wondrous prompt and accute brain she stil continued her habit and withal her laborious study as wel in the Scriptures as other humane Learnings At length comming to Rome she read publickly in the Schools where she purchased her selfe a great and frequent Auditory And besides her singular wisedome she was much admited and beloved for her seeming sanctity and austerity of life and after the death of Leo the fifth elected and confirmed in the papall Dignity for thus writes Volaterran Sigebertus Platina and others that have writ the lives of the Roman Bishops she is remembred likewise to this purpose by Boccatius in his book de Claris Mulieribâ—â— But Sabellicus lib. 1. Aneadis cals her Joanna Anglica i. Joan English who in her minority dissembled her Sex and so habited travelled as far as Athens and there studied with infinite gain and profit insomuch that comming to Rome few or none could equall her in Disputation or Lectures which begot her such reverence and authority with all men that she was by a general Suffrage elected into the Papacy and succeeded Leo the fourth Ravisius in Officina tit 6. Others will not allow that ever any such woman was Pope and excuse it thus There was one Bishop of Rome who was a decrepit and weak old man He by reason of age not being well able to manage his temporall affairs and domestick businesse received into his Pallace as a guide and governesse a woman called Joanna his sister or neer kinswoman this woman took upon her great pride and state and usurped upon the infirmity of her pride and state and usurped upon the infirmity of her brother insomuch that having the command of all things and being avaricious by nature no businesse was dispatched but by her nor any thing concluded without her for which she was both hated and scorned and therefore upon her that usurped the authority of the Pope they likewise bestowed his stile and nick-named her Pope Joan. This I have not read but I have heard some report it From her I come to Rosuida born in Germany and by Nation a Saxon she lived under Lotharius the first and was of a religious place called Gandresenses in the Diocesse of Hildesemensis she was facundious in the Greek and Roman Tongues and practised in all good Arts she composed many Works not without great commendation from the Readers one especially to her fellow Nuns and Votaresses exhorting them to Chastity Vertue and Divine worship She published six Comedies besides a noble Poem in Hexameter verse of the Books and Heroick Acts done by the Otho Caesars She writ the Lives of holy women but chiefly a Divine Work of the pious and chast life of the blessed Virgin in Elegick verse which began thus Vnica spes Mundiem Cranzius lib. 6. cap. 20. Metrapoleos Fulgos lib. 8. cap. 3. Elizabeth Abbesse of Schonaugia zealously imitated the practise and studies of this Rosuida which she professed in the City of Triers She writ many things in the Latin Tongue of which she was divinely admonished and inspired from above besides many perswasive Epistles to her Covent of Sisters and others ful of great conceit and elegancy A Book also that was entituled A path to direct us the way to God besides a Volume of many learned Epistles ful of great judgement and knowledge Fulgos lib. 8. cap. 3. and Egnat ibidem Conâ—lantia the wife of Alexander Sforza is deservedly inserted in the Catalogue of women famous and excellent in Learning She from her childhood was so laborious in the best Disciplines that upon the sudden and without premeditation she was able sufficiently to discourse upon any argument either Theological or Philosophical besides she was frequent in the works of St Hierom St Ambrose Gregory Cicero Lactantius For her extemporal vein in Verse she was much admired in which she was so elegantly ingenious that she attracted the ears of many judicious scholers to be her daily Auditors And this facility is reported to be innate and born with her as proceeding with such smoothness and without the least â—orce or affectation Her daughter Baptista succeeded her both in fame and merit beeing accepted and approved for one equally qualified with her mother Constantia Therefore Politianus in Nutricia doubts not to rank her amongst the best learned and most illustrious women Baptista Prima the daughter of Galeatinus Malatesta Prince of Pisauriâ— and after the wife of Guido Monteseltrensis Earl of Urbin made many commendable proofs of her wit and learning for she held many disputations even with those that were best practised and grounded in the Arts from whence she came off with no common applause She writ a Volume in Latin which she titled The frailty of mans Life with other praise-worthy books De vera Religione i. Of true Religion Fulgos lib. 8. cap. 3. Isota Navarula Veronensis devoted her life wholly to the study of all humane knowledge and withall to the contemplation of Divine Mysteries to which she added the honour of perpetuall Chastity She writ many eloquent Epistles to Pope Nicolaus Quintus as also to Piuâ— the second being sufficiently seen as wel in Theology as Philosophy Amongst other Works she composed a Dialogue in which it was disputed which of the two of our parents Adam and Eve sinned first or more offended in the beginning Egnat and Fulgos lib. 8. cap. 3. Alpiadâ—s a Virgin who much â—â—sired to be instructed in the true Faith was inspired fâ—om above 〈◊〉 a miraculous knowledge in the Scriptures 〈…〉 Of Women excellent in Philosophy and other Learning FRom Theology I descend to Philosophy Nicaula Queen of Saba travelled from the farthest part of Aethiopia up to Hierusalem to prove the wisdome of Solomon in dark Problems and hard Questions which when he had resolved and satisfied her by his divine wisdome inspired into him from above she returned into her Country richer by her gifts more benefited by her knowledge and fruitfull as bearing with her in her womb a child begot by Solomon Lycosth in Theat Human. vitae lib. 1. cap. de Femin doctis Adesia a woman of Alexandria a neer kinswoman to the Philosopher Syrianus both for her Chastity and Learning is commemorated by Suidas Vata lib. 13. cap. 3. Antrop Nicâ—strata by some called Carmentis helped to make up the number of the Greek Alphabet she is also said to have added to our Roman Letters Hermodica was the wife of Midas King of Phrygia she is not only celebrated for her rare feature and beauty but for her wisedome she was the first that ever stamped Money or made Coin amongst the Cimenses Heraclides Numa was the first that made mony amongst the Romans of whose name it was called Nummus Isiodor lib. 16. cap. 17. It is likewise called Pecunia of Pecus which signifies Cattel for the first that was made to passe currant betwixt man and man was made of the skins of beasts stamped with an impression It hath been currant amongst our English Nation
which by knowing how to use them well makes them saudable and profitable without which they are meerly vain barren yea and oft-times damnable and to him that enjoies them brings trouble and shame I will conclude this tractate with the saying of the Poet Vires exiguae sunt mortalium Sed calliditate mulâ—â—plâ—ci Bâ—lluas Maris Tâ—â— stria 〈◊〉 sub Coela voluantta 〈◊〉 homo domat Small is the strength of 〈◊〉 man 〈◊〉 full of 〈◊〉 and skâ—le 〈◊〉 and land monsters he â—an tame And bring birus to his will Of the Goddesses called Selectae THese Goddesses were honoured amongst the Gentiles Canina Leuana Edulica Potina and Statana these as they are opinionated have the government of children in their infancy till they find their feet and can stand or begin to go Canina looks to them in their swathing bands whilst they are bound up and mantled Leuana lists them from the earth when they chance to fall and keeps them from breaking or spoiling their faces Edulica and Potina have the charge of the meat and drink by the nurses provided for them Fabulana teacheth them when they begin to prattle and Vagitana to still them lest they should spoil themselves by too forcible crying Libentina is a bawdy goddesse and an overseer of their luste and pleasures I here are likewise Aldonea Albeona Voluna Pellonia all diligent and circumspect about men Pellonia she keeps off and beats back their enemies Then there is Agenoria Strenua and Stimula which stirs up men and accites them to some action or other Numeria to help them in numbers and to make even their accounts Augerona she is instead of a Physitian to ease their maladiâ—s and to prevent or help against diseases Febris which is the Ague was made a goddesse and had a Chappell allowed her in the Pallace Postuerta and Oâ— bona were two others Prosa directed the tongue in the voluble speaking of Prose Sentia had predominance over quick and witty sentences In marriages child births and funerals they used the invocation of others as Deneverra Interci â—ones Domiduca Manturna Vâ—rginenses Lucina Prema Parrunda Populonia Mena Tellumone Rusona Naenia For corn and graine were Tutulina Nodinum Volutina Patalena Hostilâ—na Flora Lactucina Natura Averrunca and Runâ—ta Against theeves they had Spineosis and to preserve their fruits from blasting and that they might â—ipen in time convenient Fructesa Rurina was goddesse for the Countrey Mountains and Promontories Empanda over the Ploâ—â—â—easts and Countrie pastimes To these were added Tanagraea Anteâ—â—â—ta Larunda Moneta Larentia Majesta Ventilia and infinite others Those which they called the select goddesses were in number eight Tellus Ceres Lucina Juno Diana Minerva Venus and Vesta Anaâ—is She was a goddesse that was particularly adored by the Lydians and not known to any other nation to her service were selected the choise and pickt damosels out of the chiefe and principall of the Nobility These had no sooner been in her ministerie and admitted to serve at her Altar but all modesty and shameâ—astnesse set apart they exposed their bodies to publick prostitution by this means to be made more capable of husbands and better practised against marriage Angerona She was a goddesse honoured by the Romans when the whole City laboured of a disease called the squinancy which is an inflammation or fiery heat of the Jawes breeding a tumour in the throat which suddenly if not prevented suffocates and stops the passage of the breath In this extremity they offered many sacrifices to her Her Sacreds and Festivals were called Angeronalia Her Image was with her finger laid upon her lips Pliny in his second book thus speaks of her Angerona to whom the Romans use to sacrifice the thirteenth of the Calends of January hath her effligies in her Temple with the mouth closed or sealed up Atergatis A goddesse honoured by the Syrians so saith Strabo That beyond Euphrates is the great City Bambice whom some call Edessa others Hierapolis in which Atergatis the Syrian goddesse hath divine reverence Drias or Bona Dea was adored by the Roman Matrons as also by the ordinary women of lesse state and quality to whose sacrifices no man could be at any time admitted of her Tibullus speaks Sacra bonae maâ—ibus non adeunda deae Her name was 〈◊〉 the daughter or as some will have it the wife of Faunus who was of that modest Temperance and Continencie that she so much retir'd her self from the sight of all men that she never walked abroad nor was at any time seen in 〈◊〉 A great aspersion and calumny still lives upon the Seplchre of 〈◊〉 Claudius a noble man of Rome in that he was so impudent and irreligious as to violate her rights and ceremonies For in her Temple as Juvenal amongst others remembers of him he adulterated Pompâ—â—â—a the daughter of Quintus Pomptius and niece to Sylla Nota bonae secreta deae Bubona and Carna is the goddesse of oxen and herds of cattelâ— all such she takes to her charge but Carna was called Dea Cardinis The goddesse of the hinge or hook on which the door or gate hangeth or moveth Ovid in his first book de Fastâ— thus writes Prima dies tibi Carna datur dea cardinis haec est Numine clausa aperit claudit aperta suo The first daies Carna's She of doors The goddesse is and guide She by her power opes closed gates And shuts such as stand wide The Ancient writers affirm that she was held to have predominance over the intrails and all the interiour parts of man or woman to whom they made their orisons that she would keep and preserve their hearts liver lungs and bowels free from anguish and the disease of consumption To her Brutus erected a Temple Dicè and Diverra Dicè was one that had power over the Tribunall or seat of judgement she had imploiment in taking up quarrels ending strifes compounding law-cases and deciding all contentions whatsoever Her ministers were called Dicaâ—stae quasi litem diremptores as much in our English tongue as if we should call them Peace-makers Deverra was a goddesse too and hâ—ld in reverence for no other reason then that she preserved them from ominous night birds called Scopae Empanda She had the charge of all such things as were negligently left open where she took the charge it was held to be more safe then under lock and key Feronia She is a goddesse of the woods memorated by Virgil in these words Et viridi gaudens Feronia luco Feronia rejoycing and taking pleasure in the green groves Flora. She was first a strumpet in Rome of extraordinary fame state and beauty who by her prostitution attainâ—d to such an infinite wealth that she at her own proper charge not only repaired but new built a great part of the wals of Rome After her death she consticuted the people of Rome for her heir for which bounty they caused her to be deified and offered unto her divine honours Her Feasts were called
causes devised but by the superstition of the people of ancient daies who left nothing unmeditated that might stirre up men to the adoration of the divine powers since in every thing they demonstrated a deity If they were spoken as truths I rather beleeve them to be the meer illusions of devils and spirits themselves then the genii of plants and trees that made such apparitions Of the Goddesses Infernall IT lies with much convenience in our way to make discourse of Pluto the third brother of Satuâ—n of the river Acheron and the properties thereof Of Styx a flood terrible to the gods themselves and by which they use to swear of Cocytus of Charon of Cerberus of the three infernall judges Minos Aeacus and Rhadamant of Tartarus with divers others out of all which many excellent fables pleasant to read and profitable to make both morall and divine use of might be collected but I skip them of purpose since I am injoined to it by promise for but women only I have now to deal with It therefore thus followes Of the Parcae OF Proserpina we have treated already amongst the supernall goddesses above and therefore must necessarily spare her here amongst these below The Paâ—cae or fatall goddesses are three Cloâ—ho Lachesis and Atropos Ceselius Vindex he gives them three other names Nona Decima and Morta and cites this verse of Livius a most ancient Poet Quaendo dies venit quam praefata Morta est When the day commeth that Morta hath presaged Some cals them the daughters of Demorgorgon others as Cicero of Herbus and Noz Hell and Night by another name they are called Fata the Fates as Seneca Multa ad Fata venere suum dum fata timeant As much as to say Many come to their death whilst they feare it They are said moreover to measure the life of man with a spindle and thread which they spin from their distaffe from which they are called Lanificae by the Poets Lanificas nulli tres exorare puellas Contigit observant quem statuere diem The three wool-weaving sisters none can pray To change their time they fix a constant day They are said to be inexorable and by no praiers or intreaties be moved to alter the limit of the fixed time or prorogue the life of man one minute after the date be expired which was proposed at our births therefore Seneca Nulli susso cessare licet Nulli scriptum proferre diem The Poets thus distinguish their offices one begins the life of man and plucks the towe from the distaffe the second makes the thread and continues it the third cuts it off and so ends it The first is Clotho whom Satius cals Ferrea or hard hearted Seneca Grandaeva or extreamly aged Pontanus Improba and Sedula obstinate and yet carefull and diligent The second Lachesis called by Ovid Dura hard by Martiali Invida envious by Claudian Ferrea obdure and rude The third Atropos of whom Statius Hos ferrea neverat annos Atropos Some number Illithia amongst the Parcae Plutarch speaking of the face that is visible within the Orb of the Moon saith some are of opinion that the soules of men are resolved into the Moon as their bodies into the Earth Aliquanto post tempore eas quoque animas in se recepit Luna at quae composuit 1. After some time the Moon receives into her selfe those souls which she had before framed restoring their mindes before lost for they are all in a dream like the soule of Endimion and by coadjuting with the Seminary and vitall powers of the Sun makes them as new soules The Tetra that is the number of Foure supplying the body for she gives nothing after death who receives towards generation The Sun takes nothing from but receives again the mind which he gives the Moon both receives and gives and composeth or makes and divides when she makes she is called Lucina when she divides Diana So of the 〈◊〉 Parcae Atropos is placed about the Sun as the beginning of this new birth Clotho is carried about the Sun to collect and mingle Lachesis the last her office is upon the Earth but these are riddles rather to trouble the brain than profit the understanding Parcae the mother of these three sisters is said to be the daughter of Necessity doubtlesse the Ethick writers held these to be most powerfull goddesses because all things born or that had subsistence were thought to be under their jurisdiction and power and therefore they were imagined by some to be the daughters of Jupiter and Themis because as the Pythagoreans taught Jove gave to every one a body and form suitable to the merits or misdeeds of their former life or else because the divine Wisdome allotted to every soule rewards or punishments as their good deeds or bad deserved the cause of which division the ancient Writers not truly understanding appropriated all to â—ate and the Parcae Furiae or the Eumemides THose whom the Poets call Furiae Virgil terms the daughters of Night and Acheron Therefore Galtreus in his twelfth book de Alexand. cals them by a sit Epithite Noctiginae Ego si dea sum qua nulla potentior inter Noctigenus si me vestram bene nostis alumnam If I a goddesse be of whom Amongst the night born none More potent is it 's well you knew Me for your nurse alone By the same law Mantuan cals them Achecontiginae as born of Acheron they are called by Lucan amongst the infernals Canes dogs Stygiasque Canes in luce superna Destiluana In the upper light I will forsake the Stygian dogs meaning the sisters Amongst mortals they are called Furiae because they stir up and spur on rage and malice in the hearts of men They are called also Eumenides by an Antiphrasis in a contrary sence for Eumenis signifieth Bene volens or well wishing therefore Ovid Eumenides tenuere faces de funere raptas Their temples and foreheads instead of hair are said to crawle with snakes and serpents as witnesseth Catullus Statius Mantuanus in Apollon and others By Virgil they are called Dirae Vltricesque sedent in Limine dirae Lactantius in his sixt book de Vero Cultu writes after this manner There be three affections or passions which precipitate into all violent and facinerous actions therefore Poets call them Furies Ire which covets revenge Covetousnesse which desires riches and Lust whose itching appetite is after all unlawfull pleasure The first of these Furies called Alecto discovered by Virgil where he terms her Luctifica as making strife and contention The second is Tesiphone or Tisiphone the daughter of Acheron whom Ovid thus delineates Nec mora Tesiphone madefactam sanguine sumit Importuna facem stuidoque cruore madentem Induitur pallam tortoque incingitur angue Egreditur que domo luctus comitatur euntem Et pavor terror trepidoque insania vultu Importunate Tesiphone without delay makes speed And snatcheth up a smoaking brand which burning seems to bleed A
of the body have a consonance to the nature of that Planet under which they were born therefore some are delighted with one study some another according to the aspect of the Planeâ— For example if Mercury be in a good and pleasing aspect he begets eloquence facundity and elegancy of speech besides skill and knowledge in many things but especially in the Mathematicks the same being in conjunction with Jupiter they are bred Philosophers and Divines being join'd with Mars in his happy aspect it makes men skilfull Physiâ—ians and fortunate but in his bad aspect such as prove unskilfull unlucky and sometimes theeves and robbers which commonly happens when he is scorch'd with the Planet of the Sun Being in conjunction with Venus thence proceeds Musitians and Poets join'd with Luna wary Merchants and diligent and thrifty husbands with Saturn it infuseth men with prediction and prophesie But let this little serve to illustrate the rest so from the Muses we come to the Sybils Of the Sybils ISiodorus saith that the word Sybilla is a name of place and office and not of person It is derived of Syos which signifies Deus God and Beele as much as to say Thought So that Sybill comprehends a woman that had gods thought For as a man that prophesieth is called a Prophet so a predicting woman is called a Sybill Of their number the ancient writers much differ Aelianus in his book De varia Historia thus speaks There were foure Sybils Erithraea Samia Aegyptia and Sardinia Others to these adde six more to make the number ten amongst which are numbred Cymaea and Judaea with the three Bacchides one of Greece a second of Athens a third of Arcadia It seems he had forgot to reckon the tenth Aretine in his book De aquila volante agrees with Isiodorus In the etymology of the word Tanto sona quanto à aire mente devina He likewise numbers ten the first saith he was of Persia the second of Lybia the third was named Delphica being born in the Island of Delphos and near to the Temple of Apollo who prophesied of the wars of Troy the fourth was called Omeria and was of Italy the fifth Erythraea and born in Babylon she composed a book which in the Greek tongue was intituled Vasillogra the sixt was called Sania or rather Samia as born in the Isle Samos the seventh Cumana of the City Cuma whose Sepulchre as Isiodorus writes is in Sicily she brought certain books to Tarquinius Priscus which spake of the Roman succession and what should futurely betide them prescribing them the Ceremonies to be used in their sacrifices the eighth Ellespontiaca who likewise prophesied of the wars of Troy the ninth Phrigia the tenth and last Alburnea who prophesied many things concerning the Saviour of the world And so far Aretine The opinion of Johannes Wyerius in his book De praestigiis Daemonum is to this purpose That the devill in the theatre of this world might put a face of honesty upon all those Tragedies which he aim'd to execute upon mankind he instituted his Enthusiastae and his Pythean Oracles which were in use almost amongst all nations insomuch that their superstitions and prophanations had crept in amongst the people of God so that Moses made a law that all those that repaired to these jugling sorcerists should be stoned to death Amongst these are counted some of the Sybils though not all as the hirelings of the devill for the conservation and confirmation of his Kingdome for out of their books the Romans were drawn into many lunacies and frenzies as besides many other it is manifest in Zozâ—mus who recites many of ther verses full of tradition and superstitions meerly unlawfull though the two Sybils Erythraea and Cumana in heroick Poems prophesied of Christ and sung and declared his praises which as some conjecture they did by the sight of the prophesies of Esaias and David These Oracles lasted to the comming of our Savior but then surceast through all the parts of the world There were also a kind of sorcerists which some call Lemures the word importing the spirits and ghosts of such as perisht before times or abortively for from such they fathered their predictions and prophesies Of this kind there were many in Germany as Wyerâ—us relates who were of long continuance and such were called Alhae Mulieres or the white women which in their modern tongue implies as much as the white Sybils and this sort of people was ominous to women with child and to infants sucking at their mothers breasts and in their cradles These though in times of old they were most frequent and common when the world attributed too much to the jugling illusions of the devill yet since the Saviour of the world and our only patron hath supplanted him by the more pure and fervent preaching of the Gospell these mockeries and fallacies by which hee cheated the unlettered multitude of their faith and God of his honour are meerly adnichilated insomuch there is scarce left to posterity the least memory of their wicked traditions Of such as these it seems S. Hierom took especiall notice when in an Epistle writ to Paula upon the death of Blesilla he thus speaks Quae causa est ut saepe Dimuli Trimuli ubera lactantes c. i. What is the reason that children of two or three years of age and such as suck at the breast should be corrupted by devils The Ethnicks custome was to give names to such according to the diversity of their actions there were some called Hecataea as sent from Hecate others by the Italians Tolletae or Empedusae But this may appeare a digression from our Sybils therefore I thus proceed with them Pâ—trus Crinitus in his twentieth book De honesta disciplina speaking of the Sybils the Branchi and the Delphick prophetesses alledges Gellius Firmianus Hieronymus and other ancient writers extracting from their opinion which way and by what means these Oracles were imagined to be possest with the spirit of divination These of that order as Plato and Iamblicus have learnedly related either from the gods or spirits say they are inspired with that illumination by which they discern the fundamentall causes of things and can presage and foresee such events as shall succeed Iamblic in his book to Porphyrius saith thus The Sybill of Delphos two severall waies conceives the spirit by which she prophesies either by a soft breath or else by fire proceeding from the mouth of a certaine den or cave before the entrance of which she seats her selfe upon a three-footed or four-footed stool of brasse in which place the divine power either by whispering in her care or by some other infused blast inspired into her gives her the facility of uttering her predictions The Branchae sitting upon an axeltree held in her had a wand consecrated to some deity or other and either washt her selfe in some sacred fountain or received some influence from the vapour of
rest Three Principles God World and Creature fram'd Creator Parent Issue these are nam'd In all production Into Three we cast Mans age two legs next three then foure at last Physitians three things to observe are sure First to preserve prevent and then to cure Three governments are famous in Romes state That of the Tribunes and Triumvirate Three sorts of people they distinguish can The Senate Souldier and the common Man In the taking height of stars w' observe these Three First Distance then the Form next Quality But which of us observes that sacred Trine Three persons in one Godhead sole divine That individuall essence who dares scan Which is shall be and ere the world began Was in eternity When of these Three One of that most inscrutable Trinity The second person Wisedome shall intombe All majesty within a Virgins wombe True Man true God still to that blest Trine linckt True light shall shine and false stars be extinct Sybilla Erythraea SHe is the twelfth and last born in Babylon of the Assyâ—ian nation and daughter to Berosus a famous Astrologian She writ in Greek a book called Vasillogra which some interpret Penalis Scriptura which as Eugenius in his Res de Sicilia testates was transferred into Latin She prophesied of all the Greeks that came to the siege of Troy designed the places whence and how long they should continue there In those books she spake of Homer and that he should write of those wars partially according to his affection and not truth In the same volume she prophesied of Christ after this manner The times by the great Oracle assign'd When God himselfe in pitie of mankind Shall from the Heav'n descend and be incarnate Entring the world a lamb immaculate And as himselfe in wisedome thinks it meet Walke in the earth on three and thirty feet And witâ— six fingers all his subjects then Though a King mighty shall be fisher men In number twelve with these war shall be tride Against the devill world and flesh their pride Humility shall quell and the sharp sword With which they fight shall be the sacred Word Establisht upon Peter which foundation Once laid shall be divulg'd to every Nation The onely difficulty in this prophesie is Trenta tre piede which signifies thirty three year sand Mese dito six fingers intimating the time of six months And thus I take leave of the Sybils Of the Virgins Vestals FEnestella in his book entituled de Sacerdotiis Romanis proposeth Numa Pompilius to be the first that devised the form of this Vestall adoration though the first institution thereof was held to be so ancient that Aeneas transferred it â—rom the Trojans to the Albans as Virgil. witnesseth in these words Vestamque potentem Aeternumque aditis adsert penetralibus ignem To this goddesse Vesta whom some call the earth others the Mother of the gods Fire perpetually burning was consecrated and to this observation and custome certaine Virgins pickt out of the noblest families were chosen as directors and chiefe overseers of that Order by whose negligence if by chance at any time that sacred fire was extinguished their judgement was to be beaten to death with strokes by the hand of the chiefe Priest or Flamin Valerius Maximus reports that the same judgement was executed upon the same negligence by P. Licinius Crassus then in the high Priesthood All such as were found guilty of incest were condemned to be buried alive nor was it lawfull as Labeo Antistius writes for any under six years or above ten to be admitted into that service besides she must not be the only child of her father and mother neither must she have a lisping or stammering tongue be deaf of her eares nor marked with any blemish about her body neither such an one whose parents one or both have lived in servitude or have been conversant in any base offices neither such a one whose sister hath been elected into the Priesthood all these are excused from the service of Vesta neither she whose father is a Flamin a South-saier or one of the Decemviri in the sacrifices or of the Septemvirate in the banquets There is likewise a dispensation with the daughters of Kings and Priests as uncapable of this ministery neither can that mans child be admitted that hath not a known house and an abiding place in Italy for so Capito Atteius writes so likewise the children of all such as are restrained as have the number of Three or more By the edict of the Praetor that no Virgin Vestall or Dialis which belongs to the sacrifices of Jupiter shall be compelled to any thing these be the words of the Praetor by the mouth of the crier Through all my jurisdiction I will not urge or force an oath from the Vestall Virgins nor from the Flamin Dialis in the chusing of the Vestall these things were observed There is a caution by the law called Lex Papia That by the approbation of the chiefe Priest and by his speciall appointment twenty virgins were selected out of the people but this ordinance with many other were abrogated and abolisht by Time insomuch that it was sufficient if any of free parents and honestly descended petitioned or made means to the high Priest she might without more difficulty enter her oath and be admitted into the sacred order being received by him as one snatcht and taken violently from the hands of her enemies The words he used were these This vestall Priest whom I enter into this holy office according to the institution of the best law I receive by the name of Amata to make her intercessions for the Nobility and people of Rome It was a custome to admit them all by the name of Amata because she that was first chosen by King Numa was so called and with these Ceremonies she was as it were hurried to the Temple of Vesta In Labeons commentaries it is thus found recorded The Vestall virgin is incapable to be made heire of any man or woman that dies intestate her goods likewise after her death return to the common treasury Pomponius Laetus in his book de Sacerdotiis agrees with Fenestella That Aenâ—as first brought the Vestall fire from Troy into Italy and Lavinium being built he there erected a Temple to her honour After this Ascanius consecrated another in a part of the hill Alba beneath which or at the foot thereof was a thick grove in which Mars vitiated Illia the mother of Romulus These Ministers of Vesta were tied to an oath of perpetuall viginity for it was a custome among the Latines to make choice of the most noble and chast virgins After many years Romulus devised all the chast ceremonies belonging to that Order and as Varro declares to us created threescore Priests to those publick services selected by their Tribes and Families but of the most noble and unblemisht stocks amongst the Romans The Temple of Vesta is built round and is betwixt the Capitol and the Palace in
