The Theater of Gods Judgments Part 2, Chapter 1

The Theater of Gods Judgments Part 2 · Chapter 1

THE SECOND PART OF THE THEATRE OF GODS IVDGMENTS. Collected out of the writings of sundry Ancient and Moderne Authors,

By the late Reverend Divine D^r THOMAS TAYLOR, sometime Pastor of Aldermanbury in London.

LONDON, Printed by Richard Herne. An. Dom. 1642.

p. 1THE SECOND PART OF THE THEATRE OF GOD'S JUDGMENTS.

CHAP. I. Gods Remarkable Judgements against Pride.

AS in the two former learned Tractates, bearing Title of The Theatre of Gods Iudgements inflicted upon the severall breaches of the Ten Commandements; so now, to these we adde a third Tract, Of his most remarkable punishments of the seaven deadly sinnes; and these illustrated by sundry notable Examples, aswell Domestick as Forraine. And because Pride was the first, which began in the Angels, and hath since infected all mankinde, from our Protoplasti (our first Parents) Adam and Eve, and hath continued through all generations hitherto; and shall in their posterity, even to the last dissolution: I derive my first Discourse from that.

There be foure sorts of Pride, by which every insolent and arrogant man Foure Species of Pride.discovereth himselfe: For instance, when those good parts (if he have any) of which he is possest, he apprehendeth meerely to spring from himselfe; or when those which he acknowledgeth to be conferred from above, he attributeth to his owne merit; or when he boasteth to have, what indeed hee hath not; or when despising others, he covets to be singular in himself. This sinne was borne in Heaven, but so suddenly precipitated thence, that it could never since finde the way backe againe thither: all other vices are onelyonly at warre with these particular vertues, by which they are overcome; as Inchastity, Chastity; Bounty, Avarice; Wrath, Patience; and so of the rest: Pride is not with that contented, as to oppose Humility and Obedience, but it rageth against all the vertues of the minde, and like a generall pestiferous disease, striveth to putrifie and infect them all: For Pride in riches makes p. 2men the more covetous: In idlenesse, scorning labour; in wrath, more outragious; in gluttony, more intemperate; in envy, more malicious: neither is there any mortiferous sinne, in which Pride is not a supreame agent; The signes thereof are boldnesse in language; sullennesse in silence; arrogance in mirth; murmuring in melancholly; and despising all others, doating upon himselfe.

Aesop being asked by Chian, What he thought Iupiter was at that time doing? made answer, Hee is now dejecting the proud, and exalting the humble. And the famous Philosopher Aristotle, spying a rich young man (but altogether unlearned) strutting along the streets, with a proud affected gate; and his eyes so elevated towards Heaven, as if hee despised the earth, whereon he troad; came to him, and said, friend, Such as thou thinkest thy selfe to be, I wish I were; but to be such as thou art, I wish onelyonly to mine enemie. This also Socrates with great modesty reproved in Alcibiades, who finding himselfe suddenly puft up with his extraordinary abundance in riches, and much to glory in his many spoyles and victories, he drew him into a private Gallery; and shewing him a Cosmographicall Table of the World, bid him looke in what part of the Map he could spy all his great Trophies and Triumphs? And when hee answered him, They were not there to be seene; Socrates replyed, Cur igitur ob illa superbis, quae circa nullam terrae partem existunt? that is, Why then art thou so proud of these things which are not visible in any part of the earth?

Neither was the Church it selfe free from this sinne in the dayes of learned Saint Bernard, who in one of his Sermons thus complaines. Thou shalt see many in the Church, who from obscure parentage being ennobled, and from poverty made rich with pride, so suddenly tumor'd and tympanized, that forgetting from whence they came, have contemned their parents, and blusht at their owne births: Thou shalt see also some pernicious persons aspire unto Ecclesiasticall honours, and then pretend to themselves a seeming sanctity, by changing of their vestures, not their vices; and their manner of habit, not their mindes; esteeming themselves to deserve that dignity which they have insidiated by deceit, and which (I scarce dare say) have attributed that to their merit, which they have bought with their money.

But as the smoake, which of its owne nature is blacke and obscure, yet covets to ascend from a light and bright flame; but in the midst of its violent reluctation, resolves it selfe into aire; and so vanishing, loseth both nature and name: So the proud and ambitious, howsoever coursly and obscurely parted, yet will elevate and advance himselfe above others; yet in his striving to stand high, is often precipitated, and loseth both his place and memory; Behold (saith the Prophet) He that lifteth up himselfe, Habbak. 2. 4.his minde is not upright; but the Iust shall live by his faith. Yea, indeed, The proud man is as he that transgresseth by Wine, therefore shall he not endure, because he hath enlarged his desire as the Hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied; but gathereth unto him all Nations, and heapeth unto him all people: shall not all these take up a Parable against him? and a taunting Proverbe, and say, Ho, he that increaseth that which is not his! how long? and be that ladeth himselfe with thicke clay? Shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite thee? and awake that shall stirre thee? and thou shalt bee their prey; Because &c.

