that he who conducted him in his passage procured that Sir THOMAS MORE and he should first meete togeather in London at the Lo Mayor's table neither of them knowing each other And in the dinner time they chanced to fall into argument Erasmus still endeauouring to defende the worser parte but he was so sharpely sett vpon and opposed by Sir THOMAS MORE that perceauing that he was now to argue with a readier witt then euer he had before mett withall he broke forth into these wordes not without some choler Aut tu es Morus aut nullus whereto Sir THOMAS readily replyed Aut tu es Erasmus aut diabolus because at that time he was strangely disguised and had sought to defende impious propositions for although he was a singular Humanist and one that could vtter his minde in a most eloquent phrase yet had he alwaies a delight to scoffe at religious matters and finde fault with all sortes of Clergie men He tooke a felicitie to sett out sundrie Commentaries vpon the Fathers workes censuring them at his pleasure for which cause he is tearmed Errans mus because he wandreth here and there in other mens haruests yea in his writings he is sayd to haue hatched manie of those eggs of heresie which the apostata Fryer Luther had before layde not that he is to be accounted an heretike for he would neuer be obstinate in anie of his opinions yet would he irreligiously glaunce at all antiquitie and finde manie faultes with the present state of the Church Whilst he was in England Sir THOMAS MORE vsed him most courteously doing manie offices of a deare friend for him as well by his word as his purse whereby he bound Erasmus so straytely vnto him that he euer after spoke and wrote vpon all occasions most highly in his praise but Sir THOMAS in successe of time grew lesse affectionate vnto him by reason he saw him still fraught with much vanitie and vnconstancie in respect of religion as when Tindall obiecteth vnto Sir THOMAS that his Darling Erasmus had translated the word Church into Congregation and Priest into Elder euen as himself had donne Sir THOMAS answered thereto yf my darling Erasmus hath translated those places with the like vvicked intent that Tindall hath donne he shall be no more my darling but the Diuells darling Finally long after hauing found in Erasmus's workes manie thinges necessarily to be amēded he counselled him as his friend in some latter booke to imitate the example of S. Augustin who did sett out a booke of Retractations to correct in his writing what he had vnaduisedly written in the heate of youth but he that was farre different from S. Augustin in humilitie would neuer follow his counsell and therefore he is censured by the Church for a Busie fellow manie of his bookes are condemned and his opinions accounted erroneous though he alwaies liued a Catholike Priest and hath written most sharpely against all those new Gospellers who then beganne to appeare in the world and in a letter to Iohn Fabius Bishopp of Vienna he sayth that he hateth these seditious opinions with the which at this day the world is miserably shaken neither doth he dissemble saith he being so addicted to pietie that if he incline to anie parte of the ballance he will bende rather to superstition then to impietie by which speach he seemeth in doubtfull words to taxe the Church with superstition and the new Apostolicall bretheren with impietie Now to conclude this matter of Sir THOMAS MORE 's friends lett vs heare what Erasmus speaketh of him in an epistle to Vlderick Hutten MORE seemeth to be made and borne for friendshipp vvhereof he is a most sincere follovver and a fast keeper neither doth he feare to be taxed for that he hath manie friends vvhich thing Hesiodus prayseth nothing euerie man may attaine to his friendshipp he is nothing slovve in choosing most apt in nourishing and most constant in keeping them yf by chance he falles into ones amitie whose vices he cannot amende he slackeneth the raines of friendshipp disioynting it by little and little rather then dissoluing it suddenly vvhome he findeth sincere and constant agreing vvith his ovvne good disposition he is so delighted vvith their companie and familiaritie that he seemeth to place his chiefe vvorldlie pleasure in such mens conuersation and although he be verie negligent in his ovvne temporall affaires yet none is more diligent then he in furthering his friends causes What neede I speake manie vvords yf anie vvere desirous to haue a perfect patterne of friendshipp none can make it better then MORE In his companie there is such rare affabilitie and such svveete behauiour that no man is of so harsh a nature but that his talke is able to make him merrie no matter so vnpleasing but he vvith his vvitt can shake from it all tediousnesse declaring plainely in these words the most pleasant disposition of Sir THOMAS MORE whose onlie
