The Theater of Gods Judgments Part 2, Chapter 3

The Theater of Gods Judgments Part 2 · Chapter 3

p. 31CHAP. III. Gods dreadfull Judgements against Wrath.

DIverse are the divisions and branches of this sinne of Wrath, which some reduce to these foure heads; Mortall, Veniall, Capitall, Generall: It is then called Mortall, when it hath a desire to punish, not to satisfie the Justice of the Law, but its spleene; or when through the vehemence of anger, it divides from the love of God, and our neighbour; or when it seekes a severe and cruell revenge for trifling delinquencies: It is called Veniall, when the motion of ire doth prevent the judgement of reason, but the consent followeth not; when we are too spleenfull and chollerick within: or when the signes of our outward indignation too manifestly appeares outwardly. That which is called Capitall, ariseth either from the heart, the mouth, or the act; that from the heart is rather cal'd indignation, when him whom we suppose to have injur'd us, we hold base and unworthy; and upon that wee animate and incourage our revenge, or Tumor ment…, the pride and haughtinesse of the minde, by which he that is incensed, is still devising severall wayes how to be avenged, by which his fancies are molested, and his thoughts much troubled: That which ariseth from the mouth is either clamour, when by confused and inordinate speeches, without a modest restraint of the tongue, we openly expresse our spleene and envy: or blasphemy, when being vehemently incensed, we breake into words which tend to Gods dishonour: or contumely, when being angry with our neighbour, we use slanderous and despightfull language against him. In Act, that is called R…xa, p. 32which is rayling and scoulding: In which are understood all the nocuments and dammages, which through wrath we can possibly doe to our neighbour. Of the fourth called Generall, there be three species; Acuta, which is that anger which ariseth upon small or no occasion at all; Amara, or bitter, when for an injury done we keepe it long in remembrance; and stile a fit opportunity for revenge: Gravis or Difficilis, when we never remit an injury, till we satisfie our rage by punishment.

Against all these there be Texts in the Holy Scripture, Genesis 27. 21. Texts in the holy Scripturè by which wrath is condemned.Therefore Esau hated his brother Iacob, because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him: and Esau thought in his minde, the dayes of mourning will come, and then will I slay my brother Iacob. Prov. 22. 29. Make no friendship with an angry man, neither goe with the furious man, least thou learne his wayes, and leave destruction to thy soule, 29. 22. An angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man aboundeth in transgression. Eccles. 6. 11. Be not thou of an hasty spirit to be angry, for anger resteth in the bosome of fooles. Matth. 5. 22. But I say unto you, whosoever is angry with his brother unadvisedly, shall be culpable of Iudgement, &c. Ephes. 4. 31. Let all bitternesse, and anger, and wrath, crying and evill speaking, be put away from you, with all maliciousnesse. Coloss. 3. 8. But now put yee away all these things, wrath, anger, malitiousnesse, cursed speaking, filthy speaking out of your mouthes. Tim. 1. 2. 8. I will therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up pure hands without wrath or doubting. Tit. 1. 7. For a Bishop must be unreproveable, as Gods steward; not froward, not angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre. We reade in the fourth of Luke, that when Jesus came to Nazareth, where he had beene brought up; and as his custome was, went into the Synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to reade; at which divine Sermon it is said, Vers. 28. Then all that were in the Synagogue when they heard it, were filled with wrath, and rose up and thrust him out of the City, and led him unto the edge of the hill on which their City was built, to cast him downe headlong; but he passed through the midst of them and went his way. Many other Texts are to this purpose, to reprove and condemne wrath and anger; the fruits and effects whereof are for the most part manslaughter, murder, and the like; of which by reason of their consanguinity and alliance, I am tyed to speak something, though briefly.

Of Homicides, these amongst others are named in the Scriptures; Cain, Simeon and Levi, Abimelech, Doeg the Edomite, Ioab, Baanah and Rechab, Noted murderers in the holy Text.who slew Ishboseth the sonne of Saul, who looking for a reward, David commanded his young men, and they slew them, and cut off their hands and feet, and hanged them up over the poole in Hebron, &c. In King David himselfe, who wrote thus in his letter, Put you Vriah in the fore-front of the strength of the battaile, and recoile ye backe from him, that hee may be smitten and die. Absalom in killing his brother Ammon. Athalias the servants of Ioash King of Iudah, who slew him in the house of Millo, with infinite others; who as they were inhumane in their practises, so were their ends miserable and abortive, even all of them who have not truely repented.

But I come now to Ethnick Histories; and first of them most forraigne: In handling of which, I will give you to begin with a Catalogue of such as have beene most cruell. Ptolomaeus Pisco one of the Kings of Aegypt, caused his owne sonne Memphites (whom he had begot of his wife and sister Cleopatra) to be slaine, and then commanded his head, hands, and feet, to be cut p. 33off, and to be shut in a curious casket made for the purpose, and sent them unto her as a present on his birth-day; and then after, when he perceived that by his barbarous tyranny he was growne odious unto all his subjects, that he might the better oppose the danger, hee caused a Schoole (where most of the Nobilities children, with others, were doctrinated) to be beset and round environed with swords and fire, and so suddenly assaulted them; that some by steele, others by the flame, were all destroyed, not one of them escaping: But that which hee thought to be his refuge, proved his ruine. For the people were so much incenst with this barbarous and bloudy Act, that with an unanimous consent they fell upon him, and tore him in pieces.

