confesseth that he hated those seditious opinions with the which the world was then cruelly shaken He would often talke with his wife and Children of the exceeding ioyes in heauen and terrible paines of hell of the liues of holie Martyrs what torments they endured for the loue of God of their maruelous patiēce deathes which they suffered most willingly rather then they would offende Gods diuine Maiestie and what an honourable thing it was for the loue of our Lord IESVS-CHRIST to abide imprisonment losse of goods lands and life adding also what a comfort it would be to him if he might finde that his wife and children would encourage him to dye in a good cause for it would cause him for ioye thereof merrily to runne to death besides as prophecying of his future troubles he would tell them what miseries might chance to happen vnto him With which vertuous discourses he had so encouraged them that when these things after fell vpon him indeede their miserie seemed the more tolerable vnto them because Shafts foreseene hurt not so much 2. Within a while after the resigning of his Office M. r Cromevvell now highly in the King's fauour came of a message from the king to Sir THOMAS wherein when they had throughly talked togeather before his going away Sir THOMAS sayd vnto him M. r Cromevvell you are entred into the seruice of a most noble wise and liberall Prince yf you will followe my poore aduise you shall in your counsell giuing to his Maiestie euer tell him what he ought to doe but neuer what he is able to doe so shall you shew yourself a true and faithfull seruant and a right worthie counsellour for yf a lyon knew his owne strength hard were it for anie man to rule him But Cromevvell neuer learned this lesson for he euer gaue that counsell to his prince which he thought would best please him and not what was lawfull For it was he that was the mischieuous instrument of king Henry to pull downe all abbies and religious houses yea to ruinate religiō vtterly whereby you may see the difference betweene king Henry a iust prince whilst he followed Sir THOMAS MORE' 's counsell and after a cruell tyrant and bloudsucker when he practised Thomas Cromevvells plotts and deuises and also we may see the issue of both these counsellours the one hauing gotten great fame for his iust deserts the other hauing purchased eternall infamie yea the ouerthrow of himself and his familie For though he attayned to be Lord Cromevvell yea afterwards Earle of Essex yet his honour and life was soone taken away from him most iustly and now there is scarce anie of his posteritie left his lands are all solde yea such was his grandchild's miserie that he complayned verie lamen tably to some gentlemen that he had not bread to putt into his mouth whereas Sir THOMAS MORE' 's great grandchildren though they liue not in great abundance yet haue they God be blessed sufficient to maintaine the estate of honest Gentlemen which God of his mercie continue 3. Now had King Henry also chosen an Archbishop of Canterbury for his owne tooth promoted by the King as I haue heard say at a beare-bayting soone after VVarham's death his name was Thomas Cranmer Anne Bullen's Chaplaine a man wholy bent to fullfill the king's pleasure in all things By his counsell Q. Marie was after disinherited and all men were sworne to the succession of Q. Anne's issue and to renounce the Pope's authoritie by acknowledging king Henry and his Successours supreme head of the church of England Vnto this man there was Commission granted vnder the great Seale to determine the marriage who had a conscience large enough to putt in execution what the king did fancie sitting at S. Albans about this new match all things were easily accorded The king pretended that he could gett no iustice at the Pope's hands wherefore from thenceforth he sequestred himself and his kingdome from the Sea of Rome marrying Q. Anne in priuate for she was not sollemnely carried through London before she was great with childe of Q. Elizabeth Thus euerie man may see the cause of our breach from Rome the vnion whereof had cōtinued more then nine hundred yeares euer since holie Pope Gregorie first conuerted vs would haue remayned God knowes how long if that either king Henry would not haue cast his liking vpon a wanton damsell or else the Pope's conscience could haue stretched to dispense with a king to haue two wiues togeather for the king still would praise his former wife and tearme her a vertuous woman only forsooth scruple of cōscience was pretēded but he could not see anie cause of scruple in breaking his promise vpon his appeale whereby he professed he would stay vntill the determination of a generall Counsell to which from the Pope he had already appealed As soone as Sir THOMAS had heard that king Henry was married he sayd to my vncle Roper God giue grace sonne that these matters within a while be not confirmed with oathes My vncle then although he saw likeliehood thereof yet fearing alwaies that that would fall out which Sir THOMAS foretolde waxed for these wordes verie sore grieued For he had manie times had experience that he spoke prophetically of diuerse things 4. Before that Q. Anne should be carried in triumphe from the Tower to Westminster through the streetes of London with manie pagents sumptuous shewes which proued after but a may-game Sir THOMAS receaued a letter from three greate Bishops Durham VVinchester Bath requesting him both to keepe them companie to her Coronation and also to take twentie pounds which by the bearer thereof they had sent him to buy him a gowne the money he thankefully receaued yet stayde he still at home and at their next meeting he sayd merrily thus vnto them In the letter my Lords which you lately sent me you requested two things of me the one whereof I was well content to graunt you that the other I might the bolder denye and like as the one because I tooke you for no beggars and my selfe I knew to be no rich man I thought the rather to fullfill so the other putt me in minde of an Emperour that ordained a law that whosoeuer had committed a certaine offence which now I remember not except she were a virgin should suffer death for it such reuerence had he to virginitie now it happened that the first that offended in that crime was a virgin which the Emperour hearing of was in a perplexitie as he that by some example would fayne haue that law putt in execution Wherevpon when his counsell had sitt long debating this case very sollemnely suddenly rose there vp one plaine man of the Counsell and sayd why make you so much adoe my lords about so small a matter lett her be deflowred and after denoured So though your
so low an estate Honourable pouerty of so great 〈◊〉 personage 8. How 〈◊〉 and confidently he deposed his office An excellent letter to 〈◊〉 shop 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 parpose Great offices 〈◊〉 vndertaken and as dangrous to be given ouer A 〈◊〉 valuar 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S 〈◊〉 Mores humble estimation of himself He sends his 〈◊〉 to the 〈◊〉 His innocence in his office Testified in priuat and publik by the King The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of As thaÌ„kfull to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for as for the office itself Another 〈◊〉 for his weak health ConteÌ„pt of all vaioglory 1. His 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 1 Hatred to heresie Yet in his 〈◊〉 no heretik pur to death 2. Continuall talk of spirituall matters 3. Desire to suffer for Christ 〈◊〉 A notable lesson for all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to M. r 〈◊〉 But not kept by the sayd M. CroÌ„well Bad Counsellours make bad Princes The reward of bad couÌ„sel exaÌ„plified in CroÌ„well Of good Counsellours in S. Tho. More 3. The 〈◊〉 of Q. Anne 〈◊〉 CraÌ„mers good qualities He concludes the mariage to be lawful The cause of EnglaÌ„ds separation froÌ„ Rome Sir Tho. Mores propheticall ghesse of the oath of supremacy 4. Sir Tho. M. refused to be at Q. Annes coronatioÌ„ His couÌ„sel and predictioÌ„ to the Bishops his good fâ—â—nds A notable story wonderfully and prophetically applied His purpose rather to be denoured then 〈◊〉 Q Annes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thomas And the kings displeasure Sir Thomas disposeth him self more immediatly to suffer death A ChristiaÌ„ 〈◊〉 5. The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 occasioÌ„ of calling into question for Q. Anne The holy Nunne of Kent Warned by reuelation to rebuke K. HeÌ„ry Conferreth her reuelations with B. Fisher Her talk with Sir Thomas More Waryly handled by him Accusations pronounced against Sir Thomas That he impugned the K. mariage Quarrels picked against his ChauÌ„cellourship A supposed bribe pleasantly consuced