XXVI. REVENGE WITH A WITNESS.

FREDERIC⁴²⁴²Swinger’s Theat. vol. vii. lib. 5, p. 1959, sub titulo Ultionis. the Second, Emperor of Germany, being at Pisa, in Italy, and distressed for want of money to pay his army, sent for Petrus de Vineis, an able man, who formerly had been his secretary, but whose eyes he had caused to be bored out for some misdemeanour.

Being demanded of the Emperor which way lie might most speedily and safely (as to outward danger) recruit his treasury, his secretary gave him counsel to seize on the plate of all the churches and monasteries of that city, which he did accordingly, and amongst the rest he took zonam auream, or the golden girdle, out of one church, of inestimable value.

This blind secretary, returning home to his wife, told her, “Now I am even with the Emperor 266for putting out my eyes, having put him on such a project which I hope he will pursue to his own destruction. He hath made me a spectacle to men, but I have made him a monster unto God.”

Let such who are concerned herein see what success the Emperor had in this his expedition, founded on sacrilege; and the longer they look thereon, the worse I am sure they will like it, to bar further application.