all the meanes he could to gett all the Coppies againe into his hands and so to suppresse the booke so that it is now very hardly to be found though some haue seene it of late And Sir THOMAS sent Erasmus a letter to this effect that although Brixius by his malitious booke had endeauoured so much to disgrace him that he wanted no will but skill and power to ouerthrowe his fame vtterly yet this should preuayle more with him that Brixius was friend to Erasmus then that he was his owne enemie Which kinde of answer sheweth expressely how easie he was to forgiue iniuries especially this being such a one as touched him so neare in his reputation following herein the counsell of Christ himselfe in the gospell of S. Matthew who sayth Loue your enemies and doe good to them that hate you that you may be the true imitatours of God vvho causeth the sonne to shine as vvell vpon the wicked as vpon the iust But can we thinke so heroicall an acte in so yong yeares for he was not now of the full age of twentie could proceede from one who had not bene practised before in the schoole of Christ and in the earnest searche of perfection surely no for this yong man had euen from his infancie laboured with allmight and mayne to enriche himselfe with vertues knowing that learning without vertue is to sett pretious stones in rotten wood and as the wise man saith a golde ring in a haggs snowte 5. When he was about eighteene or twentie yeares olde finding his bodie by reason of his yeares most rebellious he sought diligently to tame his vnbrideled concupiscence by wonderfull workes of mortification He vsed oftentimes to weare a sharp shirt of hayre next his skinne which he neuer left of wholy no not when he was Lo Chancellour of England Which my grandmother on a time in the heate of sommer espying laught at not being much sensible of such kinde of spirituall exercises being carried away in her youth with the brauerie of the world and not knowing quae sunt spiritus wherein the true wisedome of a Christian man consisteth He added also to this austeritie a discipline euerie fryday and high fasting dayes thinking that such cheere was the best he could bestowe vpon his rebellious bodie rather then that the handmayde sensualitie should growe too insolent ouer her mistrisse Reason hauing learned the true interpretation of these wordes of Christ He that hateth his life in this vvorld keepeth it for life euerlasting He vsed also much fasting and watching lying often either vpon the bare ground or vpon some bench or laying some logg vnder his head allotting himselfe but foure or fiue howers in a night at the most for his sleepe imagining with the holie Saints of Christs Church that his bodie was to be vsed like an asse with strokes and hard fare least prouender might pricke it and so bring his soule like a headstrong iade into the bottomelesse pitt of hell For chastitie especially in youth is a lingring martyrdome and these are the best meanes to preserue her from the dangerous gulphe of euill custome but he is the best souldier in this fight that can runne fastest away from himselfe this victorie being hardly gotten with striuing He had invred himselfe to straytenesse that he might the better enter in at the narrow gate of heauen which is not gott with ease sed violenti rapiunt illud that is to say they that are boysterous against themselues beare it away by force For this cause he liued foure yeares amongst the Carthusians dwelling neare the Charterhouse fiequenting daily their spirituall exercises but without anie vowe He had an earnest minde also to be a Franciscan Fryer that he might serue God in a state of perfection but finding that at that time Religious men in England had somewhat degenerated from their ancient strictnesse and feruour of spiritt he altered his minde He had also after that together with his faythfull Companion Lillie a purpose to be a priest yet God had allotted him for an other estate not to liue solitarie but that he might be a patterne to married men how they should carefully bring vp their children how dearely they should loue their wiues how they should employe their endeauour wholy for the good of their countrie yet excellently performe the vertues of religious men as pietie Charitie humilitie obedience and Coniugall chastitie 6. He heard an intire Masse euerie day before he vndertooke anie worldlie buesinesse which custome he kept so religiously that being on a time sent for to the king whilst he was hearing Masse he would not once stirre though he were twice or thrice sent for vntill it was wholy finished answering them that vrged him to come quickly that he thought first to perfourme his dutie to a better man then the king was imitating therein the famous act of S. Ludgar first bishopp of Munster who being sent for to Charles the Great whilst he was singing in the quier the Canonicall howers he would not once stirre till all were ended and being asked by the Emperour why he neglected to come when he sent for him he answered I haue alwaies thought that your commaunde is by me so to be obeyed as I doubted not but God is to be preferred therefore I haue bene carefull to finish that I was about first not for anie contempt of your Imperiall Majestic but for your more safetie and the dutie I owe to God With which answere the Emperour no whitt displeased but delighted answered him with thankes saying that he had now found him such a one as he had euer formerly thought him to be Neither was King Henrie anie whitt angrie at that time with Sir THOMAS MORE but rather highly pleased with this his small neglect He vsed euerie day to say our Ladie 's Mattins the Seauen psalmes and letanies and manietimes the Graduall psalmes with the psalme 〈◊〉 in via and diuerse other pious praiers with he himselfe composed he selected also manie sentences of the Psalmes imitating therein S Hierome's psalter which are extant in the latter ende of his English Workes But finding his bodie for all his austeritie readie still to endanger his soule although at all times he shunned idlenesse more then anie other man he determined to marrie and therefore he propounded to himselfe as a patterne of life a singular lay-man Iohn Picus Earle of Mimndula who was a man famous for vertue and most eminent for learning his life he translated and sett out as also manie of his most worthie letters and his twelue precepts of good life which are extant in the beginning of his English Workes For this ende he also wrote a treatise both learned spirituall and deuout of the Foure last things of man though he left it vnperfect being called by his father to other studies He frequented sermons diligently especially when those men preached who were most excellent
