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The Life and Death of Sir Thomas More, Knight The Life and Death of Sir Thomas More, Knight by Nicholas Harpsfield Edited by Katherine Stearns and Alexander Taylor CTMS Publishers at the University of Dallas © 2020 The Life and Death of Sir Thomas More, Knight by Nicholas Harpsfield icholas Harpsfield (1519–1575) com- Clements, and the Rastells. With Mary’s ac- Npleted this biography ca. 1557, during cession to the throne in 1553, he returned and the reign of Queen Mary, but it was not pub- became archdeacon of Canterbury and worked lished until 1932. Indebted to William Rop- closely with Cardinal Reginald Pole, the Arch- er’s recollections, Harpsfield’s Life presents bishop of Canterbury. With Mary’s and Pole’s More as both a spiritual and secular figure, and deaths in 1558, and with his refusal to take the Harpsfield dedicates his biography to William oath recognizing Queen Elizabeth’s suprem- Roper, presenting More as the first English acy, Harpsfield was imprisoned from 1559 to martyr among the laity, who serves as an “am- 1574 in Fleet Prison where, as he relates in his bassador” and “messenger” to them. Dedicatory Epistle, William Roper supported Harpsfield was born in London, and was ed- him generously. ucated at Winchester and then New College This edition of Harpsfield’s Life is based on at Oxford where he became a perpetual fellow the critical edition published for the Early En- and eventually earned a doctorate in canon glish Text Society (EETS) in 1932 by Oxford law. In 1550, during the reign of Edward VI, University Press, edited by E. V. Hitchcock; he moved to Louvain and come to know many the cross-references in the headnotes refer to in the More circle such as Antonio Bonvisi, the this edition. Contents Epistle Dedicatory 3 1. Birth to Resignation 4 Birth in London [1478] Early Education Law Studies; Lectures on Augustine First Term in Parliament [1504] Education with the Carthusians Marries Joanna Colt [1505] Undersheriff and City Lawyer Joins the King’s Service [1518] Friendship with the King Speaker of the House [1523] Defends the Liberty of the House Beginning of King’s Divorce [1527] King Consults More on the Divorce Marriage Commission Appointed [1528] Ambassador to Cambrai [Summer 1529] Consulted Again on the Divorce Praemunire; Fall of Wolsey More Becomes Lord Chancellor “the devil should have right” Love for His Father Contents Correcting Judges Consulted Yet Again on the Divorce Resignation [15 May 1532] 2. More’s Private Life 20 His Foresight and Three Wishes Supplication of Souls His Family and Friends “never . once in any fume” Daughter Margaret William Roper Favors Luther Margaret (Giggs) and John Clement Wife Joanna Wife Alice 3. More’s Writings 29 Utopia Response to Luther Dialogue of Sir Thomas More, Knight No Income from Polemical Writings Against Tyndale, Barnes, Frith Apology Salem and Bizance Answer to a Poisoned Book Books Written in the Tower 4. Reputation for Wit and Learning 39 His Appearance and Manner 5. After Resignation to Execution 41 Invitation to Queen’s Coronation [1533] Accusations of Corruption Disproved The Nun of Kent “terrors . for children and not for me” The Oath of Succession [1534] Imprisonment in the Tower New Laws: Supremacy, Treason The Carthusians and Fisher Executed Richard Rich Visits More’s Trial at Westminster [1 July 1535] Return to the Tower Last Meeting with Margaret The Execution [6 July 1535] 6. Reputation after Death 59 England and Christendom “happy martyr” “Christian English Cicero” The Life and Death of Sir Thomas More, Knight Sometime Lord High Chancellor of England Written in the time of Queen Mary by Nicholas Harpsfield Epistle Dedicatory being never so artificially and exquisitely set forth, 40 but his notable doings and sayings do to us most ex- To the right worshipful Master William Roper. actly represent) to be by some singular artificer and workman set forth to the world, and, as I may say, It is, and hath been, an old and most ancient cus- by some other more than myself. But yet, whatsoever tom, not only among the Christians, but long also my skill be (which I know well is not correspondent 45 before Christ’s time, at New-year’s tide every man, to such an enterprise) I have somewhat the better according to his ability, to visit and gratify with some contentation for that, if I have erred, you also have 5 present his special friends and patrons. Conformable erred in your choice in that you appointed no meeter to this custom, I do at this time (being furnished person. And I comfort myself, and it be in nothing with no worldly treasure to offer you any rich, pre- else but that I have satisfied your request, and