giue themselues ouer to all idolatry against whom there is a decree ordained in the thirteenth of Deutronomie by the lawgiuer of heauen which is this If the inhabitants of any cittie haue turned from the Lord to follow after strange Gods let them be destroied with the edge of their sword and their cittie consumed with fire that they may bee vtterly rased out and brought to nothing This was the sinne of Salomon King of Israell a braue and mightie kingdome in his time a man subiect to none for power 1. King 11. nor fearing any for authoritie yet for all this so filthily recoiling from the truth which hee knew and had professed that in stead of seruing the true God he became a setter vp of false Idols and that of his owne free will and pleasure he that had beene so well brought vp and instructed from his childhood in true religion by his schoolemaister the Prophet Nathan into whose charge he was committed and so often and earnestly admonished by his father Dauid to obserue diligētly the law of God to direct his waies thereby and whom God vouchsafed this honour to appeare twise vnto and to enrich and adorne with such excellent wisdome that the queene of Saba hearing his report came to Ierusalem to bee his auditour euen this Salomon in his old age when he should haue beene most stedfast and constant suffered himselfe to be seduced by the entisements of his strange wiues and concubines to offer seruice vnto strange gods to forsake the God of heauen to worship the Idols of the Gentiles And as his renowne was great and famous before for building that sumptuous and beautifull temple at Ierusalem so was his obloquy and reproch the greater for erecting altars and chappels for the idols of his wiues and concubines euen for euery one of their idols to the intent to flatter and please their humors it was therefore iust and equall that the Lord his wrath being proueked against him raised vp two strong enemies that wrought him and his people much scath Yea moreouer Ieroboam one of his owne seruants whilest he yet liued was by the ordinance of God designed king ouer ten tribes so God punished him for his idolatry backsliding leauing him but a small portion of the kingdome to continue to his successors which had it not been for his father Dauids sake had ben also taken away It is true that we read not that he euer hindred the seruice of the temple or compelled or persuaded any man to worship an idol yet he did enough to make him culpable before God of a greeuous sin in that hee being the head soueraign magistrat of the people committed such wickednes such Apostasie in Israell beside it is a maruellous strange thing that in all his historie there is not so much as any token mentioned or to be gathered of his true repentance after this notable fall And he that wel weigheth the nature quality of this sin shal perceiue it that some what resembleth that which is spoken of in the 6. cha to the Heb. ver 4 5 6 for Salomon was not so ignorant and destitute of the knowledge of God but rather had the treasure of wisedome in fulnesse and abundance and was endowed with the gifts and graces of Gods spirit that hee was able to instruct others and to discharge a Doctors place in the church as hee also did both by word and writing And although that the sonne of God was not as then yet manifested in the flesh yet the power and efficacie of his death being euerlasting and from the beginning whereof the law with the ceremonies and sacrifices thereof was as it were a schoolemaister could not bee hidden from him therefore so soone as hee adicted himselfe to his Idolatrie hee foorthwith abandoned the holy ordinances and sacrifices of Gods law and quitted himselfe of the promise of saluation therin contained disanulling and making of none effect as concerning himselfe the grace of the mediator ordained from the beginning so that his downefall was terrible and perillous yet there be that thinke that after all this he wrote the booke of Ecclesiastes as a declaration of his repentance whose opinion I purpose not to contradict Roboam his sonne succeeded him as well in the likenesse of his sinne as of his kingdome 2. Chron. 12. for after that the priests and Leuites forsaking the part of Ieroboam because of his Idols and leauing their houses and possessions to strangers had made repaire to him for feare of God and loue of his holy seruice and that hee had disposed and put in order his publike affaires for the ratifying and confirming of his kingdome presently hee and all his people forsooke the law of God and gaue themselues ouer to Idolatrie and other greeuous sinnes wherefore the Lord also forsooke and gaue them ouer to the handes of Caesac King of Aegypt that raised vp a mightie power of men euen a thousand and two hundred chariots threescore thousand horsemen with an infinite multitude of footmen to make warre against him So that all the strong Citties and fortresses of Iuda no nor Hierusalem it selfe was strong enough to repulse him from sacking and taking them and robbing the Temple of their treasures and despoiling the Kings pallaces of his riches and carrying backe into Aegypt a rich prey of the best and beautifullest thinges that were therein And this was the first shake that euer this kingdome receiued since it was a kingdome whereby it began to waine and decline Notwithstanding all this yet the Lord had compassion and pittie of him and his people and would not suffer his dignitie to bee troden vnder foote and quite suppressed but restored him once againe into an honourable estate because when hee was reproued by Semeia the Prophet he humbled himselfe before the Lord and his Princes also which is a manifest signe that his sinne was not an vniuersall Apostasie whereby hee was wholly turned aside from God and all hope of grace as his father Salomon was but it was a particular reuolt such as was that of his forefathers the children of Israel when they immagined that God would be present with them in the idolalatrous golden calfe and in that figure to worship him so grosse and sencelesse were they although yet Roboams sinne seemeth to exceed theirs in greatnesse and guiltinesse The Iewes that in the time of Ptolomey Philopater abode in Aegypt and willingly renounced the law and seruice of God in hope thereby better to prouide for their worldly commodities enioied not long their ease and prosperity for the other Iews which had couragiously stucke to their profession and had beene miraculously deliuered from their enemies being greeued and chafed at their recoile made their supplications to the king whose heart God enclined to fauour their suit that hee would permit them to reuenge Gods quarrell vpon those Apostataes as they had deserued Machab. 7. alleaging that it was hard
least wee fall into the sinne of Saul and Herod 1. Sam 14. Marc. 6. Now what punishments God hath laid vpon periurers these examples that follow shall make knowen vnto vs. Osee the last king of Israel beeing made by Gods iust iudgement for his sinnes subiect and tributary to Salmanazar king of Ashur without regard to the bond wherewith he was bound 2. King 17. and to his faith which he had plighted conspired and entred league with the king of Aegypt against him but hee discouering their seditions and priuie conspiracies assembled his forces spoiled his countrey and bad them warre on all sides laying siege to the chiefe citie of his kingdome after three yeeres tooke it togither with the forsworne king whome he put in close prison and kept very straightly leading him and his whole nation captiue into Assyria to end their daies in misery of which euill as of all others that happened in that warre the disloialty and treason of Osee was the next and chiefest cause Among the beadroll of sinnes which Sedechias the last king of Iuda is noted withall in holy scripture periury is one of the count for notwithstanding hee receiued his kingdome of Nabuchadnezzar and had sworne fealty to him as to his soueraigne yet brake hee his oath in rebelling against him which was the very cause of his destruction 2. Chron. 