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
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
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
or his vvisedome for marking and setting forth all the fountaines from vvhence either the happinesse or mischiefes of anie Common vvealth do arise or the elegancie and force of his stile vvho hath vvith such pure Latine and such vigour of speach comprized so manie and sundrie matters especially one that is so much distracted both vvith publike and priuate affayres Buslidian a great Counsellour of Charles the Fift Emperour in a letter to Sir THOMAS sayth In the happie description of your Vtopian Common-vvealth there is nothing missing vvhich might shevv most excellent learning togeather vvith an absolute knovvledge of all humane things For you excell in sundrie sciences and haue such great and certaine knovvledge 〈◊〉 besides that you affirme euerie matter in writing as though you had tryed euerie thing by experience before and you write most eloquently vvhat soeuer you affirme a maruelous and rare happienesse and the more rare by hovv much the fevver can attaine therevnto And further in the sayd letter he affirmeth that this Vtopian Common wealth farre exceedeth the Lacedemonian the Athenian yea euen that of the Romans it selfe in that it seeketh not so much to make manie lawes as it laboureth to prouide good and vpright Magistrates by whose prototypon that is the patterne of their honestie the example of their manners and behauiour and the pourtraicture of their Iustice the whole state and true gouernement of euerie perfect 〈◊〉 wealth may be framed Paulus louius in his booke of the praises of learned men speaketh thus Mores fame vvill alvvaies laste in his Vtopia for he therein hath described a kingdome vvell gouerned vvith holesome lavves and much flourishing vvithriche peace she vving hovv he loathed the corrupt manners of this vvicked age and endeauouring by a pleasant fiction to leade the right pathe to a blessed and most happie life c. Finally Hutten Uiues Grapheus and Lacius affirme that Sir THOMAS had an incomparable witt greater then a man's witt pene diuinum yea almost diuine About this time he also wrote for his exercise the historie of king Richard the third both in Latine and English which is so well penned that if our Chronicles of England were halfe so well sett out they would entice all English men to reade them ouer often These his workes sett out at that time when he was most employed in other mens affayres shew how diligent and industrious he was For thus he writeth in his Vtopia VVhilst I daily either pleade other mens causes or heare them sometimes as an arbiter othervvhiles as a Iudge vvhilst this man I visite for friendshipp another for businesses and vvhilst I busie my selfe abroad about other mens matters all the vhole day I leaue no time for my selfe that is for studie For vvhen I come home I must discourse vvith my vvife chatte vvith my children speake vvith my seruants and seing this must needes be donne I number it amongst my affaires and needefull they are vnlesse one vvill be a stranger in his ovvne house for vve must endeauour to be affable and pleasing vnto those vvhome either nature chance or choice hath made our companions but vvith such measure it must be donne that vve doe not marre them vvith affabilitie or make them of servants our maisters by too much gentle entreatie and fauour vvhilst these things are doing a day a moneth a yeare passeth VVhen then can I finde anie time to vvrite for I haue no yet spoken of the time that is spent in eating and sleeping vvhich things alone bereaue most men of halfe their life As for me I gett only that spare time vvhich I fleale from my meate and sleepe vvhich because it is but small I proceedst vvly yet it being somevvhat I haue novv at the length preuailed so much as I haue finished and sent vnto you Peter my Vtopia Besides all this to shew the more his excellent partes of readie vtterance pleasant conceipts and sharpenesse of witt euen to the admiration of all men he read a lecture in S. Laurence church at Lothburie where Sir Iohn More his father lieth buried out of S. Augusten's bookes De Ciuitate Dei not so much discussing the points of Diuinitie as the precepts of morall philosophie and historie where with these bookes are replenished And he did this with such an excellent grace that whereas before all the flower of English youthes went to heare the famous Grocinus who was lately come out of Italie to teache Greeke in the publike vniuersitie vnder whome as also that famous Grammarian Linaore Sir THOMAS himself had profited greatly of whome he had Aristotle's workes interpreted in Greeke now all England almost left his lecture and flocked to heare Sir THOMAS MORE 7. It fortuned shortly after that a shippe of the Popes arriued at Southampton which the King claimed as a forfeyture yet the pope's legate so wrought with the king that though it was seysed on yet he obtained to haue the matter pleaded by learned Councell For the Pope's side as their principall man was chosen Sir THOMAS MORE and a day of hearing being appointed before the Lo Chancellour and other the chiefe Iudges in the Starre-chamber Sir THOMAS argued so learnedly and forcibly in defence of the pope's parte that the afore sayd forfeyture was restored and he amongst all the audience so highly commended for his admirable and wittie arguing that for no intreatie would the king anie longer forbeare to vse him Wherefore he brought him perforce to the Court and made him of his Priuie Counsell as Sir THOMAS testifyeth himselfe in a letter to that worthie prelate Iohn Fisher Bishop of Rochester saying I am come to the Court extreamely against my vvill as euerie bodie knovveth and as the king himself often tvviteth me in sporte for it And hereto do I hang so vnseemely as a man not vsing to ride doth sitt vnhansomely in his saddle But our Prince vvhose speciall and extraordinarie fauour tovvards me I knovve not hovv I euer shal be able to deserue is so affable and courteous to all men that euerie one vvho hath neuer so little hope of himselfe may finde somevvhat vvhereby he may imagine that he loueth him euen as the Cittizens vviues of London doe vvho imagine that our ladies ' picture neare the tovver doth smile vpon them as they pray before it But I am not so happie that I can perceaue such fortunate signes of deseruing his loue and of a more abiect spriut then that I can persvvade myselfe that I haue it already yet such is the vertue and learning of the king and his daily increasing industrie in both that by hovv much the more I see his Highnesse increase in these kinglie ornaments by so much the lesse troublesome this Courtier 's life seemeth vnto me And indeede king Henrie's Court for the first twentie yeares was a seate of manie excellent witts a pallace of rare vertues according as Erasmus Wittnesseth thereof in an
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
By the Maste thou art the veriest foote of all the Counsell At which Sir THOMAS smiling sayd God be thanked that the king our Maister hath but one foole in all his Councel But we shall haue occasion to speake more hereafter of this Cardinal THE THIRD CHAPTER THE COVRTEOVS and meeke behaueour of Sir THOMAS MORES his frinds at home and abroade 1. The gentle disposition of S. T. More in all occasions 2. His prompt and ready vvitt 3. His frindship vvith learned men at home 4. With learned men of other nations 5. His pleasaunt and merry conuersation 1. SIR THOMAS MORE for all his honour and fauour with his Prince was nothing puffed vp with pride disdaine or arrogancie but was of such a milde behauiour and excellent temper that he could neuer be moued to anie passion or anger as mine vncle Rooper wittnesseth who affirmeth that in sixteene yeares space and more that he dwelt in his house and was conuersant with him alwaies he could neuer perceaue him so much as once in a fume Yea Margaret Gigs who was brought vp from a childe amongst Sir THOMAS his children and vsed by him no otherwise then one of them and afterwards married Doctour Clement a singular learned woman would say that sometimes she would committ a fault for the nonce to heare Sir THOMAS MORE chide her he did it with such grauitie such moderation such loue and compassion His meekenesse and humilitie was also perceaued in this that if it had fortuned anie schollar to come to him as there did manie daily either from Oxford Cambridge or else where some for desire of his acquaintance as he had intercourse of letters with all the men of fame in all Christendome some againe for the report of his learning and singular wisedome some for suites of the Vniuersities if anie of them I say had entred into argument whrein few wereable to dispute long with him he would vrge verie forcibly and if it fortuned that they entred togeather so farre to dispute that he perceaued they could not without some inconueniēce holde out much further against his arguments then least he should discourage them as he that sought not his owne glorie he would seeme to be confuted that the student should not be discomforted euer shewing himselfe more desirous to learne then to teache and so by some wittie deuise he would courteously breake out into some other matter 2. Such was also his readinesse of witt that going euer in progresse with the king either to Oxford or Cambridge when they were receaued with verie eloquent orations he was alwaies the man appointed by his Maiestie extempore to make answer vnto them as he that was promptest and most readie therein Yea when the king went into France to meete the French king Sir THOMAS MORE made a speach of their congratulation which he also did when Charles the Fift landed in England to see Queene Catherine his aunte And whenfoeuer he had occasion either in England or beyond the sea to visite anie vniuersitie he would not only be present at their readings and disputations but would also learnedly dispute there amongst them himself to the great admiration of all the Auditorie for his skill in all sciences But when at Brugges in Flanders an arrogant fellow had sett