time big with childe with a spurne upon her wombe by which she perished with her infant because Antonia the daughter of Claudius fearing the like refused to marry with him he commanded her to be put to death He persecuted the Church and under his Tyranny Saint Peter and Saint Paul both suffered Martyrdom Aulus Plancius a beautifull young Roman after he had violently and against his will stuprated he put to death 〈◊〉 Crispinus his step son by the marriage of Poppaea a beardlesse youth in rage he made to be drowned Many freed men when they came to the estate of riches he cut off by the sword He pulled out the eyes of Cassius Longinus an excellent Lawyer or Orator and never made known the cause of his offence To Pâ—liâ—hagus by Nation an Aegyptian who was accustomed to eat raw flesh he gave living men to be devoured these are but a part of his barbarous inhumanities who not throughly sated with the blood of men sought to exercise his hate upon Rome his own City by setting a great part of it on fire his excuse being the deformity thereof which incendiary he beheld from the Meceâ—â—tian Tower glorying in the flames thereof being so far from commanding the fire to be extinguished that he suffered not any man to enter into his own house to save any part of his Goods and yet how mercifull was God in his judgement to punish this Tyrant with one miserable death who had indeed deserved more than a thousand Creon a Tyrant of Thebes besides many other cruelties in which he exprest a most bestiall and unmercifull nature denied Buriall to all the dead Bodies of his Enemies slain in Battell with others of his own Subjects who had any way offended him whom Theseus after slew in a conflict and served him with the same sauce forbidding his dead carcase to be inhumed or sepulcred but thrown out in the fields for the brute beasts to feed and the fowles of the air to prey on Antonâ—â—â— Commodus one of the Roman Emperours had so troubled the Empire with gladiatory slaughters that the people in contempt gave him the denomination of Gladiator or Fencer He as Lampridius witnesseth when he saw any man weak or unserviceable by reason of some disease in his feet would shoot him with arrowes to death having a strong steel Bowe made for that purpose The braines of others he used to beat out of their heads with clubs and boasted that therein he imitated Hercules to that purpose putting on a Lions skin He was also so irriligious and such a contemner of the gods that offerings and sacrifice at the altars he would mingle with the blood and flesh of men and if any man shewed either a smiling or supercilious brow at what he did both were alike him he commanded to be cast to the Lions and other wilde beasts to be devoured One of his servants being commanded to reade unto him the tyrannous Raigne of Caligula with the manner of his death as it was set down in Sâ—etoniuâ— Tranquillus because it displeased him as somewhat reflecting on his person he commanded to be cast to the Lions If any man in his own hearing or by the information of other said he must die he was precipitated from a rocke or some other high place and his body crushed to pieces he delighted to see the bellies of fat men ript up and how suddenly their guts and entrals would tumble to the ground But the people after so great sufferings now at length tired with his inhumanities in the very height of his insolencies when he least dreamed of any such disaster caused him to be flain which though a violent death yet in all mens judgements may appear somewhat too milde for his merit but the great Judge of all sometime mitigates the punishments of such grand malefactours here to make their torments more great and perdurable in the world to come The next I present to your view is Caius Marius the Roman who as he was of great power and potency in Rome so his pride was boundlesse and unmeasured but his inhumanity far exceeding them both for after his exile when he had again emptied the City of all those whom he suspected to have but the least finger in his confinement by the assistance of Cinna Carbo and Sertorius he presently fell upon the slaughters of the Princes and Senatours which was so violent that the channels overflowed with the blood of the slain Nobility He took away the head from Octavius the Consul and caused that of Octavius a consular Senator to be brought and set upon his table taunting and deriding him even after death Casar and Fimbria two of the most eminent in the City he commanded to be murdered in their own houses breaking them violently open in the night and killing them in their beds the two Crassi the father and the son he flew one in the sight of the other the more to aggravate their sorrow in their alternate indulgence Bebius and Numitorius he commanded to be dragged through the Forum by the common hangmans clutches but Catulus Lactutius by swallowing fire ended his life and escaped his greater cruelty Archarius and Flamen Dialis a priest whose office was sacred and in great reverence amongst the Romans he commanded to be through pierced with swords All which examples of Tyranny he committed from the Kalends of January to the Ides of the same moneth but what heavy judgements God laid upon him you shall next hear in the relation upon Sylla Which Lucius Sylla made a deluge and overâ—â—ux of blood through Rome and all Italy four legions of the contrary faction of Marius being surprised and imploring his mercy he commanded instantly to be cut in pieces the Prestines who had received and entertained Marius junior into their City after they had yeelded themselves unto his mercy he put them out of the City commanding Putilius Cethegus to kill them every man without the wals and their bodies to be left in open fields without buriall in which inhumanity perished at once five thousand men four thousand and 700 slain by strength of his bloody Edict of proscription he caused their names to be registred in the publike tables lest the memory of that facinorous act might be buried in oblivion and not sating himselfe with the strage of men his tyranny usurped upon women not sparing matron or virgin but he commanded their heads being cut off to be brought unto him that he might thereby the better glut his savage indignation and implacable fury Marcus Marius the Praetor he deprived not of his life before his eyes were pulled out of his head and after caused all the bones in his body to be broken Marcus Pletoriâ—s because being sent to kill his enemy Caius Marius he was daunted at his brave aspect and honourable presence and therefore left the fatall act unperformed he commanded him instantly to be slain Nor did his malitious rankor and hate end in the
