vvitty conuersatioÌ„ 1. S. Thom. Moor his mariage and first vvife Chosen out of a charitable compassion against his ovvne affection His children by her Iohn More Margaret Roper Elizabeth DaÌ„cy Cecily Heron. Anne Cresacre vvife to M. Iohn More 2. His secoÌ„d mariage vvith a vvidovv Not very faire but kind stepmother M. Alington his step-daughter Margaret Clement Carefull gouernment his famyly 3. His knovvledge and rare integrity in profession of the lavv He is made Iudge of the sherif of Londons court His pleÌ„tyfull but honest gaines 4. K. Henry the 7. offended with S. Tho. For crossing him in parlement in an vnjust imposition Sir Iohn More the father imprisond to be reuenged vpon the soÌ„ne Bad couÌ„cel giuen by a politik bishop Auoided by councel of the religious bishops chaplain He retires to his quieter studies Empson and Dudley put to death for vvicked couÌ„sel The happines of a good conscieÌ„ce 5. The beginning of S. Th. Mores fauour vvith K. Henry 8. Warily at the first declined by S. Th. He is employed by the K. on an embassage into FraÌ„ce To Flanders and BurguÌ„dy 6. His more serious vvritings His Vtopia greatly esteemed by all learned men By Budaeus By I. Paludanus By P. Aegidius By Buslidius By Paulus Iouius His story of K. Richard the 3. He vvas vvonderfully studious amidst his serious affaires The office of a discreet housholder His lectures publik vpoÌ„ S. Austin de ciuit Dei 7. By pleading for the Pope against the K. he makes him of his priuy Councel K. HeÌ„rie 8. learning and courtesy A gracious King for his first tvveÌ„ty yeares S. Thom. More knighted and made Threasurer of the exchequer The familiarity of K. HeÌ„ry with S. Thom. More Discreetly lessened by S. Th. himself He is seÌ„t by the K. to appease the prentises of London 8. He is by the King chosen speaker of the lovver house of Parlament A suÌ„mary of his first speetch in ParlameÌ„t 9. Cardinal Wolseys entry into parlament And a motioÌ„ to the lovver house Frustrated by S. Tho. Mores vvisdome Who pleasantly and vvittily diuerteth the Cardinals displeasure And obtaineth against him not to be sent Leger embassadour into Spaine 10. He is made ChauÌ„cellour of the Dutchy of Lancaster S. Thom. Mores iudgemeÌ„t of K. HeÌ„râ—es extraordinary fauour Queen Catherins iudgement of S. Th. Mores loyalty Cardinal VVolseys vaniglory Flattered by most men But nothing at all by S. Th. More 1. His courteous behaueour in midst of honour His meeknes in repreheÌ„ding 2. His readines of vvitt in all occasions 3. His frindship and estimatioÌ„ vvith the learned of all Christendom Cuthbert Tunstall Bishop of Durrham Tunstall a glorious confessour in Q. Elizabeths dayes Frindship of S. Th. More vvith B. Fisher. With Cardinal Poole in his yonger dayes VVith D. Lea Archebishop of yorke VVith Lapsetus Grocinus Linacre Montjoy G. Latimer I. Crocus 4. With learned meÌ„ of other nations as I. Coclaeus G. Badaeus M. Dorpius Lascarus Philip Beroaldus Hierom Buslidius Peter Aegidius B. Rhenanus Cranuild Viues C. Goclenius Sir Tho. Mores frindship to D. Erasmus Roderodamus ForsakeÌ„ vvhen he perceaued Erasmus hate in ReligioÌ„ Erasmus liued alvvayes a Catholique Priest S.T. Mores constancy in frindship His pleasaunt coÌ„uersation proceeding froÌ„ a quiet conscieÌ„se A vvitty and mery repreheÌ„sion His candour and innocence 1. S.T. Mores home-entertainments deuotioÌ„s The excellent order of his family His vviues employmeÌ„t His seruants discipline Euening prayers Vigils His deuotioÌ„ on good fryday His tabletalke 2. His behaueour tovvard his vvife and children and counsels giueÌ„ theÌ„ To desire heaueÌ„ly matters To beare afflictioÌ„s patieÌ„tly So vvithstand teÌ„ptations of the diuel Against too much curiosity in dressing A happy houshold Their ordinary recreations 3. S.T. More studiously vvrate against heresies in midst of of his affaires The praise of his Dialogue His ansvver to the Supplication of beggars The Supplication of soules of Purgatory The vvofull 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 losses hurt not The folly of old misers Madnes of couetous meÌ„ Fruicts of tribulation Hovv fonde it is to loue this vvorld Against Confessours that flatter their ghostly ChildreÌ„ AfflictioÌ„ more profitable then pleasure Against differring of ameÌ„dment Visions and illusions Pusillanimity a daungerous teÌ„ptation Danger of prosperity Of riches and honours All riches of this vvorld 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 recoÌ„penser Heresy impudeÌ„ Prayer Detraction Ingratitude Faith the mistresse of reason No truth among heretikes Better preuent then redresse Hereticall traÌ„slations Auoid heresy Fasting Desire of heauen Monasticall life Faith and good vvorkes Bad life no miracle School-diuinity Heretikes Impugning of heresie Heretiks falsplay Their contumelies His hatred against heresy in good earnest 5. His profound skill in