with his sonne but also quite extinguished the Gothicke kingdome in Spaine in this warre and vpon this occasion seuen hundred thousand men perished as hystories record and so a kingdome came to ruine by the peruerse lust of one lecher Anno 714. At the sacking and destruction of Thebes by king Alexander a Thracian captaine which was in the Macedonian army tooke a noble Matron prisoner called Tymoclea whome when by no persuasion of promises he could entise to his lust he constrained by force to yeeld vnto it Plut. in vita Alexand. Sabel lib. 5. c. 6. but this noble minded woman inuented a most witty subtile shift both to rid her selfe out of his hands and to reuenge his iniurie she told him that she knew where a rich treasure lay hid in a deepe pit whether when with greedinesse of the gold he hastened standing vpon the brinke pried and peared into the bottome of it she thrust him with both her hands into the hole and tumbled stones after him that he might neuer find meanes to come forth for which fact she was brought before Alexander to haue iustice who demanding her what she was she answered that Theagenes who led the Thebane army against the Macedonians was her brother Alexander perceiuing the maruellous constancie of the woman and knowing the cause of her accusation to bee vniust manumitted and set her free with her whole family When Cn. Manlius hauing conquered the Gallo-Grecians pitched his army against the Tectosages people of Narbonia towards the Piren mountains amongst other prisoners a very fair womā wife to Orgiagous Regulus was in the custodie of a Centurion that was both lustfull and couetous Liuiu◠lib. 38. This lecher tempted her first with faire persuasions and seeing her vnwilling compelled her with violence to yeeld her body as a slaue to fortune so to infamy and dishonor after which act somewhat to mitigate the wrong he gaue her promise of release and freedome vpon condition of a certaine summe of money and to that purpose sent her seruant that was captiue with her to her friends to puruey the same which hee bringing the Centurion alone with the wronged lady met him at a place appointed and whilest hee weighed the money by her counsaile was murdered of her seruants so she escaping caried to her husband both his money and threw at his feet the villaines head that had spoiled her of her chastitie Andreas king of Hungary hauing vndertaken the voiage into Siria for the recouety of the holy land together with many other kings and Princes committed the charge of his kingdome and family to one Bannebanius Chronica Hungariae a wise and faithfull man who discharged his office as faithfully as hee tooke it willingly vpon him now the Queene had a brother called Gertrude that came to visite and comfort his sister in her husbands absence and by that meanes soiourned with her a long time euen so long till hee fell deadly in loue with Bannebanus lady a faire vertuous woman one that was thought worthie to keepe company with the Queene continually to whome when hee had vnfolded his suit and receiued such stedfast repulse that hee was without all hope of obtaining his desire he began to droupe and pine vntill the Queene his sister perceiuing his disease found this peruerse remedie for the cure thereof shee would often giue him oportunitie of discourse by withdrawing her selfe from them being alone and many times leaue them in secret and dangerous places of purpose that he might haue his will of her but she would neuer consent vnto his lust and therefore at last when hee saw no remedie hee constrained her by force and made her subiect to his will against her will which vile disgracefull indignitie when shee had suffered shee returned home sad and melancholy and when her husband would haue embraced her she fled from him asking him if he would embrace a whore and related vnto him her whole abuse desiring him either to rid her from shame by death or to reuenge her wrong make knowne vnto the world the iniury done vnto her There needed no more spurs to pricke him forward for reuenge he posteth to the court and vpbraiding the Queene with her vngratefull and abhominable trecherie runneth her through with his sword and taking her heart in his hand proclaimeth openly that it was not a deed of inconsideration but of iudgement in recompence of the losse of his wiues chastitie foorthwith hee flieth towards the King his Lord that now was at Constantinople and declaring to him his fact and shewing to him his sword besmeared with his wiues blood submitteth himselfe to his sentence either of death in rigour or pardon in compassion but the good King enquiring the truth of the cause though greeued with the death of his wife yet acquite him of the crime and held him in as much honour and esteeme as euer hee did condemning also his wife as worthy of that which shee had endured for her vnwomanlike and traiterous part A notable example of iustice in him and of punishment in her that forgetting the law of womanhood and modestie made her selfe a baud vnto her brothers lust whose memory as it