Page:The Life of Sir Thomas More (William Roper, ed by Samuel Singer).djvu/19

 good calling and experience, in their perplexities and difficult cases would consult with her, and found, as they afterward reported, as grave and profitable counsel at her hands as they doubted to find the like elsewhere. To her children she was a double mother, as not only to bring them forth to the world, but also brought them to Heaven-ward, by instructing them in learning and virtue. It happened her husband, upon a displeasure taken against him by the King, was sent to the Tower; whereupon certain commissioners were sent to search his house. So upon a sudden coming to her, they found her not puling and whining (as commonly they do in such cases), but cheerfully teaching her little children. They delivered to her their message; wherewith she was nothing appalled, but in her talk to them she showed such constancy, gravity, and wisdom, that they were in great admiration at her demeanour, and afterwards they would say that they could never speak so much good of her as she deserved. To her husband she was such a wife, as I suppose it were hard to match her; for she was so debonair and gentle, that Master Roper thought himself a happy man that ever he happened upon such a treasure; and he had her in such estimation that he would often say that she was more worthy, for her excellent qualities, to have been a Prince's wife. And he again was of his part so sober to her, so sweet, so modest, and so loving a husband, that if he had not