diuinyty None handled Luther more kindly Sir Thomas More vvell studied in S. Thomas doctrin And other school-diuines His epistle against Pomeranus 1. Cardinal Wolsey his ambition Pope AdriaÌ„s humility Wolsey the author of K. H. 8. fall LonglaÌ„d B. of LoÌ„doÌ„ Wolseys instrumeÌ„t 2. K. Henry communicateth vvith S. T. More his scruple concerning his first marriage Sir Tho. Mores discreet ansvver to the kings scruple His most vpright conscieÌ„ce and constant zeal of the truth 3. He foresavv in spirit the fall of religion in England 4. The miraculous reductioÌ„ of his sonne Roper from heresy by his prayers The hot spirit of heresy The great piety and charity of his sayd soÌ„ne M. Roper 5. Another miraculous cure vvrought by prayer vpon his daughter Margaret 6. Sir Tho. Mores domestiqs schoole Modesty the ornament of vvemen Learning to be desired for vse not for praise In vvhat coÌ„sisteth deiectioÌ„ of spirit What ornameÌ„t Sir Tho. More required in his children A vvomaÌ„ may attaine to learning as vvell as a man The end to vvhich all learning must be directed He desireth it may by all meanes be beaten from his children 7. The delight Sir T.M. bad in his childreÌ„s learning They studied Astronomy He discourieth pleesauÌ„tly He willeth theÌ„ to write with care and premeditation His earnest care of his childreÌ„s good employmeÌ„t 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 piety of his daughter Margaret The esteeÌ„ that the B. of excester had of her learning Some of her writings Her traÌ„slation of Eusebius Her skill in Astronomy Why humanity is best studied in our yonger yeares 1. Charity of Sir Tho. More to his neighbours His three wishes for the good of Christedom Vnity in peace Vnity in
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 outward 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 fayned matters cunningly to haue heard them of others which he himself had inuented as in his preface to his Vtopia he artificially discourseth as though Raphaël 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 Luther's 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 kinsmen about the Turkes persecution 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 vvith 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. More 10. Sir Tho. made chauncellour of the Duchy of Lancaster 1. 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 Colie 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 sweete 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 fauoured 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 Iane Colt 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 pietie 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 Cicilie 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 Alice 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
THE LIFE AND DEATH OF Sr. THOMAS MOORE WHO WAS LORD CHANCELOR OF ENGLAND TO KING HENRY THE EIGHT Printed for N.Y. 1642 The Preface to the Reader 1. AS I cannot but daily thinke of the rare and admirable vertues both of nature and grace which did shine most perspicuously in the blessed life and glorious death of that worthie Champion of Christs Church Sr. THOMAS MORE so also haue I often had an earnest desire especially for the spirituall behoofe of my selfe and my Children who are as small brookes deriued by naturall propagation frō that spacious sea of rare perfections or like tender twigs drawing sappe from the fruitfull roote of his noble excellēcies to giue them a taste according to my poore abilitie of some few of his most heroical vertues professing my self vtterly vnable to sett downe his life in writing as he deserueth 2. For if that Apelles the principall paynter that euer liued was thought only fitt to drawe with his pencell the pourtraicture of Alexander the Great or if Lysippus the most curious engrauer was the onlie man which was suffered to carue in brasse the beauteous feature of the same so worthie a personage for feare least that some vnskillfull workeman might rather blemish his fauour then anie waies grace it what courage can I haue to vndertake a worke of so great difficultie as this who know myselfe a verie puney in comparison of so manie famous men that haue vndergone this businesse alreadie finding in the verie beginning of this mine enterprise my small capacitie ouerwhelmed with the plentie and copiousnesse of this subiect and yf I should boaste my witt and skill to be equall with learned Stapleton's who at large and with great diligence and dexteritie hath sett forth the life of this great seruant of God in his booke intituled The three Thomases I should vanish away in mine owne pride knowing my self right well most vnworthie to be compared vnto him or if I should challenge vnto my selfe more certaintie of the matter related then my great vncle Mr. William Rooper could haue euerie one might iudge me both