was snatched vp and howe she was hurled downe but runnyng to the place where she fell they founde her starke dead and her face turned quite behynde her Iohannes Manlius a man of great credite one of the first visitors of the Churche of Germanie recordeth that the excellent man of GOD Doctor Martin Luther and he at Basile sawe a woman guivyng her daughter vp and downe the countrey the daughter beyng possessed of a wicked spirite which inuasion of the spirite grew by the mothers dyuelysh curse The mother confessed that her daughter disobeyng her commaundement she cursed her sayde daughter with these woordes The Dyuel take thee or the Dyuel flye vpon thee And the selfe same houre her daughter fel madde and was possessed of a Dyuel Doctor Luther seeing the woman communed with them and agaynst the Diuel he vsed that place of Iames GOD rebuke thee thou foule spirite vnto whiche woordes the Diuel answeared agayne so as it was wel manyfest what spirite possessed her In the Towne of Freburg in Misnia an hastie froward father yl accustomed with continual swearyng cursyng and bannyng commaunded his sonne to doo a certayne businesse with al speede possible The sonne not yeeldyng honour enough vnto his father neglected disobediently his fathers commaundement a great fault in deede and woorthie to haue been wel punished but vnorderly and wickedly the frowarde vngodly father when he hearde his sonne yet at home whom he thought before that tyme to haue been gone about his businesse in the Diuels name falleth to cursing his sonne and these or suche lyke woordes he vsed Did I byd thee goe in hast and standest thou still there Nowe stil moughtest thou stand I pray GOD and neuer mayest thou styrre alyue out of that same place Oh dire imprecation Gods merciful grace absented and his iudgement earnestly prouoked styl stoode his sonne What gayned the vngodly father vnlesse he woulde plucke the sonne in peeces the father nowe could not would he neuer so fayne eyther by his owne strength or by any others help way or meanes once mooue or styrre his distressed childe The chylde wanted his ease but the father byd the woo styrre could not the sonne helpe must the father and since that accordyng to the fathers curse the sonne coulde not be remooued the wylful father accordyng to Gods commaundement must needes of duetie succour his woful sonne Glad and fayne was the father to vnderprop his sonne with a Chayre and a Cushion so to keepe hym in that place by the space of three whole yeeres Many a godly man came to see this sorowful sight many a good prayer both priuate and publique was powred out vnto the Lorde for him many a publique exhortation was made vnto the people to auoyde such offences and to pray for grace for him long it was or euer the Lorde woulde be entreated But as Gods mercie is aboue al his workes so the Lorde after three yeeres space was entreated for some mercy his feete were loosed whose footesteppes or print of his feete a woonderful thing to tel remayne to be seene at this day in the pauement where he stoode So sate he then yet in miserie foure more long yeres with a long leane countenance eating litle or nothyng speakyng but nowe and 3 It obscureth Gods glory whiche aboue al thynges we must promote 4 It breaketh fayth and credite amongst Christians which we must maintayne 5 It encreaseth infidelitie whiche we must abhorre 6 It is the woorke of the Dyuell Christe came to destroy it 7 It neuer dyd good vnto any we must doo good vnto all Vse breedeth custome custome breadeth continuance familiar easie continuance leadeth vs readyly and perfectly vnto the most damnable sinne of periurie â–ª Stop therfore the beginnyng Strike not and you shal not kyl Sweare not and you shall not be forsworne Aboue al thynges my brethren Sweare not neyther by Heauen for it is Gods seate nor by the Earth nor by any other thyng It was sayde before Christes commyng Thou shalt not forsweare thy selfe But Christe sayde Sweare not at all Let your communication be yea yea and nay nay yea in woorde yea in deede dishallowe not Gods most glorious name As you professe a fayth in Christe so expresse the same continually Let Christe be seene in your lyfe as he is heard of in your language let his holy name neuer be taken in vayne but studie and endeuour with your whole power and strength that Gods name may be sanctified that is alwayes esteemed holy