Readings in English History Drawn from the Original Sources: Intended to Illustrate a Short History of England

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ROPER, Life of More, Camelot Series, Vol. XII, pp. 14 sqq; ed. by M. Adams. World History

196.

Anecdotes Concerning the King and Sir Thomas More

And for the pleasure the king took in his [More’s] company, would his Grace suddenly sometimes come home to his house at Chelsea to be merry with him, whither on a time unlooked for he came to dinner, and after dinner, in a fair garden of his, walked with him by the space of an hour, holding his arm about his neck. As soon as his Grace was gone, I, rejoicing, told Sir Thomas More how happy he was whom the king had so familiarly entertained, as I had never seen him do to any before, except Cardinal Wolsey, whom I saw his Grace once walk with, arm in arm. "I thank our Lord, son," quoth he. "I find his Grace my very good lord, indeed, and I do believe he doth as singularly favor me as any subject within this realm. Howbeit I may tell thee, I have no cause to be proud thereof. For if my head would win him a castle in France (for then there was war between us), it should not fail to go. . . .

On a time, walking along the Thames’ side with me, at Chelsea, in talking of other things, he said to me: "Now would to God, son Roper, upon condition three things were well established in Christendom, I were put in a sack and here presently cast into the Thames." "What great things be these, sir," quoth I, "that should move you so to wish?" "I’ faith, they be these, son," quoth he. "The first is, that whereas the most part of Christian princes be at mortal wars, they were at universal peace. The second, that where the church of Christ is at this present, sore afflicted with many heresies and errors, it were well settled in an uniformity of religion. The third, that where the king’s matter of his marriage is now come into question, it were to the glory of God and quietness of all parties, brought to a good conclusion."

Now upon his resignment of his office came Thomas Cromwell, then in the king’s high favor, to Chelsea, to him on a message from the king, wherein, when they had thoroughly communed together, "Mr. Cromwell," quoth he, "you are now entered into the service of a most noble, wise, and liberal prince; if you will follow my poor advice, you shall, in counsel-giving unto his Grace, ever tell him what he ought to do, but never tell him what he is able to do. So shall you show yourself a true faithful servant, and a right worthy councilor. For if the lion knew his own strength, hard were it for any man to rule him."

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Chicago: "Anecdotes Concerning the King and Sir Thomas More," Readings in English History Drawn from the Original Sources: Intended to Illustrate a Short History of England in Readings in English History Drawn from the Original Sources: Intended to Illustrate a Short History of England, ed. Edward Potts Cheyney (1861-1947) (Boston: Ginn, 1935, 1922), 331–332. Original Sources, accessed March 28, 2024, http://www.originalsources.com/Document.aspx?DocID=13IDET5XPI8INVI.

MLA: . "Anecdotes Concerning the King and Sir Thomas More." Readings in English History Drawn from the Original Sources: Intended to Illustrate a Short History of England, in Readings in English History Drawn from the Original Sources: Intended to Illustrate a Short History of England, edited by Edward Potts Cheyney (1861-1947), Boston, Ginn, 1935, 1922, pp. 331–332. Original Sources. 28 Mar. 2024. http://www.originalsources.com/Document.aspx?DocID=13IDET5XPI8INVI.

Harvard: , 'Anecdotes Concerning the King and Sir Thomas More' in Readings in English History Drawn from the Original Sources: Intended to Illustrate a Short History of England. cited in 1922, Readings in English History Drawn from the Original Sources: Intended to Illustrate a Short History of England, ed. , Ginn, 1935, Boston, pp.331–332. Original Sources, retrieved 28 March 2024, from http://www.originalsources.com/Document.aspx?DocID=13IDET5XPI8INVI.