Selected quad for the lemma: soul_n
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A44051
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The history of the life and death of Sr. Thomas More, Lord High Chancellor of England in King Henry the Eights time collected by J.H., Gent.; Tho. Mori vita et exitus
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Hoddesdon, John, fl. 1650.
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1662
(1662)
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Wing H2293; ESTC R9021
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72,524
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216
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well but for my part I see no great cause why I should much joy in my gay house or of any thing belonging thereunto when if I should but seven years lye buried under ground and then arise and come thither again I should not fail to find some therein that would bid me get me out of doors and tell me it were none of mine What cause have I then to like such a house as would so soon forget his Master Again tell me Mrs. Alice how long do you think may we live and enjoy it Some twenty years said she Truly said Sir Thomas if you had said some thousand years it had been somewhat and yet he were a very bad Merchant that would put him self in danger to lose Eternity for a thousand years how much the rather if we are not sure to enjoy it one day to an end And thus her perswasions moved him but little Not long after came there to him the Lord Chancellor the Dukes of Norfolk and Suffolk with Secretary Cromwel and some others of the privy Councell at two several times to procure him by all means either precisely to confesse the Kings Supremacy or plainly to deny it whereunto as appeareth by his examination set out in his English works they could never bring him because he was unwilling to aggravate the Kings displeasure against himself saying only That the Statute was like a two edged sword if he spoke against it he should procure the death of his body if he consented to it he should purchase the death of his soul Shortly hereup on Mr. Rich afterward Lord Rich then newly made the Kings Solicitour Sir Ri. Southwell and one Mr. Palmer the Secretaries servant were sent by the King to take away all his Books Mr. Rich pretending friendly discourse with Sir Thomas said unto him as it proved after of set purpose Forasmuch as it is well known Mr. More that you are a man both wise and well learned as well in the Laws of the Realm as otherwise I pray you Sir let me be so bold as of good will to put unto you this case Admit there were an Act of Parliament made that all the Realm should take me for King would not you Mr. More take me for King Yes Sir said Sir Thomas More that would I. I put case further said Mr. Rich That there were an Act of Parliament that all the Realm should take me for Pope would not you then take me for Pope For answer said Sir Thomas to your first Case the Parliament may well meddle with the state of Temporal Princes but to make answer to your other case I wil put you this Case Suppose the Parliament would make a Law that God should not be God would you then Mr. Rich say that God should not be God No Sir said he since no Parliam may make such a Law No More as Mr. Rich reported Sir Tho should say but yet he made no such inference as he vouchsafed after to M. R. his face could the Parliament make the King supreme head of the Church Upon which report of Mr. Rich's Sir Thomas was shortly after indited of high treason upon the new Statute of Supremacy in which it was made treason to deny the King to be the Supream head of the Church into which judgment were put these hainous words Malitiously traiterously and Diabolically He had a little before this begun a Divine Treatise of the passion of Christ and as some write when he came to expound those words of the Gospell And they laid hands upon him and held him these Gentlemen took from him all his Books Inke and Paper so that he could go on no further Which being done he applyed himself wholly to meditation keeping his Chamber windows fast shut and very dark the occasion whereof the Lieutenant of the Tower asking him He answered When all the wares are gone the shop windows are to be shut up When Sir Thomas More was brought from the Tower to Westminster-Hall to answer the inditement and thereupon arraigned at the Kings-Bench Bar where he had often asked his Fathers blessing he openly told the Judges that he would have abidden in law and demurr'd upon the inditement but that he thereby should have been driven to confesse of himself that he had denyed the Kings Supremacy which he protested he never did wherefore he thereto pleaded not guilty and reserved to himself advantage to be taken of the body of the matter after verdict to avoid that in ditement adding withall that if only those odious terms Maliciously Traiterously and Diabolically were taken out of the Inditement he saw nothing in it that should justly charge him of any Treason CHAP. XII 1 Sir THOMAS MORE' 's Arraignment 2 His answer to the Inditement 3 Mr. Rich his Oath against Sir Thomas More clearly rejected 4. Sentance of Death pronounced against Sir Thomas More NOw when the King had endevoured all means possible to get Sir Thomas his consent to his laws as knowing that his example would draw many more after him being a man so eminent for wisdome and rare vertues and could no way obtain his desire he commanded him to be called to his arraignment at the Kings-Bench-Barre having been prisoner at the Tower somwhat more then a twelvemonth whither he went leaning on his staffe because he had been much weakned by his imprisonment his countenance shewing much chearfulnesse and resolution His Inditement which was very long and odious was read by the Kings Atturny which being ended the Lord Chancellor and the Duke of Norfolk spoke to this effect unto him You see now how grievously you have offended his Majesty yet he is so merciful that if you will but leave your obstinacy and change your opinion we hope you may obtain pardon of his Highnesse Whereunto Sir Thomas resolutely replyed thus Most noble Lords I have great cause to thank your Honours for this your courtesie but I beseech Almighty God that I may continue in the mind I am in through his Grace unto death After this he was permitted to say what he could in his own defence in answer to his Inditement who thereupon began as followeth When I think how long my accusation is and what hainous matters are laid to my charge I am strucken with fear lest my memory and wit both which are decaled together with the health of my body through a long impediment contracted by my imprisonement be not now able to answer these things on the suddain as I ought and otherwise could After this there was brought him a chair on which when he was sat he proceeded thus There are four principal heads if I be not deceived of this my Inditement every one of which God willing I purpose to answer in order To the first that is objected against me to wit That I have been an enemy of a stubborness of mind to the Kings second marriage I