A14461:216
The Christian disputations, by Master Peter Viret. Divided into three parts, dialogue wiseThe Christian disputations, by Master Peter Viret. Deuided into three partes, dialogue wise
The Christian disputations, by Master Peter Viret. Divided into three parts, dialogue wise: set out with such grace, that it cannot be, but that a man shall take great pleasure in the reading thereof. Translated out of French into English, by John Brooke of AsheThe Christian disputations, by Master Peter Viret. Deuided into three partes, dialogue wise: set out with such grace, that it cannot be, but that a man shall take greate pleasure in the reading thereoff. Translated out of French into English, by Iohn Brooke of Ashe
London: printed by Thomas East, 1579
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.
Hillarius. I think that there should be goodly and rich mines of gold & silver. I know not whether that fire hath melted & consumed it all together. For there was in times past great store, that almost all the gold and silver of the world, and all the riches and treasures of the Christians are all gone thither. The Paynims held Pluto for the God of hell and of riches, because they thought him to dwell in 1those low countries, to which the souls did go: and because that all the treasures and riches do come from the earth, and that one shall find th•r the mines of gold and of silver. But the more I do think on the folly of the Paynims, so much the more do I find ours to be out of reason, saving that we have in deed that which they had but in figure and imagining. For we have the Pope which is the very Pluto. For he hath both Hell and Paradise to sell. He is king of Hell, Limb and of Purgatory. He is Eacus, Minos, and Rhadamanthus. For he judgeth the •oore ⟨p. 41⟩souls, as it pleaseth him, and condemneth them to the Limb, Purgatory or in hell when it pleaseth him, & as often as he seeth good. And God knoweth what mines of gold and silver, what treasures & goods he draweth unto him: in such sort that we may very well call him Pluto, Mammon, God of the earth and under the earth, king of Hell and of all his territories. The more I consider the thing, so much y• more it maketh me astonied. For I have read many histories which make mention of many Tyrants and great thieves, which have been covetous and raveners without all measure: But I know not, whether a man shall find many, or 2one only that hath caused tribute to be paid by the dead, as be doth daily among the Christians. If one shall find any, I believe at the least that he hath not so long compelled the dead to pay tribute. We may very well say that among the Christians is accomplished the proverb of the ancients, who speak of those that with wrong & violence 3go about to have and catch, they demand tribute of the dead and the meal and flour of Images: willing also by that kind of speaking, to rebuke those that will enrich themselves by unhonest & unlawful means, & which do seek profit of those small & vile things, as the Emperor Vespasian, who caused tribute to be paid of the urine: