cold They then demanded whither he had eat any Victuals the Boy replyed There weâ— a man brought him Victuals which he did eat which they supposed to be his good Angel who had been thus kind to him and preserved him from so great â— danger Beards Theatre p. 440. XVII In the Year 1565. There fell so much raiâ— in Islebia that the waters bore down all before them and particularly the house of a man where a Chilâ— lay in the Cradle which the Father with the hazaâ—â— of his Life brought forth and carryed into a Neighâ— hours house hard by he then indeavoured to saw two more of his Children and took them in his armâ— arms to carry them out of his house but the waters were so strong that one of his Children sitting upon a beam was carryed away and himself and the other were carried into the Orchard where finding some ground he stood up to the neck in water with the Child in his arms and looking about for his other Child he saw it sitting upon the piece of Timber swimming toward him which he likewise took into his arms and getting upon an high pile of Wood he continued with them there all night none being able to afford him any help next morning when the waters where decreased he came down and looked for two other of his Children whom he had left in the upper Room of the house where he found the two Innocents fast a sleep he had no sooner taken them from thence but that part of the house fell also which was a visible sign of Gods holy protection over them all Beards Theatre p. 444. XVIII In the horrid and bloody Rebellion in Ireland a Religious Gentlewoman with some others in her Company was forced to fly for her Life she having three Children whereof one was at her Breast but alas these poor trembling Travellers had not gone far before they were stripped naked by the Irish who to admiration spared their lives but passing on they came to a River where more of these bloody Villains met them and would have drowned them therein this virruous Gentlewoman being not in the least discouraged desired a small time to pray and as she lay naked on the frozen Ground she began to consider and resolve within her self not to go voluntarily to so injust a Death upon which her refusal these miscreants dragged her by the heels along the ground with the rest of the Company upon which she turned upon them and on her knees said You should I am sure be Christians and men I see you are in taking away our miserable lives you do us a pleasure but know as we never wronged you nor yours you must dye also your selves and one day give an Account of this Cruelty to the Judge of Heaven and Earth Upon which says an Irish Priest Let us not take their lives but we will put them into the Island of Lake and a Boat being in the River eight of them who were all then in Company are put into the Island naked and without meat where after four dayes some of them dyed of hunger and cold but not this Woman nor any of her Children for the next day the two Boys sound the hide of a Beast which had been killed this they and the Mother indeavoured to cast over them lying upon the snow the day after a Boat goes by them whom the poor Woman beseeches for Gods sake to carry her out of that place but they being Irish refused it she then desires a little bread but they answer they have none then she begs a coal of Fire for she had some fuel in the Boat and thus with some Chips they mad a Fire and the Boys taking a piece of the Hide layd it upon the Coals and began to gnaw it but alas without an extraordinary divine support what could this do thus they lived ten days without any visible supplys and that good Woman profest it was by Faith in God she lived for she had no Bread but Ice and Snow nor any Drink but Water but she said she thought God put more substance into it for it seemed as it were clammy The next day a Boat carryed her out to the side of the Bandwater where yet she had been lost but that she could not indure to see her Children dye in her sight and therefore though the Two Boys were young and so famished with hunger that they had no strength she perswaded them to go out of her fight under pretence of seeking some Fire the poor Children had not gone far but they saw two or three great Dogs cating a man that had been killed the Children were afraid of the Dogs who needed not to have feared any thing but to live in such a Condition but one of the Dogs came running and leaped upon one of the Children without doing him the least hurt and would run a little before and then tarry till the Children came to him and so led them to a house where smoke appeared which was an Irish mans protected by the English in Antrum where they were courteously received and the Mother sent for and were all thus miraculously preserved through the great mercy of God Remarkable Deliverances P. 19. XIX A terrible Tempest happened at Turin in 1558. which beat down Houses tore up Trees by the Roots and by a mighty inundation of water drowned above forty persons yet in the midst of Judgment God remembred mercy for a Woman who was newly brought to bed was drowned but the Infant she was delivered of lying in the Cradle was carried with the Violence of the water a great way off and at last the Cradle stopping at the bough of an Apple-Tree stood there firm till the waters decreased and after several days was sound alive Another Child at Friburg in Misnia falling into the River was violently carried a great way till it came to a Mill where it stopped and was miraculously taken up alive Beards Theatre P. 442. XX. Queen Elizabeth of glorious memory was often in very great dangers and as often delivered but especially in her Sister O Maries Reign for while she was a Prisoner at Woodstock a Fire was kindled between the Boards of her Chamber which was verily supposed to be done on purpose to have burned her but it was happily prevented Likewise a Rufrian who was one of her Keepers was suborned to Murther her but this was also prevented by Divine Providence At another time Stephen Gardner Bishop of Winchester sent a Villain to dispatch her but could not have admittance because of the absence of Sir Henry Beningfield whe had commanded his Brother not to suffer any man whatsoever to come to her till his return Lastly while she was a Prisoner in the Tower a Writ was sent for her Execution by the procurement of Gardner but the Lieutenant going presently to Q. Mary she disowned the knowledge thereof and thereby she was wonderfully delivered Clarks Exam. 2 Part. P. 614. XXI
without Justice or Reason among others he caused a Nobleman to be fasâ—ned to a Stake and beaten almost to death with Clubs which monstrous Cruelty so incensed the People against him that there wanted not hands to take part with this abused Nobleman against this Tyrant his Enemy whereupon they laid wait for him as he came one day from hunting and killed him together with his Wife great with Child no man either daring or being willing to defend him Beards Theatre XXII John Cameron Bishop of Glasgow was much given to violence and oppression and committed many deeds full of Cruelty and Covetousness especially upon his own Tenants Vassals is reported to have made a fearful and unhappy end for in the year 1446. the night before Christmas day as he lay asleep in his House about seven miles from the City of Glasgow he seemed to hear a voice summoning him to appear before the Tribunal of Christ thereupon he awaked and being greatly terrified called to his Servants to bring lights and fit by him he himself took a Book in his hand and began to read but the voice being again heard struck all the Servants with amazement the same voice calling the third time far louder and more fearfully the Bishop after an heavy groan was found dead in the Bed his Tongue hanging out of his mouth this is reported by Buchanan almost in the same words which I thought good to remember as a notable example of Gods Judgment against the crying sin of Oppression Spotswoods Ch. Hist XXIII To conclude Diomedes the Thracian King fed his Horses with Mans flesh as with provender but was made at last provender himself for his own Horses by Hercules Clephes the Second King of the Lumbards for his savage Cruelties toward his Subjects was slaughtered by one of his Friends Damasippus that Massacred so many Citizens of Rome was cut off by Scylla Ecelinus that played the Tyrant at Taurisium gelding Boys deflouring Virgins cutting off Womens Breasts ripping Children out of their Mothers Wombs and killing twelve hundred Patavians at once who were his Friends was himself at last killed in a Battle in a word if we read and consult the Histories of all Countries and times we shall feldom or never find any notorious Tyrant or Oppressor of his Subjects that came to any good end but generally some notable and fearful Judgment fell upon them Beards Tâ—eatre XXIV In the aforementioned examples we have given an Account of the flagitious actions and ends of Murderers and Tyrants by whole-sale as being Persons of great power and without restraint whereby they had opportunity to do the greater mischief to mankind but Divine Justice has not spared those of meaner quality but hath both wonderfully discovered and revenged those crying sins of Murder and Cruelty as the following instances do fully demonstrate XXV Bothwell who was the chief contriver and actor of the Murther of King Henry of Scotland Father to our King James fled into Denmark where being discovered he was apprehended and imprisoned by the King and disparing of recovering his liberty he fell mad and ended his life most miserably the Archbishop of St. Andrews also who had a hand in the murther of that King being taken in the Castle of Dumbarton was carried to Sterling and hanged publickly on a Gibbet erected for that purpose In the year 1584. Whilst our King James was in Scotland there were two Gentlemen of good credit the one called John Cuningham and the other Malcolm Douglas who was much feared for his valour and manhood these two were falsly accused by some about the King and one Robert Hamilton was suborned to swear against them when the Indictment of Douglas was read he denied all and fully cleared himself by the unlikelyhood of the accusation so that all that heard him did in their minds believe him innocent yet were they both condemned and hanged at Edenburgh these Gentlemen were much pitied especially Douglas Hamilton the false Accuser lived ever after this in continual fear and abhorred of all men but at last he was slain by one James Johnston who had vowed to revenge the death of Douglas Spotswoods Hist Scotland XXVI Sir James Tyrril John Dighton and Miles Forrest who were procured by Richard the Third called Crack-back to murder King Edward the Fifth and his Brother in the Tower by entring their Chamber about midnight and wrapping them up in the cloths keeping down the Feather-beds and Pillows hard upon their mouths till they were smothered These three Murderers did not long escape the Vengeance of God for Miles Forrest rotted away by piecemeal Dighton lived at Calais so disdained and hated of all men that he died there in much misery And Sir James Tyrril was beheaded on Tower Hill for Treason Act. Mo. The Cardinal of Winch. commonly called the Rich Cardinal who procured the death of the good Duke of Glocester in King Henry the Sixth's Time was shortly after struck with an incurable Disease who understanding by his Physicians that he could not live murmuring and repining thereat he cryed out Fie Will not Death be hired Will Money do nothing Must I die that have so great Riches If the whole Realm would save my life I am able either by Policy to get it or by Riches to buy it But all would not prevail for he died miserably soon after Speeds Chron. XXVII The Duke of Suffolk also did not long escape unpunished for in a Parliament holden soon after he was accused as a Traitor to the Kingdom a Murderer of the Duke of Glocester and a Robber of the King's Treasury for all which he was banished for five years he took Shipping in Suffolk intending for France but by the way being encountred by a Man of War that belonged to the Tower he was taken and carryed into Dover Road where on the side of a Ship-boat one cut off his head 1450. Speeds Chron. XXVIII In 1618. there lived a man at Perin in Cornwall who was blessed with ample Possessions and a fruitful Issue unhappy only in a younger Son who growing Extravagant went to Sea in a small Vessel with several like himself where they made Prize of all that they could master and at last venturing into the Streights they set upon a Turks Man of War which they took and got great booty but their Pouder by chance taking fire blew up the Ship and our Gallant being a skilful Swimmer got to shoar upon the Isle of Rhodes with the best of his Jewels where offering some to sale to a Jew he knew them to be the Governours of Algiers whereupon he was seized and condemned to the Gallys for a Pyrate among other Christians whose miserable Slavery made them use their wits to recover their Liberty and watching their opportunity they effected it by killing some of their Officers After which this Young Man got aboard an English Ship and came safe to London where his former misery and some skill he had gotten
WONDERFUL PRODIGIES OF Judgment and Mercy Discovered in Above Three Hundred Memorable Histories CONTAINING I. Dreadful Judgments upon Atheists Perjured Wretches Blasphemers Swearers Cursers and Scoffers II. The Miserable Ends of divers Magicians Witches Conjurers c. with several strange Apparitions III. Remarkable Presages of Approaching Death and of Appeals to Divine Justice IV. The Wicked Lives and Woful Deaths of Wretched Popes Apostates and Desperate Persecutors V. Fearful Judgments upon Cruel Tyrants Murderers c. with the Wonderful Discovery of Murders VI. Admirable Deliverances from Imminent Dangers and Deplorable Distresses at Sea and Land VII Divine Goodness to Penitents with the Dying Thoughts of several Famous Men concerning a Future State after this Life Impartially Collected from Antient and Modern Authors of undoubted Authority and Credit and Imbellished with divers Curious Pictures of several Remarkable Passages therein By R. B. Author of the History of the Wars of England and the Remarks of London c. LONDON Printed for Nath. Crouch at the Bell next to Kemp's Coffee-house in Exchange-Alley over against the Royal Exchange in Cornhill 1682. Wonderful PRODIGIES Discovered in above Three Hundred Memorable Historys By R. B. Devils of several Shapes in a Noblemans house in Germany pa. 20. London Printed for 〈◊〉 Crouch TO THE READER THIS small Treatise cannot be thought unseasonable in this Age wherein Atheism and Impiety doth so much ahound And as the Holy Scriptures which we ought first and principally to study and regard do sufficiently discover the Wonderful Judgments of the Almighty upon Prophane and Impenitent Sinners in former Ages so the Divine Justice hath not left it self without Witness in all Times since of the like severe Vengeance against them and since Examples commonly prevail upon Men more than Precepts this little Collection may by the Blessing of Heaven prevail upon some profligate Offenders to forsake their evil waies lest they themselves be likewise made Examples 〈◊〉 Monuments of God's Wrath and Displeasure And as the Judgments so likewise the Mercy and Goodness of God hath appeared in all Times Places towards those that put their Trust in him or have returned 〈…〉 sâ—rious and hearty Repentance of which 〈◊〉 have abundant Instances both in Scripture anâ— History and whereof I have likewise transcribed some few out of very Approved anâ— Credible Historians both Antient and Modern whose Names are added to every particulaâ— Relation that they may thereby obtain thâ— more Credit with the