with Cerdon maintained his Heresie and became his Successor in the time of Marcus Antoninus Philosophus one hundred thirty three years after Christ He held three Gods a visible invisible and a middle one that the Body of Christ was only a Phantasm that Christ by his Descent into Hell delivered thence Cain and the Sodomites and other Reprobates He condemned the eating of Flesh and the married Life he held that Souls only were saved permitted Women to baptize and condemned all War as unlawful Polycarpus called him the first begotten of the Devil Justin Martyr wrote a Book against him XXXIII 7. Tutianus whence came the Tutiani was a Syrian by Birth an Orator and familiar with Justin Martyr under whom he wrote a profitable Book against the Gentiles He flourished one hundred forty two Years after Christ his Disciples were also called Eneratita from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Temperance or Continence for they abstain from Wine Flesh or Marriage When Justin Martyr was dead he composed his Tenents out of divers others He held that Adam after his Fall was never restored to Mercy that all Men are damned besides his Disciples that Women are made by the Devil He condemned the Law of Moses made use of Water instead of Wine in the Sacrament and denied that Christ was the Seed of David he wrote a Gospel of his own which he called Diatesseron and spread his Heresie through Pisidia and Cilicia XXXIV 8. Montanus Father of the Montanists His Heresie began about one hundred forty five Years after Christ by Nation he was a Phrygian and carried about with him two Strumpets Prisca and Maximilla who fled from their Husbands to follow him these took upon them to prophesie and their Dictates were held by Montanus for Oracles but at last he and they for Company hanged themselves his Disciples ashamed either of his Life or ignominious Death called themselves Cataphrygians He confounded the Persons in the Trinity saying That the Father suffered he held Christ to be mere Man and gave out that he himself was the Holy Ghost his Disciples baptized the dead denied Repentance and Marriage yet allowed of Incest They trusted to Revelations and Enthusiasms and not to the Scripture In the Eucharist they mingled the Bread with the Blood of an Infant not a Year old In Phrygia this Heresie began and spread it self over all Cappadocia XXXV 9. Origen gave Name to the Origanists whose Errors began to spread Anno Dom. 247. under Aurelian the Emperour and continued about three hundred thirty four years They were condemned first in the Council of Alexandria two hundred years after his death and again in the fifth General Council of Constantinople under Justinian the first They held a Revolution of Souls from their estate and condition after death into their Bodies again They held the Devils and Reprobates after one thousand years should be saved That Christ and the holy Church do no more see the Father than we see the Angels That the Son is co-essential with the Father but not co-eternal because say they the Father created both him and the Spirit That Souls were created long before this World and for sinning in Heaven were sent down into their Bodies as into Prisons They did also overthrow the whole Historical truth of Scriptures by their Allegories XXXVI 10. Paulus Samosatenus so called from Samosata near Euphrates where he was born a man of infinite pride commanding himself to be received as an Angel His Heresie broke out two hundred thirty two years after Christ and hath continued in the Eastern Parts ever since He held that Christ was merely Man and had no Being till his Incarnation That the Godhead dwelt not in Christ bodily but as in the Prophets of old by Grace and Efficacy and that he was only the external not the internal Word of God therefore they did not baptise in his Name for which the Council of Nice rejected their Baptism as none and ordered they should be re-baptized who were baptized by them He denied the Divinity of the Holy Ghost allowed Circumcision took away such Psalms as were sung in honour of Christ and instead thereof ordered some in honour of himself to be sung in Churches by Women In the Synod of Antioch he was convicted by Malchion a Presbyter and condemned Anno 273. This Heresie was also embraced by Photinus Gelatian Bishop of Sirmium and propagated by him Anno 323. and thence they took the name of Photinians XXXVII 11. Manis a Persian by Birth and a Servant by Condition was Father of the Manichoran Seat he was flead alive for poysoning the King of Persia's Son yet his wicked Opinions raged in the World for three hundred and forty Years after his Death He held two Principals or Gods one good one bad condemned eating of Flesh Eggs and Milk held that God had Members and was substantially in every thing how base soever but was separate from them by Christ's coming and the Elect Manichorans He rejected the Old Testament and curtailed the New by excluding Christ's Genealogy he held Christ was the Serpent which deceived our first Parents saying that he feigned to dye and rose again and that it was really the Devil who truly was crucified He denyed the Resurrection and held Transmigration he affirmed that he was the Comforter whom Christ promised to send They worshipped the Sun and Moon and other Idols they condemned Marriages and permitted promiscuous Copulation they rejected Baptism as needless and all works of Charity they taught that our Will to Sin is natural and not acquired by the Fall that Sin is a Substance and not a Quality communicated from Parents to their Children they say they cannot sin deny the last Judgment and affirm that their Souls shall be taken up to the Globe of the Moon XXXVIII 12. Arrius whence sprung the Arrians was a Lybian by Birth by Profession a Presbyter of Alexandria His Heresie brake out two hundred and ninety Years before Christ and over-ran a great part of the Christian World They held Christ to be a Creature that he had a Man's Body but no humane Soul the Divinity supplying the room thereof they also held the Holy Ghost a Creature proceeding from a Creature that is Christ their Doxology was Glory be to the Father by the Son in the Holy Ghost they re-baptize the Orthodox Christians This Heresie was condemned by the Council of Nice under Constantine and Arrius himself in the midst of his Pomp seized with a Disentery voided his Guts in the Draught and so dyed XXXIX 13. Macedonius Bishop of Constantinople gave Name to the Macedonians They held that the Holy Ghost was a Creature and the Servant of God and that by the Holy Spirit was meant only a Power created by God and communicated to the Creatures This Heresie sprung up or rather was stifly maintained under Constantius the Son of Constantine three hundred and twelve Years after Christ and was condemned in the second Occumenical Council at
not to lodge in the same Chamber no not with his Sister Daughter or Daughter-in-law yea their wise Men forbid Conference with a Woman altogether LXVII But now it will be convenient to proceed to their way of Divorce and other Marriage-Ceremonies The Bill of Divorce is still practised among the Jews it must be written in twelve Lines it is therefore called Get neither more nor less and delivered to the Woman before three credible Witnesses under their Hands and Seals Then doth the Husband deliver it to her saying Lo Woman the Bill of this Divorce take it of me by it being divorced from me be thou free to another Husband The Tenor of this Bill is this The second day of the Week the eight and twentieth of the Month in the Year of the World 5363. as we here at Mentz upon Rhine use to reckon I Isaac sirnamed Eckenderf Son of R. Abr. now dwelling at Mentz of my free Will without Constraint thee Sarah sirnamed Trummerle Daughter of R. Levi which hitherto hath been my Wife have determined to free forsake and divorce and now do forsake free and put thee from me that thou mayst be thine own and at thine own free Will and Pleasure mayst depart whither thou wilt and none from henceforth for ever shall prohibit thee and thou art so freed that thou may'st marry to any other Man This Divorce may not be done in every place but they have some special place appointed noted and known scituate on some known River whereto certain chief Rabbies are called by writing if there be none there dwelling which consummate the business By the old Law a Woman might be reconciled to her Husband before the Bill of Divorce given or after The Observation of the Brother to marry the Wife of the Brother deceased without Issue or else to lose the Inheritance which was testified by pulling off his Shooe and spitting in his Face is now thus ruled by the Rabbies That none shall marry such a Widdow but rather suffer the premised Ignominy which is performed in this sort She comes before the chief Rabbi with five Witnesses where the Rabbi demands if she have been three Months a Widdow if her Husband had a Brother unmarried if the Party convented be he c. and lastly if she be fasting for otherwise she might not spit in her Brothers Face of him also the Rabbi likewise asketh like Questions and receiving a denial of Marriage there is brought a Shoo of singular Fashion for that purpose which he putteth on his right foot bare and then setteth himself against a Wall The Woman comes and disclaiming his Affinity stoopeth and with her right hand for if she want a right hand it putteth the Rabbies out of their Wits to scan whether with her Teeth or how else it may be done unlooseth the Shoo and taking it off spits in his face so that the five Witnesses may see it saying Thus shall it be done with him which will not build the House of his Brother In the time of her Uncleanness a Woman may not enter into the Synagogue nor pray nor name the Name of God nor handle any holy Book which if they observe the Rabbies promise them longer Life As soon as she knoweth of her Uncleanness she presently separateth her self from her Husband the space of seven days not touching him nor sitting on the same Seat nor eating in the same Dish or on the same Cloath nor may drink out of the same Cup nor stand against him nor speak in his Face if one will give any thing to the other one layeth it on a Bench or Table and goeth away and the other cometh and taketh it they say it procureth the Leprosie in the Children which are then gotten which they object to Christians When she hath numbred seven dayes of her Uncleanness she proceedeth to number as many of her Purification after which time finding her self pure she cloatheth her self in white and taking a Woman with her washeth her self in cold Water some in Winter put in warm Water to it which others in the coldest Season refuse and leaves not a hair of her Head unwashed as before is described Some