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EXECUTION OF FISHER AND MORE.

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his sentence there.1 He walked from 2 the Towerfeebly, however, and with a stick, for he was weak from long confinement.4.

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The sentence was 5 inevitable. It was pronounced in the ordinary form; but the usual punishment for treason was commuted, as it had been with Fisher, to death upon the scaffold; and this last favour was communicated as a special instance of the royal clemency. More's wit was always ready. "God forbid," he answered, “that the King should show any more such mercy unto 10 any of my friends; and God bless 11 all my posterity from such pardons."....

The scaffold had been awkwardly 12 erected, and shook as he placed his 13 foot upon the ladder. “See me safe up," "14 he said 15 to Kingston; "for my coming down I can shift for myself." 16 He began to speak to the people, but the Sheriff begged him not to proceed, and he contented himself with asking for 17 their prayers, 18 and desiring them to bear witness for him that 19 he died in the faith of the holy Catholic Church, and a faithful servant of God and the King. He then repeated the Miserere Psalm on his 20 knees; and when he had ended

1 Who ever listened to......there, qui eût jamais écouté......dans cette enceinte2 he walked from, il s'y rendit à pied de—3 feebly, however, and with, d'un pas chancelant, toutefois, et appuyé surfor he was, etc.......confinement, affaibli qu'il était par sa longue captivité-5 was, était-6 was, fut-7 the usual punishment for treason, la peine infligée d'ordinaire pour crime de trahison-8 it had been with F., elle l'avait été pour F.-9 to death, en une condamnation à mort-10 God forbid......that......should show any more...... unto, à Dieu ne plaise......que......montre jamais plus.....à— 11 bless, garde-12 awkwardly, maladroitement-13 as he placed his, lorsqu'il mit le 14 see me safe up, aidez-moi à monter-15" said he❞ 16 for, etc....... myself, quant à descendre, je m'en tirerai bien moimême-17 with asking for, de solliciter-18 their prayers, les prières des assistants-19 and desiring, etc.......that, et de leur demander de lui rendre témoignage que—20 on his, à.

and had risen,1 the executioner, with an emotion which promised ill for the manner in which his part in the3 tragedy would be accomplished, begged More kissed him. "Thou art to do

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his forgiveness. me the greatest benefit that I can receive," he said; "Pluck up thy spirit, man, and be not afraid to do thine office. My neck is very short. 7 Take heed therefore that thou

strike not awry for saving of thine honesty."8 The executioner offered to tie his9 eyes. "I will cover them myself," he said; and binding them in a cloth 10 which he had brought with him, he knelt and laid his head upon the block. The fatal stroke was about to 11 fall, when he signed for a moment's delay 12 while he moved aside 13 his beard. "Pity that should be cut," he murmured, "that 14 has not committed treason." With which 15 strange words, the strangest perhaps ever uttered 16 at such a time, the lips most famous through 17 Europe for eloquence and wisdom closed for ever.

"So," concludes 18 his biographer,* "with alacrity and spiritual joy he received 19 the fatal axe, which no sooner had severed the head from the body, but 20 his soul was carried by angels into everlasting glory, where

1 And had risen, et qu'il se fut relevé-2 in which, dont-3 the, "this"— begged, implora-5 thou art, etc.......benefit, tu vas me rendre le plus grand service— pluck up thy spirit, man, ranime ton courage, brave homme-7 my neck is, j'ai le cou- for saving of thine honesty, pour sauver ta réputation- to tie his, see note, 7-10 binding them in a cloth, se les bandant avec un lingewas about to, allait-12 he signed for a moment's delay, il fit signe d'arrêter un instant-13 he moved aside, il rangeait-14 pity, etc.......that, ce serait pitié, murmura-t-il, que de trancher ce qui

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15 which, ces- 16 ever uttered, qui aient jamais été prononcées— 17 through, dans toute l'-18 so, concludes, c'est ainsi, dit en terminant-19" that he received with alacrity and with a joy spiritual" (see note, p. 44)-20 which no sooner had......but, laquelle n'eut pas plus tôt......que.

* More's grandson.

EXECUTION OF FISHER AND MORE.

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a crown of martyrdom was placed upon him which can never fade nor decay; and then he found those words true which he had often spoken, that a man may lose his head and have no harm."

