town of Champaigne to remoue the siege wherewith it was girt by the Duke of Burgoine and other of the English captaines Sir Iohn Leupembrough a Burgonian knight took her aliue and conueied her to the city of Roane where she faining her self with child when the contrarie was knowne was condemned and burnt And thus these two holy women that in a diuerse kind mocked the people of England and France by their hypocrisie by the iustice of God came to deserued destructions CHAP. XXIII Of Coniurers and Enchanters IF God by his first commandement hath enioined euery one of vs to loue serue and cleaue unto him alone in the coniunction and vnity of a true faith and hope vnremoueable there is no doubt but he forbiddeth on the other side that which is contrarie to this foresaid dutie and herein especially that cursed familiarity which diuerse miserable wretches haue with that lying spirit the father of error by whose delusions and subtiltie they busie themselues in the studie of sorceries and enchantments wherevpon it is forbidden the Israelites in the nineteenth of Leuiticus Leuit. 19.31 to turne after familiar spirites or to seeke to soothsayers to bee defiled by them and the more to withdraw men from this damnable crime in the chapter following there is a threat set downe against it in manner of a commandement 20.27 That if either man or woman haue a spirit of diuination or soothsaying in them they should die the death they should stone them to death their blood should be vpon them Exod. 22.18 so in the twentie two of Exodus the law of God saith Thou shalt not suffer a witch to liue and Moses following the same steps giueth an expresse charge in in the eighteenth of Deutronotny against this sinne saying Let none bee found among thee that vseth witchcraft Deu. 18.10.11 nor that regardeth the clouds or times nor a sorcerer or a charmer or that counselleth with a spirit or a teller of fortunes or that asketh counsell at the dead for all that doe such things are abhomination vnto the Lord 1. Sam. 15. Isay 8.19.20 and therefore this sinne in the 1. Sam. 15. Is reputed amongst the most hainous and enormous sinnes that can bee When they shall say vnto you saith the Prophet enquire at them that haue a spirit of diuination and at the soothsaier which whisper and murmure answer Should not a people inquire at their God From the liuing to the dead To the law and to the testimony Wherfore it was a commendable thing and worthy the imitation when they that had receiued the faith by Paules preaching Acts. 19.19 hauing before vsed curious arts as Magicke and such like being touched with the feare of God brought their bookes and burned them before all men although the price thereof amounted to fifty thousand peeces of siluer which by Budeus his supputatiō ariseth to fiue thousand French crownes The counsels as that of Carthage and that other of Constantinople kept the second time in the suburbes vtterly condemned the practise of all coniurers and enchanters The twelue tables in Rome adiudged to punishmēts those that bewitched the standing corn And for the ciuill law this kind is condemned both by the law Iulia and Cornelia In like manner the wisest Emperours those I meane that attained to the honor of Christianity ordained diuerse edicts and prohibitions vnder very shape greeuous punishments against all such villanie as Constantine in the ninth booke of the Cod. tit 18. enacted that whosoeuer should attempt any action by art Magicke against the safety of any person or should bring in or stirre vp any man to make him fall into any mischiefe or riotous demeanour should suffer a greeuous punishment in the fifth law hee forbiddeth euery man to aske counsaile at witches or to vse the helpe of charmers and sorcerers vnder the paine of death Let them saith hee in the sixt law bee throwne to wild beasts to bee deuoured that by coniuring or the helpe of familiar spirits go about to kill either their enemies or any other Moreouer in the seuenth law hee willeth that not so much as his owne courtiers and seruants if they were found faulty in this crime should be spared but seuerely punished yet neuerthelesse many of this age giue themselues ouer to this filthy sinne without either feare of God or respect of law Some thorough a foolish and dangerous curiositie others through the ouerruling of their owne vile and wicked affections and a third sort troubled with the terrours of an euill conscience desire to know what shall befall and happen vnto them in the end Thus Saul the first king of Israel being troubled in himselfe terrified with the army of the Philistims that came against him would needs foreknow his owne fortune and the issue of this doubtfull warre Now whereas before whilst he perfourmed the duty of a good king and obeied the commaundement of God hee had cleansed his realme of witches and enchaunters yet is he now so mad as to make them serue his owne turne and to vse their counsels in his extremitie adding this wickednesse to the number of his other great sinnes that the measure thereof might be full hee went therefore to a witch to seeke counsell who caused a deuill to appeare and speake unto him in the shape of Samuel and foretell him of Gods iust iudgement vpon his wickednesse his vtter and finall ruine and destruction Plutarch in the life of Romulus reporteth of one Cleomedes a man in proportion of body and cruell practises Plutarch Romulus huge and giantlike who for that hee was the cause of the death of many little children and was pursued by the parents of those dead infants who sought to be reuenged on him for that cruell part hee hid himselfe in a coffer closing the lid fast to him but when the coffer was broken vp the coniurer was not therein neither aliue nor dead but was transported by the malicious spirit the deuill vnto a place of greater torment Ancient histories make mention of one Piso a man of credit and authoritie among the Romanes Tacit. whome the Emperour Tiberius gaue vnto his sonne Germanicus for an helper counsellour in the managing of his affaires in Asia so well was he perswaded both of his sufficiencie courage and loialtie towards him It chanced a while after that hee was suspected to haue bewitched to death the said Germanicus the signes markes of which suspition were certaine dead mens bones digged out of the earth with diuers charmes and curses and Germanicus name engrauen in tables of lead and such like trash which witches exercise to murder men withall were found with him whereupon Tiberius himselfe accused him of that crime but would not haue the ordinary iudges to sit vpon it but by speciall priuiledge committed the enquiry thereof vnto the Senate Pise when euery man thought hee was preparing himselfe for his defence against the morrow like
in his affaires whilest hee abstained from sheading the blood of Christians but assoone as hee gaue himselfe ouer vnto that villanie his prosperitie kingdome and life diminished and decreased at once for within two yeares hee and his sonne Vâ—lusianus in the war against Aemilian vvere both slain through the defection of his souldiors vvho in the point of necessitie forsooke him Beside the Lord in his time sent vpon the prouinces of Rome a generall and contagious pestilence which lasted vvhole tenne yeares without intermission to make satisfaction for the much innocent blood vvhich was spilled amongst them Phil. Melanct. chron lib. 4. Sebast franc chron Polon Arnolphus the fourescorth Emperour raged like a Tyger against all men but especially against those that professed the religion and name of Christ Iesus for which cause the Lord stirred vp a woman the wife of Guido to minister vnto him the dregs of his wrath in a poysoned cup by meanes whereof such a rottennesse possessed all his members that lice and wormes issuing out continually hee died most miserably in Oringe a city of Bauarie the twelfth yeare of his raigne Philip Melan. chron lib. 5. Baiaset the Turke to what a miserable and ludibrious end came hee to for his outragious hatred against all Christendome but especially against Constantinople which hee had brought to so low an eb that they could scarce haue resisted him any longer had not Tamerlane the Tartarian reuoked him from the siege and bidden him leaue to assaile others and looke vnto his owne Campofulus lib. 9. cap. 5. And indeed hee welcommed him so kindly that hee soone tooke him prisoner and binding him with