9. Inquisition shall be made for the thoughts of the ungodly and the sound of the words shall come unto God for the correction of his iniquities Therefore beware of murmuring which profiteth nothing and refraine thy tongue from slander for there is no word so secret that shall goe for nought and the mouth that speaketh lyes slayeth the soule It is the counsell of the Wise man Eate not the bread of him that is envious or hath an evill eye neither desire his d 〈…〉 meates for as though he thought it in his heart bee will say Eate and drinke but his heart is not with thee thou sh 〈…〉 t vomit the â—arselâ— that thou hast 〈◊〉 and thou shalt lose thy sweet words c. The booke of Wisdome 〈◊〉 us that through Envy of the Devill came death into the world and they that hold of his side prove it therefore let us be advised by Saint Peter who in the second chapter of his first Epistle saith Wherefore laying aside all malitiousnesse and all guile and dissimulation and envy and evill speaking as new borne babes desire that sincere milke of the Word that yee may grow thereby c. But from the discovery of the foulenesse of the sinne I come now to shew what severall judgements have beene inflicted upon it And first to search forraine Histories before we come to fearefull and tragicall Examples moderne and domestick of our owne that the one may the better illustrate and set off the other I begin with that incestuous brood of Thebes the two brothers Eteocles and Polynices whose father Oedipus ignorant of his owne naturall parents and having first most unfortunately slaine his owne father and after retyring himselfe to Thebes by the solution of Sphinxes riddle married with his owne mother Iocasta neither of them knowing their proximity in bloud and by that match swayed the Kingdome together with those two before-named sonnes and two daughters Antigone and Ismene which he had by her But at length having knowledge of that incestuous match made with his mother he in griefe thereof with his nayles pulled out his owne eyes and she in despaire strangled her selfe after which the Kingdome falling to the two brothers They first agreed to raigne monethly and then yearely by turnes but soone after there grew such malitious envy betwixt them that whatsoever the one did in his regency the other when the power came into his hands utterly abrogated and disanull'd making new lawes to the former quite contrary which also lasted but a moneth for then the succeeder paid the resigner in his owne coyne Upon this grew faction and divers partisans on either side some favouring the one and some affecting the other in the end from threatnings and braves it came to battaile and blowes in which the two brothers encountering hand to hand in a single duell they interchangably slew one another whose envy in life was so irreconcilable and invererate that it appeared after their deaths for their two bodies being brought to be burnt in one funerall pile the very flame was seene to divide it selfe and burne in two parts suting to their opposite soules and contrary conditions Another Example of Gods Judgements against Envy Greece affordeth us Perseus the sonne of Philip King of Macedon but not that Philip who was father to Alexander the Great hee had an elder brother whose name was Demetrius a man of most approved honesty and imitable condition whose knowne vertues his younger brother of a malevolent and cumbred spirit much envying framed a most scandalous and detracting inditement against him pretending that he had privately insidiated his fathers life and Kingdom and sold them both unto his enemies the Romans of which by suborned witnesses he had made such proofe and bribing to that purpose prevailed so farre that he was convented convicted and condemned and most innocently suffered the rigout of the Law by having his head strooke off But the King having had notice of these barbarous and injust proceedings surprised with excesse of griefe died not long after and this malicious fratricide succeeded in the Kingdome who now having all things answerable to his own desires thinking Macedonia too narrow a limit for his unbounded ambition he in great presumption not onely opposed but invaded the Roman Empire whose envy and detraction against his brother God thus punished He drew him with all his puissant Army neare unto the river of Danubius where being encountred by the Roman Consul Aemilius he and his whole hoast were cut to pieces and utterly ruined insomuch that the power of the Macedonians being utterly confounded it became after subject and tributary to the Roman Empire and thus his defamatory destruction conspired against another fell upon his owne head and is still registred to his perpetuall shame and inflamy It is reported of the Roman Emperour Caligula who was a man of infinite vices that he never spared man in his rage not woman in his lust to whom sisters and strangers were alike he was so infected with this vice of envy that in contempt of the most noble families in Rome from the Torquati hee tooke the honour of wearing golden chains from the Cinâ—innats so called for their crisped and curled looks he tooke their haire and caused them to be shorne to the skull and so of others besides from 〈◊〉 Pompeâ—â—s he caused the denomination of Great to be taken away and Aesius Proculeus a very beautifull young man because hee was for feature and favour preferred before him he caused to be murdered for which and other like vices hee was deposed from the Imperiall purple and put to a most base wretched and ignoble death Antoninus and Geta were the two sonnes of the Emperour Severus betwixt whom he divided the Empire after his death To Antoninus was all Europe allotted and whole Asia was the possession and patrimony of Geta. Bizantium kept a great Garrison of Souldiers for Antoninus and Caloedon a Citie of Bythinia was the place of strength to which Geta trusted besides the two great Cities of Antioch and Alexandria were the Royall and Kingly feats for Geta and Mauritania and Numidia for Antoninus who was of a dangerous and divelish nature but Geta of a very curteous and affable temperature for which he was the more envyed by the Elder and his attrocities and inhumanities as much disaffected by the younger By which mutuall enmity those glorious victories which Severâ—s atchieved and after by concord and peace enjoyed to the great advancement of the Empire were now almost wholly ruined The Empresse their mother fore-seeing some great and eminent disaster gave them often very matron and pious admonitions exhorting them to unity and concord but her indulgent and wholesome counsell nothing prevailed with them for daily their discord hatred and bloudy practises increased and the one was so jealous of the other that they durst not eate nor drinke together for feare of poyson In this mutuall feare they continued till at the
