A68840:151
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,…
Most fruitful [and] learned co[m]mentaries of Doctor Peter Martyr Vermil Florentine, professor of divinity, in the University of Tygure with a very profitable tract of the matter and places. Herein is also added [and] contained two most ample tables, aswell of the matter, as of the words: with an index of the places in the holy scripture. Set forth & allowed, according to the order appointed in the Queens majesties injunctions.Most fruitfull [and] learned co[m]mentaries of Doctor Peter Martir Vermil Florentine, professor of deuinitie, in the Vniuersitye of Tygure with a very profitable tract of the matter and places. Herein is also added [and] contained two most ample tables, aswel of the matter, as of the wordes: wyth an index of the places in the holy scripture. Set forth & allowed, accordyng to thorder appointed in the Quenes maiesties iniunctions.
London: printed by John Day, 1564London: printed by Iohn Day, 1564
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
It might also be demanded, if the precepts of Matrimony be moral, and pertain to the law of Nature, why God would also constitute them in his laws?1 Because the light of nature was come to that point that it was not sufficient, the brightness of it was daily more and more blotted in the hearts of men: which thing doth manifestly appear not only in these, but also in the ten commandments, where it is commanded that men should abstain from theft and murder, and yet we read in histories that robbing on the sea, and also on the land got such dominion,2 that they were counted full of honour and dignity. Plato in his fifth book of laws thought, that concerning procreation of children we should abstain from Mothers, Grandmothers, and the degrees above them. Again from Daughters, Nieces, & degrees beneath them. But as for other persons he made free.3 Hierome testifieth in his second book against Joviniane, that the Scots in his time had no certain marriages, but they accompanied with their women as they lusted them selves, even such as came first to hand. He saith moreover, that the Medes, Indians, Ethiopes, and Persians confusedly contracted Matrimonies with their mothers, sisters, daughters, and Nieces: which seemeth nevertheless to disagree with that which Herodotus writeth of the Persians. For Cambyses (as he testifieth) desired to marry his sister, for the which thing he asked counsel of his Lawyers and wise men, and demanded of them whether that matrimony were lawful or no. To whom they answered, that they in deed had no law, by the which it might be lawful for the Brother to marry the Sister, but yet they had an other law among them, whereby it was lawful for the king of the Persians to do what so ever him self lusted. Surely they answered well in their first part of their answer, but in the latter part they most filthily flattered the tyrant. Howbeit the things which are written by this Historiographer (although sometimes he write fables) and those things which Jerome writeth, vary not. Because the vulgar people being now corrupted with filthy and wicked custom, contracted such matrimonies, the wiser sort nevertheless, in whom the law of nature did shine, understood that the same were not lawful, although being blinded with covetousness they abstained not from them.