A Mirror both for Saints and Sinners, Treatise · Chapter 4
CHAP IV. Examples of Gods judgements upon Persecutors.
THere hath ever been from the beginnin… …n inveterate antipathy between Satan and his instruments, and the children of God: whence it is that wicked men being more for number, and stronger in power then Christs flock; have watched all opportunities to be pushing and goaring of them, yea solacing, and pleasing themselves in the others sufferings: So that if Christ, the great Shepherd of his sheepe, should not cut short, or break off the hornes of the wicked, there would be no living by them: yet the Lord may, and many times doth lengthen the chaine, and enlarge the power of such to do much mischief, though not to the ruine, and subversion of the Church, yet to the cutting off many of the members, but still with this promise, that when he hath accomplished all his work upon mount Sion, and Jerusalem, he will then visit the proud heart of those his enemies, (and like a loving and tender Father) when he hath sufficiently corrected his children, he will burne the rod in the fire: so that all shall say, Verily, there is a God that judgeth in the earth. The truth where of will manifestly appear in these examples following.
Manasses King of Judah being reproved by that aged and reverend Prophet Esay: he caused him near to the fountain of Silce to be sawen in sunder with a woodden saw in the eightieth yeere of his age, for which cruel fact, amongst other of his sins, see his punishments, 2 Chron. 33. 11. &c.
Antiochus Epiphanes a grievous blasphemer of God, and a cruel persecutor of the Jews, proudly protesting that he would make Jerusalem a common burying place, and the streets thereof to runne with their blood, being smitten by God as he went thitherward, began to relent, seeming very penitent, and vowed that if he recovered, he would do many, and great things for the people of God, and that he would become a Jew, and go through all the known world to declare the power of God: but the Lord knowing his hypocrisie, still continued his disease, which was a remedilesse paine of the bowels, intolerable torments of the inward parts, his body breeding abundance of Wormes which issued out of the same, so that he rotted above ground, and by reason of the intolerablestinke thereof, no man could endure to come neere him, yea himself could not abide the same, and so he ended his wretched life in much misery. Josephus.
Herod the great who caused the babes of Bethlehem to be slaine, hoping thereby to destroy Christ, shortly after was plagued by God with an incurable disease, having a slow and slack fire continually tormenting his inward parts: a vehement, and greedy desire to eat, and yet nothing sufficed him: a grievous flux in the fundament, a droptick humour issuing from his feet, a rotting of his inward bowels, an issue from his bladder, his privy members rotted ingendring abundance of wormes which issued from the same, a short, and stinking breath, and great paine in breathing: and in all his members so violent a crampe, that nature was not able to bear it; and so growing mad with paine he died miserably. Euseb.
Herod Antipas who beheaded John Baptist, not long after falling into disgrace with the Romane Emperour, with his incestuous Herodias the suggester of that murther, they were banished, and fell into such misery, and penury, that they ended their wretched lives with much shame and misery, Euseb.
Caiaphas the high Priest who gathered the Councel, and suborned false witnesses against the Lord Christ, was shortly after put out of his office, and one Jonathan substituted in his room, Whereupon he killed himself. Euseb.
Pontius Pilate, who condemned our Lord Christ, shortly after falling into disgrace with the Romane Emperour, was by him banished, and fell into such misery that he hanged himself. Euseb.
Herod Agrippa, having slaine James the brother of John with the sword, and imprisoned Peter, intending to have slaine him also, presently after in the middest of all his pompe was smitten by the Angel of God, and was devoured of Worms. Act. 12. 23.
Nero, that monster of men, who raised the first bloody Persecution, (to pick a quarrel with the Christians) set the City of Rome on fire, and then charged it upon them: under which pretence he exposed them to the fury of the people, who cruelly tormented them, as if they had been common burners, and destroyer of Cities, and the deadly enemies of mankinde. Yea Nero himself caused them to be apprehended, clad in wilde beasts skins, and torne in pieces with Dogges: others were crucified: Some he made bonefires of to light him in his night-sports: In briefe, such horrible cruelty he used towards them, as caused many of their enemies to pity them: But God found out this wretched Persecutor at last: For being adjudged by the Senate an enemy to mankinde, he was condemned to be whipt to death, for the prevention whereof he cut his own throat. Niceph. Tacit. Anal. l. 5.
