Page:The Life of Sir Thomas More (William Roper, ed by Samuel Singer).djvu/85

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SIR THOMAS MORE.
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like his goodness, unto whom nothing was impossible, if it were his blessed will, at his mediation, to vouchsafe graciously to hear his humble petition. Where incontinent came into his mind that a glister should be the only way to help her. Which when he told the physicians, they by and by confessed that if there were any hope of health that that was the very best help indeed; much marvelling of themselves that they had not before remembered it. Then was it immediately administered to her sleeping, which she could by no means have been brought unto waking. And albeit, after she was thereby thoroughly awaked, God's marks (an evident undoubted token of death) plainly appeared upon her, yet she, contrary to ail their expectations, was, as it was thought, by her father's most fervent prayers miraculously recovered, and at length again to perfect health restored: whom, if it had pleased God, at that time to have taken to his mercy, her father said he would never have meddled with worldly matters more.

Now while Sir Thomas More was chancellor of the duchy, the see of Rome chanced to be void, which was cause of much trouble. For Cardinal Wolsey, a man very ambitious, and desirous (as good hope and likelihood he had) to aspire to that dignity, perceiving himself of his expectation disappointed, by means of the Emperor Charles so highly commending one Car-