The Theater of Gods Judgments, Book 2 · Chapter 13
CHAP. XIII. Of Paricides, or Parent Murderers.
IF all effusion of humane blood be both horrible to behold, and repugnant to nature, then is the murdering of Parents especially detestable, when a man is so possessed with the Devill, or transported with a hellish fury, that he lifteth up his hand against his own father or mother, to put them to death: this is so monstrous and inormous an impiety, that the greatest Barbarians ever have had it in detestation: wherefore it is also expresly commanded in the Law of God. That whosoever smiteth his father or mother Exod. 21.in what sort so ever, though not to death, yet he shall die the death. If the disobedience, unreverence, and contempt of children towards their Parents, are by the just judgements of God most rigorously punished (as hath beene declared before in the first commandement of the second Table) how much more then when violence is offered, and above all, when murder is committed? Thus the Aegyptians punished this sinne: they put the committants upon a stacke of thornes, and burnt them alive, having beaten their Diodor. Sic.bodies beforehand with sharpe reeds made of purpose. Solon being demanded why he appointed no punishment in his Lawes for Paricides; answered, that there was no necessity, thinking that the wide world could not afford so wicked a wretch. It is said, that Romulus for the same cause ordained no punishment in his Common wealth for that crime, but called every murderer a Paricide; the one being in his opinion a thing execrable, and the other impossible. And in truth there was not for 600 yeeres space (according to Plutarchs report) found in Rome any one that had committed this execrable fact. The first Paricide that Rome saw, was Lucius Ostius, after the first Punicke warre; although other Writers affirme, that M. Malliolus was the first, and Lucius the second: how soever it was, they both underwent the punishment of the Law Pompeia, which enacted, That such offenders should be thrust into a sacke of Leather, and an Ape, a Cocke, a Viper, and a Dog, put in to accompany them, and then to be throwne into the water, to the end that these beasts being enraged and animated one against another, might wreke their teene upon them, and so deprive them of life after a strange fashion, being debarred of the use of the aire, water, and earth, as unworthy to participate the very Elements with their deaths, much lesse with their lives: which kinde of punishment was after practised and confirmed by the constitution of Constantine the Great. And albeit the regard of the punishment seemed terrible, and the offence it selfe much more monstrous, yet since that time there have beene many so perverse and exceeding wicked, as to throw themselves headlong into that desperate gulfe.
As Cleodoricke sonne of Sigebert King of Austria, who being tickled with an unsatiable lust of raigne through the deceivable perswasions of Cleodovius Greg. of Tours, lib 2.King of France, slew his father Sigebert as he lay asleepe in his Tent in a forrest at noone time of the day; who being weary with walking, laid himselfe downe there to take his rest: but for all that, the wicked wretch was so farre from attaining his purpose, that it fell out cleane contrary to his expectation: for after his fathers death, as he was viewing his treasures, and ransacking his coffers, one of Cleodovius factors strooke him suddenly, and murdered him, and so Cleodovius seised both upon the Crowne and Treasures.
After the death of Hircanus, Aristobulus succeeded in the government of Ioseph. antiq.Judea, which whilest he strove to reduce into a kingdome, and to weare a crown, contrary to the custome of his predecessors, his mother & other brethren contending with him about the same, he cast in prison, & took Antigonus his next brother to be his associate: but ere long (a good gratefull son) he famished her to death with hunger that had fed him to life with her teares, even his naturall mother: And after perswaded with false accusations, caused his late best beloved Antigonus to be slaine by an ambush that lay by Strato's tower, because in the time of his sicknesse he entred the Temple with pompe. But the Lord called for quittance for the two bloodsheds immediately after the execution of them: for his brothers blood was scarce washed off the ground, ere in the extreamity of his sicknesse he was carried into the same place, and there vomiting up blood at his mouth and nosthrils, to be mingled with his brothers, he fell downe starke dead, not without horrible tokens of trembling and despaire.
Nero that unnaturall Tyran surpassed all that lived, as in all other vices, Corn. Tacit lib. 14.so in this; for he attempted thrice by poyson to make away his mother Agrippina: and when that could not prevaile, by reason of her usuall Antidotes and preservatives, hee assayed divers other meanes: as first a devise, whereby she should be crushed to death as she slept, a loosened beame that should fall upon her; and secondly by shipwracke: both which when she Sueton. cap 33.escaped, the one by discovery, and the other by swimming, he sent Anic…tus the Centurion to slaughter her with the sword: who with his companions breaking up the gate of the City where she lay, rushed into her Chamber, and there murdered her. It is written of her, that when she saw there was no remedy but death, she presented her belly unto the murderer, and desired him to kill her in that part which had most deserved it, by bringing into the world so vile a monster: and of him, that he came to view the dead carkasse of his mother, and handled the members thereof, commending this, and discommending that, as his fancy led him, and in the meane time being thirsty, to call for drinke: so farre was he from all humanity and touch of Nature: but he that spared not to embrue his hands in her blood that bred him, was constrained ere long to offer violence to his own life, which was most deere unto him.
