praise of his Dialogue His ansvver to the Supplication of beggars The Supplication of soules of Purgatory The vvefull effects of heresy Against Tindal Frith and Barnes Apology Debellation of Salem Bizance Comfort in tribulation 4. A vievv of many vvitty pithy speeches of S Th. Mores The vulgar no true judge of things Sinners distasted Why fevv do feare death No man sure of long life VVorlds vanity VVorldly lesses hurt not The fally of old misers Madnes of couetous mē Fruicts of tribulation Hovv fonde it is to loue this vvorld Against Confessours that ffatter their ghostly Childre Afflictiō more profitable then pleasure Against differring of a mēdment Visions and illusions Pusillanimity a daungerous tēptation Danger of prosperity Of riches and honours All riches of this 〈◊〉 none of our ovvne Couetousnesse Bad marchants A prediction of heresy Riche are not goods The vvorst affection Almes deeds An the vvorld a prison To suffer for God The vvorld no recōpenser Heresy impudēt Prayer Detraction Ingratitude Faith the mistresse of reason No truth among heretikes Better preuent then redresse Hereticall trāslations Auoid heresy Fasting Desire of heauen Monastl call life Faith and good vvorkes Bad life no miracle School-diuinity Heretikes Impugning of heresie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Their 〈◊〉 His hatred against he resy in good earnest 5. His profound skill in diuinyty None handled Luther more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thomas More 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thomas 〈◊〉 And other school 〈◊〉 His epistle against Pomeranus 1. Cardinal Wolley his ambition Pope Adriās humility Wolsey the author of K. H. 8. tail Longlād B. of Lōdō Wolseys instrumēt 2. K. Henry commnnicateth vvith 〈◊〉 T. More his scruple concerning his first marriage Sir Tho. Mores discreet ansvver to the kings scruple His most vpright consciēce and constant real of the truth 3. He foresavv in spirit the fall of religion in England 4. The miraculous reductiō of his senno Roper from heresy by his prayers The hot spirit of heresy The great piety and charity of his sayd 〈◊〉 M. Roper 5. Another miraculous cure vvrought by prayer vpon his daughter Marga. rot 6. Sir Tho. Mores domestiqs schoole Modesty the ornament of vvomen Learning to be desired for vse not for praise In vvhat cōsisteth deiectiō of spirit What ornamēt Sir Tho. More required in his children A vvomā may attaine to learning as vvell as a man The end to vvhich all learning must be directed He 〈◊〉 it may by all 〈◊〉 be 〈◊〉 from his children 7. The delight Sir T. M. bad in his childrēs learning they 〈◊〉 Astronomy He discourieth pleasan̄tly He willeth thē to write with care and premeditation His earnest care of his childrēs good employmēt The care his children had to please him in their studies Bookes dedicated by learned men to his children He payes his daughters letters with gold 8. The learning and pioty of his daughter Marga. ret The esteē that the B. of excester had of her learning Some of her writings 〈◊〉 of Ensebius Her skill in Astronomy Why humanity is best studied in our yonger yeares 1. His three wishes for the good of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 peace 〈◊〉 in religion End of the kings contronersie He neuer asked anything of the King Liberality to his parish Churche His merciful workes to his poor neighbours The beginning of K. 〈◊〉 Separation from the Church Scruple of his mariage with Q. Catheriu Cōmissioneirs 〈◊〉 Rome about it The dispensatiō questiōd And supplied by a new cōfirmatiō K. Henry appeals to a generall councel and fall from the Pope His iniurie to S. Thomas of Canterburies body Q. Anne Bolēs incontinēcy 3. Cardinall Wolseys disgrace downfall Sir Tho. Mores embassage for peace happy successe therin Bishop Stokelies quirk in Q. Catharins marriage His conference with Sir Thomas about it Stokesly vndermines the Cardinall For backwardnes in the kings diuorce forwardnes for a frenche matche The Cardinal discontented Arrested and depriued of all honours riches Sir 〈◊〉 More elected I. Chauncelor Only worthy of the place in Cardinal Wolseys indgement 4. The honourable ceremony with whiche he was 〈◊〉 The Duke of Norfolks oratiō on behalf of Sir Tho. More Of his worthinesse for so great a place The first lay man that euer was mad Lord Chauncellour Good reasons why that ould custom was altered Sir Tho. Moros modest and discreet reply He acknowledgeth his owne vnworthinesse The Dukes loue And the kings fauour and bounty Which he esteems beyond his deserts Al which encrease in him a full purpose to discharge will so great a charge