images or pictures and such other outward and corruptible meanes which hee hath in no wise commanded wherefore Isaiah the Prophet reproouing the folly and vanity of idolatours saith Chap. 40.18 To whome will you liken God or what similitude will you set vp vnto him Therefore if it be not Gods will that vnder pretence and colour of his owne name any image or picture should be adored being a thing not only inconuenient but also absurd and vnseemely much lesse can he abide to haue them worshipped vnder the name and title of any creature whatsoeuer And for this cause gaue he the second commandement Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen image c. which prohibition the Israelielits brake in the desert when they set vp a golden calfe bowed themselues before it after the maner of the Painyms giuing it the honour which was only due to God whereby they incurred the indignation of Almightie God Exod. 32. who is strong and iealous of suffering any such slander to be done vnto his name wherefore hee caused three thousand of them to be stroken wounded to death by the hand of the Leuits at the commaundement of Moses to make his anger against idolatrie more manifest by causing them to be executioners of his reuenge who were ordained for the ministery of his Church and the seruice of the altar and tabernacle Howbeit for all this the same people not long after fell backe into the same sinne and bowed themselues before strange gods through the allurements of the daughters of Moab ioyned themselues to Belphegor Num. 25. for which cause the Lord being incensed stroke them with so grieuous a plague that there died of them in one day about twenty and foure thousand persons And albeit that after all this being brought by him into the land of promise hee had forbidden and threatned them for cleauing to the idols of the nations whose land they possessed yet were they so prone to idolatry that notwithstanding all this they fell to serue Baal and Astaroth wherefore the fire of Gods wrath was enflamed against them and hee gaue them ouer to be a spoile and prey vnto their enemies on euery side so that for many yeeres sometimes the Moabites oppressed them otherwhiles the Madianites and euer after the death of any of their Iudges and rulers which God raised vp for their deliuerance some grieuous punishment befell them for then being without law or gouernment euery man did that which seemed good in his owne eies and so turned aside from the right way Now albeit these examples may seeme to haue some affinity with Apostasie yet because the ignorance and rudenessâ— of the people was rather the cause of their falling away from God then any wilfull affection that raigned in them therefore wee place them in this rancke as well as they that haue beene alwaies brought vp and nuzled in Idolatrie 2. Chron. 22. One of this crew was Ochosias king of Iuda sonne of Ioram who hauing before him an euill president of his wicked father and a worse instruction and bringing vp of his mother Athaliah who togither with the house of Achab pricked him forward to euill ioyned himselfe to them and to their idols and for that cause was wrapped in the same punishment destruction with Ioram the king of Israel whome Iehu slew togither with the princes of Iuda and many of his neere kinsmen And to be short Idolatry hath bene the decay and ruine of the kingdome of Iuda as at all other times so especially vnder Ioachas sonne of Iosias 2. King 23. that raigned not aboue three moneths in Ierusalem before hee was taken and led captiue into Aegypt by the king thereof and there died from which time the whole land became tributary to the king of Aegypt And not long after it was vtterly destroied by the forces of Nabuchadnezzar king of Babel that came against Ierusalem and tooke it and caried king Ioaâ—him with his mother his princes his seruants and the treasures of the temple and his owne house into Babylon And finally 2. King 24.25 tooke Zedechias that fled away and before his eies caused his sonnes to be slaine which assoone as he had beheld commaunded him also to be pulled out and so binding him in chaines of iron carried him prisoner to Babylon putting all the princes of Iuda to the sword consuming with fire the temple with the kings pallace and all the goodly buildings of Ierusalem And thus the whole kingdome though by an especiall prerogatiue consecrated and ordained of God himselfe ceased to be a kingdome and came to such an end that it was neuer reestablished by God but begun and confirmed by the filthy idolatry of Ieroboams calues Vide lib. 1. c. 19. which as his successours maintained and fauoured more or lesse so were they exposed to more or lesse plagues and incumbrances Nadab Ieroboams sonne being nuzled and nurtured vp in Idoll worship after the example of his father 1 King 15.27 receiued a condigne punishment for his iniquitie for Baasa the sonne of Ahijah put both him and all the offspring of Ieroboamâ— house to the sword and raigned in his stead who also being no whit better then those whome he had slaine was punished in the person of Ela his sonne whome Zambri one of his seruants slew And this againe vsurping the crowne enioyed it but seuen daies at the end whereof seeing himselfe in daunger in the citie Tirza taken by Amri whome the people had chosen for their king went into the pallace of the kings house and burned himselfe As for Achab hee multiplied idolatry in Israel and committed more wickednesse then all his predecessours wherefore the wrath of God was stretched out against hiâ— and his for hee himselfe was wounded to death in battaile by the Sitians his sonne Ioram slaine by Iehu and threescore and ten of his children put to death in Samaria by their gouernours and chiefe of the city sending their heads in baskets to Iehu Aboue all a most notable and manifest example of Gods iudgement was seene in the death of Iezabel his wife that had beene his spurre and prouoker to all mischiefe when by her Eunuches and most trustie seruants at the commandement of Iehu shee was thrown downe out of a window and trampled vnder the horse seer and last of all deuoured of dogges Moreouer the greatest number of the kings of Israel that succeeded him were murdered one after another so that the kingdome fell to such a low decline that it became first tributary to the king of Assyria and afterward inuaded and subuerted by him and the inhabitants transported into his land whence they neuer returned but remained scattered here and there like vagabonds and all for their abominable idolatrie which ought to be a lesson to all people princes and kings that seeing God spared not these two realmes of Iuda and Israel but destroied and rooted them out from the earth
put to death in diuers places as well for their monstrous damnable heresies as for many mischiefes and outrages which they committed By all which things God doth exhibite and set before our eies how deare precious in his sight the purenesse of his holy word the vnion of his Church is and how carefull zealous euery one of vs ought to be in maintaining and vpholding the same when as he reuengeth himselfe so sharply vpon all those that go about to peruert and corrupt the sincerity therof or which be breeders of new sects and diuisions among his people Olympus by office bishop of Carthage but by profession a fauourer and maintainer of the Arrian heresie being vpon a time in a bath washing himselfe Paul Diac. in Anastas hist Sabel lib. 5. c. 4. Blasphemie Lib. 1. cap. 31. Atheisme Lib. 1. cap. 25. hee vttered with an impious mouth blasphemous words against the holy Trinitie but a threefold thunderbolt came from aboue and stroke him dead in the same place teaching him by his paine and all other by experience what it is to blaspheme the Lord of heauen or with polluted lippes to mention his sacred maiestie this happened in the yeere of our Lord God 510. Cyrill hath recorded vnto vs of his owne knowledge a more wonderfull and admirable wonder of God vpon an heretique then all the rest and such an one indeed as the like I dare say was neuer heard of the history is this After the decease of S. Ierome there stood vp one Sabinianus a peruerse and blasphemous fellow that denied the distinctions of persons in the Trinitie and affirmed the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost to be but one indistinct person and to giue credit to his heresie he wrote a booke of such blasphemies tending to the confirmation of the same and fathered it vpon S. Ierome as being the authour of it But Siluanus the bishop of Nazaren mightily withstood and reproued him for deprauing so worthy a man now dead and offering his life for the truth made this bargaine with Sabinianus that if S. Ierome the next day did not by some miracle testifie the falsnesse of his cause hee would offer his throat to the hangman and abide death but if he did that then he should die This was agreed vpon by each party and the day following both of them accompanied with great expectation of the people resorted into the Temple of Ierusalem to decide the controuersie Now the day was past and no miracle appeared so that Siluanus was commaunded to yeeld his necke to that punishment which himselfe was authour of which as hee most willingly and confidently did behold an Image like to Saint Ierome in shew appeared and slaied the hangmans hand which was now ready to strike and vanishing forthwith another miracle succeeded Sabinianus head fell from his shoulders no man striking at it and his carkasse remained vpon the ground dead and senselesse Whereat the people amazed praising God claue vnto Siluanus and abiured Sabinianus heresie Wherein wee may obserue the wonderfull wisdome of God both in punishing his enemies and trying his children whether they will stand to his truth or no and learne therby neither rashly to measure and limit the purposes of God nor yet timerously to despaire of helpe in a good cause though we see no meanes nor likelihood thereof Grimeald king of Lumbardie was infected with the Arrian heresie for which cause the Lord punished him with vntimely death for hauing beene let blood the eleuenth day after as he stroue to draw a bow hee opened the vaine a new and so bled to death Cabades Casp hed lib. 3. cap. 10. 15. king of Persia when hee saw his sonne Phorsuasa addicted to the Maniches he assembled as many as he could of that sect into one place and there setting his souldiers on them slew them till there was not one left Photinus a Gallograecian for renuing the heresie of Hebion Platina sub Siricio 7. and affirming Christ to be but an excellent man borne naturally by Mary after the manner of other men excelling in iustice and morall vertues was by the Emperour Valentinianus iustly banished The Emperour Iustinian Niceph. lâ—b 27. cap. 31. fauouring the heresie of the Apthardocites when as he gaue out one edict whereby Anastasius the bishop and all other that maintained the truth should be banished Zen. com 3. suddenly he was stroken with an inward and inuisible plague which tooke away his life and forestalled his wicked cruell determination from comming to the desired effect In all which examples we may see how God doth not only punish heretikes themselues but also their fauourers and supporters yea the very places cities wherin they liued broched their blasphemies Paul Diaâ— lib. 5. as by the destructioÌ„ of Antioch is seene which being a very sink of heretiks was partly coÌ„sumed with fire from heauen aboue in the seuenth yeere of Iustinus the Emperour and partly ouerthrowen with earthquakes below wherein Euphrasius the bishop and many other were destroied Moreouer besides those there were vnder Pope Innocent the third certaine heretiques celled Albigonses or Albiani which being possessed with the same spirit of fury that the Maniches were affirmed that there were two Gods one good and another euill they denied the resurrection despised the sacraments and said that the soules of men after their separation passed either into hogs oxen serpents or men according to their merits Contempt of the word Lib. 1. cap. 34. they would not spare to pollute the temples appointed for the seruice of God with their excrements and other filthy actions and to defile the holy bibles with vrine in despite and contumely This heresie like an euill weed so grew and increased that the braunches therof spred ouer almost all Europe a thousand cities were polluted therewith so that it was high time to cut it short by violence the sword as it was for they were oppressed with so huge a slaughter that an hundred thousand of them were slaine partly by warre partly by fire at one time Gregory of Tours hath recorded the life and death of an hereticall monke of Bordeaux that by the helpe of Magicke wrought miracles and tooke vpon him the name and title of Christ saying hee could cure diseases and restore those that were past helpe by phisicke vnto their healths he went attired with garments made of goar 's haire and an hood professing an austerity of life abroad whereas he plaied the glutton at home but at length his cousenage was discouered he was banished the citie as a man vnfit for ciuill societie In the yeere of our Lord God 1204 in the Empire of Otto the fourth there was one Almaricus also that denied the presence of Christ in the sacrament Atheisme Lib. 1. cap. 25. and said that God spake as well in profane Ouid as holy Augustine he scoffed at the doctrine of the resurrection and esteemed
vnlawfull an alliance though it be pronounced taken by the name and in the temple of their idols yet notwithstanding it being done with an euill conscience and to an euill purpose hee that did it can be no lesse then a periurer But for this and other vices it came to passe that ere long hee was conquered by the Gaules who taking him in battell slew him and cut off his head and hauing fastened it vpon a launce caried it in signe of victory and triumph vp and downe the host A most notable example of the punishment of periurie falshood in Vladislaus king of Hungary and his army destroied by the Turkes is set downe in Bonfinus his Hungarian history after this manner It fell out that the king of Hungary had so well bestirred himselfe against the Turkes that Amurathes was glad vpon vnequall conditions and euen to his owne hurt and their good to conclude a peace with him wherein it was agreed that certaine prouinces should be restored to the Hungarians which otherwise could not haue beene recouered but by great losse of men this league beeing made and the articles thereof engrossed in both languages with a solemne oth taken on both parties for the confirmation of the same Behold the Cardinall of Florence Admirall of the nauie which lay vpon the sea Hellespont now called S. Georges arme It is so called by the French meÌ„ but more coÌ„monly The straights of Castill which deuideth Turkie from Greece sendeth letters to the king of Hungary to persuade him to disanull and repeale this new concorded peace this practise likewise did Cardinall Iulian the Popes legate in Hungary with might and maine helpe forward which two good pillars of the Church inspired with one and the same spirit wrought togither so effectually with the king that at their instance he falsified his oth broke the peace sent to Constantinople to denounce warre afresh and forthwith whilst their Embassadours were retiring their garrisons out of Mâ—sia to bring them into their hands againe and had sent fortie thousand crownes for the ransome of certaine great men which were prisoners and had restored the realme of Rascia al their captiues according to the tenor of the late league not knowing of this new breach in the meane while I say hee set forward his armie towards the Turkes iâ— all expedition Now the Turkes secure and misdoubting nothing were set vpon vnawares by the king yet putting themselues in defence there grew a long and sharpe battell till Amurathes perceiuing his side to decline and almost ouercome pulled out of his bosome the articles of the foresaid peace and lifting vp his eies to heauen vtrered these speeches O Iesus Christ these are the leagues that thy Christians haue made and confirmed by swearing by thy name and yet haue broken them again If thou beest a God as they say thou art reuenge this iniury which is offered both thee and me and punish those truce-breaking varlets Hee had scarse ended these speeches but the Christians battell and courage began to rebate Vdislaus himselfe was slaine by the Ianissaries his horse being first hurt his whole armie was discomfited and all his people put to the sword sauing a few that fled amongst whome was the right reuerend Embassadour of the Pope who assoone as hee had thrust in others ouer the eares withdrew himselfe forsooth far enough from blowes or danger Then followed a horrible butchery of people and a lamentable noise of poore soules ready to be slaughtered for they spared none but haled them miserably in pieces and executed a iust and rigorous iudgement of God for that vile treachery and periury which was committed CHAP. XXX More examples of the like subiect BVt let vs adde a fewe more examples of fresher memory as touching this vngodly periury and first not to ouerpasse king Philip of Macedonie who neuer made reckoning of keeping his othes but swore and vnswore them at his pleasure and for his commoditie doubtlesse it was one of the chiefest causes why hee and his whole progenie came quickely to destruction as testifieth Pausanias for hee himselfe beeing sixe and fourty yeeres old In Arcadâ—cis was slaine by one of his owne seruants after