Domitian the authour of the second Persecution against the Christians, was so puffed up with pride that he would needs be adored as a god: But against him rose up his own houshold-servants, who (by the consent of his wife) slew him with daggers in his privy chamber: his body was buried without honour: His memory cursed to posterity; and his Armes, and Ensignes were thrown down, and defaced. Sueto. Eutrop.
Trajan, though in the government of the commonwealth he was a good, and prudent Prince, yet by the suggestion of Satan raised the third Persecution against the Church: For which cause the vengeance of God, and his heavy hand fell upon him; For first he fell into a Palsie, then lost the use of his senses, afterwards fell into a dropsie, & died in great anguish. Dion.
Hadrian who raised the fourth Persecution, and caused ten thousand Christians to be crucified in Armenia at one time, and afterwards stirred up a hot Persecution against them in all places: was striken by God with an issue of blood, which so weakened, and disquieted him, that he would faine have made away himself: Then fell he into a consumption of the Lungs which he continually spat out: and after with an insatiable dropsie: so that finding himselfe in such horrible torment, he desired poison to hasten his death, or a knife to cut his throat: But these being kept back from him, he was forced to indure the torment, and so died in much misery. Spart.
Marcus Antonius verus, who continued the fourth Persecution, exercising exceeding great cruelties against the Christians every where, especially at Lyons, and Vienna in Daulphine: for the same God struck him with a grievous Apoplexy, of which, after he had lien speechlesse, and in misery three dayes, he died. Euseb. Spart.
Commodus the Emperour, under whom also was continued the fourth Persecution against the Christians, was given over to such abominable wickednesse, that he kept three hundred Concubines, and as many Boyes for detestable uses: and for his cruelty was poysoned by his friend Marcia, whereupon falling into an extreame vomiting he was slaine by Narcissus. Euseb.
Severus the authour of the fifth Persecution after he began to persecute the Christians, never prospered; but fell into divers calamities: and at last had such an extreame paine through his whole body: that languishing therewith, he would faine have poisoned himself: But being prevented, he died in much misery. Also Vitellius Saturnius (one of the instruments of his cruelty) fell blinde. Another called Claudius Herminianus Governour of Cappadocia, who out of hatred against his wife that was a Christian, had extreamly afflicted many of Gods Children, was stricken by God with the Pestilence: Had vermine bred in his bowels, which devoured him a live after a most horrible manner, which extorted from him a confession that those plagues justly befell him for his cruelty against the Christians. Tert. ad Scap.
Maximinus the Emperour, who raised the sixth Persecution against the Christians, especially against the Pastors of the Church, was himselfe, to gether with his sonne, slaine by his own Souldiers. Euseb.
Decius who raised the seventh Persecution & laboured by all means to destroy the Church of Christ, using all the cruelty, and torments that mans wit could vise: For this God raised up the Scythians against him, whereby his Army was overthrown, and himself and son cruelly slaine: or, as others say, he leaped his horse into a whirl-pit, after which his body could never be found. Oros. Euseb. Pomponius.
Immediately after the death of this Tyrant, God sent a grievous Plague, and Pestilence upon the bloody Gentiles in every Province, which lasting ten years together, made▪ such havock as is horrible to hear, and almost incredible to believe: And it was observed that where the Emperours Edicts had been put in execution with most severity, there it raged most, so that many places became utterly desolate. See more in my General Martyrologie. p. 54. Euseb.
Gallus the Emperour who continued the seventh Persecution, was himself with his son slaine by one of own his Captaines. Act & Mon.