And desireth fauorable interpretation of his endeuours A wise ponderation of his predecessour Cardinals example The danger of highe honours A warning to vse them well Commō ioy of S. Thomas his promotion 〈◊〉 The behaueour of S. Thomas in the dignity of L. Chancellour Towards his father the aunclentest iudge of the realme Towards all 〈◊〉 especially the poorer sort No accesse to bribery Means how great men may do fauours in iustice Notable integrity Euen against his owne kinred Long delayes in law the misery of poor clients remedied by Sir Thomas A pleasaūt tale of a table 6. King Hēry desire Sir Thomas to allow his diuorce Sir Thomas noble and discreet refusall Accepted for the time by the king 1. The death of Sir Iohn More Sir Thomas neuer enioyed his fathers iohericance Rare pouerty in a L. high Chancellour Yet could it not stop Q Annes malice against him 2. 〈◊〉 table 〈◊〉 in cause of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A liberal reward 〈◊〉 him nobly by the Bishops of Enggland As nobly and 〈◊〉 mously refused by him only for Gods sake The heretiks calumny against him True glorie to be hated by heretakes Perfect patience always ioined with true perfectiō 〈◊〉 Cheerfull mirth An vnmānerly reprehēsiō mannerly returnd on the reprehender A bold debtour 〈◊〉 told his owne A mery arbitrement between his Lady a beggar A pleasaunt cēsure of a witlesse writing A mery mistaking 4. His earnest deuotiō in the seruice of God He vsed to sing in his sur plice in his parishe churche To cary the crosse in procession on foote 〈◊〉 communicated before any importāt businesse 5. patience in temporall lesser An excellent resignatiō to the prousdence of God More care to 〈◊〉 his neighbours losses then his owne Godly care of his poor seruants God rewardeth true resignation euen In this world Vanity of iudgement of wordthing 6. S. Thomas resigned vp his office of I. 〈◊〉 The neerer his end the more replenished with the loue of God A notablo record that no cause was left vndecyded in the Chācery A parlement called for Q Annes marriage Sir Tho. More sues to depose his office The king graciously accepteth his desire How merely he 〈◊〉 the matter to his wife A pleasaūt ieast to diuers her from sorow 7. 〈◊〉 dispositiō of his 〈◊〉 after his resignement Of his seruants all well recommended Of his children liuing with him An in cōparable resolutiō after so great an honour to 〈◊〉 cheerfully
More 10. Sir Tho. made chauncellour of the Duchy of Lancaster I. SIR THOMAS MORE hauing determined by the aduise and direction of his ghostlie father to be a married man there was at that time a pleasant conceipted gentleman of an ancient familie in Essex one Mr. Iohn Colte of Nevvhall from whome Sr. Henry Colt that now liueth is lineally descended that inuited him to his house being much delighted in his companie and proffered vnto him the choyce of anie of his daughters who were yong gentlewomen of verie good carriadge and complexions and very religiously inclined whose honest and swecte conuersation whose vertuous education enflamed Sir THOMAS not a little and although his affection most serued him to the second for that he thought her the fayrest and best fauou red yet when he thought with himselfe that this would be a griefe and some blemish in the eldest to see her yonger sister preferred before her he of a kinde of compassion settled his fancie vpon the eldest and soone after married her with all her friends good liking Now when he began to be clogged with wife and familie children also began to growe fast vpō him for his wife whose name was laneColt as long as she liued with him which was but some six yeares brought vnto him almost euerie yeare a childe for whose maintenance he applyed himself busily to the practise of the law and because he would haue his wife neare vnto his father he placed her in Bucklers-bury By her he had one sonne called Iohn More my owne grandfather who was his youngest childe and three daughters his eldest daughter Margarett a woman of singular witt and wisedome rare 〈◊〉 and extraordinarie learning was wife vnto William Rooper of Eltham in the Countie of Kent Esquier whose grandchilde now liuing is Sir William Rooper his second daughter called Elizabeth was afterward matched with Sir Iohn Dancy's sonne and heyre the third called 〈◊〉 was married to Mr. Giles Heron of shakclvvell in the Countie of Middlesex esquier his sonne my grandfather married Anne Cresacre sole daughter and heyre of E'dvvard Cresacre deceased of Baronborough in the Countie of Yorke esquier whome Sir THOMAS bought of the King being his warde vpon errour for another bodie 's land lying