36. for NabuchadneZZar to be reuenged on his disloialty sent a puissant army against Ierusalem which tooke spoiled and burned it and ouertooke the periurer in his flight and first made him a beholder of the slaughter of his owne children and then had his owne eies bored out and was caried in chaines to Babylon seruing for a spectacle to all posteritie of Gods wondrous iudgements vpon periurers And thus both the kingdomes of Israel and Iuda were for breach and falsifying their oth quite extinguished and razed out Plutarch The greatest deceiuer and most treacherous person one of them that euer Greece saw was Lisander the Lacedemonian a busie body full of cunning subtilty and craft and one that perfourmed the most of his acts of warre more by fraud and stratagemes then by any other meanes this was he that said that when the lyons skin meaning Fortitude would not serue it was needfull then to sue vnto the foxes case meaning subtilty he made so litle reckening of forswearing himselfe that he would often say that children were to be cousened wirh trifles as dice and cockals and old men with othes but by his deceitfull trickes he was occasion of much euill diuers murders but at last this fox making warre against the Thebanes for that they had taken part with the Athenians against him and giuen them succour and meanes for recouering their liberty was taken in the trap and slaine at the foote of their walls Liuie Metius Suffetius Generall of the Albanes procured the Fidenates to enter war against the Romanes contrary to his oth which he had sworne vnto them and being called by the Romans to their succour and placed in an outwing to helpe if need were whilst the rest were fighting he droue away the time in ordering his men and ranging them into squadrons to see which part should haue the best that hee might ioyne himselfe vnto that side But Tullus the Romane king hauing obtained the victory and seeing the cowardise subtilty and treason of this Albane adiudged him to a most straunge and vile death answerable to his fact for as hee had in his bodie a double heart swimming betweene two streames and now ready to go this way now that so was his body dismembred and torne in pieces by foure horses drawing foure contrarie waies to serue for an example to all others to be more faithfull and true obseruers of their othes then he was In old time the Africanes and Carthaginians were generally noted for perfidie and falshood aboue other nations Liâ— Decad. 3. lib. 1. the cause of which bruit was principally that old subtill souldier Anniball an old deceiuer and a notorious periurer who by his crafts and cousenages which hee wrought without religion or feare of God raised vp that euill report This subtill foxe hauing made warre in Italy sixteene yeeres and all that while troubled and vexed the Romanes sore after many victories wastings of countries ruines and sackings of cities and cruell bloodshed was at length ouercome by Scipio in his owne countrey and perceiuing that his countrey men imputed the cause of their fall vnto him and sought to make him odious to the Romanes by laying to his charge the breach of that league which was betwixt them hee fled to Antiochus king of Siria not so much for his own safeties sake as to continue his warre against the Romans which he knew Antiochus to be in hammering because they came so neare vnto his frontiers but hee found his hope frustrate for king Antiochus for the small trust hee affied in him and the daily suspition of his trechery would not commit any charge of his army into his hand although for valiantnesse and prowesse he was second to none in that age It came to passe therefore that assoone as Antiochus was ouerthrowen of the Romanes he was constrained to flie to Prusias king of Bithynia that tooke him into his protection but being as treacherous as himselfe hee soone deuised a meanes to betray him to Quintius the generall of the Romane army which when Anniball vnderstood and seeing that all the passages for euasion were closed vp and that hee could not any way escape hee poisoned himselfe and so miserably ended his treacherous life And thus the deceit which hee practised towards others fell at length vpon his owne pate to his vtter destruction Albeit that periurers and forswearers were to the Aegyptians very odious and abominable as wee said before yet among them there was one Ptolome Iustine who to bereaue his sister Arsinoe of her kingdome stained himselfe with this villanous spot and thereby brought his purpose to passe for pretending and protesting great affection and loue vnto her in the way of mariage for such incestuous mariages were there through a peruerse and damnable custome not vnlawfull and auowing the same by solemne oath before her embassadours did notwithstanding soone make knowen the drift of his intent which was to make himselfe king for being arriued in shew to consummate the marriage at his first approch he caused his nephewes her sonnes which she had by her former husband Lisimachus and were come forth from their mother to giue him entertainment on the way to be slaine yea and least they should escape his hands he pursued them euen to their mothers bosome and there murdered them and after expelling her also from her kingdome caught the crowne raigned tyrant in her roome all which mischiefes hee committed by reason of the faithlesse oth which he had taken and although that in such a case no oth ought to be of force to confirme so
the Lord hath preserued her maiestie not onely from these but many other secret and priuie foes and that most miraculously and contrarie to all reason and hath spread his winges ouer her to defend her from all her enemies the consideration whereof as it ought to stirre vp in euerie one a thankfull heart to acknowledge his mercies and a fearefull care not to displease him that is so gratious vnto vs so it ought also to incite euerie one of vs to pray incessantly for her further preseruation as being the soule of our soules and life of our liues for surely if the Lord depriue vs of her life our sinnes are the cause and our smart will be the effect thereof Moreouer there is yet another kind of treason and another rancke of traitors as pernicious as any of the former and as odious before God and man Such are they which either vpon priuate quarrels or receiued iniuries or hope of gaine or any other silly respect forsake their countries take part with the enemies to fight against it or they that in time of necessity refuse to fight or dare not fight in defence of it the former sort are called fugitiues and the latter cowards As touching the first they haue beene alwaies in detestation in well gouerned pollicies and also euermore seuerely punished The Aeginates punished them with the losse of their right hand thumbes to the end they might no more handle a speare or a sword but an oare The Mitylenians with losse of their liues The inhabitants of Samos marked them in the face with the picture of an oule and the Romanes punished them after diuerse fashions Fabius Maximus caused all those that had fled from the Romane succours to the enemy to loose their hands Africanus the former though gentle mild by nature yet in this respect he borrowed from forraine cruelty for hauing conquered Carthage got into his power all those Romane rebels that tooke part against his country hee hung the Romanes as traitors to their countrie Valerius maximus and mitigated the punishment of the Latines as but perfidious confederates Africanus the latter when hee had subdued the Punicke Nation hee threw all fugitiues amongst wild beasts to be deuoured Lucius Paulus after the conquest of the king of Persia committed these fellows to the mercie of Eliphantes Generally there is no Nation vnder the sunne which holdeth them not in execration and therfore our English fugitiues who vnder cloke of religion not onely abandon their countrie their kindred and their Prince but also conspire the vndoing swear the destruction of them are they not worthie to be handled like traitors and to haue their quarters spectacles of perfidie The bridge and gates