Memoirs of Sir Thomas More 01

THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES
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MEMOIRS
OF
SIR
THOMAS MORE,
wmi
NEW TRANSLATION
HIS
OF HIS UTOPIA,
HISTORY OF KING RICHARD

AND
III,
HIS LATIN POEMS.
% ARTHUR CAYLEY,
Like Cafo firm, like Aristides just. Like rigid Cincinnatus nobly poor,
the Younger, Esq.
A tlauDtless
soul, erect,
who
smil'd on death.
thojsok
IN
TWO VOLUMES.
Vol. I.
LONDON
PUBLISHED BY CADELL AND DAVIS, STBAND.
1808.
I'rintidtj lUwiJlll, D><gt aixi SlniiuoH, EJinturgb,
..
2>A
CONTENTS.
CHAP.
Biograpliers of Sir
I.
Thomas More.
Sir
Mr. Roper.
.
.
Mr. More. ...
The knighfs
.... His
ancestry
,
, .
John More.
his infancy..
Sir
Thomas* mother.
birth.
Anecdote of
. .
.
His school-education.
.
.
.
.... Cardinal Morton.
More's early
.
talents.
Specimen of
.
his
early wit and rejection.
He
.
is
sent to Oxford,
.
. .
His first acthe law.

. .
quaintance with Erasmus.
JVolsey.
More studieth
F"!/.
He
is
made
reader at Furnival' s-inn,

to
.
and
reads a public lecture.

.
.
His verses on Elizabeth, queen
Henry
. .
He
discovers
some
inclination for the monastic state.
Erasmus' early high opinion of
him
Dean
.
Colet.
. .
More's
letter to
him
.
Colet's Iiigh opi. .
nion of More.
.
More marries Jane
Colte.
.
His family by
.
.
.
her.
...
He
renews his application to the law.
Henry VII.
More't
. .
early patriotism.
...He
offends
.
.
the king
.
Henry's revenge.
in retirement.
More
escapes Dr. Fo.t'x xnarp.
His application
... .
Four juvenile poems by him
CHAP.
Accession of
IL
his
Henry PUT.
Consummation of
marriage with
Catharine of Arragon
verses on the coronation.
.
More
.
re-appears in the world
and
writes
Anecdote of Emson and Dudley

. .
.
More's attucltment
sheriff's.
.
to
Erasmus.
He
is
made one of
. . .
the under-
His high estimation as a

wife.
.
laivyer.
He
replies to
Dor-
pius
vice:
. .
.
His second
Henry
desires to
engage him
in his ser-
He
accompanies Tonstall to Flanders

Buslciden and JEgidms
cause for the pope.
.
. .
His
letter to
Eras-
mus on
hti
embassy
More's
Is knighted,
letter to
Jtârham
He pleads a
&c
12fA)571
Ti
CONTENTS.
His account of hhjirst advancement.
T/ie /ling's intimacy tvilh More.
.
.
.
Henry\s earlier court.

.
.
Luther.
.
. .
Erasmus persecuted.
....
mus.
More
. . .
expected the reformation.

defends him.
.
'. .'
Edivard Lee attacks ErasMore.

.
.
More
.
.
Brixitis attacks
Erasmus
,
. .
defe'uls him.
Morels
letter
to the university
.
.
of Oxford.
He
.
is
made
speaker of the commons:
'.
His speech on the

. .
occasion.
Anecdotes of IVolsey and More.

Spain.
.
.
IVolscy wishes to send,
him
to
Progress of Luther.
.
,
Henry
writes agaiiisL him,

.
.
and
More
mus
is
suspected.
Luther's reply and Ross' rejoinder^

. .
^ Eras.
. .
writes against Luther.

in
More
.
is
exhorted to
is
ivrite.
His
character
the
Ciceronianus.
. . .
He
made
chancellor
.
of the
.
duchy of Lancaster.
is
Anecdote of the king and More,

.
More
loss
sent on foreign e7nbassies.
His success at Camlray.
His
hyfire,
and
letter to his
wife
59
CHAP. m.
Cardinal IVolsey.
Charles.
. . .
His advancement, and quarrel with the emperor
Anecdotes of
marriage.
.
.
More and Wolsey.

. .
The kings
.
scruples
regarding
tlie
his
.
His inconsistency.
. . .
More's conduct in
. . .
matter.
fVolseys fall.
More made
chancellor.
.
The
duke of Norfolk's speech and Mores on the occasion.
More's imimpartiali.
provement
in the office.
.
His respect
to his father,
aud
. .
ty to his family.
Anecdotes of his chancellorship.

.
.
He
clears
the chancery of causes.

his writings.
. . .
He
is
offered
money by
the bishops for

. .
Is
again importuned by Henry on the divorce.

.
.
He
determines to resign the seal.

to
JVhich he at
last
effects.
Henry' s promise
him.
More's contempt of worldly grandeur.

. .
.... His wife
is
more concerned.
Anecdotes of her.
More
provides situations for his attendants,
and
calls
together his family.

.
.
.... His poverty.
His
tion.
letters to
.
Death of hvs father, and his filial affection. His monumental inscripErasmus on his resignation.
.
.
His buildings and charity at Chelsea.
The remarks of
, .
CONTENTS.
Fox and
Unies.
. .
Tu
otJieis
on More's persecution of heterodoxij.

rafutation of his calumniators
State of the
Mon's own
g5
CHAP.
Morf:^s anticipation
IV.
public business.
to
of his fate.
..He withdraws from

bishops.
.
.... His remark on Henry's second marriage, and advice

nell.
. . .
Cromhis
His behaviour io the

. .
Malignant scrutiny on
letter to Cromivell,
.
conduct.
The nun of Kent.

.
.
More's
and a
.
curious anecdote.
More
accused of misprision of treason.

. . .
Cou'
. .
duct of the committee for examining him.
More's firmness.
. ,
.
His
ply.
letter to the king.,

.
.
.
<
He
is
accused of ingratitude.
His re.
Anecdote on
his return
bill.
home.
.
The
king's
conduct.
.
More's name erased from the

Henry's triumph in his new
Acts passed in parliament.
titles.
.
Opinions of the Romish party,

.
and of
their adversaries.
More
refuseth the oath of succession.

.
He
Jiis
is
cited to appear at
.
.
Lambeth,
His foreboding, and

his
letter to
.
daughter.
Cranmer's arguTnent, and
curious letter.
.
More and
Fisher committed to the Tower, and attainted.
More's 141
sentiments on the king's marriage, and the pope's primacy
CHAP.
Henry
V.
.
.
FHI
.
atid
Constantius
More' s firmness.
His pains
Anecdotes. ..."
Mrs. Roper
manner.
.
.
visiteth
to meet his fate in a becoming His rejection on the execution of Reynolds, &c. His
. .
.
him
verses on Cromwell's promise
Lady More visiteth him, and some

letters
of
the
privy -council.
His two
.
to
his
daughter
.
His
. .
books taken from him.

arraigned.
. .
Rich's conversation with More.
More
to the
The commissioners and jury

His answer
to
More's answer
indictment
Rich
The jury find him

of the indictment
guilty
His arguments as
cellor's
to the insufficiency
The chan-
answer, and More's reply
Sentence passed upon him

. .
Farther proceedings
More's courage and constancy.
His meet-
. .
viii
CONTENTS.
ing with
ter.
. . .
his
children.
Anecdote.
sent to
His
.
last
letter to his
daugh-
Sir
.
Thomas Pope
last jokes,
him.
.
More's preparation for
death.
His
and
execution.
His burial
19 r>
CHAP.
Anecdote.
.
.
VI.
in
Queen Ann and Cranmer indolent

.
.
More's cause.
Effects of More's execution.
Sentiments of the Emperor Charlei^

. .
Cardinal Pole, and Paulus Jovius.
More's religion, bigotry, &c.
.... Not so extravagant as some, in his notions of the papal power.
.... His propens it 1/

at his death
to jesting,
. . .
and
witty sayings.
His behaviour
natural.
His
disinterestedness,
. ,
and
.
integrity while
chancellor,
and
virtue as
.
a patriot minister.
Queen Catharine's
opinion of More.
His greatness of mind, excellent temper, and

his
good management of
family.
Other
traits
.
of
his
character.
.... His learning, modesty, and benevolence.

of
His Utopia, History

.
Richard Ul, epigrams,
letteis,
and
.
controversial writings.
.
.
Jiumet's character of him as a writer.
The
editions
.
.
of More's
.
English and Latin works.

mily,
.
.
His pergonal
peculiarities.
.
.
His fa.
.
Erasmus' encomium on More's house.

to
Mrs. Roper.
Basset.
Her
letter
her father in prison.

.
.
Her daughter
More's
letter to Gonellus.
.
. .
The death of Erasmus and view of Mi

.
character.
More's remonstrances with him misrepresented.
25f
APPENDIX.
Erasmus R(4.
Vlrtco Hulteno
2^7
Erasmus Rot. Gulielmo Budico

Gulielmus Covrinus Nucerinus Philippo Montano
306
310
in
Clarorum
et
Doctorum Virorum vnria Epigrammata
laudem Thomct
Mori
328
MEMOIRS
OF
SIR
THOMAS MORE.
Vol.
I.
MEMOIRS
OF
SIR
THOMAS MORE.
CHAR
Biographers of SirThomas More
knight's ancestry.
birth.
.
.
I.
Mr. Roper.
.
.
Mr. More
.
. .
Tht
His
Sir
John More.
. .
Sir Thomas' mother.

school- education.
.
Anecdote of
.
his irfancy.
His
. . .
. .
Car-
dinal Morton.
More's
earli/ talents.
Specimen of
his early wit
and
reflection.
. . .
He is sent to
.
Oxford.
Hisfirst acquaintance with

the
law.
. .
.
Erasmus.
JVolsey.
More
studieth
He
His
is
made
reader at FurnivaP s-inn, and reads a public lecture.

Elizabeth, queen to
verses on
Henry VH.
. .
He
.
discovers
some inclination
.
.
for
the monastic state,

Colet.
. . . .
Erasmus^ early high opinion of him.

letter
to
Dean
More.
More's
him.
.
.
Colet^s
high opinion
her.
.
.
of
More marries Jane

to
Colte.
His family by
. . .
He
renews his application

patriotism.
, .
.
the
law.
Henry VII.
. .
More's early
.
He
offends the
king.
Henry's revenge.
in retirement.
More
Four
escapes
Dr. Fox's
snare.
His application
. . .
Juvenile
poems by him,
MJ'MOIRS OF
J.F examples of the
most
rigid integrity,
with the sacrifiee
of
life itself in
the cause of supposed truth, deserve the at-
tention of mankind, few characters op record can have a
higher claim to this attention than our celebrated country-
man
Sir
Tliomas IMore.
Our most
him
authentic sources of information
respecting
are, his Lite written
by William Roper, Esq. who marMargaret

;
;
ried his favourite daughter
that written
by Thotwo by
mas
]\Iorc,
Escj. his
great-grandson
and a
letter or
Erasmus
relative to his friend's
domestic
arc
histor}'.
The other
on
his
extant accounts of Sir
Thomas
little
else
than copies
light
from one or other of these, and throw no new

histor}'.
Mr. Roper,
naturally the
more
likely
of the two bio-
graphers tp be well-inl'ormed upon the subject, hath been
accused of allowing
his affection
to prevail in
some mea-
sure over his judgment on this occasion, and of writing a
panegyric rather than a history.
Habits of long intimacy

it is
with a character of great domestic worth,
true, attach
us to
it
in a degree of enthusiasm,
and one so long enjoy-
ing the intimacy and esteem of such a character as the

knight, had,
we must allow, peculiar difficulties to encounter in this way, when he afterward became his biographer. As to his qualification in point of information, however, we may allow his own words to be imanswerable, knowing hi? doings and mind no man living so well, by reason I zc-as con-
SIR T.
ibiually resident in Ids house
MORE.
hij
the space of sixteen years
and
more.
And
for the respectability of his character,

let his
though
tombstones too often exaggerate,
epitaph, as pre-
served by Mr. Somner, be allowed to speak.
Hie jacet
Vencrabilis vir Gulielmus
Filius ct hasies
Roper armiger,
armigcri;
quondam Johannis Roperi

Et Margareta,
Uxor ejusdcm
Filia
Gulielmi,
militis
quondam Tlioma; Mori
Siimmi olim Angliae
cancellarii
Graecis Latinisque Uteris doctissima.
Qui quidera Gulielmus

Rcgii successit
patri suo in officio
Prothonotarialus suprema; curias bauci

;
in
quo cum annis liv

idem officium
Fideliter ministrasset,
Filio suo priraogenito Thoraae reliquit.
Fuit
is
Gulielmus domi forisque munificens,

;
Mitis, raisericors
incarceratorum,
baculus.
Oppressorum
et
paupcrum
Genuit px Mnrg.irpla nxore, quam unicara

Habuit,
filios
duos
et filias tres
ex
iis
Vidit in vita sua nepotes et pronepotes.
Uxorem
in virili a!tatc amisit
viduatus uxore,
Castissime vixit annis xxxiii.
Tandem
completis in pace diebus, decessit
In senectute bona ab omnibus desideratus
Die IV mensis Jan. ann. Chr. Salv. m.dlxxvii

iEtatis vero suae lxxxii.
Mr. More, whose account of the knight

that of his predecessor,
is
fuller
than
may
be presumed from
his direct
relationship,
to
ME.MOIRS OF
have made
his additions with authenticity.
He
is
said to have been a person of respectability,
and to
liave
been employed by the English clergy as their agent in Spain and at the court of Rome. On his death, the English
catholic clergy erected a
Roman
monument
to his
memory,
had of
as a testimony of their respect and the sense they

his services.
A
;
celebrated protestant divine of our country
pronounces him, however, a narroK-m'indtd zealot and a

very fanatic
while
it is
Anthony Wood says of
his
Life of Sir
Thomas, that
incomparably well written, a judgment to

"\^'ood
be expected from
similes hahent labra lactucas.
His
bigotted attachment to the religion of his celebrated ancestor

is
indeed too apparent in his work
and
his biogra-
phical follower hath moreover frequent cause to regret his
neglect of chronological order, he having pretty imi)licitly
followed the indiflerent arrangement of Staplcton.
^\'e will
add
his
epitaph as preserved by AVood.
D. O. M. S.
Tlioma'
-Alagni
L't
illiiis
Moro
(Hoc. cbor. anglo

IVIori
Tlioma
ris
Anglic
canccllarii
martj
proucpoti alque liarcdi

et pictatc insigiii
Viro probitatc
Qjii,
In
admodum apud Britanuos exempio, fratrein natu minorein amplum transcripsit

raro
Patriinoiiium, et presbyler
Romae
factus,
Inde jusiu scdis apostolica; in patriam

Projcctus, plu!^cuios arinos strenuam fidei
Propagaiidap iiavavit operam.
Postca
cleri
angUcani negotia tii annos RonicE
Et
in Hiipaiiia P. P. Paulo v et Gregorio
iv
SIR T.
Surama
MORE.
'
integritate et industria
Suisque sumptibus procuravit-
Tandem de subrogando
anglis episcopo
felicitei
Ad
Urban, vni missus, negotio eo
Coufecto, laborura mercedem recepturus,
XI
Ex hac vita Apr Ann

;
migravit
:
m.dcxxv
^tatis
suae Lix.
Clems anglicanus msestus P.
The modem biographer of

his intermediate biographers
Sir
Thomas More,
as all
of
have done, must rely on these
two
ceed
writers as his safest guides.
We
shall find
their ac-
counts to admit of considerable amplification as

;
we
pro-
and should
either
of our conductors occasionally
make what appears

to use
to us a false step,
we must endeavour
what circumspection we can
at this distant period in
avoiding his error.
Respecting the knight's early ancestry, both of our guides
have
ever,
Sir
left
n*; ill
infunued.
From
John
the great-grandson,
howquar-
we
learn that Sir
INIore, knight,
the father of
his coat
Thomas, bare arms from
his birth,
having
tered.
By reason
of Henry VIII.'s seizure of their evidences,

their ancestry
;
he adds, the family could not make out

land, or the latter from them.
but
he had heard that they proceeded from the Mores of IreSir
Thomas himself informs
us in his epitaph, that he sprang fi'om no noble family but of an honest stock.
Sir
John More appears
to
have been born about the year

MEMOIRS OF
lie
is
1440.*
talents
said to have been a lawyer of disUiigiiished
and
integrity,
and was one of the

of Henry VIII. f
justices of the
King's
Bench
in the reign
He
is
described
by
Sir
Thomas
in the epitaph
already alluded
to,
homo
;
ci-
vilis,
suavis, innocens, niitis, miscricors, cquus et integer
an-
nis
quidem gravis, sed corpore plusqtiam pro atatc
vivido.
He
lived to a eieat ao-e,

liis
and had the singular fortune of seeing
son Chancellor of England, as will appear by an anec-
dote hereafter to be related.
Camden,
which
will
in his
Remains,
relates
fair
a bon-mot of Sir John
not preposses the
sex in his favour.
He comhis
pared a
into a
man
choosing a wife, to one
who dipped
hand
it
bag which contained twenty snakes and one

one
t/iat
eel
was
tzienttj to
he caught the
eel.
After this,
we
was
are surprised at finding that the old gen-
tleman had the resolution to take three dips himself; for

learn that he
thrice married.
we
The maiden name

Tliomas, was
shire.
of his
first
wiic, the
mother of
in
;
Sir
Ilandcombe, of Holywell
Bedford-
The age
of portents was not yet gone by
and Dr.
Clement, a famous physician of the time, and the intimate

friend of
More, reported of
her, that,
on the night
after her
marriage, she saw, in a dream, engraven on her wedding

ring, the
number and
characters of her children, the face
of one shining uith superior brightness.

* Erasmus to Budteus.
She had Jane, marf More>
SIR T.
ried to
MORE.
S
calls
Richard Stafferton, Esq.

;
whom Mr. More

John
noble gentleman
the father of
Elizabeth,
Rastell
;
wife of
Rastell, Esq.
Judge
and Thomas, the celebrated
subject of these memoirs.
only know, that the
Of Sir John's other wives we christian name of the last was Alice.
in Hertfordshire,
She
lived
on her jointure
at a
messuage
Being debefore her
then called jNIoreplace, but since Gubbons, in the parish
of Northmimes, and outlived her son-in-law.

prived of her possessions in Henry's fury, a
little
death, she died at Northal, about a mile distant,
and was
buried in that church.*
Thomas, the only son of

father's usual residence
Sir
John More, was born

London,
at his
i46o.
in
Milk-street,
in 1480,
the twentieth year of the reign of our fourth Edward.
An-
other presage of the child's future eminence, related by his

nurse,
is,
that one
day
as she
was riding with him

slipt
in her
in-
arms over a piece of water, the horse

to a deep
for his
by accident
and dangerous hole. To give the infant, a chance life, she threw him over a hedge into a field, and
having afterward, with
much difficult}-, made
her
own escape,
she found him, to her no small surprise, not only unhurt,
but sAveetly smiling upon her. f
The
in
school of
S'.
Anthony
in the parish of Bennet-fink,
Thread needle-street, belonging
to
an hospital of the same

time of
name, which had been
in high reputation since the
Henry VI, and, beside other eminent

* More.
persons, numbereth
t More.
Vol.
I:
10
WE.MOIHS OF
archbishops Heath and AVhitgift
among
his
its
scholars, aflord-
cd More hkewise ihc rudiments of

a learned
education.*
Here
man named
INIr.
Nicholas Holt was his master, under
whom,
passed
to use
More's expression, he rather greedily de-
voured than lehuvcly chezved his grannnar rules, and far surall his
schoolfellows in understanding
and
diligence.
By
the interest of his father, iVIore afterward
became an
inmate of the house of Cardinal Morton, f of whom he hath transmitted us a high character, as well in his Utopia
as in his History of Richard
saith
HI. His authority
in the state,
his
More, was not more weighty than were

virtue
;
wisdom
his
his-
and
skill
his
eloquence was polished and convincing,
great as a lawyer, his understanding incomparable,
memory
on
very extraordinary.
it
The king and
state relied up-
his counsel, for
was
his policy
which placed the crown
of the usuipcr Richard upon the head of Henry, and unit-
ed the houses of York and Lancaster.
Henry VIII made
him archbishop of Canterbury and chancellor of England, to which the pope added the honour of cardinal. Mr. Roper informs
dinal's house,
us, that
while
More was
among
in the car-
though he were young of years, yet would he

the players,
ore n
at Christmas suddenly sometimes step-in
and, never studying for the matter, make apart of his

there presently
apart
among them,
zchich
made
the lookers-on more
than
all
the players beside.

his wit
The
cardinal, he adds,
took sreat
deliirht in
and towardness, and would

+ Utopia and Ropfr.
* Roper and Newcourt*
SIR T. MORE.
often say of
11
More
to the nobility
who happened
to
be din-
ing witli him, this child, here waiting at the table, zvhosoever
shall live to see
it,
will
prove a marvellous man.
The
following curious specimen of More's early wit

is
and
reflection,
extracted from his English works.
'
2^, 'CiomaSi S^xt in his youth devised in his father's house
in
London, a goodly hanging of
fine
painted cloth with
nine pageants and verses over every one of those pageants,
which verses expressed and declared what the images in

those pageants represented.
And
also in those pageants

in
were painted the things that the verses over them did
effect declare.
Which
verses here follow.
In the
first
pageant was painted a boy playing at the

this
top and scourge, and over

loweth.
pageant was written
as fol-
CHILDHOOD.
I
am
called Cliildhood, in play
is all
ray
miud
To
cast a quoit, a cokstcle

set
and a
ball,
;
top can I
and drive
to
it
in his kind
But would
God
these hateful bookes all
Were
in a fire burnt to
I lead
powder small
Then might
my
life
always in play.
Which
life
God
send
me
to
mine ending day
JS>
MEiMOIRS Of
In the second pageant was painted a goodly fresh young
man,
fist
riding
upon a goodly
horse, having a
hawk on
hiu
and a brace of greyhounds following him.
And under
in the first
the horse's feet
was painted the same boy that
pageant was playing at the top and scourge.

this
And
over
second pageant the writing was

IVIANIIOOD.
this.
Manhood
am,
therefore I
me
delight
To
hunt and hawk,
to nourish-up
and
feed,
The greyhound
to the course, the
hawk
to the flight,
And
Yet
to bestride a
good and
liisfy
steed
indeed.
sweeter,
These things become a very

thinketh this boy his peevish
force, his reason is
man
no
game
But what, no
better.
In the third pageant was painted the goodly young man.

(in the
second pageant) lying on the ground.

love,
And upon
him stood Lady Venus, goddess of

this
and by her upon

over this third
man
stood the
this
little
God
Cupid.
And
pageant
was the writing that followcth.

VExNUS
AND
CUPID.
might
Whoso na knoweth the strength, power, and Of Venus and me her little son Cupid
;
Thou Manhowl
shalt a
mirrour be aright
By
us subdued
fiery
for all tliy great pride,
My
Now
Shall
dart pierccth thy tender side.

erst dispisedst children
thou
who
small
wax
a child again and be
my
thrall.
SIR T.
MORE.
14
In the fourth pageant was painted an old sage father,

sitting in a chair.
And
lying under his feet
was painted
the image of
geant.
Venus and Cupid that
Avere in the third pathis.
And
over this fourth pageant the scripture was
AGE.
Old age
am
I,
with lockes thin and hoar,

life
}
Of
our short
discreet
the last and best part,
Wise and
the public weal therefore
I help to rule, to
my
labour and smart.
Therefore Cupid withdraw thy fiery dart.
Chargeable matters shall of love oppress
Thy
childish
game and
idle business.
In the
fifth
pageant was painted an image of Death, and
under
above
his feet lay the old

this fifth
man
in the fourth pageant.
And,
pageant, this Avas the saying.
DEATH.
Though T he foul, iigl>, lean, and jiilshape, Yet there is none in all this world wide,
That may
my power
withstand or escape
Therefore sage father, greatly magnified,
Descend from your chair,

Vouchsafe to lend, the'
it
set
apart your pride.
be to your pain,
To me,
a fool, some of your wise brain.
In the sixth pageant was painted Lady Fame, and under her feet was the picture of Death that was in the fifth
a
pageant.
followetli.
MEMOIRS OF
And
over this sixth pageant the writing was as
FAME.
Fame
For
I
am
called,
marvel jou nothing,
Though
with (ongucs
is
am compassed
chief living,
I
all
round,
in voice of people
my
O cruel
When
Maugre thy
Death, thy power
confound.
thou a noble
teeth, to live
man
hast brought to ground,

I
cause him shall
Of
people in perpetual memory.
In the seventh pageant was painted the image of Time,
and under
his feet Avas lying the picture
of
Fame
that was
in the sixth pageant.
And
this Avas
the scripture over this
seventh pageant.
TIME.
I
whom
thou
sees
with liorologe in hand,

tho laid of pvery bour,
Am
named Time,
I shall in space destroy both sea
and
land.
O
Who
simple Fame,
of his
bow
darest thou
man
honour,
;
Promising
name an
endless flower
may
in the world
have a name eternal

all.
W^hen
I shall in
process destroy the world and
In the eighth pageant wa pictured the image of
Lady
her
Eternity, sitting in a chair, under a sumptuous cloth of

state,
crowned with
aji
imperial croAvn.
And under
SIR T.
MORE.
was
it
15
feet lay the picture of Time, tliat
in the seventh pageant,
and above
this eighth
pageant was
written as foUoweth.
ETERNITY.
He
*
needeth not to boast, I
am
Eternity,
The very name
signifieth well.
And mine empire

Art nothing
else
infinite shall be.

tell,
Thou, mortal Time, every man can

but the mobility
Of sun and moon, changing
in every degree
When
For
all
they shall leave their course, thou shalt be brought,
thy pride and boasting, into nought.
In the ninth pageant was painted a poet

chair;
sitting in
and over
this
pageant were there written, these verses
in Latin following.
THE POET.
Has
fictas
quemcunque.juvat spectare figuras
Sed mira veros qui putat arte homines,

Ille potest veris
animura
sic
pascere rebus,
Ut
pictis oculos pascit imaginibus.

uti fragilis
Namque videbil
bona lubrica mundi,

cito pretereunt.
Tam
cito
non veniunt, quam
Gaudia, laus
et
honor, celeri pede omnia cedunt,^

?
Quid manet excepto semper amore Dei

Ergo homines, levibus jam jam
diffidite rebus,
Nulla reccssuro spes adiiibenda bono.
Qui
dabit icternam nobis pro
munere vitam
In pcrmansuro ponite vota Deo.'
f ;
;
16
MEMOIRS OF
About
the age of seventeen, Cardinal
Morton commit;
ted his charge to the university of Oxford

'^^'ood to St.
according to
Maryhall, but other writers agree to Canter-
bury (subsequently Christchurch) college.

of opinion that he had a chamber at
St.
Mr. Hearn was

Maryhall and
studied there, but that he belonged to Christchurch.*
He
remained two years at the university, and profited exceedingly, saith
Mr. Roper,
in rhetoric, logic,
and philosophy
proving, addcth the great-grandson, what wonders wit and

diligence can
in
accomphsh, when united, as they seldom
arc,
one painful student.
That auspicious event

about
It
in More's history, his
intimacy
its
with the good and learned Erasmus, probably had

149;.
origin
this
time; the great scholar being at Oxford in 1407his
was probably by
advice and that of other learned
friends, assisted
by
his
own
taste, that
More was
led not
to neglect the
for
it
Greek language
in his
classical education,
was not commonly studied then

it,
in
our country.
He
acquired
we
are told, t under the auspices of "William
Grocyn, at that time professor or public teacher of Greek

at Oxford,
and Thomas Linacer the celebrated physician

to be a
and he continued
that noble language, as
warm friend to the cultivation of we shall find by his letter on the
subject to the university of Oxford.
AVolsey also, was at this time bursar of IMagdalen college, and, as well as Colet
* Edit. Roper. f
and Pace, probably enjoyed the

Jortin.
t Erasmus, ep. 511.
SIR T.
MORE,
17
intimacy of
More and Erasmus.

to liave
;
He was
More
as yet too
young
and humble
the cardinal
materially manifested the character of
and
it is
probable that
in early life con-
ceived too favourable an opinion of Wolsey, which

that his friend
we know
Erasmus
certainly
had done.
At
the age of eighteen INIore
is
said to
have written some
1498.
of his epigrams, and to have continued to utter, in the
manner we have already

nity of this
life,
not
many reflections on the vacommonly made at his age. By way

seen,
\\\s
of exercise he translated the Tyrannicida of Lucian into

Latin, Avhich he called
first fruit of the
Greek
languao-e.
He
also wrote a declamation in answer to this piece, with
such force of argument, saith his partial great-grandson,

that
it
seemeth not
to give
place to Lucian either in inven-
tion or eloquence.
From
the university, which,

in 14.99,
accordmg
to the
same
writer, i45.
he must have quitted

study law
his time,
;
he removed to New-inn to
rsell
where, saith Roper, he very

Avas
prospered for
and
soon afterward admitted of LincolnVinn.

little
At
this
age his father allowed him so
money
that he
could not dress with decency, and exacted from him a most
particular account of his expences.
Yet
this
conduct was
apjilauded by
More
in his riper years, as
having preserved
him from
neral.
idleness,
gaming, bad company, and vice in ge-
Having been reader at

Vox.
Furnival's-inn,
by Roper's
ac-
18
MEMoms or
must have obtained that
also read a i)ublic
count, above three years, ]\Iore

1-500.
situation about I.jOO.
For some time he

in
lecture
on
S'.
Austin de civitate Dei,
the church
of
S.
Lawrence
in the
Old Jewry; ivhcrcunto there

excellent
resorted, saith
his son-in-law,
all the
Dr. Groci/n an
cunning man, and
chief learned of the city of London.
We
also learn
from Erasmus that More had a numerous auditory at this lecture, and that neither priests nor old men were ashamed
or repented of having derived sacred
wisdom from
the
young
layman.*
1503.
The death of Elizabeth, queen to Henry VII, in 1503, afforded More another occasion for the exercise of his juvenile muse. The following curious specimen of the poetry
and language of that age,
works.
is
extracted from his English
SI
rueful
Hamcntattou written
by Mr. Thomas
jNIore in his
youth, of the death of queen Elizabeth, mother to king
Henry VIII, Avife to king Henry VII, and eldest daughter which queen Elizabeth died in childto kino- Edward IV bed, in February in the year of our Lord 1503, and in the
;
1^* year of the reign of king Henry VII.

* Epist. to Hutten.
SIR T.
MORE.
]fi
je that put your
truat
and confidence
In worldly joy and
frail prosperity,
That
so live here as
ye should never hence.

look here upon
Remember death and

Ensample
i'ôurself
I
me
think there
may
now
no better be.
wot well that

late,
in this realm
lo
was
Your queen but
and
here I
lie
Was
I not
born of old worthy lineage,
Was
not
my
mother queen,
my
father king,
Was I
not a king's fare in marriage,

I
Had
not plenty of every pleasant thing

is
Merciful God, this
a strange reckoning
Riches, honour, wealth, and ancestry,

Ilath
me
forsaken,
and
lo
now
here I
lie.
If worship might have kept me, I
had not gone.
If wit might have

If
me
saved, I needed not fear,
money might have

But
holpe, I lacked none,

vaileth all this gear
?
good God, what

Death
is
When
]\Ie
come thy mighty messenger,

no
rptTiBdy,
Obey we must,
thr-rp is
hath he summoned, and lo
now
here I
lie.
Yet was
I late promised otherwise,
This year to live in wealth and delice
Lo whereto cometh thy
blandishing promise,
O
How
false astrology
and devinatrice,
thyself so wise
Of
God's
is
secrets
making
true
for this
year thy prophecy,
The year
yet lastetb, and lo
now
here I
lie-
MEMOIRS OF
O brittle
Thj
Account
wealth, aye full of bitterness,

single pleasure doubled
is
with pain
my
sorrow
first
and
my
distress
In sundrywise, and reckon thereagain
The joy
For
all
that I have had,
and
dare saync,
I
lie.
my
honour, endured yet have

wealth,
More woe than
and
lo
now
here I
AVhere are our
castles
now, where are our tewers

art
Goodly Richmond soon
thou gone from
me
At Westminster, that costly work of yours,
Mine own dear
lord,
now
shall I never see.
Almighty God vouchsafe to grant that ye

For you and your children well
My
palace builded
is,
and
lo
may edify now here I lie!
Adieu mine own dear spouse,
my
worthy
lord,
The
faithful love that did us
both combine,
In marriage and peaceable concord

Into your handes here
I
dean
resign,
To
The
be bestowed upon your children and mine.
Erst were
you
father,
and now must you supply
mother's part also, for lo
now
here I
lie.
Farewell
my
daugtitcr,
full
Lady Margaret,
grieved hath
God wot
oR
it
my
mind.
That you should go where we should seldom meet,
Now am
gone and have
left
you behind.
!
mortal folk that
we
be, very blind
That we
least fear, full oft it is

I first,
most nigh,
From you depart
and
lo
now
here I
lie.
SIR T.
Farewell
MORE.
21
Madam, my
a worth, for
lord's
worthy mother,
Comfort your son and be you of good cheer,
Take
all
it
will
be none other.
Farewell
my daughter
me
to
Catharine, late the fare
To prince
Pray
for
Arthur, mine
own
here
child so dear.
It booteth not for
weep
or cry,
I lie.
my soul,
for lo
now
Adieu Lord Henry,
my loving
son adieu,
estate.
Our Lord
Adieu
increase
your honour and
my daughter Mary, bright of hue, God make you virtuous, wise and fortunate.
Adieu sweet
heart,
my
little
daughter Kate,
thy destiny,
Thou
shalt, sweet
babe, such
is
Thy
mother never know, for
lo
now
here I
lie.
Lady
Cicyly, Anne, and Catharine,
Farewell
!
my
well-beloved
sisters three.
Lady
Bridget, other sister mine,
Lo
And
here the end of worldly vanity

well are
Now
ye that earthly
folly flee,
heavenly thinges love and magnify.
Farewell and pray for me, for lo
now
here I
lie.
Adieu
my
my
lords, adieu
my ladies all,
chone.
I
Adieu
my faithful servants every

commons,
Adieu
whom
;
never shall
See in this world
wherefore to the alone
Immortal God, verily three and one,

1
me commend
thy
infinite
mercy
here I
lie.'
Shew
to thy servant, for lo
now
52
MEMOIRS OF
Tiic religion which then reigned
in oui
counli7 hud
al-
ready
made a
some
very powerful impression on the

his present
mind of
lie
lived
fre-
More, and he discovered about

three,
age of twenty
inchiuition for the monastic state.
four years near the Charter-house,
and without a vow
quented
thiiiy
the spiritual
exercises
of the Carthusians.
friar,
Once he
inclined to
become a Franciscan
and
is
said
to have been deterred from his purpose only
by observing
that the siricfncss formerly prevalent in this country had
been considerably abated.
After this he had an intention
of becoming a priest in association with his faithful com-
panion
son,
\\ illiam
Lilly
but God, exclaims his great-grandto another estate not to live in soin
had
allotted
him
litude,
but to be a pattern to the married
bringing-up
their children, in loving their wives,
and devoting every en;
deavour
to the
good of
their
country
yet excelling withal
in piety, charity, liumility,
obedience, and chastity.
ij06.
In 1506, Erasmus Avas in England and dedicated the Tyrannicida of Lucian, as well as a declamation of his
in
own
answer
to
it,
to
Richard Whitford, chaplain to bishop
Fox.
llie high opinion he
had already formed of More,
whose declamation on the same subject hath been before

noticed, "we
fmd thus strongly expressed

capi, idque
in that dedication.
Latine declamare
itti sets
impuhore Thoma Moro, cujus
tanta est J'acmidia, ut nihil non possit persuadere vel

tanta autem Jiominem caritate compkctor, ut etiam
si
hosti
saltare me, rest-imque ductaiejubeat, si7n non gravatim oh-
sni T. MOIIE.
23
temperaturus.
iSeque enbn
arhltror, niai inc
vehemcns
in
il-
ium falllt amor, unquam natuvam fuixisse ingenium hoc una

prccsentius, proinptiua, oculatiiis, argutius, breviterquc dotibus
omnigenis absolutius.
Accedit lingua ingenio par, turn inon/m
mira
festivitas, salis
plurimum sed candidi duntaxat,
ut nihil
in CO desideres
quod ad absolutwn pertineat patronum.
PVom
the
same
sreat scholar
we
leani that
More
cou](i
not shake-off"
his inclination for marriage,
and he therefore
preferred being a chaste husband to an impure priest.*
He
life,
held in view at this time,
it
is
said, as
a pattern of
the virtuous and learned Johannes
Picus of Mirandula,
whose
life,
letters,
and precepts he translated into English,

For
his ghostly-father,
and published them, f

celebrated foundation of
in
adds
;
his
great-grandson, he chose Colet,

S'.
Dean
of
S.
Pauls
Avhose
Paul's school
More compares
barbarity.
one of his
letters to the horse
of Troy, from which many,
issued to subvert
and overthrow ignorance and
Stapleton hath preserved a letter from
More
to Colet,
which confirms the respect in which he held the dean, and

is
a good picture of the state of his

is
own mind
at this time.
It
here translated.
THOMAS MORE TO DEAN COLET.

As I was w'alking lately in Westminster-hall, and musing upon other people's affairs, I encountered your boy. When I first saw him I rejoiced, for he was alway a favourite of
'
* Epist. to Hutten.
f Eng. Works.
24
MEMOIRS OF
I
I
mine, but more especially because
thought he could not

learnt
be here without you.
But when
from him that

for
you were not returned, and would be absent

time,
1
long
cannot express to you from what joy into what

I
sadness
was
cast.
'
For what can be more grievous to
me
than to be deprivI
ed of your sweet intercourse, whose most wise advice
was
accustomed to enjoy, with whose most delightful familiarity

to be recreated,
by whose impressive discourses

life
have been have been
roused to goodness, by whose
and example
amended,
tion I
lastly, in
whose very countenance and approba-
have found contentment.
Having under such auand unsup-
spices once felt strength

I naturally feel as
it
and confidence, deprived of them

in
were
the wide world
ported.
And
as lately, treading in your footsteps, I

hell,
had
escaped almost from the jaws of

ridice,
now
again like Eu-
but by a contrary law (she, because Orpheus look-
ed back upon
I relapse, I
you look not back upon me), know not by what impulse or necessit3% into
her, I, because
my
'
former obscurity.
For what
?
is
there in this
is
town
to incite
any one
to a
good
life
Or
rather, Avhat
there which doth not, by a thou-
sand devices and allurements, draw him from the arduous path of virtue, Avould
well in
it ?
his
disposition guide
him never so
in
"N^'hcrever
you go what do you hear but,
one
})lacc, the
hum
of feigned attachment or the honied poison

fierce hatreds, quarrels, strife,
of flattery, in another,
and
SIR T.
litigation?
MORE.
eyes,
25
Wherever you cast your
what can you see
but victualling-houses, fishmongers, butchers, cooks, puddingmakers,

fishers or fowlers,
its
who
administer to the belly,
the world, and
prince the devil.
The very houses
seize
a good part of our light and suffer us not to
behold the
sky
and
it is
the altitiule of our buildings, not the extent
of our horizon, which boundeth our view.
'
From
these causes I can the

still
more
readily foigive your

sifn-
loving to abide
plicity, free
in the country.
craft.
There you have
from city
Wherever you turn your eye
the face of earth cheereth your view, the grateful temper-
ature of the air refresheth, the very aspect of heaven delighteth you.
Nothing occurs there
to
your view save the
bounteous
gifts
of uature and tokens of sacred innocence.
Yet would
not have you so enamoured of these delights
as not to return to us as soon as
you can.
If the city disto
please you, yet Stepney (of which

so solicitous)
you are bound
be
al-
now
in
enjoy.
may afford 3'ou comforts equal to those you And thence you can occasionally visit the city,
for the exercise
which you have so great opportunities
of
your goodness,
'
For since those in the country are harmless

less
in
them-
selves, or at least liable to

will
wickedness, any physician
answer
there.
But from the height and inveteracy of

It
true, there
the disorder in town, any but the most skilful shall attempt the cure in vain.
the pulpit of
A'
is
sometimes come into

cure.
S.
Paul's those
who promise a
But
af-
OL.
I.
26
ler
MEMOIRS OF
having appeared to preach with phiusibiliiy,
tlicir
hfe
is
so
much
at variance with their precepts, that tliey heighten

alleviate the complaint,
Bi'l'iJ'
more than they
themselves
they are
sickest of any, they

fit
cannot persuaile others

;
tiiat
persons to cure thern
tbr io i)e l>andled
by the diseased,
fills
the diseased only with C<!:,tempt
and aversion.
health
But
if (as \\ic
wise affirm) he
is
littest to restore
whop*, the sick liath most confidence, wlio can doubt

is
^ât no one
so
fit
to cure the whole
town
as yourself?
their
By
to
whom,
with what satisfaction they
sutt'er
wounds
be handled, what confidence and obedience they shew you,
you have already

farther manifested
sufficiently experienced
and
it is
now
by the love of
all
toward you, and the

for
certain incredible anxiety which
prevails
your return.
Come
then at length
my
dear Colet, either for your Step-
ney's sake, which bewaileth your absence
day by day as
be
doth a child
its
mother, or for your country's sake which

a parent
!
you ought
to regard as
Lastly, though
this
the least motive for your return,
come
for
my
sake,
who
have devoted myself to you, and await your coming with

impatience.
Meanwhile
pass
as
my
time with Grocyn,

is
Linacer, and Lilly.
The
first,
;
you know,
sole
master
of
my
life
in
;
your absence
the thud,
the second, the preceptor of
my
studies
my
dearest
companion
in all I un-
dertake.
Farewell, and continue to love
me
as
you have done/
SIR T.
MORE.
27
Colet in his turn admired his disciple, and would sometimes say, England had but one wit, and that was
young
Thomas More.*
In a
letter to
Jodocus Jonas, Erasmus hath made

it
Colet's
eulogium, and with

can.
the panegyric of Vitriarius, a francis-
The
characters of these eminent men,

;
great a master, deserve perusal
and
if
drawn by so Erasmus hath not
given the reins a

his subject, it is
little
to his
imagination and embellished
no wonder that he so sincerely loved and
admired them.
They were
excellent ecclesiastics, with a
largeness of mind, a solidity of judgment,
and a freedom
no small
of thought and speech, far beyond their contemporaries,

very few excepted.
In
many
ijimself.
things they bore
re-
semblance to Erasmus
Colet
it
seems advised More to marry. ^

j\lore' friends
In the number of
was John Colte, Esq. of
Newhall
in Essex,
a gentleman of good family, and
who
Colte
had frequently
it
invited
More
to visit him.
it
The
invitation,
Jvlr.
seems, was at last accepted, and
proved that
had three daughters whose

education, if
honest conversation
and virtuous
we
believe
Mr. Roper, or perhaps we
may
More
suggest some other attractions
more current with youth,
fixed his afiections in that family.
On
life.
this
occasion
gave a remarkable instance of that peculiarity of character
which distinguished him through

* More.
His natural predi-
Jortin.
J More.
2S
lection
.MEMOIRS OF
was
in favour of tlic second

it
daughter
yet when he
considered, saith Roper, that
would he both great grief

see
and some shame
to the eldest,
to
her younger
sister
pre-
ferred hefore her in marriage, he then of a certain pity fram-
ed his fancy
to her,
and soon after married

that Mr.
her.
It
is
to be wished
Roper had made use of

pity, in
this passage.
al-
most any other expression than
It
appears to be perfectly within the compass of More's very

peculiarcharactcr, that feeling for the disappointment which
the elder sister might experience in finding her younger

sister
preferred to her in marriage, he might, before he
suftcred his
heait to
become
too deeply engaged by the
second, endeavour at least to appreciate with candour and

aft'ection
every excellence which he could discover
in
the
elder.
Upon
such a closer view of the merit which she

in
proved herself
that he
the end to have possessed,
it
is
possible
may have
seen sufficient reason to satisfy his inclin-
ation of acting with
what he
it is
in this case
judged
j;ro/?/7e/?/,
though the occasion,

exercise of a
true, Avas a
singular one for the
lukewarm
principle.
Erasnuis informs us that she was a very young
girl,
who
he
had never quitted her parents and

This, he adds,
liad
sisters
in
the country.
was the more agreeable
to his friend, as
better prospect of forming her to his
own manners
and he even took much pains

'
in her education.*
pist. to
Hut ten.
SIR T.
MORE.
no
As More
lived
may
date this
years of age.
among the Carthusians, we marriage 1507, when he was twenty-seven By this wife Jane, who survived their union
four 3'ears
in virtue
1507.
only about six years, he had issue, Margaret, Elizabeth,

Cecilia,
and John
and
learning, saith
Mr. Roper,
hrought-icp
from
his
their
youth
whom
he would often exhort to

their
take virtue and learning for their meat, and play for
sauce.
Upon
marriage he appears to have taken a house
in Bucklersbury,
and
to
have renewed with assiduity
his
application to the law.*
The year after More's marriage, Erasmus dedicated him his celebrated Praise of iolly, on which occasion,
before to
friend.
to as
his
isoa.
Whitford, the scholar highly
compliments
Bayle, and after him Jortin and others, appears to
be
riiistaken in dating this in saying

it
admired piece two years

as
later'
and
was written under More's roof;
may be
seen by the dedication itsclf.f
Edward IV died in More's infancy the short reigns of Edward V and Richard III folloAved, and aftbrded him in
;
more advanced years a subject
for historical
composition
Henry VII had now

and
his
filled
the throne for twenty-three years,

It requires
death approached.
to
no great sagacity
to discover, that
keep the crown which singular good
fortune had given him, and to accumulate riches, were the

darling objects of this monarch's reign.
'^
* Roper.
The
love of ac-
Jortin, Life Eras. 4'".
i,
35. and
ii,
169, contradicts himself.
30
MEMOIRS OF
in
liis
cumulation appears indeed to have been instinctive

character,
and time discovered that thouiih Cardinal Morendeavours
ton and Bray could not extinguish this propensity, they
were not without
their
in
tempering
it.
P^nip-
son antl Dudley, their ibllowers, whose reputation had no

better basis than their servility, on the contrary, not only
seconded but inflamed
this
humour
in
Henry, and they led
the king to those extremities, which clouded his death with
remorse, and found sutHcient

in assuaging
employment
ior his successor
them.
On
sJelf
wise considerations
Henry had
resolved to unite him-
closely with
Ferdinand and Isabella of Castile and Ar-
ragon, and with the house of the constant and dangerous
Burgundy against France,
enemy of England.
whose eldest
match
Males
was
therefore agreed to, between Arthur ])rince of

;
and Catharine the infanta of Spain

ing married to Philip
ders,
sister be-
duke of Burgundy and

'J'wo
earl of FlanSjiain,
triple alliance
was formed between England,
and Burgimdy, against France.
hundred thousand
ages with any
ducats, the largest portion given for

princess,
many
made
her no
less
acceptable to Henry
VH.
Five months, however, had only claj)scd since the marriage,
when
prince Arthur died

in
and
it
proved, that his
widow was not

and Henry
a state of pregnancy.
The
reasons of
existing,
it
state for preserving the alliance against
France
still
feeling
no inclination
to
ye/////</
the jointure,
was proposed that Arthur's brother -Henry, now prince of
S[R
T.
MORE.
?1
Welles and about tuelve years of age, should be contraet-
ed to Catharine.
terbury,
The good Warham, archbishop of Canto the
acknowledged
king that he thought the step

in the sight of
it,
ndther honourable nor pleasing
God.
l>ut
dis-
Fox, bishop of ^\închestcr, urged
and the pope's
pensation surmounted every objection.
It
was no great wonder that the pope readily granted

so
what was
much
for the interest of the

it.
papacy, though
Julius II was an
some
cardinals
to
and divines opposed
enemy
Lewis XII, and wished
to strengthen alliances
against him. Moreover, his consent on this occasion obliged,

as he thought, the succeeding kings of
tain the papal authority, since
title
England
to
main-
from
it
they derived their
to the crown.
But
it is
remarkable that by a mio-htier
decree than that of any temporal power, this act of Julius,

instead of strengthening, occasioned the very extirpation of
the papal dominion in this country.
Upon
But
ed
it
this
is
bull
Henry and Catharine were
contracted.
there
reason to believe, that though he had approv-
as a politician,
Henry VII repented of
this
step be-
fore
he died.
More
incurred
Henry
VII.'s displeasure,
who wanted
to
ruin him.
He had been
elected a burgess (by

tlie
what means
doth not appear) and sat in
parliament in Avhich Henry,
yielding to his ruling passion,
demanded a subsidy
for the
marriage of
his
eldest daughter to the king of Scotland,
32
MEMOIRS OF
rather in a view to his
own cmohinient than
to the rcpayhis ehiUl.
nuMit of
this
tlic
dower whieh he had given with
On
oceasion
More gave an admirable
instance of his in-
tegrity, patriotism,
and courage, by the strength with which Mr.
he ariiued against the demand at that early aoe, undis-
mayed by
at
tiie
the servile senate which surrounded him.
Tyler, a gentleman of the pri\'3'-chamber
who was present
debate, hastened to inform the king that a beardhis
less
boy had frustrated
purpose, and Henry, incensed by
such an opposition to the darling propensity of his mind,
determined to lose no opportunity of revenge.
The means
he employed were worthy of
his avarice
and rapacity, and
unworthy of
ing
his
princely station.
More's poverty exclud-
him from a reasonable prospect of gratiticaiion, the king devised a groundless quarrel with his father, and Sir John
More was imprisoned
in the
Tower
until
he had paid a
fine
of one hundred pounds.
More, shortly
sellor,
after this,
met bishop Fox, a privy-counliis
who
called
him
if
aside, and, pretending great kind-
ness,
promised that
More would be guided by
advice
it
he should soon be restored to the king's favour. terward appeared, that the prelate's design was
But
to
af-
inveigle
More
into a confession of his offence, that a

inflicted
punishment
justice.
might be
upon him with the semblance of

the prudence or good fortune
bishop's chaplain,
More had, however,

this snare.
to,
escape
AMiitford, the
was More's
intimate friend.
On
consulting him, he advised
More by
no means
to follow Fox's counsel,
for
my Lord,
to sei've the
SIR T.
MORE.
own
3S
father'' s death.
king's turn, will not stick to agree to his
More, of course, returned not
to the bishop.*
His abode in England was indeed rendered so unpleasant to
him by the
king's anger, that he meditated
a voyage
abroad, a design which was prevented by the death of
Henry VII
yet, as
in 1509.f
In the interval he lived
in retirement,
might be expected from a mind
like More's,
not
without profiting of the occasion by the cultivation of his

intellectual talents.
We are told
arithmetic,
that he studied the French
language,
history,
geometry, astronomy, and

violin,
ij:
music, and became a practical proficient on the
His chief assistant in these pursuits was, probably,

traordinary
that his wit
his ex-
memory,
to which,
he once expresscth a wish
and learning were equal.
In
his
English woi'ks are preserved four more things which

in his
Mayster Thomas More wrote
youth for
his pastime,
and
first
which therefore belong
to the present chapter.
The
of them hath been supposed to "iiave suggested to the cele-
brated Cowper the idea of his popular tale John Gilpin
but Mr. Hayley, the poet's biographer, disavo\\s the claim,
on grounds which perhaps many readers

ciently satisfactory.
will
deem
suffi-
This piece proves, what an attentive
reader
will, in
perusing our old writers, frequently remark,
that the familiar and colloquial part of our language, be-
ing disused
* Roper
among
those classes which had no ambition of

f Roper.
t More.
J Epist. pref. to Utopia.
and More.
I.
Vol.
îJiMOIRS
ol'
OF
little
idhieuient or atYectatioii
cliaiiiro.*
novel Ly, Imtii suffered very

in
Our lanûaoe was then

;
a great degree formed
and
settled
and
it
appears from Ben Jonsoii that More's

his
poems, as well as
prose,
were considered by
his con-
temporaries as models of elegance and purity in language,
though
in general, like all the
compositions of his age, they
are censurable on the score of languor and difi'useness.

three last of these pieces
culiarly
The
recommend themselves more pe-
to our notice
on the present occasion, from the
picture they afford us of the early impressions of More's
mind.
'
9 mcrrg
3iC0t, hon'
a Serjeant uould learn
to
play the Friar
Wise men
Adirm and
Tbat
best
'tis
.ilway
say,
for
a man,
Diligently
For
'J'Lc
to
apply
*
;
business that he can
And
in
no wise
To enterprise
Another faculty.
For he that
will
skill
And
can no
Is never like to theeh.t
Johneon.
} Thrive.
SIR T.
MORE.
35
He
And
that hath
left
The
hosier's craft,
falleth to
making shone.
that shall
fall,
The smith
To
His
painting
thrift is
well-nigh done.
A
To go
black draper
With
white paper,
to writing school,
An
I
old butler
cutler,
fool.
Become a
ween
shall
prove a
And
an old
trot,
That can God wot

Nothing but
kiss the
cup,
With
Till she
her physic
sick
Will keep one
have soused him up.
A man
The ways
to
of law,
That never saw
buy and
sell,
Weening
to rise
1 pray
By merchandise, God speed him well.
A
By
all
merchant eke
will
That
go
seek,
the means he
may,
To
fall in suit
Till he dispute
His money clean away j
56
MEMOIRS OF
Pleading the law
For every straw,

Shall prove a thrifty
man
strife,
With
I cannot
'bate
and
life
But by
tell
my
you whan.
When
an hatter
Will go smatter
la philosophy,
Or
a jjedlar
W^crc a meddler
In theology.
All that ensue
Such
craftes
new,
They
drive so far a cast,
That evermore
They do
therefore
at last.
Beshrew themselves
This thing was tried
And
Here by a
verified
serjeant late
thriftly was,
That
Ere he could pass,
Rapped about
the pate,
While
See
that he would
how he
could
frere
;.
Tn God's name play the
Now
if
you
will
Know how
it fell
Take heed and vou
shall hear.
SIR T.
It
MORE.
37
happed
so
Not long ago
A thrifty man
there died,
An hundred pound Of nobles round.

That had he
laid aside.
His son he would

Should have
this
gold
For
to begin withal
But
to suffice
This child, well thrice
That money was too
small.
Yet
I
ere this
day
have heard say,

certes
That many a man

Been rich
Hath with good

at last
cast
That hath begun with
less.
But
So
His money
this
young man
well
began
to employ,
certainly
That
His policy.
To
see
it
was a joy.
For
lest
some
blast
Might
overcast
His ship, or by mischance,
Men
And
with some wUe
Might him beguile

'minisU his substance,
3S
For
All
to
MEIVroIttS
put out
OF
manner doubt,
He made
a good purvey
For ev'ry whit
By
And
bis
own
wit
took auotber way.
First fair
and well
Thereof
much
deal
He
digg'd
it
iu a pot,
But then he thought

That way was nought
And
there he
left it
not.
So was be
fain
From
thence again
To put
it
in a
cup
And by and by
Covetously
He supped
it
fairly-up.
In his
own
breast
it
He
thought
best
His money to
inclose,
Then
wist
lie
well
Whatever
fell
He
could
it
never lose.
He Of
borrow 'd then

otlur
men
INIoney and merchandi^,
Kcver paid
I'p he laid
it,
it
In
like
manner
wise.
SIR T.
Yet on
tlie
MORE.
39
gear
That Ue would wear
He
rought not what he spent,
So
it
were nice,
As
for the price
Could him not miscontent.
With lusty sport And with resort
Of joly com[)any
In mirtli and play
Full
many
a day
He
lived merrily.
And men bad sworn Some man is born
To have a lucky hour, And so was he,

For such degree
He
gat and such honour.
That without doubt
When
he went out,
A Serjeant well and fair Was ready strait

On him
As soon
as
to wait
on the may'r;
But he doubtless
Of his meekness Hated such pomp and pride And would not go
Companied
so
But drew
lumsell aside.
40
MEMOIRS OF
To
He
gat
Saint Cath'rine
Strait as
a line
him
at a tide,
For devotion
Or promotion
There would he needs abide.
There spent he
Till all
fast
was past
there
And
to
him came
many
To
The
ask their debt
But none could get

value of a penny.
With visage stout He bare it out

Even unto the hard hedge, A month or twain.
Till
he was fain
to pledge.
To
lay his
gown
Then was he
there
In greater fear
Than
ere that
he came thither,
as fain
And would
But that he
Depart again
wist not whither
Then
after this
To
a friend of his
there abode,
He went, and
Whereas he lay
So sick alway
He might
not
come abroadc
SIR T.
It
MORE.
4gt
happed than
merchant
maa
to
That he ow'd money
Of an
officer
Then 'gan enquire
What him
was best to do;
And he
Take an action
I
ans'red
afraid
" Be not
therefore
you
behest,
I shall
him
'rest
And
then care for no more."
I fear
quoth he
not be
It will
For he
will not
come
out.
The
sergeant said
" Be not afraid

It shall
be brought about.
In
many
game
same
Like
to the
Have
I been well in ure,
And
But
if I
for
your sake
Let me be bake
do
this cure."
Thus
part they both,

forth then go'th
And
Apace
this officer
And
tor a
day
AU
his array
He changed
with a
frere.
Vol.
I.
4f
So was he
MEMOIRS OF
ilight
That no
man might
and dook'd
Him
for
I
a frerc deny
le tlopp'd
He
spake and look'd
So religiously.
Yet
in a glass
Ere he would pass
He
toted
and he peer'd
for pride
His heart
Lept
in his side
To
see
how
well he frer'd.
Then
Unto
forth apace
the place
He goelh in God's name To do this deed ;

But now take heed,
For here begins the game.
He drew him And softily

And
a damsel
nigh
Straight at the door he knocL'd
That heard him well

There came and
it
unlock'd.
The
friar said
God
Here
speed
fair
maid
lotlgcth
It
is
such a
man
told
Sir,
me
quoth she,
?
Well
And
if
he do what than
SIR T.
Quoth
he, mistress
doubtless,
MORE.
43
No barm
It 'longeth for
our order
To
But
hurt no man,
as
we can
Every wight
to farther.
With him
Sir,
truly
I.
Fain speak would

quoth she, by
my fai
He is so sick You be not like

To
speak with
him
to-day.
Quoth
he, fair
mai
Yet
This
you pray
much
at
my
de>ire
Vouchsafe to do,
As go him
to
friar
And
say an Austin
Would
And
For
with him speak
matters break
his avail certain.
Quoth
she, I will
still
Stand you here

Till I
come down again.
Up did
And
As she was bid
she
go
so
told
him
to say.
He mistrusting No manner thing

Said, maiden go thy
way
11
MEMOIRS OF
And
fetcli
liim liithcr
That we together
May talk. Adown she go'th. Up she him brought No Lami slie thought
But
it
made some
folk wroth.
This ofBccr This feigned

frcre
When
he was come
aloft
He dopped than And greet this man

Religiously and
ofl.
And
Took him
he again
Riffht fflad
and
fain
there
by the hand,
Tlie friar then said
You
With
be dism.iy'd
trouble I understand.
Indeed, quoth he,

It
hath wiih aie

it is.
Been
better than
Sir,
quoth the
frerc.
Be of good
cheer,
Yet
shall
it
after this.
For Christ
his sake
Look
that
you take
No
thought within your breast
God may turn all. And so he shall

I trust, unto the best.
SIR T.
But
I
MORE.
45
would now
with you,
please,
Commune
la counsel
if
you
Or
elles not,
Of
matters that
Shall set your heart at ease.
Down
went the maid,

said
The merchant
Now say-on gentle

Of
I
frere,
this tiding
That you me bring

long
full sore to hear.
When there
The
friar
was none
But they alone

with
evil
grace
Said, I
'rest thee,
Come on
with me,
And
out he took his mace>
Thou shalt obey Come on thy way

I
have thee in
my
clutch
Thou
For
go'st not hence
all
the pence
The may'r hath
m his pouch.
there,
This merchant
For wrath and
fear
He
waxing-well nigh wood,

Said, whoreson thief,
With
a mischief,
Who hath taught thee thy good
46
MEMOIRS
And with Upon the
lie gave
liis fist
01'
list
him such a blow
That backward down

Abnost in swoon
The
friar
did overthrow.
Yet was
this
man
slain
Well
Lest he the
feardcr than
fri'r
bad
Till with
good raps
And
licavy claps
He duwdc him up
again.
The
A nd
well
lie
friar
took heart
start
And up he
And
Many a
laid about
so tlierc go'th
Between tlicm both

lusty clout.
They
Each
rent and tear

others hair
fast
Vnd clave together
Till with lugging
And with tugging They fell down both at last.

Then on
the ground
Togctlier round
With many a sad stroke They roll and rumble, They

As pigs do
turn and tumble
in a poke.
SIR T.
So long above
MORE.
47
They heave and shove

Together, that at
last
The maid and wife
To
break the
strife
Hied thetn upward
fast.
And
The
v?hen they
captains
lie
spy
Both weltring on the place
The friar's hood They pull'd agood
Adown
about his face.
While he was
Lent him
laid
blind
The wench behind

on the
a joll
the noul
floor
Many
About
With
a great battledoor.
The wife came yet And with her feet

She holpe to keep him down
And with her rock Many a knock

She gave him on the crown.
They
laid his
mace
About
his face for
That he was wood
pain
The
he was
friar frap
Gat many a swap

Till
full
nigh
slain.
48
MEMOIRS OF
Up they bim
And
witli
ill
lift
thrift
Headlong along
tlie stair
Down
And
Commatd
Ihcy liim threw
said adieu,
us to the mat/r.
The
But
friar arose I
suppose
his
Amazed was
head
his ears
He shook
And from
lie
great fears
afled.
thought iiim well
Quoth
he,
now
near,
lost
Is all this cost
Wc be never the
111
must he thceh
That caused me
To make
myself a
frcrc.
Now
End
there
masters
all
Here now
as I
I shall
began,
In anywise
1
would advise
And
counsel ev'ry man,
His own
All
craft use
new
refuse
And
lightly let
them gone
frere
;
Play not the
Now
make good
cheei
And welcome
ev'ry chone.
SIR T.
MORE
49
'
8c
tt)Oct0
of i?ortune to the People.
Mi.VE liigh
estate,
power, and authority

shall
If ye ne
know, eascarch and ye
spy
That
riches, worship, wealth,
and
all
di<,'nity
Joy,
rest,
and peace, and

profit
things finally
That any pleasure or
may come by
To man
Is all at
his confort, aid,
and sustenance,
my
devise
and ordinance.
AYithout
my
favour there
is
nothing won,
Many
a matter have
brought at
last
To good conclude that fondly wixs begun, And many a purpose, bounden sure and With wise provision, I have overcast. Without good hap there may no wit suffice,
Better
'tis
fast
to be fortunate
than wise
And
therefore
have there some

foes,
My
To my
But
deadly
and
written
men been ere this many a book

them
look.
dispraise.
for
And
list
other cause there n'is
me
not friendly on
Thus
like the
fox they fare, that once forsook
The
pleasant grapes, and 'gan for to defy
them
Because he lept and yet could not come by them.
But
let
them
write, their labour
is
in vain
For well ye wot, mirth, honour, and riches
Much
better
is
than penury and pain.

that ling'reth in distress
is
The needy wretch
W ithout my help,
A very
To
all
ever comfortless,
burden, odious and loath

the world,
and eke
to himself both.
Vol.
I.
JM
MEMOIRS OF
Uut he
tliat
by
my
to
favour
may
asccnil
To
njiglity
pow'r and excellent degree,
A commonweal
govern and defend,
O
And
in
how
in
bless'd condition slandeth he,
Himself
honour
au<l felicily,
over that,
may
farther
and cncreasc
and peace.
region whole in joyful
rebt
Now
in this point there
is
no more
to say,
;
Each man hath of himself
the governance
Let every wii^ht then follow his own way.
And
he that out of poverty and luLschancc
List for to live, and will himself eniiance
In wealth and riches, come-forth and wail on
mc
And
he that will be a beggar,
let
him
be.'
'
Cgomnss
art
iôrc to
them who trust in Fortune.
Tiiou (hat
proud of honour, shape, or kin.

this
That hcapest-up
wretched world
its
treasure,
Thy
fingers shriii'd with gold,
thy tawny skin
AV'ith fresh apparel garnish'd out of measure,
And
weenest to have Fortune at thy pleasure
Cast-up thine eye, and look how slipp'ry chance

Illudeth her
men with change and
variance.
Sometime she
look'th as lovely, fair,
and bright
As goodly Venus, mother of Cupid,

She beckcth and she smil'lh on every wight
But
this
chear feigned
may
not long abide,

all
There com'th a cloud, and farewell

Like any serpent she beginn'lh to swell
our pride.
And
look'th as fierce as
any fury of
hellt
SIR T.
Yet
for all that,
MORE.
are fain,
51
we
is
brittle
men
So wretched
our nature and so blind.
As soon
as fortune list to
fair
laugh again
With
Not one
countenance and deceitful mind,

kneel and gape after the wind
;
To crouch and
or twain, but thousami> in a rout.
Like swarming bees, come flickermg her about.
Then
as a bait she bringeth forth her ware,
Silver
and gold, rich pearl and precious

stare
stone,
On
which the amazed people gaze and
And gape
Fortune
therefore as dogs
do
for a bone.
at thenr laugheth,
and
in her throne
Amid
her treasure and wavering riches
Proudly she heaveth as lady and empress.
Fast by her side doth weary Labour stand

Pale Fear
also,
and sorrow
all
bewept,
Disdain and. Hatred on that other hand
Eke
restless
watch, from sleep with travail kept.

as he slept.
His eyes drowsj and looking
Before her standeth Danger and Envy,

Flatt'ry, Deceit, Mischief,
and Tyranny.
About her cometh
all
;
the world to beg
He
asketh land
and He
all
to pass
would bring
;
This toy and that, and
not worth an egg
He would in love prosper above all thing He kneeleth down and would b made a king He forcetli not so he may money have,
;
Tho'
all
the world account
him
for
a knave.
52
MEMOIRS OF
Lo
thus ye sec, divers heads divers wits,
Fortune, alone as divers as they

Unstable, here and there
all,
ilits,
among
tiiem
And
Not
But
to all
at a venture
down
her gifts tliey
fall
Catch whoso
rnnj',
she throweth great and small,
men
as
comcth sun or dew,

all
for the
most part,
among a
few.
And
yet, her brittle gifts long
may
not
last.
He
that she gave
them
looketli
proud and high,

as fast
She whirl'th about and pluck'th away
And And
She
giv'th
them
to another
to
by and by.
continually
slily toss
loss.
thus from
man
man
iis'th to
give and take, and
One man
to
winning of another's
And when siic robbclh one, down go'th his pride. He wecp'th and wail'th and curscth her lull sore. But he who receiv'th it on t'other side
Is glad
and
bless'th her oftentimes therefore.
But
in
a while,
when
she lov'th
gifts
him no more.
they too,
She glideth from him, and her
And he
her curseth as other fools do.
Alas
the foolish people cannot

'void her train
till
cease',
Nor
the}' the
;
harm do
feel.
About her alway

But Lord
!
busily they press
how hcdolh
set
;
think himself
full
well
That may
Tie holdcth fast
once hts haiKi upon her wheel.
but upward as he sty'th.

li'th
She whipp'th her wheel about, and there he
SIR T.
Thus
fell
MORE.
53
Julius from his miglity power,

fell
Thus
Thus
fell
Darius, the worthy king of Perse,
Alexander, the great conqueror.

