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
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
D. O. M. S. THE LIFE AND DEATH OF SIR THOMAS MOORE Lord high Chancellour of England WRITTEN BY M. T. M. and dedicated to the Queens most gracious Maiestie TO THE HIGH AND MIGHTIE PRINCESSE OVR MOST GRATIOVS QVEENE AND SOVERAIGNE MARIE HENRIETTE QVEENE OF GREAT BRITAINE FRANCE AND IRLAND LADIE OF THE ILES OF THE British Ocean MOST GRATIOVS AND SOVERAIGNE LADIE The authour of this Treatise eldest sonne by descent heire by nature of the family of that vvorthy Martyr vvhose life is described in it had he liued himselfe to haue set it forth to the vievv of Christian eies vvould not haue thought vpon any other patron and protectour to dedicate it vnto then your most excellēt Maiestie For he vvas most constantly affected alvvayes to the French Nation and crovvne next after the dutifull obedience vvhich he ought to his ovvne natural Lord and soueraigne And this his affection did he manifest in all occasions but especiallie in the treatie of the happie mariage of your highnes vvith the King our soueraigne Lord and maister Assembling at his ovvne costes and charges vvith vnvvearied industrie all the English persons of note and esteeme that then vvere in and about Rome vvith thē all as the mouth of thē all supplicating to his Holines for the dispatch of this most hope-full and happie contract yeelding such reasons for the effecting thereof as highlie pleased the chiefe Pastour of the Church vnder Christ our Sauiour The same affection did he testifie sufficiently in the last period of his life leauing his bodie to be buried in the French church at Rome vvhere vvith great contēr of the French Nobilitie it lieth interred This being the affection of the author of this treatise I should much vvronge his memorie if these labours of his should be offred to the patronage of anie other then of your roiall Maiestie The glorious Martyr himselfe demāds likevvise that his life should be read vnder your Maiesties protection since he lost his life in this vvorld to gaine it in the next in defence of an innocent stranger Queene for reasons not to be mētioned by vs debarred from her lavvfull bed Although God be praised and magnified therefore the heauens haue rained such graces vpon your Maiestie that there neuer can happen any such causes of defence your glorious Husband and Lord our soueraigne King so dearlie affecting you and the hope-full yssue the chiefest bond of matrimonial loue so povverfully knitting your hearts together and your gratious Maiesties goodnes virtues and debonnaire discretion so recommending you to him first and then to all his true loyall subiects of this great vnited Monarchie That vve may vndoubtedlie expect from almightie God a long and prosperous enioyāce of your jointgouerment and a glorious race of happie successours to this crovvne frō your royall loines vvhich happines and heauen after long prosperitie on earth vpon my knees I vvish vnto your royall grace remaining for euer Your Maiesties loyall and obedient subiect seruant M. C. M. E. The Preface to the Reader 1. AS I cannot but daily thinke of the rare and admirable vertues both of nature and grace which did shine most perspicuot in the blessed life and glorious death of that worthie Champion of Christs Church Sr. THOMAS MORE so also haue I often had an earnest desire especially for the spirituall behoofe of my selfe and my Children who are as small brookes deriued by naturall propagation frō that spacious sea of rare perfections or like tender twigs drawing sappe from the fruitfull roote of his noble excellēcies to giue them a taste according to my poore abilitie of some few of his most heroical vertues professing my self vtterly vnable to sett downe his life in writing as he deserueth 2. For if that Apelles the principall paynter that euer liued was thought only fitt to drawe with his pencell the pourtraicture of Alexander the Great or if Lysippus the most curious engrauer was the onlie man which was suffered to carue in brasse the beauteous feature of the same so worthie a personage for feare least that some vnskillfull workeman might rather blemish his fauour then anie waies grace it what courage can I haue to vndertake a worke of so great difficultie as this who know my selfe a verie puney in comparison of so manie famous men that haue vndergone this businesse alreadie finding in the verie beginning of this mine enterprise my small capacitie ouerwhelmed with the plentie and copiousnesse of this subiect and vf I should boaste my witt and skill to be equall with learned Stapleton's who at large and with great diligence and dexteritie hath sett forth the life of this great seruant of God in his booke intituled The three Thomases I should vanish away in mine owne pride knowing my self right well most vnworthie to be compared vnto him or if I should challenge vnto my selfe more certaintie of the matter related then my great vncle Mr. William Rooper could haue euerie one might iudge me both vaine and arrogant of whose sin