Valerian in the beginning of his reigne was milde towards the Christians; but afterwards proved a terrible persecutor of them through all his▪ Dominions, which was the eight Persecution; But it was not long before he was overthrown in the Persian Warres, taken prisoner, being seventy yeares old, and made so vile a slave, that Sapores the King of Persia used his back as a block whereby to mount upon his horse: and at last caused him to be flayed alive, and powdered with salt. Euseb. Likewise Claudius a President one of the ministers of his cruelty, was possessed by the devil, and so tormented, that biting off his tongue in small bits, he died miserably.
Aurelian the authour of the ninth Persecution, being about to give out an Edict for renuing the persecution against the Christians, had at the same time a thunderbolt which fell at his feet, which so terrified him that for a time he forbore: But afterwards returning to his bloody disposition, God stirred up his own servants to cut his throat. Niceph. Eutrop.
Dioclesian the authour of the tenth Persecution went more subtilly to work! For first, he used all politick ways to make the Christians in his Army renounce their Faith; Thén by Proclamation commanded their Churches to be beaten down; their Bibles to be burnt; and torne in pieces: that all Christians which bore any office should be deposed: that bondmen who would forsake their profession should be made free: But when after all his subtilty, and cruelty he saw that the number of Christians still encreased, being satiated with blood he gave up the Empire: After which he was tormented with divers and strange diseases: had his house burnt down by lightning and was himself so frighted with thunder that he fell mad, and klled himself. Ruffinus.
Maximinian his fellow-Emperour vvas also exceeding cruel, and outragious against the Christians. For vvhen tvventy thousand of them vvere met together in a Temple at Nicomedia upon a solemne Festival day to serve God, he caused it to be invironed by a band of souldiers, set on fire, and burned vvith all that vvere in it. Another City in Phrygia of Christians after a long siege he caused to be burnt to cinders with all the inhabitants therein: But God shortly after struck him with a grievous disease: Vermine bred abundantly in his body, with such an horrible stinke, that being not able to endure it, he hanged himself. Euseb. Niceph.
Maximinus that next succeeded in the Easterne Empire, was a cruell and bloody Persecutor of the Saints: For which God struck him with an un…outh disease: In his privy members there grew a sudden putrefaction, and in the bottome of the same a botchy corrupt Bile, with a Fistula consuming, and eating up his intrals, out of which came swarming an innumerable company of lice, with such a pestiferous stinke that no man could abide him: And being a fat man, all his fat so putrified, and stanke so horribly, that some of his Physicians not being able to endure it were commanded to be slaine, others were cruelly put to death because they could not cure him: But at last being told that this was Gods just vengeance upon him for destroying the Christians: he seemed to repent, and commanded the persecution to cease; and thereupon it pleased God to free him from his disease: But about six moneths after he sent forth a new Proclamation for the utter rooting out of the name of Christians: whereupon his disease returned again, and assaulted him in great extremity, so that his body being all rotten, full of corruption, and wormes he died miserably. Chrysostome saith that the apples of his eyes fell out before his death.
Galerius a chief instrument of persecution under Dioclesian, fell into a grievous disease, a fore rising in the nether part of his belly▪ which consumed his privy members, from whence issued abundance of wormes bred by the putrefaction: This could neither be cured by Chirurgeons, nor Phisicians: whereupon he acknowledged that it befell him justly for his monstrous cruelty to the Christians; howbeit he died miserably, or as some write, slew himself. Lanquet. Chron.
Licinius the Emperour who had set forth three cruel edicts for persecuting of the Christians, was shortly after overcome by Constantine, and slaine by the souldiers. Simps.
The Romane Emperours betwixt Christs, and Constantines time being about three hundred and thirty yeares, were all of them contemners of Christ, enemies to his Word, and many of them persecutors of his Saints, amongst which Emperours few, or none of them escaped Gods revenging hand, so that there is numbred fourty three of them that came to untimely ends. Act. & Mon.
Constantine the Emperour, a Monothelite, being a cruel persecutor of godly Christians, was slaine by one of his own servants, as he was washing himself in a Bath. Hist. Magd.