of London beare witnesse of the wofull ends that these Iesuits come vnto As touching cowards I meane such as preferring their liues or liberty or any other by-respects before their countries welfare either dare not or wil not stand stoutly in defence of it in time of war and danger they deserue no lesse punishment then the former seeing that as they are open oppugners so these are close vnderminers of the good thereof And therefore the Romans did sharply chasten them in their gouernment as may appear by diuerse examples of the same as first they were noted with this ignominy neuer to eat their meat but standing hereunto they were sworne Nay they were in such hatefull account amongst them Alex. ab Alex. that when Anniball offered the Senat 8000 captiues to be redeemed they refused his offer saying that they were not worthy to bee redeemed that had rather bee taken basely then die honestly valiantly the same Senat dealt more fauourably with the captiues which king Pirrhus tooke for they redeemed them but with this disgrace degrading them from their honors and places vntill by a double spoile they had won their reputation againe L. Calpurnius Piso handled Titius the captaine of his horsemen in Sicilia one who being ouercharged with enemies deliuered his weapons vnto them on this maner Valerius Max. lib. 2. cap. 2. he caused him to go barefooted before the army wearing a garment without seames hee forbad him society with any saue such as were noted with the same fault and from a Generall ouer horsemen he debased him to a common souldior How did the same Senat correct the cowardise of Caius Vatienus who to the end to priuiledge himselfe from the Italick war cut off all the fingers of his left hand euen they proscribed his goods and cast him into perpetuall prison that that life which he refused to hazard in defence of his countrie hee might consume in bondage and fetters Fulgosius saith Lib. 2. cap. â— that among the Germanes it was so vnhonourable a part to loose but a shield in the war that whosoeuer had happened to doe so was suspended both from the place of common councill and from the temples of religion insomuch that many as he reporteth killed themselues to auoid the shame The people called Daci punished cowards on this sort they suffered them not to sleepe but with their heads to the beds feetward besides by the law they made them slaues and subiects to their owne wiues what viler disgrace could there be then this Plu. Agefilaus And yet the Lacedemonians plagued them more shamefully for with them it was a discredit to marrie in the stock of a coward any man might strike them lawfully and in their attire they went with their clothes rent and their beards halfe shauen Thus are all kind of traitors continually punished of the Lord by one means or other and therefore let vs learne to shun treason as the vilest and the detestablest thing in the world CHAP. IIII. Of such as haue murdered their rulers or Princes ZImri captaine of halfe the chariots of Elah King of Israel conspired against his Lord All this whole chapter in regard of murder belongeth to the sixt commandemâ—nt 1. Kâ—ng 16. as hee was in Tirza drinking till hee was drunke in the house of Arza his steward and came vpon him suddainely and smote him till hee died and possessed the kingdome in his roome Howbeit herein he was the Lords rod to punish the house of Baasha yet when the punishment was past the Lord threw the rod into the fire for he inioied the crown but seuen daies For all Israell detesting his fact made Omri king ouer them who besieged him in Tirza and droue him inro that extremity that hee went into the pallace of the kings house and burnt himselfe and the house with fire 2. Kin. 12.21 Iozachar the sonne of Shimeah and Iehozabod the sonne of Shomer came to no better end for murdering Iehoash King of Iuda for Amaziah his sonne after the kingdome was confirmed vnto him caused them both to bee put to death But their children hee slew not 2. King 14.5 according to that which is written in the book of the law
in his affaires whilest hee abstained from sheading the blood of Christians but assoone as hee gaue himselfe ouer vnto that villanie his prosperitie kingdome and life diminished and decreased at once for within two yeares hee and his sonne Vâ—lusianus in the war against Aemilian vvere both slain through the defection of his souldiors vvho in the point of necessitie forsooke him Beside the Lord in his time sent vpon the prouinces of Rome a generall and contagious pestilence which lasted vvhole tenne yeares without intermission to make satisfaction for the much innocent blood vvhich was spilled amongst them Phil. Melanct. chron lib. 4. Sebast franc chron Polon Arnolphus the fourescorth Emperour raged like a Tyger against all men but especially against those that professed the religion and name of Christ Iesus for which cause the Lord stirred vp a woman the wife of Guido to minister vnto him the dregs of his wrath in a poysoned cup by meanes whereof such a rottennesse possessed all his members that lice and wormes issuing out continually hee died most miserably in Oringe a city of Bauarie the twelfth yeare of his raigne Philip Melan. chron lib. 5. Baiaset the Turke to what a miserable and ludibrious end came hee to for his outragious hatred against all Christendome but especially against Constantinople which hee had brought to so low an eb that they could scarce haue resisted him any longer had not Tamerlane the Tartarian reuoked him from the siege and bidden him leaue to assaile others and looke vnto his owne Campofulus lib. 9. cap. 5. And indeed hee welcommed him so kindly that hee soone tooke him prisoner and binding him with chaines of gold caried him vp and downe in a cage for aspectacle vsing his backe for a footstoole to get vpon his horse by And thus God plaugeth one Tyrant by another and all for the comfort of his chosen Gensericus king of the Vandals Phil. Melan. chron lib. 3. exercised cruell tyrannie against the professors of the truth So did Honoricus the second also but both of them reaped their iust deserts for Gensericus died being possessed with a spirit And Honoricus being so rotten and putrified that one member dropped off after another Greg. Taron lib. 2. cap. 3. Some say that hee gnew off his owne flesh with his teeth Autharis the twelfth King of Lumbardie Paulus Diaconus lib. 3. cap. 18. de gestis Lâ—rgo bard forbad children to bee baptised or instructed in the Christian faith seeking by that meanes to abolish and plucke downe the kingdome of Christ but he raigned not long for ere sixe yeares vvere complet hee died with poison at Pauia And so hee that thought to vndermine Christ Iesus vvas vndermined himselfe most deseruedlie in the yeare of our Lord. 592. When Arcadius the Emperour through the persuasion of certaine enuious fellowes and his wife Endoxia Euagriur lib. 5. cap. 34. had banished Iohn Chrisostome bishop of Constantinople into Bosphorus the next night there arose such a terrible earthquake that the Empresse and the whole Cittie vvas sore affrighted therewith so that the next morrow messengers after messengers vvere sent vvithout ceasing till they had brought him backe againe out of exile Mandat 9. Calumniation lib. 2. cap. 44. and his accusers vvere all punished for their vvrongfull accusation Thus it pleased God to testifie the innocencie of his seruant euen by terrifying his enemies Smaragdus an exarch of Italie vvas transported by a Deuill for tyrannising ouer Christians in the first yeare of the Empire of Mauritius Paul Diacon lib 3. cap. 12. de gestis Longab Cent. 6. cap. 3. Anton. lib. 15. cap. 15. Mamucha a Sarasen being equall to Pharao in persecuting the church of God God made him equall to him also in the manner of his destruction for as he returned from the spoile of the monasterie of Cassime and Messana and the slaughter of many Christians the Lord caused the sea to swallow vp his whole armie euen an hundred ships Paul Diacon lib. 21. so that few or none escaped Another time euen in the yeare 719 they vvere miraculously consumed vvith