an excuse Thou saist I haue set the armes in their place againe thou doest thereby confesse that it was not lawfull to take them thence It seemeth thou wouldest inferre that thou deseruest verie much in that thou diddest not leaue them as thou diddest thine own and it appeareth by thy speech that hauing restored them againe the law hath in no sort been offended I answere that in performing this offence thou hast done like vnto him that should first wound a man and afterwards heale him againe or like vnto him that restoreth any stolen goods not only when he hath no more need thereof but after that he hath enriched himselfe by the means thereof It might haue ben sufficient for thee that thou haddest saued thine owne life and reuenged the death of thy followers by these arms without vsurping the triumph and glorie of the good lucke which they did yet containe by the vertue of the dead man wherefore thou art onely beholding vnto them els mightest thou as well haue beene conqueror with thine own arms without vsurping or taking away these which thou knewest to be victorious There is no reason then to pardon the fault which thou thy selfe hast committed for any the good successe we haue receiued by anothers mans weapons and although the same should so be according to thine owne desire yet must we doe iustice and euen as thou hast obtained the honor and triumph of a conqueror so must thou endure the punishment due for crime Declamation 50. Of an adulterer who hauing slaine a Tyrant claimeth the reward and honour that was promised the which was refused to be giuen vnto him A Certaine Tyrant hauing by force obtained the sole gouernment of a Commonwealth the Citizens thereof did secretly ordain amongst them that whosoeuer could slay the said Tyrant hee should haue tenne thousand crownes in recompence and his statue or image should be set vp in the Temple and bee called the onely patron and protector of his countrie Wherevpon it happened that a yong man did so well court the Tyrants wife that he inioied her at his pleasure and oftentimes he went vnto her by night disguised and sometimes in the habite of a woman In the end he was suddainly surprised by the Tyrant who would haue slaine him but the yoong man being the stronger or rather being aided by the wife tooke the tyrants sword from him and slue him Wherefore hee demanded of the Commonwealth the recompence promised vnto him which should slay the Tyrant but the Cittizens gainsaied his demand in this sort IF the Tyrant himselfe had not armed thee thou haddest neuer slaine him but what shall I say Seeing that one Tyrant murthered another at all aduentures For adulterie is no lesse offence then tyrannie but of whom requirest thou a reward for thy not suffering him to slay thee Seeing that euen those which are most wicked doe eschew death as much as they may the tyrant should haue deserued as much if he had slaine thee as thou doest in killing him so that can be said to be nothing els but an equall combat the issue whereof hath beene happie for thee neither did the honester nor the innocenter man get the victorie but rather the stronger or the vilder person Seeing it was manifest that the Tyrant came to murther thee who wert as wicked as himselfe and that he brought the meanes to kill himselfe why commest thou alone to demand the reward The which if anie were done ought to be diuided in three parts that is to say one part to the Tyrant for bringing thee a sword another part to his wife for helping thee to take it from him and the last and least part for thy selfe Moreouer thou diddest not enter armed as those do which would kill but thou camst delicatlie apparelled and perfumed into the chamber not without good espiall before hand of the Tyrants absence A valiant man no doubt who desired not to find the Tyrant but his wife who was not pricked with hate but passioned with loue They which goe purposely to kill anie one doe arme themselues with courage and courtelax and doe goe thether where they thinke to find those they meane to kil Euery noble act is begun with an intent and performed by occasion for as oftentimes the vertuous enterprises are rewarded although the successe doe fall out sinisterly so are wicked enterprises not left vnpunished although they succeed not according to the meaning of the malefactor and as vertue without effect loseth not her glorie euen so likewise is that neuer allowed for vertue or worthie of reputation which happeneth by fortune or chance The wisdome of our Senat would neuer haue appointed so great a reward for him that should slay the Tyrant if they had thought the same should haue ben performed by so wicked a person not willingly but by constraint not by vertue but by vice Neuer was there heard of such a combat for hee which was counted the vildest caitife did fight for the best honestest cause the Tyrant fought to reuenge his owne wrong and his wiues reputation and thou to maintain thy lewd act and foule adulterie so that it may truly bee said that thou diddest murther a womans husband and fortune hath slaine the Tyrant by whose death the Commonwealth hath gained her freedome although he was not slaine for the same intention It is a goodlie matter to see thee come polluted with the kisses of an adulterous minion to demand the recompence belonging vnto a vertuous man this honor should bee due vnto such a one as had freely killed the Tyrant being therevnto prouoked by vertue but not vnto thee who diddest it by chance or constraint thereby to defend thine owne life wherefore the same life which thou hast saued by this deed is a recompence great enough for thy desert or if thou wilt denie this consider that first we must punish the vice and afterwards reward the vertue thou canst not denie but that thou diddest first commit adulterie before thou sluest the tyrant first then suffer punishment for thy fault and then we will afterwards consult whether thou deseruest that reward which thou demandest But aboue all things remember this that no good act is to be attempted by mischiefe neither must vertue be attained vnto by vice The Answere YOu say that I went not of purpose to kill the Tyrant seeing that I did goe vnarmed But I affirme that I did which is plainly approued by his death In that I was vnarmed it doth not any whit deminish my vertue but rather augment my danger the which not to esteeme nor feare can bee no other then vertue You must not examine what I carried into the Castle But what I tooke away thence Likewise neuer aske wherefore I went thether but marke what I haue done there True it is that the sword was none of mine but the hands were mine the courage counsell danger paines and lastly the act was mine Doe you call mee an
seeing the same was more easie for him to accomplish then for me to indure so manie torments for I haue suffered whatsoeuer ancient cruelty was able to inuent that which this present age might possiblie ad thervnto what shall I further say but that the hangmen were wearie and tired and the Tyrant himselfe was tormented at my tortures Hauing then bought with such exceeding pains life honour glorie and riches for this ingratefull man why would he put me away to take a richer wife For one more noble he cannot haue if that be true nobilitie which proceedeth from vertue O how plainely doth it appeare by him that abundance engendereth auarice which is the root of all vice and enemie to all vertue as he doth very well declare for when he was more poor and lesse wealthie then had he more pittie and lesse wickednesse But what is this fellow that would prescribe nature a law and appoint the times wherein a woman should conceiue Must hee be like vnto God Doth he not yet know that he is worse then a beast that would be better then a man Must he be so presumptious Consider onely that if you are worthie to bee honoured I deserue not to be hated The Answere YOu might haue iust cause to reprooue mee for your torment if I had not reuenged your torture if you did know that I intended to slay the Tyrant and you neither did reueale nor confesse the same you must not thinke that I am anie whit then more bounden vnto you for it for it is no good deed to abstain from doing ill but to perseuere in doing good and I doe verily beleeue