in the same towne as was afterware proued 2. My great grandmother hauing brought forth these foure children dyed soone after and within two or three yeares he married a widdow called Mris Alce Middleton by whome he had no children this he did not of anie concupiscence for he would often affirme that Chastitie is more hardly kept in wedlock then in a single life but because she might haue care of his children that were verie yong from whome of necessitie he must be verie often absent she was of good yeares of no good fauour nor complexion nor very rich by disposition verie neare and worldlie I haue heard it reported he woed her for a friend of his not once thinking to haue her himselfe but she wisely answering him that he might speede if he would speake in his owne behalfe telling his friend what she had sayd vnto him with his good liking he married her and did that which otherwise he would perhaps neuer haue thought to haue donne And indeede her fauour as I thinke could not haue bewitched or scarce euer moued anie man to loue her but yet she proued a kinde and carefull mother-in-law to his children as he was alwaies a most louing father vnto them and not only to his owne but to her daughter also who was married to M. r Alington and mother to Sir Giles Alington He brought vp togeather with this owne children as one of them Margarett Gigs after wife to Doctour Clement a famous phisitian and she proued also very famous for her manie excellent partes as learning vertue and wisedome All these he bred most carefully to learning and godlie exercises often exhorting them to take vertue for their meate and play for their sawce getting them good meanes to maintaine them by his practise in the law which he had first studied in an Inne of Chancerie called New-Inne where he profited exceedingly and from thence went to Lincolnes-Inne of which house his father then was where he allotted him small allowance for the reasons before alleaged and as it seemed then his great patron the good Cardinal was dead 3. But he plyed that studie whereto he gaue himself being apt to anie that in short time he was made and accounted a worrhie Outer-barister yea still proceeding with most notable fame he became a double reader to which few but rare and singular lawyers doe euer attaine Euerie one beganne to admire him both for a man of iudgement vprightnesse and other excellent partes a readie deliuerie boldenesse in a iust cause and diligence in his Clients case and no great taker of money vnlesse he had througly deserued For which causes euerie man striued to haue him of their Counsell in all suits The Cittie of London chose him within a while Iudge of the Shrief's Court some say Recorder of London which I thinke not yea there was not at that time anie matter of importance in anie of the King's Courts of this realme but he was of counsell to one of the parties still choosing the iustest side and therefore for the most parte he went away victorious By all which meanes he gott yearely as he tolde his sonne Rooper without anie grudge of conscience to the value of foure hundred pounds which was a large gaynes in those daies when lawyers spedde not so well as now they doe neither were they then so plentiefull but his fame exceeded all other Wherefore he was chosen twice Agent for the Stillyard-marchents which busines he dispatched with singuler dexteritie 4. King Henrie the Seauenth then raigning was a prince of singuler vertues as wisedome and religion if that couetousnesse the roote of all mischiefe had not seized vpon him towards his latter daies which caused him to lay vpon his subiects manie Impositions and to raise sore exactions by two Caterpillers of the Common-wealth Emson and Dudley who in the beginning of Henrie the Eighth's raigne were rewarded according to their deserts for their wicked counsell to teache other men by their deathes how Iniustice and rapine is punished by God This King I say had called to geather a Parlement wherein he demaunded one Subsidie and three Fifteenes for the marriage of his eldest daughter the Ladie Margaret's Grace who then should be as she was in deede shortly after bestowed vpon the King of Scotts It chanced that Sir THOMAS was then one of the Burgesses For manie had now taken notice of his great sufficiencie When the consent of the Lower house was demaunded to these impositions most of the rest either holding their peace or not daring to gainesay them though they were vnwilling to grant them Sir THOMAS making a
