rich Tell me was it not an honour to King Agathocles who from being the son of a potter raised his fortune to a Throne was it not I say an honour to mingle on his cup-boards earthen vessels with his rich pieces of gold and silver plate that he might not bely his birth Nay so far was he from blushing or from being ashamed at it that he made boast and trophey of it What then would he have done by his poor father if he set such a value upon the mean implements of his cottage And thou wholly Christian as thou art canst not behold without confusion of thy countenance what a great Captain a great King a great States-man sought to proclaim to all the world Contempt of the person of fathers entreth sometimes so far into their souls as it hath transported them into horrible and tragick acts Never have I read any thing upon this subject with more amazement than that mentioned in Justine of a certain African named Cartallus who was by the peoples consent raised to an eminent degree of dignity and casually upon some solemn embassage sent into a place where his father with many other was banished He looking on himself at that time like a peacock gloriously furnished out with the rich ornaments of his employment thought it was not suitable to his honour to admit that his father should so much as see him The unfortunate father became so enraged with this refusal and pride of his son that instantly he raised a sedition and mustering together a tumultuary Army of exiles he fell upon his son although a Magistrate took him condemned him to death presently prepared a high gibbet and attired as he was in gold scarlet with a crown on his head caused him to be fastened to this fatal tree for a strange spectacle What fury of despised nature is this and what butchery Let us pass on to the third tribute obedience which as an Ancient said is the mother of felicities It is the first band of families and chief foundation of Monarchies S. Gregory Nyssen hath a notable observation saying that Moses of set purpose caused the Hebrews to wear ear-rings giving them thereby to understand their beauty and grace was in the ear to wit in obedience and verily in Exodus the people Exod. 32. Tollite inaures filiarum vestrarum auribus asserte ad me Filius noster iste protervus contamax est monitis mostris audire contemnit comessationibus vacat luxuriâ atque convitiis Lapidibus eum obruet populus morietur Deuter. 21. a Aelian var hist lib. 1. beginning to revolt their ear-rings were taken from them as from men unworthy of this priviledge That which is expressed in Deuteronomie is much more bloudy and terrible where the father and mother are permitted to bring forth a disobedient and refractary son in publick and upon their own deposition to cause him to be stoned to death by the people It seems this Law was well understood by a silly Pesant a Mardonian by Nation named Rachones a who being the father of seven sons perceived the youngest of them played the little libertine and unbridled colt What doth he to bring him back into the stable First he endeavoured to cure him with fair words and reasons but finding him to reject all manner of good counsel he bound his hands behind him carried him before a Magistrate accused him and requires he may be proceeded against as a delinquent against nature The Judges who would not discontent this incensed father nor hazard the life of this young man sent them both to the King who at that time was Artaxerxes The good man went thither resolved to seek his sons death where pleading before the King with much servour and forcible reasons Artaxerxes stood amazed at his courage But how can you my friend said he endure to see your son die before your face He being a gardiner as willingly said he as I would pull away leaves from a ranck lettice and not hurt the root The King perceiving this resolution and zeal of justice in the poor man of a gardiner made him a Judge and severely threatened his son with death if his carriage were not better See young man behold wicked son who disobeyest thy father and mother not in a slight matter or of little importance but in such as concerns thy life safety and reputation see what thou maist expect from the justice of God since that of men hath so much severity in this point You dare dispense with your selves in the Laws of piety and Religion not shewing even on festival days any more feeling of God than a beast doth this seem tolerable you haunt the company of buffons wicked and wretched creatures which wast the means that are not yours weaken your body violate your reputation and defile your soul and is not this a crime You make resolutions and frame chymaeraes without advise either of father or mother you bring them into debt you treat clandestine marriages you thrust those alive unto their graves who gave you life and can you think the vengeance of God will ever have leaden feet Faithless and bruitish as you are how many fathers for far less faults have inflicted severities on their children dreadful even to those who read them Marcus Scaurus in the Roman history sent this message to his son who fled with the rest of his Army defeated by the Cimbrians Son you are born of a father who knows either to vanquish or die rather send me your bones than return alive after the death of your honour A father could not endure the flight of a son which was very excusable in a general defeat because it seemed to cast some blemish upon his family and you who surcharge your house with reproach and confusion would you escape unpunished Another father Aulus Fulvius understanding his son had rancked himself in the faction of Catiline a wicked wretch who supported and debaushed all the youth of Rome caused him to be taken in the place and condemned to death and this young man begging pardon with all manner of suppliant intreaties had no other answer but Son I begat you to make war upon Catiline in your Countries quarrel not in Catilines cause to assayl your mother And who can but wonder at another Torquatus that had a son in great employments of the Empire flourishing in honour age and reputation who being accused by the Embassadours of Macedonia to have ill carried himself in their Province when he had it in charge this father with the Senats permission would himself be Judge in the sons cause heard the accusers two whole days together confronted witnesses gave his son full scope to defend himself and to produce all that he could for his justification in the end on the third day he pronounced sentence It having sufficiently been proved unto me that my son Syllanus hath ill acquitted his charge and taken money from the allies of
of the law and yield your souls up for the testament of your Ancestours Children will you not answer what the holy Machabees did by the lips of their elder brother Let us die in virtue for our brethren and not defile our glory by any crime which may be objected against us Let war be proclaimed against Libertines and blasphemers who will still persevere with deliberate malice in their impiety Let these infernal mouthes be stopped and condemned to an eternal silence Let the standard of the Cross be adored by all Nations and the enemies of Jesus dissolved as wax melted on the flames of burning coals as smoke scattered in the air Let a chast and sincere worship of God flourish every where and sacrifices of praise mount to Heaven to obtain benedictions on earth But you SIR who most near approch to the Kings person having given so many testimonies of your prudence your courage and fidelity seem to speak unto him with the same tongue which holdeth ears enchained by the charms of your eloquence and say what France pronounceth 7. GReat King for whom our Altars daily smoke An Apostrophe of France to the King in Sacrifices and for whom our lips cease not to send forth thanksgivings of prosperitie to Heaven The monsters are not all as yet vanquished Behold the last head of Hydra which God hath reserved to this triumphant sword which the Cross guideth valour animateth justice moderateth and the stars crown Needs must impietie be crushed under those feet which have already trampled on so many Dragons and be fettered with an hundred iron chains under the Altars we daily charge with our vows When Libra the constellation of your birth ariseth the Ram falleth It is not time O Monarch of flower-de-luces that appearing on the throne of justice with Ballance in hand all sparkling with the rays of glorie which environ you after so many battel 's concluded by your victories you humble the horns of this Ram of insolent impiety which dares so confidently oppose both by words and actions the Religion which crown you the spirit which possesseth you and the power which directeth you Alas Alas SIR To what purpose were it to have walked on the smoking ruins of so many rebellious Cities What would it avail to have thrown down in one Rochel so many surly rocks with the help of so great so faithfull and happy counsel and opening one gate there at your enterance to have shut up a thousand against factions and civil wars What contentment could your Majesty have by wiping away the sweats on the Alps you had gotten on the Ocean and to have gathered palms perpetually verdant for you as well in the frozen ice of winter as the scorching beats of summer if you must again behold at your return that Religion you so often defended trodden under the feet of impiety wounded by slanderous tongues outraged by blasphemies and contaminated by insolent spirits who know not God but to dishonour him It now at this time presenteth it self to you with sighs in the heart and tears in the eyes It sheweth unto you the robe which Clodovaeus Charlemaigne and S. Lewis your Predecessours gave you with so much splendour now torn in pieces with such violence it imploreth your assistance it expecteth your power it breaths an air much the more sweet in the confidence conceived of your zeal and courage I call to witness that great Angel which hath led you by the hand to so many conquests and triumphs making you dreadfull to your enemies helpfull to your Allies awfull to your subjects and amiable to all the world it is not here where he will limit your actions and fix the columns of your memorie We still hope quickly to see the day which shall drie up the tears of the poor shall ease their burdens shall sweeten their pains shall âour oyl on their yokes And from whom should we expect all this but from a Prince so pious so benign We promise our selves to see a Clergie which shall speedily put it self into so good a way under your favour entirely purified from the dregs of simonie ignorance and the liberty of evil actions Who can give us this happiness but a King who hath under his heart a Temple for true piety We sigh for that great day that day which shall for ever wash away the stains of bloud impressed on the foreheads of French Nobilitie which shall dissipate disorders shall stop the current of so many dissolutions and what can assure us of it but the certainty of your Edicts We most earnestly desire to behold an absolute regularitie in justice and in all Officers that a golden Age may shine again which hath so often been varnished through the corruption of souls set at sale And who shall do it but a King that from his most innocent years so much hath cherished the title of Just that be for it contemned the name of a Conquerour which his valour presented him and of Most Sacred which the veneration of his virtues afforded him Impiety vanquished beareth the keys of all these hopes nor shall we have any thing more to fear or desire when that shall be throughly suppressed throughout all the parts of the Kingdom Dear delight of Heaven is it not for this God drew you the last year from the gates of a sepulcher and restored you to life to render us all to our selves Alas Great God what a stroke of thunder was the news of this maladie What a terrour to all Cities What astonishment in all Orders What a wound in the heart of the whole Kingdom Your poor France remembered the 27. day of September made sacred by your royal birth It considered this nativitie had done to your state what the infusion of the soul into a bodie and saw you almost taken hence at the same time that your Majestie entered It beheld all that greatness and those comforts readie to be shut up within your tomb The Queens drenched in their deep sorrow could not speak but by their tears and sobs Your good Officers dissolved in lamentations at the foot of your bed which was become at the Altars of grief All humane hopes were cut off by the violence of the maladie Nothing was expected but the fatal blow which all the world deplored and which no man could divert But who knoweth not SIR God permitted it to let us see your virtues by their bright reflection The lustre of beautifull paintings must be suffered a little to mortifie before we can judge of them We could not sufficiently know your Majestie in the bright splendours of fortune and such good success of arms Needs must we have a character from God of men afflicted and a mark of the Cross of Jesus to consummate so excellent qualities And what heart was not then seized with admiration when we saw a young King so great so flourishing so awfull to look death in the face with a confident eye to expect it with
Perfecto odio oderaââ illos Psal 138. is dangerous lest seeking to pull them away we be more passionate against the party who hath them then against all the most abominable iniquities We must not believe our selves when there is question of some important punishment nor such as are born to flatter our likings with too much servitude but those Angels for our counsellours if it be possible who are disintangled from the matter of Interests There are some who use to fortifie themselves in their resolutions by the deportments of those who are held for Saints in the Church and do readily alledge the examples of David who being upon his death-bed recommended to his son Solomon the punishment of Joab and Shimei But we must here consider that David is not a man impeceable to serve Question upon the act of David as a pattern for all our actions and that it is ever better to consecrate our dying lips with the words our Saviour spake a thousand years after on the crosse then with those he left in this instant as a Testament to his son The Jews had naturally great inclinations to revenge and many sought to perswade themselves it was by their laws permitted which is the cause this great King was not so perfectly free from all the seeds of Hatred in the whole course of his life But forasmuch as concerneth this last will of his one may excuse him for divers reasons nor can it be denyed an act of justice to put Joah to death who had defiled his hands with the bloud of two innocent Princes but it is strange that David reserved this so rough a punishment for him after fourty years of great and singular services when he was about threescore and ten years old Yet Theodoret brings a reason of state for it wherein he sheweth that Joah Theodoretin c. 2. l. 3. Regum citatus in Glossa Joah being in himself a great Captain was withall daring in his manners and tyrannicall in his undertakings and had already made it but too much appear that he meant to embroil the state after the death of his Master and to set Adonijah upon the throne to the prejudice of Solomon which was the cause that David who sought fixedly to establish the Kingdome upon his lawfull successour councelled him to take him away by a just punishment of other crimes which he had committed And as for Shimei who had surcharged him with injuries and curses when afterward he returned victorious into Hierusalem he came before him and craving pardon of his fault with lowly submission which stayed David and made him swear he should not dye for it which seemeth to convince him of perjury when he commanded his son Solomon to kill him I cannot approve Tostatus his distinction who saith When persons very different in the qualities of their rights treat together that he who hath justice on his side may promise things with an intention not to perform them as the other meaneth them For verily the permission of this manner of captious proceedings would throw a distrust upon all treaties But it is easie to see that David in this occasion beholding himself to be accomplished with joy and glory when Shimei came to cast himself at his feet and that Abishai counselled him instantly to put him to death he swore he should not dy and that the alacrity of a day so pleasing should not be purpled with humane bloud so that he had no further purpose but to assure Shimei for the time present and to promise him impunity in this conjunction of Kingdome and affairs but when he saw this spirit was insolent and like also to occasion trouble in the young King he did not absolutely command as Cajetan observeth to put him to death for what was past which had been pardoned but not to spare him in new occasions of commotion as actually Solomon following the intentions of the King his father troubled him not upon his slanders but upon another occurrent Now although one may alwayes give colour to the Hatred which is undertaken upon consideration and that it be sometimes necessary for the extirpation of the wicked yet must we more incline to clemency then justice in all which concerneth our selves For Hatreds of Interest which concern estates and Hatred of interest honour they many times in these dayes are incurable if they be not accompanied with some reasonable satisfaction It is a thing very remarkable that our Saviour Luc. 12. 14. who accordeth elements and pacifieth totall Nature would not undertake the agreement of two brothers upon the partition of their patrimony Nay there are some now a dayes so greedy and fleshed in prey that for a fingers breadth of land they would oppose Jesus Christ if he should visibly come to mediate their reconciliation After a thousand reasons which may be alledged for peace and good correspondence they derive but one conclusion out of it which is to have their will For which cause God chastiseth them and very often permitteth dissipation of goods ruine of families and many other accidents which stain their consciences and tarnish their reputation As on the contraty he blesseth the children of peace who forgo somewhat of their interest to acquire this inestimable treasure It is almost as hard to preserve charity in a great suit as to maintain fire in the water or under earth to keep inextinguible lamps He who will persist with a conscience indifferently Christian must never descend into suits Suits their nature and description but with a leaden pace and come out of them with the wings of an Eagle Suits are as the sons of Chaos and night there is nothing in them but confusion and darknesse It is a mixture of all evils which hath the heat of fire the threats the roaring thunders and tempests of the air the rocks of the sea the talons of birds of rapine and ravenous throat of fishes the gall of serpents the fury of salvage beasts and the malignity of poysons Before it ever walketh the desire of anothers goods by its side deceit revenge injustice falshood and treachery after it repentance poverty shame and infamy As war is made for peace so we sometimes undertake suits for justice and those are honest men who desire it but they who at this present do it with all sincerity are the greatest Saints of this age who seem to be given by God to mortifie civil hatreds and to establish minds in concord After suits Hatred brings forth another mischief Duell which is Duel a true Sacrifice of Moloch which hath cost France so much bloud mothers and wives so many tears which filleth families with sorrow friends with grief ages with horrour and hearts the most reasonable with the detestation of such a Crime The edicts of our most Christian King which have Means to use an efficacious remedy in Duell had more force then all other have served instead of a Jasper-stone to stanch
Darius the Mede who knowing the Prophecy of Daniel and the freedome with which he had spoken to the King esteemed him for it and retain'd him at the Court in the quality which his Predecessour had given him a night before his death When he saw himself established in favour again he forgat not God his heart being alwayes animated with a zeal to his Religion and when he saw his King inclining to the Superstition of the Countrey his heart was much grieved at it and he endeavours to cleanse him from his errours seeing him to be of a disposition too simple and credulous to the prejudice of the truth Amongst these false Deities Bel was adored with an exquisite and sumptuous worship in as much as there were offered to him every day out of the Kings house twelve baskets of meal forty sheep and six great measures of wine and it was believed that that Idol did eat up all the offerings The King that loved Daniel so much as to make him dine sometimes at his own table desired that he would accommodate himself to the Laws of the Countrey and that he would expresse some affection to the service of that great Bell that was adored universally by all the Nation But this wise Courtier answered him freely that he would never worship any but the true living God Darius replyed That there was nothing required to be adored but to live Bel was truly the living God because he did cat and drink well and cost much to feed him Daniel smiling answered that it was a great simplicity to think that that Idol did eat up all that was offered him every day Whereupon the King was moved with a curiosity to know how all this went and having caused the ordinary viands to be offered at Bels altar carefully saw all the doors of the Temple shut and put Guards before them that no body might enter in Daniel before he went out thence with the King caused abundance of Ashes to be sown there hoping by this means to discover the Imposture The morrow after the King caused the doors to be opened that had remained fast shut with his own seal and when as he entred in he saw that all the victuals had been taken away he cryed out that Bel was a great God and that it must needs be acknowledged that he did eat excellently well seeing nothing of all those offerings was remaining But Daniel instantly made him see upon the ashes the steps of those that had entered whereat he was astonished and called for all the Priests of that Idol to whom he shewed their cheat and pressed them so eagerly that they discovered certain little doors under the Altar through which they entred to the number of threescore and ten besides women and little children to devour the sacrifice The King was ashamed at the simplicity of his belief this shame passed into wrath and wrath proceeded as far as bloud causing him to put to death all the Impostours Furthermore in the same place there was a Dragon which was yet worshiped by that superstitious people which Daniel after he had obteined the permission of the King killed by making a masse composed of pitch of grease and of hair which he made him swallow and with it choake himself This made a great commotion amongst the people that said that the King was become a Jew causing his Priests to be murthered and killing the Dragon that there was now nothing remaining but to strangle all the sense of the Antient Religion In such a manner that behold a great tempest is raised against Daniel which in the opinion of all the world threatned him with an inevitable death The Grandees of the realm endeavour to ruine him by all ways and considering that he was exact and irreprochable in his office they resolve to ensnare him in matter of Religion Under colour of gratifying the King they beseech him to make an edict That whosoever should desire any thing of the Gods or of men for the space of thirty dayes except of the King should be cast into the Lions-den which the King granted them not knowing what their malice plotted against the innocence of his Prophet and Officer of State He was watched on all sides and retired himself from the King to diminish the jealousie that men had of him for the favours he received from him All his consolation was in Prayer and in those amiable discourses which he had with God and therefore he was afflicted as much as can be expressed seeing that the King his Master let himself be perswaded to make an edict so outrageous against the honour of God as to forbid to pray unto him Yet this hindered not him from continuing his oraisons lifting up thrice a day his weeping eyes on that side whereon the Temple of Jerusalem was built and sighing in the presence of his great Master with the ardours of an heart that evaporated it self âll in Love The Nobles that were every day at his door falled not to surprise him and to accuse him that he had transgressed the Edict which he acknowledged freely Complaints of it were suddenly made to his Majesty whose heart was wounded for the affection that he bare to Daniel and he laboured even till the Sun set to save him neverthelesse seeing himself pressed violently by his Edict and the vehemence which the Nobles used that it should be observed he abandoned the innocent to their fury against his will This defiles the conscience of many great men who are evil-doers of their disposition and yet for all that commit great evils through the complacency that they give to the violent humours of those that are about them He had some hope that Daniel would escape and that the God which he adored would save him and therefore he made no resistance by arms but delivered him into their hands to be cast into that horrible den of the Lions that had been kept hungry on purpose that he might be the sooner devoured But O God of wonders what Prodigie is here The Lions worship their prey Daniel is visited in that Cave by a Prophet come in an instant from Judea by the Ministry of an Angel that brought him his dinner The beasts change their Nature and Nature forces her Laws for the respect of a servant of God The King that had lain down without his supper and had not slept all night for the fear that he had for his poor Daniel runs early in the morning to the Lions-den which he had caused to be shut up with a great stone put upon the mouth of it and stampt with his own Seal and there cryes out with a lamentable voyce asking of Daniel whether he were yet alive who made him see how the God that he adored had delivered him and preserved him from all evill Whereat he was so ravished that he began to look upon him as an heavenly man caused his accusers to be apprehended to be exposed to the same Lions
to men but well known to God that appeared to him and comforted him asking of him what he made there Whereto he answered That he was zealous with an ardent zeal for the God of Hosts but the children of Israel had forsaken him demolished his Altars killed his Prophets and that he alone remained yet for all that they ceased not to seek his life to extinguish the whole service of God Upon this God commanded him to come forth and to stand upon the mountain to see great sights caused by the presence of God And suddenly there came an impetuous whirlwind that overturned the Mountains and brake the Rocks but God was not therein after that impetuous Wind came an Earthquake but God was not therein after the Earthquake devouring-Fire but God was not in those flames after the Fire behold there came a small gracious gale and God was in it And therefore Elijah ravished with a profound respect covered his face with his Mantle and kept himself at the entry of his Cave where he heard a voyce that demanded of him again what he did there whereto he answered as before that he fled from the perfecution of those that would give him the stroke of death for the zeal which he had to the service of the Living God But the voyce commanded him to return and to take again his way through the desert into Damascus and gave him order to Anoint and declare two Kings the one over Syria which was Hazael and the other over Israel which was Jehu that should succeed his Persecutour Furthermore God informed him that all was not lost but that he had yet reserved to himself seven thousand servants that had not bowed the knee to Baal nor lifted up their hands to adore his Idol He added yet farther that he should take Elisha for his Companion and Successour of whom he had reason to expect good effects Such was Elijahs Vision and his discourse with God and it seemed that this Sovereign Teacher of the Prophets shewing him the representation of an impetuous wind of an Earthquake and of Fire in which God was not although he was in a little gentle blast and would signifie to him that His Spirit is not in those great commotions that would seem to overturn all nature but in a certain Calm that produces little noise but much fruit filling the earth with blessings So also would he make him hope that after these violent persecutions and those fatall Convulsions of Kingdoms there should come a sweet and peacefull Messias and that forasmuch as concerned him Jezabels persecution should cease and his soul after the toyles of that banishment should taste the sweetnesse of an anticipated Paradise He took then his way again according to the command of God without passing by Samaria and finding Elisha plowing the ground with twelve yoak of Oxen cast his Mantle on him to signifie to him that he was called of God to that sacred ministery of Prophecy which the other understood and quitting instantly his Oxen ran to Elijah whom he beseeched that he would permit him to go and give the kisse of peace to his Father and Mother after that he would adhere to nothing but render himself up to him which Elijah having granted he when he had acquitted himself of his duty returned and sacrificed two Oxen which he boiled with the wood of his Plough and made a Feast with them for the people after which he ranged himself under the conduct of the Prophet and was a perfect imitatour of his virtues An ill occasion embarked him again in a Combat against Ahab and Jezabel which was fatall to them both The King had a mind to enlarge his Gardens and Naboths Vineyard was near his Palace and for his advantage he calls for him and asks him very courteously for it promising to pay him the price that it was worth or to buy him a better inheritance in whatsoever place he would The desire was very civill and not like that of so many other Princes and Lords that disposed at that time of the goods of their subjects as of their own usurping by violence that which they could not have by right Yet this good man that measured all by the affection he bare his Vineyard and not by the submission he owed his Master was obstinate and told him That it was the wealth of his Fathers which he would no way part with Ahab was much troubled at this denyall and returning to his Palace threw himself upon his bed and would not eat at the ordinary hour of his repast The Queen his wife being surprised at that accident goes to see him and inquires after the cause of his indisposition which he declared to her out of a desire he had to receive some ease This Princesse which was a daughter of the King of Sidon and who knew how her Father reigned absolutely over his subjects falls a laughing and meaning to blame the weaknesse of her husband said to him It appears plainly Sir that you are a Prince of great authority very worthy to govern a Kingdome since you receive affronts from your subjects and revenge them upon your self by the losse of your dinner But if that be all that hinders you I pray arise be merry and eat for I know the way to make you possessour of that Vineyard that you desire At the same instant that Imperious Queen takes her seal writes a Letter to the Principall men of Jezreel and commands them to call an Assembly under colour of a Fast and Publick Prayers to call Naboth to it to make him sit amongst the chief and not to fail to suborn two witnesses against him that should depose that he had blasphemed against God and his King and thereupon indite him and stone him Behold how so many Ministers of Iniquity use the Innocent not seeing that at the same time as they lay snares against the honour the goods and the life of their neighbour an invisible Hand draws up in Heaven the decree of their ruine This Letter being come to Jezreel the principall men assemble themselves and not seeking any delay or incident to sweeten a bad businesse betray their conscience to avoid the fury of the King executing that which was commanded them and before they are Judges render themselves Criminall Thus go violent Reigns where virtue is abandoned by some through wvaknesse and persecuted by others through fury Miserable Naboth astonished at that wicked calumny protests his innocence in the face of Heaven and Earth justifies and defends himself by good reason but the false Witnesses which are the instruments of Satan and the chief furies against the peace of mankind urge and torment him His Judges sold to iniquity condemned him He is led out of the City delivered to the fury of the people overwhelmed as a Blasphemer of God and the King with a bloody tempest of stones and flints every hand making it self injurious against him some through a false zeal and
was at first a Prince good enough and very obedient to the voyce of the Prophets for when he had enterprised a mighty warre with the Idumeans he raised two armies one of his own people and the other of the unbelieving Israelites which he had invited to his aid but when the Prophet told him that he did not well to make use of the Arms of Israel that was impious and separated from the true God he discharged them freely although he had already paid an hundred thousand men and contenting himself with his own troops gave them battel which he gained with great advantages But it is a strange thing that by taking the Idumeans he took also their Gods to worship them in Jerusalem and made himself an arm of hay with the prop of these imaginary Deities that had in nothing profited their adorers A man of God that prophesied in those times rebuked him sharply for it but he demanded who made him the Kings Counsellour and threatned to slay him if he did not learn to hold his peace The other without being afraid denounced against him that he should come to some ill end and left him by flying from the Court. After which this miserable Prince fell into a reprobate sense was taken in war by his enemy the King of Israel his capitall city was laid waste the Temple and his palace pillaged there was no more that remained to him but a shamefull and miserable life which his own subjects tare from him by a wicked conspiracy Vzziah his son and Isaiah's cousin-german was set on his fathers Throne at sixteen years of age and reigned a very long time with a reign peaceable enough He built some cities and fortified others set in order an Arcenall stored with good arms enterprised wars against the Philistims which he ended happily enough He defeated also the Ammonites and the Arabians which made incursions upon his territories and renowned himself by famous victories He embraced also willingly his rest in season and addicted himself in the time of peace to husbandry The conversation of his dear cousin that began to prophesie the seventeenth year of his Reign contributed many good effects to his government But as he saw himself enjoy a long Reign with abundance of favours from heaven he became very absolute in his will and would joyn the high-Priest-hood to the Royalty For he took the censer entred into the Temple presented himself at the Altar of Perfumes to burn Incense after the manner of the Priests and although the high Priest Azarias opposed him stoutly he desisted not from that attempt till such time as by a manifest punishment from heaven he found himself on a sudden touched with a leprosie which appeared on his face and rendred him hideous and out of knowledge which made the Priests animated by the judgement of God that had intervened thereon chase him from the Temple and he was constrained to retire himself unto an house out of Jerusalem having left the administration of his Kingdome to his son This change was very sensible to the Prophet that had loved him tenderly and supported the interests of his house but on the other side it was a comfort to him to see that he had a sense of his fault and had reduced himself voluntarily unto the obscurity of that life for the chastisement of his sin His example ought to serve for a terrour to the Secular Powers that will encroach upon the Ministery of the Priests and break the barriers that Providence hath established for the differencing of the Spirituall and Temporal Authority There is need sometimes but of a little tongue of Earth to separate two seas and to keep them in good intelligence but if one should go and cut it off they would mix themselves and make a great deluge So may we say that the wisdome of God hath put certain bounds between the Priests and the Kings which keep the affairs of the Church and of the State in a good temper but when certain young Abiram's interpose themselves to confound these Powers they overflow the banks and make wastes prejudiciall to mankind After the death of Vzziah Jotham who was already fitted for businesse took the government with title of a King and making a strong reflexion upon the deportments of his grandfather and of his father extracted from thence a most excellent lesson ruling his subjects with great moderation so that the Prophet Isaiah had nothing to do with him But he left an abominable son named Ahaz that quitted the God of his fathers renewed the Idolatries of the most corrupted of his Predecessours took the false Religion of the Kings of Israel caused statues to be planted on the mountains and on the hills offered Incense to them made his children passe through the fire and consecrated them to Idols which drew the wrath of heaven upon him and upon his people which was beaten with a thousand scourges and most great calamities The Prophet Isaiah saw all these storms falling down upon the miserable Judea and ceased not to forewarn them and to arm himself with a mouth of fire against the disorders of that wicked Prince but it was without much effect he being so much corrupted Who would ever have thought that of so bad a father should have been born so excellent a son as Hezekiah who was instructed by Isaiah and followed totally the course of his will and counsels so Divine so wholesome and wiped out the blot that his father had imprinted upon the Altars of the living God and made the true Religion flourish again which seemed altogether extinguished in the confusions of an abandoned age He brake down all the Idols that that unhappy Ahaz had erected He dissipated the profane Groves planted on the mountains for the exercise of his abominations He did not pardon so much as the brazen Serpent that Moses had caused to be set up to a good end although the Idolaters had afterwards abused it He commanded that the Temple should be purified and cleansed by the Levits together with the Tabernacle and sacred Vessels polluted by his predecessour He renewed the order of the Sacrifices and the Quoires of Singers dedicated to the praises of God he rallied all the faithfull people to celebrate the Passeover and the other solemne Feasts amongst the Jews This Reign was a golden Age and a true school of Wisdome when the Prophet and the King conspired with a wonderfull accord in the service of their great Master Isaiah ceased not to produce sound thoughts and that which was wholesomely thought on by that holy man was stoutly executed by the courageous piety of this good King He laboured in all things for the honour of him on whom do depend all Crowns and God also laboured powerfully for him doing more businesse in one night then the arms of iron and steel could have done in ten years Every one knows how Sennacherib the King of the Assyrians came to lay siege before Jerusalem
cruell Manasses King of Judea had been spoiled of the Sceptre and led prisoner into Babylon chained as a salvage beast he was sensibly touched with his affliction and made a severe repentance being cast with his irons into a deep pit where he converted himself to God with bitter sorrows and roarings of heart that made him obtein a pardon of his sins even so far as to restore him his Liberty and his Crown He behaved himself exceeding well the rest of his dayes destroying that which he had made and repairing that which he had destroyed But he left behind him a wicked son who having imitated him in his vices followed him not in his repentance It was the impious Amon who was neverthelesse the father of the holy King Josiah who began to reign at eight years old and was governed by the good and salutary precepts of the Prophet Jeremy who took him into a singular affection This good Prince consecrated the first fruits of his government by the extirpation of Idolatry which he detested alwayes by words and combated by an indefatigable zeal He never took any repose till he had caused the Idols in Jerusalem and in the neighbouring places to be beat down plucking up all those abominations even by the root He had sworn so capitall an enmity with impiety that he persecuted the authours of it even to the grave which the condition of our mortality seems to have made as the last sanctuary of naturall liberty yet he caused the bones of those that had heretofore sacrificed to Idols to be burnt upon the same Altars as had been prophaned by them After that he commanded that the Temple should be purged and that the order of the sacrifices and of the praises of God should be there carefully observed The reading of a good book found in the Temple had so powerfully wrought upon him that he assembled his people and caused it to be read in presence of all the world with fear and trembling at the threatnings conteined therein against the impious Then he conjured all the company there present to renew in the sight of God the oath of fidelity and to promise him never to depart from his Laws and his commandments which was performed There was a re-birth of a quite other world under the reign of this wise Prince that rejoyced the heart of the Prophet Jeremy but he tasted a little honey to drink afterward a cup of wormwood Josiah was now come to the flower of his age and of his brave actions having reigned more then thirty years in a mervellous policie and great tranquility when Pharaoh Necho King of Egypt making war against the Assyrians would passe through Judea which gave some fear to this good Prince as well for the oppression of his subjects that were menaced by the passage of a great army as not to give cause of discontentment to the King of Assyria and therefore he bestirrs himself to resist him and to oppose his passage It is the misery of little Princes to be engaged in the differences of greater ones as between the Anvill and the Hammer they cannot favour the Party of the one but they must render themselves the sworn enemies of the other and Neutrality renders them suspected to both It is a difficult passage where whatsoever Industry one brings to it one often leaves behind the best feathers of his wings Josiah without advertising the King of Assyria that the Party would not be maintainable if he sent not a powerfull Ayd arms suddenly against a mightier then himself Necho sends to him his Embassadours to tell him that he meant no harm to his Person or to his State that his design was against another King whom he went to combate by the orders of Heaven that God was with him and that if he endeavoured to stop his passage evil would betide him for it Notwithstanding these pressing speeches Josiah goes out to meet him and as he was come to coping with his adversary at the very beginning of the mingling he was wounded mortally with an arrow and commanded his Coachman to draw him out of the combate which he did and as he was put in his second charriot which followed his charriot of war after the fashion of Kings he gave up the ghost without finding any remedy to divert the sharpnesse of that fatall stroke His body was brought back to Jerusalem all bloudy and the mournings for his death were so sensible and so piercing that it seemed as if there had been an universall sacking of the whole City Never Prince was so beloved never any more passionately lamented nor is there to be found any one among all the Kings of Judea that had lesse vices and more zeal for the honour of God his life was without spot his reputation without reproach and to say truth his goodnesse was as it were the breath that all the world did breathe Poor Jeremy was so cast down at a death so suddain that he lost all his joyes and begun then according to S. Jerome to make those sad lamentations that have engraved his grief on the memory of all men To question why so good a King after so many actions of Piety was killed by the hand of an Infidell as an old suit that humane curiosity hath commenced against providence from the begining of the world Some said Plinie thrive by their wickednesse and others are tormented even by their own Sacrifices But who are we to think to draw the curtain of the Sanctuary before the time and to know the reasons of all that God does and permits in the world For one virtuous Prince that is afflicted in the accidents of humane things we shall find alwayes ten wicked ones that have ended miserably and yet we cease not to quarrell with the ordination of heaven By what contract is God to make his servants alwayes winne at play and war Must he do perpetually miracles to make himself be thought what he is What wrong did he do Josiah if after a reign of one and thirty years conducted with great successes and an universall approbation he dy'd in the bed of valour defending his countrey and rendring proofs of the greatnesse of his courage What injury was it to have given him the honour to carry the hearts of all his subjects to his grave and to spread the glory of his name through all ages and all the living After that we have seen in histories 100 Tyrants dye almost all in a row of hideous and bloudy deaths we come again to King Manasses who after he had shed so much bloud passed out of this life by a death peaceable enough we return to Herod and Tiberias and to Mahomet who died in their beds as if they had been great Saints of fortune canonized by their happinesse Alas what is the life of these and of their like to be stabb'd every moment in the heart and in the publick opinion to be cursed of a million of mouths every
the day of its own brightness to consider how Providence guarding her dear Pool as the apple of her eye did reserve him for a time which made him the true Peace-maker of that nation For this effect it came to pass that Henry the Eighth The Estate of England having reigned eighteen years in schism leading a life profuse in luxury ravenous in avarice impious in Sacriledge cruel in massacres covered over with ordures bloud and Infamy did fall sick of a languishing disease which gave him the leisure to have some thoughts on the other world It is true that the affrighting images of his Crimes The death of Henry the Eighth and the shades of the dead which seemed to besiege his bed and perpetually to trouble his repose did bring many pangs and remorses to him Insomuch that having called some Bishops to his assistance he testified a desire to reconcile himself unto the Church and sought after the means thereof But they who before were terrified with the fury of his actions which were more than barbarous fearing that he spoke not that but onely to sound them and that he would not seal to their Counsels which they should suggest unto him peradventure with the effusion of their bloud did gently advise him without shewing him the indeavours and the effects of true repentance and without declaring to him the satisfactions which he ought to God and to his Neighbours for the enormities of so many Crimes He was content to erect the Church of the Cardeleirs and commanded that Mass should there be publickly celebrated which was performed to the great joy of the Catholicks which yet remained in that horrible Havock To this Church he annexed an Hospital and some other appurtenances and left for all a thousand Crowns of yearly Revenue As he perceived that his life began to abandon him he demanded the Communion which he received making a show as if he would rise himself but the Bishop told him that his weakness did excuse him from that Ceremony he made answer That if he should prostrate himself on the Earth to receive so Divine a Majesty he should not humble himself according to his duty He by his Will ordained that his Son Edward who was born of Jane Seimer should succeed him and in the case of death that Marie the Daughter of Queen Katharine should be the inheritress of the Crown and if that she should fail that his Daughter Elizabeth although a Bastard should fill her place and possess the Kingdom On the approches of death he called for wine and those who were next unto his bed did conceive that he oftentimes did repeat the word Monks and that he said as in despair I have lost all This is that which most truly can be affirmed of him for it is a very bad sign to behold a man to die in the honour of his Royal dignity and by a peaceable death who had torn in pieces JESUS CHRIST who had divided the Church into schisms who of the six Queens that he espoused had killed four of them who had massacred two Cardinals three Archbishops eighteen Bishops twelve great Earls Priests and Religious Men without number and of his people without end who had robbed all the Churches of his Kingdom destroyed the Divine worship oppressed a million of innocents and in one word who had assasinated mercy it self Howsoever he wanted not flatterers who presumed to say and write that his wisdom had given a good order to his affairs and that he happily departed this world not considering what S. dustine doth affirm That all the penitencies of those who have lived in great disorders and who onely do convert themselves at the end of their life being pressed to it by the extreamity of their disease ought to be extreamly suspected because they do not forsake their sins but their sins do forsake them It was observed indeed that at his death this King did testifie a repentance of his savage and inordinate life but we cannot observe the great and exemplary satisfactions which were due to the expiation of so many abominable sins King Antiochus made submissions of another nature and ordered notable restitutions to recompense the dammages which he had caused to the people of the Jews nevertheless he was rejected of God by reason of his bloudy life and the Gates of the Temple of mercy were shut against him for all eternity The foundation of a small Hospital which Henry caused at his death was not sufficient to recompense the injuries of so many Churches which he had pillaged nor of so much goods of his Subjects as he had forced from them seeing we know by the words of the wise man That to make a benefit Eccles 34. of the substance of the poor is to sacrifice a Son before the eyes of his Father He had by his Testament ordained many tutors to The Reign of Edward His Uncle Seimer spoileth all his Son who were able to have made as many Tyrants but Seimer Uncle by the mothers side to the deceased King gaining the favour of the principal of the Lords of the realm whom he had corrupted with mony and great presents did cause himself to be proclaimed Protector and Regent He took a great possession on little Edward the Son of Henry heir to the Crown whom he brought up in schism and Heresie against the intentions of his Father This furious man immediately began his Regency with so much insolence that he almost made the reign of Henry the Eight to be forgotten he fomented the poison which he had conceived under him he did use the Catholicks most unworthily and did cut off the head of his own Brother by a jealousy of women But as he had made himself insupportable so it came to pass that the affairs of war which he had enterprized against the French did fall out unfortunately for him Dudley one of the chiefest of the Lords drawing a party to him did accuse him of Treason and caused his head to be cut off on the same Scaffold where before he had taken off the head of his own Brother This death was followed with great fears and horrible commotions for the Regency which presently after was extinguished by the death of the young King Edward This poor Prince was rather plucked with pincers The Qualities and death of King Edward from his mothers womb than born and he could not come into the world without giving death to her who conceived him He was said to have none of the comeliest bodies He spake seven languages at fifteen years of age and in his discourse did testifie a rare knowledge of all those sciences which were most worthy of a King It seemeth that death did advance it self to ravish his spirit from his body which did awake too early and was too foreward for his age for he died in his sixteen year having not had the time throughly to understand himself and to see by what course
Great troubles at Rome appeased by him 175 Pope Leo caused him to be crowned Emperour of Rome 176 The great cunning of men who go about to surprise Chastity 18 Advise to Ladies and Gentlewomen concerning Chastity 19 The honour the French bore to the virtue of Chastity 110 The conjugall Chastity of S. Lewis 111 Weak spirits are ordinarily Cholerick 87 Malicious and covert souls are ranked in the second region of anger which is bitter Choler ib. Choler and vengeance are prejudiciall 294 Chrysostom mentioneth an excellent presage of a wise man 65 The greatnesse and beauty of Clemency 143 The generous anger of Clotharius 117 The Essence of Compassion 99 Complacence stronger then fire and sword 18 Miseries of humane Condition 56 Such as have a clear Conscience are most bold 79 Contentments are rather in the will then in the pleasing objects 48 True contentment is in God 49 God possessing himself injoyeth his Contentment ib. Our Lord passed all his life in Contentments which were necessarily due to him to give us an example to wean our selves from them 50 Conversation and its contentments 13 Conversation must be moderated ib. Courage is not lessened by study 78 Men of obscure birth raised to great preferments by their courage 8â Compassion of great Courages 99 The rare endowments that are required in a Courtier 219 The Court of Pharaoh is compared to the Helmet-flower 228 The horrour of cruelty 100 A man must take heed of being too Curious 46 The wisdome of Cushi the servant of David in the counsel of Absolon 149 D A Witty Fable of John Damascen 2 Daniel is chosen for one of Nebuchadonozars pages 247 His noble extraction and rare parts ib. He is in great hazard of his life 242 He consulteth with God ib. He is made Vice-Roy of all the Provinces of the Kingdome 243 He is sought unto to give the interpretation of the hand-writing upon the wall 246 He refuseth to worship Bell. 247 He killeth the Dragon ib. He is cast into the Lions Den. ib. He is taken from thence and his accusers put into his roome who are immediately devoured ib. The question upon the act of David is resolved 35 The qualities of David 139 His entrance into the Court. ib. He is pursued and escapes ib. The losse of David in banishment ib. His arrivall at Nob causeth great disasters to the Priests ib David saves himself in the caves of the desart whither his father and mother go to seek him 142 His piety towards them ib. Banished men repair unto David ib. The visite of Jonathan secret and very profitable for David ib. Nabals rudenesse towards David ib. The admirable generousnesse of David in pardoning his enemies ib. David goeth out of the Kingdome and retireth himself among strangers 143 David receives the news of Sauls overthrow 144 David cannot be excused for the treaty made with Abner 145 He is absolute King by the death of Ishbosheth the son of Saul ibid. The royall qualities of David ib. His zeal to religion ib. His valour and his warres ib. His justice and good husbandry ib. His vices ib. The blindnesse of David 146 Davids repentance ib. Punishment upon the house of David ib. The patience of David towards Shimel 148 His great humility and his humble words ib. Davids mildnesse very great 149 The last acts of Davids life 150 God hath made all creatures to have delectation 48 Four things compose the solid Delectation of man ib. The Essence of Delectation 49 Demetrius his oration 203 He is engaged in a war against the Macchabees 204 Whether it be good to have a Desire 39 An excellent picture of Desire ib. The world is replenished with Desiring souls ib. The exposition of the picture of Desire ib. The passion of curiosity a kind of Desire ib. Inconstancy followeth the multitude of Desires 41 Four sources of Desires 42 A reason against vain Desires drawn from divine tranquility ib. Another reason against vain Desires is the onely desire which Jesus had in secking the glory of his heavenly Father 43 Marvellous effects of Desire 112 The image of Despair 65 Three sorts of acts in Despair ib. Remedies against Despair 68 The admirable conversion of some who seemed desperate ib. The sight of our Saviour teacheth us to persevere in our good hopes and not to Despair 69 A great secret of life is to undergo Destiny 139 Why Devils love not God whom they know to be so amiable 48 Disorder is fatall to the Court of great ones 174 Doeg accuseth the high Priest being innocent 141 Means to use an efficacious remedy in Duels 36 E THe reign of Edward 316 His qualities and his death 317 Divers causes of the ruine of Egypt 229 The children of Israel depart out of Egypt 231 Eleazer a Jewish Captain died valiantly having first pierced the Elephant whereon he did suppose that Eupator did combat 202 Queen Eleanor an enemy to France 118 Elijah includeth the name God and the Sun in his name 248 He hideth himself at the brook Carith over against Jordan ib. He restoreth to life the dead child of the woman of Sarepta 249. He is known to be the Prophet of God by fire coming down from heaven which consumed his sacrifice 250 He flies into the Wildernesse and is sustained by an Angel which furnished him with a cruise of oyl and a cake baked ib. He travelleth fourty dayes in the strength of that sustenance 251 His vision ibid. He foretelleth to Ahab that the dogs should lick his blood in the same place where Naboth was slain 252 He is translated and took a new life without loosing that he had in the world 254 The labyrinth of the hypocrisie of Queen Elizabeth 299 The fury of Elizabeth 200 Elisha leaveth his Plough and Oxen and followeth Elijah 251 He is heir of Elijahs spirit 255 His speech to Joram ib. Elisha besieged in Dothan is guarded by an host of heavenly Angels 256 Elisha conducteth his enemies stricken with blindnesse to Samaria the chief city of the adverse partie ib. Joram threateneth to take off his head ib. He dieth 259 The estate of England 315 The picture of Envie 91 The definition of Envie ibid. Humane remedies against Envie 94 The hlessed though unequall in glory are not envious 96 The lamentable Envie of Ebroin against S. Leger 121 Envie never sleepeth 140 The horrible Envie of Saul ib. Envie is easily learned at the Court. ib. The Temple of Ephesus 154 The courteous meeting of Erasmus and Oporinus 72 Evilmeredech son of Nebuchadonezar took upon him the regincie of the Empire his father leaving his kingdome to graze with the beasts 245 The ignorance of our Evils is a stratagem of divine Providence 71 F THe nature of Fear and the bad effects of it 70 Two sorts of Fear naturall and morall 71 The causes of Fear ibid. Fear is a troublesome passion ibid. Fear of accidents in the world 72 Remedies against accidentall Fear ib. Fear of poverty causeth most
profession 173 X. The Examples of great Prelates are very lively spurs to Virtue ibid. S. AMBROSE I. HIs Calling 175 II. A short Elogie of the life and manners of S. Ambrose 179 III. His Government ibid. IV. His Combats and first against Gentilism 182 Oration of Symmachus to Theodosius and Valentinian the Younger for the Altar of Victory Exercise of Pagan Religion and Revenue of Vestals ibid. V. Oration of S. Ambrose against Symmachus 184 VI. The triumph of S. Ambrose in the conversion of S. Augustine 188 VII Dispositions to the conversion of S. Augustine 191 VIII Agitations of Spirit in S. Augustine upon his conversion 194 IX Accidents which furthered this conversion 195 X. The Admirable change of S. Augustine 196 XI The Affairs of S. Ambrose with the Emperours Valentinian the Father and Gratian the son 199 XII The death of the Emperour Gratian and afflictions of S. Ambrose 202 XIII The Embassage of S. Ambrose 204 XIV The persecution of S. Ambrose raised by the Emperess Justina 206 XV. Maximus passeth into Italie 208 XVI Affliction of S. Ambrose upon the death of Valentinian 210 XVII The tyranny of Eugenius and not able liberty of S. Ambrose 211 XVIII The differences of S. Ambrose with the Emperour Theodosius his death 213 THE SOULDIER I. THe excellency of warlike virtue 217 II. He Enterance into the palace of Valour and the illusions of the Salmoneans and Rodomonts 218 III. The Temple of Valour and sage Precepts given by the Christian Souâdier to refute the manners of the times And first That Piety helpeth Valour 220 IV. Manifest proofs which declare that Piety and Valour are not things incompatible 222 V. Against Duels 224 VI. Against the ill mannage of arms 225 VII Against sensual Love Impurity 228 VIII Against the perfidiousnes of interests 230 IX Short and notable Instructions 231 CONSTANTINE I. THe providence of God over Constantine 233 II. The Nobility of Constantine 235 III. His Education and Qualities 237 IV. His entery into the Empire 238 V. His prowess against Maxentius 242 VI. The death of Diocletian and feats of Arms performed by Constantine against Lycinius 243 VII The vices and passions of Constantine before his Baptism with the death of Crispus and Fausta 245 VIII The calling of Constantine to christianity The progress of his conversion and Baptism 247 IX The acts of Constantine after his Baptism 248 X. The endeavour of good works with the virtues and laws of Constantine 249 XI The Zeal of Constantine in the proceedings in the Councel of Nice 251 XII The government of Constantine 254 XIII The death of Constantine 255 THE STATES-MAN I. THe excellency of politick virtue 263 II. He Table of Babylon drawn from sundry conceptions of the most singular wits of Antiquity 264 III. The destruction of Babylon and the government of the Divine Providence over the Estates of the world 266 IV. The Table of the Citie of God otherwise called The Citie of honest men drawn out of many excellent conceits of ancient Authours and things practised in some former Common-wealths 268 V. Sage Precepts drawn out of the Monuments of the divine Agathopolis 271 BOETIUS I. HIs great Nobility 276 II. The eminent Wisdom and Learning of Boetius 278 III. His enterance into government of state 280 IV. The enterance of Theodorick into Rome and his happy Government by the counsel of Boetius 282 V. The Honours of Boetius and alteration of Theodorick 287 VI. The imprisonment of Boetius 291 VII The death of Boetius 293 THE LADIE I. THat the HOLY COURT cannot subsist without the virtue of Ladies and of their piety in the advancement of christianity 297 II. That Women are capable of good Lights and solid Instructions 298 III. The ten Orders of women and the vicious qualities which Ladies ought especially to avoid 299 IV. The tenth Order of Women full of Wisdom and Virtue 302 V. A brief Table of the excellent Qualities of a Lady And first of true Devotion 302 VI. Modestie 303 VII Chastitie 304 VIII Discretion in the manage of affairs 305 IX Conjugal Love 306 X. The care of children 307 XI The conclusion of the Discourse ibid. CLOTILDA I. HEr Birth and Education 307 II. Clodovaeus requireth Clotilda in marriage 308 III. Embassage to the King of Burgundie for the marriage of Clotilda 310 IV. The arrival of Clotilda in France the life she led in the time of her Wedlock 312 V. The prudence which the Queen used in the conversion of her Husband 313 VI. The conversion of Clodovaeus 315 VII What Clodovaeus did by the perswasion of Clotilda after his Baptism 316 VIII The good success which God gave to Clodovaeus after he became a christian 317 IX The life of Clotilda in her widowhood Her afflictions and glorious death 319 INDEGONDIS X. ISsued from the bloud and house of Clotilda she transporteth the Catholick Faith into Spain 323 XI The persecutions of Indegondis 324 XII The Retreat of Hermingildus and his conversion 325 XIII The Reciprocal letters of the father and the son upon their separation 326 XIV The Treatie of peace between Levigildus and his son by the mediation of Indegondis 327 XV. Hermingildus is wickedly betrayed 328 XVI The letter of Hermingildus to Indegondis and his generous resolution 330 XVII The death of Hermingildus 331 A TABLE OF THE MAXIMS AND EXAMPLES Contained in the third Tome of the HOLY COURT The First Part of the Third Tome touching the Divinitie I. Maxim OF Religion page 339 I. Example OF the esteem we ought to make of faith and Religion 342 II. Maxim Of the Essence of God 343 II. Example The power of God over faithless souls 346 III. Maxim Of the excellency of God 348 The greatness of God compared to the abjectness of man 349 III. Example Of the weakness of man and inconstancy of humane things 352 IV. Maxim Of the providence of God 354 The foundation of truths of the providence of God 356 IV. Example Divers observations upon providence 358 V. Maxim Of Accidents 359 V. Example Of the providence of God over the estates and riches of the world 363 VI. Maxim Of praedestination 365 VI. Example Of the secret power of praedestination 368 VII Maxim Of the Divinity of Jesus 370 Of the revelation of the Word Incarnate and how all creatures bear witness of his divinity ibid. VII Example The triumph of Jesus over the enemies of Faith 373 VIII Maxim Of perfections of Jesus which make him to be beloved 375 Excellencies in the person of our Saviour 376 VIII Example Of the admirable change of worldly love into the love of Jesus Christ 379. The Second Part touching the Order of this present Life IX Maxim OF Devotion 381 IX Maxim OF dark Devotion 382 IX Maxim Affected Devotion 383 IX Maxim Transcendent Devotion 384 IX Maxim Solid Devotion 386 IX Example Of solid Devotion 387 X. Maxim Of interest 389 X. Example Of liberality and the unhappiness of such as seek