that you were ignorant of my intention for I neuer made you acquainted with anie thing not minding to trust a pratling woman whose nature is to keepe nothing but that which shee knoweth not with a matter which was only worthie of the aduice of a manly courage both graue sound and wise the which parts I did then know to bee vtterlie wanting in you Nay I may trulie say that before your torments I neuer determined to kill the tyrant but your sustained wrongs inforced me to seeke reuenge But although you had heard something and disclosed it not yet was the same no good turne but fidelitie in like sort if you had but confessed neuer so little you should haue beene worse tormented to haue gotten more matter from you and you had been deemed the more guiltie in not reuealing the deed before you came to the torture Wherfore in confessing anie thing you could not but prolong your paines and shorten your life you haue then done more for your selfe then for me Hauing then done nothing for me I cannot be beholding to you not being beholding to you I cannot bee called vnthankfull and the rather because I do not wrong you in putting you away seeing it is not because I dispise you but you must know that Cato in his old age was married againe vnto a poore yoong maiden whervpon his sonne demanding of him why hee gaue him a mother in law He answered My sonne it is not to offend thee but to giue vnto thee more brethren as victorious as thy self to the end that you may altogether profit the Commonwealth So mine intention is to beget children which as I haue said may one day bee profitable vnto the Common-wealth Suffer me then to haue that of another which I can neuer hope for of thee and let the good and profit of the Commonwealth be preferred before our owne pleasure for we ought not to be born for our own commoditie but for the good of our natiue countrie and those which doe otherwise thinke may not onely say that they are vnborne but that they are vnworthie to be borne I would not then that you should bee of the same number Declamation 65. Of a rich man that died for the loue of a chast woman vnto whom he bequeathed all his goods whervpon her husband accused her of adultery IT chanced that a certaine man hauing a passing faire wife left her alone at home and he made a voiage to Ierusalem In so much that there happened a verie rich marchant being a stranger to come and lodge hard by this fair womans house so as the said marchant became in loue with her and sending her sundrie great presents he solicited her to loue him but she refused his presents three times and being thereby frustrate of all hope to speed the said marchant became exceeding sicke bequeathing all his wealth vnto this faire wife adding these words vnto his testament Because I haue found her chast and modest He being dead the faire woman receiued the riches and goods her husband is aduertised thereof before he come home to his house Wherevpon hee became so suddainly iealous that at his return he accused his wife of adulterie saying THou canst not denie but that either in deed or thought thou art an adultresse for these riches doe witnesse against thee I will confesse one onely point which is that my absence might haue beene the cause thereof but now it must be considered what a wife you are vnto me what an husband I haue ben vnto thee hast thou euer wanted anie thing Or didst thou feare that thou shouldest want What haddest thou then to doe with these riches But who knoweth not that the most women are sooner ouercome with couetousnesse then loue Diddest thou not know also that continency and concupiscence are the two keies of womens honors for by the one it is preserued and by the other it is polluted Wherefore euery woman of worth ought to behold nothing but the earth sometime her husbands face for feare least she should desire some other thing vnto euerie stranger she ought not only shew her selfe bashfull but vncourteous faining to bee blind and deafe for loue entreth in by the eies and is conceiued by the eares also by a womans countenance either a deniall or a consent is a great deale sooner and better perceiued then by her tongue they which make a sound deniall at the first are neuer importuned the second time much lesse the third time Who will euer beleeue that anie man would haue left all his goods vnto a woman because hee found her contrarie to his wish If he were so glad to find her chast why did hee solicite her to bee immodest It is a great follie for anie man to seeke for that which he would not find Who may not say or thinke that this our age is void of all shame Seeing that a stranger witnesseth the chastitie of a woman towards her husband before hee is required shee that feareth not to be thought an adultereste wil neuer be ashamed to be one indeed for opinion gouerneth all things at her pleasure and if shame or feare of infamie did not restraine some more then another there would not be one good woman for shame serueth as a bridle to the immodest and as a guide vnto
absurd then his request vnreasonable being very sure that he would neuer effect it and for answere vnto his friuolous assertions we will only say that the defendant had occasion to be vpon his house top and the father of the plantife had nothing to doe beneath or before the same not that the other neuerthelesse had anie desire to hurt him but is extreamelie sorrie for it neither is it likelie although he had borne him neuer so ill wil that he durst haue hazarded his owne life in that sort but he would rather haue thrown a tile at al aduentures and afterwards haue come downe on the other side saying that he did it not Lastlie the malice and enuie wherewith he would slander another is too apparent in himselfe Wherefore it may please you most mercifull lords to giue such iudgement as this your subiect being innocent may be preserued to doe his countrie some seruice Declamation 28. Of him that caused his wiues chastity to be tempted that thereby he might haue some cause to put her away A Certaine man caused his wiues chastitie to bee tempted by his seruant that was hoth faire and yoong who was many times so importunate with her that at the length her husband being hidden in the garden did heare how she promised vnto her fained louer that she would yeeld vnto his desire the first time that her said husband should ride into the countrie Wherevpon he accused her to be an adulteresse and would haue put her away saying NOt in vaine doth Salomon say that a vertuous woman is a crowne vnto her husband but she that behaueth her self dishonestly is a corruption in his bones Alasse I did suppose that I had had a vertuous wife but she proueth quite contrarie wherfore I am constrained to forsake her although the wife ought to be no other then the better part of the husband so long as she is knowne to be honest but if she be otherwise reason willeth him to make no longer account of her for marriage being a figure of God and his church it ought to be altogether pure and immaculat moreouer the man and the woman by this means ought to be as the soule and bodie which cannot be seperated but by death but finallie I know to my great discredit that he which taketh a wife is assured of a great danger seeing that mine without anie occasion hauing whatsoeuer a woman of her degree might desire hath giuen her selfe ouer vnto such a one as was euen but my seruant what should not then some noble or worthie man haue obtained at her hands if he had likewise tried her but she not being courted by anie other yeelded vnto the first as also because all lasciuious women do very well know that such men as liue without care are best able to satisfie their lust which is the onlie cause that they doe rather frequent the companie of Lackies and Monkes who are fed without anie care or cost of their own but what a foole am I to complaine and say that this is the first offence seeing that this perchance is not the hundreth man that hath obtained whatsoeuer he required of her for commonlie manie faults are committed before that one be espied but when one is disclosed it constraineth a man to be suspitious of many more and that woman may well be tearmed shamelesse which suffereth her tongue to promise the performance of such a