Изображения страниц
PDF
EPUB

LORD CROMWELL.

WHEN the articles of impeachment against Cardinal Wolfey were fent down to the Lower Houfe, Thomas Cromwell, who had been a fervant of the Cardinal, defended his old and disgraced Master with fuch ability, that the charges of high treason brought against him were thrown out. Upon "this honeft beginning," fays Lord Herbert, "Cromwell obtained his first reputation."

"Mr. Cromwell, (now highly in the King's "favour,)" fays Mr. More, in his very entertaining Life of his Grandfather, "came of a "meffage from the King to Sir Thomas; wherein "when they had thoroughly talked together, be"fore his going away, Sir Thomas faid to him, Mr. Cromwell, you are entered into the service " of a moft noble, wife, and liberal Prince. If you will follow my poor advice, you shall in

"

་་

your counsell-giving to his Majestie ever tell « him what he ought to doe, but never what he " is able to doe; fo fhall you fhewe yourself a "true and faithful fervant, and a right worthie "counsellour: for if a Lion knew his own strength, "hard were it for anie man to rule him. But," adds Mr. More, "Cromwell never learned this "leffon; for he ever gave that counsell to his Prince " which

"which he thought would best please him, and "not what was lawful."

Cromwell's reafons for ferving his cruel and rapacious Sovereign in diffolving the Monafteries and Abbeys in England, are fuch as might have fuggefted themselves to every unprincipled minion of authority who wished to glofs over the injustice of his proceedings, and are thus ftated by Lord Herbert: "Firft, faid he, in regard to the Clergy, "as they have taken an oath to the Pope, they are only the King's half fubjects. Secondly, With

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

refpect to expelling the Monks, he said, that was

nothing more than to reftore them to their first "inftitution of being lay and labouring perfons. "And thirdly, he added, That the particular auf"terities practifed by them as members of reli"gious houses, they might practise, if they pleased, "in any other situation."

"

[ocr errors]

Henry," adds Lord Herbert, finding "Cromwell no longer neceffary, gave way to "the frivolous accufations of his enemies, and brought him to the block, at which he suffered "unlamented; though (according to the fame "noble hiftorian) he had been noted, in the ex"ercife of his places of judicature, to have used "much moderation; and in his greatest pomp, to "have taken notice of, and to have been thankful " to, mean perfons of his old acquaintance.”

་་

[ocr errors]

4

SIR THOMAS MORE.

In how different a manner do Princes appre ciate the merits of their fervants!-When that honour to human nature, Sir Thomas More, was beheaded by his cruel and ungrateful Sovereign, Charles the Fifth faid to Sir Thomas Ellyot; "If I had been mafter of fuch a fervant, of "whose doings ourselves have had these many

[ocr errors]

years no fmall experience, I would rather have "loft the best citie of my dominions than have loft "fuch a worthie Counsellor."

Sir Thomas, who well knew the difpofition of Henry, faid one day to his fon Mr. Roper, who had complimented him upon feeing the King walk with his arm about his neck, "I thanke our "Lord, I find his Grace a very good lorde in

[ocr errors]

deed, and I do believe he doth as fingularly "favour me as any subject within this realme. "Howbeit, fon Roper, I may tell thee, I have "no cause to be proud thereof; for if my head "would winne him a caftle in France, yt fhould "not fayle to go."

Mr. Roper's life of his venerable father-in-law is one of the few pieces of natural biography that we have in our language, and must be perused with great pleasure by thofe who love antient times, antient manners, and antient virtues. Of Sir Thomas

Thomas More's difinterestedness and integrity in his office of Chancellor, Mr. Roper gives this instance: "That after the refignation of it he was "not able fufficiently to finde meat, drink, fuell, "apparel, and fuch other neceffary charges; and "that after his debts payed he had not I know " (his chaine excepted) in gold and filver left him "the value of one hundred pounds."

Mr. Roper thus defcribes Sir Thomas More: "He was a man of fingular worth, and of a "cleare unfpotted confcience, as witneffeth "Erafmus, more pure and white than the "whiteft fnow, and of fuch an angelical wit, "as England, he fayth, never had the like be«fore nor never fhall again. Universally as "well in the laws of our realme (a ftudie in "effect able to occupy the whole lyfe of a man) "as in all other sciences right well studied, he "was in his days accounted a man worthie famous "memory."

This excellent man is thus defcribed by Eraf mus, in a letter to Ulderic Haller:

"More feems to be made and born for friendfhip, of which virtue he is a fincere follower "and very strict obferver. He is not afraid to "be accused of having many friends, which, ac"cording to Hefiod, is no great praife. Every "one may become More's friend; he is not flow "in chufing; he is kind in cherishing, and con« ftant

« stant in keeping them. If by accident he be" comes the friend of one whofe vices he cannot « correct, he flackens the reins of friendship towards « him, diverting it rather by little and little, than « by entirely diffolving it. Those persons whom " he finds to be men of fincerity, and confonant " to his own virtuous difpofition, he is fo charmed " with, that he appears to place his chief worldly

pleasure in their conversation and company. "And although More is negligent in his own "temporal concerns, yet no one is more affi "duous than himself in affifting the fuits of his "friends. Why fhould I fay more? If any perfon

were defirous to have a perfect model of friend"fhip, no one can afford him a better than More. "In his converfation there is fo much affability " and fweetness of manner, that no man can be of "fo auftere a difpofition, but that More's conver"fation muft make him cheerful; and no matter "fo unpleafing, but that with his wit he can take "away from it all disguft."

Erafmus fays again of this excellent man foon after his execution:

"All men, even thofe who diflike him for "differing from them in religion, must lament "the death of Sir Thomas More; fo great was "his courtesy to all, fo great his affability, fo fweet his difpofition. Many persons favour only their own countrymen: Frenchmen

"favour

« ПредыдущаяПродолжить »