followers and by his meaner servants he was dispoiled of Armour Vessels Apparel and all Princely furniture and his naked body left upon the floore his Funeral wholly neglected till one Harluins a poore countrey Knight undertook the carriage of his Corps to Caen in Normandy to Saint Stevens Church which this dead King had formerly founded At his entrance into Caen the Covent of Monks came forth to meet him but at the same instant there happened a great fire so that as his Corps before so now his Hearse was of all men forsaken every one running to quench the fire which done his body being at last carried to the Church and the Funeral Sermon ended and the stone Coffin set into the earth in the Chancel as the body was ready to be laid therein one Ascelinus Fitz-Arthur stood up and forbâ—de the burial alleadging that that very place was the floore of his fathers house which this dead Duke violently took from him to build this Church upon Therefore saith he I challenge this ground and in the Name of God forbid that the body of this dispoiler be covered in my earth so that they were enforced to compound with him for one hundred pounds But when the body came to be laid in the Tombe it proved too little for it so that being pressed the belly not bowelled brake and with an intolerable stench so annoyed the by-standers that all their Gums and spices â—uming in their Censers could not relieve them whereupon all with great amazement hasting away left the Monks only to shuffle up the burial which they did in haste and so gat them to their Cells Speeds Chron. William Rufus King of England as he was hunting in the new Forrest was by the glance of an arrow against a tree shot in the breast he hastily taking hold of so much of the arrow as stuck out of his body brake it off and with one only groane fell down and died whereupon most of his followers hasted away and those few which remained laid his body basely into a Colliers cart which being drawn with one silly lean beast in a very foul and filthy way the cart brake where lay the spectacle of wordly glory both pitifully goared and filthily bemired till being conveyed to Winchester he was buried under a plain Marble-stone Sp. Chron. page 449. Pithias pined away for lack of bread who formerly was able to entertain and feast Xerxes and his whole Army Bajazet the Great Turke being overcome and taken prisoner by Tamerlane was carried about in an Iron Cage and fed with scraps from Tamerlanes Table Sir Edward de Sancto Mauro commonly Seimor being advanced by King Edward the sixth was most powerfull honourable and loaden with titles being Duke of Summerset Earle of Hartford Vicount Beauchamp Baron Seimor Uncle to the King Governour of the King Protector of his Realmes Dominions and Subjects Leiutenant of all his Forces by Land and Sea Lord High Treasurer and Marshal of England Captaine of the Isles of Garnsey and Jarsey c. Yet this great man was suddenly overwhelmed and for a small crime and that upon a nice point subtilly devised and packed by his enemies was bereaved both of his dignities and life also Camb. Brit. p. 240. Henry Holland Duke of Exeter and Earle of Huntington who married the sister of King Edward the fourth was driven to such want that Philip Comines saith that he saw him runne on foot bare-legged after the Duke of Burgundies traine begging his bread for Gods sake concealing himselfe but afterwards being known what he was Burgundy gave him a small pension to maintaine his estate The Duke of Buckingham who had been a chief instrument of advancing Richard the third to the Crown and the chiefest man of power in the Kingdome falling into the displeasure of the King and forced to hide himselfe at a servants house of his called Humphrey Banister was betrayed by him and apprehended disguised like a poor countrey-man and digging in a grove near to Banisters house and being carried to Salisbury where the King was without arraignment or judgement there lost his head Speed Chron. page 927. Queen Elizabeth in the life of her sister Mary being kept prisoner at Woodstock chanced to see a maid milking of Kine in the Parke and singing merrily over her paile which struck this pensive prisoner into a deep meditation preferring the maides fortunes farre above her own heartily wishing that her selfe were a Milk-maide Sp. Chron. p. 1120. Vanity of vanities saith the Preacher vanity of vanities all is vanitie Eccles. 