which Olympias his wife made away two of his sonnes Anideus and another which hee had by Cleopatra Attalus his neece whome shee sod to death in a cauldron his daughter Thessalonicaes children likewise all perished and lastly Alexander after all his great victories in the midst of his pompe was poisoned at Babylon De Consessoribus Gregory Tours maketh mention of a wicked varlet in France among the people called Auerni that forswearing himselfe in an vniust cause had his tongue so presently tied that hee could not speake but roare and so continued till by his earnest praiers and repentance the Lord restored to him the vse of that vnruly member Thete were in old time certaine people of Italy called Aequi whereof the memory remaineth onely at this day for they were vtterly destroied by Q. Cincinnatus Liu. lib. 3. these hauing solemnly made a league of friendship with the Romans and sworne vnto it with one consent afterward chose Gracchus Cluilius for their captaine and vnder his conduct spoiled the fields and territories of the Romans contrary to their former league and oth Whereupon the Romans sent Q. Fabius P. Voluminus A. Posthumius Embassadours to them to complaine of their wrongs and demand satisfaction but their captaine so little esteemed them that he bad them deliuer their message to an oake standing thereby whilst he intended other businesse Then one of the three turning himselfe towards the oake spake on this manner Thou hallowed oke and whatsoeuer els belongeth to the gods in this place heare and beare witnesse of this disloiall part and fauour our iust complaints that with the assistance of the gods wee may be reuenged on this iniurie This done they returned home and shortly after gathering a power of men set vpon and ouercame that truce-breaking nation In the yeere of Rome built 317 the Fidenates reuolted from the friendship and league of the Romanes to Toluminus the king of the Veyans and adding crueltie to treason killed foure of their Embassadours that came to know the cause of their defection which disloialty the Romans not brooking vndertooke war against them and notwithstanding all their priuat and forraine strength ouerthrew and slew them In this battell it is said that a Tribune of the souldiers seeing Toluminus brauely galloping vp and downe and encouraging his souldiers the Romans trembling at his approch said Is this the breaker of leagues violatour of the law of nations If there be any holines on earth my sword shall sacrifice him to the soules of our slaine Embassadours therewithall setting spurs to his horse he vnhorst him fastening him to the earth with his speare cut off his perfidious head whereat his army dismaid retired became a slaughter
the Emperor Sigismond had in all his affaires after the violation of his faith giuen to Iohn Hus Theatr. histor and Ierome of Prage at the councill of Constance whome though with direct protestations and othes he promised safe conduct returne yet he adiudged to be burned doth testifie the odiousnesse of his sinne in the sight of God But aboue all this one example is most worthy the marking of a fellow that hearing periurie condemned in a pulpit by a learned preacher and how it neuer escaped vnpunished said in a brauery I haue oft forsworne my selfe and yet my right hand is not a whit shorter then my left which words hee had scarse vttered when such an inflammation arose in that hand that he was constrained to go to the surgeon and cut it off least it should infect his whole body and so his right hand became shorter then his left in recompence of his periury which hee lightly esteemed of In the yeere of our Lord 1055 Goodwine Earle of Kent sitting at the table with king Edward of England Stow Chron. it happened that one of the cupbearers stumbled and yet fell not whereat Goodwine laughing said That if one brother had not holpen another meaning his legges all the wine had beene spilt with which words the king calling to mind his brothers death which was slaine by Goodwine answered So should my brother Alphred haue holpen me had not Goodwine beene then Goodwine fearing the kings new kindled displeasure excused himselfe with many words at last eating a morsell of bread wished it might choke him if he were not guiltlesse of Alphreds blood but he swore falsly as the iudgement of God declared for he was forthwith choaked in the presence of the king ere hee remooued one foote from that place though there be some say he recouered life againe Stow Chron Long time after this in the reigne of Queene Elizabeth there was in the city of London one Anne Aueriâ—â— widdow who forswore her selfe for a little mony that she should haue paid for six pound of tow at a shop in Woodstreet for which cause being suddenly surprized with the iustice of God shee fell downe speechlesse forthwith and cast vp at her mouth in great aboundance with horrible stinke that matter which by natures course should haue bene voided downwards and so died to the terrour of all periured and forsworne wretches There are in Histories many more examples to be found of this hurtfull and pernicious sinne exercised by one nation towards another and one man towards another in most profane and villanous sort neither shaming to be accounted forsworne nor consequently fearing to displease God and his maiestie But forasmuch as when we come to speake of murderers in the next booke we shall haue occasion to speake of them more or of such like I will referre the handling thereof vnto that place only this let euery man learne by that which hath bene spoken to be sound and fraudlesse and to keepe his faith and promise towards all men if for no other cause yet for feare of God who leaueth not this sinne vnpunished nor holdeth them guiltlesse that thus take his name in vaine CHAP. XXXI Of Blasphemers AS touching Blasphemie it is a most grieuous and enormous sinne and contrary to this third commandement when a man is so wretched and miserable as to pronounce presumptuous speeches against God whereby his name is slandered and euill spoken of which sinne can not choose but be sharpely and seuerely punished for if so be that God holdeth not him guiltlesse that doth but take his name in vaine must hee not needs abhorre him that blasphemeth his name See how meritoriously that wicked and peruerse wretch that blasphemed and murdered as it were the name of God among the people of Israel in the desert was punished hee was taken Leuit. 24. put in prison and condemned and speedily stoned to death by the whole multitude and vpon that occasion as euil manners begat euermore good lawes the Lord instituted a perpetual law and decree that euery one that should blaspheme and curse God of what estate or degree soeuer should be stoned to death in token of detestation which sentence if it might now a daies stand in force there would not raigne so many miserable blasphemers deniers of God as the world is now filled and infected with It was also ordained by a new law of Iustinian Cod. lib. 3. tit 43. that blasphemies should be seuerely punished by the Iudges magistrates of commonweales but such is the corruption and misery of this age that those men that ought to correct others for such speeches are oftentimes worst themselues there are that thinke that they can not be sufficiently feared and awed of men except by horrible bannings swearings they despite maugre God nay it is further come to that passe that in some places to sweare and ban be the marks ensignes of a Catholike they are best welcome that can blaspheme most How much then is that good king S. Lewes of France to be commended Nichol. Gil. vol. 1. Of French Chronicles who especially discharged all his subiects from swearing blaspheming within his realme insomuch that when he heating a a Lord of Ienville noble man blaspheme God most cruelly he caused him to be laid hold on his lips to be slit with an hor iron saying he must be content to endure that punishment seeing he purposed to banish othes out of his kingdome Now we call blasphemie according to the scripture phrase euery word that derogateth either from the bountie mercy iustice eternity soueraigne power of God of this sort was that blasphemous speech of one of king Iorams princes who at the time of the great famine in Samaria when it was besieged by the Sirians hearing Elizaeus the Prophet say that the next morow there should be plenty of victuals and good cheape reiected this promise of God made by his Prophet 2. King 7. saying that it was impossible as if God were either a lyar or not able to performe what he would for this cause this vnbeleeuing blasphemer receiued the same day a deserued punishment for his blasphemie for hee was troden to death in the gate of the citie vnder the feet of the multitude that went out into the Sirians camp forsaken and left desolate by them through a feare which the Lord sent among them 2. King 19. Sennacherib king of Assyria after he had obtained many victories subdued much people vnder him also laid siege to Ierusalem became so proud arrogant as by his seruants mouthes to reuile and blaspheme the liuing God speaking no otherwise of him then of some strange idoll and one that had no power to helpe and deliuer those that trusted in him for which blasphemies he soone after felt a iust vengeaÌ„ce of God vpon himselfe his people for although in mans eies he seemed
contenteth at the first but it infecteth all his possessions sucketh out the marrow of them ere it be long Seing theÌ„ it is so abhominable both by the law of God and nature let vs shun it as a toad and flie from it as a cockatrice but when these persuasions will not serue let them turne their eies to these examples following wherin they shal see the manifest indignations of God vpon it In the Bishopricke of Coline a notable famous Vsurer lying vpon his death bed readie to die mooued vp and downe his chops and his lips as if hee had beene eating something in his mouth D sâ—ipul de temporâ— and being demaunded what hee ear hee answered his money and that the Deuill thrust it into his mouth perforce so that hee could neither will nor choose but deuour it in which miserable temptation he died without any shew of repentance The same Author telleth of another Vsurer that a little before his death called for his bags of gold and siluer and offered them al to his soule vpon condition it would not forsake him but if hee would haue giuen all the world it could not ransome him from death wherefore when hee saw there was no remedie but hee must needes die hee commended his soule to the deuill to bee carried into euerlasting torments which wordes when hee had vttered hee gaue vp the ghost Another Vsurer being ready to die made this his last Will and testament My soule quoth he I bequeath to the Deuill who is owner of it my wife likewise to the Deuill who induced mee to this vngodly trade of life Iohannes Auglus and my Deacon to the Deuill for soothing me vp and not reprouing me for my faults and in this desperate persuasion he died incontinently Vsurie consisteth not onely in lending and borrowing but in buying and selling also and all vniust and craftie bargaining yea and it is a kind of Vsurie to detaine through too much couetousnesse those coÌ„modities from the people which concerne the publicke good and to hoord them vp for their priuate gaine till some scarsitie or want arise and this also hath euermore ben most sharply punished as by these examples may appeare About the yeare 1543 at what time a great famine and dearth of bread afflicted the world there was in Saxony a countrie peasant that hauing carried his corne to the market and sold it cheaper than hee looked for as hee returned homewards hee fell into most heauie dumpes and dolours of mind with greife that the price of graine was abated and when his seruants sang merrily for ioy of that blessed cheapenesse hee rebuked them most sharpely and cruelly yea and was so much the more tormented and troubled in mind by how much the more he saw any poore soule thankfull vnto God for it but marke how God gaue him ouer to a Reprobate and desperate sence Whilest his seruants rode before hee hung himselfe at the cart taile being past recouery of life ere any man looked backe or perceiued him A notable example for our English cormorants who ioine barne to barne and heap to heap and will not sell nor giue a handfull of their superfluitie to the poore when it beareth a low price but preserue it til scarsity and want come and then they sell it at their owne rate let them feare by this least the Lord deale so or worse with them Another couetous wretch when hee could not sell his corne so deare as hee desired said the mise should eat it rather then he would lessen one iot of the price thereof which words were no sooner spoken but vengeance tooke them for all the mise in the countrie flocked to his barnes and fields so that they left him neither standing nor lying corne but deuoured all this story was written to Martin Luther Luther vpon occasion whereof hee inueighing mightilie against this cruell vsurie of husbandmen told of three misers that in one yeare hung themselues because graine bore a lower price than they looked for adding moreouer that all such cruell and muddie extortioners deserued no better a doome for their vnmercifull oppression D. Pomeranus Another rich farmer whose barnes were full of graine and his stackes vntouched was so couetous withall that in hope of some dearth and dearenesse of corne hee would not deminish one heape but hoorded vp daily more and more and wished for a scarsitie vpon the earth to the end hee might enrich his coffers by other mens necessities this cruell churle reioiced so much in his abundance that euery day hee would goe into his barnes and feed his eies with his superfluity now it fell out as the Lord would that hauing supped drunke very largely vpon a night as hee went according to his custome to view his riches with a candle in his hand behold the wine or rather the iustice of God ouercame his senses so that hee fell downe sodainely into the mow and by his fall set on fire the corne being drie and easie to be incensed in such sort that in a moment all that which he had scraped togither and preserued so charily and delighted in so vnreasonably was consumed and brought to ashes and scarce hee himselfe escaped with his life Another in Mifina in the yeare 1559 hauing great store of corne hoorded vp refused to succour the necessitie of his poore and halfe famished neighbours Iob. Flucel li. 2. for which cause the Lord punished him with a strange and vnusuall iudgement for the corne which hee so much cherished assumed life and became feathered soules flying out of his barns in such abundance that the world was astonished thereat and his barnes left emptie of all prouision in most woonderfull and miraculous maner No lesse strange was that which happened in a Towne of Fraunce called Stenchansen to the gouernour of the Towne The same author who being requested by one of his poore subiects to sell him some corne for his money when there was none to be gotten els where answered hee could spare none by reason hee had scarce enough for his owne hogs which hoggish disposition the Lord requited in it owne kind for his wise at the next litter brought forth seuen pigs at one birth to increase the number of his hogs that as he had preferred filthy ougly creatures before his poore brethren in whome the image of God in some sort shined forth so hee might haue of his owne getting more of that kind to make much of since he loued theÌ„ so well Equall to all the former both in cruelty touching the person and miracle touching the iudgement The same was that which is reported by the same author to haue happened to a rich couetous woman in Marchia who in an extreame dearth of vittailes denied not onely to relieue a poore man whose children were ready to starue with famine but also to sell him but one bushel of corne when â—e wanted but a penny of hir price