chaines of gold caried him vp and downe in a cage for aspectacle vsing his backe for a footstoole to get vpon his horse by And thus God plaugeth one Tyrant by another and all for the comfort of his chosen Gensericus king of the Vandals Phil. Melan. chron lib. 3. exercised cruell tyrannie against the professors of the truth So did Honoricus the second also but both of them reaped their iust deserts for Gensericus died being possessed with a spirit And Honoricus being so rotten and putrified that one member dropped off after another Greg. Taron lib. 2. cap. 3. Some say that hee gnew off his owne flesh with his teeth Autharis the twelfth King of Lumbardie Paulus Diaconus lib. 3. cap. 18. de gestis Lâ—rgo bard forbad children to bee baptised or instructed in the Christian faith seeking by that meanes to abolish and plucke downe the kingdome of Christ but he raigned not long for ere sixe yeares vvere complet hee died with poison at Pauia And so hee that thought to vndermine Christ Iesus vvas vndermined himselfe most deseruedlie in the yeare of our Lord. 592. When Arcadius the Emperour through the persuasion of certaine enuious fellowes and his wife Endoxia Euagriur lib. 5. cap. 34. had banished Iohn Chrisostome bishop of Constantinople into Bosphorus the next night there arose such a terrible earthquake that the Empresse and the whole Cittie vvas sore affrighted therewith so that the next morrow messengers after messengers vvere sent vvithout ceasing till they had brought him backe againe out of exile Mandat 9. Calumniation lib. 2. cap. 44. and his accusers vvere all punished for their vvrongfull accusation Thus it pleased God to testifie the innocencie of his seruant euen by terrifying his enemies Smaragdus an exarch of Italie vvas transported by a Deuill for tyrannising ouer Christians in the first yeare of the Empire of Mauritius Paul Diacon lib 3. cap. 12. de gestis Longab Cent. 6. cap. 3. Anton. lib. 15. cap. 15. Mamucha a Sarasen being equall to Pharao in persecuting the church of God God made him equall to him also in the manner of his destruction for as he returned from the spoile of the monasterie of Cassime and Messana and the slaughter of many Christians the Lord caused the sea to swallow vp his whole armie euen an hundred ships Paul Diacon lib. 21. so that few or none escaped Another time euen in the yeare 719 they vvere miraculously consumed vvith famine sword pestilence water and captiuity and al for their infestious ranckor and tyranny towards Christians for whom the famine spared the sword deuoured vvhome both these touched not the pestilence eate vp and they that escaped all three yet perished in the vvaters and tenne ships that escaped the vvaters vvere taken by the Romans and the Syrians surely an egregious signe of Gods heauy wrath and displeasure To conclude there was neuer any that set themselues against the church of God but God set himself against them by some notable iudgement so that some vvere murthered by their subiects as Bluso king of the Vandals others by their enemies as Vdo Prince of Sclauonia some by their wiues Helmold cap. 24. Sclauon cap. 34. as Cruco another Sclauonian Prince others discomfited in war as Abbas the king of Hungaria some destroied by their owne horses Bonfinus as Lucius the Emperor who had first put his owne daughter because she was a Christian amongst the same horses And generally few persecutors escaped without some euident and markable destruction CHAP. XIIII Of the Iews that persecuted Christ BY how much the offence of the Iews was more hainous not onely in despising and reiecting the Lord of glory whom God had sent amongst them for their saluation but also in being so vvicked as to put him to death by so much the more hath God shed his fearfull indignation vpon them as at many other times so especially by that great calamitie and desolation which they abode at their last destruction begun by Vespasian and perfected by Titus which was so great and lamentable as the like was neuer heard of vntill this day for if the sacking and ouerthrow of Ierusalem then when Ieremie the Prophet made his booke of Lamentations ouer it was reputed more grieuous then the subuersion of Sodome which perished suddenly How much more then is this last destruction without all comparison by reason of those horrible strange miseries which were there both suddenly and in continuance of time committed Neither truly is there any history which containeth a description of so many miseries as this doth as it may appeare by Iosephus record of it For after that they had bene afflicted in diuers countries and tossed vp and downe by the deputies a long while there were slaine at Caesarea in one day twenty thousand at Alexandria another time fifty thousand at Zabulon and Ioppe eight thousand and foure hundred besides the burning of the two townes at Damascus ten thousand that had their throates cut As for Ierusalem when it had a long time endured the brunt of the warre both within and without it was pinched with so sore a famine Ioseph of the warres of the Iewes lib. 2. cap. 19 21 22 23. Lib. 6. cap. 16. Lib. 7. cap. 7.8 Lib. 6. c. 16. that
the prime of his yeeres with all his strength had assaied to do it And when a certaine Cardinall came to visit him in this extremity hee could not abide his sight his paines encreasing therby but cried out assoone as he perceiued him departed that it was the Cardinall that brought them all to damnation When hee had bene thus a long time tormented at last in extreme anguish and feare he died Sleidan lib. 9. Sir Thomas More L. Chancellour of England a sworne enemy to the Gospell and a profest persecutour by fire and sword of all the faithfull as if thereby hee would grow famous and get renowme caused to be erected a sumptuous sepulchre and thereby to eternize the memory of his profane cruelty to be engrauen the commendation of his worthy deeds amongst which the principall was that hee had persecuted with all his might the Lutherens that is the faithfull but it fell out contrary to his hope for being accused conuicted and condemned of high treason his head was taken from him and his body found no other sepulchre to lie in but the gibbet Cardinall Croscentius the Popes ambassadour to the Councill of Trent in the yeere of our Lord 1552 being very busie in writing to his master the Pope and hauing laboured all one night about his letters behold as he raised himselfe in his chaire to stirre vp his wit and memory ouerdulled with watching a huge blacke dogge with great flaming eies and long eares dangling to the ground appeared vnto him which comming into his chamber and making right towards him euen vnder the table where he sate vanished out of his sight wherat he amazed a while senslesse recouering him selfe called for a candle when he saw the dog could not be found he fell presently sicke with a strong conceit which neuer left him till his death euer crying that they would driue away the blacke dogge which seemed to clime vpon his bed and in that humour he died 27 booke of his histories Albertus Pighius a great enemy of the truth also in so much that Paulus Iouius calleth him the Lutheranes scourge beeing at Bologne at the coronation of the Emperour vpon a scaffold to behold the pompe and glory of the solemnization the scaffold bursting with the weight of the multitude hee tumbled headlong amongst the guard that stood below vpon the points of their halberds piercing his body cleane through the rest of his company escaping without any great hurt for though the number of them which fell with the scaffold was great yet very fewe found themselues hurt thereby saue only this honourable Pighius that found his deaths wound and lost his hearts blood as hath bene shewed Poncher 2. Booke of martyrs The burning chamber was a court in France which adiudged the Christians to be burned Archbishop of Tours pursuing the execution of the burning chamber was himselfe surprised with a fire from God which beginning at his heele could neuer be quenched till member after mēber being cut off he died miserably An Augustine frier named Lambert doctor and Prior in the city of Liege one of the troope of cruell inquisitours for religion whilst he was preaching one day with open mouth against the faithfull was cut short of a sudden in the midst of his sermon beeing bereaued of sense and speech in so much that he was faine to be carried out of the pulpit