A contteous refusall of an honest reward Another of like nature Sir Tho. More a wise marchaÌ„t traffiking for heauen 7. Sir T. M. his first 〈◊〉 A parlament to attaint true 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 The Kings deputies 〈◊〉 examin Sir Tho. M. The 〈◊〉 saires words 〈◊〉 winne Sir Tho. Fairly answered with a mild and constant refusall The Deputies threats Sir T. M. accused for autour of the kings book for the Pope His constant reply and euident 〈◊〉 Wise 〈◊〉 wary counsel of Sir Tho. to the King The king acknowledgeth obligatioÌ„ of his crowne to Rome 8. His merry hart after his examination A fail giuen to the 〈◊〉 The Kings indignatioÌ„ against Sir Tho. Prndent and politikaduise in so bad a cause Proceeding against Sit Tho. M. disterred A braue answer to a frinds feare 1. The 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 Sir Tho. M. cited to takesit His preparation before his going His discreet behaue our in that cause He refuseth the sath for conscieÌ„co sake All the clergy but Bishop fisher and D. Wilson did take the oath Vnder what coÌ„ditioÌ„s Sir T. M of 〈◊〉 to set 〈◊〉 his reason of refusall Sir T. M offer proceede h not of uncertaly but because he was certain his reasons were unanswerable All Christendom of more autority then all england The oath of 〈◊〉 2. Sir 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prisonmeÌ„t First in Westminster Then by Q. Anne importunity in the Tower His vvillingnesse to leese all for Christ. The vpper garment the porters fee. His mans oath His wonderfull courage 3. His 〈◊〉 with his daughter 〈◊〉 PreueÌ„ted with prayers The coÌ„fort he found in his emprisonment Fiue reasons vsed by his daughter to make him 〈◊〉 1. Obedience to the King 2. Autority of wise meÌ„ 3 Only B. Fisher of his mind 4. Him self a lay man 5. against a pariament Sir T. M. answers All the saints of God acknowleged the Popessupremacy Why he 〈◊〉 touche i that point in his writings 〈◊〉 with which many deceaue their owne coÌ„sciences He knew not of B. Fishers mind The Doctours of the Church greater then Doctours of England And generall CouÌ„cels then a ParlameÌ„t His trust in Gods mercy against the fear of death A heaueÌ„ly resignation 4. Sir T. M. Prophecieth Q. Annes death His plesant answer to his 〈◊〉 honest excuse The 〈◊〉 constaÌ„cy andignorance of the oath makers His meditation vpon the martyrdom of 24. religious meÌ„ Maister Secretary Cromwells visit Sir T. M. writ in the tower his book of comfort 5. A prety dialogue between Sir T. M. and his wife Her worldly obiectioÌ„ His heauenly answer Prison as neer heauen as our owne house Eternity to be preferred before temporallity An other visit 6. M. Rich his sophisticall case A poor ground for an inditement of treasoÌ„ 7. A remarkably accident at the taking away his bookes His mery ieast vpoÌ„ it 8. How great care he took not to offend the king The substance of his inditement 1. The arrangement of Sir Th. More His Iudges His 〈◊〉 The iudges chargos His Christian resolution 2. Sir Th. his 〈◊〉 to the 〈◊〉 1. How sincerly he had always told the K. his mind touching the 〈◊〉 The durance of his emprisonment and afflictioÌ„s 2. Why he refused to tell his iudgemeÌ„t of the law of supremacy Lay men not touched withthat law No law can punish fileÌ„ce that is without malice 〈◊〉 his silence were malicious ObedieÌ„ce first to God and then to man 3. That he neuer counselled or induced B. Fisher. The contents of his letters to the said Bishop 4. The law of supremacy like a two ed ged sword 3. M. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against Sir T 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Sir Tho. Mores oath to contrary By iust exceptioÌ„ against the witnesse vnworthy of credit Yf it had been true that had been no malice Malice in law The improbability of M. Rich his deposition M. Rich his witnesses do faile him 4. The Excepted against by Sir Thomas The act of parlament against Gods law No lay man can be head of the churche Against the lawes of the realme Against the kings owne oath Against the peculiar obligation of England to Rome Against all Christendom that euer 〈◊〉 5. The 〈◊〉 of S. Tho. More By yfs ands 〈◊〉 no proofes The sentence Mitigated by the king 6. Sir Thomas fully deliuereth his iudgement of the act of suoremacy to be vnlawfull Against all the churche of God 〈◊〉 no 〈◊〉 Sir Tho. Mores blessed charity to his Iudges