owne humours with their abominations and approoue and cleare themselues therein yet are they rewarded by death not onely by the law of God Leuit. 20. but also by the law Iulia. When Charlemaigne reigned in France there happened a most notable iudgement of God vpon the monkes of Saint Martine in Tours for their disordinate lusts they were men whose food was too much and dainty whose ease was too easie and whose pleasures were too immoderate being altogither addicted to pastimes and meriments In their apparell they went clad in silke like great lords Nic. Gil. vol. 1. and as Nichol. Gill. in his first volume of French Chronicles saith their shoes were gilt ouer with gold so great was the superfluity of their riches and pride in summe their whole life was luxurious and infamous for which cause there came forth a destroying angell from the Lord by the report of Eudes the Abbot of Clugny and slew them all in one night as the first borne of Aegypt were slaine saue one onely person that was preferued as Lot in Sodome was preserued this strange accident mooued Charlemaigne to appoint a brotherhood of Canons to be in their roome though little better and as little profitable to the common wealth as the former It is not for nothing that the law of God forbiddeth to lie with a beast Leuit. 18. and denounceth death against them that commit this foule sinne for there haue been such monsters in the world at sometimes Exod. 22. Leuit. 20. Deut. 27. as we read in Caelius and Volaterranus of one Crathes a sheepheard that accompanied carnally with a shee goat but the Buck finding him sleeping offended and prouoked with this strange action ran at him so furiously with his hornes that hee left him dead vpon the ground God that opened an asses mouth to reproue the madnesse of the false Prophet Balaam and sent lions to kill the strange inhabitants of Samaria emploied also this bucke about his seruice in executing iust vengeance vpon a wicked varlet CHAP. XXXIII Of the wonderfull euill that ariseth from this greedinesse of lust IT is to very good reason that the scripture forbiddeth vs to abstaine from the lust of the flesh and the eies 1. Ioh. 2. which is of the world and the corruprion of mans owne nature for so much as by it we are drawne and enticed to euill it being as it were a corrupt root which sendeth forth most bitter soure and rotten fruit Iam. 1. and this happeneth not onely when the goods and riches of the world are in quest but also when a man hunteth after dishonest and vnchast delights this concupiscense is it that bringeth forth whoredoms adulteries and many other such sinnes whereout spring forth oftentimes floods of mischiefes and that diuers times by the selfe will and inordinate desire of priuat and particular persons Gen. 39. what did the lawlesse lust of Putiphars wife bring vpon Ioseph was not his life endangered and his body kept in close prison where hee cooled his feet two yeeres or more We haue a most notable example of the miserable end of a certaine woman with the sacking and destruction of a whole city and all caused by her intemperance and vnbridled lust About the time that the Emperour Phocas was slaine by Priscus Sabell one Gysulphus gouernour and chieftaine of a cuntry in Lumbardie going out in defence of his cuntry against the Bauarians which were certaine reliques of the Hunnes gaue them battaile and lost the field and his life withall Now the conquerours pursuing their victory laid siege to the chiefe citie of his prouince where Romilda his wise made her abode who viewing one day from the wals the young and faire king with yellow curled locks gallopping about the city fell presently so extreamely in loue with him that her mind ran of nothing but satisfying her greedy and new conceiued lust wherefore burying in obliuion the loue of her late husband with her young infants yet liuing and her countrey and preferring her owne lust before them all shee sent secretly vnto him this message That if hee would promise to marry her shee would deliuer vp the citie into his hands he well pleased with this gentle offer through a desire of obtaining the citie whioh without great bloodshed and losse of men he could not otherwise compasse accepted of it and was receiued vpon this condition within the wals and least hee should seeme too perfidious hee performed his promise of marriage and made her his wife for that one night but soone after in scorne and disdaine hee gaue her vp to twelue of his strongest leachers to glut her vnquenchable fire and finally nailed her on a gibbet for a finall reward of her treacherous and boundlesse lust Marke well the misery whereinto this wretched woman threw her selfe and not onely her selfe but a whole city also by her boiling concupiscense which so dâ—zled her vnderstanding that shee could not consider how vndecent it was dishonest and inconuenient for a woman to offer her selfe nay to sollicite a man that was an enemy a stranger and one that shee had neuer seene before to her bed and that to the vtter vndoing of her selfe and all hers But euen thus many more whose hearts are passionate with loue are blindfolded after the same sort like as poeticall Cupid is fained to be that not knowing what they take in hand they fall headlong into destruction ere they be aware Let vs then be here aduertised to pray vnto God that hee would purifie our drossie hearts and diuert our wandring eies from beholding vanity to be seduced thereby CHAP. XXXIIII Of vnlawfull gestures Idlenesse Gluttony Drunkennes Daunsing and other such like dissolutenes LIke as if we would carry our selues chastly and vprightly before God it behooueth vs to auoid all filthines and adultery so wee must abstaine from vnciuill and dishonest gestures which are as it were badges of concupiscense coles to set lust on fire and instruments to iniury others withall Sabel from hence it was that Pompey caused one of his souldiers eyes to be put out in Spaine for thrusting his hand vnder a womans garment that was a Spaniard and for the same or like offence did Sertorius command a footman of his band to be cut in pieces Oh that we had in these daies such minded captaines that would sharply represse the wrongs and rauishments which are so common and vsuall amongst men of warre at this day and so vncontrolled they would not then doubtlesse be so rife and common as in these daies they are Kissing is no lesse to be eschewed than the former if it be not betwixt those that are tied togither by some bond of kindred or affinitie as it was by auncient custome of the Medes and Persians and Romanes also according to the report of Plutarch and Seneca and that which is more Sueton. Tiberius Caesar forbad the often and daily practise thereof in that
put to death by the hand of a woman That which hapned to the Madianites in the time of Gedeon Iudg. 7. is admirable and very strange who being furnished with a mighty army of soldiers with the Amalekites other their allies to destroy Israel were so scarred scattered at the sound of the trumpets brightnes of torches of three huudred men at the most that were with Gedeon that through the marueilous astonishment they were in they turned their blades into their owne bosomes murdred one another till the greatest part of them were destroied and the residue being put to flight and pursued by the men of Ephraim two of their kings Oreb Zeb were taken and slaine A while after it came to passe that the princes of the Philistims Iudg. 16. who had oppressed the people of God by the space of 40 yeres being assembled togither with all their people in the temple of Dagon their god euen then whē after their sacrifices they thought to make themselues most sport pastime with poore Samson whose eies in mockery contemp◠they had put out were altogither massacred by the fall of the house which Samsō by his strength pulled vpon their heads which was the greatest ouerthrow that beforetimes by his means they had receiued In the reigne of Saul king of Israel 1. Sam. 15. Agag king of Amalech the posterity or those that laid wait for Israel in the desart as they came out of Aegypt were by Saul following the commandemēt of the Lord set vpon who running vpon him his people made a great slaughter butchery of them not sparing man woman nor child except the king only whom he tooke to mercy led captiue which he ought not to haue done This captaine being thus spared by one that was but little better then himselfe could not so escape for the Prophet Samuel became the executioner of Gods vengeance vpon him since Saul refused it with his own hand slue him euen then when he thought he should liue A litle while after Golia a gyant of the Philistims who as well through the hugenes of his stature strength of body 1. Sam. 17. as thorough the horrible cruelty which appeared in him seemed in mans eies inuincible proudly presumptuously defied the army of the liuing God offring daring any one mā of Israel to enter combat with him this proud fellow was notwithstanding all his brags by yong vnarmed Dauid saue a litle stick a few stones which he had in his hands vanquished trode vnder foot for he gaue this great beast such a knocke with one of his stones on the forhead that at the first blow he tumbled him groueling on the earth quickly leaping vpon him caught hold of his huge sword therwithall cut off his monstrous head which the Philistims perceiuing turned thair backs and fled and were pursued and slaine by the Israelites CHAP. X. More examples like vnto the former IN the time of Achah Benhadad king of Syria accompanied with two and thirty kings 1. King 20. came very proudly against Israel as it were in despight of God to bid him battaile but it turned to his owne shame and confusion being first dishonourably put to flight by two hundred thirty seruants of the Princes of Israel a small handfull to encounter so mighty an army And secondly returning to seeke reuenge found the losse of an hundred thousand footmen at one clap besides seuen and twenty thousand which escaping by flight were crushed in peeces by the ruine of a wall in the city Aphec And so this braue gallant that earst bragged that the gold and siluer of Israel yea their wiues and children were his was now glad to flie for his life among the rest and in his returne to hide himselfe all dismaid in a little chamber and from thence being aduised thereto by his seruants to send to intreat Achab for his owne life which a little before thought him sure of the liues of all Israel Yet for all this ere long he enterprised a new practise against the Prophet Elizaeus 2. King 6. 2. King 7. and besieged also the city of Samaria so long that certaine women constrained by extreme famine deuoured their children but in the end hee was compelled through fearfull terrour which God sent into his army by the noise of infinite chariots and horses which sounded in their eares as if some puissant host of men of warre had bene marching towards them to forsake the siege and flie with all his forces leauing behind them their tents horses cariages vitailes and munitions to be a prey for them that pursued them not And lastly falling sicke Hazael one of his own seruants that succeeded him in the kingdome 2. King 8. to the end he might dispatch him quickly and without tumult early in the morning tooke a thicke cloth dipt in water and spreading it ouer his face stifled him to death 2. Chron. 20. When the Moabites and Ammonites rose vp in arms against Iehosaphat king of Iuda assoone as this good king humbled him selfe togither with all his people before the face of God by fasting and praier forthwith God sent such a giddinesse of spirit amongst his enemies that they killed one another and the men of Iuda without being troubled with fighting gathered the spoile which they had scattered and enriched themselues with their reliques Aman Ester 7. 9. promoted in honour and credit aboue all the Princes of the court of king Assuerus conceiued so deadly an hatred against the poore dispersed Iewes being at that time the onely Church of God that malitiously he conspired in one day to destroy and put to death the whole nation to the very women infants and in accomplishing this his purpose he mightily abused the authoritie of the king whome he falsly enformed that this nation would not be subiect to his ordinances and lawes which his other people were subiect vnto and that therefore he ought not to permit suffer them any longer But God that carieth alwaies a watchfull eie ouer his Church and knoweth how to breake dash all the enterprises of his enemies brought all this wretches purposes to nought by preseruing miraculously those whome he would haue destroied making him doe reuerence to Mardocheus whom he especially sought to bring to infamy and for whome he had of purpose prouided a gibbet to hang him on but was hanged thereon himselfe with ten of his sonnes beside all those which had conspired with him against the Iewes were vpon the same day which they had set downe for their massacre by the kings commandement slaine by the hands of them whom they had appointed to the slaughter Balthasar king of Babylon as he was feasting among his princes Dan. 5. commanded amidst his cups the golden and siluer vessels which Nabuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple of Ierusalē to be brought that both he