1. 2. CHAP. LIII Examples of Gratitude Tanksgiving WHat we are to give thanks to God for For deliverances 2 Sam. 22. 50. 1 Chron. 16. 35. Ps. 35. 17 18. 18. 49. 30. 4 11 12. 105. 1 5. 106. 1. 107. 1. For willingnesse to do good 1 Chron. 29. 13 14. For wisdome Dan. 2. 23. For Gods grace to others Rom. 1. 8. 16. 4. 1 Cor. 1. 4. Phil. 1. 3 5. Eph. 1. 16. For deliverance from sinne Rom. 7. 25. 1 Cor. 15. 57. For the free passage of the Gospel 1 Thes. 2. 13. for being made able Ministers 1 Tim. 1. 12. For Christ. Luk. 2. 38. For health Luk. 17. 16. For food Acts 27. 35. For Gods Ministers deliverances 2 Cor. 1. 11. For blessing upon the Ministery 2 Cor. 2. 14. For Gods grace on others 2 Cor. 9. 15. For fitting us for Heaven Col. 1. 12. For all things Eph. 5. 20. 1 Thes. 5. 18. As all good comes from him Jam. 1. 17. So all praise is due to him Thanks also is due to men for kindnesse received by remembring it publishing it and remunerating it Scriptural Examples of thankfulnesse to God The Priests Ezra 3. 11. Moses Exod 15. Hannah 1 Sam. 2. 1 c. David 2 Sam. 22. Psal. 69. 30. 116. 17. Mary Luke 1. 46. Zachary Luke 1. 68. The Sheepherds Luke 2. 20. Simeon Luke 2. 28. The Leper Luke 17. 16. Paul Acts 27. 35. 1 Cor. 15. 57 2 Cor. 2. 14. Of thankfulnesse to man Ahashuerus to Mordicai Est. 6. 3. David to Abigail by marrying her for her good advice 1 Sam. 25. King of Sodom by proffering Abraham all the goods taken Gen. 14. Naaman to Elisha by proffering a reward for his clensing 2 Kin. 5. 15. One siphorus by Ministering unto Paul 2 Tim. 1. 16 17. Gaoler to Paul and Barnabas Acts 16. 33. and Lydia Acts 16. 15. Pharaoh by advancing Joseph Gen. 41. 39 c. and Paul by praying for him 2 Tim. 1. 16 17. Other Examples Darius Hystaspis whilst he was a Captaine under Cambyses seeing one Siloson to have a very curious vesture desired to buy it of him but Siloson told him that he was resolved not to sell but yet he would freely give it him afterwards Darius being King Siloson came to salute him and Danius remembring his former kindenesse entertained him curteously and told him that in consideration of that garment he would give him
16. 19. the Jewes Jer. 6. 13. 8. 10. the young man Mat. 19. 22. the Pharisees Luke 16. 14. Nabal 1 Sam. 25. 11. the rich man Luke 16. 21 c. See some examples of the danger of covetousnesse in my first Part of the Marrow of Eccles. History Julius Caesar was of such a covetous disposition that making Warre in Spaine he picked quarrels with divers rich Cities that he might plunder them He brake also into the Temples of the gods and robbed them of their rich gifts which had been bestowed upon them In his first Consulship he robbed the Capitol of three thousand pound weight of gold In his own and Pompey's name he took six thousand Talents from Ptolemy King of Egypt Theat vitae hum Tiberius Caesar was so overcome by covetousnesse that when Cn. Lentulus a worthy Senatour had in his will declared him to be his heire he sent and killed him that so he might have present possession of his goods Also when Vonorais King of Parthia being expelled out of his Kingdome fled to him for refuge he seeing that he had brought a mighty masse of treasure with him killed him that so he might enjoy his riches Theat vitae hum C. Caligula the Emperour having by profusenesse and prodigality wasted the treasure of the Empire fell afterwards to sordid covetousnesse and rapine whereupon he forced many rich men to make tbeir wills and therein to declare him to be their heir and presently after used to poison them scoffing at them and saying that when men had once made their wills it was fit they should die Having by a tribute raised a mighty masse of money stripping himself naked he rolled himself upon it seeking thereby to satisfie his thirst after gold He sold also the servants and houshold-stuffe Jewels and ornaments of his sisters taking the price of them to himself Theat vitae hum Nero that monster of men when by his profusenesse and Luxury he had wasted the Imperial treasures fell to such covetousnesse that he imposed new tributes on his subjects Injuriously seized upon many rich mens estates and often put the owners to death Robbed many Temples and took away the gold and silver Images Theat vitae hum Sergius Galba to satisfie his covetousnesse imposed great fines upon divers Cities in Spaine and France Took away