when th' one is fail'd And the other not yet perfect duls the sight No wakefull dog or clamorous cock hath rail'd Vpon the drowâ—ie Morn early to dight The Suns steeds Here the bird that sav'd of old Romes Capitâ—l is never heard to scold The brawling Crane nor yet the pâ—ating Crowe Or tatling Parret to dâ—sturb the eaâ—â— No bellowing Bull swift Hartâ—or Asse more slow Is heard to bray we have all silence here Only a murmuring river which doth flow From Lethe with his streams mongst pebbles cleer Luls the dull sense to soft and feathered rest Charming the cares and sorrowes in the brest Before the gate the drowsie Poppy springs With thousand plants and simples without number Not one but to the brain a numnessi brings Inviting all the powers of man to slâ—mber Whose milkie juice the Night on her black wings Beares t'wart the earth and scatters Who dares cumber This universall whistnesse where none come But taciturnity and silence dumbe Vpon the door no ratling hammers stroke Is heard without to startle those withn No creeking â—hinge by which oft sleep is broke Than to speak loud there 's held no greater sin Midst a vast room a bed hew'd out of Oke That had of late some ancient relâ—que been Fring'd with thâ—â—kâ—â—st and lasie â—obwebs stands Not in an age 〈…〉 with carefull hands Vpon this easie couch with 〈◊〉 hung Of duskie coloured silk you may behold The god of slâ—ep in carelesse fashion flung Stretching his drowsie limbs whom nâ—ne 〈◊〉 so bold To â—og or 〈◊〉 where snortings are heard sung Th' are pincht to softer breath Some dream of gold Of trâ—stes some his Court here Morpheus keeps Which no man sooner enters then he sleeps And this description begins to make me drowsie already But lest speaking too much of sleep I may be taxed and so taken napping my selfe I leave the brother fast sleeping to find out the sister who to the worlds end shall ever be waking Death is said to be educated by her mother Night Pausanias puts us in mind that in a Temple amongst the Eleans there was a woman poâ—tâ—aied leading two sleepy children that in her right hand White that in her left hand Black both with 〈◊〉 legs and mishapen feet the inscription upon the one Sleep upon the other Death the woman that cherâ—sht them Night This death of all the powers that are is most impartiall and implacable and because by no praiers nor intercessions she is to be moved therefore there are no Altars nor Temples nor sacrifices celebrated to her honour her impartiality and implacability Orpheus hath signified in one of his hymns Nec prece muneribus nec tu placabilis ullis She is attired in a sable garment spotted with stars The wise men of the former ages extold her with miraculous praises calling her the portand only secure harbor of rest she frees the body from a thousand pains and diseases delivers the subject from the cruelty of the tyrant and makes the begger equall with his Prince She to all good men is acceptable and welcome only dreadfull to the wicked who have a presage and feare of punishments to come Alcidamus writ an excellent book in the praise of Death having a large and copious argument in which he strove to expresse with what an equall sufferance and modest patience she was to be enterteined Of the same argument writes Plutarch in Consolator for life is nothing else but a light lenâ— us by the Creator of all mankind which if it be redemanded of us ought no more grudgingly to be paid back then comming to a friends house to be merry in the morning and having feasted there all the day to return to our home at night or to pay back what we borrow to the owner For there is no injury done to us if God demand that back at our hands which he hath before but lent us Now from the daughter to come back to the mother and know what is allegorically meant by Night These pests and mischiefes before commemorated are therefore said to be her sons and daughters because the ignorance and malice of man which is indeed the night of the mind is the parent and nurse of all calamities incidents to us yet may some of their violences by wisedome be mitigated though not frustrated of their ends namely Age Love Fate Death and the like who though they be in perpetuall motion their speed may be slackned though not staied and their pace slowed though not quire stopt She was called the most Ancient because before the Heavens and the Sunne were created there was no light extâ—nt which is said to proceed from the lower parts of the earth in regard that the Sunne compassing the world when he lights the Antipodes with his beams the earth shadowes them from us which shadow is nothing else then Night She is called the mother of all as being before the birth of any thing The word Nox is derived à Nocendo of hurting or harming the reason is as some Physitians hold opinion because the corrupt humors of the night are infectious and dangerous especially to men any way diseased of which there is continuall experience in all such as have either wounds or aches or agues or feavers or the like to all such weaknesses or imperfections the humours of the night are still most hurtfull and obnoxious And so much briefly what morally can be gathered by that which hath been fabulously commented of Night That Sleep could not fasten on the eies of Jupiter it is intended not to be convenient for him that hath the charge and protection of the whole Universe to whose care and foresight the administration and guidance of all things are committed should so much as slumber or wink at all neither doth the divine Nature need any rest to repaire and comfort his troubled spirits when he is not capable of either labour or discommodity And Lethe is called the sister of Somnuâ— in regard that by our naturall repose we for the time forget all paine anguish or trouble Because he comes to many creatures and at the same time he is said to be winged in regard the humour of the Night encreaseth the vapours of the stomack ascending to the higher parts of the body which after by the frigidity of the braine descend againe lower and more cool by which Sleep is begot he is therefore not unproperly called the son of Night which Night cals me now to rest with the finishing of this second book called Euterpe Explicit Lib. 2. THE THIRD BOOK of Women inscribed THALIA Treating of Illustrious Queens Famous Wives Mothers Daughters c. Containing the Histories of sundry Noble Ladies GOrgias held opinion that Women were not to be honoured according to their form but their fame preferring actuall vertue before superficiall beauty to incourage which in their sex funerall orations were allowed by the Roman Lawes to be celebrated for all such as had been either presidents of
a City of Cipria others amongst the Argives Aristarchus and Dyoâ—isius Thrax derive him from Athens c. But I may have occasion to speak of him in a larger work intituled The lives of all the Poets Modern and Forreign to which work if it come once againe into my hands I shall refer you concluding him with this short Epitaph An Epitaph upon Homer the Prince of Poets In Colophon some think thee Homer borne Some in faire Smyrna soâ—e in Ius isle Some with thy birth rich Chius would adorn Others say 〈◊〉 a first on thee did smile The Argives lay claim to thee and aver Thou art their Country man Aemus saies no. Strong Salamine saith thou tookest life from her But Athens thou to her thy Muse dost owe As there first breathing Speak how then shall I Determine of thy Country by my skill When Oracles would never I will try And Homer well thou give me leave I will The spatious Earth then for Country chuse No mortall for thy mother but a Muse 〈◊〉 the sister of Nereus the Sea-god was by him stupratedâ— of whom he begot the Nymphs called Nercides Ovid in his sixt book Metamorph telleth us of Philomela daughter to Pandion King of Athens who was forced by Tereus King of Thrace the son of Mars and the Nymph Bâ—stonides though he had before married her own dear and naturall sister Progne the lamentable effects of which incest is by the same Author elegantly and at large described as likewise Beblis the daughter of Miletus and Cyane who after she had sought the embraces of her brother Caumus slew her selfe Mirrha daughter to Cyniras King of the Cyprians lay with her father and by him had the beautifull child Adonis Europa the mother and Pelopeia the daughter were both corrupted by Thyestes Hypermestra injoied the company of her brother for whom she had long languished Menephron most barborously frequented the bed of his mother against whom Ovid in his Metamorph. and Quintianus in his Cleopol bitterly inveigh Domitius Calderinus puts us in mind of the Concubine of Amintor who was injoied by his son Phaenix Rhodope the daughter of Hemon was married to her father which the gods willing to punish they were as the Poets feign changed into the mountains which still bear their names Caeleus reports of one Policaste the mother of Perdix a hunts-man who was by him incestuously loved and after injoied Lucan in his eight book affirms that Cleopatra was polluted by her own brother with whom she communicated her selfe as to a husband Nictimine was comprest by her father Nictus King of Aethiopia Martial in his twelfe book writing to Fabulla accuseth one Themison of incest with his sister Plin. lib. 28. cap. 2. speaks of two of the Vestals Thusia and Copronda both convicted of incest the one buried alive the other strangled Publius Claudius was accused by M. Cicero of incest with his three sisters Sextus Aurelius writes that Agrippina the daughter of Germanicus had two children by her brother Claudius Caesar Cornalius Tacitus saith that she often communicated her body with her own son Nero in his cups and heat of wine he after commanded her womb to be ripped up that he might see the place where he had laien so long before his birth and most deservedly was it inflicted upon the brutish mother though unnaturally imposed by the inhumane son Ansilaena is worthily repoved by Catullus for yielding up her body to the wanton imbraces of her uncle by whom she had children Gidica the wife of Pomonius Laurentius doted on her son Cominus even to incest but by him refused she strangled her selfe The like did Pheora being despised by her son Hippolitus Dosithaeus apud Plutarch speaks of Nugeria the wife of Hebius who contemned by her son in Law Firmus prosecuted him with such violent and inveterate hate that she first sollicited her own sons to his murder but they abhorring the vilenesse of the fact she watcht him sleeping and so slew him John Maletesta deprehending his wife in the arms of his brother Paulus Maletesta transpierc'd them both with his sword in the incestuous action Clepatra daughter to Dardanus King of the Scythians and wife to Phinaeus was forced by her two sons in law for which fact their father caused their eies to be plucked out Plutarch reports of Atossa that she was doted on by Artaxerxes insomuch as that after he had long kept her as his strumpet against the Laws of Persia and of Greece to both which he violently opposed himself he made her his Queen Curtius writes of one Si simithres a Persian souldier that had two children by his mother Diogenian also speaking of Secundus the Philosopher saith that he unawares to them both committed incest with his mother which after being made known to them she astonied with the horror of the fact immediately slew her selfe and he what with the sorrow for her death and brutishnesse of the deâ—d vowed never after to speak word which he constantly performed to the last minute of his life Manlius in his common places reports from the mouth oâ— D Martin Luther that this accident hapned in Erphâ—rst in Germany There was saith he a maid of an honest family that was servant to a rich widdow who had a son that had many times importuned the girle to lewdnesse insomuch that she had no other way to avoid his continuall suggestions but by acquainting the mother with the dissolute courses of the son The widdow considering with her self which was the best course to childe his libidirous purpose and divert him from that lewd course plotted with the maid to give him a seeming consent and so appoint him a place and time in the night of meeting at which he should have the fruition of what he so long had sued for she her selfe intending to supply the place of her servant to school her son and so prevent any inconvenience that might futurely happen The maid did according to her appointment the son with great joy keeps his houre so did the mother who came thither on purpose to reform her son but he being hot and too forward in the action and she overcome either by the inticements of the devill the weaknesse of her Sex or both gave her selfe up to incestuous prostitution the young man knowing no otherwise but that he had enjoied the maid Of this wicked and abominable congression a woman child was begot of whom the mother to save her reputation was secretly delivered and put it out privately to nurse but at the age of seven years took it home When the child grew to years the most infortunate sonne fell in love with his sister and daughter and made her his unhappy wife what shall I think of this detestable sinne which even beasts themselves abhor of which I will give you present instance Aristotle in his history Animal who was a diligent searcher into all naturall things affirms that a Camel being bliâ—ded
pity as grieving she should be so dismembred he thought rather to make shipwrack of her honour then her life since the one might be by an after-truth restored but the other by no earthly mediation recovered And to this purpose presents himselfe before the Altar openly attesting that she was by him with child and therefore not only an unlawfull but abominable offering in eies of Iupiter No sooner was this charitable slander pronounced by the young man but the father more inraged at the losse of her honour now then before commiserating her death bâ—ing full of wrath he usurps the office of the Priest and wash his sword hewes the poor innocent Lady to peeces But not many nights after this bloody execution the Idaea of his daughter bleeding and with all her wounds about her presented it selfe to him in his troubled and distracted sleep with which being strangely moved he conveied himselfe to the tombe where his daughter lay buried and there with the same sword slew himselfe Herodotus in Euterpe speaks of one Pheretrina Queen of the Bâ—cchaeaus a woman of a most inhuman cruelty she was for her tyranny strook by the hand of heaven her living 〈…〉 up with worms and â—â—ce and in that languishing misery gave up the ghost Propert in his third book speakâ— of one Dyrce who much grieved that her husband Lycus was surprized with the love of one Antiopa caused her to be bound to the horns of a mad bull but her two sons Zâ—â—bus and Amphtoa comming instantly at the noise of her loud acclamation they released her from the present danger and in revenge of the injury offered to their mother fastned Dyrce to the same place who after much affright and many pitifull and deadly wounds expired Consinge was the Queen of Bithinia and wife to Nicomedes whose gesture and behaviour appearing too wanton and libidinous in the eies of her husband he caused to be worried by his own dogs Plin. lib. 7. Pyrene the daughter to Bâ—brâ—x was comprest by Hercules in the mountains that divide Italy from Spaine she was after torn in pieces by wild beasts they were called or her Montes Pyreneae i. The Pyrenean mountains Antipater Tarcenses apud Vollateran speaks of one Gatis a Queen of Syria who was cast alive into a moat amongst fishes and by them devouted she was likewise called Atergatis Sygambis was the mother of Darius King of Persia as Quintus Curtius in his fourth book relates she died upon a vowed abstinence for being taken prisoner by Alexander yet nobly used by him whether tired with the continuall labour of her journie or more afflicted with the disease of the mind it is not certain but falling betwixt the arms of her two daughters after five daies abstinence from meat drink and light she expired Semele the mother of 〈◊〉 a Thebâ—n Lady and of the roial race of Cadmus 〈…〉 thunder Pliny in his second book writes of one Martia great with child who was strook with thunder but the 〈◊〉 in her womb strook dead only she her selfe not suffering any hurt or dammage in which place he remembers one Marcus Herennius a Decurion who in a bright and cleare day when there appeared in the skie no sign of storm or tempest was slain by a thunderclap Pausanias apud Vollâ—teran saith that Helena after the death of her husband Mentlaus being banished into Rhodes by Megapenthus and Nicostratus the sons of Orestes came for rescue to Polyzo the wife of Pleopolemus who being jealous of too much familiarity betwixt her and her husband caused her to be strangled in a bath others write of her that growing old and seeing her hairs grown gray that face grown withered whose lustre had been the death of so many hundred thousands she caused her glasse to be broken and in despair strangled her selfe The like Caelius lib. 6. cap. 15. remembers us of one Acco a proud woman in her youth and grown decrepit through age finding her brow to be furrowed and the fresh colour in her cheeks to be quite decaied grew with the conceit thereof into a strange frenzy some write that she used to talk familiarly to her owne image in the myrrhor sometimes smile upon it then again menace it promise to it or flatter it as it came into her fancy in the end with meer apprehension that she was grown old and her beauty faded she fell into a languishing and so died Jocasta the incestuous mother to Aeteocles and Polynices beholding her two sons perish by mutuall wounds strook with the terror of a deed so facinorous instantly slew her selfe So Bisalâ—ia a maid despised by Calphurnius Crassus into whose hands she had betraied the life of her father and freedome of her Country fell upon a sword and so perished Zoe the Empresse with her husband Constantius Monachus both about one time died of the Pestilence Gregorius Turonensis writes of one Austrigilda a famous Queen who died of a disease called Disenteria which is a flâ—x or wringing of the bowels Of the same griefe died Sausones son to Chilperick Serena the wife of Dioclesian for very griefe that so much Martyrs blood was spilt by her husbands remorselesse tyranny fell into a feaver and so died Glausinda daughter to the King of the Goths and wife to Athanagildus was slain by Chilperick the son of Clotharius at the instigation of the strumpet Fredegunda so saith Volateranus Sextus Aurelius writes that the Emperor Constantius son to Constantius and Helena caused his wife Fausta by whose instigation he had slain his son Crispus to die in a hoâ—scalding bath Herodotus speaks of Lysides otherwise called Melissa the wife of Periander who at the suggestion of a strumpet caused her to be slaine which makes Sabellicus amongst others to wonder why for that deed only he should be numbred amongst the wise men of Greece 〈◊〉 Cecilius in his seven and twentieth book upon Pliny accuseth Calphurnius Bestia for poisoning his wives sleeping Pliny in his fourteenth book nominates one Egnatius Melentinus who slew his wife for no other cause but that she had drunk wine and was acquitted of the murder by Romulus Auctoclea the daughter of Sinon and wife of Laeâ—â—es King of Ithaca when by a false messenger she heard that her son Vlysses was slain at the siege of Troy suddenly fel down and died The mother of Antista seeing her daughter forsaken by Pompey the Great and Aemâ—lâ—a received in her stead overcoâ—e with griefe slew her selfe Perimela a damosell was vitiated by Achelous which her father Hippodamus took in such indignation that from an high promontory he cast her headlong down into the sea Hyppomanes a Prince of Achens deprehending his daughter Lymone in adultery shut her up in a place with a fierce and cruell horse but left no kind of food for one or the
Friday was born So that he was the fore-runner of Christ both in his Conception his Birth his Baptism his Preaching and his Death A woman goeth with child two hundred threescore and sixteen daies for so long by computation was Christ in the womb of the blessed Virgin though all women goe not so long with child S. Augustine observes lib. 4. de Civitate Dei cap. 5. So that Christ was longer in the womb by a day and more then St Iohn Baptist Iohn also was born when the daies began to shorten and wane and Christ when they began to wax long Concerning these Antiquities I conclude with a sentence of St Augustins Against Reason saith he no sober man will dispute against the Scripture no Christian man contest and against the Church no religious man oppose And so I proceed to the History Of Mary the blessed Virgin LEt it not be held unnecessary or appear out of course amongst these Virgins to insert a history memorable for the rarenesse thereof to all posterity Iohannes Wyerius in his book intituled de Praestigiâ—s demonum hath collected it out of Suidas In the mean time that Iustinian was Emperor there was a Prince amongst the Jewes whose name was Theodosius He having great aequaintance and familiarity with one Philippus a Christian a bancker or one that dealt in the exchange of monie for he was called Philippus Argentarius this Philip did often sollicite and exhort him to leave his Judaisme and be a convert and turn to the Christian religion to whom he answered Indeed he must ingeniously confesse he made no question but that Jesus whom the Christians adored was the same Messias of whom the holy Prophets foretold yet he could not be perswaded to relinquish the honours and profits that he had amongst his own Nation and give himselfe up to a name which they knew not or at least would not acknowledge yet that he beleeved so of Christ he was not only perswaded by the Oracles of the holy Prophets but he found it approved by a certain mystery namely a writing most charily stil kept amongst the Jewes in a place most safe and secret where their choice records with the especiallest care and trust are reserved which was of this nature It was a custome amongst the Jewish Nation at what time the holy Temple was yet standing in Jerusalem to have continually the number of 22 chief and selected Priests just so many as there be letters in the Hebrew language or books of the old Testament and so often as any of these was taken away by death immediately another was elected to succeed in his place and being chosen in a book kept in the treasury for that only purpose expressly to write down his own name and the names of both his parents with the daies punctually set down of the decease of the one and the succession of the other Now in the time that Christ was conversant in Judaea and yet had not shewed himselfe to the world nor preached the Word openly to the people it hapned that one of the Priests of the foresaid number died neither after many voices and sundry nominations was any agreed upon or thought fit to be ascribed into his place At length was propounded JESUS the son of the Carpenter Ioseph for so they termed him a man though young yet for the sanctity of his life his behaviour and doctrine above all the rest commended This suffrage standing as having generall approbation from all it was convenient to send for his mother for his father Ioseph was late dead into the Consistory only to know their names and to register them in the aforesaid book She therefore being called and diligently questioned of her son and his father thus answered That indeed she was the mother of JESUS and brought him into the world of which those women are testates that were present at his birth but that he had no father from earth in which if they desired to be further instructed she could make it plainly appear For being a Virgin and then in Galilee the Angel of God saith she entred the house where I was and appearing unto me not sleeping but thus as I am awake he told me That by the Holy Ghost I should conceive and bring forth a son and commanded me that I should cal his name JESUS Therefore being then a Virgin by that Vision I conceived I brought forth JESUS and I still remain a Virgin unto this day When the 〈◊〉 heâ—â—d this they appointed faithfull and trusty Midwiveâ— with all diligence and care to make proof whether Mary were a Virgin or no they finding the truth most appâ—â—ant and not to be contradicted delivered up to the Priests That she 〈◊〉 Virgin pure and immaculate Then they sent for those women that were known to be at her delivery and were witnâ—sses of the Infants comming into the world all which did attest and justity That she was the mother of the same JESUS With these things the Priests amazed and astonished they presently entreated Mary that she would freely professe unto unto them what his Parents were that their names according to custome might be registred amongst the others To whom the blessed Virgin thus answered Certain I am that I brought him into the world but know no father that he hath from the Earth but by the Angel it was told me That he was the son of GOD He therefore is the son of GOD and me This the Priests understanding called for the book which being laid open before them they caused these words to be inscribed Upon such a day deceased such a Priest born of such and such Parents in whose place by the common and unite suffrage of us all is elected Priest JESUS the Son of the living GOD and the Virgin MARY And this book Theodosius affirmed by the especiall diligence of the most noble amongst the Jewes and the chiefe Princes was reserved from the great sack and destruction of the City and Temple and was transferred into the City of Tiberias and there kept a long time after Suidas testifies that he hath heard this discourse from honest men who delivered it to him word by word as they themselves have heard it from the mouth of Philippus Argentarius This most blessed and pure Virgin Mary the mother of our Lord and Saviour was born of the holy Matron St Anne in the year of the world 3948 and in the year before Christ fifteen Of him Claudian thus elegantly writes in one of his Epigrams Proles vera Dei cunctisque antiquior Annis Nunegenitus qui semper eras True Son of God older then time that hast Thy birth but now yet from beginning wast Author of Light and Light before all other O thou that art the parent of thy mother And by thâ—ne equall-aged father sent From Heaven unto this terrene continent Whose word was made Flesh and constrain'd to dwell In the streight prison of a Virgins cell And in a narrow angle to
517 Of famous Astrologians 518 Of Women Orators that have pleaded their own causes or others 523 Of women studious in Divinity 525 Of women excellent in Philosophy other Learning 529 A discourse of Poetry 536 Of women excellent in Poetry 538 Of Minerva and others 542 Of Sapho 543 Of Cleobule Lindia and other Poetesses 550 Of Telesilla Poetria 552 Of Perhilla c. 554 A discourse of Witches 556 How the Devil rewards his servants 558 The wretched ends of sundry Magicians 559 Severall sorts of superstitious Jugling 560 Of Cyrce Medea and other Witches remembred by the Poets 563 Of Witches transported from one place to another by the Devil 567 Of Witches that have either changed their own shapes or transformed others 572 Lycantropia 573 A piper transformed into an Asse 574 Other miraculous transformations 575 Of she Devils 576 A Witch of Amsterdam 581 A Witch of Geneva 582 Examples of strange kinds of Witchcraft 583 Witches called Extasists ibid. Divers things to be observed in witches 585. The Contents of the ninth Book inscribed Calliope Entreating of Women in generall with the Punishments of the Vitious and Rewards due to the Vertuous interlaced with sundry Histories A Discourse of Death 586 Of women ravished 589 Of Handmaids Nurses Midwives and Stepdames 592 The punishment of Incest in the sister of Leucippus 603 The punishment of Adultery 605 Sisters that have murthered their brothers 606 The punishment of Fratricides 607 Of mothers that have slain their children and wives their husbands 608 Punishment due to Regicides 609 Punishment of unjust Divorce 611 Whoredome punished 612 Loquacity punished 613 Lying punished 614 Perjury punished ibid. Prodigality and Excesse punished 616 Witchcraft punished 619 Honor and Reward due to Fortitude 627 Honor and Reward due to Temperance 629 Reward due to fertility or many children illustrated in divers Histories 630 Of Beauty and the Reward thereof 638 A Convertite rewarded 641 Of Cura or Care 647 Rewards due to women Philosophers Orators or Poetesses 648 Nine Books of various History only concerning Women Inscribed by the names of the nine Muses The first Book which is CLIO treating of the Goddesses Coelestiall Terrestriall Marine and Infernall BEfore we enter into a particular tractare of these Goddesses it shall not be amisse to speak something of the opinions setled in sundry Nations concerning them Who were their first Adorers and Worshippers the multiplicity of their gods and what several Rights and Customs Observations and Ceremonies they used in their Oblations and Sacrifices The Aethiopians are said to be the most ancient and first beginners of Divine adoration as Diodorus is of opinion Imagining in themselves and verily beleeving some of their gods to be everlasting and others to participate of a mortall and corruptible nature The Phoenicians they delivered admirable and strange things concerning their gods and the first beginning and Creation of things above all others having in Divine worship Dagona and Chamas The Atlantides a people of Affrica they are confident that the generation of the gods proceeded from them and the first that reigned amongst them they called Coelum which is heaven The Augitae another Nation in the Affrick Continent acknowledged no other Deities then the Ghosts of such Noble persons as were deceased to whose Sepulchres they usually repaired to demand answers of al such things wherein they doubted The Theology of the Phrygians was not much different from theirs The Persians neither erected Statues nor Altars they worshipped the Heaâ—ens which they called Jupiter the Sun by the name of 〈◊〉 the Moon Venus the Fire the Earth the Winds and the Water Isiodorus saith the Graecians first honoured 〈◊〉 whom they stiled Jupiter and were the first devisâ—rs 〈◊〉 Images erecters of Altars and offerers of Sacrifice The Jewes as Cornelius Tacitus relates apprehended but one divine power and that onely they acknowledged The German of old as the same Author affirms were of opinion That the gods could not be comprehended within wals not have any humane shape appropriated unto them measuring theâ—â— incomprehensible power by the magnitude of the heavens Now concerning the divers opinions of men what this supreme Deity should be some held it the universe or the globe of the world of which opinion was Origenes in his fifth book against Câ—â—sus The Stoicks held it to be the first world the Platonists a second world and divers other Sâ—ctâ—sts of Greece to be a third world Thales Mâ—lesius called God a Mind that fashioned all creatures out of the water that knew â—o beginning and was not capable of end Anaximander he ascribed a Deity to the Stars and the Planets and these coelestiâ—ll bodies attributing no honour to that Mind of which Thales dreamed Anaximenes thought it to be Infinite 〈◊〉 to which he attributed the Originall of all causes and derived the birth of the gods from thence for so Saint Augustine and Cicero affirms Democritus Abderites as Cicero and Arnobius testifie of him was of opinion that it was a Mind of fire and the soule of the world Plutarch in the 〈◊〉 of Numa sets down Pythagoras his opinion concerning this godhead and thus defines it A Mind still travelling never out of motion but dispers'd and diffus'd through all the parts of the world and things naturall 〈◊〉 which all creatures whatsoever that are born take life â—ysis and Philolaus call it an unspeakable number or a summity of the greatest or smalest number for so Origenes saith Archelaus Physicus would have all things to be created of earth and as Epiphanius testates of him the beginning of all things to proceed from thence Phâ—recidas taught that the earth was before all other things and therefore to that he appropriated a divinity Heraclius Ephesius contested the gods to be made of 〈◊〉 so Varro writes of him of the same beleefe was Hippasus Metapontinus witnesse Simplicius Anaxagorâ—s Clazâ—â—en called his god Homoeomeria that is Lâ—â—â—â—esse of parte and that a divine thought was the producter of all things whatsoever So Augustine reports of him others that he held an infinite mind to be the first mover Prodicus Coeus as Epiphaenius tels us plac'd his god in the foure Elements likewise in the Sun and the Moon in which two Planets there existed a living vertue Diogenes Apollonaites derived his god from the Air as the matter from whence all things had their reality as likewise that it did participate of divine reason without which nothing could be created Cleanthes Assius would have his god of the Firmament as divers others of the Stoicks And as Arnobius witnesseth of him sometimes he call'd him the Will now the Minde then that part of the aire which is above the fire and sometimes again the reason Straton made Nature his summum bonum Antisthenes Atheniensis he taught that there were many popular gods but one onely Architector of the fabricke of the world Chrysippus Silix the Stoick hee taught that God was a naturall power endued with divine reason and
