The Life of Sir Thomas More/Appendix 1
APPENDIX.
No. I.
Sir Thomas More's Letter to Mr. Thomas Cromwell then one of the Kinge's Privy Counsel[1].
Right worshipfull, in my moste harty wise I recommend me unto you. Sir, my Cosyn Willyam Rastal, hath enformed me that your mastership of your goodnes shewed him that it hath been reported, that I haue against the booke of certein articles (which was late put forth in print by the Kinge's honorable counsel) made an answere, and deliuered it unto my said cosin to print. And albeit that he for his part truely denied it, yet because he somewhat remained in doubte, whither your mastership gaue him therin ful credens or not, he desired me for his farther discharge to declare you the very troth. Sir, as help me God, neither my said cosein nor any man els, neuer had any boke of mine to print, one or other, since the said boke of the Kinge's counsel came forth. For of trouth the last boke that he printed of mine was that boke that I made against an unknowen heretike, which hath sent ouer a worke that walketh in ouer many mens handes, named, the Souper of the Lord, against the blessed Sacrament of the Alter. My aunswere whereunto albeit that the printer (unware to me) dated it anno. 1534, by which it seemeth to be printed since the feast of the cirsumsicion, yet was it of very trouth both made and printed, and many of them gone before Christmas. And my self neuer espied the printer's over sight in the date, in more than three wekes after. And this was in good faith the last boke that my cosin had of myne. Which being true as of trouth it shal be founde sufficeth for his declaracion in this behalfe. As touching myne owne self, I shal say thus much farther, that on my faith I neuer made any such booke, nor neuer thought to do. I red the said boke ones ouer, and neuer more. But I am for ones reading very farre of from many thinges, wherof I would haue metely suer knowledge ere euer I wold make an answere, though the matter and the booke both, concerned the porest man in a towne, and were of the simplest man's making to. For of many thinges which in that boke be touched, in some I knowe not the lawe, and in some I knowe not the fact. And therefore would I neuer be so childish, nor so plaie the proud arrogant fole, by whomsoeuer the booke had bene made, and to whemsoeuer the matter had belonged, as to presume to make an aunswere to the boke, concerning the matter wherof I neuer were sufficiently lerned in the lawes, nor fully enstructed in the factes. And then while the matter parteined unto the Kinge's Highnes, and the boke professeth openlie that it was made by hys honorable counsail, and by them put in print with his Grace's licens obteined thereunto, I verely trust in good faith that of your good mind toward me, though I neuer wrote you worde thereof, your selfe will both think and say so much for me, that it were a thing far vnlikely, that an answer shold be made therunto bi me. I wil by the grace of Almighty God, as long as it shal plese him to lend me life in this worlde, in all such places (as I am of my duety to God and the Kinge's grace bounden), truly say my mind, and discharge my conscience, as becometh a pore honest true man, whersoeuer I shal be by his Grace commaunded. Yet surely if it shold happen any boke to come abrode in the name of hys Grace or hys honorable counsail, if the boke to me semed such as my self would not haue giuen mine owne aduise to the making, yet I know my bounden duety, to bere more honour to my prince, and more reverence to his honorable counsaile, than that it could become me for many causes, to make an aunswere unto suche a boke, or to counsail and aduise any man cls to do it. And therefore as it is a thing I neuer dyd nor entendid, so I hartely besech you if you shal happen to perceue any man, either of euil wil or of lightnes, any such thing report by me, be so good maister to me, as helpe to bring us both together. And than neuer take me for honest after, but if ye finde his honesty somewhat empaired in the matter. Thus am I bold upon your gondnes to encomber you with my long rude letter, in the contentes wherof, I eftsones hartely beseche you to be in manner aforesaid, good maister and frend vnto me whereby you shall binde me to be your bedesman while I liue: as knoweth our Lord, whose especiall grace both do help and ghostly long preserue and keep you. At Chelchi in the vigile of the purificacion of our blessed lady by the hand of
Assuredly all your owne,
THOMAS MORE, Knight.
- ↑ February 1, 1532-3.