Gertrude More

More was born in Low Leyton in Essex. Her father, Cresacre More, was great-grandson of Thomas More;{{Cite ODNB|title=More, Helen [name in religion Gertrude] (1606–1633), Benedictine nun|url=https://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-19178|access-date=2021-02-16| date=2004 |language=en|doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/19178| isbn=978-0-19-861412-8 }} her mother, Elizabeth Gage, was sister of Sir John Gage, 1st Baronet of Firle, Sussex, Lord Chamberlain to Queen Mary.{{Cite web|title=CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Helen More|url=https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10564b.htm|access-date=2021-02-16|website=www.newadvent.org}} Her mother died in 1611 and Helen's father, who had trained to be a monk,{{Cite ODNB|title=More, (Christopher) Cresacre (1572–1649), biographer|url=https://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-19174|access-date=2021-02-16| date=2004 |language=en|doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/19174| isbn=978-0-19-861412-8 }} became responsible for her care and education. Dom Benet Jones, a Benedictine monk, encouraged her to join his projected religious foundation, {{ill|Our Lady of Comfort|fr|Abbaye Notre-Dame-de-Consolation de Cambrai}}, in Cambrai. She was the first of nine postulants admitted to the order on 31 December 1623. Helen More came under the prescriptive influence of the Benedictine Augustine Baker and took the religious name of Gertrude. She brought to the new organisation her lineage as the great-great-granddaughter of the Catholic martyr Thomas More, her education and a large dowry from her father that would fund the convent's creation.{{Cite web |title=Biography of More – The Poetry of Gertrude More |url=https://s.wayne.edu/gertrudemore/critical-introductions/biography-of-more/ |access-date=2023-04-16 |website=s.wayne.edu}}

Catherine Gascoigne, one of her peers, was chosen ahead of her by the authorities in Rome as abbess in 1629 because she was older. Gascoigne was more welcoming of Baker's advice. Sister More opposed Baker's approach but eventually gave into his ways - which included writing good books.

Her writing was heavily influenced by the christian mystics such as Julian of Norwich and Teresa of Avila and other spiritual writers{{Cite journal|last=Latz|first=Dorothy L.|date=1990|title=The Mystical Poetry of Dame Gertrude More|journal=Mystics Quarterly|volume=16|issue=2|pages=66–82|jstor=20716980|issn=0742-5503}} and she contributed to the effort to publish their work.{{Cite web|url=http://www.umilta.net/gmore.html|title=Dame Gertrude More on Father Augustine's Way of Prayer|website=www.umilta.net|access-date=2020-04-22}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.historyextra.com/period/medieval/julian-norwich-who-female-chaucer-janina-ramirez/|title=Julian of Norwich: Janina Ramirez hails 'the female Chaucer'|website=HistoryExtra|language=en|access-date=2020-04-22}}

The row at Cumbrai continued and Baker was recalled to Douai. Before the row was settled Gertrude died at Cambrai, from smallpox, aged 27.

Some papers found after her death and arranged by Father Baker, were afterwards published in two separate works: one entitled The Holy Practices of a Divine Lover, or the Sainctly Ideot's Devotions (Paris, 1657); the other, Confessiones Amantis, or Spiritual Exercises, or Ideot's Devotions, to which was prefixed her Apology, for herself and for her spiritual guide (Paris, 1658).

{{Reflist|30em}}

• [https://archive.org/details/thewritingsofdam00moreuoft Archive of Gertrude More's writings]
• [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10564b.htm Catholic Encyclopaedia]
• [http://www.umilta.net/gmore.html Biodata]

{{Subject bar |portal1= Biography |portal2= Catholicism |portal3= England}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:More, Helen}}

Category:1606 births

Category:1633 deaths

Category:17th-century Christian mystics

Category:Deaths from smallpox

Category:People from Leyton

Category:Benedictine nuns

Category:17th-century English Roman Catholic nuns

Category:Roman Catholic mystics