Most fruitful [and] learned co[m]mentaries of Doctor Peter Martyr Vermil Florentine, professor of divinity,…Most fruitfull [and] learned co[m]mentaries of Doctor Peter Martir Vermil Florentine, professor of deuinitie,…

¹And in the same manner we read happened at the beginning of the sepulchres, bones, and relics of holy men. The Christians buried the dead bodies of the Martyrs, as honourably as they could, and to have the memory of them kept, they began to have places of prayer at their tombs, not undoubtedly where they would worship and invocate the Martyrs, but where they might hear the word of God, receive the Sacraments, and exhort one an other to defend the faith. And in deed that place seemed not a little commodious for such a purpose: For the sepulchres of Martyrs seemed to admonish & inflame the minds, to enterprise the same battles, and to behave them selves most constantly for the name of Christ. Wherefore it was thought that in assembling to the Sepulchres of Martyrs, two commodities were gotten. First, because some honour might be given to so great Confessors, whilst the memory of them was not suffered to be forgotten, but with very great joy thanks were given unto God for their happy victory. The other was, because men might be stirred up to enterprise the like,² and to hope for the like gifts at Gods hand. And after the same manner began the images of Christ and of the Apostles privately to be made, namely that their death, which seemed unto the world full of ignominy, might be made more honourable, and that the memory of them might flourish, and by beholding of those images so set up, men might be provoked to the just and laudable imitation of them. If the thing had abidden within these bonds, it might have been borne with all, neither was there any thing there which might justly be condemned: but even as the act of Gideon was turned at the length to idolatry, so in success of time followed the invocation of Martyrs at their sepulchres, and the images of saints began to be set up and worshipped, not only in private places, but also in temples.

¹And in the same maner we rede happened at the beginning of the sepulchers, bones, and reliques of holye men. The Christians buried the dead bodies of the Martirs, as honorablye as they coulde, and to haue the memorye of them kept, they began to haue places of prayer at their tombes, not vndoubtedlye where they would woorship and inuocate the Martirs, but where they might heare the woord of God, receaue the Sacramentes, and exhorte one an other to defende the faith. And in deede that place seemed not a litle commodious for such a purpose: For the sepulchres of Martirs seemed to admonish & inflame the myndes, to enterprise the same battailes, and to behaue them selues most constantly for the name of Christ. Wherfore it was thought that in assembling to the Sepulchres of Martirs, two commodities were gotten. First, bicause some honour might be geuen to so great Confessors, whilest the memory of them was not suffered to be forgotten, but with verye great ioy thankes were geuen vnto God for their happy victory. The other was, bicause men might bee stirred vp to enterprise the like,