villanie especiallie seeing those that are most impudent desire that men should thinke that they are not lightlie to be wone but that with much courting large offers and round rewards they are rather inforced to yeeld then vpon no consideration at all to promise a victorie I maruaile much why anie woman can for shame liue to shew her face when she her selfe by her owne tongue condemneth her reputation O an hundredfold miserable are they that for so fraile a solace doe buy a perpetuall sorrow but what goodnesse can there be in that woman which hath lost her chastetie The which was well knowne of Susanna Lucrece and the Grecian Hippo who did leape into the sea chusing there to die rather then she would lose her chastitie besides manie others who ought to serue for an example vnto our matrons but they had rather imitate Flora Thais and Lamia wherefore as they doe deserue to be heires of their vice so likewise ought they to inherite the same renoune as for me I am sure if I doe remaine anie longer with this woman that not onlie my goods and credit but also my bodie and soule shall be in danger of losing for such as are harlots do steale from their husbands to giue their companions and sometimes they make them their husbands murtherers at such a time when as soule and bodie do both perish together to preuent so great a mischiefe I speake to you my maisters that are her kinsmen I know not what your kinswoman was when you gaue her to me but I am verie sure that I redeliuer her vnto you a most dishonest woman wherefore I do but my dutie in putting her away seeing that Caesar did put away his wife because hee found Claudius in his house apparelled like a woman at such time as the women were about their sacrifice and not knowing whether hee meant to haue defiled his wife he only alleaged this for all his reason It behooueth saith he the wife of Caesar to be as free from suspition as she ought to be from fault receiue then your kinswoman charged with an euident crime The Answere of the kinsmen beginning at the end of the accusation O What a prowd fellow is this that would compare himselfe vnto Caesar O what a great credit he doth himselfe in thinking to discredit vs when he saith That he knoweth not what our kinswoman was when shee came vnto him but that he knoweth well how he restoreth her vnto vs worse then dishonest trulie he hath made a faire peece of worke in causing her to be tempted to make her seeme such a one in sooth that man which wil be a baud vnto his wife doth deserue as you doe to lose his goods life reputation and soule also We know well inough that the best part in a woman is her chastitie and how much they are to preferre it before all other graces so also you cannot denie but that the dishonesty consisteth in the deed and not in a word spoken without knowing to what intent what can you tell whether she promised him for feare least he would haue forced her seeing her alone Or because she wold cause you to know the vnfaithfulnesse of your seruant and by that means conserue both your credite and her owne Neither doe wee likewise denie that she hath made a promise vnto the first that courted her for being vertuous and so knowne there was neuer anie man that durst be so bold to aske her anie such matter as also your seruant durst not haue presumed if you your selfe had not
wall accused the son for murthering his father saying O How wicked this world of ours is seeing that it hath brought foorth so cursed a man that hath at one instant both murthered his father would haue don the like to his mother in law so that I beleeue the feare of missing did in some sort hinder or stay his murtherous hand from giuing so great a stroke as hee intended and she fained her selfe dead least his purpose should haue been effected or to saue her husbands life whom this traitor hath murthered least he should haue been a witnesse against him for the fact as also because he did most vnnaturallie hate him for the kind and honest loue the man did beare vnto his wife and therfore he sought the means to expell me from hence that hee might better accomplish his wicked enterprise for two are more easilie slaine then three and it may be that he did put on such like apparell as mine to abuse this poor infant and to corrupt his innocencie by false testimonie but what witnesse can be more manifest then the breaking of the wall the which is likewise pulled down for the desire he had to murther his mother in law The Answere IT is verie apparent that thou commest neither vnprouided of sophistical arguments long before premeditated nor that thou art anie whit abashed of this murther seeing that the horror there of doth nothing hinder thy tongue from babling O miserable man that I am hearing the noise I ranne thether thinking to haue seene the adulterers taken but alasse I found my father killed which doth astonish me in such sort as I will onely answere that I doe not onely rest vpō the childs demonstration but vpon his further affirmation although thou hast of long time kept him in awe so that in pointing to thee with his finger hee hath both declared thee to bee the murtherer and also that thou hast oftentimes forbidden him to accuse thee for the lasciuious kisses proffered in his presence there is not anie witnesse more sufficient then the pointing of this innocent child who is of sufficient age to be able to know and discerne although not subtile inough to deceiue faine or lie If thou saiest that one witnesse is not sufficient then wil I stand vnto the peoples censure and will not refuse that thou she and I may bee all three examined by torments for God the right and fortitude shall be for the innocent Declamation 57. Of him that would compell his sonne to marry with his sister in law that was by him accused of adultery A Man had two sonnes to the one whereof hee gaue a wife who being married made a certain very long voiage into a far countrie during his absence his brother tooke such an hatred against his sister in law that hee accused her of adultery but yet not before the Iudges wherevpon her husband being returned took a bondwoman that was his wiues seruant and caused her to bee tortured so extreamely to know the truth that shee died with the torment not confessing anie thing wherefore his father that loued his daughter in law did sharpely reprooue him that hee would so lightly conceiue an ill opinion of her He as well for greefe that he had wrongfully suspected his wiues honestie and vniustly killed her bondwoman as also to perceiue his brothers malice and to haue procured his fathers displeasure did dispaire and either hanged or killed himselfe wherfore the father willed that according to the Iewish law the other sonne should marrie his brothers widdow or if otherwise he refused hee would vtterly forsake him and renounce him for his heire against the which his sonne pleaded in this sort YOu would haue me to marrie with my brothers widdow whom I haue accused for an adultresse as in sooth she is who caused both my brother to kill himselfe for griefe and compelleth you to disherit me I beleeue that you tempt me to take her to trie whether I did accuse her wrongfully or no for you your selfe would neuer giue mee an adultresse to wife but you might thinke if I did take her that she is chast and I am false truly if you could make mee to marrie her that both hateth me mortallie and I know to bee a dishonest woman one might then assuredlie beleeue that nothing would bee euer impossible for you to effect But why would you compell me to make her my bedfellow that hath made mee brotherlesse Her I say that is the cause of her husbands death of the discord twixt you and me of the scandale to our linage and of the peoples murmuring I haue alreadie chosen a wife that loueth me that will follow me if I will that wil neuer forsake me either in aduersitie or prosperitie and finallie that will bee such a one vnto me as a wife ought to be vnto her husband which will be more worth vnto me then a most great inheritance whereas if on the contrary I should marrie this woman euery one might suppose that I loued my brother but little to wed her that was the cause of his losse The Answere THere is nothing more reasonable seeing thy brother was desirous by his