as they agree And at the end of the time they are free and may leave each other without other agreement The Tartars by reason of their Plurality of Wives have a multitude of Children In Monomotapa they Marry as many Wives as they will but the first is the Principal and her Children only to inherit The Mogul hath a Thousand the Turk is said to have three Thousand Women Amongst Barbarians mention is made of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a People where Women had many Husbands and amongst the Medes which dwelt in the Mountains 't is said a Woman had five Husbands at once It is said that the Lacedemonians had anciently a Custom that one Woman should have two Husbands one to go to War the other to abide at home In Malabar the Women have many Husbands either at once or successively and if at once they send their Children to them whom they think have most right to them In Calicut some Women are related to have six or seven Husbands and they Father their Children on which of them they please The Anses had Women in common and the Child was to be reputed his with whom the Woman chose to live Some report that Gorgophan Daughter to Perseus about Anno Mundi 2630. Second Marriage was the first Woman who Married a Second Husband When Myrrha fell in love with her Father Cynara Gentes esse feruntur in quibus nato genitrix nata parenti jungitur Pietas geminato crescit amore Incest Ovid Metam lib. 10. The Babylonians allowed Marriage of Parents and Children Justin lib. 1. saith That Semiramis was kill'd by Ninus her Son because she would have lain with him but Orosius lib. 1. cap. 4. affirms That she was Married with her Son Curtius lib. 8. saith In Regionem quam Naura appellant Rex cum toto exercitu venit Satrapas erat Sysimithres duobus ex sua matre filiis genitis quippe apud illos licitum parentibus stupro coire cum liberis Alexander came with his whole Army into a Region called Naura where was a Satrapas called Sysimithres who had two Sons whom he begat of his own Mother For with them it 's held lawful for Children to lie with their Parents This Sysimithres together with her who was his Mother and Wife being possessed of an impregnable Rock scituate in the pass into his Country opposed Alexander in his entrance and being Summon'd by him to yeild he himself assented but was over-ruled by the same Incestuous Woman his Mother and Wife who said She would rather die then yield so much more valiant was she then he but in the end he over-ruled her and yeilded his Fort and was content his two Sons should militate under Alexander who took them with him as a kind of a wicked Rarity Plutarch saith That the Cimbri married their own Daughters which Custom was taken from them by Marius who overcame them in Germany and triumphed over them The Quitteve or King of Sofala hath an Hundred Women Queens and Concubines and many of them his Aunts Couzins Sisters Daughters all whom he useth saying His Sons by them are the truest Heirs to the Kingdom because no mixture of blood But none but the King on pain of death may marry Sister or Daughter Jo. dos Sanctus At Cape Gonsalvetz they have a filthy Custom that the King when his Daughters are grown takes and keeps them for his Wives and the Queens in like manner take their Sons when they are grown up and make use of them as Husbands In Aegypt some of the Ptolomies married with their Sisters and as it seems by Seneca such Marriages were not unusual at Alexandria for he saith Athenis dimidium licet Alexandriae totum and as Turnelius affirmeth at Athens they might Marry their own Sisters by the Father such as Abraham Gen. Cap. 20.12 said of Sarah She is the Daughter of my Father but not the Daughter of my Mother and she became my Wife Whereby you see Abraham is censur'd by the Doctrine of Seneca as an Incestuous Person but Lycurgus permitted Sisters only to Marry by the Mother's side but forbid to Marry Sisters of the Father's side And Arnobius contra Gent. saith That Incest was allowed amongst many Nations of whom Alex. ab Alex. lib. 1. gen dier C. 24. hath made a Catalogue Cambyses amongst the Persians married his Sister so did Artaxerxes so did Darius and in Aegypt so did Ptolomeus Philadelphus at Rome Claudius with Agrippina his Brother's Daughter and Caracalla with his step-Mother Opian the Poet saith That Caracalla Married Julia his own Mother When Cambyses had a mind to Marry his Sister he advised with the Magi to know whether the Laws did allow it who answer'd They knew no Law which did allow it But there was a Law which allowed the King of Persia to do what he would Yapangoi the Father of Guagna Capa was the first Ingua of Peru who married his Sister that Ingua's might do it and commanding his own Children to do it permitting the Noblemen also to Marry their Sisters by the Father's side Other Incest in the line ascendent or descending and Adulteries were punished with death The chast Artemisia was the Wife and Sister of Mausolus Diique suas habuere sorores Vt Saturnus Opim junctam sibi sanguine junxit Oceanus Tethin Junonem Rector Olympi Ovid Metamor 9. In Pozo in America they marry with their Neices and Sisters The Chinois heed no degrees of Affinity or Consanguinity so the Sirnames differ and therefore marry into the Mother's kindred be it almost never so near If a Tartar die his Son may marry all his Wives except his own Mother and Sisters so it is lawful for a Brother to marry the Widow of his Brother Polo Pliny in an Epistle to Loratius saith That the Athenians did use to marry Brothers and Sisters but yet did not permit Uncles to marry their Neices nor Aunts their Nephews Aemilius Probus speaking of Cymon's Marrying his Sister Elpinice Habuit autem in Matrimonio sororem nomine Elpinicen non magis amore quam patrio more ductus nam Atheniensibus licet eodem patre natas uxores ducere The Arabians had anciently a Custom that one should be Wife to all her Brothers whereby they become all Brethren and the eldest should lie with her at Night and at Day the other Every one as they came first set his Staff at her door to give notice to the rest to forbear whereby they were all Brethrâ—n An Adulterer was punish'd amongst them with death The Britains had Ten or Twelve Wives apeice as Caesar saith which they held common amongst Brothers and Parents and Dio saith The Children thus begotten were brought up in common amongst them Eusebius saith That many Britains kept one Wife in common In Arabia the Happy it 's accounted Adultery to lye with any Woman except of their own kindred as Sisters Mothers Cousins and the like whom they likewise take to be Wives It
and Earth and all the good Angels his faithful Ministers to assist me in the defence of the faithful obedience to the Law of the Gospel and of his Church Assist me O Christ assist me O Jesu assist me O Holy Spirit Ed. Kelly It appeareth written on a White Crucifix My Grace is greater then the Commandment for my Grace is such that Mad-men shall attain Blessedness Verily I say unto you If I command a man to kill his Brother and he doth it not he is the Child of Sin and Death c. Dr. d ee Hereupon we were in great amazement and greif of mind that so impure a Doctrine should proceed from such as I from the beginning and hitherto had judged and undoubtedly esteemed good Angels and had unto Edward Kelly offer'd my Soul as a pawn to indemnifie Edward Kellys crediting of them as the good and faithful Ministers of Almighty God But now my heart was sore afflicted on many causes and Mr. Edward Kelly had as he now thought he had a just cause of leaving dealing with them any more and his Prayer to God had been as he said of a long time that he might have power to do it Afterward I made some Declaration to our Wives of this our great greif by reason of the Command laid upon us to use Matrimonial Acts between us four in common which thing was strange to the Women and they hoped of some more comfortable issue of the matter and so for that time I left off After Edward Kelly had been four hours in seeing new Apparitions giving him admonition to receive the same Doctrine with threatning of Judgment upon us if we should not and many other things told me We departed each to Bed where I found my Wife awake attending to hear some new matter of me And we being alone I