Page:The Life of Sir Thomas More (William Roper, ed by Samuel Singer).djvu/172

 ter, as I haue already declared you in the other, for more plainly I cannot.

Sir, vpon a time at my comming from beyond the sea, where I had bene in the Kinge's busines, I repayred (as my duty was) vnto the Kinge's Grace, being at that time at Hampton Court. At which time sodenly his Highnes walking in the galery, brake with me of his great matter, and shewed me that it was now perceued, that his marriage was not onely against the positive lawes of the church and the written law of God, but also in such wise against the lawe of nature, that it coulde in no wyse by the churche be dispensable. Nowe so was it before my going ouer the sea, I had hard certayn thynges moued against the bull of the dispensacion concerning the woordes in the law leuetycall, and the lawe deutronomicall, to proue the prohibition to be de jure divino. But yet perceued I not at that tyme, but that the greater hope of the matter stode in certayne fawtes that were founden in the bull wherby the bul should by the law not be sufficient. And suche comfort was there in that point (as farre as I perceued) a good season, that the counsayle on the tother part, were fayne to bring forth a brief, by which they pretended those defawtes to be supplied; the trueth of whych brief was by the Kynge's counsayle suspected, and much dilygence was there after done for the tryall of that point: wherin what was finally founden, eyther I neuer knewe, or elles I do not remember. But I rehearse you thys, too the entent you shall knowe that the first tyme that euer I hard that poynt moued, that it shoulde be in suche hyghe degree againste the lawe of nature, was the tyme in which as I beganne to tell you, the Kynge's Grace shewed it me hymselfe, and layde the Byble open before me, and there redde me the woordes that moued his Highnes and dyuers other erudite persons so to thynke, and asked me further what my selfe thought thereon. At whych tyme, not presuming to looke that his Highnes should any thyng take that point for the more proued or improued, for my poore minde in so great a matter, I shewed neuerthelesss (as my duety was at hys commaundement) what thyng I thought vpon the woordes which I there redde. Wherevpon hys Hyghnes acceptyng benignely my sodaine vnaduised aunswere, commaunded me to commune further wyth Mayster