with many other strange cruelties This example belongeth also in regard of cruelty to the sixt commandement Lib. 2. cap. 11.17 Booke of the Iewish antiquitie chap. 8 as by killing the ordinary iudges of the house of Dauid and his owne wife and children this caitife was tormented with sundrie intollerable griefes and at last deuoured by an horrible and most fearfull death For as Iosephus reporteth his body was boiled and his bowels gnawne in two by a soft and slow fire fretting inwardly without any outward appearance of heat besides the rauenous insatiable desire of eating which so possessed him that without chewing his meat in whole lumpes descended into his bodie deuouring it so fast as it could bee throwne into his mouth and neuer ceasing to farse his greedie throat with continual sustenance moreouer his feet were so swolne and puft vp with such a flegme that a man might see through them his priuie parts so rotten and ful of vermine and his breath so stinking that few or none durst approch neere vnto him yea his owne seruants forsooke him Now lying in this wretched plight when this wicked man saw no remedie could bee found to assuage his griefe he went about to kill himselfe and being not able to performe it he was constrained to endure all the panges of a most horrible lingring and languishing death and at last mad and miserable bestraught of sence and reason to end his daies As for Herod the Tetrarch Luke 9 7. sirnamed Antipas who to please Herodias had caused Iohn Baptist to be beheaded when he had likewise prepared snares for our Sauiours feet and being sent to him by Pilate to quit himselfe and gratifie him withall had ieasted and mocked at him his belly full This example in regard of diuorce belongeth to the seueth commandement Lib. 2. cap. 29. Ioseph of the Iewish antiquitie booke 8. chap. 9. behold his reproches and mockes was he neuer so subtile turned into his own bosome For first after that his armie had beene discomfited by the souldiors of king Aretas whose daughter in regard of Herodias his brother Philips wife he had repudiated a further shame and dishonour befell him euen to be depriued of his roiall dignitie and not only to be brought into a low and base estate but also being robbed of his goods to be banished into a far countrie there to make an end of the rest of his life As touching Pilate the gouernour of Iudea hee did so excell in wickednesse and iniustice Euseb that notwithstanding the restraint of his owne conscience the law of ciuill equity and the aduertisement of his owne wife yet hee condemned Christ Iesus the iust and innocent to the death of the crosse albeit he could not but know the power of his miracles the renowne whereof was spread into all places But ere long hauing beene constrained to erect the image of the Emperour Caligula in the Temple of Ierusalem to be worshipped hee was sent for to make personall appearance at Rome to answere to certaine accusations of crueltie which were by the Iewes obiected against him And in his iourney being afflicted in conscience Euseb Eutrop. lib. 7. with the number and weight of his misdeeds like a desperate man to preuent the punishment which he feared willingly offered violence to his owne life and killed himselfe The first Emperour that tooke in hand to persecute the Christians was Nero the tyrant picking a quarrell against them for setting the city on fire Tertul. Nicephor 8. Commandement calumniation Lib. 2. cap. 44. which being himself guiltie of he charged them withall as desirous to find out any occasion to doe them hurt wherefore vnder pretence of the same crime discharinging his own guilt vpon their backs he exposed thē to the furie of the people that tormented them very sore as if they had ben commō burners destroiers of cities the deadliest enemies of mankind Tacit. Annal. Lib. 5. Herevpon the poor innocents were apprehended some of them clad with skins of wild beasts were torne in pieces by dogs others crucified or made bonefires of on such heaps that the flame arising frō their bodies serued in stead of torches for the night To cōclude such horrible cruelty was vsed towards thē that many of their verie enemies did pitty their miseries But at last this wretch the causer of all seeing himselfe in danger to be murthered by one appointed for that purpose a iust reward for his horrible vniust dealing hastened his death by killing himselfe Suet. Refer this also to the 24 chap. of this booke Suet. Eutrop. as it shal be shewed more at large in the 2. booke The authour of the second persecution against the Christians was Domitian who was so puft vp and swolne with pride that he would needs ascribe vnto himselfe the name of God Against this man rose vp his houshold seruants who by his wiues consent slew him with daggers in his priuy chamber his body was buried without honor his memory cursed to posterity his ensignes trophees thrown down defaced Traian who albeit in al things els in the gouernmēt of the Empire also shewed himselfe a good sage Prince yet did he dash bruise himself against this stone with the rest was reckoned the third persecutor of the church of Christ for which cause he vnderwent also the cruel vengeance of God felt his heauy hand vpō him for first he fel into a palsie Dion when he had lost the vse of his sences persuading himself that he was poysoned got a dropsie also and so died in great anguish Hadrian in the 9 year of his Empire caused ten thousand Christians to be crucified in Armenia at one time after that ceased not to stir vp a very whot persecution against thē in all places Mandat 7. Liq 2. cap. 12. Spart But God persecuted him that to his destructiō first with an issue of blood wherwith he was so weakened disquieted that oftētimes he would faine haue made away himself next with the consumption of the lunges lights which he spate out of his mouth continaully and thirdly with an insatiable dropsie so that seeing himself in this horrible tormēt he desired poisō to hastē his death or a knife to make quick riddance but when all those means were kept back he was inforced to indure still at last to die in great misery Whilst Marcus Antonius surnamed Verus swaied the Empire there were exceeding cruelties set abroach against the poore Christians euery where but especially at Lions and Vienna in Daulphine as Eusebius in his Ecclesiasticall historie recordeth Euseb Spart Wherfore he wanted not his punishment for he died of an apoplexie after he had lien speechlesse three daies After that Seuerus had proclaimed himselfe a profest enemie to Gods church his affaires began to decline and he found himselfe pestered vvith diuerse extremities and set vpon with
the dung of oxen serued some for meate others fedde vpon the leather of old shooes and buckles and diuers women were driuen to the extremitie to boile and eate their owne children Many thinking to saue their liues by flying to the enemy were taken and slit in pieces in hope to find gold and siluer in their guts in one night two thousand were thus piteously dealt withall and at last the whole city was by force taken and the holy Temple consumed by fire And this in generall was the miserable issue of that lamentable warre during which fourescore and seuenteene thousand Iewes were taken prisoners and eleuen hundred thousand slaine for within the city were inclosed from the beginning to the ending all those that were assembled togither from all quarters of the earth to keepe the Passeouer as their custome was As touching the prisoners some were carried to Rome in triumph others were here and there massacred at their conquerours wils somes lot it was to be torne in peeces and deuoured of wild beasts others were constrained to march in troopes against their fellows and kill one another as if they had beene enemies All which euils came vpon them for the despite and fury which they vsed towards the Sonne of God and our Sauiour and that was the cause why he foreseeing this desolation wept ouer Ierusalem and said That it should be besieged on euery side and rased to the ground and that not one stone should be left vpon another because it knew not the time of her visitation Likewise said he to the women that bewailed him as he was led to the crosse That they should not weepe for him but for themselues and their children because of the daies of sorrow which were to come wherein the barren and those that had no children the dugs that neuer suckled should be counted happy So horrible and pitifull was the destruction of this people that God would not suffer any of his owne children to be wrapped in their miseries nor to perish with this peruerse and vnbeleeuing nation for as Eusebius reporteth they were a little before the arriuall of these mischiefes aduertised from heauen by the especiall prouidence of God to forsake the city and retire into some farre countrey where none of these euils might come neere them This example belongeth also to the contempt of the word Lib. 1. cap. 34. The relikes of this wretched people that remained after this mighty tempest of Gods wrath were dispersed and scattered throughout all nations vnder heauen being subiect to them with whome they soiourned without king prince Iudge or magistrate to lead and guide them or to redresse their wrongs but were altogither at the discretion and commandement of the lords of those countries wherein they made their abode so that their condition and kind of life is at this day so vile and contemptible as experience sheweth that no nation in the world is halfe so miserable which is a manifest badge of Gods vengeance yet abiding vpon them And yet for all this these dispersed reliques ceased not to vomit out the fome of their malice against Christ it being so deepe rooted an euill and so inueterate that time nor reason could reuoke them from it And no maruell seeing that God vseth to punish the greatest sinnes with other sinnes as with the greatest punishment so they hauing shut their eies to the light when it shined among them are now giuen ouer to a reprobate and hardened sense otherwise it were not possible they should remaine so obstinate And albeit God be thanked wee haue many conuerts of them yet I dare say for the most part they remaine in malitious blindnes barking against despiting both our sauiour himselfe all that professe his name although their punishments haue bin still according to their deserts as by these examples following shall appeare The Iewes of Inmester a towne lying betwixt Calchis Antioch being vpon a time celebrating their accustomed plaies and feasts in the midst of their iollity as their vse is they contumeliously reuiled not onely Christians but euen Christ himselfe for they got a Christian child and hung him vpon a crosse and after many mocks taunts making themselues merry at him they whipt him to death What greater villany could there be then this or wherein could these deuils incarnate shew forth their malice more apparantly then thus not content once to haue crucified Christ the Sauiour of the world but by imitation to performe it againe and as it were to make known that if it were vndone they would do it So also handled they a boy called Simeon of two yeeres and an halfe old in the yeere of our Lord 1476 Iob Fincel lib. 3 another in Fretulium fiue yeres after that But aboue all they massacred a poore carpenters son in Hungary in hatred of Christ whom they falsly supposed to be a carpenters son for they cut in two all his veines suckt out his blood with quils And being apprehended and tortured they confessed that they had done the like at Thirna 4 yeeres before that they could not be without Christian blood for therwithall they anointed their priests But at all these times they suffered iust punishmēt for being still taken they were either hanged burned murdred or put to some other cruell death at the discretion of the magistrates Moreouer they would at diuers times buy the holy host of some popish priest and thrust it through with their kniues and vse it most despitefully this did one Eleazarus in the yere of our Lord 1492 the 22 of October but was burnt for his labour And eight and thirty at another time for the same villany by the Marquesse Ioachinus for the caitiues would suffer themselues to bee baptized for none other end but more securely to exercise their villanies Casp Hedius lib. 3. cap. 6. Another Iewe is recorded in the yeere of our Lord 147 to haue stollen the picture of Christ out of a Church and to haue thrust it through many times with his sword whereout when blood miraculously issued he amazed would haue burned it but being taken in the manner the Christians stoned him to death The truth of which story though I will not stand to auow yet I doubt not but it might be true considering that either the deuill might by his cunning so foster and confirme their superstition or rather that seeing Christ is the subiect of their religion as well as of ours though after a corrupt and sacrilegious forme and that the Iewe did not so much aime at their religion as at Christ the subiect of it the Lord might shew a miracle not to establish their errour but to confound the Iewes impiety especially in those young yeeres of the Church But that their impiety may be yet more discouered I will here set downe the confession of one of their owne nation a Iewe of Ratisbone conuerted to the faith one very skilfull in the
