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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A06108	The theatre of Gods iudgements: or, a collection of histories out of sacred, ecclesiasticall, and prophane authours concerning the admirable iudgements of God vpon the transgressours of his commandements. Translated out of French and augmented by more than three hundred examples, by Th. Beard.; Histoires memorables des grans et merveilleux jugemens et punitions de Dieu. English	Chassanion, Jean de, 1531-1598.; Beard, Thomas, d. 1632.	1597 (1597)	STC 1659; ESTC S101119	344,939	488

much lesse will he spare any other kingdome and monarchie which continue by their images and idoll worship to stirre vp his indignation against them CHAP. XXVII Of many euils that haue come vpon Christendome for idolatrie IF wee consider and search out the cause of the ruine of the East Empire and of so many famous and florishing Churches as were before-time in the greatest part of Europe namely in Greece wee shall find that Idolatry hath beene the cause of all for euen as it got footing and increase in their dominions so equally did the power of Saracens and Turkish tyrany take root and foundation amongst them and prospered so well that the rest of the world trembled at the report thereof God hauing raised and fortified them as beforetime he had done the Assyrians and Babylonians as whips and scourges to chasten the people and nations of the world that wickedly had abused his holy gospell bearing the name of Christians had become idolaters for no other name then this can be giuen them that in deuotion do any maner of homage to images pictures whatsoeuer may superficially be alledged to the contrary For be it the image either of Prophet Apostle or Christ Iesus himself yet it is necessary that the law of God stand whole and sound which saith Thou shalt make thy selfe no grauen image nor any likenes of things either in heauen aboue or in earth beneath Epiphan Iohn Bishop of Ierusalem thou shalt not bow downe to them nor worship them c. Wherefore he perfourmed the part of a good bishop that finding a vaile spred in the entrance of a Church dore wherein the image of Christ or of some other Saint was pictured rent it in peeces with these words That it was against the authoritie of the sacred scripture to haue any image of Christ set vp in the Church After the same manner Serenus bishop of Marseilla beate down banished all images out of his Churches as occasions of idolatry to shun them the more it was ordained in the Elibertine councill that no image nor picture should be set vp in any Church for which cause also the Emperour Leo the third by an open edict commanded his subiects to cast out of their temples all pictures and statues of Saints Paul Diacon Lib. 6. cap. 14. Angels and whatsoeuer to the intent that all occasions of Idolatry might be taken away yea and he burned some and punished diuers otherwise that in this regard were not pliant but disobedient to his commaundement After which time when images were recalled into Greece into Constantinople the chiefe city and seat of the east Empire it came to passe by a great and dreadfull yet iust iudgement of God that this famous and renowmed city in the worlds eie impregnable after long siege and great and furious assaults was at length taken by the Turkes who hauing wonne the breach and entred with fury droue the poore Emperour Paleologus euen till then fighting for the cities defence to that extremity that in retiring among the prease of his owne souldiers he was thronged and trampled to death and his slaine body being found was beheaded and his head contemptuously caried about the city vpon a launce Now after the massacre of many thousand men to make vp a complete and absolute cruelty they drew the Empresse with her daughters and many other Ladies gentlewomen to a banquet where after many vile and horrible wrongs and disgraces they killed and tore them in pieces in most monstrous manner In all which the execution of Gods most iust wrath for idolatry did most liuely appeare which sinne accompanied with many other execrable and vile vices must needs draw after it a grieuous and terrible punishment to serue for example to others that were to come neither was it a thing by chance or haphazzard that the christians were made a mocking stocke vnto them in that wofull day when in their bloody triumphes they caused a crucifixe to be caried through the streets in contempt and throwing durt vpon it cried in their language This is the gallant God of Christians And thus did God license and permit these sauage Turkes to commit eueryday grieuous outrages and to make great wastes and desolations in all Christendome till that they grew so mighty that it is to bee feared least the saying of Lactantius touching the returne of the Empire into Asia be not verified and accomplished verie shortly if there bee no amendment practised for we see by wofull experience that almost all the forces which Christian Princes haue mustered together from all quarters in pretence to resist their furie and rage haue not onely beene bootlesse and vnprofitable but also that which is worse giuen them further occasion by their bloodie victories and wonderfull slaughter of so many millions of men to make them more obstinate in their detestable Mahumetisme and Turkish religion then they were before for they make their boasts thereof and reare vp trophees of their cruelties taking no more pittie of the vanquished then a butcher doth of sheepe alotted