braue to see her thus adorn'd Two wings she fitted then with nimble pride To her owne shoulders hanging downe each side And to be sure Times Glasse should not run out She broke that all and strew'd the sand about 8 Then quoth she for thy Hat and reacht her wing Pluck out this feather t is an ornament For all my followers well fashioning And such as scorne old Cronos detriment Come let vs spend our time in merriment Let 's laugh let 's gather Flowers Here many a Dance She learnt me and much wanton Dalliance 9 But streight she vanisht euen as Phantasmes doe Or Demons which doe ayrie shapes acquire When Cronos in the throng himselfe did show And both his old armes and his Sithe did tire With killing and left me her tales t' admire For noting Cronos had both Sythe and Wings I thought her false and long'd to know these things 10 Within this Hall a world of people were All Cronos children yet destinguisht tho Some Friends and some as Seruants did appeare Then lookt I round wishing to see or know Some stranger like my selfe and thinking so A thing of greatest strangenes did afford It selfe to view which here I will record 11 Amongst the rest an Actor did I spie Whose force tho weake in shew did Giants proue I say I saw but nothing perfitly For in a Cloud it euer seem'd to moue A mightie Globe it seem'd to rowle and shoue Where millions sought with ladders still to attaine The top but when she stâ—…rd still downe they came 12 This made me now wish more then earst I did Some wise Oeâ—…ipus to shew me all Nor sooner had I wisht but I descried A reuerend Syre which genâ—…ly did me call Into a secret corner of this Hall And first of all himselfe to me he nam'd Logos and afterward this speech he fram'd 13 Young man quoth he I see thou lately art Armed within this place of miserie I am to let thee know it is my part and Office to direct this companie Tho most of them indeed my precepts flie Trusting Moria rather and her Mates But I of thee diuine some better Fates 14 Thou seest how here each hath his seuerall guise Each followes his owne way and choose their like Some here consume their time in flatteries And some in Pride diuers delight to strike And kill their fellowes others nothing like But ease and belly-cheare to feele to tast But Cronos sweepes them all away at last 15 A few there be whose well directed mind Retire themselues from forth the presse and throng Whose thoughts to contemplation are design'd Not to preuent old Cronos nor prolong But to prepare for what they cannot shun And to auoid Morias cunning baiâ—…es Who first abusde the entring at the Gates 16 Logos quoth I Gramercy I doe owe To thee my selfe t hast cured my doubts and feares And now my chiefe desires remaines to know Her that behind that turning Globe appeares Content quoth he lend then a while thine eares While these feast fight or sleepe my taske shall be To spend an houre vpon her Historie 17 It is Mutation Goddesse great of things That in her turne doth triumph ouer all Who tramples on the heads of mightie Kings And makes the strongest Towres demolisht fall Of whom I muse and maruaile euer shall That ancient Rome such Temples should erect To triuiall things and yet her power neglect 18 For if the course of mundane things below Be guided by the â—…uer chanâ—…ing Fate Of Heauenly Orbes from whence the causes flow Of their effects and what they procrâ—…ate Her birth is then Diuine and may relate And challenge Altaâ—…s farre more due then either Fortune Lyeus Venus altogether 19 Some few examples therefore will I take And small remonstrance from the memorie Of former times her forces knowne to make That men asleepe rockt by 〈◊〉 Which vainely dreame here of eternitie May wake and see since Human and Diuine Things feele her force they must account with Time 20 That they which dâ—…e repute their states so fixt As Lightning cannot blast misfortune shake Might hence obserue the web of chance is mixt And as they giue themselues so must they take Whereof examples thousands may we make From euery Age yet shall a few suffiâ—…e Drawne both from Mens and Times best memories 21 First to begin with Heauen the Heauenly Quires Haue not been euer from her powre exempt But fell