John Trapp on Nahum 3:16

Verſe 16. Thou haſt multiplied thy merchants above the ſtarres of heaven] And ſo thinkeſt to have a ſtake in ſtore, howſoever the dice chance to turn. For theſe [illegible: 1 word] were very rich, and could furniſh her with money, which is the ſinewes of wa[illegible: 1 letter]re. Beſides, they traded farre and near; and ſo could give intelligence, and if need were, way-lay and intercept the enemies contributions that it came not to them. But would you know, ſaith the Prophet, how theſe merchants will ſerve [illegible: 1 word] your greateſt need?

The canker-worm ſpoileth and fleeth away] q. d. They will ſerve themſelves upon you, and then leave you in the lurch, to make as good ſhift as you can. They are mere canker-worms, which firſt eat up all, and then haſt away. Theſe falſe friends, well they may be the cauſes, but companions they will not be of your calamity: like crowes that flock to a dead carcaſſe, not to defend it, but to devour it: and no ſooner have they bared the bones but they are gone. Such falſe merchants as theſe hath this land been much peſtered with from Rome, in former ages. Matthew Paris telleth us of one Florentinus, the Popes Legate here, in King Johns reigne, Ferentinus the wiſer ſort called him, for bearing away ſo much money. And of another named Otto (one of the Popes merchants,Muſcipulatores. or rather mice-catchers, as he calleth them) who after three years raking together of money, by moſt deteſtable arts, at laſt departing hence, to avoid a ſtorm, he left not ſo much money in the whole kingdome, as he either carried with him, or ſent to Rome before him. In the year 1235. there were ſpread thorow England certain Roman canker-worms, called Caurſim (quaſi capientes urſi, devouring Bears quoth Paris) who had intangled the King, Nobles, and all others that had to deal with the Court of Rome, in their cunning ſnares, and uſurious practiſes, under colour of ſupplying with money ſuch as wanted preſent pay to the Pope.Fol. 613. Theſe were called the Popes merchants, ſaith Speed.