by which vnder pretence of helping the poore he goeth about to cast out the Clergie and to ouerthrowe all Abbies and religious houses bearing men in hand that after that the Gospell should be preached beggars and bawdes should decrease thiefes and idle people be the fewer c. Against whome Sir THOMAS wrote a singular booke which he named A Supplication of the soules in Purgatorie making them there complaine of the most vncharitable dealing of certaine vpstarts who would perswade all men to take from thē the spirituall almes that haue bene in all ages bestowed vpon these poore soules who feele greater miserie then anie beggar in this world and he proueth most truly that an ocean of manie mischieuous euents would indeede ouerwhelme the realme Then sayth he shall Luther's gospell come in then shall Tindall's Testament be taken vp then shall false heresies be preached then shall the Sacraments be sett at naught then shall fasting and praier be neglected then shall holie Saints be blasphemed then shall Almightie god be displeased then shall he vvithdravve his grace and lett all runne to ruine then shall all vertue be had in derision then shall all vice raigne and runne forth vnbrideled then shall youth leaue labour and all occupation then shall folkes waxe idle and fall to vnthriftinesse then shall vvhores and thieues beggars and bavvdes increase then shall vnthriftes flocke togeather and eache beare him bolde of other then shall all lavves be laughed to scorne then shall seruants sett naught by their maisters and vnrulie people rebelle against their gouernours then vvill rise vp rifeling and robberie mischiefe and plaine insurrection vvhereof vvhat the ende vvill be or vvhen you shall see it onely God knovveth And that Luther's new Gospell hath taken such effect in manie partes of Christendome the woefull experience doth feelingly to the great griefe of all good folkes testifye to the world Of all which and that the land would be peopled to the deuouring of one another he writeth particularly more like one that had seene what had ensued alreadie then like one that spoke of things to come He wrote also a laboursome booke against Tindall refuting particularly euerie periode of his bookes a short treatise also against young Father Fryth in defence of the reall presence which that heretike did gainesay and for that was after burnt Against Fryer Barnes his church he wrote also an Apologie and a defence thereof vnder the name of Salem and Byzanze which are all sett forth togeather with that most excellent peece of worke comprised in three bookes of Comfort in Tribulation which subiect he handleth so wittily as none hath come neare him either in weight of graue sentences deuout considerations or fit similitudes seasoning alwaies the troublesomnesse of the matter with some merrie ieastes or pleasant tales as it were sugar whereby we drinke vp the more willingly these wholesome druggs of themselues vnsauorie to flesh and bloud which kinde of writing he hath vsed in all his workes so that none can euer be wearie to reade them though they be neuer so long 4. Wherefore I haue thought it not amisse to sett downe in this place amongst a thousand others some of his Apophthegmes which Doctour Stapleton hath collected in two whole Chapters Doe not thinke saith Sir THOMAS MORE that to be alwaies pleasant which madde men doe laughing For one may often see a man in Bedlem laugh when he knockes his head against the wall vttering this to condemne them that esteeme all things good or badde which the common people iudge to be Againe A sinner saith he cannot taste spirituall delights because all carnall are first to be abandoned By an excellent similitude he teacheth vs why few doe feare death thus Euen as they which looke vpon things afarre of see them confusedly not knowing whether they be men or trees euen so he that promiseth vnto himselfe long life looketh vpon death as a thing farre of not iudging what it is how terrible what griefes and dangers it bringeth with it And that none ought to promise himselfe long life he proueth thus Euen as two men that are brought out of prison to the gallowes one by a long way about the other by a direct short path yet neither knowing which is which vntill they come to the gallowes neither of these two can promise himself longer life the one then the other by reason of the vncertaintie of the way euen so a yong man cannot promise himself longer life then an olde man Against the vanitie of worldlie honour he speaketh thus Euen as that criminall person who is to be lead to execution shortly should be accounted vayne if he should engraue his Coate of Armes vpon the prison gate euen so are they vaine who endeauour to leaue with great industrie monuments of their dignitie in the prison of this world By a subtile dilemma he teacheth vs why we are not to thinke that we can be hurt by the losse of our superfluous goods in this manner he that suffereth anie losse of his goods he would either haue bestowed them with praise and liberalitie and so God will accept his will in steede of the deede itselfe or else he would haue waisted them wickedly and then he hath cause to reioyce that the matter of sinning is taken away To expresse liuely the follie of an olde couetous man he writeth thus a thiefe that is to dye to morrow stealeth to day and being asked why he did so he answered that it was a great pleasure vnto him to be maister of that money but one night so an olde miser neuer ceaseth to encrease his heape of coyne though he be neuer so aged To expresse the follie and madnesse of them that delight wholy in hording vp wealth he writeth in the person of the soules in purgatorie thus in his booke of the Supplication of the Soules We that are here in purgatorie when we thinke of our bags of golde which we horded vp in our life time we condemne laugh at our owne follie no otherwise then if a man of good yeares should finde by chance the bagg of Cherrie stones which he had carefully hidde when he was a childe In his booke of Comfort in tribulation that men should not be troubled in aduersitie he writeth thus The mindes of mortall men are so blinde and vncertaine so mutable and vnconstant in their desires that God could not punish men worse then if he should suffer euerie thing to happen that euerie man doth wish for The fruit of tribulation he describeth thus all punishment inflicted in hell is only as a iust reuenge because it is no place of purging In purgatorie all punishmēts purge only because it is no place of meritt but in this life euerie punishment can both purge sinne and procure meritt for a iust man because in this life there is place for both He
