Atten. But did not Mr. Badman marry again quickly?
Wise. No, not a good while after: and when he was asked the reason, he would make this slighty answer, Who would keep a Cow of their own, that can have a quart of milk for a penny? [154a] Meaning, Who would be at the charge to have a Wife, that can have a Whore when he listeth? So villanous, so abominable did he continue after the death of his wife. Yet at last there was one was too hard for him. For, getting of him to her upon a time, and making of him sufficiently drunk, she was so cunning as to get a promise of marriage of him, and so held him to it, and forced him to marry her. [154b] And she, as the saying is, was as good as he, [154c] at all his vile and ranting tricks: she had her companions as well as he had his, and she would meet them too at the Tavern and Ale-house, more commonly than he was aware of. To be plain, she was a very Whore, and had as great resort came to her, where time and place was appointed, as any of them all. Aie, and he smelt it too, but could not tell how to help it. For if he began to talk, she could lay in his dish the whores that she knew he haunted, and she could fit him also with cursing and swearing, for she would give him Oath for Oath, and Curse for Curse.
Atten. What kind of oaths would she have?
Wise. Why damn her, and sink her, and the like.
Atten. These are provoking things.
Wise. So they are: but God doth not altogether let such things goe unpunished in this life. Something of this I have shewed you already, and will here give you one or two Instances more.
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.