ceritie none that euer knewe him or heard of him can doubte I being the third in descent from S. THOMAS and he his owne sonne-in law with whome he had familiarly conuersedy space of sixteene yeares togeather as he himself confesseth yet for all this I haue now at last ventured to discourse a little of the life and death of this glorious Martyr for so without enuie I hope I may call him non vt electus ex 〈◊〉 sed quasi relictus ex omnibus not as one that may be thought fitt to sett his life forth with good grace but as he who only vpon a naturall affection to his Ancestour trusting 〈◊〉 of Gods ayde and this Saint's holie praiers is emboldened to say somewhat thereof this being one propertie of affection to suppose that whosoeuer hath spoken or whatsoeuer hath benesayd of him whome we loue all that we thinke nothing if we ourselues haue not sayd somewhat in his praise although alas we are often the vnfittest men for that purpose we being not able to vtter what we conceaue because our passion taketh away much of our conceipt and therefore we vtter for the most parte either broken words or vnperfect sentences more intelligible to him that searcheth the secretts of mens harts then to others that heare them spoken or reade them in our writings 3. But one may aske me why I should challenge more affection to this man then anie other of my kinne of whome few or none haue endeauoured to write any thing hitherto I answer that though I haue had more cause perhaps then anie man else to loue him and honour him which is best knowen to my selfe and not fitt to be related vnto all men secretum meum mihi yet will I not ascribe to my selfe so great a priuiledge of louing him best I being the yongest and meanest of all my familie lett this suffice him that is a curious searcher of this my deede that
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
vvhich thinke as I doe I am not boūd to cōforme my selfe to these alone hauing the Doctours of the Church on my side vvho could not be dravven neither for hopes nor feares Finally to the last he wisely answered that although to denye the decree of a generall Councell vvere a damnable acte yet to vvithstande a statute of one realme's making vvhich contradicteth the constant opinion of the vvhole Church is neither a rash deede nor an obstinate but most laudable and Christianlike All which disputation my aunte Rooper sett downe in a letter to her sister Alington printed togeather with Sir THOMAS his letters After all this my aunte Rooper sought to fright him with the danger of death which might perhaps moue him to relente when he cannot hinder his mishappes but now he might preuēt all being yet not too late wherevnto how hūbly he speaketh of his owne frailtie and how confidently he relyeth vpon Gods mercie may be seene at large whose wordes are so humble so zealous so godlie that they are able to pierce anie mans hart that will reade them in the latter ende of his workes they breathe out an Angelicall spiritt farre different from the presumptuous speaches of either heretike or desperate man Lord helpe me yf God for my manie and grieuous sinnes vvill suffer me to be damned his Iustice shal be praised in me but I hope he vvill procure for me that his mercie shall haue the vpper hand nothing can happen but that vvhich God pleaseth and vvhat that is though it should seeme euill vnto vs yet it is truly the best 4. At another time when he had questioned with my aunte Rooper of his wife childrē and state of his house in his absence he asked her at last how Q. Anne did In sayth Father sayd she neuer better there is nothing else in the Courte but dancing and sporting Neuer better sayd he alas Megg alas it pittieth me to remember vnto what miserie poore soule she will shortly come these dances of hers will proue such dances that she will spurne our heads of like foote bals but it will not be lōg ere her head will dance the like dance And how prophetically he spoke these words the ende of her Tragedie proued it most true M. r Lieutenant coming into his chamber to visite him rehearsed the manie benefitts and friendshipps that he had often receaued from him and therefore that he was bound to entertaine him friendly and make him good cheare but the case standing as it did he could not doe it without the king's displeasure wherefore he hoped that he would accept of his good will of the poore fare he had whereto he answered I verily belieue you good M. r Lieutenant and I thanke you most hartily for it and assure yourselfe I doe not mislike my fare but whensoeuer I doe then spare not to thrust me out of your doores Now whereas the oath of Supremacie and marriage was comprized in few wordes in the first Statute the Lo Chancellour and M. r Secretarie did of their owne heads adde more wordes vnto it to make it seeme more plausible to the king's eares and this Oath so amplifyed they had exhibited to Sir THOMAS and others of which their deede Sir THOMAS sayde to his daughter I may tell thee Megg that they who haue committed me hither for refusing an oath not agreable with their owne