home vnto his owne house was attached with so grieuous a sicknesse and such furious and mad fits withall that his wife and neerest allies not daring to come neere him hee like a franticke bedlem enraged and solitarily ended his life A counsellour of the same court called Bellâ—mâ—nt was so hote and zealous in proceeding against the poore prisoners for the word of Gods sake that to the end to packe them soone to the fire hee vsually departed not from the iudgement hall from morning to euening but caused his meat and drinke to be brought for his meales returning not home but only at night to take his rest But whilst hee thus strongly and endeauourously emploied himselfe about these affaires there began a litle sore to rise vpon his foote which at the first being no bigger then if a waspe had stung the place grew quickly so red and full of paine and so encreased the first day by ranckling ouer all his foot and inflaming the same that by the iudgement of Phisitians and Chirurgians through the contagious fire that spred it selfe ouer his whole body it seemed incurable except by cutting off his foot the other members of the body might be preserued which hee in no case willing to yeeld vnto for all the medicines that were applied vnto it found the second day his whole legge infected and the third his whole thigh and the fourth day his whole body in so much that he died the same day his dead body being all parched as if it had bene rosted by a fire And thus hee that was so hote in burning poore Christians was himselfe by a seeret flame of Gods wrath as by slow and soft fire burned and consumed to death Lewes de Vaine brother in law to Menier the president of the said parliament of Prouince History of Martyrs second booke with the brother and sonne of Peter Durand chiefe butcher of the city Aix the euening before their horrible crueltie was executed at Merindoll fell at debate amongst themselues and the morrow as instruments of Gods iudgements slew one another The Iudge of the city Aix one of that wretched crew drowned himselfe in his returne The same as hee passed ouer the riuer Durance As for the chiefe Iudge that was principall in that murderous action The same touching the condemnation of those poore soules of Merindoll and Cabrieres he likewise suddenly died before he saw the execution of that decree which himselfe had sed downe Iohn Mesnier lord of Oppede another chiefe officer of the foresaid parliament that got the leading of that murdering armie against the poore Christians aforesaid committed such excesse of cruelty that the most barbarous heathen in the world would haue yearned to doe For which cause hee was also summoned to appeare personally at the parliament of Paris there to answere to those extortions robberies oppressions which were laid to his charge and being conuinced and found guilty thereof was neuerthelesse released and set at liberty and that which is more restored to his former state Howbeit though he escaped the hands of men yet was he ouertaken by the hand of God who knew well enough the way how to entrap and abate his proud intents for euen then when hee was in the height of worldly prosperity and busier then euer in persecuting Christians euen then was hee pulled downe by a fluxe of blood which prouoking his priuie partes ingendred such a carnositie and thicknesse of flesh therein and withall a restraint of vrine that with horrible ourcries and rauing speeches hee died feeling a burning fire broiling his entrails from his nauell vpwards and an extreme infection putrifying his lower parts and beginning to feele in this life both in body and soule the rigour of eternall fire prepared for the deuill and his angels Iohn Martin Trombant of Briqueras in Piemont vaunting himselfe euery foot in the hindrance of the Gospell cut off a ministers nose of Angrogne in his brauery 2 Bookes of martyrs but immediatly after was himselfe assailed by a mad wolfe that gnawed off his nose as he had done the ministers and caused him like a mad man to end his life which strange iudgement was notoriously knowen to all the countrey thereabout and beside it was neuer heard that this wolfe had euer harmed any man before Gaspard of Reniaâ—me one of the magistrates of the city of Anuers that adiudged to death certaine poore faithfull soules receiued in the same place ere hee remooued a terrible sentence of Gods iudgement against himselfe for hee fell desperate immediatly and was faine to be led into his house halfe beside himselfe where crying that hee had condemned the innocent blood he sorthwith died CHAP. XVI Other Examples of the same subiect ABout the same time there happened a very straunge iudgement vpon an ancient lawier of Bourges one Iohn Cranequin a man of ripe wit naturall and a great practitioner in his profession but very ignorant in the law of God and all good literature so enuiously bent against all those that knew more then himselfe and that abstained from the filthie pollutions of poperie that hee serued in stead of a promootour to enforme Ory the inquisitour of them but for his labour the arme of God stroke him with a marueilous straunge phrensie that whatsoeuer his eies beheld seemed in his iudgement to be crawling serpents In such sort that after hee had in vaine experienced all kind of medicines yea and vsed the helpe of wicked sorcerie and coniuration yet at length his senses were quite benummed and depriued him and in that wretched and miserable estate hee ended his life Iohn Morin a mighty enemie to the professors of Gods truth one that laboured continually at Paris in apprehending and accusing the faithfull in so much that hee sent daily multitudes that appealed from him to the high court of the pallace died himselfe in most grieuous and horrible torment The Chauncellour of Prat hee that in the Parliaments of France put vp the first bill against the faithfull and gaue out the first commissions to put them to death died swearing and blaspheming the name of God his stomacke being most straungely gnawen in peeces and consumed with wormes The Chauncellour Oliuer beeing restored to his former estate Refer this among Apostaraes Lib. 1. cap. 18. hauing first against his conscience renounced his religion so also now the same conscience of his checking and reclaiming hee spared not to shedde much innocent blood by condemning them to death But such a fearefull iudgement was denounced against him by the very mouthes of the guiltlesse condemned soules that stroke him into such a feare and terrour that presently hee fell sicke surprised with so extreame a melancholy that sobbing forth sighes without intermission and murmurings against God hee so afflicted his halfe dead body like a man robd and dispossest of sense and reason that with his vehement fits hee would so shake the bedde as if a young man in
put to death in diuers places as well for their monstrous damnable heresies as for many mischiefes and outrages which they committed By all which things God doth exhibite and set before our eies how deare precious in his sight the purenesse of his holy word the vnion of his Church is and how carefull zealous euery one of vs ought to be in maintaining and vpholding the same when as he reuengeth himselfe so sharply vpon all those that go about to peruert and corrupt the sincerity therof or which be breeders of new sects and diuisions among his people Olympus by office bishop of Carthage but by profession a fauourer and maintainer of the Arrian heresie being vpon a time in a bath washing himselfe Paul Diac. in Anastas hist Sabel lib. 5. c. 4. Blasphemie Lib. 1. cap. 31. Atheisme Lib. 1. cap. 25. hee vttered with an impious mouth blasphemous words against the holy Trinitie but a threefold thunderbolt came from aboue and stroke him dead in the same place teaching him by his paine and all other by experience what it is to blaspheme the Lord of heauen or with polluted lippes to mention his sacred maiestie this happened in the yeere of our Lord God 510. Cyrill hath recorded vnto vs of his owne knowledge a more wonderfull and admirable wonder of God vpon an heretique then all the rest and such an one indeed as the like I dare say was neuer heard of the history is this After the decease of S. Ierome there stood vp one Sabinianus a peruerse and blasphemous fellow that denied the distinctions of persons in the Trinitie and affirmed the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost to be but one indistinct person and to giue credit to his heresie he wrote a booke of such blasphemies tending to the confirmation of the same and fathered it vpon S. Ierome as being the authour of it But Siluanus the bishop of Nazaren mightily withstood and reproued him for deprauing so worthy a man now dead and offering his life for the truth made this bargaine with Sabinianus that if S. Ierome the next day did not by some miracle testifie the falsnesse of his cause hee would offer his throat to the hangman and abide death but if he did that then he should die This was agreed vpon by each party and the day following both of them accompanied with great expectation of the people resorted into the Temple of Ierusalem to decide the controuersie Now the day was past and no miracle appeared so that Siluanus was commaunded to yeeld his necke to that punishment which himselfe was authour of which as hee most willingly and confidently did behold an Image like to Saint Ierome in shew appeared and slaied the hangmans hand which was now ready to strike and vanishing forthwith another miracle succeeded Sabinianus head fell from his shoulders no man striking at it and his carkasse remained vpon the ground dead and senselesse Whereat the people amazed praising God claue vnto Siluanus and abiured Sabinianus heresie Wherein wee may obserue the wonderfull wisdome of God both in punishing his enemies and trying his children whether they will stand to his truth or no and learne therby neither rashly to measure and limit the purposes of God nor yet timerously to despaire of helpe in a good cause though we see no meanes nor likelihood thereof Grimeald king of Lumbardie was infected with the Arrian heresie for which cause the Lord punished him with vntimely death for hauing beene let blood the eleuenth day after as he stroue to draw a bow hee opened the vaine a new and so bled to death Cabades Casp hed lib. 3. cap. 10. 