then told her and said Jane I see there is no other remedy but as hath been said of our cross Matching so it must needs be done Thereupon she fell a weeping and trembling for a quarter of an hour and I pacified her as well as I could and so in the fear of God and beleiving of his Admonishments did persuade her that she shewed her self prettily resolved to be content for God's sake and his secret purposes to obey the Heavenly admonishment But Edward Kelly who had divers other Apparitions made to him in his own Chamber remained notwithstanding in his purpose of forsaking and utterly discrediting these Creatures A Spirit calling himself Raphael the Arch-Angel there speaketh to them who were not satisfied with the Testimony of Madimi Raphael Dear is thy Wife more dear is Wisdom and most dear ought I to be unto thee Thou being Elected tremblest and by doubting sinnest all these things are lawful unto you I admonish you as the Children of God to consider your Vocation and the love of God towards you and not to prefer your Wisdom before the Wisdom of the Highest whose Mercy is so great towards you Consider that if he find you obstinate the Plâ—gues of hainous Sinners and the contemners of the gifts of God shall fall upon you Therefore shew your selves lovers of him that hath led you and cover'd you with a mighty Sheild or shortly look for the reward of those who contemn the Wisdom and Majesty of the Highest I Raphael counsel you to make a Covenant with the Highest and to esteem his Wing more then your lives After some little discouse and conference there they went to Bed April 20th 1587. April 21th 1587. John Dee Edward Kelly Jane d ee and Jane Kelly promise to God though above their Carnal reason in Abraham-like faith and obedience to subscribe a Covenant to him to have one another in common April 22th 1587. Edward Kelly having on further consideration a new reluctancy concerning this promiscuous Matrimony makes a Declaration in writing that he would from that forward no farther meddle therein April 24th There are further Prayers made to God desiring a further manifestation of his pleasure concerning this new Doctrine so contrary to the Laws formerly promulgated by him A great flame of Fire appeareth in the principal stone standing on the Table before Edward Kelly and behold one suddenly seemeth to come into the South Window of the Chappel right against Edward Kelly but before that the stone was heaved up an handful high and set down again well which thing Edward Kelly did think signified some strange matter toward Then after the man who came in at the Window seem'd to have his nether parts in a Cloud and with spread abroad Arms to come towards Edward Kelly at which sight he shrunk back somewhat and then that Creature took up between both his hands the principal stone and frame of Gold and mounted up away as he came Edward Kelly catch'd at it but could not touch it at which thing so taken and carried away and at the sight thereof Edward Kelly was in great fear and trembling but Dr. Dee was glad and well pleased A Fire next appears in the lesser stone left behind on the Table and a man in the fire with flaxen hair hanging down on him being naked to the Paps with spots of blood upon him and in the shape of Christ Christ If I had intended to have overthrown you or brought you to confusion or suffered you to be led into temptation beyond your strength and power then had the Seas long since swallowed you yea there had not a Soul lived amongst you But the Law and tidings of Gladness in Mankind are both grounded in me I am the beginning and the end behold I was even my self the figure of Misery and Death for your Sins why therefore disdain you to be figured after me And as I have made you the figure of two People to come so have I likewise sanctified you in an holy Ordinance giving you the first-fruits of the time to come contrary to my self I teach you nothing for this Commandment is not to be given to Mortal men but is given to you to manifest your Faith I I am the first and the last and I will be Shepherd overall that the Kingdom of my Father may come and that my Spirit may be on all flesh where there shall be no Law nor need of light for I my self will be their light for ever I am Holy and Holiness it self and out of me cometh no unclean thing and if there be any of you that seeketh a Miracle at my hands and beleiveth in my words let him or her present themselves here next Monday and he shall perceive that I was the Judg of Abiram and the God of Abraham May 3d. being Sunday 1587. Stylo Novo A Covenant with God is drawn into form that according to his new Commandment they will by Abraham-like-faith and obedience use Matrimonial Acts with one another in common and was subscribed by John Dee Edward Kelly Jane Dee and Joan Kelly at Trebon-Castle The Covenant being thus formed written
The word Assigns gave power to cut off Fee-simple Intails were afterwards made to him his Heirs and Assigns and the word Assigns added in favour of the true and natural Children which word Assigns gave the Lay-men power of cutting off the Fee-simple Intails being the cheat imposed on them by the Popish Priest and to Assign Dispose and Alien the same as well Extra familiam as Intra which it seems before without the word Assigns they could not do But it was not long after when the subtle Popish Priest who knew he could Reign not but by the Woman got a Latin Statute to be made Westminster 2 cap. 1. whereby he struck out the word Assigns and took clean away the power of Men to Assign Alien and Dispose of their own Lands and whereas the Intail of Fee-simple was only implicit he then by express words Intails it to Heirs begotten of the Body of the Woman whereby the adulterous might succeed as well as and before the Lawful if they came first which Intails likewise were after carried into Scotland for so says Craig Feud fo 70. Ab Anglis ad nos defluxisse puto And fo 59. he saith Neque enim tale Feudum ad collaterales extenditur inâ—ò quod majus est si Maevio Semproniae conjugibus concedatur Feudum baredibus inter ipsos procreandis nulli ex eo matrimonio supersint Et Maevius ex alia conjuge liberos susceperit hi in feudo non succedant Intails a Skreen to Adulteries This digression hath been made to shew that the Original of Intails to more Bodies than one on marriage came from the old Pagan Priests and now revived by Popes to be a skreen to Adulteries and Adulterous Successions and thereby their power over the Women without which no Sacerdotal Empire can subsist I shall now proceed to shew the other mischiefs insuing from Intails besides the Patronage of Adulteries Intails destroy Patriarchy and introduce Hierarchy Gynarchy Paedarchy First therefore Intails on Marriages destroy Patriarchy and introduce into Families Hierarchy Gynarchy and Paedarchy That Patriarchy was the first form of Government instituted in Families by God and Nature I think none will contend the Ancient Writers and Poets are full of it especially in their Celebrations of the Primaevous happiness of the Golden Age and old Homer begins Nec fora consiliis fervent nec judice tantum Antra colunt umbrosa altis in montibus Aedes Quisque suas regit uxorem Natosque Courts grew not hot with Judge or Lawyer then But each Man without strife In Mountain high rul'd or in shady Den His Children House and Wife Here Patriarchy was in its Throne and the Moon and Stars all bowed to the Sun till the Priests of Priapus and Venus as before touched and for the fore-mentioned ends of satisfying their own Lust Covetousness and Ambition first prohibited all Marriage except by a Priest in a Temple then Intailing all Estates to the Heirs Lawfully begotten of the Body of the Woman married by the Priest and the Priest to be Judge both of the marriage and the Lawful begetting by this the Priest introduced Hierarchy and got a greater Dominion over the Woman and the Children than the Husband or Father for he was not to be judge whether the Wife or Children were his but the Priest and now the Bishop by his Certificate and likewise hereby the Priest became Judge of the Alimony and Maintenance and gave what he pleased to the Wife and her Children in regard the Father had no power of Alienation by reason of the Pontificial Intail