The like (if not greater cruelty) was practised by a woman, one Cycenis the daughter of Diogerides, King of Thrace, who greatly delighted to behold living men cut in the middle, and invite parents to feast with their owne murdered children, cookt and drest severall wayes; but she was after deposed from her principality, and none of her former subjects relieving her, (so hatefull were her inhumanities) she was famisht to death, and died of hunger.

Thus Artaxerxes caused her who was his wife and mother in law, (for his marriage was incestuous) to have her head parted from her shoulders, though nothing worthy death could be alleadged against her; nor did his tyranny end there, for after his father had resigned the Kingdome to his charge, like an unnaturall paracide, he caused him, with an hundred of his children, Nephewes and Kinsmen, to be cruelly murdered: nor did hee escape unpunished, for the Kingdome tyred with his insolencies, and the World weary with his horrible murders, made him in his death remarkable; for as some write, he died by the stroake of lightening.

Vitoldus, Prince of Lituania, studied divers sorts of tortures and torments for men, upon any sleight cause condemned to death, one of which, was, he would command them to be sewed in Beares skinnes, and then made it his sport to behold them torne in pieces with fierce Mastiffes: Moreover in all his warlike expeditions, hee had alwayes a steele bow ready bent, and what souldier soever but stept out of his ranke, hee instantly strooke him dead with an arrow, glorying to himselfe that he was so good a marks-man: But after these, and infinite other cruelties, hee that delighted to see men die like Beares, was himselfe in the end torne in pieces with wilde Wolfes, being paid in the like (though not in the same coyne) which hee lent to others.

Suiting to which is that story of Perillus, who hearing that Phalaris the Tyrant over the Agrigentines, was much delighted in the severall wayes of tormenting men, and presuming that nothing could better comply with his cruelty, then to present him with some rare and unheard of machine to that purpose, he devised and forged by his Art a brazen Bull, to open on the one side, and shut againe at pleasure; which being brought to Phalaris, he demanded of him the use for which it was made? who answered him again, he had forged it to punish offendors of high nature; for (saith he) let the naked body be put in at this doore, and then an hot fire made under it, the person tormented will not utter the voyce of a man, to put a telenting commiseration upon you, but the sound will appeare like the bellowing of a Bull, to make it the lesse terrible; which Phallaris hearing and grieving in his ambitions p. 34evill, that any should offer to out-doe him in his cruelty: He told the workeman that he accepted of his gift, but commanded withall that he should make proofe of his owne worke, which was instantly done; and he most miserably tormented in his owne engine: for who more fit to taste of tortures, then they that have the inhumanity to devise them? and they by Gods Justice meritedly suffer themselves what they devise for others: of which O…id speakes thus.

Ipse Perillaeo Phalaris permisit in are,

Edere mugitus, & bovis ore queri.

The purpose this.

All that the Workeman by his Art did gaine,

He in his owne brasse bellowed out his paine.

Amongst these bloudy minded men let me give you a taste of some no lesse cruell women: Parisatis the mother of Cyrus Iunior, not content with inflicting ordinary and common torments upon the bodies of men, devised with her selfe a new and unheard of way, how to put men to a lingring death, by putting wormes unto them being alive, and so to be…d evoured. And Irene the Empresse and wife of Leo the fourth, caused her owne sonne Constantinus Sextus, first to be cast in prison, next to have his eyes torne out of his head, and lastly to die in a dungeon. Fulvia the wife of Antony, one of the Triumuirat, after her husband had caused the head of Marcus Cicero to be cut off, he commanded it to be brought home to him, and plac't upon his Table; and when he had for a whole day glutted his revengefull eyes with the sight thereof, he sent it to his wife Fulvia; who no sooner saw it, but (as if it had still enjoyed the sence of hearing) rail'd upon it with many bitter and despightfull words; and having tyred her selfe with maledictions and womanish taunts, she tooke the head into her lap, and calling for a knife, she with her owne cruell hands cut out the tongue, (once the pride and glory of Eloquence) and with the pinnes from the tyre of her head, prickt it full of holes, as if it had still beene sensible of paine, till she had fully …ted her spleene and cruelty.

Tomyris Queene of the Scythians, after she had taken Cyrus King of Persia in battaile, when he was brought unto her presence, she first caused a great and large Tombe to be filled with the bloud of his slaine subjects, and then commanded his head to be cut off and cast there in; which done, she tauntingly said, Now Cyrus drinke bloud enough in thy death, which in thy life time thou hast so much thirsted after.

Dirce a Theban woman, when she understood that her husband Lyc…s was inamored of Antiope the daughter of Nict…s; in her pestilent jealousie she caused the Virgine to be surprised, and being in her power, she commanded her to be first bound unto the head of a wilde Bull, and then made fire to be fastened to his hornes; by which he being the more inraged, ran madly through woods, and over rocks, untill her body was miserably torne in pieces.

Alike (if not more bloudy minded) was Amos… the wife of …, … jealous of the wife of Masista; president over the Ba…rians, in his absence most cruelly butchered her; causing first both her breasts to bee cut off, which she cast to the dogges to be eaten; then her nose, eares, lippes, and p. 35tongue to be throwne into the fire: and all these torments she endured being yet alive.

