Acts and Monuments Volume 2 Part 2, Book 12 · Account 127
❧Foraine Examples.
HOfmeister the great Archpapist,Hofmeister sodainely stricken with death going to Ratisbone. and chiefe maisterpiller of the Popes fallyng Church, as hee was in hys iourney goyng toward the Councell of Ratisbone, to dispute agaynst the defenders of Christes gospel, sodainly in his iourney, not farre from Ulmes, was preuented by the stroke of Gods hand, and there miserably died, with horrible roring and crying out. Ex Illyrico de vocabulo fidei.
What a pernitious and pestilent doctrine is this of the papists,What inconuenience commeth by th… Popes desperate doctrine. which leadeth men to seeke their saluation by merites and workes of the lawe, and not by faith onelye in Christ the sonne of God, and to stay themselues by grace? And what inconuenience this doctrine of doubting & desperation bringeth men to at length, if the playne word of God will not sufficiently admonish vsus, yet let vsus be warned by examples of such as hauehave bene either teachers or followers of this doctrine, and consider well what ende commonly it hath and doth bring men vntounto. To recite all that may be sayd in this behalfe, it were infinite. To note a few examples for admonitions sake, it shalbe requisite.
In the Uniuersitie of Louane was one named Guarlacus a learned man,The miserable ende of Guarlacus reader in Louane. brought vp in that Schoole, who at length was reader of Diuinitie to the Monkes of s. Gertrudes order. Where after he had stoutly mainteyned the corrupt errors of such popish doctrine, at last falling sicke, when he perceiued no way with him but death, he fell into a miserable agonie and perturbation of spirite, crying out of his sinnes, how wickedly he had liued, and that he was not able to abide the iudgement of God, and so casting out wordes of miserable desperation, saide: his sinnes were greater then that he could be pardoned, and in that desperation wretchedly he ended his lyfe. Ex Epistola Claudij Senarclaei ad Bucerum ante histor. de morte Diazij.
Another like example we hauehave of Arnoldus Bomelius,The story of Arnoldus Bomelius student a… Louane. a young man of the sayd Uniuersitie of Louane, well commended for his fresh flourishing wit and ripenesse of learnyng, who so long as he fauoured the cause of the gospell, and tooke part with the same agaynst the enemies of the truth, he prospered and went well forward, but after that he drew to the company of Tyleman, maister of the Popes Colledge in Louane, and framed hymselfe after the rule of his vnsauourie doctrine, that is, to stande in feare and doubt of hys iustification, and to worke his saluation by merites and deedes of the lawe, he began more and more to growe in doubtfull despaire and discomfort of mynd: as ye nature of that doctrine is, vtterly to pluck away a mans mynd from all certaintie and true liberty of spirit,Note what euill instruction & company doth. to a seruile doubtfulnes, full of discomfort and bondage of soule.
Thus the yong man seduced and peruerted thorough this blynd doctrine of ignoraunce and dubitation, fell into a great agonie of mynde, wandryng and wrestlyng in him selfe a long space, till at length beyng ouercome with despaire, and not hauyng in the popish doctrine wherewith to rayse vp his soule, he went out of the citie on a tyme to walke, accompanied with three other Studentes of the same Uniuersitie, his speciall familiars. Who after their walke, as they returned home agayne, Arnoldus for wearinesse (as it seemed) sate down by a spring side to rest him a while. The other supposing none other, but that hee for wearines there rested to refresh hymselfe,An horrible example of Arnoldus Bomelius which killed himselfe with his owne dagger. went forward a little past hym. In the meane tyme what doth Arnoldus, but sodainly taketh out his dagger, and stroke himself into the body.
His fellowes seeyng him shrinking downe, and the fountaine to be all coloured with the bloude which issued out of the wound, came runnyng to him to take hym vp, and so searching his body where the wound should be, at length found what he had done, and how hee had striken hymselfe with hys dagger into the brest. Whereupon they tooke hym and brought hym into an house next at hande, and there exhorted hym as well as they could, to repente hys fact: who then by outwarde gesture seemed to geue some shew of repentance. Notwithstanding, the sayd Arnoldus espiyng one of hys friendes there busie aboute hym, to hauehave a knyfe hangyng at hys girdle violentlye plucked out the knife, and with mayne force stabbed hymselfe to the hart.