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 OVT OF FRENCH AND AVGMENted by more than three hundred Examples by Th. Beard IL VOSTRO MALIGNARE NON GIOVA NVLLA LONDON Printed by Adam Islip 1597. To the right Worshipfull Sir Edward Wingfield Knight IT is a principle in natural philosophy right Worshipfull that in euerie naturall bodie as well the Elephant as the gnat there is some propertie or other to be admired and wondred at and not only in philosophie but also in Diuinitie for euen the diuine Singer of Israel anoucheth the same when hee saith That the workes of God are wonderfull and his iudgements past finding out and not without great reason for if we turne ouer euery leafe of Gods creatures from the tenth sphere to the centre of the earth we shall find that euery leafe and letter of this great volume is admirable and wonderfull and such as doth not onely demonstrate a diuine power to sit at the stern of the world but also our owne weaknes which is not able to comprehend the least part thereof This wonderfull workmanship as it doth set forth the power of God as he is the creator and his wisdome as he is the gouernor of it so especially his mercie iustice appeare therein as he is a father in preseruing his children and a iudge in punishing sinners and those that rebell against him and these two are fitly called the armes of the Almighty of which one is not longer larger than the other but he is so far mercifull that he is iust withall and so far iust that his mercie doth also shew it selfe in the middest therof the right consideratiō wherof if it were ingrafted in the hearts of men they would learne both to admire and reuerence his mercie in creating and preseruing the frame of the world and stand in awe of his iudgements in correcting sinne but so it is that the greatest part of men go clean contrary they dreame vpon mercie mercy neuer thinke vpō iustice iudgement and that is the cause why more perish by presumption than despaire for this cause it seemed to me most necessary to call into mens memories the wonderfull iudgements of God to set before their eies a view of his iustice manifested in the world vpon sinners reprobats to the end that the drousie consciences of Gods children might be awakened and the desperat hearts of the wicked cōfounded when they shall see how vengeance pursueth malefactours to their shame and confusiō in this life and to their destructiō in the world to come This I haue performed according to the measure of my skil in this present volume which hauing partly translated out of the French and partly collected by mine owne industrie out of many Authors I dedicate and consecrate vnto you as a monument of my dutifull loue which I owe am euer bound to owe vnto your selfe your vertuous Lady and all your generation desiring of you a fauourable acceptance of my simple offering and for you a protection from all such iudgements as are contained in this and a perpetuall continuance of all happie and heauenly felicitie Your Worships in all dutie to command Th. Beard The Preface IF to auoid and eschew vice according to the saying of the Poet be a chiefe vertue and as it were the first degree of wisdome then it is a necessarie point to know what vice and vertue is and to discerne the euill and good which either of them bring forth to the end to beware least wee dash our selues vnawares against vice in stead of vertue and be caught with the deceitfull baites thereof For this cause the great and famous Philosopher about to lay open the nature of morall vertues according to that knowledge and light which nature afforded him contented not himselfe with a simple narration of the properties essence and obiect of them but opposed to euery vertue on each side the contrarie and repugnant vice to the end that at the sight of them being so out of square so hurtfull and pernicious vertue it selfe might be more amiable and in greater esteeme And for this cause also God himselfe our soueraigne and perfect lawgiuer that hee might fashion and fit vs to the mould of true and solide vertue vseth oftener negatiue prohibitions than affirmatiue commandements in his law to the end aboue all things to distract and turne vs from euill whereunto we are of our selues too too much inclined And as by this meane sinne is discouered and made known vnto vs so is the punishment also of sinne set before our eyes by those threatnings and curses which are there denounced to the end that whome the promises of life and saluation could not allure and persuade to do well them the feare of punishment which followeth sinne as a shadow doth the body might bridle and restraine from giuing them ouer to impietie Now then if the very threatnings ought to serue for such good vse shall not the execution and perfourmance of them serue much more to wit when the tempest of Gods wrath is not only denounced but also throwne downe effectually vpon the heads of the mightie ones of the world when they are disobedient and rebellious against God And hereupon the Prophet saith That when Gods iudgements are vpon earth then the inhabitants learne iustice And doubtlesse it is most true that euery one ought to reape profit to himselfe by such examples as well them which are presented daily to their view by experience as them which haue beene done in times past and are by benefit of history preserued from obliuion And in this regard historie is accounted a very necessary and profitable thing for that in recalling to mind the truth of things past which otherwise would be buried in silence it setteth before vs such effects as warnings admonitions touching good and euill and laieth vertue and vice so naked before our eyes with the punishments or rewards inflicted or bestowed vpon the followers of each of them that it may rightly be called an easie and profitable apprentiship or schoole for euery man to learne to get wisedome at another mans cost Hence it is that Historie is tearmed of the ancient Philosophers The record and register of Time the light of Truth and the mistresse and looking glasse of mans life Insomuch as vnder the person of another man it teacheth and instructeth all those that apply their minds vnto it to gouerne and carry themselues vertuously and honestly in this life Wherefore they deserue great praise and commendation that haue taken paines to enroll and put in writing the memorable actes and occurrents of their times to communicate the same to their posteritie for there the high and wonderfull workes of God do most clearely and as it were to the view present themselues as his iustice and
prouidence whereby albeit he guideth and directeth especially his owne to wit those that in a speciall and singular maner worship and trust in him as by the sacred histories touching the state and gouernment of the auncient and primitiue Church it may appeare yet he ceaseth not for all that to stretch the arme of his power ouer all and to handle and rule the prophane and vnbeleeuing ones at his pleasure for he hath a soueraigne empire and predominance ouer all the world And vnto him belongeth the direction and principall conduct of humane matters in such sort that nothing in the world commeth to passe by chance or aduenture but onely alwaies by the prescription of his wil according to the which he ordereth disposeth by a straight and direct motion as well the generall as the particular and that after a strange and admirable order And this a man may perceiue if he would but marke and consider the whole body but especially the end issue of things wherein the great and marueilous vertues of God as his bountie iustice and power doe most clearely shine when hee exalteth and fauoureth some and debaseth and frowneth vpon others blesseth and prospereth whome hee please and on the contrary curseth and destroieth whome he please and that deserue it It is hee also which erecteth principalities and which maintaineth commonwealths kingdoms and empires vntill by the summe and weight of their iniquities they sinke themselues into ruine and destruction And herein is hee glorified by the execution of his most iust and righteous iudgements when the wicked after the long abuse of his lenitie benignitie and patience doe receiue the wages and reward of their iniquities In this I say once againe shineth out the wonderfull and incomprehensible wisedome of God when by the due ordering of things so different and so many hee commeth still to one and the same marke which hee once prescribed to wit the punishment of the world according to their demerits And this same is most manifest and apparant euen in the histories of prophane writers albeit in their purpose it was neuer intended nor thought vpon nor yet regarded almost of any that read the same men contenting themselues for the most part with the simple recitall of the storie therein to take pleasure and passe away time without respecting any further matter Notwithstanding the true and principall vse of their writings ought to be diligently to marke the effects of Gods prouidence and of his iustice thereby to learne to containe our selues within the bonds of modestie and the feare of God seeing that they which haue carried themselues any thing vprightly in equitie temperance and other naturall vertues haue beene in some sort spared and the rest bearing the punishment of their iniquities haue fallen into ruine and destruction This consideration ought to persuade euerie man to turne from euill and to follow that which is good seeing that the Lord sheweth himselfe so incensed against all them which lead a wicked damnable and peruerse life And this is the cause why I hauing noted the great and horrible punishments wherewith the Lord in his most righteous iudgement hath scourged the world for sin according to that which is contained as well in sacred as prophane histories hauing gathered them togither and sorted them one after another in their seuerall roomes according to the diuersitie of the offences and order and course of time which as neare as I could I endeauoured to follow To the end to lay downe as it were in one table and vnder one aspect the great and fearefull iudgements of God vpon them that haue rebelled or repugned his holy will And this I doe not with purpose to comprehend them all for that were not onely difficult but impossible but to lay open the most notable and markeable ones that came to my knowledge to the end that the most wicked dissolute and disordered sinners that with loose raines runne fiercely after their lust if the manifest tokens of Gods seueritie presented before their eyes doe not touch them yet the cloud and multitude of examples through the sight of the ineuitable anger vengeance of God vpon euill liuers might terrifie and somewhat curbe them Periurers idolatours blasphemers and other such wicked and prophane wretches with murderers whoremongers adulterers rauishers and tyrants shall here see by the mischiefe that hath fallen vpon their likes that which hangeth before their eies and is ready to lay hold of them also For albeit for a time they sleepe in their sinnes and blindnesse delighting in their pleasures and taking sport in cruelties and euill deeds yet they draw after them the line wherewith being more ensnared than they are aware they are taken and drawn to their finall destruction And this may teach and aduertise both those that are not yet obstinate in their sinnes to bring themselues to some amendment and those that feare God already to strengthen and incourage them in the pursure and continuance in their good course For if God shew himselfe so seuere a reuenger of their sins that take pleasure in displeasing him there is no doubt but on the contrary hee will shew himselfe bountifull gracious and liberall in rewarding al them according to his promise which striue to please him and conforme their liues vnto his will Great and small yong and old men and women and all other of what degree and condition soeuer may here learn at other mens charges how to gouerne themselues in duty towards God and betwixt themselues by a holy and vnblameable life in mutuall peace and vnity and by shunning and eschewing sinne against the which God a most iust iudge poureth forth his vengeance euen vpon the heads of them that are guiltie thereof Beside here is ample matter and argument to stoppe the monthes of all Epicures and Atheists of our age and to leaue them confounded in their errours seeing that such and so many occurrents and punishments are manifest proofes that there is a God aboue that guideth the sterne of the world and that taketh care of humane matters and that is iust in punishing the vniust and malicious Againe whereas so much euill and so many sinnes haue raigned and swaied so long time and doe yet raigne and sway vpon the earth we may behold the huge corruption peruersitie of mankind and the rotten fruits of that wormeaten roote originall sinne when wee are not directed nor guided by the holy spirit of God but left vnto our owne nature And hereby true faithfull Christians may take occasion so much the more to acknowledge the great mercy and singular fauour of God towards them in that they being receiued to mercie are renewed to a better conuersation of life than others In briefe a man may heare learne if he be not altogither void of iudgement and vnderstanding to haue sinne in hatred and detestation considering the wages and reward thereof and how the iustice of God pursueth it continually euen to
in his affaires whilest hee abstained from sheading the blood of Christians but assoone as hee gaue himselfe ouer vnto that villanie his prosperitie kingdome and life diminished and decreased at once for within two yeares hee and his sonne Vâ—lusianus in the war against Aemilian vvere both slain through the defection of his souldiors vvho in the point of necessitie forsooke him Beside the Lord in his time sent vpon the prouinces of Rome a generall and contagious pestilence which lasted vvhole tenne yeares without intermission to make satisfaction for the much innocent blood vvhich was spilled amongst them Phil. Melanct. chron lib. 4. Sebast franc chron Polon Arnolphus the fourescorth Emperour raged like a Tyger against all men but especially against those that professed the religion and name of Christ Iesus for which cause the Lord stirred vp a woman the wife of Guido to minister vnto him the dregs of his wrath in a poysoned cup by meanes whereof such a rottennesse possessed all his members that lice and wormes issuing out continually hee died most miserably in Oringe a city of Bauarie the twelfth yeare of his raigne Philip Melan. chron lib. 5. Baiaset the Turke to what a miserable and ludibrious end came hee to for his outragious hatred against all Christendome but especially against Constantinople which hee had brought to so low an eb that they could scarce haue resisted him any longer had not Tamerlane the Tartarian reuoked him from the siege and bidden him leaue to assaile others and looke vnto his owne Campofulus lib. 9. cap. 5. And indeed hee welcommed him so kindly that hee soone tooke him prisoner and binding him with chaines of gold caried him vp and downe in a cage for aspectacle vsing his backe for a footstoole to get vpon his horse by And thus God plaugeth one Tyrant by another and all for the comfort of his chosen Gensericus king of the Vandals Phil. Melan. chron lib. 3. exercised cruell tyrannie against the professors of the truth So did Honoricus the second also but both of them reaped their iust deserts for Gensericus died being possessed with a spirit And Honoricus being so rotten and putrified that one member dropped off after another Greg. Taron lib. 2. cap. 3. Some say that hee gnew off his owne flesh with his teeth Autharis the twelfth King of Lumbardie Paulus Diaconus lib. 3. cap. 18. de gestis Lâ—rgo bard forbad children to bee baptised or instructed in the Christian faith seeking by that meanes to abolish and plucke downe the kingdome of Christ but he raigned not long for ere sixe yeares vvere complet hee died with poison at Pauia And so hee that thought to vndermine Christ Iesus vvas vndermined himselfe most deseruedlie in the yeare of our Lord. 592. When Arcadius the Emperour through the persuasion of certaine enuious fellowes and his wife Endoxia Euagriur lib. 5. cap. 34. had banished Iohn Chrisostome bishop of Constantinople into Bosphorus the next night there arose such a terrible earthquake that the Empresse and the whole Cittie vvas sore affrighted therewith so that the next morrow messengers after messengers vvere sent vvithout ceasing till they had brought him backe againe out of exile Mandat 9. Calumniation lib. 2. cap. 44. and his accusers vvere all punished for their vvrongfull accusation Thus it pleased God to testifie the innocencie of his seruant euen by terrifying his enemies Smaragdus an exarch of Italie vvas transported by a Deuill for tyrannising ouer Christians in the first yeare of the Empire of Mauritius Paul Diacon lib 3. cap. 12. de gestis Longab Cent. 6. cap. 3. Anton. lib. 15. cap. 15. Mamucha a Sarasen being equall to Pharao in persecuting the church of God God made him equall to him also in the manner of his destruction for as he returned from the spoile of the monasterie of Cassime and Messana and the slaughter of many Christians the Lord caused the sea to swallow vp his whole armie euen an hundred ships Paul Diacon lib. 21. so that few or none escaped Another time euen in the yeare 719 they vvere miraculously consumed vvith famine sword pestilence water and captiuity and al for their infestious ranckor and tyranny towards Christians for whom the famine spared the sword deuoured vvhome both these touched not the pestilence eate vp and they that escaped all three yet perished in the vvaters and tenne ships that escaped the vvaters vvere taken by the Romans and the Syrians surely an egregious signe of Gods heauy wrath and displeasure To conclude there was neuer any that set themselues against the church of God but God set himself against them by some notable iudgement so that some vvere murthered by their subiects as Bluso king of the Vandals others by their enemies as Vdo Prince of Sclauonia some by their wiues Helmold cap. 24. Sclauon cap. 34. as Cruco another Sclauonian Prince others discomfited in war as Abbas the king of Hungaria some destroied by their owne horses Bonfinus as Lucius the Emperor who had first put his owne daughter because she was a Christian amongst the same horses And generally few persecutors escaped without some euident and markable destruction CHAP. XIIII Of the Iews that persecuted Christ BY how much the offence of the Iews was more hainous not onely in despising and reiecting the Lord of glory whom God had sent amongst them for their saluation but also in being so vvicked as to put him to death by so much the more hath God shed his fearfull indignation vpon them as at many other times so especially by that great calamitie and desolation which they abode at their last destruction begun by Vespasian and perfected by Titus which was so great and lamentable as the like was neuer heard of vntill this day for if the sacking and ouerthrow of Ierusalem then when Ieremie the Prophet made his booke of Lamentations ouer it was reputed more grieuous then the subuersion of Sodome which perished suddenly How much more then is this last destruction without all comparison by reason of those horrible strange miseries which were there both suddenly and in continuance of time committed Neither truly is there any history which containeth a description of so many miseries as this doth as it may appeare by Iosephus record of it For after that they had bene afflicted in diuers countries and tossed vp and downe by the deputies a long while there were slaine at Caesarea in one day twenty thousand at Alexandria another time fifty thousand at Zabulon and Ioppe eight thousand and foure hundred besides the burning of the two townes at Damascus ten thousand that had their throates cut As for Ierusalem when it had a long time endured the brunt of the warre both within and without it was pinched with so sore a famine Ioseph of the warres of the Iewes lib. 2. cap. 19 21 22 23. Lib. 6. cap. 16. Lib. 7. cap. 7.8 Lib. 6. c. 16. that
