Search York

sentence, bringing not only great dishonor to your Gr. but

manifest jeopardy and peril divers waye«, both afore God

RECORDS AND ORIGINALS. 301

and man, touching your self and your whole state : to re-

medy this in any part there could be taken none other way,

but so to manifest the qualities of those, that you might

your self se what you had don, to what dishonor, in what

peril you had cast your self and the whole realm. For this .

known, it were not possible, remaining any sparkle either of

goodnes of nature, or grace of God, but you should abhor

them, more than ony other man, and seek forthwith for re-

medy : which stondeth only in returning to tlie ordinances

of the Church.

But al resteth in making you to know what you have

don ; considering that he that was counted the wisest of al

princes, either afore him or after him, (which was Solomon,)

made divers great errors and offences, (wherof the grievous-

nes and jeopardy he saw,) and at the doing being blinded

by the same, that took also knowledg from your Grace,

which was by inordinate affection M'hich he bai-e to women.

AVherfore as I say, al the whole matier touching the reco-

very of your honour, and deliverance of al jeopardy and

peril, both afore God and man, it dependeth upon this, how 203

your Gr. might be made to knoM' what you have don.

Which not brought to pass, there was no hope of any good-

nes. Nor there was never man yet, prince or other in this

world, that by offence was forth of the grace and favor of

God, that ever returned without knowledging the same to

do amiss. For whoso continueth defending his act, he aug-

menteth his dishonor, and w^at peril dependeth therof, by

that means to make it greater : so that I say in al such al

resteth, that the delinquent do know he hath don amiss.
But now here is al the difficulty in a prince. Who is he

that wil tel him his fault .'* Who is he that hath more need,

having a thousand part more occasion to fal than other.'*

Who is he that wil not rather maintain by words and say,

it is wel, when it is amiss ; fearing if he should other, he

should displease his prince ? Or if there be ony man that

hath that zeal and love to his princes wealth, above his own

private' profit, yet where is the prince that wil hear him ?

So that of this sort there be very few ; which is the sorest

30a APPENDIX OF

lack that princes can have. And if there be ony, they are

so excluded from the princes hearing, that their good mind

can take but little effect. Howbeit in your case, as tho God

had provided that your Gr., for lack of one to manifest your

state with God and man, should not utterly fail, he first

provided to put your faithful subject in such place that he

might be at liberty to speak : and afterwards putting it in

your mind to ask his sentence, gave him occasion with al

liberty to say, and occasion with that to be heard better by

writing than by present communication. And this occasion

I have not, I trust, let pass. But seeing the danger your

Gr. was in before God and man, for certain deeds that God

suffered you to fal into, for this end and purpose, as yet I

trust to recover you, is higher honor again.

This only ground of al your wealth I have so manifested

unto you, that there never was physician nor surgeon so

sought a wound to purge it from rankling, as I have sought,

explained, and pondered your last deeds. Wherby I reck-

oned your soul sore wounded : insomuch that if I did not

with al vehemence of words both set forth your deeds as

they wer&, set forth your peril that doth ensue, both afore

God and man, of those deeds, with al plainnes ; so that if

ony rancor remained in your deeds, that I had not touched,

ony peril ony way, that 1 had not detect unto you, surely

so much I thought my self culpable of pernicious neghgence

towards you. Which for to escape, this caused me to let

nothing untouched and unsearched, which might be found

in your deeds ; which I sought to the very bottome of your

wounds. No peril that might ensue of them, which I

found great both at home and without forth, except those

wounds were healed, but I found it out. And in conclusion

drew al the process of my book to shew how al things past

might be amended, how al those wounds might be healed,

al perils extued, [eschewed,] and you to live in more honor

and wealth than ever you did hitherto. This is the end of

my book, and here I leave.

But in this course to bring my matier to this conclusion,

because your Gr. heareth many sharp and sower words

RECORDS AND ORIGINALS. 303

which may be thought signes rathei- of enemy than friend,

touching your fame so neer, if you wil, as soon as you hear

them in i-eading, say, this is my great enemy, afore you 204

know to what end they draw; your Gr. doth like as though

one lying wounded in his chamber, and having great need

of the surgeon, after that one is brought to him, which pre-

pareth his instruments, and draweth his knife, to cut the

dead and superfluous flesh, according to his craft ; the pa-

tient, as soon as he seeth his knife drawn, would cry against

him as against his enemy ; and wil not abide to let him use

his craft, wherby he hurteth himself most of al : being most

enemy unto his own health, which by these means he doth

lett. In hke maner your Gr. seing my sharp words, and

not abiding to hear the end, how they be applied to your

wealth, why they were so sharpned, shal of a light sign

mistake him (that meaneth nothing but your wealth) for

your eneniy ; and be hindrance to your comfort, to the

which al my sharp words do draw, and for that purpose

were uttered, and in your wealth do finish.
But the final conclusion of al these discourses is this, to