to the slaughter Whereof we haue a pittifull example in rhe ouerthrow of the French armie which Iohn the sonne of Philip duke of Burgundie led against the Turke Pazaite and by the trecherie and cowardise of the Hungarians who in the time of battaile turned their backes and fled was ouercome in that this wicked and cruell tyger expresly charged that all the prisoners in number many should be murdered one after another which was readily executed before his eies so that sauing the chiefe captaine and certain few lords of the companie that were spared in respect of great ransoms there scaped not one aliue Besides these generall calamities the Lord hath particularly showne foorth his indignation against priuate persons and places for Idolatrie Cent. 4. cap. 3. as in Spoletium at one rime there perished by an earthquake three hundred and fiftie whilst they were offering sacrifice vnto their Idols At Rome vnder the empire of Alexander Seuerus after that the left hand of the image of Iupiter was miraculously melted Cent 3. cap. 14. the priests going about to pacifie the anger of their gods with Lectisterns and Sacrifices foure of them togither with the altar and Idoll were stricken in peeces with a thunderbolt and sodenly such a horrible darkenesse ouerspread all the Citty that most of the inhabitants ran out into the fields all amazed Moreouer did not the Lord send lightning from Heauen to inflame that notorious Temple for Idolatrie of Apollo Theodor. lib. 3. cap. 9. 10. or rather the Deuill of Delphos in the time of Iulian the wicked Apostatae whilest hee was exercising tortures vpon one Theodorus a Christian and did it not consume the image of Apollo to ashes The famous and rich Temple of Iupiter at Apamea how strangely did it come to ruine and destruction Nic●phor lib. 12. cap. 27. For when the President and Tribunes

seruants and besieged in the citie Abell his head was cut off by the citizens and throwen ouer the wall as a iust reward for his rebellious act But let vs passe ouer these sacred histories come to prophane yet probable and more neare examples When Camillus besieged the Phalischi Liu. lib. 5. a people in Hitruria neare to mount Floscon a schoolmaster of the citie who had the rule ouer the chiefe mens sonnes both touching instruction and gouernance led them out of the city gates one day in shew to walke but indeed to betray them into Camillus hands which vnfaithfull dealing Camillus did not only mislike but detest refuse thinking it an vnhonest part by such sinister meanes to bring euen his enemies in subiection And therefore reprouing the trustlesse schoolmaster binding his hands behind his backe he gaue euery one of his schollers a rod with commandement to whip him backe vnto their parents whom he had pretended so to deceiue A most noble act in Camillus would we could find the like amongst Christians a most deserued punishment of the schoolemaster would no traitor might be serued better Neither might that worthy Roman repent his deed for the Phalischi in admiration and loue of this notable iustice freely yeelded themselues and their citie to him which otherwise in long time and without great effusion of blood he could not haue atchieued Did Tarpeia the daughter of Sp. Tarpeius speed any better when shee betraied the tower whereof her father was the ouerseer to Tatius king of the Sabines Liu. lib. 1. who at that season besieged Rome vpon condition of a summe of gold or as other writers say of all that the souldiers wore on theit left hands No verily for the Sabines assoone as they had attained their purpose ouerwhelmed her with their left hand gifts to wit their shields and not their rings and bracelets which shee hoped to the end to leaue an example to the posterity how no promise nor oth ought to be of force to traitours to keepe them from punishment Neither did those noble young men of Rome Tit. Liu. amongst whome were the consull Brutus sonnes come to any better issue when they conspired to receiue king Tarquinius into the city by night who by the vertue and valour of their father was worthily expulsed for their secret and wicked counsell being bewraied to the Consuls Iunius and Pub. Valerius by Vindicio a bondslaue they were apprehended hauing letters about them written to Tarquinius to the same effect and being condemned were first shamefully scourged with roddes and after executed to death Thucyd. lib. 1. Pausanius king of Sparta hauing conspited with the Persians against his owne countrey and as it were offered violence to his owne bowels fled into the sanctuarie of Pallas for reliefe Aelian lib. 9. when hee saw the Ephori to go about to call him in question for his treason Now whereas it was religion to take him from thence by violence they agreed to shut him vp there continually and so to pine him to death Which when his mother vnderstood shee was the first person that brought a stone to stoppe vp the dores to hinder him from getting forth and therein shewed a notable example of godly cruelty to her child and cruell pietie to her countrey approouing that saying of Aristippus who beeing demaunded why hee neglected his sonne being borne of his body answered Doe wee not cast from vs lice and flegme which are also bredde of our bodies insinuating that they which haue nothing to commend them to their parents but generation are not to be esteemed as children much lesse they that degenerate When Brennus captaine of the Gaules brother to Belinus and sonne to Molnutius king of Britaine besieged Ephesus a deuilish woman enticed