vaine and arrogant of whose sinceritie none that euer knewe him or heard of him can doubte I being the third in descent from S. THOMAS and he his owe sonne-in law with whome he had familiarly conuersed y space of sixteene yeares togeather as he himself confesseth yet for all this I haue now at last ventured to discourse a little of the life and death of this glorious Martyr for so without enuie I hope I may call him non vt electus ex multis sed quasi relictus ex omnibus not as one that may be thought fitt to sett his life forth with good grace but as he who only vpon a naturall affection to his Ancestour trusting chiefly of Gods ayde and this Saint's holie praiers is emboldened to say somewhat thereof this being one propertie of affection to suppose that whosoeuer hath spoken or whatsoeuer hath bene sayd of him whome we loue all that we thinke nothing if we ourselues haue not sayd somewhat in his praise although alas we are often the vnfittest men for that purpose we being not able to vtter what we conceaue because our passion taketh away much of our conceipt and therefore we vtter for the most parte either broken words or vnperfect sentences more intelligible to him that searcheth the secretts of mens harts then to others that heare them spoken or reade them in our writings 3. But one may aske me why I should challenge more affection to this man then anie other of my kinne of whome few or none haue endeauoured to write any thing hitherto I answer that though I haue had more cause perhaps then anie man else to loue him and honour him which is best knowen to my selfe and not fitt to be related vnto all men secretum meum mihi yet will I not ascribe to my selfe so great a priuiledge of louing him best I being the yongest and meanest of all my familie lett this suffice him that is a curious searcher of this my deede that 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 Iuly 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 heyre 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 vnfittest 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
as great sorrovv and saddenesse For vvhat can be more grieuous vnto me then to be depriued of your most sweete cōuersatiō whose vvholesome counsell I vvas vvont to enioye vvith vvhose delight some familiaritie I vvas recreated by vvhose vveightie sermons I haue bene often stirred vp to deuotion by vvhose life and example I haue bene much amended in mine ovvne finally in vvhose very face and countenance I vvas vvont to rest contented VVherefore as I haue found myselfe greatly strengthened vvhilst I enioyed these helpes so novv doe I see myselfe much vveakened and brought almost to nothing being depriued of them so long For hauing heretofore by follovving your footestepps almost escaped out of hells mouth so novv like another Euridice though in a contrarie manner for she vvas left there because Orpheus looked back vpon her but I am in the like daunger because you doe not looke vpon me fall back againe by a certaine violence and necessitie into that obscure darkenesse I vvas in before For vvhat I pray you is there here in this Cittie vvhich doth moue anie man to liue vvell and doth not rather by a thousand deuises dravv him back and vvith as maine allurements svvallovv him vp in all manner of vvickednesse vvho of himself vvere othervvise vvell disposed and doth endeauour accordingly to clime vp the painefull hill of Vertue VVhithersoeuer that anie man cometh vvat can he finde but fayned loue and the honie poyson of venemous flatterie in one place he shall finde cruell hatred in another heare nothing but quarrells and suits VVhithersoeuer vve cast our eyes vvhat can vve see but victualing houses fishmongers butchers cookes puddingmakers fishers o fovvlers vvho minister matter to our bellies and sett forvvard the seruice of the vvorld and the prince thereof and deuill yea the houses themselues I knovve not hovv do bereaue vs of a great parte of our sight of heauen so as the heighth of our buildings and not the circle of our horizon doth limite our prospect For vvhich cause I may pardon you the more easily that you doe delight rather to remaine in the countrie vvhere you are For there you finde a companie of plaine soules voyde of all crafte vvherevvith cittizens most abounde vvhithersoeuer you looke the earth yeeldeth you a pleasant prospect the temperature of the ayre refresheth you and the cleare beholding of the heauens doth delight you you finde nothing there but bounteous guifts of nature and saintelie tokens of innocencie Yet I vvould not haue you so carried avvay vvith those contentments that you should be stayed from hastening hither For yf the discommodities of the Cittie doe as they may very vvell displease you yet may the countrie about your parish of Stepney vvhereof you ought also not to haue the least care afforde you the like delights to