A Mirror both for Saints and Sinners, Treatise · Chapter 24
CHAP. XXIV. Examples of Gods judgements against Perjury,
SWearing, Cursing, and Perjury are such Godprovoking and Heaven-outfacing sinnes, that the Lord doth not only reserve wrath for these his enemies in the world to come, but many times also even in this world he takes some of the eminentest of these sinners, and (as it were) hangs them up in Gibbets, to be monuments of his heavy wrath, and indignation, for the terrour of others, that they may hear and fear, and do no more so wickedly: as these ensuing Examples may sufficiently evince.
It's a great sinne, 1 Tim. 1. 9. 10. Lev. 6. 3. Jer. 23. 10, Hos. 10. 4.
Forbidden, Lev. 19. 12. Mat. 5. 33.
Threatened, Jer. 5. 2, and 7. 9. Mal. 3. 5. Zach. 5. 3, 4 Hos. 10. 4.
Scriptural examples, Princes, and people, Jer. 34 10, 11, 17. Zedekiah, Ezek. 17. 18, 19. Saul, 2 Sam. 21. 1, 2.
Agesilaus being sent with a great Army from Sparta into Asia Minor against Tissaphernes the King of Persiu's Leiutenant there: Tissaphernes, desired to know the reason of his coming, Agesilaus answered, that it was to let the Grecian Cities free: Tissaphernes intreated him to make a truce with him till he had sent to the King of Persia to know his pleasure therein: Agesilaus consented, and so a truce was made, with solemne oaths on both sides; but Tissaphernes dealt deceitfully, and sent to the King for a great Army. which being come to him, he sent an Herauld to Agesilaus to command him presently to depart out of Asia. Agesilaus being nothing daunted with the newes, returned this answer, That he gave him no small thanks for that by his perjury he had made the gods angry with the Persians, and favourable to the Grecians; and accordingly it so fell out, for coming to a battel, he gave the Persians a great overthrow. Xenophon.
Lysander King of Sparta, though otherwise a gallant man, yet made no conscience of his oaths, using to say, that boyes used to be deceived with false dice, and men with oaths. Plut.
Eumenes being made General of an Army against Antigonus by the young King of Macedonia, Alexander M. his sonne, and his protectour, they wrote to the two Colonells of the Argyraspides, to adjoyne themselves to him: (These were Alexanders old souldiers, whom when he took them with him into India, he made them silver shields, and called them Argyraspides:) These Colonells obeying the command went with him into Asia, and after some lesser conflicts, the two armies met at last in Media, where these silvershields (of whom none were under sixty, and most of them were seventy years old,) took in such scorne that their sonnes and boyes should fight against them, that they charged them with such fury, that after the slaughter of many they made Antigonus his infantry wholly to run away; but in the mean time Antigonus his Cavalry, had routed the Cavalry of Eumenes, and seizing upon their carriges, had driven them away, the Silver shields hearing of it, sent presently to Antigonus, desiring him to restore them their carriages againe: who answered, that if they would deliver up Eumenes bound into his hands, he would not only restore their carriages, but greatly preferre them also: Hereupon most treacherously they ran upon Eumenes, took away his sword, and bound his hands behinde him, so that he could scarce get leave to speake before they carried him away, but at last having obtained leave, he thus spake: O my souldiers, ye see the habit, and ornaments of your General, not imposed upon him by his enemies, but you your selves of a Conquerer have made him a Captive: You that within one yeares space, have bound your selves foure times to me by oath, do now to redeem your carriages betray me to mine enemies, therefore I desire you rather to kill me your selves, for Antigonus desires not to have me living but dead, and if you will but herein gratifie me, I freely absolve you, from all the oaths wherewith you have bound your selves to me, or if you will not shew me so much favour, then loose one of my bands, and give me a sword that I may kill my selfe, or if you dare not trust me with a sword, cast me to the Elephants to be destroyed by them. But when he saw that they would gratifie him in none of these, he grew into a passion, and said, Ye cursed villaines, I pray the gods, who are the revengers of perjury, to send you such ends as ye have brought your Generals unto, for I am not the first whom you have thus betrayed, &c. And so being delivered to Antigonus, he was shortly after murthered by him: But withal he so hated these perjured Silver shields, that he burned one of their Colonells, and slew the other, the rest of them he sent into remote Countreys, and put them upon such desperate services, that by degrees they were all cut off, and never any one of them, returned into his own Countrey againe. Plut.
