The Theater of Gods Judgments Part 2, Chapter 6
CHAP. VI. Gods Iudgements against Lust.
THis sinne is by some defined to be a lascivious petulancie, an inordinate use of pleasures and delights, or an over-doing prosusenesse, either in curiosity of apparrell or superfluity in feasting: others call it a concupiscence of proving unlawfull pleasures, a desire of copulation above measure, or against reason; it is also a solution or dissolving into voluptuousnesse, and by the Law of God is condemned: as Marke 7. 21. For from within, even out of the heart of men proceed evill thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousnesse, wickednesse deceit, uncleannesse, a wicked eye, backbiting, pride foolishnesse, all these evils come from within, and defile a man, &c. Rom. 13. 12. The night is past, and the day is at hand, let us therefore cast away the workes of darknesse, and let us put on the armour of light, so that we walke honestly as in the day; not in gluttony and drunkennesse, neither in chambering and wantonnesse, &c. Corinth. 2. 12. 21. I feare least when I come againe my God shall abase me amongst you, and I shall bewaile many of them which have sinned already, and have not repented them of the uncleannesse, and fornication, and wantonnesse which they have committed. Ephes. 4. 19. Which being past feeling have given themselves unto wantonnesse, and to worke all uncleannesse. 2 Peter 2. 18. For in speaking swelling words of vanity, they beguile with wantonnesse through the lusts of the flesh, them that were cleane escaped from those which were wrapped in errour; promising them liberty, and are themselves the servants of corruption. And againe, 1 Peter, 4. 3. For it is sufficient that we have spent the time past of our life after the lusts of the Gentiles, walking in wantonnesse, lust, drunkennesse; in gluttony, drinking, and abhominable Idolatry: wherein it seemeth to them strange, that you runne not with them into the same excesse of riot; therefore speake they evill of you, &c.
There is also Fornicatio, differing in some kinde from the former, and this includeth all unlawfull copulation, or illicite congression, in any tye of wedlock, consanguinity, affinity, order, religion, or vow: and this is twofould, spirituall and corporall, or carnall; that spirituall is meere Idolatry, so hatefull to God, and so often forbid in the holy Text, which is attended by infidelity, and every hurtfull superstition: It includes also the lust of the eye, with the consent of the minde, according to that Text, Whosoever shall looke upon a woman and lust after her, &c. All uncleane pollution is called carnall fornication, and that which is called simplex, or simple, is Soluti, cum soluta, and a most mortall sinne, and provoketh the wrath of the Lord: Deut. 22. 23. If a maid be betrothed to an husband, and a man finde her in the Towne and lie with her, then you shall bring them both out unto the gates of the same Citie, and shall stone them with stones to death: the maide because she cryed not, being in the Citie; and the man, because he humbled his neighbours wife: so thou shalt put away evill from among you, Eccles. 19. 2. Wine and women leade wise men out of the way, and put men of understanding to reproofe; and hee that accompanieth adulterers shall become impotent: rottennesse and wormes shall have him to heritage, and he that is bold shall be taken away and be made an example. Jerem. 6. and 7. How should I spare thee for this? thy children have forsaken me, and sworne by them that are no gods. Though I fed them full, yet they committed adultery, and assembled themselves by companies in the harlots houses: they rose up in the morning like fed horses, for every one neighed after his neighbours wife; shall I not visit for these things, saith the Lord? shall not my soule be avenged on such a Nation as this? Hosea 4. 10. For they shall eate and not have enough, they shall commit adultery and shall not increase, because they have left off to take heed of the Lord: wheredome, and wine, and new wine, take away thine heart. Againe, Vers. 14. I will not visit your daughters when they are harlots, nor their spouses when they are whores, for they themselves are separated with harlots, and sacrifice with whores, therefore the people that doth not understand shall fall. 1 Cor. 6. The fornicatour shall not inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. Hebr. 3. Nor the fornicatours and adulterers.
Adulterium, or Adultery the Greekes call foreign. The Hebrews Ninph; and it is twofold, Spirituall and Carnall: that which is called spirituall is metaphoricall, including every sin committed by a Christian man, because every Christian soul is contracted to Christ the Husband. That which is called carnall, is either simple or single, when but the one party is married; or double, when both are in the matrimoniall or conjugall tie: and all of these are condemned in the holy Text, Gen. 20. 3. God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said unto him, Behold, thou art but dead, because of the woman (Sarah) whom thou hast taken; for she is a mans wife. Now then deliver the man his wife again, for he is a Prophet, and he shall pray for thee, that thou mayst live: but if thou deliver her not again, be sure that thou shalt die the death, even thou and all that thou hast. Lev. 20. 10. And the man that committeth adultery with another mans wife, because he hath committed adultery with another mans wife, the adulterer and the adulteresse shall die the death. Lev. 5. 20. But if thou hast turned from thine husband, and so art defiled, and some man hath lien with thee besides thine husband, then the Priest shall charge the woman with an oath of cursing, and the Priest shall say unto the woman, The Lord make thee to be accursed and detestable for the oath among the people, and the Lord cause thy thigh to rot, and thy belly to swell. Verse 28. When ye have made her drinke the water (if she be defiled, and have transgressed against her husband) then shall the cursedwater (turned into bitternesse) enter into her, and her belly shall swell, and herthigh shall rot, and the woman shall be accursed amongst the people. Prov. &. 32. He that committeth adultery with a woman is destitute of understanding, he that doth it destroyeth his own soul, he shall finde a wound and dishonour, and his reproach shall never be put away. Again, 30. 18. There be three things hid from me; yea, four that I know not: The way of an Eagle in the air, the way of a Serpent upon a stone, the way of a ship in the midst of the sea, and the way of a man with a maid. Such is the way also of an adulterous woman, she eateth and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have not committed iniquity. Eccles. 23. 22. And thus shall it go with every wife that leaveth her husband, and getteth inheritance by another: for first, she hath disobeyed the law of the most High: and secondly, she hath trespassed against her own husband: and thirdly, she hath played the where in adultery, and gotten her children by another man, she shall be brought into the congregation, and examination shall be made of her children, her children shall not take root, and her branches shall bring no fruit, a shamefull reproach shall she leave, and her reproach shall not be put out, &c. Wisd. 3. 16. The children of adulterers shall not be partakers of the holy things, and the seed of the wicked shall be rooted out, and though they live long, yet shall they be nothing regarded, and their last age shall be without honour, if they die hastily they have no helpe, neither comfort in the day of triall; for horrible is the end of the wicked generation. Again 4. 3. The multitude of the ungodly which abound in children, is unprofitable, and the bastard plants shall take no deep roots, nor lay any fast foundation: for though they bud forth in the branches for a time, yet they shall be shaken with the winde, for they stand not faste, and through the vehemency of the winde they shall be rooted out, for the imperfect branches shall be broken, and their fruit shall be unprofitable, and sower to eat, and meet for nothing, for all the children that are borne of the wicked bed shall be witnesse of the wickednesse against the parents when they be asked. And what more terrible judgements than these can be threatned against the Adulterers.