The truth of this relation froÌ„ present witnesses of credit 1. The manner of Sir Thomas his 〈◊〉 to the 〈◊〉 His soÌ„ne asketh him blessing Great costancy courtesy and 〈◊〉 2. His childrens 〈◊〉 to him His daughter Matgarets laudable passion A ponderation vpon this mutuall passioÌ„ of Father daughter Cardinal Pooles estimatio of Sir Thomas his death 3. How deuoutly cheerfully he 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 A pleasaunt coÌ„ceipt vpoÌ„ a leight courtyer His last letters To Antony BoÌ„uise To his daughter Margaret His desito dy vpoÌ„ the octaue of S. Peter which was also S. Thom. of Canterburys commemoratioÌ„ An blessing to his heire God graÌ„ted him his desires to dy the day he wished His heir-shirt and discipline 4. Aduertisment giuë him of the day of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the K. Most welcome vnto him The K. willed him to vse but few words at his exequution His wise childreÌ„ permitted to be at his 〈◊〉 His com fortable courage He put on his best apparell that day Liberally to his executioÌ„ 5. The for me of his 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 Persons hired to disgrace him A good 〈◊〉 He freeth one from the teÌ„tation of despairo by his prayers His 〈◊〉 at his death His prayers 〈◊〉 couereth his eyes himself His happy 〈◊〉 6. The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of his 〈◊〉 The place of his buriall A notable accideÌ„t about his windnig sheet His 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His head His martyrdom encouraged many other to the like M. r Gardiner Euen his 〈◊〉 Parish priest 7. A 〈◊〉 vpon the blessing which he gaue to his 〈◊〉 children A praisa of M. Iohn More sonne heire to Sir Thomas The 〈◊〉 dealing of K. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sir Tho. Mores heires With the Lady his widow M. Iohn More coÌ„mitted to the tovver for denial of the oath The imprisonment of his daughter Margaret 8. The fauour and physiognomie of 〈◊〉 Tho. 〈◊〉 1. Cardinal Pooles lamentatioÌ„ vpon Sir Tho. Mores death 2. 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 3. Doctour Cochleus of Germany Iob 12. 4. Bishop Iouius of Italy 5. W Paradin a 〈◊〉 historiaÌ„ of France 6. Riuius a ProtestaÌ„t 7. Charles the Emperour 8. Circumstances notable in the death of Sir Tho. More From the kings part From Sir Thomas Mores part Nota. An apology for his mery 〈◊〉 A fit coÌ„parison between 〈◊〉 seuerity and Sir T. M. his pleasauÌ„t disposition 10. Sir Tho. More a lay man martyr for Ecclesiasticall autority neuer before questioned Epigrammes History of K. Richard the 3 in English and Latin His 〈◊〉 Many deemed Vtopia to be a true nation and country Sheep deuour men in England Sir Tho. More his book against Luther His epistle against Pomeranus His English writings The dialog with the messinger Great sincerity in his writing and loue of the truth He writt neither for 〈◊〉 nor report His 〈◊〉 almost incredible in so greate a man Sir Tho. M no partiall 〈◊〉 to the clergy Tindals false traÌ„slation of the scripture CoÌ„suted learnedly by Sir Th. M. The wilfulnes of heretikes Tindal falsifieth Sir T. M. words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 The notable disagreemeÌ„t of heretikes among theÌ„acute selues Hereticall scoffing Heretikes Hypoctisy Against the supplication of beggars Against Iohn Frith Sir Tho. Mores Apologie How heretikes recite the catholik argumeÌ„ts Touching the length of Sir Tho. Mores bookes Heretiks blaspheming the fathers would theÌ„selues be reuerently handled WheÌ„ heretikes railings are to be neglected Heretikes excellent railours The pacificatioÌ„ CoÌ„futed by Sir T. M. The debellation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Bizance How the Pacifier 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in controuersy Sir T. M. his book of the blessed Sacrament The heretiks supper of the Lord wants the best dishe Sir Tho Mores bookes written in the tower Comfort in tribulation Of CoÌ„munion Of the Passion The 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 of Comfort The said book a preparation against the persequutioÌ„ which he did forsee Written when 〈◊〉 had no book about him Written with 〈◊〉 Like Esaias his cole that purified his lippes