I
Thus many more than

Her
She
may
well rehearse.
list
Thus double Fortune, when she

slipp'ry
fli'th
reverse
favour from them
that in her trust.

in the dust.
her
way and
li'th
them
She suddenly enhanceth them
aloft
all
And suddenly
The head
mischieveth
the flock,
that late lay easily
and
full toft
Instead of pillows
li'th after
on the block.
And
yet, alas the
most cruel proud mock
The dainty
moutli that ladies kissed have

kiss
She bringeth in the case to
a knave.
In changing of her course the change shcw'th
this,
Up
start'th
a knave and
down
there fall'th a knight,

is,
The beggar
Hatred
This
is
rich
is
and the rich man poor
turned to love, love to dcspight
her sport, thus proveth she her might.

if
Great boast she niak'th
one be by her pow'r

hour.
Wealthy and wretched both within an
Poverty, that of her
gifts will
nothing take,
With merry
cheer looketh ujjon the press
And
seeth
how
Fortune's household go'th to wreck.
Fast by her standeth the wise Socrates,

Aristippus, Pytliagoras, and
many
a leash
Of
old philosophers.
And
eke against the son

in his tun.
Baketh him poor Diogenes
54
JIEMOIRS OF
With her is Bias, whose country lack 'J defence And whilom of their foes stood so in doubt That each man hastily 'gan to carry thence
And asked him, why he nought carried out / bear, quoth he, uU nmc zcilh vie about. Wisdom he meant, not Fortune's brittle tecs,
For nought he counted
his
?
which he might
lecsc.
lleraclitus eke
list
fellowship to keep
With
glad poverty.
Democritus also.
Of which the first can nevtT cease but weep To see how thick the bUnded people go, With labour great, to purcliase cure and
That
other laugh'th to see the loolisli apes
earnestly they
woe.
How
walk about
their japs.*
Of
this
poor sect
it
is
Only
to take that nature

all
common usage, may sustain,
Banishing clean
other surplusage
They be
content and of nothing complain.

is
No
The
niggard eke
of his good so fhin

fold
But they more pleasure have a thousand

secret draughls of nature to bi'hold.
Set Fortune's servants
by them an ye
wull.
That one
is free,
that other ever thrall,

full.
fall.
That one
content, that other never
That one
in surety, t'other like to

to advise
Who
As great
list
them both, perceive he
shall
diff'rence between them, as

felicity.
we
sec
Betwixt wretchedness and
Jt.
SIR T.
MORE.
list,
53
Now
That
have I shew'd ye botb, choose which ye

Stately Fortune or
is
humble poverty
your
fist
to say,
now
li'th it in
To
But
take here bondage or free liberty.

in this point
an ye do
after
me,
Draw ye
to Fortune, labour her to please
f that ye think yourselves too well at ease.
And
first
upon
thee lovely shall she smile
And
Embrace
friendly on thee cast her
wandering eyes,
a while
;
thee in her arms,
and
for
Put thee and keep thee
in fool's paradise
list
And
She
forthwith
all,
it
whatso thou
devise,
will thee grant
liberally perhaps,
But
for all that,
beware of afterclaps.
Reckon you never of her favour
sure.
You may
Or
in clouds as eas'ly trace
an hare,
in dry land cause fishes to endure,
And make
And
As her
to
the burning
fire
his heat to spare,

forfare.
all this
world in compass to
make by
craft or engine stable

is
That of her nature
ever variable.
Serve her day and night, as reverently
Upon
And
thy knees as any servant may,
in conclusion, that
thou shall win thereby
Shall not be worth thy service I dare say.
And
look yet, what she giveth thee to-day
With
Pluck
labour won, she shall haply to-morrow

it
again out of thine hand
wth
sorrow.
56
WLereforc,
MEMOIRS OF
if tliou in surety list to stand,
let
Take
Pov'rty's part and

tiling that
proud Fortune go,

licr
Receive no
cometh from
hand.
Love manner and
virtue, they be only tlio'
Which
Then mayst
Siie
double Fortune
tliou IjoUlly
may
lier
not take thee fro.
defy
turning chance,
can
tliee
neither kinder nor advance.
But an thou
wilt needs
meddle with her
treasure.
Trust not therein and spend
it lib'rally,
Bear thcc not proud, nor take not out of

Build not thine house on high up
IS'one fallctli far but lie
m'.'asurc,
in tlie sky.
who
climbeth high.
Remember The
gifts
nature sent thee hither bare,
of Fortune, count them borrowed ware.'
'
'2DSoma0 i^cit to than

delighteth to proven
nho
seek Fortune.
Wiioso
and assay
lot,
Of
wavering Fortune the uncertain
If that the answer please
you not alway

for I
Blame you not me,

Fortune to trust
I
;
command you
full
not
and ckc
in
well
you wot
have of her no bridle
my
fist, list.
She runneth loose and turneth where she
The
rolling dice in
which your luck doth stand.

be so wroth.
With whose unhappy chance you
You know 3 ourself came never in my hand. Lo in this pond be fish and frogs they both,
Cast in your net, but be you
lief or loath,
Hold you content

For
it is
as Fortune
fishing
list
assign
your own
and not mioe.
SIR T.
MORE.
9f
And though
In
in
one chance Fortune you offend,

thereat but bear a
it
Grudge not
merry
face,
many
But
another she shall

is
amend.
There
no
man
so far out of her grace
lie
sometime hath comfort and solace

so farforth in her favour
Nor none again

That
is full satisfied
with her behaviour.
Fortune
is
stately, solemn,
proud, and high,
And
riches giv'th to have ser\'ice therefore.
The needy beggar

But
catch'th an halfpenny,
less,
Some man a thousand pounds, some

for all that she
some more.
keepeth ever in store
From
ev'ry
man some
parcel of his will,
That he may pray
therefore
and serê her
still.
Some man hath good but Some hath
children hath he none,

get none healthy
Some man hath both but he can

all three,
but up to honour's throne
Can be not creep by no manner of stealth. To some she sendeth children, riches, wealth,
Honour, worship, and rev'rence
all his life.
But yet she pincheth him with a shrew 'd
wife.
Then forasmuch
as
it is
Fortune's guise
things that he will aksj
To
grant no
man
all
But, as herself
list
order and devise.

his part divide
Doth ev'ry man
and tax
I counsel ye, each one truss-up
your packs
And take nothing at all, or be content With such reward as Fortune hath you
sent.
Vol.
I.
58
MEMOIRS OF
AU
things which in
tliis
book
that
you
bhiill
read.
Do as jou list, there shall no man you Them to believe as surely as your creed,
But notwilhslandiiig
J durst well swear,
bind
certcs in
s true
my mind
shall
you
them
find
In every point cacli answer by and by
As
are the judgments of astronomy.'
SIR T. MORE.
59
CHAP.
Accession of
II.
Henry VIII.
. .
Consummation of
his
marriage with
Catharine of Arragon.
More
.
re-appears in the world
and
writes
.
.
verses on the coronation.
Anecdote of Emson and Dudley.

. .
Morels attachment
sheriffs.
. . .
to
Erasmus.
He
is
made one of
.
.
the underto
His high estimation as a lawyer.

wife.
.
.
He
replies
Dor-
pins.
vice.
His second
Henry
desires to
engage him
.
in his ser-
He accompanies
.
. .
Tonstall to Flanders.
His
.
letter to
Eras-
mus on
his embassy.
. .
Busleiden and ^gidius.

t)ope.
. . . . .
Mare's
letter to
Jf'arham.
He pleads a causefor the

his first
nighted,
&c
.
. .
His account of
advancement.
. .
.
Henry's earlier
.
.
court.
The
....
mus.
king's intimacy with More.
Luther.
. .
.
Erasmus
persecuted.
More
. . .
expected the reformation.

defends him.
.
.
.
Edtvard Lee attacks Eras. . .
More
. .
Brixius attacks More.

university
Erasmus
,
defends him.
More's
the
letter to the
.
of Oxford.
He
.
.
is
.
made speaker of
Spain.
commons.
His speech on the occasion.

.
Anecdotes of JFolsey and More.

. .
JVolsey wishes to send him to

writes against him,
.
.
Progress of Luther.
.
.
Henry
and
More
mus
is
suspected.
Luther's reply and Boss' rejoinder.

.
.
Eras. .
writes
against Luther.
the
More
.
.
is
exhorted to
is
zvrite.
His
character in
Ciceronianus.
.
. .
He
made
chancellor of the
.
.
duchy of Lancaster.
is
Anecdote of the king and More.

.
. .
More
loss
sent on foreign embassies.
His
sicccess at
Cambray.
. .
His
iyfre, and
letter to his wife,
; ^
60
MEMOIRS OF
r EW
princes have ascended a throne with the
more de-
cided satisfaction of their subjects than did Henry VIII.
In the place of a monarch sinking deeper
in jealousy, avarice,
and
who,
severity, as he
advanced
in years,
men
beheld a prince
young, handsome, accomplished, wealthy, and prodigal

in the
eye of experience, gave flattering promises of
future conduct,
much more
and
in that of popular cnthusiasmi

his father,
The
nobility,
humbled by the policy of
crowded
His
to gain his favour
to share his profusion. Tlie pleasures

his court.
and gallantry of the age were assembled at

father, to
remove him from the knowledge of business, had

in literature.
engaged him
The
proficiency he
lie
made was
no bad prognostic of
learning
his parts,
and the learned.

of youth.
became a lover of His vehemence and ardour

and
were interpreted
titles
(wliich in time degenerated into tyranny)
as the
failings
The contending
in
of
York
and Lancaster were united

our country.
him, and that impartiahty of
administration was expected which had long been

in
unknown
his
In a word, the English rejoiced in the
death of Henry VII, and had great expectations from

son
;
but alas
he lived to disappoint these hopes and prov-
ed a tyrant.
One of
attention,
the
first
measures which engaged the new king's

his
was the celebration of

his
marriage with the
widow of
brother.
Lord Herbert informs us that the
king's graver counsellors told him, the
same reasons which

first
induced Henry VII to the match with Spain,
in tlie
SIR T. MORE.
61
person of Arthur, and after his premature death in young
Henry's
sions
own
person, were
still
in
force
that his preten-
on France made an alliance with that power unne-
cessary, while they rendered the united opposition of Spain
desirable ;
and that there were natural causes of good neighsufficient
bourhood
to
maintain him in friendship with
Maximilian the emperor.
Catharine, moreover, declared herself to be
still
a virgin,
and had given many proofs of her virtuous and amiable

character.
Ferdinand, her father, had given ample com-
mission to his ambassador here, and the lady's presence
would save time as
well as
expence
but should she depart
the kingdom, a large dower must be yearly remitted iiom the country.
ing, this
That
scriptural authority
;
might not be want-
passage was quoted

die
If brethren dwell together

child,
and one of them

shall not
shall
and have no
the wife of the
dead
marry without imto a stranger, her husband's brother go in unto her and take her to him to wife, and perform
an husband's brother unto her
:
the duty of
and
it
shall be
that the frst-born which she beareth shall succeed in the
name
of
his brother
Israel.*
put out of The dispensation formerly obtained from the pope

is
which
dead, that his
name
be not
was
also urged
and
in fine,
about
six
weeks, after
his fa-
ther's death, the
consummation of Henry's marriage took
place with Catharine of Arragon, his brother's widow.
More, now about
thirty years of age, re-appeared in the

* Deuter. xxv.
5.
MEMOIRS OF
general reanimation at the
commencement of
the reign in
;
which he was destined to be so great and so unfortunate
and probabl}'
to greater
advantage than before, from the
cultivation of his character
and
his
acfjuircments in
soli-
tude under the royal displeasure.

called-forth
His classical pen Avas

in
on the coronation, and the poem * he wrote

to
Latin
is
an elegant compliment
satire
Henry and
his
his
queen,
and a severe
on the reign of
rapacious father.
The dedication concludes with

princeps illustriasime,
est,
et,
the cmphatical words vale varus rcgum titulus
qui nevus ac
amatissiine.
When Emson and
Dudley, those
vile ministers
of Henry
VII.'s rapacity, were leading to execution, in consequence
of their attainder by the young king

ty,
in his infant
populari\vith
though at the expence of
his father's
fame. More,
his usual
nit}',
is
archness, though without his accustomed
humaI
doixe
said to have interrogated Dudley, Iiaie not
better than
you ? Dudley
is
said to
have congratulated More
in reply, that
he did not ask forgiveness of Henry VII as
he had been advised to do.f
The character of
yet but
little
the good Erasmus, though

it
it
was as
celebrated, had,
seems,
its
due influence
on the discernment of More.
The acquaintance they had

this
formed at college, cherished by the similarity of their minds
and
their studies,
appears by
time to have lipencd
inlet-
to a strong attachment,
Vol.
ii.
and they now corresponded by

t More.
of
this.
SIR T. .MORE.
63
tcr
whenever they were apart from each other.
When
is saiil,
tlic
great scholar agaui visited

his arrival,
Enghmd
in
1510, he
on
ijio.
to have lodged
with More.
Dr. Jortin and

this
others are, however, mistaken in ascribing to
meeting
the composition of the celebrated Praise of Folly by Eras-
mus
in a week, to divert himself in the
and
his friend, as
we have
akeady seen
preceding chapter.
Soon
after Henry's accession ]\Iore
was appointed one of

office
the under-sheriffs of the city of
London, by which
and was
his profession
he was heard to say that he now gained,
without scruple of conscience, above

at this time
^400
per annum. There

in
no cause of importance
which he washis learning,
not retained on one side or the other; and ybr
wisdom, knozvledge, ând experience, men had such estimation,
continues Mr. Koper, that bejore he came into the service of

king Henry VIII, at the suit and instance of the English
merchants, he was, by the king's consent, made twice ambassador in certain great causes betwixt them and the Jiierchants
of the Stilyard.
Erasmus,
in his letter to Hutten, also gives
us a high character of the request in which the talents of

his friend
tion.
were held, as well as of
his integrity
and modera-
Thus More, persevered
for the present with assiduity

1512. ^^^^'
in his profession,
and he was twice appointed reader at

in the third
Lincolns-inn,
viz.
and
sixth years of
Henry
VIIL*
But
his heart
was too
disinterested,
and
his
mind too
ex-
* Roper and Dugdale.
M
pansivc, to confine
fession.
MEMOIRS OF
him
rigidly to tlie
in the hitter
duties of his
pro-
Thus
Ave
find
him
of these years en-
listing in the
cause of fiiendship and replying to Dorpius,
a divine of Louvain, who had written against the Praise of

Folly.
While others contented themselves with reviling the

their
good scholar over

first
cups or
in private,
Dorpius was the
ria?
who wrote against Erasmus. He condemned the MoEncomium, as a satirical work in which the author riall
diculed
orders and professions
not excepting even the

that
their
ecclesiastics,
who have commonly pretended

to dissuade
function should serve them for a passport.
He moreover
endeavoured
Erasmus from imdertaking the
New
S*.
Testament, but graciously permitted him to publish
Jerom.
Knowing
inveigled
his
youth and
ductility,
and that he had been
by others
into this attack,
Erasmus
replied with
his usual mildness.
He
clcared-up some points to Dorpius,

his
continued in the true charity of
heart to live on good
terms with him, and even lamented his death.
His friend
epistle,
More
which
also replied to
is
Dorpius
his
in
a long and laboured
preserved
among
Latin works.
In this letter
More proves
poses in
the necessity of studying the Greek language,

;
of which Dorpius had spoken with contempt

civil
and he ex-
language the ignorance, impertinence, and
malevolence of the attack upon Erasmus.

tive influenced Dorpius,
Whatever motreat-
he was highly culpable for
ing of subjects which he understood not, and for being the

first
in such
an attack.
nuilignant
mind and a mean
SIR T.
spirit
MORE.
to
M
condemn
writings which
must have prompted him
he could not imitate, and to endeavour to make the

odious
tion.*
man
who was
affording the
pubhc important
instruc-
More's
their
we have already remarked, survived union only about six years and two or three years
first
wife, as
after her death,f
which brings us to our present period, he
mai'ried Mrs. Alice Middleton, a

ter,
this
widow with one daughby whom he had no children. More used to say of lady, that she was nee bella, iiec puella, and the great-
grandson's account of her and of her mairiage with

are curious.
More
This (he writes) he did not of any concupiscence, for

is
he would often affirm that chastity

wedlock than
in a single hfe
;
more hardly kept
in
but because she might have
care of his children, which were very young, from
whom
of necessity he must be very often absent.
She was of
have heard
good years, of no good favour nor complexion, nor very

rich
it
;
by
disposition very near
and worldly.
his,
reported, he
wooed her
for
a friend of
not once think-
ing to have her himself

that he might speed if
But she wisely answering him, he would speak in his own behalf, tellsaid unto him, with his
ing
liis
friend
what she had
good
liking he
married her, and did that Avhich otherwise he
would perhaps never have thought to have done.

deed her favour, as
*
Jortin.
And
in-
I think,
could not have bewitched, or

+ More.
Vol.
I.
86
MEMOIRS OF
moved any man
to love her.
scarce ever
But yet
she prov-
ed a kind and careful mother-in-law to
his children, as
;
he
to
was alway a most loving father unto them

his
and not only

to
own, but to her daughter
also,
who was married
Mr.
Alin^ton and mother to Sir Giles Alington.'
The same
writer informs us that
More taught
this wife
music with a view to render her
less worldly.
"NVoIsey
was already high

this
in dignity
and More's fame

service.
having by
time attracted Henry's attention, the king
desired the cardinal to engage
him
also
in
his
Wolsey, we are
sion,
told,
acted honestly at least on this occato
and endeavoured
accomplish the king's wish.
He
as-
represented to
More
the importance of his services,
and
sured him (for perhaps then he understood not Henry's

character) that royal bounty could not but repay
liberality.
them with
sta-
More was
not, however, to be prevailed upon,
for the present at least, to
exchange the independent
tion
which
his ability as
;
of a courtier
admitted.*
and the
now gave him, for that excuses he made were for this time
a lawyer
No man
ever strove harder, says Erasmus, to
gain admittance at court, than

it.t
More
strove to
keep out of
He
1516.
accepted, hmvever, a diplomatic appointment in as-
sociation with Cuthbert Tonslall in the year 1516;
and pro-
ceeded with him to Flanders, to meet the ambassadors of

Roper and More.
-f
Epist. to Hutten.
SIR
T.
MORE.
affairs,
m
as
Charles prince of CastUe, on
he informs *
us, of
no small importance. Yet even

though
sion.
this service
appears to have
been protracted longer than was perfectly agreeable to More,

it
produced him, on
this
offer,
his return, the offer of
a pen-
To
perhaps, the king's desire to retain

materially contributed.
after his return,
More
in his service
may have
In a
letter written to
Erasmus soon
and pre-
served in his Latin works,
More
gives a very agreeable ac-
count of
this expedition.
'
Our
embass}' (he writes) for this too, as

interests
all else
which
concerneth me,
you,
hath
proceeded
happily
enough, save that the
affair
was drawn into greater length

For, on leaving
than I either expected or wished.

I looked for
home,
an absence of hardly two months, but consix
sumed above
on that embassy.
was the
Yet a conclusion
suf-
ficiently agreeable
result of this long delay.
But
and
seeing the business on which I went brought to an end,
other matters arising one out of the other which appeared
the
initials
of
still
greater delay (a circumstance never want-
ing on diplomatic occasions), I wrote to the cardinal for
leave to return, and used,
among
I
other friends, the assist3êt left
ance of Pace chiefly on the occasion, who had not

England.
On my way home
met him unexpectedly
at
Gravehnes, and in such a hurry that he could hardly stop to

greet me.
'
This office of ambassador never pleased me.

Utopia.
Neithei*
G8
is it
MEMOIRS OF
likely to suit us
laymen
so well as
it
doth you eccle-
siastics,
who
either
have no wives and children at home, or
find
Jittie
them Avherever you come.

while absent, long to
again,
We, when we have been a be home again on their accounts.

he
And
when an
ecclesiastic sets-out,
will,
may
it
take his
whole family whither he
and maintain them abroad at

at
the expence of kings, wlicn he must have done

at his own.
home
made
But when
am
absent
have two families to
support, one at
home and one
abroad.
The
provision
by the king for those I took with me was sufficiently liyet no regard was had to tliose who must be left at beral
;
home, none of whom, you

feel
will conceive, I
could desire to
hus-
any want during
my
absence, as you
know what a
band, father, and master I wish to be.
Lastly, princes can repay such as

;
you without any

us, this
is
cost to themselves
easy.
,
but with regard to
not so
Nevertheless, on
my
return, a pension
would have
been given
profit,
me by
the king (an offer, in point of honour or

it,
not to be despised), but I have hitherto dechned

I shall
and think
continue to do
so.
For
if I
accept
it,
my
present situation in this city, which I prefer to a higher

one, must either be relinquished, or, which I should be
very
much
;
against, be held with
some
dissatisfaction to our
citizens
with
whom and
their prince, should
any question
arise as to their privileges
(which sometimes occurs), they

cause because I was in-
would think
me
less true to their
debted to the king
for
my
pension.

SIR T.
'
MORE.
in
ay
For the
rest,
some occurrences
my
embassy gave
me
peculiar delight.
And
;
first,
course with Tonstall
than
my long and constant interwhom no man is better informman more

correct in his
I
ed in every elegant attainment, no
conduct or agreeable
in his conversation.
Then
formed a
to treat
friendship with Busleiden,
whose fortune gave him
me
magnificently,
and
his goodness, courteously.
The
ele-
gance of
his house, his excellent
domestic economy, the
monuments of
I take
his
still
antiquity he possesses (in which you
know
and
me.
peculiar delight), lastly, his exquisite library,
more eloquent
breast, completely astonished
But
in the whole of
my
peregrination, nothing
was more
agreeable to
me
;
than the company of your friend ^gidius
of Antwerp
friendly, that
man so learned, merry, modest, and tmly may I perish if I would not freely give a
property only to enjoy constantly his in-
good part of
tercourse."
my
Hieronymus
of the
Buslidius, here alluded to,
an
ecclesiastic
Low
countries, died very soon after this period,

his
and
bequeathed
property to the academy of Louvain, to
erect a college where Latin, Greek,
and Hebrew, should be

illiterate
taught.
divines
in the
This noble institution gave offence to the
who harboured
there, while
Erasmus, a living water

liberality.
desert, extolled
Busleiden's
They
are
vexed, he writes, that three tongues should be in request,
and had rather remain as they

there
is
are, double-tongued
indeed
no teaching a new language

Epirt. 338.
to such old parrots,*
7a
jMEMOiRs or
this letter,
To iEgidius of Antwerp, also commended in More addressed his Utopia, which celebrated
written about this time.
Avill
piece was
In the prefixed epistle the reader
find
an agreeable picture of More's present avocations;
but, he complains, they left

suits.
him no
leisure for literary pur-
The good Warham, choosing rather to retire from public employment than to maintain an unequal contest with
AVolsey, resigned his office of chancellor.
Stapleton hath
this occasion,
is
preserved a letter written to him by
More on
and accompanied by a copy of Utopia, which

More.
interest-
ing on account of the subsequent similar resignation of

It
is
here translated.
Thomas More
*
to
Archbishop Waiîam.
have ever, good
father,
reckoned yours a happy
lot.
'irst,
while you discharged with so
much
celebrity the of-
fice
of chancellor, and
office,
now
still
hapj)ier,
when, having
re-
signed that
you have betaken yourself
to a desirable
repose in which you
may
live
to
God and
yourself- a re-
pose, I say, not only
more agreeable than were those ocopinion more honourable than were
the worst of men,
cupations, but in
all
my
your honours.
be
in office
;
Many, and sometimes
may
ries
you held the highest, and one which caris

it.
great authority in the execution, and which
obnoxi-
ous to sufficient calumny on the resignation of

it
To
lay
down
then, as
you
did, of
your own accord (the permis-
SIR T.
sion for which I
MORE.
trouble),
7i
know
cost
you much
none but a
modest man would have wished, none but an innocent one

have dared.
You have many duct, and myself am

'
to appreciate
and admire your con-
not
occasion.
Indeed, I
among the least strenuous on this know not, whether most to applaud
your modesty in voluntarily relinquishing so high and splendid an

office,
your greatness in dispising dignity, or the infearless
nocence of your administration in being

sequence.
wise
;
of the con-
Your conduct was

felicity,
certainly
most exxellent and
nor can I express
your singular
how strongly I congratulate this how much I rejoice for you, when I
see you, good father, remote from secular employment, re-
ceding from forensic tumult, enjoying the honourable fame,

the rare glory, of your well administered
office
;
and
Avell-resigned
life,
and, joyful in the consciousness of your past

letters
calmly devoting your remaining time to

sophy.
and philo-
'
My
own comparative misery makes me

this
think daily
more and more of

I
is
your happy condition. For, although
have no occupations worth the naming, yet, as weakness

easily
overcome,
I ara so busy, that I
have neither time
to
pay
letter
my respects to you in for my omission. Thus
person, nor to apologize by

I
have hardly time to write

this
you
this,
with a view of recommending to your favour
ill-finished httle
book, which a too partial friend of Antit
werp, precipitated as
was rather than polished, thought
73
MEMOIRS OF
it
worthy of the press and printed

Although
I
without
my
knowledge.
think
it
unworthy of your
dignity, experience,
and
learning, yet, satisfied as I
am
of your kindness
and
and
candour toward every endeavour, and having individually

felt
your goodness,
have the boldness to send

little
it
you
its
hope, tiiough the work prove of

shall find
worth,
author
some favour with you.
'
Farewell most worthy prelate.'
An
More
incident not long afterward occurred, which drove

into the distinction he
had
so studiously avoided.
A
and
valuable ship of the pope's coming into Southampton,
being claimed as prize by Henry Vlil, the legate applied

to the king, that his master
might have counsel assigned

kingdom, to defend
his
it
him learned
cause
;
in the laws of this
and, as his majesty was himself a great civilian,
was requested that the cause might be tried publicly, and More had the honour of being chosen, as in his presence.
the propcrest lawyer of the time, to be counsel for the
pope, and to report the arguments in Latin to the legate,
hearing of the cause was appointed before the chancellor

in the
and the judges

ed with so
star-chamber.
Our advocate pleadwas
much
learning
and
success, that not only
the ship restored to the pope, but himself, adds Mr. Roper,
among
all the hearers,
for
his upright
and commendable de-
meanour therein
so greatly
renowned, that for no entreaty

to
would the king from henceforth he induced any longer

bear his service.
for-
SJR T.
MORE.
73
Having no
first
better place at that time vacant,
Henry
at
af-
made More Master of
the Requests,
and a month
terward knighted him and
made him a
privy-counsellor.
The precise date of these honours is not very certain, but we may safely limit them to the year 1517* Weston, treasurer of the exchequer, dying some time afterward, the
king without sollicitation gave that place also to More.-f-
1517.
Of
his first
advancement the knight afterward wrote

is
this
curious account in a letter to bishop Fisher, which

translated from Stapleton.
here
'
came most
to this
unwillingly to court, as every one

in
knowme.
one
eth,
and as the king himself sometimes
joke
tells
And
day
seem
to sit as
awkwardly
there, as
who never rode

though
fable
I
before sitteth in a saddle.
But our
prince,
am
far
from being
all,
in his especial favour,
is
so afso
and kind
to
that every one, let
him be ever
diffident, findeth
some reason
or other for imagining he
loveth
him
selves that
London matrons persuade them_ our Lady's image smileth upon them as they
just as our
it.
pray before
am
neither so fortunate as in reality to
perceive such favourable tokens, nor of so sanguine a tem-
perament
as even to flatter myself that I
do so
yet such
are his majesty's virtue
and
learning,
and such
his daily in-
creasing industry, that seeing
him the more and more adhang heavily upon me.'

f Roper.
vance
in
good and
truly royal accomplishments, I the less

life
and
less feel this
court
to
* Lord Herbert.
Vol.
74.
MEMOIRS OF
Nor was More
singular in this his favourable opinion of
Henry's earlier court, although royal favour
may
be sup-
posed to have had some influence upon
his
judgment.
The
fragrance of her honourable fame, saith Erasmus, smellcth
sweetly everywhere
for she
hath a king possessing every
worthy, princely attribute, a queen his fellow, and a
num-
ber of worthy, learned, sedate, and discreet subjects.*
Wc
find
arc
now
therefore to behold
More
in
a very dilferent
situation from those in
which
Ave lately
viewed him.
We
him taken from
his practice as
a lawyer, and from the
condition of a private gentleman, to

state
for
become an
officer of
and the favourite of a king
taken
we may
truly say,
he certainly acquiesced
in the royal favour, rather in
obedience to the king than to gratify any passion of his
own
for
power and grandeur.

and
His simplicit}' of heart proof princes and their

already sur-
babh' gave him a

intrigues,
it
disrelish for the courts

is
possible that he
may have
mised from Henry's character the j)robable inconstancy of

his favour.
Under every advancement, we

life.
shall find that
he
still
preserved the plainness and integrity which distin-
tinguishcd him in private
superior station served

;
but for a time to
call-forth his superior talents
and
in the
end
it
displayed his superiority of character under the se-
veiest of
human
first
trials.
In the
years of his promotion, ^ve are told
Henry
was
in the habit of frequently sending for Sir

* Epist. to Guilford.
Thomas and
SIR T.
MORE,
his closet
75
confening with him in private in
on astronomy,
af-
geometry, divinity, and other subjects, as well as on

fairs
of state.
They sometimes even ascended

the heavenly bodies
3'ears
together in
the night to the top of the house to observe, as well as
converse
early
of,
* a trait worthy of the

strik-
and more innocent
of Henry VIII, and a
ing contrast to his subsequent character.
The
kino- holds
More
fereth
ters,
in
such intimacy, saith Erasmus, that he never sufto leave
him
him
if
he wanteth him in serious mat;
he hath not a better adviser

festive
if to
relax his mind, he
knoweth not a more
companion.f
The company of
in the evening
Sir
Thomas was
to he
indeed,
it
seems, so
for
agreeable, that the king and
queen frequently sent
him
about
this time,
far,
merry with them, saith
Mr. Roper.
ciple
This went so
that the affectionate prinin his
which the knight retained

}nij
advancement, I must
chat ziith
wife
and
prattle with
my
children, %
was ia
danger of usurpation.
taining to the king
His conversation became so enterin
and queen, that he could not once

to
month obtain permission

mily
;
spend an evening with
his fa-
nor could he be absent from the court two days in

for.
succession without being called
More, however,
just-
ly considered the claims of his family in this particular as
superior to those of his sovereign.
Restraining, therefore,
the natural vivacity of his disposition, he caused his conversation in the roj'al presence to
* Roper.
become by degrees
% Utopia.
less
f Epist. to Hutten.
76
iAlEMOIRS
less attractive
;
OF
M'as, that his
and
and
tlie
consequence
time
became more
Leo
his
own.*
time everywhere pubUshing his imlulpretence, of waging war with
S'.
was at
this
gciiccs, to raise
money under
the Turks say some, of bui ding
Peter's church say others.
The dominicans being employed by him in Germany on this occasion, the augustinians, who pretended that the office
belonged to them, were
irritated.
Martin Luther, pro-
fessor of divinity at AVittenberg,

others,
and an augustinian, among

Finding
it,
examined
full
this doctrine
of indulgences.
gifted
as he thought,
of
error,
and being
by nature with
an independence and intrepidity of character which would

not allow him on such an occasion to remain a
active spectator, he publicly refuted
it
silent or in-
in 1517.
From
this
time,
Erasmus began
to
be most maliciously
persecuted by the ecclesiastics.

that his bold
They loudly complained

monks,
their pious
and
free censures of the
grimaces and superstitious devotions, had opened the

for Luther.
way
Erasmus, they
said, laid the egg,
and Luther
hatched
it.
The
religious disputes
which opened the scene
produced
religious
wars and cruel persecutions, a state of

More's mild and gentle friend,
affairs sufficiently afflicting to
who
often complained that his endeavours to reconcile the
opposite parties, only drew

both.-j'
upon him
the resentment of
to
The minorite
* Roper.
brethren, he said, deserved

t
Jortin.
be
SIR T.
MORE.
77
complimented
as wits for their joke, but he laid. a hen's

different bii'd.*
egg
and Luther hatched a yery
With
his strong
attachment to the church of Rome,
it
-<
seems from the following anecdote that Sir Tliomas expected one day the success of the reformation
in this country,
and perhaps
his
knowledge of Henry's temper contributed

Mr. Roper
says,
to the surmise.
when he commended
to
More
the
happy
estate of this realm,
which had so catholic

his face, so virtuous
a prince that no heretic dared to shew
and learned a
clergy, so grave
and sound a
in
nobility,
and
so loving, obedient subjects,

replied, truth
it
is
all
one
faith
the
knight
indeed son
;
Roper, and even exceeded
him
in
commendation
and yet son Roper, he continued,

we seem
to sit
J pray God
that some of us, as high as
upon
the mountains, treading heretics under our feet like ants, live
not the day that we would gladly he at league and composition with them, to let
selves, so
them have their churches quietly

let
to themr-
that they would be contented to
us have ours
quietly to ourselves.
Edward Lee began

mus, and to
also
about
this
time to attack Eras-
stir-up the divines against him.

little
He
not only
treated the good scholar as one of
erudition
and no
;.
judgment, but as an heretic and an enemy to the church
and did
all
he could to run him
down and
ruin him.
Eras-
mus
in return
hath often said, the earth never produced an

foolish,
animal more vain, arrogant, scurrilous, ignorant,

* Zpitt. 719-
7S
MEMOIRS OF
tl)au
and malicious,
court,
Lee.
Yet
this
man was advanced

to
at
lie was chaplain
and ahnoner
Henry VIII, was
afterward employed by the king on several embassies, and

lastly,
was made archbishop of York.

though a constant friend to Lee, was much
IVIore,
1^19-
dis-
pleased at his quarrelling with Erasmus.
In 1519, and
Lee, which arc
his life
subsequent years, he wrote three

reprintetl
letters to
by Dr. Jortin
in the
appendix to
of Eras-
mus.
They inform
us that he would have dissuaded
Lee
from publishing
sorry
his censures
of his friend, that he was very

that
lie
when they were published,

Erasmus
interest
thought him far

ability as in
inferior to
as well in
knowledge and
credit
and
with the learned world, and that he
judged
this exploit
would draw infamy and contempt upon
the writer, and even an
odium upon the English.
Thus
our Lee (adds the Doctor), who, had he kept the fool within doors,
might have passed
for a tolerable divine, chose

it
rather to purchase renown, such as
was, by heading the

all re-
clamorous half-learned censurers of Erasmus and of

formations.
Among
those indeed he might hope to

persons,
make
it is
a figure though not
among more eminent

sect,
and
no wonder that an ambitious man should choose rather

be the leader of a paltry
than to be
lost
to
among scholars
of the second or third class.
Lee was ever an enemy

tolled, as
to the reformation,
and
is
ex-
might have been expected, by Wood, Stapleton,
SIR T.
MORE.
79
More's great-grandson, and others.

a juster account of him.
Bishop Burnet gives us
Soon
after this vindication of his friend, Sir
Thomas was
Rabe-
himself attacked.
lais calls
Brixius, or, as his contemporary
him, de Brie, had written a
poem
in
1513, intituled
Chordigera, describing an action of that year between the
English ship Regent and the French ship
la Cordeliere.
As
in-
he had given a
false
account of the engagement, and
sulted and calumniated the English,
More wrote
several
epigrams in derision of the poem.

aftront,
Brixius, picqued at the
revenged himself by an elegy which he intituled

all
Antimoi-us, in which he severely censured
the faults
;
which he thought he had found

this
in the
poems of More
*^
but
1520.
piece was not published
till
1520, and then at Paris in
compliance with the wishes of the author s friends.
Erasmus,
to
in
a very good
letter to Brixius, civil]}^
though
English
freely, insinuated to
him that he was a very

first
child
compared
More, and launched out as usual
in praise of his
friend.f-
More
that, to
it,
at
despised the poem, and wrote to

in wliich
Erasmus
he held
prove to the world the contempt

it
it
he had a design of reprinting
himself. J
;
He,
however, afterward wrote an answer to
Avhich
was no
sooner puljlished, than he received a letter from Erasmus,

wisely exhorting him to pass the matter in silent contempt,
for that alone Sir
*
was the conduct which the attack deserved.

his error, and, following his friend's
115
>
Thomas soon saw

La
Moiinoye, Menagi^n
iii.
+ Epist. 511.
% Latin works.
80
MEMOIRS or
advice, he immediately recalled the publication, so that
very few copies of
it
escaped into the world.*
Yet Erasgood
mus, although he was capable of giving

advice, had certainly himself too
lii-lity
his friend this
nmch
of this very sensi-
^.
'
when attacked by malicious and inconsiderable adSuch characters require a friend to advise them, versaries.
leave these
men
to
themselves, they cannot live in their

live
own
all,
jp*
writings,
why should they

terrible
in
yours ? and
it is,
after
no such
matter to be misrepresented as a dunce,
when time and
truth
must put
folly to tlight.-f-
To
this
period also.
Wood
ascribes the proof which
More
gave of
his zeal for learning,
by
his letter to the university i\fter
of Oxford on the study of Greek.
Grocyn came
was manifest-
thither to teach Greek, a serious opposition
ed to
his progress.
faction of the students, denominat-
ing themselves Trojans, and

Paris,
(Sec.
who had
their
Priam, Hector,
declared themselves enemies to what they called
the
new
learning,
and one of them had the impudence
to
attack the Greeks trom the university pulpit.
More wrote
a seminary,
chancellor
a well-timed
letter
;{:
in
Latin to the universit3> and observinferior as
ed that even Cambridge, ever her
promoted the study of Greek
that her
own
Warham, Cardinal Wolsey, nay

encourage
it;
the king himself, wished to

it
and that therefore
was probable these
ri-
diculous Trojans, the enemies of useful learning, would in
the end have the old proverb applied to themselves, sero sa-
inunt Phryges.
* More.
t See
Jortin.
J Printed
at
Oxford
in 4'.
l633.
sm
T.
MORE.
81
1^23.
In the parliament holden at Blackfriars in the year 1523,

Sir
Thomas More was chosen
speaker.
office,
He was
very desir-
ous of being excused from
this
and addressed the
king to that effect in a speecli which hath not been preserved.*
His remonstrance, however, proving ineffectual,
he was obliged to comply, and he made the following speech
upon the occasion, preserved by Mr. Roper, which

the knight, and of the
is
here
presented to the reader as a specimen of the eloquence of
manner of the
age.
Sir Thomas Mare's Speech on being appointed Speaker.
'
Since I perceive, most redoubted sovereign, that
it
standeth not with your pleasure to reform this election and
cause
it
to
be changed, but have by the mouth of the most
reverend father in
cellor,
God my
lord legate,
your highness' chan-
thereunto given your royal assent, and have of your
benignity' determined, far
above
thai I
may
;
bear, to enable
me, and
for this office to repute
me, meet
rather than
you
should seem unto your

unfit choice, I
commons
that they
shall
had made an
be ready, obe-
am
therefore
and alway
diently to conform myself to the accomplishment of your

highness' pleasure
and commandment.
beseeching your most noble magrace's favour, before 1 far-
'
In most humble
Avise
jesty, that I
may, with your
ther enter thereinto,
make my humble
* Roper.
petition for
two low-
Vol.
I.
â
Iv petitions; the
MEMOIRS OF
one
piiviitely
concerning myself, the other
the whole asscniljjy of your conunon-housc.
'
For myself, gracious sovereign, that

is
if it
mishap me,
in
anything hereafter that
on
liie
behalf of your com-
xnons in your high presence to be declared, to mistake
my
misit
message, and,
in
tiie
lack of good
utterance, by
my
rehearsal to pervert or impair their prudent instructions,
may
then like your most noble
mîjest}',
of your aliundant
grace, with the eye of your
wonted
pity, to
pardon
my
simpleness; giving
me
leave to repair again to the
commonon
their
in-
house, and there to confer with them, and to take their substantial advice,
what things and
in
whatwise
I shall
behalf utter and speak before your noble grace, to the

tent their prudent devices and affairs be not, by
my
me
simpleit
ness and folly, hindered or impaired.
Which
thing, if
if
should so happen, as
it
were
like to
mishappen
oversight,
it
your
gracious benignity relieved not

fail
my
could not
to be, during
heart.
my
life,
a perpetual grudge and heaviness

whereof, in
to
my
The help and remedy

is,
manner
first
afore
remembered,
my
gracious sovereign,
my
low-
ly suit
and humble
petition unto
your noble grace.
'
My
other humble request, most excellent prince,

as
is
this.
Forsomuch
there be of your connnons, here

for
by
your high commandment assembled

great number,
your parliament, a
who
are, after
your accustomed manner, apto entreat
pointed
in the
common-house
and advise of the
common
ati'airs
among
tliemselves apart;
and
albeit,
most
SIR T.
MORE.
83
dear leige lord, that according to your prudent advice by
your honourable writs everywhere declared, there hath been

as
due diligence used
in sending-up to
your highness' court
of parliament the most discreet persons out of every quarter that

it is
men
could esteem most meet thereunto, whereby

is
not to be doubted that there

right wise, meet,
a very substantial as;
sembly of
and
politic persons
yet,
most
virtuous prince, since
every
every
man man
wise alike,
among so many wise men neither is nor among so many alike well witty
and
it
alike well spoken,
often
happeneth that
polished
see
likewise as
speech, so
much folly is uttered with painted many boisterous and rude in language
;
deep
also
indeed and give right substantial counsel

in matters of great
and since
importance the mind
is
so often occu-
pied in the matter that a
man
rather studieth
what
to say
than how, by reason whereof the wisest
man and
is
best
fer-
spoken
in
a whole country fortuneth, while his mind
vent in the matter, somewhat to speak in suchwise, as he
would afterward wish to have been uttered otherwise, and yet no worse will had he when he spake it, than he had
when he would
liament
so gladly change
it
therefore,
most
graci-
ous sovereign, considering that in your high court of paris
nothing treated but matter of weight and imit
portance concerning your realm and your royal estate,

could not
fail
to let
and put
to silence
from the
givino-
of
their advice
and counsel many of
3'our discreet
affairs,
commons,
to ihe great hinderance of the
common
except that
exeiy one of your
commons were
utterly discharged of all
81
MEMOIRS OF
and
fears,
cloubts
to
how anything
that
it
should happen them

'
speak should happen of your higlniess to be taken.
'
And
in this point,
though your well-known
an<l
proved
is thtr
benignity putteth every
man
in
good hope, yet such
weight of the matter, such
is
the reverend dread that the
timorous hearts of 3'our natural subjects conceive toward-
your
iiigh nrajesty,
our most redoubted king and undoubted
sovereign, that they cannot in this point

tisHed, exce])t
fmd themselves
stv-
your gracious bounty, therein declared, put
away
the scruple of their timorous minds, and animate and
encourage them and put them out of doubt.
'
It
may
therefore, like
your most abundant grace, our

to give
all
most benign and godly king,
your conmions
here assembled your most gracious licence and pardon, freely,
without doubt of your dreadful displeasure, every
man
to discharge his conscience,
and boldly,
in
every thing in-
cident
among
us, to declare his advice.
And, whatsoever
your majesty of
liaj)i)en
any man to
say, that
it
may
all
like
in
your inestimable goodness to take

preting every man's words,
good part;
inter-
how cunningly
soever they be
profit
couched, to proceed yet of good zeal toward the
of
your realm and honour of your royal person
the prosper-
ous estate and preservation whereof, most excellent sovereign,

is
the thing which

to our
we
all,
your loving subjects, acallegi-
cordmg
most bounden duty, of our natural

for.'
ance, most highly desire and pray
SIR
It
is
T.
MORE.
85
probable that
tlie
design of the knight in this speech
was
to
remonstrate against the

his
known haughtiness
;
Avilh
which Henry VIII treated

Jour of the profoundest
parhaments
and, under co-
awe and
veneration, to reprove the
sovereign for his arbitrary restraint on debate.
In this point
first
of view, the speaker manifesteth more dexterity than at

sight
may appear
a compUance with his haughty humour'

being the only manner in which
in this submissive language,
the king could be reproved or thwarted with a hope of success.*
Of this
ed
parliament the following anecdote
is
related.
Wol-
sey, at this time in the zenith of his greatness,

his displeasure,
had expresssaid or
in
that no sooner
was anything
it
done
in the
house of commons than
was blown abroad
every alehouse.
When
to
the large subsidy was afterward detiie
manded, the
cardinal; fearing opposition fi'om
com-
mons, determined
be present in their house at the time
the motion should be made.

in that house, Avhether
his lords only, or
A debate in
consequence arose
he should be received with a fbw of
with the whole number.

;
The majority of
the house were of the former opinion served

"\ntii
but the speaker ob-
his usual archness,
forasmuch as my lord car-
dinal lately laid to our charges the lightness of our tongues
for things uttered out of
this house, it shall not
in
my mind
seal too
be amiss to receive him with all his pomp, with his maces, his
pillarSf pollaxes, his crosses, his hat,
and the great
the intent that if he find the like fault with us hereafter,

* Warner.
86
MEMOIRS OF
he the bolder from ourselves to lay the blame, on those
we may
whom
his
grace bringeth hither with him.
Wolsey was received accordingly, and spoke

nity
to
witli
solem-
on the necessity of the grant. The commons heard him

in silence,
an end
and then made no
reply.
lie address-
ed himself to some of the members in particular, but received
no answer,
for
they had resolved to communicate
with him through their speaker only.
At
last
he demanded
Jirst
an answer of the speaker, who, continues Kopcr,
re-
verently on his knees excusing the silence of the house, abash-
ed at the presence of so noble a personage able to amaze the

wisest in a realm,
and afterward by many probable arguments

to
proving that Jor them
make answer
it
was
neitîer expedient,
nor agreeable with the ancient liberty of the house, in conclusion
for himself shewed, that though they had
all
with their
voices trusted him, yet except every one

to his
of them could put in^

weighty a mat-
head of their several

to
wits, he alone in so
ter
was unft
make
his
grace answer.
ISIore
seconded the subsidy from the beginning,* and
this
farce
was played only upon the insolence of the cardinal who, adds Mr. Rojier, displeased with Sir Thomas More who
had not
in
this
parliament in
all
things satisfied his desire,
suddenly arose and departed.
A
lery
few days aftei-ward, Sir
Thomas being
to
in
Wolsey's gal-
at ^^ hitehall, the Utter said

* Lord Herbert.
him, would
God you
SIR T.
MORE.
I made
replied
ijoii
87
had been
at
Home Mr. More

so
zi-hen too,
speaker.
;
Your
grace not offended,

gallen/ mij lord,
court.^
would I
More
like this
much
better than
your gallery at Hampton-
This perhaps broke-ofi" a quarrel for the time, but
the fact was, as Erasmus Justly observes in one of his letters,
that the cardinal feared the knight
more than he loved
him.
He
dor.
gave a proof of
this
afterward,
by
his
endeavour
to
persuade the king to send Sir Thomas to Spain as ambassa-
When Henry
proposed
it
to
More, the knight, pre-
possessed, says Mr.

thither
Roper, that the king by sending him

his grave,
would send him to
represented to his
ma-
jesty
how
unlikely he was to render him acceptable service
there, yet
was ready as
in
duty bound to
his
life.
fulfil his
pleasure,
though at the ex pence of
It
is
not our pleasure
Mr. More
we
to
do you hurt, but
to
do you good would we be
glad, replied IJenry, in
the better language of his heart
will therefore for this purpose devise
upon some other, and
employ your service otherwise.
In the meantime the intrepid Luther, jiursuing the career

which, as
we have
seen, he
had commenced
in 1517,
had
detected the corruption of the court ol Rome, her obstinacy

in
adiiering to established error,
and her inditJerence
to
truth,
and tiom uttering some doubts

last
as to the divine oiiginal
of the papal authority, he at

tions
shook the firmest founda-
upon which
the wealth and

Roper.
power of the church were
88
MEMOIRS OF
Henry
treatise
established.
\'lll, in addition to his rigorous acts

tioni invading his
J.utiier
title
lor preventing lutheranism
rcahii, liad
pul)hshcil a
against
wiiich obtained
him
Irom
tlic
pope the well-known
Defender of the faith.
From More's supposed instrunjentality in this publication, wc shall iind that he was afterward accused as the cause of Henry putting a sword into the pope's hand to fight against himself. But the knight, we shall also find from his own
letters,
pleaded
?iot
guilty
to
this
accusation.
He owns
that,
by the
king's aj)iK)intnent,
and by consent of the
writers,
he was a sorter-out and placer of the principal con;
tents of the tract
but
it
seems that More
in fact advised
Henry
to insist less strenuously than he did on the pope's
authority, from a foresight perhaps of the inconstancy of
the monarch's character.
Luther replied to Henr}^ and, Mith

treated his majesty as a
liar
his usual bluntness,
and a blasphemer.
rejoinder
appeared
in the
year 1523, under the
name
A\ illiam
Ross,
is
which hath been generally ascribed
to Sir
ThonMS, and
reprinted as his production in his Latin works.
The
writer,
whoever he ma^' have been, not only endeavoured
to refute
the arguments, but also followed in a blameablc degree the

too prevailing custom of the time in aiming to ctjual the abuse, of his adversary.
est
The soundest
sense
and the
strong-
argument, Avhen thus disfigured by the rancour of party
spirit,
and even
scurrility,
not only lose the weight they

Avill
naturally possess, but their tendency
generally be found
SIR T.
MORE.
89
to be, that they chiefly disgust the reader
by the deformity
of the picture with which they present him.
The good Erasmus, not

of a martyr, probably
gifted
by nature with the courage
felt his
worldly interests too
much
at
stake to allow him to enter early and with freedom into

these controversies.
The importunate
solicitations of the
last,
Roman
field
party induced him, however, at

his dissertation
to take the
by the publication of
yet
on
freewill.
This
piece was written with the good scholar's usutd moderation
and candour
it
produced a reply from Luther
in
se-
vere strain of ridicule and invective, in his treatise

arbitrio.
De
servo
Erasmus was, with
sufficient reason,
much
pro-
voked at a treatment so rude and unmerited, which drew

from him in rejoinder the
first
part of his Hyperaspistes.
More's strong attachment to the church of Rome, rendered him of course no tiiend to the great cause.
a letter* of his to Erasmus in 1525, containing
We
have
spite
1525.
much
and acrimony against the reformers, with pressing exhortations to
him
to publish the last-mentioned work.
And two
for read-
1597
years later,
we have bishop Tonstal's

king,
licence to
him
ing heretical books, and an exhortation to him to imitate

the great example of his
by employing
his leisure in
answering them.
That
this
advice was not in vain,
we have
pretty voluminous testimonies in IMore's published works
but
we
will
advert more fully to the subject of his writino-s
in our last chapter.

* Erasm. Epist. 334.
Vol.
I.
90
MEMOIRS OF
The
celebrated Ciceronianus of Erasmus, one
ot"
the
most
ingenious and lively of his productions, in Avhich he agree-
ably
1523.
rallies
certain Italian purists

to be
who
scrupled to use any

in 1528.
is
word or phrase not

'J'he
Ibund in Cicero, came out
author's account of his friend
More
at this time
in-
terestinfT.
'
Fateor ingeniuni fclicissimc natum, et quod

si
nihil
nou
Civ-
potuisset efticerc
totum
his studiis
vacare
licuisset.
terum,
iilo
pucro, vix tenuis odor literaturae mclioris denii-
grarat in Angliam.
Deindc parentum auctoritas ad

;
leges
ejus gentis discendas, quibus nihil illiteratius, adcgit

in causis agendis exercitatus, hinc
mox
ad reipublicie numia vo-
catus,
stu(ha.
vix succisivis horis respicere potuit ad eloquentiae
Tandem
in regiam pertractus, et regni
regiorumque
(juam
negotiorum undis immcrsus, magis aniare

colere.
gis vergit
j)otcst studia
Et tamen dicendi genus quod assecjuutus
est,
ma-
ad Isocraticam structuram ac dialecticam
subtilij
tatem,
quam ad
I'usum illud Ciceronianaj dictionis tlumcn

]\I.
quanK|uani urbanitatc nihilo
TuUio
inlierior est.
Quo-
niam autem adolescens

bendis,
tliu
versatus est in poematibus scri-
poetam agnoscas
et in oratione prosa.'
About
this
time died Sir Richard Wingfield, in whose

solicitation, the
room, without
king
made
Sir
Thomas More
he was somehis
chancellor of the duchy of Lancaster.*
The knight indeed
grew into such favour
Avith
his majesty, that
times honoured with a

*'
visit
from the king at Chelsea,
Roper and Eratmui.
SIR T.
MORE.
91
present residence, without previous notice.
One day Henry

walk-
came
ed in
thither to dinner unexpectedly,

iVlore's
and
after dinner
garden
for
an hour, with one arm round the
knight's neck.
'
As soon
as his grace
was gone,
relates
Mr. Roper,
I re-
joicing thereat, said
to Sir
Thomas
Alore,
how happy he
Wolsey,
was
whom
I
the king had so familiarly entertained as I never

to
had seen him do
any
other, except cardinal
whom
indeed,
saw
his
grace walk once with arm in arm.
I thank
as
our Lord, son, quoth he, IJind his grace
my
very good lord
and I
believe he doth as singularly favour

this
me
any
tell
subject within
thee,
realm.
Ilowbeit son. Roper,
I may
I have no
cause to be proud thereof ; for, if

castle in
my head
would win him a

twixt us)
it
France
to go.'
(for
then was there war be-
should not fail
This anecdote proves that
More
already understood Henry's character well.
While
Sir
Thomas was
chancellor of the duchy, he Avas
twice employed in foreign embassies in commission with
Wolsey, once to the emperor

in France.*
Cliarles in Flanders,
and again
I029.
In 1529 he was appointed to accompany Cuth-
bert Tonstall to
Cambray, where he
assisted in tlie tieaty
called after that place .-f*
Here, Mr. Roper informs us, the knight worthily haiidled

himself, procuring in our league far
more
benefits
unto this
realm, than at that time by the king or his council, zvas thought
Roper. t Lord Herbert.
N2
92
possible to be compassed.
in
lliis
MEMOIRS OF
And
it
was
for
liis
good
services
exj^cditiou, tlie son-in-law
proceeds to inform us,
that the king,

cellor,
when he
afterwiird
made
Sir
Tliomas chan-
caused the duke of Norfolk to declare publicly, how

indebted to him.
much Endand was
On
his
return from Can\bray, Sir
Thomas rode
directly
to the king at the court at \\'oodstock.
Here information
was brought him that a part of

sea,
his
dwelling-house at Chelfire,
and
all
his barns, full
of com, were ccjnsumed by

his
and that the barns of some of

stro3-ed also.
near neighbours were dehis
The
letter
he wrote to
lady on this occait
sion
is
preserved in his English works, and with
we
will
conclude the present chapter.
The former
part of
it is
per-
haps addressed to her covetous disposition, while the

part affords a most worthy instance of his
lence.
latter
own benevo-
Sir
Thomas
to
Lady More.
I
'
Mistress Alice, in
to you.
loss
my
I
most heartywise
recommend
son Heron
with
all
it
me
And
whereas
am
informed by
my
of the
of our barns and our neighbours'
also,
the corn that was therein, albeit (saving God's pleasure)

is
great pity of so
much good
corn
lost,
yet since
it
hath
liked
him
to send us such a chance,
we must and
lost
are bound-
en, not only to be content, but also to be glad of his visitation.
He
sent us
all
that
it
we have
away
and since he hath
by such a chance taken
again, his pleasure be tul-
SIR T.
filled
!
MORE.
it
93
in
Let us never grudge thereat, but take
good
worth, and heartily thank him, as well for adversity as for

prosperity.
'
And
peradventure
we have more cause

;
to thank liim
for our loss than for our winning
for his
wisdom better
Therefore
the household
seeth what
I pray
is
good
for us than
we do
ourselves.
all
you be of good cheer, and take and
with you to church, and there thank God, both for that
he hath given
for that
us,
for that he hath taken
from
us,
and
he hath
left us,
which,
if it
if it
please him, he can in-
crease
less,
when he
will
and
it
please him to leave us yet
at his pleasure be
pray you to
make some good ensearch what
mj'^
poor
neighbours have
fore
;
lost.
And
bid
them take no thought
there-
for if I should not leave
myself a spoon, there shall
no poor neighbour of mine bear no loss by any chance, happened in my house. I pray you be, with my children and
3'our
household,
merry
in
God
and
devise
somewhat
with your friends, what

sion to be
this
way were
it
best to take, for provi-
made
in
for corn for

if
our household, and for seed
year coming,
still
ye think
good that we keep the

it
ground
that
our hands.
And
whether ye think
it
good
we
so shall do, or not, yet I think

it all
were not best
suddenly thus to leave of our farm,

till
up, and to put
away our
folk
Howbeit,
if
we have somewhat advised us thereon. we have more now than ye shall need, and
which can get them other masters, ye may then discharge
94
MEMOIRS OF
tlieui.
us of
But
would not that any man were sudden-
ly sent
away, he wot not whither.
At
my coming
still
hither, I perceived
none
other, but that

1 shall,
should tarry
with the king's grace.
But now
I think, because of this chance, get leave this next

to
week
come home and

upon
see
all
you
and then
shall
we
farther de-
vise together
things,
what order
shall
be best to
take.
And
thus as heartily fare you well, with

!
all
our child-
ren, as
ye can wish
At Woodstock,
the third day of Sep-
tember, by the hand of
Your
loving husband,
THOMAS more/
SIR T.
MORE.
93'
CHAP.
III.
Cardinal Wohey,
Charles.
.
,
His advancement, and quarrel
tvith
the emperor
Anecdotes of
.
.
More and
.
Wolêy.
The
.
hing\s-
scruples
regardins; his marriage.

the matter.
. . .
His inconsistency
. . .
Morels conduct in
.
ff. heij's fall.
More made
ch-incellor
.
.
The duke
of Norfolk s speech and More's on the occasion.
More's improve'
ment
in the office.
.
. .
His respect to his father, and impartiality to his

.
.
family.
Anecdotes of his chancellorship.

. .
He clears
the chancery
of causes.
Is
He
is
offered
money by
the bishops Jor his writings. ...

,
again importuned by Henry on the dinorce.