to his cloister in a chaire and a few daies after was found drowned in a ditch In the yeere of our Lord 1527 there was one George Hala a Saxon minister of the word and sacraments Luther and a stout professour of the reformed religion who being for that cause sent for to appeare before the Archbishop of Mentz at Aschaffenburge was handled on this fashion they tooke away his owne horse and set him vpon the Archbishops fooles horse and so sent him backe homewards conducted by one appointed for the purpose who not suffering him to ride the common and beaten way but leading him a new course thorough by and vncoth pathes brought him into an ambush of theeues placed there by the bishops appointment who set vpon him and murdred him at once but it is notoriously knowen that not one of that wicked rable came to a good end but were consumed one after another In a city of Scotland called Fanum Ianius the chiefe mart towne of that countrey foure of the chiefest citizens were accused by a monke before the Cardinall for interrupting him in a sermon and by him condemned to be hanged like heretiques when no other crime could be laid to their charge History of martyrs part 7. saue that they desired the monke to tie himselfe to his text and not to roue vp and downe as he did without any certen scope or application of matter Now as they went to execution their wiues fell downe at the Cardinals feete beseeching and intreating pardon for their husbands liues which he was so farre from graunting that hee accused them also of heresie and especially one of them whose name was Helene for hee caused her young infant to be pulled out of her armes and her to be put to death with her husband for speaking certaine words against the virgine Mary which by no testimonies could be prooued against her Which doome the godly woman taking cheerefully and desiring to hang by her husbands side they would not doe her that last fauour but drowned her in a riuer running by that it might truly be said that no jot of mercy or compassion remained in them But ere long the cruell Cardinall found as little sauour at another butchers hands that slue him in his chamber when hee dreamed of nothing lesse and in his Cardinals robes hanged him ouer the wall to the view of men And thus God reuenged the death of those innocents whose bloods neuer ceased crying for vengeance against their murder vntill he had justly punished him in the same kind and after the same fashion which he had dealt with them Theatrum historicum Thomas Blauer one of the priuie counsellours of the king of Scots was a sore persecutour of the faithfull in that land for which cause lying on his death bed he fell into despaire and said hee was damned Refer this also to hypocrisie Lib. 1. cap. 22. and a castaway and when the monkes came about him to comfort him hee cried out vpon them saying that their Masses and other trash would doe him no good for he neuer beleeued them but all that he did was for loue of lucre not of religion not respecting or beleeuing there was either a God or a deuil or a hel or a heauē and therefore he was damned there was no remedy And in this miserable case without any signe of repentance he died But let vs come to our homebred English stories and consider the iudgements of God vpon the persecutors of Christs Gospell in Queene Maries time And first to begin with Steuen
more manifest I will briefly reckon vp a catalogue of the cheifest of them In the yeare 1275 Lewline Prince of Wales rebelled against King Edward the first and after much adoe was taken by Sir Roger Mortimer and his head set vpon the tower of London In like sort was Dauid Lewlines brother serued Ries Madok escaped no better measure in stirring the Welchmeâ— vp to rebellion No more did the Scots who hauing of their owne accord committed the gouernment of their kingdome to king Edward after the death of Alexander who broke his necke by a fall from an horse and left no issue male and sworn feaulty vnto him yet dispensed with their oth by the Popes commission and Frenchmens incitement and rebelled diuerse times against King Edward for hee ouercame them sundrie times and made slaughter of their men slaying at one time 32000 and taking diuerse of their Nobles prisoners In like manner they rebelled against King Edward the third who made three voiages into that land in the space of foure yeares and at euerie time ouercame and discomfited them in so much that well neare all the nobilitie of Scotland with infinite number of the common people were slaine Thus they rebelled in Henry the sixts time and also Henrie the eights and diuerse other kings raignes euer when our English forces were busied about forraine warres inuading the land on the other side most traiterously And thus it is to bee feared they will euer doe except they degenerate from their old natures and therefore it ought to bee a Caueat to vs how wee trust them in any extremity but neuerthelesse they euer yet were whipped for their treason as the histories of our English Chronicles doe sufficiently record â—â—nquet In the raigne of king Henry the fourth there rebelled at one time against him Sir Iohn Holland D. of Excester with the Dukes of Aumarle Surrey Salisburie and Gloucester and at another time Sir Thomas Percie Earle of Worcester and Henry Percie sonne to the Earle of Northumberland at another Sir Richard Scroope Archbishop of Yorke and diuerse others of the house of the Lord Moubray at another time Sir Henry Percie the father Earle of Northumberland the Lord Bardolph And lastly Ryce ap Dee and Owen Glendour two Welchmen all which were either slaine as Sir Hendry Percie the yoonger or beheaded as the rest of these noble rebels or starued to death as Owen Glendour was in the mountains of Wales after he had deuoured his owne flesh In the raigne of Henry the fift Sir Richard Earle of Cambridge Sir Richard Scroope treasurer of England and Sir Thomas Gray were beheaded for treason No lesse was the perfidious and vngratefull trecherie of Humfrey Banister an Englishman towards the duke of Buckingham his Lord maister whom the said duke had tenderly brought vp exalted to great promotion For when as the duke being driuen into extremity by reason of the seperation of his army which he had mustered together against king Richard the vsurper fled to the same Banister as his trustiest friend to be kept in secret vntill hee could find oportunity to escape This false traitor vpon hope of a thousand pounds which was promised to him that could bring forth the duke betraied him into the haÌ„ds of Iohn Mitton sheriefe of Shropshire who conueied him to the citie of Salisbury where king Richard kept his houshold where he was soon after put to death But as for vngrateful Banister the vengeaÌ„ce of God pursued him to his vtter ignominy for presently after his eldest son became mad died in a bores stie his eldest daughter was sodainly stricken with a foule leprie his second sonne marueilously deformed of his lims and lame his yoongest sonne drowned in a puddle And he himself in his old age arraigned and found guiltie of a murder and by his clergie saued And as for his thousand pounds king Richard gaue him not a farthing saying that hee which would bee vntrue to so good a master must needs be false to all other To passe ouer the time of the residue of the kings wherein many examples of treasons punishmeÌ„ts vpon them are extant to come nearer vnto our own age let vs consider the wonderfull prouidence of God in discouering the notorious treasons which haue ben preteÌ„ded so often so many against our soueraign now liuing Queen Elizabeth protecting her so fatherly from the dint of them all First therefore to begin with the chiefest the Earle of NorthumberlaÌ„d Westmerland in the eleuenth year of her raign began a rebellioÌ„ in the North pretending their purpose to bee sometimes to defend the Queens person gouernment from the inuasion of strangers and sometimes for conscience sake to seeke reformation of religion vnder colour whereof they got together an army of men to the number of sixe thousand souldiors against whom marched the Earle of Sussex leiutenant of the North and the Earle of Warwick sent by the Queen to his aid whose approch stroke such a terror into their hearts that the two Earles with diuerse of the Archrebels fled by night into Scotland leauing the rest of their companie a prey vnto their enemies whereof threescore and