he suffer deeds of such horrid nature to passe unpunished in this world what vengeance soever he without true repentance reserveth for them in the world to come as it is observable in this present History for Lewis the fourth the thirty third King of France by lineall discent comming to the Crowne being the sonne to the before-named Charles the simple and loath that so grosse a treason committed against his father should be smothered without some notable revenge being very ingenious he bethought himselfe how with the least danger or effusion of bloud in regard of the others greatnesse and alliance how to bring it about and therefore he devised this plot following He caused a letter to be writ which he himselfe did dictate and hired an English-man who came disguised like a Poste to bring it unto him as from the King his Master at such a time when many of his Peeres were present and amongst the rest this Herebert was amongst them this suborned Poste delivereth the letter to the Kings hands hee gives it to his principall Secretary who read it privately unto him who presently smiling said openly Most sure the English-men are not so wise as I esteemed them to be for our Brother of England hath signified unto me by these letters that in his Countrey a labouring-man having invited his Lord and Master to dine with him at his house and he vouchsafing to grace his Cottage with his presence in the base requitall of so noble a curtesie he caused him to be most treacherously slaine and now my Brother of England desireth my counsell to know what punishment this fellow hath deserved In which I desire to be instructed by you my Lords that hearing your censures I may returne him the more satisfactory answer The King having ended his Speech the Lords were at first silent till at length Theobant Earle of Bloyes was the first that spake and said that hee was worthy first to be tortured and after to be hanged on a Gibbet which sentence all the Lords there present confirmed and some of them amongst the rest much aggravating the punishment which also Herebert Earle of Vermendoys did approve and allow of whereupon the Kings Officers who by his Majesties appointment then waited in a with-drawing roome of purpose seised upon him with an armed guard at which sudden surprise hee being much amazed the King raising himselfe from his seat said Thou Hebert art that wicked and treacherous labourer who didst most trayterously insidiate the life of my father thy Lord and Master of which felonious act thine owne sentence hath condemned thee and die thou shalt as thou hast well deserved whereupon he was hanged on a Gibbet on the top of a Mountaine called Lodan which since his execution is called Mount Hebert to this day Bajazet the great Emperour of the Turkes who in his mighty pride thought with his numerous Army to drinke rivers dry and to weight the mountaines in a ballance who had made spoyle of many Nations and with tyranny persecuted the Christians dispersed through his vast dominions who compared the world to a Ship and himselfe to the Pilot who commanded the sayles and secured the helme yet afterwards being met in battaile by Scythian Tamberlaine and his Army being quite routed his person also taken prisoner in the field the Conquerour put this untamed beast into an iron cage and caused him to be fed from the very fragments and scraps from his table and carried along with him whither soever hee marched and onely then released him from his imprisonment when he was forced to stoope and humble his body as a blocke to tread upon whilest Tamberlaine mounted upon his steed but here ended not Gods visible Judgements against this Usurper Persecutor and Tyrant who in despaire rayling upon his Prophet Mahomet in whom he had in vaine trusted against the Iron grate in which he was inclosed beate out his owne braines and wretchedly expired Infinite are the examples to the like purpose but I will leave those Forraine to come to our Domestick extracted out of our owne Chronologers and first of King Bladud Who was the sonne of Lud Hurdribras and after the death of his father was call'd from Rome where hee had studied darke and hidden Arts and was made Governour in this Isle of Brittain in the yeare of the world foure thousand three hundred and eighteene For so testifieth Gualfride Polichronicon and other ancient remembrancers This Bladud was altogether devoted to the study of Magick and Necromancy and very expert in Judiciall Astrology by which he is said to make the hot Baths in the Towne then called Caerbadon but now Bath which Citie he is said to have erected This King caused the Art of Magick to be taught through his Realm and ordained Schooles and Schoole masters to that purpose in which hee tooke such pride and presumption as that he thought by it all things were possible to be done so much the Devill the first master and founder of that Art had deluded him so farre that at the length having called a great confluence of his people about him he made an attempt to flie in the arre but fell upon the Temple of his god Apollo where he brake his neck his body being torne and bruised after he had raigned twenty yeares leaving a sonne called Leire to succeed him and continue his posterity Goodwin Earle of west Saxon in the time of Edward the sonne of Egelredus was of that insufferable ambition by reason of his great revenues and numerous issue for he had five sonnes and one daughter that he swayed the whole Kingdome and almost compulsively compelled the King his Soveraigne to take his daughter Edith to wife After rebelling against the King and forced with his sonnes to depart the Land yet after he made such meanes that hee mediated his peace and was reconciled to him 〈◊〉 but amongst all his other insolencies he was accessary to the death of the Kings brother or at least much suspected to be so which was the first breach betwixt his Soveraigne and him But so it happened in the thirteenth yeare of the raigne of this King Edward Earle Goodwin upon an Easter Monday sitting with diverse other Lords and Peeres of the Kingdome at the Kings table in the Castle of Windsor it happened one of the Kings Cup â—eaâ—â—â—s to stumble and yet well to recover himselfe without falling and not spilling any of the wine which Earle Goodwin observing laughed aloud and said There one brother helped the other thereby intimating that the one leg or foot had well supported the other from falling To which words the King instantly replyed and so might my brother Alphred have bin still living to have helped and supported me had not Earle Goodwin supplanted him by death At which words being startled as conceiving that the King suspected him of his brothers murder thinking to excuse himself of that horrible act he said to the King Sir I perceive