and reuerent alwayes honoured and glorified in you and by you Vnto whom onely of only ryght alone be al honour prayse and glory woorshyp renowme and dominion for all and aboue al worlde without ende Amen Amen Amen The Lorde raigneth The Lorde only is trueth and shal haue the victory and only glory Amen FINIS Reasons that vayne swearyng sauoreth of infidelitie and of seueral othes perswadyng the same Howe can we call vpon God for helpe in our aduersitie whose honour we so lightly regard in prosperitie Psalm 49. Call vpon me in the tyme of thy trouble and I wyl deliuer thee Our health is only of the Lorde Actes 4. The sonne of God came to this end to destroy the woorkes of the diuel Iohn What hope then haue they in the sonne of God that fulfyl desperatly this woorke of the diuel in dishonoring Gods name Peter Christe hath geuen hym selfe for vs an offeryng a sacrifice of sweete smelling sauour vnto God. Ephe. 3. Who beleueth this and wyl vaynely sweare by Christe or by the blessed body of Christe By his owne blood entred he once into the holy place obteyned eternall remission for vs. Hebrues 9 Who beleueth this yet wyll idelly or vaynely sweare by the precious blood of Christe 1. Iohn 1. Peter 1. What hope haue we of that comfortable beholding christ at the last day face to face 〈…〉 Whose honour reuerence we diminish dayly and darken as much as in vs lyeth the glory of his name by litle esteemyng or vaynely vâ—â—ng it for euery trifle By his woundes we are healed by his stripes we are made whole Esa. 9. who beleeueth this and wyl yet sweare by the precious woundes of Christ One of the souldiers pearsed his side with a speare and foorthwith ran out water and blood Iohn 19. who beeleueth this and wyl yet sweare by Gods sides God shal come to iudge the quicke and the dead Actes 7. who beleeueth this and wyl sweare as God shal iudge me Vnto the cursed God shal say goe you cursed of my father into euerlastyng fyre Mathevv who beleeueth this and wyl sweare God renounce me Of Cursing The vengaunce of God shal eate vp your gold and your syluer 〈…〉 The diuell a peny that is the diuell haue the peny Vengance lurketh for them as a Lion Solomon The foule euyll haue thee or take thee howe many see we euery yere come from the north plagued with this disease in whiche countrey this curse is most ryfest THE ENDE Ieremi 4â— â—xample in â—emorie Romans â—â— Hillarie Methodiâ—â— Bessarion â—eremi 44 Iudges 8. Philip. 3. A shwensday Exodus 19. Exodus 20 Exod. 22. 7. 8 10 11 Ieremi 4. Iere. 5. 7. Exodus 23. Iosue 23. Esay 19. Esay 45. Gen. 21. Gene. 26. Gene. 31. Exod. 2. Ibidem Ibidem 1. Reg. 1 1. Reg. 17. 2. Reg. 2. Apoc. 10 Gene. 22. Gen. 26. Esay 45. Psalm 89. Psalm 96. Psalm 110. Psalm 132. Hebrues 6 2 Corinth 1 Galathi 1. Ephe. 1. Agust contra mend 2. Corin. 〈◊〉 Heb. 6. â—salm 95. Num. 14. Truely Veryly â—ugustine 〈…〉 ser dom Leui. 19. Math. Math. 5. Exo. 23. M. 11. 2. Ti. 4. Psal 33. Psal. 49. M. 10. Rom. 10. Psal. 14. Psal. 49. A memoâ—â—ndum for swearers Sap. 1. Leui. 19. Deut. 28. Psal. 8. Exodus 20 Iere. 10. Prou. 10. Euyll of custome Chrisost super Ma. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mar. 14. Tripolitanus August de ciuitate dei 1. Li. 15. c. Li. 3. cap. 20 Counsell Augustine in Mat. Psalm 135 Psalm 74 Psalm 6â— Psalm 75 Psalm 75 Ieremi 5. Zacha. 5. Eccle. 23. De quibus consule Iob. Fox Lambert â—aldenus Vincentiâ— in speculo Libr 4. Antiq. C. 6. Iusti 77. Nouel con Egypt Sithia Romaneâ— Le. 24. A remembrance for Fathers Mothers Iosuah 9. 2. Reg. 21. c 4. Reg. 24. 25. S. Gregorie King Stephan Edward 4. Elfred Godwin Sir Roger Mortimer Diuers punishmentes Richarde Long. Fox Mar. â—â—97 Grimwood â—bidem â—iddowe 〈…〉 Corneâ—â—â—â— in Lonâ—â—â— 74. Arthure Miller at Hackney 1573. Father Leâ— 1577. Eslingen Tubinga Ciguea in Schueberg Duke of Swethen The Pope could not set on his hande agayne Ladislaus king of Polonia Olde wiced woman The 〈◊〉 entent 〈◊〉 Dyuell 〈…〉 her Not 〈◊〉 thy thâ—â—ame 〈◊〉 â–ª â—elancâ—â—â—◠〈…〉 with 〈…〉 In 〈◊〉 Manlius A remembrance fo mothers In examâ—le for faâ—â—ers â—anlius â—â—llection 〈…〉 To. et â—â—eluecheâ—s To. 1. â—edagogie 〈◊〉 The fort of contin prayer