Henry the son of Nicolotus Duke of Herulia, had two wicked, cruell, and Munst. Cosmog. lib. 3.unkind sonnes, by the yonger of whom, with the consent of the elder, he was traiterously murdered, because he had married a third wife: for which cause Nicolotus, their cousin-german, pursued them both with a just revenge; for he deprived them of their kingdome, and drove them into exile, where they soon after perished.
Selymus the tenth Emperour of Turkes was so unnaturall a childe, that he Philip. Melan. Chron. lib. 5. … Munst. Cosmog. lib. 4.feared not to dispossesse his father Bajazet of the crown by treason; and next to bereave him of his life by poyson. And not satisfied therewith, even to murder his two brethren, and to destroy the whole stock of his own blood. But when hee had raigned eight yeares, vengeance found him out, and being at his backe▪ so corrupted and putrified his reins, that the contagion spread it selfe over all his body: so that he dyed a beast-like and irksome death, and that in the same place where he had before oppressed his father Bajazet with an army, to wit, at Chiurle a city of Thracia, in the year of our Lord 1520. in the monethmonth of September.
Charles the younger, by surname called Crassus son to Lodouick the third, Casp. Hedian. lib. …. cap. 29.was possessed & tormented with a divell in the presence of his father, & the Peeres of the Realme; which he openly confessed to have justly happened unto him, because he had pretended in his mind to have conspired his fathers death and deposition: what then are they to expect, that doe not pretend, but performe this monstrous enterprise?
A certaine degenerate and cruell son longing and gaping after the inheritance of his father, which nothing but his life kept him from, wrought this means to accomplish his desire: he accused his father of a most filthy unnameable crime, even of committing filt…inesse with a Cow; knowing that if he were convicted therof, the law would cut off his life: & herein he wroght a Theat. hist.double villany, in going about not only to take away his life (wch by the law of nature he ought to have preserved) but also his good name, without respecting that the stain of a father redoundeth to his posterity, and that children Mandat. 8. Calumniation lib. 2. cap.commōly do not only inherit the possessions, but also imitate the conditions of their parents: but all these supposes laid aside, together with▪ all feare of God, he indicted him before the Magistrate, of incest, and that upon his own knowledge: insomuch that they brought the poore innocent man to the rack, to the end to make him confesse the crime; which albeit amidst his tortures he did, as soon as he was out, he denyed again: howbeit his extorted confession stood for evidence, and he was condemned to be burned with fire, as was speedily executed, and constantly endured by him, exclaiming still upon the false accusation of his son, and his own unspotted innocency; as, by the issue that followed, most cleerely appeared; for his son not long after fell into a reprobate mind, and hanged himselfe: and the Judge that condemned him, with the witnesses that bare record of his forced confession, within one monethmonth died all, after a most wretched▪ and miserable sort. And thus it pleased God both to revenge his death, and also to quit his reputation and innocency, from ignominy and discredit in this world.
Manfred Prince of Tarentum, bastard son to Frederick the second, smothered Philip. Melan. Chron. lib. 4. No better fruit to be expected of any bastard imp.his father to death with a pillow, because (as some say) he would not bestow the kingdome of Naples upon him: and not content herewith, he poisoned also the heirs of Frederick, to the end he might attain unto the crown, as Conrade his elder brother, and his nephew the son of Henry the heir, which Henry died in prison; and now onelyonly Conradinus remained betwixt him and the kingdome, whom though he assayed to send after his father, yet was his intention frustrate, for the Pope thundered out his curses against him, and instigated Charles Duke of Angiers to make war against him: wherein bastard and unnaturall Manfred was discomfited and slaine, and cut short of his purpose, for which he had committed so many tragedies.
Martin Luther was wont to report of his own experience this wonderfull history of a Locksmith, a yong man, riotous and vicious, who to find fuel for Luther.his luxury, was so bewitched that he feared not to slay his own father & mother with a hammer, to the end to gain their mony and possessions: after wch cruell deed, he presently went to a shoomaker and bought him new shooes, leaving his old behind him, by the providence of God to be his accusers: for after an houre or two the slain bodies being found by the Magistrate, and inquisition made for the murderer, no manner of suspition being had of him, he seeming to take such griefe therat. But the Lord that knoweth the secrets of the heart discovered his hypocrisie, and made his owne shooes which hee had left with the Shoomaker rise up to beare witnesse against him: for the blood which ran from his fathers wounds besprinckled them so, that thereof grew the suspition, and from thence the examination, and very soon the confession, and last of all his worthy and lawfull execution. From hence we may learne for a generall trueth, that murder, never so secret, will ever by one means or other be discovered; the Lord will not suffer it to goe unpunished, so abominable it is in his sight.