as Doctour Stapleton was moued to take paines in setting forth the actions of S. THOMAS MORE because he was borne in the verie same moneth and yeare wherein he suffered his glorious martyrdome so was I borne anew and regenerated by the holie Sacrament of Baptisme on the verie same day though manie yeares after on which Sr. THOMAS MORE entred heauen triumphant to witt on the sixt day of luly And therefore haue I had some speciall confidence of his particular furtherance and blessing For how I pray you could I euer haue hoped to haue liued as hevre of Sr. THOMAS his familie and to enioye at this time some parte of his inheritance all which by his attaynder he had lost vtterly from himself and his children if his praiers had not as it were begged it at Gods hands besides I was the yongest of thirteene children of my father the last meanest of fiue sonnes foure of which liued to mens estate and yet it hath bene Gods holie pleasure to bestowe this in heritance vpon me which though perhaps I haue no cause to boaste of because it may be a punishment vnto me for my faultes if I vse it not well and a burden which may weighe me downe full deepe yet will the world coniecture it to be a great blessing of God and so I ought to acknowledge it And although I knowe myself the vnsittest and vnworthiest of all the foure to manage this estate yet they either loathed the world before the world fawned on thē liuing in voluntarie contempt thereof and dyed happie soules in that they chose to be accounted abiect in the sight of mē or else they vtterly cast of all care of earthlie trash by professing a strayte and religious life for feare least the dangerous perills of worldlie wealth might gaule their soules and the number of snares which hang in euerie corner of this world might entrappe thē to the endangering of their eternall saluation and left me poore soule to sinke or swime or as I can wade out of these dangerous whirle pooles amongsts which we wordlings are ingulphed the multitude of which eminent perils doe force me to cry first and chiefly to CHRIST IESVS saying with his Apostles Lord saue me for I am in danger of drowning and then also to craue the especiall assistance of Sr. THOMAS MORE his prayers by whose intercession I hope to wafte this my poore barke vnto her assured hauen of heauen though shaken and crushed with winde and weather 4. But none of vs must thinke that his assistance is all we must putt our owne helping hands thereto Nāgenus proauos quae non fecimus ipsi Vix ea nostra voco his meritts are not our warrant yea rather his exāples haue layde a greater loade on the backes of his posteritie in that we are bound to imitate his actions more then anie other or else more harme will fall vpon vs because we haue not followed the foote stepps of our worthie Forefather according as Moyses commaunded the Isiaëlites saying in his Canticle Interroga patrem tuum annunci ibit tibi ma orestuos dicent tibi which the Apostle also counselleth Christians in these wordes Quorum videntes conuersationem imitamini fidem But should I therefore wish I had not bene his Grandchilde because I haue incurred a greater bond and shall runne into greater infamie by forsaking my dutie noe God forbidde yea rather this will I boldely affirme not vpon vaine glorie but vpon the confidence I haue of this singular man's blessing if God would haue giuen me choice before he created me of nothing wether I would be the sonne of some famous Emperour magnificent King noble Duke couragious Lord or his whose I was I would most willingly haue chosen to be the same I am to Gods eternall glorie be it spoken 5. Wherefore relying vpon the assistance of this most excellent Saint I will endeauour briefly to sett downe for mine owne instructiō and my Childrens the life death of Sr. THOMAS MORE who was as a bright starre of our Countrie in the tempestuous stormes of persecution in which we sayle to our heauenlie Cittie on whome God heaped a number of most singular endewments as a bound 〈◊〉 of witt profound wisedome happie discretion perfect Iustice exceeding Temperance sweete affabilitie and all excellencies of nature and moralitie besides supernaturall and Theologicall guifts as Charitie in a high degree both towards God and his neighbour a Fayth most cōstant which would not be daunted with anie threates or disgraces that his Prince or Counsellours could thunder out against him nay not with death it selfe a magnanimitie not to be ouercome either by feare of anie losses or hope of anie dignities religion and such deuotion as scarcely could be looked for in anie of a lay profession which perfections beganne to shine in his infancie and continued in the progresse of his actions and did not ende but increased by his most glorious