A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country/Roper, (Mary)
She was married to one Mr. Clerk, and afterwards to Mr. James Basset; and, being from her childhood instructed in languages, was mistress both of the Greek and Latin, and left behind her some specimens of her abilities, viz. Orations in Greek and Latin, translated into English by John Monser; The Ecclesiastical History of Eusebius, a translation from the Latin into English, M. S. &c.
Erasmus says, "More hath built, at Chelsea, a commodious house, where he converseth affably with his family, his wife, son, and daughter-in-law, his three daughters, and their husbands, with eleven grand-children: there is not any man living so loving to his children as he: and such is the excellence of his temper, that whatsoever happeneth that could not be prevented, he loveth it so as though nothing could happen more happily. You would say, there was in that place Plato's academy; but I do the house an injury, in comparing it to Plato's academy, wherein there were only disputations of numbers and geometrical figures, and sometimes of moral virtues, I should rather call the house a school or university of Christian religion; for there is none therein but readeth or studieth the liberal sciences; their especial care is piety and virtue; there is no quarrelling nor intemperate words heard, none seen idle: which houshold discipline that worthy gentleman doth not govern by proud words, but with all kind and courteous benevolence; every body performeth his duty, yet is there always alacrity: neither is sober mirth any thing wanting, &c."
Mrs. Roper had a ready wit, a quick conception, tenacious memory, a fine imagination, and was very happy in her sentiments and way of expressing herself upon all occasions. Under the tuition of learned masters, she became a perfect mistress of the Greek and Latin tongues, and well acquainted with philosophy, astronomy, physic, arithmetic, logic, rhetoric, and music. The several letters her father wrote to her, will be a perpetual testimony of his high esteem for her great learning and distinguished abilities.
So fond was Sir Thomas of this his darling daughter, that his life in a manner was wrapped up in her's. Contrary to all expectation, she was restored to perfect health, after a very dangerous illness; had it been otherwise, her father solemnly protested he never would have meddled with any worldly matters after.
About 1528, in the 20th year of her age, she was very happily married to William Roper, of Eltham, in Kent, Esq.; a gentleman whom Erasmus stiles Eruditissimum Roperum, a lover of learning, and who studied the same things as they did; which produced a cordial and indissoluble friendship through the whole family, who lived all together, with happiness not to be expressed, till the time that Sir Thomas was taken into custody, imprisoned in the Tower, and at last cut off, in such a manner as to be the subject of amazement to all Europe.
By this gentleman she had two sons, and three daughters; of whose education she took the same care as had been taken of her own. The famous Roger Ascham tells us, that she was very desirous of having him for their tutor; but he would not then leave the university.
She was personally known to, and frequently corresponded with the great Erasmus, who highly valued her parts and learning, stiling her Britanniæ Decus; insomuch that when her father had sent him a very valuable present of a picture, representing himself and his whole family, drawn by Hans Holbein, Erasmus returned him his most grateful acknowledgements for such an acceptable present, in a Latin epistle to this lady; in which he tells her, that nothing could give him a more sensible pleasure, than he had in the view of the picture he had just received, wherein a family he so much respected, was so exactly delineated, especially as it was done by one he had recommended to her father; adding, that though he knew every person represented in the picture at first sight, yet he was most pleased with her's, which brought to mind all the excellent qualities he had long admired in her. She soon returned the compliment in an elegant epistle. Though he had a vast number of noble patrons, who would gladly have had their names and memories perpetuated in his works, he chose to dedicate to this young lady some Hymns of Prudentius.
As she had in her younger days been very assiduous in acquiring the learned languages; afterwards she was eager in the studies of philosophy, astronomy, physic, and the holy scriptures. The two last of which were recommended to her by her father, as the employment of the remaining part of her life. A little before the king's divorce, Sir Thomas resigned the great seal, that he might have no concern in that affair, which he did not approve.