fast till they have done it lest the flesh in the Teeth should hinder the Water from coming to them for Mouth and Eyes must be open and they must stoop that the Pap keep not the Water from the Breast and if they have a Plaister on a sore it must off and their Nails must be pared They write That if any shall exceed twenty years and not marry or if he shall marry a Wife which is barren he sinneth as much as if he had slain a Man and deserveth the Punishment of Onan whom God slew provided if he addict himself to the Study of the Law and findeth no need of a Wife but if he find Concupiscence prevail he ought to marry notwithstanding And this necessity remaineth untill he hath begotten a Son and a Daughter But having forgotten to speak of Circumcision under the Head of Religion it will not be improper to touch something upon that Point in this place The Child is first washed and laid in clean Linnen for if he be foul or defile himself while he is circumcised the Mohel or Circumciser is to suspend or interrupt his Prayer till he be washed again In the Morning of the eighth day the God-father seateth himself down in a Seat placed near the Ark and the Mohel near him twelve wax-candles are brought in to represent the twelve Tribes then two Cups of red Wine the circumcising Knife with two Dishes the one of Oyl the other of Sand. When the Child is brought to the door by the Woman the Congregation riseth up the God-father takes the Child and sits down in his Seat There is also a Seat prepared for Eliah whose coming they expect at the Circumcision The Child is then named and usually by the name of some of his Ancestors so that Luke 1.61 it was wondred at that Zachary should name his Son John seeing none of his Kindred was named with his Name The eighth day was so strictly observed that if it fell on the Sabbath the Child was then circumcised not sooner lest God should be thought to be tied to the Sacrament and because the Child the first seven days after the Birth was held legally unclean and yet remaining in his Blood Levit. 12.2 3. and 22.27 nor later lest the Parents should be longer with-held from the comforts of the Sacrament The penalty of Contempt or neglect of Circumcision was a cutting off from the People Gen. 17.14 that is by Excommunication or bodily death of the Parents Therefore God would have killed Moses for not circumcising his Son or else by the death of the Son himself when he comes to years of discretion if he be not circumcised either by himself or by his Parents or by the Judges Now the manner of the Mohel's cutting off the foreskin is that he first rubs
to others as they met them did but cry Jews and they were presently beaten down without having any liberty or leisure to answer for themselves The Magistrates were not so hardy as to oppose themselves against the fury of the People so that in three days the Cut-throats killed above two thousand Jewish Persons The King understanding the News of this horrible hurley-burley was extreamly wrath and suddenly dispatched away Jaques Almida and Jaques Lopez with full power to punish so great Offences who caused a great number of the Seditious to be executed The Fryars that had lift up the Cross and animated the People to Murder were degraded and afterwards hanged and burn'd The Magistrates that had been slack to repress this Riot were some put out of Office and others fined The City was also disfranchised of many Priviledges and Honours CXXXVIII In the Year 1572. was the bloody Parisian Matins wherein was spilt so much Christian Blood that it flowed through the Streets like Rain-water in great abundance and this Butchery of Men Women and Children continued so long that the principal Rivers of the Kingdom were seen covered with murdered Bodies and their streams so dried and stain'd with humane Blood that they who dwelt far from the place where this Barbarons Act was committed abhorred the Waters of those Rivers and refused to use either it or to eat of the Fish taken therein for a long time after This tragedy was thus cunningly plotted A Peace was made with the Protestants for assurance whereof a Marriage was solemnized between Henry of Navarr chief of the Protestant party and Margaret the King's Sister At this wedding there assembled the Prince of Conde the Admiral Coligne and divers others of chief note but there was not so much Wine drank as Blood shed at it At midnight the Watch-bell rung the King of Navarre and the Prince of Conde are taken Prisoners the Admiral murdered in his Bed and thirty thousand at the least of the most potent men of the Religion sent by the way of the red Sea to find the nearest passage to the land of Canaan CXXXIX In the year 1311. and in the time of Pope Clement the fifth all the order of the Knights Templers being condemned at the Council of Vienna and adjudged to die Philip the Fair King of France urged by the Pope and out of a covetuous desire of store of Confiscations gave way for men to charge them with Crimes and so these innocents were put to death The great master of the order together with two other of the principal Persons one whereof was Brother to the Dolphin of Viennais were publickly burnt together CXL The Massacre of French Protestants at Merandol and Chabriers happened in the year 1544. the instrument of it being Minier the President of Aix for having condemned this poor People of Heresy he mustered up a small Army and set fire on the Villages they of Merandol seeing the flame with their Wives and Children flew into the Woods but were there butchered or sent to the Galleys One Boy they took placed him against a Tree and shot him to death with Calivers Twenty five which had hid themselves in a Cave were in part stifled in part burnt In Chabriers they so inhumanely dealt with the young Wives and Maids that most of them died immediately after the men and Women were put to the Sword the Children were re-baptized eight hundred men were murdered in a Cave and forty men put together in an old Barn and burnt yea such was the cruelty of these Souldiers to these poor Women that when some of them had clambered to the top of the Barn with an intent to leap down the Souldiers beat them back again with their Pikes CXLI King Ethelred the younger Son of Edgar and half Brother of Edward the second injoyed the Crown unquietly which he got unjustly Oppressed and broken by the Danes he was fain to buy his peace of them of the yearly Tribute of ten thousand pounds inhaunced to forty thousand pounds within a short time after Which Monies were raised upon the Subjects by the name of Danegelt Weary of this Exaction he plotted warily with his Subjects to kill all the Danes as they slept in their Beds which accordingly was put in execution on St. Brices night November 13. Anno 1012. CXLII But to divert the reader after so sad an entertainment as is this mournful subject it will not be improper to give him a prospect of the divers Customs of several Nations in the Universe The Custom of the Ethiopians is not to punish any Subject with death though he is condemned but one of the Lictors is sent to the Malefactor with the sign of Death carried before him which received the Criminal goes home and puts himself to death To change death into banishment is held unlawful and it is said that when one had received the sign of death and had intentions to fly out of Ethiopia his Mother being apprehensive of it fastened her Girdle about his Neek and he not offering to resist her with his hands lest he should thereby fasten a reproach upon his Family was strangled by her CXLIII In the greater India in the Kingdom of Var in which St. Thomas is said to be slain and buried he amongst them who is to undergo a Capital Punishment begs of the King that he may rather dye in honour of some God than an inglorious death by the hands of the Hang-man If the King in mercy grant him it by his Kindred with great Joy he is led through the City with mighty Pomp he is placed in a Chair with sharp Knives all hung about his Neck When he comes to the place of Execution with a loud voice he affirms he will dye in honour of this or that God then taking one of the Knives he wounds himself where he pleases then a second then a third till his strength fail and so he is honourably burn'd by his Friends CXLIV The Spartans when they brought home with them any Friends or Guests shewing them the Doors they used to say Not a Word that is spoken passes out here Plutarch also tells us that by the Institution of Lycurgus when they invited any to feast with them he who was the elder stood at the door of the dining Room and pointing to it said to all that entred Nothing that is spoken passes these doors to be told abroad expressing thereby that all the Guests had a full freedom and liberty to speak without any constraint upon them The same Spartans in those Feasts of theirs that are called Phiditiae have their Prefects or Stewards who bring in two or three of the Helotes that is their Slaves drunk and intoxicate with Wine and expose them publickly in that posture to their Youth that they may see what it is to be drunk and that by their unseemly and uncomely Behaviour they might be brought into a detestation of that Vice and to a love of Temperance
