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
the extreamest execution which is both sharpe and rigorous Touching the word Iudgement I haue imitated the language of holy Scripture wherein as the ordinances and commaundements of God are called Iudgements because in them is contained nothing but that which is iust right and equall so likewise the punishments inflicted by God vpon the despisers of his commandements are called by the same name as in Exod. 6.6 2. Chron. 20.12 22.8 Ezech. 5.8 11.9 and elsewhere because they also are as iust as the former proceeding from none other fountaine saue the most righteous iudgement of God whereof none can complaine but vniustly The names of the Authours from whom the most part of the Examples contained in this Booke are collected MOses and other sacred writers Tertullian Cyprian Eusebius Socrates Theodoret. Sozomenes Nicephor Ruffinus Suidas Chrysostome Luther Jllyricus Herodotus Thucydides Dion Halycarnasseus Diodorus Siculus Polybeus Plutarch Herodian Dion Procopius Iornandes Agathius Aelianus Tit. Liuius Salustius Suetonius Corn. Tacitus Amni Marcellinus Iustinus Eutropius Lampridius Spartianus Flauius Vopiscus Cuspinianus Orosius Aimoinus Gregor Turonensis Anton. Volscus Paulus Diaconus Luitprandus Olaus magnus Gothus Sabellicus Anton. Panormitanus Aeneas Siluius Rauisius Hieronymus Marius Alexander ab Alexandro Pet. Praemonstratensis Mich. Ritius Neapolitanus Fulgosius Fran. Picus Mirandula Bembus Antonius Bomfinius Munsterus Iohan. Wierus Platina Nauclerus Vincentius Hugo Cluniacensis Benno Baleus Gagninus Paulus Aemilius Discipulus de tempore Acts and Monuments Carion Chronicon Beza Iosephus Manly Collectanea Stow Chronica Froyssard Enguerran de Monstrelet Philip le Comines Nicholas Gilles Guicciardine Paulus Iouius Benzoin Milanois Iob. Fincelius Centuriae Magdeburg Abbas Vrispurgensis Philippus Melancthon Sleidanus Lanquet Chronica THE FIRST BOOKE OF THE WORTHIE AND MEMOrable Histories of the great and marueilous Iudgements of God sent vpon the World for their misdeeds against the Commandements of the first and second Table CHAP. I. ⧠As touching the Corruption and Peruersitie of this World how great it is EVen as one that taketh pleasure to behold a pleasant and delightsome place a peece of ground couered and painted with all manner of fine flowers a garden decked and as it were clothed with exquisite plants and fruitfull trees is much grieued so soone as he perceiueth all this beautie and pleasure suddenly to be withered and scortched by the violence of some outragious tempest or if he be constrained to cast his eies from them vpon some other place by all craggie and parched full of briars and brambles In like sort a man can not choose but be sore grieued and discontent when he beholdeth on the one side the wholsome light of the sunne whereby the heauens do many waies distill their fauours vpon this world gloriously to aduance it selfe on the other side he perceiueth such an army of thick clouds and palpable darknesse from whence such a number of disorders and hurliburlies doe arise that most strangely disfigure the face of the whole world when that he which ought to be gentle peaceable is become mischieuous and quarellous and in stead of being true single hearted disloiall and deceitfull instead of being modest vvell gouerned and courteous is proud cruell and dissolute in steed of seruing of God serueth his owne humours and affections vvhich kind of behauiour is but too common and vsuall for there is not any kind of wickednesse which is not found in this rancke Vngodlinesse vomiteth vp his furie together with iniustice in those men of whom it is said There is none that vnderstandeth or seeketh after God their throte is an open sepulchre they vse deceit in their tongues the poysen of aspes is vnder their lippes Psal 14. they haue nothing in their mouthes but cursing and bitternesse their feet are swift to shead blood destruction and miserie is in their waies and they haue not knowne the way of peace In summe the feare of God is not before their eies From whēce it commeth that being not restrained by any bridle like vntamed colts broke loose they giue the full swindge to their bold and violent affections running fiercely to all filthinesse and mischiefe and being thus enraged some of them with horrible blasphemies most villainously speake and doe in despite of God and denie him that created them and sent them into the world others are not ashamed to be open forswearers of themselues violating and breaking euerie promise without regard of faith or honestie Others as they are of cruell and bloudie natures so they doe not cease to exercise these their natures by outragious practises to some of them whoredomes and adulteries are no more esteemed then as sports and pastimes whereof they boast and vaunt themselues to another sort cousenings extortions and robberies are ordinarie exercises whereof they make their best occupations All which euils are so common and so vsual at this time amongst men that the world seemeth truly to be nothing else but an Ocean full of hideous monsters or a thicke forrest full of theeues and robbers or some horrible wildernesse wherein the inhabitants of the earth being sauage and vnnaturall void of sence and reason are transformed into bruite beasts some like tygres or lyons others like wolues or foxes others like dogs and swine Oh sinfull nation would the man of God say if he liued at this houre a people laden with iniquitie a seed of the wicked Isay 1.4 corrupt children they haue forsaken the Lord they haue prouoked the holy one of Israell to anger The noble and high minded are prowd to disdaine the lower and readie alwaies to smite them making their countenance pale with vices and othes the magistrate partial and full of bribes ouerthroweth equity the marchant couetous and desirous of gaine remembreth not his integrity nor the labourer his simplicitie And so vertue in most men lieth buried pietie banished iustice oppressed and honestie troden vnder foot in such sort that all things being as it were ouerthrowne and turned vpside downe men speake euill of good and good of euill accounting darkenesse light and light darkenesse sower sweet and sweet sower And by such disorder it commeth to passe that the most vertuous are despised whilest naughty packs and vicious fellowes are esteemed and made much of CHAP. II. What the cause is of the great ouerflow of Vice in this age IF wee would consider from whence it is that this great disorder and corruption of manners doth arise wee should find especially that it is because the world euery day groweth worse worse according to the saying of our Sauiour and redeemer Christ Iesus the sonne of God That in the latter daies which are these wherein we liue Iniquitie shall be encreased Mat. 24.12 And herein we shall perceiue euen the iust vengeence of God to light vpon the malice and vnthankfulnesse of men to whom when he would draw neare to doe good vnto by offering them the cleare light of his fauour the more they striue to alienate and keepe
