A14461:238
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 do think that 1if that time had continued any long space we should have been constrained not to dye, for want of burying. It is a marvellous case that that poor little Infant had so much 2a doe to find one little corner or angle in the earth, for to be buried in, and that the earth was not great enough for him. We may very well say that of our Priests which Phocion. said of the Athenians a little before his death. 3When they had condemned him to dye (because he was too honest a man for them, nor they were not worthy to have him among them) he must drink of the hemlock. For 4the Athenians had that custom to make those that were found faulty to drink that poison, and to put them to death after that sort. After that all the other that were in the prison with him, had drunken, and that there was none but he alone left, because that all the other had consumed the poison that did drink first, the hangman said that he will not give it him unless one would give him twelve 5drachmas of silver. For because that an ounce of the poison was sold for so much. Phocion then pleading with the hangman that his death might not be prolonged, and that the same should not let or hinder him to die, called unto him a certain friend of his, and said unto him: Sith that it is not lawful to dye at Athens freely but that it will cost money, and that I must bye death, I pray thee deliver money to this hangman, and give him the price he demandeth, least that for want of money I should tarry any longer ⟨image 52⟩before I dye. We may say as much of the Christians, and that y• Christianity is so much contributary, that one cannot only have the death and the burial freely, but that we must pay a reward. There was also among the Paynims 6a certain custom that the dead must pay. And therefore when any man dyed they did put into his mouth an half penny for to pay for his passage and custom unto Charon the Ferryman of Hell for to ferry the souls over the rivers that were there to pass over.