50

200. TO MARGARET ROPER.

51
52    When I was before the Lordes at Lambeth, I was the
53first that was called in, all beit, Maister Doctour the Vicar of

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54Croydon was come before me, and diuers other. After the cause
55of my sendinge for, declared vnto me (wherof I some what
56merueyled in my minde, consideringe that they sent for no mo
57temporall men but me) I desired the sight of the othe, which they
58shewed me vnder the great seale. Than desired I the sight of the
59Acte of the Succession, which was deliuered me in a printed roll.
60After which redde secretely by my self, and the othe considered
61with the acte, I shewed vnto them, that my purpose was not
62to put any faulte eyther in the acte or any man that made it,
63or in the othe or any man that sware it, nor to condempne the
64conscience of any other man. But as for my self in good faith
65my conscience so moued me in the matter, that though I wolde
66not denie to swere to the succession, yet vnto the othe that there
67was offred me I coulde not sware, without the iubardinge of my
68soule to perpetuall dampnacion. And that if they doubted whither
69I did refuse the othe only for the grudge of my conscience, or for

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70any other fantasy, I was ready therin to satisfie them by mine
71othe. Which if they trusted not, what shoulde they be the better
72to giue me any othe? And if they trusted that I wolde therin
73swere true, than trusted I that of their goodnes they woulde not
74moue me to swere the oth that they offred me, perceiuing that
75for to swere it was against my conscience.
76    Vnto this my Lorde Chauncellor said, that thei all were sorie
77to here me say thus, and see me thus refuse the oth. And they saide
78all that on their faith I was the very first that euer refused it;
79which wolde cause the Kynges Highnes to conceiue great suspicion
80of me and great indignacion towarde me. And therwith
81they shewed me the roll, and let me se the names of the lordes
82and the comons which had sworne, and subscribed their names
83allredy. Which notwithstanding when they saw that I refused
84to swere the same my self, not blaming any other man that had
85sworne, I was in conclusion commanded to goe downe in to the
86gardein, and there vpon I taried in the olde burned chamber,
87that loketh in to the gardein and wolde not go downe because
88of the heate. In that time saw I Maister Doctour Lattemer come
89in to the gardein, and ther walked he with diuers other doctours
90and chapleins of my Lorde of Caunterbury, and very mery I saw
91hym, for he laughed, and toke one or tweyne aboute the necke so
92handsomely, that if they had been women, I wolde haue went
93he had ben waxen wanton. After that came Master Doctour Wilson
94forth from the lordes and was with two gentilmen brought

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95by me, and gentilmanly sent straight vnto the Towre. What time
96my Lorde of Rochester was called in before them, that can not I
97tell. But at night I herd that he had ben before them, but where
98he remayned that night, and so forth till he was sent hither, I
99neuer harde. I hard also that Maister Vicare of Croydon, and all
100the remenaunt of the priestes of London that were sent for, wer
101sworne, and that they had such fauour at the counsels hande,
102that they wer not lingered nor made to daunce any longe attendaunce
103to their trauaile and cost, as sutours were somtime
104wont to be, but were spedde apace to their great comforte, so farre
105forth that Maister Vicare of Croydon, either for gladnes or for
106drines, or els that it might be sene ( quod ille notus erat pontifici )
107went to my Lordes buttry barre, and called for drinke, and dranke
108( valde familiariter ).
109    Whan they had played their pageant and were gone out of the
110place, than was I called in again. And than was it declared vnto
111me, what a nomber had sworne, euen since I went aside, gladly,
112without any styckinge. Wherin I laid no blame in no man, but
113for mine owne self answered as before. Now as well before as than,
114they somewhat laide vnto me for obstinacye, that where as before,
115sith I refused to swere, I wolde not declare any speciall parte of that
116othe that grudged my conscience, and open the cause wherfore.
117For therunto I had said to them, that I ferid lest the Kinges Highnes
118wolde as they saide take displeasure inough towarde me for
119the only refusal of the othe. And that if I should open and disclose
120the causes why, I shoulde therwith but further exasperate his