15. king of Persia when hee saw his sonne Phorsuasa addicted to the Maniches he assembled as many as he could of that sect into one place and there setting his souldiers on them slew them till there was not one left Photinus a Gallograecian for renuing the heresie of Hebion Platina sub Siricio 7. and affirming Christ to be but an excellent man borne naturally by Mary after the manner of other men excelling in iustice and morall vertues was by the Emperour Valentinianus iustly banished The Emperour Iustinian Niceph. lâ—b 27. cap. 31. fauouring the heresie of the Apthardocites when as he gaue out one edict whereby Anastasius the bishop and all other that maintained the truth should be banished Zen. com 3. suddenly he was stroken with an inward and inuisible plague which tooke away his life and forestalled his wicked cruell determination from comming to the desired effect In all which examples we may see how God doth not only punish heretikes themselues but also their fauourers and supporters yea the very places cities wherin they liued broched their blasphemies Paul Diaâ— lib. 5. as by the destructioÌ„ of Antioch is seene which being a very sink of heretiks was partly coÌ„sumed with fire from heauen aboue in the seuenth yeere of Iustinus the Emperour and partly ouerthrowen with earthquakes below wherein Euphrasius the bishop and many other were destroied Moreouer besides those there were vnder Pope Innocent the third certaine heretiques celled Albigonses or Albiani which being possessed with the same spirit of fury that the Maniches were affirmed that there were two Gods one good and another euill they denied the resurrection despised the sacraments and said that the soules of men after their separation passed either into hogs oxen serpents or men according to their merits Contempt of the word Lib. 1. cap. 34. they would not spare to pollute the temples appointed for the seruice of God with their excrements and other filthy actions and to defile the holy bibles with vrine in despite and contumely This heresie like an euill weed so grew and increased that the braunches therof spred ouer almost all Europe a thousand cities were polluted therewith so that it was high time to cut it short by violence the sword as it was for they were oppressed with so huge a slaughter that an hundred thousand of them were slaine partly by warre partly by fire at one time Gregory of Tours hath recorded the life and death of an hereticall monke of Bordeaux that by the helpe of Magicke wrought miracles and tooke vpon him the name and title of Christ saying hee could cure diseases and restore those that were past helpe by phisicke vnto their healths he went attired with garments made of goar 's haire and an hood professing an austerity of life abroad whereas he plaied the glutton at home but at length his cousenage was discouered he was banished the citie as a man vnfit for ciuill societie In the yeere of our Lord God 1204 in the Empire of Otto the fourth there was one Almaricus also that denied the presence of Christ in the sacrament Atheisme Lib. 1. cap. 25. and said that God spake as well in profane Ouid as holy Augustine he scoffed at the doctrine of the resurrection and esteemed
the Emperor Sigismond had in all his affaires after the violation of his faith giuen to Iohn Hus Theatr. histor and Ierome of Prage at the councill of Constance whome though with direct protestations and othes he promised safe conduct returne yet he adiudged to be burned doth testifie the odiousnesse of his sinne in the sight of God But aboue all this one example is most worthy the marking of a fellow that hearing periurie condemned in a pulpit by a learned preacher and how it neuer escaped vnpunished said in a brauery I haue oft forsworne my selfe and yet my right hand is not a whit shorter then my left which words hee had scarse vttered when such an inflammation arose in that hand that he was constrained to go to the surgeon and cut it off least it should infect his whole body and so his right hand became shorter then his left in recompence of his periury which hee lightly esteemed of In the yeere of our Lord 1055 Goodwine Earle of Kent sitting at the table with king Edward of England Stow Chron. it happened that one of the cupbearers stumbled and yet fell not whereat Goodwine laughing said That if one brother had not holpen another meaning his legges all the wine had beene spilt with which words the king calling to mind his brothers death which was slaine by Goodwine answered So should my brother Alphred haue holpen me had not Goodwine beene then Goodwine fearing the kings new kindled displeasure excused himselfe with many words at last eating a morsell of bread wished it might choke him if he were not guiltlesse of Alphreds blood but he swore falsly as the iudgement of God declared for he was forthwith choaked in the presence of the king ere hee remooued one foote from that place though there be some say he recouered life againe Stow Chron Long time after this in the reigne of Queene Elizabeth there was in the city of London one Anne Aueriâ—â— widdow who forswore her selfe for a little mony that she should haue paid for six pound of tow at a shop in Woodstreet for which cause being suddenly surprized with the iustice of God shee fell downe speechlesse forthwith and cast vp at her mouth in great aboundance with horrible stinke that matter which by natures course should haue bene voided downwards and so died to the terrour of all periured and forsworne wretches There are in Histories many more examples to be found of this hurtfull and pernicious sinne exercised by one nation towards another and one man towards another in most profane and villanous sort neither shaming to be accounted forsworne nor consequently fearing to displease God and his maiestie But forasmuch as when we come to speake of murderers in the next booke we shall haue occasion to speake of them more or of such like I will referre the handling thereof vnto that place only this let euery man learne by that which hath bene spoken to be sound and fraudlesse and to keepe his faith and promise towards all men if for no other cause yet for feare of God who leaueth not this sinne vnpunished nor holdeth them guiltlesse that thus take his name in vaine CHAP. XXXI Of Blasphemers AS touching Blasphemie it is a most grieuous and enormous sinne and contrary to this third commandement when a man is so wretched and miserable as to pronounce presumptuous speeches against God whereby his name is slandered and euill spoken of which sinne can not choose but be sharpely and seuerely punished for if so be that God holdeth not him guiltlesse that doth but take his name in vaine must hee not needs abhorre him that blasphemeth his name See how meritoriously that wicked and peruerse wretch that blasphemed and murdered as it were the name of God among the people of Israel in the desert was punished hee was taken Leuit. 24. put in prison and condemned and speedily stoned to death by the whole multitude and vpon that occasion as euil manners begat euermore good lawes the Lord instituted a perpetual law and decree that euery one that should blaspheme and curse God of what estate or degree soeuer should be stoned to death in token of detestation which sentence if it might now a daies stand in force there would not raigne so many miserable blasphemers deniers of God as the world is now filled and infected with It was also ordained by a new law of Iustinian Cod. lib. 3. tit 43. that blasphemies should be seuerely punished by the Iudges magistrates of commonweales but such is the corruption and misery of this age that those men that ought to correct others for such speeches are oftentimes worst themselues there are that thinke that they can not be sufficiently feared and awed of men except by horrible bannings swearings they despite maugre God nay it is further come to that passe that in some places to sweare and ban be the marks ensignes of a Catholike they are best welcome that can blaspheme most How much then is that good king S. Lewes of France to be commended Nichol. Gil. vol. 1. Of French Chronicles who especially discharged all his subiects from swearing blaspheming within his realme insomuch that when he heating a a Lord of Ienville noble man blaspheme God most cruelly he caused him to be laid hold on his lips to be slit with an hor iron saying he must be content to endure that punishment seeing he purposed to banish othes out of his kingdome Now we call blasphemie according to the scripture phrase euery word that derogateth either from the bountie mercy iustice eternity soueraigne power of God of this sort was that blasphemous speech of one of king Iorams princes who at the time of the great famine in Samaria when it was besieged by the Sirians hearing Elizaeus the Prophet say that the next morow there should be plenty of victuals and good cheape reiected this promise of God made by his Prophet 2. King 7. saying that it was impossible as if God were either a lyar or not able to performe what he would for this cause this vnbeleeuing blasphemer receiued the same day a deserued punishment for his blasphemie for hee was troden to death in the gate of the citie vnder the feet of the multitude that went out into the Sirians camp forsaken and left desolate by them through a feare which the Lord sent among them 2. King 19. Sennacherib king of Assyria after he had obtained many victories subdued much people vnder him also laid siege to Ierusalem became so proud arrogant as by his seruants mouthes to reuile and blaspheme the liuing God speaking no otherwise of him then of some strange idoll and one that had no power to helpe and deliuer those that trusted in him for which blasphemies he soone after felt a iust vengeaÌ„ce of God vpon himselfe his people for although in mans eies he seemed
truth taking the witnesse of the two women touching that which they had seene Here wee may see the strange and terrible euents of Gods iust vengeance vpon such vile caitifes which doubtlesse are made manifest to strike a feare and terror into the heart of euery swearer and denier of God the world being but too full at this day of such wretches that are so inspired with Sathan that they cannot speak but they must name him euen him that is both an enemie to God man and like a roaring lion runneth and roueth to fro to deuoure them not seeking any thing but mans destruction And yet when any paine assaileth thē or any trouble disquieteth their minds or any danger threatneth to oppresse their bodies desperately they cal vpon him for aid whē indeed it were more needful to commend themselues to God and to pray for his grace and assistance hauing both a commandement so to doe and a promise adioined that hee will helpe vs in our necessitie if we come vnto him by true hearty praier It is not therfore without iust cause that God hath propounded and laid open in this corrupt age a Theatre of his iudgements that euery man might be warned thereby CHAP. XXXIII More examples of Gods Iudgements vpon cursers BVt before wee goe to the next commandement we will adioine a few more examples of this diuellish cursing Martin Luther hath left registred vnto vs a notable example showne vpon a Popish priest that was once a professour of the sincere religion Ex colliquij◠Lutheri and fell away voluntarily vnto papisme whereof Adam Budissina was the reporter this man thundered out most bitter curses against Luther in the pulpit at a towne called Ruthnerwald and amongst the rest wished that if Luthers doctrine was true a thunderbolt might strike him to death Now three daies after there arose a mighty tempest with thunder and lightning whereat the cursed priest bearing in himselfe a guilty conscience for that he had vntruly and maliciously spoken ran hastily into the church and there fell to his praiers before the altar most deuoutly but the vengeance of God found him out and his hipocrisie so that he was stroken dead with the lightning and albeit they recouered life in him againe yet as they led him homewards through the churchyard another flash so set vpon him that it burnt him from the crowne of the head to the sole of his foot as blacke as a shoe so that he died with a manifest marke of Gods vengeance vpon him Homil. 