improvement, almost unknown in the country. The provisions for maintaining this order, and keeping his household pure from corrupt communications were admirable. In his ample establishment at Chelsea, we find that there was a library, well furnished for the period, a room stored with objects of natural history, and instruments for the study of astronomy, and particularly of music, of which rational amusement he was extremely fond. Added to this, he had an extensive garden well laid out for pleasure and utility; and as a preventive of idleness, and to afford his servants a little resource of their own, he allotted to every man his plot of ground, which he was to cultivate and make the best of.

When people would come to him with tales of things done or spoken against themselves or him, he would always make the best of the matter he could: and when the thing could not be defended, he would excuse it on the ground of the intention.

Another regulation was admirable, and from which a useful hint might be taken in our own days. During meals, in order to prevent that sort of trifling or improper conversation before children and servants, against which there is always reason to guard, he or dered such books to be read aloud as might prove instructive, and afterwards furnish matter for entertaining and rational conversation. When the reading

Thus in his Utopia:-"They begin every dinner and supper by reading something that pertaineth to good manners and virtue, but it is short, that no man may be wearied by it; and thereupon the elders take occasion for honest discourse, but neither tedious nor unpleasing. -They also gladly hear the young men venture their opinions, and purposely provoke them to talk, that they may have a proof of every man's wit and understanding."

Inscription for a Refectory.

Νουν χρη θεασθαι.

PLATO.

Look first to the mind.

The Mind be thy first anxious care:
Next let the Body claim its share.

was ended, he would ask some one how he understood such and such a passage; this at once excited them to exert their attention, and led to friendly communications, generally seasoned with some jest or other. Many of his pleasant sayings are written, but who, says Cresacre, "could record the witty things and mirthful phrases which daily fell from him in his peculiar discourse?"

If he heard any one at his table beginning to detract his neighbour, he would break off the conversation in some such way as this-"You say you don't like the fashion of my dining-room! well now, by your leave, sir, I think it well contrived, and fairly built enough."

It is remarked of him, that though singularly inattentive to his own person and individual concerns, he was ever solicitous about those of others, and ever ready with a well-timed hint, and a piece of useful advice thrown in, as it were, accidentally.*

Nor while attending to the moral wants of his household, was More inattentive to a still loftier and more important object-their duty to their Maker. It was his custom to rise very early himself, and to require his household to be up by times: he would then call them together to prayers, which he himself recited, together with certain Psalms which he had selected and caused to be transcribed neatly in a volume. During the Holy week, he would have the passion from one of the Evangelists read each day, in presence of all his family, and he would here and there explain the text in the way of comment and exhortation.

Sleep is so like death," says a father of the church, "that I dare not venture on it without prayer." Impressed with this truth, More repaired with his whole household to the chapel at a fixed hour every evening, and himself said the prayers in which they all joined.

* Good words that come of course, far less do please,
Than those that fall by sweet contingencies.

Herrick (1640).

He never entered upon any business of importance, says Roper, as for instance, when he was first chosen to the privy-council, when he was sent ambassador, appointed Speaker of the house, or called to be Lord Chancellor, without first preparing himself by confession, and receiving the blessed sacrament devoutly, trusting more to the grace of God derived through these holy sacraments, than he did to his own wit, judgment, and experience.'

Roper adds, that being on one occasion sent for by the king upon urgent business, while he was hearing mass, More refused to stir till it was over. He was heard to say, as he left the chapel; "Let us first serve God: the king's turn will come soon enough after." It is satisfactory to learn, that Henry had the merit to be pleased with the piety and independence of his minister.

Another thing worth noticing is the reverence he bore to holy and sanctified places; so solemn was this feeling that nothing could induce him to converse on any temporal matter there, of however great weight and despatch it might be.

We also learn that " he would often go on pilgrimages to holy places, but always on foot; a rare thing at that time, for even the common people go on horseback. Also in the procession on the Rogation week, he would be present; and once when, according to custom, the procession was to go to the confines of the parish, he was requested, for his state and dignity, to ride. His answer was ; "God forbid I should follow my Master on horseback, when he went on foot!"

