Priestes and Moncks fained themselues to be Spirites: also
how Mundus vnder this colour defiled Paulina,
andTyrannus abused many noble and honest matrones.

T O these thinges may bee added, that there haue bin in all ages certaine Priests, which practising strange deuises, and giuing themselues to Necromancie, haue bewitched foolish men that highly estÉemed them, to the ende they might thereby encrease their riches, and follow their lustfull pleasures. Touching which matter, to the ende godly disposed men may be the more hÉedfull, I will rehearse a fewe histories.

Iosephus a writer of histories, in his 18.booke and 4.chap. of Antiquities, remembreth a notorious deed which hapned at Rome, in the time of Tyberius Cesar vnder the pretence of sacrificing to the goddesse Isis. I will record the historie as it is translated by Galenius, a very learned man.

There dwelled at Rome a woman named Paulina, no lesse renoumed for honestie of life, than for the nobilitie of parentage: She was also very rich and excÉeding beautful, as one that was now in the floure of her age, and especially adorned with the great vertue of chastitie, and married she was to one Saturnius, a man worthie of such a wife. It chaunced that Decius Mundus, a famous yoong knight, became very much enamored with her: and because she was a woman of greater wealth than that she might be won with rewardes and money, so much the more was this louers madnesse inflamed, in so much that he stuck not to proffer her for one night .200000. groates. The Atticke groat and the Romain peny are by common valuation all one. Budeus accounteth one of them worth 8. Crusados: so this summe according to his reckoning, amounteth to 26000. Florens.

And yet not being able by these means to moue her constant mind, bicause he could not endure the rage of his loue, he determined, by abstinence and hunger to make an ende both of life and loue togither. This determination was not vnknowne to Ide, Mundus Fathers bondseruaunt, a maide cunning in many artes, but such as were not to be liked. She maruellously grÉeued with the yoong mans wilfulnesse in absteining fro meat, talking with him, by swÉete and flattring words began to encourage him, assuring him that she would bring to passe, that he should at his pleasure embrace Paulina. After that he had gladly condiscended to her entreatie, she telleth him she must nÉedes haue fiftie thousand groates to ouerthrow the Gentlewomans chastitie. So putting the yoong man in good hope, and receiuing as much mony as she required, because she wel knew Paulina could not be wonne with mony, she deuiseth a new way to deceiue her. Vnderstanding therefore that she was maruellously addicted to the worshipping of Isis, she inuenteth these meanes: She talketh with some of Isis Priests, and hauing receiued sure promise of them to kÉepe all things secrete, and (which is most effectuall) hauing shewed their reward, promising presently 25000. groates, and when they had done the dÉed, other 25000. she openeth vnto them the yoong mans loue, besÉeching them to helpe by al means possible, that shÉe might enioy the same. They touched at the heart with desire of the mony, gently promised their helpe. Wherefore the eldest of them spÉedily goeth to Paulina, and being admitted to her spÉech, after hee had obtained to talke with her in secrete, he declareth that he is come vnto her being sent by the great God Anubis (this Anubis hauing a head lyke to a Dogge, was worshipped togither in one Temple with Isis) who is maruellously in loue with her beautie, and doth commaund her to repaire vnto him. She ioyfully receiued the message, and forthwith vaunteth among her familiar acquaintaunce, that the God Anubis hath vouchsafed to loue her: And shÉe telleth her husband, that shÉe must suppe and lye with him. Which thing was so much the more easily graunted vnto her, for that her husband had had good experience and knowledge of her chastitie. Whereupon shÉe goeth to the Temple, and after supper when time of rest drew neare, being shut in by the priest, shÉe mÉeteth with Mundus, who had priuily hidden himselfe there, the darkenesse bringing them togither, without any suspition. And so all that night shÉe satisfied the yong mans desire, supposing she had done pleasure vnto the God. Afterwards he departing from hir, Paulina early in the morning, before the priestes (who were priuie to this deceit) were stirring, returned home to her husband, to whome she recounteth her meeting with Anubis, and also with great words setteth out the same amongst her gossips and friends. They could not belÉeue her, considering the nature of the thing, and yet could they not chuse but maruell, waying the great chastitie of the woman. ThrÉe dayes after the dÉede done, Mundus mÉeting by chaunce with his beloued, saide vnto her: O well done Paulina, thou hast saued me 200000. groats wherewith thou mightest haue encreased thy riches, and yet notwithstanding thou hast fulfilled my desire, for I way it not that thou hast despised Mundus, sith vnder the title of Anubis, I haue enioyed my desired lust, which words said, he departed. But the woman then first perceiuing this villany, began to teare her garments, and opening the whole matter vnto her husband, besÉecheth him that he suffer not such a notorious mockery to go vnpunished. Her husband then declareth the whole matter to the Emperoure Tiberius: who after he had learned all things by diligent examination, trusseth vp these iugling priests on the gallowes, togither with Ide, the author of all this mischiefe, by whose meanes chiefly the chastitie of this noble Gentlewoman was defiled: and ouerthrowing their temple, he commaunded the Image of Isis to be sunke in the riuer of Tibris. But it pleased him to chasten Mundus with banishment, a more gentle kind of punishmet, ascribing his fault to y? weaknes of his immoderat loue. By this history it may easily be gathered how sathan in times past bewitcht the Gentils, and how their priests persuaded them y? their Gods appearing in visible forme spake this or y? vnto them, which notwithstading were very false. Vnder the pretence of worshipping their gods, they gaue theselues to wicked deuises. For how often may we wel thinke they comitted abhominable mischief (although indÉed y? matter it selfe neuer came to light.) If they brought it to passe, y? Mundus by their meanes enioyed his desired loue, surely there is no doubt, but y? they theselues vnder the colour of holinesse defloured other mes daughters & wiues: for otherwise this deuise could neuer haue bin so ready in mind. This matron would neuer haue bin so wel cotent, vnles y? very same had bin practised with other dames before. Neither yet wold her husbad haue suffered her to lodge in the Church all night. What nÉed was there for y? gods to haue beds prepared for the in y? Church, whe it was most aparant they neuer lodged in the. Princes also may learne by y? example of Tiberius, although he were a wicked tyrant, how such varlets are to be restrained. To this purpose maketh y? historie which Ruffinus a Priest of Aquilia reporteth in Li.11.ca.25. of his ecclesiasticall history.