p. 3How Pride hath beene severely punished by the Almighty, we finde frequent examples in the holy Text: It was punisht in our first Parents by their Exile out of Paradise. In the Builders of Babel, (who said, Come let us build us a Citie and a Tower, whose top may reach up to the Heaven, that we may get us a name, &c.) In their scattering over the face of the earth, and the confusion of their Languages: In Sodome and Gomorrah, by raining down fire and brimstone upon their Cities and people: In Miriam the sister of Moses, by Leaprosie: In Korah, Dathan, and Abir…m, for their pride, and rebellion against Moses; the ground clave asunder that was under them, and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them up, with their families; and all the men that were with Korah, and all their goods; so they and all that they had went downe alive unto the pit, and the earth covered them, and they perisht from amongst the Congregation: In Goliah the Philistime, slaine by the hands of David: In Sheba the sonne of Bicri, who lift up his hand against the King; by having his head cut off, and cast over the walls to Ioah, Captaine of the hoast: In Absalom, who tooke such pride in his haire, that it after became his halter: In destroying of Davids people, for his pride in numbring them: In Adoniah, who for demanding Abishag the Shunamite to wife, (who had layen in his fathers bosome) was slaine at the commandment of Solomon, by the hand of Benaiah the sonne of Iehojadah: In Benhadad King of Aram, Rabsakeh and Zenacharib: In Olofernes the great Captain of the Assyrian hoast, slain by Iudith at the siege of Bethulia: In Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, whom the great King Ahashuerosh exalted, and set his seat above all the Princes that were under him; whose pride growing up with his promotion, at length advanced him to a Gibbet fiftie foot high, upon which in the glory of his ambition he was strangled: In Nabuchadnezar, and Balthassar King of the Chaldeans: In the great King Antiochus, who went up towards Iudea and Hierusalem, with a mighty people, and entred proudly into the Sanctuary, and tooke away the golden Altar, and the Candlesticke for the light, and all the instruments belonging thereto; and the Table of the Shewbread, and the powring vessels, and the Bowles, and the golden Basons, and the Vayle, and the Crownes, and the golden apparrell which was before the Temple, and brake all in pieces: He brake also the Silver and Gold, and the precious Jewels, with the secret treasures that he found, and then departed away into his owne Land. But the same proud Prince comming after with great dishonour from Persia, the God Almighty stroke him with an invisible and an incurable plague, by a paine in his bowels, which was remedilesse, and which grievously tormented him in the inner parts; for so he had tormented other mens bowels with divers cruell and strange torments; yet would not hee cease from his arrogance, but swelled the more with pride, against Gods owne people to destroy them; and commanded to haste his journey for that purpose: but so it was, that he fell downe from the Chari…t that ranne swiftly, and all the parts and members of his body were bruised. Thus he who but a day before thought hee might command the Flouds, (such was his Luciferian pride, beyond the condition of man) and to weigh the high mountaines in the ballance, was cast on the earth and carried in an horse-litter; declaring unto all the world the manifest power of God: so that the wormes came out of his body in abundance, and his flesh dropt from his bones with paine and torment, and all his Army was grieved at his smell: No man p. 4could now endure him because of his stinke, who but a little before, thought with his hands he might reach the starres of Heaven: And then (though too late) he began to abate his haughty and peremptory insolence; when being plagued, he came to the knowledge of himselfe by the just scourge' of God; and by his inward torments which every moment increased upon him: and when he himselfe could not abide his owne favour, he said, It is meet for man to be subject to God, and that he who is but mortall should not oppose himselfe against his Maker.

The like punishment we reade of in the person of Nicanor, who came Nicanor.unto Mount Sion, whom the Priests and the Elders of the people went forth of the Sanctuary to salute peaceably, and to shew him the daily burnt offerings for the King; but he laughed at them and derided their devotion, accounting them meerely prophane, and spake proudly, and sware in his wrath, If Iudas and his Hoast be not delivered into mine hands; If ever I shall returne in safety, I will burne up this house, &c. and so departed thence in great fury: but observe the event of his so great ostentation and insolence. Iudas after some few dayes (though against infinite oddes) having slaine Nicanor in battaile, and routed his whole Army, he caused his head to be struck off, and that arme and hand which he had so proudly lifted up against the Temple of the God of Israel, and brought them to Hierusalem, and there caused them to be hanged up, as a remarkable judgement.

But not to dwell on those, frequent in the holy Text: I come now to the like examples gathered from Ethnick and Morall remembrancers, and out of them give you onelyonly a taste to prevent surfet, till I fall upon those more familiar and moderne. Alexander the Great, in his height of potency, and Alexander the Great.supereminent fortune, contemning the remembrance of his father Philip, would be called God, and commanded himselfe to be stiled the sonne of Iupiter Hamon; who notwithstanding in the sufferance of many heats and colds, his subjection to humours and passions, his enduring of smarts and wounds, and all other infirmities belonging to man, would not be sensible of his mortality; till in the very Apex of his sublimity he was treacherously poysoned, and so most miserably expired.

And Nero, the Arch-tyrant since Adam, after he had filled the Earth Nero Casar.with many insolencies, and Rome (the theu Worlds Metropolis) with infinite Rapes, Murders, and Massacres, not sparing his neare Kinsman Germanicum, his corrivall in the Empire, nor his great grave and learned Tutor and Master Seneca; to make himselfe unparalleld in all kinde of parricidy, He caused the wombe of his owne naturall mother Agrippina to be ript up before his face, onelyonly in an ambition to discover the place of his first conception; notwithstanding which inhumanities, hee was so inflamed with an ardent desire of future memory, that by a publike Edict he proclaimed that the monethmonth April should lose its ancient name, and be called after his owne appellation, Nero; and the Citie of Rome, Neropolis: Yet this proud man in the end, being quite abandoned and forsaken of all his Sycophants and oily flatterers, was glad to fly from his Royall Court to seeke refuge in a rustick Cottage; and with greater terrour to his owne conscience, then before he had used tyranny upon the carkasses of others; he was compelled to fall upon his sword, his body being after, most contemptibly dragg'd through the streets of the Citie, with more bitter execrations and curses, then before he had lived houres or minutes.

p. 5Another, called Varus Pergaus, was so infected with the adulatory assentations of his Flatterers, Buffoones, and Trencher-flyes; That hee was Varus Pergaus.brought to perswade himselfe to be of all faire men, the most beautifull; of all able men, the most sinnowie and strong; of all understanding men; the most prudent and wise; and that in all kindes of musick and melody, he could out-play and out-sing even the Muses themselves: But this poore effascinated wretched creature, when hee had long fooled and spent the prime and best of his age, in this vaine and idle false conceit; he grew towards his end to be strangely disfigured and deformed in visage, feebled and disabled in his vigour and strength; idioted and besotted in his understanding and sence; and so farre from song or Harmony, that his unlamented death was accompanied with his owne shreeking, and howling.

