The Theater of Gods Judgments Part 2, Chapter 4

The Theater of Gods Judgments Part 2 · Chapter 4

p. 46CHAP. IV. Gods Judgements against Sloath.

SAlomon saith of Sloath, Proverbs 19. Vers. 15. Sloathfulnesse causeth to fall asleepe, and a deceitfull person shall be affamished. And 28. Vers. 19. He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread, but hee that followeth the Idle shall be filled with poverty. Againe, Proverb. 6. 6. Goe to the Pismire, O sluggard, behold her wayes, and be wise, for she having no guide, governour, nor ruler, prepareth her meate in the summer, and gathereth her food in harvest. How long wilt thou sleepe O sluggard? When wilt thou arise out of thy sleepe? Yet a little sleepe, a little slumber, a little foulding the hands to sleepe: Therefore thy poverty commeth as one that travelleth by the way, and thy necessity like an armed man. This being a sinne generally rather of omission then commission; Examples and the punishments thereof are not so frequent in the holy Text; nor other Ethnick Authors as those actuall and in continuall agitation, yet as farre as Authentick authority will give me leave, I will strive to delineate and expresse it to the full; that being (howsoever sleighted and unminded) mortiferous and deadly, and therefore subject to judgement and condemnation, it may be the more carefully abandoned and avoyded.

Pride, fulnesse of bread, and idlenesse, which is a neglect of that duty which belongs to God, and a cessation of that consociety and converse which is requisite amongst men, were part of those sinnes which caused God to raine down fire and brimstone upon Sodome and Gomorrah, whose lazinesse and sloath begot incest, adultery, and that most preposterous and abhominable sinne, since called (from the place) Sodometry. But I desire first to annalyse and distinguish of the vice, before I proceed to further president.

This fourth head of the beast of Hell, called Accidia or Desidia, hath a bad root, and spreadeth into many evill branches; for it keepeth from beginning well, and hindereth from ending well. It hindereth good beginnings by six sundry sinnes: The first may be called Faintnesse, which is, when a mans love, which ought to be zealous and servent towards his Creator and Redeemer, is cold, faint, and weake, and therefore made unapt either for Devotion, or Prayer; and this commonly happeneth when he is backward and averse to enterprise any good worke of piety or charity. The second may be titled Tendernesse, which is the very couch and day-bed on which the Devill resteth and reposeth himselfe, still prompting to the man or woman; Thou hast beene ever tenderly and indulgently brought up, not borne to trouble thy selfe with any toylesome vocation: thou art moreover of a weake constitution, not able to endure paine or labour, much lesse fasting, or any needfull chastising of thy body; that sighing for thy sinnes were hurtfull for thine health, and weeping for thy transgressions would in time spoyle thine eye-sight, with the like malevolent suggestions; which aptly comply with a sentence of one of the Fathers, Iustum est cum Deo, ut moriens obliviscatur sui, qui vivus, oblitus est Dei: Most just it is with God, p. 47that such men should forget him in their death, who would not remember him in their lives. The third branch is Idlenesse, from whence many evils arise, as witnesseth the holy Text: for when the old adversary of mankinde findeth a man idle in his duty towards his Maker, he then findeth him imployment in his owne wicked workes: first putting him in minde to think of evill, and then to act it; addicting himselfe wholly to villany, ribaldry, luxury; to neglect time and opportunity, wherein hee might doe much good, and make his way towards Heaven: Where on the contrary, doing much evill, hee prepares his passage to Hell and eternall damnation. The fourth beares the title of Dulnesse or Heavinesse, when we solely incline our selves to drowsinesse and sleep; and then are the adversary and his ministers vigilant and waking, to insidiate us in all our senses: and the lesse apt he findes us to the service of God, the more plyant and flexible hee makes us for the workes of Sathan; and such are they, who for one houres sleep will neglect comming to divine Service, to heare the word of God preached, or to be present at the administration of the holy Sacraments: The first is Refrectory perversnesse, that is, when we lie and snort in sinne, and are sensible and apprehensive of the temptations of the World, the Flesh, and the Devill, yet we neither lift up our heads nor hearts to God by way of contrition, nor implore unto him devoutly by confession, nor list up our hands unto him, as promising repentance: like that obstinate and wilfull prisoner, who had rather lie rotting in a stinking and noysome dungeon, then take the paines to walke up the staires where the doores stand wide open, to gaine himselfe his franchise and liberty. The sixt may be stiled Pus…llanimity; that is, when we dare not enterprise any pious act (after a good motion) in a diffidence, that God will not assist us in the performance thereof; and this is a foolish dread that some apprehend from their vaine dreames, and may be resembled to such as dare not venture to walke in such a path, because there the snaile putteth forth his hornes; or young children, that shun their way for the hissing and gagling of Geefe.

