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
so low an estate Honourable pouerty of so great 〈◊〉 personage 8. How 〈◊〉 and confidently he deposed his office An excellent letter to 〈◊〉 shop 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 parpose Great offices 〈◊〉 vndertaken and as dangrous to be given ouer A 〈◊〉 valuar 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S 〈◊〉 Mores humble estimation of himself He sends his 〈◊〉 to the 〈◊〉 His innocence in his office Testified in priuat and publik by the King The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of As thaÌ„kfull to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for as for the office itself Another 〈◊〉 for his weak health ConteÌ„pt of all vaioglory 1. His 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 1 Hatred to heresie Yet in his 〈◊〉 no heretik pur to death 2. Continuall talk of spirituall matters 3. Desire to suffer for Christ 〈◊〉 A notable lesson for all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to M. r 〈◊〉 But not kept by the sayd M. CroÌ„well Bad Counsellours make bad Princes The reward of bad couÌ„sel exaÌ„plified in CroÌ„well Of good Counsellours in S. Tho. More 3. The 〈◊〉 of Q. Anne 〈◊〉 CraÌ„mers good qualities He concludes the mariage to be lawful The cause of EnglaÌ„ds separation froÌ„ Rome Sir Tho. Mores propheticall ghesse of the oath of supremacy 4. Sir Tho. M. refused to be at Q. Annes coronatioÌ„ His couÌ„sel and predictioÌ„ to the Bishops his good fâ—â—nds A notable story wonderfully and prophetically applied His purpose rather to be denoured then 〈◊〉 Q Annes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thomas And the kings displeasure Sir Thomas disposeth him self more immediatly to suffer death A ChristiaÌ„ 〈◊〉 5. The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 occasioÌ„ of calling into question for Q. Anne The holy Nunne of Kent Warned by reuelation to rebuke K. HeÌ„ry Conferreth her reuelations with B. Fisher Her talk with Sir Thomas More Waryly handled by him Accusations pronounced against Sir Thomas That he impugned the K. mariage Quarrels picked against his ChauÌ„cellourship A supposed bribe pleasantly consuced A contteous refusall of an honest reward Another of like nature Sir Tho. More a wise marchaÌ„t traffiking for heauen 7. Sir T. M. his first 〈◊〉 A parlament to attaint true 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 The Kings deputies 〈◊〉 examin Sir Tho. M. The 〈◊〉 saires words 〈◊〉 winne Sir Tho. Fairly answered with a mild and constant refusall The Deputies threats Sir T. M. accused for autour of the kings book for the Pope His constant reply and euident 〈◊〉 Wise 〈◊〉 wary counsel of Sir Tho. to the King The king acknowledgeth obligatioÌ„ of his crowne to Rome 8. His merry hart after his examination A fail giuen to the 〈◊〉 The Kings indignatioÌ„ against Sir Tho. Prndent and politikaduise in so bad a cause Proceeding against Sit Tho. M. disterred A braue answer to a frinds feare 1. The 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 Sir Tho. M. cited to takesit His preparation before his going His discreet behaue our in that cause He refuseth the sath for conscieÌ„co sake All the clergy but Bishop fisher and D. Wilson did take the oath Vnder what coÌ„ditioÌ„s Sir T. M of 〈◊〉 to set 〈◊〉 his reason of refusall Sir T. M offer proceede h not of uncertaly but because he was certain his reasons were unanswerable All Christendom of more autority then all england The oath of 〈◊〉 2. Sir 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prisonmeÌ„t First in Westminster Then by Q. Anne importunity in the Tower His vvillingnesse to leese all for Christ. The vpper garment the porters fee. His mans oath His wonderfull courage 3. His 〈◊〉 with his daughter 〈◊〉 PreueÌ„ted with prayers The coÌ„fort he found in his emprisonment Fiue reasons vsed by his daughter to make him 〈◊〉 1. Obedience to the King 2. Autority of wise meÌ„ 3 Only B. Fisher of his mind 4. Him self a lay man 5. against a pariament Sir T. M. answers All the saints of God acknowleged the Popessupremacy Why he 〈◊〉 touche i that point in his writings 〈◊〉 with which many deceaue their owne coÌ„sciences He knew not of B. Fishers mind The Doctours of the Church greater then Doctours of England And generall CouÌ„cels then a ParlameÌ„t His trust in Gods mercy against the fear of death A heaueÌ„ly resignation 4. Sir T. M. Prophecieth Q. Annes death His plesant answer to his 〈◊〉 honest excuse The 〈◊〉 constaÌ„cy andignorance of the oath makers His meditation vpon the martyrdom of 24. religious meÌ„ 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 obiectioÌ„ His heauenly answer Prison as neer heauen as our owne house Eternity to be preferred before temporallity An other visit 6. M. Rich his sophisticall case A poor ground for an inditement of treasoÌ„ 7. A remarkably accident at the taking away his bookes His mery ieast vpoÌ„ it 8. How great care he took not to offend the king The substance of his inditement 1. The arrangement of Sir Th. More His Iudges His 〈◊〉 The iudges chargos His Christian resolution 2. Sir Th. his 〈◊〉 to the 〈◊〉 1. How sincerly he had always told the K. his mind touching the 〈◊〉 The durance of his emprisonment and afflictioÌ„s 2. Why he refused to tell his iudgemeÌ„t of the law of supremacy Lay men not touched withthat law No law can punish fileÌ„ce that is without malice 〈◊〉 his silence were malicious ObedieÌ„ce 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 ed ged sword 3. M. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against Sir T 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Sir Tho. Mores oath to contrary By iust exceptioÌ„ against the witnesse vnworthy of credit Yf it had been true that had been no malice Malice in law The improbability of M. Rich his deposition M. Rich his witnesses do faile him 4. The Excepted against by Sir Thomas The act of parlament against Gods law No lay man can be head of the churche Against the lawes of the realme Against the kings owne oath Against the peculiar obligation of England to Rome Against all Christendom that euer 〈◊〉 5. The 〈◊〉 of S. Tho. More By yfs ands 〈◊〉 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 〈◊〉 no 〈◊〉 Sir Tho. Mores blessed charity to his Iudges The truth of this relation froÌ„ present witnesses of credit 1. The manner of Sir Thomas his 〈◊〉 to the 〈◊〉 His soÌ„ne asketh him blessing Great costancy courtesy and 〈◊〉 2. His childrens 〈◊〉 to him His daughter Matgarets laudable passion A ponderation vpon this mutuall passioÌ„ of Father daughter Cardinal Pooles estimatio of Sir Thomas his death 3. How deuoutly cheerfully he 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 A pleasaunt coÌ„ceipt vpoÌ„ a leight courtyer His last letters To Antony BoÌ„uise To his daughter Margaret His desito dy vpoÌ„ the octaue of S. Peter which was also S. Thom. of Canterburys commemoratioÌ„ An blessing to his heire God graÌ„ted him his desires to dy the day he wished His heir-shirt and discipline 4. Aduertisment giuë him of the day of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the K. Most welcome vnto him The K. willed him to vse but few words at his exequution His wise childreÌ„ permitted to be at his 〈◊〉 His com fortable courage He put on his best apparell that day Liberally to his executioÌ„ 5. The for me of his 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 Persons hired to disgrace him A good 〈◊〉 He freeth one from the teÌ„tation of despairo by his prayers His 〈◊〉 at his death His prayers 〈◊〉 couereth his eyes himself His happy 〈◊〉 6. The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of his 〈◊〉 The place of his buriall A notable accideÌ„t about his windnig sheet His 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His head His martyrdom encouraged many other to the like M. r Gardiner Euen his 〈◊〉 Parish priest 7. A 〈◊〉 vpon the blessing which he gaue to his 〈◊〉 children A praisa of M. Iohn More sonne heire to Sir Thomas The 〈◊〉 dealing of K. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sir Tho. Mores heires With the Lady his widow M. Iohn More coÌ„mitted to the tovver for denial of the oath The imprisonment of his daughter Margaret 8. The fauour and physiognomie of 〈◊〉 Tho. 〈◊〉 1. Cardinal Pooles lamentatioÌ„ vpon Sir Tho. Mores death 2. 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 3. Doctour Cochleus of Germany Iob 12. 4. Bishop Iouius of Italy 5. W Paradin a 〈◊〉 historiaÌ„ of France 6. Riuius a ProtestaÌ„t 7. Charles the Emperour 8. Circumstances notable in the death of Sir Tho. More From the kings part From Sir Thomas Mores part Nota. An apology for his mery 〈◊〉 A fit coÌ„parison between 〈◊〉 seuerity and Sir T. M. his pleasauÌ„t 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 〈◊〉 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 〈◊〉 nor report His 〈◊〉 almost incredible in so greate a man Sir Tho. M no partiall 〈◊〉 to the clergy Tindals false traÌ„slation of the scripture CoÌ„suted learnedly by Sir Th. M. The wilfulnes of heretikes Tindal falsifieth Sir T. M. words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 The notable disagreemeÌ„t of heretikes among theÌ„acute selues Hereticall scoffing Heretikes Hypoctisy Against the supplication of beggars Against Iohn Frith Sir Tho. Mores Apologie How heretikes recite the catholik argumeÌ„ts Touching the length of Sir Tho. Mores bookes Heretiks blaspheming the fathers would theÌ„selues be reuerently handled WheÌ„ heretikes railings are to be neglected Heretikes excellent railours The pacificatioÌ„ CoÌ„futed by Sir T. M. The debellation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Bizance How the Pacifier 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 CoÌ„munion Of the Passion The 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 of Comfort The said book a preparation against the persequutioÌ„ which he did forsee Written when 〈◊〉 had no book about him Written with 〈◊〉 Like Esaias his cole that purified his lippes
God He knovveth the deceauer and him that is deceaued he vvill bring counsellours to a foolish ende Iudges into amazement he vnlooseth the belte of kings guirdeth their loynes vvith a rope Thus writeth Cocleus 4. Paulus Iouius Bishop of Nuceria amōgst the praises of diuerse learned men writeth thus of Sir THOMAS MORE' 's vniust death Fortune sickle vnconstant after her accustomed manner and alwaies hating vertue if euer she played the parte of a proude and cruell dame she hath lately behaued herself most cruelly in Englād vnder Henrie the Eight casting downe before her Thomas More whome the king whilst he was an excellent admirer of vertue had raised to the highest places of honour in his realme that fom thence being by fatall maddenesse changed into a beast he might suddenly throwe him downe againe with great crueltie because he would not fauour the vnsatiable Iust of that furious tyrant and for that he would not flatter him in his wickednesse being a man most eminent for the accomplishment of all partes of Iustice and most Saintlie in all kinde of vertues For when the king would be diuorced frō his lawfull wife marrie a Queane and hasten to disinherite with shame his lawful daughter Marie MORE Lo Chancellour was forced to appeare at the Barre guiltie only for his pietie and innocencie and there was cōdemned most wrongfully to a most cruell and shamefull death like a Traytor and murtherer so that it was not lawfull for his friends to burie the dismembred quarters of his bodie But Henrie for this fact an imitatour of Phalaris shall neuer be able to bereaue him of perpetual fame by this his vnlawfull wickednesse but that the name of MORE shall remaine constāt and in honour by his famous Vtopia He speaketh of his death as his sentence did purporte 5. Now lett vs ioyne to these viz an Englishman a Low Countrie man a German and an Italian a French man also that we may see how all Nations did lamente Sir THOMAS MORE' 's death and what creditt the king and his Councell therevnto gott by it William Paradine writeth thus The troubles and ciuile dissensions in England now hath lasted a yeare or two whē in the moneth of Iuly Iohn Fisher Bishopp of Rochester was committed prisonner in London because he seemed to disallowe the king's diuorce the lawe newly made against the Pope's Supremacie Of that resolution was also Sir THOMAS MORE partaker being Sheriff of London a man famous for eloquence and in all manner of learning aboue the reache of all Courtiers most expert and skillfull most faultlesse in all deedes These two purposing rather to obey God then man and confirming their mindes with constancie were cōdemned to death from which constancie they could be drawen neither by entreaties hope of rewardes faire promises nor by anie threates whatsoeuer which corporall death both of thē receaued most patiently and stoutely Finally euerie writer of that age lamentably deplored the vniust death of Sir THOMAS MORE Rouerus Pontanus a German in his Index of memorable matters Laurence Surius a Low-Countrie-man vpon the yeare of 1538. Iohn Fonta yne a Frenchman in his French historie Onuphrius Patauinus in Paulo III. an Italian Nicolas Cardinall of Capua in his French letters Iohn Secundus of Hague yea Carion and Sleidan himselfe speake honourably of Sir THOMAS MORE' 's death 6. But of all Protestants Iohn Riuius speaketh most passiionately of K. Henrie's cruell fact and Sir THOMAS'S pietie in these