granted you for the exercise of virtue otherwise you shall pay the losses thereof in the length of a corrupt and miserable life and your bones in old age shall be filled with the follies of youth which shall sleep with you even in your tomb and drag your souls into the bottomless precipice from whence there is no recovery The ninth REASON Which maketh it appear the Court is a life of penance AMongst the motives which the exact Masters of spiritual life propose to Religious men to invite them to perfection they set before their eyes that they are all stirred up to virtue when they already are in the arms of penance The like with just reason we may say to Courtiers the more to inflame them to fortifie themselves in great and glorious virtues to wit that arriving at Court they enter into a house of penance where they every day have a thousand occasions of suffering which is the shortest way to perfection That the Court is a place of publick penance appeareth for the reasons which I intend now to produce First Antiquity hath called penance by the word Envie as Tertullian Tertul. Apol. c. 40. Invidia Coelum tundimus hath done who saith We strike at the gates of Heaven as with the hammer of envie that is to say with penance This name hath been given either for that it doth make God as it were envied if he pardon not seeing the estate of penitents so deplorable Penance called by the name of envy Invidiam facit Deo nisi ignoscat as the most learned Bishop of Orleans hath noted in his observations upon Tertullian or for that the Latine word invidere signifieth originally not to see any thing but to turn the eye aside as from a sad object and the habit estate and condition of the penitents was heretofore so lamentable that the nice and curious averted their eyes from them and could not endure so much as onely to behold them Howsoever it be the title of envie doth excellently well agree with the Court. That is the nest where envie hatcheth her Envy of Court egs the throne where she exerciseth her Empire the Altar where she hath many sacrifices and were she banished from all the corners of the earth we then should search for her among Courtiers their life always being between the two scales of the ballance whereof the one is called envie the other miserie This is it which obligeth them to an extraordinary perfection that they may perpetually stand upon their guard and avoid the least defect This is it which if they know well how to use it doth absolutely shut up from them the gate to all excess for if envie according to the proverb will offer to shave an egge what will she not do in a meadow Secondly the ancient Canons and Doctours of Five degrees of penance among the Ancients ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the Church as S. Basil observe five degrees of penance The first was called sorrow which was a state of tears and grones The second is called audience which was a degree to which penitents after an infinit number of sighs were admitted to hear the instructions and preachings of the word of God whereof they were before deprived The third humiliation which was when the penitents were admitted ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to a certain part of the Mass but not at the Sacrifices for they went out before the consecration a little after the newly instructed Christians the Priest repeating over them a certain prayer during which time they made a low obeysance their face bowed to the ground The fourth degree is called consistence where the penitents had leave to ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã hear Mass at the full length as others but not to make any oblation nor to communicate for that was reserved to the last degree called communion ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã where they obtained a full reconciliation in the participation of the holy mysteries as the fore-alledged Bishop hath most excellently explicated Of these five parts of penance Courtiers for the Practise of these degrees at Court most part exercise those which are most irksom and very seldom sparticipate in the consolations of the other more sweet and benign If penitents have a degree of tears and lamentations where are sighs and groans more frequent than in Court for the many disasters which ordinarily occur in their affairs One may well apply to them that passage of Job expressed in S. Gregorie the Great The Giants or men Job 20. Gigantes gemunt sub aquis Estate of tears of the earth do groan under the waters Out alas how many times the poor miserable creatures after a world of travels pursuits and hopes which are dreams without sleep seeing themselves transported into disgrace with a furious torrent of envie sigh and mourn in an Ocean of calamities One frown of an incensed Prince is more formidable to them than the eye of a Basilisk yea more terrible than the crack of a Canon The favours they enjoy are winged and slippery all the contentment they can possibly receive in ten years will not afford so much joy to their hearts as the repulse of one sole day coming as a stroak of thunder afflicteth them and makes them give ground if they have not recourse to heavenly consolations See you not how Absalom re-established Obsacro ut videaâ facieââ Regis quod si memor est iniquitatis meae interficiat me 2 Reg. 14. in Court yet deprived of the King his fathers sight bare this disgrace with so much anziety of mind that he asked a bloudy death for his remedy What will the look of a Lion be if the onely deprivation of a favourable eye be so ill to be digested What will become of so many other contrarieties which at every turn transfix so many brave designs so well projected Where will not occasion of many most bitter sorrows be found among so divers accidents which cause us to stand at all times prepared for blows If penitents be in a state State of humilitie of humiliation wherein as other Interpreters observe they not onely humbled themselves prostrated on the earth at the Priests benediction but they lowly laid themselves under the feet of all the world where I pray are souls found born more to servitude more pliant more abased than the Courtiers They bend like the fishers angling-line they stoup they turn and wheel about to all purposes that they may arrive where they pretend They buy all their honour at the price of great submissions their scarlet at the price of sordid ambition and glory with the coyn of slavery That is it which S. Cyprian excellently well observed Behold âe this Cyprian ad Donatum Qui amictu clariore conspicuus fulgere sibi videtur in purpura quibus hoc sordibus emit ut fulgeat Quos arragantium fastus prius pertuliâ Quos superbââfores matutinus saluator obsedit Courtier who
surprized by King Ptolomey courting a Mistris of his for which contempt in that instant the Ladie was enforced to drink poison and the unfortunate Courtier was hanged before his own lodging Another minion of the Emperour Constantius after he had mannaged the Julius Capit. affairs wars revenues houshold and person of the Emperour was disgraced and put to death because he presented to his Master at that time incensed with choler a pen ill made for writing to sign certain dispatches withal Macrinus a hunter a fencer Eunapius in Aedes a scrivener became an Oratour then a Fiscal next Pretour of the Palace then Emperour and lastly was massacred with his son Piadumenus Ablavius most powerful under Constantine torn in pieces under Constantius as a victim What circumvolutions what comedies what tragedies what examples to those who in this world have no other aim but to become great casting under foot all laws both divine and humane Out alas It is said that Cambises King of Persia to teach Herod l. 5. justice to a certain President of his who newly then entered into office commanded him to cover the chair of judicature with the skin of Sesamnes his father put to death and flayed because he had been an ill Judge What should he do being seated on this Note woful Tribunal upon the bloud of his father but become wise by a dreadful experience An infinite number of ambitious men are in office and magistracie mounted upon the ruins and bloud of their Predecessours who have made most wicked and deplorable trials and have pursued the same ways without fearing the like event I. Learn O Noblemen that all the greatness of Instructions the world cannot make you great if not by contempt of it All therein is little and yet to despise that little is a great matter II. Know that your fortunes ought to be as the Sixtus in bibliotheca Patrum Non est minimum in humaenâ vitâ negligere minima halcyons nest which seemeth sowed to her bodie Matters most aptly proportioned to our nature are the best What face soever a man sets upon it he is little Much turmoyl of government and affairs may well hinder him but never make him happy III. You must use the honour which God hath Semper circumveniunt montem Sir nunquam ad terram promissionis perveniunt Petrus Blesensis p. 40 allotted you as the coyn of his coffers for which you in his last judgement are accountable and must limit your pretenses and desires with mediocrity otherwise you shall be as they who wandered perpetually about the mountain of Sir without ever arriving at the land of promise Conclusion of the Second Book That the life of a bad Courtier is a perpetual obstacle to virtue TO approve good by words and pursue evil in effect to condemn the world and adore it to desire heaven and be fixed to the earth to love ones self excessively and live perpetually contrary to the better part of our self to seek for peace and live in an everlasting warfare to lodge in one same heart fire and ice sickness and health joy and sorrow death life To command imperiously and obey faintly to be ever abroad and never out of prison to dream without sleep and sleep without repose to be divided to all the world and never within ones self To wish that which cannot be had and contemn what is possessed To seek after that which hath been despised and hourly to change resolution To exercise no piety but by constraint nor reason but by fits Not to avoid one sin but by another and to descend into the precipice with open eyes To take up the buckler after the wound received and to be cured by the overthrow of health To slake thirst with salt water and quench fire with sulphur To have no constancy but for evil nor amity for any thing but that which deserveth it not To have sottish actions and glorious pretexes as much faith as the ice and assurance as the wind To be the slave of a thousand false Deities and not to reflect on the true Divinity To prefer the fetters and onions of Aegypt before the liberty and palms of the heavenly Sion To leave Paradise to follow the gardens of Tantalus and those enchanted Islands which recoyl backward according to the proportion we think to approch them To carry under a smooth countenance a heart spotted as the skin of a panther To joyn a voluptuous life to a penurious avarice to prodigality servitude to predominance nobilitie to baseness pride to misery and envy to pitie To promise without faith swear without regard command without reason appoint without order affect without choise hate without cause walk without a path and to live perpetually banished from ones self so to become too much tyed to ones self This is the life of a Courtier who hath alienated himself from the life of God Adde hereunto that vice is commonly waited on with a most painful life wherein if endeavour be not used to sanctifie it by virtue there is found a hell anticipated where a Paradise is imagined Petrus Blesensis Chancellour to the Archbishop of Epist 4. Canterhury having some time attended in the Court of the King of England recounteth the evils he there found by experience in a letter which he addressed to the Chaplains of the same Prince There he complaineth the Courtiers many times suffer for hell all those pains which S. Paul endured for Heaven For they are exposed to dangers both of sea and land rivers and mountains thieves and false brothers to fasting and watching to weariness and to all the incommodities of human life He hath seen saith he bread and wine served up which one could not put into their mouthes without shutting their eyes such loathing it enforced and viands that killed men under the shew of nutriment He hath known Lords draw their swords for a cabbin which deserved not a battel among hogs He hath seen a Prince who delighted to be attended by officers suddenly surprized to whom he gave notice of his remove when they had physical drugs in their bellies and made them oftentimes run themselves out of breath through forrests and darkness and at other times to pine away in expectation of all that which would but frustrate their hope He hath seen harbingers troublesom before they received gifts and most ungrateful after they had them who made no scruple to put an honestman out of his lodging and to pull him both from table and bed that he might lie in the streets He hath seen at Court porters worse than Cerberus with whom the memory of a benefit lasted not three days and who took pleasure to make those stand in the durt and rain that had obliged them Buffons and jesters found ever free passage nothing but virtue and honesty had a wainscot face shewed them Finally all the plagues of Aegypt dwelt there frogs flies ulcers rivers of
Religion and justice according to their power and in case of corruption they wished upon themselves by way of execration the trembling of Cain the leaprosy of Gehezi the lot of Judas and all that which may astonishman V. To have ears always open and bowels of compassion ready to hear the complaints of widdows orphans afflicted and forlorn people who endure all the torments of the world to break through the press to manifest their miseries The Emperor Trajan hath done many brave and eminent Notable act of Trajan acts but none of his atchievements were so resplendent as the justice he readily afforded to a virtuous widdow Her son had been slain and she not being able to obtain justice had the courage to accost the Emperour in the midst of the Citty of Rome amongst an infinit number of people and flourishing legions which followed him to the wars he was then going to take in Valachia At her request Trajan notwithstanding he was much pressed with the affairs of a most urgent war alighted from his horse heard her comforted her and did her justice This afterward was represented on Trajans pillar as one of his greatest wonders And it is said he was highly commended and admired by S. Gregory the great VI. To doe good and to execute justice with expedition not stretching the leather with the teeth as said the good King Lewis the 12. taxing the delayes reverences and neglects of Judges The Chronicle Strange act of Theodorick Chron. Alexandrinum of Alexandria relateth an admirable passage of Theodor. King of the Romans to whom a widdow named Juvenalis made her complaint that a suit of hers in Court was drawn at length for the space of three years which might have been dispatched in few days The King demanded who were her Judges she named them they were sent unto and commanded to give all the speedy expedition that was possible to this womans cause which they did and in two days determined it to her good liking Which done Theodorick called them again they supposing it had been to applaud their excellent justice now done hastned thither full of joy Being come the King asked of them How commeth it to pass you have performed that in two days which had not been done in three years They answered The recommendation of your Majesty made us finish it How replieth the King When I put you into office did I not consign all pleas and proceedings to you and particularly those of widdows You deserve death so to have spun out a business in length three years space which required but two days dispatch And at that instant commanded their heads to be cut off The good Juvenalis was so strucken with admiration for such an act that she came to the King to render thanks and to offer candles to him as to a holy Saint And would to God Theodorick had still persevered in such integrity VII Not to be contented with conscience alone but to have science also well to examine matters and to observe the formes of right Not to cause any body to be punished or tormented by precipitation without sufficient poofs It is a lamentable thing when through a desperat hast an innocent is bereaved of that in a moment which never can be again restored although he should live an hundred years But it is to be wickedly unjust when that is also confirmed by malice and cruelty which Mad cruelty of Piso Senec. de ira lib. 1. c. 16. was begun by mistaking As happend to Piso who rashly condemned a poor soldier to death wrongfully suspected of the murder of his living companion As the innocent man had now his neck under the sword of his executioner this camerado of his supposed to be slain by him appeared living and in health The Centurion who attended the execution brought them both back again with much concourse of people to present them to Piso This furious judge enragedly ashamed of the first sentence which he overhastily had given commanded they should both be put to death and that also the Centurion should be added to them One because he was already condemned although guiltless another because he was thought to be dead and the third because he would preserve in the Judge wisedome and innocency This Barbarian shortly after paid for this fault joyned with many others by a merveilous turn of Fortune and a most shameful death VIII To be more inclining alwaies to mercy than severity yet notwithstanding well to take heed least this mercy degenerate into a softnesse very prejudicial to the maintainance of justice Also to visit prisons to see what is fit to be done and not suffer prisoners to consume in a tedious and irksome misery without true cause of delay IX To extend the hand that honest men may be maintained protected recompenced for services done to the Common-wealth and Malefactours punished and used according to their demerits since reward and punishment as Democritus said are the two Divinities of Weals-publike and the two poles on which the affairs of the world do move X. As for the justice of particular men it is to Justice of particulars obey Laws and Magistrates keep peace and concord among their neighbours To wrong no man in his honour body goods allies reputation nor any thing that appertaineth to another either by word deed or by sign XI To be true in words loyal in promises faithful in proceedings to handle the affaires which one manageth roundly and freely without dissimulation deceit treachery to avoid usury and all unjust gain to pay debts not to withhold servants or hirelings wages to be ready to satisfie those whom one hath offended often to beg of God that in the day of his great Assises we may appear in the robe of Justice to expect with all confidence the benigne breath of his mercies The twentie ninth SECTION Practise of Gratitude ONe Of the noblest acts of justice is the acknowledgement Benoficia pulveri si quid mali patimur marmori insculpimus A singular saying of Sir Thomas More Amb. l. 6. Hexan c. 4. Tolies dog of a benefit A virtue very rare in this Age where as well Sir Thomas More said good turns are written in sand and injuries and revenges on marble Saint Ambrose assureth us it was not without mystery young Toby took a dog for the companion of his voyage God would he should learn acknowledgement of benefits in the nature of this creature the Hierogliph of gratitude The acts of acknowledgement are I. Not to deny dissemble nor ever to forget a benefit Gratitude of Hebrews ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Joseph Anti. l. 4. but to acknowledge it retain it praise extol it as the ancient Hebrews did who set marks on their armes and ensigns at their gates for the remembrance and acknowledgement of a benefit received It is a great shame to be ashamed to owe a benefit and to avoid the sight of a benefactor as if his presence upbraided either
by the gate of infidelity could not raign but in the disastrous miserie of his Countrie Although Hircanus should yield up his right be were dispensable in this his modesty The more unworthy he should esteem himself to rule the more were his worth The glorie which he endeavoured to decline in the undervaluing of his own person would wait upon him even to his tomb Yea should they object to him his great sweetness facility of nature it were more suitable to the piety and gentleness of the Jews If doves were to choose themselves a King they would rather have a statue than a spar-hawk This wilie spirit by such like remonstrances quickly found much credulitie partly in the minds of those who affected innovation partly amongst such as were guided by justice but all saw not how under the colour of publike good he sought to raise a Monarchie for himself or his heires He thus having already put the iron into the fire gained the heart and opinion of Hircanus by all kind of observances and restimonies of amitie which was a matter not hard to do this Prince suffering himself to be governed by those who made shew of any the least affection towards him Behold him now as Cunning of Antipater Procurator Tutor and Master of this flexible spirit whom he so under pretext of friendship possessed that the actions of Hircanus sought no other issue no other extent but as they were guided by the thought and counsels of Antipater Notwithstanding when he proposed to him to make war against his brother to repossess himself of the Royal Throne he found his heart all of ice was fain to use his best endeavour to enkindle him by reason of the excessive coldness of nature In the end he on day plainly discovered to him That this abrenunciation of rule which he had transacted with his brother was a thing incompatible with his honour and life What eye would not be dissolved into tears to behold him despicable and wretched whilst his brother lived in all superabundance and pomp It were to confound the Laws of nature it were to authorise tyrannie to say that little theeves should live in fetters and Aristobulus who had usurped a Kingdom sit in silken robes and resplendently glitter in diamonds That a Kingdom was a shirt which never was to be put off but with life That they were tales of lasie Philosophers to affirm that Diadems were tissued with thorns their Rubies and Diamonds never having pricked any man The life which Hircanus then led was good for a Religious Essean but not for a King To conclude that the people desired with passion to see him reestablished in the throne of his Ancestours He plied the ear of the Prince with so many forcible words that he already began to gain him but yet found himself combated by two powerfull reasons the one was his oath by which he had renounced principalitie and the other his weakness From the oath Antipater absolved him saying he had sworn to a sin and that there was no obligation to execute it For inabilitie he made overture unto him of Arabian succours which he had in his power So that finding him wavering upon this wicked passage he cast into his soul black jealousies of his brother as of him who after he had usurped his estate would enterprise on his life counterfeiting conspiracies framed against him with so much art that Hircanus yielded himself up and gave him an absolute commission to make war or peace as best pleased him This concluded the apple of discord is cast Antipater faileth not to solicite Arethas the Arabian King who cometh with a huge Armie to fall upon Palestine not without barbarous hostilities and lamentable desolations even to the neer straitning of Aristobulus and the holding him besieged in Jerusalem the capital Citie of his Kingdom But as the greatest serpent devoureth the lesser it Pompey in Palestine happened about the time of these undertakings the Romans under the conduct of Pompey the Great making their Eagles to glitter in Syria and leading an Armie of fire before which the pettie Kings were but as chaff forced the Arabian to retire into his kingdom they marching in all parts victorious and undertaking to give law peace and war to whom they pleased The two brothers fail not to seek the gracious favour of the Roman every one in his own way with their best endeavour well seeing that therein was the main of the business Aristobulus as the more free couragious and royal found in the very beginning most favour having presented to the Roman amongst other largesses a golden vine one of the most curious workmanships of the world which was afterward seen to serve as an ornament in the Capitol In the end behold the two brothers contesting at the feet of Pompey to plead not for a meadow or a wine-yard but for a Kingdom little considering that putting their fortune into the hand of a stranger who had no other law but his own ambition under the shadow of arbitration he would fix his tallons Antipater beholding from the beginning the ballance to bend towards Aristobulus as unto him from whom the Romans had most cause to hope readiest service for their pretences spared not to disgrace him to lay aspersions on him to cast the Romans into a distrust of his spirit and perpetually play the sleeping dog before Pompey in such sort that Aristobulus forseeing well that this pernicious man abusing the name and weakness of his brother sold them both to the Romans stood upon his guard having more animositie than abilitie to resist the armie of a vast Empire The poor Prince shrinking under the burden of such an enterprise is taken put into fetters with two of his sons and as many daughters and was lead to Rome to serve as a sport in Pompeys triumph Jerusalem is Aristobulus prisoner Jerusalem tributary made tributarie the High-Priests place given to Hircanus and all authoritie in the hand of Antibater It was a spectacle which drew tears even from those who before loved not Aristobulus to behold this unfortunate King in fetters with the Princes his sons and those much to be deplored Princesses his daughters all heires of their fathers miseries who left their countrie where they had flourished with so much honour to seek amongst tedious and irksom voyages both by sea and land servitude or death which ever is the ordinarie vow and prayer Antipater established of the wretched Antipater as yet all bloudie gathered the Palm of this victorie and establisheth his little Monarchie which he a long time had plotted Hircanus resembled an old sepulchre which retaineth nothing but a bare title all was acted by him in apparance and nothing for him in effect the other entertained and courted the Romans with his money gave presents sent and received Embassadours practised supports gained correspondencies corrupted powers ruined resistances which opposed his greatness and made this poor High-Priest
fashion and indeed somewhat too bitter according to her custom Joseph who was desirous to entertain the Queen in the good favour of his Master were it out of folly or drunkenness said Madame your mother Alexandra may tell you what pleaseth her But to give you a clear and ample testimony of King Herod your husband his love know that in case he happen to be put to death he hath commanded me to kill you not being able to abide in the other world without your company At these words the poor Ladies looked pale with horrour Out alas the frantick man said Alexandra in her heart what will he do living if after death he intend to destroy those who are yet alive In the mean time many bruits the dreams of the credulous were spred through Jerusalem that Herod was dead that Mark Anthony had caused him to be executed he being convicted of the murder of Aristobulus whether these rumours were divulged by Herods enemies or whether himself caused them to be secretly buzzed to try the face and disposition of the times The wise Mariamne seemed to believe nothing Alexandra grew passionate and bated like a hawk on the pearch entreating Joseph with all possible supplications he would remove them from Court and conduct them to the Court of Guard of the Roman Legions disposing them into the hands of Colonel Julius from thence to pass to Mark Anthony for she vehemently desired this Prince might see her daughter perswading herself that so soon as he should behold her he would be taken with her beauty and doe any thing in her favour These intentions being oblique were unhappy in the success and all Alexandras pursuits served her for no other purpose but to vent her passion In the end Herod returneth victorious with authenticke Return of Herod testimonies of his justification and Anthonies amity notwithstanding the endeavours of Cleopatra God reserving this parricide for a life like Cain attended with a death most dreadful His mother and sister fayled not presently upon his arrival to serve him up a dish of their own dressing and to tell him the design which Alexandra had to put herself into the power of the Romans Salome envious against Mariamne even to fury steeping her serpentine tongue in the gall of black slander accused her of some secret familiarity with Joseph whereupon Herod who was extreamly jealous thought in that very instant to ruin her and so drawing Mariamne aside he demanded of her from whence this correspondence grew which she had contracted with Joseph The most chaste Queen who never went out of the lists of patience shewed her self both with eye visage countenance word to be so penetrated with this cursed calumny that well the trayterous wretch perceived how far she was alienated from such thoughts and verily being ashamed to have uttered such words he asked pardon of her bemoaning with scalding tears his credulity giving her many thanks for her fidelity and making a thousand protestations of an everlasting affection The good Ladie who was displeased to behold such hypocrisie said covertly to him That truly it was an argument of love to his wife to desire her company in the other world He who understood by half a word presently perceived what she would say and entered into such desperate fury that he seemed as a mad man tearing his beard and hair of his head and crying out Joseph had betrayed him and that it was apparent he had great correspondence with Mariamne otherwise so enormous bruitishness would never have escaped any man as to reveal such a secret Thereupon he commandeth Joseph should be killed in the place to serve as a victim at his return not consenting to see him nor hear one sole word of his justification It was a great chance he had not at that time finished the sacrifice of his intemperate cruelty and that to satisfie his chymerical humour he had not put Mariamne to death But the irrefragable proofs of her innocency and the impatient ardours of his love withheld the stroke onely to make the sparkles of his choller flie further off he discharged it upon Alexandra shutting her up for a time keeping her a part from the Queen her daughter and doubtlesly resolving with himself it was in her shop where all these counsels plotted for his ruin were forged and fyled Certain time after Herod saw himself embarqued Troublesom affairs of Hârod in another business which he thought to be at least as perillous as the former Mark Anthony who always had lent his shoulders to underprop him after he had for a long time stroven against the fortune of Augustus Caesar fell to the ground in the Actiack battel ending his hopes and life with a most mournfull catastrophe This accident struck the Tyrant more than one would think seeing his support ruined his affairs which he supposed to have been so well established in one night dissolved and that he had him for an enemy who was in a fair way to become Emperour of the world His friends and enemies judged him as a lost man He who already had escaped so many ship-wracks despaireth not at all in this extremity but resolves to seek out Caesar who was then at Rhodes and prostrate himself at his feet But before he set a step forward he did an act wholly barbarous and inhumane Hircanus the true and lawful King who by his Most lamentable death of Hircanus sweetness and facility had first raised Antipater and afterward saved Herod's life seating him in the Regal throne to the prejudice of his own allies was as yet alive worn even with decrepitness for he now was past eightie years of age The Tyrant fearing lest he being the onely remainder of the bloud Royal should again be re-established in the throne by the suppliant request of the people who much affected his innocency seeing him already upon the brink of his grave threw him head-long into it tearing out his soul with bruitish violence which he was ready to yield up to nature Some held this was meer crueltie without any colour of justice wherewith this diabolical Prince was wont to palliate his actions Others write that Hircanus days were shortened upon this occasion Alexandra being not able to put off her ambition Ambition of Alexandra causeth the death of her father but with her skin seeing Herod gone upon a voyage from which it was likely he should never return sollicites her father Hircanus shews him the time is come wherein God will yet again make his venerable age flourish in Royal purple The Tyrant is involved in snares from which he can never free himself Fortune knocketh at the gate of Hircanus to restore the Diadem which is due to him by birth-right and taken away by tyranny It onely remaineth that he a little help himself and his good hap will accomplish the rest Hircanus answereth her Daughter the time is come wherein I should rather think of my grave than a Regal
from the hand of Secretary Diaphantus a store-house of falsifications Herod would have no more proofs he caused his Alexander Aristobulus sons of Mariamne imprisoned two sons to be apprehended resolving to ruine them and verily every man at that time accounted them lost When these things were in hand Melas a Counsellour of the King of Cappadocia came into Judea to understand the knot of the business he found it much envenomed and desperate of remedy The wicked father caused his sons to be fetcht out of prison to examine them before Melas and to confront them with the depositions Alexander asketh where the accusers were it was answered they were alreddy dead He replieth It was an unjust proceeding to put them to death in the guilt of a lie drawn out by force of torments for ever to shut up their mouth from verity As for himself and his brother Aristobulus they never had any other purpose but to flie to Cappadocia and from thence to pass to Rome to free themselves from the unquietness of their father When Herod heard speech of the voyage of Cappadocia he entreated Melas to enquire particularly of Glaphyra if she more clearly would utter any thing touching this design Glaphyra then was sent for and when at her approch she beheld her husband in fetters it was a dreadful thing to see her afflictions Alas my dear husband said she are these the favours of your father is this the diadem be hath promised you And thereupon her heart oppressed with grief stopped up the rest of her words Tears stood in the eyes of the miserable Alexander who passionately loved her and all the company was so troubled with this spectacle of pitie that those there present to examine looked one upon another and forgat the formalities of justice Herod asketh Alexander if his wife were not partaker of all his secrets He answereth Such was her desert and discretion that he concealed nothing from her The poor Ladie was a little amazed at this word Notwithstanding with great simplicity she said she was ignorant of all that had passed as the child not yet born yet was very ready to tell a lie to save her husband and that she never would disavow it although he should charge her with some crime Alexander touched to the quick with this terderness said to her Madame be not astonished you very well know I never had any other plot but to carry you into Cappadocia to visit the King your father Behold all our offence This cured not Herod but made him extend his suspition upon King Archelaus taking it ill he should go about to withdraw his son without his privacy He commanded the prisoners to be set at liberty and in the mean time sendeth new Embassadours to Rome to purge himself from some slanders wherewith he was charged and to obtain of Caesar full liberty to dispose of his children according as justice should require which was assented unto The young Princes are disgraced and soyled with strange calumniations at Rome so that no man durst undertake their defence He very glad to have such Arraignment and death of the innocent dispatches being as he was a man precisely formal and ever giving colour of justice to his passion assembleth the Counsel to frame an Inditement against his sons admitting all those whom he saw mischievously bent to countenance his bad purpose and sequestring others who might cause some obstacle amongst the rest Archelaus expresly nominated by Caesar to examine this business Moreover that which was an act of great injustice he never would suffer his children to appear before the Judges to be heard in their justification but himself alone entereth into this Assembly full of gall and poyson Never was he seen to be so out of countenance passion having wholly transfigured him in such sort that he spake and acted things little consonant to his gravity His friends were to seek in him and he seemed rather a savage beast than a King Sometime he accused and lamented within himself sometime he stammered and cut himself short He produced letters of his sons that had no value in them as was those of their journey into Cappadocia and yet as if he had got a great victory he cryed out Sirs what say you to this Behold you not great malice O that I had been dead before I had known any such thing Sometime he said he referred himself to justice and that through passion he would do nothing passionately Sometime he published he had not summoned this Assembly to judge but to approve his opinion to the end posterity might the more abhor parricide Then he cited Deuteronomie which permitted fathers to stone their rebellious children to death and played the Scribe or the Divine then he shewed Caesar's letters of which he made more account than of his Deuteronomie and insisted thereupon as if the offenders had already been peremptorily condemned by the sentence of Augustus When they came to voices Saturninus the Roman a Consular man of great authority absolutely disswadeth this cruelty saying Himself was a father that he knew the price of children and that Herod would repent him of this precipitation This good man had three of his sons with him all gallant personages and well entertained in good employments who spake in favour of these poor Princes But to no purpose After them standeth up Volumnius a rude man who drew to his faction all those which practised to serve Herod's passion who altogether most unjustly concluded upon their deaths As soon as this decree was published an old souldier of Herods named Tyron very passionate for the innocents went directly to the Palace demandeth to speak to the King alone by himself which was granted him This honest man taking him aside gave him a sharp admonition even to the reproching him that he had lost his wits in commanding his true heirs to be put to death to advance a Viper who in the end would secretly sting him Herod hearkened to him in the beginning with great patience but speaking over-much he asked him Who are those that take exception at this judgement My self saith the good old man first and such and such men of quality whom he named Herod caused him to be cast into prison laid hold of the rest and condemneth them all to death Afterwards causeth his sons to be carried to Sebaste and directeth the most cruel of his Guard to strangle them in prison These unfortunate Princes who expected nothing less than such a sentence seeing the dreadfull faces of executioners and the fearfull image of death before their eyes looked pale with horrour and asked them Who brought you hither But they pulling them aside as sacrifices and discovering the instruments of their cruelty soon shewed wherefore they came for without making any other answer they took them by the throat and putting the fatal cord about their necks by main force strangled them devoid of mercy The poor Glaphyra who as yet lost
not the hope of her husbands libertie having at that time prepared a new battery to dispose her father in law to clemency heard the tidings of the death of Alexander and withal of her own widdow-hood She a good space remained in a trance then mute as a statue last of all a little recollecting her spirits and casting out a sigh from the bottom of her heart Wo is me saith she I thought not Herod would have proceeded thus far Tell him the sacrifice of his cruelty is not finished for behold one part of the Victim is yet alive Alexander my dear Alexander who for ever in my heart shall survive needs must you end your innocent life by this infamous punishment Must you have him for executioner whom nature allotted you for a father At the least I might have been called to receive the last groans of thy pensive soul to embosom thy final words and enchase them in my heart Then turning herself to two little children which she had by her sides Poor orphans what a father have they snatched from you Alas you are timely taught the trade of misery The poor Ladie night and day disconsolately afflicted herself and being no longer able to endure the Court of Judea no more than a Lyons den she was sent back into Cappadocia to the King her father Herod kept with him the two sons under colour of their education but in effect to establish himself fearing least their name should serve for a pretext of some revolt O the providence of God! It seemeth you much slacken to fall upon guilty heads These young Princes sons of so virtuous a mother so well bred so well educated accomplished with so many excellent parts declared lawfull successours to the Crown these Princes who had been seen not above five years before to return in triumph from Rome to Jerusalem like the two twin-stars who guilded all Palestine with their rays these Princes that promised so many Tropheys so many wonders behold them in the sweetness of their years in the flower of their hopes at the gate of the Temple of honour for a small liberty of speech unworthily massacred in stead of a Diadem on their heads a halter about their necks and caused to be strangled by two Sergeants that so they might breath out their Royal souls under the hand of a hangman Behold the brave apprentiship which Herod exercised three year together about the time of the birth of our Saviour to prepare himself for actions much more enormous It was said of Silla that if Mercy had come upon the earth in humane shape he had slain her But Herod did much worse There remained nothing for him after so many slaughters but to embrew himself in the bloud of fourteen thousand Innocents and attempt upon the Son of God himself which presently after happened and of which every one by relation of the Scripture taketh notice It is time to behold the recompence those wicked Antipater the son of Herod from the too of the wheel souls received for having dipped their fingers in so much bloud and so many tragedies to the end we therein may observe the proceedings of the Divine Providence which spareth not first sleightly to touch and assay by some visitation those which it afterwards reserveth for the eternal pains of hell The detestable Antipater who had directed all the passages of this wickedness seeing the two Heirs of the Kingdom removed quite away by his practises thought he had already a foot in the Throne He continueth his cunning and malice ever masking himself with the veyl of piety as if he had an unspeakable care of the life and state of his father while he in the mean time had no other aim but quickly to make himself absolute Master of all fearing lest the disposition of Herod which was very fleeting might alter and for this cause he went up and down daily practizing very great intelligences But he was hated by the people like a Tiger and the souldiers who saw him embrewed in the bloud of his brothers so beloved by all the Nobility could in no sort relish him Above all the people were extreamly touched with compassion when these little children of Alexander and Aristobulus were led through the streets who had been bred in Herods Court. All the world beheld these poor Orphans with a weeping eye and with sorrow remembred the disasters of their fathers Antipater well saw it was fit for him to withdraw himself and decline envy and not sindge his wings in the candle fearing his father in process of time who in such matters was subtile enough might discover his purposes Notwithstanding he was so secret that he avoided to ask leave of Herod to sequester himself for fear to minister matter of suspition to him But he caused letters closely to be written from Rome to his father by friends whom he had wrought for that purpose which imported all he desired to wit that it was necessary he should be sent to Rome to break the enterprizes which the Arabians plotted against the state of Judea Herod having received these letters instantly dispatched his son Antipater with a goodly train rich presents and above all the Will of Herod which declared him King after the death of his father Behold all he could desire in the world But as the eye of God never sleepeth and surprizeth the crafty in their own policies it happeneth the mischievous Pheroras who had acted his part as we have seen in this lamentable tragedy departed this life by a sudden death and poysoned as it is thought by the maid-servant whom he had married Herod being requested to come into the house of Conspiracy of Antipater discovered his brother to take examinations upon the fact unexpectedly learneth how his son Antipater had given poyson to the dead Pheroras at such time as he was out of favour to poyson the King his father whilest he was at Rome that he speedily might return into Palestine with a Crown on his head This was deposed even by the son of the Comptroller of Antipaters house and circumstanced with grounds and particulars so express that there was not any cause of doubt Herod demanded where this poyson was He answered it was in the hands of the widow of his brother Pheroras She being examined upon the fact goeth up into a higher chamber feigning to fetch it and being mounted to the top of the house she through despair fell down headlong with a purpose to kill herself But God suffered not the fall to be mortal they much heartned her and promised all impunity if she freely would deliver the truth She telleth that true it was her husband had received the poyson of Antipater and had some inclination to give the blow but that a little before his death he repented himself and detested such wickedness and with these words she drew out the poyson which afterwards was known in the death of delinquents to be very mortal At
much more dreadfull Herod in few days after he had tried in vain and worn out all humane remedies was reduced to that horrible state of maladie which is rightly described Fearful maladie of Herod by Josephus and Eusebius of Caesarea God would have him in this life tast in long draughts the cup of his justice wasting that caytife carkass with lingering torments Behold the cause why he was touched with a manifest wound from Heaven and assaulted with a furious squadron of remediless dolours He who from his young days had been enflamed with a desperate ambition felt at his death a fire which devoured his marrow and entrails with a secret and subtile flame He who all his life time had an enraged hunger to heap up treasures even to the opening of David's and Solomon's sepulchers to extract booty from thence was afflicted with dog-like hunger both horrible and shamefull which caused him day and night to crie out for meat yet never was satiated He who had made so many voyages and gone so many paces to make himself great saw then his feet swoln with bad and phlegmatick humours He who in his life had caused so many tortures to be inflicted felt outragious and intollerable collicks which racked him He who had taken life away from so many men was seized with an Asthma which hindered his breathing He who esteemed prudence and humane policy for the sinews of his estate felt in his body cramps and convulsions of sinews which gave him many shakes He who shed the bloud of the poor Mariamne who slew her sons to make the kids as saith the Scripture boyl in the milk of their damme briefly he who wallowed in the bloud of about fourteen thousand innocents of purpose to involve therein the Saviour of the world died in his own bloud afflicted with a cruel fluxe He who abused his body with prodidigious luxuries had dying his secret parts filled with lice and vermine with an ignominious Priapism a maladie not to be named Shall we then say the Divine Providence of God hath no eyes to be wakefull for the punishment of the wicked This desperate wretch in stead of adoring the justice of God at his death and kissing the rod which had chastised him dreameth of new slaughters publisheth an Edict by which he sendeth for the principal of the Jews of every Province to Jerico whither he caused himself to be carried and shutting them up in a Theater calleth his sister Salome and her husband Alexas and then speaketh to them in these words It troubleth me not to die and tender the tribute Notorious crueltie which so many Kings have paid before me but I am afflicted that my death shall not be lamented as I desire if you assist not Know then for this purpose I have sent for all the Nobilitie of Judea whom you have in your hands As soon as my eyes are closed put them all to the sword and let not my death be divulged till first the fortune of these same people be known to their friends by this means I hope to fill Judea with tears and sighs which shall make my soul leave my bodie with the more contentment The wretch in saying this with many scalding tears besought his sister by all that which she esteemed in the world most glorious most sacred as if he had asked Paradise of her and that necessarily she must promise it to content him at that instant with oath though afterward it were never executed In this act alone he well declared he had the spirit of a ravening wolf in the skin of a man and that the thirst of humane bloud was become natural to him As he was framing this notable Testament letters Death of Antipater were brought him from Rome written by Caesar's command which certified him that Aâme a Jewish Ladie of Livia's train the wife of Augustus had been condemned for sinister intelligence with Antipater and for that cause punished with death as concerning his son he wholly left him to his disposition This man in the very point of death still sucked vengeance with marvellous sweetness Vpon this news he taketh courage again and calls for an apple and a knife busying himself in the paring of it But in these employments as his pains redoubled he waxed weary of life which he so much had loved and at that instant one of his Grand-children named Achiabus who stood near to the bed perceiving he roled his eyes full of rage and made a shew as if he would have stabbed himself with the knife he had in his hand which much affrighted the young Prince held back his arm as well as he could and began to make a terrible out-crie as if his Grand-father had yielded up the Ghost whereupon the whole Palace was in an uproar Antipater who from the prison heard all this tumult supposing Herod was at the last cast his feet itched in his fetters and did not as yet despair of the Crown offering as one would say mountains of gold to his Keeper to set him at liberty But O the judgement of his God! his Goaler in stead of giving ear to all his rewards went directly to his Father and relateth to him how Antipater used all possible means to get out of prison and take possession of the Kingdom Herod houling and knocking his head How saith he will the parricide murther me in my bed I have yet life enough left to take away his Then lifting himself up and leaning on his pillow he calleth one of his Guard Go you immediately saith he to the prison and kill this parricide and let him be buried in Hircanus castle without funeral pomp This was incontinently executed and such was the end of this wicked wretch who had disturbed earth and hell to place himself in his fathers Throne according as certain Mathematicians had foretold him Few days after his death Herod having declared Archelaus for Successour of the Kingdom contrary to his first will which was disposed in the behalf of Antipater after he had accommodated his two other sons with such shares as seemed good to him and given End of a Politician most disastrous large legacies to Augustus Caesar yielded up his wicked soul in rage and despair in the LXX year of his age and XXXVII of his reign A Prince saith Josephus who all his life desired to be Master of his laws and a slave of his passions and who notwithstanding all his great felicities ought to be reputed the most miserable on the earth Behold in what tearms this Authour a great statist speaketh it to teach humane policie there is no prudence wisdom counsel greatness nor happines where God is not present For laying aside eternal torments of the other life wherewith this barbarous man dying in punishments was encompassed I assure my self there is neither peasant nor handi-crafts man if he be not mad would give one day of his life for the thirty seven years of Herods reign which
plotting against the Tabernacle of God The Prophet said that encouraging one another they cast out these inconsiderate words Let us go and possess Psal 82. 12. Haereditate possideamus Sanctuarium Dei the Sanctuary of God as our proper inheritance And what I pray do such like now adays Hold they not the goods of the Church as one would a Tenement to pass it from hand to hand from nephew to nephew Although they oftentimes in their conscience judge them most uncapable yet needs must they take good heed how they forgo any thing the chairs must be filled with honour with flesh and hay and rather will they set shadows on a pinacle than render to God what is due to him And what will happen to these Salmanaes or Salmoneans even that which the same King and Prophet said They shall turn about as the wheel of the potter incessantly Pone illos us rotam wandring from purpose to purpose from ambition to ambition from bargain to bargain in a thousand embroilments of spirit till death come who shall Confringeâ rotam super cisternum Eccl. 12. bruise them as saith the Wiseman on the cestern and shall scatter them for ever from the face of God It is no small matter to invade the treasure of Kings since it is the bloud of the people the sinew of war the knot of peace and the bloud-suckerrs of State which abuse it sooner or later shall pour their lives out in the dust And what do you think is it to abuse the patrimony of God whereunto so many good souls have oft-times contributed their bloud and sweat and to enter therein as a Fox a Lion without any other intention but to slay and devour the flock which they ought not so much as to shear The crimes which do afront the Divinity ever bear their punishments behind them Crassus felt among Plutarch in Crasso the Parthians the Religion of the Temple of Jerusalem which he had despoiled the fortune of the Romans was made a prey the Army routed the treasures forsaken the lives of so many mortals exposed to the dint of sword to chastise the avarice of one man who durst invade the goods consecrated to the Divine Majesty Whilest he stretched out his Harpies hands on the goods of men God suffered him so soon as he set his tallans on the moveables of the Temple he felt the steel of Barbarians as revengers of his sacriledge A hand from Heaven before for the same cause charactered the dreadfull decree of a Babylonian King which hath served as a Tragedie for all posterity Daniel 5. 15. 2 Machab. b. 3. and afterward Heliodorus in the Machebees was prodigiously punished by exterminating Angels who in the mid-day scourged him in the sight of all the world employing the Heavenly whips on his body for the same crime as he had bestowed his hardiness and hand to steal a jewel from Heaven If you say there is much difference between the sacrilegious who steal the treasures of the Church and those who by ways unlawfull seize on benefices which they unworthily hold to the confusion of Christianity I answer there may be the difference that would be between a publick robber and a private thief the one proceeding with open force the other more cautelously causing his venom to creep is by so much the more pernicious as under the skin of a sheep he bears the heart of a wolf Adde hereunto for a second reason that the Baltazars Crassuses and Heliodoruses and the Hereticks of our time who have made open war against the treasures of the Temple having nothing at all hurt the reputation of the Church which as the Pole-star is ever in motion and never setteth but the unjust usurpers of Priest-hood who sometimes enter into charge with extream defect of science and conscience besides that they unprofitably devour the patrimony of the Son of God do burden his spouse with eternal reproach It is observed that in these deplorable times where all seemeth to tend to the subversion of Laws still some new monsters have appeared who by their birth have declared the disasters that should happen to the world The tenth Age which was the true iron-age wherein all vices were in force all sciences in eclipse all abuse in credit and as it were all crimes in impunity afforded neither Satyres Chimeraes Centaurs nor other monsters against nature But for a certain presage of great evils which we afterward saw to over-flow all Christendom children of great men were seen who had nothing great in them but vice as being such who were born for disgrace bred in disorder naturalized in sin to enter during their minority into Ecclesiastical charges to debase authority and abolish merit A Pope John the eleventh enormiously Baron ad annum Christi 931. Joannes 11. Mâzoriae filius matre etiam tum amoribus florente Curopalates Baron ad annum 926. vitious having the malice of a man most debauched and the age of a child unexperienced to sit in the chair of S. Peter A Theophylact son of the Emperour by the absolute power of his father to seize on the See of Constantinople to become afterwards a Merchant of horses which he so violently affected that besides the prodigious race of two thousand which he ordinarily bred he many times left the Altar where he sacrificed to the living God to hasten to see some Mare of his that had foled in the stable Our France hath not been exempt from this Frâdoardus histor Rhemeâ lib. 4. cap. 17. Monstrum inquit nunquam haitenus in orbe Christiano visum unhappiness for in the same age Hugo a child of five years old was constituted Archbishop of Rhemes to possess the seat of the great S. Remigius which was to paralel the foot of Hercules to the leg of a flie All Christendom was amazed to behold such promotions and held them in the rank of Comets which make terrour to march before them and after them sterility massacres and disasters Were there no other consideration but the interests of the Church this ever ought to touch a heart which as yet retaineth some vein of Christianity nor should it ever give consent to any preferment which might appear so disadvantagious to her whom Jesus Christ hath by his bloud made his lawfull spouse But besides the detriment of Religion for a third instance the manifest loss of young men is incurred who are engaged in Ecclesiastical dignities not being accommodated with conditions necessary to undergo such a burden much better were you to send them directly to the house of fools than to expose them upon the pinacle of the Temple with so little discretion for in this prison of mad men they should find those that would tie them thereby to stay their folly and in these false dignities they meet with liberty which freeth them to precipitate them into all sorts of vices Fathers and Mothers God pardon you what a
who is pleased to take the pain to look into the deportments of men Ecclesiastical who are of eminent extraction shall perceive you are in the Church as an unprofitable burden (d) (d) (d) Principatus sine meritoris sublimitate bonorum titulus sinehomine dignitas in indigne ornameÌtum in luto Salvia l. 1. ad Eccles Cath. to disgrace the charge which honoureth you and that all those that name you when you happen to be mentioned in honourable assemblies will wish a cloud of darkness at noon-day to cover the shame of their foreheads Adde that the Church stretcheth out her arms and intreateth you would not suffer her laurels to wither in your hands to defile her victories nor eclipse her lights She hath seen many miseries many hath she born many vanquished but never felt any wounds more dolorous than those which fell upon her by vice (e) (e) (e) Nescio criminum an numinum turbam Tert. advers Valentinianos de eorum diis cap. 8. ignorance and the negligence of her Prelates That is it which hath opened the gate to heresies which hath fomented infidelities enlarged impiety disposed the brows of the wicked to impudence the tongue to slander the hands to rapine which hath darkened the present times with horrible confusions and which vomiteth upon the times and Ages of posterity Will you increase these calamities and with your corruptions make a bridge for the faithless to ruin Christianity For that perhaps shall be the last scourge which God will use to punish the abuses of ill Prelates and the sins of the people in general For conclusion I demand what will become of you in the end at the last judgement of God under which the Angels tremble who govern the world What will become of you when you shall be accused to have been a viper in the Church a scandal to the simple an ill example to the most corrupt a fiery torch that would enflame the house of God Where may one find punishments sufficient to inflict on you and where can you get members enough to furnish out so many punishments when the stones and marbles of those places you have possessed will crack in pieces to flie into your eyes On the contrary if you take the right way which I propose you shall lead a peaceable life in the security of a good conscience rich in honour and ability honourable in reputation terrible to the wicked reverenced by honest men fertile in good actions abundant in infinitie of fruits fruitfull in recompences prosperous in successes glorious to posterity attended on earth with the odour of virtues and crowned in Heaven by Eternitie The tenth SECTION The examples of great Prelates are very lively spurs to virtue TO come to this effect often represent before your eyes the lively images of so many worthy Prelates who have flourished through all Ages and behold them as stars which God with his own hand hath planted in this great firmament of the Church as well that he there might make his glory shine as here to prepare a way for our direction Think sometime within your self what a spirit one S. Nilamon Martyrol Rom. ad 6. Januar. had who died with terrour as they bare him to the Throne of a Bishop for which so many other pine away with ambition he forgoing life with apprehension he should loose his innocency What humility in S. Peter of Alexandria who being the lawfull Baronius Successour of S. Mark would never mount to his chair but contented himself to sit the residue of his days on the foot-stool until after his death the Chron. Alexandr people having attired him with his Pontifical habit did carry his body to the seat which he never had possessed A man truly humble whose death must be expected to honour his merit as if honour were incompatible with his life What zeal in Eustatius Bishop of Epiphanium whose heart was so surprized with onely notice of the prosanation of a Church that he fell down dead in the place making himself a tomb furnished with the triumphs of his own piety a thousand times more pretious than gold and richest diamonds What liberality in Saint Exuâerius Bishop of Tholouse to give away the gold and silver of his Church for the necessities of the poor yea even to the carrying of the Blessed Sacrament in a little basket of osier What charity in Saint Paulinus who after he had in alms spent his whole patrimony which was both very rich and abundant sold himself and voluntarily became a slave to redeem the son of poor widows What faith in Saint Gregorie Thaumaturgus to remove mountains and command over elements with as much liberty as a Master over his servants What power in S. Leo and S. Lupus to stay Attila and make head against an Army composed of seven hundred thousand men drawn from the most dreadful Nations of the earth What confidence in S. Martin to submit his shoulders to receive the fall of a huge tree on condition he might thereby banish the Idols Let us lay aside all other actions which are miraculous behold the lives of those who have traced a more ordinary way Imitate the contemplation of a S. Denis the fervour of a S. Ignatius the constancy of a S. Athanasius the contempt of the world of a S. Hilarie the generosity of a S. Cyprian the austerity of a S. Basil the mildness of a S. Augustine the majesty of a S. Ambrose the vigilancy of a S. Gregorie the vigour of a S. Cyril the wisdom of a S. Remigius Propose to your self the acts of S. Vedastus Herculanus Eleutherius Medardus Lucipinus Nicerius Romanus Sulpitius Pretextatus Germanus Amandus Claudius Lambertus Woâphranus Swibertus and many such like Consider the deportments of S. Thomas of Canterbury S. Lewis of Tholouse and above all let not your eye pass over Saint Charles Boromaeus whom God hath made resplendent in our days to teach us that no Age is secluded from sanctity A man is powerfull to perswade virtue when in one and the same instant he alledgeth three-score thousand reasons each of which weigh a Crown of gold hath one of the best Writers of this Age said and so did S. Charles forsaking three-score thousand crowns of yearly rent for one mornings Mass He was a Bishop who often fasted with bread and water even in the time of feasts who every day said his Breviary on his knees and moistened it with his The Reverend Father âinet tears who celebrated Mass every day with a majesty more than humane who had two retirements in the year to attend to spiritual exercises who read the Bible on his knees sheading brinish tears who gave alms above his ability who in person waited on the infectious who wore hair-cloth under his scarlet habit who slept on the bare boards who stirred not out of his Diocess who visited it on foot who in his charge made himself indefatigable who ever was the foremost
life of beasts and clothed himself likewise with a most simple habit desirous to shew exteriourly some tast of the reverence we ow to the bloud of the Son of God Besides abstinencies commanded he ordinarily fasted the saturday which is dedicated to the memory of the Blessed Virgin He never fed at his repast but on one dish and though he had great quantity of silver vessels he caused himself to be served in pewter and earth being glorious in publick and in his particular an enemy of worldly pomps and vanities I leave you to think how much this kind of life is alienated from the curious Nobility to whom we must daily give so many priviledges and dispensations that it seems it is for their sakes needfull to create another Christendom besides that which hath been established by the Son of God A man would say to see how they pamper their bodies they were descended from Heaven and that thither they should return not passing through the sepulcher for they deifie it and to fatten and guild a dung-hill covered with snow sport with the bloud and sweat of men Superfluity of tast being so well repressed all went Sage government of a family in true measure in the house of this good Marshal his retinue was very well entertained according to his quality and he had a very solemn custom by him religiously observed which was speedily to pay his debts and as much as he might possible to be engaged To pay his debts to none It is no small virtue nor of sleight importance if we consider the Nobility at this time so easily engulfed in great labyrinths of debts which daily encrease like huge balls of snow that fall from mountains and which require ages and golden mynes to discharge them Is it not a most inexcusable cruelty before God and men to see a busie Merchant a needy Artificer every day to multiply his journeys and steps before the gate of a Lord or a Ladie who bear his sweat and bloud in the pleyts of their garments And in stead of giving some satisfaction upon his most just requests it is told him he is an importunate fellow and he many times menaced with bastonadoes if he desist not to demand his own Is not this to live like a Tartarian Is not this to degrade ones self from Nobilitie Christianitie and Reason Is not this to thrust the knife into the throat of houses and entire families Alledge not unto me that it is impossible for you to pay at that time what is demanded Why well foreseeing your own impotency have you heaped up debts which cannot be discharged Why do you not rather admit the lessening of your port Why cut you not off so many superfluous things Are not your sins odious enough before God but you must encrease them with the marrow of the poor From hence ariseth the contempt of your persons the hatred of your name the breaches and ruin of your houses This man in well paying his debts was served and A singular discretion respected of Officers like a little Deitie there was no need to doubt nor to make a false step into his house Never would he suffer a vice or a bad servant were it to gain an Empire Blasphemies oaths lies slanders games quarrels and such like ordures were banished from his Palace as Monsters and if he found any of his family in fault he dismissed them lest they should infect the other yet not scandalizing them nor divulging their offences At the table he spake little and did voluntarily entertain himself with example of virtues in the lives of Noblemen not opening his mouth to discourse of his own proper acts but with singular sobriety In his marriage he demeaned himself most chastely and had such a horrour against impuritie that he would not so much as keep a servant who had a lustful eye Behold the cause why passing one day on horsback through the streets of the Citie of Genoa as a Ladie presented her self at her window to comb her hair and one of the Gentlemen of the Marshals trayn seeing her tresses very bright and beautifull cried out Oh what a goodly head of hair staying to behold her the Lord looked back on him with a severe eye saying It is not well done it is not fit that from the house of a Governour a wanton eye should be seen to glance In this point and all the rest which concerned the commerce and repose of Citizens he rendered so prompt and exact justice that it was a proverb amongst those of Genoa when any one was offended to say to him who had wronged him If you will not right me my Lord Marshal will The other understanding it oft-times rather chose to submit himself to right than expect a condemnation which was inevitable He so by this means gained the good opinion of the people that the inhabitants of the Citie sent to the King beseeching he might continue the government to the end of his days which having obtained it seemed to them they had drawn an Angel from Heaven to fix him at the stern of their Common-wealth At the time that the Emperour of Constantinople then dispossessed of one part of his Empire by the great Turk came into France to demand succour and had obtained of the King twelve hundred men defrayed for a year many widdow-Ladies were seen at the Court who complained of injustices and oppressions by them endured after the death of their husbands whereby this good Marshal was so moved with compassion that with much freedom he instituted an Order of Knights for the defence of afflicted Ladies which he surnamed The Order of the white Ladie because they who made profession of it bare a schuchion of gold enameled with green and thereon the figure of a Ladie in colour white thus sought he by all occasions to do good and shewed himself a great enemy of idleness the very moth of minds He ordinarily rose early in the morning and spent about three hours in Prayer and Divine Service at the end whereof he went to Councel which lasted till dinner time After his repast he gave audience to all those who would speak with him upon their affairs not failing to behold his Hall daily full of people whom he speedily dispatched contenting every one with answers sweet and reasonable from thence he retired to write letters and to give that order to his Officers which his pleasure was should be observed in every affair and if he had no other employment he went to Vespers At his return he took some pains then finishing the rest of his office ended the day The Sundays and Holy-days either he went on foot in some pilgrimage of devotion or caused the life of Saints or other victories to be read daily more and more to dispose his manners unto virtue When he marched in the field he had an admirable way not to oppress any of his company nor would he permit even in the
