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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
authority_n	bishop_n	church_n	jurisdiction_n	5,357	5	9.3309	5	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A06108	The theatre of Gods iudgements: or, a collection of histories out of sacred, ecclesiasticall, and prophane authours concerning the admirable iudgements of God vpon the transgressours of his commandements. Translated out of French and augmented by more than three hundred examples, by Th. Beard.; Histoires memorables des grans et merveilleux jugemens et punitions de Dieu. English	Chassanion, Jean de, 1531-1598.; Beard, Thomas, d. 1632.	1597 (1597)	STC 1659; ESTC S101119	344,939	488

much lesse will he spare any other kingdome and monarchie which continue by their images and idoll worship to stirre vp his indignation against them CHAP. XXVII Of many euils that haue come vpon Christendome for idolatrie IF wee consider and search out the cause of the ruine of the East Empire and of so many famous and florishing Churches as were before-time in the greatest part of Europe namely in Greece wee shall find that Idolatry hath beene the cause of all for euen as it got footing and increase in their dominions so equally did the power of Saracens and Turkish tyrany take root and foundation amongst them and prospered so well that the rest of the world trembled at the report thereof God hauing raised and fortified them as beforetime he had done the Assyrians and Babylonians as whips and scourges to chasten the people and nations of the world that wickedly had abused his holy gospell bearing the name of Christians had become idolaters for no other name then this can be giuen them that in deuotion do any maner of homage to images pictures whatsoeuer may superficially be alledged to the contrary For be it the image either of Prophet Apostle or Christ Iesus himself yet it is necessary that the law of God stand whole and sound which saith Thou shalt make thy selfe no grauen image nor any likenes of things either in heauen aboue or in earth beneath Epiphan Iohn Bishop of Ierusalem thou shalt not bow downe to them nor worship them c. Wherefore he perfourmed the part of a good bishop that finding a vaile spred in the entrance of a Church dore wherein the image of Christ or of some other Saint was pictured rent it in peeces with these words That it was against the authoritie of the sacred scripture to haue any image of Christ set vp in the Church After the same manner Serenus bishop of Marseilla beate down banished all images out of his Churches as occasions of idolatry to shun them the more it was ordained in the Elibertine councill that no image nor picture should be set vp in any Church for which cause also the Emperour Leo the third by an open edict commanded his subiects to cast out of their temples all pictures and statues of Saints Paul Diacon Lib. 6. cap. 14. Angels and whatsoeuer to the intent that all occasions of Idolatry might be taken away yea and he burned some and punished diuers otherwise that in this regard were not pliant but disobedient to his commaundement After which time when images were recalled into Greece into Constantinople the chiefe city and seat of the east Empire it came to passe by a great and dreadfull yet iust iudgement of God that this famous and renowmed city in the worlds eie impregnable after long siege and great and furious assaults was at length taken by the Turkes who hauing wonne the breach and entred with fury droue the poore Emperour Paleologus euen till then fighting for the cities defence to that extremity that in retiring among the prease of his owne souldiers he was thronged and trampled to death and his slaine body being found was beheaded and his head contemptuously caried about the city vpon a launce Now after the massacre of many thousand men to make vp a complete and absolute cruelty they drew the Empresse with her daughters and many other Ladies gentlewomen to a banquet where after many vile and horrible wrongs and disgraces they killed and tore them in pieces in most monstrous manner In all which the execution of Gods most iust wrath for idolatry did most liuely appeare which sinne accompanied with many other execrable and vile vices must needs draw after it a grieuous and terrible punishment to serue for example to others that were to come neither was it a thing by chance or haphazzard that the christians were made a mocking stocke vnto them in that wofull day when in their bloody triumphes they caused a crucifixe to be caried through the streets in contempt and throwing durt vpon it cried in their language This is the gallant God of Christians And thus did God license and permit these sauage Turkes to commit eueryday grieuous outrages and to make great wastes and desolations in all Christendome till that they grew so mighty that it is to bee feared least the saying of Lactantius touching the returne of the Empire into Asia be not verified and accomplished verie shortly if there bee no amendment practised for we see by wofull experience that almost all the forces which Christian Princes haue mustered together from all quarters in pretence to resist their furie and rage haue not onely beene bootlesse and vnprofitable but also that which is worse giuen them further occasion by their bloodie victories and wonderfull slaughter of so many millions of men to make them more obstinate in their detestable Mahumetisme and Turkish religion then they were before for they make their boasts