second sonne became deformed in his Limbs and fell lame His third son was drowned in a small puddle of water His eldest daughter was suddenly struck with a foule Leprosie and himself in his old age was arraigned found guilty of murther and escaped hanging very narrowly Speed Chron. p. 927. John Curcy Earle of Ulster in Ireland was betrayed by his own servants for a peece of money given them in hand and for a greater reward to be given afterwards promised unto them by his mortal enemy Hugh Lacy accordingly the said Earl Hugh Lacy rewarded all the aforesaid Traitors with gold and silver as he had promised but presently after hanged them all up and took away their goods Camb. Brit. Irel. p. 153. Nicholas Keretschen Governour of Gyula in Transilvania betraied the same unto the Turks for a great sum of money but when he expected the reward he was by the command of Selymus the Great Turke thrust into an hogshead stuck full of nailes with the points inward with this inscription upon it Here receive the reward of thy treason if thou beest not faithful to thy Master neither wilt thou be to me and so he was rolled up and down till he died Turk Hist. p. 824. A Noble Senator in Rome being proscribed by the Triumviri they promised a great reward to them that would discover him to them whereupon the Senators own servant betrayed him The Triumviri according to their promises first rewarded him for his service to the State because he delivered up into their hands one that was judged guilty of treason then to reward him for his treachery to his Master whom he should have preserved they threw him down headlong from the Capitol whereby he brake his neck Don Frederick sonne to the Duke of Alva going with his Army to Naerden in Holland was admitted into the town and himselfe and souldiers feasted by the Bourgers after which he commanded them with the rest of the inhabitants to go into a certaine Chappel where they should be made acquainted with such Lawes as they were to be regulated by but when they were thus assembled he sent his souldiers commanding them to murther them without sparing any one The men were Massacred the women first ravished and then murthered the children and infants had their throats cut See my Gen. Martyr p. 265. Many of the chiefest of the Brittish Nobility were trained in Almsebury to treat with the chiefest of the Saxons about a peace but being betrayed by them they were basely murthered whence those great stones were erected called Stoneheng See my English Martyrology p. 8. The treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously yea the treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherously Isa. 24. 16. CHAP. XXXIX Examples of Fidelity COmmended Mat. 24. 45. 25. 21. Prov. 25. 13. Psal. 15. 4. 31. 23. 101. 6. Prov. 13. 17. 14. 5. 28. 20. Luk. 12. 42. Commanded 1 Cor. 4. 2. 1 Tim. 3. 11. Jerem. 23. 28. Highly prized Psal. 12. 1. Prov. 11. 13. 20. 6. 27. 6. Luke 16. 10 c. 19. 17. Scriptural examples Abrahams servant Gen. 24. David to Jonathan 1 Sam. 20. 15. with 2 Sam. 9. 1. Jacob to Laban Gen. 31. 38 c. Jonathan to David 1 Sam. 18. 3 c. Jehoiadah to Joash 2 King 11. 4 c. Mordecai Ester 2. 22. A woman 2 Sam 17. 19 c. Rahab with the spies Ios. 2. 4 c. The workmen about the Temple 2 Kings 12. 15. Moses Num. 12. 7. Nehemiah chap. 7. 2. Daniel chap. 6. 4. Onesimus Col. 4. 9. Timothy 1 Cor. 4. 17. Tichicus Eph. 6. 21. Col. 4. 7. Epaphras Col. 1. 7. Sylvanus 1 Pet. 5. 12. Josiah's workmen 2 King 22. 7. Gains 3 Iohn 5. Joseph Gen. 39. 8. Other examples The Romanes so highly esteemed of Faith in all their publick affaires that in their City they had a Temple dedicated to it and for more reverence-sake offered sacrifice to the image of Faith Attilius Regulus General of the Romane Army against the Carthaginians being overcome was taken prisoner after which being sent to Rome upon his Parole with conditions of peace which he judged dishonourable he first disswaded his Citizens from accepting of them and then to keep his oath returned to the Carthaginians though he was sure to die a painful death Tul. de offic Pontius Centurio a Captaine of Caesars being taken by Pompey's father in Law had his life offered him with an honourable place in Pompey's Army if he would leave Caesar and serve Pompey But he stoutly answered Scipio that though he thanked him greatly for his kinde offer yet that he would not accept of life upon such unequal conditions choosing rather to die then to falsifie his faith to Caesar. Themistocles being banished Athens by his ungrateful Citizens was forced to flie to his mortal enemy Artaxerxes for refuge with whom he found great favour and having continued a while with him Artaxerxes went to warre against the Athenians and would needs have Themistocles to go along with him Themistocles was content upon condition that the King would sweare to him that without him he would not go into Greece this Artaxerxes assents to whereupon Themistocles making a great feast and inviting his friends to it the feast being ended he drank a draught of bulls blood and so poisoned himself by this means shewing his faithfulnesse to his City which had been so ungrateful to him for he prevented the Kings going against it by reason of his oath and rather chose death then that himself would act any thing against it Diodorus King Porsenna making peace with the Romanes amongst other conditions this was one that the Romans should deliver to him ten young Noble mens sons and ten of their daughters for hostages which was accordingly done and Publicola's daughter called Valeria was one of them within few days after these ten Virgins went to the river Tyber to wash themselves where being freed from their guard they had a great desire to escape over the river though it was very deepe and ranne with a swift streame and so to get home and Caelia venturing first upon her horses back encouraged the others and so they gat all safe over and went and presented themselves to Publicola but he was so farre from countenancing them in their escape that he immediately sent them back to Porsenna when they came back Porsenna asked which of them it was that had first adventured to swim the river and being shewed Caelia he sent for one of his best horses and richest furniture and bestowed it upon her Plut. Darius Junior accounted nothing more sacred then faithfully to keep and performe all his Leagues Covenants and Promises Xenophon Ptolemy King of Egypt besieging Tyrus sent to Andronicus the Governour to surrender it to him Andronicus returned answer that he would by no meanes be brought to violate his faith given to Antigonus for whom he kept the City withal adding divers reproachful speeches against
so much gold and silver that he should never repent his kindenesse to Darius c. Herod Aristides dying very poor the Athenians to testifie their gratitude to him that had deserved so well of them gave dowries to his daughters and disposed of them in marriage they also allowed an annuel stipend to his sonne Justin. Darius Junior accounted nothing more pleasing to him then to reward those that had deserved well of him and to overcome his enemies by reason and he used often to say That he desired to live only so long till he had rewarded his friends and overcome his enemies with kindnesse Xenoph. Agesilaus King of Sparta was alwayes very gratefull for any courtesies that he received and used to say That it was not only an unjust thing not to be gratefull but if he did not return greater kindenesse then he received Plut. The Bernates in Switzerland caused the day and year wherein the Reformation of Religion began amongst them to be engraven in golden letters upon a pillar of stone for a perpetual remembrance of Gods mercy to them in all future ages The only daughter of Peter Martyr through the riot and prodigality of her debauched husband being brought to extream poverty the Senate at Zurick out of a grateful remembrance of her fathers worth supported her with a bountiful maintenance so long as she lived Thuanus Tully calls gratitude Maximam imo matrem omnium virtutum reliquarum the greatest yea the mother of all other vertues One the Town-house of Geneva upon a Marble-table is written in letters of gold thus Post tenebras Lux. Quum Anno 1535. profligata Romana Antichristi Tyrannide abrogatisque ejus superstitionibus Sacrosancta Christi Religio Hic in suam puritatem Ecclesia in meliorem ordinem singulari Dei beneficio reposita simul pulsis fugatisque hostibus urbs ipsa in suam libertatem non sine insigni Miraculo restituta fuerit Senatus populusque Genevensis Monumentum hoc perpetuae memoriae causa fieri atque hoc loco erigi curavit Quo suam erga Deum Gratitudinem ad Posteros testatam fecerit Before Master Calvin opened their eyes by his Ministery their Motto was Post tenebras spero Lucem Since they altered it to Post tenebras Lux. Chilon the wise Philosopher used to say That men ought to forget the good turnes they do to others but alwayes to remember such as they receive from others Laertius Clodovaeus King of France gave so much land to Remigius Bishop of Remes who converted him to the Christian Faith as he could compasse in a day whilest the King slept Hincmarus Q. Fulvius to shew his gratefull minde to his Master Ennius bestowed a whole City upon him Volat. Antoninus the Emperour did so dearly love his Master Fronto that to shew his gratitude he obtained of the Senate leave to erect his statue Idem Gratian the Emperour to shew his gratitude to his Master Ausonius made him Consull and bestowed many other liberal gifts upon him Pyrrhus King of Epirus when he fought against C. Fabricius the Roman General his Physician sent to Fabricius telling him that if he pleased he would poison his Master but Fabricius abhorring such villainy sent Pyrrhus word of it whereupon he apprehended and crucified his Physician and withall to testifie his gratitude to Fabricius he dismissed all the Romane prisoners without any ransom withal acknowledging that he could not make sufficient compensation for such a favour Plut. The Athenians remembring how much Aristides had done for their safety in the time of the Persian warre to testifie their gratitude gave dowries to his daughters out of the publick Treasury and to his son Lysimachus they gave one hundred pounds of silver and so many acres of land allowing him besides fourty Drachmes a day for his expences Fulgos. P. Scipio rewarded Masinissa for his faithfull assistance against the Carthaginians not only by restoring to him his fathers Kingdome but gave him also a good part of the Kingdom of Siphax Pontanus Ephestion one of Alexanders great Captaines to testisie his grateful minde to his dead Master built him a Monument which cost him twelve thousand Talents and commanded him to be worshipped as a god Justin. In every thing give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you 1 Thes. 5. 18. CHAP. LIV. Examples of Ingratitude Unthankfulnesse Unkindenesse IT 's a great sinne 2 Tim. 3. 2. Prov. 17. 13. Plagued by God Prov. 17. 13. Scriptural examples Pharaohs butler Gen. 40. 23. Laban to Jacob Gen 31. 1. Pharaoh to Joseph Exod. 1. 8. Act. 7. 18. Israelites to Moses Exod. 17. 3. Corah and his companions Num. 16. 3. Nabal to David 1 Sam. 25. 14 15. Hanun 2 Sam. 10. 4. Joash to Jehoiadah 2 Chron. 24. 21. Men of Keilah 1 Sam. 23. 11. Saul to David 1 Sam. 19. 4 5. 20. 30. 24. 9 10. 26. 2 8. David to Uriah 2 Sam. 11. 15. The nine Lepers Luk. 17. 18. The Jews Act. 3. 14. Hezekiah 2 Chron. 32. 25. Other examples Miltiades a brave Captain of the Athenians who had prosperously carried on their Wars for a great while together at length miscarrying in one enterprize he was accused to the people and himselfe lying sick of a dangerous wound in his thigh some friends pleaded for him minding the Athenians of the great services which he had done them yet like ungrateful wretches they fined him fifty Talents which Cymon his son payed for him to get him out of prison shortly after which he died Herodot Pythius a mighty rich man royally entertained and feasted Xerxes and all his huge Army consisting of above a million of men and proffered him an huge summe of gold besides towards the charges of the War after which Xerxes having pressed his five sons for the War Pythius went to him intreating him to release his eldest sonne to be a comfort and support to his old age But Xerxes being angry at his request most ungratefully caused his son to be cut in two peeces and laid in the way for his Army to march over Herod Themistocles that had deserved so well of the Athenians by all those great victories that they had obtained under his conduct was at last through the envie of his Citizens in a most ungrateful manner banished the City and forced to flie to his mortal enemy Artaxerxes King of Persia with whom yet he found more favour then with his own Citizens Diodor. Plut. Themistocles used to say that the Athenians dealt with him when they were in danger as men deale with a great oake when a tempest comes they runne under it for shelter but when the tempest is over they most ungratefully crop and lop off the houghs of it Justin. Aristides the Just that had done as much for the Athenians as any man both in peace and war yet upon envy was banished by his ungrateful Citizens Plut. See more of it in Envy Miltiades after his great victories
