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
the strength of him that beareth it and if at any time the furnace be made hotter then ordinary yet then will he make his power to appeare in our weaknesse so steeling our hearts and raising our resolutions that no danger though never so great shal be able to appale it as will appeare evidently in these examples following Constantius the father of Constantine the great to try the faith and beliefe in God of his Courtiers put it to their free choice either to sacrifice to the Idol-gods and so to stay with him or else if they refused to leave their honours and offices and so to depart but those that would leave all and depart rather then to renounce and forsake their faith in God he kept with him still and highly prized them casting off all the rest who he supposed would prove disloyall unto him seeing they had abandoned their beliefe in God Eusebius Luther being cited by an Herauld of Armes to appeare before the Councel at Wormes many of his friends perswaded him not to adventure himselfe to such a present danger to whom he answered that he was resolved and certainly determined to enter into Wormes in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ although he knew that there were so many Devill to resist him as there were tiles to cover the houses in Wormes Slâ—id Com. The Dutches Dowager of Ferrar who was a great Patronesse of the Protestants in France had one Malicorne a Knight of the Order sent by the Duke Guise to seize upon her towne and Castle who began to threaten the Lady with Cannon shot to batter her Castle but she couragiously sent him word that if he proceeded to such boldnesse to do it she would first stand in the breach her selfe to try if he durst be so bold to kill the daughter of a King for so she was whereupon like a snaile he pulled in his hornes and departed French Hist. St. Ierome relates an History of a young man under one of the first persecutions of most invincible courage and constancy against whom the adversaries had very little hope of prevailing by tortures and torments and therefore they took another course with him They brought him into a most fragrant Garden flowing with all pleasure and delight there they laid him upon a bed of downe softly enwrapped in a net of silke amongst the Lillies and the Roses the delicious murmur of the streames and the sweet whistling of the leaves and then all departed presently in comes a beautifull strumpet and useth all the abominable tricks of her impure Art and whorish villanies to draw him to her desire whereupon the young man fearing that he should now beconquered by folly who was conqueror over fury bites off a peece of his tongue with his own teeth and spits it into the face of the whore and so prevented the hurt of sin by the smart of his wound Domosthenes the famous Oratour of Athens soliciting Lais a beautiful strumpet for a nights lodging with her she demanded of him a thousand Drachmas for it but he being affrighted at the name of so great a sum thus replyed I purpose not to buy repentance so deare Non poenitentiam tanti emam Plut. Saint Jerome himselfe shewed his owne resolution by this speech If my father stood weeping on his knees before me and my mother hanging on my neck behinde and all my brethren sisters children and kinsfolk houling on every side to retaine me in a sinfull life I would fling my mother to the ground despise all my kindred run over my father and tread him under my feet that I might run to Christ when he calleth me See his life in my first part Saint Chrysostome also shewes the like heroicall spirit in these words When saith he I was driven from the City none of these things troubled me but I said within my selfe if the Queen will let her Banish me the earth is the Lords and the fulnesse thereof if she will let her saw me asunder Isaiah suffered the same if she will let her cast me into the Sea I will remember Jonah if she will let her cast me into a burning fiery Furnace or amongst wilde beasts the three children and Daniel were so dealt with if she will let her stone me or cut off mine head I have then Saint Stephen and the Baptist my blessed companions if she will let her take away all my substance Naked came I out of my mothers wombe and naked shall I returne thither agiaine Kilian a Dutch Schoolmaster being in prison for the cause of Christ was asked if he loved not his wife and children yea said he my wife and my children are so deare unto me that if the world were all gold and were mine to dispose of I would give it to live with them yea though it were in prison yet my soule and Christ are dearer to me then all Act. and Mon. George Carpenter a Martyr said My wife and my children are so deare unto me that they cannot be bought from me forall the riches and possessions of the greatest Duke yet for the love of my Lord God I will willingly forsake them all Act. and Mon. Benevolus being offered preferment by Justina the Emperesse an Arian if he would be an instrument of some vile service What saith he do you promise me an higher place for a reward of iniquity nay take this away that I have already with all my heart so that I may keep a good conscience and thereupon threw at her feet his girdle the ensigne of his honour Act. and Mon. Polycarpus being accused for that he was a Christian and brought before the Proconsul was perswaded to sweare by the fortune of Caesar and to defie Christ to whom he answered Fourscore and six yeares have I been his servant yet in all this time hath he not so much as once hurt me how then may I speak evill of my King and Lord who hath thus preserved me King Edward the sixth being sollicited by some of his best friends to permit the Lady Mary his sister to have the Masse in her house answered That he would rather spend his life and all that he had then to grant that that he knew certainly to be against Gods truth And in his message to the Devonshire Rebels who stood for Popery Assure your selves said he most surely that we of no earthly thing under heaven make such account as of this one to have our Lawes obeyed and this cause of God which we have taken in hand to be throughly maintained from the which we wil never remove one haires breadth or give place to any creature living much lesse to any subject wherein we will spend our owne Royall person our Crowne Treasure Realme and all our Estate whereof we assure you upon our high honour Act. and Mon. Bernard used to say Lord Iesus I love thee plus quà m mea meos me more then all my goods all my friends all my relations yea more
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
