the King's Absence these Penalties were inflicted upon the chief Officer whose manifest Corruptions the Hatred of the People to Men of that Profession who are apt to abuse their Science and Authority procured in Parliament to be thus punished Sir Ralph Hengham Chief Justice of the King's-Bench was Fined 7000 Marks Sir John Loveton Justice of the Lower Bench 3000 Sir William Brompton Justice 6000 Sir Solomon Rochester 4000 All Itenerant Justices Sir Richard Boyland 4000 All Itenerant Justices Sir Tho. Sadington 2000 All Itenerant Justices Sir Walter Hopton 2000 All Itenerant Justices Sir W. Sakam 3000 Robert Lithbury Master of the Rolls 1000 Roger Leicester 1000 Henry Bray Escheator and Judge for the Jews 1000 Sir Adam Stratton Chief Baron of the Exchequer was Fined 34000 Marks See the Relation of that memorable Parliament begun An. Regni 10. Richard II. p. 36 37. 2. Sir Francis Bacon Baron Verulam and Viscount St. Albans that Atlas of Learning suffer'd for but his Connivance at the Bribery and Corruption of his Servants and was by the Parliament put out of the Office of Lord Chancellor Ibid. 3. Judge Morgan who gave the Sentence of Death upon the Lady Jane Grey presently after fell and and in all his distracted Fits cried out continually Take away the Lady Jane Take away the Lady Jane from me and in this extream Distemper ended his Life Fox's Martyrol 4. June 24. 1678. Mr. Daniel Bachelor Minister told me of a Citizen of London to whom he was sent for in his Sickness whâ—n God had let loose Conscience upon him The Man repeated over all the Commandments and confessed the Sins be was guilty of against each Command such as Incest and Adultery lived in many Years The Chastity of his Servant he sollicited but was repulsed But his Master-Sin was Perjury taking false Oaths and hiring Met Knights of the Post as they are called frequently to do so The Devil led him into that Sin first as he said thus He wanted Proof for a Debt that was a just Debt and hired one of those who procured his Debt that was just in this unjust way By this he contracted Hardness of Heart and plunged himself in Villainies of that nature There were above an Hundred Actions against him when he died He fell sick on a Friday lay about ten Days under the horrid gnawings of the Worm that dieth not upon his Bed not in Distraction but Desperation crying out once in his presence I am damned for ever and added most fearful to hear Amen Amen Amen and had an Expression so blasphemous of the Holy and Ever-blessed God that for Horror I shall draw a Veil over it Yet some have Robb'd hard by the Gallows And this poor Wretch thus hung up in Chains by the Lord did not awaken sufficiently one of his Knights of the Post that came to see him while the Minister my Friend was present O take heed said he by my Example now I smart for what I have done and put you upon doing The Man in Health told him he was melancholick and was not moved He had a Charge to relate this woful Death of his to his Sister with whom he had been incestuously Wicked She gave a seemingly courteous Reception to him and seemed sensible of it The Minister my Friend when he had done his Errand coming down from her Chamber at the Door of which he had left his Galosho's missing them went up again and over-heard her say to a Companion of hers there The Fool thought I had been in earnest The Man though he had unjustly ravish'd Thousands out of Men died miserably poor This Relation was sent me by the Reverend Mr. Singleton now living in Hoxdon-Square near the City of London and is printed in the same Words I received it 5. It may not be altogether impertinent to take notice here what King Charles the I. applied to himself on the Scaffold that for one unjust Sentence which he had suffer'd to pass meaning the Earl of Strafford God had suffered the like unjust Judgment to be passed on him â—ee his Speech on the Scaffold 6. Sir P. P. in Letter to the Bishop of Lincoln saith That in the famous Marriage-Cause between Mrs. Isabella Jones and Sir Robert Carr in the Arches where Sir Robert Carr was claimed by her for her Husband though for want of full Proof of the Marriage Sir Giles Sweit the Dean of the Arches pronounced Sentence against the Marriage yet condemning Sir Robert Carr in 1500 Pound Costs to Mrs. Jones Which the Judge did because he was in Conscience convinced that Sir Robert Carr and Mrs. Jones were really married To this Sir Peter Pett in the aforesaid Letter adds I can saith he at any time acquaint you with the Circumstances of that Cause and give you an Account of the Remarkable Judgments of God inflicted on the Persons who tampered with the Witness in that Cause whereby the Marriage failed of Sentence Remains of Dr. Barlow Bishop of Lincoln p. 368. 7. The Emperor of Muscovy sent for a Judge who had taken a Bribe viz. a Goose with its Belly full of Gold commanded him and the other Judges to appear before him not discovering the least Displeasure They all appeared chearful he commanded the Hangman to be brought in and ask'd him if he knew how to cut up a Goose Answer being made very well Then said the Emperor take away that Judge and cut him up after the same manner which was forthwith done accordingly Smythy's Treatise of Restitution p. 19. who says he had the Relation from a Minister whose Brother was an Eye-witness CHAP. CXXXV Divine Judgments upon Lying and Slandering OVR Tongues are the Indexes of our Mind to signifie the Thoughts and Meanings thereof to the World if the one agree not to the other the Motions are false and the Wheels out of order What is a Clâ—â—k good for if it doth not tell the true Hour of the Day Lyars are shut out of the Kingdom of Heaven and deserve but little Favour upon Earth and some times meet with just Punishments Prov. 19.5 1. Alexander the Great having read a History out of Aristobulus wherein the Author had intermingled certain counterfeit Praises flung the Book into the River saying the said Writer deserved to be flung there himself Coguet's Polit. Disc p. 130. 2. The Emperor Trajan sirnamed the Good Prince took away from the Son of Cabalus the Kingdom of Dacia that is Transilvania and Valachia only because he caught him in a Lye and told him That Rome the Mother of Truth could not permit a Lyar to possess a Kingdom Ibid. 3. Cyrus told the King of Armenia That a Lye was not capable of Pardon Ibid. 4. Monstrelet writes That Popiel King of Poland who had ever in his Mouth these Words If it be not true I would the Rats might cat me that he was so assailed by Rats in a Banquet that neither his Guards nor Fire nor Water could preserve him from them Ibid.