wordes lib. 2. de Conscientia He that is in a Prince's Courte ought freely yf he be asked his Iudgement rather to tell his minde plainely what is most behoofefull for his Prince's good then to speake placentia tickeling his eares with flatterie neither ought he to praise things which are not prayse worthie nor to dispraise matters that are worthie of high commendations yea although he be in danger of getting no fauour by perswading it but rather punishment and disgrace for gainesaying men's appetites then bringing Papinianus that great lawyer for a liue lie example thereof who chose rather to dye then to iustifye the Fmperour Caraculla's killing of his owne brother against his owne conscience he addeth Such a man was lately in our memorie that singular and excellent for learning and pietie yea the onlie ornament and glorie of his Countrie THOMAS MORE who because he would not agree nor approue by his consent against his owne conscience the new marriage of the king of England who would needes be diuorced from his first wife and marrie another he was first cast into prison one that had singularly well deserued of the king himselfe and of England and when he constantly continued in his opinion which he truly thought to be most iust most lawfull and godlie emboldened to defende it by a sincere conscience he was putt to death by that wicked parricide that most hatefull and cruell tyrant a crueltie not heard of before in this our age Oh ingratitude and singular impietie of the king's who could endure first to consume and macerate with a tedious and loathsome imprisonment such a sincere and holie good man one that had bene so careful of his glorie so studious of his Countrie 's profitt he that had perswaded him alwaies to all lustice and honestie dissuaded him from all contraries and not conuinced of anie crime nor found in anie fault he slew him oh miserable wickednesse not only being innocent but him that had deserued high rewardes and his most faythfull and trustie Councellour Are these thy rewardes o king is this the tankes thou returnest him for all his trustie seruice and good will vnto thee doth this man reape this commoditie for his most faythfull acts and employments But oh MORE thou art now happie and enioyest eternall felicitie who wouldest leese thy head rather then approue anie thing against thine owne conscience who more esteemest righteousnesse iustice and pietie then life it selfe and whilst thou art depriued of this mortall life thou passest to the true and immortall happinesse of heauen whilst thou art taken away from men thou art raysed vp amongst the numbers of holie Saints and Angells of blisse 7. Last of all I will recounte what the good Emperour Charles the Fift sayd vnto Sir Thomas Eliott then the king's Embassadour in his Court after he had heard of Bishopp Fisher and Sir THOMAS MORE' 's martyrdomes on a time he spoke of it to Sir Thomas Eliott who seemed to excuse the matter by making some doubt of the reporte to whome the Emperour replyed It is too true but yf we had had two such lights in all our kingdomes as these men were we could rather haue chosen to haue lost two of the best and strongest townes in all our Empire then suffer ourselues to be depriued of them much lesse to endure to haue thē wrongfully taken from vs. 8. And though none of these should haue written anie thing hereof yet the matter
would say that he was neuer moued with friēdshipp stirred vp with hope of gaine nor wrested by anie threates but still performed his dutie and that he shutt vp alwaies his left eie to all affection of friendshipp and from all briberie Cambden also reporteth of him for proofe of his pleasantnesse of witt that he would compare the multitude of women which are to be chosen for wiues vnto a bagge full of snakes hauing amongst them but one eele now if a man should putt his hand into this bagg he may chance to light on the eele but it is a hundred to one he shall be stung with a snake Manie such like wittie similitudes would he vse in his priuate discourses and in publike auditorie By these his perfections of witt and grace one might guesse that this Childe was likelie to proue singular hauing so good a father but he farre surpassed him in all these and manie more excellencies so that our Familie hath bene much more dignified by this sonne then he anie way drew worth and dignitie from his Anncestours the consideration whereof hath caused manie to thinke and say that SIR THOMAS was of meane parentage and the first of his house yea some haue not stucke to write by birth no gentleman grounding their errour vpon these wordes which he setteth downe in his Epitaphe Thomas More borne of noble familie but of an honest stock which is true as we here in England take Nobilitie and Noble For none vnder a Baron except he be of the Priuie Councell doth challenge it and in this sence he meaneth it but as the Latine word Nobilis is taken in other Countries for Gentrie it was otherwise For Iudge More bare Armes from his birth hauing his Coate quartered which doth argue that he came to his inheritannce by descent and therefore although by reason of king Henries seasure of all our Euidences we can not certainely tell who were Sir Iohn's Anncestours yet must they needes be Gentlemen and as I haue heard they either came out of the Mores of Ireland or they of Ireland came out of vs. And as for SIR THOMAS he was as I haue sayd a Knight's eldest sonne and sole heyre to a Iudge of this realme But whatsoeuer the Familie was or is if Vertue can ennoble anie surely it hath by these two excellent men bene made much more to be respected yet if we as God forbidde we should degenerate from their footestepps we may cause it soone to be base of small reckoning vice being the chiefe stayne that tainteth euen the noblest Families The name of SIR THOMAS his mother was 〈◊〉 of Holicvvell in the Countie of Bedford yet Doctour Stapleton had not heard so much who sayth that her name was vnknowne by reason of which wordes some haue taken greate exceptions as though she had bene a base woman though he doth in the same place tell this reason thereof because she dyed soone after she had brought forth this childe but to haue bene a woman of more then ordinarie vertue that which Doctor Clement reporteth from SIR THOMAS his owne mouth of a vision which she had the next night after her marriage seemeth in my iudgement forcible to argue in which she sawe in her sleepe as it were ingrauen in her wedding ring the number and fauour of all her children she was to haue whereof the face of one was so darke and obscure that she could not well discerne it and indeede afterwards she suffered of one of her children an vntimclie deliuerie but the face of one of her other she beheld shining most gloriously whereby no doubt Sir THOMAS his fame and sanctitie was foreshened and presignifyed She brought forth before him to Sir Iohn two daughters one called Iane afterwards married to à noble gentleman Mr. Richard Staffretō Elizabeth wife to the worthie gētleman Mr. Iohn Rastall Iudge Rastall's father Sir Iohn after his first wife's death married successiuely two others whereof the last as I haue heard was called Alice one of the Mores of Surrey and great aunte to Sir William More whose sonne now liuing is Sir George lieftennant of the Tower a man little inferiour to his noble Anncestours if his religion were answerable to theirs This Ladie outliued her sonne in law Sir THOMAS dwelling vpon her Iointure in Hartfordshire at a Capitall messuage then called More-place now Gubbons in the parish of Northmimes but being a little before her death thrust out of all by king Henry's furie she dyed at Northall a mile from thence and lieth buried in the church there 2. Sir THOMAS MORE was borne at London in Milke-streete where the Iudge his father for the most parte dwelt in the yeare of our Lord 1480. in the twentieth yeare of Edvvard the Fourth Shortly after his birth God would shew by another signe how deare this babe was vnto him For his nurce chancing to ride with him ouer à water and her horse stepping aside into a deepe place putt both her and her Childe in great danger and ieopardie whose harmes she seeking suddenly to preuent threw the infant ouer a hedge into a fielde neere adioyning and after by God's helpe escaping safe also when she came to take him vp againe she found him to haue no hurt at all but sweetely smiled vpon her that it might well be sayd of him Angelis suis Deus mandauit de te ne fortè offendas ad lapidem pedem tuum and not his foote only but his whole bodie 3. This was no doubt a happie presage of his future holinesse and putt his parents in minde that he was that shining Childe of whome his mother had that former vision wherefore his father had the greater care to bring him vp in learning as soone as his tender age would permit it and so he putt him to the Free-schoole of London called S. Anthonies where he had a famous and learned man called Nicolas Holt for his maister vnder whome when he had rather greedily deuoured then leasurely chewed his Grammar rules he outstripped farre both in towardnesse of witt and diligence of endeauours all his schoole fellowes with whome he was matched And being borne to farre greater matters his father procured him to be placed shortly after in the house of the most worthie prelate that then liued in England both for wisedome learning and vertue whose like the world scarcely had Cardinall Morton Archbishopp of Canterburie and Lord high Chancellour of England whose graue countenance and carriage was such that he easily allured all men to honour and loue him a man as Sir THOMAS MORE describeth him in his Vtopia of incomparable iudgement a memorie more then is credible eloquent in speach and which is most to be wished in Clergiemen of singular wisedome and vertue so that the King and the Common wealth relyed chiefly vpon this mans counsell as he by whose policie King Henrie the Seauenth both gott the Crowne of
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
graue speache brought forth such vrgent arguments why these exactions were not to be granted that herevpon the King's demaunde was crossed and his request denyed so that one M. r Tiler one of the King 's priuie Chamber went presently from the house and tolde his Maiestie that a beardelesse boy had disappointed him of all his expectation wherevpon the king conceaued great indignation against him and could no way be satisfyed vntill he had in some sorte reuenged it But for as much as he hauing yet but a litle could not loose much the king deuised a Causelesse quarrell against Sir Iohn More his most innocent father and clapt him vp in the Tower of London keeping him there prisoner vntill he had forced him against all Iustice to pay one hundred pounds as a fyne for a Causelesse offence Manie also then counselled Sir THOMAS MORE to aske the king mercie that his father might be released amongst whome was Doctour Fox then Bishopp Winchester one of the king's priuie Councell who pretended great loue towards M. r More purposing indeede to gett the king thereby a better meanes to reuenge his displeasure against him But when Sir THOMAS had asked the Bishop's Chaplaine Doctour Whittford a verie holie and graue man afterward a Father of Sion he that translated the Follovving of Christ into English what he were best to doe he requested him for the passion of Christ not to follow his Lord's aduise saying moreouer that the Bishop would not sticke to agree to the death of his owne father if it were to serue the king's turne For which cause he returned no more to my Lo of Winchester but determined to haue gone ouer sea thinking he could not liue in England without great danger standing now in the king's displeasure and therefore he studied the French toung at home sometimes recreating his tyred spiritts on the violl where he also perfected himself in most of the Liberall Sciences as Musike Arithmetike Geometrie and Astronomy and grew to be a perfect historian his chiefe helpe in all these labours being his happie memorie of which he modestly speaketh thus I would I had as good a witt and as much learning vt memoria non vsquequaque destituor as my memorie doth not altogeather fayle me But king Henrie dying shortly after and his sonne king Henrie the Eighth striuing at the beginning of his raigne to winne the applause of his people cast Emson and Dudley into prison and attaynted them of high treason for giuing pernicious counsell to his father their prince and when they were going to execution Sir THOMAS asked Dudley whether he had not donne betterthen they to whome with a sorrowfull hart he answered O M. r MORE God was your good friend that you did not aske the king for giuenesse as manie would haue had you donne for if you had donne so perhaps you should haue bene in the like case with vs now So that to shunne present dangers by offending God or our Countrie is not alwaies the safest way euen for our bodilie good the contrarie turning oftentimes to our great fame glorie and profitt 5. These great partes of nature and diligence which euerie one noted in Sir THOMAS MORE coming to the yong king's eare vvho was at that time greedie to entertaine all rare men into his seruice he caused Cardinal VVolsey then Lo Chancellour to moue him to come to the Court and albeit the Cardinal laboured earnestly with him to effect it alleadging how deare his seruice would be to his Maiestie who could