Note 207 — Chapter II · THE COLLEGES
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“Fryvelous things, that were lytell to be regarded, she wold let pass by, but the other that were of weyght and substance, wherein she might proufyte, she wolde not let for any payne or labour, to take upon hande. All Englonde for her dethe had cause of wepynge ... the students of both the unyversytees, to whom she was as a moder; all the learned men of Englonde, to whom she was a veray patroness ... all the noblemen and women to whom she was a myrroure and exampler of honoure; all the comyn people of this realme, for whom she was in their cause a comyn medyatryce, and toke right grete displeasure for them.”
Fisher was created cardinal priest of S. Vitalis, in the modern Via Nazionale (the ancient titulus Vestinae) by Paul III. When Henry VIII. heard that the Hat had been conferred, he exclaimed that he would not leave the bishop a head to wear it on. The following prayer appears in the Roman breviary for the feast day of Blessed John Fisher (June 22):—Deus, qui beato pontifici tuo Joanni pro veritate et justitia magno animo vitam profundere tribuisti; da nobis ejus intercessione et exemplo; vitam nostram pro Christo in hoc mundo perdere, ut eam in coelo invenire valeamus.
“The most inflexibly honest churchman who held a high station in that age.“—Hallam. Fisher was confessor to Catherine of Aragon and to Lady Margaret.