tell this reason thereof because she dyed soone after she had brought forth this childe but to haue bene a woman of more then ordinarie vertue that which Doctor Clement reporteth from SIR THOMAS his owne mouth of a vision which she had the next night after her marriage seemeth in my iudgement forcible to argue in which she sawe in her sleepe as it were ingrauen in her wedding ring the number and fauour of all her children she was to haue whereof the face of one was so darke and obscure that she could not well discerne it and indeede afterwards she suffered of one of her children an vntimelie deliuerie but the face of one of her other she beheld shining most gloriously whereby no doubt Sir THOMAS his fame and sanctitie was foreshened and presignifyed She brought forth before him to Sir Iohn two daughters one called Iane afterwards married to à noble gentleman Mr. Richard Staffretō Elizabeth wife to the worthie gētleman Mr. Iohn Rastall Iudge Rastall's father Sir Iohn after his first wife's death married successiuely two others whereof the last as I haue heard was called Alice one of the Mores of Surrey and great aunte to Sir William More whose sonne now liuing is Sir George lieftennant of the Tower a man little inferiour to his noble Anncestours if his religion were answerable to theirs This Ladie outliued her sonne in law Sir THOMAS dwelling vpon her Iointure in Hartfordshire at a Capitall messuage then called More-place now Gubbons in the parish of Northmimes but being a little before her death thrust out of all by king Henry's furie she dyed at Northall a mile from thence and lieth buried in the church there 2. Sir THOMAS MORE was borne at London in Milke-streete where the Iudge his father for the most parte dwelt in the yeare of our Lord 1480. in the twentieth yeare of Edvvard the Fourth Shortly after his birth God would shew by another signe how deare this babe was vnto him For his nurce chancing to ride with him ouer à water and her horse stepping aside into a deepe place putt both her and her Childe in great danger and ieopardie whose harmes she seeking suddenly to preuent threw the infant ouer a hedge into a fielde neere adioyning and after by God's helpe escaping safe also when she came to take him vp againe she found him to haue no hurt at all but sweetely smiled vpon her that it might well be sayd of him Angelis suis Deus mandauit de te ne forte offendas ad lapidem pedem tuum and not his foote only but his whole bodie 3. This was no doubt a happie presage of his future holinesse and putt his parents in minde that he was that shining Childe of whome his mother had that former vision wherefore his father had the greater care to bring him vp in learning as soone as his tender age would permit it and so he putt him to the Free-schoole of London called S. Anthonies where he had a famous and learned man called Nicolas Holt for his maister vnder whome when he had rather greedily deuoured then leasurely chewed his Grammar rules he outstripped farre both in towardnesse of witt and diligence of endeauours all his schoole fellowes with whome he was matched And being borne to farre greater matters his father procured him to be placed shortly after in the house of the most worthie prelate that then liued in England both for wisedome learning and vertue whose like the world scarcely had Cardinall Morton Archbishopp of Canterburie and Lord high Chancellour of England whose graue countenance and carriage was such that he easily allured all men to honour and loue him a man as Sir THOMAS MORE describeth him in his Vtopia of incomparable iudgement a memorie more then is credible eloquent in speach and which is most to be wished in Clergiemen of singular wisedome and vertue so that the King and the Common wealth relyed chiefly vpon this mans counsell as he by whose policie King Henrie the Seauenth both gott the Crowne of England from Richard the third the vsurper and also most happily procured the two houses of Lancaster and Yorke to be vnited by marriage In this famous mans house this youth learned most diligently aboundance of wisedome and vertue and now he beganne to shew to the world what man he was likelie to proue For the Cardinall often would make triall of his pregnant witt especially at Christmas merriments when hauing plaies for recreacion this youth would suddenly steppe vp amongst the players and neuer studying before vpon the matter make often a parte of his owne inuention which was so wittie and so full of ieasts that he alone made more sporte and laughter then all the players besides for which his towardlienesse the Cardinall delighted much in him and would often say of him vnto diuerse of the Nobilitie who at sundrie times dined with him that that boy there wayting on him whosoeuer should liue to see it would proue a maruelous rare man But when this most reuerend Prelate sawe that he could not profitt so much in his house as he desired where there were manie distractions of publike affaires hauing great care of his bringing vp he sent him to the Vniuersitie and placed him in Canterbury-Colledge at Oxford now called Christs-church where in two yeares space that he remained there he profited exceedingly in Rhetorick Logick and Philosophie and shewed euidently what wonders witt and diligence can performe when they are ioyned as seldome they are in one painefull student There his whole minde was sett on his booke for in his allowance his father kept him verie short suffering him scarcelie to haue so much monie in his owne custodie as would pay for the mending of his apparrell euen no more then necessitie required and of his expences he would exact of him a particular accounte which course of his fathers he would often both speake of and praise it when he came to riper yeares affirming that by this meanes he was curbed from all vice and withdrawen from manie idle expences either of gayming or keeping naughtie companie so that he knew neither play nor other riott wherein most yong men in these our lamentable daies plunge themselues too timely to the vtter ouerthrow as well of learning and future vertue as their temporall estates This strictnesse of his father increased in him also a great reuerence and obedience after vnto him againe in so much that in all his life after he was so dutiefull vnto him that he neuer offended nor contradicted him in anie the least worde or action still shewing towards him admirable deedes of humilitie euen at that time when in the eye of the world he farre surpassed his father in dignitie which may be seene by asking him blessing euerieday duly euen after he was Lord Chancellour of England and when he and his father mett publikely at Lincolnes-Inne or other