Arnolphus the Emperour raging exceedingly against the Christians, the wife of one Guido, upon another grudge, gave him a cup of poison, by meanes whereof such rottenness possessed his members, that lice, and wormes issuing out continually, he died a miserable death. P. Melan. Chron. l. 4.
Agapetus a young man of the age of fifteen years for the profession of Christ was first scourged with whips, then hung up by the feet, and scalding water poured upon him: then cast to the wilde beasts, which, (being more merciful then men) refused to touch him, whereupon he was taken, and beheaded: but Antiochus who passed sentence upon him, suddenly fell down from his judicial seat, crying out, that all his bowels burned within him, and so he gave up the ghost. Act. & Mon.
Genserick an Arian King of the Vandals, shewed a great deal of cruelty against the Oxthodox: But the Lord met with him; for he died, being possessed with an evil spirit. P. Melanc. Chron. l. 3.
Hunericus son to a King of the Vandals, being an Arian, was a mercilesse persecutor of the godly Christians, banishing five thousand of them at one time, amongst which some of them being unable to travel, he caused cords to be tied to their legges, and to drag them through rough places, whereby many of them perished: But shortly after he was tormented with venomous biles all over his body, and in the end was consumed with vermine. Hist. Mag… ▪
Claudius who was President under Valerian, and his instrument to torment, and condemne many godly Christians was shortly after possessed with the devil, and so tormented, that biting off his own tongue in small peeces, he ended his life in much misery. Act. & Mon.
Anastasius the Emperour, a Patron of the Eutychian Heresie, became a bloody persecutor of godly Christians, and by Gods just judgement was slain with a Thunderbolt. Plat.
Autharis King of the Longobards, who forbade children to be baptized, or instructed in the Christian faith, ere he had reigned six years, died of poison at Pavia. Paulus Diac. l. 3. c. 18.
Arcadius the Emperour having by the perswasion of his wife Eudoxia an Heretick, banished Chrysostome: The very next night there arose such a terrible earth-quake, that the Emperour and all the people being affrighted therewith, was faign to send Post after Post to fetch him home againe. Mandat. of calumniation. l. 2. c. 44.
Mamuca a Saracen being a cruel Persecutor of the Church of God, like unto Pharaoh, met with the like destruction from God: for as he returned from the slaughter of many Christians, the Lord caused the sea to swallow him up with the greatest part of his Army in an hundred ships, so that few, or none escaped. Paul. Diaconus l. 3. c. 12.
Theodoricus an Arian King of the Goths, persecuted the true Christians with all hostilitie, amongst whom he slew two noble Senators, Symmachus and Boëtius, but shortly after, the Lord struck him with madnesse: and sitting at the table, had the head of a great fish set before him, which he imagining to be the head of Symmachus, whom he had slaine, was so overcome with feare, that anon after he died. Evag.
At Vassie in France, fifteen hundred people being assembled in a Church upon a Sabbath-day, hearing the Word of God preached; The Duke of Guise suddenly compassed the Church with armed Souldiers, himselfe standing in the doore with a drawn sword, and sent in his Souldiers, who cruelly killed all without distinction of age, or sex: but himselfe was shortly after slaine at the siege of Orleance. Act. and Mon.
Minerius Governour of Province, who was sent by the King of France with an Army against the Waldenses, used much cruelty against them, burning some, killing others, driving others into woods, and mountaines, whereby they perished of famine, depopulating whole townes: But the Lord smote him with a tertible disease, so that he felt like a fire burning him from the Navel upwards, and his lower parts rotted, and were consumed with vermine, which was attended with a grievous stinke, and profusion of blood in the place of his urine, and in those extreame torments he ended his wretched life. Simps.
The Emperour Phocas, a most vicious and bloody persecutor, being the first that ordained that the Bishop of Rome should be called the universall Bishop, and the Church of Rome the head of other Churches, was betrayed by his own son in Law, and delivered up into the hands of his enemy Heracleus, who commanded his head, feet, and privie members to be cut off, and his body to be burned. Plat.