after he was the subject of the Infidâ—â—â— meâ—â—ilesse cruelty who hanged him at the Embassadors gate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 anuâ— and Iohannes Budeus report a strange discourse of a malicious servant whom the Devill had possest with his owne diabolicall inhumanity who taking a virulent spleene from some rough usage by his master watched his opportunity when he was absent and shut and barricadoed all the doores about the house then hee broke open a chamber upon his Mistresse and when he had contemptuously and despightfully demeaned himselfe towards her hee after bound her hand and foot and so left her groveling upon the floore then he tooke three young children the eldest not seaven years old and carried them up to the battlements and when he espied his master comming home he called to him and in his sight first precipitated one childe and then another from the top to the pavement where their bodies were miserably dasht and shattered to pieces and hold up the other in his armes to doe the like to him at which the wretched father extreamely stupefied for who can imagine lesse fell upon his knees and humbly besought the villaine to spare the life of the third and he would pardon him for the deaths of the former to which the barbarous homicide replyed that there was but one way in the world for him to redeeme his life the indulgent father with teares and intreaties desired to know what that way was who presently replyed that he should with his knife instantly cut off his nose for there was no other ransome for him The passionate father who dearely tendered the safety of his childe having now no other left agrees to the condition and disfigured and dishonoured his face according to the covenant made betwixt them which was no sooner done but the inhumane butcher framed a loud and scornefull laughter at which whilest the other stood amazed the childe which he still held in his armes he â—â—ung to the rest and then most desperately cast himself after preventing a worse death by torment and such was the end of this Arch-limbe of his father the Devill and the fruits of Ire Anger Indignation and Malice CHAP. IV. Gods Judgements against Sloath. SAlomon saith of Sloath Proverbs 19. Vers. 15. Sloathfulnesse causeth to fall asleepe and a deceitfull person shall be affamished And 28. Vers. 19. He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread but hee that followeth the Idle shall be filled with poverty Againe Proverb 6. 6. Goe to the Pismire O sluggard behold her wayes and be wise for she having no guide governour nor ruler prepareth her meate in the summer and gathereth her food in harvest How long wilt thou sleepe O sluggard When wilt thou arise out of thy sleepe Yet a little sleepe a little slumber a little foulding the hands to sleepe Therefore thy poverty commeth as one that travelleth by the way and thy necessity like an armed man This being a sinne generally rather of omission then commission Examples and the punishments thereof are not so frequent in the holy Text nor other Ethnick Authors as those actuall and in continuall agitation yet as farre as Authentick authority will give me leave I will strive to delineate and expresse it to the full that being howsoever sleighted and unminded mortiferous and deadly and therefore subject to judgement and condemnation it may be the more carefully abandoned and avoyded Pride fulnesse of bread and idlenesse which is a neglect of that duty which belongs to God and a cessation of that consociety and converse which is requisite amongst men were part of those sinnes which caused God to raine down fire and brimstone upon Sodome and Gomorrah whose lazinesse and sloath begot incest adultery and that most preposterous and abhominable sinne since called from the place Sodometry But I desire first to annalyse and distinguish of the vice before I proceed to further president This fourth head of the beast of Hell called Accidia or Desidia hath a bad root and spreadeth into many evill branches for it keepeth from beginning well and hindereth from ending well It hindereth good beginnings by six sundry sinnes The first may be called Faintnesse which is when a mans love which ought to be zealous and servent towards his Creator and Redeemer is cold faint and weake and therefore made unapt either for Devotion or Prayer and this commonly happeneth when he is backward and averse to enterprise any good worke of piety or charity The second may be titled Tendernesse which is the very couch and day-bed on which the Devill resteth and reposeth himselfe still prompting to the man or woman Thou hast beene ever tenderly and indulgently brought up not borne to trouble thy selfe with any toylesome vocation thou art moreover of a weake constitution not able to endure paine or labour much lesse fasting or any needfull chastising of thy body that sighing for thy sinnes were hurtfull for thine health and weeping for thy transgressions would in time spoyle thine eye-sight with the like malevolent suggestions which aptly comply with a sentence of one of the Fathers Iustum est cum Deo ut moriens obliviscatur sui qui vivus oblitus est Dei Most just it is with God that such men should forget him in their death who would not remember him in their lives The third branch is Idlenesse from whence many evils arise as witnesseth the holy Text for when the old adversary of mankinde findeth a man idle in his duty towards his Maker he then findeth him imployment in his owne wicked workes first putting him in minde to think of evill and then to act it addicting himselfe wholly to villany ribaldry luxury to neglect time and opportunity wherein hee might doe much good and make his way towards Heaven Where on the contrary doing much evill hee prepares his passage to Hell and eternall damnation The fourth beares the title of Dulnesse or Heavinesse when we solely incline our selves to drowsinesse and sleep and then are the adversary and his ministers vigilant and waking to insidiate us in all our senses and the lesse apt he findes us to the service of God the more plyant and flexible hee makes us for the workes of Sathan and such are they who for one houres sleep will neglect comming to divine Service to heare the word of God preached or to be present at the administration of the holy Sacraments The first is Refrectory perversnesse that is when we lie and snort in sinne and are sensible and apprehensive of the temptations of the World the Flesh and the Devill yet we neither lift up our heads nor hearts to God by way of contrition nor implore unto him devoutly by confession nor list up our hands unto him as promising repentance like that obstinate and wilfull prisoner who had rather lie rotting in a stinking and noysome dungeon then take the paines to walke up the staires where the doores stand wide open to gaine himselfe his franchise and
The greatest part of his wealth he purchast out of the civill garboyles seditions and combustions converting the publike calamities to his private use and benefit for when he had left him three hundred Talents onely from his fathers Inheritance before he enterprised any expedition against the Parthians hee had gathered together into one Magazine seaven thousand and one hundred Talents though hee had before consecrated the Tenths and Tythes of his whole estate to the Temple of Hercules Hee moreover made a publique Banquet in which he feasted the whole people of Rome and gave to every one of his guests three pounds in silver He kept moreover as his servants that had dependance of him five hundred Smiths and Carpenters skilfull in Architecture whom hee not onely imployed in his owne sumptuous Buildings and Aedisices but to any noble Citizen who had a will and desire to build he not onely lent them freely but paid them at his owne charge yet this man overcome with covetousnesse of the Parthian gold was by them taken prisoner in battaile who knowing his great avarice caused molten gold to be powr'd downe his throat deriding his insaciety in these tearmes For gold thou thirstest in thy life and