Vnparalleld VARIETIES Or the Matchless Actions and Passions OF MANKIND Displayed in near Four Hundred Notable Instances and Examples Discovering the Transcendent Effects I. Of Love Friendship and Gratitude II. Of Magnanimity Courage and Fidelity III. Of Chastity Temperance and Humility And on the contrary the Tremendous Consequences IV. Of Hatred Revenge and Ingratitude V. Of Cowardice Barbarity and Treachery VI. Of Unchastity Intemperance and Ambition Imbellished with Proper Figures By R. B. Author of the History of the Wars of Eng. c. Remarks of London c. Wonderful Prodigies c. Admirable Curiosities in England c. Extraordinary Adventures of famous Men and Surprizing Miracles of Nature and Art in the Heavens Earth and Sea c. London Printed for Nath. Crouch at his Shop at the Sign of the Bell in the Poultry 1683. Unparaleld Varieties Iulius Caesar Slain in the Senate by Brutus Cassius others Page 15. London Printed for Nath Crouch TO THE READER IT is an usual saying that Variety Delights but especially in History and more it may be in this Age than in any other before wherein a great many seem to scorn the dull heavy humor of their Ancestors as they please to call it and therefore have not patience to read large Histories admiring their own briskness Ingenuity and Wit though much of it is altogether invisible but only to themselves and their own vain imaginations However since the light French Airiness is now so modish it may not be thought improper so far to comply therewith as to present the Reader with this brief Compendium out of many great Volumes of abundance of short delightful Relations and Instances upon various Subjects which may prevent both tediousness and charge and may likewise furnish the mind with apt matter both for Discourse and Instruction in brief here they may as in a Glass discover the excellent rewards of Virtue and the dreadful punishments of Vice in all Ages of the world and thereby be persuaded to follow and practise the one that they may escape the unavoydable consequences of the other and if it have this admirable effect I shall then reckon my time and pains well imployed in writing of it neither will the Reader repent of his in the Reading thereof R. B. CHAP. I. The Transcendent Effects of Love Friendship and Gratitude discovered in several Memorable Examples LOve and Friendship are the chief Bonds of Humane Society without which Mankind would be Wolves and destrovers of each other I shall therefore give some instances of the extraordinary Effects thereof in all Ages and that in the most large acceptation of it as of the Passion of Love between different Sexes the disquiets whereof have sometimes made deep impressions upon divers Persons of the singular Love of some Husbands to their Wives and Wives to their Husbands of the Indulgence and great Love of some Parents to their Children and the reverence and Love of Children to their Parents of the extraordinary Love of Brethren and of many Servants to their Masters of the signal Love of some Persons to Religion and Truth and their hatred of Flattery and Falshood the Love of several to Peace Justice and to their Country together with the choicest instances of the most intire Friendship and the grateful dispositions of some Persons and what returns they have made of the benefits received these shall be the particulars of this first Chapter wherein the variety of the Relations cannot but administer some profit as well as delight since they are collected from Authors of undoubted Authority and Credit I shall therefore proceed in order and first as to Humane Love or that strictly called the Passion of Love I. Eginardus was Secretary of State to Charlemaign Emperour and King of France and having placed his The Emp. of Ger. Daughter caryes her Lover on her back to prevent Discovery Page .1 Affections much higher than his Condition admitted made love to one of his Daughters who seeing this Man of a brave Spirit and a grace suitable thought him not too low for her whom merit had so eminently raised above his Birth she affected him and gave him free access to her Person so far as to suffer him to have recourse unto her to laugh and sport in her Chamber on the Evenings which ought to have been kept as a Sanctuary where Relicts are preserved It happened on a Winters night that Eginardus ever hastning his Approaches and being negligent in his returns had too much slackned his departure in the mean time a â—…ow had fallen which troubled them both for when he thought to go forth he feared to be known by his feet the Lady was unwilling that such prints of steps should be found at her door they being much perplexed Love which taketh the Diadem of Majesty from Queens made her to do an Act for a Lover very unusual for the Daughter of one of the greatest Men upon Earth she took the Gentleman upon her shoulders and carried him all the length of the Court to his Chamber he never setting foot to ground that so the next day no impression might be seen of his footing it fell out that Charlemaign watched at his Study this night and hearing a noise opened the Window and perceived this pretty prank at which he could not tell whether he were best to be angry or to laugh the next day in a great Assembly of Lords and in the presence of his Daughter and Eginardus he asked what punishment that Servant might seem worthy of who made use of a Kings Daughter as of a Mule and caused himself to be carried on her Shoulders in the midst of Winter through Night Snow and all the sharpness of the Seasons Every one gave his opinion and not one but condemned that insolent man to death the Princess and Secretary changed colour thinking nothing remained for them but to be flead alive but the Emperour looking on his Secretary with a smooth brow said Eginardus hadst thou loved the Princess my Daughter thou oughtest to have come to her Father the disposer of her Liberty thou art worthy of death and I give thee two lives at this present take thy fair Portress in Marriage fear God and love one another these Lovers thought they were in an instant drawn out of the depth of Hell to enjoy the greatest happiness in the World Causins Holy Court Tom. 2. II. Pyramus a young Man of Babylon was exceedingly in love with Thisbe the Daughter of one that lived the very next House to his Father nor was he less beloved by her both Parents had discerned it and for some Reasons kept them both up so streightly that they were not suffered so much as to speak to one another at last they found opportunity of discourse through the Chink of a Wall betwixt them and appointed to meet together in a certain place without the City Thisbe came first to the place appointed but being terrified by a Lioness which passed by she
fled into a Cave near thereabouts and in her flight had lost her Veil which the Lioness tumbled to and fro with her bloody Mouth and so left it soon after Pyramus came also to the same place and there finding the Vail which she used to wear all bloody he overhastily concluded that she was torn in pieces by some wild Beast and therefore slew himself with his own Sword under a Mulberry Tree which was the place of their mutual agreement Thisbe when she thought the Lioness was gone past left her Cave with an earnest desire to meet her Lover but finding him slain overcome with grief and desire she fell upon the same Sword and died with him Zuinglius p. 461. III. Eurialus Count of Augusta was a young man of extraordinary beauty and during the stay of the Emperour Sigismund King of Bohemia and Hungary at Sienna he cast his Eye upon Lucretia a Virgin of that place and at first sight fell vehemently in love with her the Virgin also whom in respect of her admirable form they called commonly the second Venus was no less surprized than himself at the same instant in a short time they became better acquainted but at the Emperors removal thence to Rome when Eurialus was compelled to leave his Lady behind him she was not able to endure his absence but died under the impatience of it Eurialus at the hearing of her death though he was somewhat supported by the counsels and consolations of his Friends and thereby persuaded to live yet from the time of her death to the last day of his life he was never known to laugh Donatus Hist Medit. IV. Gobrias a Captain when he had espied Rodanthe a fair Captive Maid he fell upon his knees before Mystilus the General with tears vows and all the Rhetorick he could by the Scars he had formerly received the good services he had done or whatsoever else was dear unto him he besought his General that he might have the fair Prisoner to his Wife as a reward of his Valour moreover he would forgive him all his Arrears I ask said he no part of the booty no other thing but Rodanthe to be my Wife and when he could not compass her by fair means he fell to Treachery force and Villany and at last set his life at stake to accomplish his desire Burtons Melancholy part 3. V. Plutarch saith it was a custom remaining to his days that Wives would wish so to be beloved of their Husbands as Pieria was by Phrygius this wish had its rise from the following History of those Jonians that planted themselves in Miletum some raised Sedition against the Sons of Neleus and seated themselves in Myo these received divers injuries from the Mil sians who made war upon them for going away from them but not so severely as to exclude all commerce so that upon some Festivals the Women had liberty to come from Myo to Miletum Pythes was one of the Revolters and understanding that a Feast was to be kept in Miletum to Diana he sent his Wife and Daughter Pieria to obtain leave that he might be present at it now of all the Sons of Neleus Phrygius was the most powerful he being inflamed with the love of Peria thought of nothing more than of doing something that might be acceptable to her and when she told him that nothing could be more grateful to her than to procure her liberty of coming often to Miletum in the Company of many Virgins he understood by that Speech that Peace was desired and Friendship sought with the Milesians he therefore concluded the War and thence was it that the names of these two Lovers were so dear to both People Plutarch de virtute Mulier p. 531. VI. There was amongst the Grecians a Company of Souldiers consisting of three hundred that was called The Holy Band erected by Gorgidas and chosen out of such as heartily loved one another whereby it came to pass that they could never be broken nor overcome for their love and hearty affection would not suffer them to forsake one another whatsoever danger happened but at the Battel of Cheronaea they were all slain after the fight King Philip taking view of the dead bodies he stood still in that place where all these three hundred men lay slain thrust through with Pikes on their Breasts whereat he much wondred and being told that it was the Lovers Band he sell a weeping saying Wo be to them that think these men did or suffered any dishonest thing Plutarch in Pelopida VII Leander was a young Man of Abidos and was deeply in love with Hero a beautiful Virgin of Sestos these two Towns were opposite to each other and the narrow Sea of the Hellespont lay betwixt them Leander used divers nights to swim over the Hellespont to his Love while she held up a Torch from a Tower to be his direction in the night but though this practice continued long yet at length Leander adventuring to perform the same one night when the Sea was rough and the waves high was unfortunately drowned his dead body was cast up at Seslos where Hero from her Tower beheld it but she not being able to outlive so great a loss cast her self headlong from the top of it into the Sea and there perished Innumerable are the instances of the Effects both Tragical and Comical proceeding from this Humane Love and every week almost produceth some extraordinary Accidents proceeding therefrom let us therefore next relate some remarkable examples of Conjugal Love between Husbands and Wives VIII One of the Neapolitans 't is pity his name as well as his Country is not remembred saith Mr. Burton being busily imployed in a Field near the Sea and his Wife at some distance from him the Woman was seized upon by some Turkish Pyrates who came on shoar to prey upon all they could find upon his return not finding his Wife and perceiving a Ship that lay at Anchor not far off conjecturing the matter as it was he threw himself into the Sea and swam up to the Ship then calling to the Captain he told him he was come to follow his Wife he feared not the Barbarism of the Enemies of the Christian Faith nor the miseries those Slaves endure that are thrust into places where they must â—…g at the Oar his Love overcame all these the Mâ—ors were full of admiration at the carriage of the man for they had seen some of his Countrymen rather chuse death than to endure so hard a loss of their Liberâ—y and at their return they told the whole of this story to the King of Tunis who moved with the Relation of so great a Love gave him and his Wife their freedom and the Man was made by his command one of the Soldiers of his Liseguard Burtons Melancholy Part 3. IX Philip King of France Sirnamed The Good the first Author of that greatness whereunto the House of Burgundy did arrive was about twenty three years
up in his Gown and Shoes as he was and laying his Body by that of his Wives burnt them both together the Sepulcher of these Two is yet to be seen at Tarentum and is called The Tomb of the Two Lovers Valer Max. lib. 4. XVI And though the Female be the weaker Sex yet such has been the fidelity and incredible strength of affection in some that they have oft-times performed as great things as the most generous Men they have despised death in the most dreadful shapes and all sorts of difficulties by an invincible Love to their Hushands in the greatest extremity Of which Histories are not silent for we râ—ad that Eumenes burying the dead that had fallen in the Battel of Gabine against Antigonus amongst others there was found the Body of Ceteas the Captain of those Troops that had come out of India this man had two Wives who accompanied him in the Wars one which he had newly married and an other whom he had married some years before but both of them bore an intire love to him for whereas the Laws of India require that one Wife shall be burnt with her dead Husband both these offered themselves to death and strove with that ambition as if it had been some glorious prize they sought after before such Captains as were appointed their Judges the younger Wife pleaded That the other was with Child and that therefore she could not have the benefit of that Law The elder alledged That whereas she was before the other in years it was also fit that she should be before her in Honour since it was customary in other things that the Elder should have place The Judges when they understood by Midwives that the Elder was with Child passed Judgment that the younger should be burnt which done she that had lost the cause departed rending her Diadem and tearing her Hair as if some grievous calamity had befallen her the other full of Joy at her Victory went to the Funeral Fire magnificently drest up by her Friends and led along by her Kindred as if to her Wedding they all the way singing Hymns in her Praises When she drew near the fire taking off her Ornaments she delivered them to her Friends and Servants as tokens of Remembrance they were a multitude of Rings with variety of precious Stones Chains and Stars of Gold c. This done she was by her Brother placed upon the combustible matter by the side of her Husband and after the Army had thrice compassed the Funeral Pile fire was put to it and she without a word of complaint finished her life in thell ames Diod Siculus lib. 9. XVII Arria the Wife of Cecinna Paetus understanding that her Husband was condemned to die and that he was permitted to chuse what manner of death liked him best she went to him and having exhorted him to depart this life couragiously and bidding him farewel gave her self a stab into the Breast with a Knife she had hid for that purpose under her Cloaths then drawing the Knife out of the wound and reaching it to Paetus she said The wound I have made Paetus smarts not but that only which thou art about to give thy self Camer Spare hours Whereupon Martial hath an Epigram to this purpose When Arria to her Husband gave the Knife Which made the wound whereby she lost her life This wound dear Paetus grieves me not quoth she But that which thou must give thyself grieves me XVIII The Prince of the Province of Fingo in the Kingdom of Japan in the East-Indies hearing that a Gentleman of the Country had a very beautiful Woman to his Wife got him dispatched and having sent for the Widow some days after her Husbands death acquainted her with his desires she told him she had much reason to think her self happy in being honoured with the Friendship of so great a Prince yet she was resolved to bite off her Tongue and murder her self if he offered her any violence but if he would grant her the favour to spend one month in bewailing her Husband and then give her liberty to make an entertainment for the Relations of the Deceased to take her leave of them he should find how much she was his Servant and how far she would comply with his affections it was easily granted a very great Dinner was provided whither came all the Kindred of the deceased the Gentlewoman perceiving the Prince began to be warm in his Wine in hopes of enjoying her promise she desired liberty to withdraw into an adjoyning Gallery to take the Air but as soon as she was come into it she cast her self headlong down in the presence of the Prince and all her dead Husbands relations and so put an end to her life Mandelsloes Travels XIX In the Reign of the Emperor Vespasian there was a Rebellion in France the chief Leader of which was Julius Sabinus they being reduced the Captain was sought after to be punished but he had hid himself in a Vault or Cave which was the Monument of his Grand-father he caused a report to be spread of his death as if he had voluntarily poysoned himself and the better to persuade men of the truth of it he caused his House to be set on fire as if his body had therein been burnt he had a Wife whose name was Eponina she knew nothing of his safety but bewailed his death would not be comforted there were only two of his freed men who were privy to it they pitying their Lady who was determined to die and in order thereunto had abstained from all manner of meat for three days together thereupon they declared her purpose to her Husband and besought him to save her that loved him so well it was granted and she was told that her Sabinus lived she came to him where they lived with secrecy and undiscovered for the space of nine years together she conceived and brought forth Children in that solitary Mansion at last the place of their abode came to be known they were taken and brought to Rome where Vespasian commanded they should be stain Eponina producing and shewing her Children Behold O Caesar said she these I have brought forth and brought up in a Monument that thou mightest have more suppliants for our Lives O cruel Vespasian that could not be moved with such words as these well they were both led to death and Eponina joyfully died with her Husband who had been before buried with him for so many years together Lipsius Monitor lib. 2. XX. Portia the Daughter of Cato and Wise of Marcus Brutus when she conjectured by the fleepless and disturbed nights of her Husband that he had conceived some great thing in his mind and concealed it from her in suspition of her weakness she to give her Husband an instance of her Constancy and Secrecy made her self a deep wound in her Thigh with a Razor upon which there followed a stream of blood weakness and a Feaver When Brutus