the dung of oxen serued some for meate others fedde vpon the leather of old shooes and buckles and diuers women were driuen to the extremitie to boile and eate their owne children Many thinking to saue their liues by flying to the enemy were taken and slit in pieces in hope to find gold and siluer in their guts in one night two thousand were thus piteously dealt withall and at last the whole city was by force taken and the holy Temple consumed by fire And this in generall was the miserable issue of that lamentable warre during which fourescore and seuenteene thousand Iewes were taken prisoners and eleuen hundred thousand slaine for within the city were inclosed from the beginning to the ending all those that were assembled togither from all quarters of the earth to keepe the Passeouer as their custome was As touching the prisoners some were carried to Rome in triumph others were here and there massacred at their conquerours wils somes lot it was to be torne in peeces and deuoured of wild beasts others were constrained to march in troopes against their fellows and kill one another as if they had beene enemies All which euils came vpon them for the despite and fury which they vsed towards the Sonne of God and our Sauiour and that was the cause why he foreseeing this desolation wept ouer Ierusalem and said That it should be besieged on euery side and rased to the ground and that not one stone should be left vpon another because it knew not the time of her visitation Likewise said he to the women that bewailed him as he was led to the crosse That they should not weepe for him but for themselues and their children because of the daies of sorrow which were to come wherein the barren and those that had no children the dugs that neuer suckled should be counted happy So horrible and pitifull was the destruction of this people that God would not suffer any of his owne children to be wrapped in their miseries nor to perish with this peruerse and vnbeleeuing nation for as Eusebius reporteth they were a little before the arriuall of these mischiefes aduertised from heauen by the especiall prouidence of God to forsake the city and retire into some farre countrey where none of these euils might come neere them This example belongeth also to the contempt of the word Lib. 1. cap. 34. The relikes of this wretched people that remained after this mighty tempest of Gods wrath were dispersed and scattered throughout all nations vnder heauen being subiect to them with whome they soiourned without king prince Iudge or magistrate to lead and guide them or to redresse their wrongs but were altogither at the discretion and commandement of the lords of those countries wherein they made their abode so that their condition and kind of life is at this day so vile and contemptible as experience sheweth that no nation in the world is halfe so miserable which is a manifest badge of Gods vengeance yet abiding vpon them And yet for all this these dispersed reliques ceased not to vomit out the fome of their malice against Christ it being so deepe rooted an euill and so inueterate that time nor reason could reuoke them from it And no maruell seeing that God vseth to punish the greatest sinnes with other sinnes as with the greatest punishment so they hauing shut their eies to the light when it shined among them are now giuen ouer to a reprobate and hardened sense otherwise it were not possible they should remaine so obstinate And albeit God be thanked wee haue many conuerts of them yet I dare say for the most part they remaine in malitious blindnes barking against despiting both our sauiour himselfe all that professe his name although their punishments haue bin still according to their deserts as by these examples following shall appeare The Iewes of Inmester a towne lying betwixt Calchis Antioch being vpon a time celebrating their accustomed plaies and feasts in the midst of their iollity as their vse is they contumeliously reuiled not onely Christians but euen Christ himselfe for they got a Christian child and hung him vpon a crosse and after many mocks taunts making themselues merry at him they whipt him to death What greater villany could there be then this or wherein could these deuils incarnate shew forth their malice more apparantly then thus not content once to haue crucified Christ the Sauiour of the world but by imitation to performe it againe and as it were to make known that if it were vndone they would do it So also handled they a boy called Simeon of two yeeres and an halfe old in the yeere of our Lord 1476 Iob Fincel lib. 3 another in Fretulium fiue yeres after that But aboue all they massacred a poore carpenters son in Hungary in hatred of Christ whom they falsly supposed to be a carpenters son for they cut in two all his veines suckt out his blood with quils And being apprehended and tortured they confessed that they had done the like at Thirna 4 yeeres before that they could not be without Christian blood for therwithall they anointed their priests But at all these times they suffered iust punishmēt for being still taken they were either hanged burned murdred or put to some other cruell death at the discretion of the magistrates Moreouer they would at diuers times buy the holy host of some popish priest and thrust it through with their kniues and vse it most despitefully this did one Eleazarus in the yere of our Lord 1492 the 22 of October but was burnt for his labour And eight and thirty at another time for the same villany by the Marquesse Ioachinus for the caitiues would suffer themselues to bee baptized for none other end but more securely to exercise their villanies Casp Hedius lib. 3. cap. 6. Another Iewe is recorded in the yeere of our Lord 147 to haue stollen the picture of Christ out of a Church and to haue thrust it through many times with his sword whereout when blood miraculously issued he amazed would haue burned it but being taken in the manner the Christians stoned him to death The truth of which story though I will not stand to auow yet I doubt not but it might be true considering that either the deuill might by his cunning so foster and confirme their superstition or rather that seeing Christ is the subiect of their religion as well as of ours though after a corrupt and sacrilegious forme and that the Iewe did not so much aime at their religion as at Christ the subiect of it the Lord might shew a miracle not to establish their errour but to confound the Iewes impiety especially in those young yeeres of the Church But that their impiety may be yet more discouered I will here set downe the confession of one of their owne nation a Iewe of Ratisbone conuerted to the faith one very skilfull in the
