Compare 1577 edition: 1 A parlement holden at the Blackefriers in London. Edw. Hall. in H. 8 fol. Cvj. On the fiftéenth daie of Aprill began the parle|ment, which was holden as then at the Blackefriers, and that daie the masse of the Holie-ghost was soong, all the lords being present in their parlement robes. ¶Now when masse was finished, the K. came to the parlement chamber, and there sat downe in the seat roiall or throne, and at his féet on the right side sat the cardinall of Yorke and the archbishop of Can|turburie, and at the raile behind stood doctor Tunstall bishop of London, which made to the whole parle|ment an eloquent oration, declaring to the people the office of a king. First he must be a man of iudge|ment, according to the saieng of the prophet Dauid, Deus iudicium tuum regi da, &c. Also he must be a man of great learning, according to the saieng of the pro|phet,The oration of doctor Tunstall bi|shop of Lon|don. Erudimini qui tudicatis terram. According to which saiengs he said, that God had sent vs a prince of great iudgement, of great learning, and great ex|perience: which according to his princelie dutie, for|gat not to studie to set forward all things which might be profitable to his people and realme, least might be laid to his charge the saieng of Seneca; Es rex & non habes tempus esse rex? Art thou a king and hast no time to be a king? Which is as much to saie, as; Art thou a king, and dooest nothing profitable to thy people? Art thou a king, and séest the people haue an insufficient law? Art thou a king, and wilt not pro|uide remedie for the mischéefe of thy people?

These things haue mooued the kings most excel|lent maiest [...]e to call this his high court of parle|ment, both for the remedie of mischéefs which be in the common law, as recoueries, forren vouchers & corrupt trials, and for making and ordering of new statutes, which maie be to the high aduancement of the common-wealth. Wherefore he willeth his com|mons to repaire to the common house, and there to elect them a speaker, or their common mouth, and to certifie the lord chancellor of the same, who should thereof make report to the kings most noble grace, and should declare his pleasure when he would haue him presented to his person. This was the cause of the parlement, as he said. But suerlie of these things no word was spoken in the whole parlement, and in effect no good act made, except the grant of a great subsidie were one. But according to this instruction the commons departed to the common house, & chose for their speaker sir Thomas More knight, & presen|ted him on the saturday after in the parlement cham|ber,The oration of sir Tho|mas More speaker for commons. where he (according to the old vsage) disabled himselfe both in wit, learning, & discretion, to speake before the king, and brought in for his purpose how one Phormio desired Haniball to come to his rea|ding, which thereto assented, and when Haniball was come he began to read De remilitari, that is, of cheualrie. When Haniball perceiued him, he called him arrogant foole: bicause he would presume to teach him which was maister of cheualrie, in the feats of warre. So the speaker said, if he should speake before the king, of learning and ordering of a common-wealth and such other like, the king so well learned and of such prudence and experience might saie to him as Haniball said to Phormio. Where|fore he desired his grace that the commons might choose an other speaker.

The cardinall answered, that the king knew his wit, learning, and discretion by long experience in his seruice: wherefore he thought that the commons had chosen him as the most meetest of all; and so he did admit him. Then sir Thomas Moore gaue to the king his most humble thanks, and desired of him two petitions: the one, if he should be sent from the commons to the king on message and mistake their intent, that he might with the kings pleasure re|sort againe vnto the commons for the knowledge of their true meaning. The other was, if in communi|cation and reasoning, any man in the common house should speake more largelie than of dutie he ought to doo, that all such offenses should be pardoned, and that to be entered of record. Which two petitions were granted; and so thus began the parlement and con|tinued as you shall heare.]