not with his honour allowe him lesse then he should loose by changing his former estate but rather would enlarge his meanes and recompence him fully yet loath to change his estate which was certaine made such meanes to the king by the Cardinall as that his Maiestie was at that time satisfyed to forbeare him Yet did the king vse him in diuerse Embassages first sending him in to France to challenge certaine debts which the king of England demaunded to be due vnto him that had bene there vniustly kept back in which charge he satisfyed both the kings fully such was his wise demeanour and sufficiencie After this he was also sent Embassadour into Flanders to confirme a league betwixt England and Burgundie which he happily finishing the king offered him at his returne a yearelie pension which Sir THOMAS refused as he writeth to Erasmus in these words VVhen I returned from my embassage of Flanders the king's Maiestie vvould haue giuen me a yearlie pension vvhich surely if one vvould respect honour and profitt vvas not to be little esteemed yet haue I as yet refused it and I thinke I shall refuse it still because either I should be fayne to for sake my present meanes vvhich I haue alreadie in the Cittie and I esteeme it more then a better or else I must keepe it vvith some dislike of the Cittizens betvveene vvhome and his Highnesse if there should happen anie controuersie as sometimes it doth chance about their priuiledges they might suspect me as not sincere and trustie vnto them in respect I am obliged to the king vvith an annuall stipende 6. About this time he compounded his famous booke of Vtopia in latine so much praised and extolled by all the learned men of that age about the yeare of our Lord 1516. being six and thirtie yeares of age This booke was of all Nations so much applauded that very shortly after it was translated both into French Italian Dutch and English The iudgement of 〈◊〉 learned men concerning which worke I thinke good to sett downe here in English as Doctour Stapleton reciteth them in his Three Thomases in Latine And first Budaeus a singular writer in those daies sayth thus of it in an epistle to Lupsetus VVe are beholding to Thomas More for the discouery of Vtopia vverein he hath diuulged to the vvorld in this our age a patterne of a happie life and a perfect rule of good behauiour This age and our posteritie shall haue this historie as a Seminarie of most holesome doctrine and profitable instructions from vvhence they may transporte and accommodate euerie one to their ovvne Citties and Countries these excellent ordinances and decrees Iohn Paludan to Peter Giles speaketh thus thereof you may see in Vtopia as in a looking-glasse vvhatsoeuer belongeth to a perfect Communion VVealth England truly hath manie excellent learned men For what may we coniecture of the rest if More alone hath perfourmed so much being first but a yong man and then full of businesses both publike and domesticall and lastly professing anie thing rather then learning Peter Giles also to Hierome Buslidian speaketh thus and giueth it this praise So manie vvonders doe here meete togeather that I am in a doubt vvhich first to admire vvhether his most happie memorie vvhich could almost vvord for vvord relate so manie different things againe hauing but heard them once tolde
epistle to Henrie Gilford a gentleman of an ancient familie For thus he writeth The fragant odour of the most honourable fame of the Court of England vvhich spreades it selfe ouer all the vvorld it hauing a king singularly endevved vvith all princelie excellencies a Queene most like vnto him and a number of sincere learned graue and vvise personages belonging unto it hath stirred vp the prince of Berghes to putt his sonne Antony to no other schoole but that Within a while after the king had created him one of his high Councellours of state perceauing euerie day more and more his fidelitie vprightnesse dexteritie wisedome dubbted him knight and after M. r Weston's death he made him Threasurer of the exchequer a place of great trust of which increase of honour Erasmus writeth to 〈◊〉 saying VVhen you vvrite next to MORE you shall vvish him ioy of his increase of dignitie and good fortune For being before only of the king's priuie Councell novv of late by the beneuolencc and free guift of his most gracious prince he neither desiring nor seeking for it is not only made knight but Threasurer of the king's Exchequer an office in England both honourable and also commodious for the purse Yea king Henrie finding still more and more sufficiencie in Sir THOMAS vsed him with particular affection for the space of twentie yeares togeather during a good parte whereof the king's custome was vpon holie daies when he had donne his deuotions to sende for Sir THOMAS into his Trauerse and there some times in matters of Astronomie Geomitrie and Diuinitie and such other sciences to sitt and conferre with him otherwhiles also in the cleere nights he would haue him walke with him on the leads there to discourse of the diuersitie of the courses motions and operations of the starres as well fixed as the planetts And because he was of a verie pleasant disposition it pleased his Maiestie and the Queene at supper time commonly to call for him to heare his pleasant ieastes But when Sir THOMAS perceaued his wittie conceipts so much to delight him that he could scarce once in a moneth gett leaue to goe home to his wife and children whome he had now placed at Chelsey three miles frō London by the water side and that he could not be two daies absent from the Court but he must be sent for againe he much misliking this restrainte of his libertie beganne therevpon to dissemble his mirth and so by little and little to disvse himselfe that he from thēceforth at such seasons was no more so ordinarily sent for The great respect which the Cittie of London bare vnto him caused the king as a speciall man to sende Sir THOMAS to appease the apprentises which were risen vp in a mutine against the strangers that dwelt then amongst them vpon May day and surely Sir THOMAS had quicted them wholy and soone had not an extraordinarie chance hindred it in S. Martins as Stovve wittnesseth The king vsed also of a particular loue to come on a suddain to Chelsey where Sir THOMAS now liued and leaning vpon his shoulder to talke with him of secrett counsell in his gardin yea and to dine with him vpon noinuiting 8. In the fourteenth yeare of the raigne of king Henry the eight there was a parlement held and thereof which was a strange thing Sir THOMAS MORE was chosen Speaker for the Lower house being now one of the Prince Counsell who being very loath to take this charge vpon him made a worthie Oration to the King 's Ma.tie not now extant whereby he earnestly laboured to be discharged of the sayd place of Speaker shipp wherevnto his Highnesse would by no meanes giue consent At the beginning of Parlament he made another other Oration the points whereof are very wisely sett downe by my vncle Rooper in his Life of Sir THOMAS MORE and they are these Since I perceaue most redoubted Soueraigne that it accordeth not to your high pleasure to reforme this election and cause it to be changed but haue by the mouth of the right Reuerend Father in God the legate who was then Cardinal Wolsey your high Chancellour therevnto giuen your assent and haue of your benignitie farre aboue that I may be are to enable me and for this office to repute me fitt rather then that you vvould seeme to imputte to your Commons that they had vnmeetely chosen me I am therefore and alvvaies shall be readie obediently to conforme my self to the accomplishment of your high commaunde And then he maketh tvvo humble petitions the one concerning himself the other the vvhole assemblie The first that if he should chance to mistake his message or for lacke of good vtterance by misrehear sall peruert their prudent instructions that his Matie vvould then pardon his simplicitie and suffer him to repayre vnto them againe for their more substantiall aduise His other request vnto the King's Maiestie vvas that is vvould please his inestimable goodnesse to pardon freely vvithout doubt of his dreadfull displeasure vvhatsoeuer it shall happen anie man to say there interpreting euerie man's vvordes hovv vncemely soeuer they vvere couched to proceede of a good zeale tovvards the profitt of the realme and the honour of his royall person 9. Cardinal VVolsey sound himself much grieued at the Burgesses that nothing could be either donne or spoken in both the houses but it was immediately blowen abroad in euerie ale house It fortuned after that a great Subsidie was to be demaunded and the Cardinall fearing it would not passe lower house vnlesse he were there present himself before whose coming it was long debated whether they should admitt him with a few of the Lords as the most opinion of the house was or that they should receaue him with his whole trayne Maisters quoth Sir THOMAS for as much as my Lo Cardinal lately ye woote well layde to our charge the lightnesse of our toungs for things vttered out of this house it should not in my minde be amisse to receaue him with all his pompe with his Maces his Pillers his Polaxes his Crosse his hatt and the Great Seale too to the intent that if he finde the like faulte with vs then we may lay the blame vpon those whome his Grace bringeth with him Vpon which words the House wholy agreed and so he was receaued accordingly There the Cardinal with a sollemne speache by manie reasons proued how necessarie it was that the demaunde there moued should be granted but he seing the companie silent contrarie to his expectation shewing no inclination thereto demaunded of them some reasonable answer but when euerie one still held their peace he spake in particular to M. r Murrey who making no answer neither he asked others also but they all had determined to answer him by their Speaker Who spake therefore reuerently on his knees excusing the silence of the house abashed as he sayd at the sight of so noble
this kinde of learning our Iudgements are either gotten or certainly much helped there by I could vvishe deare Megg that I might talke vvith you a long time about these matters but beholde they vvhich bring in supper interrupt me and call me avvay My supper cannot be so svveete vnto me as this my speach vvith you is if I vvere not to respect others more then myself Farevvell dearest daughter commēde me kindely to your housband my louing sonne vvho maketh me reioyce for that he studieth the same things you doe and vvhereas I am vvont alvvaies to counsell you to giue place to your husband novv on the other side I giue you licence to striue to maister him in the knovvledge of the sphere Farevvell againe againe Commende me to all your schoole-fellovves but to your maister especially And hauing vpō this occasiō of speaking of Sir THOMAS his childrē how tēderly he loued thē how earnestly he sought to make thē schollars with their schollarshipp to haue thē ioyne vertue made sōewhat a lōger digressiō thē I thought we will returne as we had begūne to speake of the alteratiō of religiō in our Coūtrey how therevpō Sir THOMAS MORE fell into trouble THE SIXT CHAPTER SIR THOMAS MORE made Lord high Chauncellor of England 1. The excellent charity of Sir Tho. More tovvard his neighbours 2. The beginning of King Henries separation from the Churche of God 3. Cardinall Wolseys disgrace dovvnfall and death 4. Sir Thomas More installed in the office of Lord Chancellour 5. His incomparable behaueour in that high place of honour 6. He refuseth to allovv of K. Henries diuorcement I. VHilst this vnluckie diuorce was so hotely pursued by the king it happened that my vncle Rooper walking with his father along by the Thames side neare Chelsey amongst other talke Sir THOMAS sayd now would to our Lord sonne Rooper that vpon condition three things were established in Christendome I were putt into a sacke and here presently cast into the Thames What greate things are those good Sir sayd he that should moue you so to wish Wouldst thou knowe them sonne Rooper yea Marry Sir with a good will sayd he if it would please you In Faith sonne they be these First that where the most parte of Christian princes be at mortall warre they were at an vniuersall peace secondly whereas the Church of Christ is at this time sore afflicted with manie errours and he resies it were settled in a perfect vniformitie of religion Thirdly that whereas the matter of the king's marriage is now in question it were to the glorie of God and quietnesse of all parties brought to a good conclusion Whereby one might well gather that otherwise this would be a disturbance to a great parte of Christendome The first he saw in some sorte granted him by his meanes the other two are this day to be seene what tragedies they haue raised in England and else where Thus did he by his words and deedes shew throughout the whole course of his life that all his thoughts trauailes and paines were only for the honour of God without respect either of his owne glorie or regarde of any earthlie cōmoditie For it may be seene by manie things as well deedes as letters how much he contemned the honours which were heaped vpon him daily by his Prince's speciall bountie and fauour towards him and my vncle Rooper testifyeth from his owne mouth in his latter daies that he professed vnto him that he neuer asked of the king for himselfe the value of one