thing Mahomet commanded him the Author of that Counsel forthwith to do so Moses taking the Child from the Nurse strangled it with pouring water down the throat thereof The young Lady understanding the death of her Child as a Woman whom fury had made past fear came and in her rage reviled the Tyrant to his very face shamefully upbraiding him for his inhumane cruelty when Mahomet to appease her fury requested her to be content for that it stood with the policy of his State and willed her for her better contentment to ask whatsoever she pleased she should forthwith have it but she desiring nothing more but in some sort to be revenged desired to have Moses the Executioner of her Son delivered unto her bound which when she had obtained she presently struck him into the Breast with a Knite crying in vain upon his unthankful Master for help and proceeding in her cruel execution cut an hole in his right side and by piecemeal cut out his Liver and cast it to the Dogs to eat to that extremity did she resent the death of her beloved Son Knowls Turkish Hist XXIV Aegeus stood upon an high Rock whence he might see a great way upon the Sea in expectation of the return of his Son Theseus from Creet having made him promise at his departure That if all things went well with him at his return his Ship should be set forth with Sails and streamers of a white colour to express the Joyfulness of his return The old man after his long watching at last did discern the Ship making homewards but it seems they had forgot to advance the white Colours as they had promised when therefore Aegeus saw nothing but black concluding that his Son had miscarried in his journey and was dead not able to endure the grief he had conceived thereof he threw himself into the Sea from the top of the Rock whereon he stood and so died Langii Polyanth p. 848. XXV Solon was a Person famous throughout all Greece as having given Laws to the Athenians he being in his Travels came to Miletum to converse with Thales one of the wise men of Greece these two walking together upon the Market-place one comes to Solon and tells him That his Son was dead being afflicted with this unexpected as well as unwelcome news he fell to tearing of his beard hair and cloths and fowling of his face in the dust immediately a great confluence of People came about him whom he entertained with howlings and tears when he had lain long on the ground and delivered himself up to all manner of expressions of grief unworthy the Person he sustained so renowned for gravity and wisdom Thales bid him be of good courage for the whole of the Relation was but a contrivance of his who by this experiment had desired to try whether it was convenient for a wise man to marry and have Children as Solon had persuaded him to do but that now he was sufficiently satisfied it was no way necessary seeing he perceived that the loss of a Child might occasion a Person famous for wisdom to discover all the signs of a madman Sabel Exercit. lib. 3. XXVI Charles the Great was so great a lover of his Sons and Daughters that he never dined and supt without them he went no whither upon any Journy but he took them along with him and when he was asked why he did not marry his Daughters and send his Children abroad to see the world his reply was That he was not able to bear their absence Zuinglius Theat vol. 1. XXVII Artobarzanes resigned the Kingdom of Cappadocia to his Son in the presence of Pompey the Great the Father had ascended the Tribunal of Pompey and was invited to sit with him in the Royal Seat but as soon as he observed his Son to sit with the Secretary in a lower place than his Fortune deserved he could not endure to see him placed below himself but descending from his Seat he placed the Diadem upon his Sons Head and bid him go and sit in that place from whence he was newly risen at these words tears fell from the Eyes of the young man his body trembled the Diadem fell from his Head nor could he endure to go thither where he was commanded and which is almost beyond all credit he was glad who gave up his Crown and he was sorrowful to whom it was given nor had this glorious strife come to any end unless Pompeys Authority had joined itself to the Fathers will for he pronounced the Son a King commanded him to take the Diadem and compelled him to sit with him in the Throne Valer. Maxim p. 152. XXVIII Socrates was one day surprized by Alcibiades childishly sporting with his Son Lamprochus and when he was sufficiently derided by Alcibiades upon that account You have not said he such reason as you imagine to laugh so profusely at a Father playing with his Child seeing you know nothing of that affection which Parents have for their Children contain your self then till you come to be a Father your self when perhaps you will be found as ridiculous as I now seem to be Lang. Polyan p. 847. XXX Agesilaus was above measure indulgent to his Children and the Spartans reproached him that for the love of his Son Archidamus he had concerned himself so far as to hinder a just Judgment and by his intercession for the Malefactors had involved the City in the guilt of being injurious to Greece he used also at home to ride upon an Hobby-horse with his little Children and being once by a Friend of his found so doing He intreated him not to discover that act of his to any man till such time as he himself was become the Father of Children Plutarchs Lives XXXI And though it may be we may not find so many instances in History of the Love Reverence and Piety of Children to their Parents yet we read of some in all Ages who have this way intituled themselves to the promise of God and have thereby had a kind of earnest given them of being worthy and prosperous Persons as may be seen in divers of the following Examples Marcus Coriolanus having well deserved of the Commonwealth of Rome was yet unjustly condemned whereupon he fled to the Volsci at that time in Arms against Rome and being made their chief Commander he presently rendred himself very formidable to the Romans Ambassadours were sent to appease him but to no purpose the Priests met him with intreaties in their Pontifical Vestments but were also returned without effect the Senate was astonished the People trembled as well the Men as the Women bewailing the destruction that now was sure to fall upon them Then Volumnia the Mother of Coriolanus taking Volumnia his Wife along with her and also his Children went to the Camp of the Volsci whom as soon as the Son saw being one that was an intire lover of his Mother he made hast to imbrace her she
before his Father who had also a Father in Heaven by whom he hoped to be forgiven and if he would please to grant him his life he would assure him to be ever after a Loyal and Obedient Son who lived and would continually live in a constant forrow for what was past and if he intended to deal otherwise with him he yet desired him to remember That he was his own flesh and blood and that though the offence were only his yet the just Father must needs bear a part of the punishment inflicted upon the guilty Son but that in shewing mercy no inconvenience could ensue and that if he should be inexorable he should lose the most Obedient Son that ever Father had having ended these and many other words to the same effect he with great humility prostrated himself upon the Earth expecting his Fathers Sentence either of Life or Death this struck so great an impression into the Emperors heart to hear and see his Son shew such humility and to shed so many tears that he could not forbear to do the like and commanding him to arise from the ground with joy mixed with tears both from himself and his Attendants he immediately pardoned him and restored him to his Grace and Fatherly love and to the same Offices and Dignities he had before and from thence forward the Son continued constant in that Loyalty and Duty which he owed to his Father and Soveraign Lord so long as they lived together Imperial Hist p. 423. XXXVII A Son of the Lord Montpensier an Italian going to Puzzuolo to visit the Sepulcher of his Father was so overcharged with Passion that after he had washed all the parts of his Monument with his lamentable Tears he fainted and fell down dead upon the Sepulcher of his Father Guichardine Ital. Hist p. 261. XXXVIII Decimus Emperor of Rome had a purpose and earnest desire to set the Crown upon the head of his Son Decius out he utterly refused it saying I fear lest being made an Emperor I should forget that I am a Son I had rather be no Emperor and a dutiful Son than an Emperor and such a Son as hath forsaken his due obedience let then my Father bear the Rule and let this be my Empire to obey with all humility whatsoever he shall command me By this means the Solemnity was put off and the young Man was not Crowned unless you will say that his signal Piety towards his Parent was a more glorious Crown to him than that which consisted of Gold and Jewels Valer. Maxim lib. 4. XXXIX In the Civil Wars of Rome between Augustus and Mark Anthony as it often falls out that Fathers Sons Brothers Brothers take contrary part so in that last Battel at Actium where Augustus was Conqueror when the Prisoners as the Custom is were counted up Metellus was brought to Octavianus whose face tho much changed by anxiety and imprisonment was known by Metellus his Son who had been on the contrary part withtears therefore he runs into the imbraces of his Father and then turning to Augustus This thy Enemy said he hath deserved death but I am worthy of some reward for the service I have done thee I therefore beseech thee instead of that which is owing me that thou wouldst preserve this man and cause me to be killed in his stead Augustus moved with this piety though a great Enemy gave to the Son the life of the Father Lonic Theat 273. XL. Demetrius the King of Asia and Macedonia was taken Prisoner in Battel by Seleucus King of Syria after which Antigonus his Son was the quiet possessour of his Kingdom yet did he change the Royal Purple into a mourning habit and in continual tears sent abroad his Ambassadours to the Neighbouring Kings that they would interpose in his Fathers behalf for the obtaining of his Liberty he also sent to Seleucus and promised him the Kingdom and himself as an hostage and security if he would free his Father from Prison after he knew that his Father was dead he set forth a great Navy and went out to receive the body of the deceased which by Seleucus was sent toward Macedonia he received it with such mournful Solemnity and so many tears as turned all men into wonder and compassion Antigonus stood in the Poop of a great Ship built for that purpose cloathed in black bewailing his dead Father the Ashes were inclosed in a golden Urn over which he stood a continual and disconsolate Spectator he caused to be sung the Virtues and Noble Atchievements of the deceased Prince with voices form'd to Piety and Lamentation the Rowers also in the Gallies so ordered the stroaks of their Oars that they kept time with the mournful voices of the others in this manner the Navy came near to Corinth so that the Rocks and Shores themselves seemed to be moved to mourning Plutarchs Lives Thus far of Paternal and Filial Love let us proceed to that between Brethren XLI It is usually counted rare to see Brothers live together in mutual love and agreement with each other and it is likewise commonly observed that their Animosities have been managed with greater rancour bitterness than if they had been the greatest Strangers on the other side where this Fraternal Love has rightly seated it self in the Soul it has appeared as real and vigorous as any other sort of Love whatsoever of which there want not very remarkable Instances In the year 1585. the Portugal Ship called St. Jago was cast away upon the Shallows near St. Lawrence and towards the Coast of Mosambique here it was that divers Persons had leapt into the great Boat to save their lives and finding that it was overburdened they chose a Captain whom they swore to obey who caused them to cast Lots and such as the Lot fell upon to be cast overboard there was one of those that in Portugal are called New Christians who being allotted to be cast overboard into the Sea had a younger Brother in the same Boat that suddenly rose up and desired the Captain that he would pardon and make free his Brother and let him supply his place saying My Brother is elder and of better knowledge in the World than I and therefore more fit to live in the World and to help my Sisters and Friends in their need so that Thad rather die for him than live without him at which request they saved the elder Brother and threw the younger at his own desire into the Sea who swum at least six hours after the Boat and though they held up their hands with naked Swords willing him that he should not once come to touch the Boat yet laying hold thereon and having his hand half cut in two he would not let go so that in the end they were constrained to take him in again both these Brethren I knew saith my Author and have been in company with them Linschotens Voyages p. 147. XLII When the Emperor
Augustus had taken Adiatoriges a Prince of Cappadocia together with his Wife and Children in War and had led them to Rome in Triumph he gave order that the Father the elder of the Brothers should be slain The designed Ministers of this Execution were come to the place of restraint to this unfortunate Family and there inquiring which of the Brethren was the eldest there arose a vehement and earnest contention between the two young Princes each of them affirming himself to be the Elder that by his death he might preserve the life of the other when they had long continued in this pious Emulation the Mother at last not without difficulty persuaded her Son Dyetentus that he would permit his younger Brother to die in his stead as hoping that by him she might be more probably maintained Augustus was at length certified of this great example of Brotherly love and not only lamented that act of his severity but gave an honourable support to the Mother and her surviving Son Heywoods Hist Women XLIII Heliodorus the Brittain had afterward the Sirname of Pius upon this occasion the People provoked with the Cruelty and Avarice of Archigallus had deposed him and raised Heliodorus to the Throne of his Brother one time when the King went on hunting he accidentally met with his Brother Archigallus in a Wood whose altered visage and ragged cloths gave sufficient evidence of his afflicted condition as soon as the King knew him though he was not ignorant how he had sought his Restoration both by force and fraud yet he lovingly imbraced him and caused him privately to be conveyed into the City The King pretended he was sick and giving forth that he would dispose of the Affairs of the Realm by his last Will and Testament he called his Nobles together he then signified that he would confer in private with each of them singly and as every man entered into his Chamber he caused him to be laid hold on threatning him with death if he would not consent to the sparing of his Brother and that he should resign the Throne and Kingdom to him having by this means gained an universal assent he then opened the business in the presence of them altogether so that Archigallus was restored to the Kingdom and he dying in few years Heliodorus succeeded him with equal Justice and Glory Fulgosus Examples p. 634. XLIV There was a Soldier in the Camp of Pompeius who in the War with Sertorius perceiving a Soldier on the other side to press hard upon him he sought with him hand to hand and having slain him he went about to strip him of his Arms which when he had done he found it was his Brother who had fallen under him whereupon having a long time curst his unhappy Fate he carried his dead Brother into the Camp and having covered the Body with a precious Garment he laid the Corps upon the Funeral Pile and put fire to it which done he immediately drew the same Sword wherewith he had slain his Brother and thrust it into his own Breast and so falling prostrate upon the dead Body of his Brother they were both burned together Valerius Maximus p. 146. XLV There was a report though a false one that Eumenes King of Asia was slain by the fraud of Perseus upon the news whereof his Brother Attalus seized upon the Crown and married the Wife of his Brother but being informed of Eumenes his return he went forth to meet him not without apprehensions of fear in regard of what he had done in his absence Eumenes made no shew of his displeasure only whispered him in the Ear That before he married another Mans Wife he should besure her Husband was dead This was all and not long after dying though by his Wife he had a Son of his own yet he left the Kingdom to his Brother together with the Queen his Wife Attalus on the other side that he might not be surpassed in Brotherly love though he had many Children by his own Wife yet he educated that Son she had by Eumenes to the hope of the Kingdom and when he came of sufficient Age freely resigned up all to him and lived a private life many years after Burtons Melancholy p. 564. XLVI Darius King of Persia being extreamly provoked by Crimes of an extraordinary nature had pronounced Sentence of death upon Ithaphernes his Children and the whole Family of them at once the Wife of Ithaphernes went to the Kings Pallace and there all in tears was so loud in her mournful Lamentations that her cries coming to the Kings Ear moved him in such manner to compassion that the King sent her word That with her own he gave her the life of any single Person whom she would make choice of among the condemned the Woman begged the life of her Brother Darius wondred that she should rather ask his life than that of her Husband or any of her Children and therefore asked her the reason who replied That since her Father was dead she could never hope for a Brother more if she should lose this but that her self being but young as yet might hope for another Husband and other Children Darius was moved with this answer and being inclined to Brotherly love as well as prudence he gave her also the life of her eldest Son Heywoods Hist Women XLVII Tiberius being at Ticinum and hearing that his Brother Drusus lay sick in Germany he immediately put himself on an hasty Journey to give him a visit he passed the Alps and the Rhine and changing his Horse night and day he travelled outright two hundred miles with only one Person in his Company as his Guide Drusus though at that time labouring for life being informed of his coming commanded his Legions with their Ensigns to march out and meet him and to salute him by the Title of Imperator or Emperor he ordered a Praetorial Tent to be erected for him on the right hand of his own and gave him the Confular and Imperial name at the same time yielding this honour to his Brother and his Body to death Valerius Maximus p. 146. XLVIII Great was the love of Timolaeon the Corinthian to his Brother for when in a Battel with the Argives he saw his Brother fall down dead with the wounds he had received he leaped over the dead body of his Brother and with his Shield he protected the body as it lay and though in this enterprize he was sore wounded himself yet would he not retreat into any place of safety till such time as he had seen the dead body of his Brother carried off from the Field Fulgosus lib. 5. XLIX Neither has the extraordinary Love of Servants toward their Masters wanted great Examples some of whom have discovered eminent Fidelity and Virtue so that Fortune may seem to have treated them injuriously not to allot them as great advantages as their Masters they lived under for we read that the Servant of Vrbinius Panopion knowing
suspecting asked his Friends if her Son had not something to say to her whereupon he told her the business when she heard it she laughing said How comes it to pass thou hast concealed it so long come come put me streight into a Ship and send me whither thou wilt that this body of mine may do some good unto my Country before crooked Age consume it without profit Cratisiclea for so was her name being ready to depart took Cleomenes into the Temple of Neptune imbracing and kissing him and perceiving that his heart yearned for sorrow of her departure O King of Sparta said she let no man for shame see when we come out of the Temple that we have wept and dishonoured Sparta whilst she was with Ptolomy the Achaians sought to make peace with Cleomenes but he durst not because of his pledges which were with King Ptolomy which she hearing of writ to him That he should not spare to do any thing that might conduce to the honour and safety of his Country though without the consent of King Ptolomy for fear of an old Woman and a young Boy Plutarchs Lives CII Darius the Son of Hystaspis had sent Ambassadours to Sparta to demand of them Earth and Water as a token of their Subjection to him who were so inraged thereat that they took the Ambassadours and cast some of them head-long into a Dangeon others into Pits and bid them take from thence the Earth and Water they came for after which they had no prosperous Sacrifices and having for a long time endured great calamities they at last met in a full Assembly wherein it was proposed whether any would die or venture their lives for the good of Sparta upon which Sperthies and Balis who were of birth and equal Estate with the best freely offered themselves to undergo such punishment as Xerxes the Son of Darius who then reigned should inflict for the death of his Ambassadours The Spartans sent them away as Persons hastening towards their death being come to Susa they they were admitted into the presence of Xerxes where first they refused to adore him and then told him That the Spartans had sent them to suffer death in lieu of those Ambassadours whom they had put to death at Sparta Xerxes replied That he would not do as the Spartans had done who by killing Ambassadours had confounded the Laws of all Nations that therefore he would not do what he had upbraided them with nor would he by their death absolve the Spartans from their guilt Herodotus lib. 7. CIII A Spartan Woman had five Sons in a Battel which was fought near unto that City and seeing one that came out of the Fight she asked him how affairs went All your five Sons are stain said he Vnhappy wretch replied the Woman I ask thee not of their Concerns but of that of my Country as to that all is well said the Soldier then said she let them mourn that are miserable for my part I esteem my self happy in the prosperity of my Country Plutarchs Lives CIV Sylla being overcome by Marius in a Battle commanded all the Citizens of Praeneste to be slain excepting one only who was his intimate Friend but he hearing the bloody Sentence pronounced against the rest stepped forth and said That he scorned to live by his favour who was the destroyer of his Country and so went forth amongst the rest which were slain Fulgoszlib 5. CV Having thus discovered the effects of love in the extensive acceptation thereof I shall next proceed to relate some of the choicest instances of the most intire Friendship and because saithful Friends may seem in this Age to be gone on Pilgrimage as Bishop Mâ—rton says we must therefore be content to borrow Presidents from the Histories of former Ages Titus Volumnius a Gentleman of Rome was the friend of Marcus Lucullus who was slain by the command of Mark Anthory because he had followed the Party of Brutus and Cassius and though he had a sufficient time to provide for himself by flight yet he remained by the body of his dead Friend and lamented him with such abundance of sighs and tears that particular notice was taken of him by the Officers they therefore dragged him to Anthony unto whose sight and presence he was no sooner come but Command me Sir said he to be forthwith carried to the body of Lucullus and to be thereslain for I ought not to survive him since I was the only Person who persuaded him to take that unfortunate side He easily prevailed with Antonius to grant his request he was therefore led to the place he desired where when he came he kissed the right hand of Luculius took up his head that was cut off and put it into his Bosom and then stretched out his own neck to receive the blow of the Executioner Valer. Maxim lib. 4. CVI. Cambyses King of Persia making War against the Aegyptians overthrew them in a great Battel and took the Royal City and therein the King Psammenitus and all his Family and Nobles after which he kept him Prisoner in the Suburbs and then caused the Daughters of the Nobility and among them the Kings Daughter clothed in ragged Apparel to fetch water in Tankards from the River which when their Parents saw they all broke forth into grievous weeping only Psammenitus with his Eyes fixed upon the ground shewed no sign of sorrow Then did Cambyses cause the Noblemens Sons and amongst them the Son of Psammenitus to be led to execution tied together by the Necks with Ropes Bridles put into their mouths hereupon their Parents again broke forth into grievous Lamentations only Psammenitus stood quiet as before but presently after seeing an old man his intimate Friend begging in the Streets he broke forth into grievous Lamentations which Cambyses observing sent to him to know what was the reason that he when he saw his Daughter so abused and his Son led to death he mourned not but now when he saw this poor man that was no kin to him begging he made such heavy moan To whom Psammenitus answered My Domestick evils were greater than that I could express my sorrow for them but the calamity of my Friend deserves my tears for that now in his old age from an high estate he is brought to such extream poverty Herodotus Hist CVII I think saith Mr. Hakewell that no former Histories of the Graecians or Romans can afford such another example of constant and faithful Friendship as that betwixt Barbadicus and Trivisanus two Gentlemen of Venice in memory whereof there is a large inscription in Latine in that City allowed by Authority in 1627. This example was held so strange that several learned men have published Narratives thereof one of which take as follows Nicholas Barbadicus and M. Trivisanus two Patricians of Venice of great reputation in respect of their own Virtues the splendor of their Families and the Dignities and Offices they had honourably born in the