with the iewels which Brennus wore about him betraied the citie into his hands But Brennus detesting this abominable couetousnesse when hee entred the city so loaded her with gold that he couered and oppressed her therewith In like manner Heradamon deliuered vp to the Emperor Aurelian his owne natiue citie Tiana in hope to saue his owne life by betraying his countrey But it fell out quite contrary to his expectation for though Caesar had sworne not to leaue a dogge aliue within the wals because they shut their gates against him and also his souldiers were instant and vrgent vpon his promise Eras in Apoph lib. 6. yet he spared the city and destroied the traitour and quit himselfe of his promise by hanging vp euery dogge in the citie contrary to his owne intent and his armies expectation yet agreeable to his words most correspondent to equitie and true fortitude In the yeere of our Lord 1270 the bishop of Colonea practising to spoile the citie of her priuiledges and reduce it vnder his owne iurisdiction Hermanus Grinu consull and chiefe magistrate withstood his power and authoritie with all his force so that hee could not bring his purpose about Wherefore two Canons belonging to the Bishop sought to vndermine this their enemy by pollicie and to take him out of the way for which end they inuited him in very kind manner to dinner but when he was come they brought him into a yong lyons denne which they kept in honour of the bishop and vnawares shut the dores vpon him bidding him shift for himselfe thinking that it was impossible for him to scape out aliue But the Consull perceiuing in what great danger hee was wrapped his cloake about his left arme and thrusting it into the mouth of the hungry lyon killed him with his right hand and so by the wonderfull prouidence of God escaped without hurt But the two traiterous Canons he caught right soone and hung them at their cathedrall Church gate to their owne confusion and terror of all traitors It was a noble saying and worthy the marking of Augustus Caesar to Rhaemitalches king of Thracia who hauing forsaken Anthony to take part with Augustus boasted very insolently of his deserts towards him then Caesar dissembling his folly dranke to another king and said I loue treason but I can not commend nor trust a traitour The same also in effect Philip of Macedony and Iulius Caesar were wont to say That they loued a traitour at the first but when he had finished his treason they hated him more then any other signifying that traitours deserued no retribution of thankes seeing their office was accepted for a time yet they themselues could neuer be counted lesse than naughty and disloiall persons for no honest man euer betraied his countrey or his friend and what greater punishment can there be than this But for manifest proofe hereof let this one example serue in stead of many namely of Theodoricke king of Francia and Irminfride king of Thuringia Albert. Crantz who being profest foes and hauing fought many cruell battailes at length the latter was conquered of the former by the luckie assistance of the Saxons This Irminfride

battaile yet was hee encountred with another desastrous misfortune for as hee marched forward with his forces to fight with Sigismunds brother he was by him ouercome and slain and for a further disgrace his dismembred head fastened on the top of a pike carried about to the enterview of all men Hee left behind him three yoong sonnes whom his owne brethren and their vncles Clotaire and Childebert notwithstanding their yong tender yeares tooke from their grandmother Clotildes custodie that brought them vp as if they would enstall them into some part of their fathers kingdome but most wickedly and cruelly to the end to possesse their goods lands signiories bereft them al of their liues saue one that saued himselfe in a monestarie In this strange monstrous act Clotaire shewed himselfe more then barbarous when hee would not take pitty vpon the youngest of the two being but seuen yeare old who hearing his brother of the age of tenne yeares crying pittifully at his slaughter threw himselfe at his vncle Childeberts feet with teares desiring him to saue his life wherewith Childebert being greatly affected entreated his brother with weeping eies to haue pitty vpon him and spare the life of this poore infant but al his warnings and entreaties could not hinder the sauadge beast from performing this cruell murder vpon this poor child as he had done vpon the other The Emperour Phocas attained by this bloody means the emperiall dignity Nicephor lib. 18. cap. 58. euen by the slaughter of his Lord maister Mauricius whom as he fled in disguised attire for feare of a treason pretended against him hee being beforetime the leiutenant general of his army pursued so maliciously hotely that he ouertook him in his flight for his further griefe first put all his childrē seuerally to death before his face that euery one of thē might be a seuerall death vpon him before he died and then slew him also This murderer was hee that first exalted to so high a point the popish horn whē at the request of Boniface he ordained that the bishop of Rome shold haue preheminence authority oueral other bishops which he did to the end that the stain blame of his most execrable murder might be either quite blotted out or at least wincked at Vnder his regencie the forces of the Empire grew wonderously into decay France Spaine Almaigne and Lumbardy reuolted from the Empire and at last himselfe being pursued by his sonne in law Priscus