out of the battel and at night the weather being hot he was extreme thirsty and could get nothing to drink whereupon his Eunuches ran up and down to seeke him some water and at last they met with a poore fellow that had gotten some stinking puddle water in a fiâ—thy vessel this they took and carried to the King who drank it all off and when one of them asked him whether that filthy water did not offend him he swore that he never drank such a sweet draught either of wine or water in his life before and therefore he prayed the gods that if he could not reward the poore man that brought it yet that they would make him both blessed and rich for his labour Plut. Philip King of Macedon in the midst of all his glory when he had conquered divers Kingdomes and was chosen by all Greece Captaine General against the Persians upon a festival day at the marriage of his daughter and the Coronation of his sonne Alexander was suddenly stabbed by Pausanias to whom he had formerly denied Justice Diod. Sic. See more of it in Sodomy Alexander M. having overcome Darius went to Babylon where he had the City and Castle delivered up to him and there in infinite treasures from thence he went to Susa which being also surrendred to him he found there fifty thousand Talents in bullion and such abundance of riches as the Persian Kings had for a long time heaped up together leaving it from father to son all which in one houre came into his hands that never cared for it From thence he went to Persepolis which had in it a farre greater Masse of treasure it being the richest City then under the Sunne there he found one hundred and twenty thousand Talents of money and as much other treasures as twenty thousand Mules and ten thousand Camels could carry away much whereof had been reserved there from Cyrus his time Alexander setting himselfe down in the Kings throne it was so high that his feet could not reach the ground whereupon one brough a little table and set under his feet and one of Darius his Eunuches standing by sighed and weeped grievously which Alexander taking notice of asked him what was the cause of it to whom the Eunuch answered I weep to see that table that was so highly prized by my Master Darius to be now made thy footstoole Q. Cur. This Darius flying out of the battel who a little before was Lord of so many Kingdomes and people of so much treasure and riches and was adored as a god by his Subjects was now taken by some of his own servants put into a base waggon covered with hides of beasts and so carried hither and thither as they pleased and to fill up the measure of his wretchednesse they bound him in golden setters and drave all his attendants from him and when they heard that Alexander pursued and was now come neere to them these villaines Bessus Artabazus and others took Darius wounded him in many places and wounded the beasts that drew him and so fled themselves into Bactria In the mean time the beasts that drew Darius being weary hot and wounded turned out of the way into a certaine valley whither one of Alexanders men called Polystratus coming to seek for water as he was drinking out of his helmet he spied the waggon and mangled beasts and going looking into it he spied a man halfe dead with many wounds Darius lifting up his eyes and seeing him said This comfort I have in my present fortune that I shall breath out my last words to one that can understand them therefore saith he I pray thee tell Alexander that though I never deserved any favour at his hands yet I shall die his debtour giving him many thanks for his kindnesse to my mother wife and children Tell him that as he hath shewed favour to them so on the contrary my servants and kinsmen that received their lives and livelihood from me have basely betrayed and murthered me Tell him that I pray that he may Conquer all the World and desire him to revenge this wickednesse both for his own and for the sake of all Kings it being of evil example that such treachery should go unpunished and so fainting he desired a little water which when he had drunk he said to Polystratus Whosoever thou art that hast shewed me this kindnesse in my extreme misery the gods requite thee for so great a benefit and the gods requite Alexander also for all his humanity and clemency and so he gave up the ghost Quin. Cur. Perseus King of Macedon a brave warriour and one who was a terrour to the Romane Empire yet at last being overcome and taken by AEmilius was led in Triumph with his children into Rome where after some four yeeres imprisonment he died and his eldest sonne was in that want that he was forced to learne the occupation of a Smith to get his living Ursp. Basiliseus Emperour of Constantinople being overcome by Zeno who was formerly deposed for his riotouâ—nesse was together with his wife and children banished into Cappadocia and a strict command given that none should relieve them whereupon they miserably perished for want of food each in others armes Suid. Cyrus King of Persia caused this Motto to be engraven upon his tombe O man whosoever thou art that shalt come hither know that I am great Cyrus that first erected the Persian Monarchy Therefore envy me not this little earth that now covers my body This tombe was afterwards defaced by some of Alexander M. his followers which when Alexander saw he was much troubled at it considering the vicissitude and incertainty of all earthly things Qu. Cur. Alexander M. after all his great conquests returning to Babylon had Ambassadours that came to him almost from all Countreys some to congratulate his victories others to tender their homage all bringing great and rich presents but whil'st in the midst of his glory he was feasting of them he caught a surfeit with inordinate drinking which turned to a mortal feavour and a little before his death being asked by his friends to whom he would leave his Kingdome he answered To the most worthy man and he being asked When they should do Divine honours to him he answered When they themselves were happy which were his last words and so he died having lived not thirty three years nor reigned thirteen and assoon as he was dead his great Captaines sought to enrich themselves by his spoiles and whil'st they were contonding to share the world amongst them his dead body lay many dayes in that hot Countrey unburied stinking above ground a notable Embleme of the vanity of all earthly greatnesse Plut. Qu. Cur. Besides this his vast Empire was divided amongst his great Captaines to Ptolomaeus Lagi was allotted Egypt and Affrica To Laoâ—â—don Syria and Phoenicia To Philotas Cilicia To Python Media To Eumenes Paphlagonia and Cappadocia To Antigonus Pamphilia Lycia and Phrygia the great
a while excluding his servants he kept himselfe in his chamber with his children only Then he conceited that all civil society with others defiled him and thereupon locking his chamber-door continually he caused his servants to reach in at the window food for himselfe and children He cut out all the contents of the Chapters through the whole Bible expected Enthusiasmes and revelations often in the day lying along on the floore and causing his children to do the like with their heads in a ring and when his ancient friends Ministers and others hearing of it came to speake with him amongst whom my selfe was one knocking at his chamber-door importuning intreating and threatening to break open the doore yet could they by no meanes prevaile either to have a word from him or the door opened at length one of his children sickened and died yet he concealing it privately carried it into the next roome and locked it up till the corpse putrefying almost choaked him whereupon he caused his servant to bring him some Mosse still concealing the occasion wherewith he stopped the cranies in his wall to keep out the stench But his course of life being much talked of abroad a neighbour Justice of Peace pittying his condition sent some with command to break open his chamber-doore which being done they found him and his children like Nebuchadnezzar much deformed with their haire and nailes grown very long their clothes almost rotten upon their backes for the want of shift and all their healths very much impaired with that course of life yet neither would he nor any of his children being so tutored by him speak to any one though never so much pressed thereunto But it pleased God at length that his children being taken from him and sent to some friends recovered both their tongues and health Himself upon the breaking open of this door presently took his bed refusing to speak to or converse with any and though by godly Ministers and others which came to him he was laboured with to take notice of the dangerous temptation under which he lay intreated counselled threatened and prayed with and for him yet still turning his face to the wall he would neither heare nor answer them one word In which obstinate condition he remained till his death which was not long after David George alins Haàs Van Burcht borne in Delft in the Low-countreys a man altogether unlearned being a painter of glasses yet subtile of understanding and eloquent withal after he began to disperse his erroneous tenets was sought after by the Magistrates of that place whereupon he fled with his family to Basil in Suitzerland where in private he taught and advanced his damnable Heresies confirming his absent disciples by letters and books which he caused to be printed in the Castle of Beningen He died in the said town of Basil Anno 1556. for griefe that one of his followers was revolted Before his death whereas his disciples thought him to be god seeing him draw towards death he resolutely said unto them Be not amased I go to begin to shew my power Christ my predecessour to shew his power rose again the third day but I to shew my greater glory will rise again at the end of three years Afterwards the Magistrate being throughly informed of his life and doctrine caused his processe to be drawn and by a sentence his body was taken out of the ground and justice done as if he had been alive his goods confiscated and his books burnt Belg. Com. Wealth p. 65. 66. At Boston in New England the seventeenth of Octob. 1637. the wife of Master William Dier which woman held many monstrous and Heretical opinions was brought to bed of a Monster which had no head the face stood low upon the breast the eares like an Apes grew upon the shoulders the eyes stood far out and so did the mouth the nose was hooking upward the breast and back full of short prickles like a Thornback the Navel belly and distinction of the sexe were where the hips should have been and those back-parts were on the same side with the face the armes hands thighes and leggs were as other childrens but instead of toes it had on each foot three clawes with Tallons like a Fowle upon the back above the belly it had two great holes like mouths and in each of them stood out two peeces of flesh it had no forehead but in the place above the eyes it had four hornes two of above an inch long hard and sharpe and the othee two somewhat lesse It was of the female Sexe both the father and mother of it were great Familists The midwife one Hawkins wife of St. Ives was notorious for familiarity with the devil and a prime Familist Most of the women who were present at this womans travel were suddenly taken with such a violent vomiting and purging without eating or drinking any thing that they were forced to go home others had their children so taken with Convulsions which they neither had before nor after that they were sent for home so that none were left at the time of the birth of it but the Midwife and two other one of which was fallen asleep and at such time as the child died which was about two houres before the birth of it the bed wherein the mother lay shook so violently as that all that were in the roome perceived it the afterbirth had prickles on the inside like those on the childes breast See Mr. Wells short story c p. 44. Also about the same time and in the same place one Mistris Hutchinson who held about thirty monstrous and Heretical opinions whereof you have a Catalogue set down by the same Author Pag. 59. c. growing big with childe and towards the time of her labour at last brought forth thirty monstrous births or thereabouts at once some of them bigger and some lesser some of one shape and some of another few of any perfect shape none of all of them of humane shape This Mistris Hutchinson was first banished by the Magistrates of New-England into Read-Island for her Heresies but not staying long there she removed with all her family her daughter and her children into the Dutch Plantation to a place called Helgate where the Indians set upon them and slew her with all her family her daughter and her daughters husband with all their children save onely one that escaped which is the more remarkable because it was never heard that the Indians either before or since did commit the like outrage upon any others A Popish Priest Parson of Crondal neere Canterbury at the coming in of Cardinal Poole was absolved by him got a Copy of the Popes Bull of pardon brought into England by the said Poole which the Sabbath following he read to his people and withal told them that having been with the Cardinal on the Thursday before he had made him as clean from his sinnes as he was at the Font-stone or
hell he could have despaired no more of his salvation in which condition although he neither had nor could have any joy of his meat yet he did eate against his appetite to deferre the time of his damnation so long as he might thinking that he must needs be thrown into hell so soon as the breath should depart out of his body yet the Lord who graciously preserved him all that while not onely at last did rid him out of all discomfort but also framed him thereby to such mortification of life as the like hath seldome been seen in such sort as he being like one already placed in heaven and dead in this world both in word and meditation led a life altogether celestial abhorring in his minde all profane doings Act. Mon. Mr. John Holland a faithfull Minister of Gods Word the day before his death calling for a Bible continued his meditation and exposition upon the 8. to the Rom. for the space of two hours but on a sudden he said O stay your reading what brightnesse is this I see have you light up any candles A stander by said No it is the Sun-shine for it was about five a clock in a clear Summers evening Sun-shine saith he Nay it is my Saviours-shine now farewell world welcome heaven the day-star from on high hath visited my heart O speak it when I am gone and preach it at my Funeral God dealeth familiarly with man I feele his mercy I see his Majesty whether in the body or out of the body I cannot tell God he knoweth But I see things that are unutterable And being thus ravished in his spirit he roamed towards heaven with a chearful look and soft sweet voice but what he said was not understood with the Sunne in the morning following raising himself as Jacob did upon his staffe he shut up his blessed life with these blessed words O what an happy change shall I make from night to day from darknesse to light from death to life from sorrow to solace from a factious world to an heavenly being Oh my dear brethren sisters and friends it pitieth me to leave you behinde yet remember my death when I am gone and what I now feele I hope you shall feele ere you die that God doth and will deale familiarly with men and now thou fiery Chariot that cam'st down to fetch up Elijah carry me to my happy hold and all you blessed Angels that attended the soul of Lazarus to bring it to Heaven bear me Oh bear me into the bosome of my best beloved Amen Amen Come Lord Jesus come quickly And so he fell asleep Leigh Luther who had the Devill the Popes the Emperour and almost all the Christian World against him both by open force and secret fraud seeking his destruction yet the Lord miraculously preserved him for the space of about thirty years in despite of them all and at last he died in peace in his bed at which time he made this heavenly Prayer My heavenly Father Eternall and Mercifull God thou hast manifested unto me thy deare Son our Lord Iesus Christ I have taught him I have known him I love him as my Life my health and my Redemption whom the wicked have injured persecuted maligned and afflicted Draw my soule unto thee for though I must lay down this frail body yet I certainly know that I shall live with thee eternally and that I cannot be taken out of thy hands I commend my spirit into thy hands thou hast redeem'd it O Lord God of truth God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that all that believe in him should have life everlasting which he repeated thrice and so as one falling asleep without any bodily pain that could be discerned he departed this life 1546. See his life in my first part Mr. Bolton upon his death-bed speaking to his Children told them That he verily believed that none of them durst thinke to meet him at the great Tribunall in an unregenerate state and to some of his Parishioners desiring him that as he had by his doctrine discovered unto them the exceeding comforts that were in Christ so he would now tell them what he felt in his soul he answered To give you satisfaction though I want breath to speake I am by the wonderfull mercies of Christ as full of comfort as my heart can hold and feels nothing in my soule but Christ with whom I heartily desire to be See his life in my first part Zuinglius being slaine by his Popish enemies they cut his body into foure peeces and then burnt it in the fire but three dayes after some of his friends coming to the place found his heart in the ashes whole and untouched with the fire The like also was observed of Bishop Cramner See his life in my first part Henry Henry Voes and John Esch when they came to be burnt for the truth of the Gospell joyfully embraced the stake continuing singing of Psalms and when the fire was kindled at their feet one of them said Me thinks you do strew Roses under my feet See my General Martyrology George Scherter being for Religion condemned first to be beheaded and then burnt he told the people that he would give them a signe that he died a true Christian and when his head was cut off his body falling upon the belly lay still whilest one might leasurely eate an Egge and then turned it selfe softly upon the back and crossed the right leg and right arme over the left whereby many of the spectatours were induced to believe the Gospel Act. Mon. Two godly Virgins in Flanders being condemned to be burnt and had the sentence accordingly executed yet could not the Executioners by any means consume their bodies with fire but still they remained white and unhurt Act. Mon. Domicillus being condemned to be burnt for Religion when he was at the stake and the fire kindled the winde so drove away the flame that he continued by the space of an houre untouched by it exhorting and instructing the people that stood by whereupon they brought more wood and vessels of Oile yet neither could he therewith be burnt which the executioner seeing struck at his head with a staffe to whom the holy Martyr said I am condemned to be burned and do you beat me with staves with that the Hangman thrust him through the belly and guts with his Pike and so slew him Act. Mon. Bergerius at Lyons in France being accused and apprehended for Religion was cast into a loathsome dungeon wherein was a thief who had laine there by the space of seven or eight moneths who by reason of his paine and torment blasphemed God and cursed his parents that begat him being almost eaten up with Lice and fed with such bread as Dogs and Horses refused to eate but through the preaching and prayers of Bergerius he was brought to repentance of which he wrote a sweet letter to some of his friends
