Full Merrily
On July 5th, 1535, the night before he was to be executed by order of King Henry VIII, it seemed that Sir Thomas More was the only man in the Tower of London who was happy.
1535
King Henry VIII 1509-1547
On July 5th, 1535, the night before he was to be executed by order of King Henry VIII, it seemed that Sir Thomas More was the only man in the Tower of London who was happy.
1535
King Henry VIII 1509-1547
So highly did Henry VIII regard Sir Thomas More (1477-1535) that he made him Chancellor in 1529, even though More took Catherine of Aragon’s part in the divorce saga. Three years later the opening moves in the Protestant Reformation drove More to resign, and in 1534 he was confined to the Tower, awaiting execution. There on July 5th, 1535, Sir Thomas Pope paid him a farewell visit.
abridged
WHEREWITHAL Master Pope,* taking his leave of him, could not refrain from weeping. Which Sir Thomas More perceiving, comforted him in this wise: “Quiet yourself, good Master Pope, and be not discomforted, for I trust that we shall once in heaven see each other full merrily, where we shall be sure to live and love together, in joyful bliss eternally.” Upon whose departure, Sir Thomas More, as one that had been invited to some solemn feast, changed himself into his best apparel. Which Master Lieutenant espying, advised him to put it off, saying, that he that should have it was but a javill.*
“What, Master Lieutenant?” quoth he, “shall I account him a javill that will do me this day so singular a benefit? Nay, I assure you, were it cloth of gold, I should think it well bestowed on him, as Saint Cyprian did, who gave his executioner thirty pieces of gold.”
And albeit, at length, through Master Lieutenant’s importunate persuasion, he altered his apparel, yet, after the example of the holy Martyr St Cyprian, did he, of that little money that was left him send an angel of gold to his executioner.*
* Thomas Pope (?1507-1559) was a landowner, MP for Buckingham (1536) and Berkshire (1539), then High Sheriff of Essex (1552) and of Hertfordshire (1557). He purchased the buildings of Durham College, Oxford, founded by the Benedictine abbey at Durham in the thirteenth century, and endowed it afresh as Trinity College, which was awarded a royal charter in 1556.
* A ‘javill’ or ‘javel’ was a word for a worthless fellow, a rascal. The Lieutenant was referring to the executioner, who by custom helped himself to the victim’s personal effects.
* Thaschus Cæcilius Cyprianus (?200-258), Bishop of Carthage, who was martyred under the Emperor Valerian. His feast day in pre-Reformation England was September 14th. The Eastern churches commemorate him on August 31st OS (September 12th NS). According to the Acta Proconsularia Sancti Cypriani, the amount was twenty-five gold pieces.
Suggest answers to this question. See if you can limit one answer to exactly seven words.
Why was Thomas Pope weeping when he left?
Express the ideas below in a single sentence, using different words as much as possible. Do not be satisfied with the first answer you think of; think of several, and choose the best.
Thomas Pope wept. Thomas More comforted him. He promised they would meet again in heaven.
See if you can include one or more of these words in your answer.
IReassure. IITear. IIIReunite.