Admonitiō to our Louanians.By these Louanian examples, as we hauehave all to learn, no man to be sure of his life, but that he alwayes needeth to craue and cal vntounto the Lord to blesse him with his truth and grace: so especially would I wish our English Louanians, which nowe make fortes in that Uniuersitie against the open truth of Christs gospel, to be wise in time, and not to spurne so against the pricke. Ne forte. &c.
Iacobus Latomus of Louane.Or if they thinke yet these examples not enough for sufficient admonition, let them ioyne hereto the remembraunce also of Iacobus Latomus, a chiefe and principall captayne of the same Uniuersitie of Louane. Who after he had bene at Bruxels, and there thinkyng to do a great acte agaynst Luther and his fellowes, made an Oration before the Emperour,Iacobus Latomus an … nemy to the Gospell, brought to madnes and desperation. so foolishly and ridiculously, that hee was laughed to scorne almost of the whole Courte. Then returnyng from thence to Louan agayne, in his publike Lecture he fell in an open fury and madnesse, vttring such words of desperation and blasphemous impietie, that the other Diuines which were there, and namely, Ruardus Anchusianus, were fayne to cary him away as he was rauyng, and so shut him into a close chamber. From yt tyme vntounto his last breath, Latomus had neuer any thyng els in hys mouth, but that he was damned and reiected of God,The terrible wordes of Latomus in his desperation. and that there was no hope of saluation for hym, because that wittingly and against his knowledge, he withstoode the manifest truth of his word. Ex Epist. Senarclaei ante hist. de morte Diazij. Item, ex Oratione Pauli Eberi in comitijs Wittembergae habita.
Thus almighty God not onelyonly by his worde, but by examples also, diuers and sundry wise doth warne vsus,Gods will in his word to accept our fayth onelyonly for iustification. first to seeke to knowe the perfect will and decree of the Lord our God appoynted in his worde. The perfect will and full testament of the Lord in his word, is this, that he hath sent and geuen his onelyonly sonne vntounto vsus, beyng fully contented to accept our fayth onelyonly vponupon him for our perfect iustification and full satisfaction for all our transgressions: and this is called in Scripture, Iusticia Dei. Obedience to Gods will rewarded.To this will and righteousnesse of God, they that humbly submit themselues, finde place and rest in their soules, that no mā is able to expresse, and hauehave strength enough agaynst all the inuasions and temptations of Sathan.
Contrarywise,Disobedience to God… will punished. they that will not yeld their obedience vntounto the wyll and ordinaunce of GOD …xpressed in hys worde, but will seeke their owne righteousnesse, which is of man, labouryng by their merites and satisfactions to serue and please God: these not onelyonly do finde with God no righteousnesse at all, but in stead of hys fauour, procure to themselues his horrible indignation, in steade of comfort, heape to themselues desperation, and in the end what inconuenience they come to by these aboue recited examples of Guarlacus, Bomelius, and Latomus, it is euident to see.The chiefe fountayne of all mischiefe in the world. And out of this fountayne springeth not onelyonly the punishmentes of these men, but also all other inconueniences whiche happen amongest men, where so euer this pernicious and erroneous doctrine of the Papistes taketh place.
A Dominike Frier of Mounster,A Fryer of Munster stricke with lightning. as he was inueighyng in the Pulpitte agaynst the Doctrine of the Gospell then springyng vp, was striken with a sodayne flashe of lightnyng, and so ended his lyfe. Ex Pantal. in 2. parte. Rerum memor.
Manlius in his booke, De dictis Philippi Melancth. maketh mention of a certaine Tailors seruaunte in Lypsia, who receiuing first the Sacrament in both kyndes wyth the Gospellers,A Taylours seruaunt in Lipsia. and afterward beyng perswaded by the papists, receiued with them vnderunder one kynd. Whereupon beyng admonished of his maister to come to the Communion againe in the Church of the Gospellers, hee stoode a great while and made no answer. At last crying out vponupon a sodaine, he ran to the window thereby, and so cast hymselfe out, and brake his necke.