how pure a Latine stile he attayned vnto his singular epistles yet extant to diuerse personages doe euidently shewe so that one would imagine he had spent all his life time in Humanitie only And although his aptnesse for eloquence seemed farre to disagree from the serious studies of the Common Law of this land so that few could suppose such a witt would haue had the patience to haue taken a lawbooke in hand yet such was his obedience to his father that at his cōmaund he studied the Law diligently 7. He vsed to eate at his meales but of one dish which was most commonly powdered biefe or some such like salte meate although his table was alwaies furnished with much varietie and what meate he first tasted on the same would he for that time make his whole refection of In his youth he abstained wholy from wine and in his latter yeares he would taste thereof but first it must be well alayed with water as Erasmus to Huttenus wittnesseth He had noe care what apparrell he wore in so much that being once tolde by his secretarie Mr. Harris that his shoes were all torne he bad him tell his man that looked vnto him thereof to buy him new whome for this cause he called his Tutour for he bought and made all his apparrell at his owne discretion Sir THOMAS neuer busying his head about such matters choosing rather to be in all things at the discretion of other men then at his owne guiding that he might in all his actions exercise the chiefe vertues of a Christian man obedience and humilitie Yea although he were most wise and dexterous in discerning truth from falshood and vertue from cloaked vice yet would he for the most parte in his greatest affaires and studies aske his man Harris his aduise and counsell and if he thought the contrarie better he would willingly submitt himselfe to his opinion And indeede Harris was a man of good vnderstanding and iudgement and a very trustie seruant 8. These were the foundations on which he layde his future building which by how much the more it was to be raysed to splendour and beautie by so much he layd his ground-worke of humilitie the lower and whatsoeuer hardnesse he vsed secretely still kept he in outward semblance a singular alacritie being merry in companie and full of ieastes especially eschewing the vice of singularitie yea he was verie cunning in dissembling his vertues so that few came to knowe what holie exercises he practised euen as in his writings he often fayned matters cunningly to haue heard them of others which he himself had inuented as in his preface to his Vtopia he artificially discourseth as though Raphaël Hithlodius had tolde that whole storie vnto him commento periucundo as Paulus Iouius doth testifye So he fayned as though an Englishman called Rosse had pleasantly confuted Luther's booke as he discoursed with his hoste in Italie who afterward published all their communication in printe by which meanes Luther could neuer learne who he was that answered him after his owne furious fashion which angred him sore lastly his three bookes of Comfort in tribulation a worke most excellent and diuine he inuented to haue bene spoken by two Hungarian kinsmen about the Turkes persecution but thereby he most liuely represented the terrible stormes of crueltie which king Henrie the eight and heresie would raise in our poore distressed Countrie THE SECOND CHAPTER SIR THOMAS MORES his mariage first preferment and serious vvritings vvith his danger in time of K. Henry 7. and entry into fauour vvith King Henry 8. 1. S. Thomas Mores first mariage and wife 2. His second mariage vvith a vvidowe 3. His integrity in profession of the lavve 4. He offendeth K. Henry 7. by crossing in parlament an iniust imposition 5. The beginning of his fauour vvith King Henry the eight 6. His studious employments amidst his serious offaires 7. The first honours bestovved by K. Henry 8. vpon S. Thomas 8. He is by the K. made speaker of the lovver hovvse of parlament 9. Cardinal vvolseys proposition in parlament frustrated by S Thom. More 10. Sir Tho. made chauncellour of the Duchy of Lancaster 1. SIR THOMAS MORE hauing determined by the aduise and direction of his ghostlie father to be a married man there was at that time a pleasant conceipted gentleman of an ancient familie in Essex one Mr. Iohn Colie of Nevvhall from whome Sr. Henry Colt that now liueth is lineally descended that inuited him to his house being much delighted in his companie and proffered vnto him the choyce of anie of his daughters who were yong gentlewomen of verie good carriadge and complexions and very religiously inclined whose honest and sweete conuersation whose vertuous education enflamed Sir THOMAS not a little and although his affection most serued him to the second for that he thought her the fayrest and best fauoured yet when he thought with himselfe that this would be a griefe and some blemish in the eldest to see her yonger sister preferred before her he of a kinde of compassion settled his fancie vpon the eldest and soone after married her with all her friends good liking Now when he began to be clogged with wife and familie children also began to growe fast vpō him for his wife whose name was Iane Colt as long as she liued with him which was but some six yeares brought vnto him almost euerie yeare a childe for whose maintenance he applyed himself busily to the practise of the law and because he would haue his wife neare vnto his father he placed her in Bucklers-bury By her he had one sonne called Iohn More my owne grandfather who was his youngest childe and three daughters his eldest daughter Margarett a woman of singular witt and wisedome rare pietie and extraordinarie learning was wife vnto William Rooper of Eltham in the Countie of Kent Esquier whose grandchilde now liuing is Sir William Rooper his second daughter called Elizabeth was afterward matched with Sir Iohn Dancy's sonne and heyre the third called Cicilie was married to Mr. Giles Heron of shakclvvell in the Countie of Middlesex esquier his sonne my grandfather married Anne Cresacre sole daughter and heyre of E'dvvard Cresacre deceased of Baronborough in the Countie of Yorke esquier whome Sir THOMAS bought of the King being his warde vpon errour for another bodie 's land lying in the same towne as was afterware proued 2. My great grandmother hauing brought forth these foure children dyed soone after and within two or three yeares he married a widdow called Mris Alice Middleton by whome he had no children this he did not of anie concupiscence for he would often affirme that Chastitie is more hardly kept in wedlock then in a single life but because she might haue care of his children that were verie yong from whome of necessitie he must be verie often absent she was of good yeares of no good fauour nor
complexion nor very rich by disposition verie neare and worldlie I haue heard it reported he woed her for a friend of his not once thinking to haue her himselfe but she wisely answering him that he might speede if he would speake in his owne behalfe telling his friend what she had sayd vnto him with his good liking he married her and did that which otherwise he would perhaps neuer haue thought to haue donne And indeede her fauour as I thinke could not haue bewitched or scarce euer moued anie man to loue her but yet she proued a kinde and carefull mother-in-law to his children as he was alwaies a most louing father vnto them and not only to his owne but to her daughter also who was married to Mr. Alington and mother to Sir Giles Alington He brought vp togeather with this owne children as one of them Margarett Gigs after wife to Doctour Clement a famous phisitian and she proued also very famous for her manie excellent partes as learning vertue and wisedome All these he bred most carefully to learning and godlie exercises often exhorting them to take vertue for their meate and play for their sawce getting them good meanes to maintaine them by his practise in the law which he had first studied in an Inne of Chancerie called New-Inne where he profited exceedingly and from thence went to Lincolnes-Inne of which house his father then was where he allotted him small allowance for the reasons before alleaged and as it seemed then his great patron the good Cardinal was dead 3. But he plyed that studie whereto he gaue himself being apt to anie that in short time he was made and accounted a worthie Outer-barister yea still proceeding with most notable fame he became a double reader to which few but