vp a Thesis that he would answer whatsoeuer question could be propounded vnto him in anie art whatsoeuer Sir THOMAS made this question to be putt vp for him to answer thereto whether Aueria captain Withernamia sunt irreplegebilia adding that there was one of the English Fmbassadoursretinue retinue that would dispute with him thereof This Thraso or Braggadocio not so much as vnderstanding those tearmes of our Common Law knew not what to answer to it and so he was made a laughing stocke to the whole Cittie for his presumptuous bragging 3. Now as he was vngrateful to vaine proude men so was he an intire and speciall good friend to all the learned men in Christendome and first he affected especially that famous man Cuthbert Tunstall lately Bishopp of London and then of Durham of whome Sir THOMAS speaketh in his epitaphe made by himself whilst he was in good health and state thus Then whome the whole world hath not a man more learned wise or better He speaketh also of him in his Vtopia thus The King sent me Embassadour into Flanders as a Collegue to that excellent person Cuthbert Tunstall vvhome lately he hath chosen to the congratulation of all men his Maister of the Rovvles of vvhose singular praises I vvill not speake for that I feare I should be suspected because he is so deare a friend vnto me but for that his vertues and learning are greater then I can expresse and also more knovven then that I should neede to goe about to declare them except I vvould seeme to sett a torche to lighten the sunne In this embassage manie things delighted me much first the long and neuer interrupted familiaritie vvhich I had vvith Tunstall then vvhome as there is none more learned so also no man more graue in his life and manners no man more pleasant in his manner of carriage and conuersation He wrote vnto him diuerse letters which may testifye what intire-friendshipp there was betweene these two excellēt men as this Although euerie letter vvhich I receaue frō you most vvorthie friend is verte gratefull vnto me yet that vvhich you vvrote last vvas most vvellcome for that besides the other commendations vvhich the rest of your letters deserue in respect of their eloquence and the friendshipp they professe tovvards me these last of yours yeelde a peculiar grace for that they containe your peculiar testimonie I vvould it vvere as true as it is fauourable of my Common Wealth I requested my friend Erasmus that he vvould explane to you the matter thereof in familiar talke yet I charged him not to presse you to reade it not because I vvould not haue you to reade it for that is my chiefe desire but remembring your discrete purpose not to take in hand the reading of anie nevv vvorke vntill you had fully satisfyed yourselfe vvith the bookes of aneien Authours which if you measure by the profitt you haue taken by them surely you haue alreadie accomplished your taske but if by affection then you vvill neuer bring your sayd purpose to a perfect ende Wherefore I vvas afrayed that seing the excellent vvorkes of other men could not allure you to their reading you vvould neuer be brought to condescende vvillingly to the reading of my trifles and surely you vvould neuer haue donne it but that your loue tovvards me droue you more thereto then the vvorth of the thing itselfe Therefore Iyeelde you exceeding thankes for reading so 〈◊〉 gently ouer my Vtopia I meane because you haue for my sake bestovved so much labour And no lesse thankes truly do I giue you for that my vvorke hath pleased you for no lesse do I attribute this to
vvriting anie thing then you needed his And in another to Doctour Clement a most famous phisitian and one that was brought vp in Sir THOMAS his owne house he sayth thus I thanke you my deare Clement for that I finde you so carefull of my health and my childrens so that you prescribe in your absence vvhat meates are to be auoided by vs. And you my friend Poole I render double thankes both because you haue vouchsafed to sende vs in vvriting the counsell of so great a phisitian and besides haue procured the same for vs from your mother a most excellent and noble matrone and vvorthie of so great a sonne so as you do not seeme to be more liberall of your counsell then in beslovving vpon vs the thing it selfe vvhich you counsell vs vnto VVherefore I loue and praise you both for your bountie and fidelitie And of Sir THOMAS MORE' 's friendship Cardinal Poole boasteth much after his martyrdome in his excellent booke De vnitate Ecclesiae saying yf you thinke that I haue giuen scope to my sorrowe because they were my best beloued friends that were putt to death meaning Sir THOMAS MORE and Bishop Fisher I do both acknowledge and professe it to be true most willingly that they both were deare vnto me aboue all others For how can I dissemble this seing that I doe reioyce more of their loue towards me then if I should boaste that I had gotten the dearest familiaritie withall the princes of Christendome His frienshipp also with Doctour Lea afterwards the worthie Archbishopp of Yorke was not small nor fayned although he had written an excellent booke against Erasmus his Annotations vpon the new Testament Erasmus being then Sir THOMAS his intire friend and as it were the one halfe of his owne hart For Sir THOMAS writeth thus vnto him Good Lea that you request of me not to suffer my loue to be diminished tovvards you trust me good Lea it shall not though of myselfe I incline rather to that parte that is oppugned And as I could vvish that this Cittie vvere freed from your siege so vvill I alvvaies loue you and be glad that you do so much esteeme of my loue He speaketh also of Lupset a singular learned man of that time in an epistle to Erasmus Our friend Lupsett readeth with great applause in both toungs at Oxford hauing a great auditorie for he succeedeth my Iohn Clement in that charge What familiaritie there was betwixt him and Doctour Collett Grocine Linacre and Lillie all singuler men we haue spoken of heretofore VVilliam Montioy a man of great learning and VVilliam Lattimer not Hugh the heretike that was burnt but another most famous for vertue and good letters were his verie great acquaintance as also Iohn Croke that read Greeke first at Lipsia in Germanie and was after King Henrie's Greeke maister to whome he writeth thus VVhatsoeuer he vvas my Crocus that hath signifyed vnto you that my loue is lessened because you haue omitted to vvrite vnto me this great vvhile either he is deceaued or else he seeketh cunningly to deceaue you and alshough I take great comfort in reading your letters yet am I not so proude that I should chalenge so much interest in you as though you ought of dutie to salute me euerie day in that manner nor so vvayvvard nor full of complaints to be offended vvith you for neglecting a little this your custome of vvriting For I vvere vniust if I should exact from other men letters vvhereas I knovve myselfe to be a great sluggard in that kinde Wherefore be secure as concerning this for neuer hath my loue vvaxed so colde tovvards you that it neede still to be kindled and heated vvith the continuall blovving of missiue epistles yet shall you do me a great pleasure if you vvrite vnto me as often as you haue leasure but I vvill neuer persvvade you to spende that time in saluting your friends vvhich you haue allotted for your ovvne studie or the profiting of your schollars As touching the other parte of your excuse I vtterly refuse it fo there is no cause vvhy you should feare my nose as the trunke of an elephant seing that your letters may vvithout feare approche in the sight of anie man neither am I so long snovvted that I vvould haue anie man feare my censuring As for the place vvhich you requirre that I should procure you both M. r Pace and I vvho loue you dearely haue putt the king in minde thereof 4. But now as concerning the familiaritie he had with the most famous men of other nations it may be likewise seene by his letters to them as to that famous Iohn Cochlee who was Luther's scourge he writeth thus It cannot be expressed most vvorthie Sir how much I holde myself indebted vnto you for certifying me so often of those occurrences vvhich happen in your Countrie For Germanie novv daily bringeth forth more monsters yea prodigious things then Africk vvas vvont to doe For vvhat can be more monstrous then the Anabaptists yet hovv haue those kinde of plagues risen forth and spread for manie yeares togeather I for my parte seing these sects daily to grovve vvorse and vvorse do expect shortly to heare that there vvill arise some vvho will not sticke to preache that Christ himselfe is to be denyed neither can there arise so absurde a knaue but he shall haue fauourers the madnesse of the people is so greate In which letter he foretelleth of Dauid George the Hollander who called himself Christ and had diuerse followers at Basile So was there in England the like desperate fellowe called Hackett whose disciples were Arden and Coppinger At another time he writeth thus vnto the same man I vvould haue you persvvade yourself deare Cochlie that I haue not receaued anie letter from anie of my friends these manie yeares more gratefull then your last vvere to me and that for tvvo causes especially the first for that I perceaue in them your singular loue vnto me vvhich though I haue sufficiently found heretofore yet do these shevv it most plentifully and I account it as a great happinesse for to left passe your benefitts donne me vvho vvould not highly esteeme the friendshipp and fauour of such a friend Secondly because in these letters you certifye me of the nevves of manie actions of Princes c. Afterwards he had also intire familiaritie with Budaeus which was often renewed by letters and once by personall meeting in France when the kings of England and France had a parlie togeather For Budaeus was in great fauour with his king Francis yea one of his priuie Councell as Sir THOMAS was to king Henrie all which may be perceaued by his letter to Budeus in this manner I knovve not my good Budie vvhether it vvere good for vs to possesse anie thing that vvere deare vnto vs except vve might still keepe it For I haue imagined that I should be a happie man if I
