There lived, saith one, {154d} in the year 1551. in a city of Savoy, a man who was a monstrous Curser and Swearer, and though he was often admonished and blamed for it, yet would he by no means mend his manners. At length a great plague happening in the City, he withdrew himself into a Garden, where being again admonished to give over his wickedness, he hardned his heart more, Swearing, Blaspheming God, and giving himself to the Devil: And immediately the Devil snatched him up suddenly, his wife and kinswoman looking on, and carried him quite away. The Magistrates advertised hereof, went to the place and examined the Woman, who justified the truth of it.
Also at Oster in the Dutchy of Magalapole, (saith Mr. Clark) a wicked Woman, used in her cursing to give herself body and soul to the Devil, and being reproved for it, still continued the same; till (being at a Wedding-Feast) the Devil came in person, and carried her up into the Air, with most horrible outcries and roarings: And in that sort carried her round about the Town, that the Inhabitants were ready to dye for fear: And by and by he tore her in four pieces, leaving her four quarters in four several high-wayes; and then brought her Bowels to the Marriage-feast, and threw them upon the Table before the Maior of the Town, saying, Behold, these dishes of meat belong to thee, whom the like destruction waiteth for, if thou dost not amend thy wicked life.
Atten. Though God forbears to deal thus with all men that thus rend and tare his Name, and that immediate Judgments do not overtake them; yet he makes their lives by other Judgments bitter to them, does he not?
Wise. Yes, yes. And for proof, I need goe no further than to this Badman and his wife; for their railing, and cursing, and swearing ended not in words: They would fight and fly at each other, and that like Cats and Dogs. But it must be looked upon as the hand and Judgment of God upon him for his villany; he had an honest woman before, but she would not serve his turn, and therefore God took her away, and gave him one as bad as himself. Thus that measure that he meted to his first wife, this last did mete to him again. And this is a punishment, wherewith sometimes God will punish wicked men. So said Amos to Amaziah: Thy wife shall be an Harlot in the City. {155} With this last wife Mr. Badman lived a pretty while; but, as I told you before, in a most sad and hellish manner. And now he would bewail his first wifes death: not of love that he had to her Godliness, for that he could never abide, but for that she used alwayes to keep home, whereas this would goe abroad; his first wife was also honest, and true to that Relation, but this last was a Whore of her Body: The first woman loved to keep things together, but this last would whirl them about as well as he: The first would be silent when he chid, and would take it patiently when he abused her, but this would give him word for word, blow for blow, curse for curse; so that now Mr. Badman had met with his match: {156a} God had a mind to make him see the baseness of his own life, in the wickedness of his wives. {156b} But all would not do with Mr. Badman, he would be Mr. Badman still: This Judgment did not work any reformation upon him, no, not to God nor man.
Atten. I warrant you that Mr. Badman thought when his wife was dead, that next time he would match far better.
Wise. What he thought I cannot tell, but he could not hope for it in this match. For here he knew himself to be catcht, he knew that he was by this woman intangled, and would therefore have gone back again, but could not. He knew her, I say, to be a Whore before, and therefore could not promise himself a happy life with her. For he or she that will not be true to their own soul, will neither be true to husband nor wife. And he knew that she was not true to her own soul, and therefore could not expect she should be true to him but Solomon says, An whore is a deep pit, and Mr. Badman found it true. For when she had caught him in her pit, she would never leave him till she had got him to promise her Marriage; and when she had taken him so far, she forced him to marry indeed. And after that, they lived that life that I have told you.
Atten. But did not the neighbours take notice of this alteration that Mr. Badman had made?
Wise. Yes; and many of his Neighbours, yea, many of those that were carnal said, {156c} ’Tis a righteous Judgment of God upon him, for his abusive carriage and language to his other wife: for they were all convinced that she was a vertuous woman, and he, vile wretch, had killed her, I will not say, with, but with the want of kindness.
Atten. And how long I pray did they live thus together?