time having gotten together an Army of a hundred and sixty thousand men with which he again invaded Epirus and laid Siege to Croia the Capital City thereof And after many Artifices and Endeavours to suborn the Governour and the other Officers finding that could not be effected after having battered it with great Mortar-pieces the Sultan made a general Assault But just as the Turks began it Scanderbeg with five thousand men brake into one of their Quarters and at the first Encounter slew six hundred of them yet engaged himself so far in the Fight that he was in much danger to be slain or taken Prisoner but at length resolutely breaking through them he escaped and came to his Camp to their great Joy and Comfort Whereupon Amurath renewed the Assault wherein he lost eight thousand Men without any considerable damage to the Garrison And Scanderbeg in the night broke in again upon their Quarters making a much greater slaughter of the Enemy than the Garrison had done After the Turks had still made several Attacks in vain wherein they lost many thousands more of their Men Amurath laid it to heart that so small a Town should eclipse all his former Glory that he died in the Army of Grief Rage and Despair but charging his Son and principal Officers not to leave his Death unrevenged and so gave up the Ghost After the Death of Amurath Mahomet his Son presently rais'd the Siege and offered Peace to Scanderbeg if he would pay him a certain Tribute but Scanderbeg scorning the Motion made an Inroad into the Turkish Dominions which he grievously wasted and returned home laden with spoil To revenge this Mahomet sent an Army into Epirus under one of his principal Bassa's but being re-encountred by Scanderbeg he slew seven thousand of them took the Bashaw and principal Officers Prisoners whom Mahomet ransomed with thirteen thousand Duckats and other rich Presents which he sent to Scanderbeg Hereupon one Debreas one of the Turk's best Generals undertook with such an Army to conquer Epirus and bring Scanderbeg's Head to Mahomet Accordingly he marched with such and as many Men as he desired and a Battel was so valiantly fought that Scanderbeg's Fortune seem'd to be at a stand yet Scanderbeg having at last encountred Debreas fought with him hand to hand and slew him with whose Death the whole Enemies Army was discouraged and fled and of the Turks were slain four thousand one hundred and twenty but of the Christians very few The Grand Seignior finding by these Defeats that it lay not in his Power to prevail by Force had Recourse to Artifice and sought to corrupt by mighty Offers and Promises the principal Officers of Scanderbeg and at length found the means to seduce Moses Galome a great Commander who had treacherously assured Scanderbeg of Success if he would besiege Belgrade which having done upon his Advice he brought the Town to great distress before it could be relieved but Moses having given the Turks warning of his Designs they came upon him unawares slew many of his Men and rais'd the Siege nevertheless Scanderbeg fought their Army slew three thousand of the Misereants and with his own hand two brave Champions who had before sworn to Mahomet to kill him if they met with him The poor Christian Captives taken by the Turks were some sold for Slaves others impailed alive upon sharp Stakes others hanged on iron Hooks and others cruelly tortured to death at the Victor's Pleasure Moses threw off the Mask and went to Mahomet of whom having obtain'd upon assurance of Conquest a great Army with all things necessary went against Scanderbeg When the two Armies were ready to joyn a Messenger came from the Turks to see if any durst prove his Valour against a Champion of the Turks hand to hand the Challenger was accepted and the Turk appearing Zacharie Groppa having obtained leave of Scanderbeg went out against him and after a short Parley they ran with their Lances each against other with such Fury that both Horses and Men were overturned then nimbly recovering themselves they drew their Semiters and encountred each other with such sturdy Strokes that at last both their Swords fell out of their Hands then grapling together they wrestled so long till Groppa overthrew his Adversary and with his Dagger thrust him into his Throat and then taking a Sword he cut off his Head and returned to Scanderbeg with great Honour Then the Signal of the Battel being given it was obstinately fought on both sides and Scanderbeg ran great danger of his life for a couragious Turk with his Horse-man's Staff bare him quite backward upon his Horse so that the Turks shouted for Joy hoping that he had been slain but Scanderbeg chafed with such an unwonted Disgrace suriously assailed the Turk and slew him and pursued his Victory with that Eagerness that the Turks were defeated eleven thousand of them slain and not above one hundred of the Christians and eighty wounded After this Moses being tormented in Conscience stole from the Turks returned to Scanderbeg obtain'd Pardon and his former Trust and Offices In the mean while Amase Scanderbeg's Nephew was inveigled by Mahomet so that he abandoned his Uncle and went to the Grand Seignior Hereupon in the Spring following he and Isaac Bassa were sent the Spring following with a mighty Army and Amase was proclaimed King of Epirus in Mahomet's name After several Skirmishes between the two Armies wherein the Turks had always the worst at length Scanderbeg and his Army descended from the Mountain with such horrible Shouts and noise of Instruments of War that the Turks were in a kind of Consternation and thought the Enemy to be much more numerous than they were nevertheless Amase rallied and made a brave Defence but at length was forced to yield to his Uncle's Bravery and Conduct so that the whole Turkish Army was routed many of them were slain and many taken Prisoners together with twenty of the Turks fairest Ensigns of whom were slain about twenty thousand and of the Christians about sixty Amase being likewise taken and condemned to perpetual Imprisonment Then a Peace was concluded between Mahomet and Scanderbeg after the expiration of which Mahomet sent Synanbeg with an Army of twenty thousand into Epyrus with which Scanderbeg forthwith encounter'd and overthrew so that few escaped by flight Then sent he Asambeg with thirty thousand with whom Scanderbeg in plain Battel vanquished at Ocrida and took Asambeg Prisoner and used him honourably and afterwards dismissed him Jussumbeg came after with eighteen thousand was set upon by Scanderbeg had many slain and himself hardly escaped by flight Then Carafabeg an old and expert Captain desired Mahomet to let him try his Fortune who sent him with an Army of almost forty thousand Scanderbeg fearing him more than any of the former and therefore raised more Forces yet he was too cunning as well as too brave for the Bashaw for he slew many of his Men and had
God yearly upon a set day and at other times also even with multiplyed Victims especially in case of any great Calamity that should befall the City Accordingly upon the Slaughter they received by Agathocles they made a Decree I tremble to speak it to offer up two hundred of their noblest Youths in this manner to Saturn and who would believe it there were as many more who freely offered themselves to the same Death II. So great a Reverence to Religion had the Aethiopian Kings to the time of Ptolomy King of Egypt that whensoever the Priests of Jupiter who was worshipped in Meroc declar'd to any of them that his Life was hateful to the Gods he immediately put an end to his days nor was there any of them found to have had a more tender Regard to the Safety of his own Life than he had Reverence to Religion till King Arganes who lest the Priests should tell him he should dye began with themselves put them all to Death first and thereby abolished the Custom At Hierapolis in Syria was a magnificent Temple where men used to geld themselves and put on Womens Apparel such Priests were called Galli Here stood two Priapi or Phalli and within the Quire into which the Chief Priest only might enter stood Jupiter's Statue supported with Bulls Juno's with Lyons having in one hand a Scepter and a Distaff in the other In the Temple stood Apollo whose Oracles were much consulted if the Petition was liked the Image would move forward if otherwise backward They had divers Feasts the greatest was that of the Fire where they set divers Trees hung with divers sorts of Beast for Sacrifice on Fire after they had carryed about these Fires in Procession to their Idols Here the gelded Priests wound each other and divers young men at this Feast geld themselves Here was much confused Musick Disorder Fury and Prophecyings Into the Temple none might enter in thirty days in whose Family any died and then his Head must be shaved He that but look'd upon a dead Corps was excluded the Temple a whole day To touch a Dove was Abomination because Semiramis was transformed into a Dove and so it was to touch Fishes because of Dercito the Mermaid and Mother of Semiramis half a Fish and half a Woman To Hierapolis were divers Pilgrimages each Pilgrim was bound to cut his Hair on his Head and Brows to sacrifice a Sheep to lay the Head and Feet of the Sheep upon his own Head to crown himself to drink cold Water only and to sleep on the Ground till his Return the young men were bound to consecrate their Hair then to cut it in the Temple and to offer it in a Box of Gold and Silver with their Names inscribed thereon The Phaenicians were bound to offer yearly Sacrifices of young Children to Saturn and in the Temple of Venus to practice not only Whoredom but Sodomy also The Phaenicians were bound to prostitute their Daughters to Venus before they marryed ' em In the Temple of Venus were celebrated the annual Rites of Adonis with Beatings and Howlings to whom they performed solemn Obsequies The Arabians worshipped the Sun and Moon Serpents Trees and other such like Deities The Nabathaeans burned Frankincense to the Sun or his Altar they do not bury their Dead but lay 'em even their Kings on Dunghils Adultery is Death among 'em but Incest is no Sin In Panchaea is a rich stately Temple adorned with Statues and the Priests ruled all there both in politick and ecclesiastick Affairs III. The ancient Persians had neither Temples Altars nor Images holding these improper for their Gods but on the tops of Hills offered Sacrifices to Heaven and to the Sun Moon Fire Earth Water and Winds The Priests used neither Musick Vestments nor Libaments but only his Tiara or Head-attire crowned with Mirtle To Lye and be in Debt are heinous Crimes with them so it is to spit wash or piss in a River which with them are hallowed The old Scythians had neither Temples Images nor Altars for any of their Gods except for Mars whose Temples they erected of bundles of Twigs heaped up together Instead of his Image they set up an old Iron Sword to which they offered yearly Sacrifices of Cattel and Horses and of Men every hundredth Captive with whose Blood they besprinkled Mars's Sword then they cut off the right Shoulders of the slain men and fling them into the Air they used to wound first and then to strangle the Beast which they sacrificed praying to that God to whom they offered the Beast they kindled no Fire of Wood for the Country yielded none but they burned the Bones of the Beast to boyl the Flesh withal if they want a Vessel they boyl the Flesh in the Beast's Paunch they use no Vows nor any other Ceremonies IV. The Tartars worshipped the Sun Stars Fire Earth and Water to whom they offered the first Fruits of their Meat and Drink each morning before they eat and drink themselves They believe there is one God Maker of all things yet they worship not nor pray unto him They place Idols at the Tent doors these Idols being made of Silk and Felt are offered the first Fruits of Milk Meat and Drink the Hearts also of Beasts which they leave before them all night and then eat them in the morning they offer Horses to the Emperour's Idol which none afterward must ride they do not break but burn the Bones of their Sacrifices by their Discipline they must not touch the Fire with a Knife nor meddle with young Birds nor pour Milk Drink or Meat on the ground nor break one Bone with another nor make Water within their Tents with divers other such Traditions which if violated are punished with Death or else redeemed with much Money They believe another World but such as this When one dyeth he hath Meat set before him and Mare 's Milk his Friends eat a Horse and burn the Bones thereof for his Soul they bury also with him a Mare a Colt and a Horse bridled and sadled his Gold and Silver also and they set upon Poles the Horse Hide that was eat that he may not be without a Tent in the other World They use to feed the Ghosts or Spirits with Mares Milk cast in the Air or poured on the Ground They have their religious Votaries or Monasteries amongst which there is an Order called Senschin which eat nothing but Bran steeped in hot Water They do not worship Idols nor do they marry but they hold Transanimation and divers other ridiculous Opinions They have a strange Custom among them that their Priests on high Trees preach to them and after Sermon besprinkle their Auditors with Blood Milk Earth and Cow-dung mixed together and no less strange it is that they do not bury their Dead but hang them upon Trees But the Tartars were not all of one Religion for as they compose several Nations so they had several Sects in