make you se the troth in al these matiers. This is a true

ground and sure. It lyeth in no mans power, wit, learning,

or eloquence : this lyeth only in the goodnes of God ; to

send you of the light of his Spirit, that if so be his goodnes

and mercy be such, that he Avil give you his Spirit in that

degree of knowledg which David prayed for to be restored

unto him, after his great blindnes he was stricken withal by

his sin, when he prayed, Redde mihi IcBfitiam salidm-is tui^

et Spiritu principali conjirma me ; then this is plain, you

shal not only take no displeasure with my rough writing, in

manifesting to you your offence to God, but think it was

the greatest benefit that ever ony prince, after such deeds,

could obtain of God ; and be more sharper and rougher

judge against your self and your deeds, than ony man be-

side ; and say plainly, I have not said the third part that

might be said in reproof of them. But this judgment and

severity of your self, touching your self and your deeds,

shal end in such gladnes and joy, feeling the knowledg of

moiir.

304, APPENDIX OF
the mercy of God entrlng into your heart, that no joy

surely in the world beside could be compared therunto.

This, if God inlighten you, shalbe the very end of al ;
wherin no mans labor is worthy to be thanked, but only the
goodnes of God. And that it shal come to this conclusion,
whatsoever I hear or know to the contrary, surely I cannot
« He means despair, seeing; God hath rid you of that domestical evil ^ at
Q. Anne i,.,,, , „i ,
Boien, home, wJiich was thought to be cause oi al your errors ; and

lately ^^jj^ j^^j. head, I trust, cut away al occasion of such offences

as did separate you from the light of God. And the better

I am [in hope] that God wil shew his great goodnes to-

wards you, because I understand already, that in place of

her, of whom descended al disorders, the goodnes of God

••Jane Sei- hath given yovi one ful of al goodnes^, to whom I under-

stand your Gr. is now maried. Wherof I beseech Almighty

God send you great and long comfort, as I doubt not but

shal follow. And surely there is none other lett now, only

your Gr. would put off that great burden of your head,

which presseth you so sore, that you have born awhile, to

be superior Head of the Church in your realm ; which no

other prince beside in their realmes, feeling the displesure

of God, dare venture to take upon them, nor ever did,

syneth the Church began.

205 This I wil not deny hath a great appearance of a great

profit and revenue coming into your coffers. And I can

say nothing at this present, but infinitely wish that there

were no lett, but I might confer with your Gr. presently of

this matier. For this I would not doubt to make plain,

that your Gr. should see it, as it were afore your eyes, that

no profit gotten this way were worthy to be in ony part

compared with the profit, the honor, with al surety, that

may be got by leaving off this title ; as the time and occa-

sion doth make for your Gr. now : which if your Gr. doth

let pass, it is most to be feared it wil never come to such a

good point again.

Peradventure your Gr. wil think I speak like a yong

man. I cannot deny, but that I am that yong man, that

have of long time be conversant with old men ; that have

RECORDS AND ORIGINALS. 305

long judged the eldest that liveth ; at these dayes too yong

for me to learn wisdome of, that have learned of al anti-

quity, of the most antient that ever were afore me, and of

my time hath had most acquaintance, and most longest con-

versation with those that have been the flowers of wisdom

in our time. Which I have sought in al places ; and most

enjoyed that wisdom of any yong man of my time. So that

if I were a stock, I must needs know somcAvhat. And of

al my knowledg, for one the surest I have now, that God

hath sent you such an occasion, whatsoever hath been

amiss hitherto, your matiers may be so handled, that your

recover may be more surety, more honor, more profit to

your Gr. than if you had gotten Asia out of the Turks

hands, or don ony other act beside, which is counted most

honorable among Christian princes. For your person alone

may be the occasion of the reformation of Christs Church

both in doctrin and maners ; which is one the highest honor

that could be wished for in this world.

