A Sermon of Herny Gold Vicar of Ospringe 1525 - 27 Preached before Archbishop Warham

( 34 ) A SERMON OF HENRY GOLD, VICAR OF OSPRLNGE, 1525-27, PREACHED BEFORE ARCHBISHOP WARHAM. BY L. E. WHATMORE, M.A. THIS draft sermon, briefly indicated by Professor Gahdner in Letters and Papers of Henry the 8th for 1534 (No. 523, 8, ii) is among the papers which were confiscated from Henry Gold, an adherent of the Holy Maid of Kent, at the time of his arrest. As is weU known, he was executed with her in 1534. It has not been printed before, and for four reasons at least has a certain interest. In the first place, Gold himself enjoys the uncomfortable eminence of those who came to a violent death, which is unaffected by whatever sympathy (or otherwise) one has for his case. Secondly, in the year 1522 during a distinguished career at Cambridge he was chosen as one of the university preachers : we thus have here a fahly good specimen of pulpit eloquence of that period. Thirdly, it contains very valuable criticism of the state of the monasteries in his time, free from the unscrupulous and covetous exaggerations of the CromweUian visitators, yet strong and courageous. Lastly, apart from Gold's own connections with Kent, the sermon was probably dehvered before Archbishop Warham, whose secretary he was, at the visitation of a Kentish monastery. In another sermon of a similar kind he refers to the visitor before whom he is preaching as a " venerable prelate " and as having reached " impotent old age" (Ibid., No. 523, 8, hi). It is extremely probable that this was Warham. One of the most remarkable things about Ehzabeth Barton was the friendship and esteem in which she was held by educated men. Gold was no exception to this rule. Born probably at St. Neots in Huntingdonshire, he was a FeUow of St. John's CoUege, Cambridge from its inception. The distinctions he gained at the university may be traced in the Cambridge Grace Books. On June 11th, 1525, he was presented to the vicarage of Ospringe in Kent (being the first vicar nominated by St. John's) and was instituted by Archbishop Warham on June 17th of the same year. He resigned on September 17th, 1527, and was succeeded by Dr. Longforth, the President of the coUege, having in the meantime become one of Archbishop Warham's chaplains. According to FuUer in his History of Cambridge University the living of Ospringe was worth £10 a year. This is the valuation in the King's Books. On December 10th, 1526, the Archbishop made him Rector of the important parish of St. Mary Aldermary, London, and later Vicar of Hayes in Middlesex (December 23rd, 1529), both of which were " peculiars " of Canterbury, i.e. in the gift of the archbishops though outside their territory. Both these benefices he held until his death. Three A SERMON OE HENRY GOLD, VT.OAR OF OSPRINGE. 35 letters written to Gold from Louvain by Nicholas Darington, also a FeUow of St. John's, have been printed by P. S. AUen in Some Letters of Masters and Scholars (Eng. Hist. Rev., Vol. 22, 1907). The best account of Gold is to be found in the Eagle, the magazine of St. John's CoUege, for June (1915), pp. 253-83. Many letters of his are preserved among the State Papers and his correspondents include Archbishop Warham, Ehzabeth Barton, John Dering (also executed with him), GoneU, friend of Erasmus and for a time tutor to the chUdren of Sir Thomas More, Richard Reynolds, the most learned monk of his time who was put to death in 1535 and later beatified by Rome, and others. One letter addressed to Gold by Robert Ridley contains some interesting criticisms of Tyndale's translation of the New Testament. Certain features in the sermon, which however shows much repetition (notably pp. 40 and 41), make it worth reprinting. It shows that some rehgious houses before the Dissolution were aheady greatly impoverished. The preacher seems to have known some Hebrew, judging from some notes in the margin. He shows considerable foresight in his forebodings of the coming storm. Though a convinced supporter of the old order he has some strong words to say, particularly on gluttony and the pomp and vanity of some monastic priors and lesser officials. He translates each Latin quotation into Enghsh afterwards for the benefit of the lay brothers present. The sermon bravelyupholds the true monastic ideal with its triple vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, and the paraUehsm from the Old Testament is both