rare and singular lawyers doe euer attaine Euerie one beganne to admire him both for a man of iudgement vprightnesse and other excellent partes a readie deliuerie boldenesse in a iust cause and diligence in his Clients case and no great taker of money vnlesse he had througly deserued For which causes euerie man striued to haue him of their Counsell in all suits The Cittie of London chose him within a while Iudge of the Shrief's Court some say Recorder of London which I thinke not yea there was not at that time anie matter of importance in anie of the King's Courts of this realme but he was of counsell to one of the parties still choosing the iustest side and therefore for the most parte he went away victorious By all which meanes he gott yearely as he tolde his sonne Rooper without anie grudge of conscience to the value of foure hundred pounds which was a large gaynes in those daies when lawyers spedde not so well as now they doe neither were they then so plentiefull but his fame exceeded all other Wherefore he was chosen twice Agent for the Stillyard-marchents which busines he dispatched with singuler dexteritie 4. King Henrie the Seauenth then raigning was a prince of singuler vertues as wisedome and religion if that couetousnesse the roote of all mischiefe had not seized vpon him towards his latter daies which caused him to lay vpon his subiects manie Impositions and to raise sore exactions by two Caterpillers of the Common-wealth Emson and Dudley who in the beginning of Henrie the Eighth's raigne were rewarded according to their deserts for their wicked counsell to teache other men by their deathes how Iniustice and rapine is punished by God This King I say had called to geather a Parlement wherein he demaunded one Subsidie and three Fifteenes for the marriage of his eldest daughter the Ladie Margaret's Grace who then should be as she was in deede shortly after bestowed vpon the King of Scotts It chanced that Sir THOMAS was then one of the Burgesses For manie had now taken notice of his great sufficiencie When the consent of the Lower house was demaunded to these impositions most of the rest either holding their peace or not daring to gainesay them though they were vnwilling to grant them Sir THOMAS making a graue speache brought forth such vrgent arguments why these exactions were not to be granted that herevpon the King's demaunde was crossed and his request denyed so that one Mr. Tiler one of the King 's priuie Chamber went presently from the house and tolde his Maiestie that a beardelesse boy had disappointed him of all his expectation wherevpon the king conceaued great indignation against him and could no way be satisfyed vntill he had in some sorte reuenged it But for as much as he hauing yet but a litle could not loose much the king deuised a Causelesse quarrell against Sir Iohn More his most innocent father and clapt him vp in the Tower of London keeping him there prisoner vntill he had forced him against all Iustice to pay one hundred pounds as a fyne for a Causelesse offence Manie also then counselled Sir THOMAS MORE to aske the king mercie that his father might be released amongst whome was Doctour Fox then Bishopp Winchester one of the king's priuie Councell who pretended great loue towards Mr. More purposing indeede to gett the king thereby a better meanes to reuenge his displeasure against him But when Sir THOMAS had asked the Bishop's Chaplaine Doctour Whittford a verie holie and graue man afterward a Father of Sion he that translated the Follovving of Christ into English what he were best to doe he requested him for the passion of Christ not to follow his Lord's aduise saying moreouer that the Bishop would not sticke to agree to the dearh of his owne father if it were to serue the king's turne For which cause he returned no more to my Lo of Winchester but determined to haue gone ouer sea thinking he could not liue in England without great danger standing now in the king's displeasure and therefore he studied the French toung at home sometimes recreating his tyred spiritts on the violl where he also perfected himself in most of the Liberall Sciences as Musike Arithmetike Geometrie and Astronomy and grew to be a perfect historian his chiefe helpe in all these labours being his happie memorie of which he modestly speaketh thus I would I had as good a witt and as much learning vt memoria non vsquequaque destituor as my memorie doth not altogeather fayle me But king Henrie dying shortly after and his sonne king Henrie the Eighth striuing at the beginning of his raigne to winne the applause of his people cast Emson and Dudley into prison and attaynted them of high treason for giuing pernicious counsell to his father their prince and when they were going to execution Sir THOMAS asked Dudley whether he had not donne better then they to whome with a sorrowfull hart he answered O Mr. MORE God was your good friend that you did not aske the king forgiuenesse as manie would haue had you donne for if you had donne
Supremacie and marriage was comprized in few wordes in the first Statute the Lo Chancellour and Mr. Secretarie did of their owne heads adde more wordes vnto it to make it seeme more plausible to the king's eares and this Oath so amplifyed they had exhibited to Sir THOMAS and others of which their deede Sir THOMAS sayde to his daughter I may tell thee Megg that they who haue committed me hither for refusing an oath not agreable with their owne statute are not able by their owne law to instifye mine imprisonment wherefore it is great pittie that anie Christian prince should be drawen to followe his affections by flexible counsell and by a weake Clergie lacking grace for want of which they stande weakely to their learning abuse themselues with flatterie so shamefully Which wordes coming to the Councell's eares they caused another Statute espying their ouersight to be enacted with all these conditions Another time looking out of his windowe to beholde one Mr. Reynolds a religious learned and vertuous Father of Sion and three monkes of the Charterhouse going forth of the Tower to their executiō for now king Henry beganne to be fleshed in bloud hauing putt to death the Nunne and diuerse others and manie after for the Supremacie and his marriage Sir THOMAS as one that longed to accompanie them in that iourney sayde to his daughter thē standing besides him Loe doest not thou see Megg that these blessed Fathers be now as chearefully going to death as if they were bridegroomes going to be married whereby good daughter thou maist see what a great difference there is betweene such as haue in effect spent all their daies in a straight hard and penitentiall life religiously and such as haue in the world like worldlie wretches as thy poore father hath donne consumed all their time in pleasure and ease licentiously For God considering their lōg continued life in most sore and grieuous pennance will not suffer them anie longer to remaine in this vale of miserie but taketh them speedily hence to the fruitiō of his euerlasting deitie whereas thy sillie father who hath most like a wicked Caytife passed forth most sinfully the whole course of his miserable life God thinketh him not worthie to come so soone to that eternall felicitie but leaueth him still in the world further to be plunged and turmoiled with miserie By which most humble and heauenlie meditation we may easily guesse what a spirite of Charitie he had gotten by often meditations that euerie sight brought him new matter to practise most heroicall resolutions Within a while after this Mr. Secretarie