and mortall enmitie betweene the French king and Charles the Fift For the better compassing whereof the Cardinal requested Longland Bishopp of London who was the king's ghostlie father to putt a scruple into king Henrie's head that he should as it were another S. Iohn Baptist though the case were nothing like tell his Maiestie that it was not lawfull for him like another Herode to marrie his brothers wife And although K. Henrie's conscience had bene quiett now aboue twentie yeares togeather yet was he not vnwilling to hearken herevnto but entertayning it opened his scruple to Sir THOMAS MORE whose counsell he required herein shewing him certaine places of Scripture that somewhat seemed to serue the turne and his appetite VVhich when Sir THOMAS had seriously perused and had excused himself saying he was vnfitt to meddle with such matters being one that neuer had professed the studie of Diuinitie The king not satisfyed with this answer knowing well his iudgement to be sound in whatsoeuer he would apply himselfe vnto pressed him so sore that in conclusion he condescended to his Maiesties request being as it were a commaunde and for that the cause was of such weight and importance hauing neede of greate deliberation he besought his Maiestie to giue him sufficient respite aduisedly to consider of it with which the king very well satisfyed sayd that Tunstall and Clarke two worthie Bishops one of Durham the other of Bathe with others the learnedest of his priuie Councell should also be his Coadiutours Sir THOMAS taking his leaue of the king went and conferred with them about those places of Scripture adding thereto for their better meanes to search out the truth the expositions of the ancient Fathers and Doctours of the Church and at his next coming to the Courte talking with the king about this matter he spake thus To deale sincerely with your Maiestie neither my Lo of Durham nor my Lo of Bathe though I knowe them both wise vertuous learned and honourable prelates nor my self with the rest of your Councell being all your Grace's owne seruants and subiects for your manifolde benefitts daily bestowed vpon vs so much bound vnto your Highnesse none of vs I say nor we all togeather are in my iudgement meete counsellers for your Maiestie herein but if your princelie disposition purpose to vnderstande the verie truth hereof you may haue such counsellers as neither for respect of their owne worldlie commoditie nor feare of your princelie authoritie will beenclined to deceaue you and then he named S. Hierome S. Austine and diuerse others both Greeke and Latine Fathers shewing him moreouer what authorities he had gathered out of them that he neede not haue anie further scruple thereof and that marrying of a new wife whilst his owne was aliue was wholy repugnāt to their doctrine and the meaning of the Scriptures All which though king Henrie did not very well like of because it was disgustfull to his passionate lust yet the manner of Sir THOMAS his discourse and collection was so wisely tempered by his discreete communication that he tooke them at that present in good parte and often had conference of them againe By which manner of Sir THOMAS his counsell and sincere carriage one may easily gather what vnspotted conscience this vpright man had who for no hope of gaine or anie feare of disgrace would once swarue from the true dictamen of his Conscience and if the rest of king Henrie's counsell had bene as backward to hinder this beginning of dissolution as Sir THOMAS was no alteration of religion had by all likelyhood happened in England for from this onlie spring of K. Henrie's intemperance proceeded all the succeeding calamities which haue daily increased yet haue not anie hope of amendement All which change Sir THOMAS MORE either like a very wise man foresawe long before or rather like a prophete prophecied thereof to my vncle Rooper who on a time of a certaine ioy beganne to commende to his father-in lawe the happie estate of this realme that had so Catholike and zealous a prince that no heretike durst shew his face so learned and vertuous a Clearg e so graue and sounde a Nobilitie such louing and obedient subiects all agreing togeather in one faith and dutiefulnesse as though they had cor vnum animam vnam but one hart and one soule Sir THOMAS thus replyed againe Truth it is indeede sonne Rooper as you say and going through all estates with his commēdations of them he went farre beyond my vncle and yet sonne quoth he I pray God that some of vs as high as wee seeme to sitt now vpon the mountaines treading heretikes vnder our feete like auntes doe not liue the day that we gladly would wish to be in league with them to suffer them to haue their churches quietly to themselues so that they would he content to lett vs haue ours peaceably to our selues VVhen mine vncle Rooper had tolde him manie reasons why he had no cause to say so well sayd he I pray God some of vs liue not till that day and yet shewed he noe reason for all these his speaches whereat my vncle sayd in a choller By my troath Sir it is very desperately spoken I cry God mercie saith my vncle I vsed vnto him that very word By which speach Sir THOMAS perceauing him to be some what angrie sayd merrily well sonne Rooper it shall not be so it shall not be so But yet himself founde the predictiō too true for he liued vntil the fiueteenth yeare of Q. Elizabeth's raigne when he saw religion turned topsie turuie and no hope of anie amendement This spiritt of prophecie no doubt was a signe of Gods loue vnto Sir THOMAS being so deare in his sight that he would make him partaker of some parte of his secretts but that which he wrought in the conuersion of this his sonne in lawe was not a signe only but an euident demonstratiō of God's great fauour vnto him For when M. r VVilliam Rooper was a yong man he vsed austeritie to himselfe more then discretion afforded and by this meanes he grew wearie of the Catholike fasts and religious discipline and hearing of a new and easie way to heauen which the preachers of nouelties did promise to their followers he beganne to reade diligently the bookes of heresies which came ouer and were spread in euerie place of England in so much that being wearie of Auricular Confession fasting the lent and vigiles he grew vehement in his new opinions and zealous in breaking of them to others so as that he would be alwaies talking what a readie way to heauen was now found out no bodie needing to sue to Saints or mens prayers but Gods eare was open still to heare and his mercie readie to forgiue anie sinner whatsoeuer when he shall call to him by fayth which was only necessarie to saluation and hauing that only which he assured himself of he needed not
this that seing you cannot hope for condigne praise of your labours yet for all this you goe for vvard vvith this your inuincible courrage to ioyne vvith your vertue the knovvledge of most excellent sciences and contenting yourself vvith your ovvne pleasure in learning you neuer hunte after vulgar praises nor receaue them vvillingly though they be offered you And for your singular pietie and loue towards me you esteeme me and your husband a sufficient and ample theater for you to content you vvith vvho in requitall of this your affection beseech God and our Ladie vvith as hartie praiers as possible vve can povvre out to giue you an easie and happie childbirth to encrease your familie vvith a childe most like yourself except only in sexe yet yf it be a vvench that it may be such a one as vvould in time recompēce by imitation of her mothers learning and vertues vvhat by the condition of her sexe may be vvanting such a vvenche I should preferre before three boyes Farevvell dearest daughter But see I pray you how a most learned bishopp in Englād was rauished with her learning and witt as it appeareth by a letter which her father wrote vnto her to certifye her thereof Thomas More sendeth hartie greeting to his dearest daughter Margarett I vvill 〈◊〉 passe to tell you my svveetest daughter hovv much your letter delighted me you may imagine hovv exceedingly it pleased your father vvhen you vnderstande vvhat affection the reading of it raysed in a stranger It happened me this euening to sitt vvitt Iohn Lo Bishopp of E'xeter a learned man and by all mens iudgement a most sincere man As vve vvere talking togeather and I taking out of my 〈◊〉 a paper vvhich vvas to the purpose vve vvere talking of I pulled out by chāce therevvith your letter The handvvriting pleasing him he tooke it from me and looked on its vvhen he perceaued it by the salutaciō to be a vvomans he beganne more greedily to read it noueltie inuiting him therevnto but vvhen he had read it and vnderstood that it was your vvriting vvhich he neuer could haue belieued if I had not seriously affirmed it such a letter I vvill say no more yet vvhy should not I reporte that vvhich he sayd vnto me so pure a stile so good Latine so eloquent so full of svveete affections he vvas maruelously rauis hed vvith it vvhen I perceaued that I brought forth also an Oration of yours vvhich he reading and also manie of your verses he vvas so moued vvith the matter so vnlooked for that the verie countenance and gesture of the man free from all flatterie and deceipt bevvrayed that his minde vvas more then his vvords could vtter although he vttered manie to your greate praise and forthvvith he drevv out of his pockett a portegué the which you shall receaue enclosed herein I could not possibly shūne the taking of it but he vvould needes sende it vnto you as a signe of his deare affectiō tovvards you although by all meanes I endeauoured to giue him againe vvhich vvas the cause I shevved him none of your other sisters vvorkes for I vvas afeared least I should haue bene thought to haue shevved them of purpose because he should bestovve the like courtesie vpon them for it troubled me sore that I must needes take this of him but he is so vvorthie a man as I haue sayd that it is a happinesse to please him thus write carefully vnto him and as eloquently as you are able to giue him thankes therefore Farevvell from the Court