<P_510>

<heading:edcomment:203_MARGARET_ROPER>

Myne owne good Father . It is to me no litle comfort , sith I can not
talke with you by such meanes as I wolde , at the lest way to delite my
self amonge in this bitter tyme of your absens , by such meanes as I
maye , by as often writinge to you , as shall be expedient and by
readinge againe and againe your most fruteful and delectable letter ,
the faithfull messenger of your very vertuous and gostly minde , rid
from all corrupt loue of worldly thinges , and fast knitt only in the
loue of God , and desire of heauen , as becommeth a very true
worshipper and a faithful seruaunt of God , which I doubt not , good
father , holdeth his holy hand ouer you and shall <paren> as he hath
</paren> preserue you both body and soule <paren> vt sit mens sana in
corpore sano </paren> and namely , now when you haue abiected all
erthly consolacions and resyned yourself willingly , gladly and fully
for his loue to his holy protection . (MROPER-E1-H,510.3)

Father , what thinke you hath ben our comfort sins your departinge from
vs ? (MROPER-E1-H,510.4)

Surely the experiens we haue had of your lyfe past and godly
conuersacion , and wholesome counsaile , and verteous example , and a
suretie not-2 only-3 of the continuaunce of the same , but also a great
encrese by the goodnes of our Lorde to the great rest and gladnes of
your hart deuoyd of all earthly dregges , and garnished with the noble
vesture of heauenly vertues , a pleasant pallais for the Holy Spirite
of God to rest in , who defend you <paren> as I doubt not , good father
, but of his goodnes he wyll </paren> from all trouble of minde and of
body , and gyue me your most louinge obedient dowghter and handmaide ,
and all vs your children and frendes , to folow that that we prayse in
you , and to our onely comfort remembre and comin together of you ,
that we may in <P_511> conclusion mete with you , mine owne dere father
, in the blisse of heauen to which our most mercifull Lord hath bought
vs with his precious blood . (MROPER-E1-H,511.5)

Your owne most louing obedient doughter and bedeswoman , Margaret Roper
, which desireth aboue all worldly thinges to be in John Woodes stede
to do you some seruice . (MROPER-E1-H,511.6)

But we lyue in hope that we shall shortly receiue you againe ,
(MROPER-E1-H,511.7)

I pray God hartely we may , if it be his holy wyll .
(MROPER-E1-H,511.8)

<P_538>

<heading:edcomment:209_MARGARET_ROPER>

Myne owne most entierelie beloued Father . I thinke my self neuer able
to geue you sufficient thankes , for the inestimable coumforte my poore
heart receyued <P_539> in the reading of your most louinge and godly
letter , representing to me the cleare shynynge brightenesse of your
soule , the pure temple of the Holy Spirite of God , which I doubte not
shall perpetually rest in you and you in hym . (MROPER-E1-H,539.11)

Father , if all the worlde had be geuen to me , as I be saued it hadde
ben a small pleasure , in comparison of the pleasure I conceyued of the
treasure of your letter , which though it were writen with a cole , is
worthy in mine opinion to be written in letters of golde .
(MROPER-E1-H,539.12)

Father , what moued them to shitte you vp againe , we can nothing heare
. (MROPER-E1-H,539.13)

But surelie I coniecture that when they considered that you wer of so
temperate minde , that you wer contended to abide there all your lyfe
with such libertie , they thought it wer neuer possible to encline you
to their will , except it were by restrayning you fro the Church , and
the company of my good mother your deare wyfe and vs your childern and
bedesfolke . (MROPER-E1-H,539.14)

But Father this chaunce was not straunge to you . (MROPER-E1-H,539.15)

For I shall not forgeat how you tolde vs when we were with you in the
gardeine , that these thinges were lyke ynoughe to chaunce shortly
after . (MROPER-E1-H,539.16)

Father , I haue many tymes rehearsed to mine owne coumfort and diuers
others , your fashyon and wordes ye had to vs when we wer last with you
: for which I trust by the grace of God to be the better while I lyue ,
and when I am departed out of this fraile lyfe , which , I praye God ,
I may passe and ende in his true obedient seruice , after the wholsome
counsaile and fruitfull example of liuing I haue had <paren> good
Father </paren> of you , whom I praye God geue me grace to folowe :
which I shall the better thorowe the assistens of your deuoute praiers
, the speciall staye of my frayltie . (MROPER-E1-H,539.17)

Father , I am sory I haue no lenger laysure at this time to talke with
you , the chief comforte of my lyfe , (MROPER-E1-H,539.18)

I trust to haue occasion to write again shortly . (MROPER-E1-H,539.19)

I trust I haue your dayly prayer and blessing . (MROPER-E1-H,539.20)

Your most louing obedient daughter and bedeswoman Margaret Roper ,
which dayly and howrelie is bounden to pray for you , for whome she
prayeth in this wise that our Lorde of his infinite mercye geue you of
his heauenly comfort , and so to assist you with his speciall grace
that ye neuer in any thinge decline from his blessed will , but liue
and dye his true obedient seruaunt . (MROPER-E1-H,539.21)

Amen . (MROPER-E1-H,539.22)