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121Highnes, which I wolde in no wise do, but rather wolde I abide
122al the daunger and harme that might come towarde me, than giue
123his Highnes any occasion of further displeasure, than the offringe
124of the oth vnto me of pure necessite constrained me. Howbeit when
125they diuers times imputed this to me for stubbernes and obstinacie
126that I wolde neither swere the oth, nor yet declare the causes why,
127I declined thus farre toward them, that rather than I wolde be
128accompted for obstinate, I wolde vpon the Kynges gracious licence
129or rather his such commaundement had, as might be my sufficient
130warraunt, that my declaracion shoulde not offend his Highnes,
131nor put me in the daunger of any of his statutes, I wolde be content
132to declare the causes in writing; and ouer that to giue an oth
133in ye beginninge, that if I might find those causes by any man in
134such wyse answered, as I might thinke mine owne conscience satisfied,
135I wolde after that with all mine hart swere the principall oth,
136to.
137    To this I was answered, that though the Kynge wolde giue me
138licence vnder his letters patent, yet wolde it not serue against the
139statute. Wherto I said, that yet if I had them, I wolde stande vnto
140the trust of his honour at my parell for the remenaunt. But yet it
141thinketh me, loe, that if I may not declare the causes without
142perill, than to leaue them vndeclared is no obstinacy.
143    My Lord of Canterbury takinge hold vpon that that I saide, that
144I condempned not the conscience of them that sware, saide vnto
145me that it apered well, that I did not take it for a very sure thinge
146and a certaine, that I might not lawfully swere it, but rather as a
147thinge vncertain and doubtfull. But than (said my Lord) you
148knowe for a certenty and a thinge without doubt, that you be
149bownden to obey your souerain lorde your Kyng. And therfore
150are ye bounden to leaue of the doute of your vnsure conscience
151in refusinge the othe, and take the sure way in obeying of your
152prince, and swere it. Now al was it so, that in mine owne minde
153me thought my self not concluded, yet this argument semed me
154sodenly so suttle and namely with such authorite comminge out
155of so noble a prelate's mouth, that I coulde againe answere nothinge
156therto but only that I thought my self I might not well do so,
157because that in my conscience this was one of the cases, in which
158I was bounden that I shoulde not obey my prince, sith that what
159so euer other folke thought in the matter, (whose conscience and
160learninge I wolde not condempe nor take vpon me to iudge) yet
161in my conscience the trouth semed on the tother side. Wherin I

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162had not enformed my conscience neither sodeinly nor sleightley,
163but by longe laysure and diligent serche for the matter. And of
164trouth if that reason may conclude, than haue we a redy way to
165avoyde all perplexities. For in what so euer matters the doctours
166stande in great doubt, the Kynges commaundement giuen vpon
167whither side he list soyleth all the doutes.
168    Than said my Lorde of Westminster to me, that how so euer
169the matter semed vnto mine owne minde, I had cause to feare
170that mine owne minde was erronious, when I see the great counsail
171of the realme determine of my mynde the contrary, and that therfore
172I ought to chaunge my conscience. To that I answered, that
173if there were no mo but my self vpon my side, and the whole
174Parlement vpon the tother, I wolde be sore afraide to lene to mine
175owne mynde only against so many. But on the other side, if it
176so be, that in some thinges for which I refuse the oth, I haue (as
177I thinke I haue) vpon my parte as great a counsail and a greater
178to, I am not than bounden to change my conscience, and conferme
179it to the counsail of one realme, against the generall counsail of
180Christendome. Vpon this Maister Secretary (as he that tenderly
181fauoreth me), saide and sware a gret oth, that he had leuer that
182his owne only sonne (which is of trouth a goodly yonge gentilman,
183and shall I trust come to much worship) had lost his hedde, than
184that I shoulde thus haue refused the oth. For surely the Kynges
185Highnes wolde now conceiue a great suspicion against me, and
186thinke that the matter of the nonne of Canterbury was all contriued
187by my drift. To which I saide that the contrary was true
188and well knowen, and what so euer shoulde mishap me, it laye
189not in my powre to helpe it without perill of my soule. Than did
190my Lorde Chaunceller repete before me my refusell vnto Mister
191Secretary, as to hym that was going vnto the Kynges Grace. And
192in the rehearsing, his Lordship repeted again, that I denied not
193but was content to sware to the succession. Wherunto I said, that
194as for that poynt, I wolde be content, so that I might se my oth
195in that poynt so framed in such a maner as might stande with
196my conscience.
197    Than said my Lorde: 'Mary, Maister Secretary marke that to,
198that he will not sware that neither, but vnder some certaine maner.'
199'Verily no, my Lorde,' quoth I, 'but that I will see it made in such

