MARGARET ROPER, one of Queen Mary's gentlewomen of the privy chamber, almost rivalled her in the extent of her learning and talents, translating her Latin version of Eusebius's church history into English, which she dedicated to her royal mistress, and one of her grandfather's, Sir Thomas's, Latin works. Her learned tutor so much admired the Greek and Latin orations which Mary wrote, that he translated many of them into English. She was twice married. Margaret Roper lived nine years after her dear father's death, and dying, in the thirty-sixth year of her age-1544-was buried in St. Dunstan's Church, Canterbury, with her father's head, enclosed in a leaden box, clasped in her arms, or, according to others, laid upon her coffin. In 1835, when the chancel of the church was being repaired, the Roper vault was opened, and several persons de- scended into it, when they saw the skull in its leaden box, which was shaped something like a bee -hive, open in the front, and which was placed in a square recess in the wall, with an iron grating before it. William Roper survived his wife thirty-three years, dying 1577. He never married again ; and was buried in the same vault with the remains of his dear and noble-hearted Margaret. The Ropers lived in St. Dunstan's Street, Canter- bury. The house is destroyed, nothing but the picturesque gateway of red brick now remains ; while a very prosaic brewery occupies the site of the building. 24 e.
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