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
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
humbled vnder so grieuous a scourge as neuer forsook him til his death When the arke of the couenant was in bringing from Abinadabs house in Kyriathiarim in a cart guided by Vzza and Ahio Abinadabs sonnes 1. Sam. 6. 1. Chron. 13. it fell out by the way that it being shaken by the oxen vnfit seruitors for such a worke Vzza put forth his hand to hold it but therin he went beyond his charge therefore was punished forthwith with present death for his inconsiderate rashnes for albeit he was both a Leuit and thought no euill in his heart yet in no respect was he licenced to touch the arke being a thing lawfull for the Priests onely Let therefore euery one bee aduised by these examples to follow that rule in seruing God which is by him designed in all simplicitie modesty and obedience without altering or declining or vndertaking any thing aboue or beside their calling CHAP. XXIX Of Periurers THe third commandement which is Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine is first and especially broken by periurie when God is so lightly esteemed nay so despised that without any regard had to his name that is to say to his greatnes maiesty power diuine vertue and fearfull iustice for these be his names men by fraud and malice abuse their othes either in denying that which is true or affirming that which is vntrue or neglecting their promises made vowed to others for this is neither to haue respect vnto his presence who is euery where nor reuerence to his maiestie who is God of heauen and earth but rather to make him bear witnes to our lie falshood as if he approued it or had no power to reuenge the iniury dishonor done vnto him And therfore against such in threatning words he denounceth this iudgement that Hee will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his name in vain Howbeit very many ouerboldly giue themselues ouer to this sinne making little or no conscience to cousen one another euen by forswearings whereby they giue most cleare euidence against themselues that they haue very little feare of God before their eies and are not guided by any other rule saue of their owne affections by which they square-out and build their othes and pull them downe againe at their pleasures for let it be a matter of vantage and then they wil keepe them but straightway if a contrarie persuasion come in their braine they will cancell them by and by wherein they deale farre worse and more iniuriously with God then with their knowne enemies for hee that contrarie to his sworne faith deceiueth his enemie declareth that therein he feareth him but feareth not God and careth for him but contemneth God It was therefore not-without good reason that all antiquity euer marked thē with the coat of infamie that forswore themselues And therevpon it is that Homer so often taunteth the Troians by reason of their so vsuall periuries Diod. lib. 2. ca. 2. The Aegyptians had them in detestation as prophane persons and reputed it so capitall a crime that whosoeuer was conuinced thereof was punished by death The ancient Romanes reuerenced nothing more then Faith in publicke affaires for which cause they had in their city a temple dedicated to it wherein for a more streight bond they vsed solemnly to promise and sweare to all the conditions of peace truces and bargaines which they made and to curse those which went about first to breake them for greater solemnitie and confirmation hereof they were accustomed at those times to offer sacrifices to the image of faith for more reuerence sake Hence it was that Attilius Regulus chiefe captaine of the Romane army against the Carthaginians was so highly commended of all men because when hee was ouercome and taken prisoner and sent to Rome he only for his othes sake which hee had sworne returned againe to the enemie albeit hee knew what greeuous torments were prouided for him at his returne Others also that came with him though they were entreated and by their parents wiues and allies instantly vrged not to returne to Hannibals campe could in no wise bee moued therevnto but because they had sworne to the enemie if the Romans did not accord to those conditions which were offered to come againe they preferred the bond and reuerence of their promised faith though accompanied with perpetuall captiuity before their priuate commodities and neerest linke of affection But two of those ten for so many were they falsified their oth whatsoeuer mist they may cast to darken and disguise their periurie with yet were they condemned of all men for cowards and fainthearted traitors in so much that the Censors also noted them with infamie for the fact whereat they tooke such griefe and inward sorrow that being wearie of their liues they slew themselues Now what can they pretend that professe themselues Christians and Catholickes to excuse their periuries Cic. offic lib. 1. seeing that the very Heathen crie out so loud and cleare that an oth and faith is so sacredly to be kept towards our enemies This is one of the greatest vertues and commendations which the Psalmist attributeth to the faithfull man and him that feareth God and whome God auoucheth for his owne Psal 15. Iosh 9. not to falsifie his oth that he sweared though it bee to his dammage The Gibaonites although they were so execrable a people that for their great and horrible wickednesses and abhominations they might be well esteemed for Heretikes yet the Princes of Israell after they had sworne and giuen their faith vnto them would in no wise retract or goe against their oth albeit therein they were abused deceiued by them for feare of incurring the wtath of God that suffereth not a periurer to go vnpunished Vpon what ground or example of holy Scripture then may that doctrine of the counsell of Constance bee founded the purport whereof is That a man ought not to keepe his faith to Heretiks I omit to speake how these good fathers by Heretikes meant those men who fearing God relied themselues vpon his word and reiected the foolish and superstitious inuentions of men And vnder what colour can the Popes vsurpe this authoritie to quit and discharge subiects of their oth wherwith they are bound to their superiors yet this was the impious audacity of Pope Zacharia pope Boniface the eight and pope Benedict de la Lune Platina who freed the Frenchmen from their dutie and obedience which they ought vnto their kings In like manner disgorged Gregory the seuenth his choller and spite against the Emperour Henry by forbidding his subiects to be his subiects Enguerran de Monstrelet and to yeeld that obedience vnto him which subiects were bound to doe Howbeit if an oath be made either against God or to the dammage and hurt of our neighbour it being for that cause vnlawfull it behooueth vs to know that we ought to reuoke it