We further reade of one Menecrates, a rare Physitian, who in his practise Menecrates the Physitia….had done many extraordinary cures upon severall Patients, insomuch that he was held in a generall admiration; especially amongst those to whom he was best knowne: who having gathered to himselfe a competent estate, or rather a surplusage of meanes, that he presumed no casualty or adverse fortune was any way able to decline him to necessity or want; he then in a proud and insolent ostentation, puft up with the vanity of his owne fancie, admitted all sickly and diseased persons to have free accesse unto him: for whose cures he demanded no other satisfaction or reward, but that they should acknowledge him their new Creator, not contented to be called by the name of Apollo, or Aesculapius, the two Imaginary gods of Physicke, and Chirurgery, but his ambition was to be called Iupiter himselfe: yet soone after being quite abandoned by his owne Art, and forsaken by his fellow Physitians, he suddenly died of an incurable Impostume.

Neither have Emperours, Kings, and Princes, with other Sages and Pride in all states, conditions, and sexes.seeming wise men, beene onelyonly tainted with this superarrogant haughtinesse and ambition; but this miscellane sinne, which hath intruded it selfe into all delinquencies and malefactions whatsoever, claimeth a predominance over all estates, qualities, functions, manufactures, sexes, and ages; whether in Court, Citie, Campe, or Country: from the scarlet to the russet, from the Scepter to the sheep-hooke, the Tetrarch to the Tradesman. For instance, The rurall Girle being a little flattered, shall be easily perswaded to be a rare courtly Gentlewoman: nay, even kitchen-maides have held competitorship with Court Madams; no lesse proud, though perhaps lesse painted; and the very course Coridon will scarce give precedence to the complementall Courtier, thinking himselfe as well accommodated in his rustick russet, as the other in his richest raiment. In the like manner I could goe thorow all qualities, and A minimo ad maximum, from the least to the greatest, which for brevities sake I omit; desiring rather to satisfie the judicious Reader with matter then manner; the substance, and not shadow of discourse.

And yet to looke a little further into the nature of this deadly sinne, The nature of Pride.which hath all the other, its concomitants and attendants. Plato saith, he that knoweth himselfe best, esteemeth himselfe least; and husbandmen better value those eares of graine which bow downe their heads from the stalke, and waxe crooked, then those that erect themselves and stand upright; because they presume to finde more corne in the first than in the last. Pride (saith Saint Augastine) is the mother of Envy, and he that knoweth how to p. 6suppresse the mother, may easily finde the way to bridle the daughter. Lewis the eleventh King of France, was woont to say, That whensoever Pride sate in the saddle, mischiefe and shame rid upon the cropper: One compareth S. Augustine.it to a ship without a pilot, still tost up and downe upon the Seas by the winds and tempests; another to a vapour, which striveth to ascend high, Plutarch.and then vanisheth into smoake first, and after returnes to nothing. In briefe, Pride eateth gold and drinketh blood, and climeth so high by other mens heads, that in the end it breaketh its owne neck. I cannot stand to divide it into severall branches or heads, but proceed directly on to Historie.

Let all such, prided in their owne selfe-conceited knowledge and wisedome, be attentive to a story extracted from a learned and grave Spanish An excellent Spanish History against pride in knowledge.Chronologer; by him to this purpose related. Alphonsus King of Spaine, being a very wise, learned, and discreet Prince, was woont to devise many darke and difficult problems, proposing them to his Lords and Peeres; to shew his owne excellent wisdome, and to taske their ignorance, who had spent their time in more loose and idle studies: amongst others there was a Knight in the Court called Don Pedro, one who was very confident in his owne wisedome, and would undertake to make solution of what difficulty soever the King at any time propounded; of which hee so insolently boasted, that comming to the Kings eare, he was much incensed thereat; and to let him know what distance his weaknesse had from essentiall wisedome, he caused him to be sent for; and when he, according to his summons made appearance before him, the King at the first, to humour his selfe-conceit, began much to applaud his witty and ready answers, which not a little pleased him, but at the length concluded somewhat more sharply, telling him that he would propose three Problems; of the interpretations of which, if hee could not within one and twenty dayes give him a true and plenall account, both his life and goods were immediately forfeit to the crowne; and this sentence notwithstanding any meanes or mediation, no way to be altered. The three Questions were these, which he delivered unto him in writing:

The first,

What hath mans labour most increast,The 3. Questions propounded.

Yet of it selfe desires it least.

The second,

What hath to man most honour gain'd,

And yet with least lust is maintain'd.

The third,

What thing is it men soonest rue,

Yet they with greatest charge pursue.

These he no sooner received, but the King with a contracted brow departed, and so left him; by which he might easily conjecture in what a dangerous streight he was now environ'd: and returning very sad home, and having long ruminated upon these riddles, but wanting an Oedipus to unfold them, he grew into a deepe melancholly, insomuch that he abstained both from meat and sleepe: which observed by his daughter Petronella, a faire and beautifull virgin, of some sixteene yeares of age, or thereabout, she so farre insinuated into her fathers discontents, and to know the cause thereof; that at length upon her great importunity he unfolded the whole matter unto p. 7her: who after some pawse, began greatly to comfort him, and told him she would interpose her selfe betwixt him and all danger; who though he had little hope to be relieved by her, yet out of his indulgence towards her, not willing to crosse her, especially in so desperate a case, he told her hee would be swayed according to her direction; which was, that upon the day prefixed she might goe with him to appeare before the King, and that to her he would commit the solution of these questions; which was agreed upon betwixt them.