penny The like may be sayd of his contempt of riches and worldlie wealth but a fitter place to speake thereof may be had hereafter All which excellent endowments of his minde proceeded no doubt from the speciall fauour of Almightie God and the feruentzeale of this his seruat to attaine to perfectiō of all vertues He built a Chappell in his parish Church at Chelsey where the parish had all ornaments belonging therevnto abundantly supplyed at his charge and he bestowed there on much plate often speaking those wordes Good men giue it and badde men take it away He seldome vsed to feaste noble men but his poore neighbours often whome he would visite in their houses and bestowe vpon them his large liberalitie not groates but Crownes of golde yea more then that according to their wants He hired a house also for manie aged people in Chelsey whome he daily relieued and it was my aunte Rooper's charge to see them want nothing And when he was a priuate lawyer he would take no fees of poore folkes widowes nor pupills 2. A little before he was preferred to the dignitie of Chancellourshipp there were questions propounded to manie whether the king in the case of his first marriage needed haue anie scruple at all and if he had what way were best to deliuer him from it The most parte of his Counsell were of opinion that there was good cause of scruple because Q. Catherine was married before to Prince Arthur king Henrie's elder brother wherefore she was not to be wife to two brothers and therefore to ease the king's minde suite was to be made to the pope and the Sea of Rome where the king hoped by liberall guifts to obtaine what he desired but in this as after it appeared he was farre deceaued After this there was a Commission procured from Rome for triall and examination of this marriage in which the Cardinalls Wolsey and Campegius were ioyned togeather who for the determination hereof sate at the Black Fryers at London where a bill was putt in for the annulling of the former matrimonie alleadging that that marriage was vtterly vnlawfull but on the orher side for proofe that it was lawfull and good a Dispensation was brought forth which was of verie good force as touching the power which the Pope had to dispēce in a law that was neither contrarie to Gods positiue law in the olde Testament but rather agreable thereto nor to the law of Nature and it was commaunded in Leuiticus that if the brother dyed without issue the next in kindred to him in a manner should be forced to marrie his wife But there was found an imperfection in the Dispensation yet that same was lawfully supplyed by a publike Instrument or briefe found in the Threasure of Spaine which was sent immediately to the Commissioners in England and so should iudgement haue bene giuen by the Pope accordingly that the first marriage stoode in force had not king Henry vpon intelligence thereof before the iudgement was pronounced appealed to the next Generall Councell Hincillae lachrimae hence came the deadly enmitie betweene the king and the Pope hence proceeded that bitternesse of king Henry that he commaunded none should appeale to Rome nor none should so much as goe thither no Bishops nor Spirituall men should haue anie Bulles of authoritie frō thence all spirituall
Iurisdiction beganne now neuer before thought of to be inuested from God immediately vpon the Imperiall Crowne of England but this not all at once yea he grew afterwards vnto such height of malice that he caused the name of Pope to be raized out of euerie booke that could be found either printed or written He caused S. Thomas of Canterburie to be attaynted of high treason after he had bene three hūdred yeares accoūted a blessed Martyr of the whole Church yea so acknowledged by king Henry the second who was cause of his death but this king most strangely cast his sacred bones out of his renowned shreene after numbers of miracles and caused them to be burnt This was the strange passe king Henry was brought vnto doting on Anne Bullen though God knowes she had no qualities wherefore he should so doate on her as appeared euidently when for fowle matters he after a short time cutt of her head and proclaymed himself in open Parlement to be a Cuckolde which no doubt he neuer had bene if he had kept himself to his first vertuous wife Q. Catherine but all these things happened a good while after and manie other extreame violences and ensuing miseries as we doesee and feele as yet 3. Whilst those things were a doing as is before sayd about the king's diuorce and nothing yet brought to anie conclusion the king sent Tunstall bishopp of Durham Sir THOMAS MORE Embassadours to Cambray to treate of a peace betweene him and the French king and Charles the Emperour in which iourney Sir THOMAS so worthily behaued himself that he procured in our league with the sayd Princes farre more benefitts to our realme then at that time was thought possible by the king and all his Councell insomuch that his Maiestie caused it afterwards openly to be declared to the people when he was made Chancellour how much all England was bound to Sir THOMAS MORE And now at his returne the king againe was verie earnest with him to haue him agree to his second marriage for which cause also it is thought and Cardinall Poole te stifyeth it in a letter he made him the rather Lo Chancellour telling him that though the dispensation was good in respect of the lawes of the Church yet now it was found out to haue bene against the lawe of nature in which no dispensatiō could be had as Doctour Stokeley whome for that quirke foūd out he had lately preferred to the Bishopricke of London was able to instruct him with whome he willed Sir THOMAS to conferre in that point But for all the conferences he could haue with him Sir THOMAS could no way induce himselfe to change his former opinion therein Yet the Bishopp relating to the king their Conference so fauourably reported of Sir THOMAS MORE' 's carriage therein that he sayd he found him verie toward and desirous to finde out good matter wherein he might truly serue his grace to his contentment but yet he could not This Bishopp hauing bene lately by the Cardinall in the Starre-Chamber openly disgraced and awarded to the Fleete not brooking this contumelie sought by all meanes to wreake his anger against the Cardinall and picked a quarrell at him to the king because he beganne to waxe colde in the diuorce For so it was that Wolsey was sent ouer into France to treate a marriage betweene king Henry and the king of France's sister and finding their willing acceptance it was likelie to come to that issue which he hoped for Yet God so wrought to crosse him that this verie inuention which he had first plotted to reuenge himself on Charles the Emperour this same was the pitt wherein he fell and whereby all his dignitie creditt and wealth was taken away so that of him it may well be sayd incidit in foueam quam fecit For whilst he was contriuing for the king a marriage in France the king himself little to his knowledge had knitt the knott in England with a meane woman in respect of a prince a priuate knight's daughter and of meaner conditions then anie gentlewoman of worth Wherefore Wolsey returning and finding his embassage crossed beganne to repine at the king for disgracing him so much and now wished that he had neuer beganne to putt such scruples into Longlands head which Stokeley soone finding and himself hauing deuised a new knott in a rush to bring the king in better liking of himself for his forwardnesse and into more dislike of the Cardinall so wrought with his Maiestie that he sent for the Cardinal back being now on his way gone to be enstalled in the archbishoprick of Yorke so that by Sir William Kinston he was arreasted of high treason hauing confiscated all his goods before so that he that had bene one of the greatest prelates of Christendome had not now one dish to be serued in at the table who yf he had loued God halfe so well as he adored his prince could neuer haue come to such miserie for that he dyed either with sorrowe or poisō shortly after But the king caused in his place of Chancellourshipp Sir THOMAS MORE to be placed that with that bayte saith Card Poole corrupted he might the more easily be brought to the bente of the king's bowe who behaued himself so excellently in the place as one may say that none euer before him did better although he was the first lay man that euer possessed that roome as Card Poole noteth yea VVolsey himself hearing that Sir THOMAS MORE should haue it though he was very loath to leese it himselfe and withall bore Sir THOMAS no more good will then needes he must yet professed he to manie that he thought none in England more worthie of it then Sir THOMAS such was his fame that none could enuie it though it were neuer so vnaccustomed a case 4. The manner how Sir THOMAS MORE was installed in this high Office how the king did extraordinarily grace him therein and how modestly notwithstanding he accepted therereof is very remarkable For being lead betweene the Dukes of Norfolke and Suffolke through VVestminister hall vp to the Starre chamber and there honourably placed in the high Iudgement-seate of Chancellour the Duke of Norfolke who was the chiefe peere and Lo Threasurer of England by the king's order spoke thus vnto the people there with great applause and ioy gathered togeather The king's Ma.tie vvhich I pray God may proue happie and fortunate to the vvhole realme of England hath raised to the most high dignitie of Chancellourshipp Sir THOMAS MORE a man for his extraordinarie vvorth and sufficiencie vvell knovven to himself and the vvhole realme for no other cause or earthlie respect but for that he hath plainely perceaued all the guifts of nature and grace to be heaped vpon him vvhich either the people could desire or himself vvish for the discharge of so great an office For the admirable vvisedome
which doth demonstrate his vprightnesse his munificence his singular perfections and his diuine wisedome For what could millions of golde haue stoode him in steede but to cumber his conscience when he lost all from himselfe and his posteritie by reason of the malice of a spitefull queene who pursued him and his to death to their vtter temporall ouerthrowe shewing perfectly that saying non est malitia super malitia mulieris For the king could not by his fall promise himself anie great increase of goods as he had gotten by the Cardinall's ouerthrow 2. Now the Bishops of England at this time considering with themselues that for all his prince's fauour he was neither a rich man nor in yearelie reuenues aduanced as his worthinesse deserued weighing with themselues what paines and trauailes he had taken in writing manie learned bookes for the defence of the true Catholike faith against manie heresies secretely sowen abroad in the realme to whose pastorall charge the reformation of them principally appertained there being not one Clergie man that had matched his writings either in the greatnesse of the volumes the soundnesse of the arguments to conuince the aduersarie or the paines taken to reduce them They called therefore a Conuocation togeather whether most of the Clergie came where they concluded to offer vnto him the summe of foure thousand pound at the least thereby to recompence in parte his trauailes there in sustayned To the paymēt whereof euerie Bishop Abbott and the rest of the Clergie after the rate of their abilities were liberall contributours hoping that this summe would contente him Wherefore his deare friends Tunstall Bishopp of Durham and Clarke B. of Bath and as is supposed Ueysey of Exeter came to Sir THOMAS and spoke thus vnto him how that they held themselues bound to consider him for his paynes taken and bestowed to discharge them in Gods quarrell and albeit they could not according to his deserts requite him so worthily as they willingly would but must referre that only to the goodnesse of God yet for a small parte of recompence in respect of his estate so vnequall to his worth they presented vnto him that summe in the name of the whole Conuocation desiring him to take it in good parte And though this were a bountiefull deede in respect of those prelates yet little knew they Sir THOMAS his magnificent disposition who answered them in this manner That like as it was no small comfort vnto him that so wise and learned men accepted so well of his simple doings for which he neuer purposed to receaue anie rewarde but at the hands of God alone to whome the thankes thereof was chiefely to be ascribed so gaue he most humble thankes vnto their Lordshipps all for their so bountiefull friendlie consideration but he purposed not to receaue anie thing from them And when they with great importunitie pressed still vpon him that few would haue supposed he could haue refused it they could not for all that fasten anie whitt vpon him Then they besought him that he would be content they might bestowe it vpon his wife and children Not so my Lords quoth he I had rather see it cast all into the Thames then I or anie of mine should haue there of one pennie For though your offer my Lords be indeede very honourable yet sett I so much by my pleasure and so little by my profitt that I would not in good faith for much more monie haue lost the rest of so manie nights sleepe as was spent vpon the same and yet for all this I could wish that vpon conditiō all heresies were suppressed all my workes