to the Heirs of the Woman and thereby the Hierarchy of the Priest the Gynarchy of the Wife and Paedarchy of the Sons necessarily arising from such principles turned the poor Patriarch out of Doors and took his Goods when and as they pleased Intails dâ—â—fraud civil and natural Debts 2. The Intail deprives the Father of power to provide for his younger Children but after his death the Sons are thereby left desperate and betake themselves to the High-way and the Daughters to be prostitutes to the dishonour and destruction of themselves and Families 3. Intails as they defraud the Children of the natural debts of Aliment due from their Parents so they defraud Creditors of the valuable debts due to them from their Debtors 4. They put the Subjects to infinite trouble vexations and charges for Fines Recoveries Licenses of Alienation to cut them off Bills of Discoveries and hazard and danger they being many times erroneous and the Intails secret and thereby not only all the cost and labour lost but likewise the whole Purchase-money disbursed bona fide by a Lawful Purchasor Intails cause the abuse of private Acts of Parliament 5. They are the chief occasions pretended of private Acts of Parliament whereby contrary to all justice the Lawful rights of Persons and Families are taken from them and they undone without Summons or Hearing or notice to make their claims whereas by the just and honourable practice of the Kingdom of Scotland they use to make Subsequent Acts of Salvo jure cujuslibet whereby the rights of all Persons are preserved and restored Acts of Salvo jure cujuslibet in Scotland against all private Acts precedent as appears by the Acts of Parliament Car. 1. p. 1. Act 31. p. 2. Act 70. p. 3. Act 42. Car. 2. p. 2. Act 29. 2 Sess Car. 2. p. 2. Act 52. Sess 3. Car. 2. Act 30. c. 6. To mention a word more how much the taking away of the Father's power of free disposing and Alienation of their Estates by Intails or any other irrevocable settlements on Children brings into Families the unexperienced Pride of Paedarchy whereby Children undo both their Parents and themselves by depriving of their Parents of the means of their Education in the true Religion and in Lawful Callings and Professions the Parents having no other Bridle on them to restrain them from vicious courses but to give them hopes and fears of increasing or lessening their Portions according to their demerits may appear Bodin 25. where he saith It was obtained of Constantine that the propriety of the Mother's Inheritance should be in the Children and the Father should have only the usu-fruct This was fair that the Inheritance which came by the Mother the Father should not have power to Alien from her Children But after it was obtained of Theodosius the younger That the propriety of all manner of Goods in general however they came by them should be to the Sons the use only to the Fathers so that they could not any-wise Alienate the propriety Children command Parents by Intails nor dispose thereof though for the benefit of their Children yea with us he saith not so much as the bare use of such Goods is left to the Father which hath so puffed up the hearts of Children as that they oftentimes command their Parents by necessity
Children if within the four Seas neither doth he give more reason why he would have a Child call'd a Base-natural or his Fictions in Law beleived above the truth of the Fact then he doth why a Man-child ought to be called Mulier Fifthly As little reason doth Grotius give why a Giant should be translated Bastard according to a certain Latin Translation of the Bible of which there are a multitude all variant one from another 1 Sam. 17.4 which is thus Et egressus est quidem spurius è Castris Pelischthoeorum Goliah nomine Giant falsely translated Bastard Gatho oriundus cujus altitudo erat sex Cubitorum cum spithama which is in English And there went out of the Tents of the Philistins a certain Bastard by name Goliah whose height was six Cubits and a span so because he was a Giant this Latin Translation hath translated him a Bastard And Grotius though he were as great a Giant of learning as Goliah was of Body indeavours to give a reason which is not so tall as a Dwarf for he saith The Hebrews called Giants Bastards because they lived without Matrimony which he intends to be the Ceremony of coupling Male and Female together used by a Priest in a Temple Which cannot be for of all Nations in the World the Hebrews were most free from having so vile a word or a thing as Bastard amongst them and for Marriage in a Temple they never had any at all but always contracted in the open Air and not under any Roof And both they and all other Nations have had so honourable opinions of Giants and esteemed their descent to be so far from being ignoble as they derived them from their gods themselves So Hercules they would have begot by Jupiter And Ajax boasts of himself Sic à Jove tertius Ajax And both Jews and Christians affirm them to be begotten by the Sons of God As Gen. 6.4 it is said There were Giants in the Earth in those days and also after that when the Sons of God saw the Daughters of Men and they bare Children unto them the same became mighty Men which were of old Men of renown Angels beget not Giants Some expound these Sons of God to be Angels but that is contrary to Christ who says Angels neither marry nor are given in Marriage But though Giants and such Hero's were not begotten by Angels they all agree to father them on more honourable Titles of the Sons of God and therefore never intendâ—d they should be translated or called Bastards or base Naturals As low a reason doth Grotius likewise give why he should be called Nothus and not be inheritable whose Mother at her Marriage had not a Torch carried before her Ac nec nupta quidem Taedaque accepta jugali Cur nisi ne caperes regna paterna Nothus Grot. de jur Bel. Pac. p. 168. 1. This authority of Ovid which he cites That the not vouchsafing to have a Torch or other Ceremonies Nuptial at the Marriage ought to make the Child a Nothus or Illegitimate as to Succession proves against him and that it ought not but is an injury and injustice if it should For this is written by Phaedra a later Wife of Theseus to Hippolitus his Son by Hippolita the Amazon a former Wife deceased with whom she being his Step-mother fell in love and to tempt him to her and not to forbear out of reverence to his Father's bed who had been so injurious to him as not to marry his Mother with due Rites and Ceremonies that he might have a pretence to dis-inherit and put him by the Succession of the Kingdom She to make her argument the stronger and the more inciting joyns her self with him to be as highly injured as himself that he might the more assuredly trust to find her ready to join with him in revenge as well as love for so she saith having first repeated her own wrongs she had suffer'd Sola nec haec nobis injuria venit ab illo In magnis laesi rebus uterque sumus And after she saith of the Marriage of his Mother Ac nec nupta quidem taedaque accepta jugali Cur nisi ne caperes regna paterna Nothus And then she saith I nunc I meriti lectum reverere parentis Quem fugit factis abdicat ille suis But the most vertuous and valiant Hippolitus remaining invincible in Chastity as to his Step-mother and in Loyalty as to his Father she as Potiphar's Wife did Joseph to her Husband falsly accused him of attempting to force her which he over-credulous to believe sought to kill his Son And he flying his Father's jealousie and causless anger had by his frighted Horses his Chariot overthrown and himself torn to pieces amongst the Rocks So infortunate was innocence in all things except his Fame which hath lasted through so many Ages His Father on Phaedra's confession understanding the Innocence of his Son and falseness of her calumny she first killing her self after the just Funeral Rites performed and Lamentation answerable made is swallowed up with grief for the loss of a Son so dearly by him beloved Here therefore appears That had it not been for the false calumnies of his Step-mother Hippolitus had succeeded to his Father Theseus's Kingdom notwithstanding his Mother Hippolita had not a Torch carried before her nor was ever married by the Ceremonies of a