County of Warwick Esquire He liv'd with the said Mary in one house full fifty two years and in all that time never buried Man Woman nor Child though they were sometimes twenty in houshold He had Issue by the said Mary five Sons and seven Daughters The said John was Mayor of the Town 1559. And again Anno 1572. The said Mary liv'd to ninety seven years and departed the eight of December 1611. She did see before her departure of her Children and Childrens Children and their Children to the number of one hundred forty and two 20. In St. Innocents Church-yard in the City of Paris is to be seen the Epitaph of Yoland Baily Widow to Mounsieur Dennis Capel a Proctour at the Chastelet which doth shew that she had lived eighty four years and might have seen 288. Verstegan saith 295 of her Children and Childrens Children she dy'd the seventeenth of April 1514. Imagine how she had been troubled to call them by a proper denomination that were distant from her in the fourth and fifth degree 21. In Markshal Church in Essex on Mrs. Honywoods Tomb is this Inscription Here lyeth the body of Mary Waters the Daughter and coheir af Robert Waters of Lenham in Kent Esquire wife of Robert Honywood of Charing in Kent Esquire her only Husband who had at her decease lawfully descended from her 367. sixteen of her own body 114 Grand-children 228. in the third Generation and nine in the fourth She liv'd a most pious life and in a Christian manner dyed here at Markshal in the ninety third year of her age and in the forty fourth of her Widowhood May 11. 1620. 22. Dame Esther Temple Daughter to Miles Sands Esquire was born at Latmos in Buckinghamshire and was marryed to Sir Thomas Temple of Stow Baronet She had four Sons and nine Daughters which liv'd to be marry'd and so exceedingly multiplyed that this Lady saw seven hundred extraâ—ted from her body Reader I speak within compass and have left my self a reserve having bought the truth hereof by a wager I lost saith Dr. Fuller Besides there was a new Generation of marriageable Females just at her death Had the Off-spring of this Lady been contracted into one place they were enow to have peopled a City of a competent proportion though her Issue was not so long in succession as broad in extent I confess very many of her descendants dy'd before death the Lady Temple dy'd Anno 1656. 23. Iohn Henry and Thomas Palmer were the Sons of Edward Palmer Esquire in Sussex It happened that their Mother being a full Fortnight inclusively in labour was on Whitsunday deliver'd of Iohn her Eldest Son on the Sunday following of Henry her second Son and the Sunday next after of Thomas her third Son This is that which is commonly call'd superfoeâ—ation usual in other Creatures but rare in Women the cause whereof we leave to the disquisition of Physicians These three were Knighted for their Valour and success as in their Nativiâ—ies 24. Another Example of superfoetation I will set down for the stories sake in the year of our Lord 1584. dyed the Noble Lord Philip Lewis of Hirshorne at his mansion House in the Palatinate three Miles from Heydelberg he left no Heir but his Lady was with Child his Kindred forthwith enter upon the Rents and Royalties and to gain the more full and perfect knowledge of them soon after the death of her Lord they pluck from her waste the Keys of all private places and that not without violence the better to enable them for the search they intended This outrage redoubled the grief of the poor Lady so that within few days after she fell in travel and brought forth a Son but dead and wanting the Skull Now were the next Heirs of the deceased Noblemam exceeding jocund as having attained to their utmost hopes and therefore now us'd the Estate as their own But it pleased God as out of a stone to raise up a Son to that desolate and disconsolate Widow For though she was not speedily deliver'd of him after the 〈◊〉 yet she remained somewhat big after her delivery suspecting nothing but that it was some prâ—â—ternatural humour or some disease that was remaining in her body She therefore consulted the Physicians who all thought any thing rather to be the cause of her disease than that in the leaâ—â— they suspected a second Birth so long after the â—irst They therefore advis'd her to go to the Baths by the Rhine she accordingly did as a sad and comfortless Widow attended only with one Maid came thither Iuly 1584. where it so fell out she found Augustus the Elector of Saxony together with the Princess his Wiâ—e as also many other Princes and their Ladies by which means all lodgings were so foretaken up that she could not find entertainment in any Inn especially being not known of what quality she was coming thither with so private a retinue as a single Maid At last discovering to the Governour of the place who she was and her last misfortunes not without some difficulty she procured lodging in his House for that night wherein she came thither But that very night when it was the tenth week from her former delivery it pleased God to send her in her aâ—â—liction and amongst strangers a lovely Boy The fame of which came to the ears of the Illustrious Princes who were then in Town The Elector of Mentz made her a noble provision for her Lying in The Elector of Saxony also sent her by way of Present one thousand Dollers Also all the Rents and Royalties before seiz'd upon were restored to this lawful Heir of her Husbands and Child of hers who also is yet alive saith Câ—spar Bauhinâ—s Superâ—oetation is by the distant Births of divers not raâ—ely confirmed A Dutch Woman in Southwark some twenty years since having invited divers of her Neighbours to her Upsitting found her self not well on a sudden and rising from the table was forthwith brought to bed of another This falling on a time into our discourse one then present reported that the like befel a Sister of his who three months after the birth of her first Son was delivered of a second CHAP. XXVI Of the strange Agility and Nimbleness of some and their wonderful feats HOmer in the commendation of the activity of Meriones calls him the Dancer in which Art he was so famous that he was known not only amongst the Greeks but to the Trojans also his enemies probably because that in time of Battel he made shew of an extraordinary quickness and nimbleness of body which he had acquired unto himself by the practice of this Art some of these who follow though they wanted an Homer to recommend them to posterity have excell'd not only Meriones in point of agility but have attain'd the utmost of what a humane body in this kind is capable of acquiring 1. Amongst those shews which were presented to the people
that her Bowels fell out at which Spectacle her Mother astonished consulting with Physicians and Chirurgeons was inform'd that her Daughter was become a man The whole matter therefore being represented to the Cardinal Bishop of Lenuncurium he call'd an assembly where she receiv'd the name and habit of a man 16. I have heard the like saith Montanus of another Virgin which I had related unto me by the Illustrious Queen Elionora Cousin German to the Emperour Charles the Fifth 17. Anno 1574. While I am writing these things saith Donatus in the City of Spoleto in Vmbria a Girl of eighteen years of age the Daughter of one Toraccia and Sister to Iohn Franciscus de Anguilo of Norcia was chang'd into a man as is witnessed by divers inhabitants of that place 18. In my time saith Cuelniannus at Corbeil a Town of France near unto the Sequana there was a Girl who for fourteen years had been educated amongst the Maids habited as they and by no difference discernible from the rest of them yet about the time aforesaid she had such tostimonies about her that pleaded she was no longer a Woman that she thereupon altered her Name and Apparel into those of a man Cuelmannus relates this upon the credit of a Physician in a private Lecture of Anatomy in the presence of Cellareus and Wolphius both eminent Physicians 19. Phiethusa heretofore the Wife of Pitheus Abdera while she was young was very fruitful but her Husband being forc'd into exile it ceased a long time to be with her monthly as it had used to be whereupon she was seised with pains and redness in her joynts after which her whole Body became Manlike all over rough and hairy she had also a Beard and her voice was become more deep We try'd saith Hipocrates to Esseminate her again but in a short time she dy'd And he tells the like of Namysia the Wise of Gorgippus who also dy'd not long after the same thing had befallen her 20. But that almost surpasses all credit which is told by Pontanus of a Woman who after she had been delivered of a Son became a man which yet he conâ—irms by the testimony of Antonius Colotius the Vmbrian and saith he this fell out about the year of our Lord 1496. 21. Empedocles of Agrigentum a stickler for the Pythagorean Philosophy saith thus of himself in Pholastratus Et puer ipse fui nec non quandoque puella I was both Boy and Girl at several times 22. Ausonius tells of a Boy at Beneventum who suddenly became a Girl and he hath it in these words Nec satis antiquum quod Campano in Benevento Vnus Epheborum Virgo repente fuit At Benevent nor is it long ago A youngster did unto a Virgin grow 23. In Abas a City of Arabia there was a certain Woman call'd Herais she was the Daughter of one Diophantus a Macedonian and begotten by him of an Arabian Woman She was marry'd to one Samaides after which she changed her Sex and of a Woman became a Man taking upon her her Fathers name Diophantus 24. Antonius Diâ—â—na a learned person propounds the Question whether a Nun being turned 〈…〉 is obliged to become a Monk or take 〈…〉 some Religious Order he resolves it in 〈…〉 â—â—ive in such words as these There was a 〈…〉 t. Dominicks in the City of Vbeda she 〈◊〉 born in the Town call'd Sabiote her name was â—â—â—â—dalena Mugnoz the memory of her is yet fresh amongst us This Woman in the seventh year after she had taken upon her the profession of a Nun was from a Woman turn'd into a Man Being hereupon expell'd the Nunnery she put on man's cloaths a Beard grew upon her chin and she was called Franciscus Mognoz This very Francis was afterwards my Client and I pleaded for him in a cause of Rape for a certain Woman accus'd him that she was known by him by violence and got with Child So that adds he if the like case shall fall out seeing the foresaid Nun turned to a man was turned out of the Nunnery such person without scruple may marry or take Orders as he please CHAP. XXXIV Of the strange rigour in punishments used by several Persons and Nations WHereas amongst all the sorts of Beasts how sierce and ravenous soever there is not any that uses to prey upon those of his own kind Man as if he affected a brutality below that of the Beasts themselves is not only a Wolf but a Devil to such as are of the same species with him There are some men who ever stretch their Wits for the invention of an ingenious cruelty and who as if the visage of death was not sufficiently grim study to shadow it with unusual horrors moding their punishments by the Council of Caligula ita feri ut sentiant se mori they strive to assemble several deaths and to bring them so near together that if possible they would give a thousand in one How prolifick the inventions of men have been in this kind may be seen in part by the Examples that follow 1. The Turks sometimes even for small offences use to lay a man down upon his back hoist up his legs and with a cudgel give him three or four hundred blows on the Soles of his Feeet that so the Veins which assemble there may convey the pain to all the parts of the Body and by this means the person so punish'd is made lame 2. They have also amongst them a dreadful punishment which is ganching that is they let the Body of a Man fall from on high upon certain Hooks that are â—astned below on purpose to catch hold of him and being thus taken they suffer them there to hang until they die by the anguish of their wounds or else more miserable famine 3. They have another which is yet more terrible him whom they have design'd to this punishment they draw over a Gibbet and putting a small Cord about his naked Waste two men pulling at the two ends they inforce him to draw up his breath still pulling it straitâ—r and straiter till they have made him very small then with one blow they cut him off in the middle that done they clap the upper part on an hot Iron or Plate of Copper that â—ears up the Veins whereby they keep him in sense of intolerable pain so long as they can The person thus us'd will retain both sense and discourse till he is taken down and then he departs in an instant while the upper part of the body is thus barbarously dealt with they throw the neather part of it to the Dogs 4. While Sir Thomas Roe was Embassador at the great Moguls Court he saw some of his Nobles whipt by his command for drunkenness in this manner They were strip'd stark naked and had one hundred and thirty stripes a piece with a most terrible instrument having four Cords and at the ends of
