The Theater of Gods Judgments, Book 2 · Chapter 44
CHAP. XLIV. Of such as have beene notorious in all kinde of sinne.
BY these fore placed examples we have seene how heavie the judgements of God have beene upon those that through the These examples of this Chapter may be referred to all the commandements for the most part.untamednesse of their owne lusts and affections, would not submit themselves under the holy and mighty will of God, but have countermanded his commandements, and withstood his precepts, some after one sort, and some after another: now because there have bin some so wicked and wretched, that being wholy corrupted and depraved, they have over flowed with all manner of sinne and iniquity, and as it were maugred God with the multitude and hainousnesse of their offences; we must therefore spend sometime also in setting forth their lives and ends, as of the most vile and monstrous kinde of people that ever were. In this ranke we may place the antient Inhabitants of the land of Canaan; an irreligious people, void of all feare and dread of God, and consequently given over to all abhominabl wickednesse, as to conjurings, witchcrafts, and unnameable adulteries: for which causes the Lord abhorring and hating them, did also bring them to a most strange destruction; for first and formost Jericho (the frontier citie of their countrey) being assaulted by the Israelites, for hindering their progresse into the country; were all discomfited, not so much by Iosuah his sword, as by the huge stones which dropped from heaven upon their heads: and lest the night overtaking them should breake off the finall and full destruction of this cursed people, the day was miraculously prolonged, and the Sunne made to rest himselfe in the middest of heaven for the space of a whole day: and so these five Kings hiding themselves in a cave, were brought out, and their neckes made a footstoole to the captains of Israell, and were hanged on five trees.
The tyran Pertander usurped the government over Corinth after hee had Sabell.slaine the principall of the city: he put to death his owne wife, to the end to content and please his concubine; nay and was so execrable, as to lye with his owne mother: he banished his naturall sonne, and caused many children of his subjects to be gelded: finally fearing some miserable and monstrous end, and want of sepulchre, in conscience of his misdeeds, he gave in charge to two strong and hardy souldiers, that they should ga…d a certain appointed place, and not faile to kill the first that came in their way, and to bury his body being slaine: now the first that met them was himselfe, who offered himselfe unto them without speaking any word, and was soone dispatched and buried according to his commandement▪ but these two were encountered with foure other, whom he also had appointed to do the same to them which they had done to them.
In this ranke deservably we may place the second Dionysius his sonne, that Sabell.for his cruelties and extortions was slaine by his owne subjects: who though at the first made shew of a better and milder nature than his father was of, yet after he was installed in his Kingdom, and growne strong, his wicked nature shewd forth it selfe; for first he rid out of the way his owne brethren, then his neerest kindred, and lastly, all other that but any way displeased him; using his sword not to the cutting downe of vice, as it ought, but to the cutting the throats of his innocent and guiltlesse subjects: with which tyrannie the people being incensed, began to mutinie, and from mutinies fell to open rebellion, persecuting him so, that he was compelled to flie and take harbour in Greece: where notwithstanding hee ceased not his accustomed manners, but continued still freshly, committing robberies, and doing all manner of injuries and outrages, in wronging men; and forcing both women and maids to his filthie lusts: untill hee was brought to so low and so base an ebbe of estate, that of a King being become a beggar and a vagabond, hee was glad to teach children at Corinth to get his poore living, and so died in miserie.
Clearchus, another tyran, after hee had put to death the most part of the Sabell.Nobles, and chiefe men of account in the citie of Heraclea, usurped a tyrannous authoritie over the rest: amongst many of whose monstrous enormities this was one, that hee constrained the widowes of those whom hee had slaine, against their wils to marry those of his followers whom hee allotted them to; insomuch that many of them with griefe and anger slew themselves: now there were two men of stouter courage than the rest, who pittying the miserable condition of the whole citie, undertooke to deliver the same out of his cruell hands: comming therefore accompanied with fiftie other of the same minde and resolution, as though they would debate a privat quarrell before his presence, as soone as convenience served, they diverted their swords from themselves into the tyrans bosome, and hewed him in pieces in the very midst of his guard.