sixe or thereabout were hanged at Durham As for the Earles one of them to wit of Northumberland was after taken in Scotland and beheaded at Yorke Westmerland fled into another countrie and left his house and family destroied and vndone by his folly A while after this what befell to Iohn Throgmorton Thomas Brooke George Redman and diuerse other Gentlemen at Norwich who pretended a rebellion vnder the colour of suppressing strangers were they not discouered by one of their owne conspiracy Thomas Ket and executed at Norwich for their paines The same end came Francis Throgmorton to whose trecheries as they were abominable touching the Queens owne person so they were disclosed not without the especial prouidence of God But aboue all that vile and vngratefull Traitor William Parry vpon whome the Queene had poured plentifully her liberalitie deserueth to bee had in euerlasting remembrance to his shame whose Treasons being discouered hee paied the tribute of his life in recompence thereof What shall I say of the Earle of Arundell and a second Earle of Northumberland Did not the iustice of God appeare in both their endes when being attainted for Treason the one slew himselfe in prison and the other died by course of nature in prison also Notorious was the conspiracie of those Arch-traitors Ballard Babington Sauadge and Tylney c. yet the Lord brought them downe and made them spectacles to the world of his iustice Euen so that notorious villaine doctor Lopus the Queens Phisitian who a long time had not onely beene an intelligencer to the Pope and King of Spaine of our English counsailes but also had poysoned many Noblemen and went about also to poyson the Queene her selfe was he not surprised in his trecherie and brought to suddaine destruction In summe
same game Oros lib. 5. c. 24. whereat they had often times made themselues merry at their costs and to kill one another as they had beforetime caused them to doe How curious and desirous the people of Rome was wont to be of beholding these bloody and mischieiuous games Cornel. Tacit. Annal. lib. 4. Cornelius Tacitus in the fourth boooke of his Annales declareth at large where he reporteth That in the city of the Fidenauts in the twelfth yeere of the raigne of Tiberius the people being gathered togither to behold the fencers prises were fiftie thousand of them hurt and maimed at one time by the Amphitheatre that fell vpon them â— cruell pastime indeed and a strange accident not comming by aduenture as some suppose but by the iust vengeance of God to suppresse such pernicious and vnciuill sports The same storie is registred by Paulus Orosius in his seuenth booke with this adiection That at that time were slaine more than twenty thousand persons I can not passe ouer in silence two notable and memorable histories of two lyons Senec. lib. 1. de benefic recorded by two famous Authors Seneca the one and Aulus Gellius the other The first of whom reporteth that he saw on the Theatre a lyon who seeing a slaue that sometimes had beene his keeper throwen among the beasts to be deuoured acknowledged him and defended him from their teeth and would not suffer any of them to doe him hurt Aul. Gell. Noct. Attic. l. 5. c. 14. The second bringeth the testimony of one Appianus that affirmed himselfe to haue seene at Rome a lyon who for old acquaintance sake which he had with a condemned seruant fawned vpon him and cleared him in like manner from the fury of the other beasts the history was this A certaine bondslaue too roughly handled by his master forsooke him and fled away and in his flight retiring into a desart and not knowing how to bestow himselfe tooke vp a caue for his lodging where hee had not long abode but a mightie lyon came halting to his denne with a sore and bloody legge the poore slaue all forgone at this strange and ougly sight looked euery minute to be deuoured but the lyon in another moode came fawningly and softly towards him as if he would complaine vnto him of his griefe whereat somewhat heartened hee bethought himselfe to apply some medecine to his wound and to bind vp the sore as well as he could which hee had no sooner done but the lyon made out for his prey and ere long returning brought home to his host and surgeon certaine gobbets of raw flesh which he halfe rosting vpon a rocke by the sunne beames made his daily sustenance for the time of his abode there notwithstanding at length wearied with this odde sauage life and hating to abide long in that estate he forsooke the desart and put himselfe againe to aduenture now it chaunced that hee was taken by his old master and carried from Aegypt to Rome to the end to be an actour in those beastly tragedies but by good chance his old patient the lyon taken also since his departure being ready amongst other beasts to play his part knew him by and by and ranne vnto him fawning and making much of him the people wondering at this strange accident after enquiry made of the cause therof gaue him the Lion and caused him to lead him in a string through the city for a miracle for indeed both this and the former deserue no other name Thus God reprooueth the sauadge inhumanitie of men by the example of the wild and furious beasts at whose teeth poore seruants found more fauor than at their masters hands The Emperour Constantine weighing the indignitie of these and such like pastimes and knowing how farre they ought to be banished from the society of men by a publike edict abolished all such bloody and monstrous spectacles In like manner these monomachies and single combats perfourmed in places inclosed for the purpose wherein one at the least if not both must of necessitie die ought to be abrogated in a Christian pollicy as by the Laterane councill it was well enacted with this penalty That whosoeuer should in that manner be slaine his body should be depriued of Ecclesiasticall buriall and truely most commonly it commeth to passe that they that presuming most vpon their owne prowesse and strength are most forward in offering combat either loose their liues or gaine discredit which is more grieuous than death CHAP. XVII Of such as exercise too much rigor and Seueritie FVrthermore we must vnderstand that God doth not only forbid murder and bloodshed but also all tyranny and oppression therin prouiding for the weake against the strong the poore against the rich and bondslaues against their masters to the end that none might be trode vnder foote and oppressed of others vnder paine of his indignation Insomuch therefore as the Romans vsed such rigour towards their seruants it came to passe by a iust iudgement of God that they being lords ouer all the world were three sundry times driuen by their seruants into great extremities As first in Rome within the walles at the same time when they also were troubled with the seditious factioÌ„s of their tribunes Secondly in Sicily where they horribly laid wast the whole country the cause of which commotion was because the Romans had chained a multitude of slaues togither and in that order sent them to manure til the ground for a certain Sirian first assembled two thousand men of them that came next hand then breaking vp the prisons multiplied his army to forty thousand and with them pulled downe castles razed vp townes destroied euery where The third vndertaken by a shepheard who hauing killed his master set at liberty all the bondmen and prepared an army of them wherewith he spoiled cities townes castles discomfited the armies of Seruâ—lius and Lucullus who were Pretours at that time but at last they were destroied and rooted out by little and little and this good seruice got the Romanes at their seruants hands As euery nation hath his proper vertue and vice ascribed to it so the Spaniards for their part are noted famous for cruelty towards their subiects and vassals insomuch that as experience in many witnesseth they are intollerable in that kind for which cause they haue borne the marke of Gods iustice for their rigorous bâ—rbarous handling of the poore west Indians whom they haue brought to that extremity by putting them to such excessiue trauels in digging their mines of gold as namely in the island Hispagnola that the most part by sighes and teares wish by death to end their miseries Bonzoni Milan of the new world many first killing their children haue desperatly hung theÌ„selues on high trees some haue throwen themselues headlong from steepe mountaines and others cast themselues into the sea to be rid of their troubles but the tyrants haue neuer escaped