death to acquite the wrong which he had don vnto his wise by giuing credit to thy false accusation then that thou by marrying her mightest also declare her innocencie for the shortest follies are best wherefore it were better for thee to confesse and blot out thy fault by doing well then in perseuering alwaies in thine obstinacie to shew thy selfe in a double fault for thou art the onely cause of all these chances and slanders which thou obiectest therefore in not making amends for thy fault I may lawfully disinherit thee for thy follie Declamation 58. Of the sorceresse which poysoned her son in law and accused her owne daughter to haue ben consenting therevnto THe law appointeth that euery woman which vseth poysoh being conuinced of the crime should be tortured vntill she accused such as were partakers or consenting vnto her wicked act Whervpon it happened that a man hauing but one sonne married a second wife of whom hee had one daughter who being of reasonable yeares the sonne died of poyson and the mother in law is not onely suspected for his death but accused and conuinced thereof wherefore she being laied vpon the racke to make her confesse such as were consenting to her fact she accused her owne daughter so that shee was adiudged to bee burned with her mother but the poor father gainsaid it thus AH miserable child seeing thy mother hateth thee as much as thy father loueth thee O mischeeuous woman that euen vnto thine owne daughter thou art worse then a stepdame art thou not sufficiently glutted with thy passed murthers but thou must further gorge thee with thy daughters massacre But who knoweth not that such kind of people desire not to die without slaughter Wherefore amongst the fencers or souldiors that combat is most cruell which is fought
mittigated your choler and restored your vnderstanding whereof now I may well say you are depriued or at the least that the same is mightily deminished The Answere THou saiest that the maidēs father was more wronged then was I I graunt it yet canst thou not likewise deny but that I haue greater cause of offence thē he for thy force did take away the maidens shame but I shall bee euer dishonoured to haue begotten a son so dissolute that hath displeased his father wronged a Cittizen defloured a virgin defamed his stocke and giuen cause of offence vnto the Commonwealth It is thou that wantedst thy wits seeing thou couldest not know that at one instant thou shouldest not haue committed so many mischiefes together and most mad thou wert if in knowing the same thou couldest not shun the same but heaping one offence vpon another thou wouldest slander me to haue lost my wits whereby it appeareth that as vertues so are vices linked together Thou accusest me before I haue condemned thee the tearme is not yet expired I do very well know that thy life and death are yet in my choice Haue I then lost mine vnderstanding wherfore doest thou tremble why doth thy tongue faulter For what cause are thine eies troubled The thirtieth day is not yet come but wherefore wouldest thou that anie man should pittie thee seeing thou wert pittilesse vnto the damsell who when thou diddest rauish her shewed no lesse sorrow then thou doest now Wherefore couldest not thou consider what vice is at the first as well as at the last which is alwaies a present pleasure but a parting paine leauing alwaies either some scourge or at the least a moste sound sorrow accompained with a horrible fear but although I should leaue thee thy life dost thou thinke to remain vnpunished will not thin own consience torment thee far worse then any hangman would Nay why should I graunt that vnto mine enemie which I haue denied vnto my sonne For seeing thou accusest me thou canst not be rightly tearmed my friend much lesse my sonne Is it to be wondered at if I rest doubtfull seeing that the law it selfe hath neither determined thy death nor concluded thy marriage Thou hast alwaies behaued thy selfe as if thou haddest ben allowed to doe anie sinne thou hast not yet intreated me as thou oughtest but hast rather requested the other his friendship then my fauour and hauing first appeased his furie thou afterwards thoughtest assuredly to constrain me to winck at thy fault Would a foole consider thus much Tel me then wherin I am a foole Haue I liued badly or committed such follie as thou hast Haue I forgotten the lawes Haue I not counted thy daies Can I not prooue wherefore thou art vnworthie of my fauor demanding it after such a fashion I haue consulted with our kinred I haue deuised with our friends alasse what paines haue I taken to perform a fathers dutie Ah me most miserable seeing that my anger is so iust that I cannot yet forget it I do not wonder although thou hast appeased the maidens father for it is easier to pardon an iniurie then a crime yea when he came to entreat for thee his kindnesse did the more harden my heart against thee for me thought that a man so honest ought in no sort to be harmed thou tellest me that the time is short how then couldest thou find so much leasure as to accuse me Doe men appease their misdeeds after such a manner Is that the way to obtaine fauour Doest thou now thinke it fit to entreat But tell me wherefore am I besides my wits Is it because I haue not pardoned thee The time is not yet past I may yet pardon thee although thou art vnworthie seeing thou accusest mee before I haue hurt thee Declamation 64. Of the husband that did put away his wife who being tortured did yet saue his life in not confessing that he pretended to murther the Tyrant A Tyrant being suspitious that a Cittizen pretended his death caused him to be apprehended and committed him to prison and there tortured him to cause him to confesse his conspiracie and who were his confederats but the Cittizen would not confesse any thing whereupon the Tyrant did also cause the Citizens wife to be tortured who in like sort would confesse nothing wherefore they were deliuered and set at libertie Within a short time after the said Cittizen killed the Tyrant and being greatly rewarded and honoured by the Commonwealth for the deed he put away his wife as one that was barren because she had ben fiue yeares with him and neuer conceiued anie child For which cause shee accused him of ingratiude saying THat which the Tyrant was vnwilling to doe hee that killed the Tyrant would doe to shew himself more vniust then was hee hee would frustrate our marriage which at his owne request and intreat was solemnized and to manifest his ingratitude the more hee would needs stay vntill he stood indebted vnto mee for his life if he ment to forsake me he should haue put me away before I had ben tortured for his loue the which torture is cause of my barrennesse O miserable woman that I am seeing that my kindnesse hath procured mee care and my good deeds turneth vnto my decay Is it not verie well knowne that the constancie of my courage and the silence of my tongue haue ben the onely ouerthrow of the Tyrant I then being the cause that the Tyrant can no more break the marriages of others why should mine be suffered to be broken But who is ignorant that during the Tyrants life the barren were esteemed most happie because they could not see their children rauished at the Tyrants pleasure True it is that I haue borne no children for the Commonwealth but I dare affirm that I am the cause that manie are and shall be borne and that henceforth there shall bee no more taken from it The Tyrant suspected my husband his intention because either hee had disclosed something or els his countenance or behauiour discouered his pretence but yet in anie sort hee cannot complaine of his wiues tatling no not when she was in her extreamest torments I had alwaies more respect vnto my husband that was absent then vnto the Tyrant who was present being more carefull of his health then fearefull of mine own hurt But who can expresse all the preparation that was made for instruments of crueltie able inough to daunt the courages of many men to terrifie the constancie of a feminine heart the whips tearing my flesh the fire the yron shoes the whot egs vnder mine armholes the buskins the trestles the pullies the cords the napkin water oile and the hangmen yet all these together could neuer draw one onely word from me to the preiudice of my husband but prouing by liuely reasons the contrarie of all that was of me demanded I was the cause of his deliuerance wherefore doth he vaunt that he hath slaine the Tyrant
