ce to meet him;
whom as soon as she had espied she ran hastily unto him, and without
consideration or care for herself, passing through the midst of the
throng and guard of men, who with bills and halberts compassed him
round, there openly in the sight of them all embraced him, and took him
about the neck and kissed him, not able to say any word but 'Oh, my
father! oh, my father!' He, liking well her most natural and dear
affection towards him, gave her his fatherly blessing; telling her that
whatsoever he should suffer, though he were innocent, yet it was not
without the will of God; and that He knew well enough all the secrets of
her heart, counselling her to accommodate her will to God's blessed
pleasure, and to be patient for his loss.

"She was no sooner parted from him, and had gone scarce ten steps, when
she, not satisfied with the former farewell, like one who had forgot
herself, ravished with the entire love of so worthy a father, having
neither respect to herself nor to the press of people about him,
suddenly turned back, and ran hastily to him, and took him about the
neck and divers times together kissed him; whereat he spoke not a word,
but carrying still his gravity, tears fell also from his eyes; yea,
there were very few in all the troop who could refrain hereat from
weeping, no, not the guard themselves. Yet at last with a full heart she
was severed from him, at which time another of our women embraced him;
and my aunt's maid Dorothy Collis did the like, of whom he said after,
it was homely but very lovingly done. All these and also my grandfather
witnessed that they smelt a most odoriferous smell to come from him,
according to that of Isaac, 'The scent of my son is as the scent of a
field which the Lord has blessed.'"[461]

[Sidenote: The last days in the Tower.]

More's relation with this daughter forms the most beautiful feature in
his history. His letters to her in early life are of unequalled grace,
and she was perhaps the only person whom he very deeply loved. He never
saw her again. The four days which remained to him he spent in prayer
and in severe bodily discipline. On the night of the 5th of July,
although he did not know the time which had been fixed for his
execution, yet with an instinctive feeling that it was near, he sent her
his hair shirt and whip, as having no more need for them, with a parting
blessing of affection.

He then lay down and slept quietly. At daybreak he was awoke by t