Greese they do first expose their Daughters to any that will lye with them and then give them in Marriage They believe that after Death their Souls ascend unto the Stars and go down with them under the Horrison into a Paradise of Pleasure They believe also that God stuck a multitude of Arrows in the Beginning into the Ground and of these sprung up Men and Women They have divers ridiculous Opinions of God as That he once drank much Tobacco and then gave the Pipe to their Governour with a Command that he should keep it carefully and so doing he should want nothing but he lost the Pipe and so fell into Want and Misery They use to sing to the Devils Praises to dance about Fires which they make to his Honour and leap over them They bemoan the Dead a great while and bring Presents to their Graves In Florida the Chief Deities are the Sun and Moon which they honour with Dances and Songs Once a Year they offer to the Sun a Harts-hide stuffed with Herbs hanging Garlands of Fruits about his Horns so presenting this Gift toward the East they pray the Sun to make the Land produce the same Fruits again but to their Kings they use to sacrifice their first-born Males much of their Devotion like the rest of barbarous Savages consisting in singing dancing howling feasting and cutting off their own Skins Adultery in the Woman is punished with whipping In some parts of this Country the next of Kin is permitted to cut the Adulteresses Throat and the Woman to cut the Adulterers Throat In some parts also of the Country they worship the Devil who when he complains of Thirst humane Blood is shed to quench his Thirst When a King is buryed the Cup wherein he used to drink is still 〈◊〉 upon his Grave and round about the same are stuck many Arrows the People weep and fast three days together the neighbour Kings his Friends cut off half their Hair Women are hired who for six Months howl for him three times a day This honour the King and Priest have that they are buried in their Houses and burned with their Houses and Goods XII In Mexico besides their inferiour Priests they had one Chief whose Habit was a Crown of rich Feathers on his Head Pendants of Gold with green Stones at his Ears and under his Lips an azure Stone His Office was to receive the Body of the Dead King at the Temple door with a mournful Song to open the Breast of the sacrificed Man to pull out his Heart to offer it to the Sun and then to fling that to the Idol to which the man was sanctified The inferiour Priests in the interim holding the Legs Arms and Head of the sacrificed Wretch whilst his Heart was taking out They used also to flay off the Skins of men and cloath some therewith who went about dancing and forcing People to offer them Presents or else they would strike them over the face with the bloody Corner of the Skin The Priests Office also was to burn Incense before their Idols every Morning Noon-tide Evening and at Mid-night for then with Trumpets and Coronets they sounded a long time which done they burned the Incense in Censures with much Reverence and then they beat themselves and draw Blood with sharp Bodkins they preach also on some Festival days to the People The Revenues of the Priests were great the Temples in State Magnificence and Wealth exceed ours The Priests were all anointed and wear their Hair long for they never cut it They did sometimes anoint themselves with an Unguent made of venomous Beasts which made them without fear and armed them with Cruelty They painted their Skins black they washed their new born Children and let them Blood in their Ears they performed Marriages by asking the Parties mutual Consent and tying together a Corner of the Womans Vail with the Corner of the Man's Gown and so brought them to the Bridegroom's groom's House causing the Bride to go seven times about the Hearth They buried the dead either in their Gardens or on Mountains sometimes they burned the Body and if he was a great man they killed his Chaplain and his Officers to attend him burying also Wealth with him that he might not want in the other World The Priest used to attire himself in these great Funerals like a Devil with many Mouths and glass Eyes and with his Staff stirred and mingled the Ashes When the King dyed the Priests were to sing his Elogies and to sacrifice two hundred Persons to serve him Adultery was punished with Death and so was Dishonesty in their Nuns and Monks of which there were two great Cloysters at Mexico XIII The Indians of Peru believed commonly That the Souls lived after this Life and that the Good were in Glory and the Bad in Pain so as there is little difficulty to perswade them to these Articles But they are not yet come to the Knowledge of that point that the Bodies should rise with the Souls and therefore they did use a wonderful Care to preserve the Bodies which they honoured after Death To this end their Successors gave them Garments and made Sacrifices unto them especially the King 's Inguas being accompanied at their Funerals with a great number of Servants and Women for their Service in the other Life and therefore on the day of his decease they did put to death the Woman he had loved best his Servants and Officers that they might serve him in the other Life When as Guanacapa died who was Father to Ataguâ—lpa at what time the Spaniards entred Peru they put to death a thousand Persons of all Ages and Conditions for his Service to accompany him in the other Life after many Songs and Drunkenness they slew them and these that were appointed to death held themselves happy They did sacrifice many things unto them especially young Children and with the Blood they made a stroak on the dead man's Face from one Ear to the other This Superstition and Inhumanity to kill both Men and Women to accompany and serve the Dead in the other Life hath been followed by others and is at this day used amongst some other barbarous Nations And as Apollo writes it hath been in a manner general throughout all the Indies The Reverend Beda reports That before the English-men were converted to the Gospel they had the same Custom to kill men to accompany and serve the dead It is written of a Portugal who being Captive among the Barbarians had been hurt with a Dart so as he lost one Eye and as they would have sacrificed him to accompany a Noble-man that was dead he said unto them That those that were in the other Life would make small account of the dead if they gave him a blind man for a Companion and that it were better to give him an Attendant that had both his Eyes this Reason being found good by the Barbarians they let him go Besides this
Superstition of sacrificing Men to the Dead being used but to great Personages there is another far more general and common in all the Indies which is to set Meat and Drink upon the Grave of the dead imagining they did feed thereon the which hath been an Error amongst the Ancients as St. Augustine writes and therefore they gave them Meat and Drink At this day many Indian Infidels do secretly draw their dead out of the Church-yard and bury them on Hills or upon Passages of Mountains or else in their own Houses They have also used to put Gold and Silver in their Mouth Hands and Bosom and to apparel them with new Garments durable and well lined under the Herse They believe that the Souls of the dead wandred up and down and endured Cold Thirst Hunger and Travel and for this Cause they make their Anniversaries carrying them Cloaths Meat and Drink XIV The Kings Inguas of Peru caused Images to be made to their Likeness which they called Guacos or Brothers causing them for to be honoured like themselves which was in this sort They took a Captive such as they thought good and before they did sacrifice unto him their Idols they gave him the Name of the Idol to whom he should be sacrificed and appareled with the same Ornaments like their Idol saying that he did represent the same Idol and during the time that this Representation lasted which was for a Year in some Feasts in others six months and in others less they reverenced and worshipped him in the same manner as the proper Idol and in the mean time he did eat drink and was merry When he went through the Streets the People came forth to worship him and every one brought him an Alms with Children and sick Folks that he might cure them and bless them suffering him to do all things at his Pleasure only he was accompanyed with ten or twelve Men lest he should fly And he to the end he might be reverenced as he passed sometimes sounded upon a small Flute that the People might prepare to worship him The Feast being come and he grown fat they killed him opened him and eat him making a solemn Sacrifice of him XV. The chief Idol of Mexico was Vitziliputzli It was an Image of Wood like to a Mars set upon a Stool of the Colour of Azure in a Brankard or Litter at every Corner was a piece of Wood in form of a Serpents head The Stool fignified that he was set in Heaven this Idol had all the Fore-head azure and had a Band of azure under the Nose from one Ear to the other upon his Head he had a rich Plume of Feathers like to the Beak of a small Bird the which was covered on the top with Gold burnished very brown he had in his Left hand a white Target with the Figure of five Pine-apples made of white Feathers set in a Cross and from above issued forth a Crest of Gold and at his Sides he had four Darts which the Magicians say had been sent from Heaven for the doing mighty Acts and Prowesses in his Right hand he had an azured Staff cut in fashion of a waving Snake XVI The People of Peru's