SIR THOMAS MORE

Act Ad Scene 3

(Enter Sir Thomas More)
l1l	More	 It is in heaven that I am thus and thus,
l2l		And that which we profanely term our fortunes
l3l		Is the provision of the power above,
l4l		Fitted and shaped just to that strength of nature
l5l		Which we are born withal. Good God, good God,
l6l		That I from such an humble bench of birth
l7l		Should step as ’twere up to my country’s head
l8l		And give the law out there# ay, in my father’s life
l9l		To take prerogative and tithe of knees
l10l		From elder kinsmen, and him bind by my place
l11l		To give the smooth and dexter way to me
l12l		That owe it him by nature! Sure these things,
l13l		Not physicked by respect, might turn our blood
l14l		To much corruption. But More, the more thou hast
l15l		Either of honour, office, wealth and calling,
l16l		Which might accite thee to embrace and hug them,
l17l		The more do thou e’en serpents’ natures think them:
l18l		Fear their gay skins, with thought of their sharp stings,
l19l		And let this be thy maxim: to be great
l20l		Is, when the thread of hazard is once spun,
l21l		A bottom great wound up, greatly undone.