well observed this maxim that to Theodorus Anagnostes ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã witness the zeal he bare to our Religion he caused the head of one of his officers to be cut off who having been bred in the Catholick Church became an Arian thinking by this means to be advanced into the good favour of his Master But this brave King My friend saith he since thou hast been disloyal to God I can never think thou wilt be faithful to thy Prince Thou shalt wash away the stain of thy treachery with thy bloud to teach posterity thou must not mingle the interests of God with the profane pretenses of thy fortunes He shewed himself very zealous to preserve peace in the Church in a most dangerous schism raised in his time For Pope Anastasius being deceased and they proceeding lawfully to the election of Symmachus there was a Senatour of an unquiet spirit who desirous to make a Pope at the devotion of the Emperour of Constantinople so to countenance his Extravagencies banded Altar against Altar and caused an Antipope to be chosen named Laurentius which rent both Senate and Clergy into great partialities But Theodorick very speedily quenched the fire and being well informed of the business seeing Symmachus was first elected and supported by the soundest part he mantained him with a strong hand against all the enterprises of adversaries who durst not in the end resist his authority Besides having published an Edict against the favourers of the Heruli who perplexed the Province of Genoa and Milan whither they were retired that fell out to be the cause of very many miseries and tears among the poor people who having no support so helpful unto them as the Bishops threw themselves into the arms of Epiphanes and Laurentius both great Saints and great Prelates the one of Pauta the other of Milan Epiphanes undertook to speak and said to the King Sir Should I here reckon up all the favours which you have received from God I might make you appear more sparing in your desires than he hath been in his liberalities since you have asked nothing of heaven which hath not ever surmounted your vows and hopes But not to speak at this time of so many prodigies is it not a very great wonder to see you do justice in the throne of your enemy and to behold us pleading the cause of your servants with such a confidence in a place which the terrour of arms had heretofore rendered so dreadful Sir it is the Saviour of the world who hath given into your hand this people which hath charged us with their requests Take good heed how you offend him by ill using the gift he hath afforded you Know how an invisible power hath led you by the hand into so many encounters and battels that the air rain and seasons have favoured your standards as if they had been to you engaged Now is the time you must acknowledge so many benefits by your piety not despising the tears of the afflicted which are the sacrifices of suppliants The examples of your Predecessours who have been cast out of the throne for their iniquity shew you cannot establish it but in your virtues Upon this consideration your Countrey prostrate at your feet most humbly beggeth you would be pleased to sweeten the rigour of your laws not onely by doing good to the innocent but by pardoning the culpable For very little would our clemency be if we did onely abstain to strike those who have given offence to none not considering mercy is not made for any but the miserable In revengeing your injuries you shall do like men of the earth and by pardoning share in glory with that great Monarch of heaven who daily maketh his sun to shine on criminal heads as well as the most innocent The King made a most courteous answer saying There was no reason that earthly powers should resist the prayers of Bishops who made heaven propitious and that he remitted to all in general the punishments of death ordained by laws but in so Vitia transmittit ad posteròs qui praesentibus culpis ignoscit much that the ulcer must be purged least by shewing himself too indulgent to vices he might make them pass into example for posterity the consideration of his state required the Authours of sedition should be removed to the end their presence might not foment the evil The reply was found very reasonable and letters of grace instantly dispatched by Urbicus who was one of the chiefest officers in the Court for expeditions He satisfied not himself with this favour but calling the good Bishop into his cabinet having highly commended him sent him among the Gauls to redeem the Italian prisoners there by reason the Burgundians in certain incursions had taken away very many and others over-whelmed with the miseries which proceed from civil wars were voluntarily stept aside The King gave commission to the Bishops to rally them to their troups liberally defraying the charges that were necessary There is also found one amongst his letters addressed Cassiodor l. 2. c. 2. 29. to Count Adela wherein he witnesseth that though he had a great desire to preserve his people in full peace and repose because the glory of a Prince consisteth in the tranquility of his subjects yet that he principally intended the Churches should enjoy this favour since in obliging them the mercies and blessings of God were drawn on his kingdom and pursuing this course he commanded Duke Ida to cause all the Ecclesiastical possessions to be restored which some had usurped in Languedoc after the death of Alarick Observe the good foundations of piety which he laid by the counsel of Boetius The second Maxim was to bend all his endeavours and imploy his best thoughts for the comfort of the people because there is not any way more powerful to gain the hearts of all the world than by sweetening the sharpness of the times present or the burdens of the passed We have seen said he by experience that those who are desirous to possess gold without the love of the people have been very unsafe that Kings differ not from other men but in being powerful to do good and that the common sort measure their greatness onely by their bounty that is it which heretofore made the Gods of Gentiles and which maintaineth Monarchies on the firm rock of constancy Theodorick imbraced this care most particularly Cassioder l. 4. ep 36. for he punctually enquired after the losses of his poor subjects and if he found any molested by the passage of some troups or other like he released them of taxes and ordinary subsidies as it may yet be seen in his letters and namely in one which he wrot to President Faustus wherein he commanded him to hold his hand in this business Because saith Lib. â Epis â he a body over-burdened sinketh to the ground and that it were better to despise a slight gain than to deprive himself
of the bosom thereof as a man treacherous and put into the hands of the Guard to lead him to Pavia the place of his imprisonment He was not suffered to speak with his father-in-law Symmachus for all those who were honoured with his friendship are sequestred scarcely had he the means to give the last adieu to his wife Rusticiana who seeing her husband suddenly fallen from so eminent a dignitie into such disaster could not contain from saying unto him with scalding tears Syr is this then it which your innocencie hath deserved If the King be resolved to put you to death why suffereth he still a piece of your self to live which hath ever been so dear unto you I have courage enough to follow you either in exile imprisonment or death But Boetius replied again in few words that he might not any further increase her grief Madam the hour is not yet come trouble not your self to see me suffer for justice It is a title of honour which God hath reserved for his children The education which you have derived from your good father and the instructions you have received from me give me occasion to hope you will bear this accident with a Christian resolution My daughter it is not fit that our tears which fall from so much a higher place as we have been bred in greatness may shew any dejection in the estimation of men Support your self a little under your burthen and open your heart to the consolations of heaven since those of earth are mingled with so much acerbities Then turning to his children all dissolved into tears My children saith he God hereafter will become your father Make provision of great virtues which have ever been the inheritance of our house for all other blessings are but dust and wind This is the lesson which God giveth you in the change of my fortune Comfort your good mother by the dutie of faithfull obedience and live in hope Perhaps you shall see me again if it please God sooner than you imagine These words were arrows that pierced these faithfull hearts with most just resentments of nature which could not quickly end notwithstanding all the lenitives that might be applied The sixth SECTION The imprisonment of Boetius THe great changes of fortune which suddenly happen have this property in them that they strike our souls as waves not foreseen and give us the blow before we have leisure to understand our selves The poor Boetius seeing himself between four walls sequestered from the Citie which had served as a theater of glory for all his house taken away from the love of his own bereft of his library and all the most precious accommodations of life shut up as a victim destined for a bloudy sacrifice found himself in the beginning surprized with an over-whelming sadness as he hath left expressed in writing He bewailed with broken sighs his innocency unworthily handled he traced in his thoughts the marks of his former fortune he cast his eyes upon his forsaken family which seemed to him in the Lions throat he called into memory the unworthiness of his accusers who had been heard against him the ingratitude of the Senate that had condemned him for being faithfull unto them the cruelty with which this sentence was executed the wrack of his means the loss of his reputation and all the black horrours which a man declared criminal of treason figureth to himself In this abyss of disturbances he was displeased as Eâeu cur durs miseros a verteriâ Ã âe Et stentes oculis claudere saeââ negas Lib. 1. Metr 1. it were with death which layeth hold on so many young men that desire nothing but to live and deigned not so much as to shut up his eyes which he perpetually moistened with his tears Hereupon we may see that the most couragious spirits in these accidents so strange and unexpected ever pay some tribute to the natural passions of men But likewise on the other side we shall observe the power which a well rectified judgement hath over it self when we behold it to dissipate all the troubles and agitations of the heart by the vivacity of reason and use of precepts of wisdom which he most exactly practised in this his captivity We have also the book of his Consolation composed in this prison which is verily in the judgement of learned men one of the most excellent pieces of work that may be framed on this subject where he introduceth Philosophie who visiting and awakening him from this dead sleep of sadness What Boetius saith she are you be then whom I have fed with my milk whom I have cherished with so good nutriments and bred up until you arrived to the strength of mans estate Verily I have given you arms which would strengthen you against all the strokes of fortune were it not that you have forsaken them Know you me no longer From whence proceedeth this silence Tell me is it out of shame or stupidity I had rather it were derived from a just bashfulness but as far as I can perceive you are become wholly senseless Will you say nothing to me Ah poor man he is not absolutely lost but so near as I can guess he hath a Lethargie a common disease with those who suffer themselves to be transported with illusions of the mind He hath forgot himself but he will recover when he shall know me Let us onely wipe his eyes surcharged with terrestrial humours and covered with a thick cloud of the world This done Boetius came to himself and framed an admirable Dialogue with this Queen of spirits to which I remit the Reader contenting my self to observe here the principal arguments which served him for his Consolation to the end we may learn with him in our afflictions to fix our resolution on the will of God and suck honey from the rock as the Scripture speaketh The first reason proposed to him by this Wisdom Lib. 1. pros 6. Maximus somes salutis vera de mundi gubernatione sententia descended from Heaven was to ask of him what opinion he had of the Providence of God and whether he thought the world moved by chance or were governed by reason God forbid saith Boetius that Iever come to this degree of folly as to think that all here below is casually done I know God ruleth in the world as in an house built by his own hands and that nothing happeneth in the affairs of men but either by his command or permission Thereupon Philosophie crieth out Just God! it is verily marvellous that a man who hath such an understanding of the Divine Providence can be sick of the disease wherewith I see you surprized My friend you entered into the world as into a list or circle whereof this Providence hath made the circuit with his own hands It is fit you Lib. 1. pros 1. alibi patiently suffer all that which happeneth to you within these limits as an ordinance
his captivity that his spirit was in declination his body being worn with the torments he endured by the rigour of a King of the Goths Death in the end came to unloose his fetters by an act very barbarous exercised by Theodorick on this admirable man He seeing Pope John had done nothing in his favour at Constantinople but in stead of causing the Temples of the Arians to be restored had purified and changed them into Catholick Churches he entered into a fury more exorbitant than ever and kept this good Pope in prison at Ravenna until he was wasted with diseases yielding up his most blessed soul in fetters to hasten to enjoy the liberty of the elect Cyprian and Basilius accusers of Boetius failed not to kindle the fire with all their power to ruin him whom they already had wounded There was sent unto him a Commissary who was Governour of Pavia to interrogate him upon matters wherewith he had been charged The King promising him by this instrument a reasonable usage if he would confess all the process of this imaginary conspiracy Boetius having heard what his commission imported replieth Tell the King your Master that my conscience and age have reduced me to those terms wherein neither menaces nor allurements can work any thing upon me to the prejudice of reason To require the proceeding of my conspiracie is to demand a chymera which hath never been nor ever shall Is the distrust of his witnesses so great that needs he must exact from my mouth the articles of my condemnation Verily he hath as much cause to doubt my accusers as I matter of glorie to be accused by mouthes so impure that they would as it were justifie the greatest delinquents by their depositions One Basilius chased from the Court and charged with debt hath been bought to sell my bloud and having lost credit in all things finds more than enough for my ruin Opilion and Gaudentius condemned to banishment for an infinite number of wicked promises they being fled to Altars the King redoubleth an Edict by which be ordained if they instantly went not out of Ravenna they should be branded in the forehead with an hot iron What may be added to such an infamie Yet notwithstanding the same day they were received and heard against me Arrows are made of all wood to transfix me and the most criminal are freed in my accusation Some being not ashamed to employ against the life of a Senatour those who would scarcely have been set to confront very slaves This makes me say my condemnation is premeditated and my death already vowed and that this search is made for petty formalities to disguise an injustice King Theodorick playeth too much the Politician for a man who hath full liberty to do ill What need is there to use so many tricks Tell him boldly from me that I submit to his condemnation I was willing to save the Senate though little gratefull for the sinceritie of my affections I wished the repose of the Catholick Church I have sought the liberty of the Roman people Here is all that I can say As I am not in condition to tell a lie so am I not on terms to conceal a truth Had I known the means to reduce the Empire into better order he should never have understood it Finally if he be resolved to put me to death thereupon let him hasten his blow It is long since I have had death in desire and life in patience The Commissary much amazed at this constancy made his relation to the King in very sharp words which put oyl afresh into the flame to thrust affairs into extremities The poor Rusticiana wife of Boetius knowing the point whereunto the safety of her husband was reduced made use of all the attractives she could to mitigate the fury of the Prince and observing Amalazunta the daughter of Theodorick to be an honourable Ladie and endowed with a singular bounty she recommended her petitions and tears to her This Ladie gave her access to the King to whom she with her children presented her self in a most deplorable State able to soften obdurate rocks Alas Sir said she if you once more deign to behold from the throne of your glorie the dust of the earth cast your eyes upon a poor afflicted creature which is but the shadow of what she hath been I no longer am Rusticiana who saw palms and honours grow in her house as flowers in medows Disaster having taken him from me by whom I subsisted hath left me nothing but the image of my former fortune the sorrows of the passed the grief of the present and horrour of the time to come I would swear upon Altars that my husband hath never failed in the dutie which he oweth to your Majestie but calumnie hath depainted his innocency unto you with a coal to inflame you with choler against a man who ever held your interests as dear unto him as his own I know what he hath so many times said to me thereof and how he hath bred his children whom your Majestie now beholdeth at your feet If we no longer shall take benefit of justice Sir I implore your mercie Look on a woman worthie of compassion tossed in the storm and who beholdeth in the haven the Olives of peace which you always have desired to equal with your laurels Suffer me I may embrace them The world already hath cause enough to dread your power give us cause to love it proportionably to your bountie Alas Sir on whom will you bestow it Fire which consumeth all burneth not ashes and behold us here covered with ashes before your eyes what more desire you of us A miserable creature is a sacred thing the God of the afflicted taketh it into his protection and will no more have it touched than his Altars If my unhappiness have set me in that rank and my sex made me a just object of your pitie Sir render that to me which I in this world do hold most precious and think not we ever will retain any resentment of what is past when we shall see our selves re-established in our former fortune It is in you to command and for us to obey your ordinances and even to kiss the thunder-bolt that striketh us It is to much purpose to present musick to the ears of Tygers it hath no other effect but to enrage them the more The cruel Tyrant presently commanded the Ladie to withdraw adding he would do her justice And they ceasing not still to multiply suspitions with him upon this pretended conspiracy as if Boetius had now been presently with sword in hand with the Emperour Justine at the gates of Rome or Ravenna he fell into such fear gall and choller that without any other formal proceeding of justice he dispatched the afore-mentioned Commissary with a Tribune to put him to death whose life was so precious to the Roman Empire Boetius who had a long time been prepared both by prayers and
the Sacraments of the Church for this last hour knowing the cause wherefore they came beheld them with a confident countenance and said Perform your Commission boldly It is long since I knew that death alone must open the gates of this prison for me And having spoken this he contained himself some while in a deep silence recommending to God this last act of his life and consigning to him his soul which during this imprisonment he had so often whitened with his tears and purified as in a precious limbeck of eternal charities wherein all great souls are deified This done he went forward with a settled pace to the place of execution which the King would have very secret not to excite the people where seeing himself Behold here saith he the Theater which I have long desired I protest before the face of the living God and his holy Saints that I have ever had most sincere intentions for the good of the State nor am I culpable of any of these crimes objected against me If my innocencie be now opprest there shall come a better posteritie which shall draw aside the curtain and entertain the rays of truth O Rome O Rome would to God thou mightest âe purified by my bloud and I to be the last victim sacrificed for publick safetie I will not now accuse him who condemned me desiring God rather may open his eyes to see the justice of my cause and the plots practised upon his own soul Behold the recompence I gain for becoming hoarie in his service but God is the faithful witness of all my actions and in his bosom is it now where I lay down my life my bodie my soul and all my interests There was but one poor gentle-man waiter that accompanied him in this passage who as he poured out tears near unto him Boetius earnestly beholding him said Where is your resolution leave these tears for the miserable and tell my father-in-law my wife and children that I have done nothing here unworthie of their honour and that they act nothing unworthie of me by bewailing me with plaints which would be little honourable for the condition of my death but that they rather take this accident as a gift from Heaven They well know I have ever told them it is not here where we should expect repose but in the place where I hope to prepare them a room These words spoken they proceeded to execution by the barbarous commandment given by Theodorick I have read in a very ancient manuscript from whence I have drawn some particulars couched therein that a cruel torture was inflicted on this holy man long time streyning a coard about his fore-head in such sort that his eyes started out of his head and that in the end they knocked him down with a leaver which I cannot think to be probable seeing all other constantly affirm his head was cut off by the hand of a hangman and Martianus who most eloquently wrote his life addeth that by miracle he some space of time held his head in his own hands like another S. Denys until he gave up the ghost before the Altar of a Chappel very near to the place of his execution His bodie was interred in the Church of Saint Augustine to whom he had a particular devotion and his name put among the Martyrs as Baronius observeth because he died partly for the defence of the Catholick Church against the Arians The place of his imprisonment hath been preserved as a great monument of piety his tomb honoured with verses such as that time could afford where among other things this title is given him BOETIUS IN COELO MAGNUS ET OMNI PERSPECTUS MUNDO The King stayed not a whit after this to put Symmachus his father-in-law to death and to confiscate all the goods both of the one and other which was a very lamentable thing yet notwithstanding the couragious Rusticiana bare the death of her father and husband with so great constancy that she deserved to draw all succeeding Ages into admiration for she spake most freely to the King reproching him with his disloyalty and honoured these two eminent souls as Saints much offended with her self if at any time nature won tears from her eyes as judging them too base to be sacrificed to so flourishing a memory The vengeance of God slackened not long to fall Procop. lib. 4. upon the guiltie head of Theodorick for few days after this act as he continually lived in the representations of his crime his imagination was so troubled that being at the table when they came to serve up the great head of a fish he figured to himself it was the head of Symmachus the last of all butchered and although much endeavour was used to remove this fantasie from him it was impossible to give remedy but he rose from the table like a man affrighted crying out murder and felt instantly such a quaking over all his body and besides such convulsions in all his members that he must needs presently be carried to his bed where he was visited by his Phisitian to whom he complained with much horrour that he had shed bloud which would perpetually bleed against him The feaver and frenzie carried him hence into the other world where he had a marvellous account to make of whom we know no more particulars yet Saint Gregorie witnesseth that he learned from the mouth of a man Greg. l. 4. 30 worthy of credit that the same day he died at Rome certain honourable persons being at Lipari a little Island of Sicilie in the Cell of an Hermit who lived in the reputation of great sanctitie he said unto them Know ye that King Theodorick is no more They replying Nay not so we left him alive and in health Notwithstanding saith he I can well assure you he died to day in Rome and which is more is judged condemned and thrown into the store-houses of subterranean fire which we here call the Cauldron of Vulcan And it was a Olla Vulcani strange thing that they being returned to Rome understood the death of this wretched King to have been at that very time told by the Hermit which was held for a most manifest judgement of God and made all those to tremble who heard the relation thereof Athalaricus his grand-child by his daughter although an infant succeeded to his estates under the regency of his mother Amalazunta who restored all the goods had been confiseated to the widow that lived afterward until Justinian got the Empire from the Goths by the means of Bellasartus at which time she made all the images and statues of Theodorick to be broken causing also another process to be framed against him after his death Alas great God who governest the state of this Universe and makest the pillars of Heaven to shake under thy foot-steps what is man who will practise wiles in a matter of policie contrary to thy eternal Maxims How hath this wretch ended
spared to use many love-dalliances but the affection she bare to this good Queen was so great that it razed out of his heart all other love as the ray of the sun scattereth the shadows and phantasms of the night The holy Lady perceiving the spirit of her husband already moved in hers and that there was no need of power but example so composed her manners in her marriage that she made her self a perfect model of perfections requisite for this estate Royal Crowns loose their lustre on heads without brains and brows without Majesty But this Lady made it presently appear that although her birth had not made her worthy of a Crown nor her good fortune had afforded it her merit alone had been of power to make her wear the best diadem in the world She practised in the Court of a Pagan King a strong vigorous devotion which was not puffed up with outward shews and vapours but wholy replenished with wisdom For she had a fear of God so chast that she apprehended the least shadows of sin as death a love so tender that her heart was as a flaming lamp which perpetually burned before the Sanctuary of the living God Her faith had a bosom as large as that of Eternity her hope was a bow in Heaven all furnished with emeralds which never lost its force and her piety an eternal source of blessings She had made a little Oratory as Judith in the royal Palace where she attended as much as time would permit to prayers and mortifications of flesh abiding therein as in a fortunate Island which made the sweetness of her immortal perfumes to mount up to heaven Yet did she mannage all her actions with singular discretion that she might not seem too austere in the eyes of her Court for fear weak souls might be diverted from Christianity by observing in her carriage perfections transcendent above ordinary capacities But all that which most passed in a common life was done by her and her maids with much purity fervour majesty and constancy It was an Angelical spectacle to see her present at Mass and dispose her self to receive the blessed Sacrament which she very often frequented to draw grace and strength from its source She honoured Priests as Messengers descended from Heaven as well to discharge her conscience as to hold her Religion in much estimation among Pagans The zeal of the houses of God which are Churches enflamed her with so much fervour that she had no delights more precious than either to cause new to be raised or to adorn those which had been erected so far as to make them receive radiance from the works of her royal hands Her charity towards the poor was a sea which never dryed up and her heart so large that all the hearts of the miserable breathed in hers She composed and decked herself dayly before the eyes of God putting on all virtues as it were by nature and rich attire of Ladyes for necessity But the King her husband she honoured as if she had seen the Saviour of the world walking upon the earth and not staying alone on the body she penetrated even to the center of this infidel soul which she beheld with eyes of unspeakable compassion She most particularly endeavoured to observe all his humours and follow the motions of his heart as certain flowers wait on the sun All that which Clodovaeus affected took presently an honourable place in the soul of Clotilda if he delighted in arms in dogs in horses she for his sake praysed arms dogs and horses regarding even the objects of the honest pleasures of her husband as her best entertainments Her conversation was full of charms and attractives which ever carryed profit along with them Sometimes she sweetened the warlick humours of her husband with harmony of reason sometimes she comforted him upon occasion of troubles which might happen in the world sometime she withheld very soberly and with prudent modesty his spirit which took too much liberty sometime she repeated unto him certain precepts of wisdom and practices of the lives of Saints and worthy personages that he might love our Religion sometime she pleased him with an eloquent tongue and an entertainment so delicate that nothing might be said more accomplished She was magnificent and liberal towards her household servants most exactly taking notice of the faithful services they yielded to her husband and kept her house so well united within the bands of concord and charity that it seemed as it were a little Temple of peace Slander uncleaness idleness impudence were from thence eternally banished virtues industry and arts found there a mansion and the miseries of the world a safe Sanctuary For she embraced all pious affairs of the Realm and governed them with so much equality of spirit that she resembled Angels who move the Heavens not using in themselves the least agitation May we not very well say this divine woman was selected out by God to a set golden face on an entire Monarchy by the rays of her piety The fifth SECTION The prudence which the Queen used in the conversion of her husband THe holy Queen brought forth a King and a great Monarch to Jesus Christ bearing perpetually his Court and the whole Kingdom in the entrails of her charity She had her Centinels day and night before the Altars who ceased not to implore the assistance for Heaven of the salvation of her husband and she her self often in deep silence of darkness caused her weeping eye to speak to God and adressed many vows to all the elect for the conversion of this unbelieving soul She very well considered that that which oftentimes slackeneth these wavering spirits in their endeavour to find the way of eternal life is certain interests of flesh and bloud certain impediments of temporal affairs some inordinate passion which tortureth and tyrannizeth over the mind Behold the cause why she took great care to sweeten the dispositions of her husband calm his passions and through a certain moral goodness facilitate unto him the way of the mysteries of our faith This being done she took her opportunity with the more effect and found the King dayly disposed better and better for these impressions He alreadie had the arrow very deep in his heart and began to ask questions proposing conditions which shewed he would one day render himself He said to Clotilda Madam I should not be so far alienated from your Religion were it not that I saw therein matters very strange which you would have me believe by power and authotity not giving any other reason thereof You would have me believe that three are but one in your Trinity that I adore a Crucified man and that I crucifie my self in an enforced and ceremonious life wherein I was never bred My dearest had I your good inclinations all would be easie to me but you know that all my life time I have been trayned up in arms If I should to morrow receive
which hath sufficiently understood the vanity to Idols expecteth nought else but your example to embrace Christianity Nay if need were to penetrate rocks and cut through mountains to gain success for such an enterprize your travells would therein be very well employed nor is it fit you fear to loose earth to purchase Heaven But all the faciâity is in your own hands the grape which you said was not yet ripe almost five years since is now mature and it is necessary you gather it These words oftentimes presented upon occasions had quickly a marvellous power over the mind of Clodovaeus and the iron began in good earnest to wax soft in the fire For he honoured Churches and used Ecclesiasticks with a quite other respect than he accustomed whereof he gave a most evident testimony in the business which passed with S. Remigius The History saith the souldiers of Clodovaeus for raging the Countrey in their liberty of arms had pillaged in the Church of Rhemes a goody and large vessel of silver to pour water into at which the good Bishop being somewhat troubled for the reverence he bare to all that which appertained to his Ministery he sent his Commissaries to the King to make Complaint thereof which was not lost For Clodovaeus commanded them to come to Soisson where division should be made of the booty had been taken from all parts which was done and they coming to unfardle all these pilferies the King being there present in person found the vessels which he presently commanded to be restored to the Commissaries of the Church but a souldier becoming obstinate thereupon and much displeased that so goodly a piece should escape his hand gave a blow with a halbard upon it to cleave it asunder which Clodovaeus for that time dissembled fearing to proceed to a reasonable chastisement with any passion but afterward seeing this fellow much out of order How saith he is there none but you that grow mutinous and yet are the worst armed of all the troups And saying so he took the halbard out of his hand and threw it to the ground the other stooping to take it up again felt a furious blow from the hand of the King which bereaved him of life in punishment of his temerity The Queen understanding this news held it a good presage of his conversion and that which much more confirmed her in this hope was that being delivered of a goodly son she obtained leave of the King it might be Christened which she specdily did but the infant stayed not long after his baptism to forsake an earthly Crown to take in Heaven a diadem of eternall glory Yet Clodovaeus found some slackness in his good purposes and child the Queen as being too vehement to dispose all the world to her own Religion saying this Baptism might very well have procured hurt to the health of the child but she replyed that life and death were in the hands of God that this child was not so much to be lamented for having so suddenly changed from the life of a fly to that of Angels but that the Saviour of the world who holdeth in his hand the keys of fruitfulness could bless their royal bed with a fair issue when he thought good and that we should not be amazed at the death of so frail a creature nor attribute the cause thereof to Baptism which operateth nothing but good She knew so well how to excuse her act that being the second time delivered of a male child Baptism was as well conferred on this as the former after which it deceased whereat the King offended more than ever blamed her very sharply saying that he from this time forward well saw these waters of Baptism were fatall to the death of his children and that she should take heed how at any time to open her mouth to obtain of him such like liberty She endowed with a constant heart and having taken very deep roots in faith made an answer worthy of her piety saying to her husband Ab how Sir What if God hath thought me unworthy ever again to have any issue by my child-beds were it not reason I adore his holy Providence and kiss the rods of his justice I humbly beseech your Majestie not to cast upon the baptism of Christians that which you should rather attribute to my sins The King all enraged with choller was so edified with this word that from this time forward he retained it in memory with much admiration not being able to wonder enough at the great courage and modesty of his wife The sixth SECTION The Conversion of Clodovaeus IT is to sail without stars and to labour without the Sun saith Origen to think of coming to God without a particular grace of God After so many humane speeches redoubled one upon another the Holy Ghost worker of all Conversions spake with a voice of thunder to the heart of Clodovaeus in the middest of battels and caused him to settle upon this resolution which he had pondered the space of many years The occasion was that the Suevi a people of Germanie passed the Rhein with great forces commanded by many Kings who were personally in the army and came to rush on the Gauls with intention to destroy the beginnings of the French Monarchy Clodovaeus having received news of this preparation speedily opposeth them with good troups for he likewise had drawn together to his aid the Ribarols people near bordering on the Rhein who were allied to the French and had first of all given notice of the enterprize of the Suevi who in a near degree threatened them The encounter of the two armies was at Tolbial near Cullen which verily was one of the most desperate that is found in Histories The King undertook the conduct of the Cavalry and had given to Prince Sigebert his kinsman the Infantery All of them were extreamly inflamed to shew themselves valiant in this conflict Clodovaeus who proceeded to lay the foundations of a great Monarchy wherein he would have no companion thought he must either triumph or be lost His allies who were interessed very far in this war failed him not in any kind The Almans on the other side had an extream desire to extend their conquests and thought their fortune depended on the success of this battel There was nothing but fire tempests deaths slaughters so great was the resistance on either side In the end Sigebert valiantly fighting was wounded with an arrow and born all bloudy out of the battel by his son The Infantery through the absence of their Colonel was defeated and put to rout All the burden of the battel fell upon the Cavalrie which did marvellous exploits fighting before the eyes of their King but in the end the shock of enemies was so impetuous that it brake through and scattered them Clodovaeus bare himself like a Lion covered with bloud and dust among the ranks of those affrighted men cried out with a loud and shrill voice to
in the list of combat Clodovaeus quickly alighted from his horse to rid him of life and being about to mend some defect in his cuirass he was treacherously assaulted by two Goths but he having dispatched his adversary defended himself from both these and mounted up again on his horse whom he made to curvet in a martial manner demeaning himself so bravely in all that he seemed to be as it were a flash of lightening sent from the hand of God rather than a man This defeat ruined the hopes of the Goths and cut off all the designs of heresie which subsisted not but by their favour From thence Clodovaeus marched all covered over with laurels into the Countreys of his conquests with so much good success that being before the Citie of Angoulesm which made shew of resistance the walls miraculously fell down as did heretofore those of Jericho he having by the advise of Apronius his Chaplain caused some holy reliques to be lifted up whereunto he dedicated a singular devotion What need we here make mention of the adventures which he had with the Kings Chararic and Ragvachairus whom he defeated as it were without blows This man went every where as confidently as one who seemed to have a Guard of celestial Virtues by his side his hands were fatal to purge the earth from many infidel Princes that infected it with heresie tyrannies and sacriledges Who can but wonder that in so short a time he extended his Empire from Rheine to Seine from the river of Loyre to Rosne and from the Pyrenei to the Ocean Who can but admire that he was so feared by all the Monarchs of his Age as the Grecians who have written Suidas ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã after that time under the title of King intended for the more excellency to speak onely of the King of France Who will not highly esteem his great authority in that he first of all stampt golden coyn which the Emperours had always forborn through extream jealousie causing the marks of his faith to be impressed on this money And who can sufficiently marvel that having at his death left four sons to succeed him he hath besides been followed by seven and fifty Kings who constantly rendering themselves imitatours of his belief have likewise shared with him in his felicity I demand of you whether one must not become blind deaf and dumb not to see understand nor declare that all the happiness and prosperity of France is inseparably tied to the piety of our Ancestours since the hand of God thundering and lightening at the same time upon so great a number of Diadems of heretical Kings as of Gombaut Godemar Chilperic Godegisilus Alaricus and in the end on Theodorick himself led Clodovaeus by the hand through so many smoking ruins so many swords and such flames to establish him with all his posterity in a Throne whereunto the great Saint Remegius hath promised an eternity of years so long as it should remain cemented with the same faith and religion which first of all consecrated the Lilies to the service of the Divine Majesty The holy Clotilda amongst all these conquests of her husband lifted her innocent hands up to Heaven to apply the forces of the Saviour of the world to his Royal banners In the end having drawn him to Paris after so many bloudy wars and sweetened the extravagancies of his nature a little too violent propending to excesses of cruelty she caused him to tast in his repose devotion and justice in such sort that having closed up his eyes in the exercises of piety she enterred him with a most honourable reputation V. Kal. Dec. Depositio magni Regis Clodovaei Du Pleix There is yet to be found an old Calendar of the Church of S. Genovefue which maketh mention of the day of his death on the seven and twentieth of November The ninth SECTION The life of Clotilda in her widow-hood her afflictions and glorious death CLotilda vehemently desired to bring forth male children for the establishment of her State and though this affection seemed to be most just notwithstanding God who purgeth all the elect in the furnace of afflictions found a rough Purgatory for this good soul in the enjoying her desires She had sons as she wished whom she endeavoured with all her power to breed in the fear of God whilest she might bow them but these children who tasted too much of the warlike humours of the father and had not enough of the piety of the mother being arrived to an age wherein it was not possible any longer to restrain them they fell into many terrible extravagancies which transfixed the heart of the mother with a thousand swords of sorrow It happened that Sigismund the cousin-germain of Clotilda for whom she had procured the Kingdom of Burgundie after the death of his wife by whom he had a son named Sigeritus suffered himself to be surprized with the love of a Ladie waiting in Court whom he afterward married to the great heart-burning of the son who could not endure to see her clothed with the spoils of his mother This step-dame being drawn from servitude and wantonness to enter into the bed of a King beholding her self crossed in her loves by this Heir of the house conceived so much gall and rage against him that she prepared a most fatal calumnie for his ruin accusing him to have a plot upon the life of his father Sigismund who was of an easie nature stirred up with love and ambition quickly believed this shameless creature and after he had called this poor young man to dinner under colour of affection he commanded him in his sleep to be strangled by the hands of his servants But the miserable man delivered out of the gulf of his passion and seeing himself defiled with an act so black and wicked publickly confessed his sin and for it performed a most austere penance but God who ordinarily blotteth out the crime not forgiving the pains and satisfactions due to his justice deprived him of Scepter and life by the hands of his allies raising up a sharp revenge to give to such like an eternal horrour of his iniquitie The children of Clodovaeus who had already shared the Kingdom of their father were not yet satisfied but desired to advance the limits of their division as far as the point of their launce might extend Behold the cause why Clodomer who was the eldest of the legitimate seeing the Kingdom of Burgundie in this danger entereth thereinto with great forces and found little resistance Sigismond being formerly convinced by his crime Having possessed himself of the places most important he took the miserable King and led him away prisoner to Orleans to dispose of him according to his pleasure But Godimer the brother of Sigismund who had retired to the mountains while the French made all this notable havock returned with a great power and having slain the French Garrisons made himself Master of the Kingdom Clodomer
Heaven you have out-run me to live hereafter in the bosom of your grand-father But I sorrow for these Cains and these Herods whose treacherously have murdered you and who wheresoever they are I assure my self do carrie pincers and executioners in their hearts They ought at least to hear respect to the ashes of their father They ought to have compassion on the tenderness of your bodies They ought somewhat to regard my age and the care I have had to breed them since the death of the King And had they concluded upon this massacre when they took you from my house they should have executed you in my arms I at the least had closed up your dying eyes with my fingers I had wiped away the bloud from your faces I had encouraged you to death I had received your last sighs in my bosom Alas my prettie creatures little did I think the kisses I gave you at your departure were to be the last I should afford in your life Pure and innocent souls departed from these bodies in an age wherein you were ignorant of sins which never approched your knowledges much less defiled your bodies Behold from those Palaces of stars and light your afflicted mother whom God hath as yet left on earth to give burial to your bodies Speaking this she caused them to be carried away that she might bestow them in the tomb of their grand-father where being her self personally arrived nature evicted a huge tide of tears from her constancy and caused her to say My most honoured Lord and husband who so cordially loved me in this life will you not open unto me your sacred tomb to entertain me near you Behold here your grand-children which I bring unto you little blossoms cut off in the tenderness of their age by the hands of their uncles your children and mine Most dear husband I account you thrice happie to have been transported into the other world before you saw these lamentable tragedies Were there nought but their respect towards you it ought to have restrained them But my sins alone have deserved this desolate old age to which God hath reserved me to make trial of the most sensible dolours which might ever fall into my imagination I will endure them as long as it shall please the Divine Providence who will draw this satisfaction from my sins and I with sorrow will waste my bodie that hath almost nothing left but the bark to place it in short time with yours The holy woman daily poured her self out in tears near to this sepulchre remaining there day and night as if she had been some shadow of the dead but in the end to divert her self from this imagination which was too full of affliction and that she might the more freely enjoy God she resolved wholly to leave the Court and to pass the rest of her days in the Citie of Tours near to the sepulcher of S. Martin There it was where she began to lead a life wholly celestial as one who seemed to have nothing to do with the bodies and conversation of the living It is true that great prosperities do not easily corrupt souls which have taken a good temper in the fear of God yet notwithstanding they wound and in some sort change them A little Bee sometimes goeth so long upon her honey that by much walking there she entangleth her wings So a soul yea one of those which are the most devout being continually soothed by a long sequel of good successes of the affairs of the world taketh some small flight out of it self and seeketh recreation in a smiling and delicate air which affordeth it nothing but objects of delight but so soon as adversitie hath given its blow it re-entereth into it self it foldeth it self within it self it tasteth it self it knoweth it self it findeth God in the bottom of its heart afflicted and perplexed with the revolutions of the world it raiseth it self above the ways of the Moon and the tracks of the Sun to that goodly Temple of Eternity where spirits live despoiled from these masses of flesh and bones which we drag along with us in this mortal life This is the way which the wise Clotilda took so soon as she was alienated from the Court and disentangled from affairs which she never had used but for obligation of conscience she entered into a sweet retirement where it seemed unto her that nature had not displayed the mountains and valleys the forrests and rivers but to make her a theater of the works of God She relished this retreat as Manna from Paradise and tasted this deep silence with incredible delight after so many confused clamours of the embroylments of Court It seemed unto her that she then spake to God face to face and that she saw all the pride of the earth much lower than her feet Her soul was whitened with her tears was purified in her desires and vapoured out all into God as it were through the limbeck of her ardent charity The holy Ladie who had heretofore loved to behold her self shine in the majesty of sumptuous attire to render her self the more acceptable to her husband more illustrious in the eyes of her people was clothed so modestly that her History telleth she was seen to be covered with course cloth She who heretofore was altogether sparkling with precious stones appeared now in the liverie of penance She who had endeavoured temperately to entertain a mortal beauty for the contentment of her dear husband was wholly wasted with mortifications of the flesh She who after so many victories of one of the most valiantest husbands that ever was had been led along triumphant in the chariot of glory conversed now with widows and orphans going as it were perpetually on foot were it not that the weakness of her body dispensed with her therein by the counsel of those who undertook the care of her health She who had seen all the services of a great Monarchy at her feet was then continually prostrate at the feet of the poor whom she served as the living Images of God She who had taken some care to mannage revenues as the sinews of State despoiled her self as it were from things most necessary for life to succour the necessities of the people She who had delighted to build goodly Palaces had not any affection but for Monasterics and Churches which she caused to be erected every where with so much liberality as her means would permit This divine woman was as the moon in eclipse which appeareth wholly dark on the side towards the earth but faileth not to be most radiant on that part wherewith she looketh towards Heaven So those who beheld this Princess with carnal eyes in such a state said she was eclipsed but God who in this retirement darted on her rays of glory through the cloud of the body caused her to see with eyes of Angels as a soul wholly invested with the Sun of justice As she was in the sweetness
content the King my father and yours who requireth from you no other satisfaction The good Prince answered Ab Brother What have you said you lately perswaded me to an act of pietie at the peril of my life think not now to induce me to an impietie although it should concern all the lives and Kingdoms of the world Behold here the time for you to reign and for me to die I willingly die for the honour I ow to my Religion for which I gladly would suffer death a thousand times if it were possible I neither accuse you nor my father whom I more compassionate than my self and counsel you to render him all the duties of pietie in the decrepitness of age whereinto he is entered As for our step-mother I pray you rather to endure her nature than revenge my death It is the work of God to take knowledge of injuries and for us to bear them When my soul shall leave this miserable bodie it shall ceaselesly pray for you and I hope most dear brother you in the end will renounce this poor libertie which entertaineth you in the sect of the Arians and if dying men use to divine I foretel that being converted to the faith you shall lay foundations of Catholick Religion in all this Kingdom which I am about to moisten with my bloud Recaredus used all the intreaties he could devise never being able to shake the constancy of his brother which much offended King Levigildus and transported him into resolutions very bloudy Notwithstanding those who might yet speak unto him with some liberty counselled him to precipitate nothing in an affair of so great consequence saying there was no apparence that Hermingildus had undertaken any plot against the life and State of his father since he came so freely to present himself upon his bare word that those who find themselves guilty use not to come to burn themselves as butter-flies at the candle That his countenance at this interview was too sweet his speech too proper his deportments too candide to cover so black a mischief and as for change of Sect it was no wonder if the King having given him a Catholick wife he had taken that Religion with its love that it was a complement of a lover which age would bend experience sweeten and prudence in the end deface that he had at that time more need of a Doctour than an executioner since the apprehensions of God were distilled in the heart by the help of tongues not the dint of swords The seventeenth SECTION The death of Hermingildus THe faction of Goizintha transported beyond all considerations ceased not to sound in the ears of the King that Hermingildus was not an offender whose power was to be neglected That his crime was not such as might promise him impunity that the laws of the Countrey had never tolerated such practises that he had violated right both divine and humane becoming a fugitive from his Countrey an Apostata in his religion arebel to the power of his father in such sort that to render his wound incurable he had changed all lenitives into poison That he had levied arms against his Sovereign without regard of his age his name the majesty of the Kingdom and the voice of nature and that there was nothing but the despair of his affairs which had taken them out of his hands That he held correspondence with the enemies of the State to whom he was become an assistant and a companion and now to make himself as impudent to defend a crime as bold to execute it had cast all the fault of his conspiracies upon the Queen his mother-in-law and the marriage of his father shewing himself so insolent in his misery that there was nothing to be expected but tyranny from his prosperity that it was to be extreamly arrogant even to stupidity to seek to retain a chymaera of piety contrary to the will of his father and that never would he be so constant in his superstition if he had not leagued all the interests of his fortune with the Catholicks enemies of the Kingdom That if order were not taken therein they should be hereafter deprived of the power to deliberate on it when they had given him all the means to execute it The credulity of the unfortunate father was so strongly assaulted by these discourses that he resolved to go beyond himself so that on a night which was Easter Eye he dispatched a messenger to the prison with an executioner to let him know he was speedily to make his resolution to choose either life and scepter by returning to the Religion of the Arians or death by persisting in the Catholick That he had a sword and a Crown before his eyes the one for glory the other for punishment the choice of either was referred to himself Hermingildus made answer he had already sufficiently manifested his determination upon this Article that he would rather die a thousand deaths than ever separate himself from the Religion which he had embraced with all reason and full consideration The Commissary replied The King your Father hath given me in charge that in case of refusal I should proceed to execution of the sentence decreed against you What saith Hermingildus He hath condemned you by express sentence saith the other to have your head cut off in this same prison where you are Whereupon the holy man fell on his knees to the earth and said My God my Lord I yield you immortal thanks that having given me by the means of my father a frail brittle and miserable life common unto me with flies and ants you now afford me on this day by these sentences a life noble happie glorious to all eternitie Then rising up again he requested the Commissary he would by his good favour suffer a Catholick Priest to come to him to hear his Confession and dispose him to death He answered It was expresly forbidden by the King his father but if he would admit an Arian Bishop he should have one at his pleasure No saith he for I have detested yea and do still abhor Arianism even to the death and since my father denieth me a favour which ordinarily is granted to the guiltie I will die having no other witness but mine own conscience Which having said he kneeled down again and made his confession to God praying very long for his father his step-mother all his enemies and pronouncing also at his death the name of his dear Indegondis to whom he professed himself bound with incomparable obligations Then afterward having recommended his soul to God under the protection of the most holy Virgin his good Angel and all the Saints he stretched out his neck to the executioner which was cut off with one blow of an ax So many stars as at that instant shined in Heaven in the dead silence of the night were so many eyes open over the bloudy sacrifice of this most innocent Prince from whom a wretched father took
demonum prurientibus auribus nâtâ are doctrines of devils grown up to please the itch of incredulous ears We must believe one Article and leave another believe the Trinity and doubt of the Sacrament Invocation of Saints Purgatory Images and Ceremonies of the Church as if it were not evident that whosoever divideth faith hath none at all It is not much to the purpose to dispute of Religion after the sweat of Confessours bloud of Martyrs and so many millions of miracles Never would belief be so sick were it not preceded by the death of virtue all will be unhappy for them who loose piety the root of happiness But what repose hath a Catholick who may dying say I trust to God for a gift which The notable assurance of a Catholick cannot proceed but from God I die in the faith of Constantine Theodosius Clodovaeus S. Lewis and so many millions of Saints I go where all the wisest and most entire part of mankind doth go I follow the authoritie of eighteen General Councels wherein all Ages assembled together the wisest men of the world I die in the belief of the Church which is professed throughout all the habitable world The living and the dead The stones and marbles of the Tombs of mine Ancestours speak for me The stars will fall from the Heavens before my faith can be shaken And therefore O Catholicks strike at Heaven That zeal ought to be had towards Religion gate by continual prayer ask of the Father of lights a lively Faith a most sincere zeal towards your Religion suffer not your judgement to change in the massie composition of body plunge it not in sensuality polish it for the great fruition of God entertain it with consideration of his beauty nourish it with antipasts of his glory It onely appertaineth to sensual souls black and distrustfull to suffer themselves to fall into pusillanimities and faintness which lessen the esteem we should have of our vocation towards Christianity It onely appertaineth to carnal spirits and who want faith in the house of faith to set the riches and affairs of the world above Religion But Hoc est sidem in domo fidei non habere Cyprian de mortalitate you O Great-men learn hereafter to value your selves not by these frail and perishable blessings which environ you by that skin which covers you by those false ornaments of life which disguise you by all those beauties which never are nearer ruin than when they most sparkle with lustre Learn to behold all humane things from the top of the Palace of Eternity and you shall see them like rotten pieces which possess a nothing of times infinitie Why do we here entertain our selves with earthly considerations as fire which absented from its sphere is fed with fat and coals Let us open our bosoms to these fair hopes wherewith the Religion we profess sweerly replenisheth our hearts We no longer are pilgrims Ephes 2. and vagabonds nor strangers of the Testaments but Citizens of Saints and the domesticks of God built on the foundation of Apostles and Prophets on the fundamental stone which is Jesus Christ Let us enter into this goodly train of Ages into this admirable fellowship of Patriarchs Martyrs and Virgins Let us hasten to the sources of light and never end but in infinitie The first EXAMPLE upon the first MAXIM Of the esteem one ought to make of his Faith and Religion The PERSIAN CONSTANCY IF the estimation of things eternal do not as yet Drawn out of Theodoret Cassiodorus Epiphanes Theod. l. 5. c. 38. Epiph. Scolasticus Cassiod histor tripart l. 10. c. 32. Baro. tom 5. anno 4201. alii sufficiently penetrate your heart reflect on that which so many valiant Champions have done to preserve a blessing which you presently possess by grace and which you often dis-esteem through ingratitude I will produce one example amongst a thousand able to invite the imitation of the most virtuous and admiration of all the world In the time when Theodosius the younger swayed the Eastern Empire the Persians who had been much gained by the industry of the Emperour Arcadius his father and afterward entertained by his infinite sweetness and courtesie lived in good correspondence of amity with the Christians so that many of our Religion adventured themselves in their Territory some to make a fortune in the Court others for pleasure many for commerce and the rest there to establish true piety Matters of Religion proceeded then very prosperously and the most eminent men of the Kingdom shut up their eyes against the Sun which this Nation adored to open them to the bright Aurora of Christianity But as there are some who never enjoy any thing so there are others who never have enough Some Indiscreet zeal Christians not contented with their progressions which were well worthy of praise thought they lost all out of the desire they had to leave nothing undone Which is the cause I much approve those Ancients Helinandus apud Vincent who placed the images of wisdom over the gates of great houses with this inscription Experience is my Vsns me genuit mother So the wisest and most experienced thought nothing was to be precipated that mean advancements accompanied with safety were more to be valued than great splendours which drew precipices and ruins after them On the contrary young and fiery spirits thrust all upon extremitie supposing their power extended to the measure of their passion Nothing is more dangerous in any affair than when indiscreet fervour takes the mask of zeal or that a feaver of Reason passeth for a virtue All his thoughts are deified his foot-steps sanctified and although nothing be done for God it is said all is for him Bishop Audas a man endowed with great and singular virtues but extreamly ardent and unable to adapt his zeal to the occasion of times needs would countenance the humour of the blind multitude and went Audes destroyeth a Pyraeum Commotions for matters of Religion Others Baranaves or Goronaves Judgement of Theodoret upon this action out in the midst of the day to destroy a Pyraeum which was a Temple wherein the Persians kept fire to adore it Men quickly enflamed in matters of Religion fail not to raise a great sedition which came to the notice of King Ildegerdes Audas is sent for to give an account of this act He defendeth himself with much courage and little success for the Christians benefit for the King turning his proper justification into crime condemns him upon pain of death to re-edifie the Temple he had demolished which he refusing to do was presently sacrificed to the fury of Pagans Theodoret blames him that he unseasonably ruined the Temple and convinceth him by the example of S. Paul who seeing in Athens many Altars dedicated to false God contented himself with refuting the error without making use of the hammer to destroy it as well fore-seeing the time was