26. in hist passionis Theodorus Beza reporteth vnto vs two notable histories of his owne knowledge of the seuerity of Gods iudgement vpon a curser and a periurer the tenour whereof is this I knew saith he in France a man of good parts well instructed in religion and a master of a family who in his anger cursing and bidding the Deuill take one of his children had presently his wish for the child was possessed immeadiately with a spirit from which though by the feruent continual praiers of the church he was at length released yet ere hee had fully recouered his health he died The like we read to haue happened to a woman whom her husband in anger deuoted with bitter curses to the deuill for Satā assaulted her presently and robbed her of her wits so that she could neuer be recouered Discipulus de tempore sermon 116. Periurie lib. 1. cap. 29. Another example saith he happened not far hence euen in this countrie vpon a periurer that forswore himselfe to the end to deceiue and preiudice another thereby but hee had no sooner made an end of his false oth but a greeuous apoplexie assailed him so that without speaking any one word he died within few daies Iob Fincelius lib. 3. de mirac In the year of our Lord 1557 the day before good friday at Forchennum a citie in the bishoprick of Bamburge there was a certain crooked priest both in body mind through age euil conditions that could not go but on crutches yet would needs be lifted into the pulpit to make a sermon his text was out of the 11 chap. of the first epistle to the Corinthians touching the Lords supper whereout taking occasion to defend the papisticall errors the masse he vsed these or such like blasphemous speeches O Paul Paul if thy doctrin touching the receiuing the sacrament in both kinds be true if it be a wicked thing to receiue it otherwise then would the deuill might take me turning to the people if the popes doctrin concerning this point be not true then am I the deuils bondslaue neither do I fear to pawn my soule vpō it these many other blasphemous words he vsed till the deuil came indeed transformed into the shape of a tall man black terrible sending before him such a fearful noise and such a wind that the people supposed that the church would haue fallen on their heads but he not able to hurt the rest took away the old priest being his deuoted bondslaue caried him so far that he was neuer heard of the bishop of Rugenstines brother hardly escaped his hands for he came back to fetch him but he defēding himselfe with his sword wounded his own body very narrowly escaped with his life Beside after this there were many visions seen about the city as armies of men ready to enter surprise them so that wel was he that could hide himself in a corner At another time after the like noise was heard in the church whilst they were baptising an infant al this for the abominable cursing and blasphemie of the prophane priest In the yeare of our Lord 1556 at S. Gallus in Heluetia Iob. Fincelius lib. 2. de mirac a certaine man that earned his liuing by making clean rough and foule linnen against the sunne entring a tauerne tasted so much the grape that his wits were drowned and his tongue so inspired that hee vomited out terrible curses against himselfe and others among the rest he wished if euer he went into the fields to his old occupation that the deuil might come break his neck but when sleep had conquered drink sobriety restored his senses he wēt again to his trade remēbring indeed his late wordes but regarding them not howbeit the deuill to shew his double diligence attended on him at his appointed houre in the likenes of a big sworthy man and asked him if he remembred his promise and vow which he had made the day before if it were not lawful for him to break his necke and withall stroke the poore man trembling with feare ouer the shoulders that his feet and his hands presently dried vp so that hee lay there not able to stirre till by helpe of men he was caried home the Lord not giuing the deuill so much power ouer him as hee wished himselfe but yet permitting him to plague him on this
Oracle from their God which when hee approched neere vnto the Alexandrians prepared to entertaine him most honourably and being entered hee went first to visite their Temples where to cast more colours vpon his trecherie hee offered many sacrifices and in the meane while perceiuing the people gathered togither from all quarters to bid him welcome finding oportunity fitting his wicked and traiterous enterprise bee gaue commandement that all the young men of the city should assemble together in one place saying that hee would acquaint them to range themselues in battaile after the manner of the Macedonians in honour of king Alexander But whilest they thus assembled together in mirth and brauerie hee making as though hee would bring them in aray by going vp and downe amongst them and holding them in talke his army enclosed them on all sides then withdrawing himselfe with his guard hee gaue the watch-word that they should rush vpon them which was performed with such outrage that the poore credulous people beeing surprised at vnawares were all most cruelly massacred There might you see the most horrible barbarous and incredible butcherie of men that euer was heard of for besides those that were actors in this bloody Tragedy there were others that drew the slaine bodies into great ditches and very often haled in them that were scarse dead yea and sometimes that were altogether aliue which was the cause that diuerse souldiours perished at the same time when those that hauing some strength of life left being haled to the ditch held so fast by the halers that diuerse times both fell in together The blood that was shead at this massacre was so much that the mouth of the riuer Nilus and the sea shore were died with the streames thereof that ran down by smaller riuers into those plaine places Furthermore being desirous to obtaine a victorie ouer the Parthians that hee might get himselfe fame and reputation thereby hee passed not at what rate he bought it He sent therefore Embassadors with letters and presents to the king of Parthia to demand his daughter in marriage though hee neuer entended any such thing and being nonsuted at the first with a deniall yet pursued he his counterfeit purpose with much earnestnesse and with solemne oath protested his singular good affection and loue that he bore vnto her so that in the end the match was condiscended vnto by all parties whereof the Parthian people were not a little glad in hope of so durable a peace which by this marriage was like to be established betwixt thē The king therefore with all his subiects being ready to entertaine this new bridegroome went out with one consent to meet him in the midway their encounter was in a fair plain where the Parthians hauing sent backe their horses being vnarmed and prepared not for a day of battaile but of marriage and disport gaue him the most honourable welcome they could but the wicked varlet finding oportunity so fit set his armed souldiors vpon the naked multitude hewed in peeces the most part of them and had not the king with a few followers bestirred him well he had ben serued with the like sauce After which worthy exploit Treason lib. 2. cap. 3. and bloody stratageme he took his voiage backward burning and spoiling the towns and villages as he went till hee arriued at Charam a city in Mesopotamia where making his abode a while hee had a fancie to walke one day into the fields and going apart from his companie to vnburden nature attended vpon by one onely seruant as hee was putting downe his breeches another of his companie ranne in and stroke him through with his dagger Thus God blessed the world by taking out of it this wicked Tyrant who by treason and trechery had spilt so much innocent blood Seturus Galba another bird of the same feather exercised no lesse perfidious cruelty vpon the people of three cities in Lusitania for he assembled them togither in colour of prouiding for their common affaires but when hee had gotten them into his hands vnarmed and weaponlesse he took nine thousand of the flower of their youth and partly committed them to the sword and partly sold them for bondslaues The disloiall and treacherous dealing of Stilico towards the Gothes how deare it cost him and all Italy beside Iornand Paul Aemil histories doe sufficiently testifie for it fell out that the Gothes vnder the conduct of Allaricus entred Italy with a puissant and fearefull army to know the cause why the Emperour Honorius withheld the pension which by vertue of a league and in recompence of their aid to the Empire in time of war was due vnto them which by riper iudgement and deliberation of the councill was quieted to preserue their countrey from so imminent a tempest Treason lib. 2. cap. 3. offer was made vnto them of the Spaniards and Frenchmen if they could recouer them out of the hands of the Vandales which vsurped ouer them so that incontinently they should take their iourney ouer the Alpes towards them and depart their coasts Which offer and gift the Gothes accepting did accordingly fulfill the condition and passed away without committing any riot or any dammage in their passages But as they were vpon mount Cinis making towards France behold Stilico Honorius his father in law a man of a stirring stubborne and rash spirit pursueth and chargeth them with battaile vnawares and dreaming of nothing lesse whereat they being at the instant amazed quickly gathered their spirits togither and putting themselues in defence fought it out with such courage and eagernesse that the traitours army was wholly discomfited and he himselfe with one of his sonnes slaine The Gothes hauing gotten this victory broke off their voiage to France and turned their course backe againe to Italy with purpose to destroy and spoile And so they did for they laid wast all the countrey of Piemont and Lumbardy and elsewhere and besieged Rome itselfe so that from that time Italy neuer ceased to be scourged and tormented with the Gothes for the space of eighteene yeeres Moreouer whosoeuer else haue bene found to follow the steps of these truce peace promise breakers void of truth and regard of reputation alwaies vnderwent worthy punishment for their vnworthy actes and fell headlong into confusion and ignominy making themselues subiects worthy to be curst detested of all men CHAP. XIIII Of Queenes that were Murderers IF these and such like cruelties as we haue spoken of before be strange and monstrous for men what shall wee then say of wicked and bloody women who contrary to the nature of their sexe addict themselues to all violence and bloodshedding as cursed Iezabel Queene of Israel did of whome sufficient hath beene spoken before Athaliah Achabs daughter and wife to Ioram king of Iuda was a bird of the same feather for shee was possessed with such a spirit of fury and rage 2. King 11. that after the death of her
and consent of parties is committed bee condemned how much more greeuous and hainous is the offence and more guiltie the offendour when with violence the chastity of any is assailed and enforced This was the sinne wherwith Sichem the sonne of Hemor the Leuit is marked in holy scripture for hee rauished Dina Iaacobs daughter Gen. for which cause Simeon and Lui her brethren reuenged the iniury done done vnto their sister vpon the head of not onely him and his father but all the males that were in the citie by putting them to the sword It was a custome among the Spartanes Messenians during the time of peace betwixt them to send yearely to one another certaine of their daughters to celebrate certaine feasts and sacrifices that were amongst them now in continuance of time it chanced that fiftie of the Lacedemonian Virgines being come to those solemne feasts were pursued by the Messenian gallants to haue their pleasures of theÌ„ but they iointly making resistance and fighting for their honesties stroue so long not one yeelding themselues a prey into their hands till they all died wherevpon arose so long miserable a warre that all the countrie of Messena was destroied thereby Aristoclides a Tyrant of Orchomenus a city of Arcadia fell enamoured with a maid of Stymphalis who seeing her father by him slaine because hee seemed to stand in his puâ—poses light fled to the Temple of Diana to take Sanctuarie neither could once bee pluckt from the image of the goddesse vntill her life was taken from her but hir death so incensed the Arcadians that they fell to armes sharpely reuenged her cruell iniury Appius a Romane a man of power and authoritie in the city â—â—us Liuius enflamed with the loue of a Virgin whose father hight Virginius would needs make her his seruant to the end to abuse her the more freely whilst he endeuoured with all his power and pollicie to accomplish his immoderate lust her father slew her with his own hands more willing to prostitute her to death than to so foule an opprobrie and disgrace but euery man prouoked and stirred vp with the wofulnesse of the euent with one consent pursued apprehended and imprisoned the foule lecher who fearing the award of a most shamefull death killed himselfe to preuent a further mischiefe In the yeare of our Lord 1271 vnder the raign of the Emperour Rodolphe Nic. Gil. vol. 1. the Sicilians netled and enraged with the horrible whoredomes adulteries Rapes which the Garrisons that had the gouernment ouer them committed not able to endure any longer their insolent outragious demeanor entred a secret coÌ„mon conspiracy vpon a time appointed for the purpose which was on Easter sunday at the shutting in of the euening to set vpon them with one