now take thy fill of it in thy death And yet Pallas the freed man of Claudius Caesar was held to bee twenty times richer then Crassus Plinius the Praetor speakes of this Pallas as also of Calistus and Narcissus possest of innumerable wealth during the principality of Claudius insomuch that the plenty of Narcissus grew to a proverbe for if they had to speake of any man who was possese of superabundant wealth they would say he was as rich as Narcissus of this Pallas Iuvenall speakes in his first Satyre who with Narcissus were the freed men of Claudius and by the generall suffrage of the Senate had not onely mighty Donatives conferred upon them but they were admitted unto prime Magistrates and underwent the most honourable offices in the Citie More over the Emperour as Tacitus writes bestowed upon Pallas the Praetorian Ensignes with great summes of money being yearely possest besides his domestick wealth of three thousand Sestertii but what happinesse had hee by the enjoying of such abundance the same Author relates that Ner◠Caesar grieving that hee had lived so long for hee was growne aged caused him to be poysoned and by that meanes consiscated his goods to his owne use Antiochus the great King of Syria did so abound in riches that purposing to make warre upon the Romans he gathered a puissant and numerous Army who were accommodated in all the bravery that could be possible their Helmets being richly plumed and the heads of their Speares and Shields shining with silver and gold who after with great esteeme shewing the glory of his Souldiers and pride of his Host to Hanniball he asked him whether he thought that these were not able to conquer the Romane who after some small pause made him answer I cannot presume that they are able to vanquish them but of this I am most assured they are able to satisfie them if the Romans be covetous and so it after proved to his great dishonour Pythius Bythinius a Persian gave to Dari 〈…〉 a plaine tree and a Vine all of gold he also feasted Xerxes Army in his expedition towards Greece which consisted of seaven hundred fourescore and eight thousand men and allowed unto them five moneths provision of corne victuall and pay and onely because that of five sonnes he had Xerxes would leave one of them at home with him to comfort him image Herodotus and Pliny both testifie of him that being demanded of the King of what possession 〈◊〉 was he made answer That he had in his Coffer ten thousand Talents of silver and foure hundred Mirlads of gold besides of the coyne of the Daricans which amounted to seaven thousand pound weight in gold all which when he had prostrated to the Kings service and free dispose he wondring at his extraordinary liberality tooke to supply his present use the foure hundred Miriads of gold and left him the rest notwithstanding which in his returne from Greece whence he was basely beaten and baffled he caused that young man the sonne of so bountifull a father before his face to be cut in pieces And thus we see there is no trust in riches for even King David and his sonne who had wealth above account and gold and treasure beyond numbe◠the one 〈◊〉 into Murder and Adulterie the other into Lust and Idolatrie From those which were rich I come to the covetous Constat Manasses Annaltum pag. 94. relates that Chaganus King of the Septentrionall Scythians when he had invaded many of the Roman Forts and Cittadels even those most strongly manned and defenc't in his first violent assaults tooke in many walled Cities and all the Region bordering upon Ister quite depopulutated insomuch that the whole River was sanguin'd with the bloud of the Natives And having surprised many Captives to the number of twelve thousand men hee sent to the Emperour Mauricius to know if hee would redeeme them being Christians and his subjects but neither the extreame rage of the Scythian cruelty nor the barbarous Kings inhumanity neither the cryes and ejaculations of the miserable and distressed prisoners could move the minde of this obdure and flinty-hearted Emperour who was wholly given over the base and sordid avarice Againe Chaganus sent unto him Embassadours with more moderate and reasonable conditions with a great part of the first price deducted to which the covetous Emperour would not lend any eare at all which Chaganus hearing he raged like a Tyger and caused them all to be hewed to pieces the whole Region to be covered with their carkasses the fields to bee stain'd with their bloud and their bodies to be piled in an heape almost to the height of a Pine-tree which cruell act of the Emperour my Author thus aggravates O gold and love of gold more cruell then a Tyrant of men the persecutor the Fort of mischiefe the Castle of destruction the eversion of Towers the depopulation of Cities the demolishing of Walls and Gates the fall of Houses the ruine of Families O with what mischiefes doest thou afflict us mortals no earthly thing can compare with thee in cruelty Thou softnest the hard indurat'st the soft thou givest speech to the silent and makest mute the free speaker In roving thou makest the swift slow pac't and puttest wings to the feet of the lazy Thou kickest against Law and Justice expellest bashfulnesse and modesty violat'st Sepulchres diggest through there is nothing which thou wilt not sell nothing which thou wilt not betray Now let us looke upon the dreadfull Judgement of God which fell upon this gripple minded Prince who was so hated amongst the Christians that upon Christmas day as he was entring into the Temple was like to have beene stoned to death After which he grew jealous even of his owne brother and all
stifled by falling into kennells others found sleeping upon Dung-hills on which stumbling have not beene able to rise but there have took up their lodging for all night some that have been conducted home yet in going up staires to bed have falne backward and broke their necks But of all miraculous escapes that I have heard of I my selfe knew two Gallants come from the Taverne so strangely overtaken with Wine that when they came into the street they were scarce able to stand or goe or move one foot before another the night was darke and loath they were to take the benefit of a light because their indenturing should not bee observ'd and because they would both take one fortune they catcht fast hold one of the other and on they went it happened in the way that a Seller doore being left open downe they both fell into a Vault but here is the wonder one of their Rapiers slipt out of the scabbard and fell with the pummill downwards and the point up-right these tumbled after it and it ranne one of them through the Breeches at the knee up to the waste and thence through the body of the Dublet up to the shoulder where the point appear'd an handfull bare at his neck and yet in the whole passage not so much as once raz'd any part of his skinne The noise of the fall suddenly commanded a light but when they saw the Rapier so strangely scabbarded and by search found that the party had no hurt they were all amazed and the two Drunkards with the apprehension thereof made