Heraclius hauing raigned Emperour but one yeere was poisoned by his stepmother Martina Zonoras tom 3. to the end to install her owne sonne Heraclon in the crowne but for this cruell part becomming odious to the Senat they so much hated to haue her or her sonne raigne ouer them that in stead thereof they cut off her tongue and his nose and so banished them the city Fausta the wife of Constantine the Great fell in loue with Constantine her sonne in law begotten vpon a concubine Zonoras 3. Annal. Sex Aur. whom when she could not persuade vnto her lust shee accused vnto the Emperour as a sollicitour of her chastitie for which cause hee was condemned to die but after the truth was knowen Constantinus put her into a hote bath and suffered her not to come forth vntill the heat had choaked her reuenging vpon her head his sonnes death and her owne vnchastitie CHAP. XII Of Subiect Murderers SEing then they that take away their neighbours liues doe not escape vnpunished as by the former examples it appeareth it must needs folow that if they to whom the sword of iustice is committed by God to represse wrongs and chastise vices doe giue ouer themselues to cruelties and to kill and slay those whome they ought in duty to protect and defend must receiue a greater measure of punishment according to the measure and quality of their offence Such an one was Saul the first king of Israel who albeit he ought to haue bene sufficiently instructed out of the law of God in his duty in this behalfe yet was hee so cruell and bloody minded as contrary to all iustice to put to death Abimelech the high priest with fourescore and fiue other priests of the family of his father 1. Sam. 22. onely for receiuing Dauid into his house small or rather no offence And yet not satisfied herewith h◠vomited out his rage also against the whol city of the priests and put to the mercilesse sword both man woman and child without sparing any Hee slew many of the Gibeonites who though they were reliques of the Amorites that first inhabited that lād yet because they were receiued into league of amity by a solemne oth and permitted of long continuance to dwell amongst them should not haue bene awarded as enemies nor handled after so cruell a fashion Thus therefore he tyranizing and playing the butcher amongst his own subiects for which cause his house was called the house of slaughter practising many other foul enormities he was at the last ouercome of the Philistims sore wounded which when he saw fearing to fall aliue into his enemies hands and not finding any of his owne men that would lay their hands vpon him desperately slew himselfe The same day three of his sonnes and they that followed him of his owne houshold were all slaine The Philistims the next day finding his dead body despoiled among the carcasses beheaded it and caried the head in triumph to the temple of their god and hung vp the trunke in disgrace in one of their cities to be seene lookt vpon and pointed at And yet for all this was not the fire of Gods wrath quenched for in king Dauids time there arose a famine that lasted three yeeres the cause whereof was declared by God to be the murder which Saul committed vpon the Gibeonites 2. Sam. 21. wherefore Dauid deliuered Sauls seuen sonnes into the Gibeonites hands that were left who put them to the most shamefull death that is euen to hanging Amongst all the sinnes of king Achab and Iezabel which were many and great 1. King 21. the murder of Naboth standeth in the forefront for though hee had committed no such crime as might any way deserue death yet by the subtill and wicked deuise of Iezabel foolish and credulous consent of Achab and false accusation of the two suborned witnesses he was cruelly stoned to death but his innocent blood was punished first in Achab who not long after the warre which hee made with the king of Siria receiued so deadly a wound that hee died thereof the dogges licking vp his blood in the same place where Naboths blood was licked 2. King 9. according to the foretelling of Elias the Prophet And secondly of Iezabel whome her owne seruants at the commandement of Iehu whome God had made executour of his wrath threw headlong out of an high window vnto the ground so that the walls were died with her blood and the horses trampled her vnder their feet and dogs deuoured her flesh till of all her dainty body there remained nothing sauing only her scull feet and palme of her hands Ioram sonne of Iehosaphat king of Iudah being after his fathers death possessed of the crowne and scepter of Iudah 2. Chron. 21. by and by exalted himselfe in tyranny and put to death sixe of his owne brethren all younger than himselfe with many princes of the realme for which cause God stirred vp the Edomites to rebell the Philistims and Arabians to make war against him who forraged his countrey sacked and spoiled his cities and tooke prisoners his wiues and children the yongest only excepted who afterwards also was murdered when he had raigned king but a small space And lastly as in doing to death his owne brethren hee committed crueltie against his owne bowels so the Lord stroke him with such an incurable disease in his bowels and so perpetuall for it continued two yeeres that his very entrails issued out with torment and so died in horrible misery Albeit that in the former booke we haue already touched the pride and arrogancie of king Alexander the Great yet wee can not pretermit to speake of him in this place his example seruing so fit for the present subiect for although as touching the rest of his life hee was verie well gouerned in his priuat actions as a monarch of his reputation might be yet in his declining age I meane not in yeeres but to deathward he grew exceeding cruell not only towards strangers as the Cosseis whome he destroied to the sucking babe but also to his houshold and familiar friends Insomuch that being become odious to most fewest loued hi◠and diuers wrought all meanes possible to make him away but one especially whose sonne in law and other neare friends he had put to death neuer ceased vntill he both ministred a deadly draught vnto himselfe Iustine whereby he depriued him of his wicked life and a fatall stroke to his wiues and children after his death to the accomplishment of his full reuenge Phalaris the tyrant of Agrigentum made himselfe famous to posterity by no other meanes Oros then horrible cruelties exercised vpon his owne subiects inuenting euery day new kinds of tortures to scourge and afflict the poore soules withall In his dominion there was one Perillus an artificer of his craft one expert in his occupation who to flatter and curry fauour with him deuised a new torment