it he return'd to life to the admiration of all that were present he declared several strange and prodigious things which he had seen and known during all that time that he had remained in the state of the dead 11. One of the Noble Family of the Tatoricdi being seised with the Plague in Burgundy was supposed to die thereof was put into a Cofâ—â—n to be carry'd to the Sepulchers of his Ancestors which were distant from that place some four German miles Night coming on the Corps was dispos'd into a Barn and there attended by some Rusticks These perceiv'd a great quantity of fresh Blood to drain through the chinks of the Coffin whereupon they opened it and found that the Body was wounded by a Nail that was driven into the shoulder through the Coffin and that the wound was much torn by the jogging of the Chariot he was carry'd in but withal they discover'd that the natural heat had not left his brest They took him out laid him before the fire he recover'd as out of a deep sleep ignorant of all that had pass'd He afterwards marryed a Wife by whom he had a Daughter marryed afterwards to Huldericus a Psirt from his Daughter came Sigismundus a Psirt chief Pastor of St. Maries Church in Basil. CHAP. XL. Of such who after death have concerned themselves with the affairs of their Friends and Relations THe Platonists speak of some Souls that after they are departed from their bodies they have yet a strange hankering after them whereupon it is that they haunt the dormitories of the dead and keep about the places where their bodies lye interr'd and are therefore call'd by the Philosophers Body-lovers I know not under what restraints souls are when once separate from their bodies nor what priviledges some of them have above others but if the following relations are true some of these here spoken of have been as mindful of their Friends and Families as others were affected to the bodies they had before deserted Ludovicus Adolisius Lord of Immola sent a Secretary of his upon earnest business to Ferrara in which journey he was met by one on Horseback attir'd like an Hunts-man with an Hawk upon his fist who saluted him by his name and desired him to intreat his Son Lodowick to meet him in that very place the next day at the same hour to whom he would discover certain things of no mean consequence which much concerned him and his estate The Secretary returning and revealing this to his Lord at first he would scarce give credit to his report and jealous withal that it might be some train laid to intrap his life he sent another in his stead to whom the same Spirit appeared in the shape aforesaid and seemed much to lament his Sons disâ—idence to whom if he had come in person he would have related strange things which threatned his Estate and the means how to prevent them Yet desired him to recommend him to his Son and tell him that after twenty two years one month and one day prefix'd he should loose the government of that City which he then possessed and so he vanished It hapned just at the same time the spirit had predicted notwithstanding his great care and providence that Philip Duke of Milain the same night besieged the City and by the help of the ice it being then a great Frost past the Moat and with scaling Ladders scaled the Wall surpriz'd the City and took Lodowick Prisoner He was in League with Philip and therefore feared no harm from him 2. Two wealthy Merchants travelling through the Taurine Hills into France upon the way met with a man of more than Humane Stature who thus said to him Salute my Brother Lewis Sforza and deliver him this Letter from me They were amaz'd and asking who he was he told them that he was Galeacius Sforza and immediately vanish'd out of sight They made haste to Milain and delivered the Dukes Letter wherein was thus written O O O Lewis take heed to thy self for the Venetians and French will unite to thy ruine and to deprive thy Posterity of their Estate But if thou wilt deliver me 3000 Guilders I will endeavour that the Spirits being reconcil'd thy unhappy fate may be averted and this I hope to perform if thou shalt not refuse what I have requested Farewel The Subscription was The Soul of Galeacius thy Brother This was laugh'd at by most as a fiction but not long after the Duke was dispossess'd of his Government and taken Prisoner by Lewis the Twelfth King of France Thus far Bernard Arulnus in first Section of the History of Milain who also was an eye witness of what hath pass'd 3. Caesar Baronius tells that there was an intire friendship betwixt Michael Mercatus the Elder and Marsilius Ficinus and this friendship was the stronger betwixt them by reason of a mutual agreement in their studies and an addictedness to the Doctrines of Plato It fell out that these two discoursed together as they us'd of the state of man after death according to Plato's opinions and there is extant a Learned Epistle of Marsilius to Michael Mercatus upon the same subject but when their disputation and discourse was drawn out somewhat long They shut it up with this firm agreement That which soever of them two should first depart out of this life if it might be should ascertain the survivor of the state of the other Life and whether the Soul be immortal or not This agreement being made and mutually sworn unto they departed In a short time it fell out that while Michael Mercatus was one Morning early at his Study upon the sudden he heard the noise of a Horse upon the gallop and then stoping at his door withal he heard the voice of Marsilius his friend crying to him O Michael O Michael those thing are true they are true Michael wondring to hear his friends voice rose up and opening the Casement he saw the backside of him whom he had heard in white and gallopping away upon a white Horse He call'd after him Marsilius Marsilius and follow'd him with his Eye But he soon vanish'd out of sight He amaz'd at this extraordinary accident very solicitously enquired if any thing had happened to Marsilius who then liv'd at Florence where he also breath'd his last and he found upon strict enquiry that he dyed at that very time wherein he was thus heard and seen by him 4. We read in the life of Iohn Chrysostom of Basiliscus the Bishop of the City Comana the same who with Lucianus a Priest of Antioch suffer'd Martyrdom under Maximianus the Emperour that he appeared to St. Chrysostom in his exile and said Brother John be of good heart and courage for to morrow we shall be together Also that before this he had appear'd to the Priest of that Church and said Prepare a place for our Brother John for he is to come presently And that these things
utterly lost in others THere have been many Epicures and belly Gods who have compassed the Mountains beset the Rivers searched the Lakes dived into the very Seas themselves and all to gratifie their taste and palate Lucan could not chuse but admire these kind of persons and their luxury when he saith O prodiga rerum Luxuries nunquam parvi contenta paratu Et quaesitarum terra pelagoque ciborum Ambitiosa fames lautae gloria mensae And yet the most exquisite Sense ever dwells with temperance 1. Father Paul Sarpi a person of rare and exquisite Learning and upon that chosen account by the Republick of Venice as a person fit to be consulted with in all the emergencies of State in which he faithfully serv'd them seventeen years of this excellent Fryar it is thus set down by the Author of his Life viz. The Father had his senses the most subtile and of the greatest vivacity that were possible to be found in any especially his eye being of a most quick and sharp sight his taste most perfect whereby he was able to discern things that were almost insensible But in compounded meats it was a wonder how quickly he was able to distinguish either the benefit or the danger discerning infallibly the one from the other whereof when there was occasion and that he knew by certain evidence and reasons that it concern'd him to have a care to prevent poysoning he would not only seem to have the least dislike or suspition of any thing aâ— one that knew by proof that these are miraculously preserv'd that are in Gods protection but besides that in his Meat the exquisiteness of his Sense would give him notice and in his Drink where the greatest danger lay he held a more watchful care he dy'd in the 71 year of his age and in the year of our Lord 1622. 2. It is the ordinary practice of some Hermits in the Deserts by their taste or smell presently to inform themselves whether the Herbs and Roots and Fruits they met with all were good or hurtful for them though they never before had trial of them 3. William of Nassan Prince of Orange having receiv'd a wound in the Neck is said by Persons worthy of credit to have lost all manner of Taste whereas 't is held by such as are skill'd in the secrets of Nature that no man is found to be without that sense but it seems they may be deceiv'd at least 4. Cardanus saith he knew Augustus Corbetas a Patrician of their City who had no taste at all he was sensible of smells but not of tastes he could smell Pepper but could not taste it and so of divers other things 5. One that was vulgarly call'd Iohn Kropsfhans was also without taste as also destitute of any articulate sound At the Nuptials of Iodocus Huserus the Consul I made saith Schenkius this experiment of him Of the refuse of the second course there was made up for him such a Bolus as this a quantity of Salt Wall-nuts Cheese the shells and skins of Apples and roasted Chesnuts together with bits of Coals fetch'd from the Hearth in his sight These made up with Wine I saw put into his Mouth and so far was he from being offended therewith that he made signs for another of the same a certain and sure instance that he had no taste 6. The sight of Lazarus who was vulgarly call'd the Glass eater did affect me with much wonder saith Columbus The Man was known to all Venice and Ferrara He had no taste at all while he liv'd he found no pleasure at all in eating nor was any thing unpleasant to him he could not distinguish betwixt insipid and bitter sweet and fat or salt and sharp things He eat Glass and Stones Wood and living Creatures Coals and Fishes while they were yet alive he eat Clay linnen and woollen Cloaths Hay and Stubble and in a word any thing that either Man or other Creatures feed upon When dead he was dissected by Columbus who found that the fourth conjugation of Nerves which in other men for their tastes sake is drawn out long in this Lazarus did not bend it self towards the Palate or the tongue but was turn'd back towards the hinder part of the head 7. Sennertus tells that in the end of the year 1632. Iohannes Nesterus an eminent Physician and his great friend inform'd him that there liv'd at that time in the neighbourhood and belonging to a Nobleman of those parts a certain Lorrainer whom he also called Claudius somewhat low and slender and about fifty eight years of age This man saith he loaths nothing that stinks or that is otherwise unpleasant he hath been often seen to chew and swallow Glass Stones Wood Bones the feet of Hares and other Animals together with hair linnen and woollen Cloth Fishes and other Animals nay even Metals and Dishes and pieces of Tinn besides which he devours Sewet and Tallow Candles the shells of Cockles and the Dungs of Animals especially of Oxen even hot and as soon as it is voided He drinks the Urine of others mix'd with Wine or Beer he eats Hay Straw Stubble and lately he swallow'd down two living mice which for half an hour continued biting at the bottom of his Stomach And to be short whatsoever is offered him by any Noble Persons it goes down with him without more ado upon the smallest reward Insomuch that within a few days he hath promis'd to eat a whole Calf raw together with the skin and hair Among divers others I my self am a witness to the truth of these things To this and the following part of the Letter Sennertus adds that not having during some years heard any thing concerning this Claudius he sent about four years after to the same Physician Dr. Nesterus to enquire what was become of him and that the Dr. sent him back a Letter from the Minister of the Church of that place by way of confirmation of all the formerly mentioned particulars and answered himself that the Lorrainer whom he had long hoped to dissect was yet alive and did yet devour all the things mentioned in his former Letter but not so frequently as before his teeth being grown somewhat blunter by age that he was no longer able to break Bones and Metals 8. Rodericus Fonseca tells that in a Plague which fell out at Lisbon there was a certain unlearned person that went up and down to make trial of such as were in Fevers whether they were seised with the Plague or not and he did it on this manner in the beginning and first insult of the Disease he required to have their Urine that he might taste of it where he discern'd a kind of sweetness to be left upon his Palate he pronounced of that person that he was visited if otherwise he would say that the Fever was not pestilential and as it appears his taste was very true to him for