These are the six impediments that hinder to begin well; there are six other quite averse from ending well. The first is Delay: for when God putteth into the heart of man to have an appetite, or purpose to doe any good worke, or to repent him of his old sinnes, and prepare himselfe to newnesse of life: Then comes the old Tempter and wispers in his eare; What needes this early and too forward beginning? thou art yet in thy prime and strength, take the benefit and pleasures of thy youth: it is yet too soone: Age will come on, and then thou shalt have leisure, for when the delights of youth forsake thee, thou shalt in thy decrepit estate have little else or nothing to doe: thus dallying and dandling a wretched soule to it's eternall destruction. Most true it is that God saith, At what time soever a sinner repenteth himselfe of his wickednesse, he will blot out all his offences; but he that made that promise, hath not promis'd to give the sinner a time of repentance. After Delay comes Negligence, for whosoever maketh doubts and demurres to turne to God, it is no wonder if he doe it feignedly, superficially, and negligently; and this is a vice generall and avoyded by few: for alas, how many are to be sound that use care and diligence in performing their bounden duty to God, and executing that charity in which we are obliged towards our neighbour. The third is Oblivion and Forgetfulnesse, and consequent it is, that whosoever is negligent, must needs p. 48be forgetfull; and both these hinder us from a devout confession of our sins to God; for by casting a neglect upon our transgressions and offences, they soone slip out of our thoughts; and when we have occasion to acknowledge them, and be sorry for them, they are quite out of our remembrance, by which the soule incurres great danger of Judgement. Then followeth Feare or Dread, which is a faintnesse of the heart bred by evill custome, which makes us to grow in a distrust of Gods mercy, and by that meanes to incurre the fearefull sinne of Desperation: of which, not onelyonly former …ges, but even the times present affoord too many dreadfull examples. And then there is a lazy Supini, which breeds a diminution and abatement of all devotion; and is a disease to the soule, as a Consumption to the body; when in the stead of going on, we rather stand still, or draw backe; and this recreance and defiling, if not taken in time, may turne to Infidelity and Apostasie; sinnes of that attrocity and diabolicall nature, scarce amongst Christians to be named. Sixely and lastly, there is a Fond Zeale, or foolish servour, by which men weaken their bodies, and disable their spirits by superstitious Vigils and Fasts, by which they thinke to merit Heaven, but in the interim fall into such langor, malady, sicknesse, and disease, that they make themselves disabled, either for the service of God, or following their owne vocation and calling; but of such I presume there be not many.

Sloath is no better then the pillow or bo…ster of the Devill, the originall Examples of Sloath out of the Scriptures.of many dreadfull sinnes, and grievous calamities: of Murmuring, a branch whereof we have example out of the Holy Scriptures, Numb. 11. 4. And a number of people that was amongst them fell a …u…ing, and turned away, and the children of Israel also wept, I and said, Who shall give us flesh to eate? We remember the fish which we did eate in Aegypt for nought, the cucumbers, and the pepons, and the …eekes, and the onions, and the garleek; but now our soule is dryed away, we can see nothing but this Man. Again, Cap. 21. Vers. 4. After, they departed from the Mount Hor by the way of the red Sea, to compasse the land of Edom; and the people were sore grieved because of the way: And they spake against God, and against Moses, saying, Wherefore have ye brought us out of Aegypt to die in the Wildernesse? for here is neither Bread nor water, and our soule loatheth this light bread: Wherefore the Lord sent fiery serpents amongst the people, which stung them, so that many of the people of Israel died. We reade further in the first of Haggat, Vers. 2. Thus speaketh the Lord of Hosts, saying, The people say the time is not yet come that the Lords house should be builded: Then came the word of the Lord by the ministery of the Prophet Haggai, saying, Is it time for your selves to dwell in your seiled houses, and this house lie waste? Now therefore thus saith the Lord of Hosts, Consider your own wayes in your hearts; yee have sowne much, and bring in little yee eate, but ye have not enough: ye drinke, but ye are not filled: ye cloath ye, but you are not warme: and he that earneth wages, putteth the wages into a broken bagge, &c. Come to the Gospell, Matthew 25. Vers 26. And his Master answered to him and said, Thou evill servant and floathfull, thou knewest that I reapt where I sowed not, and gathered where I strawed not: thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the Exchangers, and then at my comming should I have received mine owne with advantage: Take therefore the talent from him, and give it to him that hath ten talents; for unto every one that hath, it shall be given, and he p. 49shall have abundance: and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away; Cast therefore that unprofitable servant into utter darkenesse, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. This drowsinesse is also blamed by our Saviour Christ in his Apostles, Marke 14. 37. Then hee came and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? couldest thou not watch one houre? watch ye and pray, that ye enter not into temptation.