death which was an enterance into a most happie kingdome wherein he both can and will haue compassion and helpe vs in these our miseries because he was raysed by God to be one of the first famous warriours in this our long persecution Wherefore he may worthily be sett before our eyes as a perfect patterne and liuelie example to be imitated by vs for he had more to loose then most men in the land being second to none but to the Chiefest either in worldlie dignitie or his Prince's fauour and yet did he willingly forgoe all yea life it selfe rather then to wrong his Conscience in consenting to anie thing against the law of God and lustice as by this ensuing discourse will particularly appeare THE FIRST CHAPTER SIR THOMAS MORES parentage birth education studies and first employments of youth 1. Sir Tho. Mores parents and their noble descent 2. The place day and yeare of Sir Th. Morbirth 3. Sir T. M. his first studies 4. Sir T. M. his first workes or writings 5. His mortifications and penances 6. His deuotions and prayers 7. His diet and apparel 8. His pleasaunt and discreet dissimulation of his virtues I. SIR THOMAS MORE was the on lie sonne of Sir Iobn More knight one of the Iustices of the kings Bench a singular man for manie rare perfections which his sonne setteth downe in his owne Epitaph extant amongst his Latine Workes tearming his father a man Ciuile that is to say Courteous and affable to all men sweete and pleasant in Conuersation that is full of merrie conceipts and wittie ieastes innocent and harmelesse to witt neither desirous of reuēge nor maligning anie for his owne priuate game meeke and gentle that is to say of an humble carriage in his office and dignitie merciefull and pittiefull that is bountiefull to the poore and full of cōpassion towards all distressed persons iust and vncorrupted which are the aptest titles and epithites that can be giuen to a Iudge as if he
vvhome euerie one is vvilling to suffer to touche their vvoundes and in vvhome vvhat confidence euerie one hath and hovv readie euerie one is to doe vvhat you prescribe both you haue heretofore sufficiently iryed and novv the desire that euerie bodie hath of your speedie returne may manifest the same Returne therefore my deere Colett either for Stepney's sake vvhich mourneth for your absence no lesse then children doe for the absence of their louing mother crelse for London's sake in respect it is your natiue countrie vvhereof you can haue no lesse regarde then of your ovvne parents and finally although this be the least motiue returne for my sake vvho haue vvholy dedicated myself to your directions and do most earnestly long to see you In the meane while I passe my time vvith Grocine Linacre and Lillie the first being as you knovve the directour of my life in your absence the second the maister of my studies the third my most deare Companion Farevvell and see you loue me as you haue donne hitherto London 21. Octob. By this letter it may clearely be seene how he gaue himselfe from his youth to the true rules of deuotion and thereby sought to profitt as well in holinesse as in learning For if Christ hath pronounced them happie that hunger and thirst after iustice surely he shewed in this letter a great earnestnesse of desire to attaine to perfection And his example may moue all his to follow therein his footestepps that their chiefe and principall endeauour in their youth be to seeke out a skillfull phisitian of the soule who both can and will guide vs in the path of Catholike doctrine and dutie and when we haue found such a one to follow his counsell precisely and make the secretts of our harts knowen to him This dutiefulnesse of the ghostlie childe to so rare a father made Colett also admire this yong man's towardlienesse so that this Doctour would professe to manie and at sundrie times say that there was but one witt in England and that was yong THOMAS MORE althoug manie flourishing youthes at that time liued in England which were of hopefull expectation And no doubt but God did further him with particular grace and towardlinesse because he was so extraordinarily deuout so that I doe imagine it may be sayd of Sir THOMAS MORE which S. Thomas of Aquine wittnesseth of himselfe that he learned more by praier and spirituail exercises then euer he could doe by anie studie For to what studie soeuer Sir THOMAS applyed himselfe he grew in short time most famous therein And first how great a Poet he was accounted euen in his youth we haue already partly spoken of then what Declamations he made full of all Rhetoricall eloquence to the amazement of all his auditorie manie haue