doe you not couet to be of the number of these Seeing that my disgrace offereth you the meanes to make proofe of your loue and faith towards me lose not this occasion bad for me but good for you your glory may be a comfort to mine affliction I do not withhold your marriage good through couetousnesse but to keepe you from doing that thing which may redound vnto your dishonour and I would not in anie sort that it should be said that I was consenting vnto it and I protest before God and men that I doe it for no other cause at all for I am not ignorant how much all women are importuned especially such as are knowne not to abide with their husbands for any great loue but as I haue said I will neuer consent that it shall be reported that I haue ben the cause of your follie Wherefore I remit all vnto the iudges without anie further speaking of the matter being to stand to their censure whether I am to restore your marriage good or not the which shall be a smal losse vnto me if I may be so good cheape rid from her who loueth me not at all The Answere I Should think my selfe happie in hazarding but only my goods and life to remaine with you but when the question concerneth the soule we ought to consider that we haue nothing more precious seeing that the same is none of ours but God hath made it immortall to gouerne this bodie the which ought to be wholy obedient vnto the soule that we might afterwards by the onely helpe and grace of God restore the same vnto him vnspotted if it were possible the which I cannot doe if I remaine with you for all those that doe but onely speake vnto such as you are guiltie except they doe only speake to conuert you the which hitherto I could in no sort doe but how should I doe it When neither the exhortations of the church nor yet your excommunication both together were able to turne you That which Saint Paule saith that the beleeuing woman ought to remaine wth the vnbeleeuing man is nothing pertinent to this matter for more faultie is the Christian which sinneth maliciously of set purpose then is he which sinneth of ignorance being yet vncalled of God I doe well remember what I haue promised you at our marriage and I will performe it so that it be not to the condemning of my soule and that it is so I haue alwaies shown that dutie which an honest wife oweth vnto her husband and am yet readie to continue the same if you doe returne againe vnto the bosome of the church and then you shall truly know that I will not forsake you for any occasion I am not also ignorant what the worthinesse of mariage is and I would not haue you thinke that men doe seperate me from you but God himselfe for as much as he is head of the church I doe confesse that the woman was made for man but for al that it followeth not that she ought to damne her selfe for him As touching the hope which you doe shew you haue to returne vnto the church it were better that it were too soone then too late for then should I haue no occasion to depart from you and I doe promise to turne vnto you when you shall be absolued There is no loue wanting in me but there lacketh goodnesse in you because you remaine obstinat I cannot be tearmed in the number of those that haue left their husbands without cause but my greatest griefe is because I haue too iust a cause and I beleeue that Alcest Iphias and the other ladies which were truly vertuous would haue done as I doe in the like case as mine had they liued in these our daies for euen as it was an honor and vertue in them to doe that which they did for their husbands so likewise should it be but a shame and a sinne in me not to forsake you The same which you say prouoketh you not to restore me my marriage good induceth me not to leaue you so that I may abide with you without offence and discredite as I would not also that any one should think that I were consenting or partaker of your obstinacie no more then you would be thought to bee consenting vnto my seperating and vnder this false colour you would keepe backe my marriage good I doe aduertise you that I will rather forgoe it if it be not ad alwaies procure them enemies and do make quarels in publicke places to the greater daunger of honest people then their owne But I would to God that I had ben dead before now at the least with my husband seeing that life is more bitter vnto mee then death and my greatest griefe is because I am not onlie harmed by this Homicide but as manie of the noble kindred which he and I haue are greatlie interressed in it manie of the friends whom he fauoured are damnified the poore hath lost much thereby for he was a good almes giuer Lastlie the Commonwealth is weakened losing such a Citizen who liued so well that he had manie friends and not one onlie enemie that did pleasure manie and neuer displeased anie Consider then you righteous iudges what punishment is to be done vpon him who depriuing vs of so manie benefits hath been the cause of so great mischiefe The Answere IF mens actions ought to be iudged not according to the euent of the same but according to the intent of him that dooth it I cannot in anie sort bee blamed for I did neuer know this man whether he were honest or dishonest wherefore seeing I neither loued him much lesse hated him I had no desire to doe him either good or hurt But since by misfortune it is so fallen out that being constrained to defend my selfe from those who sought to kill me he hath had a blow both against my will vnwitting mine enemies are more to be blamed then I for they are the cause thereof Wherefore ought I then to beare the punishment thereof The sorrow that I haue had because this fault is happened by my hand is sufficient inough although it was done against my meaning without that I should be further troubled for the same and were it not that my wife and my children whose liuings I doe get could not liue without me I had rather die then liue hauing ben so disgraced by you to haue depriued you of your future hopes and your present happinesse but if it be a crueltie to cause the innocent wife and children of a guiltie man to suffer what is it then to take away the life from the wife and innocent children of such a man that is no waies faultie For it is sufficientlie manifest that this woman which accuseth me of crime not knowing me no more then I doe her is carried away with her passion seeing that also she doth altogether condemn my fact without hauing anie respect vnto the innocencie of
comming to redeeme me at the beginning of my captiuitie what man is so old that could not saile so small a way as I was from you wherefore seeing you did it not you ought to thinke well both of him and me for he hath restored me vnto you and I would also make him yours If you disherited him because hee was wicked hee is no such man seeing that he hath ben so charitable towards his father brother and vnto all those that loue vs. Lastly as I cannot compell you to giue me more then the law appointeth so cannot you take that from me which you giue me not but it appertaineth vnto me presently after your death euen as you receiued it from our grandfathers seeing that I neuer offended you in anie sort vnlesse you will account the dutie which I vse towards your sonne and my brother for an offence The fathers Answere I Am constrained against my will to disherit you both twaine seeing that you both take pleasure in displeasing me wherefore I must imitate the phisitions who in extreamest diseases vse most dangerous remedies and as the Chirurgions do oftentimes cut off the members to preserue the rest of the bodie so must I seperate my sonnes from me who are agreed together to anger me thou wouldest haue mee take him for my heire who hath tried the law against his father for his patrimonie what will not hee attempt then to abridge my life for the rest of my goods But thou must consider that the law doth allow thee only for a minister or administrator of the patrimonie but not for lord thereof and therefore thou canst not adopt thy brother For the same law which condemned