Page:The Life of Sir Thomas More (William Roper, ed by Samuel Singer).djvu/104

 moved him to weigh and consider his great matter. Who falling down on his knees, humbly besought his highness to stand his gracious sovereign, as ever since his entry into his gracious service he had found him, saying, there was nothing in the world had been so grievous unto his heart, as to remember that he was not able, (as he willingly would with the loss of one of his limbs), for that matter any thing to find whereby he could serve his grace [to his] contentation, as he that always bare in mind the most godly words that his highness spake unto him at his first coming into his noble service, the most virtuous lesson that ever prince taught his servant: willing him first to look unto God, and after God unto him: as in good faith, he said, he did, or else might his grace well account him his most unworthy servant. To this the king answered, that if he could not therein with his conscience serve him, he was content to accept his: service otherwise, and using the advice of other of his learned council whose consciences could well enough agree therewith: would nevertheless continue his gracious favour towards him, and never with that matter molest his conscience afterward. But Sir Thomas More in process of time seeing the king fully determined to proceed forth in the marriage of Queen Anne: and when he with the bishops and nobles of the higher house of parliament were, for the furtherance of that marriage, com-