Saint Augustines confessions translated: and with some marginall notes illustrated. Wherein, diuers antiquities are explayned; and the marginall notes of a former Popish translation, answered. By William Watts, rector of St. Albanes, Woodstreete

CHAP. 8. Alipius is taken with a delight of the Sword-plaies, which before he hated.

1. HEe not forsaking that worldly course which his parents had charm'd him to pursue, went before me to Rome, to study the Laws, where he was carried away with an incredible greedinesse of seeing the Sword-players. For being utterly against and detesting such spectacles, when he was one day by chance met withall by divers of his ac∣quaintance and fellow students comming from dinner, they with a familiar kinde of violence, ha∣led him (vehemently denying and resisting them) along into

the Amphitheater, on a time when these cruell and deadly shewes were exhibited; he thus protesting: Though you hale my body to that place, and there set me, can you after that force me to give my minde, and lend my eyes to these shewes? I shall therefore be absent even while I am present, and so shall I over∣come both you and them too. His Companions hearing these words, lead him on never the slower, desirous perchance to try, whether he could be as good as his word or no. When they were come thither, and had ta∣ken their places as they could, all that Round grew hot with mercilesse Pastimes.

2. But Alipius closing up the doores of his eyes, forbade his minde to range abroad after such mischiefes; and I would he had stopped his eares also. For upon the fall of one in the sight, a mighty cry of the people beating

strongly upon him, hee (being overcome by curiosity, and as it were prepared, whatsoever it were, to contemne it with his sight, and to overcome it) ope∣ned his eyes, and was strucken with a deeper wound in his soule, than the other was in his body, whom hee desired to be∣hold; and he presently fell more miserably than the Sword-play∣er did, upō whose fal that migh∣ty noise was raised. Which noise entred through his eares, and un∣lockt his eyes, to make way for the striking & beating downe of his soule; (which was bold ra∣ther than valiant hitherto; and so much the weaker, for that it presumed now on it selfe, which ought onely to have trusted up∣on thee:) For so soone as hee saw another mans blood, hee at the very instant drunke downe a kinde of savagenesse: nor did he turne away his head, but fix∣ed his eye upon it, drinking up

unawares the very Furies them∣selves, being much taken with the barbarousnesse of the sword∣fight, and even drunke againe with that bloody pastime. Nor was he now the man hee was when he came first thither, but become one of the throug hee came unto; yea, an entire com∣panion of theirs that brought him thither. What shall I say more? He lookt on, hee cryed out for company, hee was infla∣med with it; carried home such a measure of madnesse, as spur'd him on to come another time: and that not onely in their com∣panies who first inticed him, but to runne before them too, yea and hale on others also. Yet out of al this didst thou with a most strong and mercifull hand pluck him notwithstanding, & taugh∣test him to repose no more con∣fidence in himselfe, but upon thee onely. But this was not till a great while after.

Notes

• These gla∣diators or Fencers, were main∣tained by great men: who to please the people, would often exhibite thē upon the Stage, to fight at sharpe, in good car∣nest for their lives: be be∣ing accoun∣ted the bra∣vest fellow, that look his wounds or death with least shrin∣king.
• The Stage.