England and marryed to David King of the Scots that she was familiarly called Iane make peace both for her earnest and successful endeavours therein 10. In old time the Month of March was the first Month amongst the Romans but afterward they made Ianuary tha first the reason of which is thus rendred by some Romulus being a Martial Prince and one that loved Feats of War and Arms and reputed the Son of Mars he set before all the Months that which carried the Name of his Father But Numa who succeeded him immediately was a man of peace and endeavoured to draw the hearts and minds of his Subjects and Citizens from War to Agriculture so he gave the prerogative of the first place unto Ianuary and honoured Ianus most as one who had been more given to politick and peaceable Government and to the husbandry of Ground than to the exercise of War and Arms. 11. The Lord Treasurer Burleigh was wont to say that he overcame Envy and Evil will more by patience and peaceableness than by pertinacy and stubbornness And his private Estate he so manag'd that he never sued any man neither did ever any man sue him whereby he lived and dyed with glory 12. Numa Pompilius instituted the Priests or Heraulds called Feciales whose office was to preserve peace between the Romans and their Neighbouring Nations and if any quarrels did arise they were to pacifiâ— them by reason and not suffer them to come to violence till all hope of peace was past and if these Feciales did not consent to the Wars neither King nor people had it in their power to undertake them 13. Heraclitus was brought by the earnest prayers and entreaties of his Citizens that he would bring forth some sentence of his concerning Peace Unity and Concord Heraclitus got up into the Desk or Pulpit where he called for a cup of sair water which he sprinkled a little bran or meal upon then he put into it a little Glacon which is a sort of herb and so supped it off This done without speaking one word he departed leaving the more prudent and wiser sort of people to collect from thence that if they would cease from immoderate expences and costly matters and betake themselves to such things as were cheap and easie to be had that this was a sure way wherein the lovers of peace and concord might attain unto their desires 14. Otho the Emperour when he saw that he must either lay down the Empire or else maintain himself in the possession thereof by the blood and slaughter of a number of Citizens he determined with himself to die a voluntary death When his Friends and Soldiers desirâ—d him that he would not so soon begin to despair of the â—vent of the War he replyed That his liâ—e to him was not of that value as to occasion a Civil War for the defâ—nce of it Who can chuse but admire that such a spirit as this should be found in a Heathen Prince and he too not above thirty years of age 15. Alphonsus made use of Ludovicus Podius for the most part as his Embassador in Italy as having found him a person of singular diligence and fidelity when therefore this his Embassador gave him to understand that he might easily extort two hundred thousand Crowns for that peace which he was to grant to the Florentines and Venetians This noble and most generous Prince made him this return That his manner was to give peace and not to sell it 16. Servius Sulpitius was an Heathen Lawyer but an excellent person it is said of him that Ad facilitatem aequitatemque omnia tulit neque constituore litium actiones quam controversias tollere maluit He respected equity and peace in all that he did and always sought rather to compose differences than to multiply Suits of Law 11. Sertorius the more he prospered and prevailed in his Wars in Spain the more importunate he was with Metellas and Pompey the Roman Generals that came against him that laying down Arms they would give him leave to live in peace and to return into Italy again professing he preferred a private life there before the Government of many Cities CHAP. VI. Of the signal Love that some men have shewed to their Country JOhn the Second King of Portugal who for the nobleness of his mind was worthy of a greater Kingdom when he heard there was a Bird called a Peliâ—an that tears and gashes her Breast with her Bill that with her own blood thus shed she might restore her young ones to life that were leâ—t as dead by the bitings of Serpents This excellent Prince took care that the figure of this Bird in this action of hers should be added to other his Royal Devices that he might hereby shew that he was ready upon occasion to part with his own blood for the wellfare and preservation of his people and Country Pity it is to conceal their names whose minds have been in this matter as pious and Princely as his not doubting to redeem the lives of their Fellow-Citizens at the price of their own 1. The Town of Calis during the Reign of Philip de Valois being brought to those straits that now there was no more hope left either of Succours or Victuals Iohn Lord of Vienna who there â—ommanded for the King began to treat about the surrender of it desiring only that they might give it up with the safety of their lives and Goods Which conditions being offered to Edward King of England who by the space of eleven months had straitly besieged it he being exceedingly enraged that so small a Town should alone stand out against him so long and withal calling to mind that they had often galled his Subjects by Sea was so far from accepting their petition that contrariwise he resolv'd to put them all to the Sword had he not been diverted from that resolution by some sage Counsellors then about him who told him that for having been faithful and loyal Subjects to thâ—ir Sovereign they deserved not to be so sharply dealt with Whereupon Edward changing his â—irst purpose into some more clemency promised to receive them to mercy conditionally that six of the principal Townsmen should present him the Keys of the Town bare-headed and bare-footed and with Halters about their Necks their lives being to be left to his disposition whereof the Governour being advertised he presently gets him into the Market place commanding the Bell to be tolled for the conventing of the people whom being assembled he acquainted with the Articles which he had received touching the yielding up of the Town and the assurance of their lives which could not be granted but with the death of six of the chief of them with this news they were exceedingly cast down and perplexed when on the sudden there rises up one of their own company called Stephen S. Peter one of the richest and most sufficient men of the Town
the Gentlewoman perceiving the Prince began to be warm in his wine in hopes of enjoying her promise she desired liberty to withdraw into an adjoyning Gallery to take the Air but as soon as she was come into it she cast her self headlong down in the presence of the Prince and all her dead Husbands Relations 2. Cedrenus observeth in his History that Constantine the Ninth exercising tyranny as well in matters of Love as within his Empire caused the Roman Argyropulus to be sought out and commanded him to repudiate his Wife whom he had lawfully married to take his daughter on condition that he would make him Caesar and associate him with himself in his dignity But if he condescended not to his will he threatned to pull out his eyes and to make him all the days of his life miserable The Lady who was present seeing her Husband involv'd in all the perplexities that might be and ignorant what answer to give unto the Emperour Ah Sir said she I see you are much hindred in a brave way if it only rest in your Wife that you be not great and happy I freely deprive my self of all yea of your company which is more precious to me than all the Empires of the world rather than prejudice your fortune For know I love you better than my self And saying this she cut oâ—f her hair and voluntarily entred into a Monastery which the other was willing enough to suffer preferring Ambition before Love a matter very ordinary amongst great ones 3. The Emperour Conrad the Third besieged Guelphus Duke of Bavaria in the City of Wensberg in Germany the Women perceiving that the Town could not possibly hold out long petitioned the Emperour that they might depart only with so much as each of them could carry on their Backs which the Emperour condescended to expecting they would have loaden themselves with Silver and Gold c. But they came all forth with every one her Husband on her back whereat the Emperour was so mov'd that he wept received the Duke into his favour gave all the men their lives and extol'd the women with deserved praises Bodinus says that Laurentius Medices was restored to his health by the only reading of this Story when he had long in vain expected it from the endeavours of his Physicians 4. Hota was the Wife of Rahi Benxamut a valiant Captain and of great reputation amongst the Alarbes she had been bravely rescued out of the hands of the Portugals who were carrying her away Prisoner by the exceeding courage and valour of Benxamut her Husband She shewed her thankfulness to him by the ready performances of all the oâ—â—ices of love and duty Some time after Benxamut was slain in a conâ—lict and Hota perform'd her Husbands Funeral Obsequies with infinite lamentations laid his Body in a stately Tomb and then for Nine days together she would neither eat nor drink whereof she died and was buried as she had ordain'd in her last Will by the side of her beloved Husband Of her I may say as Sir Henry Wotton wrote upon Sir Albert Mortons Lady He first deceas'd She for a few days try'd To live without him lik'd it not and dy'd 5. Arria the Wife of Cecinna Paetus understanding that her Husband was condemn'd to dye and that he was permitted to chuse what manner of death lik'd him best she went to him and having exhorted him to depart this life couragiously and bidding him farewel gave her self a stab into the Breast with a Knife she had hid for that purpose under her Cloaths Then drawing the Knife out of the wound and reaching it to Paetus she said Vulnus quod feci Paete non dolet sed quod tu facies The wound I have made Pâ—etus smarts not but that only which thou art about to give thy self Whereupon Martial hath an Epigram to this purpose When Arria to her Husband gave the Knife Which made the wound whereby she lost her Life This wound dear Paetus grieves me not quoth she But that which thou must give thy self grieves me 6. King Edward the First while Prince warr'd in the Holy Land where he rescued the great City of Acon from being surrendred to the Souldan after which one Anzazim a desperate Sarazen who had often been employed to him from the Generalâ— being one time upon pretence of some secret message admitted alone into his Chamber he with an empoyson'd Knife gave him three wounds in the Body two in the Arm and one near the Arm-Pit which were thought to be mortal and had perhaps been so if out of unspeakable love the Lady Elianor his Wife had not suck'd out the poyson of his wounds with her mouth and thereby effected a cure which otherwise had been incurable Thus it is no wonder that Love should do wonders seeing it is it self a wonder 7. Sulpitia was the Wife of Lentulus a person proscrib'd by the Trium-Virate in Rome he being fled into Sicily she was narrowly watch'd by Iulia her Mother lest she should follow her Husband thither but she disguising her self in the habit of a Servant taking with her two maids and as many men by a secret flight she got thither not refusing to be proscrib'd her self to approve her fidelity and Love to her Husband 8. Artemisia the Queen of Caria bare so true a love to her Husband Maâ—solus that when he was dead she prepared his Funeral in a sumptuous manner she sent for the chiefest and most eloquent Orators out of all Greece to speak Orations in his Praise upon the chief day of the solemnity When the Body was burnt she had the Ashes carefully preserv'd and by degrees in her drink she took down those last remainders of her Husband into her own body and as a further testimony of her Love to his Memory she built him a Sepulchre with such magnificence that it was numbred amongst the seven wonders of the World 9. Learchus by poyson cut off Archelaus King of the Cyrenians and his friend and seiz'd upon his Kingdom in hopes of enjoying his Queen Eryxona She pretending not to be displeas'd with the proposals invited Learchus to come alone in the night and confer with her about it who in the strength of his affection and fearing nothing of treachery went unaccompanied to her Palace where he was slain by two whom Eryxona had there hid for that purpose and his body she caused to be thrown out at the Window 10. Camma the Wife of Sinatus the Priestess of Diana was a person of most rare beauty and no less virtue Erasinorix to enjoy her had treacherously slain her Husband he had often attempted in vain to perswade her to his embraces by fair speeches and gifts and she fearing he would add force to these feigned her self to be overcome with his importunity To the Temple they went and standing