coming to him from the king who still gaped more for Sir THOMAS his relenting then all his other subiects pretended much friendshipp towards Sir THOMAS and for his comfort tolde him that the king was his good and gratious Lord and minded not to vrge him to anie matter wherein he should haue anie cause of scruple from thenceforth to trouble his consciēce As soone as M. Secretarie was gone to expresse what comfort he receaued of his words he wrote with a coale as he did vsually manie other letters because all his Inke had bene taken from him by the king's expresse commaundement certaine wittie verses which are printed in his booke All the while Sir THOMAS was in the Tower he was not idle but busied himself in writing with a coale for the most parte spirituall treatises as the Three bookes of Comfort in Tribulation where in a dialogue manner vnder the names of two Hungarians fearing the Turkes running ouer their Countrie who had made great preparations therefore he paynteth out in liuelie coulours both the danger that England stoode then in to be ouerwhelmed with heresie and how good Catholikes should prepare themselues to loose libertie life and lands and whatsoeuer can be most deare vnto them rather then to forsake their fayth It is a most excellent booke full of spirituall and forcible motiues expressing liuely Sir THOMAS his singular resolution to apply all those holesome medicines to himself now being readie to practise in deede whatsoeuer he setteth downe in wordes 4. When he had remained a good while in the Tower my Ladie his wife obtained leaue to see him that he might haue more motiues to breake his conscience who at the first comming to him like a plaine rude woman and somewhat worldlie too in this māner beganne bluntely to salute him What the good yeare Mr. More I maruell that you who haue bene hitherto alwaies taken for a wise man will now so play the foole as to lie here in this close filthie prison and be content to be shutt vp thus with mice and ratts when you might be abroad at your libertie with the fauour and good will both of the king and the Councell if you would but doe as all the bishopps best learned of his realme haue donne and seing you haue at Chelsey a right fayre house your librarie your bookes your gallerie your gardine your orchard and all other necessaries so handsome about you where you might in companie of me your wife your Children and housholde be merrie I muse what a Gods name you meane here still thus fondly to tarrie After he had a good while heard her he sayd vnto her with a chearefull countenance I pray thee good Mris Alice tell me one thing What is that sayth she Is not this house as neare heauen as mine ovvne she āswering after her custome Tillie vallie tillie vallie he replyed how sayst thou Mris Alice is it not so indeede Bone Deus man will this geare neuer be left Well then Mris Alice if it be so I see no great cause vvhy I should much ioye either of my fayre house or anie thing belonging therevnto vvhen if I should be but seauen yeares buried vnder the ground and rise and come thither againe he might haue sayd but seauen moneths I should not fayle to finde some therein that vvould bid me gett me out of doores and tell me plainely that it vvere none of mine what cause haue I then to like such a house as vvould so soone forgett his Maister Againe tell me Mris Alice how long doe you thinke may we liue and enioye it Some twentie yeares sayd she Truly replyed he yf you had sayd some thousand yeares it had bene somewhat and yet he vvere a very bad marchant that vvould putt himself in danger to leese eternitie for a thousand yeares hovv much the rather if vve are not sure to enioy it one day to an ende And thus her perswasions moued him but a little thinking of those wordes of Iob to his wife tempting him quasi vna ex stultis mulieribus locuta est Not long after this came there to him at two seuerall times the Lord Chancellour the Duke of Norfolke and Suffolke with Mr. Secretarie and certaine others of the Priuie Councell to procure him by all meanes and policies they could either to confesse
his learning had bene kindely vsed by Sir THOMAS MORE as he writeth himself did dedicate Plato and other bookes in Greeke vnto my grandfather Iohn More as to one that was also very skillfull in that toung See what Grineus speaketh vnto him There vvas a great necessitie why I should dedicate these bookes of Proclus full of maruelous learning by my paynes sett out but not vvithout the singular benefitt of your father effected vnto you to vvhome by reason of your fatherlike vertues all the fruite of this benefitt is to redounde both because you may be an ornamēt vnto them and they also may doe great good vnto you vvhome I knovve to be learned and for these graue disputacions sufficiently prouided and made fitt by the continuall conuersation of so vvorthie a father and by the companie of your sisters vvho are most expert in all kinde of sciences For vvhat Authour can be more gratefull to those desirous mindes of most goodlie things such as you and the Muses your sisters are vvhome a diuine heate of spiritt to the admiration and a nevv example of this our age hath driuen into the sea of learning so farre and so happily that they see no learning to be aboue their reache no disputations of philosophie aboue their capacitie And none can better explicate entangled questions none sifte them more profoundly nor none conceaue them more easily then this authour Lett vs see another letter to his daughter Margarett only You aske monye deare Megg too shamefully fearefully of your father vvho is both desirous to giue it you and your letter hath deserued it vvhich I could finde in my hart to recompence not as Alexander did by Cherilus giuing him for euerie verse a Philippine of golde but if my abilitie vvere ansvverable to my vvill I vvould bestovve tvvo Crovvnes of pure golde for euerie sillable thereof Here I sende you as much as you requested being vvilling to haue sent you more but that as I am glad to giue so I am desirous to be asked and favvned on by my daughters thee especially vvhome vertue and learning hath made most deare vnto me Wherefore the sooner you haue spent this money vvell as you are vvont to doe and the sooner you aske me for more the sooner knovve you vvill doe your father a singular pleasure Farevvell my most beloued daughter This daughter was likest her father as well in fauour as witt and proued a most rare woman for learning sanctitie and secrecie and therefore he trusted her with all his secretts She wrote two Declamations in English which her father and she turned into Latine so elegantly as one could hardly iudge which was the best She made also a treatise of the Foure Last things which her father sincerely protested that it was better then his and therefore it may be neuer finished his She corrected by her witt a place in S. Cyprian corrupted as Pamelian and Iohn Coster testifye in steede of nisi vos sinceritatis rectoring neruos sinceritatis To her Erasmus wrote an epistle as to a woman not only famous for manners and vertue but most of all for learning We haue heretofore made mention of her letter that Cardinal Poole so liked that when he had read it he would not belieue it could be anie womans in answer whereof Sir THOMAS did sende her the letter some parte whereof we haue seene before the rest is this which though there were no other testimonie of her extraordinarie learning might suffice In the meanetime saith her father I thought vvith myself hovv true I found that novv vvhich once I remember I spoke vnto you in ieaste