then again he called him a Divine necessity Zeno Citteieus called him a divine and naturall Law and sometimes the Firmament Zenophanes Collophonius called him Whatsoever was infinite in a conjoined mind or one universall and every thing that as Theophrastus saith of him he imagined to be God Parmenides Eliates called him â—aâ—taâ—me or an apprehension of an Imaginary thing something resembling a Crown which the Greeks call 〈◊〉 conteining within it a fiery light an orb or girdle 〈◊〉 compasseth and embraceth the heavens adhering to â—his fantasie were Cicero and Simplicius Empedocles Agrigentinus he would have four natures of which all things should subsist and these he taught to be divine as also that they had birth and should see end for so Cicero writes in his book de natura deorum Theodorus and Epiphanius speak of one Theodorus sirnamed Atheos the Atheist He affirmed the gods to be meer ioies and not worthy of divine honours that would perswade men by their examples to theft perjury and rapine Protagoras Abderita was of opinion That it was not lawfull to enquire concerning the gods whether they were or were not or of what nature and quality Xenocrates Chalcedonius made eight gods in the wandring stars the number of five in the whole number of the Planets one a seventh in the Sun an eighth in the Moon Plato Atheniensis went more divinely to work who taught that it is neither the aire nor reason nor nature but that there is one only God by whom alone the world was fashioned and made perfect and miraculous Zenophon Socraticus held argument That the form of the true God was not visible and therefore his essence nor lawfull to be sought into Ariston the Sâ—oick affimed than God might be comprehended within his own substance Aristotle proposed That one Mind governed the whole world and that it was the prime and principall cause of all things Speâ—sippus constituted a naturall living power by which all things were governed and that he stil'd a Deity for so Arnob. in his eighth book reports Alâ—maeon Crotoniates did attribute a Deity to the Sun Moon and the rest of the Planets in his ignorance as Cicero speaks of him giving immortality to things meerly mortall Ecphantus Siracusanus as Erigines relates of him imagined the divinity to exist in the mind and soule Brachmanae who were the Indian wise men or Sophoi called it the Light but not as the splendour of the Sun or Air but the light of reason by which wise and understanding men might enquire into the dark and mysticall secrets of nature Lactantius and Cicero say that it was the opinion of the Stoicks for the most part That this instrumentall power was a divine substance intelligible and airy but wanting form yet to be transhap'd or made like to whatsoever it best pleased it selfe The same Philosophers attributed a god-hood to the stars and all other coelestiall bodies Heraclides Ponticus thought the World and the Mind both divine and was of opinion that this form of the Deity was mutable reducing the earth and the heavens within the compasse of Godhead Epicurus Atheniensis he made him gods of Atomes or Mâ—ats allowing them bodies differing from men but beaâ—ing humane form M. Terentius Varro supposed him to be the soule of the world and the world it selfe to be god Cicero defines him thus a certaine pure and free mind separate from all mortall commixtion ever moving and all things knowing and Origenes adhering to the opinion of Exilneus concludes that the gods are eveâ— during not subject to corruption and yet altogether without providence But lest I should grow tedious in the search of so many divers opinions which to some may appear impertinent to the tractate in hand yet not altogether unnecessary â—o such who have not travelled in the search of these Antiquities I will come neerer to the matter and to speak of the goddesses as we promised Hesiod hath left to memory that there are no lesse then thirty thousand gods within the compass of the world and every one have several predominance over men beasts fish fouls and al other creatures vegetative and sensitive Tertullian speaks of three hundred Joves or Jupiters counted by M. Varro Therefore it was not permitted amongst the Romans to adore any other gods or goddesses then such as were approved and allowed by the Senate In the books of the high Priest it was thus written Let no man bring in an innovation of any new gods or aliens to be privately adored unlesse they be publickly approved only such as have from antiquity been held coelestiall and unto whom Temples and Altars have been consecrated let none else have divine worship The Heathen of old amongst their goddesses counted these Pudicitia Concordia Mens Spes Honor Clementia and Fides that is Bashfulnesse Concord the Mind Hope Honour Clemency and Faith Pliny writes of a Temple in Rome dedicated to Honor. Certaine living creatures and other things were in the old time reverenced as gods The Trogloditae as the same author testifies worshipped a Tortoise The Aegyptians had in honour Garlick and Onyons they have the Crocodile likewise in divine adoration to whom they offer Sacrifice But the Ombytae chiefly a people of that Country by whom he is held most sacred and if it so happen that their children be by him devoured the parents rejoice imagining they are specially beloved of the gods that are thought worthy to beget food to please their appetites Serpents are honoured by the Phoenicians In Gadeta a City of Spain two Temples were erected the one to Age the other to Death to one as the Mistresse of Experience to the other as a quiet harbor or cessation from all miseries and calamities In other Cities were the like instituted to Poverty and to Fortune lest the one should afflict them and that the other should favour them Floods likewise and Rivers were esteemed as deities some portrai'd in the figure of men and others in the semblance of beasts Amongst the Lacedemonians as Plutarch relates Temples were edified one to Feare another to Laughter a third to Death The Aegyptians worshipped the Sun and Moon the goddesse Ibis a Cat an Eagle and a Goat The Syrians adored a Dove The Romans a Goose by reason that by the cackling of Geese the Capitoll was preserved from the sack Amongst the Thâ—â—alians it was held an offence Capitall to kill a Stork These that inhabite the Island Syâ—en 〈◊〉 the fish called Phaâ—os Those that dwell in Mâ—â—tis the fish Oxiringus In Ambracia a Lyonesse because in times past a Lyonesse seised upon a Tyrant and tore him to pieces by which they were restored to their ancient liberties Those that live by Delphos a Wolfe who by scraping up the earth discovered a great quantity of gold buried and till then concealed The men of Samos a Sheep the Argives a Serpent the Islanders of Tenedos a Cow with Calfe after whose conception they tender her as much service as to a
woman young with child A Dragon in Albâ— a grove just opposite against Juno's Temple was honoured by the Spaâ—â—ane virgins to which at certain times they went and fed him from their hands The Aegyptians had Asps likewise in great worship which they fostered and brought up together with their children The Thebans honoured a Sea Lâ—mprey There were gods called Medioxum dei or middle gods or which Plautus in his Cistellaria makes mention Isa me dei deaeque superi inferi mediorum as the gods and goddesses supernall or infernall or those betwixt them both c. He speaks likewise of Dii potellarii such as had power over the dishes that were used in Sacrifices to which Ovid hath reference in this verse 〈◊〉 Missos Vestae pura paâ—ella cibos The clean platter presents those cates sent to Vesta And Plautus in another place Dii me omnes magni minuti patellarii c. There be others called Semones who have domination over as much as lies open from the middle Region of the air to the earth and they are called by us semi-dei or halfe-gods Fulgenâ—â—â—â— cals those Semones that for the poverty of their desert are not worthy a place in the heavens Amongst whom he reckons Priapus Hippo and Vertumnus In Italy there were divers others called Dii municipales as belonging to private men in Cities not called into any publike office as amongst the Crustuminians Delventâ—nus amongst the Narnienses Viridiarius amongst the Astrulanians Ancharia amongst the Volcinienses Nortia But now of the Goddesses in order Of the Goddesses Coelestiall and first of JUNO IVNO is the daughter of Saturn the Queen of the gâ—ds and chiefe of those that are called Coelestiall The wife and sister of Jupiter goddesse of Power and Riches and soveraignesse of marriage and all conjugall contracts The Festivals kept in her honour were called Herea which was a name appropriated to her own person so Enneus saith as Cicero cites him in his first book of offices Vos ne velit an me regnarâ— Hera Will the Mistresse have you to raign or me where some take Herae for Fortune One of her Priests as Virgil testates was Calibe of whom he thus speaks Fit Calibe Junonis anus templique sacerdos The old woman Calibe was Priest in Juno's Temple Ovid in his second book Metamorph. nominates Alcinoe Ante tamen cunctos Junonis Templa colebat Proque viro qui nullus erat veniebat ad Aras Alcinoe before the rest did Juno's Temple grace And for a man for men were none had at her Altar place She was honoured most in the City of Carthage the chiefe City of Affrica of which Virgil in his first book AeneiÌ„ad thus speaks Quam Juno fertur terris magis omnibus unam Posthabita Coluisse Samo Which only saith he Juno is reported to prefer before all other Countries even Samos it selfe Statius in his first book Theb. saith that she was much honoured in the City called Prosimna but in Samos an Island compast in with the Icarian sea she was chiefly celebrated as said to be there noursed in her infancy In Argos and Mâ—cene two chiefe Cities of Achâ—ia she was likewise much honoured as their Queen and Patronesse for so Horace affirms lib. 1 Carmin Ovid in his 6. book De fastis saith that the people called Phalisci have her in great adoration calling them Junonicoli as those that honour Juno Of ther chastity majesty her brawling and chiding with Iupiter her revenge upon his strumpets and bastards divers things have been diversely commented of which I will insist upon some few Iuno having in suspition Semele the daughter of Cadmus and Hermione to have been often prostituted by Iupiter she changed her selfe into the shape of her Nurse Beroe perswading her that she should beg of him That he would grace her so much as to lie with her in the same state and majesty with which he bedded Iuno that as his power and potency was great above all so her 〈…〉 wantonnings might be remarkable above others which he unwillingly granting and she as unfortunately obtaining was the occasion that she with her Pallace were both consumed in 〈…〉 and thunders It is related of Iuno further that when she and her husband being reconciled and pleasantly discoursing held argument betwixt themselves Whether in the act of generation men or women took the greatest delight and that by joint consent their controversie was to be determined by Tyâ—esias one that had been of both Sects Tyâ—esias giving up his censure That women were by nature the most wanton her sport turned into spleen and her mirth into such madnesse that she instantly bereâ—vâ—d him of his sight and strook him blind to recompence which losse Iupiter inspired him with the spirit of Divination and Prophesie to which her continued anger further added That howsoever he truly prophesied yet his presages should never be beleeved Alomena too growing great of Hercules and ready to be delivered she taking on her the shape of a Beldame sate her down before her own Altar with her knees crossed and her hands clutched by which charme she stopped the passage of her child-birth which Gallantis espying and apprehending as it was indeed that to be the occasion why her Lady could not be delivered she bethought her of a craft to prevent the others cunning for leaving Alomena in the middest of her throwes she assumes a counterfet joy and with a glad countenance approcheth the Altar to thank the gods for her Ladies safe delivery Which Iuno â—o sooner heard but up she riseth and casts her armes abroad her knees were no sooner uncrost and her fingers open but Alomena was cased and Hercules found free passage into the world Gallantis at this laughing and Iuno chasing to be thus deluded she afflicted her with an unheard of punishment by transhaping her into a Weesill whose natiue is to kindle at the mouth that from the same jawes with which she had lied to the gods about Alomena's child be 〈◊〉 she should ever after bring forth her young No lesse was her hatred to all the posterity of Cadmus for when Agave had lost Penthaeus and Antinoe Actaeon and Sâ—mele had been consumed by Ioves thunders and there remained onely two Athames and Ino she possest them both with such madnesse that he being on hunting transpierc'd his sonne Lâ—â—â—chus mistaking him for the game he chased and Ino snatcht up young Melicertes and with him cast her selâ—e down headlong into the Sea from the top of an high promontory But at the intercession of Venus who was born of the waves Neptune was pleased to rank them in the number of the Sea-gods so that Melicertes is called Palaemon and Ino Iaeucothoe I could further relate of many other poeticall Fables as of Ixion who enterteined and feasted by Iupiter attempted to strumpet Iuno and adulterate the bed of Iupiter which to prevent and shun the violence of a rape she fashioned a Cloud into her own
similitude and semblance which Ixion mistaking for Iuno of that begot the Centaurs As also the birth of her son Vulcan and her daughter Eccho he lame and she so deformed that being ashamed to shew her selfe or appear to the eies of any she hath so conceal'd her selfe in thick woods and hollow vaults and caverns that never any part of her could ever yet be discovered more then her voice Yet 〈◊〉 shew that in all these seeming Fables golden meanings were intended I wil briefly thus illustrate them Iuno was therefore called the daughter of Saturn because the world was created by God the great work-master of Nature Then in his course was Time born from thence 〈◊〉 which is whatsoever is above the Element of Fire the Firmament or the Sâ—y and next that the Elements The highest 〈◊〉 Iupiter is Aër namely Iuno the moderatresse of the life of man by whom the treasures of rain and ball are disposed and governed of the air waxing hot are generated creatures trees and plants c. whose temperature hath an influence in the bodies and minds of reasonable creatures therefore when from water Aer is next begot she is said to be nourisht by Oceanus and Thetis when the force of the Element works with the Aer in the procreation of creatures she is then said to be the wife of Iupiter when shee is changed into fire then she brings forth Vulcan when the benignity of the air hath cooperation with such things as are generated she is then stiled the goddesse of marriage So likewise it is said of Ixion that for attempting the bed of Iupiter he was from heaven cast down into hell which some would bring within the compasse of history But that he is there tortured upon a wheel incessantly turning round must needs include morality Most probable it is that Ixion disgrac'd and banisht from the Court of that King whose wife he had sought to adulterate was thereby made of all men the most wretched and miserable as one excruciated with perpetuall ambition and envy for such as under the imaginary Idea of vertue apprehend the reality of vain glory they can attempt nothing good nothing sincere or laudable but all their actions are criminall irregular and meerly absurd importing thus much That their estates can have no continuance that by sinister and indirect courses seek to climb to the height and crown of glory Cybele SHE is the wife of Saturne and is called the mother of the gods Her Chariot is drawn with Lions To her Ida and Dindymus two mountains of Phrygia were sacred whereupon Virgil saith Alma parens Idaea deûm cui Dindyma sacer From that place she is called Dindymene by Martial Non per mystica sacra Dindymenes Not by the mysticall oblations of Cybele In Phrygia the Ministers of this goddesse called Galli kept certain feast daies in her honour after the manner of Fencers or Gladiators contending amongst themselves even to the shedding of much blood which when they saw to flow plentifully about their heads and faces they ran to a certain flood not far thence sacred to the goddesse and in that washt both their wounds and weapons the like did the Romans in Almo a River neer to Rome the eleventh of the Calends of April which Valerius Flaccus remembers Sic Vbi Migdonios Planctus sacer abluit Almo Letaque jam Cybele Where Almo the Migdonian knocks laves off And Cybele now rejoyceth Reate as Sylius saith a City in Umbria is sacred to her so is Berecinthus a mountain in Phrygia of whom shee takes the name of Berecynthia Apuleius lib. 11. cals her Pesinuntica of Pesinuntium a City among the Phrygians Ovid in his Metamorph. amongst her Priests reckons up Alphitus and Virgil in his 11. book Choreus Melissa was a woman Priest of whom all that succeeded her were called Melâ—ssae Plutarch in Mar. nominates one Barthabaces Perea tempora c. About thoâ—e times came Barthabaces Priest to the great mother of the gods saying she had spoken to him in her Temple and predicted victory This Cybele is likewise called Vesta and Rea. The rights of her sacrifices performed in her honour Ovid in his Fastis thus expresseth Of old with tinckling sounds did Ida ring But weakly as young Infants cry or sing Some beat their Bucklers some their empty casks For this of Cybeles Priests the labour asks The mysterâ—'s conceall'd yet still remains An imitation of those ancient straines Cymbals for Helms for Targets Timbrils play The Phrygian Pipe still sounds as at that day Her Priests were called Curetes and Corybantes as also Idaei Dactili who like mad-men wagging their heads and playing on Cimbals ran about the streets provoking others to do the like They came from Ida in Phrygia into Creet in which Island they call'd a hill by the name of Ida. The Poets who in their Fables hid all the mysteries of learning as the Aegyptians in their Hieroglyphicks by the mother of the gods would have us thus much understand That when they meant to signifie to our apprehensions that the earth as the stability of the world and firmament of all naturall bodies from whence all things born had beginning they therefore Cybele or Vesta the mother of the gods and to her sacrifices brought all the first fruits of the earth as due to her Further to expresse the nature of the earth many things have from antiquity been remembred touching her for Rhea signifies the force or strength of the earth who passeth and shifteth piercing into the generation of things Venus SOme report her to be born of the Nymph Dione daughter to Oceanue and Thetis Others that she was borne of the foam or froth of the sea She is the goddesse of Love the wife of Vulcan the sweet heart of Mars the mother of Cupid and the Graces She goes armed with Torches and bound about with a marriage girdle Her chariot is drawn by Swans as Juno's with Peacocks as Ovid in his tenth book Metamorph. Iunctisque per Aëâ—a Cignâ—â— Carpit iter With yoaked Swans she travels through the aire The like witnesseth Horace Statius Silvius and others The places to her most sacred were Amathus an Isle in the Sea Aegeum of which she took the name of Amathusa or Amathusis She was honoured in Cyprus and especially in Paphos a City of that Isle likewise in Memphis where she had a Temple of Cyprus she had the denomination of Cypria Cypris and Cyprigena of Paphos Paphia of Gnydos Gnydia Pliny reports that Praxitiles was nobilitated for his graving of Marble but especially for the Statue of Gnidian Venus The Idalian woods the Ciclides and the hill Cythera were to her sacred Of Erix a mountain in Sicilia she was called Erecina as Horat. Carmin lib. 1. Sive tu mavis Erecina ridens Concerning her love to Mars and his mutuall affection to her it is frequent amongst the Poets only I will introduce Ovid in his second book de arte amandi Fabula
killing and much gadding daughter and this lying and false prophesying son of mine offends you namely that they are still in your eie glorious numbered amongst the gods and of them esteemed the most beautifull yet can you not deny but that he is most skilfull in the Voice and the Harp exceeding whatsoever can be upon the earth and equalling if not preceding that of the Sphears in heaven I cannot chuse but smile saith Iuno Is it possible his skill in musick should beget the least admiration when poor Marsias had the Muses not been partial but judged indifferently of his side had gain'd of him priority but he alas by their unjust sentence lost not only his honour in being best but being vanquished he most tyrannously had his skin flead off for his ambition and this your fair Daughter and Virgin is of such absolute feature and beauty that being espi'd naked by Actaeon bathing her selfe in the fountaine she transform'd him into a Hart and caus'd him by his own dogs to be torn in pieces lest the young man should survive to blaze her deformities Besides I see no reason why to women in labour and travell in child-birth she should shew her selfe so carefull and common a mid-wife every where and to all if she were as she still pretends to be a Virgin With her Latona thus concluded You are therefore of this haughty and arrogant spirit because you are the sister and wife of Iupiter and rain with him together which makes you to us your inferiors so contumelious and harsh but I fear I shall see you shortly again weeping when your husband leaving the heavens for the earth in the shape of a Bul an Eagle a golden shower or such like shall pursue his adulterate pleasures Ovid in his sixth book Metamor and his third fable saith That Niobe the daughter of Tantalus born in Sypilera City of Lydia having by Amphion six brave sons and as many daughters though she were forewarned by the daughter of Tyresias to be present with the Thebans at their sacrifice to Latona and her children yet she contemptuously denied it preferring her selfe in power and majesty before the goddesse and her own beautifull issue before the others at which contempt the goddesse much inraged complained to Apollo and Diana in whose revenge he slew all the young men and she the virgins with griefe whereof Amphion slew himselfe and Niobe hurst her heart with sorrow Latona is by interpretation Chaos it was beleeved that all naturall bodies and seeds of things mixt and confused lay buried in darknesse Some take Latona for the earth and therefore Juno did oppose the birth of the Sun and Moon by reason of the frequent fogs and damps arising by which the sight of these two glorious planets are shadowed and kept from our eies for when by the thicknesse and tenebrosity of the clouds the Sun is weakned and made of lesse force oft-times there proceeds a pestilent aire with many pests and diseases prejudiciall both to sensible creatures and to plants but when the Sun resumes his vertue and vigour then by the purifying of the air all these infections are dispersed and scattered unlesse they have proceeded so far as to contagion And so much for Latona Fortuna ANtium a City of the Latines bordering upon the Sea had Fortune in great reverence to whom they erected a magnificent Temple Wherefore Horace thus speaks Oh Divae gratum quae regis Antium So Rhamnus or Rhamnis a Town in Attica where Nemesis and Fortune were held in equall reverence and from hence rather called Ramnusia In Preneste a City of Italy Sortes and 〈◊〉 were held in like adoration of which they were called Praenestine Petrus Crinitus in his first book of honest Discipline and the sixâ— Chapter concerning this goddesse reheaâ—seth these verses from Pacuvius Fortunam insanam esse Brutam perhibent Philosophi Saxique ad instar globosi praedicant esse Volabâ—lem Quia quo saxum Impulerit Fo rs Ea Cadere Fortunam autumant Caeâ—am ob eam rem esse vocant quia nil Cernant quo sese applicet Insanam autem aiunt quia atrox incerta Instabilisque sit Brutans quia dignum aut indignum Nequeat ignoscire Which I thus English The Philosophers tell us that Fortune is both mad and brutish They preach to us that like a round rolling Stone she is voluble Intimating wheresoever chance shall force Fortune shall incline Therefore they make her blind because she can discern nothing to which she can apply her selfe They term her mad because she is cruell without Pity uncertaine and unstable Brutish because she cannot distinguish betwixt what is right and injury Hitherto Pacuvius whose verses M. Cicero commemorates Pliny to Vespasian speaks thus concerning the power of Fortune Through the whole world saith he and in all places at all houres and by all tongues Fortune is still invocated and shâ— alonâ— she is onely nominated shee alone is accused alone made guilty solely thought upon solely commended solely reproved and with her reproches ador'd of many shee is held mutable and blind she is wandering inconstâ—nt incertain diverse and a favourer of the unworthy at her shrine are all things expended to her are all things acceptable offered she altogether swaies guides and directs the reason of men Amongst the Scythians she is painted without feet she had only hands and feathers Amongst the Smyâ—nians with her head she supported Heaven bearing in one of her hands the horn of Amalthea that is of Plenty She is described by Pausanias in the statue of a Buffe or wild Ox but amongst all her figures and attributes let me not forger that of ingenious master Owens the Epigrammatist speaking of Fortune Spem dat pauperibus divitibusque metum She is the poor mans hope and the rich mans feare Livy Dionysius Halicarnasseus Lactantius Plutarch and others affirm that the statue of Fortune which stands in the Latine way with the Temple was dedicated at the same time that Coriolanus by his mothers intercession withdrew his forces from the sack and spoile of Rome Which image was heard to speak these words Rite me matronae vidistis viteque dedicastis So superstitious they were in the daies of old that they attributed all their intents actions and events of things to the guidance and will of Fortune nay that she had a power in their very birth-daies and daies of death as of Euripides the most famous Tragick-Poet he was born on the same day that before Salamine the Greeks and the Meads fought that famous Sea-battel and died upon the birth-day of Dionysius senior the Tyrant of Sicily When as Timaeus saith at one instant Fortune took away the imitator of Tragick calamities and brought in their true actor and performer Ascribed it is to Fortune that Alexander the Conqueror and Diogenes the Cynick should dye both on a day and that King Attalus left the world the same day of the year that he entered into
men was beguiled Hesiod in his book of Weeks and Daies is of the same opinion and writes to the same purpose but in another kind of fable from the old tradition For saith he From Pandora a woman of all creatures the most fairest and first created by the gods all mischiefs whatsoever were dispers'd through the face of the whole earth And though Palephatus in his fabulous narrations and Pleiades Fulgentius in his Mythologicis otherwise interpret Pandora yet Hesiodus is still constant in the same opinion as may appear in these verses Namque prius vixere Homines verum absque labore Absque malis morboque gravâ— tristique senecta At mulier rapto de poclo â—egmine spâ—â—rsit Omne mali genus morbos curasque molestas Which I thus interpret Man liv'd at first from tedious labours free Not knowing ill or grievous maladie Nor weak and sad old age till woman mad Snatcht from the pot the cover which it had Sprinkling thereby on mankind every ill Trouble disease and care which haunts us still Therefore the same author in his Theogonia as Cyrillus testifies in his third book against Iulian and in the beginning of the book cals women Pulchrum malum The faire evill Pandora Of her thus briefly the better to illustrate the former Hesiod tels us that Promaetheus upon a time offered two Oxen to Iupiter and having separated the flesh of either from the bones in one of the skins including all the flesh without bones in the other all the bones without any part of the flesh and artificially making them up again bad Iupiter make choise of these which he would have imploied in his sacrifices who chused that with the bones and taking it in great rage to be thus deluded he to be revenged took away all fire from the earth thereby to inflict the greater punishment upon mankind But Prometheus by the assistance of Minerva ascended heaven and with a dried cane or reed kindled at the Charriot of the Sun unknown to Iupiter brought fire down again upon the earth which Horace expresseth in these words Aâ—dax Iapeti Genus Ignem 〈◊〉 malu gentibus intulit The bold 〈◊〉 of Japetus By his had fraud brought fire again among the nations This when Iupiter understood he instantly commanded Vulcan to fashion a woman out of clay who being the most subtle and best furnisht with all kind of arts so indued by the gods was therefore efore called Pandora Pausanias tearms her the first created of that sex she was by Iupiter sent to Prometheus with all the mischiefes that are included in a box which he denying she gave it to Epimetheus who taking off the cover or lid and perceiving all these evils and disasters to rush out at once he scarce had time to shut it againe and keep in Hope which was the lowest and in the bottome The purpose of the Poets in this as I can guesse is that since Pandora signifies all arts all sciences all gifts it imports thus much for our better understanding That there is no mischiefe or evill happens to man which proceeds not from a voluptuous life which hath all the arts to her ministers and servants for from them Kings were first instituted and raised to their honours by them were plots stratagems supplantations and dangerous innovations attempted with them grew emulation and envy discord and contention thefts spoiles wars slaughters with all the troubles cares vexations and inconveniences belonging and hereditary to mankind Of the Marine Goddesses IN these as in the former I will study to avoid all prolixity because I am yet but at the start of the race and measure in my thoughts the tediousnesse of the way I am to run before I can attain the goale intended and therefore thus desperately from the Earth I leap into the Sea direct me O ye Marine goddesses and Amphitrite first Amphitrite JVpiter having expelled Saturn from his Kingdome by the help of his brothers Neptune and Pluto and having cast â—â—ts for the tripartire Empire the Heaven fell to Iupiter Hell to Pluto and the Sea with all the Isles adjacent to Neptune who solliâ—iced the love or Amphitrite but she not willing to condescend to his amorous porpose he imploied a Dolphin to negotiate in his behalfe who dealt so well in the businesse theâ— they were not only reconciled but soone after married For which in the parpetuall memory of so great and good an office done to him he placed him amongst the stars not far from Capricorn as Higinus hath left remembred in his Fables and Aratus in his Astronomicks others contend that Venilia was the wife of Neptune but notwithstanding his love to and marriage with Amphicrite he had many children by other Nymphs Goddesses and wantons Of Lyba he begot Phaenix Betus and Agenor of Cataeno Cataenus of Amimone Nauplius of Pylanes of whom a City of Lacoonia bears name Avadne and Aone from whom the province of Aonia takes his denomination Phaenix that gave the name to Phaenicia and Athon of whom the mountain is so called as also Pheaces from whence Pheacia now called Corcyrus is derived Dorus that gives name to the Dorii and of Laides the daughter of Otus Althepus by Astipataea he had Periclimenus and Erginus by Alccone the daughter of Atlas Anathamus Anthas and Hyperetes by whom certain Cities amongst the Trezenians were erected and from them took their name Of Arne he had Boetus of Alope the daughter of Certion Hippothous of Câ—clusa Asopus of Brilles Orion He begot the Tritons one of Celaene the other of 〈◊〉 of Tyrho Palaemon and 〈◊〉 of Molio Crâ—atus and Eâ—ithus of Crisigone the daughter of Almus 〈◊〉 of Melantho Delphus of 〈…〉 of Venus Erix of Alistra Ogigus of Hippothee Tapâ—â—â—us he had one Cygnus by Caces another by Scamaâ—drodices by Tritogenia the daughter of Aeolus Minyas of the Nymph Midaea Aspledones of Cleodora Pernasus of Mâ—cioâ—ca to whom as Asclepeades relates he granted a Booâ— that shee should walk as firmly and stedfastly upon the water as the land Euripilus and Euphemus Besides these he 〈◊〉 another Euphemus that was steers man in the Argo when all the brave Heroes of Greece made their expedition for the golden fleece As also Amicis Albion 〈…〉 Amphimanus Aethusa Aon Alebius Dercilus 〈…〉 and Astraeus who ignorantly having been 〈◊〉 with his sister Aleyppa and the next day their 〈◊〉 of blood and affinity being known to him by a 〈…〉 himselfe headlong into a river and was drowned which 〈…〉 Leo Bizantius writes was first from him called 〈◊〉 and after Caius of Caicus the sonne of Mercury and 〈◊〉 moreover these were his children Actoâ—on 〈◊〉 Bromes Busyris Certioâ— Crocon Cromos Crysoos 〈◊〉 Chrisogenaea Crius Dorus Euphemus Ircaeus Lelex Lamia the Prophetesse and Sâ—billa Hallerhoitius Laestrigone Mâ—garaeus Mesaâ—us Ephialtes Nictaeus Melion Nausithous Oâ—hus Occipite Poliphemus Piracmoa Phorcus Pelasgus Phaeax Pegasus Phocus Onchestus Peratus Siculus Sicanus Steropes Farus Theseus Haretus
