deuised to allure his Maiesty who was alâ—… ready contrary to the Cardinaâ—… mynd and knowledge fallen iâ—… loue with the Lady Anne Bullen to affect the French Kings Sister Which thing because of thâ—… wars and hatred that was theâ—… â—…etweene the French King and â—…e Emperour whome the Carâ—…inall now mortally hated he eryâ—… earnestly indeauoured to â—…rocure And for the better furâ—…ering this his purpose he reâ—…uested one Langland Bishop of â—…incolne and Ghostly Father to 〈◊〉 Henâ—…y to put a scruple into â—…he K. head that it was not lawâ—… for him to mary his Brothers â—…ife which thing the King not â—…ry to heare of related first to 〈◊〉 Thomas More required his â—…ounsell therein and with all â—…ewed himsome places of Scriture which seemed somewhat 〈◊〉 serue his purpose Syr Thomaâ—…â—…ore perusing the said places â—…ereupon as one that had neâ—…r professed Diuinity excused â—…mselfe vnto his Maiesty and said he was farre vnfit to meddle with such affaires The King not satisfied with this answere pressed and vrged him the more which he perceauing said vnto his Maiesty that for asmuch as such a busines required good aduise and deliberation he besought his Highnes to giue him sufficient respit to coÌ„sider aduisedly of the same Wherwith the King well contented replyed That Tonstall Clark Bishops of Durham Bath with others learned of his priuy CouÌ„sell should also be dealers therin So Syr Thomas More departed and conferred those places of Scripture with the Expositions of diuers of the ancient Fathers and Doctours of the Church and at his comming to Court talking with the King of the aforesaid matter he said To be playne with your Grace neither my Lord of Durham nor my Lord of Bath though I hold â—…hem to be both learned verâ—…uous holy Prelates nor my â—…elfe with any other of your Counsell being all your Maieâ—…ties owne seruants so greatâ—…y bound vnto you for your maâ—…ifold benefits dayly bestowed vpon vs be in my iudgment fit Counsellors for your Grace heâ—…ein But if your Maiesty desyre â—…o vnderstand the Truth such Counsellors may be found as â—…either for respect of worldâ—… commodity nor for feare of â—…our Princely authority will â—…ny way be drawne to deceiuâ—…â—…ou And then he named vnto the King S. Hierome S. Augustine and diuers others auncient Fathers Doctors of the Church both Greeke an Latin and further shewed his Maiesty what authority he had gathered forth of them of which although the King as not fitting to his purpose did not very well like yet were they by Syr Thomas Moreâ—… so wisely alleaged and so tempred with discretion that the King at that tyme tooke it in good part and had oftentimes conference with him againe about the same matter After this there were certayne questions propounded to thâ—… Kings Counsell whether in this case the King needed to haue any scruple at all and if he had what was the best way to freâ—… him of it The greater part of the Counsell were of opinion that there was good cause of scruple and that for his Maiesties discharge therin it was fit suite should be made vnto the Sea of Rome where the King thought that by his liberality he might with ease obtayne his purpose TheÌ„ was there procured from Rome a commission for the try all of this Mariage wherein Cardinall Campegius and Cardinall Wolsey were ioyned commissioners who for the determination therof sate at the Blacke-Fryers in London where a Libell was put in for the anulling of the said Mâ—…triomony affirming the Mariage betweene the King and Qâ—…eene to be vnlawfull Then againe for proofe therof to be lawfull there was produced 〈◊〉 dispensation in which after diuers disputations thereupoÌ„ holden there appeared an imperfection which notwithstanding by an other instrument or Breuâ—… found out vpon search in thâ—… Treasury of Spayne sent oueâ—… to the commissioners in EnglaÌ„dâ—… was supplyed so should iudgmeÌ„t haue ben giuen by the Popâ—… accordingly had not the King vpon intelligence therof beforâ—… the same Iudgment appealed to a Generall CouÌ„cell After whose Appellation the Cardinalls satâ—… no more vpon that businesse