chief God was Wirachocha by whom they understood the Maker of all things next to him they worshipped the Sun and the Thunder after him the Images of those three they never touched with their bare hands they worshipped all the Stars Earth Sea Rain-bow Rivers Fountains and Trees They adored also wild Beasts that they might not hurt them and in sign of their Devotion when they travelled they left in the Cross-way and dangerous Places old Shoes Feathers and if they had nothing else Stones They worshipped the Sun by pulling off the Hairs from their Eye-brows When they fear they touch the Earth and look up to the Sun they worship also the dead Bodies of their Emperours and indeed every thing they either affected or feared They have some glimmering Knowledge of the beginning of the World of Noah's Flood and they believe the end of the World which they still fear when the Sun is eclipsed which they think to be the Moon 's Husband they held their Priests in such esteem that no great matter was undertaken by Prince or People without their Advice None had Access to their Idols but they and then only when they are cloathed in white and prostrate on the Ground In sacrificing they abstain from Women and some out of Zeal would put out their own Eyes They used to consult with the Devil to whom they sacrificed men and dedicated Boys in their Temples for Sodomy They had also their Temples richly adorned with Gold and Silver and their Monasteries for Priests and Sorcerers Their Nuns were so strictly kept that it was Death to be deflowred after fourteen years of age they were taken out of the Monastery either to serve their Idols and such must be Virgins still or else to serve as Wives and Concubines to the Ingua or Emperour They are very frequent and strict in their Confessions and chearfully undertake what Penance is enjoyned them but the Ingua confesseth only to the Sun After Confession they all wash in Baths leaving their Sins in the Water they used to sacrifice Vegitables Animals and Men chiefly Children for the Health or Prosperity of their Ingua and for Victory in War In some places they eat their man Sacrifices in others they only dryed and preserved them in Silver Coffins they anoint with Blood the Faces of their Idols and Doors of their Temples or rather Slaughter-houses XVII Before the English planted Christianity in Virginia the Natives worshipped the Devil and many Idols as yet they do in many places there They believe many Gods but one principally who made the rest and that all Creatures were made of Water and the Woman before the Man who by help of one of the Gods conceived and bore Children They are all Anthropomorphites giving to their Gods the form of Men whom they worship with praising singing and Offerings They hold the Souls Immortality Rewards and Punishments after this Life the one in Heaven the other in a burning Pit towards the West The Priests are distinguished from other People by Garments of Skin and their Hair cut like a Comb on their Crowns They carry their Gods about with them and ask Counsel of them Much of their Devotions consisted in howling and dancing about Fires with Rattles or Gourd or Pompian Rinds in their hands beating the ground with Stones and offering Tobacco Deers Suet and Blood on the Stone Altars They undertake no matters of Consequence without advice of their Priests the chief whereof is adorned with Feathers and Weasels Tails and his Face painted as ugly as the Devils They bury their Kings after their Bodies are burned and dryed in white Skins within Arches and Mats with their Wealth at their Feet and by the Body is placed the Devils Image the Women express their Sorrow with black
leaving the Wives and the Brethren their Sisters unto their Pleasures and therefore departing out of the House when they come in and hence it is that no Man's Son inheriteth his Fathers Goods but the Sister's Son succeedeth as being most certain of the Blood So in the Kingdom of Calicat when the King marrieth a Wife one of the principal Bramanes hath the first Nights lodgings with her for which he hath assigned him by the King four hundred or five hundred Ducats The King committeth the Custody of his Wife to the Bramanes when he travelleth any whither and taketh in too honest part their dishonest Familiarity but for this cause the King's Son succeedeth not in the Crown but his Sisters Son as being certainly of his Blood These Sisters of the King choose what Gentleman they please on whom to bestow their Virginity and if they prove not in a certain time to be with Child they betake them to these Bramane Stallions the Gentlemen and Merchants have a Custom to exchange VVives in token of great Friendship Some VVomen amongst them have six or seven Husbands fathering her Children on which of them she best pleaseth The Men when they marry get others to use them if they be Virgins fifteen or twenty days before they themselves will bed them LXXIX As for the Marriages in Peru the Men had many VVives but one was principal which was wedded with Solemnity and that in this sort The Bridegroom went to the Bride's House and put O Hoya which was an open Shoe on her foot this if she were a Maid was of VVool otherwise of Reeds and this done he led her thence with him If she committed Adultery she was punished with Death VVhen the Husband died she carried a mourning VVeed of black a Year after and might not marry in that time which befell not the other VVives The Ingua or Emperour himself with his own hand gave this VVoman to his Governours and Captains and the Governours assembled all the young Men and Maids in one place of the City where they gave to every one his VVife with the aforesaid Ceremony in putting on the O Hoya the other VVives did serve and honour this None might marry with his Mother Daughter Grand Mother or Grand Child and Yupangui the Father of Guayanacapa was the first Ingua that married his Sister and confirmed his Fact by a Decree That the Ingua's might do it commanding his own Children to do it permitting the Noble-men also to marry their Sisters by the Father's side LXXX In the Canaries they used for Hospitality to let their Friends lye with their VVives and received theirs in like courtesie and therefore as in India the Sisters Son inherited Amongst the Georgians too the Husband bringing home a Guest commends him to his VVIfe and Sister with charge to yield him Content and Delight esteeming it a Credit that their VVives can please and be acceptable Their Virgins become Mothers very soon most of them at ten years old can bring witnesses in their Arms little bigger than a great Frog which yet after grow tall and square men to prove that there is never a Maid the less for them So in Chamul a Province in Tartary they not only permit but account it a great Honour to have their VVives and Sisters at the pleasure of such Strangers as they entertain themselves departing the while and suffering all things to be their Guests VVill for so are their Idols served who therefore for this Hospitality they think will prosper all that they have And when one of their Chams forbad them this beastly practise they abstained three Years but then sent a lamentable Embassage to him with request that they might continue their former Custom for since they left it they could not thrive who overcome by their fond Importunity granted their Requests which they with Joy accepted and do still observe LXXXI In Carazan another Province of Tartary they have a barbarous Custom which they used when any proper and personable Gentleman of valourous Spirit and goodly Presence lodged in any House amongst them in the Night they killed him not for the spoil but that his Soul furnished with such parts of Body and Mind might remain in that House much hope of future happiness to that House did they repose in such unhappy Attempts There too when a VVoman is delivered of a Child the Man lieth in and keepeth his Bed with Visitation of Gossips the space of forty days they worship the ancientest Person in the house ascribing to him all their good In some part of the Country Knights and Souldiers never marry but lye with such Women or Daughters as like them leaving his VVeapon mean while at the door which forbid any Man else although it be the good man himself to enter till he hath ended his Business and be gone At a place in the Kingdom of Fez there was a Temple built to which at certain times in the Year resorted Men and VVomen in the night where after Sacrifices the Candles were put out and each Man lay with the VVoman he first touched Those Women were forbidden to lye with any other for a Year after The Children begotten in this Adultery were brought up by the Priests of the Temple But having spoken of the strange Rites and Ceremonies used in Marriage by many Nations of the Universe it will not be unseasonable to give some Instances of such unnatural Wives and Husbands as we meet with recorded in History LXXXII 1. Joan Grand-child to Robert King of Naples by Charles his Son succeeded her Grand-father in the Kingdom of Naples and Sicily Anno 1343. a Woman of a beautiful Body and rare Endowments of Nature she was first marryed to her Cousin Andrew a Prince of Royal Extraction and of a sweet and loving Disposition but he being not able to satisfie her Wantonness she kept company with low Persons at last she grew weary of him complaining of his Insufficiency and caused him in the City of Arersa to be hung upon a Beam and strangled in the night time and then threw out his Corps into a Garden where it lay some days unburied It is said that this Andrew on a day coming into the Queen's Chamber and finding her twisting a thick string of Silk and Silver demanded of her for what purpose she made it she answered to hang you in which he then little believed the rather because those who intend such mischief use not to speak of it before hand but it seems she was as good as her word LXXXIII 2. Cicero put away his Wife Ferentia for divers Reasons as because she had made small account of him in the time of the Wars which were betwixt Caesar and Pompey so that when he went from Rome to Pompey she provided no fit Accommodations for his Journey and when he came back again into Italy she never shewed the least spark or sign of Love or good Will towards him for though he staid long at