Agathocles, King, or rather tyran of Sicilie, from a porters sonne, growing Sabell.to be a man of warre, tooke upon him the government of the countrey, and usurped the crowne, contrary to the consent of his people: hee was one given to all manner of filthie and uncleane pollutions, in whom treacherie, crueltie, and generally all kinde of vice reigned, and therefore was worthily plagued by God; first by a murder of his youngest sonne, committed by his eldest sonnes son, that aspired unto the crowne, and thought that he might be an obstacle in his way for obtaining his purpose: and lastly, having sent his wife and children into Aegypt for safety, by his owne miserable and languishing death which shortly after ensued.
Romulus the first King of Rome was (as Florus testifieth) transported by Florus.a devill out of this earth into some habitation of his owne, for the monstrous superstitions, conjurings, thefts, ravishments, and murders, which during his pompe hee committed; and moreover (he saith) that Plutarch, Plutarch.the most credible and learned Writer amongst Historiographers, both Greek and Latin, that ever writ, avoucheth the same for true; That hee was carried away one day by a spirit in a mighty tempest of thunder and lightening, before the view of the whole multitude, to their great astonishment, insomuch that they fled at the sight thereof.
What shall wee say of Silla, that monster in cruelty, that most odious and execrable Tyran that ever was, by whom all civile order and humane policie was utterly defaced, and all vice and confusion in stead thereof set up? did hee not procure the death of six thousand men at one clap, at the Plutarch.discomfiture of Marius? And having promised to save the lives of three thousand that appealed unto his mercy, did he not cause them to be assembled within a Parke, and there to have their throats cut, whilest hee made an oration to the Senate? It was hee that filled the channels of the streets of Rome, and other cities in Italie, with bloud and slaughters innumerable: and that neither spared Altar, Temple, or other priviledged place or house whatsoever, from the pollution and distainment of innocent bloud: husbands were staine in their wives armes, infants in their mothers bosomes, and infinite multitudes of men murdered for their riches: for if any were either rich, or owners of faire houses, or pleasant gardens, they were sure to die: besides, if there were any private quarrell or grudge betwixt any citizen, and some of his crew, he suffered his side to revenge themselves after their owne lusts, so that for private mislike and enmity many hundreds lost their lives; he that saved an outlaw or proscribed person in his house, (of which there were too many of the best sort in his time) or gave him entertainment under his roofe, whether he were his brother, sonne, or parent whatsoever, was himselfe for recompence of his curtesie and humanitie, proscribed and sould, and condemned to death: and he that killed one of them that was proscribed, had for reward two talents (the wages of his murder) amounting in value to twelve hundred crownes, whether it was a bondslave that slew his master, or a sonne that murdered his father: comming to Preneste, hee began to proceed in a kinde of justiciall forme amongst the citizens, and as it were by law and equitie to practise wrong and injurie: but ere long, either being weary of such slow proceedings, or not at leisure to prosecure the same any further, he caused to meet together in one assemblie two thousand of them, whom hee committed all to the massacre without any manner of compassion: As hee was sitting one day in the middest of his pallace in Rome, a souldier to whom he had granted the proscription of his dead brother, as if he had beene alive (whom he himselfe before the civile warre had slaine) presented him in lieu of thanks for the great good turne the head of one Marcus Marius of the adverse faction, before the whole citie, with his hands all imbrued in bloud, which hee also washed in the holy water sta…ke … Apolloes temple, being near unto that place; and all this being commended and countenanced by Silla: hee decreed a generall disanulment and abrogation of all titles and rights that were passed before his time, to the end to have the more liberty both to put to death whom he pleased, and to confiscate mens goods, and also to unpeople and repeople cities, sack, pulldowne, and build, and to depose & make Kings at his pleasure: the goods which he had thus seised, he shamed not to sell with his owne hands; sitting in his tribunall sear, giving oftentimes a faire woman a whole countrey, or the revenues of a citie for her beauty, and to Players, Jesters, Juglers, Minstr…s, and other wicked effranchised slaves, great and unnecessary rewards: yea, and to divers married women also, whom (pleasing his eye) he deprived their husbands