for them to be true subiects to the king who for their bellies sake had rebelled against the commandements of God The king seeing their request reasonable and their reasons which they alleadged likely not onely commended them but gaue them full authoritie to destroy all those that could be found in any place of his dominion without any further inquirie of the cause or intelligence of the kings authority insomuch that they put to death all those that they knew to haue defiled themselues by filthie Idols doing them before all the shame they could deuise so that at that time there were dispatched aboue three hundred persons which when they had accomplished they reioiced greatly CHAP. XIX Of the third and worst sort of Apostataes those that through Malice forsake the truth IF so bee that they of whom we haue spoken in the two former chapters are in their reuoltings inexcusable as indeed they are thē much more worthy condemnation are they who not only in a villanous contempt cast away the grace of Gods spirit and his holy worship but also of a purposed malice set themselues against the same yea and endeuour with all their power vtterly to race and root it out and in stead thereof to plant the lies errors and illusions of Sathan by all meanes possible Against this kind of monsters sentence is pronounced in the thirteenth of Deutronomie to wit That iustice should be executed vpon thē with al extremity and no mercie and compassion showne vnto him be he Prophet or what else that goeth about to seduce others from the seruice of the almighty 2. King 11. to follow false gods This is the pitfall wherein Ieroboam the first king of Israell slipped by the peruersenesse of his owne conscience who as he had by his rebellion against Rehoboam and the house of Dauid vpreared a new kingdome so by rebellion against God and his house in hope by that meanes to retaine his vsurped state and people in subiection vpreared also a new religion for distrusting the promises of God which were made him by the Prophet Ahias as touching the realme of Israell which hee was alreadie in possession of and despising the good counsaile of God in respect of his owne inuentions hee was so besotted and bleared with them that iust after the patterne of his Idolatrous forefathers who by their Aegyptian trickes had prouoked the wrath of God against thēselues he set vp golden calues and caused the people to worship them keeping them so from going to Ierusalem to worship God nor yet content with this he also erected high places to set his idols in hauing restrained the Priests and Leuits frō the exercise of their charge he ordained a new order of priests to sacrifice minister vnto his gods proclaimed a newer feast thē that that was in Iuda euē the seuenth day of the 8 month wherin he not only exiled the pure and sincere seruice of God but also peruerted turned vpside down the Ecclesiasticall discipline pollicie of Gods church which by the law had ben instituted And that which is yet more 1. King 13. as hee was offering incense on the altar at Bethell when the Prophet cried out against the altar and exclaimed against that filthie idolatrie by denouncing the vengeance of God against it and the maintainers therof Contempt of Gods word Lib. 1. cap. 34. he was so desperate and sencelesse as to offer violence to him and to command that he should be attached but the power of Gods displeasure was vpon him by and by for that hand which hee had stretched out against the Prophet dried vp so that hee could not draw it back again at the very instant for a more manifest declaratiō of the wrath of God the altar rent in peeces the ashes that were within were dispersed abroad And although at the praier of that holy man his dried hand was restored to his former strength and soundnesse yet returned not he from his vniust and disloiall dealing but obstinately continued therein till his dying day Wherefore also the fierce wrath of God hunted and pursued him continually for first of all he was robbed of his sonne Abia dying through sicknesse 1. King 14. then hee was set vpon by Abia king of Iuda with an armie of foure hundred thousand men of warre 2. Chron. 13. and though his power was double in strength number arising to eight hundred thousand persōs yet was he his vast at my quite discōfited for he lost at that field fiue hundred thousād of his men beside certain cities which were yeelded to Abia in the pursute of his victorie his courage was so abated and empouerished euer after this that hee could neuer recouer strength to resist the king of Iuda any more And so God reuenged at once the Apostasie both of the king and people of Israell and last of all so strooke him after that he died Ioram king of Iuda although his father Iosaphat had instructed him from his childhood with holy and wholesome precepts 2 Chron. 21. and set before his face the example of his owne zeale in purging the church of God from all idolatrie and superstition and maintaining the true and pure seruice of God yet did hee so foulie run astray from his fathers steps that allying himselfe by the marriage of Athalia to the house of Achab hee became not onely himselfe like to the kings of Israell in their filthie Idolatrie but also drew his people after him causing the inhabitants of Ierusalem and men of Iuda to runne a whoring after his strange gods for which cause Elias the Prophet most sharpely reprooued him by letters the contents whereof in summe was this that because hee rebelled against the Lord God of his fathers therfore the people that were in his subiection should rebell against him Presently the Arabians and Philistims rose vp against him wasted his countrie robbed him of his treasures tooke away his wiues and put all his children to the sword except little Ochozias his yoongest sonne that was preserued And after all these miseries the Lord smote him with so outragious and vncurable a disease in his bowels that after two yeares torment hee died thereof his guts being fallen out of his belly with anguish Ioas also king of the same countrie was one to whome God had beene manie waies beneficiall from his infancie 2. Chron. 22. for hee was euen then miraculously preserued from the bloody hand of Athalia and after brought vp in the house of God vnder the tuition of that good Preist Iehoiada yet he was no sooner lifted vp into his roiall dignitie but by and by hee and his people started aside to the worship of stocks and stones at that time when hee had taken vpon him the repaire of the house of God But all this came to passe after the decease of that good priest his tutour whose good deeds towards him in sauing his life and
heauen and hell but as an old wiues fable hee beeing dead his disciples were brought forth into a large field neere Paris and there in the presence of the French king degraded and burnt the dead carkasse of Almaricus being taken out of the sepulchre and burnt amongst them It fell out that whilst they were in burning there arose so huge a tempest that heauen and earth seemed to mooue out of their places wherein doubtlesse the soules of these wicked men felt by experience that hell was no fable but a thing and such a thing as waited for all such rebels against God as they were Anastasius Emperour of Constantinople being corrupted with the heresie of Eutiches published an edict wherein all men were commanded to worship God not vnder three persons as a trinity but as a quaternitie containing in it foure persons and could not by any counsell be brought from that deuilish errour but repelled from him diuers bishops with great reproch which came to perswade him to the contrary for which cause not long after a flash of lightning from heauen suddenly seazed vpon him and so he perished when hee had reigned eight and twentie yeeres Iustinus the second also who after the death of Iustinian obtained the Imperiall crowne was a man of exceeding pride and crueltie contemning pouertie and murdering the nobilitie for the most part In auarice his desire was so insatiate that he caused iron chests to be prepared wherein hee might locke vp that treasure which by vniust exactions hee had extorted of the people Notwithstanding all this hee prospered well enough vntill he fell into the heresie of Pelagian soone after which the Lord bereft him of his wits and shortly after of his life also when he had reigned eleuen yeeres Mahomet by birth an Arabian and by profession one of the most monstrous heretikes that euer liued began his heresie in the yeere 625 his offspring was but out of a base stocke for being fatherlesse one Abdemonoples a man of the house of Ismael bought him for his slaue and loued him greatly for his fauour and wit for which cause he made him ruler ouer his marchandize and other businesse Now in the meane while one Sergius a monke flying for heresie into Arabia instructed him in the heresie of Nestorius a while after his master died without children and left behind him much riches and his wife a widow of fifty yeeres of age whome Mahomet married and when shee died was made heire vnto all her riches So that now what for his wealth and cunning in magicke he was had in high honour among the common people Wherefore by the counsell of Sergius he called himselfe The great Prophet of God And shortly after when his fame was published hee deuised a law and kind of religion called Alcaron wherein he borrowed something almost of all the heresies that were before his time with the Sabellians he denied the Trinitie with the Maniclies he said there was but two persons in the Deity hee denied the equalitie of the Father with the Sonne with Eunomius and said with Macedone that the Holy Ghost was a creature and approoued the community of women with the Nicholaits hee borrowed of the Iewes circumcision and of the Gentiles much superstition and somewhat he tooke of the Christian verity besides many deuilish fantasies inuented of his owne braine those that obeied his law he called Sarazins Now after he had liued in these monstrous abuses fourty yeeres the Lord cut him off by the falling sicknesse which he had dissembled a long time saying when hee was taken therewith that the Angell Gabriel appeared vnto him whose brightnesse hee could not behold but the Lord made that his destruction which he imagined would be for his honour and setting forth his sect Stow Chron. Infinite be the examples of the destruction iudgement of priuat heretikes in all ages therfore we will content our selues with them that be most famous In the yeere of our Lord 1561 and the third yere of the reigne of Q. Elizabeth there was in London one William Geffery that constantly auouched a companion of his called Iohn Moore to be Christ our Sauiour and could not be reclaimed from this mad perswasion vntill he was whipped from Southwarke to Bedlam where the said Moore meeting him was whipped also vntill they both confessed Christ to be in heauen and themselues to be sinfull and wicked men But most strange it is The same how diuers sensible wise meÌ„ were deluded caried beside themselues by the subtilty of Satan in the yeere 1591 the reigne of Q. Elizabeth 33 the memory thereof is yet fresh in euery mans head and mouth and therfore I will but briefly touch the same Edmond Coppinger Henry Arthington two gentlemen being associated with one William Hacket somtimes a profane very leud person but now coÌ„uerted in outward shew though not in inward affection were so seduced by his hypocriticall behauiour the deuils extraordinary deuices that from one point to another they came at last to thinke that this Hacket was anointed to be the Iudge of the world therfore comming on a day to Hackeâ—s lodging in London Hypocrisie in regard of Hacket lib. 1. c. 22. he told them that he had bin annointed of the H. ghost then Coppinger asked him what his pleasure was to be done Go your way saith he proclaime in the city that Christ Iesus is come with his fan in his hand to iudge the earth if they wil not beleeue it let them come kill me if they can Then Coppinger answered it should be don forthwith therupon like mad men he Arthington ran into the streets proclaimed their message aforesaid wheÌ„ by reason of the concourse of people they could not proceed any further they got vp into two empty carts in Cheap crying Repent repent for Christ Iesus is come to iudge the world then pulling a paper out of his bosom he read out of it many things touching the office calling of Hacket how he represented Christ by partaking part of his glorified body c. besides they called themselues his prophets one of Iustice another of mercy And thus these simple men were strangely deceiued by a miraculous illusion of Satan who no doubt by strange apparitions had brought them into this vain conceit But let vs obserue the end of it it was thus The whole citie being in a maze tooke Hacket the breeder of this deuise and arraigning him before the Maior other Iustices found him guilty as well of this seditious practise as of speaking traiterous words against the Queene Wherefore hee was shortly after hanged on a gibbet in Cheape-side counterfaiting to his last his old deuises and at length vttering horrible blasphemies against the maiestie of God As for his Prophets Coppinger died the next day in Bridewell and Arthington was kept in prison vpon hope of repentance This though it be no
deed with fire seeing he deserued at the least to loose his house for banishing her out of it that had borne him in her belly and nourished him with the milke of hir paps In this place I may fitly insert two memorable examples of the same subiect Alex. ab Alex. geneal dier lib. 4. cap. 14. gathered by an author of credit fame sufficient to this effect It is not long saith he since a friend of mine a man of a great spirit and worthy to bee beleeued recounted to me a very strange accident which hee said happened to himselfe and proued his saying by the testimony of many witnesses which was this that being vpon a time at Naples at a kinsmans and familiars house of his hee heard by night the voice of a man crying in the street for aid which caused him to rise and light a candle and run out to see what the matter was being come out of the dores he perceiued a cruell and ougly shaped Deuill striuing with all his force to catch and get into his clouches a yoong man that stroue on the other side to defend himselfe for feare raised that outcrie which hee had before heard the yoong man seeing him ran to him forthwith catching fast hold by his clothes and pitifully crying to God would in no case let goe his hold vntill his cruell enemie forsooke him and being brought into the house all dismaied and beside himselfe would not let goe his hold vntill hee came to his sences againe out of that exceeding feare The cause of which assault was hee had led all his time a most wicked life and had beene a contemner of God and a rebell against his parents vsing vile railing and bitter speeches against them in such sort that in stead of blessing they had laid a curse vpon him and this is the first example Concerning the second I will also set downe the Authors owne words as followeth of all the strange things sayth he that euer I heard report of that which happened not long since at Rome is most worthy to be remembred of a certain yoong man of Gabia borne of a base and poore familie but endued with a a terrible and furious nature and addicted to a loose disordinate life This gallant picking a quarrell with his owne father in his anger reuiled him with most grosse and reprochfull tearmes In which mad fits as one wholly giuen ouer to the Deuill hee purposely departed to Rome to practise some naughtie deuise against his father but his ghostly father the Deuill met with him in the way vnder the shape of a cruell and ougly fellow with a thicke bushy beard and head hanging disorderly and clothes al rent and tottered who as they walked together enquired of him why hee was so sad He answered that there had passed some bitter speeches betwixt his father and him and now hee deuised to worke him some mischiefe The deuill by by like a crafty knaue soothed him vp and said that he also vpon the like occasion went about the same practise and desired that they might pursue both their voiage enterprise together it was soone agreed vpon betwixt them being like to like as the Prouerbe goeth Therefore being arriued at Rome and lodged at the same Inne one bed did serue them both where whilest the yoong man securely soundly slept the old malicious knaue watching his oportunity caught him by the throat to