From Divine, I come to Ethnick Examples: Capitolinus hath left remembred unto us, that Authonius Pius being Emperour, caused the roofes and coverings of all such houses to be taken away, as were knowne to receive any idle people; affirming that nothing was more uncomly or absurd to be suffered, then such idle caterpillars and slow-wormes, to have their food and nourishment from that common-weale; in the maintenance of which there was no supply from their industry and labour. Notorious was the lazinesse and sloath of Honorius the Emperour, for where, as it is the custome of all Princes whatsoever, not to set their hand or seale to any Briefe, Grant, or Warrant, before they had diligently perused the contents, lest perchance they might doe something against their honour and dignity; yet he was of that idle condition, that he had neither the patience to peruse himselfe, or to heare read any thing (of what import soever) he was to subscribe: which his sister Placida observing, and willing as farre as she durst, modestly to reprove and taxe this strange sloathfulnes in him; she devised an instrument or writing, in which the Emperour had contracted her his onelyonly sister to a most vile, sordid, and contemptible fellow, who used about the Court, and was generally knowne to all; which done, she caused that paper to be shuffled in amongst many others upon the sealing day, to which the Emperor set his hand and signet: and the next morrow she came and prostrated her selfe to him, weeping, and complaining to him of her infelicity and strange disastrous fortune; at which the Emperour wondring, demanded the cause of her so great sorrow and heavinesse? to whom she shewed the writing, and his hand and seale to confirme it: at which being more amazed, he made a great protestation, that he never had any such thought or purpose; of which the wise and discreet Lady taking advantage, she told him the whole circumstance how every thing came about, and that it was her owne Act; withall beseeching him (under pardon) to avoid the like or greater inconvenience, which might trench upon the honour and discretion of his sacred Majesty: which was delivered in such passionate and affectionate language, that the Emperour received it from her gratefully, and reformed that errour in himselfe for ever after.

This drowsie and snorting sinne, howsoever in outward appearance it seemes innocuous and harmelesse, neither dammaging the party infected therewith, nor others, yet hath many virulent and bitter impendencies, which alwayes hang over it, as may appeare by History; tyrannizing over the strong, and insulting over the mighty: For example, the invincible Hercules, whom neither Giants, Savage Beasts, Serpents, nor Monsters, could withstand; after all his active and immutable labours, when hee gave but the least way to sloath and idlenesse, it brought him to his utter ruine and destruction; who casting off his Lyons skinne, and laying aside his mortiferous club, with his fatall shafts and bow, betook himselfe unto all effeminacie: insomuch, that changing his masculine habit, he put on p. 50the loose garments belonging to women, that he might the more freely insinuate into the good grace and favour of O…phale Queene of the Lydians, of whom he was perditly inamoured: At whose command he fashioned those his stubborne and rude fingers (before imployed in quelling Tyrants, and subduing Monsters) to spinne, card, and draw a corse and untoward thread from the distaffe; but what was the end of this sloathfull effeminacie? His chaste wife Dianeyra hearing how strangely he had lost himselfe, both in his person and reputation of the world; thinking to recall him from this dull and sleepy Lethargy, sent him a shirt for a present, (but ignorant that it was poysoned) which hee had no sooner put on, but it instantly putrified and infected his body all over, cleaving so fast to his skinne, that in striving to plucke away the linnen, he tore the flesh from the bones; so that overcome with the anguish and insufferable torture of the poyson, he built a huge pile of wood which he had torne from the trees that grew upon Mount Oeta, to which having put fire, it no sooner grew into a violent flame, but first having cast in his club, and then his Lyons spoyles, he afterwards threw himselfe, where he was burnt to ashes.

