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KEY Commentary Side Textual Bibliographic Scriptural
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As for yperdulia I wold fayne wete where he readith of it in
all the scripture and whether the worshuppe done to his lorde
the cardinalles hatte were dulia / yperdulia or idololatria. And as for dulia and latria we fynde them both referred vn to god in a
thousande places.
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the cardinalles
hatte. The son of a butcher, Thomas Wolsey (c1473–1530)
exercized powers in England second only to the king and the pope. In
tracing Wolsey's secular career, Tyndale refers to his brisk management
of the French campaign in 1513 (Prelates D3),
which earned his appointment as Lord Chancellor, December 1515; his
meetings with Charles V (emperor, 1519–55/ 56) in May 1520 and July 1521
(Prelates H1v); his efforts to raise money
from Parliament for the invasion of France in 1523 (Obedience
E7); his treaty with France in 1527 (Prelates H6). Although Wolsey was forced to resign the office
of Lord Chancellor, Tyndale mistakenly asserts that he
continued his policies through More, his preferred successor (Prelates K2). Tyndale sneers at Wolsey's death
from intestinal disease (1 John D3, D5v), which
saved him from trial and execution for treason.
Tyndale attacks Wolsey's pluralism in the pun "Wolfsee" (Prelates G4r-v, G6r-v, G7, G8v, H1; 1 John D5v) and calls him "Cayphas"
(Prelates H7). Tyndale
mocks Wolsey's successively richer ecclesiastical offices
(1 John D5v), chief of which were Archbishop
of York (September 1514) and Cardinal (September 1515). He became papal
legate a latere for a limited term
in 1518 and for life in 1524 (Obedience L4, L8v;
1 John D5v). His supposed papal ambitions,
however, were frustrated (Prelates H6).
Tyndale scorns the elaborate ceremonies associated with Wolsey's
reception of the red hat (Prelates K5,
1 John D3). His gentleman usher
George Cavendish describes Wolsey's weekday processions to Westminster
Hall and Sunday processions to Greenwich, cf. Cavendish
22/32–24/33. Tyndale ironically anticipates Wolsey's canonization ([K4, “the ensample . . . tyme also”; L1, “And of our cardenall . . . of the others”]; Obedience P7).
Then, his personal belongings would be venerated as relics: red hat,
[E2, “the cardinalles hatte . . . idololatria”; H1, “he worsheped the cardinalles hatt”], ceremonial pillars and pole-axes [G2v, “pilars / polaxes . . . hattes” and commentary note; H6, “polaxes”],
ornate chair [K1v, “my lorde cardenales holy cheyar”].
Tyndale does not comment on Wolsey's efforts between 1517 and 1526 to
protect tenant farmers and laborers against unlawful land enclosures.
Cf. Peter Gwyn, The King's
Cardinal: The Rise and Fall of Thomas Wolsey (London: Barrie and Jenkins, 1990) 411–35. Nor
does Tyndale mention Wolsey's grandiose projects, Hampton Court and
Cardinal College. See Cardinal Wolsey: Church, state
and art, ed. S.J. Gunn and P.G. Lindley (Cambridge UP, 1991).
Tyndale's older contemporary John Skelton (c1460–1529) targets Wolsey's
virtual usurpation of royal power in his verse satires of 1521–22:
"Speke, Parott," "Collyn Clout," and "Why Come Ye Nat to Courte?" See
John Skelton: The Complete English Poems, ed.
John Scattergood (New York: Penguin, 1983).
Later in the century, Foxe summarizes Wolsey's career (4.587–617).
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Therfore that thou be not begyled with falshed of sophisticall
wordes / vnderstond / that the wordes which the
scripture vseth in the worshepynge or honouringe of god are
these: loue god / cleaue
to god / dreade / serue / bowe / praye and cal on god
beleue and trust in god and soch like. Which wordes al we vse
in the worshepinge of man also / how be it diuersly and the
difference therof doeth all the scripture teach.
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The true wordes that express the honour of God.[[1573]
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God hath created vs and made vs vnto his awne likenes / and our
sauioure christ hath bought vs with his bloude. And
therfore are we Gods possession of dutie and right and Christes
saruauntes only / to wayte on his wil and pleasure / and ought
therfore to moue nether
hand ner fote ner any other membir / other hert or
mynd other wise
then he hath appoynted. God is honoured in his awne
person / when
we receaue all thynge both good and bad at his
hande / and loue his
lawe with al oure hertes / and beleue hope and long fore all that
he promiseth.
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vnto his awne
likenes. Cf. Gen. 1.27, repeated at [E2v, “God . . . awne image”; E3v, “ymage of god”].
Genesis 1.27
christ . . .
bloude. Cf. 1 Pet. 1.18–19.
1 Peter 1.18–19
What it is to honoure
God [1531]
all thynge] al things [1573]
loue his
lawe. Cf. Ps. 119.97.
Psalms 119.97
The true honour of God.[[1573]
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The officers that rule the world in Gods stede / as
father / mother /
master / husband / lorde and prince are honoured /
when the law
which almightye God hath committed vnto
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What it is to honoure rulars [1531]
Gods stede] [1573], Gods / stede [1531]
husband / lorde] ed., husband- lorde [1531], husband, Lord [1573]
father/mother.
Cf. Obedience F8v—G1v; master. Cf. Obedience G2r—v;
husband. Cf. Obedience
G1v—G2; lorde and prince. Cf. Obedience G3v—G7. Tyndale here alludes to the duties of those
in temporal authority, treated more fully in the earlier book.
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