It happened before the saâ—… matter of Mariage brought in Question that M. Roper being one day in discourse with Syâ—… Tho. More did with a kind of â—…oy congratulate with his said Father for the happy Estate of the Realme that had so Cathoâ—…ique a Prince as no Heretique durst shew his face so vertuous and learned a Clergy so graue and sound a Nobility and so loâ—…ing and obedient Subiects all â—…n one fayth agreeing togeather Troth it is so indeed Sonne Roâ—…er quoth he and then commended all degrees and estates of the same far beyond M. Roper And yet Sonne Roper quoth he I pray God that some of vs as high as we seeme to sit vpon the Mountaynes treading Heretiâ—…ques vnder our feete like Ants â—…ue not to see the day when we gladly would wish to be in league and composition with those whome you call Heretiques to let them haue their Churchâ—… quietly to themselues vpon coÌ„â—… dition that they would be content to let vs haue ours quieâ—… to our selues Then M. Roper produceâ—… many reasons to the contrary saw no cause why any shoulâ—… say so Well well Sonne Ropâ—… quoth he I pray God some 〈◊〉 vs liue not till that day and 〈◊〉 no more To whome M. 〈◊〉 replyed By my troth Syr thâ—…s 〈◊〉 desperatly spoken seeming 〈◊〉 be halfe angry with Syr 〈◊〉 More who perceiuing the 〈◊〉 said merily vnto him Well 〈◊〉 SoÌ„ne Ropâ—…r It shall not be then since you will not haue it soâ—… Thus was he of so excellent 〈◊〉 temper that those who liued were coÌ„tinually coÌ„uersant with him in his house for the space 〈◊〉 twenty yeares and vpwardes â—…ould neuer perceiue him to be â—…nce moued or to make the â—…ast shew of anger But to returne agayne where â—…eft After the supplying of the â—…spensation sent vnto the comâ—…ioners into England as is â—…efore rehearsed the King taâ—…ng the businesse to himselfe as â—…t then mynding to proceed â—…y further in the matter assiâ—…ed the Bishop of Durham and 〈◊〉 Thomas More to go Embassaâ—…urs to Cambray a place neiâ—…er Imperiall nor French to â—…eat a Peace betweene the Emâ—…rour the FreÌ„ch King himâ—…fe in the concluding wherof â—…r Tho. More so worthily manâ—…ged the busines that he procured therby much more benefit for the Kingdome then was at that tyme by the King and his CouÌ„sell thought possible could be coÌ„passed For whose good seruice in that Embassy the King when he after made him Lord Chauncellour caused the Duke of Norfolke to declare openly to the people how much all â—…ngland was bounden vnto him as you shall see heeâ—…after more 〈◊〉 large Now vpon the coÌ„ming home of the Bishop of Durham and Syâ—… Thomas More from Cambray aforsayd the King began to reneâ—… agayne his old suite and waâ—… very earnest in persuading Syâ—… Thomas More to agree vnto thâ—…
matter of his marriage vsinâ—… all the wayes and meanes 〈◊〉 could deuise to draw him to his part and as it was thought did the rather for that end soone afâ—…er create him Lord Chauncelâ—…our of England And the King said further vnto him that alâ—…hough at his going to Cambray he was in vtter despaire to obâ—…ne dispensation thereof yet â—…ow he had conceiued some goâ—…d hope to coÌ„passe the same â—…eaging that albeâ—…t his Marâ—…iage as being agaynst the posiâ—…ue Law of the Church the â—…itten Law of God was holâ—…en by the dispensation yet is â—…here another thing found out â—…flate quoth the King wherby â—…his Marriage appeareth so direâ—…tly agaynst the law of Nature â—…hat it can in no wise by the Church be dispensable as Doâ—…or Stokesley whome he had then preferred to the Bishopricke of London can well instruct you with whome vpon this point I would haue you to confer So they conferred togeatherâ—… But for all this Conference Syr Thomas More could not be induced to change his opinion therein Yet notwithstanding did the Bishop in his Report oâ—… him to the King affirme falsely that he found Syr Thomas More in the Kings cause very forward as being desirous to find some good matter wherewith he might serue the Kings contentment in that case Now this Bishop Stokesley hauing a litle before byn by Cardinall Wolsey openly rebuked in the Sarre-chamber