have no other Gods but scepters no other Paradise than fruition of Empires His father Antiochus the Great had given him this lesson For he was an active Prince but more judicious than his son who never ceased to disturb his neighbour and covertly attempt the Kingdom of Aegypt by arms and subtilities until such time that the Romans clipped the wings of his ambition as well to stay the progression of his over-much power become formidable to the Empire as to punish him for the dangerous correspondences he held with Hannibal He was enforced by reason of some agreements and transactions of peace to send his son to Rome in hostage and that was this Antiochus we mention This young Prince who already had in his imagination He was delivered for an hostage to the Romaââ designs of Empire mannaged this occasion and deriving his happiness out of the necessity of his fathers affairs learned therein all the extent of supream powers on earth and began to reflect on the Romans as gods of the whole world On the other side Scipio and all the other great Captains were forward to let the people behold this off-spring of the Asian Kings as a Lion enchained and finding him vain enough they spared not slight complements and court smokes but ever held in their own hands the highest point of authority and drew profit out of all affairs During his abode in Rome his father Antiochus the Prudence of the Romans Great overwhelmed under the burden of his ambition found the catastrophe of his pretensions in a tomb and his eldest son Seleveus succeeded him who had a short life and an unhappy reign At which time young Antiochus felt in himself a vehement itch of rule more powerfully than any of his Predecessours had done for soon understanding his brothers death who left him the kingdom of Asia and knowing Ambition of Antiochus his sister Cleopatra married to the King of Aegypt was a widow and the mother of onely one child of whom he hoped to be easily rid he ardently thirsted to joyn the two Empires and unite them under his power Now the Kingdom of Syria appertaining to this young Orphan the son of his sister he in the beginning entered thereinto with great modesty in the quality of a Tutour and Regent and not a King aforehand disposing the peoples minds by Attalus and Eumenes who did him good service in this pretension This wolf clothed in a lambs-skin thought to enter by the same ways into the Kingdom of Aegypt and wrote thus to his sister That it seemed the Gods had His craft thrown him among thorns at the time when Kings of his age walked not but on violets and roses That being absent out of the Kingdom he had received sad news of the death of his thrice-honoured father and immediately of the death of his well-beloved brother whose days he wished might have been lengthened with his own years But that nothing afflicted him so much as to see her a widow burdned with an infant whose hands were not so early fit to manage a scepter Behold therfore the cause why be now undertook the government of the Kingdom of Syria which was the possession of his Ancestours and whereunto she had right by the title of dower But otherwise though he were heavily surcharged with two Kingdoms he was no whit discouraged to share with her also in the cares of Aegypt since besides charitie towards his own the continual practice of affairs he had at Rome in the most knowing school of the world it had acquired him some dexteritie and experience in the sway of Kingdoms That he would make her reign in the affluence and pleasures of a flourishing Court and prostrate the whole world at her feet That she should onely be troubled to see their submission as the Gods behold earth from heaven and that he would be as faithfull a Regent as be hadever been a loving brother Cleopatra had been married to Ptolomeus Epiphanes and cast as a bait by the father to catch the Kingdom of Aegypt under hope conceived that having studied in his school she would beguil her husband and bring Nilus to Euphrates But she opening her eyes found Prudence of Cleopatra against the wiles of her brother her flesh was much nearer than the smock and ever upheld both her husband and son against her fathers plots She understood the heart of her brother to be desperately subtie and ambitious and seeing she could not possess Syria where he had strongly fortified himself she easily admitted this his imaginary title of Regency which she could no longer withhold But for so much as concerned Aegypt she made answer That she very humbly thanked him for the compassion he had of her widow-hood and that the Gods who afford the deepest roots to trees the most subject to winds would furnish her with sufficient courage to suffer so boisterous shocks As concerning the Kingdom of Syria his providence had prevented the good opinion she conceived of him being alreadie resolved to put the Regencie into his hands But as for Aegypt there was no necessitie be should rob himself in the freshnese of his youth of the pleasures so fairly acquired for him to undergo so many burden som charges in a forreign Countrey wherein he would not be honoured as were the Ptolemees That her people were somewhat jealous nor would confide in external power which might much discontent him in the sinceritie he pretended in the mannage of her affairs That she was assisted by a wise Councel with whose did she hoped to maintain her people in perfect peace and raise her son to the height of the happiness of his extraction and that it should ever be a singular comfort for her to be assured of the good affection be bare towards her estate and to correspond with him in an unfained intelligence Antiochus who found not his expectation in his sisters letters laid down the sheep-skin to put on the Lions and began to make open war by invading the Kingdom of Aegypt which was the cause Cleopatra instantly cast her self into the protection of the Romans although she nothing doubted but that her brother had thence sought support and credit But she on the other side knew they favoured justice and willingly undertook the causes of widows and orphans And verily the Senate of Rome either through the integritie Equity of the Senate of Rome to support widows of their manners or to ballance scepters which swayed under them and make none too great to the prejudice of their power inclined to the widows part and commanded Antiochus to retire out of Aegypt He who knew how to court men went about to gain Popilius Lenas deputed by the Senate to determine this affair requiring some delay to withdraw his forces leisurely of purpose to spend time for the renewing his plots A notable act of an Embassadour But the other a man resolute and not to be paid with words
abundance unless we will say such as have been the most persecuted were the most eminent Where it seems it is an act of the Divine Providence to have many times given to vicious and faithless husbands the best wives Good wives of bad husbands in the world as Mariamne to Herod Serena to Diocletian Constantia to Licinius Helena to Julian the Apostate Irene to Constantinus Copronymus Theodora to the Emperour Theophilus Theodelinda to Uthar Thira to Gormondus King of Denmark Charlotte de Albret to Caesar Borgia Catherine to Henrie of England Katherine of England Flor. Remond This Ladie was infinitely pious yea beyond limit It is good to be devout in marriage and not to forget she is a married wife much way must be given to the humours of a husband much to the care of children and family and sometimes to loose God at the Altar to find him in houshold cares But this Queen onely attended the affairs of Heaven and had already so little in her of earth that she shewed in all her deportments to bemade for another manner of Crown than that of Great Brittain She for the most part shut her self up in the Monasteries of Virgins and rose at mid-night to be present at Mattins She was clothed from five of the clock not decked like a Queen but contented with a simple habit saying The best time should be allowed to the soul since it is the better part of our selves When she had the poor habit of Saint Francis under her garments which she commonly ware she reputed her self brave enough The Fridays and Saturdays were ever dedicated by her to abstinence but the Eves of our Ladies feasts she fasted with bread and water she failed not to confess on wednesdays and fridays and in a time when Communions were very seldom she had recourse thereunto every sunday In the fore-noon she continued six hours in prayer after dinner she read two whole hours the lives of Saints and speedily returned to Church from whence she departed not till night drave her thence This was to eat honey and Manna in abundance in a condition which had too strong ties for the earth to be so timely an inhabitant of Heaven Whilest she led this Angelical life her husband young and boyling overflowed in all sorts of riot and in the end came to this extremity as to trample all laws both divine and humane under foot to repudiate his lawfull wife who brought him children to serve as pledges of marriage and wed Anne of Bollen Since this love which made as it were but one tomb of two parts of the world never have we seen any more dreadfull The poor Princess who was looked on by all Christendom as a perfect model of all virtue was driven out of her Palace and bed amidst the tears and lamentations of all honest men and went to Kimbolton a place in commodious and unhealthy whilest another took possession both of the heart and scepter of the King So that here we may behold virtue afflicted and a devotion so constant that the ruins of fortune which made all the world tremble were unable to shake it She remained in her solitude with three waiting-women and four or five servants a thousand times more content than had she lived in the highest glory of worldly honour and having no tears to bewail her self she lamented the miseries she left behind her There is yet a letter left which she wrote to her husband a little before her death plainly shewing the mild temper of her heart and the force of devotion which makes the most enflamed injuries to be forgotten to procure conformity to the King of the afflicted who is the mirrour of patience as he is the reward of all sufferers My King and dearest spouse Insomuch as already the hour of my death approcheth the love and affection I bear you causeth me to conjure you to have a care of the eternal salvation of your soul which you ought to prefer before mortal things or all worldly blessings It is for this immortal spirit you must neglect the care of your bodie for the love of which you have thrown me head-long into many calamities and your own self into infinite disturbances But I forgive you with all my heart humbly beseeching Almightie God he will in Heaven confirm the pardon I on earth give you I recommend unto you our most dear Mary your daughter and mine praying you to be a better Father to her than you have been a husband to me Remember also the three poor maids companions of my retirement as likewise all the rest of my servants giving them a whole years wages besides what is due that so they may be a little recompenced for the good service they have done me protesting unto you in the conclusion of this my letter and life that my eyes love you and desire to see you more than any thing mortal Henrie the eight notwithstanding his violence read this letter with tears in his eyes and having dispatched a Gentleman to visit her he found death had already delivered her from captivity X. MAXIM Of PROPER INTEREST THE PROPHANE COURT THE HOLY COURT Every understanding man should do all for himself as if he were his own God and esteem no Gospel more sacred than his Proper Interest That proper Interest is a tyranny framed against the Divinitie and that a man who is the God of himself is a devil to the rest of the world THis Maxim of the Prophane Court is the source of all evils the very plague of humane life and one may say it is the Trojan horse which beareth fire and sword saccage and rapine in its entrails From thence proceed ambition rebellion sacriledge rapine Disloyalties that spring from this marim concussion ingratitude treacherie and in a word all that which is horrid in nature Self-love which should be contained within the limits of an honest preservation of ones self flieth out as a river from his channel and with a furious inundation covereth all the land it overthrows all duty and deep drencheth all respect of honesty Men who have renounced piety if they peradventure see themselves to be strong and supported with worldly enablements acknowledge no other Gods but themselves They imagine the Jupiter of Poets was made as they they create little Sultans and there is not any thing from whence they derive not tribute to make their imaginary greatness encrease When this blindness happeneth in persons very eminent it is most pernicious for then is the time when not being awed by the fear of a God Omnipotent they turn the world upside down to satisfie miserable ambition And such Princes there have been who have rather profusely lost the lives of thirty thousand subjects than suffered so much land to be usurped upon them as were needfull for their tomb Others whom birth hath not made Caesars extend Practise of worldly men Ingratitude their petty power what they may They observemen sound
Charls of Anjou much fearing this young Lion forgat His sentence and death all generosity to serve his own turn and did a most base act detested by all understandings that have any humanity which is that having kept Conradinus a whole year in a straight prison he assembled certain wicked Lawyers to decide the cause of one of the noblest spirits at that time under heaven who to second the passion of their Master rendered the laws criminal and served themselves with written right to kill a Prince contrary to the law of nature judging him worthy of death in that said they he disturbed the peace of the Church and aspired to Empire A scaffold was prepared in a publick place all hanged with red where Conradinus is brought with other Lords A Protonotary clothed after the ancient fashion mounteth into a chair set there for the purpose and aloud pronounceth the wicked sentence After which Conradinus raising himself casting an eye ful of fervour and flames on the Judge said Base and cruel slave as thou art to open thy mouth to condemn thy Sovereign It was a lamentable thing to see this great Prince on a scaffold in so tender years wise as an Apollo beautiful as an Amazon and valiant as an Achilles to leave his head under the sword of an Executioner in the place where he hoped to crown it âe called heaven earth to bear witness of Charls his cruelty who unseen beheld this goodly spectacle froÌ an high turret He complained that his goods being taken from him they robbed him of his life as a thief that the blossom of his age was cut off by the hand of a hang-man taking away his head to bereave him of the Crown lastly throwing down his glove demanded an account of this inhumanity Then seeing his Cousin Frederick's head to fall before him he took it kissed it and laid it to his bosom asking pardon of it as if he had been the cause of his disaster in having been the companion of his valour This great heart wanting tears to deplore it self wept over a friend and finishing his sorrows with his life stretched out his neck to the Minister of justice Behold how Charls who had been treated with all humanity in the prisons of Sarazens used a Christian Prince so true it proves that ambition seemeth to blot out the character of Christianity to put in the place of it some thing worse than the Turbant This death lamented through all the world yea which maketh Theaters still mourn sensibly struck the heart of Queen Constantia his Aunt wife of Peter of Arragon She bewailed the poor Prince with tears which could never be dried up as one whom she dearly loved and then again representing to her self so many virtues and delights drowned in such generous bloud and so unworthily shed her heart dissolved into sorrow But as she was drenched in tears so her husband thundred in arms to revenge his death He rigged out a fleet of ships the charge whereof he Collenutius histor Neapol l. 5. c. 4. 5. recommended to Roger de Loria to assail Charls the second Prince of Salerno the onely son of Charls of Anjou who commanded in the absence of his father The admiral of the Arragonian failed not to encounter The son of Charls of Anjou taken him and sought so furiously with him that having sunck many of his ships he took him prisoner and brought him into Sicily where Queen Constantia was expecting the event of this battle She failed not to cause the heads of many Gentlemen to be cut off in revenge of Conradinus so to moisten his ashes with the bloud of his enemies Charls the Kings onely son was set apart with nine principal Lords of the Army and left to the discretion of Constantia Her wound was still all bloudy and the greatest of the Kingdom counselled her speedily to put to death the son of her capital enemy yea the people mutined for this execution which was the cause the Queen having taken order for his arraignment and he thereupon condemned to death she on a Friday morning sent him word it was now time to dispose himself for his last hour The Prince nephew to S. Lewis and who had some sense of his uncles piety very couragiously received these tidings saying That besides other courtesies he had received from the Queen in prison she did him a singular favour to appoint the day of his death on a Friday and that it was good reason he should die culpable on the day whereon Christ died innocent This speech was related to Queen Constantia who was therewith much moved and having some space bethought her self she replyed Tell Prince Charls if he take contentment to suffer An excellent passage of clemency death on a Friday I will likewise find out mine own satisfaction to forgive him on the same day that Jesus signed the pardon of his Executioners with his proper bloud God forbid I shed the bloud of a man on the day my Master poured out his for me Although time surprize me in the dolour of my wounds I will not rest upon the bitterness of revenge I freely pardon him and it shall not be my fault that he is not at this instant in full liberty This magnanimous heart caused the execution to be staied yet fearing if she left him to himself the people might tear him in pieces she sent him to the King her husband entreating by all which was most pretious unto him to save his life and send him back to his Father Peter of Arragon who sought his own accommodation in so good a prize freed him from danger of death yet enlarged him not suddenly For his deliverance must come from a hand wholly celestial Sylvester Pruere writes that lying long imprisoned in the City of Barcellon the day of S. Mary Magdalen aproaching who was his great Patroness he disposed himself to a singular devotion fasting confessing his sins communicating begging of her with tears to deliver him from this captivity Heaven was not deaf to his prayers Behold on the day of the feast he perceived a Lady full of Majesty who commanded him to follow her at which words he felt as it were a diffusion of extraordinary joy spread over his heart He followed her step by step as a man rapt and seeing all the gates flie open before her without resistance and finding himself so cheerful that his body seemed to have put on the nature of a spirit he well perceived heaven wrought wonders for him The Lady looking on him after she had gone some part of the way asked him where he thought he was to which he replied that he imagined himself to be yet in the Territory of Barcellon Charls you are deceived said she you are in the County of Provence a league from Narbon and thereupon she vanished Charls not at all doubting the miracle nor the protection of S. Mary Magdalen prostrated himself on the earth adoring
the power of God in his Saints caused a fair Church to be built to this most blessed woman and a Cross to be erected in the place where she left him which was called the Cross of the place Thus was God pleased to ratifie by so great miracles the pardon Constantia had given to Prince Charls I will shut up this discourse with a passage of so rare clemency of a Monarch offended in the honour of a daughter of his by a mean vassal as it seems could never have fallen but into the heart of a Charlemaigne It is to this purpose recounted that one Eginardus Curio l. 2. rerum Chronologicarum who was Secretary to the Prince having placed his affections much higher than his condition admitted made love to one of his daughters which was in mine opinion natural who seeing this man of a brave spirit and a grace suitable thought not him too low for her whom merit had so eminently raised above his birth She affected him and gave him too free access Goodness and in dulgence of Charlemaigne to her person so far as to suffer him to have recourse unto her to laugh and sport in her chamber on evenings which ought to have been kept as a sanctuary wherein relicks are preserved It happened upon a winters night these two amorous hearts having inwardly so much fire that they scarcely could think upon the cold Eginardus ever hastening his approches and being very negligent in his returns had somewhat too much slackened his departure The snow mean while raised a rampart which troubled them both when he thought to go out Time pressed him to leave her and heaven had stopped up the way of his passage It was not tolerable for him to go forward Eginardus feared to be known by his feet and the Lady thought it not any matter at all to see the prints of such steps about her door They being much perplexed love which taketh the diadem of majesty from Queens so soon as they submit to its tyranny made her do an act for a lover which had she done for a poor man it would have been the means to place her among the great Saints of her time She tooke this Gentleman upon her shoulders and carried him all the length of the Court to his chamber he never setting foot to the ground that so the next day no impression might be seen of his footing It is true which a holy Father saith that if hell lay on the shoulders of love love would find courage enough to bear it But it hath more facilitie to undertake than prudence to hide it self the eye of God not permitting these follies should either be concealed or unpunished Charlemaign who had not so much affection in store for women that he spent not some nights in studie watched this night and hearing a noise opened the window and perceived this prettie prank at which he could not tell whether he were best to be angrie or to laugh The next day in a great assembly of Lords and in the presence of his daughter and Eginardus he proposed the matter past in covert tearms asking what punishment might a servant seem worthie of who made use of a Kings daughter as of a Mule and caused himself to be carried on her shoulders in the midst of winter through night snow and all sharpness of the season Every one gave hereupon his opinion and there was not any who condemned not this insolent man to death The Princess and Secretarie changed colour thinking nothing remained for them but to be flayed alive But the Emperour looking on his Secretarie with a smooth brow said Eginardus hadst thou loved the Princess my daughter thou oughtest to have come freely to her father who should dispose of her libertie and not to play these pranks which have made thee worthy of death were not my clemency much greater than the respect thou hast born to my person I now at this present give thee two lives the one in preserving thine the other in delivering her to thee in whom thy soul more survives than in the body it animateth Take thy fair portress in marriage and both of you learn to fear God and to play the good husbands These lovers thought they were in an instant drawn out of the depth of Hell to ascend to heaven and all the Court stood infinitly in admiration of this judgement It appears by the narration what was the mild temper of Charlemaign in this point and that he followed the counsel of S. Ambrose who advised a Father named Epist l. 8. ep 64. Si bonam duxit acquisioit tibi gratiam Si erravit accipiendo meliores facies refutando deteriores Sisinnius to receive his son with a wife he had taken for love For receiving them both said he you will make them better rejecting them render them worse The goodness of these great hearts for all that justifieth not the errours of youth which grievously offendeth when it undertaketh resolutions in this kind not consulting with those to whom it oweth life XIII MAXIM Of the Epicurean life THE PROPHANE COURT THE HOLY COURT That the flesh must be daintily used and all possible contentment given to the mind That life without crosses and flesh void of mortification is the sepulcher of a living man EXperience teacheth us there is in the World a sect of reformed Epicures who do not openly profess the bruitishness of those infamous spirits which are drenched in gourmandize and lust but take Maxims more refined that have as they say no other aim but to make a man truly contented For which purpose they promise themselves to drive all objects from their minds which may bring the least disgust and to afford the bodie all pleasures which may preserve it in a flourishing health accompanied with grace vigour and vivacity of senses Here may the judicious observe that such was the The Philosophie of Epicurus swayeth in the world doctrine of ancient Epicurus For although many make a monster of him all drowned in ordure and prodigious pleasure yet it is very easie to prove that he never went about to countenance those bruitish ones who through exorbitance of lusts ruin all the contentments of the mind and bodie But he wholly inclined to find out all the pleasures of nature and to banish any impediments which might make impression on the soul or bodie For which cause I think Thedor l. 2. Therap Nicet 2. Thesau c. 1. Tertul. apol c. 38. Hieron 2. in Jovin Laertius lib. 10. Senec. l. de vitâ beatâ Theodoret mistook him when he made him so gluttonous as to contend with Jupiter about a sop and that Nicetas who representeth him so licourish after honied tarts well understood him not For Tertullian S. Hierom Laertius and Seneca who better noted his doctrine assure us he was a very sober man and speaketh not in his writings but of pulse and fruits not for the honour he bare to
with so much profusion that she could not endure to lodge but in chambers full of delicious perfumes of the East she would not wash her self but in the dew of Heaven which must be preserved for her with much skill Her garments were so pompous that nothing remainned but to seek for new stuffs in Heaven for she had exhausted the treasures of earth Her viands so dainty that all the mouthes of Kings tasted none so exquisite nor would she touch her meat but with golden forks and precious stones God to punish this cursed superfluity cast her on a bed and assailed her with a maladie so hydeous so stinking and frightfull that all her nearest kin were enforced to abandon her none staying about her but a poor old woman already throughly accustomed to stench and death yet could not this proud creature part with her infamous body but with sorrow She was of those souls that Plato calleth Phylosemates which tie themselves to flesh as much as they can and after death would gladly still walk round about their flesh to find a passage into it again Know you what is to be done to die well Cut off in good time the three chains which straightly bind foolish and sensual souls For the first passage that The way how to be well provided for death concerneth earthly goods seasonably dispose of your temporal Entangle not your hands for so short a time as you are to live in great affairs perilous and uncertain which will perplex you all your life and throw you down to death Do not like evil travellers who stay to reckon and contend with their hostess when it is already fair day-light and that the guid wrangles and sweareth at them Digest your little business that you may leave no trouble in your family after death Make a Will clear and perspicuous which draweth not suits after it Preserve your self carefully from imitating that wicked man who caused all his gold and silver to be melted into one mass to set his heirs together by the ears who killed one another sprinkling the apple of discord and the object of their avarice with their bloud Say to your self I brought nothing into the world nor will carry any thing away no not the desire of it Behold one part of my goods which must be restored to such and such these are true debts that must necessarily be discharged Behold another for pious legacies Another for alms to persons needy and indigent another for my servants male and female and my poor friends who have faithfully served me They have wasted their bodies and lives to contribute all they might to my will there is no reason I should forget them Nay I desire mine enemies have some part in my will As for my children and heirs the main shall go to them they will be rich enough if they be virtuous enough Behold how the temporal should be disposed And for so much as concerneth kinred give the benediction of God to your children and all your family leave worthy examples of contempt of the world of humility of patience of charity procure a full reconciliation with your enemies entertain your friends with sage discourses which may shew you gladly accept Gods visitations that you die full of resolutions to prepare them a place and that you expect from their charity prayers and satisfactions for your negligence and remisness If needs some small tribute must be paid to nature in two or three drops of tears it is tolerable But take away these whyning countenances these petty furies these mercenary weepers who weep not knowing why nor for what they mourn As for that which toucheth the state of your body it would be a goodly thing for you to be wail it after you have had so many troubles in it Go out of it like a Tennant from a ruinous house go from it as from a prison of earth and morter Go out of it as on the sea from a rotten leaky ship to leap on the shore and care not much what will become of it after death so it be on holy land Souls well mortified speak not of flesh considering the state of sin but with horrour Yea we find in the bequests of one of the sons of S. Lewis Count of Alencon these words I will Modesty of a son of S. Lewis the Tomb that shall cover my stinking flesh exceed not the charge of fiftie livres and that which encloseth my evil heart pass not thirty livres Behold how the son of one of the greatest Kings in the world speaketh of his body and would you idolatrize yours Lastly for the third condition of a good death it The third quality of a good death must have union with God whereof our Lady giveth us a perfect example For it being well verified by Theologie that there are three unions supernatural and as it were wholly ineffable the first whereof is the sacred knot of the most holy Trinitie which tieth three persons in one same Essence the second is the tie of the Word with humane nature which subsisteth by the hypostasis of the same Word and the third the intimate conjunction of a Son-God with a Mother-Virgin I affirm the Virgin being a pure creature cannot equal either the union of the Trinity or the hypostatical union yet notwithstanding hath the highest place of all created unions as she who was united to God when she lived in the world in the most sublime and sacred manner the spirits of the most exalted Seraphins might imagine which was most divinely expressed by S. Bernard She entered into a deep abyss of divine Profundissimam divinae sapientiae penetravit abyssum quantum sine personali unione creaturâ conditio patitur luci illi inaccesibili videatur immersa D. Bernard serm in signum magnum Mater mea quà m appellatis foelicem inde foelix quia verbum Dei custodit non quia in illa Verbum caro factum est c. Aug. tract 10 in Joan. wisdom so that she was united to light inaccessible so much as a creature might be permitted not arriving to the personal union of God But saying this I not onely speak of the union she had in quality of the Mother of God being one same flesh and one same substance with her Son but of the union of contemplation devotion and submission to the will of God which alone was the center of her felicity as witnesseth S. Augustine My Mother whom you call happie hath all her happiness not so much because the Word was made man in her as for that she kept the word of God who made her and who afterward allied himself to humane nature in her womb as he would say Our Lady was more happy to have conceived God in her heart and continually kept spiritual union with him than to have once brought him forth according to flesh We cannot arrive at this sublime union of the Mother of God but howsoever at least in the last
the Apostles in S. Luke it not being corrected by our Saviour who was the rule of their faith Such the truth of the apparition of the soul of Moses upon Mount Thabor I insist not now upon proof Math. 17 but example contenting my self to produce one or two out of a great multitude recounted by Authours As for the first I hold the apparition of the soul Apparition of the soul of Samuel 1. Reg. 28. of Samuel is most formal in Scripture for any one who will consider the whole progress of the narration The history telleth us that King Saul after the death of Samuel was upon the point of giving battel to the Philistines and that having first addressed himself to God by ordinarie means to learn the way he should observe therein seeing he had no answer either by dream or the lively voice of Prophets he did what infidels and men desperate do who seek to get that from the devil they cannot obtain of God He commanded his servants to seek him out a forceress although himself had banished them by his Edicts out of his Kingdom The servants ever ready to observe their Masters in ill offices when their own interest concurreth found a famous Magician whom the Hebrews affirm to have been a woman of good place but out of a detestable curiosity had put her self into this profession Saul to cover his purpose and not to amaze her went thither by night in a disguized habit onely accompanied with two gentlemen where having saluted her he demanded the exercise of her profession But she being crafty and careful to keep her self from surprizes answered Sir go you about to undo me your self also Know you not the Edicts of King Saul Saul replied he knew all had passed but she might confidently proceed assuring her of his warranty and whereas she proposed punishments to her self she should meet with rewards But she still doubting and sticking on distrust usual in all mischiefs he engaged his word with great oaths protesting no ill should befal her for any thing might pass at that time between them Thereupon resolved to give him satisfaction she asked if it were not his desire to speak to the soul of a dead man as also whose it was It was very ordinary with these Negromancers to raise illusions and fantasms instead of true spirits of the dead S Apollonius made Achilles to be seen Philostr in Apoll. Zonaras Eunapius Sardianus appearing on his tomb as a giant of twelve cubits high so Santaberemus shewed to the Emperour Basilius the soul of his son Constantine so Jamblicus made to appear in certain baths of Syria two figures of little children like Cupids All this to speak properly had nothing real in it and it is no wonder if those who thought Samuel had been raised by a sorceress believed it was a specter But he who well will weigh the phrase of Scripture and consider that this spirit of Samuel suddenly appeared before the sorceress had used her ordinary spells plainly shewing he came meerly by the commandment of God and not by the charms of the Magician will easily change opinion Verily the Sorceress was much astonished seeing the dead came contrary to the manner of other and cried out aloud as one distracted Sir you have deceived me you are Saul much doubting it was to him Samuel came The miserable King who endeavoured by all means to assure her fear not saith he I will keep my promise what have you seen She answered DEOSVIDIASCENDENTES DE TERRA as who should say according to the Hebrews phrase she had seen a venerable person like an Angel or a God raised out of the earth In what shape replies the King It is an venerable old man saith she covered with the mantle of a Prophet Then Saul with much reverence prostrated on the ground and made a low obeysance to Samuel who spake to him and said QUARE ME INQUIETASTI UT SUSCITARER Why hast thou disquieted me to make me return into the world Necessitie hath constrained me answereth Saul I am plunged in a perplexity of affairs and cannot get any answer from heaven O man abandoned by God why doest thou ask of me that which I have foretold shall happen Thy army shall be defeated by the Philistins and thou with thy children shalt be to morrow with me that is to say among the dead as I am now which so fell out Now the Eccl. 46. Scripture upon this praiseth Samuel to have prophetized after his death if it were not the true Samuel but a specter who sees not it were to tell a lie and to applaud the work of the divel But to the end you may see this belief was held by Nations as by a decree of nature Josephus in the seventeenth book of his Judaical antiquities relateth the apparition of the spirit of Alexander son of the great Herod and Mariamne who was seen to his wife Glapphyra when she re-married again to the King of Mauritania to reproch her ingratitude and forgetfulness of her first husband which having amply deduced in the first Tome of the holy Court in the tenth edition upon an Instruction directed to widdows I forbear here to repeat it Philostratus in the eigth book of the life of Apollonius maketh likewise mention of a young man much troubled in mind concerning the state of souls in the other life and saith Apollonius appeared unto ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã him assuring him the soul was immortal and he need not to be troubled at all since it was rather the work of the Divine providence than of it I willingly passe over many other examples to tell you that Phlegon a good Authour who flourished about an hundred years after the nativity of our Saviour and was not of our religion to favour our opinions although honourably cited by Origen Eusebius and S. Hierom writeth a strange historie witnessed by the testimonie of a whole Citie wherein he then governed He saith that at Trayls a Citie ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in Phrygia there was a young maid named Philenion daughter of Democrates and Chariton who as her storie well declareth was an amorous piece became court-like loved bravery delighted in too free conversation and followed the foolish pleasures of the world true gardens of Adonis which in the beginning make shew of silly flowers and in conclusion afford nought but thorns God who followeth the voluptuous by the track even into the shades of death sent her a sickness which having cropped the flower of her beauty left her almost nothing but a living carcass to deliver her over as a prey to death The miserable maid suffered the boiling fervours of the feaver through all her bodie not loosing the flames of love which she cherished in her heart She burnt with two fires not being able either to quench the one or other and having but a little breath of life left on her lips she gave to love what already was
the General in this siege that she disposed his heart to what she pleased In such sort that going forth in the fear and confusion of all the people she returned with peace and assurance of quiet which made them all to come out to receive her at the Citie gates with loud acclamations some throwing flowers other Crowns and all rendering thanks to her as their Sovereign Preserveress She apprehended so much joy therewith that in the very instant she expired in her honours at the Citie gate and in stead of being carried to the throne was brought to her tomb with the infinite sorrow of all her countrey I leave you to think if humane comforts have such force what will the great joy of God be for these unheard-of spectacles these continual triumphs and inexhaustible sources Must we not say we should there every moment leave our souls in the height of pleasure were not the happiness of it conjoyned to immortality XX. MAXIM Of RESURRECTION THE PROPHANE COURT THE HOLY COURT That we must not deny our bodies the benefit of time since they must perish That we must use our bodies as the Temples of God since they must rise again WE may truly say there is not any mysterie The resurrection proved more than any other mysterie in all our faith which God hath pleased to teach and prove unto us more effectually than the resurrection For it being sufficiently averred that our salvation consisteth in the knowledge of three principal Articles which are that of the Trinity of the incarnation with its extension made to the Sacrament of the Altar and of the Resurrection although they be all of like necessity yet it seems God disposing himself more to our ends than his own hath more abundantly explaned himself in this last mysterie which most concerneth our peculiar profit It is very true that for the doctrine of the Trinity the Incarnation and the Sacrament of the Altar he was contented to give us some figures of them in the old Testament not fully shewing the effects but for the Resurrection he was pleased to establish it even before his coming into the world really and actually by raising many dead by the merits of Elias and Elizeus as we learn in the history of Kings It is well enough known that having afforded to the Ancients very obscure knowledges of the Trinity and Incarnation for the Resurrection alone he made the law of nature the Mosaical the order of the world the form of Common-wealths and the Evangelical law to speak so intelligibly that he could speak nothing more perspicuously In the law of nature I understand the chief Secretary Scio quod Redemptor meus vivit in novissimâ die de terra resurrecturus sum c. Job 19. of the world Job who crieth out on the dunghil I know my Redeemer liveth and that at the last day of the world I must rise again from the earth and shall see God in mine own flesh that I shall see my self in person and that my eyes shall behold him and no other this hope I keep as a pledge in my bosom A man who lived about three thousand years ago before all books all Doctours and all schools to speak in so clear terms so pressing so peremptory is it not a prodigie In the Mosaical law besides formal passages in the Ecce ego aperiam tumulos vestros educam vos de sepulchris vestris Ezech. 33. Macch. 2. Math. 22. D. Tho. art 1. ad 2. supplem q. 75. prophet Ezechiel I will open your tombs and will take you from your sepulchers besides the generous confession of the Macchabees we have in the Pentateuch a passage alledged for proof of the resurrection by the Son of God himself which for this purpose ought to be held as an argument necessary and invincible It is so many times said The God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob Now he is not the God of the dead but of the living and therefore needs must these Patriarchs beliving not onely in the immortality of their souls for the soul makes not a man entire but in future resurrection In the order of the world we have the new birth Tertul. l. de Resur c. 12. and 13. Greg. Mag. 14. mor. c. 10. Cyril Catech. 18. Macar hom 5. de Resur Nil Ora. 2. de Pasca Theod. serm de Provid of stars dayes seasons planets of birds who make a perpetual image of the Resurrection in the world on which the holy Fathers enlarge with much eloquence In the form of Common-wealths and policie of the universe we observe the great care all Nations the most barbarous have had of the burial of bodies not to have been but through an instinct and estimation of the resurrection Which the chiefmen in Gentilism have publickly and notably professed And although they had very weak knowledge of other mysteries of our faith and spake of it with much obscurity in the point of resurrection they unfolded themselves most distinctly and expresly Mercurius Trismegistus in the first chapter of Pymander assureth us of the resurrection of bodies as a thing infallible The great Athenagoras sheweth it was the doctrine of Pythagoras and Plato the two first lights of Philosophy And verily we have also the writings of Plato which witness the wicked shall be judged and condemned to hell in bodie and soul a passage alledged by S. Justine in the tenth of his Common-wealth and which is more this singular man to win us to this belief hath couched a very notable axiom in his Phedon where he saith that all ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Plato in Phaedon Plin. l. 7. c. 55. which is living in the world comes from some thing dead Democritus who was as Hippocrates affirmeth one of the wisest men in the world wished the bodies of the dead should be honourably used in respect of resurrection which Pliny could not dissemble Phocyllides said the same in verses written as with the rayes of the Sun Nay if we would consult with the tombs of the dead we shall find there hath not been any but some wicked and irregular spirits who have renounced the blessings of the other life as by publick profession causing it to be engraven on their tombs So did Sardanapalus the most infamous of men whose epitaph Aristotle having read said It was more fit for a hog than a King So did that wretched woman of Bress whose monument is yet to be seen in antiquities causing to be set over her ashes That after the death of her husband Vixi ultra ââtam nihil credidi Nihil unquam pâccavit nisi quod mortua âst Brisson formul she had been neither widdow nor wife and that her house served onely for a snare to loves Otherwise that during life she never believed any thing but life So did one Julia who caused also to be inscribed over her bones That she had lived seven and twenty years without committing any
eat them soon enough as if all this should say unto us What do we so long in the world since all things that must serve our use last so little Gold and silver continue long but last very little in our hands and though one keep them as well as he can they keep not ever one Master If there be creatures which live much longer they flie from us as Harts Crows and Swans you might say they are ashamed to participate in our frailty Great-ones of the earth have in all times done what they could with a purpose to prolong their days so naturally are we desirous of the state of Resurrection but they have many times abridged them seeking to lengthen them Garcias telleth us that a King of Zeilam having learned the adamant had the virtue to preserve life would neither eat nor drink but in a dish which he caused to be made of adamant through a strange giddiness of spirit but he failed not to find death in these imaginary vessels of immortality We make a great matter of it to see men very old they are beheld with admiration But if some desire to come to their age there is not any would have the miseries and troubles of it This Phlegon of whom we now speak who had been one of the most curious Authours of his Age made a book of long liv'd men wherein he confesseth he hath exactly looked into the Registers of the Roman Empire there to find old men and women of an hundred years and scarcely could he meet with a sufficient number of them to fill up a whole leaf of paper But if he would take the number of such as died before fifty which the Ancients called the exterminating death he had filled many huge volumes Pompey took pleasure at the dedication of Bâro in historia vitae mortis his Theater to see a Comedianess act named Galeria Capiola who reckoned ninety nine years since her first enterance into a Theater It was a goodly play of life in a woman who danced on the brink of her grave But how many such like have there been people go into the tomb as drops of water into the sea not thinking on it Nay do but observe all which is Sovereign you will find among all the Emperours which were through so many ages there is not one to be found who attained to the age of a hundred years and four alone arrived to four-score or much thereabouts Gordian the elder came to this point but scarcely had he tasted of Empire but was over whelmed with a violent death Valerian at the age of seventy six years was taken by Sapor King of Persia and lived seven years in a shamefull captivity his enemy making use of his back as a foot-stool when he would mount on horse-back He was at first much greater in the estimation of men than he deserved and every one would have thought him worthy of Empire had he not been Emperour Anastasius a man of little worth and less courage who had more superstition than religion arrived to the age of four-score and eight years when he was blasted with lightening from heaven Justinim reckoned four-score and three which made him wax white in a vehement desire of glorie although being some-what contemptible in his person he was fortunate in Captains They speak of a King called Arganthon who heretofore reigned in Spain the space of four-score years and lived an hundred and fourty But this is rather in fables than authentical histories Of so many Popes as have been since S. Peter not any one hath possessed the See twenty five years scarcely find you four or five four-score years of age John the two and twentieth an unquiet and treasure-heaping spirit was about ninety years when death took off his triple Crown So many had Gregory the twelfth who was created before the schism but his papacy was as short as his life was long Paul the third attained to one above four-scor and was otherwise a man as peaceable of spirit as prudent in counsel Paul the fourth severe imperious and eloquent came to four-score and three Gregory the thirteenth lived as many a Prelate wise courteous prudent liberal who lived too little a while for the Churches good for which he could not end but too soon If we speak of the blessed S. John S. Luke S. Polycarp S. Denys S. Paul the Hermit S. Anthony S. Romuald so many other religious men they lived long And it seems there are many things in religion which further long life as contemplation of things Divine joys not sensual noble hopes wholesome fears sweet sadness repose sobriety and regularity in the order of all actions But all this is little in comparison of the Divine state wherein bodies shall not onely never end but live eternally impassible as Angels subtile as rayes of light quick as thought and bright as stars Conclusion of the MAXIMS by an advice against Libertinism where all men are exhorted to zeal of true Religion and the love of things eternal Of the obscurity and persecution of TRUTH INcredulity is an immortal disease which hath reigned from the beginning of the world and which will never end but with the worlds dissolution Dreams and lies are many times believed because they insinuate themselves into the heart by charms but truth which will never bely her self hath much ado to make her self understood and if she be once known she is beloved when she smiles and feared when she frowneth There are four things have ever been much unknown Four things much unknown in the world time wind terrestrial Paradise and truth Time is a marvellous creature which perpetually passeth over our heads which numbereth all our steps which measureth all our actions which inseparably runs along with our life and we have much business to know it as well in its nature as progression It is a very strange thing that there are such as promise themselves to reckon up the years of the world as of an old man of three-score and yet we know by the experience of so many ages it is a great labyrinth wherein we still begin never to end It was for this cause the Ancients placed the figures Hadrianus Junius of Trytons on high Towrs with tails crookedly winding to represent unto us the intrication of the foulds and compasses of time And for this also Isa 6. Hieron in Isa in the Prophet Esai the Seraphins covered the face and feet of God with their wings to teach us faith S. Hierome that we are very ignorant in things done before the world and in those which shall happen to Non est vestrum nosse tempora momenta quae Pater posuit in sua potestate Actor 1. the end of it If we on the other side consider the wind we cannot but sufficiently understand the commodities and discommodities of it which have made the wise to doubt whether it were expedient there should be
beseech thee O blessed Saviour do thou command and by thy onely word my affairs will go well and receive a happy dispatch my body will become sound my soul innocent my heart at rest and my life an eternal glory The Gospel upon Saturday the first week in Lent and the Sunday following out of S. Matthew 17. Of the Transfiguration of our Lord. ANd after six days Jesus taketh unto him Peter and James and John his brother and bringeth them into a high mountain apart and he was transfigured before them And his face did shine as the Sun and his garments became white as snow And behold there appeared to them Moses and Elias talking with him And Peter answering said to Jesus Lord it is good for us to be here if thou wilt let us make here three Tabernacles one for thee one for Moses and one for Elias And as he was yet speaking behold a bright cloud over-shadowed them And lo a voice out of the cloud saying This is my well-beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear ye him And the Disciples hearing it fell upon their face and were sore afraid And Jesus came and touched them and he said to them Arise and fear not And they lifting up their eyes saw no body but onely Jesus And as they descended from the Mount Jesus commanded them saying Tell the vision to no body till the Son of man be risen from the dead Moralities 1. THe words of the Prophet Osee are accomplished the nets and toils planted upon mount Tabor not to catch birds but hearts The mountain which before was a den for Tigers and Panthers according to the story is now beautified by our Saviour and becomes a place full of sweetness ravishments Jesus appears transfigured in the high robes of his glory The cloud made him a pavillion of gold and the Sun made his face shine like it self The heavenly Father doth acknowledge his Son as a true Prince of glory Moses and Elias both appear in brightness the one bearing the Tables of the Law and the other carried in a burning Chariot as Origen saith which made the Apostles know him For the Hebrews had certain figures of the most famous men of their Nation in books They both as Saint Luke saith were seen in glory and Majesty which fell upon them by reflection of the beams which came from the body of Jesus who is the true fountain of brightness The Apostles lose themselves in the deliciousness of this great spectacle and by seeing more than they ever did desired to lose their eyes O that the world is most contemptible to him that knows how to value God as he ought So many fine powders so many pendents and favours of Glass so many Towers and Columns of dirt plaistered over with gold are followed by a million of Idolaters To conclude so many worldly jewels are like the empty imaginations of a sick spirit not enlightened by the beams of truth Let us rely upon the word saith Saint Augustine which remains for ever while men pass like the water of a fountain which hides it self in the Spring shews it self in the stream and loseth it self at last in the Sea But God is always himself there needs no Tabernacle made by the hands of man to remain with him for in Paradise he is both the God and the Temple 2. Tabor is yet but a small pattern we must get all the piece we must go to the Palace of Angels and brightness where the Tabernacles are not made by the hands of men There we shall see the face of the living God clearly and at full There the beauties shall have no vails to hide them from us Our being shall have no end Our knowledges will not be subject to errour nor our loves and affections to displeasure O what a joy will it be to enjoy all and desire nothing to be a Magistrate without a successour to be a King without an enemy to be rich without covetousness to negotiate without money and to be ever-living without fear of death 3. But who can get up to this mountain except he of whom the Prophet speaks who hath innocent hands and a clean heart who hath not received his soul of God in vain to bury it in worldly pelf To follow Jesus we must transform our selves into him by hearing and following his doctrine since God the Father proposeth him for the teacher of mankind and commands us to hearken unto him Wee must follow his examples since those are the originals of all virtues The best trade we can practise in this world is that of transfiguration and we may do it by reducing our form to the form of our Lord and walking upon earth like men in Heaven Then will the Sun make us have shining faces when purity shall accompany all our actions and intentions Our clothes shall be as white as snow when we shall once become innocent in our conversations we shall then be ravished like the Apostles and after we have been at Mount Tabor we shall be blind to the rest of the world and see nothing but Jesus It is moreover to be noted that our Saviour did at that time entertain himself with discourse of his great future sufferings and of his death to teach us that his Cross was the step by which he mounted up to beatitude Aspirations O Blessed Palace O magnificent Tabor which this day didst hold upon thee the Prince of Glory I love and admire thee but I admire somewhat else above thee It is the Heavenly Jerusalem that triumphant company that face of God where all those beauties are which shall never cease to be beauties It is for that I live for that I die for that I languish with a holy impatience O my Jesus my most benign Lord transform me then into thee that I may thereby be transformed into God If I have carried the earthly Image of Adam why should I not also carry the form of Jesus Catch me O Lord within those tissued nets and golden toils of brightness which thou didst plant upon this sacred mountain It is there I would leave mine eyes it is there I resolve to breath out my soul I ask no Tabernacles to be there built for me I have long since contemplated thy heart O Father of essences and all bounties as the most faithfull abode of my eternity The Gospel upon Munday the second week in Lent S. John 8. Jesus said to the Jews Where I go ye cannot come AGain therefore Jesus said to them I go and you shall seek me and shall die in your sin Whither I go you cannot come The Jews therefore said Why will he kill himself because he saith Whither I go you cannot come And he said to them You are from beneath I am from above you are of this world I am not of this world Therefore I say to you That you shall die in your sins For if you believe not that I am he ye shall die
in your sins They said therefore to him Who art thou Jesus said to them The beginning who also speak to you Many things I have to speak and judge of you but he that sent me is true and what I have heard of him these things I speak in the world And they knew not that he said to them that his Father was God Jesus therefore said to them When you shall have exalted the Son of man then you shall know that I am he and of my self I do nothing but as the Father hath taught me these things I speak and he that sent me is with me and he hath not left me alone because the things that please him I do alwayes Moralities 1. ONe of the greatest misfortunes of our life is that we never sufficiently know our own good till we lose it We flie from that we should seek we seek that we should avoid and never begin to bewail our losses but when they are not to be recovered Those Jews possessed an inestimable treasure by the presence and conversation of the Son of God But they set light by it and so at last they lamented amongst eternal flames what they would not see in so clear a light Let us take heed of despising holy things and avoid hardness of heart which is a gulf of unavoidable mischiefs 2. It is a strange thing that God is so near us and yet we so far from him That which hinders us from finding him is because he is above and we below We are too much for the world too fast nailed to the earth too much bound to our superfluous businesses and cares of this life and too much subject to our own appetites He must not be slave to his body that pretends to receive good from God who is a Spirit He must not embark himself deeply into worldly matters who desires the society of Angels He must pass from his sense to his reason from reason to grace from grace to glory If you desire to find God search for him as the three Kings did in the manger in his humility Look for him as the blessed Virgin did in the temple in his piety Seek him as the Maries did in his Sepulcher by the meditation of death But stay not there save onely to make a passage to life 3. When you have lifted me up to the Cross saith our Saviour you shall know that I am the true Son of God And indeed it is a great wonder that the infinite power of that Divinity would manifest it self in the infirmity of the Cross It was onely for God to perform this great design ascend up to his throne of glory by the basest disgraces of the world The good thief saw no other title or sign of his kingdom but onely his body covered over with bloud and oppressed with dolours He learned by that book of the Cross all the glory of Paradise he apprehended that none but God could endure with such patience so great torments If you will be children of God you must make it appear by participation of his cross and by suffering tribulation By that Sun our Eagle tries his young ones he who cannot abide that shining ray sprinkled with bloud shall never attain to beatitude It is not comely to see a head crowned with thorns sit in a rotten chair of delicacies Aspirations O Blessed Saviour who dost lift up all the earth with three fingers of thy power raise up a little this painfull mass of my body which weighs down it self so heavily Give me the wings of an Eagle to flie after thee for I am constantly resolved to follow thee whithersoever thou goest for though it should be within the shadow of death what can I fear being in the arms of life I am not of my self nor of the world which is so great a deceiver Since I am thine by so many titles which bind me to adoration I will be so in life in death in time and for all eternity I will take part of thy sufferings since they are the scarfs of our Christian warfare Tribulation is a most excellent engine the more a man is kept under the higher he mounts He descends by perfect humility that he may ascend to thee by the steps of glory The Gospel for Tuesday the second week in Lent S. Matthew 23. Jesus said The Pharisees sit in Moses ãâã believe therefore what they say THen Jesus spake to the multitudes and to his Disciples saying Upon the chair of Moses have sitten the Scribes Pharisees All things therefore whatsoever they shall say to you observe ye and do ye but according to their works do ye not for they say and do not for they bind heavy burdens and importable and put them upon mens shoulders but with a finger of their own they will not move them But they do all their works for to be seen of men for they make broad their Phylacteries and enlarge their fringes And they love the first places at suppers and the first chairs in the Synagogues and salutations in the market-place and to be called of men Rabbi But be not you called Rabbi for one is your Master and all you are brethren And call none father to your self upon earth for one is your Father he that is in Heaven neither be ye called Masters for one is your Master Christ he that is the greater of you shall be your servitour And he that exalteth himself shall be humble and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted Moralities 1. IT is a very dangerous errour to think that our Saviour in this Gospel had a purpose to introduce an Anarchy and to make all men equal He sheweth in many places that he would have Kings Princes Magistrates Fathers and Doctours But he would not have men to come to honours by a vain ambition nor others to honour them but onely as they have dependency upon the power of God Almighty Let every soul saith the Apostle be subject to higher Powers for there is no power but it cometh from God He gives us superiours not for us to judge but to obey them If a man cannot approve their manners he must at least reverence the character of their authority They should be good Christians for themselves but they are superiours for us He that resisteth their power doth resist God who ordained them And all the great evils happening by heresies and rebellions proceed from no other fountain but from contempt of powers established by the decree of heaven A man may pretend zeal but there is no better sacrifice than that of obedience If great persons abuse their offices God will find it out and as their dignities are great so their punishment shall be answerable 2. One of the greatest disorders of this life is that we go for the most part outwardly to please the world and are little careful of a good inward application of our selves to please God In stead of taking the way of Gods image
veins and fill the most innocent pleasures of our life with bitter sorrows what have I more to do with you My children shall be what God will They shall be but too rich when they have virtue for their portion and but too high when they shall see a true contempt of the world under their feeet God forbid that I should go about any worldly throne upon the holy Lambs bloud or that I should talk of honours when there is mention made of the holy Cross O Jesus thou father of all true glories thou shalt from henceforth be my onely crown All greatness where thou art not shall to me be onely baseness I will mount up to thee by the stairs of humility since by those thou camest down to me I will kiss the paths of Mount Calvary which thou hast sprinkled with thy precious bloud esteem the Cross above all worldly things since thou hast consecrated it by thy cruel pains and brought us forth upon that dolorous bed to the day of thy eternity The Gospel upon Thursday the second week in Lent out of S. Luke 16. Of the rich Glutton and poor Lazarus Tâe was a certain rich man and he was clothed wâth purple and silk and he fared every day magnifically And there was a certain begger called Lazarus that lay at his gate full of sores desiring to be filled of the crums that fell from the rich mans table but the dogs also came and licked his sores And it came to pass that the begger died and was carried of the Angel into Abraham's bosom And the rich man also died and he was buried in hell and lifting up his eyes when he was in torments he saw Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his bosom And he crying said Father Abraham have mercy on me and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger into water for to cool my tongue because I am tormented in this flame And Abraham said to him Son remember that thou didst receive good things in thy life time and Lazarus likewise evil but now he is comforted and thou tormented And besides all these things between us and you there is fixed a great Chaos that they which will pass from hence to you may not neither go from thence hither And he said Then father I beseech thee that thou wouldest send him unto my fathers house for I have five brethren for to testifie unto them lest they also come into this place of torments And Abraham said to him They have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them But he said No father Abraham but if some man shall go from the dead to them they will do penance And be said to him If they hear not Moses and the Prophets neither if one shall rise again from the dead will they believe Moralities 1. A Rich man and a poor meet in this world the one loaden with treasures the other with ulcers They both meet in the other world the one in a gulf of fire the other in Abyss of delights Their ends are as different as their lives were contrary to teach us that he which shall consider rightly the end of all worldly sins and vanities will have in horrour the desire of them And as there is nothing for which goodly poor men may not hope so is there nothing which wicked rich men should not fear He that is proud of riches is proud of his burdens and chains but if he unload them upon the poor he will be eased of his pain and secured in his way 2. The life of man is a marvellous Comedie wherein the greatest part of our actions are plaid under a curtain which the Divine Providence draws over them to cover us It concealed poor Lazarus and kept him in obscurity like the fish which we never see till it be dead But Jesus draws the curtain and makes himself the historian of this good poor man shewing us the state of his soul of his body of his life and death He makes him appear in Abrahams bosom as within the temple of rest and happiness and makes him known to the rich man as to the treasurer of hells riches Are we not unworthy the name which we carry when we despise the poor and hate poverty as the greatest misery since the Son of God having once consecrated it upon the throne of his manger made it serve for his spouse during life and his bride-maid at the time of his death 3. This rich glutton dreamed and at the end of his dream found himself buried in hell All those pomps of his life were scattered in an instant as so many nocturnal illusions and his heart filled with eternal grief and torment His first misery is a sudden unexpected and hydeous change from a huge sea of delicacies into an insufferable gulf of fire where he doth acknowledge that one of the greatest vexations in misery is to have been happy Another disaster which afflicts him is to see Lazarus in Abrahams bosom to teach us that the damned are tormented by Paradise even to the very lowest part of hell and and that the most grievous of their torments is they can never forget their loss of God So saith Theophylact that Adam was placed over against the terrestrial Paradise from whence he was banished that in his very punishment he might see the happiness he had lost by his soul fault Now you must adde to the rest of his sufferings the great Chaos which like a diamond wall is between hell and Paradise together with the privation of all comfort those losses without remedy that wheel of eternity where death lasteth for ever and the end begins again without ceasing and the torments can never fail or diminish 4. Do good with those goods which God hath given you and suffer them not to make you wicked but employ your riches by the hands of virtue If gold be a child of the Sun why do you hide him from his father God chose the bosom of rich Abraham to be the Paradise of poor Lazarus So may you make the needy feel happiness by your bounty your riches shall raise you up when they are trodden under feet The Prophet saith you must sow in the field of Alms if you desire to reap in the mouth of Mercy Aspirations O God of Justice I tremble at the terrour of thy judgements Great fortunes of the world full of honour and riches are fair trees oft-times the more ready for the ax Their weight makes them apt to fall and prove the more unhappy fuel for eternal flames O Jesus father of the poor and King of the rich I most humbly beseech thee never give my heart in prey to covetousness which by loading me with land may make me forget Heaven I know that death must consume me to the very bones and I shall then possess nothing but what I have given for thee Must I then live in this world like a Griffin to hoard up much gold and