strangle him whereat the poor wretch awoke and cried for help to God so that the wicked spirit was constrained to forsake him without performing his purpose and to flie out at the chamber with such force violeÌ„ce that the house roofe crackt the tiles clattered downe abundantly The host of the house being awaked with the noise cried out to know what the matter was running into the chaÌ„ber where this noise was with a candle in his hand found the poor yoong man all alone betwixt dead and aliue of whom recouered he learnt out the whole truth as hath beene told but he after this terrible accident repented him of his wicked life and was touched with the sence of his greeuous sinne so nearely that euer after hee led a more circumspect and honest life Thus much we find written in that author Henry the fift inspired with the furies of the Pope of Rome made war vpon his father Henry the fourth Philip. Melanc lib. 4. chron vexing him with cruell often battels and not ceasing till he had spoiled him of his Empire till the bishop of Mentz had prowdly and insolently taken from him his emperiall ornaments euen in his presence but the Lord in recompence of his vnnaturall dealing made him and his army a prey vnto his enemies the Saxons and to flie before them stirring vp also the Pope of Rome to be as greeuous a scourge vnto him as he had beene before time to his father Now as the ambition of a kingdome was the cause of this mans ingratitude so in the example following pride and disdaine ruled and therefore hee is so much the more to be condemned by how much a kingdome is a stronger cord to draw men to vice then a mans own affections There was saith Manlius an old man crooked with age In collectan distressed with pouerty and almost pined with hunger that had a son rich strong fat of whom he entreated no gold or siluer or possessions but food sustenance for his belly and clothes for his back but could not obtaine it at his hands for his prowd heart exalted with prosperity thought it a shame discredit to his house to be born of so poor base a parentage therefore not only denied him reliefe but also disclaimed him from being his father chased him away with bitter and crabbed reproches The poore old man thus cruelly handled let teares fall as witnesses of his gâ—iefe and departed comfortlesse from his Tygre-minded sonne But the Lord that gathereth vp the teares of the innocent looked downe from heauen in iustice and sent a furie into the sences and vnderstanding of this monstrous sonne that as hee was void of nature and compassion so he might be void of reason and discretion for euer after Another not so cruell and disdainefull as the former yet cruell and disdainefull enough to plucke downe vengeance vpon his head Manlius in collectan would not see his father beg indeed nor yet abiure him as the other did but yet vndertaking to keep him vsed him more like a slaue then a father for what should bee too deare for him that gaue vs life Yet euery good thing was too deare for this poore father Vpon a time a daintie morsell of meat was vpon the bord to bee eaten which as soone as he came in hee conuaied away and foisted in courser vittailes in the roome But marke what his dainties turned to when the seruant went to fetch it againe hee found in steed
a brasen bull of such a strange workmanship that the voice of those that were rosted therein resembled rather the roaring of a bull then the cry of men the tyrant was well pleased with the inuention but hee would needs haue the inuentour make first triall of his owne worke as hee well deserued before any other should take tast thereof But what was the end of this tyrant Cic. Off. 2. The people not able any longer to endure his monstrous and vnnaturall cruelties ranne vpon him with one consent with such violence that they soone brought him to destruction and as some say put him into the brasen bull which he prouided to rost others to be rosted therein himselfe deseruing it as well for approouing the deuise as Perillus did for deuising it Edward the second of that name king of England at the request and desire of Hugh Spencer his darling Enguerr de Monstr vol. 1. made war vpon his subiects and put to death diuers of the peeres lords of the realme without either right or forme of lawe insomuch that Queene Isabell his wife fled to Fraunce with her young sonne for feare of his vnbridled fury and after a while finding oportunity and meanes to returne againe guarded with certaine small forces which shee had in those countries gathered together she found the whole people discontented with the kings demeanors and ready to assist hir against him so she besieged him with their succor and took him prisoner and put him into the tower of London to bee kept till order might be taken for his deposition so that shortly after by the estates being assembled togither he was generally iointly reputed pronounced vnworthy to be king for his exceding cruelties sake which he had cōmitted vpon many of his worthy subiects and so deposing him they crowned his young son Edward the third of his name king in his roome he yet liuing and beholding the same Iohn Maria duke of Millan may be put into this rancke of murderers Paulus Iouius for his custome was diuerse times when any citizen offended him yea and sometimes without offence too to throw them amongst cruell mastiues to be torn in peeces and deuoured But as hee continued delighted this vnnaturall kind of murder the people one day incensed stirred vp against him ran vpon him with such rage and violence that they quickly depriued him of life And he was so wel beloued that no man either would or durst bestow a sepulchre vpon his dead bones but suffered his body to lie in the open street vncouered saue that a certain harlot threw a few roses vpon his wounds and so couered him Alphonsus the second king of Naples Ferdinands son was in Tyranny towards his subiects nothing inferiour to his father Sabel Guicciard lib. 1. Philip de Com. Bemb histor Vent lib. 2. for whether of them imprisoned put to death more of the nobility Barons of the realme it is hard to say but sure it is that both were too outragious in all manner of cruelty for which as soone as Charles the eight king of France departing from Rome made towards Naples the hatred which the people bore him secretly with the odious remembrance of his fathers cruelty began openly to shew it selfe by the fruits for they did not nor could not dissemble the great desire that euery one had of the approch of the Frenchmen which when Alphonsus perceiued and seeing his affaires and estate brought vnto so narrow a pinch hee also cowardly cast away all courage to resist and hope to recouer so hug a tempest and hee that for a long time had made war◠his trade and profession and had yet all his forces and armies complete in readinesse making himselfe banquerout of all that honour and reputation which by long experience and deeds of armes hee had gotten resolued to abandon his kingdome and to resigne the title and authoritie thereof to his son Ferdinand thinking by that meanes to assuage the heat of their hatred and that so yoong and innocent a king who in his owne person had neuer offended them might bee accepted and beloued of them and so their affection toward the French rebated and cooled But this deuise seemed to no more purpose then a salue applied to a sore out of season whē it was growne incurable or a prop set to a house that is alreadie falne Therefore hee tormented with the sting of his owne conscience and finding in his mind no repose by day nor rest by night but a continuall Summns and aduertisement by fearefull dreames that the Noblemen which hee had put to death cried to the people for reuenge against him was surprised with so terrible terrour that foorthwith without making acquainted with his departure either his brother or his owne sonne hee fled to Sicily supposing in his iourney that the Frenchmen were still at his backe and starting at euerie little noise as if hee feared all the elements had conspired his destruction Philip Comineus that was an eie witnesse of this iourney reporteth that euerie night hee would crie that hee heard the Frenchmen and that the verie trees and stones ecchoed Fraunce into his eares And on this manner was his flight to Sicily King Charles in the meane while hauing by force and bloodshed to terrifie the rest taken two passages that were before him the whole realme without any great resistance yeelded it selfe vnto his mercie albeit that the young king had done what hee could to withstand him But at length seeing the Neapolitanes ready to rebel and himselfe in danger to be taken prisoner he fled from the castell of Naples and with a small company got certaine brigandines wherein hee sailed to the Island Ischia thirty miles from Naples saying at his departure this verse out of the Psalmes How vaine are the watchmen and guards of that city which is not guarded and watched by the Lord which he oftentimes repeated and so long as Naples was in his view And thus was crueltie punished both in Ferdinand the father and Alphonse the son Artaxerxes Ochus the eight king of the Persians began his raign with thus many murders Herodos he slew two of his owne brethren first secondly Euageras king of Ciprus his partner and associate in the kingdome thirdly he tooke Gidon traiterously was the cause of forty thousand mens deaths that were slain burned therin beside many other priuate murders outrages which he cōmitted for which cause the Lord in his iustice rained down vengeance vpon his head for Bagoas one of his princes ministred such a fatal cup to his stomack that it mortified his sences depriued him of his vnmercifull soule and life not only vpon his head but vpon his kingdome his son Arsame also for he was also poisoned by the same Bagoas his kingdome translated to Darius prince of Armenia whome when the same Bagoas went about to make tast of the
with his sonne but also quite extinguished the Gothicke kingdome in Spaine in this warre and vpon this occasion seuen hundred thousand men perished as hystories record and so a kingdome came to ruine by the peruerse lust of one lecher Anno 714. At the sacking and destruction of Thebes by king Alexander a Thracian captaine which was in the Macedonian army tooke a noble Matron prisoner called Tymoclea whome when by no persuasion of promises he could entise to his lust he constrained by force to yeeld vnto it Plut. in vita Alexand. Sabel lib. 5. c. 6. but this noble minded woman inuented a most witty subtile shift both to rid her selfe out of his hands and to reuenge his iniurie she told him that she knew where a rich treasure lay hid in a deepe pit whether when with greedinesse of the gold he hastened standing vpon the brinke pried and peared into the bottome of it she thrust him with both her hands into the hole and tumbled stones after him that he might neuer find meanes to come forth for which fact she was brought before Alexander to haue iustice who demanding her what she was she answered that Theagenes who led the Thebane army against the Macedonians was her brother Alexander perceiuing the maruellous constancie of the woman and knowing the cause of her accusation to bee vniust manumitted and set her free with her whole family When Cn. Manlius hauing conquered the Gallo-Grecians pitched his army against the Tectosages people of Narbonia towards the Piren mountains amongst other prisoners a very fair womā wife to Orgiagous Regulus was in the custodie of a Centurion that was both lustfull and couetous Liuiu◠lib. 38. This lecher tempted her first with faire persuasions and seeing her vnwilling compelled her with violence to yeeld her body as a slaue to fortune so to infamy and dishonor after which act somewhat to mitigate the wrong he gaue her promise of release and freedome vpon condition of a certaine summe of money and to that purpose sent her seruant that was captiue with her to her friends to puruey the same which hee bringing the Centurion alone with the wronged lady met him at a place appointed and whilest hee weighed the money by her counsaile was murdered of her seruants so she escaping caried to her husband both his money and threw at his feet the villaines head that had spoiled her of her chastitie Andreas king of Hungary hauing vndertaken the voiage into Siria for the recouety of the holy land together with many other kings and Princes committed the charge of his kingdome and family to one Bannebanius Chronica Hungariae a wise and faithfull man who discharged his office as faithfully as hee tooke it willingly vpon him now the Queene had a brother called Gertrude that came to visite and comfort his sister in her husbands absence and by that meanes soiourned with her a long time euen so long till hee fell deadly in loue with Bannebanus lady a faire vertuous woman one that was thought worthie to keepe company with the Queene continually to whome when hee had vnfolded his suit and receiued such stedfast repulse that hee was without all hope of obtaining his desire he began to droupe and pine vntill the Queene his sister perceiuing his disease found this peruerse remedie for the cure thereof shee would often giue him oportunitie of discourse by withdrawing her selfe from them being alone and many times leaue them in secret and dangerous places of purpose that he might haue his will of her but she would neuer consent vnto his lust and therefore at last when hee saw no remedie hee constrained her by force and made her subiect to his will against her will which vile disgracefull indignitie when shee had suffered shee returned home sad and melancholy and when her husband would haue embraced her she fled from him asking him if he would embrace a whore and related vnto him her whole abuse desiring him either to rid her from shame by death or to reuenge her wrong make knowne vnto the world the iniury done vnto her There needed no more spurs to pricke him forward for reuenge he posteth to the court and vpbraiding the Queene with her vngratefull and abhominable trecherie runneth her through with his sword and taking her heart in his hand proclaimeth openly that it was not a deed of inconsideration but of iudgement in recompence of the losse of his wiues chastitie foorthwith hee flieth towards the King his Lord that now was at Constantinople and declaring to him his fact and shewing to him his sword besmeared with his wiues blood submitteth himselfe to his sentence either of death in rigour or pardon in compassion but the good King enquiring the truth of the cause though greeued with the death of his wife yet acquite him of the crime and held him in as much honour and esteeme as euer hee did condemning also his wife as worthy of that which shee had endured for her vnwomanlike and traiterous part A notable example of iustice in him and of punishment in her that forgetting the law of womanhood and modestie made her selfe a baud vnto her brothers lust whose memory as it shall be odious and execrable so his iustice deserueth to be engrauen in marble with caracters of gold Equall to this king in punishing a Rape was Otho the first Albert. Krant lib. 3. for as he passed through Italy with an armie a certaine woman cast her selfe downe at his feet for iustice against a villaine that had spoiled her of her chastitie who deferring the execution of the law till his returne because his hast was great the woman asked who should then put him in mind thereof hee answered This church which thou seest shall be a witnesse betwixt mee and thee that I will then reuenge thy wrong Now when hee had made an end of his warfare in his returne as hee beheld the church hee called to mind the woman and caused her to be fetcht who falling down before him desired now pardon for him whom before she had accused seeing he had now taken her to wife redeemed his iniury with sufficient satisfaction Not so I sweare quoth Otho your compacting shall not infringe or collude the sacred ◠but hee shall die for his former fault and so he caused hi◠be put to death A notable example for them that after they haue committed filthinesse with a maid thinke it no sin but competent amends if they take her in marriage whom they abused before in fornication Nothing inferiour to these in punishing this sin was Gonzaga duke of Ferrara as by this historie following may appear in the yeare 1547 a citizen of Comun Theat histor was cast into prison vpon an accusation of murder whome to deliuer frō the iudgement of death his wife wrought all means possible therefore comming to the captaine that held him prisoner she sued to him for her husbands life