vvhen I pittied your hard happe that men that read your vvritings vvould suspect you to haue had helpe of some other man therein vvhich vvould derogate somevvhat from the praises due to your vvorkes seing that you of all others deserue least to haue such a suspition had of you for that you neuer could abide to be decked vvith the plumes of other birds But you svveete Megg are rather to be praised for this that seing you cannot hope for condigne praise of your labours yet for all this you goe forvvard vvith this your inuincible courrage to ioyne vvith your vertue the knovvledge of most excellent sciences and contenting yourself vvith your ovvne pleasure in learning you neuer hunte after vulgar praises nor receaue them vvillingly though they be offered you And for your singular pietie and loue towards me you esteeme me and your husband a sufficient and ample theater for you to content you vvith vvho in requitall of this your affection beseech God and our Ladie vvith as hartie praiers as possible vve can povvre out to giue you an easie and happie childbirth to encrease your familie vvith a childe most like yourself except only in sexe yet yf it be a vvench that it may be such a one as vvould in time recompēce by imitation of her mothers learning and vertues vvhat by the condition of her sexe may be vvanting such a vvenche I should preferre before three boyes Farevvell dearest daughter But see I pray you how a most learned bishopp in Englād was rauished with her learning and witt as it appeareth by a letter which her father wrote vnto her to certifye her thereof Thomas More sendeth hartie greeting to his dearest daughter Margarett I vvill lettt passe to tell you my svveetest daughter hovv much your letter delighted me you may imagine hovv exceedingly it pleased your father vvhen you vnderstande vvhat affection the reading of it raysed in a stranger It happened me this euening to sitt vvith Iohn Lo Bishopp of E'xeter a learned man and by all mens iudgement a most sincere man As vve vvere talking togeather and I taking out of my pockett a paper vvhich vvas to the purpose vve vvere talking of I pulled out by chāce therevvith your letter The handvvriting pleasing him he tooke it from me and looked on it vvhen he perceaued it by the salutaciō to be a vvomans he beganne more greedily to read it noueltie inuiting him therevnto but vvhen he had read it and vnderstood that it was your vvriting vvhich he neuer could haue belieued if I had not seriously affirmed it such a letter I vvill say no more yet vvhy should not I reporte that vvhich he sayd vnto me so pure astile so good Latine so eloquent so full of svveete affections he vvas maruelously rauished vvith it vvhen I perceaued that I brought forth also an Oration of yours vvhich he reading and also manie of your verses he vvas so moued vvith the matter so vnlooked for that the verie countenance and gesture of the man free from all flatterie and deceipt bevvrayed that his minde vvas more then his vvords could vtter although he vttered manie to your greate praise and forthvvith he drevv out of his pockett a portegué the which you shall receaue enclosed herein I could not possibly shūne the taking of it but he vvould needes
grew first by occasion of a certaine Nunne called Elizabeth Berton dwelling in Canterburie who for her vertue and holinesse was not a little sett by amongst the common people vnto whome for that cause manie religious persons Doctours of Diuinitie and diuerse lay men of good worshipp vsed to resorte she affirming to them constantly that she had reuelations oftentimes from God charging her to giue the king warning of his wicked life and of his abusing of the sword and authoritie committed from almightie God vnto him She moreouer knowing that my Lo of Rochester Bishopp Fisher was of a singular and rare vertuous life and of admirable learning repaired to Rochester and there disclosed vnto him all her reuelations desiring his aduise and counsell therein which the holie Bishopp perceauing might well stande with the lawes of God and his holie Church aduised her as she before had warning to doe and intended it to goe to the king herselfe and lett him vnderstande all the circumstances thereof which she perfourmed stoutely telling him all the reuelations and so returned to her cloyster againe In a short space after he making a iourney to the Nunnes of Sion by meanes of one Fa Reynold a priest of that house there she happened to enter into talke with Sir THOMAS MORE concerning such secretts as had bene reuealed vnto her some parte thereof touching deepely the matter of the king's supremacie which shortly after this followed and about the vnlawfullnesse of the king's marriage Sir THOMAS though he might well at that time without danger of anie lawe of which there was then none freely talke with her therein yet notwithstanding he demeaned himself so discreetely in all his talke with her that he deserued no blame but rather great cōmendations as it was proued after most euidently when it was sore layd to his charge 6. After the diuorce was pronounced there was sett out a booke by authoritie from the Councell which layde downe the reasons why this diuorce was donne wherein amongst other matters it was sayde that therefore the king would not stay for the Pope's sentence because he had already appealed from him to the next Generall Councell Strayte after it was rumoured abroad that Sir THOMAS MORE had answered and refuted this booke of which slaunder Sir THOMAS purged himselfe by a letter to Mr. Cromevvell now Secretarie and in the king's greate fauour shewing by manie arguments that he neither would nor could confute that booke which letter is at large in the latter ende of Sir THOMAS his workes· But for all his purging himselfe accusations still came thicke and threefolde vpon him For the king by threates and sifting of his former deedes would either winne him to his minde or else finde some occasion to except against his doings and had he not bene a man of singular integritie free from all bribes and corruption in all his offices euerie light matter would haue bene layde now heauie vpon him as of some things he was indeede accused which addes more to his honour and reputation There was one Parnell that grieuously complayned against Sir THOMAS because when he was Lo Chancellour at the suite of one Mr. Vaughan his aduersarie he had made a decree against him for which at his wife's handes Sir THOMAS had taken a greate guilt Cuppe as a bribe for the clearing of which accusation Sir THOMAS being called before the bodie of the Councell the whole matter was in grieuous manner layde to his charge and when Sir THOMAS confessed the taking thereof saying that for as much as that Cuppe was giuen him long after the decree for a new yeares guift he at her importunitie of courtesie refused not to take it Then the Lo of Wiltshire Q. Anne's father who was the preferrer of the suite hated Sir THOMAS both for his religion and for that he had not consented to his daughter's marriage with much ioy sayd vnto the other Lords Loe did I not tell you that you should finde the matter true wherevpon Sir THOMAS desired their Honours as they had courteously heard him tell the one parte of his tale so they would voutsafe to heare the other with indifferent eares which being granted he further declared vnto them that albeit at her vrging he had indeede receaued the Cuppe yet immediately therevpon he caused his buttler to fill it vp with wine and therein drunke to her which when he had donne and she pledged him then he as freely as her husband bestowed