almost sober This was one of Gods miraculous deliverances but let none presume to make that a president for his security for doubtlesse hee hath lesse wit then an Ideot who being in his best sobriety would hazard the like danger But it hath not happened so to others for a Butcher who was observed for a common Drunkard being Pot-shot and in his Cups was got into a Carâ— to receive some hides or such like commodity to lade it with and stooping his body to take something in his Head was too heavy for his Legges that should have supported him and downe â—ee fell upon a Forke which stood by the Cart side with the pikes upward hee pitcht his breast upon it which pierc'd him to the heart so that he dyed immediately without calling to God for mercy and this is knowne not long since to have happened In Norfolke three men comming drunke out of an Ale house late in the night amongst many other prophane and blaspemous speeches they began to jest at Hell and withall to sweare that in the most obscure place of it it could not be so dark as that night was at length they were to take leave and part every man to his home and after a drunken farewell the one of their wayes lying over a Bridge his feet failing he slipt into the water and was drowned The two other were Horse-men one of which by the stumbling of his horse was cast upon the ground where he was after found dead with his neck broken neither did the third escape without a most remarkable Judgement for his horse was found grazing in one place and he dead in another but without any wound for some conjectur'd that hee perish'd with the extremity of cold it being a bitter frosty night and snow falling withall A Glasier in Chancery lane not long since so overcharged his stomack with wine that comming home he fell a vomiting in that extreame and extraordinary fashion that breaking a veine within him he dyed within two dayes after and a Barber in Drewry-lane comming from the Taverne in the like distemper his wife with much adoe got him to bed where he fell into a sound and dead sleep for that night being very tempestuous and a mighty winde stirring and they lodging in an upper roome or Garret the Chimney was blowne downe and he kill'd in his bed his wife that lay close by his side having no hurt at all To reckon up all the knowne judgements in this kinde would make this Tractate voluminous these therefore for the present I hope may satisfie the indifferent reader who if he shall but enquire from man to man of the disasters hapning in that kinde shall heare from their owne motion Stories too many of all good Christians to bee charitably commiserated and lamentably deplored These have been examples of such as wee call downe-right Drunkards and like selfe-murderers have beene not onely accessaries but the Agents of their owne deaths of which nature one accident of which my selfe was eye-witnesse comes fresh in my remembrance and happened some seven or eight yeares since at the most Five young men comming from Islington upon a Sunday where they had beene drinking good store of Ale in their way home came to the Nags-head Taverne upon Clerken-well hill where they cal'd for Wine what quaintity they dranke I am not certaine but in the midd'st of their carrowsing one of them being a young man a Barber in Ivy-lane and lately married grew to to bee drowsie and at length dropt under the Table which the rest not minding put it off with a jest and said he did but counterfeit sleep till the reckoning was paid another said hee had knowne him doe the like before and thus they past the time till they were ready to part when calling for a reckoning they also call'd for their drowsie Companion to rise and to goe along with them but hearing that he made no answer they pusht him and jogg'd him yet all in vaine till at length by the helpe of the Master of the House they lifted up his body and set him on one of the Benches but his head fell downe into his bosome for there was no life in him at which they grew all amaz'd neither can I blame them who for every Glasse of Wine they enforc'd him to drinke beyond his strength might as well to have given him a stabbe in the breast with a Puniard The next day came his weeping Wife and some of his sorrowfull kindred and conveighed his body from the Taverne to the Church to be buried I come now to that from which I late deviated as to those who through excesse of Gusling for manners sake call'd good fellowship destroy not themselves with suddaine Deaths but rather Consumptions and lingring Maladies which also by degrees bringeth on an assured and untimely end one of the branches thereof is luxurious Prodigality mixt with intemperate Vinocity of which I will give you but one President A rich Citizens sonne and well ally'd amongst the Aldermen being a personable and proper young man daring and valiant of a wondrous active body acute wit and a seeming sollid apprehension his Father dying left him what estate in land I know not thirty thousand pound in ready Cash besides Plate Jewels and houses furnish'd with rich hangings with all Utensills suitable to the state of Aldermen Now
this man who was no Gamster to lavish his meanes that way yet spent all his whole and entire estate within the space of three yeares Would any man beleeve how this could be possible Well I will tell you how he kept two or three tall fellowes in Skarlet Liveries dawb'd with gold lace and for his owne particular would shift his Cloathes twice a day wearing one suit in the morning another after dinner his most frequented Taverne was the Kings Head in new Fish-street where hee usually din'd and supt in the long Roome at the long Table where though hee were but himselfe and his friends hee would have the Boord throng'd with variety of Dishes from the top to the bottome and as his meat was beyond rule so many times his drinke was beyond reason and though he could not be without flatterers or Sycophants about him yet could they never foole him out of any bounty His Table was free for them but his Pockets shut keeping alwayes a brace of principall good Geldings his delight was to ride them off from their legges and when they were foundred or past present service give them to one of his Groomes He had a great longing to please all his five senses at once nor could he bee at peace within himselfe till he had accomplish'd it and allow'd to the delight of every sense a severall hundred pound for which hee bespoke a curious faire roome hung with the richest Arras that could bee hir'd and furnish'd with all the most exquisite Pictures that might bee bought or borrowed to please the eye Hee then had all the choicest Musicke that could be heard of and how farre off soever to be sent for with all the varieties or rarities that could be raised from any Instrument to give him content to the eare Then he had all the Aromaticks and Odoriferous Perfumes to delight his sent in smelling Next all the Candies Preserves all the Junkets even to the stretching of the Apotecaries or Confectionaries Art to palliate his taste and lastly a beautifull and faire strumpet lodg'd with him in a 〈…〉 e