precisely the king's Supremacie or plainely to deny it Here may we see that those verie men which seemed to crye before vnto him Osanna benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini say here tolle tolle crucifige eum this is the ficklenesse of the worldlie men But to this as appeareth by the examinations sett out at the ende of his English Workes they could neuer bring him because he was loath to aggrauate the king's displeasure against himselfe saying only that the Statute was like a two-edged sworde if he should speake against it he should procure the death of his bodie and if he should cōsent vnto it he should purchase the death of his soule 6. After all these examinations came Mr. Rich afterwards made the Lo Rich for his good seruice donne in this point then newly created the king's Sollicitour Sr. Richard Southvvell and one Mr. Palmer Mr. Secretarie's man were sent by the king to take away all his bookes Mr. Rich pretending to talke friendly with Sit THOMAS sayd thus vnto him as it proued after of sett purpose For as much as it is well knowen Mr. More that you are a man both wise well learned in the lawes of this realme in all other studies I pray you Sir lett me be so bolde as of good will to putt vnto you this Case Admitt there were an act of Parlement made that all the realme should take me for king would not you Mr. More take me for king Yes Sir said Sir THOMAS that I would I putt the Case further sayd Mr. Rich that there were an act of Parlement that all the realme should take me for Pope would not you then take me for Pope For answer sayd Sir THOMAS to your first Case the Parlement may well Mr. Rich meddle with the state of Temporall princes but to make answer to your other Case suppose the Parlement should make a lawe that God should not be God would you then Mr. Rich say that God should not be God No Sir sayd he that would I not For no Parlement can make such a lawe No more reported he that Sir THOMAS should say but indeede he made no such inference as he auouched after to Mr. Rich his face could the Parlement make the king supreame head of the Church and vpon this only reporte of Mr. Rich Sir THOMAS was shortly after indited of high treason vpon the new Statute of Supremacie At this time Mr. Lieutenant reported that Mr. Rich had so vile a smell about him that he could scarce endure him which Sir THOMAS also felt 7. He had a little before this begunne a diuine treatise of the passion of Christ but when he came to expounde those wordes of the Ghospell And they layde hands vpon him and held him these gentlemen tooke from him all his bookes Inke and paper so that he could write no more Which being donne he applyed himselfe wholy to meditation keeping his chamber windowes fast shutt and very darks the occasion whereof Mr. Lieutenant asking him he answered when all the wares are gone the shoppe windowes are to be shutt vp Yet still by stealth he would gett little peeces of paper in which he would write diuerse letters with a coale of which my father left me one which was to his wife which I accounte as a precious Iewell afterwards drawen ouer by my grandfathers sonne with inke 8. What respect Sir THOMAS had not to displease the king in anie of his deedes or answers may be seene by his discreete behauiour in all his proceedings For first in his bookes he neuer handled exactly the Popes Supremacie though vrgent occasion were giuen him by the bookes which he tooke in hand to confute secondly whatsoeuer writing he had touching that Controuersie he either made them away or burnt them before his troubles as also a booke which the Bishopp of Bath had written of that matter thirdly he would neuer take vpon him to aduise any man in that point though much vrged thereto by letters especially of Doctour Willson his fellow prisoner in the Tower knowing himself being a lay man not to be bound to perswade a Clergie man much lesse a Doctour of Diuinitie Fourthly when he was brought from the Tower to Westminster to answer his Inditement therevpon arraigned at the King's-Bench-barre where he had often asked his father's blessing he openly tolde the Iudges that he would haue a bidden in law and demurred vpon the Inditement but that he should haue bene driuen thereby to confesse of himselfe that he had denyed the kings Supremacie which he protested he neuer had donne And indeede the principall faulte there Layde to his charge was that he maliciously traiterously and Diabolically would not vtter his minde of that Oath Whereto Sir THOMAS pleaded not guiltie reserued to himselfe aduantage to be taken of the bodie of the matter after verdict to auoyde that Inditemēt adding moreouer that if only those odious tearmes were taken out he saw nothing that could charge him of anie Treason THE TENTH CHAPTER THE ARRAIGNEMENT condemnation of Sir THOMAS MORE 1. Sir Thomas Mores arraignement at the kings-benche 2. His vvorthy resolute and discreet ansvver to his inditement 3. Maister Riche his false oath against Sir Thomas cleerly reiected 4. The Iurours verdict excepted against by Sir Thomas vvith a noble confession of ecclesiasticall supremacy 5. Sentence of condemnation pronounced against Sir Thomas 6. He deliuereth fully plainly his iudgemēt touching the act and oath supremacy 1. AFter that the king had endeauoured by all meanes possible to gett Sir THOMAS his consent vnto his lawes knowing that his example would moue manie being so eminent for wisedome and rare vertues and could by no meanes obtaine his desire he commaunded