Lord delivered him miraculously for when they had invironed the Church wherein he was he passed safely through the middest of them and though many Arians that knew him were present to discover him yet was he not discerned Theod. See his life in my first part The City of Nisibis being straitly besieged by Sapores King of Persia there was in the City an holy man of God Jacobus by name unto whom the Citizens resorted beseeching him that he would shew himselfe upon the walls and pray to God for help against their enemies which so soone as he had done the Lord sent a cloud of gnats and flies among the Persians whereby the siege was raised and the City saved Simps Eccles. Hist. Sanctius a godly Christian under one of the first persecutions though he was vexed with all sorts of Torments yet could he not be compelled to confesse his name countrey or kindred but to every question still answered I am a Christian whereupon the tormenters applied Plates of Brasse red-hot to all the tenderest parts of his body which was extreame sore with former scourgings whereby his body was so pitifully drawne together that he retained not the shape of a man after which they cast him into prison and after a few dayes his body being all over so sore that he could scarce endure the least touch they bring him forth to new torments presuming thereby either to force him to blaspheme or to die under them on the contrary his body was so suppled and refreshed by his torments that he recovered his former shape and use of his members their intended punishment by the grace of Christ proving a safe medicine unto him Act. Mon. In Tyre a City of Phenicia certain Christians being cast to most savage beasts were not at all hurt by them though the beasts were kept hungry on purpose and raged so vehemently that they which brought them to the Stage though they stood as they presumed out of their reach yet were caught and devoured by them Act. Mon. Quirinus Bishop of Scescanus having an hand-mill tied about his neck was throwne headlong from a bridge into the River where a long time he miraculously floated above the water and called to the lookers on that they should not be dismayed at his sufferings and so at last with much ado he was drowned Act. Mon. The childe of a Christian being but seven years old was asked by a heathen Tyrant how many gods there were whereunto he answered that whatsoever men affirme to be God must needs be one which with one is one and the same and inasmuch as this one is Christ of necessity Christ must be the true God The Tyrant being amazed at this answer asked him where and of whom he had learned this lesson Of my mother quoth the childe with whose milke I sucked in this Doctrine Whereupon the mother was called and she gladly appeared The Tyrant commanded the childe to be horsed up and scourged the joyful mother standing by with dry cheeks whilest all the beholders wept yea she rebuked her Babe for craving a cup of water to quench his thirst charging him to thirst after the cup which the Infants of Bethlehem once dranke of and to remember little Isaac who willingly offered his throat to the sacrificing knife Whilest she thus counselled him the bloody Tyrant puld off the skinne from the crowne of his head the mother cried Suffer my childe for anon thou shalt passe to him who will adorn thy naked head with a crown of glory Whereby the childe was so encouraged that he received the stripes with a smiling countenance After which the Tyrant cast him into prison and shortly after commanded him to be beheaded at which time the mother taking up her childe into her armes kissed him and being required she delivered him to the Executioner saying Farewell my sweet childe and whil'st his head was cutting off she sang All land and praise with heart and voice O Lord we give to thee To whom the death of all thy Saints We know full dear to be The head being off the mother wrapped it in her garments laid it to her breast and so departed Act. Mon. Babilas a godly Christian for the cause of Christ was tormented with most exquisite tortures and so cruelly excruciated from morning till noone that he hardly escaped with life After which some of his friends asking him how he could abide such sharp torments he said that at the beginning he felt some paine but afterwards there stood by him a young man who as he was sweating with paine wiped it off and oft-times refreshed him with cold water wherewith he was so delighted that when he was let down from the Engine it grieved him more then his torments Act. Mon. Pope Martin the fifth raised three great armies intending therewith to destroy all the Bohemians which clave to the doctrine of John Husse and Jerome of Prague but when they came to the encounter five several times each time the said Armies ran away out of the field leaving their Tents and surniture behinde them being strucken and daunted with a causelesse fear before any blow was given or received whereby the godly Bohemians were much encouraged enriched Afterwards under their Captain Zisca they fought eleven battels against the Popes side ever went away victors Act. Mon. See Zisca's Life in my second Part. Ladislaus King of Hungary getting by fraud the two sonnes of Huniades into his hands most cruelly and unjustly caused the eldest of them to be beheaded who after he had received three blowes from the Hangman his hands being tied behinde him rose up upon his feet and looking 〈◊〉 heaven called upon the Lord protesting his innoâ—â—â—cy and so laying down his head again at the fourth blow was dispatched Act. Mon. Examples of Miraculous provision in times of Famine Neere unto Aldborough in Suffolk at what time viz. in the yeere 1555. by reason of unseasonable weather the corne throughout all England was choaked and blasted in the eare there grew up Pease miraculously amongst the rocks without any earth at all about them about the end of September which much brought down the price of corne Camb. Brit. p. 466. In the yeere 1331. when there was a great famine in Ireland the mercy of God so disposed that upon the twenty seventh of June there came to land a mighty multitude of sea-fishes called Thurlheds such as in many ages before had not been seen there They came into the Haven of Dublin Anthony Lord Lucy being Justice of Ireland and by the Citizens of Dublin were many of them killed Camb. Brit. Irel. p. 184. Leyden in the Low Countries being straitly besieged by the Spaniard Anno 1574. and blocked up with thirty six forts the famine grew so great that there died above seven thousand in the City whereupon the Prince of Orange by breaking of ditches and drawing up of sluces did what he could to drown the
by Chilperic King of France whom she caused to banish his Queen Andovera and his other wife called Galsuinda she caused to be murthered that she might enjoy the King alone yet neither was she faithful to him but prostituted her body to Landric Master of the Kings horse On a time the King being to go a hunting went to bid his wife farewell who was combing her haire The King went softly behinde her and with his wand in sport struck her behinde She thinking it had been her Landric said What doest thou do my Landric It 's the part of a good Knight to charge a Lady before and not behinde The King by this means finding her falshood went his wayes on hunting and she finding her self discovered sent for Landric told him what was happened and therefore perswaded him to kill the King for his and her safety which he undertook and effected that night as the King came late from hunting French Hist. Semiramis sought out men to satisfie her brutish lust whom shortly after she used to slay And at last she grew to that abominable impudence that she drew her own sonne to lie with her and to cover her filthinesse enacted a law That propinquity of blood should not hinder marriage Orosius Cambyses King of Persia falling in love with his own sister sent for his Judges and asked them if there were any law that suffered a man to marry with his own sister to whom they answered That they found no such Law but they found another Law that the Kings of Persia might do whatsoever they pleased Whereupon he married her and afterwards he married another of his sisters also Herod Xerxes falling in love with Artaynta his daughter in law often commited incest with her which his wife Amestris taking notice of and supposing that Artaynta's mother was the baude betwixt them she sent for her and put her to grievous torments cutting off her breasts casting them to the dogs she cut off also her nose eares lips and tongue and so dismissed her but shortly after Xerxes going with his innumerable army against the Grecians was plagued by God for his incest and his wives cruelty with the utter overthrow of his forces and himself hardly escaped with life Herod Solon made a law amongst the Athenians that it might be lawful for any man to kill an adulterer taking him in the fact Nerva the Romane Emperour made a law that no man should marry his neece or brothers daughter Suet. Agrippina was of so impudent and lustful a disposition that having formerly traded her self in manifold incests with Caligula her brother and Claudius her Uncle she at last offered her body to the lustful imbraces of her son Nero who scarcely twenty yeares before was bred therein Nero's Life The Egyptians used to punish adultery in a man by giving him a thousand jerks with a reed and in a woman by cutting off her nose And he that violated a free woman had his privy members cut off By the law of Julia amongst the Romanes adulterers were without difference to be put to death Before Moses time it was a custome to burne adulterers in the fire as appears in the case of Thamar Gen. 38. 24. What mischiefs the Levites wife that played the adulteresse brought upon all Israel may be read Judges 19 20 and 21. chapters What misery David brought upon himself and family by committing adultery with Bathsheba may be seen in 2 Sam. 12. 13. and 13. chapters Paris by his adultery with Helena stirred up warres between the Grecians and Trojans which lasted ten yeares and ended in the ruines of that famous City and Kingdome of Troy in the death of Paris and Helen of King Priamus and all his posterity Sextus Tarquinius sonne to Superbus the last King of the Romanes by ravishing Lucretia the wife of Collatinus was the author of manifold mischiefs For Lucretia slew her self in the presence of her husband and kinsfolk the Romanes expelled their King and his family and would never be reconciled to them again The adulterer was slaine by the Sabines and his father also fighting to recover his Kingdom was slaine by the Romanes Valentinian the third Emperour of Rome by dishonouring the wife of Petronius Maximus a Senator of Rome lost his life and was thereby the author of the final destruction of the Romane Empire For Petronius being informed of the wrong which the Emperour had done him by defiling his wife was purposed to revenge it with his own hands but knowing that he could not do it whilest Actius the General of his Army lived a man famous for his valiant exploits against the Burgundians and Gothes he accused him falsely to the Emperour of treason and thereby procured his death then did he stirre up some of Actius friends to revenge his death upon the Emperour which they also performed upon him as he was sitting in judgement then did Maximus not only seize upon the Empire but upon Eudoxia the Emperesse forcing her to be his wife which indignity she not enduring sent privately into Africa to Genserick King of the Vandals to come and deliver her and the City of Rome from the Tyranny of Maximus which occasion he laying hold of came into Italy with a huge Army whereupon the Citizens of Rome were so affrighted that they fled into the Mountains and Maximus flying with them was murthered by the way and hewen in pieces by some of the Senators And Genserick entring Rome found it empty of inhabitants but not of infinite riches all which he exposed as a prey to his Army and carried away into Africk together with a great number of the people and amongst them was Eudoxia the Emperesse and her two daughters Eudocia and Placidia After which the Romane Empire could never recover it self but grew weaker and weaker till it came to utter ruine Childerick King of France was so odious for his adulteries that his Nobility conspired against him and drave him out of his Kingdom Two of the daughters of Philip the fair King of France being found guilty of Adultery were condemned to perpetual imprisonment and they which had committed adultery with them were first slaine and then hanged A certain Seneschal of Normandy suspected the vicious behaviour of his wife with his Steward watched them so narrowly that at last he found them in bed together whereupon he slew them both first the adulterer and then his wife though she was sister to Lewis the eleventh the then King Fulgos. l. 6. c. 1. A Nobleman in Burgundy having in Warre taken a Gentleman Captive his wife being a beautiful Lady came to redeeme her husband The Nobleman promised to free him if she would let him lie with her which by the perswasion of her husband she consented to But the adulterous Nobleman the next day cut off his prisoners head and so delivered his body to his wife which horrible fact being complained of by her to the Duke of Burgundy he caused this Nobleman