Imagine the day come, and the King attended by his Lords and Peeres, seated in his Throne, to expect Don Pedroes answer; who presenting himselfe before his Majestie, attended with his daughter; (who was very sumptuously attyred) besought his Majestie, that whilest he himselfe was silent, he would vouchsafe to heare what his daughter could say concerning these problems before propounded.

The King much taken on the sudden with her beauty and modest behaviour, and in a great expectation whether shee were able to deliver her selfe in language answerable to the former, gave her free liberty of speech; when bowing her face to the earth, and after setling her selfe upon her knees, she began as followeth: Wonder you may my Royall Leige, that so grave and experienc't a Knight as my father here present, should lay all his fortunes both of life and livelyhood, upon so weake and infirme an apprehension, which cannot be better expected from my tender yeares, and immature knowledge; yet since his confidence is so farre built on me, and your high Majestie so gracious to accept of me, I make bold thus further to proceed.

Touching the first Question,

What hath mans labour most increast,

Yet of it selfe desires it least.

In my weake understanding, I take it to be the Earth, the mother of all The Earth.creatures, rationall or irrationall, sensitive or vegetative; which though men daily digge and delve, plow or furrow, mine and undermine, trenching her sides and wounding her intrayles, not suffering her to have the least cessation of rest in any of the foure seasons; yet she in her owne fertility and annuall vicissitude without these injuries, is able of her selfe to yeeld herbs and flowers, grasse and hay, plants and trees, with food and sustenance in abundance to all creatures bred upon her (still teeming) wombe; who, as she delivers them into the world, not onelyonly fosters and cherisheth them, but when their Date is runne, and their time expired, receiveth them again into her owne breast, from whence they had their first being.

Touching the second, I take it to be Humility; which teacheth a man Humilitie.how to rule his affections, and to keepe a mediocrity in all his actions. The high Creator dwelleth in Heaven, and if wee arrogantly lift up our selves unto him, he will fly from us; but if we humbly bow our selves before him, he will descend downe upon us. Humilitas animi, sublimitas Christiani; In Humility is a Christian mans mindes sublimity: It stirs up affection, augmenteth good will, supports equity, and preserves a common weale in safety; It is apt to repentance, hungring after righteousnesse, and conversant in deeds of mercy: It hath brought these good things to passe, which no other reason or vertue could effect: And whosoever shall desire to ascend where the Father is, much first put on that humility which the Sonne teacheth; and most happy is the man whose calling is high, and his p. 8spirit humble; of which vertue I may truely conclude with your Question,

Man hath by that most honour gain'd,

And yet with least losse is maintain'd.

The third the most basely vile, and yet the highest valued; the most cursed to mannage, yet the most costly to maintain; in my ignorant conceptions I hold to be Pride: which being first hatched in heaven, in an instant, precipitated Pride.Lucifer and his Angels headlong into hell: which perceiving Humility to be honourable, desireth often to be covered with the cloake thereof; least appearing alwayes in its owne likenesse, it might thereby be the lesse regarded. I shall not need much to amplifie the vice, nor to aggravate the sinne; a spice whereof (may I speake it with pardon) hath beene discovered even in this my best beloved parent: and to avoide prolixitie,

It is that thing men soonest rue,

And yet with greatest charge pursue.

With which answer so modestly delivered, and in a kinde of matron-like gravity, (rarely to be found in one of her tender and young yeares) the King was so highly raptur'd, that he not onelyonly received her father into former grace, but spake openly, (being then a Batchelour) that had she beene borne of noble bloud, he would have made her his Queen and Royall Consort; and taking her from the earth, caused her to stand before him: when instantly newes was brought him that an Earledome was then fallen unto the Crowne, which he presently for her sake conferred upon Don Pedro her father: of which she taking advantage, fell downe againe upon her knees, Advantage well taken.to give the King thankes for so great an honour bestowed upon him; for which she prostrated unto him in all humble manner her life and service, adding withall some words to this purpose: My Royall Liege, excuse my over-boldnesse, if I challenge your Majestie of your Kingly word and promise past unto me before all this presence; who demanding of her wherein he was any way ingaged? she made reply, But late great Sir, you said that were I noble, you would accept of my unworthy selfe as your royall Bride and Spouse: Then pardon my presumption if I thus farre prompt your memory, to put your Highnesse in minde that I am now not onelyonly (by your Grace) ennobled, but an Earles daughter; at which word covering her face with her hand, shee concluded in a bashfull and modest blush: All which so highly pleased the King, that making good his Princely word, he gave order for the present celebration of their nuptiall.Their marriage.

This History though it have a comicall conclusion, yet is pertinent to the discourse now in agitation; for Don Pedroes pride of knowledge was sentene't with death, and his life, (howsoever redeem'd by his faire and vertuous daughter) was immediately forfeit by the doome of the King; and therefore the judgement in Justice, howsoever not in execution, remarkable.

We reade in the French Chronicle of one Iordaine of Lisle, by Nation a Gascon, and Nephew to Pope Iohn the two and twentieth of that name, a man of a most high and insolent spirit, daring any thing though never so facinorous, cruell, inhumane, or bloudy, building all his heinous and horrid acts upon the greatnesse of his Unkle; who after he had beene pardoned for eighteene capitall crimes, still grew more impious and shamelesse, p. 9(former mercy making him still the more presumptuous) at the last being apprehended and brought to Paris, he was arraigned, convicted, and condemned by Charles the fourth, (surnamed the Faire) King of France; where notwithstanding his great allyes, he suffered like a common felon and murderer on the Gallowes.

