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

For the most part of the Priests themselves, who will not marry the new married folk, and which do separate the husband from the wife, with much a do they can be without their ¹whores upon Caster day: But do customely cause the pot to be heated at the fire, and do make ready the dinner whilst that Monsieur the Canon, the Curate or jeer maketh a good face or countenance in the Church, and administereth to others. Wherefore I greatly fear least that during the time that they caused the wives to be separated from their husbands, they do play (if they can find the means) such a craft and deceit unto the poor & simple husbands, as the God Faunus did think to ²play with Hercules whilst that he did lye alone being separated from bys wives bed, for to prepare himself to the solemnity of the Bacchanals. For that good wise man did not think to fail (according to the witness of that good doctor Ovid and divine, before alleged) but ³to go and sanctify the wife of Hercules in her bed, if he had not deceived himself, in going to the bed of Hercules in stead of the other that he sought, in the which he did find Hercules, who made him to fall backward. God knoweth whether such fortune should happen always unto the husbands when that such Faunus do come to sanctify their beds, if they should make them oftentimes to stumble with their heads forward. They ⁴may well go to bless the beds of the spouses, for to learn the way, and to unblesse them afterwards. For those are the true Fauns, Satires and common Bulls, who will leave no woman undefiled, if thee would not be ruled by others, but by them. But in their case there is no fable, as in Poetry, for they lay on in good earnest without feigning. Wherefore their Doctors ⁵which compare the Priests unto the Cock, do no ⟨image 154⟩wrong. For as there must be but one Cock, for a great company of Pullets and Hens, so is one Priest or Monk in a Town or Parish enough, for to keep women from being barren. They will not leave off, if they may possible, but to lay Cgges: But when they have laid, and hatched them, let him that list bring up the Chickens. They do altogether contrary to the Capons, whom one causeth to nourish & bring up the young ones which they have not hatched.