John Trapp on Matthew 14:11

Verse 11. And his head was brought, &c.] This was merces [illegible: 1 word], the worlds wages to lohn for all his pains in seeking to save their soules. Surely as Cesar once said of Herod the great, (this Dike of the [illegible: 1 word], [illegible: 1 word] &c. [illegible: 1 word] mans father) It were better to be Herods [illegible: 1 word] then his sonne: So (saith one) many Ministers have, through the corruption of the time, cause to think, It were better to be Herods Ministrell then Minister, Player then Preacher, Dauncer then Doctour. And given to the [illegible: 1 word]] The [illegible: 1 word] condemned it for a detestable cruelty in [illegible: 1 word] Flaminius, that to gratifie his harlot [illegible: 1 word]. Placentina, he beheaded a certain prisoner in her [illegible: 2 words] a feast. This, Livy calleth facinus saevuni at que atrox, a cursed and horrid fact: And Cato the Censor cast him out of the Senate for it. Neither was it long ere this tyrant Herod had [illegible: 2 words] from heaven. For Aretas King of Arabia (offended with him for putting away his daughter, and taking to wife Herodias) came upon him with an army, and cut off all his forces. Which [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word] lib 18. cap [illegible: 1 word]. all [illegible: 1 word] interpreted, saith Iosephus, as a just vengance of [illegible: 1 word] upon him, for his unjust usage of the Baptist. And, within a while after, being accused at Rome by his brother Agrippa, [illegible: 1 word] convicted that he had 70000 armes in readinesse against the [illegible: 1 word], [illegible: 1 word]. cap. 9. he was banished into France ([illegible: 1 word] is above said) [illegible: 1 word] with his Herodias, where he became his own deathsman. And she brought it to her mother] As a most welcome [illegible: 1 word], and pleasant dish at this Thyestian supper. Whether it [illegible: 1 word] carried about the table for a merry sight (as Aretius thinks) or whether she prickt his [illegible: 1 word] with needles, as Iosephus saith, (as they did Tullies, setting up his head in the pleading-place, [illegible: 1 word] concionibus [illegible: 1 word] capita servârat, as [illegible: 1 word] a hath it) I have nothing to affirm. But we want not [illegible: 1 word] of some Tigers [illegible: 1 word] Tigresses, that have taken pleasure in such [illegible: 1 word]: Witnesse Hannibals, O formosum [illegible: 1 word]! O goodly bloody sight, when he saw a pit full of mans blood: Valesas, his O [illegible: 1 word] Act. and Men. when he had slain 300. [illegible: 1 word] his glorying on his deathbed, that he had been the death of 50 herewigs, hereticks he meant. Story his vaunting, that he tost a faggot at Denly the Martyrs [illegible: 1 word]. 1925. face, as he was [illegible: 1 word] a Psalm, and set a wine bush of thorns under his feet, a little to prick him, &c. This he spake in the Parliament in Q. Elizabeths dayes, whom he usually cursed in his grace afore meat, and was therefore worthily hangd, drawn, and [illegible: 1 word]. Whereunto we may add that Queen (another Herodias) who when she saw some of her Protestant subjects lying [illegible: 1 word] New comen. dead, and stripped upon the earth, cryed out, The goodliest [illegible: 1 word] that ever she beheld.