The like we reade of the great Assyrian Monarch Sardanapalus, whose brave Predecessors from many discents, imployed themselves in warlike expeditions and martiall affaires, all of them great undertakers, and some mighty Conquerours, insomuch that the Nation was dreaded throughout the world; but this last and worst abandoning all masculine vertue, gave himselfe onelyonly to sloathfull delicacy, luxury, and base metriculosity, in that abject and sordid manner that laying aside all that sublimity and excellence which belongs to regall Majestie, he forsooke his virill habit and ornaments, willing if it had beene possible to have altered his noble sexe by putting on female habit, and sequestring himselfe from his martiall Nobility, and Counsellers of State, converst, and had consociety onelyonly with Whores, Bawdes, Panders, Eunuches, and Catamites, insomuch that he made his Royall Palace worse then any Burdeile, or common Brothelhouse: which his Nobles and Peeres impatient to indure, when neither humble intreaty, perswasion, counsell, nor menaces could divert him from his sloath and idlenesse, they made an insurrection against him: And under Arbactes the Generall, having first seised all the Castles, and places of strength, belonging to the Empire, they besieged him in his Pallace, profering him even then, if he would change his loathed sensuality, they would likewise alter their purpose of deposing him; but this desperate Devill, constant in his ruine, despising their indulgent proffers, and preferring his beastly and abhominable lusts before life or honour, whilest they were yet in parley, or before returned them any answer, gathered together all his Gems, Jewels, and Treasure, even his whole Magazine, which amounted to an infinite: Then all his Prostitutes and Concubines, with the whole brood of Brothelry, and setting fire on the whole Seragl…a at once, leapt in himselfe amongst them; than which incendiary, no more acceptable sacrifice could have beene made to the Devill.

Moreover, what greater Conquerour then Iulius Caesar, eterniz'd through all Ages for his magnanimity and valour, of whose brave and heroicke Acts to give a full expression, would aske a voluminous Chronicle, who more wakefull, provident, active, adventurous, laborious, industrious? and never out of agitation, till he had attained unto that height of supremacy p. 51at which he aimed, which was no lesse then to be the sole Monarch of the world, but after when he came to submit himselfe to the affect of peace, and ease, and was no longer in action, he fell into many monstrous sinnes, and horrible and hatefull adulteries: for thus Suetoninus reports of him, Hee vitiated and corrupted many illustrious Matrons; (I say not all, after he came to be perpetuall Dictator, which in effect was Emperour) but these are remembred amongst others; He stuprated Posthumia the wife of Servius Sisipitius, Lollia the wife of Aul…s Gabinus, Tertullia the wife of Marcus Crassus and M…a, of C…eius Pompeius: divorcing himselfe from his owne wife, hee was said above all others to be most inamored of Servilia the mother of Marcus Brutus, whose love he bought with a Jewell valued at sixe hundred sexterti…, hee vitiated also Iumia Tertia, the daughter of Servilia, and wife of Marcus Crassus. Hee was said also to devote himselfe to the love of divers Queenes, as Euria Maura, the wife of King Bogades, and Cleopatra most amorously above the rest, with whom hee banquetted and rioted night and day, from the Sunnes uprising to his sett, and from the twilght to the dawning of the day, and in the same ship and bed accompanied her through Egypt, almost to the Confines of Aethiopia, by whom hee had a young sonne called Caesaria: Hee is also reckoned amongst the Cinaedi, and to bee a Pederastes, that is, one abused against nature; of which, with Mamuria Termanus he is taxt by Catullus: which aspertion Suetonius labours to acquit him of, in these words, Caesars great familiarity and bed-fellowship, with Nicomedes King of Bithynia, (wich was he with whom he was suspected) doth no way hurt or blemish the modesty of Caesar: of whose bloudy butchery in the Capitoll who hath not heard? Thus you see even in the greatest and most active, when they fall into this Mollicies, and pillowy sluggishnesse, what effects it workes upon them, and what fearefull judgements it brings upon them; for doubtlesse there is scarce a whoredome acted, or adultery committed, no incestuous congression, or pathick preposterous luxury, in which this Socordia, this snaylie and sluggish vice hath not a predominant hand. Of the last, modesty will scarce suffer me to speake, or almost to name, being more then brutish and altogether abhominable: And before I enter on the former, give me leave to remember unto you some few of these soft, idle, and effeminate fellowes, which merit rather the names of Musk-cats, then men. Augustus Caesar in sundry of his Epistles written to Mecoenas, expresseth his tendernesse, softnesse, and delicacy; but especially in that where hee delivereth himselfe to this purpose: Farewell Mecoenas, the Honey of Nations, the Ivory of Etruria, the Laser of Aretinum, the Margarite of Tibur, the Smarage of the Gilneans, the Jasper, Berill and Carbuncle, &c. strange Mellite and oily Gnatonicall language, (being seriously intended) to a subject from so great and wise an Emperour: yet the learned and grave Seneca calls him Mecoenatem discimitum mollicima ejus delicias, & portentosum orationem: His dissolute or unguerded Mecoenas, his most effeminate delicacy, and portentous speech: who saith farther of him, that he was able to give an excellent example of the Roman Eloquence, if too much felicity and worldly prosperity, mixt with ease and idlenesse, had not mollified and enerved his spirits. So also Macrobius and Crinitus both report of him. Cai… Duellius after he had triumpht over the Carthaginians, and returned thence a glorious Conquerour, grew unto that voluptuousnesse and lazinesse, that he gave himselfe p. 52over to all the intemperances of lust and riot; for if he went at any time by invitation to banquet or feast abroad, hee had a Trumpet or a Coronet to sound him to the place; and when the meeting dissolv'd, to usher him back to his owne house.