Wherfore, this is the; time. Sir, to cal to God that lie wil

not suffer you to let pas this so noble an occasion : which if

it be let slip now, there is nothing more to be feared, than

the sore hand of God, and his great punishment. Which

for to extue, and for to enjoy this honor, now is the time

for your Gr. to put al your endeavours, and to hear every

mans counsil, that can say ony thing in this matier. Wher-

by, your antient years now growing upon you, you may

finish your time in al honor and joy, not only of your own

realm, but of al Christendom, according to the hope that

every man had of your noble qualities and gifts of nature,

that they saw with great comfort in you at the beginning of

your reign. To whose expectation your Gr. hath now most

opportimity to satisfy, making the end respondent to the

beginning : changing in a maner nothing of that life you

lead now, if that please you, except it be to encrease to

more honor and joy. Only that your Gr. wil not lease this

mervellous occasion, which you have given unto you now

by the goodnes of God. Which cannot be expressed in

few words as it is in deeds. But if God give you the grace

VOL. I. PAItT 11. X

306 APPENDIX OF

to give ear hereunto, then he wil also find the means, that

it may !)e performed to his honor. Whcrin is enchided al

your honor, profit, and surety, to the comfort of al your

subjects, and the whole Church beside.

For the which is my dayly prayer, and of al desires in

this world in my heart the greatest, as knoweth God, the

206 only seer of al interior motions. To whom my daily prayer

is, to make you know my heart, as he seeth it. And to his

protection, with al humble petition, I commit your Grace.

Written at Venice, the xv. of July,

By your Graces most faithful servant,
Reynold Pole.

brar,

Number LXXXIII.
Pole, to the Bishop of Durham ; in answer to that Bishoj)''s

former letter to him.

Cott. Li- RIGHT Honorable, and my singular good Lord: in

niy humblest maner I commend me to your good Lordship ;

advertising the same, that I have received your letter, bear-

ing date the xiiiith of this present at London, the xxviith of

the same. Wherby I perceive, as my letter is come to

your hand, which I directed to your Lordship, touching

the declaration of my mind and purpose, that I had in writ-

ing and sending a book alate to the K. H., as also that the

book should be showed unto you, by the large expressing

of your mind and judgment in the one and the other. And

this was my chief desire, for the assured opinion that I had

of your vertue and learning, that it might so be. Which

our judgment you do so express, specially touching the

book, that in few words you conclude, to have had great

heavines at your heart in reading thereof, and much more

when you had read it through. The cause wherof you do

alledg to be the veheme7ice and sore eagernes therqfin al

parts, and in no part attaining to the truth.

Surely, my Lord, if it be so, the more ye show to favor

me, the more cause ye had to be sory, especially to se me

so vehement and eager, and where I have no true ground

RECORDS AND ORIGINALS. 307

to write therof. But here lyeth al, whether the proof you

bring of your saying be of a sure ground, or no, to sliow

this. Surely the first of al you bring is very feeble, which

is by cause you say, Al the purpose of my book is, to hrmg

the Kings Gr. by penance home to the Church, as a man

clearly separate from the same already. And of his recess

from the Church you write, I bring none other proof , than

hy the fame and common opinion of men in these parts:

which, you say, be far from the knoiclcdg of the affaires if

the matters in England, blindly judging of things un-

knorvn to them. This is the first cntring you make in an-

swering my letters, and refelling the purpose of my book.

Which I persuading my self that you do not write, but of

such a mind as the rest of your letter showeth, desiring to

have me persuaded, as one that you love and favor in that

that seemeth truth unto you, and to have a more clearer

judgment of mine own writing; I trust you wil pardon me,

if, for more manifestation of this truth, in such words as I

know not my self worthy of blame, but I have a just cause

to defend my self in, I do utter the same : promising you

afore God, wheras I have no right cause in such matters 20/

as you lay great errors unto me, I wil never go about to

defend it, but utterly and plainly grant I have don amiss,

and desire also pardon of them I have ofi^ended.

But I afore I answer, and examine better your proofes,

this first of al, my Lord, I must desire pardon of you, if I

deny the first thing you write, and say, that in my mind I

think you have not thorowly read my book, albeit you

Avrite yoit have perused it tliroiigh. Thus I durst not say,

except you your self did minister a just cause for me to

say so. The which is this, bycause in alledging some things

of my book, you alledge those that cannot be found there,

as I shal show anon. Besides this, wheras you make rea-

sons contrary to mine opinion, you bring such as I have an-

swered already in my book. Which I know wel you wold

never a done, if you had read the answer, but rather reply

against my answer, showing that to be of no value, than to

reherse the first answer, wherimto there is already an an-

x2

308 APPENDIX OF

swer made. This must needs induce me to think, that you

have not read the book ; except peradventure it might be,

bycause you write you saw the book with others, that you

might so read it in company, as I have seen twain say ser-

vice in company together, wheras they have said divers

psahnes, that none of them both remember, whether have

said or no, and one ask the other, whetlier they had don

such a psahn or no. Under this maner you might read my

book. This may salve your first saying, that you had read

it after a maner. But after such a maner to make judg-

ment therof, there is no man can say you read it.
But that I speak not this without proof, and a sure

ground, this first I shal show, that you lay first to my

charge. Wheras you write, that in my proof to declare

the Kings recess from the Church, I take none other reason,

but the fame and common opinion of men in these parts.