and others infinite besides fourescore whose names are remembred there are others scarce to be numbered for as Zetzes saith in his History Elatos animo enim omnes omnes strenuos Filios amicos dicunt amatos à Neptuno All that are high minded and strong men were esteemed as the sons and friends and beloved of Neptune Amphitrite signifies nothing else but the body and matter of all that moist humour which is earth above below or within the earth and for that cause she is called the wife of Neptune Euripides in Cyclope takes her for the substance of water it self Orpheus cals her Glaâ—cae and Piscosa that is blew and ful of fish being attributes belonging solely to the goddesse of the Sea And by the Dolphins soliciting the love of Neptune to Amphitrite and reconciling them is meant nothing else but to illustrate to us That of all the fishes that belong to the sea he is the swiftest the most active and apprehensive Thetis or Tethies HEsiod cals her the wife of Oceanus who is stiled the father of all the floods creatures and gods because as Orpheus Thales and others are of opinion all things that are bred and born have need of humour without which nothing can be beget or made corruptible Isacius hath left recorded that besides her he had two wives Partenope and Pamphoâ—â—â—e by Parâ—â—nope he had two daughters Asia and Libia by Pampholige Europa and Thracia and besides them three thousand other children for so many Hesiod numbers in his Theogonia This Thetis was the daughter of the earth and heaven and therefore as Oceanus is called the father of the 〈◊〉 so is she is esteemed as the mother of the goddesses 〈◊〉 cals one Thetis the daughter of Chiâ—on the Câ—ntaure and Homer in his hymn to Apollo the child of Nereus which 〈◊〉 confirms as also Euripides in Aphigema and in 〈◊〉 she was the wife of Peleus and of all women living the most beautiâ—â—ll of whom Apollodorus thus speaks They say Iupiter and Neptune contended about her Nuptias but she not willing to incline to Iupiter be-because because she was educated by Juno therefore he in his rage allotted her to be the bride of a mortall man Homer writes that she was angry being a Marine goddesse to be the wife of a man therefore to avoid his embraces she shifted her selfe into sundry shapes and 〈◊〉 but Peleus being advised by Chiron notwithstanding all her transformations as into 〈◊〉 into a Lion and others never to let go his hold till she returned into her own naturall form in which he vitiated her and of her begot Aâ—â—illes the last shape she took upon her was a Sepia which is a fish called a Cuttle whose blood is as black as ink now because this was done in Magnesia a City of Thessaly the place as Zertzes in his history records is called Sepias Pithenaetus and others say that she was not compelled or forced to the marriage of Peleus but that it was solemnized in the mountain Pelius with her full and free consent where all the gods and goddesses saving Discord were present and offered at the wedding for such hath been the custome from antiquity Pluto gave a rich Smaragd Neptune two gallant steeds Xanthus and Ballia Vulcan a knife with an hast richly carved and some one thing and some another By Peleus she had more sons then Achilles which every night she used to hide beneath the fire that what was mortall in them might be consumed by which they all died save Achilles who was preserved by being in the day time annointed with Ambrosia therefore as Amestor in his Epithalamium upon Thetis 〈◊〉 relates he was called Piresous as preserved from the fire additur hinc nâ—men Piresous She was the sister of Titaa and brought forth Ephire who was after married to 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 who as Ovid relates in his book de Fastâ— was the 〈…〉 Atlas These are likewise numbred amongst the daughters of Oceanus and Thetis Acaste Admete Asia that gave name to a part of the world till now called Asia Climâ—ne Idyâ—a Ephire Eudora Eurâ—ome Jamra 〈…〉 Plexame Primno Rhodia Thea Thoe 〈…〉 who was beloved of Apollo but being jealous or his affection to Leucothoë she had discovered it to her father Orchamus Apollo therefore left her in griefe of which she vowed an abstinence from all sustenance whatsoever onlâ— with fixt eies still gazing upon the course of the Sun which the gods commiserating changed her into an Helâ—â—aropiâ—n which is called the Suns flower which still inclines to what part soever he makes his progresse But whether she be Tethies or Thetis she is no other than the reputed goddesse of the Sea her name importing that huge masse of water or element as Virgil in his Pollio saith necessary to the generation of all creatures whatsoever Towards the East she is called Indica towards the West Atlanticaâ— where she divides Spain and Mauritania towards the North Pontica and Glaciatis as likewise Rubra and Aethopica for so Strabo relates as also Rhianus in the navigation of Hanno the Carthaginian Stiphilus in his book de Thessalia hath bequeathed to memory That Chiron a wise and skilfull Astrologian to make Peleus the more famous consulted with the daughter of Acloris and Mirmidon and betwixt them published abroad that he by the consent of Jupiter should match with the goddesse Thetis to whose nuptials all the gods came in great showers and tempests for he had observed a time when he knew great store of raine would fall and from that the rumour first grew That Peleus had married Thetis But Dailochus and Pherecides report that Peleus having purged himself of the murder of his brother Phocus murdered Antigone others say that he first took Antigone and after her death Thetis and that Chiron being an excellent Chirurgeon was so called for the lightnesse and dexterity of hand which is an excellent gift in the searching and dressing of wounds in any of that profession Apollodorus saith that Thetis after many windings and turnings and transhapes to preserve her virginity was at length comprest by Iupiter The Nymphs called Dorides were her Ministers and handmaids Nereides THey were the daughters of Nereus and Doris he is said by Hesiod to be the son of Oceanus and Thetis he is stiled a Prophet or South saier who as Horace tels us did predict to Paris all the calamities that were to succeed at Troy Apollonius tels us that his chiefe mansion or place of residence is in the Aegean sea The same is that Hercules being sent to fetch the golden apples of the Hesperides and not knowing where abouts they grew went to the Nymphs that dwel by the banks of Eridamus to be resolved by them they sent him to demand of Nereus who thinking to delude him by shifting himselfe into sundry shapes was notwithstanding held so fast by Hercules that he was forced to assume his own
form againe and tell him for so Oâ—pheus in his Aâ—gonauticis informs us He is said to have a principality in the sea to be delighted in the company of Nymphs and Damosels as also to be the beginning and end of waters of whom Oâ—pheus in one of his hymns thus sings Tu fundamen aquae tu terrae Finis Idem Principium es cunctis Euripides in one of his Tragedies saith he was educated and noursed by the waters and cals him the father of the Nereides He had daughters by Doris the Nymphs Halia Spio Pasitaea and Lygaea Hesiod in his Theogonia reckons of them to the number of fifty Doris was the sister of Nereus Horace and others describe her with green haire Theocritus in Thessaliis saith that the birds called Halciones were to them most gratefull some say that they use to dance and revell in the waters and play about the chariot of Triton as nimbly as fishes Homer in his Iliads reckons of that ranck Glauce Thalia Cymodoce Nesea Spio Thoe Halie Cymothoe Actaee Melite Agane Amphithoe Iaere Doto Proto Pherusa Dinamione Doris Amphinome Panope Callianira Dexamine Galaâ—aea Amathaea Callianassa Climine Ianira Ianassa Mera Orithia Hesiod besides these reckons up Euerate Sao Eudore Galene Glauce Pasithaea Erato Eunice Doro Pherusa Nesaee Protomedea Doâ—is Panope Hippothoe Hypponoe Cymatolege Cimo Eione Halimeda Glanconome Panto Pautopenia Liagore Evagore Laomedala Pâ—lâ—nome Anâ—onoe Lasianassa Evarne Psamathe Menippe Neso Eupompe Themito Pronoe Nemertes Apollodorus Athentensis adds to these Glancothoe Nonsithoe Halia Pione Plesrure Calipso Crante Neomeris Deâ—aneâ—ra Polinoe Melie Dione Isaea Dero Eumolpe Ione Ceto Limnoraea and all these are held to be most beautifull it is therefore thus fabled That Câ—ssiope wife to Cepheus King of Aethiopia gloried so much in her beauty that she held her selfe to be the fairest woman in the world and did not onely compare but preferre her selfe before the Nymphs called Nereides for which their indignation was kindled against her and in that high measure that they sent into those seas a Whale of an incredible greatnesse the people consulting with the Oracle how to appease the goddesses and free themselves from the monster answer was returned That it could not be done but by exposing their only daughter Andromeda fast bound to a rock that overloked the sea to be a prey to the sea-Whale but she was thence released by the vertue of Perseus and Cassiope by this means as a perpetuall example that all such rashnesse ought to be avoided translated amongst the stars for so much Arataeus hath left to memory in certain verses interpreted by Cicero This Nerius is for no other reason said to be the son of Oceanus and Tethis than to denote unto us the counsell judgement and cunning in guiding and directing ships by sea and therefore to have many daughters which are nothing but inventions new devises stratagems and changes belonging to navigation He is therefore said to be a Prophet because in all arts and disciplines there is a kind of knowledge by which we foresee and divine of things to come for he is held no skilfull navigator that cannot foretell by the weather the changes of winds and certain signs of tempests thereby to use prevention against them before they suddainly come He is also said to change himselfe into many figures to give us to understand that it is the part of a knowing and understanding man to arm himselfe against all chances and varietie of things whatsoever It is therefore required of such a man to use providence and care in all his affairs and actions and not to accuse the gods if any thing sinisterly happen unto him through his own temerity and rashnesse since with a prudent and well governed man their help and assistance is alwaies present The daughters of Triton ACesander cals Triton the son of Neptune Numenius in his book de piscatoribus derives him from Oceanus and Tethis Lycaphron in those verses wherein he tels of a cup presented unto him by Medea cals him the sonne of Nereus The Poets ascribe to him the invention of the trumpet and that it was first used in the Gigomantichia the great battel betwixt the gods and the gaints for in the midst of the skirmish when the event of the battell grew doubtfull Triton blew so shrill a blast that the giants thinking it had been the voice of some dreadfull and unknown monster that undertook the party of the gods turn'd their backs and sled by which accident they obtained a more sudden and safe victory Pausanias cals Tritia the daughter of Triton who was at first one of Minerva's Priest who being comprest by Mars brought forth Menalippus but that he had more then her I have not read Ino. She was the daughter of Cadmus and Harmonia who with her son Melicerta were enterteined into the number of the Sea-gods he by the name of Palaemon she of Leucothea both these are said to have predominance over sailers and power in navigation That she cast her selfe headlong into the sea I have before related in the tractate of Juno She was a stepmother and so prosecuted the children of Nephetes that she would have sacrificed one of them to the gods for which as Polizelus saith her husband Athanas did prosecute her with such rage that flying to Gerania a mountaine amongst the Megarenses from a rock called Maturides she cast her selfe and her son into the sea and of the same opinion is Pausanias some think it hapned at the same time that the Nereides were dancing there and that his body was transported by the waves to Sisiphus from Exhaenuntia where the Ithmian pastimes were first celebrated to his remembrance They of the City Megaera affirm her body to be cast upon their shore and by Cleso and Tauropolis the daughters of Cleson took up and buried She was afterwards called Matuta as Cicero in his Tuscul disputations saith Ino the daughter of Cadmus Is she not called by the Greeks Leucothoe and by us Latines Matuta And that she is taken for the morning is manifest by Lucretius lib. 5. Pausan in his Messanaicis saith that she was first named Leucothoe in a small village not far from the City Corone and that she had clemency in the securing and preserving of ships and pacifying the violent and troubled billowes of the Ocean Palaemon is also called Portunus or the Key-carrier as one that keeps a key of all the ports and havens to exclude and keep out all forrein enemies and the son of Matuta or the Morning in that time commonly the winds begin to breath and rise with the departing of night and because that from the land they rush upon the waters they are therefore said to cast themselves head-long into the sea for the morning is the most certain interpreter either of succeeding winds and tempests or of the countenance of a serne skie and faire weather Strabo cals Glaucus the son of Anthedon a Boeotian but Theophrastus will have
snakes made a noise most dreadfull and horrible From whence Pallas first devised the pipe with many heads The form and shape of these Phorcidae Hesiod elegantly describes Crisaor and Pegasus were begot of the blood dropping from Medusa's head as Apollonius Rhodius writes in his building of Alexandria The Gorgons were called Graee as Zetzes explicates in his two and twentieth History Mâ—nander in his book de Mysteriis numbers Sâ—ylla amongst these Gorgons and that they inhabited the Doracian Islands scituate in the Aethiopick sea which some call Goâ—gades of whom they took the names of Gorgones Nimphodorus in his third book of Histories and Theopompus in his seventeenth affirm their girdles to be of wreathed vipers so likewise Polemo in his book to Adaeus and Antigonus The occasion of these fictions are next to be inquited after By these Graee the daughters of Sea-monsters is apprehended Knowledge and such Wisedome as is attained too by Experience They are said to have but one ere which they used when they went abroad because Prudence is not so altogether necessary to those that stay within and solely apply themselves to domestick affairs as to such who look into the world and search after difficulties Of this Wisedome or these Graee not impertinently called the sisters of the Gorgons is meant the pleasures and vain blandishments of the world with the dangers that appertaine to the 〈…〉 from either of which no man without the counsell of 〈◊〉 can acquit himselfe Therefore is Perâ—â—us said to overcome the Gorgons not without the 〈◊〉 of Pluto the eie of the Graeâ— the sword of Mercury and the mirror of Pallas all which who shall use aâ—ight shall pâ—ove himself to be Perseus the friend and son of Iupiter Scylla and Charybdis ACusilaus and Apollonius both nominate Scylla to be the daughter of Phâ—â—cia and Hâ—caete but Homer that her mothers name was Crataeis Chariclides cals her the issue of Phoâ—bantes and Hâ—cate Steâ—ichorus of Lamia Tymeus terms her the daughter of the â—â—ood Cratus Pausanias in Atticis and Strabo in l. 8. agree that this Scylla was the daughter of Nysus King of the Megarenses who surprised with the love of King Mâ—nos stole from her fathers head that purple lock in which consisted the safety of his own life and Kingdome The Athenians having invaded his dominion and seised many of his Townes and wasted the greatest part of his country by their fierce and bloody incursions they at length besieged him in the City Nysaea Some are of opinion that â—â—sus incensed with the foulnesse of that treason caused her to bee cast into the sea where shee was turned into a sea-monster Pausanias avers that she was neither changed into a bird nor a monster of the sea nor betrai'd her father nor was married to Nisus as he had before promised her but that having surprised Nysaea he caused her to be precipitated into the sea whose body tost to and fro by the waves of the Ocean till it was transported as far as the Promontory caâ—led Scylaea where her body lay so long upon the continent unburied till it was devoured by the sea-fouls this gave plâ—ce to that fable in Ovid. Filia purpureum Nisi furata capillum Puppe cadens navis facta refertur avis 'T is said the daughter having stoln her fathers purple hair sair Fals from the hin-deck of the ship and thence sores through the Zâ—nodorus saith that she was hanged at the stern of Minos his ship and so dragged through the waters till she died and that Scylla the daughter of Phorcus was a damosel of incomparable beauty and vitiated by Neptune which known to Amphitrite she cast such an invenomous confection into the fountain where she accustomed to bath her selfe that it cast her into such a madnesse that she drowned her selfe Of his mind is Miro Prianaeus in his first book Rerum Messanicarum Others imagine that she had mutuall consociety with Glaucus the sea god which Circe who was before inamoured of him understanding she sprinkled the well wherein she used to lave her self with such venomous juice that from her wast downwards she was translated into divers monstrous shapes which as Zenodotus Cyrenaeus saith was the occasion of the Fable commented upon her Isaoius thus describes her deformity She had six heads the one of a canker-worm the other of a dog a third of a Lâ—on a fourth of a Gorgon a fifth of a whirl-poole or a Whale the sixâ— of a woman Homer in his Odysses describes her with six heads and twelve feet every head having three order of teeth Virgil in Sileno saith that all ships were wrackt and devoured by those drugs that grew beneath her navell Charybdis She was likewise a most devouring woman who having stolne many Oxen from Hercules which he before had taken from Geryon was by Jupiter stroke with a thunderbolt and so transformed into that monster of the sea others contest that she was slaine by Hercules and after so transhap'd of these divers are diversly opinionated Strabo saith that Homer imagined the vehement flux and reflux of that sea about the concaves of those rocks made so terrible a noise that therefore the Poets fabulated that in her sides and about her interiour parts were the barkings of dogs continually heard Isacius writes that Scilla is a proeminent promontory over against Rhegium in Sicily hanging over the sea under which are many huge and masâ—ie stones hollowed by the billowes in whose concavities many sea-monsters inhabit and when there is shipping in those parts amongst those rocks and shelves they are either swallowed by Charybdis or Scylla Charybdis being scituate directly against Messina and Scylla against Rhegium they are therefore said to be women because afar off these promontories appeare as it were in a feminine shape what fleet soever by the tides and tempests was forc'd upon Charybdis were there shipwrackt and such as by Charybdis were â—ost on the rocks of Scylla were there swallowed In which fable is included the nature of Vertue and Vice No man but in the progresse of his life sailes betwixt these two quicksands if he incline to one hand more then the other he is either swallowed by Scylla or devoured by Charybdis What else doth this signifie but that which Aristotle in his Ethicks illustrates Vertue which is the medium betwixt two extreams both which are to be avoided and the middle wherein is safety to imbraced for mans life is nothing else but a continuall navigation betwixt divers molestations of one hand and tempting and unlawfull pleasures on the other both which are comprehended in these Syrtes or places of certaine destruction For Scylla is so called 〈◊〉 spoliandâ— or repando of spoiling or grieving And Charybdis of sucking up and swallowing betwixt which two dangerous and almost inevitable gulfs a vertuous and a pious man shall in the greatest storms and tempests neither inclining to the right nor the lese securely and with great safety attain
garment on her back she throwes All gore about her wast A girdle of a wreathed snake In curl'd knots she makes fast So forth she goes sad mourning she Attends her at the gate Vpon her sleps grim Terror Feake And troubled Madnesse wait Claudian in his book of the praises of Stilico cals the third daughter of Acheron and Night Megaerat so likewise Mantuan de Calam temporum lib. 2. The sacreds that were made to these were by such as having escaped any dangerous disease or pestilent sicknesse had been spared by the fates and their sacrifices were only done with a sad silence The Priests were called Hesichidae of a Heroe called Hesicho to whom before the solemnity a Ram was still offered aâ— Polemo witnesseth in that work he writ to Erâ—â—osthenes It was held a prophanation saith he for any of the meaner sort of people to haâ—e accesse to these to these ceremonies only to these Hesichides whose family was only acceptable to these severe goddesses and in all their oblations had the principall prime place and precedence Their Chappell is neer to Cidonium by the Nine ports All such as sacrificed to them were in black vestures and they were alwaies celebrated in the night season as it is manifest by Apollonius Indutam obscuram per noctem vestibus atris By night their sable habits they put on To them was slaine and offered a câ—le black Ewe and great with young ready to yeane neither was there any wine uâ—ed in their sacrifices which were called Nephâ—lia Now because no man should have hope to hide and conceal his own guilt and wickednesse to the three severe judges of Hell were given these three ministers which some call by the name of Erinnae which signifies the pricks and stings of Conscience the parents of which were born importing so much for there is no greater torture or deeper piercing then a mans own sentence against himself And compendiously to shut up all the ancient writers would by these signifie unto us That to a good and just man only all things are safe and that innocency and integrity alone make men fearlesse and constant against all the mutabilities of fortune since the like torments of Mind and troubles of Conscience still attend on all such as are impute and dishonest Thus having past over the goddesses Coelestiall Marine and Infernall the goddesses Selectae Terrestriall and others lest my discourse might grow too redious by appearing dull and heavy and besides in regard that my purpose is aimed at many or most of that sex of what estate and condition soever to make my worke more succinct and compendious and to spare you some reading and my selfe more labour I will deliver you a multiplicity oâ— histories and tales in few namely in a short Epitome give you the arguments of all the Fables of Oâ—iâ—s Metamorphosis which for your better content I shall expresse to you in verse and with that conclude my first book called Cho. An abstract of all the Fables in the fifteen books of Ovids Metamorphosis as they follow in the Poem CHaos into foure elements divided Each one into their severall place is guided And for their sundry creatures Rooâ—â—th prepare Th' inhabitants of th' earth sea heavens and aire Of earth and water man is first begot And the foure ages next succeed by lot Gold silver next third Bâ—asse the fourth of iron In last of which the Giants seed inviron The spatious earth and are become the head Of Naâ—ions of their spâ—lt blood man 's bred This wicked generation Jove instated In high Olympus 〈…〉 〈…〉 to the shape of wâ—â—fe destroies In a deep 〈…〉 sole injoâ—es The earth with her 〈◊〉 these at last 〈…〉 behind their shoulders cast 〈…〉 generation other creatures From earth and moissture breed their several features ' Mongst these the serpent Python is hegot Him with an arrow bright Apollo shot In memory of which Pithaean plaies Are celebrated even to Caesars daies Yet was no Lawrell known on earth to be Till Daphne was transform'd into that tree Her father grown disconsâ—late and sad The floods that of his sorrow notice haâ—â— Come to his comfort Inachus alone To Poeneus Daphnes father tels his name Whose beauteous daughter Io heaven knowes how Jove after Rape transforms into a cow Argus that had a hundred eies her kept Whom Mercury so charmed that he slept And after Syrinx transformation hard His sleepy head he from his shoulders par'd His hundred eies whose sights begin to wain Juno dispos'd into her Peacocks traine Io restor'd unto her first shape beares Young Epaphus who being grown to years To Phaeton objects That he was bred Of mortall strain and not divinely spred Th' aspiring lad his mother Climen ' leaves And of his father Phoebus he receives An ominous boon he for three daies hath won The guidance of the Chariot of the sunne By which the universall globe is siâ—'d Joves thunder strikes the lad that so aspir'd And as a token of that generall wrack The sun-burnt Aeâ—hiops have since then been black Now whilst the sisters of young Phaeton With Cignus for his death lament and mone The Fates that all our mortall actions scan Change these to trees and him into a swan Now Jove surveighs the universe restor'd To pristine beauty saw and seeing ador'd The bright Calisto whom he made a rape And vitiated in Dianâ—'s shape For which the wrathfull Juno changeth chear And in her rage 〈◊〉 shapes to a Beare Whom as young Archus chaceth o'r the plaine Her son and with his arrow had nigh slam Jove by his power determinates their 〈◊〉 Changing both mother and the son to stars And now th' inraged Juno having long Complain'd to old Oceanus her wrong Is born to heaven upon her Peacocks train Stuck with the eies of Aâ—gus lately slaiâ— Next must the Crow her snow white how forgo For she despis'd the shape of Cornix who 〈◊〉 her own tranformation having mourn'd For faire Nictimene to a night-crow turn'd She notwithstanding to Apollo prates And how Coronis plaid himselfe relates Wrathfull Apollo having rashly slaine His beauteous love turns to the Crow againe Condemns his habling and in deep despight To cole-black fathers turns his silver white Of her and Phoebus â—â—culapius came Whose foâ—tunes whilâ—st Ocirihoe doth proclaime The gods that of prophetick spels have care Transmute her to thâ— equinall shape of Mare Apollo that but late the Suns coach stear'd Leaving the heavens to keep Admetus herd His Oxen stray Battus to Hermes lies Whose faith the god in double habit tries And finding him his falsenesse he so hated That to a Touch-stone Battus is translated Thence to the Attick Regions having past King Cecrops daughter he enjoies at last Herse the faire whose envious sister hight Aglaurus her the god of her despight Turns into stone Great Jove Europa spies And for her love he leaves th' Olympick skies Commanding Mercury whom Maia bore To drive Aegenors cattel to the shore
by experience find in himselfe For if we collect our selves to apprehend any problem or mysticall doubt which is not within the compasse of our present capacity after deep consideration and mature deliberation all the bars and rubs of our fantasie and sences being removed we retire our selves into a more private and inward contemplation and then most subtilly reasoning with our selves we shall by degrees perceive the cloud to vanish and the truth appeare in full glory and splendour Therefore when we present our selves unto school Masters the brain fashioneth in it selfe many Ideas without rule or example which like a â—â—nk and well manur'd field hath in it the seeds and grounds of many fruitfull sciences these if a skilfull man take in hand bring oft-times a crop above expectation Thus much Plato exprest in many places but in his Theage most plainly No man saith he hath of me learnt any thing though from me many a one hath gone the more learned And as Socrates saith Me tum exhortante tum bono daemone suggerente By my exhortations and the good Angels suggâ—stion With this short preparation we come now to the Muses of these innate seeds the glorious and ever-during fruit Hesiod pronounces them to be the daughters of Iupiter and Memory in his Theogonia From hence it seems the men of Gnydos had a custome to select sixty grave and understanding men out of the prime of the nobility and to commit unto them the affairs of the Common-wealth and such they called Amnemodes or remembrancers Alcmaeon and some few others call them the daughters of Earth and Heaven Pindarus in one of his Hymns thus speaks to one of them Incipe vero Coeli filia Aristarcus and Minnerca if we may beleeve â—ustathius determine that the Muses were before jupiter interpreting the word Musa the knowledge of the soule which is a thing no lesse divine then the soule it selfe To him Homer assents calling it The celerity of knowledge Plato in Cratilo derives it from diligent search and inquisition to whom Pharnutus in his book entituled Of the nature of the gods subscribes Of the same opinion is Suidas They are therefore saith he derived from Inquiry being the originals and causes of all sciences and disciplines others as Cassiodorus because they contein in them a conveniencie and concordance of arts or to conclude as Dâ—oorus writes They were therefore called Musae because they comprehend the Art of modulation or tuning with a consent or agreeing of all other disciplines Divers authors much differ about their number Varro as Servius witnesseth of him allowes only three Ina which is bred by the motion of the water a second begot by the sprinkling of aire a third meerly arising from the sound of the voice Augustine speaks of a City which Gyraldus names Sicyon the primates of which of three severall famous workmen bespake three effigies or images of the Muses to bestow as a gift upon the Temple of Apollo and which of them could expresse the greatest art and most exquisite workmanship he to be the best paid for his pains It so hapned that their three labours were equally beautifull and so esteemed insomuch that all the nine pieces pleasing generally they were all bought and dedicated to the Temple To every of which the Poet Hâ—siod after gave a severall Emblem or Motto Not saith he because jupiter had begot nine Muses but that three Artificers had forged three a piece and therefore the number of three because it is easie to observe that every sound which begets any materiall thing concerning musick is tripartite by nature either it proceeds from the voice simply as to those that sing without an instrument or with the breath as the Trumpet Cornet or Sackbut or by the strokes as the Lute Harp or Gittern The names of these Statue-makers Augustine saith were Cephisodotus Strongilio and Olimpiosthenes Pausanias relates that in times of old there were acknowledged no more then three by Oto and Ephialtes the sons of Aloeus call'd Meditation Memory and song or Musick Archestratus the Poet affirms as much as also that these two were the first that offered divine sacrifice to the Muses and imposed these names upon them in Helicon Some authors will approve but two others will make them up foure for the excellency of the number which the Pythagorists held to be so sacred that by that as Plutarch replies they used to swear Per quaternionem sacrum qui animae nostrae tradit naturam aeternam c. By the holy number of foure which lends to the soule an eternall nature c. Some have raised them to five others to seven Pierius Macedo he increased their number to nine Some are of opinion that the names of the nine daughters of Pierius were imposed upon the Muses these are characterd ' by Hesiod in his Theogonia Lucan in his third Dialogue of the supernall gods cals the Mâ—ses virgins and such as are contented with their nâ—â—ive colour and beauty he likewise terms them invulnerable as not to be touche or wounded with the wanton dares of Cupid They were crowned diveâ—â— waies by divers nations some bestow Câ—roners of the palm-tree upon 〈◊〉 some lawrell others chaplets of roses to which Sathâ— seems to alludemost elegantly taunting an unlearned woman Mortua Jacebis Nec enim hortulum habes rosarum ex Pieria Thou shalt lie dead Without Pierian roses 'bout thy head Cornutus in a book entituled De natura Dâ—orum saith that there were first only three according to that number which is attributed to the deity â—s the most simple and perfect of all others Those that made foure as Câ—cero or five had reference to the ancient instruments of musick then in use and which yielded no more severall sounds Those that approved seven to the seven liberall arts alluded the seven Muses But there are nine received and allowed amongst us and that for divers reasons as first because the number of nine is held to be vertuall and perfect being an even four arising from a first odd and then odly to an odde it is likewise divided and distinguished into three equall odâ— then it consists of Triangulars c. Besides Mnemosyne who is said to be the mother of the Muses her name consists of nine letters Fulgâ—ntius saith that the nine Muses with their brother Apollo import nothing else then the ten modulations of mans voice therefore is Apollo's harp represented with ten strings so in the Scripture we read of the Dechacord or Psaltery others morallize it to be the foure former teeth against which the tongue striketh the two lips which are the Cymbals or Instruments to fashion the words the tongue and the string of the tongue the Palate whose concavity begets a sound the wind pipe which is the passage of the breath and the lungs which like a paire of bellowes gives or takes back the air or spirit Virgil of the Muses writes thus Clio gâ—sta canens transactis tempora reddit