of perforce, and espoused them to himselfe, maugre their wils: being desirous to ally himselfe with Pompey, hee commanded him to cast off his lawfull wife, and taking from Magnus G…abri… his wife Aemilia, made him marry her, though already great with childe by her former husband; but she died in travell in his house. In seasts and banket…ings he was too immoderate, for it was his continuall and daily practise: the wine that hee dranke usually was fortie yeares old, and the company that hee delighted to keepe was compact of ministriss, tumblers, players, singers, and such like rascals, and with these he would spend whole dayes in drinking, carousing, dauncing, and all dissolutenesse. Now this disinordinate life of his did so augment a disease which was growne in his body, to wit an imposthume; that in time it corrupted his flesh, and turned it into lice; in such sort, that though hee had those that continually followed him to sweepe them off, and to louze him night and day, yet the encrease was still so plentifull, that all would not serve to cleare him for a moment: insomuch, that not his apparell, though never so new and changeable; nor his linnen, though never so fresh, nor his bath, nor his laver, no nor his meat and drinke could be kept unpolluted from the fluxe of this filthy vermine, it issued in such abundance: oftentimes in a day hee would wash himselfe in a bath, but to no great purpose; for his shame increased the more. The day before he dyed he sent for one Granius, who attending his death, delayed to pay that which hee ought to the Common-wealth; and being come in his presence, hee commanded him to be strangled to death before his face: but with straining himselfe in crying after his execution, his imposthume burst, and vomited out such streames of bloud, that his strength failed him withall; and passing that night in great distresse, the next day made up his wicked and miserable end.
After that Caligula began to addict himselfe to impiety and contempt of Dion.God, presently being not curbed with any feare nor shame, he became most dissolute in all kinde of wickednesse; for at one time he caused to be slaine a great number of people for calling him young Augustus, as if it had beene an injury to his person to be so intituled: and to say briefly of all his murders, there were so many of his kindred, friends, senators, and citizens, made away by his meanes, that it would be too long and tedious here to recite: wherefore seeing that hee was generally hated of the people for his misdeeds, hee wished that they all had but one head, to the end (as it might seeme) that at one blow hee might dispatch them all. In sumptuousnesse and costlinesse of dishes and banquets, he neither found nor left his equall, Sueton.for he would sup up most pretious stones melted by art, and swallow down treasures into his belly: his banquets were often served with golden loaves and golden meats: in giving rewards hee was sometime too too prodigall, for he would cast great summes of money amongst the people certain dayes together, untill his bags were drawne drie, and then new strange shifts must be practised to fill them up againe: his subjects he over charged with many new-found and unjust taxes, exacting of them a tribute even for their meat: if there were any money controversies to be decided, the fourth part of the same was his share, which way soever the matter enclined: the eight penny of every Porters gaine throughout the citie (which with travell they earned) hee tooke into his purse: yea, and that which is more filthy and dishonest, the very whores and common strumpets payed him a yearely revenue for their bauderies; which act, though most villanous and slandrous, yet is made a samplar to some of our holy Popes to imitate, and indeed hath of many beene put in practise: but to our purpose; whereas before his prodigality was so great as to scatter money like seed amidst the people; now his niggardlinesse grew on the other side so miserable, that hee would have the people upon the first day of the yeare, every one to give him a new-yeares-gift, he himselfe standing at the doore of his house like a beggar, receiving the peoples almes. Moreover, of all that ever gave their lusts the bridle to abuse other mens wives, hee was most impudent and notorious; for divers times he used to feast many faire Ladies and their husbands, and after his good cheare ended, to overview them severally a part, as Merchants doe their wares; and to take her that pleased his fancie best into some secret place, to abuse at his pleasure: neither after the deed done to be ashamed to glory and vaunt himselfe in his wicked and filthy act. He committed incest with his owne sisters, forcing them to his lust, and by one of them had a daughter borne, whom (saith Eutropius) his abhominable concupiscence abused also in most filthy and preposterous