A dialoge of comfort against tribulacion, made by Syr Thomas More Knyght, and set foorth by the name of an Hu[n]garie[n], not before this time imprinted

¶The .xiiii. Chapter. A certaine obieccion, and the ansvver therto.

Vincent.

VErelye good vncle, thys semeth so in dede? howbeit, yet me thynke you saye verye sore in some thynges, concernyng suche persons as are in contynuall prosperitie, and they be you wote well not a fewe, and those are they also that haue the rule and aucthoritye of thys worlde in theyr hande. And I wote well, that when they talke with suche greate connyng menne, as can I trowe tell the trueth: and when they aske them whyther (whyle they make merye here in earth all theyr lyfe) they

maye not yet for all that haue heauen after to: they doe tel them, yes yes well ynough. For I haue heard them tell them so my selfe.

☞Antony.

I suppose good Cosyn that no very wyse man, and specially none that very good is therewith will tell any man fully of that fashyon: but surely such as so say to them, I feare me that they flatter them ei∣ther for lucre or feare. Some of them thinke perad∣uenture thus. This man maketh muche of me now, and geueth me money also to faste and watche & praye for him: but so I feare me would he doe no more if I should goe tell him nowe that all that I doe for hym will not serue him but if he goe faste and watche and praie for himselfe to. For if I should sette therto and saye farther that my diligente intercession for hym, should I trust (be y^e meane) that god should the soner geue him grace to amende, and fast, and watche, and praye, and take affliccion in his owne body for the bet∣tering of hys synfull soule, he woulde bee wonderous wroth with that. For he would be loth to haue any such grace at all as should make him to leaue of any of his mirth and so sitte and mourne for his synne. Suche minde as this lo, haue there some of those that are not vnlerned and haue worldly wit at wil, which tell great men suche tales as perilously beguile them rather then the flatterer that so telleth them woulde with a treue tale ieoperd to lese his lucre.

Some are there also that suche tales tell them for cō∣sideracion of an other feare. For seing the man sette sore on his pleasure that they dispaire any amendment of hym whatsoeuer they shoulde shewe hym, and thā seing also besyde that the man doth no greate harme, but of a gentle nature doth some good mē some good,

they praye god thē selfe to send him grace, and so they let hym lie lame styll in his fleshly lustes, Ad probati∣••••m piscinam expectantes aque motum•• At the poole y^t the gospel speaketh of beside the temple wherin they washed the shepe for the sacrifice: and they tary to see the water stired. And when his good Aungel coming from God shall once beginne to styre the water of his hearte, and moue him to y^e lowly mekenes of a simple shepe: than if he call them to him, they will tell him an other tale, and helpe to beare him and plounge him into the poole of penaunce ouer y^e hard eares: but in y^e meane while, for feare leste whan he woulde waxe neuer the better, he would waxe much the worse: and from gen∣tle, smooth, swete & curtice, waxe angrye, roughe, fro∣warde and sower: & thereupō be troublous & tedyous to the world to make fayre weather withal: they geue hym fayre woordes for the while, and put him in good comforte, and let hym for the remnaunte stande at his own aduenture. And in such wise deale they with him as the mother doth some tyme with her childe: whiche when the lytle boye will not ryse in time for her, but lie styll a bedde and slugge, and when he is v•• wepeth be∣cause he hath lyen so long, fearing to be beaten at scole for his late coming thither: she telleth hym then that it is but early dayes, and he shall come tyme ynough, and byddeth hym goe good sonne I warraunte thee, I haue sent to thy maister my selfe, take thy bread and butter with thee, thou shalte not bee beaten at all. And thus, so she maye sende hym mery forth at y^e dore that he wepe not in her sight at home, she studieth not much vpon the matter though he be taken tardye and beatē whē he cometh to scoole. Surely thus I feare me fare there many friers & states chaplaynes to, in

••omforte geuing to greate men when they be loth to ••isplease thē. I cannot commende their thus doing, ••ut surely I feare me thus they doe.