with many and cruel blows and threatned to be beheaded to which he answered You worship such Gods as will perish like dung upon the Earth but as for me come life come death I will worship none but the God of Heaven and Earth Acts and Mon. Vol. 1. XXVI St. Origen when he was but seventeen years old his Father being carried to Prison had such a fervent mind to suffer Martyrdom with him that he would have thrust himself into the Persecutors hands had it not been for his Mother who in the night time privately stole away his Cloths and his very shirt also whereupon more for shame to be seen naked than for fear of death he was forced to stay at home yet he writ thus to his Father Pray Sir be sure you do not change your Resolution for my sake Clarks Mar. XXVII Valence the Emperor being an Arrian sent Messengers to St. Basil to persuade him to imbrace that Heresy they gave him good words and promised him great Preferment if he would do it but he answered Alas Sir these Speeches are fitter to catch little Children that look after such things than such as me who being taught and instructed by the Holy Scriptures had rather suffer a thousand deaths than that one syllable or tittle of Gods Word should be altered the Governor being in a rage threatned him with confiscation of his Goods Torments Banishment and Death Basil replied He need not fear Confiscation that had nothing to lose nor Banishment to whom Heaven only is a Country nor Torments when his Body may be dashed in pieces by one blow nor Death which is the only way to set him at liberty and I wish it would fall out so well on my side that I might lay down this Carcase of mine in the Quarrel of Jesus Christ and in the defence of his Truth The Praefect told him that he was mad I wish said he that I may be for ever thus mad Clarks Examples XXVIII The same Emperor Valence coming to the City of Edessa perceived that the Christians did keep their Assemblies in the Fields for their Churches were pulled down and demolished whereat he was so inraged that he gave the President Methodius a box on the Ear for suffering such their Meetings commanding him to take a Band of Soldiers and to scourge with Rods and knock down with Clubs as many as he should find of them this his order being proclaimed there was a Christian Woman who with a Child in her Arms ran with all speed toward the place and was got amongst the ranks of those Soldiers that were sent out against the Christians and being by them asked whither she went and what she would have she told them That she made such hast lest she and her little Infant should come too late to be partakers of the Crown of Christ amongst the rest of those that were to suffer When the Emp. heard this he was confounded desisted from his enterprize and turned all his fury against the Priests and Clergy Wanly Hist Man p. 214. XXIX St. Chrysostom stoutly rebuked the Empress Eudoxia for her Covetousness telling her That she would be called a second Jezabel and when she sent him a threatning Message Go tell her said he I fear nothing but Sin and when she confederating with his other Enemies had procured his banishment as he went out of the City he said None of these things trouble me for I said before within my self if the Queen will let her banish me the Earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof if she will let her saw me asunder the Prophet Isaiah was so used if she will let her cast me into the Sea I will remember Jonah If she will let her cast me into a burning fiery Furnace or to the wild Beasts the three Children and Daniel were so dealt with If she will let her stone me or cut off my head I have St. Stephen and John the Baptist for my blessed Companions If she will let her take away all my goods and substance naked came I out of my Mothers Womb and naked shall I return thither again He was so beloved that on a time when he was like to be silenced the people cried out we had better want the shining of the Sun then the Preaching of Chrysostom Clarks Lives p. 78. XXX In the persecution of the Church under the Arrian Vandals who committed all manner of Cruelties upon the true Christians there were a great number condemned to be burnt in a Ship to which they were accompanied by a multitude of their Brethren being led like innocent Lambs to the Sacrifice and looking upon their weighty Chains and Irons wherewith they were loaded as rare Jewels and Ornaments they went with all cheerfulness and alacrity to the place of Execution even as though they had gone to a Banquet singing praises with one voice unto the Almighty as they went along the Streets saying This is our desired day more joyful to us then any Festival behold now is the accepted time now is the day of Salvation when for the faith of our Lord God we suffer death that we may not lose the Garment of Faith and Glory The People likewise with one voice cried out Fear not O Servants of God neither dread the Threats of your Enemies die for Christ who died for us that he might redeem us with the price of his saving blood Amongst them was a little Boy to whom a subtle Seducer said why hastest thou my pretty Boy unto death let them go they are mad take my Counsel and thou shalt not only have life but great advancement in the Kings Court to whom the Lad answered You shall not get me from the fellowship of these Holy Men who bred me up and with whom I have lived in the fear of God and with whom I desire to die and with whom I trust I shall obtain the Glory to come and so being all put into the Ship they were burnt together Clarks Martyr XXXI Among others who were terribly tormented they tortured Women and especially Gentlewomen stark naked openly without all shame and particularly a young Lady called Dyonisia whom they saw bolder and more beautiful than the rest they first commanded her to be stripped stark naked and made ready for the Cudgels who spake stoutly to them saying I am assured of the love of God vex me how you will only my Womanhood disclose you not But they with the greater rage set her naked upon an high place for a publick spectacle then did they whip her till the streams of blood did flow all over her body whereupon she boldly said Ye Ministers of Satan that which you do for my reproach is to me an honour And beholding her only Son that was young and tender and seemed fearful of Torments checking him with a Motherly Authority she so incouraged him that he became more constant than before to whom in the midst of his terrible Torments she said Remember O my
despoiled of all and turned out a begging yea all Persons were forbid to harbour or relieve him Acts and Monum Vol. 1. XXXIV St. Jerom discovered his Christian Resolution by this Speech If said he my Father stood weeping on his knees before me and my Mother hanging on my neck behind and all my Brethren Sisters Children Kindred and Kinsfolks howling on every side to retain me in a sinful life I would fling my Mother to the ground despise all my Kindred run over my Father and tread him under my feet that I might run to Christ when he calleth me After his Condemnation by the cruel Papists he said I after my death will leave a remorse in your Consciences and a Nail in your hearts and I here cite you all to answer to me before the high and just Judge within an hundred years when he was brought forth to Execution they prepared a great and long paper painted about with red Devils which when he beheld throwing away his Hood he put on this Miter upon his head saying Our L. Jesus Christ when he suffered death for me the most wretched Sinner did wear a Crown of Thorns upon his head and I for his sake will willingly wear this Cap As he went to his suffering he sang some Hyms and coming to the place of Execution he was bound to the stake and so fire was set to him which he endured with admirable valour for standing at the stake bound and the Executioner kindling the fire behind him he bid him kindle it before his face For said he if I had been afraid of it I had not come to this place having had so many opportunities offered me to escape it The whole City of Constance admired his Christian Courage and Resolution At his giving up the Ghost he said Hanc animam in flammis offero Christe tibi This Soul of mine in flames of fire O Christ I offer thee XXXV Many Christians being assembled together in a Church Maximinus the Tyrant Emp commanded it to be surrounded with armed Men and set on fire but first proclaimed that whosoever desired life should come forth and worship the Idols whereupon one stepping up into a Window answered in the name of all the rest We are all Christians and will do service to none but the true God Upon which speech the fire was kindled and there were burnt many Thousands of Men Women and Children In Thebaide so many Christians were slain that the Swords of the Tormentors grew blunt and they were so tired that they were fain to sit down and rest them while others took their places and yet the Martyrs were no whit discouraged but to the last gasp sung Psalms of Praise unto God Acts and Mon. Vol. 1. XXXVI Theodosius the Great a Christian Emperor having in Aegypt abolished their Heathenish Sacrifice and Worship upon pain of Confiscation and death the People fearing that the omission of their accustomed Superstitions would make the River Nilus which they honoured as a God keep in his streams and not water the Land as formerly they thereupon began to mutiny whereupon the President writ to the Emperor beseeching him for once to gratify the People by conniving at their Superstition to whom he Heroically answered That it was better to continue faithful and constant to God than to prefer the over flowing of Nilus and the fertility of the Earth before Piety and Godliness and that he had rather Nilus should never overflow than that they should make it rise by Sacrifices and Inchantments Sozomen XXXVII Benevolus was offered preferment by Justina the Empress an Arrian if he would be an instrument of some vile service What saith he do you promise me an higher place for a reward of Iniquity nay take this away that I have already with all my heart so that I may keep a good conscience And thereupon he threw his Girdle at her feet which was the Ensign of his Honour Acts and Mon. Vol. 1. XXXVIII It is said of Luther that he alone opposed all the world he used to say Let me be counted proud or passionate so I be not found guilty of sinful silence when the cause of God suffereth Madness in this case is better than mildness Moderation here is meer sottishness yea it is much worse He being cited by an Herald of Arms to appear before the Coun. at Wormes many of his Friends persuaded him not to adventure himself to such a present danger to whom he answered That he was resolved and certainly determined to enter into Wormes in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ although he knew that there were as many Devils to resist him as there were Tiles to cover the Houses in Wormes His Christian Courage was extraordinary and therefore when Melancthon knowing the rage of the Papists and the Emperors threats to subvert the Gospel was much troubled at it gave himself wholly up to grief sighs and tears Luther writ thus to him In private conflicts I am weak and you are strong but in publick conflicts you are found weak and I strongâ—r because I am assured that our cause is just and true if we fall Christ the Lord and Ruler of the world falleth with us and suppose he fall I had rather fall with Christ than stand with Caesar I extreamly dislike your excessive cares with which you say you are almost consumed that these reign so much in your heart it is not from the greatness of your dangers but from the greatness of your incredulity if the cause be bad let us recant it and flie back if it be good why do we make God a Lyar who hath made us these great promises cast thy care upon the Lord c. Be of good comfort I have overcome the world If Christ be the Conqueror of the world why should we fear it as if it would overcome us A man would fetch such sentences as these upon his knees from Rome to Jerusalem be not afraid be couragious and cheerful sollicitous for nothing the Lord is at hand to help us When King Henry the Eighth of England had writ bitterly against Luther Let the Henries says he the Bishops the Turk and the Devil himself do what they can we are Children of the Kingdom worshipping and waiting for that Saviour whom they and such as they spit upon and crucify Erasmus writes thus If saith he Luther commending the Kings good intention had proceeded by strong Arguments without violating Kingly Majesty in my judgment he had taken a better course for the defence of his cause for what made Luther use these words in his Book come hither my Lord Henry and I will teach you to this Luther replies If any man saith he be offended at my sharpness against the King let him know that in that Book I deal with senseless Monsters who contemned my best and most modest writings and by my Humility and Modesty were more hardned in their Errors Besides I abstained from bitterness and Lies with
which the Kings Book was stuffed neither is it any wonder if I contemn and bite an earthly King when as he feared not at all in his writings to blaspheme the King of Heaven and to prophane his Truth with virulent Lies When Luther came to die the Will which he made concerning his Wife and Child was as follows O Lord God I thank thee that thou wouldst have me live a poor and indigent Person upon Earth I have neither House nor Land nor Possessions nor Money to leave thou Lord hast given me Wife and Children them Lord I give back to thee nourish instruct and keep them O thou Father of Orphans and Judge of the Widows do to them as thou hast done to me When he was ready to die Justus Jonas and Caelius said to him O Reverend Father do you die in the constant confession of the Doctrine of Christ which you have hitherto Preached to which he answered Yea which was the last word he spake He made this verse some time before his death Pestis eram vivus moriens ero mors tua Papa I living stopt Romes breath And dead will be Romes death One saith of him that Luther a poor Fryar should be able to stand against the Pope was a great Miracle that he should prevail against the Pope was a greater and after all to die in peace was the greatest of all Clarks Mirror XXXIX Mr. Woodman a Martyr in Queen Maries Reign speaks thus of himself When I have been in Prison wearing Bolts and Shackles sometimes lying upon the bare ground sometimes sitting in the Stocks some times bound with Cords that all my Body hath been swoln and I like to have been overcome with pain sometimes forced to lie about in the Woods and Fields wandring too and fro sometimes brought before the Justices Sheriffs Lords Doctors and Bishops sometimes called Dog Devil Heretick Whoremonger Traytor Thief Deceiver c. yea and they that did eat of my Bread and should have been most my Friends by Nature have betrayed me yet for all this I praise my Lord God that hath separated me from my Mothers Womb all this that hath happened to me hath been easy light and most delightful and more joyful Treasure than ever I possessed Acts and Mon. XL. Archbishop Cranmer by the wily subtilties and large promises of the Papists was drawn to subscribe to a Recantation yet afterward by Gods great mercy he recovered again and when he was at the stake and the fire kindled about him he stretched out his right hand wherewith he had subscribed and held it so stedfastly and unmoveably in the flame saving that he once wiped his face with it that all men saw his hand burned before the fire touched his Body he also being replenished by the Holy Spirit did abide his burning with such constancy and stedfastness that always standing in the place his body moved no more than the stake to which he was bound Acts and Mon. XLI Henry Prince of Saxony when his Brother George sent to him that if he would forsake his Faith and turn Papist he would leave him his Heir but he made him this Answer Rather than I will do so and deny my Saviour Jesus Christ I and my Kate each of us with a staff in our hands will beg our bread out of his Countries Luth. Colloq p. 248. XLII Mr. James Bainham being at the stake in the midst of the burning fire his Legs and Arms being half consumed spake thus to the standers by O ye Papists behold you look for Miracles and here now you may see one for in this fire I feel no more pain than if I were in a Bed of Down and it is to me as a Bed of Roses Acts and Mon. XLIII The Earl of Morton a Religious and Prudent man who was sometimes Regent in Scotland in King James his Minority when the King had taken the Government into his own hand was falsly accused and unjustly condemned by his crafty and malicious adversaries the morning before he suffered Mr Lawson and two or three other Ministers of Edenburgh came to visit him asking him how he had rested that night To whom he answered That of a long time he had not slept more soundly now I am said he at the end of my Troubles Some nights before my Tryal I was thinking what to answer for my self and that kept me from sleep but this night I had no such thoughts When he came to the Scaffold he exhorted the People to continue in the profession of the true Religion and to maintain it to the utmost of their power intreating them to assist him in their Prayers to God then going couragiously to the block he laid down his head and cried aloud Into thy hand O Lord I commit my Spirit Lord Jesus receive my Soul Which words he repeated till his head was severed from his Shoulders A. B. Spotswood Hist Scotland p. 314. XLIV The Lord Henry Otto being condemned at Prague for the Protestant Religion at the place of Execution he said I was lately troubled but now I feel a wonderful refreshing in my heart And lifting up his hands to Heaven he added I give thee thanks O most merciful Saviour who hast been pleased to fill me with so much comfort O now I fear death no longer I shall die with Joy About the same time two Dutchmen were taken at Prague and accused by some Monks of Lutheranism for which they were condemned to be burnt as they went to the place of Execution such gracious words proceeded out of their mouths as drew Tears from the Spectators Eyes when they came to the stake they exceedingly incouraged each other one of them saying Since our Lord Christ hath suffered such grievous things for us let us chearfully suffer for him and rejoice that we have found so much favour with him that we are accounted worthy to die for the Word of God The other said In the day of my Marriage I found not so much inward Joy as I now do When the fire was put to them they said with a loud voice Lord Jesus thou in thy sufferings didst pray for thine Enemies therefore we also do the like Clarks Martyrol p. 177. XLV In the year 1555. there was one Algerius a Student of Padua in Italy a young man of excellent Learning who having attained to the knowledge of the Truth ceased not by instruction and example to teach others for which he was accused of Heresy to the Pope by whose command he was cast into Prison at Venice where he lay long and during that time he wrote an excellent Letter to the afflicted Protestants wherein among many other divine expressions he thus writeth I cannot but impart unto you some portion of my Delectations and Joys which I feel and find I have found Honey in the intrails of a Lyon who will believe that in this dark Dungeon I should find a Paradise of Pleasure For in the place of sorrow and death