King Henry the first of England in the twenty seventh year of his reigne, caused the Bishops, Abbats, and Nobles to sweare allegiance to his daughter Maud, and that she should succeed in his Kingdome: they which swore, were first William Arch-bishop of Canterbury, and the rest of the Bishops, and Abbats, then David King of Scotland, Uncle to Maud, now married to the Emperesse of Germany, then Stephen Earle of Mortaigne, and Bulloigne Nephew to the King, &c. But so soon as King Henry was dead in Normandy, Stephen hasted into England, and by the help especially of the Bishops, was made King, and the Emperesse put by: but behold the revenging hand of God following their Perjury: Stephen though otherwise a gallant Prince, yet found his Crowne, to be but a glorious misery, Mars, and Vulcan never suffering him to be at quiet; and as he would not suffer the right heire to inherit, so God would not suffer him to have an heire to inherit; for his sonne was put by the Crowne, which was conferred upon Henry sonne to the Emperesse, the rightfull heire. Also William Arch-bishop of Canterbury never prospered after his perjury, but died within that yeare. Roger Bishop of Salisbury fell into displeasure with King Stephen, who took him prisoner, seized upon his Castles, and treasures, and so used him that he died for very griefe. Alexander Bishop of Lincolne was also taken by the King, and led in a rope to the Castle of Newark upon Trent, the King swearing that the Bishop should neither eat nor drink till his Castle was surrendered; so that there he gat all the Bishops treasure: and as for Hugh Bigot he also escaped not long unpunished, saith Fabian.
Rodulph Duke of Sweveh, provoked by the Pope, rebelled against his Sovereigne, the Emperour Henry the fourth, but in a battel which he fought against him, he lost his right arme, whereof he shortly after died: acknowledging Gods justice for his disloyalty, punishing him in that arme, which before was lift up to sweare the oath of allegiance to his Master. Act. & Mon.
Narcissus, a godly Bishop of Ierusalem, was falsly accused by three men of many foule matters, who sealed up with oathes, and imprecations their false testimonies: But shortly after one of them with his whole family, and substance was burnt with fire: another of them was stricken with a grievous disease, such as in his imprecation he had wished to himselfe: the third terrified with the sight of Gods judgements upon the former, became very panitent, and poured out the griefe of his heart in such aboundance of teares, that thereby he became blinde. Euseb.
The Arians hired a woman to accuse Eustatius a godly Bishop of committing whoredome with her, thereby procuring his banishment: But shortly after the Lord struck her with a grievous disease, whereupon she confessed her perjury (the childe being begotten by Eustatius a Smith, and not Eustatius the Bishop) and so presently after she died, Euseb.
The Emperour Albert, having made a truce with the great Turke, and solemnly sworne to the same: Pope Eugenius the fourth sent him a dispensation from his oath, and excited him to renew the warre against them: but in the first battel he was discomfited, and slaine, to the great shame of Christianity: the infidels justly accusing them of Perjury, and Covenant▪ breaking sealed by the Name of Christ, whom they professe to be their Saviour. Turk. Hist.
Almerick King of Ierusalem having entred into League with the Caliph of Egypt, and confirmed the same by an oath, afterwards warred upon him contrary to his promise: whereupon God raised him up many enemies, who miserably wasted the Kingdome of Ierusalem, himselfe was beaten out of Egypt, and all hopes of succour failing him, being wearied with whole volleys of miseries, he ended his life of a bloody Flux. Hist. holy Warres.
The Egyptians reputed perjury so capital a crime, that whosoever was convinced thereof was punished with death.
Pausanias noteth this to be one chiefe cause, why Philip King of Macedon with all his posterity were so quickly destroyed, because he made no account of keeping his oathes, but sware and unswere as might stand best with his interest.
Gregory of Tours makes mention of a wicked varlet in France, among the people called Averni, that forswearing himselfe in an unjust-cause, had his tongue presently so tied, that he could not speake but roare, till by his inward prayer, and repentance, the Lord restored him the use of that unruly member.
Theodor Beza recordeth what befell a perjured person, who forswore himselfe to the prejudice of his neighbour: He had no sooner made an end of his oath, but being suddenly stricken with an Apoplexie, he never spake word more till he died.
Cleomenes King of Lacedemonia making truce with the Argives for seven dayes, oppressed them in the third night unawares, thinking thereby to avoid perjury: But the Argive women, their husbands being slaine, took up armes, like so many Amazones, and repelled Cleomenes: who afterwards was banished into Egypt, where desperately he slew himselfe. Plut.
Uladislaus King of Hungary having contracted a League with Amurath the great Turke, and bound himselfe to it by an oath: the Pope sent a Legat to absolve him from his oath, and provoke him to warre: which he undertaking with a very great Army, the victory stood doubtfull a great while together: but Amurath seeing a Crucifix in the Christians Ensigne, pluckt the writing (wherein the late League was contained) out of his bosome; and with his eyes, and hands cast up to heaven, said, O thou crucified Christ, behold, this is the League thy Christians in thy Name made with me, which they have causelesly violated: If thou be a God, as they say thou art, and as we dream, revenge the wrong now done unto thy Name, and me, and shew thy power upon thy perjured people, who in their deeds deny thee their God: Immediately afterward, the King in the middest of his enemies was slaine, and the Christians fled, very few ever returning to their own homes, but perished miserably. Turk Hist.