In the same Manlius mention is also made of a certayne Gentleman of name and authoritie, but he nameth hym not, who hearyng these wordes in a song: Ein feste burg ist vnser Gott: that is:Gods punishment vponupon a certaine Popish gentleman vnnamed. Our onelyonly holde or fortresse is our God. Psalme. 46. aunswered, and sayd: Ich will helffē die burg zerschiessé, oder ich wil nit leben: that is, I wil help to shoote agaynst thy staye or forte, or els I will not liue. And so within three dayes after hee dyed without repentaunce, or confessing his fayth. Ex Manlio, De dictis Philip. Melancth.
Of Sadoletus the learned Cardinall likewise it is reported of some,Sadoletus Cardinall. that he dyed not without great tormentes of conscience and desperation.
The Commendator of S. Anthony, who sate as spirituall Iudge ouer that godly learned man Wolfgangus burned in Lotharing, in Germany,The Commendator of S. Antony plagued. and gaue sentence of his condemnation, fell sodenly dead shortly after. Read before pag. 884.
Also his fellow the Abbot of Clarilocus,Abbot of Carilocus sodainely dead. and Suffragan to the bishop of Metz, at the cracke of gunnes sodenly fell downe and dyed. pag. 824.
Dauid Beaton Archbishop of s. Andrewes in Scotland, shortly after the beginning of M. George Wisard,Dauid Beaton Archbyshop of Scotland persecutour, slayne in hi… owne Castle. how hee by the iust stroke of God was slaine, and wretchedly ended his lyfe within his owne Castle, in the discourse of his story is euident to see, who so listeth further to read of that matter, pag. 1272.
Ioannes Sleidanus in his 23. booke,Ex Ioan Sleidano▪ lib. 23. maketh relati… of Cardinall Crescentius, the chiefe President and moderator of the Councell of Trident, ann. 1552. The story of whom is certain, the thing that hapned to him was strāge and notable, the exāple of him may be profitable to others such as hauehave grace to be warned by other mēs euils. The narration is this.
The 25. day of March, in the yere aforesaid, Crescentius the Popes Legate,The terrible iudgement of God vponupon Cardinall Crescentius, President of the Counsell of Trident. An. 1552. and Uicegerent in the Councell of Trident, was sitting all the day long vntill darke night, in writing letters to th… Pope. After his labour when night was come, thinking to refresh himselfe, he began to rise: and at his rising, beholde there appeared to hym a mighty blacke dogge, of a huge bignes, his eyes flamyng with fire, and his eares hanging low downe welneere to the ground, to enter in, and straite to come toward hym, & so to couch vnderunder the boord. The Cardinall not a little amased at the sight thereof, somewhat recouering himselfe, ralled to his seruauntes, which were in the outward chā ber next by, to bring in a candle, and to seeke for the dog. But when the dog could not be found, neither there, nor in no other chamber about, the Cardinall thereupon striken with a sodaine conceit of mynd, immediately fell into such a sicknes, wherof his Phisitions which he had about hym, with all their industry and cunnyng coulde not cure hym.The wretched end of Cardinall Crescentius President of the Counsell of Trent. And so in the towne of Uerona died this popish cardinall, the Popes holy Legate, and President of this coū cel: wherein his purpose was (as Sleidane saith) to recouer and heale againe the whole authoritie and doctrine of the Romish see, and to set it vp for euer.
There were in this Councell beside the Popes Legates and Cardinall of Trident, lxij. Bishops, Doctours of Diuinitie xlij. And thus was the ende of that Popishe Councell, by the prouident hand of the almighty, dispatched and brought to naught. Ex Sleidano, Li. 23.
This Councell of Trident being then dissolued by the death of this Cardinal, was afterward notwithstanding recollected againe about the yeare of our lord, 1562. against the erroneous proceedings of which Councel,Two aduouterous Byshops of Trident Counsell, iustly slaine in adultery. other writers there be that say enough. So much as pertaineth only to story, I thought hereunto to adde concernyng two filthy adulterous bishops, to the sayd Councel belonging of whome the one haunting to an honest mans wife, was slaine by the iust stroke of God with a Borespeare. The other Bishop, whose haunte was to creepe through a window, in the same window was subtilly taken and hanged in a grinne layed for hym of purpose, and so conueied, that in the mornyng hee was seene openly in the streete hangyng out of the windowe, to the wonderment of all that passed by. Ex protestatione Concionatorum Germa. aduersus conuentum Trident. &c.
