Page:The Life of Sir Thomas More (William Roper, ed by Samuel Singer).djvu/122

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THE LIFE OF

that your grace and he may vary upon some points of the league, whereupon may grow breach of amity and war between you both: I think it best therefore that that place be amended, and his authority more slenderly touched. "Nay, quoth his grace, that shall it not: we are so much bounden unto the see of Rome that we cannot do too much honour unto it." Then did I farther put him in remembrance of the Statute of Premunire, whereby a good part of the pope's pastoral care here was pared away. To that answered his highness, whatsoever impediment be to the contrary, we will set forth that authority to the uttermost, for we received from that see our crown imperial;" which I never heard of before till his grace told it me with his own mouth. So that I trust when his grace shall be truly informed of this, and call to his gracious remembrance my doing in that behalf, his highness will never speak of it more, but clear me therein thoroughly himself. And thus displeasantly departed they.

Then took Sir Thomas More his boat towards his house at Chelsea, wherein by the way he was very merry, and for that I was nothing sorry, hoping that he had gotten himself discharged out of the parliament bill. When he was landed and come home, then walked we twain alone in his garden together: where I desirous to know how he had sped, said, "I trust, Sir, that all is well because that you be so merry." "It is so indeed,