Progne the daughter of Pandion King of Athens, having by her husband Terenus King of Thrace, a sweet young Prince called Itis, because her husband had ravished her sister Philomel, and cut out her tongue because shee should not reveale the incestious Act: of this having notice, she in an unworthy revenge slew her sonne, whom the King much loved; and having cookt his limbes with sundry sawces, she set them before his father, who eate thereof: and after, because he should be sensible of what he had done, in the last course she served in his head.

Tullia the wife of Tarquinus, sirnamed Superbus, the proud, and daughter to Servius, then King of the Romans, when her father was by her consent slaine in the Capitoll, and his body throwne in the streets; she riding that way in her Chariot, when the horses stopt their course, and the driver stood amazed, she compelled him to drive over her fathers body, with whose bloud and braines her coach-wheeles were stained: yet was shee so farre from being daunted, that she was said to rejoyce highly in the Act. Yet for this accident, so hatefull it shewed to all the multitude, that the very street where this was done is called Vicus sceleratus, the impious or wicked street, even to this day.

Now if any shall taxe my promise in the title of this worke, and say, True it is, that these were very bloudy and cruell women, and their horrid Acts worthy both to be condemned, and hated of all people whatsoever; but where are the Judgements, or what were the punishments inflicted upon them? I answer: It is not to be doubted but all, or most of these, suffered by the heavy hand of God in this life, and that remarkably: howsoever, the ancient Remembrancers and Chronologers of those times forgot to leave the manner and particular circumstances of their ends, in that to give the World a more full satisfaction. But howsoever, of this I am assured, that no greater Judgement can be imposed upon any man-slayer or murderer, than to have his, or her name, branded to all posterity. Their actions, as they were prodigious, so their very memories are to be made hatefull, and abhorrid of all.

Caligula the Roman Emperour, when his Grandmother Antonia was dead, and her much lamented body being brought to the funerall pile, he would not so much as grace it with his presence; but all the time of the Ceremony, was sporting with his Jesters and Buffoons in a summer Parlor: He slew his brother Tiberius, and used his wives father with all contempt and contumelies: He stuprated all his sisters; and which is worse, (if worse might be) hee after made them prostitutes to his Ruffians and Villaines. Ptolomaeus the sonne of Iuba, his neare Kinsman, and Macro and Euma his Coadjutors in the Empire, for their good and faithfull service he caused to be put to death: He commanded a Questor in Rome (because his name was given up in a Conjuration) to bee stript naked and openly scourged. Many of worthy birth and condition (for crimes devised, not proved against them) to branded with hot irons, or otherwise marked and maimed: Some he confin'd to the mending of high-wayes; others, to labour and dig in mynes; and others he imprisoned like bruit beasts in Grates and Cages: some hee caused to be sawed in pieces in the middle, and that for a small fault, or none. When he punisht the sonnes or the daughters, he usually p. 36sent for the parents to bee spectators of the torment; and when a father upon a time would have excused himselfe by the messenger, that hee was grievously sicke and could not come; hee sent a bed to his house, and had him brought thereon. Because a Comick Poet used in his Sceane one doubtfull versicle, which by a double construction might bee wrested to trench upon the Emperours person; he commanded him to be burnt upon the very stage on which the Dramma was acted. When hee had sentenc't a Roman Knight to be torne by wilde beasts, because the condemned person proclaimed his innocence, he first commanded his tongue to be cut out, and then sent him presently to be devoured. Having called a Nobleman from Exile, when after his returne he came into his presence, the Emperour demanded of him, What he and the rest did all the time of their banishment? who thinking to flatter with him, and insinuate into his favour; made answer, We continually prayed that your brother Tiberius might die, and your sacred selfe survive and raigne long over us: at which words, a sudden fansie tooke him, that all these which remained in Exile, desired his death; and therefore hee sent in all haste to have them suddenly dispatched out of their lives: Besides his facinorous workes, he used words, fierce, hasty, and favouring of all inhumanity; among others this phrase was often in his mouth, All things against all men are to me lawfull. When certaine Gauls and Grecians were together put to death, hee boasted openly, as of a great conquest, saying, He had conquered Gallogracia. Those whom he tortured by degree, still as they fainted hee would have them comforted with hot drinkes, to make them longer endure their paine; giving alwayes a charge to the tormentors in these words, Have yee a care to make them sensible that they must die. He would also often bragge of that sentence of the Tragicall Poet, Oderunt dum metuunt; They hate whilest they fear. He often wished that all the people of Rome had but one neck, that at one blow with an axe hee might cut it asunder. Hee would often grieve and complaine of those times wherein hee lived, because they were not made notorious by some great affliction and dire calamity or other, wishing the slaughter of Armies, famine, pestilence, combustions in the Empire, swallowing of Cities by earthquakes; and whatsoever all good men desired of the gods might not chance, but be removed from them: all these mischiefes and miseries hee wisht might be inflicted on them, not excepting the security of his owne person. Being at Putcoli at a solemne annuall dedication made to the Sea, where a multitude of people were assembled; he called and beckoned a great company of men, women, and children, to come to that part of the shore where he was seated; which having done, he commanded the souldiers of his guard to precipitate them into the water; and those who catcht hold of any thing to save themselves from drowning, they with their speares and javelins pusht from all safety, so that they all perisht together. At a publike banquet, because a servant that waited mistooke the taking away of a plate trencher, he presently delivered him to the Hangman to have his hands cut off, and then the plate to be hanged about his neck, and to rest upon his bosome: then a scroule in large letters to be pasted thereon, where was inscribed his fault and cause of punishment; and in that manner to be led as a spectacle to all the Feasters. Hee contracted a combat with a valiant and strong man, who stooping to his mercy, (as was before agreed betwixt them) he tooke the advantage, fell upon him and slew him. I am tyred with the p. 37recicall of his many tyrannies, these being but part of them, on which I have dwelt the longer, because in the subsequent examples, I purpose to be more compen…ious, and end him with his death and lasting ignomi…y, who was … by a Tribune comming from the Theatre, his wife after him, and his daughter crushed to death against a wall.