drawn thither with his Fleet Being agreed upon the terms the Captains must mutually entertain one another and the â—irst lot fell upon Sextus who received them in his Ship there they supp'd and discoursed with all freedom and mirth when Mâ—nas the freed man of Sextus and Admiral of the Navy came and thus whispered Sextus in the Ear Wilt thou said he that I sâ—all cut the Cables put off the Ship and make thee Lord not only of Sicily and Sardinia but of the whole World it self He said it and it was easie to do it there was only a Bridge which joyn'd the Ship and Shore together and that remov'd the other fell in and who could hinder or oppose the design and upon those two whom he had in his hand all the Roman welfare relyed but Sextus valued his faith given And said he thou Menas perhaps oughtest to have done it and unknown to me But since they are here let us think no more of it for Perjury is none of my property 12. Fabius had agreed with Hannibal for the exchange of Captives and he that had the most in number should receive money for the over-plus Fabius certifies the Senate of this agreement and that Hannibal having two hundred and forty more Captives the money might be sent to reduce them The Senate refused it and withal twitted Fabius that he had not done rightly and orderly nor for the honour of the Republick to endeavour to free those men whose Cowardise had made them the prey of their enemies Fabius took patiently this anger of the Senate but when he had not money and purposed not to deceive Hannibal he sent his Son to Rome with command to sell his Lands and to return with the money to the Camp He did so and speedily came back he sent Hannibal the money and received the Prisoners many of whom would afterwards have repaid him but he freely forgave them 13. Guy Earl of Flanders and his Son were freed from Prison by Philip the fair King of France upon their saith given that in case they could not return the Flemings to their obedience who rebelled and with the English molested Philip that then they should reuurn themselves to their wonted durance They were not able to effect the one and therefore perform'd the other and in that prison Guy shortly after dyed 14. Ferdinand the first King of Spain left three Sons behind him Sanctius Alphonsus and Garcius amongst whom he had also divided his Kingdoms but they lived not long in mutual peace for soon after the death of their Father Sanctius who was of a fierce and violent disposition made war upon his Brother Alphonsus overcame und took him Prisoner and thrust him into a Monastery constrained Religion lasts not long and therefore he privily deserted his Cloyster and in company with Petrus Ansurius an Earl he fled for protection to Almenon King of Toledo He was a Moor and an enemy to the others Religion but there had been friendship and peace betwixt him and Ferdinand the Father of this distressed Prince and upon this account he chose to commit himself unto his faith and was chearfully received by him Long he had not been with him when in the presence of the King the hair of this Prince was observed to stand up an end in such manner that being several times stroked down with the hand they still continued in their upright posture The Moorish Southsayers interpreted this to be a prodigy of evil abodement and told the King that this was the man that should be advanced to the Throne of Toledo and thereupon perswaded to put him to death The King would not do it but preferred his faith given to the fear he might apprehend and thought it sufficient to make him swear that during his life he should not invade his Kingdom A while after King Sanctius was slain by Conspirators at Zamora and his Sister Vrrata being well affected to this her Brother sent him a messenger with letters to invite him to the Kingdom advising him by some craft and with celerity to quit the borders of the Barbarians where he was Alphonsus bearing a grateful mind would not relinquish his Patron in this manner but coming to Almâ—â—on acquainted him with the matter And now said he noble Prince compleat your Royal savours to me by sending me to my Kingdom That as I have hitherto had my liâ—e I may also have my Scepter of your generosity The King embraced him and wished him all happiness But said he you had lost both Life and Crown if with an ungrateful mind you had fled without my privity for I knew of the death of Sanctius and silâ—ntly I awaited whaâ— course you would take and had dispos'd upon the way such as should have return'd you back from your â—light had it been attempted But no more of this all I shall require of you is that during life you shall be a true friend to me and my elder Son Hissemus and so sent him away with money and an honourable retinue This Alphonsus did afterwards take the City and Kingdom of Toledo but it was after the death of Almenon and his Son 15. Iohn the first King of France was overthrown in battle and made prisoner by Edward the black Prince and afterwards brought over into England Here he remained four years and was then suffered to return unto France upon certain conditions which if he could make his Subjects submit to he should be free if otherwise he gave his faith to return He could not prevail to make them accept of the hard terms that were proffered whereupon he returned into England and there dyed 16. Renatus Duke of Berry and Lorrain was taken in Battle by the Soldiers of Philip Duke of Burgundy and was set at liberty upon this condition that as oft as he should be summon'd he should return himself into the power of the Duke while he was thus at liberty it fell out that upon the death of his Brother Lewis King of Naples he was called to succeed him in that Kingdom and at this time it was that the Duke of Burgundy demanded his return according to his oath Renatus well understood that this came to pass by the means of Alphonsus of Arragon who gaped after Naples and he was also proffered by Eugenius the fourth to be dispensed with in his oath notwithstanding all which he determin'd to keep his faith inviolate and so return'd to the Duke by him he was put in safe custody yet at last he was again set at liberty but not before such time as that through this his constrained delay the enemy had secured the Kingdom to himself 17. Antaâ—f King of some part of Ireland warring against King Ethelstan disguised himself like a Harper and came into Ethelstans Tent whence being gone a Soldier that knew him discovered it to the King who being offended with the Soldier for not declaring it sooner the Soldier made this
yearly for ever foâ—ty two pounds for a Lecture in St. Michael Bassings-Hall yearly ten pounds to the poor of Newgate twenty pounds to the two Compters to Ludgate and Bethlehem to each of them ten pounds to the four prisons in Southwark twenty pounds thirteen shillings four pence to the poor of Bassingshall ten pounds to Emanuel Colledge in Cambridge to buy lands to maintain two Follows and two Scholars six hundred pounds to the building of the Colledge fifty pounds to be lent unto poor Merchants â—ive hundred pounds to the Hospitals of St. Bartholomew and St. Thomas each of â—hem â—iâ—ty pounds to the Poor of Bridewel twenty pounds to poor Maids marriages one hundred pounds to poor Strangers of the Dutch and French Churches fifty pounds towards the building of the Pesthouse two hundrad pounds The sum of these gifts in money amounteth to more than seventeen hundred pounds and the yearly Annuities to seventy two pounds 11 Sir Iohn Gresham Mercer and Mayor of London Anno 1548. in the Second year of King Edward the sixth gave ten pounds to the poor to every ward in London which are twenty four within the City And to one hundred and twenty poor men and women to every one of them three yards of Cloth for a Gown of eight or nine shillings a yard to Maids marriages and the Hospitals in London above two hundred pounds He also founded a Free School at Holt a Market Town in Norfolk 12. Mr. Thomas Ridge Grocer gave to charitable uses one thousand one hundred sixty three pounds six shillings and eight pence viz. To the company of Grocers to be lent to two young men free of the company an hundred pound to his men and maid servants sixty three pounds six shillings eight pence unto the Hospitals about London one hundred pounds unto Preachers four hundred pounds to poor Tradesmen in and about London three hundred pounds for a Lecture in Grace-Church one hundred pounds and in Gowns for poor men one hundred pounds 13. Mr. Robert Offley Haberdasher gave six hundrâ—d pounds to the Mayor and Commonalty of Chester to be lent to young Tradesmen and for the relief of poor and Prisons and other such charitable uses two hundred pounds he gave to the company of the Haberdashers to be lent to freemen gratis two hundred pounds more to pay ten pound yearly to the poor of the company two hundred pounds more to give ten pounds per annum to two Scholars in each University one to Bethlehem one hundred pounds to other Hospitals Prisons and poor one hundred and sixty pounds more in toto one thousand four hundred and sixty pounds 14. The Lady Mary Ramsey who in the life time of Sir Thomas Ramsey joyning with him and after his death assured in Land two hundred forty three pounds per annum to Christs Hospital in London to these uses following to the Schoolmaster of Hawstead annually twenty pounds to the Master and Usher in Christs Church by the year twenty pounds to ten poor Widows besides apparel and houses yearly twenty pounds to two poor a man and a woman during life to each â—ifty three shillings four pence to two fellows in Peter-house in Cambridge and four Scholars yearly forty pouuds to St. Bartholomews Hospital ten pounds to Newgate Ludgate Compters ten pounds to Christs Hospital after the expiration of certain Leases there will come per annum one hundred and twenty pound to St. Peters the poor in London St. Andrews Vnder-shaft St. Mary Woolnoth ten pounds to six Scholars in Cambridâ—e twenty pounds to six Scholars in Oxford twenty pounds to ten maimed Soldiers twenty pounds for two Sermons â—orty shillings to the poor of Christs Church Parish â—iâ—ty shillings to the poor of the company of Drapers yearly ten pounds ten poor womens Gowns ten poor Soldiers Coats Shooes and Caps All these gifts aforesaid are to continue yearly 15. Mr. George Blundel Clothier of London by his last Will and Testament Anno 1599. bequeathed as followeth To Christs Hospital five hundred pounds to St. Bartholomews two hundred and fifty pounds to St. Thomas Hospital two hundred and fifty pounds to Bridewel yearly eight pounds towards Tiverton Church fifty pounds to mend the high ways there one hundred pounds to the twelve chief Companies in London to each one hundred and fifty pounds towards the releiving of poor prisoners and other charitable uses in toto one thousand eight hundred pounds For poor Maids marriages in Tiverton four hundred pounds to the City of Exeter to be lent unto poor Artificers nine hundred pounds towards the building of the free Grammar School in Tiverton two thousand four hundred pounds laid out since by his Executors Sir William Craven and others one thousand pounds to the Schoolmaster yearly fifty pounds to the Usher thirteen pounds six shillings eight pence to the Clark â—orty shillings for reparations eight pounds to place four boys Apprentices in Husbandry yearly twenty pounds to maintain six Scholars three in Cambridge and three in Oxford the sum of two thousand pounds The sum of all counting the yearly pensions at a valuable rate together with the legacies of money maketh twelve thousand pounds or thereabouts 16. Mr. Rogers of the company of Leather-sellers gave by his Will as followeth to the Prisons about London twelve pounds to the poor of two towns in the West Country thirteen pounds six shillings eight pence to the poor of the town of Pool where he was born ten pounds to build Alms-houses there three hundred thirty three pounds to relieve poor Prisoners being neither Papists nor Atheists that may be set free â—or twenty nobles a man one hundred and fifty pounds to poor Preachers ten pounds a man one hundred pounds to poor decayed Artificers that have Wife and Children one hundred pounds to the Company of Merchant Adventurers to relieve poor decayed people and for young Freemen four hundred pounds to Christs Hospital to purchase Land for the relief of that house five hundred pounds to erect Alms-houses about London and to maintain twelve poor People threescore pounds to the Parish where he dwelt ten pounds and for two dozen of Bread every Lords day to be distributed one hundred pounds to Christs-Church Parish fifteen pounds to the Poor in divers Parishes without Newgate Cripplegate Bishopsgate and St. Georges in Southwark twenty six pounds thirteen shillings four pence to each alike To St. Georges Parish in Southwark St. Sepulchres St. Olavâ—s St. Gileâ— St. Leonards to each thirty pounds one hundred and fifty pounds to St. Botolphs without Aldgate and Bishopsgate to each twenty pounds forty pounds Given to maintain two Scholars in Oxford two in Cambridge Students in Divinity to the Company of Leather-sellers which is carefully by them employed and augmented four hundred pounds The whole Sum amounteth to two thousand nine hundred and sixty pounds six shillings eight pence 17. Mr. George Palyn by his last Will and Testament gave unto