Opinion the source of all corruption ibid. Strange giddiness of Opinion 38 We must wean our selves from the Opinion of the world 66 Every one ought to have a good Opinion of the Providence of God and to know the ways thereof ibid. Oration of Symmachus to Theodosius and Valentinian the Younger for the Altar of Victory Exercise of Pagan Religion and Revenues of Vestals 182 P PAgans and their acts 227 Terrestrial Paradise the Chamber of Justice 51 Tyranny of Passions over the Soul 64 Passions are Ecchoes 83 Passions of Love ibid. The danger of this Passion ibid. Preservatives against this Passion ibid. Ordinary and sovereign Remedies for this Passion ibid. The folly of this Passion ibid. How Raymund and Lullius were cured of this Passion ibid. Want of employment is the cause of our being ensnared by this Passion ibid. Partiality of parents 108 Patience the nature of God 48 Patience defined 468 Praise of Patience 93 Patience of S. Macarius ibid. Patience of Great men what ibid. The first Patience is to endure ones self the next to spare men and endure men ibid. Patience of David ibid. Acts of Patience ibid. Patience the Sanctuary of Mortals ibid. Mariamne wife of Herod the picture of Patience 114 Pearls are Ushers saith Seneca 9 Paulina did bear about her a million of Gold 93 The desire of S. Augustine to ruine the Opinion of Pelagius 366 Penance called by the name of Envy 17 Five degrees of Penance among the Ancients ibid. The Practice of these degrees at Court ibid. Philo's notable Speech concerning the estate of Moses 417 Invincible proofs of piety 28 Piso's mad cruelty 90 Plato his Opinion concerning Souls 406 Who always striveth to Please himself must necessarily displease others 84 The quality of worldly Pleasures and their shortness 65 Politicians are vain without the direction of God 362 Pompey in Palestine 115 His cruel vanity 340 Resolutions of great courages in Poverty 392 Poverty of three sorts either of Necessity Profession or Affection 89 Practice of the poverty of Affection ibid. Poverty a chief scourge 352 Difficulties of the Poor in virtue 8 Poverty defined 468 Poverty the Island of Ithaca 363 Pulcheria sister of Theodosius and her qualities 441 Against the necessity inferred of Praescience 361 The Doctrine of Praedestination with three reasons of this Doctrine 366 S. Paul and S. Augustine interpreted in the matter of Praedestination ibid. The Doctrine of the most ancient Fathers concerning Praedestination ibid. The fruits of God's glory derived from Praedestination 367 The matter of Praedestination ibid. Marvellous secret of Praedestination 368 Praise of Prayer with the necessity thereof 68 Practice of Vocal Prayer 77 Government of Vocal Prayer 78 Cup and Harp in Prayer what is understood thereby ibid. Remedies against Distractions in Prayer ibid. Sublime Prayer 381 Pretended Religion how far from true Christianity 34 Pride especially of the Nobility reprehended 92 The humility of Primislaus and Pope Benedict the eleventh ibid. Prosperity 7 Procopius presented to Diocletian 368 He is sent to destroy the Christians and is converted to Christianism ibid. Constancy of Procopius 369 His sufferings for Religion ibid. His imprisonment and Martyrdom ibid. Prodigality of a Venetian Lady and her punishment 418 Voice of Prophesie 37 Excellent Prophesies touching our Saviour ibid. Disloyalties that spring from the Maxim of Proper Interest 389 Reasons against this Maxim ibid. It 's a great sacriledge to make a Divinity of Proper Interest 390 Proper Interest is like the feathers of an Eagle ibid. False Pretexts of Interest 391 Horrour of Poverty doth nourish the fervour of Interests ibid. Hidden Passages of the Divine Providence in the reclaiming of Souls 192 The Theatre of Divine Providence 233 Admirable Providence of God above all humane things 258 Belief of a Providence is the sweetness of Life 354 Manifest proof of the Providence of God 355 Maxims of Providence 356 Four foundations and pillars of Providence ibid. Providence of God in the ordinary marks of nature 358 Particular providences over divers Countries ibid. The admirable Providence of God in protecting King Mithridates in his cradle ibid. Providence over Empires 359 Providence over the Church ibid. Three Squadrons against Providence ibid. Great Providence to stick to Altars and the Church 148 Against Providence three squadrons of nice ones according to humane prudence 361 Providence of God concerning the sentence of death in the generality of men 414 Providence in the death of the vicious ibid. Providence of God in limits of our appetites 346 The Prowess of Christians 221 Importance of Prudence 88 Prudence a hand sprinkled with eyes ibid. Hierogliph of Prudence ibid. Truest Prudence is to distrust their own judgement ibid. Prudence defined 467 Ptolomey his magnificence 392 His Librarie ibid. His daughter Berenice entereth into Babylon ibid. Purgatory compared to the Cherubins fiery sword 425 Proved by the light of Nature ibid. The opinions of the Ancient concerning Purgatory ibid. An excellent opinion on the belief of Purgatory among the Hebrews ibid. Notable Purgation of the Aegyptians ibid. Purgatory proved by the light of Faith 426 The manner of Purgatory 427 Against the dulness of those who do not understand it ibid. Rigour of the living against the souls in Purgatory 428 Pirrho's stupidity 92 R RAbsaces the false Souldier his damnable Precepts which contain a true Satyre of the manners of depraved Nobility 218 Rebellions and Seditions fatal to the people 364 Wholesom advise how to resolve on the choice of Religion 35 Maxims of the Catholick and pretended Religion 36 The powerfull operation of Religion 340 Commotions for matters of Religion 342 Three things necessary to dispose ones self in Religion 31 Without Religion all is unprofitable observed in the quality of Julian 373 Four notable points to discover the falshood of pretended Religion 32 An excellent Resolution upon worldly accidents 362 Resurrection proved more than any other mystery 440 No impossibility in the Resurrection to an Omnipotent hand 441 Three properties of splendour in the Resurrection of our Saviour 443 The triumphant glory of the Resurrection ibid. The sweetness of the repose of Jesus and all the Elect in the estate of Resurrectâon ibid. Relation of the Resurrection to the Creation ibid. The joys of the heart of Jesus in the first instant of the Resurrection ibid. The goodly world he beheld in his Idaea's at his Resurrection ibid. Revenge is not onely contrary to Divine right but to the right of Nature 399 The Maxim of Revenge opposeth common sense ibid. Goodly company of those who did not desire Revenge 400 401 Not to Revenge injuries is not so much an election of virtue as a necessity of salvation ibid. The horrour and confusion of Revenge ibid. Goodly Considerations to pacifie the mind against Revenge ibid. Absalom close in his Revenge 408 Riches the mother of vices and neglect of God 364 Riot cruel and injurious to God and his Church 53 Tyranny of Riot 406 Reasons against the Maxims
Velocitas cogitationum animi celeritas ingeniâ varictas multiformes illis notaâ imprimât Plin. l. 7 cap. 12. thoughts divers inflexions of the heart tastes distastes which thrust on one another as the waves of the sea They likewise thereunto adde that they very easily are turmoiled with suspicions jealousies and distrusts the least matters offend them and many once displeased are irreconcileable And which is more that the most part of them have narrow hearts and hands nor open enough to help their good friends at a need they being ordinarily much tyed to the interest of their family so that there are many who love not so much for love as for gain Reasons for the modest love of women Amor magis lentitur cum prodit eum indigentia August l. 10. de Trin. c. 12 S. Thom. 1. 2 q 25. This may well happen in certain humours but there are some grievous spirits who do not so easily receive the impressions of these ill qualities and who persevere till death in an unshaken constancy of affection And verily it seemeth that contrary to what hath been spoken nature more favoureth them therein because Love as saith S. Thomas after S. Augustine appears best in indigence and those love most fervently and powerfully who besides other attractives see themselves bound unto it by some kind of necessity Now the inclination which a woman hath towards man is as it were necessary For it is more easie for a man to be without a woman having regard to spirituall and temporall assistances as Sacraments and Physick then for a woman to be without a man Adam was for a while all alone in Paradise in a vaste world but God permitted not that Eve should be there alone one moment for this solitude would have gone hard with her to see so many living creatures and in so divers kinds and not meet with one to bear her resemblance This being so one may with reason say that as we love things necessary with more endeavour and stability so women are tyed with the more indissoluble chains in virtuous inclinations But not to speak of this motive which proceeding from a meer motion of nature cannot be the most generous we find men who rest upon Indifferency and seek nothing but to content their own senses and to idolatrize themselves but women very rarely stay upon neutrality needs they must love or hate there is no third condition for them and since according to the Philosopher it is fit to judge of Contraries by proportion we will truly say that if they be susceptible of the impressions of hatred above all may be said so are they likewise capable of noble Amities They think themselves more engaged in honour to entertain them when they have begun fearing to be disparaged by the multitude of wandring and flitting affections Adde also to this that they are more tender then men and that softnesse of temperature is to love as the air to the ray of the Sun seeing the affections more easily penetrate where they find dispositions which have already prepared a way for them Lastly as they commonly are more devout and religious then men so they observe virtuous Amities with respect and entertain them out of conscience and especially such as are grounded on piety which is the thing that most powerfully predominateth over their heart I speak this in respect of those who are very virtuous but as we find few rare virtues and strong amities accompanied with all necessary circumstances are not so frequent in their sex It seemeth also that the Examples we derive as well from Nature as Civil life insensibly lead us to the proof of that which we propose Among living creatures the Females are the more Bodin Theatri natur l. 3. sect 6. sharp and ardent as well in their affection as in their anger the cuttle-fish takes revenge on that which striketh her male but the male flyeth if his female catch a blow as Aristotle hath observed in the ninth book of his living Creatures I well remember the Antients studiously reckoned up the pairs of friends which they had observed throughout all Ages and that Lucian Luc. Toxatis in his Toxaris hath strange examples of amity between men as of him who left his whole family in a fire to carry out his dearest friend on his shoulders and of another who gave his own eyes for the ransome of him whom he most tenderly affected But who likewise would in particular decipher the notable acts of love which many wives have witnessed to their husbands should find wherewith to be moved to admiration and to settle his constancy If we talk of preserving a widdow-hood inaccessible to second wedlocks Rare amitieâ of women Valer. Max. l. 4 c. 6. how many may we find of them even in Gentilisme who after the death of their dear husbands have said what the antient Valeria did My husband is dead to others but not to me If we speak of suffering great toils of body Queen Hipsicrates followed King Mithridates her husband as one of his bravest Captains gallautly corvetting a horse and galloping through snows and wildernesses not to be separated from him If we discourse of banishment and ignominies Sulpitia brake up doors and locks to run Idem lib. 6. cap. 7. maugre her mother after her exiled husband among the proscripts of the Triumvirat If imprisonments be Lipsii exem politica put into the list of account Eponia was nine years shut up with her husband in the hollow cavern of a Tomb. If you regard maladies a daughter of Spain daily Rhod. Santius histor Hispan p. 1. cap. 4. Scard lib. 3. hist Paravinae with her tongue licked the envenomed wound of King Edward of England her dear husband If you look on the terrible of terribles death Blaunch the Italian Lady scorning the flatteries of the Tyrant Actolin who passionately woed her captive though she were escaping out of the hands of souldiers she went to breathe out her life upon the tomb of him to whom she first of all had given her heart and affections Yea I much more admire those who willingly have deprived themselves of all riches greatnesse yea even of the presence of their husbands whom they dearly loved to procure them liberty wealth and honour Cedrenus Cedren in Epirom hist p. 596. observeth in his history that Constantine the ninth exercising tyranny as well in matter of love as within his Empire caused the Roman Argyropylus to be sought out and commanded him to repudiate his wife whom he had lawfully married to take his daughter on condition that he would make him Cesar and associate him with himself in his dignity but if he condescended not to his will he threatned to pull out his eyes and to make him all the dayes of his life miserable The Excellent loyalty of a Lady Lady who was present seeing her husband involved in all the perplexities that might be and
the river of Silias wherein all sinks to the bottome and nothing floateth all passeth with them into the bottom of the soul nought stayes in the superficies which is the cause that the heart replenished with cares and apprehensions dischargeth it self what it may by the tongue Besides the materiall cause of Despair which is observed in Melancholy we find others efficient which ordinarily fasten upon great strong passions of Love of Ambition and of Avarice All histories are full of miserable people who having settled their affections upon objects whence they could not with reason expect any satisfaction after an infinite number of languors toils and pursuits have buried their love in Despair and drowned their ardour in the blood of their wounds Some have hanged themselves at the gate of their Mistresses others have thrown themselves headlong down into ruines others have been exposed to salvage beasts rather chusing to suffer the fury of tygers and lions then the rage of Love without fruition The Poet Virgil did her wrong to put Dido Queen Dido profâââ in alieno ââlo âbi nuââias regis ãâã optasââ lebueratne tamen secundas experiretur maluitè contrario uri quà m nubere Tertul. in exhort ad castitatem of Carthage into the number of the Unhappy saying she sacrificed her self to the sword and flames out of a Despair conceived to see her self deprived of her Trojan Tertullian justified the Ashes of his Countrey-woman assuring us she was one of the most chaste Ladies in the world and did more in the matter of Chastity then S. Paul prescribeth For the Apostle having said That it is better to marry then to burn she rather chose to burn then to marry making her own funerall alive and rather entring upon the flaming pyle then to comply with the passion of a King who sought her in marriage after the death of her husband whom she had singularly loved The passion of Ambition is no lesse violent in proud and arrogant spirits who having been long born as on the wings of glory and seeing themselves on a sudden so unfortunate as to be trampled under foot by those who adored them cannot digest the change of their fortune anticipating that by violence which they ought rather to expect from mercy Such was Achitophel accounted to be one of the greatest States-men of 1 Reg. 17. 23 his time whose counsels were esteemed as of a Deitie when seeing himself faln from the great authority he had acquired after he had set the affairs of his house in order he took a halter with which he hanged himself And it is thought Pilate followed the like course Tantis irrogante Caio angââibus coarctatus est ut se suâ transverberans manu malorum compendium mortis celeritate quaesierit Paul Oros l. 7. c. 4. when he saw himself to be discountenanced after the death of his master Tiberius and banished by Caius Caligula the successour to the Empire This calamity seemed unto him so intolerable that he sought to shorten his miseries by hastening his death which he gave himself by his own hand Yet Eusebius who seems to be the chief authour of this narration and who is followed by Paulus Orosius and others doth not assure it as a thing undoubtedly true but as a popular rumour For my part I think it not amisse to believe Pilatus jam tunc pro sua conscientia Christian Tertul. in Apoleg Tertullian who conceiveth that after the death of our Saviour Pilate was a Christian in his conscience when he in writing expressed to the Emperour Tiberius the things which occurred in the person of our Saviour with so much honour for our Religion that from that time the Emperour resolved to put Jesus Christ into the number of the Gods But if the opinion of this Author Yes that it might very well as many examples testifie were true It could not be credible that a man who had a tincture of Christianity should have ended his life by so furious a Despair Avarice in this point will nothing at all give place to Ambition for there are many to be found who seeing themselves unexpectedly deprived of treasures which they kept as the Griphons of Scythia would no longer behold the Sun after the Sun had seen the Gold which they hid in the bowels of the earth Witnesse that covetous man of the Greek Anthology who strangled himself with the same halter wherewith another man had determined to hang himself who by chance having found this caitiffs treasure was diverted from it This may very well teach us that it is very dangerous passionately to affect the objects of the world because as saith S. Gregory one cannot without immeasurable grief lose all that which with unlimitted love is possessed The evil spirit who soundeth each ones inclinations and discovereth their dispositions powerfully intermedleth in them and layeth snares for men in all the things wherein he observeth them to be with the most fervour busied To these occasions of Despair fear of pain and shame is added which is very ordinary and is the cause that many hasten their end before they fall into the hands of their enemies or are laid hold on by Justice which is as much as if one should die not to dye This was very common among Pagans who esteemed that a glory which we hold the worst of crimes and the like opinion crept very farre into the minds of the Hebrews who thought themselves to be sacred persons and imagined they did an act generous and profitable to the glory of God to kill themselves before the hands of Infidels were bathed in their bloud This is the cause if we believe the ordinary Glosse of the first Book of Kings and Glossa in 1 Reg. 31. Dicunt Hebraei aliqui etiam Christiani quod interficere seipsum inâuitu Divini honoris nè vituperium exerceatur in proprio corpore redundans in Dei vituperium sicut timebar Saul non esse illicitum the antient Interpreters of this Nation that we cannot conclude the damnation of Saul by an infallible demonstration for having strucken himself seeing that according to their opinion he was not sufficiently illuminated by the lights of the antient Law that it was a Mortall sin to hasten his death to save the honour of his Religion and to deliver himself from the scorn of Infidels Nay they assure us that he in this occasion ordered himself as a treasure of God refusing to deliver up unto enemies a Head honoured with sacred Unction to be alive defiled by their profane hands They add that he had before him the example of Samson who was admired by all his own Nation for being over-whelmed with the Philistims under the ruines of a house And that after him Razias esteemed a Saint Macch. 1. 12 and a courageous man gave himself the stroke of death and threw his bowels all bloudy from the top of a turret on the heads of his enemies But
and already well felt he was not born to be predominant over a beauty so triumphant The easinesse of his nature suffered him not to be long in resolving to give way to his passion He instantly declares himself and coloureth his request with the title of marriage Brunhault gives ear whether for the love of Meroveus or whether out of the hatred of Fredegond his mother supposing it was an opportunity to carry fire very far into the Royall race They secretly marry the Nephue espouseth the Aunt by a crime unheard Love is their Pope and King from whom they take dispensation and leave Fury conceiveth this marriage Timerity signeth it but misery sealeth the contract Meroveus returneth from Roan stil hiding his fire under the ashes He gives account of his commission The King his father resolveth to send him to take possession of Guyenne which he judged to be fallen unto him by the death of Sigebert He fergneth to depart from the Court with intention to go to Bourdeaux but the countrepoise of love insensibly carryed him to Roan and he hastneth to court his pretended spouse and forgets all cares and affairs to please his passion which being not kept with in the limits of moderation made a great noyse and was carried to the ears of the Court. King Chilperic went to Roan with an army to quench the fire in its beginning thinking there was some notable plot contrived against his state but he finds these lovers had no other arms but those of Cupid and that the excesse of their passion had given them so little leisure to think on their own safety that seeing themselves beset by souldiers they had recourse to altars which were then secure refuges for the miserable Chilperic durst not violate Sanctuaries in the presence of Pretextatus Bishop of Roan a man courageous and zealous for things divine He promised himself to take this new married Couple by the want of victuall and other naturall neecessities But he seeing the businesse to be drawn at length patience slips from him and he made them to come out of the Church with promise of impunity His soul was softned seeing a young Queen a widdow and miserable by the cruelty of his wife Nature pleadeth in his heart for his own bloud he embraceth them both with tears in his eyes and not to affright them enterteins them with fair hopes whilest they little think of it he sends Brunhault into Austrasia her own Countrey and keeps Meroveus under good and sure guard judging one could not well trust him if he were at his own dispose In the mean time Fredegonda immeasurably displeased with the proceedings of this affair and supposing the King her husband went on too remissly made it a great crime of state and of manifest conspiracy wherein she involved the Archbishop Pretextatus He was Meroveus his God-father could not but have some tendernesse towards this Prince his God-child which being sinisterly interpreted drew much misery upon him He with his moveables and papers were seized on where they found certain packets of Queen Brunhaults which strengthened the suspition they conceived to his prejudice He is sent for to an assembly of Bishops where the King coming in chargeth him with the crime of rebellion accusing him to have withdrawn the people from their obedience to crown his son and thereupon roundly required the Prelates that justice might be done according to holy Canons The witnesses are heard and confronted who do not throughly enough prove the crime whereof he was accused Pretextatus justifieth himself by a solemne protestation of his innocency which caused compassion in many But these Prelates assembled were partly weak and partly sold to serve the Kings passions there was almost none but Gregory of Torus who having an invincible spirit in a little body encouraged the whole Assembly to the defence of the truth the menacies of the King and murthering flatteries of Queen Fredegonde being unable to shake his constancy Other batteries were likewise made to ruine a man half dead by stirring up against him divers calumnies from which he very happily vindicated himself untill at length some treacherous Bishops counselled him to accuse himself by way of humiliation of the offence of state which was objected against him They told him he must not appear too just before his Master that it was not reasonable the King should receive an affront in this affair that he was a mild Prince who would Pretextatus should owe his safety to his clemency and that he no sooner could speak one word of confession but he should be freed from this vexation and restored to his Dignity The unfortuante Prelate giving ear to the hissing of serpents made his tongue the snare of his soul and owned an imaginary crime to undergo a reall unhappinesse He had no sooner pronounced the word but the King transported with excessive joy prostrated himself on his knees before the assembly of Bishops demanding that his robe for ignominy should be cut off and the execrations thundring against Judas to be pronounced over him The compassion of some procured moderation therein Neverthelesse he was instantly degraded condemned to banishment and delivered to the Kings Guard who lead him to a little desert Island near the city of Constance in Normandy whence he esaped to be in the end massacred by the practises of Q. Fredegonde This step-mother was not content to see Meroveus confined to a prison but she violently urged he might be shaven and shut in a Monastery which was executed But it is a great errour to think to make a religious man by holding a poignard to his throan and by taking hair from his head when the consent of his heart cannot be had The thoughts which according to the Interpreters of Scripture are as the hairs of the soul were not taken away by the roots from this miserble Samson They much persecuted him about his passed Loves that hâ quickly forsook Cowl and Monastery to begin new stirs He went directly to Torus which gave much trouble to good Saint Grogory and spent nights upon the tomb of Saint Martin fasting and praying to have a revelation which might promise him a crown But seeing Chilperic pursued him with armed hand he fled from town to town and from Sanctuary to Sanctuary finding not any one who would support his rebellion In the end he gets into Austrasia and returneth to the embracements of his Spouse as it were to end himself in those eyes which had enkindled his first flames But the cunning Queen considering that her subjects were raised in alarms upon his comming and fearing she might draw upon them the totall storm of Chilperics arms preferred reasons of state before those of love besought him to retire They of Tours who were suspected by the King for having first of all favoured his flight thinking not to find their own safety but in his ruine called him back again under colour to support his arms and to become
cause that continuing a widow in a flourishing age there were Princes in her kingdome who durst promise themselves that she would reflect on them for a second marriage Among others the Count of Champaign proposed this good hap to himself more then was to be believed and ceased not to play the Courtier even to the fitting his gallery with verses and Emblems of the Queen This prudent widow who had to do with Great ones in the beginning of her authority of Regent engaged not her self to any nor did she likevvise reject their suits but so soon as some of them perceived she had no purpose for them they presently took arms to disturb the Kingdome and lessen the authority of the young King The Count of Champaign saw himself by necessity embarked in the faction but he had much ado to defend himself from the affection vvhich possessed him for this exquisite beauty For vvhich cause he pleaded like a lover and betrayed his faction discovering the things most important vvhich gave Queen Blanch a great light to guard her self from the vvicked enterprises of her enemies and dissipate all factions Observations upon the Passion of DESIRE Wherein we may behold the misery of ambitious and turbulent Spirits THe wind which is an invisible power and Marvellous effects of the passion of Desire which appears before our eyes no more then nothing maketh tall ships to move pulleth up trees by the roots overthroweth houses exercising on land and sea powers too-too visible Desires and hopes likewise which to say truely are but imaginations almost unperceivable vex empires embroil states desolate Cities and Provinces and make havock such as we cannot in thought conceive nor can our eyes ever sufficiently deplore It is a strange thing that from a little fountain-head which onely distilleth drops of vvater great rivers grovv and from a desire vvhich invisibly hatcheth in the heart of man lofty ambitions burning avarices and enraged covetousnesse proceed which destroy mankind Our first desires respect body and life which is the foundation of all the blessings we can hope in this world and here it is wherein those who flourish in Empires and eminent fortunes shew passions and cares able to make them immortall if humane nature might reach to such a state We all know that Lewis the eleventh was a Monarch Strange desire of life in Lewis the eleventh who by the greatnesse of his wit and power darkned all the Kings of his Time but we likewise cannot be ignorant that he had most ardent Passions which gave him infinite disturbances the consideration whereof may serve Great ones for the establishment of their repose Never any man more loved life nor more feared death then this mighty Prince who seeing himself laden with infirmities and assailed by old age a disease incurable employed the whole power of an ample Kingdome to hold together a poor thread of life There was not any remedy in the world which he tried not there was no secret in physick which he opened not his profusion caused him to give a Physician ten thousand crowns a moneth and although this Monarch were one of the most eminent of his time and that he sought nothing but to climb over the heads of Princes yet he made himself a slave to Hippocrates his disciples to idolatrize health It is to be thought if Medea had in his dayes returned into the world he would have put himself into her hands of purpose to wax young again like another Peleus So soon as he heard speech of a man who cured maladies by certain extraordinary wayes needs must he come from the utmost limits of the earth and for this cause he called S. Francis de Paula who drave away feavers and plagues from humane bodies with so much ease yet could he not prolong the Kings dayes whom God would punish by the privation of that he most loved He also took the holy viol of Rhemes to keep it in his chamber and therein to find treasures of life which was bootlesse to teach us there is no greater a Hang-man of our hearts then inordinate ill rectified desire The desire of life transported him to extraordinary actions For having been all his life time very plain in apparell towards his latter dayes when he went out of his chamber he sumptuously clothed himself he shuffled his officers and changed them out of a certain desire of novelty that it might be known he was yet alive he cared not to be cursed so that men believ'd him to be living Yet if he had done all this to lead the life of a man and of a King with some reasonable contentment his cares might have been the more excusable But all this great endeavour was but to drag along a miserable life among the distrusts of his nearest allies among jealousies of his own sonne among woodden and Iron cages wherein he kept a Bishop of Verdun for the space of fourteen years among chains and clogges of Iron which he called his threads among disconsolate sadnesses which they sought by all means to sweeten one while making clowns to sport before him another while furnishing out a musick of Hogs ranged under a pavillon of velvet which they pricked through the ears with bodkins to make them chant forth their goodly warblings What inventions doth a passionate man find out to prolong his punishments Next unto life the most ardent desires are for wealth and honour which make turbulent and busie spirits to disturb the whole world vvithout enjoying one hour of repose One might as soon number the starres and the sands of the sea as reckon up the souls of this kind vvith vvhich the Histories of all nations are stuffed For in matters that concern particular ends you on every occasion see children bandied against their parents and kinred in mutiny one against another vvho bely their bloud betray nature and devour lands bloudy and smoking for imaginary pretensions in the matter of their inheritance 2. But it vvould be very hard to find a spirit more covetous more factious and more tempestuous to encrease his estate then vvas that of Lotharius the sonne of Lewis the Courteous Hence it was that he shamefully degraded shaved and shut the King his Father in Prodigious victory which in the end Lotharius gained over himself after a great storm of passions in becoming Religious a Cloister Hence that he contrived so many matches and ploted so many conspiracies Hence that he levied so many armies and gave so many battells Hence that he ransack'd so many Churches put the Clergy to ransome threw down Justice and exhausted the nobility Hence it was that he had alwayes an eye towards the field and an armed hand to ruine the inheritance of his brothers Lastly hence proceeded that bloudy battel of Fontenay where a hundred thousand men of account died in the place so many rivers and seas of bloud must an outrageous ambition swim in which is wedded to particular ends and covetousnesse
takes her Abbesse who is dragged by the hair used with all hideous extremities and confined to a prison She caused all the religious women to come who had opposed her she torments them with sundry tortures layes hold of the charters seizeth on all the papers maketh her self Abbesse and bearing a barbarous soul in the heart of a woman exerciseth rigours and cruelties which struck horrour into all the world The Bishops had no other defence but the Thunders of Excommunication of which these creatures abandoned by God made very little account Macon Governour of Poictiers was entreated to use a strong hand but he excused himself saying he would not contend with the daughter of a King without commission But it was not fit matters should so continue and honest men unable any longer to see the Church groan under an unheard of Tyranny implore by most humble supplications the aid of three Kings Clotharius Gontran and Childebert who being sensibly touched with these disorders gave large Commissions power and commandment to Governours to assist the Bishops of Tours Colen and Poictiers who were appointed to determine this difference Order is at this time well observed Justice is there supported by force the gallants who had adhered to the faction of the nunnes scatter under the terrour of arms and Royall authority This Empresse of Rebels is taken and carried to the Councell to give an account of her deportments She comes thither in an audacious manner retaining still something of her arrogancy and insupportable haughtinesse even in her depression and after she had employed arms she skirmisheth what she could with her tongue which was by falling on the life and manners of her Abbesse whom she accused of many trifling things reproching her among other points to have made a garment for her niece of a Cope taken out of the Treasury of the Church which was false to have caused secular persons to eat at her Table to have a bath in the Monastery and to play at Chesse For this required to have her deposed that she might be put into her place wherein it plainly appeareth that ambition is not onely furious but blind in its fury She who swallowed Camells maketh an anatomy of a fly she who was defiled with the crimes of Tyrants reprehendeth slight recreations which had been permitted under the government of S. Radegonde The Abbesse replied very modestly to all her objections and made her innocency appear as bright as the rayes of the sunne whereupon she was reestablished with honour and applause in her dignity and the other condemned to ask her pardon and to submit to her commands To which she stoutly answered she would never do it and that they should rather advise upon the means of putting the Abbesse to death then to use her in such sort But she persisting in this obduratenesse is again deprived of the communion of the Church separated from all her complices who are placed in diverse Monasteries there to do penance yet she still finding her self to be supported by some by reason of her noble extraction on a time stole her self from the just punishment of evil carriage and fled with her Cousin to Childeberts Court where being not able any longer to raise storms she was constrained to be quiet rather for want of force then through the defect of courage One may by this proceeding see the Tempests which arise from ill rectified desires when they are underpropped by some manner of power and that there is nothing so sovereign as in their root to mortifie them 5. But they never are so insolent as when they Ambitions which bud in hearts of base extraction are most infelent The example of a Chirurgion of S. Lewis wisely repressed and chastised by the prudence and justice of Philip the 3. King of France bud in the hearts of people of base extraction who behold themselves unexpecteoly raised to some extraordinary favour S. Lewis had taken into his friendship his Chirurgion named Peter La Brosse because besides the experience he had in his profession he had made himself praise-worthy for the goodnesse of his wit and great loyalty This favour mounted much higher under Philip the Third successour of S. Lewis for he not content to honour this man with a particular affection bestowed benefits upon him with such an inestimable profusion that he raised him to the dignity of Chamberlain and conferred honours and largesses upon all his kindred This fellow seeing the young King had not the moderation of the father to proportion his affections to his reputation and the good of his state usurped upon his spirit entred into all his secrets and needs would intermeddle in State-affairs from which his birth and the much limited capacity of his wit ought to have deterred him The King had in a second wedlock married a most virtuous Princesse Mary of Brabant who held in his heart that place which the Law of God and the Sacrament of Marriage gave her It is a wonder how this child of the Earth entreth hereby into jealousies and thought the tender affections of the King towards his dearest spouse might lessen the good favours of his Master whom he was desirous to possesse in the title of a Sovereign He sought to cast the apple of discord into so happy a marriage and seeing this knot could not be broken but with much labour having a soul sold to Iniquity it is thought he found means to poyson Lewis eldest son of Philip and of Isabel his first wife This young Prince is by a sudden death taken away to the infinite grief of all the Court Physicians being consulted with upon it judge his life was shortned by poyson not knowing the authour of so detestable a crime The wicked man in the mean time gives close counter-blows and under-hand fixeth this suspicion upon the innocent Queen And albeit her behaviour which did print innocency on the mild aspect of her face sufficiently freed her before all good men yet the interest which commonly step-mothers have in the death of their husbands children and the subtil slights of this devil who coloured the matter with zeal of publick good began to blemish a life which was as free from stains as the brightest stars The King is already half wavering but loth to precipitate any thing in an affair of such importance he resolved to consult with the Oracles of that time and to have recourse to the lights of heaven since they on earth were eclipsed There was in those dayes a religious woman in Flanders who was thought to be endowed with the spirit of Prophesie and to tell the most hidden things to whom he resolved to send the Abbot of S. Denis to satisfie him in the truth of the fact La Brosse who expected a more speedying dispatch upon his informations began to be troubled and fearing this Prophetesse might marre all so wrought that the Bishop of Bayeux his kinsman agreed with the Abbot to undertake the journey
feet praying him to forget what was past yet he caused his processe to be made in Parliament upon accusations which did more manifest the Passion of the King then any crime in the life of the Count. Notwithstanding the close practise was so great that he was condemned to death and although Lewis terrified by his own Conscience and the generall opinion would not have it to proceed any further yet he confined him to the Bastile where he had spent the rest of his dayes if he had not found means to save himself But whom would he spare who put away and deprived of Office his best servants for having hindered him during his sicknesse to come near unto a Window out of the care they had of his health This passion was a Devil in the heart of this Prince which made him odious to many and filled his whole life with disturbance and acerbity 10. A revengefull spirit spares nothing to please it Aymonius l. 5. c. 39. self and oft-times openeth precipices to fill them with death and ruine It is a strange thing that one sole Wicked revenge of an Abbot and of John Prochytas against the French Abbot of Saint German de Prez named Gaulin had almost ruined the whole Kingdome of France for having been bereaved of an Abbacy He many years revolved his revenge and after the death of Lewis le Begue under whom he had received the injury which he proposed to himself he went to Lewis the German whom he enflamed with so much cunning to the conquest of the Kingdome of France that he set a huge army on foot to surprize the heir of the Crown in the Confusion of his Affairs and the trouble was so great that needs must Lorraigne be cut off from the Kingdome of France to give it to this Conquerour So did John Prochytas the Sicilian who having been deprived of his estate by Charles of Anjou conceived a mortall enmity against the French which made him contrive that bloudy Tragedy of Sicilian Vespres This unfortunate man disguising himself in the habit of a Franciscan went to Peter of Arragon to shew him the means how to invade Sicily and seeing that he and his wife Queen Constance bent all their endeavour thereto he ceased not to stir up the Countrey where he had much credit and used so many engines that in the end he caused one of the most horrible massactes which was ever projected On an Easter-day in the time of Vespres the French had all their throats cut throughout the Island of Sicily No age sex condition nobility nor religious were spared The black spirit of the Abysle drew men from the Altar to runne to the sword which they indifferently thrust into the bosome of their guests nor were so many cryes and lamentations nor such images of death flying before their eyes able to wound their hearts with one sole touch of compassion which useth to move the most unnaturall Rage blown by the breath of the most cruell furies of Hell made them to open the bellies of women and to dig into their entrails to tear thence little Infants conceived of French bloud It caused the most secret sanctuaries of nature to be violated to put those to death who had not as yet the first taste of life Shall we not then say that the passion of revenge which hath taken root in a soul half damned is the most fatall instrument that Hell can invent to overthrow the Empire of Christianity 11. All these accidents well considered are sufficient to moderate the passions which make so much noyse among mankind But let us consider before we go off this stage that Anger and Revenge are not creatures invincible to Courtiers who yet retein som Character of Christianity Robert one of the greatest Kings that ever ware the Crown of France saw his two sonnes bandied against Glaber him when provoked by the practises of the Queen Great moderation in Saint King Robert their mother who ceased not to insult over them they ran to the field with some tumultuary troops and began to exercise acts of hostility which made them very guilty The father incensed by their rebellion and forcibly urged by the sting of the mothers revenge speedily prepares an army and entreth into Burgundy to surprise and chastise them Thereupon William Abbot of S. Benigne of Dion goeth to him and shews that these disorders were an effect of the divine Providence which we should rather appease by penance then irritate by anger that if his Majesty would call to mind he should find that his youth was not exempt from errours committed by the inconsideration of age and the practise of evil counsels that he ought not to revenge with sword and fire that which he had suffered in his own person and that as he would not any should enterprise upon his hereditary possession so it was fit not to meddle with that which was Gods who had reserved vengeance to himself This speech had such power that the good King was instantly appeased caused his children to come embraced them with paternall affection and received them into favour tying their reconciliation with an indissoluble knot What can one answer to the mildnesse of a King accompanied with so much power and wisdome but confesse that pardon is not a thing impossible since this great Prince upon the words of a religious man layes down arms and dissipateth all his anger as waves break at the foot of rocks 12. We must confesse that Regality was never Helgandus in vita Roberti Regis seen allyed to a spirit more mild and peaceable and that his actions should rather be matter of admiration then example He pardoned twelve murtherers who had a purpose to attempt upon his life after he had caused them to confesse and communicate saying it was not reasonable to condemn those whom the Church had absolved and to afflict death upon such as had received the bread of life But what would not he have done who surprising a rogue which had cut away half of his cloke furred with Ermins said mildely to him Save thy self and leave the rest for another who may have need of it 13. This mildnesse is very like to that of Henry the First afterward King of England who seeing his Fathers body to be stayed in open street upon the instant of his obsequies and this by a mean Citizen who complained the soil of the land where the dead which was William the Conquerour was to be interred was his Ancestours inheritance he was nothing at all moved but presently commanded his Treasurer to satisfie the Creditour and to prosecute the pomp of his Funerals 14. Lewis the Eleventh did a King-like act towards Generous act of Lewis the Eleventh the ashes of the fair Agnes who had possessed the heart of his father Charls the Seventh and had persecuted him the son in her life-time At her death she gave threescore thousand crowns for a foundation to
habit of penance with which he was put into the hands of the Guard and a few dayes after led along in Lotharius his train All Histories mourn in the horrour of this narration and there is not any who in his thoughts condemns not the Authours of this attempt But this good King being re established by the endeavour of his best Subjects did never pursue his injuries witnessing in all occasions an extream facility to be reconciled to his children and when afterward he was upon the point of death he rallyed together all he had of life spirits and strength to forgive them asked of God that he would not take vengeance upon their crimes This was to fulfil the whole law and to do at the Court all that which the most perfectly religious can perform in a Cloister 18. I will yet tell you for a conclusion that there are certain industries which they who are near great ones may use to appease their Anger and to divert the pernicious effects by some delay which is the best Counsellour Argentre this furious passion can have This is to be seen in the course that Bavalon took Addresse of Bavalon to appease that anger of the Duke of Brittaign with the Duke of Brittaigne The Prince being offended with the Count of Clisson Constable of France resolved to take him in a snare and undo him To compasse this enterprise he made a great feast whereto he invited all the principall Lords of Brittaigne courting Clisson with incomparable courtesie After all he let him see his Castle of Lermine where leading him from story to story and from chamber to chamber he brought him to the chief Turret praying him to consider the fortifications to reform the defects whilst he spake a word to Seigneur Laval brother in law to Clisson He no sooner entred in but he saw himself arrested by the Guard and put into irons with commandment given to Mounsieur Bavalon Captain of the Castle to throw him the next night in a sack into the water Bavalon who perceived his Master was very quick and thought that night might give him better counsel resolved to do nothing In the mean time solitude and darknesse having recollected the Dukes spirits together which had all day been scattered by the tempest of passion he found his heart infinitely ballanced between the satisfaction of revenge and the apprehension of inevitable dangers which would wait on it imagining the shadow of the Constable already drowned as he thought would draw fire bloud and havock upon his desolated Countrey The hideous visions which already pitched battell in his distempered brain the displayed Ensignes and Armies heaped together from all parts drew deep sighs from him which were observed by the gentlemen of his chamber Bavalon about break of day comes into his chamber and being asked concerning the secret execution of his command he answered It is done loth to open any more untill he could clearly look into his masters mind The Duke upon this word beginneth his sobbs again with beating his hands which testified great despair in him But he insisting and many times demanding whether Clisson were drowned The Captain replyed He was and that he about mid-night had buried the body fearing it might be discovered Then began the Prince afresh to curse and to abhorre his own anger which had transported him to this out-rage and said Would to God Bavalon I had believed thee when thou didst counsel me to do nothing or that thou hadst not believed me when I so passionately commanded thee His trusty servant seeing he spake in good earnest and that it was time to declare himself assured him Clisson was alive and that he had deferred his commandment out of this consideration that if he persisted in the same mind he should alwayes have means enough to execute him The Duke rapt with this prudence embraced him and gave him a thousand florins for finding out so excellent a remedy for his Passion Observations upon ENVY Which draweth along with it Iealousie Hatred and Sadnesse WE enter into black and Saturnian Passions which are Envie Jealousie Fear Sadnesse and Despair wherein we shall observe a venemous malignity which replenisheth the heart with plagues the life with furies and the world with Tragedies I will begin this order with two Court-Monks who in their time made a great noyse one of which being born for cruelty and bred in massacres his life was a continuall crime and his memory a perpetually execration But the other profiting by the experience of his evils Lamentable envy and enmity of Ebroin against S. Leger opened himself a way unto glory and drew upon him the blessings of posterity Under the reign of Clotharius the third Ebroin governed the State in the quality of the Major of the Palace who was of a spirit ambitious cruell and subtle valuing nothing above his own ends and placing conscience under all things in the world He entred into this charge like a Fox and swayed therein like a Lion doing nought else but roar against some and devour others there being no power able enough to bend his pride as if there were not riches enough in all the world to satisfie his avarice God who often-times suffereth not things violent to be long-lasting gave an end to his tyranny by the death of his Master whose reign was short and life most obscure He left two sons the eldest of which bare the name of Childeric and the youngest was called Thierry Ebroin seeing himself like creeping Ivie which seeks a pillar for support not to stand fair in Childerics mind whether this Prince were too clear sighted to discover his jugglings or whether under the reign of his Father he had otherwise used him then his condition deserved it made him arrogantly to adhere to Thierries faction thinking he had power and credit enough to make an alteration both in nature and State-affairs He then raiseth a controversie in a matter which was sufficiently decided by birth and assembleth the Estates to deliberate upon it where there were so many creatures whom he accounted to be obliged to follow his liking that the palm of so doubtfull a battell seemed to him already absolutely gained There was then in France one Leger a man of great birth of an excellent spirit of an eminent virtue accompanied with grace of body and other parts which made him fit for the Court. His Uncle who was a great Prelate had very nobly bred him giving him admittance into the Palace and his affairs but the sweetnesse of his nature not born for much trouble made him addict himself to the Church and become a religious man but was afterward taken out of his Monastery to be Bishop of Autun His degree and merit then obliged him to be present at this Assembly where it was treated of making a new King and seeing Ebroin insolently supported the younger to the prejudice of Nature and the laws of the Kingdome he undertook to
body of the King with those of his three children and hung them upon the walls of Bethshan where they were seen untill the time that certain valiant men of his party took them away by night and gave them buriall Such was the end of this unhappy Prince whom impiety disobedience love of himself and the jealousie of State accompanied with his ordinary ragings threw head-long into a gulf of calamities At the same time that this unhappy battell was David receives the news thereof fought David was pursuing the Amalekites which in his absence had sacked the town of Ziklag which was the place of his retireing that Achish the King of the Philistims had bestowed upon him He was so happy that he overtook those robbers loaden with their prey and took out of their hands his two wives Ahinoam and Abigail whom they had taken away As he came from this battell a young Amalekite presents himself and brings him the news of the death of Saul of Jonathan and of his other sons affirming that he himself had stood by at the death of the King and had helped him to dye by order which he had received from him cutting off the thread of his life and delivering him from those deadly pains that caused him to languish and for a proof hereof he shewed him his Crown and his bracelet which he presented to David hoping for a great reward from him But this virtuous and wise Prince aswell for conscience sake as his reputation took great heed of receiving or manifesting any joy at this accident but on the contrary being moved with extream grief he tore his garments and put all his court in mourning he wept he fasted he made funerall Orations for the honour of Saul and Jonathan and set forth lamentations which caused as great esteem of his virtue as they moved pity to his countrey Not content herewith he caused the Amalekite that brought him the news of the death of Saul to dye by Justice which he himself had helped to confirm according as he had avouched by obedience and by compassion not enduring that he should lay hands upon a King for to take away his life from him by any pretence whatsoever that he could alledge It seemed that after the death of this unhappy Prince David should forthwith have taken possession of all his estates but wisdome hindred him from proceeding herein so hastily They knew that he had not assisted at the the battell for to help his people that he had retired himself into the hands of the capitall enemies of Israel and many might very justly think that he had born arms for Achish which might diminish much the great opinion that they had of his virtue Further also although that Saul was not so much loved in his life-time yet his death might very well have defaced that blemish of hatred that many had conceived against him They considered that he had sacrificed himself with his three sons for the publick safety and had spared nothing for his countrey They had pity on the evil usage that the Philistims had done unto his body his former good actions in time past the dignity of a King his laborious life and tragicall death did quell all the envie that any could have at his fortunes Hence it was that Abner his chief Captain who was a man sufficiently upright would not lose any time but seeing there remained yet a son of Saul named Ishbosheth aged fourty years although he was but of little courage and as little understanding he made him presently to come into the Camp and caused him to be declared the true and lawfull successour of the estates of Saul not so much for the esteem that he had of his sufficiency or for the love that he bore him as intending to reign by him and over him All the people gave unto him the oath of Allegiance except the kindred of Juda from which David was sprung which gathered together in favour of him and crowned him King in Hebron where he reigned about seven years before he possessed the whole power of the Empire The Kingdome of Judah was then one body with The kingdome divided by the ambition of the favourites two heads the house of Saul and David clashing against each other not so much by the inclination of the Masters as by the ambition of the Favourites and Servants which would reign at their costs Abner was high and courageous Joab also the Joab and Abner do seek for the government chief Captain of David stern and violent which would gain the favour of his Master by devouring him in the which he did not succeed well for that the spirit of David was not so feeble as to comply with such behaviour and it was nothing but necessity which caused him to passe by many things These two chief Captains full of jealousie the one Their combat over the other meeting together at the Fish-pond of Gibeon with the chief of the Nobility Abner began first and demanded a combat under pretence of play unto whom Joab which had no need of a spur easily consented Presently one might see the young men of each side nimbly to bestir themselves whose fingers did itch to be at it and did not fail quickly to surprise one another The sport growing hot by little and little came to a full combat and at last to a battell where many remained upon the place Joabs party was the stronger and that for twenty which he lost he killed three hundred and sixty of Abners men who was constrained to retire himself But Azael the brother of Joab a nimble runner followed The death of Azael by his rashnesse him lively with his sword at every turn ready to wound him the other which had no desire to slay him being not ignorant that if it should come to that it would prove the seed of an irreconcileable enmity between him and Joab his brother prayed him twice to depart from him and to content himself with the spoil of some other without being ambitious of his Azael would not hearken unto him but desired to make himself famous by getting the better of the Captain of the Army At last he seeing him insolent unto that extremity turned back and struck him through with his Launce Joab and Abishai his two brethren incensed with that his slaughter followed Abner with all their force who saved himself upon a hill where a great squadron of the family of Banjamin encompassed him and cryed with a loud voice unto Joab saying shall the sword devour for ever and would he make of a sport so deadly a tragedy as if he were ignorant that it was dangerous to drive them to despair Joab caused a retrait to be sounded making a shew to do that for courtesie which he agreed to for necessity Abner laying aside his warlike humour fell in love The disagreeing of Abner and Ishbosheth with a Concubine of Saul named Rispah which was a
woman well bred and of good courage Ishbosheth was offended thereat for that he had done this without telling him of it But Abner for one poore word spoken to in a very mild manner entred into a rage against The insolence of Abner his King and said that it was to use him like a dog to quarrel with him for a woman after so great services as he had done for the Crown reproching his Master for that he held both his life and his Kingdome of him But seeing that he used him in this manner he would take a course with him and would translate the government from the house of Saul to that of David Masters should not give too much authority to their subjects The poor Prince held his peace and durst not answer one word onely to this bold fellow which was a pitifull thing to see him thus devoured by his own servant The houses of Great ones are very often filled with such servants who having been honoured with an especiall confidence of their Master in the administration of their affairs whether they be their Receivers or Stewards of their families take upon them authority and not contenting themselves to govern the goods enter upon the right of their Lords leaving them nothing but a name and shadow of the Power which is due unto them Abner grew so hot with anger that he dispatched He treateth with David his Messengers to David to desire his friendship and promiseth him to bring the whole Kingdome of Ishbosheth into his hands David answered that he was content to make peace with him so that he would cause his wife Michol to be restored him whom they had married to another after his departure which was readily agreed to for him for they took her away from the hands of her husband that followed her weeping this woman with her lofty spirit had some pleasing behaviour wherewith Davids affection was taken In the mean while Abner powerfully sollicits the people of Israel to betake themselves on Davids side shewing them that God had committed their safety and rest into his hands and that it was he which should unite together all the families under his obedience for to compose a Monarchy which should become happy to his people helpfull to his friends and terrible to his enemies This discourse did very much shake the principall ones of the Nation which were not ignorant of the small hopes that were in the person of Ishbosheth which was disparaged both by nature and fortune This stout Captain following the businesse came to meet with David in Hebron who made him a feast hearkened unto his propositions and conducted him back with honour Joab who was at that time absent at his return quickly understood of the coming of Abner whereat Joabs Jealousie over Abner he entred into a furious jealousie fearing lest David should be of the humour of those which delight more in making of friends then keeping of those that are made and that the friendship of a man which seemed to draw a whole Kingdome after him might much prejudice his fortunes He enters roughly into his Kings chamber telling him that this was but a deceiver which came but to spy out his secrets and to do him some ill turn that he should lay hold of him seeing he was come under his power And for that David answered him nothing seeing him in a hot anger he went out furiously and without authority sent a message to the chief Captain Abner to intreat him to return to Hebron under colour of treating more fully with David The death of Abner He lightly believed it and came back the same way when as Joab that lay in wait for him took him treasonably and killed him at the gate of the city David was indeed very much perplexed hereat and David tolerates Joab in his fault upon necessitie uttered grievous curses against Joab and his whole race neverthelesse as the wisest did judge that there was a great interest in this death and that his chief Captain had become the executour thereof this made some to think that there was some design and though that suspicion was false David did all that he could to deface the blemish thereof assisting at the funeralls of Abner very near to the corps protesting against the cruelty of those that had taken his life from him and highly setting forth the praises of the dead yet he caused not processe to be made against Joab conceiving that he was not able to destroy him in such a time when it was dangerous to provoke him Neverthelesse he kept the resolution to punish him even to his death but Joab contemned all upon the confidence that he had that none could go beyond him and measured his own greatnesse by the impunity of his great offences It is hard to excuse David upon this treaty that he David cannot be excused upon the treaty made with Abner if one have not recourse to the secret and over-ruling will of God projected with Abner traytour to his Master if one have not recourse to the secret and over-ruling will of God or to the right that he pretended to have to the Crown in consideration of his first anointment made by Samuel He knew that the Edicts of his royall dignity were written in heaven and for this cause without endeavouring by any criminall way he expected the work of Providence and applyed himself to the events for without any thought of his Ishbosheth King of Israel was slain by two murtherers Rechab and Baana which killd him as he slept upon his bed at noon-day and brought his head to him at which this great King was so highly incensed abhorring this barbarous act that he condemned them presently to death and after he had caused their heads and feet to be cut off he made them to be hanged at the fish-pond of Hebron David absolute by the death of Ishbosheth son of Saul The death of Ishbosheth the son of Saul ended the difference which was between the two Royall houses and the other families yielded themselves to David by an universall consentment It was then that he began to reign absolutely and to make to appear as in a glorious light the admirable qualities and Royall virtues wherewith he was adorned And it is certain that of all the Kings of Juda there was none hath equalled him in all kind of perfections He was one that feared God without superstition religious without hypocrisie valiant without any sternnesse liberall without reproching it to any one a good husband without covetousnesse The Royal qualities of David stout without insolency vigilant without unquietnesse wise without subtilty courteous without loosnesse humble without cowardlinesse chearfull without too much familiarity grave without fiercenesse and kind without any complements He united all those things together which ordinarily His zeal to religion make Princes great and proved in each of them so advantageous as if he had been