a most learned man of all others But as often as I reade your vvritings I am enamoured therevvith as yf I vvere conuersing vvith you in presence Wherefore nothing troubleth me more then that your letters are no longer yet haue I found a meanes to remedie that because I reade them ouer againe and againe I do it leasurely that my suddaine reaaing them may not bereaue me of my pleasure But so much for this That vvhich you vvrite concerning our friend Viues vvho hath made a discourse of vvicked vvomen I agree so well vvith your opinion that I thinke one cannot liue vvithout inconueniencies vvith the verie best vvoman For if anie man be married he shall not be vvithout care and in my conceipt Metellus Numidicus spoke truly of vviues vvhich I vvould speake the rather if manie of them through our ovvne faultes vvere not made the vvorse But Viues hath gotten so good a vvife that he may not shunne only as much as possible any man all the troubles of marriage but also thereby he may receaue great contentment yet novv mens mindes are so busied vvith publike garboiles vvhilst the furie of vvarres doth so rage euerie vvhere that no man is at leasure to thinke of his priuate cares vvhere fore if anie housholde troubles haue heretofore oppressed anie they are novv all obscured by reason of common mischiefes But this suffiseth for this matter for that I returne to your self vvhose courtesies and friendshipp tovvards me as often as I thinke of vvhich is verie often it shaketh from me all sorrovv I thanke you for the booke you sent me and I vvish much ioy vvith your nevv childe not for your ovvne sake only but for the Common vvealthes vvose great benefitt it is that such a parent should encrease it vvith plentie of children For from you none but excellent children can be borne Farevvell and commende me carefully and hartily to your vvife to vvhome I pray God sende happie health and strength My vvife and children also vvish you health to vvhome by my reporte you are as vvell knovven and as deare as to myself Againe farevvell London 10. Aug. 1524 Another letter he wrote vnto him in this sorte I am ashamed so God help me my deare Cranuilde of this your great courtesie tovvards me that you do salute me vvith your letters so often so louingly and so carefully vvhenas I so seldome do salute you againe especially seing you may pretende yea alleage as manie troubles of businesses as I can but such is the sinceritie of your affection and such the constancie thereof as although you are readie to excuse all things in 〈◊〉 friends yet you yourselfe are alvvaies readie to perfourme euery thing and to goe forvvard vvithout omitting that vvhich might be pardoned in you But persvvade yourself good Cranuild that if there happen anie thing at anie time wherein I may really shew vnto you my loue there God vvilling I vvill neuer be vvanting Commende me to my Mistrisse your vvife for I dare not novv inuerte the order begunne and to your vvhole familie vvhome mine doth vvith all their harts salute From my house in the Countrie this 10.th of Iune 1528. Conradus Goclenius a Westphalian was commended by Erasmus vnto Sir THOMAS MORE thus I praise your disposition my dearest MORE exceedingly for that your content is to be rich in faithfull and sincere friends and that you esteeme the greatest felicitie of this life to be placed therein Some take great care that they may not be cosened vvith counterfaite ievvells but you cōtemning all such trifles seeme to yourself to be rich enough if you can but gett an vnfayned friend For there is no man taketh delight either in Cardes dice Chesse hunting or musike so much as you doe in discoursing vvith a learned and pleasant conceyted Companion And although you are stored vvith this kinde of riches yet because that I knovve that a couetous man hath neuer enough and that this manner of my dealing hath luckily happened both to you and me diuerse times heretofore I deliuer to your custodie one friend more vvhome I vvould haue you accept vvith your vvhole hart His name is Conradus Goclenius a Westphalian vvho hath vvith great applause and no lesse fruit lately taught Rhetorick in the College nevvly erected at Louaine called Trilingue Novv I hope that as soone as you shall haue true experience of him I shall haue thankes of you both for so I had of Cranuilde vvho so vvholy possesseth your loue that I almost enuie him for it But of all strangers Erasmus challenged vnto himself his loue most especially which had long continued by mutuall letters expressing great affection and