wittnessed who heard them and haue read them how pure a Latine stile he attayned vnto his singular epistles yet extant to diuerse personages doe euidently shewe so that one would imagine he had spent all his life time in Humanitie only And although his aptnesse for eloquence seemed farre to disagree from the serious studies of the Common Law of this land so that few could suppose such a witt would haue had the patience to haue taken a lawbooke in hand yet such was his obedience to his father that at his cōmaund he studied the Law diligently 7. He vsed to eate at his meales but of one dish which was most commonly powdered biefe or some such like salte meate although his table was alwaies furnished with much varietie and what meate he first tasted on the same would he for that time make his whole refection of In his youth he abstained wholy from wine and in his latter yeares he would taste thereof but first it must be well alayed with water as Erasmus to Huttenus wittnesseth He had noe care what apparrell he wore in so much that being once tolde by his secretarie Mr. Harris that his shoes were all torne he bad him tell his man that looked vnto him thereof to buy him new whome for this cause he called his Tutour for he bought and made all his apparrell at his owne discretion Sir THOMAS neuer busying his head about such matters choosing rather to be in all things at the discretion of other men then at his owne guiding that he might in all his actions exercise the chiefe vertues of a Christian man obedience and humilitie Yea although he were most wise and dexterous in discerning truth from falshood and vertue from cloaked vice yet would he for the most parte in his greatest affaires and studies aske his man Harris his aduise and counsell and if he thought the contrarie better he would willingly submitt himselfe to his opinion And indeede Harris was a man of good vnderstanding and iudgement and a very trustie seruant 8. These were the foundations on which he layde his future building which by how much the more it was to be raysed to splendour and beautie by so much he layd his ground worke of humilitie the lower and whatsoeuer hardnesse he vsed secretely still kept he in out ward semblance a singular alacritie being merry in companie and full of ieastes especially eschewing the vice of singularitie yea he was verie cunning in dissembling his vertues so that few came to knowe what holie exercises he practised euen as in his writings he often fay ned matters cunningly to haue heard them of others which he himself had inuented as in his preface to his Utopia he artificially discourseth as though Raphael Hithlodius had tolde that whole storie vnto him commento periucundo as Paulus Iouius doth testifye So he fayned as though an Englishman called Rosse had pleasantly confuted Lutheres booke as he discoursed with his hoste in Italie who afterward published all their communication in printe by which meanes Luther could neuer learne who he was that answered him after his owne furious fashion which angred him sore lastly his three bookes of Comfort in tribulation a worke most excellent and diuine he inuented to haue bene spoken by two Hungarian kinfmen about the Turkes perfecution but thereby he most liuely represented the terrible stormes of crueltie which king Henrie the eight and heresie would raise in our poore distressed Countrie THE SECOND CHAPTER SIR THOMAS MORES his mariage first preferment and serious vvritings with his danger in time of K. Henry 7. and entry into fauour vvith King Henry 8. 1. S. Thomas Mores first mariage and wife 2. His second mariage vvith a vvidowe 3. His integrity in profession of the lavve 4. He offendeth K. Henry 7. by crossing in parlament an iniust imposition 5. The beginning of his fauour vvith King Henry the eight 6. His studious employments amidst his serious offaires 7. The first honours bestovved by K. Henry 8. vpon S. Thomas 8. He is by the K. made speaker of the lovver hovvse of parlament 9. Cardinal VVolseys proposition in parlament frustrated by S. Thom.