the other in her own Arms she voluntarily went with him into Banishment CXI 10. Portia the Daughter of Cato and Wife of Marcus Brutus when she conjectur'd by the sleepless and restless Nights of her Husband that he had conceived some great thing in his Mind and concealed it from her in suspicion of her Weakness she to give her Husband an instance of her Constancy and Secrecy made her a deep Wound in her Thigh with her Razor there followed a stream of Blood Debility and a Fever When Brutus came home sad at so unexpected an accident she causing all to withdraw Sit down Husband said she I have something that is serious to discourse with you When I married you I came to your House as a Wife not as a Mistress or Whore not only as a Companion of your Bed and Board but of all prosperous and adverse things I am Cato's Daughter and reckon you that I am of that Blood What then Do I complain of you Not at all if I look at other Matters conjugal Solemnities good Will and this external Love but I look higher and would have your Friendship also and that is the only grief of my Mind which torments me that you have my Fidelity in suspicion for wherefore should you dissemble Do not I perceive the care you are in That there is some secret and great Enterprise that you are in Agitation about Why do you conceal it from me If I can lend you no Assistance expect some Comfort at least from me for as to my Secrecy I am able to engage Consider not the rest of my Sex I say again that I am the Daughter of Cato and I add thereunto that I am the Wife of Brutus either Nature being from such a Father or Conversation with such a Husband will render me constant and invincible against all that is to be feared Why do I multiply Words I my self have made experiment of my self and see this Wound which of my own Accord I have given my self that I might know whether I could undergo with Courage any Grief and Torments I can believe it I am able to bear them to despise them and I can dye Brutus with and for my Husband If therefore you are about any thing that is just and honourable and worthy of us both conceal it no longer Brutus admiring the greatness of her Mind and surprized with the discovery of such an Affection lift up his Hands for Joy and O all ye Powers above said he be ye favourable and propitious to my Desires and make me a Husband that is worthy of Portia Then he recited in order to her the Conspiracy against Caesar and who they were that were concerned therein She was so far from being affrighted therewith or deterring him from it that she encouraged him to proceed But the day they were to perform the Enterprise being in fear for Brutus she swooned and was secretly recovered by him At the last Brutus being overcome and slain at Philippi she determined to dye and when her Friends being ever with her deprived her of the opportunity and means she at last snatch'd the burning Coals with her hands out of the Fire and thrusting them into her Mouth she kept them there till she was choak'd CXII 11. In the reign of Vespasian there was a Rebellion in Gaul the chief leader of which was Julius Sabinus the Gauls being reduced the Captain was sought after to be punished But he had hid himself in a Vault or Cave which was the Monument of his Grand-Father he caused a report to be spread of his Death as if he had voluntarily poysoned himself and the better to perswade men of the truth of it he caused his House to be set on fire as if his Body had therein been burnt He had a Wife whose name was Eponina she knew nothing of his safety but bewail'd his death with inconsolable Tears There were only two of his Free-men who were privy to it who pittying their Lady who was determined tody and in order thereunto had now abstain'd from Food three days together declar'd her purpose to her Husband and besought him to save her that lov'd him so well It was granted and she was told that her Sabinus lived she came to him where they lived with secrecy and undiscovered for the space of nine years together she conceived and brought forth Children in that solitary mansion At last the place of their abode came to be known they were taken and brought to Rome where Vespasian commanded they should be slain Eponina producing and shewing her Children Behold O Caesar said she such as I have brought forth and brought up in a Monument that thou mightst have more supplicants for our Lives Cruel Vespasian that could not be moved at such words as these well they were both led to death and Eponina joyfully died with her Husband who had been before buried with him for so many years together CXIII 12. Eumines burying the Dead that had fall'n in the Battel of Jabins against Antigonus amongst others there was found the Body of Ceteas the Captain of those Troops that had come out of India This man had two Wives who accompanied him in the Wars the one of which he had newly married and another which he had married a few years before but both of them bore an intire love to him for whereas the Laws of India require that one Wife shall be burnt with her dead Husband both proffer'd themselves to Death and strove with that ambition as if it was some Glorious Prize they sought after Before such Captains as were appointed their Judges the younger pleaded that the other was with Child and that therefore she could not have the benefit of that Law The elder pleaded that whereas she was before the other it was also fit that she should be before her in honour since it was customary in other things that the elder should have place The Judges when they understood by Midwives that the elder was with Child passed Judgment that the younger should be burnt which done she that had lost the Cause departed rending her Diadem and tearing her Haire as if some grievous calamity had befallen her The other all Joy at her victory went to the Funeral fire magnificiently dressed up by her Friends led along by her Kindred as if to her Nuptials they all the way singing Hymns in her praises When she drew near the Fire taking off her Ornaments she delivered them to her Friends and Servants as tokens of remembrance they were a multitude of Rings with variety of precious Stones Chains and Stars of Gold c. this done she was by her Brother placed upon the Cumbustible matter by the side of her Husband and after the Army had thrice compassed the Funeral Pile fire was put to it and she without a word of Complaint finished her life in the Flames CXIIII 13. Clara Cerenda was one of the most beautiful and fairest Virgins in all Bruges
she was married to Bernard Valdaura at that time above forty four years of age The first night after her marriage she found that her Husbhnd's Thighs were rolled and wrapped with Clouts and that he was a man very Sore and sickly For all which she loved him not a whit the less Not long after Valdaura fell so Sick that all the Physitians despaired of his Life then did she so attend upon him that in six Weeks space she put not off her Cloaths only for shift nor rested above an hour or two at the most in the Night and that in her Cloaths This disease was a venomous Relique of the Pox and the Physicians counselled Clara not to touch the Sick man or come near him and so also did her Kindred and Neighbours All which moved her not but having taken order for that which concerned the benefit of his Soul she provided him all things which might tend to the health of his Body She made him Broths and Julips she changed his Sheets and clouts although by reason of a continual looseness and many Sores about him his Body never left running with Matter and Filth so that he ne're had any clean part about him All the day she rested not the strength of her Love supporting the delicacy of her Body by this good means Valdaura escaped that danger After this by reason of a sharp hot Rheum falling from his Brain the Gristle within his Nose began to be eaten away wherefore the Physicians appointed a certain Powder to be blown up softly into his Nose at certain times with a Quill No Body could be found to take such a loathsome service in hand because of the stench that came from him but Clara did it cheerfully and when his cheeks and chin were all covered over with Scabs Wheals and Scales so as no Barber could or would shave him she with her her little Scissers play'd the Barber and made him a deft Beard From this sickness he fell into another which lasted seven years during which time with incredible diligence she made ready his meat put in his tents laid on his plaisters dressed and bound up his thighs all rotten with Scabs and Ulcers his breath was such that none durst come near by ten paces and abide by it which yet she protested was sweet to her This long sickness and the nourishing and medicining of a Body oppressed by so many Diseases was a great matter in a house that had no Rents or profits coming in and where Trade had ceased of a long time and consequently the gain she therefore to furnish the expences sold her precious Jewels her gold Chains her rich Carcanets her Garments of great value a Cupboard of Plate not caring for any thing so her Husband was relieved and contenting her self with little so he wanted nothing Thus Valdaura lingred on a Life by the help of his Wife within a rotten Body or rather within a Grave for twenty years together in which time she had eight Children by him yet neither she nor they had so much as a Scab Wheal or Pimple in any part of their Bodies Valdaura died an old man for whose death his Wife Clara made such mourning as they who knew her well say never Woman did for any Husband When some instead of comforting her told her God had done much in taking him away and that they therefore came to congratulate with her she detested their Speeches wishing for her Husband again in exchange of five Children and though she was yet both young and lusty and sought to by many she resolved not to marry saying she could never meet with any whom she could like so well as her dear Bernard Valdaura I think in this place it will not be unseasonable to speak of the Reverence and Piety of some Children to their Parents CXV Sir Thomas Moor being Lord Chancellor of England at the same time that his Father was a Judge of the King's Bench he would always at his going to Westminster go first to the King's Bench and ask his Father Blessing before he went to sit in the Chancery CXVI There happened in Sicily as it hath often an Eruption of Aetna now called Mount Gibel it murmurs burns belches up Flames and throws out it 's fiery Entrails making all the World to fly from it It happened then that in this violent and horrible breach of Flames every one flying and carrying away what they had most precious with them two Sons the one called Anagias the other Amphinomus careful of the Wealth and Goods of their Houses reflected on their Father and Mother both very old who could not save themselves from the fire by flight And where shall we said they find a more precious Treasure than those who begat us The one took up his Father on his Shoulders the other his Mother and so made passage through the Flames It is an admirable thing that God in consideration of this Piety though Pagans did a Miracle for the Monuments of all Antiquity witness that the devouring Flames