it vpon him did euen as willingly bestowe the same vpon her againe for her new yeares-guift so forced her to receaue it though much against her will all which herselfe and manie others there then present deposed before that honourable assemblie Thus his accusers were putt to shame enough and he with great honour acquitted At another time on a new-yeares day also there came vnto him Mris Croaker a verie rich womā for whome with no smal paines he had made a decree in Chauncerie against the Lo of Arundel neuer fearing in acte of Iustice anie nobilitie of bloud or greatenesse of personage who presented him with a paire of gloues and fourescore Angells in them he thankefully receaued the gloues of her but refused the monie saying Mris seeing it were against good manners to refuse a gentlewomans new-yeares-guift I am content to take your gloues but as for the lining I vtterly refuse it and so caused her to take her monie againe One Mr. Gresham likewise hauing at the same time a Cause depending before him in the Chancerie sent him for a new-yeares-guift a fayre guilt Cuppe the fashiō whereof he very wel liked wherefore he caused the messenger to take one of his owne Cuppes which was in value better though the fashion pleased him not so well deliuer it to his maister in recōpence of the other vnder no other cōdition would he receaue it wherefore he was fayne so to doe Manie like vnto those actes did he which declared how cleane his hands were from taking of anie bribes which for tediousnesse sake we will omitt these are enough to shew anie liuing man how little he gayned yea how litle he cared for all transitorie wealth esteeming vertues of the minde his richest threasure and Christ naked on the Crosse his chiefe desire which holie pleasure of his almightie God before his death fulfilled when for his loue he lost all that might be most deare vnto worldlie men separation from wife and children losse of all libertie and the vtter ouerthrowe of all his goods and estate yet by leesing these things he gayned better for in steede of temporall he atchieued eternall in lieu of transitorie he hath purchased permanent in roome of deceiptfull trash he hath bought to himselfe a Crowne of glorie centuplum accepit vitam aeternam possidet he was a true marchant that by selling all he had bought the precious margarite spoken of by
T. M offer proceedeth not of vncertāty but because he was certain his reasons were vnanswerable All Christendom of more autority then all england The oath of succession 2. Sir Tho. Mores imprisonmēt First in Westminster Then by Q. Annes importunity in the Tower His willingnesse to leese all for Christ The vpper garment the porters fee. His mans oath His wonderfull courage 3. His discours with his daughter Margaret Preuēted with prayers The cōfort he found in his emprisonment Fiue reasons vsed by his daughter to make him relēt 1. Obedience to the King 2. Autority of wise mē 3. Only B. Fisher of his mind 4. Him self a lay man 5. against a parlament Sir T. M. answers All the saints of God acknowleged the Popes supremacy Why he neuer touched that point in his writings Motiues with which many deceaue their owne cōsciences He knew not of B. Fishers mind The Doctours of the Church greater then Doctours of England And generall Coūcels then a Parlamēt His trust in Gods mercy against the fear of death A heauēly resignation 4. Sir T. M. prophecieth Q. Annes death His plesant answer to his keepers honest excuse The inconstācy and ignorance of the oath makers His meditation vpon the martyrdom of 24. religious mē Maister Secretary Cromwells visit Sir T. M. writ in the tower his book of comfort 5. A prety dialogue between Sir T. M. and his wife Her worldly obiectiō His heauenly answer Prison as neer heauen as our owne house Eternity to be preferred before temporality An other visit 6. M. Rich his sophisticall case A poor ground for an inditement of treasō 7. A remarkable accident at the taking away his bookes His mery ieast vpō it 8. How great care he took not to offend the king The substance of his inditement 1. The arraignmēt of Sir Th. More His iudges His inditement The iudges charges His Christian resolution 2. Sir Th. his āswer to the inditement 1. How sincerly he had always told the K. his mind touching the marriage The durance of his emprisonment and afflictiōs 2. Why he refused to tell his iudgemēt of the law of supremacy Lay men not touched with that law No law can punish silēce that is without malice Whether his silence were malicious Obediēce first to God and then to man 3. That he neuer counselled or induced B. Fisher. The contents of his letters to the said Bishop 4. The law of supremacy like a two-edged sword 3. M. Riches oath against Sir T. More Euidētly disproued by Sir Tho. Mores oath to contrary By iust exceptiō against the witnesse vnworthy of credit Yf it had been true ther had been no malice Malice in law The improbability of M. Rich his deposition M. Rich his witnesses do faile him 4. The Iurie verdict guiltie Excepted against by Sir Thomas The act of parlament against Gods law No lay man can be head of the churche Against the lawer of the realme Against the kings owne oath Against the peculiar obligation of England to Rome Against all Christendom that euer was 5. The condemnatiō of S. Tho. More By yfs ands but no proofes The sentence Mitigated by the king 6. Sir Thomas fully deliuereth his iudgement of the act of suoremacy to be vnlawfull Against all the churche of God Constācy no obstinacy Sir Tho. Mores blessed charity to his iudges The truth of this relation frō present witnesses of credit 1. The manner of Sir Thomas his returne to the tower His sōne asketh him blessing Great cōstancy courtesy and charity 2. His childrens behauiour to him His daughter Matgarets laudable passion A ponderation vpon this mutuall passiō of Father daughter Cardinal Pooles estimatio of Sir Thomas his death 3. How deuoutly cheerfully he attēded his exequution A pleasaunt cōceipt vpō a leight courtyer His last letters To Antony Bōuise To his daughter Margaret His desito dy vpō the octaue of S. Peter which was also S. Thom. of Canterburys commemoratiō An blessing to his heire God grāted him his desires to dy the day he wished His heir-shirt and discipline 4. Aduertisment giuē him of the day of his death frō the K. Most welcome vnto him The K. willed him to vse but few words at his exequution His wife childrē permitted to be at his buriall His comfortable courage He put on his best apparell that day Liberally to his executiō 5. The forme of his death and martyrdom Persons hired to disgrace him A good cōsciēce He freeth one from the tētation of despaire by his prayers His wordes at his death His prayers Words to the executioner He couereth his eyes himself His happy death 6. The kings sadnes vpō the newes of his exequution The place of his buriall A notable accidēt about his windnig-sheet His bloudy shirt His head His martyrdom encouraged many other to the like Mr. Gardiner Euen his owne Parish-priest 7. A cōsideratiō vpon the blessing which he gaue to his heires children A praise of M. Iohn More sonne heire to Sir Thomas The vnmercifull dealing of K. Hēry with Sir Tho. Mores heires With the Lady his widow M. Iohn More cōmitted to the tower for denial of the oath The imprisonment of his daughter Margaret 8. The fauour and Physiognomie of Sir Tho. More 1. Cardinal Pooles lamentatiō vpon Sir Tho. Mores death 2. Erasmus of Roterdam 3. Doctour Cochlaeus of Germany Iob 12. 