Page:The Life of Sir Thomas More (William Roper, ed by Samuel Singer).djvu/200

 their wryting, that I praye God geve me the grace that my soule maye folow theyrs. And yet I shew you not all, Marget, that I haue for my selfe in that sure discharge of my conscience. But for the conclusion, daughter Margaret, of all this matter, as I have often tolde you, I take not vpon me neither to dyffine nor dyspute in these matters, nor I rebuke not nor impugne any other man's dede, nor I neuer wrote, nor so much as spake in any company, anye woorde of reproche in anye thing that the parlement hadde passed, nor I medle not with the conscience of any other man, that either thinketh, or saith he thinketh, contrarye vnto myne. But as concerning mine owne selfe, for thy comfort shal I say, daughter, to thee, that mine own conscience in this matter (I damne none other man's) is such, as may well stand with mine owne salvacion; thereof am I, Megge, as sure, as that God is in heaven. And therefore as for al the remenant, goodes, landes, and life both, (if the chance sholde so fortune) sith this conscience is sure for ine, I verelye trust in God, he shall rather strengthe me to beare the losse, than agaynste this conscience to sweare and putte my soule in peril, sith al the causes that I perceue moue other men to the contrary, seme not suche vnto me, as in my conscience make anye change. When he saw me sit with this very sadde, as I promise you Sister, my hearte was full heauye for the perill of his persone, ne, for in fayth I feare not his soule, he smiled vpon me and said: how now, daughter Marget? What howe mother Eue? Where is your minde nowe? Sit not musing with some serpent in your brest, vpon some new perswasion, to offer father Adam the apple once agayne? In good fayth, father, quoth I, I can no ferther goe, but am (as I trowe Cresede saith in Chaucer) comen to Dulcarnon, euen at my wittes ende. For sith thensaumple of so manye wyse men cannot in this matter moue you, I se not what to say more, but if I should loke to perswade you with the reason that master Harry Pattenson made. For he met one day one of our men, and when he had asked where you were, and heard that you were in the Towre still, he waxed euen angry with you and said: Why? what eyleth him that he will not sweare? wherefore shold he sticke to swere? I have sworne the oth my self.