famine sword pestilence water and captiuity and al for their infestious ranckor and tyranny towards Christians for whom the famine spared the sword deuoured vvhome both these touched not the pestilence eate vp and they that escaped all three yet perished in the vvaters and tenne ships that escaped the vvaters vvere taken by the Romans and the Syrians surely an egregious signe of Gods heauy wrath and displeasure To conclude there was neuer any that set themselues against the church of God but God set himself against them by some notable iudgement so that some vvere murthered by their subiects as Bluso king of the Vandals others by their enemies as Vdo Prince of Sclauonia some by their wiues Helmold cap. 24. Sclauon cap. 34. as Cruco another Sclauonian Prince others discomfited in war as Abbas the king of Hungaria some destroied by their owne horses Bonfinus as Lucius the Emperor who had first put his owne daughter because she was a Christian amongst the same horses And generally few persecutors escaped without some euident and markable destruction CHAP. XIIII Of the Iews that persecuted Christ BY how much the offence of the Iews was more hainous not onely in despising and reiecting the Lord of glory whom God had sent amongst them for their saluation but also in being so vvicked as to put him to death by so much the more hath God shed his fearfull indignation vpon them as at many other times so especially by that great calamitie and desolation which they abode at their last destruction begun by Vespasian and perfected by Titus which was so great and lamentable as the like was neuer heard of vntill this day for if the sacking and ouerthrow of Ierusalem then when Ieremie the Prophet made his booke of Lamentations ouer it was reputed more grieuous then the subuersion of Sodome which perished suddenly How much more then is this last destruction without all comparison by reason of those horrible strange miseries which were there both suddenly and in continuance of time committed Neither truly is there any history which containeth a description of so many miseries as this doth as it may appeare by Iosephus record of it For after that they had bene afflicted in diuers countries and tossed vp and downe by the deputies a long while there were slaine at Caesarea in one day twenty thousand at Alexandria another time fifty thousand at Zabulon and Ioppe eight thousand and foure hundred besides the burning of the two townes at Damascus ten thousand that had their throates cut As for Ierusalem when it had a long time endured the brunt of the warre both within and without it was pinched with so sore a famine Ioseph of the warres of the Iewes lib. 2. cap. 19 21 22 23. Lib. 6. cap. 16. Lib. 7. cap. 7.8 Lib. 6. c. 16. that
giuing him the crowne he most vnthankfully recompenced by putting to death his sonne Zacharias 2. Chron. 24. whome he caused for reproouing and threatning his idolatry in a publicke assembly incited thereto by the spirit of God to be stoned to death in the porch of the Temple But seeing he did so rebelliously set himselfe against the holy spirit as if he would haue quite oppressed and extinguished the power thereof by the death of this holy Prophet by whome it spake God hissed for an armie of Syrians that gaue him battell and conquered his souldiers who in outward shew seemed much to strong for them His princes also that had seduced him were destroied himselfe vexed with grieuous diseases till at length his owne seruants conspired against him for the death of Zacharia and slue him on his bed yea and his memory was so odious that they could not afford him a burying place among the sepulchres of their kings Amazias the sonne of this wicked father 2. Chro 25. caried himselfe also at the first vprightly towards God in his seruice but it lasted not long for a while after he was corrupted and turned aside from that good way which he had begun to tread after the by paths of his father Ioas for after he had conquered the Idumeans and slaine twenty thousand men of war and spoiled diuers of their cities in stead of rendring due thankes to God who without the aid of the Israelites had giuen him that victory he set vp the gods of the Edomites which he had robbed them of to be his gods and worshipped and burned incense to them so void of sense and reason was he And being rebuked by the Prophet of his aduerse dealing hee was so farre from humbling and repenting himselfe thereof that quite contrary he proudly withstood and reiected the Prophets threatnings menacing him with death if he ceased not Thus by this meanes hauing aggrauated his sinne and growing more and more obstinate God made him an instrument to hasten his owne destruction for being proud and puffed vp with the ouerthrow which he gaue the Edomites hee defied the king of Israel and prouoked him to battell also but full euill to his ease for he lost the day and was carried prisoner to Ierusalem where before his face for more reproch foure hundred cubits of the wall was broken downe the temple and pallace ransackt of his treasures his children caried for hostâ—ges to Samaria And not long after treason was deuised against him in Ierusalem so that he fled to Lachish and being pursued thither also was there taken and put to death 2. Chron. 28. Likewise king Ahaz for making molten images for Baalim and walking in the idolatrous waies of the kings of Israel and burning his sonnes with fire after the abominations of the heathen in the valley of Ben-Hinnon was forsaken of the Lord and deliuered into the hands of the king of Syria who caried him prisoner to Damascus and not only so but was also subdued by Pekah king of Israel in that great battell wherein his owne sonne with fourescore thousand men at armes were slaine yea and two hundred thousand of all sorts men women and children taken prisoners for all these chastisements did hee not once reforme his life but rather grew worse and worse To make vp the number of his sinnes he would needs sacrifice to the gods of Damascus also thinking to find succour at their hands so that hee vtterly defaced the true seruice of God at Ierusalem broke in pieces the holy vessels lockt vp the temple dores and placed in their stead his abominable idols for the people to worship and erected altars in euery corner of the city to doe sacrifice on But as hee rebelled on euery side against his God so God raised vp enemies on euery side to disturbe him The Edomites and Philistims assaulted him on one side beate his people tooke and ransackt his cities on the other side the Assyrians whome he had hired with a great summe for his helpe turned to his vndoing and vtter ouerthrow and confusion What shall wee thinke of Manasses who reedified the high places and altars which the zeale of Ezechias his father had defaced and throwen downe 2. Chron 33. and adored and worshipped the plannets of heauen the Sunne the Moone and the Starres profaned the porch of Gods Temple with altars dedicated to strange gods committing thereon all the abominations of the Gentiles Idolatrie Lib. 1. cap. 26. yea and caused his sonnes to passe thorough the valley of Benhinnon and was an obseruer of times and seasons and gaue himselfe ouer to witchcraft charming and sorceries and vsed the helpe of familiar spirits and soothsayers and that which is more placed a carued Image in the house of God flat against the second commaundement of the law So that hee did not onely go astray and erre himselfe in giuing ouer his mind to most wicked and damnable heresies but also seduced the people by his pernitious example and authoritie to doe the like mischiefe And that which is yet more and worst of all hee made no account nor reckening of the admonitions of the Prophets but the rather and the more hardened his heart to runne out into all manner of crueltie and wickednesse that his sinnes might haue their full measure For the very stones of the streetes of Ierusalem were stained from one corner to another with the guiltlesse and innocent blood of those that either for disswading him from or not yeeldihg vnto his abominable and detestable