warer despoiled the Temple of the riches which had been bestowed upon it All men hated and cried out of this sacriledge but none went about to revenge it save Philip King of Macedon who at this time was weak and scarce taken notice of in the world when they came to the battel the Phocians were easily overthrown and Philip carried away a glorious victory whereby he laid the foundations of that greatnesse which himselfe and his sonne Alexander afterwards attained Lipsius This is somewhat larger before William the Conquerer took away land both from God and men to dedicate the same to wild beasts and dogs game for in the space of thirty miles in compasse he threw down thirty six mother-Churches and drave all the people thereto belonging quire away which place is now called the New Forrest in Hantshire But Gods just judgement not long after followed this Sacrilegious act of the King for Richard his second sonne as he was hunting in this Forrest was blasted with a pestilent aire whereof he died William Rufus another of his sonnes as he was hunting in it was by chance shot through and slaine with an arrow by Walter Tirrel Likewise Henry his grand-childe by Robert his eldest sonne whil'st he hotly pursued his game in this Chase was hanged amongst the boughs and so died Camb. Brit. p. 259. See in my General Martirolygie p. 7 8. Gods judgement on Antiochus Epiphanes for his Sacriledge amongst his other sinnes Myconius a godly divine being sent over into England by the Germane Princes in King Henry the eights dayes when he saw him seize upon and sell the Abbey-lands abhorring such Sacriledge he returned home and would have no hand in making peace with so wicked a Prince Calvin when he saw the Senate of Geneva imploying part of the revenues belonging formerly to the Monasteries to civil uses told them in his Sermon that he could not endure such Sacriledge which he knew God in the end would punish most severely What then will become of our late purchasers of the Church-revenues which were given to a sacred not to a superstitious use as the former and what will become of those that yet think the Church not bare enough till they have stripped her of all her revenues Lodwick Count of Oeting sending for Andreas an eminent Divine to assist him in reforming his Churches when Andreas went to take leave of his own Prince Christopher of Wittenberg he charged him and gave it him in writing that if Count Lodwick set upon the Reformation that under pretence of Religion he might rob the Church by seizing upon the revenues of the Monasteries turn them to his own use that he should presently leave him as a Sacrilegious person and come back again Thou that abhorrest Idols committest thou Sacriledge Rom. 2. 22. Will a man rob God yet ye have robbed me But ye say Wherein have we robbed thee In tithes and in offerings Ye are accursed with a curse c. Mal. 3. 8 9. CHAP. XVI Examples of Pride and Arrogance Ambition and vain-glory Many men when they grow great in the world are so puft up with pride that they scarce know themselves which is as if the silly Ant the higher that she gets upon her hill the bigger she should conceit her selfe to be It is the devils last stratagem if he cannot beat us down to sinne he will labour to blow us up with pride and yet there is nothing that the Lord doth more hate for he beholds the proud afar off as if he were not fit to be touched with a paire of tongs Besides men by pride do but hasten their own ruine Tolluntur in altum Ut lapsu graviore ruant Solomon assuring us that Pride goeth before destruction and an high minde before a fall as these Examples following will further manifest Forbidden by God Gal. 5. 26. Phil. 2. 3. Dan. 4. 37. Mark 7. 22. 1 Tim. 3. 6. 1 Joh. 2. 16. The evils of it Job 35. 12. Psal. 10. 2 4. and 59. 12. and 73. 6. Prov. 8. 13. and 11. 2. and 13. 10. and 14. 3. and 16. 18. and 29. 23. Threatened by God Levit. 26. 19. Isa. 9. 9. and 16. 6 c. and 23. 9 10. and 25. 11. and 28. 1 3. Jer. 13. 9. and 48. 29. Ezek. 30. 6. Zeph. 2. 10. and 3. 11. Zach. 9. 6. and 10. 11. and 11. 3. Mourned for 2 Chron. 32. 26. Ier. 13. 17. Prayed against Psal. 31. 20. and 36. 11. Complained of Jer. 49. 16. Ezek. 7. 10. Ezek. 16. 19 49 56. Dan. 5. 20. Hos. 5. 5. Obad. 3. Scriptural examples Eve Gen. 3. 6. Hezekiah Esa. 39. 2. Baruch Ier. 45. 5. Christs Deciples Mark 9. 34. the lapsed Angels Iud. 6. Babylon Ier. 50. 29 32. Senacharib Esa. 10. 8 c. Abimeleck Absalom Adoniah Athaliah for their ambition were slaine Belshazzer Dan. 5. 1. c. Babilon Esa. 47. 7. Nimrod Gen. 11. 4. Balaam Numb 22. 17 c. Nabal 1 Sam. 25. 10. Oreb c. Psal. 83. 12. The two Captaines 2. Kings 1. 9 11. Edom Ier 49. 7 16. Obad. 3. Hagar Gen. 16. 4 Haman Est. 3. 5 c. Herod Acts 12. 21. Israel Esa 9. 9 c. Rabshakeh 2 Kings 18. 33 c. Rehoboam 1 Kings 12. 14. Tyrus Ezek. 28. 2 c. Korah Numb 16. 3. Nebuchadnezzer Dan. 3. 15. and 4. 30. the Pharisee Luke 18. 11. c. Zebedees sonnes Mat. 20. 21. Other examples Sethos King of Egypt growing mighty grew so proud withal that he made his tributary Kings to draw his Chariot by turnes till on a time he espied one of the Kings to look earnestly on the wheel and demanding the reason thereof was answered by him That with much comfort he beheld the lowest spokes turn uppermost by course whereupon apprehending the moral he left off that proud and barbarous custome Isac Chron. p. 61. Maximus dying the last day of his Consulship Caninius petitioned Caesar for that part of the day that remained that he might be Consull which made Tully jeer him saying O vigilant Consull who never sawest sleep all the time of thy office Pharaoh Ophra called also Apryes used to boast that he cared not either for God or man that should seek to take away his Kingdome but not long after he was taken by Amasis his own officer and strangled Herod Caesar Borgia emulating and imitating Iulius Caesar used to say Aut Caesar aut nullus but not long after he was slaine in the Kingdome of Navarre Alexander the Great was so puffed up with his victories that he would needs be accounted the sonne of Iupiter Hammon and be worshiped for a god which Calisthenes the Philosopher a special friend of his speaking against he could never endure him afterwards and at last caused him to be slaine Val. Max. Menecrates the Physician because he had cured some dangerous and desperate diseases assumed to himselfe the name of Iupiter the chiefest of the gods AElian Lib. 12. Empedocles the Philosopher having cured
onely said What an ill thing is it that men cannot foresee when they should put on an helmet before they go abroad And at another time being kicked by one If an Asse should kick me said he should I spurne him again And when another had wronged him he said I would have smitten thee but that I am angry Nicolas of Johnvile being condemned by the Papists to die for the cause of God as he was carried in a Cart to execution his own father coming with astaffe would have beaten him but the officers not suffering it were about to strike the old man The son calling to them desired them to let his father alone saying he had power over him to do in that kinde what he pleased but Christ was dearer to him then the dearest friend on earth Act. Mon. Aristippus an Heathen went of his own accord to AEschines his enemy saying Shall we not be reconciled till we become a table-talke to all the countrey and when AEschines answered that he would most gladly be at peace with him Remember then said Aristippus that although I be the elder and better man yet I sought first unto thee Thou are indeed a far better man then 〈…〉 said AEschines for I began the quarrel but thou the reconcilement Julius Caesar being extreamely defamed by Clavus the Oratour and Catullus the Poet Yet afterwads when truth setled shamefastnesse on their foreheadâ— and repentance in their consciences Caesar was satisfied with it and seeing Calvus desire his friendship but durst not intreat it he in an expresse letter offered it unto him and for Catullus he invited him to supper the same day that he published his Poeme against him Suet. Augustus Caesar was also of the same disposition For when as Timagines an Historian wrote against him together with his wife daughters and all his family he onely sent to him advising him to use his tongue and pen with more moderation especially towards him and his friends For Augustus had bred him up but he still persevering and the Emperour being enforced to take notice of it by way of punishment he onely sent to him to retire himself out of the City of Rome into the countrey Seneca King Henry the sixth was of that meek disposition that being wounded in the side by a Ruffian whilest he was a prisoner in the Tower when afterwards he was restored to his Kingly estate he freely forgave him the fact and another like Ruffian striking him on the face he punished with this onely reprehension Forsooth you are to blame to strike me your anointed King Oaths he used none but in weighty matters his affirmation was forsooth and forsooth Sp. Chron. p. 86â— Austin when the Donatists upbraided him unworthily with the impietie and impurity of his former life Look said he how much they blame my fault so much I commend and praise my Phisician See his Life in my first Part. A fellow objecting to Beza his youthly Poems This man said he vexeth himself because Christ hath vouchsafed to me his grace See his life in my first Part. Be ye not stothful but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises Heb. 6. 12. Vince animos ir ámque tuam qui caeter a vincis CHAP. XV. Examples of Gods judgements upon Apostates and backsliders TRue grace is not like a slight staine but a durable die and graine-colour which can never be washed out the gates of hell cannot prevaile against the faith of Gods elect so that though they may lose the lustre of their graces yet not the graces themselves but a see will still remaine in them The reason then why some glorious professors do fall like starres from heaven is because they were never fixed in the true Orbe They had a name only that they lived but were dead Rev. 3. 1. they had an evil heart of unbelief in them and therefore they depart away from the living God Heb. 3. 12. They began in hypocrisie and so end in Apostasie But that the danger misery of such persons may more manifestly appear unto us lay to heart these texts Examples following Foretold 2 Thes. 2. 3. Exod. 32. 8. 1 Tim. 4. 1. Mat. 24. 12. Complained of Jer. 8. 5. Prov. 2. 13. Esa. 31. 6. Jer. 7. 24. and 2. 21. and 6. 28. 1 Tim. 1. 19. Threatened Ps. 125. 5. Heb. 10. 38 39. Mat. 10. 33. 2 Pet. 2. 1. Prov. 14. 14. It 's sometimes partial as Peters Mat. 26. 74 75. Aarons and the Israelites Exod. 32. 1 c. Rehoboams and Judah 2 Chron. 12. 1 6. Manasses 2 Chron. 32. 2 12 c. Sometimes total Heb. 3. 12. and 6. 6. and 10. 39. as Judas Acts 1. 18. Demas 2 Tim. 4. 10. Diotrephes 3 Joh. 9. Hymeneus and Alexander 1 Tim. 1. 20. Hymeneus and Philetus 2 Tim. 2. 17. Alexander 2 Tim. 4. 14. Other examples Ieroboam the sonne of Nâ—bat fell from the service of God and his true worship and erected two golden calves in Dan and Bethel and when the Prophet prophesied against his Idolatry he stretched forth his hand against him which was immediately dried up But not taking warning hereby shortly after the Lord struck his sonne Abijah with siknesse whereof he died 1 Kings 14. Then was he assaulted by Abijam King of Judah and though Jeroboams Army was twice so big yet was he overthrown and lost five hundred thousand of his men besides some of his Cities and not long after himselfe was stricken by God that he died Jehoram King of Iudah though he had been religiously educated by his father Iehosaphat and had seen his zeal in purging out Idolatry and maintaining the pure service of God yet marrying Athalia the daughter of Ahab he turned an Idolater and caused the men of Judah to run a whoring after strange gods whereupon the Arabians and Philistines rose up against him wasted his countrey robbed him of his treasures took away his wives and murthered all his children save Jehoahaz his youngest sonne After which the Lord smote him with an incurable disease in his bowels so that after he had lived two yeers in grievous torments his guts fell out of his belly and he died 2 Chron. 21. Joas King of Judah who had been preserved and religiously educated by that godly High Priest Jehojadah after his death this Joas Apostatized from the service of God and fell to Idolatry For which God raised up the Syrians against him who came with a small army against a mighty host yet did they prevaile against Joas slew his Princes and carried away a great spoile to Damascus and shortly after the Lord struck Joas with grievous diseases and his own servants conspiring against him slew him the people not affording him a burial amongst the Kings 2 Chron. 24. Amaziah King of Judah began his reigne well pretending much zeal for the service of God but after a while having overcome the Edomites he brought home their gods worshipped and burned incense
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
were not so and according to his wish so it befell him at Saint Peters Monastery in Erforâ—s Anno 1148. Luther on 1 Cor. 15. reports of one in Germany of a most wicked life who at almost every word he spake the devil was at one end Now it happened on a time as he was passing over a bridge he fell down and as he was falling cried out Hoist up with an hundred devils which was no sooner spoken but the devil whom he called on so oft was at his elbow to strangle and carry him away with him Another story he relates of a Popish Priest once a Professour of the truth but now an Apostate who thundered out many bitter curses against Luther at a place called Ruthnerwald and amongst other passages wished if Luthers doctrine were true that a thunderbolt might strike him to death Now three dayes after there arose a mighty tempest with thunder and lightning whereat the cursing Priest being affrighted having a guilty conscience within him ran hastily to the Church and there fell to his prayers before the Altar but Gods vengeance pursued him and by a flash of lightning he was struck dead and though they recovered life in him again yet as they carried him home in the Church-yard another flash of lightning burnt him from the head to the foot as black as a shoe whereby he immediately died Anno Christi 1551. there lived in a City of Savoy a man who was a monstrous swearer and curser and though he was often admonished and blamed for it yet would by no meanes mend his manners At length a great plague happening in the City he withdrew himself with his wife and a kinswoman into a Garden which he had where being again admonished to give over his wickednesse he hardened his heart more swearing blaspheming God and giving himself to the devil and immediately the devil snatched him up suddenly his wife and kinswoman looking on and carried him quite away The Magistrates advertised hereof went to the place and examined the two women who justified the truth of it At Oundle in Northampton-shire there was one William Hacket who used in his earnest talke thus to curse himself If it be not true let God send a visible confusion upon me which wish of his came to passe for falling into abominable errours he called himselfe Christ and Judge of the world for which he was hanged in the thirty third year of Queen Elizabeth in Cheapside At Oster in the Dutchy of Magalaâ—ole a wicked woman used in her cursings to give her selfe body and soul to the devil and being reproved for it she still contined the same till being at a wedding-feast the devil came in person and carried her up into the aire with most horrible out-cries and roarings and in that sort carried her round about the towne that the inhabitants were ready to die with fear and by and by tore her in foure peeces leaving her foure quarters in four several high-wayes and then brought her bowels to the marriage-feast and threw them upon the table before the Major of the town saying Behold these dishes of meat belong to thee whom the like destruction waiteth for if thou doest not amend thy wicked life At Wittenberg before Martin Luther and others a woman whose daughter was possessed with a spirit confessed that being angry she bid the devil take her and that she had no sooner spoken the word but she was possessed after a strange sort In a towne in Misnia Sep. 11. Anno 1552. a cholerick father seeing his sonne slack about his businesse wished that he might never stirre from that place which he had no sooner spoken but his son stuck fast indeed nor could by any meanes possible be removed no not so much as to fit or bend his body till by the prayers of the faithful his paines were mitigated though not remitted three yeares he continued so standing with a post at his back for his ease and four years sitting at the end whereof he died nothing weakned in his understanding but professing the faith and not doubting of his salvation through Jesus Christ when at any time he was asked how he did his answer usualy was that he was fastened of God and that it was not in man to release him At Noeburg in Germany a woman in her anger cursed her sonne wishing that she might never see him return alive and the same day the young man bathing himselfe in water was drowned so that as she wished it befel her This is the curse which goeth forth over the face of the whole world I will bring it forth saith the Lord and it shall enter into the house of the thiefe and into the house of him that sweareth falsly by my Name and it shall remaine in the middest of his house and shall consume it with the timber thereof and with the stones thereof Zach. 5. 