Replies.
ASINORUM SEPULTURA.
To discover the origin of this phrase, your correspondent (Vol. ii., p. 8-9.) need not go further than to his Bible.
"Sepultura asini sepelietur, putrefactus et projectus extra portas Jerusalem."—Jerem. xxii. 19.: cf. xxxvi. 30.
With regard to the extract given by Ducange, at the word "Imblocatus," from a "vetus formula Excommunicationis præclara," it is evident that the expressions,—
"Sint cadavera eorum in escam volatilibus cœli, et bestiis terræ, et non sint qui sepeliant eos,"
have been derived from S. Jerome's Latin version from the Hebrew of Psal. lxxix. 2, 3.:
"Dederunt cadavera servorum tuorum escam volatilibus cœli; carnes sanctorum tuorum bestiis terræ. Effuderunt sanguinem eorum quasi aquam in circuitu Hierusalem, et non erat qui sepeliret."—Vide Jacobi Fabri Stapulensis Quincuplex Psalterium, fol. 116. b., Paris, 1513; Sabatier, tom. ii. p. 162. Ib. 1751.
R. G.