statute are not able by their owne law to iustifye mine imprisonment wherefore it is great pittie that anie Christian prince should be drawen to followe his affections by flexible counsell and by a weake Clergie lacking grace for want of which they stande weakely to their learning abuse themselues with flatterie so shamefully Which wordes coming to the Councell's eares they caused another Statute espying their ouersight to be enacted with all these conditions Another time looking out of his windowe to beholde one M. r Reynolds a religious learned and vertuous Father of Sion and three monkes of the Cbarterhouse going forth of the Tower to their executiō for now king Henry beganne to be fleshed in bloud hauing putt to death the Nunne and diuerse others and manie after for the Supremacie and his marriage Sir THOMAS as one that longed to accompanie them in that iourney sayde to his daughter thē standing besides him Loe doest not thou see Megg that these blessed Fathers be now as chearefully going to death as if they were bridegroomes going to be married whereby good daughter thou maist see what a great difference there is betweene such as haue in effect spentall their daies in a straight hard and penitentiall life religiously and such as haue in the world like worldlie wretches as thy poore father hath donne consumed all their time in pleasure and ease licentiously For God considering their lōg continued life in most sore and grieuous pennance will not suffer them anie longer to remaine in this vale of miserie but taketh them speedily hence to the fruitiō of his euerlasting deitie whereas thy sillie father who hath most like a wicked Caytife passed forth most sinfully the whole course of his miserable life God thinketh him not worthie to come so soone to that eternall felicitie but leaueth him still in the world further to be plunged and turmoiled with miserie By which most humble and heauenlie meditation we may easily guesse what a spirite of Charitie he had gotten by often meditation that euerie sight brought him new matter to practise most heroicall resolutions Within a while after this M. r Secretarie coming to him from the king who still gaped more for Sir THOMAS his relenting then all his other subiects pretended much friendshipp towards Sir THOMAS and for his comfort tolde him that the king was his good and gratious Lord and minded not to vrge him to anie matter wherein he should haue anie cause of scruple from thenceforth to trouble his consciēce As soone as M. Secretarie was gone to expresse what comfort he receaued of his words he wrote with a coale as he did vsually manie other letters because all his Inke had bene taken from him by the king's expresse commaundement certaine wittie verses which are printed in his booke All the while Sir THOMAS was in the Tower he was not idle but busied himself in writing with a coale for the most parte spirituall treatises as the Three bookes of Comfort in Tribulation where in a dialogue manner vander the names of two Hungarians fearing the Turkes running ouer their Countrie who had made great preparations therefore he paynteth out in liuelie coulours both the danger that England stoode then in to be ouerwhelmed with heresie and how good Catholikes should prepare themselues to loose libertie life and lands and whatsoeuer can be most deare vnto them rather then to forsake their fayth It is a most excellent booke full of spirituall and forcible motiues expressing liuely Sir THOMAS his singular resolution to apply all those
your wife that we may meete in heauen togeather where we shall be merrie for euer and euer Soone after this S. r William talking hereof to my vncle Rooper sayd In good fayth M. r Rooper I was ashamed of myselfe that at our parting I found my hart so weake and his so stoute that he was fayne to comfort me who should rather at that time haue comforted him but God and the clearenesse of his Conscience is a comfort which no earthlie prince can giue or take away 2. When Sir THOMAS was come now to the Tower-wharfe his best beloued childe my aunte Rooper desirous to see her father whome she feared she should neuer see in this world after to haue his last blessing gaue there attendance to meete him whome as soone as she had espyed after she had receaued vpon her knees his fatherlie blessing she ranne hastily vnto him and without consideration or care of herselfe passing through the midst of the throng and guarde of men who with billes and halberds compassed him round there openly in the sight of them all embraced him tooke him about the necke and kissed him not able to say anie word but Oh my father oh my father He liking well her most naturall and deare affection towards him gaue her his fatherlie blessing telling her that whatsoeuer he should suffer though he were innocent yet it was not without the will of God and that she knew well enough all the secretts of his hart counselling her to accommodate her will to Gods blessed pleasure and bad her be patient for her losse She was no sooner parted from him and gone ten steppes when she