Reader who may her find in a small Manual and for a small Price what has been dispersed in several large Volumes and therefore I hope will not be unacceptable to the World Which is the hearty desire of R. B. CHAP. I. Dreadful Judgments upon Atheists Scoffers Blasphemers Swearers Cursers and Perjured Persons in several Terrible Examples NEver yet were any Nation or People so Barbarous who by the Instinct of Nature have not alwaies believed a certain Deity and the denying thereof was accounted so detestable absurd and contrary to Humane Reason even among the Antient Heathen that they reckoned it to be horrible Blasphemy The Athenians banished Protagoras both from their City and Country and caused his Books to be openly burnt because in one of them he seemed to doubt of a Deity ' Neither were they less severe toward Diagoras sirnamed The Atheist who being accused of Atheism fled for fear of punishment upon which they proclaimed That whosoever did kill him should have a Talent of Silver in Recompence which is as much as six hundred Crowns How much more then is the State of Christendom to be lamented which is generally infected with this Contagious Pestilence And how many bold and impudent Atheists are there in these Times who daringly and confidently deny the Providence of God! believe not the Immortality of the Soul think there is no such thing as a Life to come and consequently they live like Swine and brute Beasts in the world wallowing in all manner of Lusts and Sensuality But let such mad and brutish Wretches know that they shall one day be convinced of their folly when it is too late And they may likewise find by the following Instances which are of undoubted truth and certainty that the Divine Justice doth sometimes execute his severe Judgments upon them in this world and makes them Monuments of Vengeance for deterring others That they may hear and fear and do no more so wickedly I. A certain Blasphemous Wretch being drinking and merry at a Common Inn among his Companions asked them Whether they thought a man was possessed with a Soul or no To which some replyed That the Souls of Men were Immortal and that some of them after their release from the Body lived in Heaven and others were condemned to Hell as we are taught from the Writings of the Prophets and Apostles but he replyed and swore He did not believe the Soul did survive the Body but that Heaven and Hell were meer Fables invented by the Priests to get money and as for his part he would sell his Soul to any who would buy it Then one of his Companions took up the Cup and said Sell me thy Soul for this Cup of Wine which he consented to and drank it off Now the Devil himself was there in the shape of a man as he is commonly not far from such Debauchees who bought it again of the other man at the same price and soon after peremptorily demanded his Soul the whole company affirming it was fit he should have it since he bought it not knowing who it was that asked it But on a sudden this Infernal Merchant laid hold of this wretched Soul-Seller and carried him into the Air before them all toward his own Habitation to the great astonishment and amazement of the Spectactors and was never after heard of but no question found to his cost that men had Souls and that Hell was no Fable contrary to his prophane and sensless Opinion Discipul de temp Serm. 132. II. Not inferiour to the former was the Impiety of one not many years since in this Nation called Marlin a Scholar by Profession brought up from his Youth in the University of Cambridge and afterwards a scurrilous Poet and Play-maker who giving the Reins to his Wit and Fancy ran into such Extreams that he denied God and Jesus Christ and blasphemed the Trinity not onely in words but as it is credibly reported writ Books against it affirming our Saviour to be a Deceiver and Moses a Seducer of the People and the holy Scriptures to be but vain and idle Stories and all Religion to be only a Politick Cheat and Device But Heaven by an eminent Judgment stopt the mouth of this Blasphemer for it happened that as he intended to have stabbed a person whom he had malice against the other perceiving it avoided the stroke and withal catching hold of his wrist he stabbed in his own Dagger into his own head which wounded him in such a terrible manner
day there appeared the Form of this Epicure sitting with a great many Guests drinking carousing and making good Cheer the Table being furnished seemingly with all manner of Delicacies and attended on by many Persons together with Fidlers Trumpeters and the like so that whatever he delighted in while he was alive was there daily to be seen God permitting Satan to deceive mens sight by such Appearances to deter others from living in such a course of Atheism and Impiety Theat Hist VIII At a Village called Benarides in Spain two young men one whereof was noted to be an outragious Swearer and Blasphemer of God's Holy Name being together in the Fields on a sudden there arose a terrible Tempest of Rain and Wind accompanied with so impetuous a Whirlwind that it amazed all that beheld it the two young men seeing it furiously coming toward them to avoid the danger ran away as fast as they could possible but notwithstanding their haste it overtook them and for fear it should carry them up into the Air they fell flat down upon the ground where the Whirlwind whilked about them for some time and then passed forward one of them arose so affrighted and in such an Agony that he was scarce able to stand on his feet the other lying still without motion some that stood under an hedge hard by came to see how he did and found him to be stark dead not without some wonderful symptoms of Divine Justice for all his bones were so crushed that the Joynts of his Legs and Arms were to be turned every way as though his whole Body had been made of Moss and besides his Tongue was pluckt out by the roots and could not by any means be found though it was diligently sought for and this was the miserable end of this wretched youth who was made an Example to the World of God's Vengeance against Swearers and Blasphemers Beards Theatre IX Mirtiques Governour of Brittany in France in the War against the Protestants persuaded them to yield to the King since their strong God had now forsaken them and scoffingly said It was time for them to sing Help us now O Lord for it is time but he soon found that their strong God was able to defend them and to confound the Proud he himself being presently after slain in the Siege Acts Mon. Remarkable is the Relation of one Libanius who was a Sophistical Atheist he being at Antioch demanded blasphemously of a Learned and Religious Shoolmaster What the Carpenters Son did and how he employed himself To whom the Schoolmaster full of the Divine Spirit replyed The Creator of the World whom thou disdainfully callest the Carpenters Son is making a Coffin for thee to carry thee to thy Grave at which the Sophister laughing went away and within few daies after died and was buried in a Coffin according to the Prophecy of that Holy Man Beards Theatre In the 〈…〉 an Arrian Bishop called Olympius being in the Baths of Carthage openly scoffed and blasphemed the Holy and Sacred Trinity but Lightning fell down from Heaven upon him three times wherewith he was burnt and consumed to Ashes There was also in the time of Alphonsus King of Arragon and Sicily in an Isle toward Africa a certain prophane Hermite called Antonius who impudently and impiously belched out blasphemous speeches against our Blessed Saviour and the Virgin Mary his Mother but he was struck with a most grievous and tormenting Disease so that he was eaten and gnawn to pieces with Worms till he died Aeneas Sylvius X. Neither hath Divine Vengeance left itself without witness against Cursers and those who by denying God give themselves to the Devil as may plainly appear â—y the following dreadful Examples A Souldier travelling through Marcia a Country of Almaign and finding himself not well went to an Inn where he lay to recover his health and delivered to his Hostess a certain sum of money which he had about him A while after being recovered of his Sickness he demanded his money again but the Woman upon consultation with her Husband denied the receipt of any and accused him of wronging her in demanding what she never received On the other side the Souldier was much enraged accusing her of cheating him when the Man of the House heard the noise though he was privy to all before yet he dissembling the matter took his Wife's part and thrust the Souldier out of doors who seeing himself thus abused drew his Sword and ran against the door with the point thereof whereat the Host began to cry out Thieves Thieves affirming that he would have entred his House by force and have robbed him whereupon the poor Souldier was taken and cast into Prison and by process of Law was ready to be condemned to death but the very day wherein this heavy Sentence was to be pronounced and Executed the Devil entred into the Prison and told the Souldier That he was condemned 〈…〉 dye nevertheless if he would give himself Body and Soul to him he would promise to deliver him out of their hands The Prisoner replyed That he had rather dye being innocent and without cause than to be delivered upon that account The Devil then represented to him the great danger of death wherein he was and used all manner of craft to delude him but finding all his Arguments uneffectual he at length left his suit but yet promised him both assistance and revenge upon his Enemies for nothing advising him when he came to his Tryal he should plead not guilty and declare his innocence and the wrong which he suffered and to entreat the Judge to grant him the favour That one in a Blew Cap who was in the Court might make his Defence for him now this one in the Blew Cap was the Devil himself The Souldier accepted his offer and being called to the Bar and Indicted of Felony he presently desired to have his Attorney who was there present to plead his Cause which being granted him this witty crafty Lawyer began very cunningly to defend his Client affirming him To have been falsly accused and consequently would be unjustly condemned and that his Host did withhold the money and had offered him violence and to demonstrate the Truth of what he asserted he reckoned up every Circumstance of the whole Action yea the very place where they had hid they money The Host on the other side very impudently denied all wishing withal That the Devil might take him Body and Soul if he had This subtil Attorney in the Blew Cap finding now the advantage which he had hitherto looked for left off his pleading and immediately seizing upon the Host carryed him out of the Sessions-House and hoisted him into the Air so high that he was never after seen nor heard of And thus was the Souldier wonderfully delivered from death to the astonishment of all the Beholders who were Eye-witnesses of this terrible Judgment upon this perjured cursing Host Wierus of Spirits lib. 3. XI
with the Christians where at the first the Turks were beaten and retired with great Slaughter being almost ready to fly Amurath seeing all brought into extream danger beholding the Picture of Christ Crucified in the displayed Ensigns of the Christians he pluckt the Writing out of his bosom wherein the late League was comprised and holding it in his hand with his Eyes cast up to Heaven he said Behold thou Crucified Christ this is the League thy Christians in thy Name made with me which they have without cause broken now if thou be a God as they say thou art and as we dream revenge the wrong now done unto thy Name and Me and shew thy Power upon the perjured People who in their deeds deny thee their God It was not long after this but the fortune of the Battel was quite changed for King Vladislaus was slain his head cut off by a Janizary and fastned to the end of a Launce Proclamation was made that it was the head of the Christian Ring by which the rest were so daunted that they fled Julian the Legate also who exhorted to this War was slain and his dead body exposed to the scorn and contempt of the common Souldiers for that being a Priest he had contrary to the Law of Nations advised and persuaded to break the Peace This battel was sought 1444. Turkish History XXX In the year 1070 or thereabout there arose so great a difference between the Emperor Henry the 4th and Pope Gregory the 5th that the Pope excommunicated him and depriving him of his Imperial dignity caused Rodulphus Duke of Swtvia to be made Emperor in his stead after which there happened a great Battel between them at the River Ellester where the Emperor Henry had the victory Rodulphus by a terrible blow had his right Arm struck off from his Body â—â—t which he cryed out Behold O ye Nobles that right hand of mine which I gave to my Lord Henry inconfirmation of the fidelity I had sworn to him which Oath notwithstanding contrary to all Justice ad Equity I have violated and am now thus justly punished Zuing. Theat vol. 2. lib. 7. Burghard Archbishop of Magdeburgh though in regard of his place and profession he ought to have given good example and to have punisht Perjury in others yet he thrice broke his Promise and Oath to his own Citizens the Senate and People of Magdeburgh for first he besieged them with a great Army and though they redeemed their liberty with a sum of Mony he swearing not to be siege them any more yet without any regard to Faith or Honesty he returned afresh to the Siege but his perâ—â—diousnes did not prosper for he was taken Prisoner at the next assault yet he so appeased them with his humble carriage and demeanour together with hâ—â— repeated Oaths never to trouble them any more but to continue their stedfast friend for the future that they not only freed hiâ— from his Imprisonment but restored him to all his dignities with great solemnity Nevertheless the Traiterous Archbishop returning to his old vomit procured a dispensation for his Oath from Pope John the 23. and began again to molest vex and murder the Citizens whom he had vowed to protect but vengeance at last overtook him for being catched once again and Imprisoned while his Friends were treating for his liberty the Jaylor beat him to death with the bar of a door or as some say with an Iron rod oâ—â— of a window and so at last his Perjury found its desert Beards Thea. XXXI In the Reigh of Queen Elizabeth there was one Am Avery a Widow who forswore her self for a little Mony which she should have payed for six pound of Flax at a shop in Woodstreet upon which she was suddenly surprized by the Justice of God and fell down immediately speechless casting up at her mouth what nature had ordained to pass another way and in this agony dyed Clarks Examples About the beginning of April 1661. A Woman in Derbyshire having couzened a Boy of some Mony was charged with it but she stiffly denied it and being further urged to confess the truth she in a fearful manner prayed God That the Earth might open and swallow her up quick if she had it and immediately the Earth under her opened and she sank into it and being afterwards digged for they found her nine foot within the Earth and that very Mony was found in her pocket Clarks Examples 2 vol. XXXII In the Year 1551. Five drunken men quaffing together in the Kingdom of Bohemia prophaned the name of God with horrible Blasphemies and the Picture of the Devil being painted upon the wall they caroused healths to him which the Devil pledged soon after for the next morning all five were found dead their necks being broken and quashed to pieces as though a wheel had gone over them blood running out of their mouths nostrils and ears to the great astonishment of the spectators Johan Fincel Not many years since two men contended together who should pour forth most blasphemies against God but whil'st they were exercising this devilish contention one of them was strucken with madness and so continued to his lives end In the same manner several young men at Rome agreed together that he should have the victory who could swear most but as soon as they entred into this wicked strife one of them was deprived of the use of his tongue another of his reason and understanding and the rest remained for some time as dead men God reserving them alive for Repentance Beards Thea. XXXIII At Eslinga in Germany a certain Nobleman having lost much Mony at play fell into horrible Execrations and Blasphemies and commanded his man to bring him his Horse that he might ride home in a very dark night his Servant diffuaded him from his Journey affirming how dangerous the way was by reason of the waters and Fens that lay in the midst whereat he began to rage and swear the more and resolved to go but as he was riding along he was encountred by the way with an Army of Infernal Souldiers or Evil Spirits who beset the Nobleman on every side and threw him from his Horse now there was in his Company a virtuous and valiant Gentleman whoset him again on his Horse and held him on one side whom when the Spirits durst not attempt by reason of his Innocence they vanished out of sight the Nobleman was carried into a Monastery hard by where he lay three days and died such many times is the end of horrible and fearful Blasphemers Lonicerus A Vintner who accustomed himself to Blaspheming Swearing and drunkenness and delighted to entertain such as were like himself to swallow his Wine upon the Lords Day standing at the door with a Pot in his hand to call in more guests there came suddenly a violent Whirlwind and carried him up into the Air in the sight of all men and he was never seen more Beards Theatre XXXIV