Caracalla tooke to wife his mother in law allured thereunto by her faire enticements whose wretched and miserable end hath already beene touched in the tenth Chapter of this booke The Emperour Heraclius after the decease of his first wife married his owne neece the daughter of his brother which turned mightily to his vndoing for besides that that vnder his raigne and as it were by his occasion the Saracens entred the borders of Christendome and spoiled and destroied his dominions vnder his nose to his soule and vtter disgrace hee was ouer and aboue smitten corporally with so grieuous and irkesome a disease of dropsie that hee died thereof Thus many men run riot by assuming to themselues too much libertie and breake the bounds of ciuill honesty required in all contracts and too audaciously set themselues against the commaundement of God which ought to be of such authority with all men that none be they neuer so great should dare to derogate one iot from them vnlesse they meant wholly to oppose themselues as profest enemies to God himselfe and to turne all the good order of things into confusion All which notwithstanding some of the Romish Popes haue presumed to encroch vpon Gods right and to disanull by their foolish decrees the lawes of the almightie Sleid. lib. 9. As Alexander the sixt did who by his bull approoued the incestuous marriage of Ferdinand king of Naples with his owne Aunt his father Alphonsus sister by the fathers side which otherwise saith Cardinall Bembus had beene against all law and equitie and in no case to be tollerated and borne withall Henry the seuenth king of England after the death of his eldest sonne Arthur caused by the speciall dispensation of Pope Iulius his next sonne named Henry to take to wife his brothers widdow called Katherine daughter to Ferdinando king of Spaine for the desire hee had to haue this Spanish affinitie continued who succeeding his father in the crowne after continuance of time began to aduise himselfe and to consult whether this marriage with his brothers wife might be lawfull or no and found it by conference both of holy and prophane lawes vtterly vnlawfull whereupon hee sent certain bishops to the Queene to giue her to know That the Popes dispensation was altogither vniust and of none effect to priuiledge such an act to whome shee answered that it was too late to call in question the Popes bull which so long time they had allowed of The two Cardinals that were in Commission from the Pope to decide the controuersie and to award iudgement vpon the matter were once vpon point to conclude the decree which the king desired had not the Pope impeached their determination in regard of the Emperour Charles nephew to the said Queene whome hee was loth to displease wherefore the king seeing himselfe frustrate of his purpose in this behalfe sent into diuers countries to know the iudgement of all the learned Diuines concerning the matter in controuersie who especially those that dwelt not farre off seemed to allow and approoue the diuorce thereupon hee resolued reiecting his old wife to take him to a new and to marry as he did Anne of Bullaine one of the Queenes maids of honour a woman of most rare and excellent beauty Now as touching his first marriage with his brothers wife how vnfortunate it was in it owne nature and how vniustly dispensed withall by the Pope we shall anon see by those heauie sorrowfull and troublesome euents and issues which immediatly followed in the necke thereof And first and foremost of the euill fare of the Cardinall of Yorke with whome the king beeing highly displeased for that at his instance and request the Pope had opposed himselfe to this marriage requited him and not vndeseruedly on this manner First he deposed him from the office of the Chancellourship secondly depriued him of two of his three bishopricks which he held lastly sent him packing to his owne house as one whom hee neuer purposed more to see Yet afterward being aduertised of certaine insolent and threatning speeches which hee vsed against him hee sent againe for him but he not daring to refuse to come at his call died in the way with meere griefe and despight The Pope gaue his definitiue sentence against this act and fauoured the cause of the diuorced ladie But what gained hee by it saue onely that the king offended with him reiected him and all his trumperie retaining his yearely tribute leuied out of this realme and conuerted it to another vse and this was the recompence of his goodly dispensation with an incestuous mariage wherein although to speake truly and properly he lost nothing of his owne yet it was a deepe checke and no shallow losse to him and his successors to be depriued of so goodly a reuenue and so great authoritie in this realme as hee then was CHAP. XXV Of Adulterie SEeing that marriage is so holy an institution and ordinance of God as it hath been shewed to be it followeth by good right that the corruption thereof namely Adulterie whereby the bond of marriage is desolued should bee forbidden for the woman that is polluted therewith despiseth her owne husband yea and for the most part hateth him and foisteth in strange seed euen his enemies brats in stead of his owne not onely to bee fathered but also to bee brought vp and maintained by him and in time to bee made inheritours of his possessions which thing being once known must needs stirre vp coles to set anger on fire and set a broch much mischiefe and albeit that the poore infants are innocent and guiltlesse of the crime yet doth the punishment and ignominy thereof redound to them because they can not be reputed as legitimate but are euer marked with the blacke cole of bastardy whilst they liue so grieuous is the guilt of this sinne and vneasie to be remooued For this cause the very heathen not onely reprooued adultery euermore but also by authority of law prohibited it and allotted to death the offenders therein Abimelech king of the Philistims a man without circumcision and therefore without the couenant Gen. 26. knowing by the light of nature for he knew not the law of God how sacred and inuiolable the knot of marriage ought to bee expressely forbad all his people from doing any iniury to Isaac in regard of his wife and from touching her dishonestly vpon paine of death Out of the same fountaine sprang the words of Queen Hecuba in Euripides speaking to Menelaus as touching Helen when she admonished him to enact this law That euery woman which should betray her husbands credit and her owne chastitie to another man should die the death In old time the Aegyptians vsed to punish adultery on this sort the man with a thousand ierkes with a reed Diodor. and the woman with cutting off her nose but hee that forced a free woman to his lust had his priuie members cut off By the law of