recollect himselfe and shake of the dust of earthlie businesses which otherwise would easily defile his soule he built for himselfe a Chappell a librarie and a gallerie called the New buildings a good distance from his mayne house wherein as his custome was vpon other daies to busie himself in prayer and meditation whensoeuer he was at leasure so vsually he would continue there on the Frydaies in memorie of Christ's bitter passion from morning vntill night spending the whole day in deuotion so that he became an excellent man in the Contemplatiue life of all which lett vs heare what Erasmus writeth MORE hath built neare London vpon the Thames side to witt at Chelsey that which my lo of Lincolne bought of Sir Robert Cecile a commodious house neither meane nor subiect to enuie yet magnificent enough there he conuerseth affably vvith his familie his vvife his sonne and daughter in lavve his three daughters and their husbands vvith eleauen grandchildren there is not anie man liuing so louing to his children as he and he loueth his olde vvife as vvell as if she vvere a yong mayde and such is the excellencie of his temper that vvhatsoeuer happeneth that could not be helped he loueth it as though nothing could happen more happily You vvould say there vvere in that place Plato's Academie but I do the house iniury in comparing it to Plato's academie vvherein there vvas only disputations of numbers and Geometricall figures and sometimes of morall vertues I should rather call his hovvse a schoole or vniuersitie of Christian religion for there is none therein but readeth or studieth the liberall Sciences their speciall care is pietie and vertue there is no quarrelling or intemperate vvordes heard none seene idle vvhich housholde discipline that vvorthie Gentleman doth not gouerne by proude and loftie vvordes but vvith all kinde and courteous beneuolence euerie bodie perfourmeth his dutie yet is there alwaies alacritie neither is sober mirth anie thing vvanting And againe he writeth thus His first vvife vvhich vvas but yong he caused to be instructed in learning and to be taught all kinde of musike she dying after she had brought forth foure children he married 〈◊〉 aforesayd a vvidovve not for lust but to be a gouernesse to his yong familie vvho although she vvere inclining to olde age and of a nature somevvhat harsh and besides very vvorldlie yet he persvvaded her to play vpon the lute violl and some other instruments euerie day perfourming thereon her taske and so vvith the like gentlenesse he ordered his vvhole familie He suffered none of his seruants either to be idle or to giue themselues to anie games but some of them he allotted to looke to the gardin assigning to euerie one his sundrieplott some againe he sett to sing some to play on the organs he suffered none to giue 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 Adte Domine leuaui Deus misere atur 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 thit her 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 sorteanimate 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
euidently shewed in that Edvvard Thomas Bartholomevv my father's bretheren being borne after Sir THOMAS my great Grandfather's death and hauing not this blessing so directly as my father and my vncle Augustine had they haue both degenerated from that religion and those manners which Sir THOMAS MORE had left as it were a happie depositum vnto this Children and familie For although mine vncle Bartholomevv dyed yong of the plague in London and therefore might haue by the grace of God excuse and remorse at his ende yet Thomas the yonger's courses were farre different from all the rest for he liued and dyed a professed minister and for all that very poore bringing vp his children whereof his eldest sonne is yet liuing in no commendable profession as for mine vncle Edvvard who is yet aliue although he were endowed with excellēt guifts of nature as a readie witt toung at will and his penneglibbe yet God knowes he hath drowned all his Talents in selfe conceipt in no worthie qualities and besides is buried aliue in obscuritie for his forsaking God for his base behauiour My father only right hevre of his father and Grandfather though he not long enioyed anie of their Lands was a liuelie patterne vnto vs of his constant fayth his worthie and vpright dealings his true Catholike simplicitie of whome I haue a purpose to discourse vnto my children more at large that they may knowe in what hard times he liued and how manfully he sustayned the combatt which his father and Grandfather had left vnto him as their best inheritance For all their land was takē away by two Acts of Parlement immediately after Sir THOMAS'S death the one Acte was to to take away the lande which the king had giuē him and this was somewhat tolerable the other most violent tyrannicall to frustrate vtterly a most prouidēt Conueyance which Sir THOMAS had made of all his lands and inheritance which he had settled vpon my father being a childe of two yeares olde or more without anie fraude or coum euen when as yet no Statute had bene made about the Oath of Supremacie and therefore before Sir THOMAS could committ such a faulte against