Earle Simon of Montfort, a cruell persecutor of the Albingenses, by the instigation of the Pope, as he besieged some of them in Tholous, had his head parted from his body by a fire stone, which a woman let out of an Engine. Simps.
King Lewis of France besieging Avignion a City of the Albingenses, and vowing never to depart till he had taken it, was shortly after punished with a grievous pestilence, which daily wasted great numbers of his men: So that the King going aside to an Abbey not far distant to avoide the same, there, died out of his wits. Act. and Mon.
King Charles the ninth of France a bloody persecutor of the Protestants, who had caused the effusion of the blood of thirty thousand of them in the massacre of Paris: by Gods just judgement fell sick, and with great effusion of blood out of many parts of his body, died miserably. Act. and Mon.
Truchetus an expert Captain, imployed by the Duke of Savoy against the Protestants in his dominions, who were a naked, and unarmed people, was first sore wounded with stones, and afterwards slaine with his owne sword by a poor Shepherd, who was keeping of Cattell in the field. Act. and Mon.
Henry the second, King of France, a cruel persecutor of Protestants, caused Annas Burgeus, a noble Counsellour of Paris to be condemned, and in a great passion said, that he would stand by, and see him burned: but before the time came, the King being at Tilt, put a Speare into one of his Noble mens hands, and compelled him against his will to run against him, at which time the Speare breaking, a small splinter of it entred in at the Kings eye, and pierced into his braine, whereof he died. Act. and Mon.
King Henry the third of France in the selfe-same Chamber wherein the Massacre of Paris was concluded, whereof himselfe (being at that time Duke of Anjou) was one of the chiefe, was stabbed by a Iacobine Monke, who thrust a knife violently into his small Ribs, whereof he shortly after died. Act. and Mon.
Ladislaus King of Bohemia, and Hungary, who most unjustly had caused Ladislaus, Huniades his son, to be beheaded, and together with many other Popish Princes had conspired to root out the true Christians in Bohemia, which should have been put in execution at the time of his marriage: immediately before, in the middest of his great preparations fell sick, and within 36 houres died of a pestilent sore in his groine. Act. and Mon.
Philip the second, King of Spaine, who was a great enemie to the light of the Gospel that then shined especially in the Netherlands and a bloody persecutor of the Professors thereof: after that he had lost many of his Provinces, had an imposthume on his right leg, and foure other upon his breast, which being broken, cast forth abundance of stinking matter, with great store of Lice, so that the Physicians could hardly cleanse them; and he was thereby so weak, that his servants were faine to lift him to, and fro in a sheet, and so he died in much misery. Hist. of Nether.
Agodly Minister being persecuted in Hungary by a Popish Bishop, who caused Hares, Geese, and Hens to be tied round about his body, and Dogs to be set at him, whereby he was cruelly torne in peeces: within few dayes after, the ungodly Bishop fell sick, and ran mad, and so ravingly died. Act. and Mon.
Philip de Lune a godly Gentlewoman of Paris, being caught at an assembly of the Protestants, was arraigned and condemned, some of her Popish neighbours bearing witnesse against her, whereof two falling out incontinently, the one stabbed the other with a knife. Act. and Mon.
Peter Arandeau burned for the Protestant Religion in France, one Mornay who was his principall accuser, presently after died suddenly: and the Lieutenant which condemned him, was presently after condemned, fined, deposed from his office, and branded with perpetuall infamy for bribery, and other vices. Act. and Mon.
The Lord of Revest, chife President of the Parliament of Aixe in France, put many godly persons to death, but shortly after being put out of his office, was stricken with such an horrible disease, that he ran mad, and none of his friends durst come neare him, whereby he perished miserably. After him sueceeded Bartholomew Cassaneus, a pestilent persecutor also, whom the Lord struck also with a fearfull, and sudden death. Act. and Mon.