awarded 〈◊〉 the Flecte he not well brooâ—…ing this contumelious vsage â—…nd knowing that forasmuch 〈◊〉 the Cardinall for his backeâ—…ardnes in pursuing the Kings â—…uorse was falling out of his â—…ghnes fauour and that he had â—…ow espied a fit opportunity to â—…euenge his quarell agaynst the â—…ardinall and to incense the â—…ing further agaynst him at â—…ast preuayled so far that the Cardinall was soone after disâ—…laced from his office of high Chancellorship and the same was conferred vpon Syr Thomas â—…ore hoping therby so to win â—…im to his syde that he would â—…ield his consent for the matter â—…f diuorse Then was Syr Thomas More betweene the Dukes of 〈◊〉 and Nâ—…rfolke brought througâ—… 〈◊〉 Hall to his place 〈◊〉 the Chancery and the Duke 〈◊〉 Norfolkâ—… in the audience of 〈◊〉 the people there assembled 〈◊〉 wed that he was from the 〈◊〉 himselfe straitley charged 〈◊〉 speciall commiâ—…ion to 〈◊〉 theâ—…e openly in the presence 〈◊〉 them all how much all 〈◊〉 was beholding to Syr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for his good seruice anâ—… how worthily he deâ—…erued thâ—… highest roome in the Kingdom and further how deere his Maiesty loued trusted him wherâ—…in quoth the Duke he hatâ—… great cause to reioyce praysâ—… Almighty God Whereunto Syr Thomas Morâ—… amongst diuers other wise and â—…arned speches made answere â—…nd replyed that allthough he â—…ad good cause to take comfort 〈◊〉 his Highnes singular fauour â—…wards him to whome thereâ—…ore he acknowledged himselfe â—…ost deeply bounden yet neâ—…erthelesse he must for his owne â—…art needes confesse that in all â—…ose things by thâ—… Duks Grace â—…here alleaged he had done noâ—…hing but what was his duty â—…nd furthermore said That he â—…as very vnfit for that dignity â—…herein considering how wise â—…nd worthy a Prelate had lately â—…efore taken so great a fall he â—…aid he had no great cause to reâ—…oyce And as they had before in â—…he Kings behalfe charged him 〈◊〉 minister Iustice vprightly â—…ndiffereÌ„tly to the people without corruption or affection 〈◊〉 did he likewise charge them agayne that if they saw him at any time to digresse in the least thing touching any part of hiâ—… duty in that honourable Office euen as they would discharg their owne duty and fidelity 〈◊〉 God and the King they would not fayle to declaâ—…e the same to his Maâ—…esty who otherwise might haue iust caùse to lay the fault wholy vpon them and to their charge Now when he was Lord Chauncellour on a tyme being at leasure as seldome he was a Sonne in law of his who had marryed one of his daughters spake merrily vnto him saying When Cardinall Wolsey was Lord Chancellour not onely â—…iuers of his priuy ChaÌ„ber but â—…uch also as were but his very â—…oor-keepers got much proffit â—…nd now sith I haue maryed one â—…f your daughters and giue my â—…ayly attendance vpon youâ—… I â—…hinke I might of reason looke â—…or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…oyle all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you be so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to heare euery 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pâ—…re as rich beâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no doores shut 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is to me no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and discouraâ—…eÌ„t whereas otherwise some â—…or friendshippe some for kynâ—…red but most for profit would 〈◊〉 glad to haue my furtherance 〈◊〉 bring them to your presence And now as the case stands if 〈◊〉 should take any thing of them know I should do them much wrong for that they may do 〈◊〉 much for themselues as I 〈◊〉 able to do for theÌ„ Which thinâ—… though it be in you very comâ—… mendable yet to me your Sonâ—… I find it nothing profitable You say well Sonne quoâ—… Syr Thomas More I do not mâ—… like that you are so scrupuloâ—… of conscience for there be mâ—…ny other wayes wherein I maâ—… both do you good and pleasurâ—… your friend also for sometymâ—… may I by my word stand yoâ—… friend insteed and sometimâ—… I may by my letters help hiâ—… or if