me to giue him his part restraineth thee to adopt him seeing that hee is aboue the age of thirtie yeares for children also and such as are in their minoritie ought to be adopted moreouer he is thy brother no more seeing he hath let to bee my sonne But how canst thou adopt anie one for thine heire seeing thou art yet belonging to me Or if thou art not mine how canst thou inherit my goods How wouldest thou haue power ouer thy brother seeing thou wilt not suffer mee to haue the like ouer thee If he haue deserued anie good at thy hands thou oughtst to intreat me for him and not to vse your owne authoritie Want of means and oportunitie hath hindred me from redeeming thee and thou wouldest against my will giue that vnto mine enemie which in spight of his teeth he was inforced to leaue me O worthie Iudges I beseech you see vnto what extremity I am brought seeing that one hath taken away part of my patrimonie and the other would that hee should haue the whole Declamation 42. Of the husband who gaue two children vnto his wife without telling her which of them was her owne A Certaine woman died in childbirth of a sonne whom the father sent to nurse into the countrie and within a few daies after hee married a yoong wench which he had alreadie got with child shee about a month after did also beare him a son whome he in like sort did send abroad to be nursed handling the matter so well that not any besides himselfe did know which was the first or the last child About three yeares after he made the children to be brought home to his house and would not tell his wife which of them was hers Moreouer they were both of them so like the father and so little like the mothers that shee could not that way discerne them whereupon she accused her husband of bad vsage who denied it thus saying WHerefore doest thou weepe for thy child seeing thou art sure to kisse him and see him euery day if thou wilt I would long since haue tould thee which of them is thine if I had not knowne that thou art as desirous to shew thy selfe a stepdame to the one as a mother to the other Consider only that the one is thy son and the other is his brother and thy husbands son loue them then for their owne sakes or els neither loue nor hate them but I perceiue that whilest thou desirest to be a mother to the one thou art a stepdame to them both If thou doest constraine me to tell thee neuer imagine that I will tell thee the troth wherefore I will not deceiue thee as a mother but as a stepdame Nature her self determined that they should be like each other to the end that they should be both thy children Thou mightest very well know which of them is thine if the desire which thou hast to hate the one did not hinder thee wherefore behold the one or the other with the eie of a mother in law and it may bee the same will bee thine owne Long since should I haue told thee the troth if thou hadst ben lesse importunate to enquire it I will that thou alone shouldst inioy this benefit either to haue one sonne in law without being a mother in law or els to haue two children without hauing suffered for the birth of more then one of them When they are of more age marke which of them will be more obedient vnto thee and the same shall bee thy sonne or at the least shall deserue that thou shouldest so account him and giue ouer henceforth to bewaile thy sonne seeng thou art not onely certaine that thou hast him but also that thou canst not lose him vnlesse they doe both die The wiues answere YOu doe me great wrong for how can my son loue honor and obey me aright if hee be not sure that I am his mother so that desiring to make me a mother of two you make both the one the other to be my sons in law You doe well know both your children haue the ioy thereof but you depriue me of mine or rather make me partaker of nothing but greefe and sorrow and being willing to giue a mother to your owne you depriue me of mine You say well that I am a stepdame to them both but you are the cause thereof and are worse then a stepfather vnto mine seeing that you take his mother from him or at the least will not suffer him to know her Declamation 43. Of him who drunke poyson with his wife wherwith she died and he made claime vnto hir heritage by her Testament WHen Octauius Marc Anthonie and Lepidas did part the Romane Empire betweene them many of the Nobles were slaine others fled and were banished or els fined in a great summe of money paiable vnto those which were appointed to kill them Amongst whom there was a Roman exile who was followed by his wife that was verie rich whose chance was that vpon a certaine time she found her husband in a secret place holding a cup in his hand she asked him what he had in the cup he answered that it was poison and that he wold poyson himselfe because he desired to liue no longer in this miserie the
A Certaine man being taken by Pyrats or rouers on the sea writ vnto his father for his ransome the father excused himselfe so as the other remaining without hope of releasement is releeued by his daughter who was captain of the Pyrats and shee was not onely fauourable vnto him during his imprisonment but also promised to set him at libertie and to flie away with him if he would sweare to marrie her either when hee came home or by the way He did sweare and married her solemnly before he came where his father remained who was discontented therewithall and would haue had him to forsake her for to marrie with a rich inheritrix but he would not wherevpon his father would disherit him saying O What a great ioy maist thou hope to haue of thy wife or what comfort can I expect of my daughter in law Who for the loue of a stranger cared not to hate her owne father Yea and was not ashamed to disclose her disordinate lust vnto one whom she neuer knew before Thou wilt say that first of all she had compassion of thy miserie and from that compassion did loue spring but I answere that it was neither compassion nor loue towards thee but rather a desire to satisfie her owne lust and pleasures that prouoked her to deliuer thee wherefore thou art not in any sort bound vnto her hauing partly satisfied her desire for it should bee impossible for thee wholy to satisfie the same seeing the drie earth the graue and a womans wombe are three insatiable things The Answere I Should greatly erre to put away or leaue her who hath not forsaken me in such a place where not onely my father himselfe feared to come but also where he either durst not or would not once succour or releeue me If you had seene my bodie ouerloden with chains and bonds my hollow cheekes my deepe sunken eies as also my blacke and vnprofitable hands clogged with giues you would trulie haue said that compassion onlie mooued her to deliuer me the which she could not doe without running away with me and because I would not be vnthankful for so high a fauor what better reward could I bestow vpon her then my selfe since I was the chiefest cause that shee hath nothing wherewithall to marrie her being then my wife she could do no lesse then loue me but if it had beene so that she had loued a captiue a slaue or at the least one far more miserable Yet ought she not to be therefore condemned The Romanes in times past did worthilie take a bondman to be their King Miserie or pouertie neither hindreth nor corrupteth vertue but maketh it more excellent and is oftentimes the cause whereby a man may shew himselfe more worthie but what thinke you of a number of Romanes who being violently taken from the plough haue neuerthelesse greatly enriched and increased the Commonwealth by their pouertie why then should I make her miserable that hath freed mee from miserie If I should be so ill disposed yet ought you both to reprooue me and chastice me for it suffer me then to performe my dutie seeing you are not willing either towards her or me to performe yours And in that shee loued mee better then her father I am so much the more bounden vnto her Declamation 49. Of one that was likely to be defrauded of the honor due to him for his victorie because he had taken the armes belonging to a dead man A Certaine valiant conqueror chanced to die who hauing made his Testament he ordained that all his armes should be hanged vp for a Trophey about his sepulchre