The Mass…tenses were with this lazie luxury so contaminated and infected, that they imitated women in their habit and vesture, perfuming their haire with pretious unguents, and then bound up their lockes with laces and ribbands: hence grew a proverbe to their lasting disgrace, if any man was seene to sp…uce up himselfe too curiously, they would say unto him, E Massi…ia …enisti, Thou camest but now from Massilla. And of this unmasculin'd condition, were Abram, Artemon, Clistine, Lysicrates, Argyri… B…us, N…arus, Aristodamus, Andramites King of Lydia, with infinite others; perpetually and unto all posterity made notorious for their sloath, and branded for their idlenesse.

How apt is plenty and fulnesse of bread to alter even the best natures, and of men to make monsters! Augustus Caesar was a wise, discreet, and well govern'd Prince, and celebrated for many rare vertues: yet it is related of him by Suetonius, Sextus Aurelius, and others, that he was accustomed to lodge nightly with twelve hee Catamites of the one side, and as many she Prostitutes of the other; who rejecting his wife Scribonia, contracted himselfe to Livia, who was glad to hasten the nuptials, lest her great belly should be discovered: and though hee were a bondslave to lust, he used to punish it in others with all severity; (for so the former Authors report of him) at a Feast where was a great assembly of the Patricians, and Senators with their wives; in the middle of the service, betwixt the second and third course, (not able to containe himselfe any longer) he tooke by the arme one of the beautifull'st Matrons, (whose husband was present as a guest) and led her into a with-drawing roome; where after some stay he brought her backe to her seat, with her linnen ruffled and out of order, and a great flushing in her face, which was palpable to all there present. He is also said to have stuprated Tertullia, Terentilla, Drusilla, Salvia, Citiscenia, and others.

But more prodigious were the lusts of his Successor Tiberius, who according to Tranquillus, devised a seller or vault, which was as a schoole of Venery; and where all libidinous acts were practised in his owne presence. In the woods also he built venereall Groves, where prostitution was daily practised; with some things fearefull to be named. And as there were many prodigious examples of Neroes cruelty, so there are also of his incontinence and luxury; all which adde to his hatefull and abhominable life, to make it the more infamous, who most irreligiously committed a rape upon Rubria, one of the vestall Virgines, to whom it was held worse then sacriledge to offer the least violence. Hee caused from the beautifull childe Sporus; his virill parts to be cut away, indeavouring to have made him a woman, (if Art could have done it;) and then to have married him, and so he did: from whence grew a saying, made common in the mouthes of all, Happy had it beene for Rome and the Empire, if Neroes mother had beene such a wife as Sporus. Many of his actions are too obscene for modesty to utter; Hee had naturall congresse and consociety with his naturall mother Agrippina; He caused also one Doriph… a freed man to be cut like Sporus, and married him also. Thus farre of him Tranquillus, but much more Cornelius Tacitus.

p. 53Caligula incested his owne sisters, and prostituted them to his slaves and vassals, that in the cause of Aemilius they might be condemned as adultresses, or vitiated persons, which otherwise had gone against him. Livia Horestilla the wife of Caius Piso he violently tooke from him, and made her his Empresse, but within two yeares being tyred with his new Peere, he turned her off to grazing; and then he tooke from Caius Memmius his wife Lolliae Pa…lina, and in a short time repudiated her also; consining them both from marriage, or to have consociety with any man whatsoever. He was much inamoured of one Cesonia a beautifull Damsell, and his custome was to his private friends oft to shew her naked. Hee was said much to love Marcus Lepidus, and Marcus Nestor the Pantomine, (which is a Buffoone or common Jester) for no other cause, but onelyonly for the commerse of mutuall and alternate brothelry; of these and many other his brutish ribauldries witnesseth Suctonius.

The Emperour Commodus in like manner constuperated his owne naturall sisters, in the sight of his other Paramores and Prostitutes, and then offered them to his friends, such libidinous wretches as himselfe, to have the like congresse with them: being a young man he was a scandall to all those whom he made his companions, and they reciprocally were scandalized by being in his company: These with infinite others of his licentious irregularities are recorded by Lampridius. Hee had also (as the same Author testates) three hundred Concubines of selected forme and feature; chosen out of the families of the Senatours and Patritians; and as many choice young men of sweet aspect and undespised proportion, taken out of the best of the Nobility; and with these hee did continually riot, drinke, and wanton in his Pallace, where were used all immodest postures, and uncomely gestures, that the very Genius of lust could devise: so that his Court shewed rather a common stewes, then the royall dwelling house and mansion of a Prince.