original and apt. THE SERMON. Ascendit in cor eius, ut visitaret fratres suos filios IsraeU. Act. 7o. This sentence of the holy euangehste hike, wrytton in thactes of thapostoles the vnth chapter do signifie thus moche to yow that be here onlernyd. Gode dyd put into the hartie of that deuoutie man Moyses, that he schuld viset hys brothern the chyldren of israeU, and God dyd put into hys hartie thus to do, for this entent, that by that his visitation, hys said brithern mygth be delyuered a captivitate egiptiica, from the myserable captiuitie & bondage of the egiptions. And now on lyke maner ascendit in cor eius, God hath put into the hartie of this deuoutie honorable father, ut visitaret fratres suos filios israeU, that he schuld thus cum© hither to visit© yow, hys brothern in God, the chUdren of israeU. And that, I sey, for this entent that by this hys visitation he may lykewyse as Moyses dyd delyuer yow derly a captiuitate egiptiica from the greate captiuite & bondage, wherewith ye before [were] compresyd now of days. And so thus yow may see that this his graciouse porpose ys to restore yow onto yowr olde libertie & fredom. Therfor that God may gyf onto hym grace necessary to bryng this hys hoUy porpose to effecte, ye shaU aU devowtly pray ; in the wich prayer, &c. Preces fiant. 36 A SERMON OF HENRY GOLD, VICAR OF OSPRINGE. Ascendit in cor eius, ut &c ubi supra. For so moch as I haue schouyd onto yow that God dyd put into the harte of Moyses that he schuld visite his brothern the chUdern of israeU for to delyuer them from the captiuitie of thegiptions: I do therfor now porpasse (by the help of god) for a firder prosses of this coUation, to declare theis iii thinges onto yow. First, the maner how the chUdern of israeU war oppressyd. Secundary, the cause why that they war oppressyd. Thirdly, the meanes wherby thei war delyuered from ther oppression & browghte to libertie : And so than I porpose to apply this history of the chUdren of israeU onto the state of rehgiouse men now of days. Therfor as to the first, that is, to schow yow how & wherin the chUdren of israeU war oppressyd, this thing Moyses hym self doith schow onto yow, Exodus lo, seying with greate lamentation, Oderant filios israeU egiptii, Alas theis envious egiptions dyd utterly & dedly hate us the chUdern of israeU, in token wherof affligebant illudentes, they did sore skorge & punyshe us, sore moke & shorn us : in so moch, quod ad amaritudinem producebant vitam nostram, that they made us very wery of owr lyvys, for they dyd grevously oppresse us dayly operibus duris luti <& lateris, with intoUerable labors, as in makyng of brykes, & in tredyng & temperyng of clay : imo a afamulatu in terre operibus premebant. Verely theis creweU egiptions pittously oppressyd us, thelecte peple of god, for thei compellyd & constrained us to do aU vUe erithly workes & labors. Here yow see evidently the maner how the children of israeU war oppressyd : Now than secundary to schow onto yow the cause why they war thus oppressyd. This thing that creweU tyrane kyng pharo did schow onto his peple thegiptions in the said chapter of Exody, wher it apperith that he made this complaynt onto them seying Ecce populus filiorum israeU multus, my peple & subiectes take heed & loke dyligently uppon the chUdren of israeU, for ye may see how they do dayly encrese wonderfully venite igitur sapienter opprimamus eum, therfor cume onto me your lord & kyng & gyve me your cownseU, how we may fynd some means wysly to oppresse them,lesse that they encresce to so greate & stronge a numbre that they schalbe able to make batteU agenst us Et expugnatis nobis egrediatur de terra, and so ouercume us in batteU, and than expeUe & banyshe us derly owth of thys owr realme. By theys chUdern of israeU that war thus miserably oppressyd of kyng pharo & of hys peple thegiptions, by cause they dyd so greatly encresce in numbre, may be understondyd aUe rehgyouse persons. They may welbe caUydj^w israeU, the chUdren of israel, for israeU in hebrew is as moch as to sey, as vir videns deum, a man that seyth god. So aU religious persons sunt aut essent Israelite viri videntes deum, they be or schuld be men, wiche schuld euermore see god by ther stody in hoUy letters & by ther devote prayers & hoUy contemplations, for they be they that schuld trewly foUow thapostoUes of Christe in ther pewarnes & clenes of lyving, in token wherof, Christ A SERMON OF HENRY GOLD, VIOAR OF OSPRrNGE. 