shall be odious and execrable so his iustice deserueth to be engrauen in marble with caracters of gold Equall to this king in punishing a Rape was Otho the first Albert. Krant lib. 3. for as he passed through Italy with an armie a certaine woman cast her selfe downe at his feet for iustice against a villaine that had spoiled her of her chastitie who deferring the execution of the law till his returne because his hast was great the woman asked who should then put him in mind thereof hee answered This church which thou seest shall be a witnesse betwixt mee and thee that I will then reuenge thy wrong Now when hee had made an end of his warfare in his returne as hee beheld the church hee called to mind the woman and caused her to be fetcht who falling down before him desired now pardon for him whom before she had accused seeing he had now taken her to wife redeemed his iniury with sufficient satisfaction Not so I sweare quoth Otho your compacting shall not infringe or collude the sacred ◠but hee shall die for his former fault and so he caused hi◠be put to death A notable example for them that after they haue committed filthinesse with a maid thinke it no sin but competent amends if they take her in marriage whom they abused before in fornication Nothing inferiour to these in punishing this sin was Gonzaga duke of Ferrara as by this historie following may appear in the yeare 1547 a citizen of Comun Theat histor was cast into prison vpon an accusation of murder whome to deliuer frō the iudgement of death his wife wrought all means possible therefore comming to the captaine that held him prisoner she sued to him for her husbands life
and being demanded what he ailed he halfe asleep answered That his friend Ausanius and his wife whome hee had slaine long agoe summoned him to Iudgement before God vpon which confession he was apprehended and after due examination stoned to death Thus though all witnesses faile yet a murderers owne conscience will bewray him Pipin and Martellus his sonne kings of France enuying prosperity and ease Casp hed lib. 6. cap. 17. fell into diuers monstrous sinnes as to forsake their wiues and follow whores which filthinesse when the Bishop of Tungria reprooued Dodo the harlots brother murdered him for his labour but he was presently taken with the vengeance of God euen a lousie and most filthie disease with the griefe and stinke whereof being mooued he threw himselfe into the riuer Mosa and there was drowned How manifest and euident was the vengeance of God vpon the murderers of Theodoricke hishop of Treuerse Martian Scotus Conrade the author of it died suddenly the souldier that helped to throw him downe from the rocke Hermanus contractus was choaked as he was at supper two other seruants that laid too their hands to this murder slew themselues most desperately About the yeere of our Lord 700 Geilian the wife of Gosbert prince of Wurtiburg Casp Hed. lib. 6. cap. 10. being reprooued by Kilianus for incest for she married her husbands brother wrought such meanes that both hee and his brethren were depriued of their liues but the Lord gaue her vp to Satan in vengeance so that she was presently possessed with him and so continued till her dying day A certaine woman of Millaine in Italy hung a young boy and after deuoured him instead of meat when as she wanted none other victuals and when shee was examined about the crime shee confessed that a spirit persuaded her to doe it telling her that after it she should attaine vnto whatsoeuer she desired for which murder shee was tormented to death by a lingring and grieuous punishment This Arlunus reporteth to haue happened in his time And surely howsoeuer openly the deuill sheweth not himselfe yet hee is the moouer and persuader of all murders and commonly the detector For hee delighteth in mens bloods and their destruction as in nothing more At Winsheime in Germanie a certaine theefe after many â—obberies murders committed by him vpon trauailers and women with child went to the shambles before Easter and bought three calues heads which when he put into a wallet they seemed to the standers by to be mens heads Theat histor Though strange yet not incredible since God can as well turne calues heads into mens as a rod into a serpent or water into blood Whereof being attached searched by the officers and found so indeed hee being examined how hee came by them answered and proued by witnesses that he bought calues heads how they were transformed hee knew not Whereat the Senat amazed not supposing this miracle to arise of naught cast the partie into prison and tortured him to confesse the villany whereof the Lord would haue him detected as hee did indeed and was worthely punished for the same and then the heads recouered their old shapes Another theefe at Tubing betraied his murder robbery by his own sighes 8. Mandat lib. 2 cap. 35. which were so incessant in griefe not of his fact but of his small bootie that being but asked the question he confessed the crime and vnderwent worthy punishment Another murderer in