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200wise first, as I shall my self se, that I shall neither be forsworne nor
201swere against my conscience. Surely as to swere to the succession
202I see no perill, but I thought and thinke it reason, that to mine
203owne othe I loke well my self, and be of counsaile also in the
204fashion, and neuer entended to swere for a pece, and set my hande
205to the whole othe. How be it (as helpe me God), as touchinge the
206whole othe, I neuer withdrewe any man from it, nor neuer aduised
207any to refuse it, nor neuer put, nor will, any scruple in any
208mannes hedde, but leaue euery man to his owne conscience. And
209me thinketh in good faith, that so were it good reason that euery
210man shoulde leaue me to myne.'
211

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212

202. TO MARGARET ROPER.

213
215
216    If I had not ben, my derely beloued doughter, at a
217firme and fast point, (I trust in God's great mercie) this good great
218while before, your lamentable letter had not a litle abashed me,
219surely farre aboue all other thynges, of which I here diuers times
220not a fewe terrible towarde me. But surely they all towched me
221neuer so nere, nor were so greuous vnto me, as to se you, my welbeloued
222childe, in such vehement piteous maner labour to perswade
223vnto me, that thinge wherin I haue of pure necessite for
224respect vnto myne owne soule, so often gyuen you so precise
225answere before. Wherin as towchinge the pointes of your letter,
226I can make none answere, for I doubt not but you well remembre,
227that the matters which moue my conscience (without declaracion
228wherof I can nothinge touche the poyntes) I haue sondry tymes

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229shewed you that I will disclose them to no man. And therfore
230doughter Margaret, I can in this thynge no further, but lyke as
231you labour me againe to folowe your minde to desire and praye
232you both againe to leaue of such labour, and with my former answeres
233to holde your self content.
234    A deadly grief vnto me, and moch more deadly than to here
235of mine owne death, (for the feare therof, I thanke our Lorde, the
236feare of hel, the hope of heauen and the passion of Christ daily
237more and more aswage), is that I perceiue my good sonne your
238husband, and you my good doughter, and my good wife, and mine
239other good children and innocent frendes, in great displeasure
240and daunger of great harme therby. The let wherof, while it lieth
241not in my hand, I can no further but commit all vnto God. ( Nam
242in manu Dei ) saith the scripture ( cor regis est, et sicut diuisiones
243aquarum quocunque voluerit, impellit illud ) whose highe goodnes
244I most humbly besech to encline the noble harte of the Kynges
245Highnes to the tender fauor of you all, and to fauour me no better
246than God and my self knowe that my faithfull hart toward hym
247and my dayly prayour for hym, do deserue. For surely if his Highnes
248might inwardlie see my true minde such as God knoweth it
249is, it wolde (I trust) sone aswage his high displeasure. Which
250while I can in this worlde neuer in such wise shewe, but that his
251Grace may be perswaded to beleue the contrary of me, I can no
252further go, but put all in the handes of hym, for feare of whose
253displeasure for the saue garde of my soule stirred by mine owne
254conscience (without insectacion or reproch laieng to any other
255mans) I suffre and endure this trouble. Out of which I besech
256hym to bringe me, when his will shall be, in to his endelesse blisse
257of heauen, and in the meane while, gyue me grace and you both
258in all our agonies and troubles, deuoutly roto resort prostrate vnto
259the remembraunce of that bitter agony, which our Sauiour suffred
260before his passion at the Mount. And if we diligently so do, I
261verily trust we shall find therin great comfort and consolacion.
262And thus my deare doughter the blessed spiritt of Christ for his
263tender mercy gouerne and guide you all, to his pleasure and your
264weale and comfortes both body and soule.
265
268

