CHAP. XXXI. He is made Chancellor, Oct. 25. 1529. children and household mery in God. And devise somewhat with your friends, what way wer best to take, for provision to be made for corne for our household and for sede thys yere coming, if ye thinke it good that we keepe the ground still in our handes. And whether ye think it good yt we so shall do or not, yet I think it were not best sodenlye thus to leave it all up, and to put away our folk of our farme, till we have somewhat advised us thereon. Howbeit if we have more nowe than ye shall neede, and which can get the other maister's, ye may then discharge us of them. But I would not that any man wer sodenly sent away he wote nere wether. At my coming hither, I perceived none other, but that I shold tary still with the kinges grace. But now I shall (I think), because of this chance, get leave this next weke to come home and se you; and then shall we further devise together uppon all thinges, what order shall be best to take: and thus as hartely fare you well with all our children as you can wishe. At Woodstok the thirde daye of Septembre, by the hand of "Your loving husband, "THOMAS MORE, Knight." The Court was now sojourning at Woodstock after its return from Grafton, where Henry had taken his final leave of Wolsey.* More having rendered an account of his embassy was allowed to visit his family at Chelsea, and Henry, with the Lady Anne, first moved to Richmond, and then to Greenwich, where, as we have seen, Wolsey being deprived of the Great Seal and banished to Esher, the new arrangements were completed, and Sir THOMAS MORE was sworn in Lord Chancellor. † CHAPTER XXXII. LIFE OF SIR THOMAS MORE FROM HIS APPOINTMENT AS LORD CHAP. XXXII. Chancellor. THE merit of the new Lord Chancellor was universally acknowledged, and Wolsey himself admitted " that he was the fittest man to be his successor *;" but there was a great appre- Installation hension lest, having no ecclesiastical dignity, no crosses to of the new carry before him, no hereditary rank, and no judicial reputation beyond what he had acquired when under-sheriff of London,from the prejudices of the vulgar, the office might be considered lowered in dignity after being held by a Cardinal-Archbishop, the Pope's Legate, and prime minister of the Crown. To guard against this impression, a very splendid pageant was got up for More's installation. The procession was headed by the Duke of Norfolk, the first Peer in the realm, and the Duke of Suffolk, the King's brother-in-law, all the nobility and courtiers in and near London, and all the judges and professors of the law following. When they had reached Palace Yard the new Chancellor, in his robes, was led between the Dukes of Norfolk and Suffolk up Westminster Hall to the Stone Chamber, at the south-west corner of it, where were the marble table and marble chair,— and there being placed in the high judgmentseat of Chancellor, the Duke of Norfolk, by the command of * Shakspeare has rather lowered the terms of the compliment, although he makes the Cardinal behave very gracefully when he hears of the new appoint CHAP. the King, spoke thus unto the people there with great applause and joy gathered together: XXXII. Duke of Norfolk's speech. "The King's Majesty (which I pray God may prove happy and fortunate to the whole realm of England) hath raised to the most high dignity of Chancellorship, Sir Thomas More, a man for his extraordinary worth and sufficiency well known to himself and the whole realm, for no other cause or earthly respect, but for that he hath plainly perceived all the gifts of nature and grace to be heaped upon him, which either the people could desire, or himself wish for the discharge of so great an office. For the admirable wisdom, integrity, and innocency, joined with most pleasant facility of wit, that this man is endued withal, have been sufficiently known to all Englishmen from his youth, and for these many years also to the King's majesty himself. This hath the King abundantly found in many and weighty affairs, which he hath happily despatched both at home and abroad; in divers offices, which he hath borne in most honourable embassages, which he hath undergone, and in his daily counsel and advises upon all other occasions. He hath perceived no man in his realm to be more wise in deliberating, more sincere in opening to him what he thought, nor more eloquent to adorn the matter which he uttered. Wherefore because he saw in him such excellent endowments, and that of his especial care he hath a particular desire that his kingdom and people might be governed with all equity and justice, integrity and wisdom he of his own most gracious disposition hath created this singular man Lord Chancellor; that by his laudable performance of this office, his people may enjoy peace and justice, and honour also and fame may redound to the whole kingdom. It