Spaine was discouered by the trembling of his heart for when many were suspected of the murder and all renounced it the iudge caused all their breasts to bee opened and him in whom he saw most trembling of breast hee condemned who also could not deny the fact but presently confessed the same At Isenacum a certaine young man being in loue with a maid not hauing wherewith to maintain her vsed this vnlawfull means he vpon a night slew his host 8. Mandat lib. 2. cap. 35. throwing his body into the seller tooke away all his money and then hasted away but the terror of his owne conscience and the iudgement of God so besotted him that he could not stirre a foot vntill he was appreheÌ„ded At the same time Martin Luther Philip Melancton abode at Isenacum were eie witnesses of this miraculous iudgement who also dealt with the murderer that in most humble and penitent confession of his sins comfort of soule he ended his life By all these exaÌ„ples we see how hard it is for a murderer to escape without his reward Nay rather then he shal go vnpunished sencelesse creatures and his owne soule riseth to giue sentence against him In the yeare of our Lord 1546 Iohn Diazius a Spaniard by birth liuing a student and professor in Paris came first to Geneua and then to Strasbrough and there by the grace of Gods spirit saw his Sorbonicall errors and renounced them betaking himselfe to the profession of the purer religion and the company and acquaintance of godly men amongst whome was Bucer that excellent man who sent him also to Nurnburge to ouersee the printing of a booke which he was to publish Sleid. lib. 17. Whilst Diazius liued at this Nurnburge a citie scituate vpon the riuer Dimow his brother a lawier and iudge lateriall to the inquisition by name Alphonsus came thither and by all meanes possible endeuoured to dissuade him from his religon and to reduce him againe to Poperie But the good man persisted in the truth notwithstanding all his persuasions and threats wherfore the subtile foxe tooke another course and faining himselfe to bee conuerted also to his religion exhorted him to goe with him into Italy where he might doe much good or at the least to August but by the counsaile of Bucer and his friends hee was kept backe otherwise willing to follow his brother Wherefore Alphonsus departed exhorteth him to constancy perseuerance giuing him also foureteeene crownes to defray his charges Now the Wolfe had not ben three daies absent when he hired a rakehell and common butcher and with him flew again to Nurnburge in post hast and comming to his brothers lodging deliuered him a letter which whilest he read the villain his confederate cleft his head in peeces with an axe leauing him dead vpon the floore and so fled with all expedition Howeit they were apprehended yet quit by the Popes iustice so holy and sacred are the fruits of his holinesse though not by the iustice of God for within a while after hee hung himselfe vpon his mules necke at Trent Duke Abrogastes slew Valentinian the Emperour of the West and aduanced Eugenius to the crowne of the Empire but a while after the same sword which had slaine his Lord and maister was by his owne hands turned into his own bowels Mempricius the sonne of Madan the fourth king of England then called Britaine after Brute Lanquet chron had a brother called Manlius
seruants and besieged in the citie Abell his head was cut off by the citizens and throwen ouer the wall as a iust reward for his rebellious act But let vs passe ouer these sacred histories come to prophane yet probable and more neare examples When Camillus besieged the Phalischi Liu. lib. 5. a people in Hitruria neare to mount Floscon a schoolmaster of the citie who had the rule ouer the chiefe mens sonnes both touching instruction and gouernance led them out of the city gates one day in shew to walke but indeed to betray them into Camillus hands which vnfaithfull dealing Camillus did not only mislike but detest refuse thinking it an vnhonest part by such sinister meanes to bring euen his enemies in subiection And therefore reprouing the trustlesse schoolmaster binding his hands behind his backe he gaue euery one of his schollers a rod with commandement to whip him backe vnto their parents whom he had pretended so to deceiue A most noble act in Camillus would we could find the like amongst Christians a most deserued punishment of the schoolemaster would no traitor might be serued better Neither might that worthy Roman repent his deed for the Phalischi in admiration and loue of this notable iustice freely yeelded themselues and their citie to him which otherwise in long time and without great effusion of blood he could not haue atchieued Did Tarpeia the daughter of Sp. Tarpeius speed any better when shee betraied the tower whereof her father was the ouerseer to Tatius king of the Sabines Liu. lib. 1. who at that season besieged Rome vpon condition of a summe of gold or as other writers say of all that the souldiers wore on theit left hands No verily for the Sabines assoone as they had attained