37 saith onto aU good rehgiouse men, Math, v0. Vos estis lux mundi, yow that be my apostoUes & aU thois men that euer schaU foUow yowr hoUy & rehgiouse perfections, yow be the lanterns of hgth, not of oon cittie or ii, not of oon realme or U, Sed estis lux mundi but yow be the very lanterns of clere hgth of aU the world : Sic igitur luceat lux vestra, ut videant opera vestra bona db glorificent patrem vestrum qui in celis est. Therfor I straytly comawnd & charge yow, see that ye do so lyve, that aU other men (wich hath not professyd them selfes to soch hyghe rehgyouse perfections, as ye have done) may be exoitid & movyd to folowe virtue by your devoutie exhortations & hoUy examples of lyving ; so that by this your occasion your fader of hevin God almyghtie may be worschiphed & honorde of imperfecte & onrehgiouse persons. We see that theis chUdren of israeU—theis rehgiouse persons, wiche war wonte to be howsys of greate riches be now constrayned by povertie to seU ther plaite, and sume to seU parte of ther londes, yeh we see that maney of ther fayer monasteres be utterly destroyd & plukked down, so that the tyme is now cume wherin rehgiouse men may lament & morne with the prophite David saying1 Poluerunt templum sanctum tuum, So posuerunt Jerusalem in pomorum custodiam. Ps. 78o Good lord what mean this, that thow doist suffre men to spoyle & diffile thy holy temples, yeh thow hast suffred them so much quod posuerunt Jerusalem &c. that they have madd a garden an orchard uppon thy goodly cittie Jerusalem & uppon ah the fayer temples that war in yt. In the hebrew it is not2 in pomorum custodia, but it is in aceruis lapidum that is to sey they haue mad greate heppes of stones uppon Jerusalem & uppon aU the goodly temples therof. I pray yow, do not wee thus see now of days rehgiouse places plukked down & gardens & fermes made uppon them, & the stonys that they war byldyd with aU kast uppon greate heppes in hyghe ways & myary places, yeh and that within few myles of this monastery ? But what is the cause think ye of this ther greate oppression ? Trewly I fere that they that thus do punysh them, may lykewise excuse them onto us, as kyng pharo dyd excuse hym self onto his peple, seying onto them Ecce populus filiorum multus Yow that be good christien men take heyd & loke diligently upon reUgiouse men now of days & ye schaU see that they encresce mervelously non in numero sed in vicio, not in numbre, but in vioiouse & synfuU lyving : venite igitur sapienter opprimamus eos, therfor layte us go wisly & oppresse them & put them owth of ther places & possessions, lese that they by ther viciouse & evUe example of lyving, therby they schalbe cast owth & clerly banyshed de sancta Jerusalem, de terra viuentium, from the gloriouse cittie of hevin. For trewly theis men that thus destroye rehgiouse places, they sey they do it to this entent, that the possessions & londes of them myghth be applyd to better usys : 1 Some scribbles here in the margin, possibly for Hebrew characters. 8 Scribbles, ? Hebrew. 3 38 A SERMON OF HENRY GOLD, VIOAR OF OSPRINGE. but whan men first gave ther londes onto rehgiouse men they thougth that they could not apply them to ony better or more vertuouse use, for that that rehgiouse men war at that tyme so hoUy & devoutie. but now trew rehgion is wonderfully dekayd from her old state of perfection, as it is thowgth, & that not only of theis men that be in greate authorite, but also me fere that it is a common proverbum amonge aU maner of men ; wher schaU a man fynd envy, pryd & glottoney & soch other vices but in the closter ? I pray God this be a fals proverbe, howbeit it is greatly feryd of gode men that ther be maney hedes of rehgion now of days, as priores & rectors & soche lyke men be so gevyn to worldly pryd & vanite that they loke that mean & poere men schuld caU them my lord at euery word. Trowgh yow that soche heedes of rehgion be trew rehgiouse men ? noo trewly, but they be very apostataas, for they do folow the stepes of the prowd scribes & phareseis, & not of the meke apostols of Christe : of them Christ thus spekyth, Math, 22o. Scribe & pharisei amant vocari ab hominibus Rabbi, Theis false hipocrites the scribes & phareseys, wich outwardly pretendith great perfection & holynes, be prikkyd upp with pryd, that they be. desiorouse & loke that euery man schuld caU them maisters. Vos autem nolite vocari rabbi, sed qui maior est vestrum, erit minister vester. but yow that