Melpomene tragico proclamat maesta boatu Comica lascivo gaudet sermone Tualia Dulciioqui calaâ—os Euâ—erpe flatibus uâ—get Terpsichore affectus Cytharis movet imperat auget Plectra gerens Erato salt at pede carmine vultu Carmina Calliope libris heroica mandat Urania poli motus serutatur Astra Signat cuncta manu loquiâ—urque Polymnia gestu Mentis Apolliniae vis has movet undique Musas In medio residens complectitur omnia Phoebus Clio's past acts to after ages sings Melpomene with tragick buskin she In bellowing breath proclaims disastrous things Comick Thaliâ— affects wantonly To speake and wâ—ite The eloquent mans quill Euter pe undertaketh to inspire With her learn'd breath Terpsichore is still Busied about the musick of the Lyre Th' affections to command to move and sway But Erato a Rebecâ— hears and knowes To tread to it of 〈◊〉 she can the way And how to frame the gesture Number flowes In strains heroick from Calliop's pâ—n Which she to bookâ— commits The stars and sphears Uâ—ania searcheth and 〈◊〉 men In their true motion Polybymnia steeres Action and language by her hand directed Which by her help an Orator much graceth By Phoeâ—us thus the Muses live protected He in the midst the Nine about him placeth It may now lastly be demanded by those that are studious of antiquitie Why the Vertues the Disciplines the Muses the Devisers and Patrons of all good arts with divers of the like nature should rather be comprehended under the feminine sex by the names of Virgins and women as also their pictures drawn to the portraitures of dâ—mosels then either by masculine nomination or according to the â—â—ffigies of men the rather since not only the Ethnicks and Morall men but even Christians and Theologists themselves in all their books and writings which they 〈◊〉 to posterity still continue them under the same gender for who is ignorant that Sophia which signifies Wisedome was not from the beginning and 〈…〉 who is said to be the mother of the thâ—ee The 〈…〉 Hope and Charity and these represented as women why should the seven liberall Arts be exprest in Womens shapes why the Nine Muses be the daughters of Jupiter as all writers agree why is Wisdome called the Daughter of the Highest and not rather the Son as wituesseth the book of Wisedome why Pallas otherwise called Minerva not the Sonne but the Daughter of Jove of whose braine she was born and why the most cuâ—ious and diligent inquisiters into these curiosities figure the liberall Arts and Disciplines like women and not rather like men or by what reason the Muses should be personated rather like Damosels then young men strenuous and excelling in masculine Vertue To all these objections it is briefly answered by Lilius Gregorius as likewise by Corâ—tus whom some call Pharnutus That by the symbole or semblance of such women much science is begot and besides much fruit ariseth from the judgement of the soul besides it was a custome for Virgins of old to play and dance in companies which excellently fitted the coupling and sisterhood of the sciences these coherences are called by Martianus Capella Ciclicae from whence Vitruvius grounded his Euciclium besides the Greeks Euciclopaedia is frequent with Pliny Plutarch and the rest likewise in Beroaldus commentaries upon the golden Asse he adds this one thing worthy observation to the great honour of the feminine sex the four parts of the world have their denominations from women Asia was so called of the Nymph Asia from whom and Japethus Prometheus descended Europe of Europa the daughter of Aegenor Lybia which is Africa of Lybia the daughter of Epaphus in like manner America since discovered beareth the like female figure which as Beroaldus saith if the women of our age did fully apprehend and truly understand how insolently would they boast of their worth and dignity how would they glory in vain boasts and ostentations with what continuall chidings would they upbraid their husbands still casting in their dishes their own vertues and goodnesse still commemorating and urging that women bear the names of all the foure parts of the divided world that wisedome and the Theologicall Vertues are personated under the sex or women that the Arts the Disciplines the Muses the Graces and almost whatsoever is good are deciphered both by the names and in the persons of women therefore I fear this had been better kept as secret as mysteries in Sanctuaries and not to have been published to them in their own mothers tongue in which they are so nimble and voluble lest calling a Councill about this argument it may add to their insolencies who have too great an opinion of their own worths already I will only speak briefly from what places they took their generall denominations and so proceed to every particular person They are called Pierides of the mountain Pieris or as some will have it of Pierius who had nine daughters Likewise Camoenae à Canendo of singing Heleconiades of the fountaine called Helicon that flowed from a mountaine in Boeotia Pernassides of the hill Pernassus scituate in the Region of Phocis Aonides of the Aoniaâ— mountain Pegasides from a spring or well so called first discovered by the hoof of Pegasus the horse of Perseus Cithereides of Citheron a hill neer to Thebes Libethrides from a mountaine in Magnesia Pimplaeades from a place in Macedonia Ilissiades from a flood by Athens Thespiades from the Thespians Ligyae of a people of Larissina who aided Xerxes against the Greeks Castalides of the fountain so called Corycides of a hill or rather a cave amongst the Delphians Pateides of a well in Macedonia Olympiades of the mountaine Olympus Ardalides of Ardalus the sonne of Vulcan of these you may further read in Varro Herodotus Terentianus Plutarchus Pompeius Pausanias Solinus Servius Macrobius Sidonius Placiades Lilius Gregorius Picus Mirandula and others Clio. HEsiodus in his Theogonia saith that Clio is the daughter of Jupiter and Memoria and is the eldest of those Muses which he was nine nights a getting she is called Clio apo tou kleno which is Laudo to praise or of apo tou eleous for glory which learned men acquire or that glory which is conferred on eminent and great men by the encomiasticks of the Poets so saith Diodorus but Placidus derives the etymologie of her name from the cogitation and investigation of Arts and Sciences Some say that she hath the preeminence and government over histories as Apollonius in his Commentaries relates and therefore at this time I am to invocate her aid and assistance in the prosecution and perfecting of this work in hand She is moreover taken for the mother of Hyâ—â—â—mus and Hymenaeus the god of marriage who are therefore called the sons of Clio because of their knowledge in History for so Johannes Grammatiâ—us is of opinion the first the Author of sad and mourning Mâ—dâ—iâ—als the other of pleasant and joifull Epithalamions and nuptiall â—ongs the first
in melancholy Elegracks The last in 〈◊〉 lambicks Aâ—ollodorus in his first book of the Originall of the gods saith that Clâ—o was besotted with the love 〈…〉 the son of Magnâ—â—is by the incensed wrath oâ— Venus because she reproved her for too much doâ—age on 〈◊〉 and that by 〈◊〉 she had the boy Hyacinthus But that it is she by whom all men are accited and 〈◊〉 on to the purchase of honour and glory whence elle came that magnanimous and bâ—ld enterprise of Hercuâ—es in that great 〈…〉 against the sons of Ixion to call to combat all the obuâ—tious pyrots at sea and robbers and spoileâ—s on earth Tyrants and evill doers to tame and horrid and dreadfull labours to overcome the invulnerable Lyon of Cythâ—â—on to tear in pieces The many headed monster Hydra to suffâ—cate and strangle the Eâ—emanthian Boare to slaughter and the golden horned Hart to overcome The ravenous Stymphalides to repell and all the monsters and terrours of the earth in single monomachy to overcome but to attaine to the Apex and height of fame and glory What moved Theâ—eus the second Hercules to remove the 〈◊〉 and pluck thence and beare away the inchanted 〈…〉 to kill the tedious way to 〈◊〉 to traveli the streights and passages in his journey to 〈…〉 with his own proper 〈…〉 Sinis the son of 〈◊〉 to oppresse and many other enterprises of no 〈…〉 to acquire and accomplish What incouraged the 〈◊〉 and Generals of the Gâ—aecian and Râ—man Empire to such noble â—chievements save only the spur of â—lory to 〈…〉 their names to all perpetuity So did 〈◊〉 Poetry 〈◊〉 Homer his eloquence Demosthenes and his integrity 〈◊〉 In like manner others by other means have celebrated their names to posterity to whom this Encomium may be justly given Such as have 〈…〉 and 〈◊〉 they tread the illustrious path 〈…〉 doth nobilitate his own name Such 〈…〉 it behoves them auspiâ—â—◠〈…〉 act either of consequence or danger For so saith Pâ—â—darus in his sixth Hymn Olymp. In the beginning of an enterprize a couragious and an undaunted countenance 〈◊〉 housefull For Vertue are senslesse of dangers And Hâ—siod saith Vâ—rttutem posuere dii sudore parandum The gods have placed Vertue not to be arrived to without sweat and travell But it is next to be enquired what the ancient Poets chiefly intimated in this Nymph Clio She is called the daughter of Jupiter and signifies glory If it be lawfull therefore to acquire glory and to leave the memory of your noble actions to posterity far be it we should seek the daughter but from the father or court her without his consent who from the memory and contemplation of a deed well done derives to us a fame in no age not to be celebrated She is called Prima cogitatio i. The first thought of seeking knowledge and because no mans meditations are about that by which he hath not a purpose to inlarge the dignity of his own name therefore she is called the first of the Muses Plutarch in his Symposaicon divides the nine Muses into two halfes the one to govern and have dominion over pastimes and pleasures lest any man should foolishly and unadvisedly fall upon actions dishonest or uncomely stirring them up with songs dances and sweet sounding instruments to vertuous exercises and reteining and keeping him back from lusts both unlawfull and pernitious the other division incourages us to actions difficult to affairs serious and of import and these are Clio Calliope and Thalia for all things ought to be done in Symmetria and due proportion of mediocrity that in our sports we slide not into lusts and in things serious wee stumble not at the morosity and peevishnesse of age She had two sons Ialmus and Hymenaeus men of two sundry lots and conditions the one in no place but where there was ejulation and mourning the other where there was ever sport mirth banqueâ—s and nuptiall joies And as Athenaeus observes from Aristophanes In Luctu Ialmus in nuptiis Hymenaeus Nothing else is apprehended by these two brothers of such contrary dispositions but that all such as seek after glory and the immortality of their names are sometimes with crosse and sinister accidents oppressed and sometimes with faire and prosperous successes incouraged and puffed up singing sometimes the joyfull songs of Hymenaeus and forc'd 〈◊〉 other times to be subject to the sad and melancholy howlings of Ialmus And so much of Clio. Euterpe EVery man hath his pleasures and delights as well wise men as fools there is no man of so severe gravity or austere a condition no not Timon himselfe whose nature is not mollified and made more tractable with the delight of some one thing or other One is much pleased with horses of good stomack another with dogs of excellent scent or swiftnesse some with wealth others with honour and so of the rest and thus we passe through the pilgrimage of a life full of infelicities and calamities with the greater content and case by pondering some such things in our minds in which we take the greatest pleasure and comfort Neither are the wise men without this alacrity being sometimes extasi'd in the contemplation of things sublime and high Plato in Philebis saith he As the intemperate man takes pleasure so doth the temperate man in his temperance As the fool is delighted in his foolish opinions and vaine hopes so is the wise man in his wisedome and constant purposes but that their contents are different and of contrary qualities no man makes question The wise man therefore and the unwise have both their pleasures but so far pre-excelling is the one as the other is vile abject and contemptible for the one is gorged and surfeited with his delicacies even to loathing and vomit the other inebriated or rather quickned and inspired with the sprightly nectar of contemplation flies into the celsitude and majesty of things inscrutable neither conteins he himselfe within the narrow and streight empire of this universe but acquires things above capacity and transcending nature for incited with the deep study of metaphysicall Philosophy he strives even to trace the steps of infinite majesty though it be confest that this ambition of his is both foolish and arrogant yet is it daring and noble that not satisfied with the knowledge of humble and terrene things pierceth deeper and aimeth higher till it attain that perfection of height that the mind or understanding being filled may stop at the farthest as there having fixt non ultra But this small digression being of Euterpe which word implies nothing else but true delectation or delight I hope hath not been much impertinent Hesiod cals her the second Muse in order and the daughter of Jupiter and Memory Neanthes in his book entituled Rerum Graecarum cals her the mother of Themistocles but Amphicrates in his tractat of illustrious men contraries that and affirms the strumpet Abrotonum to be his mother Euterpe is called the goddesse of pleasantnesse and jollity said
fame to wither as Virgil saith Nostra nec rubuit silvas habitare Thalia Our Thalia blusht not to dwell even in the woods amongst us She is the third in rank who hath a denomination of dallcâ—â— that is Still springing and growing green Cornutus saith That from that denomination she renewes and re-inspires the 〈◊〉 life of a Poet or else because at their free and 〈…〉 she persuades them to friendly and honest conversation without brawles or riot or lastly as others will have it in regard the Poets fame once deservedly goâ— shall outlast time and live with eternity Many bestow on her the invention of the Comedy some make her the first teacher of Agriculture and others to be the mother of Palephatus who writ much concerning plantation and inoculating besides five books Incredibilium or things past believe Therefore the papers of Palephatus grew into an Adage or Proverb because his books had no credit given to them Much is spoken of him by Coelius in his Antiquae Lection But of her there is nothing left save this to speak That whosoever shall imbrace the Muses shall purchase to themselves immortality Therefore Pindarus in Olympiis cals Poems The purchases of diuine fame and glory immortall Plutarch in Quaest 14. and in Symposiac lib. 9. will have Thalia Calliope and Clio to be conversant in things serious grave and philosophicall in divine things to have speculation and lastly to measure all things justly and weigh them in an even ballance equally He that can do this is not only worthy to be reckoned amongst the best of men but to be numbered even in the catalogue of the gods of whose memory no age shall ever be silent Melpomene BY sweet modulation all things are moved Plato in his dialogue de Furore cals her the daughter of Jupiter and voice of Apollo nor without merit if we but retire our selves and look back into the originall of things Her name derived from the Greek dialect importing Canere to sing and Concentum facere to make conseat or concord which includes the temperature and modulation of the whole world For what is better moderated or kept within a more due proportion then melody For as the many limbs and members of the body though they have divers place and motion and have sundry gifts and offices yet all their faculties are directed to one businesse as having one scope and aime so the variety that ariseth from divers voices or strings all agree and meet to make one melody which as Plutarch writes in his book de Musica signifies a member of the body And that every creature living is delighted with harmony Plaeto doth gather because the coelestiall spirit from which the world first took life had his first lively being and existence from musick Strabo writes that the Elephants are made gentle by the voice and the beating of the timbrell or the tabor And Plutarch in Symposiac That many brute beasts are much affected to and delighted in musick Nam video c. For I see saith he creatures wanting reason are much pleased with harmony as the Hart with the pipe and the Dolphin with the harp and voice Of which Pindarus and Virgil are manifest witnesses Inter Delphinus Arion Which Arion Plutarch in his Convivium thus elegantly describes Quod mare non novit quis nescit Ariona tellus Carmine currentes ille tenebat aquas Sepe sequens Agnam c. Which I thus English What sea what earth doth not Arian know Whose verse could make the waters ebbe or flow His voice hath call'd the woofe backe from pursuit Of the mild lambs and made his howlings mute Oft at his voice the silly lamb hath staid Whilst on his life the fierce wolfe might have prai'd Oft in one shade the hare and hound hath li'n Both listning to a musick so divine The Lionesse and Ewe together are Attentive both but neither fierce nor jar The Prating crow to Pallas owle is nie And quarrels not the dove the hawke sits by Oft Cinthia hath he set thine heart on fire And made thee sweare his was thy brothers Lyre All the Sicilian Cities are at ones And Italy is rapt with thy Lyrick tones Bound homewards good Arion shipping takes With all the store his art or musick makes He fear'd to see the wind and waters rise But there more comfort then a shiphor'd lies Behold the Captaine with his sword in hand With all that guilty crew at his command Ingâ—rt him round he well nigh dead with feare Intreats them their rude violence to forbeare Or if so madly they his death desire He first may take some comfort of his Lyre They grant him leave and smile at his delay He takes his chaplet of the stâ—ll green Bâ—y A chaplet which even Phoeous might have tri'd Then don's a robe in Tyrâ—an purple di'd And as the swan that dying sweetly sings So he betakes him to his voice and strings And from th' inviron of these marine knaves Down suddenly he sâ—â—ps into the waves The crooked Dolphin takes him on her back To save Arion from the present wrack She swims he sits and plaies upon his Lyre And paies with musick the swâ—ft Dolphins hire But to leave to speak of unreasonable creatures In man there is a peculiar reason above the rest by which his mind is made pliant and tractable to this modulation for it insinuates into his bosome soonest For none is of so rude and rough hewn a disposition that yeelds not an attention to melody and is not captivated and surprized with the ravishing sounds of Melpomene In the monuments of ancient writers there are observed five severall sorts of songs the first Suphâ—onistiche such were the songs that were used to be relished in the ears of â—litemnestia and all such singers are called Sophronistai according to the Greeks the second were called Encomiastice Laudatory in which the praises of the most excellent men were celebrated and such were sung by Achittas the third Dâ—inetiche or Cantus Lugubris the mournfull song the fourth Orchematiche or Saltatoria the dancing ditâ—y the fifth Pâ—â—nâ—che such as is in Homers Iliads and is called Poeean or Poean such were Hymns to Apollo not only in a plague time that the Pest should cease but for the cessaâ—iâ—n of war or any other present mischiefe then immediate whatsoever Melpomene is likewise the chiefe and hath the prime precedency in the Tragedy as Virgil in the verse before remembred Melpomene tragico c. Therefore it was the custome in all the Tragedies of old to annex to the end of every act a Chorus with some sad and mournfull song and the neerer they grew to the catastrophe or conclusion the songs were set to the more passionate tunes and sung with the more sorrowfull accent expressing an augmentation of griefe both in countenance and gesture Some of the great authors conferre upon her the invent on of Rhetorick of which opinion was Pharnutus who
doth etymologise Melpomene from Molpe which signifies the sweetnesse of the voice for one of the chiefest ornaments in an Orator is first Action then a constancie in Voice Motion and Gesture beseeming and comly Most certain it is that all these things commented of Melpomente either concerning the derivation of her name or her invention of arts meet in this one center to which so many lines aime to signifie to us a well spoken learned and eloquent man from whose lips issue all foecundity and sweetnesse And that he may attain to this elegancy which so much graceth an Oratour behoves him to take counsell of M. Cicero that is to join Wisdome with his Eloquence and substance and matter to his pronuntiation and phrase by which practise he may prove to the Common-wealth a most necessary and profitable member Lastly Fulgentius teacheth that by this Muse is meant a maid given to meditation as first Clio begets a will secondly Euterpe a desire to prosecute that which the will is bent unto thirdly Thalia to be delighted in that which we have acquired fourthly Melpomene to meditate upon that in which we are delighted And so much for meditation or the fourth of the Muses Terpsichore IN the fifth place succeeds Terpsichore whose name is derived à Tâ—â—po delâ—cto and Koreâ—a tripudium that is delighting in dancing This Muse hath no lesse reference to Musick then 〈◊〉 her eldest sister the one governs the voice and hath predoâ—â—nance over songs the other over dancing 〈◊〉 measures They are by the great writers much commended who therefore make the Muse the inventresse of them being the daughter of Jupiter the originall of dancing they derive from the high heavens from the order of the stars and planets from their motion their going forward and return backward which even at the first creation began in an harmonia call measure of the coelestiall bodies Of Dances there be sundry kinds some took name from the song and such was called Emmelcia that was held to be Tragicall a second was called Cordax Comica or a Country dance of such Arriamnus in his Indian Commentaries remembers us some bestow the invention of such upon the Satyrs others affirm that Bacchus by his Orgyan leapings or dances brought the Tyrthenians the Indians and Lydians all warlike nations to his subjection Therefore those that were called Siccinastae they confer on him or some of his fellowes and adherents though the Sicinni were the people of Creet amongst whom that kind of measure was most celebrated In what estimation these were of old may be easily imagined when no sacrifice was offered at Delos but dances were the chiefe in all their superstitious ceremonies The Brachmani a people of India morning and evening in their adoration of the Sun frequently use them Amongst the Aethiopians the Thracians the Aegyptians the Scythians their sacreds are not solemnized without them as first instituted by Orpheuâ— and Musaeus Some danc'd in the honour of Mars The Lacedemonians had them in continuall practise so likewise the Thessalians insomuch that the most wise Socrates after he was grown in years practised to dance and not only gave such exercises an extraordinary character of commendations but numbred them amongst the best Sciences These dances were not in custome without musick especially in their festivals and sacrifices for the boies or young men went in the first place some playing upon harps and pipes and others selected for the dances whose custome was as they tripped and skipped about the Altar they first proceeded so that from the left hand they might incline to the right to observe the course of the Zodiack and again from the right hand turn to the left to imitate the motion of the Primum mobile Pindarus cals Apollo Orcheste that is Saltator a dancer Plato in his first book de Legum latione saith that the first ground of learning proceeded from the works of Apollo and the Muses holding that man untutored and ignorant that was not practised in the measures of the Muses and him accomplished and best instructed that could tread them with the best agility and cunning By which it may be concluded that these Choreae were begot by musick and fetch'd from the very intrails of number used in verse which some of Rith mus call Rime and from other Ethick observations therefore some attribute to her the invention of that which we call Humanitatis Disciplina which signifies The discipline of humanity By the son of Achâ—lous she had the Syrenes though Fulgentius cals them the daughters of Calâ—ope and by Mars Bistone of whom the Country is called Bistonia she is therefore rankt in the fifth place and said Choreis delectari because it is a pleasure and delight to the auditors for the benefits they received by hearing the mysteries of learning and knowledge manifested and laid open unto them as if we should say Terpsichore is a delight in instruction or to take a felicity to be instructed Fulgentius will have Polymnia to take place before her his reason is because after invention or much memory which is Polyhimnia it is then necessary to judge and determine of that which was before devised and invented Cornutus saith that good men transmit the best and greatest part of their lives in delectation and joy or else that they bring pleasure and content to all such with whom they shall converse of which delight this Muse is the patronesse Others think she was so called because she was so pleasing to the society of the rest of her sisters but whence soever she had that name bestowed upon her it was neither idle nor unmomentary the Fable of this Muse thus much insinuating that part of the Muses are intentive only upon serious and solid matters as Philosophy the Mathematicks and the like the rest upon recreations sports and pastimes By which the ancients would teach us That it is not possible but he that hath spent most of his age and study upon Calliope and Vrania but shall in that knowledge be most joifull and filled with all manner of delectation which pleasure and content they signified by dances musick and banquets Erato IN Plato's Sanctuaries it is left recorded that Amor which is love in Greek called Erota which is the name of the Muse of whom we are now to speak and by him called the voice of Venus is known to be nothing else by such as truely understand then the desire of beauty of which Plotinus makes a threeâ—old distinction it is either in the Mind begot by vertue and that is called Vâ—nâ—stas which may extend to a gracefull pleasantnesse in speech or delectable utterance or in the Body of the lineaments and colour meeting in the greatest 〈◊〉 and that is called Decus which is comlinesse or a sweetnesse of proportion the last is the concordance and pleasantnesse of sounds which comprehends in it an excellent though invisible fairnesse or puleâ—â—itude This threefold beauty hath three sences subservient or
receive her to conceale her from the Sanne into her bosome from whence she at first proceeded to whose request her mother condescended and kept her so long till from her brest she sprung out a Laurell tree whom Phoebus notwithstanding courted but in vaine The manner of her transportation Ovid with great elegancy relates in his Metamorph. Without this Laurell as some think the Tripos in Bâ—oetia plac'd neer the vaticinating cave cannot be erected All writers confirm her a Sybill and a Prophetesse belonging to the Delphian Oracle howsoever the Poets have fabled Her prophesie was to this purpose An Angell shall descend and say Thou blessed Mary haile Thou shall conceive bring forth yet be A virgin without faile Three gifts the Chaldaeans to thy sonne Shall tender with much piety Myrrhe to a Man Gold to a King And Incense to a Deity Sybilla Cumaea SHe was called Cimmeria and was one of Apollo's Priests born in Cuma a City of Aeolia Leonard Aretine in his book de Aquila volante cals her Omeriae and would derive her from Italy Hâ—rodotus in his first book hath left this history recorded That Pactias the Persian flying for refuge into the City Cuma he was demanded thence by Mazares the great Generall but the Cumaeans would not deliver him up without advise from the Oracle There was in those daies an ancient and much adored Altar sacred to Apollo to which the Aeoles and the Ionians in all their hesitations repaired for counsell it was scituate in the Milesian fields neer to the Port called Panormus to this place were sent men both of birth and trust to demand from the Cumaeans Whether Pactias should be delivered unto the Persians who answered Let him be surrendred up which when the men of Cuma heard they with a joint suffrage concluded to send him thence and to obey the Oracle To which decree Aristodicus the son of Heraclius violently opposed himselfe a man amongst the rest at that time most illustrious either not giving credit at all to the answer or distrusting their fidelity that brought it therefore he himselfe with other of the prime Citizens prepared themselves for a second expedition these repairing to the Branchidae or Priests of which this Cumaea was one Aristodicus humbly kneeling before the Altar thus bespake Apollo Pactias the Lydian O King and god to shun a violent death gave himselfe into our patronage the Persians redemand him of the Cumaeans we though we fear not their forces yet dare not surrender up a suppliant to death who hath tendred his safety into our hands till we heare from thee what in this distraction is most fit to be done To these words the Priest as from Apollo returned this answer Let Pactias be delivered up to the Persians This done Aristodicus it seems not well pleased to betray the life of his friend surveying the Temple round he spi'd where sparrows and other small birds had builded their nests who taking away their young was about to depart the Temple when instantly was heard from the Altar the sound of a voice thus speaking Oh thou most wicked of men what arrogant boldnesse hath so far possest thee that thou presumest to take hence my supplyants and such as I have taken to my protection at which words Aristodicus returning made this free and bold answer Dost thou O King succour and protect thy supplyants and commandest us to betray the life of Pactyas to the Persians Some have cavilled with these Oracles that their verses have been harsh and not in smoothnesse of stile or elegancie or phrase to be compared with those of Hesiod or Homer to which may be answered We are sick with the disease of the eare and the eie let us not blame a Pythian Prophetesse because she sings not so sweetly as Glauce the minstrel nor appears in her hair perfumed with pretious unguents and her selfe jetting in Tyrian purple when the Sybill utters her divinations with a troubled brame and a distracted countenance her words harsh and unpleasant as not relishing laughter delight or ornament for such things are least pleasing to us in shew that are most beneficiall to us in proof Voluptatem enim non admittit quod integrum castum That admits no pleasure which of it self is perfect and chast Besides these were answers to be leasurely writ not suddenly spoke studied with long meditation and not extemporall it is probable that they in sweetnesse and smoothnesse might equall if not exceed the facundity of the former neither is it the sound the voice the language or the number or meeter of the god himselfe but of a woman and she too extasi'd in spirit and ravisht with a divine fury These shall suffice for Sybilla Cumaea I will only conclude with her prophesie The ancient of daies shall then submit to time The Maker yield himselfe to new creation The deity and Godhead most sublime Take shape of man to ransome every nation Die to make others live and every crime Committed from the round worlds first foundation Take on himselfe as low as Hell descending To win man Heaven upon his grace depending Sybilla Samia SHe is called Erophile or Hierophile taking the name of Samia from the Ille Samos where she was born Simon Grinaeus in his annotations upon Justin thus saith That this continent was called Samothracia because it buts so neer Thracia in that place was Pythagoras the Philosopher born with one of the Sybils stiled Samia The Island is dedicated to Juno because as they believe there Juno was born brought up and espoused unto Jupiter Heraclides in Pâ—litus saith That it was first a solitude or desert only inhabited by wild beasts amongst which were the Neides first seen in that wildernesse It was once called Partheniâ— after that Driuse there Ancaeus raigned of whom came the Proverb first Multa cadunt inter c. Many things fall between the cup and the lip In this Island have been seen white Swallows as big in body as a Partridge In this place flourisht Aesop where he first publisht his Fables and Theagines Samius after the scholer of Euripides Plut. in Quaest Graecis relates that when any sacrifice was offered to Mercurius Charidota which is as much as to say Munificent it was lawfull for any to steale and catch away each others garments because that having by the command of the Oracle left their own countrie and were forced by shifting into Micale there to live by rapine and theft that time being expired and at their return by vanquishing their enemies being possest of their own inheritance in remembrance of their former confinement they have observed that custome Of this Sybils particular actions much hath not been commended to posterity only of her person that such a one there was and of her prophesie which was thought to be this The world shall to six thousand years aspire By water once but then destroi'd by fire The first two thousand void the next the Law
The fast two under the Messias awe And as repose by Sabbath is exprest Sun Moon and Stars all things shall then have rest It is likely and may be conjectured that she came to the light of Elias prophesies for in the like manner he distributed the world divining of the continuance of mankind and the change of times the first two thousand yeares he call Tempus inane which may be thus interpreted because the many regions of the earth were not fully inhabited Babylon not yet built and divers spatious Provinces undiscover'd or else because the politick estate of the Church was not yet visibly established and separated from other nations For then were no Empires extant which after were apparant in the Monarchies Yet doubtlesse it is that the first age was the golden and most flourishing because the nature of man was then most potent and vigorous as may appeare by their longevity living so many hundred years moreover it bred many wise old men full of the divine light that spake of God of the Creation and were witnesse of the Arts and Sciences The second time was numbred from the Circumcision to Christs comming in the flesh and being born of a Virgin which conteins little lesse than two thousand years and that is under the Law The third time if it reach not to the full number to equall the former it is for our sins which are many and great for which mankind shall be the sooner destroi'd and Christ for his elect sake will hasten his judgement Sybilla Cumana SHe was likewise called Amalthaea Hyginus in his second book speaks of Amalthaea that gave suck to Jupiter in his infancy his history he derives from Parmenesius and relates it thus There was a certaine King of Creet called Mellisaeus to whose daughters young Jupiter was sent to be nursed but they wanting milk brought unto him a goat called by that name which gave him suck This goat was so fruitfull that she ever brought forth two Kids and was then newly eased of her burden when Jupiter was brought thither to be fostred In gratitude of which good done to him he after translated her and her kids amongst the stars which Cleostratus Tenedius first observed Musaeus reports otherwise That Athemides and Amalthaea were two nurses to whom the charge of Jupiters infancy was committed both beautifull Nymphs Amalthaea having a goat whom she much loved and with whose milk she brought him up Palepbatus in his fabulous narrations speaks of the horn of Amalthaea which Hercules still bore about him which was of that vertue that it still supplyed him with all necessaries whatsoever from which grew a Proverb That all such as were supplyed without complaining of want were said to have the 〈◊〉 of Amalthaea the history is thus Hercules travelling through Boeotia to visit his Nephew Iolaus sojourned by the way for a season amongst the Thespians where lived a woman of approved beauty and vertue called Amalthaea with whose feature Hercules being much delighted he hosted there longer than his purpose which Iolaus taking ill Amalthaea out of a horn in which she had hoarded some quantity of monie furnisht Hercules with all things needfull which some strangers taking especiall notice of they rumour'd it abroad and from thence first grew the Proverb But to return to our Amalthaea Cumana This was she by whose conduct Aeneas had free passage into hell as Virgil expresseth at large in his sixth book She brought to Tarquinius Priscus those three books of Prophesies of which two were burnt and one preserved By which computation comparing the time betwixt Aeneas and Tarquin she could live no lesse then five hundred years nor is it altogether incredible since when Livia the daughter of Rutilius Terentia of M. Cicero and Clodia of Aulus the first lived ninety seven yeares the second a hundred and thirty the third a hundred and fifteen after the bearing of fifteen children Gorgias Leontius the tutor of Isocrates and many other learned men in the hundred and seventh year of his age being asked Why he desired to live any longer answered Because he felt nothing in his body by which to accuse age Herodotus Pliny Cicero and others speak of one Arganthonius Gaditanus who raigned fourscore yeares being sixty yeares of age before he came to his crown Solinus and Ctesias with others averre that amongst the Aethiopians a hundred and thirty years is but a common age and many arrive unto it Hellanicus testates that the Epians a people of Aetolia attained to two hundred whom Damiales exceeds naming one Littorius that reached to three hundred the like we read of Nestor I will conclude with Dondones whom Pliny affirms survived five hundred years yet never stooped with age More liberally speaks Zenophon who bestowes on one of the Latine Kings eight hundred and six hundred upon his father but I will forbear further to speak of her age and come to her Oracle Vnto the Assyrian Monarchy we assigne One thousand yeares two hundred thirty nine When thirty six successions shall expire The last his glories pomp shall end in â—iâ—e Thence to the Meads it transmigrates and they Shall in nine full successions beare chiefe sway Three hundred years shall memorise their deeds Wanting just eight The Persian then succeeds In th' universall Empire which must last Fourteen Kings reigns and then their sway be past Over to Greece but ere the light blow out Two hundred fifty years shall come about Adding five months The Monarchy now stands Transferr'd on Macedonia who commands The world but Alexander by him is guided The spatious earth but in his death divided Amongst his Captains Macedon one ceaseth Asia another Syria best pleaseth A third Egypt a fourth thus lots are cast Two hundred eighty eight their pomp shall last And then expire Great Rome shall then look hie Whose proud towers from 7. hils shall brave the skie And overlook the world In those blest daies Shall come a King of Kings and he shall raise A new plantation and though greater far Than all the Monarchs that before him are In majesty and power yet in that day So meek and humble he shall dain to pay Tribute to Caesar yet thrive happy he That shall his subject or his servant be After the death of Alexander the Kingdome of Macedonia was successively injoied by fifteen Kings and indured a hundred fifty seven years and eight months Asia and Syria were governed by nineteen Kings and lasted two hundred eighty nine years Egypt was possest by ten Ptolomies and lastly by Cleopatra and it continued two hundred eighty eight years These Kingdomes failing the Romans gained the chiefe predominance Of this Sybill S. Isiodore Virgil and Ovid writ more at large she writ her Prophesie in leaves of trees and then plac'd them over the Altar which when the wind moved or made to shake they had no efficacy but when they remained firm and without motion they received their