am 50 cious gift) present your worship even with a paper better content to be taken a person unskillful than New-year’s gift; but yet such as I trust, for the devo- a person slothful, unthankful and ungrateful, espe- 10 tion of my poor heart towards your worship, shall be cially in such a matter as this is, and to such a per- no less acceptable than was the dish of water present- son as you are. For as this is a matter very profitable, ed once by a poor man to one of the kings of Persia, or rather necessary, to be divulged, so surely, if I be 55 where the custom was for every man to welcome and able in this or any other matter, with any manner of honor the king’s first coming into their quarters with commendation, to enterprise anything, or to gratify 15 some costly gift. Which waterish gift the good king, any man with my doings, you are the only man living considering the plain homely dealing and great and in all the earth that by your long and great benefits grateful good will of the said poor man, not only and charges employed and heaped upon me, toward 60 took in good gree, but made more account of than the supporting of my living and learning, have most of his rich and precious gifts. Wherefore I trust, and deeply bound me, or rather bought me, to be at your 20 little doubt, knowing the goodness of your gentle commandment during my life. Again, if there be any nature, and considering the matter comprised in this matter in the world meet and convenient to be pre- book, being the life of the worthy Sir Thomas More, sented and dedicated to you of any learned man, it is 65 knight, but that you will, of your part, in very good this present treatise. part take and accept this my present. I am not ignorant that you come of a worthy ped- 25 Neither am I so careful of the acceptation on your igree, both by the father and mother’s side: by the behalf as I am afraid on my own behalf, lest by my father’s side of ancient gentlemen of long continu- unskillful handling some part of the worthiness of ance; and by the mother’s side of the Apuldrefeles, 70 this man may seem to some men to be somewhat one of the chiefest and ancient families in Kent, and impaired, blemished, or defaced. For I do not so one of the three chief gentlemen that compelled 30 well like of myself, or stand so much in mine own William Conqueror to agree and to confirm the conceit, that I take myself the meetest man to take ancient customs of Kent; daughter to the great, wise such an enterprise in hand. I do well remember that and right worshipful Sir John Fineux, Chief Justice 75 the great, famous king Alexander gave in command- of the King’s Bench, who among his worthy and no- ment that no man should carve his image but that table sayings was wont to say that if you take away 35 renowned carver Lysippus, no man paint his image from a justice the order of his discretion, you take but the excellent painter Apelles, thinking that oth- from him more than half his office; whose steps in erwise it would be some disgracing to himself and virtue, wisdom and learning, as also your worship- 80 his image. How much the more ought the lively im- ful father’s (who was Attorney to King Henry the age of this worthy man (whom not his dead image, Eighth, and whom you in the office of prothonotary 4 5 Life and Death of Sir Thomas More, Knight [EETS 3–10] in the King’s Bench have immediately succeeded, many other good and happy New Years. and shall therein by God’s grace long continue) you Your worship’s bounden, have, God be thanked, well and graciously trod af- N. H. L. D. ter. But yet you and your family are by no one thing 5 more adorned, made illustrious and beautified, than Birth in London by this worthy man, Sir Thomas More, in marrying This excellent and peerless man, whose life we 50 his daughter, the excellent, learned and virtuous ma- have to indite, besides all other great and beautiful tron, Mistress Margaret More. He was your worthy outward and perpetual arguments that God and father-in-law: what say I? Your father-in-law? Nay, nature adorned him withal, was beautified (if such 10 rather your very father indeed; and though a tempo- things may add any weight to his commendation, ral man, yet your very spiritual father, as one that by as they do in the eyes and consideration of many) as 55 his good counsel and advice, or rather by his instant well by the place of his birth, being born at London, and devout prayers to God, recovered your lost soul, the chief and notable principal city of this our no- overwhelmed and full deep drowned in the deadly, ble realm, as by the heritage and worshipful family 15 dreadful depth of horrible heresies.
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