the Sepulcher and with sighs and tears he delivers the very Keys of Conimbria into the Kings hands with these words As long O King as I did judge thee to be alive I endured all extremities I fed upon Skins and Leather and quenched my thirst with Vrine I repressed or quieted the minds of the Citizens that were inclining to Sedition and whatsoever could be expected from a faithful Man and one sworn to thy interest that I performed and persisted in only one thing remains that having delivered the Keys of the City to thine own hands I may return freed of my Oath and to tell the Citizens their King is dead God send thee well in another and a better Kingdom This said he departed acknowledged Alphonsus for his lawful Prince and was ever after faithful to him Lipsius Monit p. 324. LXIII King John had made Hubert Burgh Governor of Dover Castle and when King Lewis of France came to take the Town and found it difficult to be overcome by force he sent to Hubert whose Brother Thomas he had taken Prisoner a little before that unless he would surrender the Castle he should presently see his Brother Thomas put to death with exquisite Torments before his Eyes but this Threatning moved not Hubert at all who more regarded his own Loyalty than his Brothers life then Prince Lewis sent again offering him a great sum of Money neither did this move him but he kept his Loyalty as faithfully and inexpugnably as he did his Castle Bakers Chron. p. 110. LXIV Sanctius King of Castile had taken Tariffa from the Moors but was doubtful of keeping it by reason both of the Neithborhood of the Enemy and the great cost it would put him to there was with him at that time Alphonsus Guzman a noble and rich Person a great Man both in Peace and War he of his own accord offered to take the care of it and to be at part of the charge himself and the King in the mean time might attend other affairs A while after the Kings Brother John revolted to the Moors and with some Forces of their's suddenly sate down before Tariffa the Besieged feared him not but relyed upon their own and their Governors valour only one thing unhappily fell out the Son and only Son of Alphonsus was unfortunately taken by the Enemy in the Fields him they shewed before the Walls and threatned to put him to a cruel death unless they speedily yielded the Town the hearts of all men were moved only that of Alphonsus who cried with a loud voice that had they a hundred of his Sons in their power he should not thereupon depart from his Faith and Loyalty and saith he Since you are so thirsty for blood there is a Sword for you throwing his own Sword over the Wall to them away he went and prepared himself to go to Dinner when upon the sudden there was a confused noise and cry that recalled him he again repairs to the Wall and asking the reason of their amazement they told him That his Son had been put to death with barbarous Cruelty Was that it then replied he I thought the City had been taken by the Enemy And so with his former unconcernedness and tranquillity he returned again to his Wife and his Dinner the Enemies astonished at the greatness of his Spirit departed the Siege without any further attempt upon the place Lipsius LXV Boges the Persian was besieged in his City Etona by Cimon General of the Athenians and when he was offered safely to depart into Asia upon delivery of the City he constantly refused it lest he should be thought unfaithful to his Prince being therefore resolved he bore all the inconveniences of a Siege till his Provisions being now almost utterly spent and seeing there was no way to break forth he made a great fire and cast himself and his whole Family into the flames of it concluding he had not sufficiently acquitted himself of his Trust to his Prince unless he also laid down his life for his Cause Herodot p. 417. LXVI Liamgzus the Conductor of the Rebel Thieves had seized the Empire of China taken the Metropolis Peking and upon the death of the Emperor had seated himself in the Imperial Throne he displaced and imprisoned what great Officers he pleased amongst the rest was one Vs a venerable Person whose Son Vsangueius led the Army of China in the confines of Leatung against the Tartars the Tyrant threatned this old man with a cruel death if by his Fatherly power he did not reduce him with his whole Army to the acknowledgment of his Power promising great rewards to them both if he should prevail wherefore the poor old man writ thus to his Son Know my Son that the Emperor Zunchinus and the whole Family of Taimingus are perished the Heavens have cast the Fortune of it upon Licungzus we must observe the times and by making a virtue of necessity avoid his Tyranny and experience his liberality he promiseth to thee a Royal Dignity if with the Army you submit to his Dominion and acknowledge him as Emperor my life depends upon thy Answer consider what thou owest to him that gave thee life To which his Son Vsanguineus returned this answer He that is not faithful to his Soveraign will never be so to me and if you forget your duty and fidelity to your Emperor no man will blame me if I forget my duty and obedience to such a Father I will rather die than serve a Thief And immediately he sent an Ambassador to call in the aid of the Tartars to subdue this Usurper of the Empire Hist China p. 277. CHAP. III. The Transcendent Effects of Chastity Temperance and Humility discovered in divers notable Histories THere is no Vice whatever that is easy to overcome but that of the Lust of the Flesh seems to have a peculiar difficulty in the Conquest of it as being born with us and which accompanies us all along from the Cradle to the Tomb for the most part having so firmly fixed its roots within us that not one of manyis able to prevail against it by how much the more strong therefore the Enemy is and the more intimate and familiar he is with us the more noble is the Victory and the Conquest more glorious which yet some in all Ages have attained as may appear by the following instances I. Scipio had taken the City of New Carthage where besides the rest of the Spoil there were found a number of Boys Girls the Children of the Nobility amongst the rest one Virgin was brought presented to Scipio whose marvellous beauty had attracted the Eyes of all men whithersoever she went it was supposed this would be no unacceptable Present to the young General but he as soon as he looked upon her said only thus I would accept and enjoy this Virgin were I a private Person and not in such command as I am for the Commonwealth keeps my mind sufficiently imployed
Helmet ran with it to Alexander who took it and thanked him for his diligence but poured the water upon the ground though he was exceeding thirsty faying If I alone should drink it would make my Soldiers languish and accordingly they seeing his Temperance encouraged themselves by his Example and marched forward Quintus Curtius XXIX Charles the fifth Emperor of Germany was very frugal especially once being to make a Royal entrance into the City of Millain there was great preparation for his entertainment the Houses and Streets were beautified and adorned the Citizens dressed in their richest Ornaments and a golden Canopy was prepared to be carried over his head and great expectation there was to see a great and glorious Emperor but when he entred the City he came in a plain black cloth Cloak with an old Hat on his Head so that they who saw him not believing their Eyes asked which was he laughing at themselves for being so deceived in their expectations Clarks Mirrour p. 233. XXX Mr. Hollingsheld writes that he knew an old Man who told of the former times in England and affirmed that if the Master of the House had a Matriss a Flock-bed and a sack of Chaff to rest his head on he thought himself as well lodged as the Lord of the Town For ordinarily they lay upon straw Pallets covered with Canvass and a round log of Wood under their heads instead of a Bolster saying that soft Pillows were fit only for Women in Child-bed and in a good Farmers House it was rare to find four pieces of Pewter and it was counted a great matter that a Farmer should shew five shillings or a Noble together in Silver Clarks Mirrour p. 1. XXXI Let us next remark the Affability and Humility of several Persons and certainly the greatest Examples of Courtesy and Humility have been found amongst them that have been truly Great and of the best merit according to the advice of the Comedian When Fortune doth us most caress And higher still advance Then should we most our selves suppress As subject unto chance XXXII Elizabeth was the Daughter of the King of Hungary and was Married to Lewis Earl of Thuringia yet in the midst of Riches and abundance she affected Poverty and Humility sometimes when she remained at home with her Maids she put on her meanest Apparel saying That she would never use any of her Ornament whatsoever if it would please the good and merciful God to put her into such a condition wherein she might freely dispose of her self and live according to her own inclinâ—…tion When she went to Church her manner was to place her self amongst the poorer sort of Women after the Death of her Husband she undertook a Pilgrimage according to the Superstition of those times wherein she gave to the poor and necessitous all that came to her hands to dispose of she built an Hospital wherein she made her self an Attendant upon the sick and poor and when by her Father she was recalled into Hungary she refused to go preferring this manner of life before the enjoyment of a Kingdom Zuinglius Theat p. 85. XXXIII Trajan the Emperor was a Person of such rare Affability and Humility that when his Soldiers were wounded in any Battle he himself would go from Tent to Tent to visit and take care of them and when Swaths and other Cloths were wanting to bind up their Wounds he did not spare his own linnen but tore them in pieces to make things necessary for the wounds of his Soldiers and being reproved for his too much familiarity with his Subjects he answered That he desired to be such an Emperor to his Subjects as he would wish if he himself were a private man Imper. Hist p. 144. XXXIV Upon the death of Pope Paul the Third the Cardinals being divided about the Election the Imperial party which was the greatest gave their Vote for Cardinal Pool an Englishman which being told him he disabled himself and wished them to chuse one that might be most for the Glory of God and the good of the Church upon this stop some that were no Friends to Pool and perhaps expected the place themselves if he were put off laid many things to his charge and amongst others that he was not without suspition of Lutheranisme nor without blemish of Incontinence but he cleared himself so handsomely that he was now more importuned to take the place than before and therefore one night the Cardinals came to him being in Bed and told him they came to adore him which is a circumstance of the new Popes Honour but he being awakened out of his sleep and acquainted with it made answer That this was not a work of darkness and therefore required them to forbear till next day and then to do as God should put it into their minds but the Italian Cardinals attributing this his Humility to a kind of stupidity and sloth in Pool looked no more after him but the next day chose Cardinal Montanus Pope who was afterward named Julius the Third I have read of many that would have been Popes but could not I write this man one that could have been Pope but would not Loyd's State Worthies XXXV Among other Virtues of the Lord Cromwell aforementioned his Humility was admirable of which the following Relation is one instance On a time as he was riding in his Coach with Archbishop Cranmer through Cheapside he there espied a poor Woman of Hounsloe to whom he was indebted for certain old Reckonings to the value of forty shillings he caused her to be called unto him where questioning with her what her name was and where she lived and withal asking her whether he was not somewhat indebted to her she said yes but she never durst call upon him for it though now she stood in great need of it He thereupon presently sent her to his House with one of his men and when he came from the Court he did not only discharge his debt but gave her an yearly pension of four pound and a Livery every year after so long as she lived Clarks Lives p. 21. XXXVI In the Reign of Theodosius the Emperor there happened a great tumult in Thessalonica a rich and populous City of Macedonia amongst the People against the Magistrates and Governors under the Emperor and their Fury grew so great that they slew them which when Theodosius understood he was so incensed against them that he caused his Soldiers to put ten thousand of the common people to death making no difference between the guilty and innocent St. Ambrose hearing of it when the Emperor came to Church as his manner was Ambrose set himself at the Church door and that his Repentance might be as publick as his Offence he told the Emperor That he should not enter there making a learned Oration to him wherein he opened his fault and then Excommunicated him all which the Emperor heard with great patience and returning to his Pallace he
his Chair his Cloths were turned up or tucked up higher than was decent or seemly when one of the Prisoners who was upon sale cryed out unto him Good my Lord I beseech you parden me and suffer me not to be sold amongst the rest for I am a Friend of yours and so I was to your Father before you I pray thee good Fellow said Prilip whence grew this great Friendship betwixt us and how comes it about Sir said the Prisoner I would gladly give you an account of that privately in your Ear Then Philip commanded he should be brought unto him who thus whispered in his Ear Sir I pray you let down your Maritle a little lower before for sitting thus in the posture as you do you discover that which is not meet to be seen hereupon Philip spake aloud to his Officers Let this man said he he set at liberty for in truth he is one of our good Friends and wisheth us well though I either knew it not before or at least had forgotten it A poor old Woman came to him one time and desired him to take notice of her Cause when she had often interrupted him with her clamours in this manner the King at last told her he was not at leisure to hear her No said she be not then at leisure to be King Philip for some time considered of the Speech and presently he heard both her and others that came with complaints to him Plutarchs Morals XL. Pyrrhus King of Epirus was advised to put an idle Fellow out of the City who spake nothing but evil against him he replied It 's better to keep him here still speaking evil of us but to a few but if we drive him away he will speak evil of us every where At another time several young men were brought to him who in their drink spoke very vilely and basely of him Pyrrhus asked them whether the Complaint were true or not It is true said one of them if it please your Grace and had not our Wine failed us we had spoken a great deal more Pyrrhus laughing at this answer dismissed them without punishment Plutarchs Lives XLI Antigonus the Successor of Alexander the Great lay long sick of a lingering disease and afterwards when he was recovered well again We have gotten no harm said he by this sickness for it hath taught me not to be so proud by putting me in mind that I am but a mortal man Antigonus once in Winter time was driven to incamp in a place destitute of all provisions necessary for the life of man by occasion whereof certain Soldiers not knowing that he was so nigh unto them spake very presumptuously of him and reviled him to purpose but he opening the Cloth or Curtain of his Pavillion with his walking Staff If said he you go not farther off to rail at me I will make you to repent it and so withdrew himself Plutarchs Morals XLII King Robert was one of the greatest Kings of France on a time he surprized a Rogue who had cut away half of his Cloak furred with Ermines to whom yet so taken and in an Act so insufferably presumptuous he did no further evil but only said mildly to him Save thy self and leave the rest of my Cloak for another who may have need of it Causins H. Cour. XLIII Casimer King of Poland intending to divert himself called a Knight one of his Domestick Servants to him inviting him to play with him at Dice they did so and Fortune was favourable one while to one and then to the other so that having spent much time in gaining little upon each other and it being grown far in the night it was agreed to set the whole sum in controversy upon one single cast of the Dice Casimer proved the more fortunate and drew all the mony to him the Knight displeased and incensed at his bad fortune in the heat of his impatience falls upon the King and with his fist strikes him over the mouth It is a capital Crime for the Servant to strike his Lord and the same also his Prince but though all present were inraged at this unsufferable action yet he escaped by the benefit of the night though not so but that he was seized in the morning brought back and set in the presence of Casimer to receive his Sentence he having well weighed the matter brake into this wise Speech My Friends this man is less guilty than my self nay whatever is ill done is on my part Heat and sudden Passion which sometimes oversways even wise men did transport him and moved both his mind and hand to do as he did But why did I give the cause Why unmindful of my place and dignity did I play with him as my equal And therefore says he to the Knight take not only my Pardon but my Thanks too for by a profitable correction thou hast taught me that hereafter I should do nothing which is unworthy of a Prince but retain my self in the just limits of decency and gravity Having said this he freely dismissed him Lipsius Monit XLIV Frederick was made Bishop of Vtricht and at the Feast the Emperor Lodovicus Pius sitting at his right hand admonished him that being mindful of the profession he had newly taken upon him he would deal justly and as in the sight of God in the way of his vocation without respect of Persons Your Majesty gives me good advice said the Bishop but will you please to tell me whether I had best begin with this Fish upon my Trencher at the Head or the Tail At the head said the Emperor for that is the more Noble part Then Sir said the Bishop in the first place do you renounce that Incestuous Marriage you have contracted with Judith the Emperor took this reprehension so well that he dismissed her accordingly Polybius p. 223. XLV Alexander the Great having taken a famous Pyrate and being about to condemn him to death asked him Why dost thou trouble the Seas And why said he dost thou trouble the whole world I with one ship seek my Adventures and therefore am called a Pyrate thou with a great Army warrest against Nations and therefore art called an Emperor so that there is no difference betwixt us but in the name Alexander was so well pleased with this his freedom of Speech that in consideration of what he had said he dismissed him without inflicting any punishment upon him Chetwind Hist Collect. XLVI There came a young man to Rome who in the opinion of all men exceedingly resembled Augustus Caesar the Emperor whereof he being informed sent for him being in presence he asked him if his Mother had never been at Rome the Stranger answered No but his Father had the Emperor took patiently this sharp reply and sent him away without harm Polythron p. 147. XLVII Marcus Antonius Pius the Emperor used to take well the free and merry Jests of his Friends even such as seemed to be uttered with
too great a freedom and liberty coming once to the House of Omulus his Friend and beholding there at his entrance divers Pillars of Porphry he inquired whence they were brought Omulus told him That it became him that set his foot into another mans House to be both deaf and dumb He meant he should not be curious and inquisitive The Emperor was delighted with this freedom so far was he from resenting it in such a manner as some others would have done Wanly Hist Man p. 204. XLVIII Such has been the invincible patience of some men that the incredible strength of their minds hath not only prevailed over the weakness of their flesh but reduced it to a temper capable of induring as much as if it had been of Brass or something that if possible is yet more insensible Of such a temper Janus Auceps a wicked Person seem'd to be who dwelt in a lone house by the highway side without the East-gate of the City of Copenhagen in Denmark this man in the night had murdered divers Persons and knocked them on the head with an Ax at last he was discovered taken and condemned to a terrible death he was drawn upon a sledge through the City he had pieces of flesh plucked off from his Body with burning Pincers his Legs and Arms were broken his Tongue was pulled out of his Mouth thongs of his skin were cut out of his back his breast was opened by the speedy hand of the Executioner his heart was pulled out and thrown at his face all this the stout-hearted man bore with an invincible courage and when his heart lay panting by his side in the midst of such torments as he yet underwent he moved his head and looked upon the By-standers with a frowning aspect and seemed with curiosity to contemplate his own heart till such time as his Head was cut off Bartholin Anat. XLIX William Collingborn Esq being condemned for making this Rhime on King Richard the Third The Cat the Rat and Lovel the Dog Rule all England under a Hog Alluding to Catesby Ratcliff and Lovel the three great Favourites of Richard in whose arms there was pictured a Hog the poor Gentleman was put to a most cruel death for being hanged and cut down alive his bowels ript out and cast into the fire when the Executioner put his hand into the bulk of his body to pull out his heart he said Lord Jesus yet more trouble and so died to the great sorrow of much people Fabians Chro. p. 519. L. When we were come within sight of Buda in Hungary saith Busbequius there came by the command of the Turkish Bassa some of his Family to meet us with divers great Officers but in the first place a Troop of young men on Horseback made us turn our Eyes to them because of the Novelty of their Equipage which was thus upon their bare heads most of which were shaven they had cut a long line in the skin in which wound they had stuck Feathers of all kinds and they were dewed with drops of blood yet dissembling the pain they rid with as much mirth and cheerfulness as if they had been void of all sense just before me there walked some on foot one of these went with his naked arms on his side in each of which he carried a Knife which he had thrust through his Arms just above the Elbow another walked naked from his Navel upward with the skin of both his Loins so cut above and below that he carried a Club which stuck therein as if it had hung at his Girdle another had fastened a Horse-shoe with divers nails upon the crown of his Head but that was done a long while the nails being so grown in the flesh that the Shoe was made fast in this pomp we entred Buda and were brought into the Bassa's Pallace in the Court of which stood these generous contemners of Pain as I chanced to cast my Eye that way What think you of these men said the Bassa Well enough said I but that they use their flesh in such a manner as I would not use my Cloths being desirous to keep them whole The Bassa smiled at this answer and dismissed us Busbequius Epist p. 226. LI. There is a notable example of tolerance which happened in our times in a certain Burgundian who was the Murderer of the Prince of Orange this man though he was scourged with rods of Iron though his flesh was torn off with red hot and burning Pincers yet he gave not so much as a single sigh or groan nay further when part of a broken Scaffold fell upon the head of one that stood by as a Spectator this burned Villain in the midst of all his Torments laughed at the Accident although not long before the same man had wept when he saw the curls of his hair cut off Wanly Hist Man p. 206. LII It was also an Example of great patience in this kind which Strabo mentions in his Geography that Zarmonochaga the Ambassadour from the Indian King having finished his negotiation with Augustus Caesar according to his own mind and having sent an account thereof to his Master because he would have no further trouble for the remaining part of his life after the manner of the Indians he burnt himself alive preserving all the while the countenance of a man that smiled Fulgosus Ex. p. 348. LIII Most eminent was the example of Hieronimus Olgiatus a Citizen of Millain who was one of those four that did assassinate Galeacius Sforza Duke of Millain being taken he was thrust into Prison and put to bitter Tortures now although he was not above two and twenty years of Age and of such a delicacy and softness in his habit of body that was more like to that of a Virgin than a man though he was never accustomed to the bearing of Arms by which it is usual for men to acquire vigour and strength yet being fastened to that Rope upon which he was tormented he seemed as if he sate upon some Tribunal and free from any expression of grief with a clear voice and an undaunted mind he commended the Exploit of himself and his Companions nor did he ever shew the least sign of Repentance in the times of the intermissions of his Torments both in Prose and Verse he celebrated the Praises of his Confederates being at last brought to the place of Execution beholding Carolus and Francion two of his Associates to stand as if they were almost dead for fear he exhorted them to be couragious and requested the Executioners that they would begin with him that his Fellow-sufferers might learn patience by his Example being therefore laid naked and at full length upon the Hurdle and his Feet and Arms fast bound down to it when others that stood by were terrified with the shew and horrour of that death that was prepared for him he with specious words and assured voice extolled the gallantry of their Action and appeared