this II.th of Septemb. euen almost at midnight She made an oration to answer Quintilian defending that rich man which he accuseth for hauing poysoned a poore mans bees with certaine venemous flowers in his garden so eloquent and wittie that it may striue with his She translated Eusebius out of Greeke but it was neuer printed because Christopherson at that time had donne it exactly before Yet one other letter will I sett downe of Sir THOMAS to this his daughter which is thus Thomas More sendeth greeting to his dearest daughter Margarett There vvas noe reason my dearest daughter vvhy thou shouldst haue differred thy vvriting vnto me one day longer for feare that thy letters being so barren should not be read of me vvithout loathing For though they had not been most curious yet in respect of thy sexe thou mightest haue bene pardōed by anie mā yea euē a bleamish in the childe 's face seemeth often to a father beautiefull But these your letters Megg vvere so eloquently polished that they had nothing in them not only vvhy they should feare the most indulgent affection of your father More but also they needed not to haue regarded euen Momus his cēsure though neuer so teastie I greatly thanke M. r Nicolas our deare friend a most expert man in astronomie and doe congratulate your happinesse vvhome it may fortune vvithin the space of one moneth vvith a small labour of your ovvne to learne so manie and such high vvonders of that mightie and eternall vvorkeman vvhich vvere not found but in manie ages by vvatching in so manie colde nights vnder the open skyes vvith much labour and paines by such excellent and aboue all other mens vnderstanding vvitts This vvhich you vvrite pleaseth me exceedingly that you had determined vvith yourself to studie philosophie so diligently that you vvill hereafter recompence by your diligence vvhat your negligence hath heretofore lost you I loue you for this deare Megg that vvhere as I neuer haue found you to be a loyterer your learning vvhich is not ordinarie but in all kinde of sciences most excellent euidently shevving hovv painefully you haue proceeded therein yet such is your modestie that you had rather still accuse yourself of negligence then vainely boaste of diligence except you meane by this your speach that you vvill be hereafter so diligent that your former endeauours though indeede they vvere great and praise vvorthie yet in respect of your future diligence may be called negligence Yf it be so that you meane as I doe verily thinke you doe I imagine nothing can happen to me more fortunate nothing to you my dearest daughter more happie For as I haue earnestly vvished that you might spende the rest of your life in studying phisicke and holie Scriptures by the vvhich there shall neuer be helpes vvanting vnto you for the ende of mās life vvhich is to endeauour that a sounde minde be in a healthfull bodie of vvhich studies you haue alreadie layde some foundations and you shall neuer vvant matter to builde therevpon so novv I thinke that some of the first yeares of your youth yet flourishing may be very vvell bestovved in humane learning the liberall Arts both because your age may best struggle vvith those difficulties and for that it is vncertaine vvhether at anie time else vve shall haue the cōmoditie of so carefull so louing and so learned a maister to lett passe that by
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
vvhat notable experience vvhat a prosperous and fauourable fortune he had for a great space and hovv at the last he had a most grieuous fall and dyed inglorious I haue cause enough by my predecessours example to thinke honour but slipperie and this dignitie not so gratefull to me as it may seeme to others for both is it a hard matter to follovv vvith like paces or praises a man of such admirable vvitt prudence authoritie and splendour to vvhome I may seeme but as the lighting of a candle vvhen the sunne is dovvne and â—â—â—â—â—he sudden and vnexpected fall of so great a man as he vvas doth terribly putt me in minde that this honour ought not to please me too much nor the lustre of this glistering seate dazel mine eyes VVherefore I ascende this seate as a place full of labour and danger voyde of all solide and true honour the vvhich by hovv much the higher it is by so much greater sall I am to feare as vvell in respect of the verie nature of the thing it selfe as because I am vvarned by this late fearefull example And truly I might euen novv at this verie first entraÌ„ce stumble yea faynte but that his maiestie's most singular fauour tovvards me and all your good vvills vvhich your ioyfisll countenance doth testifye in this most honourable assemblie doth somevvhat recreate and refresh me othervvise this seace vvould be no more pleasing to me then that svvord vvas to Damocles vvhich hung ouer his head tyed only by a hayre of a horse's tale vvhen he had store of delicate fare before him seated in the chayre of state of Denis the Tirant of Sicilie this therefore shal be alvvaies freshin my minde this vvill I haue still before mine eies that this seate vvill be honourable famous and full of glorie vnto me if I shall vvith care and diligence fidelitie and vvisedome endeauour to doe my distie and shall persvvade myself that the enioying thereof may chance to be but short vncertaine the one vvhereof my labour ought to perfourme the other my predecessour's example may easily teache me All vvhich being so you may easily perceaue vvhat great pleasure I take in this high dignitie or in this most noble Dukes pruising of me All the world tooke notice now of Sir THOMAS'S dignitie whereof Erasmus writeth to Iohn Fabius Bishopp of Vienna thus Concerning the new increase of honour lately happened to THOMAS MORE I should easily make you belieue it if I should shew you the letters of manie famous men reioycing with much alacritie and congratulating the king the realme himself and also me for MORE' 's honour in being made Lo Chancellour of England 5. Now it was a comfortable thing for anie man to beholde how two great roomes of VVestminster hall were taken vp one with the sonne the other with the father which hath as yet neuer bene heard of before or since the sonne to be Lo Chancellour and the father Sir Iohn More to be one of the ancientest Iudges of the king's Bench if not the eldest of all for now he was neare 90. yeare olde Yea what a gratefull spectacle was it to see the sonne aske the father blessing euerie day vpon his knees before he sate in his owne seate a thing expressing rare humilitie exeÌ„plar obedieÌ„ce submissiue pietie Shortly beganne euery one to finde a great alteration betweene the intolerable pride of the precedent Chancellour VVolsey who would scarce looke or speake to anie and into whose onlie presence none could be admitted vnlesse his fingars were tipped with golde and on the other side this Chancelour the poorer and the meaner the suppliant was the more affably he would speake vnto him the more attentiuely he would hearken to his cause and with speedie try all dispatche him for which purpose he vsed commonly euerie afternoone to sitt in his open hall so that if anie person whatsoeuer had anie sute vnto him he might the more boldely come vnto him and there open to him his complaints VVhich his open manner of extraordinarie fauour to all my vncle Dauncy his sonne in law seemed merrily on a time to finde faulte with saying that when Card VVolsey was Chancellour not only diuerse of his inner chaÌ„ber but such as were but his doorekeepers got great gaines by him and sith I haue married one of your daughters I might of reason looke for some commoditie but you are so readie to doe for euerie poore man and keepe no doores shutt that I can finde no gaines at all which is to mee a great discouragement whereas else some for friendshipp some for profitt some for kindred would gladly vse my furtherance to bring theÌ„ to your presence now yff I should take anie thing of them I should doe them great wroÌ„g because they may freely preferre their causes to you themselues which thing though it is in you Sir very commendable yet to mee I finde it nothing profitable which word Sir THOMAS answered thus I do not mislike sonne that your conscience is so scrupulous but there be manie other waies wherein I may both doe yourself good and pleasure your friends for sometimes by my worde I may stand your friend in steede sometime I may helpe him greately by my letter if he hath a Cause depending before me I may heare him before another man at your intreatie yf his Cause be not all the best I may moue the parties to fall to somereasonable ende by arbitrament but this one thing I assure thee on my fayth that if the parties will at my hands call for iustice and equitie theÌ„ although it were my father whome I reuerence dearely that stoode on the one side and the diuell whome I hate extreamely were on the other side his cause being iust the diuel of me should haue his right What saying was this to expresse the loue to Iustice which he alwaies bore and his deedes shewed it so that no malitious toung euer could picke the least quarrell against him for the least toach of iniustice as shal be more at large spoken of when euerie light matter came to be sifted narrowly after he fell from the king's fauour and that he would for no respect of alliance digresse one iotte from equitie well appeared by another sonne in law of his my vncle Heron for when he hauing a Cause in the Chancerie before Sir THOMAS and presuming to much on his fauour because he euer shewed himself the most affectionate father to his children that was in the world by reason whereof he would by no meanes be perswaded to agree to anie indifferent order at last Sir THOMAS made a flatt decree against him Wherein he liuely expressed the practise of his former saying Now at his coming to this Office he found the Court of Chancerie pestered and clogged with manie and tedious Causes some hauing hung there almost twentie yeares Wherefore to preuent the like which was a
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