When Harold King of England was ready to joyne in battel with William the Conquerer, and his Normans: Gyth, a younger brother of his, advised him that in case he had made promise unto William of the Kingdome, he should for his own person withdraw himselfe out of the battel; for surely all his forces could not secure him against God, and his own conscience, who no doubt would require punishment for breach offaith, and promise, withall assuring him that if he would commit the fortune of that battel into his hands, he would not faile to performe the part of a good brother, and valiant Captaine: but the King contemning this wholesome counsel, would needs joyne battel himselfe, wherein he lost his Army, Kingdome, and his own life. Camb, Brit. p. 149, 150.
Henry Falmer being accused by his own brother of Heresie, as they call it, suffered Martyrdome for the same: but shortly after his said brother, who had borne false witnesse against him, was pressed for a Pioner in the voyage to Bulloine, where within three dayes, as he was exonerating nature, a Gun took him, and tore him all to peeces. Act. and Mon.
Sigismund the Emperour having granted letters of safe conduct unto Iohn Hus, and Ierome of Prague, under the faith and protection of himself, and the Empire, yet suffered them to be unjustly burnt at the Councel of Constance: after which time the said Emperour never prospered in any thing that he took in hand, he died without issue male, and his daughters son [Ladislaus] died also childlesse, whereby his name was quite extinguished in one age: And his Emperesse became a dishonour also to the royal place which she held, and so Gods judgements justly followed him for his perjury. Luther.
Elfred a Nobleman in the dayes of King Ethelstane of England, conspiring against his Sovereigne intended at Winchester to have pulled out his eyes: but his treason being discovered, he was sent to Rome to purge himself by oath, where before the Altar of Saint Peter, and in the presence of Pope Iohn the tenth, he abjuring the thing, suddenly fell down to the earth, and being carried by his servants into the English schoole, within three dayes after, he there died. Sp. Chron p. 340.
Goodwin Earle of Kent, Anno 1055. being charged by King Edward with the death of his brother Alfred, excused himself with many words, and at last eating a morsel of bread, wished that it might choake him, if he were guilty thereof: but before he stirred one foot from the place, he was according to his own imprecation forthwith choaked.
In the reigne of Queen Elizabeth, one Annis Averies in the City of London, widow, forswore her selfe for a little mony, which she should have paid for six pounds of Towe at a shop in Woodstreet, and by Gods just judgement, she immediately fell down speechless, casting her excrements upwards, which should have been voided downwards, and so presently died. Act. & Mon.
A certain Inne-Keeper in the town of Rutlinguen, receiving a Budget of money from a passenger, to keep for him, forswore the same before the Judge, giving himself to the devil if he swore falsly, and was (by two that testified against him which indeed were two Fiends of Hell) presently in the presence of the Judge, hoisted up into the aire, where he vanished away with them, and was never found after.
One hearing perjury condemned by a godly Preacher, and how it never escaped unpunished, said in a bravery, I have often for sworne my self, and yet my right hand is no shorter then my left; which words he had scarce uttered, when such an inflammation arose in that hand, that he was forced to go to the Chirurgion, and cut it off, lest it should have infected his whole body, whereby it became shorter then the other.
A rich young maide in Saxony promised marriage to a proper young man, but poore: He fore-seeing that wealth and inconstancy might alter her minde, freely disclosed his thoughts to her: whereupon she made a thousand imprecations to the contrary, wishing that if she ever married another, the devil might take her away on the wedding day: yet afterwards the fickle wench was betrothed, and married to another: At dinner two men on horseback came to the house, and were entertained at the feast: and after dinner one of them leading the Bride a dance, he took her by the hand, and led her a turne or two, and then in the presence of all her friends, he caught her, crying out for help, and went out at the gate where he hoisted her up into the aire, and vanished away with his companion and horses, so that she was never seen more. Sword against Swearers.
Philip King of Macedonia was a great contemner of all oaths, and held the religious observation of them as a vaine thing, for which cause the vengeance of God followed him, and all his posterity: For himself being scarce fourty six years old was slaine, and his whole family was quickly extinguished: Arideus one of his sons was slaine by Olympias his wife: Another son that he had by Cleopatra, was by his mother tormented to death in a brazen vessel compassed about with fire: the rest of his sons perished in the like manner, and his son Alexander after his great conquests, in the prime of his dayes, and in the middest of his victories died miserably, as some think, of poison. Pausanius.
A certain maid in London that had stolen many things from her Mistris, being examined, forswore them, wishing that she might rot if ever she touched them, or knew of them: but being yet carried to prison, she began so to rot, and stink, that they were forced to thrust her out of prison into a common hospitall.
Iohn Cooper a godly man in Queen Maries dayes was falsely, and maliciously accused of treason, for speaking some words against the Queen, and accordingly executed: but one Grimwood (who had sworn falsely against him) being shortly after about his labour in the harvest, and in good health, suddenly his bowels fell out of his body, and so he died most miserably. Act. & Mon.