were the most Noble and best accoutred amongst them Upon hearing which he in a rage cried out It was his miâ—fortune that while he reigned such a base and sordid Nation as theirs could not be content with their own bounds and limits and then as one struck with a Dart he lost both his voice and strength and in a deadly sweat fell down to the Earth he was taken up and carried into his Chamber where he was seized with a violent hickup and gnashing of Teeth of which he soon after died in the 55th year of his Age. Zuinglius VIII In 1418. Wenceslaus King of Bohemia being highly incensed against his Cup-bearer for that knowing of a Tumult raised by the Hussites in Prague under Zisea their Leader he had concealed it drew his Dagger with intention to stab him but the Nobles who attended laying hands on the King took away his Dagger that he might not pollute his Royal hands with the blood of his Servant while he was thus in their hands the King through extream Anger fell into an Apoplexy whereof he died in few days Donatus Hist p. 188. IX Matthias Corvinus King of Hungary being spent with the pains of the Gout and taken with the Palsey in both his legs lay at Vienna and on Palm-Sunday inquiring for some fresh Figs of Italy for the second course finding that they were already eaten up by the Courtiers he fell into such a rage as brought him into a Feaver whereof he died the day following Zuinglius X. Charles the sixth King of France being highly displeased with the Duke of Brittain upon some suspicions of him was so bent upon Revenge that unmindful of all other things his Passion suffered him not to eat or sleep he would not hear the Dukes Ambassadours that came to declare his Innocency but in the midst of Summer he set forth out of the City with his Forces about high noon in a hot sultry day with a light Hat upon his Head contrary to the advice of his Commanders and Physicians he leaped upon his Horse and bid them follow him that loved him he had scarce gone a mile from the City when his mind was disturbed and distracted and he in a fury drew his Sword slew some and wounded others that attended him till such time as being weary and spent with thus laying about him he fell from his Horse he was taken up and carried back in the Arms of Men into the City for dead where after many days when at first he neither knew himself nor any about him he began by degrees to recover but his mind was not so well restored but that he had sometimes some symptoms of a Relapse and at several intervals discovered his distemper so that the Government of the Kingdom was committed to his Uncles Zuinglius XI Marcus Sabinus came to live at Rome at such time as Numa Pompilius was elected King thereof when Numa was dead he hoped to be chosen by the People to succeed him but finding that Hostilius was prefer'd before him he resented the matter with that passion and indignation that his life growing irksome unto him he laid violent hands upon himself and so went discontented out of the world of what strange fury was this man possessed what flames what ruines what slaughter and bloodshed of the Roman People can we imagine could satisfy the anger and revenge of this man who when he was able to do nothing against the People of Rome proceeded so sharply and so bitterly against himself as to resolve not to live at all because according to his mind he might not live a King Fulgosus XII Amurath the second Emperor of the Turks having long besieged the City of Croia in Hungary and assaulted it in vain and being no way able either by force or flattery to bring the valiant Scanderbeg to Terms of submission and agreement and being angry that his Presents and Propositions were refused he resolved to make a terrible assault upon Croia from all Quarters but this by the Courage of the Christian Soldiers proving a greater loss to him than any before not being able to behold the endless slaughter of his men he gave over the assault and returned into his Camp as if he had been a man half frantick or distracted of his Wits and there sate down in his Tent all that day full of melancholy passions sometimes violently plucking his hoary beard and white locks complaining of his hard and disastrous Fortune that he had lived so long to see those days of disgrace wherein all his former glory and triumphant Victories were obscured by this one base Town his Bassa's and grave Counsellors by long discourses sought to comfort him but dark and heavy conceits had so overwhelmed the melancholy old Tyrant that nothing could content his inraged mind or revive his dying Spirits so that the little remainder of natural heat which was left in his aged Body was now opprest and almost extinguished and he became sick for pure anger and grief and feeling his sickness dayly to increase so that he could no longer live lying upon a Pallet in his Pavilion he sadly complained to his Bassa's That the Destinies had blemished all the former course of his life with such an obscure death that he who had so often resisted the fury of the Hungarians and almost brought to nought the Pride of the Graecians together with their Name should now be inforced to give up the Ghost under the walls of an obscure Castle and that in the sight of his contemptible Enemy shortly after he became speechless and striving with the pangs of death half a day he then expired in 1450. Turkish Hist p. 330. XIII To proceed in the method of the former part let us next consider that unnatural hatred which has been found among the nearest Relations and first of the Hatred of Husbands to their Wives for there are some brutish and evil natured men who by pretences of Generosity Love and Virtue inveagle the hearts of poor innocent Virgins till they are become the Masters of their Fortunes and Honour which done death itself is more desirable than that bitterness and indignity they are wont to treat them with XIV Periander the Corinthian in a high fit of passion trod his Wife under foot and although she was at that time with Child with a Boy yet he never desisted from his injurious treatment of her till such time as he had killed her upon the place afterward when he was come to himself and was sensible that what he had done was through the false Accusations of his Concubines he caused them all to be burnt alive and banished his Son out of his Kingdom upon no other occasion but that he lamented the death of his Mother with Tears and Outcries Wanly Hist Man p. 372. XV. Amalasuntha had Married Theodabitus and thereby made him her Husband and the King of the Goths at the same time but upon this Condition That he should take
an Oath that he would rest contented with the Title of a King and leave all matters of Government to her sole dispose But no sooner was he accepted as King but he forgot his Wife and Benefactress he recalled her Enemies from Banishment and put many of her Friends and Relations to death he banished her into an Island and set a strong Guard upon her at last he thought himself not sufficiently safe so long as Amalasuntha was alive and thereupon he dispatched several of his wicked Instruments to the place of her Exile with order to put her to death who finding her in a Bath gave her no further time but strangled her there Zuinglius Theat XVI Mrs. Joyce Lewis being questioned for her professing the Protestant Religion in Queen Maries Reign was cited to appear before the Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield who after Examination gave her a months time to consider of it taking a Bond of her Husband at the months end to bring her thither again when the time was near expired many Friends advised him rather to forfeit his Bonds than to cast her into the fire but he churlishly answered That he would lose nothing for her sake and so delivering her up she was condemned and burned Clarks Martyr p. 191. XVII Arsinoe the Widdow of Lysimachus was afterward Married to her own Brother Ptolomy according to the Custom of that Country she received him into her City Cassandrea but he presently seizing upon the Castle there he slew her two Sons which he had by Lysimachus one being sixteen years old and the other but three and in their Mothers Arms at which she rending her Cloths and tearing her hair was by his Command halled out of the Gates of the City with two Servants only to attend her and sent into banishment to the Isle of Samothracia but shortly after this barbarous Wretch was overthrown in a Battel against the Gauls and himself being taken was by them torn in pieces A. B. Vshers Annals XVIII Some Wives have likewise been unnatural in their hatred to their Husbands and have deported themselves so ill toward them that they have not only tormented the Lives but hastened the death of their too indulgent Husbands We read that Alborinus King of the Lumbards having slain the King of the Gepidae made a drinking Cup of his Skull Rosamond the Daughter of that King he had taken to Wife and being one day very merry at Verona he forced her to drink out of that detested Cup which she so stomached that she promised Helmichild a Courtier that if he would aid her in killing the King she would give him both her self and the Kingdom of Lumbardy This he consented to and performed after which they were both so hated that they were constrained to fly to Ravenna unto the protection of Longinus who persuaded her to dispatch Helmichild out of the way and to take him for her Husband to which she willingly agreed Helmichild coming out of the Bath called for drink and she gave him a strong poyson when he had drunk half of it and found by the strong operation how the matter went he compelled her to drink the rest and so both died together Heylin Cosmog p. 64. XIX Among those who were persecuted and miserably imprisoned for the Profession of the Protestant Religion in the Reign of Queen Mary there was one John Fetty a Religious Man living in Clerkenwell in London who was complained of to the Parson of the Parish by his own Wife because he came not to Church nor would partake of their Idolatrous Services whereupon the Parson caused the Constables to apprehend him but it pleased God that his unnatural Wife immediately fell mad upon it and the Constables were so far moved with pity that they let him go home to look to his Wife and Children who otherwise were like to perish this good man forgetting this unkind and wicked Act of his Wife was very careful of her and so cherished and provided for her that through Gods mercy she was well amended and in about three weeks recovered her wits again yet such was the power of the Devil in this wicked and malicious womans heart that so soon as she was recovered not regarding her Husbands kindness she again accused him whereby he was apprehended and cast into Lollards Tower where he was put into the tormenting stocks with a dish of water and a stone in it set by him to shew what favour he should receive at their hands There he lay for many days sometimes hanging by one leg and one arm and somtimes by another and at other times by both At last one of his Children of about eight or nine years old came to the Bishops House to see if he could get leave to speak with his Father and one of the Bishops Chaplains meeting with the Boy asked him what he looked for The Child answered That he came to see his Father who was in Lollards Tower why said the Priest thy Father is an Heretick the Boy being of a bold and quick Spirit and well educated by his Father answered My Father is no Heretick but you are an Heretick for you have Balaams Mark on you With that the Priest took him by the hand and led him into the Bishops House where amongst them they stripped the Child naked and cruelly whipt him till he was all over gore blood then Cluny the Bishops Sumner putting on his shirt and carrying his Coat on his arm led him to the Prison with the blood dropping at his heels to his Father At his coming in the Boy fell on his knees and craved his Fathers blessing the Father being full of grief to see his Child thus cruelly dealt with said Alas William who hath done this The Boy answered As I was coming to see you a Priest with Balaams Mark took me into the Bishops House where I have been thus used Hereupon Cluny violently plucked him from his Father and carried him back to the Bishops House where they kept him three days and then bloody Bonner intending to appease the poor man for the usage of his Child sent for him out of Lollards Tower to his Chamber whilst this John Fetty was standing there with the Bishop he spied a great pair of black Beads hanging by his Bed and thereupon said to him My Lord I think the Hangman is not far off for the Halter pointing to the Beads is here already this much inraged the Bishop yet Fetty spying also a Crucifix standing in the Window said My Lord what is that the Bishop answered It was Christ was he handled said Fetty so cruelly as he is here pictured Yes said Bonner that he was and even so cruelly said Fetty do you handle such as come before you for you are to Gods People even as Caiaphas was to Christ the Bishop was so inraged at this that he swore he would burn him or else spend all that he had to his Gown yet afterward bethinking himself of the
Nature and the bloodiness of their disposition XXVI Artaxerxes King of Persia had fifty Sons by his several Concubines one called Darius he made King in his own life-time contrary to the Custom of that Nation who having sollicited his Father to give him Aspatia his beautiful Concubine and being denied by him he stirred up all the rest of his Brothers to join with him in a Conspiracy against the old King it was not carried so privately but that the design came to Artaxerxes ear who so incensed thereat that casting off all Humanity as well as Fatherly affection not contented with Prisons or Exile he caused them all at once to be put to death and thus by his own hand he brought a woful desolation into his House which was so lately replenished by so numerous an Off-spring Sabel Exem p. 132. XXVII Ptolomy Phiscon having fetched his eldest Son out of Cyrene he put him to death lest the Alexandrians should set him up King against him whereupon the People pluckt down his Statue and his Images And Ptolomy supposing that this was done by the instigation of his Sister and Wife Cleopatra and not well knowing how to be revenged any other way he commanded his Son Memphitis who was an ingenious and hopeful Child and whom he had by her to be slain before his Eyes and cutting off his head hands and feet put them into a Chest close covered with a Soldiers Coat and gave it to one of his Servants to carry it to Alexandria and to present it to Cleopatra at the Festival of her Nativity when she was in the height of her Jollity this was a sad and grievous Spectacle not to the Queen only but to the whole City and it struck such a damp upon their merry meeting that the Court on a sudden was overcast with a general sadness and the Nobles turning their Festival into a Funeral shewed the mangled Limbs to the People to let them see what themselves were to expect from their King who had thus murthered his own Child A. B. Vshers Annal. p. 494. 28. In the reign of Queen Mary there was one Julius Palmer a Religious man and afterward a Martyr for the Protestant Profession who being driven from the Town of Redding in Barkshire where he taught School went to Evesham where his Mother dwelt hoping to obtain a Legacy which his Father had left him in her hands his Mother hearing before hand what was the occasion of his coming when upon his knees he asked her Blessing she said Thou shalt have Christs curse and mine where-ever thou goest He being amazed at this heavy greeting paused a while and then said Oh Mother your curse you may give me which God knows I never deserved but Gods curse you cannot give me for he hath already blessed me Nay said she thou wentest out of Gods blessing when thou wast banished out of Oxford for an Heretick and now for the like knavery art driven out of reading Alas Mother said he you are misinformed I resigned my places of mine own accord and Heretick I am none for I stand not stubbornly against any truth but defend it to my power well said she I am sure thou dost not believe as thy Father did and as I do nor as our fore-Fathers did but as thou art taught by the new Law in King Edwards days which is damnable Heresy indeed said he I do so believe but it is not Heresy but the truth and not new but as ancient as Christ and his Apostles well said she get thee out of my house and sight and ne're take me for thy Mother more as for money I have none for thee thy Father bequeathed no Legacies to Hereticks Faggots I have to burn thee and more thou gettest not at my hands Mr. Palmer for her cursings returned blessings and Prayers for her and so weeping abundantly he departed from her this so mollified her hard heart that she threw an Angel after him saying Take that to keep thee a true man Book Martyrs vol 3. 29. Doctor Otho Melander reports this horrible Parricide to be Committed in the year 1568. at a place called Albidos in Saxony there lived saith he a Father who had two Sons the one he brought up to Husbandry the other in Merchandise both very obedient dutiful and thriving the Merchant traded to Lubeck where in few years he got a very fair Estate and falling sick even in the chief of his trade he made his will wherein he bequeathed to his Brother about five hundred pound and to his Father ten and some few hours after he had setled his Estate he died but before his death he sent to his Brother to come in Person and receive those Legacies the Father not knowing how things were disposed of dispatched away his other Son with all possible speed to Lubeck being more coverous after what his Son had left him then sorrowful for his death though he were a youngman of great expectation the surviving Son who was the younger arrived at the City and having first deplored the death of his Brother he takes a Copy of the will and receives all the money to a penny and with this new stock he joyfully returns into his own Country where at his first arrival he was gladly welcomed by his Father and Mother who were overjoyed to behold the bags he had brought but when by the reading of the will they saw how the money was disposed and that so little came to their share they first began bitterly to curse the dead Son and then barbarously to rail on the living outfacing him that he had changed the will by altering the old and forging a new one which the innocent youth denying and excusing himself by telling them that the Original was upon record and by that they might be fully satisfied yet all would give them no satisfaction till very weariness made them give over their heavy Cursings then the Son offered them the whole to dispose freely of it at their pleasure which they very churlishly refused and bid him take all and the Devil give him good with it which drew tears from the Sons Passionate Eyes who after asking their blessing which they denied he parted very sadly from them he was no sooner departed from them but they wickedly contrived to get this money by murdering him that very night and when he was innocently asleep in his bed they both set furiously and violently upon him stabbing him with daggers into the breast so that with the Agony of the wounds he opened his Eyes and espying both his Parents with their hands imbrued in his blood he with a loud exclamation uttered these words or to the same purpose O Gold to what dost thou not compel mankind What villany dost thou not persuade them to act for thou causest Parents to sheath their weapons into their own bowels even those of their own Children these dying Speeches were uttered with such a doleful and shrill voice that they were heard