is said to be Incertae patriae as no man knowing from what particular region to derive her and therefore is known by no particular name nor by the ancient Historiographers numbred amongst the ten only amongst the twelve she hath the place as may appeare by this her Prophesie When the great King of all the world shall have No place on Earth by which he can be known When he that comes all mortall men to save Shall find his own life by the world o'rthrown When the most just injustice shall deprave And the great judge be judged by his own Death when to death a death by death hath given Then shall be op'd the long shut gates of Heaven Sybilla Tiburlina IT seems she derives her selfe from the River Tyber she is otherwise called Albunaea of the City Alba which was erected before Rome as also Italica and by some Alburnaea It is reported that the Romans going about to deifie Augustus Caesar demanded advise of this Sybill who after three daies fast standing before the Altar where the Emperour himselfe was then present after many hidden words miraculously spoken concerning Christ upon the sudden Heaven opened and Caesar saw a beautifull virgin standing before the Altar who held in her arms as lovely an infant at this apparition Caesar affrighted fell on his face at which instant was heard a voice as from Heaven saying This is the Altar of the son of God In which place was after built a Temple dedicated to the Virgin Mary and called Ara Coeli i. The Altar of Heaven This Polycronicon affirms and for the truth thereof citeth Saint Augustine lib. 18. cap. 24. There is little more remembred of her life saving that in her books she prophesied of the comming of the Saviour of the world much after this manner Seven wonders of the world have been proclaimed But yet a greater then these are not named The Egyptians high Pyramides who seem'd To meet the stars a work once much esteem'd The Tower of Pharos The miraculous wall That Babylon begirt The fourth we call Diana's Church in Ephesus Fame sings T' had six and thirty Pillers built by Kings As many Next to these Mausolus Tombe Than which the Earth supporteth on her womb No braver structure Next to these there was The huge Colossus that was cast in brasse Of height incredible whom you may espie Holding a lamp fifty seven cubits high Bestriding an huge river The seventh wonder Was of great love that strikes with trisule thunder His Statue carv'd in Ivory and contriv'd By Phideas the best workman then surviv'd What at these trifles stands the world amaz'd And hath on them with admiration gaz'd Then wonder when the troubled world â— ' appease He shall descend who made them that made these Of these wonders briefly to make her divination the more plaine Of these Pyramides there were divers of which the greatest took up eight acres of ground parted into foure angles each equally distant eight hundred eighty foot and in height twenty five A second foure angles every one containing by even spaces seven hundred thirty and seven foot A third comprehended three hundred sixty three foot betwixt every angle A fourth erected by Rhodope the strumpet the mistresse of Aesop by the monie which she got by her trade Herodotus speaks of a Pyramis made by Cleopys King of Egypt of stones ferch'd from Arabia whose length was five furlongs the breadth ten paces He erected a second more magnificent which was not not finisht in twenty years upon which he spent so much treasure that he was forc'd to prostitute his daughter a most beautifull young virgin to supply his own necessity Pliny reports that in this structure he imploied so many workmen that they eat him 1800. talents in onyons and garlick 2. The Tower of Pharos built by Ptolomaeus in that Isle which served as a lanthorn to direct Navigators by sea in the night he spent upon it 5300. Talents Sostrata was the Architectour as appears by the inscription of his name upon the Cittadell 3. The wals of Babylon were built by Semiâ—amis they were as Hermodorus writes in thicknesse fifty cubits in height two hundred within the compasse of which were an hundred Ports having brazen gates that all mov'd upon hinges they were beautified with three hundred Turrets and Chariots might meet upon the top of them and have free passage without impediment 4. The Temple of Diana of which I have spoken before was in length 425 foot in breadth 220. It was beautified with 127. Columns 5. The tombe of Mausolus built by Artimesia Queen of Caria was in height 25. Cubits it was compast with 36 Columns it contained from the South to the North 33. foot the whole compasse contained 1411. That part which lay towards the East was perfected by Scopas that which was towards the North was ended by Briax that towards the Meridian by Timothaeus that which butted upon the West by Leocares 6. The Colossus of the Sun which bestrid the River Rhodes betwixt whose legs ships without vailing their top-sails came into the harbour was of that vastnesse that a man with his spread arms could not compasse his thumb every finger being as big as a common statue After it had stood six and fifty years it was emolisht by an earthquake The Souldan of Egypt having invaded Rhodes with the broken brasse thereof laded thence 900. Camels The chiefe workman was Chares Lindius the scholler of Licippus 7. The image of Jupiter to which some equall the Pallace of Cyrus King of the Meads built by Memnon the stones of which were cemented together with gold But I leave further to speake of these and proceed to the next Sybill Sybilla Aegyptia SHe was called Agrippa not numbred amongst the ten out hath place among the Twelve she prophesied upon the number of Three and on this manner Sacred's the number Three as Sybils tell Betwixt three brothers the Heaven Sea and Hell Were cast by lot The Earth as all men write In their divisions is called Tripartite Jove three waies striking hath his Trisulc Thunder Neptune's allow'd his Tâ—ident to keep under The mutinous waves Three fatall sisters spin Our thread of life Three Judges punish sin Even monsters are described so Geryon weares Three heads Grim Cerberus as many bears Sphinx hath three shapes of Bird of Beast of Maid All three in wings in feet in face displai'd Chimaera is Triform'd the monstrous creature Scilla 's of dogs fish and a womans feature The Erynnaes Harpyes Gorgons three-fold all The Sybils Trifatidicae we call Divining from the Tripos Orpheus Lyre Sings that 't was made of water earth and fire Three Charites three Fates three Syrens be Number the Muses they are three times three She 's triple Hecat's call'd Diana stil'd Trivia The ground of Musick was compil'd But on three cords at first and still exprest By voice by hand by breath In the Physicks
this is kept the perpetuall fire for the Etymology of Vesta is nothing else but Purus ignis i. pure Fire Some are of opinion that in that Temple are kept the remembrances of many both sacred and secret monuments some strange and unknown even to Priests and Virgins Some speak of two tuns of no great quantity the one continually shut the other open and empty some of the Virgins have reported that the Palladium that fell from Heaven and was received into Troy is there still to be seen The first Virgins appointed by Numa were foure Gegania Berenia Camilla Tarpeia two others were added by Servius Tullius Their vowes of virginity were unalterable for thirty years In the first ten yeares they were to learn the ceremonies and to be as ministers aud handmaids in the rest she was to govern and instruct others and the thirty years expired she had liberty if she pleased to marry If any of these Vestals had wantonly offended she was to be chastised by the Priest but such â—s were found incestuous were punished after this manner Being first bound she was laid upon a Beer like a coarse already deceased and so carried through the mid Forum to the port or gate called Collina for there betwixt two wals is the grave of the unchast Vestals still apparant there is a cave hollowed under the earth the descent is with a ladder by the mouth which is of no great widenesse in this vault is a bed ready prepared a light burning with bread milk and oile these things being all made ready for the purpose the delinquent is set down her hands loosed and her head covered the high Priest whispering certain secret things in her eare the other Priests turning their faces from her which is no sooner done but she is let down into the cavern earth thrown upon her the grave filled and she stifled alive and that day on which this execution is done there is a generall silence and sadnesse through the whole City Oppia SHe was one of the Vestall virgins who being taken in whordome and the fast manifestly proved she was convented convicted and had her doom to be buried alive Upon whom Strozza filius inscribed this Epitaph Vestalis virgo laesi damnata pudoris Contegor hoc vivens Oppia sub tumulo I Oppia once a Vestall that For sinne my judgement have Condemn'd for lust am living shut And covered in this grave Claudia There were two of that name as Livy in his 22 book reports who were addicted to the ceremonies of Vesta Fonteia was the sister of Marc. Fonteius who being a Prefect or Governour amongst the Gauls was accused before the Senate of injustice and misgovernment as transgressing the lawes and edicts of the Romans Marcia was a Vestall virgin and one that attended upon the sacred ceremonies she was condemned of incest and as Oppia was before her buried alive Minutia also a minister of Vesta's sacrifices who for her elegant feature and extraordinary beauty and withall because the costly ornaments with which she used to attire her selfe exceeded the precise custome of her Order she was brought within the suspition of lust and inchastity for which being call'd into question and not able legally to acquit quit her selfe she was brought within the compasse of the law and for her supposed offence had both the sentence and execution due to the like delinquents Justin in his 43. book commemorates this history Aeâ—eas after many tedious travels landing in Italy was by marrying Lavinia the daughter of King Latinus made partner with him in the Kingdome for which marriage war was commenc'd betwixt them two of the one party and Turnus King of the Rutilians on the other In which combustions Turnus being slain and Latinus yielding to Fate Aeneas both by the right of victory and succession became Lord of both the Kingdome and people erecting a City called Lavinium in remembrance of his wife Lavinia In processe he made warre against Mezentius King of the Etruscians whom having slaine Ascanius the son of Aeneas succeeded in the principality Ascanius leaving Lavinium built the City Alba which for three hundred years space was the Capitall City of that Kingdome After many descents the regall honours were conferred upon Numitor and Amulius These two Princes emulous of each others greatnesse Amulius the younger having opprest his brother Numitor surprised also his sole daughter Rhaea who was immediate heir to her fathers honours and regall dignities all which he covetous to ingrosse to himselfe and fearing withall left from her issue might in time descend some one that might punish his insolencies and revenge her and her fathers injuries devised with himselfe how to prevent both and fearing lest by putting her to death he might incur a generall hate amongst the people in whose love he was not as yet fully setled he apprehended as his safest course to shadow her wrong beneath a veile of honour and so caused her with a strict vow of virginity to be elected into the sacred service of Vesta Being thus confin'd into the grove celebrated to Mars whether begot by Mars himselfe as was then beleeved or otherwise adulterously conceived it is uncertain but she was delivered of two sons This being know to Amulius increased his fears who commanded the infants to be cast forth and Rhaea to be loaden with irons under whose severe sentence expiring she yielded to Fate The two children ready to perish were miraculously nursed by a she wolfe and after found by the shepherd Faustulus were by him brought up and called Remus and Romulus and so much of Rhaea Tranquillus and Cornelius Tacitus both of them remember one Rubria a Vestall virgin who was forceably defloured by Nero. Another whose name was Pompilia because by her inchastity she prophaned the sacred orders of Vesta was buried alive the same death for the like offence suffered Cornelia Floronea the Vestall was convicted of whoredome but she to prevent one death made choice of another For taking to her selfe a brave Roman spirit she with her own hands boldly slew her selfe Posthumia taxed for her too curious habit and gaudiness in attire as much transcending the custome of that more strict Order was suspected of Lust and accited before the Senate and there arraigned she wittily and nobly answered to whatsoever could be objected against her so that being found guiltlesse she was absolved by the sentence of the high Priest or Arch-Flammin Sextilia sped not so well as this Posthumia for she being suspected of inchastity and found culpable suffered according to the law made for the punishment of the like offenders The like suffered Tutia the Vestali for her unlawfull prostitution Plutarch in Gracchis in the Catalogue of these consecrated virgins numbers Licinia And Pliny relates that when Clodius the Emperor was in opposition with his wife Messalina that sink of lust and most incontinent
pickt up the grains and made bare these five letters THEOD by which was signified Theodosius who after succeeded Other predictions were gathered out of the sentences of the Poets but especially out of Homer of the Greeks and Virgil for the Latines Socrates being in prison out of a verse in Homer told to Aeschinus That he should not outlive the third day Alexander Severus thus meaning to calculate what should futurely betide him hapned upon this verse in Virgil Tu regere imperio populos Romane memento And after some few years he attained to the Empire Claudius the Emperor acquiring his own fate the like way hapned upon that in his sixt book of his Aeneid Tertia dum Latio regnantem viderit Aestas Neither did he reign above two years The same Claudius inquiring after his brothers fortunes he light upon that verse which after Gordianus Junior chanced upon Ostendunt terris hunc tantum fata This Gordianus was slain within seventeen daies after he had taken upon him the emperiall purple Claudius Secundus predecessor to the Emperor Aurelian inquiring of the successe of his posterity had the lot of this verse in Virgil His ego nic metas rerum nec nomina pono Whose progeny lasted for a long time after Of this kind there were infinite which I purposely pretermit The â—iâ—hian woman that sate stradling with her legs upon the Tripos received the unclean spirit at the immedest parts of her body from whence she was likewise heard to deliver such answers as were demanded of her with a strange fury and rapture her hair scattered about her ears and foaming at the mouth she delivered her frantick oracles Methodius against Origen writ a book of these mad diviners as Sophranius saith Others there were call'd Ventriloquae so nam'd by S. Augustin because they were heard to speak from their wombs and bellies Tertul. a great author affirms that he hath seen such women that from their immodest parts sitting have uttered such kind of oracles answering in that manner to questions demanded To conclude with these Caelius â—odovicus that lived in the memory of our fathers in his eight book Antiquit. hath left recorded that he hath seen such a woman in Rhodigium a City of Italy from whose secret parts such a voice was often heard which though small and weak yet was altogether intelligible that which she uttered was strange to the hearers but in future things her words were full of vanity and leasings To speak of Fortune-tellers Gypsies Wisewomen and such as pretend to tell of things lost a profession too much suffered as most frequently abusive in this age would but fil much paper and give small or no content at all to the Reader I will therefore shut up all their impostorous lies in one short and known truth A cunning woman that not long since lived about this City whom I forbeare for some reasons to name pretended great skill not only in Palmestry to tell maids how many husbands they should have and young men what wives and how many children legitimate or bastards with such like ridiculous and illusive conjectures but besides this Art she professed the knowledge of things lost and to return any stolne goods to the true owner growing by this so popular that she grew not only in fame but in wealth and of great opinion amongst the vulgar It hapned that in a certaine house a silver spoon being lost and some of the family above the rest suspected about the felony two of the servants knowing themselves innocent to cleer themselves and find out the private thief made a stock betwixt them of ten groats for that was her fee and very early in the morning repaired to this cunning womans house because they would be sure both to take her within and find her at leasure They hapned to come just at the time when she her selfe opening the street door the first thing she cast her eie upon was that some beastly fellow or other had egregiously plaied the sloven just before the threshold of her door at which being exceedingly moved she in her anger thus said Did I but know or could I find out what rascall hath done this I would be revenged on him though it cost me twenty nobles One of the serving men somewhat wiser then his fellow hearing this pluckt him by the elbow and thus whispers to him Thou hearest her talk of twenty nobles but by my consent we will even back again and save our ten groats The other demanding the reason Marry saith he she that cannot tell who hath done that abuse at her door I will never beleeve that she can tell us the party that hath stolne the spoon I would wish that all would take caution from this servant The Hesperides THey were the daughters of Hesperus the brother of Atlas or as some think of Atlas himselfe of which number is Eubulus Chaerecrates derives them from Phorcus and Cetus Their names were Aegle Arethusa and Hesperthusa These kept certaine pleasant and delectable gardens not far from Lyxus a Town in Mauritania in the farthest part of Aethiopia towards the West where all the Country was scorched with the heat of the Sunne and the place almost inhabitable for the multitude of serpents These Gardens were not far distant from Meroe and the red sea where lived the Serpent that kept the golden Apples whom Hercules after slew The keeper of this Dragon was called Ladon the son of Typhon and Echidna whom Apollonius takes to be the Dragon himselfe these Virgins inhabited the remotest parts of the Earth the same where Atlas is said to support the Heavens as Dionysius signifies to us in his book de Situ orbis Sustinet hic Atlas Caelum sic fata jubebunt Vltimus Hesperidum locus est in margine terrae Hic Capite manibus fert vasti pondera mundi Here Atlas doth support the Heaven for so The fates command th' Hesperid's give it name In the Earths utmost margent he we know Bears with his head and hands the worlds vast frame The fame is the mountain Atlas hath round incompast or hedged in this Oâ—chard or Garden because Themis had prophesied to him That in processe of time the son of Jupiter should break through his pale and beare away his golden Apples which after proved true in Hercules These Apples Agretus in rebus Libycis explaineth them to be sheep and because kept by a rude and churlish sheepherd were said to be guarded by a Dragon But Pherecides where he commemorates the Nuptials of Juno affirms that the earth next to the sea in the furthest West brings Apples of the colour of Gold whose opinion Lucan followes With three of these Apples was Atlanta the daughter of Scoeneus vanquisht which Venus gave to Hippomines when she was proposed the reward to the victor and death to him that was overcome but more plainly to reduce these fables to history It is probable that there
appeared in the eies of all men the fairest of women especially in the Kings much surprised with her extraordinary beauty still perswading her to raze out the memory of Cyrus dead and in his room to admit of Artaxerxes living which slowly and at length though late he obtained respecting her above all other his wives and concubines Soon after his Eunuch Toridates died more then a child and scarce full man the most beautifull youth in Asia and of the King the most beloved who so much lamented his death that all the pricipalities and nations under him seemed to participate of his griefe yet none that durst be so bold as to come into his presence or minister to him any words of comfort Three daies being past in these lamentations and sorrowes Aspasia in a funerall habit and with her eies fixt upon the earth appeared before the King who no sooner espied her demanded the cause of her comming To comfort thee said she O King if thou beest so pleased else to return to the place of sorrow from whence I came At which seeming to rejoice the King intreated her to her chamber whither he would presently repaire to whom she obeied And having put on a robe of the Eunuchs so much bewailed and in that casting her selfe upon her bed she gave the King such content that he commanded her till the daies of mourning were past never to appear to him but in that habit she more prevailing with him then all his Princes wives subjects and servants about him stil living in his most especiall grace and favour And so far Aelianua The Matrons of Lacedemon in all battel 's sought against the common enemy as many of their husbands sons or allies as they found slain they used to search what wounds they had about them if the greater number were in the face or breast with great joy and solemnity they bore them to be intombed in the monuments of their ancestors but it on the contrary those on their backs exceeded the number of the former surprised with shame and sorrow they either left them to the common buriall or gave them such private interment as if they wisht their memories to have perisht with their bodies This history Aelianus in his twelfth book records This discourse for the rarenesse of it I hold not impertinent to insert amongst the women most illustrious Chares Mitylenus in his tenth book of Histories thus writes Zariadres the younger brother of Hystaspes both of them being so naturally beautifull that they were said to be the sons of Adonis and Venus The elder reigned in the lower parts of Media the junior kept his principality in the higher Countrie as farre as the river Tanais not many leagues distant from thence there lived the King Homartes who had one onely daughter called Odaâ—â—s whom as divers authors affirm seemed in a dream to have seen this Zariadres and of his person to be much enamoured The liek in a vision hapning to him insomuch that he was ardently affected to her whom as yet he had never seen This Odaâ—â—â— was the fairest Princesse in that time living in Asia and Zariadres no whit to her inferior who sent to the King Homartes to demand her in marriage he would by no 〈◊〉 yeeld to the motion because not having any â—ale issue he was â—oth to transfer the succession of 〈◊〉 Kingdome upon a stranger purposing rather to bestow her 〈…〉 Prince of his Countrie though a subject Not long 〈◊〉 caused to be assembled all the Friends 〈…〉 and Gentry of his land inviting them to his daughâ—â—â—s 〈◊〉 but not yet knowing or having 〈…〉 on whom to confer her His subject 〈◊〉 assembled he invited them all to a solemn and high Priest 〈…〉 having called his daughter in the hearing of all his gueste 〈…〉 bespake 〈◊〉 We are now â— Princeâ—ly daughter 〈…〉 thy nuptials take therefore this golden 〈…〉 with rich Greekish wine and having throughly and advisedly perused all this Noble 〈◊〉 to 〈…〉 shal◠〈…〉 to drink he is undoubtedly thy husband 〈◊〉 having viewed and reviewed them all and 〈…〉 like that person presented to her in her 〈…〉 some few daies respite which 〈…〉 word to Zariadres bow her affairs stood 〈…〉 her marriage and withall much 〈…〉 in his army neer 〈…〉 conceived himselfe 〈…〉 or auendâ—nt saving 〈…〉 into the City of 〈◊〉 having 〈…〉 this done 〈…〉 his Chariot and driver and withall 〈…〉 he came to the place where this marriage was to be celebrated and 〈◊〉 in amongst the rest he behold the beautifull 〈…〉 countenance and tempering her draught with all 〈◊〉 unwilling hand to whom approching more 〈◊〉 he thus whispered Behold Odatis thy 〈…〉 for whom didst lately send ready to do thee all service She casting an advised eie upon him and receiving him to be a stranger beautifull and in all semblance so like the person of whom she had dreamt in a great extasie of joy drank to him and gave him the cup and whilst â—â—â—rest were amazed at the novel he snatcht her up and carried her where his Chariot stood ready and so transported her into Media This their love was so famous amongst the barbarous people that the history was portraied in all their Palaces and Temples nay even in their private houses many of the Nobility in memory of her calling their daughters by the name of Odatis 〈◊〉 the Tyrant banisht Dâ—on out of Sicily taking into his own custodie the exiles wife Aristomache and her daughter but after at the great intercession of one of his servants Polycrates â— man by him much affected he compelled the Lady who still lamented the absence of her Lord 〈…〉 second marriage with this Polycrates who was by 〈…〉 But Dâ—on having gathered fresh forces and expelling Dionysius from Syracusa unto the Locrenses 〈◊〉 his sister meeting him and congratulating his famous victory made intercession for Aristomache who with great shame had kept her selfe from the presence of her first husband not daring to look him in the face howsoever her second nuptials were made by force and compulsion But the necessity of the cause the wondrous submission and modest excuse of Aristomache together with the mediation of Arete so much he prevailed with Dion all confirming her innocence that he received his wife and daughter into his family still continuing their former love and society Hippo a woman of Greece travelling by sea with her husband and being surprised by Pirats finding the chiefe of them to be enamoured of her beauty rather then yield to his lustfull desires she voluntarily threw her selfe into the sea and was drowned leaving behind her a remarkable president of chastity her body was driven upon Ericheon or as some will have it the Erythrean shore in memory of whom a sacred monument was raised which was many years after yearly celebrated with many condign honours Valer. Max. lib. 7. cap. 1. Chiomara of whom Livius Frontinus Florus and others have written was the
brand me here With lust and incest Never I protest Was that Aenaeass whom thou call'st the best Of men in Lybia Never saw I land One Trojan on the Carthaginian strand Because Sychaeus my fiâ—st husband dead To keep my sacred vows to him I fled Th' embraces of Hyarbus am I made A prostitute to nothing to a shade He came in arms to fâ—rce me and compell Me a chast widow to another hell A second marriage 'T is the gods advice No woman can be chast that marrietâ— twice To avoâ—d that sin I slâ—w my selfe O why Could'st thou O Maâ—o thâ—â— comment a 〈◊〉 With lust to 〈◊〉 my memory When heaven knowes To save mine honour I my life did lose Give faith to History you that Readers are Before this fabling Poesiâ— since that far Transcends the bounds of truth so Poets can Make the high gods much more corrupt then man So much touching Queen Dido and as far as probability can to acquit hero of â—ll incontinenâ—e One Paulus an histo 〈◊〉 in his fiâ—â—h book remembers us of Cesara a Queen of Persia who having some light of the Gospell travelled as far as Constantinople in Gâ—eece to be further instructâ—d only attended by a few private followers who being satisfied in all the fundamentall points of her faith she with her small â—â—aine was châ—istened The Persian Sophy having notice thereof sent Embassadors to the Emperour to know the reason why he deteined 〈◊〉 Queen wishing him to return her safe upon such easie summons Cesara being in pâ—esence when this embassie was deliveâ—ed desired the Emperor that she might give them their answer which granted Return said she my humble duâ—y and vassalage to my Lord the King and tell him withall That unlesse he receive my faith and renouncing his false idols beleeve in the only true God he can claim no interest al in me The messenger dispatcht and this short answer returned to the Sophy he levied an army of forty thousand men and comming into Greece the Emperor and he came unto a peacefull interview at which by the mediation of this roiall and religious Empresse the Sâ—phy with all his Princes and Souldiers there present received the Christian Faith and after the interchange of many Princely and magnificent giâ—ts returned with his wife into his own Country Another noble history I think not amisse to be here inserted which is recorded by one Willielmus de reg lib. 20. Gunnilda the daughter of Canulus and Emma who being accused of adulteâ—y by her husband Henry the Emperour who to justifie his accusation had provided a Champion in stature a Giant and for his presence and potency much feared she notwithstanding relying upon God and her own innocence put her life upon the valour of a private young gentleman of England whom she brought with her to the same purpose These Champions adventuring their lives fought a brave and resolute combat but in the end the victorie inclined to the Empresse her adverse Champion being vanquished confest his treasons and she was nobly acquit but after by no intreaties or intercessions made by the Emperour or others she could be won unto his embraces but abjuâ—ing his bed and vowing an austere and sequestred 〈◊〉 she retired her selfe into a Monastery Three roiall presidents of three unmatchable Queens the first for magnanimy the second for Religion and devotion and the last for Chastity To these I will add yet another Williâ—lmus de Râ—gibus in his first book writes thâ—â— King Ive betook his Kingdome of the West-Saxons to his Cousin Ethelardus and undertook a pilgrimage to Rome the occasion of his journie was this The Queen Ethilburga had often counselled her husband the King to forsake the pride and riches of the world and to have a respect to his soulâ— health especially now in the latter daies of his life but not able to prevaile with him she bethought her selfe of a quaint stratagem after they had left their roiall Pallace where they had but lately feasted in all â—omp pleasure and delicacies and removed into another house she caused him to whose charge the place from whence they departed was committed to take down all the hangings make soule and filthy every room and chamber nay in the very place where the King had but the other day sported with his Queen was lodged a sow and pigs withall the loathsomnesse that could be devised this done according to her command she by a wile inticed the King to the place thus strangely diâ—guised The King wondering at this sudden change stood amazed To whom she thus spoke I pray you my Lord where be now these rich hangings and curtains either for state or ornament Where is all the glittering pomp and rich array tending to nothing else save gluttony and luxury Alas how suddenly are they all vanished Shall not my Lord this beauty of ours so fade and this fraile flesh even so fall away This with other her words to the like purpose took such impression in the Kings brest that he resigned his Kingdome to his Nephew and betook himselfe to a religious and Monastick lite after his vowed pilgrimage The Queen Ethelburga went to the Abby at Berking in which place her sister had been before Abbesse and there spent the remainder of her life in devotion and penitence Polycrita THere arose great warres between the Milesians and Naxians kindled by the adulterate practice of the wife of Hypsicreon a Milesian who violating her conjugall vowes by throwing her selfe into the lustfull embraces of Promedon a Naxian then her guest and fearing the just anger of her husband and withall the punishment due to her adulterate sin fled with him into Naxos from whence being againe demanded but denied this private wrong turned to a publick ruin for devouting warre accompanied with many calamities preyed upon both their Countries But as this Beacon was first fired by a womans lewdnesse so was it last extinguished by a womans vertue Diognetus who had the command of those Erythraeans which came in aid of the Milesians had committed to his custody a certain strong hold scituated against the City Naxos who having taken from the Naxians a prize of women and free virgins he was deeply strook in love with one Polycrita whom he led with him not as a captive but as his wife It chanced that the Miletians celebrated a generall festivall day Polycrita besought Diognetus to make her so far indebted to hâ—s favour as to suffer her to send her brothers part of those juncates then at the table which willing he granted she secretly writ upon the leaden table of the Marchpane what she had projected withall charging the bearer to intreat her brothers not to let any participate thereof save themselves when they had heard the writing which contained thus much in effect Take hold upon the opportunity which occasion thrusts into your hands this night you mâ—y seâ—se the Castle for the enemy will lie down in wine and sleep in