.
.
He
.
determines ta
to
resigji the seal.
IVIvch he at
last
ejffects.
Henry* x promise
.
him.
A/ore's contempt
.
of
ivorldly
. .
.
grandeur.
His wife
is
more
concerned.
./Anecdotes
of
her.
More
.
provides situations for his

. .
attendants,
and
calls together his family.
His poverty.
Death
his
of his father, and

resignation.
. . .
his
fHal
ciffection.
His
letters to
.
. .
Erasmus on
His monumental inscription.
His buildings and

others on
.
charity at Chelsea. ...
The remarks of Fox and

.
. .
More's
re-
persecution of heterodoxy
State of the times.
More's own
futation of his calumniators.
It
is
now
time to contemplate the lofty elevation of the

fall
powerful cardinal, whose
made
the
3
way
for Sir
Thomar
More's highest advancement.
96
ME.MOIRS OF
Wolsey was the son of a butcher of Ipswich.

which obtained him a recommendation as tutor
lie re-
ceived a good education, and discovered an early capacity,

in the
mar-
quis of Dorset's family, to wliich his assiduity soon the friendship of his patron.
added
In time
lie
Avas
promoted as
chaplain to Henry VII, and was employed by his majesty

in a secret negociation regarding his intended marriage with
Margaret of Savoy.
His diligence and dexterity gained

king's
him
his master's
good opinion, but the
death, for a
time, retarded his advancement.
Fox, bishop of Winchester, having discovered that the

earl of
Surrey had supplanted him in young Henry's favour,
he hoped, by introducing Wolsey, upon
whom
he cast
his
eye as a
rival to
rising
man,
to the king's familiarit}', to oppose a

;
Surrey
in his insinuating arts
while Wolsey, the sly
churchman
likewise hoped, should be content to act a part

his
in the cabinet subordinate to
promoter.
But the
fact
fa-
proved, that Wolsey soon supplanted Surrey in Henry's

vour, and
Fox
and
in his confidence.
In the young monarch's

lead,
parties of pleasure
his years
his
Wolsey took the

profession, he
and forgetting
all
promoted
the gaiety
which suited Henry's inclination.

he represented, were indeed
His father's counsellors,

of experience, but they
men
by
his
owed not
their
promotion to the young king's favour, and

affairs
they obstructed his
their jealousies.
better
Avas
system would be, to entrust

the creature of his
liis
authority to one
othei-
who
will,
could have no
view than to
service,
and having the same
taste for pleasure with
him-
SIR T. 3I0RE,
self,
97
could acquaint him with business in the midst of gaiety.
Wolsey, in short, soon became the too absolute minister of

his sovereion.
The
choice which he had made,

;
Henry was by nature
proud of maintaining
public councils,
ter's
and Wolsey, while he directed the pretended a blind submission to his mas-
authority.
Of
list
his acquisitions
there
seemed
to
be no
end, and a bare

dious.
of his church preferments would be tehis
The pope observed

it
influence over Henry, and

in his interest, his
deeming
politic to
engage him
hohness
created him a cardinal.
Eight hundred servants, of Avhom
many were
train,
knights and gentlemen, immediately swelled his
and the churchman's ostentation obtained a kind of proverbial fame. The good Warham, as we have seen,
chose rather to
retire,
than to maintain an unequal contest

his resignation of the office
with the cardinal.
On
of chanretire-
cellor, the great seal
was given
to
Wolsey
and the
ment of
the dukes of Norfolk
and
Suffolk,
and of bishop
Fox, consigned into the cardinal's hands every authority in

the kingdom. 'o"
On
pope
the recal of
Campcggio by Leo X, from
his fruitless
errand to procure a tithe from our clergy, for enabling the

to oppose the Turks, Wolsey, his partner in the
com-
mission, Avas,
by the
king's desire, alone invested with the

all
legantine power, together with the right of visiting

clergy and monasteries,
the
and even of suspending

This
all
the laws
of the church for a year.
new
dignity not only af
Vol.
I.
f)8
MEMOIRS OF
tlie
forded
cardinal a
favourite state,
new opportunity of displaying Ins but being now by the pope's commission
all
and
liie
king's favour invested with

civil,
power, ecclesiastical
as well as
he erected what he called the Icgantinc

to the authority of which,
court, a tribunal,
no
man knew
the boundaries.
He gave
laity
it
an inquisitorial and censorial
power even over the

monks, were obliged
and the
judge.
clergy, especially the
to purchase indemnities,
his
by large sums
paid to the legate or to
By
virtue of his
comthe
mission, he pretended to
assume the Jurisdiction of
all
bishop's courts, particularly that of judging of wills
and
testaments
and he presented
to
whatever benefices he
pleased, without regard to right of election or of patronage.
When
Maximilian died, the kings of France and Spain

for the
became candidates
his
imperial crown, and the success
of Charles enabled Henry, by the power and situation of
kingdom, to hold the balance between those powers,

for
which seemed to contend
the
dominion of Europe.
Francis solicited an interview with Henry near Calais, in

the hope of being able to gain
confidence.
upon
his friendship
and
But
Charles, hearing of the intended inter-
view, determined to take the opportunity' in his passage
from Spain to the
Low
countries, of paying
Henry a
;
still
higher compliment, by visiting him at Dover
and
it
Avas
here that that politic prince instilled into the aspiring cardinal the
hope of attaining the papacy.
Yet Adrian VI,
who had been
tutor to the emperor, succeeded
Leo
in the
SIR T.
pa]nil chair,
MORE.
visit
9Sr
and Charles on paying another
to
Eng-
land renewed to Wolsey his former promises.
As Adrian's
age and infirmities promised a speedy vacancy, the cardinal
when Adrian died and Clement VII succeeded, Wolsey became fully
for that time dissembled his
resentment
but
sensible of the emperor's insincerity,
and began
to estrange
himself from the imperial court.*
More had
the courage to oppose
Wolsey
he
in the council,
as well as in parliament.
To
the former meeting Sir Thotells
mas no doubt
letterSj-f-
referreth, in the story
in
one of
his
of the cardinal's project that England should sup-
port the emperor in his Avar with France.
'
Some, he writes, thought
it
wise, that
we should
sit
still
and leave them alone.
But evermore
my
lord used the
fable of the wise
men
rain
who, because they would not be

fool,
washed with the
which should make everyone a
hid themselves in caves.

rest fools,
But when
the rain had
made
the
ut-
and these came out of

fools
their caves
and would
ter their
wisdom, the
agreed together against them,

so, said his grace, if
and overcame them.

be so wise as to
And
we
us.
Avould
sit in
peace while the

all
fools fought, the}''
would afterward make head, and

fable helped the king
fall
upon
This
a fair
and the realm
to
spend
many
penny.'
More's great-grandson informs

Cavendish,
us, that the
knight alludes
Hume, &c.
f Eng. works.
100
MEMOIRS OF
Wolsey
book of comfort in tribulation^ wlicii speaks of a great prelate in Germany, who, when he
also in his
f)liintil'r'
to
lie
had made an oration before a large assembly, woidd

ly
ask those
tie
who
sat at table with him, hoxv they alt liked
and
wlio brought forth a tnean
commendation of
it,
tcaa
xure to have no thanks for his labour.
'
On
a time,' adds the same writer,
'
the cardinal had
drawn a draft of
certain conditions of peace
between Eng-
land and France, and he asked Sir
Thomas Mure's counsel

he would
;
therein, beseeching hiin earnestly that
tell hin), if
there were anything therein to be misliked

this so
and he spoke
verily
heartily, saith Sir
Thomas, that he believed
that he was willing to hear his advice indeed.

Sir
But when
in
Thomas had
dealt
reall3' therein,
and shewed wherein
that draft might have been
amended, he suddenly rose

Sir 'J'homas
a rage and
all
Ijc
said, by the
!
mass thou art the veriest fool

smiling, said,
of
the
council
At which
God
in all
thanked that the king our master hath but oncjool
his council*
This incident perhaps led to the former allusion by More,
and
will
remind the reader of the story of Gil Bias and the

It
is
archbishop.
certainly disagreeable
to
be placed in
the situation of Gil Bias, and connected with one
take
it
in
dudgeon, iiyou do not smoke him with
who will as much
incense, as
would
satisfy three or thrice three goddesses.*
Jortin.
SIR T.
MORE.
historians,
101
Mr. Roper agrees with those

Wolsey's
spirit
who
ascribe to
of revenge against the emperor, the inflamAvith
mation of Henry's scruples regarding the marriage

Catharine, his aunt.
'
And
for the better achiving thereof,'
continues Roper,
'
he requested Longland the bishop, be-
ing ghostly-father to the king, to put a scruple into his

grace's head, that
ther's wife.
it first
it
was not lawful for him
to viarry his bro-
Which
the king not sorry to hear
of,
opened
unto Sir Thumas More, whose counsel he requested
therein,
shewing him certain places of scripture that seemhis appetite.'
ed somewiiat to serve
This happened previously to More's departure for

bray.
Cam-
Now
ly
Henry's case,
if
;
we beheve himseF,
Avas complete--
a case of conscience
and he was greatly disquieted on
account of
his incestuous intercourse with his brother's wiis
dow.
But
his majesty's
if
word
in his
own cause
to be al-
Avay relied
upon? and
there were dithculties in such a
marriage which might occasion scruples, how came they

not to have arisen earlier in the course of eighteen years
If,
?
again,
Henry was convinced

was
it
that his marriage
was con-
trary to God's holy law,
not strange that one pope

it,
could grant a dispensation for

declare
it
and then another pope and

his
void
Did not
his pleasure
cause require
a limit to the papal power, while his principles and his application to the
will it
pope declared that power unlimited
and
be too severe to conclude, that
when Henry found he
102
-AIEMOIIIS
OF
liis
coiiUl nut
cany
his point
and preserve
principles, lie dc-
terniined that his passions should not at
any
rate prove the
ivcak part to give

first
way
and that Avhat he attempted at

see,
from resentment, in forsaking the holy

believe
he might
in time brino; himself to
was indeed the cause of
God and
The
pence
of rclis;ion?
fact
is,
that Catharine was six years older
than
Henry, and the purity of her character was a poor recomin his estimation for the
all
loss
of her beauty.
Her
and
children, save
one daughter,
died in early infancy,
the king was very desirous of having male issue. the beauty of
Lastly,
Ann
Boleyn, maid of honour to the queen

this
had probably the chief influence on

virtue left llcnr}'
occasion
and her
except
di-
no hope of gratifying
the throne.
his passion,
by
raising her to
No
wonder then that a
vorce from Catharine was absolutely necessary.
More perused
the passages of scripture pointed-out by
the king, but excused himself from giving an opinion, because he had 7Wt professed dhhiifi/.
Henry, however, urged

the time recjuisite for
told
him
so strongly, that
More besought
;
a deliberation of
such importance
and the king
him
that Tonstall and Clark,
bishops of
Durham and
Bath,
with others of his privy council, should confer with him on

the subject.*
'
Now
would
to our
Lord son Roper, exclaimed

Roper.
Sir
Tho-
SIR T.
MORE.
103-
mas one day

put
in
at Chelsea water-side,
upon condition that
three things were well established in Christendom, I were
a sack and here presently cast into the Thames.'
Mr. Roper was naturally curious

things were,
and the knight continued

first is,
to
know what
'
these three
in faith son they
be these.
The
that whereas the most part of chris-
tian princes be at mortal wars, they
were
all
at universal
is
peace.
The second,
that whereas the church of Christ
at this present sore afflicted with

it
many
errors
and
heresies,
third,
were settled
in perfect
uniformity of religion.
is
The
that whereas the matter of the kinsj's marriao;e

in question,
all
it
now come
were, to the glory of
God and
quietness of
parties, brought to a
good conclusion.'
When
'
Sir
Thomas came next to
court he said to the

ni}-
kino-,
to
be plain with your grace, neither
lord of
Durham,
rest
nor
my
lord of Bath, though I
know them both
to be wise,,
virtuous,
and learned
prelates, nor
3'our grace's
myself with the
of
your council, being
all
own
servants, for
us, so
your
manifold benefits, being daily bestowed on
much
bounden unto you, be

your grace herein.
in
if
my mind meet
counsellors for
But
your grace mean to understand
the truth, such counsellors

for respect of their
may you have devised, as
neither
own
worldly commodity, nor for fear of

will
your princely authority,
be inclined to deceive you.'

to be Je-
AVhen he named these counsellors, they proved
rome, Austin, &c., and he produced the authorities which
he had collected out of them.

continues Mr. Roper,
'
'
M'hich, although the
king,',
as disagreeable to his desire, did not
104
MEMOIRS OF
like-of,
very well
in all his
yet were they by Sir
Thomas More, who

that matter had
coinmunication with the
kinc; in
alway most discreetly behaved himself, so wisely tempered,

that he both presently took thcra in good part,
and often-
time had thereof conference with him again/
After More's return from Cambray, Henry again opened

with him the question of his divorce
;
and declared
to
him,
that although at his departure he despaired of success, yet

since that time he
to accomplish
it.
had conceived great hopes of being able

For, though his marriage, being origin-
ally against the positive
laws of the church and the writ-
ten law of God, was rectified by the dispensation from
Rome, yet was

by
it
there another thing found out of late, whereto
appeared
be so directly against the law of nature

it.
that the church could in nowise dispense

referred liim to Dr. Stokesly,
Henry then
newly created bishop of Lon-
don, and in that case chief i/ credited, says Air. Roper.
y But
it
was
IMorc's great characteristic that
no hope of
from
wain or fear of disgrace could induce
him
to swerve
the dictates of his conscience
and, notwithstanding his
conference with the bishop, he saw no reason to change his
former opinion.
Stokesly, however, reported favourably of
More
to the king, saying, the knight
was truly desirous of
seeing something in the case in his majesty's favour.

i'dct is,
The
Wolsey had offended Stokesly, and the bishop wish-
ed to shew himself more solicitous than the cardinal as to

the king's favourite object.*
Roper.
SIR T. MORE.
CleiDent,
this
slill
105
smarting from the sack of Rome, was at
time anxious for his personal safety, and well
knew
that
the emperor could alone restore the Medici to their domi-
nion in Florence.
The cause of
Charles was naturally that
of queen Catharine, and a powerful one with the pope
compared
to
that of Henry.
No
wonder then that the
commission, which on Henry's application he granted to
Wolsey and Campeggio,

conclusive,
to try the
matter here, proved

to
in-
and that the cause was soon evoked
Rome.
fore-
Wolsey well knew that

runner of
nisters to
ings.
his fall, for
this
measure was the certain
he knew that Henry expected
his
mi-
be answerable for the success of their undertakthe cardinal's ruin

his
The motion of
became now
as ac-
celerated, as
had before been that of
advancement; and
in fine, the great seal
was demanded from him and given
by the king
to Sir
Thomas More.
Thus the
to
fall
of Wolsey
made way
is
for Sir
it
Thomas More
become chancellor of England, and
hath been sup-
posed by some, in which number
Mr. Roper, that one had so much at
reason with Henry for giving him the seal, was to render
him more favourable

heart.
to the cause the kins

is
Wolsey himself
reported to have said, that he
thought no
man
in
England worthier of the appointment
than More.*
The knight
Vol.
Avas
attended through Westminster-hall to

Morct
his
I.
106
MKMOIRS OF
by
his
tlic
seat in the cliancciT

'I'lic
dukes of Norlblk and
.Sullblk.
spt'cvli
made bv
grace of Noifolk on the occasion,

Sir 'J'honias, are here translated
and the subsequent one by

IVom Stapleton.
TItc
Duke of
liis
Noi'fo/h^s Speech.
'
it hatli [)leased
majesty (and
!)
may
it
prove happy
tor the
whole realm of England
to raise to the high dig-
nity
of chancellor, Sir Thonias More, a

to himself
man
suHiciently
known
done
and
to his
kingdom.
His majest}' hath
this,
from no
otlicr
motive or respect whatever, than
because he perceived in
his
this
man
all
the
endowments which
inte-
people could desire or himself could wish, for the due

office.
discharge of the high

grit}',
His understanding,
liis
tiie
innocence of
his life,
and
his
happy
genius, have
among his countrymen from his early youth, but known for many years past to the king Of this his majesty hath had very ample exhimself also. perience in many and great concerns at home and abroad,
not only been celebrated
in various offices
which he hath
filled,
in foreign embassies
affairs
of great importance, and in his daily counsels in

state.
of
He
hath thought
his
wisdom
in
deliberation, his
his elo(juence in
truth in uttering his real sentiments,
and
adorning what he uttered, surpassed by none.

a
I'rom such
man
every thing
is
to be
expected
and
since his majesty
vvisheth his people to be governed with equity

integrity
and
justice,
;
and wisdom, he hath appointed him chancellor
that his people
may
enjoy peace and justice, and the king-
dom honour and
fame.
SIR T.
'
MORE.
this
107
It
may seem
it
a novelty that
dignity
is
conferred
birtli,
upon a layman, a married man, and one of no high

Avhen heretofore
nobility
:
hath been given to highest prelates and

deficient in these
vir-
But what any one may think

is
respects,
abundantly compensated by the admirable
tues of this
man, and
his
incomparable
gifts
of genius and
of nature.
The king
liath therefore regarded,

is
;
not how great,

;
but what a
his station,
man he
but
of Sir
not his
titles,
but
his merits
not
his ability.
Lastly, his majesty would
shew
are
by
his choice
Thomas More,
his
that excellent
laity, to
;
men
not wanting
fices
among
gentry and the
fill
the of-
occupied by ecclesiastics and nobles
which being a
his
blessing
more
it
rarely afforded
by the Deity,
majesty
esteemeth
ceive then
spices,
his
the greater
for
and more dear
to his people.
Re-
More
your chancellor under these happy au-
and expect every prosperity from the choice which
majesty hath made.'
Sir
Thomas Mores Speech.
'
Most noble duke, and ye

Although
I
my honourable lords
on
this occasion,
and gen-
tlemen.
know
that what his majesty hath been
pleased should be said of
me
and which
is
your grace hath amplified in most elegant terms,
as un-
worthy of me, as I wish

ticularly requires
;
it
were
true,
and
as this otKce par-
and although your speech hath agitated

;
me more
than I can well express
yet this incomparable
favour of his majesty cannot but be most grattlul to mc,

that he thinks so favourably of me,
and commends
my
me-
J08
(liocrity to
MEMOIRS OF
you so lionourably.
Âiid
I
cannol hut return

auipli-
yoiu" grace
fied tlie
my
most hearty thanks, who have thus
commands
of his majesty in an elegant and elo(|uent

his
oration.
For the matchless favour alone of

his generosity
majesty
to-
Mixrd
me,
and the incredible propension of
his royal
mind
to
me, by which
my
small merits have
now
for
many
this
1,
years been distinguished, and
no desert of mine, For who

majesty
cause
aiu
new honour and
these commendations.
or
what the house of
my
father, that
his
should accumulate so
Inferior to the least
many and
so great honours
upon me?
to the dis-
of his favours, of this station and ho-
nour
am
of
certainly unworthy,
its
and hardly equal
eliaro-e
duties.
'
Unwillingly
came, as
;
his
majesty hath often allowed,

this dignity
is
to court and to his service
but
is
most of
all
against
my
will.
Yet such
and
the goodness, such the be-
nignity of his majesty, that he magnifieth the smallest duties
of his subjects
richly
remunerates
his servants,
though they have

pleasing him.
little
merit, if they be but desirous of
In
this
number
have ever wished to be,
though
could not reckon myself
among
all
the meritorious.
This being the case, you

is
will
easily perceive with
me, how great a burden

ligence
imposed upon me, that
my
di-
and duty may correspond with the
king's great fa-
vour, and that I
may answer
his high expectation of

less
me.
These praises were therefore the
grateful to
me, the
aids I
more
knew
the difficulty of
my
duty,
and how few
SIR T.
MORE.
unwortiiy
ol'
109
had
to
make myself appear not

is
thcin.
Tlic
burden
greater than
my
;
shoulders will bear, the honour

is
greater than
my
merits
it
a care, not a glory

it
soli-
citude, not a dignity.

tions,
must bear
Avith
my
best exer-
and
fulfil
the duty as dexterously as 1 can.
But a
I ac-
great stimulus to
my
success will be, the strong desire which

in
hath through
life
been highest
my
mind, and w'hich

satisfying his
knowledge now
jesty's
chietiy to actuate
me, of
ma-
high claims upon me.

to
xVnd I rely upon this beinoI find

all
more easy
me, the more
your good
wills to
correspond with the king's favour.

right, united
For
my
desire of doinowill certainly
with your favourable acceptance,
establish the success of
my
endeavours, and
though small, seem great and praise- worthy. about cheerfully, we achieve happily
received appears best executed.
best possible of me, so, though I
;
make them, What we setis
and Avhat
kindly
As
therefore ye
hope the
cannot promise ye the
best possible, yet promise 1 the best I can perform.
But when
gi'cat
look upon this seat,

filled it
when
I recollect
who
and how
template
of what
persons have
sat in
it last,
before me,
when
I con-
who
skill
man
of what singular wisdom,
in business,
of what splendid and lono-.prosfall
perous fortune, with a high and inglorious

the difficulty of
at last, I see
my
situation
before me, and
mv new
hoit
nour
is
rendered
to
less grateful
and pleasant
to
me, than
may seem
many.
For
it is difficult
to succeed with ap-
probation to one of such genius, wisdom, authority, and

splendour, or to trace his footsteps with an equal pace.
It
110
MEMOIRS OF
burning a candle after
lall
s like
tlie
setting sun.
And
is
the un-
expected and sudtlen
of so great a
man
a terrible adplease
monition to me, not to
much, or
its
splendour
my new honour dazzle my eyes.

let
me
too
'
I therefore
ascend
this seat, as
it is
one which
is full
of
la-
bour and hazard, while
empty of true and
solid
honour.
The
higher
it
is,
the greater the precipice I
must guard
against, as not only the nature of the thing, but the recent
example
sufficiently
warn me. And

of you
unless,
his
under these
cir-
cumstances, the incredible propension of
majesty toward
me, and the good
will
all,
which
I gather
from your
I
agreeable countenances, recreated and refreshed me,
might
stumble at
this
very entrance, and perhaps faint
this seat
woidd not seem pleasantcr to me, than did the sword which
hung by a
horse-hair over the head of
Damocles while he
in the
occupied the state-chair of Dionysius

nours and delicacies.
this
midst of ho-
This then
Avill
ever keep in mind,
have alway before
my
eyes, that this seat will in such

full
degree be honourable to me,
of dignity and splendour,

I
a new and renowned preferment, as
continue with
all
care
and vigilance
to administer
I
my
high office with fidelity and

that
wisdom, and as
keep
in
mind
my
enjoyment of
ni}-
it
may
be but short and precarious.

;
The
one,
diligence
ought to accomplish
cessor teach me.
the other, the example of
ni}^
prede-
'
This being the case, you will
all
the
more
easily ap-
preciate
what pleasure
this
high
office, this effusion
of the
.SIR T.
MORE.
Ill
noble duke, or
this
matchless favour of his majesi}', afford
me/
'
And
as they
had before charged
him,' adds
Mr. Roper,
'
on the king's behalf, uprightly
to administer inditierent
;
justice to the people, without corruption or affection
so
did he likewise charge them again, that
if
they saw him at

his
any time
in
anything to digress from any part of
duty
in that honourable office,

their
even as they Avould discharge
own duty and

fail
fidelity to
it
God and
the king, so should
they not
to disclose
to his grace,
who
otherwise might
have just occasion to lay
his fault
wholly to their charge/
The reader
ficult subject,
will recollect, that this
speech was delivered

dif-
extempore, nearly three hundred years ago, upon that
a man's
self.
The speaker seems

suit his
sufficiently
to evince his acquaintance with his sovereign's character,
and that he foresaw

and inclination long
it
would not
own
conscience
to enjoy his dignity.
Having now traced

his profession,
Sir
Thomas More
to the
summit of
and
to the highest dignit\' which, as a layin this country,

it,
man, he could possess
we
and
are next to view

his incorruptible
the integrity of his administration in
mind
in the midst of worldly greatness.
Speedily was a remarkable alteration to be perceived in

the discharge of the office.
i53o.
The
pride of Wolsey rendered
112
MEMOIRS OF
to persons of
bim inaccessible
to his
conmion rank, and bribery

poorer and meaner a
attendants was rcqnisitc for reaching his presence

]Uit the
only.
new
more
chancellor, the
aftably
suiter was, the
would he address him, the more
attentively hear his

jiatch
it.*
business,
and the more speedily

(says
dis-
He
used
commonly every afternoon

hall,
Mr.
Roper) to
sit in his
open
to the intent that if
any per-
son had any suit unto iiim, they might the more boldly
come to his presence and open their complaints before him. Ilis manner was also, to read every bill himself before he
would award any subpoena
;
which being matter worthy of

it
;
subpoena, he would set his hand to

celled
it.
if
otherwise, he can-
His father, Sir John More,

age,
now
nearly ninety years of
was
still
a judge of the king's-bench wlien
More
be-
came
chancellor.
^Vhenever he passed through A\'estminchancery by the court of king'sfather
ster-hall to his place in the
1)ench (says Mr. Roper)
if his
had seated
liimself ere
re-
he came, he would go into the same court, and there

verently kneeling
down
in
in the sight of
if it
them
all,
duly ask
his father's blessing.
And
fortuned that his father and
he,
at readings
Lincoln's-inn,
met
together,
office
as
they
sometimes did, notwithstanding

offer in
his high
he would
;
argument the pre-eminence

would refuse
to his
to take
father
it.
though
he, for his office sake,
No
one who understands More's character,

More.
will
be sur-
SIRT. MORE.
prized at finding, that
tiie
113
claims of friendship or relation-
ship had not the smallest influence over

tial
him
in the
impar-
administration of justice.
One
of his sons-in-law said to him one day, while he was
chancellor, that in "Wolsey's time not only they of his privy-
chamber, but
his
very door-keeper,
made
great profits
whereas Sir Thomas Avas so easy of access to every degree

of persons, that
if,
in his
attendance upon him, he took

parties,
for
any
for
fee,
he should injure the
by making them pay
what they could obtain

in Sir
themselves, and which,

profitable to
'
though commendable
him.
*
Thomas, was not
You
say well son/ replied the knight,

3'ôu
do not
mislike that
are of conscience so scrupulous.
many
by
other wa3's be there, son, that I

also.
But may both do you
good and pleasure your friend
For sometimes
stead
if
;
may
my
I
word stand your friend

by
in
and sometimes
hear him before
may
my
letter
help him
or
he have a cause de-
pending before me, at your request

another ; or
if his
fall
may
cause be not
to
all
the best, yet
may
move
if
the parties to
this
some end
or arbitrament.
Howbcit,
the
one thing, son,
I assure thee
call
on ray
faith, that
parties will at
my
hands
for justice,
then were
his
it
my
father stood on one side
and the
devil
on the other,
cause
being good, the devil should have
right.'
Another of his sons-in-law, Mr. Heron, had a cause pending in chancery, and presumed so
much upon
the favour
of Sir Thomas, that he would not be persuaded to agree
Vol.
I.
ni
to
MEMOIRS OF
any compromise.
The
result was, that the chancellor,
ou licaring the cause, made a decision directly against
His talent
for drollery
could not forsake More, even in
his liighest elevation.

it is
An
attorney of the
name
of Tul),
said,
once brought him a cause
for subscription,
which
the knight, finding the matter frivolous, signed
Tale of a
Tub
and Tub bore away the cause
in
triumph, without
at that time discovering the joke.f-
While he was
to
sitting in his hall
one day, a beggar came

detained a
little
him
to complain, that Lad}'

her.
More
dog
which belonged to
The
chancellor sent for his lady^

her.
and ordered her

his hands,
to brins; the
dog with
He
took
it
into
and placing Lady More at the upper end of the

beggar to stand at the lower end.
every one justice
;
hall, desired the
sit
here,
he
said, to do
call
and he desired each

favourite immediately
;
of them to
forsook his
the dog-.
mistress
The
little
new
and ran to the beggar
upon which
by pur-
Lady More was compelled

chasing the animal. ^
to indulge her partiality
The duke of Norfolk came
to dine with Sir
Thomas one
'
day at Chelsea while he was chancellor, and found him at

church singing in the quire with a surplice on.
God's body,
God's body,
my
lord chancellor,
clerk,
t More.
said
his
grace as they
?
went home, what a parish

Roper.
a parish clerk
%
you
dis-
Ibid.
SIR T.
lionour the king
MORE.
'
115
and
his office.'
Nay/ rephed
for serving
Sir
Tho-
mas, smiUng,
'
your grace
will
may
with
not think that the king,
your master and mine,
me
God,
his
master, be offended, or thereby account his office dishonoured.' *
Few
injunctions as he granted while he
was chancellor
of
to stop proceedings at
common
law, he
had yet gone too

all
far in this particular to obtain the approbation
the
judges
whereof he received information from Mr. Roper.
Sir
to
Thomas hereupon caused the chief of the six clerks make a docket containing the whole number and causes
all
of
such injunctions as had already passed in

all
his time,
or were then pending before him, and invited

to dine with
the judges
him
in the
council-chamber at Westminster.
After dinner, he hinted at the complaints he had heard,
and then displayed so
clearly the
motives of his conduct,
that they were compelled to confess tliey would have acted

similarly
under similar circumstances.
that if the justices of every court (unto
He then observed whom the reformown

conscience bound,
ing the rigour of the law appertained) would, in their

discretion, as
he thought they were
in
reform that rigour themselves, he would grant no more injunctions.

selves,
Mhich, when they refused, forasmuch as yourlords,
my
he
said, drive
me
to that necessiiij
of award-
ing-out injunctions to relieve the people^s injury, you cannot
hereafter any more justly blame me.

Roper.
I perceive,
son,
he add-
Q2
IIG
MEMOIRS OF
k'î/
cd to Mr. Roper,
ihcy like not so to do.
For they
see
that they may, by the verdict of the jury, cast-off all quarrels from
themselves on those; which they do account their
chief defence.
And
all
therefore
am I
compelled to abide the
adventure of
such reports.*
So indefatigable was More

and so expert and
his presidency in the
in his application to business,

it,
in the dispatch of
that
it is
said,
during
chancery, having one day ended a
cause,
calling for the
next which was to be heard, he

was not another cause depend-
received for answer that

ing. -f
it
the7'e
This fact he ordered to be entered upon record, and

rise,
gave
probably at a later day, to the following epi-
gram.
When More sometime had chanc'Uor No more suits did remain

;
been
The same
shall never
more be seen
Till Alore be there again.
More, while he was chancellor, cannot be supposed to

have had
abilities
much
in
leisure
for religious controversy.
Yet
his
were
request to oppose the reformers, and his
English works abundantly prove what his son-in-law asserts,

that he set-forth divers
trtie
profitable
works in defence of the

sown-abroad
christian religion against
heresies secretly
in the realm.
The
bishops, considering that notwithstanding the favour

Roper.
t More.
SIR T.
MORE.
117
f the king, he was not a rich man, agreed at a convocation,
with others of the

of
clerg}-^,
to
recompence him with a

five
sum
money (supposed
to
have been four or
thou-
sand pounds), to be raised

Batli,
among them.
The bishops of
in conse-
Durham, and Exeter, waited upon him

him the money
in the
quence, and acknowledging the obhgation of their body to

his labours, presented
name of
the
convocation.
thanks, that
it
More
refused the present,
and
said with his
was no small comfort to him, that men so
wise and learned so well accepted his simple doings, for
which he never intended to receive reward but at the hands

of God, to
whom
their
thanks were due.
When
no importunity would prevail with him, the bishops

his
besought More that they might present the money to

wife and children.
*
'
Not
so
my
lords,' said
the knight.
that either I
had rather see
it
cast in the
Thames than
or any of
mine should have thereof the worth of a penny.

oft'er,
For although your
my
lords,
be indeed very friendly
and honourable, yet
set I so little
by
my
profit
and so much
have
lost
by
my
pleasure, that I
would not
in
good
faith
the watching of so
liberal offer.
many
nights for
much more
that,
all
than 3'our
And
yet wish would
I, for all
upon con-
dition that all heresies
were suppressed, that

lost.'*
my
books
were burnt and
my
labour
The
that
reformers circulated a report from this circumstance,
More was
bribed by the clergy, the greater part

Roper.
ot-
il8
MEMOIRS OF
he certainly
far surpassed in
whom
knowledge, to wrile
against tlieni.*
In
bis writings, Sir

'
Thomas hath
the following jiassage
on
this subject.
I will not
say nay, but that
some good
have
and honourable men of them

of
(the clergy) would, in reward

heretics,
my
I
good
will
and luy labour against these
given
But
could
me much more than ever I dare take God and them also never fee me with one penny
it.
did or could deseri-e.

to record, that all they
thereof; but, as I plain-
ly told
them, I would rather have cast their money into
the
Thames than take

thank of
Tor albeit they were, as indeed

honourable, yet look I for
there were, both good
men and
is
my
I
God
that
their better,
theirs.
and
1
for
whose sake
take the labour and not for
am
not yet fully
so virtueless, but that of
mine own natural
disposition, withI
out any special peculiar help of grace thereto,

over-proud and over-slothful
also, to
am
1
both
be hired /or
moiici/, to
take half the labour and business in writing, that
have
taken in
this
gear (matter) since
1 began.'
-f-
Soon
after his entry
upon
his office of chancellor,
Henry
again importuned
More upon
Mr. Roper,
the subject of the divorce.

fell
The
knight, saith
his
on
his
knees and be-
sought
majesty to remain the gracious sovereign he had
ever found him.
Nothing had been so grievous
to
him
as
his inability to serve his
majesty in that matter with a safe
conscience, having ever borne in

More.
mind
)-
his majesty's
p. ^6/,
words
Eng. worki,
SIR T.
MORC.
119
on
his entry into his service, the
most virtuous lesson which

to
prince ever taught his servant, first

after
look unto
God, and
God
unto him.
Henry answered, continues Roper,
tliat
if j\Iore
could
not conscientiously serve him in that matter, he was content to accept the knight's services in other ways,
and
to
take the advice

did not revolt at
of"
it
;
others of his council
whose consciences
that he would continue his favour tohis
ward the knight, and never more molest

that matter.
conscience with
But
this
langiiage proceeded from Henry's

shall find,,
heart as
it
alway should have been, and not, as we

it
fiom what
alway was.
Dr.
Cranmer, fellow of Jesus-college, Cambridge, had

in the
remarked by accident
company of Gardiner,
secre-
tary of state, and Fox, the king's almoner, that the readiest
way, either to quiet Henry's conscience or to extort the

all
pope's consent to his divorce, would be to consult

universities of
the
Europe on the question, whose decree the

it
pope must
find
very
difficult
to resist
and Henrj-, dethe right sow by
lighted at the idea, swore

the ear,
Cranmer had got
and immediately took him into

gave
his favour.
Several
universities
their verdict according; to the king's
wish
without hesitation, and Oxford and Cambridge in
time
complied
also.
Clement, however, lying
still
under the
influence of thu emperor, persevered in

either in person or
summoning Henry,
But
of
by proxy,
citation as
to
appear at Rome.
insult
;
Henry regarded the
an
and the
earl
120
JfEMOIRS OF
Wiltshire, father of
Ann
Boleyn, wlio bore to the pope his
mairsty's reasons for not aj)pcaring, gave his hohncss the
aHiont of refusing the customary salute to his profl'ered

toe.
In a word, îore plainly perceived the king's determination to
marry
Ann Boleyn
his
at all events,
and that
all
his
measures and those of
parliament pointed to a breach
with the church of Rome, and to an alteration of religion.
His
office
occasioned him to be sent by the king, in comcertain nobles

to inform
pany with
and bishops, from the
lords to the
universities
af-
commons,
them the opinions of the

to recite
in
and he was compelled

forded him
little
tale,
which certainly
satisfaction
the lelhng.
But
Alore's
contempt of worldly greatness was too strong

conscience, and
to allow
him
to hold the highest of stations subject to the violation of his

it
was certainly not improbable, as matters

Irccjuently
now
the
stood, that he might
undergo similar
trials.
Thoutrh he mio-ht concur with those

illegal jurisdiction
who would
this
abbreviate
of the pope in
country, he saw
now by
the king's designs that a total rupture would Ibllow;

to
and he was not inclined
go to that length which the court
intended against the catholic cause, not to mention the objections he appeared to have to the di\orce.
We shall
not wonder then, that
particular friend, the
More soon applied to his duke of Norlolk, M' intercede with

to resign tiic sial.
Henry, that he might be permitted

complaint in
his breast arising
trom too streuuous an appU-
SIR T.
MORE.
ISI
cation to business, was the reason assigned
by the knight
to the duke, as well as in his letters to his friends, for this
resignation
and perhaps those only who are unacquainted
with the character of Henry, will blame

dissimulation on the occasion.
More
for so
much
But Norfolk knew too

to his majesty without
well the value of

filled, to
More
to
the
king in the station which he
make
such a proposal
fi-om the knight;
it
much importunity
well,
and Henry knew
his
worth too
to listen to
without
repeated solicitation.
last obtained,
The
king's consent was, however, at

his
and More waited upon

seal.
majesty by ap1532.
pointment, to deliver-up the
'
Which,'
continues
Mr. Roper,
'
as
his
grace, with
office,
thanks and praise for his worthy service in that

his
at
hands courteously received, so
it
pleased his highness
farther to say unto him, that for the service

fore
which he behonour
had done him,
in
any
suit
which he should afterward

his
(for
have unto him which should either concern

that word
it
pleased his highness to use unto him), or which

profit,
should appertain unto his
he should find
his highness
a good and gracious lord unto him.*
More's great-grandson adds, perhaps somewhat /<?e////o7?/,

*
how
true these words proved, let others be judges,
when
he
the king not only bestowed not
upon him the value of one

his posterity all that ever
penny, but took from him and
Vol.
I.
122
MEMOIRS OF
left
had, either given by himself, or
him by
his father, or
purchased by himself
It
hath been justly remarked of More, that he descendhis high station

it.
ed from
with more joy and alacrity than
he had ascended to
his fortune,
He
sported with the varieties of

station, nor the
and neither the pride of high

his
melancholy of retreat could disturb

his Inends discovered soitow
serenity.
When
on
his
descent from grandeur,
he laughed at
losing a
their distress,
and made them ashamed of

trivial
moment's chearfulness from such
misfor-
tunes.*
His second wife appears from the following anecdote to
have been
sion.
less
of a philosopher than himself on this occa-
During
been
his chancellorship,
one of
INIore's
attendants had
over, of go-
in the habit, after the church-service
was
ing to his lady's
pew
to inform her
when
the chancellor was

office.
gone.
Sir
The
said,
first
holiday after the resignation of his
Tliomas came to the pew himself, and, making a low
bow,
gined
it
;
madam,
ini/
lord
is
gone.
His lady at
little
first
ima-
this to
be one of
his jests,
and took
notice of
but when he informed her seriously that he had resignseal,
ed the
she was in a passion.
The
facetious knight
called his daughters,

in their mother's
and asked
?
if
they could espy no fault
appearance
Being answered in the ne-
* Hume.
SIR T.
gative,
MORE.
la
he replied, do ye not perceive that her nose stand-
eth
somewhat awry ? *
reported to have exclaimed with her
Tilli vally,
The good lady

you do Mr. More
is
usual worldly feeling on this occasion,

? will yoit sit
what
will
and make
gosli?igs in the ash-
es ? it is better to rule
than
to be ruled, f.
More's
first
care after the resignation of his office, was,
to provide situations for his late attendants.

his influence to place these
He
used
all
;
among
the nobility
and bishops
and next
called together his children,

their families in his
whom
own
hitherto he
had maintained with
house, in the
manner of an ancient
ly
patriarch.
Declaring to them that

still
he could not now, as he had done formerly, and
glad-
would have done, bear
all
their
expences himself, he
asked their advice, what they should do that they might

continue to
live together,
which he much desired
.'*
AVhen he saw us
silent,'
continues Mr. Roper, and in

'
that case not read}' to shew our opinions unto him,

will 1,' said he,
'
then
shew
my
'
poor mind to ye.
have been
brought-up,' quoth he,

cery, at Lincoln's-inn,
at Oxford, at an inn of the chanalso in
and
the king's court,

;
and
so
from the
j'early
least degree to
this
the highest
and yet have

little
I in
revenues at
present left
:
me
above a hunhereafter
dred pounds by the year

if
so that
now must we
f More.
we
like to live together,

Roper.
be contented to become contri-
124
MEMOIRS OF
But by
butors together.
for us to
fall
my
counsel,
first.
it
shall
will
not be best
to the lowest fare

fare,
We
not therefore
;
descend to Oxford
nor to the fare of New-inn
but
right
we
will
begin with Lincoln's-inn diet, where

full
many
worshipfuls and of good years do live
well together
first
AVhich
if
we
find not ourselves able
to
maintain the
year, then will
we
the next year go one step
down
to
New-
inn fare, wherewith

Jf
many an
fare,
honest
man
we
is
well-contented.
the next year
that exceed our ability too, then
will
after
descend to Oxibrd
where many grave, learned,

:
and ancient
fathers be continually conversant
Which
if
our power stretch not to maintain neither, then ma}' Ave yet
Avith
bags and wallets go a begging together, and hoping
that for pity
some good
folks
Avill
give us their charity, at

still
every man's door to sing salve regiiia, and so
keep com-
pany and be merry
together.'
'
And
he
whereas,' adds
"was
Mr. Roper,
'
you have heard beliving,
fore,
by the king, from a very worshipful
taken into his service, with
whom,
in all
the great
and and
weighty causes that concerned his highness or the realm,
he consumed and spent, with painful

troubles, as well
effect the
cares, travails
beyond the
seas as within the realm, in

his
life
;
whole substance of
yet, with all tha
gain he got thereby (being never wasteful spender thereof)
he was not
able, after the resignation of his office of the
lord chancellor, for the
maintenance of himself and such
as necessarily belonged unto him, sufficiently to find meat,
drink, fuel,
and apparel, and such other necessary charges.
SIR T.
MORE.
126
All the land that ever he purchased (which also he pur-
chased before he was lord chancellor) was not, I

assured, above the value of twenty
am
well
marks by the year.

I
And
after his debts paid,
he had not
left
know
(his
chain ex-
cepted) in gold and silver
him, the worth of one hun-
dred pounds/
When
was not
More's house was afterward searched upon

it
his
couniiitment to the Tower, because

really so
was thought that he

his
poor as he appeared to be, he told

this
daughter Margaret that

those
would prove but a sport
to
who knew
the truth of his poverty, unless indeed they
should Jind his wife^s gay girdle and her golden heads^'
It
was about
this
time that More's father, Sir John

;
INlore,
died, in extreme old age
having lived to see the summit

in
of
his son's prosperity,
and departing
time not to wit-
ness his severe end.
Sir
Thomas
on
is
said to have displayed
the strong-est
filial
affection
last,
this
occasion
and the old
man
breathed his
comforted by the prayers and em-
braces of his dear
son.-j^
Little, if
any, increase of fortune accrued to

Sir John's last wife,
More by
Sir
his father's death.
who
outlived
Thomas about
ten years, enjoyed her husband's chief house

in
and lands at Gubbins
Hertfordshire.
:j:
And
in
More's
Apology, written about

lands
this time,
in all
he
asserts, as for all the
and fees that I have

* More. t
England, beside such lands

% More.
Ibid, and
Roper.
126
MEMOIRS OF
fees as
and
is
I have of
the gift of the king's most noble grace,
not at this day, nor shall be zrhilc

life
(whose
tin uv)
and good health

to
my I pray God
his
mother-in-law liveth
long keep and con-
worth yearly
my
Ining, the stim offull jij'ty pounds*
Such was More's

In
charitj',
and
contempt of wealth
his
Latin works are preserved two letters which
More
office,
wrote to Erasmus soon after the rcsisrnation of his

lliey contain
lated.
some
interesting passages
which are here trans-
'
The thing which

I
have wished
for
from a boj, dear
Desiderius, which
rejoice in
your having ever enjoyed,

that being
free
and
myself occasionally,
namely,
from
public business, I might have
some time
to devote to
God
last
and myself,
that,
by the grace of a great and good God,

I
and by the favour of an indulgent prince,

obtained.
have at
have not, liowever, obtained

last stage
it
as I wished.
For
wished to reach that
of
my
life in
a state,
Avhicli,
though suitable to
my
age, might yet enable
me
to enjoy
dis-
my
remaining years healthy and unbroken, free from
ease and pain.
But
it
remaineth
in
the
hand of God,
whether
plished.
this
wish, perhaps unreasonable, shall be accom-
Meantime a
disorder of 1
know not what nature

I sutFer less in
hath attacked
pain than
my
breast,
by which
present
it
in fear
of the consequence.
* Eng. Tforks, p. 867-
For when
had
SIR T.
MORE.
127
plagued
cians
me without abatement some months, the physiwhom I consulted gave their opinion, that the long
it
continuance of
possible
;
was dangerous, and the speedy cure imit
but that
must be cured by the gradual

proper diet and medicine.
altera-
tive effects of time,
Neither
could they
fix
the period of
last.
my
recovery, or ensure
me
complete cure at
Considering
office, or
this,
saw that
must
it
either lay
down
my
of
discharge
my
duty in
incompletely.
And
office,
since I could not discharge that duty without the hazard
my
life,
and by so doing should
lose
both
life
and
I determined to lose one of

fore, that I
them rather than
both.
Where-
might consult the public good as well as
my
own
welfare, I entreated of the kindness of
my
good and
great prince, that from the high office with which (as you
know) he honoured me by
his
incredible favour, far above
my
of
pretensions,
above
my
hopes, above
I
my
wishes,
he
should
it.
now
release
me, sinking as
was under the weight
'
I therefore
pray heaven, that God,

his
who
alone
is
;
able,
may
repay these favours of
majesty toward
me
that
the remaining time which he allottcth

in inglorious
and
slothful repose, but
me may not be spent that he may give me

to
inclination and
ably.
strength of
body
also,
employ
it profit-
For, under
bad
health, I
am
not equal to anything;
nor,
my
good
friend, are
we
all like
Erasmus, that that

his
might be expected from us which
God in
kindness seems
128
MEMOIRS OF
For who but yourself
to have granted exclusively to you.
could dare to promise Avhat you accomplish?

arc not hindered
you,
who
by the inconvenicncies of growing age,
and, though you be constantly atHicted with such maladies

as might sicken
and overcome youth and strength, yet
cease you not yearly to instruct

writings, as if age
thin <i'.
mankind by your
excellent
and
ill
health had robljcd
you of no-
'
Certain praters had begun to give

1
it
out here, that
though
dissembled
;
lu}'
sentiments, I gave-up
my
I
otlice
unwilhngly
but, having set-about
my monument,
it
have
not failed to represent the matter as

epitaph, that,
if
really was, in
my
anybody could,
n)ight myself confute
such insinuations.
could not tax
In appreciating this act, though they

with falsehood, they acquitted
me
me
not of
some degree of
Avho think very
ai'rogance.
;
But
I preferred this, to letting
the other gain credit

little
certainly not
on
my own
God
account,
of what
men
say
wliile
approveth,
in the
but since 1 had written some books in our language
cause of the faith against certain of our advocates for the
most disputed
tenets, I
conceived that
defend the integrity of
my
character.
know how
these
arrogantly 1 have written,
me to And that you may I send you my epiit
behoved
taph, by which
you
will
see with
what assurance
I leave
men
uncomplinicnted, that they

please.
may
the
less
say of
nie
what they
I
have now waited a due time for suffrages on
my
SIR
official
T.
MORE.
lyc)
conduct, but no one hath jet stepped ibrward to
challenge
my
integrity.
must thus have

if
bcci very in-
nocent or very cautious, and

give
my
adversaries will not

for the other.
me
credit for the
one they must
The
suc-
king himself hath declared his sentiments on the subject

often in private, and twice in public.
cessor,
J*'or
liis
when
my
a very
first-rate
personage, took
scat, his
ma-
jesty
commanded
England, to
duke of Norfolk, high-treasurer of bear most honourable testimony of me, yea

the
more than
my
modesty w ill allow
me
to repeat,
and
to say
;
that he dismissed
me most
unwillingly at
my
entreaty
and
be
not content with so great a favour, he caused

repeated long afterward in
of peers and
in his first
iiis
this to
presence, in our assembly
commons called parliament, by my successor, speech, made as is customary on that occasion.'
The monumental scribed by More on The remams of

viously.*
his
inscription
above alluded
to,
was
in-
the south side of the choir of his parish

his office.
church at Chelsea, soon after the resignation of

first
wife being
removed
thither,
he
subjoined the verses, which he had written
many
years pre-
The
original
and a
translation here follow.
Thomas Morus,
Urbe Londinensi
familia non celebri sed Iiouesta natus,
In Uteris ufctinque versatus,
Quum
et causas aliquot
aunos juvenis egisset in
foro,
Et
in urbe sua pro shyrevo jus dixisset,

'*
English work>.
Vol.
I.
130
xAIEMOIRS
OF
All inviclissimo rci^c Ilcniico Vfll
(Cui uni rcgtim oiuiiiuin gloria prius
iiuiulilu coiiligil
Ut FIDEI DEFENSOR,
Qualcm
el
gladio sc ct culaino vcrc
praDslitit,
Mcrito vocaretur)
Adscitus in aiilam est
Delcctusque
ProqujEstor
in
consilium ct crcatus cqiics,
primum, post
caiiccUarius Lancasliiaj,
factus est.
tandem
Angliie,
Miro principis favore
Sed interim in publico rcgni scnatu lectus est orator populi

Praetcrea legatus regis nonuunqiiara fnil, alias alibi,
Postrenio vero Camcr.,(;i,
Comes ct
collcga junctus priricipi IcgaUouLs (Juthberto Tonstallo,
Turn Londinensi mox Dnmlemenii cpiscopo;
Quo
viro vix babet orbis hodie quicquara eruditius, prudcntius, melius.
Ibi inter suramos orbis cliristiani monarclias rur.sus refecta foedcra,
RtdditamqiiP
mundo
diu desideiniam pucem
El
lietissiiims vidit ct legatus interfuit.
Quam
Ut
sui^ri
pacem
(irment faxiutquc pcrennem
la hoc ofliciorum vel hononiin cursu
quum
ita versarctur
neque princeps optimus operam ejus improbaret

nobilibus essct invisus, nee iujucundus populo,
Ncquc
Furibus autera, hoiuicidis, hicrcticisque molestus,

Pater ejus landem, Johannes JNIorus, eques,
Etin cum judicumordinema piincipc cooplatus qui regius consessus vocatur,
Homo
civilis, suavis,
innocens, mitis, miscricors, .-cquus ct integer,
Annis quidam
gravis sed corpore
plusquam pro
sibi
ajtate vivido,
Postqnam eo productain
vitam vidit
Lt
iilium videret Angli;e canccllarium,
Satis in terra
jam se moratum
ratus
Libens raigravit in coelum.
At
filius,
defuncto patre,
et
Cui, quamdiu supererat, comparatus
juvenis vocari consucverat
Et
ipse
quoque
sibi
vidcbatur,
Amissura jam patrcju requirens
sill T.
MORE.
131
Et editos ex
se libeios
quatuor ac nepotes undecim lespicicus,
Apud
aiiiraum
suum
ca-pit pcrscnesccrt.
Auxit liunc
afl&^^ctum aiiimi
Siibsecuta slatim, velut appetentis senii signum,

Pectoris valctuc^? deterior.
Itaquc morlalium haruiTi rerum

Qu;i.in
sattir,
rem a puero
peiie st-mper optaverat,
Ut
ultimos aliquot
vitaj suaj
annos obtincret
liberos,
Quibus hujus
vitae negotiis
paulatim
se
subdacens
Futura? possit immortalitatem meditari,
Earn rem (aadcm
(si cccptis
annuat D'us)
Indulgentissinii piincipis incomparabili beneficio

Resigiiatis bouoribus impetravit
Atque hoc sepulcbrum
sibi
Qaod
mortis
cum nunquam
Translatis
cessantis adrcpere quotidie commoncfaccret,
Luc
prioris uxoris ossibus,
Extrucndum
curavit.
Quod
Neve
ne
supors^tc's IVustra sibi tecerit
ingruentiim trepidus mortem horreat,
Sed desiderio Christi libcns oppetat,
Mortemque
ut sibi non
omniao mortem
Sed jaimara
vi(a3 fciir ioris invcniat,
Precibus eiim
piis, lector optirae,
Spirantem precor defanctumque prosequere.
Chara Tboma;
jacct hie
Joanna hunc
iixorcula Mori,
Qv't tuniiilum Alicia;
destine,
quique
milii.
Una
mihi dedit hoc conjuncta vircntibus annis

vocet nt pucr et trina puella patrem.
Me
Altera privignis (qu;e gloria rara noverca; est)
Tani pia quam gnatis vix

Altera
sic
tuit
uUa
suis.
niccum
vixit, sic altera vivit,

est
Charior inccrtum
hc
sit
an hc
fuerit.
S 2
132
MEMOIRS OF
O
At
simul
juncti potcramus viverc nos trcs

si
Quam
socict
bene,
fatum
rcligiocjuc siiiaiit
!
tumulus, societ nos obsccro ccelum
Sic mors,
non potuit quod dare
vita, dabit.
Tbomas More,
Bora
in the city of
London, of no distinguished but of an honest family,

in literature,
Somewiiat of a proficient
When, in iiis youtli he luid pleaded at the bar some years And discharged the olhce of under-slieriff in that city He, by the redoubted king Henry VIH
(To
whom
alone of kings accrued the glory, before unknown,
Of
As indeed he
being deservedly entitled

Ol'
nEFENDEn
provetl himself
THE FAITH,
as well as the pen,)
by the sword
to court
Was ciilied
Chosen a privy-counsellor, knighted, and made

Sub-treasurer, chancellor of Lancaster, and chancellor of
England
In succession, by his king's great kindness.
]Mcantimc he was chosen speaker of the commons
And
appointed ambas-sador to various courts

Last of
all
to
Cambray,
Being associated with Cuthbert Tonstall, the chief of that embassy.
Then bishop of London and
since of
Durham,
learned, wiser, or better.
A man
than
whom
the world can scarcely boast one

to see
more
There he had the pleasure
and
to negociate
The
renewal of the leagues bitwcen the chief princes of Christendom
And the restoration to the world of long, wished- for peace. Which jxace may heaven confirm and long preserve!
When
he had so acquitted himself in these duties and Iionours,

his
That neither could
good king arraign
his
conduct
Nor
the peers or
commons
disapprove,
Though
he had been severe to thieves, murderers, and heretics,
SIR T.
At length
Appointed by
xMORE.
John More,
ISS
his father, Sir
his majesty
a judge of the king's-beiich,
A man of courtcousand pleasant manners, harmless, gentle, full of compassion, just and uncorrupT,
Old indeed
in years, yet fresh for his
age in bodily strength,
After living to see his son chancellor of England,
Thinking he had
'
tarried long
enough on
earth,
Passed willingly to heaven.
The
Compared
to
son,
on the death of his
father,
whom,
while he lived, he was called a
young man,
And
And beholding
indeed seemed so to himself,

his best parent
Wanting now
Began
four children of his
own and
eleven grandchildren,
old.
to fancy himself
this
growing
And
fancy was strengthened
By
the immediate succession of a disorder in his breast,
A
The
symptom
as
it
were of approaching age.
Having then
tasted plentifully of this world's pursuits,
thing which he had wished for from a boy.

his last years free,
tliis life's
That he might enjoy some of
And
withdrawing himself by degrees from

leisure to meditate
business
Might have
on
his future immortality.
That thing
at last (if
God
approve)
By
the incomparable kindness of his most indulgent king,
Having
resigned his honours, he hatii obtained.
And
he hath erected
this
monument,
first
Having removed
hither the remains of his

his
wife,
deatli.
As a constant memorial of
That he may not have done
ever-approaching
this in
vain while yet he lived,
That he dread not

But meet
it
the approach of death.
cheerfully from the love of Christ,
And
that he find death not his extinction
But the entrance of a happier
existence.
Do
thou good reader
assist
him with thy pious prayers
As
well
now while he
liveth as after his decea:>e.
I'M
MEMOIRS OF
Here
lies
ray Jane, dear wife of

here
Thomas More,
And
Tlucc
my
Alice and myself oulJ Ue
girls,
a boy,
my
Jane her pailuer bore,
M'ith
rarest !>tep.laiues
may my
Alic vie.
.
Sj bless'd the Oral
my
jouthful ycius
ith love,
So sooths the sccoud
my
matiuer day,
Each seems
in viun superior \vortb to
prove
For each divides
my
heart with equal sway.

lu,tc,
Religion's laws had they allow'd, or
Here brac'd
in triple concord could
we
live
('rant grave, grant lieavcn that bless'd united stale,
And
death
all'ord wUiit
lilt;
couJkl uever give
To
the elegant
is
pen of
tlie
Reverend Francis AVrangham
the reader
indebted lor the following additional translation
of the verses.
Within
This,
this
tomb Jane,
for Alice
wife of More, reclines
More
and himself designs.
The first, dear object of my youthful vow, Gave me three daughters and a son to know The next, ah virtue in a stepdamc rare
Nursed
my
sweet infants with a mother's care.
With both my years so happily have past. Which most my love, I know not first, or
last.
had
religion, destiny allow'd.
How
smoothly, raix'd, had our three fortunes flowed!

in the
But be we
tomb,
in
heaven
allietl
life
So kinder death
shall grant,
what
denied.
More had now

of his abode.
for
some years made Chelsea the place

than four houses in that parish have
No
less
SIR T.
laid
MORE.
liis
135
claim to the honour of
residence
of whicli, that
re-
subsequently belonging to Sir Robert Cecil, and more
cently called Beaufort House, appears to have the best

pretension.
Rojicr,
in
Vvâs
' *
good distance from
his house,' says
Mr.
builded he a place called the New-building, where-
a chapel, a library, and a gallery.'
Mr. More adds,

in
that Sir
Thomas
it
built
a chapel or chancel
Chelsea-church
and furnished
give
it
liberally with
it
plate, &c. saying,

arcay.
good men
and bad men take

;
This
is
said to
have
his
been the south chancel arms remained

ago.
until
it
in the east
Avindow of which,
was repaired about eighty years
lie also hired a house for the aged, in this parish,

;
and supported them

Margaret, the
plied.*
office
delegating to his favourite daughter,
of seeing that their wants were sup-
Before
will
we
leave this period of More's chancellorship,
it
be proper to advert to the allegation made, of
his fu-
rious zeal while in office in persecuting heterodoxy.
Of our
martyrologist Fox,
it
hath been justly said, that

His
neither his facts nor his temper are to be relied upon.

relations of
More
are,
however, followed by Burnet and

in a later day, following these au-
Strype
and Mr. Hume,
thorities,
hath told us that Sir Thomas, though adorned
with the gentlest manners and the purest integrit}^ carried

to the
utmost height
his aversion to
heterodoxy.
Tiiis
man,
saith the historian,
whose elegant genhis and familiar ac* More,
1S6
MEMOIRS OF
tlie
quuintance with
vei ;v
noble
spirit
of antiquity liad given him

in
enJargcd .sailinicnts, anil
who had
his early years

\)C
advanced principles wlucli even at

I'd
i)resent
would
deeni-
somewhat
too free, had in the course
ot"
events been so
irritated
by polemics, and thrown into such a supersitious
aitaciunent to the ancient faith, that few inquisitors have
been guilty of greater violence in their persecution of heresy.
Zeal lor religion hath,
it is
true,
been able in
many
in-
stances to render the sweetest dispositions ferocious, nay,

to inake
man
worse by grace than he was by nature
and
the religion in which
More had been educated,

witli
the ignoot"
rance and superstition,
the
usual progress
men's
sentiments, during the age in which he lived, might, had

lie
not himself given the

this
lie
to
these calumnies, have been
adduced at
\\ere
day
in extenuation of his
conduct.
There
moreover so many of corrupt minds and
evil prin-
ciples,
who abused
it is
the reformation to serve their
own
vilest
purposes, that
not to be wondered at
if
More, as well
it.
as others, entertained strong prejudices against
Germany
was
was a scene of uproar, the commonalty acting

their
as if all
own, and plundering whoever they pleased.
Who
light
l<nows not, exclaims the good Erasmus,
how many
and
seditious ones are ready,
on
this
pretence of reforma-
tion, to
break loose in every kind of crime, had not the
severity of
this
power
restrained their temerity
Were
it
not for
check,
the pseudo-gospellers had long since broken
into the cellars
and cabinets of the
rich,
and every one

lose.
would have proved a papist who had any thing to
SIR T.
MORE.
137
But what
Avill
a candid reader require from a
man
of
Mere's acknowledged integrity, stronger tlian the following

curious assertions in his
36^^ chapter of his
own
behalf, to
be found in the
Apology, printed
in his English
works
with which
we
will
conclude the present chapter, for they
seem
to
need no comment.
'
The
lies
are neither few nor small, which
blessed brethren have
made, and daily yet
many of the make by me.
Divers of
them
liave said, that, of
such as were in
my
house
tor-
while I was chancellor, I used to examine
them with
ments, causing them to be bounden to a tree in
my
garden
and there piteously beaten.

right-worshipful friend of
this fortnight, tell
And
this tale
had some of
those good brethren so caused to be blown about, that a
mine did of
late,
within less than
unto another near friend of mine, that
he had of late heard
much speaking
thereof.
'
AVhat cannot these brethren say who can be so shamesay thus? For, of very truth, albeit that for a great
less to
robbery, or an heinous murder, or sacrilege in a church,
with carrying away the pix with the blessed sacrament, or

villanously casting
to be
it
out, I caused sometimes such things
done by some
officers
of the Marshalsea, or of some
other prisons
well deserved pain,
with which ordering of them, by their
and without any great hurt that

by them,
I
after-
ward should
stick
found-out and repressed
many
such desperate wretches as else had not failed to have

to
gone farther abroad, and
have done to
many good
folk
Vol.
I.
133
MEMOIRS OF
a great deal
much more
liarm
vet thousli
so did in
thieves, nmrderers,
and robbers of churches, and notwith-
standing also that heretics be yet
much worse than

all,
all
they,
yet, saving only their sure keeping, I never did else cause
any such thing

life,
to be
tvpain.
done to any of them
in aJl
my
except only
Of which the one was a mine own house whom his

*
;
child,
and a servant of mine
in
father had, ere ever he
came
with me, nursed-up in such matters, and had set him to

attend upon George Jay
this child his
This George Jay did teach
ungracious heresy against the blessed sacra-
ment of
house,
the altar.
Which
heresy, this child afterward, be-
ing in service with me, began to teach another child in
my
who
uttered his counsel.

I
And, upon
that point per-
ceived and known,
caused a servant of mine to stripe
him, like a child, before mine household, for

of himself and example of such other.
amendment
'
Another was one, who

fell
after that
he had
fallen into
those fiantic heresies,

beside.
soon after into plain open frenzy
And
albeit that
he had therefore been put-up in

correction, gatherto
Bedlam, and afterward, by beating and

ed
his
remembrance
to
him and began
come again
to
himself, being thereupon set at liberty,
and walking about
abroad, his old fancies began to

I
fall
again in his head.
And
was from divers good holy places advertised, that he used,

wandering about, to come into the church, and there
toys and
tritles,
in his
make many mad
to the trouble of
good
SIR T.
MORE.
139
people
in
the divine service.

in the
And And
specially
would he be
most busy
time of most silence, while the priest was

if
at the secrets
of the mass.
if
he spied any
woman
he were
kneeling at a form,
her head hung anything low in her
meditations, then would he steal lx;hind her,
and
if
not letted, would labour to
lift-up all
her clothes and cast
them quite over her head. Whereupon,

being advertised of these pageants, and
being sent unto and required by very devout, religious folk,

to take
some other order with him, caused him,
as he
came
and
town
wandering by
my
door, to be taken by the constables
bounden
to a tree in the street, before the whole

therefore,
it
till
and there they striped him with rods

ed weary, and somewhat longer.
that his
he Avax-
And
appeared well
it
remembrance was good enough, save that

till
went
about in grazing
it
Avas
beaten home.
For he could
then very well rehearse his faults himself, and speak and
treat very well,
verily,
and promise
!
to
do afterward as
well.
And
God
be thanked
I hear
none harm of him now.
And of all who ever came in my hand for heresy, as help me God saving, as I said, the sure keeping of them
'
!
(and yet not so sure neither, but that George Constantine

could steal away), else had never any of them any stripe
or stroke given them, so
much
as a
fillip
on the forehead.
T2
140
*
MEarOIRS OF
And now
known
dare I say, that
if tliis
pacifier
had by expe-
rience
the truth of that kind of people, he avouUI
not have given so

plainings
much
own
credence to their lamentable comfaith
Howbeit, what
my
^vords will have with
him, in these mine
causes, 1 can not very surely say
nor yet very greatly care.
iVnd yet stand

I
not in so
doubt of myself, but that
trust well, that
much among many

I trust I
good and honest men (among which
sort of folk
may
reckon him), mine
own word would
alone, even in
mine own cause, be somewhat

of another
better believed, than
would
mat-
the oaths ot some twain of this

ter
new brotherhood
in a
man/
SIR T.
MORE.
141
CHAP.
IV.
More*s anticipation of
his fate.
He
tvithdraws
from
public business.
to
.... His remark on Henry's second marriage, and advice

tvell.
, .
Cromhis
His behaviour
.
.
to the bishops.
Malignant scrutiny on
letter to
conduct.
The nun of
.
Kent.
More's
Cromwell, and a
.
curious anecdote.
More
accused of misprision of treason.

.
.
Con.
.
duct of the committee for examining him.
More's firmness.
.
His
ply.
letter to the king.

. . .
He
is
accused of ingratitude.
.
.
His
,
re.
Anecdote on
his
return home.
bill.
.
The
king's conduct.
in parliament.
More's name erased from the
Acts passed
Henry's triumph
in his
new
. . .
titles.
Opinions of the Romish party,

.
and of their
adversaries.
More
refuselh the oath of succession.

. . .
He
is
cited to
appear at Lambeth.
. . .
His foreboding, and

his curious
.
letter
.
.
to
.
his daughter.
Cranmer's argument, and
letter.
.
More and
Fisher committed to the Tower, ajid attainted.
More's
sentiments on the king's marriage, and the pope's primacy.
XI IS
voluntary resignation of
this
world's dignity
was the
signal for More's rapid
declension from his high elevation,

;
to the lowest point of this world's miserj^
and, his ac-
quaintance with Henry's character enabled him to anticipate

the troubles of his latter days long before their event.
112
'
MEMOIRS OF
He would
talk,'
sijys
Mr. Kopcr,
'
unto
his wife
hell,
and
children of the joys of heaven

lires
and pains of
of the
of holy martyrs, of their grievous martyrdoms, of their of their

passions
marvellous patience, and
and deaths
which they sutiered rather than they would offend God.
And what a happy and blessed thing it was, for the love of God to sutler the loss of goods, imprisonment, loss of lands,
and
life also.
Wherewith,
fell
and the
like
virtuous talk, he
had
so long before his trouble encouraged them, that
when
he afterward
into trouble indeed,

less/
liis
trouble was to
them a great deal the
When
and to
he resigned
his office,
More withdrew
his attention
entirely from public affairs,

his writings.
and devoted himself
to prayer
He
lessened his establishment, sold a
part of his effects, and sent his children to their
own
houses.
He
is
said to have passed
many
to
sleepless nights in
the anfor
ticipation of his fate,
and
have prayed with fervour

he
said, could not
courage under
Jillip.
it,
for his flesh,
endure a
He
once went so
far as to hire his
a pursuivant to come
house, and, knocking
on a sudden at dinner-tinie to
hastily at the door, to
summon him
before the council the
next day.
This was to prepare his family for what they
had
to expect.*'
AVhen the king married

said Sir
zihile be
Ann
Boleyn,
Cod
give grace son,
Thomas
to
Mr. Roper,
that these matters within a
not conjinned with oaths.