his ambition did here bound it self and promised to speak to the King thereof very willingly which she did going expresly to visit him Solomon went forth to meet her made her very great reverence received her with most courteous entertainment and having ascended his Throne he caused another to be set at his right hand for his mother which said to him That she came to make a very little request unto him upon which it would be a displeasure to her to receive any deniall The son assured her and said That she might boldly demand and that he was no wayes intended to give her any discontent As soon as she had opened the businesse and named Abishag's name Solomon entred Solomons rigour into great anger and said she might have added thereto the Kingdome seeing that he was his eldest brother and that he had Joab and Abiathar on his side and without giving any other answer he swore that he would make Adonijah die before it was night whereupon presently he gave order to Benaiah who supplied the office of Captain of the Guard which failed not to slay this young Prince Those that think that Solomon might do this in conscience He cannot well be justified for the murder of his brother and that one may conjecture that God had revealed it unto him take very small reasons to excuse great crimes and see not that whosoever would have recourse to imaginary Revelations might justifie all the most wicked actions of Princes There is not one word alone in the Scripture that witnesses that after the establishment of Solomon this poor Prince did make the least trouble in the State he acknowledged Solomon for King he lived peaceable he was contented with the order that God permitted for the comfort of the losse of a Kingdome which according to the Law of Nations did belong to him he desired but a maid servant in marriage and he is put to death for it Who could excuse this I am of opinion of the The just punishment of God upon Solomon Dr Cajetan who saith that this command was not onely severe but unjust and I believe that hence came the misfortune of Solomon for that having shewed himself so little courteous towards his mother and so cruel towards his brother for the love of a woman God to punish him hath suffered that he should be lost by all that which he loved most After this murder he sent for Abiathar the chief Priest and gave Abiathar the high Priest deprived of his dignity by a very violent action him to understand that he was worthy to die but forasmuch as he had carried the Ark of the living God and had done infinite services for the King his father even from his youth he gave him his life upon such condition that he should be deprived of the dignity of the high Priest and should retire himself to his house The Scripture saith that this was to fulfill the word of the Lord which had been pronounced against the house of Eli but yet it follows not for all that that this depriving was very just on Solomon's side being done without mature consideration And although God ordains sometimes temporall afflictions upon children for the punishment of the fathers yet one cannot neverthelesse inferre from this that those which torment and persecute them without any other reason then their own satisfaction should not any wayes be faulty for otherwise one might avouch that the death of our Lord having come to passe by the ordinance of God Pilate and Caiaphas that did co-operate unto this order without any knowledge thereof should be without offence As for those that think that the Levites were accusers in those proceedings it is a conjecture of their own invention and if indeed it were so one might yet further reason by what Law could the Levites bring accusation against their chief Priest This jealousie of Government is a marvellous beast and those that would excuse it find for the most part that there is no stronger reasons then swords and prisons and banishments In the mean time the news comes to Joab that he was in great danger for having followed the party of Adonijah and as he saw himself on the sudden forsaken and faln from the great credit that he had in the Militia he had recourse to the Tabernacle which was the common refuge and taking hold of the Altar he asked mercy and his life Banaiah the executour of the murder goes to him by Solomons order and commands him to come forth for which he excuses himself protesting that he would rather die then forsake his refuge which was related to King Solomon who without regard to the holy place caused him to be massacred The death of Joab at the foot of the Altar to mingle his bloud with that of the sacrifices Behold what he got from the Court after fourty years services and one may affirm that if it had been sometimes a good mother to him now it acted a cruel step-mother at the last period of his life There remained no more but Shimei to make up the last Act of the Tragedy and although David had given commandment for his death Solomon seemed yet to make some scruple upon the promise of impunity that was made to him and this was the cause that he appointed him the city of Jerusalem for a prison with threatning that if he should go forth thence and onely go over the brook of Cedron he would put him to death The other that expected nothing but a bloudy death willingly received the condition and kept it three years until the time that on a day having received news of his servants that were fled to the Philistims it came into his mind to follow them without taking heed to that which was commanded him which caused that at his return he was murdered by the commandment of Solomon by the hand of Benaiah Behold the beginning of a reign tempestuous and one must not think to find Saints so easily at the Court especially in those which have liberty to do what they please many things slip from them which may better be justified by repentance then by any other apology That which follows in this history of Solomon is all peaceable and pleasing even unto his fall which may give cause of affrightment The third year of his reign he had an admirable Dream after the manner of those that are called Oracles A wonderfull Dream of Solomon It seemed to him that God appeared to him and spoke to him at the which he was in an extasie and seeing himself so near to him that could do all he desired of him with incredible ardency the gift of Wisdome to govern his people the which pleased so much the Sovereign Majesty that not onely he gave him a very great understanding above all the men of the world but further also added thereto Riches and Glory in so high an eminence that none should equall him There
them with all the inventions of their Nation for to surprize him there was one that would gain him to her another that would keep him another that would draw him from one sin to another even unto the bottome of hell It is farre more easie to become a fool with a woman then to make her wise he had endeavoured perhaps to covert them to his Religion but they perverted him and drew him to theirs He took their loves and afterward He is perverted in Religion their behaviour and at last their Superstition Every one of these women would bring her God into esteem and thought not her self to have any credit in her love if she did not make her false Deity to partake thereof they made such Gods as had no honester Title then the sinnes of debauched women As soon as he had made an Idol for one he must do the like for another all there went by the Emulation of their brains weak in reason and ardent in their passions They reckon about six Temples built round about Jerusalem to the Gods of six principall Nations But it was not sufficient to make these Gods they must be adored and presented with Sacrifices and Incense to content his Loves And he did not all this in shews onely nor dissimulation but his heart as the Scripture saith was wholly turned aside from the true God and fell as S. Austin saith into the depth of the gulf of Idolatry What might the admirers of his great Temple have said or rather the true worshippers of the great God What discourse might so many Kings and Queens have held that had had in so high esteem the wisdome of Solomon The report of his Loves and his Superstitions ran throughout all Kingdomes as a story unheard of which caused laughter enough to wicked ones as tears to good people and astonishment to the whole world How art thou faln from heaven O fair starre of the The dissipation of his estate morning Thou faithfull fore-runner of the King of Lamps which wert adorned with the purest and most innocent flames of the firmament who hath made thee to become a coal and who could bury thy lights in a dung-hill This lamentable King lost that great wisdome that made him esteemed over the whole world and became stupid leaving the care of all the affairs of his Kingdome All those great riches were exhausted and cast as it were into the gulf of Luxury He began to over-charge his people to maintain his infamous pleasures which made all their minds revolt against him The Prophets and Priests could not relish with him by reason of his changing Religion All the understanding Nobility did abhorre him seeing him so plunged in his filth The Commons desired nothing but to shake off the yoke that they could no longer bear God raised him up Rebellions on every side which prepared themselves ââ overthrow his Empire But no man took it so much to heart as Jeroboam an able and subtil man whom he had advanced and employed in gatheââng his Tributes for him It was he to whom he Prophet Ahaziah gave ten pieces of his garmeât fore-telling him that he should reign over to Tribes of Israel and that was the cause that the King would have put him to death but he fled ânto Egypt and returned under weak Rehoboam thâ successour of Solomon who despising the counsels of the Antients that exhorted him to give his people content trusted to that of the young ones without brains which perswaded him to hold his own and that the people would not be brought under but by rigour Which made him to be forsaken by ten Tribes at once which cast themselves into the arms of Jeroboam who made a change of Religion and State in Samaria without ever being able either himself or his successours to bring them unto obedience again See here how Kingdomes change their Masters for the sins of lasciviousnesse impiety and oppressions of the people which are then greatly to be feared when despair hath brought them to fear nothing One may ask for a conclusion what became The estate of Solomon in the other world of this wise Solomon Whether he died in his sinne or whether he repented Whether he were saved or damned This is a Common place that hath exercised many excellent pens which have handled this subject curiously and eloquently I love not to do things done already I shall say onely that we may alwayes take the most favourable opinions which can with any likelihood defend themselves in favour of the safety of great persons There are some number of the holy Fathers which speak very openly thereof and perswade themselves that he repented S. Jerome upon the Prophet Ezekiel saith That although the founder of this great Temple sinned yet he was converted to God by a true repentance and for proof hereof he alledges the Book of the Proverbs in the four and twentieth Chapter that saith Novissimè ego egi poenitentiam respexi ut eligerem disciplinam that is At the last I repented and looked back that I might chuse instruction Although these words are not found in our Bible as he also draws them from the Septuagint and to uphold his opinion he will have Solomon to have written the Book of the Proverbs after his fall which is very hard to verifie And elsewhere also the same Authour upon the first Chapter of Ecclesiastes saith That this Book is the repentance of Solomon according to the Hebrews S. Ambrose in the second book of the Apology of David Chap. 3. puts Samson David and Solomon in the number of sinners converted Erraverunt tamen ut homines sed peccata sua tanquam justi agnoverunt Behold here that which is most formall without collecting many ambiguous passages S. Gregory the Great in the second book of his Morals Chap. 2. S. Prosper S. Eucherius Prosp lib. 2. de praedict cap. 27. Solomon clatus in senio fornicatus animo corpore Domiuo ipsum deserente malè obiit and amongst the Modern Tostat Bellarmine and Maldonat condemne him Tertullian Augustine Cyril of Alexandria Gregory Nyssen Isidore Bernard Chrysostome and Rupert leave this question doubtfull and undecided And to say truly this is all which can be said modestly and humanely and also the truestin a matter where there is nothing more certain then incertainty For to say that he hath composed the Book of Ecclesiastes after that he was deprived of his Kingdome and of all the Vanities is a story of the Rabbins which are little to be believed further also this Book is properly a Dialogue of divers men that dispute one against the other and bring forth good and bad sentences although the Authour of the Book doth take the good part To say that which Bonaventure saith That not one of the sacred Authours was damned if it be true the reason is because they lived well and not because they have written well For the kingdome of God saith
forasmuch as he was most Catholick and that they feared lest the Chamberlain and his favourite held yet some of the leven of Anastasius that was an Heretick The Cow-herd being then set upon the Throne of Constantine Amantius that had merchandized the Empire seeing himself so shamefully faln from his pretensions plotted a mischievous conspiracy against the new Emperour but he succeeded in it so ill that his design being discovered he lost his life together with his complices after he had lost his honour and his money Justin that was endowed with a great goodnesse did not grow proud and scornful when he was arrived to the top of honours but having married a woman very mean in her first condition he caused her suddenly to be crowned Empresse changing her salvage name of Lupicia into Euphenica He consecrated the beginning of his reign by the return of the Bishops and of all the honest men which he caus'd to be call'd back from the exile to which the Heretick Emperour had condemn'd them He caus'd Religion to flourish again on all sides and express'd a most ardent zeal to render justice to his people without sparing himself in the toyles of war though he was already very aged He enjoy'd the Empire eight or nine years and being a man extreamly humble he lov'd his kindred though of base condition and seeing he had no children of his own he chose his sisters son to make him his Successour and gave him even the Crown before he quitted the Sceptre and the world after a reign of nine years Behold the originall of our Justinian of whom Histories speak very diversly seeing that the admirers of his actions give him high commendations and the enviers of his great fortune who might perhaps have experimented the effects of his severity have scatter'd imputations on him in their reviling Histories that have pass'd even to this age But the most understanding men having well examin'd every thing put him in the rank of the most illustrious Monarchs of all Christendome And indeed it is a wonder how a spirit extracted from the life and condition of a Shepherds took so high a flight in the Temple of glory that having taken in hand all the great designs that may fall into the spirit of a Monarch he prospered in all with a merveilous successe He maintein'd his dignity against the most horrible conspiracies that ever set upon an Empire in the revolution of so many Kingdomes He made wars in Asia in Europe and in Africa which he ended by most eminent victories He recovered Africa out of the hands of the Vandals he powerfully pluck'd the Capitall City of the World out of the tyranny of the Gothes he publish'd eternall Books he erected buildings that remain yet after they have passed more then ten ages He encountred the greatest Captains and the most able States-men that have been ever in the world in the person of Bellisarius and Tribonian And although that when he took the government of the Empire he was five and fourty years of age yet he reigned thirty nine years God crowning all his good actions with a long continuance which serves infinitely for the accomplishment of all great designs I will tell you in few words his Nature and his Manners before I come to his deeds of valour according to the most true relation that I have been able to extract out of Histories without passion and not according to the Idea's of Procopius who hath horribly difigur'd him by a manifest hatred in his railing History This Prince was a man that feared God and firm in the faith of Christianity and although he was at certain times surpriz'd with some errours by the artifices of his wife the Empresse yet the Learned men of the West and Pastours of the East that have so highly praised him after his death testifie sufficiently that his spirit was purged of all the wicked beliefs that his Doctours had endeavoured to infuse into his soul and which he had approved by an excesse of a too credulove zeal Hereticks and Libertines were the object of his hatred and his choler but good Churchmen caus'd in his soul a certain veneration and he studied by all wayes to assist and protect the Churches and the Hospitalls his Liberalities were extended every where in works of piety by great buildings and magnificent alms He was most chast contenting himself all his life with her that God had given him for a companion and his most violent enemies have not been able to tell us one onely womans name that hath possessed his heart to the prejucice of his Bed He could not endure wantonnesse and especially that that brings a shame to nature which he chastised with most rigorous punishments He detested and punished by his laws all those that laid snares to the modesty of Virgins and of Women to corrupt them His manner of life was extream austere and Procopius himself the most cruell of his revilers acknowledges that he was most sober and that he would cause the table to be taken away when he had scarce touched the victuals seeking nothing exquisite therein but denying oftentimes to nature even her necessities He hath seen him he sayes fast the Lents with such an austerity that the devoutest of all his people could not reach it for he would be eight and fourty hours without eating or drinking and at the end of that he drank nothing but water contenting himself with a little bread and a sallade yet he was endowed with a body so well composed and so happily temper'd that after his long abstinencies he appear'd yet ruddy from whence it came that that Calumniatour instead of acknowledging the blessing that God gives in this extraordinarily to some of his servants said That he was a Devil and not a Man Further yet he slept very little and the same man adds that often an hours repose suffised him and that he bewailed the time that he allowed his body He made long prayers night and day and employed the rest of his time in his affairs without admitting any other recreation Those that have publish'd that he could neither write nor reade have abus'd the belief of men taking the name of Justinian for that of his Uncle Justine for the Historian his persecutour confesses that he wrote his Breviats and all his dispatches without troubling his Secretaries He was of a most easie accesse to all the world and was not offended at the importunities no nor at the incivilities that those that were ignorant of the fashions of the Court committed in his presence He heard willingly the differences of his people and he himself pronounced the sentence to determine them his patience was extream he never was mov'd in handling any businesses and decreed even the most rigourous punishments with a cold visage and a tone of a moderated voyce He was a true observer of order who manag'd in his closet with incomparable justice what ere should be produc'd in the whole
World and that Heaven makes me be born again in your Person If you will reign happily fear God which is the source of Empires and the Sovereign Father of all Dominions keep his Commandments and cause them to be observed with an inviolable fidelity Take the care and the Protection of his Church Love your young brothers and your sisters rendring your self good and officious to your Kindred Honour the Church-men as your Fathers cherish tenderly your subjects as your children and be all your life time the comforter and the Protectour of the Poor Chastise the vicious and recompense the men of merit Establish not Governments Judges and Officers which are not capable and without reproch and when you have established them deprive them not of their charges without a most just cause Serve first of all for an example to all the world and lead before God and Man a life irreprochable After this action he stayed about a year longer in the world purifying continually his spirit by repentance by good works and by the contemplation of heavenly things And when he saw himself infected with an extraordinary sicknesse he caused immediately the Sacraments to be administred to him and dyed with a most pious and most exemplary death at the age of seventy two years the fourty seventh of his reign and the four teenth of his Empire His Corps were exposed in publick clothed after the manner of a King with a sword and the Gospel which he had so gloriously defended Then he was interred with a stately Magnificence in the Church of Aix the Chappell which he had built He was universally lamented by all the world as the Father of the Universe and the singular ornament of Christianity The Pagans themselves wept for him abundance of tears so true it is that the goodnesse and sweetnesse of a King towards his subjects is a ray of God that renders him lovely in his life and gives splendour even to his ashes after his death He was afterward Canonized by Paschal that was not a lawfull Pope but forasmuch as the true successours of Saint Peter never retracted that action He is held for a Saint and honoured publickly in the Church with the approbation of all ages Saint LEVVIS S. LEWIS K. OF FRANCE I Do not forget that I have already spoken of Saint Lewis in the first Tome but because that was by accident and by the way I will here extend my thoughts somewhat more largely and give you a more compleat Elogium of him It is very true that an Antient faith That great Goodnesse is seldome joyned with great Power and that well-accomplished Kings are so few in number that their names might be comprehended all together within the circumference of a Ring But I may add that if God did take delight to carry this Ring in very deed as the Scripture doth attribute it to him in an Allegory and if he would engrave there the names of all the good Kings that of great S. Lewis would possesse the first place This Monarch was so like unto virtue that if it should have shewed it self on the one side incarnate to mortall eyes and Saint Lewis on the other one should hardly have been able to judge which had been the Copy and which the Originall It is not my intention to write of his life here upon which so many excellent pens have laboured very fortunately but to make a reflexion upon some principall points of his Government Great things do not alwayes cause themselves to be known by a multitude or great variety of discourse but oftentimes by draughts abbreviated And no man in my opinion ought to conceive amisse of this seeing that we measure every day the greatnesse of the Sun by the shadow of the earth and his goings in the Dyals by a little thread I know that heretofore three lines onely represented upon a Table did set forth an Idea of the perfection of the excellentest Painter in the world in the understanding of the skilfull and I will draw here three little draughts for to set before your eyes the beauty and bignesse of the virtues of S. Lewis In one word he hath done three mervellous things whereof the first is that he found out the means to joyn the wisedome of State with that of the Crosse The second that he hath planted humility upon Sceptres where it hath ordinarily very slippery footing and hath likewise placed it amongst the Rubies and Diamonds of the Crown where its lustre is often darkened by the too stately glittering of the World A third is that he hath joyned the devotion of one consecrated to Religion to the courage of the Alexanders and Cesars As for that which concerns the first conjunction it The first marvel the joyning of the wisdom of State with the Gospel Tert. Apol. is so rare that Tertullian who flourished two hundred years after the Nativity of our Lord when as yet there had no speech been of any Emperour that had embraced Christianity said That if the Cesars should become Christians they would cease to be Cesars and if the Christians should become Cesars they would cease to be Christians He conceived that poornesse of spirit could not agree with so high and stately riches nor humility with a sovereign Empire or the tears of Repentance with the delights of the Court that the hungring and thirsting after righteousnesse could not stand with the desire of Conquerours nor pitifulnesse with Arms nor purenesse of heart with the conversing with most pleasing beauties nor peace would consist with the licentiousnesse of warre and suffering persecutions with an absolute power to revenge ones self And neverthelesse Saint Lewis alone hath found means to joyn things together which seem so contrary in the highest degree that ever they were found to be in so-Kingly an estate Amidst the riches of a Kingdome so abundant he was not rich but onely towards the poor and if God had permitted him he would have as willingly covered himself with the habit of Saint Francis as with his Royall Purple He did never consider himself otherwise amongst all the goods that he possessed but as the Steward of Jesus Christ he left unto God willingly the glory of having given them him to needy persons the benefit of receiving them and kept nothing to himself but the pains of distributing them He assaid a thousand times to enter into Religious Orders and yet still answer was made him that God would have him to be King he wore the Crown by way of obedience he used riches onely for necessity and had no other thing in his desire then spiritual nakednesse and a perfect unloosing himself from all worldly things In the midst of an Absolute power he was so meek that his heart seemed a Sea where a calme perpetually reigned The Scarlet of his attire did never colour his face with the heat of anger Arrogance did never puff up his words he made it his glory to communicate himself
that great Kingdome It was an Edict of Death not of the death and of the ruine of one man or of one City or of one Province but of a whole Nation The evil was universall and carried on all parts Menaces Bloud Slaughters Fears and Affrights from Euphrates even to Nile The terrour began at the capital city Shushan where the Edict was seen and read by all the world hanged upon the pillars and on the walls of Publick places bearing these words Artaxerxes the Sovereign Lord and King of all the Nations that are from India as farre as Ethiopia to the Princes and Governours of the seven and twenty Provinces of our Empire Greeting Since the time that I subdued the universe under my Laws it was never my will to abase the greatnesse of my Power but I have desired to govern my good Subjects with all clemency and sweetnesse making them enjoy a peace and tranquility to be wished for by all mortalls and for this purpose inquiring of the means that I might use for the effecting of this design Our most dear Haman the second person of our Kingdome which exceeds all the men of the world in capacity and fidelity hath represented to me that the Jewish people dispersed through all the Provinces of my Empire being separated both by Religion and Laws from all the other Nations despise our Edicts and cease not to render themselves troublers of the publick Quiet Which having been well and duly considered we have ordained and do ordain That they be punished according to the orders of our most dear Haman who is the Superintendent of all our Provinces and whom we honour as our true father Furthermore we will and intend that this Edict shall be put in execution the thirteenth day of the Moneth Adar the last of the year to the end that all the wicked descending into Hell in one and the same day may render peace and quietnesse to our good Subjects which they have troubled by their Factions Such is our good pleasure Given at Shushan the first of the Moneth Nisan Behold how Haman and his Complices workers of Iniquity cut their Furies Quills and dipped them in Bloud to make the King of the Persians say what ever pleased them having his Seal and Authority in their hands Poore Mordecai seeing the great Tempest that was ready to fall upon the heads of all his people having read that Edict and knowing that Haman was at the Table with the King who was not seen by any endeavoured to move the whole World to pity clothing himself with Sack-cloth and covering himself with Ashes together with all his people that wept and howl'd about him This sad Squadron marched even to the Walls of the Palace without entring in for it was not permitted not so much as to Mordecai to be seen at Court in so deplorable a Condition which would have offended the eyes of the delicater sort Bad news hath Wings to fly and abundance of Voyces to make it self be heard The frighted Maids and Eunuches fail not to tell Queen Hester of what ever had passed whereat shee was much amazed and hearing that her Uncle was at the Gate covered over with Ashes with Sack-cloth upon his back she sent him secretly a Sute of Clothes which he refused judging it not sutable to his fortune which made her dispatch another Messenger which was Athac the Eunuch that waited on her who went out of the Castle and inquired of Mordecai of all the state of so sad a businesse The other made him a short Narration of it and gave him a Copy of the Edict to present unto the Queen praying him to tell her that she must necessarily go and see the King and act powerfully with his Majesty for the deliverance of his people Athac returns readily to his Mistresse and faithfully relates to her what he had heard of Mordecai The poore Princesse was in an equall ballance greatly racked in minde Shee durst not go to the King without being sent for and to reject the intreaty of her Uncle in an accident so pressing it was another Death to her She sends Athac back again to represent again to the good Mordecai the danger of that Negotiation and to tell him that there is a Law established by the Prince that ordains That whosoever shall present himself before his eyes without being called for shall be punished with Death unlesse that by his mercy he holds out his Sceptre to him in sign of safety and that thereupon she had not seen his Majesty these thirty Dayes not knowing in what posture she is at present in his heart that if she should finde him in some ill Humour there were an end of that Life which she seeks not to preserve but for the safety of her People Notwithstanding all these Remonstrances her Uncle sends to her to go tells her that if she neglected to negotiate in so important an occasion God would find other means to save his people But she should had need to take great heed lest her Fathers House and her self also should perish by too great a care of their Preservation and that she ought to think that perhaps the Divine Providence had placed her where she was it may be for that onely reason Here one knows not what one ought to admire most whether the Authority that Mordecai took over the Queen or the Obedience that the Queen rendered to him She had no sooner heard that Reply of his but she said It is concluded I will go and sacrifice my self to Death with all my heart to obey my Uncle and save if I can my Nation Go to him Athac and bid him assemble all the Jews that are in Shushan let them keep a Fast of three dayes for the successe of this Attempt with continuall Prayers I will do the same on my side with my servants here and afterward we will adventure upon the businesse Behold how we ought to proceed in great Negotiations making God alwayes to march in the head of them who is the source of all good Successes There was then an admirable Consort of Devotions both within and without the Palace Mordecai was in the middst of his People lifting up his hands to Heaven and saying Great God whose Empire hath no limits and whose absolute will suffers no contradiction Your hands have formed both Heaven and Earth with all the beauties that are included in their bosome and there is nothing that can resist the puissance of your Arm. My God you know every thing and are not ignorant that the refusall that I have made to reverence the proud Haman proceeds of Pride or Vanity that is in me for from this present time I would kisse the ground whereon he treads for the safety of my people But I have been afraid to transferre the honour of the Creatour to the Creature and to give a companion to your Majesty and therefore I be-you O the God of our Fathers to cause one ray
will if they might have had but the permission given them He saw that he subsisted not but by his favour which he abused so basely He resolved to pick a quarrell with him and asked him instantly What might a Great King do that would honour a Favourite to the highest Point Haman thinking that that Question was not made but in favour and Consideration of him Answers with an Immeasurable Impudence That to honour worthily a Favourite and to shew in his Person what a great Master can do that Loves with Passion He must clothe him with his Royall Cloak put the Kings Diadem upon his Head set him upon his own Horse and command the greatest Prince of the Court to hold his Stitrop and his Bridle and lead him through all places of the City and to Cause an Herald to Proclaime before him That it is thus that Ahasuerus honoureth his Favourites The Prince was astonished at this Insolence and to make him burst with spite said to him that his Opinion was very good and therefore he commanded him to render all those honours presently to Mordecai the Jew that was at the Palace Gate This Divel of Pride was seized with so great an amazement at that Speech that he had not so much as one word in his mouth to Reply and as he was Vain-glorious and Insupportable in his Prosperity so there was nothing more Amated or more Base in Adversity He extreamly racks his spirit to dissemble his discontent The fear of Death and Punishments due to his Crimes if he did resist the Pleasure of the King made him swallow all the bitternesse of that Cup. A strange thing Poor Mordecai that was all nasty covered with Sack-cloth and Ashes is fetched is washed is trimmed up and clad after the fashion of a King Haman presents himself to hold the Stirrop of the Horse and to lead him by the Bridle while his Enemy was shewed in Triumph to the eyes of the whole City of Shushan How much Resistance do we think he made not to accept this Honour What thoughts came into his head whether it was not a Trick of Haman that would give him a short Joy to deliver him to a long Punishment He could not believe his Eyes nor his Reason he thought that all this had been a Dream In the mean while the whole City of Shushan beheld that great Spectacle and could not be sufficiently amazed at so extraordinary a Change Haman after the Ceremony was over returns very sad unto his House deploring with his Wife and friends the sad sport of Fortune The Confusion of their troubled spirits suggests nothing to them but Counsels of despair and they say That since Mordecai hath begun sure he will make an end He was very loath to go to that Feast of the Queens he feared that it would prove a sacrifice and that he should be the offering Hester that saw that her sport was spoiled if he was not present caused him secretly to be engaged and pressed by the Eunuchs of the King who under colour of Civility conduct him to his finall Misery He enters into the Chamber of the Feast The King dissembles all that had been done there was nothing talked of at the first but of passing merrily the time away Every thing flourished every thing Laughed but Poyson was hid under the Laughter and Venome under the Flowers At the end of their Repast the King Conjures the Queen to tell him at last what it was that she desired of him because he was fully resolved to divide his Crown and Sceptre with her Then sending forth a great sigh she cryed Alas Sir I do not sue to your Majesty for any of all the Honours or the Riches of your Empire but I desire of you onely my own and my poore peoples Lives which some would overthrow Destroy and Massacree by an horrible and bloody Butchery Sir I ought no longer to disguise any thing to your Majesty God hath made me be born of that Nation which is given for a Prey under your Authority and destin'd to the Shambels It is me that they aime at If they had gone about onely to make me and my People Slaves I would have held my peace and stifled my groans But Sir what have I done that my Throat should be cut after I shall have seen the Bloud of my nearest Kindred shed before mine Eyes to be thrown as the last Sacrifice upon a great heap of Dead Bodies and Buried in the Ruines of my dear Countrey Alas Sir shew us Mercy You that are the Mildest of all Princes restore me my soul and the lives of my whole Nation The King entered into an Admiration of Extasie upon these Words and said to the Queen I know not to what this Discourse tends or where the Man or the Authority is that dares do this without my command Then she replyes He to whom your Majesty hath given your Seal that Traytor and perfidious Haman It is he that hath caused bloudy Letters to be written through all the Provinces to deliver me and my People up to Death and know Sir that his cruelty rebounds upon your head Haman quickly perceived that he was a lost man and the Palenesse of Death came at the same instant into his Face The King rises from the Table and walks into the Garden that was hard by to chew upon his Choler The Queen that had put her self into a Melancholy casts her self down upon the Bed Haman throwes himself at her feet and as a man that is drowning layes hold on what ere he meets with He beseeches her he Urges her he Conjures her to shew him Mercy and in saying so bowed himself down upon the Bed and approached very near unto her The King entring at the same time into the Chamber and finding him in that Posture How sayes he will he also violate the Queen my Wife in my Presence and in my House Let some body take him away Instantly they come and cover his Face as they were wont to do to those that were carried away to Punishment and one of the Eunuchs thought of saying That he had prepared a pair of Gallows of fifty Cubites high for Mordecai the Preserver of the Kings Life It is that which is his Due answered Ahasuerus and let him be hanged suddenly upon the Gibbet that he hath set up This was executed without delay there being no body that was not extream joyfull of his Ruine Mordecai was called to the Palace to take his Place and to Govern all the Houshold of the Queen that now acknowledged him in the presence of the King her husband for her Uncle Hester afterward beseech'd the King to command Dispatches to be sent through all the Provinces to countermand and to make void the Letters of Death which cruell Haman had caused already to be spread through all the Kingdome This was found very reasonable and they were forthwith Expedited in these Termes Artaxerxes the Soveraign Lord and King of
and shakes even the strongest The Altars overturn'd upon the bleeding Priests the children strangled in the bosome of their sighing Mothers the flames that without distinction devoured the sacred and profane the Houses that seemed now but dens of Beasts presented to the world an hideous spectacle that gave more desire to dye then courage to live Amidst these desolations was found a gallant old man named Matathias the father of many sonnes all men of valour who went our of Jerusalem to retire himself in the City of Modin There he assembled all those of his family who were followed of whatsoever remained yet of most courageous to oppose themselves against the fury of the Tyrant and to retein the remnants of the true Piety As soon as the infidels had heard that a little handfull of men assaid to subtract themselves from their puissance and refused to make open profession of the Religion of the Pagans they failed not hastily to send unto them a Lieutenant of the Kings that summoned Matathias to render up himself with all his men and to offer Incense to the Idols But this virtuous man assembling his sons and his allies said thus unto them It would be to be too much in love with Life to be willing to spare and keep it in the losse of the true Religion I am sorry that I ever entred into the world when I consider the time to which God hath reserv'd my age to see the disasters of my people and the desolation of holy Jerusalem abandoned to the pillage of rapinous hands and to the prophanation of the impious Her Temple hath been handled as the object of all reproches and those Vessels of Glory that served for the Ministery of the Living God hath been taken away by violence We have seen her streets covered with dead bodies and the little children having their throats cut upon the Carcases of their Fathers And what Nation hath not possessed our heritages and is not inriched with our spoils The holinesse of the Temple hath not stayed sacrilegious hands and so many slaves of that proud City have not been able to preserve themselves from flames After this what interest can we have in life unlesse it be to revenge the quarrell of God I am promised all the honours and all the goods that I can reasonably hope for If I will obey the King Antiochus and range my self on the party of those that have so basely betraied their faith But God forbid that I should ever fall into such a prostitution of Judgment or of courage When all those of my nation shall have conspired to forsake their Law to obey the time and to accommodate themselves to the Prince's will I can answer for my self and for my children and for my brothers assuring my self of their Generosity that they will never do any thing that is base Let all those that shall have a zeal to the true Religion joyn themselves to us and know that amongst so many miseries there is nothing better then to mark with their blood the way of Safety and of Glory to give example to Posterity In the mean time the Kings Commissioners pressed every one to declare himself and to sacrifice whereupon a man of the people of the Jewes whether he was frighted by the terrour of the punishments or allured by the promise of rewards stepped forth to sacrifice upon an Altar set up in publick and dedicated to the false Deities But Matathias having looked steddily upon him felt his heart enflamed with a violent heat of the zeal that possessed him and running to that Apostate killed him with his own hand and laid him dead upon the Altar making him serve for an offering in the place to which he came to be a Priest He added to him also that Lieutenant of the King that commanded them to offer those sacrifices of abominations and declared open warre to all the Infidels that would constrain them to forsake their Law It is a wonderfull thing to consider the power of a man in zeal that contemns his life and is ambitious of death This holy old man began an army with five sons that he had and a few kinsmen He quitted the City of Modin where he could not be the stronger to entrench himself upon a mountain whither those that were zealous for the defence of the antient piety arrived from all sides with their wives their children and their flocks all resolved to live or to dye with the Illustrious Maccabeans Matathias seeing his army every day increase did brave exploits of warre so that he was not contented to beat back the Infidels but assaulted them even in their trenches and chased them away which gave him all liberty to demolish the prophane Altars that they had erected in many places to cause Circumcision to be administred to little Infants and to recover the sacred books out of the hand of the enemyes In fine this valorous Captain after many Combats seeing his last day approch made a long oration to his children enflaming them to the zeal of their Religion against the Tyranny of King Antiochus and after he had given them Judas Maccabeus for their Chief and Simeon for their Counsell blessed them and shut up his life by a most glorious end Judas that had been a good Souldier under his Father became a great Commander amongst his brethren and continued the design that had been traced out unto him by the virtue of their Ancestours employing all his power to raise again the Trophies of the God of Hosts that had been thrown down by the fury of the Infidels I find that this great Cavalier founded his whole life upon Conscience and Honour which he alwayes esteemed above all that is precious in Nature and recommendable to Grace He believed even in perfection a God Sovereignly Almighty that hath an eye always open upon the actions of men that is the distributour of Glory and the Revenger of Iniquities and held firmly that he was to be acknowledged and adored by the worship and the Ceremonies ordained in the law of his Fathers and therefore embraced with an Incomparable ardour the true Religion using his uttermost endeavour to practice defend and maintain it to the prejudice of goods life honour and of all that is esteemed dearest in the world He yielded himself to be totally conducted by Providence which he held to preside in all Battels so that he measured not victories by the multitude of souldiers by arms by fortresses by ammunitions of warre but assured himself that there was a secret Providence from above that made all the happinesse and misery of men From thence it came that he had a wonderfull confidence in the Divine Protection believing himself to be beloved of God whom he loved reciprocally more by sincerity of affection then by exteriour Pomp He never went to fight but he fore-armed himself with strong and ardent prayers he never undertook to give battell but he exhorted his men to implore
and pierced it with his sword but finding himself cooped in by the multitude of men that were about and over him he could not make a retreat soon enough but was as S. Ambrose said buried in his triumph Yet Judas having perceived the puissant forces of the King saw well that the party was not tenable and made an honourable retreat into Jerusalem Lysias failed not to follow and to besiege him in his trenches with abundance of engines of stone and fire The other defended himself very courageously resolving rather to bury himself in that place then to yield it up by any sort of basenesse The besieged after some time were reduced to some extremity being combated by arms and hunger in a year of rest wherein the Jews according to their custome had sowed nothing and were no more in hopes to gather any fruits There was every where a very great desolation but as the favours of heaven happen often to good men in the bottome of their miseries behold an unexpected accident that provided farre other businesse for Lysias and his pupill Philip took his time and seeing his Rivall busied in that Jewish warre was resolved to ruine him and to make Eupator a companion of his misery seeing he had rendred himself the instrument of his will The deceased King had a brother named Demetrius who was at that time at Rome given in hostage having not the liberty to return unto his Kingdome Philip pricked with jealousie against Lysias failed not to solicite that young Prince to seize upon the Empire businesses being not yet well settled in the Nonage of King Eupator It was an injustice and perfidiousnesse against the sovereign but forasmuch as Antiochus the last dead father of Eupator had hereunto supplanted his Nephew by the same artifices Demetrius left not to hearken to it In those fair hopes of the Crown and in his captivity he was as a bird that torments himself in his cage upon the arrivall of a spring and burned with a strong passion to have his dismission from the Roman Senate to put in order as he said the affairs of the Kingdome and to assist the King his nephew after his fathers death But the Romans that took pity on the pupil by reason of Justice and that feared lest this man would embroil the State denyed him the liberty that he desired Philip failed not to possesse himself of the city of Antioch the Metropolis of the Kingdome and to tread out the way for Demetrius to his Nephew's throne There were men suborned that ceased not to sow amongst the souldiers and people That it was not a fundamentall Law in the Kingdome of the Seleucides that the Nephew should precede the uncle and although men had a mind to introduce it that the father of the pretended King had abrogated it usurping the Sceptre upon his Nephew that one should do his race no injury to render it the same usage that there was no reason to refuse a Prince of four and twenty years of age well made full of spirit of courage and authority to take a child that had neither strength nor counsel nor industry and which was born for nothing but to ruine all To this was added that it was not the bloud of the Seleucides that was upon the Throne but that Lysias Reigned and went about to render himself usurper of the Crown of Asia which was the uttermost of reproaches that so generous a Nation could endure to see a man of nothing insolent savage to make himself master of the most considerable part of the world and to exercise a tyranny upon men of honour and merit that oppose his pernicious designs These complaints often redoubled ceased not to stirre up spirits and to procure the change of State that followed Lysias saw well that it was not now a time to be obstinate on the ruine of the Jews nor to busie himself about the siege of one place when the whole Realm was a tottering He thought on nothing but on getting speedily out of that warre with some little honour thinking it not convenient to provoke a people mutinous enough in that commotion He caused the young King to look upon them with a quite other countenance and told him that it was best to let them live in peace without disturbing them in the matter of Religion assuring him that in all other cases they would contain themselves within their duty and that good services enough might be drawn from them Yet that he might not discover any lightnesse in this change he laid all the fault upon Menelaus that was an Apostate Jew and an enemy of his Nation who he said had been the cause of all the confusion by his railing speeches and therefore he made him serve for a sacrifice to that treaty of Peace in which he singularly obliged the Jews and washed away the blot that the favour expressed by him to this wicked villain had printed upon his face He shewed by this action the counsel that Politicians give their Sovereigns to abandon those to the publick hatred that have carried them to reproachable excesses to disburden themselves of the envy and if he had practised this example towards him that then made himself the teacher of it his Sceptre had been more secured and his life most lasting Lysias before he raised the siege of Jerusalem made an Oration publickly before the Principals of the Army and all the souldiery alledging fair pretenses for that resolution but taking great heed not to discover the chief cause for fear lest that news should wave the minds of those that inclined enough already to the side of novelty and sedition He used a wonderfull diligence to render himself before the city of Antioch into which he entred and Philip who found not himself yet strong enough to hold out a long siege quitted to him the place and fled away to Egypt This first successe puffed up the heart of Lysias who became exceeding haughty and considered so little the Romans in that high puissance that made the earth to tremble that he permitted an Embassadour sent to him by the Senate to be assassinated without shewing any reason In the mean time one Diodorus that had bred up Demetrius in his infancy transported himself from Syria to Rome and animated him by a great vigour of words and reasons to render himself an usurper of the Crown He certified him that his Nephew Eupator which was a child but nine years old was not any whit considered that Lysias was the object of the publick execration that he had confidence in no body nor any one in him that all the souldiery and people sought a new Master and that he was assured that if he did onely shew himself though he should be followed but with one servant onely all the world would run to him to carry him to the throne He kindled so strongly the ambition of that young Prince that he secretly stole away from Rome and made account
in the lives of the Nobility never discoursing of his own atchievements but with singular sobriety In his marriage he demeaned himself most chastely and had such an hatred against impurity that he would not so much as keep a servant that had a lustfull eye Behold how passing one day on horse-back through the streets of the City of Genoa as a Lady presented her self at a window to comb her hair and a Gentleman of the Marshalls train seeing her tresses very bright and beautifull cryed out Oh what a goodly head of hair standing still to behold her This Lord looking back on him with a severe eye said It is not well done it is not fit that a wanton eye should be seen to glance from the house of a Governour In this kind and all others which concerned the commerce and peace of the Citizens he rendred so ready and exact justice that it was a Proverb amongst the Genoes when any one was offended to say to him who had done him wrong If you will not right me my Lord Marshall will The other understanding it oft-times rather chose to submit to the right then expect a condemnation which was inevitable By this means he so gained the good opinion of the people that the inhabitants of the City sent to the King beseeching him that he might continue the Government to the end of his dayes which having obtained it seemed to them that they had procured an Angel from Heaven to be set at the Stern of their Common-wealth At that time when the Emperour of Constantinople then dispossessed of one part of his Empire by the great Turk came into France to desire succour and had obtained of the King twelve hundred men defrayed for a year many widdow Ladies were seen at the Court who complained of injustice and oppressions which were offerred them after the death of their husbands whereby this good Marshall was so moved with compassion that with much freedome he instituted an Order of Knights for the defence of afflicted Ladies which he sirnamed The Order of the White Ladie because they who made profession of it bare a Scutcheon of gold enamelled with green and thereon the figure of a Lady in a white Vestment thus sought he by all occasions to do good and shewed himself a great enemy of idlenesse as being the very moath of great Spirits He ordinarily rose early in the morning and spent about three hours in Prayer and divine Service after that duty was performed he went to Councel which lasted till Dinner-time After his repast he gave audience to all those who would speak with him upon their affairs never failing to behold his Hall daily full of people whom he speedily dispatched contenting every one with sweet and reasonable answers from thence he retired to write Letters and to give such order to his Officers which his pleasure was should be observed in all his affairs and if he had no other employment he went to Vespers At his return he took some pains or recreation then finishing the rest of his Office he ended the day On Sundayes and Holy-Dayes he either went on foot in some Pilgrimage of Devotion or caused the Life of Saints or other Histories to be read daily more and more to dispose his Life and Conversation unto Virtue When he Marched into the field he used most admirable discretion never oppressing any of his company nor would he permit even in the enemies Countrey that the least disturbance should be done to Churchmen Behold you not here a Life worthy of a French Cavalier Oh Nobility This man was not a Petty Roister that makes boast to fight in a green meadow But a Souldier who during the Warres with the English kept the Field of Battell three times thirty dayes together against those brave Souldiers who did oppose him from whence he went out all sparkling with glory and wonder I would here willingly adde a Bertrand of Guesclin Count of Longuevil and Constable of France whose Life Mounsier Menard hath given us written by a Pen of that antient Age in as antient Language You should see a man who after he had dedicated his Soul Body and Arms in the Offertory of a Masse at the Altar fought six or seven times hand to hand in the Field exercised strange Feats of Battell and Arms stood in the midst of Combats unmoved and confident as in his Chamber being otherwise furious strong and stout in the presse You should see a man sage in Counsels prompt in Execution whom an Enemy found near at hand when he thought him thirty miles off A man in all things else free from Fraud or Dissimulation Chearfull Courteous obliging and liberall of his own employing his Movables and his Wives Jewels for the relief of poor Souldiers Then you may judge whether by being Valiant you may live in the Court of a Christian Prince like a little Turk Where is your Judgement and where is your Reason BAYARD BEhold a man whose life not long since hath been published to serve as a modell for the Nobility we yet touch him as it were with our finger for he dyed under the reign of Francis the First having served three Kings in their Armies the space of two and thirty years It is the valiant Terrail otherwise called Cavalier Bayard born in Daulphine I willingly make use of his Example both because one of our most warlike Kings the sonne of Francis the First would needs be knighted by his hands to witnesse the honour he bare to his valour as also for that I see therein many noble Martiall virtues of a brave French Souldier passages which taste of the virtue of a true French souldier He was a courageous Captain of excellent direction valiant and magnanimous of whom it was said that he had the assault of the wilde Bull the defence of the Bore and flight of the wolf I set aside his warlike deeds I take some of his virtues which here I will make use of This royall courage had no other aim in arms but the glory of God the service of his Prince and the honour of his profession whereof we have an ample testimony in a short Elogy which his secretary made upon him saying That after these two and thirty years service he dyed almost as poor as he was born Much is spoken in these few words and I think Bayard more glorious under this title then if he had born the Dutchy of Milan on his back He had the true piety of a good Souldier for every morning he prayed to God most devoutly and would not permit any man to enter into his chamber during his devotions He was so obedient to those who commanced in the Army that he never refused any commission imposed upon him Yea well foreseeing that the last charge enjoyned him by the Marshall Bonivet was most dangerous and as it were impossible yet he went thither sacrificing his life to the commandments of the Lieutenant of his Prince
Sea for drowning those little Innocents in the Nile The life of one onely man oftentimes costs him dear that will have it by Revenge what then do we think that it is to root out a great family or a whole Nation to satisfie one of our appetites All the veins of those that are persecuted bend themselves to resistance and God in fine taking their cause in hand overwhelms all humane Policy in a crudity of undigested designs and a shame to have try'd every thing and to have done nothing to have exhausted the sweat and the bloud of the people the gold and the steel of great Kingdomes all malices and all hell and to obtain no other thing but a remarkable Confusion through the weaknesse of ones power Seneca said to Nero that inflicted so many deaths by a jealousie of State that he killed men to good purpose indeed and that whatsoever endeavour he used he should never put to death his successour When Tyrants torment themselves without and sack smoaking cities and mow off so many innocent heads they have within that which will destroy them Pharaoh ceased not to storm and to make every day new massacres to cause him to perish that would make an attempt upon his State and in the mean while his own daughter nourishes the most capitall of his enemies that was to make his Sceptre fly in shivers and bury him in his race under the ruines of his Empire Naturall History hath observed a strange thing of the nature of the Helmet-flower that it is a plant as venomous as possible and that kills all those that eat of it and yet for all this there are little flies about that plant which are nourished with it and what is admirable serve for an Antidote against its poyson The Court is a residence very prejudiciall to Innocence and that of Pharaoh's was without doubt a School of Murders and of Massacres rather then an Academy of Honour and yet God permitted that Moses should be bred up there and that without being touched with a venome so contageous to virtues he should give a remedy to those that were offended with it He learned all the Arts and all the Wisdome of the Egyptians he considered all their Policy all their Artifices their Arms their Levies their Victuall their Souldiers the Principles of their Government the Effects the Successes the Disposition of King Pharaoh the Esteem the Credit the Capacity and the Designs of the great Ones of the Court the Means that had upheld that Monarchy and the Things that might ruine it He was respected and esteemed of all as the true son of the Princesse which gave him the liberty to know every thing and to learn the secret mysteries of the Empire not as a stranger but as an originary He shewed from his infancy some glimpse of the greatnesse and of the power to which God destined him when according to the report of the Hebrews being at play one day with the Crown of Pharaoh he threw it on the ground and trod upon it with his feet which was esteemed a very bad presage and gave much trouble to the King but when they would discern whether that action proceeded from judgement and from malice or from chance they presented to him on one side an apple and on the other a coal of fire to see to which of the two he would reach his hand now the child quitting the fruit took the fire as if he would put it to his mouth to eat it Whereupon the sages of the Nation informed the King that there was no reason to put to death an infant adopted by his daughter for an action of simplicity He was then trained up in the exercise of arms and Josephus relates that being come to maturity of age he was a great warriour and that the Ethiopians having made an inundation upon the Realm of Egypt with great forces when the State was very much troubled with them the King was counselled by his Oracles to make use of an Hebrew Captain to stop the course of those hostilities The charge of the Army was given to Moses who led it with great prudence through places that others judged inaccessible and by means of certain Birds which he caused to be carried out of Egypt purged the Countrey of the serpents that were wont extremely to annoy the souldiers In fine he chased the Ethiopians and shut them up within the walls of their city Saba which he puissantly besieged The beauty of his countenance furnished him with darts and engines to take it that were stronger then fire and sword The Kings daughter having seen him from an high tower as he gave orders for the siege was so ravished with his valour that she became passionately in love with him and causes him to be sued unto for marriage on which condition she would deliver the city into his hands which was executed and the Nuptialls followed which changed the thunders of Warre into the songs of Love The glories that this Conquerour gathered from these combats were the seeds of an enraged envy which the Egyptians had against him ceasing not to persecute his virtue so that he was constrained to get him out of Egypt Yet it is held that he was at Court till the age of fourty years without advancing any thing in that great affair of the Deliverance of his People so leasurely do mighty negotiations proceed and are like the Planet of Saturn which being the highest is the slowest too He resented his bloud and his originall and had very much ado to digest the rigours that he saw continually exercised upon his brethren yet as long as he was at Court his spirit seemed to be in an eclipse without producing the vivacity of those fair Lights that God communicated to him in the wildernesse The Wise-men lost their Starre at the Court of Herod and Moses was deprived of his high revelations in that of Pharaoh He was in a condition not to be able any longer to dissemble the evil of his Nation and in an impotence to advance the good as he would have done he made a resolution to leave that place that was so familiar to Crimes and inaccessible to Virtues The clamours that he heard and the miseries that he saw rent his heart He could not hold from making an insolent Egyptian that tormented one of his brethren feel how much his hand weighed for having already a secret magistracy from God he killed him and buried him in the sand A few dayes after as he plaid the moderatour between those of his Nation an impudent fellow rose up against him and demanded of him the virtue of his commission reproaching him with the murder of the Egyptian which he thought had been very secret yet when he perceived that it was known at Court and that Pharaoh that was a suspicious Prince took jealousies of his courage and of his sufficiency he quitted all the greatnesses and all the delights of the palace of that
fall from Heaven that since Egypt was in being there was never seen the like for it sustain'd it self upon the wings of the Lightning and the Fire and Ice agreed extraordinarily together for the punishment of those perfidious men He saw legions of Grashoppers that made an inundation upon the champains and made havock of the plants finishing to destroy that which the Hail had begun In fine all Egypt was covered with those palpable Darknesses that lasted for the space of three dayes during which the Egyptians remained as bound with the invisible chains of a night without repose which had nothing better in it then to take from them the sight of their disastre But that which terrified them above all the plagues was when the destroying Angel entring at midnight into all their houses killed the first-born from the child of the Millers wife to the Kings son and there was not an house wherein the first blossome of the Family was not lopped off by the pittilesse hook of Death The fathers were touched with a stupid grief the dissheveld mothers threw themselves down upon the bodies of their infants to gather from their mouths the remainders of their life the whole family sent out howlings rather then complaints and the evil was so universall and so pressing that there was neither consolation nor remedy Pharaoh sighed at every Plague and seemed to be willing to turn to God but as soon as he had the least release he returned to his obstinacy which was a mark of a Reprobate soul Yet his subjects sensibly touched with the last accident urged the Hebrews to be gone and would no longer oppose the counsels of God The day of departure is taken and the six hundred thousand combatants with an innumerable number of women and little children after the ceremony of the Paschall Lamb travell to the red-Sea loaden with gold with silver with suits of apparell and with all the richest spoiles of Egypt The pillar of cloud and of fire marched before them in the head of the Army to give signall to the twelve Tribes that beheld it visibly on all parts Notice is given in the mean time to King Pharaoh that those fugitives were already stoln away and gone enriched with the treasures of his People And although he had given some kind of consent to their going yet he enters again into his furies assembles his light-Charriots and all the flourishing Legions of Egypt to pursue the Israelities They failed not to overtake them quickly upon the Sea-shore so that the two Armies were in view of one another The one of which was filled with a great number of people badly prepared at that time for a combat valour forsaking their heart and their hands ready to throw away their arms The other was composed of sprightfull and well trained Regiments to whom choler and the hope of booty gave a new vigour The glittering of the Arms the Clouds of dust that were raised the shouts of the Souldiers mingled with the neighing of Horses gave mortall strokes to the hearts of that poor multitude which had now no other thought but to dye murmuring and to revenge their death on Moses by their murmures Alas said they What! were there no Graves in Egypt to bury our lives and miseries without leading us into the Wildernesse to deliver us for a prey to the sword of the Egyptians and to the Birds of rapine Did we not say well that we should have stayed peaceably in the bondage wherein God had ranged us without making these great provisions and shutting our selves all up as in a net to deliver our selves to the discretion of our enemies We have the sea on one side and on the other our incensed Masters that breathe nothing but fire and bloud on which hand soever we go we see nothing but images of death and infallible marks of the misery that threatens us All the Army was filled with fear and the sighs of the Wives and of the Children abated the courage of the Fathers and of the Husbands who expected nothing any more but to be the subject of an horrible butchery But the generous Moses although he had an heart pierced with grief to hear their blasphemies ran through the ranks of the Army encouraged the Captains animated the People and as long as he had any voyce or breath cried without ceasing Courage my friends ye are here assembled to see the wonders of the God of Hosts Behold them onely without troubling your selves and God shall fight for you See and consider those brave Egyptians your persecutours and believe that it is the last time that you shall see them for they shall be no more And after he had said this he spake to God with a silence that surpassed all clamours and therefore God answered him What hast thou to do any more to cry thus after me Lift up thy Rod stretch forth thine hand divide the floats of the Sea and make thine Army march through the fair middle on dry foot This was executed and all that great people of the Israelites animated by the spirit of God and the voyce of Moses that marched in the head of them descended with a firm footing and a secure countenance into those Abysles where the water of the sea retiring it self apart made them ramparts of Chrystall on each side and discovered to them in the middle a path that the hand of God seemed to have laid with tapistry for to make them passage The pillar of fire that was planted in the midst of the two armies furnished them with unparrallel'd lights to manifest the works of God and on that side which looked towards the Egyptians it was horrible and dark bearing already the presages of the funerals that attended them The Angel of God shut up in this engine of fire darted out Thunder-striking looks upon the Diadem of Pharaoh and upon all those that encompassed him Their courage failed them and nothing now was left them but a rage yet fuming after bloud They throw themselves desperately into the sea which they promised themselves to passe over on dry foot as advantageously as their adversaries But the waters returning into their bed with an impetuous course invelop'd those miserable men there was nothing now but a confusion of men and horses of Arms and Charriots of bodies pestering one another that disputed their life with the waves and dyed expiring out the remainders of their fury Pharaoh the King was drowned the assistance of his Captains had not the strength to save him whom the hand of God would destroy Nothing was to be seen but Bucklers and Turbans floating upon the water and death painted in a thousand faces that made a mervellous booty The Israelites being in an extasie at these wonders thundred out a song in the praise of God that hath since ravished the heart and ear of all Ages After that Moses had drawn his people out of the captivity of Egypt he imitated God that did not