his own Fingers in the madness of his Distemper Arnoldus likewise who was accessary hereunto was assaulted in a Monastery butchered and his Carcass thrown into the Town-Ditch Chetwind Hist Collect. 1 part p. 21. XVI One Philibert Hamlin a Popish Priest in France was in the year 1557. Converted to the Protestant Religion and thereupon went to Geneva where he exercised the Art of Printing and published many Books After which he was made a Minister of the Reformed Religion and Preached with good success at the Town of Aleuart and other places At last he with his Host a Priest whom he had Instructed in the Protestant Profession were apprehended and cast into Prison at Burdeaux and whilst they lay there in came a Priest with all his Accoutrements to say Mass But Philibert inflamed with Zeal against such ridiculous Fopperies went and pluckt the Garments from his back and overthrew the Chalice and Candlesticks saying Is it not enough for you to blaspheme God in the Churches but you must also pollute the Prison with your Idolatry The Jaylor seeing this fell upon him and beat him with his Staff and also removed him into a Dungeon loading him with Irons which made his Leggs to swell where he lay eight daies The Priest his Host terrified with the Prison and fear of Death renounced his Profession and was set at Liberty whereupon Philibert said to him O unhappy and more than miserable man is it possible that you should be so foolish as for to save your life a few daies you should so start away from and deny the Truth know you therefore that although you have hereby avoided the Corporal Fire yet your life shall be never the longer for you shall die before me and yet shall not have the honour to die for the Cause of God and you shall be an Example to all Apostates Having ended his Speech and the Priest going out of Prison he was presently slain by two Gentlemen who formerly had a quarrel against him Philibert hearing of it protested seriously That he knew â—f no such thing before but spoke as it pleased God to guide 〈◊〉 Tongue Philibert being condemned and carryed to 〈…〉 they endeavoured to drown his voice by sounding of Trumpets and so in the midst of the Flames praying and exhorting the People to Constancy in the Truth he rendred up his Soul unto God Clarks Martyrol p. 228. XVII When by the counsel and persuasion of Philip the Fair King of France Pope Clement the Fifth had condemned the whole Order of the Knights Templars and in divers places had put many of them to death there was a Neopolitan Knight brought to suffer in like manner who espying the Pope and the K. of France looking out at a window he with a loud voice spake to them as followeth Clement Thou cruel Tyrant seeing there is none now left among Mortals unto whom I may make my Appeal as to that grievous Death whereunto thou hast most unjustly condemned me I do therefore appeal unto the Just Judge Christ our Redeemer unto whose Tribunal I cite thee together with King Philip that you both may make your Appearance there within a year and a day where I will then open and defend my cause Pope Clement died within the time and King Philip soon after him in 1214. Lipsius Mon. l. 2. XVIII A Master of the Tâ—â—tonick Order whose name saith our Author I forbear to mention proposed a Match between a young Merchant and a Woman of a doubtful Fame in respect of her Chastity the young Man refused the overture and the rather because he that persuaded the Marriage was supposed to be no hater of the Woman the Master resented this refusal so ill that he determined the life of the refuser should pay for it he therefore contrived that the young Man should be accused of Theft for which being condemned he commanded he should be hanged prayers and tears were of no avail and therefore the innocent had recourse to the safest Sanctuary of innocency and as he was led to Execution said with a loud voice I suffer unjustly and therefore appeal to the supream Lord of Life and Death to whom he that hath so unjustly condemned me shall render an account thirteen days after this very day The Master scoffed at this but upon that same thirteenth day being taken with a sudden sickness he cryed out Miserable Man that I am behold I must dye and this day must I appear before the All-seeing Judge and so died presently after Wanly Hist Man XIX A poor Labourer at Calice who had been an hearer of Mr. Adam Damlip a famous Protestant Preacher at Calice when it was in the hands of the English said among some Company That he would never believe the Priest could make the Lords Body at his pleasure whereupon he was accused and condemned by one Harvey a Commissary there who also with opprobrious and abusive words railed upon him calling him Heretick and saying He should die a vile death the poor Man answered That he was no Heretick but one that held the True Faith of Christ and whereas thou sayest said he that I shall die a vile death thou thy self shalt die a vile death and that shortly The poor Man was burnt and Harvey within half an year after was hanged drawn and quartered for Treason Clarks Martyr p. 427. XX. In Sweden Johannes Turso gave Sentence upon a certain Man that he should lose his head who when all other defence was denied him fell down on his knees and with great earnestness spake as followeth Behold I die unjustly and I cite thee unjust Judge to Gods Tribunal there to answer for my head within this hour These were looked upon as frivolous words but scarce was the Man beheaded by the Executioner when the Judge himself fell down dead from his Horse Delrio Disquisit l. 4. Otho the first Emperor of Rome being freely reprehended by his Son William who was then Bishop of Mentz for his Marriage with Adelaida the Emperor was so offended that he sent his Son to Prison whereupon the Bishop cited his Father Otho to the Tribunal of Christ And said he upon Whitsunday both of us shall appear before the Lord Christ where by Divine Judgment it shall appear who hath transgressed the limits of his duty In pursuance of this appeal the Emperor Otho died upon Whitsunday suddenly in Saxony his Son the Bishop deceasing some short time before Drevel Op. XXI Rodulphus Duke of Ausiria being grievously offended with a certain Knight caused him to be apprehended and being bound hand and foot and thrust into a Sack to be thrown into the River the Knight being in the Sack and it as yet not sown up espying the Duke looking out at a Window where he stood to behold that spectacle cryed out to him with a loud voice Duke Rodulph I summon thee to appear at the dreadful Tribunal of Almighty God within the compass of one year there to shew cause
wherefore thou hast undeservedly put me to this bitter and unworthy death The Duke received this Summons with laughter and unappalled and unconcerned made answer Well go thou before and I will then present my self the year being almost spent the Duke fell in to a light Feaver and remembring the appeal said to the standers by The time of my death does now appreach and I must go to Judgment and so it happened for he died soon after Dinoth lib. 8. XXII Ferdinand the fourth King of Spain was a great Man both in Peace and War but somewhat rash and rigid in pronouncing Judgment so that he seemed to incline to cruelty About the year 1312. he commanded two Brothers Peter and John of the Noble Family of Carvialii to be thrown headlong from an high Tower as being suspected guilty of the death of Benavidius a noble Person of the first rank and though they with great constancy denyed they were guilty of any such crime yet it was to small purpose when therefore they perceived that the Kings Ear was shut against them they openly cryed out they died innocently and since they found the King had no regard to any Plea or defence they could make they did appeal to the Divine Tribunal and turning themselves to the King bid him Remember to make his Appearance there within the space of thirty days at the furthest Ferdinand at that time made no reckoning of their words but upon the thirtieth day after his servants supposing he was asleep found him dead in his Bed in the flower of his Age for he was but twenty four years and nine months old Wanly Hist Man 34. Lambertus Schasnaburgenss an excellent writer as most in these times tells that Buchardus Bishop of â—aâ—berstadt in the year 1059 had an unjust controversy with the Abbot of Helverdense about some Lands in Saxony which the Bishop by force without Law sought to make his own it was to small purpose to make any resistance against so powerful an Adversary but the injured Abbot some few days before his death sent to Frederick Count Palatine and intreated him to bear these his last words to the Prelate That being too weak to contend though the Law was on his side he gave place and was also departing this life but that God would be the Judge unto whom he made his Appeal that therefore both of them should prepare to order their cause before his Tribunal where favour and power set aside only Justice should prevail In a short time the Abbot died of a Feaver and not long after him the Bishop also for as he was one time mounting his Horse he fell down as one stricken with a Thunderbolt and his last words were That he was hurried away to the Judgment Seat of God there to be Judged Delrio Disquisit l. 4. XXV Francis Duke of Brittain cast his Brother Aegidius into Prison who was one of his Council and falsely accused him of Treason where when Aegidius was almost famished perceiving that his fatal hour approached he spied a Franciscan out of the window of the Prison and calling him to confer with him he made him promise That he would tell his Brother that within fourteen days he should stand before the Judgment Seat of God The Franciscan having found out the Duke in the Confines of Normandy where he then was told him of his Brothers death and of his Appeal to the high Tribunal of God the Duke terrified with this message immediately grew ill and his distemper increasing he expired upon the very day appointed Drixelius Oper. The Genoways sent out their Gallies against the Pyrates and in the way took a small Ship of Sicily together with the Mr. of it whom in contempt of the Sicilians they hanged up the poor man pleaded he suffered unjustly since he had never done any the least injury to them but perceiving all his plaints to be in vain he appealed unto God for Justice and cited the Admiral of the Genoese to make his Appearance at his Bar within six months within which time he that was thus cited died Wanly Hist Man XXVI Master Patrick Hamilton of an Antient and Honourable Family in Scotland left his own Country and went into Germany where he became acquainted with those worthy Men Martin Luther and Philip Melancthon then at the famous University of Wittenburg from thence he went to the University of Marpurg which was then newly erected where he was intimate with other learned Men and by reason of his Learning and Integrity of life he was had in admiration of many however he could not rest till he had returned into his own Country where the Doctrine of the Reformation began then to break forth as well in publick as in private which so disturbed the Popish-Clergy that James Beaton Archbishop of St. Andrews sent for Mr. Patrick Hamilton to St. Andrews where after divers days conference he had his Freedom and Liberty the Bishop seeming to approve his Doctrine acknowledging that in many things there needed a Reformation in the Church but withal searing that their Kingdom of Darkness should be endamaged they persuaded the King who was then young and much led by them to go on Pilgrimage to St. Dothess in Ross that so by reason of his absence no application might be made to him for the saving the life of this innocent Gentleman who not suspecting their malice remained like a Lamb among Wolves the King being gone one night Mr. Hamilton was seized upon by the Bishops Officers and carried to the Castle and the next day was brought forth into Judgment and Condemned to be burnt upon several Articles about Pilgrimages Purgatory Prayers to Saints c. After Dinner the fire was prepared and being tyed to the Stake he cryed out with a loud voice Lord Jesus receive my Spirit how long shall darkness overwhelm this Realm and how long wilt thou suffer the Tyranny of these Men The fire was slow and therefore put him to the greater torment but that which most troubled him was the clamour of some wicked Men set on by the Fryers who continually cryed Turn thou Heretick call upon our Lady say Salve Regina c. To whom he answered Depart from me and trouble me not thou Messenger of Satan and speaking to one Alexander Campbell a Fryer with whom he had conferred about matters of Religion and who had informed against him and was now the Ringleader who roared against him to recant Mr. Patrick with great vehemency said to him Wicked Man thou knowest the contrary and hast confessed the contrary to me I appeal thee before the Tribunal of Jesus Christ After which words he resigned up his Spirit unto God in the year 1527. Campbell was troubled at these words and from that very day was never in his right mind but soon after died mad Clarks Martyr Thus Though the Fool hath said in his heart there is no God and because Justice is not presently inflicted upon Sinners