thereof and reare vp trophees of their cruelties taking no more pittie of the vanquished then a butcher doth of sheepe alotted to the slaughter Whereof we haue a pittifull example in rhe ouerthrow of the French armie which Iohn the sonne of Philip duke of Burgundie led against the Turke Pazaite and by the trecherie and cowardise of the Hungarians who in the time of battaile turned their backes and fled was ouercome in that this wicked and cruell tyger expresly charged that all the prisoners in number many should be murdered one after another which was readily executed before his eies so that sauing the chiefe captaine and certain few lords of the companie that were spared in respect of great ransoms there scaped not one aliue Besides these generall calamities the Lord hath particularly showne foorth his indignation against priuate persons and places for Idolatrie Cent. 4. cap. 3. as in Spoletium at one rime there perished by an earthquake three hundred and fiftie whilst they were offering sacrifice vnto their Idols At Rome vnder the empire of Alexander Seuerus after that the left hand of the image of Iupiter was miraculously melted Cent 3. cap. 14. the priests going about to pacifie the anger of their gods with Lectisterns and Sacrifices foure of them togither with the altar and Idoll were stricken in peeces with a thunderbolt and sodenly such a horrible darkenesse ouerspread all the Citty that most of the inhabitants ran out into the fields all amazed Moreouer did not the Lord send lightning from Heauen to inflame that notorious Temple for Idolatrie of Apollo Theodor. lib. 3. cap. 9. 10. or rather the Deuill of Delphos in the time of Iulian the wicked Apostatae whilest hee was exercising tortures vpon one Theodorus a Christian and did it not consume the image of Apollo to ashes The famous and rich Temple of Iupiter at Apamea how strangely did it come to ruine and destruction Nic●phor lib. 12. cap. 27. For when the President and Tribunes

ought to be aboue the prince not the prince aboue the lawes Dial. 4. ote legibus it is then most manifest that the prince is tyed vnto the lawes euen in such sort that without the same the gouernment which he swaieth can neuer be lawfull and commendable And if it be true that the Magistrate is or ought to be a Speaking law as it is said and ought to maintaine the authoritie and credit thereof by the due and vpright administration of Iustice for if he did not this he were a dumb law and without life How is it possible that he should make it of authority sorce with others if he despiseth and transgresseth it himselfe Dauid did neuer assume so much to himselfe as to desire to haue liberty to do what he listed in his kingdom but willingly submitted himselfe to that whic● his office and duty required 2. Sam. 5. making euen then when he was installed and established king ouer the whole land a couenant of peace with the princes and deputies of the people and wee know that in euery couenant and bargaine both parties are bound to ech other by a mutuall bond to perfourme the conditions which they are agreed vpon the like is vsed at the coronation of Christian Kings where as the people is bound and sworne to do their allegiance to their Kings so the kings are also solemnly sworne to maintaine and defend true religion the estate of iustice the peace and tranquilitie of their subiects and the right and priuiledges which are nothing but the lawes of the Realme whereas Dauid was by the Prophet Nathan reprooued for the adultery and murder which he had committed he neither vsed any excuse nor alledged any priuiledge whereby he was exempted from the rigour of the law to iustifie his fact but freely confessed without any cloake that he had sinned Whereby it appeareth of how small strength and authority their opinion and words be which thinke or affirme that a prince may dispence with the lawes at his pleasure by this opinion was the mother in law of Antonius Caracalla seduced who hauing by her lasciuious and filthy allurements enticed her sonne in law to lust and loue her and to desire her for his wife perswaded him that he might bring his purpose to passe and that it was lawfull enough for him if he would though for other it was vnlawfull seeing that he was Emperour and that it belongeth not to him to receiue but to giue lawes by which perswasion that braue marriage was concluded and made vp contrary to the law of nature and nations and to all honestie and vertue So it was reported how Cambyses tooke his owne sister to wife Herod lib 3. whome notwithstanding a litle after he put to death which thing being not vsuall then among the Persians not daring to enterprise it although he was a most wicked man without the aduise of the magistrates and counsellers of his realme hee called them togither and demaunded whether it was lawfull for him to make such a marriage or no to whome they answered freely that there was no prescript law which did allow of it yet that they might sooth him vp fearing to incurre his displeasure they said further that though there was no law to command it yet such a mighty king as hee might doe what he pleased In like manner that trencher Philosopher Anaxarchus after that he had told Alexander the Great Plutarch with a loud voice that he ought not to feare the penaltie of any law nor the reproch nor blame of any man because it belonged onely to his office to create lawes for all other to liue by and to prescribe the limits of lawfull and lawlesse things and that it became him beeing a