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

Thomas. Truly that might be very well called to take tribute of the dead.

Thomas. Truely that might bée very well called to take tribute of the deade.

Hillarius. I would gladly that our priests and Monks had such a judgement, and that they had as much pity on the poor people, & not to compel them any longer to pay tribute for the dead, when they see that they have work unough to find money to buy bread for ⟨image 54⟩to give meat unto those that be alive. Me thinketh that they ought to content themselves for that they have pilled the world so long time, when they see y• it is eaten even to the bones. For how many poor people are there, that shall be constrained to go and dig the dead out of their graves, if they did know any that had money, for to deliver themselves from the hands of such adventurers? But which is worse, in stead to content themselves in so pilling the poor people until this present time, if there be any that speaketh one only word against their pilings and extortions, and which refuseth to pay tribute for the quick and the dead, they will condemn them immediately to the fire, as Heretics. We do call the Scythians barbarous people, and esteem them very cruel, especially the Essedonians and Massagetes, who do eat their fathers and mothers and their parents and friends, in stead to bury them. The Essedonians have a custom (as the Historiographers do witness) to singe after their parents, and after that their kinsfolk and neighbours are assembled together, they do eat the flesh of the dead bodies, mingled with the flesh of beasts. The like have they written of the Massagetes who were also Scythians. I have thought that manner of doing to be marvellous strange, and would not believe it that there were people upon the earth so inhumane, who had not great horror and fear to eat the flesh of men. But when I consider & way the doings of our Priests, I find the Scythians to be very human in comparison of them. For they are not content to eat the dead only, but they eat both the quick & the dead: & not being content with y• do also eat with them their wives, children, parents & friends with all their chevances & substance: & yet they cannot be sufficed & satisfied. They make