Christs Victory over Satans Tyranny, Book 12 · Part 50
Examples of what inconueniences commeth by Popish desperate Doctrine.
IN the Uniuersity of Louane was one Guarlacus, after hee had stoutly main… ned the corrupt errors of Popish doctrine, when he was sicke he cryed out how wickedly he had liued, and that he was not able to abide the iugdment of God, and casting forth words of miserable dispaire, he said; his sins were greater then hee could be forgiuen.
Likewise Arnoldus Bomelius, a Student of Louan hee: framed himselfe after the rule of the vnsauory Doctrine of Papists, to stand in feare and doubt of Iustification, and to worke saluation by merits, he began more and more to grow into doubtfull dispaire: at length, being ouercome with dispaire, not hauing in that Popish Doctrine wherewith to raise vp his soule, he going a walking with three other Students; he singled himselfe from them and stabbed himselfe, they séeing him shrinke, ranne vntounto him, and found that he had stabbed himselfe with his dagger, then they tooke him and brought him into a house, and he espying one of his …riends very busie about him, hauing a knife hanging at his girdle, he got out the knife and stabbed himselfe to the hart.
Iacobus Latomus, a principall Captaine of the Uniuersity of Louan, after hee had béene at Bruxels, thinking to doe a great act against Luther and his fellowes▪ hee made such a foolish Oration before the Emperour, that hee was laughed to …corne. After in a publike Lecture at Louan, hee vttered such words of desperation, and blasphemous impiety, that the Diuines were faine to carry him away as he was rauing, and shut him into a Chamber: from that time vntounto his death, he had nothing in his month but that he was damned, and that there was no hope of saluation for him, because he had wittingly against his knowledge withstood the truth. Ex Epist. Senarclaei.
A Dominick Fryer of Munster, as he was inueighing in the Pulpet against the Doctrine of the Gospell, was stricken with a suddaine flash of lightning and so died. Ex Pantal.
Manlius in his B…ke De dictis Philip Melancton, reporteth that a Taylors ser…ant in Lipsia, first receiued the Sacrament in both kinds wlth the Gospellers, and after by the Papists perswasions, hee receiued it with them in one kinde, and afterward being admonished by his Maister to goe againe vntounto the Communion of the Gospellers, he stood a great while and made no answere, and at last crying out vppon a suddaine, hee cast himselfe out of a Window and brake his n…cke.
The same Manlius maketh mention of a Gentleman of authority, who hearing these words in Psalme 46. Our only hold and fortresse is our God: he said; I will help to shoote against thy stay or fortresse, or else I will not liue: and within thrée daies he died without repentance.
Sadole…us the learned Cardinall, died with great torments of conscience and desperation.
The Commendator of S. Anthony, who sat as spirituall Iudge ouer that godly learned man Wolsgangus, burned in Lotheringe in Germany, fel suddenly dead shortly after he had condemed him.
And the Abbot Clariocus his fellow, at a cracke of Gunnes saddenly fell downe and died.
Dauid Beaton▪ Archbishop of S. Andrewes in Scotland, shortly after the burning of M George Wisard, he was wretchedly slaine in hi… owne Castle, as you may sée in the discourse of this Story.
Crescentius the Popes Legate, and Uicegerent in the Councell of Trent; he was sitting from morning vntill night writing Letters vntounto the Pope: at his rising there appeared vntounto him a mighty blacke Dog, his eyes flaming li…e fire, and his eares hanging almost downe to the ground: the Cardinall being amazed, called his Seruants to bring in a Candle and seeke for the Dog, and when the Dog could not be found, the Cardinall was strucken with a conc…it, and fell into such a sicknesse, as all his Phisitians could not cure, and so he dyed. By Iohannes Sleida…s in his twelfth Booke, he saith, his purpose was to recouer againe the whole authority and doctrine of the Romish Sea, and to set it vp for euer. The Councell of Trident was dissolued by the death of this Cardinall.