and of great Note too that I could name 2. The Reverend Mr. Hooker a Man so bashful and modest by natural Disposition that he was not able to outface his own Pupils yet hath been rewarded with a competent Estate whilst living and a good Name and glorious Elogiums since his Death 3. Mr. Thomas Gouge was great in Modesty yet it never appeared by word or action that he put any value upon himself or hunted for any applause from Man and this was very observable in him that the Charities which were procured chiefly by his Interest and Industry where he had occasion to speak or to give an Account of them he would rather impute it to any one that had but the least hands and part in the procuring of them than assume any thing of it to himself Another Instance of his Modesty was that when he was ejected out of his Living of Sepulchres Parish he forbore Preaching saying That there was no need of his Labours in London where there were so many godly able and painful Ministers to carry on that Work According to the Apostle's Exhortation he was cloathed with Humility and had in a very eminent degree that Ornament of a meek and quiet Spirit which St. Peter tells us is in the sight of God of great Price so that there was not the least appearance either of Pride or Passion in any of his Words or Actions He was not only free from Anger and Bitterness but from all affected Gravity and Moroseness His Society and Converse was affable and pleasant He had a very great serenity of Mind and evenness of Temper which was visible in his very Countenance and according his Humility was rewarded with Honour and Respect from Men with the Love of all Parties though of different Sentiments with a great Tranquility of Mind with a peaceable and quiet Possession of the Good Things of this Life and at last with an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a gentle and easie Death for in a good old Age of Seventy seven Years he died in his Sleep without any sensible Pain or Sickness A. C. 1681. See his Life See more in the Ch. The Humble strangely advanced 4. Mr. John Fox in his younger Days and towards the latter and of King Henry the Eighth's Reign went to London where he lived humbly and obscurely and soon spent what his Friends had given him and his own Industry got him and began to be in want one Day sitting disconsolate in St. Paul's Church almost spent with long Fasting his Countenance being thin his Eyes hollow after the ghastful manner of dying Men insomuch that every Body shunned a Spectacle of so much horrour there came one to him as he was sitting in this humble and homely Posture and despicable Condition and thrust an untold Sum of Money into his Hand bidding him be of good Cheer and accept that as a common Courtesie from his country-men wishing him to make much of himself for within a few Days new Hopes were at hand Mr. Fox could never learn who this was but within Three Days after the Dutchess of Richmond sent for him to live in her House and be Tutor to the Earl of Surrey's Children then under her Charge Clark's Examp. Vol. 2. p. 610. 5. Humility says the Reverend Mr. Steel makes a Man think meanly of himself moderately of his own Notions and Apprehensions highly of those that deserve it and respectfully of all It was this which taught excellent Bishop Ridley when he was in Prison thus to accost honest Bishop Hooper However in some By-matters and Circumstances of Religion your Wisdom and my Simplicity I grant hath a little jarr'd yet now c. More Comfort to them if they had been on these Terms in the time of their Liberty and Prosperity Humility is a great step to Unity Ephes 4.2 I beseech you that ye walk with all lowliuess and meekness with long-suffering for hearing one another in love endeavouring to keep the Vnity of the Spirit in the bond of peace Pray behold how these Graces are here link'd together lowliness meekness unity and peace The humble Man will not endure that his Reputation shall outweigh the Peace of the Church and therefore is more willing that Truth should be victorious than himself He 'll go Two Miles for One to meet his Adversary in an honest way of Accommodation and when he cannot make his Judgment to bend yet his Heart shall stoop to you with all sincerity This Vertue made Aristippus come to Eschines when they were at fend with this greeting Eschines Shall we be Friends And this dictated his Answer Yes Sir with all my Heart But remember saith Aristippus That I being elder than you do make the first motion Yea said the other and therefore I conclude you to be the worthier Man for I began the Strife and you began the Peace Let us all then be cloathed with Humility assume not in regard of your Learning Wit or Parts consider you are but Sharers in our Common Benefactor neither let your Riches or Dignities make you speak or write otherwise than you would do without them and this will go a great way to prevent our biting and devouring one another See Mr. Steel 's Sermon in the Casuistical Morning Exercises CHAP. LXX Present Retribution to the Just. THE Vnjust Oppressors Extortioners Felons Thieves and fraudulent Persons think with their crooked Policy their crafty Dealings their Dissimulation and Tricks to impose upon the World to delude the Senses of Men and enrich themselves and be secure but upon a fair Examination it will be certainly found that Righteousness stands upon much the surer Ground and bids fair both for the Love of Man and the Blessing of God Righteousness exalts a Nation when Sin in general and Injustice in particular is the Reproach and Ruine of any People 1. Sir John Fitz-James of whom we have mentioned before in remarkable Justice was by King Henry the Eighth advanced to be Chief Justice of the King's-Bench 2. Sir Matthew Hale of whom we have mentioned as another Great Example of Justice was presently so taken Notice of by the Eye of the World that he was imployed in his Practice by all the King's Party he was assigned Council to the Earl of Strafford Arch-bishop Laud King Charles the First the Duke of Hamilton the Earl of Holland and the Lord Capel Afterwards being Councel for the Lord Craven he pleaded with that force of Argument that the then Attorney-General threarned him for appearing against the Government To whom he answered He was Pleading in Defence of those Laws which they declared they would maintain and preserve and he was doing his Duty to his Client so that he was not to be daunted with Threatnings Upon all these occasions he had discharged himself with so much Learning Fidelity and Courage that he came to be generally imployed for all that Party and afterwards Cromwel resolving to take him off from that Party endeavoured to promote him
