Hillarius. Afterwards you do make the same honour 1unto the Virgin Mary, which the Romans did unto the Harlot Flora, whom they have made a Goddess and canonised her, because that she made them heirs of her goods, which she had gained by whoredom. 2And afterwards for to cover and hide their honour, have called her Chloris, and have given unto her power to make the Earth to fructify and increase. Do ye not great honour unto that holy Virgin, to give unto her Flora, that abominable bawd and harlot for a companion? or to put her in her place? And the time agreeth well to the feast. For the Florales and the feast of Candlemas of Flora were dedicated unto 3all licentiousness, shameless plays, villainies and dissolutions, the which the false Christians do practise, all that time which is between the Kings and Shrovetide, afterwards they begin again at Caster and do continue until the month of May, and almost all the year.
⟨image 173⟩But chiefly at the feasts of Caster & in May after their 4lamentations of Lent. Furthermore the Paynims do hold Proserpina & Hecate for the Goddess and Queen of hell, and do light unto her Torches and candles and do beseech her for the dead, to the end she be favourable, as well for her own part, as towards her husband Pluto. And you, do ye much less of the Virgin Mary, you do 5call her Queen of heaven: And you do make her Queen of hell and of the dead, as the Poets do of Hecate, whom they do also take for Proserpina and Diana unto whom they do attribute great power in heaven and in hell: as it appeareth by that, that Virgil saith.6
To cast in sacred fire redemption chief of deeds amiss.
And on Diana calls, in heaven and hell that mighty is.
Also in like manner you would make of Jesus Christ a Pluto, or at the least the difference is not great. And if you will deny it I will have no more to prove it, but your prose & sequence of the dead, which is in good time, but yet nevertheless 7without reason, beginning in Latin: Lugentibus in Purgatorio: The which for to make it the better to sound in thine ears friend Eusebius, & the better to follow the stile of the Fatists which have made it, I will rehearse it unto thee in verse word for word the best & I can and if thou do not find the rime so good as it is in Latin, be assured that there is more rime and better, then there is of reason.
Hillarius. Afterwards you doe make the same honour 1vnto the Uirgyn Mary, which the Romaines dyd vnto the Harlot Flora, whome they haue made a Goddesse and canonised hir, bicause that shée made them heyres of hir goodes, whiche shée hadde gayned by whoredome. 2And afterwardes for to couer and hyde their honoure, haue called hir Chloris, and haue giuen vnto hir power to make the Earth to fructifie and increase. Doe yée not greate honoure vnto that holye Uirgyn, to giue vnto hir Flora, that abhominable bawde and harlot for a compaignion? or to put hir in hir place? And the tyme agréeth well to the feaste. For the Florales and the feaste of Candlemas of Flora were dedycated vnto 3all lycenciousenesse, shamelesse playes, vpllaynies and dissolutions, the whiche the false Christians doe practise, all that time whiche is betweene the Kinges and Shroftyde, afterwardes they beginne agayne at Caster and doe contynue vntyll the moneth of Maye, and almoste all the yeare.
⟨image 173⟩But chiefely at the feasts of Caster & in May after their 4lamentations of Lent. Furthermore the Panims do hold Proserpina & Hecate for the Goddesse and Quéene of hell, and do light vnto hir Torches and candels and doe beséech hir for the dead, to the ende shée be fauourable, as well for hir owne parte, as towardes hir husband Pluto. And you, do ye muche lesse of the Uirgin Mary, you doe 5call hir Quéene of heauen: And you do make hir Quéene of hell and of the dead, as the Poets doe of Hecate, whom they do also take for Proserpina and Diana vnto whom they do attribute great power in heauen and in hell: as it appeareth by that, that Virgill saith.6
To cast in sacred fire redemption chiefe of deedes amisse.
And on Diana cals, in heauen and hell that mightie is.
Also in like manner you would make of Iesus Christ a Pluto, or at the least the difference is not great. And if you wil deny it I wil haue no more to proue it, but your prose & sequence of the dead, which is in good tyme, but yet neuerthelesse 7without reason, beginning in Latin: Lugentibus in Purgatorio: The which for to make it the better to soūd in thine eares friend Eusebius, & the better to follow the stile of the Fatists which haue made it, I wil revearse it vnto thée in verse word for worde the best & I can and if thou doe not finde the ryme so good as it is in Latine, be assured that there is more ryme and better, then there is of reason.
- 1Flora. Lact. de fal. re. li. 1. ca. 20.
- 2Chloris Ovid. Fast. 4. 5.Chloris Ouid. Fast. 4. 5.
- 3Florales.
- 4Proserpina & Hecate.
- 5Queen of heaven and of hellQueene of heauen and of hell
- 6Aene. 6.
- 7Prose and sequence for the dead