be my apostoles, (saith Christ) and aU thois that wUl trewly foUow yowr stepes, nolite vocari rabbi, see that ye never desier in yowr hartes, ne thinke yowr selfes worthy to be caUyd maisters, but he that is chossyn amonst yow to be maior vestrum, yowr hedd & gouemowr, he must accownte & grawnte hym selfe to be minister vester,, to be yowr mynister, yowr bayly, yowr common seruant & officer, & not yowr lord ne maister. We se also that sume ther be both abottes & priors of mean possessions, yeh sume rehgiouse men that be nether abottes ne priores, but only officers a monge them, as Selerrers, Kecheners, Sextens & soche lyke, wiche whan they ryde ony yorney they wiU haue a company of seruyng men to wayte uppon them so great & weU trymyd, that it wold becume a temporaU knygth or lord to ryd so gorgyously: Dowgtles the fownders of them that thus do did not gyve so goodly so profitable maners & towns onto them to thentent, that they schuld thus miserably abuse them in worldly pompe & glory : Therfor they that thus abuse ther fowndations lat them not dowgth but this ther pryd is abominable in the sygth of God & he wiU sore skorge them for yt, lyke as he doth lovingly gyve them monition of by his prophite Amos, c. 60, saying ve vobis ingredientes pompatice domum israeU, detestor enim superbiam vestram. Thois men (saith God) that do entre into the howse of israeU, of rehgion of them that aUways schuld see God by ther hoUy contemplations, if they do abuse the goodes of ther places pompatice, in pompe & pryd of the world contrary to ther profession, Destestor ego superbiam vestram, this ther prid is abominably in my syth & therfor after this Iff ve vobis the euerlasting sorow & woo of the A SERMON OF HENRY GOLD, VIOAR OF OSPRINGE. 39 panes of hele schaU lygth uppon aU soch prowd rehgious persons. Firdermore it is not ohknown that in many places of rehgion, oon rehgious man schaU haue for hys pitance meet sufficient for vhth or vhith persons, God gyve grace, that maney of them put not ther chef dehte & fehcite in fedyng ther bodes, mor lyke epicures than men wiche hathe professyd ther lyvys to greate abstinence & fasting. For theis soche apostataats that thus spend ther lyvys in glotteney & dronkennes God doith sore threeth in the said chapter of Amos wher yt thus folowithe ve vobis dico, qui comeditis agnum de grege & vitulos de medio armenti. Also thoys that entre into the howse of israeU of rehgion & do put ther pleassures inordinatly in fedyng ther bodes with fate lambes of ther foldes, & with fate calfes of ther herdes & drovys, ve vobis dico, I sey agen (saith God) after this Iff theuerlasting woo & sorow of the pannys of hele schaU lygth uppon aU soch, for thowghe it be so that canitis ad vocem psalterii, that soche rehgiouse men do dayly syng the holly psalmys of the psalter so solumly quod sicut David putatis vos habere vasa cantici that they thinke them selfes to haue lyke clene vessels, lyke pewer soles to practise theis holly songes as the hoUy prophite Dauyd hadd, whan ther beUes be fiUyd with dehciouse wyne, & with swannys cranes & faate venison pastes bibentes vinum in phiolis & optimo unguento delibuti, in excesse of metes & drinkes nihil compatiebantur super contristationem Joseph and whan that they that be such glotton or drenkars hath fyUyd ther owyn beUes than they haue not compassion ne pittie uppon poere Joseph, ypon poere peple, that lyghe in the depe sestern of hunger & thorste, of syknes & deseese. For sume' of them had rather feed howndes grewons1 & dogges, with that met that they leve of ther seyd pitans than poere men ; lyke as that prowd glotton Dives Epulo did. And in sume places sume of them do seU ther met that they do leue onto them that be howsholders. The rewar of aU soche rehgiouse persons that thus abuse ther fowndations in defrawdyng poere peple after this lif schalbe ve vobis the euerlasting payne of hele. For this word ve in hoUy scripture do signifie payne euerlasting, after the mynd of that greate clarke Beede in thexposition of the xiiiith chapter of theuangehste Marke. And God wilnot only thus punyshe rehgiouse men, that thus abuse ther fowndations in pryd & glottoney with payne euerlasting after this lif; but also he wUl sore punysh them here in this lyf, lyke as he gyvith them warning of by bis said prophite Amos in the aforsaid chapter, wher it thus folowith, Dominus mandavit, & percutiet domum maiorem ruinis, db domum minorem scissionibus, Behold this thing, yow that be rehgiouse persons (saith the prophite Amos) how that dominus mandavit God hath straytly commawndyd thois that be the heedes & governowrs of his peple, that they schaU stryke down domum maiorem yowr greate & fayer places ruinis onto the hard grownde, & also they schall stryke down domum 1 grewhound, greyhound. 