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A Dialogue Concerning Heresies

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A Dialogue Concerning Heresies A Dialogue Concerning Heresies by Sir Thomas More 5 Page and line numbers correspond to The Complete Works of St. Thomas More (Yale University Press), volume 6. 10 A complete concordance to this work can be found at www.thomasmorestudies.org/publications.html#Concordance. Spelling standardized, punctuation modernized, and glosses added by Mary Gottschalk 15 ©CTMS 2015 Punctuation The only punctuation marks found in the original printed version of A Dialogue Concerning Heresies are the period, question mark, slash, or “virgule” ( / ), and parentheses. Commas, quotation marks, semicolons, dashes, exclamation points, italics, and suspension points have been added with the goal of making the text more readily understood by present-day readers. Italics are added for titles and, occasionally, for emphasis. As for the suspension points ( … ), these are substitutes for many of More’s slashes. He often used a slash where we would use a comma, a semicolon, a dash, or italics; but he also, quite often, used one to indicate whether a certain phrase was meant to be connected more closely with the one preceding it or with the one following it; to call attention to parallel elements in different phrases; or simply to facilitate serious reflection. He also quite often used a slash for dramatic purposes—to indicate, perhaps, a coming sly comment, or some possibly surprising conclusion. The evident thoughtfulness with which More punctuated this book leads one to suspect that he anticipated its being often read aloud, and wanted to make sure the reader got the cadence right. He writes as though he were speaking. 2 3 A dialogue of Sir Thomas More, Knight, one of the Council of our sovereign lord the King, and Chan- 5 cellor of his duchy of Lancaster. Wherein be treated divers matters: as of the venera- tion and worship of images and relics, praying to saints, and going on pil- grimage. With many other 10 things touching the pes- tilent sect of Luther and Tyndale, by the one begun in Saxony, and 15 by the other labored to be brought into England. Newly overseen by the said Sir Thomas More, Chancellor of England. 20 1530. 1 of: by 2 one: a member 5 divers: several 6 worship: reverencing 9 touching: having to do with 18 overseen: edited 4 5 The Table of the First Book Table 1.1 The First Chapter The letter of credence sent from his friend by a trusty secret messenger. With the letter of the author answering the same. 5 The declaration of the credence by the mouth of the messenger; whereupon the matter of all the whole work dependeth. The Second Chapter Here summarily is declared what order the author intendeth to treat of the matters purposed unto him. Whereof because the first 10 was an opinion conceived in some men’s heads that a certain person lately abjured of heresy for preaching against pilgrimages and images and prayers made to saints was therein greatly wronged, the author briefly declareth his mind concerning the confutation of those perilous and pernicious opinions. 15 The Third Chapter The objections of the messenger made against praying to saints, worshipping of images, and going on pilgrimages; with the answer of the author unto the same. And incidentally is it by the messenger moved that there should seem no necessity for 20 Christian folk to resort to any churches, but that all were one to pray thence or there. And that opinion by the author answered and confuted. The Fourth Chapter The author declareth in the comprobation of pilgrimages that it 25 is the pleasure of God to be specially sought and worshipped in some one place before another. And albeit that we cannot attain to the knowledge of the cause why God doth so, yet the author proveth by great authority that God by miracle testifieth it is so. 3, 5 (letter of) credence: letter of introduction 3 secret: personal 5 declaration: explanation 6 matter: content 9 purposed: put forward for consideration 11 lately: recently 11 abjured of heresy: made to renounce his heresies under oath 13 declareth his mind: explains his thinking 17 worshipping: venerating 18 incidentally: in passing 19 moved: submitted // seem: i.e., seem to be 20 resort: betake themselves; go // all were one: it would be all the same 21 thence: somewhere else 24 declareth: explains // comprobation: defense 25 sought: gone to for help 28 testifieth: attests (that) 6 The Fifth Chapter Table 1.5 Because pilgrimages be, among other proofs, testified by miracles… the messenger doth make objection against those miracles; partly lest they be feigned and untrue, partly lest they 5 be done by the devil if they be done at all. The Sixth Chapter