Avidius Cassius a barbarous and bloudy fellow, the Romans called a second Cateline, because he was so covetous and thirsty after bloud, for besides many publike slaughters and private murders, striving to imitate Peri…s, he invented an engine of torture never heard, or I thinke, scarce heard of before, for he caused a beame or pole (betwixt fourscoure and an hundred foot in length) to be fixed in the earth, to which from the top to the bottome thereof he caused the living Bodies of men to be fastened, and a fire of we… …illets and … … and straw to be put under them, till some with the flame consumed, others with the smoake suffocated, all perished to other, with which manner of torture (borrowed from his president) in the ten Persecutions was used upon the Christians; but he escaped not a notorious judgement, dying (as some have reported) a strange and remarkable death, for, sitting at dinner when an extrordinary feast was served, whilest his hand was in the dish, and the meat between his fingers, one hired to that purpose, (standing or waiting behinde him) with his sword at one blow strook off his head; and thus he perished without any remorse or penitence in himselfe, or any commiseration or pity from others.

Though I have spoken of Domitius Nero, and withall the judgement in his death, yet hear but megive ye a brief relation of his inimitable butcheries, and execrable murders, with actions every way as prodigious. He was the son of Domitius Aenobarbus and Agrippina, who slew his mother. He first married Octaviae, and then Sabina Poppaea, first commanding their husbands to be slain, and was the cause of both their deaths after, for after in his implacable fury he had killed Poppaea (being at that time big with childe) with a spurne upon her wombe, by which she perished with her infant, because Antonia the daughter of Claudius (fearing the like) refused to marry with him, he commanded her to be put to death. He persecuted the Church, and under his Tyranny, Saint Peter and Saint Paul both suffered Martyrdom. Aulus Plancius a beautifull young Roman, after he had violently and against his will stuprated, he put to death … Crispinus his step son by the marriage of Poppaea, a beardlesse youth, in rage he made to be drowned. Many freed men when they came to the estate of riches he cut off by the sword. He pulled out the eyes of Cassius Longinus an excellent Lawyer or Orator, and never made known the cause of his offence. To P…li…hagus, by Nation an Aegyptian, who was accustomed to eat raw flesh, he gave living men to be devoured: these are but a part of his barbarous inhumanities, who not throughly sated with the blood of men, sought to exercise his hate upon Rome his own City, by setting a great part of it on fire, his excuse being the deformity thereof, which incendiary he beheld from the Mece… tian Tower, glorying in the flames thereof, being so far from commanding the fire to be extinguished, that he suffered not any man to enter into his own house to save any part of his Goods; and yet how mercifull was God in his judgement, to punish this Tyrant with one miserable death, who had indeed deserved more than a thousand.

p. 38Creon a Tyrant of Thebes, besides many other cruelties, in which he exprest a most bestiall and unmercifull nature, denied Buriall to all the dead Bodies of his Enemies slain in Battell with others of his own Subjects who had any way offended him, whom Theseus after slew in a conflict, and served him with the same sauce, forbidding his dead carcase to be inhumed or sepulcred, but thrown out in the fields, for the brute beasts to feed, and the fowles of the air to prey on.

Anton… Commodus one of the Roman Emperours, had so troubled the Empire with gladiatory slaughters, that the people in contempt gave him the denomination of Gladiator or Fencer. He (as Lampridius witnesseth) when he saw any man weak or unserviceable by reason of some disease in his feet, would shoot him with arrowes to death, having a strong steel Bowe made for that purpose. The braines of others he used to beat out of their heads with clubs, and boasted that therein he imitated Hercules, to that purpose putting on a Lions skin. He was also so irriligious and such a contemner of the gods, that offerings and sacrifice at the altars he would mingle with the blood and flesh of men, and if any man shewed either a smiling or supercilious brow at what he did, (both were alike) him he commanded to be cast to the Lions and other wilde beasts to be devoured. One of his servants being commanded to reade unto him the tyrannous Raigne of Caligula, with the manner of his death, as it was set down in S…etoniu… Tranquillus, because it displeased him as somewhat reflecting on his person, he commanded to be cast to the Lions. If any man in his own hearing or by the information of other, said he must die, he was precipitated from a rocke, or some other high place, and his body crushed to pieces: he delighted to see the bellies of fat men ript up, and how suddenly their guts and entrals would tumble to the ground. But the people after so great sufferings, now at length tired with his inhumanities, in the very height of his insolencies, when he least dreamed of any such disaster, caused him to be flain; which though a violent death, yet in all mens judgements may appear somewhat too milde for his merit, but the great Judge of all, sometime mitigates the punishments of such grand malefactours here, to make their torments more great and perdurable in the world to come.