and that it should not be lawful for anie man to take ought therof away It chanced that another man who tofore time had ben no lesse famous for his victories in the Commonwealth then the other lost his armes in the warres and being charged by the enemies he fled in the cittie euen vnto the sepulchre aforesaid from whence he tooke the dead mans armes wherewith he returned vnto the fight and there behaued himselfe so valiantlie that he came home againe a conqueror But like as vertue is euermore persecuted by enuie so he hauing placed the armes againe from whence hee had taken them and receiued the triumph of his victorie is accused of sacriledge and for robbing the sepulchre of another man by taking away his armes but he excused himselfe of the crime saying THese armes stood more in need of my aid then I of their assistance for the victorie which I haue obtained hath kept the enemies from taking the cittie and all that therein is and although it were otherwise yet could not that be tearmed violence which one taketh without resistance to a good intent and with a will to restore it againe Many speake of armes which know not what they meane for these here being in my hands at the combate were armes but so long as they shal remaine in the temple or about the sepulchre they can be tearmed no other then spoiles or an vnprofitable Trophey so that it may well bee said that the armes stood in need of my strength I lent my selfe vnto them whereby also the Commonwealth hath receiued great benefit and the dead man and his armes haue gained more thereby then they lost for the dead shall bee the more eternised and his armes the more famous Necessitie is not only without law but she her selfe is the law of time Wherefore oftentimes she causeth the richest marchandise to bee throwne into the sea to vnburthen the ship or to breake down and ouerthrow some houses to saue others from fire so likewise is one or more members cut off to saue the rest of the bodie how much more lawfull is it then in a necessity to do a good act as I haue done three for I haue ouercome the enemie assured the Commonwealth and increased the glorie of these armes in making them double victorious Is it not apparentlie knowne that manie doe morgage and sell all the iewels and relicques of the church to conserue the Commonwealth Wherein then haue I offended imploying for the same a thing of so small a value which serued but for an vnprofitable shew The Answere THy fault is verie manifest hauing shewed thy selfe badlie furnished for the combat but redie inough for the flight and in the one and the other verie cowardly as also no lesse impudent in defending thy cause then impious in committing so vild a crime to prooue this my saying true thou hast either lost or forsaken thine armes the which anie man of worth doth farre preferre before his life Thou couldst not then by thine own saying recouer that dishonour of thy losse without taking away a dead mans armes which were hallowed and consecrated to the church and thou hast no other excuse for thy theft or rapine but that thou diddest lose thine seeing then that both the one and the other act is most execrable whether of the twaine will best serue thee for
adulterer who am the only cause that your wiues need not stand in feare to be anie more rauished I did warily consider seeing the strong fortification of the castle what meanes there might bee to kill the Tyrant but hauing tried the souldiors the seruants and the maids I could find no fitter occasion then by the means of his wife who long before had been liberall inough of her honor vnto others furthermore it can bee no more tearmed adulterie to cuckold a Tyrant then it is reputed murther to kill a Tyrant but it is rather worthie of reward Moreouer it was verie dangerous to carrie a sword secretly into the castle but very easie to find one there for my purpose was that if I could meet with the Tyrant euerie thing should serue me for a sword likewise I was sure that hee neuer went without a sword and that when two striue for one sword it remaineth vnto him that is the strongest or worthiest Also I was not ignorant how God doth alwaies resist such wicked persons as hee was and doth fauour such lawfull enterprises as mine and you cannot say that I went not to seeke the Tyrant seeing I staied of purpose for him euen in his bed chamber whether I was sure that he vsed to come all alone Take not then that from me by your malice which is due vnto me by my vertue and manhood Declamation 51. Of the father that adopted for his heire the sonne of his forsaken sonne THere was a man which had two sonnes the one whereof he did vtterly denounce and forsake in that hee had married with a woman of lose life by her had a son and afterwards fell sicke Whervpon he sent to intreat his father to come at the least to visit him once before hee died who being come vnto him his forsaken sonne commended his little child vnto his care and then died suddainly Wherefore the grandfather was so greatly moued with compassion that he adopted the child for his owne and made him coheire with his other sonne who being therewithall displeased accused his father to bee void of his sences but he gainsaid him thus THis were a verie new manner of losing a mans wits seeing that by your saying I should bee verie wise if I did not know those which were mine owne Truly I did expect that some bodie should haue intreated or requested mee to haue reuoked this my poore forsaken sonne but no man durst be so bold seeing thou which wert his brother diddest neuer doe thine indeuor therein wherefore it is to bee supposed that all men knowing thy ambition to bee fole heire they feared to displease thee Alasse this poore mans life was onely prolonged but vntil he might speak with me and when hee had once heard me he opened his eies shut vp in a manner alreadie to see me retaining his fleeting soule but only whilest hee bad me farewell so that I may rightlie say hee left both life and child in my bosome To conclude I well perceiued by his end but alasse too late that he was truly my sonne but thy rigorous crueltie towards him and thy great ingratitude towards me maketh mec in doubt whether thou art his brother or no. The Answere THe father of this child is vnknowne and although he were yet doe your owne deeds sufficiently testifie that you are not well in your wits if you forsooke my brother without a cause but if he were worthie of your displeasure he did yet further deserue it in marrying with a lewd woman and if he by this mariage were the more vnworthie to be reuoked much more vnworthy then is this bastard and vnknowne child to be your heire so that I know not whether of the two iniuries you do vnto my brother is the greater either in taking away part of his brothers inheritance from him or in adopting him a false heire Being persuaded and importuned by this dishonest woman hee recommended vnto you his sonne which he did very wel know he neuer begat but what cannot such women persuade Or what will he refuse to doe for a whore that was not ashamed to giue himselfe vnto her How then can you be iudged wise in adopting another mans sonne to disherit your owne Declamation 52. Of the vnchast woman that was adiudged to be throwne headlong down more then one time A Woman that was attainted of whoredome and for the same condemned to be cast headlong downe from the top of an high tower being readie to bee throwne downe did pray vnto God that he would declare her innocency in preseruing her from death her praiers being ended she fell from the top downe to the ground without receiuing any hurt at all Neuerthelesse the Marshall would haue throwne her downe againe Wherevnto she replied in this sort VVHerefore wil you resist the wil of God which hath preserued me And were it not so yet is the iudgement accomplished I was though wrongfullie condemned to bee throwne headlong downe I haue so ben my iudgement and execution being accomplished what would you els doe Am I not acquited Seeing that it was not said that I should bee executed anie more then once Neither is any man euer executed two times especially because euery iudgement ought rather to be mittigated by clemencie then aggrauated by crueltie If you would punish me for