by Pride into eternall fires From compleat Ioy from happie true content To be tormented there and to torment Where tho the rest 's by one example warn'd Yet are not men by thousand thousands arm'd 22 The Lampes of Heauen the Planets change aboue As well in sight aspect as influence The Sunne from his diurnall arch doth moue After his proper motion either hence Certaine degrees or neerer vs from whence Proceede the diuers seasons Autumne Spring Winter Summer whose change change â—…ch thing 23 And gadding Phoebe whose still changing face Doth so much spot her female chastitie Varies not onely in her way but pace And to our seeming in her quantitie Which some ascribe to excentricitie But all of them till Plato's yeare be run Stray from the place of their creation 24 The Elements on which each thing 's composde Beneath the Moone beeing and Vegetiue To daily transmigrations are disposde And mongst themselues retaine a mutuall strife Each to become other much like our life Ayre doth sometimes to Fire or Water run And Fire an earthly habit doth put on 25 Some thinke the Ayre in hollow Caues condenc't To be the Founts of Orâ—…noque or Râ—…yne But all men see the vapours which 〈◊〉 And raâ—…ified ambitiously doe clime To th'Ayres cold Region whence they streight decline To snowâ—…e Clouds conucrted then to â—…aine And seeking so their natiue place againe 26 The hot drie â—…umes with watery clouds shut in Enuiron'd round and as in prison gyude To struggle streight for liberty begin Tho long in vaâ—…ne repulst on euery side Vntill at last enflamde â—…hey flames forth glide Shunning their foes embracements while their thunder Amaze the people both with feare and wonder 27 The Winds still change the Seas still ebbe and flow The Dayes succeed the Nights Nights follow Dayes The checquered Meades giue place to Frosts and Snow And cloudy Winter when the Sunâ—…e displayes His Sun-daies suit her stoâ—…my Campe doth raise And yeelds to conquering Time as Time must doe To him that Earth shall change and Heauen to 28 Who maruels now if haâ—…lesse Adam felâ—… From Innocence and from his blest estate His earthly part being stuffe so mutable Subiected vnto change by lawes of Fate And influence of Starres contaminate Amongst things euer changing here confinde Or that to 's issue he this plague resignde 29 VVho maruels now that Princes great and wise Are subiect to her powre mongst other things Th' Assirian Monarchs whose great Emperies Reacht VVesterne 〈◊〉
his Dog forgetting the danger through desire to meet with the Beare followes so farre that when hee would haue returned all the pathes being fild vp with Snow hee could not by any meanes discerne his way home againe so that in fine he is there frozen to death Some two or three dayes after his friends find him with his Dog lying at his feete but when they come neere to touch him his Dog flies at them fights teares barkes bites them puts them all to flight thinking they came to rob his Master neither becomes he more gentle by the comming in of his masters Brothers from whom he had oft receiued meate but continues in his pertinacie so long till they were forced to shoote at him and to kill him The other is a French History of a Courtier who being offended either with the treacherie of his friend or else enuying him secretly kild him and as secretly buried him in a field not frequented By chance the man thus slaine had a Dog with him who being not farre off and seeing his Master thus put in a hole sat so long vpon his Graue till his affection ouercome with hunger forc't him to returne backe to the Court The Chamber-fellowes of the partie thus slaine giue him meate streight to the Graue againe goes he but hungrie returnes as before and so long holds hee this course till men began to suspect the matter Heereupon they follow him to the place digge vp the Graue find the Man whom knowing they burie taking the Dog home with them After a while this Murtherer returnes to the Court the Dog spies him flies vpon him barkes and bayes at him and will not bee kept off him Heereupon hee growes suspected yea the King himselfe takes notice through the Dogges perseuerance in this manner of accusation The King commands