draw it whither they would which being accordingly performed they of their own accord drew him to the Lateran Church and as some Authors write the Body was immediately carried out of the Church by the Devil Beards Theatre IV. Gregory the Seventh without any Election of Emperour or Clergy but only by his own Intrusion got into the Chair having poisoned six or seven Popes before he could get the Popedom himself He had a trick to shake out sparks of fire from his sleeve and by some other waies brought it about that the voice of the People was Peter the Apostle hath made choice of Hildebrand to be Pope which was his own name before he changed it to Gregory He set himself with all his might against the Emperour Henry the Fourth and had plotted his death so that when he went to prayers at St. Marys in Aventine Hill a Villain was set with a stone to roll down from the Roof to beat out the Emperours brains but it fell out to the ruine and quashing of the Executioner who fell down and was killed therewith He threw the Sacrament into the fire because it did not answer his demands as the Heathen Gods did concerning his success against the Emperor whom he Excommunicated and sent a Crown to Rodulphus Duke of Suevia with this verse upon it Petra dedit Petro Petrus Diadema Rodolpho That Crown the Rock did give to Peter Peter on Ralph bestows in Meeter This Crown was sent to cause Rodulphus to Rebel against his Master wherein he received an utter defeat and dyed miserably by the hand of a Woman tumbling down a Stone upon him as he was besieging a certain Castle in Germany at last he got the Emperor at such an advantage that he was fain to come to his Castle at Canusium with his Empress and Son bare footed in the cold of Winter and there to wait three days fasting till he might have Audience which at length he obtained by the mediation of Madam Matilda one of the Popes Wenches or St Peters Daughter as they called her who left her Husband to live with this Holy Father when he pronounced Sentence of Excommunication against the Emperour the new Seat whereon he sate unexpectedly rent in pieces he condemned Berengarius his opinion against the corporal Presence and was against Priests Marriages he Sainted Liberius the Arrian Heretick exercised what cruelty he pleased especially against a Widdows Son whose Foot he cut off but at last vengeance overtook him for in a Synod at Brixia he was deposed and died miserably in banishment Symson Hist Church V. Pope Paul the Third prostituted his Sister Julia Farnesia to Alexander the Sixth that he might be made Cardinal committed Incest with his own Daughter Constantia and poysoned her Husband to enjoy her more freely he likewise poysoned his own Sister upon suspition she played false with him Peter Aloysius his Bastard Son practised all manner of horrible Villanies Robberies Murders Adulteries Incest Sodomy thinking that because his Father was Pope therefore no wickedness was unlawful for him to commit he was by the report of Authors one of the most notorious villains the world ever saw he forced the Bishop of Favence to his unnatural lust so that the poor Bishop with meer anger and grief that he should be so abused dyed immediately Being afterward made Duke of Plaisence and Parma he exercised most cruel Tyranny over many of his Subjects insomuch that several Gentlem. resolved no longer to endure it and therefore hired divers Ruffians to kill him they themselves likewise joining with them the Pope his Father by the Art of Magick which he practised warned him carefully to look to himself upon the tenth day of September in which notwithstanding he was slain for as he returned toward his Castle in the evening in an Horse-litter with a great retinue about him having been to see some Fortifications which he had made the Conspirators to the number of 36 marched before him as if to do him honour but as soon as he was entred the Castle they drew up the Draw-bridge for fear of his retinue that were without and coming to him with their naked Swords charged him with his Cruelties and Tyrannies and then presently slew him in his Horse-litter together with a Priest the Master of his Horse and five Almaigns that were his Guard his dead Body they hung by a chain over the walls and shaking it to and fro in the view of the People threw it down headlong at last into the Ditch where the People to shew their detestation of him wounded the Carkass with daggers and trampled it under their feet this happened Septemb. 10. 1547. When Pope Paul was Legate at Ancona he couzened the Mother of this Aloysius by persuading her to yield to his Lust under the pretence of Marriage who upon the discovery that he was a Priest fell almost distracted yet brought him this hopeful Son aformentioned This Pope maintained forty five thousand Whores He was a great Conjurer and conferred daily with Gauricus Servita and others of that damned crew of Necromancers who were alwaies at his Elbow from this Popes piety we had the Council of Trent and he confirmed the Order of Jesuits who have since proved the Firebrands of the world he likewise Excommunicated and Cursed King Henry the Eighth and gave away his Kingdom but at last endeavouring to debauch his Neice Laura Farnesia Nicholas Quercen her Husband taking him in the Act gave him a mark that he carried with him to the grave Beards Theatre VI. Pope Innocent the Fourth was a Genoese he Excommunicated and Cursed the Emperor Frederick who had been his greatest Friend and holding a Council at Lyons deposed him and set up Henry of Thuring in his Place and after him William of Holland who was assisted by a great company of Crusadoes or persons designed for the recovery of the Holy Land whom the Pope had marked for his own Beasts they wearing a Cross upon their Garments but the Emperor crossed their Crowns as he met with them and nobly defended himself until he was poisoned at length by the Popes means and then smothered by his Bastard Manfred This Pope was the only Patron of the four Orders of begging Locusts Dominicans Franciscans Carmelites and Augustines who hatched under him those addle Eggs of Summaries Sophisms Exorcisms Breviaries and the like he offered to sell the Kingdom of Sicily at a reasonable rate being none of his own to Henry the Third and quarrelled with our Robert Grostead Bishop of Lincoln who withstood him stoutly and contemned his Excommunication and after his death is said to have appeared to the Pope and that he struck him with his staff on his side and said Surge Miser veni in Judicium Arise wretched Man and come to Judgment after which the Pope in a few days ended his life and so the world was eased of this Tyrant Prideaux Introduct VII It was said of Pope Boniface the Eighth
and stabbed himself into the breast his Friends observing him to shrink down and the water discoloured with his blood ran to him took him up carried him to the next house and searched his wound but whil'st they were busie about him he espied a knife by one of their sides whereupon he plucked it forth and suddenly stabbed himself into the heart whereby he miserably died Acts Monuments XXI The Chancellor Oliver having against his Conscience renounced the Protestant Religion in France was restored to his former Estate and afterward became a very violent Persecutor shedding much innocent blood but such a fearful Judgment was denounced against him by those innocent Souls whom he condemned as struck him into so great dread and terrour that he presently fell sick and was surprized with such extream melancholy that sobbing out deep sighs and murmurings continually against God he so afflicted his half dead body that he was like a distracted Person yea his fits were so vehement that he would shake the Bed as if he had been young and strong and when a certain Cardinal came to visit him in his extremity he could not abide his sight his pains increasing thereby but cried out That it was the Cardinal who brought them all to damnation When he had been long tormented in this manner at last in extream anguish and terrour he gave up the Ghost Beards Theatre XXII King Henry the Fourth of France who had all his life time before been a Protestant yet after he came to the Crown of France when he had almost subdued all his Enemies which opposed him therein suddenly turned Papist not long after as he was taking his leave of his Nobles to begin his progress one John Castile influenced by the Jesuits intended to have stabbed him into the Body with a Knife but the King at the same instant stooping down to take up one of his Lords who was on his knees before him the blow happened upon his upper Jaw cutting out one of his Teeth and somewhat wounding his Tongue it is reported that in his Progress a Protestant Minister in private conference said unto him Sir you have denied God with your Tongue already and have now received a wound in the same take heed of denying him with your heart lest you receive a wound in that also which afterward proved a true Prophecy for riding abroad in his Coach to refresh himself as he passed through a narrow Street one Ravillack watched 〈…〉 portunity and with a Dagger stabbed him first into the left Pap and with a second blow struck him between the fifth and sixth Rib cutting asunder the vein which leads to the heart of which wound he immediately dyed De Serres Fr. Hist XXIII Among those who were most cruel in persecuting the poor Protestants at Valence in France at the same time when two Ministers of that City suffered Martyrdom there was one Lambespine a Councillor of the Parliament at Grenoble and one Porsennas the Kings Attorney who had formerly been Protestants but were now very active against them but they were both made dreadful Examples of Divine Vengeance for Lambespine falling in Love with a young Woman was so extreamly passionate therein that he left his Estate and Imployment to follow her up and down whithersoever she went and still seeing his love and labour despised and slighted he pined away with grief and grew so neglectful and careless of himself that multitudes of Lice bred and fed upon him so that he could no way be freed from them for they continually increased and issued out from all parts of his Body in such great numbers as Worms upon a rotten Carkass so that seeing his own misery feeling Gods heavy vengeance upon him he began to despair of mercy and was therefore desperately resolved to starve himself to death which purpose the Lice seemed to further for they clustered so thick in his Throat as if they would have choaked him every moment neither could he suffer any sustenance to pass down by reason of them and when some of his Friends being moved with compassion were resolved to force him to eat providing broths to that purpose he refused and strove against them so that they were forced to bind his Arms and put a Gag into his Mouth to keep it open while they poured in the food and being thus Gagged he died like a mad Beast the abundance of Lice that went down his throat choaking him which was so terrible an example that the very Papists themselves said As he had caused the Ministers of Valence to have Gags thrust into their mouths and so to be put to death so likewise he himself died with a Gag in his mouth Hist Fr. Persecut XXIV As for Porsennas commonly called Bourreel who was indeed a very Butcher to the poor Protestants After he had sold his own Estate and likewise his Wives and Friends to raise money to buy his Place hoping soon to get a great deal more by his accursed Office he found himself mightily disappointed whereby he shortly after fell into despair of God's Mercy and likewise into a strange and unknown Disease neither could those whom he had put to death depart out of his mind but he still imagined they presented themselves before him so that as one deprived of his reason he denied and defied the Almighty and called upon the Devil in a most horrible manner which his Clerk hearing he discoursed to him of the Mercies of God out of several places of Scripture to comfort and restore his decayed senses but instead of Returning to God by Repentance and Prayer he continued more obstinate and called to his Clerk saying Stephen Stephen Thou art black so I am and it please you quoth he but I am neither Turk nor Moor but a Gascoigne with red Hair No no said he not so but thou art black with sin That is true quoth he but I hope in the bountiful mercy of God that for the Love of Christ who died for me my black sins shall not be imputed to me Upon which he being more inraged called his Clerk Lutheran Hugonot Villain c. desiring his Friends who rushed in at the noise that Stephen should presently have bolts clapt on his Legs and be burnt for an Heretick In brief his Rage and Fury increased so much that in a short time he died a fearful death with horrible howlings and outcryes his Creditors scarce giving time to draw his Carcass out of his Bed before they seized upon all his Goods not leaving his poor Wife and Children so much as a Bed of Straw to lye on so grievous was the Curse of God upon him and his House Hist Persecut XXV A Smith in King Edward the Sixth's Time called Richard Denson was a zealous Professor of Religion and by his Christian Instructions the happy Instrument of converting a Young Man to the Faith Afterward in the Reign of Queen Mary this Young Man was cast into Prison for his Religion
done yet the Gate of Mercy is not quite shut heap not sin upon sin lest thou repentest when it is too late Now was Spira in a Maze not knowing which way to turn and when he came home he acquainted his Friends with what he had done at Venice and what he had promised to do there and how the terrours of God on the one side and the terrours of the World on the other did continually torment him they without more ado advised and by divers Arguments persuaded him to do what he had promised whereupon going to the Mayor he offered to do what was enjoyned him by the Legate but all that night the miserable Man was vexed with restless cares without a minute of sleep yet the next morning he gets up and desperately went into the publick Congregation and in the presence of the whole Assembly he recited his infamous abjuration of the Protestant Profession after which he was fined thirty pieces of Gold and so restored to his Dignities Goods Wife and Children As soon as he was departed he thought he heard this dreadful Sentence Thou wicked wretch thou hast denied me thou hast renounced the Covenant of thine Obedience thou hast broken thy Vow hence Apostate bear with thee the Sentence of thine Eternal Damnation Spira trembling and quaking afflicted in body and mind fell down in a swound and from that time forward he never found any ease or peace in his mind but professed That he was captivated under the revenging hand of the Almighty God that he continually heard the Sentence of Christ the just Judge against him when his Friends brought him able Physicians he said Alas poor men how far are you wide it is neither Plaister nor Drugs that can cure a wounded Soul cast down with the sense of Sin and the Wrath of God it 's Christ only that must be the Physician and the Gospel the sole Antidote he was about fifty years of Age his understanding active quick of apprehension witty in discourse above his ordinary manner he refused nourishment which his Friends forcing upon him he was very angry crying out You strive to make me tire out this misery I would fain be at an end O that I were gone from hence that some body would let out this weary Soul One asked what he conceived to be the cause of his disease upon which he brake out into a lamentable discourse of the passages formerly related and that with such passionate expressions as made many weep and most tremble his Friends minded him of several promises out of the Scripture and of many examples of Gods Mercy My Sins saith he are greater than the Mercy of God for I am one of those damned Reprobates whom God would not have to be saved since I willingly and against my knowledge denied Christ and I feel that he hardens me and will not suffer me to hope one time seeing a knife on the Table he snatched it up to have mischieved himself had not his Friends prevented it whereupon he said I would I were above God for I know that he will have no mercy upon me in this condition he lay about eight weeks in a continual burning neither desiring nor receiving any thing but by force and