Let us now hear the Fathers: this is Saint Austins counsell, De verbo Dom. tract. 48. If you will marry wives, keep your selves unto them, and let them finde you the same you desire to finde them? What is he desirous to marry, and would not be coupled to a chaste wife? Or if a virgin, one that is untoucht? Be thou also chaste and untoucht. Dost thou desire one to be constant and pure to thee? Be constant and pure to her; for can she prove so to thee, and not thou also to her? Saint Chrisostome, Hom. 3. As that Pilot which suffers his ship to be wracked in a port or harbour is inexcusable, so he that to qualifie the lusts of the flesh shall lawfully take a spouse to live withall for better and for worse, and shall after insidiate the bed of his neigbour; neither can that man whose wanton eyes and petulant fancies wander after every loose prostitute or strumpet, either acquit himselfe to men, or excuse himselfe towards God, although he shall ten thousand times alleadge his naturall inclination to pleasure: or how can that properly be called pleasure, which is waited on by fear, diffidence, danger, and where there is expectation of so many evils: accusation the seat or the tribunall of justice, and the ire and wrath of the Judge, he stands in dread of all things, shadowes, walls, stones, graves, neighbours, adversaries, nay even his dearrest friends. But be it granted, that their guilt be private, and known onelyonly to the delinquents, they are not therefore safe, here shall they bear a conscience even reproving, and suggesting bitter and fearfull things against them? and the conscience to be alwayes about them. For as no man can fly him, so none can evade or avoid the sentence of that private Court, for this judicatory sense is not with gold to be corrupted, with flattery mitigated, not by friends mediated, in regard it is a thing divine, and by God himselfe placed and appointed to have residence in our hearts. Saint Ambrose de Patriarchis, in speaking of the Patriarchs, Abraham and Iacob, and of their multiplicity of wives, he in excuse of them saith, that Abraham was before either the Law or the Gospell, and in his time Big…y was rot forbidden. Now the punishment of a fault grew from the time of the Law, for it was not a crime before it was inhibited and forbid; so … had four wives, which whilest it was a custom was no crime, who as they married not meerly for concupiscence, and to fulfill the lust full desires of the flesh, but rather instigated by providence to the propagation of issue; therefore let no man flatter himselfe by making them their president, for all adultery is damnable, &c.
Ioses the son of Iehochanan in that Book which the Hebrews stile Capi… vel apothegmata, hath this saying, the time which a man spends in multiplying words with a woman, he loseth to his great damage; for at length with her petulancy she will bring him to perdition. And Rabbi A…ba saith, Laughter, and the light and unconstant moving of the head, easily convince a man of loosnesse and effeminacy. And Habbiben Syra saith, For the sake of beautifull women the strongest have fallen, and many have perished; therefore hide thine eyes from the allurements of a fair woman, lest she catch thee in her snare, and thou become her captive, to thy des…ction. Dionysius the elder (though otherwise a Tyrant) when he by complaint made had understood his son to whose charge he had committed the government of a Province, to have stuprated the wife of a noble young Gentleman, he sent for him, and being exceeding angry, demanded of him, if he had seen any such president in his father. To whom he replied, Many, for he had not a King to his father. Nor thou, said Diony…s, art likely to have a King to thy son, if thou followest these lewd and luxurious courses. The Tyrant holding Adultery a crime worthy to disinherit him from all regall Authority, which is now made no more than a sport and pastime amongst great ones: for Sylla sirnamed Faustus, the freed man of Sylla the great competitour against Marius, hearing that his naturall filler had entertained two Adulterers into her service at once, which were Fulvius Fullo and Pomponius whose sirname was Macula, he put it off with a jest upon their names, Miror (inquit) sororem meam maculam habere cum fullonem habet: that is, I wonder my sister should have a macula, or wear any spot or stain, when she hath a fullo, a fuller, that washeth and taketh out staines still so near her.
There is also scortation, of Scortum a whore, which the Greekes call foreign and foreign, is Scortari, the Hebrews Zonach. To this capitall head of lust likewise belongeth incest, which is a venereall abuse in Affinity and consanguity, which for these reasons may be said justly to be prohibited, because man naturally acknowledgeth an honour to his parents, and so by consequence a more than common respect to those of his near blood and alliance. Secondly, because it is necessitous, that persons arising from one root and stem be mutually conversant. Thirdly, it hindereth the increase of friends, which are lost by not marrying into other stockes and families. Lastly, when a man naturally loveth his sister or cousin-germine, being so neer to him in blood, if that venereall ardor which comes from commixtion were added, love would break out into raging lust, which is altogether repugnant to all modesty and chastity. There is also Sodomia, Turpitudo in masculum facta, contranaturam: of which to speak I will be very sparing. Thus you see the sixth of the seven heads as the Beast, dissected and anatomised: But I come now to History and Example.
Cateline that firebrand of Rome, and pestilent incendiary of all sedition, to adde to all his other criminall and capitall malefactions, which were indeed beyond president, or since his time, by any of the most notorious ruffians, that the later ages have bred, if imitated, yet scarce equalled, and therefore much lesse exceeded: this Arch yillain (I say) to all his other wicked acts added also these of Adultery and Incest: he was infamous for his many stuprations with a noble virgin of Rome; he raped also one of the Vestal… or priests of Vesta; and further, to enjoy the embraces of Aurelia Arestilla, he took away her son by poyson, because being grown to maturity and yeares of discretion, he opposed his mothers second nuptials, which was in those dayes held to be immodesty amongst the noblest matrons of Rome; and thus Salustius and Valerius report of him. Calius cap. 30. lib. 8. reports that Bagoas the Eunuch was much indeated to Alexander the great, for no other cause but that there was some brutish and unnaturall congresse betwixt them; therefore when Orsines a noble Persian came to see Alexander, and presented to him, and to them of his choice and intimate friends, many great and rich gifts, but gave to Bagoas not so much as the least honour or respect, being asked the reason thereof, he made answer, I owe unto Alexander and his friends all the duty and reverence that can be expectect from a true loyall and faithfull heart, but to a whore or strumpet such as Bagoas is, to him I acknowledge not so much as the least notice to be taken that such a wretched fellow lives.
Of the lusts and intemperances of Augustus, Iulius, Tiberius, Heliogabalus, Caligula, Commodus, Domitian, Proculus, and others, I have sufficiently spoken before: which shewed, as the Roman Emperours exceeded in state, power and majesty, so most of them maculated and poluted their high and sacred calling with the most base effeminacies and sordidst luxuries that the heart could conceive, or the fancy of man apprehend. Neither have they alone been guilty of these notorious crimes and vices, but all Nations have been tainted with the like impurities, which hath been the depopulation of famous Cities, the ruines of Kingdomes, the removing of Monarchies, from one people and language to another, when seldom any Conquerour from any Nation brought home their victory without their vices, of which there be frequent examples. The Babylonians were the first that usurped the name of a Monarchy; the Medes and Persians wrested it from them; the Grecians wan it from the former; and lastly the Romans from the Grecians, who as they learned of them Graecari, to drinke hard, so Mechari, to stuprate and adulterate; and as they used their Dominion, and tyranny, governing them by substitutes, and praefects, and proconsuls, and the like; so with their power they brought in their prodigalities, riots, feastings, rapes, adulteries, stuprations, scortations, fornications, even to abhominations above nature, too immodest to speak, then by consequent, too devillish to act. But from generalities I come to particulars.
