The History of the Worthies of England, Part 2 · County 26 · Section 8
Statesmen.
*The Summe hereof is taken out of his Printed Life (rare to be had) written by a Nephew of his, more fairly and unpartially then any would expect from so near a relation.Sir THOMAS MORE was, Anno Domini 1480 born in Milkstreet London, (the … that ever shined in that Via lactea) sole Son to Sir John More Knight, one of the Justices of the Kings Bench.
Some have reported him of mean parentage, meerly from a mistake of a modest word, in an Epitaph of his own making on his Monument in Chelsey Church.
Where Nobilis is taken not in the civil but Common Law sense, which alloweth none Noble under the degree of Barons. Thus men cannot be too wary what they inscribe on Tombs, which may prove a Record (though not in Law, in History) to posterity.
He was bred first in the Family of Arch-bishop Morton, then in Canterbury Colledge (now taken into Christ Church) in Oxford, where he profited more in two, then many in ten years continuance.
Thence he removed to an Inn of Chancery called New Inn, and from thence to Lincolns Inn, where he became a double Reader. Then did his worth prefer him to be Judge in the Sheriffe of Londons Court, whilst a Pleader in others. And although he only chose such causes which appeared just to his Conscience, and never took Fee of Widow, Orphane or poor person; he gained in those days four hundred pounds per annum.
Being made a Member of the House of Commons, he opposed King Henry the Seventh, about money for the Marriage of his Daughter Margaret: Whereat the King was much discontented, when a Courtier told him, that a beardlesse Boy (beard was never the true Standard of brains) had obstructed his desires. Which King being as certain, but more secret then his son in his revenge, made More the mark of his Displeasure, who to decline his anger had travelled beyond the Seas, had not the Kings going into another World stopped his journey.
King Henry the Eighth coming to the Crown, and desirous to ingratiate himself by preferring popular and deserving persons, Knighted Sir Thomas, and made him Chancelour of the Dutchy of Lancaster, the Kings personal patrimony.
Finding him faithfull in lesser matters (according to the method of the Gospel) he made him in effect Ruler of all, when Lord Chancelour of England; a place wherein he demeaned himself with great integrity, and with no less expedition. In testimony of the later, it is recorded, that calling for the next cause, it was returned unto him, there are no more to be heard, all Suits in that Court depending, and ready for hearing, being finally determined. Whereon a Rhythmer.
When More some years had Chancelor been,
…o more suits did remain,
The same shall never more be seen,
Till More be there again.
Falling into the Kings displeasure for not complying with him about the Queens divorce, he seasonably resigned his Chancellours Place, and retired to his House in Chelsey, chiefly imploying himself in writing against those who were reputed Hereticks. And yet it is observed to his Credit (by his great friend Erasmus) that whilest he was Lord Chancellor no Protestant was put to death, and it appears by some passages in his Utopia, that it was against his mind that any should lose their Lives for their Consciences.
He rather soyled his Fingers then dirtied his hands in the matter of the holy Maid of Kent, and well wiped it off again. But his refusing (or rather not accepting) the Oath of Supremacy, stuck by him, for which he was 16. Months imprisoned in the Tower, bearing his afflictions with remarkable patience He was wont to say that his natural temper was so tender▪, that he could not indure a philip; But a supernatural Principle (we see) can countermand, yea help natural imperfections.
In his time (as till our Memory) Tower Prisoners were not dyet…d on their own, but on the Kings charges; The Lieutenant of the Tower providing their Fare for them. And when the Lieutenant said that he was sorry that Commons were no better, I like (said Sir Thomas) Your Dyet very well, and if I dislike it, I pray turn me out of Dores.
Not long after he was beheaded on Tower hill, 153.. He left not above one hundred pounds a year Estate, perfectly hating Covetousnesse as may appear by his refusing of four or five *Mr. More in the Lif… of his Grandfather.thousand pounds offered him by the Clergy. Among his Latin Books his Utopia beareth the Bell, containing the Idea of a compleat Common-wealth in an Imaginary Island (but pretended to be lately discovered in America) and that so lively* Pag. 405. counterfeited, that many at the reading thereof mistook it for a real truth. Insomuch, that many great Learned men, as Budeus, and Johannes Paludanus, upon a fervent zeal, wished that some excellent *Idem p. 359.Divines might be sent thither to preach Christs Gospel; yea, there were here amongst us at home sundry good men and Learned Divines, very desirous to undertake the Voyage to bring the People to the Faith of Christ, whose manners they did so well like.