exceeding great cruelties against the Christians every where especially at Lyons and Vienna in Daulphine for the same God struck him with a grievous Apoplexy of which after he had lien speechlesse and in misery three dayes he died Euseb. Spart Commodus the Emperour under whom also was continued the fourth Persecution against the Christians was given over to such abominable wickednesse that he kept three hundred Concubines and as many Boyes for detestable uses and for his cruelty was poysoned by his friend Marcia whereupon falling into an extreame vomiting he was slaine by Narcissus Euseb. Severus the authour of the fifth Persecution after he began to persecute the Christians never prospered but fell into divers calamities and at last had such an extreame paine through his whole body that languishing therewith he would faine have poisoned himself But being prevented he died in much misery Also Vitellius Saturnius one of the instruments of his cruelty fell blinde Another called Claudius Herminianus Governour of Cappadocia who out of hatred against his wife that was a Christian had extreamly afflicted many of Gods Children was stricken by God with the Pestilence Had vermine bred in his bowels which devoured him a live after a most horrible manner which extorted from him a confession that those plagues justly befell him for his cruelty against the Christians Tert. ad Scap. Maximinus the Emperour who raised the sixth Persecution against the Christians especially against the Pastors of the Church was himselfe to gether with his sonne slaine by his own Souldiers Euseb. Decius who raised the seventh Persecution laboured by all means to destroy the Church of Christ using all the cruelty and torments that mans wit could vise For this God raised up the Scythians against him whereby his Army was overthrown and himself and son cruelly slaine or as others say he leaped his horse into a whirl-pit after which his body could never be found Oros. Euseb. Pomponius Immediately after the death of this Tyrant God sent a grievous Plague and Pestilence upon the bloody Gentiles in every Province which lasting ten years together made such havock as is horrible to hear and almost incredible to believe And it was observed that where the Emperours Edicts had been put in execution with most severity there it raged most so that many places became utterly desolate See more in my General Martyrologie p. 54. Euseb. Gallus the Emperour who continued the seventh Persecution was himself with his son slaine by one of own his Captaines Act Mon. Valerian in the beginning of his reigne was milde towards the Christians but afterwards proved a terrible persecutor of them through all his Dominions which was the eight Persecution But it was not long before he was overthrown in the Persian Warres taken prisoner being seventy yeares old and made so vile a slave that Sapores the King of Persia used his back as a block whereby to mount upon his horse and at last caused him to be flayed alive and powdered with salt Euseb. Likewise Claudius a President one of the ministers of his cruelty was possessed by the devil and so tormented that biting off his tongue in small bits he died miserably Aurelian the authour of the ninth Persecution being about to give out an Edict for renuing the persecution against the Christians had at the same time a thunderbolt which fell at his feet which so terrified him that for a time he forbore But afterwards returning to his bloody disposition God stirred up his own servants to cut his throat Niceph. Eutrop. Dioclesian the authour of the tenth Persecution went more subtilly to work For first he used all politick ways to make the Christians in his Army renounce their Faith Thén by Proclamation commanded their Churches to be beaten down their Bibles to be burnt and torne in pieces that all Christians which bore any office should be deposed that bondmen who would forsake their profession should be made free But when after all his subtilty and cruelty he saw that the number of Christians still encreased being satiated with blood he gave up the Empire After which he was tormented with divers and strange diseases had his house burnt down by lightning and was himself so frighted with thunder that he fell mad and klled himself Ruffinus Maximinian his fellow-Emperour vvas also exceeding cruel and outragious against the Christians For vvhen tvventy thousand of them vvere met together in a Temple at Nicomedia upon a solemne Festival day to serve God he caused it to be invironed by a band of souldiers set on fire and burned vvith all that vvere in it Another City in Phrygia of Christians after a long siege he caused to be burnt to cinders with all the inhabitants therein But God shortly after struck him with a grievous disease Vermine bred abundantly in his body with such an horrible stinke that being not able to endure it he hanged himself Euseb. Niceph. Maximinus that next succeeded in the Easterne Empire was a cruell and bloody Persecutor of the Saints For which God struck him with an unâ—outh disease In his privy members there grew a sudden putrefaction and in the bottome of the same a botchy corrupt Bile with a Fistula consuming and eating up his intrals out of which came swarming an innumerable company of lice with such a pestiferous stinke that no man could abide him And being a fat man all his fat so putrified and stanke so horribly that some of his Physicians not being able to endure it were commanded to be slaine others were cruelly put to death because they could not cure him But at last being told that this was Gods just vengeance upon him for destroying the Christians he seemed to repent and commanded the persecution to cease and thereupon it pleased God to free him from his disease But about six moneths after he sent forth a new Proclamation for the utter rooting out of the name of Christians whereupon his disease returned again and assaulted him in great extremity so that his body being all rotten full of corruption and wormes he died miserably Chrysostome saith that the apples of his eyes fell out before his death Galerius a chief instrument of persecution under Dioclesian fell into a grievous disease a fore rising in the nether part of his belly which consumed his privy members from whence issued abundance of wormes bred by the putrefaction This could neither be cured by Chirurgeons nor Phisicians whereupon he acknowledged that it befell him justly for his monstrous cruelty to the Christians howbeit he died miserably or as some write slew himself Lanquet Chron. Licinius the Emperour who had set forth three cruel edicts for persecuting of the Christians was shortly after overcome by Constantine and slaine by the souldiers Simps The Romane Emperours betwixt Christs and Constantines time being about three hundred and thirty yeares were all of them contemners of Christ enemies to his Word and many of them persecutors of his Saints amongst which
Emperours few or none of them escaped Gods revenging hand so that there is numbred fourty three of them that came to untimely ends Act. Mon. Constantine the Emperour a Monothelite being a cruel persecutor of godly Christians was slaine by one of his own servants as he was washing himself in a Bath Hist. Magd. Arnolphus the Emperour raging exceedingly against the Christians the wife of one Guido upon another grudge gave him a cup of poison by meanes whereof such rottenness possessed his members that lice and wormes issuing out continually he died a miserable death P. Melan. Chron. l. 4. Agapetus a young man of the age of fifteen years for the profession of Christ was first scourged with whips then hung up by the feet and scalding water poured upon him then cast to the wilde beasts which being more merciful then men refused to touch him whereupon he was taken and beheaded but Antiochus who passed sentence upon him suddenly fell down from his judicial seat crying out that all his bowels burned within him and so he gave up the ghost Act. Mon. Genserick an Arian King of the Vandals shewed a great deal of cruelty against the Oxthodox But the Lord met with him for he died being possessed with an evil spirit P. Melanc Chron. l. 3. Hunericus son to a King of the Vandals being an Arian was a mercilesse persecutor of the godly Christians banishing five thousand of them at one time amongst which some of them being unable to travel he caused cords to be tied to their legges and to drag them through rough places whereby many of them perished But shortly after he was tormented with venomous biles all over his body and in the end was consumed with vermine Hist. Mag◠Claudius who was President under Valerian and his instrument to torment and condemne many godly Christians was shortly after possessed with the devil and so tormented that biting off his own tongue in small peeces he ended his life in much misery Act. Mon. Anastasius the Emperour a Patron of the Eutychian Heresie became a bloody persecutor of godly Christians and by Gods just judgement was slain with a Thunderbolt Plat. Autharis King of the Longobards who forbade children to be baptized or instructed in the Christian faith ere he had reigned six years died of poison at Pavia Paulus Diac. l. 3. c. 18. Arcadius the Emperour having by the perswasion of his wife Eudoxia an Heretick banished Chrysostome The very next night there arose such a terrible earth-quake that the Emperour and all the people being affrighted therewith was faign to send Post after Post to fetch him home againe Mandat of calumniation l. 2. c. 44. Mamuca a Saracen being a cruel Persecutor of the Church of God like unto Pharaoh met with the like destruction from God for as he returned from the slaughter of many Christians the Lord caused the sea to swallow him up with the greatest part of his Army in an hundred ships so that few or none escaped Paul Diaconus l. 3. c. 12. Theodoricus an Arian King of the Goths persecuted the true Christians with all hostilitie amongst whom he slew two noble Senators Symmachus and Boëtius but shortly after the Lord struck him with madnesse and sitting at the table had the head of a great fish set before him which he imagining to be the head of Symmachus whom he had slaine was so overcome with feare that anon after he died Evag. At Vassie in France fifteen hundred people being assembled in a Church upon a Sabbath-day hearing the Word of God preached The Duke of Guise suddenly compassed the Church with armed Souldiers himselfe standing in the doore with a drawn sword and sent in his Souldiers who cruelly killed all without distinction of age or sex but himselfe was shortly after slaine at the siege of Orleance Act. and Mon. Minerius Governour of Province who was sent by the King of France with an Army against the Waldenses used much cruelty against them burning some killing others driving others into woods and mountaines whereby they perished of famine depopulating whole townes But the Lord smote him with a tertible disease so that he felt like a fire burning him from the Navel upwards and his lower parts rotted and were consumed with vermine which was attended with a grievous stinke and profusion of blood in the place of his urine and in those extreame torments he ended his wretched life Simps The Emperour Phocas a most vicious and bloody persecutor being the first that ordained that the Bishop of Rome should be called the universall Bishop and the Church of Rome the head of other Churches was betrayed by his own son in Law and delivered up into the hands of his enemy Heracleus who commanded his head feet and privie members to be cut off and his body to be burned Plat. Earle Simon of Montfort a cruell persecutor of the Albingenses by the instigation of the Pope as he besieged some of them in Tholous had his head parted from his body by a fire stone which a woman let out of an Engine Simps King Lewis of France besieging Avignion a City of the Albingenses and vowing never to depart till he had taken it was shortly after punished with a grievous pestilence which daily wasted great numbers of his men So that the King going aside to an Abbey not far distant to avoide the same there died out of his wits Act. and Mon. King Charles the ninth of France a bloody persecutor of the Protestants who had caused the effusion of the blood of thirty thousand of them in the massacre of Paris by Gods just judgement fell sick and with great effusion of blood out of many parts of his body died miserably Act. and Mon. Truchetus an expert Captain imployed by the Duke of Savoy against the Protestants in his dominions who were a naked and unarmed people was first sore wounded with stones and afterwards slaine with his owne sword by a poor Shepherd who was keeping of Cattell in the field Act. and Mon. Henry the second King of France a cruel persecutor of Protestants caused Annas Burgeus a noble Counsellour of Paris to be condemned and in a great passion said that he would stand by and see him burned but before the time came the King being at Tilt put a Speare into one of his Noble mens hands and compelled him against his will to run against him at which time the Speare breaking a small splinter of it entred in at the Kings eye and pierced into his braine whereof he died Act. and Mon. King Henry the third of France in the selfe-same Chamber wherein the Massacre of Paris was concluded whereof himselfe being at that time Duke of Anjou was one of the chiefe was stabbed by a Iacobine Monke who thrust a knife violently into his small Ribs whereof he shortly after died Act. and Mon. Ladislaus King of Bohemia and Hungary who most unjustly had caused Ladislaus Huniades his son to be beheaded and
curse her daily in his grace at board was worthily hanged for his Treason therein Anno 1571. Camb. Eliz. Valence the Emperour that mirrour of impietie going against the Gothes was defeated in the very first battel for which he upbraided Trajan his General at a feast with cowardise and sloth as the cause of his overthrow but noble Trajan not enduring that indignity told him in plaine termes that he had lost the day by warring against God in persecuting the Christians whereby he had lost the victory and sent it to his enemies For it is God saith he that overcometh and giveth the victory to those that obey him but such are your adversaries and therefore having God to fight against you how can you overcome Niceph. Eccl. Hist. Apian scoffing at Religion and especially at circumcision had an Ulcer at the same time and in the same place Josephus Antonius Heliogabulus the Emperour a most prodâ—gious monster built a Temple to the Sun and commanded Christians to worship in the same but shortly after he was murthered by his own guard and his body shamefully drawn through the Citie of Rome and thrown into the River Tybur Euseb. Anno 1530 divers noble men in Germany being at supper together and threatning horrible things against the Professors of the Gospel amongst the rest Count Felix of Wartenburg a great Warrier who had been in command under Maximilian the Emperour said that he hoped before he died to ride up to the Spurs in blood of the Lutherans but being smitten by God that very night he fell a bleeding in that violent manner that his owne blood choaked him and so he ended his life Flac. Illyr Francis the first of France was so filled with rage against the truth of God and the reformation in Luthers time that in solemne a Assembly he protested that if he knew any part of his body infected with that contagion he would presently tear it from him that it might spread no further Sleid. Com. l. 9. Ballasius Governour of Egypt under Constantius the Emperour a great persecutor of holy Athanasius as he was riding his horse turning back his neck bit him by the the thigh and therewithall plucking him off his back so bruised him that within three dayes he died Athanasius Iohn Twiford a furious Papist who used to set up the stakes for those that were burned in Smithfield died rotting above ground so that none could endure to come neare unto him by reason of stinke Act. and Mon. David Beaton a bloody Archbishop and Cardinall of Scotland who amongst others had condemned and burned one George Wiseheart was shortly after assaulted by some that brake into his Castle who murthered him in his bed crying out Alasse alasse slay me not I am Priest after which he lay seven moneths unburied and at last like a Carrion he was buried in a dunghill Act. and Mon. William Gardiner an English Merchant being present in Lisborne at the marriage of the Prince of Portugall to the King of Spaines daughter and seeing the abominable Idolatry then used in the presence the King and of all States there assembled he stepped to the Cardinal who was celebrating of Mass and plucked the Cake out of his hand and trampled it under his feet and overthrew the Chalice for which by most exquisite torments in an horrible manner they put him to death by degrees and then burned him a sparke of whose fire was driven a great way into one of the Kings ships lying in the haven and consumed it and within halfe a year after the new married Prince died and the year after the King himselfe also died Act. and Mon. Arundel Archbishop of Canterbury having silenced many faithful Ministers by Gods just judgement had his tongue swelled so bigge in his mouth that he could neither eate drink not speak for many dayes and so died of hunger after he had starved many poor Christian soules and burned their bodies to ashes Act. Mon. Cardinal Woolsey after much opposition against the light of the Gospel which sprang up in his time and much cruelty used towards the professours of it falling into disgrace with King Henry the eighth was sent for up out of Yorkeshire and in his journey suspecting the issue took such a strong purge that his rotten body being not able to bear it died thereof at Lecester-Abby His dead body was as black as pitch and so heavy that six men could scarcely bear it and stanke so intolerably that they were forced to hasten his burial in the night at whose burial there was such an hideous tempest that all the Torches were put out and withall such a stinke that they were glad to throw him into his Tombe and there leave him Act. Mon. Stephen Gardiner Bishop of Winchester a bloody persecutor in Queen Maries time upon the day that Master Ridley and Latimer were burned at Oxford would not sit downe to dinner till one of his servants about four a clock in the afternoone coming Post brought him word that they were executed whereupon he hastened to dinner and being very merry having eaten a few bits a sudden stroke of Gods hand fell upon him so that he was carried immediately to his bed where he continued for fifteen dayes in intolerable anguish and torments rotting above ground all which time he could avoide nothing that he received either by urin or otherwise his tongue also hung out of his mouth swolne and black and so he died miserably Act. Mon. Cyrillus who in the time of Constantine had broken in peeces many Images of the Gentiles being afterwards taken by them was slaine his belly ript his liver drawn out which with barbarous inhumanity they chawed with their teeth but shortly after the teeth of these miscreants fell out of their Jaw-bones their tongues rotted within their mouthes and their eyes were blinde Theod. Henry Arch-bishop of Mentz a godly and vertuous man being accused of heresie to the Pope he sent two Cardinals who most unjustly deposed him from his place whereupon he said unto them If I should from this your unjust sentence appeale unto the Pope it is like I should finde no redresse from him wherefore I appeal to the Lord Jesus Christ the just and righteous Judge and cite you to answer me before his judgement-seat for this injury To which they scoffingly answered Go you first and we will follow after Shortly after the Archbishop died which the Cardinals hearing of said jestingly one to another Behold he is gone before and we must follow according to our promise and indeed shortly after they both died upon on day The one sitting upon a Jakes voided out all his intrals The other gnawing off his own fingers all deformed with devouring himself died miserably Act. Mon. Judge Morgan who gave the sentence of condemnation against the Lady Jane Dudly a most religious and vertuous Lady shortly after fell mad and in his raving cried out continually to have the Lady Jane taken