Idolatry were cruelly murdered amongst the number of which slaine innocents many suppose that the Prophet Esaias although hee was of the blood royall was with a straunge manner of torment put to death 2. King 12. Wherefore the flame of Gods ire was kindled against him and his people so that they stirred vp the Assyrians against them whose power and force they being not able to resist were subdued and the king himselfe taken and put in fetters and bound in chaines caried captiue to Babylon but being there in tribulation he humbled his soule and praied vnto the Lord his God who for all his wicked cruell and abominable Apostasie was intreated of him and receiued him to mercy yea and brought him againe to Ierusalem into his vnhoped for kingdom Then was hee no more vnthankefull to the Lord for his wonderfull deliuerance but being touched with true repentance for his former life abolished the strange gods broke downe their altars and restored againe the true religion of God and gaue straight commandement to his people to do the like Wherein it was the pleasure of the Highest to leaue a notable memorial vnto all posterity of his great and infinite mercy towards poore and miserable sinners to the end that no man be his sinnes neuer so heinous should at any time despaire for where sinne aboundeth Rom. 5. there grace aboundeth much more Admit that this reuolt of Manasses
vnderstand another so that with shame they were constrained to leaue their begun worke And besides instead of that strong and sure habitation which they dreamed on to maintaine and defend themselues by against all enemies and the fortresse castle wereby they went about to keepe other in subiection to them they were forced to forsake the place by the iust iudgement of God who scattered and dispersed them hither and thither that hee might bring them to that estate condition which they most of all feared and stroue to shun And thus God resisteth the proud and fauoureth the humble loe here the punishment wherwith God punished their sinne remaining still vpon them vntill this day for a chastisement of their proud spirits with the staine of this sinne most commonly the mightiest potentates of this world are defiled who although both by word and writing auouch confesse their power to be by the grace of God yet for the most part they are very vnthankfull for the same and so proud and high minded that they shew themselues most obstinate and vngratefull of all men for oftentimes they robbe him of the honour and glory which is peculiar vnto himselfe and attribute it to themselues in setting forth their braue and sumptuous shewes and triumphes this is the sinne whereof Nabuchadnezzar king of Babell was reprooued for God hauing bestowed vpon him a kingdome with such pompe and renowme that hee made whole nations to tremble before his face and putting many people in subiection vnder him hee in stead of giuing thankes for these great benefits exalted himselfe suffering his heart to swell and his vnderstanding to waxe hard with pride not regarding the Lord who extolled him so high and yet notwithstanding he was constrained to confesse and acknowleege him for the true God to haue an euerlasting kingdome and an infinite power as well by the forewarning of dreames which Daniel interpreted as by the miraculous deliuerance of the three yong men out of the burning furnace therefore as hee walked one day in his roiall pallace at Babylon and vaunted of his greatnesse and magnificense saying to himselfe Dan. 4. Is not this great Babel which I haue built for the house of the kingdome by the might of my power and for the honour of my maiestie Now whilst the word was yet in his mouth a voice was heard from heauen saying O king to thee it is spoken Thy kingdome shall depart from thee and according to the tenor of the voice hee was immediatly deposed from his roiall seat spoiled of all his glory driuen from the society of men depriued of sense made a companion for the bruit beasts and wild asses eating grasse like oxen euen so long vntill his haire was growen stiffe like Eagles feathers and his nailes like the clawes of birds In which estate hee continued the space of seuen yeeres euen hee that a little before was so proud and arrogant and hee that had conquered so many kingdomes and nations that triumphed ouer Iewry and Ierusalem with the kings thereof This is a most excellent looking glasse for kings to behold the ficklenesse and instabilitie of all their power and pompe when it pleaseth God to humble and bring them vnder there is neither sceptet crowne stay or strength of man that is able to hinder and turne aside the hand of the Almightie the King of kings from abasing and weakening the most high and strong of this world let them be neuer so braue and iolly and bringing them vnto a low contemptible and brutish estate Besides this which we haue already touched there is another kind of pride and presumption most damnable and detestable of all and it is when a man doth so much forget himselfe as to sease and take vpon him that honour which appertaineth only to God ascribing to himselfe a certaine deity one would hardly thinke that there were any such in the world so proud as to commit this sinne did not experience by certaine examples teach vs the contrary As first of all the king of Tyre whose heart was so exalted with the multitude of â—iches and the renowme and greatnesse of his house that hee doubted not to esteeme himselfe a god and to desire maiesty and power correspondent thereunto for which presumption Chap. 28.1 2 3 c. God by the Prophet Ezechiel reprooued him and threatned his destruction which afterward came vpon him when by the power of a strange and terrible nation his goodly godhead was ouercome and murdered feeling in deed that he was no god as he supposed but a man subiect to death and misery King Herod sirnamed Agrippa which put Iames the brother of Iohn to death Act. 12. and imprisoned Peter with purpose to make him tast of the same cup was puffed vp with no lesse sacrilegious pride for being vpon a time seated in his throne of iudgement and araied in his roiall robes shewing forth his greatnesse and magnificense in the presence of the Embassadours of Tyre and Sidon that desired to continue in peace with him as he spake vnto them the people shouted and cried That it was the voice of God and not of man which titles of honour hee disclaimed not and therefore the Angell of the Lord smote him suddenly because hee gaue not the glory to God so that he was eaten with worms and gaue vp the ghost Iosephus reporteth the same story more at large on this manner Vpon the second day of the solemnization of the plaies which Herod caused to be celebrated for the Emperours health there being a great number of gentlemen and Lords present that came from all quarters to this feast Iewish antiquities Lib. 19. cap. 7. hee came betime in the morning to the Theatre clad in a garment all wouen with siluer of a marueilous workmanship vpon which as the sunne rising cast his beames there glittered out such an excellent brightnesse that thereby his pernicious flatterers tooke occasion to call him with a loud voice by the name of God for the which sacrilegious speech hee not reproouing nor forbidding them was presently taken with most grieuous and horrible dolours and gripes in his bowels so that looking vpon the people hee vttered these words Behold here your goodly god whome you but now so highly honoured ready to die with extreame paine And so hee died in deed most miserably euen when hee was in the top of his honour and iollitie and as it were in the midst of his earthly paradise being beaten downe and swallowed vp with confusion and ignominie not stroken with the edge of sword or speare for that had beene far more honourable but gnawen in pieces with lice and vermine Simon Magus otherwise called Simon the Samaritane borne in a village called Gitton after hee was cursed of Peter the Apostle for offering to buy the giftes of the spirit of God with money went to Rome Euseb lib. 2. cap. 12. Philip. in Chron. Cent. â— lib. 2. cap.
