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,…

In the last part of the song, to the end we might manifestly see, to how great a confusion and ignominy the enemies of God came unto, and from how great a hope they fell, the person of the mother of Sisera is brought in, and the words both of her, and of other noble women which were together with her, are set forth. She might have said in few words: The mother waited, that her son should return with glory and laden with spoils, whom the wretched woman knew not to have so miserably perished. But if she should so have said, the oration would have been slender and cold. Wherefore to make it of efficacy and vehement, the talk of the women is put here. Which manner also was very much used among the Ethnic writers, and it is read also in Isaiah the .14. chap. where is expressed the talk of kings and princes which were dead,¹ with which they received the king of Babylon being miserably destroyed and descending down unto them. Neither do the holy writers lye when they feign such things, forasmuch as they write not to deceive, but to declare the thing more openly. The motherly affection, & vehement natural love of the parents towards the children is here expressed, which for the long absence of their children are very much careful, and are many ways afflicted. It is said therefore that the mother of Sisera, whilst he desired to return, being troubled even herself oftentimes, looked out at the windows or through the lattices beyond the windows, to see if she could see him returning. And this she did not without crying and lamentation, suspecting by this his long tarrying that evil had happened unto him. But the women which stood by had a great deal better hope, for they interpreted the tarrying of Sisera in the good part. Terence in Adelphis hath notably well written. It is much better,² that those things happen unto us which our wives in our absence suspect of us, then those things which our parents suspect. For when a man tarrieth long in a place, the wife saith with her self he loveth, or is loved, he is a drinking, his mind is pleased, and he is in so good case, that he forgetteth to return home. But the parents when their sons return not in time, by and by they are afraid, least they have had some fall, lest they be a cold, or have broken something, and till such time as they return they are wonderful careful.

In the last part of the songe, to the end we might manifestly see, to how great a confusion and ignominy the enemies of God came vnto, and from how great a hope they fell, the person of the mother of Sisera is brought in, and the wordes both of her, and of other noble women which wer together with her, ar setforth. She might haue sayd in few words: The mother wayted, that her sonne should returne with glory and laden with spoyles, whome the wretched woman knew not to haue so myserably perished. But if she shoulde so haue sayde, the oration would haue bene slender and cold. Wherefore to make it of efficacye and vehement, ye talke of the women is put here. Which maner also was very much vsed amonge the Ethnike writers, and it is reade also in Esay the .14. chap. where is expressed the talke of kinges and princes which were deade,