second having raised a great Army against the French as he was going out of Rome with it he took his keys and threw them into the River Tibur saying That for as much as the keys of Saint Peter would not serve him to his purpose he would be take himselfe to the sword of Saint Paul Of which Pope it is observed that partly by warre partly by cursings he was the cause of the death of two hundred thousand Christians in the space of seven yeares Act. Mon. Pope Nicolas the first prohibited marriage to the Clergy saying That it was more honest to have to do with many women privately then openly to take one wife Insomuch that a Priest of Placâ—ntia being accused to have a wife and children was deprived of his benefice but proving the same woman to be wife to another man and but his Concubine he was restored againe Iohn the twenty fourth was accused before the Councel of Constance for heresie Simony murther poisonings cousenings Adulteries and Sodomy which being proved against him he was deposed and imprisoned whereupon through vexation and griefe he ended his wretched life A certain Cardinal in Rome much blamed a Painter for colouring the visages of Peter Paul too red to whom he tartly replied That he painted them so as blushing at the lives of those who stiled themselves their successors Pope Honorius the second sent one Iohn Cremensis his Legate into England to disswade the Clergy from marriage who having called a Convocation the Legate made a very accurate speech in the praise of a single life and how fit it was that Ministers should live sequestred from the cares of the world but the night following he himselfe was taken in the very act of adultery Mat. Paris Pope Iulius called for his Pork flesh which was forbidden him by his Physicians and said that he would have it Al despito de Dio in dispite of God And having appointed a cold Peacock to be reserved for him when he missed it the next meale he grew into a great rage and being requested not to be so angry for such a trifle he answered That if God was so angry for an Apple why might not he be as angry for his Peacock Act. Mon. Doctor Cranmer with the Earle of Wiltshire and some others being sent by King Henry the eighth to the Pope about his divorce from Queen Katherin when the day of hearing was come and the Pope sitting in his Pontificalibus put forth his foot to be kissed of the Ambassadors an unmannerly Spaniell of the Earles ran and caught his great Toe in his teeth so that the Ambassadors disdaining to kisse where the Dog had taken an assay let the Pope draw back his foot and so they lost the espicial favour offered unto them Speed Chron. 10. 12. Pope Paul the third when his sonne Farnesis had committed an unspeakable violence on the body of Cosmus Chaerius Bishop of Fanum and then poisoned him held himselfe sufficiently excused that he could say Haec vitia me non commonstratore didicit He never learned this of me Pope Pius Quintus spake thus of himselfe Cùm essem Religiosus sperabam bene de salute animae meae Cardinalis factus extimui Pontifex creatus penè despero When I was first in orders without any other Ecclesiastical dignity I had some good hope of my salvation when I became a Cardinal I had lesse since I was made a Pope least of all Corn. è Lapi Before the Pope is set in his chair and puts on his tripple Crown a piece of Towe or Wadd of straw is set on fire before him and one is appointed to say Sic transit gloria munda The glory of the world is but a blaze Also one day in the yeare the Popes Almoner rides before him casting abroad to the poor some pieces of brasse and lead profanely abusing that Scripture saying Silver and Gold have I none but such as I have I give unto you Pope Adrian the sixth having built a faire Colledge at Lovain caused this inscription to be written upon the gates thereof in letters of Gold Trajectum plantavit Lovanium rigavit Caesar dedit incrementum Utrecht planted me there he was born Lovaine watered me there he was bred up in learning and Caefar gave the encrease for the Emperour had preferred him One to meet with his folly and forgetfulnesse wrote underneath Hic Deus nihil fecit Here God did nothing The Popes have a book called Taxa Camerae Apostolicae wherein men may know the rate of any sinne upon what termes a man may keep a whore be a Sodomite murther his father c. When the Emperour Henry the seventh having pacified Germany went into Italy to reforme the many and great abuses there A certain Monk to gratifie the Pope mixed poison with the bread of the Eucharist and gave it him whereof he died Simps Ec. Hist. King John of England having broken with the Pope was afterwards no good friend to him and his clergy especially to their loose and licentious lives whereupon as the King in his progresse rested himself for two dayes at Swinstead-Abby not far from Lincolne a Monk of that house went to his Abbat and told him that he had a purpose to poison the King saying It 's better that one man should die then that all the people should perish The Abbat wept for joy and absolved the Monk from all his sinnes Then did this varlot mixe the poison of a filthy toade with a cup of excellent wine and brought it to the King saying My Liege here is such a cup of wine as you never drank a better in all your life I trust this wassail shall make all England glad and therewithal began a good draught to him and the King pledging him shortly after died Anno Christi 1605. when the powder-plot was in agitation Catesby one of the Plotters repaired to Garnet a Popish Priest with this case of conscience Whether it was lawful in some cases to destroy the innocent with the wicked This good father so soon as he perceived the conspirators to be in good earnest peremptorily resolved that without all doubt it was when the good coming by it might make compensation for the losse of their lives Pope John the twenty third calling a Councel at Rome against the godly Christians in Bohemia when the Councel was set the Masse of the holy Ghost sung and the Pope placed in his chair there came flying in amongst them an ugly Owle with an ill-fauoured hooting and set her self upon a crosse beam just over against the Pope casting her staring eyes upon him whereupon the whole company began to marvel and whispering each to other said Behold the Spirit is come in the likenesse of an Owle The Pope himself blushed at the matter and began to sweat fret and fume and so being in great distraction dissolved the Councel for the present yet afterwards calling another Sessions when they were met in
came the Owle as before still looking steadfastly upon the Pope whereupon he was more ashamed saying that he could no longer abide the sight of her and commanded her to be driven away with bats and shoutings but by no means could she be removed till with the blowes of the sticks thrown at her at length she fell down dead amongst them Then shall that wicked one be revealed whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth and shall destroy with the brightnesse of his coming 2 Thes. 2. 8. Non male sunt Monachis grata indita nomina Patrum Cùm numerent natos hic ubique suos CHAP. VI. Examples of most inhumane cruelties THe corrupt nature of man since the fall of Adam containeth in it the seed and spawn of all manner of impieties so that if the Lord do but let loose the reines of his restraining spirit and leave man to himself there is not the most abhorred villainy that was ever perpetrated by any damned reprobate but he is prone to fall into the same yea to rush on into sinne as the horse into the battel whence it is that Solomon long since told us that The tender mercies of the wicked are cruelty as will most manifestly appear by these ensuing Examples Bellisarius a worthy and famous Captaine under the Emperour Justinian having by Gods assistance with great successe fought many battels against the Persians Goths and Vandals in his old age by the malice and cruelty of the Emperesse who was a favourer of Eutyches the Heretick had his eyes put out and fell into such want that he was forced to begge by the high-wayes Date obolum Bellisario For Gods sake give an halfe peny to Bellisarius See Justinians Life in my second Part. William Prince of Nassaw a pious and prudent Prince was most cruelly and traiterously murthered in his lodging at the end of dinner by Baltazar Gerrard a papist being hired thereunto by the Prince of Parmas Counsel He was shot from the left side to the right through the stomack and the vital parts saying onely O my God take pity on my soul I am sore wounded take pitty upon my soul and of this poor people and so he died Hist. of the Netherl In a town of Italy called Montallo many godly Christians being secretly met together to hear the Word of God were most inhumanely butchered by the appointment of Pope Pius the fourth being one after another drawn out of the house and their throats cut with a knife yet not one of all that number for fear of death would forsake the true faith of Christ Act. Mon. In Deventer one Henry Achtrevelt a Papist cruelly murthered Master Schorickmans a godly Minister in that Towne after his Sermon thrusting him into the â—eck with a two-edged knife cleane through the throat whereof he immediately died The murtherer professed that he did it in zeal to the Catholique religion which the said Minister used to preach against Hist of the Netherl Abundance of French inhabiting in the Island of Sicily being hated by the natives upon a signe given by the ringing of a bell were all in one hour murthered yea it â—as performed with such cruelty that they ript up their own Countrey-women that were with childe by the French to the end that no French blood should remaine amongst them Simps Hence grew the Proverb Sicuâ—â— vesperae The Duke de Alva was of that cruel and bloody disposition that he counted it no paine for men to die except they died in extreme paine witnesse Anthony 〈◊〉 whom he caused to be tyed to a stake with a chaine 〈◊〉 â—russels compassing him about with a great fire but not touching him turning him round about like a poor beast who was forced to live in that great torment and extremity roasting before the fire so long untill the Halbâ—rdiers themselves having compassion on him thrust him through with their halberds contrary to the minde both of the Duke and the Popish Priests â—rimst Hist Netherl p. 4â—1 Also when the City of Harlem surrendred themselves to him upon conditions to have their lives he suffered some of the souldiers and Burgers to be starved to death saying that though he promised to give them their lives yet he did not promise to finde them meat Eodem A Vice-admirall to the Arch Duke having taken 15. or 16. fishing ships of Holland and Zealand nailed all the Mariners and Fishermen under Hatches and then making holes in the keel of the Ships drowned them all like Mice in a trap Hist. of the Netherl In the warres against the Albingenses the Popish Army having taken the great and populous Citie of Beziers put to the sword above sixty thousand persons amongst whom were many of their own Catholicks Arnoldus the Popes Legate being present who commanded the Captaines Souldiers saying Caedite eos omnes novit enim Deus qui sunt ejus Kill them all Catholicks or Hereticks for the Lord knoweth who are his Act. and Mon. Simon Earle of Montfort having surprised a Castle of the Albingenses most inhumanely caused the eyes of above an hundred of them to be put out and their noses to be cut off and left onely one man with one eye to conduct them all to another place Act. and Mon. The Duke de Alva being sent with a great Army by the King of Spaine into the Netherlands to root out the Prosessors of the Gospel there exercised most unparallel'd cruelty against all sorts of persons both of the Nobilitie and Commons permitting his Souldiers to ravish honest Matrons and Virgins yea oftentimes compelling their husbands to stand by and behold the same This Duke on a time boasted at his owne table that he had been diligent to root out heresie for that besides those which were slaine in war and secret Massacres he had put into the hand of the hangman eighteen thousand in the space of six yeares Hist. of the Netherl St. Jerome reports that when he was a very youth while Julian as it seems was Emperour he saw in Gaul the Atticots a Brittish Nation feed on mans flesh who when they found in the Forrests herds of Swine flocks of neat and other Cattell were wont to cut off the buttocks of the herd-men and keepers the Duggs also and paps of women accounting the same the onely dainties in the world Camb. Brit. p. 127. Aelfrich to make way for her own son Etheldred to the Crown of England when Edward her son in Law then King came to visit her in Corf-Castle from his disport or hunting set some villaines and hacksters to murder him and like a most wicked and cruell step-dame fed her eyes with beholding his blood Camb. Brit. p. 211. Machanides a Tyrant of Lacedaemon made an Image 〈…〉 Engine rather like unto his wife Apega apparelled in such like attire also His manner was to call unto him rich men demanding great sums of money of them which if by faire meanes he could not obtaine
he would take them by the hand and tell them that perhaps his wife which sate in a roome by could perswade them more effectually unto whom he would lead them When they approached the Image would rise up open her armes and imbrace them which armes and her breasts also were full of sharpe â—ron nailes wherewith she griped the poore wretch till she had killed him and then the Tyrant seised on his goods Philip King of Spaine out of an unnaturall and bloody zeale suffered his eldest son Charles to be murthered by the cruell Inquisition because he favoured the Protestants Religion which when the Pope heard of he abused that Scripture He spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us Act. and Mon. Mahomet the great a most cruell and mercilesse Tyrant is said in his life-time to have been the cause of the death of eight hundred thousand men Turk Hist. Fernesius as he was going out of Italy towards Germany made this feral and bloody boast That he would make his horse swim in the blood of the German Lutherans A Frier Augustine of Antwerp openly in the Pulpit whilst he was preaching to the people wished that Luther was there that he might bite out his throat with his teeth and said that so doing he would nothing doubt to resort to the Altar with the same bloody teeth and receive the body of Christ. Eras. Epist. Tarquinius Superbius entering the Senate-house in Rome in royall Ornaments laid claime to the Kingdome but was opposed by his father-in-Law Servius whereupon he wounded him and forced him to depart which Tullia Tarquins wife hearing of came to the Senate-house and saluted her husband King causing him to send some after her father Servius who killed him leaving his body in so narrow a street that when Tullia returned that way the Charioter stayed lest he should drive over the the corps but she threw the seat of the Chariot at his head and forced him to drive over her fathers body since which time that street hath been called the wicked street Dioâ— Solyman the great Turk having obtained a victory against the Germans finding amongst the Captives a Bavarian Souldier of an exceeding high stature delivered him to a little dwarfe to be slaine whose head was scarce so high as the others knees that goodly tall man was mangled about the legs a long time by the apâ—sh dwarf with his little Scimeter till falling down with many feeble blowes he was at length slaine the Prince beholding it with great sport Turk Hist. p. â—09 The Spaniards when they had taken Heidelberg in the Palatinate took an ancient Minister a man of God called Monsieur Mileus and having abused his daughter before his face they tied a small cord about his head which with their truncheons they twisted about till they had squeezed out his braines Looking-glasse of the holy war In the reign of Saint Edward King of England two Earles that were brethren Harrould and Tosto fell out in the Kings Court at Windsor from words falling to blowes and Tosto having the worst secretly hied him to the Marches of Wales to his brother Harroulds house which was then in preparing to entertaine the King where he slew all his brothers servants and cutting them peece meale into gobbets salted some of their limbs and cast the rest into vessels of Meath and wine sending his brother word that he had furnished him with poudered meats against the Kings coming thither but this barbarous act caused his name to be so odious amongst his Northumbrians where he was Earle that at last it was repayed with his own death Speeds Chron. pag. 402. A rich Merchant in Paris jesting at the Franciscan Fiers was by their meanes apprehended accused and condemned to be hanged but he thinking to save his life made a publick and solemne recantation which when the Friers were informed of they commended him saying That if he so continued he should undoubtedly be saved and withall called upon the officers to haste him to the Gallows to hang him whilest he was in so good a minde which was accordingly done Act. Mon. In the persecution of the Saints of God in Calabria Anno 1560. fourscore godly persons being all thrust up in one house together like sheep for the slaughter the executioner comes in and taking forth one blindefolds him with a mufler about his eyes and so leades him forth to a large place where coâ—…ding him to kneele down he cuts his threat and so leaving him halfe dead and taking his Butchers knife and mufler all goare blood comes back to the râ—â—t and so leading them forth one after another he dispatched them all All the elder went to the slaughter more cheerfully the younger more timerously I tremble and quake saith a Romane Catholick out of whose letter to his Lord this is transcribed even to remember how the executioner held his bloody knife between his teeth with the bloody mufler in his hand and his armes all goare blood up to the elbowes going to the fold and taking every one of them one after another by the hand and so dispatching them all no otherwise then a Butcher doth his Calves or Sheep In the Spanish Inquisition if any Protestant be secretly conveyed into it they bring him not unto a legal trial but make him away secretly For as Hoffeus the Jesuite was wont to brag they hold it a good peece of Piety instantly to condemne him to the fire Ut anima ejus in curru igneo ad inferos trahatur that his soul might forthwith be carried to hell in a fiery Chariot The poore Spaniards are kept in such aw by the Lords Inquisitors that one of those Inquisitors desiring to eat some peares that grew in a poor mans Orchard not farre from him sent for the man to come and speak with him This message put the poore man into such a fright that he fell sick and kept his bed But being informed that his peares were the cause of his sending for he caused his tree to be cut down and withall the peares on it to be sent to the Inquisitor and being afterwards by him demanded the reason of that unhusbandly action he protested that he would not keep that thing about him which should give an occasion to aâ—…f their Lordships to send for him any more The Numantines being assaulted by the Romanes made solemne vowes amongst themselves no day to break their fast but with the flesh of a Romane nor to drink before they had tasted the blood of an enemy Guevara Ep. In the Massacre of Paris which was the most abhorred prodigious villainy that ever the Sunne saw till the late Irish rebellion there were murthered in divers places of France threescore thousand Protestants so that the streets ran with blood and Rivers were died red with the same Besides there were three hundred faithful servants of Christ burnt to ashes in that Kingdom within lesse then five yeares space and in their late