By his only Son Mr. John More, he had five Grandchildren, Thomas and Augustin born in his Life time, who proved zealous Romanists; Edward, Thomas and Bartholomew (born after his Death) were firm Protestants, and Thomas a married Minister of the Church of England.
MARGARET MORE. Excuse me Reader, for placing a Lady among Men and Learned Statesmen. The Reason is, because of her … affection to her Father, from whom she would not willingly be parted (and for me shall not be) either living or dead.
She was born in Bucklers-bury in London at her Fathers house therein, and attained to that Skill in all Learning and Languages, that she became the miracle of her age. Forreigners took such notice hereof, that Erasmus hath dedicated some Epistles unto her. No Woman that could speak so well, did speak so little: Whose Secresie was such, that her Father entrusted her with his most important Affairs.
Such was her skill in the Fathers, that she corrected a depraved place in St. Cyprian, for whereas it was
| corruptly writen | she amended it |
| Nisi vos sinceritatis. | This is acknowledged by J. Costerus, and Pamelion on that place. Nervos sinceritatis. |
Yea she translated Eusebius out of Greek, but it was never printed, because I. Christopherson had done it so exactly before.
She was married to William Roper of Eltham in Kent Esquire, one of a bountiful heart and plentiful Estate. When her Fathers head was set up on London Bridge, it being suspected it would be cast into the Thames, to make room for divers others (then suffering for denying the Kings Supremacy) she bought the head, and kept it for a Relique (which some called affection, others religion, others Superstition in her) for which she was questioned before the Council, and for some short time imprisoned, until she had buryed it; and how long she her self survived afterwards, is to me unknown.
THOMAS WRIOTHESLEY Knight of the Garter, was born in *The house of his Nativity is called Gartercourt.Barbican, Son to William Wriothesley York Herauld, and Grandchild to John VVriothesley (descended from an heir general of the ancient Family of the Dunsterviles) King of Arms. He was bred in the University of Cambridge; and if any make a doubt thereof, it is cleared by the passage of Mr. Ascams Letter unto him, writing in the behalf of the University when he was Lord Chancellour,… Pag. 200.
Quamobrem Academia cum omni literarum ratione, ad te unum conversa (Cui uni quam universis aliis se chariorem intelligit) partim tibi ut alumno suo, cum authoritate imperat: partim, ut patrono summo, demisse & humiliter supplicat, &c.
He afterwards effectually applyed his Studies in our municipal Law, wherein he attained to great eminency. He was by King Henry the Eighth, created Baron of Titchborne at Hampton Court, January the first, 1543. and in the next year about the beginning of May by the said King made Chancelor of England. But in the first of King Edward the Sixth, he was removed from that place (because a conscienciously Rigorous Romanist) though in some reparation he was advanced to be Earl of Southampton. He dyed at his House called Lincolns place in Holborn, 1550. the 30. of Iuly, and lyes buryed at St. Andrews in Holborn.
WILLIAM PAGET Knight, was born *Out of the Heraulds Visitation of Stafford-sh.in this City of honest Parents, who gave him pious and learned education, whereby he was enabled to work out his own advancement; Privy-Councellour to 4 successive princes, which, though of different perswasions, agreed all in this, to make much of an able and trusty Minister of State.
1. King Henry the Eighth made him his Secretary, and imployed him Embassador to Ch. the Emperor and Francis King of France.
2. King Edward the Sixth made him Chancellor of the Dutchy, Comptroller of his Houshold, and created him Baron of Beaudesert.
3. Queen Mary made him …eeper of her privy Seal.
4. Queen Elizabeth dispenced with his attendance at Court, in favour to his great Age, and highly respected him.
Indeed Duke Dudley in the dayes of King Edward ignominiously took from him the Garter of the Order; quarrelling, that by his extraction he was not qualified for the same. Bur if all be true which is reported of this Dukes *See Edmund Dudley in our Discription of Stafford-sh.Parentage, he of all men was most unfit to be active in such an imployment. But no wonder if his Pride wrongfully snatched a Garter from a Subject, whose Ambition endevoured to deprive two Princes of a Crown. This was restored unto him by Queen Mary, and that with Ceremony and all solemn accents of honour, as to a *…md. Eliz. anno 1563.person, who by his prudence had merited much of the Nation. He dyed very old, anno 1563, and his Corps (as I remember) are buryed in Lichfield, and not in the Vault under the Church of Drayton in Middlesex where the rest of that Family, I cannot say lye (as whose Coffins are erected) but are very compleatly reposed in a peculiar posture, which I meet not with elsewhere; the horrour of a Vault, being much abated with the Lightnesse and Sweetnesse thereof.
