since that time. Wherefore I most humbly beseech your especial good mastership (as my only trust is, and else know not what to do, but utterly in this world to be undone), for the love of God to consider the premises; and thereupon of your most abundant goodness, to show your most favourable help to the comforting of my poor husband and me, in this our great heaviness, extreme age, and necessity. And thus we, and all ours, shall daily, during our lives, pray to God for the prosperous success of your right honourable dignity.

By your poor continual oratrix,

Dame ALICE MORE.t

The following correspondence that passed in the August next after Sir Thomas's imprisonment, between Margaret Roper and Mrs. Alice Alington, the married daughter of Alice by her first husband, is so full of interest in itself, and throws so much light upon Sir Thomas's private history at this period, that it is matter of surprise his biographers should have neglected to avail themselves of materials so important. The letters are preserved in Rastell's Edition of More's Works. (1557.)

Alice Alington to Margaret Roper.

The

SISTER ROPER-With all my heart I recommend me to you, thanking you for all kindness. cause of my writing at this time, is to show you, that, within two hours after my coming home, my Lord Chancellor [Audley] did come to take a course at buck in our Park, the which was to my husband a great comfort, that it would please him so to do. When he had taken his pleasure and killed his deer, he went to Sir Thomas Barneston's to bed; where I was the next day with him at his desire, the which I

* Doubtless the recent prevalence of the Sweating Sickness had been the cause of the great precautions alluded to in this passage.

From Dr. Howard's Collection, 1753.

could not say nay to, for methought he did bid me very heartily and most especially because I would speak to him for my father. And when I saw my time, I did desire him, as humbly as I could, that he would (as I have heard say he had been) be still good lord unto my father. First, he answered me, that he would be as glad to do for him, as for his own father, and that, he said, did very well appear when the matter of the nun was laid to his charge. And as for this other matter, he marvelled that my father is so obstinate in his own conceit, in that every body went forth withal, save only the blind bishop and he. And, in good faith, said my Lord, I am very glad that I have no learning, but in a few of Æsop's fables, of the which I shall tell you one. There was a country in which there were almost none but fools, saving a few who were wise, and they by their wisdom knew that there should fall a great rain, the which should make all them fools that were wet therewith. They, seeing that, made them a cave under the ground till the rain was passed. Then came they forth, thinking to make the fools do what they list, and to rule them as they would. But the fools would none of that, and would have the rule themselves for all their craft. And when the wise men saw that they could not obtain their purpose, they wished they had been in the rain, and had wet their clothes with them. When this tale was told, my Lord did laugh very merrily. Then I said to him, that, for all his merry fable, I put no doubt that he would be good Lord unto my father, when he saw his time. He said, I would not have your father so scrupulous of his conscience. And then he told me another fable of a lion, an ass, and a wolf, and of their confession. First, the lion confessed that he had devoured all the beasts he could come by. His confessor assoiled [absolved] him, because he was a king, and also it was his nature so to do. Then came the poor ass, and said that he took but one straw out of his master's shoe for hunger, by

means whereof he thought that his master did take cold. His confessor could not assoil this great trespass, but by and by he sent him to the bishop. Then came the wolf and made his confession, and he was straitly commanded that he should not pass sixpence at a meal. But when the said wolf had used this but a little while, he waxed very hungry, insomuch that on a day when he saw a cow with a calf come by him, he said to himself, I am very hungry, and fain would I eat, but that I am bound by my ghostly father. Notwithstanding that, my conscience shall judge me; and if that be so, then shall my conscience be thusthat the cow doth seem to me but worth a groat; and if the cow be but worth a groat, then is the calf but worth sixpence. So did the wolf eat both the cow and the calf. Now, my good sister, hath not my Lord told me two pretty fables? In good faith they pleased me nothing, for I wist not what to say, and Í was abashed of this answer. And I see no better suit than to Almighty God, for he is the comforter of all sorrows, and will not fail his servants when they have most need. Thus, fare ye well, my own good sister. Written the Monday after St. Lawrence, [August 13th,] in haste, Your sister,

ALICE ALINGTON.

Margaret Roper to Alice Alington.

SISTER ALINGTON:- -When I came next unto my father, methought it both convenient and necessary to show him your letter: convenient, that he might see your loving labour taken for him: necessary, since he might perceive thereby, that if he stood still in this scruple of his conscience, (so at least it is called by many that are his friends, and by his wife,) all his friends that seem most able to do him good, either shall finally forsake him, or, peradventure, not be able indeed to do him any good at all. For these causes, at my next being with him, after your letter received, when I had awhile

talked with him, first of his diseases, both of his breast of old, and of his reins anew, and of the cramp also that divers nights grieveth him in the legs, and that I found by his words they were not much increased, but continued after the manner that they did before, sometimes very sore, and sometimes little grief, and as at that time I found him out of pain, and, as one in his case might, meetly, well-minded, after our Seven Psalms and the Litany said, to sit and talk, and be merry, beginning first with other things, of the good comfort of my mother, and the good order of my brother and all my sisters, disposing themselves every day, more by more, to set little by the world, and draw more and more to God; and that his household, his neighbours, and other good friends abroad, diligently remembered him in their prayers, I added: I pray God, good father, that their prayers, and ours, and your own therewith, may purchase of God the grace, that you may in this great matter (for which you stand in this trouble, and for your trouble, all we also that love you) take such a way by time, as, standing with the pleasure of God, may content and please the king, whom ye have always found so singularly gracious unto you, that, if we were stiffly to refuse to do the thing that were his pleasure, which, God not displeased, you might do (as many great, wise, and well-learned men say, that, in this thing, you may), it would both be a great blot in your worship in every wise man's opinion, and as myself have heard some say, whom yourself have always taken for welllearned and good, a peril unto your soul also. But as for that point, farther I will not be bold to dispute upon, since I trust in God, and your good mind, that you will look surely thereto; and your learning I know for such, that I wot well you can. one thing is there which I, and other your friends perceive abroad, which, if it be not shown you, you may, peradventure, to your great peril mistake, and

But,

I hope shall be likely to fall to you for less harm, than I sore fear me, for, as for good, I wot well that in this world, of this matter at least, ye look for none. I tell you, father, that I have received a letter of late from my sister Alington, by which I see well, that, if ye change not your mind, ye are likely to lose all those friends that are about to do you any good. Or if ye leese [lose] not their good will, you shall at least leese the effect thereof, for any good that they shall be able to do you. With this my father smiled upon me and said, "What! mistress Eve, as I called you when you came first [on a former occasion], hath my daughter Alington played the serpent with you, and with a letter set you a work to come tempt your father again: and for the favour that you bear him, labour to make him swear against his conscience, and to send him to the devil?" And after that he looked sadly again, and earnestly said to me, Daughter Margaret, we two have talked this thing over twice or thrice; and the same tale in effect that you tell me now, and the same fears too, have you twice told me before, and I have twice answered you, that, if in this matter it were possible for me to content the king's grace, and God therewith not offended, there hath no man taken this oath already more gladly than I would do; as one that reckoneth himself more deeply bounden than any other to the king's highness, for his singular bounty many ways showed to me. But since, standing my conscience, I can in no wise do it, and that for instructing my conscience in this matter I have not slightly considered, but many years advised and studied, and never yet could see nor hear the thing, nor I think ever shall, that could induce my mind to think otherwise, I have no manner of remedy; God hath placed me in this strait, that either I must deadly displease him, or abide any worldly harm that, for any other sins, he shall, under the name of this thing, suffer to fall upon me.