* More.
SIR T.
MORE.
143
One day when Thomas Cromwell came to him at Chelsea with a message from the king. More said to him, Mr. Cromwell you are now entered into the service of a most
'
noble, wise, and liberal prince.

advice,
tell
If
you
will follow
my
poor
you
shall in
your counsel-giving to
to do, but never
his grace, ever

is
him what he ought

;
what he
able to
do
so shall
you shew yourself a
true, faithful servant,
and
a right Avorthy counsellor.

strength, hard were
it
For, if a lion
knew
his
own
les-
for
any man
to rule him.'*
More's
great-grandson adds, that Cromwell never learned this

son, for he advised
Henry
as he thought
would please him.
Shortly before the
new
him
queen's coronation,
More
receiv-
ed a
letter
from the bishops of Durham, Bath, and Winto
chester, requesting
keep them company from the
Tower
to the coronation at Westminster,
and
to accept of
20
which they sent at the same time to buy him a gown.

received the
More
their lordships
money but remained at home, and told when he saw them, that as he had complied
with one of their requests, he was the bolder in refusing the

other.
Their conduct, he added, put him in mind of an emperor
who made a
it
law, that whoever committed a certain
offence, unless the offender
was a
first
virgin, should suffer death.
Now
happened that the
offender was a virgin,
and
the emperor was in some perplexity
how
to act, for he wish-
ed to enforce
his law.
When
his council
had debated the
* Roper.
144
MEMOIRS OF
for sonic time,
matter
Avhy
ter?
a good, plain
lords
man
arose
and
said,
make ye
let
'
so
much ado my
first
about so small a mat-
her be
deflowered and thereafter
may
she be
devoured.
knight,
'
And
in
so though your lordships,' continued the
have
the matter of the

virgins, yet
still.
matrimony hitherto
kept yourselves pure
take good heed
my
lords
that ye keep your virginity
For some there be who,

at the coronation to
it,
by procuring your lordships

present,
first
be
and next
to preach. for the setting-forth of

all
;
and
finally to write
books to
the world in defence thereof,
are desirous to deflower ye
and when they have deflowersoon after to devour ye.
ed ye, then
will
they not
fail
my
lords,
it
lieth
vour me, but,
my power but that they God being my good Lord, I will so

not in
Now, may deprovide
* that they shall never deflower me.'
It
hath been conjectured that these words were reported
to the queen,
and that she incensed her consort against

perhaps more probable, that considering
More.
But
it is
his great
weight and influence in the .kingdom, and per-
ceiving that no persuasions were likely to

to favour the divorce, the
move
the knight
bad part of Henry's disposition

to
began now to
prevail,
and that he determined
adopt
harsher measures against More, which led in the end to one
of the deepest stains in his reign.
At
least
malignant
sciiitiny
appears from
in
this
time to
have been exercised with diligence,

Roper*
discovering
some
SIR T. RIORE.
145
ground of accusation against him.

preserved a letter from
In his English works
is
More
to
Thomas Cromwell,
vindi-
cating himself against a false report which had been circulated, that
he had written an answer to the king's
justifica-
tion of his appeal from the pope.
But Elizabeth Barton,

fairer oc-
commonly
called the
Holy maid of Kent, her ravings and

enemies of More a
revelations, soon atibrded the
casion for the exercise of their malignity.
curious letter
lio-ht
from More to Cromwell, which throws the strongest
upon
this subject,
and which was probably written
for the
king's eye, hath been preserved,
and
is
here presented to
the reader as aflbrding an authentic history of the transaction.
Sir Thomas
More
to
Mr. Thomas Cromwell.
Righ t Worsli i p ful
After m}' most hearty recommendation, with like thanks
for
your goodness
in
accepting of
my
rude long
letter,
perceive that of your farther goodness and favour toward
me,
it
liked
your mastership
to break with
my
son Roper,
of that that I had had communication, not only with divers
who were
of ac(iuaintance with the lewd nun of Canterbury,
but also with herself; aud had over that, by
my
writing
declaring favour toward her, given her advice and counsel.
Of
which
my
demeanor, that
it
liketh
you
to be content to
take the labour and the pain to hear, by mine
own
writing,
the truth, I very heartily thank you, and reckon myself

therein right deeply beholden to you.
Vol.
I.
14(5
ME^rOIRS OF
It
is,
'
suppose, about eight or nine years ago since I

first.
heard of that housewife
Canterbury that then

the king's grace a
tain
roll
^\as
At which time the bishop of (God absolve his soul !) sent unto
had, as report was then made,
it
of paper, in whicii were wiitten cerslie
words of
hei*s,
which
in
at sundry times
spoken
her trances. Whcreu])on
pleased
to
the king's grace to deliver
me
the
roll,
commanding me
1
look thereon and afterward shew him what

in.
thought
tiiere-
AVhereunto at another time, when his highness asked

I told
me,
him, that
I
in
good
faith I
found nothing in those

For, seeing
full
Words that
that
also
could anything regard or esteem.

fell in
some part
!
rhythm, and that

!
God
saw
wots
rude
for
any reason God wots

might, in
that I
therein, a right
it
smiple
woman
my
mind, speak
of her
it
own
was
wit well enough.
Ilowbcit, I said, that because
constantly reported ibr a truth that
God wrought
And
tlie
in hcr^
and that a miracle was shewed upon

would not be bold
grace, as
ter
in
her, I durst not, nor
judging the matter.
king's
melhought esteemed the matter as
light, as it al-
proved lewd.
about christmas was twelvemonth,
'
From
that time
till
albeit that continually there
was much talking of her and of

I
her holiness, yet never heard

revelation of hers or miracle
times, in
;
any talk rehearsed either of

I
saving that
heard say, divers
my
lord cardinal's days, that she
had been both
with his lordship and with the king's grace.

said, either to the
But what she
one or to the other, upon
my
faith I
had
never heard any one word.
Sm
'
T.
MORE.
tell
MI
Now,
as I
wa3 about
to
you, about Christmas was

observant, then of Can-
twelvemonth, father Risby,

terbur}',
friar
lodged one night at
my
house.
Where,
after supin
per, a little before
he went to
his
chamber, he
fell
com-
munication with
tion of holiness,
me
of the nun; giving her high

it
commendathino",
and that
was wonderful to see and unher.

it,
dersand the works which

I answered, that I
God wrought in
Which
was very glad to hear

told
and thanked
God
thereof.
Then he
life,
me
that she had been with

king's grace too.
lord legate in his
and with the

lord
my And
;
that she had told
my
legate a revelation
of hers, of
three swords which
God had
put in
my
lord legate's
hand
which
if
he ordered not well,
God would
lay
it
sore to his
charge.
The
first,
she said, was the ordering the spirituality

;
under the pope as legate
the second, the rule that he bore
in order of the temporality
under the king as
his chancellor;
and the
third, she
said,
was the meddling he was put
in
trust with
by the king, concerning the great matter of
his
re-
marriage.
And
therewithal I said unto him, that
any
velation of the king's matters I
would not hear of;
doubt-
ed not but the goodness of
God
should direct his hiohness
with his grace and wisdom, that the thing should take such
end as
God
should be pleased with, to the king's honour
and surety of the realm.

words or the
like,
When
he heard
me
say these
he said unto me, that

to pray for the king.
conmianded her
God had specially And forthwith he
brake again into her revelations concerning the cardinal,

that his soul
he
was saved by her mediation
and without any
other communication, went unto his chamber.
And
148
MEMOIRS OF
I
and
ter.
never talked any more of any such manner of mat-
Nor, since
after, to
his
departing on the morrow,

till
never saw
at
him
my
remembrance,
saw him
Paul's
cross.
After
this,
about shrovetide, there came unto me, a
little
before supper, father ivich, friar observant of Rich-
mond.
And
as
we
.''
fell
in
talking, I
asked him of father
Risby how he did
And upon
1 said yea,
that occasion he asked
me,
whether father Risby had any thing shewed
me
of the holy
nun of Kent.
And
and that
was very glad to

tell
hear of her virtue.
/ would
not,
quoth he,
;
you again
that you have heard of him already
but
I have heard and

in her^
known many great graces which God hath wrought

and
in other folk
by her, which
zeould gladly tell
you if I
And therewith he asked me, whether father Risby had told me any thing of her being with my lord cardinal? And I said j/ea. Then
thought you had not heard them already.
he
told
I.
you, quoth he, of the three
swords.
Yea
verilyy
quoth
she
Did
he
tell
yon, quoth he, of the revelations which
had concerning
the king's
grace?
Nay forsooth, quoth
I,,
nor if he would have done, I would not have given him the
hearing; nor verily no more
I would indeed ; for

to
tell
since she
hath been with the king*s grace herself and told him, methought
it
a thing needless
father
me
1
or
to
any man
else.
And when
Rich perceived that
would not hear her

little
revelations concerning the king's grace, he talked on a
of her virtue, and let her revelations alone.
And
thercAvith
my
supper was set upon the board, where
I required liim
SIR T.
to
to
sit
MORE.
U9
with
me
but he would in nowise tarry, but departed
London.
After that night I talked with him twice
house, another time in his
once in mine
at the friars.
own
own garden
At every time a great
space, but not of any revelations

;
touching the king's grace
but only of other
mean
folk I
know not whom,

had seen her
lie
of which things some were very strange

childish.
and some were very
But
albeit that he said he
in her trance in great pains,
and that he
had
at other times taken great spiritual comfort in her

tell
com-
munication, yet did he never

those tales herself.
me
I
that she
had
told
him
For
if
he had,
told
would
for the talc o.
Mary Magdalen which he

at the king's
me, and
for the tale of the
host with which, as I have heard, she said she was houseled
mass
at Calais, if I
had heard
it
of him as told
I
unto himself by her mouth for a revelation,
would have
I
both liked him and her the worse. But whether ever
heard
the same tale of Rich or of Risby, or of neither of them

both, but of
faith I
some other man

tell.
since she
was
in hold, in
good
I
cannot
it,
But
it
wot well when or wheresoever

tale too
heard
methought
marvellous to be true
and very
told
it
likely that she
had
told
some man her dream who

in
effect I little
out for a revelation.
And
doubted,
but that some of these tales which were told of her Avere
untrue.
But
yet, since
I
I
never heard them reported as
spoken by her own mouth,
thought nevertheless that
of them might be true, and she a very virtuous
many woman too.
As some
lies
be peradventure written of some who be saints
150
in heaven,
all that.
MEMOIRS OF
and yet many nuracles indeed done by them
for
After
this,
being upon a day at Sion, and talking
with divers of the fathers together at the grate, they shewed
me
that she had been with them,
and
slieweti
thing's
which some of them mishkcd
in her.
me divers And in this

and said
talking, they wished that 1 had
spoken with
her,
they would fain see

afterward
how
to
should like her.
Whereupon,
I
when
heard that she was there again,
came
thither to see her
and
speak with her myself

little
At which
communication, had
sent but
in
chapel, there were none preI
we two.
to her
In the beînnins: whereof
OCT
But
shewed, that
'
my
to
coming
was not of any curious mind anything

folk talked that
it
know, of such things as
pleased
God
to reveal
I
and shew unto
her.
for the great virtue
which
had heard so many years, every day more and more,

her, I therefore
spoken and reported of

to sec her
had a great mind
and be accjuaintcd with

to
her, that she
nnght have
in
somewhat the more occasion

devotion and prayers,
virtuous answer
ter
;
remember me to God
her
M heieunto she gave me a very

God
good,
that, as
did of his goodness far betfearfa-
by her than she a poor wretch was worthy, so she
ed that
many
Iblk yet beside
that spoke, of their
own
vourable minds,
many
things for her lar above the
trutii.
And
ly
that of
me
she had
many
such things heard, that
al-
ready she jjrayed for
me and
ever would. ^V hereof
I hearti-
thanked
lier.
SIR T. MORE.
f
151
I said
unto her, Madam, one Hellen, a maiden dusdling
about Tottenham, of lohose trances and revelations there hath

been
much
talking, she hath been with
me of late, and shewed

of such
reto
me
that she zaas with you;
and
that, after the rehearsal
xnsions as she
had
seeti,
you shewed her that they were no of the

devil,
velations, but plain illusions
and advised her
cast
them out of her mind.
And
Ji
verily she
gave therein good
credence zinto you, and thereupon hath left to lean any longer
unto such visions of her own.

eth your words true
visited with such
this she
;
hereupon she
saith,
shefndless
for ever
since, she
hath been the

to be before.
is
things as she
was wont
sir,
To
point
answered me,
Forsooth
there
in
it
this
no praise unto me, but the goodness of

hath wrought much meekness in her
God
to
as
appeareth
soul,
which hath taken

hear her spirit
laith better
my
rude warning
so well
and not grudged

I
and her
visions reproved.
liked her in
good
for this answer, than for
many
of these things that 1 heard
reported by her.
sion,
Afterward she told
me upon
that occa-
how
of.
great need folk have
who
are visited with such

spirit
visions, to take
heed and prove well of what

in that
they
come
And
communication she
told
me,
that of
flutter-
late the devil, in likeness of a bird,
was
flying
and
ing about her in a chamber, and suffered himself to be

taken.
sight
And being in who were present,

were
all
hands, suddenly changed in their

into such a strange ugly-fashioned
afraid
bird, that they
and threw him out at a win-
dow.
'
For conclusion
we
talked no word of the king's
159
MEMOIRS OF
else,
grace or any great personage

or
nor
in effect
of any
man
to
woman
but of herself anil myself".

(for ere
Jkit after
no long
connnunication had
ever
we met
my
time
came
go home),
gave her a double-ckicat, and prayed her to

mine, and so departed from her and never
Ilowbcit, of a truth,
I
pray
for
me and
her
spake
witli
after.
had a great
good opinion of her and had her
in great estimation, as
you
shall
perceive by the letter which 1 wrote unto her.
For afterward
because
had often heard that many

as
nî^ht
woishipful folks, as well
men
;
women, used
folk are
to
have
much
communication with her

quisitive
and many
of nature in-
and
curious,
whereby they
it
fall
sometimes into such

which thing
I
talking, that better were
to forbear, of
no-
thing thought while
talked with her of charity
thereit
fore I wrote her a letter thereof.
Wliich, since
may
be
peradventure thai she brake or
lost,
I shall insert
the very
copy
tiiereof in
this
present
letter.
These were the very
-words
Good Madam and my

lister in our
'
right dearhj-hdoved
!
Lord God
i\fter
most hearty commendation, good mind

in
I shall beseech
you
that
to take
I
my
good worth
and pardon
me
am
so homely, as of myself, unrequired,

,
and
also with-
out necessity
to give
counsel to you
of whon), for the
good inspirations and great revelations, which it liketh Almighty God of his goodness to give and shew (as many wise,
well-learned,
and very virtuous
folk testify), 1 myself
have
need, for the comfort of
my
soul, to
require and ask ad-
SIR T.
vice.
MORE.
it
153
For
surely,
good madam, since
pleaseth
little
God
some-
times to suffer such as are far under, and of

to give yet fruitful advertisement to
estimation,
such others as are in
the light of the spirit so far above them, that there were
between them no comparison

phet Moses to be
in
(as
he suffered
his
high pro-
some
things advised
and counselled by
Jethro), I cannot, for the love which in our

3'ou, refrain to
Lord
I bear
put you in remembrance of one thing, which
in
my
poor mind I think highly necessary to be by your

referring the
wisdom considered,
to
end and the order thereof
God and
his holy spirit to
direct you.
Good madam
doubt not but that vou remember, that
in the begfinnino; of
I neither
my
communication with you,

curious, of
shewed you that
was nor would be

matters.
any knowledge of other men's

any matter of princes or of
And
least of all of
it
the realm.
In case
so were that
God
had, as to
many
not
good
folks beforetime
he hath, any time revealed unto

unto your ludyship that
of,
you such
them.
things, I said
I Avas
only not desirous to hear
but also mould not hear of
'
Now madam
I consider well, that

are not
all
many
folk desire to
speak with you,

in this point.
who
little
peradventure of
my mind
and some
But some hap
to
be curious and inquisitive

;
of things which
pertain unto their parts
might peradventure hap to talk of such things as might

peradventure afterward turn to
much harm.
As
for
I think Avas
you have heard how the
late
duke of Buckiuiiham
moved with
Vol.
I.
the fame of one
who was reported
an holy
154
MEMOIRS OF
as attcrward was
liis
it
monk, and had such talking with hun

great
piirt
of
liis
destruction and disheriting of

religion.
It
bloody
and great slander and infamy of good madam,

to
sulUceth me,
things.
put you
in
rememhrance of such
spirit
As
nothing doubt, your wisdom and the
of
God
with
shall
keep you from talking with any person
(s[x;cially
high persons), of any such manner of things as pertain to

prince's aflairs, or the state of the realm.
But only
to
com-
mune and
talk with
any person, high and low, of such manto the soul be profitiible for
ner of things, as
may
you to
shew, and for them to know.
And
thus,
I
my
:
good lady and dearly-beloved
sister in
make an end of this my needless advertisement unto you AVhom the blessed Trinity preserve and
our Lord,
increase in grace
;
and put
in
in
your mind, to recommend
me and mine
sea, this
unto him
your devout prayers.
At Chel-
Tuesday, by the hand of
Your
heart3'-loving brother
and bedesman,
K'.
THOMAS MORE,
'
At
the receipt of this
letter,
she answered
my
at
servant,
that she heartily thanked me.

to
Soon
after this, there
came
mine house, the
prior of the charterhouse
Shene,
and one Brother Williams with him.

to
Who
nothing talked
me, but of her and of the great joy that they took in
;
her virtue
but of any of her revelations they had no com-
munication
But
at another time Brother AVilliams
came
SIR T.
to
MORE.
155
me and
told
me
a long
tale,
of her being at the house
of a knight in Kent
to destroy himself.
who was
sore-troubled with temptations
we talked of, nor should have done of likelihood though we had tarried together much longer, he took so great pleasure, good man
And none
other thing
to
tell
the tale with
all
the circumstances at length.
'
"When
which there
came again another day was a profession, some of

nun ? And
1
to Sion,
on a day
in
the fathers asked
mc
is
how
I liked the
answered, that in good faith I

;
liked her very well in her talking
howbeit,
quoth
I,
she
never the nearer tried by that

likely to he very bad, if she
For I assure ye, she
zvere
seemed good, ere I should think

to
her other,
till
she
is
happened
he proved naught.
I
And
in
good
faith that
my manner
mdeed, except
were
set to
search and examine the truth
upon
likelihood of
some cloak-
ed
evil.
For
in
that case, although I nothing suspected

if I
the person myself, yet, no less than

I would, as far as
suspected him sore,
my
wit would serve me, search to find
out the truth
as yourself hath
done very prudently

in
in this
matter. Wherein
you have done,

ver}"^
my mind
to your great
laud and praise, a
meritorious deed, in briuging-forth
to light such detestable hypocrisy.
Whereby every
other
wretch
may
take warning, and be feared to set-forth their
own
devilish-dissembled falsehood, under the
manner and
woin-
colour of the wonderful work of
God.
For
verily this
man
so handled herself with help of that evil spirit
who
spired her, that, after her

cross,
own
confession declared at Paul's-
when
I sent
word by
my
servant unto the prior of
156
AÊMOJRS OF
cliaiterhousc that
slic
tlie
Avas
undoubtedly proved a
false,
opi-r
deceiving hypocrite, the good
man had had

first
so
good
uion of her so long, that he could at the
scantly believe
me
therein.
Ilowbeit,
it
was not he alone wiio thouo;ht

another right good
till
her so very good, but

as little
many
man
beside;
marvel was, upon so good report,
she was prov-
ed naught/
A
letter
it
curious anecdote attends this letter.
When
It
INIore's
English works were printed by order of queen Mar\',
this
was concealed, though not destroyed.
was resolved,
seems, to raise the credit of the nun's story, who, being

as well as a prophetess,
;
acknowledged a martyr
might per-
haps have obtained canonization
and
it
was judged imthis
prudent, no doubt, to leave so high a tcstiiuony as
from
More
1534.
in her
way.
The
session of parliament holden early in 1534, passed

this
an act of attainder against some who were engaged in

imposture.
Elizabeth herself, and several others, suffered
for their crime; while Fisher
and others were condemned

had not discovered
for misprision of treason, because they
what they heard from Elizabeth.

More's
name was
at
first
included in the latter
bill,
and
t Burnet
ex M-S.S. Norfolc.
SIR T.
MORE.
]57
Mr. Roper informs us that the knight soHcited to be himself
heard by the king in
his
own
defence.
Henry, how-
ever, appointed
cellor, the
the archbishop of Canterbury, the chanto
duke of Norfolk and Cromwell
examine him
and when Mr. Roper advised More with anxiety

interest with these commissioners
to use his
to obtain
his
discharge
from the
bill,
he answered he would.
The committee, however, soon
threw-off the mask,
and
proved plainly enough by their proceedings, that the

of the nun was merely a hand/e on
this occasion.
atfair
For
in-
stead of insisting on that point, the chancellor began by

recapitulating to
More
the king's favours, adding, that he
could ask no worldly promotion which Avould be denied
him, and hoping, in conclusion, that

jesty's affection
this
view of his mare-
toward him, would induce the knight to
compence
the king in his turn, and to

bishops,
add
his
consent to
what the parliament, the

ready passed.
and
the universities
had
al-
More, continues Mr. Roper, mildly

living
is
replied,
'
No man
there
my
lords,
who would
with better will do the
thing which should be acceptable to the king's highness,
than
who must needs

benefits,
I verily
;
confess, his manifold goodness

.
and bountiful
most
I
liberally
bestowed on me.
this
Howbeit
hoped,
should never have heard of
matter more
considering that I have from time to time,
alway from the beginning, so plainly and truly declared
my
mind unto
his grace,
which
iiis
highness ever seemed to me.
IflS
MEMOIRS OF
a most gracious prince, very well to accept, never mind-
like
ing, as he said, to molest
me more
And
therewith.
Since which
to
is
time, any farther thing which was able to
move me
any
change could
in all the
never
find.
if I
could, there
it
none
world
who would have been gladder of
than 1/
The knight had
likewise addressed to his majesty the folatfair
lowing letter relative to the
of the nun
in
which
it
seemeth that he thought
it
advisable to hold his king in re-
membrance of what
his majest}'
had formerly promised as
honour. to the knight's o

Sir Thomas
More
to
King Henri/ VIII.

call to
It
may
like
your highness to
your gracious
re-
membrance, that
at such time as,
of the great weighty
room and
office
of your clianccUor (with which, so far above
my
merits or qualities able and meet therefore, your high-
ness had of your incomparable goodness honoured and exalted me),
you were
so
good and gracious unto me, as at

and disburden me, giving
my
me
of
poor humble
suit to discharge
licence with your gracious favour, to bestow the residue
my
life
to
come about
the provision for
my
soul in the
for
service of
God, and
it
to be your
bedesman and pray
you
pleased your highness farther to say unto me,
that for the service which 1 before had done
you (which
it
then liked your goodness far above
my
deserving to com-
mend), that in any
suit
which
should after have to your
grace, which either should concern
mine honour
(the
word
SIR T.
it
MORE.
tluit
IbO
liked
your highness to use unto mc), or
sliould per-
tain unto
my
profit, I
should find your highness a good and
gracious lord unto me.
So
is it
now, gracious sovereign, that worldly honour
is
the thing whereof I have resigned both the possession
and
the desire, in the resignation of your most honourable office.
And
worldly
profit, I trust
experience proveth, and
daily
more and more
shall prove, that I
never was very
greedy thereof.
'
But now
is
my
most humble
suit
unto your excellent

to tender
highness, to beseech the
same somewhat
my
poor
honesty.
Howbeit
principally,
that of your
accustomed
grace,
goodness, no sinister information

to
move your noble
have any more distmst of
my
truth
and devotion toward

life
you, than I have or shall during

in this matter of the
my
give cause.
I
For
nun of Canterbury,
have unto your
trusty counsellor
Mr. Thomas Cromwell,
b}'
my
writing, as
plainly declared the truth as I possibly can.

claration, of his
Which my
his
de-
duty toward your grace and

I
goodness
toward me, he hath,

In any part of
all
understand, declared unto your grace.
which
my
dealing, whether
any other
man may
hand
of
to
peradventure put any doubt or move any scruple

tell,
of suspicion, that can I neither

let.
nor
lieth
it
in
my
But unto myself

demeanour
to
it is
not possible any part

the very clearness of
my
said
seem
evil,
mine own conscience knoweth

and intent so good.
in all that matter
my mind
160
*
MEMOIRS or
Wherefore, most gracious sovereign,
it
neither will, nor

to reason
yet can
well
become mo, with your highness
or argue that matter; but in
my
most humble manner,
prostrate at your gracious feet, I only beseech your grace,

with
your own high prudence and 3'our accustomed good-
ness, consider
and weigh the matter.
And
if
that in your
so doing, your osvi virtuous
mind
shall
give you, that not-
withstanding the manifold and excellent goodness that your

gracious highness hath by so
many manner
or
of ways used
imto me,
were a wretch of such a monstrous ingratitude,
as could with
digress
any of them
all,
any other person
living,
from
my bounden
I
loss
duty of allegiance toward 3'our
good grace, then desire

hand, than the
liberty,
no farther favour at your gracious

that ever
withal,
I
of
all
may
lose,
goods, lands,
and fmally
my
life
^\'heêof the keeping
of any part unto myself could never do
me
a pennyworth
of pleasure
short
life
but only should
my
comfort be, that after
my
and
3'our long (which, with continual
prosperity
!),
to God's pleasure, our
Lord of his mercy send you

in
should
once meet your grace again

with you.
yet be one
;
heaven, and there be merr^'

other pleasures, this should
Where among mine
that your grace should surely see there then,
that howsoever you take me, I
am
your true bedeman now,

I die,
and ever have been, and

pleasure be to do by me.
will
be
till
howsoever your
Howbeit,
if in
the considering of
my
cause, your high
wisdom and gracious goodness perceive
(as I verily trust in
God you
shall),
that I none otherwise have
demeaned my-
SIR T. 3IORE.
self
IGl
than well
may
stand with
fulness toward your royal
my bounden duty of faithmajesty; then in my most humble

may
relieve
wise I beseech 3'our most noble grace, that the .knowledge
of your true gracious persuasion in that behalf

the torment of
my present heaviness (conceived

I
of the dread
and
fear,
by that
hear such a grievous
bill
put by your
learned counsel into your high court of parliament against
me)
lest
your grace might, by some
sinister information,
be moved any thing to think the contrary.
'
Which
if
your highness do not, as I trust in
God and
your great goodness, the matter by your own high prudence
examined and considered, you
will
not
then in
my
most
albeit
humble manner
very
beseech your highness farther
that in respect of
slight
;
my
former request
this other
thing
is
yet since your highness hath herebefore, of
your more abundant goodness, heaped and accumulated
upon me, though

left all
was thereto far unworthy, from time to
time, both worship
and great honour too
since I
now have
life
such things, and nothing seek or desire but the

for
to
'
come, and pray
your grace the while
it
may like
your highness of your accustomed benignity, somewhat to

tender
my
bill
poor honesty
and never
suffer,
by the mean of
to take occasion
such a
put-forth against me,
any man
hereafter against the truth to slander me.
Who
should yet,
by the
peril
of their
shall,
own
I
souls,
do themselves more hurt

ray
heart, with
than me;
who
trust, settle
your
truth
gracious favour, to depend
upon the comfort of the
Vol.
I.
162
MEMOIRS OF
of heaven, and not
aiul liojie
upon the
fallible
opinion, or
soon-spokon words, of light and soon-changeable people.
'
And
thus,
most dread and most dear sovereign
lord, I
beseech the blessed 'IVinity preserve your most noble grace
both body and soul, and
all
who
arc your Avell-willers,

if
and
amend
all
the contrary.
Among whom,
ever
be, or
ever have been one, then pray I
God, that he may with

it.'
mine open shame and destruction declare
When
the committee found that no persuasions would

in the
move More
if
determination he had made, they had re-
course to threats, and told him that the king had ordered,
gentleness would not win him, that in his
name they
there
should charge him with ingratitude,
that never was
servant to his sovereign so villanous, nor subject to his prince

so traiterous, as he.
For
he, by subtle, sinister slights, ?nost

to set-forth
unnaturally procuring and provoking him
a book
of the assertion of the seven sacraments and maintenance of

the pope^s authority,
had caused him,

to
to his
dishonour through-
out all Christendom,
put a sword
in the pope's
hand
to
fight against himself. -f
My
lords,' replied
More,
me.
'
these terrors be arguments

to
for children
and not
for
But
answer to
that,
where-
with ye do chiefly burden me,
believe the king's high-
ness, of his honour, will never lay that to

ng. works.
my
charge
for
f Roper.
SIR T.
MORE.
1G3
none
is
there
who can
in that point say in
my
excuse more
than his highness himself.
Who
by
right well knoweth, that I

his
was never procurer nor counsellor of

but after
it
majesty thereunto,
was
finished,
his grace's
appointment, and
consent of the maker's of the same, I was only a sorter-out
and placer of the principal

Wherein when
I
matters therein contained.
found the pope^s authority highly advanced,

miglitily defended, I said
and with strong arguments

his grace,
unto
I must put your

is
highuess in remembrance of one

is
thing,
and that
i/ou
this.
The pope, as your grace knoweth,

in league xvith
alt
a prince as
princes.
are,
and
other christian
It
may
so hereafter fall-out, that
your grace and he
may vary upon some
points of leagues, whereupon
may
gro'ssi)
breach of amity and war between ye both.

therefore that that place be amended,
slenderly touched.
think
it best
and
his authority more,
'
Nay,' quoth his grace,

to the see
'
that shall
it
not.
We
are so
much bounden
honour
to it.
of Rome, that we cannot do too much
'
Then did
tute
remembrance of the staof premunire, Avhereby a good part of the pope's pasI
farther put
him
in
toral cure here
was pared away. To that answered

we we
his high-
ness, whatsoever impediment be to the contrary,
will set-
forth that authority

see our
his
to the uttermost, for

I
receive from that

till
crown imperial; which

it
never heard-of before
grace told
his
4
me
with his
own mouth.
-So that I trust,

this,
when
grace shall be once truly informed of
and
Y2
jGI
MEMOIRS OF
gracious rcincinbruncc
call to his
my
doings
in
that bciialf,
his highness will never

in
speak of
it
more, but clear
me
there-
thoroughly himself.'
And
thus displeasantly departed
t/iey,
adds Mr. Roper.

Chelsea and was very merry by
More now took boat

the way,
for
Mr. Roper
rejoicing to see
him
so,
hoped he was
discharged from the
bill.
When
they reached Chelsea, they
walked together
inint sir that all
in the garden,
is
and Mr. Roper observed, I

you
be so merry.
well, because that
It
is
so
indeed son Roper, I thank
God I answered
the
knight.
Jire
you then put-out of
the parliament bill ?
Bj/
my
truth, son Roper,
I never remembered
it.
Never remembered
near,
it !
a cause that toucheth yourself so

!
and
us all for
your sake
I am
sorry to hear
all
it ;
for I
verily trusted
uell.
when I saw you
so merry, that
had been
Wilt thou know, son Roper,
why I was
so
merry
That would I gladly,

In good faith I
sir.
rejoiced, son, that
1 had given the devil a
SIR T. MOilE.
1&3
foul fail
and fhal with
those
lords
I had gone
so far,
as
without great shame
could never go hack again.
Henry, as might be expected, was highly offended with
More
for
what was
little less
than charging him with a de-
liberate falsehood,
and
in his unjust revenge he said the bill
regarding the nun should proceed against the kniglit.

chancellor and other lords replied, the
The upper-house was so

it
bent on hearing him

rescind his
in his
own
bill.
defence, that
were best to
name from
to
the
Henry was, however, too
much bent on
carrying his point, not to reject this proposal.
He
was too haughty
submit to a subject with

to
had entered the
lists,
and too revengeful
whom he forgive a man
who had been

him.
his
favourite
and yet had dared to offend
After a good deal of bouncing, he said he would
himself be present in the house
when
the
bill
should pass
imagining, no doubt, that the parliament stood so
much
in
awe of him,
to reject
it.
that the lords would not dare in his presence
The committee of council, however, were of a different opinion. They feared, or pretended to fear, the talents
and eloquence of
Sir
Thomas,
Avhich were superior
and
deem it prudent to hazard his appearance to plead in his own defence, whose virtues and amiable conduct had prejudiced so many in his favour be-;
commanding
nor did they
fore
he spoke.*
* Roper and Warner.
JOG
MEMOIRS OF
to
But the moic they pressed Henry

haughtier he grew in insisting on
really
liis
give
way, the
point,
^\'hether they
appreliended a defeat, or whether they contended
with the king in this manner from the personal friendship

they had for Sir Thomas,
collect the tyranny Avith
it is
difHcult to say.
If his
we
re-
which Henry treated
jiarlia-
ments we
shall
perhaps ascribe their arguments to the
lat-
ter cause, or to
if
the apprehension of the people's clamour
he was attainted as the accomplice of so weak an im-
postor.
Audley and the
rest
(says
Mr. Roper)
at last besought
Henry on
their
knees, to forbear; adding, they mistvusted
not, in time, against
him
to
find some meet matter
to serve
the king's turn better.
For
in this cause
of the nun he was
accounted
in,
so
innocent and clear, that for his dealings there-
men reckoned him far
worthier of praise than of reproof
Henry
at length complied
and Cromwell meeting Mr.
Roper on the morrow,
desired
him
\\
to
tell
More, that
his
name was
this
erased irom the
bill.
hen the knight heard

said,
from
ISlrs.
Roper,
in
faith
Megg, he
quod
differtur
non aufertur.^
The
confidence
which Henry's ministers expressed of
finding meet matter to serve their master's turn, as well as
More's last-mentioned prediction, proved but too correct.
AYhen the nun of Kent afforded not a substantial ground

Roper.
SIR T.
MORE.
167
for his persecution, other subjects
were not wanting which
soon led to the tragedy of
his cruel death.
In
this
year were passed,
I.
The important law

;
Avhich regvilated the succession to
the crown
* by Avhich the marriage of

;
Henry with Cara-
tharine was declared void

riage,
tified
;
the sentence annulling the mar-
which Cranmer, now primate, had passed, was
and the
king's marriage with
Ann was
confirmed.
The crown was appointed
to descend to the issue of this
marriage, and failing such, to the king's heirs for ever.
An
oath was moreover required in favour of
this succession,
under penalty of imprisonment during the king's pleasure,
and of
forfeiture of
goods and
chattels.
II.
The parliament
conferred on
Henry the
title
of the
only supreme head on earth of the church of England .-j-
By
and
Avhich,
exclaimed the Romish party, the king and those

sole judges in matters of faith,
he commissioned were made

all
ecclesiastical discipline
was entrusted
to
them
the
commission which our Saviour had granted

their successors
his apostles
and
was
set aside
by a human law, and the auon the

power,
of the
thority they derived
from heaven transferred to the state
the care of souls was
made
to devolve
civil
and the being of

magistrate.
Christianity to
depend on the
will
25 Hen. VIII. 22.
f 26 Hen. VIII.
c. l.
168
MEMOIRS OF
III.
An
act was passed,* by
uhich
it
was
iiuidc
high
treason for any person to maliciously wish,
will,
or desire,
by words or
writing, to deprive the king's
most royal per-
son, the queen, or their heirs apparent, or
any of them,
of the dignity,
title
or
name of
their royal estates.
Soon
after the
second of these acts, a Latin bible was he thus
published, and in his majesty's general preface
triumphed in
his
new
title.
'
Nos
itaquc considerantes id erga
Deum
otVicii
nostri,
quo
suscepisse cognoscimur, ut in regno simus sicut
anima
exer-
in corpore ct sol in
mundo, utque loco Dei judicium

vice
ceamus
in
regno nostro, et omnia in potestate habcntes,
quoad jurisdictionem, ipsam etiam ecclesiam

regamus ac tueamur,
soh atur, nos
didit, ct in
ci
Dei sedulo
et disciplinae ejus, sive augeatur aut
rationem reddituri simus qui nobis earn cre-
eo Dei vicem agentes Deique habcntes imaginem
quid aliud vel cogitare vel in
animam
inducere potuimus,
quam
ne
ut
eodem confugeremus, ubi
certo discendum esset,
(juid aliud
vel ipsi faccremus, vel
faciendum
aliis
prae-
scriberemus,
quam quod ab hac
ipsa
Dei lege ne
vel trans-
versum quidem digitum aberrare convinci queat.'
We have
also
another instance of Henry's triumph, in

justly calls his remarkable medalion
;
what Mr. Evelyn

the remark, that
the
legend of which, in Latin, Hebrew, and Greek, provoked
Henry
crucified the church as Pilate

* Ibid.
c. 13.
had
SIR T.
MORE.
169
done her Saviour, with the solemnity of three
inscriptions.
A representation
lyn's
of this medal
may
be seen in Mr. Eve-
Numismata.
those days
The Romish party

had power
for all
in
it
seems understood by
king
head of the church, chief
spiritual shepherd, as if the

priests,
to administer sacraments, ordain
&c.
which they considered a layman as unqualified.
But
their adversaries
contended that the term was only intend-
ed to declare the prince superior to the prelates who ex-
empted themselves from

ject to the pope,
his authority
;
by
their immunities,
as well as superior to the laity
and that he was not subjurisdiction over

all
who claimed
princes
and
title
countries.
challenge
The king, said power to debate,

religion,
all
the latter, did not by this

or determine
less to
any point of
faith or
matter of
much
be supreme judge
or governor of
doctrine and discipline.
But would the
subject in his realm have the assistance of the magistrate,

to establish truth
and prohibit
but
error,
and by wholesome
laid neither
punishments to prevent disorder, that authority

in prelate nor in pope,
in the prince
;
and
in his
domi-
nions neither doctrine nor discipline could be estabhshed by

public law, but by his consent.
The oath of succession was generall}' taken, and bishop Fisher and More were the only persons of note who entertained scruples as to
for virtue
its legality.
More's high reputation

his authority
and
integrity
others,
made
it
supposed that
would influence
and great pains were taken
to con-
VOL.
I.
170
ME>[OIRS OF
tliis
vince him on
point.
But
the kniglit was immoveable,
probably because the preamble of the oath implietl, that

the marriage with Catharine was unlawi'ul
;
and whatever
we
think of his persuasion on this head, the integrity of his
conscience
we must
admire.
Mr. Roper
to
More,
relates that the

b}'
duke of Norfolk
it is
said
one day
'
the mass
Mr. More,
would wish
perilous striving
Avith princes
therefore I
j'ou
somewhat
to in-
cline to the king's pleasure, for,
by God's body! Mr. More,

'
indignaiio principis ?nors

plied i\Iore
; '
est.'
Is that all
my
lord
?"
re-
then
in
is
good
this
faith the difference

;
between
your grace and
me
but
that I shall die to-day
and
you to-morrow.'
About a month after the law for the oath was passed, certain clergy of London and ^Westminster, and More, were
cited to
appear at Lambeth before Cranmer, Audley, and
CroniAvell,
who were appointed

his
to tender tlie oath unto
them.
Avent to
More, as was
custom on important occasions,

;
mass that morning
a7id zchereas, continues
Mr.
his
Roper, he evermore used

wife and children,
before, at his departure
from
all
whom
he tenderly loved, to have them bring

to kiss
him
to his boat
and there
suffer
them and bid them
fare-
well, then
woidd he
none of them forth the gate
to fol-
low him, but pulled the wicket after him and shut them all
from
him.
His countenance, adds Mr. Roper, who accom-
panied him in the boat to Lambeth, bespoke a heavy heart
SIR T.
MORE.
17i
and
sitting still sadly azvbile, at last
he suddenly whispered
!
to him, son Roper,
I thank our Lord

to
the field
is
won.
As
his
mind appears
have predicted, More was not

this
permitted to return
his favourite
home from
summons and he wrote

;
daughter an account of the proceedings at
Lambeth,
whicli here followeth.
Sir Thomas
More
to
Mrs. Margaret Roper.
'
When
was before the Lords at Lambeth,

called
in
;
was the
first
who was
albeit that
]\Ir.
Dr. the vicar of

After the
Croydon was come before mc, and

Avhat marvelled in
divers others.
cause of my sending-for declared unto me, whereof I some-
my
mind, considering that they sent for

I desired the sight of the
seal.
;
no more temporal men but me,

oath
;
which they shewed
me
roll.
under the great
Then
desired I the sight of the act of the succession

delivered
which was
me
in
a printed
'
After which read secretly by myself, and the oath con-
sidered with the act, I shewed unto them, that
my
purpose
was not
to put
any
fault either in
the act or
any man who

it,
made it, or in the oath condemn the conscience

self,
or
any man who sware
nor to
of any other
man
but as for myin the
in
good
faith
my
conscience so
moved me
mat-
ter,
that though I would not
deny
to swear to the succes-
sion, yet
unto that oath which there was offered
mc
could
not swear, Avithout the jeoparding of
my
soul to perpetual
172
.AIEMOIRS
OF
I
damnation.
And
that
if
they doubted, whether
did re-
fuse the oath only for the grudge of
my
conscience, or for
satisf)-
any other fantasy,
was ready therein to
them by
mine oath
Which
if
they trusted not, what should they
be the better to give

that I
mc any
oath
And
if
I,
they trusted
that of their
would therein swear
true, then trusted
goodness they would not move
me
to swear the oath

it
which
they offered me, perceiving that for to swear
was against
my
*
conscience.
Unto
this
my
lord chancellor said, that they
all
were
very sorry to hear

oath.
first
me
say thus, and see

all, it
me
thus refuse the

I
And
they said
that on their faith

;
was the very

king's
Avho ever refused
which would cause the
highness to conceive great suspicion of me, and great indignation toward me.
And
therewith they shewed

lords
me
the
roll,
and
let
me
see the
names of the
and the commons,
who had sworn and subscribed their names already. AVhich, notwithstanding, when they saw that I refused to swear the same myself, not blaming an}' other man who bad sworn, I was in conclusion commanded to go down into the garden.
'
And
thereupon
tarried in the old
burned chamber
Dr. Latimer
divers
which looketh into the garden, and would not go down because of the heat.
In that time saw
INIr.
come
into the garden,
and there walked he with
other doctors and chaplains of
my
lord of Canterbury.
And
very merry I saw him
for
he laughed, and took one
SIR T.
or twain about the
MORE.
if
173
neck so handsomely, that
they had
been
women
would have weened he had been waxen
wanton.
lords,
After that
came Mr. Dr. Wilson
forth
from the
and was with two gentlemen brought by me, and

AVhat time
gentlemanly sent straight unto the Tower.

lord of Rochester
my
was
calicd-in before
them, that can I
not
tell.
;
But
at nio-ht I heard that he
had been before

till
them
but where he remained that night, and so forth

I
he was sent hither, I never heard.

vicar of Croydon, and.
all
heard also that Mr.
the remnant of the priests of
London who were

had such favour
lingered, nor
travail
sent for, Avere sworn.
And
that they
at the council's hand, that they to
were not
their
made
dance any long attendance to

are sometimes
and
cost, as suitors
wont
So
to be, but
were sped apace to
their great comfort.
far forth, that
Mr. vicar of Croydon,

or else that
it
either for gladness or tor dryness,

ille
might be seen quod

lord's
notus erat pontijici,

for drink,
went to
my
butter3'-bar
and called
and
drank vakle fomiltariter.
When
it
they had played their pageant and were gone
out of the place, then was I called-in again.

Avas
And
then
declared unto me, what a
number had sworn even

any
sticking.
since I
I laid
went
aside, gladly, without in
Wherein
answer^
-
no blame
no man
but for mine
own
self,
ed as before.
'
Now
as well before
;
as then, they
somewhat
laid
unto
me
for obstinacy
that whereas before, since I refused to
174
MEMOIRS OF
I
swear,
would not declare any special part of that oath
vhicli grudged
my
conscience, and open the cause whereI
fore.
Tor thereunto
had
said
unto them, that
leared
lest the king's
highness would, as they said, take disj)lcafor the
sure
enough toward me
tiiat if 1
only refusal of the oath.
And
I
should open and disclose the causes wlvj, I

his highness.
I
should therewith but farther exasperate
Which
all
would
in
nowise do
but rather would
abide
the
danger and harm which might come toward me, than give
his highness
any occasion of farther displeasure, than the

unto me, of pure necessity constrained
this
offering of the oath
me.
liowbeit when they divers times imputed
to
me
for stubbornness
and obstinacy, that
would neither swear
the oath nor yet declare the causes why, I declined thus far
toward them, that rather than

stinate, I
I avouUI
be accounted for ob-
would ui)on the king's gracious licence, or rather
his
such commandnient had, as might be
my
sufficient war-
rant that
my
declaration should not oflend his highness nor
put
me
in
the danger of any of his statutes, I would be
content to declare the causes in writing.

give an oath in the beginning, that if
I
And
over that, to
might find those

might think
causes by any
man
in suchwise answered, as 1
satisfied, I
mine own conscience

mine
would
after that, with all
heart, swear the principal oath too.
'
To
this I
was answered, that though the king would give

it
me
I
licence under his letters patent, yet would
not serve
against the statute.
Whereto
I said,
liis
that yet
if I
had them,
peril for
would stand unto the
trust of
honour, at
my
SIR T.
MORE.
lo
!
175
the remnant.
But yet thinketh me
that if I
may
not
declare the causes without peril, then to leave

clared
is
them unde-
no
ohstinacy.
'
My
lord of Canterbury, taking hold
upon
that that
said, that
I condeynned not
me, that
it
the consciences of
^ve\\
them who swear,

it
said unto
for
appeared
that I did not take
a very sure thing and a certain, that I might not lawswear

it
;
fully
ful.
but rather as a thing uncertain and doubt-
Hut
then,' said
my
lord,
'
you knoxv for a certainty,

you he hounden
to
and a thing
zvithout doubt, that
obey your
sovereign lord your king.
And
therefore are you hounden to
leave-of the doubt of your unsure conscience in refusing the

oath,
and take
it.
the sure
zeay in obeying of
your prince, and
swear
'
Now
all
was
it
so that in
this
mine own mind mcthought

argument seemed
myself not concluded, yet
me
sud-
denly so subtle, and namely, with such authority coming

out of so noble a prelate's mouth, that I could again an-
swer nothing thereto, but
onl}^
that I thought myself I
might not well do so
because that in
my
conscience
I
this
was one of the

not obey
cases, in
which
Since
was bounden that
should
my
prince.
that whatsoever other folk

I
thought in the matter, Avhose conscience or learning not condemn nor take upon
science the truth
would
con-
me
to judge, yet in
side.
my
I
seemed on the other
Wherein
had
not informed
my
conscience neither suddenly nor slightly,

for
but by long leisure and diligent search
the
matter^
176
MEMOIRS OF
of
trutli if that
And
reason
all
may
concliule, then
have we a
ready way to avoid
perplexities.
For
in
whatsoever mat-
ter the doetors stand in great doubt, the king's
commandall
ment, given upon whether side he

doubts.
list,
solvcth
the
'
Then
said
my
lord of
Westminster to me, that howsoever
the matter seemed unto that
mine own mind,
had cause
to fear
mine OAvn mind was erroneous, when I see the great council of the realm determine of my mind the contrary
;
and that therefore

on
ought to change
if
my
conscience.
To
that I answered, that
there were no
more but myself upother, I
my
side,
and the whole parliament upon the

afraid to lean to
would be sore
so
mine own mind only, against

if it I
many.
But on
the other side,
so be that in
I
some
have,
things for which I refuse the oath,
have, as
think
upon
my
part as great a council and a greater too, I
am
not then bounden to change

.it
my
conscience, and conform
to the council of
one realm against the general council of
Christendom.
Upon
this j\Ir. Secretary, as
he
who
tenderly favoureth
me, said and swear a great oath, that he had leaver that his own only son (who is of truth a goodly young gentleman,
and
shall,
trust,
1
come
to
nmch
worship) had lost his
head, than that
should thus have refused the oath.
For
sus-
surely the king's highness
would now conceive a great
picion against me,
and think that the matter of the nun of

contiived by
Canterbury was
all
my
drift.
To which
I said,
SIR T.
that the contrary was true
MORE.
well
177
and
known; and whatsoever

to help
it,
should mishap nie,
it
lay not in
my power
with-
out the peril of
my
soul.
'
Then
did
my
lord
chancellor repeat before
me my
re-
fusal
unto Mr. Secretary, as to him who was going unto
the king's grace.
And
I
in the rehearsing, his lordship
re-
peated again, that
denied not, but was content to swear
unto, the succession.

point,
Whereunto
said, that as for that
/ would be content,
conscience.
that
too,
so that I might see
my
oath in
that point so framed, in such a
manner
as mi;^ht stand
with
tary
my
I'hen said
that
lie
ni}' lord,
mary Mr. Secre-
mark
will
not sxaear that neither
but under some certain manner. hut that
Verily no
my
lord,
quoth
I;
will see
it
made
in suchzeise first, as
shall myself
see that 1 shall 7ieither be forstcorne, nor
swear against
my
conscience.
'
Surely as to swear to the succession, I see no

I thought,
peril.
But
and think
it
reason, that to
mine own oath

;
I look well
myself and be of counsel also in the fashion

to swear for a piece,
and never intended

to the whole oath.
and
set
!
my
hand
IJowbeit, as help
ing the whole
oatli, I
never withdrew
it
;
me God as touchany man from it nor

;
never advised any to refuse
nor never put, nor

;
will put,
any scruple
in
any man's head
but leave every
man
to his
own
And methinketh in good faith, that so were it good reason, that every man should leave me to mine.'*
conscience.
* English works.
Vol.
I.
Aa
F7b
MEMOIllS OF
^Vc scarcely know whetlicr to be most surprised, that

such an argument of mere sound as
liave
wc have heard should proceeded from Cranmer, should for a moment have
Every man, saith
S'.
influenced More, or should have had any weight with Burnet.

in his
own mind,
and
Paul, should be fully persuaded
though nothing be unclean of itself

it
is
yet to him zoho esteemeth anything unclean, to him

clean
;
un"
a)id he
who doubtcth
is
damned
if he
eat.
Thus, a
thins:
though obedience to the king and the laws

right in itself,
Avas
and the duty of eveiy subject
yet
if it
ap-
jieared to
More
that the oath Avas contrary to the laAV of

laAV
God
(to
which another
he was so
had restrained the power of the

in
his
legislature),
far
from being obliged
conscience
to take this oath, that he Avould
have violated
it.
conscience
and been self-condemned had he taken

of God, Avere not blamed by ISIore,
for they
Others
who saw
it,
nothing in the oath Avhich they thought contrary to the law

it is
true, for taking
had only done
their
duty
but Cranmer's conclu-
sion, that
More
Avas
only doubtful in this matter, by no

Avas,
means
Ihat
it
folloAved.
He
on the contrary, well persuaded,

to take the oath, Avho
it
Avould be sinful in
him
thought
contrary to the laAv of God.*
On
fit
tlie
abbot of "Westminster's reasonino-
there needeth
no other reflection than Burnet hath made,

for so lich
it
Avas
very
his
an abbot, and discovered the temper of
oAvn conscience.
Srt Warner.
SIR T.
MORE.
to
179
For four days, More was committed

this
the custody of
abbot
during which time, saith Mr. Roper, the king

to
consulted with his council what order were meet

with him.
be taken
Cranmer, foreseeing the
ill
effect
of contending
with persons so highly esteemed over the world as
More
letter
and
Fisher,
and who were of such a temper that
severity
would have no influence with them, wrote a curious

to
Cromwell on the occasion, which

library,
is
preserved in the
in too
Cotton
a
light,
and places More's estimation
strong
not to
demand a
place in the present work.
Archbishop Cramner
to
Secretary Cromwell.
Right Worshipful Mr. Cromwell,

After most hearty commendations, &c.
;
doubt not but
you do
right well
remember, that
to
my
lord of Rochester
and
Mr. More were contented
be sworn to the act of the

the preamble of the same.
king's succession, but not to
What was
less it
the cause of their refusal thereof I
am
uncertain,
and they Avould by no means express the same.

must needs
be, either the diminution
rity of the
Neverthe-
of the autho-
bishop of
Rome,
or else the reprobation of the
king's
first
pretenced matrimony.
But
they
if
they do obstinately persist in their opinions of
the preamble, yet

will
meseemeth
it
should not be refused,
if
be sworn to the very act of succession, so that

all
they will be sworn to maintain the same against
powers
a 2
180
MEMOIRS OF
For hereby
shall
and potentates.
satisfy the
be a great occasion to
princess dowager,
and the lady Mary, who do

their souls
if
think that they should
damn
they should
not only
it
abandon and relinquish

and other
their estates.
And
much
should stop the mouths of them, but also of the emperor,

their friends, if they give as
credence to
or doing
my
all
lord of Rochester
and
ISIr.
More speaking
against them, as they hitherto have done and thought that

others should have done
when they spake and

if
did with
them.
And
peradventure
this
it
should be a good quietation to
man}' others within
realm,
such
men
I
should say,
is
that the succession comprised within the said act
good
is
and according
not one within
it.
to
God's laws.
realm
For then
think there
this
who would once
reclahn against
And
alter
whereas divers persons, either of a wilfulness
will
not, or of
an indurate and invertible conscience cannot,
from their opinions of the king's fnst pretenced mar-
riage (wherein they
have once said
their minds,
if
and per-
ease have a persuasion in their lieads, that
they should
now vary
therefrom, their fame and estimation were dis-
tained for ever), or else of the authority of the bishop of
Rome
yet
if all
the realm with one accord would appre-
hend the
said
succession, in
my judgment
Which
shall
it is
a thing to
be amplccted and embraced.

trust surely in
thing,
although I
God
that
it
be brought to pass, yet
hereunto miaht not a
little
avail the consent
and oaths of
j\Iore,
these two persons, the bishop of Rochester
and Mr.
SIR T.
MORE.
181
with their adherents or rather confederates.

king's pleasure so were, their said oaths
And
if
the
might be suppress-
ed, but
when and
Avhere his highness might take
some com-
modity by the pubUshing of the same. Thus our Lord have
you ever
in his conservation.
From my manor
at Cro^'don,
the 17'* day of April,
Your own assured
ever,
THOMAS CAXTUAR.
But
this wise
advice was not taken.

if Ave
The king (exasperMr. Roper), was

indicted on the
It being-
ated by queen Ann,
may
credit
much
irritated against
them, and resolved to proceed Mith
them according
statute
to law.
They were both

to
and committed prisoners

if
the Tower.
apprehended that
they were allowed the use of pen and
paper they would write against the marriage or supremacy,

these were after a certain time denied them.
AVhen
the.
king sent a general pardon, More and Fisher were not only
excluded by general clauses, but by two particular acts

they were attainted of misprision of treason.
ticular, was,
More
in .par-
by an invidious preamble, charged with inhad received from the
gratitude, for the great favours he

kin2:?
and
for stud vino-
to
sow
sedition
among
the kino's
;
subjects,
and refusing
to take the oath of succession
the
king's grants to
him were
therefore declared void,

related.*
and ho
was attainted as already
Roper and Burnet.
192
MEMOIRS OF
this
Severe and revengeful as was

it
treatment,
;
some thought
necessary in so important a
crisis
lest
indulgence to him
who had enjojed

to revolt
so great authority, might encourage others

in their
and be corrupted
affection
to the king.
IMore was certainly not wanting in loyalty, and was willing

to take the oath of succession
however he disapproved the
second marriage.
science,
His treason consisted in a point of con-
and
if
the severity
shewn him was not unjust,
it
was probably
impolitic.
If his reputation
was high before,
his present persecution for a
mere opinion, and an opinion

had so
lately favoured,
which the king and

likely only to raise
his suljjects
it
was
higher.
"VVe
have
in his
English works another letter from
More
to
Cromwell, written probably while he was in the custody
of the abbot of ^^'estminste^, from which
we
will
extract
what he
primac}',
writes concerning the king's marriage
and the pope's
and therewith conclude the present chapter.
'
Upon
a time at
my
coming from be3'ond the
sea,
where
duty
had been on the
king's business, I repaired, as
my
was, unto the king's grace, being at that time at

court.
Hamptonand shew-
At which
time, suddenly his liighness, walking in
the
gallcr}',
brake with
it
me
of his great matter

his
ed me, that
was now perceived, that
marriage was
not only against the positive laws of the church and the
Avrittcn
law of God, but

it
also, in
suchwise against the law
of nature, that
could in nowise by the church be dispens-
sill T.
MOKE.
1S3
able.
Now
so
was
it,
before
my
going over the sea I had
heard certain things moved against the bull of the dispensation,
concerning the words
iii
the law Levitical and the law
Deutronomical, to prove the prohibition to be dejure div'mo.
But yet perceived

found in the bull
not be
sutficient.
not at that time, but that the greater

in
hope of the matter stood,

;
certain faults
bull should
which were
whereby
tlie
by the law
And
such comfort was there in that point

a good season, that the counsel on
(as far as I perceived),
the other part were fain to bring-forth a brief, by which
they pretended those defaults to be supplied.
The
truth of
which
brief
was by the
king's counsel suspected,

for the
trial
and much
diligence
was thereafter done

finally
of that point.
Wheiein what was

else I
found, either 1 never knew, or
not remember.
'
But
I rehearse
first
you
this
to the intent
you
shall
know,
that the
it
time that ever I heard that point moved, that-
should be in such high degree against the law of nature,

in which, as 1
was the time

shewed
it
began
laid
tell
you, the king's grace
me
himself,
and
the Bible open before
me
and
far-
and there read
me
the words which
moved
his highness
divers other erudite pei'sons so to think,
and asked
me
ther
what myself thought thereon. At which time, not preto look that his highness should
suming
any thing take that
point for the more proved or improved for

in so great a matter, I
my
poor mind
shewed nevertheless, as
my
duty
was at
his
commandment, what
thing I thought upon the

liis
words which I there read.
AVhereupon
highness, ac-
184
MEMOIRS OF
ccpting benignly
my sudden
unadvised answer, command-
ed
me
to
comnmnc'
farther witli
Mr.
J'ox,
now
his grace's
ahnoner, and to read with him a book which then was in
making
for that matter.
'
After which book read, and
my
poor opinion eftsoons
tleclared unto his highness tliereupon, his highness,
hkc a
men.
was
prudent and a virtuous prince, assembled at another time

at
Hampton-court a good number of very

time, as far as ever 1
v^êll-learned
At which
them.
iieard, there were, as
in so great a matter
most
likely to be, divers opinions
among
IJowbeit, 1 never heard but that they agreed at that
time upon a certain form, in which the book should be
made
which was afterward, at York-place
in
my
lord
cardinal's
chamber
read, in the presence of divers bishops
and many learned men.
And
they
all
thought, that there
ajjpearcd in the book good and reasonable causes, which
might well move the king's highness, being so virtuous a

prince, to conceive in his
riage.
A\ Inch, while
mind a scruple against
his
mar-
he could not otherwise avoid, he did
well
and virtuously,
for the acquieting of his conscience, to
sue
and procure
to
have
his
doubt decided by judgment
of the church.
'
After this the suit began, and the legates sat upon the
matter.
During
all
which time,
never meddled there, nor
was a man meet
to
do
for the
matter was in hand by an

little
ordinary process of the spiritual law, whereof I could

skill.
And. yet while the
legates were sitting
upon the
SIR T.
MORE.
185
matter,
it
pleased the king's highness, to send me, in the

lord of
company of my
London, noAv of Durham,
in
em-
bassy, about the peace which, at our being there, Avas con-
cluded at Cambra}^ between his highness and the emperor
and the French
king.
And
well
after
my coming home,
unworthy
as I
his high-
ness, of his only goodness, as far

to,
was there-
made me,
after
as
you
know,
his chancellor of this realm.
Soon
which time,
his grace
moved me
;
again, yet eft-
soons to look and consider his great matter

indifferently to
and
Avell
and
ponder such things as I should find therein.

it
And
if it
so were, that thereupon
should hap me, to see

to that part,
such things as should persuade

gladly use
me
he would
me among
other of his counsellors in the matter.
And
nevertheless he graciously declared unto

in
me, that he
conscience
would
nowise that
I
should other thing do or say therein,
than upon that that

should serve
;
should perceive mine
own
and
the
after
first
me and that I should first look God unto him which most gi-acious
;
unto God.
words, was
lesson also that ever his grace gave me, at

into his noble service.
my
first
coming
'
This motion was to
me
very comfortable
and much
longed, beside anything that myself either had seen, or by

farther search should
other, yet specially to
hap
to find for the
one part or the

in the
have some conference
matter
with some such of his grace's learned council, as most for

his part
had laboured and most had found

his
in the matter.
Whereupon
Vol.
I.
highness assigned unto
me
the noAV most
reverend fathers, archbishops of Canterbury and York, with
ISG
5IEM0IRS OF
his grace's
Mr. Dr. Fox now

the Italian
friar.
almoner, and Mr. Dr. Nicholas

1
Whereupon
not only sought and read,
and, as far forth as

well weighed
my
poor wit and learning served me,
and considered, every such thing as I could find myself, or read in any other man's labour which 1 could get who anvthino; had written thereon, but had also diligent
conference with his grace's counsellors aforesaid.
\\
hose
but
honours and worships I nothing mistrust

that they both have
in this point,
and
will
report unto his highness, that
they never found obstinate manner or fashion in
me
but a a
mind
as toward
and
as conformable, as reason could in
matter disputable require.
"Whereupon, the king's highness being farther advertised,
both by them and by myself, of

matter,
my
poor opinion in the

to
wherein,
to
have been able or meet

his highness,
do him
service, I
would, as I then shewed

all
have been
I
more glad than of
such worldly commodities as
then had or ever should come to

ously taking agreeabl}^
either
his
highness, graci-
my
good mind
in
that behalf, used,
of his blessed disposition,

ter,
in the
prosecuting of his great mat-
only those (of
whom
his grace
had good numbei-), whose
conscience his grace perceived well and fully persuaded up-
on that
part.
And
as well
me, as any other
to
whom
his
highness thought the thing to seem otherwise, he used in

his
other
business.
Abiding, of his abundant goodness,
nevertheless gracious lord unto every

willing to put
science.
man
nor never was

liis
any man
in
rufHc,
or trouble of
con-
SIR T. MOIIE.
'
187
After this did I never nothino- more therein.