manner: At length many conspired his destruction, but especially one of the Tribunes, which office we may after the custome of our French nation rightly terme the Marshalship, and the officer one of our foure Marshals, as Budeus saith) who shewed himselfe more eagerly affected in the cause than the rest, pursued this enterprise in more speedy and desperate manner: for as the Tyrant returned from the Theater by a by-way to his Pallace (the third day of the feast, which he celebrated in honour of Iulius Caesar) the Tribune presented himselfe, as if in regard of his office, to import some matter of importance unto him: and having received a currish word or two at his hands (as his custome was) he gave him such a stroke betweene the head and the shoulders, that what with it and the blowes of his complices, that going for the same intent, rushed upon him, he was …laine amongst them, no man stirring a foot to deliver him out of their hands, though many looked on, and might have aided him if they would: he was no sooner slaine, but his wife incontinently was sent after, and his daughter also that was crushed to death against a wall; and thus came his wretched selfe, with his filthie progenie, to a wretched and miserable end.
Nero shewed himselfe not onelyonly an enemy to God in persecuting his Church, but also a perverter and disturber of humane nature, in embruing Sueton.his hands in the bloud of his owne mother and grandmother, whom he caused to be put to death, and in killing his owne wife and sister, and infinite numbers of all kinde of people: beside, in adulteries he was so monstrous, that it is better to conceale them from modest eares, than to stirre up the puddle of so stinking and noysome a dunghill: for which his villanies the Senate condemned him to a shamefull and most ignominious death, and his armies and forces forsooke him: which when hee understood, he betooke him to flight, and hid himselfe in an out way amongst thornes and bushes, which with great paine having past through, being weary of his life, hee threw himselfe downe into a pit foure foot deepe; and when he could get none of his men to lay their hands upon him, he desperately and miserably slew himselfe.
Vitellius, for the murders and other outragious misdeeds which he committed, Sueton.was taken in his shirt, and drawne through the streets with a halter about his necke, and his hands bound behinde him, and the point of a dagger under his chin; the people casting durt and dung upon him in detestation, and calling him make-bate and seditious villain, with other opprobrious reproches: and at last being massacred with many blowes, was drawne with a hooke into Tyber, like a carrion.
Domitian was a cruell enemy of the Christians▪ hee rejected his owne Sueton.wife to take a new, and being covertly reproved by Helvidius for the same, in a Play of the divorce of Paris and Enon, which he presented unto him, he put him to death for his labour. Many worthy Senatours and chiefe men, and such as had borne the office of the Consull, without just cause given of reprehension, were murdered by him: hee spared not his owne bloud and nearest allies, no nor his owne brother Titus, but what with poyson and sword, destroyed them all to confusion. But in the end, when hee saw that the world hated him for his outragious cruelties, he consulted with the Astrologians and Conjurers, what death did waite for him; one of the which amongst the rest told him that hee should be slaine, and that very shortly: wherewithall being sore troubled, hee first caused him that had prognosticated this evill unto him, to be slaine: then he compassed himselfe with a strong guard, and to the end to see them that should come neare, hee made his gallery walls where hee walked, of such a kinde of glistring and shining stone, that he might see in them all about him, both behinde and before. When the day and houre which was fore-calculated for his death was come, one of the Conspirators came in with his left arme in a scarfe, as if he had beene sore hurt; feigning that he would bewray the whole treason which hee so much feared; and being entred his Chamber, he presented him with a long discourse in writing, touching the matter and manner of the Conspiracie: and when in reading the same, he saw him most astonished; then he tooke occasion to strike him suddenly into the belly with his dagger, his owne servants making up the murther, when they saw him goe about to resist. And thus by all his wisedome and providence he could not rid himselfe from being surprised, nor hinder the execution of Gods just fore-appointed judgement. And these were the ends of those wicked Emperours, who in regard of their vile lives, were rather monsters than men; and not onelyonly they whom we have named, but many moe also, as Antonius, Caracalla, Heliogabalus, and other like may bee worthily placed in this ranke.
