The Theater of Gods Judgments, Book 2 · Chapter 27
CHAP. XXVII. Of those that either cause or authorise unlawfull Divorcements.
ALthough the Commandment of our Saviour Christ be very plain and manifest, That man should not separate Matth. 19.those whom God hath joyned together, yet there are some so void of understanding and judgement, that they make no conscience to dissolve those that by the bond of marriage are united: Of which number was Sampsons father in Law, who took his daughter, first Judges 15.given in marriage to Sampson, and gave her to another; without any other reason, save that he suspected that Sampson loved her not. But what got he by it? Marry this; the Philistims provoked against him, consumed him and his daughter with fire, because that by the meanes of his injury Sampson had burned their corne, their vineyards and their olive-trees.
After the same sort dealt Saul with David, when he gave him his daughter 1 Sam. 25.Michol to Wife, and afterward in despight and hatred of him took her away again, and bestowed her upon another: wherein, as in many other things, he shewed himselfe a wicked and prophane man, and was worthily punished therefore, as hath been before declared.
Hugh Spencer, one of King Edward of Englands chiefest favourites, insomuch Frois. Vol. 1.that his ear and heart was at his pleasure, was he that first persuaded the King to forsake and repudiate the Queen his Wife (daughter to Philip the Faire, King of France) upon no other occasion, but onelyonly to satisfie his owne appetite, and the better to follow his delights: And thus by this meanes she was chased out of England, and driven to retire to King Charles her brother; where hoping to finde rest and refuge, she was deceived: for what by the crafts and practises of the English, and what by the Popes authority (who thrust himselfe into this action, as his custom is) she was constrained to dislodge her selfe, and to change her countrey very speedily: wherefore from thence she went to crave succour of the County of Henault, who furnished her with certain forces, and sent her towards England: where being arrived, and finding the people generally at her command, and ready to do her service, she set upon her enemy Hugh Spencer, took him prisoner, and put him to a shamefull death, as he well deserved: for he was also the causer of the deaths of many of the Nobles of the Realme: therefore he was drawne through the streets of Hereford upon an hurdle, and after his privie members, his heart, and head, were cut off, his four quarters were exalted in four severall places, to the view of the world.
Now if these be found guilty, that either directly make, or indirectly Guicciar. l. 4.procure divorcements, shall we accuse them that allow and authorize the same, without lawfull and just occasion? No verily, no though they be Popes that take it upon them: as we reade Pope Alexander the sixth did, who for the advancement of his haughty desires, to gratifie and flatter, Lewis the twelfth, King of France, sent him by his son a dispensation to put away his Wife, daughter to King Lewis the eleventh, because she was barren and counterfeit, and to recontract Anne of Bretaigne, the widow of Charles the eighth lately deceased. But herein, though barrennesse of the former was pretended, yet the Duchie of the later was aimed at, which before this time he could never attain unto. But of what force and vertue this dispensation by right was, or at least ought to be, it is easie to perceive, seeing it is not onelyonly contrary to the words of the Gospel, Matth. 19. but also to their owne decrees, secund. part. quest. 7. Hi qui matrimonium: where in is imported, that marriage ought not to be infringed for any default or imperfection, no not of nature. But Popes may maim and clip both the Word of God and all other writings, and do what soever themselves liketh, be it good or bad.