Page:Wonderful progidies (sic) of judgment and mercy.pdf/35

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perjured Perſons, Blaſphemers, &c.
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to break the peace. This battle was fought 1444—Turkiſh Hiſt.


XLV. In the year 1070, or thereabout, there aroſe ſo great a difference between the emperor, Henry the 4th, and Pope Gregory the 5th, that the Pope excommunicated him, and depriving him of his Imperial dignity, cauſed Rodulphus Duke of Swevia to be made Emperor in his ſtead; after which, there happened a great battle between them at the river Elleſter, where the Emperor Henry had the victory: Rodulphus by a terrible blow, had his right arm ſtruck off from his body, at which he cried out, Behold, O Nobles, that right hand of mine which I gave to my Lord Henry, in confirmation of the fidelity I had ſworn to him; which with notwithſtanding, contrary to all juſtice and equity I have violated, and am now thus juſtly puniſhed.Zuing. Theat. vol. 2. lib. 7.


XLVI. Burghard, Archbiſhop of Magdeburg, though in regard of his place and profeſſion he ought to have given good example, and to have puniſhed perjury in others, yet he thrice broke his promiſe and oath to his own citizens, the ſenate and people of Magdeburg; for first he beſieged them with a great army, and though they redeemed their liberty with a ſum of money, he ſwearing not to beſiege them any more, yet without any regard to faith or honeſty he returned afreſh to the ſiege, but his perfidiouſneſs did not proſper, for he was taken priſoner at the next aſſault; yet he ſo appeaſed them with his humble carriage and demeanour, together with his repeated oaths never to trouble them any more, but to continue their ſtedfaſt friend for the future, that they not only freed him from his impriſonment, but reſtored