tore him all to peeces Act. and Mon. Sigismund the Emperour having granted letters of safe conduct unto Iohn Hus and Ierome of Prague under the faith and protection of himself and the Empire yet suffered them to be unjustly burnt at the Councel of Constance after which time the said Emperour never prospered in any thing that he took in hand he died without issue male and his daughters son Ladislaus died also childlesse whereby his name was quite extinguished in one age And his Emperesse became a dishonour also to the royal place which she held and so Gods judgements justly followed him for his perjury Luther Elfred a Nobleman in the dayes of King Ethelstane of England conspiring against his Sovereigne intended at Winchester to have pulled out his eyes but his treason being discovered he was sent to Rome to purge himself by oath where before the Altar of Saint Peter and in the presence of Pope Iohn the tenth he abjuring the thing suddenly fell down to the earth and being carried by his servants into the English schoole within three dayes after he there died Sp. Chron p. 340. Goodwin Earle of Kent Anno 1055. being charged by King Edward with the death of his brother Alfred excused himself with many words and at last eating a morsel of bread wished that it might choake him if he were guilty thereof but before he stirred one foot from the place he was according to his own imprecation forthwith choaked In the reigne of Queen Elizabeth one Annis Averies in the City of London widow forswore her selfe for a little mony which she should have paid for six pounds of Towe at a shop in Woodstreet and by Gods just judgement she immediately fell down speechless casting her excrements upwards which should have been voided downwards and so presently died Act. Mon. A certain Inne-Keeper in the town of Rutlinguen receiving a Budget of money from a passenger to keep for him forswore the same before the Judge giving himself to the devil if he swore falsly and was by two that testified against him which indeed were two Fiends of Hell presently in the presence of the Judge hoisted up into the aire where he vanished away with them and was never found after One hearing perjury condemned by a godly Preacher and how it never escaped unpunished said in a bravery I have often for sworne my self and yet my right hand is no shorter then my left which words he had scarce uttered when such an inflammation arose in that hand that he was forced to go to the Chirurgion and cut it off lest it should have infected his whole body whereby it became shorter then the other A rich young maide in Saxony promised marriage to a proper young man but poore He fore-seeing that wealth and inconstancy might alter her minde freely disclosed his thoughts to her whereupon she made a thousand imprecations to the contrary wishing that if she ever married another the devil might take her away on the wedding day yet afterwards the fickle wench was betrothed and married to another At dinner two men on horseback came to the house and were entertained at the feast and after dinner one of them leading the Bride a dance he took her by the hand and led her a turne or two and then in the presence of all her friends he caught her crying out for help and went out at the gate where he hoisted her up into the aire and vanished away with his companion and horses so that she was never seen more Sword against Swearers Philip King of Macedonia was a great contemner of all oaths and held the religious observation of them as a vaine thing for which cause the vengeance of God followed him and all his posterity For himself being scarce fourty six years old was slaine and his whole family was quickly extinguished Arideus one of his sons was slaine by Olympias his wife Another son that he had by Cleopatra was by his mother tormented to death in a brazen vessel compassed about with fire the rest of his sons perished in the like manner and his son Alexander after his great conquests in the prime of his dayes and in the middest of his victories died miserably as some think of poison Pausanius A certain maid in London that had stolen many things from her Mistris being examined forswore them wishing that she might rot if ever she touched them or knew of them but being yet carried to prison she began so to rot and stink that they were forced to thrust her out of prison into a common hospitall Iohn Cooper a godly man in Queen Maries dayes was falsely and maliciously accused of treason for speaking some words against the Queen and accordingly executed but one Grimwood who had sworn falsely against him being shortly after about his labour in the harvest and in good health suddenly his bowels fell out of his body and so he died most miserably Act. Mon. CHAP. XXV Examples of Gods Iudgements upon common Swearers BIshop Ridly in a Sermon at Pauls Crosse related a story of a young Gentleman of Cornwall in the dayes of King Edward the sixth who riding in the company of other Gentlemen began to swear and swagger and being reproved for it he swore the more and raged worse to whom one Master Haines a Minister with gentle words said that he should one day give an account thereof whereat the Gentleman being in a fume bade him take no thought for him but to prepare for his own Winding-sheet Well said the other amend for death gives no warning Gods wounds said he care not thou for me still raging worse and worse till coming to a bridge which passed over an arme of the Sea the young Gallant so spurred and switched his horse that he leaped over with him into the water who as he was going cried Horse and man and all to the devil Act. Mon. A Serving-man in Lincolnshire for every trifle used to swear by Gods precious blood and would not be warned by his friends till at length falling into a grievous sicknesse he was again much perswaded by his friends to repent which counsel he still rejected and hearing the Bell to toll in the very paines of death he start up swearing Gods wounds the Bell tolles for me but he shall not have me yet whereupon the blood issued out in a most fearful manner from all the joynts of his body from mouth nose wrists knees heeles and toes and other parts of his body and so he died Mr. Perkins Michael a Jewish Rabbin as he was swearing and blaspheming the Name of Iesus fell down and brake his neck Socrat. Eccl. Hist. Three Souldiers passing through a Wood in the Countrey of Samurtia there arose a tempest of thunder and lightning and one of them to shew his contempt of God and his judgements burst forth into swearing and blasphemy but the tempest tearing up an huge tree it fell upon him and crushed him to peeces
the night wherein he was borne whilest he was relating this in the Pulpit he fell down stark dead and never stirred more Act. and Mon. John Duns called Scotus borne in Emildon in Northumberland who being brought up in Merton Colledge in Oxford was wonderful well learned in Logick and in that crabbed and intricate Devinity of those dayes yet as one still doubtful and unresolved he did overcast the truth of Religion with mists of obscurity but he died miserably being taken with an Apoplexie and over-hastily buried he after a time revived and making means in vaine by a lamentable noise to call for help after he had a long time knocked his head against the grave-stone dashed out his braines and so yielded up his vital breath whereupon were made these verses Quaecunque humani fuerant jurisque sacrati In dubium veniunt cuncta vocante Scoto Quid quod in dubium illius sit vita vocata Morte illum simili ludificaute stropha Quum non ante virum vitâ jugulârit ademptâ Quà m vivus tumulo conditus ille foret All learning taught in humane books and couch'd in holy writ Duns Scotus dark and doubtful made by subtilty of wit No marvel that to doubtful tearmes of life himself was brought Whil'st with like wile and subtile trick death on his body wrought When as her stroke to kill outright she would not him vouchsafe Until that man a pitious case was buried quick in grave Camb. Brit. p. 814. Mahomet by birth an Arabian was one of the monstrousest hereticks that ever lived He came of a base stock and being fatherlesse one Abdemonoples bought him for his slave and loved him for his parts so that he made him ruler of his house about which time one Sergâ—us a Monk flying for his Heresie into Arabia instructed him in the Heresie of Nestorius A while after his Master died and Mahâ—met married his widow after whose death he grew famous for his wealth and skill in Magick Wherefore by the advice of Sergius he called himself the great prophet of God and his fame encreasing he devised a Law and wrote it which he called the Alcoran wherein he borrowed something from almost all the Heresies which were before his time With the Sabellians he denied the Trinity With the Manichees he affirmed that there were but two persons in the Deity With Eunomius he denied the equality of the Father with the Son With Macedonius he said that the Holy Ghost was a Creature and held the community of women with the Nicolaitans He borrowed of the Jews circumcision and of the Gentiles much superstition And somewhat he took from the Christian verity besides many devilish phansies invented of his own braine But when he had lived in wickednesse about fourty years God cut him off by the falling sicknesse which of a long time having been troubled with he told his seduced disciples that at those times the Angel Gabriel appeared to him whose brightnesse he could not behold A certain Jesuite in Lancashire as he was walking by the way lost his glove and one that came after him finding it followed him apace with intention to restore it but he fearing the worst being inwardly pursued with a guilty conscience ran away and hastily leaping over an hedge fell into a marle pit which was on the other side and in which he was drowned Wards Ser. Anno Christi 1591. there was one Edmund Coppinger and Henry Arthington two gentlemen who associated themselves with William Hacket sometimes a very lewd person but now converted in outward shew by whose hypocritical behaviour the aforesaid gentlemen were deluded to think that Hacket was anointed to be Judge of the world wherefore coming one day to his lodging in London Hacket told them that he had been anointed by the holy Ghost Then Coppinger asked what his pleasure was to command them Go saith he and proclaime in the City that Jesus Christ is come with his fan in his hand to judge the earth and if they will not believe you let them come and kill me if they can Coppinger answered that it should be done and so immediately he and Arthingtonâ—an â—an into the streets and proclaimed their messageâ— and when by reason of the confluence of people they could go no further they gat up into two empty carts in Cheapside crying Repent repent for Jesus Christ is come to judge the world And so pulling a paper out of their bosoms they read out of it many things touching the calling and office of Hacket as how he represented Christ by partaking of his glorified body c. They also called themselves his Prophets one of Justice the other of Mercy The City being amazed at this thing took Hacket carried him before a Justice who after examination committed him and at the Sessions being found guilty of sedition and speaking traiterous words against the Queen he was condemned and hanged on a Gibbet in Cheap-side uttering horrible blasphemies against the Majesty of God Coppinger died the next day in Bridewel and Arthington was kept in prison upon the hope of repentance Some Donatists which cast the holy elements of the Lords Supper to dogs were themselves devoured by dogs Simpson Arminius who craftily revived the heresie of Pelagius and sowed the seeds of his errors in Leiden and many other places in Holland to the great disturbance of the peace of Gods Church fell sick being grievously tormented with a cough gout ague and incessant paine in his belly with a great binding and stopping under the heart which caused him to draw his breath with much difficulty he slept also very unquietly and could not digest his meat his radical moisture dried up and he had a vehement paine in his bowels with an obstruction in his Optick sinews which made him blinde of his left eye and his right shoulder was much swolne whereby he lost the use of his right arme and thus languishing in much misery he ended his dayes October 19. 1609. Hist. of the Netherl Olympius an Arian Bishop as he was bathing himselfe at Carthage and blâ—spheming the blessed Trinity was suddenly smit from Heaven with three fiery darts and so burned to death Hist. of the Netherl Pau. Diaco In the year 1327. there was one Adam Duff an Irish man burnt at Dublin for denying the Incarnation of Jesus Christ and saying that there could not be three persons and but one God and for affirming the Virgin Mary to be an Harlot for denying the resurrection of the dead and avouching that the Sacred Scriptures were but fables Camb. Brit. Irel. p. 181. Policarp at a certaine time meeting Marcion the Heretick Marcion said unto him Doest thou not know me Yea said Policarp I know thee for the first-begotten of Satan See his Life in my first Part. Donatus the father of the Donatists about the year 331. taking offence at the choice of Caecilianus to the Bishoprick of Carthage made a schisme in the Church and fell from one error
whereupon he was deposed and banished from his Bishoprick But shortly after Gods heavy judgement falling upon the woman in her sicknesse she confessed that she was suborned by the Arians to accuse this holy man and that it was one Eustathius a Tradesman that had gotten that childe Niceph. l. 8. c. 46. See the like practice against Athanatius in his Life In my first Part of the Marrow of Ecclesiastical History In the reigne of King Canutus at a Parliament held at London the King asked the Lords and Nobles whether in the Agreement made betwixt King Edmund and him there was any mention made of the children or brethren of Edmund to have any part of the land divided to them The Lords flatteringly answered That there was none Yea they confirmed their false words with an oath thinking thereby to have procured great favour with the King But he on the contrary ever after mistrusted and disdained them especially such as had sworne fealty to King Edmund Yea some of them he exiled many he beheaded and divers of them by Gods just judgement died suddenly Speed In the Reigne of King Henry the eighth one Richard Long bore false witnesse against a Minister in Calice falsly accusing him for eating meat in Lent But shortly after Gods wrath did lie so heavy upon his conscience that he desperately drowned himselfe Aze Mon. About the same time Gregory Bradway accused one Brook falsly for stealth but shortly after through terrors of conscience he sought to cut his own throat but being prevented he fell mad In Queen Maries dayes one William Feming accused an honest man called John Cooper because he would not fell him two bullocks as if he had spoken traiterous words against the Queen and suborned two false witnesses to depose it Cooper was hanged and quartered and all his goods taken from his wife and nine children but shortly after one of these false witnesses being well and at harvest-work was stricken by God so that his bowels fell out and he died miserably See My English Martyrology The Egyptians had no punishment for lying and therefore no measure in lying One Thespis a Poet in Athens made a play wherewith the Citizens were much delighted and grave Solon himselfe went to see it but when the play was ended wherein Thespis himselfe acted a part Solon called him to him and asked him if he were not ashamed to lie so openly in the face of all the City Thespis answered that it made no matter so long as it was but in sport But Solon beating the ground with his staffe said If we commend or allow lying in sport we shall shortly finde it used in good earnest in all our bargaines and dealings Plut. Artaxerxes M. having found one of his souldiers in a lie caused his tongue to be thrust through with three needles Plut. Putting away lying speake every man the truth with his neighbour for we are members one of an other Eph. 4. 25. CHAP. XXIX Examples of Childrens Obedience and Love to their Parents COmmanded Eph. 6. 