him to be called to his Arraignemēt at the kings-bench barre hauing bene a prisoner in the Tower somewhat more then a twelue-moneth for he was Committed about midde-Aprill and this happened the seauenth of May 1535. the yeare following He went thither leaning on his staffe because he had bene much weakened by his imprisonment his countenance chearefull and constant his Iudges were Andley the Lo Chancellour Fitz Iames the Lo Chiefe Iustice Sir Iohn Baldvvin Sir Richard Leister Sir Iohn Port Sir Iohn Spilman Sir Walter Luke Sir Antonie Fitzherbert where the king's Attornye reading a long odious Inditement contayning all the crimes that could be layd against anie notorious malefactour so long as Sir THOMAS professed he could scarce remember the third parte that was obiected against him but the speciall faulte was that of the refusall of the oath as is before spoken for proofe whereof his double examination in the tower was alleaged the first before Cromevvell Thomas Beade Iohn Tregunnell c. To whome he professed that he had giuen ouer to thinke of titles either of Popes or Princes although all the whole world should be giuen him being fully determined only to serue God the
T. M offer proceedeth not of vncertāty but because he was certain his reasons were vnanswerable All Christendom of more autority then all england The oath of succession 2. Sir Tho. Mores imprisonmēt First in Westminster Then by Q. Annes importunity in the Tower His willingnesse to leese all for Christ The vpper garment the porters fee. His mans oath His wonderfull courage 3. His discours with his daughter Margaret Preuēted with prayers The cōfort he found in his emprisonment Fiue reasons vsed by his daughter to make him relēt 1. Obedience to the King 2. Autority of wise mē 3. Only B. Fisher of his mind 4. Him self a lay man 5. against a parlament Sir T. M. answers All the saints of God acknowleged the Popes supremacy Why he neuer touched that point in his writings Motiues with which many deceaue their owne cōsciences He knew not of B. Fishers mind The Doctours of the Church greater then Doctours of England And generall Coūcels then a Parlamēt His trust in Gods mercy against the fear of death A heauēly resignation 4. Sir T. M. prophecieth Q. Annes death His plesant answer to his keepers honest excuse The inconstācy and ignorance of the oath makers His meditation vpon the martyrdom of 24. religious mē Maister Secretary Cromwells visit Sir T. M. writ in the tower his book of comfort 5. A prety dialogue between Sir T. M. and his wife Her worldly obiectiō His heauenly answer Prison as neer heauen as our owne house Eternity to be preferred before temporality An other visit 6. M. Rich his sophisticall case A poor ground for an inditement of treasō 7. A remarkable accident at the taking away his bookes His mery ieast vpō it 8. How great care he took not to offend the king The substance of his inditement 1. The arraignmēt of Sir Th. More His iudges His inditement The iudges charges His Christian resolution 2. Sir Th. his āswer to the inditement 1. How sincerly he had always told the K. his mind touching the marriage The durance of his emprisonment and afflictiōs 2. Why he refused to tell his iudgemēt of the law of supremacy Lay men not touched with that law No law can punish silēce that is without malice Whether his silence were malicious Obediēce first to God and then to man 3. That he neuer counselled or induced B. Fisher. The contents of his letters to the said Bishop 4. The law of supremacy like a two-edged sword 3. M. Riches oath against Sir T. More Euidētly disproued by Sir Tho. Mores oath to contrary By iust exceptiō against the witnesse vnworthy of credit Yf it had been true ther had been no malice Malice in law The improbability of M. Rich his deposition M. Rich his witnesses do faile him 4. The Iurie verdict guiltie Excepted against by Sir Thomas The act of parlament against Gods law No lay man can be head of the churche Against the lawer of the realme Against the kings owne oath Against the peculiar obligation of England to Rome Against all Christendom that euer was 5. The condemnatiō of S. Tho. More By yfs ands but no proofes The sentence Mitigated by the king 6. Sir Thomas fully deliuereth his iudgement of the act of suoremacy to be vnlawfull Against all the churche of God Constācy no obstinacy Sir Tho. Mores blessed charity to his iudges The truth of this relation frō present witnesses of credit 1. The manner of Sir Thomas his returne to the tower His sōne asketh him blessing Great cōstancy courtesy and charity 2. His childrens behauiour to him His daughter Matgarets laudable passion A ponderation vpon this mutuall passiō of Father daughter Cardinal Pooles estimatio of Sir Thomas his death 3. How deuoutly cheerfully he attēded his exequution A pleasaunt cōceipt vpō a leight courtyer His last letters To Antony Bōuise To his daughter Margaret His desito dy vpō the octaue of S. Peter which was also S. Thom. of Canterburys commemoratiō An blessing to his heire God grāted him his desires to dy the day he wished His heir-shirt and discipline 4. Aduertisment giuē him of the day of his death frō the K. Most welcome vnto him The K. willed him to vse but few words at his exequution His wife childrē permitted to be at his buriall His comfortable courage He put on his best apparell that day Liberally to his executiō 5. The forme of his death and martyrdom Persons hired to disgrace him A good cōsciēce He freeth one from the tētation of despaire by his prayers His wordes at his death His prayers Words to the executioner He couereth his eyes himself His happy death 6. The kings sadnes vpō the newes of his exequution The place of his buriall A notable accidēt about his windnig-sheet His bloudy shirt His head His martyrdom encouraged many other to the like Mr. Gardiner Euen his owne Parish-priest 7. A cōsideratiō vpon the blessing which he gaue to his heires children A praise of M. Iohn More sonne heire to Sir Thomas The vnmercifull dealing of K. Hēry with Sir Tho. Mores heires With the Lady his widow M. Iohn More cōmitted to the tower for denial of the oath The imprisonment of his daughter Margaret 8. The fauour and Physiognomie of Sir Tho. More 1. Cardinal Pooles lamentatiō vpon Sir Tho. Mores death 2. Erasmus of Roterdam 3. Doctour Cochlaeus of Germany Iob 12. 