Gemelius Tribunitius, though he were one of the Patricians family, and a Nobleman of Rome, yet was so degenerate in his condition, that of his own house he made a Brothell or Stewes, where amongst others were vitiated Mutia and Fulvia, two illustrious women, and of especiall remarke in the City, with a noble youth called Saturninus; who was polluted and defiled against nature: but as some report of the master of the family, his house was after accidentally set on fire, and he himselfe added part of the fewell to the flame. And in this kinde of punishment lust may be said, (and not altogether unproperly) to be quenched with fire. Calius reports of Dionysius junior, that comming into the City of Locris, where he had the entertainment belonging to a Prince of his estate and quality, but the Town abounding with fair and beautifull virgins, he could not bridle his exorbitant appetite, but some he courted with fair words, others bribed with rich gifts, and such as he could win to his insatiate desires by neither, he committed violence upon their persons, insomuch that divers of the noblest maidens were by him vitiated and corrupted, which they not having patience to endure) made an insurrection against him, and having first dispatched his Guard, to whom he most trusted, they seised upon his person, and put him so great maceration and torment: for, binding him to a stake, they thrust sharpe needles betwixt the nailes and flesh of his toes and fingers, and when he had endured as well the taunts of their tongues, as the exquisite tortures of their engines, they put him to death, and after having dried his bones, pouned them to dust in a morter: and such was the reward of his brutish and beastly luxury: to whom I will adde Lusius the nephew to Marius by the sisters side, who for offering a preposterous carriage of lust to Treboninus a young man of an excellent aspect and feature, and withall of a civill and modest carriage, (by profession a Souldier) was slain by him in his tent, notwithstanding the greatnesse of his alliance and kinred, of which he prefumed so far, that even the most abhominable evils by them countenanced, might be held lawfull. And by the like encouragement, namely the impurity of the times, Sotodes the obscene Iambicke writer composed his verses in that strain, as savouring nothing but Pathicke and Cinedicke venery; abhorred by all modest and chaste eares and eyes; insomuch that of them grew a proverbe, If any mans workes tasted of ribaldry or obscenity, it was called Sotadicum poëma: and of him Politianus speakes in his Natricia.
The Corinthians were extremely taxed with this incontinence, for it is said of them, that they prostituted their wives and daughters for gain, and hence grew a proverbe, Non cuivis homini contingit adire Corinthum; It is not for every man to go to Corinth, they pay so dear for their pleasure. The Babylonians, Tyrrhenians, and Massagelans were also greatly contaminated with this vice, abusing their bodies in that monstrous sort, that they were said, rather to live like beasts than men. It is a sin which compelleth men neither to have care of their own good names, nor of their posterity which shall come after them; and therefore Draco the famous Law-giver writ so bitterly against this concupiscence, that he is said, rather than to have drawn them in inke, to have inscribed them in blood: and no wonder if he were so austere and supercilious against it; when it inforceth us to covet above our power, to act beyond our strength, and to die before our time. One defineth it thus, an enemy to the purse, a foe to the person, a canker to the minde, a corrasive to the conscience, a weakner of the wit, a besotter of the sense, and a mortall enemy to the whole body; it sweetneth with pleasure to the path of perdition, and is the loadstone leading and guiding to ruth and ruine, (so far Pliny.) Demonax termes it, a pleasure bought with pain, a delight hatched with unquiet, a contentment accompanied with fear, and a sin finished with sorrow, by continuance it growes to impudence, and shame, and infamy continually waites at the heeles thereof.
For further instance, one Hostius a Prince who lived in the time of Augustus Caesar, was a man of a most perdit obscenenesse, practised in that superlative degree of filthinesse, that scarce any age could produce a prodegy to paralell him, modesty will not suffer me to give them name. And Tegillinus (according to Tacitus lib. 17.) was a man of a most corrupted life, who soothed and humoured Nero in all his ribaldries, his sirname was Othonius, by whose flattery and calumny many a noble Roman was put to death: and when Otho who succeeded Nero, came to wear the Imperiall purple, and to be instated Emperour, he sent (amongst other malefactours) for him, to suffer as a putrified and corrupt member of the State, and when the executioner with other lictors and officers came to surprise him in his house, they found him drinking and rioting amongst his catamites and harlots, where without limiting any time either to settle his estate, or to take leave of any of his friends, he was instantly slain, and his wounded body cast into the open streets. Crassus the richest of the Roman fathers, after the death of one of his brothers, married his wife, by whom he had many children. And Surinus the wealthiest and most potent of the Parthians next to the King, had in his tents two hundred concubines at one time. And Xerxes King of Persia was so given over to all licentiousnesse and luxury, that he hired pursuivants, and kept Cursors and messengers in pay to inquire and finde out men who could devise new wayes of voluptuousnesse, and to them gave great rewards, for so Valerius Maximus reports of him. And Volateranus remembers us of one Vgutius a Florentine Prince, who was slain of his Citizens and Subjects for stuprating their wives, and vitiating their virgins. Thus seldom we see this vice to go unpunished.
Nor is it particular to the masculine sex, as the sole provocatours hereof, but women have been equally and alike guilty. We reade in Genesis of Potiphars wife, who solicited Ioseph to her adulterate embraces, who because he refused to commit such villany, and to offend both God and his master, she accused him to his Lord, that he would have done to her violence, for which he lay two years in prison. But from prophane Histories we have many examples. For Iulia Agrippina the mother of Nero was said to have unlawfull congresse with Domitian, for so Iuvenal saith: nay more, after feasting and banqueting, in the heat of her cups, when she with her son were together topt with wine, they commonly used incestuous consociety: the conclusion of which impious lust was, that the son in the end having caused his mother to be slain, commanded her body to be dissected, and ript open before his face, as longing to see the bed wherein he lay when he was an unborne infant. She was the daughter to Germanicus, sister to Caligula, the wife first of Domitius, after of Clodius whom she poysoned, for no other cause but to make Nero her son Emperour: and you hear how well he requited her. A chicken of the same brood was Messalina the daughter of Messala, and the wife and Empresse of Claudius Caesar, a woman of a most insatiate lust, whose custome was to disguise her selfe like a private Gentlewoman, so that she might not be known, and with her pandor ushering her, to walke unto common stewes and brothell-houses, and there prostitute her selfe to all commers whosoever, nay, she was not ashamed to contend with the ablest and strongest Harlot in the City for masterie, whence also shee returned rather tyred then satisfied; nay more, she selected out of the noblest Wives and Virgins to be eye witnesses and companions in her filthinesse, whither men also were not denied accesse, as spectators, against all womenly shame and modesty: and if any noble Gentleman of whom she seemed to be enamoured, refused or despised her profered imbraces, shee would feigne and devise some crime or other to be revenged on him, and his whole familie. Pliu. lib. 29 tels us, That one Vectius Valius a notable Physitian was nobilitated meerly for pandthering to her luxuries. Fabia the Wife of Fabrius Fabricanus grew greatly besotted on the love of a faire Fabia.young Gentleman call'd Petroninus Valentinus, who the more freely to injoy in her petulant imbraces caused her husband to be traiterously murdred. But being (in regard of the high measure of the fault) complain'd upon by her husbands Kinred and Friends, shee was convicted by the Iulian Law, and suffered according to the penalty thereof. Martiall reckoneth up as notorious Strumpets and Adulteresses, Leviana, Paula, Proculina, Zectoria, Gallia, as Catullus remembreth us of Austelina, and Iuvenall of Hyppia. Zoe one of the Roman Empresses caused her husband Arginopilus to be slaine to adulterate her selfe with Michael Paleologus: but who shall Zoe the Empresse.read of both their ends shall finde that they were most wretched and miserable.