somewhat not obscurely pointed at by them 5. Thales Milesius by help of the Stars foretold an abundance of Olives that should be the Year following Arist Pol. l. 1. c. 7. 6. In the Reign of Theodosius there appear'd a Star shooting forth Beams in the shape of a Sword and in the time of Sultan Scilim an infinite Number of Crosses appear'd shining in the Air which foreshewed the Loss he afterward receiv'd by the Christians Gaffarel unheard of Curios Part 2. Ch. 3. And who knows not that the Emperor Pertinax was forewarn'd of his Death three Days before by a certain Vision that seem'd to threaten him in a Pond with a drawn Sword in his Hand Idem ibid. 7. Appian hath reckon'd up what miraculous things were seen and heard before the breaking out of the Civil Wars as fearful Voices and strange running up and down of Horses which no Body could see Pliny hath likewise set down those that were heard in the same manner before the Cymbrian War and among the rest divers Voices that were heard from Heaven and dreadful Alarms sounded by certain terrible Trumpets Before the Lacedemonians were overthrown at the Battle of Leuctra the Arms in the Temple were heard to make a Noise of their own Accord and about the same time at Thebes the Gates of the Temple of Hercules open'd of themselves without any Man touching thee and the Arms that hung against the Wall were found cast on the Ground as Cicero reports the Story lib. de Div. not without the great Astonishment of the Beholders At the time that Milliades went against the Persians divers strange Sights foreshew'd what the Event would be and that I may trouble my self to reckon up these Wonders no longer you may have recourse to Livy who for having been so copious in his Stories of this Nature is thought fit by some Authors to be stiled a Tragedian rather than an Historian Gaffarel unheard of Curios par 2. c. 3. Cicerone de Divin Val. Max. l. 1. Ces l. 1. de Bell. Civ Malleal de Nob. c. 30. c. 8. Constantine the Great marching towards Rome with an Army of 9000 Foot and 8000 Horse against the Tyrant Maxentius and musing with himself unto what God he should address his Prayers for Success for as yet he was not settled fully in the Christian Faith and considering withal that his Predecessors who had worshipp'd many Gods and put their Trust in them had very often miscarry'd and that on the contrary his Father that had only worshipped one and the true God had a happy Reign and was still preserved from many Dangers he therefore resolved to adore that God only which his Father had served and upon that prayed earnestly to God to reveal himself to him and to prosper him in his Journey and whilst he was thus praying lifting up his Eyes to Heaven about Noon-day he beheld the Sign of a Cross lively figured in the Air with this Inscription In hoc Vince by this Overcome himself and all his Army wondring at so strange a Prodigy and being much troubled in his Mind to know the meaning of it the next Night following Christ appear'd to him in his Sleep commanding him to make the like Figure and Banner and to carry it against his Enemies Whereupon the next day imparting the Vision to his Friends he sent for the best Goldsmiths and Lapidaries to make the like Cross with Gold and precious Stones and resolved to worship that God only who thus appear'd to him Afterwards with great courage he went forwards bearing before him and his Victorious Army instead of the Imperial Eagle the form of this Vision upon his Standard Maxentius as much depending upon his Sorcerers was no less confident of Victory for the furtherance whereof he framed a deceitful Bridge over Tiber to intrap Constantine and sent out divers Armies to oppose him before he should come near the City But Constantine trusting only in God overthrew at the first Encounter his first second and third Armies and so marching thro' all Italy he brought his Victorious Ensigns near the Walls of Rome Hereupon Maxentius led forth his Army above a mile from Rome and joyned Battle with Constantine but being overcharged with Constantine's Vantguard he with the rest of his Army fled and either thro' Haste or Forgetfulness took over the Deceitful Bridge which he had made to entrap Constantine with where they had no sooner enter'd but it fell asunder and so they were all drown'd Clark in vit Constantin p. 4. Centuria Magdeburg ex Eusebiâ— 9. In the Reign of Justinian there was such a prodigious Sight seen about the Sun that the like had not been seen or heard of before The Sun for the greatest part of the Year gave so little Light that it was but equal to the Light of the Moon and yet at the same time the Sky was clear without Clouds or any thing to obscure it after which there followed a great Famine and much War and Bloodshed Idem in vit Justinian Tho' the Centurians of Magdeburgh are silent in the Case and make no mention of it notwithstanding they undertake to record all the Prodigies and Wonders that happen'd in the Reigns of the several Emperors however I offer it only upon the Credit of my Author who lays it wholly at Evagrius his Door 10. Gasper Cruciger â—s he lay in his Bed in the Night Nov. 6. A. C. 1548. Seeing a Prodigy which then happen'd viz. A great Chasm in the Heaven and in some places Fire falling to the Earth and flying up again into the Air much bewailed the great Commotions and Dusipations in the Church which he foresaw by this Prodigy Fuller Abel Rediv. p. 145. 11. Mr John Lewis a Learned Justice of Peace in Cardiganshire speaking concerning the strange and usual Appearance of Lights call'd in Welch Dead Mens Candles before Mortality hath these Words This is ordinary in most of our Counties that I never searce heard of any Young or Old but this is seen before Death and often observ'd to part from the Body of the Persons all along the way to the place of Burial and infallibly Death will ensue Now Sir It is worth your Resolution whether this may proceed from God or no it is commonly imputed to the Igneous Air of the Counties But that evil Spirits can come by so much Knowledge as to be always so infallible tho' herein I confess them very vast and be so favourable and officious unto man as to be such seasonable monitors of his Dissolution and to give so much Discovery of Spiritual Essences and the Immortality I doubt whether they mean us so much Good as this Some Wiles I confess they may have by such Appearance but it carries the Benefits mention'd with it whereas their Disappearance makes more for Infidelity and Atheism But this I leave to your Judgment begging Pardon for this Boldness in diverting you from your far better Thoughts and seeing
Brugis for W. Thackery at the Angel in Duck-Lane Let part of France and part of Germany and Spain look to it for they either offensively or defensively shall batter themselves or some other People and in as much as it is gotten into Capricorn I pray God keep the Dominions of Great Britain in Peace because under Capricorn is the North part of Sotland for it is much to be feared the Scots may once more Rebel against England c. And at last I shall now conclude with this Astrological prediction that within this five years all Europe shall go near to be up in Arms. Multi multa sciunt sed nemo omnia Thus far my Author too truely 12. A Neighbour and Friend of mine in Shropshire with whom I have had several discourses about the Lawfulness and certainty of Astrology always asserted the Lawfulness of it because he saw nothing but what was natural in it but confessed the uncertainty of it in many cases as others have done before him not through default of the Art but the Weakness and Unskilfulness of the Artist And he mentioned some particular Instances of his own Experiments wherein he had hit upon the Truth as particularly when one Captain C. near Salop had lost a Horse out of his Stable he was sent for and desired to cast a Figure which he accordingly did and gave such a particular description of the Man that had stole him and the way he was gone that by Virtue of his Directions the Horse was presently found His other Instances I remember not but he was reputed an honest Farmer a good Neighbour and a very facetious Man I suppose he is stil lliving 