him to shew the reason why the Dogge dod this The Man denies the fact and stands vpon his innocence but still the Dogge barkes and as much as in him lies seekes to disturbe him in his excusations At last therefore the King decrees to haue the matter tried by combate Wherein the Dogge ouer-came and his Victorie is pourtrayed in Gold in one of the Kings dining-roomes and euer as it decayes is by commandement from the King repaired Scalig. Exercitations 202. Section 6. For Magnanimitie the Dog sent to Alexander by Porus the Indian King is a sufficient testimonie who when the King commanded Boares Harts or Beares to be set before him neuer mooued at them as things vnworthy of his courage But when he lets out a Lion to him him the Dog teares in pieces and then setting him vpon an Elephant him also hee brings to the ground Quintus Curtius and Plinnius liber 8. cap. 40. 25 Pliny lib. 10. cap. 74. relates this Storie of an Aspe that haunted much to a wealthie Farmers House in Aegypt and was continually feed by him vnder his Table It chanc't one time one of the Aspes young ones to sting and kill one of the Farmers children for which deede the old Aspe in iustice flies at her owne and kills it § The Egyptians who after the manner of their vaine superstition gaue diuine honours and religious worship to diuers beasts and likewise to Serpents and Monsters kept within their Temples diuers of them and had Crocodiles so tame that they would at their cal come and receiue meat at their hands Strabo Geography 26 This place hath relation to the Story of Androdus the Dacian slaue reported by Plutarch and others and of late repeated by Montaigne and sung by that famous Du Bartas which because it is so well knowne I forbeare to relate it 27 It is obserued by some that the Elephants do a kind of worship falling downe on their knees to the Moone 28 There appeares in all his actions of reuenge a proportion betweene the punishment and the offence as for example if a child chance to throw a stone at him which cannot hurt him for this he will onely heaue him vp gently with his trunke to feare him setting him downe without other harme If his Keeper mingle his prouant with straw and chaffe and deceaue him of halfe his allowance hee thinkes it enough of hee can get loose to doe as much to the Keepers Porrege-pot as it appeares in Plutarch But if one doe him a greater iniurie as to beate himselfe or his Master he repayes that with a cuffe or two or carries him to the water and ducks him wel ouer head and eares and then sets him downe where he found him 29 Where shall a man see the office of a more faithfull seruant then in Porus Elephant who when his Master 's mortally wounded in the battaile against Alexander and sainting through losse of blood the beast perceiuing him about to fall kneeles gently downe to let his Lord descend with more ease But when the Souldiers run to disarme him the beast drawes courage from his wounds sets vpon them afresh beats them off him and then striues to reseate his Master againe vpon his backe neuer giuing ouer to discharge the part of a loyall seruant till he fell downe dead with wounds in the place Q. Curtius l. 8. The like of this happened of late yeeres to the Kings of Pegue and Aua who hauing drawne millions of men to field to descide their quarrel at last both agreed to fight it out hand to hand themselues like our Edmond and Canutus but in stead of Horse they fought on Elephants The euent was this the King of Aua was slaine and the King of Pegues Elephant The Peguan mounts the beast of his enemy but hee with sorrow of his Masters losse droopes they striue to comfort him with good words but he refuses all comfort weeping incessantly all the terme of dayes which they obserue in that Countrey to mourne for the dead Linsc 30 An example no lesse strange there happened in the Citie of Goa the perfect patterne of thankefulnesse The Elephants there vse during their time of Winter to grow furious and mad and then often they breake loose from their keepers and doe much mischiâ—…fe It chanc't on a time that one of them breaking out from his keeper in this manner ran through and through the streetes ouerthrowing all things in