40 A SERMON OE HENRY GOLD, YIOAR OF OSPRTNGE. minorem scissionibus & rend them in peces onto ther very fowndations. Therfor accordyng to this prophicie yt is to be ferd that the very cause of this your oppression now of days, is, for that maney rehgiouse men do not lyf after the hoUy perfection of ther rehgion : for if they war trew israeUtes always seing God by ther holy hving dowtles God wold not suffre them thus myserably to be oppressyd ; and this thing apperith weU in the old law, for so long as the chUdren of israeU lyvyd after the lawes of God, ther enymys cowld never have ony power uppon them, but whan they forsoke the lawes of God & feU abominably to synne than God suffred Nabugodonoser kyng of babUon, as apperith 4 Regum ultimo and also that tyrane Kyng antiochus as apperith 2o machai to ouercome the chUdren of YsraeU & to distroy ther cittes & rob & spoyle ther temples ; and for this cause the prophite David in this psalme, Deus, venerunt gentes in hereditatem tuam, poluerunt templum sanctum suum &c Pituously doith kry onto God for help & soker, saying, Usquequaque irasceris in finem. Alas good Lord wolt thow style suffre owre enymys thus to ouercome us & spoyle owr temples ; we know weU thow dost thus punysh us for owr iniquite & syne, ne reminisceris iniquitatum antiquarum nostrarum. Therfor now we beseche the mereifuU Lord remembre no more our old offensys, sed cito anticipent nos misericordie tue, but take us schortly onto thy mercy. Quia pauperes facti sumus nimis for our enymys hath browgth us onto greate & extreme pouertie. Thus rehgiouse men now of days may weUe confesse with the hoUy prophite Dauid quia pauperes facti sunt nimis, that they be browgth onto wonderfuh povertie & great oppression for ther iniquite & syne : Here yow see than the cause, why that God sufferyth his chUdren of israeU his rehgiouse peple to be oppressyd. Therfor I proposse now to schow yow how & by what means they may be delyuered from this ther seruitute ; trewly they can be delyuered no other ways but only as the children of israeU war. They war delyuered from the seruitute of kyng pharo & thegiptions by the help & means of [a] man caUyd Moyses, wich Moyses was in the singler favor of God, in so moch that God dyd gyve first onto hym the knowlege of the old law, wich therfor is caUyd onto this day lex moseica, Moyses law. Whan, I sey, this Moyses did see into how greate myserie & bondage that the chUdren of israeU war browgth, than ascendit in cor ems, than God did put into his harte, ut visitaret fratres suos filios Israeli, that he schuld delyuer his brothern the chUdern of israeU from yt by his visitasion, And God schowyd onto hym the maner how he schuld delyuer them, for he commawndyd hym to go onto kyng pharo & say this message onto hym. Dominus Deus Hebreorum vocauit nos, ibimus viam trium dierum in solitudinem, ut immolemus domino Deo nostro, And it please yowr grace (said Moyses) onto kyng pharo, The Lord & god of us the chUdern of IsraeU hath caUyd us to cume onto hym into Wyldernes, by the space of hith days yorney ut immolemus domino A SERMON OE HENRY GOLD, VIOAR OF OSPRINGE. 41 deo nost/ro, to this entent that we schuld ther make our oblations & sacrifycys onto hym our lord & God. Thus I sey must yow that be rehgiouse men be now delyuerede from yowre captiuitie by an other Moyses, that is by this honorabhe & devoutie father.1 This is he that may welbe caUyde Moyses, for Moyses in thegipte townghe is as moche to say as aqua water. He hadd theys name gevyn onto hym by cause that kyng pharos darter Tulit eum de aqua Exo xo fownde hym a yong babe swymmyng uppon the water in a basket. So this honorable prelat of the chirch, yowr visitor, may weU (I say) be caUyd Moyses, watter ; quia aqua sapientie salutaris potauit ilium dominus deus noster Ecch. 15o for owr lord God hath not only fownd hym swymmyng uppon the water of his holly lawes & doctrine but also he hath fyUyd hys sole plentuously with the same holsome water, This yowr loving Moyses consydering the greate dekay & seruitute that ye be in he is very desioriose to redeme yow from yt, and