The next I present to your view is Caius Marius the Roman, who as he was of great power and potency in Rome, so his pride was boundlesse and unmeasured, but his inhumanity far exceeding them both, for after his exile, when he had again emptied the City of all those whom he suspected to have but the least finger in his confinement, by the assistance of Cinna Carbo and Sertorius he presently fell upon the slaughters of the Princes and Senatours, which was so violent that the channels overflowed with the blood of the slain Nobility. He took away the head from Octavius the Consul, and caused that of Octavius a consular Senator to be brought and set upon his table, taunting and deriding him even after death. Casar and Fimbria two of the most eminent in the City he commanded to be murdered in their own houses, breaking them violently open in the night, and killing them in their beds: the two Crassi the father and the son he flew one in the sight of the other (the more to aggravate their sorrow in their alternate indulgence.) Bebius and Numitorius he commanded to be dragged through the Forum by the common hangmans clutches, but Catulus Lactutius by swallowing fire ended his life, and escaped his greater cruelty. Archarius p. 39and Flamen Dialis a priest, whose office was sacred and in great reverence amongst the Romans, he commanded to be through pierced with swords. All which examples of Tyranny he committed from the Kalends of January, to the Ides of the same monethmonth, but what heavy judgements God laid upon him, you shall next hear in the relation upon Sylla.

Which Lucius Sylla made a deluge and over…ux of blood through Rome and all Italy: four legions of the contrary faction of Marius being surprised and imploring his mercy he commanded instantly to be cut in pieces: the Prestines who had received and entertained Marius junior into their City, after they had yeelded themselves unto his mercy, he put them out of the City, commanding Putilius Cethegus to kill them every man without the wals, and their bodies to be left in open fields without buriall, in which inhumanity perished at once five thousand men; four thousand and 700 slain by strength of his bloody Edict of proscription, he caused their names to be registred in the publike tables, lest the memory of that facinorous act might be buried in oblivion: and not sating himselfe with the strage of men, his tyranny usurped upon women, not sparing matron or virgin, but he commanded their heads (being cut off) to be brought unto him, that he might thereby the better glut his savage indignation, and implacable fury. Marcus Marius the Praetor he deprived not of his life before his eyes were pulled out of his head, and after caused all the bones in his body to be broken. Marcus Pletori…s because being sent to kill his enemy Caius Marius, he was daunted at his brave aspect and honourable presence, and therefore left the fatall act unperformed, he commanded him instantly to be slain. Nor did his malitious rankor and hate end in the death of Marius, for commanding his body to be burnt, he sprinkled and threw his ashes into the river Anien: after all which and many more his bloody executions he was strook by the hand of God with the lowsie disease, so that his living body crawled with vermin, in so much that before his death his houshold servants were almost stifled with the stench of his carcase: such or the like are the terrible judgements of God, against these proud Nimrods, mighty Giants and great hunters of the earth, to day in their pride and pontificalibus, glorying in their oppressions and persecutions, and to morrow worse than any carrion of beast stinking in the grave, their memories being as hatefull to the hearing, as their corrupt putrefaction to the smell.

I have hitherto spoken of cruell and bloody Tyrants, let me treat a little of Ire or Wrath it self, for they are sinonima's, since all these are but siens growing from that stocke. Anger and power meeting in one breast are more violent than any thunderbolt: wrath and revenge take from man the mercy of God, destroying and quenching that Grace which he hath beforetime given. Anger consisteth in habit and disposition, but Ire and Wrath indeed and effect. Hasty and froward speeches beget Anger, Anger being kindled, begets Wrath, Wrath seeketh greedily after Revenge, and Revenge is never satisfied without blood, which blood is never shed without just vengeance from Heaven, as may be made apparant by many pregnant examples.

For instance, Cl…tarius smothering in his breast the seeds of ranker and malice for the space of ten yeares against Galterus Rhothomanges, when that most holy day cald the Parasceve, in which our blessed Saviour suffered death for all mankind, slew him as he was at his devotion upon his knees in an holy p. 40Chappell in Paris, (for so the French Chronicles report) who for that horrid act was after fearfully punished in himselfe and his issue. The like hath often happened in the Temples of Italy, betwixt that imbestuous faction of the Guelfs and the Gibbelines, who made no conscience of person or place, but in the time of divine Service have pistolled one another in their pewes, as they were kneeling at their prayers, when the Church hath been full of drawn swords, to the disturbing of the whole Congregation, making no more reverence of the place than a slaughter-house or shambles; upon whose but cheries God inflicted such vengeance, that the one party quite destroyed the other, till they were mutually cut off, and utterly extinguished. Such is the irreligious boldnesse of some, that I heard a Scotishman of note (soon after King Iames came into the Land) speak in the company of prime Gentlemen after this manner, Such a one killed my brother, and I could not meet him in seven yeares after, but at length espying him in the Church on a Sabbath-day, my fury could not contain it selfe, but even where he sate I shot him with my pistoll and slew him, and the arrant puritans (saith he) would have excomunicated me for nothing else but for killing him who had before killed my brother. But though men make slite of these atheisticall and sacrilegious butcheries, that God who made man after his own Image, and all men of one and the selfesame earth and clay, will not let them escape his fearfull and terrible judgements.

