Vol 3 - Lackham Countryside Centre

The Manor of Lackham Vol 3 : The Montagu family
Appendix 1 The Montagu – Roper connection to Sir Thomas More
As was seen above (p ) Sir Edward Montagu II’s third wife was Helen /
Ellen Roper. Her brother, William Roper, inherited the larger part of
the family properties including
West Hall, Eltham near Greenwich and substantial estates
elsewhere in the county, besides having London links as a
bencher of Lincoln’s Inn and “prothonotary” of the court of
King’s Bench 484 .
and his legal duties brought him to the attention of Thomas More. He
married Margaret More, Sir Thomas’ eldest daughter and it was William
who wrote Sir Thomas More’s biography 485 .
Fig. 27 Roper – Sir Thomas More connection **
Margaret Roper was, like all of Thomas More’s children, very well
educated. It has been noted 486 that
484 Bennett, J (1988) A Tallis Patron? RMA Research Chronicle, 21 p41
485 William makes his relationship quite explicit - I William Roper (though most
unworthy) his son-in-law by marriage of his eldest daughter – in the biography
[http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/16croper-more.html] There does not seem to
be a modern edition of his book around but one reference is Singer SW (1822) (ed)
The Life of Thomas More by his son in law William Roper Esq
486 Best, Michael.
Shakespeare's Life and Times. Internet Shakespeare Editions, University of
Victoria: Victoria, BC, 2001-2005.
121