deigne to acknowledge And thus it falleth out with all wicked miserable Atheists whose hearts imagine there is no God and therfore haue so little assurance in themselues that there need no thunder and lightning to amase them for the shaking of euerie leafe is sufficient to make them tremble To conclude this Atheist void of religion and feare of God and full of all prophanesse was according to his due desert murthered by one of his owne seruants of the which will follow more at large in the next booke Domitian likewise was so blinded with pride that he would be called a god and worshipped Oros lib. 7. ca. 7. of whome also wee will speake in the second booke and 34 chapter To these we may adde them also Dionys Halie Lib. 1. antiq Roman that to the end to make themselues feared and reuerenced as gods haue counterfaited the lightnings and thunders of heauen as we read of one Alladius a Latin king that raigned before Romulus who being a most wicked tyrant a contemner of God inuented a trick whereby to represent to the eare and eie the rattling swift shine of both thunder lightning that by that meanes astonishing his subiects he might be guised of them for a god but it chanced that his house being set on fire with true lightning ouerthrown with the violent strength of tempestuous rain togither with the ouerflowing of a pond that stood nere he perished by fire water burnt drowned all at once Did not the king of Elide the like and to the same end also by the deuice of a chariot drawn about with foure horses wherein were certaine iron workes which with wrinching about gaue an horrible sound resembling thunder and torches and squibs which hee caused to be throwen about like lightnings in such sort that he oftentimes burnt the beholders Diod. lib. 4. in this manner hee went vp and downe brauing it especially ouer an iron bridge which hee had of purpose built to passe and repasse ouer at his pleasure vntill Gods long suffering could not endure any longer such outragious and presumptuous madnesse but sent a thunderbolt from heauen vpon his head that all the world might see by his destruction the exceeding folly and vaine pride which bewitched him in his life time Which history the Poet in the person of Sibilla setteth downe at large to this effect I saw Salmon in cruell torments lie For counterfatting thunder of the skie And Ioues cleare lightning whilst with torches bright Drawne with foure steedes and brandishing his light He rode triumphantly through Elis streats And made all Grecia wonder at his feats Thinking to win the honor of a god Mad as he was by scattertng fire abroad With brazen engines and with courses faining A noise like that which in the clouds is raining And no where else but God from thickest skie No torch but such a thunderbolt let flie At him that headlong whirld him from his cell And tumbled downe into the deepest hell Thus this arrogant king was punished according to the quality of his offence euen in the same kind wherin he offended which thing though it bee found written in a Poet yet ought not be reiected for an old wiues tale seeing it is not incredible that a king might make such pastimes yron crashing noises nor that he might be iustly punished for the same and the rather because Caligula did the like as wee haue heard before And we read also that one Arthemisius in the time of the Emperour Iustinian counterfeited by certain engines and deuises in his owne house in Constantinople Agath lib. 5. bell Gothis such earthquakes lightnings and thunders that would astonish a wise braine to heare or behold them on a sodaine But aboue all others that by darkening the glorie of God to encrease their own power haue prowdly exalted theÌ„selues against him the Popes are the ringleaders whose vnbrideled boldnes hath ben so much the more impudent pernicious for that in tearming themselues the seruants of the seruants of God in word in deed take vnto them the authoritie and power of God himself as of pardoning absoluing sins creating laws ordinances at their pleasure in binding or vnbinding mens consciences which things appertain to God only nay they haue ben so brasen faced as to coÌ„mand Angels and deuils as Clement the fift did in one of his buls so impudent as to be carried like idols vpon their vassalâ— shoulders weare three crownes vpon their heads so prowd and arrogant as to constraine kings and Emperours to kisse their feet to make them their vassals to vsurpe Lordship dominion ouer them and all their lands and possessions and to dispossesse whome they like not of kingdomes enstall in their roomes whom they please and all this by the thunder of excommunication whereby they make themselues feared and stood in awe of By which dealings of theirs they verifie in themselues that which the scripture speaketh of Antichrist which is the man of sinne the sonne of perdition 2. Thes 2.3 an aduersarie and one that exalteth himselfe against all which is called God or which is worshipped till he bee set as a god in the temple of God shewing himselfe that he is God Wherefore also the heauie vengeance of God is manifest vpon them by the great and horrible punishments they haue beene tormented with for some of them haue had their eies pulled out others haue died in prisons a third sort haue beene smothered to death a fourth hath beene killed with the sword a fift hath died with hunger a sixt bene stoned a seuenth poysoned and yet there hath not wanted an eigth sort whom the deuill himselfe hath stifled This it is to ouerreach the clouds Sabel Aenead 9. lib. 7. Iohn le Maire de Besges Niâ—h Giles of the Chronicles of Fraunce and not content with earthly power to vsurpe a supremacy and praeeminence ouer kings such was the pride of Pope Boniface the eigth wheÌ„ he sent an embassage to Philip the Faire king of France to command him to take vpon him an expedition against the Sarasens beyond the sea vpon paine of forfeiting his kingdome into his hands and when hauing his sword by his side he shamed not to say that he alone and none else was Emperour and Lord of all the world in demonstration wherof he bestowed the Empire vpon Duke Albert together with the crowne of Fraunce and not content herewith his insolencie was so importunat that he charged Philip the Faire to acknowledge himselfe to bee his subiect in all causes as well spirituall as temporall and to leuie a subsidie for his holinesse out of his Clergie disabling his authority in bestowing church liuings which prerogatiue hee chalenged to his sea the conclusion of this bull was in these words Aliud credentes fatitos reputamus as much to say as whosoeuer is of another mind then this we esteeme him a foole Wherevnto
a brasen bull of such a strange workmanship that the voice of those that were rosted therein resembled rather the roaring of a bull then the cry of men the tyrant was well pleased with the inuention but hee would needs haue the inuentour make first triall of his owne worke as hee well deserued before any other should take tast thereof But what was the end of this tyrant Cic. Off. 2. The people not able any longer to endure his monstrous and vnnaturall cruelties ranne vpon him with one consent with such violence that they soone brought him to destruction and as some say put him into the brasen bull which he prouided to rost others to be rosted therein himselfe deseruing it as well for approouing the deuise as Perillus did for deuising it Edward the second of that name king of England at the request and desire of Hugh Spencer his darling Enguerr de Monstr vol. 1. made war vpon his subiects and put to death diuers of the peeres lords of the realme without either right or forme of lawe insomuch that Queene Isabell his wife fled to Fraunce with her young sonne for feare of his vnbridled fury and after a while finding oportunity and meanes to returne againe guarded with certaine small forces which shee had in those countries gathered together she found the whole people discontented with the kings demeanors and ready to assist hir against him so she besieged him with their succor and took him prisoner and put him into the tower of London to bee kept till order might be taken for his deposition so that shortly after by the estates being assembled togither he was generally iointly reputed pronounced vnworthy to be king for his exceding cruelties sake which he had cōmitted vpon many of his worthy subiects and so deposing him they crowned his young son Edward the third of his name king in his roome he yet liuing and beholding the same Iohn Maria duke of Millan may be put into this rancke of murderers Paulus Iouius for his custome was diuerse times when any citizen offended him yea and sometimes without offence too to throw them amongst cruell mastiues to be torn in peeces and deuoured But as hee continued delighted this vnnaturall kind of murder the people one day incensed stirred vp against him ran vpon him with such rage and violence that they quickly depriued