St. Augustine, Of the citie of God vvith the learned comments of Io. Lod. Viues. Englished by I.H.

L. VIVES.

HIs (a) ten pence] Behold here Saint Augustine reckneth ten pence a day for a small almes: but how many haue we now that giue so much? how many potentates see you giue foure pence a day to the poore: nay they thinke much with a peny or two pence. But after the Dice, let Ducates goe by thousands, their fooles and iesters shall haue showers of their beneficence powred vpon them, 'tis a great mans part, an embleame of Noblesse: but aske them a peny for Christs sake, and they are either as mute as stones, or grieue at the sight of the guift they part from. Respect of vertue now is low laid. (b) They purchase] So you shall haue diuerse, take vp freely they care not where, nor of whom, nor in what fashion; and then breake, turne coun∣terfeite banquerupts, and satisfie their creditours with ten at the hundred, and thinke they haue made a good hand of it, and shall redeeme all with a little almes. O fooles that thinke that

God is taken with pence! no, it is the minde that hee respecteth, such as is resident onely in ho∣nest brests.

Theeues and villaines haue now and then money good store, and disperse it bountifully. But let no man trust in his wealth, or to purchase heauen with a peece of siluer. (c) The Elysi•…•… fields] Seruius deriues the name from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, a dissolution of the soule from the body. Where these fields are it is vncertaine. Plato placeth them in the firmament, full of all delights that can bee imagined. Others place them in the hollow spheare of the Moone (Seru.) where the ayre is pure, and vndisturbed. Of this opinion Lucane seemeth to bee. Phars. 9. Pythago∣ras also, and Plato were of opinion that this part of the ayre was inhabited with Daemones, Demi-gods and Heroes. Heare what Lucane saith of the spirit of Pompey:

—Sequitur conuexa tonantis, Quà niger astriferis connectitur axibus aër, Quod{que} patet terras as inter, lunaeque meatus, Semidei manes habitant, quos ignea virtus Innocuos vita patientes aetheris imi Fecit, & aternos animam collegit in ignes.

—Vp to that round ithyes, Where the darke ayre doth kisse the spangled skies. For in that region 'twixt the Moone and vs, The Demi-gods, and spirits generous Of those whom vertuous ardor guided well (On earth) in euer-lasting glory dwell.

Homer saith, that the Elysian fields are in the farthest parts of Spaine, whence the Fauonian windes blowe. Witnesse Strabo, who saith also that the Riuer Limaea, (now called Liuia) was whilom called Lethe. So doth Silius and Mela call it: when Decimus Brutus lead the Ro∣maine souldiours that way, they were afraide to passe it, least they should haue forgotten their country, wiues, friends, them-selues and all. The translation of Strabo calleth it Ess•…•…, but it is an errour. Silius saith it runnes amongst the Grauii. Mela, amongst the Celtici. In∣deede the Insulae fortunata (a second Elysium) are not farre from this part of Spaine.