4. Bishop Iouius of Italy 5. W Paradin a dearned historiā of France 6. Riuius a Protestāt 7. Charles the Emperour 8. Circumstances notable in the death of Sir Tho. More From the kings part From Sir Thomas Mores part Nota. 9. An apology for his mery iestes A fit cōparison between Catoes seuerity and Sir T. M. his pleasaūt disposition 10. Sir Tho. More a lay man martyr for Ecclesiasticall autority neuer before questioned Epigrammes History of K. Richard the 3. in English and Latin His Vtopia Many deemed Vtopia to be a true nation and country Sheep deuour men in England Sir Tho. More his book against Luther His epistle against Pomeranus His English writings The dialog with the messinger Great sincerity in his writing and loue of the truth He writt neither for gaine nor report His pouerty almost incredible in so greate a man Sir Tho. M. no partiall frind to the clergy Tindals false trāslation of the scripture Cōfuted learnedly by Sir Th. M. The wilfulnes of heretikes Tindal falsifieth Sir T.M. words Tindals maze Tindals māner of amēding Against Frier Barnes his inuisible Churche The notable disagreemēt of heretikes among thēselues Hereticall scoffing Heretikes Hypocrisy Against the supplication of beggars Against Iohn Frith Sir Tho. Mores Apologie How heretikes recite the catholik argumēts Touching the length of Sir Tho. Mores bookes Heretiks blaspheming the fathers vvould thēselues be reuerently handled Whē heretikes railings are to be neglected Heretikes excellent railours The pacificatiō Cōfuted by Sir T.M. The debellation of Salem and Bizance How the Pacifier reconcileth points in controuersy Sir T. M. his book of the blessed Sacrament The heretiks supper of the Lord wants the best dishe Sir Tho. Mores bookes written in the tower Comfort in tribulation Of Cōmunion Of the Passion The excellencn of the booze of Comfort The said book a preparation against the persequutiō which he did forsee Written when he had no book about him Written with cole Like Esaias his cole that purified his lippes
themselues to cardes or dice. The men abode on the one side of the house the women on the other seldome conuersing togeather he vsed before bedtime to call them togeather and say certaine prayers with them as the Miserere psalme Ad te Domine leuaui Deus misereatur nostri Salue Regina and De profundis for the dead and some others he suffered none to be absent from Masse on the Sondaies or vpon holie daies and vpon great feasts he gott them to watche the eeues all the Mattins time Vpon Good Fryday he would call them togeather into the New-buildings and reading the holie Passion vnto them he would now and then interpose some speaches of his owne to moue them either to compassion compunction or such pious affections Erasmus sayth that there was a fatall felicitie fallen on the seruants of that house that none liued but in better estate after Sir THOMAS MORE 's death none euer was touched with the least aspersion of anie euill fame He vsed to haue one reade daily at his table which being ended he would aske of some of them how they vnderstood such and such a place and so there grew a friendlie communication recreating all men that were present with some ieaste or other My aunte Rooper writing hereof to her father in the Tower sayth What doe you thinke my most deare father doth comfort vs at Chelsey in this your absence surely the remembrance of your manner of life passed amongst vs your holie conuersation your holesome counsells your examples of vertue of which there is hope that they do not only perseuere with you but that they are by Gods grace much more encreased 2. His children vsed often to translate out of English into Latine and out of Latine into English and Doctour Stapleton testifyeth that he hath sene an Apologie of Sir THOMAS MORE 's to the vniuersitie of Oxford in defence of learning turned into Latine by one of his daughters and translated againe into English by another And to stirre vp his wife and children to the desire of heauenlie things he would sometimes vse these and the like wordes vnto them It is now noe maisterie for you my ioyes to gett heauen for euerie bodie giueth you good example euerie one storeth your heads with good counsells you see also vertue rewarded and vice punished so that you are carried vp thither by the chinnes but yf you chance to liue that time wherein none will giue you good example nor none anie good counsell when you shall see before your eyes vertue punished and vice rewarded if then you will stand fast and sticke to God closely vpon paine of my life though you be but halfe good God will allowe you for whole good Yf his wife or anie of his children chanced to be sicke or troubled he would say vnto them we must not looke to goe to heauen at our pleasure and on fotherbeds that is not the way for our Lord himself went thither with greate paine and the seruant must not looke to be in better case then his maister As he would in this sorte animate them to beare their troubles patiētly so would he in like