here the work of the first day Let there be light and opening the concave box a light shot it self into the dark and ascended by degrees as a vapor that is kindled by the Sun assoon as it disappeared there was a great applause made him by all the assistants that were then in presence 15. I will produce saith Grenibergius an experiment concerning voice which I infused into a Statue It was not made of Brass or solid Marble but of Plaister that so the winding receptacles of the voice as it were included in the bollow belly might receive the percussions of sounds and render them again the more happily I therefore put words into this ductory of the voice as the distances of breath would permit and so again I infused others at the like intervals I then closely stopped up the entrance of the voice at last after divers windings and various inflections and such impediments as promoted â—he design what I had spoâ—en came to the head and face of the Statue and for as much as the force of the words was sharp and that there was a succession of Spirits they did very expeditely move the Jaws and the tongue which were made moveable for that purpose even to the variety of Syllables 16. Ianellus Tâ—rrianus a Great Master in the Mathematicks did usually delight the Emperor Charles the fifth with miracles of Study sometimes he sent wooden Sparrows into the Emperors dining room which flew about there and returned At other times he caused little armed men to muster themselves upon the table and artificially move according to the discipline of war which was done so beyond Example that the Superior of the Religious house of S. Ierom nothing read in the mysteries of that Art suspected it for plain Witchcraft 17. We were heretofore some young Scholars of us with Albertus Durerus one of which as 't was usual with him gave evidence of his strength in divers tryals Durerus stroking him on the head come said he let us see if you can do a very small matter and with all shewed him two little Tables of Brass the one laid upon the other take said he fast hold on the uppermost and sever it from the other that is under it when he had assay'd it but in vain and though he used more strength yet found it was all one The young man told him that he had deluded him for the two tablets were rivetted together and thereupon he desisted the further tryal When Durerus himself bending them downwards easily perform'd it for both being exactly polished they sliped one from the other 18. There was an Artificer in Rome who made vessels of Glass of so tenacious a temper that they were as little liable to be broken as those that are made of Gold and Silver when therefore he had made a Vial of this purer sort and such as he thought a present worthy of Caesar alone he was admitted into the presence of the then Emperor Tiberius the gift was praised and the skilful hand of the Artist applauded and the devotion of the giver accepted The Artist that he might inhance the wonder of the Spectators and promote himself yet further in the favor of the Emperor desires and receives again the Vial out of Caesars hand and threw it with that force against the floor that the solidest metal would have received some damage or bruise thereby Caesar was not only amazed but affrighted with the Act but he taking up the Vial from the ground which was not broken but only shrivelled together as if the substance of the Glass had put on the temperature of Brass drew out an Instrument from his bosom aptly corrected the form of it and reduced it to it 's former figure by striking upon it as they use to do on a Brazen Vessel that is bruised This done he imagined that he had conquered the world as believing that he had merited an acquaintance with Caesar and raised the admiration of all the assistants but it fell out otherwise for the Emperor enquired if any other besides himself was privy to the like tempering of Glasses when he had told him no he commanded to strike off his head saying that should this Artifice come once to be known Gold and Silver would be of as little value as the dirt of the Street Long after this viz. 1610. we read that amongst other rare presents then sent from the Sophy of Persia to the King of Spain were six Glasses of Malleable Glass so exquisitely tempered that they could not be broken 19. At Dantzick a City of Prussia Mr. Marrison an ingenious Traveller of this Nation sent a Mill which without help of hands did saw Boards having an iron wheâ—l which did not only drive the Saw but also did hook in and turn the Boards unto the Saw Dr. Iohn Dee mentions the like seen by him at Prague but whether the Mill moved by Wind or Water is set down by neither of them 20. At the Mint of Segovia in Spain there is an Engine that moves by Water so artificially made that one part of it distendeth an Ingot of Gold into that breadth and thickness as is requisite to make Coin of It delivereth the Plate that it hath wrought unto another that printeth the Figure of the Coin upon it and from thence it is turned over to another that cutteth it according to the Print in due shape and weight And lastly the several Pieces fall into a reserve in another Room where the Officer whose charge it is sinds Treasure ready coyned 21. Oswaldus Norhingerus the most excellent Artisan of this or the former Ages made 1600 Dishes or Platters of turned Ivory all perfect and compleat in every part yet so small and little so thin and slender that all of them 't is wonderful to relate more to make were included at once in a Cup turned out of a Pepper Corn of the common bigness Iohannes Carolus Shad of Muelbrach carried this wonderful work with him to Rome shewed it to Pope Paul the Fifth who saw and counted them all by the help of a pair of Spectacles they were so little as to be almost insensible to the eye he then gave liberty to as many as would to see them amongst whom were Gaspar Scioppius and Iohannes Faber of Bamberge physician in Rome 22. Iohannes Bâ—ptista Ferrarius a Jesuit not long since shewed openly Cannons of Wood with their Carriages Wheels and all other their Military Furniture small and slender one you must think for twenty five of these together with thirty Cups turn'd out of Wood and neatly made were altogether contained and included in one single Pepper Corn which yet was such as exceeded not the common bigness 23. George Whitehead an English man made a Ship with all her Tackling to move it self on a Table with Rowers plying the Oars a Woman playing on the Lute and a little Whelp crying on the Deck saith Schottus
they were But let it be observed that he was thrust out of his Kingdom made a private man died in infamy and the hatred of all men 7. Iulianus at the first feigned himself to be a Christian and as some say was entred into Orders for Deacon from a worshipper of Christ he afterwards turn'd a great Persecutor and mocker of the Christians and Christianity it self in contempt of which he permitted the Jews to re-edifie that Temple of theirs which had been ruined under Titus and the care of that affair was committed to Antiochenus Philippus but the divine power shew'd forth it self to the terrour of men for so soon as they had laid the Stones in the Foundation of it the earth began to make a horrid noise and exceedingly trembled it cast out the begun Wall sent forth a flame that slew the Workmen and consumed all the Tools and Instruments that were there as well Iron as other This was it that occasioned the work to be laid aside the next night there were divers Crosses found upon the garments of many men and those in such manner set on that they could not be washed or any other way got out thence At last this Iulianus waging War with the Persians by an unknown hand he received a deadly wound betwixt his Ribs when filling his own hands with his own blood and throwing it up towards Heaven he brake out into these words Satisfie thy malice O Galilean so he called Christ for I acknowledge I am overcome by thee 8. Pope Leo the tenth admiring the huge mass of money which by his Indulgences he had rak'd together said most Atheistically to Cardinal Bembus Vide quantum haec fabula de Christo nobis profuit See what a deal of wealth we have gotten by this Fable of Christ And when he lay upon his death-bed the same Cardinal rehearsing a Text of Scripture to comfort him his reply was Apage has nugas de Christo Away with these baubles concerning Christ. 9. Nero the Emperour spoiled Temples and Altars without any difference and thereby shew'd that Religion was not only despised but also hated by him nor did he spare that Syrian Goddess which he worshipped but sprinkled the face of her with urine by these and the like means he became hated both of God and men so that the people of Rome revolted from him whereby he was compell'd to a fearful and miserable slight and fearing they would inflict on him torments worse than death he laid violent hands upon himself 10. Antoninus Commodus had not only abused himself divers other waies but even in the midst of the solemnities of Religion he could not abstain from impiety When he sacrificed to Isis with the Image of that Goddess which himself carried he laid upon the heads of the Priests and enforced them so to pelt one another with Pine Nuts which according to the Rites of their Religion they carryed in their hands that sometimes some of them died upon it With these and other wicked acts of his he was grown into that hatred that he lost his life as he lay in his bed slain by such as were about him to the great rejoycing of the people of Rome his body after it had some time lain unburied was cast into Tyber 11. A Cardinal with great Pomp making his entrance into the City of Paris when the people were more than ordinarily earnest with him for his fatherly Benediction Quandoquidem said he hic populus vult decipi decipiatur in nomine Diaboli Since these people will be fool'd let them be fool'd in the Devils name 12. Iohn King of England having been a little before reconciled to the Pope and then receiving an overthrow in France in great anger cryed out That nothing had prosper'd with him since the time he was reconciled to God and the Pope Being also on a time a Hunting at the opening of a fat Buck See said he how the Deer hath prospered and how fat he is and yet I dare swear he never heard Mass. He is reported in some distress to have sent Thomas Hardington and Raph Fitz-Nichols Knights in Embassage to Miramumalim King of Africk and Morocco with offer of his Kingdom to him upon condition he would come and aid him and that if he prevail'd he would himself become a Mahometan and renounce his Christian Faith The end of him was that he was poysoned by a Monk of Swinstead Abbey in Lincolnshire 13. Theophylact son of the Emperour by the absolute power of the Emperour was seised of the Patriarchate of Constantinople he then became a Merchant of Horses which he so violently affected that besides the prodigious race of two thousand which he ordinarily bred he many times left the Altar where he sacrificed to the living God to hasten to see some Mare of his that had Foaled in the Stable 14. Leo the fourth Emperour of Constantinople thrust on by his covetous desire in shew of jest as another Dionysius took off the Crown from the head of St. Sophia which had been made by former Princes in honour of her not without vast expences he afterwards wore it upon his own head But his impiety passed not without its punishment for instead of Gemms Carbuncles and envenomed Pustules brake out on every part of his head so that he was constrain'd thereby to lay aside his Crown and also to depart the World 15. Paulus Graecus had revolted from Bamba King of the Goths usurped the title of the King of Spain and besides divers other evil actions of his he had taken out of a Temple in the City of Gerunda a Crown which the devout King Bamba had consecrated to St. Foelix not long after he was duly rewarded for it For he was taken by Bamba against whom he had rebelled he was brought from Nemausis a City in France to Toledo in Spain Crown'd with a Diadem of Pitch his eyes put out riding upon a Camel with his face turned towards the tail and followed all along with the reproaches and derision of all that beheld him 16. M. Crassus the Roman General going upon a Military expedition into Parthia as he passed through Iudaea his covetousness put him upon the thoughts of Sacriledge so that he risted the Temple of Ierusalem of the Treasures that were laid up in it but divine vengeance had him in chase for it for not long after he was overcome in Battel by the Parthians where he lost both his fame and life and son together with his ill gotten Goods and being found by his enemies when dead had molten Gold poured into his mouth to upbraid his covetousness 17. Mahomet the second being repulsed by the Inhabitants of Scodra in a furious assault he had made upon that City wished that he had never heard of the name of Scodra and in his choler and frantick rage most horribly blasphem'd against God most wickedly saying That it was enough for