As these for Scortation and Adultery, so others have been notoriously Women branded for Incest.infamous for Incest: Giddica the Wife of Pomminius Laurentinus grew into such an extreme dotage of her sonne in law Comminius, that not able to compasse her unchaste desires, and her Incestuous love being discovered to her husband, shee dispairingly strangled her selfe; of which death also Phoedra alike besotted on her husbands sonne Hippolitus perished. Papinius the sonne of Papinius Volucris had a beautifull Sister whose name was Canusia: Papinius and Canusia.These two spending their childhood together, as their yeares, so their naturall affection increased, insomuch that the one thought nothing to deer for the other, their love being mutuall and alternate, not guilty of the least Impious thought or immodest apprehension, but when they came to maturity, new thoughts began to grow, and fresh temptations to arise, to which in their minority they were altogether unacquainted, and now they could not sollace themselves without sighing, nor frame any mirth, but mixt with melancholly; both were sick and of one disease, but neither had the boldnesse to discover the nature of their malady, and thus they continued for a season; In the meane time the Father had found out a noble match for his Sonne, but he put it off with evasions, and could not bee wonne to lend a willing eare to the motion: The Mother also had sought an Husband for her daughter, to which shee was quite averse, alledging her youth and unripenesse of yeares, and so both the motions had a cessation for a time without any suspition, in which interim the incestuous fire burst out into a flame, which in the end consumed them both; for the Sister was found to be great with Childe by the Brother, which a length comming to the knowledge of the Father, he grew inraged beyond all patience, neither could his wrath be mitigated or appeased by the teares of the Mother, or mediation of any friend, but his constant resolution was, they both should die: yet not willing to imbrue his own hands in their bloud, he devised another course, causing two swords to be made, the own he sent to his son Papinius, the other to his daughter, with no other message then this, you must not live, which the wretched creatures understanding, & knowing the austeritie of their Father, and his constancy in his resolutions, hee fell upon the one, and shee on the other, and so miserably ended their lives.
Iulia was the step-Mother of Antonius Caracalla Emperour of the Romans, who having cast many wanton glances towards her, and she reciprocally Julia the Empresse and Antonia Coracalla.answering them, at length when they were in familiar discourse together, he brake forth into these words, vellem si liceret, I would if it were lawfull: whose meaning she soone apprehending suddenly answered again, and without pause, si lubet licet, leges dat Imperator non accipit, if you like it is lawfull, Emperours make Lawes but are tide to none; with which words being emboldned, he first contracted, and then publikely married her, notwithstanding some few dayes beforehe had caused her owne sonne Geta to be put to death, and this is related by Sextus Aurelius, and by Aeli… Spartanus. Amongst these Incestuous is listed Capronia the vestall Virgin, Semiramis.who for her offenc… was strangled. Semiramis was the wife of Ninus King of Assyria, who after she had caused her husbands death, and fearing lest so great and warlike a people would not be govern'd by one of her Sex, shee tooke upon her the masculine shape of her Sonne, whom she had altogether brought up in delicacie and effeminacy, and in his name she raigned for the space of fourtie two yeares, conquering the most part of Asia, and erecting many famous Cities: But Babylon she made her chiefe place of residence, who also hedged or walled in the vast River Euphrates, turning the channell, and compelling it to run through the great City, yet according to Diodorus, lib. tertio, shee grew to bee of that venerious and libidinous disposition, she did not onelyonly admit but hire and inforce divers of the youngest and ablest Souldiers to her lascivious and incontinent imbraces, and further as Trogus Pompeius, lib. 2. hath left remembred, shee laboured to have Carnall congression with her sonne Ninus, (whom she concealed in her Pallace,) and whose shape she adulterated: for which setting all Filiall respect and obedience aside hee slew her with his owne hands, and after raigned in her stead.
A young Spanish Maid having prostituted her selfe to a Gentleman upon A Spanish Maid.promise of marriage, she being of meane parentage, he married another, which comming to her eare, she vowed his death, and the better to effect it, preswaded him by flattering Letters to come againe and see her; which he did, and although at first she received him with teares and cornplaints, yet seeming at last to be satisfied with some reasons he alledged, she permitted him to use the same privitie with her as before, and so to bed they went together, but when he was asleepe she cruelly murdered him, having first bound him so fast with a Cord that he could not make any resistance; using also divers cruelties against the dead body before the heat of her rage could be extinguished. For the which she also suffered death, having first voluntarily accused her selfe.
A Gentleman of Millan a Widower, tho of 60 yeares of age, fell in A Gentleman of Millan.love with a young Wench Daughter to a Farmer his Tenant, whom he bought for ready money of the wretched Father to serve his Lust. This Strumpet growing impudent, after a while fell in love with the eldest son of this Gentleman, being about twentie yeares old, and in the presence of a Cousin of hers who was her Baud, she discovers her whole heart to him, seeking by teares and sighs to draw him to commit Incest: But the Gentleman having more grace, sharply reprehended and threatned both her and her Companion. Wherefore to excuse this her shamelesnesse, as soone as the Father returned she complaines to him, saying, That his sonne had sought three or foure times to corrupt her; which he beleeving, and meeting his sonne at the staires head, ranne furiously at him with his sword drawne; and the sonne to shun that danger, leapt backward downe the staires and brake his neck. The Father following, and finding him dead, after cryes of fury and despaire, in detestation of his former wicked life, fell upon his owne sword and so dyed. The Strumpet hearing by the fearfull cryes of the servant what had hapned, pursued by the just judgement of God, she runnes toward a Well neere the house, into which she threw her selfe and was drowned. The she Baud being apprehended and racked, confesseth the whole plot, and was therefore justly executed, her body and the young Strumpets, being hanged in the open aire, as a prey for ravenous Birds.
Nicholas Prince of Opolia, was so monstrously given to corrupt wives The Prince of Opolia.and maids, that none were safe that came neere him: for which God punished him in this manner. Being at Nice in an assembly of the States of Silesia, called by Cassimer Prince of that Countrey, it hapned that one in his presence brought a packet of Letters to Prince Cassimer, which being opened, he delivered to the Bishop of Nice to read: Which Nicholas seeing, and his former beastly wickednesse causing him to imagine it was some partie made against him to seize upon his life, suddenly drew his Dagger, and desperately runnes against Cassimer and the Bishop, whom he wounded, tho but lightly, for that being in open Court, many Nobles and Gentlemen defended them. Nicholas failing of his purpose, saves himselfe in the Sanctuary, from which he was drawne by the Bishops command, and brought backe into the assembly by whom he was justly condemned for this and many other notorious Crimes, and the next day was publiquely beheaded, and his naked body as a reproch of his former wickednesse, exposed to the view of all men.
A Burgesse of Ulmes, finding his wife wantonly given, did often advise A Burgesse of Ulmes.her to carry her selfe in a more modest and civill sort. But she not regarding his admonitions, and he more and more suspecting her dis-honesty, on a time he made a shew to goe into the Countrey, but suddenly slipt back into his house without discovery, and privately hid himselfe; yet so, that he saw his servants busied in preparing a feast, and the Adulterer and his wife imbracing each other: Yet he retained himselfe till after supper, when seeing them enter the chamber to goe to bed together, using filthy speeches, the witnesses of their wickednesse, he suddenly stepping out, first killed the Adulterer, and then his wife; and having justified his proceedings before the criminall Judges, he obtained pardon for the same.