such a Statute much lesse Treason hauing reserued to himself only an estate for tearme of his life yet all this was taken away contrarie to all order of lawe and ioyned to the Crowne but that land which he had conueyed to my vncle Rooper and mine aunte for tearme of their liues in recompence of their marriage monie that they kept still because that was donne two daies before the first Conueyance The ladie More also his wife was turned out of her house at Chelsey immediately and all her goods taken from her the king allotting her of his mercie a pension of twentie pounds by the yeare a poore allowāce to maintaine a Lo Chancellour's Ladie My grādfather was committed also to the Tower and for denying the same Oath was condēned yet becanse they had sufficiently fleeced him before and could now gett no more by his death he gott at last his pardon and libertie but liued not manie yeares after leauing my father to the education of his mother called before her marriage Anne Cresacre the last of her familie by whose match he enioyed after a competent liuing to keepe him out of needie life Mine aunte Rooper because she was a woman was not so hardly dealt withall but only threatened very sore both because she kept her father's head for a relike and that she meant to sett her father's workes in printe yet for all that after a short imprisonment she was at last sent home to her husband Thus all his friends felt in parte the king's heauie anger for his vndaunted courage 8. Sir THOMAS was of a meane stature well proportioned his complexion tending to phlegmatike his coulour white and pale his hayre neither black nor yellow but betweene both his eies gray his countenance amiable chearefull his voyce neither bigg nor shrill but speaking plainely and distinctly it was not very tunable though he delighted much in musike his bodie reasonable healthfull only that towards his latter ende by vsing much writing he complained much of the ache of his breast In his youth he drunke much water wine he only tasted of when he pledged others he loued salte meates especially powdered beefe milke cheese eggs and fruite and vsually he eate of corse browne bread which it may be he rather vsed to punish his taste then for anie loue he had thereto for he was singular wise to deceaue the world with mortifications only contēting himselfe with the knowledge which God had of his actions pater eius qui erat in abscondito reddidit ei THE TWELFTH CHAPTER THE IVDGEMENT vvhich all nations made of the death of Sir THOMAS MORE 1. Cardinall Pooles lamentation vpon his death 2. Erasmus of Roterdam in Holland 3. Doctour Iohn Cochlaeus of Germanie 4. Paulus Iouius Bishop in Italy 5. William Paradin a learned historian of France 6. Iohn Riuius a learned Protestant 7. Charles the fift Emperour K. of Spanie 8. Circunstances vvorthe ponderacion in his death 9. An apology for his mery apophthegmes and pleasaunt conceipts 10. The first lay man martyred for defence of 〈◊〉 iurisdiction 1. NOw lett vs see what most of the learned men of Christendome not only Catholikes but euen Protestants thought and wrote of king Hērie for Sir THOMAS MORE' 's death who were not likelie being free from all partialitie but to speake their mindes sincerely not fearing him as his subiects nor hating him for anie priuate respects First Cardinall Pole then liuing in the Courte of Rome and writing to the king in the defence of Ecclesiasticall vnitie sayth thus by the figure of Apostraphe of the complaints of other men Thy father Oh England thy ornament thy defence was brought to his death being innocent in thy sight by birth thy childe by condition thy Cittizen but thy father for the manie benefits donne vnto thee for he shewed more euident signes of his fatherlie loue towards thee then euer anie louing father hath expressed to his onlie and truly beloued childe yet in nothing hath he more declared his fatherlie affection then by his ende for that he left his life for thy sake especially least he should ouerthrowe and betray thy saluation Wherefore that which we reade in the ancient stories of Greece as touching Socrates whome the Athenians condemned most vniustly to take poyson so thou hast now seene thy Socrates beheaded before thine eies a while after his death when in a playe there was recited out of a Tragedie these wordes You haue slayne you haue slayne the best man of all Greece Vpon these their words euerie man so lamented the death of Socrates calling to minde that iniustice although the Poet himselfe dreamed least of him that the whole theater was filled with nothing else but teares and howling for which cause the