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
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
this not to acknowledge him for his companion or would he for these few daies happinesse holde himself better then he Applying this to euerie mans case who cometh naked into this world and is to returne naked againe He compareth Couetousnesse to a fire which by how much the more wood there is layde on it to burne so much apter it is to burne more still That there are manie in this life that buy hell with more toyle then heauen might be wonne with by halfe He foresawe heresie in England as appeareth by this wittie comparison Like as before a great storme the sea swelleth and hath vnwonted motions without anie winde stirring so may we see here manie of our Englishmen which a few yeares agoe could not endure to heare the name of an Heretike Schismatike Lutheran or Sacramentarie now to be very well contented both to suffer them and to praise them somewhat yea to learne by little and little as much as they can be suffered to finde faulte and to taxe willingly the Church the Clergie the Ceremonies yea and Sacraments too Also he hath this argument yf he be called stoute that hath fortitude he hote who hath heate wise that hath wisedome yet he who hath riches cannot be sayd presently to be good therefore riches cannot be numbred amongst good things Twētie yea a hundred bare heads standing by a noble man doe not defende his head from colde so much as his owne hat doth alone which yet he is enforced to putt of in the presence of his prince That is the worst affection of the minde which doth delight vs in that thing which cannot be gotten but by offending God He that doth gett or keepe worldlie wealth by offending God lett him fully perswade himself that those thinges wil neuer do him good for either God will quickely take away euill gotten goods or will suffer them to be kept for a greater mischiefe Euen as he that knoweth certainely that he is to be banished into a strange countrie neuer to returne into his owne againe and will not endure that his goods be transported thither being loath to want them for that little while rather then euer to enioy them after may well be thought a madde man so are they out of their witts who inticed with vaine affections to keepe their goods alwaies about them and neglectiue to giue almes for feare of wanting cannot endure to haue these goods sent before them to heauen when as they knowe most assuredly that they shall enioye them alwaies there with all plentie and with a double rewarde To ease his thoughts when he was in prison he imagined that all the world was but a prison out of which euerie day some one or other was called to execution that is to death In his dailie talke he vsed also manie wittie sayings as that it is an easie matter in some cases for a man to loose his head and yet to haue no harme at all Good deedes the world being vngratefull is wont neuer to recompence neither can it though it were gratefull Speaking of heretikes he would say they haue taken away hipocrisie but they haue placed impudencie in the roome thereof so that they which before fayned themselues to be religious now doe boaste of their wickednesse He prayed thus O Lord God grant that I endeauour to gett those things for which I am to pray vnto thee When he had anie at his table speaking detraction he would interrupt them thus Lett anie man thinke as he pleaseth I like this roome very well for it is well contriued and fayrely built Of an vngratefull person he would say that they wrote good turnes donne vnto them in the dust but euen the least iniuries in marble He compareth reason to a handmayde which if she be well taught will obey and Faith to the mistrisse which is to keepe her in awe captiuans intellectum in obsequium fidei To seeke for the truth amongst heretikes is like to a man wandring in a desert meeting with a companie of lewde fellowes of whome he asketh his way they all turning back to backe each poynteth right before him assureth him that that is his true way though neuer so contrarie one to the other He sayth that he were a madde man that would drinke poyson to take a preseruatiue after that but he is a wise man that spilling the poison leaueth the antidote for him that hath need thereof As it is an easier thing to weaue a new nett rather then to sowe vp all the holes of an olde euen so it is a lesse labour to translate the Bible a new then to mende heretical versions He is not wise that eateth the bread which is poysoned by his enemies although he should see a friend of his scrape it away neuer so much especially hauing other bread to eate not poysoned The heretikes saying that none ought to fast but when they are troubled with the motions of the flesh he answereth if it be so no married man needes to fast for they haue another remedie athand and virgins durst not fast least wanton fellowes should marke them when carnall temptations most assayle them and this were for one to shew to others their fleshlie fraylties He was wont to say that he may well be adadmitted admitted to heauen who was verie desirous to see God but on the contrarie side he that doth not desire earnestly shall neuer be admitted thither Against an heretike he speaketh thus that if monasticall life be against the Gospell as you seeme to say it must needes be that the gospell be contrarie vnto it and that were to say that Christ taught vs to pamper ourselues carefully to eate well to drinke well to sleepe well and flowe in all lust and pleasure Yf Faith cannot be without good workes why then bable you so much against good workes which are the fruicts of fayth That people should fall into bad life and lust is as great a miracle he saith as stones to fall downe wards Whereas he sayth you inueighe against Schoole Diuinitie because truth is there called in doubt not without danger weinueighe against you because false matters are held by you vndoubtedly for truth it selfe These good fellowes speaking of heretikes will rather hang out of Gods vin yarde then sufler themselues to be hired into it Heretikes writings seing they conclude no good thing are altogeather tedious be they neuer so short And againe As none can runne a shorter race then he that wantes both his feete so none can write shorter then he that hath not anie good matter nor fitt wordes to expresse it When an heretike tolde him that he should not write against heretikes vnlesse he could conuerte them he sayd that it was like as if one should not sinde faulte with 〈◊〉 of housen vnlesse he were able to
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