3 4. CHAP. XXVII Examples of Gods judgements upon Hereticks and Schismaticks IT is just with God that they which will not have truth their King and willingly obey it should have falsehood their Tyrant to whom their judgements should be captivated and enslaved hence iâ— is that as errors in practice are like a fretting Leprosie of a contagious and spreading nature so errors in judgements are very diffusive also A little Leaven leaveneth the whole lump 1 Cor. 5. 6. and hereticks false doctrines fâ—et like a Gangrene 2 Tim. 2. 17. for no opinion is so monstrous but if it have a mother it will get a nurse wofull experience in these times wherein the golden reines of Government are wanting doth clearly evince the truth hereof But yet the Lord doth seldome suffer the Authors and chiefe fomentors of Heresies and Schismes even in this world to go unpunished as will fully appear in these ensuing examples An heretick is one that erres in a necessary doctrine of faith and being sufficiently admonished wilfully persists therein Tit. 3. 10. Called Foxes Cant. 2. 15. Dogs Phil. 3. 12. men of corrupt mindes 1 Tim. 6. 5. Reprobate concerning the faith 2 Tim. 3. 8. teachers for lucre sake Tit. 3. 11. Seducing spirits 1 Tim. 4. 1. men of seared consciences 1 Tim. 4. 2. Deceitfull workers Phil. 3. 2. 2 Cor. 11. 13. Teachers of perverse things Act. 20. 30. enemies to the Crosse of Christ Phil. 3. 18. Heresie is called Leaven Luk. 12. 1. Wood hay stubble 1 Cor. 3. 12. Windy Doctrine Eph. 4. 4. Damnable Doctrine 2 Pet. 2. 1. Mystery of iniquity 2 Thes. 2. 7. Contrary to sound Doctrine 1 Tim. 1. 10. Doctrine of devils 1 Tim. 4. 1. Doctrine of men Col. 2. 22. Dissenting from wholesome Doctrine 1 Tim. 6. 3. Perverse disputings 1 Tim. 6. 5. a word that eats like a Gangrene 2 Tim. 2. 17. Erring from the truth 2 Tim. 2. 8. Strange Doctrine Heb. 13. 9. Root of bitternesse Heb. 12. 15. which should not be taught Tit. 1. 11. Doctrine of Balaam and Nicholaitans Rev. 2. 14 15. a work of
Greg. of Tour. lib. 4. Anno Christi 1461. there was in Juchi neere Cambray an unnatural son that in a fury threw his mother out of his doores thrice in one day telling her that he had rather see his house on fire and burned to coles then that she should remaine in it one day longer and accordingly the very same day his house was fired and wholly burned down with all that was in it none knowing how or by what meanes the fire came Enguer de Monst v. 2. The Emperor Henry the fifth being provoked thereto by the Pope rose up in rebellion and made cruel War against his father Henry the fourth not ceasing till he had despoiled him of his Empire But the Lord presently after plagued him for it making him and his Army a prey to his enemies the Saxons stirring up the Pope to be as grievous a scourge to him also as he had been to his father P. Melanct. Chron. l. 4. Manlius relateth a story of an old man crooked with age very poore and almost pined with hunger who having a rich and wealthy sonne went to him only for some food for his belly clothes for his back but this proud young man thinking that it would be a dishonour to him to be borne of such parents drave him away denying not only to give him sustenance but disclaiming him from being his father giving him bitter and reproachful speeches which made the poore old man to go away with an heavy heart and teares flowing from his eyes which the Lord beholding struck his unnatural son with madnesse of which he could never be cured till his death The same author relates another story of another man that kept his father in his old age but used him very currishly as if he had been his slave thinking every thing too good for him and on a time coming in found a good dish set on the table for his father which he took away and set courser meat in the roome but a while after sending his servant to fetch out that dish for himself he found the meat turned into snakes and the sauce into serpents one of which leaping up caught this unnatural sonne by his lip from which it could never be pulled to his dying day so that he could never feed himselfe but he must feed the serpent also At Millane there was a wicked and dissolute young man who when he was admonished by his mother of some fault which he had committed made a wry mouth and pointed at her with his finger in scorne and derision whereupon his mother being angry wished that he might make such a mouth upon the Gallowes which not long after came to passe for being apprehended for felony and condemned to be hanged being upon the ladder he was observed to writhe his mouth in grief as he had formerly done to his mother in derision Theat hist. Henry the second King of England son to Jeffery Plantaginet and Maud the Emperesse after he had reigned twenty yeares made his young son Henry who had married Margaret the French Kings daughter King in his life-time but like an unnatural son he sought to dispossesse his father of the whole and by the instigation of the King of France and some others he took Armes and fought often with his father who still put him to the worst So that this rebellious son at last was fain to stoop and ask forgivenesse of his father which he gently granted and forgave his offence Howbeit the Lord plagued him for his disobedience striking him with sicknesse in the flower of his youth whereof he died six years before his father Speed Anno Christi 1071. Diogenes Romanus Emperour of the Greekes having led an Army against the Turkes as far as the River Euphrates where he was like to have prevailed but by the treason of his Son in Law Andronicus his Army was routed and himself taken prisoner yet the Turkes used him honourably and after a while sent him home But in the mean season they of Constantinople had chosen Michael Ducas for their Emperour who hearing of Diogenes his returne sent Andronicus to meet him who unnaturally plucked out his fathers eyes and applying no medecines thereto wormes bred in the holes which eating into his braines killed him Zonaras Adolf son of Arnold Duke of Guelders repining at his fathers long life one night as he was going to bed came upon him suddenly and took him prisoner and bare-legged as he was made him go on foot in a cold season five Germane leagues and then shut him up a close prisoner for six months in a dark dungeon but the Lord suffered not such disobedience and cruelty to go long unpunished For shortly after the son was apprehended and long inprisoned and after his release was slaine in a sight against the French History of the Netherlands One Garret a Frenchman and a Protestant by profession but given to all manner of vices was by his father cast off for his wickednesse yet found entertainment in a Gentlemans house of good note in whose family he became sworn brother to a young Gentleman that was a Protestant But afterwards coming to his estate he turned Papist of whose constancy because the Papists could hardly be assured he promised his Confessor to prove himself an undoubted Catholick by setting a sure seal to his profession whereupon he plotted the death of his dearest Protestant friends and thus effected it He invited his Father Monsieur Seamats his sworn brother and six other Genlemen of his acquaintance to dinner and all dinner time intertained them with protestations of his great obligements to them But the bloody Catastrophe was this dinner being ended sixteen armed men came up into the roome and laid hold on all the guests and this wicked Parricide laid hold on his Father willing the rest to hold his hands till he had dispatched him he stabbed the old Gentleman crying to the Lord for mercy foure times to the heart the young Gentleman his sworne brother he dragged to a window and there caused him to sing which he could dovery sweetly though then no doubt he did it with a very heavy heart and towards the end of the Ditty he stabbed him first into the throat and then to the heart and so with his Poiniard stabbed all the rest but three who were dispatched by those armed Ruffians at their first entrance and so they flung all the dead bodies out at a window into a ditch Oubig Hist. France The base son of Scipio Africanus the Conquerour of Hannibal and Africk so ill imitated his father that for his viciousnesse he received many disgracefull repulses from the people of Rome the fragrant smell of his fathers memory making him to stinke the more in their nostriles yea they forced him to pluck off from his finger a signet-ring wherin the face of his father was engraven as counting him unworthy to wear his picture whose vertue he would not imitate Val. Maxi. Tarpeia the
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
ones the daughter of my people is become cruel like Ostriches in the wildernesse Lam. 4. 3. CHAP. XXXII Examples of fond Parents and the miseries that they have brought upon themselves thereby FOrbidden Deut. 13. 8 9. Prov. 19. 18. 13. 24. 29. 17. Scriptural Examples Eli 1 Sam. 2. 22 29. David to Adonijah 1 Kings 1. 6. to Absalom 2 Sam. 18. 33. How severely God punished Eli for his indulgence to his wicked sonnes See it in 1 Sam. 2. 27 c. 3. 11 c. David also who cockered Absalom and Adonijah above all the rest of his children was most afflicted by them one breaking out into open rebellion wherein he died the other usurping the Crowne before his fathers death which cost him his life also 2 Sam. 15. 1 King 1. 5 c. A certaine woman in Flanders contrary to the will of her husband used to feed her two sonnes with money to maintaine their riot yea to furnish them she would rob her husband but presently after her husbands death God plagued her for this her foolish indulgence for from rioting these youngsters fell to robbing for the which one of them was executed by the sword and the other by the halter the mother looking on as a witnesse of their destructions Ludo. Vives A young man in our owne Nation as he was going to the gallows desired to speak with his mother in her eare but when she came instead of whispering he bit of her eare with his teeth exclaiming upon her as the cause of his death because she did not chastise him in his youth for his faults but by her fondnesse so imboldened him in his vices as brought him to this wofull end Seleucus marrying Stratonica the daughter of Demetrius shortly after Antiochus the sonne of Seleucus fell in love with his stepmother and not daring to discover it for feare of the displeasure of his father he pined a way from day to day at last one of his Physicians found out the cause of his disease and acquainted his father therewith who out of indulgence to his sonne calling his Nobles and people together said I have decreed to make Antiochus my sonne King of all my superior Provinces and to give him Stratonica for his wife and Queen and if she scruple the unlawfulnesse of the marriage I desire you that are my friends to perswade her that all things are honest and just that a King shall decree for the publick profit Plut. Andronicus one of the Greek Emperours doted with such extream impotency of partial affection upon his Nephew young Andronicus that in comparison of him he disregarded not only the rest of his Nephews but his own children also being unwilling to spare him out of sight either day or night but when this young man was stept further into yeares besides a world of miseries and molestations created to his Grand-father in the mean time at last he pressed without resistance upon his Palace with purpose to surprise his person though the old Emperout intreated him with much affectionate eloquence that he would reverence those hands which had oftentimes so willingly embraced him and those lips which had so oft lovingly kissed him and that he would spare to spill that blood from which himselfe had taken the fountaine of life yet for all this he caused the old Emperour to be polled shaven and made a Monk and not only so but also the very Anvile of much dunghill-scorne and vilest indignities untill the workmanship of death had finished the sorrowful businesse of a wretched lfie Turk Hist. Austine upon a terrible and dreadfull accident called his people together to a Sermon wherein he relates this dolefull story Our Noble Citizen saith he Cyrillus a man mighty amongst us both in work and word and much beloved had as you know one onely sonne and because but one he loved him immeasurably and above God and so being drunke with immoderate doting he neglected to correct him and gave him liberty to do whatsoever he list Now this very day saith he this same fellow thus long suffered in this dissolute and riotous courses hath in his drunken humour wickedly offered violence to his mother great with childe would have violated his sister hath killed his father and wounded two of his sisters to death Adfrat in Eremo Ser. 33. Chasten thy sonne betimes and let not thy soul spare for his crying Prov. 19. 