their purpose ouerwhelmed her with their left hand gifts to wit their shields and not their rings and bracelets which shee hoped to the end to leaue an example to the posterity how no promise nor oth ought to be of force to traitours to keepe them from punishment Neither did those noble young men of Rome Tit. Liu. amongst whome were the consull Brutus sonnes come to any better issue when they conspired to receiue king Tarquinius into the city by night who by the vertue and valour of their father was worthily expulsed for their secret and wicked counsell being bewraied to the Consuls Iunius and Pub. Valerius by Vindicio a bondslaue they were apprehended hauing letters about them written to Tarquinius to the same effect and being condemned were first shamefully scourged with roddes and after executed to death Thucyd. lib. 1. Pausanius king of Sparta hauing conspited with the Persians against his owne countrey and as it were offered violence to his owne bowels fled into the sanctuarie of Pallas for reliefe Aelian lib. 9. when hee saw the Ephori to go about to call him in question for his treason Now whereas it was religion to take him from thence by violence they agreed to shut him vp there continually and so to pine him to death Which when his mother vnderstood shee was the first person that brought a stone to stoppe vp the dores to hinder him from getting forth and therein shewed a notable example of godly cruelty to her child and cruell pietie to her countrey approouing that saying of Aristippus who beeing demaunded why hee neglected his sonne being borne of his body answered Doe wee not cast from vs lice and flegme which are also bredde of our bodies insinuating that they which haue nothing to commend them to their parents but generation are not to be esteemed as children much lesse they that degenerate When Brennus captaine of the Gaules brother to Belinus and sonne to Molnutius king of Britaine besieged Ephesus a deuilish woman enticed with the iewels which Brennus wore about him betraied the citie into his hands But Brennus detesting this abominable couetousnesse when hee entred the city so loaded her with gold that he couered and oppressed her therewith In like manner Heradamon deliuered vp to the Emperor Aurelian his owne natiue citie Tiana in hope to saue his owne life by betraying his countrey But it fell out quite contrary to his expectation for though Caesar had sworne not to leaue a dogge aliue within the wals because they shut their gates against him and also his souldiers were instant and vrgent vpon his promise Eras in Apoph lib. 6. yet he spared the city and destroied the traitour and quit himselfe of his promise by hanging vp euery dogge in the citie contrary to his owne intent and his armies expectation yet agreeable to his words most correspondent to equitie and true fortitude In the yeere of our Lord 1270 the bishop of Colonea practising to spoile the citie of her priuiledges and reduce it vnder his owne iurisdiction Hermanus Grinu consull and chiefe magistrate withstood his power and authoritie with all his force so that hee could not bring his purpose about Wherefore two Canons belonging to the Bishop sought to vndermine this their enemy by pollicie and to take him out of the way for which end they inuited him in very kind manner to dinner but when he was come they brought him into a yong lyons denne which they kept in honour of the bishop and vnawares shut the dores vpon him bidding him shift for himselfe thinking that it was impossible for him to scape out aliue But the Consull perceiuing in what great danger hee was wrapped his cloake about his left arme and thrusting it into the mouth of the hungry lyon killed him with his right hand and so by the wonderfull prouidence of God escaped without hurt But the two traiterous Canons he caught right soone and hung them at their cathedrall Church gate to their owne confusion and terror of all traitors It was a noble saying and worthy the marking of Augustus Caesar to Rhaemitalches king of Thracia who hauing forsaken Anthony to take part with Augustus boasted very insolently of his deserts towards him then Caesar dissembling his folly dranke to another king and said I loue treason but I can not commend nor trust a traitour The same also in effect Philip of Macedony and Iulius Caesar were wont to say That they loued a traitour at the first but when he had finished his treason they hated him more then any other signifying that traitours deserued no retribution of thankes seeing their office was accepted for a time yet they themselues could neuer be counted lesse than naughty and disloiall persons for no honest man euer betraied his countrey or his friend and what greater punishment can there be than this But for manifest proofe hereof let this one example serue in stead of many namely of Theodoricke king of Francia and Irminfride king of Thuringia Albert. Crantz who being profest foes and hauing fought many cruell battailes at length the latter was conquered of the former by the luckie assistance of the Saxons This Irminfride