from the Image of Jupiter a crown of gold that weighed fifteen pound weight and having a plentiful supper set before him he sighed at the consideration of the cost Theat vitae hum Vespasian though he be reckoned amongst the good Emperours yet he was extreame covetous Being blamed by his friends for sending such oppressive officers into the Romane Provinces He answered that he used them but as spunges to squeese them when they were full He imposed a taxe upon every family according to the quantity of urine that was made in it which his son Titus being offended at and blaming him for it as dishonourable to so great an Emperour He answered him little for the present but a while after when his Publicans had brought in the tribute he called his son Titus and bad him smell what ill savour that gold had Titus smelling told him that he found no ill savour in it his father laughing told him that it was urine and withal added Dulcis odor lucri ex re â—ualibet The smell of gaine is sweet out of any thing Yea from the principle of covetousnesse he would publickly do such businesse as a private man would be ashamed of Didius Julianus the Emperour was so extreamly covetous that he made himself hateful to the people and being forsaken of all men was at last slaine in his Palace Guido Bitur Constans Tertius the Emperour going to Rome spoiled all places both holy and prophane carrying away more of the riches ornaments of the City then all the Barbarous Nations that had formerly plundered it He also grievously oppressed his Subjects especially the inhabitants of Sicily whereby many parents were forced to sell their own children which made him so hateful to all that his own souldiers rose up against him and slew him Fulgosus Lib. 9. c. 4. Cardinal Angelot was so basely covetous that by a private way he used to go into the stable and steale the oats from his horses so that on a time the Master of his horse going into the stable in the dark and finding him there taking him for a thief beat him soundly he was also so hard towards his servants that his Chamberlaine watching his opportunity slew him Pontanus lib. de Prin. A certain young man in Lacedaemon having bought an house and land at a very under rate the Magistrates hearing of it sent for him and fined him for that he being a yound man had shewed so much covetousnesse seeking to inrich himself by the losse of another AElian Lib. 14. Semiramis caused to be ingraven upon her sepulchre What King soever shall want money let him open this sepulchre and he shall finde as much as he needs Darius long after finding this inscription brake open the sepulchre but instead of money he only found this inscription within Except thou wert a wicked man and basely covetous thou wouldest never have broken open the sepulchres of the dead Stobaeus Anno Christi 1066. Reginherus Bishop of Misnia being at Goslaria after dinner went into his chamber where he had hid his treasures being an extream covetous man and shut himself in as if he would take a little sleep but his servants thinking him long first knocked at the doore and afterwards brake it open and found him dead with his neck broken and his body of an ugly colour lying in a miserable manner upon his money Lamb. Scaffnaburgensis Caratacus a Prince of the Britaine 's being taken prisoner and carried to Rome when he had throughly viewed the stately magnificence of that City What mean you saith he when you have these and such like buildings of your own to covet our small cottages Camb. Brit. p. 957. The Spaniards in the conquest of Peru told Atabalipa the King thereof that they were sent from an Emperour unto whom the Pope had given all that land to convert them to the Christian faith Whereunto Atabalipa answered That he would gladly be friends with the Emperour because he was so great a Monarch but in no case with the Pope because he gave to another that which was none of his own Pur. Pilgrims Vol. 4. p. 1445. Thira a Dane wife to Godwin Earle of Kent used to make Merchandise of Englands beateous Virgins by selling them at a deare rate into Denmark seeking thereby to satisfie her own covetousnesse and the Danes lusts which practice she continued till a just reward of Gods wrath fell upon her by a thunderbolt from heaven whereby she was slaine Speed Nigh unto the City of Lunenberg in Germany there flowed plentifully a salt spring till such time as the rich men ingrossing all the profit to themselves would not suffer