and hardening himselfe in his sinne that contrariwise he cast downe and humbled himselfe and craued pardon and forgiuenesse at the hand of God with all his heart and true repentance not like to such as grow obstinate in their sinnes and wickednesse and make themselues beleeue all things are lawfull for them although they be neuer so vile and dishonest This therefore that wee haue spoken concerning Dauid is not to place him among the number of leud and wicked liuers but to shew by his chastisements beeing a man after Gods owne heart how odious and displeasant this sinne of Adultery is to the Lord and what punishment all others are to expect that wallow therein since hee spared not him whome he so much loued and fauoured CHAP. XXVI Other examples like vnto the former THe history of the rauishment of Helene registred by so many worthy and excellent authours and the great euils that pursued the same Herodot lib. 2. is not to be counted altogither an idle fable Thucyd. or an inuention of pleasure seeing that it is sure that vpon that occasion great and huge warre arose betweene the Greeians and the Troianes during the which the whole countrey was hauocked many cities and townes destroied much blood shed and thousands of men discomfited amongst whome the rauisher and adulterer himselfe to wit Paris the chiefe moouer of all those miserable tragedies escaped not the edge of the sword no nor that famous citie Troy which entertained and maintained the adulterers within her wals went vnpunished but at last was taken and destroied by fire and sword In which sacking old and gray headed king Priam with all the remnant of his halfe slaine sonnes were togither murdered his wife and daughters were taken prisoners and exposed to the mercy of their enemies his whole kingdome was entirely spoiled and his house quite defaced and well nigh all the Troiane nobilitie extinguished and as touching the whore Helene her selfe whose disloialtie gaue consent to the wicked enterprise of forsaking her husbands house and following a stranger shee was not exempt from punishment for as some writers affirme shee was slaine at the sacke but according to others Anton. Vols vpon Ouids epist of Hermione to Orestes she was at that time spared and entertained againe by Menelaus her husband but after his death shee was banished in her old age and constrained for her last refuge beeing both destitute of reliefe and succour and forsaken of kinsfolkes and friends to flie to Rhodes where at length contrary to her hope shee was put to a shamefull death euen hanging on a tree which shee long time before deserued Tit. Liu. The iniury and dishonour done to Lucrece the wife of Collatinus by Sextus Tarquinius sonne to Superbus the last king of Rome Rape l. 2. c. 19. was cause of much trouble and disquietnesse in the city and elsewhere for first shee not able to endure the great iniury and indignity which was done vnto her pushed forward with anger and despite slue her selfe in the presence of her husband and kinsfolke notwithstanding all their desires and willingnesse to cleare her from all blame with whose death the Romans were so stirred prouoked against Sextus the sonne and Tarquinius the father that they rebelled forthwith and when hee should enter the city shut the gates against him neither would receiue or acknowledge him euer after for their king Whereupon ensued warre abroad and alteration of the state at home for after that time Rome endured no more king to beare rule ouer them but in their roome created two Consuls to be their gouernours which kind of gouernment continued to Iulius Caesars time Thus was Tarquinius the father shamefully deposed from his crowne for the adultery or rather rape of his sonne and Tarquinius the sonne slaine by the Sabians for the robberies and murders which by his fathers aduise he committed amongst them and hee himselfe not long after in the warre which by the Tuscane succours hee renued against Rome to recouer his lost estate Plutarch in the life publick was discomfited with them and slaine in the midst of the rout In the Emperour Valentinianus time the first of that name many women of great account and parentage were for committing adulterie put to death as testifieth Ammianus Marcellinus When Europe after the horrible wasting and great ruines which it suffered by the furious inuasion of Attilia Lib. 28. began to take a litle breath and find some ease behold a new trouble more hurtfull and pernicious than the former came vpon it by meanes of the filthy leachery and lust of the Emperour Valentinianus the third of that name who by reason of his euill bringing vp Procop. and gouernment vnder his mother Placidia being too much subiect to his owne voluptuousnesse and tied to his owne desires dishonoured the wife of Petronius Maximus a Senatour of Rome by forcing her to his pleasure an act indeed that cost him his life and many more beside and that drew after it the finall destruction of the Romane Empire and the horrible besacking and desolation of the city of Rome For the Emperour being thus taken and set on fire with the loue of this woman through the excellent beauty wherewith shee was endued endeauoured first to entice her to his lust by faire allurements and seeing that the bulwarke of her vertuous chastity would not by this meanes be shaken but that all his pursuit was still in vaine hee tried a new course and attempted to get her by deceit and pollicy which to bring about one day setting himselfe to play with her husband Maximus he woon of him his ring which he no sooner had but secretly he sent it to his wife in her husbands name with this commaundement That by that token shee should come presently to the court to do her duty to the Empresse Eudoxia shee seeing her husbands ring doubted nothing but came forthwith as shee was commanded where whilst she was entertained by certaine suborned women whome the Emperour had set on he himselfe commeth in place and discloseth vnto her his whole loue which he said he could no longer represse but must needs satisfie if not by faire meanes at least by force and compulsion and so he constrained her to his lust Her husband aduertised hereof Rape l. 2. c. 19. intended to reuenge this iniury vpon the Emperor with his owne hand but seeing he could not execute his purpose whilst Actius the captain generall of Valentinianus army liued a man greatly reuerenced and feared for his mighty and famous exploits atchieued in the warres against the Burgundians Gothes and Attila he found meanes by suggesting a false accusation of treason against him which made him to be hated and suspected of the Emperour to worke his death After that Actius was thus traiterously and vnworthily slaine the griefe of infinite numbers of people for him in regard of his great vertues and good seruice which he had
his affaires to his owne desire The king of France was no sooner entred Italy but Lewes Sforce ministred an Italian posset to his young nephew Iohn Galeaz that hee immediatle died vpon it Guicciard lib. 1. and then he proclaimed himselfe prince of the Duchie by the aid of the principall of the counsell whome hee had woon to defer that honor vnto him by deposing the yong sonne of Iohn Galeaz being then but fiue yeeres old but he declared presently his inconstant and perfidious nature in breaking promise with the king of Fraunce whome hee had induced with so many faire speeches to vndertake that voyage and entring a new league with the Venetians both against him and the Pope although ere long hee serued them with the same measure but Lewis the twelfth succeeding in the crowne of France could not brooke this iniury done to his predecessour but pretending a title to the Duchie of Millaine he dispatched an army thitherward that bestirred it selfe so well that in short space they brought vnder their subiection all the cities and townes neere adioyning which the citizens perceiuing begun to rebell against their duke and killed his treasurer whereupon he being not able to make his part good with the French abroad nor daring to put any confidence in his owne at home left his castle to the charge and custody of a captaine and fled himselfe with his children to Almaine towards the Emperour Maximilians court hoping to find succour at his hand as indeed he did for hee returned