Page:The Life of Sir Thomas More (William Roper, ed by Samuel Singer).djvu/74

 House determined for the furtherance thereof to be there present himself. Before whose coming after long debating there, whether it were better but with a few of his lords, as the most opinion of the house was, or with his whole train royally to receive him there amongst them: 'Masters, quoth Sir Thomas More, forasmuch as my Lord Cardinal lately, ye wot well, laid to our charge the lightness of our tongues for things uttered out of this house, it shall not in my mind be amiss to receive him with all his pomp, with his maces, his pillars, his pollaxes, his crosses, his hat and the great seal too; to the intent that if he find the like fault with us hereafter, we may be the bolder from ourselves to lay the blame on those that his grace bringeth hither with him.' Whereunto the house wholly agreeing, he was received accordingly. Where after he had in a solemn oration by many reasons proved how necessary it was the demand there moved to be granted, and further showed that less would not serve to maintain the prince's purpose, he seeing the company sitting still silent and thereunto nothing answering, and contrary to his expectation showing in themselves towards his request no towardness of inclination<ref This show of resistance to the will of the monarch and his minister, was then uncommon. The members, were, in a great measure, named by the crown or the lords, and Henry found them so obsequious to his will, that he convoked them frequently to sanction his despotic measures. , said unto them, "Masters, you