This, my Lord, you shal not find in al my book. Neither

that I take such an argument by the voice of men here, to

show the King hath separate himself from the Church, nor

yet any other. And the cause why, is, for seeing the Kings

acts, the which al Christendom seeth as wel as I, it were a

great madnes of a writer to prove that to be other in word

or deed, which he seeth with his eyes, or heareth with his

ears. As if a chirurgeon or physician, comeing to one ly-

ing wounded afore him, should go about to prove the man

is wounded. This no man that hath sense would do. But

he that is expert in such things, after he hath searched the

wound, would say the wound is perillous, is great, hath

need of great care. And so I, my Lord, finding the King-

already separate from the Church, in refusing to be obe-

dient to him, whom al his ancestors unto this time, and he

himself the best part of his reign, and al other Princes

christned, doth obey as unto the Vicar of Christ in earth ;

I showed by divers similitudes and reasons joyned withal,

the greatnes of this wound, and peril therof. But that the

King by this means hath separate himself from the Church,

of tliis I put no proof: for this was open to al them that

either saw or heard the acts, or yet doth know them.

RECORDS AND ORIGINALS. 309

So that to return to that I said afore ; you reciting of

my book, wliich was not there, this bringeth me not only

suspicion, but rather a sure knowledg that you have not

read the same. Being surely persuaded that if you had, 208

you would not say otherwise than you found, which must

needs come of malice. The which I can never suspect in

you, neither towards me, nor no man beside. But this let-

teth you not to go forward in reproving the handling of

my self in the book ; as tho you had read it earnestly and

with diligence ; returning to that again which you first ac-

cuse, which is my vchemency. Wherby, you say, / make

viany plagues, but lay little or no salve to heal them. To

this, my Lord, I do say again, that which every man read-

ing my book shal see, that in very deed I make never a

plage, when I discover those that be made already. As if

one had many wounds that were kept close, the chirurgeon

coming did open them, and with an instrument search them

to the bottome. Under this maner I did make wounds and

plages. But howsoever you cal that, you say, that I lay

little or no salve therimto. This you would never a said,

if that you had read my book through, which spend one

great part of my book in magnifying the sacrament of pen-

ance. AVhat other salve would you have, my Lord, than

this, which is the only comfort of mankind, to heal al sores

of the mind ? And in this I spend twenty leaves of paper,

not putting one sharp word : but with al force of wit, and

such learning as God hath sent me, did bend my self to

make open by reason, by example, and by experience, what

jov, what comfort, what honor, what wealth was hid under

this sharp name, that seemeth to contain none of this. But,

my Lord, if God would give him grace to tast but one tear

of pure penance in that maner I have described, he would

say, al the plesure and comfort that ever he had from child-

hood, and al the whole world could give, were not to be

compared to the sweetnes thcrof.
But stil you say, / shew in my xvriting to be stirred and

incensed in my spirit. Truth it is, my Lord, it is no time

for me to sleep, when I saw the Head of oiu* realm, to wjiom

310 APPENDIX OF

I owed as much reverence as ever did subject to his prince,

whom nature bound me to love, and his benefits in that way,

which I esteem above al other benefits, that ever he did for

any, (wherby he shal have more merit of God, than ever

for any that I know he hath done,) in causing me to be

brought up in vertue and learning. Which is nevertheles

afore God, how little soever I have profited: al this to-

gether considered in him, whom I see in the greatest peril

both afore God and man ; attempting such things, and

bringing to effect, as never did prince, sineth the Christian

faith was received of princes of the world, to the perturba-

tion of the order and state of the whole Church; what

should I do, my Lord, if I bare but one sparkle of love to-

wards him, seeing him falling into this deep danger? Wher-

by, beside God, he did al that lay in him, to make twain

the greatest powers in earth his enemies, as the Pope and

the Emperor.
What should I do, those that should give him best coun-

sil, and did, taken aAvay by sword, for their right opinions,

contrarying his plesure ? Was it not time to cry out to him,

in remembrance of that he had don ; to set afore his eyes

the wounds he made in his own soul ; to show him his

peril, and withal to show him the way to recover himself

with honor ? Here is al my sharjmes, that cannot be born,

that I have shewed in my book. What would your Lord-

209 ship in this case ? I cannot believe your mind is, other than

because he is a prince he cannot do amiss, or he doth so