Threasurer of the exchecker and employed in manie embassages yet because vveake forces are easily oppressed vvith small matters I am so troubled daily vvith businesses that I haue not as much as once leasure to visite your Fatherhood or to excuse myself therefore by letter and scarcely was I able to write this vnto you by vvhich I vvas to commende this my little booke of Vtopia vnto your most reuerende Fatherhood vvhich an Antwerpian friend of mine loue svvaying his iudgement hath thought fitt to be published and hath putt it in printe vvithout my priuitie being rather budled vp then polished vvhich I vvas emboldened to sende to you though it be vnvvorthie of your learning experience and dignitie relying on your courteous nature vvhich is 〈◊〉 to conster to the best euerie man's endeauoures also trusting in your tryed loue tovvards me by which I hope though the vvorke itself should not like you that yet for the authors sake you vvill fauour it Farevvell most honourable prelate A little after this time he wrote thus to Erasmus I haue a good vvhile expected if anie man could accuse me of anie thing since the deposing myself of the Chancellourshipp and as yet no man hath come forth to complaine of ante my iniustice either I haue bene so innocent or so craftie that my aduersaries must needes suffer me to glorie in the one if they cannot abide I should do so in the other Yea this the king's ma estie also as vvell in priuate discourse often as also tvvice in publike hath 〈◊〉 for that vvhich shamefastnesse vvill not suffer me to speake of myself he commaunded the most noble Duke of Norfolke high Threasurer of England vvhen my successour an excellent man vvas settled in my place to testifye this to all the assemblie that he had hardly at my earnest intreatie suffered me to lett the office goe and not content vvith that singular fauour in my behalfe he caused the same againe to be spoken of in his ovvne presence vvhen in the audience of a publike meeting of the Nobilitie and people my successour recited his first speach as the custome is in the assemblie of all the Estates vvhich vve call the Parlement He writeth also to Erasmus in another letter thus That vvhich I haue from a childe vnto this day almost continually vvished my most deare Desiderius that being freed from the troublesome businesses of publike affayres I might liue some vvhile only to God and myselfe I haue novv by the especiall grace of almightie God and the fauour of my most indulgent prince obtayned And then hauing spoken somewhat of the weakenesse of his health he goes on saying Hauing these things often in my head either that I vvas to depose myself of the office or that I should fayle in the performāce of my dutie therein seing that I could not dispatche those affaires but that I must endanger my life and so dispatche myself of the office hovvsoeuer I purposed at the last to forgoo the one rather then both Wherefore because I vvould as vvell be carefull of the publike vvellfare as of mine ovvne health I vvas an earnest suiter to my Prince and at last haue obtayned by his singular courtesie that because I beganne to grovv vvearie and euen readie to lye vnder my burden I might be ridde of that though a most honourable office vvhereto his fauour had raised me aboue all my deseruing as it vvas vvholy vvithout my seek ng I beseeche therefore all the Saints in heauen that by their intercession almightie God vvould recompence this most fauourable affection of the King 's tovvards me and that he vvould giue me grace to spend the rest of my age in his seruice profitably and not idely or 〈◊〉 affording me health of bodie that I may be the better able to take paines And to Cochleus he writeth thus I haue bene lately 〈◊〉 for some moneths togeather not so much to the sight of others as to mine ovvne feeling which infirmitie I can scarce shake of novv vvhen I haue left of my office for then I could not exercise my function of 〈◊〉 vnlesse I should endanger my health daily The care of my recouerie but especially the due respect I had not to hinder publike iustice moued me thereto vvhih I thought I should greatly hinder if being sicklie I should be 〈◊〉 to vndertake businesses as I did vvhen I vvas stronger That leasure vvhich the fauourable benignitie of my most gracious prince hath vouchsafed to grant me I haue purposed to dedicate vvholy to my studie and the honour of God And as for his contempt of worldlie honour he writeth thus to Erasmus You vvill not belieue hovv vnvvillingly I vndertake embassages neither can there be anie thing more displeasing vnto me then the function of an Embassadour Of his Vtopia he writeth that he iudged the booke no better worthie then to lye alwaies hidden in his owne iland or else to be consecrated to Vulcan Of his poetrie he sayth my epigrammes neuer pleased my minde as you well knowe my Erasmus and if other men had not better liked them then myself they should neuer hauebene putt out in printe THE EIGHT CHAPTER THE FIRST OCCASION and beginning of Sir THOMAS his troubles 1. Hovv he prepared himself to suffer for Christ as yf he foresavv he should so do 2. A vvorthie lesson for statesmen giuen by Sir Thomas More to Cromvvell 3. The vnfortunate marriage of Queen Anne Bolain 4. Sir Tho. More refuseth to be present at Queen Annes coronation the beginning of hers and the Kings indignation 5. The holy Nunne of Canterbury first occasion of calling Sir Thom. More into Question about Q. Anne 6. Diuers accusations procured against Sir T. More all easily auoided by his innocente life 7. His first examination before the Kings deputies 8. His mery hart and braue resolution after this examination 1. THe yeare immediately before his troubles he spent most in spirituall exercises and in writing of bookes against heretikes of whome in another letter he speaketh thus That which I professe in my epitaphe that I haue bene troublesome to heretikes I haue donne it with a little ambition for I so hate these kinde of men that I would be their sorest enemie that possible they could haue if they will not repente for I finde them such men and so to encrease euerie day that I euen greatly feare the world will be vndonne by them Yet for all his hatred to them no heretike suffered death whilst he was Lo Chancellour as Erasmus confesseth in the aboue mentioned letter And indeede it seemeth he would not haue them suffer death because he writeth to that effect in the lawes of his Vtopia Writing another time to Cochlie he sayth I vvould to God my Cochlie I had such skill in holie Scriptures and Diuinitie that I vvere able to vvrite against these plagues of the vvorld fruitfully and vvith good effect Erasmus also
authoritie and sweare also to the succession of Q. Anne's children accounting the Ladie Marie illegitimate within a moneth or thereabouts after the enacting of this statute all the Clergie as well Bishops as priests yet no lay man but Sir THOMAS MORE were summoned to appeare at Lambeth before the Lo Archbishop Cranmer the Lo Chancelour Audley M. r Secretarie Cromevvell the Abbott of Westminster with others appointed Commissioners by the King to tender this oath vnto them On the same morning that Sir THOMAS was to goe thither as he was accustomed before he tooke anie matter of importance in hand he went to Chelsey church and there was Confessed and receaued at masse deuoutly the blessed Sacrament and whereas euer at other times before he parted from his wife and children they vsed to bring him to his boate and there kissing them bad them Farewell at this time he suffered none of them to follow him forth of his gate but pulled the wickett after him and with a heauie hart as by his countenance appeared he tooke boate with his sonne Rooper and their men in which sitting sadly a while as it were with Christ in his agonie in the gardin at the last sodainely he rounded my vncle in the eare and sayd I thanke our Lord sonne the field is wonne whereto my vncle answered at randon as not knowing then his meaning I am very glad thereof But one may easily knowe what he meant and so my vncle afterward perceaued that the burning loue of God wrought in him so effectually that it now had conquered all carnall affections trusting to that saying of our Sauiour Beholde and haue confidence I haue conquered the vvorld How wisely he behaued himself at Lambeth may beseene in a letter of his sent after to my aunte Rooper which is sett out in printe in the latter ende of his English Workes with others his most singular letters wherein he liuely describeth to his children all his troubles sheweth what a heauenlie spiritt he had to endure all for Gods sake trusting still chiefely to Gods goodnesse not to his owne strength the effect whereof is this After he vvas called before them he requested of them to see the oath vvhich vvhen he had read vnto himselse he ansvvered that he neither vvould finde faulte vvith the oath nor with the authors of it nor vvould blame the conscience of anie man that had taken it but for himselfe he could not take it vvithout endangering his soule of eternall damnation vvhich if they doubted of he vvould svveare vnto them that that vvas the chiefe cause of his refusall in vvhich second oath if they doubted to trust him hovv then could they trust him in the former Which he hauing sayd my Lo Chancelour replyed that all there were hartily sorie he should make such an answer for they constantly affirmed that he was the first mā that denyed to take it which would greatly aggrauate the king's displeasure against him and forthwith they shewd him a Catalogue of the Nobilitie and manie others who had taken it and had subscribed their names therevnto Yet because he would not blame anie man's conscience therein he was commaunded to walke into the gardin a while and presently all the Clergie men some Bishops manie Doctours and priests were called in who all tooke it except Bishop Fisher and one Doctour Wilson without anie scruple stoppe or stay the vicar of Croyden saith Sir THOMAS called for a cuppe of beere at the butterie barre quia erat notus Pontifici and he drunke valde familiariter After all these had soone dispatched the matter for which they were sent for Sir THOMAS was called in againe and the names of all that had taken