conquerour to rule like a lord and a master and not to obey any vaine conceit of law whatsoeuer and that what thing soeuer the king did the same was sacred iust and lawfull vvithout exception And by this meanes made his proceedings farre more dissolute and outragious in many things then euer they were before Dion in the epitome of Xiphiline reporteth how the Emperours were wont to vsurpe this priuiledge to be exempted from all lawe that they might not be tied to any necessity of doing or leauing vndone any thing and how in no case they would endure to be subiect to any written ordinances the which thing is manifest euen in the behauiour of the chiefest of them aswell in regard of their life and manners as of the gouernment that they vsed in their Commonwealths For first of all Augustus Caesar hauing kept in his owne hand the office of the Triumuir ten yeeres as Suetonius testifieth hee also vsurped the Tribunes office and authority and that til his dying day and likewise tooke vpon him the Censureship namely the office of correcting and gouerning manners and lawes if need required whose successours a man may truly say for the most part trampled vnder their feete all sincere and sacred lawes by their notorious intemperance dissolutenesse and cruelties And yet for all this there wanted not a parasiticall lawyer vvho to please the Emperour his lord and master the better and to vnderprop and as it vvere seele ouer vvith a faire shevv that tyrannicall gouernment vsed by other Emperours foisted in this as a lavv amongst the rest Princeps legibus solutus est That the prince was exempted from all law As for that which they alledge out of Aristotles Politiques maketh nothing to set a colour vpon this counterfait for saith Aristotle if there be any man that excelleth so in vertue aboue all others that none is able to compare with him that man is to be accounted as a God amongst men to whome no law may be prescribed because he is a law vnto himselfe all which I graunt to be true if that which was presupposed could take place for where no transgression is found there no law is necessary according as Saint Paul said The law was not giuen for the iust but for the vniust and offenders but where is it possible to find such a Prince so excellent and so vertuous that standeth not in need of some law to be ruled by Of the like force and strength is that which is written in the first booke of Institutions tit 2. the wordes are these The Princes pleasure serueth for a law because the whole bodie of the people hath translated all their authoritie power and iurisdiction vnto him this is spoken of the Romane Emperours but vpon the ground of so slender silly reason that vpon so weake a foundation it can neuer stand for if it be demanded whether this action of the people of giuing ouer their right and prerogatiue to their Prince be vvilling or constrained vvhat answere vvill they make If it be by constraint and feare as it is indeed vvho will not iudge this vsurping of their libertie vtterly vniust and tyrannicall when one man shall arrogate that to himselfe vvhich

seruants and besieged in the citie Abell his head was cut off by the citizens and throwen ouer the wall as a iust reward for his rebellious act But let vs passe ouer these sacred histories come to prophane yet probable and more neare examples When Camillus besieged the Phalischi Liu. lib. 5. a people in Hitruria neare to mount Floscon a schoolmaster of the citie who had the rule ouer the chiefe mens sonnes both touching instruction and gouernance led them out of the city gates one day in shew to walke but indeed to betray them into Camillus hands which vnfaithfull dealing Camillus did not only mislike but detest refuse thinking it an vnhonest part by such sinister meanes to bring euen his enemies in subiection And therefore reprouing the trustlesse schoolmaster binding his hands behind his backe he gaue euery one of his schollers a rod with commandement to whip him backe vnto their parents whom he had pretended so to deceiue A most noble act in Camillus would we could find the like amongst Christians a most deserued punishment of the schoolemaster would no traitor might be serued better Neither might that worthy Roman repent his deed for the Phalischi in admiration and loue of this notable iustice freely yeelded themselues and their citie to him which otherwise in long time and without great effusion of blood he could not haue atchieued Did Tarpeia the daughter of Sp. Tarpeius speed any better when shee betraied the tower whereof her father was the ouerseer to Tatius king of the Sabines Liu. lib. 1. who at that season besieged Rome vpon condition of a summe of gold or as other writers say of all that the souldiers wore on theit left hands No verily for the Sabines assoone as they had attained their purpose ouerwhelmed her with their left hand gifts to wit their shields and not their rings and bracelets which shee hoped to the end to leaue an example to the posterity how no promise nor oth ought to be of force to traitours to keepe them from punishment Neither did those noble young men of Rome Tit. Liu. amongst whome were the consull Brutus sonnes come to any better issue when they conspired to receiue king Tarquinius into the city by night who by the vertue and valour of their father was worthily expulsed for their secret and wicked counsell being bewraied to the Consuls Iunius and Pub. Valerius by Vindicio a bondslaue they were apprehended hauing letters about them written to Tarquinius to the