An Advocate of Constance, having had the carnall knowledge of an An Advoc… of Consta….Atturnies wife of the same Citie; which the Atturney suspecting, pretends a journey into the Countrey, but returning at night, he heard they were together in a Hot-house in an old womans house that dwelt by him; whereupon he goes thither with three of his friends, which he left in the street to hinder any that should come to helpe them; then entring the house with a strong Curry-combe in his hand made for the purpose, and so rudely curried the Advocates naked body, that he drew his eyes out, tore off his stones, and almost all the skin of his body. The like he did to his wife, though she were with child. The Advocate dyed within three dayes after in great torment. The Atturney transported himselfe to another place; and his wife with much adoe recovering her rubbing, spent the rest of her dayes there, confounded with shame and infamy.
A Nobleman of Piedmont, having married a Maid of mean parentage, notwithstanding the honour she received by him, she shamelesly abused A Nobleman of Piedmont.her Lords bed by continuall Adulteries with a Gentleman his neighbour. Which he knowing, and purposing to take them in the act of u…cleannesse, caused a packet of Letters to be brought him as from his Prince, calling him to Court, with an intent to send him in Embassage to a Forreine State. Having imparted these Letters to his wife, and providing all things necessary for his journey, he departed with all his traine; but at night stayes at a Castle of his, to the Governour whereof he discovers his mis-fortune and designe; and being followed onelyonly by him and a Groome of his chamber, all well armed, in a darke night they came to the Castle, where his Adulterate wife was in bed with her Amorist. The Castellane told the Porter, he had Letters from his Lord which he must presently deliver to his Lady. The Porter opens the Gate, and they suddenly all enter. The Lord forbids the Porter to make any noyse, but commanding him to light a Torch, he presently goes to his Ladies chamber, where the Castellane knocking, toll'd an old woman her Baud, that he had Letters from his Lord, which his Lady must answer speedily. This Lady drunke with her Lust, commanded the old woman to open the doore, and receive the Letters. Then the Lord with the other two rushed in, and suddenly seized on the two Adulterers naked together: And after some furious words uttered, he commanded his Lady, with the helpe of her Baud, to bind her Adulterate friend hand and foot, and afterwards to hang him up upon a great Hooke fastned into a Beame for that purpose: Then he caused the bed to be burnt, commanding all the other moveables to be carried away, he left onelyonly a little straw for this Whore and Baud to lye on, appointing that the dead body should remaine there untill the stink of it had choked them: So having past some few dayes in that miserable plight, they wretchedly ended their lives together.
Plutarch reckons this out of Dosythaus lib. 3. rerum saecularum, Cyanippus Cyanip. Syrac.the Syracusian being foxt with Wine, meeting with his daughter Cyane in a darke corner, by force comprest her; but shee not knowing the party by whom she was deflowred, pluck't off a Ring from his finger, and gave it to her Nurse to keep, which her Father after missing, and shee finding by that, assuredly that he was the man by whom she was vitiated, shee found an opportunitie to transpierce him with a sword, by which wound hee died, and then shee her selfe fell on the same weapon and perish'd also.
The like Arisidas Italic. lib. 3. relates of one Armutius, who all the time of his youth lived a very continent and abstemious life, but upon a Armuti…s.time having drunke above measure, he also in the night stuprated his daughter Medullinus, who also knowing the ravisher by his Ring, then taken from his Finger, slew him without any respect of Filiall duty.
Fabinus Fabricanus, the Cousin of Maximus, having subdued Fuxia the chiefe City of the Samnites; in which interim his Wife Fabia falling into the wanton embraces of her neare kinsman Petronius Valentinus, at his home returne they conspired to murther him; which having done, they made a match together and were marryed: But shee fearing that her new Husband might insiduate the life of her young Sonne Fabricianus, who was then but a Childe, she conveigh'd him thence to be liberally educated and instructed abroad: who when hee grew to be a man, and understood how treacherously and perfidiously his Father had been murdered, and by whom, he came disguis'd to Rome, and having waited his opportunity, slew both the Adulterer and the Adulteresse; and for that act was acquit by the Senate.
One Story I connot forget, remembred by Platine, who writ the lives of the Popes, though it be a mighty shame, and a most ignominious aspersion, not to exceed those in vertue, whom we antecell in place and dignity; yet this nothing mov'd Pope Iohn the twelfth of that name, but that all honesty set apart, and modesty quite banish'd, he kept at his own charge a whole Seraglia of Prostitutes and Strumpets, with whom night and day hee revelled and rioted, which wickednesse escaped not without a most remarkable Judgement: For he was after miserably slaine in the very act of Adultery.
Childebert the second, and seventeenth King of France, anno 692. grew Childebert K. of France, and Plectrude.in an utter detestation of his lawfull Wife and Queene Plectrude, who was a Lady of a chaste and untainted life, and divorc'd her from his Bed and Table; in whose stead he received into his bosome one Alpayde, a Gentlewoman of excellent Beauty and Feature, but of a cruell and bloudy condition: For when Lambert Bishop of Vtrecht, a man of a strict life, and austere conversation, undertook boldly to lay his sinne before him, and tell him the danger thereof (notwithstanding hee had before restored him to his Episcopall See, of which he had been before deprived:) shee having notice thereof, could not rest in quiet till she had caused her Brother Dodon to kill this good Bishop, which was done by the Kings consent: For which neither of them escaped vengeance; for Dodon dy'd despairing and mad, and the King was strook after the acting of this murder with a disease of Wormes, the stench wherof he not being able to endure, threw himselfe headlong into the River of Mentz. A strange and heavy Judgement, for Wormes to eate his living flesh, so that corruption did not altogether follow after death; but contrary to nature hee rotted and his body, putrified before death, till the Worme of Conscience attended his soule: a more miserable Death still attending a bad Life.
Philip the second, sirnamed Augustus, upon discontents repudiated Philip the second, and Gelberge his Q.his Queen Gelberge: For which the King of Denmarke made complaint to the Pope of this injury done unto his Sister; and the rather, because neither Crime, nor Delinquency, nor the suspition of any could bee proved against her: But this publike aspersion being cast upon her (howsoever innocent) must needs call her Honour into question, which cannot bee but greatly to her harme and prejudice. These things with other being alledged, a day of hearing was appointed before the Popes Legate, in the Bishops Hall at Paris, where the Kings Cause was strongly maintained by the venters and Advocates; but no one appeared in the poore Queenes defence; insomuch that Sentence was ready to be pronounc'd against her, and speedy order and direction given for a Bill of Divorce to be drawne betwixt them. When on the suddaine (as the Court was ready to rise) stept out of the Presse a faire and beautifull young man, of a sweet and amiable aspect, and not knowne to any in the Company, who after a Congy made, demanded audience; and having delivered the truth in every particular circumstance, pleaded sharply in the Queens behalfe against the King, convincing the opposite party with such irreproveable arguments, that he made the Case cleare on her side; and having ended his Speech, Congying to the King and the rest, and returning into the throng, was never more A miraculous deliverie.seen after. Which took such an impression in the Court, (but the King especially) that the amazed Judges committed the Cause to the Kings Counsell, who judged the Queen guiltlesse of whatsoever had injustly and injuriously been laid against her. Then King Philip took horse, and road presently to Boys de Vinennes, to which place the Queen was confined; where having lovingly imbrac'd her, and received her into his former true conjugall affection, there was never the least distaste knowne to bee betwixt them after. Nor let this Story seem altogether impertinent to the argument now in agitation, which is to shew the Judgements impending in Adultery, and Spouse-breach; 'tis fit also that wee should know how God in his great mercy and goodnesse favoureth and protecteth vertue and Innocents: For his holy Angels are alwayes the Guardians of the just and faithfull.