had vnto them both to the end to auoid those mischiefes and enormities which oftentimes happen when either by an ouer hardy foolish and rash presumption a man would nestle himselfe in an higher nest than his estate and calling requireth or by a sensuall and fleshly lust passing the bounds of reason goeth about to constraine and interrupt the law of nature The chiefest thing that is required in marriage is the consent of parties as well of themselues that are to be ioyned togither as of each of their parents the contrary whereof is constraint where either partie is forced Iudg. 21. as it happened to those two hundred maides which the Beniamites tooke by force and violence to be their wiues This was a reproch to Romulus the first king of Rome when hee rauished the Sabine virgins that came to see their sports which was cause of great warre betwixt them Moreouer besides the mutuall ioynt of loue which ought to be betwixt man and wife it is necessary that they that marrie doe marry in the Lord to serue him in greater puritie and with lesse disturbance which can not be if a Christian marrie an infidell for the great difficulties and hinderances that vsually spring from such a roote Exod. 34 16 Deut. 7 3. Therefore it was straightly forbidden the people of God to contract mariages with Idolatours yea and the holy Patriarchs before any such law was giuen had carefully great regard in the marriages of their childrē to this thing as the example of Abraham doth sufficiently declare Therefore they that haue any manner of gouernment and authority ouer vnmarried folkes whether they be fathers mothers kinsmen or tutours ought to haue especiall care and regard thereof Yea Christian princes and lords or rulers of commonwealths should not in this respect be so supine and negligent in the performance of their offices as once to permit and suffer this amongst them which is so directly contrary to the word of God but rather by especiall charge forbid it to the end that both their lawes might be conformable and in euery respect agreeable to the holy ordinances of God and that the way might be stopped to those mischiefes which were likely to arise from such euill concluded marriages For what reason is it that a yong maide baptized and brought vp in the Church of Christ should bee giuen in marriage to a worshipper of images and idols and sent to such a countrey where the worship of God is not so much as once thought vpon Is not this to plucke a soule out of the house of God and thrust it into the house of the deuill out of heauen into hell than which what greater Apostasie or falling from God can there be whereof all they are guilty that either make vp such marriages or giue their good will and consent to them or doe not hinder the cause and proceedings of them if any manner of way they can Now that this confusion and mixture of religion in marriages is vnpleasant and noisome to God it manifestly appeareth by the sixt chapter of Genesis where it is said That because the sonnes of God to wit those whome God had separated for himselfe from the beginning of the world to be his peculiar ones were so euill aduised as to be allured with the beauties of the daughters of men to wit of those which were not chosen of God to be his people and to marry with them corrupting themselues by this contagious acquaintance of prophane people with whome they should haue had nothing to doe that therefore God was incensed against them and resolued simply to reuenge the wickednes of ech party without respect Beside the monstrous fruits of those prophane marriages doe sufficiently declare their odiousnes in Gods sight for from them arose gyants of strength and stature exceeding the proportion of men who by their hugenes did much wrong and violence in the world and gained fearefull terrible names to themselues but God prouoked by their oppressions drowned their tyrannies in the flood and made an end of the world for their sakes In the time of the Iudges in Israel the Israelites were chastised by the hand of God for this same fault for they tooke to wiues the daughters of the vncircumcised and gaue them their daughters also Iudg. 3. In like sort framed they themselues by this means to their corrupt manners and superstitions and to the seruice of their idolatrous Gods But the Lord of heauen rained downe anger vpon their heads and made them subiect to a stranger the king of Mesopotamia whome they serued the space of eight yeeres 1. King 11. Looke what happened to king Salomon for giuing his heart to strange women that were not of the houshold of Gods people Hee that before was replenished with such admirable wisdome that he was the wonder of the world was in his old age depriued thereof and besotted with a kind of dulnes of vnderstanding and led aside from the true knowledge of God to serue idols and to build them altars and chappels for their worship and all this to please forsooth his wiues humours whose acquaintance was the chiefe cause of his misery and apostasie CHAP. XXIIII Touching Incestuous marriages NOw as it is vnlawfull to contract marriages with parties of contrary religion so it is as vnlawfull to marry those that are neare vnto vs by any degree of kindred or affinitie as it is inhibited not only by the law of God but also by ciuill and politique constitutions whereunto all nations haue euer by the sole instinct of nature agreed and accorded except the Aegyptians and Persians whose abominations were so great as to take their owne sisters and mothers to be their wiues Cambyses king of Media and Persia married his owne sister but it was not long ere he put her to death a iust proofe of an vniust and accursed marriage Many others there were in protract of time that in their insatiable lustes shewed themselues no lesse vnstaied and vnbridled in their lawlesse affections than hee One of which was Antiochus king of Iuda sonne of Herodes sirnamed Great Ioseph antiq lib. 17. cap. 15. who blushed not to marrie his sister the late wife of his deceased brother Alexander by whome shee had borne two children but for this and diuers other hi◠good deeds hee lost not only his goods which were confiscated but was himselfe also banished out of his countrey into a forraine place from Iudea to Vienna in France Herode also the Tetrarch was so impudent and shamelesse The same lib. 18. cap. 9. that hee tooke from his brother Philip his wife Herodias and espoused her vnto himselfe which shamelesse and incestuous deed Iohn Baptist reproouing in him told him plainly how vnlawfull it was for him to possesse his brothers wife but the punishment that befell him for this and many other his sinnes wee haue heard in the former booke and need not here to be repeated Anton.
nature also Martin Luther hath left recorded in his writings many examples of iudgements on this sin but especially vpon clergie men whose profession as it requireth a more strict kind of cōuersation so their sins and iudgements were more notorious both in their owne natures and in the eie and opinion of the world some of which as it is not amisse to insert in this place so it is not vnnecessary to beleeue them proceeding from the mouth of so worthie a witnesse There was saith he a man of great authoritie learning that forsaking his secular life betooke himselfe into the colledge of preists Luther in epist consolat ad Lucum Cranach whether of deuotion or of hope of libertie to sin let thē iudge that read this history this new adopted priest fell in loue with a Masons wife whom he so woed that he got his pleasure of her what fitter time but whē Masse was singing did he daily chuse for the performing of his villany In this haunt hee persisted a long season till the Mason finding him in bed with his wife did not summon him to law nor pennance but took a shorter course cut his throat Luther Another nobleman in Thuringa being taken in Adulterie was murdered after this strange fashion by the adulteresses husband he bound him hand foot cast him into prison to quench his lust seeing that Ceres that is gluttony is the fewel of Venus that is lust denied him al maner of sustinance the more to augment his pain set hote dishes of meat before him that the smel sight thereof might more prouoke his appetite the want therof torment him more In this torture the wretched lecher abode so long vntil he gnew off the flesh frō his own shoulders and the eleuenth day of his imprisonment ended his life this punishmēt was most horrible too too seuere in respect of the inflicter yet most iust in respect of God whose custome is to proportion his iudgements to the quality of the sinne that is committed Luther affirmeth this to haue happened in his childhood and that both the parties were known vnto him by name which for honor and charity sake he would not disclose There was another nobleman that so delighted in lust Luther Mandat 1. Atheisme li. 1. cap. 25. was so inordinat in his desires that he shamed not to say that if this life of pleasure passing from harlot to harlot might endure euer he would not care for heauē or life eternal what cursed madnesse impiety is this a man to be so forgetful of his maker himself that he preferred his whores before his Sauiour and his filthy pleasure before the grace of God doth it not deserue to be punished with scorpions Yes verily as it was indeed for the polluted wretch died amongst his strumpets being stroken with a suddaine stroke of Gods vengeance In the yeare 1505 a certaine Bishop well seene in all learning and eloquence and especially skilfull in languages was notwithstanding so filthy in his conuersation that he shamed not to defile his bodie and name by many Adulteries but at length hee was slaine by a cobler whose wife hee had often corrupted being taken in bed with her and so receiued a due reward of his filthinesse Lanquet chron In the yeare of our Lord 778 Kenulphus king of the West Saxons in Britaine as hee vsually haunted the company of a a certaine harlot which he kept at Merton was slaine by one Clito the kinsman of Sigebert that was late king The same Sergus a king of Scotland was so foule a drunkard glutton and so outragiously giuen to harlots that hee neglected his owne wife and droue her to such penurie that shee was faine to serue other noblewomen for her liuing wherefore she murdered him in his bed and after slew her selfe also Arichbertus eldest son vnto Lotharius king of France died euen as he was imbracing his whores In summe to conclude this matter our English Chronicles report that in the yeare of our Lord 349 there was so great plentie of corne and fruit in Britaine that the like had not ben seene many yeares before but this was the cause of much idlenesse gluttony lechery and other vices in the land for vsually ease and prosperitie are the nurses of all enormitie but the Lord requited this their riotous and incontinent life with so great a pestilence mortalitie that the liuing scantly sufficed to bury the dead Petrarch Petrarch maketh mention of a certaine Cardinall that though hee was seuenty yeares old yet euery night would haue a fresh whore to this end had certain bauds purueiors and prouiders of his trash but he died a miserable and wretched death And Martin Luther reported that a bishop being a common frequenter of the Stues in Hidelberge came to this miserable end The bords of the chamber whither hee vsed to enter were loosened that assoone as hee came in hee flipt through and broke his necke But aboue all that which wee find written in the second booke of Fincelius is most strange and wonderfull Iob. Fincelius lib. 2. of a Priest in Albenthewer a towne neare adioining to Gaunt in Flaunders that persuaded a yong maid to reiect and disobey all her parents godly admonitions to become his concubine whē she obiected how vile a sinne it was and how contrary to the law of God hee told her that by the authority of the Pope hee could dispence with any wickednesse were it neuer so great and further alledged the discommodities of marriage and the pleasure that would arise from that kind of life in fine he conquered her vertuous purpose and made her yeeld vnto his filthie lust But when they had thus pampered their desires together a while in came the deuill and would needs conclude the play for as they were banquetting with many such like companions he tooke her away from the priests side and notwithstanding her pittifull crying and all their exorcising and coniuring carried her quite away telling the Priest that very shortly he would fetch him also for hee was his owne darling CAAP. XXVIII More examples of the same argument I Cannot passe ouer in silence a history truly tragical touching the death of many men who by reason of an Adulterie slew one another in most strange and cruell manner indeed so strangely that as farre as I euer red or knew there was neuer the like particular deed heard of wherein God more euidently poured forth the stream of his displeasure turning the courage and valor of ech part into rage and furie to the end that by their owne meanes he might bee reuenged on them In the Dukedome of Spoleto which is the way from Ancona to Rome of the ancient Latines called Vmbria there were three brethrē who kept in their possession three cities of the said dukedome namely Faligno Nocera and Treuio the eldest of whom whos 's
owne humours with their abominations and approoue and cleare themselues therein yet are they rewarded by death not onely by the law of God Leuit. 20. but also by the law Iulia. When Charlemaigne reigned in France there happened a most notable iudgement of God vpon the monkes of Saint Martine in Tours for their disordinate lusts they were men whose food was too much and dainty whose ease was too easie and whose pleasures were too immoderate being altogither addicted to pastimes and meriments In their apparell they went clad in silke like great lords Nic. Gil. vol. 1. and as Nichol. Gill. in his first volume of French Chronicles saith their shoes were gilt ouer with gold so great was the superfluity of their riches and pride in summe their whole life was luxurious and infamous for which cause there came forth a destroying angell from the Lord by the report of Eudes the Abbot of Clugny and slew them all in one night as the first borne of Aegypt were slaine saue one onely person that was preferued as Lot in Sodome was preserued this strange accident mooued Charlemaigne to appoint a brotherhood of Canons to be in their roome though little better and as little profitable to the common wealth as the former It is not for nothing that the law of God forbiddeth to lie with a beast Leuit. 18. and denounceth death against them that commit this foule sinne for there haue been such monsters in the world at sometimes Exod. 22. Leuit. 20. Deut. 27. as we read in Caelius and Volaterranus of one Crathes a sheepheard that accompanied carnally with a shee goat but the Buck finding him sleeping offended and prouoked with this strange action ran at him so furiously with his hornes that hee left him dead vpon the ground God that opened an asses mouth to reproue the madnesse of the false Prophet Balaam and sent lions to kill the strange inhabitants of Samaria emploied also this bucke about his seruice in executing iust vengeance vpon a wicked varlet CHAP. XXXIII Of the wonderfull euill that ariseth from this greedinesse of lust IT is to very good reason that the scripture forbiddeth vs to abstaine from the lust of the flesh and the eies 1. Ioh. 2. which is of the world and the corruprion of mans owne nature for so much as by it we are drawne and enticed to euill it being as it were a corrupt root which sendeth forth most bitter soure and rotten fruit Iam. 1. and this happeneth not onely when the goods and riches of the world are in quest but also when a man hunteth after dishonest and vnchast delights this concupiscense is it that bringeth forth whoredoms adulteries and many other such sinnes whereout spring forth oftentimes floods of mischiefes and that diuers times by the selfe will and inordinate desire of priuat and particular persons Gen. 39. what did the lawlesse lust of Putiphars wife bring vpon Ioseph was not his life endangered and his body kept in close prison where hee cooled his feet two yeeres or more We haue a most notable example of the miserable end of a certaine woman with the sacking and destruction of a whole city and all caused by her intemperance and vnbridled lust About the time that the Emperour Phocas was slaine by Priscus Sabell one Gysulphus gouernour and chieftaine of a cuntry in Lumbardie going out in defence of his cuntry against the Bauarians which were certaine reliques of the Hunnes gaue them battaile and lost the field and his life withall Now the conquerours pursuing their victory laid siege to the chiefe citie of his prouince where Romilda his wise made her abode who viewing one day from the wals the young and faire king with yellow curled locks gallopping about the city fell presently so extreamely in loue with him that her mind ran of nothing but satisfying her greedy and new conceiued lust wherefore burying in obliuion the loue of her late husband with her young infants yet liuing and her countrey and preferring her owne lust before them all shee sent secretly vnto him this message That if hee would promise to marry her shee would deliuer vp the citie into his hands he well pleased with this gentle offer through a desire of obtaining the citie whioh without great bloodshed and losse of men he could not otherwise compasse accepted of it and was receiued vpon this condition within the wals and least hee should seeme too perfidious hee performed his promise of marriage and made her his wife for that one night but soone after in scorne and disdaine hee gaue her vp to twelue of his strongest leachers to glut her vnquenchable fire and finally nailed her on a gibbet for a finall reward of her treacherous and boundlesse lust Marke well the misery whereinto this wretched woman threw her selfe and not onely her selfe but a whole city also by her boiling concupiscense which so dâ—zled her vnderstanding that shee could not consider how vndecent it was dishonest and inconuenient for a woman to offer her selfe nay to sollicite a man that was an enemy a stranger and one that shee had neuer seene before to her bed and that to the vtter vndoing of her selfe and all hers But euen thus many more whose hearts are passionate with loue are blindfolded after the same sort like as poeticall Cupid is fained to be that not knowing what they take in hand they fall headlong into destruction ere they be aware Let vs then be here aduertised to pray vnto God that hee would purifie our drossie hearts and diuert our wandring eies from beholding vanity to be seduced thereby CHAP. XXXIIII Of vnlawfull gestures Idlenesse Gluttony Drunkennes Daunsing and other such like dissolutenes LIke as if we would carry our selues chastly and vprightly before God it behooueth vs to auoid all filthines and adultery so wee must abstaine from vnciuill and dishonest gestures which are as it were badges of concupiscense coles to set lust on fire and instruments to iniury others withall Sabel from hence it was that Pompey caused one of his souldiers eyes to be put out in Spaine for thrusting his hand vnder a womans garment that was a Spaniard and for the same or like offence did Sertorius command a footman of his band to be cut in pieces Oh that we had in these daies such minded captaines that would sharply represse the wrongs and rauishments which are so common and vsuall amongst men of warre at this day and so vncontrolled they would not then doubtlesse be so rife and common as in these daies they are Kissing is no lesse to be eschewed than the former if it be not betwixt those that are tied togither by some bond of kindred or affinitie as it was by auncient custome of the Medes and Persians and Romanes also according to the report of Plutarch and Seneca and that which is more Sueton. Tiberius Caesar forbad the often and daily practise thereof in that