Parricide was infinitely miserable for first near Sumachan Cycala's Son the Turkish General wounded him in the Arm and by that gained the Victory over the Persians the same night he was also assaulted in his Tent by his inraged Countrymen who in his stead cut a Sod omitick Boy his cursed Bed-fellow to pieces missing him who at the first Alarum made his escape and though he so far exasperated the Persians to revenge that he brought the whole Army into Georgia resolving there to act unparallel'd Tragedies yet was he over-reached in his stratagems for upon Parley with the Queen his late Brothers Wife he was shot to death at a private signal given by that Amazon to some Musquiteers ambushed on purpose betwixt both Armies a just punishment for such a Viper Herberts Travels p. 291. XLIV Justin tells of a certain African called Cartallus who by the Vote of the People was raised to an eminent degree of Dignity and was soon after sent upon a solemn Ambassy into a place where his Father with many others were banished he looking upon himself at that time like a Peacock gloriously furnished out with the Cloths and Ornaments of his Imployment thought it was not suitable to his Honour to admit his Father so much as to see him though the old man desired it with great earnestness the unfortunate Father became so much inraged with this contempt of himself and the proud refusal of his Son that he instantly raised a Sedition and mustering together a tumultuary Army of banished men he fell upon his Son although a Magistrate took him and condemned him to death he presently prepared a high Gibbet and attired as he was in Gold and Scarlet with a Crown on his head he hanged up this young disobedient Gallant as a strange spectacle to all beholders Causins Holy Court p. 112. XLV A certain degenerate and cruel Son longing and gaping after the inheritance of his Father which nothing but his lifehindered him from used this villanous means to accomplish his desire he accused his Father of a most abominable Crime namely that he had committed beastliness with a Cow knowing that if he were convicted thereof the Law would take away his life wherein he was guilty of a twofold wickedness one in going about to take away his life whom by nature he ought to have preserved the other in robbing him of his good name which would likewise redound to his Posterity he notwithstanding being possessed by Satan goes before a Magistrate and accuses his Father of this horrid Crime which he says was upon his own knowledge the poor innocent Father is seized and denying all as well he might he is put upon the Rack to extort a confession from him who not being able to endure the torment thereof accused himself but as soon as he was off he absolutely denied it again however this his forced Confession stood for Evidence and he was condemned to be burnt with Fire which was speedily executed and constantly endured by him exclaiming still upon the false accusation of his Son and his own unspotted Innocency as by the issue thereof clearly appeared for his Son not long after fell stark mad and hanged himself and the Judge who condemned him with the witnesses who evidenced his forced Confession on the rack died all within one month after in a most wretched and miserable manner and thus it pleased God both to revenge his death and also to clear his Reptitation and innocency from ignominy and discredit in this world Beards Theat p. 223. XLVI An unnatural Son pretended to keepd is Father in his old age but used him more like a slave than a Father and thought every thing too good for him one day a dainty dish of meat being brought to the Table the Son conveyed it away because his Father should not partake thereof and ordered more ordinary victuals in the room thereof but observe what his dainties turned to when the Servant went to fetch it again he found instead of meat snakes and instead of sawce Serpents to the great terror of his Conscience and further one of the Serpents leaped on his face and catching hold by his lip hung there till his dying day so that he could never feed himself but he must likewise feed the Serpent Idem p. 155. XLVII It is reported of a certain unkind perverse Son that he one time beat his aged Father and drew him by the heir of the head to the threshold who when he was old was likewise beaten by his Son and drawn by the hair of the head not only to the threshold but out of doors into the midst of the street and that be reflected then upon himself saying He was rightly served only that his Son was more severe to him for he left his Father at the door and did not drag him out into the dirt thus did his own mouth bear record of his Impiety Another disobedient Son provided a Hog trough for his poor aged decrepit Father because forsooth he did not eat his meat cleanly enough which his little Son observing asked for what use it was he replyed it was made for his Grand-Father What said the Child must I make you such a one when you are old At which words he was so disturbed that he presently threw away the Hog trough Idem p. 156. LXVII One Garret a Frenchman and a Protestant by Profession was given to all manner of debauchery for which he was cast off by his Father yet he found entertainment in a Gentlemans house of note in whose Family he became a Sworn Brother to a Young Gentleman that was a Protestant soon after Garret came to his Estate and then turned Papist of whose constancy because the Papists could hardly be assured he promised his confessor to prove himself an undoubted Catholick by setting a sure seal to his Profession whereupon he plotted the death of his dearest Protestant friends and thus effected it he invited his Father Mounsieur Seamats who was his sworn Brother and six other Gentlemen of his acquaintance to dinner all dinner time he entertained them with Protestations of his great obligations to them but the bloody Catastrophe followed dinner being ended Sixteen armed men came up into the room and laid hold on all the Guests and this wicked Parricide seized upon his Father and commanding the rest to hold their hands till he had dispatched him he stabbed the old Gentleman crying to the Lord for mercy four times to the heart and then with his Poniard kill'd all the rest but three who were dispatched by these armed Ruffians at their first entrance and then they flung the dead bodies out at a Window into a Ditch Clarks Mirrour p. 78. XLVIII Tarpeia the Daughter of S. Tarpeius betrayed her Father and the Castle whereof he was Governor to Tatius King of the Sabines who then beseiged it upon condition that she should be rewarded with all that the Sabine Soldiers wore upon their left Arms
caused the Body of the young man for whom his Father Petitioned to be divided into two parts commanding that one half of his Carcase should be laid on the right and the other half on the left hand of the Highway by which the Army was to march Rawleighs Hist World LXXXIV It is remarkable what is reported by Zonaras of the Emperor Basilius Macedo who being hunting wherein he much delighted a great Stag turned furiously upon him and fastened one of the Branches of his Horns into the Emperors Girdle and lifting from his Horse carried him a distance off to the great danger of his life which when a Gentleman in the Train espied he drew his Sword and cut the Emperors Girdle by which means he was preserved and had no hurt at all but observe his reward the Gentleman for this Act was questioned and adjudged to have his head struck off because he presumed to expose his drawn Sword so near the Person of the Emperor and so he by an high Act of Ingratitude was put to death accordingly Heywood of Angels p. 528. LXXXV Philip King of Macedon had sent one of his Court to Sea to dispatch something he had given him in command but a storm came and he was Shipwracked but saved by one who lived there about the shore in a little Boat wherein he was taken up he was brought to his Farm and there entertained with all civility and humanity and at thirty days end was dismissed by him and furnished with somewhat to bear his Charges at his return he tells the King of his wrack and dangers but nothing of the benefits he had received the King told him he would not be unmindful of his fidelity and dangers undergone on his behalf he taking the occasion told the King he had observed a little Farm on the shore and besought him he would bestow that on him as a Monument of his Escape and reward of his Service the King orders Pausanias the Governor to assign him the Farm to be possessed by him the poor man being thus turned out applied himself to the King told him what humanity he had treated the Courtier with and what ingrateful injury he had returned him in lieu of it The King upon hearing the Cause in great Anger commanded the Courtier presently to be seized and to be branded in the fore-head with these letters with a hot Iron Hospes Ingratus The Vngrateful Guest And then restored the Farm to the right owner Lonic Theat LXXXVI Pope Adrian the sixth having built a fair Colledge at Lovain in Flanders caused this Inscription to be written upon the Gates of it in letters of gold Trajectum plantavit Lovanum rigavit Caesar dedit Incrementum with an unworthy allusion to that of St. Paul to the Corinthians that is Vtrecht planted me for there he was born Lovain watered me there he was bred up in Learning And Caesar gave the Increase for the Emperor had preferred him one that had observed this Inscription and withal his Ingratitude to reprove at once both that and his Folly writ underneath Hic Deus nihil fecit Here God did nothing Luthers Colloq p 305. LXXXVII Cardinal Charles Cariffa and Duke John his Brother managed all affairs under Pope Paul the fourth he being dead Pius the Fourth was made Pope and that chiefly by the favour and diligence of these Caraffa's but as a reward of their good service he made it his first business to overthrow them He sent the Cardinal and his Brother Duke together with Count Alifane and many others of their Kindred and Clients to Prison in the Castle of St. Angelo there were they nine months in durance and expectation of death at last by order from the Pope the Cardinal was hanged the Duke and Count beheaded and their dead Bodies exposed as a publick spectacle to the People Lipsius Mo. LXXXVIII Bellisarius was general of all the Forces under the Emperor Justinian the first a man of rare valour and virtue he had overthrown the Persians Goths and Vandals had taken the Kings of these People in War and sent them Prisoners to his Master he had recovered Sicilia Africk and the greater part of Italy he had done all this with a small number of Soldiers and less cost he had restored Military Discipline by his Authority when long lost he was allied to Justinian himself and a man of that uncorrupted Fidelity that though he was offered the Kingdom of Italy he resused it this great man upon I know not what Jealousy and groundless suspicion was seized upon his Eyes put out all his House rifled his Estate confiscate and himself reduced to that miserable state and condition as to go up and down in the common Road with this form of begging Give a half-penny to poor Bellisarius whom Virtue raised and Envy hath overthrown Fulgosus LXXXIX Achmetes the Great Turkish Bassa was by the confession of all Men the best Man of War and the most expert Captain amongst the Turks Bajazet made him General of his Army against his Brother Zemes where the conduct and valour of the General brought Bajazet the Victory at his return to Court this great Captain was invited to a Royal Supper with divers of the Principal Bassa's where the Emperor in token of their welcome and that they stood in his good grace caused a Garment of pleasing colours to be cast upon every one of his Guests and a gilt Bowl full of Gold to be given to each of them but upon Achmetes was cast a Gown of black Velvet all the rest rose and departed but Achmetes who had on him the Mantle of Death according to the Turkish Custom was commanded to sit still for the Emperor must talk with him in private the Executioners of the Emperors wrath came they stripped and tortured him hoping that way to gain from him what he never knew of for Isaac Bassa his great Enemy had secretly accused him of intelligence with Zemes but he was delivered by the Janizaries who would no doubt have slain Bajazet and rifled the Court at his least word of Command but though he escaped with his life at the present he not long after was thrust through the Body as he sate at Supper in the Court and there slain this was that great Achmetes by whom Mahomet the Father of this Bajazet had subverted the Empire of Trapezund took the great City of Caffa with all the Country of Taurica Chersonesus the impregnable Cities of Croia Scodra and all the Kingdom of Epirus a great part of Dalmatia and at last Otranto to the terrour of all Italy Turk Hist p. 443. XC In 1565. Feb. 5. One Paul Sutor near Basil in Switzerland came to the House of Andreas Hager a Bookseller he was then old and fick and had been the Godfather of Paul at the Font and performed to him all the good Offices that could be performed by a Father being entred his House he told him he was come to visit him
as one that esteemed him as a Father but as soon as the Maid that attended upon the sick man was gone out of the room he caught up a Hammer gave him some blows and then thrust him through with a Knife as soon as the Maid returned he with the same fury did the like to her and then seizing the Keys he searched for his intended Prey he found eight pieces of Plate which afterward for want of money he pawned to a Priest of St. Blasius who suspecting the man sent the Plate to the Senate at Basil by which means the Author of the detestable murther was known he was searched after taken and brought Prisoner to Basil where after Condemnation he had his Legs and Arms broken upon the Wheel and his head while he was yet alive being tied to a part of the Wheel he was burnt with flaming Torches till in horrible Tortures he gave up the Ghost Lonic Theat XCI I shall conclude this Chapter with the Charity of Henry Keeble Lord Mayor of London in 1511. who besides other great Gifts in his life-time re-builded Aldermary Church which was run to ruines and bequeathed at his death a thousand pounds for the finishing of it yet within sixty years after his bones were unkindly yea inhumanely cast out of the Valut wherein they were buried His Monument was pluckt down for some wealthy Person of those present times to be buried therein Upon which occasion saith Dr. Fuller I could not but rub up my old Poetry which is this Fuller to the Church Vngrateful Church o're run with rust Lately buried in the Dust Vtterly thou hadst been lost If not preserv'd by Keebles cost A Thousand pounds might it not buy Six foot in length for him to lie But outed of his quiet Tomb For later Corpse he must make room Tell me where his dust is east Though 't be late yet now at last All his bones with scorn ejected I will see them recollected Who fain my self would Kinsman prove To all that did Gods Temple love The Churches Answer Alas my Innocence excuse My Wardens they did me abuse Whose Avarice his Ashes sold That Goodness might give place to Gold As for his Reliques all the Town They are scatter'd up and down Seest a Church repaired well There a sprinkling of them fell Seest a New Church lately built Thicker there his Ashes spilt Oh that all the Land throughout Keebles Dust were thrown about Places scatter'd with that seed Would a Crop of Churches breed Fuller's Worthies p. 33. CHAP. V. The Tremendous Consequences of Cowardice Barbarity and Treachery THese three evil Qualities or vicious Inclinations of the Mind are much of the same kind for Cruelty and Treachery do commonly proceed from base Cowardly Dispositions As touching Cowards that is such as preserving their Lives or Estates before their Country's welfare and that either will not or dare not stand coâ—ragiously in defence of it in time of Danger they were alwaies reckoned to deserve the greatest punishments and therefore the Romans did sharply chastise them and endeavoured to render them odious for they were commanded and sworn never to eat their meat but standing Nay they were accounted so hateful amongst them that when Hannibal offered the Roman Senate eight thousand Captives to be redeemed they refused his offer saying That they were not worthy to be redeemed who had rather be basely taken than die honestly and valiantly I. The Senate of Rome indeed dealt more favourably with the Captives which King Pyrrhus took for they redeemed them but with this mark of contumel and disgrace that they were degraded from all their Offices and Honours until by getting a double Victory they had won their Reputation again Beards Theatre II. Titias a Captain of Horsemen in Sicilia being overcharged with too great a number of Enemies delivered up his Arms to them which was counted so heinous a Crime that Calpburnius Piso his General pronounced this Sentence against him That he should go barefooted before the Army wearing a Garment without seams and that he should have society with none but such as were guilty of the same fault and from a General over Horsemen he was degraded and made a common Souldier Idem III. How did the Roman Senate correct the Cowardise of Caius Vatienus who that he might prevent his being ingaged in the Wars of Italy cut off all the Fingers of his left hand Why they seized upon his Goods and cast him into perpetual Imprisonment that he might thereby consume that life in Bondage and Fetters which he refused to hazard in the defence of his Country Idem IV. Fulgosus saith That among the Germans it was judged so dishonourable to lose a Shield in War that whosoever happened to do it was suspended from any Civil Office in the State and likewise forbid to enter into any of their Temples insomuch that many he saith killed themselves to avoid the infamy and shame thereof Idem V. The People called Daci punished Cowards on this manner They suffered them not to sleep but with their heads to the feet of the Beds and besides they by a Law ordained that they should be Slaves and Subjects to their own Wives What more vile disgrace could there be than this And yet the Lacedemonians used them more reproachfully for with them it was a dishonour to marry into the stock of a Coward any man might lawfully strike them without punishment and they went with their Cloths rent and their Beards half shaven Idem VI. Artaxerxes after the Battel was ended which he sought with his Brother Cyrus punished one of his Commanders called Arbaces for his cowardliness by compelling him to carry a Whore on his back stark naked all the day long about the Market-place And another that had basely yielded himself to his Enemies and yet boasted that he had slain two men he caused his Tongue to be bored thorow in three several places with an Awl Plutarch VII It is likewise a token of a weak mind and an infirm Soul to anticipate troubles by their own fearful apprehensions before they arrive which is oftentimes occasioned by a too great fearfulness of death and being over-desirous of life which kind of Cowardize hath occasioned great mischiefs and miseries as by the following Examples appears VIII Lewis the Eleventh King of France when he sound himself sick sent for one Fryer Robert out of Calabria to come to him to Toures this man was an Hermite and famous for his Sanctity and while in his last sickness this Holy man lay at Plessis the King sent continually to him saying That if the Hermite pleased he could prolong his life The King had reposed his whole confidence in Mounsieur James Cothier his Physician to whom he gave monthly Ten thousand Crowns in hope he would lengthen his life Never man saith Philip Comines feared death more than he nor sought so many waies to avoid it as he did moreover saith he in all his life-time he