him of life And he was so wel beloued that no man either would or durst bestow a sepulchre vpon his dead bones but suffered his body to lie in the open street vncouered saue that a certain harlot threw a few roses vpon his wounds and so couered him Alphonsus the second king of Naples Ferdinands son was in Tyranny towards his subiects nothing inferiour to his father Sabel Guicciard lib. 1. Philip de Com. Bemb histor Vent lib. 2. for whether of them imprisoned put to death more of the nobility Barons of the realme it is hard to say but sure it is that both were too outragious in all manner of cruelty for which as soone as Charles the eight king of France departing from Rome made towards Naples the hatred which the people bore him secretly with the odious remembrance of his fathers cruelty began openly to shew it selfe by the fruits for they did not nor could not dissemble the great desire that euery one had of the approch of the Frenchmen which when Alphonsus perceiued and seeing his affaires and estate brought vnto so narrow a pinch hee also cowardly cast away all courage to resist and hope to recouer so hug a tempest and hee that for a long time had made war◠his trade and profession and had yet all his forces and armies complete in readinesse making himselfe banquerout of all that honour and reputation which by long experience and deeds of armes hee had gotten resolued to abandon his kingdome and to resigne the title and authoritie thereof to his son Ferdinand thinking by that meanes to assuage the heat of their hatred and that so yoong and innocent a king who in his owne person had neuer offended them might bee accepted and beloued of them and so their affection toward the French rebated and cooled But this deuise seemed to no more purpose then a salue applied to a sore out of season whē it was growne incurable or a prop set to a house that is alreadie falne Therefore hee tormented with the sting of his owne conscience and finding in his mind no repose by day nor rest by night but a continuall Summns and aduertisement by fearefull dreames that the Noblemen which hee had put to death cried to the people for reuenge against him was surprised with so terrible terrour that foorthwith without making acquainted with his departure either his brother or his owne sonne hee fled to Sicily supposing in his iourney that the Frenchmen were still at his backe and starting at euerie little noise as if hee feared all the elements had conspired his destruction Philip Comineus that was an eie witnesse of this iourney reporteth that euerie night hee would crie that hee heard the Frenchmen and that the verie trees and stones ecchoed Fraunce into his eares And on this manner was his flight to Sicily King Charles in the meane while hauing by force and bloodshed to terrifie the rest taken two passages that were before him the whole realme without any great resistance yeelded it selfe vnto his mercie albeit that the young king had done what hee could to withstand him But at length seeing the Neapolitanes ready to rebel and himselfe in danger to be taken prisoner he fled from the castell of Naples and with a small company got certaine brigandines wherein hee sailed to the Island Ischia thirty miles from Naples saying at his departure this verse out of the Psalmes How vaine are the watchmen and guards of that city which is not guarded and watched by the Lord which he oftentimes repeated and so long as Naples was in his view And thus was crueltie punished both in Ferdinand the father and Alphonse the son Artaxerxes Ochus the eight king of the Persians began his raign with thus many murders Herodos he slew two of his owne brethren first secondly Euageras king of Ciprus his partner and associate in the kingdome thirdly he tooke Gidon traiterously was the cause of forty thousand mens deaths that were slain burned therin beside many other priuate murders outrages which he cōmitted for which cause the Lord in his iustice rained down vengeance vpon his head for Bagoas one of his princes ministred such a fatal cup to his stomack that it mortified his sences depriued him of his vnmercifull soule and life not only vpon his head but vpon his kingdome his son Arsame also for he was also poisoned by the same Bagoas his kingdome translated to Darius prince of Armenia whome when the same Bagoas went about to make tast of the
kind as a thing not to be frequented but rather vtterly abhorred though it bee amongst kinsfolkes themselues It was esteemed an indignitie among the Grecians to kisse any maid that was not in blood or affinitie allied vnto them as it manifestly appeareth by the earnest sure and request of the wife of Pisistratus the tyrant of Athens to put to death a yong maÌ„ for kissing her daughter in the streets as he met her Valer. lib. 1. c. 5. although it was nothing but loue that mooued him thereto Saint Augustine also affirmeth De ciuitat Dei lib. 21. cap. 11. that he which wantonly kisseth a woman that is not his wife deserueth the whip It is true Gen. 27.45 that the holy scripture often mentioneth kissing but either betwixt father and child or brethren or kinsfolkes or at least in manner of salutation betwixt one another of acquaintance 2. Sam. 20.9 according to the custome of the people of God and sometimes also it is mentioned as a token of honour and reuerence which the subiect perfourmeth to his superiour in this action 1. Sam. 10. In the former ages Christians vsed to kisse also but so that it was euer betwixt parties of acquaintance and in such sort Iust Apolog. 2. Tectull that by this manner of greeting they testified to each other their true and sincere charity peace and vnion of heart and soule in the Lord. Such chearings and louing embracings were pure and holy not lasciuious and wanton like the kisses of profane and leacherous wretches and strumpets Prou. 7.13 whereof Salomon maketh mention Furthermore euery man ought to shun all meanes and occasions which may enduce or entise them to vncleannesse and among the rest especially Idlenesse which can not choose but be as it were a wide doore and passage for many vices to enter by as by experience we see in those that occupy themselues about no good nor profitable exercises but mispend their time in trifling and doing nothing and their wits either vpon vaine and foolish conceits to the hurt of others or vpon lasciuious and vnchast thoughts to their owne ouerthrow whereas on the contrary to them that are well emploied either in bodie or mind no such thing betideth wherefore we ought to be here aduertised euery one of vs to apply our selues to some honest and seemely trade answerable to our diuers and seuerall estates and conditions and not to suffer our selues to be ouergrowne with Idlenesse least thereby wee fall into mischiefe for whome the aduersarie that malitious and wicked one findeth in that case hee knowes well how to fit them to his purpose and to set them about filthy and pernicious seruices Next to Idlenesse the too much pampering the bodie with dainty and much food is to be eschued for like as a fat and well fed horse wincheth and kicketh against his rider so the pampered flesh rebelleth against God and a mans owne selfe this fulnes of bread and abundance of fleshly delights was the cause of the destruction of Sodome and Gomorrha Ezech. 16. â—9 and therefore our Sauiour to good purpose warneth vs to take heed to our selues Luk. 21.34 that we be not oppressed with surfetting and drunkennes and the Apostle To take no thought for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof but to walke honestly Rom. 13.13 not beeing giuen to gluttony and drunkennesse chambering and wantonnesse and in another place Not to be drunke with wine wherein is excesse Ephes 5. for besides the losse of time and mispence of goods the grieuous diseases and pangs of the body and dulling and besotting of the wit which spring from intemperance many other great euils depend and wait thereon as whoredoms adulteries vncleannesses quarrels debates murders with many other such like disorders and mischiefes Noah that holy Patriarch by drinking too much wine Gen. 9. not only discouered his owne shame but also was the occasâ—on of that cruell curse which the Lord sent vpon the posteritie of Cham which euen to this day lieth heauy vpon them Lot though he hated the sinne of Sodom Gen. 19. and escaped the punishment of Sodome yet being ouercome with the wine of the mountaines he committed incest with his own daughter and made a new Sodome of his owne family Balthasar rioting and reuelling amongst his pots had the end both of life and kingdome denounced against him Dan. 5. by a bodiles handwriting vpon the wall the Lords decree Iudith 13. Whilst Holofernes besotted his senses with excesse of wine and good cheare Iudith found meanes to cut off his head The Emperours Septimus Seuerus and Iouinianus died with eating and drinking too much Likewise a certaine African called Donitius Euseb ouetcharged