Messenger is come to thee our will and pleasure is that thou send us by him thy head unto Constantinople In vain was it to dispute the command of his Lord and thus the miserble man perished 3. William the Conquerour for his game and the pleasure he took in hunting enforested thirty miles in Hamshire pulled down thirty six Parish Churches and dispeopled all the place chasing the inhabitants from the places of their inheritance But the just hand of God was visible and remarkable upon his posterity for this his grievous oppression for in this very New Forest his two Sons Richard by a pestilent air and King William Rufus by the shot of an Arrow and his Grandson Henry son of Duke Robert by hanging in a bough as Absolom came to their untimely ends 4. Anno Dom. 1570. at Ryâ— in Sussex there was a strange example of Gods judgements upon a covetous oppressive Gentleman and one that desired to grind the faces of the Poor This Gentleman living near the Sea had a Marsh wherein upon poles Fishermen used to dry their Nets for which he received of them yearly a sufficient sum of money but at length not being content with it he caused his servants to pluck up the poles not suffering the Fishermen to come upon his ground any longer except they would compound at a larger rate but it came to pass the same night that the Sea breaking in overwhelmed all his Marsh which saith Hollinshead continueth in that manner to this very day 5. Lucullus the Roman Consul visiting the Cities of Asia found the poor country afflicted and oppressed with so many evils and miseries as no man living could believe nor tongue express for the extream and horrible covetousness of the Farmers Customers and Roman Usurers did not only devour it but kept the people also in such miserable bondage and thraldome that Fathers were forced to sell their goodly Sons and Daughters ready for marriage to pay the interest and use money of that which they had borrowed to pay their fines withall yea they were forced to sell the Tables dedicated to the Temples the statues of their gods and other Ornaments and Jewels of their Temples and yet in the end they themselves were adjudged for bondslaves to their cruel Creditors to wear out their dayes in miserable servitude And yet the worst of all was the pain and torment they put them to before they were so condemned for some they imprisoned and cruelly racked others they tormented upon a little brazen Horse set them in the Stocks made them stand naked in the greatest heat of Summer and on the Ice in the deepest of Winter so that bondage seemed to them a relief of their miseries and a rest from their torments Lucullus found the Cities of Asia full of such oppressions whereof in a short time he exceedingly eased them 6. King Iohn of England was a great oppressour on a time a Jew refusing to lend this King so much mony as he required the King caused every day one of his great teeth to be pulled out by the space of seven dayes and then the poor Jew was content to give the King ten thousand marks of silver that the one tooth which he had left might not be pulled out The same King assaulting the chastity of the Daughter of Robert Fitzwater called Mawd the fair and by her repulsed he is said to send a messenger to give her poyson in a poached Egg whereof she died not long after he himself had but little better fate being poysoned at Swinestead Abbey 7. Luther reports that he being at Rome a great Cardinal died and left behind him great store of mony Before his death he had made his Will and laid it in a Chest where his mony was After his death the Chest was opened and therein by the mony was found written in Parchment Dum potui rapui rapiatis quando potestis I scrap'd together while I could That you should do so too I would 8. Five Brethren of the Marshalls successively Earles of Pembrook dyed issueless Which Mathew Paris attributeth to the judgement of God upon them for their Fathers iniquity who detained from the Bishop of Firning certain Manours which he had violently taken from him 9. Lewis the eleventh King of France having been a great oppressour of his Subjects by excessive Taxes and enforced Contributions when he grew old resolved to redress that and other mischiefs whereby they had been oppressed but was in a short time after this purpose prevented by death 10. Anno Dom. 1234. in the reign of King Henry the third there was a great dearth in England so that many people died for want of victuals At which time Walter Grey Arch-bishop of York had great store of Corn which he had hoarded up for five years together yet in that time of scarcity refused to relieve the poor with it but suspecting lest it might be destroyed with Vermine he commanded it to be delivered to Husband-men that dwelt in his Mannors upon condition to return him as much New Corn after Harvest but behold a terrible judgement of God upon him for his covetousness and unmercifulness to the poor When men came to one of his great Stacks of Corn near to the Town of Rippon there appeared in the sheaves all over the heads of Worms Serpents and Toads so that the Bayliffs were forced to build a high wall round about the Stack of Corn and then to set it on fire lest the venemous creatures should have gone out and poysoned the Corn in other places CHAP. XIII Of the bloody and cruel Massacres in several places and their occasions THe Naturalists tell us of a Serpent who is therefore called Haemorrhois that wheresoever he bites he makes the man all over bloody It seems his poyson hath a particular command over the blood so as to call it all into the outward parts of the body The vulgar rout and headstrong multitude when once it is enraged is such another kind of Serpent wheresoever the scene of its insolency is it makes it all over bloody This unbridled torrent bears all down before it and being transported with its own fury it knows no difference of age sex or degree till it hath converted a flourishing place into an Akeldama or a field of blood In the year 1506. in Lisbon upon the tenth day of April many of the City went to the Church of Saint Dominicks to hear Mass On the left side of this Church there is a Chapel much reverenced by those of the Country and called Iesus Chapel Upon the Altar there stands a Crucifix the wound of whose side is covered over with a piece of Glass Some of those that came thither to do their devotions casting their eyes upon this hole it seemed to them that a certain kind of glimmering light came forth of it Then happy he that could first cry a miracle and every one said that God
shewed the testimonies of his presence A Iew that was but lately become a Christian there denied that it was any miracle saying it was not likely that out of a dry piece of Wood there should come such a light Now albeit many of the standers by doubted of the miracle yet hearing a Jew deny it they began to murmure calling him wicked Apostate a detestable enemy to Jesus Christ and after they had sufficiently revileâ— him with words all the multitude foaming with anger fall upon him pluck off the hair of his head and beard tread upon him trail him into the Church-yard beat him to death and kindling a great fire cast the dead body into it All the residue of the people ran to this mutinous Company there a certain Fryer made a Sermon wherein he vehemently egged on his auditors to revenge the injury that our Lord had received The people mad enough of themselves were clean cast off of the hinges by this Exhortation besides this two other Fryers took and held up a Cross as high as they could cryed out Revenge Heresie Heresie down with wicked Heresie and destroy the wicked Nation Then like hungry Dogs they fall upon the miserable Jews cut the throats of a great number and drag them half dead to the fires many of which they made for the purpose They regarded not Age or Sex but murdered Men Women and Children they brake open doors rush into rooms dash out Childrens brains against the walls they went insolently into Churches to pluck out thence the little Children old Men and young Maids that had taken hold of the Altars the Crosses and Images of Saints crying misericordia mercy mercy there they either so murdered them presently or threw them out alive into the fire Many that carried the port and shew of Jews found themselves in great danger and some were killed and others wounded before they could make proof that they had no relation to them Some that bare a grudge to others as they met them did but cry Jews and they were presently beaten down without having any liberty or leasure to answer for themselves The Magistrates were not so hardy as to oppose themselves against the fury of the people so that in three dayes the Cut-throats killed above two thousand Jewish persons The King understanding the news of this horrible hurly burly was extreamly wroth and suddenly dispatched away Iaques Almeida and Iaques Lopez with full power to punish so great offences who caused a great number of the seditious to be executed The Fryers that had lift up the Cross and animated the people to murder were degraded and afterwards hanged and burnt The Magistrates that had been slack to repress this riot were some put out of Office and others fined the City also was disfranchized of many priviledges and honours 2. In the 1281 year since the birth of our Saviour when Charles of Anjoy reigned in Sicily his Souldiers all French men lying in Garisons in the Cities grew so odious to the Sicilians that they studied of nothing so much as how to be revenged and to free themselves from the yoke of the French The fittest and most resolute in this business was a Gentleman called Iohn Prochyto This Gentleman being justly provoked by the French who had forced his Wife and finding himself much favoured by the Sicilian Lords and Gentlemen begins by their counsel and support to build a strange design for the entrapping of all the French at once and abolishing for ever their memory in Sicilia All which was so secretly carried for eighteen months that ever since it hath been looked upon as a prodigious thing that a design of that nature could possibly be so long and safely concealed by so many people and so different in humour The watch-word or signal was that upon Easter-day when the Bell should begin to toll to Even-song all the Sicilians should presently run to arms and joyning together with one accord should fall upon all the French throughout Sicilia Accordingly all the Inhabitants of the Iâ—le were gathered together at the appointed hour and armed ran upon the French cut all their throats without taking so much as one prisoner or sparing the Children or Women gotten with Child by the French that they might utterly extinguish the whole race of them There were slain eight thousand at that time and there escaped but a very small number who fled into a Fort called Sperling where for want of victuals they were all starved to death This bloody Massacre is to this day called the Sicilian Even-song 3. Anno 1572. was the bloody Parisian Mattins wherein was spilt so much Christian blood that it flowed through the streets like rain water in great abundance and this butchery of Men Women and Children continued so long that the principal Rivers of the Kingdom were seen covered with murdered bodies and their streams so dyed and stained with humane blood that they who dwelt far from the place where this barbarous act was committed abhorred the waters of those Rivers and refused to use either it or to eat of the fish taken therein for a long time after This Tragedie was thus cunningly plotted A peace was made with the Protestants for assurance whereof a marriage was solemnized between Henry of Navarre chief of the Protestant party and the Lady Margaret the Kings Sister At this Wedding there assembled the Prince of Conde the Admiral Coligni and divers others of chief note but there was not so much Wine drank as blood shed at it At midnight the Watch-bell rung the King of Navarre and the Prince of Conde are taken prisoners the Admiral murdered in his bed and thirty thousand at the least of the most potent men of the Religion sent by the way of the Red Sea to find the nearest passage to the Land of Canaan 4. In the year 1311. and in the time of Pope Clement the fifth all the order of the Knights Templars being condemned at the Council of Vienna and adjudged to dye Philip the Fair King of France urged by the Pope and out of a covetous desire of store of Confications gave way for men to charge them with crimes and so these Innocents were put to death The Great Master of the Order together with two other of the principal Persons one whereof was Brother to the Dolphin of Viennois were publickly burnt together 5. Mithridates King of Pomus once a friend and confederate of the Romans and took their part against Aristonicus who would not consent to the admission of the Romans unto Pergamus according to the last will of King Attalus yet afterwards conceiving an ambitious hope to obtain the Monarchy of all Asia in one night he plotted and effected the death of all the Roman Souldiers dispersed in Anatolia to the number of one hundred and fifty thousand 6. The Massacre of the Frâ—nch Protestants at Merindol and Chabriers happened in the year 1545. the instrument of it being