18. CHAP. XXXIII Examples of Brethrens love each to other THey ought to love one another Prov. 17. 17. 1 Pet. 3. 8. Rom. 12. 10. Heb. 13. 1. It 's an excellent thing Psal 133. 1. Scriptural examples Jobs children Job 1. 13. Lazarus Martha and Mary John 11. 19 c. Joseph Gen. 43. 29 c. 45. 14. Joab and Abishai 2 Sam. 3. 27 30. Judah Gen. 37. 26. In the beginning of the reigne of Darius King of Persia one of his Nobles called Intaphernes conspired against him which being discovered to Darius he caused him and all his kindred to be cast into prison But Intaphernes wife exceedingly weeping and houling Darius gave her leave to choose any one of the prisoners whose life she would have spared whereupon amongst them all she chose her brother and Darius asking her why she â—…se her brother rather then her husband or son she answered Because if God please I may have another husband and children but my Parents being dead I cannot have another brother This so pleased Darius that he granted her the life not only of her brother but of her son too Herod Darius King of Persia being dead left two sons Ariamenes or as some call him Artabazanes and Xerxes these both claimed the Kingdome but brotherly love so prevailed with them that they were contented to stand to the judgement of the Persian Nobles yet in the interim Xerxes being in Persia performed all the offices of a King and Ariaments coming out of Media Xerxes sent great presents to him commanding the messengers to tell him Thy brother Xerxes presents thee with these gifts and if by the consent and suffrage of the Nobles he be declared King he promises thee the chiefest place next unto himself To which Ariamenes returned this answer Truly I willingly accept of these gifts yet claim the Sovereignty to belong to me but will reserve the next place of dignity for my brother Xerxes The Persian Nobles referred the determination of this controversie to their Uncle Artabanus who having heard both sides determined for Xerxes because Ariamenes was borne to Darius whil'st he was a private person Xerxes after he was a King the mother of Ariamenes was the daughter of Gobrias a private woman the mother of Xerxes was Atossa a Queen Ariamenes hearing this judgement without any distemper of spirit rose up worshipped his brother and taking him by the hand placed him in the Kingly throne and ever after was very obsequious to him Plut. Herod And he fell upon his brother Benjamins neck and wept and
by his own sonne that he might seize upon his riches but whil'st he was stooping down to draw forth bags full of gold out of a Chest the same person caused his braines to be beaten out French History Selimus a cruel and bloody Emperour of the Turks intending to turne all his powers against the Christians was suddenly attached by the hand of God being struck in the reines of the back with a Cancer which contemning all cure did by little and little so eate and corrupt his body that he became loathsome both to himselfe and others and so rotting above ground died miserably Turk Hist. Agathocles a bloody Tyrant of Syracuse after many most horrible murthers committed by him lived to see most of his family slaine and himselfe devested of his Kingdome After which he was taken with a grievous sicknesse wherein his whole body rotted which spread it selfe through all his veines and sinews wherewith in short time he ended his accursed life Robert Erle of Fife in Scotland being advanced by his brother King Robert the third to be the first Duke of Albany afterwards ungratefull person that he was pricked on with the spirit of Ambition famished to death David his said brothers son who was heir to the Crown but the punishment due for this fact which himself by the long sufferance of God felt not His son Mordac the second Duke of Albany suffered most grievously being condemned for treason and beheaded when he had seen his two sons the day before executed in the same manner Camb. Brit. Scot. p. 39. King Richard the third of England who caused his two Nephews most unnaturally to be murthered in the Tower and shed much other innocent blood by Gods just judgement had his onely son taken away by death and himself was slain in Bosworth-field his carrion carcasse being found naked among the slain filthily polluted with blood and dirt was cast upon an horse behinde a pursuivant at Armes his head and armes hanging down on the one side of the horse and his legs on the other like a Calfe and so was interred at Leicester with as base a Funerall as he formerly bestowed upon his Nephews in the Tower Eng. Hist. Iames Tyrell Iohn Dighton and Miles Forrest who were procured by this King Richard to murther the two young Princes entering into their Chamber about midnight so bewrapped them among the clothes keeping down the Feather-bed and Pillows hard unto their mouths that within a while they were smothered but these Murtherers escaped not long the vengeance of God for Miles Forrest by peecemeale rotted away Dighton lived at Calis so disdained and hated that he was pointed at of all men and there died in much misery and Sir Iames Tyrell was beheaded on Tower-Hill for Treason Act. Mon. Senercleus relateth the just hand of God upon that villainous parricide Alphonsus Diazius a Popish Spaniard who after he had like another Cain murthered his own naturall brother Iohn Diazius meerly because he had renounced Popery and became a Professor of the reformed Religion and was not onely not punished but highly commended of the Romanists for his heroical atchievement as they called it being haunted and hunted by the furies of his own conscience desperately hanged himself at Trent about the neck of his own Mule Some bloody villains basely murthered Theodorick B. of Trever But Gods just judgments overtook all the murtherers For Conrade the chief author died suddenly A souldier that helped to throw him down the rock was chok'd as he was at supper and two other servants that assisted desperately slew themselves Marti The Cardinall of Winchester commonly called the rich Cardinall who procured the death of the good Duke of Glocester in the reign of King Henry the sixth was shortly after struck with an incurable disease who understanding by his Physicians that he could not live murmuring and repining thereat he cried out Fie will not death be hired will money do nothing must I die that have so great riches If the whole realme would save my life I am able either by policy to get it or by riches to buy it But yet all would not prevail but that he died of the same disease Sp. Chr. See the Example of Scedasus's daughters in Rapes Olympias the mother of Alex M. being a woman of a proud and revengefull disposition having gotten Eurydice Queen of Macedonia into her hands sent her a sword an halter and a cup of poison giving her leave to choose with which of them she would kill her self Eurydice seeing them prayed to the gods that she that sent her those presents might her self partake of the like and so hanged her self But shortly after the Divine â—ustice met with Olympias who by the appointment of Cassander one of her sons Captains was murthered Diod. Sic. Justin This Cassander murthered also the two wives of Alex. and their sons and thereby seized upon the Kingdome of Macedonia but shortly after God plagued him with a filthy disease in his body whereby wormes were bred that devoured him his eldest son Philip died of a consumption Antipater his second son slew his own mother Thessalonica and was himself slain by his father in law Lysimachus and Alexander the youngest son was treacherously slain by Demetrius and so the whole family of Cassander was rooted out Plut. Examples of selfe Murther Calanus an Indian Philosopher followed Alexander M. when he returned out of India who having lived seventy three years without any disease was at last taken with a dysenterie and fearing that his former felicity should be overclouded with a lingring disease he asked leave of Alexander that he might burn himself the King laboured to disswade him from his unnaturall purpose but when he could not prevail by arguments he gave his consent whereupon Calanus caused a pile of wood to be made and riding to it he made his prayers to his Countrey gods and so with a cheerfull countenance he ascended the pile and causing the fire to be put to it he sate with a fixt and unmovable body till he was burned to ashes Q. Cur. Alex. M. besieging one of the Indian Cities the inhabitants seeing that they could hold out no longer shut up themselves their wives and children in their houses and set fire on them Alexanders men breaking in laboured to quench the fire and the others laboured as much to encrease it so that it was a strange thing to see the fight that was betwixt one to destroy themselves the other to save their enemies Quin. Cur. Demosthenes the Athenian Orator for standing for the liberty of Greece was hated by Antipater the Governour of Macedonia who sent some to kill him under Captain Archia whereupon Demosthenes took sanctuary in Neptunes Temple But Archia sent to him to come out of the Temple so that Demosthenes perceiving that they were resolved to have his life he took some poison which he had ready for the purpose and so presently died Plut. Perdiccas besieging the
provided them meat and drink dressed their wounds and carrying them home to their houses shewed them that they were Mistresses there with their husbands highly loved and honoured by them So that in the end a peace was concluded and amongst other Articles of agreement these were some that the Sabine women should remaine with their husbands that they should be exempted from all service and work save spinning of wooll that they should have the upperhand of their husbands that the men should speak no foule nor dishonest words nor discover their nakednesse before them c. Plut. A woman of another Countrey being in talk with Gorgona the wife of Leonidas King of Sparta said to her There be no wives in the world that so much love and commend their husbands as you Lacedemonian wives do the Queen straight replied Neither be there any women but we that bring forth men Plut. Numa enacted a Law amongst the Romanes that when any man died his wife should remaine a widow for the space of ten moneths Augustus Caesar died in the kisses of his wife Livia of whom he took this farewell Livia nostri conjugii memor vive vale She was alwayes exceeding dear to him and being asked how she kept his love so long she answered Quòd diligenter prudenter agens summum adhibuisset studium ut omnia faceret ex animo Augusti nec curiose perquisivisset quidquam eorum quae Augustus faceret Plut. Portia the daughter of Cato was married to M. Brutus who having conspired with some others the death of Iulius Caesar was something melancholy and troubled in minde about the thing his wife Portia observing it and being grieved that her husband should conceale any thing from her she took a rasour and wounded her thigh and losing much blood fell into a feaver Her husband coming home and hearing of the sicknesse of his wife was much grieved and went to visit her She taking the opportunity they being alone said thus unto him My deare husband sit down and let us talke seriously together when I married you I came to your house as a wife not as a friend or harlot and gave up my self unto you not onely at bed and board but as a companion of all your joy and sorrows I am Cato's daughter and I desire that you will take notice of what stock I come What therefore shall I complaine of you truly I cannot do it in other things onely one thing troubles me that you make me not a partaker of your secrets as doubting of my fidelity and taciturnity you cannot dissemble with me I discerne that your minde is full of trouble and there is some great secret that you are about Why do you conceale it from me if you cannot expect help yet expect comfort from me and I will assure you of my silence Do not consider what others of my sex are but remember againe that I am Cato's daughter and Brutus's wife either nature from my father or custome from my husband hath made me valiant and constant so as not to fear any danger What need more words I have made trial of myself by this wound the smart and paine whereof I can easily beare yea assure your self that I can die with Brutus and for my husband Wherefore if thou art about any honest thing that beseemes us both do not conceale it from me Brutus wondring at her courage kissed her and with his hand lift up to heaven he said O ye Celestial gods I pray you make me an husband fit for such a wife and so discloseth the whole matter to her Afterwards when she heard of his death after the battel in the Philippic fields she resolved to die and being for a while hindred by those about her she at last snatched some burning coles out of the fire and putting them into her mouth and throat suffocated herself Lipsius See the Example of Zenobia in Fortitude Licurgus the Lacedemonian Lawgiver enacted that all they should be infamous that would not marry So that on a time Dercillides a Noble Captaine coming into a place there was a young man that refused to rise up and do him reverence for said he Thou hast not gotten a son that may do the like to me in time to come Plut. Solon the Athenian Lawgiver ordeined that no joyntures nor dowries should be given or made to maides at marriage