Priest in a Temple wherein though Grotius need no other answer to his Ceremonial Marriage then what in this example he thought to vouch for them and his principal Goliah-argument being fallen there need no trouble of encountring the petty accessary Reasons Yet I shall likewise persue them in their flight at least to discover what they are His first reason is he saith Where the Father doth not vouchsafe the Woman the Lawful Ceremonies of Marriage he makes the Child contemptible to be his Successor To which is answer'd That we need look no further then his own example whether Hippolitus was a person contemptible or not meriting in all respects to succeed to his Father's Kingdom after his Death 2. It is further answer'd That these Ceremonies whereon he founds his Doctrin of Ceremonial Marriage and the compulsion to the same are before shewen to come from the Devil and the Priests of Priapus and Venus and in imitation of them from Popery Therefore in such Kingdoms as are Protestant and not Pagan or Popish though there may be a toleration given to such as desire to marry with a Torch or any other public Ceremonies suiting with their Conscience and Convenience yet ought not there to be compulsion of Dissentients either in Conscience or Convenience nor so impious a punishment as Illegitimation laid on the innocent Child for such Toys as Ceremonies neglected or dissented to by the Parents 3. There is greater authority in point then either Latin or Greek Poets That the Father though he contemn yea hate the Mother ought not to illegitimate
for a Farthing and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father Yea the Child himself who is of more value than many Sparrows And in the midst of all these Enemies how shall he cry for help to his Father who is so many Millions of Miles as is the New Jerusalem absent from him How doth his Body live so long how shall his Soul after Death break through so many Regions and Legions as stand in Battalia against her ascent to so unimaginable an Height before she can reach her Fathers House as a Mill-stone cast thence with impetuous swiftness would not fall on Earth or into the Sea in Thousands of years unless it be intended every Soul which goes to Heaven must borrow Mahomet's Elborach and that would not serve neither if true what he Relates That after he had Rid like a Witch by night through the Air and was come to his last Stage within Threescore Miles of Gods Palace where he dwelt all the way was so Impassible with huge heaps of Frost and Snow that had he not been an hot Bodyed and hot Headed man he had been utterly lost and frozen to death before he had got through and being got at length to the Presence-Chamber God living in the midst of all that Snow put a cold Complement on him for he clapt him on the shoulder but it was not to Knight him with his hand so cold That it pierced him to the very Reins of his back and cast him all over into a Terrible shivering and surely if it were possible for a Soul to pass so long a Journey through so many Thousand Legions of Devils as are in the way to intercept her and she should at length Recover faint and weary to the beginning of the Threescore Northern Miles of these Mountains of Frost and Snow being so naked as Souls use to be when they come in and go out of the World and not Turbanted Coated Shooed as the Body of Mahomet It is doubted by many before she gets haâ—f way through she must turn up her Heels if she have any much sooner without Feathers than a Robin doth with them in Winter The Priests have brought their Soul to a fair pass and left her between fire and frost the Pope to burn one half and the Turk to freez the other neither do they shew a Remedy nor if the Soul is after death sensible of Good or Evil as doubtless it is or aâ—l Religion were in vain do they shew in all the Piles of their Theology how so much as one Sparrow shall be secure from falling on the ground or one Soul shall Injoy the Protection of Providence in the Center of so many Enemies as she is incircled with both in Life and after Death who seek to take all the Good from her and lay all the Evil on her they can Alas Poor Soul And why do they conceal from thee thy greatest and only present and Eternal comfort the Omnipresence of God Which if granted none of this Evil can ever happen to thee Thou art ever in his Embraces he hears thee he sees thee he is with thee and as is sayd Rom. 8 38. Neither death nor life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor to come nor height nor depth nor any other Creature shall be able to separate Vs from the Love of God though as Job saith 9.11 Lo he goeth by me and I see him not be passeth on also but I perceive him not This neither Pope nor Turk dare deny yet seek to bury in Oblivion and hide in Clouds of Darkness forbidding all Disputes of the Premisses least the truth of Conclusions which must necessary follow shake the Fundamentals of all their false Religions and the vast gains accrue to them by the same Some of the gainful Practices arising from suppressing the knowledg of the Omnipresence of God I have touch't before and some Others I have added as followeth 1. If the Light of the Omnipresence shouâ—d shine through the World they could not pretend and deceive with Magick in the name of Theology with Necromancy under the name of Prayer at the Tombs of Saints and to their bones and Reliques they could not deceive with Witchcraft and Malice under the Name of Converse with God and Good Angels nor could they pretend to be Inspirators without Miracle if God is Omnipresent in every Soul alike Divers Popes have been by Histories Nâ—ted to pretend Inspiration who have been great Magicians and the Acting or Counterfeiting many Miracles by the Romish Saints both beneficial and maleficial are common in their Legends and the Turks have as many as they And seldom a Tyrant goes to Sea but he will if he can have a Witch so will they in their Land-Enterprizes have their prophets which are the same The Tartar Chinese and American Priests are generally Magicians and are Consulted in all their Wars so were the Magi of the Persians and Brachmans of the Indians The Druids of the Gauls and Brittons and many other Nations all Witches who sometimes by the help of the Devil foretold truly and sometimes falsly success of Wars and shared with the Souldiers in the spoil Now though amongst the Heathens they were not ashamed to worship Devils whom they called gods and it was the Professed Divinity of Polytheist to Worship and Consult Inferior Spirits as well as the Supreme yet amongst Christians the Profession being only to Worship the Supreme if they Publish the Supreme to be Omnipresent they cannot pretend these Magical spirits to be God or Good Angels who confine themselves only to some Persons or Places and do Malefices either to Nations or private Persons seeing if they Pray to God Omnipresentially they may be sure to be heard for all Lawful and necessary Prayers and the unlawful and Maleficious never to be granted by him whereby the Priest will loose all his Customers for he that believeth God Omnipresent will Pray alone and not Imploy another to Pray for him to avoid the foremention'd Dangers First because for ought he knows the Priest who Prays for him may be a Magician Secondly He will not Pray to a Saint or Angel nor bring offerings as the Priest would have him because for ought he knows this Saint or Angel may be a Daemon Transformed into an Angel of Light whereby he himself should become a Magician and incite this Daemon to do Malefice 2 Such as believe the Omnipresâ—nce will not only avoid Praying by a Priest or to an Angel or Saint by whom he pretends to have Power to obtain unlawful Prayers and to do Malefice but likewise to obtain Lawful Prayers and to Receive Benefits because the Granting of a Payer both by God or an Angel or any Invisible Power is a Miracle and the Priest takes Money for every Miracle or benefit succeeds by his Prayers of benefit to the Party for whom he Prays whereby it will be manifest that the success of this Prayer is