"And the more to do honour to God's service," says Roper," he would, even when he was Lord Chancellor, sit and sing in the choir with a surplice It once happened, that the Duke of Norfolk, coming on a holiday to dine with him at Chelsea, found him engaged in this way. After service, in going home with him arm in arm, he exclaimed,

on.

"Good God, my Lord Chancellor, what! turned parish clerk, parish clerk? eh! why you dishonour the king and his office." "Nay, nay," quoth Sir Thomas, smiling upon the duke," the king, your master and mine, will not surely be offended for my thus serving his Master and mine! There can be no dishonour to his office in that." And he then reminded him of the story of King Robert of France.*

"So much," says the author of the anonymous life, "did he love the bounty and glory of the house of God, that whenever he saw a man of comely person and good presence, he would say: "It is a pity yonder man were not a priest, he would become the altar so well."

Nor was he less solicitous for the spiritual welfare of his children, of which the following, as related by his grandson, will serve among other examples. When William Roper was a young man, he addicted himself to more austerity than discretion warranted; the consequence was, as unfortunately sometimes happens in such cases, that when this ardour had worn itself out, and was succeeded by a stage of languor, he grew weary of the church fasts and religious discipline. This, too, was the age of new opinions, and of doctrines more soothing to the depravity of our nature. The smooth and easy way to heaven promised to their followers by the promulgators of the "new learning," as they affected to call it, was specious and flattering.

It is thus told in the " Mirror of our Lady," which had been recently published. (1533). "King Robert of France was so devout towards God's service, that he would be in each feast at the Divine service in some monastery. And not only would he sing among the monks, but also he would put on a cope, and stand and sing as a chantor in the midst of the choir. It happened on a time when he was besieging a castle that had rebelled against him, that he was at Orleans on the feast of St. Angan. So he left his horse at the siege and went thither, and took a cope, and sung in the midst of the choir, as he was wont to do. And when he came to the Agnus Dei, and had begun it the third time with a high voice, kneeling down at each time on his knees, the walls of the castle that was besieged fell suddenly to the ground, and so the castle was destroyed and the enemy overcome. And thus ye may see, that there is no better armour of defence against all enemies, than devout attention to the Lord's service."

He began to read the books which issued in numbers from the presses in Holland, and were industriously disseminated through the land by the partisans of the refugees there. The new spirit was infectious, nor was he long in imbibing its influence. And with it entered "another spirit worse than the first," the zeal for proselytism." He grew vehement," says Cresacre," in his new opinions, and zealous in breaking them to others; so that he would be always saying, What a ready way to heaven was now found out, so that nobody need to sue saints' or men's prayers; but that God's ear was open to hear, and his mercy ready to forgive any sinner whatever who should call on him by faith. That faith alone was necessary to salvation, and having that only, he need not to doubt that he was an elect and saved soul, so that it was impossible for him to sin or fall away from God's favour.' So deeply had he drank of this dangerous poison, that he came on a time to Sir Thomas to request him, that as he was high in the king's favour, he would get him a license to preach what the Spirit had taught him; for he was assured that God had sent him to instruct the world; not knowing, God wot! any reason for this misson of his, but only his private spirit."* Sir Thomas, with a smile, and a "look more in pity than in anger," thus addressed him; "Is it not sufficient, my good son Roper, that we, who are your friends should know that you are a fool, but that you would have your folly proclaimed to the world?" After this, he often disputed with him on the subject of religion, but apparently without effect. At length he saw with pain that the new light had so dazzled his eyes, that he could not look on sound argument, but seemed daily to grow more captious, and more obstinately wedded to his opinions, and feeling, to use the lan

Rastell thus expresses it: "He had an itching publicly to preach, thinking that he should be better able to edify the people, than the best doctor that comes to St. Paul's-cross."