A10322:159
A defence of the judgment of the Reformed churches. That a man may lawfully…A defence of the iudgment of the Reformed churches. That a man may lawfullie…
A defence of the judgment of the Reformed churches. That a man may lawfully not only put away his wife for her adultery, but also marry another. / Wherein both Robert Bellarmin the Jesuits Latin treatise, and an English pamphlet of a nameless author maintaining the contrary are co[n]futed by John Raynolds. A taste of Bellarmins dealing in controversies of religion: how he depraveth Scriptures, misalleagthe [sic] fathers, and abuseth reasons to the perverting of the truth of God, and poisoning of his Church with error..A defence of the iudgment of the Reformed churches. That a man may lawfullie not onelie put awaie his wife for her adulterie, but also marrie another. / Wherin both Robert Bellarmin the Iesuites Latin treatise, and an English pamphlet of a namelesse author mainteyning the contrarie are co[n]futed by Iohn Raynolds. A taste of Bellarmins dealing in controversies of religion: how he depraveth Scriptures, misalleagthe [sic] fathers, and abuseth reasons to the perverting of the truth of God, and poisoning of his Churche with errour..
Dordrecht: printed by George Walters, 1609
Chapter 4: THE FOURTH CHAPTER.Chapter 4: THE FOVRTH CHAPTER.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
As for the last of Bell. points of inconvenience that many would con mitt adultery of purpose to the intent of being set free from their former wives, they might marry others: it may be some would. And I have readd of a woman that had a desire to be beaten of her husband: which she found means also (as she was witty) to obtain, in so much that she put it oft in practise, till having cruelly beaten her at length he killed her. The man who of purpose to get a new wife would commit adultery, should desiree more strips then that woman meant &f die a death infinitely more grievous then she did. But if some as wise almost as she was should long after scourges: must they who deserve by law to be whipped be denied it, because a fool desired it without desert? The Romans had an ancientg law that whosoever did a man injury, should by way of punishment pay him3 about a shilling. Thereh was a lewd losel, a youthly, harebrained Ruffian, who having wealth at will & taking a delight in giving honest men boxes on the ears, would walk up & down with a purseful of shillings, which his slave attending on him did carry & giving one a box would bid his slave give him a shelling, another a box & a shilling. What was in this case to be done for remedy? If Bellarmin had lived there & been of Counsel to the state, we see the advise he would have given: namely that the amercement should be taken away because some would do men injury of purpose to fulfil their lusts with paying of a ⟨p. 93⟩shilling or two. But the Roman governors took contrary order, to increase the amercement, according to the discretion & arbit rement of Judges: that evil disposed persons might be deterred from trespassing by sharpness of the punishment to be inflicted on them for it, Whose wisdom therein it is to be wished that Princes and rulers remembering themselves to be ordained as David betimes to destroy all the wicked of the Land, would follow by increasing the punishment of adultery: And then should Bell. mouth be the sooner stopped for his fourth reason. Which yet in the mean while doth no better prove that faithful husbands separated from adulterous wives may not marry again, than usurers & extortioners procuring wealth by wicked & ungodly means do prove that honest-men may not enjoy the goods which by lawful trades & virtuous industry they get.