It is credibly reported also of a proud Italian Gentleman, borne in Genoa, who in a single duell having the better of his Antagonist in the field, insomuch that he disarmed him of his weapon; and the other now standing at his mercy, he fell to parle with him upon these termes, that there was no way for him to escape immediate death, but by abjuring his Christianity and renouncing his Saviour, to which the other through base timerousnesse assented; of which the Victor taking divelish advantage, even in the midst of his most impious Apostasie, he stab'd him to the heart and slew him, uttering these (more then heathenish) words: before I had been onelyonly revenged upon thy body, but now I have sent both thy body and soule to the Devill, and that's a revenge which deserves a chronicle: But what became of this firebrand of Hell, and limbe of the Devill? being apprehended for the murder, and his diabolicall proceedings in the act being related to the Judges; as a terrour to others he was first committed to the rack, and after many other insufferable tortures, despairing of all mercy from God, having shewed no compassion towards man, he most miserably ended his life.

One Herebert, Earle of Vermendoys in France, was of that haughty and insolent spirit, that he durst lay hands upon his Soveraigne, Charles, King of France (surnamed the Simple) who caused him to be imprisoned, and under whose custody hee shortly after died at Peroune; which seem'd for a time to be smothered, and he still subsisted in his former eminencie: but where man seemeth most to forget, God doth remarkably remember; nor doth he suffer deeds of such horrid nature to passe unpunished in this world, what vengeance soever he (without true repentance) reserveth for them in the world to come; as it is observable in this present History: for Lewis the fourth, the thirty third King of France, by lineall discent, comming to the Crowne, (being the sonne to the before-named Charles the simple) and loath that so grosse a treason committed against his father, should be smothered without some notable revenge; (being very ingenious) he bethought himselfe how with the least danger or effusion of bloud, in regard of the others greatnesse and alliance, how to bring it about; and therefore he devised this plot following. He caused a letter to be writ, which he himselfe did dictate, and hired an English-man who came disguised like a Poste to bring it unto him as from the King his Master, at such a time when many of his Peeres were present; and amongst the rest this Herebert was amongst them: this suborned Poste delivereth the letter to the Kings hands, hee gives it to his principall Secretary, who read it privately unto him; who presently smiling, said openly, Most sure the English-men are not so wise as I esteemed them to be: for our Brother of England hath signified unto me by these letters, that in his Countrey a labouring-man having invited his Lord and Master to dine with him at his house, and he vouchsafing to grace his Cottage with his presence; in the base requitall of so noble a curtesie, he caused him to be most treacherously slaine: and now my Brother of England desireth my counsell, to know what punishment this fellow hath p. 10deserved? In which I desire to be instructed by you my Lords, that hearing your censures, I may returne him the more satisfactory answer.

The King having ended his Speech, the Lords were at first silent, till at length Theobant Earle of Bloyes was the first that spake, and said, that hee was worthy first to be tortured, and after to be hanged on a Gibbet; which A just censure.sentence all the Lords there present confirmed: and some of them amongst the rest, much aggravating the punishment, which also Herebert Earle of Vermendoys did approve and allow of: whereupon the Kings Officers, who by his Majesties appointment then waited in a with-drawing roome of purpose, seised upon him with an armed guard: at which sudden surprise hee being much amazed, the King raising himselfe from his seat, said, Thou Hebert art that wicked and treacherous labourer, who didst most trayterously His owne tongue condemned him.insidiate the life of my father, thy Lord and Master; of which felonious act thine owne sentence hath condemned thee, and die thou shalt, as thou hast well deserved: whereupon he was hanged on a Gibbet on the top of a Mountaine called Lodan, which since his execution is called Mount Hebert to this day.

Bajazet the great Emperour of the Turkes, who in his mighty pride thought with his numerous Army to drinke rivers dry, and to weight the mountaines in a ballance; who had made spoyle of many Nations, and with tyranny persecuted the Christians, dispersed through his vast dominions: who compared the world to a Ship, and himselfe to the Pilot: who commanded the sayles, and secured the helme: yet afterwards being met in battaile by Scythian Tamberlaine, and his Army being quite routed, his person also taken prisoner in the field, the Conquerour put this untamed beast into an iron cage, and caused him to be fed from the very fragments and scraps from his table; and carried along with him whither soever hee marched, and onelyonly then released him from his imprisonment, when he was forced to stoope and humble his body as a blocke to tread upon, whilest Tamberlaine mounted upon his steed: but here ended not Gods visible Judgements against this Usurper, Persecutor, and Tyrant; who in despaire rayling upon his Prophet Mahomet, in whom he had in vaine trusted, against the Iron grate in which he was inclosed, beate out his owne braines, and wretchedly expired. Infinite are the examples to the like purpose, but I will leave those Forraine to come to our Domestick, extracted out of our owne Chronologers, and first of King Bladud.

Who was the sonne of Lud Hurdribras, and after the death of his father, Histories out of our owne Chronicles, in which the sin of pride hath beene most severely punished.was call'd from Rome, where hee had studied darke and hidden Arts, and was made Governour in this Isle of Brittain, in the yeare of the world foure thousand three hundred and eighteene, (For so testifieth Gualfride Polichronicon, and other ancient remembrancers. This Bladud was altogether devoted to the study of Magick and Necromancy, and very expert in Judiciall Astrology, by which he is said to make the hot Baths in the Towne then called Caerbadon, but now Bath; which Citie he is said to have erected. This King caused the Art of Magick to be taught through his Realm, and ordained Schooles and Schoole masters to that purpose, in which hee tooke such pride and presumption, as that he thought by it all things were possible to be done: so much the Devill, the first master and founder of that Art had deluded him so farre, that at the length having called a great confluence of his people about him, he made an attempt to flie in the arre, p. 11but fell upon the Temple of his god Apollo, where he brake his neck, his body being torne and bruised after he had raigned twenty yeares; leaving a sonne called Leire to succeed him, and continue his posterity.

