The hospitall of incurable fooles: erected in English, as neer the first Italian modell and platforme, as the vnskilfull hand of an ignorant architect could deuise

Of mischieuous or diabolicall Fooles: the thirtith discourse.

THE most brutish, strange, and accursed kind of Fooles that be, are out of al question some, whom we vsually call by this name of mischieuous, or diabolical fooles, the title or imposition, fitting verie well with the infernall and diabolicall inclination they are of; for they are so vipe∣rous, and inwardly so swollen with rancour, despite, and all kinde of pride, that any one would sweare, they were the true cosen germaines of another Farfarello, and Calubrino. Neither are the examples of these verie fewe, for the deuill goeth all ouer sowing of them, like the hearbe Dogs-foote, and of themselues they bud foorth like to Hydras heads, and with their flames they set (if it were possible) all heauen on fire, much more the earth. No man can denie but that those gyants were of this race, who by Iupiter for their pride were slaine with lightning from heauen, for the writer or Author of Etra maketh this matter verie euident in those verses:

The ancient Gyants did sometimes contend, To plucke the stars out of the loftie skie, And to peruert, Ioues kingdome without end Imposing lawes on all the world boldly.

In like manner it cannot be denied, but that Mazentius

a contemner of the gods, was of the selfe same race: Virgill setting him downe for such an one in these ver∣ses:

The first from Terrhene soyle, that went to war, Was proude Mazentius, who with gods did iar.

And this was he of whom Macrobius vseth these words: Fuit impius in homines, sine Deorum respectu: Hee was wicked towards men, not respecting God at all. I hold it for a thing verie manifest, that Lycaon king of Arcadia was also a notable diuelish Foole, if that be true which Ouid reporteth in the first of his Metamorphosis, that hee complotted against Iupiter, reputed amongst the auncients as head of all other gods. Xerxes king of Per∣sia noted by writers of singular impietie, is not exemp∣ted out of this number, he being so bold, nay rather so rash and headstrong, as that he durst threaten to depriue the sunne of his light, and put Neptune the god of the sea into prison, with fetters on his heels: And therefore Strozzapadre maketh of him these verses:

Nor as King Xerxes, who did threaten bondes To Neptune, when with ships he shot the strondes.

Amongst whom in like manner I giue to a thousand diuels, that Plegia king of Lapithes, and father to Ixion; who for rashly setting fire on the Temple of Apollo in Delphos, is declared by Virgill, that for punishment of his offence, he was inclosed in an infernall caue, in these verses:

All Plegian malefactors, with loud voice he doth ad∣uise From hell, Iustice to vse, and not the gods despise.

Valerius Maximus, and Lactantius Firmianus, assigneth one of the principalest places amongst these men, to

Dionysius Tyrant of Siracusa: for he was so great a con∣temner of the gods, as he himselfe amongst his friends was woont to say, that he greatly woondred, how the gods were so patient, as to suffer him so long vpon the earth. Biondus in his Historie maketh mention of Eue∣rick King of Gothes, that hee rammed vp the gates of Christian churches, with heaps of thorne bushes, wic∣kedly intending to make them appeere like hedges and thickets, because he would be a Foole in this kinde. Co∣rius writeth of Gensericus king of Vandales, that with greater sacriledge, of the same Christian churches hee made stables for his horses, being likewise an infernall Foole of the same nature. What shall we say of Attila, termed the scourge of God, but euen the selfe same? What of Tottila, and Athanaricus? What shall wee thinke of that Duke of the Hauuians, who threatned to cut off the priuie members of all the Deacons that came into his hands? What of those first innouators, who of the great church in Basill, made a butchers shambles? And last of all, what of our moderne Mahumetists, who desperatly make the worst of euerie thing that they can, committing all kinde of rapine, violence, sacriledge, manslaughter, and rebellion that may bee imagined. Now these be truely Fooles, who are mischieuous, and therefore deserue a thousand gallowes, termed properly by the title of diabolicall Fooles, because in euerie re∣spect they are conformable vnto him: Wherefore in recommending them vnto some god, that may cure them, I can thinke on no better phisition then Pluto, who is in hell a perfect Anatomie of their like: And for this cause, I direct vnto him this inuocation following.

An inuocation to Pluto for mischie∣uous and diabolicall Fooles.

WHatgod may I more conueniently call vpon, to remooue the folly of this diue∣lish crew, then thee high Pluto, Prince of Herebus, admirall of the Stigian waters, president of the flames which exceed a thousand times those of Aetna, or Mount gybello? what God if not hee, who is the sonne of Saturne and Opis, brother to highest Iupiter, Lorde of the infernall kingdome, being mightie in riches, and therefore cal∣led Ditis, principall amongst the Manian gods, there∣fore called Sumanus, and of power to inflict vpon them their due punishments, called therefore Orcus, by euery one? what god if not thou, who rentest Titius hart from out his bodie, punishest Tantalus with thirst, makest Ixion to bee turned vpon a wheele, causest Sysiphus to roule the stone, and chastisest Salmoneus with so sundrie torments. Thou I say, the scourge of all extreme cru∣elties, the reuenger of flagition, the ouerthrower of the wicked, and flaile of all badde men, oughtest to haue a care of healing these mens follie, in the same manner as thou hast before cured so many other by giuing them into the hands of the furies, who incensed against them, may inflict vpon them those torments, which the gree∣uousnes of their offence demeriteth. The which if thou shalt performe, vndoubtedly with all speede an horne∣lesse

doad-man shall bee offred vnto thee, for demon∣stration of the punishment thou hast laide vpon these men, according to their deserts, and the insolencies which so diuelishly they haue committed.

Notes

• Virgill.
• Macrobius.
• Ouid.
• Strozzapadre.
• Valerius Ma∣ximus. Lactantius.
• Biondus.