Gordianus Iunior, who wore the Imperiall purple with his father, absenting himselfe from all warlike imployment, lived in lazinesse and ease, giving himselfe solely to voluptuousnesse and carnall concupiscence, having at once two and twenty Concubines, and by every one of them three or foure children at the least; for which by some he was called the Priamus of his age: but by others (in scorne) the Priapus. And Proculus the Emperour in one expedition, (besides many other spoyles) tooke captive an hundred Sarmatian Virgines; all which hee boasted not onelyonly to have vitiated and deflowred, but to have perpetrated, or more plainly got with childe, within fifteene dayes, for so Flavius Vopiscus reports of him; as also Sabellicus, in Exemplis. Heliogabalus that Monster of nature, gathered together Bawdes, Whores, Catamites, Pimps, Panders, Rounsevalls, and Stallions, (the very pest and poyson of a Nation or People) even till they grew to a great multitude: to which he added all the long-nos'd vagabonds, and sturdy beggars he could finde; for these they say have the greatest inclination to libidinou filthinesse, and these he kept together and maintained at his great charge, onelyonly to satisfie his brutish humour: Therefore Lampridius writing to the Emperour concerning his prodigious Venery, useth these words; Who can endure a Prince who committeth lust in all the hollowes of his body, when Roomes, Cages, and Grates, the receptacle and dennes of wilde beasts cannot amongst them all shew a beast like him. He also kept cursors and messengers, who had no other imployment, but to ride abroad, and seek out for p. 54these Masuti, and to bring them to Court, that he might pollute and defile himselfe amongst them: But these whose dissolute and floath-infected lives have growne to such an execrable height of impudence, have not escaped Gods terrible Judgements by miserable and tragick ends; as you may read in the premises, where I have had occasion to speake of the same persons, though to other purpose.

I will prosecute this further by example, wherein the effects of this dull and drowsie vice of idlenesse and sloath, shall be better illustrated, and in none more proper then that of …Egistus and Clitemuestra: for Agamemnon King of Mycena, (and brother to Menelaus King of Sparta, the husband of Helena, ravisht thence by Paris, one of the sonnes of King Priam) being chosen. Generall of the Grecian Army, in that great expedition against Troy, for the rape of that Spartan Queene: In his absence he left Aegistus to governe his family, and mannage his Domesticke affaires, who lull'd in ease, and loytring in idlenesse, and she a lusty Lady, and lying in a widdowed and forsaken bed, such familiarity grew betwixt them, that at length it came into flat adultery; of whom the Poet thus ingenuously writes:

Quaeritur Aegistus, quare sit factus adulter?

In prompt… causa est, Desidiosus erat, &c.

Aske any why Aegistus did

Faire Clitemnestra woe,

'Tis answer'd: he was idle, and

Had nothing else to doe.

Now this Egistus was before espoused to a young Lady the daughter of Phocas Duke of Creophen, whose bed he repudiated, and sent backe to her father. For the love of this Queene of Micena, of whom he begot a daughter called Egiona; and in the absence of his Lord and Master (supported by the Queene) tooke upon him all regall authority, and was obeyed as King. Now Agamemnon had a young sonne called Orestes, who was then under the tuition or guardianship of a worthy Knight called Fultibius, who fearing lest the adulterer and the adulteresse might insidiate his life, he conveyed him out of the Land, and brought him to Idomeneus King of Creet, a pious and just Prince, who undertooke to bring him up, educate, and instruct him like the sonne of such a father; and protect him against all his enemies whatsoever.