The Duke of Joyeuse, one of the Popish Leaguers in France against the Protestants, being overthrown by them in a battell, wherein he lost three thousand men, three Cannons, and two Culverins, was heard in a desperate manner to vomit forth these blasphemous words: Farewell my great Cannons: Ha! I renounce God, I run this day an high fortune, and therewith plunged himselfe horse and man into the river Tac, and died miserably. Act. and Mon.
Don Iohn of Austria being imployed by the King of Spaine to subdue the Netherlands, and root out the Protestants there, came with an Army against them, and a Banner with a crosse, and this Motto upon it: By this signe I overcame the Turks, and by the same I will overcome the Hereticks: But in his first onset, he was so entertained, that after the losse of many of his Souldiers, full of blasphemy, and cursings, he was forced to retire, and shortly after he died of the Plague. Hist. of the Netherl.
Wolfgangus Schuch, a godly, and learned Minister in Germany, was condemned by two Popish Judges, and burnt for his Religion; Shortly after, one of the Judges fell suddenly downe, and died: The other hearing some Guns discharged, was so astonished with sudden feare, that he also fell downe, and died. Act. and Mon.
Johannes de Roma, a Monke, and bloody persecutor of the godly Waldenses: His manner was to fill Bootes with boyling Grease, and put them upon their legs, tying of them backwards over a forme, their legs hanging down over a soft fire, and afterwards cruelly put them to death: and robbed them of their goods: but shortly after his owne servant robbed him of all those ill gotten goods: and he fell into a most horrible disease unknown to any Physician, the paines, and torments whereof did so incessantly vex him, that no meanes could give him one minutes ease, neither could any indure to come neere him by reason of his stinke, which even himselfe could not endure, his body being full of sores, and ulcers, and swarming with vermine, so that he rotted away, and his flesh fell off by peece-meale from his bones: In which torments he would often crie out, Oh! who will deliver me? who will kill me, and deliver me out of these intolerable paines? Yea often indeavouring to destroy himselfe, but had not power to do it, and so languishing in anguish and fearfull despaire, he ended his accursed life. Act. and Mon.
John Martin another enemie to the Waldenses used to vaunt every where that he would slit the nose of one of their prime Ministers: Shortly after himselfe was assaulted by a Wolfe which bit off his nose, whereupon he ran mad, and died. Act. and Mon.
Sir Thomas Moore, and Fisher Bishop of Rochester, who had put to death John Frith. and some others for Religion, were themselves shortly after condemned for treason and beheaded. Act. and Mon.
Philips, who betrayed Mr. Tindall to the Emperours Secretary, shortly after fell into a grievous sicknesse, and was consumed with Lice. Act. and Mon.
Pavier, Town-Clerke of the Citie of London, a cruell enemie to the true Professors of the Gospel, swore a great oath, that if he thought the King would set forth the Scriptures in English, rather then he would so long live, he would cut own his throat; But he brake promise (saith the Author) for instead thereof he hanged himselfe shortly after. Act. and Mon.
Foxford, Chancellor to Stokesley Bishop of London, a bloody Persecutor, and common Butcher of Gods Saints, died suddenly sitting in his chaire, his belly breaking, and his guts falling out before him. Act. and Mon.
Rockwood who was a great stirrer up of persecution against the godly in Calice: suddenly fell sick, staring, raging, and crying out, I am utterly damned: and being willed to ask God mercy, he prayed, and cried out, 'All too late, for I have ma…liciously sought the death of many godly persons, …and that against mine own conscience, and therefore …al too late; all too late: & so he continued unto his end: The under Marshall also, who at the same time was another persecutor there, suddenly fell down in the Councell-Chamber, and never spake word more: Act. and Mon.
Adam Damlip, a godly Preacher in Calice was falsely accused of treason, and executed, and when he would have purged himselfe, one Sir Ralph Ellerker would not suffer him; but commanded him to be had away, saying, that he would not depart till he saw the Traitors heart out: Shortly after, in a skirmish against the French, he was slaine, and after they had stripped him, they cut off his privie members, and pulled out his heart, which they did not to any of the rest of the slaine. Act. and Mon.