Goodwin, Earle of west Saxon, in the time of Edward the sonne of Egelredus, was of that insufferable ambition, by reason of his great revenues, and numerous issue, (for he had five sonnes and one daughter) that he swayed the whole Kingdome, and almost compulsively compelled the King his Soveraigne, to take his daughter Edith to wife: After rebelling against the King, and forced with his sonnes to depart the Land, yet after he made such meanes, that hee mediated his peace, and was reconciled to him … but amongst all his other insolencies he was accessary to the death of the Kings brother, or at least much suspected to be so, which was the first breach betwixt his Soveraigne and him: But so it happened in the thirteenth yeare of the raigne of this King Edward, Earle Goodwin upon an Easter Monday sitting with diverse other Lords and Peeres of the Kingdome, at the Kings table in the Castle of Windsor, it happened one of the Kings Cup …ea…s to stumble, and yet well to recover himselfe without falling; and not spilling any of the wine: which Earle Goodwin observing, laughed aloud and said, There one brother helped the other, (thereby intimating that the one leg or foot had well supported the other from falling.) To which words the King instantly replyed, and so might my brother Alphred have bin still living to have helped and supported me, had not Earle Goodwin supplanted him by death: At which words being startled as conceiving that the King suspected him of his brothers murder, thinking to excuse himself of that horrible act; he said to the King, Sir, I perceive by your speeches late uttered, that some who are no well-wishers of mine, but rather seeke to poyson my reputation with your Majesty, have possessed you that I have been accessary to the death of your brother; and proceeded further (having then a piece of bread in his hand, ready to put into his mouth) but so may I safely swallow this morsell, as I am altogether innocent and guiltlesse of the act: which streyning to eate, he was therewith immediately choaked at the table; which the King seeing, and observing the strange Judgement inflicted upon his perjury, he commanded his body to be drag'd frō thence, & conveyed to Winchester, & there buried.

But Marianus and some others write, that he was not choaked with bread, but upon his former false protestation, dining with the King upon an Easter Monday at Winchester, he was suddenly struck with a dead palsie, and died the third day after. Neither did Gods Judgements upon him end here, but after his death all his Lands in Kent (which were very spacious and great, were eaten up and swallowed by the Sea, and turned into dangerous quick sands, on which many a goodly vessell hath since beene shipwrackt, and they beare the name of Goodwins sands even to this day.

Harold the second sonne of Earle Goodwin, after the death of his elder brother Swanus, aswell heire to his fathers insolent and aspiring spirit, as to his Earledome and Lands: in the twentieth yeare of the raigne of the before-named Edward the Confessor, he sayled into Normandy to visit some of his friends; but by adverse windes, and a sudden tempest at Sea, he was driven upon the Province of Pountiffe, where hee was tooke prisoner, and sent to Duke William of Normandy, who inforced him to sweare, that hee should marry with his daughter when she came to mature age; and farther, that after the death of King Edward, he should keep the Crowne of England p. 12to his behoofe, according to the will of the Confessor: to both which Articles having solemnly sworne, he was dismissed from the bastard Duke, and with great and rich gifts sent backe to England.

But after the death of Edward, in the yeare of the Incarnation, one thousand threescore and sixe, Harold forgetting his former oath and promise made to Duke William, he caused himselfe to be crowned King of the Lande; who was no sooner warme in his Throne, but Harold Harfoot sonne to Canutus, with a puissant hoast of Danes invaded the Realme, whom Harold of England met in a set battaile, slew him hand to hand, and discomfited his whole Army; for he was of an invincible hardinesse and valour: which victory was no sooner obtained, but newes was brought him that William of Normandy was landed with a potent Army, to claime his right and interest he had in the Crowne of England, by the last Testament of Edward the Confessor; with these tydings being thoroughly heated, he marched with all speed from the North, scarce suffering his Army to rest by the way, to give the Normans battaile, betwixt whom was a dreadfull and bloudy conflict: But when the victory rather hovered over the English then the other, Harold after many deepe and dangerous wounds, was shot into the eye with an arrow and slaine. In whose death may be observed Gods heavy Judgements against price and perjury.

Of my first sinne, namely Pride, none hath ever beene by our English Chronologers more justly taxed then that French Gerson, Pierre Gavestone, the great misleader and seducer of Edward the second; whom though his Royall Father King Edward the first, sirnamed Long-shanks, upon his deathbed caused to bee banished; yet the sonne was no sooner inaugurated and admitted to the government of the Realme, but contrary to the wils of all his Lords and Peeres, he caused his Exile to be repealed, sent for him over, and advanced him to great honour: in which he demeaned himselfe like a proud upstart, or as our English Proverbe goes, Like a beggar set on horsebacke, who is ready to ride poste to the Devill: for whose sake the King committed William Lancton Bishop of Chester (in the second yeare of his raigne) to the Tower, because he had perswaded the King against his Minion, for which the Barons of the Realme, and especially Sir Henry Lacy, Sir Guy, and Sir Aymery de Valence, Earle of Lincolne, of Warwick and Pembroke, to whom the late King had given charge for his exile upon his deathbed, wrought so farre by their power, that contrary to the Kings will, hee was avoyded the Land, and banisht into Ireland for that yeare, whither his Majestie sent many secret messengers with rich gifts to comfort him, and made him chiefe Ruler of that Countrey.