he haue a cause dependiâ—… before me at your request I mâ—… heare him before another oâ—… his cause be not altogether 〈◊〉 the best yet may I moue the paâ—… tyes to fall to some reasonabâ—… end or compound by arbitrement Howbeit this one thing Sonne I assure thee on my Fayth that if the parties will at my hands call for iustice then if â—…it were my Father that stood on the one side and the Diuell on the other side his cause being good the Diuell surely should haue right So offered he to his Sonne as much fauour as he thought he could in reason require And that he would for no respect digresse neuer so litle froÌ„ iustice did plainely appeare by another of his Sonns in law one M. Giles Hâ—…ron who had a sorry suite depending before him in the ChaÌ„cery yet presuming much vpon his Fathers fauour would in no wayes be perswaded by him to come to an indifferent compositioÌ„ with his aduersary wherevpon in triall of the matter Syr Thomas Mâ—…re pronounced sentence agaynst him He vsed euery afternoone to sit in his open Hall to the end that whosoeuer had any suit vnto him they might the more boulder come to his presence and there to open theyr Complayints before him Also his manner was to read euery Bill himselfe before he would grant any Sub poena and hauing read it he would either set his hand vnto it or else cancell it Whensoeuer he passed throgh Westminster Hall to his place in Chancery by the Court of Kings BeÌ„â—…h if his Father one of the Iudges therof had bin there set before he came he would go into the same Court there most reuerently vpon his
being personally present vpon the Earth only vnto S. Peter the Apostle and his lawfull Successors Bishops of the same Sea by special prerogatiue It is not therefore 〈◊〉 inough for one Christian Catholike man to charge and conuince another Christian Catholike man say that this Realme of England being but a member a small part only of the Church of Christ hath power and authority to make a particular law disagreable to the generall law of Christs Vniuersall Catholique Church no more then the Citty of London being but one poore member in respect of the whole Kingdome might make a law agayâ—…st an Act of Parlament to bâ—…nd the whole Realme And further he shewed that it was coÌ„trary both to the ancient Lawes Statutes of our owne Realme not theÌ„ repealled as they might well see in Magna Carta Quod 〈◊〉 libera sit habeat omnia iura integÌ„ra libertates suas 〈◊〉 and contrary likewise to that sacred Oath which the Kings Highnes himselfe and enâ—…ry other Christian Prince of this realme with great Solemnity hath euer taken at their Coronation Alleaging moreouer that no more might this Realme of England refuse obedience to the Sea of Râ—…me then the child might refuse Obedience to his naturall Father for as S. Paul sayth of the 〈◊〉 I haue regenerated you my Children in Christ so might holy S. Gregory Pope of Rome of whome by S. Augustine his messenger we Englishmen first receiued the Christian fayth truly say You are my Children beâ—…causâ—… I haue giuen you euerlasting saluation a farre and better more noble Inheritance then any carnall Father can leaue to his Children by regeneration made you my Children in Christ. To this speach of Syr Thomas More the Lord Chancellor answered That seeing all the Bishops Vniuersities best learned of the Realme had to this Act of Parlament agreed it was very greatly to be admired that he alone agaynst them all would so stifly sticke and argue so vehemently against it To this Syr Thomas More a gaine replyed saying If the nuÌ„ber of Bishops and Vniuersities be so materiall as your Lordship seemeth to take it then I see little cause my Lord why that thing should make any change at all in my CoÌ„science For I nothing doubt though not in this Realme yet in Châ—…istendome round about the nuÌ„ber of learned men and Bishops to be farre greater who will defend and maintayne the contrary and therefore am I not bouÌ„den to conforme my coÌ„science to the Councell of one Kingdome against the generall CouÌ„cell of Christendome Now when Syr Thomas More for the auoyding of the Inditement had taken as many exceptions as he thought fit the Lord Chancellour loath to haue the burden of that Iudgment wholy to depend vpon â—…fe there openly asked the aduise of the Lord Fitz-Iames then Lord chiefe Iustice of the Kings Bâ—…nch and ioyned in commission with him whether this Inâ—… were 〈◊〉 or no. Who like a 〈◊〉 man answered My Lordes quoth he by S. 