same effect and being condemned were first shamefully scourged with roddes and after executed to death Thucyd. lib. 1. Pausanius king of Sparta hauing conspited with the Persians against his owne countrey and as it were offered violence to his owne bowels fled into the sanctuarie of Pallas for reliefe Aelian lib. 9. when hee saw the Ephori to go about to call him in question for his treason Now whereas it was religion to take him from thence by violence they agreed to shut him vp there continually and so to pine him to death Which when his mother vnderstood shee was the first person that brought a stone to stoppe vp the dores to hinder him from getting forth and therein shewed a notable example of godly cruelty to her child and cruell pietie to her countrey approouing that saying of Aristippus who beeing demaunded why hee neglected his sonne being borne of his body answered Doe wee not cast from vs lice and flegme which are also bredde of our bodies insinuating that they which haue nothing to commend them to their parents but generation are not to be esteemed as children much lesse they that degenerate When Brennus captaine of the Gaules brother to Belinus and sonne to Molnutius king of Britaine besieged Ephesus a deuilish woman enticed with the iewels which Brennus wore about him betraied the citie into his hands But Brennus detesting this abominable couetousnesse when hee entred the city so loaded her with gold that he couered and oppressed her therewith In like manner Heradamon deliuered vp to the Emperor Aurelian his owne natiue citie Tiana in hope to saue his owne life by betraying his countrey But it fell out quite contrary to his expectation for though Caesar had sworne not to leaue a dogge aliue within the wals because they shut their gates against him and also his souldiers were instant and vrgent vpon his promise Eras in Apoph lib. 6. yet he spared the city and destroied the traitour and quit himselfe of his promise by hanging vp euery dogge in the citie contrary to his owne intent and his armies expectation yet agreeable to his words most correspondent to equitie and true fortitude In the yeere of our Lord 1270 the bishop of Colonea practising to spoile the citie of her priuiledges and reduce it vnder his owne iurisdiction Hermanus Grinu consull and chiefe magistrate withstood his power and authoritie with all his force so that hee could not bring his purpose about Wherefore two Canons belonging to the Bishop sought to vndermine this their enemy by pollicie and to take him out of the way for which end they inuited him in very kind manner to dinner but when he was come they brought him into a yong lyons denne which they kept in honour of the bishop and vnawares shut the dores vpon him bidding him shift for himselfe thinking that it was impossible for him to scape out aliue But the Consull perceiuing in what great danger hee was wrapped his cloake about his left arme and thrusting it into the mouth of the hungry lyon killed him with his right hand and so by the wonderfull prouidence of God escaped without hurt But the two traiterous Canons he caught right soone and hung them at their cathedrall Church gate to their owne confusion and terror of all traitors It was a noble saying and worthy the marking of Augustus Caesar to Rhaemitalches king of Thracia who hauing forsaken Anthony to take part with Augustus boasted very insolently of his deserts towards him then Caesar dissembling his folly dranke to another king and said I loue treason but I can not commend nor trust a traitour The same also in effect Philip of Macedony and Iulius Caesar were wont to say That they loued a traitour at the first but when he had finished his treason they hated him more then any other signifying that traitours deserued no retribution of thankes seeing their office was accepted for a time yet they themselues could neuer be counted lesse than naughty and disloiall persons for no honest man euer betraied his countrey or his friend and what greater punishment can there be than this But for manifest proofe hereof let this one example serue in stead of many namely of Theodoricke king of Francia and Irminfride king of Thuringia Albert. Crantz who being profest foes and hauing fought many cruell battailes at length the latter was conquered of the former by the luckie assistance of the Saxons This Irminfride

battaile yet was hee encountred with another desastrous misfortune for as hee marched forward with his forces to fight with Sigismunds brother he was by him ouercome and slain and for a further disgrace his dismembred head fastened on the top of a pike carried about to the enterview of all men Hee left behind him three yoong sonnes whom his owne brethren and their vncles Clotaire and Childebert notwithstanding their yong tender yeares tooke from their grandmother Clotildes custodie that brought them vp as if they would enstall them into some part of their fathers kingdome but most wickedly and cruelly to the end to possesse their goods lands signiories bereft them al of their liues saue one that saued himselfe in a monestarie In this strange monstrous act Clotaire shewed himselfe more then barbarous when hee would not take pitty vpon the youngest of the two being but seuen yeare old who hearing his brother of the age of tenne yeares crying pittifully at his slaughter threw himselfe at his vncle Childeberts feet with teares desiring him to saue his life wherewith Childebert being greatly affected entreated his brother with weeping eies to haue