But in the third yeare of his reigne, divers grudges and discontents began to arise betwixt the King and his Nobles, insomuch, that for quietnesse sake, and in hope of his amendment, he was againe repealed, but more and more increased in his insufferable insolence, insomuch, that having charge of all the Kings Jewels and Treasure, he went to Westminster, and out of the Kings Jewell-house tooke a Table and a paire of trestles all of pure gold, and conveyed them (with other precious gems) out of the Land, to the great exhausting and impoverishing of the same: by whose wanton effoeminacies, and loose conditions, he drew the King to many vitious courses, as adulteries, and the like: which mischiefes the Lords seeing daily to increase, they tooke counsell againe at Lincolne, and notwithstanding the p. 13Kings main opposer, he was a second time confined into Flanders, but in his fifth year was again sent for over, when not able to contain himselfe from his immoderate luxury, as he demeaned himselfe far more arrogantly than before, insomuch that he disdained and had in contempt all the Peeres of the Land, giving them much opprobrious and despightfull language, wherefore seeing there was no hope of his amendment, with an unanimous consent they vowed to rid the Land of such a Caterpiller, and soon after besieged him in the Castle of Scarborrow, and taking the Fort they surprised him, and brought him to Gaversed besides Warwicke, and the nine and twentieth day of …une smote off his head. Thus was Gods just doom against his pride, luxury, and avarice.

But there succeeded him both in ambition and the Kings favour, of our own Natives, the two Spencers, the father and the son, his great minions and favorites, who both in wealth, power, and pride, overtopt all the Nobles of the Land, commanding their Soveraigne, and confounding the Subjects, of whom you may reade in the Records of the Tower, that in the fourteenth year of this Edward the second, Hugh Spencer the elder, for his riots and extortions being condemned by the Commonalty, and expelled the Land, an Inventory of his estate being taken, it was found by inquisition that the said Spencer had in sundry Shires fifty nine Mannours, and in his possession of his own goods and chattels, twenty eight thousand sheep, one thousand oxen and steeres, twelve hundred beeves with their calves, fourty mares with their coltes, one hundred and threescore drawing horses for the teame, two thousand hogges, three hundred bullockes, in his cellar fourty tonnes of wine, he had moreover six hundred bacons, and fourscore carcases of Martinmasse beeves, six hundred muttons in larder, ten tonnes of sider, besides his provision of ale, (for beer in these dayes was not known) thirty six sackes of wooll, with a fair library of bookes, and other rich and costly utensils; his armour, plate, jewels, and ready money, amounting to more than an hundred thousand pounds; but what in the end became of all this mag…zine? This Spencer being after called home by the King, and restored to all his former estate, mauger the Queen and the chief Peeres of the Realme, she with an Army pursued the King, with these his proud favourites; the father she surprised in Bristow, (which Town the King had fortified and left unto his charge) himselfe for his better safeguard flying with his son into Wales, whither she pursued them, and se…sed upon them both, bringing Sir Hugh the elder, and Sir Hugh the younger to Hereford, where upon the morrow following the Feast of Simon and Iude, at Bristow Sir Hugh Spencer the father upon a publique scaffold lost his head, and his body was after buried at Winchester; and upon Saint Hugh's day following being the eighteenth of November was Sir Hugh his son drawn, hanged, and quartered at Hereford and his head sent to London, and was set upon a pole amongst other Traitours, of whom a Poet of those times made this short Epitaph.

Funis cum lignis à te miser ensis & ignis,

Hugo securis equus, abstulit omne decus.

p. 14And thus paraphrased or interpreted in old English, suiting these times.

With ropes wert thou bound, and on the gallowes hunge,

And from thy body thine head with sword was kit,

Thy bowels in the fire were thrown, and burned long,

Thy body in four parts eke with axe was slit,

With horse before drawn, few men pittying it,

Thus with these torments for thy sinnes sake,

From thee wretched Hugh, all worldly wealth was take.

And these were remarkable judgements of such as being raised from humble and mean fortunes to high and eminent posture through pride and vainglory, attributed that to their own merit which is onelyonly due to their Maker.

I come next to Sir Roger Mortimer, who being highly puft up with the favour that he had from Queen Isabel, who in the minority of her young son Edward swayed all, during the imprisonment of her husband Edward the second, whether by the Queenes consent or no, I dare not say, but of most assured truth it is, that this Roger caused the King to be removed from Kenelworth Castle to the Castle of Barkley, where by his direction and command he was most bloodily and inhumanely murdered. After which Edward his son (the third of that name) at the age of fifteen yeares was crowned King, but for a time kept in a kinde of pupillage under the Queen and Mortimer, betwixt whom there was suspected to have been too much familiarity, in whose power was all the management of State, and many things past by them to the great dishonour of the Kingdom. This Mortimer was by the King made Earle of March, who imitated King Arthur by keeping so many Knights of the Round Table, to whom he allowed both meat and meanes, and bore himselfe in that high straine, that he had in contempt the greatest Peeres in the Land, but in processe of time he was surprised in Votengham Castle, and from thence sent prisoner to the Tower of London, when a Parliament being called in the fourth year of the King, He was convicted of five Articles: first, of the murder of the King; next, that he had dealt perfidiously betwixt our Nation and the Scots; thirdly, that he received certain summes of money from Sir Thomas Duglas, and caused to be delivered unto them the Church called Rugium, to their great advantage and Englands prejudice; fourthly, that he had got unlawfully into his possession much of the Kings treasure, and wastfully mispent it; and lastly, that he was more private with the Queen than was to Gods pleasure or the Kings honour: of all which being convicted by the said Parliament; upon Saint Andrews day, next following he was drawn upon an hurdle to the common place of execution (since called Tiburne) and there like a Fellon and Traitour upon the Gallowes hanged, such is the end of greatnesse when it abandons goodnesse and honour, and opposeth it selfe against humility.

Great also were the arrogancies and insolencies of Sir William Scroop Earle of Wiltshire, and Treasurer of England, Sir Iohn Bushey, Sir Henry Green, and others, in the time of Richard the second, who by him greatly animated and incouraged, greatly vexed and oppressed the people, men advanced from the cottage to the Court, and from basenesse to honour, p. 15who through their great pride forgetting from whence they came; in their surplus of wealth, and height of ambition, were surprised in Bristow by Henry Duke of Lancaster (as cankers and caterpillars of the Commonwealth) the son of Iohn of Gaunt, who then laid claim to the Crown, and by him caused to be executed on a publike scaffold. Infinite are Gods threatning judgements to this purpose, of which there be infinite examples, but being loath to tire the Reader with too much prolixity, I will conclude this Tract against pride with one notable president as much (if not more remarkable) than any of the former.