as also by Vitruvius This Quâ—en being making her selfe ready in her Palace roiall when the one part of her hair was bound up and the other halfe hung loose upon her shoulders suddenly newes was brought her That the Citizens of Babylon were revolted and all or most of them in mutiny and uprore She presently posted into the City and what with her presence and perswasion atton'd the discord and before she had leasure to put her disordered curls in form reconciled the hearts of that innumerable people to her obedience for which her statue was erected in the City being pourtraied half ready halfe unready in memory of that noble and magnananous adventure Something of the best that was in her though not all you have heard the worst is to come Juba apud Pli. relates that she imitated the fashions of men neglecting the habit of her own Sex and in her latter years grew to that debauch'd effeminacy and sordid lust that she did not only admit but allure and compell into her goatâ—sh embraces many of her souldiers without respect of their degrees or places so they were well featured able and lusty of performance whom when they had wasted their bodies upon her she caused to be most cruelly murthered She was slain by her own sonne because most incestuously sought his bed but which of all the rest is most prodigious and abominable she is reported to have company with a horse on whom she unnaturally doted But these things whether related for truth or recorded of malice I am altogether ignorant and therefore leave it to censure Herodotus Plutarch and others wrâ—t that she caused these words to be inscribed upon her Tomb. Quicunque Rex pecunâ—â— indiget apâ—â—to monumento quod voluerit accipiat that is What 〈…〉 hath need of coin search this monument and 〈…〉 find what 〈◊〉 desires This when King Darius 〈…〉 thinking some magazine of treasure had been therein included he caused the Tomb stone to be removed where he found upon the other side thereof these words engraven Nisi Rex avarus esses pecuniae insatiabilâ—s morâ—uorum monâ—menta non violassis i. Hadst thou not been an avaritioas King and insatiable of coâ—n thou wouldst not have ransacked the grave of the dead Thus as Franciscus Patricius Pontifex saith the excellent Lady in her death â—â—unted the 〈◊〉 avarice of the living That the monuments of the deâ—d are no way to be violated or detaced Sertorâ—us hath taught us who having subdued the City Tigenna scituate in the Countrie of Maurusia in which a noble sepulchre was which the inhabitants said belonged to Antaeus which was the gyant slain by Hercules when the greatnesse of the grave exceeded all beliefe Sertorius caused it to be ruined and there digged up a body as Plutarch witnesâ—eâ—h of seventy cubits in length which beholding and wondering at he caused it to be repaired with greater beauty then before lest by diminishing that he might have ruined a great part of his own honour Some think it was the body of Tagenna the wife of Antaeus whom Hercules prostituted after the death of her husband of her he begot Siphax who after erected that City and in memory of his mother called it by her name Pasiphae THis Lady though I cannot fitly introduce her within the number of the incestuous yet for that horrid act which the Poets have reported of her I shal not impertinently place her next to Semiramis Apollodorus Grammaticus in his book de Deorum origine as Benedictus Aeginus Spoletinus interprets him thus sets down her history Ninus King of Creet espoused Pasiphae daughter of the Sun and Perseis or as Asclepiades cals her Creta the daughter of Aterius she had by him foure sons Cretaeus Deucalion Glaucus and Androgeus and as many daughters Hecate Xenodice Ariadne and Phaedra This Minos peaceably to enjoy his Kingdome had promised to offer such a bull to Neptune but having obtained his desires he sent that Bull before markt out back to the herd and caused another of lesse value to be sacrificed at which Neptune inraged knew not with what greater punishment to afflict him for the breach of his faith then to make his wife most preposterously and against nature to dote on that beast which he had so carefully preserved She therefore confederated with Dedalus a great Artsmaster one that for murder had fled from Athens and with his son Icarus there secured himselfe he devised by his mischievous skill a woodden Cow hollowed within with such artificiall conveyance that the Queen enclosed had satisfaction of her desires to the glutting of her libidinous appetite Of this congression she conceived and brought forth a son called Asterion or as the most will have it Minotaurus shaped with a buls head and a mans body About this monstrous issue Minos consulted with the Oracle which advised him to shut him in a Labyrinth and there see him safely brought up and kept This Labyrinth the first that ever was was built by Dedalus being a house so intricated with windings and turnings this way and that way now forward then backward that it was scarce possible for any that entred therein to find the direct way back thus far Apollodorus But Palephatus in his fabulous Narrations reduceth all these commented circumstances within the compasse of meer impossibility and thus delivers the truth concerning Pasiphae Minos being afflicted with a disease in his secret parts with which he had been long grieved was at length by Crides who belonged to Pandion cured In the interim of this his defect and weaknesse the Queen cast an adulterate eie upon a fair young man called Taurus whom Servius saith was the scribe or secretary to the King she prostituting her selfe to his embraces when the full time was expired she produced her issue which Minos seeing and taking a true supputation of the time comparing the birth with his discontinuance from her bed by reason of his disease apprehended the adultery notwithstanding he was unwilling to kill the bastard because it had a resemblance to the rest of his children though an impression of the fathers face by which the adulterer might easily be known Minos therefore to conceal his own discontents and as much as in him lay to hide his wives shame whom no endearedly affected caused the infant to be carried into a remote mountain and there by the Kings herds men to be fostered But growing towards manhood he likewise grew intractable and disobedient to those whose charge he was committed The King therefore confin'd him into a deep cave digg'd in a rock of purpose not to curb his fierce and cruell disposition but rather encourage it for whosoever at any time he feared or whatsoever he was that had offended him he sent him to this Minotaur on some impertinent or other by whom he was cruelly butchered The cave was called Labyrinthus and therefore described with so many intricate blind Meanders in regard of the difficulty of his return
have indeed no Law which gives licence for a brother to marry with a sister but we have found a Law O Soveraigne which warrants the King of Persia to do whatsoever liketh him best Thus they without abrogation of the Persian Laws soothed the Kings humor and preserv'd their own honours and lives who had they crost him in the least of his designs had all undoubtedly perished This he made the ground for the marriage of the first and not long after he adventured upon the second The younger of these two who attended him into Egypt he slew whose death as that of her brother Smerdis is doubtfully reported The Graecians write that two whelps the one of a Lion the other of a Dog were brought before Cambyses to sight and try masteries at which sight the young Lady was present but the Lion having victory over the Dog another of the same â—itter broke his chain and taking his brothers part they two had superiority over the Lyon Cambyses at this sight taking great delight she then sitting next him upon the sudden fell a weeping this the King observing demanded the occasion of her teares she answered it was at that object to see one brother so willing to help the other and therefore she wept to remember her brothers death and knew no man then living that was ready to revenge it and for this cause say the Greeks she was doom'd to death by Cambyses The Egyptians report it another way That she sitting with her brother at table out of a sallet dish took a lettice and pluckt off leafe by leafe and shewing it to her husband asked him Whether a whole lettice or one so despoiled shewed the better who answered a whole one then said she behold how this lettice now unleaved looketh even so hast thou disfigured and made naked the house of King Cyrus With which words he was so incensed that he kicked and spurned her then being great with child with that violence that she miscarried in her child birth and died ere she was delivered and these were the murderous effects of his detestable incest Of Livia Horestilla Lollia Paulina Cesonia c. IT is reported of the Emperour Caligula that he had not onely illegall and incestuous converse with his three naturall sisters but that he after caused them before his face to be prostitued by his ministers and servants thereby to bring them within the compasse of the Aemilian Law and convict them of adultery He vitiated Livia Horestilla the wife of C. Pisonius and Lollia Paulina whom he caused to be divorced from her husband C. Memnius both whose beds within lesse then two years he repudiated withall interdicting the company and society of man for ever Caesonia he loved more affectionately insomuch that to his familiar friends as boasting of her beauty he would often shew her naked To add unto his insufferable luxuries he defloured one of the vestall virgins Neither was the Emperor Commodus much behind him in devilish and brutish effeminacies for he likewise strumpeted his own sisters and would wittingly and willingly see his mistresses and concubines abused before his face by such of his favourites as he most graced he kept not at any time lesse then to the number of three hundred for so Lampridius hath left recorded Gordianus junior who was competitioâ— with his father in the Empire kept two and twenty concubines by each of which he had three or foure children at the least therefore by some called the Priamus of his age but by others in derision the Priapus The Emperor Proculus took in battell a hundred Sarmatian virgins and boasted of himselfe that he had got them all with child in lesse then fifteen daies this Vopiscus reports and Sabellicus But a great wonder is that which Johannes Picus Mirandula relates of Hercules as that he lâ—y with fifty daughters of Lycomedes in one night and got them all with child with forty nine boies only failing in the last for that proved a girle Jocasta APollodorus Atheniensis in his third book De deorum origine records this history After the death of Amphion King of Thebes Laius succeeded who took to wife the daughter of Menocoeas called Jocasta or as others write Epicasta This Laius being warned by the Oracle that if of her he begat a son he should prove a Parricide and be the death of his father notwithstanding forgetting himselfe in the distemperature of wine he lay with her the same night she conceived and in processe brought forth a male issue whom the King caused to be cast out into the mountain Cytheron thinking by that means â—o prevent the predicted destiny Polybus the herdsman to the King of Corinth finding this infant bore it home to his wife Periboea who nursed and brought it up as her own and causing the swelling of the feet with which the child was then troubled to be cured they grounded his name from that disease and called him Oedipus This inâ—ant as he had increased in years so he did in all the perfections of nature as well in the accomplishments of the â—ind as the body insomuch that as well in capacity and volubility of speech as in all active and generous exercises he was excellent above all of his age his vertues being generally envied by such as could nor equall them they thought to disgrace him in something and gave him the contemptible name of counterfeit and bastard this made him curiously inquisitive of his supposed mother and she not able in that point to resolve him he made a journy to Delphos to consult with the Oracle about the true knowledge of his birth and parents which forewarned him from returning into his own Countrie because he was destined not only to be the deaths-man of his father but to add misery unto mischiefe he was likewise born to be incestuous with his mother Which to prevent and still supposing himselfe to be the son of Polybus and Peribaea he forbore to return to Corinth and hiring a Chariot took the way towards Phocis It hapned that in a strait and narrow passage meeting with his father Laius and Polyphontes his Charioter they contended for the way but neither willing to give place from words they fell to blowes in which contention Polyphontes kill'd one of the horses that drew the Chariot of Oedipus at which inraged he drew his sword and first slew Polyphontes and next Laius who seconded his servant and thence took his ready way towards Thebes Damasistratus King of the Plataeenses finding the body of Laius caused it to be honourably interred In this interim Creon the son of Menecoeus in this vacancy whilst there was yet no King invades Thebes and after much slaughter possesseth himselfe of the Kingdome Juno to vex him the more sent thither the monster Sphinx born of Eâ—hidna and Tiphon she had the face of a woman the wings of a fowle and the breast feet and taile of a Lion she
master kept great store of pullen about the house and that was all Hens dung Hens dung saith the Gentleman I have a peece of land at home I would it were all there if thou canst help me to any quantity of it being sure that is such I will give thee twenty shillings a load for as much as thou canst provide and fetch it away with my own carriage The fellow hearing this promised within a month to furnish him with twenty load at least at the same price The match was made and the Gentleman after breakfast took horse and departed The hostler bespeaks all such soile as the Town could affoard or the next Villages by and made such a huge heap as annoied the whole yard knowing the Gentleman to have been ever a man of his word who came according to the time appointed The hostler is glad to see him and tels him he hath provided him of his commodity and withall brings him to the place where it lay like a laystall The Gentleman seems wondrous glad of this new merchandise and drawer out certain peeces out of his pocket as if he meant to give him present paiment but withall asked him Art thou sure all this is hens dung upon my life it is saith the hostler expecting still to finger the gold But replied the Gentleman art thou sure there is no cocks dung amongst it O lord yes saith the hostler how can it be else why then quoth the Gentleman I pray thee make thy best of it good friend for iâ— there be the least â—â—cks dung amongst it it will do me no pleasure I will not give thee three farthings for it all Thus was the bostler notwithstanding his former cost forced to â—â—move all that muckhill and make the yard clean at his own charge with much addition of mockery and laughter Iâ— for a little quantity of cocks dung you 〈◊〉 at all the rest here included the better judgement I hope will imputâ— it as to my simplicity so to your over 〈◊〉 Another main thing is to be feared wherein I must of force 〈◊〉 the censure of some or other namely Why amongst 〈◊〉 histories I have inserted Mortyrs and to confirm their truth have brought Authors that have been held superstitious I answer to all in generall I have only specified such things as I have read and for my own opinion I keep it reserved But because I now come to a conclusion I will end this book thus briefly in regard that women die and so do many die and that they die at all I will give you a womans reason why it is so Because they can live no longer Explicit lib. quartus Inscriptus Melpomene THE FIFTH BOOK inscribed TERPSICHORE Intreating of Amazons and other Women famous either for Valour or for Beauty A Question may be demanded Why under the Muse 〈◊〉 I personate the Bold and the Beautifull the War-like and the Faire she being the Muse to whom measureâ— and dances are solely peculiar as being of them the only and first inventresse I 〈◊〉 and I hope not impertinently that considering every circumstance I know not how to commâ—nd them to a more fit Mecaenâ—â— or Patron for what doth all your martial discipline consist but upon 〈◊〉 number measure distance and order and all these in Choâ—eis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 danceâ— especially we obseâ—ved In dances we keep time to the musick so in marching or drâ—lling our ears are attentive to the voice of the Captaine or Generall In the figures of the one and files of the other number is necessarily observed so is measure distance and order for in these they have an equall correspondence Now concerning fair women whom in all masks at the Court City or elsewhere do your gallants pick out but the Virgins or Ladies most beautifull nay even at Wakes or Weddings in the Country the fairest lasse is continually called out to dance be it but to the harp taber or bag pipe Amongst the souldiers were celebrated the Pyrrhick dance in armour first instituted by King Pyrrhus of Epire so likewise the Matachine or sword dance what measures have been devised for the exercise of faire Ladies Custome derived from all Antiquity still makes frequent amongst us It was used amongst the Jewes witnesse Herodias and is still continued in Spain France and England A second doubt is whether the magnanimous or the exquisitely featured whether Fortitude or Pulchritude ought to have precedence and first place It is a maxime amongst the Physitians Plus necat gula quam gladius i. surfets have been the destruction of more then the sword so I am of opinion That beauty hath been the ruine of more Cities the depopulation of more Kingdoms and destruction of more men then the sword But in this place since the courage of the mind and excellence of form contend for the upper hand I take it from Feature to bestow it on Magnanimity and spirit since the deeds of the one live to all posterity but the frailty of the other is subject to every small infirmity Therefore Ovid in his book de arte amandi thus writes Forma bonum fragile est quantumque accedit ad annos Fit minor Gradu carpitur ipse suo c. Form's a frail good as time runs on it wasts And the more spends it selfe the more it hasts Nor alwaies can the purple violet smell Or Lillies bloom in whitenesse that excell The fragrant rose whose beauty we desire The leaves once falne shewes but a naked brier O thou most faire white haires come on a pace And wrinckled furrowes which shall plow thy face So likewise Petronius Arbiter in one of his Satyrs Quod solum formae decus est cecidere Capillae The only beauty of her shape her haire Fell from her head her beauty to impaire Summer succeeds the Spring her Autumn chaceth And them sad Winter with his snow disgraceth Deceitfull Nature all these youthfull joies Thou gav'st us first thou art the first destroies Now the fruits and effects of this frail beauty especially where a faire face meeteth with a corrupted mind I will next shew you by history Ahab by the perswasion of his faire wife Jesabel was the death of many of the Prophets of the Lord. Dalila was the confusion of Sampson the strong Strange women brought Solomon the Wise to idolatry and to forget God Joram a King of Israel at the instigation of Athalia committed many horrible outrages Helena's beauty was the occasion oâ— that infinitâ— slaughter betwixt the Greeks and Trojans Pâ—lops succeeding in the Kingdome of Phâ—ygia made warre upon Oâ—nomaus thâ— fatâ—er of Hyprodamia because being surprized with her beauty she was denied him in 〈◊〉 Another Hyppodamia 〈◊〉 wife of Perithous was the occasion of that great 〈◊〉 or battel betwixt the 〈◊〉 and the Lâ—pithes for which Pâ—â—pertius cals her Ischomache of the 〈…〉 Isco which signifieth Habeo and Mache Pâ—gna his words are these Qualis Iscomache
wives by reason of their exile halfe in despaire boldly took arms and first retiring themselves and making their own confines defensible after grew to the resolution to invade others Besides they disdained to marry with their neighbours calling it rather a servitude then Wedlock A singular example to all ages Thus they augmented their seigniories and establisht their Common-weal without the counsell or assistance of men whose fellowship they began now altogether to despise and to communicate their losse to make the widdows of equal fortune with the wives they slâ—w all the men that yet remained amongst them and after revenged the deaths of their husbands formerly slain upon the bordering people that conspiâ—ed against them At length by war having setled peace lest their posterity and memory should perish they had had mutuall congression with their neighbour Nations The men children they slew the 〈◊〉 they 〈◊〉 and brought up not in sowing and spinning but in hunting and practise of arms and horsemanship and that they better might use their lances and with the more ease at seven years of age they scared or rather burnt off their right breasts of which they took the name of Amazons as much as to say Vnimammae or Vrimammae i. those with one breast or with a burnt breast There were of them two Queens that jointly held the soveâ—â—ignty Marthesia and Lampedo these divided their people into two armies and being grown potent both in power and riches they went to warre by turns the one governing at home whilest the other forraged abroad and lest their should want honour and authority to their successes they proclaimed themselves to be derived from Mars insomuch that having subdued the greatest part of Europe they made incursions into Asia and there subdued many fortresses and Castles where having built Ephesus with many other Cities part of their army they sent home with rich and golden spoiles the rest that remaine to maintein the Empire of Asia were all with the Queen Marthesia or as some write Marpesiâ— defeated and slâ—â—n In whose place of soveraignty her daughter Orythâ—â— succeeded who besides her singular 〈◊〉 and fortunate successe in war was no lesse admired for her constant vow of virginity which to her death she kept inviolate The bruit of their glorious and invincible acts â—eaching as far as Greece Herculis with a noble assembly of the most heroick youths furnished nine ships with purpose to make proof of their valor two of foure sisters at that time had the principality Antiope and Orythia Orythians was then emploied in forrein expeditions Now when Hercules with the young Hero's landed upon the Amazonian continent Queen Antiope not jealous of the least hostility stood then with many of her Ladies unarmed on the shore who being suddenly assaulted by the Graecians were easily put to rout and they obteined an easie victory in this conflict many were slain and divers taken amongst whom were the two sisters of Antiope Menalippe surprized by Hercules and Hippolite by Theseus he subdued her by arms but was captivated by her beauty who after took her to his wife and of her begot Hippolitus Of her Sâ—â—eca in Agamemnon thus speaks Vidâ— Hippolite ferox pectore è medio rapi Spoâ—â—um sagittas The bold Hippolite did see that day Her breast despoil'd and her shafts tane away Of Menalippe Virgil thus Threicean sâ—xto spoliavit Amazona Baltheo Having relation to the golden belt of Thermedon which was numberd the sixt of Hercules his twelve labours He received that honour and she her liberty Orythia being then abroad and hearing of these outrages and dishonours done at home that war had been commenced against her sister and Theseus Prince of Athens born thence Hippolite whom she held to be no better then a ravisher impatient of these injuries she convented all her forces and incited them to revenge inferring that in vain they bore Empire in Europe and Asia if their dominions lay open to the spoils and rapines of the Grecians Having encouraged and perswaded her own people to this expedition she next demanded aid of Sagillus King of the Scythians to him acknowledging her selfe to be descended from that nation shewes the necessity of that war and the honour of so brave a victory hoping that for the glory of the Scythian Nation his men would not come behind her women in so just an enterprize the successe of which was undoubtedly spoile for the present and fame for her Sagillus with these motives encouraged sent his son Penaxagoras with a great army of horsemen to aid Orythea in this war but by reason of a dissention that fell in the camp the Prince of Scythia withdrew all his auxiliary fâ—â—ces and with them retired into his Country by reason of which defect the Amazons were defeated by the Grecians yet many of them after this battell recovered their Countries After this Orythea succeeded Penthisilaea she that in the aid of Priam oâ— as some say for the love of Hector came to the siege of Troy with a thousand Ladies where after many deeds of chivalry by her performed she was slain by the hands of Achilles or as the most will have it by Neoptolemus she was the first that ever fought with Poleax or wore a Targer made like an halfe Moon therefore she is by the Poets called Peltigera and Securigera as bearing a Targer or bearing a Poleaxe Therefore Ovid in his Epistle of Phaedra Prima securigeras inter virtute puellas And Virgil in his first book of Aeneid Ducit Amazoâ—â—dum lunatis Agmina peltis Penthâ—silaea â—urens mâ—â—iisque in millibus ardet Penthisilaea mad leads forth Her Amazonian train Arm'd with their moonâ—d shields and fights Mâ—dst thousands on the plain These Amazons endured till the time of Alexander and though Isiodorus Eph. 14. saith that Alexander the Great quite subverted their Nation yet Trogus Justine Q. Curtius and others are of a contrary opinion and affirm that when Alexander sent his Embassadors to demand of them tribute otherwise his purpose was to iâ—vade their territories their Queen Minithra or as some writers term her Thalestris returned him answer after this manner It is great wonder of thy small judgement O King that thou hast a desire to â—â—age war against women if thou being so great a conquerour shouldst be vanquished by us all thy former honours were blemished and thou perpetually branded with shame and infamy but if our gods being angry with 〈◊〉 should deliver us up into thy mercy what addition is it to 〈◊〉 honour to have had the mastery over weak women King Alexander it is said was pleased with this answer gâ—anting them freedome and said Women ought to be couâ—ted with fair woâ—ds and flattery and not with rough steel and hostility After this she sent to the King desiring to have his company as longing to have issue by him to succeed the father in 〈◊〉 and vertue to which he assented Some write she
staid with him in wondrous familiarity fourteen daies but Trogus in his second book saith forty daies and when she found her selfe with child by him took her leave and departed into her own Countrie Virgil amongst these Amazonians numbers Harpalice Aeneid lib. 1. Vel qualis equos Therissa fatigat Harpal co Such as the Thracian Harpalice was That horses tired Valerius Flaccus lib. 6. speaks of one Harpe Qua 〈◊〉 vacaâ— jamque ibat in Harpea He aim'd at Harpe where her shield lay void These Amazons were by the Scythians called Aeorpata which is as much as Viricidae or man killers For Aeor signifies Vir a man and Pata Occidere to kill Their habits and manners Curtius thus describes lib. 5. degestis Alexandri Their garments cover not their bodies round their right side is still bare towards their breast their upper robe which is buckled or buttoned above descends no lower then the â—â—ee one of their brests they reserve safe and untouched with which they give suck to their infants the right breast they burn off that with the more facility they may draw a Bow thrill a Dart or charge a Lance. Stephanus Byzantius writes that they are called by the Greeks Sauropaâ—idae because they are â—aid to feed upon Lysards which in their language they call Saurae Herodotus writes of them many thing needlesse here to insert only one is worth the observation To encourage their valour and that there should be no coward amongst them they have a law That no Virgin shall be capable of a husband or enter into familiar congress with man before she hath brought from the field the head of an enemy slain with her own her hand which hath been the cause that so many of them have died old wrinckled Beldames that never knew what belonged to the interchange of carnall society Of other Scythian women that had a purpose it seems in some kind to imitate these Amazons it is thus remembred by Strabo and others The warlike Scythians in their third Asian expedition being absent from their wives the space of seven years they supposing their husbands rather to have been defeat and lost then deteined with the tediousnesse of so long and lingring a war married themselves to their slaves and servants such as were only left at home to keep their herds flocks and other cattel The Scythians after the expiration of their war returning into their Country were opposed by their own vassals and repelled from their territories as strangers and invaders and not such as came to repossesse their own wives and fields after many skirmishes and conflicts the victory still remained doubtfull and uncertain the Scythians were advised to change their manner of fight and because their opposition was against the basest of slaves not the noblest of enemies therefore to suit their weapons according to the persons and laying by the noble arms of a souldier to encounter them not with weapons but with whips not with steel but with scourges and other like instruments of the terrors of bâ—se and servile feare This counsell was generally approved and followed so that the next time their slaves affronted them in battell they met them with the commanding looks of masters not of equall enemies and shaking these whips and scourges with the sight thereof their servants were so terrified that instantly they bâ—â—â—oke themselves to serviâ—â— and ignoble â—light conquering them as slaves whom they could scarce oppose as enemies all such of them as they took they put to tortures and death Their wives knowing themselves guilty both of adultery to their beds and treaâ—â—â— to their lives some slew themselves with 〈◊〉 sword others stangled themselves with the halter all 〈◊〉 conclusion 〈◊〉 and resolutely with selfe hands finished their own lives leaving their husbands lusty widdowes with â—â—ee liberty to make châ—ice of honester wives After this accident the Scythians had peace even to the time of King 〈…〉 adds 〈…〉 number of thoâ— Amazons these following 〈…〉 Iphâ—nome Xanthe Hypothoâ— Orthrepts or 〈…〉 mache Glauce Agave Theseis Climene and Polidora Calaber beside these reckons up twelve but by divers and doubtfull names Of the name of these Amazons Ovid writes in the latter end of his second book de Arte amandi having writ his two first books wherein he hath ingeniously proposed all the waies plots and stratagems by which men may captivate women to their wishes and attract them to their desires as if he had done his work as worthily as wittingly which indeed he hath he thus insultingly concludes Me vatem celebrate viri mihi dicite laudes Cantetur toto nomen in orbe meum c. Call me your Poet crown my head with baies And let the whole world descant on my praise I gave you arms god Vulcan gave no more To Thetis sonne conquer as he before And hâ— ther shall his Amazon subdue Strook with the darts he from my quiver drew Vpon his warlike spoiles thus let him write Naso my Master taught me first to fight Behold young Wenches likewise trace my skill They are the next charge of my labouring quill In his third book as having prepared and armed men against unarmed women he proposeth to them the like precepts and instruction with all the defensible weapons needfull against the ambushes and inticements of men and thus begins Arma dedi Danais in Amazonas arma supersunt Quae tibi dem turbae Penthisilaea tuae The Greeks I have given arms to who now stand Ready to encounter the Amazonian band Others within mine armory remain For thee Penthisilaea and thy â—raine Go equally accoutred to the war And let such conquer as most savoured are Of Carine Dione and the Boy that flies Round 'bout the world still hudwinckt of his eies It were no justice to arm men in steel ' Gainst naked women bare from head to heel Oh too much odds there were in combat then And so to conquer a great shame for men And so much of the Amazons I now proceed to other Magnanimous and brave spirited virgins Of warlike Women and those of Masculine vertue I Know not better how to expresse the boldnesse of women then by shewing you the fear of men nor can I more plainly illustrate the valour of one sex then by putting you in mind of the cowardise of the other It is well observed of an Italian who writes himselfe of Lucca concerning the passion of Feare of which there are three sorts commendable the first is naturall feare by which we avoid the enjuries of men prevent the inconvenience of pestilent sicknesse with such like casuaâ—ties and 〈◊〉 our selves against want dearth and necessity The second is civâ—â— Fear wherein we feare to transgresse the Law or â—â—cur pâ—nalty are timorous to do ill because it is ill when we daâ—e not deprave what 's good or derogate from our own reputation The third is a more supernaturall Feare in which by our love towards God and our
