The theatre of Gods judgements wherein is represented the admirable justice of God against all notorious sinners ... / collected out of sacred, ecclesiasticall, and pagan histories by two most reverend doctors in divinity, Thomas Beard ... and Tho. Taylor ...

CHAP. XXII. Other examples of Gods Judgements upon Adulterers.

AMongst all other things, this is especially to be noted, how God (for a greater punishment of the disordinate lust of men) strucke them with a new (yet filthy and stinking) kinde of Disease called the French Pox; though indeed the Spaniards were the first that were infected therewith, by the heat which they caught among the women of the new-found lands, and sowed the seeds thereof first in Spain, and from thence sprinkled Italy therewith, wherethe French men caught it, when Charles the Eighth their King went against Naples. From whence the contagion spread it selfe throughout di∣vers places of Europe. Barbary was so over-growne with it, that in all their Cities the tenth part escaped not untouched, nay almost not a Family but was infected. From thence it ran to Aegypt, Syria, and the graund Cair; and it may near hand truly be said, that there was not a corner of the habitable world, where this not onely new and strange (for it was never heard of in antient ages) but terrible and hideous scourge of Gods wrath stretched not it selfe. They that were spotted with it, and had it rooted in their bodies, led a languishing life, full of aches and torments, and carried in their visages filthy markes of unclean behaviour, as ulcers, boyles, and such like, that greatly disfigured them. And herein we see the words of Saint Paul verified, That an Adulterer sinneth against his owne body. Now for so much as the world is so brutishly carried into this sin, as to none more, the Lord therefore hath declared his anger against it in divers sorts, so that divers times he hath punished it in the very act, or not long after, by a strange death. Of which, Alcibiades, one of the great Captaines of Athens, may stand for an example; who being polluted with many great and

odious vices, and much given to his pleasures, and subject to all unclean∣nesse, ended his life in the midst thereof: for as he was in company of a Phrygian strumpet (having flowne thither to the King of Phrygia for shel∣ter) was notwithstanding set upon by certain Guards, which the King (in∣duced by his enemies) sent to stay him; but they though in number many, through the conceived opinion of his notable valour, durst not apprehend him at hand, but set fire to the house, standing themselves in armes round about it, to receive him if need were: he seeing the fire, leaped through the midst of it, and so long defended himselfe amongst them all, till strength failed in himselfe, and blowes encreasing upon him, constrained him to give up his life amongst them.

Pliny telleth of Cornelius Gallus and Q. Elerius, two Roman Knights, that died in the very action of filthinesse.

In the Irish History we finde recorded a notable judgement of God upon a notorious and cruell lecher, one Turgesnis, a Norwegian, who having twice invaded Ireland, reigned there as King for the space of thirty yeares. This Tyran not onely cried havocke and spoil upon the whole Countrey, abusing his victory very insolently, but also spared not to abuse virgins and women at his pleasure, to the satisfying of his filthy lust. Omalaghlilen King of Meth was in some trust with the Tyran: his onely daughter Tur∣gesnis craved for his Concubine; but he having a ready wit, and watching his opportunity, seemed not onely not to deny his daughter, but to offer him the choice of many other his neeces and cousins, endowed (as he s•••• them forth) with such singular beauty, as they seemed rather Angels than mortall Creatures. The Tyran as it were ravished, and doting in love with those pecrlesse pieces, could endure no delay, but must needs possesse him∣selfe of their bodies, and that very speedily: to which Omalagblilen con∣descending, attired his daughter in princelike apparell, and with her sixteen proper young men, beautifull and amiable to behold, in like array, and so being sent unto the King, were presented unto him in his Privy Chamber, having none about him but a few dissolute youthfull persons: whereupon those disguised young striplings drew forth from under their long wo∣manish garments their skenes, and valiantly bestirring themselves, first stabbed their weapons points through the body of the Tyran, and then ser∣ved all those youthes about him with the like sauce, they making small or no resistance. And thus the abhominable lecher, together with his rabble of filthy Pandars, received the due reward of their ugly filthinesse; and by this means the Irish Nation was freed from the slavery of a cruell Tyran.

