Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-08-06
RELIGIOUS vows.
rChioaoo Inter Ocean.

mas n0tIceaDio inOt soNs tuo
- n simple premise, unfortifled bv
p0a~h i nowhere recognized In scrip
n1Tib The vow was then the one form
n's .Sas and included always the in
.;cr If curse, or conditional favor
~ liriehty. $50 God do unto me
2 ~ s.ore sIso, or, Z" The Lord be wit
s hssveen me and thee"--such forms
-. rseessary with primitive man. even
80 ~ are now with barbarous nations,
80 "a sysn the semblsnce of truth to
80 nronise. 60 it would seem to be an
s..,sssed rather than lessened regard
- s,nthfuluess and good faith which
y. ,srdsred the vow nearly obsolete in
-, times Not wholly so, for there ia
sasb,ac - 40 tenacious Of life as a mild
ssrsrstisiou, and many Of the absurd
;ssssrees showing the strong influence
.h;sh The vow has held over the minds
q msu are of surprisingly recent date.
In ancient times the vow was inter
s,aed 90 literally that the mere repetl-
IN a ia words was sufficient to bind
a. sneaker irrsvocably. even against
n viII or his knowledge. When
1sdupe unwittingly read the words of
WOW written upon an apple handed
hsr by Acontius at the foot of Diana's
.iar. the priests of the goddess de-
dsrsj the pledge irrevocable, the
naiden's will TO the contrary notwith-
sanding.
fhs sHnals of chivalry abound in
reords Of vows, more or less romantic
q absurd. For instance,
QUEEN JOAN OF NAPLES,
Ata qrand feast at her castle of Garta,
IGNORED the knight Galeazzo of Man
nu by opening the ball with him. When
ia dance was finished the grateful
might kneeled down before his royal
urtnsr, and to fitly express his &C
kpovledgment of the honor he had re-
sivsd, be took solemn vow 10 wander
through the world, visiting every coun-
nv where feats of arms are performed
md not rest until he had subdued two
ulisnt knights and presented them az
piscners at bis Queens footstool. TO be
disposed of at her royal pleasure. Sure
snongh, this doughty warrior, after q
jssr spent in wandering all over Europe.
st1fned like cat With mouse in her
mouth, and laid his two prisoners al
hs feet of Queen Joan. The Queen
took the gift very gracefully, and, the
ldmiring historian tells us, declined
boz right to impose rigorous conditions
% her oaptives. and gave them liberty
vihout ransom" Whether they prop
siy punished Sir Galeazzo for his in.
i8isfencs with their personal rights
ware not told.
Catherine de Medicis was quite giver
10 taking VOWS of altogether needless
aringency-on others. For instance
afser succeeding In some enterprise II
Which she was greatly interested, sh,
would send q pilgrim on foot to ths
Holy Land, who should, for every three
sisps forward on his journey, take On,
step backward. One would think tha
ihe Qneen ought TO have waited Ions
before she could find any one willing q
salhll the difficult conditions of thii
Wv; but candidate quickly appeared
With visions of many ducats to b,
hereby earned, no doubt, and set on
apon the journey. The Queen sen
smisaaries behind him to see TO II tina
heminded his backward and forware
Hsps properly, and when these returuet
siih the interchangeable gentleman, anS
RESDKRED A MAJORITY REPORT
10 bic favor, the Queen gave him as |
svaFd the rank Of noble and a prince
Tmm on which to support his nev
honcu.
More personal and less agreeable I,
ms chiet person concerned was the vov
nken by Queen Isabella, daughter o
rhllip H., in the twelfth century, not {,
exchange her linen till the city of Os
kno had been taken by her soldiers
ine difiiculties that sometimes interfer,
WIN military enterprises evidently die
nos ooour TO the lady at the time sh,
made her vow, but unfortunately th,
ssee lasted three years, and 80 singu
hrly truthful was her Majesty's charac
lsf that she kept her oath to the last
20 tastify their regard for her persist
sncy The ladies' OF the court adopted ,
eingy yellow color for their fuffs ans
ncekings, which they christened rise
Ihis was the origin Of that knowi
eoFu, which comes mp 10 the top wav,
. msnions occasionally, and perhaps
souia be less In favor we're 10 remem
sa mat II was originally made to re
linen. 7'"' wy ''
IN medieval times religious VOWS of
susfzoser similar to the above were q
49, common that the sanctity of th,
was gagged by their dirtiness, tn,
W oittiess being supposed TO have OF
aaiu the very largest contract in th,
suaps OF vow, and to be revered a
10Y accordinely. In like manner, vow
- ssssf 70 sat the hair, beard or nails un
- greatly desired but more or les
npo.ible scheme was carried through
sAse always had y fascination for Ger
AN minds. During the time of Crom
eu y England, certain devoted follow
Su 49, the crown avowed never to triu
49, boards till the King had come 3
ovn again. These were freed fror
fHslR sxLF-INposKD pxxANcK
y zoe restoration, but two nobleme
49, made similar vow in behalf Of Oh
e1gef preten Ter were less fortunat,
nsd 70 carry their patrisrchs
srqs 70 their graves.
in ieos when Belgrade was bombart
~ TIE Turks, certain servian patrio,
s@eo not TO allow a razor TO touc
49, faces until they could shave With
Iortress itself. For Eve years the
- torego the services OF all frisndl
en. but at last the triumphant hot
g.. one day in 1861 they marche
" 5vRn the streets of Belgrade. preccs
hsrbers. raxors in hand. che
80 moving boards exciting the amax
ns and delight of the populacs. The
sssnso INTO the fortress, and some tin
~s.a uafu all came marching out agai
~ - ciean shaven faces. looking vast
e~, younger for the operation. An
rev weeks since Chicago vi
tod oy 4 visit from a long hairt
s..eman, - who vowed forty years or q
70 follow the custom of samson,
rr.., - iet no razor come nigh his hes
ssaal, n henry Clay should be elected. o.
- tnis man Was set free from b
- y she death of bis candidate, b.
49, = the respect accorded TO vos
many regard them as binding a
toe conditions on which tbs
CsniR have vanished.
= aefs, on the contrary, regard q vo
sstfaining bond Of very eiast
tsssf indeed, especially when il i
ps..s with their desires. This got
49, pecniiarity pertains TO VOWS
asion, New Year resolves, piedc
Vi.raA abstinence. etc. Rip VI
- Though he had schwore Oh
0mpfomised with bis vow