may perhaps seem to many a strange and unusual matter, that this dignity should be bestowed upon a lay-man, none of the nobility, and one that hath wife and children; because heretofore none but singular learned prelates, or men of greatest nobility, have possessed this place; but what is wanting in these respects, the admirable virtues, the matchless gifts of wit and wisdom of this man doth most plentifully recompense the same. For the King's majesty : XXXII. hath not regarded how great, but what a man he was; he СНАР. hath not cast his eyes upon the nobility of his blood, but on the worth of his person; he hath respected his sufficiency, not his profession; finally he would show by this his choice, that he hath some rare subjects amongst the gentlemen and lay-men, who deserve to manage the highest offices of the realm, which bishops and noblemen think they only can deserve: which the rarer it is, so much he thought it would be to you the more acceptable, and to the whole kingdom most grateful. Wherefore receive this your Chancellor with joyful acclamations, at whose hands you may expect all happiness and content.' 6 "Sir Thomas More," says his great-grandson, "according to Sir Thomas his wonted modesty, was somewhat abashed at this the Duke's More's speech. speech, in that it sounded so much to his praise; but recollecting himself as that place and time would give him leave, he answered in this sort: Although, most noble Duke, and you right honourable Lords, and worshipful gentlemen, I know all these things which the King's majesty, it seemeth, hath been pleased should be spoken of me at this time and place, and your Grace hath, with most eloquent words thus amplified, are as far from me as I could wish with all my heart they were in me for the better performance of so great a charge: and although this your speech hath caused in me greater fear than I can well express in words, yet this incomparable favour of my dread Sovereign, by which he showeth how well, yea how highly he conceiveth of my weakness, having commanded that my meanness should be so greatly commended, cannot be but most acceptable unto me; and I cannot chuse but give your most noble Grace exceeding thanks, that what his Majesty hath willed you briefly to utter, you of the abundance of your love unto me, have, in a large and eloquent oration, dilated. As for myself, I can take it no otherwise but that his Majesty's incomparable favour towards me, the good will and incredible propension of his royal mind (wherewith he hath these many years favoured me continually,) hath alone, without any desert of mine at all, caused both this my new honour, and these your undeserved СНАР. XXXII. commendations of me; for who am I, or what is the house of my father, that the King's highness should heap upon me, by such a perpetual stream of affection, these so high honours? I am far less than any the meanest of his benefits bestowed on me; how can I then think myself worthy or fit for this so peerless dignity? I have been drawn by force, as the King's majesty often professeth, to his Highness's service, to be a courtier; but to take this dignity upon me, is most of all against my will; yet such is his Highness's benignity, such is his bounty, that he highly esteemeth the small dutifulness of his meanest subjects, and seeketh still magnificently to recompense his servants; not only such as deserve well, but even such as have but a desire to deserve well at his hands. In which number I have always wished myself to be reckoned, because I cannot challenge myself to be one of the former; which being so, you may all perceive with me, how great a burden is laid upon my back, in that I must strive in some sort with my diligence and duty to correspond with his royal benevolence, and to be answerable to that great expectation which he and you seem to have of me; wherefore those so high praises are by so much the more grievous unto me, by how much I know the greater charge I have to render myself worthy of, and the fewer means I have to make them good. This weight is hardly suitable to my weak shoulders; this honour is not correspondent to my poor deserts; it is a burthen, not glory; a care, not a dignity; the one therefore I must bear as manfully as I can, and discharge the other with as much dexterity as I shall be able. The earnest desire which I have always had, and do now acknowledge myself to have, to satisfy by all means I can possible the most ample benefits of his Highness, will greatly excite and aid me to the diligent performance of all; which I trust also I shall be more able to do, if I find all your good wills and wishes both favourable unto me, and conformable to his royal munificence; because my serious endeavours to do well, joined with your favourable acceptance, will easily procure that whatsoever is performed by me, though it be in itself but |