1. and why v. 2. Col 3. 20. Prov. 4. 1. 6. 20. Exod. 20. 12. Deut. 5. 16. Mat. 15. 4. 19. 19. Mark 7. 10. 10. 19. Luk. 18. 20. Commended Mal. 1. 6. Scriptural Examples Shem and Japhet Gen. 9. 23. Isaac Gen. 22. 6 c. Jacob Gen. 28. 1 5. Ioseph Gen. 37. 13. Ruth Chap. 1. 16 17. Solomon 1 King 2. 19. Other examples Pomponius Atticus making the funeral Oration at his mothers death protested that having lived with her sixty and seven years he was never reconciled to her Because said he there never happened betwixt us the least jarre which needed reconciliation In vita Attici Cyrus King of Persia having overcome Croesus King of Lydia in battel Croesus fled into the City of Sardis but Cyrus following took the City by storme and a souldier running after Croesus with his sword Croesus his sonne that had been dumb all his life-time before with the violence of natural affection seeing his father in such danger suddenly cryed out O man kill not Croesus and so continued to speak all his life after Pez Mel. Hist. Miltiades a famous Captaine of the Athenians died in prison for debt his sonne Cimon to redeeme his fathers body for burial voluntarily went into the prison and submitted to be cast into chaines there till the debt was paid Iustin. Cleobis and Biton two brethren in Greece loved their mother dearly insomuch as she being to go to Juno's Temple in her coach drawn by two oxen the oxen being out of the way they willingly harnessed themselves and drew her thither she much rejoycing that she had borne two such sonnes Plut. Olympias the mother of Alexander M. was very severe and morose in her carriage towards him and once Antipater Alexanders deputy in Europe wrote large letters of complaint against her to whom he returned this answer Knowest thou not that one little teare of my mothers will blot out a thousand of thy letters of complaint Plut. King Demetrius being overcome by Seleucus and taken prisoner his sonne Antigonus hearing of it mourned exceedingly and wrote lamentably to Seleucus in the behalfe of his father proffering to deliver up into his hands all the Countreys which he yet held and to become a pledge himselfe for his father so that he might be delivered out of captivity Diod. Sic. The carriage of Master Herbert Palmer towards his parents was very dutifull and obsequious not only during his minority but even afterwards which was very evident in that honour and respect which he continued to expresse to his aged mother to the day of her death being also a special help to her in the wayes of holinesse See his Life at the end of my General Martyrology Honour thy father and thy mother that thy dayes may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee Exod. 20. 12. CHAP. XXX Examples of Gods judgements upon Unnatural and rebellious children Such were to be punished with death Exod. 21. 17. Levit. 20. 9. Mat. 15. 4. Mark 7. 10. Prov. 20. 20. Deut. 21. 18. c. Such are cursed Deut. 27. 16. It 's a damnable sinne 1 Tim. 1. 9. Rom. 1. 31. 2 Tim. 3. 3. Prov. 30. 11. Scriptural examples Simeon and Levi Gen. 34. 30. Elies sons 1 Sam. 2. 25. C ham for mocking the nakednesse of his father Noah was cursed by him Gen. 9. 25. Absalom for rebelling against his father David was hanged by his head and thrust through by Joab 2 Sam. 18. Adramelech and Sharaser that slew their father Sennacherib to enjoy his Kingdome were banished into Armenia and Esarhaddon succeeded his father 2 King 19. ult Crannius the son of Clotharius King of France conspired treacherously and raised warre against his father but being vanquished as together with his wife and children he was flying thinking to escape by sea being overtaken by the command of his father they were all shut up in a little house and so burned
daughter of Sp. Tarpeius betrayed her father and the tower whereof he was governour to Tatius King of the Sabines who besiedged it for all that the Sabine Souldiers wore upon their left armes meaning their golden bracelets But when she demanded her reward Tatius badehis souldiers to do as he did and so together with their bracelets throwing their shields which they wore on their left armes upon her they crushed her to death Romulus ordained no punishment for Parrioide because he thought it impossible that any one should so much degenerate from nature as to commit that sin but he called all other murthers Parricides to shew the heinousnesse of them and for six hundred years after his time such a sin as Parricide was never heard of in Rome Plut. Darius the son of Artaxerxes Mnemon King of Persia affecting the Kingdome conspired to take away the life of his father but his treason being discovered he together with his wives and children were altogether put to death that so none might remain of so wicked a breed Diod. Sic. Servius Tullius the 6th King of the Romanes married his daughter to Tarquinius she was a woman of an exceeding ambitious spirit and would not suffer her husband to be at quiet till she had procured him to murther her father and as soon as ever she heard that the fact was committed she hasted in her chariot to salute her husband King and by the way encountring with the dead body of her murthered father she caused her chariot to be driven over it Ovid. Pezel Mel. Hist. Nero sending some to murther his own mother Agrippina when they came into her chamber she seeing one to unsheath his sword and believing what they came for and by whose directions she laid open her bare belly to him bidding him strike that as having deserved it for bringing forth such a monster as Nero. Nero hearing that she was dead came presently to the place caused her body to be stripped and Crowner-like beheld it all over praising this part dispraising that as if he had been to censure a Statue and at last caused her wombe to be opened that he might behold the place of his conception Neros Life Not long after about the neck of one of Nero's Statues was hung a leather sack to upbraid his parricide the punishment whereof by the ancient Laws of Rome was to be trussed in such a sack with a cock a dog and a viper and so all to be thrown quick into Tyber Nero's Life The eye that mocketh at his father and despiseth to obey his mother the ravens of the valley shall pick it out and the young eagles shall eat it Prov. 30. 17. Every one that curseth his father or his mother shall be surely put to death he hath cursed his father or his mother his blood shall be upon him Lev. 20. 9. CHAP. XXXI Examples of Parents love to and Care over their Children THey are to bring their children to God Luk. 2. 27. 41. Mark 10. 13. To instruct them Ephes. 6. 4. Prov. 22. 6. Exod. 12. 26. Deut. 6. 7. 11. 19 32. 46. 4. 10. 31. 13. Gen. 18. 19. To lay up for them 2 Cor. 12. 14. Prov. 19. 14. To correct them Prov. 22. 15. 23. 13. 29. 15 17. Heb. 12. 9. 1 Tim. 3. 4. Not to provoke them to anger Col. 3. 21. Eph. 6. 4. Not to give them evil examples Ier. 7. 18. 31. 29. Ezek. 18. 2. Ier. 17. 2. Mothers must instruct them Proverb 31. 1 c. 2 Tim. 1. 5. Numa Pompilius reformed the Law amongst the Romanes which gave liberty to parents to sell their children exempting children that were married provided that they married with their parents consent Plut See Callings Trades Agesilaus King of Sparta a prudent man and brave souldier did exceedingly love his children and on a time a friend coming to his house found him riding upon an hobby-horse amongst them whereupon Agesilaus fearing lest he should speak of it to his disgrace intreated him not to censure him for it nor to speak of it to any till himselfe had some children Plut. Augustus Caesar found out the inclinations and dispositions of his two daughters by observing their company at a publick shew where much people were present at which time his daughter Livia associated herselfe and discoursed with grave and prudent Senators but his daughter Iulia adjoyned herselfe to loose youngsters and riotous persons Sueto Noscitur ex socio qui non cognoscitur ex se. Scillurus who had eighty sonnes when he lay on his death-bed called them all before him presented them with a bundle of speares or sheafe of arrows and bade each of them trie whether he could break that bundle which they assayed to do but were not able Then he pulled out one javlin out of the bundle and bade them break that which they did easily intimating thereby that unity and compacted strength is the bond which preserves families and Kingdomes which bond if it be once broken all runnes quickly to ruine Micypsa when he was on his death-bed called all his sonnes and caused them to write this sentence in golden letters Concordiâ parvae res crescunt Discordiâ magnae dilabuntur By concord small things are increased but by discord the greatest are overthrown Fathers provoke not your children to wrath but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Eph. 6. 4. Richard Woodmans father in the reigne of Queen Mary betrayed him into the hands of his bloody persecutors whereby he lost his life See my English Martyrology p. 185. Philip King of Spaine out of an unnatural and bloody zeale suffered his eldest sonne Charles to be murthered by the Fathers Inquisitors because he favoured the Protestant religion which when the Pope heard of he abusively applied that text of Scripture to him He spared not his own Sonne but delivered him up for us all Act. Mon. Alfrith mother of King Edward hearing that her sonne was coming to visit her suborned one of her servants to murther him who accordingly as the King was drinking with her struck him into the body with a two-edged dagger whereof he died and this she did to make way for another of her sonnes to come to the Crowne See my English Martyrology p. 31. Master Iulins Palmer in the reigne of our Queen Mary went to Evesham in Glocestershire to his own mother hoping to obtaine a legacy left him by his father and when he came kneeling down to crave her blessing she said Thou shalt have Christs curse and mine wherever thou goest for saith she thou doest not believe as thy father and I nor as thy fore-fathers but art an Heretick and therefore get thee out of my house and out of my sight and never take me for thy mother any more Faggots I have to burn thee but no money for thee c. Eodem p. 173. Even the sea-monsters draw out the breast they give suck to their young
to be taken prisoners and enow to runne away which resolute speecâ—â— much cheared up the King Eng. Hist. At the siege of Belgrave in Hungary by the Turks a certaine Turke getting upon the walls advanced his Ensigne upon them whereby the City was in great danger of being lost but a Bohemian souldier running to him caught him fast about the middle and calling to the Governour of the City who was not farre from him asked if he might be saved if he should cast himselfe down from the wall with that dog so so he called the Turke to whom the Governour answered Yea without doubt whereupon eâ—tsoones he tumbled himselfe with the Turke in his armes from off the wall and so died with him and by his death saved the lives of all in the City Turk Hist. The Romanes being ready to joyne battel with the Albanes that they might avoid bloodshed agreed that the victory should be determined by three against three Now there were in each campe three brethren born at one birth of equal years who were to be the Champions The three Horatii for the Romanes and the three Curiatii for the Albanes who after a doubtfull conflict two of the Horatii being slaine the third pretending feare ran away and thereby drew his adversaries asunder who by reason of their wounds could not runne with equal speed which being perceived by him he turned back and slew them one by one in single fiâ—ht before they could joyne together whereby the day fell to the Romanes Sir Walt. Raw. Hist The Tacchi a people in Asia rather then they would be captivated to the Greeks threw themselves down headlong from the rocks the very women throwing down their own children first and then casting themselves upon them Cato when the last battel was fought betwixt Julius Caesar and the Senators of Rome who stood for the liberty of their countrey Caesar having wonne the day Cato cast himselfe into the Sea at Utica choosing â—ather to drown himselfe then to survive his countreys liberty Lucan Darius the Persian Monarch invading Scythia sent unto the King thereof to yield himselfe as his subject whereunto the Scythians returned him this Hieroglyphical answer sending him back by his Ambassadors a bird a frog a mouse and five arrows which was diversly interpreted by Darius his Captaines But Gobrias one of his Princes truly interpreted them thus O ye Persians get ye wings like birds or dive under the water like frogs or creep into holes of the earth like mice or ye shall not escape our arrowes Socrates knowing that there was but one God in his Apology for his life said That if they would grant him his life upon condition to keep that truth to himselfe and not to teach it unto others he would not accept of his life upon such a condition Breda in the Low-Countreys being by treachery delivered to the Prince of Parma Anno 1580. was againe recovered by the Prince of Orange Anno 1590. by an hardy and dangerous enterprise which Captain Charles of Haraugiere made with seventy two resolute souldiers who being hidden in a boat full of turfes entering at noon day in a thousand dangers of their lives if they had been discovered they lay still all the day and the night following coming suddenly forth of the boat they cut in pieces the Corps Dugard giving entrance to the Prince and Earle of Hohenlo with their troops which lay not farre off whereupon the Garrison fled and the Towne was yielded by composition Belg. Com. Wealth p. 292. In an assault made by the Turks upon the suburbs of Alba Regalis in Hungary many of the Turks having scaled the Italian Fort a tall Hungarian woman whose courage farre exceeded the weaknesse of her sexe thrust in amongst the souldiers and with a great sithe in her hand at one blowe struck off two of the Turks heads which so encouraged others that the Turks were repelled thereby Turk Hist. p. 741. At Numantia in Spaine foure thousand souldiers withstood fourty thousand Romanes for fourteene yeares together in which time having often valiently repulsed them and forced them unto two dishonourable compositions at last when they could well hold out no longer they gathered all their armour money and goods together and laid them on a heap which being fiered they voluntarily buried themselves in the flames also leaving unto Scipio nothing but the bare name of Numantia to adorne his triumph with The City of Saguntum having been besieged by Hannibal for the space of nine moneths in which time the famine was so great that the inhabitants were inforced to eat mans flesh at the last when they could hold out no longer rather then they would fall into the hands of their enemies they made a fire in which themselves and their City were consumed to ashes Aug. de Civ l. 3. c. 20. Philip King of Macedon besieging Abidus when the people saw that they could not escape they first cast their goods into the Sea and then killed their wives and children and themselves leaving an empty City for him Livi. Martius the Romane General going against the Sarini which were Gaules at the foot of the Alpes rather then they would lose their liberty they killed their wives and children and then cast themselves into the fire and some of them which were surprized starved themselves Oros. l. 5. The Isle of Goze neare unto Malta being taken by the Turks a certain Sicilian that had lived long there and had married a wife by whom he had two faire daughters being then in state to be married seeing this last calamity approaching rather then he would see his wife and daughters to be brought into shamefull servitude having called them to him he first â—lew with his sword his two daughters and then their mother this done with an harquebuse and a crosse bowe bent as clean bereft of senses he made towards his enemies of whom he slew two at the first encounter and afterwards fighting a while with his sword being invironed with a multitude of Turks brought himselfe to the end of his most unhappy life Pur. Pil. v. 2. p. 878. Caesar entering into a boat in tempestuous weather the waterman was afraid to put forth from the shoar to whom he said Perge contra tempestatem forti animo Caesarem fers fortunam Caesaris Beare up couragiously against the stormes thou carriest Caesar and Caesars fortune Godfrey of Bulloigne with his followers in lesse then foure yeares conquered all the goodliest Provinces of Asia and drove out the Turks In that cruel conflict in Solomons Temple as himselfe reports in a letter his men by the great slaughter of the enemies stood in blood above the ankles in a terrible battel at Ascalon he slew an hundred thousand of the Infidels Turk History Huniades that Bulwarke of Europe like a violent tempest and impetuous torrent did so batter and beat down the enemies of Christ that his name became dreadfull amongst the Turks who used the same to