the oath were shewed him whereto for himselfe he answered as before then they often obiected vnto him obstinacie because he would neither take it nor giue anie reason why he refused it to which he replied that his deniall only would prouoke the King's indignation sufficiently against him and therefore he was loath anie further to aggrauate his displeasure shewing what vrgent necessitie drew him vnto it howbeit if his Maiestie would testifye that his expressing the causes wherefore he refused it would not prouoke against him his further anger he would not sticke to sett them downe in writing and if anie man could satisfye those reasons to the content of his conscience he would take the oath most willingly Then Cranmer my Lo archbishop vrged him that seing he was not certaine of his conscience but that it was a thing certaine that he must obey his Prince therefore was he to reiect that doubtfull conscience of his and sticke to the latter which was vndoubted Yet if this argument were of anie force then in all controuersies of religion we may soone be resolued to to follow whatsoeuer anie king commaundeth vs. And when the Abbott of Westminster had sayd that he might very well suspect his owne conscience to be erroneous because he alone would seeme to controle all the wisedome of the whole realme who had made and taken it Thereto Sir THOMAS answered that if he alone should stand against so worthie a kingdome he had great cause to feare his owne conscience but if that of his side he could produce a farre greater number of a learned men as they he thought himselfe not then bound to reforme his conscience by follovving the consent of one kingdome against the generall receaued opinion of the vvhole Christian vvorld When M. r Secretarie seemed greately to pittie him Sir THOMAS added yf anie hard thing happened vnto himselfe he could not preuent it without he should endanger his owne soule Then asked they him whether he would sweare to the succession to which he answered that he was willing enough to doe that if the oath were sett downe in such wordes as he might safely take it Thereto my Lord Chancellour sayd see M. r Secretarie he will not sweare to that neither but vnder a certaine forme of words No truly replied Sir THOMAS except I finde that I may sweare it without danger of periurie and with a safe conscience 2. When he had thus behaued himselfe he was cōmitted to the custodie of the abbott of Westminster for the space of foure daies during which time the king consulted with his councell what order were meete to be taken with him And at the first albeit they were resolued that he swearing an oath not to be knowen whether he had sworne to the Supremacie or no or what he thought thereof he should be discharged yet did Q. Anne by her importunate clamours so sore exasperate the king against him that contrarie to the king's former resolution but indeede for the greater honour of God and his martyr the king caused againe the oath of Supremacie to be ministred vnto him who although againe he made thereto a discreete qualifyed answer neuerthelesse he was forthwith committed to
the Tower when as he went thither wearing a chaine of golde about his necke Sir Richard Winkefield who had the charge of his conueyance thither aduised him to sende home his chaine to his wife or some of his children nay Sir sayd he that I will not for if I were taken in the fielde by mine enemies I would they should fare somewhat the better for me rather choosing to haue it lost in the Tower then that king's officers should gett it at home when he should leese all or else esteeming nothing lost but gayned which was lost for Christ. At his lāding M. r Lieftenant was readie to receaue him at the Tower-gate where the porter demaunded of him his vpper garment marry porter sayd he here it is and gaue him of his cappe saying I am sorie it is not better for thee Nay Sir quoth he I must haue your gowne which forthwith he gaue him and then was conueyed to his lodging where he called vnto him Iohn Wood his man there appointed to attende him who could neither write nor reade and sware him before M. r Liefetenant that if he should heare or see him at anie time speake or write anie thing against the king the Councell or the State of the realme he should open it to Mr Lieutenant that he might straightwaies reueale it againe to the Councell This was his peaceable and constant carriage in aduersitie bearing all his troubles with great alacritie that both God was much pleased with his willingnesse euerie man admired much his patience For if aduersitie will trie mens wisedome and true fortitude surely Sir THOMAS was a most wise man that nothing happened vnto him which he did not in a manner foresee and truly stoute that nothing could daūte his courage or abate his magnanimitie 3. When he had remained with great chearefullnesse about a moneths space in the Tower his daughter Margaret longing sore to see her father made earnest sute and at last gott leaue to goe to him at whose coming after they had sayde togeather the Seauen Psalmes and Letanies which he vsed alwaies after to say with her when she came thither before he would fall in talke of anie worldlie matters to the intent he might commende all his wordes to almightie God's honour and glorie amongst other speaches he sayd thus vnto her I belieue Megg that they who haue putt me here thinke they haue donne me a high displeasure but I assure thee on my fayth mine owne good daughter that if it had not bene for my wife you my children whome I accounte the chiefe parte of my charge I would not haue fayled long ere this to haue closed myselfe in as strayte a roome as this and strayter too now since I am come hither without mine owne deserte I trust that God of his goodnesse will discharge me of my care and with his gracious helpe supply the want of my presence amongst you and I finde no cause I thanke God to recken myselfe here in worse case then in mine owne house For me thinkes God by this imprisonment maketh me one of his wantons and setteth me vpon his lappe and dandeleth me euen as he hath donne all his best friends S. Iohn Baptist S. Peter S. Paule and all his holie Apostles martyrs and his most especiall fauorites whose examples God make me worthie to imitate By which discourse of his it appeareth most euidently that all the troubles which euer happened vnto him were no painefull punishments but by his admirable patience and alacritie most profitable exercises My aunte Rooper contrariewise either because she would haue more familiar accesse vnto her father or else because in deede she would really perswade him to follow the king's fancie beganne to diuerte him from such zealours discourses and forcibly to vrge him with manie reasons and motiues to the taking of this oath that they might enioy his presence at his house at Chelsey first because he was more bounde to the king then anie man in England and therefore ought the rather to obey his will in a case that was not euidently repugnant to Gods lawe secondly it seemed not credible that so manie wise and learned men as were in England should all impugne the will of God thirdly that he should beware how he pinned his soule vpon Bishopp Fisher being one of the meanest bishops in England fourthly that there were so manie Bishops Doctours and learned men that had taken it so that he being a lay man seemed bound in her iudgement to accommodate his conscience to theirs and lastly euerie one thought him bound in conscience to approue that which a whole parlement of the realme had so vniformely enacted for which reasons manie haue condemned you Father sayd she either of in consideration rashnesse or obstinacie To the first Sir THOMAS answered as may appeare by a letter of my aunte Rooper's yet extant which contayneth all this their discourse and by that letter of Sir THOMAS his written to M. r Cromevvell that he had not slightly considered of this matter but for these seauen yeares space since the time that king Henry had vvritten against Luther he had diligently read ouer all the Fathers both Greeke Latine vvho all from Ignatius S Iohn Euangelist's disciple euen to these late Diuines vvith one consent doe agree of the Popes Supremacie which hath bene also accepted of throughout all Christendome these thousand yeares and more and he savv not hovv one member of the Church as England was could vvithdravv itself from the vvhole bodie yet when he saw this controuersie beganne to be disputed of he alwaies had tempered his speaches against Tindall that exprofesso he neuer argued vpon that theame but now being putt to his choice whether he should offende his Conscience or the king whether he should fall into temporall danger or eternall hazard of his soule I cannot saith he resolue otherwise then anie wise man would To the second he sayde he would not condemne anie bodie for taking it for some saith he may doe it vpon temporall hopes or feare of greate losses for vvhich I vvill neuer thinke anie hath taken it for I imagine no bodie is so fr aile and fearefull as myselfe some may hope that God vvill not impute it vnto them for a sinne because they doe it by constrainte some may hope to doe pennance presently after and others are of opinion that God is not offended vvith our mouth so our heart be pure but as for my parte I dare not ieoparde my selfe vpon these vaine hopes To the third he saith it was altogeather improbable because he refused this oath before it was tendered to Bishopp Fisher or before he knewe whether he would refuse it or no. To the fourth though there vvere neuer so manie learned prelates vvithin this realme that should take it yet being manie more in other partes of Christendome