1 tlierein to the
Ijiit
Nor never
in quiet to
any word wrote
impairing of his grace's part,

setthng
ni}'
neither before nor after.
mind
serve his grace in other things, I
would not so much as look
nor
let lie
by
me any book
I
of the other part, albeit that 1
gladly read afterward divers books ^vhich were

part.
made on
his
Nor never would

made
in
read the book which Mr. Abel
made on
heard say
the other side, nor other books which were as I

in
Latin beyond the sea, nor never gave ear
to the pope's proceeding in the matter.
Moreover, where I
had found
of
my study a
book which
id
before borrowed
my lord
of Bath (uhich book he had
made of the
and that
;
matter,
at such tinie as the legates sat here thereupon) which book
had been by me negligently cast aside

him,
I
I shcAved
would send him

fiiith
home
his
book again
he told me,
that in good
he had long time before discharged his
mind of
remain
that matter, and, having forgotten that copy to
in
my
at
hand, had burned his
own copy which he
had thereof
home.
And
because he no more minded to
me<ldle anything in the matter, he desired

sarhe
me
to burn the
book too
and, upon
my
faith, so
did I
'
Beside
this,
divers other
ways have
it
so used myself*
that if I rehearsed
them
his
all
should well appear, that I
never have had against
his grace's
marriage any manner of
demeanour, whereby
highness might have any
manner
of cause or occasion of displeasure toward me. wise as 1
For, likeit
am
not he
who
either can, or
whom
could be-
come
to take
upon nie the determination
or decision of
Bb2
18S
MEMOIRS OF
a weighty matter (whereof divers points a grerft
sucli
way
pass
my
learning)
so
am
I lie
who, among other
his grace's
tUithful
sul^jeets, his
highness being in
possession
of
liis
marriage, will most heartily j)ray for that prosperous estate
of his grace long to continue, to the pleasure of God.
As touching
1 nothinti
the
third
point, the
primacy of the pope,

it
is,
meddle
in that mailer.
Truth
that, as
told
you Avhen you desired me to shew you what I thought therein, I was myself sometime not of the mind, that the
b\'
primacy of that see should be begun
the institution of
God
until that I read in
that matter those things which
the king's highness had written, in his most famous book

against the heresies of Martin Luther.
'
At
tlie first
reading whereof, I
moved
the king's highit
ness, either to leave-out that point, or else to touch
more
to
slenderly
for
doubt of such things as
after
might hap
fall in (juestion,
between
his highness
and some pope, as

^\ here-
between princes and popes divers times have done.

unto
his highness
answered me, Ihat he

;
zcould in nowise any-
ihivg minish of that matter
of which thing, his highness

I
shewed
me
a secret cause, whereof
never had anything
lieard before.
But
surely, after that I
had read
I
his grace's
book thereon, and so many other things as
have seen on
that point by this continuance of these seven years since
and more,
have found in
S'.
effect, the
substance of
all
the
the
holy doctors, from
Ignatius,
disciple of S'.
John
Evangelist, unto our
own
days, both Latins
and Greeks,
SIR T.
so consonant
MORE.
189
and agreeing
in that point,
and the thing by

good
faith
such general councils so confirmed
also, that in
I never neither read nor heard anything of such effect
on
the other side, which ever could lead
me
to think
iii
that
my
conscience were well discharged, but rather

peril, if I
right great
should follow the other side and deny the primacy
to be provided
by God.
did, yet can I nothing, as I
Which
if
we
shewed you,
that
perceive any
denial
;
commodity which ever could come by

primacy
is
for that the
at the leastwise instituted
by
the corps of Christendom, and for a great, urgent cause, in
avoiding of schisms
sion,
and corroborated by continual succesj'cars at the least;
more than the space of a thousand

Gregory,
I
for there are passed almost a
thousand years since the time

is
of holy
S',
And
therefore, since all Christendom
one corps,
cannot perceive how any member thereof may,

assent of the body, depart from the
without the
common common head. And

by
ourselves, I
then,
if
we may not
if
lawfully leave
it
cannot perceive but,
the thing were a

avail,
treating in a general council,
what the question could
whether the primacy were instituted immediately by

or ordained by the church.
God
As
to
for the general councils
assembled lawfully, I never

it
could perceive but that, in the declaration of the truth,

is
be believed and to be standen-to.

for
The
Or
authority
else,
whereof ought to be taken
undoubtable.
were
there in nothing no certainty but, through Christendom, up-
90
MEMOIRS OF
on every man's art'ectionate reason, all things might be brought liom day to day into continual ruflle and confusion, i'roni A\ hich, by the general councils, the spirit of God, assisting
every such council well assembled, keepeth, and ever shall keep, the corps of his catholic church.
And
verily, since
the king's highness hath, as by the book of his honourable

council appeareth, appealed to the general council from the
jiope (in which council I beseech our
Lord send
his
it
grace
comfortable speed!), methinketh in
my
poor mind,
could
be no fartherance there unto

ness should in his
his grace's
cause, if his high-
own realm
seem
before, either
to derogate
by laws making
or books putting-forth,
ly the
and deny not on-
primacy of the see apostolic, but also the authority
of the general councils too.

ness intcMidcth not
;
Which
I verily trust his

it
high-*
for,
in the
next general council,
may may
well happen, that this
pope may be deposed, and another
substituted in his room, with Avliom the king's highness
be very well content.
For, albeit that
have
for
I
mine own part such opinion

nor never
the
king's
of the pope's primacy as
have shewed you, yet never

;
thought
the
pope above the general council
have, in any book of mine, put-iorth

subjects in our vulgar tongue,
authority.
among
advanced greatly the pope's
For, albeit that a

after the
therein, that,
man may peradventure find common manner of all christian

;
realms,
speak of him as j)rimate
yet never do 1 stick

point.
thereon, with reasoning

in
and proving of that

jNlasker, 1
And
my
book against the
wrote not
1 wot-Aveil live
SIR T.
times,
MORE.
S'-
191
and yet of no more but only

none of
printed,
Peter himself; from
whose person many take not the primacy, even of those
who
that
grant
it
his
successors.
And
yet was that

truth, before
book made,
spoken-of.
in
and put-forth of very
any of the books of the council were
either printed or
But, whereas I had written thereof at length
my
Confutation before, and for the proof thereof had

all
compiled together
time as
I little
that I could find therefore, at such

fall
looked that there should
Ijetween the
as
is
king's highness
and the pope such a breach

after that
fallen
to-
since
when
saw the thing
likely to
draw
it
ward such displeasure between them,

ly,
I suppressed
utter-
and never put Avord thereof

it.
into
my
book, but put-out
the remnant without

I
Which
thing well declareth, that

in that
never intended anything to meddle
matter against
the king's gracious pleasure, Avhatsoever
mine own opinion
were
therein.
'
And
thus have
Avith
I,
good Mr. Cromwell, long troubled

;
your mistership
a long process of these matters

it
Avith
Avhich I neither durst, nor
could become me, to encum-
ber the king's noble grace.
But
beseech you, for our
Lord's love, that you be not so Aveary of my most cumbrous

suit,
but that
it
may
like you, at
such opportune time or

help that his highness
times as your Avisdom
may
find, to
may, by your goodness, be

ful
fully
informed of
my
true, faith-
mind.
That he may the
rather,
by the means of your
Avisdom and dexterity, consider, that in the matter of the
nun, there Avas never on
my
part any other
mind than
1P2
ME^!OIRS OP
good.
Nor yet
I
in
any other thing
else,
never was there
nor never shall there be, any farther fault found in me, than that
cannot in every thing think the same way that

learning, do;
some other men, of more wisdom and deeper
nor can find in mine heart otherwise to say, than as mine
own conscience
groAvn, in
giveth me.
^Vhich condition hath never

his gracious
any thing which ever might touch

haply
pleasure, of
any obstinate mind or mis-affectionate appetite,

;
but of a timorous conscience

ter perceiving,
rising
for lack
of bet-
and yet not without tender respect unto

his
my
most bounden duty toward

favour
in
all
Whose only I so much esteem, that I nothing have of mine own this world, except only my soul, but that I will with
noble grace.
it,
better will forego
than abide of his highness one heavy,
displeasant look.'
Sm
T.
MORE.
193
CHAP.
V.
Henry Fill and

Mrs. Roper
manner.
,
Constantius.
. . .
More' s Jirmness.
to
Anecdotes.
visiteth him.
His pains
meet his fate in a becoming
His
reflection on the execution

. .
of Reynolds, &c.
visiteth
his
His
verses on Cromwell's promise.
Lady More
letters
him, and some

. . .
of
the
privy-council.
His two
.
to
daughter.
.
His
hooks taken from him. arraigned,

indictment.
.
.
Rich's conversation with More.

.
More
to the
. . .
The commissioners and jury.

.
More's answer
His answer
to
Rich.
The jury find him

.
guilty.
.
His arguments as
cellor's anstoer,
to the insufficiency
of the indictment.
.
The
cha7i. .
and More's
.
.
reply.
Sentence passed upon him.

.
Farther proceedings.
More's courage and constancy,

.
. .
His meet-
ing with his children.

ter.
.
Anecdote.
His
. . .
last letter to his
daugh-
Sir
. ,
Thomas Pope
last jokes,
sent to him.
More's preparation for

burial.
death.
His
and
execution.
His
J.
HE
later times of
Henry VIII have been
well
enough
compared
tmly or
tion,
to those of Constantius.
Of
this
emperor x\mall
mianus Marcellinus observes, he was cruel toward

falsely
who
were charged
Avith
treason.
Any
;
accusahis sub-
how
I.
slight soever, served to ruin
man
and
jects
were so
far
from daring to
tell
their dreams, lest they
Vol.
191
>iioul{l
IMOIOIRS OF
have
o.
treasonable interpretation put

to
upon them,
If
that
fliey
dared not
oxen
they ever slept.
we except
the history of Henry's own. family, perhaps no stronger

instance occurs in his reign of the justice of the comparison, than
liis
sacrifice of Sir
Thomas More.
Neither irritated by persecution, nor dismayed in the

least degree
by kingly power,
maintained
in
a mild though firm

;
man-
ner, the knight
his resolution
and the accus-
tomed facetionsness of
in his
his disposition forsook
him not even
way
to prison.
It
was
IMore's
custom to wear a golden chain around

it
his neck,
and he now had
on as usual.
this
His conductor
to
to the his
Tower advised him to send wife, or to some of his children.

I
not
;
ornament home
sir,
Nay
replied
More,
ene-
that will
mies,
for if I were taken in the
feld
by
my
I would
tlê
they should somewhat fare the better for me.
At
Tower-gate, the porter demanded of
More
his
upper garment.
was very sorry
it
The knight presented him

was no
better.
his cap,
and
"Wit was, however, not
current with Cerberus,
who soon
disrobed the knight of his
gown.
"When !More was conducted
to his
appartment by the
lieutenant of the Tower, he called his servant
John Wood,
who was appointed
to attend him,
and who could neither
read nor write, and brought him to his oath before th
Sm
lieirtenant, that if
T.
MORE.
195
he should witness that the knight spoke
or wrote against the king, the council or the state, he should
immediately declare
it
to
the lieutenant, that

to the council.
it
might be
communicated without delay
The
lieutenant, adds
]\Ir.
Roper, soon afterward acknow-
ledged his former obligations to More, and his wish

to afford
now
him good
cheer
but since by so doing he should
hazard the king's displeasure, he trusted More would accept his good will and such poor cheer as he dared to
ford him.
lieve, as
'
af-
Mr. Lieutenant,' replied More,
'
verily be-
you may, so are you
my
good friend indeed, and
would, as you say, with your best cheer entertain

the which I most heartily thank you
self
:
me
for
And
cheer
assure your;
Mr. Lieutenant,
I so do,
do not mislike
my
but when-
soever
then thrust me out of your
doors.'
Such indeed was More's mind, that
his
punishments, as
they were called, only afforded him opportunities for the

display of that superior patience and constancv, which the
ordinary occurrences of
preciate.
life
were hardly
sufficient
to
aj)-
^Vhen he had been

her father.
in the
Tower about a month, Mrs.
Roper by earnest entreaty

visit
at length obtained permission to
After some time spent with her in prayer,

'
according to his usual custom,
I believe
among
other things), that the}'
who have
Meg (said More, put me here ween

But
I assure thee
they have done
me
a high displeasure.
Cc
]9G
MEMOIRS OF
faith
a\
on m}'
for
mine own good daughter,

and ye who be
if it
I
had not been
my
ifc
my
children,
would not have

in as
failed long ere this, to
have closed myself

But, since I
straight
room and
straighter too.
without mine
will
own
desert, I trust that
am come hither God of his goodness

his gracious iielp
I
discharge
me
of
my
in
care,
and with
supply
my
lack
among
ye.
I find
no cause,
thank
God
INIeg, to
reckon myself
worse case here than at home.

Avanton, and setteth
For methinketh,
God maketh me a
me on
his lap
and dandleth me.' *
In the course of his imprisonment, INIore seems never

for a
moment
to
have
lost
sight of the
to.
end which
that he
it
was
probable he should
irritable habit
come
He owns
was of an
by nature, and weak against bodily suftering. Yet the whole force of his mind appears to have been exerted at this time, in preparation to meet his fate with
constancv and composure.
gi-ees
He
withdrew himself by de-
from every Avorldly
interest,
and dwelt with daily
in-
creasing delight on his hope of a better state.
Tliough few
men have
in iheir
ever had
more
substantial ground for confidence
own
merits, he looked forward to the great judghis
ment with trembling, but with every hope from

mercy and the merits of
effects of his
Maker's
Christ.
We
shall find that the
endeavours, even to
human
eyes, were
won-
derful
that no
man
ever overcame worldly suffering in the

fate with less
end more completely, or met so severe a

of the stroke.
Roper.
dread
SIR T.
MORE.
in
tiie
197
Looking out of
his
window
affair
Tower one
da}'
when
Reynolds, a father of Sion, and three monks, were leading

to execution,
on the
of the kind's marria2;e and su]\Ieg,'
premacy,
'
Lo
'
dost thou not see
he exclaimed to
his daughter,
that these blessed fathers be
now
as cheer-
fully
going to their deaths as bridegrooms to their marriage.

sec,
is
Wherefore thereby mayst thou

ter,
mine own good daughbetween such as have
what a great difference there
in effect spent all their
days in a straight, and penitential,
and painful
life
religiously,
and such
as
have
in the world,
like worldly wretches, as thy
poor father hath done, con-
sumed
all their
time in pleasure and ease licentiously.

their long-continued life in
For
God, considering
most sore and
grievous pennance, will no longer suffer them to remain
here in this vale of misery, but speedily hence taketh them

to the fruition of his everlasting deity.
father,
Whereas thy
most
silly
Meg, who
like a
wicked
caitiff
life
hath passed forth

sinfiilly,
the whole course of his miserable
God,
>
thinking him not worthy so soon to

felicity,
come
to that eternal
leaveth
him here yet
still
in
this world, farther to
be plagued and turmoiled with misery/ *
Secretary Cromwell
came
to
More one day

us,
in the
Tower-
from the king, as Mr. Roper informs

great friendship for the knight, told
and pretending
his
him that
majesty
his
would be good and gracious to him, and not trouble

have cause for scruple.
conscience in future with any matter wherein he should
But More understood Henry and

* Roper i
19S
MEMOIRS OF
court too well, to
;
liis
fix
the smallest reliance on such a prolittle
mise
and
to
prove what
credit he attached to
it,
he
wrote these verses so soon as Cromwell was gone, Avhich ard

])reberved in his English woiks.
Ey
fluttering Fortune, look tliou ne'er so fair
Or
ne'er so pleasantly begin to smile,
As though thou wouldst

During
my
ruin all rep.tir
my
iifi'lliou sliult
I
me
not iK-guile.
Trust shall
"Ilis
Gocl, to enter in a while
haven of heaven sure and uniform.

I for
Ever, alter thy calm, look
a storm.
Lady More
'
at length
procured permission to
in her usual worldly
visit
her
husband, and soon exclaimed

I
manner.
marvel that you, Avho hitherto have been taken for a

Avill
wise man,
filthy
now
so play the fool to

tluis
lie
here in this close
prison,
rats
and be content
;
to
be shut-up
among
his
mice and
when you might be abroad
at your libert}',
and with the favour and good-will both of the king and
council, if
you would but do
as all the bishops
and
best-
learned of this realm have done.
And
seeing
you have
at
Chelsea a right
i'air
house, your library, your galler}^ garall
den, orchard, and
other necessaries so
handsome about
you, where you might in the couipany of
me
your wife,
your children and household be merry,
muse what a God's
name you mean

ed her
liis
here
still
thus fondly to tuny.'
More
ask-
if his
present habitation was not as near heaven as

?
own
iiouse
And
since, if he
were buried seven years,

house, he should not
fail
and then rose and came
to his
own
SIR T.
to find
MORE.
199
some
him
therein
it
and
tell
who would bid him get out of doors was none of his, why he should love a house
its
which would so soon forget

ed, do yoii think we mai/
master ?
enjoy
it
How
?
long,
he addyears,
live to
Some twenty
she replied.
it
If you had said some thousand, answered More,

;
had been somezvhat
and yet he were a very bad merchant

in
who would put himself

sand years.
joy
it
danger
*
to
lose
eternity for a thouto en-
IIozo
to
much
the rather, if
!
we be not sure
one day
an end
It is possible
that the
good
lad}^
may have been an
in-
strument employed by the court, to endeavour at prevailing on her husband to meet the wishes of the kino.
least,
At
no attempt appears
to
have been spared, toward the
completion of an object which was evidently deemed of
no small importance.
Suffolk, Cromwell,
For, not long after the meeting al-
ready described, the chancellor, the dukes of Norfolk and
and others of the privy council, came

to confess the
to
More
at
two
distinct times, by all pollicies possible pro-
cto'ing him, saith
Mr. Roper, either precisely

it.
supremacy, or precisely to deny

times.
At
either of these
More wrote
confidentially to his daughter ISIargaret,

letters are preo-ive
describing to her
what had passed, and the
served in his Endish works.

best account
As
these letters
us the
we have of
the proceedings, they
are here,
presented to the reader.
Roper and More.
200
MEMOIRS OF
Our Lord
bless
you
nvj dearhf beloved
daughter
'
doubt not but, by the reason of the king's counsellors
resorting hither in this time, in which (our
Lord be
their
comfort!) these fathers of the Charterhouse and Mr. Rey-
nolds of Sion be
matters
trouble
now judged to death for and causes I know not), may hap
fear of
treason (whose
to
put you in
and
mind concerning
it
is
nie,
being here pri-
soner
specially for that
not unlikely that you have
heard, that I was brought also before the council here

self.
my-
have thought
;
it
necessary to advertise you of the

that,
very truth
to the
end
you should neither conceive
more hope than the matter
giveth, lest
;
upon another turn
it
might agrieve your heaviness
nor more grief and fear than
the matter giveth on the other side.
Wherefore shortly you
shall
understand, that on Friday
the last
in here
day of April
unto
in the afternoon,
Mr. Lieutenant came
me and
shewed me, that Mr. Secretary would
speak with me.
AA'hereupon I shifted
my
gown, and went

;
out with Mr. Lieutenant into the gallery to him
where I
met many, some known and some unknown, in the way. And in conclusion, coming into the chamber where his mistership sat with
Mr. Attorney,
I
INIr.
Solicitor,
Mr. Bedyll,
and them
i\Ir.
;
Dr. Tregonwell,
in
was
offered
to sit-down with
which
nowise
would.
'
Whereupon Mr. Secretary
sliewed unto me, that he
SIR T.
MORE.
by such
friends as hither
501
doubted not but that
I had,
had
resorted to me, seen the

ting of the parhament.
new statutes made at tJie last sitWhereunto I answered yea verily;

I
howbeit forasmuchas, being here,

with any people, I thought
it
have no conversation
little
need
I
for rae to
bestow
much
book
time upon them

shortly,
and therefore
re-delivered the
and the
in
effect of the statutes I never
marked,
nor studied to put
remembrance.
first
?
Then he asked me,

I
whether
had not read the
statute of them, of the
king being head of the church
whereunto
answered
it
yes.
Then
his mistership
declared unto me, that since
was
now by
act of parhament ordained, that his highness and
his heirs be,
and ever of
right
have been and perpetuall}'
should be, supreme head on earth of the church of Eng-
land imder Christ, the king's pleasure was, that those of

his council there
assembled, should
therein.
demand mine
opinion,
and what
my
mind was
'
Whereunto
answered, that
king's
in
good
faith I
had well
trusted, that the
highness would never have com-
manded any such
question to be
demanded of me, conand

truly,
;
sidering that I ever from the beginning well
from
time to time, declared
my mind
unto his highness
and
good
since that time, I said, unto

also, both
your mistership, Mr. Secretary,
by mouth and by writing.
And now I have

matters,
in
faith discharged
my mind of
titles
all such
and
neither
true,
will dispute kings'
nor popes'.
will be
;
But
the king^s
faithful subject
I am, and
and daily I pray for him

council.
and
all his,
I.
and for you
all
who are of his honourable
Vol.
505
MKMOIIIS OF
nil the realm.
ami for
tend
to
And
otherwise
than thh I never in-
meddle.
'
^Vliercunto Mr. Secretary answered, that he thought
this
manner of answer should not

;
satisfy
nor content the

full
kind's hiijrhness
but that his grace would exact a more

mistership
answer.
And
his
added thereunto, that the

rigour, but of
king's highness
was a prince, not of

tliough that he
his sul)jects,
mercy
and
]jity.
And
in
had found obstinacy at

yet
some time them

his grace
self,
any of
when he should
that,
find
at another time conformable
and submit themselves,

concerning mytake such conthe world again
would shew mercy.
And
his highness
would be glad to see

I
me
in
formable wa3's, as
might be abroad
among
'
other men, as 1 have been before.
Whereunto
shortly, after the

for
to
inward affection of
my
mind, answered,
in the
a very truth, that I would never meddle

have the world given me.
I
world again
And
to the
renmant of the matter

ing that
I
answered in
effect as before;
shew-
had
fully
determined with myself, neither to study

this
nor meddle with any matter of
world
but that
my
whole study should be, upon the passion of Christ and
mine own passage out of
this world.
'
Upon
this I
was commanded
a<2;ain.
to
go forth
for
a while,
and afterward called-in
At
"which time
Mr. Secre-
tary said unto me, that though I were a prisoner
condemn-
ed to perpetual prison, yet
was not thereby discharged
SIR T.
MORE.
203
of luine obedience and allegiance unto the kind's hishncss.
And
thereupon demanded me, ^vhether that
thought, that
the king's grace might not exact of
me
such things as are
contained in the statutes, and upon like pains as he might
upon other men

say the contrary.
king's highness
Whereto
answered, that I would not

said, tJiat likewise as the
Whereunto he
would be gracious
to
them whom he found
conformable, so his grace would follow the course of his
laws toward such as he shall find obstinate.

tership said farther, that
And
stiff
his
mis-
my demeanour
made
in that matter, Avas
a thing which of likelihood
others so
therein as
they be.
'
Whereto
answered, that I gave no

;
man
occasion to
hold any point, one or other

vice or counsel therein, one
clusion,
I
nor never gave any

or other.
man
for
ad-
way
I,
And
con-
could no farther go, whatsoever pain should
come
ject
Ins,
thereof.
lam, quoth
;
the king's true faithful suhhis
and daily bedesman
and pray for
highness and all

say none harm,
and
all the rcabn.
I do nobody harm, I
think none harm, but zcish everybody good.
And
if this
be not
to live.
enough
to
keep a
man
alive,
in
good faith I long not
And I am
dying already y and have, since I came

the
case,
here, been divers times in
that
!
I thought
to
die
within one hour.

for
it ;
And, I thank our Lord

when I saw
body
but rather sorry
the
I was never sorry pang past. And

;
therefore,
my
poor,
is
at the king's pleasure

I
would (Jod
my
death might do him good
d 2
504
'
Ml'MOIIlS
OF
in ?
to
After this Mr. Secretary aid, rccU, youjind no fault
that statute, Jind
you any
in
any of the other statutes af/cr
W'liercto I answered,
sir,
zchatsoever thing should seem
me
other than good in any of the other statutes, or in that
statute either,
ivould not declare
what fault I found, nor

liis
speak thereof.
AVhereunto
finally
niisterslii|)
said
full
gently, that of anything which 1 had spoken
there should
none advantage be taken.

tliat
And whether
taken, I
he said farther
there
was none
to be
am
not well rememberthe king's
ed
but he said, that report should be
made unto
highness,
and
his gracious pleasure
known.
'
^Vhereupon
was delivered again

;
to
Mr. Lieutenant,
-who was then called-in
and
so
was
I,
by Mr. Lieutenant,
here
brought again into

such case as
1
my
chamber.
And
am
I
I yet, in
was, neither better nor worse.

in the
That that
beseech,
shall follow, lieth
hand of God.
"\\
honi
to put in the king's grace's to his high pleasure; and
mind
in
that thing which
may be
mine, to mind only the weal
of
all
my
soul, Avith little regard of
my body
children,
and you, with

and
all
yours and
my
wife
and
all
my
our other
friends both bodily

I
and ghostly,
all,
heartily well to fare.
And
the
pray you and them

shall
pray for me, and take no thought
whatsoever
happen me.
it
For
verily
trust in
goodness of God, seem

shall
never so evil to
this world, it
indeed in another world be for the best.
Your
loving father,
THOMAS MORE,
KX^.
SIR
'J'.
MORK.
205
'
Our Lord
bless
you and
all ijours !
'
Forasmuch, dearly beloved daughter, as
it
is
likely,
that
you
either
have heard, or shortly
shall hear, that the
council were here this day
and that
was before them,
have thought
ter standeth.
it
necessary to send you word

verily, to
how
the matlittle dif-
And
be short, I perceive
the last.
ference between this time and
For, as far as I
can
see, the
whole purpose
is,
either to drive
me
to say
precisely the one way, or else precisely the other.
'
Here
sat
my
lord of Canterbury,
my
lord chancellor,
my
in
lord of Sutlolk,
my
lord of Wiltshire,
and Mr. Secre-
tary.
And
after
my
coming, Mr. Secretary made rehearsal,
whatwise he had reported unto the king's highness what

said
had been
by
his grace's council to
me, and what had
been answered by
me
to them, at
his
mine other being before

mistership rehearsed, in
them here
good
faith,
last
which thing
Avell,
very
as I
acknowledged, and confessed,

A\
and
heartily
thanked him therefore.
hereupon he added
thereunto, that the king's highness was nothing content nor

satisfied
with mine answer

1
but thought, that by
my
de-
meanour
had been occasion of much grudge and harm

and that
1
in the realm,
had an obstinate mind and an

duty was, being
in
his
evil
toward him, and that
my
his subject
al-
and so he had sent them now,

legiance, to
name, upon mine
command me
1
to
make
a plain and a ter,
minate answer, whether
thought the statute lawful or not;
206
MEMOIRS OF
I
and that
should cither acknowledge and confess
it
lawful
that his highness should
be supreme head of the church of
England, or
else utXer plainly n)y malignity.
'
Whereto
answered, that
utter.
had no
malignit\',
and
there-
fore I ct)uld
none
And
I
as to the matter, 1 could

;
none
other answer
his mistcrship
make than
had before made
which answer
had there rehearsed.
A'erv heavy I was, that
the king's highness should have an}' such opinion of me.
liowbeit
if
there were one
who had inlbrmed

unti'ue,
his highness
many
that
evil things
of
me
which were
to
which
his
highness for the time gave credence,
would be very sorry
he should have that opinion of mc the space of one

if I
day; howbeil
the
Mere sure, that other should come on

his
morrow
l^y
Avhom
giace should
know
the truth of
mine innocency,
Avith
it
1 should in the
meanwhile comfort myself

in
consideration of that.
And
likewise now, though
be great heaviness to
me
that his highness hath such opiI
nion of
me
for the
m hile, yet have
no remedy
to help
it
but only to comfort myself with
this consideration, that I
know
world.
very well that the time shall come, when
Cod
shall
declare
my
truth toward his grace before
him and
all
the
And
whereas
it
might haply seem to be but small

first
cause of comfort, Ijccause 1 might take harm here

the meanwhile,
in
this
I
in
thanked
Cod
that
my
case was such here
u)atter,
through the clearness of mhie own conI
science, that tht)ugh
might have pain,
could not have
liarm
for a
man
njay in such a case lose his head, and
have none harm.
For
was very sure that
had no cor-
SIR T.
MORE.
20r
rupt
afllection,
but that
hud alway from the beginning

first
truly used myself, looking
upon God and next upon
the king; according to the lesson which his highness taudit
me
at
my
first
coming
to his noble service, the
most
virtu-
ous lesson which ever prince taught his servant.

highness to have of
Whose
great
it.
me now
such opinion,
I said,
is
my
heaviness
but
have no mean, as
to help
But
only comfort myself in the meantime with the hope of the

joyful day, in which
my
truth toward
I
him
shall
well be
known.
And
in
this
matter farther
could not so, nor
other answer thereto I could not make.
'
To
this it
was
said,
by
my
lord chancellor
and Mr. Se-
cretary both, that the king might

to
by
his
laws compel
me
make
a plain
answer thereto, cither the one wa}^ or the

I answered, that I
his highness
other.
Whereto
would not dispute the

in
king's authority
what
For
might do
it
such a case
to
but
I said,
that verily, under correction,

if it
seemed
me
somewhat hard.
so were
me me
to
against the statute (wherein

I
my conscience save how my conscience giveth

tliat
make no
declaration), then
I
it
nothina; doino- nor no-
thing saying against the statute,
were a very hard thing

it
compel
mo
to say, either
precisely with
against m}^
-
conscience to the loss of

the destruction of
my
soul, or precisely against it to
my
body.
'
To
this
Mr. Secretary
said, that I
had ere
thieves,
this,
when
I Avas chancellor,
examined
heretics
and
and other
deserv-
malefactors
and gave
me
a great praise above
my
908
MEMOIRS OF
ing in that behalf.
And
he said that
I then, as
he thought,
and
at the leastwise bishops, did use
to
examine heretics
whether they believed the pope to be head of the church,
and used
to
compel them
to
make a
precise answer thereto.

it is
And
to
Avhv should not then the kins;, since

is
here that his grace
head of the church
here,
made compel men

a law
answer precisely to the law here, as they did then con?
cerning the pope
'
answered, and said that I protested that
intended
not to defend
my
part or stand in contention
but, I said
there was a difference between those two cases.
Because
that at that time, as well here as elsewhere through the
corps of Christendom, the pope's power was recognised for
an undoubted thing; which seemeth not

in this realm,
like
a thing agreed
truth in other
and the contrary taken
for
realms.
'
Whereto Mr. Secretary answered,

denying of
to
that they were as
well burned for the denying of that, as they be beheaded

for the
this
;
and therefore
as
good reason
to
compel them
other.
is
make
precise answer to the one as to the

in this case
"Whereto I answered, that since
man
not by a law of one realm so bound

is
in his
conscience,
where there
a law of the whole corps of Christendom to

is
the contrary, in a matter touching belief, as he
by a law
in
of the whole corps, though there Jiap to be
made
some
place a law local to the contrary,
the
man
reasonableness or
to precise
the unreasonableness in binding a
answer,
SIR T. :\IORE.
stantleth not in the respect or difFerenee
209
between heading
in
and burning; but, because of the ditFerence
charge of
conscience, the difference standeth between heading:

hell.
aud
'
Much was
in
there answered unto

lord
this,
both by Mr. Seto

rehearse.
1
cretary
and ray
chancellor,
overlong
me
And
conclusion, they offered
an oath, by which
tliiniis
should be sworn to
make
true answer to such
as
should be asked me, on the king's behalf concerning the

king's
own
person,
\yhereto I answered,
that
veiily
I
never purposed to swear any book-oath more,
wliile
lived.
Then they
that
;
said, tliat I
was very obstinate

it
if I
would refuse
for every
I said,
man
I
doth
in the star-chamber,
and everylittle fore-
where.
sight,
that was true.
But
had not so
but that
might well conjecture what should be part

;
of mine interrogatories
at the
first,
and
as
good
it
was
to refuse
them
as afterward.
'
Whereto
my
lord chancellor answered, that he thouo-ht

for I should see
guessed truth,
them.
And
I
so they were
shewn
me
and they were but twain,

statute
;
the
first,
whether
had seen the
the other, whether

not.
believed
I
tliat it
were a lawful-made statute or

the oath
;
\Vhercupon
refused
I
and
said farther
by mouth, that the

I
first
had
before confessed, and to the second

swer.
would make none anI
end of our communication, and was thereupon sent away.

the
Which was
Vol.
I.
'IW
'
SIE^rOIRS
In the
OF
it
communication betbre,
tliat I
I
was
said, that
it
was
marvelled,
stack so
much
in
my
conscience while at
I said,
the uttermost
I
was not sure
therein.
Whereto
that
was very sure that mine own conscience, so inlbrmed as
it is
by such diligence
as I have so long taken therein,
may
stand with mine

science of thcni
stat aut cadit, I
own salvation. I meddle not with the conwho think otherwise ; every man suo damno
am
no man's judge.
Tt
was
also said
in
unto me, that

it,
if I
had as
lief
be out
I
of the world as
as I
had there
said,
why
It
did
not
then speak even plain out against the statute?

well
I
I
appeared
AVhcreto
was not content to
die,
is,
though
I
said so.
answered, as the truth

living, as I
that
have not been a

ofl'er
man
;
of
such holy
lest
might be bold to
myself to death,
God
for
I
my
presumption
n)iglit sufter
me
to
fall
and
therefore
bcit if
put not myself forward, but draw back.

to
it
How-
God draw me
shall
himself, then trust I in his great

to give
mercy, that he
not
fail
me
grace and strength.
'
In conclusion, Mr. Secretary said, that he liked
me
this
day much worse than he did the

;
last time,
lor then,
he said, he pitied
not well.
and so
me much and now, he thought, I meant But God and I know both, that I mean well pray God do by me I pray you, be you and
!
mine other good
friends of
good cheer, whatsoever

me, but pray
for
fall
of
me
and take no thought

shall for
for
me, as
do
and
you and
all
them.
tender, loving father,
Your
THOMAS MORE,
KK^.
Sm
It xvas
T.
MORE.
Rich, then newlj
11
soon after
this that
made
the
king's sohcilor, Sir
Richard Soutliwell, and one Palmer,
servant to Cromwell, were sent to
More
to take his
books
from him.*
Tlie knight had
sometime previously,
saith his
great-grandson, begun a divine treatise of the passion of

Christ; but
when he came
to
expound the words
they laid
hands upon him and held him, these gentlemen took from
him
all
his
books, ink, and paper.
More hereupon
de-
voted himself wholly to meditation, and closed his chamber
windows.
And when
the lieutenant of the
Tower inquired
of him his reason for so doing,

the wares are gone the
More answered, xislien all He still, shop-windows may be shut.

and one of these scraps,
a pre-
however, contrived to procure scraps of paper, on which
he now wrote with a coal

cious jezoel, as
he
calls
it,
his great-grandson inherited.
It hath
this
been supposed by some,
tliat
Rich was sent on

if possible in
occasion with a view to entangle

;
More
dispute
and
if
nothing could
fairly
be deduced from their
conversation to the knight's prejudice, that the solicitor was

at
any rate
to have accused
it
More
falsely.
But a design of
upon our con-
this kind,
although
be by no means inconsistent with the
character of Henry's court, must
now
rest
jectures only, antl cannot be expected at this distant day to admit of tresh proof.
Certain
it is,
that while Southwell and
Palmer were pack-
ing the books, Rich, pretending familiar conversation with

* Roper.
Ee
21
'J
MEMOIRS OP
said to him, since he
More,
was learned
in tlie
law and
otherwise, uiight he put the (juestion to iiim, // there xvas
an act of parliament that the realm should take me for

zioiild
Icing,
not you take
mc for king
More,
Yes
sir,
replied
that zvould I.
I put
not
the case farther, said Rich.

all the
TVcre there
an act of
parliament that
realm should take me for pope, would

?
you then take me for pope
ISlore replied, the
parliament might well meddle with the
state of
temporal princes, but to answer the other case, he

this case.
would put
law that
say that
Suppose the parliament would make a
God
God
should not be God, would you then
Mr. Rich
were not
God
No
sir,
replied Rich, that would
not
since no parlia-
ment may make any such law.
Here, according to Mr. Roper, the conversation ended.
But Rich when
called
upon
at INIore's trial falsely reported,
that the knight rejoined
to this answer, no
more could the
parliament make the king supreme head of the church.
When More
had been
for
was arraigned at the King's-bench

in prison.
bar,
he
above a year
His bodily strength
had been materially impaired, having experienced returns

of the complaint in his breast, and
new
attacks of the
SIR T.
gravel and stone.*
MORE.
213
Weak
He was
and emaciated, he leaned on a

yet his couiiieadiice was
crutch Avhen he went to

firm
this trial,
and
cheerful.
tried,
probably by special com-
mission, before
Cliancellor Aiidlcy,
Chief-justice Fitzjanaes,
Sir
John Bildwin,
Richard
Leister,
Sir
Sir Jolia Port, Sir

Sir
John
Spilraan,
Walter Luke,
Sir
Anthony
Fitzherbert.
His jury, for their names too deserve to be recorded to

their infamy,
were
Thomas Palmer, Thomas
Peirt,
Sir
Sir
George Lovell,
Thomas Burbage,
Geoffrey Chamber,
Esqrs.
Edward Stockmore,
William Browne,
Jasper Leake,
Thomas
John
Billington,
^Gentlemen;
Parnel,
Richard Bellame,
George Stoakes.t
The indictment was

* Eng. works,
so long, that
p. 1434.
More
declared he could
^ More.
tH
scarcely
Mr.MOIRS OF
vemcmbcr
Ilis chief"
a tliml part of
what was objected against
him.*
crime was, his refusal of the oath as we

;
have already seen
wliich
was termed
ma/iciotis,
in
trriito7-ous,
ond diabolkal.
IJis
two examinations
the Towit, with
the declarations he then made, were adduced in proof of
the charge.
And
it
was
allesjjeil,
that he had written letters

;
to bishop Fisher, to bias
tliat
prelate likewise
for his anit
swers resembled those
made
l>y
More.
Upon
the whole,
was concluded, that the knight was a and

to the irahn, for
traitor to his
j^rince
denying the king's supreme
juristlic-
tion in ecclesiastical
government.
The reader who hath marked

reign, will already
the character of Henry's

result of this trial.
have anticipated the
For he needeth not

will
to be told, that this prince

;
made
his
a rule forjudges and even juries

aiul
that he sported with

;
law
common-sense on
his caprices
all
occasions
;
that
his
parlia-
ments followed
of Sir Tiiomas
with servility
all
and that they as
well as himself were lost to
sense of shame.
The
fate
More
is
a striking,
among many
truths.
other la-
mentable cxemplihcations of these horrid
After the indictment had been read to him, the duke of
Norfolk said to More, you

offended his
tjiajesty.
iee
is
now how
grievously you have
Yet he
so merciful, that if
you
will
lay aside your obstinacy
and change your

his highness.
* Pole.
opinion,
we hope
you may obtaiu pardon of
SIR T. IVrORE.
215
To
this,
continues the great-grandson, the stout champion

lords,
of Christ repUed, most noble thank your honours for

this
I have great But I mind I am
cause
to
your courtesy.
beseech Alin,
mighty God, that I may continue in the

his grace, unto death.
through
For the former part of More's defence we are indebted

to Stapleton,
from whose Latin we
will translate the knight's
words.
'
When
I recollect the length

is
of
my
accusation, and the

1
weight of what
that
objected against nie,
my
I
understanding,
my memory,
bodilj^
and
am apprehensive my power ot utto
terance, so
may
still
fail
me
in
making due answer
the w
Ik;!.-
am
affected
by the
weakness which
I iiave
suffered from
my
imprisonment.'
Here a
seat
was ordered
to
be brought the knight.
Ii
ing seated himself, he thus proceeded.
'
There be four
;
divisions, if I
mistake not, of
my
indict-
ment
which
I will
answer in order.
'
To
the FIRST, that I was averse to his majesty's second
marriage, I candidly own, I ever disapproved this marriage

to the king.
Nor am
I
I noAV inclined to say or think other-
wise of
science
it
than
have done, for the dictate of
my
con-
is still
the same.
This dictate I was neither inchned

bis majesty,
of
my own
accord to conceal frgm
nor ought
19
I to
MrMOmS OF
have clone so wlicn the
triilli
was domandecl of
this
me
it-
and no suspicion of treason can on

self to ine.
occasion attach
Mich
On tlie moment by jny
contrary. IxMn"- asked a (iue>li(jn of

prince, on which his lionour
hail
1
and the
tranquility of his
kingdom de|)endcd,
spoken with
I
more regard
to comj)liance Aviih
his wislies
than to truth,
I
should then with justice have been accused of what
am
now accused, of malevolence, wickedness,

*
treachery.
But even
for this fault of
mine,
if it
be a
fault in
it,
man
al-
to
speak the truth to

surt'ered se\ere
his prince
when he asks
I
have
ready
punishment.
have been proscribed
from
cci in
all
intercourse with mankind,
and continually innnur-
prison lor nearly hlteen months.
'
A SECOND
lor,
head of
my
indictment
is,
that
am amen-
able to punishuicit tor the violation of an act of parlianietit.
when
I
in
jnison, of n)y malevolence, Avicked-
ness, treachery,
sought to detract Irom the honour due to
his majesty as recognised

j)iij)!t
by that act
in
his
new
title,
szf-
htad
oil
earih of the church oj E/ighuuL
'
AVhat opinion did

in
utter regarding this act,
when
twice
his
questioned
piibon
by Mr. Secretary and others of

I
majesty's council, that
hould be said to have detracted
frou), or to lia\e denied, this
new authority?
in
would give
no
otlier
answer ihun, that the

nie,
act, just or unjust, pertain-
ed not to
who was dead
law, and was no longer
bomid
to
answer to statutes
A\liich 1
should never more use;
SIR T.
MORE,
217
yet that neither by word or deed had I ever done anything
derogatory to the act, and therefore I could not with justice
be condemned
jected to
for
a Jaw against which
it
could not be ob;
me
that I had either acted or spoken
that, re-
jecting every other care, I wished to turn
the time to
to
come
to the bitter passion of

this life.
my thoughts for my Saviour, and
my own
'
passage from
own
made
this ansAver.
But
maintain that
this
law or act was by no means violated by such answer, nor
any
capital offence
committed by
it.
Neither your laws,
nor those of the whole world, can criminate mere silence.
They
are
made for words and
actions;
God
alone can judge
of secret thoughts.'
Here the
king's counsel remarked, that More's silence

evil disposition
was a sure
ward
sign of his
;
of his malice
for
no man
in
and a certain proof the kingdom well-affected tothis act,
his majesty,
being interrogated as to
would
refuse to declare his opinion categorically.
'
My
silence,' replied
More,
'
is
neither a sign of any
evil
disposition in
me,
it
as his majesty
may know
b}-
many
proofs, neither doth
bear any conviction of a breach of
your law.
It is to
be taken for assent rather than dissent,

is
witness the lawyers' phrase, who
silent
seemeth
to consent.
As
your inference respecting the duty of a good subject from the example of all England, I am of opinion, that it
to
is
the duty of such a one, uliless he would be a bad chris-
VoL.
I.
218
tian at thf^
MEMOIRS OF
same time
tliat
;
he
is
a good
suliject,
to ol)cy
God
rather thafi
man
to
have more care of
his
conscience
and the preservation of

wliatever.
his
his soul,
than of any other thing

is
Especially when, which

is
certainly
my
1
case,
conscience
such, as to produce not the smallest of-
fence, no scandal,
ly athrni, that I
no sedition
to his 'prince.
this
For
solemn-
never opened
conscience of mine to
any mortal
living/
'
come now
1
to
the
third head
of
my
indictment.
By
Avhich
am
accused, against the constitution of

;
my
my
country, to have violated an act of parliament
having
maliciously endeavoured, wickedly contrived, and treacher-
ously practised, so saith the
indictment,
to
interchange
eight letters in prison with the bishop of Rochester, wherein I
persuaded him against

it.
this
law and incited him to op-
pose
earnestly desire that these letters

for they will either
may
be produced
and read,
since
condemn
or acquit me.
I will
But
you say
that the bishop burnt then),
not hesiof them
tate to repeat to
you what they contained.

aft'airs
Some
Avere full of our private
and related to our old and
intimate friendship.
ter of inquiry,
One
this
I
contained
I
my
answer to
in
his let-
what reply
on
had made
subject.
prison to the
king's counsellors
new
'Jo this I
made no
other answer, than that
he might
soul as 1
my own mind, and make-up his. So God love me and preserve my wrote him nothing else, and as God is my witness
had made-up
sill T.
MORE.
!
afS
is
this
and nothing
else
is
the truth
I
Thus
there nothing in
to
this instance neither
which
have conimittcd, contrary
law and worthy of death.
The FOURTH and last allegation against me is, when I was examined concerning this law in prison, I
'
that
said,
it
was
like
a two-edged sword
it,
who opposed
it
destroyed
his
body, who consented to
confounded
his soul.
From
which kind of answer, because the bishop of Rochester

likewise
made
it, it
was asserted that we had evidently con-
spired in the matter.
'
answer that
this expression
was more
qualified
on
my
part.
Namely, that
I
I said, in either case there
was danger,
whether
it
approved or disapproved the law, and therefore

a two-edged sword, which wielded cutteth both
in ex-
was
;
like
ways
deed.
and the condition seemed peculiarly severe
tending to myself,
who
7ny
contradicted
it
neither by word nor
These were
not.
words
how
the bishop answered I

it
know
If his reasoning agreed with mine,
hath arisen
from no collusion, but rather from our similar thouo-hts and

studies.
In short, ye ma}'
to
rest satisfied, that I
have never
spoken
though
any mortal
living against this constitution, al-
perhfijis
some
false reports
may have been made on
the subject to the king's most merciful majesty.'
Though no
word malice,
farther
answer was now made
to
More, the
saiih Ins great-grandson, Avas in the
mouth of
the whole court.
And
as a final proot of the knight's "uiit,
Ff
220
MEMOIRS OF
called, lo relate
Rich was now

the answer of
as reported to
upon oath the conversation

Mr, Roper hath preserved
occasion in his very words,
which we have already noticed.
More upon
him by
this
credible eye witnesses.
'
If I was a
man my
I
lords,' said the knight,
'
who
did
not regard an oath,

in this place,
needed
not, as
it is
well
known, stand
an ac-
and at
this time,
it"
nor in
this
case, as
cused person.
And
it
this
oath of yours Mr. Rich be true
then I pray that I never see
God
in the face,
which
would
not say were
otherwise, to win the whole world.'
Here More gave the court the true account of

versation with Rich in the
thus.
his con-
Tower
and then he proceeded,
'
In good faith, Mr. Rich,
am
sorrier for
shall
your perjury,
than for mine

ntither
to be a
I,
own
peril.
And you
understand, that
nor no
man
else to
my
knowledge, ever took you
man
of such credit, as, in any matter of import-
ance,
I,
or any other, would at any time vouchsafe to
com-
you know, of no small while have been acquainted with you and your conversation, who have known you from your youth hitherto, for
municate with you.
I,
And
as
we
can
long dwelt together in one parish.

tell (I
Where, as yourself
to say)
am
sorry
you compel me so
you were
esteemed very light of your tongue, a great dicer, and of
no commendable fame.
And
so,
in
your house at the
SIR T.
MORE.
221
Temple, where hath been your chief bringing-up, were you

hkewise accounted.
Can
it
therefore
seem
in so
likely
to
your honourable lord-
ships, that I
would
weighty a cause so unadvisedly
overshoot myself, as to trust Mr. Rich, a
man
of
me alway
reputed of
little
truth as your lordships have heard, so far
above
sellors,
my
sovereign lord the king or any of his noble coun-
that I
would unto him
utter the secrets of ray con-
science touching the king's supremacy, the special point
and only mark

which
I
at
my
hands so long sought-for, a thing
never did nor never would, after the statute there-
of made, reveal unto the king's highness himself, or to any

of his honourable counsellors, as
it
is
not
unknown unto
your honours, at sundry several times sent from his

person to the
this, in
owa
?
Tower
to
me,
for
none other purpose ? Can
your judgment ray lords, seem likely to be true
And
yet, if I
had so done indeed,

it
my
lords, as
Mr.
Rich hath sworn, seeing

liar talk,
was spoken but
in secret fami-
nothing affirming, and only in putting of cases,

it
without other displeasant circumstances,

be taken to be spoken inalidously
.
cannot justly
malice, there can be no otlence.
And where there is no And over this, I can
never think
my
lords, that
so
many
ful,
honourable personages,
many worthy bishops, so and so many other worshipas at the
virtuous, wise,
and learned men,
making of
that
law were
in that parliament assembled, ever
meant
to
have any
man
punished by death in
whom
there could be
222
MEMOIRS OF
;
found no malice
vialitia
taking malitia for malcvoleiiiia.

siu,
si
I'or if
be generally taken for

qiihi
no
man
is
there then
who
est.
can excuse himself;

ipsos
this
dixcrimus quod pcccatum

et
7wn hubemus, nosmct
scducemus
Veritas in nobis non

is
And moreover
By which
word
maliviously
in this
statute
material; as the term

cnir^sse.
/o/t/Tj/c is in
the statute o^ forcible
statute, if a
man
enter peaceably and
put not
lie
his adversaries out

^"oj-c/Y/y,
/b;"c/7>///,
it is
no
oti'ence
it
but
if
put them out
then by the statute

this
is
an
of-
fence,
and so
shall
he be punished by
term forcibh/.
'
Beside
this,
the manifold goodness of the king's high-
ness himself,
who
very
hath been so
many ways my
singular
good
lord,
and who hath so dearly loved and trusted me;

first
oven at
my
coming
into his honourable service,
to the dignity of his honourable to
privy council Vouchsafing
admit -me, and

liberally
to oflices of great credit
and worship
most
advancing
me
and
finally,
with the weighty
room of
his grace's
high chancellor (the like whereof he
never did to temporal
man
before), next to his
own
royal
person the highest
officer in this
noble realm, so far above

therefore, of his
;
my
qualities or merits able
and meet
own
the
incomparable benignity honouring and exalting

space of twenty years and more shewing
me by
his continual fa-
vour toward me; and

his highness, giving
(until at
mine own poor
suit it pleasdd
me
licence with his majesty's favour
to
bestow the lesiduc of

in
my
life
for the provision of
my
to
soul
the
service
of Cod, of his special goodness
discharge and disburthcn me), most benignly heaping ho-
SIR T.
MORE.
223
all this his
nours continually more and more upon me,

highness' goodness
I
say, so long thus continually
extended
toward me, were
in
my
mind,
my
lords,
matter sufficient
to convince this slanderous surmise,

fully
by
this
man
so wrong-
imagined ag
linst
me.'
Rich now desired that
his
companions, Southwell and'

his
Palmer, should be examined relative to

with More.
conversation
o'f
When
they had been sworn they either

in
them deposed, that being employed

knight's books as they
conveying away the

at-
had been ordered, they paid no
tention to the conversation which was passing.
The
jury, however, speedily found
More guilty
less'
and
the chancellor, More's immediate successor,

ing, as chief
was 'proceed^
commissioner, with no
hasty servility to
pronounce judgment upon him, when the knight observed,

that in his time
it
was customary
in
such a case, to ask the
prisoner before judgment,
what he could say why judgment
should not be given against him.
The
chancellor hereupon
to say
to
demanded of More
thus replied to him.
wiiat he
?
was able
this
in-
stance to the contrary
and More, according
Mr. lloper,
'
Forasmuch,
my
lords, as
this
indictment
is
grounded
upon an act of
of
parliainent directly repugnant to the laws
God and
his
holy church,
the
supreme government
temporal prince pre-
whereof, or any part thereof,
may no
sume by any law
to take
upon him,
as rightfully belonging
'
224
MEMOIRS OF
Rome, a
spiritual pre-eminence,
to the see of
by the mouth
earth,
of our Saviour
only to
see,
S'.
liimsclf,
persoually present
upon the
Peter and his successors, bishops of the same

prerojâtive granted
it is
by special
therefore, in
law,
among
christian
men,
insufficient to charge
any
chris-
tian man.'
The knight added, that as the city of London could make a law against an act of parliament which bound
whole realm, neither could
catholic church
statutes
this
not
the
realm
make a
particular
.law incompatible with the general law of Christ's universal

;
that
it
was contrary
for,
to the unrepealed
ecclcsia
et
il-
of the country,
sit,
by Magna Charta,
Anglicana, lila
l(csa
:
et liabeat
omnia sua jura integra
that
it
was contrary
also to tlie oath taken
by Henry
;
and every other

ziiorc
christian prince at his coronation
that
no
might England retuse obedience

its
to the see of
'
Rome,
than a child to
to the
natural father
for, as S'.
Paul said
Coiintliians,
I have regenerated ye
Gregory, pojie of
mij children in
Christ, so
might
S'.
Rome
my
(suice
by
S'.
Augustin, his messenger,

faith),
we
first
received
the
christian
of us Englishmen tiuly say, ye are
children, be-
cause
have, under Christ, given to ye everlasting salvation,

better inheritance than
afar higher and

can leave
any carnal father
to his children,
and by regeneration have made ye
spiritual children in Christ
The
chancellor here repeated the old remark, that since
the bisliops, universities, and best learned had subscribed
SIR T.
to the act,
it
MORE.
225
was
wonclcit'ul
that he alone would oppose

it.
them
all
and argue
so strongly against
'
If the
number of bishops and

More,
'
universities be so
mateit,
rial/ replied
as
your lordship seemeth to take

lord,
then see
I little
cause,
my
why
that thing in
my
con-
science should
make any
change.
this
For
nothing doubt,
but
that,
though not in
realm,
yet in
Christendom
about, of those well-learned bishops and virtuous
men who
of your
be yet
alive,
they be not the fourth part
who be
opinion therein.
But
if I
should speak of those
who be
I
dead, of
very sure
whom many
it is
be
now
holy saints in heaven,
am
the
the far greater part of them, who,
all
while they lived thought in this case that

think.
way which
now
And
therefore
am
not bound,
my
lord, to con-
form
my
conscience to the counsel of our realm, against'
the general counsel of Christendom.'
The
justice,
chancellor at length asked the opinion of the chiefif
the indictment were sufficient.
Fitz-james re-
plied with his usual oath,
my
lords all, by S'. Julian, J
must
needs confess, that if the act of parliament be not unlawful^

then
is
the indictment in
my
conscience good.
An
that
;
answer
it
upon which More's great-grandson remarketh,
re-
sembled that of the Scribes and Pharisees to Pilate
if this
man
were not a malefactor^ we would never have delivered
him unto you.
The
Vol.
chancellor
I.
now proceeded
to
pronounce the usuiU^
S26
MEMOIRS OF
of" liani;ing, lialli
sentence
chawing-,
and
(luarU-riui;
loi-
wliicli
llcniy VI 11
been pronounce<l by Paulus Jovins, a se-
cond
fices
Plialaris.
In consideration, however, of the high offilled,

;
which More had

/W/t'flf//i>-
this
sentence was afterwaid

still
mitigated to
a sul>iect which
afforded
G.td
the
undismayed knight an opportunity of

he
said, that the h'nts; slionld use
ant/
all
jesting.
siicfi
forlr'id,
more
inero/ unto
unt/
of mji fiunuh^ and
God
/dess
nnj posferifi/
from such
yardons.*'
If
we may
credit
Stapleton, ^Joic said after his judg-
ment was
ly
passed, that since he stood

to disburthen
his
condemned, how jnstlie
God knew,
conscience
would now
freely
speak what he thought of the late proceedings.

state
When
was
he perceived that the
of
this
kingdonj retpiired the
investigation "v^hence the
power of the
Roman
pontiff
derived, he directed
his'
attention and study for seven whole

to this
years to the subject.
But
day could he never
dis-
cover in any learned writer approved by the church, that
a layman ever had been, or ever could

church.
l)e,
head of the
Tiie chancellor
is
said here again to have remarked, that
the knight arrogated to liimself
more wisdom and
integrity
than the whole realm beside

plied, that against
and More again
to have reijun-
one bishop he could name him an

all
dred, and against one realm the consent of

for
Christendom
more than a thousand
years.
More.
]>ioro
Sir Thomas, exclaini-
SIR T.
MORE/
227
ed the duke of Norfolk, you shew your malice; to which
More answered,
that he only discharged his conscience.*
The commissioners now

ing, if
offered ]\Iore a favourable hearoffer in his defence.
he had anything farther to
'
More have
not to say
my
lords,' replied
S'.
the knight,
'
but that, like as the blessed apostle
Paul, as
we read
in the
Acts of the Apostles, was present and consented to

S'.
the death of
Stephen, and kept their clothes who stoned

saints
him
in
to death,
and yet be they now both twain holy

tlierc
heaven, and shall continue

so
I verily trust,
friends
together for
ever
and
shall therelbre right hearti-
ly pray, that
though your lordships have now here on earth
been judges to
my
condemnation, we may yet hereafter

to everlasting salvation.j-
in
heaven
all
meet together,
Tlius did the knidit receive the sentence of

tion with that equal
condemna-
temper of mind
o[' life
;
v.hicli
he had discover-.
ed in either condition wholly to prepare

little terrible
and
lor death,
now devoted himself which we shall find proved

Jie
to him.
Sir "William Kingston,

(as
tall,
strong,
and comely knight

friend, athis re-,
Mr. Roper
calls him),
and Mora's very dear
tended the knight, as constable of the Tower, on

turn thither.
At
the Old
Swan, with a heavy
heart, tears
running down his cheeks, he wished

More.
More
farewell.
t Roper.
g 2
îfS
]\[t:.MOIRS
OF
'
'
Sir
Thomas More,'
continues Mr. Roper,
seeing him
as he could,
so sorrowiiil, comforted
saying, good
him with
as
good words
Mr. Kingston,
For I
will
trouble not yourself, but be of
good cheer.
ZiiJ'e,
pray for you and
my good
lady your
zmc
thai we
may meet
in heaven together, zchere

ever.
shall
be
merry for ever and
Soon afterward.
ashamed of myself,
Sir
AVilham
said, in
Kingston, talking with rae of Sir

goodfaihli
Thomas More,
Mr. Roper I
zcas
that, at
my
departing from your father, I found

his so .strong,
my
heart so feeble, and.
that he was fain
to
comfort me, who should
rather have comforted him.'
A
the
scene 3ct more tender occurred before the knight
reached the Tower, and which a])|)earcth not unworthy of

artist's
jiencil.
IJis
affectionate daughter Margaret,
fearing that this would be her last opportunity of seeing
her dear father in this world, awaited his coming, at the
Tower-wharf, and on
his
approach, pressed forward to him
with an ardour nearly frantic, which neither the crowd nor

his
guards could restrain.

his
Having reached him, she clung

pleased with her manner, and
round
filial
neck and kissed him, with the utmost ardour of
affection.
More seemed
blessed and comforted her.
After she had gone from him,

re-
she was again seized with the same enthusiasm, and
lumed once more

the tears of
to rc-act the
same tender
scene,
amid
it
many
of the spectators.
'Jhe knight's son,
appears, also prrsentrd hinreelf to his father and asked his

blrssing.*
Roper an
More.
SIR T.
MORE,
229
his
Between Mores condemnation and the execution of

sentence, about a
prayer,
week intervened
to his
which he passed
in
and
in
such disciphne as
his
persuasion induced
him
to beheve
his usual
would tend
acceptance with his Maker.*
Yet
facetiousness in worldly affairs forsook

crisis/
him
not even at this awful
A
ters
light-headed courtier, as More's great-grandson calls
him, having come to the knight, not to talk of serious matbut to urge him
to
change
his
mind. Sir Thomas, wearied

last replied
by
his
impertinence and importunity, at

it.
I have
The report of this soon reached the king, and More was commanded to explain himself. The knight now
changed
rebuked the courtier

spoke
in jest
;
for troubling his
majesty with what he
his
meaning he
said was, that whereas he
purposed to have been shaved, that he might appear as

usual at his execution, he had
his
now changed
his
mind, and
beard should share the fate of his head.
Two
of More's
last letters, written
with a coal, are pre-
served in the volume of his English works.

in Latin, to
The former
is
Mr. Anthony Bonvyse, a
rich merchant,
who
appears to have been an old and constant friend of the

knight,
and of whose kindness

;
this
is
his last grateful ac-
knowledgment
friistra fecero
adding after his signature Thomas Morus,

adjiciam tuus,
si
nam
hoc jam nescirc non potes

talis
qutim
tot benejiciis emeris,
nee ego nunc
sum
tit
rcferat
cujus sim.
The
latter, to his
daughter IMargaret, was writ-
* See More.
'230
.MK.MOIRS
o''>
Of
1335.
ten on July
anil
is
1535, Ihc very day before his execution,
here presented to the reader.
Sir
Thomas More
to ^[rs. lioper.
Our Lord
bless yovi
little
good daughter, and your good husall
band, and your

ren,
boy, and
yours
all
and
all
n)y ehdd-
andÛ my
god-eliildren
and
our jiiends.
'
Recommend me when you may
to
my
good daughter
!
Cicily,
whom
beseech our Lord to conil'ort
and
send
hei
my my
blessing,
1
and
to
all
her children, and

;
pray her to
coni-
pray lor me.

tbrt
send her an handkerchiel

!
and God
good son her husband
'
]\Iy
good daughter Daunce hath the picture
in
parch;
ment which you delivered me Irom my Lady Coniers her name is on the back side. Shew her that 1 heartily pray her, that you may send it in niy name to her again, for a
token from
me
to pray for
me.
'
like special well

1
Dorothy Coly.
this
pray you be good
unto her
would wit whether

I
be she
whom you
wrote
me
of? If not, yet

in
pray you be good to the other, as
you may
Aleyn
.
her atHiction, and to
my
god-daughter Joan
too.
Give
her,
pray you, some kind answer; lor

day, to pray you be good to her.
she sued hither to
me
this
'
cumber you, good Margaret, much
but
v.ould be
SIR T. MOKiJ.
rÎ
sorry
S'.
if it
should
lie
any longer than lo-niorrow.
For
it
i.^
Thomas even, and the Utas morrow long I to go to God,

convenient for me.
better than
terly love
I
of S'. Peter; and therefore toit
were a day very meet and
never liked your manner toward

kissed
me
when you
me
last; for I love
when daugh-
and dear charity hath no

Farewell
all
leisure to look to world-
ly courtesy. I shall for
my
dear child and pray for me; and

friends, that
for
you and
I
your
we may
cost.
merrily
meet
in
heaven.
thank you
your great
'
send
;
now
I
to
my
I
god-daughter Clement her algorism
stone
and
send her, and
my
god-son, and
all hers,
God's
re-
blessing
and mine.
to
pray you, at time convenient,
commend me
my
!
goodson,
John More.
him and
I
I liked well his
natural fashion.
Our Lord
to
bless
his
good wife
my
his
loving daughter
whom
if
pray him be good, as he
hath great cause; and that
the land of mine

sister
all
come
to
hand, he break not
my will concerning his

:.'
'
Daunce.
that they
And
shall
our Lord bless Thomas and Austin* and
have/
'
'
For the reasons which he

was that fixed upon
iiig
gives in this letter,
it
was pro-
bably at More's particular request, that the following day

for his execution.
6'^
Early in the morn-
of Tuesday July
to
1535, his friend Sir
Thomas Pope
came
him
Avith
a message Irom the king and council,
* John More's children.
293
that he sliould
suflfcr
MEMOIRS OF
death on that mornnig before nine of
4he clock, and
tluit
he might prepare himself accordingly.
Mr. Pope,'
saitl Sir
Thomas,
'
for
your good tidings
lieartily
thank you.
have been alway
much bounden
to
the king's highness for the benefits and honours which he
hath
stilj,
from time to time, most bountifully heaped upyet more bounden
on me.
ting
And
am
1 to his grace, for
put-
me
into this place,
where
have had convenient time
and space to have remembrance of

help
me
niost
it
highness, that
my end. And, so God of all, Mr. Pope, am I lx)vinden to his pleaseth him so shortly to rid me from the
And
therefore will
I
miseries of this wretched world.

fail,
not
eainestly to pray for his grace, both here
and
also in
the world to come.'
'
The
king's pleasure
is
farther,'
added Pope,
words.'
'
that at
your execution you
shall not
use
many
'
Mr. Pope,' replied More,

his grace's pleasure
;
you do
well to give
me
warning of
for otherwise, at that time,
had
purposed somewhat to have spoken, but of no matter

his grace, or any, should
wherewith
ofi'ended.
have had cause to be
Nevertheless, whatsoever I intended, 1
am
ready
obediently to conform myself to his grace's
commandment;
and
beseech you, good Mr. Pope, to be a
mean
at
to his
burial.'
highness, that
my
is
daughter Margaret
may be
my
'
The king
content already,' said Pope, that your wife
SIR T.
MORE.
friends, shall
233
and children, and other your be present

thereat.'
have hberty to
'
O how much
!
beholden
then,' said
More,
'
am
unto
his grace,
who unto my poor
burial vouchsafeth to
have so
gracious consideration.' *
It Avas not without reason that Henry's
command,
he
should not use
many
words,
accompanied the message of
death.
He was
not ignorant of More's ability as a public

great his authority was
speaker, and
how
among
the people.
He was
sensible too of the provocation

;
which he had given
his prisoner
and, judging the knight's temper by his own,
he feared that he should be treated with the most vindictive
and
offensive freedom.
But the subject on

;
this
occasion
proved too good

serves to
for his prince
and the circumstance only
add
to our
contempt of Henry's conduct.

leave of More,
Pope now took

from
tears.
and could not
retiain
Quiet yourself good Mr. Pope,' said More,

;
'
and be not
and
discomforted
for 1 trust that
each other
full merrily,
we where we
shall shall
once in heaven see be sure to

live
love together in joyful
bliss eternally.'
More now put-on

lieutenant of the
his
best clothes
which,
when
the
Tower saw, he advised him

Roper.
to take
them
Vol.
I.
554
MEMOIRS
(3F
off again, saying he was but a rascal
who
sliould
have
Ihcm.
AVhat. Mr. Lieutenant,' said the knight,

rascal
1
'
shall I
account
bene-
him a
fit?
it
who
shall
do
me
it
this da}' so singular a
Nay,
assure you, were
cloth of gold I should think
well
bestowed on him, as
S'.
Cyprian did, who gave
his
executioner thirty pieces of gold/
'J'he
lieutenant, however, persuaded
him
to re-change his
left to hinj,
<]ress.
Yet, of the
little
money which was
the
knight sent his executioner an angel.*
At the appointed
by
time, he
was conducted from

tlie
his prison
;
the lieutenant of the Towei' to
place of execution
his
beard bting long, ?ays his great-grandson, his face paie

lean, carrytng in his
and
hands a red
cross,
casting his eyes
often toward heaien.

last,
Yet
his facetiousness
remained to the
of which three instances are related to have passed,
even uj)on the scaftold.
On
Avas
ascending
this structure,
;
be
Ibund
it
so
weak
that
it
ready to
see
fall
upon which he
and for my
so pru-
said to the lieutenant,
I pray
tm
tip
safe,
coming donn
tJently
let
me
shift
for myself
As Henry had
time,
imposed
silence
upon him
at this
More only
desired of his spectators that they would pray for him, and
bear witness that he there suflered death in and for the

faith of the catholic church.-f-
Roper.
Roper.
SIR T.
MO [IE.
233
This said, he knelt, and repeated a psahn with grcatdevotion

;
perhaps the 51", the
56"",
or the
57'^.
lie then
rose cheerfully,
and the executioner asking

said, thou wilt do
his forgiveness.
More
kissed
him and
me
this
day a greatto
er benefit, than ever
any mortal man can be able

man, and be not afraid
;
give me.
office.
Pluck-up thy
spirit,
to
do thy
My
neck
is
very short
take heed therefore that thou strike

\A
not awry, for saving thy honesty.
hen he
laid his
head
he
upon the
block, he desired the executioner to wait

his hedixd, for that
till
had removed
'
had never committed

adds
treason.
So with great
'
alacrity
and
spiritual joy,'
fatal
his great;
grandson,
he received the
blow of the axe
which
no sooner had severed the head from the body, but
his soul
was carried by angels

decay/
into everlasting glory,
where a crown
of martyrdom was put upon him which can never fade nor
More's behaviour in
this
last
scene hath been censured
by some
stoic
as hght
and indecent, and partaking more of the
than of the christian.
have allowed that that
him on
all
occasions,
it
The more candid, however, manner having been so natural to was not peculiar upon this but
;
proved that death by no means discomposed him, and could

not even put him out of his ordinary humour.
His head remained for some time fixed upon a pole on

London-bridge, until the piety of his daughter Margaret
found an opportunity of purchasing

preserved
it
it.
She
is
said to
its
have
inter-
in a leaden box,
and
to
have ordered
Hh
256
MEMOIRS OF
o-wn bod} in
tlie
meut with her

adjoining
in the
8'.
Roper-vault, under a chapel

Ilislx)dY
Dunstan's, Canterbury.*
S'.
was buried a tomb
chapel of
Peter
in the
'J
ower, probably near bishop

himselt"
Fisher,
who,
like
More, had appointed
in
his lifetime, Avhich his
body never occupied.
Some
of our
antiquaries have asserted that More's
body was afterward

;
removed
to Chelsea
by
his
daughter Maigaret
but this
is
by no means
jirobable for
satisfactorily
made
out,
and appeals
to be im-
more reasons than one.