Neither have the holy Fathers the Popes been altogether free of this sin of Ire and implacability, for we reade in their own Chronicles, that upon the day when the Sacra Cineritia were celebrated, that was upon Ash-wednesday, in which is used great solemnity, when the great Presbiters and Cardinals according to the custome came to kneel to Pope Boniface, to receive the ashes, he took the ashes and vessell in which they were contained, and in great rage flung them in the face of Prochetus Archbishop of Genoa, with whom he was at oddes, and hated him exceedingly, and changing his words of exhortation and benediction, he violently brake out into this language, Remember O thou man that thou art of the faction of the Gebelines, and with those Gibelines thou shalt die; for he was of that party, and enemy to the Guelfs, whom the Pope favoured. Stephanus Sextus because Formosus upon his death-bed would not set his hand to his election, (who was Pope before him) when he came to be instated in the Papacy, he commanded him to be plucked out of his sepulcher, and buried in the Church-yard, causing his fingers first to be cut off, and so basely dismembred him being dead, for refusing to subscribe for him being alive. With the like malevolent hatred also did Sergius the third prosecute the same Formosus, who again commanded his body to be taken out of the second Grave, and brought it into the Forum or publike Rialto, when the head was cut from the body, and cast into the river Tiber, and this he did to insinuate into the favour of Lotharius King of France, to whom Formosus living was in great opposition. Divers other examples of the like malitious nature I could extract out of their Annals, and those remembrancers who have writ the lives of the Popes, which for brevity sake I omit, but am confident withall, that these evil presidents from the Clergy (whose light should shine to others) have been a great encouragement to the Laity to offend in the like, who for the most part paterne their actions, be they good or evill, by their teachers and instructers.

p. 41Mahometes Otomanus the Grand Seignior missing but two Cucumers out of his Garden in his returne home, (after solacing himselfe abroad) he in his rage slew two of his Catamites with his own hands, being young boyes of choice feature and beauty. And Commodus was of that fiery indignation, that when he came into the Bath to wash himselfe, and found it somewhat more hot than usuall, he commanded the Bath-keeper to be thrown into the fornace, and there burnt to ashes. And Quintus Metellus was of such a testy and cholericke disposition, that having lived some yeares as Consul, and Proconsull in Spain, when he heard by the decree of the Senate of Rome, Pompeius whom he much hated was to succeed him in his command and soveraignty, his anger grew so violent that he diminished his army, and made all the Magazine of Grain and provision of victuall a spoil and prey to the souldiers, he caused all the Bowes and Arrowes in the Army to be broken and knapt asunder, forbidding the Horses and Elephants to have their ordinary and customed food and fare, not leaving him at his arrivall any one thing of any moment wherewith he might succour or relieve either himselfe or his Army. Pr…merus a domesticke servant of Archelaus King of Macedonia, with such an intestine hatred persecuted Euripides, that one night he watched him when he came late from supper with the King, and in the way let loose fierce Mastiffes upon him, by which he was most miserably torne to pieces. Such also was the grounded and inveterate hare of the unanimous people of Rome to Heliogabolus, that being dead they cast his martyred body into the common jakes of the City with his mother Semile, and after flung them into the river Tiber, making also an Edict, that his statues before erected should be demolished, and his very name to be raced out of all the monuments of the City, willing (if it had been possible) quite to have extirped his memory. They likewise when the Emperour Michael Paleologus was dead, denyed unto his body any place for Buriall. Marti…s Sabinus much troubled and in…enced that Hostilius was by the sufferage of the people preferred unto the Crown and Kingdom, to which he had before aspired, when he saw his malice could not vent it selfe against his competitor, not able to suppresse his implacable indignation, and not knowing any meanes to embrew his hands in the blood of his adversary, he could not contain himselfe but shed his own, and falling upon his sword desperately slew himselfe.

Full of cruelty, (and savouring no humanity at all) was that wrath and fury of Septimus Severus, who having overcome Clodius Sabinus in battail, and utterly defeated his Army, himselfe being taken prisoner, he commanded that he should be transpierced with a sword and slain: but not content with this, he caused his wounded body to be stripped naked, and laid before his Palace as a publike spectacle to all men, so that himselfe might take a full view thereof from the prospect of his window: yet could not all this satisfie his malitious cruelty, but further he commanded a wilde and untamed jennet to be brought forth, to trample and tread upon his face, breast, belly, and the other parts of his body, untill all his bones were bruised and broken in his skin, and he disfigured all over. Nor ended his fury here, for he would not suffer his body (thus mangled and martyred) to be taken thence, till the stench thereof grew so noysome to the place that it could be indured no longer; and then lastly, as a close to the rest, he gave leave that it should be cast into the river. This and the like prove the old p. 42adage to be true, Homo homini lupus, one man is a wolfe to another: but I thinke such fire-hearted and pouder-brained men are worse, for no brute beast will prey upon its like, the Lion will not tyrannize over the Lion, the Bear fall upon the Bear, nor the Wolfe on the Wolfe, onelyonly Man who is sensible and indowed with reason, will not spare his own similitude and likenesse.