he was But this vice cōcerneth not man so much as God No tonge can vtter no pen can expresse no mortalitie can conceiue the sinful wickednes the dishonour vnto God the mischiefe and misery vnto mankinde that groweth therby Of this it pleased God to styr me vp to write somewhat wherof I yeeld most humble thanks vnto his maiesty that it pleased hym I should bring somewhat whether it be heare or wooll or sand or Oyster shelles to the building of his Temple The matter is worthy for al men to regard though it be a common thyng euery body can say it is so our age is dainty and lusteth after nouelties the profession of our faith in religion is like vnto our foolish fancy in building We delight in shewes in trickes and toyes in cornered Windowes in tops of Chimneies though the bottomes be not So we dispute curious vnprofitable preternecessarie questions not regarding the grounde and substance which is most necessary as without the whiche we are not That your godly wisedome right wel considered when in your auncient reuerend age you wrote yet instructions for the tender youth a Woorke which to your presence for to commend is not so seemely it was in deede a hammer a Hatchet a swoorde an axe to beat to cut to wounde to destroy Antechrist and all Heritiques Old men are vncleane and nastie the hope is in the youth whom well to enstructe in faythfull literature and studiously to traine vp to his glory is the only hope that remaines to our age the strength of which hope is the stablishment of good lawes in tyme for the reuerende vse and honour of Gods name Which neglected or intermitted the euyl of example that amongst vs remayneth is lyke to poyson more pottes then all the Vineger in Europe is able hereafter to make sweete or seasonable God graunt that his honour may most specially be tendred and that thereunto all other Potentates Princes and Dominions whatsoeuer may with condigne reuerence bende and obey Amen ¶ Vnto your good woorshyppes bounden by duetie most humble in the Lorde Edmond Bicknoll ¶ Vnto the Godly Reader through the grace of Gods spirite feruentnesse of Zeale and diligence according to abilitie to kil and destroy the abhominable sinne of Svvearing and periurie THe notable sayinges of Gods chosen seruantes in whom the holy Ghost it selfe speaketh are worthy perpetual remembraunce Which if they be not regarded the godly are taken away to their rest and ioy and then foloweth in plague to the people the miseries and calamities that before were threatned by the mouthes of those his messengers So after the death of S. Ambrose folowed the horrible vastation of Italie after the death of Augustine the Vandales entred Affricke and then sprang the Arryan Heresy after the death of Iohannes Hus the fierce battayles of Bohemia after the death of Martin Luther what terrible troubles and cruell calamities happened Who in his lyfe tyme amongst al other left in memorial this notable prophesie That these three thynges would be the destruction of Christian religion The fyrst is forgetfulnesse of the benefites that we receiue at Gods handes by the Gospell and vnthankefulnesse for the same The seconde is carelesnesse the woorde is brought vnto vs and we care not for it we make a profession of a fayth for a shewe but we reckon not what we doo nor how we lyue The third is that we loue like better of worldly wisdome then of godly wisdome within the compasse of our foolyshe braines we wyll comprehende the reason rule order and ende of euery thyng vngodly counsel is a prop and stay vnto our determinations we depende not vpon the Lordes prouidence we aske not counsell at the mouth of the Lorde yf the Lorde guide not the worlde after our owne wyl we lyke no longer to be gouerned by hym We forsake the Lorde we flie streight vnto fleshe and blood The prosperitie of the worlde is our delyght and therefore we say iumply as it was sayd vnto Ieremie We remember what we haue doone and lyued meerily after it when we sacrificed vnto the Queene of heauen the worlde went merily with vs we sawe none euyll but since we left sacrificing vnto the Queene of heauen we haue liued in lack and felt much wo Euen so say we yf we shoulde lyue accordyng to the Gospel we should leaue of craftie cunnyng in getting and perchaunce become beggers we should leaue our faise swearing and not sel our wares we shoulde leaue our excesse in vanitie which is our chiefe delyght we should labour earnestly and leaue out slouthfull rest we should geue to them that want and haue no certenty our selues but stil waite vntil the Lorde would geue vs more Fleshe and blood is our delight the glory