Compare 1577 edition: 1 For at the consecration of a bishop, euerie man woteth well by the paieng for his buls, that he purpo|seth to be one, & though he paie for nothing else. And yet must he be twise asked whether he will be bishop or no, and he must twise saie naie, and the third time take it, as compelled therevnto by his owne will. And in a stage plaie, all the people know right well, that one plaieng the Soldan, is percase a sowter; yet if one should can so little good, to shew out of season what aquaintance he hath with him, and call him by his owne name while he standeth in his maiestie, one of his tormentors might hap to breake his head (and worthie) for marring of the plaie. And so they said, that these matters be kings games, as it were stage plaies, and for the more part plaied vpon scaffolds, in which poore men be but the lookers on. And they that wise be will meddle no further. For they that sometime step vp, and plaie with them, when they can not plaie their parts, they disorder the plaie, and doo themselues no good.

Richard the third, third sonne to Richard duke ofYorke, and vncle to Edward the fift.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 Anno Reg. 1. 1483 _T This that is here be|twéene this marke & this marke (*) was not written by maister More in this historie writ|ten by him in English, but is translated out of this hi|storie which he wrote in Latine. He next daie the protec|tor with a great traine went to Westminster hall, & there when he had placed himselfe in the court of the Kings bench, declared to the audi|ence, that he would take vpon him the crowne in that place there, where the king himselfe sitteth and ministreth the law, bicause he considered that it was the chiefest dutie of a king to minister the lawes. Then with as pleasant an oration as he could, he went about to win vnto him the nobles, the merchants, the artifi|cers, and in conclusion all kind of men, but especial|lie the lawiers of this realme. And finallie, to the in|tent that no man should hate him for feare, and that his deceitfull clemencie might get him the good will of the people, when he had declared the discommodi|ties of discord, & the cõmodities of concord & vnitie, he made an open proclamation, that he did put out of his mind all enimities, and that he there did open|lie pardon all offenses committed against him.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 And to the intent that he might shew a proofe ther|of, he commanded that one Fog, whom he had long deadlie hated, should be brought then before him, who being brought out of the sanctuarie (for thither had he fled for feare of him) in the sight of the people, he tooke him by the hand. Which thing the common people re|ioised at, and praised, but wise men tooke it for a vani|tie. In his returne homeward, whom so euer he met, he saluted. For a mind that knoweth it selfe guiltie, is in a manner deiected to a seruile flatterie [which refuseth no dutifulnesse, tend the same to neuer so hie a degrée of indignitie; which one noteth, saieng:

—rides? maiore cachinno

Concuti [...]ur; flet, si lachrymas aspexit amici;

Frigescis? friget; si dixeris, aestuo, sudat.]