CAP.18. 4Tervelatson ofthe Apocalypse. 775 dren were Wont to bee called, children of darkneffe, or children begotten in the darke and in hunger,whofe parents had not a torch- light carried before tl?.em at their marriage ; as the interpreters - of Homer hath obferved on the fifthBook of the Iliads.It was likewife the cuftome oftheRomanes,that fome Boy that hadboth his father and his mother living, didcarry a burning fire-brand, made ofwhite Thornebefore them,that were married, becaufe they were wont to marry in the night feafon, as Plutarch faith in his Problemes. But that which is added touching the Bridegroome and the. Bride is elect enough, namely that it.fignifieth that this calamity (hall not lie heavie upon Rome for fume time onely, but that Rome (hall have no hope of recovering her Pelf again afterward. This is that which the voyce of the Bridegroome, and of the Bride meancth, as if it were íàid, that marriages fhould never be made more in Rome, whereby there might be any própagating ofpofferity. For thy Merchants Were the great men of the earth. Here we have three fames ofthis City related ; Fxceff"eand Riot ; Idolatry, and theflatsghter ofthe Saints. The riotoufnefíethereof appeareth thence, in that men are become the Noblesof the Earth, by being Factors and Bawds for her Lufl. Her Prodigality and wantonnefle mull needs be intolerable, the Servitours and helpers whereof are grownefiu.if ately Magnificoes. We have (hewed before that this is the Merchandize of Soutes, and that-the Lord Cardinalls,.and Lord Bishops are thefe:Merchants. Whom who feeth not to be thefe States and Princes, fellówes here fpoken of, and to be the ma- nifc{l proofs and examples of Romes ioPtineffe and wantonncffe that comethofthofe rank and fat paflures (he f.edeth on. Thomas Wo/fey,,that greafy Cardinal] of our Countrey, was not afhamed to fay ordinarily,_when once,the-bate fellow was got 'a Cock-horfe ; Iand my King Will have it fo. Such proud Ceells and brazen faces do thefe Cardinals put on, by which they maybe known who they be,iftheir bloody. hats will not be enough for that purpofe.A'nd indeed why may they not bear themselves thus infolently as they do,...when as.they fee, that great Princesby birth make great Cuite to be advanced:tothis honourable dignity of their, or 'tire at leaf if the Pope will be fo kind and fo franke, as to beflow it tipon any of them, they fee how glad he is to take it as it were uponhis knee, & embrace it withboth his arms, counting it tobe a matter ofgreat glory to him , as ifis were the chiefeft ornament that fets forth the jeífic of his Perron ? There have been of old time , many ofthe Blood
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