increased so much that he tooke a iournie of purpose into England to see and enjoy his personall acquaintance and more intire familiaritie at which time it is reported how that he who conducted him in his passage procured that Sir THOMAS MORE and he should first meete togeather in London at the Lo Mayor's table neither of them knowing each other And in the dinner time they chanced to fall into argument Erasmus still endeauouring to defende the worserparte but he was so sharpely sett vpon and opposed by Sir THOMAS MORE that perceauing that he was now to argue with a readier witt then euer he had before mett withall he broke forth into these wordes not without some choler Auttues Morus aut nullus whereto Sir THOMAS readily replyed Aut tues Erasmus aut diabolus because at that time he was strangely disguised and had sought to defende impious propositions for although he was a singular Humanist and one that could vtter his minde in a most eloquent phrase yet had he alwaies a delight to scoffe at religious matters and finde fault with all sortes of Clergie men He tooke a felicitie to sett out sundrie Commentaries vpon the Fathers workes censuring them at his pleasure for which cause he is tearmed Errans mus because he wandreth here and there in other mens haruests yea in his writings he is sayd to haue hatched manie of those eggs of heresie which the apostata Fryer Luther had before layde not that he is to be accounted an heretike for he would neuer be obstinate in anie of his opinions yet would he irreligiously glaunce at all antiquitie and finde manie faultes with the present state of the Church Whilst he was in England Sir THOMAS MORE vsed him most courteously doing manie offices of a deare friend for him as well by his word as his purse whereby he bound Erasmus so straytely vnto him that he euer after spoke and wrote vpon all occasions most highly in his praise but Sir THOMAS in successe of time grew lesse affectionate vnto him by reason he saw him still fraught with much vanitie and vnconstancie in respect of religion as when Tindall obiecteth vnto Sir THOMAS that his Darling Erasmus had translated the word Church into Congregation and Priest into Elder euen as himself
the Tower when as he went thither wearing a chaine of golde about his necke Sir Richard Winkefield who had the charge of his conueyance thither aduised him to sende home his chaine to his wife or some of his children nay Sir sayd he that I will not for if I were taken in the fielde by mine enemies I would they should fare somewhat the better for me rather choosing to haue it lost in the Tower then that king's officers should gett it at home when he should leese all or else esteeming nothing lost but gayned which was lost for Christ. At his lāding M. r Lieftenant was readie to receaue him at the Tower-gate where the porter demaunded of him his vpper garment marry porter sayd he here it is and gaue him of his cappe saying I am sorie it is not better for thee Nay Sir quoth he I must haue your gowne which forthwith he gaue him and then was conueyed to his lodging where he called vnto him Iohn Wood his man there appointed to attende him who could neither write nor reade and sware him before M. r Liefetenant that if he should heare or see him at anie time speake or write anie thing against the king the Councell or the State of the realme he should open it to Mr Lieutenant that he might straightwaies reueale it againe to the Councell This was his peaceable and constant carriage in aduersitie bearing all his troubles with great alacritie that both God was much pleased with his willingnesse euerie man admired much his patience For if aduersitie will trie mens wisedome and true fortitude surely Sir THOMAS was a most wise man that nothing happened vnto him which he did not in a manner foresee and truly stoute that nothing could daūte his courage or abate his magnanimitie 3. When he had remained with great chearefullnesse about a moneths space in the Tower his daughter Margaret longing sore to see her father made earnest sute and at last gott leaue to goe to him at whose coming after they had sayde togeather the Seauen Psalmes and Letanies which he vsed alwaies after to say with her when she came thither before he would fall in talke of anie worldlie matters to the intent he might commende all his wordes to almightie God's honour and glorie amongst other speaches he