that without digestion was like an Anatomy vehemently raging for drink ever pining and yet fearful to live long dreadful of Hell yet coveting Death in a continual Torment yet his own Tormentor and thus consuming himself with Grief and Horrour Impatience and Despair like a living Man in Hell he represented an extraordinary example of Gods Justice and Power and thus he ended his miserable life Clarks Mirrour XXXI It is observable that most or all of those Roman Emperors who raised those ten horrid Persecutions against the Christians came to very untimely ends neither hath Divine Justice spared others since who have set themselves to destroy poor innocent Christians meerly upon the account of their Religion of which Histories give many remarkable instances and among the rest these that follow A Councillor of the Parliament of Provence in France was so furious against the poor Protestants that the sooner to dispatch them to the fire he usually staid in the Judgment Hall from morning till night causing his meat and drink to be brought him thither but whilst he was thus wickedly industrious in these Affairs there began a little sore to rise upon his Foot which at first was no more than if a Wasp had stung the place yet increased so extreamly the first day with redness and pain that his whole foot was inflamed therewith so that it was judged incurable unless he would cut off his foot and thereby save the rest of his Body which he not yielding to the next day his whole leg was infected the third day his thigh and the fourth his whole body was inflamed of which he presently died his Corps being all parched as if rosted by a Fire thus he that was so hot in burning poor Christians was himself by the secret flame of Gods Wrath burnt and consumed to death as if it had been by a fierce and tormenting fire Hist France lib. 2. XXXII John Mesnier Lord of Oppede was another chief instrument against the Protestants in France and led his murthering Army against them where they committed such horrid Cruelties and Barbarities as the most outragious Heathens in the world would have blushed at insomuch that abundance of complaints were made against him and he accordingly summoned to appear personally before the Parliament at Paris there to answer those Murders Extortions Robberies and other Villanies laid to his Charge but being Convicted and found Guilty thereof he was not only released but restored to his former Estate but though he escaped the hands of Men yet he was overtaken by the hand of God for when he was in the height of worldly prosperity and busier than ever in persecuting the distressed Protestants even then a flux of blood came through his privy parts which engendred a carnosity and thickness of flesh therein and thereby hindered his Urine so that with horrible outcries and raving speeches he gave up the Ghost feeling as it were a burning fire broyling his Intrails from his Navil upwards and an extream infection putrifying his lower parts and beginning to tast even in this life as it were that vengeance of Eternal Fire both in Soul and Body which is prepared for the Devil and his Angels Hist France XXXIII The Cardinal of Lorrain a Principal Pillar of the House of Guise in France and a crafty and cruel Persecutor of the Protestants as he was coming from Rome with a design to stir up the Kings of France and Poland utterly to root them out of their Dominions it pleased God for the deliverance of the Christians to strike him stark mad at Avignion by the way where he died in the flower of his youth at the instant of whose death there happened such an horrible Tempest that all the People
him in that danger that she took a Tyle and with both her hands threw it at Pyrrhus which glancing upon his Helmet break his Neek bone and slew him Plutarchs Lives VIII Aristippus a Tyrant of Argos left not an Enemy alive in the City and had Antigonus a Potent Prince for his Friend yet was he so fearful that he kept a great guard of Souldiers continually about him causing them to watch night and day and to lie about his Pallace in the Cloisters and Galleries adjacent after Supper he used to turn all his Men out of doors and then shutting his Court Gates to him he locked himself up only with his Concubine in a little high Chamber with a Trap door setting his bed every night over the door as one that was continually afraid of his life and when he was got up into his Chamber his Concubines Mother used to take away the Ladder and to look it up in another Chamber till the next morning yet notwithstanding all this extraordinary care and cautiousness his Enemies broke in upon him and slew him Plutarchs Lives IX Alexander a Tyrant in Thessaly was of so cruel a disposition that he neither regarded Reason nor Justice toward any for he caused some to be buried alive others he put into the skins of Bears and wild Boars and then set his Hounds upon them and one day as the Inhabitants of a certain City in League with him were assembled together in Council he caused his Guard to inclose them round suddenly and to kill them all not sparing the very Infants he consecrated the Dart wherewith he had slain his Uncle and crowned it with Garlands calling it the Happy Killer Being one time at a Tragedy where the miseries of Hecuba and Andromache were represented he could not forbear weeping and therefore went out of the place lest it should be observed by the People that he pitied these feigned sorrows who never had any compassion for the multitude of Citizens whom he had cruelly murdered now though this Tyger was continually guarded with Troops of Souldiers who kept watch about his Body night and day and had also a most furious Dog constantly waiting on him who was unacquainted with any but himself his Wife and one Servant who gave him his meat and was tyed to his Chamber door every night yet vengeance found him out for by his Wises means he was killed who taking away the Stairs of his Chamber let in three or four of her own Brethren with whom she had conspired to murther him who finding him fast asleep one took him by the heels and another by the hair of the head and wrung his neck behind the third thrust him through with a Sword she all this while giving them light to dispatch their business the Citizens of Pheres having notice hereof got the dead body which they drew about the Streets and having kicked abused trampled upon it and drawn it through the mire and dirt they threw it out to be devoured of the Dogs so odious was the remembrance of his Tyranny among them Plut. Lives X. Nero that Monster of Men was well educated under Burrhus and Seneca and for the first five years behaved himself very well so that Trajan used to say That all the Emperors came short of Nero's first five years but afterward he fell into all manner of Wickedness and Debauchery his manner was to come into the publick Theaters and there to spend some days in singing and he scarce took delight in any thing so much as the applause of the Vulgar and the Crowns which they gave him for his sâ—nging and playing on the Harp At other times he would have them come and see his skill dexterity in driving of Chariots at Naples he came with his Harp into the publick Theatre afterward he used publickly to sing at Rome and Athens and would not suffer any to depart out of the Theatre whil'st he was singing what necessary occasion soever they had insomuch that Women with Child were sometimes delivered in the Theatre and others being tyred with hearing and commending him the doors being shut would get over the walls or seem to be dead that they might be carried out he caused his Statue to be made in the habit of an Harper and all his Coin with the like he exercised his Lust Luxury Covetousness and Cruelty at first privately but soon after more openly when it began to be dark he would go to the Taverns and Victualling-Houses and run about the Streets doing mischief to many by beating and abusing them and sometimes if they resisted throwing them into Privies sometimes he would break open Shops and rob them and in his quarrels often endangered his life he was once beaten to death almost by a man whose Wife he had abused after which he had Tribunes following him at a little distance he used to lengthen out his Feasts from the midst of the day to the midst of the night and would oftentimes sup in publick being attended with the most famous Whores and Women Pipers about the City He was given to Sodomy and caused the Genitals of a Boy called Sporus to be cut off and endeavoured to have made him a Woman causing him to be dressed and brought to him like a Bride whereupon one merrily said That it had been well for the world if Nero's Father had had such a Wife He committed Incest with his own Mother Agrippina He caused one Pythagoras to marry him as he himself had married Sporus He invented such Bestialities to be committed by Men and Women as are not fit to be named He murdered his Wife Octavia by whom he had the Empire and soon after married Poppaea Sabina whom he took from her Husband a Roman Knight and loved her dearly yet when she was great with Child he coming home late one night from his Chariot-driving and she blaming him for it he so kicked her on the Belly that he killed her He was of a most cruel and bloody disposition he hastened the death of Claudius by Poison which he would often boast of afterward and exceedingly rail against him though he received the Empire from him before which Agrippina his Mother went to an Astrologer to know the fortune of her Son Nero who told her He should be Emperour but he should be the death of her to which she replied Let him kill me so he does but Reign The first part of the Prognostication she saw accomplished and the last now followed for having attempted by Poison and divers other waies to take away her life which did not succeed he sent a Centurion to murther her Agrippina seeing him coming toward her with his drawn Sword took up her cloths exposed her naked Belly to him bidding him strike that since her womb had brought forth such a Monster into the world After she was slain Nero came to view her naked Body and her wounds and without any concernment villanously said I did not think I
had been born of so beautiful a Mother He then caused her womb to be ript up that he might see the place wherein himself had lain After which horrid fact he was continually tormented with the sting of his own conscience and protested That his Mother often appeared to him with burning Torches lashing him for that cruel Murder yet he still continued his cursed Butcheries He murthered his Aunt Domitia and because Antonia the Daughter of Claudius refused to marry him he caused her to be slain pretending that she went about to make some Innovations in the State He hired Conjurers to lay the Ghost of his Mother He caused Crisoinus his Son-in-law by Poppaea to be drowned as he was fishing He slew many others who by blood affinity were near to him He murthered Aulus Plancus a young man after he had by violence committed Sodomy with him He forced his Master Seneca to murther himself though he had often sworn to him he would not do it and that he would sooner perish himself than do him any hurt and he sent Poison to his other Master Burrhus Divers of his Rich Freed men and other Old men who had helped him to the Empire and favoured him therein he murdered by mixing Poison either in their meat or drink Neither was he less cruel to others especially after two Conspiracies were discovered against him and some of the Conspirators confessed the Fact saying That they knew not how otherwise than by his death to free him from all that wickedness wherewith he had dâ—filed himself And Nero asking Sulpâ—tius Aper a Centurion why he conspired against him he answered Because I knew not how by any other means to do thee a kindness After this he raged more extreâ—mly against all sorts of Persons setting no bounds to his Cruelty but murthering whom he pleased He gave not above an hours space to any of those whom he commanded to kiâ—â— themselves to prepare for dâ—ath and had Chirurgions ready to cut all their veins if they made any delay His Profuseness and Prodigality ansâ—ered his Cruelâ—y for it was without all measure saying often That those who proportioned their Expences to their Incomes were sordid and covetous and that they only who most profusely and prodigally wasted their Estates were magnificent and praise-worthy He never put on the same Apparel twice He was very extravagant in costly Buildings and when his Treasury was exhausted he endeavoured by Rapine and Forgeries to enrich himself He never conferred an Office upon any man but he would say to him Thou knowest what I want let us make it our business that none may have any thing but our selves He took the curious and costly Images of the Heathen Gods of Gold and Silver out of the Temple and sold them and as he spared not men so neither did he spare the City of Rome for being displeased with the Building narrowness and crookedness of the Streets he sent some Villains who made it their business to run up and down and set the City on fire and whilst it was all in a flame he went up to the top of Moecenas his Tower to feed his Eyes with that pleasant sight and in a Players Habit tuned his Harp and sung a song of the burning of Troy and when he afterward heard how ill he was spoken of for this Act he raised a Report that it was done by the Christians and thereupon used all manner of Cruelty toward them and exposed them to the fury of the People who horridly tormented them as if they had been common Burners and Destroyers of Cities and the deadly Enemies of Humane Society Yea Nero himself caused some of them to be cloathed in wild Beasts skins and torn to pieces with Dogs others were crucified some he made Bonfires of to light him in his night sports In brief such exquisite Torments he put them to as caused their Enemies themselves to pity them and whereas Tiberius used to say After my death let the World be destroyed by Fire Pestilence Famine c. Yea said Nero let it be destroyed in my Life time that I may be a spectator of it But Almighty Justice at last overtook him for being adjudged by the Senate to be an Enemy to Mankind it was condemned to be whipt to death through the streets of Rome and all his Armies and Forces forsaking him to avoid this shameful and ignominious death he fled and hid himself among Briers and Thorns and being weary of his life desired some of his Attendants to kill him which they refusing he cryed out I have neither a Friend nor an Enemy miserable man that I am and thereupon threw himself into a Pit four foot deep and there desperately slew himself Sueton. XI Tigellinus one of the Captains of Nero's Guard had been a principal abettor and encourager of him in his Tyrannies and the chief cause of the death of many great Personages in Rome enriching himself with their spoils and the Robberies he committed After the death of Nero whom in his extremity he forsook he plunged himself wallowed in all manner of filthiness and debauchery now though he was worthy of a thousand deaths for his Cruelties toward many worthy Citizens yet by bribing some of the chief Favourites of the succeeding Emperor Galba he escaped being questioned but as soon as Otho was installed in the Empire his destruction soon followed for to gratify the Romans Otho sent to apprehend him who was then in his Banquetting Houses in the Fields rioting and sporting with his Harlots and finding himself thus surprized and that he had no way to make his escape though he had prepared Boats on purpose to carry him away in any danger and not being able to bribe the Messenger sent to take him though he offered him great rewards he intreated only the favour to shave his beard before he went which being granted he took a rasor and instead of shaving cut his own throat Beards Theatre XII Antonius Heliogabalus Emperor of Rome was infamous for Cruelty Gluttony Lust and all manner of wickedness and his death was answerable to his life he had his name from an Idol of the Sun whose Priest he had been in Syria and being exceeding rich by his profuse gifts to his Souldiers he procured himself to be chosen Emperor and sending Messengers thereof to Rome he was by the Senate accepted such was the luxurious pomp of this Beastly Emperor that he used Balm in his Lamps and filled his Fishponds with Rosewater his Garments were of the finest Gold and the most costly â—â—lk his Shoes glistered with precious stones curiously ingraven he was never two days served with one kind of meat nor wore one Garment twice he doted exceedingly upon his Mother with whom he committed Incest and did all by her appointment and was the first that brought a Woman into the Senate causing his Mother to sit in one of the Consuls Seats he erected a Senate of Women wherein many
