A14461:34
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.
I speak this because of some delicate mo•thes, and curious of language, which regard not but the stile and 1the manner & phrase of speaking, without considering the sentence, and that that one speaketh, as though men do write for the tongue, and for to learn only, for to jangle and prattle as the Pies and Jays, not rather for to instruct the spirit, soul and the conscience. They regard but the flowers, and care not for the fruit: And which is worse, one shall find them of such corrupt judgements, that they prefer the painted flowers, before those that grow naturally, thinking to beautify their language, and to enrich the French tongue. GOD knoweth what a cutting and mangling they make, and how they mangle the Latin, so that they do 2speak neither Latin nor French. But desiring to avoid and not to use all that which they think to be common, to the end they might be esteemed the greater Orators, do forge and invent a new language, and do despise the good French words, for to steal away those from strange tongues. That curiosity and affection of language, is the cause that many delight rather to read books, full of scoffings, fables, lies, and of blasphemies, then those of divinity, or of some good divines and holy men. And this vice is not only in the French tongue, but also in yt Latin. For there are some which have so great fear to defile their golden tongue, and to imbrue 3their goodly stile with the simplicity & baseness of the Prophetical and Apostolical language, that they had rather to defile their souls, understandings and spirits, in foolish curious books, or in the writings of the Paynims and Idolaters, then to read in the holy Scriptures ⟨image 13⟩the which they dare not touch: Or if they desire some 4time to drink of it, that is as the dog doth at the flood Nilus. They do but suck in the water hastily, as though they were afraid to touch it, and that there were in it Crocodiles. They will touch it as a Cat doth hot coals. I do not condemn the reading of good Authors and of Poets, Orators and Philosophers the which may serve us to the glory of God, if first of all we be well instructed in the Christian religion.