accord and to murder so many as they could as they did for at that instant they massacred so many throughout the whole island that of all the great multitude there suruiued not one to beare tidings or bewaile the dead At Naples it chaunced in the Kings pallace Bâ—mb lib. 3. hist Venet. as young King Fredericke Ferdinands sonne entered the priuie chamber of the Queene his mother to salute her and the other Ladies of the court that the Prince of Bissenio waighting in the outward chamber for his returne was slaine by one of his owne seruants that suddainely gaue him with his sword three deadly strokes in the presence of many beholders which deed hee confessed that hee had watched three yeares to performe in regard of an iniurie done vnto his sister and in her to him Benzoni Milan of the new found land whome hee rauished against her will The Spaniards that first tooke the Isle Hispaniola were for their whoredomes and Rapes whhich they committed vpon the wiues and Virgins all murdered by the inhabitants The inhabitants of the Prouince Cumana when they saw the beastly outrage of the Spanish nation The same author that lay along their coasts to fish for pearle in forcing and rauishing without difference their women young and old set vpon them vpon a Sunday morning with all their force and slew all that euer they found by the sea coasts Westward till there remained not one aliue And the fury of the rude vnciuill people was so great that they spared not the Monkes in their cloisters but cut their throates as they were mumbling their Masses burnt vp the Spanish houses both religious and priuate burst in peeces their belles drew about their Images hurld downe their crucifixes and cast them in disgrace and contempt ouerthwart their streetes to bee trodden vpon nay they destroyed whatsoeuer belonged vnto them to their very dogges and hennes and their owne Countriemen that serued them in any seruice whether religious or other they spared not they beate the earth and cursed it with bitter curses because it had vpholden such wicked and wretched caitifes Now the report of this massacre was so fearefull and terrible that the Spaniards which were in Cubagna doubted much of their liues also and truly not without great cause for if the Indians of the Continent had beene furnished and prouided with sufficient store of barkes they had passed euen into that Island and had serued them with the same sauce which their fellows were serued with for they wanted not will but hability to doe it And these are the goodly fruits of their adulteries and Rapes which the Spanish nation hath reaped in their new found land The great calamity and ouerthrow which the Lacedemonians endured at Leuctria wherein their chiefest strength and powers were weakened and consumed was a manifest punishment of their inordinate lust committed vpon two Virgines â—i Mel. lib. 2. whome after they had rauished in that very place they cut in peeces and threw them into a pit and when their father came to complaine him of the villanie they made so light account of his words that in stead of redresse he found nothing but reproch and derision so that with griefe hee slew himselfe vpon his daughters sepulchre but how greeuously the Lord reuenged this iniurie hystories doe sufficiently testifie and that Leuctrias calamitie doth beare witnesse Pausan lib. 2. Brias a Grecian captaine being receiued into a Citizens house as a guest forced his wife by violence to his lust but when he was asleepe to reuenge her wrong she put out both his eies and afterward complained to the citizens also who depriued him of his office and cast him out of their city Macrinus the Emperour punished two souldiours that rauished their hostesse on this manner hee shut them vp in an oxes bowels with their heads out and so partly with famishment and partly with wormes and rottennesse they consumed to death Iohan magnus Rodericus king of the Gothes in Spaine forced an Earles daughter to his lust for which cause her father brought against him an army of Sarasens and Moores and not onely slew him
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
done to the commonwealth gaue Maximus fit occasion to practise the Emperours destruction and that by this means He set on two of Actius most faithfull followers partly by laying before them the vnworthy death of their master and partly by presents and rewards to kill the Emperour which they perfourmed as he was sitting on his seat of iudgement in the sight of the whole multitude amongst whome there was not one found that would oppose himselfe to Maximus in his defence saue one of his Eunuchs who stepping betwixt to saue his life lost his owne and the amazement of the whole city with this sudden accident was so great that Maximus hauing reuenged himselfe thus vpon the Emperor without much a doe not only seased vpon the Empire but also vpon the Empresse Eudoxia and that against her will to be his wife for his owne died but a little before Now the Empresse not able to endure so vile an indignity being aboue measure passionate with griefe and desire of reuenge conspired his destruction on this manner She sent secretly into Africa to sollicite and request most instantly Gensericus king of the Vandals by praiers mingled with presents to come to deliuer her and the citie of Rome from the cruell tyranny of Maximus and to reuenge the thrise vniust murder of her husband Valentinian adding moreouer that he was bound to doe no lesse in consideration of the league of friendship which by oth was confirmed betwixt them Gensericus well pleased with these newes laid hold vpon the offred occasion which long time he had more wished than hoped for forthwith being alreadie tickled with hope of a great and inestimable booty rigged his ships and made ready his army by sea launching foorth with three hundred thousand men Vandales and Moores and with this huge fleet made straight for Rome Maximus meane while mistrusting no such matter especially from those parts was sore affrighted at the sodaine brute of their comming not yet vnderstanding the full effect of the matter perceiuing the whole city to bee in dismay and that not onely the common people but also the nobilitie had for feare forsaken their houses and fled to the mountains or forrests for safety hee I say destitute of succour tooke himselfe also his heeles as his surest refuge but all could not serue to rid him from the iust vengeance of God prepared for him Mandat 6. lib. 2. cap. 8. for the murders which he had ben cause of For certaine Senators of Rome his priuate secret foes finding him alone in the way of his flight and remembring their old quarrels fell vpon him sodainly felled him downe with stones and after mangled him in peeces and threw his body into Tiber. Three daies after arriued Gensericus with all his forces and entring Rome found it naked of all defence and left to his owne will and discretion where albeit he professed himselfe to be a Christian yet hee shewed more pride and cruelty and lesse pity than either Attila or Allaricus two Heathen kings For hauing giuen his souldiors the pillage of the city they not only spoiled all priuate houses but also the Temples and monasteries in most cruell and riotous manner All the best beautifullest things of the city they tooke away and carried a huge multitude of people prisoners to Affrica amongst the which was Eudoxia the Empresse with her two daughters Eudocia and Placidia who was the cause of al this calamity but her trechery saued not her selfe nor them from thraldome Treason lib. 2. cap 3. And thus was Rome sacked and destroied more than euer it was before insomuch that the Roman Empire could neuer after recouer it selfe but decaied euery day and grew worse and worse These were the calamities which the adultery of Valentinian brought vpon himselfe and many others to his owne destruction and the vtter ruine of the whole Empire Paulus Aemil. Nichol. Gil. Childericke king of France son to Merouee for laying siege to the chastitie of many great ladies of his realme the Princes and Barons conspired against him and droue him to flie for his life Paulus Aemil. Eleonor the wife to king Lewis of France hee that first cut through the sea furrowes towards Ierusalem against the Turks Sarasens would needs couragiously follow her husband in that long and dangerous voiage but how Marry whilst he trauailed night day in perrill of his life she lay at Antioch bathing her selfe in all delights that more licentiously than the reputation or duty of a maried womā required wherefore being had in suspition euill reported of for her lewd behauiour it was thought meet that she should bee diuorced from the king vnder pretence of consanguinitie to the end she should not altogether be defamed Fulgo lib. 6. c r. The faire daughter of Philip the fair king of France escaped not at so good a rate for the king as soone as he smelt out the haunt of their vnchastity caused them to bee apprehended and imprisoned presently howbeit one of them namely the Countesse of Poyters her innocency being knowne was set at liberty and the other two to wit the Queene of Nauar and the wife of Iohn de la March being found guilty by proofe were adiudged to perpetuall imprisonment And the Adulterers two brethren of the countrie of Aniou with whom these ladies had often lien were first cruelly slain and after hanged Froysard vol. 1. cap. 22. Charles son of the foresaid Philip the faire had to wife the daughter of the Earle of Artois that also offended in the like case and in recompence receiued this dishonor and ignominy to be diuorced and put in prison and to see him married to another before her face Froysard vol. 3. cap. 45. In the raigne of Charles the sixt there befell a notable memorable accident which was this One Iaques le Grys of the country of Alanson being enamoured with a lady no lesse faire than honourable the wife of the Lord of Carouge came vpon a day when hee knew her husband to bee from home to her house faining as if hee had some secret message to vnfold vnto her on her husbands behalfe for their familiarity was so great entred with her all alone into a most secret chamber Rape lib. 2. cap. 19. where assoone as he had gotten her hee locked the dore and throwing himselfe vpon her forced her vnto his lust and afterward saued himselfe by speedy flight Her husband at his returne vnderstanding the iniury and wrong which was done him by this vile miscreant sought first to reuenge himselfe by iustice and therefore put his cause to bee heard by the Parliament of Paris where being debated it could not well bee decided because hee wanted witnesses to conuince the crime except his own wiues words which could not bee accepted so that the court to the end that there might some end be made of their quarrell ordained a combate betwixt
