THE SCENE: Even if you were rich and powerful, life in early modern England could still be full of unexpected dangers, as is demonstrated by the passage below where Sir Thomas More uses a ruthless distraction to slake the bloodlust of his would-be killer.
THE TEXT: Where the gate is now, adorned with two noble pyramids, there stood anciently a gate-house, which was flat on the tops, leaded, from whence is a most pleasant prospect of the Thames and the fields beyond. On this place the Lord Chancellor More was wont to recreate himself and contemplate.
It happened one time that a Tom of Bedlam came up to him, and had a mind to have thrown him from the battlements, saying, “Leap, Tom, leap.”
The Chancellor was in his gown, and besides ancient, and not able to struggle with such a strong fellow. My lord had a little dog with him; said he, “Let us first throw the dog down, and see what sport that will be;” so the dog was thrown over.
“This is very fine sport,” said my lord, “let us fetch him up, and try once more.”
While the madman was going down, my lord fastened the door, and called for help, but ever after kept the door shut.
– Brief Lives, John Aubrey, 17th Century AD