his way from thence hee goes to the Market place from whence all the people fled to saue their liues amongst the rest one Hearb-wife who had vsed before to giue the beast Lettuce and such Hearbs as he past by with his keeper for haste forgets bâ—…hind her her little son left in a basket vnder her stall this the Elephant spies takes it vp with his trunke and remembring that it was the child of his Benefactor when all the people made aecount to haue seene it dasht in pieces hee gently sets it vp vpon the stall as a place of more safetie then vnder-foote this done goes on in his mad humour ouerthrowing all things as before Linsc pag. 137. 31 There are
the last ranke of these she show'd me more Three cruell Princes foule with Patricide A Turke a misnam'd Christian and a Moore The first most cruell 20 â—…elim full of pride Who in a cup his ag'd Sires death did hide Friends Brothers Nephews kild and th' whole world fired Like Phaeton and last by fire expired 25 The second 21 Adolphe Duke of Guelders hight Who from his seate his aged Parent drew And him imprison'd in most lothsome plight Thinking to tirehim out by meanes mis-due Whom into like extreames Heauen iustly threw And as from 's Sire hee banisht pace and rest So he a captiue liu'd and dyde distrest 26 The third of these was 2â—… Amidas the Prince Of Tunis who against his Siâ—…e did rise Tho being chiefly crusted for defence During his absence gainst his enemies Absent he takes his Crowne present his Eyes But as his Regall Sire he rob'd of sight Iust Heauen by sicknesse did himselfe benight 27 After all these she shew'd me other three Of whom the first an English habit wore Wan were his Cheekes blacke Locks a downe cast eie And Camels backe his name I sought her sore To knoâ—… but she denyde bad aske no more A thousand slaues there followed after him With bloody bowles where heads and hearts did swim 28 Next after whom a warlike Gaule there came Which in his hand a bloody brand did waue The robes he wore were scarlet dyde in graine And he himselfe like colour seemd to haue Who in so many millions blood did laue And as he wet all France with bloody showres So heauen at length his blood from each part powres 29 The third and last of all whose natiue ill And vice transcends the vice of all the rest As farre as Atlas doth the humblest Hill Or Sylons carry Towre Galwayes small beast With whom worst Kings compar'd seeme good and blest The 23 Russian Tyrant Russia's shame whose breath Did wither all things in whose name was death 30 His pleasures were not like to other mens Sweete sounds the sternest hearts sad'st soules reioyce But Musick neuer pleasde his hellish sense He neuer laught but at some dying voyce Teares sighs sobs grones to him were heauenly ioyes Who very seldome rellisht well his meate But when with blood and death he season'd it 31 If any rauisht virgin did lament Or honourd Lady forc't vnto his will Or seem'd their friends or parents discontent Toth ' stewesthey went or not content to kill He hung them ore their parents table till Their friends with their dead sauour welnigh slaine By teares and bribes got leaue to burie them 32 When people from the Temples vsde to come He vsde to loose his Beares at them in sporâ—… Delighting much to see them seale the throng With which bad pastime many perisht for 't No mercy did his anger ere consort Which 〈◊〉 Kindreds but encreast to rage Entomb'd whole Cities sparing sex nor age 33 His ministers of mirth his dearest friends His Wiues his Whores his Children were not sure The most of these he brought t'vntimely ends The instruments euen of his lusts impure The Hangmen from this Hangman 's not secure The Beares and Tygâ—…rs in their owne Whelpes ioy He worse then they his owne Sonne did destroy 34 The wondrous writing on Balthasharâ—… wall Seemes small compar'd with what to him was sent To whom from Heauen a letter downe did fall In Marble-writ whose sculpture sure was ment To him that liu'd and dyde impenitent And as he fatall was while he had breath So did his steâ—…ch in death giue others death 2. The Altar to IGNORANCE and IDOLATRY 35 These and their ceremonies scarce were past When in there came another hideous crew