manner teache them to withstande the diuell and his temptations valiantly comparing our ghostlie enemye to an ape whith if he be not looked vnto he will be busie and bolde to doe shrewede turnes but if he be espyed and checked for them he will suddenly leape backe and aduenture no further so the diuell finding a man idle sluggish vsing no resistance to his suggestions waxeth hardie and will not fayle still to continue them vntill he hath throughly brought vs to his purpose but if he finde a man with diligence still seeking to withstand and preuent his temptations he waxeth wearie and at last he vtterly forsaketh him being a spiritt of so high a pride that he cannot endure to be mocked and againe so enuious that he feareth still least he not only thereby should catche a fowle fall but also minister vnto vs more matter of meritt When he saw anie of his take greate paines in dressing themselues to be fine either in wearing that which was vneasie or in stroaking vp their hayre to make themselues high foreheads he would tell them that if God gaue them not hell he should doe them great iniurie for they tooke more paynes to please the world and the diuell then manie euen vertuous men did to cleanse their soules and please God Manie such speaches tending to deuotion and care of their soules had he euerie day at dinner and supper after the reading was done as is before sayd with such heauenlie discourses flowing with eloquence that it might well be sayd of him which the Queene of Saba sayd of Salomon Blessed art thou and blessed by thy Lord God and blessed are all they that attende and wayte on thee For no doubt there was the spirite of God in that familie where euerie one was busied about somewhat or other no cardes no dice no companie keeping of the men with the women but as it were in some religious house all chaste all courteous all deuout their recreations was either musike of voices or viols for which cause he procured his wife as I haue sayd to play thereon to draw her minde from the worlde to which by nature she was too much addicted but so as Sir THOMAS would say of her that she was often penny-wise and pound-foolish sauing a candle's ende and spoyling a veluett gowne Of her also he meant it when in his bookes of Comfort in Tribulation he telleth of one who would rate her husband because he had no minde to sett himself forward in the world saying vnto him Tillie vallie tillie vallie will you sitt and make goslings in the ashes my mother hath often sayd vnto me it is better to rule then to be ruled Now in truth answered Sir THOMAS that is truly sayd good wife for I neuer found you yet willing to be ruled And in another place of the same booke he calleth this wife of his a iollie Maister-woman 3. For all his publike affayres and housholde exercises he neuer left of to write learned bookes either of deuotion or against heresies which now beganne to spreade themselues from Germanie into Flanders from thence into England by manie pestiferous pampheletts and bookes against which Sir THOMAS MORE laboured with his penne more then anie other English man whatsoeuer in regarde of his zeale to God and the honour of his immaculate spouse the Catholike Church as appeareth by his foure bookes of Dialogues a worke full of learning and witt where he argueth most profoundly of the Inuocation of Saints pilgrimages relikes and Images he teacheth also substantially how we may knowe which is the true Church and that that Church cannot erre After he had ended this booke there was a lewde fellow sett out a pamphlett intituled the Supplication of Beggers
learned wise and expert that could begotten she could by no meanes be kept from sleepe so that euerie one about her had iust cause to despaire of her recouerie giuing her vtterly ouer her father as he that most loued her being in noe small heauinesse at last sought for remedie of this her desperate case from God wherefore going as his custome was into his new building there in his Chappell vpon his knees most deuoutly euen with manie teares besought Almightie God vnto whome nothing was impossible of his goodnesse if it were his blessed will that at his meditation he would vouchsafe gratiously to graunt this his humble petition where presently came into his minde that a glister was the onlie way to helpe her which whē he tolde the phisicians they confessed that it was the best remedie indeede much marueling of thēselues they had not remembred if which was immediately ministred vnto her sleeping for else she would neuer haue bene brought to that kinde of medicine And although whē she awaked throughly Gods markes an euident and vndoubted token of death plainely appeared vpon her yet she contrarie to all expectations was as it were miraculously and by her fathers feruēt prayer restored to perfect health againe whome if it had pleased God at that time to haue taken to his mercie her father solemnely protested that he would neuer haue medled with anie worldlie matters after such was his fatherlie loue and vehement affection vnto this his Iewell who most neerely of all the rest of his Children expressed her fathers vertues although the meanest of all the rest might haue bene matched with anie other of their age in England either for learning excellent qualities or pietie they hauing bene brought vp euen frō their infancie with such care and industrie and enioying alwaies most vertuous and learned maisters So that the schoole of Sir THOMAS MORE 's children was famous ouer the whole world for that their witts were rare their diligence extraordinarie and their maisters most excellent men as aboue the rest Doctour Clement an excellent Grecian and phisician who