things a very niggard and pinchpenny shewed himselfe on the other side more then prodigall next he sent into Calabria for a Hermit reported to be a holy and deuout man to whome at his arriuall hee perfourmed so much dutie and reuerence as was wonderfull and vnseemely for hee threw himselfe on his knees and besought him to prolong his decaying life as if hee had beene a God and not a man but all that hee could doe was to no purpose no nor the reliques which Pope Sixtus sent him to busie himselfe withall nor the holy viall of Rheims which was brought him could prorogue this life of his nor priuiledge him from dying a discontent and vnwilling death he suspected the most part of his nearest attendants and would not suffer them to approch vnto him in his sicknesse after hee had thus prolonged the time in hope and yet still languished in extreame distresse of his disease it was at length told him in all speed that hee should not set his mind any longer vpon those vaine hopes nor vpon that holy man for his time was come and hee must needs die And thus hee that during his raigne shewed himselfe rough and cruell to his subiects by too many and heauy impositions was himselfe in his lattet end thus roughly and hardly dealt withall Christiern the eleuenth king of Denmarke Norway and Suecia after the death of king Iohn his father raigned the yeere of our Lord 1514 and was too intollerable in imposing burdens and taxes vpon his subiects for which cause the Swecians reuolted from his gouernment whome though after many battailes and sieges hee conquered and placed amongst them his garrisons to keepe them in awe yet ceased they not to rebell against him and that by the instigation of a meane gentleman who very quickely got footing into the kingdome and possessed himselfe of the crowne and gouernment Now Christiern hauing lost this prouince and beeing also in disdaine and hatred of his owne countrey and fearing least this inward heat of spight should grow to some flame of danger to his life seeing that the inhabitants of Lubeck conspiring with his vncle Fredericke began to take armes against him hee fled away with his wife sister to the Emperour Charles the fift and his young children to Zeland a prouince of the Emperours after hee had raigned nine yeeres after which the Estates of the realme aided by them of Lubeck assembling togither exalted his vncle Fredericke prince of Holsatia though old and ancient to the crowne and publishing certaine writings addressed them to the Emperour and the princes of his Empire to render a reason of their con-proceeding and to make knowne vnto them vpon how good siderations they had deposed and banished Christierne for the tyranny which hee exercised among them ten yeres after this hee got togither a new army by sea in hope to recouer his losses but contrary to his hope he was taken prisoner and in captiuity ended miserably his daies Henry king of Suecia was chased from his scepter for enterprising to burden his commons with new contributions Those that were deuisers of new taxes and tributes Nic. Gil. vâ—l 1. for the most part euer lost their liues in their labours for proofe whereof let the example of Parchenus or Porchetes serue who for giuing counsell to king Theodebert touching the raising of new subsidies was stoned to death by the multitude in the city Trieues Likewise was George Presquon cruelly put to death by the people for persuading and setting forward Henry of Suecia to the vexation and exaction of his subiects CHAP. XXXVIII More Examples of the same subiect Platiniae in vita Zacharin AIstulphus the nineteenth king of Lumbardy was not onely a most cruell tyrant but also a grieuous oppressour of his subiects with taxes and exactions Phil. Melanct. lib. 3. for hee imposed this vpon euery one of them to pay yeerely a noble for their heads against this man Pope Steuen prouoked king Pepin of France who comming with an army droue the tyrant into Ticinum and constrained him to yeeld to partiall conditions of peace howbeir Pepin was no sooner gone but he returned to his old byas wherefore the second time he came and droue him to as great extremitie in so much as another peace was concluded after the accomplishment whereof peruerse Aistulph still vexing his subiects was plagued by God with an apoplexie and so died Zonar lib. 3. Iustinian the Emperour as be was profuse and excessiue in spending so was hee immoderate and insatiable in gathering togither riches for hee exercised his wit in deuising new tributes and paiments and reioyced his heart in nothing more for which causes there arose a grieuous sedition at Constantinople against him wherein not onely the excellent and famous monuments of the Empire were burned but also fourty thousand men slaine and this was no small punishment for his oppression At Paris there is to be seene in the corne market a certain monument hard at the mouth of the common sinke which conuaieth away all the filth out of the city Eras in lingua the occasion whereof is reported to be this A certaine courtier seeing the king sad and melancholly for want of treasure counselled him to exact of euery countriman that brought ware into the city but one penny and that but for two yeares togither which when the king put in practise and found the exceeding commoditie thereof he not only continued that taxe but also inuented diuers others to the great damage of the Common-wealth and inriching of his owne treasurie Wherefore hee that put it first into his head when he saw that he had not so much authoritie in dissuading as hee had in persuading it to take punishment of himselfe for that inconsiderate deed and to warne others from attempting the like he commanded by his testament that his body should bee buried in that common sincke to bee an example of exaction and the filthinesse thereof Barnabe Vicount of Millane by the report of Paulus Ionius Tom. 2. ViuoruÌ„ illustrum was an vnconscionable oppressor of his subiects and tenants for hee did not only extort of them continuall imposts and payments but enioned them to keepe euery one a dog which if they came to any mishap or were either too fat or too leane the keeper was sure to bee beaten or at least some fine to be set on his head this tyrant was taken by Iohn Galeacius and after seuen months imprisonment poysoned to death Archigallo brother to Gorbonianus in nature Lanquet though vnlike in conditions for hee was a good Prince whereas this was a Tyrant was crowned King of Britaine in the yeare of the world 3671 we may well place him in this ranke of oppressors for he deposed the Noblemen and exalted the ignoble he extorted froÌ„ men their goods to enrich his treasure for which cause the estates of the realme depriued him of his roiall dignitie placed his yonger
brother Elydurus in his roome after he had raigned fiue yeares Hardiknitus king of Denmarke The same after the death of Harold was ordained king of England in the yeare of the Lord 1041 this king as he was somewhat cruell for he caused the body of Harold to be taken vp out of the sepulchre and smiting off his head to be cast out into the riuer Thames because he had iniured his mother Emma when he was aliue so hee was burdensome to his subiects in tributes and exaction for which cause growing into hatred with God and his subiects hee was stricken with suddaine death not without suspition of poysoning after he had raigned three years The same William Rufus second sonne of William the conquerour succeeded his father as in the kingdome of England so in disposition of nature for they were both cruell vnconstant and couetous and burdened their people with vnreasonable taxes insomuch that what with the morreine of men by pestilence and the oppressions of them by exactions the tillage of the earth was put off for one yeare being the yeare 1096 whereby ensued great scarsitie the yeare following throughout all the land but for the oppression William was iustly punished by sodaine death when being at his disport of hunting hee was wounded with an arrow glaunsing from the bow of Tyrill a French knight and so his tyranny and life ended togither The same Neither dooth the Lord thus punish oppressors themselues but also they that either countenance or hauing authoritie doe not punish the same as it appeareth by this example following In the yeare of our Lord 475 there liued one Corrannus a king of Scots who though hee gouerned the people in peace and quietnesse a long space and was indeed a good Prince yet because his Chancelour Tomset vsed extortion and exaction amongst his subiects and hee being aduertised thereof did not punish him hee was slaine traiterously by his owne subiects It is not vnworthie to bee noted how Edward the third king of England prospered a long while in the warres against France and got many worthie and wonderfull victories but when Prince Edward sonne vnto the foresaid Edward after conditions of peace concluded began to set taxes and impositions vpoÌ„ the country of Aquitaine then did king Edwards part begin to decline and the successe of war which the space of fortie years neuer forsooke him now frowned vpon him so that he quickly lost all those lands which by composition of peace were granted vnto him CAAP. XXXIX Of such as by force of armes haue either taken away or would haue taken away the goods and lands of other men NOw if they that oppresse their subiects and deuour them in this manner In this whole chapter note the nature of ambition and the fruits thereof bee found guiltie then must they needs bee much more that are carried with the wings of their own hungrie ambitious desire to inuade their lands and signiories attended on with an infinite retinue of pillages sackings ruines of cities and people which are alwaies necessarie companions of furious vnmercifull warre There are no flouds so broad nor mountaines so steepe nor rockes so rough and dangerous nor sea so long and furious that can restraine the rash and headstrong desire of such greedie minded Sacres so that if their bodie might bee proportioned to the square and greatnesse of their mindes with the one hand they would reach the East and with the other hand the West as it is said of Alexander howbeit hereof they boast and glorie no lesse than they that tooke delight to bee surnamed citie-spoilers others burners of cities some conquerors and many Eagles and Faulcons seeking as it were fame by infamy and by vice eternitie But to these men it often coÌ„meth to passe that euen then when they think to aduance their dominion and to stretch their bounds and frontiers furthest they are driuen to recoile for feare of being dispossessed themselues of their owne lands and inheritances and euen as they delt with others rigorously and by strength of weapons so shall they bee themselues rehandled and dealt withall after the same measure according to the word of the Prophet denounced against such as they Cursed bee thou that spoilest and dealest vnfaithfully when thou hast made an end of spoiling others thou thy selfe shall bee spoiled and when thou hast done dealing traiterously then treason shall begin to be practised against thee and this curse most commonly neuer faileth to sease vpon these great Theeues and Robbers or at least vpon their children and successours as by particular examples wee shall see after wee haue first spoken of Adonias who not content with his owne estate of being a kings sonne 1. King 12. which God had allotted him went about to get the crowne and kingdome from his brother Salomon Treason lib. 2. cap. 3. to whome by right it appertained for God had manifested the same by the mouth of his father Dauid but both hee and his assistants for their ouerbold and rash enterprise were iustly by Salomon punished with death â—arod Crassus king of Lidia was the first that made war against Ephesus and that subdued the Greekes of Asia to wit the Phrigians Mysians Chalybeans Paphlagonians Thracians Bythinians Ionians Dorians Aeolians and Pamphilians and made them all tributaries vnto him by meanes whereof hee being growne exceeding rich and puissant by the detriment and vndoing of so many people vaunted and gloried in his greatnesse and power and euen then thought himselfe the happiest man in the world wheÌ„ most misery and aduersity griefe and distresse of his estate and whole house approched neerest for first and formost one of his sonnes that was deare vnto him was by ouersight slaine at the chase of a wild bore next himselfe hauing commenced war with Cirus was ouercome in battaile and besieged in Sardis the chiefe city of his kingdome and at last taken and carried captiue to Cyrus despoiled of all his late glorie and dominion And thus Crassus as sayth Plutarch after Herodotus bore the punishmeÌ„t of the offence of his great grandfather Giges who being but one of king Candanles attendants slew his master and vsurped the crowne at the prouokement of the Queene his mistresse whom he also tooke to be his wife And thus this kingdome decaied by the same meanes by which it first encreased Policrates the Tyrant Herod was one that by violence and tyrannous meanes grew from a base condition to an high estate for being but one of the vulgar sort in the citie Samos hee with the assistance of sifteene armed men seased vpon the whole citie and made himselfe Lord of it which deuiding into three parts he bestowed two of them vpon his two brethren but not for perpetuitie for ere long the third part of his vsurpation cost the elder of them the best part of his life and the younger his liberty for he chased him away that hee might be
