And besides cruelty doth usually proceed from cowardice, as Amianus Marcellinus hath observed, and fearful men, when they have any advantage to be cruel, do seldom hold any measure therein, as being ever in doubt, if they leave ⟨p. 152⟩any fire unquenched, that themselves shall be burned with it. And therefore we never read of any Emperors, which were more cruel, than those who were most fearful and effeminate, as1 Tiberius, Caligula, Nero, Commodus, &c. As they say that wounded beasts, when they die, bite hardest;2 their fear and despair making them furious: So there is no wrath or Cruelty to that which proceeds from weakness, when it hath either jealousy, or advantage, or despair to set it on. Yea, so violent it is, that it hath transported men unto profaneness, and made them violate Nature and Religion. As we see in the cruelty of Tiberius towards the family of Sejanus, who, because3 it was an unheard and prodigious thing for4 a little tender virgin to be strangled, gave command that the daughter of that late Favourite, should first be deflowered, that so she might be the fitter to be slain. And Boniface the eighth5 Pope of that name being, according to the Ceremony of that Church, on Ash-wednesday to sprinkle ashes on the heads of such Bishops, as kneeled at his feet, and in some serious manner to mind them of their mortalities; when Prochetus Bishop of Genua, whom he bitterly hated, tendered himself at his fees to receive this Ceremony, he threw the Ashes in his eyes, with this benediction, A Ghibelline thou art, and as a Ghibelline thou shalt die: so powerful was his malice to profane the rites of his religion! Yea, so far will hatred proceed in this desperate contempt of God, that, if we may believe so prodigious a villainy, ⟨p. 153⟩it hath sometimes turned the very cup of the Lord into a Cup of poison: as it is reported of Pope Victor the third, that he was poisoned in the6 Chalice at the Communion. Nether have there been wanting Examples of desperate men, who have made the most holy parts of Religion, Vows, and Sacraments, the Seals and Pledges of their conspiracies in Malice: as once Catiline 7and his associates did animate themselves in their bloody purposes, with drinking the blood of a slain Child.
And besides cruelty doth usually proceed from cowardice, as Amianus Marcellinus hath observed, and fearefull men, when they have any advantage to be cruell, doe seldome hold any measure therein, as being ever in doubt, if they leave ⟨p. 152⟩any fire unquenched, that themselves shall bee burned with it. And therefore wee never read of any Emperours, which were more cruell, than those who were most fearefull and effeminate, as1 Tiberius, Caligula, Nero, Commodus, &c. As they say that wounded beasts, when they die, bite hardest;2 their feare and despaire making them furious: So there is no wrath or Cruelty to that which proceeds from weaknesse, when it hath either jealousie, or advantage, or despaire to set it on. Yea, so violent it is, that it hath transported men unto profanesse, and made them violate Nature and Religion. As wee see in the cruelty of Tiberius towards the family of Sejanus, who, because3 it was an unheard and prodigious thing for4 a little tender virgin to be strangled, gave command that the daughter of that late Favourite, should first be defloured, that so shee might bee the fitter to bee slaine. And Boniface the eighth5 Pope of that name being, according to the Ceremony of that Church, on Ash-wednesday to sprinkle ashes on the heads of such Bishops, as kneeled at his feet, and in some serious manner to mind them of their mortalities; when Prochetus Bishop of Genua, whom he bitterly hated, tendered himselfe at his fees to receive this Ceremony, he threw the Ashes in his eyes, with this benediction, A Gebelline thou art, and as a Gibelline thou shalt die: so powerfull was his malice to profane the rites of his religion! Yea, so farre will hatred proceed in this desperate contempt of God, that, if we may beleeve so prodigious a villany, ⟨p. 153⟩it hath somtimes turned the very cup of the Lord into a Cup of poyson: as it is reported of Pope Victor the third, that he was poysoned in the6 Chalice at the Communion. Nether have there been wanting Examples of desperate men, who have made the most holy parts of Religion, Vowes, and Sacraments, the Seales and Pledges of their conspiracies in Malice: as once Catiline
- 1[…]. de I•a lib. 1. c. 13.〈…〉. de I•a lib. 1. c. 13.
- 2Maximè […] esse sotent morsus […] […]. Flor• lib. 2. c. 15.Maximè 〈…〉 esse sotent morsus 〈…〉 〈…〉. Flor• lib. 2. c. 15.
- 3Su•t. Tiber c. 6•
- 4Tacit. Anal. i. 5
- 5Pet. C•init. lib. 7. c. 13.
- 6Martin. apud […]. in vit. P•nt. 3.Martin. apud 〈…〉. in vit. P•nt. 3.
- 7Sallust. in Cat. Florus lib. 4. Dion. lib. 37. Plut. in lice•. & in Poplico •d.Salust. in Cat. Florus lib. 4. Dion. lib. 37. Plut. in lice•. & in Poplico •d.