Doctor Story, a bloody persecutor in Queen … dayes, when Queen Elizabeth came to the Crown, could not forbeare to curse her daily in his grace at board, & was worthily hanged for his Treason therein. Anno 1571. Camb. Eliz.
Valence the Emperour, that mirrour of impietie, going against the Gothes, was defeated in the very first battel, for which he upbraided Trajan his General at a feast with cowardise, and sloth, as the cause of his overthrow: but noble Trajan not enduring that indignity, told him in plaine termes, that he had lost the day by warring against God (in persecuting the Christians) whereby he had lost the victory, and sent it to his enemies: For it is God (saith he) that overcometh, and giveth the victory to those that obey him: but such are your adversaries, and therefore having God to fight against you, how can you overcome? Niceph. Eccl. Hist.
Apian scoffing at Religion, and especially at circumcision, had an Ulcer at the same time, and in the same place. Josephus.
Antonius Heliogabulus the Emperour, a most prod…gious monster, built a Temple to the Sun, and commanded Christians to worship in the same; but shortly after he was murthered by his own guard, and his body shamefully drawn through the Citie of Rome, and thrown into the River Tybur. Euseb.
Anno 1530 divers noble men in Germany being at supper together, and threatning horrible things against the Professors of the Gospel, amongst the rest Count Felix of Wartenburg, a great Warrier, who had been in command under Maximilian the Emperour, said, that he hoped before he died to ride up to the Spurs in blood of the Lutherans: but being smitten by▪ God that very night, he fell a bleeding in that violent manner, that his owne blood choaked him, and so he ended his life. Flac. Illyr.
Francis the first of France, was so filled with rage against the truth of God, and the reformation in Luthers time, that in solemne a Assembly he protested, that if he knew any part of his body infected with that contagion, he would presently tear it from him, that it might spread no further. Sleid. Com. l. 9.
Ballasius Governour of Egypt under Constantius the Emperour, a great persecutor of holy Athanasius, as he was riding, his horse turning back his neck, bit him by the the thigh, and therewithall plucking him off his back, so bruised him, that within three dayes he died. Athanasius.
Iohn Twiford a furious Papist, who used to set up the stakes for those that were burned in Smithfield, died, rotting above ground, so that none could endure to come neare unto him by reason of stinke. Act. and Mon.
David Beaton, a bloody Archbishop, and Cardinall of Scotland, who, amongst others, had condemned and burned one George Wiseheart, was shortly after assaulted by some that brake into his Castle, who murthered him in his bed; crying out, Alasse, alasse, slay me not, I am Priest: after which he lay seven moneths unburied, and at last like a Carrion) he was buried in a dunghill. Act. and Mon.
William Gardiner an English Merchant, being present in Lisborne at the marriage of the Prince of Portugall to the King of Spaines daughter, and seeing the abominable Idolatry then used in the presence the King, and of all States there assembled, he stepped to the Cardinal who was celebrating of Mass, and plucked the Cake out of his hand, and trampled it under his feet, and overthrew the Chalice: for which, by most exquisite torments, in an horrible manner they put him to death by degrees, and then burned him; a sparke of whose fire, was driven a great way into one of the Kings ships lying in the haven, and consumed it, and within halfe a year after the new married Prince died, and the year after the King himselfe also died. Act. and Mon.
Arundel, Archbishop of Canterbury, having silenced many faithful Ministers, by Gods just judgement had his tongue swelled so bigge in his mouth, that he could neither eate, drink, not speak for many dayes, and so died of hunger, after he had starved many poor Christian soules, and burned their bodies to ashes. Act. & Mon.
Cardinal Woolsey after much opposition against the light of the Gospel which sprang up in his time, and much cruelty used towards the professours of it, falling into disgrace with King Henry the eighth, was sent for up out of Yorkeshire, and in his journey, suspecting the issue, took such a strong purge, that his rotten body being not able to bear it, died thereof at Lecester-Abby; His dead body was as black as pitch and so heavy that six men could scarcely bear it, and stanke so intolerably, that they were forced to hasten his burial in the night, at whose burial there was such an hideous tempest, that all the Torches were put out and withall such a stinke, that they were glad to throw him into his Tombe, and there leave him. Act. & Mon.