This happy society was soon after dissolved, each going to their respective places of abode; only Mrs. Roper and her husband contrived to live in the next house to her father. But even this continued not long; for the oath of supremacy being tendered to him, on his refusal to take it, he was committed to the custody of the abbot of Westminster, from whence he was soon after sent to the Tower, to the inexpressible affliction of Mrs. Roper; who by her incessant entreaties at last got leave to make him a visit there; where she used all the arguments, reason, and eloquence she was mistress of, to bring him to a compliance with the oath, notwithstanding she herself took it with this exception, "as far as would stand with the law of God," that if it had been possible she might have saved his life: but all proved ineffectual, his conscience being dearer to him than any worldly consideration whatever; even that of his favourite daughter's peace and happiness.
Dr. Knight, in his Life of Erasmus, says, "that after sentence of death was passed on Sir Thomas, as he was going back to the Tower, she rushed through the guards and crouds of people, and came pressing towards him; at such a sight, as courageous as he was, he could hardly bear up under the surprize his passionate affection for her raised in him; for she fell upon his neck, and held him fast in the most endearing embraces, but could not speak one word, great griefs having the stupifying quality of making the most eloquent dumb. The guards, though justly reputed an unrelenting crew, were much moved at this sight, and therefore were more willing to give Sir Thomas leave to speak to her, which he did in these few words: 'My most dear Margaret, bear with patience, nor grieve any longer for me. It is the Will of God, and therefore must be submitted to;' and then gave her a parting kiss. But after she was withdrawn ten or a dozen feet off, she came running to him again, fell upon his neck, but grief stopped her mouth. Her father looked wistfully upon her but said nothing, the tears trickling down his cheeks, a language too well understood by his distressed daughter, though he bore ail this without the least change of countenance; but just when he was to take his final leave, he begged her prayers to God for him, and took his farewell."
After Sir Thomas was beheaded, she took care for the interment of his body in the chapel of the Tower; and afterwards procured its removal, to be buried at Chelsea, as he in his lifetime had appointed. His head having remained about fourteen days on London Bridge, and being to be cast into the Thames to make room for others, she bought it, lest, as she stoutly affirmed to the council, being afterwards summoned before them for the same matter, it should be food for fishes. She likewise felt the fury of the king's displeasure, on her father's score, being herself committed to prison; but after a short confinement, and after they had in vain endeavoured to terrify her with menaces, she was released, and sent to her husband.
She was, saith Mr. More, most like her father both in favour and wit, and proved indeed a most rare woman for learning, sanctity and secrecy, and therefore her father trusted her with all his secrets. She corrected by her own sagacity, without the help of any manuscript, a controverted place in St. Cyprian, as Pamelian and John Coster testify, instead of nisi vos severitatis, restoring nervos severitatis.
Besides great numbers of Latin epistles, orations, and poems, sent to and dispersed among the learned of her acquaintance, she left written,
An Oration to answer Quintilian, defending that rich man, whom he accuseth for having poisoned a poor man's bees with certain venomous flowers in his garden, with such admirable wisdom, and fine elocution, that it may justly stand in competition with his.
She also wrote two declarations, which her father and she translated into Latin so elegantly, that one could hardly judge which was the best.
She wrote likewise a treatise of the Four last things, with so much judgment and strong reasoning, that her father sincerely protested, it was better than the discourse he had written upon the same subject; and perhaps this was the reason why he never finished it. She translated Eusebius's Ecclesiastical History out of Greek into Latin, but was prevented in the publication of it by Bishop Christophorson, a noted Grecian, who, at that time, was engaged in the same task. This laborious performance was afterwards translated out of Latin into English, by her daughter Mary.
She survived her father nine years; was sixteen years the wife of Mr. Roper; and dying about the 36th year of her age, 1544, was buried, as she had desired, with her father's head in her arms, (which she had carefully preserved in a leaden box) at St. Dunstan's church, in Canterbury, in a vault under a chapel joining to the chancel, being the burial place of the Ropers.
Mr. Roper, who lived thirty-three years a widower, was buried in the same vault.