his Money by it he will neither Stone nor Poison her but give a Divorce and save both her Life and Honour The Peguians buy their Wives of their Friends and when he is weary of her he may send her home again but he must then lose the Money he gave for her But it she leave him as she may likewise do then the Money is to be paid him back which he gave for her The Customs of the Jews allowed them to make Eunuchs Eunuch as Chron. 28.1 It is said David assembled the Eunuchs and 2 Kings 9.32 It is said When Jehu call'd after Jezabel had spoke to him out of the Window that there looked out to him two or three Eunuchs and 2 Kings 24.12 It is said And Jehoiachin the King of Judah went out to the King of Babylon he and his Mother and his Servants and his Eunuchs Origen and the Sect of Valesians gelded themselves and held that it was impossible for any but Eunuchs to be saved But later Jews allowed them not And Josephus lib. 4. de Antiq. saith Eunuchs are to be detested because they deprive themselves of Manhood and Power of begetting Children neither is it lawful to geld Man or Beast and the Civil Law punisheth it with Death Cod. lib. 4. tit 42. De Eunuchis Si quis post hanc Sanctionem in orbe Romano Eunuchos fecerit Capite puniatur If any after this Law shall make Eunuchs in the Roman World let him be punished with Death I conclude though there is much of the Moral Law mix'd amongst the Laws of Moses which is immutable and ought to be inviolably observed yet not on the Authority of Moses but on the higher Authority of God himself who writ them both in the Internal Tables of the hearts of men and in the External Tables of his Works which as to such of them as are living Creatures and concern Marriage as Christ saith he made them Male and Female Then as to the Ceremonial and Judicial Laws of Moses they were all National and belong'd only to the Jews and they were generally taken by the Jews from the AEgyptians and other Idolatrous Nations And Moses being not able to reform them in such a stiff-necked people except only as to Images for indeed all long Customs are hard to be broken in any People was fain to Tolerate them for the hardness of their hearts and they were many of them full of Superstition and Injustice CHAP. II. Marriage Matrimony Legitimation or Succession not to be judged by the Laws and Customs of Heathen Nations Chinaois way of Marrying IN China the Governor and Vice-Roy in each Province appoint a certain time and place where those that are willing to Marry may and do come where Twelve Principal Men are appointed Judges before whom they present themselves Six Judges divide the Men into three parts the rich the indifferent and the poor the other six Judges in the mean while divide the Maids into the beautiful the indifferent and the unhandsome thereupon the Judges give the very beautiful to the rich and they give what the Judges appoint for them the indifferent rich to the indifferent handsome who pay nothing for them and the unhandsome to the poor with the Money the rich paid divided into equal Portions Joan Gonsales Hist de la China P. 46. The like was done antiently by the Babylonians The Indians way Indorum virgines quum esse nubiles câ—perint in Publicum à Parentibus producuntur concurrente ut assolet multitudine libera illis datur optio è Juvenum turba virum sibi seligendi quem virtute aliqua insigniter praestantem putent Caelius lib. 18. cap. 31. The Samoyeds being a people bordering on Russia use to buy their Wives and have no other Ceremony of Marriage but agreement for the Price which commonly is dear they being their cheif Cattle and the Woman brought and delivered to the man that bought her by her freind and a Feast at his Tent there provided to entertain them and at Night all departing and leaving the Man and Woman together there alone till next Morning Gourdon Anno 1614. The Jews and Romans way was likewise buying and selling The Mahumetans likewise give Money for their Wives which when paid the Contract is Registred in the Caddyes Book which serves for the Tole-Book they paying the Market Fee which is all the Formality of the Marriage Heyl. 778. Caesar lib. 4. de bell Gall. saith That amongst the Germans exchange of Wives was in use and the Indian Histories relate That in Calicut the Custom of exchange is still reteined Exchange of Wives-Lending Wives and Jerome taxes Cato Vtican that he lent his Wife Martia to his Friend Hortensius as Appian relates 2 Bell. Civ Lucan lib. 2. And Plutarch in Numa that he did it by the Constitution of Numa These are the Marriages these the Solemnities the Pontifical Laws have taught and is there any still so stupid as to prefer the Laws of men before the Laws of God At Gomera it was heretofore the only sign counted of their Hospitality to let their Friends lie with their Wives and receive theirs in Testimony of mutual kindness Heyl. 105. For which reason there as in other places of the Indies the Sister's Son was usually the Heir The Common Councel or Senate of the Canaries or Fortunate Islands who were both Magistrates and Preists had before Conquer'd by Christians the first Nights Lodging with every Bride The Inhabitants of Zant solicit such Merchants as resort thither to hire their Wives and agree of the Price At Pegu when Merchant-strangers come thither they are provided a House and withal certain Maids of the City are sent to him out of whom he takes his choice and agrees with her Friends at what rate they can which is not much to pay a certain Summ for the use of her and this Maid attends during the time agreed as a Servant and Wife after which he may take another but not during the time agreed In Cunall a part of Tartary they count it a great honour to have their Wives and Sisters at the pleasure of others whom they entertain of which being restrained by the great Cham they petition'd him at three Years end to be restored to their old Custom affirming They could never thrive since they left it on which Liberty was again restored and they still use it Heyl. 857. At Tangut they think it not fit to tempt a Woman but if she offer her self they think it a great sin to refuse her Courtesie Heyl. ib. At Colchos the Husband thinks it a Credit their Wives can please and be acceptable to others to whom they prostitute them Purchas 342. The Turks are allowed four Wives Plurality which must be also of his Religion but he is allowed Concubines Slaves and of any Religion as many as they can keep The Persians allow as many Concubines as they will paying them Salary by Week Month or
seems Abraham's example and direction to choose a Wife for his Son came hence The Banyans Sons are Heirs to their Fathers Estates but as a recompence They are bound to maintain their Mother and marry their Sisters that they likewise may be provided for out of their Father's substance The Goan Indians have a custom That none must marry but in a family using his Father's Trade To which end the several Trades are sever'd one from another and set apart in streets by themselves Linschotten The Inhabitants of Carthagena allow not marriage with the Sister on this Tradition That one who married his Sister was for that offence carried and confin'd to the Moon where he still remains the spot or Man in the Moon In China many charitable people Fornication as they think themselves have given and bequeathed for the good of their Souls Rents and Revenues to maintain Houses of Common women who are to prostitute themselves to such Poor as have no money freely which they think a work of great merit Mendez In China adultery with a Married woman is death The Common women not being suffer'd to live within the Walls but in the Suburbs where they are educated to Singing Musick and Dancing and whatsoever is fit for Dalliance and are for that end bought of their Mothers and prostituted for gain In a large street in Pequin in China dwell a great number of Curtezans who are all under Protection of the Tutan of the Court. At Cambalu Harlots have a Corporation In the Countreys of Cotam and in Pegin the Wives may marry new Husbands Divorce for absence if the old be absent but twenty days Purch 427. Divorces are frequent amongst the Muscovites for when they have a desire to part they accuse each other by suborn'd false Witnesses of Adultery or want of Devotion by which they are condemned without answering for themselves The Inhabitants of Casear have a Law if the Husband or Wife is absent from one another twenty days the other