moved out of that place he was smitten with such a feeblenesse of heart and dizzinesse in his head that desiring help to carry him to an house he died before the Lords day came At Walton upon Thames in Surrey in a great Frost 1634. three young men on the Lords day after they had been at the Church in the forenoone where the Minister pressing the words of his text out of 2 Cor. 5. 10. that We must all appear before the judgement-seat of Christ c. they the while whispering as they sate In the afternoone they went together over the Thames upon the Ice unto an house of disorder and gaming where they spent the rest of the Lords day and part of the night also in revelling one of them in a Taverne merrily discoursing the next day of his Sabbaths acts and voyage over the Ice but on Tuseday next after these three returning homewards and attempting to passe againe over the Ice they all sunk down to the bottome as stones whereof one only of them was miraculously preserved but the other two were drowned These foure last are attested by good hands Anno Christi 1598. the towne of Feverton in Devonshire was often admonished by her godly Pastor that God would bring some heavy judgement upon the inhabitants of that place for their horrible profanation of the Lords day occasioned chiefly by their market on the Munday and accordingly not long after the said Ministers death on the third of April in the year aforesaid God sent a terrible fire which in lesse then halfe an houre consumed the whole towne except the Church the Conrt-house Almes-houses and a few poor peoples dwellings and above 50. persons were consumed in the flames Also Anno Christi 1612. it was again wholly burnt down except a few poor houses they being not warned by the former judgement but continuing in the same sin Beards Theat If ye will not hearken unto me to hallow the Sabbath-day and not to bear a burden even entering in at the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath-day then will I kindle a fire in the gates thereof and it shall devour the Palaces of Jerusalem and it shall not be quenched Jer. 17. 27. CHAP. XXXVI Examples of Gods judgments upon Murtherers and Blood-shedders THe positive judiciall Law of God is that whosoever sheddeth mans bloud by man shall his bloud be shed Gen. 9. 6. and the reason is there rendred because such destroy Gods Image wherein man is made and the cry of blood if not punished by man is so great Gen. 4. 10. that the Lord comes down from heaven to call the murtherer to account and by some visible and remarkable judgements or other to stigmatize this sin as these following Examples will more fully manifest Murtherers ought to be punished with death Gen. 9. 6. Exod. 21. 12. Prov. 28. 17. Rev. 13. 10. No recompence is to be taken for it Num. 35. 32 c. for it defiles the land Hos. 4. 2 3. It 's diligently to be sought out Deut. 21. 1 c. God punisheth it here Psal. 55. 23. It excludes from heaven Gal. 5. 21. Rev. 21. 8. Scripturall Examples Cain Gen. 4. 8. Pharaoh Exodus 1. 16 Simeon and Levt Gen. 34. 25. c. Abimelech Judg. 9. 5. Agag 1 Sam. 15. 33. Joab 2 Sam. 3. 27. David 2 Sam. 11. 14 c. Absalom 2 Sam. 13. 28 29 Manasseh 2 King 21. 16. Amons servants 2 Kings 21. 23. Ahab and Jezabel 1 Kings 21. 9 c. Baanah and Rechab 2 Sam. 4. 6. Saul 2 Sam. 21. 1. 1 Sam. 22. 18. Athaliah Chron. 22. 10. Baasha Kin. 15. 27. Zimri 1 Kin. 16. 9. Joash 2 Chron 24. 21. Shalâ—um 2 Kings 15. 10. Manahem 2 Kings 15. 14 16. Herod Acts 12. 2. Cain for murthering his brother Abel was cursed by God Gen. 4. Abimelech who slew his 70. brethren was slain by a woman at Thebez Jud. 9. Baanah and Rechab who slew their L. Ishbosheth were slain by the command of David 2 Sam. 4. Joab who slew Abner and Amasa treacherously was slain by the command of Solomon 1 Kin. 2. Cyrus K. of Persia who for 30. years together made cruell war in many places at last fighting against the Scythians was overcome 200000 of his men slain and himself salling into the hands of Q. Tomyris she cut off his head threw it into a bowl of blood saying Thou hast all thy time thirsted after blood now drink thy fill and satiate thy self therewith Orosius Cambyses his son a bloody and cruell man who shot a noblemans son thorow the heart because the father had reproved him for drunkennesse He caused his own brother to be privily murthered lest he should usurp the Kingdom slew his own sister for reproving him for that deed At last as he was riding his sword fell out of the scabbard and himself falling upon it was slain thereby Herodo Xerxes who with his huge Army passed over into Greece being overthrown by sea and land fled shamefully into Asia in a fisherboat and shortly after was slain by Artabanus the Captain of his guard in his own palace Diod. Sic. The 30. Tyrants in Athens were cruell bloodsuckers till the people rising up against them slew them all Just. Phocas who to get the Empire put to death all the sons of Mauricius the Emperor before his face and then slew him also and after many villainies by him committed was pursued by his son in law Priscus and being taken had his hands and feet cut off and afterwards with all his posterity was put to a cruell death Nicephorus Anno Christi 1346. Popiel K. of Poland to obtain the Kingdom poysoned his two uncles and gave himself over to all manner of wickednesse He used upon every occasion to say If this be not true would rats might devour me On a time as he was going to a great feast an Army of rats out of the putrefied body of his uncles set upon him which all his guard with their weapons were not able to drive away Then did they make great cole-fires about him yet through the middest of the fire did the rats assault him Then did they put him with his wife and children into a boat and rowed them in the middest of a great lake yet thither did the rats swim to him and lastly he gat up to the top of an high Tower yet still the rats pursued him and they eat him up to the very bones together with his wife and children Munst. Cos. Bassianus the Emperour who slew his own brother in his mothers armes and tooke to wife his own mother in Law was shortly after himselfe murthered by the procurement of Macrinus to prevent his owne death Justinian the Emperour a cruel and bloody man who was the cause of many murthers was first banished from his Empire and afterwards slaine by one of his own servants Euseb. Clovis King of France an horrible murtherer who amongst other cruel facts caused one of his Peers to be murthered
against our Religion Doctor Bennet Chancellor of London objected it as an hainous crime against one Richard Butler that divers times he did erroneously and damnably read in a great book of Heresie meaning the Bible certaine Chaptâ—rs of the Evangelists in English containing in them divers erroneous and damnable opinions and conclusions of heresie Act. Mon. The Jesuites at Dole in France set up an Edict publickly wherein they forbad all talke of God either in good sort or in bad Francis Ximenius Cardinal of Toledo in his preface before the Bible set forth at Complutum saith that he set the vulgar Latine between the Hebrew and the Greeke as Christ was set betwixt two theeves Jeroboam made Priests of the vilest of the people and indeed the vilest of the people if they were but men were too good to make Priests for Jeroboams gods which were but Calves Tecelius the Popes Agent in Germany perswaded the ignorant and common people that assoone as their tenne shillings which was the price of an indulgence ting'd in the Basin any friend they would name should be immediately delivered out of Purgatory etiamsi per impossibile matrem Dei vitiâsset Coâ— O-Neale Earle of Ulster in Ireland curâ—ed all his posterity in case they either learned to speake English or sowed wheat or built houses often saying that by these meanes they would make themselves slaves to the English Camb. Brit. Irel. p. 120. The wilde Irish account it no shame to commit robberies which they practise every where with exceeding cruelty and when they go to robbe they power out their prayers to God that they may meet with a booty and when they meet with it they account it as Gods gift neither will they be perswaded that God would present unto them the opportunity of rapine violence and murder if it were a sinne nay a sinne it were as they think if they should not lay hold upon the opportunity Camb. Brit. Irel p. 144. When one of these wilde Irish lieth ready to die certaine women hired on purpose to lament standing in crosse waâ—es and holding their hands all abroade call unto him with certaine out-cries reckoning up the commodities that he enjoyes of worldly goods wives beauty fame kinsfolk friends and horses demanding of him why he will depart whither and to whom c Camb. Brit. Irel. p. 147. Stephen Gardiner speaking to one Marbeck What the Devil said he made thee meddle with the Scriptures Act. Mon. In China the Inhabitants use to whip their gods if they help them not when they pray unto them An old man above sixty yeares of age who lived and died in a parish where besides the Word read there was constant preaching almost all his time both upon ordinary and extraordinary occasions and himself a constant hearer and one that seemed forward in the love of the Word on his death-bed a Minister demanding of him what he thought of God answered that he was a good old man And what of Christ that he was a towardly young youth And what of his soul that it was a great bone in his body And what should become of his soul after death that if he did well he should be put into a pleasant green Meddow c. Pemb. William Courtney Arch-bishop of Canterbury cited certaine of his tenants for an hainous and horrible trespasse as he stiled it which was for that they brought straw to litter his horses not on carts as they ought but in bags for which hainous offence after they had confessed their fault and submitted themselves to him he enjoyned them this penance That going leasurely before the Procession barefoot and barelegged each of them should carry upon his shoulder a bag stuffed with straw the straw hanging out whereupon were made these verses This bag full of straw I bear on my back Because my Lords horse his litter did lack If you be not the better to my Lords Graces horse Ye are like to go barefoot before the Crosse. When the inhabitants of Ilium anciently called Troy sent Ambassadours to Tiberius to condole the death of his father Augustus a long time after he was dead the Emperour considering the unseasonableness of it requited them accordingly saying And I also am sorry for your heaviness having lost so valiant a Knight as Hector who was slaine above a thousand yeares before Herodotus tells of the Psilli a foolish people who being displeased with the South-winde for dâ—ying up their waters would needs take up armes against it but whilest they marched upon the sands to seek their enemy it blew so strongly that raising a drift of sand it overwhelmed them whereby in stead of a victory they met with their graves as a just reward of their folly Cardinal Woolsey falling into disgrace with King Henry the eighth said Had I been as wise and careful to serve the God of heaven as I have been to serve my great Master on earth he would never thus have left me in my gray haires Themistocles being banished Athens fled to Artaxerxes King of Persia for refuge who was wonderfully overjoyed that he had by this means gotten so gallant a man praying to his gods that his enemies might be alwayes so infatuated as to banish their worthiest men Herod Caius Caligula the Romane Emperour had one of his horses which he loved best and called him Swift he invited him to supper and gave him his provender in a golden manger and drank wine to him in golden bowles He used to sweare by his health and fortune He promised him to make him Consul as before he had made him his Priest He built him a Marble stable an Ivory manger cloathed him with purple put a chaine of pearles about his neck besides he built him an house furnished it with housholdstuffe and servants that so they whom his horse invited might have the better entertainment Pez Mel. Hist. He pretended an expedition into Britaine made great warlick preparations led his Army to the sea-side and then commanded them to gather cockleshells with which he returned in triumph to Rome as if they had been the spoiles of his conquered enemies Sueto The Turks foolishly hold that man so soone as he comes out of his mothers womb hath his destiny written in his forehead by God and therein all the good evil that shall befall him and in particular what death he shall die and hereupon they are desperate in the Wars fear not infection of the plague so that if one dies of the Plague another presently weares his cloaths Turk Hist. p. 1302. Sir Roger Williams hearing a Spaniard foolishly bragging of his Country-sallats gave him this quick answer You have indeed good sauce in Spaine but we in England have dainty Beeves Veale and Muttons to eat with that sauce And as God made Beasts to live on the grasse of the earth so he made man to live upon them Examples of wise fooles A poot begger in Paris stayed so long in a Cooks
were witnesses of Pausanias reports that one Balthus a dumb man wandring in a desert met with a Lion and was struck with such exceeding fear and trepidation that thereupon the strings of his tongue were loosed and he spake ever after CHAP. LVII Examples of Constancy COmmanded 1 Chron. 28. 7. â—it 3. 8. Gal. 5. 10. 2 Tim. 2. 1. Heb. 13. 9. Jam. 1. 17. 2 Cor. 1. 17. 1 Cor. 15. 58. 2 Pet. 3. 17. 2 Tim. 3. 14. Rev. 2. 10. Commended Prov. 21. 28. Heb. 12. 3. Rom. 11. 22. Exhorted to 1 Cor. 16. 13. Eph. 4. 14 15. â— Tim. 3 14. Heb. 12. 1. 13. 9. Mat. 10. 22. 24. 13. Phil. 4. 1. Rev. 3. 11. Scriptural Examples Joshua ch 24 15. Ruth ch 1. 15. Levites 2 Chron. 11. 13. Josiah 2 Chron. 34. 2. Jewes Ezra 3. 3. David Psal. 119. 157. John Baptist Mat. 11. 7. Luke 7. 24. Paul Acts 20. 23 24. 2 Tim. 4. 7. Antipas Rev. 2. 13. Angel Rev. 2. 13. Disciples Luke 22. 28. Hebrews chap. 10. 32 34. Dionysius c. Acts 17. 34. Jewes and Proselytes Acts 13. 43. Other Examples Aristides is an admirable example of constancy of whom Phlutarch writes that amidst all the changes which befell the Athenians in his time he remained alwayes the same for honours never puffed him up with pride nor adversity never made him impatient For when AEschylus the Poet in the publick Amphytheater made verses in his commendation and thereupon the eyes of all the people were fixed upon him he was nothing affected or puffed up with it neither at other times was he afflicted at the reproaches and indignities of his enemies He used to say That it was the part of a good Citizen only to rejoyce in his good speeches and actions Plut. Nero being weary of his wife Octavia the daughter of Claudius by whom he had the Empire charged her with adultery and Pythias one of her women was miserably tormented upon the rack to extort a confession against her imperial Lady but she left this memorable Example of loyal constancy Nero's instrument of cruelty sitting in Commission at the rack demanded of her some immodest questions about her Lady Octavia But she being raised above fear or paine by honest courage did spit into his face saying that Octavia was honester in her womans parts then his mouth Suet. Phocion the Athenian was semper idem alwayes the same neither favour nor fear altering him the Oracle declaring that there was one man that was an enemy to the concord of the City when the enraged people enquired after him he said Pray you be quiet I am the man whom ye seek for there are none of your doings that please me Athens was at this time in her dotage Afterwards being chosen Captaine of the Athenians against the Macedonians he seeing that his cowardly souldiers were only valiant in their tongues wisely forbore fighting and made a peace afterwards being upbraided as if he had done it through cowardice he answered You are happy that you had a Captaine that knew you well enough otherwise you had all perished before this At another time when Demosthenes that rode the people by his flattery told Phocion that the Athenians would kill him when they began to be mad But said Phocion they will kill thee when they begin to be wise Lipsius Saint Ambrose Bishop of Millaine being besieged in his Church by the Emperour Valentinian junior at the instigation of Justina his mother an Arian the Emperour commanded him to come forth of the Church intending to deliver it to the Arians But Ambrose told him that he would never come out of it willingly neither would betray his sheepfold to the wolvs nor his Church to such as were blasphemers of God Therefore saith he if thou wilt kill me come in and thrust me through either with thy sword or speare which death will be very grateful unto me Theod. Valerianus Bishop of Hâ—benza in Africa being commanded by Genserick an Arian King of the Vandals to deliver up to him the books of the Sacred Scripture and other vessels belonging to the Church he rather chose being eighty years old to be stripped naked and driven out of the City where he lay amongst the dunghills till he perished Sige. Chron. Hormisdas a Nobleman of Persia professing Christianity in the time of a great persecution was called before the King Varanes who sharply chid him threatening him with death if he persisted therein To whom Hormisdas constantly answered That which you command me O King is wicked and therefore I may not abjure the God of the whole world to procure your Majesties favour For a crime committed against his Majesty is farre greater then disobedience to you Niceph. Constance the third could neither prevaile by promises nor threats with Martin Bishop of Rome to confirme the heresie of the Monothelites he choosing banishment rather then thus to sinne against God Fulgos. Publius Rutilius shewed his excellent constancy when being requested by a friend to do for him a thing which was unjust he refused to do it whereupon his friend said What am I the better for thy friendship if thou wilt not do for me so small a courtesie when it is desired of thee To whom he answered And what am I the better for such a friend as requests of me such unjust things Val. l. 6. c. 4. Pomponius a Knight of Rome fighting in the Army of Lucullus against Mithridates was wounded and taken prisoner and being brought before Mithridates he said to him If I take care for the cure of thy wounds wilt thou be my friend To whom Pomponius answered Not except thou beest a friend to the people of Rome Fulgos. Marc. Brutus warring in Lusitania when he had conquered almost the whole Countrey only the City of Cyania stood out against him he sent Ambassadours to them proffering them a great summe of gold to deliver up their City to him To whom they answered with admirable constancy Our father 's left us swords wherewith to defend our liberty not gold nor rich gifts wherewith to redeem our selves from our enemies Eras. Apoth C. Mevius a Captaine of Augustus Caesars having often fought valiantly against Mark Anthony was at last circumvented taken prisoner and carried before Anthony who asked him what he would have him to determine about him To whom Mevius most constantly answered Command my throat to be cut seeing I am resolved neither for the hope of life nor for the fear of death to forsake Caesar nor to serve thee Val. Max. See more in the Chapter of Valour and Magnanimity CHAP. LVIII Examples of Inconstancy Unstableness SPoken of Jam. 1. 8. 2 Pet. 2. 14. 3. 16. Reuben is said to be so Gen. 49. 4. The Athenians who a little before had given divine honours to King Demetrius and in a most base manner flattered him during his great victories when they heard of his overthrow by Ptolemy King of Egypt and that he was coming to