had given commandment to all his Servants as well to my self as others we should only move him to confess himself and dispose of his Conscience but never to mention nor sound in his Ear that dreadful word Death knowing that he should not be able patiently to bear that cruel Sentence His Physician aforementioned used him so very roughly that a man would not have given his Servant such sharp language as he usually gave the King and yet the King so much feared him that he durst not command him out of his presence for though he complained to divers of him yet he durst not change him as he did all his other Servants because this Physician said once thus boldly to him I know that one day you will command me away but swearing a great Oath he added you shall not live eight daies after it which word put the King into so great a fear that he ever after flattered him and bestowed such gifts upon him that he received from him in five months time Fifty four thousand Crowns besides the Bishoprick of Amiens for his Nephew and other Offices and Lands for him and his Friends Philip Comines Hist IX Mecenas the great Friend and Favourite of Augustus was so soft and effeminate a Person that he was commonly called Malcinus he was so much afraid of death that saith Seneca he had often in his mouth this saying All things are to be endured so long as life it continued Of whom these Verses are to be read Make me lame on either hand And of neither foot to stand Raise a Bunch upon my back And make all my Teeth to shake Nothing comes amiss to me So that life remaining be X. Heraclides writes of one Artemon a very skilful Engineer but withal saith of him that he was of a very timerous disposition and foolishly afraid of his own shadow so that for the most part of his time he never stirred out of his house That he had alwaies two of his Men by him who held a brazen Target over his head for fear lest any thing should fall upon him and if upon any occasion he was forced to go from home he would be carried in a Litter hanging near to the ground for fear of falling Plutarch Vit. XI The Emperor Domitian was in such fear of receiving death by the hands of his followers and in such a strong suspition of Treason against him that he caused the Walls of the Galleries wherein he used to walk to be set and garnished with the stone Phengites to the end that by the light thereof he might seeall that was done behind him Suetonius Hist XII Antigonus observing one of his Soldiers to be a very valiant man and ready to adventure upon any desperate piece of Service and yet withal taking notice that he looked very pale and lean would needs know of him what he ailed And finding that he had upon him a secret and dangerous disease he caused all possible means to be used for his recovery which when it was effected the King perceived him to be less forward in Service than formerly and demanding the reason of it he ingenuously confessed that now he felt the sweets of life and therefore was loth to lose it Clarks Mirrour p. 354. XIII Caligula the Emperor was so exceedingly afraid of death that at the least Thunder and Lightning he would wink close with both Eyes and cover his head all over but if the Thunder were very great and extraordinary he would run under his Bed He fled suddenly by night from Messina in Sicily being affrighted with the noise smoak and roaring of Mount Aetna being once in a German Chariot in a streight passage where his Army were forced to march very close together and one happening to say that if any Enemy should now appear it would make a very great hurliburly he was presently so affrighted with the apprehension of the Danger that getting out of the Chariot he mounted his Horse and finding the way filled up with Slaves and Carriages he again dismounted and was from hand to hand conveyed over mens heads till he came on the other side of the water Soon after hearing of the revolt of the Germans he provided to fly and prepared Ships for his flight comforting himself in this that if the Conquerors should come into Italy and possess themselves of the City of Rome yet he should have some Provinces beyond Sea where he might still live Sueton. Hist XIV What a miserable life Tyrants have by reason of their continual fears of Death we have exemplified in Dionysius the Syracusan who finished his thirty eight years rule in this manner removing his Friends he committed the Custody of his Body to some Strangers Barbarians being in fear of Barbers he taught his Daughters to shave him when they were grown up he durst not trust them with a Rasor but taught them how they should burn off his Hair and Beard with the white films of Walnut Kernels and whereas he had two Wives Aristomache and Doris he came not to them in the night before the place was thoroughly searched and though he had drawn a large and deep moat of water about the room and had made a passage by a wooden Bridge yet he himself drew it up after him when he went in and not daring to speak to the People out of the common Rostrum or Pulpit appointed for that purpose he used to make Orations to them from the top of a Tower when he played at Ball he used to give his Sword and Cloak to a Boy whom he loved and when one of his familiar Friends had jestingly said You now put your life into his hands and the Boy smiling thereat he commanded them both to be slain one for shewing the way how he might be killed and the other for approving of it with a smile At last being overcome in Battle by the Carthaginians he perished by the Treason of his own Subjects Wanly Hist Man XV. And this introduces another particular namely the barbarity and bloody mindedness of some Persons Theodorus who was Tutor to Tiberius the Roman Tyrant observing in him while he was a Boy a sanguinary nature and disposition which lay hid under a shew of meekness and a pretence of clemency was used to call him a lump of Clay steeped and soaked in blood and this his prediction of him did not fail in the event this being that savage Tyrant who thought that death was too light and easy a punishment for hearing that Carnulius being in his disfavour had cut his own Throat Carnulius said he hath escaped me and to another who begged of him to die quickly he told him He was not so much in his favour Yet even this cursed Artist in Villany hath been since out-acted by Monsters more overgrown than himself XVI It is in this kind a memorable example that Seneca relates of Piso who finding a Soldier to return from forraging charging him to have slain
him condemned him to death the Executioner being in readiness and he stretching forth his Neck to receive the stroke of the Ax behold in the very instant his Comerade appears in the place whereupon the Centurion who had the charge of the Execution commands the Executioner to forbear and carries back the condemned Soldier to Piso toge her with his Comerade thereby to manifest his innocency and the whole Army waited on them with joyful Acclamations But Piso in a rage gets him up to the Tribunal and condemns both the Soldiers the one for returning without his Comerade and the other for not returning with him and lastly he likewise condemns the Centurion for staying the Execution without Warrant which was given him in charge and thus three suffered death for the innocency of one Causins Holy Court XVII Mahomet the Great first Emperor of the Tarks after the winning of Constantinople fell in love with a most beautiful young Greekish Lady called Irene upon whose incomparable Perfections he so much doted that he gave himself wholly up to her love but when he heard his Captains and chief Officers murmured at it he appointed them all to meet him in his great Hall and commanding Irene to dress and adorn her self in all her Jewels and most gorgeous Apparel not acquainting her in the least with any part of his design taking her by the hand he led this Miracle of Beauty into the midst of his Nobles and Bassa's who dazled with the brightness of this illustrious Lady acknowledged their Errour professing that their Emperor had just cause to pass his time in solacing himself with so peerless a Paragon but he on a sudden twisting his left hand in the soft curls of her hair and with the other drawing out his sharp Scimeter at one blow he struck off her Head from her Shoulders and so at once made an end of his love and her life leaving all the Assistants in a fearful amaze and horror of an act of that Cruelty Turkish Hist p. 351. XVIII Vladus Dracula as soon as he had gained the Kingdom of Moldavia he chose out a multitude of Spear-men as the Guard of his Body after which inviting as many as were eminent in Authority in that Country to come to him he singled out from them all that he thought did not love him or had any inclination to a change all these together with their whole Families he empaled upon sharp stakes sparing neither the innocent age of young Children the weak Sex of Women nor the obscure condition of Servants the Stakes and place where they were set took up the space of seventeen furlongs in length and seven furlongs in breadth and the number of those that were thus murdered and in this barbarous manner were said to be no less than twenty Thousand Idem p. 363. XIX Johannes Basilides Emperor of Russia in 1569. Used for his Recreation to cause noble and well deserving Persons to be sewed up in the skins of Bears and then himself set Mastiss upon them which cruelly tore them in pieces he often invited Michael his Father in Law to banquet with him and then sent him home to his â—…ily through the snow having first caused him to be stript stark naked sometimes he shut him up in a room in his own House till he was almost famished causing four Bears of Extraordinary bigness to be tyed at the door to keep all Provisions from him these Bears he at other times would let loose among the People especially when they were going to Church and when any were killed by them he said His Sons had taken great pleasure in the sport and that they were happy who perished in this manner since it was no small diversion to himself Upon a mere suspition which he had conceived against the City of Novogorod he entred the same and caused to be slain and thrown into the River two thousand seven hundred and seventy Persons without any respect of Age Quality or Sex besides an Infinite number of poor People who were trampled to death by a Party of his Horse and there were so many bodies cast into the River of Volga that being stopped therewith it overflowed the Neighbouring fields the Plague which followed this Butchery was so great that no body venturing to bring provisions into the City the Inhabitants were forced to feed on the dead Carcases The Tyrant took a pretence from this inhumanity to cause all those that had escaped the Plague Famine and his former cruelty to be cut in pieces The Arch-Bishop of this place having escaped the first fury of the Souldiers either as an acknowledgment of the favour or to flatter the Tyrant entertained him at a great Feast in his Archiepiscopal Pallace whither the Duke failed not to come with his Guards about him but while they were at dinner he sent to plunder the rich Temple of St. Sophia and seized on all the treasures which had been brought thither and to other Churches as to places of safety After dinner he caused the Arch-Bishops Pallace to be in like manner Pillaged and then told the Arch-Bishop That it would now be ridiculous for him to act the Prelate since he had not wherewithal to support the dignity of his place that he must put off his rich habit which henceforth would be but troublesome to him and that he would bestow on him a bagpipe and a Bear which he should lead up and down and teach it to dance to get money that he must resolve to marry and that all the other Prelates and Abbots that were about the City should be invited to the Wedding setting down a precise Sum of money which each of them should present to the new married Couple And there were none of them but brought what they had made a shift to save thinking the poor Arch-Bishop should have had it but the Tyrant took all the money and causing a white Mare to be brought he said to the Arch-Bishop This is thy Wife get upon her and go to Mosco the poor Arch-Bishop was forced to obey and as soon as he was mounted they tyed his legs under the Mares belly and thenhung about his neck some Pipes a Fiddle and a Tymbrel and would needs make him to play on the Pipes all the other Abbots and Monks who were present were either cut in peices or with Pikes and Halberds forced into the the River this Tyrant had a particular longing for the money of one Theodore Sircon a rich Merchant whereupon he sent for him to his Camp at Novogorod and having fastened a Rope about his wast he commanded him to be cast into the River drawing him from one side to the other till he was ready to give up the Ghost then he asked him what he had seen under water the Merchant stoutly answered That he had seen a great number of Devils carrying the Dukes Soul with them into Hell the Tyrant replyed Thou art in the right but it 's just I
Suits of rich Apparel fifty thousand Aspers and a yearly Pension of two thousand Duckets but short was his Joy for after he had a few daies vainly triumphed in the midst of Amuraths favours he was suddenly gone and never after seen or heard of being secretly made away as was supposed by Amurath whose noble heart could not but detest the Traytor although the Treason served well for his purpose Turk Hist p. 320. XXVIII Ladislaus Kerezin an Hungarian Traiterously delivered up Hiula a strong Place to the Turks when he looked to receive many and great Presents for this his notable piece of Service certain Witnesses were produced against him by the command of Selymus the Turkish Emperor who deposed that Ladislaus had cruelly handled certain Turks who had been Prisoners with him whereupon he was delivered to some Friends of their's to do with him as they should think good they inclosed this Traytor stark naked in a Tun or Hogshead set full of long sharp Nails within side and rolled it from the top of an high Mountain full of steepy downfalls to the very bottom where being run through every part of the Body with those sharp Nails he ended his wretched life Camerar XXIX The Venetians put to death Marinus Falienus their Duke for having Treacherously conspired against the State and whereas the Pictures of their Dukes from the first to him that now liveth are represented and drawn according to the order of their times in the great Hall of the general Council yet to the end that the Picture of Falienus a perfidious Prince might not be seen amongst other of those illustrious Dukes they caused an empty chair to be drawn and covered over with a black veil as believing that those who carried themselves disloyally to the Common wealth cannot be more severely punished than if their names be covered with perpetual silence and secret detestation Camerar Op. XXX In the French Persecution there was one Peter Serre who at first was a Popish Priest but God of his mercy revealing the truth of the Protestant Religion to him he went to Geneva and there learned the Shoemakers Trade whereby he maintained himself and having a Brother at Tholouse in France out of a singular love to his eternal happiness he went thither to instruct him but his Brothers wife being displeased thereat Treacherously betrayed him and he was apprehended and carried before the bloody Inquisitors before whom he made an excellent declaration of his faith for which he was condemned and delivered to the Judg who asked him what imployment he was of he answered That of late he had been a Shoemaker but was formerly or another Profession which he was ashamed to remember or discover it being the worst and vilest of all other sciences in the World The Judg and the auditors supposing that he had been some Pickpocket or Thief were the more importunate to know what it was but shame and sorrow so stopped his mouth that he could not declare it yet at last being overcome by their importunate clamour he told them That he had been a Popish Priest this unexpected reply so desperately incensed the Judg that he presently commanded him to be burnt Clarks Martyrol p. 45. XXXI Solyman the Magnificent Emperor of the Turks imployed a Treacherous Christian in the conquest of the Isle of Rhodes promising the Traytor to give him for his wife one of his Daughters with a very great Dowry after the Isle was taken by his assistance he demanded that which was promised him whereupon Solyman caused his Daughter to be brought in most Royal Pomp in order to marry her according to his desert the Traytor could not keep his Countenance he was so transported with Joy Thou seest said Solyman I am a man of my word but for as much as thou art a Christian and my Daughter thy wife that shall be is a Mahometan by birth and profession you cannot so live in quietness and I am loth to have a Son in Law that is not a Musselman and true believer both within and without and therefore it is not enough that thou abjure Christianity in word only as many of thy Sect usually do but thou must immediatly pluck off thy Skin which is Baptized and uncircumcised having so said he commanded some that stood by to flea alive the pretended Son in Law and that afterward they should lay him upon a Bed of salt commanding that if any Mahumetâ—n Skin came over him again in place of the Christian that then and not before his promised Spouse should be brought unto him to be married the wretched Traytor thus shamefully and cruelly flouted disappointed died in most horrible Torments Camerar Opera XXXIV In the war with the Falisci Camillus the Roman general had beseiged the Falerians but they being secure in the sortifications of their City were so regardless of the seige that they walked gowned as before up and down the streets These People after the manner of Greece sent their Children to a Common School and the Treacherous Master of them used to walk with them dayly without the walls he did this often and by degrees trained them so far onwards that he brought them unawares into the danger of the Roman Camp where they were all taken he bids them lead him to Camellus he was brought into his Tent where standing in the middle I am said he the Master of these Boys having a greater respect to you than to my Relations I am come to deliver you the City in the pledges of these Children Camillus heard it and judging it to be a base action turning to his Souldiers about him War said he is a cruel thing and draws along with it a multitude of injuries and wrongs yet to good men there are certain Laws of War nor ought we so to thrist after victory as to purchase it at the price of such unworthy and impious actions a great Captain should rely upon his own virtue and not attain his ends by the Treachery of another then he commanded his Officers to strip the School Master and having his hands tyed behind him he delivered rods into the hands of his Schollars to whip and scourge the Traytor back into the City The Falerians had before perceived the Treason and there was an universal mourning and outcry within the City for so great a Calamity so that a concourse of nâ—ble Persons both men and women like so many mad creatures were running to and fro upon the walls soon after came the Children driving with lashhes their Master before them calling Camillus their Preserver and Father The Parents and the rest of the Citizens were astonished at what they beheld and having the Justice of Camillus in great admiration they called an assembly and sent Ambassadors to let him know that being subdued by his virtue they rendred up themselves and theirs freely into his hands Plutarch XXXV Rhomilda was the Wife of Prince Sigulphus her Husband being slain by Cacanus
King of the Heneâ—…tians and she her self beseiged by the same Enemy yet nevertheless this wretched woman fell so far in Love with him that upon promise of Marriage she agreed to deliver into his hands the City of Friol who burnt it slew the men and carried the women and Children Captives into Austria Cacanus took Rhomilda into his bed for one night only and then delivered her to be abused with the lust of twelve Henesians and soon after caused her to be impaled alive upon a sharp stake Ca. Op. CHAP. VI. The Tremendous Consequences of Vnchastity Intemperance and Ambition IT is not to be imagined that I should give an 〈◊〉 of the Thousandth part of the mischiefs and miâ—…ries that have been occasioned by Lust and Debauchery all Ages and Nations are full of lamentable Accidents proceeding therefrom for though this violent Passion may seem to promise a world of vain pleasure and though lascivious Persons use many times all manner of Patience services and profound submissions to gain the desired object yet when they have obtained their flagitious desires and think themselves absolutely happy in the midst of their libidinous and unchast Embraces even at that very instant there is sometimes brought in an unexpected Reckoning that drenches all their sweets in blood and closes up their unlawful pleasures in the black and dismal Sables of death as by the following Examples is demonstrated wherein Divine Vengeance has visibly appeared in the woful Tragedies which have been occasioned by Adultery Unchastity Lust I. The first I shall mention is partly Comical as well as Tragical A Knight of Eminent Fame and of great nore with Henry the Fifth King of England as being personally with him in all his Wars in France after the King had conquered and setled that Kingdom this noble Englishman retired himself into his own Country he had a Lady of such beauty as attracted the Eyes of all men who residing with her Husband in the City of Norwich he after so many troubles and adventures resolved to lead a more sequestred life and next to the pleasure of his fair Consort he desired to lead a contemplative life and being very rich according to the Devotion of that Age by the direction of the Priests he resolved to build a handsome Church near his own House which they said would be for the benefit of his Soul and likewise a Convent allowing maintenance to an Abbot and twelve Fryers having finished them there were two of the Friers one called Fryer John the other Fryer Richard who were at continual variance and enmity to each other and could not by any mediation be reconciled it was the dayly Custom of this Knight and Lady to rise every morning early to Mattins or Prayers and she being of an affable and courteous disposition to all Persons this good humour of hers bred a strange uncivil boldness in Fryer John so that she never came through the Cloyster but he was still attending her with many bows cringes and complements and she suspecting nothing returned him Thanks again which so far incouraged the Fryer that he made himself suspected by his Fellows who as much as they durst whispered it about the Convent he still growing more confident presumed at last to write to her wherein he at large discovered his violent Passion for her this Letter with great difficulty he conveyed to the Ladies hands who being much surprized that such lasciviousness should proceed from one that vowed and professed Chastity and not being certain but that it might be a design of her Husband to try her Virtue she thereupon resolves that to prevent her Honour from being called in question she would discover the whole intrigue to her Lord which she had no sooner done but he began to repent him of his former Charity in regard of this so great Ingratitude yet meditating Revenge he writes an answer to this Letter to which he commands his Wife to set her hand to this effect that she was very compassionate of his Love and that such a night her Husband being to ride toward London he should be admitâ—… lodged and entertained according to his own desire the Fryer received this Letter with extream Joy and providing himself with clean linnen a perfumed Nightcap and other necessaries he exactly observes the time and place and is accordingly admitted by the Lady her self alone and conveyed to a private Chamber where he was no sooner entred but in came the Knight and his Man and in great fury without giving him the least time either to call for help to the House or to Heaven they strangled the lustful Fryer and left him dead upon the place this deed was no sooner done and his rage somewhat appeased but he began to consider the horrour and danger of the Fact both as to his life and Estate and after several projects betwixt him and his Servant they concluded some way or other to have his body conveyed back into the Monastery it being divided from his own House only by a Brick-wall finding a Ladder hard by the man mounts it with the dead Fryer on his back and sits with him astride on the wall then drawing up the Ladder and letting it down on the other side he descends down into the Convent where espying the House of Office he sets the Body thereon as upright as possible and so leaves it and conveys himself over the wall again but for hast forgot the Ladder and tells his Master how and where he had bestowed the Fryer at which being better satisfied they both retired to Bed all being concealed both from the Lady and the rest of the Family who were fast asleep it happened at the fame instant that Fryer Richard being much troubled with a looseness in his Body had occasion to rise and being somewhat hastily and unhandsomely taken he hasts to the House of Office where by the light of the Moon he espied some Body before him and therefore contained himself as long as he was able but finding there was no Remedy he first called and then intreated to come away but hearing no body answer he imagined into be done on purpose and the rather because coming nearer he plainly perceived it was Fryer John his 〈◊〉 Adversary who the louder he called seemed the less to hear loth he was to play the sloven in the yard because the whole Convent had taken notice of a cold he had got and how it then wrought with him therefore judging this pretended deafness was out of spight and malice on purpose to shame him he snatcht up a Brickbat to be revenged and striking his Adversary full upon the Breast down tumbles Fryer John without life or motion which he seeing thought at first to râ—ise him up but after many Trials finding him to be stone dead he verily believes that he had killed him what shall he do now The Gates are fast locked and fly for his life he could not but as sudden extremities