13. Prophesies Extracted from the Miscellanies of John Aubrey Esq to pass by the Prophesies of Holy-Writ the Prophesies of Nostraedamus do foretel very strangely but not easily understood till they are fulfilled The Book is now common In a Book of Mr. William Lilly's are Hieroglyphick Prophesies Viz. Of the great Plague of London expressed by Graves and Dead Corps and a Scheme with II ascending the Sign of London and no Planets in the XII Houses Also there is the Picture of London all on Fire also Moles creeping c. Perhaps Mr. Lilly might be contented to have People believe that this was from himself But Mr. Thomas Flatman Poet did affirm that he had seen those Hieroglyphicks in an old Parchment Manuscript Writ in the time of the Monks 14. There is a Prophecy of William Tyndal poor Vicar of Welling in the County of Hertford made in the beginning of Queen Elizabeth's Reign I have seen it It is in English Verse two Pages and an half in Folio It fore-told our late Wars I know one that read it Forty Years since 15. Before the Civil-Wars there was much talk of the Lady Ann Davys's Prophesies for which she was kept Prisoner in the Tower of London She was Sister to the Earl of Castlehaven and Wife to Sir John Davys Lord Chief Justice in Ireland I have heard his Kinsman Counsellor Davys of Shraftsbury say that she being in London I think in the Tower did tell the very time of her Husbands Death in Ireland Thus far Mr. Aubrey CHAP. XII Of ORACLES ALL that I propound to my self under this Head is to shew not what Illusions and Impostures were used by the Priests to Cheat the poor Votaries with that Addressed to them much less to vindicate them from the Frauds of Ambiguity and Vanity but to evince this That by them God Almighty permitted sometimes Things otherwise Secret and Future to be made known and this by the mediation of invisible Spirits as the Agents that some Responses were given by Oracles which could not be imputed to the Artifice of a Mechanical Statue nor yet to the Wit of the Priest that officiated As for Instance among the Heathen Oracles for such only I mean this place 1. The Oracle of Delphos the most Famed of all other being consulted for a Resolution of this Question Who was the most happy Man The Answer was made Phedius who died but a while before in the Service of his Countrey The same Question being sent a second time by Gyges one of the greatest Kings in those days of all the Earth viz. Who was the happiest Man next to Phedius The Answer was made Aglaus Sophidius This Aglaus was a good honest Man well stricken in Years dwelling in a very narrow Corner of Arcadia where he had a little House and Land of his own sufficient with the yearly Profits thereof to maintain him plentifully with ease out of which he never went but employed himself in the Tillage and Husbandry of it to make the best benefit he could in such manner that as it appeared by that course of Life as he coveted least so he felt as little Trouble and Adversity while he lived Plin. Nat. Hist l. 7. c. 46. 2. Julian the Apostate Op. p. 181. Ep. 38. makes frequent mention of Oracles in his time particularly in an Epistle to Maximus the Cynick concerning whose Trouble he had by another though at a great distance Consulted the Oracle and received an Apposite Answer Doctor Tenison against Hobbs The Doctor adds also that which is to my purpose viz. I cannot prevail upon my Mind to think that the Priests had no Assistance from Daemons 3. Extracted from the Miscellanies of Mr. Aubrey Hieronimus Cardanus Lib. III. Synesiorum Somniorum Cap. XV. treats of this Subject which see Johannes Scotus Erigena when he was in Greece did go to an Oracle to Enquire for a Treatise of Aristotle and found it by the Response of the Oracle This he mentions in his Works lately Printed at Oxford and is quoted by Mr. Anthony à Wood in his Antiquities of Oxen in his Life 4. Concerning the Oracles of the Sybils there hath been much Controversie and many Discourses spent but after all we have little of their Writings to rely upon excepting only those of the Cumaean Prophetess and those especially which are Recorded by Virgil yet that very same Year that Jerusalem was taken by Pompey it was noised abroad in the World That Nature was with Child for the People of Rome of a King that should Reign over them Whereupon as Suetonius writeth in the Life of Augustus the Senate being affrighted made Order That none Born in that Year should be brought up They who had Wives great with Child promising themselves some hopes thereupon took care lest this Decree of the Senate should be carried to the Treasury The same Year P. Cornelius Lentulus was stirred up therewith conceiving some hopes for himself as both Appian Plutarch Salustius and Cicero in his third Oration against Cataline testifie c. The Verses of the Sybils which gave occasion to these Thoughts and Counsels were these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
his own great Abilities after Courtesies of Courage had passed between them My Lord says the Duke I know your Lordship hath very worthily good Accesses unto the King our Soveraign let me pray you to put His Majesty in Mind to be good as I no way distrust to my poor Wife and Children at which Words or at his Countenance in the Delivery or at both my Lord Bishop being somewhat troubled took the freedom to ask him whether he had never any secret Abodement in his Mind No reply'd the Duke but I think some Adventure way kill me as well as another Man The very day before he was slain feeling some indisposition of Body the King was pleased to give him the Honour of a visit and found him in his Bed where and after much serious and private Discourse the Duke at his Majesty's departing embraced him in a very unusual and passionate Manner and in like sort to his Friend the Earl of Holland as if his Soul divined he should see them no more which infusions towards fatal End had been observed by some Authors of no Light Authority On the very day of his Death the Countess of Denbigh receiv'd a Letter from him whereupon all the while she was writing her Answer she bedew'd the Paper with her Tears And after a most bitter Passion whereof she could yield no Reason but that her dearest Brother was to be gone she fell down in a Swoon Her said Letter endeth thus I will pray for your happy Return which I look at with a great Cloud over my Head too heavy for my poor Heart to bear without torment but I hope the great God of Heaven will bless you The day following the Bishop of Ely her devoted Friend who was thought the fittest Preparer of her Mind to receive such a doleful Accident came to visit her but hearing she was at rest he attended till she should awake of her self which she did with the Affrightments of a Dream her Brother seeming to pass thorough a Field with her in her Coach where hearing of a sudden Shout of the People and asking the reason it was answer'd to have been for Joy that the Duke of Buckingham was sick Which natural Impression she source had related unto her Gentlewoman before the Bishop was entred into her Bed-Chamber for a chosen Messenger of the Duke's Death This is all I dare present of that Nature or any of Judgment not unwillingly omitting certain Prognostick Anagrams and such strains of Fancy Sir Henry Wooton 's Short View of the Life and Death of George Villiers Duke of Buckingham p. 25 26. 