Amongst all the religious order of Papists, who was a stouter defender of the Popes side, or a more vehement impugner of Martin Luther, then Iohn Eckius, who, if his cause wherein he so trauailed,D. Eckius the P…pes stout Champion· had bene godly, had deserued (no doubt) great fauour and condigne retribution at the hands of the Lord. Now for so much as we cannot better iudge of him then by his ende, let vsus consider the maner of his departing hence, and compare the same with the end of M. Luther.
In the which M. Luther beyng such an aduersarye as he was to the Pope, and hauyng no lesse then al the world vponupon him at once,The end of Martyn Luther compared to the end of Eckius. first this is to bee noted, that after all these trauailes, the Lord gaue him to depart both in great age, and in his owne natiue countrey where he was born. Secondly, he blessed him with such a quiet death, without any violent hande of any aduersary, that it was counted rather a sleepe then a death. Thirdly, as the death of hys body was myld, so his spirit & mynde continued no lesse godly vntounto the end, continually inuocating and calling vponupon the name of the Lord, and so commending his spirite to hym with feruent prayer, he made a blessed and an heauenly ending. Fourthly, ouer and besides these blessings, almighty God did also adde vntounto him such an honourable buriall, as to many great Princes vnneth happeneth the like. And this briefly concernyng the ende of M. Luther, as ye may read before more at large, pag. 863.
Now let vsus consider and conferre with this the death of Iohn Eckius and the maner thereof, which we find in the English translation of the history of Iohn Carion, fol. 250. in these words expressed. This yere (saith he) died at Ingold state, Doctor Eckius a faithful seruant and champion of the Pope,The maner of Iohn Eckius death. Eckius last wordes. Eckius dyeth dreaming of his Guilden…. and a defender of the abhominable Papacie. But as his lyfe was full of all vngodlines, vncleannes, and blasphemy, so was his end miserable, hard, and pitifull, in so much that his last wordes (as it is noted of many credible personnes) were these: In case the foure thousand guildens were ready, the matter were dispatched, &c.Ex appendice Hist. Ioan. Carionis. (Dreamyng belike of some Cardinalship that he should hauehave bought.) Some say, that the Pope had granted him a certaine Deanry, which he should hauehave redeemed from the Courte of Rome with the foresayd summe. Now what a heauenly ende this was of M. Eckius, I leaue it to the Readers iudgement.
In the Citie of Andwerpe was (as they terme hym there) a Shoulted, that is to say,Gods iudgment vponupon one Iohn Vander Warfe. Shoulted of Antwarpe, a persecutour. the next Officer to the Markgraue, one named Iohn Uander Warfe, a Bastard sonne of a stocke or kinred called Warfe, of good estimation amongest the chiefest in Antwarpe. Who, as he was of nature cruell, so was he of iudgement peruerse and corrupt, and a sore persecutor of Christes flocke, with greedines seekyng and sheddyng innocent bloud, and had drouned diuers good men and women in the water: for the which he was much commended of the bloudy generation. Of some he was called a bloudhound or bloudy dog. Of other he was called Shildpad: that is to say,Shilpad a kinde of Shelfishe fashioned like a Tode, with a hard and a broad shell vponupon his backe. Our Ladies druncken feast. Sheltode: for that hee beyng a short grundy and of little stature, did ride commonly with a great broad hat, as a churl of the countrey.
This man after he was weary of his office (wherein he had continued aboue xx. yeres) he gaue it ouer: and because he was now growen rich and welthy, he entended to passe the residue of his lyfe in pleasure and quietnes.
During which tyme, about the second yeare after hee had left his office, he came to Antwarpe to the feast called our Ladies Oumegang, to make mery: which feast is vsually kept on the Sonday followyng the assumption of our Lady. The same day in the after noone about foure of the clock▪ he being wel loden with wine, rode homewards in his wagon, with his wife and a gentlewoman waiting on her and his foole. As soone as the Wagon was come without the gate of the citie called Croneborgh gate, vponupon the wooden bridge beyng at that tyme made for a shifte, with railes or barres on both sides, for more safetie of the passengers (halfe a mans heighth & more) the horses stood still and would by no meanes go forward, whatsoeuer the guider of the wagon could do.