Which to the second Altar went in hast And on the same their seuerall Incense threw Most of them differing both in speech in hue In face and habit being seuerall Nations And some in new and some in antick fashions 36 Then here my kind Interpreter I praid T'enstruct me of this second company Who kindly granted my request and said All these brought Incense to Idolatry From euery Coast and Region farre and nigh Both old and new But since so many liue She meant of both but short accounts to giue 37 She shewd me first vpon this Altar plac't The Idols worshipt by each seuerall Nation Whereby Iehouahs worship is defac't And Stocks and Stones cut after differing fashion Men Beasts Fish Foulâ—… by vaine imagination Are deified yea Satan visibly Not plealde alone with types inuisibly 38 She nam'd 24 th' Egyptians leaders of the rest Seeking for Iâ—…is and 〈◊〉 lost And for their sacred Bull but late disseast Lamenting sore meaning to be at cost With 's Obsequies for euen those things that most Harm'd them they worshipt th' Aspe the Dragons fell Both Birds and Beasts within their Phanes did dwell 39 Th' Iehuewmon and the 25 Crocodile they fed And feeding with great humblenes ador'd And Beetles blinded Beetles they indeed That so the death of Dogs and Cats deplor'd Whose strange zeale that from 26 Onions aide implor'd Me thought now hauing found Osiris ran And sacrifiz'd thereto a 26 red hair'd man 40 The Romans here sought out their rurall Pan Ioue Saturne Hercules Mars Liber Play Mercury and two-fronted Lanus them Pallas and Iuno Veâ—…us and Flora With their blest Mother Berecinthya Chance Vesta Victory and Prâ—…ayus With thousands such to number friuolus 41 She showde me then th' old 27 Ethiâ—…pions Which Hammon sought and those oraculous trees a Diana then serued by th Ephesians And Eckrons 28 Baalzebub God of Flies 29 Sydonians busie with the mysteries Of their deare Sheepe god Astert 30 Tirians Bowing to Apollo and to 〈◊〉 Syrians 42 Then those ador'd the Sunne the fond 31 Phoenicians Here in great numbers sought their loued 32 stone So much enricht and serued by seuerall Nations Which was Piramedall form'd like a conâ—… And here the men of 33 Carras made great mone To Luna to whose Temple those ouercome By their curst wiues with offrings vsde to run 43 Next these came such whom amorous fireâ—… did moue By paires to seeke the shades and burbling streames And sacred beauties of the 34 〈◊〉 Groue Where Cypresse boughes forbid th'ennamourd beames Of glorious Phoebus in his hottest gleames To kisse their Mother-eâ—…rth or to discouer The secret ioye of any melting louer 44 Thâ—… 35 Persians here ador'd their holy Fire The Laodiceans to Minerua paide According as her cruell Rites require Yeerely oblation of a spotlesse Maide Diuers there were likewise that offerings laid To Dagoâ—… th Syren of the Phylistines But here from these she past to neerer times 45 And shew'd me first the vaine 36 Tartarians Offering vnto their felten Deiâ—…ie Mares milke and Flesh Next them the 37 Chyâ—…ians And § 〈◊〉 people of great policie Yet in Religion full of vanitie And who as'ts easiest alway to doe euill Through Ignorance giue worship to the Deuill 46 Next these came 38 Peguans as
Emperour Maximine A Thracâ—…an Shepheard by originall Who did by all the staires of Fortune climbe Vnto the throne and seate Imperiall But as she raiâ—…de him so she wrought his fall A full cram'd Glutton so 〈◊〉 fed with cheare That two strong men were plac's his paunch to beare 70 Diuers there were of later times that seem'd Amongst the rest she noted onely two The first at first great 〈◊〉 I deem'd But better viewd by â—… picture streight I know He softly pac't but sore did puffe and blow He dranke to Bachus and with all his heart Presented Venus with his secret part 71 Next him came Muleasses that 〈◊〉 ' d His dishes with so rare and costly Sweeâ—…es That one three little birds there were consum'd An hundreth Crownes Next these came diuers Knights And Princely Dames assisting at these Ritâ—…s And millions of each banke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 she Cut off through th'entrance of 〈◊〉 companie 72 Much was I moued with what I earst had 〈◊〉 My heart