slew the sonne and heire of the Emperour Emanuel shutting him in a sacke and so throwing him into the sea after which by violence he tooke possession of the Empire of Constantinople and like a strong theefe seazed vpon that which was none of his owne but assoone as hee had gotten his desire then began his lusts to rage and raue then hee fell to whoring and forcing women and maids to his lust whome after hee had once robbed of their chastities hee gaue ouer to his bauds and ruffians to abuse and that which is more than all this he rauished one of his owne sisters and committed incest with her moreouer to maintaine and vphold his tyranous estate hee slew most of the nobilitie and all else that bore any shew of honestie or credit with them and liued altogither by wrongs and extortions Wherefore his subiects prouoked with these multitudes of euils which raigned in him and not able to endure any longer his vile outrages and indignities rebelled against him and besieged him got him into their mercilesse hands and handled him on this fashion following first they degraded him and spoiled him of his imperiall ornaments then they pulled out one of his eyes and set him vpon an asse backeward with the taile in his hand in steed of a scepter and a rope about his necke instead of a crowne and in this order and attire they led him through all Constantinople the people shouting and reuiling him on all sides some throwing durt others spittle diuers dung and the women their pispots at his head after all which banketting dishes he was transported to the gallowes and there hanged to make an end of all Charles king of Nauarre Froyss vol. 3. chap. 100. whose mother Ieane was daughter to Lewes Lutton king of France was another that oppressed his subiects with cruelty and rough dealing for hee imposed vpon them grieuous taxes and tributes and when many of the chiefest of his common wealth came to make knowne vnto him the pouertie of his people and that they were not able to endure any more such heauy burdens he caused them all to be put to death for their boldnesse he was the kindler of many great mischiefes in France and of the fire wherewith diuers places of strength and castles of defence were burned to ashes he counselled the Countie of Foix his sonne to poison his father and not only so but gaue him also the poison with his owne hands wherewith to doe the deed Nich. Gilles Moreouer aboue all this leacherie and adultery swaied his powers euen in his old age for at threescore yeeres of age hee had a whore in a corner whose company he daily haunted and so much that she at length gaue him his deaths wound for returning from her company one day as his vse was entring into his chamber hee went to bed all quaking and halfe frosen with cold neither could hee by any meanes recouer his heat vntill by art they sought to supply nature and blew vpon him with brasen bellows aquauitae and hote blasts of aire but withall the fire vnregarded flew betwixt the sheets and inflamed the dry linnē togither with the aquauitae so suddenly that ere any helpe could be made his late quiuering bones were now halfe burned to death It is true that hee liued fifteene daies after this but in so great griefe and torment without sense of any helpe or asswagement by phisicke or surgerie that at the end thereof hee died miserably and so as during his life his affection euer burnt in lust and his mind was alwaies hot vpon mischiefe and couetousnes so his daies were finished with heat and cruell burning Lugtake king of Scots succeeding his father Galdus in the kingdome was so odious and mischieuous a tyrant that eueryman hated him no lesse for his vices Lanques than they loued his father for his vertues hee slew many rich and noble men for no other cause but to inrich his treasury with their goods he committed the gouernment of the realme to most vniust and couetous persons and with their company was most delighted hee shamed not to defloure his owne aunts sisters daughters and to scorne his wise and graue counsellours calling them old doting fooles all which monstrous villanies with a thousand more so incensed his nobles against him that they slew him after he had raigned three yeeres but as the Prouerb goeth seldome commeth a better another or worse tyrant succeeded in his kingdome namely Mogallus cousen germane to Lugtake a man notoriously infected with all manner of vices for albeit in the beginning of his raigne he gaue himselfe to follow the wisdome and manners of his vncle Galdus yet in his age his corrupt nature burst forth abundantly but chiefly in auarice lechery and cruelty this was hee that licensed theeues and robbers to take the goods of their neighbours without punishment and that first ordained the goods of condemned persons to be confiscate to the kings vse without respect either of wiues children or creditours for which crimes he was also slaine by his nobles Besides these there was another king of the Scots called Atherco in the yeere of our Lord 240 who shewed himselfe also