commanding that wives should bring to their husbands no more then three gownes and some other movables of small value Utterly forbidding that they should buy their husbands or make merchandize of marriages as of other trades he willed that men and women should marry together for issue pleasure and love but not for money Plut. Two men being suiters to the daughter of Themistocles he preferred the honester before the richer saying that he had rather have to his sonne in Law a man that wanted goods then goods that wanted a man Plut. A Virgin of Lacaena being poore was demanded what dower she had to bring to an husband and to marry her with she answered That which was left me as an inheritance from mine Ancestors viz. Vertue and Modesty Hist. of women p. 331. It was a custome among the Grecians for the bride to be carried through the streets in a Chariot the Axeltree whereof at her coming home was taken off and burned before the gates of her house to signifie that she must ever after be an houswife and keepe within as a faithful and industrious overseer of their domestick affaires and businesse Hist. of women p. 336. Prince Edward of England whilest he was warring in Palestine against the Turks was stabbed by an Assâ—ssine with a poisoned knife but by the diligence of his Chirurgions and the unparallel'd love of his wife who sucked the poison out of his wounds without doing any hurt to her selfe he quickly recovered so sovereigne a medicine is a womans tongue anointed with the vertue of loving affections Holy Warre The Emperour Conrade besieging the City of Winsperge in Germany and the women perceiving that the Town could not hold out long petitioned the Emperour that they might depart onely with so much as each of them could carry upon her back which the Emperour condescended unto expecting that they would have loaden themselves with silver gold c. but they came all forth with every one her husband on her back whereby the men were all saved and their wives gat immortal credit to themselves Rubenius Celer would needs have it ingraven on his Tombe that he had lived with his wife Ennea fourty three years and eight moneths and yet they never fell out The Lord of Harlem in the Low-countries having by his exactions and cruelty made himself odious to all his people was together with his wife besieged in his Castle by them and so prest for want of victuals that he was compelled to enter into treaty His wife a true mirrour of piety and love towards her husband amongst other Articles
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
and therein the King Psammenitus and all his family and Nobles after which he kept him prisoner in the suburbs and then caused the daughters of the Nobles and amongst them Psammenitus daughter clad in base apparel to fetch water in tankards from the river which when their parents saw they all brake forth into grievous weeping only Psammenitus with his eyes fixed upon the ground shewed no signe of sorrow Then did Cambyses cause the Noble-mens sonnes and amongst them Psammenitus his sonne to be led to execution tied together by the necks with ropes and bridles put into their mouths hereupon their fathers again brake forth into lamentations only Psammenitus stood quiet as before But presently after seeing an old man his intimate friend begging in the streets he brake forth into grievous lamentations which Cambyses observing sent to him to know what was the reason that he when he saw his daughter so abused and his son led to death mourned not but now when he saw this poor man that was no kin to him begging he made such heavy mone To whom Psammenitus answered My domestick evils were greater then that I could expresse my sorrow for them but the calamity of my friend deserves my teares for that now in his old age from an high estate he is brought to such extreame poverty Herod Darius having escaped a great danger in his returne out of Scythia by the faithful counsel and assistance of Histiaeus the Milesian he sent for him to his Court and made him one of his privy Councel saying Omnium possessionum pretiosissimam esse amicum fide prudentiâ— praestantem That of all possessions the most precious is a friend excelling in fidelity and prudence Pez Mel. Hist. Cyrus Junior was of that friendly disposition that of those many gifts that were presented to him by his Subjects he reserved none to himself but distributed them amongst his friends according to their several qualities and when he had choice apparel sent him he used to say that his own body could not weare it but he thought himself richly adorned in seeing his friends adorned with it When he had excellent wine he would send his friends most of it saying that he beleeved that they could not get better When he had costly cates at his table he would send them a great part with this message Tell them that Cyrus sends you these things because himself liked them exceeding well Xenophon Agesilaus King of Sparta seeing divers of his friends and kindred in poverty and want he divided halfe his patrimony amongst them esteeming his inheritance to be left him rather thereby to purchase friends then to make himself an object of envy to his enemies Xenophon Damon and Pythias two Pithagorean Phylosophers so intirely loved each other that Dionysius the Tyrant having condemned one of them to death the other offered to die for him wherewith the Tyrant was so affected that he pardoned the condemned party and desired to be admitted a third person in their amity Cicero de Offi. In Queen Elizabeths Reigne in a fight between the Earle of Kildare and the Earl of Tir-oâ—en two of the Earl of Kildares Foster brethren were slain whose death he took so heavily that himself shortly after died for grief For there is no love in the world comparable by many degrees to that of Foster-brethren in Ireland Camb. Brit. Iâ—el p. 116. Darius having opened a Pomegranate that was full of seeds his brother Artabanus asked him of what things he would chiefly desire so great a number Darius answered that he would desire so many Magabysuses as there were graines in that fruit for â—aith he Kings can have no treasure of so great worth as faithful friends Herod Under the seventh Persecution Theodora a godly Virgin for her Religion was condemned to the Stews where her chastity was to be a prey to all commers which sentence being executed many wanton young men were ready to presse into the house but one of the brethren called Didymus putting on a souldiers habit would have the first turne and to going in perâ—waded her to change garments with him and so she in the souldiers habit escaped and Didymus being found a man was carried before the President to whom he confessed the whole matter and so was condemned Theodora hearing of it thinking to excuse him came and presented herself as the guilty party desiring that she might die and the other be excused but the mercilesse Iudge caused them both to be put to death See my Gen. Martyr p. 52. Thine own friend and thy fathers friend forsake not Prov. 27. 10. CHAP. XLII Examples of grosse Ignorance and Folly THere were never any former ages which enjoyed the like meanes of knowledge as we which live at this day do for besides the sacred Scriptures in a known tongue how many volumes of heavenly truths dropping from the mounthes and pens both of ancient and moderne Divines hath that most excellent and exquisite Art of Printing conveyed to us how many burning and shining lights do daily waste and consume themselves to propagate saving knowledge unto others therefore to love darkness or to live in darknesse under so great light will much aggravate our condemnation whence it is that we have great cause to bewaile with teares of blood not only that woful ignorance which is still to be found in those kingdomes wherein the more then Egyptian darknesse of Popery hath overspread their Horizons but which also is too rife frequent amongst our selves both which may in part be discerned by these ensuing Examples Ignorance is a sin Lev. 4. 2 13 22 27. 5. 15 18. Num. 15. 24 c. It 's the cause of much sinne Eph. 4. 18. 1 Pet. 1. 14. Isa. 56. 10. Wilful ignorance aggravates sin 2 Pet. 3. 5. Simple ignorance extenuates sin Deut. 19. 4. 1 Tim. 1. 13. Luk. 12 48. Num. 15. 28. Act. 17. 30. 3. 17. David chargeth himself with it Psal. 73. 22. and Agur Prov. 30. 2 3. The Apostles were accounted such Act 4. 13. How fooles are discovered Prov. 10. 8 23. 12. 16. 13. 16 19. 14. 16. 15. 5. 17. 10. 18. 6 7. and 20. 3. and 27. 3 22. and 29. 11. Eccles. 2. 14. and 4. 5. and 5. 3. and 10. 2 14. Prov. 1. 22. Scriptural examples The rich man Luk. 12. 20. Nabal 1 Sam 25. 15. Some Psal. 49. 13. 2 Tim. 3. 9. The Prophet Ezek. 13. 7. Hos. 9. 7. Galatians Chap. 3. 1 3. The Bishop of Dunkelden in Scotland thanked God that he never knew what the Old and New Testament was affirming that he cared to know no more then his Portuis and Pontifical Act. and Mon. At an Assembly of the States in Germany one Albertus a Bishop lighting by chance upon a Bible as he was reading therein one of the States asked him what book it was I know not said the Bishop but this I finde that whatsoever I read in it is utterly
honestate quà m sol à cursu suo averti potest It's easier to turne the Sun out of his course then Fabricius from his honesty Eutropius Marcus Attilius Regulus a Romane Consull fighting in Affrica against the Carthaginians was at last by subtility taken prisoner Yet was sent to Rome for the exchange of prisoners upon his oath that in case he prevailed not he should return and yield up himself prisoner to them again when he came to Rome he made a speech in the Senate-house to disswade them from accepting of the conditions and so without respecting his wife and children he returned to Carthage where he was grievously tormented in a Little-Ease knocked full of nailes that he could neither leane sit nor lie till he died Cicero When the Corps of Thomas Howard second Duke of Norfolk was carried to be interred in the Abbey of Thetford Anno 1524. No person could demand of him one groat for debt or restitution for any injury done by him Weav Fun. Mon. p. 839. It was said of the famous Lawyer Andreas Taraquillus that singulis annis singulos libros liberos Reipublicae dedit Thuanus Obit Doct. vir anno 1558. In the dayes of Queen Mary Judge Morgan chief Justice of the Common Pleas refusing to admit any witnesse to speak or any other matter to be heard in favour of the adversary her Majesty being party the Queen declared that her pleasure was that whatsoever could be brought in favour of the Subject should be admitted and heard Qui pro veritate est pro Rege est Holinsh. in Q. Mary p. 1112. A certaine Lawyer in France was so much delighted in Law-sport that when Lewis the King offered to ease him of a number of suits he earnestly besought his Highnesse to leave him some twenty or thirty behinde wherewith he might merrily passe away the time we have too many such that love to fish in troubled waters Bassanus King of the Sicambrians was so severe in the execution of his laws that he executed his own sonne for adultery and being reviled by his wife for it he put her away sending her back to her father who was King of the Orcades Isac Chron. p. 152. Henry the fourth King of England when his eldest sonne the Prince of Wales was by the Lord chief Justice committed to prison for affronting him on the bench gave thanks to God for that he had a Judge so impartial in executing justice and a sonne so obedient as to submit to such a punishment Speed A Judge in Germany aggravating the fault of a murtherer that was before him told him that he deserved no favour for that he had killed six men No my Lerd said an Advocate that stood by he killed but one and you are guilty of the blood of the other five because you let him escape upon the murther of the first The Egyptian Kings usually and solemnly presented this oath to their Judges Not to swarve from their consciences no though they should receive a command from themselves to the contrary It 's a principle in moral policy That an ill executor of the Laws is worse in a State then a great breaker of them Pericles a famous Oratour of Greece who for the excellency of his speech and mightinesse of his eloquence was said to thunder and lighten at the Barre from the Principles of nature ever before he pleaded a cause intreated his gods that not a word should fall from him besides his cause An old woman complaining to the Emperour Adrian of some wrong that was done her her he told her that he was not at leasure to heare her suit to whom she plainly replied That then he ought not to be at leasure to be Emperour which came so to the quick that he was ever after more facile to suitours Fulgâ— Lewis the first King of France used three dayes in the week publickly to hear the complaints and grievances of his people and to right their wrongs A Macedonian Gentleman called Pausanias ran at King Philip and slew him because he had refused to do him justice when he complained against a Peer of the Realme Some of the kindred of Tatius King of the Romans robbed and murthered certain Ambassadours that were going to Rome for which their â—â—â—â—olk demanded justice of Tatius but he connâ—ving at the wrong because of his relation to them the kindred of the slaine watched their opportunity and slew him as he was sacrificing to his gods Plut. Lewis called Saint Lewis of France having given a pardon to a Malefactor upon second thoughts revoked it again saying That he would give no pardon where the Law did not pardon For that it was a work of mercy and charity to punish an offendor and not to punish crimes was as much as to commit them A certaine husbandman coming to Robert Grosthead Bishop of Lincolne challenged kindred of him and thereupon desired him to preferre him to such an office Cousen quoth the Bishop if your cart be broken I will mend it If your plâ—ugh be old I will give you a new one or seed to sowe your land But an husbandman I found you and an husbandman I will leave you Domitius the Emperour used to say that he had rather seem cruel in punishing then to be dissolute in sparing It was said of Chilperick King of France that he was Titularis non Tutelaris Rex Defuit Reipublicae non praefuit Cambyses King of Persia dying without issue his Nobles agreed that his horse that should first neigh at the place where they appointed to meet the next morning he should be their King Whereupon Ocbares Gentleman of the horse to Darius led his horse over-night to that place and let him there cover a Mare and the next morning when they were all met Darius his horse knowing the place and missing the Mare neighed and so Darius was presently saluted for King Herod l. 5. St. Bernards counsel to Eugenius was that he should so rule the people as that they might prosper and grow rich under him and not he be wealthy by the people It was observed of Varus Governour of Syria that he came poore into the Countrey and found it rich but departed thence rich and left the Countrey poore Ptolomaeus Lagi though a great King yet never had but little of his own and his usual saying was That it was fit for a King rather to make others rich then to be rich himselfe Plut. Tiberius Caesar being solicited by the Governours of his Provinces to lay greater taxes and subsidies upon his people answered That a good shepherd ought to sheare his sheep not flay them St. Lewis King of France on his death-bed advised his sonne never to lay any taxe upon his subjects but when necessity urged him and when there was just cause for it Otherwise saith he you will not be reputed for a King but a Tyrant The Emperour Theodosius was wont to say That he accounted it a greater honour to be a member
