Page:The Life of Sir Thomas More (William Roper, ed by Samuel Singer).djvu/192

 and in that also that his lordship was content to haue sworne of that oth (as I perceyved since by you when you moued me to the same) either somewhat more, or in some other maner than ever I mynded to dooe. Verely daughter, I neuer entend (God being my good Lorde) to pynne my soule at another mannes backe, not euen the best man that I know this day liuing: for I knowe not whither he may happe to cary it. Ther is no man liuing, of whom whyle he liueth, I maye make myselfe sure. Some may dooe tor fauour, and some may doo for feare, and so might they carye my soule a wrong way. And some might hap to frame himselfe a conscience, and thinke that while he did it for feare, God would forgiue it. And some may peraduenture thinke that they will repent, and be shriuen therof, and that so shall God remit it them. And some may be peraduenture of the mind, that if they say one thing and thinke the whyle the contrary, God more regardeth their hart than their tonge, and that therfore their oth goeth vpon that they thinke, and not vpon that they say: as a Woman resoned once, I trow daughter you wer by. But in good fayth, Marget, I can vse no such wayes in so great a matter: but lyke as if mine owne conscience serued me, I would not let to do it though other men refused, so though other refuse it not, I dare not do it, mine owne conscience standyng agaynst it. If I had (as I told you) looked but lightly for the matter, I shold have cause to feare. But now haue I so looked for it, and so long, that I purpose at the least wyse to haue no lesse regard vnto my soule, than had once a poore honest man of the country, that was called Cumpanye. And with this he told mea tale, I wene I can skant tell it you agayne, because it hangeth vpon some tearmes and ceremonies of the law. But as far as I can call to mind my fathers tale was this, that ther is a court belongyng of course vnto euerye fayre, to dooe justice in such thynges as happen within the same. Thys courte hath a prety fond name, but I cannot happen on it: but it begynneth with a pye, and the remenant goeth much jike the name of a knyght that I haue knowen I wis, and I trowe you too, for he hath been at my father's oft ere this, at such tyme as you wer there, a metely tall black man, hys name was Syr William Pounder. But tut, let