is at liberty to marry again Heyl. 856. Diodorus Siculus saith That the Egyptians before they had any Laws every Man had as many Wives as they pleased Divorce at pleasure and both parties were at liberty as any other Companions to come together and part when either pleased For they said It was impossible if Men and Women should be tied together but the same must be with much trouble contentions and brawles The Tappinineers in Hercinia bestowed their Wives on other Men after they had had two or three Children by them Purchas 351. It was esteemed a dishonour not only amongst the Indians but Romans and other Nations for Ladys who lov'd their Husbands to survive them Porcia killing herself on news of the death of her Husband Conjugis audisset fatum eum Porcia Bruti Et subtracta sibi quaereret arma dolor Nondum scitis ait mortem non posse negari Credideram satis hoc vos docuisse patrem Dixit ardentes avido bibit ore favillas I nunc ferrum turba molesta nega Martial When Porcia heard of her dear Brutus slain Weapons she sought withdrawn from her in vain Death said she not to be deny'd me is I thought my Father's death had taught you this She swallow'd Coals and proudly spoke the word Deny me now to die by point of Sword The Fact of Lucretia Beza thus censures Lucretia killing herself on the Rape of Tarquin Si fuit ille tibi Lucretia gratus adulter Immerito ex merita praemia morte petis Sin potius casto vis est allata pudori Quis furor alterius crimine velle mori Frustra igitur laudem captas Lucretia namque Vel scelerata cadis vel furiosa ruis If thou Lucretia loved'st th' Adulterer Thy Death deserv'd reward to claim doth err If rather force did thy chast Beauty stain How mad for others Crimes to be self slain In vain Lucretia praise thou seek'st for Ay Since Guilt or Madness then cast thee away Condemn not yet so great a Lady as Lucretia without hearing her Answer Pectora Tarquini virtuti ingrate fuissent Hac perfâ—ssa manu Foemina si potui Jam cruor hic noster me non violasse pudorem Ante homines testis spiritus ante Deos. Stulte meam frustra quid tentas redere famam Orbe volat simul ac aethere protegitur On Tarquin's breast to vertue oh ingrate If able I prevented had my Fate My blood to Men my Soul to Gods on high Now my chast Innocence shall testifie Fool thou in vain carp'st at Lucretia's Fame Since Earth and Heav'n both preserve the same The Epigram of Beza is neat but the Author seems to be much of the French woman's mind mention'd by Montaigne who alledged her self to be Ravish'd by force but after often rejoyced and thank't God she had once in her life so much pleasure without sin Whereas Tamar who was truly Ravish'd by force 2 Sam. 13.13 saith Whither shall I cause my shame to go And vers 18. It is said She having a Garment of divers colours upon her for with such Robes were Kings Daughters that were Virgins apparell'd And vers 19. And Tamar put Ashes on her Head and rent her Garment of divers colours and laid her hand on her head and went on Crying Why doth not Beza tax Tamar in the same degree for spoiling her fine Cloths and blubbering her Face as he doth Lucretia who being a Wife was more concern'd in the double perhaps treble honour of her self her Husband and Children then a Virgin in her's which is only single and therefore to clear all suspicion thought it necessary to give so high a Testimony of her Innocence as she did Cicero in the like case commends divers noble Virgins who kill'd themselves to preserve their honour The like did the Women of Antioch under Dioclesian and other Antiochian Women under Chosroe the Persian The like did Sophronia a noble Christian Matron under Decius Many Virgins there were in the Primitive times who drowned themselves in Rivers for the same cause St. Ambrose highly commends those Virgins who slew themselves for the same cause and are all generally Recorded in the Ecclesiastical Histories for Martyrs Yet St. Austin and other Fathers seem doubtful and I dare not in a Doctrine of blood be positive yet I confess though I am no Idolater of Saints deceased I cannot pass by their Ashes without due honour to their memory and do think even the greatest Ethnicks among them shall rise up in Judgment against too many of the latter Age who call themselves Christians and glory in their shame of what those laid down their lives to avoid the dishonour and cannot but be struck with admiration of so Divine excellency in so weak a Sex as made them greater in valour than Men in love of their Husbands than Women in fame than Angels To whom though Christ gives so high a degree of Chastity as neither to marry or give in
used to deflour the fairest Plebeian Virgins yet by their Law would allow this to be no Marriage nor suffer a Patrician to marry a Plebeian but only to abuse them till the Plebeians rose against them and beat the Patricians into better manners The like raised a Rebellion in Persia and Mutius lib. 22. Chron. Ger. relates That a Rebellion arose amongst the Suisse Vri and under Waldensians because their Nobles and Governours abused to their Lust all their handsome Virgins at pleasure and then cast them off If the greatest Peer get a Beggar with Child the Marriage is indissoluble Whereas by the unquestionable Law of God if the greatest Peer lie with a Beggar whom he may lawfully marry and get her with Child he thereby makes her his Wife and though before the birth of the Child she expressly Contract She will take hire and the same shall not be a Marriage or after she give a release yet the Marriage is indissoluble for the Act of God of giving a Child doth confirm and establish it and whom the Act of God hath joined the Act of the Parties or of all human Powers can never lawfully put asunder So as is said one cause of the late Rebellion of the Moors under Gayland was the abusing and desertion of their Virgins by their Courtiers Of the Law giving liberty of Temptation to a Minor married to an Husband after carnal knowledg to desert her Husband and take a richer In Scotland while it was my fortune to be put to sit there as one of the Commissioners for Administration of Justice it happen'd the Earl of B. deceased having left two Daughters Inheritrixes of one of the greatest Estates in that Kingdom both infra Annos nubiles and by Will left their custody and disposing to divers Guardians the Countess of B. his Relict married the Earl of W. And after they two the Earl being the Father in Law and the Countess the Mother disposed of the eldest Daughter being under the Age of Twelve in Marriage with the Son of G. S. as I remember the Sheriff of T. being about the Age of Fourteen being a Gentleman of a very good Family and of the same name of the Family of the Earl of B. deceased who was the Father of the Daughters but not of equal Estate This Marriage was Consummated by the usual publick Ceremonies and by carnal knowledg The Guardians hearing their Pupil married without their consent being very much troubled apply'd themselves to us who had then de facto all the Power Ecclesiastical and Civil both of Bishops and Judges which the Sword could put on us to null the Marriage they alledging their Pupil to be infra Annos nubiles and likewise the Marriage to be made without consent of the Guardians appointed by the Father whereupon Summons were sent to all Parties concern'd to appear and answer the matter before us in the Court at Edinburgh At the day appointed there appear'd the new married Lady all in Silver the Earl of W. the Countess and other Nobles with their Train and as near as I can remember so long since what was spoken between the Parties and the Court were to this effect Earl of W. to the President of the Court My Lord we give appearance to your Summons though I know no reason we should be troubled hither Your Power is unlimited and you do what you please but I hope you will not part Man and Wife Presi Complaint hath been made to us and we shall only examin the truth of the matter and do nothing but Justice therein as we find the same to be and as we ought to do Thereupon the Earl and Countess and all other Parties except the new Married Lady were Order'd to with-draw out of the Room and as the fashion there is on any Consultation by the Court the Doors to be close shut The young Lady seeing