For what slave, what hangman (as Bodine well expresseth this passion, l. 2. c. 5. de rep.) can so cruelly torture a condemned person, as this fear and suspition? Fear of death, infamy, torments, are those furies and vultures that vex and disquiet tyrants, and torture them day and night, with perpetual terrors and affrights, envy, suspition, fear, desire of revenge, and a thousand such disagreeing perturbations, turn and affright the soul out of the hinges of health, and more grievously wound and pierce, than those cruel masters can exasperate and vex their Prentises or servants, with clubbes, whippes, chaines and tortures.

Many terrible examples we have in this kinde, amongst the Turks especially, many jealous outrages; Selimus killed Cornutus his youngest brother, five of his Nephews, Mustapha Bassa, and divers others. Bajazet the second Turk, jealous of the valour and greatness of Acmet Bassa, caused him to be slain. Solyman the magnificent, murdered his own Son Mustapha;

and ’tis an ordinary thing amongst them, to make away their brothers, or any competitors, at the first comming to the Crown: ’tis all the solemnity they use at their fathers funerals.

What mad pranks in his jealous fury did Herod of old commit in Jury, when he massacred all the children of a year old? Valens the Emperour in Constantinople, when as he left no man alive of quality in his kingdome that had his name begun with Theo. Theodoti, Theognosti, Theodosii, Theoduli, &c. They went all to their long home, because a wizard told him that name should succeed in his Empire.

And what furious designs hath Io. Basilius, that Muscovian tyrant, practised of late? It is a wonder to read that strange suspicion, which Suetonius reports of Claudius Cæsar, and of Domitian, they were afraid of every man they saw:

And which Herodian of Antoninus and Geta, those two jealous brothers, the one could not endure so much as the others servants, but made away him, his chiefest followers, and all that belonged to him, or were his well-wishers.

Maximinus perceiving himself to be odious to most men, because he was come to that height of honour out of base beginnings, and suspecting his mean parentage would be objected to him, caused all the Senators that were nobly descended, to be slain in a jealous humour, turned all the servants of Alexander his predecessor out of doores, and slew many of them, because they lamented their masters death, suspecting them to be traitors, for the love they bare to him.

When Alexander in his fury had made Clitus his dear friend to be put to death, and saw now (saith Curtius) an alienation in his subjects hearts, none durst talk with him, he began to be Jealous of himself, lest they should attempt as much on him, and said they lived like so many wild beasts in a wilderness, one afraid of another.

Our modern stories afford us many notable examples. Henry the third of France, jealous of Henry of Lorain Duke of Guise, Anno 1588. caused him to be murdered in his own chamber. Lewes the eleventh was so suspicious, he durst not trust his children, every man about him he suspected for a traitor: Many strange tricks Comineus telleth of him.

How jealous was our Henry the fourth of King Richard the second, so long as he lived, after he was deposed? and of his own son Henry, in his later daies? which the Prince well perceiving, came to visit his father in his sickness, in a watchet velvet gown, full of oilet holes, and with needles sticking in them, (as an embleme of Jealousie) and so pacified his suspicious father, after some speeches and protestations, which he had used to that purpose.

Perpetual imprisonment, as that of Robert Duke of Normandy, in the daies of Henry the first, forbidding of marriage to some persons, with such like edicts and prohibitions, are ordinary in all states.

In a word (as he said;) three things cause Jealousie, a mighty state, a rich treasure, a fair wife; or where there is a crackt title, much tyranny, and many exactions. In our state, as being freed from all these fears and miseries, we may be most secure and happy under the raign of our fortunate Prince.

His fortune hath indebted him to none, But to all his people universally; And not to them but for their love alone, Which they account as placed worthily. He is so set, he hath no cause to be Jealous, or dreadfull of disloyalty; The pedestall whereon his greatness stands, Is held of all our hearts, and all our hands.

But I rove, I confess. These æquivocations, Jealousies, and many such, which crucifie the souls of men, are not here properly meant, or in this distinction of ours included, but that alone which is for beauty, tending to love, and wherein they can brook no corrival, or endure any participation: and this Jealousie belongs as well to brute beasts, as men.

Some creatures, saith Vives, Swans, Doves, Cocks, Bulls, &c. are jealous as well as men, and as much moved, for fear of communion.

Grege pro toto bella juvenci, Si conjugio timuere suo, Poscunt timidi prælia cervi, Et mugitus dant concepti signa furoris.

In Venus cause what mighty battels make Your raving Bulls, and stirs for their herds sake? And Harts and Bucks that are so timorous, Will fight and roare, if once they be but jealous.

In Bulls, Horses, Goats, this is most apparently discerned, Buls especially, alium in pascuis non admittit, he will not admit another Bull to feed in the same pasture, saith Oppian: which Stephanus Bathorius, late king of Poland used as an Impress, with that Motto, Regnum non capit duos.