2. When Alexander went by Water to Babylon a sudden Wind arising blew off the Regal Ornament of his Head and the Diadem fixt to it This was lookt upon as a Presage of Alexander's Death which happen'd soon after 3. In the year of Christ 1185. the last and most fatal end of Andronicus Commenus being at Hand the Statute of St. Paul which the Emperor had caused to be set up in the great Church of Constantinople abundantly wept Nor were these Tears in vain which the Emperor washt off with his own Blood 4. Barbara Princess of Bavaria having shut her self up in a Nunnery among other things allow'd her for her peculiar Recreation she had a Marjoram-Tree of an extraordinary bigness a small Aviary and a Gold Chain which she wore about her Neck But 14 Days before she died the Marjoram-Tree dried up the Birds the next Night were all found dead and after that the Chain broke in two in the middle Then Barbara calling for the Abbess told her that all those Warnings were for her and in a few Days after died in the Seventeenth year of her Age After her Death above twenty other Virgins died out of the same Nunnery Several other Presages there are that foretold the death of Princes and great Men As the unwonted Howlings of Dogs the unseasonable Noise of Bells the Roaring of Lions c. Concerning Dead Mens Lights seen often in Wales take this following Story 5. A Man and his Family being all in Bed about Midnight and awake he could perceive a Light entring a little Room where he lay and one after another of some Dozen in the shape of Men and two or three Women with small Children in their Arms entring in and they seemed to dance and the Room to be far wider and lighter than formerly they did seem to eat Bread and Cheese all about a kind of a Stick upon the Ground they offer'd him Meat and would smile upon him he could perceive no Voice but he once calling upon God to bless him he could perceive the Whisper of a Voice in Welsh bidding him hold his Peace being about four Hours thus he did what he could to awake his Wife and could not they went out into another Room and after some dancing departed and then he arose yet being but a very small Room he could not find the Door nor the way to Bed until crying out his Wife and Family awaked Being within about two Miles of me I sent for the Man who is an honest poor Husbandman and of good Report And I made him believe I would put him to his Oath for the Truth of this Relation who was ready to take it Attested by Mr. John Lewis a learned Justice of Peace in Cardigan-shire Hist Discourse of Appar and Witches p. 130. 6. Mr. Flavel in his Treatise of the Soul says I have with good Assurance this Account of a Minister who being alone in a Journey and willing to make the best Improvement he could of the Days Solitude set himself upon a close Examination of the State of his Soul and then of the Life to come and the manner of its being and living in Heaven in the Views of all those things which are now pure Objects of Faith and Hope after a while he perceiv'd his Thoughts begin to fix and come closer to these great astonishing things than was usual and as his Mind settled upon them his Affections began to rise with answerable Liveliness and Vigour He therefore whilst he was yet Master of his own Thoughts lift up his Heart to God in a short Ejaculation that God would so order it in his Providence that he might meet with no Interruption from Company or any other Accident in that Journey which was granted him For in all the Days Journey he neither met overtook or was overtaken by any Thus going on his way his Thoughts began to rise and swell higher and higher like the Waters in Ezekiel's vision till at last they became an overflowing Flood Such was the Intention of his Mind such the ravishing Tastes of Heavenly Joys and such the full Assurance of his Interest therein that he utterly lost the Sight and Sense of this World and all the concerns thereof and for some hours knew no more where he was than if he had been in a deep sleep upon his Bed At last he began to perceive
Zealand where living in a great deal of Ease he fell in Love with a Woman of a Beautiful Body and a mind and manners no whit inferior He passed and repassed by her Door soon after grew bolder entered into Conference with her discovers his Flame and beseeches a Compassionate Resentment of it he makes large Promises and uses all the ways by which he hoped to gain her but all in vain Her Chastity was proof against all the Batteries he could raise against it falling therefore into Dispair he converts himself unto Villany He was as I said a Governour and Duke Charles was busied in War he causes the Husband of his Mistriss to be Accused of Treachery and forth with Commits him to Prison to the end that by Fear or Threats he might draw her to his pleasure or at least quit himself of her Husband the only Rival with him in his Loves The Woman as one that loves her Husband goes to the Goal and thence to the Governour to entreat for him and if she was able to obtain his Liberty Dost thou come O my Dear to entreat me said the Governour You are certainly ignorant of the Empire you have over me Render me only a mutual Affection and I am ready to restore you your Husband for we are both under a Restraint he is in my Prison and I am in yours Ah how easily may you give Liberty to us both Why do you refuse As a Lover I beseech you and as you tender my Life as the Governour I ask you and as you tender the Life of your Husband both are at stake and if I must perish I will not fall alone The Woman blush'd at what she heard and withal being in Fear for her Husband trembled and turned pale He perceiving she was mov'd and supposing that some Force should be used to her Modesty they were alone throws her upon the Bed and enjoys the Fruit which will shortly prove bitter to them both The Woman departed Confounded and all in Tears thinking of nothing more but Revenge which was also the more enflamed by a Barbarous Act of the Governour for he having obtained his desire and hoping hereafter freely to enjoy her took care that her Husband and his Rival should be Beheaded in the Goal and there was the Body put into a Coffin ready for Burial This done he sent for her and in an Affable manner What said he do you seek for your Husband You shall have him and pointing to the Prison you shall find him there take him along with you The Woman suspecting nothing went her way when there she sees and is astonished she falls upon the dead Corps and having long lamented over it she returns to the Governour with a fierce Countenance and Tone It is true said she you have restored me my Husband I owe you Thanks for the Favour and will pay you He endeavours to retain and appease her but in vain but hasting home she calls about her most faithful Friends recounts to them all that had passed All agree that she should make her Case known to the Duke who amongst other of his excellent Virtues was a singular Lover of Justice To whom she went and was heard but scarce believed The Duke is angry and grieved that any of his and in his Dominions should presume so far He commands her to withdraw into the next Room till he sent for the Governour who by chance was then at Court being come do you know said the Duke this Woman The Man changed colour do you know too added he the Complaints she makes of you They are sad ones and such as I would not they should be true He shakes faulters in his Speech says and unsays being urged home he confesses all frees the Woman from any