pitty vpon him and spare the life of this poore infant but al his warnings and entreaties could not hinder the sauadge beast from performing this cruell murder vpon this poor child as he had done vpon the other The Emperour Phocas attained by this bloody means the emperiall dignity Nicephor lib. 18. cap. 58. euen by the slaughter of his Lord maister Mauricius whom as he fled in disguised attire for feare of a treason pretended against him hee being beforetime the leiutenant general of his army pursued so maliciously hotely that he ouertook him in his flight for his further griefe first put all his childrē seuerally to death before his face that euery one of thē might be a seuerall death vpon him before he died and then slew him also This murderer was hee that first exalted to so high a point the popish horn whē at the request of Boniface he ordained that the bishop of Rome shold haue preheminence authority oueral other bishops which he did to the end that the stain blame of his most execrable murder might be either quite blotted out or at least wincked at Vnder his regencie the forces of the Empire grew wonderously into decay France Spaine Almaigne and Lumbardy reuolted from the Empire and at last himselfe being pursued by his sonne in law Priscus with the Senators vvas taken and hauing his handes and feet cut off was togither with the whole race of his ofspring put to a most cruel death because of his cruell and tyrannous life Among all the strange examples of Gods iudgements that euer were declared in this world that one that befell a king of Poleland called Popiell for his murders is for the strangenesse thereof most worthy to bee had in memory hee raigned in the year of our Lord 1346 this man among other of his particular kinds of cursings and swearing whereof he was no niggard vsed ordinarily this oth If it bee not true would rats might deuour me Munst Cosmog Mandat 3. Cursing lib. 1. cap. 32. prophecying thereby his owne destruction for hee was deuoured euen by the same means which hee so often wished for as the sequele of his historie will declare The father of this Popiell feeling himselfe neare death resigned the gouernment of his kingdome to two of his brethren men exceedingly reuerenced of all men for the valor and vertue which appeared in them He being deceased and Popiell being growne vp to ripe and lawfull yeares when hee saw himselfe in full libertie without all bridle of gouernment to doe what he listed he began to giue the full swindge to his lawlesse and vnruly desires in such sort that within few daies he became so shamelesse that there was no kind of vice which appeared not in his behauior euen to the working of the death of his owne vncles for all their faithfull dealing towards him which hee by poyson brought to passe Which being done he caused himself forthwith to be crowned with garlands of flowers and to bee perfumed with pretious ointments and to the end the better to solemnize his entrie to the crowne commanded a sumptuous and pompous banket to be prepared wherevnto all the princes and lords of his kingdome were inuited Now as they were about to giue the onset vpon the delicate cheare behold an army of rats sallying out of the dead and putrified bodies of his vncles set vpon him his wife and children amid their dainties to gnaw them with their sharp teeth insomuch that his guard with all their weapons strength were not able to chase them away but being weary with resisting their daily mightie assaults gaue ouer the battaile wherfore counsell was giuen to make great coale fires round about them that the rats by that meanes might bee kept off not knowing that no pollicy or power of man was able to withstand the vnchangeable decree of God for for all their huge forces they ceased not to run through the midst of them and to assault with their teeth this cruell murderer Then they gaue him counsaile to put himselfe his wife children into a boat and thrust it into the middest of a lake thinking that by reason of the waters the rats would not approch vnto thē But alasse in vain for they swum through the waters amaine gnawing the boat made such chinckes into the sides thereof that the water began to run in which being perceiued of the boatmen amazed them sore and made them make post hast vnto the shore where he was no sooner arriued but a fresh muster of rats vniting their forces with the former encountred him so sore that they did him more scath then all the rest Wherevpon all his guard and others that were there present for his defence perceiuing it to be a iudgement of Gods vengeance vpon him abandoned and forsooke him at once who seeing himselfe destitute of succour and forsaken on all sides flew into a high tower in Chousuitze whether also they pursued him and climing euen vp to the highest roome where he was first eat vp his wife and children shee being guilty of his vncles death and lastly gnew and deuoured him to the very bones After the same sort was an Archbishop of Mentz called Hatto Munsteer Cosmographie punished in the year 940 vnder the raigne of the Emperour Otho the great for the extreame cruelty which he vsed towards certaine poore beggers whom in time of famine he assembled together into a great barne not to releeue their wants as he might ought but to rid their liues as he ought not but did for hee set on fire the barne wherein they were and consumed them all aliue comparing them to rats mise that deuoured good corne but serued to no other good vse Mandat 8. Auarice and vnmercifulnesse But God