haue their equals in follies in better account Basill calleth such sports and pastimes The workehouse forge and common shop of all wickednesse Homil. 4. therefore Chrisossome praieth and admonisheth the faithfull of his time to abstaine from frequenting such places S. Augustine also forbiddeth to bestow our money vpon tumblers Homil 6. in 1. cap. Gen. Can. 51. iugglers and plaiers and such like Beside by the Constantinoplitane councell vnder Iustinian it was inhibited to be once present at such sports vnder the paine of excomunication and that the ancient Christians did by common consent not only condemne but also vtterly abstaine from such pastimes it may appeare by the testimony of Tertullian writing to the Gentiles to this effect Apolog. We renounce and send backe saith hee sports plaies vnto you as to the head and fountain from whence they were first deriued wee make no reckoning of those thinges which we know were drawne from superstition we loue not to behold the folly of turning with chariots nor the vnchastity of the Theatre nor the cruelty of sword playing nor the vanity of leaping wrestling and dancing but take pleasure in exercises of better report and lesse hurt Moreouer how odious and irkesome in the sight of the Lord such spectacles are and what power and sway the deuill beareth therein the iudgement of God vpon a Christian woman reported by Tertullian Tertul. de spect may sufficiently instruct vs There was a woman saith he that went to the Theatre to see a play and returned home possessed with an vncleane spirit who being rebuked in a coniuration for daring to assault one of the faith that professed Christ answered that he had done well because he found her vpon his owne ground The same author reporteth another example as strange of a woman also that went to see a tragedie acted to whome the night following appeared in a dreame the picture of a sheet a presage of death casting in her teeth that which she had done and fiue daies after death himselfe seazed vpon her As touching wanton songs and vnchast and ribald bookes that I may be briefe I will content my selfe onely with that which is alledged by Ludiuicus Viues coÌ„cerning that matter The Magistrate saith hee ought to banish out of his dominion all vnhonest songs and Poemes Lib. of instruction of a Christian woman and not to suffer nouelties to bee published day by day in rimes and Ballades as they are as if a man should heare in a city nothing but foolish and sturrilous dirties such as would make euen the younger sort that are well brought vp to blush and stir vp the indignation of men of honour and grauitie this ought Magistrate to preuent and to discharge the people from reading Amadis Tristram Launcelot du lake Melusine Poggius scurrilities and Boccace nouelties with a thousand more such like toies and thus much out of Viues CAAP. XXXV Of Theenes and Robbers IT followes that wee speake in the next place of such as by their greedy couetousnesse and vnquenchable desire of lucre transgresse the fourth commandement of the second table to wit Thou shalt not steale wherein not only simple theft but also sacriledge is condemned and first of Sacriledge Into this sinne fell wretched Achan in the time of Ioshua Ioshua 7. when in the sacke of Ierecho hee seeing a Babilonish garment with certaine gold and siluer couered it and stole it away and hid it in his tent contrary to the commandement of the Lord for which cause the Lord was offended with his whole people as if they all had beene necessarie to the crime and infer bled them so before their enemies that they were be at â—â—ndowne at Hay and shamefully put to flight neither was his anger appeased vntill that the offendant being diuinely and miraculously descried was stoned to death and burnt with his children and all his substance But to come vnto prophane stories let vs begin with Heliodorus measurer of Seleuchus king of Asia who by the Kings commandement and suggestion of one Simon gouernour of the Temple came to take away the gold and siluer which was kept in the treasurie of the Temple and to transport it vnto the kings treasurie whereat the whole city of Ierusalem put on sackcloth and poured out praiers vnto the Lord so that when Heliodorus was present in the Temple with his souldiours readie to seaze vpon the treasure the Lord of all spirits and power shewed so great a vision that hee fell suddainely into extreame feare and trembling for there appeared vnto him an horse with a terrible man sitting vpon him most richly barbed which came fiercely and smote at him with his foreseer moreouer there appeared two young men notable in strength excellent in beautie and comely in aparrell which stood by him on either side and scourged him with many striples so that Heliodorus that came in with so great a company of souldiours and attendants was stroken dumbe and caried out in a litter vpon thens shoulders for his strength was so abated that he could not helpe himselfe but lay destitute of all hope of recouery so heauy was the hand of God vpon him vntil by the praiers of Onias the high priest he was restored then loe he confessed that hee which dwelt in heauen had his eie on that place and defended it from all those that came to hurt and spoile it Another of this true was in Crassus the Romane who entring Ierusalem robbed the Temple of two thousand talents of siluer and gold Iosephus Zonar beside the rich ornaments which amounted in worth to eight thousand talents and a beame of beaten gold coÌ„taining three hundred pound in weight Campoful lib. 1. for which sacraledge the vengeance of God so pursued him that within a while after he was ouercome by the Parthians and together with his sonne slaine his euil gotten goods being dispersed and the scull of his head being made a ladle to melt gold in that it might be glutted with that being dead which aliue it could neuer be satisfied with Iosephus lib. 17. Herod following the steps of Hircanus his predecessor that tooke out of the sepulchre of king Dauid three thousand talents of money Zonar Annal. 1 thinking to find the like treasure broke vp the sepulchre in the night and found no money but rich ornaments of gold which hee tooke away with him howbeit to his cost for two of his seruants perished in the vaut by a diuine fire as it is reported and he himself had small successe in his worldly affaires euer after Iulian the Apostatae robbed the church of the reuenues thereof and tooke away all beneuolences and contributions to schooles of learning to the end the children might not be instructed in the liberall arts nor in any other good literature Hee exaggered also his sacriledge with scornefull ieasts saying that hee did further then saluation by making them poore seeing it was written in their
sole possessor of the whole Island after this he inuaded many other Islands besides many cities in the same land he raised the Lacedemonians from the siege of Samos which they had begirt And when hee saw that all things fell out so well to his owne wish that nothing could be more fearing so great prosperity could not but carry in the taile some terrible sting of aduersitie and mischance attempted by voluntary losse of something of value to preuent the mischiefe which he feared to ensue and this by the aduise of his deare friend and ally the king of Aegypt therefore hee threw a ring which hee had in great price into the sea to the end to delude fortune as he thought thereby but the ring was after found in a fishes belly and offered as a present vnto him and this was an euident presage of some ineuitable misfortune that waited for him neither did it proue vaine and friuolous for hee was hanged vpon a gibbet of Sardis by the commandement of Orates the gouernour of the city who vnder pretence of friendship and coulor of rendering his treasure into his hands and bestowing vpon him a great part thereof promising also to passe the rest of his daies vnder his wing for fear of the rage of Cambises drew him to come priuately to speak with him and so easily wrought his will vpon him Aristodemus got into his hands the gouernment of Cuma Dionâ—s Halicar lib. 7. after hee had made away the principall of the citie and to keepe it the better being obtained hee first won the vulgars hearts by presents then banished out of the Citie their children whome hee had put to death and entertained the rest of the youth with such varietie of pleasures and delights that by those deuises hee kept himselfe in his tyrannous estate many yeares but assoone as the children of those slaine Citizens were growne to ripe yeares of strength and discretion being desirous to reuenge their fathers deaths they set vpon him in the night so at vnawares that they put him and all his family to the slaughter Plutarch Tymophanes vsurped a principality power and rule in Corinth a free citie and became so odious thereby to the whole people yea and to his owne brother Tymoleon also that laying aside all respect of nature hee slew him with his owne hands preferring the libertie of his countrie before any vnity or bond of bloud When the cities of Greece sayth Orosius would needes through too greedie a desire and Ambition of raigne Lib. 3. cap. 12. get euery one the maisterie and soueraigntie of the rest they altogither made shipracke of their owne liberties by encroching vpon others as for instance The Lacedemonians how hurtfull and vncommodious the desire of bringing their neighbour adioining citties vnder their dominion was vnto them the sundrie discomfitures and distresses within the time of that warre vndertaken vpon that onely cause befell them Oros lâ—b 3. ca. 2. beare sufficient record Seruius Tullus the sonne to a bondman addicted himselfe so much to the exploits of warre that by Prowesse hee got so great credite and reputation among the Romanes that hee was thought worthie to bee made the sonne in law of king Tarquinius by marrying one of his daughters Titus Liuius after whose death hee also vsurped the crowne vnder colour of the Protectorship of the kings two yong sonnes Who when they came to age and bignesse maried the daughters of their brother in law Tullius by whose exhortation and continuall prouokement the elder of them which was called Tarquinius conspired against his father in law and practised to make himselfe king and to recouer his rightfull inheritance and that by this means he watched his oportunitie when the greatest part of the people were out of the citie about gathering their fruit in the fields and then placing his companions in readinesse to serue his turne if need should be he marched to the pallace in the roiall robes guarded with a company of his confederats and hauing called a Senate as hee began to complaine him of the trecherie and impudencie of Tullius behold Tullius himselfe came in would haue run violently vpon him but Tarquinius catching him about the middle threw him headlong down the staires and presently sent certaine of his guard to make an end of the murder which hee had begun But herein the cruelty of Tullia was most monstrous that not only first moued her husband to this bloudy practise but also made her coach to be driuen ouer the body of her father which lay bleeding in the middest of the street scarce dead Manlius after hee had maintained the fortresse of Rome against the Gaules glorying in that action Parricide lib â— cap. 11. and enuying the good hap and prosperity of Camillus went about to make himselfe king vnder pretence of restoring the people to their ancient entire libertie but his practise being discouered he was accused found guiltie and by the consent of the multitude adiudged to be throwne headlong downe from the top of the same fortresse to the end that the same place which gaue him great glory might bee a witnesse and memoriall of his shame and last confusion for all his valiant deedes before done were not of so much force with the people to excuse his fault or saue his life as this one crime was of weight to bring him to his death In former times there liued in Carthage one Hanno Oros lib. 4. c. 6. who because hee had more riches than all the Commonwealth beside began to aspire to the domination of the citie which the better to accomplish he deuised to make shew of marrying his only daughter to the end that at the mariage feast he might poyson the chiefest men of credit and power of the citie whome hee knew could or would any waies withstand or countermand his purpose but when this deuise tooke no effect by reason of the discouerie thereof by certain of his seruants he sought another meanes to effect his will He got togither a huge number of bondslaues and seruants which should at a sodaine put him in possession of the citie but being preuented herein also by the citizens hee seased vpon a castle with a thousand men of base regard euen seruants for the most part whither thinking to draw the Affricanes and king of the Moores to his succour he was taken first whipped next had his eies thrust out and then his armes and legs broken in peeces and so was executed to death before al the people his carcas being thus mangled with blows was hanged vpon a gallowes and all his kindred and children put to death that there might not one remaine of his straine either to enterprise the like deed or to reuenge his death That great and fearefull warriour Iulius Caesar one of the most hardie and valiants peeces of flesh that euer was after he had performed so many notable exploits ouercome all his enemies