Common is this sinne of Concupiscence; and howsoever damnable in the eyes of God, and detestable in the sight of good men; yet those most A needful observation.conscious of the sinne are cunning'st to excuse it: The young man will plead for himselfe and say, I am in my youth and prime, and doe but what suits with my youth, and complyes with my condition: The middle ag'd man will alledge, I am now in my strength, my bones are full of marrow, and my breasts of Milke; shall I not take occasion by the fore-top, and make use of the opportunity when it offers it self? the time will come when, being old my ability will not answer to my desire, and then it will be too late, &c. The old man will say, I am now growne cold and weak, the fire of youth is quite extinct in me, and will you not allow me a warme bed-fellow to helpe my decayed heat, and cherish those few sparkes which lye hid in the cold embers and ashes of mine age? But these are but like his vaine excuses, who robb'd the Statue of Iupiter of his precious Ring, his rich Mantle, and his golden beard; and beeing apprehended and question'd about the Sacrilege, he began thus to apologize for himself: 'Tis truth (saith he) I took away his Ring that compast his fore-finger, which was stretcht forthright, which to my seeming he offer'd unto me: and what could I doe lesse then to accept of his bounty? which may bee rather imputed to his courtesie, then any Fellony in me: For his Mantle being of mass…e gold, I considered with my selfe that it was too ponderous to weare in Summer, and too cold for Winter; and therefore I thought it convenient to ease him of that charge: And for his long golden Beard, I remembred my selfe that Apollo was imbarbis, ever young, and without a Beard; and that I took away because it was neither comely for his face, nor suiting with his person. These his excuses were heard, but did rather then mitigate aggravate the crime; for Sacrilege could be no other then Sacrilege, and of that he was condemn'd: So though the young man may plead his youth, the growne man his strength, and the decrepit man his imbicility of age, yet maugre all evasion or excuse, Adultery, Scortation, Fornication, and all kindes of unlawfull prostitution, in the day of account, when there must reddere ratione velle rationis suae, they will bee found to be the same grosse, grievous, capitoll and mortall sinnes: For which those that continue therein, without true and hearty repentance shall dearely answer.
But amongst the vexations, molestations, and incombrances belonging A lamentable History.to Wedlock, and the Nuptiall Tye, I have not yet spoken at all of that Fury which commonly haunteth it, namely Iealousie, of which I will deliver unto you a true, but most lamentable example, Historified by D. Otho Melanders.
A Noble Gentleman lived very conjugally and lovingly with his Lady; she had a Chamber-maid of a very sweet aspect and feature, not any way Jealousie.to bee taxed for the least wantonnesse or loose carriage; but if the Lady thought her guilty of the least immodesty, she needed no other Jury, for she was both Jurer and Judge, and condemned her by her owne verdict and sentence. It happened that the Noble-man having some occasion to detaine himselfe some few dayes abroad, in his absence shee pretended a quarrell with her maid; the colour was for letting a young childe slip out of her Armes; which though it had little or no hurt, yet she made of it as if it were lam'd beyond all recovery; upon which her anger grew implacable, and shee would commit her to prison: but unto what prison? not into any ordinary light, or tollerable; but into a deep, obscure, and A fearefull Prison, or Dungeon.desolate Dungeon in the bottome of the Castle, for many yeares shut up with an Iron gate, and abounding with Toads, Snakes, Adders, and other Serpents: Into which no Sacrilegious person, Thiefe, Pyrat, Witch, Paracide, Traitor, or the greatest Malefactor whatsoever within the memory of man had beene committed; and into this noysome, stinking, and most horrible place she was forced to enter, and the doores fast shut upon her: but from all the corners of the Vault the venemous vextiles came in heapes, with fearefull hissing, and seized upon those parts of her body that were in their reach, which with lowd ejulation and shrikes, shee striv'd with her hands to beate off, but all in vaine: At noone one of the servants, a young man (who it seems had some affection to this maid, but how soever humanity could not have suffered him to doe lesse) hearing those her most pittifull vocifirations, and understanding the cause, came to his Lady, and humbly besought her as she was a Christian to commiserate the wretched estate of her poore afflicted prisoner: but all to no purpose, she was inexorable, revil'd him with his boldnesse and sawcinesse, and sent him away with blowes to boot. But evening came, and still her lamentable clamours continued, able to have sostned flint, or mollifi'd Ma…ble, when the young man, notwithstanding he had before been so evilly intreated, went again to his Lady, and falling upon his knees was more importunate with her then before; the more he striv'd to pacifie her rage, the more she grew incens'd A cruel Lady.with fury, and kickt him out of her presence. After supper to bed the houshold went, and at mid-night the young man could not containe himselfe, but hee must goe listen at the Dungeon doore. But now hearing no no noise, not so much as a sigh or groane, hee began to imagine that shee was dead, (and so indeed it prov'd) hee then more incivilly then before rapt at his Ladyes chamber-doore, and wakned her, telling her, that shee had now the event of her bloudy and cruell desires: for by reason that there was a still silence in the Dungeon, hee perceived the poore Virgin had expired her life. At which words being startl'd, and strangely mov'd, she rose from her bed, and calling for store of lights, caused the Dungeon doore to be opened, where they might behold a most ruthfull and samentable A fearfull sight.spectacle; the maid throwne upon her backe, and foure great Snakes wrapt about her, one of an extraordinary bignesse wound about her neck, another had twinde it selfe encompassing both her legges, a third like a girdle imbrac'd her waste, or middle, a fourth stuck upon her jawes, stretching its selfe to its utmost length, which no sooner taken thence, but was found dead, having so ingorg'd it selfe with her bloud, that it swel'd, and burst asunder: At whichsight the Lady strook with the horrour thereof, from a suddaine melancholy grew into a meere madnesse, and in a raging fit soon after dy'd.
Strange were that act abroad, which cannot in some sort be parallel'd with us at home. At Gainsborough in Lincolnshire, it happened that a The former parallel'd with a modern Story.Gentleman of the Town had occasion to ride up to London about his Term businesse; and as the custome is in the Countrey, the night before a man takes his journey his neighbours and friends will send in their meat, and sup with him, and drinke to the hope of his safe returne: and so they did to him. Now this Gentleman had in his house a young gentlewoman sent thither to bee tuter'd, and withall to learne good huswifrie, and was about the age of fourteen or fifteen yeares at the most. The next morning before hee tooke horse, when hee call'd for water, this maid brought him the Towell and Bason, and held it till hee had wash'd; onelyonly in rubbing of his hands he sprinkled a little water on her face, which his wife observed: after Breakfast the Gentleman road on his journey; and the woman in whom this slight accident, strooke a deepe impression of devillish Jealousie, soon after call'd to the maid to deliver her an account of her linnen us'd the night before (which was her charge) she having hid a Napkin or two out of the way of purpose to pick a quarrell with her. The Girle sought in every roome and could not finde them: then she bid her looke in the next Chamber; but shee was no sooner up staires, but after followes the Mistresse, like an incens'd Virago, and shut the doores fast upon her, then casts her upon the Bed, and threw another Feather-bed upon her, and spying a Scotch Pocket-Dagger hanging by the Walls, shee tooke out one of the knives, and casting her selfe upon the upper bed, turn'd up the bottome, where she fell most unwoman-like to worke with her maid, making her quite uncapable of future marriage; and this was done withinin memory (for to the womans great ignominy and shame, in the same Towne I An unwomanly Act.have heard it reported, and been shewne the very house where the deed was done: The horridnesse of which Act makes me that I cannot conceale her name; shee was call'd Mistris Brig house.) In this intrim, a Serving-man comming in, and hearing his Mistris was in great displeasure and distemperature gone up with her maid, and knowing her froward and hasty disposition, he went to the doore and knockt; but hearing none but one as it were miserably forcing breath for life: he lookt in either at some chinke, or the key-hole, where he saw his Mistris in the same posture I before described, with a knife in her hand, and one pittifully bleeding under her: He broke open the doore, being Wainscot, and casting her off from the Bed to the floore, tooke up the Maid, nigh stifled, and carried her to a neighbours house, where Chyrurgeons were sent for, and she in time recovered of life, though shee had made her utterly unable of Conception. But what gain'd shee by this her uncivill cruelty? she was after abhorr'd by all good and modest women, asham'd to looke out of her owne doores; neither would any of fashion converse with her, but held it a scandall to be but seen in her company.