he had made himselfe sweat by some labour Stobaeus Anrelianus the Emperour never suffered day to passe over his head wherein he did not exercise himselfe in some hard labour or military imployment Alex. ab Alex. The City of Casan in Parthia is much to be commended for its civil Government for an idle person is not suffered to live amongst them The childe that is but six years old is set to labour no ill rule disorder or riot is suffered there They have a Law amongst them whereby every person is compelled to give in his name to the Magistrates withall declaring by what course he liveth and if any tell untruly he is either soundly beaten on the feet or imployed in publick slavery P. Pil. v. 1. In China the whole Countrey is well husbanded and though the people generally are great spenders yet they first get it by their hard labour Idle persons are much abhorred in this Countrey and such as will not labour must not eat amongst them for there are none that will give almes to the poore If any be blinde they are put to grinde in horse mills If lame impotent bedrid c. the next of their kin is forced to maintaine them If they be not able the King hath Hospitals in every City wherein they are sufficiently provided for P. Pil. v. 3. CHAP. LXII Examples of such as have preferred Christ before all earthly enjoyments Under the eight Persecution there was one Marinus a Nobleman and valiant Captaine in Caesaria who stood for an honourable office that of right fell to him but his Competitor to prevent him accused him to the Judge for being a Christian The Judge examining him of his faith and finding it true gave him three houres time to deliberate with himselfe whether he would lose his Office and Life or renounce Christ and his profession Marinus being much perplexed what to resolve on a godly Bishop took him by the hand led him into the Church laid before him a sword and a New-Testament bidding him freely take his choice which of them he would have whereupon Marinus ranne to the New Testament and chose that and so being encouraged by the Bishop he went boldly to the Judge by whose sentence he was beheaded Dioclesian that bloody Persecutor first laboured to seduce the Christian souldiers in his Camp commanding them either to sacrifice to his gods or to lay down their places offices and armes To whom they resolutely answered That they were not only ready to lay down their honours and weapons but even their lives if he required it rather then to sinne against God and deny Christ. A Noble Virgin in Portugal called Eulalia under the tenth Persecution seeing the cruelty used against Christians for the cause of Christ went to the Judge and thus bespake him What a shame is it for you thus wickedly to seek to kill mens souls and to break their bodies in pieces seeking thereby to withdraw them from Christ Would you know what I am I am a Christian ana an enemy to your devillish sacrifices I spurne your idols under my feet c. Hereupon the Judge being enraged said unto her O fond and sturdy girle I would faine have thee before thou diest revoke thy wickednesse Remember the Honourable House of which thou art come and thy friends teares Wilt thou cast away thy selfe in the flower of thy youth Wilt thou bereave thy selfe of honourable marriage Doth the glittering pomp of the bride-bed nothing prevaile with thee c. Behold if these things will not move thee I have here variety of engins prepared to put thee to a cruel death c. But our Noble Eulalia having her heart ravished with the love of Christ to whom she desired to be married rejected both his flatteries and threats and chose death rather then to forsake Christ. See my General Martyrology p. 77. In the late Bohemian Persecution a noble Lady of the City of Latium leaving all her riches house and friends crept under the walls through the common sewer the gates being guarded that she might enjoy Christ in his Ordinances elsewhere In the Affrican Persecution under the Arians there was a noble man called Saturus eminent for piety and holinesse whom the Tyrant King laboured to withdraw from Christ and his truth to the Arian Heresie telling him that if he consented not presently he should forfeit his house his Lands his goods his honours that his children and servants should be sold that his wife should be given to one of his basest slaves c. But when threats prevailed not he was cast into prison and when his Lady heard her doom she went to him with her garments rent and her hair disheveled her children at her heeles and a sucking infant in her armes and falling down at her husbands feet she took him about the knees saying Have compassion O my sweetest of me thy poor wife and of these thy children look upon them let them not be made slaves let not me be yoaked in so base a marriage consider that which thou art required to do thou doest it not willingly but art constrained thereto and therefore it will not be laid to thy charge c. But this valiant Souldier of Christ answered her in the words of Job Thou speakest like a foolish woman Thou actest the Devils part If thou truly lovedst thy husband thou wouldest never seek to draw him to sin that may separate him from Christ and expose him to the second death Know assuredly that I am resolved as my Saviour Christ commands me to forsake wife children house lands c. that so I may enjoy him which is best of all One Copin a Merchant in France was apprehended and carried before the Bishop of Ast for his bold asserting of the truth to whom the B. said that he must either recant his opinions or be punished But Copin answered that he would maintain them with his life For saith he I have goods a wife and children and yet have I lost those affections which I formerly bore to them neither are they dear to me so I may gain Christ. See more Examples of this kind before in this Book p. 29 30 31. Anno Christi 1620. in that bloody Persecution in the Valtoline a noble Gentleman having for a while hid himself was at last found out by his Popish adversaries whom he requested to spare him for his childrens sake but they told him that this was no time for pity except he would renounce his Religion and embrace Popery whereupon he said God forbid that to save this temporal life I should deny my Lord Jesus Christ who with his precious blood upon the Crosse redeemed me at so dear a rate c. I say God forbid and so they murthered him See my Gen. Martyrologie p. 327. Anno Christi 1507. one Laurence Guest being in prison for the truth in Salisbury the Bishop because he had good friends laboured by all means to draw him to recant but not
prevailing he condemned him yet when he was at the stake he sent his wife and seven children to him hoping by that meanes to work upon him but through Gods grace Religion overcame nature and when his wife intreated him with tears to favour himself he answered Be not a block in my way for I am in a good course and running towards the mark of my salvation and so he patiently suffered Martyrdome In Q Maries daies one Steven Knight Martyr when he came to the stake kneeled down and prayed thus O Lord Jesus Christ for the love of whom I willingly leave this life and rather desire the bitter death of thy Crosse with the losse of all earthly goods then to obey men in breaking thy holy Commandments Thou seest O Lord that whereas I might live in worldly wealth if I would worship a false god I rather choose the torments of my body and losse of my life counting all things but dung and drosse that I might win thee for whose sake death is dearer unto me then thousands of gold and silver c. See my Eng. Martyrologie p. 132. Thomas Watts Martyr when he was at the stake called his wife and six children to him saying Dear wife and my good children I must now leave you and therefore henceforth know I you no more as the Lord gave you unto me so I give you back again to the Lord c. and so kissing them he bade them farewell and went joyfully to the stake Idem p. 143. Nicholas Sheterden Martyr when he was ready to be burned said Lord thou knowest that if I would but seem to please men in things contrary to thy Word I might enjoy the commodities of life as others do as wife children goods and friends But seeing the world will not suffer me to enjoy them except I sin against thy holy Lawes lo I willingly leave all the pleasures of this life for the hopes sake of eternal life c. Idem p. 146. Richard Woodman Martyr when he was brought to his answer the Bishop told him that if he would be reformed he might enjoy his wife and children c. To whom he answered I love my wife and children in the Lord and if I had ten thousand pounds in gold I had rather forgo it all then them but yet I have them as if I had them not and will not for their sakes for sake Christ. Idem p. 185. A poor woman in Cornwall being admonished by the Bishop to remember her husband and children She answered I have them and I have them not whilest I was at liberty I enjoyed them but now seeing I must either forsake Christ or them I am resolved to stick to Christ alone my heavenly Spouse and to renounce the other Idem p. 211. See more in my two parts of Lives I count all things but losse for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the losse of all things and do count them but dung that I may win Christ and be found in him c. Phil. 3. 8 9. Examples concerning Christ our Mediatour Themistocles being banished Athens was forced to fly to his deadly enemy Admetus King of the Molossians and when he came thither he took the Kings son being a child in his armes and so prostrated himself before the K. and found favour for it was a sacred Law amongst the Molossians that whosoever thus came before the King should have pardon whatsoever his offence was so whosoever goes to God the Father with Christ in his armes shall be sure to speed in his request Claudius Tib. Caesar hearing of the miracles and resurrection of Jesus Christ moved the Senate at Rome that he might be numbred amongst the gods but the Senate refused because he was by some esteemed for a God before the Senate had decreed him one Tert. One in Tamerlanes Army having found a great pot of Gold digged it up and brought it to Tamerlane who asked whether the Gold had his Fathers stamp upon it but when he saw it had the Roman stamp he would not own it So God will own none but such as have the stamp of Christ and his Image upon them CHAP. LXIII Examples of Compassion Sympathy COmmanded 1 Pet. 3. 8. Zach. 7. 8. Such as want it love not God 1 Joh. 3. 17. And are wicked 2 Chron. 36. 17. Scriptural Examples Our Saviour Christ Matt. 9. 36. 14. 14. 15. 32. Mark 1. 41. 6. 34. A Lord Matth. 18. 27. Pharaohs daughter Exod. 2. 6. The Father of the Prodigal Luke 15. 20. Darius his wife being a Captive with Alexander miscarried by reason of a fall and so died which when Alexander heard of he brake forth into weeping and suffered one of her Eunuches to carry Darius word of her death Darius hearing that Alexander wept at the newes of her death conceited that he had been too familiar with her but when the Eunuch by grievous asseverations protested that he had never seen her but once and then never offered the least indignity to her Darius lifting up his hands to heaven prayed the gods that if the Persian Empire were at an end that none might sit in Cyrus his Throne but so just and merciful a Conquerour Q. Cur. When Alexander M. found Darius murthered by his own servants though he was his enemy yet he could not refrain from weeping and putting off his own Coate he covered the body of Darius with it and so clothing of him with Kingly Ornaments he sent him to his mother Sisigambis to be interred amongst his Ancestors in a royall manner Q. Cur. Nero the Emperour in the first five years of his reign was of a very compassionate disposition insomuch as being requested to set his hand to a Writ for the execution of a Malefactor he said Quà m vellem me nescire literas Would I had never learned to write Sâ—ne Camillus with the Roman Army after ten years siege took the City of Veia in Italy by storme and when Camillus from the top of the Castle saw the infinite riches which the Souldiers took by plundering the City he wept for very pitty to see the miseries which were brought upon the inhabitants Plut. The Thebans having given the Lacedemonians a very great overthrow in the Battel of Leuctra they presently sent an Ambassador to Athens to acquaint them with it and to desire them to enter into confederacy with them against the Lacedemonians their old enemies telling them that now was the time when they might be fully revenged of them for all the wrongs which they had received from them but the Athenian Senate was so far from rejoycing at the misery of the Lacedemonians that they did not so much as give lodging the Ambassadour or treat at all with him about a League Plut. Vespasian the Emperour was of such a merciful disposition that he never rejoyced at the death of any though his enemies yea he used to sigh and weep when he
a great sinner against God and I know not how to die nor to appear before God in Judgment These are said his brother melancholy thoughts and withal made a jest at them The King replyed nothing for the present But the custom of the Country was that if the Executioner came and sounded a Trumpet before any mans door he was presently to be led to execution The King in the dead time of the night sends the headsman to sound his Trumpet before his brothers door who hearing it and seeing the messenger of Death springs in pale and trembling into his brothers presence beseeching him to tell him wherein he had offended O brother replyed the King you have never offended me And is the sight of my Executioner so dreadful and shall not I that have greatly and grievously offended fear to be brought before the Judgement-Seat of Christ In the Isle of Man the women whensoever they go abroad gird themselves about with their winding sheets wherein they purpose to be buried to mind them of their mortality Camb. Brit. of Man p. 205. At one end of the Library of Dublin was a globe and at the other end a skelleton to shew that though a man was Lord of all the world yet he must die C. Marius in his 7th Consulship being about 70 years old yet finding his death approaching cryed out and complained of his hard Fortune for cutting off the third of his life before his counsells and desires were accomplished Sab. Pope Anastasius as he was easing nature in a sakes voided his bowels and dyed miserably Graâ—i The AEgyptians in their Funeral Orations never commended any man for his riches or Nobility because they were but the goods of Fortune but for his Justice and piety whereby they thought to stirre up the living to the imitation of his virtues Fulgos. The Grecians had a Law that no man should bestow more workmanship upon a Monument then might be finished by ten men in 3. daies Artemesia Q. of Halicarnassus when her husband Mausolus died bestowed so much cost and curiosity upon his Tomb as that it was counted one of the seven wonders of the world Suidas By an ancient Law amongst the Romans it was enacted that no man should bestow more labour about a Sepulchre then might be finshed in three or five dayes at the most and that none should have a bigger Pillar erected for him then would contain his just praises and the titles of his honour Cicero St. Augustines wish was that when the Lord came to take him out of this world he might find him aut precantem aut praedicantem either praying or Preaching The Death of the Righteous is the forerunner of judgment Methusalem died in that very year in which the Flood came Augustine was taken away by death immediately before Hippo the place of his dwelling was sacked by the Vandals Paraeus before the taking of Heidelberg by the Spaniards The death of Ambrose was the forerunner of the ruine of Italy and Luther died a little before the wars brake forth in Germany which himself foretold at his death And holy Mr. Whately a little before the plundering and burning of Banbury in the beginning of our late Civil wars The Righteous perisheth and no man layeth it to heart and merciful men are taken away none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come Isai. 57. 1. CHAP. LXVII Examples of Detraction Slandering Backbiting IT 's a great sin 2 Cor. 12. 20. Rom. 1. 30. Prov. 10. 18. Complained of Psal. 31. 13. 50. 20. Jer. 6. 28. 9. 4. How prevented Prov. 25. 23. Such are not of the number of Gods children Psal. 15. 3. Ought to be punished Psal. 101. 5. Scriptural Examples Jeremy slandered by the wicked Jews Jer. 18. 18. The Jews Ezra 4. 4 c. Nehemiah Chap. 2. 19. 6. 6 c. Ziba 2 Sam. 19. 27. The Spies Num. 14. 36. Some slandered the Apostles Rom. 3 8. Solon enacted a Law amongst the Athenians that none should speak evil of the dead nor of the living especially in the Temples in the time of Divine Service nor in the Councel Chamber of the City nor in the publick Theaters and that upon pain of three Drachmes to the party injured and two to the common treasury Plut. Alexander M. when he heard any about him traducing his enemy would stop one of his eares that he might preserve it from prejudice in hearing the other party Dion of Syracuse when he was admonished to take heed of two of his familiar friends as though they intended to slay him answered That he had rather die then to suspect his friends or to put them in fear of a violent death as if they were his enemies Val. Max. Amongst the Romans there was a Law That if any servant being set free slandered his former Master he might bring him into bondage again and take from him all the favours he had bestowed upon him Alex. ab Alex. There was also another Law that if any servant detracted from his Master his Master might banish him out of the Confines of Rome Idem Vespasian and Titus were such enemies to detractors and slanderers that if any were found guilty thereof they caused them to be whipt about the City that others thereby might be deterred from the like practices Domitian the Emperour though otherwise a most vile man yet could not endure slanderers but banished them out of the City saying that they which do not punish slanderers encourage them Platina Antoninus Pius made a Law That if any Backbiter could not prove what he reported of another he should be put to death Alex. Nerva made a Law That if any servants slandered their Masters they should be put to death as ingrateful persons Idem St. Augustine to shew his hatred to detractors caused this Distich to be written on his Table Quisquis amat dictis absentem rodere amicum Hanc mensam vetitam noverit esse sibi He that doth love an absent friend to jeer May hence depart no room is for him here Frederick Emperour of Germany having some letters brought to him which were written by Gasper Schliâ—kius of Newburg and directed to sundry Hungarians some Flatterers about the Emperour perswaded him to break them open suggesting that there might be Treason contained in them To whom the Emperour nobly answered I judge Gasper an honest man and my friend If I be deceived I had rather that the evil should appear by his own carriage then that it should be searched out by my overmuch diligence being provoked thereto by your suspitions or slanders AEn Sylvius Nero that Monster of men when he had set Rome on fire which burned nine daies to transfer the Odium from himself he by his slanders thought to lay the fault upon the Christians as if they had done it out of malice whereupon he raised the first general Persecution against them See my Gen. Martyrology p. 31. Under the second Persecution the
