"The King," wrote More, "is by no means displeased that you have changed your opinion, as his highness esteemeth nothing in counsel more perilous than one to persevere in the maintenance of his advice because he hath once given it.

He therefore commendeth and most affectuously thanketh your faithful diligence and high wisdom in advertising him of the reasons which have moved you to change your opinion."[373] No king knew better than Henry how to get good work from his ministers, and his warning against (p.

134) persevering in advice, merely because it has once been given, is a political maxim for all time.
[Footnote 371: _Ibid._, iii., 109.] [Footnote 372: _L.

and P._, xiii., p.

xli.] [Footnote 373: _Ibid._, iii., 2421, 3346.] A lesson might also be learnt from a story of Henry and Colet told by Erasmus on Colet's own authority.[374] In 1513 war fever raged in England.