were burnt and my labour vtterly lost Thus they were fayne to departe and restore to euerie one his owne againe By which wise and vertuous answer euerie one may see that all his paines that he tooke were only in respect of Gods honour and not for either vaine glorie or any earthlie commoditie Yea he cared not what anie sayd of him contēning the peoples dispraise as a blast of winde For the heretikes hauing gotten it by the ende that the Clergie had offered him a great summe of monie and measuring other men by their owne couetous humours reported and wrote in pamphletts that he was bribed by the Clergie to write whome he answered mildely by a flatt deniall that he was not made richer by one pennie from the Clergie Yet some of those heretikes had spent him somewhat and besides he being Bigamus twice married could neuer hope for anie spirituall promotion The water baylife of London who had bene sometime his seruant hearing where he had bene at dinner certaine marchants somewhat drunke with this new poison liberally to rayle against Sir THOMAS in that he was so bitter against Luthemns waxed sore discontented therewith knowing wel that he little deserued anie euill reporte wherefore he hastily came to Sir THOMAS and tolde him what he had heard and were I Sir sayd he in such fauour and authoritie with my prince as you are such men should not be suffered so villanously falsely to misreporte and slander me Wherefore you may doe well Sir to call them before you and to their shame to punish them for their vndeserued malice But Sir THOMAS smiling on him sayd why M. r Water bailife would you haue me punish those by whome I reape more benefitt then by all you that are my friends lett them in Gods name speake as lewdely of me as they list and shoote neuer so manie boltes at me as long as they hitt me not what am I the worse but if they should once hitt me then would it not a little grieue me howbeit I trust by Gods grace and helpe there shall none of them all be able to touche me I haue more cause I assurethee to pittie them then to be angrie with them Loe to what heighth of perfection had he now attained that he was neither allured by hopefull gaines nor deterred one iotte from his dutie by euill toungs or slaunders al waies carrying one and the same alacritie in all his crosses and aduersities 3. When that one of the house of the Manners by the king's fauour was come lately to a noble dignitie who had bene before a great friend of Sir THOMAS but perceauing that the world beganne somewhat to frowne vpon him for that he was not so forward as other men to egge the king to the diuorce and being desirous to picke a quarrell against him sayd vnto him my Lord Honores mutant Mores Sir THOMAS readily after his merrie fashiō replyed It is so indeede my Lord but Mores signifyeth in English manners not more he was therewith so putt out of Countenance that he wist not what to say In like manner he wittily twitted another man whome he had lent monie vnto of whome he asking his due bad him remember that he should die God knoweth how soone and then he should haue
to giue ouer all care of husbandrie and lett out our farme to others vntill vve haue better and at more leasure considered of it yet if vve haue more vvorkemen in our house then vve haue neede of such may be dismissed if they can be cōmodiously placed vvith other maisters but I vvill not suffer anie to be sent avvay to runne at randon vvithout a place to dvvell in At my returne to the king I see things go so as it is likelie I shall stay vvith him a good vvhile yet because of this misfortune perhaps I shall gett leaue to come and see you some time this next vveeke vvhen as vve vvill cōferre more at leasure about these our housholde affaires Farevvell from the Court. At Woodstock 13. Sept. 1539. But marke how God rewarded this his patience for it was in October next that he was made Lo Chancellour by which office he might easily haue purchased manie faire houses if his minde had aymed at worldlie riches and not rather thirsted after heauenlie rewards Some haue not stucke to say that if Sir THOMAS had bene so happie as to haue dyed of his naturall death about this time he had bene a very fortunate man liuing and dying in all mens fauour in the highest iudgements of the world and prosperous also to his posteritie for he had left them a fayre and great inheritance especially by the king's gracious guift But in my minde they are all carnally wise that affirme this and no way haue tasted of heauenlie wisedome For the last Scene of this Tragedie is the best and not to be wished to haue bene omitted for all the land king Henry enioyed though you adde the abbeylands and all after which now his fingars endes beganne to itche For that Card. Wolsey had shewed already a president thereof by getting leaue of the Pope to dissolue certaine small Abbyes for the building and maintenance of that great College of Christ-Church in Oxford which for that cause as I thinke is S. Peter's worke and lieth still vnfinished 6. Though in all his life time Sir THOMAS had shewed liuelie examples of manie excellent vertues as pietie zeale of God's honour wisedome Iustice liberalitie contempt of the world riches yea what not yet his most heroicall vertues towards his ende he hath expressed more liuely and exactly as his magnanimitie cōtempt of honours of wife children possessions life it selfe and whatsoeuer can be of vs desired and in steede thereof hath chosen disgraces extreame aduersities imprisonment losse of dignities goods and inheritance and hath taken vp his Crosse and followed Christ in sheding of his bloud to his honour no champion is crovvned till he hath gotten the victorie And beholde he most gloriously triumpheth ouer the flesh by forsaking his life and leauing it the world by despising it and the diuell by resisting manfully all his temptations When Sir THOMAS had behaued himselfe in his office of the Chācelour-shipp for the space of two yeare and a halfe so wisely that none could mende his doings so vprightly that none could take exception against him or his iust proceedings and so dexterously that neuer anie man did before or since that which he did For he had taken such order for the dispatching of all mens Causes that on a time sitting as ludge there and hauing finished one cause he called for the next to be heard whereto was answered that there was not one Cause more depending This he caused to be sett downe vpon recorde whereas at this day there are little fewer then a thousand if not more whereof some lye in the suddes by the space of diuerse yeares When as I say Sir THOMAS had deserued high commendations of euerie one and now perceaued that the king was fully determined to proceede to the vnfortunate marriage of Anne Bullen and for that cause a Parlement was called wherein Sir THOMAS being the chiefe Officer of the higher house was with diuerse Bishops and Noble men commaunded by the king to goe downe to the lower house to shew vnto them both what manie vniuersities beyond the seas Oxford and Cambridge at home had donne in that behalfe with their publike zeales testifying the same All which matters at the king's commaunde he opened to the Lower house not shewing his minde therein yet doubting as good cause he had least further attemps should after follow which contrarie to his conscience by reason of his office he was likelie to be putt vnto he made great suite to the Duke of Norfolke his singular good friēd that he would be a meanes to the king that he might be discharged with his Maiesties fauour of the Chancellourshipp wherein for certaine infirmities of his bodie he pretended himself vnable anie longer to serue The Duke being often thereto by Sir THOMAS sollicited at length obtayned of the king when at a time cōuenient by his Maiestie appointed Sir THOMAS repaired to the king to yeelde vp vnto him the great Seale of England which his Maiestie courteously receaued at his hands with greate praise thankes for his worthie seruice in that office at which time it pleased his highnesse to say thus vnto him That for the seruice he had hitherto done vnto him in anie suite that he should hereafter haue vnto him that either should concerne Sir THOMAS his honour that very word it liked his Highnesse to vse vnto him or that should appertaine to his profitt he should not fayle to finde him a good gracious Lord. But how true these wordes proued lett others be ludges when the king not only not bestowed vpon him the value of one pennie but tooke from him and his posteritie all that euer he had either giuen by himselfe or left him by his father or purchased by himselfe The next morning being holieday few yet knowing what had bene donne he went to Chelsey church with my Ladie and his children and familie after masse was donne because it was a custome that one of my Lord's gentlemen should then goe to my Ladie 's pewe and tell her my Lord was gone before then did he himselfe come making vnto her a courtesie with his cappe in his hād sayd may it please your Ladieshipp to come forth now my Lo is gone whereto she imagining it to be but one of his ieastes as he vsed manie vnto her he sadly affirmed vnto her that it was true for he had resigned vp his office and the king had graciously accepted it This was the way that he thought fittest to breake this matter vnto his wife who yet was full sorie to heare it it may be she spoke then those wordes which I haue rehearsed before Tillivally what will you doe M. r MORE will you sitt and make goslings in the ashes it is better to rule then to be ruled But to requite her braue minde he beganne to finde fault with her dressing for he saw a greate fault about
confesseth that he hated those seditious opinions with the which the world was then cruelly shaken He would often talke with his wife and Children of the exceeding ioyes in heauen and terrible paines of hell of the liues of holie Martyrs what torments they endured for the loue of God of their maruelous patiēce deathes which they suffered most willingly rather then they would offende Gods diuine Maiestie and what an honourable thing it was for the loue of our Lord IESVS-CHRIST to abide imprisonment losse of goods lands and life adding also what a comfort it would be to him if he might finde that his wife and children would encourage him to dye in a good cause for it would cause him for ioye thereof merrily to runne to death besides as prophecying of his future troubles he would tell them what miseries might chance to happen vnto him With which vertuous discourses he had so encouraged them that when these things after fell vpon him indeede their miserie seemed the more tolerable vnto them because Shafts foreseene hurt not so much 2. Within a while after the resigning of his Office M. r Cromevvell now highly in the King's fauour came of a message from the king to Sir THOMAS wherein when they had throughly talked togeather before his going away Sir THOMAS sayd vnto him M. r Cromevvell you are entred into the seruice of a most noble wise and liberall Prince yf you will followe my poore aduise you shall in your counsell giuing to his Maiestie euer tell him what he ought to doe but neuer what he is able to doe so shall you shew yourself a true and faithfull seruant and a right worthie counsellour for yf a lyon knew his owne strength hard were it for anie man to rule him But Cromevvell neuer learned this lesson for he euer gaue that counsell to his prince which he thought would best please him and not what was lawfull For it was he that was the mischieuous instrument of king Henry to pull downe all abbies and religious houses yea to ruinate religiō vtterly whereby you may see the difference betweene king Henry a iust prince whilst he followed Sir THOMAS MORE' 's counsell and after a cruell tyrant and bloudsucker when he practised Thomas Cromevvells plotts and deuises and also we may see the issue of both these counsellours the one hauing gotten great fame for his iust deserts the other hauing purchased eternall infamie yea the ouerthrow of himself and his familie For though he attayned to be Lord Cromevvell yea afterwards Earle of Essex yet his honour and life was soone taken away from him most iustly and now there is scarce anie of his posteritie left his lands are all solde yea such was his grandchild's miserie that he complayned verie lamen tably to some gentlemen that he had not bread to putt into his mouth whereas Sir THOMAS MORE' 's great grandchildren though they liue not in great abundance yet haue they God be blessed sufficient to maintaine the estate of honest Gentlemen which God of his mercie continue 3. Now had King Henry also chosen an Archbishop of Canterbury for his owne tooth promoted by the King as I haue heard say at a beare-bayting soone after VVarham's death his name was Thomas Cranmer Anne Bullen's Chaplaine a man wholy bent to fullfill the king's pleasure in all things By his counsell Q. Marie was after disinherited and all men were sworne to the succession of Q. Anne's issue and to renounce the Pope's authoritie by acknowledging king Henry and his Successours supreme head of the church of England Vnto this man there was Commission granted vnder the great Seale to determine the marriage who had a conscience large enough to putt in execution what the king did fancie sitting at S. Albans about this new match all things were easily accorded The king pretended that he could gett no iustice at the Pope's