in like manner a most vile and abominable wretch The same for hee so wallowed in all manner of vncleane and effeminate lusts that hee was not ashamed to go in the sight of the people playing vpon a flute reioycing more to be accounted a good fidlar than a good prince from which vices hee fell at last to the deflouring and rauishing of maids and women in so much as the daughters of his nobles could not bee safe from his insatiable and intollerable lust Wherefore beeing pursued by them when he saw no meanes to escape he desperately slew himselfe The great outrages which the Spaniards haue committed in the West Indies are apparant testimonies of their impiety iniustice crueltie insatiable couetousnesse and luxurie and the iudgements wherewith God hath hunted them vp and downe both by sea and land as late and fresh histories doe testifie are manifest witnesses of his heauy anger and displeasure against them amongst all which I will here insert none but that which is most notorious and worthy memory as the wretched accident of Pamphilus Nauares and his companie This man with sixe hundred Spaniards making for the coast of Florida to seeke the gold of the riuer of Palme trees Benzoni Mil. were so turmoiled with vehement winds and tempests that they could not keepe their vessels from dashing against the shore so that their ships did all split in sunder and they for the most part were drowned saue a few that escaped to land yet escaped not daunger for they ranne rouing vp and downe this sauage countrey so long till they fell into such extreame pouerty and famine that for want of vittails twelue of them deuoured one another of the whole sixe hundred that went forth there neuer yet
Caracalla tooke to wife his mother in law allured thereunto by her faire enticements whose wretched and miserable end hath already beene touched in the tenth Chapter of this booke The Emperour Heraclius after the decease of his first wife married his owne neece the daughter of his brother which turned mightily to his vndoing for besides that that vnder his raigne and as it were by his occasion the Saracens entred the borders of Christendome and spoiled and destroied his dominions vnder his nose to his soule and vtter disgrace hee was ouer and aboue smitten corporally with so grieuous and irkesome a disease of dropsie that hee died thereof Thus many men run riot by assuming to themselues too much libertie and breake the bounds of ciuill honesty required in all contracts and too audaciously set themselues against the commaundement of God which ought to be of such authority with all men that none be they neuer so great should dare to derogate one iot from them vnlesse they meant wholly to oppose themselues as profest enemies to God himselfe and to turne all the good order of things into confusion All which notwithstanding some of the Romish Popes haue presumed to encroch vpon Gods right and to disanull by their foolish decrees the lawes of the almightie Sleid. lib. 9. As Alexander the sixt did who by his bull approoued the incestuous marriage of Ferdinand king of Naples with his owne Aunt his father Alphonsus sister by the fathers side which otherwise saith Cardinall Bembus had beene against all law and equitie and in no case to be tollerated and borne withall Henry the seuenth king of England after the death of his eldest sonne Arthur caused by the speciall dispensation of Pope Iulius his next sonne named Henry to take to wife his brothers widdow called Katherine daughter to Ferdinando king of Spaine for the desire hee had to haue this Spanish affinitie continued who succeeding his father in the crowne after continuance of time began to aduise himselfe and to consult whether this marriage with his brothers wife might be lawfull or no and found it by conference both of holy and prophane lawes vtterly vnlawfull whereupon hee sent certain bishops to the Queene to giue her to know That the Popes dispensation was altogither vniust and of none effect to priuiledge such an act to whome shee answered that it was too late to call in question the Popes bull which so long time they had allowed of The two Cardinals that were in Commission from the Pope to decide the controuersie and to award iudgement vpon the matter were once vpon point to conclude the decree which the king desired had not the Pope impeached their determination in regard of the Emperour Charles nephew to the said Queene whome hee was loth to displease wherefore the king seeing himselfe frustrate of his purpose in this behalfe sent into diuers countries to know the iudgement of all the learned Diuines concerning the matter in controuersie who especially those that dwelt not farre off seemed to allow and approoue the diuorce thereupon hee resolued reiecting his old wife to take him to a new and to marry as he did Anne of Bullaine one of the Queenes maids of honour a woman of most rare and excellent beauty Now as touching his first marriage with his brothers wife how vnfortunate it was in it owne nature and how vniustly dispensed withall by the