〈◊〉 that was euer his oath I must needs coÌ„fesse that if the Act of Parlament be not vnlawfull then is not the Inditement in my conscience insufficient Whereupon the Lord Chancellour said to the rest of the Commissioners Loe my Lordes you all heare what my Lord chiefe Iustice sayth so immediatly he gaue Iudgment Which being done the commissoners yet further offered him curteously all fauourable audience if he would speake who answered I haue no more to say my Lords but that like as the Blessed Apostle S. Paul as we read in the Acts of the Apostles was present and consenteâ—… to the death of S. Stephen kept their clothes that stoned him to death and are now both hoâ—…y Saintes in heauen so I verily trust and shall right hartily pray that though your Lordships haue now heere in earth byn Iudges to my Condemnation yet may we hereafter meete all togeather in euerlasting glory After his condemnation he departed from the Barre towardes the Tower agayne led by Sir William Kingston a tall strong and comely knight Constable of the Tower his very deere friâ—…d who wheÌ„ he had brought him a part of the way towardes the Tower with a heauy heart the teares running downe his cheekes bad him farwell The which Syr Thomas More seeing comforted him with as good words as he could saying Good M Kingston trouble not your selfe but be of good cheere for I will pray for you and my good Lady your wife that we may meete togeather in HeaueÌ„ where we shal be merry for euer and euer And a little after Syr William Kingstone meeting with M. Roper said In good fayth M. Roper I was ashamed of my selfe that at my departure from your Father I found my selfe so feeble and he so strong that he was fayne to coÌ„fort me who should rather haue comforted him As Syr Thâ—… More came neere vnto the Tower his Daughter Roper desirous to see her Father once more before his death and to receaue his last blessing gaue attendance about the Tower-wharfe where he was to passe so soone as she saw him hastning vnto him without respect or care of herselfe pressed in among the throng of the Guard that with halbards went round about him and there openly in the sight of all asking him blessing on her knees imbrac't him tooke him about the necke and kissed him Who with a merry countenance nothing at all deiected gaue her his Fatherly blessing with many Godly wordes of comfort theÌ„ departed So remayned he in the Tower more then eight dayes after his condemnation from whence the day before he suffered he sent his shirt of hayre not willing to haue it seene to his said Daughter Roper and a Letter written with a cole printed in the aforesaid booke of his workes expressing playnly the feruent desyre he had to suffer on the Morrow in these wordes following I comber you good Margaret very much but I wold be sorry if it should be any longe then to Morrow for to Morrow is S. Thomas of Canterbury his Eue the Octaue of S. Peter therfore to Morrow long I to go to God it were a day very meete and conuenient for me I neuer liked you manner better towardes me then when you last imbraced me and when daughterly loue and deare charity haue no leasure to looke towards worldly courtesy Vpon the next Morrow according as he wished earely in the morning there came vnto him Syr Thomas Pope his singular good friend with a message from the King and Counsell that he must before nine of the clocke the same morning suffer death and that he should forth with prepare himself therto M. Pope quoth he for your good tydings I most hartily thanke you I haue alwayes ben much bound to the Kings highnes for the many benefits and honours that he hath still from tyme to tyme most bountifully heaped vpon me especially that it hath pleased his Maiesty to put me here in this