sole possessor of the whole Island after this he inuaded many other Islands besides many cities in the same land he raised the Lacedemonians from the siege of Samos which they had begirt And when hee saw that all things fell out so well to his owne wish that nothing could be more fearing so great prosperity could not but carry in the taile some terrible sting of aduersitie and mischance attempted by voluntary losse of something of value to preuent the mischiefe which he feared to ensue and this by the aduise of his deare friend and ally the king of Aegypt therefore hee threw a ring which hee had in great price into the sea to the end to delude fortune as he thought thereby but the ring was after found in a fishes belly and offered as a present vnto him and this was an euident presage of some ineuitable misfortune that waited for him neither did it proue vaine and friuolous for hee was hanged vpon a gibbet of Sardis by the commandement of Orates the gouernour of the city who vnder pretence of friendship and coulor of rendering his treasure into his hands and bestowing vpon him a great part thereof promising also to passe the rest of his daies vnder his wing for fear of the rage of Cambises drew him to come priuately to speak with him and so easily wrought his will vpon him Aristodemus got into his hands the gouernment of Cuma Dionâ—s Halicar lib. 7. after hee had made away the principall of the citie and to keepe it the better being obtained hee first won the vulgars hearts by presents then banished out of the Citie their children whome hee had put to death and entertained the rest of the youth with such varietie of pleasures and delights that by those deuises hee kept himselfe in his tyrannous estate many yeares but assoone as the children of those slaine Citizens were growne to ripe yeares of strength and discretion being desirous to reuenge their fathers deaths they set vpon him in the night so at vnawares that they put him and all his family to the slaughter Plutarch Tymophanes vsurped a principality power and rule in Corinth a free citie and became so odious thereby to the whole people yea and to his owne brother Tymoleon also that laying aside all respect of nature hee slew him with his owne hands preferring the libertie of his countrie before any vnity or bond of bloud When the cities of Greece sayth Orosius would needes through too greedie a desire and Ambition of raigne Lib. 3. cap. 12. get euery one the maisterie and soueraigntie of the rest they altogither made shipracke of their owne liberties by encroching vpon others as for instance The Lacedemonians how hurtfull and vncommodious the desire of bringing their neighbour adioining citties vnder their dominion was vnto them the sundrie discomfitures and distresses within the time of that warre vndertaken vpon that onely cause befell them Oros lâ—b 3. ca. 2. beare sufficient record Seruius Tullus the sonne to a bondman addicted himselfe so much to the exploits of warre that by Prowesse hee got so great credite and reputation among the Romanes that hee was thought worthie to bee made the sonne in law of king Tarquinius by marrying one of his daughters Titus Liuius after whose death hee also vsurped the crowne vnder colour of the Protectorship of the kings two yong sonnes Who when they came to age and bignesse maried the daughters of their brother in law Tullius by whose exhortation and continuall prouokement the elder of them which was called Tarquinius conspired against his father in law and practised to make himselfe king and to recouer his rightfull inheritance and that by this means he watched his oportunitie when the greatest part of the people were out of the citie about gathering their fruit in the fields and then placing his companions in readinesse to serue his turne if need should be he marched to the pallace in the roiall robes guarded with a company of his confederats and hauing called a Senate as hee began to complaine him of the trecherie and impudencie of Tullius behold Tullius himselfe came in would haue run violently vpon him but Tarquinius catching him about the middle threw him headlong down the staires and presently sent certaine of his guard to make an end of the murder which hee had begun But herein the cruelty of Tullia was most monstrous that not only first moued her husband to this bloudy practise but also made her coach to be driuen ouer the body of her father which lay bleeding in the middest of the street scarce dead Manlius after hee had maintained the fortresse of Rome against the Gaules glorying in that action Parricide lib â— cap. 11. and enuying the good hap and prosperity of Camillus went about to make himselfe king vnder pretence of restoring the people to their ancient entire libertie but his practise being discouered he was accused found guiltie and by the consent of the multitude adiudged to be throwne headlong downe from the top of the same fortresse to the end that the same place which gaue him great glory might bee a witnesse and memoriall of his shame and last confusion for all his valiant deedes before done were not of so much force with the people to excuse his fault or saue his life as this one crime was of weight to bring him to his death In former times there liued in Carthage one Hanno Oros lib. 4. c. 6. who because hee had more riches than all the Commonwealth beside began to aspire to the domination of the citie which the better to accomplish he deuised to make shew of marrying his only daughter to the end that at the mariage feast he might poyson the chiefest men of credit and power of the citie whome hee knew could or would any waies withstand or countermand his purpose but when this deuise tooke no effect by reason of the discouerie thereof by certain of his seruants he sought another meanes to effect his will He got togither a huge number of bondslaues and seruants which should at a sodaine put him in possession of the citie but being preuented herein also by the citizens hee seased vpon a castle with a thousand men of base regard euen seruants for the most part whither thinking to draw the Affricanes and king of the Moores to his succour he was taken first whipped next had his eies thrust out and then his armes and legs broken in peeces and so was executed to death before al the people his carcas being thus mangled with blows was hanged vpon a gallowes and all his kindred and children put to death that there might not one remaine of his straine either to enterprise the like deed or to reuenge his death That great and fearefull warriour Iulius Caesar one of the most hardie and valiants peeces of flesh that euer was after he had performed so many notable exploits ouercome all his enemies
In this ranke deseruably we may place the second Dionysius his sonne Sabell that for his cruelties and extortions was slaine by his owne subiects who though at the first made shew of a better and milder nature than his father was of yet after he was installed in his kingdome and growne strong his wicked nature shewed forth it selfe for first he rid out of the way his owne brethren then his nearest kindred and lastly all other that but any way displeased him vsing his sword not to the cutting downe of vice as it ought but to the cutting the throats of his innocent and guiltlesse subiects with which tyrannie the people being incensed began to mutiny from mutinies fell to open rebellion persecuting him so that he was compelled to flie and to take harbour in Greece where notwithstanding he ceased not his accustomed manners but continued still freshly committing robberies and doing all manner of iniuries and outrages in wronging men and forcing both women and maids to his filthie lust vntill hee was brought vnto so low and so base an eb of estate that of a king being become a begger and vagabond he was glad to teach children at Corinth to get his poore liuing and so died in misery Clearchus another tyrant after hee had put to death the most part of the Nobles and chiefe men of account in the citie Heraclea vsurped a tyrannous authoritie ouer the rest Sabel amongst many of whose monstrous enormities this was one that hee constrained the widdowes of those whome hee had slaine against their wils to marry those of his followers whom hee allotted them to in so much that many of them with griefe and anger slew themselues now there were two men of stouter courage than the rest who pittying the miserable condition of the whole citie vndertooke to deliuer the same out of his cruell handes comming therefore accompanied with fifty other of the same mind and resolution as though they would debate a priuat quarell before his presence assoon as conuenience serued they diuerted their swords from themselues into the tyrants bosome and hewed him in peeces in the very midst of his guard Agathocles king or rather Tyrant of Sicile Sabel from a potters sonne growing to be a man of warre tooke vpon him the gouernment of the countrie and vsurped the crowne contrarie to the consent of his people he was one giuen to all maner of filthie and vncleane pollutions in whome trecherie crueltie and generally all kind of vice raigned and therfore was worthely plagued by God first by a murder of his yongest sonne committed by his eldest sonnes sonne that aspired vnto the crown and thought that he might be an obstacle in his way for obtaining his purpose and lastly hauing sent his wife and children into Aegypt for safetie by his own miserable and languishing death which shortly after ensued Romulus the first king of Rome was as Florus Florus testifieth transported by a deuill out of this earth into some habitation of his own for the monstrous superstitions coniurings thefts rauishments and murders which during his pompe hee committed and moreouer hee saith that Plutarch Plutarch the most credible learned writer among Historiographers both Greek and Latine that euer writ auoucheth the same for true that hee was carried away one day by a spirit in a mightie tempest of thunder and lightning before the view of the whole multitude to their great astonishment insomuch that they fled at the sight thereof What shall wee say of Silla that monster in cruelty that most odious and execrable Tyrant that euer was by whom all ciuill order and humane pollicy was vtterly defaced and all vice and confusion in steed thereof set vp Did hee not procure the death of sixe thousand men at one clap Plutarch at the discomfiture of Marius and hauing promised to saue the liues of three thousand that appealed vnto his mercy did he not cause them to be assembled within a parke and there to haue their throats cut whilest hee made an oration to the Senate It was hee that filled the channels of the streets of Rome other cities in Italy with blood slaughters innumerable and that spared neither altar temple or other priuiledged place or house whatsoeuer from the pollution and destainement of innocent bloud husbands were slain in their wiues armes infants in their mothers bosomes and infinite multitudes of men murdered for their riches for if any were either rich or owners of faire houses or pleasant gardens they were sure to die besides if there were any priuate quarrell or grudge betwixt any citizen and some of his crue hee suffered his side to reuenge themselues after their owne lusts so that for priuate mislike and enmitie many hundreds lost their liues hee that saued an outlaw or proscribed person in his house of which there were too many of the best sort in his time or gaue him entertainement vnder his roofe whether hee were his brother sonne or parent whatsoeuer was himselfe for recompence of his courtesie and humanity proscribed and sold and condemned to death and hee that killed one of them that was proscribed had for reward two talēts the wages of his murder amounting in value to twelue hundred crownes whether it was a bondslaue that slew his master or a son that murdered his father comming to Prenest he began to proceed in a kind of iusticiall form amongst the citizens as it were by law and equitie to practise wrong and iniury but ere long either being wearie of such slow proceedings or not at leisure to prosecute the same any further he caused to meet together in one assembly two thousand of thē whom he committed al to the massacre without any maner of compassion as he was sitting one day in the midst of his pallace in Rome a souldior to whom he had granted the proscription of his dead brother as if he had been aliue whom he himselfe before the ciuill war had slain presented him in lieu of thāks for that great good turn the head of one Marcus Marius of the aduerse factiō before the whole city with his hāds al embrued in bloud which he also washed in the holy waterstack of Apolloes temple being neer vnto that place and all this being cōmended countenanced by Sill◠he decreed a general disanulment abrogation of all titles and rights that were passed before his time to the end to haue more libertie both to put to death whō he pleased to cōfiscat mēs goods also to vnpeople to repeople cities to sack pull down build to depose make kings at his pleasure the goods which he had thus seazed he shamed not to sell with his own handssitting in his tribunall seat giuing oftentimes a faire woman a whole country or the reuenues of a city for her beauty and to plaiers iesters iuglers minstrels and other wicked effranchised slaues great and vnnecessary rewards yea