In the time of King Henry the eighth, Thomas Wolsey Archbishop of Yorke and Cardinall, had in his hall daily three Tables or Boards, mannaged by three principall Officers; a Steward, who was alwayes a Priest; a Treasurer, no lesse degreed than a Knight; and a Controwler, who was by Place an Esquire; he had also a Cofferer, who was a Doctor of Divinity; three Marshals, three Yeomen Ushers in the Hall, besides two Groomes, and Almners: in his Kitchen belonging to the Hall, two Clerkes of the Kitchin, a Clerke Controller, a Surveyour of the Dresser, a Clerke of the Spicery, (and these kept a continuall messe in the Hall) two master-cookes, and of other Cookes Labourers and Children of the Kitchen twelve persons, four Yeomen of the ordinary Scullery, four Yeomen of the silver Scullery, two Yeomen of the Pastry, with two or three Pastulers under the Yeomen.

In his Privy Kitchin he had a Master-cook who wore alwayes Satten and Velvet with a great chain of gold about his necke, with two other Yeomen and a Groom, in the Scalding-house a Yeoman and two Groomes, in the Pantry two Yeomen; in the Buttery two Yeomen, two Groomes, and two Pages; in the Chandry, two Yeomen; in the Wafery, two Yeomen; in the Wardrobe of Beddes, the Master of the Wardrobe, and ten other persons attending; in the Laundry, a Yeoman, and a Groom, thirty Pages, two Yeomen-purveyours, and one Groom; in the Bake-house, a Yeoman and two Groomes; in the Wood-yard, a Yoman and a Groom; in the Barne one; in the Garden, a Yeoman and two Groomes; a Yeoman of his Bardge, a Master of his Horse, a Clerke of the Stable, and a Yeoman, a Sadler, a Farrier, a Yeoman of his Chariot, a Sumptur-man, a Yeoman of his Stirrop, a Muleter, and sixteen Groomes of his Stable, every one keeping foure Geldings; Porters at his Gate, two Yeomen and two Groomes; in the Almnery, a Yeoman and a Groom.

In his Chappell he had a Dean, who was a great Divine, and a man of excellent learning; a Subdean, a Repeater of the Quier, a Gospeller, an Epistoler, ten singing Priests, a Master of the Children-quiristers, twelve Seculars being singing men of the Chappell, ten singing boyes with a servant to attend upon them; in the Revestry, a Yeoman and two Groomes, besides divers retainers who repaired to his Palace at principall feasts.

The rich Furniture of his Chappell almost exceeded apprehension, for jewels and sumptuous ornaments continually there used, where have been seene in a Procession about the Hall foure and fourty rich Copes all of one suit, with Crosses, and Candlestickes, and other furniture of great value; he had moreover two Crosse-bearers, and two Pillar-bearers in his Great-chamber; and in his Privy-chamber, a Chamberlain and a Vicechamberlain, twelve Gentlemen-ushers, besides one continually in his p. 16Privy-chamber, and six Gentlemen-waiters, he had ten Lords to attend him, and every one had two Gentlemen to attend upon them, onelyonly the Earle of Derby had five allowed him; he had of Gentlemen, Cup-bearers, Carvers, Sewers, and the like, to the number of fourty persons, six Yeomenushers, eight Groomes, and Yeomen that daily waited in his Chamber fourty five.

Sixteen Doctours and Chaplaines besides those of his Chappell continually waited at his Trencher, with the Clerke of the Closet, two Secretaries, two Clerkes of the Signet, and four Counsellours learned in the Lawes, and for as much as it was necessary, for divers Officers of the Chancery to attend him; namely, the Clerke of the Crown, a riding Clerke, a Clerke of the Hamper, a Clerke of the Wax, and a Clerke of Checke; he gave meanes and allowance to them all; he had also four Footmen cloathed in rich Coates with his Armes imbroidered upon them; an Herald at Armes, a Serjeant at Armes, a Physitian, an Apothecary, four chief Musitians with their Consort, a Keeper of his Tents, an Armourer, an Instructer of his Wards, two Yeomen of his Wardrobe of Robes, and a Keeper of his Chamber continually in the Court; he had moreover in his House the Surveyour of Yorke, a Clerke of the Greencloath, and all these were with him uprising and down-lying, and dieted at his charge; he kept in his Great-chamber a continuall Table for the Chamberers and Gentlemen-Officers, with a Messe of young Lords, and another of young Gentlemen; nor was there any Officers Gentlemen or other persons of account, but were allowed some one, some two, some three servants to attend them, which no question grew to a mighty number, besides Officers extraordinary, retainers and sutors who might come freely and dine in the Hall without any to contradict them: and thus far out of his Checke role, whereby we see his exceeding greatnesse, but of which grew such pride, that he blushed not to prefer himselfe before his Soveraigne, in these words, Ego & Rex meus, I and my King. But to conclude with him, this potent prelate falling after into a praemunire, forfeited his whole estate to the Crown, and then (though late) confessing, That if he had sought so much to honour God as he had strived to honour his King, he might still have continued in his revenew eminently: and being deprived of all his power and pompe, riches and substance, and brought almost to the extremest indigence and penury, being sent for from Yorke to London, (as some have supposed to answer for his life) he fell sicke by the way, and in a poor Friery ended his wretched dayes not without suspition of poyson; and such have been Gods judgements from the beginning against this first and capital of the seven mortall sinnes called Pride, of which I cease to write further, and proceed to the second.