Another son at Basil, in the yeare of our Lord God, 1560, bought a quantity of poyson of an Apothecary, and ministred it to none but to his own father, Casp. Hed. 4. part. Chron.accounting him worthiest of so great a benefit: which when it had effected his wish upon him, the crime being detected, in stead of possessing his goods which he aimed at, he possessed a vile and shamefull death; for he was drawne through the streets, burnt with hot Irons, and tormented nine houres in a wheele, till his life forsooke him.
As it is repugnant to nature for children to deale thus cruelly with their parents, so it is more against nature for parents to murder their children: insomuch as naturall affection is of greater force in the descent than in the ascent, & the love that parents bear their children, is greater than that which children redound to their Parents; because the childe proceedeth from the father, and not the father from the childe, as part of his fathers essence, and not the father of his: Can a man then hate his own flesh, or be a rooter out of that which himselfe planted? It is rare, yet sometimes it commeth to passe. Howbeit as the offence is in an high degree, so it is alwayes punished by some high judgement: as by these examples that follow shall appeare.
The ancient Ammonites had an Idoll called Moloch to the which they offered their children in sacrifice: this Idoll, (as the Jewes write) was of a great stature, and hollow within, having seven chambers in his hollownesse, whereof one was to receive meat, another turtle Doves, the third a sheep, the fourth a ram, the fifth a calfe, the sixth an oxe, and the seventh a childe: his hands were alwayes extended to receive gifts; and when a childe was offered, they were made fire hot to burne it to death: none must offer the childe but the father: and to drowne the cries of it, the Chemarims (for so were the Priests of that Idoll called) made a noise with bels, cymbals and horns: thus is it written, that king Ahab offered his son, yea, and many of the children of Israel beside, as the Prophet David affirmeth: They offered (saith he) their Psal. 106. 37, 38.sons and daughters to Divels, and shed innocent blood, &c. this is the horrible crime. Now marke the judgement concerning the Canaanites: the landspued them out for their abominations, Achab with his posterity was accur sed, himselfe being slaine by his enemies, and the crowne taken from his posterity, not one being left of his off-spring to pis against the wall, according to the saying of Elias: as for the Jewes, the Prophet David in the same place declareth their punishment, when he saith, That the wrath of the Lord was Verse 40.kindled, and he abhorred his inheritance, and gave them into the hands of the heathen, that they that hated them were lords over them.
In the yeare of our Lord 1551, in a town of Hassia called Weidenhasten, Iob Fincelius, lib. 1. de Mirac.The twentieth day of November, a cruell mother inspired with Satan, shut up all her doores, and began to murder her four children on this manner: shee snatcht up ā sharpe axe, and first set upon her eldest son, being but eight yeares old, searching him out with a candle behinde a hogs-head, where he hid himselfe, and presently (notwithstanding his pitifull praiers and complaints) clave his head in two pieces, and chopped off both his armes: Next shee killed her daughter of five yeares old, after the same manner: another little boy of three yeares of age (seeing his mothers madnesse) hid himselfe (poore infant) behinde the gate, whom as soone as the Tygre espied, shee drew out by the haire of the head into the floore, and there cut off his head: the yongest lay crying in the cradle but halfe a yeare old, him she (without all compassion) pluckt out and murdered in like sort. These murders being finished, the Diuell incarnate (for certaine no womanly nature was left in her) to take punishment of her selfe for the same, cut her owne throat; and albeit she survived nine dayes, and confessing her fault, dyed with teares and repentance, yet we see how it pleased God to arme her own hands against her selfe, as the fittest executioners of vengeance.
The like tragicall accident we reade to have happened at Cutzenborff, a Theat. hist.City in Silesia, in the yeare 1536, to a woman and her three children; who having slain them all in her husbands absence, killed her selfe in like manner also to make up the tragedy.
Concerning stepmothers, it is a world to reade how many horrible murders they have usually practised upon their children in law, to the end to bring the inheritance to their own brood, or at least to revenge some injury supposed to be done unto them: of which, one or two examples I will subnect as a taste out of many hundred, leaving the residue to the judgment and reading of the Learned.
Constantius, the son of Heraclius, having raigned Emperour but one yeere, Zonor as com. 5.was poysoned by his stepmother Martina, to the end to install her own son Heraclon in the Crown: but for this cruell part becomming odious, to the Senat, they so much hated to have her or her son raigne over them, that in stead thereof they cut off her tongue and his nose, and so banished them the City.
Fausta the wife of Constantine the great fell in love with Constantine her sonne in Law, begotten upon a Concubine: whom when shee could not Zonor as 3. Annl. Sex. Aur.perswade unto her lust, she accused unto the Emperour, as a solicitor of her chastity; for which cause he was condemned to die: but after the truth knowne, Constantine put her into a hot bath, and suffered her not to come forth, untill the heat had choaked her, revenging upon her head her sonnes death, and her owne unchastity.