Free The Life of Thomas More by Peter Ackroyd Page B

scaped or proceeded from me aginst your statute, albeit it may well be that my wordes might be wrongfully and malitiously reported to the Kinges Maiestie.
    Sir Richard Rich, will you now stand before us and relate, upon your oath, the substance of your communication with Sir Thomas More in his cell? (
He does so.
)
    Thomas More
: In good faithe, master Riche, I am soryer for your periurye then for my own perill. And yow shall vnderstand that neyther I, nor no man else to my knowledge, ever tooke you to be a man of such creditt as in any matter of impourtance I, or any other, would at anye tyme vouchsaf to communicate with you. And I, as you knowe, of no small while haue bine acquainted with yow and your conuersacion,who haue knowen you from your youth hitherto. For we long dwelled both in one parishe together, where, as your self can tell (I am sorry you compell me so to say) you were esteemed very light of your tongue, a greate dicer, and of no comendable fame. And so in your house at the temple, wheare hath bine your cheif bringing vppe were you likewise accompted.
    Can it therefore seeme likely vnto your honorable Lordshipps that I wold, in so weyghty a cause, so unadvisedly overshoote my self as to trust master Rich, a man of me alwaies reputed for one of so litle truth, as your lordshipps haue heard, so farre aboue my souereigne Lord the kinge, or any of his noble Councellours, that I wold vnto him vtter the secreates of my consciens towchinge the Kings supremacye, the speciall pointe and only marke at my handes so longe sought for: A thinge which I neuer wold, after the statute thereof made, reveale either to the kings highnes himself, or to any of his honorable councellours, as it is not vnknowne to your honors, at sundry seuerall times sent from his graces owne person vnto the Tower vnto me for none other purpose? Can this in your iudgments, my lordes, seeme likely to be true? And yet, if I had done so indeed, my Lords, as master Rich hath sworne, being it was spoken but in familiar secreate talk, nothing affirminge, and only in puttinge of cases without other displeasaunt circumstances, it cannot justly be taken to be spoken maliciouslye. And where there is no malice, there can be no offence.
    Sir Richard Rich
: May it be caused that Sir Richard Southwell and Master Palmer, who were in the chamber with Sir Thomas More and myself, may be sworn what words passed between us?
    It shall be so caused.
    Master Palmer
: I was so buysye about the trussinge uppe of Sir Thomas Moores books in a sack, that I took no heed of their talk.
    Sir Richard Southwell
: Because I was apointed only to looke vnto the conveyaunce of his bookes, I gave no ear unto them.
    Then will I charge this jury to return a true verdict. I ask you, good sirs, to determine whether Sir Thomas More did converse with Sir Richard Rich in the manner alleged?
(The jury retire for fifteen minutes.
) You do so find him guilty? Then I will proceed in judgment against the prisoner.
    Thomas More
: My Lord, when I was toward the Lawe, the maner insuche case was to aske the prisoner before Iudgment, why Iudgement should not be geuen agaynste him.
    Sir Thomas Audley
: What, then, are you able to say to the contrary?
    Thomas More
: Seeing that I see ye are determined to condemne me (God knoweth howe) I will nowe in discharge of my conscience speake my minde plainlye and freely touching my Inditment and your Statute withall. Forasmuch as, my Lorde, this Indictment is grounded vppon an acte of parliamente directly repugnant to the lawes of god and his holy churche, the supreeme gouerment of which, or of any parte whereof, may no temporall prince presume by any lawe to take vppon him, as rightfully belonging to the See of Rome, a spirituall preheminence by the mouth of our Sauiour hymself, personally present vppon the earth, only to St Peter and his successors, Byshopps of the same See, by speciall prerogative graunted; It is therefore in lawe amongest Christen men