Then he in a drunken rage cried out to him that guided the wagō, saying: Ride on in a thousand deuils name, ride on. Wherat the poore man answered, that he could not make the horses to goe forward. By and by, whyle they were yet thus talking, sodenly rose, as it were, a mighty hurlewynd, with a terrible noyse (the wether beyng very faire & no wynd stirring before) & tost the wagon ouer the barre into the towne ditch, the ropes whereat the horses had bene tied, beyng broken a sunder in such sort, as if they had bene cut with a sharp knife, the wagon also being cast vpsidedowne, with the fore end thereof turned toward the towne agayne, and he drowned in the mire: and when he was taken vp, it was found, that his necke also was broken. His wife was taken vp aliue, but died also within three dayes after. But the Gentlewoman and the foole by Gods mighty prouidence, were preserued & had no harm.Fraunces Fraet the Printer and witnes hereof a good man & Martyr. The foole hearing the people say, that his Maister was dead, sayd: & was not I dead, was not I dead too? This was done, an. 1553. Witnesse hereof not onelyonly the Printer of the same story in Dutch dwelling then in Andwerpe, whose name was Fraunces Fraet a good man, and afterward for hatred put to death of Papistes, but also diuers Dutchmen here now in England, and a great number of English merchants, which then were at Antwerpe, & are yet alyue.
Bartholomeus Cassaneus plagued. Minerius plagued of God.Of the sodaine death of Bartholomeus Chassaneus, or Cassanus, persecutor, read before, pag. 943.
Of Minerius the bloudy persecutor, or rather tormē tor of Christes saints, how he dyed with bleeding in hys lower partes, ye heard before, pag. 953.
And what should I speake of the iudge which accompanied the sayd Minerius in his persecution,A Iudge with 3. persecutours plagued by Gods iudgment. The terrible vengeaunce of God vponupon Iohn de Roma a terrible persecutor. Read before pag. 216. who a little after as he returned homeward, was drowned, and three mo of the same company, killed one another vponupon a strife that fell amongst them, pag. 953.
Ioannes de Roma cruell Monke, whom rather wee may call a hell hound, then persecutor, what hellishe tormentes hee hadde deuised for the poore Christians of Angrongne, the cōtents of the story before doth expresse, pag. 216. Agayne, with what like torments afterward, & that doublefold, the Lord payd him home agayne, who in hys rottyng and stinking death, neither could find any enemy to kill hym, nor any friend to bury him, who neither could abide his owne stinking carion, nor any man els to come neare hym. Hereof read also in the same page and plate aboue specified.
Such a like persecutor also the same tyme was the lord of Reuest,The Lord of Reuest plagued. who likewise escaped not the reuenging hand of Gods iustice being striken after his furious persecution, with a like horrible sicknes, and such a furie and madnesse, that none durst come neare him, and so most wretchedly died. Whereof read before, pag. 943.
Iohn Martin plagued.Touching the like grieuous punishment of God vpō one Iohn Martin a persecutor, read pag. 955.
Erasm: in Epistola Apologetica. De vtili. Coloquio….Erasmus in an Epistle or Apologie written in defence of his Colloquies, inferreth mention of a certayne noble person of great riches and possessions, who hauyng wyfe and children, with a great familie at home (to whom by S. Pauls rule he was bound in conscience principally aboue all other worldly thyngs to attend) had purposed before his death to go see Ierusalem. And thus all thyngs beyng set in order, this Noble man about to set foreward on his iourny, committed the care of his wife (whom he left great with childe) and of his Lordshippes and Castles to an Archbishop,Gods punishment vponupon a noble gentleman in going a pilgrimage. as to a most sure and trusty father. To make short, it happened in the iourney, this Noble man to dye. Whereof, so soone as the Archbishop had intelligence, in stead of a father, he became a thiefe and robber, seising into his owne handes all his Lordshippes and possessions. And moreouer, not yet contented with all this, he layed siege agaynst a strong fort of his (vntounto the which his wife for safegard of her selfe did flee) where in conclusion, shee with the child that she went withall, pitifully was slaine, and so miserably perished. Which story was done (as testifieth Erasmus) not so long before his tyme, but yt there remayned the nephews of the said Noble man then aliue, to whom the same inheritance should hauehave fallen, but they could not obtaine it.