a numerous crowd of them that sled he was known to his enemies by nothing so much as the odour of his Unguents and sweetness of his perfumes thus betrayed he was brought back and had his eyes put out by his sons command 8. The City Sybaris is seated two hundred furlongs from Crotona betwixt the two Rivers of Crathis and Sybaris built by Iseliceus the affaires of it were grown to that prosperity that it commanded four Neighbour Nations and had twenty five Cities subservient to its pleasure they led out three hundred thousand men against them of Crotona all which power and prosperity were utterly overturned by means of their luxury They had taught their Horses at a certain tune to rise on their hinder feet and with their fore-feet to keep a kind of time with the Musick a Minstril who had been ill used amongst them fled to Crotona and told them If they would make him their Captain he would put all the enemies horse their chief strength into their hands it was agreed he taught the known Tune to all the Minstrels in the City and when the Sybarites came up to a close charge at a signal given all the Minstrels played and all the Horses fell to dancing by which being unserviceable both they and their Riders were easily taken by the enemy 9. The old Inhabitants of Byzantium were so addicted to a voluptuous life that they hired out their own houses familiarly and went with their Wives to live in Taverns they were men greedy of Wine and extremely delighted with Musick but the first sound of a Trumpet was sufficient almost to put them besides themselves for they had no disposition at all to War and even when their City was besieged they left the defence of their Walls that they might steal into a Tavern CHAP. L. Of the libidinous and unchaste life of some Persons and what Tragedies have been occasioned by Adulteries IN an ancient Embleme pertaining to Iohn Duke of Burgundy there was to be seen a Pillar which two hands sought to overthrow the one had Wings and the other was figured with a Tortoise the word Vtcunque as much as to say by one way or other There are Amourists who take the same course in their prohibited amours some strike down the Pillars of Chastity by the sudden and impetuous violence of great promises and unexpected presents others proceed therein with a Tortoises pace with long patience continual services and profound submissions yet when the Fort is taken whether by storm or long siege there is brought in an unâ—â—pected reckoning sometimes that drenches all their sweets in blood and closes up their unlawful pleasures in the â—ables of death Thus 1. A certain Merchant of Iapan who had some reason to suspect his Wife pretended to go into the Country but returning soon after surprized her in the very act The Adulterer he killed and having tyed his Wife to a Ladder he left her in that half hanging posture all night The next day he invited all the Relations on both sides as well Men as Women to dine with him at his own house sending word that the importance of the business he had to communicate to them excused his non-observance of the custom they have to make entertainments for the women distinct from those of the men They all came and asking for his Wife were told that she was busie in the Kitchen but Dinner being well nigh past they entreated the Husband to send for her which he promised to do Whereupon rising from the Table and going into the room where she was tyed to the Ladder he unbound her put a Shrowd upon her and into her hands a Box wherein were the privy Members of her Gallant covered with Flowers and saying to her go and present this Box to our common Relations and see whether I may upon their mediation grant you your life She came in that equipage into the Hall where they sate at Dinner and falling on her knees presented the Box with the precious reliques in it to the kindred but as soon as they had opened it she swounded her Husband perceiving that it went to her heart and to prevent her returning again now she was going cut off her head which raised such an horrour in the Friends that they immediately left the room and went to their several homes 2. Schach Abbas King of Persia coming to understand that one of his menial servants who was called Iacupzanbeg Kurtzi Tirkenan that is to say he whose Office it was to carry the Kings Bow and Arrows had a light Wife sent him notice of it with this message that if he hoped to continue at Court in his employment it was expected he should cleanse his House This message and the affliction he conceived at the baseness of his Wife and his reflection that it was known all about the Court put him into such a fury that going immediately to his House which was in the Province of Lenkeran he cut in pieces not only his Wife but also her two Sons four Daughters and five Chamber-maids and so cleansed his House by the blood of twelve persons most of them innocent 3. The Egyptians do not presently deliver the dead bodies of the Wives of eminent persons to Conditure and embalming nor the bodies of such women who in their life-time were very beautiful but detain them after death at least three or four dayes and that upon this reason There was once one of these Embalmers empeached by his Companion that he had carnal knowledge of a dead body committed to his care to be Salted and Embalmed Dr. Brown in his Vulgar Errors speaking of the like villanies used by these Pollinctors elegantly writes Deformity needeth not now complain nor shall the eldest hopes be ever superannuated since Death hath Spurs and Carcases have been Courted 4. After King Edred not any of his Sons but his Nephew Edwin the eldest Son of King Edmund succeeded and was anointed and Crowned at Kingston upon Thames by Otho Arch-bishop of Canterbury in the year 955. This Prince though scarce fourteen years old and in age but a Child yet was able to commit sin as a man for on the very day of his Coronation and in sight of his Lords as they sate in Council he shamefully abused a Lady of great estate and his near Kins-woman and to mend the matter shortly after slew her Husband the more freely to enjoy his incestuous pleasure For this and other infamous acts a great part of his Subjects hearts were so turned against him that the Mercians and Northumbrians revolted and swore fealty to his younger Brother Edgar with grief whereof after four years reign he ended his life and was buried in the Church of the New Abbey of Hide at Winchester 6. Eugenius the third King of Scotland made a beastly Act which appointed the first night of the new married Woman to appertain to the Lord of the Soil
began to spread about the beginning of Domitians Reign after Christ fifty two years 2. Corinthus was a Jew by birth and circumcised taught that all Christians ought to be so also he taught that it was Jesus that died and rose again but not Christ he denied the Article of eternal life and taught that the Saints should enjoy in Ierusalem carnal delights for one thousand years he denied the divinity of Christ he owned no other Gospel but that of St. Matthew rejected Paul as an Apostate from the Law of Moses and Worshipped Iudas the Traytor in most things they agreed with the Ebionites so called from Ebion a Samaritan St. Iohn would not enter the same bath with the pernicious Heretick Corinthus but against his and the Heresie of Ebion he wrote his Gospel he spread his Heresie in Domitian's time about sixty two years after Christ. 3. Carpocrates of whom came the Carpocratians was born at Alexandria in Aegypt he flourished about the year of Christ 109. in the time of Antoninus Pius Eusebius accounts him the father of the Gnosticks and saith That his followers gloried of charmed love-drinks of devilish and drunken dreams of assistant and associate Spirits and taught That he who would attain to perfection in their mysteries must commit the most filthy acts nor could they but by doing evil avoid the rage of evil Spirits They said that Christ was a meer man and that only his soul ascended into Heaven They held Pythagorean transmigration but denied the Resurrection They said not God but Satan made this World And that their Disciples should not publish their abominable mysteries they bored their right ear with a Bodkin 4. Valentinus an Aegyptian lived in the time of Antoninus Pius When Hyginus was Bishop of Rome he began to spread his Heresie He held that there were many gods and that he that made the World was the author of death That Christ took flesh from Heaven and passed through the Virgin as water through a Pipe or Conduit He said there were thirty Ages or Worlds the last of which produced the Heaven Earth and Sea Out of the imperfections of this Creator were procreated divers evils as darkness from his fear evil Spirits out of his ignorance out of his tears springs and rivers and out of his laughter light They have Wives in common and say that both Christ and the Angels have Wives They celebrated the heathenish Festivals were addicted to Magick and what not This Heretick was of great reputation in Rome from whence he went to Cyprus and thence into Aegypt 5. Marcion of whom came the Marcionites was of Sinope a City of Pontus or Paphlagonia being driven from Ephesus by S. Iohn he went to Rome he was the son of a Bishop in Pontus and by his father exiled for Fornication being not received by the Brethren in Rome he fell in with Cerdon maintained his Heresie and became his successour in the time of Marcus Antoninus Philosophus one hundred thirty three years after Christ. He held three gods a visible invisible and a middle one that the body of Christ was only a Phantasm that Christ by his descent into hell delivered thence Cain and the Sodomites and other Reprobates He condemned the eating of flesh and the married life he held that souls only were saved permitted women to baptize and condemned all War as unlawful Polycarpus called him the first begotten of the Devil Iustin Martyr wrote a Book against him 6. Tatianus whence come the Tatiani was a Syrian by birth an Orator and familiar with Iustin Martyr under whom he wrote a profitable Book against the Gentiles he flourished one hundred forty two years after Christ his Disciples were also called Encratit◠from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 temperance or continence for they abstain from Wine Flesh and Marriage When Iustin Martyr was dead he composed his Tenents out of divers others He held that Adam after his Fall was never restored to mercy that all men are damned besides his Disciples that women were made by the Devil he condemned the Law of Moses made use of water instead of wine in the Sacrament and denied that Christ was the seed of David he wrote a Gospel of his own which he called Diatessaron and spread his Heresie through Pisidia and Cilicia 7. Montanus Father of the Montanists his Heresie began about one hundred forty five years after Christ by Nation he was a Phrygian and carried about with him two Strumpets Prisca and Maximilla who sled from their husbands to follow him These took upon them to Prophesie and their dictate were held by Montanus for Oracles but at last he and they for company hanged themselves his Disciples ashamed either of his life or ignominious death called themselves Cataphrygians he confounded the Persons in the Trinity saying That the father suffered he held Christ to be meer man and gave out that he himself was the Holy Ghost his Disciples baptized the dead denied repentance and marriage yet allowed of Incest they trusted to Revelations and Enthusiasms and not to the Scripture In the Eucharist they mingled the bread with the blood of an Infant of a year old In Phrygia this Heresie began and spread it self over all Cappadocia 8. Origen gave name to the Origenists whose errours began to spread Anno Dom. 247. under Aurelian the Emperour and continued above three hundred thirty four years They were condemned first in the Council of Alexandria two hundred years after his death and again in the fifth General Council at Constantinople under Iustinian the first They held a revolution of souls from their estate and condition after death into the bodies again They held the Devils and Reprobates after one thousand years should be saved That Christ and the Holy Ghost do no more see the Father than we see the Angels That the son is co-essential with the Father but not co-eternal Because say they the Father created both Him and the Spirit That souls were created long before this World and for sinning in Heaven were sent down into their bodies as into prisons They did also overthrow the whole Historical truth of Scripture by their Allegories 9. Paulus Samosatenus so called from Samosata near Euphrates where he was born a man of infinite pride commanding himself to be received as an Angel his Heresie brake out two hundred thirty two years after Christ and hath continued in the Eastern parts ever since He held that Christ was meerly man and had no being till his Incarnation that the God-head dwelt not in Christ bodily but as in the Prophets of old by grace and efficacy and that he was only the external not the internal Word of God Therefore they did not baptize in his name for which the Council of Nice rejected their Baptism as none and ordered they should be rebaptized who were baptized by them he denied the divinity of the Holy Ghost allowed Circumcision took away such Psalms as