was after reader of the phisicke-lecture in Oxford and sett out manie bookes of learning After him one William Gūnell who read after with greate praise in Cambridge and besides these one Drue one Nicolas and after all one Richard Hart of whose rare learning and industrie in this behalfe lett vs see what may be gathered out of Sir THOMAS his letters vnto them and first to Mr. Gunnell thus I haue receaued my deare Gunnell your letters such as they are vvont to be most elegant full of affection Your loue towards my children I gather by your letter their diligence by their owne for euerie one of their letters pleaseth me very much yet most especially I take ioy to heare that my daughter Elizabeth hath shevved as greate modestie in her mother's absence as anie one could doe if she had bene in presence lett her knovve that that thing liked me better then all the epistles besides for as I esteeme learning vvhich is ioyned vvith vertue more then all the threasures of kings so vvhat doth the fame of being a great schollar bring vs if it be seuered from vertue other then a notorious and famous infamie especially in a vvoman vvhome men vvill be readie the more vvillingly to assayle for their learning because it is a rare matter and argueth a reproche to the sluggishnesse of a man vvho vvill not stick to lay the fault of their naturall malice vpon the qualitie of learning supposing all their ovvne vnskillfullnesse by comparing it vvith the vices of those that are learned shal be accounted for vertue but if anie vvoman on the contrarie parte as I hope and vvishe by your instruction and teaching all mine vvill doe shall ioyne manie vertues of the minde vvith a little skill of learning I shall accounte this more happinesse then if they vvere able to attaine to Craesus's vvealth ioyned vvith the beautie of fayre Helene not because they vvere to gett great fame thereby although that inseparably follovveth all vertue as a shadovve doth the bodie but for that they should obtaine by this the true revvarde of vvisedome vvhich can neuer be taken avvay as vvealth may nor vvill fade as beautie doth because it dependeth of truth and iustice and not of the blasts of mens mouthes then vvhich nothing is more foolish nothing more pernicious for as it is the dutie of a good man to eschevv infamie so it is not only the propertie of a proude man but also of a vvretched and ridiculous man to frame their actions only for praise for that mans minde must needes be full of vnquietnesse that alvvaies vvauers for feare of other mens iudgements betvveene ioye and saddenesse But amongst other the notable benefitts vvhich learning bestovveth vpon men I accounte this one of the most profitable that in getting of learning vve looke not for praise to be accounted learned men but only to vse it in all occasions vvhich the best of all other learned men I meane the philosophers those true moderatours of mens actiōs haue deliuered vnto vs from hand to hand although some of them haue abused their sciences ayming only to be accounted excellent men by the people Thus haue I spoken my Gunnell somevvhat the more of the not coueting of vaine glorie in regarde of those vvordes in your letter vvhereby you iudge that the high spiritt of my daughter Margarett's vvitt is not to be deiected vvherein I am of the same opinion that you are hut I thinke as I doubt not but you are of the same minde that he doth deiect his generous vvitt vvhosoeuer accustometh himself to admire vaine and base obiects and he rayseth vvell his spiritts that embraceth vertue and true good they are base minded indeede that esteeme the shadovve of good things vvhich most men greedily snatch at for vvant of discretiō to iudge true good from apparent rather then the truth it self And therefore seing I holde this the best vvay for them to vvalke in I haue not only requested you my deare Gunnell vvhome of yourself I knovve vvould haue donne it out of the intire affection you beare vnto them neither haue I desired my vvife alone vvhome her mother lie pietie by me often and manie vvaies tryed doth stirre them vp thereto but also all other my friēds I haue intreated manie times to perswade all my children to this that auoyding all the gulphes and dovvnefalls of pride they vvalke through the pleasant meadovves of modestie that they neuer be enamoured of the glistering hue of golde and siluer nor lament for the vvant thereof vvhich by errour they admire in others that they thinke no better of themselues for all their costlie trimmings nor anie meaner for the vvant of them not to lessen their beautie by neglecting it vvhich they haue by nature nor to make it anie more by vnseemelie art to thinke vertue their chiefe happinesse
and with S. Paule Cupio dissolui ess cum Christo But these speaches though they liked Sir THOMAS well yet pleased they my vncle Rooper but a little Now after the reporte made of this their examinacion of Sir THOMAS to the King by the Lo Chauncellour and the rest king Henry was so highly displeased with Sir THOMAS MORE that he plainely tolde them that he was resolutely determined that the foresayd parlement-bill should vndoubtedly proceede against them Yet to this the Lo Chancellour and the rest sayd that they had perceaued that all the vpper house was so powerfully bent to heare Sir THOMAS speake in his owne defence that if he were not putt out of the Bill it would vtterly be ouerthrowen and haue no force against the rest Which words although the king heard them speake yet needes would he haue his owne will therein adding that he would be personally present himselfe at the passing of it But the Lo Aud ley and the rest seing him so vehemently bent