those vvhich that affordes you vvherein novv you keepe from vvhence you may vpon occasions come to London as into your Inne vvhere you may finde great matter of meritt The countrie people is most commonly harmelesse or at the least not loaden vvith great offences and therefore anie phisician may minister phisick vnto them but as for cittizens both because they are manie in number as also in regarde of their inueterate custome in sinning none can helpe them but he that is verie skillfull There come into the pullpett at Paules diuerse men that promise to cure the diseases of others but vvhen they haue all donne and made a fayre and goodlie discourse their life on the other side doth so iarre vvith their saying that they rather increase then assvvage the griefes of their hearers For they cannot persvvade men that they are fitt to cure others vvhen as themselues god vvote are most sicke and crazie and therefore vvhen they feele their sores touched and handled by those vvhome they see are full of loathsome sores themselues they cannot but haue a great auersion from them But if such a one be accounted by learned men most fitt to cure in vvhome the sicke man hath greatest hope vvho doubteth then but you alone are the fittest in all London to cure their maladies 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 tryed 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 or else 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 vvhile 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 beseene 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 spirituall 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
merrie ieastes and wittie sayings were able to fill a whole volume if they were all gathered togeather some of which Doctour Stapleton hath sett downe in two seuerall Chapters whereof I shall also mention some hereafter but the greatest number haue neuer bene sett downe in writing as daily faling from him in his familiar discourse All which shew plainely that he had a quiett conscience full of alacritie and a wittie conceipt able to please all men that resorted vnto him and who would not be glad of his companie who was by nature most affable in his Princes fauour verie high and stored with worldlie blessings as ample possessions wealth enough and pompe of the world euen at will He vsed when he was in the Cittie of London a Iustice of peace to goe to the Cessions at Newgate as other Iustices did amongst whome it happened that one of the ancient Iustices of peace was wont to chide the poore men that had their purses cutt for not keeping them more warily saying that their negligence was cause that there were so manie Cutt purses brought thither Which when Sir THOMAS had heard him often speake at one time especially the night after he sent for one of the chiefe Cutt purses that was in the prison and promised him that he would stand his good friend if he would cutt that Iustice's purse whilst he sate the next day on the Benche and presently make a signe thereof vnto him the fellow gladly promiseth him to doe it The next day therefore when they sate againe that thiefe was called amongst the first who being accused of his fact sayd that he would excuse himselfe sufficiently if he were but permitted in priuate to speake to some one of the Benche he was bidde therefore to choose one whome he would and he presently chose that graue olde man who then had his pouche at his gyrdle and whilst he roundeth him in the eare he cunningly cutts his purse and taking his leaue sollemnely goeth downe to his place Sir THOMAS knowing by a signe that it was dispatched taketh presently an occasion to moue all the Bench to distribute some almes vpon a poore needie fellowe that was there beginning himselfe to do it When the olde man came to open his purse he sees it cutt away and wondering sayd that he had it when he came to sitt there that morning Sir THOMAS replyed in a pleasant manner what will you charge anie of vs with fellonie He beginning to be angrie and ashamed of the matter Sir THOMAS calles the cutt purse and willes him to giue him his purse againe counselling the good man hereafter not to be so bitter a censurer of innocent mens negligence when as himself could not keep his purse safe in that open assemblie For these his wittie ieastes he may well be sayd to haue bene neither hatefull to the Nobilitie nor vnpleasing to the people Yf we reade his letters they shew greate eloquence a pure latine phrase and a religious minde for alwaies they expresse either humilitie in himselfe zeale of Gods honour loue to his neighbour compassion of the afflicted or a deare affection to his wife and children so that it may be sayd that he had pectus verè candidum a verie sincere hart and surely they breathe out matter either of wonderfull deuotion or admirable wisedome THE FOVRTHE CHAPTER THE PIOVS HOME-employmente of Sir