it vented sigheâ—… mine eyes 〈◊〉 Recording things which so long past had â—…een But now alas renewed my grâ—…efes and feares Seeing a world of Clergic men by th' eares Striuing and strugling who sâ—…ould first begin To kill the greatest Hecatombs to sinne 73 Foule worke they made and many a bloodie streame Forth from their broken head did trickle downe Sore tugged they at a triple Diademe And for the same was many a clouen crowne Their Croysiers crackt and Miters ouerthrowne Such stirre there was as any man might well Thinke onely bred in Babylon or Hell 74 In most disordred sort along they went Amongst themselues each striuing first to be With single sacrifizes not content Each of them did to euery Altar flie With equall zeale and like Humiliue Out stripping farre if all she told me true The vildest Paganâ—… either old or new 75 Then quoth my Faire Conuert then thine eyes and find In these the compleate ill of all the rest And vice accomplishe in so high a kind That Nero here would Crueltie detest Maximine thinke his Auarice were blost Mad Anthonine would Luxurie deride Messalme would hate lust Poâ—…pea pride 76 Loe first comes he that drew the putrid Corse Of 's predecessor from his Marble Vrne And in a Synode voyde of all remorse First plac't him in Saint Peters Chaire in scorne Did him with Robes pontificall adorne Degrades him then from 's hands three fingers cuts Lastly with 's corpse pure Tyburs waues polutes Platina de formoso in vita Stephani sexti Hee that desires satisfaction for these ensuing Stories may be truly enformed of their truth from these Authors Platina de vitis pontificum Onuphrius Petrarche Guiccardine eminent men in their times and all employed in great places vnder Popes 77 Then Iohn the twelfth a monster vile behold To hunting more adicted then to prayer When tend it for venerian tilts he could The Lateran he made a brothell faire Saint Peters golden Challices the ware He Healths to Pluto drunke and for his paine By him i'th'act of lust impure was slaine 78 I would not load thy membrie too sore Quoth she mongst many will I name but two Damd Sorcerers that Leagues accursed swore And did in woods and secret places bow And sacrifice th'infernali powres vnto Contracting most deare bargains to obtaine A short disquiet aye repented raigne 79 The first loe there is Siluester by name Whose bargaine was that he on earth should stay So long till to Ierusalem he came A further iourney then he meant to stray But going to the Church so call'd to pray His Feindâ—… appeares the Churches name he craues Which knowne he droopes dies Thus falfe Feinds deceiues 80 That other Benedict the ninth we call So farre indeed from what his name imports That to obtaine the cursed Romain Pall And that with women he might freely sport Sealed couenants written with his owne blood for t. And whilest he once his wicked homage made His Master kild him and his owne debts paid 81 There goes another no lesse liberall Another Benedict a blessed one Of Priestly gifts and grace spirituall A man of equall note with those best knowne Who rauisht Nuns and Virgins pittied none A daâ—…ned Atheist blind with â—…ust and pride The soule to be immortall he denide 82 That Hildebrand loe here that Hellish brand The sower of tedition murther strife Before whose Gate an Emperour did stand Barefoore three dayes attending with his wife Yet still he sought to rid him of his life Not pleasde altho his Crowne vpon his knee He offerd him with base seruilitie 83 Then show'd she him that did Pope Iohn benight Imprisond and in prison causde him pine Then he that crown'd the Emperour with his feete That dogged incaelestiall Calestine Then Alexander Pope farre lesse diuine Then Pagan Alexander Persia's god Who vnder 's feete Great Caesars neuer trod 84 Next these a Wretch that murtherd two Popes goes Calixtus then that Gregorie displac't Making him passe in manner dolerous Through Rome where earst he had been highly grac't Vpon a Cammell leane and badly pac't Trapt with raw Goats hides then to prisne confind him Where with Petre an charitie he pyn'd him 85 Loe Balthasar that Balthasar excell'd Poysoning his Predecessor to acquire Saint Peters Chaire whoth'holy