Aspects of Kentish Local History

letters written to Gold from Louvain by Nicholas Darington, also a Fellow of St. John's, have been printed by P. S. Allen 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 College, for June (1915), pp. 253-83. Many letters of his are preserved among the State Papers and his correspondents include Archbishop Warham, Elizabeth Barton, John Dering (also executed with him), Gonell, friend of Erasmus and for a time tutor to the children 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 religious houses before the Dissolution were already 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 English afterwards for the benefit of the lay brothers present. The sermon bravely upholds the true monastic ideal with its triple vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, and the parallelism from the Old Testament is both original and apt.

THE SERMON.

   Ascendit in cor eius, ut visitaret fratres suos filios Israell. Act. 7.
   This sentence of the holy euangeliste luke, wrytten in thactes of thapostoles the viith 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 israell, 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 fraires suos filios israell, that he schuld thus cume hither to visite yow, hys brothern in God, the children of israell. 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 holly porpose to effecte, ye shall all devowtly pray; in the wich prayer, & c.                              Preces fiant