Pope we shall anon see by those heauie sorrowfull and troublesome euents and issues which immediatly followed in the necke thereof And first and foremost of the euill fare of the Cardinall of Yorke with whome the king beeing highly displeased for that at his instance and request the Pope had opposed himselfe to this marriage requited him and not vndeseruedly on this manner First he deposed him from the office of the Chancellourship secondly depriued him of two of his three bishopricks which he held lastly sent him packing to his owne house as one whom hee neuer purposed more to see Yet afterward being aduertised of certaine insolent and threatning speeches which hee vsed against him hee sent againe for him but he not daring to refuse to come at his call died in the way with meere griefe and despight The Pope gaue his definitiue sentence against this act and fauoured the cause of the diuorced ladie But what gained hee by it saue onely that the king offended with him reiected him and all his trumperie retaining his yearely tribute leuied out of this realme and conuerted it to another vse and this was the recompence of his goodly dispensation with an incestuous mariage wherein although to speake truly and properly he lost nothing of his owne yet it was a deepe checke and no shallow losse to him and his successors to be depriued of so goodly a reuenue and so great authoritie in this realme as hee then was CHAP. XXV Of Adulterie SEeing that marriage is so holy an institution and ordinance of God as it hath been shewed to be it followeth by good right that the corruption thereof namely Adulterie whereby the bond of marriage is desolued should bee forbidden for the woman that is polluted therewith despiseth her owne husband yea and for the most part hateth him and foisteth in strange seed euen his enemies brats in stead of his owne not onely to bee fathered but also to bee brought vp and maintained by him and in time to bee made inheritours of his possessions which thing being once known must needs stirre vp coles to set anger on fire and set a broch much mischiefe and albeit that the poore infants are innocent and guiltlesse of the crime yet doth the punishment and ignominy thereof redound to them because they can not be reputed as legitimate but are euer marked with the blacke cole of bastardy whilst they liue so grieuous is the guilt of this sinne and vneasie to be remooued For this cause the very heathen not onely reprooued adultery euermore but also by authority of law prohibited it and allotted to death the offenders therein Abimelech king of the Philistims a man without circumcision and therefore without the couenant Gen. 26. knowing by the light of nature for he knew not the law of God how sacred and inuiolable the knot of marriage ought to bee expressely forbad all his people from doing any iniury to Isaac in regard of his wife and from touching her dishonestly vpon paine of death Out of the same fountaine sprang the words of Queen Hecuba in Euripides speaking to Menelaus as touching Helen when she admonished him to enact this law That euery woman which should betray her husbands credit and her owne chastitie to another man should die the death In old time the Aegyptians vsed to punish adultery on this sort the man with a thousand ierkes with a reed Diodor. and the woman with cutting off her nose but hee that forced a free woman to his lust had his priuie members cut off By the law of
Iulia adulterers were without difference adiudged to death insomuch that Iulius Antonius a man of great parentage and reputation among the Romanes Lib. 4. Annal. whose sonne was nephew to Augustus sister as Cornelius Tacitus reporteth was for this crime executed to death Aurelianus the Emperour did so hate and detest this vice that to the end to scare and terrifie his souldiers from the like offence he punished a soldier which had committed adultery with his hostesse in most seuere manner euen by causing him to be tied by both his feet to two trees bent downe to the earth with force which being let goe returning to their course rent him cruelly in pieces the one halfe of his body hanging on the one tree and the other on the other Yea and at this day amongst the very Turkes and Tartarians this sinne is sharply punished So that we ought not wonder that the Lord should ordaine death for the adulterer If a man saith the law lie with another mans wife â—euit 20.10 if I say he commit adultery with his neighbours wife the adulterer and the adulteresse shall die the death Deut. 22.22 And in another place If a man be found lying with a woman married to a man they shall die both twaine to wit the man that lay with the wife and the wife that thou maist put away euill from Israel Yea and before Moses time also it was a custome to burne the adulterers with fire Genes 38. as it appeareth by the sentence of Iuda one of the twelue Patriarchs vpon Thamar his daughter in law because he supposed her to haue plaied the whore Beside all this to the end this sinne might not be shuffled vp and kept close