which Preacheth Christ must alwaies have a Tongue to be the Minister The Captain at this grew even distracted suspecting that the Hangman had deceived him by some slight of hand and had not cut his Tongue off If you suppose so saith the Executioner open his mouth and you may see the Roots of his Tongue Whereupon the Captain being even confounded at the courage and constancy of the Martyr commanded him to be brought back to Prison and to be strangled where his sorrowful life and pains ended together and he received the Crown of Martyrdom Acts and Monuments 1 Part. About this time one Gordius a Centurion upon professing himself to be a Christian was apprehended and boldly acknowledged That he believed in Christ and valued not what they could inflict on him for this his Profession then did the Sheriff call for Scourges Gibbets and all manner of Torments to whom Gordius said That it would be a loss and damage to him if he did not suffer divers torments and punishments for Christ and his Cause The Sheriff more incensed hereby commanded all those torments to be inflicted on him with which Gordius was nothing disturbed but sung The Lord is my helper I will not fear what Man can do unto me I will fear no evil because thou Lord art with me Then he blamed the Tormentors for favouring of him provoking them to do their utmost the Sheriff not prevailing that way sought by flattery to seduce him promising him Preferment Riches and Honour if he would deny Christ but Gordius derided him as foolishly mad saying That he looked for greater preferment in Heaven than he could give him here on Earth He was then condemned and carryed out of the City to be burnt multitudes followed him and some kissing him intreated him with Tears to pity himself to whom he answered Weep not I pray you for me but weep for the Enemies of God who fight against the Christians weep I say for them who prepare a fire for us purchasing Hell fire thereby for themselves in the day of vengeance and cease I pray you thus to molest my setled and quiet mind for truly for the name of Christ I am ready to suffer a thousand deaths Others persuaded him to deny Christ with his mouth and to keep his conscience to himself My Tongue saith he which by God's goodness I have cannot be brought to deny the Author and giver of the same for with the heart we believe unto Righteousness and with the Tongue we confess unto Salvation And thus persuading and incouraging the People to be willing to die in the like Cause with an unappaled countenance he gave up his body to the Flames Acts and Monuments 1. P. Menas also a Souldier by profession forsook all and went into a Desart where he gave himself to Fasting Prayer Meditation and Reading of the Scriptures at last returning into the City of Cotis when the People were at their pastimes he with a loud voice proclaimed himself to be a Christian and thereupon was carryed before the President and being demanded concerning his Faith he said It is convenient that I confess God in whom is light and no darkness For with the heart we believe to Righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto Salvation Then he was tormented with divers Tortures which he regarded not saying There is nothing in my mind that can be compared to the Kingdom of Heaven neither is all the world if it were weâ—ghed in a ballance comparable to the price of one soul And farther said Who can separate us from the Love of Christ Can Tribulation or Auguish c. And again I have learned of my Lord Christ not to fear them that can kill the Body and have no power to kill the Soul Having endured a multitude of Torments he received Sentence of Death and at the place of Execution he said I give thee thanks my Lord God who hast aceepted me to be a partaker of thy precious Death and hast not suffered me to be devoured of my fierce Enemies but hast made me constant in thy True Faith unto the end And so he lost his Head but found a Crown of Glory Acts and Monuments 1. P. Amongst others forty young Gentlemen that were Souldiers freely confessed themselves to be Christians declaring to the Marshal their names who being amazed at their boldness was in doubt what to do he endeavoured with flatteries and promises of preferment to win them persuading them to consider their youth not to change a pleasant life for a painful untimely death But they couragiously replied They neither desired money honour nor life but only the Coelestial Kingdom of Christ for the love of which they were ready to endure the Wheel Cross Fire or any other Torment The Marshal being much offended herewith devised a new Torment for espying a Pond in the Street that lay open to the North-wind it being in the cold Winter time he caused them to be put into it all night but they being joyful comforted one another as they put off their Cloaths saying We put not off now our Old Cloaths but our Old Man corrupted with the deceits of concupiscence for which we bless and praise God for by means of the Serpent we once put on the Old Man but by the means of Jesus Christ we now put him off Then were they brought naked and put into the vehement cold water where they were kept till the morning so that all their Members were stark and stiff therewith and as soon as it was day they having breath yet remaining in them were brought to the fire wherein they were consumed to Ashes which were thrown into the Flood It happened that one of the company being more lively and not so near death as the rest the Executioners pitied him and delivered him to his Mother who stood by to save his life but she led him to the piles of Wood where the other starved creatures lay ready to be burnt admonishing and exhorting him to accomplish the Blessed Journey he had taken in hand which accordingly he did and was burnt with his Companions Acts Monu A noble Virgin also named Eulalia suffered about this time she was not above twelve years of Age and had great offers of Marriage made to her but she observing the courage of the Christians was very desirous to join her self with them for which end she prayed fervently to God for strength and faith to enable her thereunto but her Religious Parents fearing that her zeal might make her guilty of her own death kept her close at their Country house a great way from the City where she continued for a while but at last detesting any delay she went from her Fathers house by night and travelled all alone through by-ways with much danger and weariness toward the City whither she came in the morning and going before the Judge with a loud voice she said What ashame is it for you thus wickedly to
Upon which he was apprehended and committed to Newgate arraigned by his own Confession condemned and hanged first on a Gibbet and after at Milend in Chains Thus we see the Devil seldom or never leaves his Ministers and Servants especially in this horrid case of Murther without shame and vengeance Beards Theatre XXXI Another strange but true Relation I shall instance of a young Gentleman of a good Estate and Parentage whose name for the sake of his worthy Relations I shall conceal This Gentleman being a Cambridge Scholar and of a great Spirit and very stout body could not contain himself within his allowance but being a Fellow Commoner he spent much above it so that to preserve his credit in the Town he having a good Horse would many times ride out and take a Purse on the Highway in which course he continued about a year without the least suspition at length his quarterage not being come from his Father and wanting mony to supply his ordinary Riots he puts himself into a disguise and riding over Newmarket Heath he discovers a Prize that is a Serving man with a Cloakbag behind him and seeing him single he made up and bid him stand and deliver the other unacquainted with that Language answered He had but little mony which he was loth to part with Then thou must fight for it said the Scholar content saith the other they both drew and fought stoutly but the honest Servingman was unhappily slain the other being only slightly wounded took away his Cloakbag and binding it behind his own Horse rid towards the University and having set up his Horse in the Town carried the Portmantle to his Chamber which he had no sooner opened but he found a Letter directed to him from his Father signifying that he had sent him his quarterly allowance by his own faithful Servant whom he had lately entertained upon the commendation of a dear Friend wishing his Son to entertain him kindly for his sake which when he had read and considered all the wicked circumstances of this adventure he was strangely altered and fell into a deep melancholy in short the Robbery and Murther were both discovered and the Lord Chief Justice Popham then riding that Circuit whose near Kinsman he was he was arraigned and condemned at Cambridge Assizes and though great Intercession was made for his Pardon yet none could prevail for the Judge forgetting all manner of Alliance would neither commiserate his Youth nor want of discretion but caused him without any respect of Persons to be hanged among the common Malefactors Beards Theatre XXXII Johannes Pontanus and Johannes Budeus give a very strange account of a malicious Servant whom the Devil had possest with his own cursed Spirit of Cruelty this Person having taken a virulent spleen against his Master for some rough usage was resolved to be revenged and therefore watching his opportunity when the Master and the rest of the Family were abroad he shut and barricado'd all the doors about the House and then broke open the Chamber upon his Mistriss and after he had abused and affronted her he bound her hand and foot and so left her groveling upon the ground then this limb of the Devil took her three Children the eldest not being seven years old and carried them up to the battlements and when he espied his Master coming home he called to him and first threw down one Child and then another from the top of the House to the pavement whereby their bodies were miserably shattered dasht to pieces and then held up the other in his arms to do the like at which sight the miserable Father being extreamly stupified as well he might fell upon his Knees and humbly besought the bloody Villain To spare the life of the third and he would pardon him the death of the 2 former to which the barbarous wretch replyed There was but one way in the world for him to redeem its life the indulgent Father with Tears and intreaties desired to know what that way was who presently replyed That he should instantly with his knife cut off his Nose for there was no other ransom for the Child The passionate Father who dearly tendered the safety of his Child having now no more left agrees to the condition and disfigured and dishonoured his face according to the Covenant made betwixt them which was no sooner done but this inhumane Imp of Hell fell into a loud scornful laughter at which while the Father stood amazed he flung the Child which he held in his Arms after the rest and then most desperately cast himself after preventing a worse death and such was the end of this arch limb of Satan and the fruits of malice and revenge Beards Theatre XXXIII Joanes Gygas gives this following dreadful Relation A Noble and Virtuous Lady had a Chamber-Maid of an idle and passionate disposition and a very ill Tongue it happened upon some great provocation her Mistress struck her a box on the Ear at which she fell down as if she had been slain and using many despiteful words against her Lady told her That blow should never be forgot nor forgiven and the Devil took occasion from hence to tempt her to accuse her Lady of Adultery thereupon taking a fit opportunity when her Lord was in private she abruptly began thus Noble Sir Pray pardon my boldness I have a great secret to acquaint you with were I assured you would not reveal it and thereby that punishment should fall upon me which is deserved by others wherewith this Crocodile wept and her Lord being very desirous to know what it was vowed secrecy I know Sir said she that you are satisfied and confident of the Modesty and Chastity of your Lady but to my great sorrow I speak it she violates your Bed and that not with a Gentleman of any fashion or quality but with one of the Grooms of your Stable but I most humbly beseech your Honour to keep it private till I make you an Eye-witness thereof And here she broke off abruptly as if tears had prevented her discourse The Nobleman was herewith very strangely surprized having observed nothing but tenderness and affectionate kindness in his Lady toward him nor could he ever tax her with the least wanton carriage or lascivious glance yet he remembred when he went out early to Hunt or Hauk or survey his Parks and Grounds he found her many times hardly up or ready to go to Breakfast when he came back and his jealousie suggested to him that in this time this wickedness might be committed and growing full of thoughts he left her The Wench or Devils Agent let slip no occasion to prosecute the mischief she had begun therefore seeing her Lord coming towards his house from his sports early one morning and knowing her Lady was then in Bed she ran presently to the Stable and told one of the Grooms That he must run immediately into his Ladies Chamber for She had
