had no children. This he says he did not to indulge his passions (for
he observes that it it harder to keep chastity in wedlock than in a
single life,) but to take care of his children and houshold affairs.
Upon what principle this observation is founded, I cannot well
conceive, and wish Sir Thomas had given his reasons why it is harder
to be chaste in a married than single life. This wife was a worldly
minded woman, had a very indifferent person, was advanced in years,
and possessed no very agreeable temper. Much about this time he became
obnoxious to Henry VII for opposing his exactions upon the people.
Henry was a covetous mean prince, and entirely devoted to the
council of Emson and Dudley, who then were very justly reckoned the
caterpillars of the state. The King demanded a large subsidy to bestow
on his eldest daughter, who was then about to be married to James IV.
of Scotland. Sir Thomas being one of the burgesses, so influenced the
lower house by the force of his arguments, (who were cowardly enough
before not to oppose the King) that they refused the demands, upon
which Mr. Tiler of the King's Privy-Chambers went presently to
his Majesty, and told him that More had disappointed all their
expectations, which circumstance not a little enraged him against
More. Upon this Henry was base enough to pick a quarrel without a
cause against Sir John More, his venerable father, and in revenge to
the son, clapt him in the Tower, keeping him there prisoner till he
had forced him to pay one hundred pounds of a fine, for no offence.
King Henry soon after dying, his son who began his reign with some
popular acts, tho' afterwards he degenerated into a monstrous tyrant,
caused Dudley and Emson to be impeached of high treason for giving bad
advice to his father; and however illegal such an arraignment might
be, yet they met the just fate of oppressors and traitors to their
country.