hands wherefore from thenceforth he sequestred himself and his kingdome from the Sea of Rome marrying Q. Anne in priuate for she was not sollemnely carried through London before she was great with childe of Q. Elizabeth Thus euerie man may see the cause of our breach from Rome the vnion whereof had cōtinued more then nine hundred yeares euer since holie Pope Gregorie first conuerted vs would haue remayned God knowes how long if that either king Henry would not haue cast his liking vpon a wanton damsell or else the Pope's conscience could haue stretched to dispense with a king to haue two wiues togeather for the king still would praise his former wife and tearme her a vertuous woman only forsooth scruple of cōscience was pretēded but he could not see anie cause of scruple in breaking his promise vpon his appeale whereby he professed he would stay vntill the determination of a generall Counsell to which from the Pope he had already appealed As soone as Sir THOMAS had heard that king Henry was married he sayd to my vncle Roper God giue grace sonne that these matters within a while be not confirmed with oathes My vncle then although he saw likeliehood thereof yet fearing alwaies that that would fall out which Sir THOMAS foretolde waxed for these wordes verie sore grieued For he had manie times had experience that he spoke prophetically of diuerse things 4. Before that Q. Anne should be carried in triumphe from the Tower to Westminster through the streetes of London with manie pagents sumptuous shewes which proued after but a may-game Sir THOMAS receaued a letter from three greate Bishops Durham VVinchester Bath requesting him both to keepe them companie to her Coronation and also to take twentie pounds which by the bearer thereof they had sent him to buy him a gowne the money he thankefully receaued yet stayde he still at home and at their next meeting he sayd merrily thus vnto them In the letter my Lords which you lately sent me you requested two things of me the one whereof I was well content to graunt you that the other I might the bolder denye and like as the one because I tooke you for no beggars and my selfe I knew to be no rich man I thought the rather to fullfill so the other putt me in minde of an Emperour that ordained a law that whosoeuer had committed a certaine offence which now I remember not except she were a virgin should suffer death for it such reuerence had he to virginitie now it happened that the first that offended in that crime was a virgin which the Emperour hearing of was in a perplexitie as he that by some example would fayne haue that law putt in execution Wherevpon when his counsell had sitt long debating this case very sollemnely suddenly rose there vp one plaine man of the Counsell and sayd why make you so much adoe my lords about so small a matter lett her be deflowred and after denoured So though your
Lordshipps haue in the matter of this marriage hitherto kept your selues virgins yet take heede you keepe your virginitie still for some there be that by procuring your Lordshipps first to be present at the Coronatiō next to preache for the setting forth thereof sinally to write bookes in defence of it are desirous to deflowre you and when they haue deflowred you they will not sayle soone after to deuoure you As for myself it lyeth not in my power but that they may deuoure me but God being my good Lord I will prouide so that they shall neuer deflower me In which speach he most liuely prophecieth both of all the Bishopp's fall to Schisme which after besell and his owne death which followed not long after These wordes of his it is probable that they came to Q. Anne's eares who as impatient as an Herodias not abiding that anie in the realme should finde fault with her greate catche she incensed King Henrie more against Sir THOMAS MORE then anie other man And a moneth after this sollemnitie was not past but she gott him to be sent prisonner to the Tower little knowing that her Fortune's wheele would soone turne after When the king perceaued he could not winne Sir THOMAS to the bent of his lust by no manner of benefitts then loe the fayre sun-shine day of his fauours became ouercast and there ensued a terrible storme he now going about by terrours and threates to driue him to consent vnto it full little imagining that he was a steadie rocke against which noe waues of his rage could preuaile But marke how Sir THOMAS prepared himself for this valiant combatt hauing giuen ouer his office of Chancellourshipp he neuer busied himself in State-matters anie more but gaue himself wholy during that yeare which was betweene that and his troubles not only to confute heretikes as I haue sayd but also addicted himselfe to great acts of mortisication prayer and pietie he lessened his familie placing his men in other seruices he soulde his housholde stuffe to the value of one hundred pounds he disposed his Children into their owne houses As he lay by his wife's side manie nights he slept not forethinking the worst that could happen vnto him and by his praiers and teares he ouercame the frayltie of his flesh which as he confesseth of himself could not endure a fillipp He hired a pursiuant to come suddenly to his house when he was one time at dinner and knocking hastily at his doore to warne him the next day to appeare before the Commissioners to arme his familie the better to future calamitie imitating herein the acte of S. Iohn the Almes-giuer who hired a man to come to him at meales to tell him that his graue was not yet finished and that he should take order for it for the hower of death was vncertaine 5. But see how the beginning of this trouble grew first by occasion of a certaine Nunne called Elizabeth Berton dwelling in Canterburie who for her vertue and holinesse was not a little sett by amongst the common people vnto whome for that cause manie religious persons Doctors of Diuinitie and diuerse lay men of good worshipp vsed to resorte she affirming to them constantly that she had reuelations oftentimes from God charging her to giue the king warning of his wicked life and of his abusing of the sword and authoritie committed from almightie God vnto him She moreouer knowing that my Lo of Rochester Bishopp Fisher was of a singular and rare vertuous life and of admirable learning repaired to Rochester and there disclosed vnto him all her reuelations desiring his aduise and counsell therein which the holie Bishopp perceauing might well stande with the lawes of God and his holie Church aduised her as she before had warning to doe and intended it to goe to the king herselfe and lett him vnderstande all the circumstances thereof which she perfourmed stoutely telling him all the reuelations and so returned to her cloyster againe In a short space after he making a iourney to the Nunnes of Sion by meanes of one Fa Reynold a priest of that house there she happened to enter into talke with Sir THOMAS MORE concerning such secretts as had bene reuealed vnto her some parte thereof touching deepely the matter of the king's supremacie which shortly after this followed and about the vnlawfullnesse of the king's marriage Sir THOMAS though he might well at that time without danger of anie lawe of which there was then none freely talke with her therein yet notwithstanding he demeaned himself so discreetely in all his talke with her that he deserued no blame but rather great cōmendations as it was proued after most euidently when it was sore layd to his charge 6. After the diuorce was pronounced there was sett out a booke by authoritie from the Councell which layde downe the reasons why this diuorce was donne wherein amongst other matters it was sayde that therefore the king would not stay for the Pope's sentence because he had already appealed from him to the next Generall Councell Strayte after it was rumoured abroad that Sir THOMAS MORE had answered and refuted this booke of which slaunder Sir THOMAS purged himselfe by a letter to M. r Cromevvell now Secretarie and in the king's greate fauour shewing by manie arguments that he neither would nor could confute that booke which letter is at large in the latter ende of Sir THOMAS his workes But for all his purging himselfe accusations still came thicke and threefolde vpon him For the king by thereates and sifting of his former deedes would either winne him to his minde or else finde some occasion to except against his doings and had he not bene a man of singular integritie free from all bribes and corruption in all his offices euerie light matter would haue bene layde now heaure vpon him as of some things he was indeede accused which addes more to his honour and reputation There was one Parnell that grieuously complayned against Sir THOMAS because when he was Lo Chancellour at the suite of one M. r Vaughan his aduersarie he had made a decree against him for which at his wife's handes Sir THOMAS had taken a greate guilt Cuppe as a bribe for the clearing of which accusation Sir THOMAS being called before the bodie of the Councell the whole matter was in grieuous manner layde to his charge and when Sir THOMAS confessed the taking thereof saying that for as much as that Cuppe was giuen him long after the decree for a new yeares guift he at her importunitie of courtesie refused not to take it Then the Lo of Wiltshire Q. Anne's father who was the preferrer of the suite hated Sir THOMAS both for his religion and for that he had not consented to his daughter's marriage with much ioy sayd vnto the other Lords Loe did I not tell you that you should finde the matter true
procurer promotour nor counseler of his Maiestie therevnto only after it vvas finished by his Grace's appointment and the consent of the makers of the same I only sorted out and placed in order the principall matters therein wherein vvhen I had found the Popes authoritie highly aduanced and vvith strong arguments mightily defended I sayd thus to his Grace I must putt your Highnesse in remembrance of one thing and that is this the Pope as your Maiestie vvell knovveth is a Prince as you are in league withall other Christian princes it may hereafter fall out that your Grace and he may varie vpon some points of the league vvhere vpon may grovve breache of amitie and vvarre betvveene you both therefore I thinke it best that that place be amended and his authoritie more slenderly touched Nay quoth his Grace that shall it not vve are so much bound to the Sea of Rome that vve cannot doe to much honour vnto it Then did I further putt him in minde of our statute of Praemunire vvhereby a good parte of the Pope's authoritie pastoral cure vvas payred avvay to vvhich his Maiestie ansvvered vvhatsoeuer impediment be to the contrarie vve vvill sett forth that authoritie to the vttermost For vve haue receaued from that Sea our Crovvne Imperiall vvhich till his Grace vvith his ovvne mouth so tolde me I neuer heard before Which things vvell considered I trust vvhen his Maiestie shal be truly informed thereof and call to his gracious remembrance my sayings and doings in that behalfe his Highnesse vvill neuer speake more of it but vvill cleare me himselfe with which wordes they with great displeasure dismissed him parted 8. Then tooke Sir THOMAS his boate to Chelsey wherein by the way he was verie merrie and my vncle Rooper was not sorrie to see it hoping that he had gotten himself discharged out of the bill When he was landed and come home they walked in his gardin where my vncle sayd vnto him I trust Sir all is well because you are so merrie It is so indeede sōne I thanke God Are you then Sir putt out of the parlement Bill sayd my vncle by my troth sonne I neuer remembred it Neuer remembred that sayd he that toucheth you and vs all so neare I am verie sorie to heare it For I trusted all had bene well when I saw you so merrie Wouldst thou knowe sonne why I am so ioyfull In good Faith I reioyce that I haue giuē the diuell a fowle fall because I haue with those Lords gone so farre that without great shame I can neuer goe back This was the cause of his ioye not the ridding himself of troubles but the confidence he had in God that he would giue him strength willingly to suffer anie thing for Christs sake that he might say with Christ IESVS Desiderio desideraui c. I thirst greatly to drinke of the Cuppe of Christ's passtion 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 purtout 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 Dishonour 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 M. r 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 M. r 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 M. r More Indignatio principis more 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 12.th 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
