John Trapp on Matthew 14:6

Verse 6. But when Herods birth-day was [illegible: 1 word] ] All this was a meere plot, as St Mark also intimateth, in those words of his, chap. 6 21, And when a convenient day was come. This birthday Res [illegible: 2 words] gesta est. Pa. then was the day appointed long before by Herod and his Harlot for the acting of this tragedy. A great feast must be prepared, the states invited, the damosell must dance, the King swear, the Baptists there upon be beheaded, that the Queen may be gratified. And this tragedy was new-acted at Paris [illegible: 1 word] 1572. when the French [illegible: 1 word] was committed under pretence of a wedding royall. Cardinall Lorrain gave a great summe of [illegible: 1 word] to him that brought the first news thereof to Rome, and the Pope caused it to be painted in his pallace. The daughter of [illegible: 2 words]] Tripudiabat, tripped on [non-Latin text not transcribed] a [illegible: 1 word] or [illegible: 1 word]. the toe in a most immodest manner, as they used to do in their Bacchanals, as the word [illegible: 1 word]. This old Fornicator seemed to be so taken and tickled with the sight, that like a mad man [illegible: 1 word] swears to give her her request, to the half of the kingdome, which yet was more then he could do, the kingdome being not his [illegible: 1 word] the Emperour of Romes to dispose of. So, as Robert Duke of Normanáy passed through Falaise, he beheld among a company of young maids dauncing, one [illegible: 1 word] a skinners daughter, whose nimblenesse in her daunce so enamoured the Duke, that he tooke her for his Concub ne, and one [illegible: 1 word] begat our William the Conquerer. Such and no better commonly are the effects, of mixt [illegible: 1 word]. [illegible: 1 word]. [illegible: 1 word]. [illegible: 1 word]. dauncings, which made Chrysostom say, where dauncing is, there the devil is. And another Ancient calleth dauncing a circle, whose [illegible: 1 line] center is the devil blowing up the fire of concupisence in the hearts both of the actours and spectatours. Augustine saith, that every caper in the daunce is a leap into a deep jakes. No sober man doth daunce, saith Cicero. [illegible: 1 line] And pleased Herod] Who was now well heat with wine as an oven, Prov. 23. 31, 33. for then, his eies were apt to behold strange women, and his heart to utter perverse things. Gula Veneris vestibulum: Et Venus in vinis ignis [illegible: 1 word] igne furit. But what a monstrous thing is it to behold green apples on a tree in winter, to finde youthfull lusts in old [illegible: 1 word] goats?