vpon it fell downe vpon their knees and besought his Maiestie not to doe so considering that if he in his owne presence should be confronted and receaue an ouerthrowe it would not only encourage his subiects euer after to contemne him but also redounde to his his honour for euer throughout all Christendome and they doubted not in time but to finde some other fitter matter against him For in this Case of the Nunne they sayd all men accounted him so cleare and innocent that for his behauiour therein euerie one reckoned him rather worthie of praise thē of reproofe At which words of theirs the king was contented at their earnest perswasion to condescende to their petition yet was not his displeasure against Sir THOMAS anie whitt asswaged but much more incensed On the next morning Mr. Cromevvell meeting my vncle Rooper in the parlement house tolde him that his father was putt out of the bill which message he sent presently to Chelsey and when my aunte Roper toulde her father thereof he answered In fayth Megg quod differtur non aufertur knowing as it were the verie bottome of the King's hart and all his Counsells imagining that this was not anie fauour donne vnto him but that they might finde afitter matter to worke on as it shortly after proued Within a while after the Duke of Norfolke fell into familiar talke with Sir THOMAS and amongst other speaches he sayd vnto him By the masse Mr. More it is perillous striuing with princes therefore I could wish you as a friēd to encline to the king's pleasure for by God bodie Mr. More Indignatio principis mors est Is that all my Lord sayd Sir THOMAS in good faith then there is no more differēce betweene your Grace and me but that I shall dye to day and you to morrow Yf therefore the anger of a prince causeth but a temporall death we haue greater cause to feare the eternall death which the king of heauen can condēne vs vnto if we sticke not to displease him by pleasing an earthlie king THE NINTH CHAPTER THE REFVSALL OF the oath of supremacy cause of Sir THOMAS MORES imprisonment in the Tovver 1. The oath of supremacy and succession refused by Sir Thomas 2. His imprisonment first in vvestminster after in the Tovver 3. A notable discourse betvveen him and his daughter Margarit Roper 4. Some other passages of his in the time of his durance 5. A prety dialogue betvveen him and his vvife the Lady More 6. Maister Riche his sophisticall case put to Sir Thomas More 7. His bookes and meanes of vvriting taken from him 8. His great care to giue no occasion of offence to the King 1. NOw in this parlement in the yeare 1534. whē as Queen Elizabeth had bene borne the September before and Q. Anne had bene proclaimed Queen the 12th of April before that and Q. Catherine declared the widowe only of prince Arthur there was I say at this parlement an oath framed whereby all English subiects should both renounce the Pope's authoritie and sweare also to the succession of Q. Anne's children accounting the Ladie Marie illegitimate within a moneth or thereabouts after the enacting of this statute all the Clergie as well Bishops as priests yet no lay man but Sir THOMAS MORE were summoned to appeare at Lambeth before the Lo Archbishop Cranmer the Lo Chancelour Audley Mr. Secretarie Cromevvell the Abbott of Westminster with others appointed Commissioners by the King to tender this oath vnto them On the same morning that Sir THOMAS was to goe thither as he was accustomed before he tooke anie matter of importance in hand he went to Chelsey church and there was Confessed and receaued at masse deuoutly the blessed Sacrament and whereas euer at other times before he parted from his wife and children they vsed to bring him to his boate and there kissing them bad them Farewell at this time he suffered none of them to follow him forth of his gate but pulled the wickett after him and with a heauie hart as by his countenance appeared he tooke boate with his sonne Rooper and their men in which sitting sadly a while as it were with Christ in his agonie in the gardin at the last sodainely he rounded my vncle in the eare and sayd I thanke our Lord sonne the field is wonne whereto my vncle answered at randon as not knowing then his meaning I am very glad thereof But one may easily knowe what he meant and so my vncle afterward perceaued that the burning loue of God wrought in him so effectually that it now had conquered all carnall affections trusting to that saying of our Sauiour Beholde and haue confidence I haue conquered the vvorld How wisely he behaued himself at Lambeth may be seene in a letter of his sent after to my aunte Rooper which is sett out in printe in the latter ende of his English Workes with others his most singular letters wherein he liuely describeth to his children all his troubles sheweth what a heauenlie spiritt he had to endure all for Gods sake trusting still chiefely to Gods goodnesse not to his owne strength the effect whereof is this After he vvas called before them he requested of them to see the oath vvhich vvhen he had read vnto himselfe he ansvvered that he neither vvould finde faulte vvith the oath nor with the authors of it nor vvould blame the conscience of anie man that had taken it but for himselfe he could not take it vvithout endangering his soule of eternall damnation vvhich if they doubted of he vvould svveare vnto them that that vvas the chiefe cause of his refusall in vvhich second oath if they doubted to trust him hovv then could they trust him in the former Which he hauing sayd my Lo Chancelour replyed that all there were hartily sorie he should make such an answer for they constantly affirmed that he was the first mā that denyed to take it