A Golden Chain

Jacobus Latromus of the same University of Louvain after that he had been at Brussels, and there thinking to do a great act against Luther and his fellows, made an oration before the Emperor so foolishly and ridiculously that he was laughed to scorn almost of the whole court: then returning from thence to Louvain again, in his public lecture he fell into open madness, uttering such words of desperation and blasphemous impiety, that other divines which were present, were fain to carry him away as he was raving, & to shut him into a close chamber. From that time to his very last breath, he had never any thing else in his mouth, but that he was damned & rejected of god, and that there was no hope of salvation for him, because that wittingly and against his knowledge he withstood the manifest truth of Gods word.¹ Crescentius the Popes Legate and vicegerent in the Council of Trent was •itting all the day long until dark night in writing of letters to the Pope: after his labour when night was come, thinking to refresh himself, he began to rise, and at his rising, behold there appeared to him a mighty black dog of an huge bigness, his eyes flaming with fire, and his ears hanging low down well near to the ground, which began to enter in and straight to come towards him, & so to couch under the board. The Cardinal not a little amazed at the sight thereof, somewhat recovering himself called to his servants which were in the outward chamber next by, to bring in a candle and to seek for the dog. But when the dog could not be found there, nor in any other chamber about, the Cardinal thereupon stricken with a sudden conceit of mind immediately fell into such a sickness whereof his Physicians which he had about him could not with all their industry and cunning cure him: and thereupon he died. Steven Gardiner, when a certain bishop came unto him and put him in mind of Peter denying his master, answered again that he had denied with Peter, but never repented with Peter, & so (to use M. Foxes words) stinkingly & unrepentantly died. More examples might be added but these shall suffice.

Iacobus Latromus of the same Vniuersitie of Louaine after that hee had beene at Bruxels, and there thinking to doe a great act against Luther and his fellowes, made an oration before the Emperour so foolishly and ridiculously that he was laughed to scorne almost of the whole court: then returning from thence to Louaine againe, in his publike lecture hee fell into open madnesse, vttering such words of desperation and blasphemous impietie, that other diuines which were present, were faine to carrie him away as he was rauing, & to shut him into a close chamber. From that time to his verie last breath, hee had neuer any thing else in his mouth, but that he was damned & reiected of god, and that there was no hope of saluation for him, because that wittingly and against his knowledge he withstood the maniest truth of Gods word.