there was a meanes giuen whereby if a man did but suspect his wife for this sin though shee could by no witnes or proofe be conuinced her wickednesse notwithstanding most strangely and extraordinarily might be discouered Numb 5. And it was this The woman publikely at her husbands sute called in question before the priest who was to giue iudgement of her after diuers ceremonies and circumstances perfourmed and bitter curses pronounced by him her belly would burst and her thigh would rot if shee were guilty and she should be a curse amongst the people for her sinne but if she was free no euill would come vnto her Thus it pleased God to make knowne that the filthinesse of those that are polluted with this sinne should not lie hid This may more clearely appeare by the example of the Leuites wife of whome it is spoken in the 19 20 and 21 chapters of Iudges who hauing forsaken her husband to play the whore certaine moneths after hee had againe receiued her to be his wife she was giuen ouer against her will to the villanous and monstrous lusts of the most wicked and peruerse Gibeonites Rape li. 2. c. 19. that so abused her for the space of a whole night togither that in the morning shee was found dead vpon the threshold which thing turned to a great destruction and ouerthrow in Israel for the Leuit when hee arose and found his wife newly dead at the dore of his lodging hee cut and dismembred her body into twelue pieces and sent them into all the countries of Israel to euery tribe one to giue them to vnderstand how vile and monstrous an iniurie was done vnto him whereupon the whole nation assembling and consulting togither when they saw how the Beniamites in whose tribe this monstrous villanie was committed make no reckening of seeing punishment executed vpon those execrable wretches they tooke armes against them and made warre vpon them wherein though at the first conflict they lost to the number of forty thousand men yet afterward they discomfited and ouerthrew the Beniamites and slew of them 25000 rasing and burning downe the city Gabea where the sinne was committed with all the rest of the cities of that tribe in such sort that there remained aliue but sixe hundred persons that saued their liues by flying into the desart and there hid themselues foure moneths vntill such time as the Israelites taking pitty of them least they should vtterly be brought to nought gaue them to wife to the end to repeople them againe foure hundred virgins of the inhabitants of Iabes Gilead reserued out of that slaughter of those people wherein man woman and child were put to the sword for not comming forth to take part with their brethren in that late warre And forasmuch as yet there remained two hundred of them vnprouided for the Ancient of Israel gaue them libertie to take by force two hundred of the daughters of their people which could not be but great iniury and vexation vnto their parents to be thus robbed of their daughters and to see them married at all aduentures without their consent or liking These were the mischiefes which issued and sprang from that vile and abominable adultery of the wicked Gabaonites with the Leuits wife One sin punished with another whose first voluntary sinne was in like manner also most iustly punished by this second rape and this is no new practise of our most iust God to punish one sinne by another and sinners in the same kind wherein they haue offended When king Dauid after hee had ouercome the most part of his enemies 2. Sam. 11. and made them tributaries vnto him and enioyed some rest in his kingdome whilst his men of war pursuing their victory destroied the Ammonites and were in besieging Rabba their chiefe citie hee was so inflamed with the beauty of Bathshabe Vriahs wife that hee caused her to be conueied to him to lie with her to which sinne hee combined another more grieuous to wit when he saw her with child by him to the end to couer his adultery he caused her husband to be slaine at the siege by putting him in the vantgard of the battaile at the assault and then thinking himselfe cocksure married Bathshabe But all this while as it was but vaine allurements no solid ioy that fed his mind and his sleep was but of sinne not of safety wherein he slumbered so the Lord awakened him right soone by afflictions and crosses to make him feele the burden of the sinne which hee had committed 2. Sam. 12. first therefore the child the fruit of this adultery was stricken with sicknesse and died next his daughter Thamar Absoloms sister was rauished by Ammon one of his owne sonnes 2. Sam. 13. 2. Sam. 15. thirdly Ammon for his incest was slaine by Absolom and fourthly Absolom ambitiously aspiring after the kingdome and conspiring against him raised warre vpon him and defiled his concubines and came to a wofull destruction All which things being grieuous crosses to king Dauid were inflicted by the iust hand of God to chastise and correct him for his good not to destroy him in his wickednesse neither did it want the effect in him for he was so farre from swelling