businesse fill'd them with such an amazement that their ranks being in disorder they killed one another without knowing their own party The people of Israel having received intelligence of that rout take heart again and get them out of the caves into which they had retired themselves to range themselves about Saul's person who was thereby transported with such an ardour that he conjur'd all his Army to follow the Philistims without drinking or eating till they were all destroyed This was a precipitation of his unequall spirit and a true Chimaera yet desiring to make that passe for Zeal which was a pure Passion he would needs cause his son Jonathan to be put to death for having sucked a little honey at the end of his rod but the people rescued him out of his hands and desisted to pursue the Philistims being not in a condition to fight with them Some time after Samuel exhorted him to enterprise a puissant Warre against the Amalekites sworn enemies of the people of God and conjur'd him to make every thing passe through the edge of the sword without sparing any body and above all to reserve nothing of the booty that should be made upon them that should not be consumed with fire To this Saul seem'd to be inclin'd with vigour and raised an Army of more then two hundred thousand men so great was the weight of the Authority when Samuel put himself into party He fell suddenly upon the Amalekites and defeated them with a generall rout so farre as to take their King prisoner but he contented himself with destroying and burning all that was caytiffe and unprofitable reserving Agag the King with the best flocks and herds and choicest moveables In the mean while he was so much puft up with this victory that he caused an Arch of Triumph to be erected to himself and spread himself in the vanities of his spirit while God was thinking of rejecting him and giving orders to Samuel to tell him his unhappinesse Yet Saul blind in his sin received the man of God into his Camp with an extraordinary joy vaunting himself for having efficaciously fulfilled the commandment of God and while he was speaking it the voyce of the Flocks that he had put aside was heard whereupon Samuel said What means this Cattle that strikes my ears with its bleatings To which he answered That he had reserved them expresly for an offering to the living God But Samuel replyed That there was no Sacrifice so pleasing to God as Obedience and that Sin which was contrary to him was a kind of Idolatry and that since he had despised the Word of God he should be cast off and deprived of the Kingdome whereat he being astonished confessed that he had offended hearkning more to the voyce of the People then to that of God and beseeched Samuel to excuse his sinne to bear with his infirmities and to go with him to the sacrifice to adore God in sign of reconciliation Whereto Samuel replyed that he would have no more any thing common with a man whom God had abandon'd and saying this steps forward and turns his back to him the other layes hold on the fringe of his robe which remained in his hands which when the Prophet saw Behold said he how your Kingdome shall be divided and given to a better then your self The Triumpher of Israel the true God of hosts is not as a man to change his purposes and repent him of his counsels The King humbled himself again acknowledging his fault and beseeching Samuel earnestly not to leave him but to render him the ordinary respect before the Princes of the people and to come and worship God with him Samuel fearing the disorder of the Army consented for that time but afterward never saw Saul any more to the day of his death He ceased not to weep bitterly for him considering that he that had been chosen by his hand had come to so little good and had carried himself with so much contempt of the commandments of God This wounded his heart and would not let him put an end to his mournings till his great Master comforted him and suggested David to him who should fill up worthily the place that Samuel was about to lose by his iniquity And indeed he performed then a bold enterprise going to Bethleem under colour of a Sacrifice and Anointing David King in Saul's life time although that design was secret that it might be managed with more successe After that time Saul was left visibly by God possessed with an evil spirit and gnawed perpetually with jealousies of State which the person of David caused in him by reason of his valour and great virtues as I shall declare in the following Elogy In the mean while Samuel lived retired from Court without meddling with Sate-affairs and Saul by his departure changed the sins of Vanity and of Fearfulnesse into Sacrilegies and Massacres letting loose the bridle to his fury to retain the phantasme of an Empire that flew out of his hands Good Samuel ceased not in his solitude to bewail two King that he had made looking upon one as an homicide and the other as a sacrifice of death He was afflicted inconsolably to hear of the deportments of that furious Saul that made of one wickednesse a degree to passe unto another inventing every day new butcheries to cement his Throne with the bloud of his brethren He melted himself with compassion for his poor David seeing Saul's sword hang but by a little thread alwayes ready to fall upon his innocent head He deplored the miseries of the poor people which he could not any longer remedy and passing over again in his remembrance all the vicissitudes of mans life and the treacheries of the Court he had an ardent thirst to depart out of this world to go to find Innocence in the bosome of his Fathers God heard him and drew him to himself by a peaceable death the seventy and seventh year of his age the eight and thirtieth of his Government and the seventh after his retreat from Court He was mourned and lamented for by all the people as the Father of his Countrey and magnificent Funeralls were made for him to render him a testimony at his death of the commendable actions of his holy and generous life Saul remained yet two years upon the Throne after him and the Even before his great overthrow the Soul of Samuel returned from Limbus not by the work of the Pythonesse but by the will of God and spake to him and told him of his disastre as I have said in the Maxim of the Immortality of Souls DANIEL DAniel entred into the Court by Captivity stayed there by Mortification made himself known by Prophecy and there also rendred himself renowned by great Virtues To comprehend this it is necessary to know that the little Kingdome of Judea was ordinarily very much exposed to the Armies of the Assyrians which God had chosen to be scourges and the
instruments of the Justice that he exercised upon the sins of his people King Nebuchadonozor that reigned in that Monarchy six hundred years before the Nativity of our Lord fell upon Palestine with a mighty Army took and pillaged the city of Jerusalem carried away King Jehojakim with the richest vessels of the Temple and abundance of prisoners of the most noted men amongst which was Daniel accompanied with other young children of a good parentage The King gave charge to Ashpenaz chief Gentleman of his Chamber to chuse him Pages of Royall extraction well made without any blemish or disgrace as well of mind as body that should be versed in arts befitting the Nobility well learn'd in exercises docile and well-governed and that he should teach them the Chaldean Tongue which was the Language of the Kingdome that they might wait upon him in his Chamber Ashpenaz having proceeded in the businesse with much consideration resolved to take Daniel and his three companions Ananias Azarias and Misael From hence one may collect that this young child was endowed with most excellent qualities for the conversation of the world and the life of the Court Some have perswaded themselves that he was the son of King Hezekiah but it is without foundation and with ignorance of the Chronology seeing that if this opinion were true it must be inferred that Daniel that is here dealt with as a child and chosen for Nebuchadonozor's Page was at that time fourscore and ten years old which would be a great impertinency Yet it is credible that he was descended from some son or daughter of the same King but however one may assure that he was of the bloud Royall seeing the King had expresly ordered that the Children that were to appear before him for his service should be taken out of that quality Besides his eminent birth he was endowed with a very gentle fashion knowing according to his age dextrous in the exercises of the Court of a sweet and prudent spirit very different from the temper of him that we proposed in the precedent Elogy But to speak sincerely if a good man ought to be considered as a Temple these exteriour qualities make but the portall there are others in the understanding and in the will that compose the Mysteries of the Sanctuary This young child was endowed with a great intelligence in things of Faith and Religion and of a chaste fear of God and of rare virtues that surpassed farre the ability of his age Who can sufficiently commend that which he did at his entrance into the Court with his companions that took light from his spirit and strength from the imitation of his courage They were now come from the siege of an hunger-bitten city from a long voyage and abundance of wearisome toils they find themselves suddenly in the abundance and delicacies of a magnificent Court where they were to be sed as the other Pages with the viands that were served up to the Kings table Youth hath ordinarily a great inclination to a sensuall life and to content all its appetites so that there are some that seem not to eat to live but to live to eat Yet these young children made a firm resolution to abstain from all the delicious food that was served up to Nebuchadonozor's table whether for the fear that they had lest they should have been offered unto Idols or for the love of Temperance they earnestly beseeched the master of the Pages to entertain them with nothing but with pulse and when he feared lest that usage should make them lean and that the King should perceive it they prayed him to try them for the space of ten dayes assuring him that living in such a manner they should be full of health and vigour This was verified by experience and when they were to appear in the presence of the King they were found in good plight active and well instructed above all the rest The Prophet saith That the beauties of the desert Psal 64. Pinguescent speciosa deserti shall be fat and fruitfull so those bodies that are as deserts deprived of the fat and of the abundance that a voluptuous life ministers to the delicate have a certain blessing of God that infuses into them an health a grace and a beauty sutable to a good temper Do we not see that all those birds of prey that feed themselves with the flesh of beasts send forth an horrid cry but the Nightingales that live innocently by some little seeds of plants sing melodiously Daniel was made to charm the ear of a great King by his discourses to live in contemplations and in lights he would have nothing to do with the smoak and ill vapours of Nebuchadonozor's Kitchen He was full three years under this master of the Pages Praying Fasting keeping the Law of God learning the Language of the Countrey and the Modes of the Court This time being expired he was presented to the King amongst other children of divers Nations who liked him exceeding well with his companions and found that he eminently surpassed the capacity of all those of the Countrey and of the rest that were nourished with him When he was advanced in age and now approaching to thirty years it pleased God to render him very famous at the Court as another Joseph by the Interpretation of a Dream King Nebuchadonozor had a great Vision in his sleep which very much disquieted his mind for there remained in him an Idea that he had dreamt of some magnificent thing but his Dream was escaped from him and he could by no means unfold it whether he said true or whether he dissembled to try his Diviners and all those that undertook to foretell hidden things He makes a great Assembly of the Sages of the Countrey in his Palace to know of them what it was that he had dreamed whereat these men were very much astonished and told him with all humility that no man ever dealt so with the Interpreters of Dreams but that the extraordinary manner was to declare the Vision and then seek for the Interpretation This King that was of an impetuous and extravagant spirit said That he was not contented with that triviall fashion of telling his Dreams to give them matter of inventing afterward such an Interpretation as they would but that the true secret of the Science was to divine the Dream it self The Magicians reply'd That there was none but the Gods that could give a resolution of that and that their commerce was farre distant from ours The King thereupon sent them away with anger and without giving vent to his choler resolved to rid himself of all the Diviners in his Kingdome having already given command to his Captain of the Guard to put them all to death All of them fled and were exactly searched for Daniel that was thought to make profession of these extraordinary Sciences was involved in the same danger there being no want of wicked minded men that seeing him
an ox for the space of seven years this had been enough to have made him been declared an Impostour and been banished from the Court Neverthelesse it is a strange thing that Nebuchadonozor makes no reply thereto but hears patiently the counsel that he gives him to expiate his sinnes by Alms and by good Works He was seized with a great fear of God with an affright that took from his mouth all manner of reply to think by what means he might appease the menaces of heaven But we must averre that this great King had something in him very wild and a spirit that had no more subsistence then the clouds and winds He passed often from one extremity of the passions to the other without lighting upon the middle and sometimes he appeared humbled to the abysse and sometimes also clave to the air and clouds and planted his Throne by extravagant imaginations even above the stars This Dream of the Tree kept him in his wits a pretty while but scarce were twelve moneths expired but being one day in his Palace he entred into a mad vanity about the city of Babylon which he said he had builded by the strength of his wit and of his arm and for the high magnificences of his glory The word was yet in his mouth when the anger of God fell upon his head as a sudden flash of lightning and he was changed into a beast not that he lost his humane soul nor the ordinary figure of his body but he entred into so violent and so extraordinary a frenzy that he perswaded himself that he was an ox and instantly forsook his Palace and his Throne ran up and down the fields and fed on grasse with the beasts and although endeavour was used to cure him by all sorts of remedies yet experience shewed that this evill was a wound from heaven for which no case was to be found He became so mad that they were fain to bind and chain him and yet he brake his chains and tore his clothes and exposed himself all naked to the rain to the winds and to all the rigours that the seasons brought His hair increased horribly and his nails so crooked that they would make one believe that he was some bird of rapine All the Court was in mourning and sadnesse for this so terrible an accident and although his burnt bloud and his violent passions had much contributed to his malady yet so was it that the blindest saw that there was in it a manifest punishment of God Evilmerodach his son took the government of the Empire in quality of Regent during the indisposition of the King his father and although he appeared to be much moved at that change yet there was more shew in it then reality But in fine this miserable frantick having passed seven years in a pitifull condition came again to his right senses and the first thing that he did was to lift up his eyes to heaven to blesse God to acknowledge that his might was without limits that his kingdome was an everlasting kingdome that all men of the habitable earth were but nothing before him that he disposed of all as well amongst the heavenly virtues as amongst the creatures of this lower world that nothing could resist his power without experimenting his Justice His good Subjects touched with a great compassion sought him out again and re-placed him upon his Throne where he reign'd with a great modesty and lived in the knowledge of the true God as so farre as to work out his own salvation as S. Augustine assures us together with other Fathers of the Church So every thing was restored to him with more splendour and Majesty then before his accident bringing no diminution to his Authority This gave incomparable joyes to holy Daniel who amidst all the Grandeurs of the Court wished for nothing but the conversion of his Master Evilmerodach that had taken some liking to the Regency was not contented at this change but expressed so much despight at it that the King his father distrusting him kept him in prison which was very bitter unto him seeing himself descended from the Throne in a moment to the condition of a captive It is held that Nebuchadonozor reigned after his re-establishment the space of six or seven years and that the successour of his Empire was this Evilmerodach his prisoner who remained a long time in the languor of his captivity He found in that prison Jehojakim King of the Jews and as men in misery have a kind of obligation to love the like he looked upon him with a good eye and recreated himself often with him having no other company at all The memory of this friendship accompanied him to the Throne and he caused his companion to be delivered out of prison using him honourably and giving him even Offices of importance in his Court The new King passing from one extremity to another in such a sudden behaved himself but ill for it is said that he caused the body of his father to be torn in pieces for fear he should return again from the gates of death to resume his Sceptre and that he reigned with much insolence taking a pride to trample under-foot all that his predecessours had exalted And therefore that eclipse that Daniel was in at Court as it appears from the sacred Text might have happened at this time since that the Jews were retir'd and had little credit in the kingdome This holy Prophet seeing himself discharged of the businesses of the Court and ranged in a solitude was in his element and recollected all his thoughts to give to his heart the joyes of God which good souls find in a retirement It was then that he entred farther into the commerce of the intelligences that he was visited by Angels with more favour that he learn'd the secret of Empires and saw all the glory of the world at his feet yet he could not belie his good heart nor avoid but that the contempt of the true Religion and the affliction of his poor people that suffered much in this alteration was very sensible to him Evilmerodach was never the happier for leaving the pathes of Piety which his father had trod out for him for after a short and wicked Reign he was suppressed by his brother-in-law Neriglossor who having a child by his wife named Belshazzar the grandchild of the great Nebuchadonozor put him forward to succed in the Empire In the mean while the father governed the kingdome in quality of a Regent and when Belshazzar was of age he remitted all the power into his hands which he used moderately during his fathers life but as soon as he was dead he laid aside his vizard and grew dissolute in the quantity of excesses and of debauches shamefull to a Prince of his extraction The heighth of his fatall pleasures was in the most sumptuous banquet that he made to which he invited a thousand persons of the best quality in his kingdome
wherein their spirits being poured out into an excessive voluptuousnesse the King himself being full of wine and impiety commanded that the magnificent vessels which his grandfather had taken in the Temple of Jerusalem should be brought upon their cupboard which was readily performed and he put them into the hands of his wanton Courtiers and immodest women who mocked at the mysteries of the true Religion That banqueting-house seem'd nothing now but a repair of Bacchanals where Gluttony Love Sport Jeasting exercised all their power and the lascivious devils were unchain'd to induce the ghests to all sort of intemperance when behold a Prodigy comes that changes the dissolute merriments of that Court into an horrible tragedy An hand of a man without the body appeared upon a wall whose fingers seem'd to move and to write unknown characters whereat the King was so affrighted that all his body trembled and his countenance appeared laden with pale colours of Death which spoiled all the sport and caused a great silence in the banqueting-hall Immediately recourse was had to the Sages and Diviners of Chaldea to reade and interpret that writing but they were found alwayes weak in such mysteries as these The Queen Mother had a good soul and retained alwayes some impression of the true Religion she remembred Daniel that was at that time banished from the Court and had in esteem ' his great wisdome and good conversation and thefore as soon as she had heard of the accident that had happened and the great trouble of mind the King her son was in she entred into the hall and spake to him very advantageously of Daniel assuring him that he was a personage that was fill'd with the Deity and that under the Reign of his Grandfather he had given admirable interpretation of hidden things which made him be loved of that great King who fail'd not to declare him the Prince of the Council of the Sages of Chaldea but that the insolences of Evilmerodach insufferable to all the world had driven him from the Court though not from Babylon in which yet he was and that he was the onely man capable to resolve him in so strange a businesse The King received this advice with much joy and commanded instantly that Daniel should be caused to come to him who was retired in his little solitude He is sought for he is found he is brought to his Majesty who entertained him very courteously and asked of him the Interpretation of the words written on the wall promising him that if he would tell him the truth he would give him the purple robe and the collar of the Order But Daniel expressed to him that all these presents moved him nothing and that he aimed at no other honour at the Court then that of his Master whose will and decrees he would declare He puts the King in mind of his Grandfather of the Greatnesse and of the Majesty of his Empire of the absolute power that he exercised over men and how his heart being lifted up against God he was reduced to a brutall life in which he remained the space of seven years till such time as his chastisement giving him wisdome had rendred to him his health and Sceptre After he had prepared the spirit of Belshazzar by a domestick example he told him with a generous freedome that that which he had known to happen to the person of that great King was sufficient to humble him and yet he had exalted himself against the Sovereign Monarch and had caused with much mirth of heart the consecrated Vessels of his Temple to be profaned when he caused his Gods of gold and silver to be praised to the roproach of the true God and that in revenge of so bad an action that hand which he had seen on the wall was sent from heaven and had written three horrible words which are Mene Tekel Pheres that is to say Count Weigh Divide the first signifies that God hath counted the dayes of his reign and hath put a period to them the second that he had been put in the balance of the Sovereign Judge and that he had not been found weight the third that his kingdome should be divided and given for a prey to the Medes and Persians It is a strange thing that Daniel having made so dolefull a prediction King Belshazzar entred not into wrath against him but on the contrary commanded that the purple and collar of gold should be given him which he had promised to the Interpreter of his vision But there will be lesse cause to wonder if we consider that it was a Maxim amongst the Babylonians not to be angry with the Diviners and Astrologers when they foretold any evil to come no more then with the shadow of a Sun-diall that shews the hour or the weather-cock that declares the wind And furthermore this young Prince hearing his Prophet speak with so much judgement and sanctity had him in esteem for a man of God which he ought not to offend and besides that by entreating him with courtesie he hoped that being a friend of the true Gods he might have as much power to turn away the scourge wherewith he was threatned as he had understanding to know it and forced of spirit to foretell it One might also marvel that Daniel who at the the beginning testified that he made small account of the riches and greatnesse of the Court for all that accepted of the purple of the chain and of the dignity of the third person in the kingdome that was presented to him But we ought to observe that sometimes it is an infirmity of spirit not to be able to endure honour when it comes by a Divine disposall and a secret of Providence over us This wise Courtier considered that being of his own nature so farre from all these things they came to seek him out in his solitude and that it was a sign of God that would have it so not for him but for the benefit of his Nation which was much more favourably used in matter of the exercise of their Religion when he was in favour besides that the virtue and moderation which he made glitter in all his actions even in his highest prosperities contrary to the ordinary manner of all those that were then at Court gave more glory to God then if he had been perpetually hidden in an obscure life It was an indiscretion in Belshazzar to expresse so much astonishment and to disclose that prediction by reason that there was a secret conspiracy against him which was plotted amidst those publike dissolutions and the conspiratours were the more animated to the execution of that enterprise when they knew that that Prodigy threatned him The same night they performed their wicked design and outrageously murdered him after he had reigned but nine moneths since his fathers death The principall men of the Kingdome that were of the conspiracy chose one of their complices named Nabonidus who is called in Scripture
resolve to dye Yet for all this Elijah orders her to make him a little Loaf baked under the Ashes and to think afterward upon her self and sonne and assure her self that neither her Meal nor Oyl should diminish any thing till such time as the Famine should be past It was a strong proof of the faith of this Sidonian that commanded her to take away the Bread from her self and her sonne to give it to a stranger and quitting that which she had in her hands to rest upon uncertainties Yet she obeyed in that great necessity yielding more to a man that she knew not for the esteem that she had of his virtue and the opinion which she had that he was the servant of the great God then to her own Life So true it is That the Considerations of Religion and of Religious persons touch even the souls of Pagans and of Infidels So was she worthily requited having a little inexhaustible treasure in her house which was sufficient for her Prophet for her self and for her child and this was a particular mercy of the Sovereign power to her that called her to his knowledge by this miracle and would not that Elijah should eat alone the bread which he multiplyed by the words of his mouth but that he should give part of it to the poor as our Saviour did afterward God ordaining that good miracles should be never vain but profitable to the soul and body of men created after the image of God While he stayed in this house the sonne of the Dame of it dyed of a burning Feaver whereof this poor afflicted woman laid the fault upon Elijah saying that he had renewed the memory of her sinnes before God and Elijah complained of God for that he had afflicted his Hostesse But that great Master did all for his own glory for Elijah having three times contracted himself upon the dead body of the child breathed into him the spirit of life and restored him to his mother Three years being now passed in the great anguishes of hunger God commanded Elijah to present himself again to Ahab and was resolved to sent some Rain When the extremity of the evil was very great and no inventions could be found to appease the scourge Ahab a carnall man instead of having recourse to Prayers and Supplications to ease his subjects thought on nothing but preserving his Horses and his Mules He had at his service and at his Court in quality of a superintendent of his House and of his Levies a great and good man named Abdias who moderated the furies of that wicked Court saved the Prophets of God when they were persecuted and greatly comforted the People Ahab resolved to go one way and send him the other to seeek some herbage to feed his Cattle As Abdias was going along his way he met with Elijah the Prophet whom the King had caused to be searched after in his own territories and through all the neighbouring Kingdoms without being ever able to learn any news of him And therefore he was very much amazed at that accost and asked him if he were Elijah whereto he answered that he was the very same and that he should go and give Ahab information of his comming The other making him a low Reverence with his face to the Earth replyed wherein have I ever offended you that you should deliver me into the hands of Ahab with an intention to cause me to be put to death For it is true that there is no Kingdome nor Nation whither my Master hath not sent to inquire news of you without ever getting any light of you and now if I should go tell the King of your arrivall and the spirit of God should carry you away as it doth ordinarily to transport you into some other part I should be found a Lyar and the King would take away my Life What good would it do you to be the cause of my death seeing that I have feared God even from mine infancy and have alwayes honoured his servants so farre as to preserve an hundred Prophets from the horrours of the Persecution and nourish them secretly at mine own charge in Caves wherein they were hidden Do not deprive your self now of a servant that is most gained unto you The Prophet assured him and sware to him that he would appear before Ahab By which I find that this Abdias was very prudent in that he would not rashly carry a news to his Master that should be without effect because that great ones are easily incensed when men are so light as to promise them what they ask and answer not their expectation besides that if they are frustrated of their desire they think themselves to be slighted and are angry even at the times and elements that do not apply themselves to their humours When therefore he was assured by the inviolable oath of a Prophet he went to the King and told him that he had met with Elijah who was ready to present himself to his Majesty This Prince that burned with a passion to see him stayed not till he could come to see him fearing lest he should steal away again but went to meet him in person and having found him asked him with disdain whether he was not the man that embroiled all his Kingdome The Prophet as bold as a Lyon answered him that he had never embroiled any thing but that the trouble came from his Fathers house and from him for that they had forsaken God and followed Baal and that if he would know by experience the errour wherein he was that he should make an Assembly on Mount Carmel of all the People of Israel and summon thither the four hundred and fifty false Prophets that are every day fed at Queen Jezabels Table and that there should be decided the businesse of Religion It was an high attempt on which Elijah had never so much as dreamed had he not had an expresse Revelation from God for one ought not lightly to commit the verity of the faith before the Court and the common people to uncertain disputes and doubtfull accidents from whence the Pagans and Hereticks may by chance draw some advantage But the Prophet being well assured on his side King Ahab exposed himself on His to cause a great revolt among his subjects and a manifest divorce with his wife Yet God would have it so to disabuse him and to bring him back to the true Religion As soon as he had then accepted the condition and commanded the assembly there were gathered together an infinite number of people there being nothing that so much tempts curiosity as the affairs of Religion It was then that one might see the assurance and vigour of a true servant of God for he observing that the King and people who had not yet choaked all the seeds of Truth floated in divers opinions spake solemnly to them That it was no longer time to halt sometimes on one side and sometimes on the other and
Prophecy and that that failing they ought to make use of the lights of their ordinary prudence It may be inferr'd from the sacred Text that Joram changed his mind and came himself to find Elisha not as a persecutour but in quality of a suppliant advertising him of the extreme rage of the famine by the accident that had newly happen'd to those miserable women Then Elisha inspir'd promised aloud that in that very time that seem'd so calamitous a bushel of meal should be sold but for twenty sous at the gate of Samaria and that for the same price one should have two of barley Whereto one of the Nobles of the Court on whom the King leaned replyed That that would be very hard to be believed though it should please God to open windows in heaven to make it rain corn But Elisha answered that he should see that miracle before his eyes but should not enjoy its good effects The morrow after it happen'd that four lepers that had withdrawn themselves near to the gate of Samaria pressed with hunger and with misery of which they could find no ease neither within nor without the city were resolv'd to go into the camp of the enemy to find there either bread or death As they approached their trenches they perceiv'd that all was empty which made them venture to enter in their tents where they found abundance of booty and began to pillage Yet they had some remorse of conscience to think so ardently upon their own profit without carrying that good news to the city and ran instantly to the porters of Samaria to cause the King to be advertised of that happinesse He was so out of hope that this made him enter into distrust lest it should be a plot of the enemies out of a design to make them come forth and so surprise them A resolution was made that some Cavaliers should be sent forth to discover what had passed and of the five horses that were left in the city the rest being consumed by the famine two are dispatched who confirm the news brought by the former messengers and assure that the Syrians had raised the siege in disorder forsaking their victuall their ammunitions and all their riches The God of hosts that holds in his hand the issues of battels and of sieges had operated therein raising a fervour in them that made them believe that the King of Egypt and the King of the Hittites were coming to fall upon them with huge annies to cut them in pieces whereat they were so affrighted that they quitted all that they had most precious to save their lives This hunger-starv'd people that had been so long shut up within the walls of a desolate city goes out in throngs and runs on all sides to the prey that the hand of heaven had prepared for them The abundance was so great that the Prophecy of Elisha was verified and that great Lord that had contraried it by derision was trod to death by the people at the gate of the city so dangerous it is to distrust the power of God and to oppose his Prophets Elisha had another passage with Naaman in which he expressed a great generosity This Naaman was a Syrian by Nation and Lord high Constable of the King of Syria His condition had filled him with honours and with riches but his constitution had burdened him with a shamefull leprosie that deprived him of all the sweetnesses of his life God that often makes the renown of great personages fly upon the tongue of simple people where it is lesse sophisticated permitted that a little girle a slave that had come from Judea that was at that time in Naaman's wife's service should speak a thousand good words of the miracles of Elisha to her mistresse and assured her that he would easily be able to restore health to her master and to cure him of his leprosie This came to the King of Syria's ears who very much prised his Constable by reason of the great and faithfull services that he had done him And as those that desire cure neglect no advices he sends Naaman to the King of Israel with many presents requesting him to heal him by the means of his Prophet The King was greatly amazed at these letters and imagined that that crafty Syrian meaned to pick a quarrel with him to invade his kingdome entreating him as a Deity as if he had been the authour of life and death His apprehension was so great that he rent his clothes and put himself in mourning as in the danger of near disastre But Elisha comforted him made him know that there was a most mighty God in Israel that wrought by his Prophets and bad him not to fail to send the sick man to him which he did and Naaman was immediately at Elisha's door with a great train of chariots and horses But the Prophet having a mind to shew at that time that he was not moved with the vanity of all the retinue of great personages would not so much as see him but sent him word that he should go and wash himself seven times in Jordan and then he should recover his health This Lord was vext at so dry a proceeding and went away discontented saying That if there were no other mystery in it his own countrey wanted not springs and rivers so ordinary it is for men to slight remedies that seem too easie and for the imagination to look to be entreated with pomp Yet his servants told him that the experiencing of that counsel would not cost him much and would annoy him nothing and that in any case he should make triall of it which he did and carried away a perfect cure whereat he was so ravished that he betook himself suddenly to Elisha's house to give him thanks confessing that there was no other God in the world but that of Israel in such a manner as that he gained the health of his soul by that of his body and quitted at the same time his leprosie and his infidelity He urged the Prophet to accept abundance of rich presents wherewith he came well laden but he constantly refused them which is no small proof of virtue and of greatnesse of courage For covetousnesse is like the shadow that hinders the light of the sun extinguishes its heat and nourishes serpents so she doth eclipse the brightnesses of the spirit of the Prophets deads the love of the Devout and gives nourishment to the Passions Men antiently were try'd by the river of Rhine but now they are experimented by the golden streams of Pactolus Those that render Piety mercinary have none at all the spirit in them follows the flesh aad heaven gives way to earth All the importunities of Naaman could not shake Elisha he was a basilisk that could not be enchaunted by the charms of avarice he had eyes of proof against the glistering of the gold of Syria when he would have no money the other begged of him a little earth as
much onely as would load two mules to build an Altar to the true God with holy ground and not profaned by Idolatry expressing by this request that he desired to worship the true God in spirit and in truth though he received not Circumcision nor the other Ceremonies of the Jews He aded to his former suit the permission to accompany his master to the Temple of the Idols through a pure civility without rendring any inward adoration to the Gods of Syria which the Prophet granted him and sent him away in peace all full of blessing But Gehazi Elisha's servant was like to spoil all by a wicked cozenage for he ran after Naaman who seeing him come alighted out of his chariot and received him with much honour asking what he desired of him The other feigned that two children of the Prophets were come to see his master and that he desired to gratifie them with a talent of silver and to give to each of them a change of raiment Naaman thought himself obliged by this request and instead of one talent gave him two with two handsome suits of clothes causing all of it to be carried by two of his servants by reason that a talent of silver was a good load for one man Gehazi thought that he had succeeded bravely in his cheat but when he presented himself to his master he told him that he had been present in spirit at all that had passed and that he was not ignorant that he had at present silver from Naaman enough to become a great Lord and to buy lands and servants but for punishment of his crime the leprosie of Naaman should stay on him and should passe as an inheritance to all his race and at that instant he was stricken with the leprosie and retired himself leaving an horrible example to all those that betray their conscience to satiate their covetousnesse It happens that these bad servants extremely black the reputation of their masters that have not alwayes their eyes on their shouldiers as Elisha had to see that which passes behind them but when they imagine that they live very innocently and that they discharge their consciences in their charges one may find that a crafty wife or a corrupted Committee sell them by a thousand practices and devour the marrow and the bloud of men under the favour of their name Sigismond the Emperour made one of his officers named Pithon that had betrayed his affairs through covetousnesse of money drink up a glasse of melted gold 'T was but a bad potion but sutable for the chastisement of an overflowing avarice that hath no longer eyes for heaven having already given all her heart to the earth It is credible that Naaman was advertised of the untrustinesse of Gehazi and that this nothing blemished the high reputation of Elisha that was spread through all Syria After the cure of this Naaman Benhadad that was his Master and his King fell into a mortall sicknesse and when he had learnt that the Prophet Elisha was come as farre as his city of Damascus he dispatched Hazael one of the prime men of his Kingdome with fourty camels laden with great riches to consult with him about the hope that he might have of his recovery and to desire his help The Prophet was not like Hyppocrates that would cure none but Greeks and refused to go into Persia though he was invited thither by letters and by the offers of that great and magnificent King Artaxerxes But quite contrary the man of God thought that one ought not to limit the gifts of heaven and that he that opens the treasures of nature to all the Nations of the earth would not have one detain the marks of his power without communicating them to those that bear in any fashion his Image He cleansed the leprosie of Naaman but yet for all that cured not Benhadad because it was a decree of Providence that he should die of that sicknesse The Scripture tells us not expresly what became of those great presents but it leaves us to think that Elisha refused them as he had done those of Naaman and did nothing that belyed his generosity Although one may also believe that he accepted them as well to diminish the levies of the enemies of his people as to spread them amongst the poor of his own countrey He spake onely to this Hazael the Kings Embassadours a very short speech which was that he should die of that sicknesse and should never rise out of his bed again and yet in appearance he commands him to tell him that he should escape it and recover again his health Which causes here a question to arise thorny enough touching the permission of a lie and which hath made Cassian and other antient Divines say that there are some profitable lies which one ought to make use of as one uses serpents to make treacle But this opinion is no way followed but is found condemned by S. Augustine and the most renowned Doctours So that when Elisha said to Prince Hazael touching his King He shall die but tell him he shall escape we ought to take it as a command that authorizes a lie but as a prophecy of that which should be done For the Prophet foresaw these two things with one and the same sight both that Benhadad should die and that Hazael to flatter him should promise him health and life And therefore he addes Tell him that he shall escape which in a Prophets terms is as much as a future and means that although I declare to you his death yet I know you well and am certain that according to your politick Maxims you will not fail to promise him a cure It is just as God commaaded the evil spirit to lie and to deceive Ahab foretelling what he would do and not commanding that which ought not to be done according to the laws of a good conscience As Elisha was foretelling of that Kings death he felt an extasie of spirit and changed countenance notably and began to weep whereat Hazael was much astonished and had a curiosity to know the reason of a change so sudden But the Prophet continuing in the trans-ports of his spirit said unto him I weep and I sigh bitterly for I know the evils that thou wilt make my poor people one day suffer Thou wilt burn down the fair cities thou wilt make the young men passe by the edge of the sword thou wilt dash out the brains of the little infants thou wilt inhumanely rip up women great with child thou wilt sack my dear countrey for which I now pour out my tears by way of advance The Embassadour was amazed at a discourse so strange and said Why What am I should do all these outrages God forbid that I should ever ever proceed so farre I have in all this no more belief then hath my dog But Elisha insisting told him I know by divine Revelation that thou shalt be King of Syria and that which I
say shall come to passe under thy Reign Behold a strange Prophecy and some body may wonder that Elisha did not cause that wicked man to be strangled that was to make all those tragedies for how many mothers are there that would have choaked their own children at their breast if they had foreseen that after they had sucked their milk they would one day assume the spirit of an hangmand to tyrannize over mankind Yet Elisha rejects not that Hazael but consecrates him King by his speech because that he knew that it was a disposition of God who would make use of him as of the rod of his fury to chastise the Idolatries of his Kings and the sins of his People All men of God have this property to submit themselves exceedingly to Gods will although it seems to will and permit things strangely lamentable In conclusion as Predictions are very ticklish and flatter the intention of those that promise themselves Empires and wonders they animate also the heart of those that have wicked undertakings and one ought never to permit any one to take consulations with Astrologers and Southsayers about the life and fortune of great men This Embassadour returning to the Court deceived his King giving him all hopes of a life and when he doubted least of death strangled him with a wet napkin paying himself with a Kingdome for a recompence of his wickednesse And although it was a disposition of God that Benhadad should be deprived of his Sceptre yet it failed not to be a crime in Hazael The last rancounter that Elisha had at Court was with King Joash who went to see him a little before his death and this Prince foreseeing that he would quickly depart out of this world said to him weeping that he was the Father the Chariot and the Conductour of his Kingdome and of all his People expressing that he was afflicted with the regret of his losse above all the things of the world But Elisha to comfort him made him take his bow and arrows and put his hand upon the Kings hand as to guide it after that he commanded the window to be set open towards Syria and caused the King to let flie an arrow which he accompanied with Propheticall words saying That it was the arrow of salvation whose feathers God himself did guide and that it was a messenger that prophesied to him that he should combate and destroy the Syrians enemies of his people After that he bad Joash again strike the ground with the point of a dart that he had in his hand which he did three times and the Prophet told him that he should carry away as many victories over the King of Syria but if he had stricken till seven times he should have ruined him even to the utmost consummation A little while after Elisha dyed with an high reputation of sanctity and an extreme regret of all the orders of the kingdome and was interred in a place where he raised afterward a dead man by the touching of his bones God rendring every thing wonderfull in him even to his very ashes It appears by all this discourse that this personage had not a Piety idle and fearfull amorous of its own small preservation without caring for the publick good but he had an heart filled with generous flames for the protection of his people and an incomparable security to shew to Princes the estate of their conscience He supported all the Realm by his prayers by his exhortations by his heroick actions and the losse of one such man was the overthrow of the prime Pillar of the State ISAIAH JEREMIAH ISAIAH THE PROPHET IEREMIAH THE PROPHET THe Prophet Isaiah hath engraved his spirit in his Book and cannot be commended more advantageously then by his works He that would make him great Elogies after so sublime a Prophecy would seem to intend to shew the Sun with a torch The things that are most excellent make themselves known by themselves as God and the Light and I may say all the words that this divine Personage hath left us are as many characters of his Immortality It is with a very just title that we put him amongst the holy Courtiers for he was born at the Court of Judea and some hold that he was the nephew of King Amasiah This birth so elevated and so many fair hopes which might flatter him to make him follow the course of the great ambitions of the world did no way shake the force of his spirit It was a soul consecrated to things Divine that sacrificed the first fires of his youth by the most pure flames of Angels Never did Prophet enter into that Ministery with more authority and disposition of heaven He had a sublime vision in which he saw the Majesty of God seated upon a Throne of Glory environ'd with Seraphims that were transported through the admiration of his greatnesse God in person created him his Prophet the Seraphim a messenger of the sovereign power purified his lips with a Carbuncle from whence proceeded a celestiall fire that if he had got any pollutions at the Court where tongues are so free they might be taken away by that sacred touch He offered himself to God with an heart full of chearfulnesse to carry his word before Kings and Subjects without fearing their menaces or their furies And he acquitted himself all his life time worthily of that duty and prophesied more then fourscore and ten years not ceasing to exhort to counsel to rebuke to instruct to comfort and to perform all the exercises of his charge His Eloquence is as elevated as his birth he speaks every where like a King with a speech firm lofty and thundering that passes all the inventions of man When he threatens and fore-tells the calamities of Nations it is so much lightning kindled by the breath of Seraphims that proceeds out of this Divine mouth that pierces the rocks that shakes the mountains that crushes the highest cedars into dust the nations into fear and the Kings into respect When he comforts they are rivers of milk and honey that flow from his tongue and spread themselves with incomparable sweetnesses into afflicted hearts When he describes the perfections and the reign of the Messias they are the amorous extasies of a spirit melted by the heats of Jesus that strikes burns and penetrates him more then seven hundred years before his Birth The holinesse of his Life marched alwayes hand in hand with his Doctrine He was a man dead to all worldly things that lived but by the raptures of his deified spirit He loved singularly the poor and comforted them in all their necessities He spake to Kings and reproved their sins with an heroick constancy worthy of his Bloud and Ministery At the same time as Romulus began the Court of Rome Isaiah saw that of Judea where he experimented great changes and strange diversities according to the revolutions of humane things He passed his youth under his uncle Amasiah who
reveals to me nor speak any more in his name but then I selt a fire boiling in my heart that was shut up in the marrow of my bones and I fell into a swoon and could not endure the violence of my thoughts without unloading my self by the tongue and publishing that which you inspired into me And for this behold me reduced to irons And have I not good cause to say that which miserable men use to say That the day of my nativity in regard of originall sin and so many calamities that spring from that source is lamentable and cursed and that it were to be wished that the womb of my mother that bare me had been my sepulchre Wherefore did I come out of the bowels of a woman to be a spectatour of so many sorrows and so much confusion The Saints speak sometimes like men according to the sense of the inferiour part of the soul especially when they see themselves overwhelmed with great evils but God raises them up immediately and makes them resume the tongue of heaven As the Prophet was deploring his miseries in that dark prison God gave lights and remorses to his persecutour that came the next day to deliver him either through some compassion or because he had attempted that beyond the limits of his authority The prisoner instead of expressing some kind of weaknesse spake more boldly then before fore-telling even to Pashur that he should be led captive into Babylon and that he should die there the other not daring to enterprise any thing against him After that very time Jeremy betook himself to the Palace to speak with the King and with the Queen his wife to advertise them of the utmost misery that menaced their Crown if they did not make an entire conversion to God to give an example to their Subjects Besides this he gave some State-counsel and told the King that since God had permitted that he should be subdued by the Arms of the King of Babylon that had put him on the Throne and to whom he had promised Faith Homage and Tribute he should do well to keep his promises inviolable rather then to adhere to the King of Egypt and expect the assistance of his Arms. This was the most important point of State that concerned the safety of all the kingdome Neverthelesse King Zedekiah whose spirit was a little soft hearkned to the advice and took sometimes fire but it was but for a little time he being no way constant in his good resolves When he saw himself menaced with a siege by the King of the Babylonians he was affrighted and inclined a little to his side but assoon as he perceived that he diverted his arms another way he brake his promised faith being weary of the rigour of the Tributes that the other exacted of him Thereupon Jeremy ceased not to publish that it was an errour to expect that the army of Pharaoh King of Egypt which was reported to be upon its march to help Jerusalem should do any good that it should return upon its own steps without enterprising any thing that Nebuchadonozor was not so farre off but that in a small time he would render himself before the city to besiege and win it That it was a decree of God and although the Army of the Chaldeans should be defeated yet those that remained though wounded and sick should be sufficient to take Jerusalem abandoned of the Divine protection When he had spoken this publickly he resolved to retire himself for a time and to go into the countrey but he was taken at the gate of the city by Irijah that accused him falsly and said that he was going to render himself to the army of the Chaldeans whereupon he carried him under a good guard to the Magistates who having beaten and ill used him sent him to prison where he remained many dayes without consolation At last the King having heard of what had happen'd to him caused him to come secretly to him and spake to him to conjure him to tell the truth whether those Predictions that he ceased not to sow in the ears of all the world were Revelations from God whereof the Prophet assured him again and gave him some good incitement to incline to the most wholesome counsels Poor Jeremy seeing this Prince use him kindly said unto him Alas Sir what have I done and in what have I offended your Majesty to be used as a rogue by those that usurp your authority What crime have I committed by telling you the truth Where are your false Prophets that said that there was no need to fear the coming of Nebuchadonozor and that he had other businesse to dispatch is he not at length come to verifie my Prophecies Since you do me the honour at present to hear me My Lord and my Master hearken to my most humble request and grant me a courtesie that I desire of you in the Name of God which is that I may no more return into the prison out of which your Majesty hath caused me to be drawn for the continuation of the evils that I have suffered there is able suddenly to tear my soul from my body and it will be but a grief to you to deliver me to death for having given you counsels of life and safety The King was softned by the words of the Prophet but he was so timorous that he durst not take the boldnesse to cause a prisoner to be delivered by his absolute authority fearing the reproaches and out-cryes of those that would have the upper end in all affairs He caused onely the goaler to be bid to use him a little kindlier taking him out of the black dungeon to give him a place more reasonable and to have a care that in that great famine of the city he should not want bread This was executed and he staid some time at the entrance of the prison with a little more liberty during which he spake again to those that visited him and said freely That there was no way to escape the sacking of the city but by rendring themselves to the Chaldeans This made Pashur and his complices incensed again with a great wrath and speak insolently to the King that Jeremy might be delivered to them publishing that he was worthy of death that he was a seditious fellow that did nothing but make the people mutiny and separate them from their obedience to him The miserable Zedekiah that had let these men take too high an ascendent upon his person had not strength of spirit enough to resist them but against his conscience abandoned his poor Prophet to them although it was with some regret These wicked men having taken him let him down with cords into a deep pit of the prison which was full of mire and filth where he expired the remainder of his deplorable life and had dyed there of miseries if God had not raised him up a protectour of whom he never so much as dreamed There was in
best testimony of full satisfaction As he departed the King came in and then it appeared Love and Piety how Grace and Nature wrought their effects for the innocent Queen fashioning her countenance and her words to the most sensible passion spake thus unto him Alas and wherefore thus SIR Is this that I have deserved for loving you above all the men in the world Must I be forced from your friendship to adhere to my most cruel Enemies If I have deserved death for doing you all the good that lay in the possibility of my power what hath this little Innocent in my womb commited whom I do not preserve but onely to increase your power The Excess of these violent proceedings will tear away the life both from the Mother and the child and then I am afraid you will too late discover the violence and rage of those who perswade you to destroy that which you should hold most dear and to bury your self in my ruins As she spake these words and mixed them with The King reconciled with the Queen her tears the Kings heart was softened into compassion Upon his knees he demanded pardon breathing forth many sighs accompanied with groans and tears of love And having declared to her the conspiracy that was plotted for her ruine he told her That he now came either to live or to die with her This confidence did greatly rejoyce her and having exhorted him above all things to appease the anger of God and particularly to have recourse unto his mercy she gave him instructions necessary for him she counselled him to dissemble this their love and make not the least discovery of it to the Conspiratours but onely to represent unto them that he had found the Queen very ill and that the violence of her malady might be as strong as poison or steel to take her out of the world That there was now no more need of keeping any Guard upon her for in passing affairs according to their advice he would answer for her if God should not otherwise dispose of her This counsel was followed and after the King had perswaded the Rebels to what he had desired he returned to his dear wife and about midnight both of them saved themselves nine or ten thousand armed men being drawn together by the diligence of the Earl of Bothuel who in one morning made the whole rebellion to vanish with the Rebels Now the Earl of Murray had re-possest himself Choller and Vengeance Nejudicial of the favour and good opinion of the Queen but the King who well understood the pernicious counsels of which he was the Authour and that he made him serve to be his instrument at the death of the Secretary could by no means endure him and though the good Queen who would have nothing done violently had expresly charged the contrary he was resolved to seize upon him But Murray apprehending the ill intent of the King towards him did by a most detestable crime prevent it by drawing to him the Earl of Bothuel a man bold of spirit and of hand and prevailing on him to massacre the King assuring him that he should marry the Queen if ever he arrived to the end of his fatal Enterprize This miserable King whom Jealousie had transported to the cruel murder of the Secretary was now again fully reconciled to his wife and loved her most tenderly and conceived an extream pitie to see her youth intangled among such pernicious counsels of her enemies He was then at Glasco sick of the Small-pox which the Queen understanding she immediately repaired thither to bring him unto Edingborough where were better accommodations for him At the same time Horrible inventions of Envy and Vengeance the Conspiratours assembled themselves to accomplish their Design and moreover they had a desire to involve the Queen and her Son in the same ruin but they feared that it would be too apparent and it would be more expedient for them to bring all the Envy of the death of the husband upon the head of his wife whom they conceived to be still highly offended for his ill demeanour towards her To which purpose they undertook to torment her spirit and prompt her to thoughts of vengeance which they never could effect so strong was the new knot of their reconciled love They deliberated amongst themselves to put this miserable Prince to death by fire and because it was inconvenient to perform it in the Palace they entered into counsel amongst themselves to remove him into a fair house which was at the upper end of the Citie where they had prepared a fatal Myne for his destruction His sickness being such the Queen accorded to his removal and very innocently did take her husband by the hand and did conduct him to the Entery of his Lodging where with a singular prudence she disposed of every thing which concerned the recovery of his health And not contented with that she stayed with him without the apprehension of any danger of infection which put the Plotters of this delicate conspiracy into fear but she seemed to be nothing troubled at it and staying with him until midnight she entertained him with all the satisfaction that he could expect from so bountifull a Nature As soon as she was retired behold by the secret The death of Henry Stuart artifice of the powder to which fire was given under the lodging of the King the chamber was blown into the Air and the bed all on fire He found himself to be desperately in wrapped in this calamity and the Authours of the Mischief conspiring with the Elements did dispatch him outright having found him half dead in a Garden into which place the violence of the fire had thrown him The Queen hearing of it was possessed with a wonderfull amazement and lost in the depth of sorrow she feared every thing and knew not what to do or what to hope every hour attending to see the end of that Tragedy to be the beginning of another on her own life The malicious Earl of Murray who now had given the blow by the instrument of his wickedness as he had spoken a little before to those that were nearest to him that the King should die the same night did cunningly retire himself The people murmured and knew not what to take to but the clearest sighted amongst them perceived that it was a work of this pernicious Brother who had a desire utterly to destroy the Royal Family to mount himself upon the Throne And this is that which Cambden assureth us in the Cambden in the first part of his History in the year 1567. first part of his History who though by Religion he was a Calvinist and by profession the Historiographer to the Queen of England yet he hath not dissembled the truth in confirmation whereof he produceth proofs as clear as the day with the attestations of the Earls of Huntley and Argathel two principal Lords of Scotland who