the offence which you suppose I haue committed against God seeing he hath declared me to be innocent why would you offend him in punishing me It is the vsuall place from whence others are throwne downe wherefore it is verie likely that if I had ben guiltie I should no doubt haue died as well as they The Answere THou shewest thy selfe to be as shamelesse at thy punishment as thou wert when thou diddest commit the offence which thou wouldst now denie Knowest thou not that deniall after sentence is once past is nothing auaileable The meaning of which sentence must be interpreted which is that thou must die likewise it is either a chance that thou art not dead or els thou vsest some charmes or witchcraft for were it as thou saiest that God would haue thee saued for thine innocencie he would rather haue defended thee before thou haddest been condemned falsely then sheilded thee from death after thy fall but it is more likely that he would prolong thy paine because so short a death is too easie for so hainous a crime as thine is or els because thou hast committed other offences he would haue thee cast down more times then once for God is not so slacke to helpe the innocents He saued Susanna before she was stoned not suffering the stones to touch her bodie Finally if it be his diuine will that thou shouldest be vnpunished thou shalt haue as little hurt at the second or third throwing downe as thou haddest at the first Declamation 53. Of her who hauing killed a man being in the stewes claimed for her chastity and innocencie to be an Abbesse THe order of the religious
vnto her in whom I liue for water farre of doth neuer quench fire hard at hand the planets doe chieflie compell vs to loue therefore doth Venus shew her selfe to be more strong then Mars and that which is more no other law then that of nature can be giuen vnto louers for it seemeth that loue is a diuine and humane essence all in one subiect wherby it happeneth that true louers are most apt to sustaine great trauailes for loue is no other thing thē a contemplation of the thing beloued but the louer is such as the thing beloued is therefore was I inforced to become such as my mistris was Lastlie being constrained by all these abouesaid reasons I am more then excusable for of all the parts in a mans bodie the heart is the noblest and the noblest part of the heart is loue therfore it may be verie well affirmed that he which knoweth not how to loue well hath a bad heart To conclude it must be considered for what intent vowes are made as for mee I made mine to the intent that I might bee neere vnto my best beloued in seeking to depriue me of this intention my vow should be broken and if it be so I will make no other but you cannot say that it is all one vow seeing that there is great difference betweene the obeying of a man the seruing of a woman religious men ought to be learned and to haue such other perfections whereof I am not capable whereas amongst religious women obedience onlie with humility is sufficient for which cause I will not make anie other vow then that which I haue made but as I said at the first I submit my selfe to bee iudged according to the law beseeching that the glose thereof may bee as farre from crueltie as it is fittest for men to vse clemencie The Bishops answere IF I had not assuredlie thought that thou wouldest haue refused my proffer to make thy selfe a religious man I would neuer haue offered the same vnto thee being as thou art vnworthie of so great a fauour but I intended by this meanes to manifest by your owne tongue your wicked intention to the end that you might bee worthilie punished therefore and neuer say that if no law mention of the like fault as yours is that therefore you should remaine vnpunished for it may be there was neuer such a cursed deed heard of before or the lawmakers thinking that such a fact could neuer bee committed made no mention thereof as Licurgus made no law against such as murthered their Parents imagining that none could bee so wicked as to commit such a crime therefore would he not mention such a detestable deed but doe you thinke that for all that the Lacedemonions would haue left to punish those grieuouslie which should haue committed the same that they would not haue inflicted a punishmēt as rigorous as the fact was rare No doubt they would for when offences are execrable the punishments must bee the more extreame to stop altogether the passage vnto such vices and especiallie in such a case where the accusation is not publicke it were most expedient that the punishment should be secret but the more seuere that the same being knowne of few men the crime might bee lesse manifest and the terror of the punishment more great For so during the Consulship of Terentius Varo Lucius Cantilius Chancelor to the Bishops hauing committed adulterie with Florania a Vestall Nunne was in the place called Comicia the gates being locked vp so beaten with rods by the bishop that hee died with the blowes which ought to serue as well for an example as a law vnto this fellow whose fault is more foule What punishment then shall be sufficient for your adulterie Whereof you seeme chieflie to boast and to approoue the same by your reasons no lesse friuolous then detestable by the which it should seeme by your saying that incests and adulteries ought not to bee blamed prouided that thereby the generation of mankind bee encreased alasse how more happie were it that neither you nor she had euer been borne then that you should be the occasion of such a scandale seeing that it were better that he which scandalizeth the least of the Christians were throwne into the sea with a milstone about his necke What doe you call loue A vild carnal concupiscence As much or more common vnto brute beasts then vnto reasonable men who cannot vse it lawfullie but onelie in marriage to the end to bring forth children Wherefore Saint Paule doth verie well say That Whoredome is surely one of the greatest sins and most hurtfull vnto man seeing that euerie other sin is without him and whoredome consumeth both his bodie and his soule making him the one halfe of an harlot when he is created for no other cause but to bee the Temple and dwelling place of God Why doe you not say then in steed of your leasings that an harlot is a hell wherein God suffereth those which forget him to bee drowned and that filthinesse is the reward for the infidelitie of men O wicked wretch how darest thou then looke vp into heauen or behold the earth the one being the seat the other the footstoole of God Whom because thou doest forget thou art vnworthie of his fauour If whoredome committed with profane women be detestable what shall wee say of adulterie with such as are religious who are consecrated to God Seeing that the Romanes when as yet they were ignorant of the truth did burie their Vestall Nunnes quick that suffered themselues to be defiled You say wel That louers are blind of vnderstanding see then the cause why those are to be punished which suffer themselues to fall into such blindnesse that proceedeth of nothing but idlenesse gluttonie which prouoketh luxuritie therfore ought you to haue shunned these two vices but you might haue escaped the third the which as you haue sought it so are you fallen into it Surelie all men are tempted and the greatest temptation is not to be tempted at all because then we forget to be men but vertue appeareth in the resisting against temptation which you hauing neglected you haue not only tempted but defiled the spouse of Christ What fire or torment may expiate so vild and abominable wickednes And surelie you haue refused as one that is vnworthy to doe pennance in religion hauing first defiled the same making the holie vow thereof to serue for a cloke vnto your filthinesse Let then the bull of Perillus be put in vse againe and as he made the first experience thereof so be you the first that must bee punished more rigorouslie then euer anie heretofore hath been seeing that your adulterie the like whereof was neuer heard is the cause that a new law must bee made to terrifie such as would follow you Lastlie immitating the example of God which would not the death of a sinner I haue called you to repentance not without great suspition