her Mother and all her Friends shut out of doors from her and her self detained Prisoner alone within the Bar to be examined by the Court began to be something appal'd but the President comforting and incouraging her she address'd her self to answer what should be demanded Presi Are you married to the young Gentleman mention'd by your Guardians Lady Yes Presi Is it by your free consent or were you compell'd or deceived to do it Lady It is my free consent and I was not compell'd or deceived Presi Were there any other Matches proposed to you besides this and did you see the Men Lady There were others proposed and I saw them but I liked this best Presi Why would you disparage your self to marry one so much beneath you in Degree and Estate Lady It was my Father's will he having no Son that I should marry one of the name of his Family of which name this Gentleman I have married is and I married him that I might preserve the name of my Father's Family according to his will Presi Why would you being so sickly and and weakly as you appear to be marry under the Age of Marriage it 's enough to destroy your health and endanger your life Lady I am more healthy then I was before Presi You are young and your mind may change you shall have other Noble young Persons and fit for your Marriage presented to you and you shall take your choice of them To which the vertuous young Lady deservedly incensed though under the Age of Twelve replyed pretty tartly That she should be then a Whore if she should change her Husband for another Man Thereupon the Lady was Order'd to with draw and the Court on Consultation Order'd That she should be deliver'd to the custody of a Governess in her own House at D. who should admit any other Noble Persons to present themselves unto her as likewise the Husband she had already married but no otherwise then openly in the presence and sight of the Governess and if the Lady liked to make choice before she came to the Age of Twelve of any other to be Husband she should have free liberty to do the same if not then her present choice should stand This Sentence was right if you admit the Common-Law that great Popish Idol which is worship'd through the three Kingdoms to be the Law of God but otherwise 't was an unlawful thing to put a new married Wife who had lain with her Husband and for ought the Court knew might be with Child by him to put her on the Temptation of changing her Husband to take a richer and thereby leave it to the wicked Canon-Law which would have null'd her Marriage to have illegitimated her Child only for that desertion of her Husband to which that wicked Law tempted her but she was more Noble then to entertain such vile thoughts and continued constant to her Husband till her death Of the Law tempting Women to desert their Husbands by giving more Alimony then the Interest of the Portion Another great mischeif is in the Ecclesiastical Laws
intent that one Family might not by Marriage Gifts rob another always married in the same Family and Brothers and Sisters married making that Religion to marry in the Family which others made Incest and that Incest to marry out of the Family which others made Religion Portions and Jointures both to be limited This indeed secured all within the Family but there are many more Lawful ways before mention'd and amongst the rest the making all such Gifts forasmuch as is Super-alimentary void or at least to limit them by a Law That all Portions and Tenancies by Courtesie above the value of 0000 shall be void and all Jointures Dowers and Thirds above the value of 0000 shall be void A Satyr against Mercenary Marriage CVrsed the Female was or Male Who first did Beauty set to Sale For Love did then loose both his Eyes When Gifts and Gold did blind the wise And Venus which did shine on high From Heaven fell into a Stie Priapus then the God unclean Thereon his Temple built obscene And set the Steeple up and Spire That he might share both Whores and Hire And Sextons set to keep the Keys That none might enter without Fees And Cryer next to Curse and Ban Vnless well paid Woman and Man And Paritor about to ride With Bag for Money by his side All Women unto Court to bring Who did not Wed with a Gold-Ring Then Fathers left their Babes forlorn Who had no Licence to be born And Mothers fled Oh heavy Doom Because they were not called home Then Priests to make them greater Whores Fetter'd Fifteens to Fourscores And married dead to those alive Mâ—zentius Torment to revive Mouths bound to Mouths were Eyes to Eyes With Breasts to Breasts and Thighs to Thighs When Pralats in fine Linnen jetting Of Reverend Fathers own begetting Their Babes of Grace oh pretty things Made often Heirs to Peers and Kings This Palls and Miters first made shine And Missions to be Divine Thus Love and Hate together Yoak't The Hangman Priest together choak't And for the Murders clayms a Fee To his unholy holy See The Ambidextrous Lawyer enters And takes a share with his Indentures Lawyer nor Priest nor Book nor Bell Would have did they not Women Sell. If Money her or me must buy Loves Pedlars I you all defy Money did Solomon beguile 1 King 11.5 His first black Wife to setch from Nile And her because he lov'd not best With Thousand Wives to be opprest This was beginning of the Trick The wise turn'd after Lunatick The Goddess Astaroth to please Astaroth was the Moon Milcom was Priapus Who Ruled the Sidonian Seas And Milcom he the foul delight Adored of the Ammonite This Protestants made Papists Wed And fight and scratch in the same Bed Faith and Religion both Divine Lie Victims at Pecunia 's Shrine Of the Law giving Jurisdiction of the secret Causes of Divorce between Parents and secret Vncleanness of Children in their Parents Houses to publick Tribunals contrary to the Law of God It will be Objected How should those Sins of Carnal Uncleanness be punished if not brought before a publick Judge 'T is Answer'd Far better than by him First It not denied but publick Fornication and Adultery where there are Witnesses belong to publick Justice to punish as where Diogenes lay with a Woman in midst of the Market or as Leo Afer mentions where a Mahumetan Prophet lay with another man's Wife at a publick Bath in sight of a multitude of By-standers It is not denied likewise but Bawds Panders Stews Brothel-Houses where are Witnesses are and ought to be severely punished by the publick Magistrate But the Question is of such Fornication and Adultery which are generally so secret as none but the Parties themselves can witness against themselves these appear expresly by the Scripture it self that they belong neither to Priest nor Magistrate to judg or punish but only to God for it is said Deut. 29.29 Secret things belong unto the Lord our God but those things which are revealed belong unto us and our Children And Heb. 13.4 Marriage is honourable in all and the Bed undefiled but Whoremongers and Adulterers God shall judg It is not said man shall judg of secret sins but God And Deut. 17.6 It is said At the mouth of two Witnesses or three Witnesses shall he that is worthy of death be put to death but at the mouth of one Witness he shall not be put to death And 19.15 One Witness shall not rise up against a man for any Iniquity or for any sin in any sin that he sinneth at the mouth of two Witnesses or at the mouth of three Witnesses shall the matter be established And 1 Tim. 5.19 Against an Elder receive not an Accusation but before two or three Witnesses And there is very great reason that man should not presume to usurp on the Jurisdiction of God in things secret especially in these and other offences of uncleanness For First This many times indangers the lives of innocent Parties how many Joseph's how many Athanasiusse's how many Susanna's have been falsly accused How far from the Law of God or Justice Justices of Peace ought not to receive accusations of Fornication on the single Testimony of a leud Woman is therefore the proceedings of Ecclesiastical Courts and many Justices of Peace who without any other Witness then so incompetent a one as a leud Woman who is the Party and gains by it charge and punish men for Bastardy and Fornication and contrary to Magna Charta the Petition of Right and all the Fundamental Laws of the Land made for