Page:The Life of Sir Thomas More (William Roper, ed by Samuel Singer).djvu/188

 good, and very well learned too, yet would I wene few that loue you, geue you the counsayle against al other menne to leane to his mind alone. And with this word I toke him your letter, that he might see that my wordes wer not feyned, but spoken of his mouth, whom he much loueth and estemeth highly. Therupon he read ouer your letter. And when he came to the end, he began it afresh and read ouer again. And in the reading he made no maner haste, but aduised it laisorly, and pointed euery word. And after that he pawsed, and than thus he said. Forsooth, daughter Margaret, I find my daughter Alington such as I haue ever found her, and I trust euer shal, as naturally minding me as you that are mine owne. Howbeit, her take I verely for mine own too, sith I haue married her mother, and brought vp her of a child, as I haue browght vp you, in other thinges aud in learning both, wherein I thanke God she fyndeth now some fruite, and bringeth her own vp very verteously and well. Wherof God, I thanke him, hath sent her good store, oure Lord preserue them and sende her much joy of them, and my good sonne her gentle husbande too, and haue mercye on the soule of mine other good sonne her fyrst I am daily bede man (and so write her) for them all. In this matter she hath vsed her self like her self, wisely, and like a very daughter toward me; and in the ende of her letter, geueth as good counsel as any man that wit hath wold wish, God geve me grace to folowe it, and God reward her for it. Now, daughter Margaret, as for my lord, I not only thinke, but haue also found it, that he is vndoubtedly my singuler good lord. And in mine other busines concerning the sely nunne, as my cause was good and clere, so was he my good lord therein, and Mr. Secretary my good master too. For which I shall neuer cease to be faithful bedeman for them both, and daily doe I by my trouth, praye for them as I pray for my selfe. And whensoeuer it shold happen (which I trust in God shall neuer happen) that I be found other than a true man to my prince, let them neuer fauour me neither of them both, nor of trouth no more it could become them so to do. But in this matter, Megge, to tell the trouth betwene thee and me, my lord's Esop's fables do not gretly moue me. But as his wisdom for hys pastime told them merely to mine owne