But now to return to the Judgments inflicted upon adultery, and to shew Locring, Estrild, & Sabrina.what our own countrey relates, as those perpetrated and committed in this Land. King Locrine, who succeeded his Father Brute in the Kingdome, tooke to his Bride Guendolina, daughter to Corinaus Duke of Cornwall, who lived in great conjugall love together, having a young Prince to their issue call'd Madan: but after the King having rest and ease in his age, with which his youth was scarce acquainted with, he was greatly enamoured of a delicate faire Lady whose name was Estrild, the daughter of one Homber a Dane, who with a great power invading the Land, the King gave him battaile, and having routed their whole Army, they were forc'd to take that great River which parteth Lincoln-shire and Holdernes, and runnes up to Hull; in which he with his people being drowned, left to the same River his name unto this day. To returne to the matter, Locrine had by this Lady Estrild, a daughter call'd Sabrina; but this close packing could not be long conceal'd, but by some who thought to insinuate into the favour of the Queen (who was of a haughty and masculine spirit) all was told her; for which being mightily incensed, no mediation could appease her implacability; but she first incensed her Father, and then all her owne particular friends, whom by her bounty or favour shee had before obliged to make Warre upon her Husband; and prevailing in her purpose, shee gave the King Battaile, in which his party was discomfited, and he himselfe slaine in field. This revenge to any of reason might seeme sufficient; but here her anger rested not, but shee caused the faire Estrild and her Daughter Sabrina to be brought unto her Tent, where having reviled them both, one with the name of Whore, the other of Bastard, shee in her heat of bloud, and height of rage, commanded them both to be throwne into the River neare unto the place where the Battaile was late fought, where they were both drowned, the River upon that accident losing the name; and after the Daughter Sabrina hath beene called Severne even to this day.
Brithricus, the first King of the West Saxons, began his Reigne in the Ethelburge, a notorious Adult….yeare of our Lord, seven hundred threescore and eighteen, and the tenth of Charles the Great, then King of France, who took to Wife Ethelburge, one of the Daughters of Off a King of Mercia; he was a valiant Prince, and renowned for many Warlike exploits; but especially for beating the Danes, and compelling them to avoid the Land. But what can Valour or Prowesse availe against a wicked and cursed woman, who the more freely to enjoy the moecall embraces of her libidinous companion, plotted divers ways to take away her husbands life, which at length she affected, by poysoning him, and divers of his family; which having done, and fearing to be questioned about the Fact, she truss'd up her Jewels, and the best things about her, and fled into France, unto the Court of Charles the Great, with whom she so temporized and qualified her owne impious Cause, and being withall a Lady of extraordinary aspect and presence, that she grew highly into his grace and favour.
But when after he was informed of her unstable condition, hee thought to make some tryall of her; and being at that time a Widdower, one day when hee was in some private conference with her at a window. hee said openly; Now Lady I put it to your free election, whether you will take mee for your wedded Lord and Husband, or this my Son here standing in presence? To which Question, shee without the least pause gave this An unadvised Woman.suddaine Answer; Then I make choice of the Sonne, and refuse the Father; which the King taking as an affront, and being therewith somewhat mov'd, he as suddenly reply'd; I protest woman, if thou hadst made choice of me, I would have given thee to my Sonne, if he would have accepted of thee; but for that thou hast slighted and for saken me; thou shalt now have neither of us; and so presently commanded her as a Recluse to be shut up into a Nunnery. But this place, though never so strict, could not containe her within the bounds of Modesty or Chastity; For by the meanes of some Libertines, her old companions and acquaintance, shee made an escape out of the Cloister; and having quitted that place, shee wandred up and downe, till having consumed all that shee could make, she fell into necessitous poverty, in which she miserably dy'd, none commiserating her in her greatest extremity. In memory of which her misdemeanors, mixt with the murder of her naturall Lord and Husband, the Kings of the West Saxons made a Decree, that thence-forward none of their Wives should be called Queenes, nor sit by them at any Feast, or in any place of State or Honour: And this was observed amongst them for a long time after.
Now to shew how the Creator of all, who instituted chaste Matrimony in Paradice, as hee hates those contaminated with all impurity, so of the contrary, he is a Guardian and Potector to those of cleane and undefiled life, as may appeare by this subsequent story. In the time of Edward, the sonne of King Edgar, by his first wife Egelfleda, who began his reigne The fury of Elphaida.in the yeare of Grace nine hundred threescore and nineteene, though he was opposed by his step-mother Elphaida, who got into her confederacy Alphred, Duke of Mercia, a potent man in those dayes, to have instated her sonne Egelredus, a childe of seven yeares old in the Regall Dignity: yet she was opposed by Bishop Dunstan with the rest of the Clergy, who were also supported by the Earle of East-Ingland, now called Essex; who against the Queens minde, and her Confederates, Crowned the said Edw. at Kingstowne; but the fore-named Alphred, who altogether adhered to the proceedings of the Dowager Queen, (being suspected to have too much private familiarity with her) they agreed to put the strict Religious Cloysterers out of the College of Winchester, where K. Edgar had before there placed, and put into their roomes so many wanton and lascivious Clerks, every one of them having his Concubine about him: which Controversie had been like to have ended in bloud: But there was an assembly of the Bishops and Lords, the Prelates and Peeres of both parties, in which Dunstan maintaining Chastity, was much despised by the Adversary; but still he upheld his opinion, being grounded upon Justice and Vertue. Now the place of their meeting was in a faire and large upper …om? and in this great division and argument it being doubtfull which side would carry it, suddenly the joysts of the Loft failed, and the floore tumbled A miraculous accident.downe, being a great distance from the ground, in which ruine, the greatest part of those adverse to the Bishop and Clergy, were either slaine outright, or very dangerously hurt, even to lamenesse: but of all those that stood with Dunstan in the defence of chastity, not one perished, neither was any heard to complaine of the least hurt felt or found about them: by which miraculous accident, the Bishop compass'd his pious and religious ends.