sayd thus vnto her I belieue Megg that they who haue putt me here thinke they haue donne me a high displeasure but I assure thee on my fayth mine owne good daughter that if it had not bene for my wife you my children whome I accounte the chiefe parte of my charge I would not haue fayled long ere this to haue closed myselfe in as strayte a roome as this and strayter too now since I am come hither without mine owne deserte I trust that God of his goodnesse will discharge me of my care and with his gracious helpe supply the want of my presence amongst you and I finde no cause I thanke God to recken myselfe here in worse case then in mine owne house For me thinkes God by this imprisonment maketh me one of his wantons and setteth me vpon his lappe and dandeleth me euen as he hath donne all his best friends S. Iohn Baptist S. Peter S. Paule and all his holie Apostles martyrs and his most especiall fauorites whose examples God make me worthie to imitate By which discourse of his it appeareth most euidently that all the troubles which euer happened vnto him were no painefull punishments but by his admirable patience and alacritie most profitable exercises My aunte Rooper contrariewise either because she would haue more familiar accesse vnto her father or else because in deede she would really perswade him to follow the king's fancie beganne to diuerte him from such zealours discourses and forcibly to vrge him with manie reasons and motiues to the taking of this oath that they might enioy his presence at his house at Chelsey first because he was more bounde to the king then anie man in England and therefore ought the rather to obey his will in a case that was not euidently repugnant to Gods lawe secondly it seemed not credible that so manie wise and learned men as were in England should all impugne the will of God thirdly that he should beware how he pinned his soule vpon Bishopp Fisher being one of the meanest bishops in England fourthly that there were so manie Bishops Doctours and learned men that had taken it so that he being a lay man seemed bound in her iudgement to accommodate his conscience to theirs and lastly euerie one thought him bound in conscience to approue that which a whole parlement of the realme had so vniformely enacted for which reasons manie haue condemned you Father sayd she either of in consideration rashnesse or obstinacie To the first Sir THOMAS answered as may appeare by a letter of my aunte Rooper's yet extant which contayneth all this their discourse and by that letter of Sir THOMAS his written to M. r Cromevvell that he had not slightly considered of this matter but for these seauen yeares space since the time that king Henry had vvritten against Luther he had diligently read ouer all the Fathers both Greeke Latine vvho all from Ignatius S Iohn Euangelist's disciple euen to these late Diuines vvith one consent doe agree of the Popes Supremacie which hath bene also accepted of throughout all Christendome these thousand yeares and more and he savv not hovv one member of the Church as England was could vvithdravv itself from the vvhole bodie yet when he saw this controuersie beganne to be disputed of he alwaies had tempered his speaches against Tindall that exprofesso he neuer argued vpon that theame but now being putt to his choice whether he should offende his Conscience or the king whether he should fall into temporall danger or eternall hazard of his soule I cannot saith he resolue otherwise then anie wise man would To the second he sayde he would not condemne anie bodie for taking it for some saith he may doe it vpon temporall hopes or feare of greate losses for vvhich I vvill neuer thinke anie hath taken it for I imagine no bodie is so fr aile and fearefull as myselfe some may hope that God vvill not impute it vnto them for a sinne because they doe it by constrainte some may hope to doe pennance presently after and others are of opinion that God is not offended vvith our mouth so our heart be pure but as for my parte I dare not ieoparde my selfe vpon these vaine hopes To the third he saith it was altogeather improbable because he refused this oath before it was tendered to Bishopp Fisher or before he knewe whether he would refuse it or no. To the fourth though there vvere neuer so manie learned prelates vvithin this realme that should take it yet being manie more in other partes of Christendome