not satisfyed with the former Farewell like one who had forgottē herselfe rauished with the intire loue of so worthie a father hauing neither respect to herselfe nor to the presse of the people about him suddenly turned backe and ranne hastily to him tooke him about the necke and diuerse times togeather kissed him whereat he spoke not a word but carrying still his grauitie teares fell also from his eyes yea there were very few in all the troupe who could refrayne hereat from weeping no not the guarde them selues yet at last with a full heauie hart she was seuered from him at which time Margarett Gigs embraced him kissed him also yea mine Aunt 's mayde one Dorothie Collie did the like of whome he sayd after it was homelie but verie louingly donne all these and also his sonne my grandfather wittnessed that they smelt a most odoriferous smell to come from him according to that of Isaac Odor filij mei sicut odor agri pleni cui benedixit Dominus Oh what a spectacle was this to see a woman of nature shamefast by education modest to expresse such excessiue griefe as that loue should make 〈◊〉 of all feare and shame which dolefull sight piercing the harts of all beholders how doe you thinke it moued her fathers surely his affection and forcible loue would haue daunted his courage if that a diuine spiritt of constancie had not inspired him to beholde this most generous woman his most worthie daughter endewed with all good guifts of nature all sparkes of pietie which are wont to be most acceptable to a louing father to presse vnto him at such a time and place where no man could haue accesse hanging about his necke before he perceaued holding so fast by him as she could scarce be plucked of not vttering anie other words hut oh my father what a sword was this to his hart and at last being drawen away by force to runne vpon him againe without anie regarde either of the weapons wherewith he was compassed or of the modest ye becoming her owne sexe what comfort did he want what courage did he then stande in neede of and yet he resisted all this most couragiously remitting nothing of his steadie grauitie speaking only that which we haue recited before and at last desiring her to pray for her fathers soule This and other his heroicall actes made Cardinall Poole write thus of him Strangers and men of other nations that neuer had seene him in their liues receaued so much griefe at the hearing of his death that reading the storie thereof they could not refraine from weeping bewayling an vnknowne person only famous vnto them for his worthie acts Yea saith he I cannot holde myselfe from weeping as I write though I be farre of my countrie I loued him dearely who had not so manie vrgent causes of his loue as manie others had only in respect of his vertues and heroicall acts for which he was a most necessarie member of his Countrie and now God is my wittnesse I shedde for him euen whether I would or noe so manie teares that they hinder me frō writing and often blott out the letters quite which I am frāing that I cā proceede no further 3. So remained this vnconquerable Conquerour of the 〈◊〉 the world and the diuell some seuenight after his Iudgement in the Tower arming himself with prayer meditatiō and manie holie mortifications for the day of his Martyrdome and walking about this chāber with a sheete about him like a corps readie to be buried and vsing to whippe himselfe very sore and long In this meane time and space came to him a light headed Courtier talking of no serious matter but only vrging him this that he would change his minde and being wearied with his importunitie he answered him that he had changed it who presently went and tolde the king thereof and being by him commaunded to knowe wherein his minde was changed Sir THOMAS rebuked him for his lightnesse in that he would tell the king euerie word that he spoke in ieaste meaning that whereas he had purposed to be shauen that he might seeme to others as he before was wōt now he was fully minded that his beard should take such parte as his head did which made the fellow blanke and the king verie angrie In this while also he wrote a most kinde letter vnto M. r Antonie Bonuise an Italian marchant in Latine calling him the halfe of his hart which is to be seene amongst his other letters Last of all the day before he was to suffer being the Fifth of Iuly he wrote a most louing letter with a coale to his daughter Margarett sending therein his blessing to all his children in which he writeth very affectionately yet he knew nothing of his death as then in these words I cumber thee daughter Margarett very much but I vvould be sorie that it should be anie 〈◊〉 then to morrovv for to morrovv is S. Thomas of Canterbury's eeue and the vtas of S Peter and therefore to morrovv I long to goe to God it vvere a day very meete and conuenient I neuer liked your manner tovvards me better then vvhen you kissed me last For I like vvhen daughterlie loue and deare charitie haue noe leasure to looke vnto vvorldlie courtesie
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