More and Wood-
SIE T.
MORE.
237
CHAR
jinecdote.
. . .
VI.
Queen Ann and Cranmer indolent

.
.
in
More's
caitse.
Effects of More's execution.
Sentiments of the Emperor Charles,

.
. .
Cardinal Pole, and Paulus Jovius.
Morels
religion, bigotry, i^c,
.... Not so extravagant as some, in his notions of the papal power.
.... His propensity
to jesting,
. .
and
witty sayings.
His behaviour
ivhile
at his death natural.
His
disinterestedness,
. . .
and
integrity
chancellor,
and
virtue as a patriot minister.

.
.
Queen Catharine's
opinion of More.
His greatness of mind,

his family.
.
.
excellent temper,
and
good management of
Other
traits
. .
.
of
his
character.
.... His learning, modesty, and benevolence.

of Richard
His Utopia, History

. . .
HI, epigrams,
letters,
and
.
controversial writings.
.
urnet's character of him as a
zvriter.
The
editions
.
.
of More's
.
English and Latin works.

mily.
.
His personal
peculiarities.
. . .
His fa.
,
. .
Erasmus' encomium on More's house,

to
Mrs. Roper.
Basset.
Her
letter
her father in prison.

.
. .
Her daughter
More's
letter to GonelliLS.
.
.
character.
The death of Erasmus and view of More's remonstrances with him misrepresented.
his
1T
is
said that
when Henry
received the report of More's
execution he was playing at draughts, and

looking~on.
Queen Ann was

said ihou art the
Casting his eyes upon her,
lie
238
IIEMOIRS OF
;
cause of this maii^s death
ami soon afterward he

it is
left
the
game.
fell
He
betook himself,
added, to
his
chamber, and
into a
fit
of melancholy.*
^Vhatever credit
ers
who
assert
may be due to this anecdote, those writthat Ann was instrumental to More's execuit.
tion,
have probably been guided by
Yet she was
per-
haps rather an approver of the execution than an instigator

to
it
;
for
it is
certain that the

it
temper of her consort,
irrit-
able and impetuous as

stigation to lead
it
was, seldom stood in need of in-
to extremities.
After having opposed the divorce and second marriage,

INIore
became an opponent of what was then termed heof which
resy
Ann was
a patron.
If then only to
remove
to
an enemy
to herself
and her cause, we have no reason
doubt that the queen's voice was

tion,
in favour of the execu-
ây,
if
she found the king at any time wavering in
his resolution, she

ill it,
may have endeavoured

to
to confirm
in the first
him
and thus have given ground

his uneasiness, to
Henry,
mo-
ments of
charge her with having caused
the knight's death. O'
Cranmer, as well as Ann, had, we know, very considerable influence on Henry's purposes
erted
all
;
and had they now ex-
this
influence,
they might perhaps have saved
More's
life.
But
it
is
pretty clear that the queen never
made such an
attempt, or Henry could not have reproach* More.
SIR
T.
MORE.
is
259
ed her
in this
manner; and
it
too probable that neither
her majesty nor the bishop used every endeavour in their
power
to
prevent an execution, Avhich fixes an indehble

all
odium upon
the reformers
who consented
to
it.
We have
at least very
ample testimonies remaining
to us,
that the sacrifice of

the limits of his
More made an impression, far be3'ond own country, and of deeper stamp than it
chiefly
hath often been in the power of an individual to leave,
who,
like
More, hath been conspicuous

life.
by
his vir-
tues in civil
]Many learned of Christendom, protest-
ants as well as catholics,

tyrant, nor hated
who
neither feared
Henry
as their
him from
private motives of animosity,
have animadverted strongly on the cruelty of the knight's

execution.
Upon
sea,
his friend
Dr. Lark, at that time rector of Chelis
More's death
said to have
had so much
influence,
that he soon afterward suffered death also, for denying the

king's supremacy.*
Mr. Roper
relates, that
when the emperor CharJes
re-
ceived intelligence of More's execution, he sent for Sir
Thomas
put
Ehott, the English ambassador at his court, and
said to him,
we understand that
and
the
king your master hath

Eliott re-
his faithful
gi-ave counsellor to death.

JVell,
plied,
he knew nothing of the matter.

it is
said the
em-
peror,
too
true.
And
this
uill u'e
say; that had ue
* More and Stow.
940
MEMOIRS OF
been master of such a servant (of whose doings ourselves havt
had
have
these
lost
many years no
small experience),
zse
would rather
lost
the best city of our dominions, than have
such a
worthy counsellor. This anecdote, Mr. Roper adds, Sir Tho-
mas
Eliott reported to himself, to his wife,
and
to other
friends.
CarcUnal Pole, to
whom
Italy,
notwithstanding his rela-
tionship to Henry, was the seat of safety, in his

unitate ecclesiastica, written
justification,
book pro
in
answer to Dr. Sampson's
by royal authority, of Henry's proceedings,

death to that of Socrates.
compares
^Slore's
I have
seen,
saith Pole, even the greatest strangers,
who never knew him,
never shared his favour, so much affected by his death, that
when they read

tears;
the history of
it,
they could not withhold their
and they wept at
the fatne only
of
his fate.
And I
I was
his
at this distance,
when writing
and
oj his death, although

ties,
not bound to him by any private
but loved and esteemed
him j-ather for
his virtue
probity,
is
and because I knew

that
blot
service to his country, yet
voluntary tears, which so

that
my witness impede my pen and

God
I shed
in-
my
letters,
I proceed
with
difficulty."^
Erasmus, without naming Henry, remarks on the occasion, Plato

lip
went unhurt by the iEginans, Diogenes by Phi;
of Macedon
for the
Antony
is
hated for the murder of Cicero
Nero
death of
Socrates.-f*
* Lib.
iii.
Ep'st- Nucer.
SIR T.
MORE.
2H
We
uill
add one, among many more similar testimonies,

in his
by Paulus Jovius,
own
words.
'
Fortuna impotens, et suo more
instabilis,
infaustaque
virtuti, si
unquam superbe
et
truculenter jocata est, sub
Henrico VIII nuper in Britannia immanissime desa^viit;

prostrate ante oculos Th. Moro,
quem
rex,
paulo ante,
praeclarus, eximine virtutis admirator,
ad summos honores
extulerat, ut inde
cum,
fatali
oborta insania mulatus in
feram, crudeli
mox impetu
praicipitem daret,
quod
ipsius
furcntis tyranni nefariaj libidini, vir
omnibus
religionis at-
que
justitiae
numeris longe optimus atque sanctissimus, adu-
lari noluisset.
Dum
enim
ille
uxorem repudiarc, pellicem
inducere, filiamque (Mariam)

peraret,
reus,
magno probro
abdicare pro-
Morus,
scrinii
maglster, pietatis ac innocentiaj suae
causam ad
tribunal dicere coactus, impio judicio ita
damnatus
est, uti
;
latronum more, teterrimo supplicii ge-
nere, necaretur
nee fas esset dilacerata membra, propin-
quorum
piternam
pietate, sepelire.
Sed Henricus,
vel
hoc uno
fa-
cinore Phalaridis tiemulus, eripere

inusitati sceleris
non
potuit, quin
ad semin
memoriam Mori nomeu
Uto-
pia perenni constantia? laude frueretur/ *
The
features of More's character are too strongly

to permit us to
life,
mark-
ed and prominent,
the memoirs of his
have gone thus
far into
without being pretty fully acquaint-
ed with
it.
In a general view, however, of the biography

this,
of even so peculiar a character as

* Elog. doct.
some
traits will
be
tiror.
Vol.
I.
li
am
found to have
less
MEMOIRS OF
strongly impressed our attention as \vc
proceeded, than
closer view
tiic
weight and worth of them
may on
appear
to
demand
is
and we may here be
aliow^-
ed to devote a few pages to a n)ore particular review of

certain points in that which
tion.
under our present considera-
More's icligion naturally presents

feature on this occasion
;
itself as
a prominent
in reference to
which he hath
his faculties
been pronounced a \CTy
priest,
and that here
were so enveloped, as to render
him a weak and credulous
enthusiast.
The
little
assertion
may
perhaps, however, be allowed to be

]\I
hazardous, that
ore's
bigotry hath proved a

it,
foil
to
his character,
less interesting
and that without

on the whole
he might have appeared
in the
eye of posterity.
Born,
as
he had the misfortune to be,
in
an age of ignorance and
superstition, at the very

his ideas
dawn
of learning in our island,
of religion, as
|
Avell
as those of his contemporaries,

in
naturally
artock of the times
which he
lived.
And
to
those limes, and to the genius of the superstition in wliich
he had been educated,
Ave
may
very clearly attribute this
part ot the knight's chaiacter.
Erasmus
saith of
More
in
one place, that he was rather
superstitious than irrelgious,
and
in
another place, that he
was extremely remote Irom
all
superbtiuon.
SIR T.
It hath
tliat in his
MORE.
2^3
frequently been remarked of the knight also,
youth he was
free
from that degree of bigotry,

in years.
which grew upon him as he advanced
Yet we know
monkish
that such
was
his addiction early in life to
discipline, that
he wore secretly a
hair-shirt
next
his skin, frequently fasted, slept
on a bare plank, and some-
times even scourged himself.
These practices he continued

in-
even when he was chancellor, though, as Mr. Roper

forms us, he
zooiild
appear
like
other
men
in his apparel
his
and
sole
oiitzmi-d behaviour.
His daughter Margaret was
confidant in these peculiarities.
She was
in the habit
of
washing with her own hands
this
hair-shirt for her father,

his execution.*
and he sent
it
to her the
day before
'
His accustomed manner alway was,' saith Mr. Roper,
ere he entered into
any matter of importance,
as
when he
was
first
chosen of the privy-council, when he was sent am-
bassador, appointed speaker of the parliament-house,

chancellor, or
made
when he took any other

go
to
like
weighty matter
upon him,
to
church to be confessed, to hear mass
and be houseled.'
The great-grandson
fused to
stir till it
adds, that being once sent for by the
king upon urgent business while he was at mass,
More
re-
was over, saying he
inust Jirst serve
God
and then
the king.
^Vith which conduct, Ave are farthe;- in-
formed, that Henry had the merit to be pleased.

* Roper and More.
li 2
eu
The
MEMOius
private devotions of
or
as well at lionic as in his
More,
with
chapel, were
also observed
the
strictest
regularity.
His family and servants were re(|uired to participate in them

daily,
sions.
and with peculiar attention upon particular occaThese oliservances appear

to
have brought those
blessings
upon
his
household, to which the true piety of
them was
entitled.
marked good
forttine, saith
Erasmus,
attends the servants of that house.
And
his
biographers
have gone so
far as to assert, that the pra^'ere of the knight,
when
his favourite
daughter was at the point of death in
the sweating sickness, produced the liappy effect of suggesting to his miud a remedy, which very unexpectedly led
to the re-establishment of her health.
Although a part of More's piety may have been

pliance with the manners of the age,
it
is
in
com-
sufficiently eviTliis,
dent that he had a natural propensity to devotion.

with
all
the virtues of Christianity in
liis
deportment, gave
life.
a pleasing uniformity to his public and private

before
ligion,
And
we decide
that his austerity, under the notion of relet
derogated from his general good sense,

in
ns advert
once more to the times

surrection of letters,
which he
lived,
soon after the rescripture
when ignorance of
and
bi-
gotry
to
the catholic church had overspread the world.
More
tions
is,
inflicted not his
penances upon hiniself with the ablor wilful

all
surd view of
commuting them
vices
his
inten-
were certainly good, and
that
we have
to excuse
It
is
his
manner of complying
Avith
his religion.
true
that he appears to have had dilierent sentiments in his
SIR T.
MORE.
245
in-
youth when he wrote
his
Utopia, and we are nowhere
formed why he thought more superstitiously afterward

but we must remember that were there no shades
great character,
it
in this
would no longer be that of man.

it
Bur-
net observes of this conduct in More, that
can only be
accounted-for by ascribing
it
to the intoxicating
charms of
that relio-ion, Avhich can darken the clearest understandings
and corrupt the best natures.
Notwithstanding More's strong

king's
prejudice
against
the
supremacy, he was certainly not so extravagant as

in his notions of the
some were,
pope
papal power.
In
his
Con-
futation of Tindal he writes, that he never considered the

as a part of the definition of the church, but that he
defined the church to be the

all christian nations,
common known congregation of under one head the pope. Nay, he afis
terward atiirmeth that a general council
above the pope,
and that
there are orders in Chrises church by which a pope
may
he both admonished
and ametided, and hath been for

amendment
finally deposed
in-
corrigible
mind and
This
is
lack of
and
changed*
lif,
the very conclusion maintained by Wic-
and which was condemned by the council of Constance.

to have thought that a
More seemeth
pope was not of the
essence of the visible church, but that that church mio-ht

subsist without a pope,
under the government of provincial
patriarchs or archbishops.
* Eng. works, p. 615, 621.
246
MEMOIRS OF
The maxim of Horace

ridcntem diccre vcruni
Quid
vetat
was SO
stedfastly
embraced by More, that
his propensity to
jesting hath frequently been censured
by those, who had
evidently a very small portion of his wit.

niclers, Hall,
One
of our chro-
with more ill-nature than wit, hath even gone
so far as to call him on this account a wise foolish man, or a

foolish wise
man
which severe sentence occasioned the

in vindication
i'ol-
Jowing epigrams
of the knight.
Halle, tibi
Morus
stultus sapicnsque vidctur
Stultus crat
mundo ncmpc, Ueo

foolish
zcise.
sapiens.
Wise foolish,
To More
Lei earth
be
(illcs
given
(lie fool
despise
liini
His wisdom found
Jjeaven.
We
have the satisfaction
to learn
from a
letter
of his friend
jest
Erasmus, that More did not love an ill-natured

gave another person pain. he never lauglicd at
casions with so
his look his
w hich
It
is
also related of him, that

;
own jokes
but spoke on
tl)ese oc-
much
gravity, that lew could discover by

serious.
whether he was jesting or
The
witty sayings attributed to
More
Avould form an ex-
SIR
tensive collection, if
T.
MOIIK.
to
217
we attempted
embrace
all
of them
which are now extant.
An
instance or two, in addition to
those which have already occurred to our notice,
may
here
amuse the
reader.
When
that
ners.
it
one of the family of Manners said
nores mutant Mores,' the knight readily
More Jioretorted upon him,

to
'
was true
in English
lor
then
it
applied to Man-^
When
and the
ously,
arts.
a debtor to the knight, upon being asked to disthis life,
charge his claim, expatiated on the uncertamty of

inutility of
money in the grave, concluding pompmemento morieris, More answered him, memento Mori
When
tion, the
one of
his
his
friends brought
More an
ill-written
its
work, to receive
opinion of
it
previously to
it
publicaverse.
it
knight told hun gravely

his
would be better in
it,
The man took home

again to More.
what, for now
reason.
it is
book, versified
and brought
Yea marry,
rhyme
;
said the knight,

bejore,
it zc/as
now
it is
some-
neither rhyme nor
When
him
in
an arrogant fellow
at
Bruges had given
it
out that
he would aivswer whatever question could be proposed to
any
art whatever,
in
More caused
to be put-up
;
utrum
averia ca[jta
Withernamia sunt irreplegiabilia
adding,
that there was a person in the retinue of the English
am-

248
Mi:.M(>n{.s
or
bassador
who wouUl
dispute with him on the ijucslion.

to
These hiw terms were worse than Coptie

docio
;
the bragga-
who knew not what
reply to
make, and was laugh-
ed
at.
As
to the following anecdote
related
by
ISIore's great-
grandson, sitjidcs penes auctores.
of the early
From what wc have seen acquaintance of More and Erasmus, the cir-
cumstances do not appear to be very proijable.
It
is
reported that he
land, contrived that
who conducted Erasmus to EngMore and he should first meet in Lonfell
don, at the lord mayor's Udjle, neither of them knowing

the other.
At diimcr-time they
so shar])ly
aiit
into
argument, and
last
Erasmus was
opposed by More, that at

tu
he
exclaimed with some choler,
Morns
es
ant nidlus.
More
readily replied, ant tu es
Erasmus aut Diabolus.
This story hath also been related thus.

the lord mayor's table, word was brought
reigner inquired for liim.
lord
More being
him that a
at
fo-
As
dinner was nearly over, the
mayor ordered one of his officers to take care of the gentleman and give him what he liked best. The officer
took Erasnms into the lord mayor's
to eat oysters
cellar,
where he chose
and drink wine (drawn,
as the
to
custom then
saluted
was, into leathern jacks).
On coming
More he
him
in Latin;
More,
U7ide venis ?
y--
SUl T. MOllB.
-ij^
Erasmus,
Ex
inferis.
More,
Quid
ibi
agitur ?
Eras.
Vivis vescuiitur et hibunt ex ocreis.
More,
,
An
Aut
tu
me
noscis ?
X'-
'
.Eras.
More,
tu es
Morus aut
nullus.
Et tu
es
aut Deus aut Dcmo7i, aut incus Erasmus.
One
of More's ludicrous actions was, to employ a cut-
purse to rob a justice while he sat on the bench,
who had
expressed an opinion that none except careless fools could
be served
so.
More was
with
also delighted
whenever he found wit

Strype, who, as
in those
whom
he conversed.
we have
seen,
hath repeated more than he could have proved of the

knight's cruelty to the reformers, tells us, in his memorials,
he had read in an old manuscript, that More, examining

a protestant whose
name was
it.
Silver, told
him
in his jesting
way
silver
must be tried in thejire.
But
this
quicksilver, replied
the culprit, will not abide
With
ready answer, adds
Strype, the knight was so delighted, that he dismissed him.
And
the anecdote certainly proves, against Strype's
own
hypothesis, that More's cruelty was at least not such, as to
be propitiated with
difficulty.
Vol.
I.
Kk
250
MEMOIRS OF
last
More's behaviour in the
scene of
this lite,
hath been
censured by some as too hght and ludicrous lor the occasion.
But the
fact probably
is,
that
tliis
behaviour was so
natural to him, and the consciousness of his integrity gave
him such
less
tors.
satisfaction
and courage, that the scene was
even-
mournful to the criminal than to
many
of his specta-
M. de
S'.
Evremont dwells on the courage and conresolution, than in
stancy of Pctronius Arbiter in his last monjcnts, and thinks
he discovers
in
them more firmness and
the deaths of Seneca, Cato, or even Socrates.
Our own
so pleased
Addison hath observed on

with gaiety of
this,
that tf he
was
humour
in
a dying man, he might have found,

it
much
nobler instance of
in Sir
Thomas More.
This gi-eat and learned man,' observes that chaste and'

'
correct writer,
was famous
for enlivening his ordinary dis;
courses with wit and pleasantry

in
and, as Erasmus of
life
tells
him
and
an epistle dedicatory, acted

lie died
in all parts
like a se-
cond Democritus.
is
upon a point of
religion,
respected as a martyr by that side for which he suffered.

so conspicuous in his Pie maintained the
That innocent mirth which had been

life,
did not forsake
him
to the last.
same cheerfulness of heart upon the

to
scaffold,
which he used
shew at
his
table
and, upon laying his head on the
block, gave instances of that good
humour with which he

most ordinary ochis life,
had alway entertained

currences.
his friends in the
His death was of a piece with

in
it
there
was nothing
new, forced or affected.

liis
He
did not look
upon the severing
head from
his
body
as a circumstance
SIR T.
MORE.
251
in the disposition of
which ought
his
to
produce any change

as he died
mind
and
under a fixed and
settled
hope
of immortality, he thought any unusual degree of sorrow
and concern improper on such an occasion

thing in
it
as
had nois
which could deject or
terrify
him.
There
no
na-
great danger of imitation fi-om this example,

tural fears will
men's
be a
sufficient
guard against
it.
I shall on-
ly observe, that
what was philosophy

in
in this extraordinary
man, would be frenzy

of
one who
dotli not
resemble him
as Avell in the cheerfulness of his temper as in the sanctity

his life
and manners.'*
More was
up
did
charitable to the poor, he despised riches,
and
lay-
though he had opportunities, he had no inclination, to

for himself treasures
on
earth.
On
his
disinterested'
ness Mr.
it,
Roper
in this
manner expresseth
himself.
Thus
life,
by
his doings
all
throughout the whole course of his

travail
appear, that
his
and pains, without respect of any of

his,
earthly commodities either to himself or
were
only upon the service of God, the prince and the realm
wholly bestowed and employed.

ter
Whom
heard in his
lat-
time to say, that he never asked of the king for himself
the value of a penny.'
Of
his integrity
when
chancellor
we can have no
to
strong-
er proof, that that
Henry had nothing
allege
against
kino-
him; and we can hardlv entertain a doubt that the
would have embraced such an opportunity with alacrity

* Spectator, N. 349.
in
Kk2
iJi32
ME^fOlRS OF
.^lore's adversity,
had the knight aftoided him one.
Mi.
JRopcr rchites an instance or two of attempts to criminate
him
in this
fix
particuhir,
all
of which,
we
sluill
find, Scl'vctl
only to
more strongly the character of
his integrity.
He had made
as
a decree against Parnell at the suit of

gilt
Vaughan, and was accused of having received a

a bribe, of Vauohan's
wife.
cup,
Beino;
summoned
before
the council,
More
gravely confessed, forasmuch as that cup
was, long after the aforesaid decree, brought him for a new~
year's gift, he,
of,
upon the importunate pressing upon him thereto take

it.
of courtesy refused not
Here Lord Wiltshire,
i\nn Boleyn's father, exclaimed in triumph, Lo, did t not

teU ye
my
lords that
ye should find
this
matter true
More
desired their lordships, as they had heard him courteously

tell
one part of his tale, they

to
nould vouchsafe, of their ho-
nours indifferently
hear the other.
He
then declared, that

received the
although he had indeed with

cup, yet
fill
much
difficulty
imnicdiatcly thereupon he caused his butler to
it
with wine and he drank to the lady.
When
she had
pledged him, he gave her the cup again, that she migl)t
gi\e
it
to her
husband as a new-year's
though
gift
from him
and,
at his urgent request,

at last received
it.
much
wife,
against her will, she
Vaughan's
and other witnesses
present, confirmed his statement.
l\!rs.
Croker, a widow, for
whom
gift
with
much
difficulty
he
ii.id
made a
decree in chancery against Lord Arundel,
brought him for a new-year's
a pair of gloves coutain^v
SIR T.
tng forty pounds in angels.
zvere against
MORE.
Mistress, said
53
More,
since
it
good manyiers
to forsake
a gentlewoman's
;
nezi)-
year's
gift',
oni content to take

it.
your gloves
but as for your
money, I utterly refuse
Mr. Gi'esham
also,
having a cause depending in

cup, the fashion of which the
therefore ordered
chancer}^ sent
More a
gilt
linight greatly admired.
He
one of
his
own
cups, Avhich was inferior in beauty, yet superior in
value, to be brought to him,
and desired the messenger
to
present
it
to his master
on which condition alone he would
receive the other.
Of
*
More's confidence in his integrity, and his contempt'
of slander in his prosperity, Mr. Roper relates this instance.
The water
bailif
of London (sometime his servant) hearliberal--
ing,
where he had been at dinner, certain merchants

against his old master,
ly to rail
therewith, that he hastily
came
to
waxed so discontented, him and told him what
he had heard.
and authority
And zcerc I, sir, quoth he, in such favour uith my prince as you are, suc?i men surely
Wherefore I would
to their
should not be suffered so villainously and falsely to misreport
and slander me.

before you,
zvish
you io
call
them,
and
shatnefor their letvd malice to punish,
them.
More
by you
replied, with a smile,
rt/??/,
Mr. Watcrbailif
in God's
xvould
you have me punish them by whom I receive more

all
benefit
than
who
be
my jricnds? Let them
name
speak-
954
as lewdly as they
list
MEMOIRS OF
of mCy and shoot never
zc;hat
so
many
o/rozk^^,
at
me
as long as they do not hit me,
am I
it
the worse ?
little
But
if they should once hit me, then would
indeed a
trouble me.
Howbeit I
to
trust,
by God's help, there shall none
of them once be able

sure you
touch me,
I have
more cause, I
as-
Mr.
Waterbailif, to pity them, than to be angry with
them.
More appears
have attained
in fact, either
by nature or
religion, to
to so correct a conduct, that neither the

loss or
hope
pf profit or popularity, nor the fear of
of evil tongues,
all his
could allure or deter him in his duty.
In
fortunes,
good and bad, he seems
still
to
have enjoyed one and the
same
equabilitj'.
In
his
mind, no minister who was inno-
cent of a charge alleged against him, would treat his accusers with insolence or persecute
them
Avith
power.
it,
In-
stead of exercising his authority,
when he had
in crush-
ing or even silencing those
who opposed
or slandered hini,
re-
he thought, that when

ceived
their arrows did
not hit him he
more
benefit
from them than from the caresses of
his friends.
And
here let us pay the tribute of respect so justly due
to More's early
and disinterested pubhc virtue
as a patriot
minister.
abilities in
In him
we have an
instance of a
man
of the
first
the kingdom, who, without patrimony or any
other subsistence than that derived from his profession, had

the courage and integrity to oppose the measures of the
king and his ministers, when he deemed those measures
SIR T.
prejudicial to his country.
MORE.
this in
2S5
And
a reign,
in
which
such opposition, so
to
far
from being customary or conducive
advancement,
Avas
seldom seen, and almost as seldom
went unpunished.
His motive loo, -was solely to prevent oppression and

justice
;
in-
and no bribe or advancement could bring him

his
to
change
conduct, as
is
too often done,, and promote the
measures which he had before condemned.
When
places
stiU
were conferred upon him without
his solicitation,
he
retained his integrity to his country, though his prince was
one of the most impatient of contradiction that ever

our throne.
filled
The
idea, as well as
name, of
patriot,
;
sunk
uot in him so soon as he had attained to affluence
nor did
he crowd the posts of public service with
his
relatives.
Neither wavering between the measures of the king and

people, nor, under colour of serving his country, intending
only to acquire power and promote private interest, patriotism shone in
him with a
real lustre, not, as it too
com-
monly doth, with a temporary and uncertain
blaze.
Queen Catharine used

sound counsellor
rest either
ferior to
in his
Henry had only one kingdom, and that was More the
to say, that
;
spoke as the king would have them, or were inin.
More
first
judgment; and as
for
Wolsey, who was
then the
subject in the realm, to answer his
own ends
he cared not what counsel he gave the king.*

f More,
256
JIEMOIIIS
dignity which
OF
so mucli temper,
The
More had borne with

jo}'.
he resigned with unfeigned
Although he might not

illegal Jtnisdiclion in
have objected to have seen the pope's
England cut
off,
and therefore might go cheerfully along
with the suit of Praemunire, yet

far the king's designs went, likely to follow,
when he perceived how

total
and that a
office
rupture was
he retired from
with a greatness of
mind hardly
inferior to
what the ancient philosophers have
pretended on similar occasions.
The
cause too of the king's

it
divorce he might think just, and therefore favour

it
while
was agitated at
Rome
but when he saw a breach with
that court likely to follow, he at once relinquished his lofty

station.
His retirement to private

fall
life
might have been
deemed a
great enough
and
t\ê
extent to which Henry

is
cairied his resentment on this occasion,
certainly
one of
the foulest leproaclies of
liis
reign.*
But More's sentiments were

above
all
those of a
mind sublimed
life,
i'cehngs of sense.
his
Liberty, riches, nay, even
were dross in
esteem, compared with peace of conChristian and philosopher,
science and eternal salvation.
he viewed the
ol>jects
of sense with supreme indifference,
and having
set his affections
most
stedfastlj'
on the things
His
above, he ardently desired his translation to them.
great example affords us a very superior lesson of fortitude
vmder suffering for conscience sake, of contempt of a
life
of flesh in itself short and transitory, and of resignation to

See Burnet.
SIR T.
MORE.
257
the will of heaven under the most trying afflictions of hu-
manity.
Mr. Roper informs us that

which he was an inhabitant of
(lid
in
the sixteen
years cluriuf^
lie
his father-in-law's house,
not once see
More
in
a fume.
Margaret Gigs, who

said
was brought-up with More's children,
that she some-
times committed a fault for the purpose of hearing Sir Tho-
mas chide
in so
her,
he did
it
in so grave,
and at the same time
moderate, so loving, and so compassionate a manner.

likewise informs us of his intimate friend, comi-
Erasmus
tate toiam
rixa.
familimn moderatur, in qua nulla tragcedia, nulla
And
though More was obliged to maintain many

is
servants, he
said never to have suffered
any of them
to
be
idle.
He
ever invented and assigned
some avocation or
other to each of them when they were not attendant upon
him, that they might avoid

tlio;ate
sloth,
gaming, and those prois
habits in general of which idleness
the source.*
Should any incline to infer that More at any period of

his life
became
austere and splenetic, given wholly to de-
votion and philosophy,

for pleasure, they
will
is
and without amusement or a

greatly misconceive his
taste
character.
His pleasures,
it
true,
were innocent and

;
rational, be-
coming a
christian
and a philosopher
conviviality,
yet he had a heart
for friendship
and
'
and
for every social feeling

let-
of our nature.
ters to
Some,' Erasmus writes in one of his
More,
I.
'
take great care not to be cheated by coun* More,
Vol.
LI
258
teifeit
:mi:-moii{s
of
trifles,
jewels
but you, despising such
account your-
self rich inclecd if
you can
find
u true friend.
No man
taketh so uuich delight in cards, dice, diess, hunting, or
music, as you do
in
conversing with a well-infornied and
pleasant companion.' *
From
would
IMorc's great-grandson
we
learn, that
he seldom
;
feasted the great, but his poor neighbours often

visit in their
nlioin he
li-
houses and bcstoio
upon
;
t/uiii
his large
beraliti/,
not groats, but erouns of gold
and
zv/ien
he zcas a
private lazcyer, he zcould take no fees of poor folks, zcidows,
nor pupils.
est stations,
The ignorant and

were those to
the proud, even in the high-
whom
he was observed to shew
the least respect.
patron to every
On the other hand, he was a friend and man of letters, and he maintained epistomost of the leained
in Christen-
lary correspondence with
dom
of his day.
His chief
gularity
;
foible
is is
said to have
been an affectation of
his
sin-
and he
even accused of having worn
gown
of
awry, that one shoulder might appear higher than the other.
Cranmer
deviate
also intimateth, that
More was
so
desirous
esteem, that having once spoken his mind, he would never

therefrom, for fear of injuring the
credit
of his
judgment.
But these alleged weaknesses sound too nmch

which ever attend u})on
distinc-
like the invidious censures
tion
and
if
they be with truth attributable to More, they
must
after all
be pronounced to be of too
* Farrag. pi$t.
p. 536.
trivial
a nature
SIR T. IMOUr.
for
259
our serious atiimaclvcrsioii, when opposed to the nobler
features of his sterUng character.
To what study
soever Sir
Thomas applied
himself, saith his
great-grandson, he grew in short time most famous therein.
He
then coniplimenteth the knight's talent for poetry even

rhetoric, the
in his youth, his skill in

style,
purity of his Latin
and
his patience for
such a wit in stud3'ing the law.
Yet the same

world like
characteristic
which distinguished
]\lore in
other respects, and which induced

his
him
to
appear to the
neighbours whatever his private habits and
opinions might be,
marked
his talents also.

;
Arrogance or
overbearance were strangers to him
and he ever seemed

was humble
more desirous of concealing, than of ostentatiously displaying, his talents.

in the
His own opinion of
his writings
extreme. Praise, vain glory, lucre, or worldly advancecertainly

asserted.
ment had
and others
no influence on
his
pen, whatever Tindal
So that envenomed hooks might be once
suppressed and abolished, he wished his

fair Jire.
own
on a light and
it
Of
his
Utopia he wrote, that he judged
no
better worth, than to remain hidden in his

to
own
island, or
be consecrated to Vulcan
and of
his
epigrams, you well
know, dear Erasmus, they never pleased me, and if others
had not
liked
them better than I
do,
they should never have
been published.
Powerful as he was
lated of him, that
in
arguing upon any subject,
it is re-
when he found a young opponent who
was unable
to
maintain his ground against him, rather than
LI
2oO
MK.MOIRS OF
to discourage rising merit, he
would with ingenuity divert
the conversation into a difl'ercnt channel. Vet was this

freciucntly appointed
talents, to
man
his
by the king, on account of

to
his
his
ready
to
make answer
visited
the compliments paid

universities
;
majesty
when he
and whenever
or abroad, he
More
to
visited a university in his
own country
not only attended their public disputations, but entered in-
them
himself.
When Henry went
over to meet the French

in
king,
and when Charles V. landed
England, More was
appointed to
make
the gratulatory addresses.*
His celebrated
political
romance, Utopia, he wrote

It
in
Latin about the year 1516.
speedily gained
him great
applause over Europe, was translated into French, Italian,
Dutch, and English, and hath now stood the

however, ex])erienced somewhat of a severe
better
thor's
test
of nearly
It hath,
three centuries as a masterpiece of wit and fancy.
fate, in
being
known and more admired abroad, than by the auown countrymen a circumstance which may in some
;
measure sanction
the day, though
living
its
re-appearance in an English dress of

is
its
merit
greater than to allow of
its
de-
any advantage by
translation.
It
can hardly be questioned, that under

of a commonwealth,
all his
this
ingenious
fiction
own ment were promulgated by More. He

in a
notions of governcreates a
kingdom
new world, and obliquely ccnsureth

in the old one.
the detects which

this
he had observed
More probably wrote
* Roper and More.
SIR T.
MORE.
;
261
piece before he had heard of Luther
and the Wicklevites

then
in" it,
and Lollards were the only

country.
heretics
full
known
in
our
He
It
i->
gave
his
mind
scope
and considerj)hilo-
ed mankind and religion with the freedom of a true

sophcr.
easy to collect from
it,
what
his
thoughts
then were of religion, the constitutions of the church, and

of the clergy at that time.
Had
the
he died then, he would
probably have been numbered with those,

lived in the
communion of
who though they church of Rome, yet saw

fit
her errors and corruptions, and only wanted

ties
opportuni-
of declaring themselves more openly for a reformation.

farther knowledge,
Upon
and more experience of men and
things, he appears to
have materially changed

very easy, as
many
of his
sentiments
and
remarked, to
ed in him.*
now not account how so

it is
we have
already
great an alteration was etfect-
More
appears, by this piece, to have been an
enemy
to
the severity of our laws, and to have thought in this particular in the
same
charitable
and reasonable way with
his
mild and gentle friend Erasmus,-j' and with
many
others
even of our own da}^
The History of King Richard III was written about the year 1513, More being then one of the under sheriff's
of London.
He
wrote
it
in
Latin as well as in Enahsh,

liim.
but
it
was never
it is
finished
by
In the volume of
to
his
English works
printed from a copy said

f Tom.
have been
See Burnet.
v. c. 167.
962
in
liis
Mi:.>rOIR.S
OF
tluit
own
in
is
liaiulwriting
and
iVoni
vohune
it
is
re-
printed
the incseut work, as a record of our history
which
ly
httlc
known,
aiul
which
is
certainly vahiablc if on-
on account of the
writer.
More's great-grandson observes of
this history, ii
is
so
well penned, that if oi/r chronicles of Ensiland uerc half so

xvell set-out,
fhci/
noitld entice all
Englishmen
to
read them
over often, adding
somewhat extravagantly,
unfinished.
that iio one
over adventured to finish the work, for the

the
same reason that
Venus of Apelles remained

after More's
Above a century
More's opponent
death, George
Buck
took-
up the cudgels tor Richard, which of course

in this
made him
later,
work
and above a century
came a noble
cfjual
speculator in our histor}-,
who seconded
this
advocate for a monster, and proved himself at least Buck's

in
the love of paradox.

his
The
tbrmer's
censure of
More's learning, and
other remarks, smell so strongly

little
of party, and he hath found so he cannot

latter
credit as
writer, that
now be deemed
worth}-^
of a serious
repl}'.
The
opponent, after allowing More's composition to be a
beautiful one,
est
and the writer of
it
to be
one of the honest-
statesmen and brightest names in our annals, supposes

tract, as
he wrote the
sure
he did
his
Utopia, to amuse his
lei-
and exercise
it
his fancy.
He
took-up a paltry canvas
and embroidered
with a jiowing design, as his imagination

;
suggested the colours

is
and
in the
end, the honest statesman
found gmlty, not only of invention and romance, but of
SIR T.
MORE.
203
palpable, material, nay, wilful falsehood.

the great knight speaks truth the most abominable
lies.
;
At one moment,
in
the next, he propagates
All writers, of whatever credit,

the.
are respected or condemned, as tkey confirm or oppose

doubter's hypothesis
;
and throughout the
piece, the
same
author from
tion,
whom
he produces exhibits to prove one asser-
he challenges as foresworn to
make
M'ay for another.
Yet
these conceits, however ingenious, have
had
little
or no effect in shaking the authority of More.
The most
;
popular historian of our dixy pays him every respect
our
judgments have not been convinced by flippancies

Richard
still
and
remains the monster he was.
By
a passage
in
this tract, it
appears that
More once
thought also of
Avriting the
;
history of
Henry VII and of

that
Perkin Warbeck
but
it
is
probable that he either never

felt
found
leisure for
accomplishing such a design, or
the freedom of his pen might be in
some measure
fettered,
by the favour which he experienced from Henry

Sir
\'11I.
Thomas, although not
to
be numbered with Sanazhis
zaro, Fracastoro, Vida,
and othere of
;
time,
is
allowed
to have
and a more assiduous application to the muses would probably have made lum a superior one. His epigrams are highly commended by
been no indifferent poet
Rhenanus,
as will
be seen by the
epistle prefixed to
them
and many authors beside Rhenanus have borne testimony

to their merit.
Our own
coiTcct
and
classical Jortin pro-
2(54
MEMOIRS OF
;i
nouncos the porni on

ly enaiiiourccl
lady
ol"
whom Move
is
liad
been deejv
in
his
youth, to be the most pathetic and

obvious, his hand
elegant in the collection; the reason
was secretary
the choice
ol"
to his heart.
The
short lines to Candidus,
on
For
a wile, have also been greatly admired.
the following translations of these poems, which cannot but
be acceptable to the reader,
am
and
indebted to the same
distinguished hand which favoured

translation of More's epitaph
;
me
I
with the additional
have added a version

stile
or
two of the knight's epigrammatic

reader.
for
the amuse-
ment of the merely English
To Candidus.
EiNOUGu by vagrant
Dear
j otitli
love.
:
you've been misled
rise (licac
joys above,
And
Some
quit the lawless bed.
consort in your arms,

lieart,
Heart link'd to
embrace
Wbo with
Your
So did
for
transmitted charms
lengthening line
may
grace.
yoayour
with
sire
The
ilebt,
interest
due,
Postcrily require,
My
Nor be
it
Candidus, from you.
chief your aim,
p'ortune or tace to seek

Slight love attenils the
dune,
Sought
lor her yursc or cheek.
; : :
SIR T.
MORE.
265
No
purer love can bear

Tlic flame, which fortune
fires
;
It vanishes in air,
And
Nay,
ere
it lives,
expires.
fortune's courted
charms
Fade
in the miser's grasp.
When
doom'd within
his
arms
An
And
Or
unloved spouse to clasp.
beauty's vaunted power
By
fever's tooth
decays
time-struck, like a flower
Beneath the solar blaze.
Then vows
are urged in vain
With
Bound
beauty's passing hue,
singly
by
that chain,
Affection passes too.
But genuine
is
the love
Which
reason, virtue rears
All fever's force above,
Above the
assault of years.
First scrutinize her birth
Be
sure her mother's mild
Oft with her milk her worth
The mother
gives her child.
Next
in herself be seen
Good
Still
temper's gentlest tone
placid be her mien.
Unruffled by a frown
Vol.
I.
Mm
;;
SOS
AIEMOIIIS
OF
And
still,
ber check's best charm,
Be
hcr's sweet
modesty
No lover-clasping
arm,
eye.
No love-provoking
Far from her
lips' soft
door
;
Be
noise,
be silence stern
And
ber's be learning's store,
Or
her's the
power
to learn.
With books she'll time Ijeguile, And make true bliss her own
Unbuoycd by
fortune's smile,
Unbroken by her frown.
So
still,
thy heart's delight

partner of thy way,
And
She'll
guide thy children right.

astray.
Where myriads go
So,
left all
meaner things,
Thou'lt on her breast recline
While
to her lyre she sings
Strains, Philomel, like thine:
While
Is
still
thy raptured gaze
on her accents hung,
As words of honied graaj

Steal
from her honied tonguo-
Words
they, of
power
to soothe
All idle joy or
woe
With With
learning's varied truth,
eloquence's flow.
: ;
SIR T.
Such Orpheus'
wife,
MORE,
fate
2QT
whose
With Or
Have
tears old fables tell
never would her mate

fetched her back from hell.
Such Naso's daughter, she
Whose muse
And
Her
with Naso's vied
such might Tullia be,

learned father's pride.
The
Gracchi's mother such.
Who train 'd
the sons she bore
Famed as their mother raucli, And as their tut'ress more.

But what
to distant
days
My
One
girl,
lingering glance confines
of equal grace,
this
E'en in
rude age shines
Single, worth
all,
she stands
By
Hail'd
fame through Britain flown,
gaze of other lands,
Cassandra of her own.
Say, would a maid so rare
Within thy arms
repose
Were
she, nor rich, nor fair,

i
Could'st thou decline her tows
Enough of beauty
her's.
With whom
Enough of
a husband's
blest
wealth she shares,
To whom
enough's a
feast.
Mm2
968
So
.MKMOIRS 0^
lov'd, were she (I swear)
Than Than
soot of darker die
I'd think her far, more fair,

e'er
met mortal eye
So
lov'il,
were she
(I
swear)
Than
I'd think
poverty more [xmc

richer far,
lier
Than
kinsrs
with
all their store.*
2o
Eliza,
whom
he loved in youth.
Thou
livest, Eliza, to these
eyes restored,
!
more
tlian lite in life's
gay bloom adored

first
Many a
1
long year, since

1
then was boyibli, and

1
we met, now am old.
has roU'd
Scarce had
bid
my
sixteenth
summer
hail,
;
And two
in thine
were wanting to the
taJe
When thy soft mien ah mien for ever fled On my tranc'd heart its guiltless influence shed. When on my mind thy mucli-Ioved image steals.
!
And
thy swett long-lost former
self reveals
Time's envious gripe appears but half unkind
Torn from
thyself, to
me
thou'rt
left
behind.
The
grace, that held
my
doting glance, thougli flown,
Has flown thy cheek
to
make
my
is
breast
fed,
its
throne
And And
as by gentle blasts the flame
'mid cold ashes rears
its
languid head
!
So thou, though changed (ah changed indeed) Kindlest the love, that once was thine, anew.
to vie
Now on my memory breaks that happy day. When first I saw thee with thy mates at play
See vol
ii,
p. 308.
SIR T. .AIORE.
269
On
thy white neck the flaxen ringlet
lies,
With snow
Thine
thy cheek, thy lip with roses
vies.
eyes, twin stars, with
arrowy radiance
shine,
And
I
pierce and sink into
my
heart through mine.

bolt, I stand, I
Struck as with heaven's
own
gaze
hang upon thy look

as I
in tix'd
amaze
And
writhe beneath the new-felt spear,

jeer.
My artless pangs our young companions

So charm'd me thy
fair
form
Or from
Lit in
it's
ripen'd grace as
or woman grown, woman known.

;
AVhether the glow, that
thrills
our early frame,

;
my
breast the
undecaying flame
Or some
kind planet at our natal hour,

it's
Deign'd on our hearts
common beam
to
pour
For one, who knew with what chaste warmth you burn'd,
Had
blabb'd the secret of
my
love return'd.
Then the duenna and

Baffled the stars,
the guarded door
and bade us meet no more.
Sever'd, ourdiiferent fates

Till this late
we thence pursued,
:
day
my
raptures has renewed

felicity I prize.
This day, whose rare
Has given
Crimeless,
thee safe to
my
delighted eyes.
my
Iieart
you
stole in life's soft
prime
And
stQl possess that heart without a crime.
Pure was the
love,
w hich
in
my
long
youth prevail'd
fail'd.
And age would keep it O may the gods, who,

Have brought
Grant that
Healtliful
pure, if lionour
five
lustres past,
last,
us to each other well at

five
when number'd
may
long lustres more

!
1 still
hail thee, heahhful as before
* See ToL
i,
p. 350.
270
MEMOIRS OF
Epigratns.
A squall arose The sailors fear

;
the vessel's toss'd

their lives arc lost.
Our
sins,
our
sins,
dismayed they cry,
Have wrought
this fatal destiny.
A monk it chanc'd
And round him,
Yet
still still
was of the crew
fo confess, they drew.

is
the rcsllcss ship
fossM
And
One
they fear their
lives are lost.
sailor,
keener than the
rest,
Cries, with our sins she's
still
oppressM
Heave out that monk, who bears them
all.
And
So
then full well
she'll ride the squall.
said so
done
with one accord
They throw
the caitilF overboard-
And now
the bark before the gale

sail.
Scuds with light liuU and easy

Learn hence the weight of
sin to
know,
With which
a ship could hardly go.*
While Brag was
out, his wife, so
frail,
To Hodge,
Retum'd
(he rustic yields.
the cuckold hears the tale,
And
storms into the

finds,
iields.
Poor Hodge he
and draws
his
sword
stone
Hodge
singles out
Wretch, with ray
dearest wife you've wbot'd
I have, replies the lout.
See
vol.
ii,
p, 321.
SIR T. M01{E
271
You own
By
Jove,
I'd
it
do you
then,
Brag
cries,
;
'Tis well
if
you speak
the truth
you had
told rae lies,
hewn you limb from
tooth !*
When the sun shines,

Of
And
teeth, with all
but ope those rows
your power.
then with that enormous nose
You'll gnomon-out the hour.+
In the Leyden edition of the works of Erasmus, in the
appendix to Dr.
Joitin's Life of
Erasmus, and
in
the edi-
tions of More's Latin works, are to be
found several of the
knight's
Latin
letters.
It hath
been justly remarked of
them, that though they be valuable on several accounts,

they have one small blemish,
they are
more
in the style
of orations than of
epistles,
and the peiiods are too
long^
and too embarrassed.
Of
all
More's writings, the controversial are indisputably
the most reprehensible.
But
in those days, as
we have
al-
ready had occasion to remark, the object was, not only to
endeavour to refute the arguments of the adversary, but

likewise to equal
to disadvantage,
him
it is
in
abuse.
If ever
upon these
More appeareth occasions. The fact is,

he was no longof good
j)rinciple
when
religion
was the subject
in agitation,
er himself.
sense, of
His bigotry overcame every

his
f
decorum, of humanity. Like

vQj.ii, p.
adversary Luther,
Ibid. p. 339.
* See
314.
272
his
MEMOIRS OF
zeal
and impetuosity were too hard-mouthed
horses,
M'hich ran
away with
the chariot and the charioteer,
Fruslra rclinacula tendons
Fertur equis auriga, neque audit currus habenas.
Thus
it is
remarked by bishop Atterbury,
that, in his an-
swer to Luther,
ISIorc forgot liimselt' so far, as to
throw out
the greatest heap of nasty language which ever was put to-
gether
that the
book throughout
is
nothing
l)ut
it,
downright
ribald r}', without a grain of reason to support
and gave
the author no other reputation, than

best
that of having the
knack of any man
in
Europe
at calling
bad names
in
good Latin.
More's English
tracts against Tindai, Barns,
^c. deserve a similar censure, though he certainly wrote with

as
Lis
much
wit and eloquence as any writer of that age.

in
this
lu
Apology, printed
his
English works,
More endeabut,
Youreth to extenuate
conduct, by the bluntness of his
nature, and the example given
him by
his adversaries
one of
his
understanding doth not stand vindicated by such
arguments.
Burnet
sailh
of
More
that he was no divine at
all,
nor
conversant with the
critical
learning
upon the
scriptures
that his peculiar excellence in writing was, a natural, easy

expression, and he presented
Avith their fair side
all
the opinions of popery
to the reader, disguising or concealing
the darker side with great art.
He was
also
no
less
dexter-
ous
in
exposing
all
the
ill
consequences Avhich Avould follow
SIR T.
MORE.
f78
tales
on the doctrine of the reformers, and had pleasant

ready on
pose.
all
occasions, which he applied wittily to his purratiier for the
He
wrote
rabble than for the learned
adds the bishop.
More's English works were published at London in a

thick folio volume in the year 1557, by order of queen
Mary
in
whose reign
it
was given-out as an extraordinary
circumstance, that king
Edward died and she succeeded
to
the crown on the anniversary of the knight's suffering on

the scaffold.
More's nephew, William Rastell, then
Ser-
jeant at law and afterward a judge, was patronised by her
majesty as editor of the work
and had he written a Life

it
of the knight (as hath been supposed),
would surely have

is
been prefixed
very scarce
tents of
it
it
to the volume.
As
this
book
now become
may
not be improper to recapitulate the con-
in this place.
Four
short tbings written in his youth for his pastime.
The The
life
of John Picus earl of Mirandula, translated out of Latin.
history of king Richard III, unfinished.
A
sima,
treatise (unfinished)
et in
upon
these
words of holy Scripture, memorare no-dsm
eternum non peccabis.
dialogue concerning heresies and laatters of religion.

supplication of souls.
confutation of Tindal.
The
The
Vol.
Nn
i74
AinMoms or
Icfter impu!!;nin; tlic
tlie iiltar.
erroneous writing of
John Frith
against the blessed
srjcramcnt ol
The
apolo^'y of .Sir
Thomas More,
tlie office
kniijht,
made by him Anno 1533,
after
That he had given over
of lord chancellor of
EiyUnd.
The
Dcbellacion of Salem and Bizancc.
treatise
upon the
blessed sacrament of the altar.
A A
dialogue of comfort against tribulalion.

treatise to receive the blessed
body of our Lord sacranicntally and
virlual-
]y both.
treatise
upon the passion of Christ, unfinished.
An
exposition of a part of the passion of our Saviour Jesus Christ.
Certain devout and virtuous instructions, meditations, and
prayers,
made
and
collected while he
was prisoner in the Tower. &c.
Letters, his epitaph,
Of More's Latin works, three editions have passed The first was printed at Basle in 8'", in 1563; press.
second at Louvain in foho in 1566
published by C. Gensch in
folio at
;
the
the
the last and best was
Frankfort on the INIaine

last edition are
its
and Leipsic
in
1689.
So few copies of the
to be found in this country, that a recapitulation of

tents
con-
may
be acceptable to the reader

Thomae
also.
Vita et obitns T. Mori e
Stapletoni Tribus Thomis..
Doctorum virorum varia epigrammata
in
laudem
et
mortem T. Mori.
Historia Richardi Anglia; ejus noniinis IlL
SIR T.
MORE.
S75
T. Mori responsio ad convitia M. Lutlieri conpesta in Henricum regem Auglix

ejus uumiiiiii V'lli,
sub Gulieliui
Cliristi.
Itossci
numinc edua.
T. Mori ex posit io passionis
Quod pro
fide
mors fugienda
iioii sit.
Pncalio tx Psalmis.
T. Mori Utopia.
T. IMori Poemata, quibus praemissa sunt quaedam ipsius
progj mnaimata.
et
Guiielmi
Lilii
T. Mori dialogi Lucianei e Grsecis
in
Latinum sermonem
conversi, adjecta
declaniatione qu;i Luciain TyrauniciiiaB rci'pondetur.
T. Mori
et
Erasmi episiote.
Of
More's personal pecularities we are told, that though
his table
was ever well supplied, he eal only of one dhh
himself, which
was coninKjnlj
salted meat.
He used
coarse
brown bread, and was toud of

fruit.
milk, cheese,
sc
eggs,
and
\\
hatever
disli
is
he hrst tasted
rved liim for his meal.
In
his
youth he
said to have abstained wholly

it
from wine
but he w(juld taste

water, or
in
his later
years
when
diluted with
mind
more
at
when he pledged his friends. To recreate the the same time with the body, or perhaps to allow
and digestion
to his meals,
leisure
he employed a
person to read aloud while he sat at table, and he

occasional remarks on the subjects which occurred.*
made
His dress never occupied
his
thought.
M hen
his secre-
More.
Nn

MHMOIRS OF
once tokl him that
his shoes
876
tary, Harris,
were torn, Moie
desired
him
to tell his servant,
who
bouglit and ordered all
his apparel at his tutor, to
own
discretion,
and
whom
he called his
buy him nexc ones.
In matters of the utmost imconsult his trusty Harris,

to
iiis
portance
and that
we arc told he would More olten submitted

led
opinion, though his
own judgment might have
him
to vary from it.*
More's great-grandson adds, that though low in statuic,

the knight's person was well-proportioned,
his
complexion
tending
to
phlegmatic, his colour xchite and pale, his hair

-j- ;
neither black nor yellow but between both

his
Ids
eyes grey,
countenance amiable and cheerful, his voice neither big

shrill,
nor
but speaking plainly and distinctly,
it
;
was not
his
very tuneable, though he delighted
much
in 7nusic
body
reasonably healthful, only that toward his latter end, by us-
ing much writing, he complained mucli of the ache of his

breast.
Holbein painted several family pieces
for Sir
Thomas,
most of which appear

friends abroad.
to
have been presented to the knight's

is,
One
of the best of them
however, at
present in this country, an heirloom in the family of Sir
Rowland Winn, which

bably
still
is
allied
to the Ropers.
It
is
pro-
preserved at the family residence, Nostal, in
Yorkshire.
More's family, as
* More.
we have
seen, consisted of three

t Probably
chesnut.
daugh-
SIR T.
ters
MORE.
277
and a son
with
whom
he brought-up Margaret Gigs,
afterward married to Dr. Clement.*
Margaret, his eldest daughter, married William Roper,
Esq. of Well-hall, Eltham, Kent, and had
issue,
Thomas,
manied
of
to
Lucy, daughter of
Sir
of the horse, and privy-counsellor
Anthony Brown, master to Henry Vlll Anthony,

;
whom we
have no farther informatitjn
Khzabeth, mar-
ried to
Stevenson, Esq. and afterward to Sir Ed-
ward Bray, Knight; Margaret, married to William Dawtry, Esq. and Mary, married to Stephen Clarke, Esq. and af;
terward to James Basset,
Esq.-f-
Elizabeth, the second daughter, married John, son and

heir of Sir
John Dancy, and had
issue John, I'homas, Bar-
tholomew, William, German, Alice, and Elizabeth.^
Cecilia, the third daughter, married Giles
Heron, Esq.
of Shacklewell, Middlesex, and had issue John, Thomas,
and Ann.
John, the only son, married Ann, daughter and heiress
of Edward Cresacre, Esq. of Baronborough, Yorkshire, and
had
issue
Thomas, Austin, Edward, Bartholomew, another

||
Thomas, and Ann.
It
is
said that the
first
wife of Sir
Thomas, having had

This son
||
three daughters, prayed most earnestly for a son.

* More.
f Ropet by Lewis,
J More.
j Ibid.
Ibid.
97
MEMOIRS OF
their
loiig
proved one of the heroiim jUii who are seldom equal to

fathers,
and
tlie
kniglit
wunkl say, she
iiad
prayed so
for a boy, tiiat she
produced one at
I.
last
who would be a
less
boy as lung as he
live.
lie
was certainly
;
ornamental
to Flore's family than his sister Margaret
advanta<ie which a uood education could

Lis natural parts
or?
'J'he
but he had every

afVortl
him, and
'
appear
to
have been considerably advanis
ced.
Among
in
the letters of Erasmus,
one addressed to
him, a youth of
him,
which the good scholar
stileth
great hope.
works of Aristotle
also, printed in
Creek
by Forben's
heirs in 1J31, are dedicated
to
him by Eras-
mus; and
those ot Plato, and other works, by Grynaeus.
Erasmus, ^^ho had frequently been an eye witness,

eth More's house, a
othei
little
stil-
habitation of the muses and anlie injures

it,
academy
ot
lato.
however, he adds,
h)
ot
ti.e
comparison
lor
in Plato's
academy they disputed
numbers and geometry, and only occasionally of moral

;
virtues
but
this
house was appropriately a school of chris-
tian duty.
it,
Neither
man
nor
woman was unemployed

;
in
in
hberal occupation or useful study

objeit.
though religion
was the chief
Discord was a stranger; not a peevish
-word was heard, no one

ciqâtion, all
was seen
idle.
Each had
excellent
his oc-
were cheerful, sober mirth prevailed; and the

this
master of the house maintained
economy,
not by severity and chiding, but by gentleness and kindness.*

V\
hen the same gcat scholar,
in his colloquy yii-
Farrag. Epist.
lib.
27.
SIR T.
baiis et Eruclitce ladies,
MORE.
279
nameth
tlie
Morica among certain learned
he evidently alludes to More's daughters.
The
ture
knight's favourite, ^Margaret, appears to have en-
joyed every advantage of an undeistanding strong by na-
and cultivated with peculiar attention.

which
Costerius, in
his notes
on Vincentius Lirinensis,* gives us an emendais
tion by her of a passage in Cyprian,
not unworthy
of the ablest
critic.
Slie also
wrote two declamations in
English, which she and her father translated into Latin,
both with so
much
eloquence, that
it
was
ditficult to pro-
nounce which of them deserved the preference.

to be better than one which he
She wrote
a treatise of the Four Last Tilings, which Moi'e declared
had written
letter,
himself.
Erisstill
mus complimenteth
more than
Pole read one of her
her in a
for her
;
learning,
for her virtue
or mannei's
and when cardinal

it
letters,
he could not believe that
was written by a woman.-j-
One
works.
of the effusions of her affection, addressed to her

is
father in prison,
here extracted from More's
English
Mrs. Roper
to
Sir
Thomas More.
Mine own good Father

It
is
to
me no
little
comfort, since I cannot talk w/th

delio-,.';
you by such means

P. 47.
as I would, at the leastvvay to

-
t More.
290
RIEMOms OF
ot"
myself, in this bitter time

as
your absence by such menns

sliall
tnatj
by as often writing to you as
be expefruitful
diiMit, ajid
by reading again and again your most

letter,
and delectable
the
faitlilul
riti
messenger of your very

from
all
virtuous and ghostly mind,
corrupt
it)ve
of
worldly things, and lasi knit only in the love of

desire of heaven, as
God and
fatner,
becometh a very true worshipper and
laithful servant of
God.
Who,
stJid,
doubt not, good
boldeth his holy hand over you, and shall (as he

serve
hatli) pre-
you both body and
\it
sit
mens sana
in
all
covpwe
earth-
sano
and namely now, when you have abjected
ly consolations,
luily,
and resigned yourself
willingly, gladly,
and
tor his love, to his lioly protection.
Father, what think you hath been our comfort since your
departing from usf Surely the experience we have had of
your
sel,
life
past,
and godly conversation, and wholesome counsuret}',
and virtuous example, and a
not only of the
continuance of that same, but also a great increase, by the
goodness of our Lord, to the great
rest
and gladness of
your
lieart,
devoid of
all
earthly dregs
and garnished with
the noble vesture of heavenly virtues,

for the holy spirit of
1
pleasant palace
God
to rest in.
W ho
defend you (as

will)
doubt not, good

trouble of
father, but of his
goodness he
from
all
mind and of body, and give me your most

all
loving obedient daughter and handmaid, and

children and friends, to follow that
that
us your
we praise in you, and to our only comfort remember and commune together of you that vve may m conclusion meet with you, mine
;
SIR T. MORE.
281
own dear
futUcr, in the bliss of henven, to

liis
which our most
merciful Lord hath brought us with
precious blood
Your owu most
loving, obedient dauglitcr
and bedeswoman,
MARGARRT HO PER,
who
that
ly
desireth above all worldly things

stead, to
to
be
in
Jolm a
hope
hearti-
Wood's
do you some
service.
But we
live in
we shall shortly receive you again, we may, if it be his holy will.
pray
God
Mrs. Roper appears to have been no
less attentive to
the
education of her children, than her parents had been to

the cultivation of her
own mind.
The
celebrated Roger
Ascham
him
informs us, that she was very desirous of having

;
for their instructor
but he could not be prevailed upuniversity.
on at that time to leave the
Her daughter Mrs.
Basset, was one of the ladies of queen Mary's privy-chamber.
This lady translated into English a part of her grand-
father's
Exposition of our Saviour's passion

it
and she imito liave
tated his style so well, that
was thought
been
translated by the knight himself.
While we are upon
this subject, it
may
not be uninterest-
ing to the reader to peruse a translation of one of More's

letters relative to the
education of his children, as preserved
by Stapleton.
Vol.
282
MEMOIRS OF
More
Sir Thomas
to
Goncllus.
'
have received,
my
dear Gonellus, your

affection.
letters, as
usual, liiU of elegance
and
Your
I
love of
my
children
their
I
;
see
for
I
by
3ôur letters,
your diligence
gather from
own
was
each of their
letters pleased
me.
But espe-
cially
delighted, that Elizabeth behaved herself with
a decenc}' of demeanour in
my
absence which iew children
observe in the presence of their parents.
Give her to un-
derstand that that circumstance delighted
me
more, than
could
all
the learning in the world.

is
Tor
prefer the learn-
ing which
united Avith virtue, to

it
all
the treasures of kings;
and
if
we
separate from
propriety of conduct, what else
doth the fame of

in notoriety
?
letters
bring us, than a kind of infamy
This applieth peculiarly to the female sex.

in literature
Their proficiency
being something new, and a
certain reproach to the sluggishness of
men, most men
will
be ready to attack them, and to expend their natural malice
upon
their learning.
Nay, they
will call their
own
ig-
norance a virtue, when compared

learned.
Avith the faults

if
of these
But, on the other hand,

the case with
all
woman
in
(which I
I
wish
may be
my
girls,
and
which
have
the greatest coniidence under your auspices), to great excellence of character unite even a moderate portion of learning, I
deem her
possessed of more real good, than
if sIkj
had the wealth of Croesus and the beauty of Helen.
'
And
this
not for the sake of fame, althougli she pur--
SIR T.
MORE.
S8J
sueth worth as doth the shadow the body.

tlie
But because
be borne
;
reward of wisdom
the wings of
its
is
more
substantial than to
away on
it
riclies,
or to fade with beauty
since
placeth
dependence on rectitude of conscience, not

others,
on the tongues of
which abound
is
in folly
and
evil.
For
as the avoiding- of infamy
the duty of a good

is
man,
since
so the laying himself out for fame,
the part not onlv of

;
a proud, but of a ridiculous and contemptible one

that
mind must of necessity be
ill
at ease, which ever tluc-
tuateth between joy and sadness from the opinions of others.
But of the
I reall\f
great benefits which learning conferreth on
man,
deem none
preferable to the instruction vhich let-
ters afford us, that in the
attainment of them we regard

us,
not the reputation they bring

precept, although
but their
utility.
Which
like
some have abused
their
learning,
other good possessions, by hunting only for vain glory
and
popular fame, yet hath
it
been delivered by
ail
the most
learned, and especially by the philosophers, those moderators of
human
life.
I have enlarged the
more on
cast of
I I
this subject
of vain
glorj',
my
Gonellus, because of the expression in your
letter,
that
you think the elevated

nion.
my
daughter Margaret's
this opi-
mind should not be lowered.

