Saint Thomas More Quote Needed

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About every 3 months, I scour my volume of More’s writings looking for something I very well recall reading better than a year+ ago. It might be now as long as 3 years ago.

I cannot find it now. So frustrating because I take very good notes in all my books. Helps me recall where things are.

Spent better than a hour last night. Scouring. No joy.

I have the “Selected Writings” published by Vintage – part of their “Vintage Spiritual Classics” series.

This is from memory, and I’m bound to get parts wrong. But if it rings a bell, PLEASE let me know where you found it. Even if it’s in another edition.

The part I’m looking for has a couple, maybe 3 paragraphs, of More’s reasoning of how wrong it would be to carry ill will in his heart towards Henry 8th. For if he did, then should the King repent they would be in heaven together. If that not be the case, then More sees how cruel and pitiless he’d be by cherishing resentment towards someone damned from the presence of God.

It’s all much better than that. I just can’t find it anymore. Glad these “fits” (search and fail search and fail) only come on me every so often.
 
richardwy said:
About every 3 months, I scour my volume of More’s writings looking for something I very well recall reading better than a year+ ago. It might be now as long as 3 years ago.

I cannot find it now. So frustrating because I take very good notes in all my books. Helps me recall where things are.

Spent better than a hour last night. Scouring. No joy.

I have the “Selected Writings” published by Vintage – part of their “Vintage Spiritual Classics” series.

This is from memory, and I’m bound to get parts wrong. But if it rings a bell, PLEASE let me know where you found it. Even if it’s in another edition.

The part I’m looking for has a couple, maybe 3 paragraphs, of More’s reasoning of how wrong it would be to carry ill will in his heart towards Henry 8th. For if he did, then should the King repent they would be in heaven together. If that not be the case, then More sees how cruel and pitiless he’d be by cherishing resentment towards someone damned from the presence of God.

It’s all much better than that. I just can’t find it anymore. Glad these “fits” (search and fail search and fail) only come on me every so often.
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Was it something like this:

“More have I not to say, my Lords but that like as the Blessed Apostle St. Paul, as we read in the Acts of the Apostles, was present and consented to the death of St. Stephen, and kept their clothes that stoned him to death, and yet be they now both twain holy saints in heaven and shall continue there friends together forever, so I verily trust, and shall therefore heartily pray, that, though your Lordships have been on earth my Judges to my condemnation, we may hereafter in heaven merrily all meet together to our everlasting salvation. And thus I desire Almighty God preserve and defend the King’s Majesty and to send him good Counsel.”

GKC
 
Nope, not that one. Thanks though. I’m beginning to think it was another Saint about whose life I was reading. But I don’t believe so.

SO appreciate your help though.
 
richardwy said:
Nope, not that one. Thanks though. I’m beginning to think it was another Saint about whose life I was reading. But I don’t believe so.

SO appreciate your help though.
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You’re welcome. I thought that one was too easy.

GKC
 
Found it!

Editors placed it under the heading “Instructions and Prayers.” This is amazing and passing wonderful, says I!

A godly instruction, written by Sir Thomas More Knight, within a while after he was prisoner in the Tower of London in the year of our Lord 1534.

"Bear no malice nor evil will to no man living. For either the man is good or nought. If he be good, and I hate him, then am I nought.

If he be nought, either he shall amend and die good, and go to God, or abide nought, and die nought, and go to the devil. And then let me remember that if he shall be saved, he shall not fail (if I be saved too, as I trust to be) to love me very heartily, and I shall then in likewise love him.

And why should I now then hate one for this while which shall hereafter love me for evermore, and why should I be now, then, enemy to him with whom I shall in time coming be coupled in eternal friendship? And on the other side, if he shall continue nought and be damned, then is there so outrageous eternal sorrow towards him that I may well think myself a deadly cruel wretch if I would not now rather pity his pain than malign his person."

There’s a bit more, but I’ll leave off unless folks what to hear the concluding section.
 
richardwy said:
Found it!

Editors placed it under the heading “Instructions and Prayers.” This is amazing and passing wonderful, says I!

A godly instruction, written by Sir Thomas More Knight, within a while after he was prisoner in the Tower of London in the year of our Lord 1534.

"Bear no malice nor evil will to no man living. For either the man is good or nought. If he be good, and I hate him, then am I nought.

If he be nought, either he shall amend and die good, and go to God, or abide nought, and die nought, and go to the devil. And then let me remember that if he shall be saved, he shall not fail (if I be saved too, as I trust to be) to love me very heartily, and I shall then in likewise love him.

And why should I now then hate one for this while which shall hereafter love me for evermore, and why should I be now, then, enemy to him with whom I shall in time coming be coupled in eternal friendship? And on the other side, if he shall continue nought and be damned, then is there so outrageous eternal sorrow towards him that I may well think myself a deadly cruel wretch if I would not now rather pity his pain than malign his person."

There’s a bit more, but I’ll leave off unless folks what to hear the concluding section.
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Congratulations. I know the satisfaction of finding an elusive quotation.

GKC
 
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