sirname was Nicholas as he passed from one town to the other being at Nocera lodged diuers times in the castell in the keepers and captaines house whome hee had there substituted to defend the place with an ordinary band of souldiors now as he made his abode there a few daies hee grew to cast a more lasciuious eie vpon the captains wife than was meet and from looking fell to lusting after her in such sort that in short space hee got very priuy familiar acquaintance with her oftentimes secret suspicious meetings which being perceiued by her husband he after watched so narrowly their haunts that once hee spied thē together without being seen of thē Neuerthelesse disgesting and swallowing vp this sorrow with silence and without giuing forth any tokens therof he cōsulted in himself to reuenge the iniury by the death rasing out not only of the Adulterer but also of the whole race fraternity Now when hee had hammered this enterprise laid forth the plot thereof in his head he dispatched presently a messenger to the three gentlemen brethrē to inuite thē against the next day to the hunting of the fairest wild bore that was this many a day seene in the forrests of Nocera Signior Nicholas failed not to come at the time appointed accompanied with Duke Camerino who desired to be one of this iolly crue they supped in the towne but lodged in the castel where being at rest about midnight the captain rushed into his chamber with the greatest part of his guard there handled Signor Nicholas on this maner he first cut off his priuy mēbers as being principal in the offence thē thrust him through on both sides with a spear next pluckt out his heart lastly tore the rest of his body into a thousand peeces As for the duke Camerino hee shut him vp in a deep darke dungeon with all the strangers of his retinue At day breake another of the brethren called Caesar that lay that night in the town was sent for to come speak with his brother assoone as he was entred into the court of the castell seuen or eight of the guard bound him his followers caried him into the chamber where his dead brother lay chopt as small as flesh to the pot there murdered him also Conrade the third brother being by reason of a marriage absent from this feast when hee receiued the report of these pitifull newes gathered togither a band of men from all quarters and with them assisted with the friends and allies of the duke Camerino then prisoner laid siege to the castle they battered the walles made a breach and gaue the assault of entrance and were manfully resisted fiue houres long till the defendants beeing but thirtie or fortie men at the most not able to stand any longer in defence were forced to retire and lay open way of entrance to the enemie then began a most horrible butchery of men for Conrade hauing woon the fort first hewed them in pieces that stood in resistance then finding the captaines father slue him and cast him piecemeale to the dogs some he tied to the tailes of wild horses to bee drawne ouer hedges ditches thornes and briers others hee pinched with hote yrons and so burnt them to death which when the captaine from the top of the dungeon where hee had saued himselfe beheld he tooke his wife whome hee held there prisoner and binding her hand and foot threw her headlong from the top of the tower vpon the pauemēt which the souldiors perciuing put fire to the tower so that he was constrained through heat and smoke himself his brother and his little child to sally downe the same way which he had taught his wife a little before to goe and so all three broke their neckes their carcasses were cast out to bee meat for wolues as vnworthy of humane sepulture And this was the catastrophe of that wofull tragedy where by the occasion of one adulterie so heauie is the curse of God vpon that sin a number of men came to their ends Luth. prand lib. 5. cap. 15. In the time of Pope Steuen the eight there was a varlet priest that was captaine in the house of a Marques of Italy who although he was very mishapen and euill fauoured yet was entertained of the lady Marques his mistres to her bed and made her paramour vpon a night as hee was going to lie with her according ro his wont his Lord being from home behold a dog barked so fiercely leaping biting at him that all the seruants of the house being awaked ran thitherward and finding this gallant in the snare tooke him and for all his bald crowne stripped him naked and cut off cleane his priuy and adulterous parts and thus was this lecherous Priest serued Luth. prand lib. 6. cap. 6. Pope Iohn the thirteenth a man as of wicked conuersation in all thinges so especially abhominable in whoredomes and adulterie which good conditions whilest he pursued he was one day taken tardy in the plaine fields whether hee went to disport himselfe for hee was found in the act of adultery and slaine forthwith and these are the godly fruits of those single life louers to whom the vse of mariage is counted vnlawfull and therefore forbidden but adultery not once prohibited nor disallowed CHAP. XXIX Of such as are diuorced without cause BY these and such like iudgements it pleaseth God to make knowne vnto men how much hee desireth to haue the estate of mariage maintained and preserued in the integritie and how much euery one ought to take heed how to depraue or corrupt the same now then to proceed if it be a sinne to take away rauish or entise to folly another mans wife shall we not thinke it an equall sinne for a husband to forsake his wife and cast her off to take another shee hauing not disanulled and cancelled the band of marriage by adultery Yes verily for as concerning the permission of diuorce to the Israelits vnder the law Mat. 19. our sauiour himselfe expoundeth the meaning and entent therof in the gospell to be nothing els but a tolleration for the hardnesse and stubbornnesse of their hearts and not a constitution from the beginning vpon which occasion speaking of mariage and declaring the right strength of the same he saith That whosoeuer putteth away his wife except it bee for adulterie and marrieth another committeth adulterie and he that marrieth her that is put away committeth adultery also Al which notwithstanding the great men of this world let loose themselues to this sinne too licentiously as it appeareth by many examples As of Antiochus Theos sonne of Antiochus Soter king of Siria who to the end to goe with Ptolomie Philadelphus king of Aegypt and marry his daughter Bernice cast off his wife Laodicea that had borne him children and tooke Bernice to bee his wife but ere long hee reiected her also and betraied her to