in Israel the chiefe captaines and soueraignes amongst them were renowmed with no other title nor quality than of Iudges In the time of Deborah the Prophetesse though shee was a woman the weaker vessell yet because shee had the conducting and gouerning of the people they came vnto her to seeke iudgement It is said of Samuel that hee iudged Israel so long till being tired with age and not able to beare that burden any longer he appointed his sonnes for iudges in his stead who when through couetousnesse they peruerted iustice Iudg. 4. 1. Sam. 7.8 and did not execute iudgement like their father Samuel they gaue occasion to the people to demaund a king that they might be iudged gouerned after the manner of other nations which things sufficiently declared that in old time the principall charge of kings was personally to administer iustice and iudgement and not as now to transfer the eare thereof to others The same we read of king Dauid of whome it is said That during his raigne 1. Chron. 18. he executed iustice and iudgement among his people and in another place that men came vnto him for iudgement 2. Sam. 15. and therefore hee disdained not to heare the complaint of the woman of Tekoah shewing himselfe herein a good prince and as the angell of God to heare good and euill 2. Sam. 14. for this cause Salomon desired not riches nor long life of the Lord but a wise and discreete heart to iudge his people 1. King 3. and to discerne betwixt good and euill which request was so agreeable and acceptable to God that he graunted it vnto him so that he obtained such an excellent measure of incomparable wisdome that hee was commended and reputed more for it than for all his great riches and pretious treasures beside there is mention mad◠in the booke of the kings of his iudiciall throne wherein hee vsed to sit and heare the causes of the people and execute iustice among them and albeit he was the most puissant and glorious king of the earth yet notwithstanding hee scorned not to heare two harlots plead before him about the controuersie of a dead infant Ioram king of Israel son of Achab 2. King 6. though a man that walked not vprightly before God but gaue himselfe to worke abomination in his sight yet he despised not the complaint of the poore affamished woman of Samaria when shee demanded iustice at his hands although it was in the time of warre when lawes vse to be silent and in the besieging and famishment of the citie neither did hee reiect the Sunamites request for the recouery of her house lands 2. King 8. but caused them to be restored vnto her So that then it is manifest that those kings which in old time raigned ouer the people of God albeit they had in euery city Iudges yea and in Ierusalem also as it appeareth in the 19 chapter of the second book of Chronicles yet they ceased not for all that to giue eare to suites and complaints that were made vnto them and to decide controuersies that came to their knowledge and for this cause it is that Wisdome saith That by her kings raigne Prou 8.15 and princes decree iustice whereunto also belongeth that which is said in another place That a king sitting in the throne of iudgement chaseth away all euill with his eyes Prou. 20.8 Moreouer that this was the greatest part of the office and duty of kings in ancient times to see the administration of iustice Homer the Poet may bee a sufficient witnesse when hee saith of Agamemnon That the scepter and law was committed to him by God to do right to euery man answerable to the which Virgil describing the Queene of Carthage saith Shee sate in iudgement in the midst of her people as if there was nothing more beseeming such a person than such an action And therefore the Poets not without cause faigne Iupiter alwaies to haue Themis that is to say Iustice at his elbow signifying thereby not that whatsoeuer kings or princes did was iust and lawfull bee it neuer so vile in it owne nature as that wanton flatterer Anaxarthus said to Alexander but that equity iustice should alwaies accōpany thē neuer depart from their sides And hereupon it was that Acacus Minos and Radamanthus the first king of Grecia were so renowmed of old antiquity because of their true and vpright execution of iustice and therefore were not honoured with any greater title than the name of Iudges Plutarch It is said of king Alexander that although he was continually busied in the affaires of warre and of giuing battailes yet he would sit personally in iudgement to heare criminall causes and matters of importance pleaded and that whilst the accuser laid open his accusation he would stop one eare with his hand to the end that the other might bee kept pure and without preiudice for the defence and answer of the accused The Romane Emperours also were very carefull and diligent in this behalfe Sueton. as first Iulius Caesar who is recorded to haue taken great paines in giuing audience to parties and in dealing iustice betwixt them In like manner Augustus Caesar is commended for his care and trauaile in this behalfe for he would ordinarily sit in iudgement vpon causes and controuersies of his subiects and that with such great delight and pleasure that often times night was faine to interrupt his course before his will was to relinquish it yea though hee found himselfe euill at ease yet would hee not omit to apply himselfe to the diuision of iudgement or else calling the parties before him to his bed The Emperour Claudius though a man otherwise of a dull and grosse spirit yet in this respect hee discharged the dutie of a good prince for that hee would intermeddle with hearing his subiects causes and doe right vnto them He chaunced once to make a very prety and witty end of a sute betwixt a sonne and his mother who denying and disclaiming him to be her sonne was by the Emperour commanded to marry him so least shee should agree to that mischiefe was constrained to acknowledge and auow him for her sonne and to be short it was very ordinary and vsuall among the Emperours to take knowledge of matters controuerted but especially of criminall and capitall causes by meanes whereof the Apostle Paul desirous to shew the iudgement and lyings in waight of his enemies the Iewes appealed from them to Caesar which he would neuer haue done if Caesar had not in some sort vsed to meddle with such affaires and for further proofe hereof hither may be added the saying which is reported of Nero in the beginning of his raigne That when he should signe with his hand a sentence of death against a condemned person hee wished that he could neither wright nor read to the end to auoid that necessary action The bold answer of an old
things a very niggard and pinchpenny shewed himselfe on the other side more then prodigall next he sent into Calabria for a Hermit reported to be a holy and deuout man to whome at his arriuall hee perfourmed so much dutie and reuerence as was wonderfull and vnseemely for hee threw himselfe on his knees and besought him to prolong his decaying life as if hee had beene a God and not a man but all that hee could doe was to no purpose no nor the reliques which Pope Sixtus sent him to busie himselfe withall nor the holy viall of Rheims which was brought him could prorogue this life of his nor priuiledge him from dying a discontent and vnwilling death he suspected the most part of his nearest attendants and would not suffer them to approch vnto him in his sicknesse after hee had thus prolonged the time in hope and yet still languished in extreame distresse of his disease it was at length told him in all speed that hee should not set his mind any longer vpon those vaine hopes nor vpon that holy man for his time was come and hee must needs die And thus hee that during his raigne shewed himselfe rough and cruell to his subiects by too many and heauy impositions was himselfe in his lattet end thus roughly and hardly dealt withall Christiern the eleuenth king of Denmarke Norway and Suecia after the death of king Iohn his father raigned the yeere of our Lord 1514 and was too intollerable in imposing burdens and taxes vpon his subiects for which cause the Swecians reuolted from his gouernment whome though after many battailes and sieges hee conquered and placed amongst them his garrisons to keepe them in awe yet ceased they not to rebell against him and that by the instigation of a meane gentleman who very quickely got footing into the kingdome and possessed himselfe of the crowne and gouernment Now Christiern hauing lost this prouince and beeing also in disdaine and hatred of his owne countrey and fearing least this inward heat of spight should grow to some flame of danger to his life seeing that the inhabitants of Lubeck conspiring with his vncle Fredericke began to take armes against him hee fled away with his wife sister to the Emperour Charles the fift and his young children to Zeland a prouince of the Emperours after hee had raigned nine yeeres after which the Estates of the realme aided by them of Lubeck assembling togither exalted his vncle Fredericke prince of Holsatia though old and ancient to the crowne and publishing certaine writings addressed them to the Emperour and the princes of his Empire to render a reason of their con-proceeding and to make knowne vnto them vpon how good siderations they had deposed and banished Christierne for the tyranny which hee exercised among them ten yeres after this hee got togither a new army by sea in hope to recouer his losses but contrary to his hope he was taken prisoner and in captiuity ended miserably his daies Henry king of Suecia was chased from his scepter for enterprising to burden his commons with new contributions Those that were deuisers of new taxes and tributes Nic. Gil. vâ—l 1. for the most part euer lost their liues in their labours for proofe whereof let the example of Parchenus or Porchetes serue who for giuing counsell to king Theodebert touching the raising of new subsidies was stoned to death by the multitude in the city Trieues Likewise was George Presquon cruelly put to death by the people for persuading and setting forward Henry of Suecia to the vexation and exaction of his subiects CHAP. XXXVIII More Examples of the same subiect Platiniae in vita Zacharin AIstulphus the nineteenth king of Lumbardy was not onely a most cruell tyrant but also a grieuous oppressour of his subiects with taxes and exactions Phil. Melanct. lib. 3. for hee imposed this vpon euery one of them to pay yeerely a noble for their heads against this man Pope Steuen prouoked king Pepin of France who comming with an army droue the tyrant into Ticinum and constrained him to yeeld to partiall conditions of peace howbeir Pepin was no sooner gone but he returned to his old byas wherefore the second time he came and droue him to as great extremitie in so much as another peace was concluded after the accomplishment whereof peruerse Aistulph still vexing his subiects was plagued by God with an apoplexie and so died Zonar lib. 3. Iustinian the Emperour as be was profuse and excessiue in spending so was hee immoderate and insatiable in gathering togither riches for hee exercised his wit in deuising new tributes and paiments and reioyced his heart in nothing more for which causes there arose a grieuous sedition at Constantinople against him wherein not onely the excellent and famous monuments of the Empire were burned but also fourty thousand men slaine and this was no small punishment for his oppression At Paris there is to be seene in the corne market a certain monument hard at the mouth of the common sinke which conuaieth away all the filth out of the city Eras in lingua the occasion whereof is reported to be this A certaine courtier seeing the king sad and melancholly for want of treasure counselled him to exact of euery countriman that brought ware into the city but one penny and that but for two yeares togither which when the king put in practise and found the exceeding commoditie thereof he not only continued that taxe but also inuented diuers others to the great damage of the Common-wealth and inriching of his owne treasurie Wherefore hee that put it first into his head when he saw that he had not so much authoritie in dissuading as hee had in persuading it to take punishment of himselfe for that inconsiderate deed and to warne others from attempting the like he commanded by his testament that his body should bee buried in that common sincke to bee an example of exaction and the filthinesse thereof Barnabe Vicount of Millane by the report of Paulus Ionius Tom. 2. ViuoruÌ„ illustrum was an vnconscionable oppressor of his subiects and tenants for hee did not only extort of them continuall imposts and payments but enioned them to keepe euery one a dog which if they came to any mishap or were either too fat or too leane the keeper was sure to bee beaten or at least some fine to be set on his head this tyrant was taken by Iohn Galeacius and after seuen months imprisonment poysoned to death Archigallo brother to Gorbonianus in nature Lanquet though vnlike in conditions for hee was a good Prince whereas this was a Tyrant was crowned King of Britaine in the yeare of the world 3671 we may well place him in this ranke of oppressors for he deposed the Noblemen and exalted the ignoble he extorted froÌ„ men their goods to enrich his treasure for which cause the estates of the realme depriued him of his roiall dignitie placed his yonger
brother Elydurus in his roome after he had raigned fiue yeares Hardiknitus king of Denmarke The same after the death of Harold was ordained king of England in the yeare of the Lord 1041 this king as he was somewhat cruell for he caused the body of Harold to be taken vp out of the sepulchre and smiting off his head to be cast out into the riuer Thames because he had iniured his mother Emma when he was aliue so hee was burdensome to his subiects in tributes and exaction for which cause growing into hatred with God and his subiects hee was stricken with suddaine death not without suspition of poysoning after he had raigned three years The same William Rufus second sonne of William the conquerour succeeded his father as in the kingdome of England so in disposition of nature for they were both cruell vnconstant and couetous and burdened their people with vnreasonable taxes insomuch that what with the morreine of men by pestilence and the oppressions of them by exactions the tillage of the earth was put off for one yeare being the yeare 1096 whereby ensued great scarsitie the yeare following throughout all the land but for the oppression William was iustly punished by sodaine death when being at his disport of hunting hee was wounded with an arrow glaunsing from the bow of Tyrill a French knight and so his tyranny and life ended togither The same Neither dooth the Lord thus punish oppressors themselues but also they that either countenance or hauing authoritie doe not punish the same as it appeareth by this example following In the yeare of our Lord 475 there liued one Corrannus a king of Scots who though hee gouerned the people in peace and quietnesse a long space and was indeed a good Prince yet because his Chancelour Tomset vsed extortion and exaction amongst his subiects and hee being aduertised thereof did not punish him hee was slaine traiterously by his owne subiects It is not vnworthie to bee noted how Edward the third king of England prospered a long while in the warres against France and got many worthie and wonderfull victories but when Prince Edward sonne vnto the foresaid Edward after conditions of peace concluded began to set taxes and impositions vpoÌ„ the country of Aquitaine then did king Edwards part begin to decline and the successe of war which the space of fortie years neuer forsooke him now frowned vpon him so that he quickly lost all those lands which by composition of peace were granted vnto him CAAP. XXXIX Of such as by force of armes haue either taken away or would haue taken away the goods and lands of other men NOw if they that oppresse their subiects and deuour them in this manner In this whole chapter note the nature of ambition and the fruits thereof bee found guiltie then must they needs bee much more that are carried with the wings of their own hungrie ambitious desire to inuade their lands and signiories attended on with an infinite retinue of pillages sackings ruines of cities and people which are alwaies necessarie companions of furious vnmercifull warre There are no flouds so broad nor mountaines so steepe nor rockes so rough and dangerous nor sea so long and furious that can restraine the rash and headstrong desire of such greedie minded Sacres so that if their bodie might bee proportioned to the square and greatnesse of their mindes with the one hand they would reach the East and with the other hand the West as it is said of Alexander howbeit hereof they boast and glorie no lesse than they that tooke delight to bee surnamed citie-spoilers others burners of cities some conquerors and many Eagles and Faulcons seeking as it were fame by infamy and by vice eternitie But to these men it often coÌ„meth to passe that euen then when they think to aduance their dominion and to stretch their bounds and frontiers furthest they are driuen to recoile for feare of being dispossessed themselues of their owne lands and inheritances and euen as they delt with others rigorously and by strength of weapons so shall they bee themselues rehandled and dealt withall after the same measure according to the word of the Prophet denounced against such as they Cursed bee thou that spoilest and dealest vnfaithfully when thou hast made an end of spoiling others thou thy selfe shall bee spoiled and when thou hast done dealing traiterously then treason shall begin to be practised against thee and this curse most commonly neuer faileth to sease vpon these great Theeues and Robbers or at least vpon their children and successours as by particular examples wee shall see after wee haue first spoken of Adonias who not content with his owne estate of being a kings sonne 1. King 12. which God had allotted him went about to get the crowne and kingdome from his brother Salomon Treason lib. 2. cap. 3. to whome by right it appertained for God had manifested the same by the mouth of his father Dauid but both hee and his assistants for their ouerbold and rash enterprise were iustly by Salomon punished with death â—arod Crassus king of Lidia was the first that made war against Ephesus and that subdued the Greekes of Asia to wit the Phrigians Mysians Chalybeans Paphlagonians Thracians Bythinians Ionians Dorians Aeolians and Pamphilians and made them all tributaries vnto him by meanes whereof hee being growne exceeding rich and puissant by the detriment and vndoing of so many people vaunted and gloried in his greatnesse and power and euen then thought himselfe the happiest man in the world wheÌ„ most misery and aduersity griefe and distresse of his estate and whole house approched neerest for first and formost one of his sonnes that was deare vnto him was by ouersight slaine at the chase of a wild bore next himselfe hauing commenced war with Cirus was ouercome in battaile and besieged in Sardis the chiefe city of his kingdome and at last taken and carried captiue to Cyrus despoiled of all his late glorie and dominion And thus Crassus as sayth Plutarch after Herodotus bore the punishmeÌ„t of the offence of his great grandfather Giges who being but one of king Candanles attendants slew his master and vsurped the crowne at the prouokement of the Queene his mistresse whom he also tooke to be his wife And thus this kingdome decaied by the same meanes by which it first encreased Policrates the Tyrant Herod was one that by violence and tyrannous meanes grew from a base condition to an high estate for being but one of the vulgar sort in the citie Samos hee with the assistance of sifteene armed men seased vpon the whole citie and made himselfe Lord of it which deuiding into three parts he bestowed two of them vpon his two brethren but not for perpetuitie for ere long the third part of his vsurpation cost the elder of them the best part of his life and the younger his liberty for he chased him away that hee might be