compass'd to accommo 〈…〉 〈…〉 ore then ever Sardanapalus did 〈…〉 To tell of his mea 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these though they were great in themselves yet in the relation would appeare nothing and therefore I omit them Briefly as he grew in an instant to wealth so he fell as suddenly to want and then those who had been his greatest sycophants would shun the way of him He drew to all the debauchtnesse that could be nam'd being a brother of the Broom-staffe not worth a cloak though never so thred-bare being forc'd most shamefully to beg of his acquaintance and those he had knowne hee was after prest for a common souldier and for running away from his Captaine should have been hang'd but for his Worshipfull kindred for whose sake I also forbeare to name him the matter was put off But now followes the wonder after all this contempt misery and penury two or three Gentlemen call'd him up into a Tavern of purpose to have some discourse with him and one amongst them desired him to resolve him faithfully of one question he would aske him who protested unto him that he would unfaignedly doe 't He then said to him you have been a Gentleman well bred and have spent a very faire Fortune you are now cast downe to the lowest disgrace that can be as having tasted of all miseries whatsoever and you know them both plenty poverty in a full measure now my demand of you is the premisses considered if you had all your former estate in your hands entire knowing what you now know would you not be a very good Husband To whom he made answer and bound it with a great oath if I had said hee all the estate I before enjoyed and ten times a greater I would spend it all to liveone week like a God though I were sure to be dam'd to hell the next day after which strook the Gentlemen into such astonishment and anger withall that instead of giving him money which was their purpose they thrust him out of the roome as a prophane and blasphemous wretch and would never look upon him after Who that shall look upon all the Prodigalls and spend-thrifts that have had great fortune and have wasted them to nothing or consider how many young Shop-keepers that have had good and sufficient stocke to set up with and through Drinking and Company-keeping neglecting their home-affaires have suddenly proved Trade-falne and what hath been the end but to fill Gaoles and furnish prisons or if they escape with Liberty to fall into dissolute and desperate courses which bring them into certaine disgrace but most commonly unto untimely end Besides how many young heires in the Countrey borne to faire Revenues and possest of great estates who having liv'd formerly in the Countrey and after come to see the fashions of the City what by Tavernes Ordinaries Game-houses Brothell-houses and the like have been so besotted and stupified that they have suddenly run themselves out of all their fortunes and then growing desperate having spent their own forc'd from others and taking purses by the high-way side have come at length to disgrace their gentry by their infamous deaths at the Gallows And these and the like are the remarkable judgments continually exercis'd upon gluttons drunkards from which sin of Gurmandizing as from all the rest God of his infinite mercy even for the merits of his Sonne Christ Jesus deliver us all Amen FINIS A Table of the severall Chapters contained in the two first parts of this Book Chapt. 1. TOuching the corruption and perversity of this World how great it is Pag. 1 2. What is the cause of the great overflow of vice in this Age. 3 3. That great men which will not abide to be admonished of their faults cannot escape punishment by the hand of God 4 4. How the justice of God is more evidently declared upon the mighty ones of this world then upon any other and the cause why 5 5. How all men both by the Law of God and Nature are inexcusable in their sinnes 7 6. How the greatest Monarchs in the World ought to be subject to the Law of God and consequently to the Laws of Men and Nature 9 7. Of the punishments that seized upon Pharoah King of Egypt for resisting God and transgressing the first Commandement of the Law 13 8. More examples like unto the former 17 9. Of those that persecuted the Son of God and his Church 20 10. More examples like unto the former 25 11. Of the Iews that persecuted Christ. 29 12. Of those that in our age have persecuted the Gospell in the person of the faithfull 32 13. Other examples of the same subject 36 14. A Hymne of the persecution of Gods Church and the deliverance of the same 43 15. Of Apostata's and Back-sliders that through infirmity and feare have falne away 45 16. Of
those that have willingly falne away 49 17. Of the third and worst sort of Apostates those that through Malice forsake the Truth 51 18. More examples like unto the former 55 19. Of Hereticks 61 20. Of Hypocrites 67 21. Of Conjurers and Inchanters 71 22. Of those that through pride and vaine glory strove to usurpe the honour due to God 79 23. Of Epicures and Atheists 87 24. Touching the Transgressors of the 2. Commandement by Idolatrie 94 25. Of many evills that have come upon Christendome for Idolatrie 96 26. Of those that at any time corrupted and mingled Gods Religion with humane Inventions or went about to change or disquiet the Discipline of the Church 99 27. Of Perjurers 101 28. More examples of the like subject 116 29. Of Blasphemers 130 30. Of those that by cursing and denying God give themselves to the Devill 134 31. More examples of Gods judgement upon Cursers 136 32. Punishments for the contempt of the Word and Sacraments and abuse of holy things 140 33. Those that prophane the Sabbath-day 147 Judgements in the second Book Chap. 1. Of rebellious and stubborne Children towards their Parents 151 2. Of those that rebell against their Superiours 158 3. More examples of the same subject 163 4. Of such as have murthered their Rulers and Princes 168 5. Of such as rebelled against their Superiours because of Subsidies and â—â—â—es imposed upon them 171 6. Of Mu 〈…〉 〈◊〉 â—74 7. A suit of examples like unto the former 177 8. Other examples like unto the former 193 9. Other memorable examples of the like subject 197 10. Of divers other Murtherers and their severall punishments 201 11. Of the admirable discovery of murthers 203 12. Of such as have murthered themselves 214 13. Of Paracides or Parent murtherers 221 14. Of Subject-murtherers 226 15. Of those that are both cruell and disloyall 231 16. Of Queens that were murtherers 234 17. Of such as without necessity upon every light occasion move war 236 18. Of such as please themselves overmuch in seeing cruelties 239 19. Of such as exercise too much rigor and severity 241 20. Of Adulteries 244 21. Of Rapes 245 22. Other Examples of Gods Iudgements upon Adulterers 251 23. Shewing that Stewes ought not to be suffered amongst Christians 254 24. Of Whoredomes committed under colour of marriage 256 25. Of unlawfull marriages and their Issues 257 26 Touching incestuous marriages 259 27. Of Adulterie 261 28. Other Examples like unto the former 264 29. Other Examples like