'Behind her stands a woman holding a book open with both her hands, over whose head is written _Spouse of John Clements_.[38]
'Next to Mrs Dancy is Sir John More in his robes as one of the justices of the King's Bench, and by him Sir Thomas in his chancellor's robes, and collar of SS, with a rose pendant before. They are both sitting on a sort of tressel or armed bench, one of the arms and legs and one of the tassels of the cushion appear on the left side of Sir Thomas. At the feet of Sir John lies a cur-dog, and at Sir Thomas's a Bologna shock. Over Sir John's head is written, _John More, father, aged_ 76. Over Sir Thomas's, _Thomas More, aged_ 50. Between them, behind, stands the wife of John More, Sir Thomas's son, over whose head is written _Anne Cresacre, wife of John More, aged_ 15. Behind Sir Thomas, on his left hand stands his only son, John More, pictured with a very foolish aspect, and looking earnestly in a book which he holds open with both his hands. Over his head is written, _John, son of Thomas More, aged_ 19.' (The only and witless son of the family, on whom Sir Thomas made the comment to his wife:--'You long wished for a boy, and you have got one--for all his life.')
'A little to the left of Sir Thomas are sitting on low stools his two daughters, Cecilia and Margaret. Next him is Cecilia, who has a boot in her lap, clasped. By her side sits her sister Margaret, who has likewise a book on her lap, but wide open, in which is written, _L. An. Senecæ--Oedipus--Fata si liceat mihi fingere arbitrio meo, temperem zephyro levi_. On Cecilia's petticoat is written, _Cecilia Heron, daughter of Thomas More, aged_ 20, and on Margaret's, _Margaret Roper_, _daughter of Thomas More, aged_ 22.' (The best beloved, most amiable, and most learned of Sir Thomas's daughters, who visited him in the Tower and encouraged him to remain true to his convictions, while her step-mother urged him to abjure his faith. Margaret Roper intercepted her father on his return to the Tower after his trial, and penetrating the circle of the Guards, hung on his neck and bade him farewell. There is a tradition that she caused her father's head to be stolen from the spike of the bridge on which it was exposed, and, getting it preserved, kept it in a casket. She and her husband, William Roper, wrote together the biography of her father, Sir Thomas More.)