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
Christians had many malicious slanders raised against them as that they lived in incest that in their night-meetings putting out the candles they mixed together in a filthy manner that they killed their children and fed upon mans flesh that they were seditious and rebellious and refused to swear by the fortune of Caesar c. which much incensed the Emperours against them Idem p. 34. Under the third Persecution the Heathens imputed to the Christians all those miseries and mischiefs which befell them yea they invented against them all manner of conâ—umelies and false crimes that they might have the more pretence to persecute them Idem p. 37. Under the fourth Persecution heathen servants were examined against their Christian Masters and being threatned with most exquisite torments were enforced to confesse against their Masters that at their meetings they kept the Feasts of Thyestes and committed the incests of Oedipus and such like abominations not fit to be named Idem p. 41. Under the fifth Persecution the Christians were slanderously reported to be seditious and rebellious against the Emperours to be guilty of Sacriledge murthering their infants incestuous pollutions eating raw flesh worshipping the head of an Asse c. Idem p. 46. Under the eighth Persecution the Christians were falsely charged with all the calamities of war famine and Pestilence which befell the world because they refused to worship Idols and the Emperour Idem p. 56. Under the tenth Persecution there was a Conjurer in Athens which made an Image of Jupiter that uttered these words Jupiter commands the Christians to be banished out of this City because they are enemies to him Also certain Harlots were suborned to say that formerly they had been Christians and so were privy to the wicked and lascivious acts which they committed amongst themselves at their Sabbath-meetings c. Idem p. 68. The Queen of Persia being sick the wicked Jewes and Magicians accused two godly Virgins for that by charmes and inchantments they had procured the Queens sicknesse whereupon they were sawen in sunder by the wastes and their Quarters hung upon stakes that the Queen might go betwixt them thinking thereby to be freed from her disease Idem p. 80. The Popish Friers to make the godly Waldenses odious raised up many foul slanders against them as that they were Sorcerers Buggerers c. that when they assembled together in the night-time their Pastors commanded the lights to be put out saying Qui potest capere capiat whereupon they committed abominable Incests the son with his mother the brother with his sister the father with his daughter c. As also that they held many false and damnable opinions Idem p. 103. See more in my Gen. Martyrologie and two Parts of Lives CHAP. LXVIII Examples of Discord Contention and the Evils of iâ— IT 's a great Evil Prov. 6. 14 19. worst in wives Prov. 19. 13. 27. 15. Condemned Ephes. 4. 31. Col. 3. 8. Prov. 17. 14. Tit. 3. 9. Rom. 13. 13. It comes from Pride Prov. 13. 10. Scriptural Examples Kings Gen. 14. 4. Abimelech and Sechem Judg. 9. Pharisees and Sadduces Act. 23. 2. Servants Gen. 13. 7. Hebrews Exo. 2. 13. Judah and Israel 2 Sam. 19. 4. Aaron and Moses Num. 12. 1. Israel and Benjamin Judg. 20. 13. Disciples Luk. 22. 24. Paul and Barnabas Act. 15. 39. Corinthians 1 Cor. 1. 11 12. 3. 3 4. 11. 18. 6. 7. Abrahams and Lots heardsmen Gen. 13. 7. Israelites Isa. 9. 21. Epiphanius tells a sad story of two Bishops Milesius and Peter Bishop of Alexandria both Professours and fellow-sufferers for the Christian faith These two men being condemned and sent to work in the Mettal-Mines for a small difference fell into so great a Schisme that they drew a partitian-wall between each other in the Mine and would not hold Communion each with other in the service of Christ for which they both were sufferers which dissension of theirs caused such a rent in the Church that it did more hurt then an open Persecution from the enemy How much better did Bishop Ridley and Hooper who though in King Edward the sixth his daies they had been at great variance about the Ceremonies yet when in Queen Maries Reign they were imprisoned for the same cause they forgat all former quarrels loved and wrote each to other as brethren See Dr. Ridley's Life in my first Part. In Constantine's time the differences of the Bishops were so many and so great that they brought in whole bundles of Petitions one against another to the Emperour which he out of a wonderfull desire after peace would not so much as read but burnt them all before their faces Aristides and Themistocles being sent joynt Ambassadours to the same City fell out by the way Aristides was stout enough and crosse enough yet when he came neer the City gates whither they were sent he condescended so far as to bespeak Themistocles in this manner Sir you and I are not now at leisure thus to squabble Let us dispatch our Countrey affaires It will be time enough to renew our quarrel when our work is at an end Plut. Empedocles was of such a contentious disposition that every day he would quarrel with some body or other and prosecute his contentions with much violence Ravis Hyperbolus was a man so addicted to strife and contention that it grew into a Proverb Ultra Hyperbolum Frowardnesse is in the heart of a naughty person he deviseth mischief continually he soweth discord Prov. 6. 14. CHAP. LXIX Examples of strange Accidents MAthias Huniades the thundering sonne of a lightning father being cast into prison by Uladislaus King of Hungary and Bohemia was sent into Bohemia to his execution but Uladislaus immediately after dying upon the eating of a poisoned Apple the Hungarians partly affected with the merit of his father and hopes of the sons valour and partly by means of the solicitations of his friends chose Huniades for their King and to give him notice thereof they sent Letters by Ambassadours to Pâ—gibrachius King of Bohemia with whom Matthias was prisoner which he receiving at Supper presently raised Matthias from the lower end of the Table where he sate and set him above himself wishing him not to be dismayed for he had glad tydings for him which he would impart after Supper and so he did saluting him King of Hungary and gave him Katherine his daughter to wife Look Glass of the Hol War A young man the son of Sinan the Jew a famous Sea-Captain under the Turk having been taken prisoner by the Christians was at length delivered and sent home to his father The old man over-joyed at the sudden and unexpected return of his son in imbracing of him fainted and presently dyed in an extasie of joy Turk Hist. p. 750. Dudilius relates a sad story of one Bochna a woman who had but two sons and whilest she was walking with one towards a River she heard the other cry out whereupon returning
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
forbidden Rom. 12. 9. Psal. 26. 4. Jam. 1. 8. 1 Pet. 2. 1. Complained of Josh. 7. 11. Jer. 42. 20. Prov. 26 24. Psal. 12. 2. Scriptural Examples Jacob Gen. 27. 19. Jacobs sons Gen. 34. 13. Joseph Gen. 42. 7 23. David 1 Sam. 21. 13. Ammon 2 Sam. 13. 6. Absalon 2 Sam. 13. 20 22 28. Hushai 2 Sam. 16. 16. 17. 11. Joab 2 Sam. 20. 9 10. Jeroboams wife 1 King 14. 2 5. Jehu 2 King 9. 11 12. 10. 18. Sanballat Neh. 6. 2. Shemaiah and others Nehâ— 6. 10 19. Esther ch 5. 4. with 7. 4 Davids enemies Psal. 26. 5. Jeremiah ch 38. 27. Ismael Jer. 41. 6. Herod Matth. 2. 8. Judas Luk. 22. 47. Joh. 12. 5 6. False Apostles 2 Cor. 11. 13 14. Peter Barnabas and other Jews Gal. 2. 12 13. the Beast Rev. 13. 11. Other Examples Tiberius Caesar when the Empire was first proffered to him seemed very shie in accepting of it whereupon one noting his dissimulation said to him Other men are slow to perform what they promise thou dost slowly promise what thou performest Nothing his delay in what he most desired Eras. Apoth Caligula in the beginning of his Empire seemed to be very mild and merciful But Theodore Gadaroeus his Master said that he was Lutum sanguine macâ—ratum noting his cruel disposition as afterwards it came to passe Nero in the first five years of his reign pretended to all manner of virtue so that the people said that he excelled their former good Emperours but afterwards laying aside his dissimulation he proved a Pest and Plague to the whole world What devillish dissimulation Charles the 9th King of France used to draw the Admiral and the Protestant Nobility into his snare See in my Gen. Martyrologie p. 309. c. Richard Duke of Gloucester was so cunning a dissembler that he would accompany most familiarly and jest pleasantly with such as he hated in his heart He made his conscience in all things serve his will though his will could not be obtained without the effusion of guiltlesse blood when he had murthered King Edward the 5th his Nephew and his Brother in the Tower and had cut off the heads of some of the Lords that stood in his way he suborned one Dr. Shaw in a Sermon at Pauls Crosse to blazon his honourable Birth and Parentage to relate his Virtues to commend his Valour to weaken the fame and honour of the deceased King Edward by reason of his lasciviousnesse with Shores Wife to basterdize all his children as being born in Adultery c. and applying his speech to the worthinesse and goodnesse of Richard he took it for granted that the people could not choose but receive him for their undoubted Sovereign and King and so he strove to have prepared the multitude to have shouted when Richard came in and to have cryed King Richard King Richard but he failed of his purpose for every man was silent and more surprised with wonder then with applause to see how wickedly these businesses were carried on The next day the Duke of Buckingham went to Guildhall in London and there to the Citizens endeavoured by like arguments to make Richard the Protector the right and undoubted heire and inheriter of the Crown and though the people took no content in this speech nor by their voyces assented to that which was delivered yet he procured the Lord Major and Aldermen the next day to go with him and many other Lords to Bainard's Castle to the Protector where they offered him to receive him for their lawfull King intreating him to accept of the burden But oft-times he refused to grant their request yet at last seeming to be overcome by their importunity he assented and thus by their perswasions he gained his own hearts desire Mart. Chron. CHAP. LXXV Examples of Envy ENvy dangerous Job 5. 2. Prov. 14. 13. 27. 4. Matth. 27. 18. Mar. 15. 10. Act. 7. 9. 13. 45. 17. 5. Rom. 1. 29. Phil. 4. 15. 1. Tim. 6. 4. Tit. 3. 3. Jam. 4. 5. Eccl. 4. 4. Jam. 3. 14 16. Forbidden Prov 3. 31. 23. 17. Esay 11. 13. and 26. 11. 1 Pet 2. 1. Rom. 13. 13. 1 Cor. 3. 3. Gal. 5. 26. 2 Cor. 12. 20. Gal. 5. 21. Psal. 37. 1. Prov. 24. 1 19. Threatned Ezek. 35. 11. Scriptural Examples Achitophel envied Hushai 2 Sam. 17. 23. the Israelites Moses Psal. 106. 16. the Philistims Isaac Gen. 26. 14. Rachel her sister Gen. 30. 1. Jacob's sons Joseph Gen. 37. 11. Josuah for Moses Num. 11. 29. the elder son the Prodigal Luk. 15. 28. the Priests Jesus Matth. 21. 15. Cain Abel Gen. 4. 5. the Jewes Paul Act. 13. 45. 17. 5. the Princes Daniel Chap. 6. 3 c. Saul David 1 Sam. 18. 7 8. the Apostles Luk. 9. 49. Sathan our first Parents Gen. 3. 1 c. Dathan and Abiram Moses Other Examples Themistocles did so envy Aristides for that favour which he found in Athens that when he had no other exceptions against him he suggested to the people that Aristides by his just and upright dealing engrossed all matters of Judicature into his own hands and thereby affected the sole power and overthrow of all their other Tribunals for which he caused him to be banished Plut. Their banishment was called Ostracisme and the manner was thus Every Citizen was to write his name in a shell whom he would have banished and if 6000 did not concur in their judgments there could be no Ostracisme Now when Aristides was to be banished a certain illiterate Citizen met him in the street and because he could not write himself desired him to set down Aristides his name in his shell Aristides wondring at it asked him whether he had ever suffered any wrong from Aristides or whether he knew him if he saw him No said the other I know him not neither did he ever wrong me but yet I envy him because her hath gotten the sirname of Just. Aristides wondring at it took the mans shell wrote down his own name and so delivered it never discovering himself to him Plut. After the great Battel of Platea betwixt the Persians and Grecians which was obtained by the valour and wisdome of Themistocles and Aristides all the Grecian Captains having sworn upon the Altar that according to their Consciences they would give their voices to him that best deserved it every one gave himself the first place for worthinesse and the second to Themistocles though it was full sore against their wills every one much envying his glory Plut. Alexander M. having given to Taxilis an Indian King a thousand Talents Meleager one of his friends told him that he was glad that he had found something in India which was worth a thousand Talents to whom Alexander answered Invidos homines nihil aliud quà m ipsorum esse tormenta that envious persons were a great torment to themselves Q. Cur. Cambyses King of Persia slew his brother Smerdis out of envy because he