preservation of the Liberty and Propriety of the People the one by causing Excommunicatos Capiendo's the other by Warrants send whom they will to Goal and Imprison them at their pleasure And how far again from the Law of God or Justice is the compelling men for these Crimes to self-accusation when they can get no Witnesses as they ought to have Secondly Publick Inquisitions and Punishments of these Crimes of uncleanness do more corrupt then reform both Judg and People For the Judg example may be taken from Auricular Confessors who under pretence of injoining Penance to others learn to be above all others the most debauch'd themselves and as to the People it is either a licencing or incouragement to all such as are rich who for a little Commutation-Money buy the Pope's Pardon or what is equivalent the Bishops or the Kirks or if they will not suffer them to Commute the People when they see the Nobles in the Stools of Repentance will think it an honour to follow them and besides for People to hear or see the publick Examinations and Stories of uncleanness in publick Courts they oftentimes do but learn more wickedness then ever they knew or thought of before and are less corrupted at a Play-House then such a Scene of Justice All this is far better punished in every private Family between the Parents if there be
nane against quhome the Process beis led be received in the Kings Castle or Place or in his Presence nor admitted to Councel or Parliament heard nor answer'd in the Law of Judgment of Fee and Heritage or uther Causes bot ever Eschewed as Cursed unto the time the said Persons cum to amendis and assyith the Party and obteine Absolution in Form of Law And Jac. 6. p. 3. cap. 53. in the Kings Minority an Act was got by the Kirk ' That all Excommunicate Persons not Conforming ' in Forty Days should be denounced Rebels and put to the Horn. The English Commissioners in the said late time of the Troubles had Instructions to take from the then Kirk such Letters of Horning and not to assist any Excommunication with the Temporal Sword which we performed accordingly The King of Spain joined with Tyrone and the Rebels in Ireland against Queen Elizabeth And Don John de Aquila Landing in Ireland with 4000 Spaniards intitled himself Master-General and Captain of the Catholick King in the Wars of God for holding and keeping the Faith in Ireland only on pretence of Excommunication Sextus Quintus the Pope of Rome on the Invasion prepared by Spain against England Anno 1588. sent out his Crusado as if against the Turks and having pass'd Sentence of Excommunication and Deprivation by his Bulls against Queen Elizabeth promising Pardon of Sins Heaven and Eternal Life to all who di'd in the Invasion 1. To grant a Pope or a Bishop Power to Excommunicate Protestant-Subjects is to grant him Power to Excommunicate Protestant-Kings 2. To grant him Power to Excommunicate Protestant-Kings is to grant him Power to Levy Money Raise Soldiers Denounce War and Depose them 3. Of the Dilemma of Danger threatning Princes who seek Security of Goverement from the Excommunication of Popes or Bishops either over a People Religious or Superstitious 4. Of the Impossibility of Security for Princes unless their Subjects are Educated or Instructed to be free from the Superstition of Excommunication and to contemn it 5. Of the Impossibility of obliging Popes or Bishops either by Benefits or Oaths Excommunication is as Proscription made a pretetence of Confiscation without shewing cause The Romans saith Aman. Marcellus proscribed Ptolomy the then King of Cyprus being their Confederate for no fault only they wanted Money in the Treasury who therefore poison'd himself and the Isle became Tributary to the Romans In the like manner do Popes and Bishop fall on the Richest with their Excommunication to fill their empty Purses Pope Gregory the Tenth Commanded Percham Arch-Bishop of Canterbury to pay him Four Thousand Marks within Four Months on pain of Excommunication So Excommunication is a ready way to Levy Money for War Anno 1230. The Pope having Excommunicated the Emperor the Emperor was fain to pay for his Absolution an Hundred and Twenty Thousand Ounces of Gold Plat. Nam Anno 1231. The Emperor for memory of this hard Penny-worth for his Absolution put into a Pool at Helbrand divers Pikes and other Fishes with Brass Rings having Inscriptions of his name and the Year of the Lord one of the Fishes was taken up 267. Years after Ann. Suev Calv. Henry the Second after that Traitor Beckett the then Arch-Bishop of Canterbury had been Slain though not by the Kings Command was enjoined amongst other things this Slavish Penance He walked Three Miles bare-foot on the sharp Stones that he at length had so cut his Feet they marked the ground with Blood every step he went And after this which was worse than Running the Gantilope he Received of the Priests Monks Bishops and Abbots on his naked Flesh so many Jerks with Rods Oh brave Pedants and Pontifical Government for Princes as according to Baronius amounted to at least Fourscore Lashes which doubtless was the Number the Jew administred to the vilest Rogues lest their Brothers should be despised in their Eyes and not heard to have been Exercised in their Eyes and not heard to have been Exercised on the Priests Bishops and Abbots themselves though they kill'd and murder'd many Lay-men without Law or Justice they incur'd only a deprivation and instead of Hanging which they deserved sometimes no more than a suspension Temporary ab Officio In the time of King John Anno 1211. The Pope Excommunicated him and gave the Kingdom of England to the King of France Paris Wend. The Pope Excommunicated Henry the Eighth and gave the Kingdom Primo Occupanti Queen Elizabeth was Excommunicated by Three Popes Pius Quintus Gregory the Thirteenth and Sextus Quintus Anno 1308. The Pope Excommunicateth Andronicus Emperor of the East and setteth up the King of Russia against him Bzou So he dealt alike with the East and Western Emperors Excommunications have brought the Venetians to extreme Straights formerly therefore they are yet no Friends of it Dandalus Duke of Venice was compell'd by Pope Clement the Fifth to Crouch under the Table Chain'd like a Dog before he could obtain Peace for the Venetians The Pope Excommunicated John King of Navar and Granted his Kingdom to the Spaniards Nicephorus Phocas Emperor of the East was Excommunicated by Polyeuchus then Patriarch of Constantinople because he had been God-father to a Child of Theophania Wife to his Predecessor and after his Predecessor's Death Married her Pope Zachary deposed Chilperick the French King and gave the Crown of France to Pepin The two French Kings H. 3. and H. 4. who were Assassinated had great Guards whereby it appears though Princes may secure themselves in Vaults and Caves from Thunderbolts yet can they not against the Bishops of Romes Ignis Fatuus of Excommunication but that to Assault them Per medios ire Satellites Et perrumpere amat saxa potentius Ictu fulmineo Eight Emperors were Excommunicated by Popes who were these Frederick the First Frederick the Second Philip Conrad Otho the Fourth Lewes of Bavaria Henry the Fourth and Henry the Fifth The Emperor Henry the Fourth Fought in Threescore and Two several Battles and had for the most part Victory he was Excommunicated by the Pope and to obtain his Absolution came Three Days together bare-foot to the Gates of the City Canusium where the Pope then was and with much difficulty obtain'd it The Catholick Majesties of Spain cannot secure themselves from Excommunication without Money nor their great Vice-Roys in America for a Rebellion was Raised in Mexico by the Arch-Bishop there Excommunicating the Governors the People by Superstitious Episcopal Education made more afraid of the Counterfeit Power of the Keys than of the true Power of the Sword and will side in Rebellion with the Bishop against the Secular Governor men may talk therefore and believe what they please that the Supremacy of the Temporal Sword is Consistent with the Spiritual of Excommunication but when it comes to Trial amongst a Superstitious People they will be very much deceived and perhaps Ruin'd Bzovius de Pont. Roman 611 612. to maintain the Power That the Popes may depose Kings