with the Senators vvas taken and hauing his handes and feet cut off was togither with the whole race of his ofspring put to a most cruel death because of his cruell and tyrannous life Among all the strange examples of Gods iudgements that euer were declared in this world that one that befell a king of Poleland called Popiell for his murders is for the strangenesse thereof most worthy to bee had in memory hee raigned in the year of our Lord 1346 this man among other of his particular kinds of cursings and swearing whereof he was no niggard vsed ordinarily this oth If it bee not true would rats might deuour me Munst Cosmog Mandat 3. Cursing lib. 1. cap. 32. prophecying thereby his owne destruction for hee was deuoured euen by the same means which hee so often wished for as the sequele of his historie will declare The father of this Popiell feeling himselfe neare death resigned the gouernment of his kingdome to two of his brethren men exceedingly reuerenced of all men for the valor and vertue which appeared in them He being deceased and Popiell being growne vp to ripe and lawfull yeares when hee saw himselfe in full libertie without all bridle of gouernment to doe what he listed he began to giue the full swindge to his lawlesse and vnruly desires in such sort that within few daies he became so shamelesse that there was no kind of vice which appeared not in his behauior euen to the working of the death of his owne vncles for all their faithfull dealing towards him which hee by poyson brought to passe Which being done he caused himself forthwith to be crowned with garlands of flowers and to bee perfumed with pretious ointments and to the end the better to solemnize his entrie to the crowne commanded a sumptuous and pompous banket to be prepared wherevnto all the princes and lords of his kingdome were inuited Now as they were about to giue the onset vpon the delicate cheare behold an army of rats sallying out of the dead and putrified bodies of his vncles set vpon him his wife and children amid their dainties to gnaw them with their sharp teeth insomuch that his guard with all their weapons strength were not able to chase them away but being weary with resisting their daily mightie assaults gaue ouer the battaile wherfore counsell was giuen to make great coale fires round about them that the rats by that meanes might bee kept off not knowing that no pollicy or power of man was able to withstand the vnchangeable decree of God for for all their huge forces they ceased not to run through the midst of them and to assault with their teeth this cruell murderer Then they gaue him counsaile to put himselfe his wife children into a boat and thrust it into the middest of a lake thinking that by reason of the waters the rats would not approch vnto thē But alasse in vain for they swum through the waters amaine gnawing the boat made such chinckes into the sides thereof that the water began to run in which being perceiued of the boatmen amazed them sore and made them make post hast vnto the shore where he was no sooner arriued but a fresh muster of rats vniting their forces with the former encountred him so sore that they did him more scath then all the rest Wherevpon all his guard and others that were there present for his defence perceiuing it to be a iudgement of Gods vengeance vpon him abandoned and forsooke him at once who seeing himselfe destitute of succour and forsaken on all sides flew into a high tower in Chousuitze whether also they pursued him and climing euen vp to the highest roome where he was first eat vp his wife and children shee being guilty of his vncles death and lastly gnew and deuoured him to the very bones After the same sort was an Archbishop of Mentz called Hatto Munsteer Cosmographie punished in the year 940 vnder the raigne of the Emperour Otho the great for the extreame cruelty which he vsed towards certaine poore beggers whom in time of famine he assembled together into a great barne not to releeue their wants as he might ought but to rid their liues as he ought not but did for hee set on fire the barne wherein they were and consumed them all aliue comparing them to rats mise that deuoured good corne but serued to no other good vse Mandat 8. Auarice and vnmercifulnesse But God

his affaires to his owne desire The king of France was no sooner entred Italy but Lewes Sforce ministred an Italian posset to his young nephew Iohn Galeaz that hee immediatle died vpon it Guicciard lib. 1. and then he proclaimed himselfe prince of the Duchie by the aid of the principall of the counsell whome hee had woon to defer that honor vnto him by deposing the yong sonne of Iohn Galeaz being then but fiue yeeres old but he declared presently his inconstant and perfidious nature in breaking promise with the king of Fraunce whome hee had induced with so many faire speeches to vndertake that voyage and entring a new league with the Venetians both against him and the Pope although ere long hee serued them with the same measure but Lewis the twelfth succeeding in the crowne of France could not brooke this iniury done to his predecessour but pretending a title to the Duchie of Millaine he dispatched an army thitherward that bestirred it selfe so well that in short space they brought vnder their subiection all the cities and townes neere adioyning which the citizens perceiuing begun to rebell against their duke and killed his treasurer whereupon he being not able to make his part good with the French abroad nor daring to put any confidence in his owne at