staid at this Spectacle and the Fire wasting and broiling all about them the way only through which these two good Sons passed was tapistried with fresh Verdure and called afterwards by Posterity the Field of the Pious in memory of this Accident CXVII There were three Brothers who upon the Death of the King their Father fell out amongst themselves about Succession in the Kingdom at last they agreed to stand to the Judgment and Determination of a neighbour King to whom they fully referred the matter He therefore commanded the dead Body of the Father to be fetched out of his Monument and ordered that each of them should shoot an Arrow at his Heart and he that hit it or came the nearest to it should succeed The Elder shot first and his Arrow passed through the Throat of his Father The second Brother shot his Father into the Breast but yet missed his Heart The Youngest detesting this Wickedness I had rather said he yield to all my Brothers and utterly resign up all my Pretences to the Kingdom than to treat the Body of my Father with this Contumely This Saying of his considered the King passed Sentence that he alone was worthy of the Kingdom as having given evidence how much he excelled his Brothers in Virtue by the Piety he had shewed to the dead Body of his Father CXVIII The Pretor had sentenced to death a Woman of good Birth for a Capital Crime and had consign'd her over to the Triumvir to be kill'd in Prison the Jaylor that received her mov'd with compassion did not presently strangle her but besides permitted her Daughter for to come often to her though first diligently searched lest she should convey in any Sustenance to her the Jaylor expecting that she should dye of Famine When therefore divers dayes had passed wondring within himself what it might be that occasioned her to live so long he one day set himself to observe her Daughter
Titus be merciful unto this most famous City that is almost beaten down already do not deface it utterly but take Pity of the Sanctuary that is in it and destroy not the Habitation of the Lord God Titus at his request commanded his Men to stay and to leave off battering the Wall Then said he to Kantor Come forth hither to me and thou shalt save thy self I will pardon thee thou shalt not be destroyed Kantor answered I will see if I can perswade these my Fellows to come with me But he did it upon colour for none other cause than craftily to trifle out Time whereby he might cause Titus to leave off the Assault for a while so he spake unto his Fellows which knew his Mind that the Romans might hear Let us go down and flee to the Romans Army then they drew out their Svvords as tho they vvould kill him and striking upon his Harness he fell dovvn to the Ground in the sight of the Romans vvhich vvere ignorant of his Deceit Then one of the Romans let fly an Arrow that wounded Kantor upon the Face and glancing from him slew another that stood by him Then Kantor cried out What do ye Will ye shoot at us that desire to be at Peace with you which ye granted your selves and now will ye break your Promise that ye made unto us Is this the Revvard My Lord Titus that thou renderest me for going about to flee unto thee that thy Souldiers shoot at me hearing me require Conditions Now therefore My Lord may it please thee to send hither some Man of Honour to me that I may come down and receive Assurance of thy Promise to be as one of thy own Men Titus thinking he meant good faith spake unto Ioseph willing him to go and make peace with the Jews in his name then to bring him unto him that he might find safeguard of his life from the common Destruction Joseph answered why wilt thou send me what have I offended thee in have not I ever done thee true and faithful Service therefore if thou bear me any good will or favour send me not unto him whom I cannot trust For Joseph mistrusted some subtilty knowing Kantor afore So Titus sent one Jarus who said unto Kantor come down and let us go together to Caesar's Son Kantor desired him to hold abroad his Cloak-lap that he might hurle him down his Money that he had there lest the Jews perceiving it would take it from him and then he would come down and Jarus held up his lap to receive the Money that Kantor spake of Kantor with all his might cast down a great stone which Jarus espying leapt aside and avoided but it lighted upon one of his Fellows and slew him Titus was wonderful wroth at this and forthwith planted yet another Ram against the Walls and at length laid it flat upon the gronnd Then commanded Titus to make Fires about the Walls where the Jews should think to escape Kantor seeing that would have fled and as he made haste to escape the Fires the weight of his Armour bare him down into the Fire and there he died more desirous of death than life Then entred the Romans within the second Wall against whom the Seditious issued and fought with such vehement force that they prevailed against their Enemies slew many of the Romans and forced the rest to retire unto the first Wall that they had beaten down before In this Skirmsh Titus himself took a Bow and shot at the Jews in such wise that not one of his Arrows were spent in vain but that it did some annoyance unto to the Jews The Jews notwithstanding gave them the Repulse from the Town and they were not able to make their Party good with them Within four days after came unto Titus a new supply of Souldiers out of all Quarters for aid to the Romans by whose help they prevailed against the Jews at such time as they issued out of the Town and constrained them to withdraw themselves within the Walls Yet Titus pittying the miserable state of the City Temple and the People of the Lord at that time commanded his People to withdraw themselves from the Walls and to leave off the Assault for a while that he might offer Peace to the Jews to see if they would be now content to submit themselves unto the Romans to have quietness and rest without danger of Destruction Wherefore he gave them Truce for five days and upon the fifth day he came to the Gate of the City where he espyed Schimeon and Jehochanan together preparing Fire to destroy the Roman Engines of War for all the Iews had agreed together with one mind still to withstand the Romans Wherefore Titus perceiving the Iews to be so desperately bent that they had even vowed their Lives to Death he began to offer and propose unto them conditions of Peace and sharply to reprove and blame their obstinate Stubborness saying I have won two of your Walls and ye have but one left therefore if ye will continue still in this self-will'd frowardness what will you do most miserable creatures when as I shall also gain the third Wall and quite destroy your City pulling down the Temple and all why do you not rather favour and spare your own lives your Wives and Children but the Iews set upon a sullen Obstinacy would in no wise hear Titus speak Therefore Titus sent Ioseph to declare his mind unto them in Hebrew that they might safely credit his promises and the Peace that was offered Ioseph therefore went and stood over against the Gate keeping himself a loof off for he was afraid to come nigh the Wall knowing that the People hated him because he had yielded himself to the Romans he called therefore unto them aloud and told them in a very pathetick speech the whole History of all former distresses and sufferings of their Nation and what perpetual Calamities this obstinacy of theirs might bring upon them But the return they made to all his good Counsel and advice was gnashing of their Teeth hurling of Stones and Darts at him from the Walls to have killed him whereupon he began to rebuke them and represented to them with all the tenderness imaginable how fatal this Stubborness of theirs would prove to them and he did it to that purpose that the People hearing him wept wonderfully for they could have been content to have followed his advice At this time Titus gave command unto all the Romans to send again the Iews that were Prisoners and Slaves into the City by which means he strikes from himself the Blood of the Iews and laid it upon the Necks of their Masters for Titus took pitty of them thorough Ioseph's Oration and good Counsel The common People of the Iews desired nothing more than to have come forth and fall to agreement to make peace with Titus but Schimeon Eleazer and Iehochanan Captains over the Seditious set strong Watch and Ward
Personage evil-favoured and of a low stature perceiving he came forth again and challenged any man of the Romans to fight him saying he was only one of the meanest and out-casts of the Jews though the Romans despised him yet they durst not fight with him for that they considered they should get no honour though they should kill him and yet they ran a hazard of being killed themselves But at length being provoked by the insulting Language of the Jew one Pornus one of the most valiant Souldiers of the Romans came no sooner to the Jew than that he was by him killed streightway to the shame and reproach of the Romans Now the Jews seeing the Walls of the Temple and three Walls that compassed the Town to be razed and pulled down they consulted what was best to be done There was a great house joyned upon the side of the Temple that King Solomon had builded of a great height whose Walls also the Kings of the second Temple had raised on high and decked it with Timber of Firr and Cedar Trees the Jews went and anointed every where the Cedar Timber of the house with Brimstone abundantly so when the Romans came to assault the Temple again the Jews retired into that Palace and went out another way But the Romans not dreaming of this Stratagem some climbed up to the Battlements of the house others set up Ladders to scale it and with shouts thought that the Palace was now taken and that the Jews had no place left to flee unto for refuge Thus when the Palace was full of the Romans a certain Jew a young man vowing himself desperately to die went and shut up the Palace and set fire on the Gates anointed before with Brimstone and Pitch and straightway the side Wall of the House and the whole building began to be on a light fire and of the Romans most were burnt some killed themselves and the rest we killed by the Jews as they would have made their escapes There was a great Roman Commander in this fire whose name was Artorius who looking forth from the top of the house saw one of his dear Friends called Lucius standing by Titus to whom Artorius called saying My dear friend Lucius get on thy Armour and come hither that I may leap down upon thee and thou may receive me If I die I make thee my Heir if thou die thy Children shall inherit my Goods Wherefore Lucius ran and held up his lap open at the house side and Artorius leapt down and light upon him with