THOMAS MORES and his godly councels giuen to his vvyfe and children 1. Sir Th. Mores home-entertainements and deuotions 2. His beehauiour towardes his wyfe and children and councels giuen them 3. Sir Th. More studiously vvrote agaynst beresyes in midst of his affayres 4. A vievv of many vvitts and pithy speeches of S.T. Mores 5. Sir Th. Mores profound skill in diuinytye 1. ALthough he liued a Courtier and a lay married man yet when he came home he would both in the morning and in the euening before he went to bedde say in his Chappell certaine praiers deuoutely vpon his knees with his wife children and familie and because he was desirous sometimes to be solitarie and would sequester himself from the world to 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 as is 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 sundrie plott some againe he sett to sing some to play on the organs he suffered none to giue
the Tower in the bellfrie or as some say as one entreth into the vestry neare vnto the bodie of the holie Martyr Bishopp Fisher who being putt to death iust a fortnight before had small respect donne vnto him all this while But that which happened about Sir THOMAS winding sheete was reported as a miracle by my aunte Rooper Mrs Clement Dorothie Colly Mr. Harrys his wife Thus it was his daughter Margarett hauing distributed all her monie to the poore for here father's soule whē she came to burie his bodie at the tower she had forgotten to bring a sheete and there was not a penny of monie left amongst them all wherefore Mris Harrys her mayde went to the next Drapers shoppe and agreing vpon the price made as though she would looke for some monie in her purse and then try whether they would trust her or no she found in her purse the same summe for which they agreed vpon not one penny ouer or vnder though she knew before certainly that she had not one Crosse about her This the same Dorothie affirmed constantly to Doctour Stapleton when they both liued at Doway in Flanders in Q. Elizabeth's raigne His shirt wherein he suffered all embrued with his bloud was kept very carefully by Doctour Clements wife liuing also beyond the seas as also his shirt of hayre His head hauing remayned some moneth vpon London-bridge being to be cast into the Thames because roome should be made for diuerse others who in plentiefull sorte suffered martyrdome for the same Supremacie shortly after it was bought by his daughter Margarett least as she stoutly affirmed before the Councell being called before them after for the same matter it should be foode for fishes which she buried where she thought fittest it was very well to be knowen as well by the liuelie fauour of him which was not all this while in anie thing almost diminished as also by reason of one tooth which he wanted whilst he liued herein it was to be admired that the hayres of his head being almost gray before his Martyrdome they seemed now as it were readish or yellow His glorious Martyrdome and his death strengthened manie to suffer couragiously for the same cause because he was an eminent mā both for dignitie learning and vertues so that Doctour Stapleton boldly affirmeth that he was wonderfully both admired and sought to be imitated by manie as he himself had heard when he came first to the yeares of vnderstanding and discretion And truly German Gardiner an excellent learned and holie lay man coming to suffer death for the same Supremacie some eight yeares after auouched at his ende before all the people that the holie simplicitie of the blessed Carthusians the wonderfull learning of the Bishopp of Rochester and the singular wisedome of Sir THOMAS MORE had stirred him vp to that courage but the rest seemed not so much to be imitated of lay men being all belonging to the Clergie as this famous man being clogd with wife and childrē Yea his death so wrought in the minde of Doctour Learcke his owne Parish-priest that he following the example of his owne sheepe afterwards suffered a most famous Martyrdome for the same cause of Supremacie 7. Thus haue we according to our poore Talent laboured to sett downe briefely the life and death of Sir THOMAS MORE my most famous great Grandfather whose prayers and intercessions I daily craue both for myselfe and all my little ones who are also parte of his charge because he gaue them his blessing in his most affectionate letter viz God blesse Thomas and Augustine all that they shall haue immediate or mediate those which they shall haue vsque ad mille generationes This hath bene our comfort that the tryall thereof hath bene 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 penne glibbe 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 heyre 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 couin 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 because 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