and thence to Barkely Many cruelties they exercised upon this poor Prince they permitted him not to ride but by night neither to see any man nor to be seen by any man when he rode they forced him to be bare-headed when he desired to sleep they would not suffer him neither when he was hungry would they give him such meat as he desired but such only as he loathed every word that he spake was contraried by them and they gave out that he was mad All this was done that either by cold watching unwholesom food melancholy or some other infirmity he might languâ—sh and dye but in vain was their expectation yea even the poysons they gave him were dispatched away by the benefit of Nature In their journey to Barkely from Bristol the wicked Gurney making a Crown of Hay put it on his head and the Souldiers that were present scoffed and mocked him beyond measure saying Tprut avaunt Sir King making a kind of noise with their mouths as if they farted Fearing to be known as they travelled they devised to disfigure him by shaving of his head and beard wherefore by a little water that ran into a ditch they commanded him to light from his Horse to be shaven to whom being set on a Mole-hill a Barber came with a Bason of cold water taken out of a ditch saying to the King that water should serve for that time To whom Edward answered That in spite of them he would have warm water for his beard and thereupon began to weep and shed tears plentifully At length they came to Barkely Castle where Edward was shut up close as an Anchorite in a room where dead carcasses were laid on purpose in the Cellar under it that the stench might suffocate him but this being perceived not sufficient one night being the 22. of Septemb. they came rushing in upon him suddenly as he lay in his bed and with great and heavy Feather-beds being in weight as much as fifteen strong men could bear they oppressed and strangled him Also they thrust a Plummers Sodring-Iron being made red-hot into his bowels through a certain Instrument like to the end of a Trumpet or Clystering Pipe put in at the Fundament burning thereby his inward parts lest any outward wound should be found His crys were heard within and without the Castle and known to be the crys of one that suffered violent death And this was the sorrowful and tragick end of Edward of Carnarvan 25. Dionysius the younger had his Kingdom in good constitution and sufficiently fortified as thus He had no less than 400 Ships of five and six Oars in a seat he had one hundred thousand Foot and nine thousand Horse his City of Syracuse had strong Gates and was compassed with high Walls he had in readiness all manner of warlike provisions to furnish out 500 more Ships he had Granaries wherein were laid up 100 Myriads of that measure which contains six bushels of bread-corn he had a Magazine repleat with all sorts of Arms offensive and defensive he was also well fortified with Confederates and Allies so that he himself thought that the Government was fastned to him with chains of Adamant But being invaded by Dion in his absence his people revolted and behold what a fatal revolution fell out in his Family himself had before slain his Brother and in this Insurrection against him his Sons were cruelly put to death his Daughters were first ravished then stript naked and in that manner slain and in short none of his Progeny obtained so much as a decent Burial for some were burnt others cut in pieces and some cast into the Sea and he himself dyed old in extreme poverty Theopompus saith that by the immoderate use of Wine he was become purblind that his manner was to sit in Barbers Shops and as a Jester to move men unto laughter living in the midst of Greece in a mean and low fashion he wore out the miserable remainders of a wretched life 26. King Edward the Third that glorious Conqueror after he had reigned fifty years and four months being in the fifty sixth year of his Age An. Dom. 1377. fell into his last sickness at his Mannor of Richmond where when he was observed to be drawing on towards his end his Concubine Alice Peirce came to his bed-side and took the Rings from his fingers which for the Royalty of his Majesty he was wonted to wear and having left him gasping for breath fled away The Knights and Esquires and Officers of his Court each of them fell to rifle and make prey of all they could meet with and also hasted away leaving the King alone in this sorrowful state and condition Only it fortuned that a Priest lamenting the Kings misery that amongst all his Counsellors and Servants there was none to assist him in his last moments entred his Chamber exhorting the King to lift up his eyes and heart unto God to repent him of his sins and to implore the mercy of Heaven and its forgiveness The King had before quite lost his speech but at these words taking strength uttered his mind though imperfectly in those matters and made signs of contrition wherein his voice and speech failed him and scarce pronouncing this word Iesu he yielded up the ghost 27. Gilimer was King of the Vandals in Africk long had he lived happy increasing his riches and Dominions by his Victories when his felicity began to alter Belisarius sent by the Emperour Iustinian against him overthrew him he sled out of the Battel unto Pappus a high Mountain in Numidia whither he was pursued and besieged he had endured the Siege a while when he sent word that he would yield up himself only desired there might be sent him a piece of Bread a Sponge and a Harp the Bread to relieve his hunger the Sponge to dry his eyes and the Harp to ease his afflicted mind they were sent him and he yielded Being brought into the presence of Belisarius he did nothing but laugh being led in Triumph to Constantinople and presented to Iustinianus and Theodora his Empress he cryed out Vanity of vanities all his vanity He afterwards dyed private in a corner of Gaul 28. Croesus that rich King of Lydia shewed Solon all his Riches and Treasures And what thinkest thou said he is there any man thou knowest more happy than my self There is said he and named one Tellus a man of mean fortune but content with it and then he named two others who having lived well were now dead Croesus laughs and said he What state take you me to be in I cannot tell said Solon nor can we reasonably account that man happy who is tossed in the waves of this life till he is arrived at the Haven seeing a tempest may come that may overturn all Croesus made little of this at that time but being overcome by Cyrus bound and laid upon a Pile to be burnt alive Croesus cryed out O
the perswasion of Paulus the Patriarch of Constantinople made him a Deacon and afterwards caused him to be slain although he had received the sacred Mysteries at his hands After which oftentimes in his sleep he seemed to see his dead Brother in the habit of a Deacon reaching out to him a cup filled with blood and saying to him Drink Brother The unhappy Emperour was so afflicted and terrified with the apprehensions of this and the stings of his own conscience that he determined to retire into Sicily where also he dyed 10. Hermannus Bishop of Prague when he lay a dying with a heavy sigh complained that he had spent a far greater part of his life in the Courts of Princes than in the House of the Lord that he might have given check unto sundry vices but that with his Courtier-like life he had rather administred a further licence to sin while after the manner of others he endeavoured to seem to Princes rather pleasant than severe and this fault above others he earnestly desired that God Almighty of his mercy would forgive him 11. Memorable is the Example of Francis Spira an Advocate of Padua An. 1543. who having sinned in despite of conscience fell into that trouble and despair that by no endeavours of learned men he could be comforted he felt as he said the pains of Hell in his Soul Frismelica Bullovat and other excellent Physicians could neither make him eat drink nor sleep no perswasions could ease him Never pleaded any man so well for as this man did against himself and so he desperately died 12. Catullus Governour of Libya had fraudulenty and unjustly put to death 3000 Jews and confiscated their Goods now though neither Vespasian or Titus said any thing to him yet not long after he fell into a grievous disease and was cruelly tormented not only in body but also in mind For he was greatly terrified and still imagined to see the Ghosts of them whom he had so unjustly slain ready to kill him so that he cryed out and not able to contain himself leapt out of his bed as though he had been tortured with torments and fire And this disease daily increasing his guts and bowels rotting and issuing out of him at last he died CHAP. XL. Of Banishment and the sorts and manner of it amongst the Ancients c. THE Nature of man is to rush headily and at all adventures upon that which is forbidden him and to account himself as a sufferer wherein he is any way infringed of his liberty although it be really to his advantage to be so restrained This was perhaps the reason why 1. The Emperour Claudius banished some persons after a new kind of fashion for he commanded that they should not stir beyond the compass of three miles from the City of Rome wherein they lived 2. Damon the Master of Pericles was banished by the Athenians by a Decree of ten years Exile for this only reason That he was thought to have a wisdom and prudence beyond what was common to others 3. The Ephesians banished Hermodorus the Philosopher for this only cause That he had the reputation of an honest man and lived in great modesty and frugality the Tenor of their Decree was That no man should amongst them be a good husband or excel others in case he did he should be forced to depart 4. Ostracisme was a form of Banishment for ten years so called because the name of the party banished was writ on an Oyster-shell it was used towards such who either began to grow too popular or potent amongst the men of service This device allowable in a Democracy where the over-much powerfulness of one might hazard the liberty of all was exercised in spight oftner than desert It was frequent amongst the Athenians and by virtue hereof Aristides Alcibiades Nicias and divers others were commanded to leave their Country for ten years 5. Petalism was a form of Banishment for five years from the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a leaf it was practised chiefly in the City of Syracuse upon such of their Citizens as grew too popular and potent the manner was to write his name in an Olive-leaf and that once put into his hand without more ado he was thereby expelled the City and its Territories for five years yet could not this device so well secure them in the possession of their so much desired freedom but that this City fell oftner into the power of Tyrants than any one City in the World 6. The Carthaginians banished Hanno a most worthy person who had done them great services not for any fault but that he was of greater wisdom and industry than the State of a free City might well bear and because he was the first man that tamed a Lion for they judged it not meet to commit the liberty of the City to him who had tamed the fierceness of savage beasts 7. Iohn Chrysostome Bishop of Constantinople was twice banished by the procurement of Eudoxia the Wife of Arcadius the Emperour and the chief if not the only ground of this her severity against him was because she was not able to bear the free reprehensions and reproofs of that holy man 8. In the Island of Seriphus as also amongst some of those Nations that live about the Mountain Caucasus no man is put to death how great soever the crime is that he hath committed but the severest of all punishments with them is to interdict a man any longer abode in his Country and to dispose of him into banishment where he is to continue all the rest of his life 9. Rutilius was so little concerned with his banishment that when he was recalled by one whose order it was death to disobey yet he despised his return and chose rather to continue in his Exile perhaps it was for this reason That he would not seem in any kind to oppose the Senate or even the unjust Laws of his Country or whether it was that he would be no more in such condition wherein it should be in the power of others to banish him his Country as oft as they pleased CHAP. XLI Of the wise Speeches Sayings and Replys of several persons A Wise man has ever been a scarce commodity in all places and times whole Greece it self could boast no more of this sort than only seven and a Cato and a Laelius was almost the total sum of the Roman Inventory in this kind Being so few they must needs be the harder to be found and seeing that the wisest men are commonly the least speakers hereupon it is that there is almost as great a penury of their Sayings as of their persons and yet of these too every man will determine according to his own pleasure a liberty which the Reader shall not be refused to make use of in these few that follow 1. Cardinal Pompeius Colomne being imployed used such means