home left his castle to the charge and custody of a captaine and fled himselfe with his children to Almaine towards the Emperour Maximilians court hoping to find succour at his hand as indeed he did for hee returned to Millaine with fiue hundred Burgundians and eight thousand Zwitzers and was receiued againe into the citie being thus refortified with these and other moe troupes that came vnto him he encamped before Nauarre and by composition got the city into his hands from the Frenchmen The French king in the meane while sent a new supply of men into the Duchie amongst whome were many Zwitzers who so dealt with their countrimen that were on the dukes side that they brought them also to fauour the king of France and to forsake the duke which when he vnderstood hee presently departed the city and posting to the campe hardened his souldiers desiring them to play the men and not to shrinke for hee meant to giue battell without delay but the captaines made answer That they might not fight against their owne nation without especiall leaue from their lords Now in the meane while whilst these things were in doing they tooke order that the Frenchmen should approch to Nouare and intercept all the passages that the duke might not escape hee therefore laid aside his horse and marched on foot in the squadron of Switzers now ioyned to the French in attire and armour like a Switzer thinking by this tricke to saue his life but all his counterfaiting could not saue him from being taken and from lying ten yeeres prisoner in the Tower of Loches where hee also died Gulcciard li. 4. and so all his high and ambitious thoughts which scarsely Italy could containe were pend vp in a straight and narrow roome With the like turbulent and furious spirit of ambition haue many Roman bishops bene inspired who what by their iuggling trickes cousenages and subtill deuises and what by force haue prospered so well that of simple bishops which they were wont to be they are growne temporall lords and as it were monarchs hauing in their possessions lands cities castles fortresses hauens garrisons and guards after the maner of kings nay they haue exalted themselues aboue kings so intollerable is their impudencie and made them subiect to their wils Marke 10. Luke 22. and yet they call themselues the Apostles petigree whome Christ forbad all such domination But what of that it pertaineth not to them to succeed in vertue but in authority the Apostles for if that charge had concerned them then Pope Lucius the second Bal. would neuer haue bene so shamelesse as to request in right of his popeship the soueraignty ouer Rome as he did neither when it was denied him to haue gone about to vsurpe it by force and to bring his mind about to haue laid siege to the Senate house with armed men to the end that either by banishing or murdering the Senatours then assembled togither he might inuest himselfe with the kingly dignitie But what got hee by it mary this The people beeing in an vprore in the citie vpon the sight of this holy fathers proud attempt took themselues to armes and ran with such violence vpon master Pope that they forthwith stoned his holinesse to death but not like Steuen the martyr for the profession of Christ Iesus but like a vile and seditious theefe for seeking the commonwealths ouerthrow Pope Adrian the fourteenth a monkes sonne succeeding Lucius both in the Papacie Saboll Bal. and also in ambition tooke in hand his omitted enterprises for hee excommunicated the Romanes vntill they had banished Arnold a Bishop that gaue them counsell to retaine the power of electing their magistrate and gouerning their citie in their hands a thing repugnant to his intent and after hee had degraded the consuls to make his part the stronger he caused the Emperour Fredericke to come with an army to the city whome notwithstanding hee handled but basely for his paines for hee did not onely checke him openly for standing on his feet and holding the stirrop of his horse with his left hand but also denied him the crowne of the Empire except he would restore to him Pouille which hee said pertained vnto him howbeit hee got the crowne notwithstanding and before his returne from Rome into Germany more then a thousand citizens that would not yeeld nor subscribe vnto the Popes will were slaine after Frederickes departure the Pope seeing himselfe destitute of his further aid first excommunicated the king of Sicilie that in right of inheritance possessed the foresaid Pouille but when this serued him to small purpose hee practised with Emmanuel the Emperour of Greece to set vpon him which thing turned to his finall confusion after this through his intollerable pride hee fell out with Fredericke the Emperour and to reuenge himselfe vpon him discharged his subiects from their fealty to him and him from his authoritie ouer them Now marke his end As hee walked one day towards Auiane a flie got in at his mouth and downe his throat so farre that it stopped the conduit of his breath so that for all that his phisitions could doe hee was choked therewith And thus hee that sought by all the meanes he could to make himselfe greater than hee ought to be and to get the mastery of euery thing at his owne will and pleasure and to take away other mens rights by force was cut short and rebated by a small and base creature and constrained to leaue this life which hee was most vnworthie of Hither may be referred that which befell the Emperour Albert duke of Austria and one of his lieutenants in Swizzerland for going about to