such weight that they both died therewith Titus commanded the Covenant they made before their death to be written on a Sword with blood and their Friendship to be noted in the Chronicles of the Romans that it might be an example to all men to learn true Friendship by There was a certain rich Woman in Ierusalem of a Noble House also whose name was Miriam Her dwelling was beyond Jordan but when she perceived the Wars to grow more and more in the time of Vespasian she came up with her Neighbours to Ierusalem bringing with her not only her Man-servants and Women-servants and all her Family but also her Goods and Riches which were very great When the hunger was grievous at Ierusalem and the Seditious went from House to House to seek meat they came also to this Womans House and took away from her by force all that ever she had and left her nothing remaining By this means she was opprest with very great hunger so that she wished her self out of the world but her time was not yet come to dye wherefore that she might slack her hunger and sustain her self she began to scrape in the Chaff and dust for Beasts dung but could find none She had one Son and when she saw the Famine was greater and greater upon her she laid aside all Womanhood and mercy and took upon her an horrible Cruelty for when she heard her Boy weep and ask for meat which she had not to give him she said unto him what shall I do my Son for the wrath of God hath environed the whole City in every corner thereof the Famine reigneth without the City the sword killeth up all within we stand in fear of the Seditious our enemies prevail without in the Town are fires burning and ruines of Houses Famines Pestilence spoiling and destroying so that I cannot feed thee my Son Now therefore my Son if I should dye for hunger to whom should I leave thee being yet a Child I hoped once that when thou shouldest come to mans estate thou shouldest have sustained my age with meat drink and cloth and after when I should dye to bury me honourably like as I was minded to bury thee if thou shouldest have dyed before me But now my son thou art as good as dead already for I have no meat to bring thee up withall because of this great Famine and Cruelty of the Enemies both within and without If thou shouldest dye now among others thou shouldest have no good nor honourable Tomb as I would wish thee wherefore I have thought good to chuse thee a Sepulchre even my own body lest thou shouldst dye and Dogs eat thee in the Streets I will therefore be thy Grave and thou shalt be my food and for that if thou hadst lived and grown to mans estate thou oughtest by right to have nourished me and fed me with thy flesh and with it sustain my age before that Famine devour thee and thy Body be consumed render unto thy Mother that which she gave unto thee for thou comest of her and thou shalt return into her For I will bring thee unto the self same shop in the which the breath of life was breathed into thy Nostrils forasmuch as thou art my well-beloved Son whom I have loved always with all my strength Be therefore meat for thy mother and ignominy and reproach to the Seditious that by violence have taken away our food Wherefore my Son hear my voice and sustain my Soul and my Life and go to the end that is determined for thee by my hands thy lot be in the Garden of Eden and Paradice Be thou meat for me and rebuke and shame for the Seditious that they may be compelled to say Lo a Woman hath killed her Son and eaten him So when she had thus spoken to her Son she took the Child and turning her face away lest she should see him dye she killed him with a Sword and after cut his Body into certain pieces whereof some she roasted some she sod and when she had eaten of them she laid up the rest to keep The savour of the Flesh roasted when it came into the Streets to the People they said one to another See here is the smell of roast-meat Which thing came to the knowledge of the Seditious at length who went into the House of the Woman and spake roughly unto her why should'st thou have meat to live with
benefit thereby After this the Romans quenched the Fire and set up their Idols and Images in the Temple offering burn'd Offerings unto them and blaspheming mocking and railing at the Jews and their Laws in the presence of their Idols About that time arose one who prophesied a Lye unto the Seditious that remained yet in Jerusalem exhorting them to play the Men and oppose their Enemies for now said he shall the Temple be built by it self without humane Hands that God may declare his Power unto the Romans who now glory in themselves to have overcome the Jews therefore if you fight stoutly this day the Temple shall erect it self Hereupon the Seditious set furiously upon the Romans and slew many of them which made the Romans who had favoured them formerly to kill them like Sheep The whole Roman Army being now come into the Temple and the Jews fled to Mount Sion the Romans set up their Idols in the Lords Temple and railed at the Iews Nevertheless the Seditious continued in their Pride and Obstinacy but a certain Man of Royal Blood whose Name was Serack accompanied with all his Brethren and Sons that were there with him of the King's Blood came down from Mount Sion to Titus who received them honourably and gently ordered them When Jehochanan and Schimeon understood that Serack and the rest were gone and had yielded themselves to Titus they went and set fire upon all that was in the Kings Palace that the Romans should have no Commodity thereby From thence they went to the Temple where they found certain Commanders and Captains whom Titus had put in Authority about the Temple whom they either killed or used after such a despightful Manner that Titus commanded all the Iews should be slain that should be found in the Streets of the City Whereupon Jehochanan and Schimeon fled and hid themselves in certain Caves most of the rest submitted themselves to Titus and were gently received Then Titus went up to Mount Sion took it and razed the Walls thereof Three days after Jehochanan sore vexed with Hunger left his place where he lurked and came to Titus fell down before him and kissed his Feet saying Save me O Lord King Titus commanded him to be fettered with iron Chains and when he had caused him to be carried about the Camp so bound and to be mocked of all men for the space of seven days he commanded to hang him and so got he a just reward for his cruelty Afterward came Schimeon forth of his Den being driven to it by Famine He had put on Kingly apparel but being brought before Titus who commanded him to be fast bound and to be led about the whole Host that he might be derided and mocked afterward he was put to a sore death first his head was stricken off then he was cut in pieces and cast unto the Dogs so he died an abominable death being punished for his Iniquity The number of the Jews as well Citizens as others that came unto the Feast of Jerusalem that were slain partly by the Romans partly by the Seditious during the whole time of these Wars was known to be eleven hundred thousand besides them whose number was not known only they were counted which were slain and burled Besides them they also are not reckoned that after the death of Jehochanan died with Eleazer the Son of Anani the Priest they that were led Prisoners by Titus to Rome were sixteen thousand men Eleazer having made his escape from Jerusalem got into Mezirah a fortified place whither many Jews flocking to him he defended it for some time against the Romans But the Walls being battered down and finding it impossible to make any longer resistance they all upon Eleazer's remonstrances resolved rather to die than live Whereupon the day before they expected the Romans would enter the Town Eleazer's companions killed their Wives and Children and cast their Bodies into Cisterns and Wells that were in Mezirah covering and stopping them with earth Afterward issued Eleazer the Priest out of the Town with all his men and forced a Battel upon the Romans of whom the Jews killed a great number and fought so long till they all died manfully for the Lord God After this Titus returned to Rome where he reigned two years after the taking of Jerusalem and then died He was a very eloquent man expert in the Latin and Greek Tongues and he writ divers Books in both Tongues He loved most intirely Justice and Equity for he wasted the City of Jerusalem against his will being compelled thereunto yea all the mischief that came upon it happened thorough the malice and naughtiness of the Seditious as was before mentioned CXXXIII I will proceed to give some Instances of barbarous Cruelty and begin with Mahomet the Great first Emperour of the Tarks after the winning of Constantinople fell in love with a most beautiful young Greekish Lady called Irene upon whose incomparable Perfections he so much doated that he gave himself up wholly to her love But when he heard his Captains and chief Officers murmured at it he appointed them all to meet him in his great Hall and commanded Irene to dress and adorn her self in all her Jewels and most gorgeous Apparel not acquainting her in the least with any part of his Design taking her by the hand he led this miracle of Beauty in the midst of the Bassa's who dazled with the Brightness of this Illustrious Lady acknowledged their Errour professing that their Emperour had just cause to pass his time in solacing himself with so peerless a Paragon but he on a sudden twisting his left hand in the soft curles of her hair and with the other drawing out his crooked Semiter at one blow struck off her Head from her Shoulders and so at once made an end of his Love and her Life leaving all the Assistants in a fearful amaze and horrour of an act of that cruelty CXXXIV Strange and Prodigious was the Cruelty in the Island of Amboyna near Seran the chief Town of it also hath the same name and is the Rendezvouz for the gathering and buying of Cloves the English lived in the Town under the Protection of the Castle held and well manned by the Dutch In February 1622 a Japoner Souldier discoursing with the Dutch Centinel of the Castle was suspected tortured and confessed divers of his Countrey-men contrivers with him of surprizing the Castle Also one Price an English-man and Prisoner with them accused other English-men of the Factories who were all sent for and put to horrid torture the manner thus First they hoised up the Examinant by the hands with a Cord on a large Door fastening him upon two Staples of Iron on the top as wide as the Arms could stretch his feet hung to the ground stretched out at length and wideness fastened beneath the Door then they wrapped a cloth about his Neck and Face so close that no Water could go by this done they poured Water