pLivy misliketh this punishment as over sharp, & saith that there was small regard of humane laws had in it. But qVirgil weighing better the greatness of the fault, alloweth it with grave censure, *At tu dictis Albane manners. Traitors in our days, though they be not torn with horses as Metius, yet are they rent in pieces, as Metius was, & quartered. rThe Papists complain thereof to foreign nations as of outrageous tyranny, when they are put unto it for traitorous ⟨p. 20⟩facts against our prince. But it is usual and lawful for the Pope (as Leo the tenths practise in sGuicc•ardin doth witness) to quarter men for treason wrought against him. Now, this severe punishment, which hath bin thought fit by mortal Judges to be laid upon unfaithful debtors, upon treacherous persons, upon rebellious Traitors, is the same that Christ the immortal judge denounceth unto you, if ye be disloyal to God, your sovereign Lord, if ye break promise with him and his servants, if ye pay them not the debt which ye owe them, and give them their portion of meat in due season. A very grievous punishment: yet nothing to that, which Christ importeth by it. For he doth import (as the words following show) that ye shall have your portion with the unbelievers. And tthe unbelievers shall have their portion in the lake that burneth with fire & brimstone, which is the second death. Of Damocles a Heathen man it is recorded, that when Dionysius the Tyrant entertained him magnificently & princely, although at the first be thought him self happy, respecting the train of men, attendant on him, the place of gold and silver, the gorgeous clothes, the sweet perfumes, the Viands most delicate, all ⟨p. 21⟩furniture rich and royal: yet after, seeing a sword hanging by a thread let down over his head, he could take no joy of his entertainment, nay he took grief, and desired earnestly to be dismissed from it. How much less joy should you take in your eating, your drinking, your pleasures, with which, as worldly baits, the Prince of this world doth pamper your flesh against the day of slaughter: sith there hangeth over your necks an axe of vengeance, not that may perhaps, but that will assuredly; not kill your bodies only, but both bodies and souls; not with temporal death, but with everlasting into hell fit •; uthere shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
pLiuie misliketh this punishment as ouer sharp, & saith that ther was smal regard of humane lawes had in it. But qUirgil weighing better the greatnesse of the fault, aloweth it with graue censure, *At tu dictis Albane maneres. Traitours in our dayes, though they be not torne with horses as Metius, yet are they rent in peeces, as Metius was, & quartered. rThe Papists complaine therof to foreine natiōs as of outragious tyrānie, when they are put vnto it for traiterous ⟨p. 20⟩factes against our prince. But it is vsuall and lawful for the Pope (as Leo the tenthes practise in sGuicc•ardin doth witnesse) to quarter men for treason wrought against him. Now, this seuere punishment, which hath bin thought fit by mortal Iudges to be laid vpon vnfaithful debters, vpō treacherous persons, vpon rebellious Traitours, is the same that Christ the immortal iudge denounceth vnto you, if ye be disloyall to God, your soueraine Lord, if ye breake promise with him and his seruants, if yee pay them not the debt which yee owe them, and giue them their portion of meat in due season. A very greeuous punishment: yet nothing to that, which Christ importeth by it. For hee doth import (as the wordes following shew) that yee shall haue your portion with the vnbeleeuers. And tthe vnbeleeuers shall haue their portion in the lake that burneth with fire & brimstone, which is the second death. Of Damocles a Heathen man it is recorded, that whē Dionysius the Tyrant entertained him magnificently & princely, although at the first bee thought him selfe happie, respecting the traine of men, attendant on him, the place of gold and siluer, the gorgeous cloathes, the sweet perfumes, the Uiands most delicate, all ⟨p. 21⟩furniture rich and royall: yet after, seeing a sworde hanging by a threed let downe ouer his head, he could take no ioy of his entertainment, nay hee tooke griefe, and desired earnestly to be dimissed from it. How much lesse ioy should you take in your eating, your drinking, your pleasures, with which, as worldly baites, the Prince of this world doth pamper your flesh against the day of slaughter: sith there hangeth ouer your neckes an axe of vengeaunce, not that may perhaps, but that will assuredly; not kyll your bodies onely, but both bodies and soules; not with temporall death, but with euerlasting into hel fit ;
- pHist. ab V Cond. lib. 1
- qAeneid. lib. 8.
- *But thou, O Alban Prince, thy promise shouldest have kept.But thou, O Alban Prince, thy promise shouldest haue kept.
- rEpist. de persequut. Anglic.
- sHist. Ital. ▪13.
- t•u. 21. 8.
- uMatt. 24 51.