his stomack with so much food at supper that he died therewith Gregory of Tours reporteth of Childericke a Saxon that glutted himselfe so full of meat and drinke ouer night that in the morning he was found choked in his bed In our memory there was a priest in Rouergne neare Millaine that dining with a rich farmer for his yeeres dinner cheered himselfe so well and filled his belly so full that it burst in two and he died suddenly Plutarch Alexander the Great hauing inuited many of his fauorites and captaines to supper propounded a crowne in reward to him that should drinke most now the greatest drinker swallowed vp foure steaens of wine and woon the price being in value worth sixe hundred crownes but lost his life a iewell of greater worth for hee suruiued not three daies after this vile excesse besides the rest that stroue with him in this goodly conflict of carousing one and fourty of them died to beare him company The same Alexander was himselfe subiect to wine and so distempered diuers times therewith that hee often slew his friends at the table in his drunkennesse whome in sobriety he loued dearest Incest lib. 2. cap. 31. Plutarch telleth vs of Armitus and Ciranippus two Siracusians that being drunke with wine committed incest with their owne daughters Cleâ—mines king of Lacedemonia being disposed to carouse after the manner of the Scithians dranke so much that hee became and continued euer after senslesse Anacreon the Poet a grand consumer of wine and a notable drunkard was choked with the huske of a grape The monstrous and riotous excesses of diuers Romane Emperours as Tiberius by name who was a companion of all drunkards is strange to be heard and almost incredible to be beleeued hee loued wine so well that instead of Tiberius they called him Biberius and in stead of Claudius Caldus and in stead of Nero Merâ— noting by those nicknames how great a drunkard he was The Earle of Aspremont after he had by infinite excesse exhausted all his substance beeing vpon a day at S. Michell dranke so excessiuely that he died therewith Cyrillus a citizen of Hippon had an vngratious son Aug. tom 10. ver 33. who leading a riotous
brother Elydurus in his roome after he had raigned fiue yeares Hardiknitus king of Denmarke The same after the death of Harold was ordained king of England in the yeare of the Lord 1041 this king as he was somewhat cruell for he caused the body of Harold to be taken vp out of the sepulchre and smiting off his head to be cast out into the riuer Thames because he had iniured his mother Emma when he was aliue so hee was burdensome to his subiects in tributes and exaction for which cause growing into hatred with God and his subiects hee was stricken with suddaine death not without suspition of poysoning after he had raigned three years The same William Rufus second sonne of William the conquerour succeeded his father as in the kingdome of England so in disposition of nature for they were both cruell vnconstant and couetous and burdened their people with vnreasonable taxes insomuch that what with the morreine of men by pestilence and the oppressions of them by exactions the tillage of the earth was put off for one yeare being the yeare 1096 whereby ensued great scarsitie the yeare following throughout all the land but for the oppression William was iustly punished by sodaine death when being at his disport of hunting hee was wounded with an arrow glaunsing from the bow of Tyrill a French knight and so his tyranny and life ended togither The same Neither dooth the Lord thus punish oppressors themselues but also they that either countenance or hauing authoritie doe not punish the same as it appeareth by this example following In the yeare of our Lord 475 there liued one Corrannus a king of Scots who though hee gouerned the people in peace and quietnesse a long space and was indeed a good Prince yet because his Chancelour Tomset vsed extortion and exaction amongst his subiects and hee being aduertised thereof did not punish him hee was slaine traiterously by his owne subiects It is not vnworthie to bee noted how Edward the third king of England prospered a long while in the warres against France and got many worthie and wonderfull victories but when Prince Edward sonne vnto the foresaid Edward after conditions of peace concluded began to set taxes and impositions vpoÌ„ the country of Aquitaine then did king Edwards part begin to decline and the successe of war which the space of fortie years neuer forsooke him now frowned vpon him so that he quickly lost all those lands which by composition of peace were granted vnto him CAAP. XXXIX Of such as by force of armes haue either taken away or would haue taken away the goods and lands of other men NOw if they that oppresse their subiects and deuour them in this manner In this whole chapter note the nature of ambition and the fruits thereof bee found guiltie then must they needs bee much more that are carried with the wings of their own hungrie ambitious desire to inuade their lands and signiories attended on with an infinite retinue of pillages sackings ruines of cities and people which are alwaies necessarie companions of furious vnmercifull warre There are no flouds so broad nor mountaines so steepe nor rockes so rough and dangerous nor sea so long and furious that can restraine the rash and headstrong desire of such greedie minded Sacres so that if their bodie might bee proportioned to the square and greatnesse of their mindes with the one hand they would reach the East and with the other hand the West as it is said of Alexander howbeit hereof they boast and glorie no lesse than they that tooke delight to bee surnamed citie-spoilers others burners of cities some conquerors and many Eagles and Faulcons seeking as it were fame by infamy and by vice eternitie But to these men it often coÌ„meth to passe that euen then when they think to aduance their dominion and to stretch their bounds and frontiers furthest they are driuen to recoile for feare of being dispossessed themselues of their owne lands and inheritances and euen as they delt with others rigorously and by strength of weapons so shall they bee themselues rehandled and dealt withall after the same measure according to the word of the Prophet denounced against such as they Cursed bee thou that spoilest and dealest vnfaithfully when thou hast made an end of spoiling others thou thy selfe shall bee spoiled and when thou hast done dealing traiterously then treason shall begin to be practised against thee and this curse most commonly neuer faileth to sease vpon these great Theeues and Robbers or at least vpon their children and successours as by particular examples wee shall see after wee haue first spoken of Adonias who not content with his owne estate of being a kings sonne 1. King 12. which God had allotted him went about to get the crowne and kingdome from his brother Salomon Treason lib. 2. cap. 3. to whome by right it appertained for God had manifested the same by the mouth of his father Dauid but both hee and his assistants for their ouerbold and rash enterprise were iustly by Salomon punished with death â—arod Crassus king of Lidia was the first that made war against Ephesus and that subdued the Greekes of Asia to wit the Phrigians Mysians Chalybeans Paphlagonians Thracians Bythinians Ionians Dorians Aeolians and Pamphilians and made them all tributaries vnto him by meanes whereof hee being growne exceeding rich and puissant by the detriment and vndoing of so many people vaunted and gloried in his greatnesse and power and euen then thought himselfe the happiest man in the world wheÌ„ most misery and aduersity griefe and distresse of his estate and whole house approched neerest for first and formost one of his sonnes that was deare vnto him was by ouersight slaine at the chase of a wild bore next himselfe hauing commenced war with Cirus was ouercome in battaile and besieged in Sardis the chiefe city of his kingdome and at last taken and carried captiue to Cyrus despoiled of all his late glorie and dominion And thus Crassus as sayth Plutarch after Herodotus bore the punishmeÌ„t of the offence of his great grandfather Giges who being but one of king Candanles attendants slew his master and vsurped the crowne at the prouokement of the Queene his mistresse whom he also tooke to be his wife And thus this kingdome decaied by the same meanes by which it first encreased Policrates the Tyrant Herod was one that by violence and tyrannous meanes grew from a base condition to an high estate for being but one of the vulgar sort in the citie Samos hee with the assistance of sifteene armed men seased vpon the whole citie and made himselfe Lord of it which deuiding into three parts he bestowed two of them vpon his two brethren but not for perpetuitie for ere long the third part of his vsurpation cost the elder of them the best part of his life and the younger his liberty for he chased him away that hee might be