to Millaine with fiue hundred Burgundians and eight thousand Zwitzers and was receiued againe into the citie being thus refortified with these and other moe troupes that came vnto him he encamped before Nauarre and by composition got the city into his hands from the Frenchmen The French king in the meane while sent a new supply of men into the Duchie amongst whome were many Zwitzers who so dealt with their countrimen that were on the dukes side that they brought them also to fauour the king of France and to forsake the duke which when he vnderstood hee presently departed the city and posting to the campe hardened his souldiers desiring them to play the men and not to shrinke for hee meant to giue battell without delay but the captaines made answer That they might not fight against their owne nation without especiall leaue from their lords Now in the meane while whilst these things were in doing they tooke order that the Frenchmen should approch to Nouare and intercept all the passages that the duke might not escape hee therefore laid aside his horse and marched on foot in the squadron of Switzers now ioyned to the French in attire and armour like a Switzer thinking by this tricke to saue his life but all his counterfaiting could not saue him from being taken and from lying ten yeeres prisoner in the Tower of Loches where hee also died Gulcciard li. 4. and so all his high and ambitious thoughts which scarsely Italy could containe were pend vp in a straight and narrow roome With the like turbulent and furious spirit of ambition haue many Roman bishops bene inspired who what by their iuggling trickes cousenages and subtill deuises and what by force haue prospered so well that of simple bishops which they were wont to be they are growne temporall lords and as it were monarchs hauing in their possessions lands cities castles fortresses hauens garrisons and guards after the maner of kings nay they haue exalted themselues aboue kings so intollerable is their impudencie and made them subiect to their wils Marke 10. Luke 22. and yet they call themselues the Apostles petigree whome Christ forbad all such domination But what of that it pertaineth not to them to succeed in vertue but in authority the Apostles for if that charge had concerned them then Pope Lucius the second Bal. would neuer haue bene so shamelesse as to request in right of his popeship the soueraignty ouer Rome as he did neither when it was denied him to haue gone about to vsurpe it by force and to bring his mind about to haue laid siege to the Senate house with armed men to the end that either by banishing or murdering the Senatours then assembled togither he might inuest himselfe with the kingly dignitie But what got hee by it mary this The people beeing in an vprore in the citie vpon the sight of this holy fathers proud attempt took themselues to armes and ran with such violence vpon master Pope that they forthwith stoned his holinesse to death but not like Steuen the martyr for the profession of Christ Iesus but like a vile and seditious theefe for seeking the commonwealths ouerthrow Pope Adrian the fourteenth a monkes sonne succeeding Lucius both in the Papacie Saboll Bal. and also in ambition tooke in hand his omitted enterprises for hee excommunicated the Romanes vntill they had banished Arnold a Bishop that gaue them counsell to retaine the power of electing their magistrate and gouerning their citie in their hands a thing repugnant to his intent and after hee had degraded the consuls to make his part the stronger he caused the Emperour Fredericke to come with an army to the city whome notwithstanding hee handled but basely for his paines for hee did not onely checke him openly for standing on his feet and holding the stirrop of his horse with his left hand but also denied him the crowne of the Empire except he would restore to him Pouille which hee said pertained vnto him howbeit hee got the crowne notwithstanding and before his returne from Rome into Germany more then a thousand citizens that would not yeeld nor subscribe vnto the Popes will were slaine after Frederickes departure the Pope seeing himselfe destitute of his further aid first excommunicated the king of Sicilie that in right of inheritance possessed the foresaid Pouille but when this serued him to small purpose hee practised with Emmanuel the Emperour of Greece to set vpon him which thing turned to his finall confusion after this through his intollerable pride hee fell out with Fredericke the Emperour and to reuenge himselfe vpon him discharged his subiects from their fealty to him and him from his authoritie ouer them Now marke his end As hee walked one day towards Auiane a flie got in at his mouth and downe his throat so farre that it stopped the conduit of his breath so that for all that his phisitions could doe hee was choked therewith And thus hee that sought by all the meanes he could to make himselfe greater than hee ought to be and to get the mastery of euery thing at his owne will and pleasure and to take away other mens rights by force was cut short and rebated by a small and base creature and constrained to leaue this life which hee was most vnworthie of Hither may be referred that which befell the Emperour Albert duke of Austria and one of his lieutenants in Swizzerland for going about to
returned aboue ten all the rest beeing either drowned or pined to death Francis Pizare a man of base parentage for in his youth he was but a hogheard and of worse qualities and education Benzoni for he knew not so much as the first elements of learning giuing himselfe to the West Indian warres grew to some credite in bearing office but withall shewed himselfe very disloiall trecherous and bloudy-minded in committing many odious and monstrous cruelties entering Peru with an army of souldiours to the end to conquer new lands and dominions and to glut his vnsatiable couetousnesse with a new surfet of riches after the true Spanish custome hee committed many bloudie and traiterous acts and exercised more than barbarous crueltie for first vnder pretence of friendship faining to parle with Artabaliba King of Cusco the poore king comming with fiue and twenty thousand of vnarmed men in ostentation of his greatnesse not in purpose to resist he welcommed him and his men so nimbly with swords and courtelaxes that they had all soone their throats cut by a most horrible slaughter the king himself was taken put in chains yea and the city after this massacre of men abroad felt soone the insolences of these braue warriors within in fine though Pizarre promised Artabaliba to saue his life in regard of a ransome amounting to more than two Millians of gold yet after the receit thereof hee traiterously caused him to bee hanged contrary to both his oth and all equitie and reason but this cruel perfidie of his weÌ„t not long without punishmeÌ„t for both he and all the rest that were any waies accessary or consenting to the death of this king came to a wretched end but especially his foure brethren Ferdinand Gonzall Iohn Martin of Alcantara and Diego of Almagro who as they were principall in the action so were they in the punishment the first that was punished was Iohn Pizarre who with many other Spaniards was surprised in the citie Cusco and slaine by the men of warre of Mangofrem and Artabaliba next after that there arose such a deuision and heartburning betwixt the Pyzarres and Almagro their partakers that after they had robbed and wasted and shared out the great and rich countrie of Peru they slew one another by mutuall strokes and albeit that there was by common consent an agreement accorded betwixt them for the preseruing of their vnity and friendship yet Francis Pizarre enuying that Almagro should be gouernour of Cusco he not interrupted all their agreâ—ments by starting from his promises and rekindled the halfe quenched fire of war by his own ambitioÌ„ for he presently defied Almagro sent his brother Ferdinand before to bid him battaile who so well behaued himselfe that he tooke Almagro prisoner and deliuered him bound to his brother Francis who caused him to bee strangled in prison secretly and after to be beheaded in publicke now Ferdinand being sent by his brother towards Spaine with a great masse of gold to cleare himselfe of the death of Almagro could not so well iustifie the fact as that all his treasure could saue him froÌ„ the prison what became of