But
in
agree with you in
my
mind, and
doubt not
in yours also,
he
ac-
seems to lower the noble disposition of

custometh himself to admire what
he, on the other hand, to elevate
is
it,
his
njind,
who
vain and base.
And
virtue
who esteemeth
and
ti'ue
good; who, by contemplating sub'ime objects, look-
Oo
884
MEMOIIIS Of
liit;l),with
all,
eth clown as from on
disregard,
on
tliose
shadows
at,
of good, which almost

for the
in ignorance, greedily
catch
substance.
'
As
this
seemed
to
me
1
the best way, I have not only

all
rccjuested
you
my
dear Gonellus, whose strong love to

led
mme
own
piety
I
would have
you
know
1
to
have done so
ot
your
accord, not only

is
my
wile, to
whom
ail
her true maternal
a sufHcient unpulse as
have ollen witnessed, but

of
also,
have frequently besought almost

they
niisiht
that
after ârd
my triends admonish my children,

tliey
that,
avoiding the precipices of pride,
valk
the pleasant
meads of modesty
not
;
that the sight of riches overcome
them
that they sigh not for the want of that in

is
themselves
ivhich
erroucoublv admiied b^
others; that tlicy think
lio better
of themselves lor bt ing well dressed, nor worse they

s})oil
for being otherwise, that
not the beauty which

it
nature gave them by neglect, noi endeavour to mcrease
by
vile arts; that

;
they esteem \irtue the hrst, letters the

ot these they
second good
and that
esteem those the best,
which can best teach them piety
to
God,
chaiit}
to
man,
modesty and
christian humility in their
own deportment.
'
Thus
shall
shall
they receive fnnn the Almighty the reward

lile
;
of an innocent
in the
certain expectation of which,

in
this life,
the^
not fear death, and feeling true joy
be neither pufl"ed-up with the vain

broken-down by
true
their malice.
fruits
'J'hcse
praises of
1
men, nor
esteem to be the
and genuine
of learning; Avhich, though they be
SIR T. MOklT.
283
not put-forth by
this view, 1
all
the learned, yet, whoever studicth with
maintain
may produce them
in the highest per-
fection.
It mattereth not to
it
;
the crop, whether
man
or
Avoman
sowed
and
if
the
name
MA>f, whose
reason distm-
guisheth his nature from the brute, api)lieth to either sex,

I say science,
by which that reason
is
cultivated,
and
like
field
beareth good corn under due

liut it the soil in
in
tillage,
equally becom-
eth either,
woman
be bad by nature, and
more productive
weeds than corn (by which opinion

I,
many
deter that sex from letters),
on the other hand,
think the female genius ought on that account to be the
more dihgently cultivated by

that
letters
and good discipline
the evil of nature
ma}',
by industry, be corrected.
fathers,
Those wise and holy men, the
thought thus.
Of
whom,
to omit the rest,
horted ladies
Jerom and Augustin not only exof the highest rank and worth to the acquimight the more
easily ac-
sition of letters, but, that they
complish
it,
they diligently expounded to them abstruse
passages in scripture, and wrote long letters to young maidens with so
much
erudition, that old
men
of our day,
and
professors of divinity, can scarcely read, so far are they
from understanding them.
Which works of holy men,

best
my
the
learned Gonellus, you will of your goodness take care that
my
(laughters read.
From them they may
know
Avill
scope their learning ought to embrace, and they
teach
them
to
esteem the consent of God, and a good conthe best fruit of their labours.
So, placid
.science,
mid
esc
RiEMoms of
tlie
tranquil in themselves, they will neither be set-up with

praise of the tlatterer, nor
scufl'er.
I'cel
any
bite
iVom the unlearned
'
But
hear you long ago cxchiiniing, that these precepts,
tliough true, are too hard for the tender age of
my
child-
ren
is
for
who
is
there,
however old or learned, whose mind

not the smallest
so strong
and
well-poised, that he hath

?
inclination for glory
But,
my
friend, the
more
diiKcult
1 see it to shake-off this pest
of pride, the more endeavour
do
deem
is
necessary, even from infancy.

this
Nor do
evil
think
there
any other cause why
unavoidable
sticketh
so fast in our breasts, than because almost as soon as
we
are born
it is
sown
in
our minds by our nurses, next che-
rished by our masters, and lastly, fed

fection by our parents.
and brought
to per-
For no one teacheth us any good,
without the expectation of praise as the reward of merit
whence, being long accustomed to
tiie
love of praise,
it
cometh
to that
at last, that while
we study
to please the
majority,
and
therefore the inferiority,
wc grow ashamed
of being good.
'
That
this
plague
may be
driven the farther from

all
children,
do you
my
Gonellus, their mother, and

in
my my
tliat
friends, chant, inculcate, na}', bellow
their
ears,
vain glory
is
abject and disgustful
and that there
is
no-
thing more excellent than the humble modesty recommend-
ed by Christ. This your prudent kindness

teacliing
will
inculcate by
;
them good
ratiicr
than blaming their faults
and
Sm
you
T.
MORE,
287
will conciliate their love,
not hatred, by your admonithis
tions.
And
nothing can conduce more to
end, than
the reading to
them the precepts of the
fathers.
These,
they knoAv, are not angry with them; and, from their venerable sanctity, their authority must have great weight.
'
"Wherefore, if
you
will
read some such things, beside
their lesson in Sallust, to

their understandings
my
Margaret and Ehzabeth
(for
appear to be riper than those of John

increase
and
Cecilia),
you
will
my own
as well as their ob-
ligations to you,
which are aheady great.
And my
their
child\,y
ren, first dear to

their
letters
me by
virtue,
nature, then
shall
more endeared
and
become by
superior
growth in learning and good manners under your auspices,

superlatively dear indeed to me.
'
Farewell.
At Court, Whitsuneve.'
^Vhen
INIore resigned
his
his
office
of chancellor, he
;
made
a disposition of
landed property
his life,
reserving to himself
after his
his estates for the
term of
and
death as-
suring a part to his wife, a part to his son's wife as a jomture,
and a part to Mr. Roper and
his wife,
with divers re-
mainders over.
Though
this
was
settled long before the
l^night's attainder, the
conveyance was then made void
and the inheritances

wife were claimed
that two days after
allotted to his wife
and
to his son's
by the crown.
But
it
had so happened,
he altered
More had
settled his deed,
288
his first inlcntiou
iitid
MliMOIRS
;
01"
instead of reserving that portion to

rest,
himsch' tor his

his witc their
ht'c,
hkc the
he gave Mr. Ropi-r and

l.i
share in possession immediately,
c(iiisefirst
queuce of
this, as
tlie
the statute went only to annul the

their share
conveyance,
Icstiition.
Ropers jeserved
without mo-
Lady More was
driven from the liouse at Chelher,
sea, her effects
were taken from
and Henry, of
his
mercy, allowed her twenty pounds a-year.
John More and

in the
Mrs. Ixoper were

they obtained
for
some time imprisoned, but
end
tlieir
liberty.*
Erasmus survived
and concluded,
in
his friend
]\Iore
only about a year;

life,
July
1.536, his
long and laborious
devoted to the opposition of barbarous ignorance and blind

superstition, ;ind to the
promotion of useful literature and
true piety.
These glorious objects he endeavoured to ac-
complish in a mild and gentle manner, attacking not the

persons of men, but the faults of the age
;
till
necessity
compelled him to reply to those who assaulted him with the

ûtmost disingenuity and malice.
Early
in life
he perceived, and disclosed to the world,
that the religion of the ecclesiastics of his day consisted in
minute observances and formal grimaces, with which ~the
wicked could comply as well as the good. He, on the other

hand,
made
;
religion
to consist in
what the worthy alone

virtues,
observe
in the
exercise of those christian
which
are formed in the mind from a knowledge of our duty and

* Roper and More.
SIR T.
MORE.
289
a conviction of
its
importance.
In vain he afterward act-
ed the
pacifier
exhorting on one hand the court of
Rome
The
re-
to proceed with
more mildness, and the Lutherans, on the more submission and modesty.
other, to behave with
pretensions of the former were so exorbitant, that nothing
but capital punishments could support them
and the
formers were so shocked and provoked, so convinced that
no compliance would be made with any of

that they accounted
it
their requests,
betraying the cause of truth to speak
submissively to such incorrigible rulers.
Erasmus hath been

flattering
justly censured
for his
weakness
in
a party, whose sentiments and conduct he in

;
many points disapproved and in finding fault with those whom, on the whole, he resembled much more than he But they who compelled him to this did their adversaries. conduct, Avho hated the name of reformation, and treated as vile heretics all who dared even to wish for amendment,
were
far
more blameable.
If he wanted courage by na-
ture, they
who took advantage
of his infirmity, far more
"wanted honesty and piety.
certain pious craft

so
and an innocent
time-serving, which
reli-
however we must
gion, ^-c.
use as not to
betray the cause of

to
was the gospel which Erasmus preached

;
the
Lutherans
for
he imagined that they and their cause would
go to ruin, and that a worse condition of things would ensue.
Had
they
all
met
his
wishes, Ave might
still
have been
involved in
the darkness which overspread the christian
Vol. L
PP
590
MFMOIKS OF
in tlic fifteenth
world
far
century, and for previous ages.

ecclesiastics
So
would the popes and

their beloved
have been from aban-
doning
interests,
founded on ignorance and

luive
superstition, that
a bloody inquisition would

Spain,
been
established
in
Italy,
and
all
christian
countries,
which Avould have extinguished

ginning to shine.
for ever the lights
then testability
Lutheranism, by gaining more
than he expected, prevented the tyranny of an inquisition

in
Germany
and the reformation of Calvin secured the
hberty of other countries.
Had
all
(Jermany submitted
to
Leo and
Charles, in compliance with his timorous counsels,
Erasmus himself would undoubtedly have been one of the The court of Rome, no longer apprehensive first sufferers.
he should
crifice
join the heretics,
would have otFered him, a
sa-
of a sW'eet-smelling savour, to the monks,
who
did
a thousand times
more
service to tliat court, than a thousand
such scholars as Erasmus.
Had
he lived sixteen years longer
than he did, he would have seen an amazing change in the

affairs
of Charles, as well as in the religious state of Ger-
many.
The apprehension of
he
still
losing his revenues, the reputation
enjoyed in the court of Rome, and was loath to re-
linquish,
and possibly the
fear of being
excommunicated
and proscribed, nay poisoned or assasssinated, might work

together
strain
upon one of more courage than Erasmus, and rehim from speaking freely of the controversies then
agitated.
He
still,
however, maintained the truth, though I'hough he frecpiently censured
cautiously and obliquely.
Sm
Lutlier,
T.
MORE.
his point,
291
he heartily wished he might carry
and
extort from his enemies
some
rcfoi-niation
of doctrine and
manners
but, as he could not imagine that
Luther would
succeed, he adhered outwardly to the stronger party.

fear of
The
want cannot have intiuenced him

;
to say
and do
what he thought unlawful

best friends, as
but the fear of disobliging his
Henry VIII, Charles V, the popes, George of Saxony, Wolsc}', W'arham, More, Campegius, Bembus,
Sadolet,
and
others,
might influence
it.
his
judgment though
to suppose,
he was not aware of
There
is
no necessity
that he acted ao-ainst his conscience in adhcrino; to the
church of
Rome
no, he persuaded himself that he did as

in freely
much
as piety
and prudence required,
censuring
her defects.
The bold and

;
resolute will greatly prefer the
conduct of Luther
who, as the apologists of the good
scholar must allow, acted far
more
like
an apostle or
pri-
mitive christian, than did Erasmus.
Concord
to
is
undoubtedly a valuable blessing
yet
it is
not
be purchased at the price of truth and
liberty.
These
are infinitely
more estimable than a sordid

arbitrar}-
trancpiillity be-
neath the yoke of falsehood and
dominion, under
faction, soli-
which the christian republic becomes a base

citous only of enjoying the present,
and neglecting every
thing laudable, under the pretext of preserving peace. And,
had the
pacific
schemes of Erasmus been pursued, such

state of Christianity.
thej'
would probably have been the present
Though
least
divisions in general
this
do much harm,
have at
produced
good
the truth of the gospel, and a
Pp
S92.
ME^rOIRS OP
christian liberty wliich acquicscetli onl}' in the decisions

Christ, arc
of
not entirely banished trom the earth, as they
would
liave
been -without the struggles
ol'
our ancestors^
I'hey jModuced no snudl benefit to the uien)ory of
Erasmus
himself;
cabals,
who having
his
works condemned by theological

inquisitions,
and mangled by
which struck out the

stig-
most valuable part of
his
writings,
if
would have been
matised through succeeding ages,

in
a party had not arisen

his
Europe, Avhich willingly forgives him
weakness and
irresolution, for the sake of his iisetul philological

looical labours
;
and theo-
and gave him a second
lile,
and recomfaith-
mended him
ful edition
to the christian world,
by an elegant and
of his works.
Erasmus,
it
hath been said, was not rewarded

Yet,
if
in i)ropor-
tion to his merit.

invitations,
we
lie
consider
and favours he received,

inclination
how many presents, how many he refused,
and how
little
had
for ecclesiastical prefer-
ments (more of Avhich he might have obtained), we cannot In him we have a class him with the inj dices literati.
Tery remarkable instance of a man,
avIio,
with numerous
j)oor,
disadvantages of birth and education, friendless and
overcame every obstacle, and, by dint of

dustry,
talent
and
in^
became one of the

names
first
scholars of his age, ac-
quiring the patronage of princes, nobles, and prelates, of
the greatest
in church as well as state.*
It
is
a pleasing circumstance in the history of two great

* See
Jortiu's Life of
Erasmus.
SIR T.
MORE.
293
men
like
More and
Erasnuis, that the bond of fiiendship

Vit'c,
into which thej entered in early
appears never to have
been broken
though,
if
we
to
contrast the freedom of spirit
disphiyed by the one, and the prejudices of the other, such
an infraction
ed.
may appear
life
have been
sufficiently hazard^
still
As
lte in his
his
as he
could, the knight
corre-
sponded with
friend,
and shewed him
to the last the

for him.
same esteem which he had ever entertained

one of
tl;ese letters
In
he gently admonisheth the great scholar,

;
not to recant or retract anything
but merely to conde-
scend as far as he could to the infirmities of some honest
and weak brethren.
'J'hus
the bigotted advice which ]More

his friend
is
hath been said to have given

tion,
a misrepresenta-
though the use made by the reformers of the theoloworks of Erasmus might perhajis not unreasonably
for
gical
have contributed to diminish the knight's affection
him
since he could not be well pleased to find himself pressed
by such arguments.*
We
will
add, by Avay of appendix to these jMemoirs,
three letters by
Erasmus
relative
to
More.
The
first,
to
Ilutten, in drawing a portrait of the knight, will be found to describe
minute
particularities
of his mind and bod}-.

his
That
to
Budaeus contains a farther account of
manner
of living and managing his family, and of the excellent dispositions

last,
and uncommon erudition of
his daughters.
The
ele-
published under the
name
IS ucerinus, gives us
an
gant and pathetic account of the deaths of

*
Jortin.
More and
294
Fisher,
MEMOIRS OF
and
tliougli
SIR T.
MORE.
not acknowltdged by him, hath been
commonly,
antl with
some probabdity, ascribed
to
Erasmus-
As much
will
ot"
the spirit of tlicse letters would be lost by
translation, they are given in the original language;
and we
day, re-
add a lew Testimonies, by the learned of
his
lative to ]\lore
and
his writings, Avhich
appear to demand
a place on an occasion
like the present.
APPENDIX
TO THE
MEMOIRS,
APPENDIX.
Erasmus Rot.
Ulrica Hutteno S,
D.
QaoD Thomx
rum
Mori ingenium
sic
deamas, ac pene dixeritn deperis, nimiscribis nihil esse potest
scriptis illius iniiammatus,
quibus ut vere
neque
multis
doctius neque festivius, istuc mihi crede clarissime Huttene tibi
cum
commune
tuorum
est ilia
est,
cum Moro mutuum

omnium maxime
raortales,
ilia
etiam.
Nam
is
vicissim adeo scriptorum
genio delectatur, ut ipse tibi

Platonis
propemodum
invideam.
Haec videlicet
amabilis sapientia, quae longe flagrantiores
amores excitat inter

formae.
quam uUs
quamlibet admirabiles corporum
Non
fit
cernitur
quidem
oculis corporeis, sed et
animo
sui sunt oculi,
ut hie quoque verum comperiatur illud
Grxcorum
15 i^Hf yMict iti^diTron lîv.
Per bos
aliquoties, ut ardcntissima charitate conglutineutur, inter

intercessit.
;
quos nee
fit,
colloquium nee mutuus conspectus
t quemadmodum vulgo
ita
ut incertis de causis alia forma alios rapiat

tacita
teris
videtur et ingeniorum esse
qusedam cognatio, qu5e

item.
facit ut certis ingcniis
impense delectemur,
cae-
non
Cseterum, quod a
me
flagitas,
ut
tibi
totum
Morum
velut in tabula depin>

cupis.
gam, utinam
tarn absolute pneslare
queam quam tu vehementer
Nam
-mihi quoque non injucundum fuerit interim in amici multo
omnium
suavisfimi
Voir.
I.
208
conlcmplationc vcrsari.
spexisse.
APPENDIX.
Scd priinum
illi-
i T]i5 i>}(it i/ur

sit,
omncs Mori dotes
pcr-
DeinJc Iiuud scio an

arbltror Icvioris esse
Arliiileiii,
luturus
a qtiolibct artifice depingi scsc.

eflingere,
Sec cnim
opcrK
Monim
quain Alexandrum
Magniiin aut
nee
illi
quam
hie iiostcr iinmortalitate digniores crant.

;
Tale argumentijin prorsus Apcllis cujuspiam inanum dcsiderat

ipse Fulvii Rutiibaeque similior sini
at vcreor, iie
tibi totius
quam
Ajjellis.
Expcriar taincn
hominis simulacrum dtlineare verius
quam
exprimcre, quantum ex diutiua

licnit
domcsticaque consuctudine vol animadvertcre
wl
mcminissc.
intelligcs
Quoil
si
quando
fiet
ut vos aliqua Icgatio committat, turn
demuin
quam non
aut invi-
probum arlificem ad hoc negotii delegeris, vercorque plane nc

commemorarc voluerim
me
dcntix incuses aut cxcutientiae, qui ex tarn multis bonis tarn pauca vel vidcrim
lippus vel
invidiis.
Atque ut ab ca parte cxordiar qua
tibi
Worus
est ignolissiraus, statura
modcsi-
deque corporis est infra proceritalem, supra taracn notabilem humilitatcm.

V'erum
deres
;
omnium membrorum
tanla est symmctria, ut nihil hie
omnino
cute corporis Candida, facies magis ad candorem vergit
rcm, quanquam
subllicct, capilli
a rubore procul abest
nisi
quod
tennis
quam ad palloadmodum rubor ubique

ingenium arguere
nostri nigrore
subnigro flavore, sive
mavb
sufllavo nigrore, barba rarior,

spix;ics
oculi subcaesii maculis

solct fclicissimum,
quibusdam
inferspersi, quse
apud Britannos etiam amabilis habetur, cum

Ncgant ullum oculorum genus minus
magis capianlur.
infcstari vitiis.
Vul-
tus ingenio respondet, gratam et
amicam
;
fcstivitatem
semper prse
se ferens,
ac
nonnihil ad ridenlis habitum compositus
atque, ut ingenue dicam, appositior
ad jucunditatem quam ad gravilatcm aut dignitatem, etiamsi longissime abest
ab ineptia
prcscrtim
sciirrilitatcque.
Dexter humerns paulo vidctur eminentior
Isevo,
cum
incedit, id
quod
illi
non accidit natura sod assuetudine, qualia
permulta nobis Solent adharrers.
In reliquo corpore nihil est quod offendat,

ita
manus tantum
conferantur.
subrusticae sunt
duntaxat,
si
ad reliquam corporis
specieni'
Ipse
omnium qus ad
adeo ut nee
corporis cultum attincnt semper a puero negligentissi-
mus
fuit,
ilia
magnopere curare
sit solitus,
quae sola viris esse cu-
randa docet Ovidius.
|Fonnx venustas qux
fuerit adolescenti,
nee otiam
APPEiVDIX.
licet atlSf
Kit^dfiiii
209
non majorem annis
conjiccrc;
quanquam
ipse novi liominera
viginti tribus,
prospera
nam nunc non multum excessit quadragesimum. Valetudo magis quam robusta, sed tamcn quse qnantislibet laboribus sufSciat
Spes
est vi-
honesfo cive dignis, nullis aut certe paucissirais morbis obnoxia.
vacem
fore,
quando patrem
liabet
admodum
villi
natu grandem sed mire virenti vein delectu
gelaque senectufe.
Niminem adbuc
minus morosum
est,
ciborum.
fuit.
Ad juvenilem
usque setatem aquae potu delectatus

essef,
id
illi
patrium
Vc-
rutn hac in re ne cui raolestus
fallebat
convivas e stanneo poculo cervi-
siam bibens, camque aquse proximam, frequenter aquam meram.
Vinum,
ore
quoniam
illic
mos
est
ad idem poculum
vicissira
invitare sese,
summo
nonnunquara
libabat, ne prorsus abhorrere videretur, simul ut ipse
communi-
bus rebus assuesceret.
Carnibus bubulis, salsamentis, pane secundario ac ve-
hementer fernientato libentius vescebatur,

deliciis.
quam
lib cibis
quos vulgus habet in
Alioqui ncutiquara abhorrens
aJj
omnibus qux voluptatem innoxiara
adferunt etiam corpori.
Lactariorum,
;
et
eorum foeluum qui nascuntur

in deliciis
in ar-
boribus, semper fuit appetentior
esum ovorum
habet.
Vox neque
a natura
Linn-ua
grandis
est
nee
admodum
exilis,
sed quae facile penetret aures, nihil habens

;
canorum ac molle sed plane

non videtur
esse
loquentis est
nam ad musicam vocalem
compositus, etiamsi delcclatur omni musices gencrc.

nihil
mire explanata
art iculataque,
habens nee prseceps nee htesitans.
Cuitu
simplici delectatur, nee sericis purpurave aut catenis aurcis utitur, nisi
cum
integrum non
est ponere.
Dictu mirum
quam
negligens
;
sit
ceremoniarum
quibus hominum vulgus aestimat

ita aliis
sit
morum
civilitatem
has ut a nomine exigit,
non anxie prxsfat ncc

si
in congressibus nee in conviviis, licet
harum non
Sed niuliebre putat viroque indignum, cjusmodi ineptiis bonam temporis partem absumerc.
lubcat uti.
ignarus,
Ab
aula princifnimque familiaritate olim fuit alieuior, quod
illi
semper pe-
culiantcr inrisa fuerit tjrannis
quemadmodum
multum
squalitas gratissima.
Vix au-
tcm rcperies
ullani
aulam
fcim niodestam quas

luci,
non
muKum
habeat strepitus at-
que ambifionis, multum

specie tyrannidis.
negotio,
luxus, quaeque prorsus absit ab
omni
Qiiin nee in lienrici VJil. aulam pertiahi poluit nisi multo

civilius
cum
hoc pcincipe nee optari quicquam possit

aiqne
otii est
ac modcstius.
datur lu-
Natura
libertatis
ita
avidior, sed
quemadmodum
otio
cum
bens utitur,
quoties poscit res,
nemo
vigilantior aut patieutior.
Ad
ami-
Qq
300
APPENDIX.
est cultor, ct
citiam natus factusque videtur, cujiis et sincerissiraiis

cisbimus
est.
longc
ten;i-
Nee
ille
mctuit tai/?a/> ab Hcsiotla * paruru laudalain.
Nulli
non patct ad
modissimus
iieccssitudinis foediis.
Ncqiinqiiain moiosui iu dcligcudo, coiuSi foris incidit in quenidiiniltiU dissucns
in alcudo, constatitissiinus in rctinendo.
piani, cujus vitiis mcderi
non
possit,
hunc per occasioncin
araicitiam^ non abrumpciis.

positos,
Quos
sinceros repcrit, et
ad inyeniuiu suum ap-
horum
consuetudiiic fabulisque sic delectatur, ut in Lis rebus prseci-
puani
vitse
voluptatcni ponere videatur.
Nam a
pila, alca, cliaitis, cxU-iisqiic

solct
fullere,
lusibus, quibus viilgus proccruni

horret.
tenipom txdiiim
est
prorsiis
ah-
Porro ut propriaruni reruni
negligciitior, ita
nemo
diligentior iu
curandis amicorum ncgoliis.
Quid
multiij ? si qu'is
absolutum vene amicitise rcqnirat exemplar, a neIn convictu tarn rara comifas ac
Hiine recfius pctierit
quam a Moro.
tristi
sit
morum
tam
snavitas, ut
nemo
tain
ingcnio
qucm non
cxbilaref, nulla rc>
atrox cujus (sedium non disculiat.

ut ad bos natus videri possit
est,
;
Jam
indc a pucro sic jocis est ddcctatus,
sed in his nee ad scurrili(a(cm usque progrcssus

araavit.
nee mordacitatcm
Si
unquam
csset
Adolescciis comoediolas et scripsit et
eît.
quod dictum
salsius]
etiam in ipsum tortuni, tainen amabat
usque
adco gaudet salibus argutis, ct
ingcnium
primis
rcdolentibiis
est
mule
ct
cpigram-
niatis lusit juveiiis, et
Luciano
cum
est,
delectatus, quin et milii, ut

fuit auctor.
Morias Encomium scriberem, hoc
ut canielus saltarcm,
ille
Nihil
autcm
in
rebus humanis obvium
est
unde
non venetur voluptatera, etiam

;
in rebus
si
maxime
seriis.
Si
cum
eruditis ct cordatis res est, delectatur ingcnio

stultilia.
cum
indoclis ac stuKis, fruitur illorum
Ncc
offenditur morionibus,
niira dextcrilate ad
omnium
aiiectus sese
accommodans.
Cum
mulieribus
fere,
atque etiam
cum
uxore, non nisi lusus jocosque tractat.
Diceres altcrum quen-
dam
esse Democritum, aut potius Pylhagoricum ilium philosophum, qui va-
cuus anirao per raercatum ol)ambulans, contemplatur tumultus vendentium

atque ementium.
abest a sensu
affectus
Nemo
minus ducitur vulgi judicio, sed

Prxcipua
;
riirsus
nemo minus
avium quod
communi.
illi
voluptas
est si)ectare
formas, ingenia ct
est
diversorum animantium
alat, si
proinde nullum fere genus
domi non
quod
aliud animal vulgo rarum, veluti simia, vuipes, vi-
E?Y. 715.
APPENDIX.
Terra, mustcla, et bis consirailia.
301
Ad hsc si
solet,
sit
quid exoticum, aut alioqai spscafque

liis
tanduin occurrat, avidissime mercari

habct itibtructam, ut nusquani non
rebus uadique dooiuin
obvimii quod oculus ingredientium de-
morclur
ac
totics silii
reiiovat
voluptatem, quoties alios conspicit oblectari.

puellaruin. amoribus, sed citra iufainiain, et
ct aniino
Cum
quam
astas ferret,
noa abhorruit a
sic ut oblatis
magis fuerctur quani captatis,
mutuo caperetur potius
coitu.
Bonas
litcras
a priinis statim annis hauserat.
Juvenis ad Giaecas
liieras
ac
philosophise sfudium sese applicuit, adeo uon opitulaate patre, viro alioqui
prudenti proboque, ut ca conantem
omni
subsidio destitucret
ac pene pro
is
abdicato haberet, quod a patriis studiis desciscere videretur, nana
Britanni-
carum Icgum peritiam

simn, ita
profitetur.
Quse
protessio, ut est a veris Uteris alienis-
apud Britannos cum primis babentur inagai
clarique, qui in hoc
generc
sibi
pararuut auc(ori(atem, ncc tcmere apud iUos alia via ad rem ac
gloriam paraiidam magis idonea.

sulae peperit lioc
Siquidem pleramque nobililateia
illius iu-
sludiorum genus.
In eo negant quenquam absolvi posse,
nisi
plurimos annos insudarit.

scentis
Ab
hoc igitur
cum
ijn
injuria abhorreret adole*
ingenium, melioribus rebus natum, tamen post degustatas scholasticas
disciplinas, sic in hoc vcrsatus est, ut

litigatores,
ncque consulerent quenquam libentius

feceret
neqne qusestnm uberiorem
quisquam eorum qui
nihil aliud
agebant
tanta erat vis ac celeritas ingenii.
Quin
ct
evolvendis ortbodoxorum-
voluminibus non segncm oix?ram impendk.
Augustiiii Jibros
De
Civitate Dei
publice professus est adhuc pene adolescens autlitorio frequent!, nee puduit nee
pcenituit sacerdofes ac senes a juvene profano sacra discerc.
pietatis
Interim et ad
aliis-
studium totum animum appuiit,
vigiiiis, jejuniis,
prccatienibus
que consimilibus progymnasmatis sacerdotium mcditans.
Qua quidem
in re
uon paulo plus
ille
sapiebat,
quam
pleriquc
isti
qui temere ad tam arduara pro-
&ssiouem ingciuut
sese, nutlo prius sui pcriculo facto.
Neque quicquam
quod
obstabat'
quo minus
sese
huic
vitse
generi addiceret, nisi
uxoris desiderium non posset excutere.
Maluit igitur raaritus esse castus,
quam
sacerdos impurus.
Tamen
virgincm duxit
admodum
Hanc
puellam, daro ge-
nere natam,
rudem adhuc, utpote
ruri inter parentes ac sorores

fingerc.
semper habitam,
instruendam
quo magis
ilU liccret illam
ad suos mores
et literis
50?
curavit et omiii Musiccs gcncrc
APPENDIX.
dodam
reddidit, planequc falein pene finxcrat

siis-
quicum
lubuissct iiniversam
xtafem cxigere, ni mors prematura puellam
tulissct c
Ires,
medio
scd cnixara liberos aliquot,

Cecilia,
quorum adhuc
supcrsunt pucllx
viI'u-
Margarda, Alojsia,
puer unus Joannes.
Neque diu codebs

;
vere sustinuit, licet alio Tocantibus

iiere uxoris
amicorum
consiliis
paucis mensibus a
voluplati,
viduam duxit magis curandae familix quam

ut ipse jocari sold, sed
quippe nee
bcUam admoduin ncc puoUam,

matrcm
faniili.is,
acrcm ac vigilantcm
vivit,
quicum tamcn perinde comiler suavi(erque
ac
si
pucUa
ford forma quautumlibet amabili.
Vix ulhis raaritus a sua tantum obsequii
impetrat imperio atque severitudine, quantum hie blandltiis jocisquc.
Quid
cnim non impetret, posteaquam

hoc animi minimc
mollis,
eflecit,
ut mulicr
jam
ail
senium vcrgens, ad
postremo ad rem attcnlLssima,
cilliara, tcstudine,
mo-
nochordo, tibiisque canere disceret,

pensuni exigenti marito redderet
tur, ia
tur,
?
et in liisce rebus quotidic praescriptnm ojK'rx
Consiniili comitate totani familiam

Si
modera-
qua
nulla tragxdia, nulla rixa.
quid
exstitcrit,
protinus aut
mede-
autcomponit.
Neque quen quam unquam

fatalis
dimisit ut inimicum, aut ut

felicitas, in
inimicus.
vixit qui
Quin hujus domus

non provectus
sit
qua'daiu videtur
qua nemo
fiunae
ad raeliorem fortunam, nuUus unquam ullam

ullos rcperias,
labem conlraxit.
ut buic
Quin vix
quibus
sic
convenerit
cum
matre,
cum
noverca,
nam
pater jam alteram induxerat; utramque non minus

induxit tertiam, hac
adamavit ac matrem.
Nuper
Morus
sancte dejerat se nihil

sic affcctus
est
unquam
est,
vidisse melius.
Porro crga parentes ac liberos sororesquc
ut nee amet moleste, nee

alienissiraus.
usquam
desit oflicio pidatis.
Animus
quod
a soresse
dido lucro
putat,
Liberis suis semovit e I'acultatibus
illis satis
quod
supercst laigiter efl'uudit.
Cum
silium,
advocationlbus adhuc alerdur, nnlli non dedit aniicum vcrufnquc con-
magb
illorum
commodis prospiciens quam
suis
plerisque solitus per-
suaderc uti litem coniponereiit, minus enim hie fore dispendii.
Id
si
minus
li(i-
impdrabat, turn rationcm indicabat qua possent

garc,
quam
uiininio dispendio
quando quibusdani
liic
animus
est ut
litilwis etiani
ddectentur.
In urbc
Londouiensi, in qua natus

id
est,
annos aliquot judicem egit in causis civilibus

oneris
munus, ut minimum habet

ita
(nam nou
sedetur nisi die Jovis usque
ad
prandium)
cum
primis lionoriticum babdur.
Nemo
plures cansas absolvit,

praescriplo dcbent
nemo
se gessit iutegrius, remissa plerisque jwcuaia,
quam ex
..
APPx\DIX,
qui
litigant.
303
Ires
Siqiiidcm ante
litis
contestationcm actor depoiiit

fas cbt exigcre.
drachmas,
cffecit,
totidem reus, nee amplius qiiicquani

fivitati suae longe cliarissinius
cssct.
His moribus
ut
Dfcreverat autem bac fortuna esse con-
tentus, qua; ct satis babcret auctorilatis, iiec tanieu cssct giavibus obnoxia periculis.
Semel atque iterum extrusus

gessissct,
est
in legationem, in
qua cum
se
cordatissime
non conquievit serenissimus rex Henricus, ejus
iioininis octavus,
do?
nee honiineni in aulam suam pertraberef.
Cur enim non dieam
pcrtrabcret
NuUus unquam
gere.
vcbeaientius ambiit in
esset
aulam
admitti, quiui bic sluduit cffu-
Verum cum
optinio regi in aninio fumiliam suam eruditis, gravibus,
cordatis et integris viris diifertam reddere,

prirais accivit
;
cum
alios permullos, turn
Morum
in
quern sic in intimis babet, ut a se

est,
nunquam
visum
patiatur disccdere.
Sive
seriis
utendum
nibil illo eonsultius
sive
est regi fabulis
amas-
nioribus laxare
animum,
nullus
comes
sic
festivior.
Sxpe
res
arduae judiccm gra-
vem
ct
cordatum postulant, bas
Morus
discutit ut utraque pars babcat gra-
tiam.
Nee tamen ab
eo quisquam impetravit, ut
munus a quoquara
acciperet.
Felices res publicas, si
Mori
similes raagistratus ubique praeficeret princeps
Nee
interim ullura accessit suparcilium.

et
Inter tantas negotiorum raolcs, et ve-
terum araiculorum meminit,

dignate valet, quicquid
ad
literas
adamatas subindc
redit.
Quicquid
apud amplissimum regem
gratia pollet, id
omne juanimus
;
vandx
reipublicse, juvandis araicis impendit.
Semper quidem
adfuit
de cunctis benemerendi cupidissimus, mireque pronus ad misericordiam
eum
nunc magis
excrit,
quando
potest plus prodesse;
Alios pecunia sublevat, alios
auctoritate tuetur, alios

test, his consilio
commcndatione provehit
;
quos alioqui juvare non po-
succurit
nullum unquam a
se tristcm dimisit. Diceres

sibi
Morum
aliena-
esse
si
publicum omnium inopum patronum. Ingens lucrum

sublevavit,
si
putat accessisse,
si
quem oppressum
perplexum
et
impeditum
explicuit,
tum
redegit in gratiam.
Nemo
lubentius collocat beneficium,

sit
nemo minus
comes
ex-
probrat.
Jam cum
tot
nominibus
felicissimus, et felicitatis
fere soleat
esse jactantia,
set
nullum adiiuc mortalium mihi videre contigit qui longius abes.
ab hoc vitio^
Sed ad studiorum commemorationera redco, quae

potissimum conciliaruut.
Primam
aetatcm
me Moro, mihiqne Morum carmine potissimum exercuit, moz
J04
diu luctatus
est ut
APPENDIX.
prosam orationcm reddcrct moUiorem, per omne
sit
scripli
?
go
nus stylum exerccns, qui cujusmodi
quid
attinct
commemorare
lib! prae-
sertim qui libros ejus semper habeas in manibus.

dclcctatus est, ct in his, materiis adoxis,
cxercitatio.
Declamationibus prsecipuc
quod
in his acrior sit
ingeniorum
Piatonis
Unde
adolcscens
ctiamnum dialogum moliebatur, quo

defendit.
communitatem ad uxores usque

in
Luciani Tyrannicida: respondit, quo

;
nrgumenlo
me
fiat,
vohjit aiitagonistam habere
quo wrtius pcriculum
faceret,
ccquid profccisset in hoc genere.

quibus rebus
potissiinum
ut minus
Utopiam hoc
consilio edidit, ut indicaret

;
commode habeant
mox
yter
respublica?
scd
Brilannicam
eilinxit,
quam
habct peiiitus perspectam cognitamque.
Secundum
librum prius scripserat per otium,
occasionem primum adjecit extem-
pore; atque hinc nonnuUa dictionis
inaequalittis.
Vix alium reperias qui
felicius dicat
et
extempore, adco
fclici
ingcnio
felix lin-
gua
subservit.
Ingenium prxscus
ubique prxvolans, memoria parata, quae
cum omnia
lempus aut
liabeat velut in numerate,

res postulat.
promte
et iiicontanter suggerit
quicquid
In disputationibus nihil fingi potest acatius, adeo ut
summis
ctiam theologis ssepe negotium facessat, in ipsorum arena vcrsans.
Joannes Coletus, vir acris exactique judicii, in familiaribus coloquiis subindc

dicere solet Brilannu non
giis ingeniis floreat.
tiisi
unicum
esse int^cniuni,
cum
hiec insula tot egrc-
Verx
pietatis
non
indiligcns cultor est, etiamsi
ab omni
superstitione alienissimus.
Habet suas
lioras
quibus Deo
litet
prccibus, non ex
more sed
e pectore depromtis.
Cum
amicis sic fabulatur de vita futuri secuh",
ut agnoscas ilium ex animo loqui, neque sine optima spe.
Ac
talis
Morus
est
ctiam
in aula.
Et postea sunt qui putcnt christianos non
iiiveniri nisi in
mo-
nasteriis.
Talcs viros cordatisslmus rex in familiam

admittit,
suam atque adeo
in cubi-
culum non solum

pertrahit.
siliis,
vcrum etiam
invitat,
ncc invitat
modo verum
etiam
Hos habet
arbitros ac testes perpetuos vitae suae, hos habet in con-
hos habet ilinerum comitcs.
Ab
his stlpari gaudet, potius
quam luxu
perditis jnvcnibus aut mulierculis, aut ctiam torquatis Midis, aut Insinceris ofiiciis
;
quorum
alius
ad volupfatcs incptas avocet,
alius
ad tyrannidem in-
flammct, alius ad expilaudum populura novas technas suggerat.
In hac aula
si vixisses
Hultche, sat scio Tursnm aliam aulara describeres, et

tii
?7rfjoKfos esse desincrcs,
quanqnam
quoque cum eo principe
viîs ut
irite-
APPENDIX.
griorem nee optare possis. Stromerus ac Coppus.
305
rebus optimis faveant, veluti
1
Neque desunt qui

ista
SeJ quid
paucitas a
(aiitma
examea
insigtiiuna
virorum, Monfjoii, Linacri, Pacsei, Coleti, Stocschleii, Latimeri, Mori, Tonstalli, Clcrici,
atque aliorum his adsimilium
quorum queincumque
norainaris,
est
mundum omnium
haudquaquam
virttitum ac disciplinarum semel dixeris.
Mihi vero spes
vulgaris, fore ut Albertus,
unicum
his
temporibus nostrx Ger-
manise ornamotitum, et plures sui similes in suam allegat familiam, et ceteris

principibus gravi
ant.
sit
exempio, ut idem
et
ipsi suae
quisque domi faccre studeartifice
Flabes
imaginem ad optimum exemplar a pessimo
non optime
Sed
delineatam.
illud
Ea
tibi
minus placebit,
si
continget JVIorum nosse propius.
tamen interim cavi, ne mihi
possis impitigere
quod
tibi
minus paruerim,
scri-
neve semper opprobres niraium breves epistolas.
Etiamsi hacc nee mihi
benti visa est longior nee tibi legenti, sat scio prolixa videbitur;
id faciei
Mori
nostri suavitas.
Verum, ne
nihil
ad postremam tuam epistolam respon(Epist. 447).
deam, &c.
Antwerpiae,
X.
Cal.
Aug. Anno 1519.
Vol.
I.
APPENDIX.
JErasmiis Rot,
GuUclmo Budteo,
S.
D.
Est quoil JMoro gratuleris.
Niim rex
Iiunc, ncc aiu-
bientem nc(? flagitantem, munerc magiiifico honeslavit, atldito salario ncqiia-
quam posnUendo
est cniin priacipi
suo a thesauris.
Ea
functio apuil
Briest
tannos, ut est splcndida
cum
priinis atf]ue honoriflca, ita
non adinudum
obnoxia nee iiividix

Tis,
riec
molestis nejôtiis.
Erat competitor, lioino
sat gralios-
qui sic ambiebat Iioc muiieris, ut non gravarelur suo victu ciboque gcrerc.
rex optiinus hie ccrtissininm in
At
Moruni
favoris
argumentiim dedit, qui non

gratuitiim magistratuni ad-
ambienti snlariimi ctiam addere malucrit,

inittcre.
quam
sit
Ncc hoc
contentiis princeps benignissiinus, equitis aurati digni(atcni

est qiiin
illiim
adjecit.
Ncqiic dubitandum
amplioribus ornnmentis
ali-
quando cumulaturus, quum

longe procllvius
est
scsc oiFerct occasio.
Siquidcnx caclibes cveherc
principibus.
sit
At Morus
sic est
admixtus ordini conjugum,
ut nee uxoris obitu

erat,
emancipandus.
Priorcm enim,
quam
virginera
dux-
extubt
et
banc viduus viduam duxit.
Sed hunc principis
animum hoc
pares cssent
magis gratulor IMoro, quod quicquid huic

id existiraem bonis sludiis accc<)ere
;
accesserit vel autoritatis vel gratias,

illc
quibus
sic favet,
ut
si
animo
I'acultates,
non decsscl apud Britannos
feiicibus ingeniis
candidus ac
beiiignus Maecenas.
Solent aulie principum idem facere
quod mcdici, qui cor-
pus
sibi
(raditum primura inaniunt, niox implent ac vegctant.
Nee
diibito
quin Moro noslro simile quippiam acciderit hactenus.

tute melius ncsti.
Quid
libi venerit
usu,
Ef tamen
illius bciiignitatem scnsenmt ingcnia,
quum
adeo
non abuiidaret
illi
quod
largiretur, ut sere gravaretur alieno.
Nee hac
studiis
parte solum
ornat studia,
quod
ipso doctissiraus candide favet
doctis omnibus,
verum eliam quod universam familiam

;
honestissimis literarum
excolendam curat
novo quidem hactenus exemplo,

Habet
sed
quod
brevi
plures ni fallor sint imitaluri, adeo felicitcr succedit.
filias Ires,
quarum
maxima
natu Wargareta
jam nupta
est juveni,
primum
beafo, deindc mori-
bus integerrimis ac modest issim is, postremo non alieno a

nee a teneris annis curavit imbuendas,
politioribus Uteris.
I'iliabus tribus
nostris stndiis.
Om-
primum
castis
ac Sanctis moribus, deinde
quartam adjuuxit puellam, quam benig-
APPENDIX.
n/tatis gratia alit, ut
illis sit
30T
soJalis.
Habct privigâm mira forma raroque
ingenio pudlam, annos
j;iin
aliquot
nuptam juveni
iioa indocto, sed
cujus
moribus
nihil sit niagis
aureum.
llnbet filium ex uxore priore, natura annos
plus minus Iredecira, ex libcris natu ininimii:Ti.

milii
An(c annum visum
est i\loro
specimen aliquod exhibere, quantum

scriberent, et
in lileris profecissent.
Jussit ut
est
illi
omnes ad me
quidem suo
quisqiie Marte.
est
Nee argumentum
;
suppedilatum,
nee in sermone quicquam

ille
correclum
eteuim
cum
schedas obtulissent patri castigandas,

jussit ut
velut offensus
incommoda
scriptura,
eadem accuratius ac purius
describerent.
Id ubi factum
misit.
est,
ne syl-
laba
quidem mutata,
literas oljsignatas
ad me
Credc mihi, Budae,
nihil asque
talis,
sum admiratus.
In sensibus nihil erat ineptum aut puellare; sermo
ut sentires esse quotidie proticientium.
Hunc chorum amabilem una cum

in
sponsis
duobus domi habet.

lliis
NuTlam
illic
videbis otiosam, nullam ineptiis muliebribus occupatam.
T. Livius
est
manibus.
Nam
eo progressa; sunt, ut auctores hujusmodi legant ct intellinisi si
gant citra interpretem,
quod
incidat verbum,
quod me quoque
fortassis
aut mci similem fuerat remoraturum.
Uxor, ingenio magis ac return usu
quam
eruditione valcns, mira dexteritate moderatur
omne
collegium,
l^yoJiaVlK
cujuspiam vicibus fungcns, pcnsum cuique prasscribens aique exigens, neque

sinens ccssare
qucnquam nee
frivolis
occupari.
Soles in Uteris tuis subindc
queri,
quod tua causa male audiret
philologia, quae tibi
duo mala
agit, ut
conciliasset.
Valetudinis ac rei familiaris dispendium.
At Moiiis noc
hoc
omnibus no-
minibus,
et
apud
sit
oniiJcS l)ene audiat
Uteris debere se prasdicans,
quod
prosperiorc
gratiosus,
valetudine,
quod optimo quod

sibi
principi,
quod
suis et extcris charus et

patriae
quod
et
re lautiore,
quod amicis jucundior, quod

aula;
quod cognatis
affinibus utiUor,
quod ad
vitae
commcrcium quod ad pro-
cerum convictum quod ad omnem

que quod superis
gratior.
consuetudinem accommodalior, deniaudicbant studia, quod sensum comest profeclio,
Primum male
cultori.
munem
adimerent addicto
Nulla
nulla negotia tarn

;
mulla tam ardua, qux

reperies qui
ciltor,
libellos
Moro de manibus
exculiant
et
tamen vix alium

fa-
magis
sit
omnibus omnium horarum homo, qui ad obscquium

in
ad congressus magis obvius,
coUoquio magis alaccr, quique tantum
verae prudentiae
est,
cum
tanta
morum
suavitate conjunxerit.
Quibus rebus factum

vitae vel
ut
quum
ante paucos dies litera^m
amor ad omne
praesidium vel
n03
APPENDIX.
iiiutilis",
ornamcnlmn liaberdur
majorum imasiiuibus
iiarciiis ipsis
nunc nemo pcnc
sit
magmlum,
qui
lii)cro5
ul
ilignos agiioscat, nisi bonis lilcris criulitos.

viJotiir,
Quiii ct
mo-
b )na rcgalium di-conim pais abcssc
in quibus litcrarum
leritia ilesulcretur.
Jam nemincm
litcras ct
fere niorlaliiim
ct
non liabebat
luce pcrsuasio, scxui fueminino
ad caslitatom
ad fainaiu
esse inulilcs.
luilii
Nee
ipse
quondam
prorsus
ab
iiac
abliorrui scntciilia; vcruiu lianc
Moms
peaitus excussit aiiimo.
Etcniin quuni duabus rebus potissiniuni pei iclitetur puellaium castitas, olio ac
lascivis lusibus,
ab horum utroque litcrarum arcet amor.
Nee
alia res melius
tuctur
sunt,
famam
iutegram,
quam mores
incontamiiuUi.
Nee
ulla:
firmius casta
quam
qua; judicio casta2 sunt.
Nequc
vero improbo consilium corum,
qui manuariis opcris prospiciunt pudicitia- (iliarum.
Verum
nulla res sic <oI'ructus,
tum pucUx
animus ab
pectus occupat, ut studium.
Alque
liinc pruiter
hoc
quod
otio pernicioso proliibetur, liauriuntur

.et
optima praecepta, qua; raeniMultis simpiicilas ct
lem ad virlutcm
inscitia pudicitiae
instituaiit
et inllamment.
rerum
jacturam
attulit,
priusquam
scirent
sit
quibus rebus tantus
thesaurus pcriclitaretur.
liabeant morigcras
si
Nequc video cur
maritis
ractucndum,
siiit,
iic
minus
doctas habeant,
nisi si
qui
tales
ut ea velint cxi-
gerc ab uxoribus qua^ non sunt cxigciida a probis matronis.

Icntia nihil est intractabilius inscitia.
Irao
mea
sen-
Cerle hoc proestat animus cultura stu-
diorum
exercit<itus, ut intelligat aequas
probasque rationes, vidcatque quid dcpersuasit, qui
ceat quid expediat.
Atque projicmodum
rem docuit.
Ad hxc
quum
jucuiiditas (irmita.sque coiijugii
magis ab animorum bcuevolentia, quam

(enacioribus vinculis junguntur quos in-
corporum amorc prodeiscatur, mullo

geniorum quoque charitas copulat
agnoscit ct prcccptorcni.
supcrstitionis.
;
magisque vcretur maritum uxor, qucra

pietatis,
Nee ideo minus habebit

nialo talenlum
quia minus habct

tria
Equidcm
viliata.
auri puri,
alias
quam
talenta
multo
plumbo scoriaque
Audimus passim
mulicrcuias sic a coiicioric
rcdcuutcs, ut prxdicent mirifice fuissc coucionatum qui dixit, ac
vuUum
sit
ho-
minis grapliicc depingunt

dixit rcccnscrc possunt.
bine dclcctu
;
ccterum nequc quid dixerit, nequc quale

tibi
quod
Hx
totam pene concioncm ordinc rcferunt non

si
si
quid
stulte, si
quid impie,
fieri
quid extra rem

id
eflutiit ecclesiastes
(qucmadmodum
vel dclcatiui.
liodie iion raio
videmus)
norunt vol ridcre vcl nrgligcrc
Atque hoc
dcmum
c^t
audire sacras conciones;
cum hujusmodi
APPENDIX.
demum
vere
309
islis
jucundum
in
est conviverc.
Plurimum enim ab
dissenlio,
qui
coHJiigcs
non
alium usum babent
quam ad
obscqiiiiim vohiptatis,
quam ad
faniiliam
rem magis
apposiffe sunt semifatux.
Pectus habcat oporfcf,
qux
contineat in officio,
qus
liberorum mores fingat ac formct,
qux
marito per
omnia
satisfaciat.
Caetcrum
cum proximo coUoquio
illud objccissem
Moro, quod
si
quid huin-
manitus accidcret, fore ut gravius discruciaretur earum desiderio in quibus

stituendis taiitum
insumsisset operse, respondit incontanter,

potest,
si
quid accidcrit
quod
viliari
non
malim
eas mori doctas
quam
indoctas.
Moxque
milii
venit in
mcntem
Pliocionis, ni fallor, apoplithegma, cui bibituro cicutam

vir innocens morieris ; quid, inquit, ais
ilia
cum
uxor ncchimartt mi
uxor,
anme
vialles
nocentem mori ? Interim

duces qnosdam cximios
cogitatio subiit
animum meum,
ct pluribus
ut vos duos ceu

si
in
boc laudis genere componam, veluti
quis Camil-
lum commiUat cum Scipionc Africano.

culo
Tu
annis et iniquiore sc-
cum
lilerarum hoslibus es contiiclatus, lioc carte calculo iloro superior.

in
filiis
Cseterum quod tu
bitat et in
tantum ac fratribus ausus
es moliri,
hoc
ille
non du-
uxoribus
et in filiabus facere, fortiter

ille te
confempla novi exempli invidia;

libris edilis
quo nomine vicissim
prxcellif.
Tu
rursum
ulriusquc litera-
ture proventum magis auxisti

in
pobtcrum aucturus,
cUirgiri.
pulum
quod
quam ille, copiosius eliam, uti nobis pollicemur, modo coeperis opes tuas a scriuiis dcpromlas.in poQuanquam ct a Moro magnum aliquid cxspcclat juventus,
si
ille
mullum adbuc
absit a scnectulc, ct
patrem
liabct
non minorcm annis
octoginta mire vircnti senectutc, ut vix alium reperias qui bcllius gcstct seta-
lem
uncle licet et
Moro
lougacvitatem ominari. &c.
Ex
rure Anderlacensi,
Anno
152! (Epist. 603.)
,310
APPENDIX.
Qulidmus Covrinus Nucerinus Fhilippo Montaiio,
S.
D.
QuoNiAM
juxia Pjlliagorac scnteutiam oportet
omnia
esse
commuiiia, reckesse.
coUogit Jiiiripidcs, et tlolorcs inUr amicos oporterc

iiîtur,
communes
omiii
Accipics
gciierc
vir amicissimc, ab amicu minime

:
laeta, seil
lacrymarum
bonis omnibus ticplorauda

pcrtulissc
quanquam
arbitror
iamam
istuc
jamdudum omnia
baronis inciyti,
priusquam ad nos, dc morte quorundam npud Anglos insignium
vjrorum, sed prxcipue Tbomae Mori,

ac supremi
judici:>,
dum
;
viveret ejus rcgai
qucm
illi
cancc4Lrium appellant.
apud cam
gcntem alia major, cxcepto rege
coque
Qua dignitatc non est qunm proiiil, aurcum sccp-
trum imposila corona cxsarea gcslalur ad unum lams, ad alterum hbcr.

vero
tur,
Qux
sum
narraturus, parlim e scbedis Galbce scriplis, quae

;
Jiic
circumfcrun-
desumpsi, partim c rumoribus
nam
nihil
burum
vidi.
ISed priustûura
aggrcdiar, paucis dcscribam L/ondoniciisis urbis situni.
Civitas in latum angusfa, ad
Thamysim flumcn
nomcn
sic
in
longnm porrccta
est,
ut videatur non posse desinere, mide et
videtur inditum; siquidim
apud
Flandros loca mari vicina Dinien appellant.
Indidem dictum videtur Gal-
iiarum
Lugdunum,
quasi dicas fo/igas ripas.
Ad
orienfem in extremo habet
arccm bene munitam, qua regcs interdum utuntur, vulgus Turrim appellat.
Sed in cadem servari solent
yiri
nobdi
s,
auf alias dignitatc
quapiam prxmiIn allero
nentcs, qui videntur aliquid adversus rcgiam majeslatem deliquisse.
extremo ad occasum insignc monastermni
est
Benedictinorum, vulgus appellat

vcteris, sed
Wcstmonastcrium quo nunc

regcs
ct
buic proximiim regis palatium structune

delectantur.
parum
Palatio adjuncta est

judiccs.
domus
spaciosissima,
nullis fulta columnis, in
qua sedent
L'trumque xdUicium ilumini im-
minet, ut bine
illinc
cymba
vebi possint.
In hac arce Thomas IVIorus posteaquam

calend. Jul. ann.
pitis
raultis
mensibus
fuisset captivus,
Dom. m.d.xxxv productus

tribunal
est
ad modo diclam curiam, caIbat reus
causam dicturus apud
judicum a rcgc delegatorum.
baculo innixus tarn longam viam, corporc gravi aegrotationc in carcere dcbili-
APPENDIX.
tato, nihil
ticuli
311
tamen perturbationis vuUu

illi
prse sc ferens.
Primum
qui
reciUiti sunt ar-
criminum quae
-Nortfolciij
objicicbantur.
in
ISIox cancellarius
Moro
successit,
acdux
hunc
modutn
rciitn
appcUarunt.
En
vides Magister
More
(sic appellant
mediocri dignilate proeditos) to

tc,
si
graviter deliquisse in regiam majcslatem.

sipiscas, et abjures istam
|)erstitisti,
Atlamen spcraraus
niodo rc-
obstinatam opinioncin, in qua liactcnus tarn procacitcr
veniam a
regis
dementia consequuturum.'
Ad
tias
hsec
Moras
'
Domini mei, ego summo
cordis afFectu
ago vobis gra-
pro
ista vestra
arnica erga
me
voluntate
in
tantum
illud oro
Deum
orani-
potentem, conftrmare dignefur
mc
hac qua nunc sum sententia, ut in ea
perseverem usque ad mortem.
Cseterum
quum
reputo
quam
prolixi
quamque
graves arliculi sunt quibus oneror, vereor ne mihi nee ingenium suppetat, nee
memoria, ncc oratio qux
sufficiat
ad respondendum omnibus
praesertim
quum
in carcerc
tam diu fuerim
detentus, in
quo gravi xgrolatione contraxi
corporis debilitatem,
qus me nunc
ctiara babet.'
Turn jussu judicum

quotus
est institutum
allata est sella, in
qua
sederet.
Ubi
consedisset, prosc-
sermoueni hunc in
modum.
Quod ad primum
attinet articulum, qui
conafur osteiidere
meam
in re-
gem
gotio
malevolentiam in ncgotio posterioris matrimonii, contiteor ingenue,

restitissc
illius
me
-
Semper
serenissimx majcstati.
dicere,
Nee
est
animus super hoc nc-
quicquam aliud
:
quam quod
hactenus semper dixi, ad hoc urgente

ita
me
conscientia
per
quam
ut
non debebam,
ulla proJitio
nee volcbam princiiM;m
meum
prin'
celare veritatcm.
Nee
liic est
qnx
infenditur; quin potius, ni id

et
fecissem, prxsertim in re tanti momcnti,
untie
pendebat mea sententia,
cipis houos, et regni tranquillitas, turn vere fui.sscm,
quod nunc
objicitur,
ma-
levolus, perfidus ac proditor.
Ob
hoe delictum
(si
modo
delictum appellan-
dum
est)
gravissimas dedi pa.>nas, exufus omnibus facultatibus meis, ac pcrfui detentus.
petuo addictus carccri, in quo menses jam quindecem totos

his omissis
objicitur,
Sed
tantum ad ca respondebo quse sunt
liujus ncgotii prsecipua.
Quod
con
mc
incurrissc in poeoara violatas constitutionis,
qu proximo
312
silio proillla os(,
APPRNDIX.
mc jam
in carcere
agonto
quasi malitioso anioio,
]iorfitliose,
ac proJitoric rcgix majestati dctraxerim famam, honorcm ac dignitatem qux

illi
per diclam constiditioncm erat (ributa, videlicet quoJ ibi declaratnr
snb^
Jesu Ciiristo
supremnm caput
ecclesiw
Anglicanx
inprimis res|iondel)o ad
hoc quod
tis illiiis
milii ol)jicitiir,
quod Domino
Secretario llcgis ac veneral)iii raajesta-
consil
oiftu^
qux mea
tantum
esset
do hoc edicto sententia,

esse,
nihil aliud
voluerim rcspondcre,
quam me jam mundo mortuum

metlitari
in
nee istiusmodi n&!
godisnmplius
ChrisH.
ôlicitari, sod
passione domini nostri Jesu
Dico
me
per islam vestram constitutionem ob hoc silcntium non posse
(1 .;5in;iri ca|>itis,
co quod nee vestrum cdictum, nee
uUx
leges
mnndi
possuiit
qtieiiqnam ob silenfium a.lilicere morti, sed tantum ob dictum aut perpetratuni

faciuus.
Dc
occullis
enim
solus judical Deus.'
Ad
haec respondit procurator regius interpellans
at tale silentium, inquit,

ilicta constitutione.
cvidcns
argumentum
est
animi male
senticntis
de jam
si
Nam
omnis subditus sinccrus ac fidWIs regix majestati,

terrogetur, tenclur ct obligatur citra
de dicta constitutione in-
omnem
dissimul itionem respondere cate-
goric
cgium cdicium
esse
bonum, justum ac sanctum.
Ad qux
quam
IVIorus
'
Si
verum
est
quod habetur
in legibus,
eum
qni tacct
videri consentire,
improbavit.
meum silentium confirmavit potius Jam quod dicis, omnem subditum

si
vestram constitutionem
fidelem obligari ut re-
spondeat caterorice
inlerrogclur,
&c.
et
rcspondeo,
bonx
fidci
ulli
subditum
alii
magis obligatum
esse
Deo, conscientix,
si talis
<
animx sux, quam

mea,
rci in
boc mundo, maxime

scditionis pariat
onscicntia, qualis est
nihil ofi'cndiculi, nihil
(i.minosuo.
Nam
illud
pro certo vobis aflirmo, quod nuUi
raortalium
unquam detexerim hac
in re conscieutiam
meam.
'
Vcnio nunc ad secundum accusationis caput, quo arguor contra dictam
constitutionem molitus ac machinatus fuisse, eo quod ad Kofii-nsem scripserim
octo pariaepislolarum, quibus ilium animarim adversus istud cdicium.
Kqui-
dcm vehementer optarim

vincerent vel liberarent.
epistolas hie proferri ac recitarri,
qux me
vel con-
Cxierum quando
illx,
quemadmodum
prxdicatis,
per episcopum exustx sunt, ipse non gravabor recitarc sententiam earum.
In
earum quibusdam agebatur de
uostris privatis negotiis,
pro vctcre nostra ami-
APPENDIX.
cida ac familiarUato.
(eras
tioiic.
313
li-
la ua;i qu:ulam conliticbatur responsum atl cpiscopi

et
quibus scire cupicliat, quLl
quo pacto
rcspon.lissL-in
do
ista coastitu-
Ad
i.>sc
nii)il
id iiilul aliud
lescripsi, nisi
Aiiiiiia;
me jam meam
composuLssu conscicrtteste
tiain,
compoiiertt suam.
aliud
ill
mese periculo, ac
!
Deo
vobls asse-
vcro,
illls
Uteris a
me
scriptiim luisse
Haniin
igitur caiissa noii
possum iKf vestram
coiisiifutioiicni
addici
mi)rti.
'
Superest
tcrtiiis
arficulus,
qm
intendif, nno.I quiiin

iitrii.qiie
de vpstra constitutiono
examinarcr, dixeriiu earn esse similcm gladio

si
secanti, proptcrea
quod
quis vdlet
cam
scrvare,
[x-rderet aiii.uain
si
contradicere, pcrderet corpus.
Idem q.ioniam,
ut dicilis, re.poi.dit cpiscopiis
Iluftbiisis,
perspicunm
fuisse
est
esse infer
nos fuisse conspiratio.iem.

nisi coiiditionaliter
:
Ad Uxc
respondeo,
me uu.iquam
loquutum,
sic videlicet, si (ale asset
cdictum, quaiis
ghidius utrin-
que incidcns, quo pacto

lura.
If.ec
posset quis evitare, quiri in allerum incideret pericu-
mea
fuit oratio.
Qiiomodo rcsponderit episcopus,
ncscio
si
il-
lius oratio
congruebat, id ncquaquam accidit ex conspirationc, sed potius ex iniêniorum ac doctrinaz similitudine. Brevitcr: illud pro certo ha-
cum mea
betotc,
menunquam qnicquam
:
raalifiosc fuisse
loquutum advcrsus vestram conciementiam aliquid malitiose
stitutionem
at fieri potuit, ut
ad benignam
regis
fuerit deiatura.'
Post hsEc vocati sunt per

illius
quondam ex
ostiariis
duodccim
super
viri,
juxfa gentis
consuetudinem, quibus
traditi sunt articuli, ut
illis
consultarent, ac
post consultationcm judicarcnt, ac pronunciarent,

tiose
obstitisset
utrum Tliomas Morus mali-
prjcdictx constitution! regis, an non.

