His [Gouge's] own attendance [upon sessions of the Westminster Assembly] was quite regular, and he always carried his Bible or some other book in his pocket so that he might not lose any time during intermissions in the Assembly's business.
This diligence with regard to time was a habit from his youth. Born on December 25, 1578 to a family of high estate in Stratford-le-Bow, Middlesex, he went from Eton School to King's College, Cambridge in 1595. There he went through the entire first three years without spending a night outside the walls of the Colllege. During his nine years at King's (receiving the B.A. in 1598, admitted as Fellow on August 25, receiving the M.A. in 1602, and continuing to lecture in logic and philosophy until withdrawing to marry in 1604), he never missed morning prayers in the chapel, which were held at 5:30 a.m. He resolved to read daily fifteen chapters of the Bible, five at each of three different times of the day. He emphasized the setting apart of the Lord's Day and so regulated his family and household that servants would not have to prepare a meal on Saturday evening or on Sunday.