to sweare allegiance to his daughter Maud and that she should succeed in his Kingdome they which swore were first William Arch-bishop of Canterbury and the rest of the Bishops and Abbats then David King of Scotland Uncle to Maud now married to the Emperesse of Germany then Stephen Earle of Mortaigne and Bulloigne Nephew to the King c. But so soon as King Henry was dead in Normandy Stephen hasted into England and by the help especially of the Bishops was made King and the Emperesse put by but behold the revenging hand of God following their Perjury Stephen though otherwise a gallant Prince yet found his Crowne to be but a glorious misery Mars and Vulcan never suffering him to be at quiet and as he would not suffer the right heire to inherit so God would not suffer him to have an heire to inherit for his sonne was put by the Crowne which was conferred upon Henry sonne to the Emperesse the rightfull heire Also William Arch-bishop of Canterbury never prospered after his perjury but died within that yeare Roger Bishop of Salisbury fell into displeasure with King Stephen who took him prisoner seized upon his Castles and treasures and so used him that he died for very griefe Alexander Bishop of Lincolne was also taken by the King and led in a rope to the Castle of Newark upon Trent the King swearing that the Bishop should neither eat nor drink till his Castle was surrendered so that there he gat all the Bishops treasure and as for Hugh Bigot he also escaped not long unpunished saith Fabian Rodulph Duke of Sweveh provoked by the Pope rebelled against his Sovereigne the Emperour Henry the fourth but in a battel which he fought against him he lost his right arme whereof he shortly after died acknowledging Gods justice for his disloyalty punishing him in that arme which before was lift up to sweare the oath of allegiance to his Master Act. Mon. Narcissus a godly Bishop of Ierusalem was falsly accused by three men of many foule matters who sealed up with oathes and imprecations their false testimonies But shortly after one of them with his whole family and substance was burnt with fire another of them was stricken with a grievous disease such as in his imprecation he had wished to himselfe the third terrified with the sight of Gods judgements upon the former became very panitent and poured out the griefe of his heart in such aboundance of teares that thereby he became blinde Euseb. The Arians hired a woman to accuse Eustatius a godly Bishop of committing whoredome with her thereby procuring his banishment But shortly after the Lord struck her with a grievous disease whereupon she confessed her perjury the childe being begotten by Eustatius a Smith and not Eustatius the Bishop and so presently after she died Euseb. The Emperour Albert having made a truce with the great Turke and solemnly sworne to the same Pope Eugenius the fourth sent him a dispensation from his oath and excited him to renew the warre against them but in the first battel he was discomfited and slaine to the great shame of Christianity the infidels justly accusing them of Perjury and Covenant breaking sealed by the Name of Christ whom they professe to be their Saviour Turk Hist. Almerick King of Ierusalem having entred into League with the Caliph of Egypt and confirmed the same by an oath afterwards warred upon him contrary to his promise whereupon God raised him up many enemies who miserably wasted the Kingdome of Ierusalem himselfe was beaten out of Egypt and all hopes of succour failing him being wearied with whole volleys of miseries he ended his life of a bloody Flux Hist. holy Warres The Egyptians reputed perjury so capital a crime that whosoever was convinced thereof was punished with death Pausanias noteth this to be one chiefe cause why Philip King of Macedon with all his posterity were so quickly destroyed because he made no account of keeping his oathes but sware and unswere as might stand best with his interest Gregory of Tours makes mention of a wicked varlet in France among the people called Averni that forswearing himselfe in an unjust-cause had his tongue presently so tied that he could not speake but roare till by his inward prayer and repentance the Lord restored him the use of that unruly member Theodor Beza recordeth what befell a perjured person who forswore himselfe to