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269

211. TO MARGARET ROPER.

270
272
273    Your doughterly louyng letter, my derely beloued
274childe was and is, I faithfully assure you, much more inward
275comfort vnto me, then my penne can wel expresse you, for
276diuers thinges that I marked therin but of all thinges most especially,
277for that God of his high goodnes geueth you the grace to
278consider the incomparable difference, betwene the wretched estate
279of this present lyfe, and the welthy state of the lyfe to come, for
280them that dye in God, and to praye God in such a good Christen
281fashion, that it may please hym (it doth me good here to rehearse
282your owne wordes) 'of his tender pitie so firmely to rest our loue
283in hym, with litle regard of this worlde, and so to fle sinne and
284embrace vertue, that we may say with S. Paule, Mihi viuere Christus
285est et mori luchrum. Et illud, Cupio dissolui et esse cum Christo .'

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286I besech our Lord, my dearly beloued daughter, that holesome
287prayer that he hath put in your mynde, it may like hym to giue
288your father the grace, daylie to remember and praye, and your
289self as you haue written it, euen so dayly deuoutly to knele and
290praye it. For surely if God geue vs that, he geueth vs and will
291geue vs therwith, all that euer we can well wishe. And therfore
292good Marget, when you praye it, praye it for vs both: and I shall
293on my parte the lyke, in such maner as it shall lyke our Lorde
294to geue me poore wretch the grace, that lykewise as in this
295wretched worlde I haue been very gladde of your company and
296you of mine, and yet wolde if it might be (as naturall charitie
297bindeth the father and the childe) so we may reioyce and enioy
298ech others company, with our other kynsefolke, alies and frendes
299euerlastingly in the glorious blysse of heauen: and in the menetyme,
300with good counsaile and prayer ech help other thitherwarde.
301    And where you write these wordes of your selfe, 'But good
302father, I wretch am farre, farre, farthest of all other from such
303poynt of perfection, our Lorde send me the grace to amende my
304lyfe, and continually to haue an eie to mine ende, without grudge
305of death, which to them that dye in God, is the gate of a welthy
306lyfe to which God of his infinite mercie bringe vs all. Amen. Good
307Father strenght my frayltie with your deuoute prayers.' The
308father of heauen mote strenght thy frailtie, my good daughter and
309the frayltie of thy fraile father too. And let vs not doute but he
310so will, if we wyll not be slacke in calling vpon hym therfor. Of
311my poore prayers such as they be ye may be bold to reken. For
312Christen charitie and naturall loue and your verie doughterly
313dealing ( funiculo triplici, (vt ait scriptura) difficile rumpitur )
314both binde me and straine me therto. And of yours I put as litle
315doubte.
316    That you feare your owne frailtie Marget, nothinge mislyketh
317me. God geue vs both twaine the grace, to dispayre of our owne
318self, and whole to depende and hange vpon the hope and strenght
319of God. The blessed apostle S. Paule founde such lacke of strength
320in himself, that in his owne temptacion he was fain thrise to
321call and cry out vnto God, to take that temptacion from hym. And
322yet sped he not of his prayer, in the maner that he required. For
323God of his high wisdome, seing that it was (as him self saith)

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324necessarie for hym to kepe hym from pryde, that els he might peraduenture
325haue fallen in, wolde not at his thrise praying, by and
326by take it from hym, but suffred hym to be panged in the payne
327and feare therof, geuing hym yet at the last this comfort against
328his feare of falling ( Sufficit tibi gratia mea ). By which wordes it
329well semeth, that the temptacion was so stronge (what so euer
330kind of temptacion it was) that he was very fearde of falling,
331throwgh the feblenesse of resisting that he began to feele in hym
332self. Wherfore for his comfort God answered ( Sufficit tibi gratia
333mea ) puttinge hym in suretie, that were he of hym selfe neuer
334so feble and faint, nor neuer so lykely to fall, yet the grace of God
335was sufficient to kepe hym vp and make him stand. And our Lord
336sayd ferther, ( Virtus in infirmitate proficitur ). The more weke
337that man is, the more is the strenght of God in his saueguard
338declared. And so S. Paule saith ( Omnia possum in eo qui me
339confortat ).
340    Surely Megge a fainter hearte than thy fraile father hath, canst
341you not haue. And yet I verely trust in the great mercye of God,
342that he shall of his goodnesse so staye me with his holy hand,
343that he shall not finally suffer me to fall wretchedlie from his
344fauour. And the lyke trust (deare doughter) in his high goodnes
345I verely conceue of you. And so much the more, in that there is
346neither of vs both, but that if we call his benefites to minde, and
347geue hym oft thankes for them, we may finde tokens many, to
348geue vs good hope for all our manifold offences toward hym, that
349his great mercye, when we wyll hartely call therfore, shall not be
350withdrawen from vs. And verely, my deare daughter, in this is
351my great comfort, that albeit, I am of nature so shrinking from
352paine, that I am allmost afeard of a philip, yet in all the agonies
353that I haue had, wherof before my coming hether (as I haue
354shewed you ere this) I haue had neither small nor few, with
355heauy fearfull heart, forecasting all such peryls and paynfull
356deathes, as by any maner of possibilitie might after fall vnto me,
357and in such thought lyen longe restles and wakyng, while my
358wyfe had went I had slept, yet in anye such feare and heauy pensifenes
359(I thanke the mightie mercie of God) I neuer in my
360minde entended to consent, that I woulde for the enduring of the