I have read in Solinus an approved Authour, of a strange fowle or bird bodied like a Gryphin, and equall to it in bignesse, onelyonly bearing the face of a man; this ravenous Harpy (for no more proper appellation I can bestow upon it) above all other Creatures desires to make his prey upon humane flesh, and when he hath slain any man and glutted himselfe with his dead carcase, his use is to go to drinke at the next river, in which he no sooner spies his own face, but presently a telenting and repentance commeth upon him, sorrowing to have been the death of a Creature of his own aspect and countenance, which taketh in him such a sensible and deep impression, that after that time he wil never taste the least food or sustenance, punishing his unnaturall act with one the most terriblest deaths that can be invented, Famine. If these roysters, cutters, and swashbucklers, those bloody minded Canibals (for they are no better in their brutish condition) would but make this Bird their Embleme, and consider with themselves what sorrow and repentance with a remorse of conscience waites at the heeles of every slaughter and murder committed, they would not be so forward to give the lye, strike, stab, nor (that which in seeming of all those Fowle ones appeares to the outward view the fairest) be so ready to send or entertain challenges, or meetings in single combats and duels, not before considering, that he who fals by the others sword in his rage, (and therefore without charity) there is great doubt of his salvation, and the conquerour must dearly answer for his lost soul. Besides, if he escape the justice of the Law, the worme of conscience shall never leave him, but continue him in perdurable torment.

And now to such murders arising from wrath, their strange discovery and judgement. In the Raigne of Christierne the second King of Denmarke, when some twelve of his prime Courtiers were making merry in a parlor, and amongst them one who was Post-master to the King, it happened that dissention falling amongst them, upon the suddain all the lights (in the tumult) were put out, and one amongst them slain with a poniard, but lights at length brought in, and the Body found murdered and breathlesse, the King desired to have account for his dead subject, the Nobles lay all the guilt upon this Postmaster, but the King with whom he was then gracious, thought it to be done of malice, and perswaded himselfe that he was innocent of the act: they on the contrary alledge that he was the cause of that meeting, that there had been a former grudge and malice betwixt them, and moreover, that when the lights were brought in he was found next to the dead Body, so that they desired the Body to be laid upon a table, and every one singly to lay his hand upon the naked breast of the person murdered, with a deep protestation, that they were innocent of the act, which was done in the Kings presence, and they came all by course according to the manner proposed, but in the Body was found no change or alteration at all: at last came the Cursor or Postmaster, and first embracing his feet, and with many teares kissed them, thinking by that meanes, if it were possible, to pacific p. 43his just incensed spirit, and at length comming to lay his hand upon the breast of the dead body, a double flux of bloud issued from his wounds and nostrils, and that in great abundance; by which finding himselfe convicted, he confessed his malitious act, and by the King was committed to the common Executioner. This story the Lord Henricus Ranzovius, Vicar generall to the King of Denmarke, in all his Dukedomes a man illustrious in Nobility and Learning, relates in his Responsory to the Consulatory of David Chitraus.

Another suiting to this I finde related by Doctor Othe Melander, in his Iocoserni; who speaks of a man, who through rankor and hatred had watched his neighbour till he had found meanes by meeting him in the thickets and woods, (a place convenient for such a mischiefe) to lay violent hands upon him, and murder him; and after escaped without the least suspition of the fact: but the body being after brought to the Iizehohensian Senate, they gave command that one of the hands should be cut off, and hanged up over the dining-table in the common Jayle or Prison. It happened that the malefactor being some ten yeares after committed upon some delinquency, (of no great matter or moment) that he was brought into the same roome, and by accident when hee sate downe to meate, plac't just under the hand, which though it had beene withered and dryed for so many yeares, bled freshly, and dropt upon his trencher; at which all being amazed, the Gaoler went straight to informe the Senate, who sent to examine him, and he being convinced in conscience by that divine prodigy, soone acknowledged himselfe guilty; for which he was committed to the charge of the Executioner, and according to the custome of those Countries, broken upon the wheele.