Theodebert, the eldest son of Glotharius, died amidst his whores, to whom he was (though married) too too much addicted. The like befell one Ber∣trane Ferrier at Barcelone in Spain, according to the report of Pontanus. In like manner there was one Giachet Geneve of Saluces, a man that had both wife and children of his owne, of good yeares, well learned, and of good esteem amongst his neighbour Citisens, that secretly haunted the company of a young woman; with whom being coupled one evening in his study, he suddenly died: his wife and children seeing his longtariance, when time required to go to bed, called him, and knocked at his door very hard, but when no answer was made, they broke open the doores that were locked on the inner side, and found him (to their great grief and dismay) lying upon the woman starke dead, and her dead also.

Claudius of Asses, Counsellour of the Parliament of Paris, (a man very evill-affected toward the Professours of the Gospel) committed villany with one of his waiting-maids, in the very midst whereof he was taken with an Apoplexy, which immediately after made an end of him.

Not long since, here in our owne Countrey, a Noblemans servant of good credit and place with his master, having familiarity with another mans wife, as he was about to commit villany with her in a chamber, he fell downe starke dead with his ho••e about his heeles: which being heard (by reason of the noise his fall made) of those which were in the lower room, they all ran up hastily, and easily perceived both the villany he went about, and the horrible judgement of God upon him for the same. This happened in Northamptonshire, as it was testified by very godly, honest, and sufficient witnesses.

Another in Hertfordshire about Barkway, having the company of a harlot in a Wood, was also surprised by the judgement of God, and strucke dead as it seemed in the very committall of that filthy act: his name I conceal, as also of the former, that none might thinke themselves disgraced thereby, but all learne to fear the wrath of God, and tremble at his judge∣ments.

We reade also of a Chirurgeon, who disdaining his honest wife, had abandoned himselfe to a strumpet; and going on a time to horsebacke, and asked by his wife whither he went, he answered scornefully, To the Stewes, going indeed presently to his Adulteresse. After a while he returneth to horse, and offering to manage his round, the horse leapes and bounds extra∣ordinarily, and casts this wretched man out of the saddle, in such sort, as one of his feet hung in the bridle. The horse being hot, ran so furiously upon the stones, as he beat out his braines, and never stayed untill he came before the Stues, where this miserable man remained dead upon the place.

The Spaniards in the West-Indies going to seek gold near unto the gulfe of Uruba, their Captain, called Horeda, carried away the daughter of the Cacique or Lord of the place prisoner, and abused her as his Concubine: the Cacique soon after came to the Captain, making shew that he came to redeem his daughter, but being come into his presence, he reproached him with injurious words, and shot a poysoned arrow at him, with an intent to kill him; but he wounded him onely in the thigh: whereupon the Spani∣ards rushing in suddenly with their swords drawne, slew the Cacique, his wife, and all his company. But this villanous Captain escaped not the ar∣row of Gods wrath: for he was driven to retire out of that Countrey into Hispaniola, where he died of his wound within few dayes after in extreme paines: all his company being imbarqued to Spain-ward, were driven backe by the winde, and after infinite toiles, some of them were slain by the Indians, and the rest died miserably of divers Diseases: and this was the fruit of that Adultery.

In the year 1533. a certain religious man in the Towne of Clavenne in the Grisons Countrey, being enamoured with a certain beautifull maid, as∣sayed by all meanes to corrupt her chastity, and to allure her to his will: but when by no meanes he could obtaine his desire, he counterfeited certain ap∣paritions and revelations, abusing the sacred Name of God, and of the Vir∣gin Mary, and so seduced this poor maid to his lust: but his imposture be∣ing discovered, he was committed to prison, and notwithstanding his Order, was publikely beheaded, and his body burnt.

Notes

• Paul. Iovius. Bembus.
• Guicciardine.
• 1 Cor. 6. 18.
• Sabell.
• Plin. lib. 7.
• Holinshed.
• Mich. Rit. Neap.
• Lib. de obedi.
• Fulgos. lib. 6. cap. 12.
• Benzo. Gomar••. Hist. Iud. lib. 2. cap. 57.
• Stumpsius. lib. 10. bist. of Swisse.