This King Edward upon a time being hunting in the Forrest, and having lost his Traine, and finding none of his servants neare him, hee bethought himself that his Mother-in-law Elphaida, with her Sonne Egelredus, lived at a place called Corfe-Castle (which is in the West-Countrey) and thought it no better a time then now to give her a visit: but the malicious woman looking out of her window, and knowing him a far off, called to one of her servants (of her owne breeding) and told him what he had to doe; for she perceived he was alone, and none of his Peeres, or Attendants about him. By this time the King was come to the Castle gate, whither she descended, and offered him all the Courtesie of entertainment that any Syren (who only flatters to destruction) could have done: for with courteous words she besought him to alight, and to lodge in the Castle that night; both which he with great affability and gentlenesse refused, saying he would onelyonly taste a Cup of her Beere, and then ride to finde out some of his Company: but the Cup being brought, he had no sooner moved it towards his mouth, but this Barbarous Villaine, Traitor, and Regicide, A bloudy Regitide.strook him with a long Dagger, edg'd on both sid… which entring behind, the poynt appear'd to have fore'd way through his breast: at which mortall wound receiv'd, he put spurres to his horse, making speed towards the Forrest, in hope to have met with some of his servants; but by the extremity of bleeding, fainting by the way he felt from his horse with one foot intangled in the stirrop; then he was dragg'd crosse high-wayes, and a thwart plowde lands, till his horse staid at a Towne called Covisgate, where he was found; but not being knowne for the King, hee was unworthily buried at a Town called Warham, where his body remained for the terme of three yeares after, at which time it was discovered, and the dissembling and murderous woman thinking to clearer her selfe of the fact to the world, thought at the first to visit him in the way of Pilgrimage; but to make the cause evident against her, the Horse on which she rode could not be compell'd to come neare unto the place by a miles distance, neither by faire usage, nor sore beating, or any course that man could devise: after whose death her sonne Egelredas was Crowned King; in the first yeare of whos… Reigne the Land grew barren, and scarce bore any fruit; there happened moreover a Plague, which tooke away the men, and a Murraine, which destroyed the Beasts and Cattaile. He proved likewise a great enemy to the Church; being ungracious in the beginning, wretched in the middle of his life, and hatefull in the end thereof.
Neither could some Church-men cleare themselves of those Capitall Crimes which they very bitterly reproved in others: For Sigandus made Bishop of Shirburne, about the twelfth yeare of Edward, sirnamed the Confessor, shortly after usurped the Bishoprick of Winchester by strength, Sigandus Bish. of Sherburne and Winchester.who was a lewd and unlearned man (as most of the Prelates of England were in those dayes, and wholy devoted to Avarice, Lust, and Vaine-glory, who could not containe himselfe within the Lists of keeping variety of Concubines, which in those dayes was held but a veniall or quotidian sinne, but he imploy'd his Panders to corrupt married women to his lustfull embraces, thinking no wickednesse could be truely committed, till hee had ascended the highest branch thereof: and when it was openly spoken, that he was unworthy the name of a Priest, who made such boast of the pompe of the World, the use of Voluptuousnesse, Gluttony, and Luxury, whilst in the interim there was no care of instructing mens soules in the way towards Heaven. Hee had learn'd from some one of his Chaplaines (a better Scholler then himselfe) this poore and slight Answer to evade it;
Nunc aliud tempus, alii pro tempore mores.
Now the times are chang'd, and wee have learnt to suit our Manners and Conditions to the present; (a notorious Church-temporizer in those dayes.) But though he reign'd long in great pompe and prosperity, he was in the time of William the Conquerour deprived of all his Ecclesiasticall honours, and confined to Winchester, and there kept prisoner till he dyed; who in that extreame dejection, when he should onelyonly have repented him of his former Avarice, and studied newnesse of life, would usually sweare he was a very poore man, and not worth one peny, and that hee was free from all Concupiscence of Lust; both which were proved untrue: For after his death a … … found about his necke, by which in divers places of the earth was discovered much Treasure; and those Women that ministred unto him were no other then Prostitutes and Concubines.
Henry the second was a potent and most victorious Prince; But after he had falne into the libidinous embraces of the Lady Rosamond, Daughter Henry the second.to the Lord Fitzwaters; he was never quiet, but continually afflicted with Warres both forraine and domestick; insomuch, that both his Queene and Sons rebelled against him, and put the whole Realme into great combustion; and for her part shee did not escape a due scourge for her offence: for though the King provided all meanes possible for her security and safety, by building the intricate Labyrinth at Woodstock, and gave her in charge to a most trusty Guardian; yet the Queen at length by her Spies found her out, and with more then a womanish chastisement, which should ever savour of some mercy, tore off those delicate locks with which the King had been so much intangled, and forced her to drinke a draught of deadly poyson, by which her life was compell'd out of her body: and thus Lust ever carryeth her rod at her owne girdle.
To descend unto these latter times, how many strange and bloudy murders have beene committed through Lust? I will give them but a meere nomination, because most of them have beene Staged, Book'd, and Balleted, and disperst abroad through the Kingdome: As Master Arden of Mr. Arden of …eversham.…eversham slaine by his wife and her adulterous Companion Cosby; the act it selfe being committed in his owne house, by a barbarous and inhumane villaine, most commonly knowne by the name of Black Will, who after the deed done, and his reward received, fled into the Low-Countries, where he thought himselfe secure: But Gods hand reached him even thither; where for some other deed of the same nature, he was burnt on a Stage in Flushing; and shee her selfe, with Cosby and his Sister, together with a Gentleman Master Green, who had carried Letters betwixt the two Adulterers: (though hee took it upon his death, he knew not the intents of them) were all publikely executed at the Gallowes.
The like murder was committed on the person of one Master Page of Plymouth, by his young wife; and one Master George Strangwidge, who Master Page of Plymouth.as the common voice went, were privately contracted together before her inforc'd Marriage: But howsoever as they were convicted of the murder, so for the same they were condemn'd, and publikely executed.
And but of late dayes, those two bloudy Ministers of the Devill, most Countrey Tom and Cambury Besse.commonly knowne by the names of Countrey Tom, and Cambury Besse, who made a trade to have her his Whore walke in the evening into the Fields; and where she saw any Gentleman or other likely to have money about him, or good cloathes on his backe, shee would insinuate into his Company, and with her libidinous allurements offer her selfe to his prostitution; which if he accepted of, that arch-limbe of the Devill (who hid himselfe privately for that purpose, and stealing upon them with a Bastinado hooped and plated with Iron) beate out his Braines, even in the very act of Lust, neither having pitty of body or soule: Then rifled they their Pockets, and stript them of their cloathes, of which they made profitable chaffer, being vendible at the Brokers; for the last of which, being committed upon a young Gentleman of good quality, by his cloathes they were discovered and apprehended, hee being executed neare unto the place where the last Fact was committed: and after being thence removed to a more remote place, his body hangs in chaines upon a Gibbet even to this day; and shee was hang'd in Clerken-well fields, over against Islington.
If any would have further inspection into the cursed fruits of Lust, let him but enquire after the monethly Sessions at New-gate, where scarce one passeth without those that goe for Maid-servants, either strangling their Bastard-Issue, or putting them downe into privities, not caring to save their smal credit in this world, to hazard everlasting perdition in the world to come: yet notwithstanding all their close packings, they are in the end found out, and brought to the Gallowes. I am loath to be more tedious in this then the rest; therefore I conclude with this Distick, as a generall Caveat unto all libidinously addicted:
Quid facies, facies, veneris cum veneris ante,
Non Sedeas, sedeas, ne pereus pereus.
What wilt thou doe, when thou before
Loose Venus shalt appeare,
Stay not, but take thine heeles, lest her
Allurements cost thee deare.