What commeth of blynd superstition, when a mā not conteining himselfe within the compasse of Gods worde,Admonition. wandereth in other bywayes of his owne, and not contented with the religion set vp of the Lord, wyll binde his conscience to other ordinaunces, prescriptions, and religious deuised by men, leauyng Gods commaundements vndone for the constitutions and preceptes of men,False deuotion a perylous thing. what ende and reward (I say) commeth thereof at length, by this one example, beside infinite other of the like sort, men may learne by experience: and therefore they that yet will defend Idolatrous pilgrimage and rash vowes, let them well consider hereof. It is rightly sayd of saint Hierome, to hauehave bene at Hierusalem,Agaynst Idolatrous pilgrimage. is no great matter, but to lyue a godly and vertuous lyfe, that is a great matter in very deede.
A wonderfull example of Gods …udgment at Gaunt. Anno. 1565.In the yeare of our Lord, 1565. there was in the town of Gaunt in Flanders, one William de Weuer, accused & imprisoned by the Prouost of S. Peters in Gaunt (who had in his Cloister a prison and a place of execution) and the day when the sayd William was called to the place of iudgement, the Prouost sent for M. Gyles Brackleman, principall aduocate of the Counsaile of Flaunders, & Borough maister and Iudge of S. Peters in Gaunt, wyth other of the rulers of the towne of Gaunt, to sit in iudgement vponupon hym, and as they sate in iudgement, the Borough maister named M. Gyles Brackleman reasoned with the sayd William de Weuer, vponupon diuers articles of his fayth.
Three cause… why Saintes are not to be prayed vntounto.The one whereof was, why the sayd William de Weuer denied that it was not lawfull to pray to Saintes: and he aunswered (as the report goeth) for three causes. The one was, that they were but creatures, and not the creator.
The second was, that if he should call vponupon them, the Lord did both see it, and heare it, & therefore he durst geue the glory to none other, but to God.
The third and chiefest cause was, that the creator had commaunded in his holy word, to call vponupon him in troubles: vntounto which commaundement he durst neither adde nor take from it.
The Borough maister M. Gyles Brackelman also demaunded whethere he did not beleeue that there was a Purgatory which he should go into after this lyfe, where eueryevery one should be purified and cleansed.
He aunswered, that he had red ouer the whole Bible, and could finde no such place, but that the death of Christ was his Purgatory,Purgatory denyed. with many other questions proceedyng after their order, vntill hee came to pronounce hys condemnation. But or euer the sayd condemnation was red foorth, the iudgement of God was laid vponupon the sayd Borough maister, who sodainly at that present instaunt was striken with a Palsey, that his mouth was drawen vp almost to his eare, and so hee fell downe,The iudgement of God vponupon Giles Brakelman the borough Maister. the rest of the Lordes by and by standing vp and shadowyng him, that the people coulde not well see hym: and also the people were willed to depart, who beyng still called vponupon to depart, aunswered, the place was so small to go out, that they could goe no faster. Then the Borough maister beyng taken vp, was caried to his house, and it is not yet vnderstood nor commonly knowen, that euer he spake word after he was first striken,William de Weuer Martyr, burnt at Gaunt. Anno. 1565. An other terrible example of Gods iudgment agaynst Syr Garret Trieste gentleman and then Alderman of Gaunt, a persecutour. Anno. 1566. but was openly knowen to bee dead the next day followyng. And yet notwithstandyng that this was done about tenne of the clocke, they burned the sayd William de Weuer within three houres after on the same day.
The 4. day of March, 1566. the lyke example of the Lordes terrible iudgement was shewed vponupon sir Garret Triest knight, who had long before promised to the Regent to bring downe the preachyng. For the which act (as the report goeth) the Regent agayne promised to make hym a Graue, which is an Erle. Of the which sir Garret it is also said, that he commyng from Bruxels towardes Gaunt, brought with him the death of the Preachers, and beyng come to Gaunt, the sayde sir Garret with other of the Lordes hauyng receiued from the Regent a Commission to sweare the Lordes and Commons vntounto the Romish Religion, the sayd sir Garret the 4. day of March aboue noted, at night beyng at supper, willed the Lady his wyfe to call hym in the mornyng one houre sooner then he was accustomed to ryse, for that hee should the nexte day hauehave much businesse to doe in the towne house, to sweare the Lordes and people to the Romish Religion. But see what happened. The sayd sir Garret goyng to bedde, in good health (as it seemed) when the Lady his wife called him in the mornyng, accordyng to his appoyntment, was found dead in her bedde by her, and so vnable to prosecute his wicked purpose.