fault and casting himself at the Duke's Feet said he placed all his Refuge and Comfort in the good Grace and Mercy of his Prince and that he might the better obtain it he offered to make amends for his unlawful Lust by a Lawful Marriage of the Person whom he had injured The Duke as one that had inclined to what he said and now somewhat milder You Woman said he since it is gone thus far are you willing to have this Man for your Husband She refuses but fearing the Duke's Displeasure and prompted by the Courtiers that he was Noble Rich and in Favour with his Prince was overcome at last she yields The Duke causes both to joyn Hands and the Marriage to be lawfully made which done You Mr. Bridegroom said he You must grant me this that if you die first without Children of your Body that then this Wife of yours shall be the Heir of all that you have he willingly granted it it is writ down by a Notary and witness is to it Thus done the Duke turning to the Woman Tell me said he is there enough done for your satisfaction There is said she But there is not to mine said he And sending the Woman away he commanded the Governour to be led away to that very Prison in which the Husband was slain and dead to be laid in a Coffin headless as he was This done he sent the Woman thither ignorant of what had passed who frighted with that unthought of Misfortune of two Husbands almost at once and the same time lost by one and the same Punishment fell sick speedily and in a short time died having gain'd this only by her last Marriage that she left her Children by her former Husband very rich by the Accession of this new and great Inheritance Lips Monit Lib. 2. Chap. 9. P. 240 241. 3. Sir John Fitz-James was so fearful of the very Shadow and Appearance of Corruption that it cost his chief Clerk his place but for taking a Tankard after a signal Cause of 1500 l. a Year wherein he had been serviceable tho not as a Bribe but as a Civility Caesar would have his Wife without Suspition of Lewdness and Fitz-James his Servants without the appearance of Corruption What way Law always was then a Resolution neither to deny nor defer nor sell Justice When our Judge came upon the Bench he knew no more than Melchisedeck or Levi Father or Mother neither Friend nor Interest For when his Cousin urged for a kindness Come to my House saith the Judge I will deny you nothing come to the King's Court and I must do you Justice And when the Attorney-General bespake his Favour in a publick Cause Troble not your self said he I will do the King Right The King is cast the Attorney expostulates the Judge satisfieth him That he could not do his Majesty Right if he had not done Justice Lloyd 's State Worthies p. 115. 4. Sir Matthew Hale would never receive private Addresses or Recommendations from the greatest Persons in any matter in which Justice was concern'd One of the first Peers of England went once to his Chamber and told him that having a Sute at Law to be try'd before
flown away in this Rapture from them all Then lying down quietly in her Bed she thus spake Why are you all silent Where is my Minister Sir what did you think of me when I was in this late strange posture Did not you imagine me to be mad No said he but it was very strange to us c. So surely it was said she it was very strange But will you know how it surprized me At this Morning before you came to pray with me being alone I prayed to God That he would not absent himself for ever but that once before my Death he would reveal Christ unto me and give me some sence and feeling of his Love and that he would open the Brasen-Gates of this hard Heart of mine that the King of Glory might enter in Presently after even as soon as you had ended your Prayer this sudden Fit of unsupportable Joy and Feeling surprized me and with great violence did rush upon me so that I could not contain myself but made that sudden Outcry among you all But I must confess to you that I knew not neither do remember what I said Only I beseech you to make use of it hereafter to all that shall be in my Case After me never despair of any how desperately miserable soever their Case be which at worst cannot exceed mine but use and apply the means unto them and that will prevaile at length I sought for that in the Law which was to be found only in the Gospel c. O pray pray pray O give Thanks for now you have it you have it you have it About four a Clock in the Afternoon she suddenly fell into such another Rapture of Joy unspeakable professing that her frail Flesh was overcome with it Next Morning her Mother finding her dressed in a strange and unusual manner all in White she told her as also Mr. Dod and Dr. Preston she desired to be buried so After Prayers and Praises and divers suitable Instructions to the Family and her Father and Thanks to the Minister c. whilst at Prayer her Hands falling and Lips moving she sunk down in Bed and resigned up her Spirit to God Dr. Preston preach'd her Funeral Sermon See her Life called Mrs. Drake revived also Clark's Lives 11. Mrs. Katherine Stubs having made a most heavenly Confession of her Faith at large with a sweet lively aimiable Countenance red as the Rose and most beautiful to behold she had no sooner made an end but Satan was ready to bid her the Combat upon which on a sudden she bent her Brows she frowned and looking as it were with an angry stern and austere Countenance as though she saw some filthy some ugly displeasing thing the burst forth into these speeches following How now Satan what mak'st thou here Art thou come to tempt the Lord's Servant I tell thee thou Hell-hound thou hast no part nor portion in me nor by the grace of God ever shalt have I was now am and ever shall be the Lords yea Satan I was chosen an Elect of God to everlasting Salvation before the foundation of the World was laid and therefore thou must get thee packing thou damned Dog and go shake thy Ears for in me thou hast nought But what doest thou lay to my charge thou foul Fiend Ah! that I am a Sinner and therefore shall be Damned I confess indeed that I am a Sinner and a grievous Sinner both by original Sin and actual Sin and that I may thank thee for and therefore Satan I bequeath my sin unto thee from whence it first came and appeal to the Mercy of God in Christ Jesus Christ came to save Sinners as he himself saith and not Righteous Behold the Lamb of God saith John that taketh away the Sins of the World And in another place he crieth out The Blood of Jesus Christ doth cleanse us from all Sins c. Objection O but God is a just God thou sayest and therefore in Justice must needs condemn me Answer I grant Satan that he is a just God and therefore he cannot in Justice punish me for my Sins which he hath punished already in his own Son It is against the Law of Justice to punish any Fault twice I was and am a great Debtor unto God the Father but Jesus Christ hath paid that Debt for me and therefore it stands not with the Justice of God to require it again and therefore avoid Satan avoid thou Fire-brand of Hell avoid thou damned Dog and tempt me no more for he that is with me is mightier then thou even the mighty and victorious Lion of the Tribe of Juda who hath bruised thy Head and hath promised to be with his Children to the End of the World Avoid therefore thou Dastard avoid thou cowardly Soldier remove thy Siege and yield the Field won and get thee packing or else I will call upon my Grand Captain Christ Jesus the Valiant