Relicks sell'd To feed the fewell of his Paphian fire For rapes of Nunnes and fortie vertues higher And Atheisme was at Constance last deposde And in strong Manheyms walles he dyde enclosde 86 Next him obserue Aeâ—…eas Siluius That made old Rome a new stage of delight Learned but 〈◊〉 and luxurious Next whom comes Peter Barbo into sight Whose soule liu'd here in a Cimmerian night And tho his rich stones dimd the Moone dy'd poore Consuming all on 's Bastard and his Whore 87 There others goe whom lust and beautie hent To highest place Then Sixtus loe quoth she That Brothels built t' encrease Saint 〈◊〉 rent And with his friends dispenc't for Sodomie Three moneths the yeere Iune August Iuly And he that sometime did Auignion feast Most prodigally yet but one dish drest 88 Then Borgia behold well nigh the last Whose auarice I doe not meane to touch Slight vice for vertues oft-times here hath past But diuelish Artes and lust in him were such That to corriue with sonnes he thought not much In 's daughters bed so mixt he many a cup Of death for 's friends and last himselfe did sup 89 Then after these she let me see that Iulius That Peters Keyes in Tyburs waues did throw And Pauls keeâ—…e Sword then tooke in hand most furious When he before Mirandula did go VVherewith he made whole streames of blood to flow Then Leo last an Atheist worst of all VVho did the Gospell but a Fable call 90 These Clergie men brought vessels full of bloud And poisoned bowles they offerd crueltie Then Teeth Bones Haire old Reliques rotten VVood. And Idols more their Nile to Idolatrie To Auarice a world of soules
that hee might strike it off at one blow Seneca de Ira. 13 Nero causâ—…d his Mother Agrippina to be put to death hauing first attempted it diuers waies in vaine Tacitus 14 These were the Persecutors of the Church Nero Domitian Marcus Anthonius Verus Seâ—…erus Maximine Decius Valerian Auâ—…elian Dioclesian and Maximilian Eusebiuâ—… and the Centuries 15 In Legend Aur. it is said that holy Ignatius being perswaded to renounce Christ made answere That he could not his Name was written vpon his Heart Whereupon the Tyrant caused him to be opened and found the word IESVS written therein in Golden Letters 16 King Poppeyle hauing slaine his two Uncles most cruelly is persecuted of Mice and Rats by the hand of God and hee and his Queene forc't to flie into a Towre situated in the water but thither they followed him and at last deuoured him and her no meanes being able to hinder Gods decree These Rats seemd to come forth from the Tombes and very Graues of his dead Vnkles This mans vsuall Oath was still That if I doe such or such a thing may the Rats eate me and so at length they did The place is called Rats-Tower to this day Hist. Poloniae 17 Amurath sacrifized at onâ—… time sixe hundred Souldiers that yeelded vpon faith and honest conditions to the Ghost of his dead father Calcondillius in Hist. de Imperii Graeci lapsu in Lerius 18 Mahumet hauing won Constantinople gaue himselfe to Feasts and Banquets in which for greater pompe he put to cruell deaths the most of the Grecian Nobilitie he cut off the head of Trene his fairest and best beloued Parramour with his owne hand as the onely remedie for his intemperate loue There happened to him a strange warning for his crueltie for hauing caused fiue hundred Capâ—…iues to bee slaine and their bodies dismembred and throwne about there came an Oxe rooting and lowing and with his Hornes gathered together the piâ—…ces of a Venecians body there amongst the rest which being told to Mahumet he againe commands the same body to be disperst But the Oxe againe diligently seekes out the same pieces and layes them together wherewith Mahumet being much mooued caused the dead to bee buried and giues the Oxe an allowance during life Lerius out of Chalcondilus 19 Wladus Prince of Moldauia had a great Vale in his Country full of Gibbets Wheeles and other engins whereupon there hung thirtie or fortie thousand of his owne subiects put to death by him in three yeares With which fearefull spectacle Mahumet the great Tyrant being amazed became after more gentle spying the greatnes of his owne faults in another which he could not see before in himsslfe Knowles 20 Selym the youngest of Baiazets sonnes by the fauour of the Ianizarâ—…es aspired to the Empire disceptred his old Father Baiazet and caused him to be poysoned slew his Brothers and Neâ—… put the most of his dearest Friends and Seruants to death and lastly after his victories in the East and the conquest of Egypt intending great warres against the Christians is by the hand of God stricken with a Canker or Wild-fire in his reynes that eate him vp Paulus Iouius tome 1. l. 14 and tome 2. l. 19. 