There was a priest in Alexandria in Egipt, vowed to Saturn, whose name was Tyranus. This ma as it had bin fro the mouth of god, vsed to say vnto al such noble & principall men, whose Ladies he liked & lusted after, that Saturne had comanded, y? such a ones wife shuld lie al night in the temple. Then he which heard y? message, reioycing much y? the god vouchsafed to call for his wife, decking her vp brauely, & giuing her great gifts (forsooth lest she shuld be refused bicause she came emptie) sent her foorth vnto y? temple, where the woman being shut vp in the presence of al men, Tirannus whe he had fast locked the doores, surrendring the keyes departed his wayes. Afterwards in great silence passing through priuie caues vnder the ground, he issued foorth out of the open holes into the image of Saturne: which image was made hollow in the backe, and cunningly fastned to the wall. And as the candles burned within the Church, he spake sodeinly vnto the woman (giuing great care, and praying deuoutly) through y? image made of hollow brasse, in such sort that the vnhappie woman, trembled betwÉene feare and ioy, because she thought her selfe worthie of the spÉech of so great a god. Now after the baudie god had talked his pleasure to bring her in great feare, or to prouoke her to lust and wantonnesse, sodeinly all the lightes were put out with the spreading abroad of shÉets, by a certain cunning deuise. And then descending out of the image, he committed adultery with the woman much abashed and afraid, vsing most profane and wicked gloses vnto her. When he had thus dealt a long season, almost with all the wiues of these silly Gentlemen, it chaunced in the end, that a certain chast Gentlewoman began to abhorre and loath the deede, and marking the matter more hÉedfully, knew it to be Tyrannus voice: and there vpon returning home againe, declared the slie conueiance of this horrible dÉed vnto her husband. He being set on fire with rage for the iniurie done vnto his wife, or rather vnto his selfe, appreheded Tyrannus, & brought him to y? place of torments, where being conuicted he cofessed al y? matter, & the other deceits being likewise detected, al shame & dishonor was spred throughout the houses of y? Pagans: the mothers were found adulterers, fathers incestuous persons, and their children illegittimate and bastardes. Which thing so soone as it was brought to light and noysed abroad, togither both Church and image, and wickednesse, and all was vtterly subuerted and destroied. We reade that Numa Pompilius bare the people of Rome in hande that hÉe hadde familiar company with Egeria a Goddesse of the waters, to the ende he might purchase credit and authoritie to his lawes.

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