Page:The Life of Sir Thomas More (William Roper, ed by Samuel Singer).djvu/116

 discreetly demeaned himself, that he deserved not to be blamed, but contrariwise to be commended and praised.

And had he not been one that in all his great offices and doings for the king and the realm, so many years together, had from all corruption of wrong-doing or bribes-taking kept himself so clear, that no man was able therewith once to blame or blemish him, or make any just quarrel against him; it would without doubt in this troublous time of the king's indignation towards him have been deeply laid to his charge, and of the king's highness most favourably accepted. As in the case of one Parnell it most manifestly appeared; against whom because Sir Thomas More while he was Lord Chancellor, at the suit of one Vaughan his adversary, had made a decree; this Parnell to his highness most grievously complained that he, for making the decree, had of the said Vaughan, unable to travel abroad himself for the gout, by the hands of his wife taken a fair great gilt cup for a bribe. Who thereupon, by the king's appointment, being called before the whole council, where the matter was heinously laid to his charge; forthwith confessed that forasmuch as that cup was, long after the foresaid decree, brought him for a New