CHAP. XXIV. Touching incestuous Marriages.
NOw as it is unlawfull to contract marriages with parties of contrary religion, so it is as unlawfull to marry those that are neare unto us by any degree of kindred or affini∣ty, as it is inhibited not only by the law of God, but also by civill and politique constitutions: whereunto all na∣tions have ever by the sole instinct of nature agreed and accorded, except the Aegyptians and Persians, whose ab∣hominations were so great, as to take their owne sisters and mothers to be their wives. Cambyses King of Media and Persia, married his owne sister, but it was not long ere he put her to death: a just proofe of an unjust and accursed marriage. Many others there were in protract of time, that in their insatiable lusts shewed themselves no lesse unstaied and unbriedled in their lawlesse affections then he: One of which was Antigonus King of Judea, son of Herodes, sirnamed Great, who blushed not to marry his sister, the late wife of his deceased brother Alexander, by whom she had borne two children: but for this and divers other his good deeds, he lost not only his goods (which were confiscated) but was himselfe also banished out of his countrey into a forraine place, from Judea to Vienna, in France.
Herod also the Tetrarch was so impudent and shamelesse, that he tooke from his brother Philip his wife Herodias, and espoused her unto himselfe: which shamelesse and incestuous deed Iohn Baptist reproving in him, told him plainly how unlawfull it was for him to possesse his brothers wise: but the punishment which befell him for this, and many other his sins, we have heard in the former booke, and need not here to be repeated.
Anton. Caracalla tooke to wife his mother in law, allured thereunto by her faire enticements: whose wretched and miserable end hath already been touched in the former booke.
The Emperour Heraclius, after the decease of his first wife, married his