him afterwards knowne it is to God but not to the world A while after the fellows and friends of Almagro whose goods the Pizarrists had seazed vpon tooke counsell with Don Diego Almagro his sonne to reuenge the death of his father therefore being in number but twelue with vnsheathed swords they desperately burst into Francis Pizarres house then Marques and gouernor of Peru and at the first brunt slew a captaine that guarded the entrance of the hall and next him Martin of Alcantara with other moe that kept the entrance of the chamber so that hee fell dead euen at his brother the Marquesses feet who albeit his men were all slaine before his eies himselfe left alone amidst his enemies yet gaue not ouer to defend himselfe stoutly and manfully vntill all of them setting vpon him at once he was stabd into the throat so sel dead vpon the ground and thus finished he his coÌ„plices their wretched daies answerable to their cruell deserts but their murderers though they deserued to be thus delt withal yet for dealing in this sort without authority were not faultlesse but receiued the due wages of their furious madnes for Don Diego himself after he had ben a while gouernor of Peru had his army ouercome discoÌ„fited by the Emperors force was betraied into their haÌ„ds by his own lieutenant of Cusco where he thought to haue saued himself right soon lost his head with the greatest captains and fauourits that hee had who were also quartered Now of the fiue brethren wee haue heard foure of their destruction onely one remaineth namely Gonzalle Pyzare to bee spoken of who being sent for by the conquerors to be their chiefetaine and Protector against the Viceroy that went about to make them obserue the Emperours lawes and decrees touching the liberty of the Indian Nation was betraied and forsaken by the same men that sent for him and so fell into his enemies hands that cut off his head the Generall of his army a couetous and cruell man that in short space made away aboue three hundred Spaniards and all as it were with his owne hand was drawne vp and downe at a horse taile the space of halfe a quarter of an houre and then hanged vpon the gallowes and quartered in foure parts The Munke of Vauuard called Vincent who with his crosse porteise had encouraged Pizarre his army against Artabaliba and was for that cause treated bishop of Peru when Diego came to the gouernement fled into the Island Puna to escape his wrath but in seeking to auoid him hee fell into as great a snare for the Islanders assaulted him one night and knockt him to death with staues and clubs togither with fortie Spaniards of his fellowship that accompanied him in his flight and started not from him in his death And thus the good and holy Monke for medling with and setting forward the murder of so many poore people was for his paines and good deeds iustly rewarded by the Indians of that Island Moreouer after beside al these troubles seditions ciuill wars of Peru all they that returned from Spaine suffered shipwrack for the most part for their fleet had scarse attained the midst of their course wheÌ„ there arose so terrible a teÌ„pest that of 18 ships 13 so perished that they were neuer heard of after of the fiue which remained two were tuÌ„bled back to the coast of S. Dominick al berent shiuered in peeces other three were driuen to Spain wherof one hitting against the bay of Portugal lost many of hir meÌ„ the admiral hir selfe of this fleet perished neere vnto S. Lucar de barra meda with two hundred persons that were within her and but one onely of them all got safe into the hauen of Calix without dammage Here we may see how
nature also Martin Luther hath left recorded in his writings many examples of iudgements on this sin but especially vpon clergie men whose profession as it requireth a more strict kind of cōuersation so their sins and iudgements were more notorious both in their owne natures and in the eie and opinion of the world some of which as it is not amisse to insert in this place so it is not vnnecessary to beleeue them proceeding from the mouth of so worthie a witnesse There was saith he a man of great authoritie learning that forsaking his secular life betooke himselfe into the colledge of preists Luther in epist consolat ad Lucum Cranach whether of deuotion or of hope of libertie to sin let thē iudge that read this history this new adopted priest fell in loue with a Masons wife whom he so woed that he got his pleasure of her what fitter time but whē Masse was singing did he daily chuse for the performing of his villany In this haunt hee persisted a long season till the Mason finding him in bed with his wife did not summon him to law nor pennance but took a shorter course cut his throat Luther Another nobleman in Thuringa being taken in Adulterie was murdered after this strange fashion by the adulteresses husband he bound him hand foot cast him into prison to quench his lust seeing that Ceres that is gluttony is the fewel of Venus that is lust denied him al maner of sustinance the more to augment his pain set hote dishes of meat before him that the smel sight thereof might more prouoke his appetite the want therof torment him more In this torture the wretched lecher abode so long vntil he gnew off the flesh frō his own shoulders and the eleuenth day of his imprisonment ended his life this punishmēt was most horrible too too seuere in respect of the inflicter yet most iust in respect of God whose custome is to proportion his iudgements to the quality of the sinne that is committed Luther affirmeth this to haue happened in his childhood and that both the parties were known vnto him by name which for honor and charity sake he would not disclose There was another nobleman that so delighted in lust Luther Mandat 1. Atheisme li. 1. cap. 25. was so inordinat in his desires that he shamed not to say that if this life of pleasure passing from harlot to harlot might endure euer he would not care for heauē or life eternal what cursed madnesse impiety is this a man to be so forgetful of his maker himself that he preferred his whores before his Sauiour and his filthy pleasure before the grace of God doth it not deserue to be punished with scorpions Yes verily as it was indeed for the polluted wretch died amongst his strumpets being stroken with a suddaine stroke of Gods vengeance In the yeare 1505 a certaine Bishop well seene in all learning and eloquence and especially skilfull in languages was notwithstanding so filthy in his conuersation that he shamed not to defile his bodie and name by many Adulteries but at length hee was slaine by a cobler whose wife hee had often corrupted being taken in bed with her and so receiued a due reward of his filthinesse Lanquet chron In the yeare of our Lord 778 Kenulphus king of the West Saxons in Britaine as hee vsually haunted the company of a a certaine harlot which he kept at Merton was slaine by one Clito the kinsman of Sigebert that was late king The same Sergus a king of Scotland was so foule a drunkard glutton and so outragiously giuen to harlots that hee neglected his owne wife and droue her to such penurie that shee was faine to serue other noblewomen for her liuing wherefore she murdered him in his bed and after slew her selfe also Arichbertus eldest son vnto Lotharius king of France died euen as he was imbracing his whores In summe to conclude this matter our English Chronicles report that in the yeare of our Lord 349 there was so great plentie of corne and fruit in Britaine that the like had not ben seene many yeares before but this was the cause of much idlenesse gluttony lechery and other vices in the land for vsually ease and prosperitie are the nurses of all enormitie but the Lord requited this their riotous and incontinent life with so great a pestilence mortalitie that the liuing scantly sufficed to bury the dead Petrarch Petrarch maketh mention of a certaine Cardinall that though hee was seuenty yeares old yet euery night would haue a fresh whore to this end had certain bauds purueiors and prouiders of his trash but he died a miserable and wretched death And Martin Luther reported that a bishop being a common frequenter of the Stues in Hidelberge came to this miserable end The bords of the chamber whither hee vsed to enter were loosened that assoone as hee came in hee flipt through and broke his necke But aboue all that which wee find written in the second booke of