of the world is our ioy and this is contrary thereunto Thus we forsake the Lorde and cast of the yoke of Christian profession nay of Christian religion I woulde say for we professe somewhat but we lyue nothyng These thynges sayde that excellent vessell of the. L. Doctor Martin Luther woulde destroy christian religion So as Moses law shal be continued and the Turke very farre shall spread the prayse of his Mahumet but christian religion amongst vs shal war full colde It is God hym selfe that speakenh by the mouth of his ministers and therfore it would be specially regarded what the holy ghost moued them to tel before it pleased God to take away our good Iosias our sweete king Edwarde this voyce was hearde out of euery Preachers mouth The Gospell shal be taken from yon the Gospell shal be taken away from you I am horribly afrayde because of the vngodly so often as I heare my deare brethren and felowe labourers in the Lord Who I am sure with earnest groninges pray vnto the Lorde that his spirite may teache them what to speake So often as I see that the spirite woorketh in them to threaten aboue al other this woe to haue the kyngdome of heauen taken away from vs to haue the glorious Gospell of GOD the immortall seede the spirituall foode of our soules taken quite away from vs So often me thynketh I feare and tremble to thynke how soone that terrible hunger shall come that we shal go and run and seeke earnestly and yet not fynde the foode of our soules wherewith to be comforted If we wilfully forget Gods glory wyll he care for vs wherefore There was neuer a goodlyer thyng vpon the earth then was Hierusalem and yet when they refused to be obedient vnto the Lorde and began to waxe forgetfull of his great benefites when they left of to aske counsell of the Lorde and trusted to mans foolyshe wysedome and pollicie to mans vayne strength euen then they were destroyed by vnciuyll discention poysoned with the plague of pestilence murdered by cruell famine deuoured of the enimies swoord many thousandes of their Nobles forced to doo the dayes labour of slaues no more accompt of them but that
gentleman swearer spurced his Horse in such sort as he sprang cleane ouer the Brydge with the man on his backe Who as he was going cryed aloude Horse and man and all to the Deuyll WYddowe Barnes beyng rebuked for swearing to the entent she myght defeate an Orphant of her ryght not regardyng good admonishmentes within foure dayes after cast her selfe out at a window in Cornehil and brake her necke Arthure Myller a fylthy talker of rybaldrie a common swearer and blasphemer of Gods name in his sickenesse the yeere of our Lorde 1573. refused all comfortable doctrine of fayth in Christe and cryed out The Deuyl the Deuyl Confessing in deede gods omnipotent power for he sayd he felt it but he coulde not pray for grace the cause he hym selfe knewe but he woulde not vtter it So that kyssyng his hande often in which he sayd he helde the Deuyll crying for helpe onely vpon the Deuyl he most miserably ended his most wretched lyfe An Aueris 1575. II. Februarie AN Aueris wyddowe which at that tyme dwelt in Ducke Lane without Aldersgate in London in the Parish of S. Bartholome we the litle by Smythfielde iudged to be .lxx. yeeres of age or thereabout came the day and yeere aboue dated to the house or shop of Richarde Wylliamson in Woodstreete whose wyfe exerciseth the sorting dressing of Flaxe and Towe to buye there as heretofore she had been accustomed some course Towe and hauing cheapened and agreed for vi pounde of course Towe a very small value but marke whyther customable vse dooth bryng one She perceiuing the seruauntes in the shop busie about other Customers secretly slypt away imagining by lykelyhood that because of their great businesse they nothyng regarded her Howbeit as GOD woulde the Mayden that in her Mistres absence vsed to delyuer Ware and receiue money remembryng redyly that no money was receiued for the sayd vt pound of Towe sent one of them that best myght be spared from the shop home to the house of this An Aueris in Ducke Lane to require eyther the Towe agayne or els money for it This vngodly woman in whose mouth a wicked oth was the rediest thyng Sware by and by that she payed the money whyle she was yet in the shop But beyng earnestly desyred that she would agayne returne to the sayd shop there to affirme the same As one that