he knoweth hee shall rather run into further charge than recouer any of his old losse Beside this it happeneth that poore small theeues are often drawne to the whip or driuen to banishment or sent to the gallows when rich grand theeues lie at their ease and escape vncontrouled albeit the qualitie of their crime bee far vnequal according to the Poet The simple doue by law is censured Dat veniam coruis vexat censura columbas When rauenous crowes escape vnpunished The world was euer yet full of such rauenous rauens so nimble in pilling others goods and so greedy of their owne gaine that the poore people in steed of being maintained and preserued in the peaceable enioying of their portions are gnawne to the very bones amongst them for which cause Homer in the person of Agamemnon calleth them deuourers of men likewise also the Prophet Dauid in the sixteenth Psalme calleth them eaters of his people and yet want they not flatterers and trencher-friends Canckerwoms of a Cōmonwealth that vrge thē forwards deuise daily new kind of exactions like horseleaches to sucke out the very blood of mens purses shewing so much the more wit deceit therein by how much the more they hope to gaine a great part therof vnto their selues being like hungerstarued Harpeis that will neuer bee satisfied but still snatch and catch al that commeth neare their clouches and these are they that doe good to no man but hurt to all of whom the Marchant findeth himselfe agreeued the Artificer troden vnder foot the poore laborer oppressed and generally all men endamaged CHAP. XXXVI Of the excessiue burdenings of the Comminaltie AS it is a iust approued thing before God to doe honor and reuerence to kings and Princes and to bee subiect vnder them in all obedience so it is a reasonable and allowable duty to pay such tributes and subsidies whereby their great charges honourable estate may bee maintained as by right of equitie are due vnto thē and this is also commanded by our Sauior Christ in expresse words when hee saith Mat. 22.21 Giue vnto Caesar that which is Caesars And by the Apostle Paule more expressely Rom. 31.7 pay tributes render vnto all men their due tribute to whome tribute belongeth and custome to whom custome Marke how hee saith Giue vnto all men their due and therein obserue that kings and princes ought of their good and iust disposition bee content with their due and not seeke to load and ouercharge their subiects with vnnecessary exactions but to desire to see them rather rich and wealthie than poore and needy for thereby commeth no profite vnto themselues further it is most vnlawfull for them to exact that aboue measure vpon their commons which being in mediocrity is not condemned I say it is vnlawfull both by the law of God and man the law of God and man is termed all that which both God and man allow and agree vpon and which a man with a safe conscience may put in practise for the former we can haue no other schoolmaster nor instruction saue the holy scripture wherein God hath manifested his will vnto vs concerning this very matter as in Deuteronom 18 speaking of the office and duty of a king he forbiddeth them to be horders vp of gold and siluer and espousers of many wiues and louers of pride signifying thereby that they ought to containe themselues within the bounds of modestie and temperance and not giue the raines to their owne affections nor heape vp great treasures to their peoples detriment nor to delight in warre nor to be too much subiect to their owne pleasures all which things are meanes of vnmeasurable expense so that if it be not allowable to muster togither multitudes of goods for the danger and mischiefe that ensueth thereof as it appeareth out of this place then surely is it much lesse lawfull to leuy excessiue taxes of the people for the one of these can not be without the other and thus for the law of God it is cleare that by it authority is not committed vnto them to surcharge and as it were trample downe their poore subiects by vnmeasurable and vnsupportable imposition As for that which the Prophet Samuel in the name of God giueth notice to the Israelites of touching the right of a king wherein he seemeth to allow him the disposition of the goods and persons of his subiects I answer first that God being an immooueable truth cannot contradict himselfe by commanding and forbidding the same thing and secondly that the word of the text in the originall signifieth nothing else but a custome or fashion as it appeareth in the 1. Sam. 11.13 besides the speech that the Prophet vseth importeth not a commandement but an aduertisement of the subiection whereunto the people were about to thrust themselues by desiring a king after the manner of other nations whose customes amongst them was to exercise authority and dominion as well ouer their goods as their persons for which cause God would haue them forewarned that they might know how vile a yoke they put their owne neches vnder and what grieuous and troublesome seruitude they vndertooke from the which they could no waies be deliuered no though they desired it with teares Furthermore that a king in Israel had no power in right and equity to take away the possessions of any of his subiects and appropriate it to himselfe it appeareth by Nabaoths refusal to king Achab 1. King 12. to giue him his vineyard though he requested it as in may seeme vpon very reasonable conditions 1 King 12. either for his money or for exchange so that a man would thinke hee ought not to haue denied him howbeit his desire being thus crossed he could not mend himselfe by his authority but fell to vexe and grieue himselfe and to champe vpon his owne bit vntill by the wicked and detestable complot of Iezabel poore Nabaoth was falsly accused vniustly condemned and cruelly murdered and then hee put in possession of his vineyard which murder doubtlesse shee would neuer haue attempted nor yet Nabaoth euer haue refused to yeeld his vineyard if by any pretence of law they would haue laid claime vnto it but Nabaoth knowing that it was contrary to Gods ordinance Num 36.9 for him to part with his patrimonie which he ought most carefully to preserue would not consent to sell ouer his vineyard neither for loue nor money nor other recompence and herein hee did but his duty approoued by the holy scripture Now how odious a thing before God the oppression of poore people is it is manifest by his owne words in the prophesie of Ezechiel where hee saith Chap. 15.9 Let it suffice O princes of Israel leaue off crueltie and oppression and execute iudgement and iustice take away your exactions from my people and cease to thrust them from their goods and heritages Now concerning the law of man which all men agree vnto because