days after these murdering Thieves drinking in an Inn a company of Crows came and lighted upon the top of the House whereupon the Thieves began to laugh and one of them said Look yonder are they which must revenge his death whom we lately slew the Tapster over-hearing their discourse relates it to the Magistrate who caused them to be apprehended and upon their disagreeing Speeches contrary Answers urged them so far that they confessed the Truth and received their deserved punishment Wanly Hist Man XXXVIII Ibycus the Poet was set upon by Thieves in hope of prey seeing their knives at his throat he called to some Cranes which he then saw flying over his head that they would revenge his death these Murderers afterward sitting in the Market place a flock of Cranes again flew over them upon which one of them said Behold the revengers 〈◊〉 Ivycus this saying was catched up by some present upon which they were suspected of his murder examined by torture confessed the Fact and were executed Fitzherbert Rel. Policies XLII In the second year of King James a strange accident happened to the Terrour of all bloudy murderers John Waters of Lower Darwen in the County of Lancaster Gardner was by reason of his Trade much absent from his Family In which his absence his Wife not without cause was suspected of incontinency with one Giles Haworth of the same Town This Giles Haworth and Water's Wife conspired and contrived the Death of Waters in this manner they contracted with one Ribchester a poor man to kill Waters and as soon as Waters came home and went to bed Giles Haworth and Water's Wife conducted the hired Executioner to the said Waters who seeing him so innocently laid between his two small Children Twins about half an year old in bed repented of his Enterprize and totally refused to kill him Giles Haworth displeased at the raint hartedness of Ribchester takes the Ax into his own hands and dashed out his Brains The murderer buried him in a Cow-house Waters being long missing the Neighborhoud asked his wife for him she denyed that she knew where he was Thereupon publick search was made for him in all Pits round about least he should casually have fallen into any of them It happened that Thomas Haworth of that Town was for many nights together much troubled with broken sleeps and dreams of the Murder he revealed his dreams to his Wife but she labored to conceal them a long time This Thomas Haworth had occasion to pass by the house every day where the Murder was done and did call and inquire for Waters as often as he went near the house One day he went into the house to ask for him and there was a Neighbor who said to him It 's said Waters lies under this Stone pointing to the Hearth-stone to which Tho. Haworth replyed And I have dreamed that he is under a Stone not far distant The Constable of the Town being by accident there urged Haworth to discover at large what he had dreamed which he accordingly did I have quoth he many a time within this eight weeks for so long it was since the Murder dreamed very restlesly that Waters was murdered and buried under a broad stone in the Cow-house I have told my troubled dreams to my Wife alone but she refuses to let me make it known but I am not able to conceal my dreams any longer my sleep departs from me I am pressed and troubled with fearful dreames which I cannot bear any longer and they increase upon me The Constable hearing this made search immediately upon it and found as he had dreamed the murdered body eight weeks buried under a flat stone in the Cow-house Ribchester and Giles Haworth fled and never came again Anne Waters the Wife being apprehended confessed the murder and the former Circumstances and was burned for the same Webster of Witchcraft 296. XLIII About the year 1623. One Fletcher of Rascal a Town in the North Riding of Yorkshire a Yeoman of a good Estate married a lusty young Woman from Thornton Brigs who had formerly been kind with one Ralph Raynard who kept an Inn within half a mile from Rascal in the high Road betwixt York and Thuske his Sister living with him This Raynard continued in unlawful Lust with Fletchers Wife and not content therewith conspired the Death of Fletcher one Mark Dunn being made privy and hired to assist in the murther which Raynard and Dunn accomplished upon May-day by drowning him as they were travelling all three together from a Town called Huby and acquainting the Wife with the deed she gave them a Sack therein to convey his body which they did and buried it in Raynards Backside or Croft where an old Oak had been stubbed up and sowed Mustardseed in the place thereby to hide it They then continued their wicked course of Lust and Drunkenness and the Neighbours did much wonder at Fletchers absence but his wife excused it and said he was only gone aside for fear of some writs being served upon him and so it continued till about July 7. after when Raynard going to Topcliff-Fair and setting up his Horse in the Stable the Spirit of Fletcher in his usual shape and habit did appear unto him and said Oh Ralph repent repent for my revenge is at hand and ever after until he was put in the Goal the spirit seemed continually to stand before him whereby he became sad and restless and his own Sister over-hearing his Confession and Relation of it to another Person did through fear of losing her own life immediately reveal it to Sir William Sheffeild who lived in Rascal whereupon Raynard Dunn and the Wife were all three apprehended and sent to the Goal at York where they were Condemned and Executed near the place where Raynard lived and Fletcher was buried the two men being hung up in Chains and the woman burned under the Gallows I have recited this story punctually as a thing that hath been very much fixed in my memory being then but young and a certain Truth I being with many more an Ear-witness of their Cofessions and an Eye-witness of their Executions and likewise saw Fletcher when he was taken up where they had buried him in his clothes which were a green sustain Doublet pinkt upon white gray Breeches and his walking Boots and brass Spurs without rowels Webster of Witchcraft 298. XLIV About the year 1632. There lived one Walker near Chester in the street who was a Yeoman of a good Estate and a Widower He had a young Kinswoman to keep his house who was by the Neighbours suspected to be with Child and was sent away one Evening in the dark with one Mark Sharp a Collier and was not heard of nor little notice taken of her till a long time after one James Graham a Miller who lived two miles from Walkers house being one night alone very late in his Mill grinding Corn about twelve a Clock at night the doors
Fetters mount from thy Body and go thy way Oâ—â— of his Life p. VII Hâ—â—o Grotius the greatest Schollar that his Age boasted of after so many Embassys happily performed abroad and as many Transactions well managed at home After an exact survey of all the Hebrew Greek and Latin Learning after an unanswerable Treatise of the Truth of the Christian Religion and many other Elaborate Discourses in Divinity and other parts of Learning concluded his Life with this Protestation That he would give all his Learning and Honour for the plain Integrity and harmless innocence of John Urick who was a devout poor man that spent Eight hours of his time in Prayer Eight in Labour and but Eight in Sleep and other necessaries He also made this complant to another who admired his astonishing Industry Ah! Vitam perdidi operose nihil agendo Ah! I have lost my Life in doing nothing industriously and gave this direction only to another who desired it as knowing his great Wisdom and Learning Be serious When he was on his Death-Bed he sent for a Minister professing himself to be the poor Publican saying That he had nothing to trust to but the Mercy of God in Jesus Christ and wishing that all the world saw as much reason in Religion as he did Dying Mens words p. 162. VIII Salmasius that Excellent French Schollar whom the Learned men of his time never mention without such Expressions as these vir nunquam satis laudatus c. A man never enough to be praised nor to be mentioned without admiration went out of the World with these words in his mouth Oh I have lost a world of Time Time that most precious thing in the world whereof had I but one year longer it should be spent in Davids Psalms and St. Pauls Epistles Oh Sirs said he to these about him mind the World less and God more all the Learning in the world without true Piety and the Fear of God is nothing worth The fear of the Lord that is Wisdom and to depart from Evil that is understanding Ibidâ—m p. 161. IX Sir Francis Walsingham Secretary of State in Queen Elizabeths Reign toward the latter end of his Life writ to the Lord Chancellor Burleigh to this purpose We have lived enough to our Countrey to our Fortunes and to our Soveraign it is high time we begin to live to our selves and to our God in the multitude of Assairs that passed through our hands there must be some miscarriages for which a whole Kingdom cannot make our peace And being observed to be more melancholy than usual some Court Humorists were sent to divert him Ah said Sir Francis while we laugh all things are serious round about us God is serious when he preserveth us and hath patience toward us Christ is serious when he dyeth for us the Holy Ghost is serious when he striveth with us the Holy Scripture is serious when it is read before us Sacraments are serious when they are administred to us The whole Creation is serious in serving God and us those that are in Heaven and Hell are serious and shall a man that hath one foot in the grave jest and laugh Wanly Hist Man p. 646. X. Sir Tho. Smith after he had many years served Q. Elizabeth also as Secretary of State and done many considerable Services to the Kingdom A quarter of a year before he dyed layd aside all publick Imployment and discharging all his worldly Affairs and Attendants sent to two Reverend Divines his singular good Friends intreating them to draw him out of the word of God the plainest and axactest way of making his peace with God and living Godly in this present world adding That it was great pity men knew not or at least did not seriously consider to what end they were born into this world till they were ready to go out of it Fair warning p. 168. XI Doctor Donne a Person of as great Parts and Spirit as any this Nation ever beheld when he was upon his Death-bed took his solemn farewell of his most considerable Friends leaving this with them I repent of all my Life but that part of it which I spent in communion with God and doing good That Person in a dying hour shall wish himself not a man who hath not been a good Christian Idem p. 164. XI Arch-Bishop Vsher that Famous Learned and most pious Divine after his indefatigable pains as a Christian a Schollar a Bishop and a Preacher went out of the world with this Prayer Lord forgive me my sins of Omission and desired to dye as Mr. Perkins did imploring the mercy and favour of God Idem p. 164. XIII Sir Philip Sydney a Subject indeed of England but they say chosen King of Poland whom Q. Elizabeth called Her Philip and the Prince of Orange called his Master whose Friendship the Lord Brooks was so proud of that he would have this to be part of his Epitaph Here lyeth Sir Philip Sidneys Friend whose Death was lamented in Verse by the then Kings of France and Scotland and the two Universities of England This great man lamented so much at his Death the innocent vanity of his Life in writing his Arcadia that to prevent the unlawful kindling of heats in others he would have committed it to the Flames himself and left this farewel among his Friends Love my Memory cherish my Friends their Faith to me may â—ssure you they are honest but above all govern your Will and Affections by the Will and Word of your Creator and in me behold the end of this world and all its vanities Ibidem p. 136. XIV Sir Henry Wotton after his many years study with great proficiency and applause in the University his near Relation to the great Favourite the E. of Essex his intimacy with the Duke of Tuscany and James the 6th King of Scotland his Embassyes to Holland Germany Venice c. was only ambitious of the Provostship of Eaton being exceeding desirous to retire thither to injoy his beloved Study and Devotion saying often That this was the happiest time of his life it being the utmost happiness which a man could attain to to be at leasure to be and to do good never reflecting on the spending of his former years without tears and would often say How much time have I to repent of and how little to do it in Idem p. 154. XV. Sir John Mason Privy Councellor to King Hen. 8. and K. Edw. 6. upon his death-Bed called for his Clerk and Steward to whom he spake to this purpose I have seen five Princes and been Privy Councellor to four I have seen the most observable matters in Forreign parts and been present at most Transactions for 30 years together and I have learned this after many years experience that Seriousness is the greatest wisedom Temperance the best Physick and a good Conscience is the best Estate and were I to live again I would change the Court for a Church my Privy
Luther in his Exposition upon the Corinthians gives this Relation That a certain debauched Person of a very wicked Life and of such evil Education that at every word he spake almost the Devil was in his mouth for which practice though he was often reproved by his Neighbours and exhorted to correct and amend so vile and detestable a Custom yet it was all to no purpose Continuing therefore in this damnable practice it happened that as he was one time passing over a Bridge he fell down and in his fall he cryed out Hoist up with an hundred Devils which he had no sooner uttered but the Devil whom he had called for so oft was at his Elbow who presently strangled him and carryed him away with him John Wierus gives an Account also to this purpose That in the year 1551. at Megalopole near Voildstat it happened that the People being drinking and carousing at Whitsuntide a Woman in the company commonly named the Devil in her Oaths till he that had been called upon so often came on a sudden and carried her thorow the Gate aloft into the Air before all the company who ran out in great astonishment to see whether he would transport her and observed her hanging in the Air without the Town and then falling down on the ground they found her stark dead Wierus XII The same Author affirms That about this time there dwelt in a City of Savoy a man who was of a very vicious conversation and likewise a monstrous Swearer who put many good men to much fruitless pains in admonishing and reproving him for his wicked behaviour for he would give no ear to them nor in the least reform his waies now it happened that the Plague was in the City and he was infected therewith and therefore himself his wife kinswoman withdrew themselves apart into a Garden-house that he had yet in this his Extremity did not the Ministers forsake him but continually exhorted him to Repentance and to discover to him his grievous Offences but he was so far from being moved with these Religious Admonitions that he seemed daily more and more to harden himself in his ill course of life therefore hastening his own destruction it happened one day as he was swearing denying God and giving himself to the Devil and calling for him with horrid vehemency behold the Devil appeared and suddenly snatching him up carryed him into the Air his wife and kinswoman looking on and seeing him fly over their heads In this his swift transportation his Cap fell off his Head and was found at Rosne but himself was never after seen nor heard of The Magistrate being advertised hereof came to the place where he was taken up to be better informed of the Truth and took the Depositions of the two Women upon Oath of what they had seen By this we may see the terrible yet just Vengeance of God upon such Wretches and it may be a warning to those who are so inspired by Satan that they cannot speak but they must name him who is both an Enemy to God and Man instead of commending themselves to God and praying for his Grace and Assistance John Wierus de Spirit XIII Martin Luther in his Table-talk mentions this Remarkable History There was a Popish Priest who had formerly been a Protestant and Apostatized to Popery as Adam Budissina testifies This Priest thundered out most bitter curses against Luther in the Pulpit Preaching at a Town called Ruthnerwald and among the rest he wished That if Luther's Doctrine were true a Thunderbolt might strike him to death Now about three daies after there arose a mighty Tempest with Thunder and Lightning whereat this cursed Priest was extreamly afraid his guilty conscience accusing him that he had spoken falsly and maliciously against the Truth and thereupon he ran with all speed into the Church and there fell to his Prayers before the Altar but the Vengeance of Heaven found out his Hypocrisie for he was there struck with Lightning and though they with much difficulty recovered life in him yet as he was led homeward through the Church-yard another flash fell upon him in such a manner that he