a great pile of wood to be made in his Palace in which he shut up all his Concubines and Catamites together with all his gold silver and treasures and so setting it on fire he cast himself into it whereby they all perished together Diod. Sic. Candaules King of Lydia having a very beautiful woman to his wife would needs make one of his Nobles called Gyges a witnesse thereof and placing him behind the hangings in his Chamber he caused his wife to strip her self naked and to walk up and down the Chamber that so Gyges might the better see her compleat beauty but when the Queen came afterwards to hear of iâ— she caused Gyges to kill the King her husband and then married him saying That she was onely fit for him that had so seen her nakednesse Herod Megahysus General to Darius in Europe sent Ambassadours to Amyntas King of Macedon requiring him to send Darius earth and water in token of subjection Amyntas fearing the Persian power assented to it and made the Ambassadours a great supper these Persians being merry with wine required Amyntas to bring forth his wives and daughters for their further entertainment Amyntas consented brought them forth and placed them over against the Ambassadours who being almost drunken they began to kisse the Matrones and Virgins and immodestly to handle their breasts Alexander the son of Amyntas taking this in scorn desired his father to withdraw himself whilest he chastised the petulancy of the Persians and then calling forth the women as if it were for them to dresse themselves more curiously he caused divers youths to be dressed in their apparel who carrying daggers under their clothes when the drunken Ambassadours began to handle them immodestly with their daggers they slew them all Pez Mel. Hist. Claudius Tib. Caesar was so impudent that he caused naked maids and women to bring in and attend upon him at Supper Pez Mel. Hist. Examples of Rapes Solon made a Law amongst the Athenians that if any one ravished a free woman he should pay an hundred Drachmes and the Pander that procured it should pay 20 Drachmes As also that it should be lawful for any man to sell his daughter or sister if she committed whoredome before marriage Plut. Two young men of Sparta being sent to the Oracle of Apollo at Delphos in their journey lodged at the house of one Scedasus in Leuctra a good man and given much to hospitality this Scedasus had two daughters beautifull Virgins upon whom these young men cast wanton eyes and as they came back again they turned into the same house at which time Scedasus was from home and the maids gave them kind entertainment but they seeing their opportunity ravished them and when they saw them make grievous moan for the wrong which they had suffered they murthered them and threw them into a pit and so departed Not long after Scedasus came home and missing his daughters looked up and down for them at last a little Dog that he had came whining to him and ran out of doors inviting him to follow which at last he did and the dog brought him to the pit into which they were thrown whence he drew them out and hearing by his neighbours that those two men had been again at his house he concluded that they were the murtherers and therefore went to Lacedaemon to complain to the Magistrates of that barbarous cruelty where he made his moan first to the Ephori and being neglected by them then to the Kings and they also neglecting it he complained to the people and finding no redresse he with hands lift up to heaven complained to the gods and then stabbed himself but God left not this wickednesse long unpunished for shortly after in a great battel which the Lacedaemonians fought in Leuctra against the Thebans they were overthrown and abundance of them were slain Xenoph. When Alexander M. took the City of Thebes by storm one of his Captains ravished Timoclea a Lady of admirable beauty after which he asked her where she had hid her gold and jewels she told him she would shew him the place and so taking him into her Orchard she shewed him a deep pit which whilest he stooped to look into she pushed him into it and then overwhelmed him with stones for this she was accused and brought before Alexander who asked her who she was She with an undaunted courage answered I am the sister of Theagines who lost his life fighting valiantly against thee for the liberty of Greece at Cheronaea Alexander wondring at her beauty and boldnesse set her and all her children at liberty Diod. Sic. Alexander M. having conquered Persia and taken Persepolis the regal City made a great feast to his Captains at which many Curtizans were also present and amongst the rest Thais that famous Athenian strumpet who having bewitched Alexander with her beauty perswaded him to burn down the Queens Palace which was so stately a thing that the like was not in the world Parmenio much disswaded him from it telling him what a dishonor it would be to him by such a shamefull act to destroy that which he had gotten by his virtue and valour and how distastfull it would be to all the Asiaticks who would thereby judge that he came not to conquer and to possesse but to lay waste Asia but Alexander was so intoxicated with this harlot that to gratifie her he refused that good counsell and caused it to be burnt down Q. Cur. Aurelius a Roman Painter was so impudent that all his delight was to draw the pictures of whores and harlots in immodest postures Plin. Aristogiton an Athenian Orator was so impudent in his whoredomes that the Athenians called him Dog Volat. Octavianus Caesar banished his daughter Julia into a certain Island for that in an immodest manner she frequented feasts in the night time Dion She caught him and kissed him and with an impudent face said unto him Come let us take our fill of love untill the morning let us solace our selves with loves Prov. 7. 13 18. CHAP. LXXVIII Examples of Gods Judgments on the Jewes for crucifying Christ and their other wickednesse THe Jewes were banished Rome Act. 18 2. They persecuted Paul 2 Cor. 11. 24. Act. 21. 27. 23. 12. 25 2 7. 9. 23. They were desperately hardened 1 Cor. 1. 22 23. 1 Thess. 2. 15. Reject the Gospel of Christ Act. 13. 46. The Jewes which crucified the Lord of life and wished that his blood might be upon them and their children presently after through the just Judgment of God had blood to drink in full measure For besides their afflictions in divers Countries being tossed up and down by the Deputies of the Romans There were slain in Caesarea 20000 in one day At Alexandria 50000 another day At Zabulon and Joppa 8400 besides the burning of the Townes At Damascus 10000 had their throats cut In the siege of Hierusalem they were so famished that Oxens dung was accounted
Earth-quake wherewith the people were so affrighted that many of them forsook their houses and some houses were so shaken that the Chimnies fell down In January Anno Christi 1648. there was seen a great fiery meteor in the air near Bristow on the South-side of the City for divers nights together in form long with fiery streames shooting out East and West which was the week before the beheading of the late King eye-witnesse Also the day before he was beheaded a great Whale ran himself on shore three miles from Dover where he died He was 66 foot long A thing rarely seen in this Island November the 30th Anno Christi 1650. being St. Andrews day a little before or about Sun-rising the skie opened in a fearful manner in the Southwest over Standish a Town five miles from Gloucester and there appeared a terrible fearful fiery shaking sword with the hilt upwards towards the heavens the point downwards towards the earth the hilt seemed to be blue the Sword was of a great length shaking hither and thither and comming lower towards the earth There was a long flame of fire towards the point sparkling and flaming in a fearful manner to the great astonishment of the Spectators who were many At last the heaven closing the Sword vanished and the fire fell to the earth and ran upon the ground This I had from an eye-witnesse In June Anno Christi 1653. a black cloud was seen over the Town of Pool which a while after was dissolved into a showr of blood that fell warm upon mens hands some green leaves with those drops of blood upon them were sent up to London A little before the Civil broiles between the houses of York and Lancaster wherewith England for a long time was rent in pieces the River Ouse in Bedfordshire stood still and by reason that the waters gave back on both sides men might passe on foot in the very chanel for three miles together not without the astonishment of all that saw it who took it as a presage of the divisions ensuing Camb. Brit. p. 399. Not long before the contention between Galba Otho and Vitellius about the Roman Empire there appeared three Suns as it were pointing out that tripatite contention for the Imperial Diadem April the 7th Anno Christi 1233. there appeared here in England four Suns besides the natural Sun and presently afrer fell out the great contention between our King Henry the third and his Barons and the year after England was wasted with fire snd sword from Wales to Salisbury there ensued also a great drought and Pestilence Stow. Anno Christi 1460. three Suns appeared the very day before the three Earles viz. Edward Earl of March with the Earl of Pembrook and the Earl of Wiltshire fought that great battel in Wales at Mortimer's Crosse where the Earl of March put the other two to flight and slew many of their men Idem Anno Christi 1233. a little before the Warres brake forth between King Henry the third and his Barons there appeared in April in Hereford and VVorcestershire five Suns at once and a certain great circle of a Crystal colour of about two foot in breadth as it were compassing all England Matth. Paris CHAP. XCI Remuneration Retaliation Requital COmmanded sometime by God Gen 9. 6. Exod. 21. 23 c. Lev. 24. 19 c. Matth. 5. 38. Psal. 137. 8. Jer. 50. 15. Rev. 18. 6. Thus God threatens to the enemies of his Church Jer. 30. 16. 48. 26 27. 49. 2. Rev. 13. 10. Jer. 51. 49. Ezek. 35. 5 6. 39. 30. Hab. 2. 8. Joel 3. 6 7 8. 1 Thess. 1. 6. To those that sin in his Church Pit for pit Psal. 7. 15 16. Idolatry for Idolatry Jer. 5. 19. Spoil for spoil Isa. 33. 1. Prov 22. 23. Treachery for treachery Isa. 33. 1. Harlots hire for harlots hire Mich. 1. 7. Not to hear shall not be heard Prov. 1. 28. Zach. 7. 13. Altars for sin with Altars to sin Hos. 8. 11. they that judge shall be judged Matth. 7. 2. Scriptural Examples Pharaoh drowned others and was drowned himself Exod. 1. 22. with 14. 27. 30. Abimelech and the Sechemites Judg. 9. 24 56 57. Adonibezek Judg. 1. 7. Levites Concubine Judg. 19. 2 25. Ahab and Jesabel 1 King 21. 19. with 22. 34 38. 18. 13. 22. 23. 2 King 9. 33 36 37. Kings which were traytors and slew others were slain themselves 2 King 15. 10 14 23 25 30. Agag 1 Sam. 15. 33. Joab 1 King 2. 32. Daniel's enemies Dan. 6. 7 12 15 24. Other Examples Orodes King of Parthia who had overcome and slain Crassus the Roman Consul in his old age fell desperately sick for grief at the losse of his son Pacones slain by Venticius yet his younger son Phraates had not patience to expect his death but gave him poison to accelerate it But behold Gods providence the poison proving a strong purge wrought out not onely it self but the disease too so that Orodes recovered beyond expectation which Phraates seeing strangled him and to settle him the surer in his Kingdome obtained by Parricide he entred into league with the Romans sending back the Ensigns of Crassus and other Presents the Romans to requite him sent him great gifts and amongst the rest a beautiful Italian strumpet by whom he had a son which being grown up by the advice and help of his mother poisoned his father to get his Crown Tulit quae meruit et quae docuit Lipsius Mithridates King of Pontus to get the Crown slew his mother brother and her three sons and as many daughters but in his old age his own son Phanacus slow him for the same cause Lipsius Ptolemaeus one of Alexander's Successours expelling Antigonus seizeth upon Macedonia makes peace with Antiochus enters into league and affinity with Pyrrhus now all things were sure but onelyfor his sister Arsinoe and her sons who had been married to Lysimachus King of Macedonia therefore intending to entrap her he sent Ambassadours to her pretending love promising to marry her to make her partner with him in the Kingdom and her sons his heires protesting that he took up armes for no other end proffering to swear upon the holy Altars when and where she pleased that all this was in good faith The poor Lady deceived hereby sent some of her friends to take his oath before whom he went into the most ancient Temple and there touching the gods and the Altar swears That he sincerely purposed to marry her to make her his Queen and her children his heires otherwise he prayes for vengeance upon himself c. Upon this Arsinoe comes to him is married and crowned Queen of Macedonia then she delivers up to him Cassandrea a most strong City where her children and all her treasures were he having now his desire sends men that slew her children in their mothers lap and drave her into exile but God suffered not this wickednesse to go long unrevenged