Fincelius is most strange and wonderfull Iob. Fincelius lib. 2. of a Priest in Albenthewer a towne neare adioining to Gaunt in Flaunders that persuaded a yong maid to reiect and disobey all her parents godly admonitions to become his concubine whē she obiected how vile a sinne it was and how contrary to the law of God hee told her that by the authority of the Pope hee could dispence with any wickednesse were it neuer so great and further alledged the discommodities of marriage and the pleasure that would arise from that kind of life in fine he conquered her vertuous purpose and made her yeeld vnto his filthie lust But when they had thus pampered their desires together a while in came the deuill and would needs conclude the play for as they were banquetting with many such like companions he tooke her away from the priests side and notwithstanding her pittifull crying and all their exorcising and coniuring carried her quite away telling the Priest that very shortly he would fetch him also for hee was his owne darling CAAP. XXVIII More examples of the same argument I Cannot passe ouer in silence a history truly tragical touching the death of many men who by reason of an Adulterie slew one another in most strange and cruell manner indeed so strangely that as farre as I euer red or knew there was neuer the like particular deed heard of wherein God more euidently poured forth the stream of his displeasure turning the courage and valor of ech part into rage and furie to the end that by their owne meanes he might bee reuenged on them In the Dukedome of Spoleto which is the way from Ancona to Rome of the ancient Latines called Vmbria there were three brethrē who kept in their possession three cities of the said dukedome namely Faligno Nocera and Treuio the eldest of whom whos 's
sirname was Nicholas as he passed from one town to the other being at Nocera lodged diuers times in the castell in the keepers and captaines house whome hee had there substituted to defend the place with an ordinary band of souldiors now as he made his abode there a few daies hee grew to cast a more lasciuious eie vpon the captains wife than was meet and from looking fell to lusting after her in such sort that in short space hee got very priuy familiar acquaintance with her oftentimes secret suspicious meetings which being perceiued by her husband he after watched so narrowly their haunts that once hee spied thē together without being seen of thē Neuerthelesse disgesting and swallowing vp this sorrow with silence and without giuing forth any tokens therof he cōsulted in himself to reuenge the iniury by the death rasing out not only of the Adulterer but also of the whole race fraternity Now when hee had hammered this enterprise laid forth the plot thereof in his head he dispatched presently a messenger to the three gentlemen brethrē to inuite thē against the next day to the hunting of the fairest wild bore that was this many a day seene in the forrests of Nocera Signior Nicholas failed not to come at the time appointed accompanied with Duke Camerino who desired to be one of this iolly crue they supped in the towne but lodged in the castel where being at rest about midnight the captain rushed into his chamber with the greatest part of his guard there handled Signor Nicholas on this maner he first cut off his priuy mēbers as being principal in the offence thē thrust him through on both sides with a spear next pluckt out his heart lastly tore the rest of his body into a thousand peeces As for the duke Camerino hee shut him vp in a deep darke dungeon with all the strangers of his retinue At day breake another of the brethren called Caesar that lay that night in the town was sent for to come speak with his brother assoone as he was entred into the court of the castell seuen or eight of the guard bound him his followers caried him into the chamber where his dead brother lay chopt as small as flesh to the pot there murdered him also Conrade the third brother being by reason of a marriage absent from this feast when hee receiued the report of these pitifull newes gathered togither a band of men from all quarters and with them assisted with the friends and allies of the duke Camerino then prisoner laid siege to the castle they battered the walles made a breach and gaue the assault of entrance and were manfully resisted fiue houres long till the defendants beeing but thirtie or fortie men at the most not able to stand any longer in defence were forced to retire and lay open way of entrance to the enemie then began a most horrible butchery of men for Conrade hauing woon the fort first hewed them in pieces that stood in resistance then finding the captaines father slue him and cast him piecemeale to the dogs some he tied to the tailes of wild horses to bee drawne ouer hedges ditches thornes and briers others hee pinched with hote yrons and so burnt them to death which when the captaine from the top of the dungeon where hee had saued himselfe beheld he tooke his wife whome hee held there prisoner and binding her hand and foot threw her headlong from the top of the tower vpon the pauemēt which the souldiors perciuing put fire to the tower so that he was constrained through heat and smoke himself his brother and his little child to sally downe the same way which he had taught his wife a little before to goe and so all three broke their neckes their carcasses were cast out to bee meat for wolues as vnworthy of humane sepulture And this was the catastrophe of that wofull tragedy where by the occasion of one adulterie so heauie is the curse of God vpon that sin a number of men came to their ends Luth. prand lib. 5. cap. 15. In the time of Pope Steuen the eight there was a varlet priest that was captaine in the house of a Marques of Italy who although he was very mishapen and euill fauoured yet was entertained of the lady Marques his mistres to her bed and made her paramour vpon a night as hee was going to lie with her according ro his wont his Lord being from home behold a dog barked so fiercely leaping biting at him that all the seruants of the house being awaked ran thitherward and finding this gallant in the snare tooke him and for all his bald crowne stripped him naked and cut off cleane his priuy and adulterous parts and thus was this lecherous Priest serued Luth. prand lib. 6. cap. 6. Pope Iohn the thirteenth a man as of wicked conuersation in all thinges so especially abhominable in whoredomes and adulterie which good conditions whilest he pursued he was one day taken tardy in the plaine fields whether hee went to disport himselfe for hee was found in the act of adultery and slaine forthwith and these are the godly fruits of those single life louers to whom the vse of mariage is counted vnlawfull and therefore forbidden but adultery not once prohibited nor disallowed CHAP. XXIX Of such as are diuorced without cause BY these and such like iudgements it pleaseth God to make knowne vnto men how much hee desireth to haue the estate of mariage maintained and preserued in the integritie and how much euery one ought to take heed how to depraue or corrupt the same now then to proceed if it be a sinne to take away rauish or entise to folly another mans wife shall we not thinke it an equall sinne for a husband to forsake his wife and cast her off to take another shee hauing not disanulled and cancelled the band of marriage by adultery Yes verily for as concerning the permission of diuorce to the Israelits vnder the law Mat. 19. our sauiour himselfe expoundeth the meaning and entent therof in the gospell to be nothing els but a tolleration for the hardnesse and stubbornnesse of their hearts and not a constitution from the beginning vpon which occasion speaking of mariage and declaring the right strength of the same he saith That whosoeuer putteth away his wife except it bee for adulterie and marrieth another committeth adulterie and he that marrieth her that is put away committeth adultery also Al which notwithstanding the great men of this world let loose themselues to this sinne too licentiously as it appeareth by many examples As of Antiochus Theos sonne of Antiochus Soter king of Siria who to the end to goe with Ptolomie Philadelphus king of Aegypt and marry his daughter Bernice cast off his wife Laodicea that had borne him children and tooke Bernice to bee his wife but ere long hee reiected her also and betraied her to