holesome medicines to himself now being readie to practise in deede whatsoeuer he setteth downe in wordes 4. When he had remained a good while in the Tower my Ladie his wife obtained leaue to see him that he might haue more motiues to breake his conscience who at the first comming to him like a plaine rude woman and somewhat worldlie too in this māner beganne bluntely to salute him What the good yeare M. r More I maruell that you who haue bene hitherto alwaies taken for a wise man will now so play the foole as to lie here in this close filthie prison and be content to be shutt vp thus with mice and ratts when you might be abroad at your libertie with the fauour and good will both of the king and the Councell if you would but doe as all the bishopps best learned of his realme haue donne and seing you haue at Chelsey a right fayre house your librarie your bookes your gallerie your gardine your orchard and all other necessaries so handsome about you where you might in companie of me your wife your Children and housholde be merrie I muse what a Gods name you meane here still thus fondly to tarrie After he had a good while heard her he sayd vnto her with a chearefull countenance I pray thee good M. ris Alice tell me one thing What is that sayth she Is not this house as neare heauen as mine ovvne she āswering after her custome Tillie vallie tillie vallie he replyed how sayst thou M. ris Alice is it not so indeede Bone Deus man will this geare neuer be left Well then M. ris Alice if it be so I see no great cause vvhy I should much ioye either of my fayre house or anie thing belonging therevnto vvhen if I should be but seauen yeares buried vnder the ground and rise and come thither againe he might haue sayd but seuaen moneths I should not fayle to finde some therein that vvould bid me gett me out of doores and tell me plainely that it vvere none of mine what cause haue I then to like such a house as vvould so soone forgett his Maister Againe tell me M. ris Alice how long doe you thinke may we liue and enioye it Some twentie yeares sayd she Truly replyed he yf you had sayd some thousand yeares it had bene somewhat and yet he vvere a very bad marchant that vvould putt himself in danger to leese eternitie for a thousand yeares hovv much the rather if vve are not sure to enioy it one day to an ende And thus her perswasions moued him but a little thinking of those wordes of Iob to his wife tempting him quasi vna exstultis mulieribus locuta est Not long after this came there to him at two seuerall times the Lord Chancellour the Duke of Norfolke and Suffolke with M. r Secretarie and certaine others of the Priuie Councell to procure him by all meanes and policies they could either to confesse 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 O sanna benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini say here tolle tolle crucisigeeum 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 M. r Rich afterwards made the Lo Rich for his good seruice donne in this point then newly created the king's Sollicitour S.r. Richard Southvvell and one M. r Palmer M. r Secretarie's man were sent by the king to take away all his bookes M. r 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 M. r 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 M. r More take me for king Yes Sir said Sir THOMAS that I would I putt the Case further sayd M. r 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 M. r 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 M. r 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 M. r Rich his face could the Parlement make the king supreame head of the Church and vpon this only reporte of M. r Rich Sir THOMAS was shortly after indited of high treason vpon the new Statute of Supremacie At this time M. r Lieutenant reported that M. r 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 M. r 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
of those learned Doctours and vertuous Fathers that are alreadie dead of vvhome manie are Saints in heauen I am sure that there are farre more vvho all the vvhile they liued thought in this Case as I thinke novv And therefore my Lord I thinke myself not bound to conforme my conscience to the Councell of one realme against the generall consent of all Christendome 5. Now when Sir THOMAS had taken as manie exceptions as he thought meete for the auoyding of this Inditement and alleaging manie more substantiall reasons then can be here sett downe the Lo Chancellour hauing bethought himselfe and being loath now to haue the whole burthen of this Condemnatiō to lye vpon himselfe asked openly there the aduise of my Lo Chiefe ustice of England S. r Iohn Fitz Iames whether this Inditement were sufficient or no who wisely answered thus my Lords all by S. Gillian for that was euer his oath I must needes confesse that if the Act of Parlement be not vnlawfull then the Inditement is not in my conscience insufficient An answere like that of the Scribes and Pharisies to 〈◊〉 Yf this man were not a malefactour we would neuer haue deliuered him vnto you And so with yfs and ands he added to the matter a slender euasion Vpon whose words my Lo Chancellour spoke euen as Caiphas spoke in the 〈◊〉 Councell Quid adhuc desidemmus testimonium reus est mortis so presently he pronounced this sentence That he should be brought back to the Tower of London by the helpe of William Bingston Sheriffe and from thence drawen on a hurdle through the Cittie of London to Tyburne there to be hanged till he be halfe dead after that cutt downe yet aliue his priue partes cutt of his bellie ripped his bowells burnt and his foure quarters sett vp ouer foure gates of the Cittie his head vpon London-bridge This was the Iudgement of that worthie man who had so well deserued both of the king and Countrie for which 〈◊〉 Iouius calleth king Henrie another Phalaris The sentence yet was by the king's pardon changed afterwards only into Beheading because he had borne the greatest office of the realme of which mercie of the king's word being brought to Sir THOMAS he answered merrily God forbidde the king should vse anie more such mercie vnto anie of my friends and God blesse all my posteritie from such pardons 6. When Sir THOMAS had now fully perceaued that he was called to Martyrdome hauing receaued sentence of death with a bolde and constante countenance he spoke in this manner Well seing I am condemned God knovves hovv iustly I vvill freely speake for the disburthening of my Conscience vvhat I thinke of this lavve When I perceaued that the king's pleasure vvas to sifte out from vvhence the Popes authoritie vvas deriued I confesse I studyed seauē yeares togeather to finde out the truth thereof I could not reade in anie one Doctour's vvritings vvhich the 〈◊〉 anie one saying that auoucheth that a lay man vvas or could euer be the head of the Church To this my Lo Chancellour againe Would you be accounted more wise and of more sincere conscience then all the Bishopps learned Doctours Nobilitie and Commons of this realme To which Sir THOMAS replyed I am able to produce against one Bishopp vvhich you can bring forth of your side one hundred holie and Catholike Bishopps for my opinion and against one realme the consent of all Christendome for more then a thousand yeares The Duke of Norfolke hearing this sayd Now Sir THOMAS you shew your obstinate and malicious minde To whome Sir THOMAS sayd Noble Sir not any malice or obstinacie causeth me to say this but the iust necessitie of the Cause constrayneth me for the discharge of my Conscience and I call God to vvittnesse no other then this hath moued me herevnto After this the Iudges courteously offered him their fauourable audience yf he had anie thing else to alleage in his owne defence who answered most mildely and charitably More haue I not to say my Lords but that like as the blessed Apostle S. Paul as vvee reade in the Acts of the Apostles vvas present consenting to the death of the protomartyr S. Stephen keeping their cloathes that sloned him to death and yet they be novv both tvvaine holie Saints in heauen and there shall continue friends togeather for euer so I verily trust shall therefore hartily pray that though your Lordshipps haue bene on earth my Iudges to condemnation yet vve may hereafter meete in heauen merrily togeather to our euerlasting saluation and God preserue you all especially my Soueraigne Lord the king and graunt him faythfull Councellours in which prayer he most liuely imitated the example of holie S. Stephen ne statuas illis hoc peccatum yea of our Sauiour himself speaking on the crosse Pater dimitte illis quia nesciunt quid faciunt All these of Sir THOMAS his speaches were faythfully deliuered from S. r Antonie Sentleger Richard Hayvvood and Iohn Webbe gentlemen with others more of good creditt who were present and heard all which they reported to my vncle Rooper agreing all in one discourse THE ELEVENTH CHAPTER THE HOLY DEATH and glorious martyrdom of Sir THOMAS MORE 1. The manner hovv Sir Thomas was led back to the tovver from his arraignement vvhere his sonne publiquely demanded his blessing 2. Mistresse Margaret Roper his daughters noble and laudable loue to her father Sir Thomas novv condemned 3. Hovv deuoutly and magnanimously Sir T. M. expected his exequution 4. Aduertisment of the day of his death sent him from the king 5. The manner and forme of his glorious death and martyrdom 6. The kings sadnes vpon report of his death with some notable circumstances of his buriall 7. A consideration of the last blessing vvhich he gaue to his heires and their progenie after them 8. Physiognomy of Sir Thomas More 1. AFter his Condemnation he was conducted from the barre to the Tower againe an axe being carried before him with the edge towards him and was lead by S. r William Kinston a tall strong and comelie gentleman Constable of the Tower and his verie good friend but presently a dolefull spectacle was presented to Sir THOMAS and all the standers by for his onlie sonne my grand father like a dutiefull childe casteth him self at his father's feete crauing humbly his blessing not without teares whome he blessed and kissed most louingly whose loue and obedience Sir THOMAS in a letter praysed saying that this his behauiour pleased him greately When S. r William had conducted Sir THOMAS to the Olde Swanne towards the Tower there he bad him Farewell with a heauie heart the teares trickeling downe his cheekes but Sir THOMAS with a stayed grauitie seing him sorrowfull beganne to comfort him with chearefull speaches saying good M. r Kinston trouble not your selfe but be of good cheare for I will pray for you and my good Ladie
Farevvell deare daughter pray for me and I vvill pray for you and all your friends that vve may meete togeather in heauen Commende me vvhen you can to my sonne Iohn his tovvordlie carrtage tovvards me pleased me very much God blesse him and his good vvife and their children Thomas who was my father and Augustine who dyed vnmarried and all that they shall haue In which wordes I hope by Gods helpe to haue some parte of his blessing But oh good God! voluntate labiorum eius non fraudastieum For vpon the eaue of his speciall patron and the vtas of S. Peter for whose supremacie he suffered martyrdome God heard his petition and he suffered death that very day most couragiously Togeather with this letter he sent also vnto her his shirt of hayre and his whippe as one that was loath to haue the world knowe that he vsed such austeritie For he cunningly all his life time had with his mirth hidden from the eies of others his seuere mortifications and now hauing finished his combatt he sent away his weapons not being certaine of anie notice of the king's minde but either taught by reuelation or hauing a firme confidence of God's great goodnesse desiderium cordis tribuit ei Dominus 4. For vpon the next morning being Tewsday the sixt of Iuly there came vnto him Sir Thomas Pope very earely in the morning his singular good friend with a message frō the king and the Councell that he was to suffer death on that day before nine of the clocke therefore he should forthwith prepare himselfe thereto M. r Pope saith he I most hartily thāke you for your good tydings I haue bene much bound to the king's highnesse for the benefitts and honours that he hath most bountiefully bestowed vpon me yet am I more bound to his Grace I assure you for putting me here where I haue had conuenient time and space to haue remembrance of my ende And so helpe me God most of all I am bound vnto him that it pleaseth his maiestie to ridde me so shortly out of the miseries of this wretched world The king's pleasure further is sayd Sir Thomas Pope that you vse not manie words at your execution M. r Pope answered he you doe well to giue me warning of the king's pleasure for otherwise I had purposed at that time somewhat to haue spoken but no matter wherewith his Grace or anie other should haue cause to be offended howbeit whatsoeuer I intended I am readie obediently to conforme myselfe to his Highnesse's commaunde And I beseech you good M. r Pope be a meanes to his Maiestie that my daughter Margarett may be at my buriall The king is contented allready sayd he that your wife Children and other your friends should haue libertie to be present at it Oh how much am I beholding to his Grace that vouchsafeth to haue so much consideratiō of my poore buriall Then Sir Thomas Pope taking his leaue of him could not refrayne frō weeping Which Sir THOMAS perceauing comforted him in these wordes Quiett yourselfe M. r Pope and be not discomforted for I trust we shall once see eache other full merrily where we shall be sure to liue and loue togeather in eternall blisse And further to putt him out of his melancholie Sir THOMAS MORE tooke his vrinall in his hand and casting his water sayd merrily I see no danger but this man may liue longer yf it had pleased the king After which words they parted and when he was gone Sir THOMAS as one that had bene inuited to a sollemne bankett changed himselfe into his best apparrell putt on his silke Chamlett gowne which his in tire friend M. r