In the Diocesse of one of the Dukedomes of Saxony, commonly called Gerstenauta, there lived in one Village a Shepheard and a Rustick or Husbandman, who were of that antipathy in condition, that above all measure they hated one another; and though neighbours and friends on both sides had appointed sundry meetings, to mitigate and reconcile this inveterate malice, yet they found it unpossible to be done, and so left them to their giddy and haire-brain'd fury; which gave them now the more scope and liberty to insidiate one another, yet neither of them durst attempt their worst of indignation, as fearing the danger of the Law: Yet they ceased not back-biting, slandering, railing, calumniating openly, besides private whispering and murmuring, (insomuch as in them lay) to take away each others reputation and good fame: and moreover, to devise and seeke out by what meanes they might dammage one another in their goods, chattels, or any other part of their estate, which grew to such unsufferable height, that neither of them able to indure their mutuall incumbrances and detriments, secretly agreed together to make an end of all in single fight; for which they both prepared themselves against the day appointed: The Husband man provides himselfe of a good forrest bill, with some other shorter weapons, as a ponyard or a dagger, to speed his enemy if they should happen to close in the encounter: The other causeth a sheephooke to be made of a strong ashen plant, in the bottome a pike of three inches long, sharpned like the point of a needle, and to skrew in and out at pleasure: the head thereof (though fashioned like a hooke) was of massy steele, yet made with the like skrew; and being taken off, there was another pike of six or seaven p. 44inches long, insomuch that the Smith who had the charge of forging the materials, greatly wondered for what use it was: Before the day of combate came, newes was brought to the other of this dreadfull weapon, which …ut him into a great affright, as doubting the successe of the conflict; but though his courage failed him, yet the canker of his malice still continued, and fearing open hostility, he began to fly to stratagems, and so devilishly ordered the matter, that in the silence of the night, when the other was fast sleeping, he broke into his Cottage and murdered him in his bed; which done, providing him at home of such things as were necessary, he betooke him to his heeles, and fled into the Province of Hessia: The body being found, his suddaine flight might easily (without contradiction) confirme who was the Homicide, and therefore the Countrey left off farther inquiry. He now concealeth himselfe in a private house, unsuspected of any, thinking himselfe secur'd both from pursuit and punishment; but Gods Judgements are nearest when malefactors (in that heinous kinde) thinke them to be farthest off, as shall appeare by the subsequence: for soone tyred with the closenesse of the house, (as being still used to the fields, and liberty of the fresh aire) he one day walking abroad, happened to come within the Toyles, where the Illustrious Prince of Hesse, Philip the first of that name, was hunting the wilde Boare; and when the beast (who was of an extraordinary magnitude) was in the hottest of the chase, most fiercely pusued by the dogges, he ranne directly against this Homicide, and goaring him with his tusks, gave him sundry mortiserous and deadly wounds, and so left him as dead in the place: presently the Prince came in, and though not knowing the party, in his great commiseration commanded his body (yet breathing) to be borne to Hirifeldia, the nearest Towne, and all meanes possible to be provided for his cure: but all was in vaine, within two dayes he died. In which time he confest all the manner of his former murder to those that were his visitants; withall affirming, that he saw not the shape of any Boare, but in him the right figure of the Shepheard, who with his dreadfull shoep-hooke gave him these lacerating and tormenting wounds: which misprision of his is worthy your observation, and his History is verified by the fore-named Author, Doctor Oth… Melander.

You may reade in the Turkish History, in the time of Sir Thomas Glovers being there Embassadour, that the same noble Gentleman entertained into his family an English-man, and made him one of his Domestick servants, who was not one whom he brought over out of England, but found there as a stranger and traveller; whom at his earnest suit, (what for charity, and what for Countrey-sake) hee admitted into his house, imploying him in sundry affaires, in all which he diligently and carefully demeaned himselfe: But it so happened, that the Embassadours servants being abroad recreating themselves, a company of the rude and barbarous Turkes gave them some affront; in conclusion, from words they grew to blowes, and so unto hurliburly, in which, by the hurling of an unfortunate stone, one of the Turkes being hit under the eare, died of the blow: The Englishmen retire within their priviledge, and the Turkes threaten to pull downe the house, and to make spoyle of all that was therein; for bloud (they said) ask't bloud, and therefore they would have no satisfaction till the offender were delivered into their hands: now this servant late entertained was not p. 45in the company, nor out of his Lords doores all that day: briefly, because they said they knew the man, hee was fore't to cause every servant of the house to shew themselves; they with an unanimous voyce clamour That is he, That is he: who was the man that kept house the day of the tumult. His Lord to acquit his innocence, made pretes…tion of the same, but all to no purpose; that was the man mark't for their vengeance, and none else they would have; and so hurried him away to prison to be executed the next day: but the same night the Lord Embassadors Chaplaine came to comfort him with godly instructions for his soules health, and the rather because of his knowne innocence. But to cut off circumstance, the prisoner freely confessed unto him that he had slaine a man in England, no… … his owne defence, but malitiously, and fled for the murder; where a… travelling div…re Countries, he at length came into Turkie, where he had …o…d to have …etled himselfe. Then penetently acknowledging how God in his just Judgement had found him out in that remote place, where he thought to have … orne his vengeance. The day after he was the subject of the Infid… me…ilesse cruelty, who hanged him at the Embassadors gate.

… … anu…, and Iohannes Budeus report a strange discourse of a malicious servant, whom the Devill had possest with his owne diabolicall inhumanity: who taking a virulent spleene from some rough usage by his master, watched his opportunity when he was absent, and shut and barricadoed all the doores about the house; then hee broke open a chamber upon his Mistresse, and when he had contemptuously and despightfully demeaned himselfe towards her, hee after bound her hand and foot, and so left her groveling upon the floore: then he tooke three young children (the eldest not seaven years old) and carried them up to the battlements, and when he espied his master comming home, he called to him, and in his sight first precipitated one childe, and then another, from the top to the pavement, where their bodies were miserably dasht and shattered to pieces, and hold up the other in his armes to doe the like to him; at which the wretched father extreamely stupefied, (for who can imagine lesse) fell upon his knees, and humbly besought the villaine to spare the life of the third, and he would pardon him for the deaths of the former: to which the barbarous homicide replyed, that there was but one way in the world for him to redeeme his life; the indulgent father with teares and intreaties desired to know what that way was? who presently replyed, that he should with his knife instantly cut off his nose, for there was no other ransome for him: The passionate father who dearely tendered the safety of his childe, having now no other left, agrees to the condition, and disfigured and dishonoured his face, according to the covenant made betwixt them; which was no sooner done, but the inhumane butcher framed a loud and scornefull laughter; at which, whilest the other stood amazed, the childe which he still held in his armes, he …ung to the rest, and then most desperately cast himself after, preventing a worse death by torment: and such was the end of this Arch-limbe of his father the Devill, and the fruits of Ire, Anger, Indignation, and Malice.