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

Hillarius. That should be a goodly pastime for y• drunkards, if those floods were of wine, & for those that dwell upon the mountains, if it were of milk, as in the time of Saturn, and in the time of the golden Age, if the ¹witness of the Poets be true. But I rather fear that those are not always that, as the Poets have said, and that one cannot always attribute unto them their ancient names: Although that the Pope reigneth there in stead of Pluto. For the one is called, Lethe, y• is to say, oblivion: An other Acheron, that is to say, without Joy: An other Styx, that is to say, sadness: An other Cocytus, that is to say, mourning and lamentation: An other Phlegethon, that is to say, heat. Now what other thing can there be in the Popes Purgatory, if it be such as they have described unto us. I find it in nothing to differ from the Poetical hells. Wherefore they do no great wrong, if they do sing: Deliver them from the deep lake, and from the Lyons mouth. Sith that that roaring Lyon is there, it must of force be that it is hell. But they fail in this that they have not directed their prayer unto the Pope, and his, which have caste the souls therein and hold them there, and not unto Jesus Christ, who handleth not so cruelly those of his faithful servants. But truly those which will not drink of the fountain of life of our Saviour Jes•s, and of his goodly ²sweet rivers, which are more sweeter then either wine or milk, are well worthy to drink of those bile and stinking papistical Cisterns, and to be plunged and drowned in those pits and infernal lakes, and to live in the iron Age.

Hillarius. That should be a goodly pastime for y• drunckardes, if those slouds were of wine, & for those that dwell vpon the mountaines, if it were of milke, as in the time of Saturne, and in the time of the golden Age, if the ¹witnesse of the Poets be true. But I rather feare that those are not alwaies that, as the Poets haue sayd, and that one cannot alwaies attribute vnto them their auncient names: Although that the Pope raigneth there in stéede of Pluto. For the one is called, Lethe, y is to say, obliuion: An other Acheron, that is to say, without Ioy: An other Stix, that is to say, sadnesse: An other Cocytus, that is to say, mourning and lamentation: An other Phlegeton, that is to saye, heate. Now what other thing can there be in the Popes Purgatory, if it be such as they haue described vnto vs. I finde it in nothing to differ from the Poeticall hels. Wherfore they doe no great wrong, if they do sing: Deliuer them from the déepe lake, and from the Lyons mouth. Syth that that roaring Lyon is there, it must of force bée that it is hell. But they fayle in this that they haue not directed their prayer vnto the Pope, and hys, which haue caste the soules therein and holde them there, and not vnto Iesus Christ, who handeleth not so cruelly those of his faythfull seruauntes. But truely those which wyll not drincke of the fountaine ef life of our Sauiour Iess, and of hys goodlye