would put on a countenaunce of honestie she refused not so to doo lashyng out by the way bytter curses and terrible othes that she had alredy payed the money neyther ceassed she when she came backe agayne to the shop But beyng gently reprehended for her vngentle and vngodly deede with terrible othes periuriously she forsware the fact Vidz that she departed without payment And yf she payed not the money before her departure out of the shop she desyred vengeance at the Lordes handes and that he woulde openly shewe vppon her in his iust iudgement that yf she departed out of the shop without payment of the money for the sayd .vi. pounde of Towe that she myght presently sincke or fall sodenly downe and neuer haue power after to styrre or go out of that place thynkyng perchaunce as Atheistes doo that there is no GOD or els that GOD heareth not the prayers of the people eyther to rewarde the godly or to punyshe the wycked Howbeit as GOD is a swyft GOD to reuenge when his mercie is refused so in the deapth of his iudgement he heard her prayer and stroke her so immediatly vnto the grounde that staggeryng to and fro the strength of her legges faylyng her and ceassing to doo theyr duetie in vpholdyng the body downe she fell in the shop and became speachlesse neuer able to ryse without helpe neuer able to vtter any more blasphemous othes agaynst the Lorde Onely a woonderfull thyng to tell as yf GOD would playuely shewe the cause of his procured wrath she helde out in her left hand .xiii. d. with which she should haue payed for the Towe and that sayd money she tossed and tumbled vp and downe vpon her Apron so as al the standers by might beholde the same As she fell downe in the deuylles name so to stande vp agayne no helpe coulde support her that she myght be able agayne to goe Her mouth also was put to a most vyle office as yf GOD woulde shewe that in his iustice he would punishe the place from whence and the instrument wherewith his most holy name was so vnreuerently blasphemed So as that which nature woulde haue cast downewarde at the bostome of the bellie in some secrete place when she had withdrawen her selfe from all companie that selfe same fylthynesse she was forced to voyde at her mouth in the open streete in open day iyght as many men women and chyldren as came by gazyng woonderyng thereat from thence beyng carried home her dwellyng house denyed to receyue so vyle a person so as of force she was fayne to be lodged in a stinkyng Stable a Parlour sweete yenough for so vnsauery a wretche from whence she was afterwarde carried to her lodging and from thence a fewe dayes after to her graue The examination of this fact was taken before Sir Lyonel Ducket Knyght Alderman and Iustice of Peace within the Citie of London and as witnesses are set downe M. Doctour Fulke M. Newstubbes M. Crake M. Edmundes M. Robert Pistor M. Robert Aske Who so listeth may see this storie at large imprinted by Iohn Alde 1576. Of whose printyng you may also see another strange story of Father Lea. dated the. 28 of Ianuary 1577. Father Lea a man almost of .lxxx. yeeres whose whyte hoary heares wan credite to his tale was hyred for a small summe of money to forsweare hymselfe God in his mercy deferryng his iudgement full two yeeres and more he bare about hym the heauy burden of a wounded conscience a priuie payne yet in deede a more irksome griefe then it woulde haue been to haue endured publique punyshment for the same He needed none other eyther Iayler or Hangman to torment him that fyndeth that inward woo But euen lyke as an Arrow set in a Bow redy to be shot dooth fray a man more then an Arrow that alredy hath hyt his leg or his arme Or lyke as the feare of death or punyshment where grace hath ben wanting hath made many to murder them selues wilfully Euen so the inward festeryng wound of a gylty conscience voyd of hope full of dispayre is more greeuous and more intolierable then any outward correction Two long fastyng yeeres Father Lea hearyng this importable burden at the last the force of the fyre brake through the ashes that so long had couered it In foster lane in London this Lea met that partie agaynst whom or to whose hynderaunce he had forsworne hym selfe and holdyng vp his handes after the manner of our askyng of forgeuenesse he desyred hym to forgeue hym his former offence agaynst hym committed confessyng that agaynst hym he had