ended his lascivious days which puts me in mind of the saying of a Wiser better King than he That there is little distance between the Prisons and the Graves of Princes this Example made a great Officer understand how K. Charles the Martyr was put to death for he discoursing with the chief English Interpreter at Constantinople not then calling to mind the Fate of Sultan Ibrahim demanded how and when K. Charles was put to death Sure said he Your King must have no Power or your People must be more Rebellious and Mutinous than other Nations of the world who durst commit an Act so horrid and vile as this see said he how our Emperor is revered and observed and how submissive and obedient half the world is to the Nod four great Monarch the Interpreter replied it would be to lious to recount to him the History occasion of this prodigious Fact but that the time it happened was some months after the death or murther of Sultan Ibrahim which was a sufficient item to the Grand Vizier to give him a perfect understanding of what he required The Poet makes Ibrahim speak thus of himself I that of Ottoman blood remain alone Call'd from a Prison to ascend a Throne My silly mind I bend to sift Delights Hating unpleasing business and Fights Till mad with wanton Loves I fall at first Slave to my own then to my Peoples Lust IV. Neither has Intemperance in Drinking been sometimes less fatal for we read that there was one at Liege in Germany who was addicted to daily drunkenness in his Cups as oft as he had emptied his pockets of his mony by playing at Cards he used to swear that he would be the death of his Wives Uncle because he refused to furnish him with more mony to play with this Uncle was a Canon a Person of great hospitality one night when he entertained a Letter carrier he was murdered by him together with a Neice a little Nephew of his All men admiring that the Canon was not present at Mattens or morning Prayer who never used to absent himself having long knocked at his doors in vain this Drunkard of ours having scarce digested his yesterdays Ale set up a Ladder to the Windows with others entred the House espying there three dead Corpse they raise the Neighbourhood with a lamentable cry amongst the whispers of whom when some said that the Drunkard was the Murtherer he was laid hold on cast into Prison and thrown upon the Rack where he saith that he doth not think that he did it that by reason of his dayly continual drunkenness he could affirm nothing of a certainty that he had sometimes a will or desire to kill the Canon but that he should never have touched his Niece or young Nephew well he was condemned and the Innocent wretch even in the presence of this execrable Letter-carrier was long wearied with exquisite Torments and at last died an unheard of death The Letter-carrier being again returned to Liege and not able to endure the hourly Tortures of a revenging God inflicted upon his Soul of his own accord presented himself before the Judges beseeching them that by a speedy death he might be freed from that Hell he felt here alive affirming that when he was awake though feldom when asleep the Image of the little Babe whom he had strangled presented itself to his Eyes shaking the furies whips at him with such flames as the Drunkard had perished in when he spake this at the Tribunal he continally fanned his face with his hands as if to discuss and abate the flames The thing being evident by the Goods taken and other discoveries he also the same year Aug. 23. was hanged till dead and then burnt at a stake Wanly Hist Man V. There was in Salisbury not long since one who in a Tavern in the midst of his carousing and healths drank also a health to the Devil saying That if the Devil would not come and pledg him he would not believe that there was either God or Devil whereupon his Companions being struck with horrour hastned our of the room presently after hearing an hideous noise and smelling a stinking savour the Vintner ran up into the Chamber and coming in he mist his Guest found the window broken the iron bar in it bowed all bloody but the man was never after heard of Cla. Mir p. 148. VI. In 1446. There was a Wedding near Zegbuick in Germany celebrated as it appears with such unheard of Intemperance and dissolute doings that there died of extream surfeiting no less than one hundred fourscore and ten Persons as well Women as Men. Stowes Annals p. 385. VII A Gentleman having been revelling abroad was returning home when it was late at night his head that was overladen with Wine proved too heavy for the rest of his body so that he fell down in the street not able to rise through the feebleness of his legs he had a Sword by his side when another coming that way hearing the voice of his Enemy at some distance suddenly snatcht out the Drunkards Sword having run it into the heart of his Adversary left it sticking in the wound in all hast conveyed himself away from the place The Watch at that time chanced to pass by who finding a man lie dead with a Sword in his body this drunken Person lying near him with his Scabbard empty they took him along with them to the Magistrate who having received such apparent Testimony against him committed him to Prison he was hanged for the Murther tho Innocent afterward the real Murtherer being to be hanged for some other matter confessed it was himself who had made use of his Sword to act his own private Revenge Wan VIII Lastly Ambition Pride has produced no less mischievous effects upon several Persons Caesar Borgia the Son of Pope Alexander was a most Ambitious man he caused his Brother to be murdered in the streets his dead body to be cast into the River Tyber then casting off his Priestly Robes Cardinals habit he took upon him the leading of his Fathers Army with exceeding Prodigality he ingaged to him many desperate Ruffians for the execution of his horrible devices having thus strengthened himself he became a terrour to all the Nobility of Rome he first drove out the honourable Family of the Columnii then by execrable Treachery poysoned or killed the chief Personages of the great Houses of the Vrsini Cajetani seizing upon their Lands Estates he strangled at once 4 Noblemen of the Camertes drove Guido Feltrius out of Vrbin took the City of Faventia from Astor Mar fredus whom heast beastly abused then strangled In his thoughts he had made himself Master of all Italy but was cast down when he least feared it being at Supper with the Pope his Father which was prepared on purpose for destroying several rich Cardinals by
not enduring delay caught up a Ladder and rearing it against the wall and holding his shield over his head began to mount it all which he performed with that celerity that before the Guard of the place had observed it he had gained the top the Enemy durst not approach to deal with him hand to hand but at a distance threw Javelins and Darts at him in such number that he was much oppressed by them the Macedonians endeavoured to mount upon two Ladders they had advanced but their number and weight that ascended caused them to break under them then was Alexander left destitute of any assistance but scorning to retire by the way that he came armed as he was he leaped into the midst of his Enemies and made a bold and couragious resistance on his right hand he had a Tree that grew near the wall and on the left the wall itself to keep him from being inviroroned and there he fought it with the stoutest of them many a blow he received upon his Helmet and Shield at last he had a wound under the Pap with an Arrow with the pain of which he was struck to the ground then the Indian that had given him the wound carelesly approaching too near him to strike him as he lay received Alexanders Sword into his Bowels and tumbled down by his side The King catching hold of a Bough that hung downward again recovered his standing and then began to challenge the best of them to the Fight in this posture he was found by Peucestes who by this time had got over the wall and after him a multitude of others by which means the Castle was taken and most of them put to the Sword Justin Hist lib. 12. XII Sir Robert Knowls was born but of mean Parentage in the County of Chester yet for his valiant behaviour was advanced from a common Soldier in the French Wars under King Edward the Third to be a great Commander and being sent General of an Army into France in despight of all their power he drove all the People before him like so many Sheep destroying Towns Castles and Cities in such a manner and number that long after in memory of this Act their sharp Points and Gable ends of overthrown Houses and Minsters were called Knowls his Miters after which intending to make himself as much beloved of his Country as he was feared of Forreign Nations he built the goodly fair Bridge of Rochester over the River of Medway with a Chappel and a Chancery at the East end thereof He founded also a Colledge with an Hospital adjoining thereto in the Town of Pontfract in Yorkshire He likewise built an Hospital in the City of Rome for the entertainment of English Travellers and Pilgrims which since is turned into a Seminary for our English Fugitives he died at his Mannor of Scone-Thorp in Norfolk in 1407. Clarks Mirrour p. 217. XIII In a dangerous battel against the Danes at a place called Longcarty the Scots beginning to retreat there was living hard by one Hay a man of exceeding strength and of an excellent Courage who suddenly caught up an Ox Yoak and together with his Sons flew into the Battel and so valiantly and fortunately behaved himself that what by frighting the Enemy and incouraging his Friends he reinforced the Scots who were ready to shrink and fly and obtained for them a great and glorious Victory The King with the States of the Kingdom ascribed the Victory and their own safety to his Valour and Prowess whereupon in that very place the most fruitful grounds were assigned to him and to his Heirs for ever who in testimony hereof have set over their Coat a Yoke for their Crest Camb. Britt XIV Gunhilda the Daughter of King Canutus was Married to the Emperor Henry the Third who being accused of Adultery and none sound to defend her cause at last an English Page a meer Boy and Dwarf who for the littleness of his stature was generally and jestingly sirnamed Mimecan this Champion adventured to maintain her innocency against a mighty Giantlike Combatant who in the fight at one blow cutting the sinews of his Adversaries Legs with another felled him to the ground and then with his Sword taking his Head from his Sholders he redeemed both the Empresses life and Honour Bakers Chronicle p. 17. XV. In a bloody Fight betwen Amurath the Third Emperor of the Turks and Lazarus Despot of Servia many thousands fell on both sides but in conclusion the Turks had the Victory and the Despot was slain Amurath after that great Victory with some few others of his chief Captains taking a view of the dead bodies which without number lay on heaps on the Field like Mountains a Christian Soldier sore wounded and all gore blood seeing him in a staggering manner arose as if it had been from death out of a heap of slain men and making toward him for want of strength fell down many times by the way as he came as if he had been a drunken man at length drawing nigh to him when they that guarded the Kings Person would have stayed him he was by Amurath himself commanded to come nearer supposing that he would have craved his life of him This magnanimous half dead Christian pressing nearer to him as if he would for honour sake have kist his feet suddenly stabbed him in the bottom of his Belly with a short dagger which he had under his Coat of which wound that great King and Conqueror presently died the name of this man was Miles Cobeletz who shortly after was hewn in pieces Turk Hist XVI King William the Second called Rufus being reconciled to his Brother Robert he assisted him to recover the Fort of Mount St. Michael which their Brother Henry did forcibly hold in Normandy during which Siege stragling one time alone upon the shoar he was set upon by three Horsemen who assaulted him so fiercely that they drove him from his Saddle and his Saddle from his Horse but he catching up his Saddle and withal drawing out his Sword defended himself till rescue came and being afterward blamed for being so obstinate to defend his Saddle It would have angred me said he to the very heart that the Knaves should have bragged they had won the Saddle from me Bakers Chron. p. 50. XVII George Castriot or Scanderbeg Prince of Epirus was inspired with such a Spirit of valour by God in defending his Country from the barbarous Turks that in fighting against them for very eagerness of Spirit his blood would usually burst out of his lips and he struck with such violence that he clave many of them asunder from the head to the middle and usually he cut off an Arm with Armour on at one blow and with his own hands he slew above two Thousand of them at several times he was such a mirrour of Manhood and so terrible to the Turks that nine years after his death as they passed through Lyssa where his body lay
buried they digged up his bones with great devotion reckoning it some part of their happiness if they might but see or touch the same and such as could get any part thereof were it never so little caused the same to be set some in Silver some in Gold to hang about their Necks thinking that it would animate their Spirits with extraordinary vigour and courage Clarks Mirrour p. 225. XVIII The Athenians under the command of Militiades had charged the Army of Darius at Marathon so â—ome that they were inforced to run away to their Navy at which time one Cynigyrus an Athenian shewed incomparable Valour for being in pursuit of the Persians to their Ships when some of them were putting off from the Shore he caught hold of one of the Ships with his right hand holding it till his hand was cut off then did he lay hold of it with his left hand till that also was cut off and yet then he catched hold of it with his Teeth nor did he leave till such time as the fleeting breath had withdrawn itself from his body and thereby disappointed the resolute intentions of his mind Justin Hist lib. 2. XIX The Romans being ready to join Battel with the Albanes that they might avoid bloodshed they agreed that the Victory should be determined three against three now there were in each Camp three Brethren born at one birth of equal years who were to be the Champions The three Horatii for the Romans and the three Curiatii for the Albanes after a doubtful conflict two of the Horatii being slain the third pretending fear ran away and thereby drew his Adversaries asunder who by reason of their wounds could not run with equal speed which being perceived by him he turned back and slew them one by one in single fight before they could join together whereby the Victory fell to the Romans Rawleigh's Hist World XX. Great was the Courage of the Hollanders in the year 1570. when Haerlem was besieged by the Duke of Alva's Army At this time the Citizens revived the ancient invention of Carrier Pidgeons and a while before they were blocked up they sent to the Prince of Oranges Fleet and to the nearest Towns of their own Party some of these Pidgeons which afterward being dispatched away when necessity required with Letters fastened under their Wings remembring their several Masters Houses they flew back to Haerlem whereby they received intelligence yet nothing was more admirable than the Townsmens valour who notwithstanding they had lost three great Armies that came to relieve them and had hardly any shelter within their Walls which were shot through in ten thousand three hundred and sixty places yet would they not hear of any Treaty or Conditions and when the Garrrison was brought to a small number both day and night upon the Walls they so performed the duties of many that if at any time the Spaniards did but chance to appear never so little above their Trenches they were in a moment taken off with Musket Bullets and those shot as for a Wager from many parts at once lastly though they were inforced by Famine to eat Mice old Shoes and every nasty thing yet they lost not their courage resolving to sally out and rather to die fighting than by yielding to mercy to have their Throats cut like Beasts which they had accordingly done but that as they marched out of the Port their Wives and Children with pitiful shrieks and imbraces stayed them yet when they had yielded to mercy that cruel Don Frederick Son to the Duke of Alva put to the Sword hanged and drowned nine hundred Soldiers and four hundred of the principal Townsmen which sad Spectacle continued many days Strada Wars of the Low Countries XXI Upon April 20. 1656. Blake performed a most noble Exploit at the Canaries to the honour of the English Nation not inferior to any Naval Atchievement of the ancient Greeks or Romans of which the following Relation written by an Eye-witness gives an account We were on Monday by break of day in the Offin of Sancta Cruz on the Isle of Tenariff and as soon as it was light we perceived by a signal from one of their Frigats abroad that the Spanish West-India Fleet was in the Bay whereupon after a short conference how to order the Attempt and Prayers we fell in among them and by eight a clock were all at an Anchor some under the Castle and Forts and others by their Ships sides as we could place our selves to keep clear of one another and best annoy the Enemy the Spaniards had there five or six Gallions whereof were the Admiral and Vice-Admiral with their Standards and Flags aloft and other considerable Ships to the number of sixteen some having Goods from the Indies still aboard them others had taken in Goods and Provisions to carry back thither again most of them were furnished with brass Ordnance and their whole complement of Seamen and Soldiers were aboard they were all close moared along the shoar which lies like an half Moon defended as far as the Ships rid by the Castle and surrounded besides with six or seven Forts and with almost a continued line of Musqueteers and great shot as the ground between admitted by which many of our men were slain so that we resolved to make quick work and in four hours time their men were beaten out and all their Ships put ashoar except the Admiral and Vice-Admiral who made the most considerable resistance about two a clock the Vice-Admiral was set on fire and the Admiral by some happy shot or other accident was suddenly blown up having as we perceived just before many men on board her by the evening all the rest of the sixteen were fired except two which sunk down right and had little but their Masts appearing above Water after which our Ships by the blessing of Heaven got safe off for though some riding near the shoar were sorely maimed and did require to be warped off others when we came to weigh Anchor drove with the wind which all the while did blow right into the Bay and one of our best Frigats struck though the enemy in the mean time supplied fresh men into the Forts for those we had killed and beaten out in the heat of the action and continually plied upon us from thence and also from the Castle till about seven a Clock at night yet notwithstanding all these disadvantages every Ship and Vessel belonging to our Fleet got clear off neither had we above fifty men killed in this service and one hundred and twenty wounded and the damage to our Ships so small that in two days we repaired them indifferently well for our present security which we had no sooner done but the wind turned to the South West which is not usual in those Islands and brought us in a short time to our former station about a year before this General Blake coming before Tunis demanded reparation for the Losses sustained