But of all, Heliogabalus is most famous: of whom is recorded in histories, that hee was so prodigious in all gluttonie, filthinesse, and ribauldrie, that the like I thinke was never heard of, except those monsters that went before; and yet I suppose he surpassed them too. Such was the exceeding and luxurious pompe of this beast-like Emperour, that in his lampes hee used baulme, and filled his fish-ponds with rose-water: the garments which he wore were all of the finest gold and most costly silkes: his shooes glistered with precious stones, curiously engraven: he was never two dayes served with one kinde of meat, nor wore one garment twice; and so likewise for his fleshly wickednesse, he varyed it every time: Some dayes hee was served at meales with the braines of Ostriches, and a strange fowle called a Phylocapterie, another day with the tongues of Popingayes, and other sweet singing birds, being nigh to the sea; hee never used fish in places farre distant from the sea: all his house was served with most delicate fish: at one supper his table was furnished with seven thousand fishes, and five thousand fowles: At his remoovals in his progresse, there followed him commonly six hundred chariots: he used to sacrifice with young children, and preferred to the best advancements in the Common-wealth most light persons; as Bawdes, Minstrels, Players, and such like: in one word, hee was an enemy to all honesty and good order. And when he was fore-told by his Sorcerers and Astronomers, that he should die a violent death, he provided ropes of silke to hang himselfe, swords of gold to kill himselfe, and strong poysons in Jacinths and Emerauds to poyson himselfe, if needs hee should thereto be forced: Moreover, hee made an high tower, having the boorded floore covered with gold plate, and broidered with pretious stones, from the which tower he might throw himselfe downe, if hee were pursued of his enemies. But notwithstanding all this provision, (Gods vengeance not permitting him to die as hee would) hee was slaine of the souldiers, drawne through the citie, and cast into Tiber, after hee had raigned two yeares and eight moneths.
Tigellinus, one of the Captaines of Neroes guard, and a chiefe procurer and setter forward of his tyranny, was the cause of the death of many great personages in Rome: and being enriched by their spoyle and other such like robberies, after the death of Nero (whom in his extremity hee forsooke) plunged himselfe, and wallowed in all manner of licentious and disordinate delights. Now though hee was worthy of a thousand deaths for his cruelties towards many good citizens, yet by the meanes of one Iunius, the Emperour Galba his chiefe minion, whose favour hee had by great summes of money bought and obtained (for hee gave unto his daughter at one time five and twenty thousand crownes, and to himselfe at another time a carknet worth fifteen thousand crownes for a present) he was spared and kept in safety: but as soon as Otho was installed in the Empire, his downfall and destruction began presently to follow: for Otho, to the end to gratifie the Romans, sent to apprehend him, who was then in his houses of pleasure in the field, banquetting and sporting with his harlots, and using all manner of riot, albeit by reason of a deadly disease which was upon him, hee was even at deaths doore. When hee saw himselfe thus taken, and that no meanes of escape was left, (no not by the vessels which he had prepared at the sea shore for purpose, if need were, to convey him away) and that hee which had commission to take him, would give him no advantage of escaping, though he offered him great rewards for the same, he entreated onelyonly leisure to shave his beard before he went; which being granted, he tooke a rasor, and in stead of shaving, cut his owne throat.