the strong City of the Falerians in Italy but it was so well fortified and furnished that the inhabitants made little account of the siege At this time the whole City had but one common Scholmaster who used to lead out his Schoolars into the fields to play and watching his opportunity he at last led them to the Romane Guards delivering them all up into their hands and himself going to Camillus said Sir I am Schoolmaster to all these children yet do I preferre the favour of the Romanes before my honour and office and therefore have I delivered up these children to you by whom you may make the Falerians yield upon your own tearms Camillus answered that indeed in the Warres there were many wrongs done yet a Noble General should rather seek victory by Valour then by wicked or treacherous means and therefore abhorring this vallainy he presently commanded his Sergeants to teare off this Schoolmasters clothes and to binde his hands behinde him and to give the boyes whips and rods to whip back the Traitor into the City that had so basely betrayed them In the meane time the Falerians hearing how their children were betrayed ran up to their City-Walls like distracted persons but there they spied the boyes whipping the Schoolmaster starke naked towards the City which so wrought upon them that they presently sent forth and made peace with the Romanes Plut. Aristomenes King of the Messenians being driven out of his own country by the Lacedemonians was forced to flie to the Arcadians for succour and being a gallant man had purposed with a select band to have invaded Sparta whilest their Army was plundering his Country but the King of Arcadia being privy to his designe discovered it to the Lacedemonians and so prevented it for which treachery his own subjects stoned him and cast him unburied out of their confines setting up a Pillar by him with this inscription Difficile est hominem perjurum fallere Divos Diod. Sic. Ochus King of Persia raising a great Army went against the City of Sidon in Phenicia where one Tennes was King who hearing of Ochus his purpose hired Mentor of Rhodes with some other Grecian Auxiliaries for his aide but when Ochus drew neere with his huge Army he sought to provide for his safety rather then his honour sending one privately to Ochus proffering to betray the City to him Ochus being glad to heare this promised whatsoever he required whereupon Tennes accordingly betrayed the City into his hands But before Ochus came the Sidonians to make their men to fight more desperately had burnt all their ships in the haven that so all hopes of escaping might be taken away so that the City being thus betrayed the Citizens seeing their desperate condition shut up themselves with their wives and children in their houses and so firing them burnt themselves and all that they had by which meanes there perished above fourty thousand persons But Ochus now standing in no further need of Tennes caused him to be murthered A just reward for his treachery Pez Mel. Hist. Philip King of Macedon going to besiege a City one of his Captaines told him that it was so strongly fortified both by nature and art that it was altogether inexpugnable to whom he said But is it impossible for gold 〈◊〉 gâ—t over the walls for I have often seen that other 〈◊〉 which by no other meanes I could conquer yet by my gold I have corrupted some to betray them to me Justin. The same Philip having married the sister of Arysbas King of the Molossians and thereby being chosen Tutour to the young King most perâ—idiously seized upon his Kingdome and 〈…〉 Arysbas who died in 〈…〉 He also treacherously getting the King oâ—… power flew him and annexed his Kingdome 〈…〉 And divers free Cities having chosen Philip for 〈◊〉 Captaine he perfidiously seized upon 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 them 〈◊〉 vassales Also the two Kings of 〈◊〉 â—alling 〈◊〉 between themselves those King Philipâ—o â—o be the Umpire betwixt them whereupon privacely he raised an Army and went into Thrace pretending to come as a Iudge but finding them unprovided to resist him he dispoiled them both of their kingdomes Justin. Before the first great battel that Darius King of Persia fought with Alexander M. he sent the greatest part of his money and rich furniture to Damascus to be kept in safety there but Alexander sending Parmenio against it the Governour betrayed the City and all those infinite riches into his hands which treason he escaped not long with for one of his own consorts slew him and cutting off his head carried it to Darius Q. Cur. Bessus having basely betrayed and murthered Darius Alexander pursued him into Bactria and when he drew neere him Spitamenes one of Bessus's chiefe friends laid hands on him bound him stript him naked and so putting a chaine about his neck led him to Alexander to whom Alexander said What brutish madnesse seized upon thee that thou durst lay hands on thy King and murther him when he had deserved so well of thee Bessus would have made an apology but Alexander delivered him to Darius his brother to do with him as he pleased who leading him to the place where he had murthered Darius cut him in peeces there Q. Cur. Darius having for a long time besieged Babylon in vaine one of his Captaines named Zopyrus cut off his own eares and nose and with his fresh bleeding wounds fled to the Babylonians pretending that he came to them for succour and accused Darius for his cruelty saying that he had so mangled him for counselling him to give over the siege whereupon the Babylonians knowing his prowesse trusted him with the greatest part of their forces which when Zopyrus had obtained after some small colourable overthrowes given to the Persians in â—allies spying his opportunity he betrayed the City and delivered it up into Darius his hand who had laine in siege before it twenty moneths A wicked Varlot betrayed the Isle of Rhodes to the Great Turke upon condition to have his daughter to wife with a great Dowry but when the Turke had gotten the Isle he told him that he must not have a Christian to his son in Law but he must first be a Musselman both within and without and therefore he caused his Baptized skin as he called it to be flayed off and appointed him to be put into a bed strewed with salt that he might get a new skin promising that then he should be his sonne in Law But the wicked wretch ended his life with shame and torment Princes love treason but hate the traytor Turk Hist. Banister servant to the Duke of Buckingham in the reigne of Richard the third upon the promise of a thousand pound basely betrayed his Lord and Master from whom he had formerly received great favours but after his base treachery he never had the reward promised and besides had these judgements befell him His eldest sonne fell madde and so died in a Swine-stiâ— His