Michael who beat thee in Heaven and threw thee down into Hellwith all thy hellish Train and devilish Crew She had scarcely pronounced these last Words but she fell suddenly into a sweet smiling Laughter saying Now he is gone now he is gone do you not see him run like a Coward and run away like a beaten Cock He has lost the Field and I have won the Vistory even the Garland and Crown of everlasting Life and that not by my own Power and Strength but by the Power and Might of Jesus Christ who hath sent his holy Angels to keep me And speaking to them that were by she said O would to God you saw what I see for behold I see infinite Millions of most glorious Angels stand about me with fiery chariots ready to defend me as they did the good Prophet Elias These holy Angels these ministring Spirits are appointed of God to carry my Soul into the Kingdom of Heaven where I shall behold the Lord face to face c. Now I am happy and blessed for ever for I have fought the good Fight and by the might of Christ have won the Victory Come sweet Chrict come my Lord Jesus c. then singing a Psalm most sweetly and desiring the 133th Psalm might be sung before her to Church and desiring her Husband not to mourn for her on a sudden she seemed as it were greatly to rejoyce and looked chearfully as though she had seen some glorious Sight and lifting up her whole Body and stretching forth her Arms as though she would embrace some glorious and pleasant thing said I thank my God through Jesus Christ he is come he is come my good Goaler is come to let my Soul out of Prison O sweet Death thou art welcome welcome sweet Death never was there any Guest so welcome unto me as thou art welcome the Meslenger of everlasting Life welcome the Door and Entrance into everlasting Glory welcome I say and thrice welcome my good Goalor do thy Office quickly and set my Soul at liberty strike sweet
One Lord's Day my Father with his Family being at Dinner in our Hall comes in one of our Neighbours whose name was Francis Heathman and ask'd where Ann was we told him she was in her Chamber Upon this he goes into her Chamber to see for her and not seeing her he calls her she not answering he feels up and down in the Chamber for her but not finding her comes and tells us she was not in her Chamber As soon as he had said this she comes out of her Chamber to us as we were fitting at Table and tells him she was in her Chamber and saw him and heard him call her and see him feel up and down the Chamber for her and had almost felt her but he could not see her altho' she saw him notwithstanding she was at the same time at the Table in her Chamber eating her Dinner One Day these Fairies gave my Sister Mary the now Wife of Mr. Humph. Martyn then about four Years of Age a Silver Cup that held about a Quart bidding her give it my Mother and she did bring it my Mother but my Mother would not accept of it but bid her carry it to them again which she did I presume this was the time my Sister owns she saw the Fairies I confess to your Lordship I never did see them I had almost forgot to tell your Lordship that Ann would tell what People would come to her several Days before they came and from whence and at what time they would come I have seen Ann in the Orchard dancing among the Trees and she told me she was then dancing with the Fairies The great Noise of the many strange Cures Ann did and also her living without eating our Victuals she being fed as she said by these Fairies caus'd both Neighbour-Magistrates and Ministers to resort to my Father's House and talk with her and strictly examined her about the Matters here related and she gave them very rational Answers to all those Questions they then asked hâ—â— for by this time she was well recovered out of her Sickness and Fits and her natural Parts and Understanding much improved my Father and all his Family affirming the Truth of all we saw The Ministers endeavoured to perswade her they were evil Spirits that resorted to her and that it was the Delusion of the Devil but how could that be when she did no Hurt but Good to all that came to her for Cure of their Distempers and advised her not to go to them when they call'd her Upon these Admonitions of the Ministers and Magistrates our Ann was not a little troubled and concerned not well knowing what to do in this case However that Night after the Magistrates and Ministers were gone my Father with his Family sitting at a great Fire in his Hall Ann being also present she spake to my Father and saith Now they call meaning the Fairies we all of us urg'd her not to go In less then half a quarter of an Hour she saith Now they call a second time we encouraged her again not to go to them By and by she saith Now they call a third time upon which away to her Chamber she went to them of all these three Calls of the Fairies none heard them but Ann After she had been in her Chamber some time she came to us again with a Bible in her Hand and tells us that when she came to the Fairies they said to her What has there been some Magistrates and Ministers with you and disswaded you from coming my more to us saying we are evil Spirits and that it was all the Delusion of the Devil Pray desire them to read that place of Scripture in the first Epistle of St. John chap. 4. ver 1. Dearly beloved believe not every Spirit but try the Spirits whether they are of God c. This place of Scripture was turn'd down to in the said Bible I told your Lordship before Ann could not read After this one John Tregeagle Esq who was Steward to the late John Earl of Radnor being then a Justice of Peace in Cornwall sent his Warrant for Ann and sent her to Bodmin Goal and there kept her a long time That day the Constable came to execute his Warrant Ann milking the Cows the Fairies appeared to her and told her that a Constable would come that day with a Warrant for to carry her before a Justice of Peace and she would be sent to Goal She ask'd them if she should hide herself they answered her No she should fear nothing but go with the Constable So she went with the Constable to the Justice and he lent her to Bodmin Goal and ordered the Prison-Keeper that she should be kept without Victuals and she was so kept and yet she lived and that without complaining When the Sessions came the Justices of the Peace sent their Warrant to one Giles Bawden a Neighbour of ours who was then Constable for my Mother and my self to appear before them at that Sessions to answer such Questions as should be demanded of us about our poor Maid Ann Bodmin was eight Miles from my Father's When we came to the Sessions the first that was call'd in before the Justices was my Mother what Questions they ask'd her I do not remember When they had done examining her they desired her to withdraw As soon as she came forth I was brought it and called to the upper end of the Table to be examined and there was I suppose him to be the Clerk of the Peace with his Pen ready in his Hand to take my Examination I do not remember that they did put me to my Oath The first Question they ask'd me was What have you got in your Pockets I answered Nothing Sir but my Cuffs which I immediately pluck'd out of my Pocket and shewed them Their second Question to me was If I had any Victuals in my Pocket for my Maid Ann I answered I had not and so they dismiss'd me as well as my Mother But poor Ann lay in Goal for a considerable time after and also Justice Tregeagle who was her great Persecutor kept her in his House sometimes as a Prisoner and that without Victuals And at last when Ann was discharged out of Prison the Justices made an Order that Ann should not live any more with my Father Whereupon my Father 's only Sister Mrs. Frances Tom a Widow near Padstow took Ann into her Family and there she lived a considerable time and did many great Cures but what they were my Kinsman Mr. Will. Tom who then lived in the House with his Mother can give your Lordship the best Account of any that I know living except Ann her self And from thence she went to live with her own Brother and in process of time Married as afore-said And now my Lord if your Lordship expects that I should give you an Account when and upon what occasion these Fairies forsook our Ann I must tell your