4. Bishop Iouius of Italy 5. W Paradin a dearned historiā of France 6. Riuius a Protestāt 7. Charles the Emperour 8. Circumstances notable in the death of Sir Tho. More From the kings part From Sir Thomas Mores part Nota. 9. An apology for his mery iestes A fit cōparison between Catoes seuerity and Sir T. M. his pleasaūt disposition 10. Sir Tho. More a lay man martyr for Ecclesiasticall autority neuer before questioned Epigrammes History of K. Richard the 3. in English and Latin His Vtopia Many deemed Vtopia to be a true nation and country Sheep deuour men in England Sir Tho. More his book against Luther His epistle against Pomeranus His English writings The dialog with the messinger Great sincerity in his writing and loue of the truth He writt neither for gaine nor report His pouerty almost incredible in so greate a man Sir Tho. M. no partiall frind to the clergy Tindals false trāslation of the scripture Cōfuted learnedly by Sir Th. M. The wilfulnes of heretikes Tindal falsifieth Sir T.M. words Tindals maze Tindals māner of amēding Against Frier Barnes his inuisible Churche The notable disagreemēt of heretikes among thēselues Hereticall scoffing Heretikes Hypocrisy Against the supplication of beggars Against Iohn Frith Sir Tho. Mores Apologie How heretikes recite the catholik argumēts Touching the length of Sir Tho. Mores bookes Heretiks blaspheming the fathers vvould thēselues be reuerently handled Whē heretikes railings are to be neglected Heretikes excellent railours The pacificatiō Cōfuted by Sir T.M. The debellation of Salem and Bizance How the Pacifier reconcileth points in controuersy Sir T. M. his book of the blessed Sacrament The heretiks supper of the Lord wants the best dishe Sir Tho. Mores bookes written in the tower Comfort in tribulation Of Cōmunion Of the Passion The excellencn of the booze of Comfort The said book a preparation against the persequutiō which he did forsee Written when he had no book about him Written with cole Like Esaias his cole that purified his lippes
Chancellour againe Would you be accounted more wise and of more sincere conscience then all the Bishopps learned Doctours Nobilitie and Commons of this realme To which Sir THOMAS replyed I am able to produce against one Bishopp vvhich you can bring forth of your side one hundred holie and Catholike Bishopps for my opinion and against one realme the consent of all Christendome for more then a thousand yeares The Duke of Norfolke hearing this sayd Now Sir THOMAS you shew your obstinate and malicious minde To whome Sir THOMAS sayd Noble Sir not any malice or obstinacie causeth me to say this but the iust necessitie of the Cause constrayneth me for the discharge of my Conscience and I call God to vvittnesse no other then this hath moued me herevnto After this the Iudges courteously offered him their fauourable audience yf he had anie thing else to alleage in his owns defence who answered most mildely and charitably More haue I not to say my Lords but that like as the blessed Apostle S. Paul as vvee reade in the Acts of the Apostles vvas present consenting to the death of the protomartyr S. Stephen keeping their cloathes that sloned him to death and yet they be novv both tvvaine holie Saints in heaven and there shall continue friends togeather for euer so I verily trust shall therefore hartily pray that though your Lordshipps haue bene on earth my Iudges to condemnation yet vve may hereafter meete in heauen merrily togeather to our euerlasting saluation and God preserue you all especially my Soueraigne Lord the king and graunt him faythfull Councellours in which prayer he most liuely imitated the example of holie S. Stephen ne statuas illis hoc peccatum yea of our Sauiour himself speaking on the crosse Pater dimitte illis quia nesciunt quid faciunt All these of Sir THOMAS his speaches were faythfully deliuered from Sr. Antonie Sentleger Richard Hayvvood and Iohn Webbe gentlemen with others more of good creditt who were present and heard all which they reported to my vncle Rooper agreing all in one discourse THE ELEVENTH CHAPTER THE HOLY DEATH and glorious martyrdom of Sir THOMAS MORE 1. The manner hovv Sir Thomas was led back to the tovver from his arraignement vvhere his sonne publiquely demanded his blessing 2. Mistresse Margaret Roper his daughters noble and laudable loue to her father Sir Thomas novv condemned 3. Hovv deuoutly and magnanimously Sir T. M. expected his exequution 4. Aduertisment of the day of his death sent him from the king 5. The manner and forme of his glorious death and martyrdom 6. The kings sadnes vpon report of his death withsome notable circumstances of his buriall 7. A consideration of the last blessing vvhich he gaue to his heires and their progenie after them 8. Physiognomy of Sir Thomas More 1. AFter his Condemnation he was conducted from the barre to the Tower againe an axe being carried before him with the edge towards him and was lead by Sr. William Kinston a tall strong and comelie gentleman Constable of the Tower and his verie good friend but presently a dolefull spectacle was presented to Sir THOMAS and all the standers by for his onlie sonne my grandfather like a dutiefull childe casteth himself at his father's feete crauing humbly his blessing not without teares whome he blessed and kissed most louingly whose loue and obedience Sir THOMAS in a letter praysed saying that this his behauiour pleased him greately When Sr. William had conducted Sir THOMAS to the Olde Swanne towards the Tower there he bad him Farewell with a heauie heart the teares trickeling downe his cheekes but Sir THOMAS with a stayed grauitie seing him sorrowfull beganne to comfort him with chearefull speaches saying good Mr. Kinston trouble not your selfe but be of good cheare for I will pray for you and my good Ladie your wife that we may meete in heauen togeather where we shall be merrie for euer and euer Soone after this Sr. William talking hereof to my vncle Rooper sayd In good fayth Mr. Rooper I was ashamed of myselfe that at our parting I found my hart so weake and his so stoute that he was fayne to comfort me who should rather at that time haue comforted him but God and the clearenesse of his Conscience is a comfort which no earthlie prince can giue or take away 2. When Sir THOMAS was come now to the Tower-wharfe his best beloued childe my aunte Rooper desirous to see her father whome she feared she should neuer see in this world after to haue his last blessing gaue there attendance to meete him whome as soone as she had espyed after she had receaued vpon her knees his fatherlie blessing she ranne hastily vnto him and without consideration or care of herselfe passing through the midst of the throng and guarde of men who with billes and halberds compassed him round there openly in the sight of them all embraced him tooke him about the necke and kissed him not able to say anie word but Oh my father oh my father He liking well her most naturall and deare affection towards him gaue her his fatherlie blessing telling her that whatsoeuer he should suffer though he were innocent yet it was not without the will of God and that she knew well enough all the secretts of his hart counselling her to accommodate her will to Gods blessed pleasure and bad her be patient for her losse She was no sooner parted from him and gone ten steppes when she not satisfyed with the former Farewell like one who had forgottē herselfe rauished with the intire loue of so worthie a father hauing neither respect to herselfe nor to the presse of the people about him suddenly turned backe and ranne hastily to him tooke him about the necke and diuerse times togeather kissed him whereat he spoke not a word but carrying still his grauitie teares fell also from his eyes yea there were very few in all the troupe who could refrayne hereat from weeping no not the guarde them selues yet at last with a full heauie hart she was seuered from him at which time Margarett Gigs embraced him kissed him also yea mine Aunt 's mayde one Dorothie Collie did the like of whome he sayd after it was homelie but verie louingly donne all these and also his sonne my grandfather wittnessed that they smelt a most odoriferous smell to come from him according to that of Isaac Odor filij mei sicut odor agri pleni cui benedixit Dominus Oh what a spectacle was this to see a woman of nature shamefast by education modest to expresse such excessiue griefe as that loue should make her shake of all feare and shame which dolefull sight piercing the harts of all beholders how doe you thinke it moued her fathers surely his affection and forcible loue would haue daunted his courage if that a diuine spiritt of constancie had not inspired him to beholde this most generous woman his