therfor I sey Ascendit in cor eius ut visitaret fratres suos filios israeU, God hath put into his harte now to cume hither to visite yow his brithern in God the chUdern of israeU, viri videntes deum, men wich always schuld see God by yowr holy lyving. And thus do, he must needes say onto yow, as Moyses said onto Kyng pharo, Dominus deus hebreorum vocavit vos, ibitis in solitudinem viam trium dierum, ut immoletis domino deo vestro. The lord & god of yow israehtes, of yow rehgiouse men, hathe caUyd yow by hys grace inspyryd into yowr soles to cume onto hym into wUdernes, by the space of hi days yorney, ther to do sacrifice onto hym. Yf ye wUl thus go onto Gode thither as he hath caUyd yow ther is no doute but he wUl delyuer yow from this yowr miserie, lyke as he dyde the chUdern of israeU. Yow here that he hathe caUyd yow, not to cume onto hym to the ale house, to the markat place wher ye schaU kard or dice ne yet onto the feldes, wher ye schaU hake or hunte, scoote or baUe : but he hath caUyd yow in solitudinem, to cume onto hym into wUdernes, wher as ye may Iff in greate quietnes, for thexercysyng of your hoUy mediatations & prayers. And for this cause aU rehgiouse men, at the begynnyng of rehgion war caUyd monachi /movaxo? o" o in greke signyfith solitarius, a man that lyvith sohtary alone : Thus aU, I sey, rehgiouse men schuld go in solitudinem into ther closters & ceUes ther lyving sohterry withowthe worldly troble & bysynes ther so quietly spendyng ther lyvys in prayer & contemplation, but we se now of days that maney rehgiouse men do so diligently apply them selfes to worldly facultes & kraftes, that dyuers of them be accowntyd the chef devisors that be in englond of new & strawnge fascions in byldyng : in so moch that sume of them for this ther poUices & worldly wysdom be in greate favor with eritly princes & with other noble temporaU men. All soche worldly rehgiouse men seynt paule reprovith, as apperithe evidently be the commawndment, wich he dyd gyve onto his disciple Timothe 2a c. 2o. Labora sicut bonus 1 No doubt Archbishop Warham ? 42 A SERMON OE HENRY GOLD, YIOAR OE OSPRINGE. miles Ohristi Jesu, nemo enim militans deo, implicat se negociis secularibus, ut ei placeat cui se probauit. My disciple Tymothe (said seynt Paule) yf thow wUt lyve the lyve of trew perfection, of trew rehgion thow must than exercyse thy selfe in greate paynes & labors, not in eritly & worldly labors as thowgh thow war a faytfuU seruant onto an erytly prince ; but thow must always labor pro celestibus sicut bonus miles Christi Jesu, as a good & trew soger of Christ Jesu, for this oon thing I essewer the my disciple, Nemo militans deo implicat se negociis secularibus ut ei placeat cui se probauit. Ther is no man that hath wUfuUy professyd hym selfe onto a contemplatiue & rehgiouse Iff & do retorne from yt onto temporaU besynessys & labors that can please God. Therfor yow that wUl please God ye must accordyng onto yowr promise & vow leve the trobles & besynes of the world & go onto hym in solitudinem into yowr closters & seUes, wich be places of quietnes. But how far do God caU yow rehgiouse persons to cume onto hym into this wyldernes ? Ibitis viam trium dierum, ye must go onto hym therin by the fuU space of theis ih days yorneys, that is to sey, by wilful pouertie, by meke obedience & by pewar virginitie, for theis hi days Jorneys be caUyd tria vota essentialia religionis, the ih essentiaU vouvys of reUgion; so that whoo so euer do not obserue ony of theis three he is not worthy to be caUyd a rehgiouse man. Therfor aU they that wUbe accowntyd as trew rehgiouse men they must nedes obserue faithfuUy thys commawndment wiche Moyses dyd gyve onto the chUdern of israeU, Deutero. 24o. Cum votum voueris domino deo tuo, non tardabis reddere. Whan so euer ony of yow the chUdern of israeU, thelecte peple of God, do make ony solome vow onto yowr lord God, see that ye do fulfyle yowr vow by & by, withowth ony delaye ; quia requiret illud dominus deus tuus, for thy lord God, man, wUl straytly requier the performyng therof, moo moche that if thow doist differe to fulfyUe it reputabitur tibi in peccatum : I essewer the (sayd Moyses) for these delayes thow schalbe reputyd & takyn for a greate synner before the face of God, quia si vohteris polliceri absque p . . . ? eius, for if thow hade made no soche vow ne promyse onto God by thy owyn free mynd & wiU, thow schuld not so haue synyd in that behalf before God,