good meat Others fed upon old leather and some women boiled their own children and did eat them Many thinking to save their lives by flying to the Romans were slit in pieces to search for gold and Jewels in their guts two thousand dyed thus miserably in one night 97000 were taken prisoners at the taking of the City by Titus eleven hundred thousand were slain As for the prisoners some of them were carried to Rome in triumph Others were slain in sundry places at the Conquerers will Some were torn in pieces and devoured by wild beasts Others were compelled to march in Troops against their fellowes and to kill one another to make the spectators sport The reliques of these wretched people were dispersed into all Nations under heaven having no Magistrates of their own to protect them but were and still are altogether at the will and discretion of the Lords of those Countries where they sojourn so that no Nation in the world is so vile and contemptible as the Jewes In the time of Julian the Apostate he gave leave to the Jewes to re-build the Temple at Jerusalem but so soon as they had laid the foundations thereof all was overthrown by an earthquake many thousands of them being overwhelmed with the mines and those which were left were slain and scattered by a tempest and thunder The Jewes at Imnester near Antioch celebrating their accustomed Playes and Feasts in the middest of their jollity according to their custome they reviled Christ and in contempt to him gat a Christian's child and hung him upon a Crosse and after many mocks and taunts whipt him to death So also they served a boy called Simeon Anno Christi 1476. And another in Fretulium five years after At another time they took a Carpenters sonne in Hungary in contempt of Christ whom they called the son of a Carpenter and cutting all his veines sucked out all his blood with quills And being apprehended and tortured they confessed that they had done the like at Thirna four years before and that they could not be without Christian blood for that therewith they anointed their Priests But at all these times their wickednesse being discovered they suffered just punishment by hanging burning or some other cruel death Anno Christi 1492. one Eleazar a Jew bought the holy Host of a Popish Priest and most despightfully thrust it through with his knife for which he was burned and the like have others of them done at several times Fincel Anno Christi 1407. a Jew stole the picture of Christ out of a Church and chrust it in contempt many times thorow with his sword out of which when blood miraculously issued the caitiffe would have burned it but being taken in the manner by some Christians they stoned him to death Gasp. AEdio l. 3. c. 6. The Jewes whilest they were suffered to live here in England used every year to steal some Christian's child and on Good-Priday to crucifie him in despite of Christ and the Christian Religion Thus they served a child at Lincoln Anno Christi 1255. under the Reign of King Henry the third And another at Norwich having first circumcised him and kept him a whole year For which being apprehended thirty two of them were put to death at Lincoln and twenty at Norwich Others of them being besieged at York when they could hold out no longer cut their own throats whereby fifteen hundred of them perished at that time At Northhampton many of them were burnt for attempting to set the City on fire with wildfire And at last for their many wicked practices they were utterly banished the Kingdome of England by King Edward the first Anno Christi 1291. for which the Commons gave the King a Fifteenth Judea hath now onely some few parcels of rich ground found in it that men may guesse the goodnesse of the cloth by the finenesse of the shreads wherein the Word of God is fulfilled Psal. 107. 34. He turneth a fruitful Land into barrennesse for the wickednesse of them that dwell therein In the Reign of Adrianus the Emperour he sent Severus his General against the Jewes who by reason of their multitudes would not try it out in a set battel but proceeding more warily and taking his opportunitie he by degrees took fifty of their fortified Castles rased nine hundred and fourscore of their best Townes and slew five hundred and eighty thousand of their men besides innumerable multitudes which perished by famine sicknesse and fire so that almost all Judaea was left destitute and Adrian by an Edict prohibited the Jewes from coming neer to Hierusalem or once from any high place to look towards the same or the Region adjoyning Dion Salmanticensis saith that there was a decree made at Rome that no Jew should ever enter Cyprus the place where their rebellion began and that Adrian destroyed twice as many Jewes as Moses brought out of Egypt He rased Hierusalem and not far from it built another City the now Hierusalem and called it after his own name AElia And over the gate of this City he placed the Statues of swine which were faithful Porters to prohibit the superstitious Iewes from entrance This was about the year 135. St. Hierom tells us that in his time on that day wherein Hierusalem was taken by the Romans you may see decrepit women and old ragged men and many wretched people but pitied of none with blubbered cheeks black armes dishevelled hair howling and lamenting for the ruines of their Sanctuary in their bodies and habits bearing and wearing â—he sad characters of Divine vengeance of whom the Souldiers also exact their fee for liberty of further weeping so that they which formerly sold the blood of Christ are now fain to buy their own teares In the Reign of Trajan Adrian's predecessour the Jewes rebelled in Egypt and Cyrene where they slew many Greeks and Romans did eat their flesh girt themselves with their guts imbrewed themselves with their blood and clothed themselves with their skins many they sawed in sunder from the Crown downwards many they cast to the Beasts c. Hereupon Trajan sent against them Martius Turbo who destroved many thousands of them and fearing lest the Jewes in Mesopotamia should break out into the like outrages he commanded Lucius Quietus to destroy them utterly who so diligently executed his will that the Emperour to recompence his service made him President of Judea Dion In Creet there arose amongst them a false Prophet that affirmed himself to be Moses that led the Israelites through the Red-sea telling them that he was come to lead them through the Sea into the holy Land Thus for a whole year he went from City to City amongst them perswading them to leave their riches to any that would take them and to follow him and at a day appointed he went before them to a Promontorie of the Sea and there bidsthem leap in which many doing perished in the waves and more would have done but that some
hastily to him she found a knife sticking in him which soon ended his life Then did she return to her other child thinking yet to solace her self with her now onely son but he also in her absence was fallen into the River and drowned whereby she was deprived of them both in one hour Charles the second King of Spain having wasted his spirits with voluptuousnesse and Luxury in his old age fell into a Lethargy And therefore to comfort his benummed joynts he was by the advice of his Physicians sowed up in a sheet steeped in aqua vitae The Chirurgion having made an end of sowing the sheet wanted a knife to cut off the thread whereupon he took up a wax Taper that stood by to burn it off But the flame running by the thread caught hold of the sheet in an instant which according to the nature of Aqua vitae burned so violently that the old King ended his daies in the flame Eschilus the Athenian who fought stoutly in the battel of Marathon was afterwards warned by the Oracle to take off a blow from above upon such a day whereupon he removed out of the City when that day came and went without his hat into the fields thinking to make all sure But an Eagle taking his bald head for a stone let a Tortoise fall upon it which dashed out his brains Plin. The wife of Nausimenes the Athenian finding her son and daughter committing incest together was so affected with the sight of that hainous crime that she could find no words for the present to utter her indignation and ever after remained dumb One Palevizine an Italian Gentleman and kinsman to the learned Scaliger had in one night all his hair changed from black to gray Scal. de sub p. 18. The like befell a Gentleman not many yeares since who was by our former Parliament condemned to death and should the next day have been executed Vergerius the Popes Nuncio intending to write a book against the Lutheran Apostates for so he stiled them whilest he was searching into their tenents with a purpose to confute them was himself converted so that leaving his Bishoprick he lived and dyed a powerful Preacher in Germany See his Life in my first Part. It is a rare happinesse of the family of St. Laurence Barons of Hoath in Ireland that the heires thereof for 400 years together alwaies have been of age before the death of their Fathers Holy War At the siege of Perugia in Italy when the City was as good as wonne onely a Chain which was laid atâ—wart the gate wanted cutting in sunder for a fuller entrance of the Army upon a meer mistake of a Souldier crying Give back meaning to get a fuller blow at the Chain all behind taking it for a word of command ran quite away At the Battel of Munda in Spain between Caesar and Pompey where the whole world lay at the stakâ— when Caesar's Souldiers began to shrink apace and nothing but meer shame kept them from running away by a meer mistake of King Boguds sudden wheeling about to have surprised Caesars Camp Pompey's Souldiers utterly lost the day CHAP. LXX Examples of strange Providences VVHilest Brennus with his Gaules besieged the Roman Capitol some of them in the night-time had with much difficulty climbed up a steep rock upon which it stood and now were ready to scale the walls and to set upon the sleeping watch for neither man nor dog heard them but it fell out that there were some holy geese kept in Juno's Temple which hearing the Gaules began to run upon and down and to cry for fear by which noise the watch was awakened and by this providence the foolish geese betrayed the Gaules and preserved the Capitol Plut. Agathocles had for his Father a Potter himself was brought up in the mire and clay in his youth he learned nothing but impudence whoredoms and uncleannesse but then turning Souldier he was afterwards made a Captain and marrying his predecessors Wife whom he had first defiled he gat great riches by her so that at last he began to attempt the Kingdom of Syracuse but was repelled then he joyned with the Sicilians and brings an Army to besiege Syracuse but prevails nothing then he called the Cathaginians to his assistance yet could not prevail at last he gat the Kingdom by craft and subtilty turned Tyrant murthered the Princes and people then passing with his Army into Africk he makes war with the Carthaginians that had holpen him to the Kingdom and strangely prevails in many Battels yet at last was beaten forsaken by his Army Children and Friends so that almost alone he returned into Sicilie keeps his Kingdom Yet at last his Nephew usurpes the Crown drives away his Wife and Children from him and slew Agathocles Lipsius Leontius the Athenian Philosopher had a daughter called Athenais who was very beautiful and witty and therefore the old man on his death-bed divided his estate amongst his Sons leaving her onely a small Legacy Hereupon she went to Law with her Brothers hoping to recover more of them but being overthrown in the suit she went to Constantinople there she insinuated her self into the acquaintance of Pulcheria the Emperours Sister who enquiring whether she was a Virgin brought her into the Court caused her to be instructed in the Principles of Christianity and Baptized giving her the name of Eudocia and took such a liking to her that she prevailed with her brother Theodosius to take her to wife long she continued in that happy condition but at length fell into suspicion upon this occasion One presented the Emperour Theodosius with an apple of an extraordinary greatnesse which for the rarity of it he sent to his wife Eudocia she presently gave it to Paulinus a facetious and learned man he knowing nothing whence it came again presented it to the Emperour the Emperour marking it well knew that it was the same which he had sent to his wife hereupon he goes to her and asks her for the apple he sent her she rashly affirms that she had eaten it he asks again more earnestly and she affirms the same with an oath Then the Emperour being very angry produceth the apple and suspecting that Paulinus was too familiar with his wife he causeth him to be slain and divorceth his wife she hereupon went to Hierusalem where she led the remainder of her life holily and chastly Lipsius Polycrates King of Samia had never any adversity befell him in all his life but all things happened to him according to his desire Heaven Earth and Sea seemed to favour him wherefore having a Ring that he much prized he threw it into the Sea but shortly after a fish being brought to his Table he found his ring in the belly of it But his end was not such for fighting with Oroetes a Lieutenant of Darius he was overthrown taken prisoner and hanged upon an high Crosse whereby he dyed a miserable and shamefull death Lipsius Valerianus the
Roman Emperour after 15. yeares glorious reign fighting with Sapores King of Persia he was overthrown and taken prisoner Sapores used to lead him about with him in chains and when he was to get on horseback caused him to lie down on his hands and knees and so made a footstool of him to mount his horse by Diod. Sic. Bajazet the first Emperour of the Turks having reigned victoriously ten years together in the great battel which he fought against Tamerlane was taken prisoner put into an iron cage and led about with Tamerlane three years in that manner being fed with scraps from the Conquerours table at last hearing that he should be so led into Tartary he beat out his brains against the cage See Tamerlan's Life in my second Part. Charles Caraffa being made Cardinal by Pope Paul the fourth and his brother John Duke of Palian and Earl of Montore lived in great honour and wealth all that Popes daies but when by the help of these men especially Pius the 4th was made Pope he took the two brethren with others of their kindred and imprisoned them in the Castle of St. Angelo where they endured three years miserable captivity at last by the command of the Pope the Cardinal Charles was strangled and his brother John's head cut off and their bodies were thrown out into the open streets of Rome to be a gazing stock to the people Lipsius Dion with a great courage but a small Army went into Sicily to free Syracuse from the grievous Tyranny of Dionysius and Providence so ordered it that when he came thither Dionysius was gone into Italy about other affaires Timocrites being left his substitute in Syracuse presently dispatches away a messenger to Dionysius to assure him of Dion's coming and therefore to request him all other businesses being set aside to hasten his return the messenger in his journey met with a friend who had been offering sacrifice and gave him a piece of the flesh which he put into his budget where the Letters to Dionysius were and not long after being weary laid him down on the grasse to sleep presently came a Wolfe and smelling the meat snatched up the budget and ran away with it the man awakens and misâ—ing his budget durst not go to Dionysius but turns another way By this meanes Dion had opportunity to get Syracuse and Dionysius lost his Kingdom Lipsius In that great battel in the Philippic fields between M. Brutus and Cassius on the one party and Octavian Caesar and M. Anthony on the other party Brutus had routed and put to flight Octavian in the right wing and Anthony had caused Cassius to retire in the left wing yet Cassius onely retreared to an hill not far off where he could easily have rallied his men again but by reason of the dust not knowing of Brutus his Victory he sent L. Titinnius his intimate friend to see what was become of Brutus Titinnius meets with Brutus his Souldiers triumphing for their victory they enquire after Cassius he tells them where he was whereupon they accompany Titinnius to Cassius to acquaint him with the good newes Cassius seeing them coming and suspecting them to be enemies and Brutus to be overthrown causes his freeman to cut his throat Titinnius finding him dead through his default he cuts his own throat also Brutus hearing of these sad accidents with Cassius loses his courage and victory Justin Hanibal after the Victory at Cannae domineered in Italy at his pleasure nothing remained but the taking of Rome to compleat his work about that time he enters into confederacy with Philip King of Macedon upon condition that the Carthaginians should enjoy Italy and should help Philip to subdue Greece For the confirming of this Treaty Philip sends Xenophanes his Ambassadour to Hanibal but he comes upon the Coast of Italy neer Tarentum and falls in amongst the Roman Navy where being examined what he was and whither he went he cunningly feignes that he was sent from King Philip to the Roman Senate to enter into a league with them against Hanibal the Romans rejoyce exceedingly at this good newes expecting help in their low condition from so potent a King and so land Xenophanes who presently travels to Hanibal and dispatches his businesse and so returns but again meets with the Roman Navy which was commanded by Q. Fulvius he again examines Xenophanes who tells him that he had been with the Senate at Rome and had concluded a League betwixt Philip and them against Hanibal Fulvius believes him and was about to dismisse him but spying some in his train in African habits he examines what they were and growing suspitious finds out the truth casts them into bonds sends them to Rome by which meanes the City was saved Lipsius Ludit in humanis divina potentia rebus See Strange accidents and the Vanity of all earthly things When Philip King of Macedonia heard so much good newes together viz. That Parmenio his General had obtained a notable victory over his enemies That Alexander his son was born And that his Chariots had wonne the prize at the Olympick games all in one day he called upon Fortune to spice his joyes with some bitternesse lest he should surfeit of them and forget himself Diagoras having seen his three sons crowned with Garlands of Olive for their Victories in the Olympick Games One came running to him with this Gratulation Morere Diagoras non enim in coelum ascensurusâ—es As if he could have enjoyed no greater happinesse on earth then what had already befallen him CHAP. LXXI Examples of terrible Famines IT 's one of Gods terrible rods wherewith he scourges a sinful people Psal. 105. 16. Isai. 14. 30. 51. 19. Jer. 14. 15. c. 15. 2. 18. 21. 24. 10. 27. 8. 29. 17 18. 34. 17. 42. 16. Ezek. 5. 16. 17. 14. 13 21. Prayer and repentance the means to remove it 1 King 8. 37. 2 Chron. 20. 9. God can preserve his in Famine Job 5. 20 22. Psal. 33. 19. 37. 19. The Miseries of it described Lam. 4. 3. c. and 5. 6 9 10. It 's at Gods command 2 King 8. 1. Psal. 105. 16. Jer. 24. 10. 29. 17. Famine of the Word Amos 8. 11. Scriptural Examples In Abrahams time Gen. 12. 10. 26. 1. In Egypt Gen. 41. 56. In Canaan Gen. 42. 5. 47. 4. In Israel Ruth 1. 1. In Davids dayes 2 Sam. 21. 1. In Samaria 2 King 6. 25. In Jerusalem 2 King 25. 3. Jer. 14. 18. 34. 17. 52. 6. The Athenians besieging Sestus brought the inhabitants to such extremity for want of food that having eaten up all other things they were fain to boile their Bed-cords and live upon them Herod Whilest King Demetrius besieged Athens the Citizens sustained a grievous Famine insomuch as a man and his Son sitting in a house there fell a dead mouse from the top of the house and they fell together by the ears