recompence of his malice Nice li. 4. c. 26. which custome as it was laudable and necessary so was it put in execution at diuerse times as namely vnder the Emperor Commodus when a prophane wretch accused Apollonius a godly profest Christiā afterward a constant martyr of Christ Iesus before the iudges of certaine greeuous crimes which when he could by no colour or likelihood of truth conuince proue they adiudged him to that ignominious punishment to haue his legs broken because he had accused defamed a man without cause Eustathius bishop of Antioch a man famous for eloquence in speech vprightnesse of life Nicep li. 8. c. 46. whē as he impugned the heresie of the Arians was circumuented by them and deposed from his bishoprick by this meanes they suborned a naughtie strumpet to come in with a child in her armes and in an open synode of two hundred fiftie bishops to accuse him of Adultery to sweare that he had got that child of her body which though hee denied constantly no iust proofe could bee brought against him yet the impudent strumpets oth tooke such place that by the Emperours censure hee was banished from his bishopricke howbeit ere long his innocencie was knowne for the said strumpet being deseruedly touched with the finger of Gods iustice in extreame sicknesse confessed the whole practise how shee was suborned by certaine Bishops to slander this holy man and that yet shee was not altogether a lier for one Eustathius a handy-crafts man got the child as she had sworne and not Eustathius the bishop The like slander the same heretikes deuised against Athanasius in a synode conuocated by Constantine the Emperour at Tyrus Phil. Melanct. chro lib. 3. Nicep li. 9. c. 23. for they suborned a certaine leud woman to exclaime vpon the holy man in the open assembly for rauishing of her that last night against hir will which slander he shifted of by this deuise hee sent Timotheus the presbiter of Alexandria into the synode in his place who comming to the woman asked her before them all whether she durst say that hee had rauished her to whom she replied yea I swear and vow that thou hast done it for she supposed it to haue ben Athanasius whom shee neuer saw whereat the whole synode perceiued the cauill of the lying Arrians and quitted the innocencie of that good man Howbeit these malicious heretiks seeing this practise not to succeed inuented another worse than the former for they accused him to haue slaine one Arsenius whom they themselues kept secret and that hee carried one of his hands about him wherewith he wrought miracles by enchātment but Arsenius touched by the spirit of God stole away from thē came to Athanasius to the end he should receiue no dammage by his absence whom he brought into the iudges and shewed them both his hands confounded his accusers with shame of their malice insomuch as they ran away for feare and satisfied the iudges both of his integrity and their enuious calumniation the chiefe broker of all this mischiefe was Stephanus bishop of Antioch but he was degraded from his bishoprick and Leontius elected in his roome Histor tripart Hetherto we may adde the example of one William Feming who accused an honest man called Iohn Cooper of speaking traiterous words against Queene Mary and all because he would not fell him two goodly bullockes which he much desired for which cause the poore man being arraigned at Berry in Suffolke was condemned to death by reason of two false witnesses which the said Feming had suborned for that purpose whose names were White and Greenewood so this poore man was hanged drawne and quartered and his goods taken from his poore wife and nine children which are left destitute of all helpe but as for his false accusers one of them died most miserably for in haruest time being well and lusty of a sodaine his bowels fell out of his body and so hee perished the other two what ends they came vnto it is not reported but sure the Lord hath reserued a sufficient punishment for all such as they are Acts and mon. pag 2100. Many more be the examples of this sinne and iudgements vpon it as the pilleries at Westminster and daily experience beareth witnesse but these that wee haue alledged shall suffice for this purpose because this sin is cousen Germane vnto periurie of which you may read more at large in the former booke It should now follow by course of order if wee would not pretermit any thing of the law of God to speake of such as haue offended against the tenth commandement what punishment hath ensued the same but for so much as all such offences for the most part are encluded vnder the former of which we haue alreadie spoken and that there is no adultery nor fornication nor theft nor vniust-warre but it is annexed to and proceedeth from the affection and the resolution of an euill and disordinate concupiscense as the effect from the cause therefore it is not necessary to make any particular recitall of them more than may well be collected out of the former examples added hereunto that in simple concupiscense and affection of doing euill which commeth not to act though it be in the sight of God condemned to euerlasting torments yet it doth not so much incurre and prouoke his indignation that a man should for that onely cause be brought to apparant destruction and be made an example to others to whome the sinne is altogither darke and vnknowne therefore wee will proceed in our purpose without intermedling in speciall with this last commandement CHAP. XLV That kings and princes ought to looke to the execution of Iustice for the punishment of naughtie and corrupt manners NO man ought to be ignorant of this that it is the duty of a prince not onely to hinder the course of sinne from bursting into action but also to punish the doers of the same making both ciuill iustice to be administred vprightly and the law of God to be regarded and obserued inuiolably for to this end are they ordained of God that by their means euery one might liue a quiet and peaceable life in all godlinesse and honestie to the which end the maintenance and administration of iustice beeing most necessary they ought not so to discharge themselues of it as to translate it vpon their officers and iudges but also to looke to the execution thereof themselues as it is most needfull for if law which is the foundation of iustice be as Plato saith a speechlesse and dumbe magistrate who shall giue voice and vigour vnto it if not hee that is in supreame and soueraigne authority for which cause the king is commaunded in Deuteronomie Deu. 17.18 19 To haue before him alwaies the booke of the law to the end to doe iustice and iudgement to euery one in the feare of God And before the creation of kings