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361vttermost, doe any such thinge as I shoulde in mine owne conscience
362(for with other mens I am not a man mete to take vpon
363me to medle) thinke to be to my self, such as shoulde dampnably
364cast me in the displeasure of God. And this is the lest poynt that
365any man may with his saluacion come to, as farre as I can see,
366and is bounden if he see peryll to examine his conscience surely by
367learning and by good counsaile and be sure that his conscience be
368such as it may stande with his saluacion, or els reforme it. And if
369the matter be such, as both the parties may stande with saluacyon,
370then on whither side his conscience fall, he is safe ynough before
371God. But that mine owne may stand with my own saluacion, therof
372I thanke our Lorde I am very sure. I besech our Lord bring all
373partes to his blisse.
374    It is now, my good doughter, late. And therfore thus I commend
375you to the holy Trinitie, to gyde you, coumfort you and
376direct you with his Holy Spirite, and all yours and my wyfe with
377all my children and all our other frendes.
378
380

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381

218. TO MARGARET ROPER.

382
383    Owr Lorde blisse you goode dowghter and your goode
384husbande and your litle boye and all yours and all my children
385and all my godchildren and all owr freindis. Recommende me

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386whan you maye to my goode doughter Cecilye, whom I beseche
387owr Lorde to comforte, and I sende her my blessinge and to all
388her children and pray her to praye for me. I sende her an handekercher
389and God comforte my goode sonne her husbande. My
390goode dowghter Daunce hath the picture in parchemente that
391yow deliuered me from my Ladie Coniars, her name is on the
392backe side. Shewe her that I hertely pray her that you maye sende
393it in my name to her agayne for a token from me to praye for me.
394    I like speciall well Dorithe Coly, I praye you be good vnto her.
395I woulde wytte whether this be she that yow wrote me of. If not
396I praye yow be goode to the tother, as yow maye in her affliction
397and to my good doughter Jone Aleyne to giue her I pray yow
398some kynde aunswere, for she sued hither to me this daye to pray
399you be goode to her.
400    I cumber you goode Margaret muche, but I woulde be sorye, if
401it shoulde be any lenger than to morrowe, for it is S. Thomas
402evin, and the vtas of Sainte Peter and therefore to morowe longe
403I to goe to God, it were a daye very meete and conveniente for
404me. I neuer liked your maner towarde me better then when you
405kissed me laste for I loue when doughterly loue and deere charitie
406hathe no laisor to looke to worldely curtesye.
407    Fare well my deere childe and praye for me, and I shall for
408you and all your freindes that we maie merily meete in heauen.
409I thanke you for your greate coaste.
410    I sende nowe vnto my goode dowghter Clemente her algorisme
411stone and I sende her and my goode sonne and all hers Goddes
412blissinge and myne.
413    I praye yow at tyme conveniente recommende me to my goode
414sonne Johan More. I liked well his naturall fashion. Owr Lorde
415blisse him and his goode wife my louinge doughter, to whom I

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416praye him be goode, as he hathe greate cause, and that if the
417lande of myne come to his hande, he breake not my will concerninge
418his sister Daunce. And our Lorde blisse Thomas and Austen
419and all that thei shall haue.