Two adulterous Bishops belonging vntounto the said Councell of Trident, one haunting vntounto an honest mans Wife, was slaine with a Boare-speare: the other Bishop, whose haunt was to créepe through a window, was hanged in a Ginne laid for him of purpose, and so couayed, that in the morning he was séene openly in the stréete hanging out of the window, to the wonderm…nt of all that passed by. Ex protestatione conceonatorum Germa.
Iohn Eckius, the most vehement impugner of Martine Luther; as his life was full of all vngodlinesse, vncleannes and blasphemy, so was his end miserable hard and pittifull: his last words were these; In case the foure thousand Guilders were ready, the matter were dispatched, dreaming belike of some Cardinalship that he should hauehave bought. Ex Iohn Carion. fol 250.
Iohn Vaueler Warfe, the next in office to Magraue, he was of Antwarpe: hee was a sore persecutor of Christs flocke; he had drowned diuers good Men and women, for the which he was much commended of the bloody Generation, being very rich, he gaue vp his office, intending to passe the rest of his life in pleasure, and comming vntounto a banquet at Antwarpe to be merry, being well laden with Wine, he rode home in his Wagon with his Wife, a Gentlewoman, and his Foole, the Horses stood still vponupon a bridge, and would by no meanes goe foreward: then he in a drunken rage cryed out; Ride on in a thousand Diuels name, by and by r…se a mighty whirlewind, and tossed the Wagon ouer the bridge into the Towne ditch, where he was drowned, and when he was taken vp his necke was broken: his wife was taken vp aliue, but died within thrée daies: the Gentlewoman and the Foole were saued.
Bartholomeus Chassaneus, a great Persecutor, died suddenly.
Minerius, the Bloudy Tormentor of Christes Saints, dyed with bleeding in his lower parts: the Iudge that accompanied him in his persecution, as hee returned homeward was drowned, and thrée more of the said company killed one another.
Iohannes de Roma that cruell Monke, that deuised such hellish torments for the poore Christians at Augrowne: the Lord paid him home againe with the like torments, who rotted to death, and could finde no euemie to kill him, nor friend to bury him, he could not abide his own stinking carrion, nor any man else that came neere him could abide his stench.
The like persecutor was the Lord of Reuest, and after his furious persecution he was striken with the like horrible sicknes, and with such a fury and madnesse, that none durst come neere him, and so most wretchedly di…: The like greeuous punishment happened vponupon one Iohn Martine a persecutor, as appeareth in the History before.
In the yeare 1565. in the towne of Gaunt in Flanders, one VVilliam de VVeuer was imprisoned for religion by the Prouost of S. Peters: In Gaunt the Prouost sent for one Giles Brackelman, the principall Aduocate of the Councel of Flanders, and Borough-master, and Iudge of Saint Peters, with others of the Rulers of the Towne to sit in Iudgement vponupon him: as the said Borough-master reasoned with the said VVilliam de VVeauer vponupon diuers Articles of his Faith: And being about to pronounce his condemnation, the Borough-Master was suddenly striken with a Palsey, that his mouth was drawne almost vntounto his eare, and so hee fell downe and died: The Lords that stood by shadowed him, that the people should not see him, and commaunded the people to depart, yet they burned the said William de Weauer within thrée houres after the same day.
The fift of March 1566. Sir Garret Trieste Knight, hee had promised the Regent to bring downe the preaching; wherefore the Regent promised him to make him a Graue, which is an Earle: when he had brought with him to Gaunt tidings of the death of the Preachers; he receiued from the Regent a Commission, to swear the Lords and Commons vntounto the Romish Religion: and being at supper, he bad his Wife call him an houre the sooner in the morning, for that he should hauehave much businesse to doe, to sweare the Lords and people vntounto the Romish Religion: but going to bed in good health, in the morning when he should be called, he was found dead: and as the Lords of Gaunt procéeded to giuegive the Oath the next day, Master Martine de Pester the Secretary being appointed, and about to giuegive the Oath; as the first man should hauehave sworne, the said Martin de Pester was stricken of GOD with present death, and …uer spake againe.