most worthie daughter endewed with all good guifts of nature all sparkes of pietie which are wont to be most acceptable to a louing father to presse vnto him at such a time and place where no man could haue accesse hanging about his necke before he perceaued holding so fast by him as she could scarce be plucked of not vttering anie other words hut oh my father what a sword was this to his hart and at last being drawen away by force to runne vpon him againe without anie regarde either of the weapons wherewith he was compassed or of the modestye becoming her owne sexe what comfort did he want what courage did he then stande in neede of and yet he resisted all this most couragiously remitting nothing of his steadie grauitie speaking only that which we haue recited before and at last desiring her to pray for her fathers soule This and other his heroicall actes made Cardinall Poole write thus of him Strangers and men of other nations that neuer had seene him in their liues receaued so much griefe at the hearing of his death that reading the storie thereof they could not refraine from weeping bewayling an vnknowne person only famous vnto them for his worthie acts Yea saith he I cannot holde myselfe from weeping as I write though I be farre of my countrie I loued him dearely who had not so manie vrgent causes of his loue as manie others had only in respect of his vertues and heroicall acts for which he was a most necessarie member of his Countrie and now God is my wittnesse I shedde for him euen whether I would or noe so manie teares that they hinder me frō writing and often blott out the letters quite which I am frāing that I cā proceede no further 3. So remained this vnconquerable Conquerour of the fllesh the world and the diuell some seuenight after his Iudgement in the Tower arming himself with prayer meditatiō and manie holie mortifications for the day of his Martyrdome and walking about this chāber with a sheete about him like a corps readie to be buried and vsing to whippe himselfe very sore and long In this meane time and space came to him a light headed Courtier talking of no serious matter but only vrging him this that he would change his minde and being wearied with his importunitie he answered him that he had changed it who presently went and tolde the king thereof and being by him commaunded to knowe wherein his minde was changed Sir THOMAS rebuked him for his lightnesse in that he would tell the king euerie word that he spoke in ieaste meaning that whereas he had purposed to be shauen that he might seeme to others as he before was wōt now he was fully minded that his beard should take such parte as his head did which made the fellow blanke and the king verie angrie In this while also he wrote a most kinde letter vnto Mr. Antonie Bonuise an Italian marchant in Latine calling him the halfe of his hart which is to be seene amongst his other letters Last of all the day before he was to suffer being the Fifth of Iuly he wrote a most louing letter with a coale to his daughter Margarett sending therein his blessing to all his children in which he writeth very affectionately yet he knew nothing of his death as then in these words I cumber thee daughter Margarett very much but I vvould be sorie that it should be anie lōger then to morrovv for to morrovv is S. Thomas of Canterbury's eeue and the vtas of S. Peter and therefore to morrovv I long to goe to God it vvere a day very meete and conuenient I neuer liked your manner tovvards me better then vvhen you kissed me last For I like vvhen daughter lie loue and deare charitie haue noe leasure to looke vnto vvorldlie courtesie Farevvell deare daughter pray for me and I vvill pray for you and all your friends that vve may meete togeather in heauen Commende me vvhen you can to my sonne Iohn his tovvordlie carriage tovvards me pleased me very much God blesse him and his good vvife and their children Thomas who was my father and Augustine who dyed vnmarried and all that they shall haue In which wordes I hope by Gods helpe to haue some parte of his blessing But oh good God! voluntate labiorum eius non fraudastieum For vpon the eaue of his speciall patron and the vtas of S. Peter for whose supremacie he suffered martyrdome God heard his petition and he suffered death that very day most couragiously Togeather with this letter he sent also vnto her his shirt of hayre and his whippe as one that was loath to haue the world knowe that he vsed such austeritie For he cunningly all his life time had with his mirth hidden from the eies of others his seuere mortifications and now hauing finished his combatt he sent away his weapons not being certaine of anie notice of the king's minde but either taught by reuelation or hauing a firme confidence of God's great goodnesse desiderium cordis tribuit ei Dominus 4. For vpon the next morning being Tewsday the sixt of Iuly there came vnto him Sir Thomas Pope very earely in the morning his singular good friend with a message frō the king and the Councell that he was to suffer death on that day before nine of the clocke therefore he should forthwith prepare himselfe thereto Mr. Pope saith he I most hartily thāke you for your good tydings I haue bene much bound to the king's highnesse for the benefitts and honours that he hath most bountiefully bestowed vpon me yet am I more bound to his Grace I assure you for putting me here where I haue had conuenient time and space to haue remembrance of my ende And so helpe me God most of all I am bound vnto him that it pleaseth his maiestie to ridde me so shortly out of the miseries of this wretched world The king's pleasure further is sayd Sir Thomas Pope that you vse not manie words at your execution Mr. Pope answered he you doe well to giue me warning of the king's pleasure for otherwise I had purposed at that time somewhat to haue spoken but no matter wherewith his Grace or anie other should haue cause to be offended howbeit whatsoeuer I intended I am readie obediently to conforme myselfe to his Highnesse's commaunde And I beseech you good Mr. Pope be a meanes to his Maiestie that my daughter Margarett may be at my buriall The king is contented allready sayd he that your wife Children and other your friends should haue libertie to be present at it Oh how much am I beholding to his Grace that vouchsafeth to haue so much consideratiō of my poore buriall Then Sir Thomas Pope taking his leaue of him could not refrayne frō weeping Which Sir THOMAS perceauing comforted him in these wordes Quiett yourselfe Mr. Pope and be not