the prejudice of his neighbour He had no sooner made an end of his oath but being suddenly stricken with an Apoplexie he never spake word more till he died Cleomenes King of Lacedemonia making truce with the Argives for seven dayes oppressed them in the third night unawares thinking thereby to avoid perjury But the Argive women their husbands being slaine took up armes like so many Amazones and repelled Cleomenes who afterwards was banished into Egypt where desperately he slew himselfe Plut. Uladislaus King of Hungary having contracted a League with Amurath the great Turke and bound himselfe to it by an oath the Pope sent a Legat to absolve him from his oath and provoke him to warre which he undertaking with a very great Army the victory stood doubtfull a great while together but Amurath seeing a Crucifix in the Christians Ensigne pluckt the writing wherein the late League was contained out of his bosome and with his eyes and hands cast up to heaven said O thou crucified Christ behold this is the League thy Christians in thy Name made with me which they have causelesly violated If thou be a God as they say thou art and as we dream revenge the wrong now done unto thy Name and me and shew thy power upon thy perjured people who in their deeds deny thee their God Immediately afterward the King in the middest of his enemies was slaine and the Christians fled very few ever returning to their own homes but perished miserably Turk Hist. When Harold King of England was ready to joyne in battel with William the Conquerer and his Normans Gyth a younger brother of his advised him that in case he had made promise unto William of the Kingdome he should for his own person withdraw himselfe out of the battel for surely all his forces could not secure him against God and his own conscience who no doubt would require punishment for breach offaith and promise withall assuring him that if he would commit the fortune of that battel into his hands he would not faile to performe the part of a good brother and valiant Captaine but the King contemning this wholesome counsel would needs joyne battel himselfe wherein he lost his Army Kingdome and his own life Camb Brit. p. 149 150. Henry Falmer being accused by his own brother of Heresie as they call it suffered Martyrdome for the same but shortly after his said brother who had borne false witnesse against him was pressed for a Pioner in the voyage to Bulloine where within three dayes as he was exonerating nature a Gun took him and
past I denied it to your Father and therefore it would not be just to grant that to the son which I refused to the father Imp. Hist. Apollonius being asked as to entrap him what he thought of Nero's singing fearlesly answered the bloody Tigellinus Nero's favourite I think said he far better then you for you repute him worthy to sing but I to hold his peace And so truly it was for his voice was but weak and hollow and therefore to help it he used to lie on his back with a leaden plate on his breast and to fast certain daies in every moneth with nothing but oyl Plinie At the Battel of Newport the Prince of Orange having the Spanish Army before him and the Sea behind him spake thus to his Souldiers If you will live you must either eat up these Spaniards or drink up this Sea When Luther first appeared against the Pope Albertus Crantzius a Bishop that approved of his project but thought it impossible to be brought to passe wrote thus unto him Frater Frater Abi in Cellam dic Miserere mei Deus Frier Frier go into thy Cloister and follow thy beads This businesse is too hard for thee to undertake When amongst many Articles exhibited to our King Henry the 7th by the Irish against the Earl of Kildare the last was Finally all Ireland cannot rule this Earl Then quoth the King this Earl shall rule all Ireland and so made him Deputy thereof Camb. Remaines p. 271. King John of England being perswaded by one of his Courtiers to untomb the bones of one who whilest he lived had been his great enemy O no quoth the King would to God that all mine enemies were as honourably buried A little before the Spanish Invasion in eighty eight the Spanish Ambassadour after a large recital of his Masters demands to Queen Elizabeth summed up the effect of it in this Tetrastich Te veto ne pergas bello defendere Belgas Quae Dracus eripuit nunc restituantur oportet Quas Pater evertit jubeo te Condere