Imagine now the ten yeares warres ended, Troy sackt and spoyled, rak't to the earth, and quite demolished; and Agamemnon at his returne the very first night of his lodging in the Palace, cruelly murdered in his bed by Egistus and the Queene. By this time Orestes being of the yeares able to beare Armes, and having intelligence how basely his father was butchered, and by whom, he made a solemne vow to avenge his death upon the Authors thereof, and to that end besought aide of the King Idomeneus his foster father and protector, who first made him Knight, and furnisht him with a competent Army. To assist whom came Fultibius his first Guardian, with all the forces he could levy; as also Phocas, whose daughter Egistus had before forsaken: These sped themselves so well, that in few dayes they entred the Land, and after laid siege to the chiefe Citie called Micene, where the p. 55Queen then lay (for Aegistus was at that time abroad to solicit a…d against invasion, which he much feared) but finding the gates shut, and the wals manned, and all entrance denied, they made a fierce assault; and though it was very couragiously and valiantly defended; yet at length the City was taken, and the Queen surprised in the Palace, who being brought unto the presence of her son, all filiall duty set apart, and forgetting the name of mother, he saluted her onelyonly by the title of Adulteresse, and Murderesse, and when he had thundered into her eares the horridnesse and trocity of her crime, having his sword drawn in his hand, he suddenly transpie…'d her body, and left her dead upon the pavement, as an expla…ion or bloody sacrifice to appease the soul of his dead farher. Some would aggravate the fact, and say, that he caused her breasts to be torne off, (she being yet alive) and cast to the dogges to be eaten, but that had been a cruelty beyond nature, for a son to exercise upon a mother; now whilest these things were in ag…ation, Aegistus had gathered an Army for the raising of the …ege, and reclaiming the City, of which Orestes having intelligence, ambu…hed him in his way, and had such good successe, that having incompassed him in, he set upon his Forces, both before and behinde, routed them, and took Aegistus prisoner, whom after he had put to the greatest tortures that humane apprehension could invent or devise, he commanded his body to be hanged in chaines upon a gibbet without the City, the place where malefactors were executed; there to remain till it dropped thence limbe from limbe: all this comming to the ear of the adulterate brood Esyone, (who was said to have been accessary to the death of Agame…nón) she in extreme sorrow for the disaster happened to her father and mother, despairing, strangled her selfe, and Orestes after he had more considerately pondered his cruelty towards his mother, which (how soever just) had better to have come from any mans hand than his own, and further, that in the mouthes of all men he was held no better than a matricide, (a name hatefull both to God and man) he upon this grew into a great melancholy, and from melancholy to madnesse, never being able to recover his senses after. It being worthy observation, what murders, revenges, adulteries, divers selfe-killings, and what not? arise from this (seeming harmelesse) drowsie, and sleepy sin of i…enesse; of which I will present you further with a strange and most lamentable story.

Dom. Ioannes Gygas postilla suae, parte secunda, pag. 200. A noble and vertuous A strange story of a sloathfull Chambermaid.Lady who had a lasie and drowsie Chambermaid, and as one bad quality seldom or never goeth without another, she was of a testy disposition, and of a snappish and curst tongue; it happened that her mistresse upon a time chiding her for her neglect and sloath, she began to mander and murmur, and in the end to give her Lady very crosse and untoward language, at which being much incenst, she gave her a box on the ear, at which she fell down upon the floor, as if she had been halfe slain, and multiplying many bitter and despightfull words, told her Lady that blow should never be forgot nor forgiven. Who somewhat sorry, as fearing she had strook her too hard, left her mumbling the devils Pater noster, as we say, and minded her no farther. But the devill would not let slip this occasion, putting her in minde, to accuse her Lady of Adultery, and day nor night she could be in quiet, till she had so done: at length attending a fit opportunity when she found her Lord in private, the subtle shrew interupted him after this manner; Noble p. 56Sir, (with pardon craved for my boldnesse) I have a strange secret to acquaint you with, were I assured of your silence, but I am afraid that my zeal and tender care I have of your honour may be misprised, and that punishment which belongeth to others may redound upon my selfe to mine own ruine; at which the Crocodile wept, and her Lord longing to know what the matter was, protested secrecy, and bid her say on: when she thus proceeded, I know (Sir) that you are confident of the modesty, purity, and conjugall chastity of your Lady, as wholly devoted to your love, having no other rivall or competitor in her affection; but to my great sorrow I speak it, she violates her matrimoniall tie, and adulterates your sheetes in your absence, not with a Gentleman of any of fashion, or quality, but with one of the Groomes of your stable, which I most humbly beg of your honour that you will keep private to your selfe, till I make you eye-witnesse of what I speak, and bring you to the place where this ungodly congresse is frequently used betwixt them. And here she broke off abruptly as if teares constrained by sorrow had stopped her in her further relation.

