An invective against the most wicked [and] detestable vice of swearing, newly co[m]piledAn inuectyue agenst the moost wicked [and] detestable vyce of swearing, newly co[m]piled

Herod also made a promise to the daughter of Herodias, wham she daū ced & sallied so pleasantly before him and his Lords at a certain banquet, that he would give her, what so ever she would ask even unto y• half of his kingdom. She by the counsel of her wicked mother asked the head of John Baptiste. So that the king, because he would not go back of his word, suffered the holy Prophet of God to be slain, & no cause ⟨image 56⟩why, but only y• he thought it would not stand with his honour & royal dignity to break his promise. Ah foolish vow and more foolish king. Ah wicked promise and more wicked king. Better had it been for him a thousand times to have gone back of his word, to have broken his wicked vow and to have lost all his royal dignity, than so virtuous a man should have been slain. We •e to all those vows and promises, which are not fulfilled without sin and wickedness.

Herode also made a promyse to the doughter of Herodias, whā she daū ced & salyed so plesantly before hym and hys Lordes at a certayne banket, that he wolde gyue her, what so euer she wold aske euen vnto y• halfe of hys kyngdome. She by the councell of her wycked mother asked the head of Iohn̄ Baptiste. So that the kynge, because he wold not go backe of his worde, suffered the holy Prophet of God to be slayne, & no cause ⟨image 56⟩why, but only y• he thought it wolde not stonde with his honour & royall dignite to breake his promyse. Ah folysh vowe and more folysh kyng. Ah wycked promyse and more wycked kynge. Better had it bene for hym a thousa•d tymes to haue gone backe of his worde, to haue brokē his wicked vow and to haue loste al his royall dignite, than so vertuous a man shulde haue bene slayne. We •e to all those vowes and promises, whyche are not fulfilled without synne and wyckednes.