Henry VIII of England Quotes

Alas, how can the poor souls live in Concord when you preachers sow amongst them in your sermons debate and discord? They look to you for light and you bring them darkness. Amend these crimes, I exhort you, and set forth God's word truly, both by true preaching and giving a good example, or else, I, whom God has appointed his vicar and high minister here, will see these divisions extinct, and these enormities corrected...

For this book is for me and all kings to read.

Well trusting therefore that these urgent causes shall be so indifferently pondered and weighed in the balance of the Pope's judgment and heart, and also his own duty, which things well considered, he having also regard to his oath in the receipt of his dignity which he there actually giveth for observance both of the general Councils and the antique laws of the fathers of the Church, considering also with himself how we at the time of our coronation be likewise obliged both to support and maintain the immunities and princely liberties of our realm and crown, which to contrary I make myself sure his holiness well informed, will never require, since it is prohibite both by God's precept and law of nature by these words. Quod tibi non vis fieri alteri ne facias.

Be not judges yourselves of your own fantastical opinions and vain expositions; and although you be permitted to read Holy Scriptures and to have the Word of God in your mother tongue, you must understand it is licensed so to do only to inform your conscience and inform your children and families, not to make Scripture a railing and taunting stock against priests and preachers. I am very sorry to know and hear how irreverently that precious jewel, the Word of God, is disputed, rimed, sung, and jangled in every alehouse and tavern, contrary to the true meaning and doctrine of the same.

Well-beloved subjects, we thought that the clergy of our realm had been our subjects wholly, but now we have well perceived that they be but half our subjects, yea, and scarce our subjects: for all the prelates at their consecration make an oath to the pope, clean contrary to the oath that they make to us, so that they seem to be his subjects, and not ours.

[We are] not only prince and king, but set on such a pinnacle of dignity that we know no superior on earth.

We be informed by our judges that we at no time stand so highly in our estate royal as in the time of Parliament, wherein we as head and you as members are conjoined and knit together into one body politic, so as whatsoever offence or injury (during that time) is offered to the meanest member of the House is to be judged as done against our person and the whole Court of Parliament.

I shall never consent to his being judge in that affair [sc. the divorce]. Even if his holiness should do his worst by excommunicating me and so forth, I shall not mind it, for I care not a fig for all his excommunications. Let him follow his own at Rome, I will do here what I think best.