The fift day of March, 1566. which was the day that Sir Garret Triest appoynted to be there, and the Lords of Gaunt were come into the Towne house (as they had afore appoynted) to proceed and to geue the othe,An other example of Gods iudgement vpō Marten de Pester one of the principall Secretaryes of Gaunt. Anno. 1566. These men of Gaunt are witnesses hereof. accordyng as they had their Commission, and Maister Martin de Pester the Secretary, beyng appoynted and about to geue the othe as the first man should hauehave sworne, the sayd Martine de Pester was striken of God with present death likewyse, and fell downe, and was caried away in a chaire or settell, and neuer spake after. Witnes hereunto:
Peter de Bellemaker.
Abraham Rossart.
Maerke de Mill.
Lieuen Hendrickx.
Ian Coucke.
Roger Vanhulle.
Ioys Neuehans.
Lyauin Neuehans.
Wil. vanden Boegarde.
Ioys de Pitte.
About the borders of Sueuia in Germany, not farre from the Citie of Uberlyng, there was a certayne Monastery of Cistercian Monkes, called Salmesnisie, founded in the dayes of Pope Innocent. 2. by a noble Baron named Guntherame, about the yeare of our Lord, 1130.A story of a tame deuil con…ed in an Abbey in Sueuia. This Celle thus beyng erected, in processe of tyme was enlarged with more ample possessions, findyng manye and great benefactoures and endowers, liberally contributyng vntounto the same: as Emperours, Dukes, and rich Barons.
Amongest whome most especiall were the Earles of Montforte, who had bestowed vponupon that monastery many new liberties and great priuiledges, vponupon this condition, that they shoulde receiue with free hospitalitie any stranger both horseman or footeman, for one nightes lodging, who so euer came.A sub…ill deuise of the Monkes to fray away their gestes. But this hospitalitie did not long so continue, through a subtile and diuelish deuise of one of the Monkes, who tooke vponupon hym to counterfeite to play the part of the Deuill, ratling and raging in his chaynes, where the straungers should lie, after a terrible maner in the night tyme to fray away the gestes: by reason wherof no stranger nor traueller durst there abide, and so continued this a long space.
At length (as God would) it so happened, that one of the Earles of the sayde house of Mountforte, benefactours to that Abbey, commyng to the Monastery, was there lodged, whether of set purpose, or by chance, it is not knowen.
When the night came, and the Earle was at hys rest, the Monke after his woonted maner beginneth his pageant, to play the tame, yea rather the wylde Deuill. There was stampyng, rappyng, spittyng of fire, roring, thunderyng, bounsing of boordes, and ratling of chaines, enough to make some man starke mad. The Erle hearing the sodaine noyse, and beyng somewhat peraduenture afraid at the first, although he had not then the feate of coniuring, yet taking a good hart vntounto him,The punishmēt of God vponupon a Monke that would counterfeite the deuill. Ex Gaspare Bruschio in Chronologia Monasteriorum Germaniae. Read afore pag. 890. & running to his sword, he layd about him well fauoredly, and followyng still the noyse of the deuill, so coniured him at last, that the monke which counterfeited the deuill in iest, was slayne in hys owne likenes in earnest. Ex Gaspare Bruschio, in Chronologia Monasteriorum Germaniae.
❧After the imprisonment of the congregation, which were taken hearyng Gods word in S. Iames streete in Paris, an. 1558. (as is aboue storied) was a letter written to the king, which was diuulgate abroad, proouing & declaring by diuers histories, what afflictions and calamities from tyme to tyme, by Gods righteous iudgement hauehave fallen vppon such as hauehave bene enemies to his people, and hauehave resisted the free passage of his holy word. In which letter, forsomuch as beside the sayd examples, much other good fruitfull matter is conteined, worthy of all mē to be read, and especially of Princes to bee considered, I thought here good to copy out the whole, as the Frenche booke doth geue it. The translation of the which letter into English, is after this tenor, as followeth.