Antonie Bonuise a noble Cittizen of the State of Luca in Italie to whome he wrote the letter as is late spoken of before gaue him whilst he was in Tower M. r Lieutenant seing him prepare himselfe so to his death counselled him for his owne benefitt to putt them of againe saying that he who should haue them was but a Iauill What M. r Lieutenant sayd Sir THOMAS shall I accounte him a Iauell who will doe me this day so singular a benefitt Nay I assure you were it cloath of golde I would thinke it well bestowed on him For S. Cyprian that famous Bishop of Carthage gaue his executioner thirtie pieces of golde because he knewe he should procure vnto him an vnspeakable good turne Yet for all this M. r Lieutenant so pressed him that at last being loath for friendshipps sake to denye him so small a matter he altered his gowne and putt on a gowne of Friese but yet he sent of that little mony which was left him one Angell of golde to the hangman in token that he maliced him nothing but rather loued him exceedingly for it 5. He was therefore brought about nine of the clocke by M. r Lieutenant out of the Tower his beard being long which fashion he neuer had before vsed his face pale and leane carrying in his hands a read Crosse casting his eyes often towards heauen As he thus passed by a good woman's house she came forth and offered him a cuppe of wine which he refused saying Christ at his passion drunke no wine but gall and vinager There came another woman after him crying vnto him for certaine bookes which she had giuen to his custodie when he was Lo Chancellour To whome he sayd Good woman haue patience but for one hower's space and by that time the king's Maiestie will ridde me of the care I haue for thy papers and all other matters whatsoeuer Another woman suborned thereto as some thinke by his aduersaries to disgrace him followed him also crying out against him that he had donne her great iniurie when he had bene Lo Chancellour to whome he gaue the answer that he remembred her cause very well and that if he were now to giue sentence thereof he would not alter what he had already donne Last of all there came a Cittizen of Winchester who in times past hauing bene greately troubled with grieuous temptatiōs of despayre was brought by a friend of his to Sir THOMAS MORE when he was Lo Chancellour who though he could not before by anie holesome counsell alter this his minde yet Sir THOMAS MORE promising him to pray for him he was for the space of three yeares free from all such temptations When Sir THOMAS was committed and he could gett no leaue to haue accesse vnto him his temptations grew so greate that he often sought to haue bene the cruell murderer of himselfe but now hearing Sir THOMAS was to be executed he came to London and ranne to Sir THOMAS as he was carryed to execution desiring him with great earnestnesse that he would helpe him by his praiers for his temptation was come againe vnto him and he could not possibly ridde himself thereof to whome Sir THOMAS spake thus goe and praye for me
and I will carefully pray for you He went away with confidence and he neuer after was troubled with the like againe Being now brought to the 〈◊〉 whereō he was to be beheaded it seemed to him so weake that it was readie to fall wherefore he sayd merrily to M. r Lieutenant I pray you Sir see me safe vp and for my coming downe lett me shift for my selfe When he beganne to speake a little to the people which were in great 〈◊〉 there to heare and see him he was interrupted by the Sheriffe Wherefore briefely he desired all the people to pray for him and to beare wittnesse with him that he there dyed in and for the fayth of the holie Catholike Church a faythfull seruant both of God and the king Hauing spoken but this he kneeled downe and pronounced with great deuotion the Miserere psalme which being ended he chearefully rose vp and the executioner asking him forgiuenesse he kissed him saying Thou wilt doe me this day a greater benefitt then eueranie mortall man can be able to giue me pluck vp thy spiritt man and be not afrayed to do thy office my neck is very short take heede therefore that thou strike not awry for sauing thy honestie When the executioner would haue couered his eyes he sayd I will couer them myselfe and presently he did so with a cloath that he had brought with him for the purpose then laying his head vpon the blocke he bad the executioner stay vntill he had remoued aside his beard saying that that had neuer committed anie treason So with great alacritie and spirituall ioy he receaued the satall blow of the axe which no sooner had seuered the head from the bodie but his soule was carryed by Angels into euerlasting glorie where a Crowne of martyrdome was putt vpon him which can neuer sade nor decay And then he sound those words true with he had often spoken that a man may leese his head and haue no harme vea I say vnspeakeable good and endelesse happinesse 6. When newes of his death was brought to the king who was at that time playing at tables Anne Bullen looking on he cast his eve vpon her and sayd thou art the cause of this man's death and presenrly leauing his play he be tooke himself to his chamber 〈◊〉 therevpon fell into a sitt of melan cholie but whether this were from his hart or to seeme lesse cruell then he was indeede I can hardly coniecture for on the one side the remembrance of his faythfull seruice so manie yeares employed for the whole realme's benefitt could not but make the king sorrowfull and on the other side the vn merciesull dealing with his sonne and heyre his small allowance to his wife his pittielesse crueltie against all his children she weth that he had an implacable hatred against him because that he would not consent vnto his lustfull courses of which we will speake more largely when we haue discoursed of his bunall His head was putt vpō Lōdon-bridge where as trayters heads are sett vp vpon poles his bodie was buried in the Chappell of S. Peter which is in 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 M. rs Clement Dorothie Colly M. r Harrys his wife Thus it was his daughter Margarctt 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 lest amongst them all wherefore M. ris 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 dimin shed 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 cau'e because he was an eminent mā both for dignitie learning and vertues so that Doctour S. pleton 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 Garthusians the wonderfull learning of the Bishopp of Rochester and the singular wisedome of Sir THOMAS MORE had stirred him vpto 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
people presently reuenged his death by punishing grieuously the chiefe authours thereof those that were of them to be found were putt to death presently and they that could not be found out were banished There was also a statua erected in his honour in the verie markett place Yf they therefore at the only hearing of these wordes vpon the stadge tooke an occasiō to be reuenged of that most innocent man's slaughter what more iust cause mayst thou London haue of compassion and reuenge hearing the like words to these not pronounced only by anie stage-player at home but by most graue and reuerende men in all places of Christendome when as they speake most seriously exprobrating often vnto thee thine ingratitude saying You haue slayne you haue slayne the best English-mā aliue This spoke this learned and wise Cardinall who could testifye this of his knowledge by reason he conuersed often with the greatest States of Christendome being a man famous amongst them for his nobilitie of bloud for his dignitie his learning and excellent vertues for which none haue cause to suspecte him to be partiall 2. Erasinus as may be easily guessed by the stile although he wrote it not in his owne name because he had then manie friends in England sayth thus This is Euident that neither MORE nor the Bishopp of Rochester erred yf they haue erred at all of any malice they had against the king but for sincere conscience sake This they perswaded themselues wholy this was infixed in their marrowes that the matter which they defended was good and lawfull and honourable for the king and holesome for all the whole kingdome Yf it had bene lawfull for them to haue dissembled it they would haue donne it willingly but they tooke their death most patiently peaceably praying to God for the king and the whole realme's safetie In haynous offences a simple and pure conscience and a minde not desirous of hurting anie but of well deseruing excuseth much the faulte besides due respect honour hath bene alwaies had euen amōgst barbarous nations to eminent learning and excellent vertue The verie name of a philosopher rescued Plato from being beheaded by the Aeginetes hauing transgressed the lawes of their Cittie Diogenes without anie feare came into Philipp king of Macedonia's armie and being brought before him for a spye of their enemies freely reproched the king to his face of madnesse that being not content with his owne kingdome he would cast himselfe into danger to leese all yet was he sent away without anie harme at all donne to him and not only so but had a great rewarde giuen him for no other cause but that he was a philosopher And as the courtesies of Monarches shewed vnto learned men doe gett them greate fame so to haue vsed such men hardly hath bene occasion that they haue bene much hated and enuied For who doth not hate Antonie for hauing Cicero's head cutt of who doth not detest Nero for putting 〈◊〉 to death yea Octauius in curred some in famie for Ouid's bannishment amongst the Getes When Levvis the Twelueth of France now being peaceably settled in his kingdome would haue bene diuorced from his wife the daughter of Lewis the eleauenth this matter displeased manie good men amongst them Iohn Standock and his schollar Thomas spake of it in a sermon desiring the people to pray to God that he would inspire the king to doe for the best they were therefore accused of seditiō as men that had committed a faulte against the king's Edict yet for all this they had no other punishment but banishment they kept and enioyed all their goods and when the controuersies were ended they were called home againe with honour by this his mildenesse the king both satisfyed his Edict gott no greate hatred for molesting two men both Diuines both accounted holie men But euerie man bewayleth the death of Sir THOMAS MORE euen they who are aduersaries vnto him for religion so great was his courtesie to all men so great his affabilitie so excellent was his nature Whome did he euer sende away from him yf he were anie thing learned without guifts or who was so gregt a stranger vnto him whome he did not seeke to doe one good turne or other Manie are fauourable only to their owne countriemen Frenchmen to Frenchmen Scottishmen to Scotts This his bountie hath so engrauen MORE in euerie man's hart that they all lamente his death as the losse of their owne father or brother I my selfe haue seene manie teares come from those men who neuer saw MORE in their liues nor neuer receaued anie benefitt from him yea whilst I write these things teares gushe from me whether I will or no. How manie soules hath that axe wounded which cutt of More 's head c. And a little after pulling of his vizard he sheweth himself Erasmus in these wordes Therefore when men haue congratulated me that I had such a friend placed in such high dignities I am wont to answer that I would not cōgratulate his encrease of honour before he should commaunde me to do so 3. Iohn Cochleus a most learned German and a great Diuine writing against Richard Sampson an English-man who defended king Henrie the eight for this fact sayth much of Sir THOMAS his praises at last speaking of his death he sayth thus to king Henrie's Councellours What prayse or honour could you gett by that crueltie which you exercised against Sir THOMAS MORE he was a man of most knowen and laudable humanitie milde behauiour affabilitie bountie eloquence wisedome innocencie of life witt learning exceedingly beloued and admired of all men in dignitie besides highest Iudge of your Countrie and next to the king himselfe famous from his youth beneficiall to his Countrie for manie Embassages and now most venerable for his gray head drawing towards olde age who hauing obtained of the king an honourable dismission from his office liued priuately at home with his wife children and nephewes hauing neuer committed the least offence against anie burdensome to no man readie to helpe euerie bodie milde and pleasant of disposition You haue giuen counsell to haue this so good a man drawen out of his owne house out of that sweete Academie of learned and deuoute Christian Philosophers for no other cause but this that he would not iustifye your impieties his guiltlesse Conscience resisting it The feare of God and his soule 's health withdrawing him from it Doe you belieue that this your wicked fact hath euer pleased anie one of what nation sexe or age soeuer or euer will please anie it will not surely you haue hurt yourselues murderers and guiltie of shedding most innocent bloud him haue you made most grateful to God to the cittizens of heauē to all iust men on earth a most renowned Martyr of Christ he liueth and raigneth without all doubt with Almightie God you will neuer be able to blott out this fault and infamie It is written of