Stephen Gardiner Bishop of Winchester, a bloody persecutor in Queen Maries time; upon the day that Master Ridley, and Latimer were burned at Oxford, would not sit downe to dinner till one of his servants, about four a clock in the afternoone, coming Post, brought him word that they were executed; whereupon he hastened to dinner, and being very merry, having eaten a few bits, a sudden stroke of Gods hand fell upon him, so that he was carried immediately to his bed, where he continued for fifteen dayes in intolerable anguish, and torments, rotting above ground, all which time he could avoide nothing that he received, either by urin or otherwise; his tongue also hung out of his mouth swolne, and black, and so he died miserably. Act. & Mon.
Cyrillus, who in the time of Constantine had broken in peeces many Images of the Gentiles, being afterwards taken by them, was slaine, his belly ript, his liver drawn out, which with barbarous inhumanity they chawed with their teeth: but shortly after the teeth of these miscreants fell out of their Jaw-bones, their tongues rotted within their mouthes, and their eyes were blinde. Theod.
Henry Arch-bishop of Mentz, a godly, and vertuous man, being accused of heresie to the Pope, he sent two Cardinals, who most unjustly deposed him from his place, whereupon he said unto them: If I should from this your unjust sentence appeale unto the Pope, it is like I should finde no redresse from him, wherefore I appeal to the Lord Jesus Christ, the just and righteous Judge, and cite you to answer me before his judgement-seat for this injury; To which they scoffingly answered, Go you first, and we will follow after: Shortly after the Archbishop died, which the Cardinals hearing of, said jestingly one to another: Behold, he is gone before, and we must follow according to our promise: and indeed shortly after they both died upon on day: The one sitting upon a Jakes voided out all his intrals: The other gnawing off his own fingers, all deformed with devouring himself, died miserably. Act. & Mon.
Judge Morgan who gave the sentence of condemnation against the Lady Jane Dudly, a most religious, and vertuous Lady, shortly after fell mad, and in his raving cried out continually to have the Lady Jane taken away from him, and so ended his life. Act. & Mon.
Morgan Bishop of Saint Davids, who condemned the blesse Martyr Master Farrar, and unjustly usurped his Bishoprick, not long after was stricken by God after a most strange sort, his meat would not go down, but pick up again sometimes at his mouth, sometimes blown out of his nose, most horrible to behold, and so he continued till he died: Master Leyson also, who was Sheriffe at Master Farrars burning, having fetched away his cattel, and put them into his own grounds, divers of them would never eat meat, but lay bellowing, and roaring and so died. Act. & Mon.
Doctor Duning Chancellour of Norwich, a bloody persecutor in Queen Maries dayes, was suddenly taken sitting in his chaire, and died. Act. & Mon.
Berry, Commissary of Norfolke, another bloody persecutor, as he was walking with one of his Concubines, fell down suddenly with an heavy groan, and never stirred after. A persecuting suffragan of Dover, having been with Cardinal Poole for his blessing, coming out of the Cardinals Chamber, fell down the staires, and brake his neck Act. & Mon.
Bishop Thornton a cruel persecutor also, as he was looking upon his men at bowles upon the Sabbathday, fell suddenly into a Palsey, and being carried to his bed, and willed to remember the Lord, Yea so I do (said he) and my Lord Cardinal too, and so he died. Act. & Mon.
Doctor Jeffery Chancellour of Salisbury, a wretched persecutor, having appointed to call before him ninety honest persons to examine them by inquisition, the day before, being looking upon his buildings, fell down suddenly dead. Act & Mon.
See more of these in my two Martyrologies.
It is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you: And to them which are troubled, rest,
2 Thes. 1. 6, 7.
Dicetur reprobis, Ite; Venite, probis.