worshippfull vertuous and well learned men as were in the Parlemēt assembled at the making of that law euer meant to haue anie man punished by death in whome there could be found no malice taking malitia for maleuolentia for if malitia be taken in a generall significacion for anie sinne no man there is that can excuse himselfe thereof Wherefore this very word malitiously is only materiall in this Statute as the word forcible is in the Statute of forcible entrie for in that Case if 〈◊〉 enter peaceably and putt his aduersarie out forcibly it is no offence but if he enter forcibly he shall be punished by that Statute Besides all the vnspeakable goodnesse of the king's highnesse towards me who hath bene so manie wayes my singular good Lord and gracious Soueraigne he I say who hath so dearely loued trusted me euen from my first coming into his royall seruice vouchsafing to grace me with the dignitie of being one of his Priuie Councell and hath most liberally aduanced me to offices of great Creditt and worshipp finally with the chiefe dignitie of his Maiestie's high Chancellour the like whereof he neuer did to anie Temporall man before which is the highest office in this noble realme and next to his royall person so farre aboue my meritts and qualities honouring and exalting me of his incomparable benignitie by the space of these twentie yeares and aboue shewing his continuall fauours towards me and now at last it hath pleased his Highnesse at mine owne humble suite 〈◊〉 me licence with his Maiestie's fauour to bestowe the residue of my life in the seruice of God for the better prouision of my soule to discharge and disburthen me of that weightie dignitie before which he had still heaped honours more and more vpon me all this his highnesse's bountie so long and so plentiefully powred vpon me were in my minde matter sufficient to conuince this slaunderous accusation so wrongfully by this man surmized and vrged against me which I committ to your Lordshipps honourable consideracions whether this oath be likelie or not to be true M. r Rich seing himselfe so euidently to be disproued and his Creditt so fowlely defaced caused Sr. Richard Southvvell M. r Palmer who in the time of their communication were in the same chamber with them two to be there sworne what words had passed betweene them wherevpon M. r Palmer vpon his deposition sayd that he was so busie in the thrusting vp of Sir THOMAS'S bookes in to a sacke that he tooke no heede to their talke S. r Richard Southvvell also sayde likewise that because he was appointed only to looke to the conueying of the bookes he gaue no eare vnto them And after all this Sir THOMAS alleaged manie other reasons in his owne defence to the vtter discreditt of M. r Riche's foresayde euidence and for proofe of the clearenesse of his owne Conscience 4. But for all that euer he could doe or say the Iurie of Twelue men whose names were S. r Thomas Palmer S. r Thomas Peirt George Louell esquier Thomas Burbage esquier Geoffrey Chamber gentleman Edvvard Stockmore gentleman William Browne gentleman Iaspar Leake gentleman Thomas Billington gentleman Iohn Parnel gentleman Richard Bellame gentleman George Stoakes gentleman These I say going togeather and staying scarce one quarter of an hower for they knew what the king would haue donne in that Case returned with their verdict Guiltie Wherefore the Lo Chancellour as Chiefe Iudge in that matter beganne presently to proceede to Iudgemēt which Sir THOMAS hearing sayd vnto him My Lord when I was towards the law the manner in such cases was to aske the prisonner before sentence whether he could giue anie reason why Iudgement should not proceede against him Vpon which words the Lo Chancellour staying his sentence wherein he had alreadie partely proceeded asked Sir THOMAS what he was able to say to the contrarie who forthwith made answer in this sorte For as much as my Lords this Inditement is grounded vpon an acte of Parlement directly repugnant to the lavves of God and his holie Church the supreme gouernement of vvhich or of anie parte thereof no Temporall person may by anie lavv presume to take vpon him that vvhich rightfully belongeth to the Sea of Rome vvhich by speciall prerogatiue vvas granted by the mouth of our Sauiour Christ himself to S. Peter and the Bishops of Rome his successours only vvhilst he liued and vvas personally present here vpon earth it is therefore amongst Catholike Christiās insufficient in lavv to charge anie Christian man to obey it And for proofe of this sound assertion he declared amongst manie reasons sound authorities that like as this realme alone being but one member and a small parte of the Church might not make a particular lavv disagreing with the generall lavv of Christ's vniuersall Catholike Church no more then the Cittie of London being but one member in respect of the vvhole realme may enact a 〈◊〉 against an Act of Parlement to binde thereby the vvhole kingdome So shevved he further that this lavv vvas euen contrarie to the lavves and statuies of this our realme not yet repealed as they might euidently see in Magna Charta vvhere it is sayd that Ecclesia Anglicana libera sit habeat omnia iura integra libertates suas illaesas And it is contrarie also to that sacred oath vvhich the king's highnesse himself and euerie other Christian prince alvvaies receaue vvith great sollemnitie at their Coronatiōs Moreouer he alleaged that this realme of England might vvorse refuse their obdience to the Sea of Rome then anie childe might to their naturall father For as S. Paul sayd to the Corinthians I haue regenerated you my children in Christ so might that vvorthie Pope of Rome S. Gregorie the Great say to vs Englishmen yee are my Children because I haue giuen you euerlasting saluation For by S. Augustin and his follovvers his immediate messengers England first receaued the Christian Faith vvhich is a farre higher and better inheritance then anie carnall father can leaue to his children for a sonne is only by generation vve are by regeneration made the spirituall Children of Christ and the Pope To these wordes the Lo Chancellour replied that seing all the Bishopps Vniuersities best learned men of this realme had agreed to this Act it was much marueled that he alone should so stiffely sticke thereat and so vehemently argue there against it To which wordes Sir THOMAS answered that if the number of Bishopps and vniuersities vvere so materiall as his Lordshipp seemeth to make it then doe I my Lord see little cause vvhy that thing in my conscience 〈◊〉 make anie change for I do not doubt but of the learned and vertuous men that are yet aliue I speake not only of this realme but of all Christendome about there are ten to one that are of my minde in this matter but if I should speake
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
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
praise of his Dialogue His ansvver to the Supplication of beggars The Supplication of soules of Purgatory The vvefull effects of heresy Against Tindal Frith and Barnes Apology Debellation of Salem Bizance Comfort in tribulation 4. A vievv of many vvitty pithy speeches of S Th. Mores The vulgar no true judge of things Sinners distasted Why fevv do feare death No man sure of long life VVorlds vanity VVorldly lesses hurt not The fally of old misers Madnes of couetous mē Fruicts of tribulation Hovv fonde it is to loue this vvorld Against Confessours that ffatter their ghostly Childre Afflictiō more profitable then pleasure Against differring of a mēdment Visions and illusions Pusillanimity a daungerous tēptation Danger of prosperity Of riches and honours All riches of this 〈◊〉 none of our ovvne Couetousnesse Bad marchants A prediction of heresy Riche are not goods The vvorst affection Almes deeds An the vvorld a prison To suffer for God The vvorld no recōpenser Heresy impudēt Prayer Detraction Ingratitude Faith the mistresse of reason No truth among heretikes Better preuent then redresse Hereticall trāslations Auoid heresy Fasting Desire of heauen Monastl call life Faith and good vvorkes Bad life no miracle School-diuinity Heretikes Impugning of heresie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Their 〈◊〉 His hatred against he resy in good earnest 5. His profound skill in diuinyty None handled Luther more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thomas More 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thomas 〈◊〉 And other school 〈◊〉 His epistle against Pomeranus 1. Cardinal Wolley his ambition Pope Adriās humility Wolsey the author of K. H. 8. tail Longlād B. of Lōdō Wolseys instrumēt 2. K. Henry commnnicateth vvith 〈◊〉 T. More his scruple concerning his first marriage Sir Tho. Mores discreet ansvver to the kings scruple His most vpright consciēce and constant real of the truth 3. He foresavv in spirit the fall of religion in England 4. The miraculous reductiō of his senno Roper from heresy by his prayers The hot spirit of heresy The great piety and charity of his sayd 〈◊〉 M. Roper 5. Another miraculous cure vvrought by prayer vpon his daughter Marga. rot 6. Sir Tho. Mores domestiqs schoole Modesty the ornament of vvomen Learning to be desired for vse not for praise In vvhat cōsisteth deiectiō of spirit What ornamēt Sir Tho. More required in his children A vvomā may attaine to learning as vvell as a man The end to vvhich all learning must be directed He 〈◊〉 it may by all 〈◊〉 be 〈◊〉 from his children 7. The delight Sir T. M. bad in his childrēs learning they 〈◊〉 Astronomy He discourieth pleasan̄tly He willeth thē to write with care and premeditation His earnest care of his childrēs good employmēt The care his children had to please him in their studies Bookes dedicated by learned men to his children He payes his daughters letters with gold 8. The learning and pioty of his daughter Marga. ret The esteē that the B. of excester had of her learning Some of her writings 〈◊〉 of Ensebius Her skill in Astronomy Why humanity is best studied in our yonger yeares 1. His three wishes for the good of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 peace 〈◊〉 in religion End of the kings contronersie He neuer asked anything of the King Liberality to his parish Churche His merciful workes to his poor neighbours The beginning of K. 