And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle.
Ver. 9. And they had breastplates] Their pretended donations, privileges and exemptions from the secular power; shaking their tippets at kings, whom they have trampled on, and forced to go barefoot on the hard stones, till they bled again. Thus dealt they by our Henry II; yea, they lashed him with rods upon the bare, and said, Domine, noli minari; nos enim nullas minas timemus, qui de tali curia sumus quae consuevit imperare regibus et imperatoribus: Sir, never threaten us; for we care not for your threats, as being of that court that commands kings and emperors. (Jac. Revius de Vii. Pontiff p. I49.)
And the sound of their wings] They are loud and bold spoken, make a great noise, raise a great dust, and thereby think to carry it. Herein they are like the heretic Nestorius, who is said to have been homo indoctus, superbus, contemptor Patrum, sed audax et magnae loquentiae, a proud ass, but bold above measure, and of a loud language, whereby he so far prevailed for a time, that he seduced good Theodosius, and procured a writ for the banishment of Cyril, that godly orthodox divine. (Zanch. Miscel., Epist. Dedic.)