21 This Adolph wearie of expecting his Fathers death tooke the Dukâ—…dome from him led him fiue Dutch mile barefoot in a cold night and imprisoned him in a darke and deepe Dungeoâ—… eight moneths in most lamentable manner but being at length compeld to bring him forth and to giue an account thereof to the Duke of Burgoyne he onely obiects that his Father had been Duke 44 yeeres therefore now high time for him to come to his Birth-right The Duke of Burgoyne at last orders the young man being his Kinsman to stand as Duke and onely one small Citie to remaine to his Father with some sixe hundred Florences the yeere during life But Adolph flatly refused to grant him this small exhibition but would hauâ—… him exiled the Countrey protesting that rather then he would condiscend to those termes he would throw his Father into a well and himselfe after Soone after the Duke of Burgoyne takes him Prisoner where hee was despightfully handled all his life and his Fâ—…ther dying disinherited him making the Duke of Burgoyne his Heire After whose death young Adolph is taken out of prison by the Ganthoyse and is slaine at the siege of Tourney Phil. Comminees l. 4. c. 1. 22 Amidas being left Gouernour of Tunis by his father Muleasses whilest he sought aide amongst the Christian Princes against Barbarussa seizes the Kingdome for himselfe and at his fathers returne puts out his eyes to disable him for gouernment and forceth him to end his dayes in miserie as a banisht man he lost his owne eyes to with diseases and enioyed his Kingdome not long Knowles 23 Iohn Basilides late Emperour of Russia did infiniâ—…ely exceed all the Tyrants and monsters of Nature that euer were His rapines his lusts his murtherâ—… cannot bee numbred It was vsuall with him for one mans offence to extirpe whole Families and Cities and many times without any occasion When the warres ceast and that he wanted captiues to exercise himselfe vpon then did he kill and massacre his Friends his Lords his Councellors his Citizens burning hanging drâ—…wning thousands of guiltlesse and innocent people Hee would looke on and see his Guard defâ—…owre thousands of his women Captiues and then cut them in pieces Embassadours were not safe with him no more were his Friends and Companions if any man won of him in play he would fall into passion and sometimes cut off their Noses and Eares If for feare they suffered him to winne then he would streight cause them to bee beaten as dull and sluggish Dolts Now if any sought by refusing to play to auoyd these two extremes those hee would greâ—…uously handle and perchance put to death as contemners of his Maiestie Vpon some reprochfull speeches giuen by an honest Matron vnto one of his whores he tooke a purpose to murther al the women of Muscho and had done it before the instant request of his owne women Of diuers Citties that he pnnished he put all the inhabitants downe through certaine holes made through the Ice into the riuers and so drowned them The warnings he had from heauen were notable Vpon a Christmas day which was faire and cleare came a sudden lightning from heauen that burnt his stately Pallace of Sloboda with much treasure and rich stuffe in the same Soone after neere the towne of Nale there fell a strange thing three men and three women going forth to gather sticks in the adioyning wood late towards euening there came this voyce into their eares without any knowne Authour Fly Muschouians with which amazed they would haue fled towards the Towne when in the instant a mightie marble stone fell downe from the heauens sent with a great clap of thunder into the Snow and seemed to be settled there in such manner as if not throwne