〈◊〉 Separation from the Church Scruple of his mariage with Q. Catheriu Cōmissioneirs 〈◊〉 Rome about it The dispensatiō questiōd And supplied by a new cōfirmatiō K. Henry appeals to a generall councel and fall from the Pope His iniurie to S. Thomas of Canterburies body Q. Anne Bolēs incontinēcy 3. Cardinall Wolseys disgrace downfall Sir Tho. Mores embassage for peace happy successe therin Bishop Stokelies quirk in Q. Catharins marriage His conference with Sir Thomas about it Stokesly vndermines the Cardinall For backwardnes in the kings diuorce forwardnes for a frenche matche The Cardinal discontented Arrested and depriued of all honours riches Sir 〈◊〉 More elected I. Chauncelor Only worthy of the place in Cardinal Wolseys indgement 4. The honourable ceremony with whiche he was 〈◊〉 The Duke of Norfolks oratiō on behalf of Sir Tho. More Of his worthinesse for so great a place The first lay man that euer was mad Lord Chauncellour Good reasons why that ould custom was altered Sir Tho. Moros modest and discreet reply He acknowledgeth his owne vnworthinesse The Dukes loue And the kings fauour and bounty Which he esteems beyond his deserts Al which encrease in him a full purpose to discharge will so great a charge And desireth fauorable interpretation of his endeuours A wise ponderation of his predecessour Cardinals example The danger of highe honours A warning to vse them well Commō ioy of S. Thomas his promotion 〈◊〉 The behaueour of S. Thomas in the dignity of L. Chancellour Towards his father the aunclentest iudge of the realme Towards all 〈◊〉 especially the poorer sort No accesse to bribery Means how great men may do fauours in iustice Notable integrity Euen against his owne kinred Long delayes in law the misery of poor clients remedied by Sir Thomas A pleasaūt tale of a table 6. King Hēry desire Sir Thomas to allow his diuorce Sir Thomas noble and discreet refusall Accepted for the time by the king 1. The death of Sir Iohn More Sir Thomas neuer enioyed his fathers iohericance Rare pouerty in a L. high Chancellour Yet could it not stop Q Annes malice against him 2. 〈◊〉 table 〈◊〉 in cause of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A liberal reward 〈◊〉 him nobly by the Bishops of Enggland As nobly and 〈◊〉 mously refused by him only for Gods sake The heretiks calumny against him True glorie to be hated by heretakes Perfect patience always ioined with true perfectiō 〈◊〉 Cheerfull mirth An vnmānerly reprehēsiō mannerly returnd on the reprehender A bold debtour 〈◊〉 told his owne A mery arbitrement between his Lady a beggar A pleasaunt cēsure of a witlesse writing A mery mistaking 4. His earnest deuotiō in the seruice of God He vsed to sing in his sur plice in his parishe churche To cary the crosse in procession on foote 〈◊〉 communicated before any importāt businesse 5. patience in temporall lesser An excellent resignatiō to the prousdence of God More care to 〈◊〉 his neighbours losses then his owne Godly care of his poor seruants God rewardeth true resignation euen In this world Vanity of iudgement of wordthing 6. S. Thomas resigned vp his office of I. 〈◊〉 The neerer his end the more replenished with the loue of God A notablo record that no cause was left vndecyded in the Chācery A parlement called for Q Annes marriage Sir Tho. More sues to depose his office The king graciously accepteth his desire How merely he 〈◊〉 the matter to his wife A pleasaūt ieast to diuers her from sorow 7. 〈◊〉 dispositiō of his 〈◊〉 after his resignement Of his seruants all well recommended Of his children liuing with him An in cōparable resolutiō after so great an honour to 〈◊〉 cheerfully
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
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
England from Richard 〈◊〉 the vsurper and also most happily procured the two houses of Lancaster and Yorke to be vnited by marriage In this famous mans house this youth learned most diligently aboundance of wisedome and vertue and now he beganne to shew to the world what man he was likelie to proue For the Cardinall often would make triall of his pregnant witt especially at Christmas merriments when hauing plaies for recreacion this youth would suddenly steppe vp amongst the players and neuer studying before vpon the matter make often a parte of his owne inuention which was so wittie and so full of ieasts that he alone made more sporte and laughter then all the players besides for which his towardlienesse the Cardinall delighted much in him and would often say of him vnto diuerse of the Nobilitie who at sundrie times dined with him that that boy there wayting on him whosoeuer should liue to see it would proue a maruelous rare man But when this most reuerend Prelate sawe that he could not profitt so much in his house as he desired where there were manie distractions of publike affaires hauing great care of his bringing vp he sent him to the Vniuersitie and placed him in Canterbury-Colledge at Oxford now called Christs-church where in two yeares space that he remained there he profited exceedingly in Rhetorick Logick and Philosophie and shewed euidently what wonders witt and diligence can performe when they are ioyned as seldome they are in one painefull student There his whole minde was sett on his booke for in his allowance his father kept him verie short suffering him scarcelie to haue so much monie in his owne custodie as would pay for the mending of his apparrell euen no more then necessitie required and of his expences he would exact of him a particular accounte which course of his fathers he would often both speake of and praise it when he came to riper yeares affirming that by this meanes he was curbed from all vice and withdrawen from manie idle expences either of gayming or keeping naughtie companie so that he knew neither play nor other riott wherein most yong men in these our lamentable daies plunge themselues too timely to the vtter ouerthrow as well of learning and future vertue as their temporall estates This strictnesse of his father in creased in him also a great reuerence and obedience after vnto him againe in so much that in all his life after he was so dutiefull vnto him that he neuer offended nor contradicted him in anie the least worde or action still shewing towards him admirable deedes of humilitie euen at that time when in the eye of the world he farre surpassed his father in dignitie which may be seene by asking him blessing euerie day duly euen after he was Lord Chancellour of England and when he and his father mett publikely at Lincolnes-Inne or other where he would still offer him the place of precedence though the Iudge by reason of his sonne 's office did still refuse it such was the pietie and submissiue minde of this humble man such againe was the prouident care of the father towards his sonne that one can hardly guesse which of the two were more worthie the father of such a sonne or the sonne of such a father yet I iudge the father more happie that enioyed such an admirable sonne and wish that my Children may imitate in this kinde their vertuous Anncestours 4. When this towardlie youth was come to the age of eighteene yeares he beganne to shew to the world his ripenesse of witt for he wrote manie wittie and goodlie Epigrammes which are to be seene in the beginning of his English Workes he composed also manie prettie and elegant verses of the Vanitie of this life and the inconstancie thereof which his father caused to be sett vp with pictures and pageants which are also in the beginning of his greate English Volume he translated for his exercise one of Lucian's Orations out of Greeke into Latine which he calleth his first fruits of the Greeke toung and thereto he added another Oratiō of his owne to answer that of Lucian's for as he defended him who had slaine a tyrant he opposeth against it another with such forcible arguments that this seemeth not to giue place to Lucian either in inuention or eloquence As concerning his diuerse Latine Epigrammes which he either translated out of Greeke into Latine or else composed of his owne manie famous authours that then liued doe make mention of them with great praise For 〈◊〉 Rhenanus in his epistle to Bilibaldus Pitcheimerus writeth thus THOMAS MORE is maruelous in euerie respect for he compoundeth most eloquently and 〈◊〉 most happily how sweetly doe his verses slowe from him hovv nothing in them seemeth constrained hovv easie are all things there that he speaketh of nothing is hard nothing rugged nothing obscure he is pure he is vvittie he is elegant besides he doth temper all things vvith mirth as that I neuer read a merrier man I could thinke that the Muses haue heaped vpon him alone all their pleasant conceipts and vvittie merriments moreouer his quippes are not biting but full of pleasantnesse and verie proper yea rather anie thing then stinging for he 〈◊〉 but vvithout mordacitie he 〈◊〉 yet vvithout contumelie The like iudgement of his Epigrammes doth that famous Poëte Leodgarius à Quercu publike Reader of Humanitie in Paris giue and that not so much by his words as by his deedes For he hauing gathered of the Epigrammes of diuerse famous men a Collection he hath sett out more Epigrammes of Sir THOMAS MORE' 's then of anie other writer yet because rarenesse of anie excellent qualitie is still enuyed by some man or other one Brixius a German wrote a booke against these Epigrammes of Sir THOMAS MORE' 's which he called Antimorus with such commendation that Eramus earnestly besought Sir THOMAS that he would not ouerwhelme his friend Brixius with such an answer as his rashnesse deserued adding this of this his foolish booke Antimorus I heare vvhat learned men speake of Brixius novv after he hath vvritten his Antimore vvhich as I heare it not vvillingly of him so vvould I lesse vvillingly he are thē so speake of you vvherefore seing I perceaue hovv hard a matter it is to temper an ansvver to so spitefull a booke but that you must giue some scope vnto your passions I deeme it best for you not to regard but vvholy to contemne the matter yet this I vvould not counsell you my best friend to doe if there vvere anie thing in that malitious Antimore vvhich did truly blemish your fame so that it vvere necessarie for you to vvipe it avvay c. Which friendlie counsell Sir THOMAS MORE in some sorte followed for although he had answered Brixius fully in a little treatise which alreadie he had published before Erasmus his letter came to his hands yet vpon the receipt thereof he endeauoured by