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This was the execution of Sir Thomas More, an act which was sounded out 6 into the far corners of the earth, and was 8 the world's wonder, as well for the9 circumstances under 10 which it was perpetrated,11 as for the preternatural composure 12 with which it was borne. 18 Something of his calmness may have been due to his natural temperament, something to 14 an unaffected weariness of a world which in 15 his eyes was plunging into the ruin of the latter days.16 But those fair hues of sunny cheerfulness caught their colour 17 from the simplicity of his faith; and never was there a Christian's victory 18 over death more grandly evidenced 19 than in that last scene lighted with its lambent humour.20

History will rather dwell upon the incidents of the execution than attempt a sentence upon 21 those who willed that it should be.22 It was at once most 23 piteous and most inevitable. The hour of retribution had come at

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1 He found...... true, il découvrit la vérité de................. spoken, prononcées-3 that, à savoir, que-4 have, éprouver-5 this was, telle fut-6 an act which was sounded out, événement qui retentit-7 into the far corners, jusqu'aux extrémités-8 was, "made" as well for the, tant à cause des-10 under, dans-11 it was perpetrated, cette exécution fut consommée-12 as for the......composure, qu'à cause du calme......13 borne, subie—14 something, etc.......due to his........ something to, ce calme provenait sans doute un peu de son......, un peu d'-15 in, à—16 was plunging into the ruin of the latter days, se précipitait vers l'abîme de ses derniers jours-17 those, etc.......their colour, ces douces teintes d'une radieuse sérénité reçurent leur coloris-18 and never was there......victory, et jamais victoire......... 19 more grandly evidenced, ne fut plus noblement manifestée20 with its lambent humour, de son humeur enjouée-2 will rather dwell upon the......than attempt a sentence upon, s'arrêtera plutôt .qu'elle n'essaiera de juger-22 willed that it should be, voulurent qu'elle eût lieu-23 most, tout-à-fait.

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length, when at the hands of the Romish Church was to be required all the righteous blood which it had shed from the blood of Raymond of Toulouse to the blood of the last victim who had blackened into ashes 3 at Smithfield. The voices crying underneath the altar had been heard upon the throne of the Most High,5 and woe to the generation of which the dark account had been demanded.

FROUDE, "History of England."

A FATHER'S FIRST LESSON TO HIS CHILD.

My father was seated on the lawn before the house, his straw hat over his eyes (it was summer 3), and his book on his lap. Suddenly a beautiful delf blue-and-white flower-pot, which had been set on the window-sill of an upper story, fell to the ground with a crash,10 and the fragments spluttered up round my father's legs.11 Sublime in his studies as Archimedes in the siege,1" he continued to read: Impavidum ferient ruinæ !

"Dear, dear!" 13 cried my mother, who was at work 14 · in 15 the porch; “my poor flower-pot, that I prized so much! who could have done this ? 16 Primmins, Primmins!"

Mrs. Primmins popped her head out of 17 the fata

1 Had come at length, était enfin arrivée-2 when at the hands of ..was to be required, où l'on allait demander à......-3 who had blackened into ashes, dont les cendres avaient noirci-4 upon the, au-5 Most High, Très-Haut-6 of, à-7 dark, terrible.

8 Summer, en été-9 on his lap, sur les genoux-10 with a crash, avec fracas-11 the fragments, etc.......legs, les éclats sautèrent aux jambes de mon père-12 in the siege, au siége (de Syracuse)-13 dear, dear! miséricorde!-14 at work, à travailler-15 in, sous-16 who, etc.. ...this? qui a pu faire cela ?-17 popped her head out of, passa

la tête à.

A FATHER'S FIRST LESSON TO HIS CHILD. 173

window, nodded to the summons,1 and came down in a trice, pale and breathless.

"Oh !" said my mother mournfully, "I would rather have lost all the plants in the green-house in the great blight last May,5—I would rather the best tea-set were broken! 6 The poor geranium I reared myself, and the dear, dear flower-pot which Mr. Caxton bought for me my last birthday! that naughty child must have done this !" 8

Mrs. Primmins was dreadfully afraid of my fatherwhy, I know not, except that very talkative social persons are usually afraid of very silent shy ones. She cast a hasty glance at 10 her master, who was beginning to evince signs of attention,11 and cried promptly, "No, ma'am, it was not the dear boy . . . . it was I !" 12

"You? How could you be so careless? and you knew how I prized them both. Oh, Primmins!" Primmins began to 13 sob.

"Don't tell fibs, nursey," 14 said a small shrill voice; and Master Sisty (coming out of the house as bold as brass 15) continued rapidly, "don't scold Primmins, mamma; it was I who pushed out 16 the flower-pot."

"Hush!" said nurse, more frightened than ever,17 and looking aghast towards 18 my father, who had very

1 Nodded to the summons, fit signe qu'elle avait entendu-2 in a trice, quatre à quatre-3 I would rather have lost, j'aimerais mieux avoir perdu-4 in, de-5 last May, au mois de mai dernier-6 I would rather......were broken, j'aimerais mieux voir......cassé7 bought for me my last, m'avait acheté pour mon dernier8 that, etc.......this, c'est ce petit mauvais sujet qui a dû faire cela-9 of very silent shy ones, des gens silencieux et réservés-10 she cast a hasty glance at, elle jeta un coup d'œil rapide sur-11 to evince signs of attention, à paraître s'occuper de ce qui se passait—12 it was not it was I, ce n'est pas......c'est moi-13 began to, se mit à— 14 don't tell fibs, nursey, ne conte donc pas d'histoires, la bonne— 15 as bold as brass, hardi comme un page16" have pushed"17 more......than ever, de plus en plus......18 towards, du côté de.

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