Because the messenger thinketh that he may well mistrust and deny the miracles because reason and nature tell him that they cannot be done: therefore first the author showeth what unreasonableness 10 would ensue… if folk would stand so stiff against all credence to be given to any such thing as reason and nature should seem to gainsay. The Seventh Chapter The author showeth that neither nature nor reason do deny the 15 miracles to be true, nor do not gainsay but that they may be well and easily done. The Eighth Chapter The messenger allegeth that God may nothing do against the course of nature. Of which the author declareth the contrary— 20 and, over that, showeth that our Lord in working of miracles doth nothing against nature. The Ninth Chapter The author showeth that albeit men may mistrust some of the particular miracles, yet can there no reasonable man neither deny 25 nor doubt but that many miracles hath there been done and wrought. The Tenth Chapter The author proveth that many things daily done by nature or craft whereof we nothing marvel at all… be more marvelous 30 and more wonderful in deed than be the miracles that we most marvel of and repute most incredible. The Eleventh Chapter The author showeth that a miracle is not to be mistrusted though it be done in a small matter and seemeth upon a slight 35 occasion. 2 testified: corroborated 7, 18 may: can 7 well: rightly 16 well and: quite 18 allegeth: claims 19 declareth: shows 20 over: besides 20 showeth: asserts 26 wrought: worked 29 nothing: in no way 30 deed: fact; reality 34 though: even if // seemeth: i.e., seemingly 7 The Twelfth Chapter Table 1.12 The author somewhat noteth the froward minds of many folk that would be very hard to believe a man in a miracle upon his oath… and very light in a shrewd tale to believe a woman on her word. 5 The Thirteenth Chapter The author showeth the untoward mind of many men… which in miracles so highly touching the honor of God and weal of their own souls… will neither believe other folk that tell them… nor themselves vouchsafe to go prove them. 10 The Fourteenth Chapter The messenger maketh objection that miracles showed before a multitude… may be feigned; and by the author showed how the goodness of God bringeth shortly the truth of such falsehood to light (with examples thereof, one or two rehearsed), and further showed 15 that many miracles there be which no good Christian man may deny to be true. The Fifteenth Chapter The author showeth that if of those miracles that are told and written to be done at divers pilgrimages, and commonly believed 20 for very true, we certainly knew some falsely feigned, yet were that no cause to mistrust the remnant. The Sixteenth Chapter The author showeth that whoso would inquire should soon find that at pilgrimages be daily many great and undoubted miracles 25 wrought and well known. And specially he speaketh of the great and open miracle showed at Our Lady of Ipswich of late upon the daughter of Sir Roger Wentworth, Knight. The Seventeenth Chapter The messenger layeth forth objections against miracles done at 30 pilgrimages… of which he confesseth many to be true. But he layeth causes and reasons whereby he saith that many men be moved to believe and think that those miracles that be done there be done by 2 somewhat noteth: comments a little on // froward minds: perverse dispositions 3 hard to believe: resistant to believing; slow to believe 3, 4 in: about 4 light: ready; quick // shrewd tale: report of something bad 4 word: i.e., mere word, as opposed to an oath 6 untoward mind: badness of attitude 7 touching: pertaining to // weal: good 9 vouchsafe: bother // prove: investigate 11 showed: performed 12, 20 feigned: faked 12 showed: i.e., it is shown 14 rehearsed: related 18, 23 showeth: asserts 19, 24, 30 pilgrimages: pilgrimage sites 20 certainly knew some: knew for a fact that some were // falsely: deceitfully 21 remnant: rest 23 inquire: do any investigating 26 showed: performed 26 of late: recently 30 confesseth: acknowledges 8 the devil, to set our hearts upon idolatry by the worshipping of Table 1.17 images instead of God. The Eighteenth Chapter The author deferreth the answer to the aforesaid objections… and 5 first by Scripture he proveth that the church of Christ cannot err in any necessary article of Christ’s faith. And in this chapter be those words of Christ specially touched, “Super cathedram Mosi sederunt [etc.]: quae dicunt vobis, facite; quae autem faciunt, nolite facere,” concerning the authority of the Church. 10 The Nineteenth Chapter The author proveth that if the worship of images were idolatry, then the Church, believing it to be lawful and pleasant to God, were in a misbelief and in a deadly error.
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