Although he lived a courtier, and was much concerned in business, yet
he never neglected his family at home, but instructed his daughters
in all useful learning, and conversed familiarly with them; he was
remarkably fond of his eldest daughter Margaret, as she had a greater
capacity, and sprightlier genius than the rest. His children often
used to translate out of Latin, into English, and out of English into
Latin, and Dr. Stapleton observes, that he hath seen an apology of Sir
Thomas More's to the university of Oxford, in defence of learning,
turned into Latin by one of his daughters, and translated again into
English by another. Margaret, whose wit was superior to the rest, writ
a treatise on the four last things, which Sir Thomas declared was
finer than his; she composed several Orations, especially one in
answer to Quintilian, defending a rich man, which he accused for
having poisoned a poor man's bees with certain venomous flowers in his
garden, so eloquent and forcible that it may justly rival Quintilian
himself. She also translated Eusebius out of Greek.

Tho' Sir Thomas was thus involved in public affairs and domestic
concerns, yet he found leisure to write many books, either against
Heretics, or of a devotional cast; for at that time, what he reckoned
Heresy began to diffuse itself over all Germany and Flanders. He built
a chapel in his parish church at Chelsea, which he constantly attended
in the morning; so steady was he in his devotion. He hired a house
also for many aged people in the parish, which he turned into an
hospital, and supported at his own expence. He at last rose to the
dignity of Lord High Chancellor upon the fall of Wolsey, and while he
sat as the Chief Judge of the nation in one court, his father,
aged upwards of 90, sat as Chief Justice in the King's Bench; a
circumstance which never before, nor ever since happened, of a father