N00152:41
The wicked mans portion. Or A sermon (preached at the lecture in Boston in…
The wicked mans portion. Or A sermon (preached at the lecture in Boston in New-England the 18th day of the 1 month 1674. when two men were executed, who had murdered their master.) Wherein is showed that excess in wickedness doth bring untimely death. / By Increase Mather, teacher of a Church of Christ. ; [Six lines of quotations]The wicked mans portion. Or A sermon (preached at the lecture in Boston in New-England the 18th day of the 1 moneth 1674. when two men were executed, who had murthered their master.) Wherein is shewed that excesse in wickedness doth bring untimely death. / By Increase Mather, teacher of a Church of Christ. ; [Six lines of quotations]
Boston: printed by John Foster, 1675
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
The story is ancient and famous concerning B•ssus who had murdered his own Father; 1and sometime after the swallows making a noise in the chimney as it is the manner of those birds to do, His guilty Conscience was afraid they had told of him, whereupon he goeth to kill the swallows, and being asked the reason, why (saith he) the swallows do nothing but say Bessus •ath Killed his Father, Bessus hath Killed his Father, whereby he was suspected, and upon examination confessed the fact.
The story is ancient and famous concerning B•ssus who had murdered his own Father; 1and sometime after the swallows making a noise in the chimney as it is the manner of those birds to doe, His guilty Conscience was afraid they had told of him, whereupon he goeth to kill the swallows, and being asked the reason, why (saith he) the swallows doe nothing but say Bessus •ath Killed his Father, Bessus hath Killed his Father, whereby he was suspected, and upon examination confessed the fact.
- 1PlutarchPluta•ch
It is also storied of a soldier belonging to King Pyrrhus, that being slain, a dog which he had, could by no means be enticed from the dead body, but the King coming by, he fawned upon him as it were craving help at his hands,1 whereupon He caused all his army to pass by in order, and when the murderers came the dog flew fiercely upon them, and then •awned upon the King, the soldiers hereupon examined, confessed the Murder, and received condign Punishment. Many other Instances to this Purpose I could produce, but I for bear.