[267] Walter’s Life of More, London, 1840, pp. 7, 8. Cresacre More’s Life of More, pp. 24-26.
[268] ‘Maluit igitur maritus esse castus quam sacerdos impurus.’—Erasmus to Hutten: Eras. Op. iii. p. 75, c. Stapelton, 1612 ed. pp. 161, 162. Cresacre More’s Life of More, pp. 25, 26. Even Walter allows that his ‘finding that at that time religious orders in England had somewhat degenerated from their ancient strictness and fervour of spirit,’ was the cause of his ‘altering his mind.’—Walter’s Life of More, p. 8.
[269] Sir Thomas More’s Works, pp. 1-34; and see the note on Pico’s religious history, and his connection with Savonarola, above, p. 19.
[270] Compare this with the line of argument pursued by Marsilio Ficino in his De Religione Christianâ. Vide supra, p. 11.
[271] This remarkable letter was written, ‘Ferrariæ, 15 May, 1492’ (Pici Op. p. 233), scarcely six weeks after Pico’s visit to the deathbed of Lorenzo de Medici.
[272] This letter is dated in More’s translation M.cccclxxxxii. from Paris, in mistake for M.cccclxxxvi. from Perugia. See Pici Op. p. 257.
[273] See More’s Works, p. 19, in loco, v. 6.
[274] Stapleton, ed. 1612, p. 162. Cresacre More’s Life of Sir T. More, p. 27.
[275] Sir T. More’s Works, p. 9.
[276] There is a copy of this translation of More’s in the British Museum Library. ‘276, c. 27, Pico, &c., 4o, London, 1510.’ This is probably the original edition. More may have waited till Henry VIII.’s accession before daring to publish it.