Page:The Life of Sir Thomas More (William Roper, ed by Samuel Singer).djvu/157

I neuer dyd nor entendid, so I hartely besech you if you shal happen to perceue any man, either of euil wil or of lightnes, any such thing report by me, be so good maister to me, as helpe to bring us both together. And than neuer take me for honest after, but if ye finde his honesty somewhat empaired in the matter. Thus am I bold upon your gondnes to encomber you with my long rude letter, in the contentes wherof, I eftsones hartely beseche you to be in manner aforesaid, good maister and frend vnto me whereby you shall binde me to be your bedesman while I liue: as knoweth our Lord, whose especiall grace both do help and ghostly long preserue and keep you. At Chelchi in the vigile of the purificacion of our blessed lady by the hand of

Assuredly all your owne,

THOMAS MORE, Knight.

 

No. II.

In publishing his (Sir T. More's Works, one piece of Fraud has occurred to me since the former part was printed. I have seen the Manuscript out of which his Letters were printed, where the Originals of the Letters that he writ to his daughter, Mrs. Roper, are; with the copies of those he writ to Cromwell. But among these there is a long letter concerning the Nun of Kent, in which he speaks fully of her hypocrisy and other villanies. It contains many remarkable passages concerning her, of the high opinion he at first had of her; how he was led into it, and how he was afterwards convinced that she was the most false dissembling hypocrite that had been known, &c.—This letter was at that time concealed, but not destroyed. So I find the conjecture I made about it, in my former part, has proved true; though I did not hope then to come by the Letter itself as 1 have done since.

Burnet's Hist. of the Reformation. Vol. II. p. 36.

Sir Thomas More's Letter to Cromwell, concerning the Nun of Kent. Ex MS. Norfolcianis in Coll. Gresham.

Right Worshipful,

After my most hearty recommendation, with like thanks for your goodness, in accepting of my rude long letter. I perceive, that of your further goodness and favour towards me, it liked your mastership to break with my son Roper,