Ruth - a 16th century view by Lavater

The 16th century set of 28 sermons is only available to me at the library in an imaged form - we couldn't find the microform. The writing is delightful. Apparently it was translated by an 11 year old from the Latin.

Book of Ruth expounded in twenty eight sermons, by Levves Lauaterus of Tygurine, and by hym published in Latine, and now translated into Englishe by Ephraim Pagitt, a childe of eleuen yeares of age [microform]
1586

Here are some touches (copied from pencil notes so missing all those s's writ as f's and much of the strange spellings)  - from sermon 1

This whole history seemeth especially to consist of two partes: the first in the rehearsal of the miseries of Naomi and Ruth, the next in the change the the estate of these women namely how God made them rich again whom he had thrown down into great poverty.

In sermon 2 he asks which Judge this story happened under:

Some do report this historie to be under Ehud. Some are of the opinion that it was done in the time of Deborah and Barack. Some in the time of Iehpte.

He states the Moabites were sore oppressed during this time but then

It nothing availeth to our salvation to know the particular time wherein these were done otherwise the Holy Ghost would not have let it pass.

He asks whether Elimelech was guilty of abandoning his responsibilities. 'Pestilence, famine, warre and cruel beasts [were] for the punishment of men' (or he adds 'for the proving of the Godly') but he says we do not know

where the Scriptures do not accuse men let us not accuse them

from sermon 13: 'Boaz [was] delighted with the modesty of this woman' and he notes that Boaz' generosity was for Naomi - and he knew the sheaves would get to her.

This will be worth a day at UVIC - expensive to print up there - I wonder why Google books or the like has not yet got to this early English book.