THOMAS WENTVVORTH, was born (his Mother coming casually to London) in Chancery Lane in the Parish of St. *Register of St. Dunstans.Dunstans in the West. Yet no reason Yorkshire should be deprived of the honour of him, whose Ancestors long flourished in great esteem at VVent-worth-VVoodhouse in that County.
He was bred in St. Iohns Colledge in Cambridge, and afterwards became a Champion Patriot on all occasions. He might seem to have a casting voice in the House of Commons; for where he was pleased to dispose his Yea or Nay, there went the affirmative or negative. It was not long before the Court gained him from the Country, and then Honours and Offices were heaped on him; created Baron and Viscount Wentworth, Earl of Strafford and Lord Deputy of Ireland.
When he went over into Ireland, all will confesse, he laid down to himself this noble foundation; vigorously to endevour the Reduction of the Irish to perfect obedience to the King, and profit to the Exchequer. But many do deny the Superstructure (which he built thereon) was done by legal line and Plummet.
A Parliament was called in England, and many Crimes were by prime persons of England, Scotland and Ireland, charged upon him. He fenced skilfully for his Life, and his Grand-guard was this, that (though confessing some Misdemeanors) all proved against him amounted not to Treason.
And indeed Number cannot create a new kind, so that many Trespasses cannot make a Riot, many Riots one Treason, no more then many Frogs can make one Toad. But here the D…stinction of Acumulative and Constructive▪ Treason was coyned, and caused his Destruction.
Yet his Adversaries politickly brake off the Edge of the Axe, which cut off his head, by providing his Condemnation should not passe into Precedent to Posterity, so that his Death was remarkable but not exemplary. Happy had it been, if (as it made no Precedent on Earth so) no Remembrance thereof had been kept in Heaven.
Some hours before his Suffering he fell fast asleep, alledged by his friends, as an Evidence of the Clearnesse of his Conscience, and hardly to be parallel'd, save in St. *Acts 12. 6.Peter, in a dead sleep, the Night before he was to dye, condemned by Herod. His death happened, 1641.
He hath an eternal Monument in the matchlesse Meditations of King Charles the First, and an everlasting Epitaph in that weighty Character * there given him,foreign Med. 2. pag. 6.
I looked upon my Lord of Strafford as a Gentleman, whose abilites might make a Prince rather afraid than ashamed, in the greatest Affairs of State, &c.
God alone can revive the dead, all that Princes can perform, is to honour their Memory and Posterity, as our Gracious Soveraign King Charles hath made his worthy Son Knight of the Garter.
LYONEL CRANFIELD Son to Randal Cranfield Citizen, and Martha his Wife, Daughter to the Lady Dennis of Gloucester-shire, (who by her will, which I have perused, bequeathed a fair estate unto her) was born in Bassing-hall street, and* Register of the Parish of St. Michael Bassinghall. bred a Merchant, much conversant in the Custome-House.
He may be said to have been his own Tutor, and his own University: King Iames being highly affected with the clear, brief, strong, yea and profitable sense he spake, preferred him Lord Treasurer 1621. Baron of Cranfield, and Earl of Middlesex. Under him it began to be young flood, in the Exchequer (wherein there was a very low Ebb when he entred on that Office (and he possessed his Treasurers place some four years, till he fell into the Duke of Bucks (the best of Friends, and worst of Foes) displeasure. Some say this Lord, who rose cheifly by the Duke (whose near Kinswoman he married) endevoured to stand without, yea in some cases (for the Kings profit) against him, which Independency and opposition that Duke would not endure. Flaws may soon be found, and easily be made Breaches, in great Officers, who being active in many cannot be exact in all matters.
However this Lord by losing his Office, saved himself, departing from his Treasurers place, which in that age was hard to keep: Insomuch, that one asking, what was good to preserve Life? was answered, Get to be Lord Treasurer of England, for they never do dye in their place, which indeed was true for four Successions.
Retiring to his magnificent House at Copt-hall, he there enjoyed himself contentedly, entertained his friends bountifully, neighbours hospitably, poor charitably. He was a proper person, of comely presence, chearful, yet grave countenance, and surely a solid and wise man. And though their Soul be the fattest, who only suck the sweet Milk, they are the healthfullest, who (to use the Latine Phrase) have tasted of both the Breasts of fortune. He dyed as I collect anno 1644, and lyeth interred in a stately Monument in the Abby at Westminster.