The Life of Sir Thomas More

Book may have numerous typos, missing text, images, or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1822. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... have, by the mouth of the most reverend Father in God the Legate your Highness Chancellor, thereunto given your most royal assent, and have of your benignity determined, far above that I may bear, to enable me, and for this office to repute me meet; rather than you should seem to impute unto your Commons, that they had unmeetly chosen: I am therefore, and always shall be, ready obediently to conform myself to the accomplishment of your highness' pleasure and commandment. In most humble wise beseeching your most noble Majesty that I may, with your grace's favour, before I farther enter there into, make my humble intercession unto your highness for two lowly petitions: the one privately concerning myself, the other the whole assembly of your Commons' house. For myself, most gracious sovereign, that if it mishap me, in any thing hereafter that is on the behalf of your Commons in your high presence to be declared, to mistake my message, and in lack of good utterance by my mis-rehearsal to pervert or impair their prudent instructions, that it may then like your most noble majesty, of your abundant grace, with the eye of your wonted pity to pardon my simpleness, giving me leave to repair again unto the Commons' House, and there to confer with them, and to take their substantial advice what things and in what wise I shall on their behalf utter and speak before your noble grace, to the intent their prudent devices and affairs be not by my simpleness and folly hindered or impaired. Which thing if it should so happen, as it were well likely to mishap in me if your grace's benignity relieved not my oversight, it could not fail to be during my life a perpetual grudge and heaviness to my heart. The help and remedy whereof in manner aforesaid remembered, is (most gracious soverei...