At this discourse the Nobleman was stupified, and though he ever found her indulgent and affectionate towards him, and could never tax her of the least lascivious glance or incontinent gesture, yet he remembred that when his custome was to rise early to hunt, or hawk, or to survey his Parkes and grounds, he found her scarce up or ready when he came backe to break fast, and then his jealousie began to suggest him that in that interim this wickednesse might be committed; and so growing full of thoughts, he left her (the devils agent) to attend the event, who let slip no occasion to prosecute the mischief that she had begun, but finding him comming early one morning (after his sports) and knowing her Lady was then in bed, ran presently to the stable and called one of the Groomes in haste, and told him he must run suddenly to her Lady in her chamber, for she had a serious businesse in which to imploy him, which she did with such servency, that the Groom ran to the chamber as if it had been for life and death, (and so indeed it proved) and finding his Ladies door open, entered: in which time she cals her Lord, and hastens him to the place, but before he came thither, the Lady spying the Groom to rush so suddenly into the chamber, called him bold and saucy varlet, and (ignorant of the deceit) flung bed-staves at his head, and not having the patience to hear what he had to say for himselfe, bad him get him thence with a vengeance, whom his master met just at the door, and with his sword ran him through, so that without speaking he fell dead in the place, and there in the heat of fury, ere she had the leisure to aske what the matter was, he as she lay in her bed and without any question or answer expected transpierc'd her to the heart, whose chaste soul (no doubt) mounted unto that blessed place of rest to which her piety, devotion, and charity in her life time chiefly aymed; now as he stood leaning upon his sword so lately imbrued in the bloud of these two innocents, having a thousand chimera's in his brain, and her flinty and obdurare heart mean time relenting at the horridnesse of the strage committed, she could keep her own devillish counsell no longer, but presently burst out into this language; Alas my Lord, what have I done? Never was Lady more chaste or constant to the bed and imbraces of her husband than she who here lies weltering in her innocent blood, whatsoever I spake of her was false and untrue, as meerly suggested by the devill, and this I malitiously devised in revenge p. 57of a blow she gave meto correct my … and slo…fulnesse, which not able in my ill disposition to digest; I, am onelyonly I am sole authour of their commiserated and much to be lamented deaths, which hath happened more difastrous than I expected. This being so feelingly and passionately delivered, strooke such a deep impression into him, that sometimes casting his eye upon his honest and faithfull servant, and then upon his vertuous and untainted Wife, being possest with a world of distractions at once, which swayed him above the strength of nature, he first dispatched her of life, and after fell upon his own sword; making up the fourth in the Tragedy.

If you expect to hear further judgements inflicted upon this sin, every Sessions and Assises through the Kingdom can afford presidents sufficient, how many children are brought to the execution place, who complain of their parents for their idle and slothfull bringing up; who being neither set to school, nor put to manufacture or trade, whereby to get their livings, have been found to filch, pillage, steal, and break houses, which brings them at length to the Gallowes: what fils the Bridewels and Correctionhouses with so many rogues and vagabonde; but idlenesse? what makes so many maunders and high-way beggers, so many brothers of the broomesta…e, who not able to compasse a sword or pistoll, will adventure to set upon men and rob them, with staves, bats, and cudgels? what makes so many pimps, panders, apple-squires, bawdes, prostitutes and whores (the very cankers and impostumes of a Common-weal) but sloth and idlenesse? and what are the fruits of their ribaldries and …ries, but aches, and it ches, …rpegues, fluxes, rheumes, catarrhes, and a thousand other diseases? who though they escape the rope (which is the presentest and sudde…nest cure for them all yet the best houses they can hope to purchase, are lame spittles; and hospitals. I need not aggravate these any further, as not being things private, rare, or scarce happening in an age, but as common as Noverint univers…, for scarce a monethly Sessions passes here in the City, without hanging and carting.

To prevent which, and to avoid the manifold mischiefes incident, nay impending over this sin of floath and idlenesse, let every man and woman in the fear of God apply themselves to their severall vocations and callings, to supply (as far as in them lies) the necessities belonging to this life, and to become industrious and laborious members of the Church and Common-weal; and for the life to come, to take the counsell of our Saviou…, Matth. 24. 22. Watch therefore, for you know not at what hour your Master will come: of this be sure, That if the good man of the house knew at what watch the theefe would come, he would surely watch, and not suffer his house to be digged through. This condemneth sleepy floath and …rowfie negligence; neither is doing good onelyonly commanded, but the negligence and omitting of doing good is damnable and subject to everlasting torment, as you may reade Matth. 5. 41. Then he shall say to them on the left hand, depart from me ye …ursed into everlasting fire, which is prepared for the devill and his angels, for I was an hungred and yee gave me no m…, I thirsted and ye gave me no drinke, I was a stranger and ye took me not in unto ye, I was … and ye clothed me not, I was in prison and ye visited me not, and these are me sinnes of omission. Their judgement is not for taking away the bread from the hungry, and drinke from the thirsty, but for not supplying them with such necessities when they stood in want thereof (for this is spoken of the poor members of p. 58Christ.) I conclude with this sin of Idlenesse thus, most sure we shall Reddere rationem, that is, answer for every idle act, when we shall render an account for every idle word.