unto the former 268 30. More Examples of the same Argument 272 31. Of such as are Divorced without cause 275 32. Of those that either cause or authorize unlawfull Divorcements 277 33. Of Insestuous persons 278 34. Of effeminate persons Sodomites 〈…〉 â—onsters 280 35. Of the wonderfull evill that ariseth from the greedines of Lust. 282 36. Of unlawfull Gestures Idlenesse Gluttony Drunkennesse â—ancing and other such like dissolutenes 283 37. Of Theeves and Robbers 292 38. Of the excessive burdening of the Commonalty 297 39. Of those that have used too much cruelty towards their subjects in taxes and exactions 299 40. More examples of the same subject 302 41. Of such as by force of Armes have either taken away or would have taken away the goods and landâ— of other men 304 42. Of Vsurers and their Theft 373 43. Of Dicers Card-players and their Theft 376 44. Of such as have been notorious in all kind of sin 379 45. More examples of the same argument 385 46. Of Calumniation and false witnesse 393 47. That Kings and Princes ought to look to the execution of justice for the punishment of naughty and corrupt manners 40â— 48 Of such Princes as have made no reckoning of punishing vice nor regarded the estate of their people 402 49. How rare and geason good Princes have been at all times 40â— 50. That the greatest and mightiest Cities are not exempt from punishment of their iniquities 408 51. Of such punishments as are common to all men in regard of their iniquities 409 52. That the greatest punishments are reserved and laid up for the wicked in the world to come 410 53. How the afflictions of the godly punishments of the wicked differ 411 A brief Summary of more examples annexed to the form◠〈◊〉 â—â—e same Author Chap 1. Of such as have persecuted the Church of Christ. 414 2. Of Perjury 414 3. Of Epicures and Atheists ibid. 4. Of Idolatry 418 5. Of Blasphemy 418 6. Of Conjurers Magitians and Witches ibid. 7. Of the prophanation of the Sabbath 419 8. Of Drunkennesse 420 9. Of rebellious disobedient children to parents 426 10. Of murtherers ibid. 11. Of Adultery 428 12. Of Theeves and Robbers 429 13. Of 〈◊〉 431 14. Of the molestation of evill spirits and their execution of Gods judgements upon men ibid. 15. The Conclusion concerning the protection of holy Angels over such as feare God 437 A Table of the most remarkable judgements contained in the last part of this Book never before imprinted DEvoured by Wormes pag. 3 Poisoned 4 Self-murther ibid. â—â—postume 5 A Spanish History against pride in knowledge 〈◊〉 c. The Popes Nephew hanged 8 An Italian rack◠〈◊〉 death 9 Herbert Earle of Vermendois 10 Bajazet beats out his own brainis ibid. Bâ—adaas neck broke by a fall ib. Earle Goodwin choaked at the table 11 Earle Harold shot in the eye 11 12 Pierce Gaveston beheaded 13 Sir Hugh Spencer beheaded and his sonne hang'd and quartered 13 Earle Mortimer hanged 14 Sundry others executed 15 A briefe relation of the life and death of Cardinall Wolsey 15 16 Envious persons punished sundry wayes 17. One Brother murthereth another 21 A remarkable history of a Roman Prince 22 Pope Boniface his miserable death 23 The death of Caesar Germanicus ib. Matrinus head cut off 24 Bassianus and his mother torne in pieces throwne into a â—akes 24 Alexander Severus miserably slaine ib. Prince Cranne with his Wife and Children burnt to death 25 One brother killeth another and the mother murdereth her owne Son 25 26 Prince Morwith devoured by a Sea monster Sundry other remarkable judgements upon envious persons 27 The unfortunate deaths of Edw. 6. his two Vncles 30 31 Ptolomeus Pisco torne in pieces 33 Cirenes famished to death ibid. One destroy'd by Lightning ibid. Of another torne in pieces by Wolves ibid The story of Philaris brazen Bull. 33 34 Sundry relations of bloudy women 34 35 Remarkable observations upon the Emperor Caligula together with his death 35 Avidius Cassius his bloudy acts and miserable death 37 Sundry murthers strangely discover'd 42 Sundry judgments against the sin of sloth 46 A strange story of a slothfull Chamber-maid 55 Covetousnesse defined 58 The infinite riches of some men 62 The monstrous covetousness of Mauritius the Emperor together with his death 64 Sundry judgments against covetousnes 66 A strange Murther committed in Honey-lane and as strangely discover'd 69 A Scholler murdereth his Fathers Servant 70 Parents murder their own children 71 Iudgements inflicted upon Usurers 74 Lust learnedly defined 76 c. Gods judgements against Gluttony 96 c. FINIS Foure Species of Pride Habbak 2. 4. Nicanor Alexander the Great Nero Casar Varus Pergaus Menecrates the Physitiaâ— Pride in all states conditions and sexes The nature of Pride S. Augustine Plutarch An excellent Spanish History against pride in knowledge The 3. Questions propounded The Earth Humilitie Pride Advantage well taken Their marriage A just censure His owne tongue condemned him Histories out of our owne Chronicles in which the sin of pride hath beene most severely punished Examples in the Gospell One brother murdereth the other The History of a Roman Prince The Soldans great love to the Prince Envy in Women Murder the fruits of Envy A just Judgement upon an envious Traytour Envy pursued by many disasters Texts in the holy Scripturè by which wrath is condemned Noted murderers in the holy Text. Examples of Sloath out of the Scriptures A strange story of a sloathfull Chamber-maid The Parents murder their owne naturall sonne for the luere of money Fabia Zoe the Empresse Women branded for Incest Papinius and Canusia Julia the Empresse and Antonia Coracalla Semiramis A Spanish Maid A Gentleman of Millan The Prince of Opolia A Burgesse of Ulmes An Advoc 〈…〉 of Consta 〈…〉 A Nobleman of Piedmont Cyanip Syrac Armutiâ—s Childebert K. of France and Plectrude Philip the second and Gelberge his Q. A miraculous deliverie A needful observation A lamentable History Jealousie A fearefull Prison or Dungeon A cruel Lady A fearfull sight The former parallel'd with a modern Story An unwomanly Act. Locring Estrild Sabrina Ethelburge a notorious Adult 〈…〉 An unadvised Woman The fury of Elphaida A miraculous accident A bloudy Regitide Sigandus Bish. of Sherburne and Winchester Henry the second Mr. Arden of â—eversham Master Page of Plymouth Countrey Tom and Cambury Besse The symptoms of Gluttony From the Old Testament Texts out of the New Testament The Fathers of Gluttony Erotes The Devills miracles Albidinus Lucullus Caesar the Son of Pope Alexander Galentius Belflorius a Sycilian Good admonitions against Gluttony Maximinus a great Glutton The Emperor Bonosus Phago Edax Clodius Albinus Heterognathus Mithredates K. of Pontus Domitius Affer Philoxenes Galba and Vitellius Drunkards amongst the Grecians Alexander the Great Antiochus the Illustrious Agrones The bitter fruits of Gormundizing Gluttony An unmatchable villainâ— Almost the like done in England The effects of too much wine A miraculous escape A drunken Bu 〈…〉 A judgement upon three drunkards A Glasier A Barber One that drank himself to death A true relation of a Prodigall Citizen A strange and unheard of prodigall