was burnt from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot as black as a Shoe dying with a manifest mark of Divine Justice upon him Luthers Col. Men. XIV Theodorus Beza gives an Account of two 〈◊〉 â—ble Instances of the severity of God's Judgment upon a Curser and a Perjured Person of his own knowledge I knew said he a man in France of good understanding well instructed in Religion and a Master of a Family who in his anger cursing and bidding the Devil take one of his Children had presently his wish answered for his Child was immediately possessed with an Evil Spirit from which though by the fervent and continual Prayers of good Christians he was at length released yet ere he had fully recovered himself he died The like we read to have happened to a Woman whom her Husband in great rage devoted with bitter Curses to the Devil upon which Satan immediately assaulted her and robbed her of her Wits so that she could never be recovered Another Example saith he happened not far from hence even in this Country upon a Perjurer who forswore himself intending thereby to prejudice and deceive another but he had no sooner made an end of his false Oath ere a grievous Apoplexy seized upon him so that without ever speaking one word more he soon after miserably died Beza Homiliae XV. Strange and terrible is that which happened at Noeburg in Germany to a Son who was cursed by his Mother in her Anger wishing and praying to God that she might never see him return alive which accordingly happened for the same day the young man bathing himself in the Water was drowned and never returned to his Mother alive according to her ungodly wish Theat Hist Henry Earl of Schwartzenburg through a corrupt custom used commonly to wish he might be drowned in a Privy and as he wished so it happened to him for in the year 1148. he being in St. Peter's Cloister in the City of Erford with Frederick Emperour of Germany the Emperour had occasion to go to the Privy whither he was followed by some of his Nobles and Schwartzenbourg among the rest when suddenly the floor that was under them began to sink the Emperour immediately took hold of the Iron Grates of a window whereat he hung by the hands till some came and succoured him some of the Gentlemen fell to the bottom and were drowned and amongst others this Henry Earl of Schwartzenburg Wanley Hist Man A young Courtier at Mansfield used upon any earnest asseveration to say The Devil take me if it be not so and the Devil indeed took him while he slept and threw him out of an high window where through by God's good Providence be escaped with his life yet he learnt by experience to bridle his Tongue from all
came loaden with Fruit not for our own liquorishness but even to throw to the Hogs and all this we did not because we might do it but because we would Behold my heart O Lord behold my heart which thou hast pity upon in the very bottom of the bottomless Pit For I most wretched Young Fellow unhappy that I was I was unhappy in the very entrance into my Youth It is true I begged Chastity at thy hands and said Give me Chastity and Continency but do not give it me yet for I was afraid that thou wouldst hear me too soon and too soon deliver me from my Disease of Incontinency which my desire was rather to have satisfied than extinguished But now was the day come wherein I was to be set naked before my self and when mine own Conscience was to convince me for I found a vast Tempest in my own Soul which hurried me into a Garden where I might be only with my self at which time I was most soberly mad being sensible enough what piece of misery I at present was but utterly ignorant how good I was shortly to grow I sat me down fretted in Spirit and angry at my self with a most Tempestuous Indignation for that I went not about to make my Peace and League with thee my God which all my bones cryed out upon me to do extolling it to the very Skies upon which giving liberty to my tears the flouds of mine Eyes gushed out which was an acceptable Sacrifice to thee O Lord and then I cryed out How long How long O Lord wilt thou be angry for ever still to morrow to morrow why not now Wherefore in this very hour is there not an end put to my uncleanness Thus much I uttered weeping in the bitter contrition of my heart when behold I heard a voice as of a Boy or Child that seemed to come from some Neighbouring house which said in a singing Tune Take up and read Take up and read which was often repeated Instantly hereupon I changed my Countenance and began to consider whether Children were used to sing any such words but I could not remember to have ever heard the like whereupon drying up the violent Torrent of my Tears I got me up interpreting it no other way but that I was from God himself commanded to open the book and to read that Chapter which I should first light upon Hastily therefore I went where I had left the Apostles Book and snatching it up opened it and in silence read that Chapter which I first cast mine eyes upon Not in riating and drunkenness not in chambring and wantonness not in strife and envying but put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ and make not provision for the flâ—sh to fulfil the Lusts thereof No further would I read nor needed I for instantly with the end of this sentence a Divine beam of Light Comfort and Peace darted into my heart and all the darkness of doubting vanished away and thou O my dear Lord didst thereby so throughly convert me to thy self as that I have no other hopes nor thoughts in this world but of thee for which let my heart praise thee and my Tongue yea let all my Bones say O Lord who is like unto thee and do thou answer me and say unto my Soul I am thy Salvation St. Austins Confessions II. Wonderful is the Account which we find in Mr. Baxters Crucifying of the world in these words Sophronius Bishop of Jerusalem delivereth the following History as a most certain and Infallible Truth to Posterity That Leontius Apamipusis a most famous and Religious man who lived many years at Cyrene assured them that Synesius who of a Philosopher became a Bishop found at Cyrene one Evagrius a Philosopher who had been his old Acquaintance Fellow Student and Intimate Friend but an obstinate Heathen Synesius was earnest with him but in vain to become a Christian yet following his Arguments for Christianity very close Evagrius discourses with him to this purpose That to him it sâ—â—â—d but a meer Fable and deceit that the Christian Religion â—acheth men that this world shall have an end and that all men shall rise again in these Bâ—lies and their Flesh be made immortal and incorruptible and that they shall so live for ever and shall receive the reward of all that they have done in the Body and that he that hath pity on the poor lendeth to the Lord and he that giveth to the poor and needy shall have Treasure in Heaven and shall receive an hundred fold from Christ together with eternal Life Synesius assured him and proved to him by very cogent Arguments that these things were most true and certain insomuch that being converted thereby he and his Family were baptized Evagrius soon after brought Three Hundred Pound in Gold to Synesius to be distributed among the poor upon condition that he would give him a Bill under his hand that Jesus Christ would repay him in another World which he did accordingly Evagrius fell sick not long after and thinking he should die ordered his Sons to put Synesius his Bill into his Hand which was done after which he died and was buried About Three days after the Philosopher seemed to appear to Synesius in the Night and to say to him Come to my Sepulchre where I lie and take the Bill for I have received the Debts and am satisfied and for thy assurance I have written a discharge with my own hand The Bishop told Evagrius his Sons what he had seen though he knew nothing of the Bill put into his hand whereupon they all go to the Sepulchre and opening it found the Bill in the Dead mans hand thus subscribed Ego Evagrius c. in English I Evagrius the Philosopher To the Holy Bishop Synâ—â—â—us Greeting I have received the Debt which in this Paper is written with thy hand and am satisfied neither have I any Action against thâ—e for the Gold that I gave thee and by thee to Christ our Saviour They that saw the thing admired and glorified God who gave such wonderful Evidences of his fulfilling his Promises to his Servants And saith Leontius this Bill thus subscribed by the Philosopher is kept at Cyrene most carefully in the Church to this day to be seen of as many as desire it And though saith Mr. Baxter we have a sure word of Promise sufficient to build our hope upon yet I thought it not wholly unprofitable to cite this History from so credible Antiquity that the Works of God may be had in remembrance Baxter Crucifying the World Preface III. Câ—â—sar Baronius tells that there was an entire Friendship between Michael Mercatus the Elder and Marsilius Ficinus and this Friendship was the stronger between them by reason of a mutual agreement in their studies It happened that these two discoursed together usually of the State of man after Death and when they could not agree in some particulars they concluded with this firm agreement That which soever of
them two should first depart out of this Life should if possible give an account to the Survivor of the State of the other Life and whether the Soul be immortal or not This agreement being made and mutually sworn to they departed In a short time after it fell our that while Michael Mercatus was one morning early at his study upon a sudden he heard the noise of a Horse opon the Gallop and then stopping at the door and immediately he heard the voice of his Friend Marsilius crying out to him O Michael Micheal those things are true they are true Michael wondring to hear his Friends voice rose up and opened his Casement where he saw the back part of him whom he had heard speak in white and galloping away upon a white Horse He called after him Marsilius Marsilius and followed him with his eye but he soon vanished out of sight Michael amazed at this extraordinary accident very strictly inquired if any thing had happened to Marsilius who then lived at Florence some distance from thence where he likewise breathed his last and he found upon strict inquiry that he dyed at that very time when he was thus seen and heard by him Wanly Hist Man P. 88. IV. About the year 1060. There was a great Doctor buried at Paris at the enterring of whom when the Priest in the form then used came to the words Responde mihi Answer me the Corps sat upright on the Bier and to the amazement of all that were there cryed out Justo Dei judicio accusatus sum At the just Tribunal of God I am accused lying presently down again The attendants being astonished deferred the Funeral till the next day to see the Issue of this strange accident at which time a multitude met to observe the event when at the same words again repeated the disturbed Body riseth again and with the like hideous noise cryed out Justo Dei Judicio Judicatus sum By the just Judgment of God I am judged The People being yet more amazed deferred the Interment one day longer when almost the whole City thronged to this strange Burial and in the presence of them all at the reciting of the same words he rose up the third time and cryed out Justo Dei Judicio condemnatus sum by the just Judgment of God I am condemned whereat as the whole City were affrighted so Bruno an eminent Doctor in that University was seriously affected and told them That as they had formerly heard so now they saw the Judgments of the Lord were unsearchable and past finding out for this Person whom we honoured for the strictness of his Life the modesty and unblamableness of his Conversation cryeth out now that he is damned by the just Judgment of God This dreadful Example he inforced upon the minds of the Auditors with so many prevailing Arguments that by the Blessing of God several of them retired themselves from the world and spent the rest of their days wholly in the service of God and preparing their Souls for an Eternal State in the world to come Dying Mens words p. 196. V. Charles the 5th Emperor of Germany King of Spain and Lord of the Netherlands after Three and Twenty Pitcht Battles six Triumphs Four Kingdoms won and Eight Principalities added to his Dominions which he ruled over Fourteen years yet at last resigned all these retired to his Devotion in a Monastery had his own Funeral celebrated before his face and left this Testimony of Christian Religion That the sincere profession thereof had in it those sweets and Joys that Courts were Strangers to And Philip the Third of Spain lying on his Death Bed in 1621 sent thrice at Midnight for Florentius his Confessor who with the Provincial of Castile discoursed to him of approaching Death exhorting him to submit to Gods will so gravely that the King himself could not chuse but weep and after some intermission from his tears and thanks for his wholsome admonition the King spake thus to him Do you not remember that in your Sermon on Ash-Wednesday you said that some of your Auditors might dye that Lent this concerns me for lo my fatal hour is now at hand but shall I obtain eternal felicity which words he uttered with great grief and trouble adding likewise to his Confessor You have not hit upon the right way of healing is there no other Remedy Which when he observed the Confessor thought he meant of his Body the King added Ah I am not solicitous of my Body nor of my temporary Disease but of my Soul The Confessor mournfully answered I have done what I could I must commit the rest to Gods providence Florentius then discoursed at large of Gods mercy remembring His Majesty what he had done for the Honour and Worship of that God to which the King replyed Ah how happy were I had I spent these Twenty three years wherein I have held my Kingdom in a retirement Florentius answered That it would be very acceptable to God if he would lay his Kingdom his Majesty his Life and his Salvation at the feet of his Crucified Saviour Jesus Christ and submit himself to his Will Willingly willingly will I do this said the Heart-sick King and from this moment do I lay all that God hath given me my Dominions Power and my Life at the Feet of Jesus Christ my Saviour who was crucified for me and then among his last words he said to Florentius Now really you have suggested to me very great comfort Fair Warning P. 160. VI. Prince Henry Eldest Son to King James and Queen Anne was most zealous in his love to Religion and Piety and his heart was bent if he had lived to have indeavoured to compound those unkind Jars and differences that were among Religious men He told the Dean of Rochester That he thought that whereaâ— he and others like him did as usual look him in thâ— face when they came first into the Pulpit their Countenance did as it were say to him Sir you must hear mâ— diligently you must have a care to observe what I say He used to say he knew no sport worth an Oath and that he knew not what they called Puritan Preaching 〈◊〉 but he loved that Preaching which went next his heart and spake as if they knew the mind of God His last words were O Christ thou art my Redeemer and 〈◊〉 know that thou hast Redeemed me I wholly depend upon thy Providence and Mercy from the very bottom of my heart I commend my soul into thy hand A Person oâ— Quality waiting on the Prince in his sickness who had been his constant Companion at Tennis and asking how he did he answered Ah Tom I in vain wish for that time I lost with thee and others in vain Recreation He then added Now my Soul be glad for at all parts of this Prison the Lord hath set his aid to loose thee Head Fâ—et Milt and Liver are failing Arise therefore and shake off thy