cellas Religio Papae fac restituatur ad unguem i. e. These to you are our Commands Send no help to th'Netherlands Of the Treasure took by Drake Restitution you must make And those Abbies build anew Which your fathers overthrew If for any Peace you hope In all points restore the Pope The Queen smiling at these demands returned this sudden answer Ad Graecas bone Rex fient mandata Calendas Worthy King know this your will At latter Lammas wee 'l fulfill See her Life in my second Part. John Duke of Bedford being entombed in the chief Church of Roan afterwards a foolish Courtier perswaded Charles the eighth King of France to deface his Monument to whom the King answered God defend that I should wrong him dead whom whilest he was living all the force of France could not resist Queen Elizabeth coming into a Free-School had an Oration made to her by one of the boyes whom afterwards she jestingly asked How often his Master had whipped him To whom he readily and wittily answered with the words of AEneas to Queen Dido Infandum Regina jubes renovare dolorem At another time having an Oration made to her by a poor boy she understanding his quality said merrily to him Pauper ubique jacet But the boy as confidently and wittily answered In thalamis regina tuis hac nocte jacerem Si verum hoc esset Pauper ubique jacet CHAP. LXXXIII Poverty Poor NOt to be oppressed Exod. 22. 25. Deut. 24. 14. Prov. 22. 16 22. 28. 3 15. 14. 31. 30. 14. Eccles. 5. 8. Isa. 3. 14 15. 10. 2. 11. 4 32. 7. 58. 7. Jer. 2. 32. Ezek. 18. 12. Amos 2. 6. 4. 1. Job 31. 16 c. Psal. 10. 2 c. 12. 5. To be relieved Exod. 23. 11. Lev. 19. 20. 23. 22. 25. 25 35 c. Deut. 15. 7 c. 24. 12. Job 30. 25. Prov. 14. 21. 22. 9. 28. 27. 31. 20. Dan. 4. 27. Mar. 14. 7. Matth. 19. 21. Rom. 15. 26. Gal. 2. 10. Luk. 19. 8. 2 Cor. 9. 9. What brings Poverty Prov. 6. 11. 11. 24. 13. 18. 20. 13. 23. 21. 24. 34. 28. 19 22. Alexander the Great having taken the Kingdome of Sidon gave it to Hephaestion to dispose of it to whom he pleased Hephaestion to shew his gratitude proffered it to his host with whom he quartered but he not being of the Kingly family refused it saying It is not our Countrey fashion that any one should be King but such as are of the King's line and such an one saith he lives hard by a good and a wise man but very poor and one that lives by his hard labour then Hephaestion taking Kingly apparrel with him went to this poor man and saluted him King bidding him wash off his dirt and put off his rags and put on that Kingly apparel the poor mans name was Abdolonimus who thought he had been in a dream but being by the standers by washed and adorned Hephaestion led him into the Palace saying When thou sittest on thy Throne and hast power over the lives of all thy Subjects forget not thy former condition Alexander hearing of it sent for him and asked him with what patience he being of such a noble extraction could bear his former poverty To whom Abdolonimus answered I pray God that I may bear the Kingdome with the same mind for said he these hands provided for my necessity and as I had nothing so I wanted nothing Just. Cur. Diod. Sic. CHAP. LXXXIV Peace Peace makers GOd is the God of Peace Heb. 13. 20. Christ the Prince of Peace Isa. 9. 6. Gods Word the glad tydings of Peace Rom. 10 15. Isa. 52. 7. Gods children are Peace-makers Matth. 5. 9. the Angels singers of Peace Luk 2. 13. Good men are Counsellors of Peace Prov. 12. 20. Gods Kingdome the Kingdome of Peace Rom. 14. 17. Church-Officers Officers of Peace Isa. 60. 17. Hierusalem the City of Peace Psal. 122. 3 7. It 's to be sought after Heb. 14. 14. Rom. 14. 19. 1 Cor. 7. 15. Phil. 4. 7. Psal. 34. 14. Jer. 29. 7. Mar. 5. 50. Ephes. 4. 3. 1 Thess. 5. 13. We must pray for Peace Psal. 122. 6. No peace to the wicked Isa. 48. 22. Scriptural Examples Abraham for peace sake yielded to Lot Gen. 13. 8. Abimelech covenants with Isaac Gen. 26. 28 c. Joseph commands it to his Brethren Gen. 45. 24. Melchisedeck and Salomon were Kings of peace Jacob and his sons Gen. 34. 21. the Primitive Christians Act. 4. 32. David Psal. 120. 7. Numa Pompilius instituted the Priests called Feciales whose office was to preserve peace between the Romans and their neighbouring Nations and if any quarrels did arise they were to pacifie them by reason and not suffer them to come to violence till all hope of peace was past and if the Feciales did not consent