The lives of the most famous English poets, or, The honour of Parnassus in a brief essay of the works and writings of above two hundred of them, from the time of K. William the Conqueror to the reign of His present Majesty, King James II / written by William Winstanley, author of The English worthies ...

Sir THOMAS MORE.

SIR Thomas More, a great Credit and Orna∣ment in his Time, of the English Nation, and with whom the Learned'st Foreigners of that Age, were proud to have correspondence, for his wit and excellent parts, was born in Milk-street, Lon∣don, Anno Dom. 1480. Son to Sir John More, Knight, and one of the Justices of the Kings Bench.

He was bred first in the Family of Archbishop Morton, then in Canterbury-Colledge in Oxford; afterwards removed to an Inn of Chancery in Lon∣don, called New-Inn, and from thence to Lincolns-Inn; where he became a double Reader. Next, his Worth preferred him to be Judge in the She∣riff

of London's Court, though at the same time a Pleader in others; and so upright was he therein, that he never undertook any Cause but what ap∣peared just to his Conscience, nor never took Fee of Widow, Orphan, or poor Person.

King Henry the Eighth coming to the Crown, first Knighted him, then made him Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, and not long after L. Chan∣cellor of England; in which place he demeaned himself with great integrity, and with no less ex∣pedition; so that it is said, at one time he had cleared all Suits depending on that Court: where∣upon, one thus versified on him,

When More some years had Chancellor been, No more Suits did remain; The same shall never more be seen, Till More be there again.

He was of such excellency of Wit and Wisdom, that he was able to make his Fortune good in what∣soever he undertook: and to this purpose it is re∣ported of him, that when he was sent Ambassador by his Master Henry the Eighth into Germany, be∣fore he deliver'd his Embassage to the Emperor, he bid one of his Servants to fill him a Beer-glass of Wine, which he drunk off twice; commanding his Servant to bring him a third; he knowing Sir Thomas More's Temperance, that he was not used to drink, at first refused to fill him another; telling Sir Thomas of the weight of his Employ∣ment: but he commanding it, and his Servant not daring to deny him, he drank off the third, and then made his immediate address to the Emperor, and spake his Oration in Latine, to the admiration

of all the Auditors. Afterwards Sir Thomas mer∣rily asking his Man what he thought of his Speech? he said, that he deserved to govern three parts of the World, and he believed if he had drunk the other Glass, the Elegancy of his Language might have purchased the other part of the World.

Being once at Bruges in Flanders, an arrogant Fellow had set up a Thesis, that he would answer any Question could be propounded unto him in what Art soever. Of whom, when Sir Thomas More heard, he laughed, and made this Question to be put up for him to answer; Whether Averia caepta in Withernamia sunt irreplegibilia? Adding,, That there was an Englishman that would dispute thereof with him. This bragging Thraso, not so much as understanding the Terms of our Common Law, knew not what to answer to it, and so be∣came ridiculous to the whole City for his presum∣ptuous bragging.

Many were the Books which he wrote; amongst whom his Vtopi beareth the Bell; which though not written in Verse, yet in regard of the great Fancy and Invention thereof, may well pass for a Poem, it being the Idea of a compleat Common∣wealth in an Imaginary Island (but pretended to be lately discovered in America) and that so live∣ly counterfeited, that many at the reading there∣of, mistook it for a real Truth: insomuch that many great Learned men, as Budeus, and Johannes Paludanus, upon a fervent zeal, wished that some excellent Divines might be sent thither to preach Christ's Gospel: yea, there were here amongst us at home, sundry good Men, and learned Divines, very desirous to undertake the Voyage, to bring the People to the Faith of Christ, whose Manners they did so well like.

Mr. Owen, the Brittish Epigrammatist, on this Book of Vtopia, writeth thus;

More's Vtopia and Mercurius Britanicus. More shew'd the best, the worst World's shew'd by the: Thou shew'st what is, and he shews what should be.

But at last he fell into the King's displeasure, touching the Divorce of Queen Katherine, and for refusing to take the Oath of Supremacy; for which he was committed to the Tower, and afterwards beheaded on Tower-Hill, July 6, 1635. and buried at Chelsey under a plain Monument.

Those who desire to be further informed of this Learned Knight, let them read my Book of England's Worthies, where his Life is set forth more at large.