secessissenf, reversi sunt
est,
Qui quum per horx

per Dn. Caucella-
quartam partem
ad principcs ac judiccs delegatos, ac

est raorte.
pronunciarunt guilty, hoc
dignus
Ac mox
rium
lata est sententia
juxta tenorem novas constitution is.
His ita peractis Thomas Morus hunc in modum orsusest loqui: ' Age, quando sum conderanatus, quo jure Deus novit, ad exonerandam conscientiam
liberius eloqui
volo
quod
sentio
de vestra constitutione.
Primum
in
illud dico,
me
lai-
septem annis intendisse
animum studiumque meum
istam causam, verum
hactenus in nuUo doctorum ab ecclciia probatorum repcri scriptum, quod
VOL.
I.
514
APPENDIX.
cu, aut ut vocant, sccularis, possit aut dcljcat esse caput status spiritualis aut
ecclesiastici.'
Hie
canc;llarius
intcrrumpens Mori sermouem, Dominc More,
inquit, itanc tu vis haberi sapicntior, nieliorisquc conscicntia:

pis, tota
omnibus episcoDominc,
ct
nobilitate, toto
denique regno
Ail
qnx Morus
inquit,
Cancellarie, pro
uno episcopo qucni

centum,
iiabcs
tux opiniouis, ego sanctos

sentientes, et
ortbo-
(loxos viros liabeo plurcs

cilio,
mecum
pro unico vestro con-
quod
tale sit
Deus novit, pro nie habeo omnia concilia generalia annis

:
;ibbinc luiilc celebrata

cbristiani regna
et
pro uno regno, babeo Franciam cseteraquc orbis

interpelians
:
omnia.
Hie Dux Nortfokii
Nunc More,
inquit>
pcrspicuc liquet tua malevolcntia.
Ad qu2 Morus
stantes) ut
Mii/ Lord, (sic Angli compellant insigni dignilate

incitat nialevolentia, sed
teste
prx-
hoc loquar non
cogit necessitas ad exoner-
andam
conscientiam
meam,
Deo, qui
solus scrutatur corda

esse,
hominum.
Prxtcrea dico
V()>
et illud,
constitutionem vestram
pcrpcram factam, eo quod
professi estis, ct jurcjurando vosmetipsos obstrinxistis, nihil
unquam
moli-
turos adversus sanctum ccclesiam,
qux
per universam ditionem christianam
unica
est,
Integra et individua, neque vos soli ullam habctis anctoritalera citra
aliorum christianorum consensum condendi legem, aut instiluendi concilium

adversus unionem
et
concordiam
christianitatis.
IVec rae fugit,
qnamobrcm
vobis condcmnatus sim, videlicet ob id,
quod nunquara voluerim
assent ire in
niiseri-
negotio novi matrimonii regis.

cordia, fore ut
Confido autem de divina bonitale ac

olim Paulus Steplianum pcrsecutus
in
est
quemadmodum
iidera
usque ad
mortem,
et
tamen
nunc unaninies sunt
coelo, ita nos qui
nunc
et
dis-
cordes sunius in hoc
mundo,
iu future seculo paritcr simus Concordes,
per-
fecta charitate unanimes.
Hac
spc frctus precor Deuiu ut vos scrvet una

!
cum
rege, cique dare dignetur bouos cousultores
His
ita pcractis,
Thomas Morus
reductus est in Turrim.
Hie
obiter accidit
spectaculum ipsa condemnatione
miserabilius.
Margareta filiarum Mori natu

dignitate cou-
maxima, mulier prxter cximiam formae venustatem cum surama

junctam, judiclp, ingenio, moribus
et eruditione patris simillinia, per

injecit, ct
mediam
populi turbam, pcrque satclUluin n.rma semet
ad parentcra peuctravit.
Quuui
et
mulier
esset, et
natura cumprimis verccuuda, tamen et
metum
et
pvidorera
omtiem excusscrat
impoicns animi dolor,
cum
audisset patrem in
APPEND
curia morti addictum esse.
gredcretur.
X.
arcis
51b
portam inali-
Hoc
accidit
priusquam Morus
Ibi in carissimi parentis collurn irrucns, arctissimo

Cseteruin ne verbuni
complexu
quandiu tcnuit eum.
quidem
ijiterim
potuit proloqui.
Curê, inquit tragicus, Icves loquuntui, ingentes stupent.
Movit
stipatores,
tameisi duros, boo spectaculum.
Horum
nosti
i(aque permissu
Morus
his verbis
consolatus est filiam

sic
Margareta, patienter feras, nee

secreta cordis
te discrucies
amplius
est
voluntas
Dei; jampridem
gentis,
si
mei
ilia
simulque dedit
digressa esset
in-
osculum ex consuetudine
quern dimittunt.
rccurrit, et
At
cum
ad decern
vel
duodecim passus, denuo
amplexa parentcm rursus
lixsit collo illius, sed
elinguis prse doloris
magnitudine.
Cui pater
nihil lo-
quutus
moto.
est,
tantuni erumpebant lacrjmae, vultu taraen a constantia nihil di-
Ncc
aliud supremis verbis raandavit,
quam
ut
Deum
pro aiiima patris
deprecaretur.
excidere.
Ad
hoc
pietatis
certamen plurimis e popular! turba lacrynijc

ferura et
Erant
et inter satellites,
immite genus hominuni, qui

pietatis afFectus
la-
crymas
res
sit,
tenere
non potuerunt.
Nee mirum, quum
adeo valida
ut immitissimas etiam feras raoveat.

sit
Hie apud
pectus.
se quisque rcputet
quam
valido ariete turn pulsatum

(piAoVo^fos,
Thorns Mori
magis
:
Erat cnim erga
suos omnes adeo
ut
non
alius
sed earn filiam ut erat eximiis

fortiter cxccpisse
praedita dotibus, ita diligebat impcnsius.
Morum
sententiam
mortis, aut etiam carnificis securim,
minus admirandum existimo, quam pij-
tatcm erga suos potuisse vincere.
Nihil enim addubito, quin hie doloris gla-
dius crudelius vulneravit Mori prseordia,
quam
ilia carnificis securis,
quw
collum amputavit<
Die Mcrcurli scquente, hoc
est
septimo die Julii, productus
est in
planiciem,
qu^
est
ante arccm.
Mos
est illic ut afficicndi supplicio,
de ponte plebem al-
loquantur.
ut pro ipso
At Morus paucissimis
verbis est usus,
tantum orans qui aderant,
Deum
orarent in hoc
mundo, se
vicissim in altero
pro
ut
ipsis.
Mox
hortabatur atquc instanter rogabat, orarent
mundo precaturum Deum pro rage,
illi
dignaretur impertire
regis
bonum
consilium, contestans se mori fidelem ac
bonum
ministrum, ac Dei inprimis.
Uxc
loquutus prompte constanti-
que vultu
flexis
genibus cervicem posuit securim exeepturus, non sine gravi
multorum gemitu.
Erat enim bonis omnibus carissiraus.
Quae hactenus narravi,
fere continebantur in
scbeda apud Parisios jactata,
Ss
.516
Ari'KNDlX.
Quisqtiis
:tc
yxr inanus honiiaum vuUtaiUe.
au(om
sciipsil,
videtur ac(u>
iii-
(crfuissc.
Qux
deinccps refeiam,
pardm
li.
ex amicoriiiu Uteris, partini e riiino-
libus arco]ii.
cpiscoptis
iiistraiulLs
I'aucis ante ilicbus,
c.
XV.
t'al.
Julias Joatiiu's Fi>c)icrus,

au:>(ci'ilali*,
liulloiisiii,
qui tuin vitx
sancliiiiuiiia
alque
(uni aiimi-
sacramcntis, turn assiJuitato docciuii voce siinul et sciiplis, deniqiic

bciiignitate in studiuiius,
mira
libcralilatc in egcnos,
vcruQi a^cbat cpi'icu]mni,
ex urcc dicia
in
qua
captivo:} (enebatur, pruductus est, ct

est,
fre(|uciili
ad curiam, qua: ut
arinntorum
sti-
ante dixi, Wcstmonastcrio proxima
sati-llituin
patu jierduclus
est,
partiin navigio, parliiii cqiio,
ob corjjusculi dcbilitatcm,
;
quam
prxter xtalem auxerat carccris iricommodilas

ct jejuniis ct vigiliis ct studiis et
licet
ipse valetudincin
suam semper
altenuasset.
laburibus ac lacryinis vebemcntcr
Jllc
vero taroetsi non igiioraret ejus coîiitiunis cuitum, nihil ta<

est,
men
porturbatus
sed
iâcido, ac prope ctiam ad
bilaritatcm composito
vultu ad tribunal evocantil)US paruit.
Ibi juxfa niorem ejus rogionis qui-ni antea
descripsi, sentcnlia capitali daranatus est, sujjplicium daturas, simulatque rcgi
visum
csset.
Hoc adjectum
deduci.
suspicor,
si
forte
spc veniae ac supplicii nielu
j)osset a sententia
Mortis genus oral ct
fxdnm
et Lorribile,
:
quo tamen
ut crc-
fuerant
aflTecti
Cartnsiani aliquot, quos aiunt fuisse quindecim
quod
(lim vix possum adduci.
Carlusianis adjunctus est Keginaldus monaclius Bri-
gitlcnsis, vir aiigelico vnllu ct
anselico spiritu, sanique judicii
quod ex
illius
coUuquio comperi,
quum
in
comitatu Cardinalis Campegii versarer in Anglia.
Nam
Cartusianorum novi neminem.

suspensos laqueo, ac
igni,
Aiunt ex his quosdam

spirantibus
fuisse jjer
viam
tractos, dein
eliamnum
exsccta iiitcstina-s
fuisse
et,
quosdam eliam exusfos

Solet
sed
omnium
incrcilihilcm
constantiam.
vidctur Jioc
rumor rebus
tristibus
aliquid addere.
At
si
liic
vcrus
esse consilium
eorum qui
rcgio obsecundant aainio, ut immanitate suppliciorum

facile divinabant, instituluin
cxteros absterrcant.
iri,
Nam
plurimis improbatum
prxsertim
ccclesiaslicis, ct rcligioiiis studio deditis.
Sed ad Roffensem epis-
copura rcdco.
Is
accepta tam horrendac mortis scntcntia,
quum
satcllilibus stipatus rcducc-
relur in
arcem, ut ad ostium ventum
est,
versus ad satellites hilari placidoquc
vultu, Plurimam, inquit, optimi viri, vobis babco gratiam ))ro officio,
quo
me euntcm
et
redeuntem deduxistis.
Dixisses homiiicm ex Lilari suavique rc-
dire convivio, adco
et color crat jticuiidior, ct ipse toto corporis gostu, quatenus
APPENDIX.
]jcr
317
se furebat, ut
neoiiiii
gravitatein licuit, Ixtitiam quaiidara
prx
non
essct
pcrspicuum, sarictissimum virum, ecu j.im portui vicinum, toto pectore ad

illara
bcatam (ranquillitatem aspirate.
Ncc
din dilata
est
mors.
Ad decimum
furris coUera,
Cal. Julii producfus in
planicieni, quani Angli
vulgo dicunt
vultu non solum conslanti,
verum
uliara alacri, paucis alloquutus est

est.
populum.
prolixa
Primum
regi
regnoque bene precatus
Mox
ardcnti magis
:
quam
precatione seipsum Dei misericordiae commendavit
simuJque procurabens ia
genua, gracili
et
exliausta ccrvice securim excepit.
Ntquc enim apud Anglos

truncum ad
id
carnifices gladio cervicem inciduut, sed

inclinaiiti, securi
damnato
in
apparatum
iioc
caput amputant.
Quaiito
cum
animi dolore viderint
sjjectaculiun quibus religio pietasque cordi est, et qui Ciirisli spiritura
in pas-
tore operantem expcrti fucrant, facile quivis ex scse potcrit aestimare.
Cxte-
rum quod
qui
si
mitiore poena affectus est,
quam minabatur judicum

tic
sententia, sunt
in
causa fuisse putent, quod nietucrint,
scncx ct exhausto corpusculo,

fuisset,
per viam tarn longam rlicda Iralieavc tractus
sponte cxpirareU
Ego
suspicor,
Jerritus
ob hoc mortis genus atrocius denuntiatum, ut iumianitate supplicii

JVec desunt qui praedicant, ob hoc ipsum accetertius
mufaret scntentiani.
leratam mortem,
quod Romanus pontifex Paulus
episcopura Koflcusera
ob
iiisignem doctrinam ac pirtatem in cardinaliilm ordincm allegissct.literis
Ex ami-
corum
cognovi, in Germania inferiore sparsum rumorcin, quura cpiscopi
Koffenhis caput csset in pontc Londoniensi de
more exposilum, non solum non
cmarcuisse,
verum ctiam magis
effloruisse,
:
vivoque factum similius, ut multi

in
crederent fore, ut etiam loqui inci[)cret
quod
quibusdam niartyribus
est
facatin-
tum legimtR.
qne abditum.
gentcs excitat.
letur,
iJa res, seu fama,
quum
vulgo increbuisset, sublatuni

icvi
Populus enim credulus txpe
quupiam occasione turbas
At
veriti
ne idem cvcnirct
est,
in oapitc IMori,
pnusquam exponcUsee aliaque

penes alios
acta
sit
aqua
fervenli
decoctum
quo plus habcret
horroris.
:
multa his similia pcxscribuntur e Flaiidria

fides.
liritannis viciriiore
Utinam hue
jjervu'nissent
acta Hoffensis,
qucniadmodum
Mori
pcrvenerunl.
E\ Mori
responsis facile liquet, ilium ikstmasse mori citius,
quam
ante
sua; seutentix canere
palinodiam.
Quo animo
videntur omucs fuisse qui
Morum
cxtincti sunt.
Morum
ac Rofiensem ct ilhid movit, opinor, quod qui bene natos, laute
cducatos, in honore babitos, in carecre dednct, non dat vitam, sed longiorem
SIS-
APPENDIX.
Ego
si
ct
accrbiorcm mortem.
illi
regi ftiisscm in consilio, pro
mca
stultitia
cona-
tus fuisscm
pcrsuadcrc, ut pro sua solita cIcmciUia cx(crisquc virtutibiis, per

o;ratio!>um et amabile,
quas nomcii ipsius linctcnus erat apud omncs nationos

iliis
ab
Oritannise luminibus, (otiqiic orbi notis abstiiicrd, aut ccrte pa?na mi(iore
coiileiitus cssi-t.
Rursus,
si
qui pcrieruiit
me
adiiibuissciit in
consilium, sua-
sisscm, nc se irruenti procella; paiain opponerent.

si
Violenta res ira regum, cui
incommode
resistas,
graviorcs cxcitat lumultus.

scd popysmate Icniuntur.
vel
Equi
feroces,
quemadmo-
dum
ct tonitrua, iion vi
t nautse non pugnant ad-
versus impotentem temjx'statcm, sed
quictc vcl obliquis cursibus utentes
expectant coilum commodius.

possis eniendare.
Multis rebus medetur tempus, quas nulla vi

fluctuant, sed quoties incidit
Res
humans semper quidem
insignis aut fatalis
rerum mutatio, midti pcriclitantur qui non cedunt turbini.
Veluti
quum
Julius Caesar aperiret januam tyrannidi, et triumviri junctis copiis

viri
imperiurn orbis occiiparent, laudatissimi qniquc

I't
jierierunt,
quorum
erat
si
JVI.
TuUius.
Qui monarchis
serviunl,
iis
quxdam
dissimulanda sunt, ut
jion
qneant obtinere quod judicaverunt optimum,
saltern aliqua
ex parte mo-
derentur principum aflectus.
Dixerit aliquis, pro veritate

Si
mortem oppeten-
dam.
At non pro quavis

:
veritate.
tyrannusjubeat, aut abjura Christum,
aut pone cervicem

fas est tc
ponenda
cervix.
Sed aliud
est
silere,
aliud abjurarc.
Si
dissimularc chiistianum cifra grave scandalum, raulto magis
licuisset
hie esse taciturn.
.Sed ineple
facio,
qui de rebus tam arduis disputem, qui
nunquam
inter-
fucrim monarcbarum consiliis.

Illud satis constat, eos viros
si
Itaque de tola causa judicium
aliis relinquo.
quid
eccarint, nulla in
regem malevolentia
sibi jicnitus per-
pcccasse, sed simplici sinccraquc conscientia ernisse.
Hoc
suascrant, hoc mcduUis intixum habebnnt, sanctum, pium, regi honoriticum,

ren-no salutare esse
fectarit
quod tuebantur.
alteri asserere
Arguinonto
sit,
est,
quod
nullus illorum afsit
regnum, aut
conatus
nee
uUam
molitus
seditionem,
aut ullas conlraxcrit copias,
ac nc vcrbum quidem
si licuiss< t,
excidit
odium conspira-
tionemve rcsipiens.
Silen-
cupiebant
sed jiatienter ac placide mor-
tem exceperunt,
nihil aliud
cibus etiam criminlbus

scientia,
quam regi regnoque bene prtcantes. At in atromagnam cuipx partem excusat simplex ac pura conTurn apud
animusque non Ledendi, sed bene raerendi cupidus.
efleras etiam nationcs frequenter cximix virtuti prxstantiquc doctrinae honos
APPENDIX.
est habitus.
Sl
Plafoni
apud
Aciînelas juxta civKatis conslitutioncm capite plec-
tendo, profuit philosoplii cognomen.
Diogenes impune penetravit
in castra
Philippi regis
Macedonum, ad quein pro
expioratorc adductus, libera exproconjiceret in peri-
bravit regi insaniam,
quod non contentus suo regno, semet
culum ne perderet omnia.

missus
est,
Non impune
nisi
tanfura, scd cliam
non ob aliud
quod
esset
philosophus.
cum muncrc diQucmadmodum raoiilis
narcharum
in eruditos benignitas
pluritnum honcsti nomiiiis

illis.
conciiiat, i(a
durius tractati plurimum invidiae eonflant

scriptis inclaruerunt
De
liis
pra^cipue loquor, qui

videtur
apud omnes
nationes, et
quorum memoria
apnd
postcros futura gratiosa.

ferro peremit
?
Quis nunc non execralur Antonium, qui Ciceroneni

?
Quis non detcstatur Ncronem, qui Scnecam occiderit
Ncc
re-
minimum
iegarit.
gratis decessit Oclavii Cajsaris nomirii,
quod Ovidium ad Getas
Uxc nequaquam
quod
etiamsi
eo milii dicuntur, ut regera cliristianum
cum
impiis prin-
cipibus confcram, aut de negotio cujus circumstantias non novi pronuntiem,
periculum abcsset, temcrariuin
csset
sed
ut
ostendam quibus
rationibns fuerim conaturus persuadere, ut rex parceudo viris pietatis et eruditionis
commendationejam
Plausibilis
immortalitati cotisecratis, suo

est
quoque nomini con:
suleret.
fort
semper
praepotentum dementia
sed turn clarissimos
applausus, qiioties viris illustribus ac dc rrpublica bene meritis impeudifur.
Omne
solum
forti
patria est: et exilium fortibus ac pfaclaris viris ssepe cessit

est.
feiiciter.
Mortis invidia gravis
Quum
rex Galiiarum
regis
Ludovicus Xlf,
filia,
regnum adcptus
fallor,
pararet divortium
res displicuit
cum Lodovici
XJ,
Maria, ni
nomine,
quibusdam bonis; ex quibus Johannes Slandocli,

nisi
et
hujus discipulus Thomas, in concione nihil aliud dixerant,

esse ut regi inspirarct
spectaiit
:
Deum
oran-
dum
boniim
lii
coiisiliutn.
Qnx apud populum
dicuntur,
ad seditionem
nihil aliud
et
deliqucrant advcrsus regis cdictum.

jussit,
Rex tamen
:
quam
vertere
solum
nee qiiicquam aderait faculta(um

eos.
irric
at
ille
idem negotio quod agcbat confccto, revocabat

et
moderatione rex
suo consuiuit
institute, et
gravem invidiam
cvilavit,
quod uterque
csset
theologus, uterqu&saiictilatis opinione commcndatus.
At Thomac Mori mortem dcplorant

versabatur;
tantus
erat
et ii, quorum institufo pro viribus adhominis in cranes candor, lauta comitas, tanlaquc
3^0.
beiiignilas.
.\PPi:\DlX.
Qumi
Jam
illc
\\\
mc(li<>criler eni.Iiluin
iidii
ab
se
diiuiait
?
iiulonaliim
."
Ant
qiiis fiiit
alicnus, ilc q<io
stiiduoiit
bcno lUTcri
;
MaUI n.m
ille in
tUvcnt
nisi siiis, Cialli Giillis,
G "rmaiii
Gerni;jtiis, .Sco(i Scolis
at
Ilibcrnos,
\n Cicrmanos, in CJiUos, in Soytlias cl (ados

bniiijiiitas sic
aiuico fuil aiiimo.
li.ec naliirx
IMoriim dinniuin
aiiirais ijcnitiis iiifixif, lit iioii Iq'sc vidi
sfcus ac paiviitcm
iicc vidcraiit
nut fratrcm plorcnt cxtincliini.
inuUoriim lacryinuK, qui

:
Moriim, nee ullo

iiolcnli
oflicio
ab co
fucratit alll-cli
prosiliuiit.
ac mllii qiioquc tlinn lixc sciibo,

afl'cctura cro'liiiius
ac rcpiignarili iacrynia;
ciii
Quamodo nunc
iuit aaiicilia,
Eiasmii.n nostrum,
cum Moro
Cb.sc
(:im .arcia
ut prorsus, jiixtu
I'jthagoram, in diiobus e:idem

no bonus
illo
vidcri'tiir aiiiina?
si
lAjiiidciu iiiiscre mcliia,
sencx suo Moro commoruitur,
lamcii udliuc in vivis est.

lioii
Sunt
sed
qui nos consolantur boc argumciito, quod dicuiil,
dcplorandos
esse,
gratiilauibim potius
love doloris Ion imen
lis,
:
qui
tali
mortc vitam /inicrunt.
Est istud, fateor, noa
at
ego i\lorum optarim intolumcm,

taniilia?
diosorum
gratiu,
fiiin
vcro pi.tcipiie
:
causa,
quum omnium stuquam ct numerosam et

libero-
plane philosopliicam rcliquit
(Ilium natu miniuiurn
jam maritum ac
rum parentcm,
rcm
fidelcm,
filias (res,
et lias
nuptas ac libcroruni matres, cruditas omnes,

institutas,
ac sub paterna disciplina ad chrLstianain pbilosopliiam pulclirc
uxo-
ac jam anum, ex qua lamen nullam prolem
sustulit.
ITas
omncs
cum
spoMsis, nepolibus ac nrptibus in unis a'dibusakbaf, tanta rcligionc, lau-
(aq'.ie
concordia, quan(am uou (cmcre repcrias in collegiis monacboruni ac vir-
ginum.
Hie
niibi cogita,
vir op(ime, qui luc(us, quae lacrymae, qui gcmi(us,
qui dolorcs totam ilLam (limiliam confidant.

ilia
Quot
egregias animas vulneravit
securis, quae Mori caput amputavit
mulli demirantes rogant, quid tanli

?
sccleris
commiserit vir semper habitus innoceiitissimis moribus

nisi
Quibus vix
liabco
quod pro comperto respondeam,
quod
parliin conjicere licet ex arli-
culis "Moro objectis et ill ius rcsponsionc, partira ex
amicorum
Uteris
ac fama
vulgata discere datur.
Rex, ut omnibus notissimum

regina Caroli Cxsaris matcrlcra,
est,
aliquot annis moliebatur
rcpudium cum
cvasura, ultro
ejus negotii
religiosae,
Morus prxsagicns quo
res cssct
deposuit canccliarii
munus,
alia
quxdain causatus, ne cogeretur
exequutor
esse,
quod apnd
sese
non probabat. Erat enim mentis tam

Sic cogitabat
;
ut propior esset superstitioni quara impietati.

quiescere
:
privato licebit
fore, ut cogcrc-
canccUario, qui os est regis, non licebit.
Videbat
APPENDIX.
tur multos coiidemnare morte, quos judicabat oplimos
:
321
ad hxc exitum
tanti
ncgotii incertuni esse, ob ccclesiasticoruin poteiitiam ac gentis ilUus solitam in
reges ferociam.
Tale
si
quid natum
fuisset,
prima victima
asset tarn
fuisset cancellarius.
At me
si
Morus
in consilium adhibuisset,
quum
anxie religiosa con-
scieiitia,
test,
dehortatus fuissem
eum ne
susciperet dignitatem.
Vix cnim
magnis
fieri
po-
ut qui in arduis principiim functionibus versantur, in
pariter ac
parvis jiistitiam ad
unguem
observent.
fastigio
Proinde milii gratulantibus quod talem
haberem amicum ia tanto rcrum

prius
illi
coUocatum, respondete
soleo,
de ejus dignitatis accessione gratulaturum quam juberet
me non ipse. Jam

quod
turn enim nescio quid sinistri praesagiebat animus.
Nee regem
arbitror latuisse,
:
quam ob
Homerus
causiim
indicat,
Morus dcponeret magistratum, itcunque dissimulavit

monarchis
esse
proprium, offcnsionem in aaimo tegere, donee
multo post tempore detur ulciscendi opportuuitas.
Interim rex minis ac fulminibus Clementis VII factus
irritatior,
adjecit ani-
mum
quum
ad vetus
illius
regionis
excmplum,
ut
regnum a jure
pontificis
Romani
assereret, et utriusque status

senfiret,
suprcmam potestatem
sibi viiidicaret.
Caiterum
plurimorum aninios ab hoc

est
instituto abhorere,
ue qua coorirc-
tur seditio,
pontificis
promulgatum
edictum, ut quicuiiqiie non abjuraret
Romani
autoritatem, aut improbaret

est
novum matrimonium,
nisi
capitalis tssef.
Verum hoc edictum non

custodiam.
Roll'ensis
promulgatum,
Roifcnse ct
Moro jam
ductis in
semper plurimum
tribuit sedi iiomauae, et ail versus re-
pudium
libris
etiam conscriptis pugnarat, sed turn

scripsit nihil, sid
quum adhuc
et
integrum
esset
consulere.
Morus
pro oHicio quod gcrebat, conabatur
regis
animum
tutam,
in earn inflectere sentcntiam,
quam
putabat
Deo gratam,
et regi
et
regno salutarem.
Erat
illi
magna
familiarifas
cum
episcopo Roffense
turn praediuni
quod ha-
bebat Morus non procul abtrat a Richemonda.
Ibi regio palatio vicina sunt

esl,
duo monasteria vehementer opulcnta,
ct
quod majus
bona: disciphnie, al-
terum Cartusianorum, alterum Brigittensiura.

citatum Mori animum, ut
ecclesiai
Ab
his facile credidcrim solli:
causam
tueretur
at
ipsum aliquid
efFutisse
quod rebellionem
saperet, nuiiqiiam
sum
credilurus, ut qui ex crebris colloquiis
perspexerim admirabilcm quaudam hominis cautionem.
Ecquidcm vix alium
Vol.
I.
322
APPENDIX.
comperj, qui fam racduUitus amarit priiicipem suum, aut
vcllcf,
Anglum
magU
ex
animo bene
qtiam
iUc.
Unde
vir
igitur Lie
tumultus? Violenta res

Forte
est, conscicntia
fcfcllit
magis mctucns
Deum
Maluit
offciKlcre,
si ille
quiuu mortem oppetcre.
eum
pcrsuasio.
At demiror
levibus argumentis adductus
e^t,
ut sic
obfirmaret
si
animum.
ipse perpeli,
quam
id,
in alios facere,
et
quod
necesse fuisset,
in suscepto
munerc
perse verassct.
Quin
rcgins
veteris, singulari pietate foemince
multos miseret,
in
non lantum ob
ledacta
Icri est,
quod dudum tanta dignitate

frui possit
:
florens,
nunc
eum
statum
ncc
al-
ut
ob divortium nee eo
quicum lam diu
vixit,
nubere ob Clemenlis sentcntiam
verum ctiam
quotl vidct, non
dubium
quin
cum summo animi
dolore, ipsius causa tales viros trucidari.
IIuJus porro
tragocdiai quis sit futurus exitus,
Deus
novit.
Jllud in confesso est, per
necem
beali
Tbomx
Acrensis,
plurimum
ct auctoritatis et
opum
accessisse statui cccle-
siastico
apud Anglos.
Qui
res
mortalium suo imperscrutabili consilio mo-
deratur, pro sua bonitatc dignabitur brcc
omnia
vcrtere in
snam gloriam.
Tantum
si
e scheda,
rumoribus
et
amicorum
Uteris,
hacfcnus licuit cognoscerc

fac vicissim ut per te sciaretincto,
comperliora fuero nactus,

agat rex Sion
tibi
coramunicabo.
Tu
mus quid
cum
suis prophclis,
populoquc
dc quibus
hie mira Ibruntur, an vera nescio.

susti
Apud
Lutetiam Parisiorum X. Cal. Au-
Ann. m.u.xxxv.
::
APPENDIX.
323
CLARORUM ET DOCTORUM VIRORUM VARIA EPIGRAMMATA IN LAUDEM THOMiE MORI.
MORI VIRTUTES DESCRIPT^ PER

Est
Sunt
virtutis
T.
STAPLETONUM.
est
amans, cui nulla scieatia cordi
Uteris clari,
quos virtus nan tamea ornat
Est qui ulrumque tenet, tractare at publica nescit
Munera
Sed
sunt haec qui
feliciter
omnia possunt.
quibus infauste res tota domestica currit
Invenias alium, cui sint
hxc omnia,
at
idem
:
est
Moribus insuavb,
severus, durus, agrestis
Hie
sectatur opes, alius conquirit honores,
Et maculat multas hoc uno crimine Et qui

haec cuncta tenet, vitio
latet,
laudes:
quoque purus ab omni,
Sed moriens
atque obscura morte quiescit.

pietate secundus,
Unus
erat
Morus, nuUi (1)

literis
Ingenio, (2)
clarus
qui (3) munera gessit
Maxima
(6)
qui (4) contemtor opum, (5) contemtor honorum,

et proles rara virtute
Familiam
gubemat.
(7) Candidus (8) Martyrio
et suavis, regi
illustris
populoque jucundus.
concludit cuncta beatus.
Virtutum
I'uit
haec encjclopaedia Mori.
VARIA EJUS ERUDITIO PER EUNDEM.

:
Vis scire in
literis,
quis, et quid esset

?
Thomas
ille
Morus, decus suorum
Tt2
324
Orator
APPENDIX.
fuit clogans, discrtus
:
Festi/iis fuit ct pocta suavLs.
Non Gra;cum
Nee
callct
sccus ac Latiiia callens.

;
moJo
sed tuetur
ilia,
Liiigiiartim liaud sccus advocatus accr,
Quam
legum lucrat Bntaiinicarum.
Scribendae historix arlifex pcritus.
Res gests
satis
hoc docent Ricliardi

feri
Aiiglorum gravis et
tjranni.
Quantus
philoboplius, doccre possunt
Leges Utopia? rcccns rcpcrlx. In

sacris lilcris,
patrumque
libris
Quid Morus
Quos contra
Scribcndo
(Sunt
valuit,
probant labores,
hercticos
:
domi forisque
libris
tulit
hos
Latinis
testes
Pomeranus
et
Lutherus)
lllos vernaculis pie rct'ulans.
Ingens e quibus edidit volumen,

Anglis fructiferum
;
clegans volumen.
Nee
vult dogmatibus vocare solis

pietas, salusque mentis
Sed per quos
Augmentnm
capiat, dedit libellos

libellos,
Angli quos avide legunt
Nee quicquam
utilius legi fatcntur.
Qui pro dogmatibus legenda

Dat pro dogmatibus caput
Ilic
scripsit
securi.
:
major calamus, liberquc major
Ilunc, liunc postcritas librum revolvat.
NOMINIS AITIOAoriA
More, nee
PER EUNDEM.
es ISIaurus,
quod vox sonat Anglica

attica, ftt^fUy habef.
IVIori,
Nee
fatuus,
quod vox
Scilicet infausti eorrexil

lit
nominis omen
vigor et candor
maximus
in:nii.
APPENDIX.
325
DE REGE HENRICO
Cur bonus
in
VIII,
ROFFENSI ET MORO
Henn'ce, juventa,
EJUSDEM.
prima
florens,
Impius
in (enebris
uisima fata trahis?
Nempe
Prsefuit
quia extinxti duo luuxima lumiaa regni:
Roffeusis Phoebus, Cynthia

ille
Morus
erat.
sacris
terrennis prsefuit iste.
Extinctis pereunt sacra, profana simul.
JANI VITALIS, ITALI.
Dum
Imo
Morus immeritx
flent
submittit colla securi,
Et
ait,
occasum pignora cara suuiu
infandi vitam deflete tyranni
Non
moritur, facinus qui grave morte fugit.
JOHANNIS SECUNDI, HAGIENSIS.

Quis jacet hie truncus Quae natat in
?
cujus caput ense recisum est
tetro
sanguine canicies
Hie
est ille
Thomas Morus.
Sic facta rependunt
Tristia raulta bonis, et
bona multa malis.

?
Qu3e circumsistunt divx lugubre cadaver
Diva tenax
veri
fuit
sancta fides
Nemesis.
mortis
Quarum prima
causa et
fuit altera
erit.
Ultrix iojustse tertia caedis
ALIUD, EJUSDEM.
State viri.
Forte hos cineres novisse juvabit.

colla resectus
Hunc tumulum Morus

Ille
habet
decus regni
quondam
et
nunc dedeeus AngU,

sustulerit
"[
Quod
tulerat talem,
quod modo
3?G
llli lit
APPENDIX.
salva foret pictas,
lit
pridcm aula
rclicla est.
est.
Salvo
Fide
perdcret vila relicta
modo
Thoma.
Quantam
tiiis
noUcs, vindicta paraliir.

inferix.
Rcgalcsquc
manibus
ALIUD, EJUSDEM.
Ad
Styga
cum Mori
venisset flebilis
umbra,
Pallidulum largo sparsa cruore caput

Portilor ingemuit, (rux Cerberus ora reprcssit,
Pcrseplioric falsis
immaduit lacrymis.
damuarat adulter,
Et, quern rex
letlio iiifami
Absolvit St^gii judicis urna rcum.
Ilium rex Ercbi, pro constanti probitatc,
Addidit
infernis judicibus
;
socium
Ca:dis ut authorem
fuerit
cum
morfe peremptus,
Addicat
diris suppliciis
infestet
meritum.
Virentem intcrea
lorva
umbra tyrannum
coUa colubris,
Semper,
et
ante oculos sanguinolenta volet.

sparsis per
Et vos Eumcnides
Illius ultrices tcndite in ora faces.
EJUSDEM SECUNDI NiENIA,
IN
MORTEM THOMiE
Morum
MORI.
Extinctum flemus crudeli funere
Et regem immanem, veneremque cruore madcntcm,

Fortunaeque vices,
ct laesae pellicis iram.
Vos mihi
pierides feralia carraina
mus
Dictate, et
mecum vatcm
;
lugete peremtum,
Insignem cythara
qui vos persxpe solebat
Vertice ab Aonio molli deducere versu.
Tuque adeo mihi,
Calliope, quse regia facta,

perita cs,
Et casus raiseronim hominum cantare
Nee
coedcs exhorrescis
memorare
cruentas.
APPENDIX.
Dextera ades,
327
Tu
vero crato, tu blanda Tlialia,
Trimcatnm
inlerea tuimilo
componite corpus,
Exequias celebrate, aspcrgite floribus urnam,
Et tumulo
Sacrum
castos aspiret laurus odores,
laurigeri vatis
complexa sepulcbrum,
Te quoque
deflerem divuni venerandc sacerdos,

populi, qui dura subisti
:
Roffensis praesiil
Fata prior, sancta pro reUigione tu,enda

Sed vatem canimus vates
;
tua
maxima
liicta
Vulgabunt
alii, et
praeclara
volumina condent,
Attolientque tuura super aurea sidera nomen.
Tempus
erat,
mundi cum jam adventante
ruina,
Occideret senio justum, et labefacfa deorum

Relligio caderet, tot sustentata per annos.
Mortalesque fidem tota de mente fugassent
At
dolus, et fastus, curaque impietate libidoet livor edax, fulvi et sitis auri,
Ambitioque,
Grassantes
late,
qua
sol subllmis
utrumque
Aspicit oceanum, geminas quaquc aspicit arctosj
Miscebantque profana
sacris, et sacra profanis.
Turn
furiae
ex imis erebi emersere
tenebris,
cristas,
Sanguineas capitum quatientes undiquc
Armatx
Fatorum
facibus, phlegetonteoque veneno.
Nee mora,
coeruleos subito pctiere Britannos,
gnarae,
tempus namque adfore norant,
Cum
rex Hcnricus despreto conjugis usu.
In vetitos rueret thalamos famosus adulter,
Atque
alias taedas, alios celebrans
Hymcnxos,
Mentis inops, regni indotatam
in parte locaret,
:
Vilem animam,
et nullo
majorum sfemmate fulfam
At regina
prior, tbalamis ejecta maritis,

;
Ingratura in lachr mis et luctu duceret sevum

Ilia
quidem magni de sanguine Ferdinandi,
32S
APPIiNDIX.
Primus qui Alauros rcgnis cxcgit
avitis,
Quo nuiiquam
Ni sua Mundi
Hcspcria rrgnasset major in era,
progenies majori nuniine, Caesar,

sccptru teiiens, titulos superasset avorum.
At postquam dirx subierunt regia

Eumenides, tremuit
Ilorruit,
(alius, sic
tccta
conscius jelher
Occanus
paler, et circumflua
Tethys
Imis delitucre vadis.
Rex
ipse,
maritus
Jam
lUx
novus, inprimis et adhuc coniplexibus hscrens,

facti poeuas,
Exfimuit
aut<
iramquc deorum.
ut videre novos celebrari
Hymcnacos,
Gaudebant
pariter Dirac, pariterque dolebaat

ipsis.
Criminc gaudebant, sed non authoribus
Patratura doluere nefas, niniiumque potcntem
Et vencrem,
et
voluc
is (ela
indignaiitur Amoris.
Ergo
aliud meditanlur opus,
dirumquc frementcs,
Pellicis insinuant
atrum
in praecordia virus,
Et
stolido rcgi eripiunt
raentemque animumque.
Ele scelus firmare
suum majoribus
ausis
Enitens, scelcri scelus adjicil, et conlemptis

Pontificis
summi
monitis, (quibus
in
ille
jubebat,
Ejiceret
moecham, (iuilamique
jura vocaret
Legitimam uxorem,
Ipse
sibi
solitoque ornaret honore)
jus pontificis,
nomenque sacratum,
et
Quara
late sua
regna patent, usurpat,
omnem
Sacrilegus veterem convellit relligionem
Et gravius peccat, ut non peccassc puletur.
Egregia interea pcllex

In
qux gaudia
sentit ?
.'
quorum jugulos miserum non armat amautem

si
;
Prsecipue,
quos probitas suspecta,
et houcsti
Prodit amor
More
inlelix, sic te
tua virtus
APPENDIX.
Perdidit
?
335
nostri.
Bvi scelus
atquc infaraia
Tu
regui decus, et regi carissimus
idem
Consultor fueras, nee judex aequior alter
Jura dabat, qua pensant hcu mcrcede laborem

Fata
tibi
?
poteras illxsaiti ducere vitam,

esse probus.
Sed minus
Coaditio
Vi(x
quam dura
rclf-fa
fait insonti ? si
vera professiis,
:
Fatalena exciperet cana cervice securim
Sin vitam falsa vellet ratione tueri,
Applaudens
stupris,
infandxque ambitioni,
Pollueret morcsque suos, vitamque priorcm,
Otfen&araque hominis, mutaret numinis
in;.
Ille
autem justique (enax,
cultorqiie
et
deorum,
Sponte sua ferro caput obtulit,
procumbens
Purpureum
sacro fudit de pcctore rivum.
Fortunate sencx animi,
tibl regia cojli
Tota patct,
tibi rex
supeium
victricia serta
Porrigit ipse raanu,
magno applaudente
omnes
senatu
Coelicolum,
et volucres
reciimnt poeana ministri.
Omnes
intonsi, niveis in vest ibus
Quales ad vitreum mceandri flunien olores

Mille volant, plauduntque
alis,
el
dulce cancnles
Ca3ruleum
nitidis prartexunt aitbera pennis.
Quis
tibi turn sensus,

?
mcestissima Margarelta,
fletu
Nata
patris miseri
!
quanto tua lumina
Unclabanl
quanfos, eheu, de p<'ctore anhclo

flebile patris
?
Ducebas gemitus, corpus cum
Exaniniuni aspiceres indigna csdc peremti
Nam
Non
te credibile
tibi
efit,
quanquam
patris inclyla facta
jT:U'rnam
conciliant
femamqne decnsque,
illo,
potuisse oculos compesccre tempore in
Vol.
I.
11
330
Quill
APPENDIX.
durum
Acres
casum, patrisque cruorein
Ablueres lacrymis, et circunifusa cadaver
Osculu pallidulo
ferres
moribunda
paieiiti.
Tu (amen
Nee
has aufcr tenero de pectorc curas,
lacrymis corriimpc tuos, pulclicrriin;i, vultus.
Sic tc Plicebus amet, sic, 6 doctissima virgo,
Adjiciat iiumcro te Calliopcia sororum.
Interea truncutn jacet et sine
nomine corpus,
Spectaculum populo dirum
at polluta cruore
Canicics, ne quid sceleris restaret inausuni,
Ncu
tantos xtas ncscirct sera furores,

:
Pra?(ixa infanii spectanda exponitur Iiasta
Deformata tameu primum ferventibus undis,

Duceret informcs donee cutis aspera rugas,
Labraque
in horrendos tralierentur luridu rictus
Nc, quod Roflensi
acciderat, sufl'usa ruborc

:
Mortua vilaiem
prceferrent ora calorem
Turbarentque pium rursus miracula vulgus.
Hocne
?
tuse veneri, rex
6 inceste, tropxum
Erigis
et
mollem placari sanguine divam

?
Posse pufas
iras in te convertet
acerbas
Ipsa Venus, vindexque tuos subvertet amores
Atque
aliis iteruni,
atque
aliis
tua pectora flammis
Uret, ut infamis veniant
tibi tietlia vilae.
Tunc,
raeraor indignx caedis, tua noxia facta
Flebis, et invisa
sumcs de
pcllice poenas.
Peliseus juvcnis furiisagitatus, et ira
Incandens, multoquc
animum infiammatus
iaccho,
Dilectum ante alios inter convivia Ciitum

Transfodit ferro, et resparsit sanguine mensas
:
At postquam furor
ille
animi discussus,
et oranis
Consumptus
vini vapor est,
mcutemque
rcccpit,
APPENDIX.
Ipse
33J
manus
inferre sibi,
sociumque per umbras
Vellc sequi, et miseros incassuin fundere qucstus.
Trcsque adeo moeslus
soles,
totidem quoqiie nocles
Exegit lacrymans, luctu confiisus acerbo
Ne quicquam
ncque criim lucfu revocanfur acerbo
Pullentes aniraae, quns per vada laiiguida vexit
PortUor, atqiie avido trajectos tradidit orco.
Tu quoque dilectum frus(ra plorabis amicum, Cum tibi discusso mens pura redibit amorc.
Iiitcrca boirifica
rurapet tua somnia forma
Umbra viri, muKoque caput foedata cruore^ Quo te cunque feres dira occursabit imago,
Supplicium
ssevis
exposcens horrida
faclis.
Namque
j\Iorus
tuis
donee regnis exutus,
et exul,
Extrcmam implorabis opcm rcrum omnium egenus,

inuUus
erit.
Nulla
est violentia
longa
indictaeque
moram
poena graviore rependunt

effugerit ulius-
Numina,
justitiara
quorum baud
At nos sternum tua

Insolabiliter deflebimus
;
tristia
funera, More,^
6 bone vates,
Tu mortem
Crudelem.
sancta pro relligione subisti
Tibi divinos pro talibus ausis

(ibi
Mortales debent cuitus,
templa,
(ibi aras.
yEternnm, venerande senex, salvcque, valeque,
Seu
colis El^-sium, seu coeli lucida

et
templa
Accipe
bunc nostrum non dura
fronte laborcm.
JACOBI EXERICHI, HISPANL

Henricus
Morum
ille
gladio jugulavit iniquo

vita,
Tam dignum
Mortuus
Post
quam
fuit ipse nece.
tamen vivet per secula cuncta,

virtus vivcrc sola facif.
mortem
Uu
332
APPENDIX.
JACOBI LATOMI, BELG-S:.

Quid
tibi
cum Moro,
?
<ali
irulignissima cive
dict-rc iiiepta
Anglia
quid pergis
tuum
Tu
ferro insontem, iiec simplicc inorte,
Catonem
Persequeris
tuto nee licet esse
pium.
Proinde
sile.
Nam
quo maculam
tibi deraeret istara,
Ipse sibi patriam condidit Utopiam.
GENTIANI HERVETI, AURELIANENSIS.

Quod capiti quondam Ciceronis rostra fuerc, Hoc est pons capiti, More diserte, tuo.
Oucentes Angli suspiria pcctore dicunt
Doctior et melior nullus in
orljc fuit.
JO.
VULTEI, RHEMENSIS. EX LIB.

Hie
II.
EPIGRAMMATUM.
situs est
Thomas Morus,
tuus, Anglia, vatcs>
Turba Poetarum quern
cecidisse gemit.
enses,
Dum
regum docte metuendos aduionet
ilium caruificis rex jubet ense mori.

Ilium amor et cbaritcs
dcfleiit,
dcflentque
Camoenx
Nee damnum
Italia, et
credit, qui sapit, esse leve.

;
Gallia quid possit, testisque Britannia
testis
semper Grscia
testis erit.
MAXIMILIAN: WIGNACURTII, ATREBATIS.

Quae
fuit integritas,
qux
vis,
qux copia
fandi,
Quae mens,
JNlore, tibi, sat
tua scripta docent.
ûi
Cbristi fuerit transAxum pectus amore,
Tradita tcstantur sat tua
membra necu
APPENDIX,
Scilicet ut rairis vixisti dofibus auctus,
333
Te
Vita
decuit miro pectore, More, mori.

;
tibi fucrat feiix
feiicior at
mors,
peperit.
:
^tcrno vitam munere quae
Ordo
tuus per
te
micat uno lumine
sed sunt
Instar
multorum luraina multa virum.
lOANNIS WHITE, EPISC. VINTONIENSIS, IN DIACOSIO MAHs TYRION.

Quin etiam
partes vulgato codice nostras
Propugnat scripfor maximus Utopix.

Fcssus ad authoris melius te scripta remitto
Rarus in orbe
lUius similes,
liber
nee tamea Utopiae

meliores
;
est.
imo multo
Invenies libros, lector
at Utopis.
Et Mori
similes,
imo multo meliores
Scriptores vidcas, lector; at Utopiae.
ALANI
Quis vivente
velit
COPI, LONDINENSIS.
Thoma non
vivere
Moro
?
Quis Moro
nolit sic moxiente
mori
ALIUD, EJUSDEM.
Mortuus an Morus, qui
Vixerat, ut mors
sit
sic in
mortis agone
?
victa coacta mori
Imo
piis
morum
meritis
nunc
vivit et orbi.
t pura mentis
relligione
Deo.
JOANNIS FOULERI, BRISTOLIENSIS, IN MORI EFFIGIEM.

EfEgiem quamcunque
tui sic
fingimus
at
non
Tam
facile est
mores
fingcrc,
More,
tuos.
331
APPENDIX.
Quam
vcllem pictor milii tain pcrfcctus adcsset,
Pingere qui vcrc posset utramqiic simul.
Turn quoqiic qui

Ille
vilain totam mori-squc rcferrct,

foret.
magis inulto doctus Appellc
'
f-ii:-
HENRICI HOLLANDI, VIGORNIENSIS.

Ergo quid
ad nostros
siculi venere tyranni
?
^<.
An
terris nostris
Africa monstra dedit
Nam
furit Lie
Gotthus,
dum Symmaclius
afque Joannes
Aniiltiint
carum
luortc fureiitc caput
Dum jacct
Sjevit
Albinus,
dumque
urbc Hoetius alma
Expulsus Ticini
tristia fata
?
gemit
Alexander Magnus
?
Clitumquc
fidcloin
?
Enecat
et
vitam Parmcnionis bahet
An Nero
Hoc
sanguineus nostris dominatur in

tibi
oris,
At que
vitam, Senncca docle, rapit?
facit Ilcnricus
quod tunc Nero pcssimus
cgif,
Dum Dum
te,
More, nccat,
dum
tua colla sccat.

;
Senneca niorte perit, quia vult
Nero
tu
qnoque More,
vult Hcnricus, spicula mortis habes.

fuit,
te,
Arbitrium pro lege
quod Senneca
More, perire
luxit
facit.
Arbitrium, quod
Ut non
est
mirum,
si sic
Nero
tollat
amicum,
;
Qui matrem
Qui
fato sustulit ante

si
suam
Sic non est mirum,

Icrus in
est,
rex te. More, nccarct,

saeviit
matrem
aliis si
ante suam.
Non mirum
vipera sxva nocerct,
Cum
propria malri vipera sreva nocet.
Ilenrici mater sancta est cccle&ia Christi,
Hanc
prius
afllixit,
quam
tibi.
More, nocet.
Et quia communem
nolles
pessundare matrem,
Fata sub innniti rcgc cruenta subis.
Quod genus hoc
monstri
cur
sic rex barbare, frendis
An, quia vult matri parccre, Morus
obit
APPENDIX.
Non
licet iiigenuis nalis
335
r
dcfcndcre raatrcm
violare lidem
:
Aa
Scilicet
scelus est
veram non
Henrico placuit proportio prava

parcit
Non
Et
membro,
non
dum
illc
premit
illc
caput.
Qui graviora
patrat,
minora
tinicbit,
facit.
:
scelus audaces
ad mala plura
Culpa
trahit
culpam
comitatur abyssus abjssum
Poena
est peccati
pessima culpa sequens.
Cum
Cum
Cum
rex legitimse fecit divortia sponsse,

et
Venit
rex
ad thalamos Anna Bolena suos
Volssum rerum de cardine movit,

;
Fecit et afflicta sorte perire virum
rex schisma
novum deformi
crimine
;
fecit,
Sedis apostolicse debita jura negans
Cum
Cum
rex pontificem prsescripsit,
usque papalc,
;
Non
passus libros
nomen habere papx
rex in sacris voluit caput esse supreraum,
Assumsitque
sibi pontificale
decus
Cum
rex lege nova sacratas diruit sedes,

Solvit et c claustris quos pia vota ligant
Cum
Cum Cum
rex divorum spolians opulenta sepulcbra,

;
Lusit imaginibus, diva Maria, tuis
rex damnavit clerum de crimine falso,

Presbyteros mulctans pontificesque suos
;
rex
omne malum
fecit
tunc, More, necaris
Horrebas oculis tanta videre mala.

Virtus sic
Si
Moro
placuit,
quod
vivere nollct.
non
virtuti vivere posse detur.
Dum
pietas floret, floret
quoque Morus
at ilia
Quam primum
Rex plus
in sumniis
coepit spreta jacere, jacet.
bunc pro
pictate locavit,
Impius afflictum pro
pietate necat.
Moro
Vita
vita fides.
Nam dum
: :
manet
ilia,
manebat,
Stante fide stabat

sibi pietas
qua percunte
perit.
pictate cadcute cadebat,
33G
APPENDIX.
Quam
pius
est
Morus pro
pietate codens
O rex (lebucras insiijni

llara avis est
parcere IMoro,
sic
Moms
super aslra volans.

regebaiit,
regujit.
O rex
si
niultos
homines tua sceptra
At mnltos Moros non tua sceptra

Millibus e muitis vis
Morus
ccrtiitiir
unus,
Tarn ductus, prudens, tani bouus atque pius.
Quanta
labc
tuum regnum popuiuniquc
notasti,
Quum
Quis
ferit
insoatcm barbara pla<;a Moruia ^
tibi jjeisuasit tarn
clarum
tollere fidus,
i
Qiix mens, qux
ratio, consiliiunquc luit
Qua; tua
relligio parili sic jure
nccare
?
Igne Lulheranos, Catliolicosquc cruce
Hoc
liber ille
tuus promiserat ante Lconi
?
?
Hoc
tituhis,
regno quern dedit
ille
tuo
Defenilisiie tiiicm veros
tolkndo
(itleles ?
?
Cubtodem legum legibus
ipse necas
?
Justitianine colis justos feriendo securi
Judiciumne
Consilium curas,
facis judicis
ora premens
et consiliarius iste,
Maximiis absque uUo criraine morte

Incidis ncrvos, ut corpus
fortius csset
?
perit ?
Exlinguis lumen, clarius ut videas
Ut
sit
perfectuni,
scititlis
de corpore membrura
?
?
Evulsis oculis cernere f'rontem cupis
Ecquis arare
solct
(erram non usus aratro

s<d
Aut
sulcare fcrura,
ista facis,
sine nave, fVetum ?
Et tamen
dun
Morum
funcre toUis,
Quem
nidlus sana tollere mente Telit.
Scd frustra aspeias tenebras offunderc Moro.
Morus ubique
volat docia per ora virum.

:
Fortior Henrico Staplelonus

Ilia
penna securi
mori
fecit
vivere
penna facit
APPENDIX.
'S37
ALIUD, EJUSDENf.
Quseiis, Arislidcs cur pulsus
ab urbe fugatur
Altera non causa
est,
quam
quia Justus erat.

?
Qusris, cur Socrates truculenta venenii bibebat

Id
fiiit
in causa, vir fuit
illc
bonus.
cxul
?
Qujcris, cur
magnus
ille
fuit ille IJueiius
Nempe quod
Qujeris, cur
bonus, veriloquusqire
?
fuit.
Morus
submittit coUa securi

est
:
In promtu ratio
optimus
ille fuit.
ALIUD, EJUSDEM.
Quando tuam mortem
recolo, celeberrime
ille
More,
Tunc
Ille fori
venit in
mentem TuUius
meam.
lumen, facundo clarus ab ore

fori
Tuque
Ille
lumen, tuque disertus
eras.
;
pator patriae, patrum dccus atque senatus
Tuque
pater patrise, tuque corona patnim.

fetis
Dum
furit
Antonius,
occiditur
ille
Dum furit Henricus, tu quoque fata subis. Dum cadit ille, sua cum lingua Fulvia ludit Dum cadis ipse, tua morte Bolenacanit. Dum pcrit ille, caput rostris affigitur illis,
In quibus
liic
casus dixerat ante suos
Dum
peris ipse, tui capitis
damnaris in aula,
soles.
In qua pro regno dicere jura
In muUis
ambo
similes, p,;r laus
manet ambos
Dispar at in muitis gloria, dispar honor.

Dicitur ut Cicero Roraanos vincerc scripto,
Moras
sic
Angios puriloquente
sic
stjlo.
Plurima scribebat Cicero,

Plura tamea Mori
plurima Morus,
Ciceronis erunt.
quam
Vol.
I.
S38
APPExXDIX.
In niultis vicit Ciceronem Morus
Vicit subjecto malcriaque Vicit iQ ingenio
: :
in ipso
libri.
quis par in acurainc
Moro ?
Vicit iloctrina, jiidicioque gravi. Vicit honorc loci

;
nam
cancellarius istc
Uiio anni
uniiis consule
major
erat.
:
Vicit in ardenti verae pietatis
amorc
Vicit et in mortis nobilitate suae.
Morus
Morus
erat vates festivo
carmine ludens,
fuif.
:
Insigniquc potens arte poeta

erat jurisprudens, vL\
major in orbe
Piiilosophus
summus,
si
quis in orbe fuif.
Morus
erat custos
Icgum, princepsque scuatus,

consiliique caput.
Supremus judex,
Nee
latuit
Morum
divini pagina verbi,

:
Sic ferit haerelicos
sic legit ille fidem.
Morus
erat
speculum
:
vitse,
fideiquc patronus,
erat.
Insignis
martyr dciiique Morus
Tindallus, Trithns, Barnosius atque Lutherus
A
Non
Mori calamo vulnera magna
ferunt.
sat liabct scriptis tales coiifundcre pestes,
Sed pia confirmant sanguine scripta suo.

Plura quid hie dicara
?
vix haec bene singula dixi,

diserte, tuo.
luisti
Vincor ab ingenio, More
Londinense decus, decus Oxoniense
Urbs
fuit ilia
parens, ista niagistra fuit.

aulas,
Tu
decus Angligenfim, rcgalis tu decus
Tu
decus Europse, tu decus orbis

ingcnii
:
eras.
Tu monstrum
Obruor
miracula sunt tua dicta,
Delicise juvenuni, dclicixque
senum
rerum
ingeiili ni;igiMriini poiiclere
Laus Mori nostro carmine major
erit.
Qui nunor
IJoc
si
est
Moro, non novit pingere
Morum
quis potîit, tu Staplctone, facii.
APPENDIX.
339
T.
STAPLETONI EPIGRAMMA AD EFFIGIEM MORITalis erat
Morus quum causas
dixit in urbe
Talis quutn populi jura tuetur, erat.

Talis erat pleno
quum
fecit
verba
s.-natu,
sai.
Orator populi lingua decusqu<>

Talis erat ludens epigraramata,
sei ia
scribens,
Talis
Talis in
quum doctam scriberel Utopiam. liaereticos quum docta volumina format,

sacra defendit dogmata, talis erat.
Dum
Talis erat Gallis et Belgis foedera pangens,
Legati fungcns munere
talis erat.
Talis erat torquatus eques, prudensque senator,
Pertracfans regni scrinia,

Talis erat tibi
talis erat.
quum
factus Lancaslria judex

tui.
Ducatus tenuit jura suprema
Quum
cancellarius Britannica sceptra tencret,
Primo post
rcgera munere, talis erat.
Talis erat Morus,
quum
tctro carcere clausus

tulit.
Dogmate pro
sacro vincula longa
Talis erat dirx submittens coUa sccuri.
At nunc non talem regna beata
vident.
N.
GRUDII EPIGRAMMA.
MORUS LOQUITUR.
iSe lugetc
meo
confusae funere natae
Ipse ego mutari non
mea
fata velim.
Truncum
terra tcget, si rex

tcrris
non abnuat urnam
Et mea jam
noraina nota volant.
Libera mens supcros repetet, ncque serviet unquam,

In partem hanc
quod agat
nulla securis habet.
X x2
340
APPENDIX.
Tu quoquc sjiectalor,
Qui
tibi
tranquillum
si
cupis
xvum
pone
Exigere, ct lelho fur(ior esse tuo,
membm cadant nullo in discrimine Quum sint natural lege caduca sux.
J.
PALUDANI RHETORIS LOVANIENSIS IN INSULA M UTOPIANAM EPIGRAMMA.

Fortes
Roma
dedit, dedit ct iaudata discrtos
Gnecia, frugales inclyta Sparta dedit

Massilla integros dedit, at Gerniania duros.
Comes ac
lepidos Attica terra dedit
Gallia clara pios,
quondam
dedit Africa cautos,

:
IMuniiicos olim terra Britanna dedit
Virtutum ex
aliis
aliarum exempla petuulur
Gentibus,
et
quod huic
dcsit Luic superat.
Una
semel totam
summam
totius houesti
Insula tcrrigenis Utopiana dedit.
GERARD! NOVIOMAGI EPIGRAMMA.

Dulcia, lector, amas
Utile
si
?
sunt
iiic
dulcissima quseque
querisj nil legis utilius.
Sive utrumque voles, utroquc
hxc
insula abundat,
Quo
Hie
linguam cxornes, quo doceas aniraum.
fontes apcrit, recti pravique disertus
Morus, Londini gloria prima
suse.
CORN. GRAPHiEUS
AD LECTOREM.
\ is
nova monstra, novodudum nunc orbc rcperto?Vivendi varia

vis ralioiie
modos
APPENDIX.
Vis qui virtntum fontcs
Principia
? ?
341
vis
imde malorum
in rebus inane latct
?
et
quantum
Morus
Hsec lege, quae vario
dcdit
ille
colore,
Morus, Fiondinae
iiobilitalib
honos.
HEXASTICHON ANEMOLII POETJE LAUREATI, HYTHLODÎ EX SORORE NEPOTIS, IN INSULAM UTOPIANAM.

Utopia
priscis dicta,
ob infrequentiam.
Platonicse,
ilia litteris
Nunc
civitatis
xmula
Fortasse victris,
(nam quod
una
Delineavit, hoc ego
praestiti
Viris et opibus, optimisque legibus)
Eutopia merito sum vocanda nomine.
EJUSDEM TETRASTICHON.
Utopus me dux ex non
insula fecit insulara,
Una
ego terrarura
omnium absque
pbilosophia
Civitatcm philosopliicam express! mortalibus.
Libenter impcrlio mea, non gravatim accipio raeliora.
C.
GOURADI DISTICHON.
araator
Morus amoris amor, morura quoquc Morus
Utopiam
scribens tradidit
Eufopiam.
JO.
LELANDI MORIADES.
Desine facundas nimium laudare discrti
Natas Ilortcnsi maxima
Roma
tui,
Cuiidicla trcs cliaiitcs
nam
iMori cura pcliti
Obfcurant mullis nomina vc&lra modis.
Non
Fed
illis
stiulium Jlilcsia vcllera dcxtra

facili
Carpcrc, non
duccrc
fila
niaiiu
jiiv:U cluquii crcbro
monumcnla Lalini
A'crsarc, ct doclis pingerc vt'rl)a uatis,
Ncc
miiiiLs aiilliorcs
G'rxcos cvolvcrc,
Homcrum
libros
dex'.
Et quem dicendi gloria prima manet.
Ul nee
Aristotclis
dicam quo pcctore
Scruleiitur, so[)liiie m^'stica
dona
Tiirpc viris postbac

Ar(cs, grcx
crit
ignorare Mincrvx
niulicbris amct.
adco quas
EXD OF THE FIRST VOLUME.
^lufideU, Doig,
and Stevtnton, printtrtt
Rd'tuhurgh^
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIHRARY

3
1158 00746 7813

This book
is
Los
Aiigi'lcs
DUE on the last date- stampwl Ijelow.
^î 2
1970
MAR
1 5 197)
HECD
timi
mi
a82
Sa!EJ*i"^
OV
TtWir
Form L9-Seri^T44
-2."l^M2-^
DA 33k M8C29
v.l
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ijTMERN REGION*!.
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Memoirs of Sir Thomas More 01

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THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES

HISTORY OF KING RICHARD

HIS LATIN POEMS.

the Younger, Esq.

I'rintidtj lUwiJlll, D><gt aixi SlniiuoH, EJinturgb,

Mr. More. ...

.... Cardinal Morton.

early wit and rejection.

His first acthe law.

quaintance with Erasmus.

reader at Furnival' s-inn,

reads a public lecture.

His verses on Elizabeth, queen

inclination for the monastic state.

Erasmus' early high opinion of

Colet's Iiigh opi. .

More marries Jane

renews his application to the law.

escapes Dr. Fo.t'x xnarp.

Four juvenile poems by him

re-appears in the world

Anecdote of Emson and Dudley

His high estimation as a

accompanies Tonstall to Flanders

Henry\s earlier court.

expected the reformation.

Edivard Lee attacks ErasMore.

speaker of the commons:

His speech on the

Anecdotes of IVolsey and More.

IVolscy wishes to send,

writes agaiiisL him,

Luther's reply and Ross' rejoinder^

writes against Luther.

Anecdote of the king and More,

sent on foreign e7nbassies.

His success at Camlray.

His advancement, and quarrel with the emperor

More and Wolsey.

duke of Norfolk's speech and Mores on the occasion.

Anecdotes of his chancellorship.

the chancery of causes.

the bishops for

again importuned by Henry on the divorce.

determines to resign the seal.

More's contempt of worldly grandeur.

.... His wife

provides situations for his attendants,

together his family.

.... His poverty.

His buildings and charity at Chelsea.

on More's persecution of heterodoxij.

..He withdraws from

.... His remark on Henry's second marriage, and advice

His behaviour io the

The nun of Kent.

accused of misprision of treason.

duct of the committee for examining him.

letter to the king.,

More's name erased from the

Acts passed in parliament.

Opinions of the Romish party,

refuseth the oath of succession.

His foreboding, and