his Creatures that depend upon him for every bit of Bread they eat and are not able to stand a moment upon their Legs without him grow bold in confidence of their own Faculties as if they were a kind of Demi-gods upon Earth Absolute and Soveraign without any dependance upon Heaven 1. Arimazes having garrison'd a very strong and steep Rock in the Sogdian Country with Thirty Thousand Men sent to Alexander the Great who demanded it to know whether he could flee or not But the next Day he was taken together with his strong Hold and nailed to a Cross God delights to confute Men in their Confidences that they that are his way run to the Rock of Ages Isa 26.4 to that Arx roboris of his Holy Name which alone is impregnable and inexpugnable 2. The Spaniards in 1588. called their Navy the Invincible Armado but it proved otherwise and that upon St. James's Dayâ— whom they count their Patron and Tutelary Saint Trapp 3. The Lord Mordant afterwards Earl of Peterborough being a Papist and desirous to draw his Lady to the same Religion he was willing that there should be a Meeting of two Eminent Parsons of each Party to dispute what might be in Controversie between them The Lady made choice of our Lord Primate and prevailed with him though newly recovered from a long Sickness and scarce able to take such a Journey The Jesuite chosen by the Earl went under the Name of Beaumond but his true Name was Rookwood Brother to Ambrose Rookwood one of the Gunpowder Traytors The Place of Meeting was at Drayton in Northamptonshire where there was a great Library so that no Books of the Ancient Fathers were wanting upon occasion for their View The Points to be disputed on were concerning Transubstantiation Invocation of Saints Worshipping of Images and the Visibility of the Church Three Days they were in this Disputation three Hours in the Forenoon and two in the Afrernoon each Day and the Conclusion was this after the third Day 's Meeting The Lord Primate having been hitherto Opponent now the Tables were to be turned and the Jesuite according to his desire was to oppose and the Lord Primate to answer But when the time came the Jesuite was expected instead of coming he sent his Excuse to the Lord Mordant which was That all the Arguments which he had framed in his Head and premeditated so that he thought he had them as perfect as his Pater-Noster were now slipt from him and he could not possibly recover them again and that he believed it was a just Judgment of God upon him for undertaking of himself to dispute with a Man of that Eminency and Learning without a License from his Superiors The Lord Mordant seeing his Tergiversation upon some further Discourse with the Lord Primate was converted and became a Protestant and so continued to his Death One Challoner a Secular Priest afterwards writing a Book against this Beaumond by way of Scorn bids him beware of coming any more to Drayton lest he should meet with another Vsher to foil him again to the Dishonour of his Profession and himself See his Life 4. A little before the late horrid Conspiracy against the Life of our present Soveraign King William the III. in an exempt Chappel within three Miles of Norwich one preached on those Words Jer. 24.10 and near the time of the intended Assassination on Jer. 46.10 For this is the day of the Lord God of Hosts a day of Vengeance that he may avenge himself on his Adversaries and the Sword shall devour and it shall be satisfied and made drunk with their Blood for the Lord God of Hosts hath a Sacrifice in the North Country by the River Euphrates One Mr. Trinder also a noted Justice of Peace in Middlesex in the Reign of King James to his Nephew in the Earl of Arran's Regiment in a Letter dated at Paris Feb. 1695. writes thus viz. Sir Notwithstanding your great Confidence in your Hero and your great Ingratitude to your Friend your Repentance shall not be too late if the Effects of it appear within a Month after the Receipt of this Advertisement from your Friend J. T. Another great French Man in a Letter to a Friend concluded That the whole English Nation would be a miserable Field of Blood c. And the Courtiers of France and some of them bragg'd That King James was not gone to invade but to take possession of his Kingdom Nay the D. of B. was so confident of Success in this Business that he told the French King he scrupled not within three Months but he should be sent over by King James to give him Thanks in way of Embassy for all his Kindness to him since he left his Kingdoms A Declaration was drawn up printed and dispersed on purpose to cajole the People of England into false Hopes of a Relaxation of Taxes perpetual Parliaments and the Preservation of the Protestant Religion c. Transport Ships were ready and Soldiers to the number of 20000 to embark at Callis Bullen Dunkirk c. And the French King caused to be delivered 100000 Lewis ' d'ores to the late King desiring him to hasten his Departure for that all things were in readiness and so took his leave of him wishing him a prosperous undertaking promising as soon as he posted himself in England he would supply him with more Troops The Pope's Nuncio likewise pronounced a solemn Benediction upon the Enterprize and the Jesuites had begg'd Chelsea-College for themselves the Image of St. Victor was bestowed upon the Army as an auspicious Omen And yet after these Preparations and great Confidences when they thought all cock-sure the Descent was hindred by the Winds the Counsels took air in England and by Divine Providence the Authors of the Conspiracy discovered and several of them brought to condign Punishment The Impartial History of the Plots and Conspiracies against King William p. 30 31 c. CHAP. CXXXIV Divine Judgments upon Bribery and Injustice SHould any one saith Bishop Latimer in a Sermon preached at Court ask me which was the readiest way to Hell I would answer First be Covetous secondly take Bribes thirdly pervert Judgment and Justice There 's the Mother and her two Daughters I will add fourthly a Tyburn Tippet Hangum Twinum for him If saith he to his Majesty I were King and any of my Judges should thus suffer themselves to be corrupted and pervert Justice tho' he were my Lord Chief Justice himself as God shall judge me I would make Quondams of every Man of them If not in these Words yet to this purpose Sure I am God Almighty doth ring very sharp Peals of his Wrath and Vengeance by the Prophets in the Ears of his People Israel for this very Sin and there is no doubt but he is as severely angry with it in all Ages even to this Day 1. A. C. 1289. A. 16. Edw. I. upon the general Accounts made of the ill Administration of Justice in