by a writing signed under their own hands have authentically protested to the Queen of England that the Earls of Murray Morton and Lidington were the Counsellers and Authours of the horrible Parricide committed against the King the good Queen always professing that she did forbid them to do any thing whatsoever that might any way reflect upon her honour or offend her conscience Also this unfortunate Earl of Morton who was afterward Cambden part 3. pag. 336. convicted and executed for this murder did totally discharge the Queen from having any hand in the Kings death and named the Conspiratours who by writing had obliged themselves one to another to defend the murder of his Royal Majesty John Hebron Cambden pag. 128. an 1567. Paris and Daglis who prepared the Myne being put to the Rack to accuse the Innocent Queen did absolutely discharge her protesting before God and his Angels that she was free from all fault and that Murray and Morton did give them commandment to perform it Buchanan a Pensionar of Murrays who Cambden pag. 105. cried down this Queen by his venemous pen being touched at last with the remorse of conscience with tears demanded pardon of her Son King James And being sick to death desired that his life might be prolonged either to clear the integrity of Queen Mary by the light of Truth or by his own bloud to wash away the stains of his reproches Some Protestants being amazed to hear him speak in this manner in the apprehension he had of Gods judgements to fall upon him did give forth that his old age had made him to doat This which I now write was afterwards acknowledged as we shall see anon by a publick and solemn sentence of the principal Nobility of England who although Lutherans and enemies being chosen to examine the business did highly publish the Innocence of this Queen And now Detractours what have you to say Do you not behold wherewith to make your shame to blush and the despite of so many infamous Historians to increase who have made black her whiteness Nay some of the Catholicks themselves being but little versed in the discerning of History having suffered themselves to be surprized concerning this subject not considering that all this calumnie is derived from the Book of Buchanan being corrupted to it by the bastard Murray who promised to make him Patriarch of Scotland if ever he should come unto the Crown And this is it which made this Apostate to write a detestable libel against the honour of this Queen which was condemned afterwards by the Estates of Scotland and retracted by the Authour himself But some Hugenots of the Consistory who are the most pestilent slanderers that ever the earth brought forth have not ceased to give some countenance to this fable and illusion of mankind although it was legally condemned of falshood by the most apparent of all their party It is an unhappiness of most men that they are wilfully given to believe the worst whether by an inclination they have unto it or whether by a difficulty to forsake and to put off that which first they entertained in their belief The most virtuous Queen Dido doth pass perpetually through the world for a woman lost in love although indeed she died in the defence of her chastity chusing rather to be devoured by the flames of fire than to be given in marriage as Tertullian doth affirm 6. But to take into my hand again the thread of The rash love of the Earl of Bothuel my discourse Some time after the Kings death Bothuel who was one of the most powerfull Earls of Scotland did prevent to court this Queen in the way of marriage and the rather because the Earl of Murray had promised her unto him for the recompence of this treason This motion came directly cross to her heart although as yet she did not know that this pernicious man had imbrued his hands in her Husbands bloud having always found him most faithfull in his service But as the report thereof increased she grew very angry with all those who offered to renew the motion to her alledging that there was no apparance that he should be propounded for a husband to her who is suspected for so detestable an act no although he indeed were innocent Besides that she urged that he was already tied in marriage to another woman But Murray the Bastard and other of the conspiratours who with an obstinate resolution had undertaken this business did justifie this Crime by the Judges of their faction and gave the Queen to understand that his first wife was not lawfully contracted to him and therefore she was removed from him All this was not able to perswade her who was wonderfully troubled with the dismalness of these late events which was the occasion that Bothuel being transported with love and assured of the high reputation which he had in the Kingdom did draw forth into the fields with five hundred horse where corvetting before them a wild presumption did invade him to take away the Queen as she returned from Sterlin to which place she was gone to see her Son and to bring him with her to her Castle at Dunbar At which place having with strange submissions demanded pardon for his boldness He represented to her the contract of his marriage signed by the Earl of Murray and the principal of the Nobility of the Kingdom who thought very well of it by that means to remedy the publick calamities of the Kingdom Moreover he protested to her that he would never over-value himself for the Honour he should receive from her Majesty nor for the greatness of his unexpected fortune with which the greatest Monarch on the earth might proudly content himself but that he would always continue her most humble and most obedient servant In this manner did this Philistine adore the Ark in its captivity But she moderating her passion did represent unto him that to proceed in this nature was to overthrow the whole business before it was established that she would be absolutely brought to Edinborough the chiefest Citie of her Kingdom where she would take a resolution to do that which should seem good unto Her On this occasion it came about that the Earl of Murray who had removed himself a little to be the less suspected of the murder did return to Court and brought with him the Suite of the Assassinate rewarding him for it with the obtainment of the bravest Lady in the world as the recompence of his murder He ceased not to importune her to take Bothuel Cambden part 1. pag. 3. doth shew that this marriage was brought about by the fraud and the pressing solicitations of the Earl of Murray for her husband declaring his innocence publickly avouched the splendour of his house the exploits of his courage the proofs of his fidelity which did render him most worthy of her love He added that being alone and without assistance she was no
way capable to appease the troubles prevent the ambuscadoes or sustain the great charges of the Realm Therefore she ought to receive him for her husband and the Companion of her Fortunes and designs having both power will and courage to defend her in all conditions and that he would never suffer her to be in quiet but onely by the consummation of this Marriage This wicked man by this Counsel did promise to himself either to reign with him being his familiar friend or by this action to crie down the Queen and overthrow her Authority as afterwards it came to pass The Marriage is now to be accomplished and the Importunities of the Earl prevailed on Maries heart who married him in the face of the Church with all the ceremonies requisite to it Some have written that this virtuous Lady by reason of her beauties was strongly persecuted by diverse with daily motions concerning marriage And that the easiness of her nature which could not resist the great importunities and continual battels which love stirred up against her did bring upon her a deluge of misfortunes likewise her neighbour Princes who knew not the Artifice of her enemies did in the beginning blame her for having so easily adhered to a man who was so dangerously suspected concerning that she ought to clear her reputation from the least shadows of suspition wherewith Envy began to cloud it But who shall well consider a young widow of seventeen years of age placed in the furthest part of all the world where Heresie had over-turned all order and let loose the blackest furies of Hell for the dissolution of the State Who shall contemplate her alone as the morning Star in the midst of so many clouds without assistance without forces without Counsel persecuted by her brother outraged by the Hereticks betrayed by the Queen of England under the colour of good will sought for in marriage by force of Arms by the Princes of her own Realm he shall find that she hath done nothing improvidently in chusing those by friendship which necessity did give her by force and whether that there are times and revolutions of affairs so dangerous and remediles in which we have no other power left us but onely to destroy our selves 7. In the mean time the Lutherans and the Calvinists The persecution of the Queen of Scots by the Protestants did not cease to cry out and to bray against their Princess and having begun by in famous libels they prevailed so much by their Trumpets of Sedition that they kindled a war under the pretence of revenging the Kings death whom they had caused to be pourtrayed dead in a bloudy Standard with his little Son at his feet who demanded vengeance Bothuel who as yet was drunk with the sweetnesses of affection which he received from his new spouse was altogether amazed when he saw an Army marching in the field against him And that the clamour of the people did charge him aloud with the death of the King The Queen was struck into such a horrour at the report of the Crime that forthwith she commanded him to withdraw himself and never to see her more and although she was ignorant that his Courage and Valour were able to secure her from the tempest which was falling on her yet she chose rather to abandon her self as a prey to all the fury of her Enemies than to keep but one hour that person near her which she then onely knew to have had some ill designs on the person of the King He fled from Scotland into Denmark where after ten years tedious imprisonment he living and dying did protest that Queen Mary did never know of the conspiracy against her husband that those who gave the blow having demanded some Warrant from the Queen for their discharge she made answer that it was sacriledge to think of it so innocent a Soul she had This protestation which he made at his death before the Bishop and other Lords of the Realm was afterwards sent to diverse Princes of Europe and to Elizabeth her self who did dissemble it In the mean time the Rage of the Infidels did seize on Mary and did constrain her with execrable violence and treasons plotted under hand by the Agents of the Queen of England to resign the Kingdom to her son whom The fury and infidelity of Ambition these seditious people caused to be Crowned at one year of age to put all the Authority into the hands of Murray in the quality of Regent Not content with this they surprized her in a morning as she was putting on her cloathes and taking from her all ornaments worthy of her quality they cloathed her in a sordid habite and having mounted her upon a horse which by chance passed through a Meadow they brought her into a place out of the way and confined her to a Castle scituate on the lake of Lenox under the guard of the Earl of Douglas Brother by the mothers side to the Vice-Roy using her as a lost creature and with horrible boldness accusing her for the death of her husband and a design to invade his Kingdom In this captivity she was charged with contumacies by the Concubine of her Father a most insolent woman to whom the keeping of her was committed and by a disrobed Prior who did visite her and tendered her some Remonstrances to assist her as her Father Confessor And at that time some black and butcherly spirits did take a resolution to strangle her and to publish to the world that she had done it of her self being overcome by dispair What an indignity was this and what a confusion in nature and the laws of the world to behold that excellent Lady to whom grace and nature had given chains to captivate the hearts of the most barbarous That great Princess whom the sun did see almost as soon to be a Queen as a living creature She that was born to Empires as all Empires seemed to be made for her to be deprived of her sweet liberty to see herself severed from all commerce with mankind to be banished in a desart where nothing but rocks were the witnesses of her sufferings Nay which is more she is now become the captive of her own subjects and a servant to her slaves The poor Turtle ceased not to groan and often through the grate would look on the lake wherein every wave she conceived she beheld the waving image of her change of fortunes Not long after she entered into a deep melancholy when the evil spirit that fisheth in troubled waters did tempt her into thoughts of despair representing to her that since the air and the earth were shut from her she should make choice of the water into the which she should throw her self and end the langushment of her captivity by burying her self in a moment with her afflictions But as her pious soul was fastened unto GOD by chains not to be dissolved she fervently besought the Divine
was his condition of life assigned him from his nativity but by this most detestable murder he is now become the Regenet of a great Kingdom Who had a more labouring desire to see the King out of the world than he who daily expected from the hand of death the just reward of his disloyalty We are here ready to represent unto him a paper signed with his own hand and the hands of his Adherents where amongst them all they are obliged against all to defend that person who should attempt upon the person of the King That execrable writing was intrusted in the hands of Bolfou Captain of the Castle of Edinborough whom at the first they had drawn unto their side and being since incensed against some of the Conspiratours hath discovered all the business This is that which we now manifest with reasons more clear than the day and with assurances as strong as truth it self My Lords We demand what is that which the Rebels oppose against all these proofs nothing at all but frivolous conjectures which are not sufficient to condemn the vilest creature in the world although they are made use of to overthrow the person and Majesty of a Queen Ten thousand tongues such as Murrays are and his Accomplices ought not to serve to make half a proof against the honour of Mary and yet you have the patience to hear them rather than chastise them Her poor servants have bin examined again and again they have been torn to pieces and flead alive to accuse the Queen and could ever so much as one effectual word be racked from them to stain her innocence Have they not in the middle of their torments declared aloud and before all the people that she was ignorant of whatsoever was done and that they never heard the least word proceed from her which tended to the murder of the King All their Reasons are reduced into two Conjectures The first whereof is That the Queen committed the said Act in revenge of the death of her Secretary The second is Her Love and Marriage with the Earl of Bothuel the murderer of her husband these two are the inevitable charges against her But to answer to the first I demand If the Queen had any desires of revenge on whom should she exercise that vengeance Upon her husband whom she loved with incomparable affection whom in all companies she defended as a young man seduced by evil counsels to whom she had given a full forgetfulness and abolition of the murder of David Riccio for fear that one day he should be called to an account for it whom she very lately had received into favour and the strictest friendship to whom she had given the testimonies of a fervent love unto the last hour of his death Is it on him that she would discharge her choller or on those who were the Authours and Executioners of the act If she hath pardoned the Earls of Murray and Morton her sworn Enemies whom on a thousand occasions she could cut off here is it to be believed that a Lady who had ever a most tender conscience would destroy a husband so agreeable to her and whom she knew to have never offended but through the malice onely of these desperate spirits But why then hath she married him who made this attempt against the King her husband This is their second Objection and to speak the truth the onely one which they so much crie up For this it is that they have taken away her Rings and Jewels and put in the place of them infamous letters invented by Buchanan or some like unto him who treat of love not as in the person of a Princess but of a loose licentious woman And these Letters when they were produced did appear to be never made up or sealed but exposed to all the world as if so chaste and so wise a spirit as this Queen could be so stupid or so wicked as to publish her own infamy to the face of all the world But in the end they say the Marriage was accomplished And who did do it but these onely who now do make it a capital Crime These are they who did give advice to this match by reasons did sollicit it by pursuits did constrain it by force and did sign it by continuance Behold we are here ready in your presence to represent unto you the Contract which doth bear their names and seals of Arms which they cannot disprove The Queen hath protested before God and men that she had rather die ten thousand deaths than to have married Bothuel if she had thought he had been stained but with one drop of her husbands bloud and if he had not been proclaimed to be innocent And now judge My Lords with what impudence they dare appear before you and do believe that the Queen of England hath sent you hither to serve their passions and sacrifice so great a Princess to their vengeance We do hope all the contrary and do firmly perswade our selves that the great God the undoubted Judge of the living and the dead will inspire you with such counsels as shall give the Day to Truth for the glory of your own consciences and the comfort of the most afflicted of Queens who desireth not to breathe out the rest of her life that is left her but under the favour of your Goodness This in this manner being spoken the Agents and Deputies for the Queen having aloud protested that they here assembled not to acknowledge any power Superiour to the Crown of Scotland but onely to declare in the behalf of their Queen being unwilling to lose time in words they came to the proofs and did defend them with incredible vigour making in the first place the falsifications which were very ordinary with the Earl of Murray to appear in full Councel In the second place representing the Contract of the Marriage with Bothuel which he condemned to be signed by him and his Adherents Moreover producing the instrument of the Conspiracy against the King subscribed by their own hands and signed by their own Seals And lastly reporting the Depositions of John Hebron Paris and Daglis who being executed for this Act did fully discharge the Queen at the instant of their death before all the people After that the Commissioners had judged the Her justification Queen of Scots to be innocent of all the Cases and Crimes which falsely had been imposed on her by her traiterous and disloyal Accusers and that the proceedings which they made were for no other purpose but to exempt themselves from the crimes which they had committed and to cover the tyranny which they had exercised in the Kingdom of Scotland The Earl of Murray did flie away filled with The confusion of her Accusers fear and with confusion seeing that his life was in great danger if he had not been secretly protected by the Queen of England In the pursuit of this Sentence the most honest of the Councel did
his people I will invoke him in this extremity of my afflictions to render both to you and my self what is due either to our Merits or Demerits Remember Madam that he is the onely Judge a Judge whom the painting and policie of this world can no way disguise although men for a time may obscure the truth by the subtility of their inventions In his name and being as it were both of us before him I must remember you of the secret practises you have used to trouble my Kingdom to corrupt my Subjects to forsake their allegiance and to attempt my person I shall represent unto you the unjust dismission which by your Counsel I was overcome to sign when my enemies held their ponyards at my throat in the prison of Locklevin you assured me that the Dismission should be of no force although since you have made it as effectual and powerfull as you could assisting those by your forces who were the first Authors of it You have transmitted my Authority to my Son when be was but in his Cradle and was not able to help himself and since I have by law confirmed the Crown on him you have intrusted him in the hands of my most capital enemies who having forced from him the effect will also take away the title of a King if God doth not preserve him I will profess unto you before the most impartial Judge that beholding my self pursued to death by my Rebels I sent unto you expresly by a Gentleman the Diamond Ring which I received from you with an assurance to be protected by your Authority succoured by your Arms and received into your Realm with all courtesie This promise so often repeated by your mouth did oblige me to come to throw my self into your Arms if I could be so happy to approch them But indeavouring where to find you behold I was stopped in the way environed with Guards detained in strong holds confined to a lamentable captivity in which I do at this day die without numbering a thousand deaths which alreadie I have suffered After that the Truth hath laid open all the impostures which were contrived against me that the chiefest of the Nobilitie of your Kingdom have acknowledged in publick and declared my innocence After that it hath been made apparent that what passed betwixt the late Duke of Norfolk and my self was treated approved and signed by those who held the first place in your Councels After so long a time that I have always submitted to the Orders which were prescribed for my captivitie I do behold my self to be daily persecuted in my own person and in the persons of my servants and totally hinders not onely from relieving the pressing necessities of my Son but from receiving the least knowledge of his condition This is that MADAM which makes me once more to beseech you by the dolorous Passion of our Saviour and Redeemer Jesus Christ that I may have permission to depart your Kingdom to assist my dear Son and to find some comfort for my poor bodie travelled with continual sorrows and with all libertie of conscience to prepare my soul for God who hourly doth call for it Your Prisons have destroyed my bodie there is no more left for my Enemies to satiate their vengeance My soul is still entire which you neither can nor ought to captivate Allow it some place to breathe more freely after its own safety which a thousand times I do more desire than all the greatness in the world What Honour can you receive to see me stifled in your presence and to fall at the feet of my Enemies Do you not consider that in this extreamity if by your means although late I shall be rescued from their hands that you shall oblige me and all mine and especially my Son whom most of all you may assure your own I must beseech you that I may understand your intentions concerning this and that you will not remit me to the discretion of any other but your own In the mean time I shall demand two things the one That being readie to depart this world I may be suffered to have with me some man of honour of the Church to instruct and perfect me in my Religion in which I am resolved to live and die The other That I may have two maids in my Chamber to attend me in my sickness protesting before God they are most necessary for me to keep me from the shame of the simple people Grant me then these Petitions for the honour of God and let it appear that my Enemies have not so much credit with you as to exercise their vengeance and crueltie in a thing of so small a consequence Reassume the marks of your ancient good nature Oblige your own to your self Grant me that contentment before I die as to see all things remitted betwixt you and my self to the end that my soul being inlarged from my bodie it be not constrained to lay open her groans before God for the injuries which you have suffered to be done unto me upon earth But on the contrary that departing from this captivity in peace and concord it may with all content repair to him whom I most humbly beseech to inspire You to condescend to my most just Requests Sheffeild November 28. 1581. Your most desolate most near and most affectionate Kinswoman QUEEN MARY 11. May we not affirm that these Remonstrances and that these words were of power to soften the heart of a Tyger and yet they made no impression on her barbarous soul who being born by a crime could not afterwards live but by iniquity Dear Reader it is true that we are possessed with A parallel on both Queens an amazement on the consideration of the particulars of this History And it may be you have the curiosity to draw open the curtain of the Sanctuary and enter into the secrets of the Divine Providence and in the travers of so much shade and darkness to discover why two Queens of so different qualities were so indifferently handled as it were by the blind conduct of Chance How came it about that nothing but calamity did follow the good Queen and all good fortune seemed not to be but onely for the bad one I will parallel the one with the other and although Queen Elizabeth be dead out of the communion of the true Church and in many considerations had extreamly undervalued and offended France yet I will not so rudely speak of her as she hath been charactered by the eloquent pens of Monsieur the Cardinal of Peron and Monsieur du Vair but content my self to speak of that onely which may be collected from the History written by Cambden her own Historiographer Queen Mary was high and glorious in her birth both by the Father and the Mother Queen Elizabeth did come into the world by a crime and a scandal who made all Christendom to groan It is true indeed she was the daughter of a King but
against me In the third place I require that my servants who have attended on me with great fidelitie during so many afflictions may have free leave to retire where they please and enjoy those small Legacies which in my last Will my povertie hath bequeathed to them I conjure You Madam by the Bloud of Jesus Christ by the nearness of our consanguinitie by the Memorie of Henrie the Seventh our common Father and by the title of a Queen which I carrie to my Grave not to denie me these reasonable Demands but by one word under Your hand to grant me an assurance of them and I shall die as I have lived Your most affectionate Sister and Prisoner QUEEN MARY It is uncertain whether this Letter came to the hands of Elizabeth because no Answer can be found unto it whether it were that those next unto her did conceal it from her or whether through the hardness of her heart she did dissemble it In the mean time King James employed himself for The vain endeavour to delay her death the Deliverance of his Mother the Ambassadours from France Monsieur de la Mote Aigron and Monsieur del Aubispene were commanded thither upon that and other occasions and Monsieur de Belieurs did there also carry himself with great wisdom courage and fidelity as may appear by his grave Remonstrance which is to be read in the History of France Howsoever the Arrest of Death was suspended for there moneths until such time that the clamours of the Lutherans and Puritans did cause the Thunder to fall down upon that hand which desired nothing more than to strike home the blow The more advised did remonstrate unto her That it was without example to commit a Ladie the Queen of France and Scotland and the nearest Kinswoman she had in the world into the hands of a Hang-man A Queen which was not her prisoner of War but her Guest whom she had called and invited into her Kingdom and sent unto her assurances of her fidelitie That she ought to consider that what was done proceeded from her Secretaries and not from her And if that after twenty years imprisonment she should have consented to be taken from it by force it did not deserve to be punished with Death That if she should cause her to die it would open a wound from whence there would issue such abundance of bloud that many Ages could not stanch it That Italie France and Spain and all the Christian Kingdoms of the world would be offended at it and that she should bring upon her Kingdom the Arms of Christendom who would be glad of that pretence to invade her Kingdom That it would be a most remarkable affront to her Son James and all his Race who could not but be mindfull of it That it would incense the Spirits of her Kingdom and render them unreconcileable to her And in the end that it was to be feared that Heaven would arm it self against so bloudy a Design That she should use the miserable and especially a Queen who came into her Countrey for protection with more Reverence That she should hazard much in her death but could lose nothing by her life seeing she had so many Guards Prisons Bars and Walls to secure her if she had an intent to enterprize against the State But the insolent Ministers did incessantly crie out That she must put an end to her Imprisonment by putting an end unto her Life That the Queen ought to remember that she had usurped her Titles and her Name and sometimes caused her self to be proclaimed Queen of England and of Scotland and that Sovereigns never pardoned those who did so far intrench upon their Authority That the life of Elizabeth and Mary were incompatible That the onely means to take away all pretences from the Catholicks was to cut off this Root which would make all their hopes to perish That King James was instructed in their Religion and would rather look after the advancement of his own State than take vengeance for the Death of his Mother That forreign Princes were too much perplexed with the difficulties of their own Affairs and took care rather to defend their own than to invade her Kingdom That her Cousin the Duke of Guise was in a bad condition in France and that Henrie the Third would be very carefull how he did espouse her quarrels And if other Princes were so hardy to undertake it they were to understand that England had a deep ditch about it That Queen Elizabeth was mortal and if she should die there was not that calamitie to be conceived which both Religion and the State would not suffer under the reign of Marie in the revenge of her Imprisonment and other injuries she had received That she could not but remember that great personages did write things well done on the sand but did engrave their Discontents in brass The Preachers made it to be a work of Religion with their absurd Allegations out of the Bible which they did corrupt to their bloudy meaning And the Lawyers as ignorant as the Ministers were absurd did produce some Histories for the punishment of Kings which were altogether impertinent But there needed not so much labour to perswade a Woman who had in her so much vanity as once in her life to make a Princess head to fly upon a Scaffold and who did not remember that in the Reign of Queen Mary being her self accused of offending the Estate and expecting her sentence of death she did so much fear the Axes of the Hang-men in England that she was resolved to petition to her Sister to send for an Executioner to France to cut off her head Now was the Commandment given for her death and it was signified to the poor Victim who for a long time was prepared for this Sacrifice Some passionate writers do indeavour to divert this Crime from the reputation of Elizabeth taking their ground on a Letter which she wrote to the Queen of Scotland in which by a shamefull perfidiousness she doth write That her spirit was tormented with an incomparable Sorrow by reason of the lamentable Event which was arrived against her will and that she had not a soul so base as either by terrour to fear to do what was just or by cowardice to denie it after it was done But who doth not see that this is to mock and to Elizabeth entirely culpable of the death of Queen Mary traduce the Story and the belief of mankind Davison her Secretary who mannaged this sad affair as the true instrument of her malice doth express in his Attestation reported in the most faithfull Memorials of England by Cambden that after the departure of the French Ambassadour sent to prevent the Execution she commanded him to shew the Instrument for putting the Queen of Scotland to death which being done she most readily signed it with her own hand and commanded him to see it sealed with the Great Seal and
their jubilations but see how they destroy one another see how they butcher one another see how they prosecute and persecute one another with endlesse hatred Either they are without Christ or Christ is without Peace It is a hard saying yet hath it more of truth then wonder The Cause of God suffereth diminution in these discords the Church mourneth for many and horrid things either the Religion we professe accuseth our errours or we the Professours accuse our Religion By us Infidels insult over the Elect the Profane over the godly the Jews over Christ and Barbarians over the Church If our honour be cheap in our own valuation why do we betray the Honour of God why do we batter his inheritance Moreover to what short consideration is it not evident that Christian dissentions have been alwayes the occasion of Heathenish rejoycings Whilst our own Armies are conflicting one with the other the Turks have taken Rhodes from us and usurped Constantinople May we not think it a miraculous indulgence of our mercifull God to divert so potent and cruel an enemy from our destruction by engaging him in the Persian Warre But this is much to be feared lest if such whirlwinds of wrath continue among us he should flie upon the torn and scattered remainder of our Kingdomes with fury and violence It is also to be feared lest the Providence being so often provoked by our renewed injuries should cast us out as a prey to the roaring and the ravenous lion The greatest Empires have been often lost in ruine for the same causes and the same offences and the wicked Kings have been subjected to a forreign domination their posterity hath been cut off and all their glories have vanished into a reproachfull scoffe What constant glories have they possessed what dry deaths hath the check of Providence allowed them by whose means it hath come to passe that the Kingdome of Christ hath devolved into the hands and power of the Sarazens Adde to these things O you Princes the unregarded grievances of your Subjects and the laborious servitude of your people Necessity compels you to devour your own members that you get into your grasp the members of another Such a numerous people as the omnipotent God hath delegated to your care and piety that they should be kneaded and compounded into one substantiall felicity by Peace and concord by holy laws and religious adoration of the Deity are either exposed as unfortunate and succourlesse oblations to the fury of their enemies or groan under the pressures of taxations and are tilted in their fortunes by the unappeased and insatiable avarice of exactours Those who have escaped the Sword Famine depopulates by lingring deaths or else they live oppressed under some tyrannous calamity They are sequestred from light and conversation they have neither countrey nor habitation neither rest nor food Fecundity the most desired blessing of their former hopes is now both hated and feared because they cannot leave an inheritance of good things to their children they would not propagate them to become heirs of misery That life which they have been carefull to preserve amidst so many dangers they now detest as unprofitable to you uncomfortable to themselves To be plundred of all things at once is their deliberate wish lest every day they should be plundred But in the mean time they are infested with a diversity of evils the amission of all things and the capitation of each particular thing an Excise upon every thing an undoubted property in nothing They fall under the cruel command of necessity where they are neither permitted to live with the honest nor to die with the quiet they are made gazing-stocks to others and are formidable to themselves whilst their estates perish to themselves their affections are lessened to you which formerly adorned and confirmed your Crowns with a loyall valour Consider Greatest Princes that next to the Honour and Worship of God the most supreme Law that binds you is the safety of the People It was once the speech of a valiant Emperour Non mihi sed exercitui sitis You are not so much born for your selves as for your subjects Their cares if you be wise must be your crosses their oppressions your burdens their miseries your infelicities and their discouragements your complaints What doth it advantage disconsolate men to be defended from the expectations of a greedy enemy by being rifled and impoverished by those of his own Nation He is a miserable Pastour from whom the tutelary Gods of the flock require more things then wolves can devour But this is the soul of misfortune the estate being exhausted the mind is dejected and the virtues are disheartned the Laws are silent among Swords the Blasphemer and the Hypocrite have the uncontrolled liberty of speaking Sword-men licenciously swagger Robbers and Plunderers are the onely Ranters Murderers are the merry-men and all variety of lust is predominant the beauty of Churches is disgraced and sullied with Sacrilegious hands Altars are overthrown Justice is vilipended and Injustice blusheth in scarlet robes Religion fainteth Piety languisheth Charity is counted scandalous and not onely all things are perverted but perverse things are neglected as if it were expedient that things should be so necessity that fruitfull mother of impieties so commanding And if you will reflect upon your own affairs I beseech you Princes among so many funeralls of Warre what can be pleasant to you You must stirre the earth adde disquiet to the sea and by many dangers you must arrive at greater danger Death that is obvious to every person must be sought for by hard labours no erroneous or reproveable course indeed if a happy Peace were unfeignedly pursued Many things are unfaithfull at home infested abroad great Armies are hard to raise costly to maintain easie to be destroyed the fate of Battels is common and the chance of Warre uncertain Prosperity doth not satisfie adversity striketh with a steep wounding dart and pierceth the very heart Many times victories themselves are the seeds of new contentions the brooding of new sorrows It is not lawfull for them that are up to keep their station nor for those that were overcome to lie still Discords increase with a prodigious fertility being once begun and many times the conquered draw the Conquerours and an inconcocted excesse of fortune obstructeth all their glories all things are intermixt with fear that depend upon expectation Many times fallacious events delude well-grounded hopes and horrid Catastrophe's befall the desperate The ingresses of Warre are troublesome the progresses doubtfull the egresses commonly deplorable Many is exhausted to make good the baffles of force by underming fraud lost Commanders are lamented to whom nothing was wanting but immortality Cyprus disappoints the Laurel and Funerals are distinguished by Palms The Conquerours stand over the ruines of the oppressed being themselves wasted by the expence of bloud and strength and nearer to their Tombs then Triumphs You would believe that a Kingdome
famine 249 The qualities of the sufferings of our Saviour 60 Our Saviour hath suffered in all the persons of the just and Martyrs ibid. An excellent observation upon the terming our Saviour a Lamb. 88 The prudence of Saul 63 He found a Kingdome seeking his Fathers Asses 238 The excellency and defects that were in Saul 239 The resolute valour of Saul in relieving the men of Jabish ib. Saul being in great perplexity consulteth with the soul of Samuel 143 Saul cleared for a while again returns to his evil spirit 141 Saul marcheth against the Philistims and is overthrown in battell ibid. Sauls end ib. The shame of scoffing 82 The danger of Scoffing 118 The scoffs of certain rebellious Flemings severely punished by the generosity of Philip de Valois ib. Seneca by a lesse evil diverts a greater 272 From whence proceed the calumnies of Seneca 274 His birth ib. His education and spirit ib. He is banished to Corsica where he composed excellent works 275 His excellent complement ibid. He is in great repute 276 His manners ibid. He made a Libel against Claudius 277 His judgement on Nero. ibid. He is made minister of State ibid. He put the State in good order ib. His Maxims ibid. His opinion of the Soveraign good 278 His falling off from Agrippina ibid. Why Seneca having so many brave qualities did perform so little in reformation of manners 283 His constant and famous death 284 Sin corrupteth the goodnesse of Essence in intellectuall creatures 45 A civill shame doth hinder good designs 297 Shamefac'tness a reasonable passion 81 Its sources honour and conscience ibid. Three kinds of Shamefac'tness ib. The esteem the antients had of Shamefac'tness 83 The Queen of Sheba 154 Her quality ibid. The picture of Slander 94 There would be no Slander if it were not made Slander by thinking thereon ibid. Solomons entry into the Realm full of trouble 151 He is declared King ib. The bloudy entrance of Solomon after the death of David 152 Solomons rigour ibid. He cannot well be justified for the bloud of his brother ibid. The just punishment of God upon Solomon ibid. A wonderfull dream of Solomon 153 His knowledge ibid. The judgement of Solomon in the contention of the two women 154 Solomon his zeal to the building of the Temple ib. The fall of Solomon 155 The beginning of his debauchednesse ibid. Solomon is perverted in Religion 156 The estate of Solomon in the other world ibid. The prodigious course of some Stars 74 The evil opinion of the Stoicks to trust altogether to themselves without acknowledging the grace and assistance of God 283 The birth and education of Queen Mary Stuart 291 Her return into Scotland ibid. The death of Henry Stuart 294 Persecution of the Queen Mary Stuart by the Protestants 295 She comforts her self in prison and hopeth against hope 296 She escaped out of prison ibid. Her languishment in her imprisonment in England 301 Elizabeths hatred to her 304 The Processe against the Queen of Scotland ibid. Her invincible Apology 305 The unjust judgement given against her 307 The vain endeavour to delay her death 308 Queen Elizabeth chiefly to be charged for her death ibid. Her death and miraculous constancy 309 The Sunne is an hundred and fourty times bigger then the earth and in twenty four hours goeth more then twelve millions of leagues 74 T TWenty two thousand Bullocks and one hundred and twenty thousand sheep sacrificed for the dedication of Solomons Temple 3 Reg. 8. 63 Mervelsous Temples where Lions are tractable 46 The generosity of Theodora wife of Justinian 161 Procopius speaketh shamefully of Theodora but undeservingly 167 Her death 169 Theodat honoured by Amalazunta 162 His perfidiousness ib. He causeth Amalazunta to be strangled in a Bath ib. Theodat is put to death and Vitiges is chosen in his stead 163 Time stealeth away from us the sense of Evils 58 Timidity its causes and Symptomes 71 Remedies for Timidity in declaiming 72 Timidity sometimes turneth into insolency ibid. Remedies against accidentall fear or Timidity 64 Totilas is chosen king of the Goths 163 The carriage of Truth doth cost dear at Court 146 V VAlour of Charles the simple 117 Vagoa Chamberlain to Holophernes 185 Vashââ wise of Ahashuerus doth make a banquet for the women answerable to the King her husband 188 She is degraded and divorced ibid. The burning of Vesuvius in the year 1631. 73 Vigilius shamefully used 169 The slights of Vigilius to get the Popedome from Sylverius 168 He is again received into favour and afterwards dyed of the stone in Sicily ibid. The death of Uriah 146 W THe greatnesse of Wisdome 133 Humane Wisdome overthrown by the power of Heaven 140 Reasons for the modest love of women 7 Rare Amities of Women ibid. Modest amitie with women should alwayes be handled with much precaution 8 Observation of Jamblicus applyed to the amity of Women ibid. The opinion of Fathers concerning the Amity of Women 9 Shipwracks happening by the love of Women ibid. The love of Women dangerous 16 Hatred of Women 38 Humour of Women 45 Women among the Sabeans command over men 154 The artifice of Women 156 It s very dangerous to be observant to wicked Womenâ humours 167 What hindereth the production of admirable works 68 The attractives of the world are not very urgent 18 Z A notable speech of Zaleuchus 58 FINIS
to the Saviour of the world which is yet at this time to be seen hanging over the Altar of Saint Sophia So did Mauritius so Henrie the Emperour at Clunie who made offer to the Church of a World all over diversified with most exquisite precious stones This is the cause why the King sent this present Flodoardus Philippus Bergomensis Savaro p. 15. de pietate Regis Ludovici as the History expresly mentioneth to be hanged up before the chief Altar of Saint Peter at Rome in token of the offer he made to God of his person and estate as the eldest Son of the Church And he that would well consider the foundation of the History shall find this Diadem called the Kingdom or Realm was a kind of crown come from Constantinople For it is said that the Emperour Anastasius who sought support from the favour of the King of France against the Goths that swayed in Italie understanding the great feats of arms done by our Clodovaeus sent a solemn Embassage unto him to congratulate and offer him the title of an honourable Consul the purple robe and the Crown which the Grecians of this time called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Clodovaeus very gladly entertained this Embassage and shewed himself attired with those ornaments in the Church of S. Martin where he made a largess of gold and silver then acknowledging all these prosperities came to him from God after he was baptized he consecrated this rich jewel which had been presented to him by the Emperour in the chief Church of Christendom to serve as an eternal monument of his Religion Behold how this illustrious Monarch began at that time to manifest the marks of his zeal and to cement together the good intelligence which France afterwards had with the Pastor and spiritual Father of the whole world I am bound to touch this as I pass along with all sincerity being naturally an enemy of these questions which are many times moved with too much servour and inconsideration in the point of contestations of the jurisdiction of Sovereign authorities We are learned enough when we know that Jesus Christ who had the source of power in himself distributed it to Popes and Kings constituting the one for spiritual government the other for temporal It is his pleasure we honour the character of his authority both in the one and other and not to argue upon fantasies God hath set them over out heads to admire their lustes and not to controul their power Amongst the follies of Nero it is reported that one day beholding a space of land which separated two seas and held them in excellent order he had a desire to cut it that these two seas might encounter and himself see what countenance they would carry when they commixed together Take you good heed saith the Oracle unto him otherwise they will overflow to drown you Leave matters as God hath appointed and confound not the limits of nature It is true Ecclesiastical and civil power are two great seas God hath limited and divided them by the interposition of spiritual and temporal administration Both exercise their functions and live in fair peace God preserve us from those miseries which may dis-mantle the wall and cause them to intermingle together so that we may behold the world in a deluge of calamities To what purpose is all this The Sun doth not the work of the rain nor the rain of the Sun Constantine Communis Episcopus corum que extra exclesiam said the Bishops were Bishops in their Churches in that which concerneth Religion and God had appointed him for the government of his Empire in matters temporal Let us rest in these limits Give we to Caesar that which belongeth to Caesar to God what appertaineth to God We have better learned to live than dispute and our Ancestours have preserved a Monarchy so flourishing the space of twelve hundred years not with disputations and unprofitable wranglings but with the arms of wisdom obedience and courage We have always rendered to the Pope the honour 1 Pet. 2. Sub diti estote omni humanâ creaturae propter Deum sive Regi quasi praecellenti sive âucibus tamquam ab co missis he deserveth as to the Sovereign Pastour of the Universal Church which is under Heaven We have confessed and do acknowledge the King true and absolute Monarch in the government of temporal things singularly honouring him and with most cordial affections loving him as an animated pourtraictute of the greatness of the Divine Majesty God thereupon maketh us to prosper and tast by experience that there is no science more noble than obedience nor any felicity but the accomplishment of the will of the sovereign Master On the contrary it is observed in the History of so many Ages that the wounds from Heaven have on all sides fallen upon those who have sought to cast the apple of discord into the house of God The wind blown from their moutheâ returned on their heads since it is fit iniquity should first kill it self with its own poison The eighth SECTION The good success which God gave to Clodovaeus after he became a Christian CLodovaeus was no sooner become a Christian but that it seemed God had tied to his arms some secret virtue which made him triumph over his enemies and crown all his enterprizes with most glorious successes The first war he undertook after his Baptism was against Gombaut King of Burgundie of whom we have very amply spoken heretofore I much wonder at certain Authours who measuring the affections of Saints with the weaknesses of their own spirits and esteeming it a sweet glory to be revenged upon enemies from whom some notable injuries are received have said that Clotilda excited her husband to the ruin of her uncle to derive an account from him of the death of her father and mother This is too inferiour a conceit of a Lady who was arrived to so high a degree of perfection nay it was so much otherwise that she should enkindle the fire of this war that Gombaut being in the full possession of Clodovaeus to bereave him of life she withheld the fatal blow afterwards seeing he by his ill deportment had lost his Kingdom she did all that possibly she might to preserve a part thereof for Sigismund son of Gombaut her cousin-germane That which first of all ruined this unhappy King Paul Emil. of Burgundie was his heresie which drew upon him the vengeance of God for it being often preached unto him and he convinced by reasons offering himself in private to become a Catholick yet still retained Arianism in publick Behold the cause why he having divided his heart God divided his Kingdom The second cause of his ruin was his nature cruel and covetous which rendered him uncivil and an enemy of all order He sent his Neece as it were in anger to Clodovaeus giving her not any thing in marriage but many complements Whereupon the King making
sundry remonstrances and afterwards complaints he neglecting both the one and the other and answering the Embassadours sent to treat with him very perversely he resolved to make war upon him Adde hereunto that having already put two of his brothers to death he tyrannized over the third who to get shelter from the tempest had recourse to the King of France who was no whit displeased to take this occasion to possess himself of the Kingdom of Burgundie which he saw to be very fit for him Gombaut having learned that Clodovaeus armed in good earnest against him would needs flatter his brother whom he had before much exasperated to win him to his party but he playing the fox against a fox having given him fair promises turned his back towards him and yielded to the French with all his troups The Burgundian affrighted fled and cast himself upon the Rhosne until such time that he was shut up in Avignon where Clodovaeus desperately pursued him pressed him and thrust him upon extremities so that the least word of Queen Clotilda had been sufficient to take away his life But the King contained himself both for the respect he bare to his wife whom he well knew not to be delighted with the bloud of her allies and for the discretion which Arredius a Counsellour of Gombaut used toward him The vanquished King yielded to all the conditions proposed by the Conquerour so far as to become tributary to France Afterwards the troups of Clodovaeus being retired this man full of gall and bitterness against Godegisilus his brother who had levied arms against him besieged him in Vienna contrary to all promises made to Clodovaeus and having surprized him slew him in the Church with his own hand which was an act so barbarous and onely worthy of a man abandoned of all sense of Religion This cruelty was the cause that Clodovaeus returning back again entered into Burgundie and possessed himself thereof to punish the exorbitances of a man who was as outragious to offend those who might hurt him as unable to resist the justice of arms raised against him There remained nothing for him in this shipwrack but an ignominious and miserable life which God oftentimes inflicteth for punishment of brother-slayers as he did to Cain which he finally ended in Arianism The holy Clotilda as I said before taking pitie of the issue of this wicked father employed all her endeavours to preserve for Sigismund the title of King and some competent remainders of a fortune horribly dis-membered by the evil mannage of this Prince blinded with errour and impiety From thence Clodovaeus transferred his arms into Aquitaine where he had business enough to deal with Alaricus King of the Visigoths But as I undertook not in this Treatise to enlarge upon the wars of Clodovaeus nor on his singular valour but as it may be considered to correspond with the piety he received from Clotilda I remit the Reader to the See Monsieur du Pleix History of France contenting my self to observe two or three passages of the Divine Providence over King Clodovaeus in this war The first was that having resolved to turn his arms against this Goth who drew into his Territories all the enemies of France and who was an Arian heretick most inhumanely used the Catholicks which were in his power he endeavouring to decline this blow used many wiles to surprize his adversary and murther him if he could under colour of emparlance and amity Clodovaeus notwithstanding shielded by the powerfull hand of God was delivered from his practises and although the other was supported by King Theodorick who was his father-in-law his countrey-man and leagued with other Kings our brave Monarch replenished with the confidence he had in the cause of God as one who intended to cut off the root of the Arian heresie which budded forth in France couragiously marched in the face of the enemy and with so much speed prevented him that he rather seemed to have the conduct of an army of eagles than souldiers A second testimony of the faithful love of Heaven appeared in wonders which served for a presage of the near approching victory The one was that the King according to his customary piety having appointed some men of purpose to offer up his vows at the feet of Saint Martin they entering into the Church to perform their devotions heard by good chance the Quire of Choristers who sung out aloud this versicle of the seventeenth Psalm Praecinxisti me Domine virtute ad bellum supplautasti insurgentes in me subtus me Lord thou hast engirted me with force and valour for the war Thou hast cast under me all those who were raised against me which being related to the King he thereupon conceived good success and setting forward on his way as he entered into Poictiou there was seen to issue out of the Church of S. Hilarie of Poictiers a great brand of fire like unto that flaming pillar which heretofore led the chosen people through so many dreadfull wildernesses in such sort that it seemed this great S. Hilarie who had heretofore been a light both for the East and West against hereticks enlightened still on the top of the place where he had been reverenced a burning Pharos to illuminate the conquests of a Prince who hastened to do that with the keen sword which he had formerly acted with the sharp dint of the tongue In the end coming upon the brink of a river swoln up where he knew not how to find a foord which much stopped the course of his enterprize behold a Hinde rouzed with the noise of the Army took the river in sight of the French in a place where it was passable and shewed them the way who prosperously followed The King encouraged by so many prodigies encountereth with Alaricus and gave him battel very roughly fortune holding the victory in ballance about six or seven hours until the French animated by the good example of their King renewed their forces with loud out-cries and brake with all violence through the files of the Goths Clodovaeus who had the flame of a generous vigour burning perpetually in his heart much desired to meet with King Alaricus when perceiving him in the middest of the conflict he set forward to encounter him The other already contemned by his own Goths for having heretofore refused the combat and seeing his Army in disorder became valiant in his despair and put on a resolution either to vanquish his enemy or to wash away the stains of his dishonour with his bloud He withdrew himself from the main of his Cavalrie and marcheth on towards Clodovaeus The souldiers stood still on both parts at this great duel of two Kings They came to handy strokes in the head of two Armies and charged one another bravely being a very long time bloudily bent to battel but in the end Alaricus felt the thunder which proceeding from the victorious hand of his adversary threw him down half dead
a spirit full of labyrinths captious suspicious great in appearance and little in reality a lion in prosperity and an ape in adversity whose life was a perpetuall crime whose avarice was a gulf ambition an abysse and fortune a scandall and an injury to Providence Yet for all this he entred so farre into the friendship of the King that he saw not but by his eyes heard not but by his ears walked not but by his steps and governed not but by his counsels He called him his father and believed him the most excellent and the wisest man in his whole Kingdome commanding every one to acknowledge him for the second person of the Empire and to give him the greatest reverence This Court that was full of slaves carried many candles to this Idol some through fear as to a mischievous Devil and others through hope and expectation to be preferred The poor Mordecai felt a most bitter grief to see over the heads of men him that would bring the whole world under his feet and in that slavery so generall to all men he chose rather the losse of his life then of his liberty He would never bow the knee before that Baal and although his enemy persecuted him in that businesse by fury and his friends by importunities he remained unmoveable resolved to suffer much rather then to do any thing that was base Haman that was at the beginning giddy-headed by the fumigations of the incense that was presented to him on all sides and that regarded men but as the little gnats took no heed to it at first but when he was advertised by his flatterers that there was but one onely man at Court that refused to be an adorer of his fortune he was inflamed with choler and esteeming it but a small game for him to cause one man to die he made a resolution horrible and bloudy to root out a whole Nation He goes and tells the King that the Jews dispersed through all the Provinces of his Kingdome were divided by Religion and by Laws from the rest of all the world and by affection from his Person and his State That they were a people most pernicious to an Empire that alwayes sate abrood upon some poison and that if they seemed moderate it was not but through impotence being disposed at the first occasion to cast themselves into Rebellion and Insolence He added also that the great care which he had of the good of the State put these words into his mouth that would cause the universall quiet of all his Monarchy and that after consideration had of the great perils wherewith his Crowns and Life were menaced by that faction he hath found nothing better then to prevent them and to cut them off in time before they had fortified themselves to the prejudice of the publick That if the Treasurers of the Exchequer feared by this a diminution of the Tributes he would give with all his heart ten thousand talents of his proper goods to recompense the Levies so much he took to heart that businesse that concerned the safety of his King and the benefit of his people This Serpent plaid his game with so much artifice that he perswaded whatsoever he had a mind to in such a manner as that poor Ahasuerus who was of a mean and credulous spirit without examining any thing plucks his ring from off his finger puts it into Hamans hands with a full power to do as he in his discretion should think fit Behold the great confusion of the State of the Spirit and of the Conscience of Kings when they suffer themselves so easily to be lead away by evil counsels and will not so much as know what passes in the government of their people It is an horrible thing that in the turn of an hand this miserable Prince should abandon to the vengeance of a pernicious man so many millions of lives without making one sole reflexion upon what he sayes or what he grants He had no imagination whither that did tend and his ordinary idlenesse suffered him not to take any further cognizance of it which rendred him doubly culpable to permit so many murders and to be ignorant of it Seneca sayes that when Claudius was Turpiùs ignorasti quà m occidisti Sen. in Ludo de morte Claudii in the other world some men reproached him with abundance of murders done under his name and yet he knew not what they meant then Augustus rose up and said Thou miscreant we talk not here of the slaughters thou hast committed but of those thou hast not known for it is a more shamefull thing to a King to be ignorant of the evil that passeth in his Kingdome then to act it The sister of one of the Ptolomy's King of Egypt seeing that her brother as he was playing at dice caused some criminall Processes to be read to him to decide them in the last Appeal snatched the papers out of the Clerk of the Assise's hand and said to her brother that a dye fell otherwise then the head of a man One cannot bring too much consideration when there is a question of shedding a mans bloud be it in peace or warre Yet Ahasuerus trusts this proud Haman as one that would trust the wolf with the lives of his sheep He triumphs with joy for having obtained the Kings ring he relishes and digests his vengeance with ceremony He causes a great vessel to be brought him into which he throws twelve little billets which bore the name of every moneth and causes the moneth to be drawn out by lot in which he should execute his pernicious design The lot fell upon the last although it was cast in the first and he would not change it whether through an old superstition of his Countrey or through the great confidence he had that what time soever he took to make the projected Massaere the Jews could not possibly escape him so impotent they were and he thought to keep them as beasts shut up which one chases when one will It was a pleasure to him to shew them the glittering steel a year before they should die and to make them perish a thousand times by fear before their life should be once taken away by the sword He assembles all the Kings secretaries and dictates to them a bloudy letter whereof he causes a great many copies to be drawn to send into all the Provinces and the renour of them was That the thirteenth day of the last moneth which was that of February the Jews should be massacred in all the Cities and Provinces that were within the utmost limits of the Empire and that from the least even to the greatest without sparing either man woman or child all should be put to the sword without remission and that their goods should be confiscated and exposed to pillage The Letters marked with the Seal and Arms of the King flew as ill-boding Birds through all the extents of the seven and twenty Provinces of
others through a compliance with the humours of Ahab and Jezabel The news of his death comes instantly to the Court and Jezabel carries it to the King without specifying to him any other thing telling him onely that Naboth was out of the world and that he might now enjoy his spoils all at leasure To speak Truth Great ones have great cause to make to God Davids Prayer and to beseech him to deliver them from others sinnes and from those that are hidden from them Unfortunate Ahab knew nothing of all that had passed and takes not the pains to inform himself of the manner of that death He trusted all to his wife and gave her his signet his authority his heart and Counsels It was enough to make him guilty to put the Government of his Kingdome into the hands of that Sidonian woman who he might well know had great inclinations to bloud and rapine Princes do wisely not to rely too much in every thing upon their Counsellours of State without watching over their actions and using all diligence to discover their deportments without believing any thing lightly either on one side or the other Ahab without taking any farther information was going to possesse himself of Naboths bloudy spoil when the Prophet Elijah by the command of God came and found him upon the way and began to roar against him as a Lyon What sayes he Murther the Innocent and take away his Inheritance bedewed with his bloud After this what is there more to do Know Sir that the Vengeance of God hangs over your head and that in the same place as the Doggs licked the bloud of Naboth they shall lick yours This unhappy Prince extreamly amazed at so thundering a speech was not incensed against the Prophet but endeavouring to pacifie him said to him Wherein have I offended you and in what have you found me your enemy that you use me with all these rigours You are enough mine enemy sayes the Prophet seeing you are Gods and since yee have sold your selfe through love to an Idolatrous woman to serve her passions and commit so many wicked acts in the face of God In punishment of your crimes He will ruine your House and blot out your Posterity the bloud of that murthered Innocent will cost Jezabel dear for she shall be caten up of Doggs in the field of Jezreel Poor Ahab returns hanging down his head without passing farther tormented on one side by the remorse of his own Conscience and on the other by the love he bare to his Sidonian whom he would not any way displease He said nothing to her of all that shee had done without his privity in Naboth's businesse whether through affection or through fear of her wicked Spirit He revenges himself upon himself he rents his Clothes he fasts he covers himself with sackcloth without putting it off even when he went to bed which softned the heart of God who ordained that the Kingdome should not be taken from him during his life but that his Posterity should be deprived of it Three years were slipt away and Elijah was absent when Ahab resolved to proclaim warre with the King of Syria to recover Ramoth one of his Cities that the other had usurped and engaged Jehosaphat King of Juda to his party making a new Alliance of Arms and Interests with him When they were assembled Jehosaphat which had a zeal to the true Religion said That it would be good to consult with some Prophet before they enterprised the warre and Ahab to content him called for four hundred but they were the false Prophets of his wife who were none of the best and who foretold him all falsoly that he should have an happy issue of his enterprise King Jehosaphat asked Ahab whether amongst that great number of Baals Prophets there were never a Prophet of the true God that one might hear speak meaning by this to induce him to his duty and to the knowledge of the true Religion Ahab replyed that there was none at present but a certain man named Michaiah but he could not endure him because he prophecied nothing but mischief to him Jehosaphat said that he ought not for that to hate him but that it would be good to hear him and instantly was sent away a Gentleman of the Court to call him This man ceased not to advise him upon the way to remit something of that rigour that was usuall to him and to render himself complacent to the King as all the other Prophets had done whereto he answered That he could do nothing against the Spirit of God nor against his conscience When he was come he perceived a great assembly of false Prophets who all approved that warre One among them named Zedechiah had made himself iron horns to signifie to King Ahab that he should ransack all Syria with a mighty power and that nothing should resist his Arms. But Michaiah being asked spake at first by fiction as the other Prophets foretelling prosperities without end Whereat the King being astonished that he did it against his custome conjured him not to flatter him and to tell him openly the truth To which he answered that he would not counsell him to hazard a battell against the King of Syria for if he did his whole army would be scattered and added also that God had given permission to the wicked spirit to deceive him and that he had found no better way to do it then to speak by the mouth of so many false Prophets that encompassed him Whereupon Zedechiah being incensed at that speech gave him a blow and the King commanded his Person to be seized on and to be put in prison to be kept there fasting with bread of tribulation and water of anguish till his return But the Prophet assured him that if he went he should never return again It is a strange thing that we cannot believe Truth that comes from the mouth of Gods servants because it complyes not with our passion It is also a manifest punishment to those that despise it not to consider that God begins the ruine of their fortune by the blinding of their Counsels Ahab obstinate to his miserie marches with all his Army against the King of Syria Jehosaphat engaged through inconsideration in that league pursues what he had ill begun and thinks that there is no better means to justifie an errour then Perseverance When the two Kings approached the enemy and the Armies were ranged in Battell the King of Syria gave expresse charge to his most resolute men to aim at the King of Israel and to endeavour to carry him it being the true means to dispatch the businesse and put an end to the warre Ahab began to fear his unhappinesse and prayed Jehosaphat to go into the mingling putting him forward with courage out of a design perhaps to cause him to be destroyed and to draw all the weight of the Army upon him by diverting it from his person And indeed when the