Attica Megacles the son of Alcmenon From Etruria Lysanius From Thessaly Diacrides and Cranomius From Molossus Alcon in number 20. These came into Greece to express themselves in many noble contentions because Clâ—sthenes the son of Aristonius and father of Agarista had made proclamation that he only should enjoy the virgin who could best express himselfe in noble action and valour Hyppodamia was daughter to Oenemaus King of Aelis and of such attractive beauty that she likewise drew many Princely suitors to her fathers Court though to the most certain danger of their lives Caelius writes that Marmax was the first that contended with her in the Chariot race and failing in his course was slain by the tyrant the Mares with which he ran as some write were called Parthenia and Eripha whose throats Oenemaus caused to be cut and after buried After him perished in the same manner Alcathus the son of Parthaon Eurialus Eurimachus Crotalus Acrius of Lacedemon Capetus Lycurgus Lasius Chaâ—codus Tricolonus Aristomachus Prias Pelagus Aeolius Chromius and Eritheus the son of Leucon Amongst these are numbred Merimnes Hypotous â—elops Opontius Acarnan Eurilachus Antomedon Lasius Chalcon Tricoronus Alcathus Aristomachus and Crocâ—lus Sisigambis as Q. Curtius relates was inferiour to no Lady that lived in her age yet notwithstanding Alexander the Great having overcome her husband Darius in battell was of that continence that he only attempted not to violate her chastity but became her guardian and protected her from all the injuries that might have been done to a captive Plutarch writes of a Fâ—man Lady called Praecia of that excellent shape and admired feature as she endeared Cethegus unto her so far that he enterprized no designe or managed any affair without the advise and approbation of the beautifull Praecia So precious likewise was the faire Roxana in the eies of Alexander that having subdued all the Eastern Kingdomes and being Lord of the world yet from being the daughter of a mercenary souldier and a Barbarian he took her into his bosome and crowned her with the Imperiall Diadem Aegina the daughter of Aesopus King of Boetia for her excellent pulchritude was beloved of Jupiter of whom Ovid Aureus in Dâ—naen Aesopida luserit ignis In Gold faire Danaâ— had her full desire But with th' Aesopian 〈◊〉 he plai'd in â—ire So likewise Antiopa the daughter of Nycteis and wife of Lycus King of Thebes was for the carenesse of her form comprest by him of whom he begot Zethus and Amphion O what a power is this beauty It made the â—yclops Polyphemus turn Poet who as Ovid in his lib. 13. thus writes in the praise of his mistresse Galataea Candidior solio nivei Galataea ligustri c. Oh Galataea thou art whiter far Then leaves of Lillies not green Medowes are More flourishing thy stature doth appear Straighter then th' Elmes then glasse thou art more clear More wanton then the young Kid and more light Then those loose shels the hâ—llowes have made white Still tumbled with the waves more grace th ' hast won Then is in Summers shade or Winters Sun Lovelier then is the Apple when his side Turns yellow then the Plane tree of more pride Transparent then Isicles that meet With rising Phoebus then ripe Grapes more sweet Thou art of all choice things the gene all Theam Soft as Swans plumes and faire as clowted cream Therefore you faire ones the more choice your heauey is you ought of it to be more chary the sweeter the flower is the sooner it loseth the smell the fairer the colour it the sooner fades and the purer the blood the apter to take putrifaction Take heed then lest by unlawfull prostitution you â—â—ar that by which in outward appearance you come neerest to your Maker who as he is the Summum bonum so he is the soveraign and only peâ—fect beauty A Tyrant having studied many fearfull and terrible deaths to inflict upon such as his malice would punish when he thought none grievous enough at length as his master-peece of Tyranny he devised to bind the living to the body of the dead that the stench and corruption of the one might stiâ—â—e and suffocate the other In what greater torment then is that man who shall marry a fair false one that shall bed with sin and bosome diseases The dead body to which the living is bound as the blood dries and the flesh consumes so doth the loathsomnesse of the smell till in time it wast to ashes and so to participate of the same earth from whence it came but your catching and infectious loathsomnesse from lust growes to leprosie still encreasing in you to the impairing of his health and the impoverishing his estate consuming his purse and contaminating his person O miserable man whom thy rash choice shall cause to die of this wretched consumption But this is but a caveat or admonition by the way I proceed now with history The faire Mistresse of Pisistratus PHilarchus speaks of a beautifull woman on whom he hath vouchsafed no mame who first brought Pisistratus from a private man to a government Monarchicall She took upon her the name and habit of Pallas as paralleld with her both in state and beauty being thought by the people in all accomplishments to resemble the goddesse she is said to have dealt Scepters and made sale of Crowns distributing them where she pleased and to whom she affected Pisistratus after gave her to his son in marriage who was called Hypparchus for so Clidemus in his eight book intituled Redditionum leaves recorded in these words He gave unto his son Hypparchus a woman by whom he was overcome who was a Pallas for her State and for Wisedom might be called the daughter of Socrates and where beauty and counsel meet there cannot chuse but be a sweet concordance and harmony It shall not be amisse in the next place briefly to discover unto you what plâ—ces have been the most eminent for the breeding of the rarest beauties and which by the antient Authors have been most celebrated Hesiodus in his Melampodia nominates the City Chalcides in Euboea to breed the choicest beauties as that the most exquisite women are there born Of the same opinion with him is Theophrastus but Nymphoâ—orus in his navigation and travels through Asia affirms That the most incomparable features above all others whatsoever 〈◊〉 in Tenedos an Isle belonging to Troy Dionysius Leucâ—ricus hath left recorded That for many years continuance there was an annuall contention of beauty held amongst the Elians in the City of Elis and that she that pâ—ovâ—d victoresse was honoured with the Arms consecrated to Pallas Others in other places as Mysilus in his historicall Paradoxes hath left remembed were crowned with wreaths of Myâ—â—le In other places as Theophrastus writes there were meetings and solemnities kept to censure women for their temperance and good huswifery as among the Barbarians but for the form
Lady with her son to King Polydectes He surprized with her beauty married her and caused her son Perseus to be educated in the Temple of Minerva and after made attonement betwixt them and Acrisius But Polydectes dying at the funerall games celebrated at his death in casting of a mighty stone being one of the exercises then used Perseus whose hand failed him cast it unawares upon the head of Acrisius and slew him against his own purpose making good the will of the Oracle Acrisius being buried Perseus succeeded his grandfather in the City Argos Helena was first â—avished by Theseus and afterwards by Paris she had these suitors Antiochus Ascalaphus Ajax Oeleus Antimachus Aeceus Blanirus Agapenor Ajax Telamonius Clyrius Cyanaeus Patroclus Diomedes Penelaeus Phaemius Nyraeus Polyâ—â—tes Elephenor Fumetus Stâ—nelus Tlepolemus Protesilaus Podalyrius Euripilus Idomâ—naeus Telioâ—es Tallius Polyxeâ—us Protus Menestaeus Machaon Thoas Vlysses Philippus Meriones Mâ—ges Philocletes Laeonteus Talpius Prothous but she was possessed by 〈◊〉 Auge was the faire daughter of Aleus and comprest by Hercules and delivered of her son in the mountain Parthenius at the same time Atalanta the daughter of Jasius exposed her son begot by Mâ—leager unto the same place these children being found by the Shepherds they called the son of Hercules Telephus because he was nursed by a Hart which sed him with her milk they called the son of Meleager Parthenopaeus of the mountain Auge fearing her fathers displeasure fled into Moesia to King Teâ—thrus who for her beauties sake having himselfe no children adopted her his heire These following are the fiâ—ty fair daughters of Danaeus with the fifty sons of Aegiptus whom the first night of their marriage they slew Idea killed Antimachus Philomela Pantheus Scilla Pâ—oteus Philomone Plexippus Euippe Agenor Demoditas Chrysippus Hyale Perius Trite Enceladus Damone Amintor Hypothoe Obrimus Mirmidone Mineus Euridice Canthus Cleo Asterius Arcania Xanthus Cleopatra Metalces Philea Phylinas Hyparite Protheon Chrysothemis Asterides Pyraule Athamas her name is lost that slew Armoasbus Glaucippâ— Niavius Demophile Pamphilus Antodice Clytus Polyxena Egyptus Hecabe Driantes Achemantes Echominus Arsalle Ephialtes Monuste Euristhenes Amimone Medamus Helice Evideus Amoeme Polydector Polybe Iltonomus Helicta Cassus Electra Hyperantus Eubule Demarchus Daplidice Pugones Hero Andromachus Europone Atlites Pyrantis Plexippus Critomediâ— Antipaphus Pyrene Dolychus Eupheno Hyperbius Themistagora Podasiâ—us Palaeno Ariston Itaea Antilochus Erate Endemon Hypâ—â—â—â—nestra was the only Lady that in that great slaughter spaâ—ed her husband Lyncaeus What should I speak of Antigona the sister of Polynices Electra the daughter of Clytemneâ—tâ—a Hermâ—â—ne of Heten Polyxena of Hecuba Iphigenia of Agameniaon Erigone Merope Proserpina Amimone Oenone Calisâ—e Alope the daughter of Cercyon and Theophane of Bysaltis both stuprated by Neptune Theonoe and Zeutippe the daughters of Thestor Chione otherwise called Philâ—nide the daughter of Dedalion Coramis the daughter of Phlegia adulterated by Apollo Nictimine comprest by her father Epopeus The very Index or Catalogue of whose names only without their histories would ask a Volume For their number I will refer you to Ovid in his first book de Aâ—te Amandi Gargara quot sâ—getes c. Thick as ripe ears in the Gargarian fields As many green boughs as Methimna yeelds Fâ—sh Foule or Stars in Sea Air Heaven there be So many pretty wenches Rome in thee Aeneas mother is still lov'd and fear'd In that great City which her son first rear'd If only in young girls thou do'st rejoice There 's scarce one house but it affoords thee choice If in new-married wives but walk the street And in one day thou shalt with thousands meet Or if in riper years but look before Where ere thou go'st thou shalt find Matrons store If then one City and at one time could affoord such multiplicity of all ages and degrees how many by that computation may we reckon from the beginning amongst all the nations of the world I doubt not then but this draught of water fetch'd from so vast a fountain may at least cool the palate if not quench the thirst of the insatiate Reader Manto ZEbalia a man whose birth ranked him in the file of nobility being emploied upon service in the Turkish wars brought with him his most estimated and greatest treasure his deerest spouse stiled Manto But he dying in the crimson bed of honour the sinister hand of war gave her into the captivity of Bassa Jonuses who beholding with admiration a creature of so divine a feature was though her conqueror taken captive by her beauty who having put her vertue to the Test found it to parallel if not out shine her form Wherefore being covetous to engrosâ— so rich a booty to himselfe he took her to wife bestowing on her a more honourable respect then on his other wives and concubines and she likewise endeavoured to meet his affection with an answerable observance and obedience This fervent and mutuall love continued long inviolate betwixt them insomuch that they were no lesse honoured for their eminence of state then remarkable for their conjugall affection but that cursed fiend Jealousie envying at their admired sympathy stâ—aight usurpâ— the throne of reason and sits a predominant tyrant in his fantastick brain for he grew so strangely jealous that he thought some one or other to corrivall him but yet knew noâ— whom to â—aint with any just suspicion nay he would confesse that he had not catcht the least spark of loosenesse from her that might thus fire this beacon of distraction in him Briefly his wife as beautifull in mind as feature wearied with his daily peevish humours and seeing all her studies aimed at his sole content were enterteined with neglect and insolent scorn she resolved to leave him and secretly to flie into her native Country to further which she unlocks this her secret intent to an Eunuch of the Bassaes giving him withall certain letters to deliver to some friends of hers whom she purposed to use as agents in the furtherance of her escape but he proving treacherous in the trust committed to his charge betrai'd her to her husband shewing her letters as testimonies to his allegations The Bassa at this discovery swoln big with rage called her before him whom in his desperate fury he immediately stabbed with his dagger thus with the cause of jealousie taking away the effect But this bloody deed somewhat loosened him 〈◊〉 the peoples hearts where he before grew deeply and â—â—st rooted nor did he out-run vengeance for at the last her leaden feet overtook him and in this manner Selymus the first at his departure from Cairo his soldiers whom he there left in garrison made suit unto his Highnesse That in consideration of the great labours they had already undergone together with the many dangers they were hourly in expectation of that their wages might be enlarged which he granted and withall gave this Bassa Jonuses the charge to see the performance thereof At last the
she Loves queen in her treasure And could teach the act of pleasure Make Lais in her trade a fool Phâ—ine or Thais set to school To Helen read or could she doe Worth Io and Europa too If these sweets from me she spare I 'll count them toies nor will I care But if my Mistresse constant be And love none alive save me Be chast although but something fair Her least perfection I 'll think rare Her I 'll adore admire prefer Idolatrize to none but her When such an one I find and trie For her I 'll care I 'll live I 'll die Lais. THis Lais as Aristophanes Bizantius relates was a strumpet of Corinth she was called Axine for her ferocity and rudenesse of manners Her all the prime and noblest Heroes of Greece frequented and extasi'd with her beauty came daily in troups to visit her Athenaeus in his Dipsonoph speaks of her Country behaviour and sepulchre reporting her to be so beautifull that the most exquisite Painters of Greece came frequently to her and besought her to bare her neck breasts and other parts of her body before them For when they were to limn any extraordinary Piece wherein was to be expressed Juno Venus Pallas or any wel shaped goddesse or woman her fair feature or lineaments might be their example She had a great emulation with Phrine the Courtizan for they lived both in one age Aristippus the Philosopher sirnamed Cyrenaicus about the season that the Feasts were celebrated to Neptune did yeerly for the space of two months together associate himselfe with this Lais. Diogenes meeting him upon a time O Aristippus saith he thou keepest company with a common Strumpet be rather a Cynick of my Sect then a Philosopher of such loose and dissolute behaviour To whom Aristippus answered Appears it to thee O Diogenes a thing absurd to dwell in an house which others have before inhabited who answered No Or to saile in the same ship saith Aristippus in which divers passengers have before time put to sea Again he answered Neither Nor do I think it replies he O Diogenes worthy thy just taxation to accompany with a woman with whom many others have had commerce Again being by others calumniated for his often repair and publike recourse to her in regard of her common prostitution and therefore the greater blemish to his more austere profession he thus satisfied them This is the difference betwixt me and the rest of her Clients I only enjoy Lais all others are enjoi'd by her When Demâ—sthenes the famous Oâ—ator of Athens desired to have had company with her and she for one nights lodging demanded of him a thousand Drachmes affrighted with the name of so great a sum he thus replied I purpose not to buy repentance so dear A young man much taken with her beauty came to Diogenes the Cinick and asked him this question What if a man should marry with Lais Who presently answered For a young man it is much too soon and for an old man it were far too late Concerning her I have read an elegant Epigram of an old man desirous of company with her at any rate and her witty answer to him Canus rogabat Laidis noctem Myron Tulit repulsam protinus Causamque sensit caput fuligine Fucavit atra Candidum c. White headed Myron did of Lais crave To have one night and be her price would pay Which she deni'd But why he could not have His purpose he perceiv'd his head was gray He knew his age betrai'd him therefore â—e Dies his hair black and did his suit renew She seeing head and face to disagree And them comparing with consideraâ—e view Thus saies Why do'st thou urge me thus the rather Since but ev'n now I did deny thy father Nymphodorus Syracusa in his book De admiraâ—il writes That Lais came into Sicily from Hycaris the most defenced City of that Country but Strattâ— in Macedon or Pausan affirms her to be of Corinth in these words Dic unde sunt ductae puellae Veâ—ere nuper ex Mâ—gaera Corinthiae Decus I ais Ingens Aelian de Varâ—a Histor lib. 10. saith That Lais casting her eies upon a young man of Cyrenaea called Eubatas never left soliciting him by all womanish enticements till she had made him promise her marriage but the solemnization not to be performed till he had returned Victor from the Olympick Games in which having had good successe but fearing to hâ—zard the embraces of a strumpet he took her Picture only and carried it to his City of Cyrena boasting by the way that he had married and borne thence Lais Which she hearing and enraged at the scorn thereof writ to him this or the like Letter O false and perjured man Whose lust hath no satiety Since nothing please thee can Save changes and variety O thou alone Constant to none In nothing setled save impiety Our Sex why dost thou blame Term women sole offenders 'T is you that past all shame Are still your own commenders That care nor fear To whom you swear Cease judging and be now suspenders Phillis was chast and fair Demophoon false and cruell Sapho thought Phaon rare And he term'd her his jewell But Traitors they Their Loves betray Poor we can oft fore-see but not eschew ill Falser then either thou As foulely hast betrai'd me But I 'll beware thee now As Heaven I hope shall aid me All thy procurements And slie allurements Henceforth shall never more perswade me Thy Oaths I hold as Lies As scorn thy crafty smiling Thy shape a meer disguise Thy practice but beguiling All thy protests As scoffs and jeasts And thy fair words no better then reviling Poisons I 'll think thy kisses And from mine keep thee fasting Thy torments count my blisses Thy breathings fear as blastings And thank my fate I now can hate Thee whom I now abandon everlasting It is moreover reported of her That being of purpose conveied into the bed of Xenocrates by the means of his schollers whom he had instructed in all austerity and strictnesse of life but she by no whorish blandishments able to corrupt his temperance his schollers asking her the next morning How she sped she told them They had lodged with her a Statue or an Image but no man Tymaeus in his thirteenth book of histories saith That she was beaten to death with woodden foot-stools by certain women of Thessaly in jealousie and madnesse because she was beloved of a beautifull young man called Pausanias on whom some of them doted This was done at a sacrifice in one of the Chappels of Venus for which cause the place was ever after called The Grove of wicked or unjust Venus Her Sepulcher was neer unto the river Paeneus in Tâ—essaly which runs betwixt the two great mountains of Ossa and Olympus and upon her Tomb-stone this inscription was graven Roboris invicti ac animi sit Graeciae quamvis Victa tamen formae paruit illa suae Laidis ipse parens
Amor est aliuitque corinthus At nunc ipsa tenet inclita Thessalia Though Greece of unmatch'd strength and courage be It obei'd Lais to thy shape and thee Love was thy father thee Corinthus bred Who now in stately Thessaly liest dead This notwithstanding some will not allow her to have been educated in in the Cranaeum which is a place of exercise in the City of Corinth Phrine SHE for her beauty was emulated by Lais and was a prostitute in Thespis a City of Booetia who being for some Capitall crime convented before the Senate and notwithstanding she had a famous Advocate to plead in her behalfe fearing some harsh and severe censure she trusting to her beauty bethought her of this project before the sentence was pronounced she cast off her loose and upper garments and without any word speaking as far as womanish modesty would suffer her exposed her body naked to the Judges O Beauty thou canst more prevail then a thousand Orators With her rare form and extraordinary feature the old gray-beards were so taken that where before their purpose was to inflict upon her some severe punishment they changed their austerity into love and pity and dismissed her without mulct or fine Therefore the famous Orator and Grammarian Quintilian thus speaks The admirable beauty of so compleat a Fabrick more prevâ—iled with the Senate then all the Rhetoricall eloquence of her Advocate Hypparis Upon this occasion an Edict was published That from thence forward no Client whatsoever should be in presence whilst their Cause was in pleading lest either pity or affection to the person should sway the ballance of justice and equity It is further remembred of her That Praxitiles the most excellent Painter of his time for some courtesies she had done or some favours grac'd him with promised to give her the best and most curious Table in his work-house but she by no perswasion or cunning able to wrest from him which amongst so many had the priority she bethought her of this sleight watching a time when the Painter was abroad in the City she hired a messenger to run to him in all hast and counterfeiting a sudden passion to tell him his house was on fiâ—e and many or most of his elaborate pieces burnt to ashes At which Praxitiles amazed and strangely moved broke forth into this language But is the Picture of Cupid safe and reserved from combustion by which she found that to be his Master-piece and therefore due to her by promise This Phrine never used the hot Baths as other of her profession accustomed to doe only at the Feasts of Ceres and Neptune she would in the sight of all the Grecians in her loose garment and hair dishevelled about her shoulders walk down to the Sea side and there wash her selfe And from her as Athenaeus in his Dypnos lib. 13. cap. 22. affirms Apelles drew that admirable and unmatched piece called Venus Emergeus i. Venus swimming or rising ouâ— of the waters Of which Ausonius composed an Epigram with this inscription In venerem Andiomenen Emersam Pelagi nuper genitalibus undis Câ—pria Apellaei Cerne laboris opus Behold fair Cipria from her native Brine Plunging Apelles a brave work of thine Who shaking off her golden curls late drown'd Rains the salt sea-drops from her shoulders round Her hairs yet dank 'bout her white wrists she winds Which wreath'd she in her silken hair lace binds Pallas and Juno said this having seen Wee yield the Palm to thee fair beauties Queen Praxitiles the Statuary before spoken of drew from her the Picture of Venus Cnidia and under the Table of Love which was given to adorn the Theatre he caused these verses to be inscribed Praxitiles pinxit prius est quem passus amorem Deprompsit proprio pectore qui A chetipum Love which himselfe hath suffered and best knew From his own breast this piece the Painter drew This Picture of Love some say was placed in Thespia a free Town in Boetis nere Helicon and dedicated to the Muses which others take to be a City in Magnesia neer Thessaly but her golden Picture made by Praxitiles was hung in Delphos above the Marble Statue of Mercury and betwixt that of Archidamus King of the Lacedemonians and Philip of Amintas having this inscription Phrine Epicleis Thespia This when Crates Cinicus beheld he said This Table is dedicated to expresse the intemperance of the Grecians as Alcaetus witnesseth lib. 20. depositorum in Delphis Apollodorus in Lib. Amicarum speaks of two Phrines the one was called Sapâ—rduis the other Clausigâ—los of Kleo i. Lugeo to mourn and Gelos i. Risus Laughter Herodicus saith lib. 6. Objurgatorum That she was called by the Orators Sestus because she rifled and despoiled her Clients and the other Thespica This Phrine grew exceeding rich and made offer to begirt Tnebes with a new wall so that upon the chief gate they would make this inscription This Alexander the Great demolished which Phrine the Courtesan at her own charge erected for so writes Callistratus in his book Amicarum Timocles Comicus writ of her infinite riches in his Neaera as likewise Amphis in Novacula Aristogiton in an Oration against Phrine affirms That her proper name was Mâ—nesarete Of her Posidippus Comicus writ more at large in Ephesia There was one Timandra daughter to Tyndarus and Laedia the sister to Clitemnestra but Pliny speaks of a notorious strumpet of that name beloved of Alcibiades the Athenian for whom being dead she erected a famous Sepulchre she was with her friend Aâ—cis opprest in battell by Lysander Equall to her in beauty was Campaspe by some called Pancasta a wanton of an extraordinary feature and much affected by the excellent Painter Apelles she was prisoner to Alexander the great and at his earnest intercession bestowed on him by the Macedonian Conquerour Glicerin or Glicera and others THis Glicera was sirnamed Thespiensis of the City where she was born Praxitiles the Painter much doted on her beauty and gave her a Table in which Cupid was most curiously pourtraied which after her death she bequeathed as a legacy to the City Satyrus reports That Stilpo being at a banquet with her and reproving her as a great corrupter of the yong men of Thespis she answer'd we are O Stilpo of one and the same error guilty alike For it is said of thee That all such as converse with thee and participate of thy precepts thou corruptest with thy amatorious and unprofitable Sophisms smal difference then there is to be traduced by thee a Philosopher or by me a professed Prostitute She was a great favourite of the Poet Menander Hipperides in an oration against Manlithaeus as also Theopompus affirms That Harpalus after the death of Pythonice sent for Glicera to Athens who comming to Tarsus was received into the Kings Palace whither much confluence was assembled bowing their knees to her and saluting her by the name of Queen neither would they
second son Ochus the Prefectship over the Hircanians Likewise Parisatis to wife daughter to Xerxes and naturall sister to Ochus This Ochus was â—â—ter called Dariaeus who in all his counsels and projects â—â—er did any thing without the advice of his sister Queen â—â—fore his aspiring to the Empire he had issue by his wife â—â—risatis two children a daughter called Amistris and a 〈◊〉 Arsaca who after changed his name to his grandfaâ—â—â—rs and was called Artaxerxes after his instalment she â—â—ght him a son called Cyrus after him Artostes and so the â—â—â—ber of thirteen of all which only the fourth son called â—â—â—dras survived the rest perished in minority These 〈◊〉 concubins of Persia Julia. IT is remembred of Augustus Caesar whose daughter this Julia was that he established a Law which was called 〈◊〉 Julia concerning adulteters after what processe persons so offending should be punished being convicted and â—ound guilty It hapned that a young Gentleman of Rome being accused of the same fact with the Emperors daughter Julia before named Augustus grew into such a fuâ—y that not able to come in himselfe he fell upon the Gentleman and gave him many violent and sound buffeâ—s till the supposed offender cried out O Emperor where is your Justice you have made a law concerning these matters why am I not then judged by that At which words it so repented him of his rashnesse that all that day and night he forbore to tast any food At a certain sword-playing of such like pastime solemnized in the great Roman Theater Livia the mother and Julia the daughter had turned the eies of the multitude upon them twain and that by reason of the difference of their habits and their attendants Lyvia being matron-like attired was accompanied with aged Senators and Ladies of approved modesty and gravity Julia on the contrary loosâ—ly and wantonly habited had in her train none but butterflie-pages wild fashion-mongers and fantastick gallants which observed by Augustus he the next day admonished her by letters To observe what difference and ods there was in the appearance of two such high and noble persons which having read she returned him only this short answer Well and these people about me shall be old likewise when I am This Julia to a noble Senator of staâ—ed gravity giving her counsell to frame her selfe after her fathers grave and sober behaviour she presently replied Though my father doth not remember that he is an Emperour yet I cannot forget that I am an Emperours daughter It is further remembred of her that beginning to have gray hairs with the soonest and before she was old as her maids and gentle women were kembing her head the Emperour came in suddenly upon her and espi'd them picking and plucking the white hairs up by the roots which still stuck upon their garments the Emperor for that present said â—â—â—ning 〈◊〉 â—ut long after amongst many other discourseâ— taking occâ—siâ—n to speak of old age he demanded of his daughter Whether she had rather in the processe of a few years have a reverent white head or to be directly without any hair at all she answered She had rather to have a white head Why then said he do thy damosels all they can to make thee clean bald before thy time Augustus much grieved with her licentiousnesse and seeing it subject to no reformation he banished her the Court and with her her daughter Julia his grandchild who took something too much after the mother and after that Agrippa whom he had once adopted his heir but after for his intemperance and brâ—tish and luxurious riots cast out of his favour Whensoever mention was made of any of these three he would recite a verse out of Homer which imports thus much What 's now my sorrow would have been my pride If I as some might issuelesse have di'd He used not to call any of those three by any other names then Ulcers or rotten Imposthumes Cankers and such like for he used much more patiently to take the deaths of his friends then their dishonours He further provided by his last will That whensoever either Iulia his daughter or Iulia his grandchild expired their bodies should not rest beneath his monument One thing of her I had almost forgot Upon a time comming to visite and do her dutie to her father she perceived his eies to be much offended with the gawdinesse of her attire as savering of immodestâ— the next day taking occasion to revisi him she changed her habit into a comely civill and matronly garb and in that sort came to embrace her father Caesar who had the day before suppressed his griefe was not now able to contein his joy but brok out into these terms O how much more decent and seemly are these ornaments for the daughter of Augustus to whom she instantly replied Indeed this day I apparelled my selfe to please the eies of a father but my yesterdaies habit was to content the eies of a husband She when some that knew of her frequent inchastities demanded how it was possible she should bring forth children so like her husband considering her so often prostitution with strangers answered Because I never take in passenger till my ship have her full fraught and lading Macrob. l 2. cap. 5 Satur. And so much for Iulia. Phileterus speaking of those wantons that lived afore his time and were now dead scoffs them thus Nonne Câ—â—cope jam egit annorum tria millia c. i. Hath not Cercope already lived three thousand years and proceeding and rough haired Diopethâ—â— and a second Telesis ten thousand for Theolite none knowes or can remember when she was born Was not Thais dead when she should have prostituted her selfe and come under Ioâ—nas and Neaera are now dead and rotten so is Philaâ—e Or Siphas Gâ—linas and Coronas I speak not Of Nais I hold my peace because her teeth are now no grinders Sinope and Phanostrate with others are remembred by Demosthenes in his Oration against Androtiones Herdicus Crateticus speaks of this Sinope in his Commentaries and saith That when she grew into years she was called Abâ—dus she was no question of a famous strumpeâ— in her youth for Antâ—phanes speaks of her in many of his Comedies in Arcade in Horlicomo in Medicatrice in Piscante in Neottide in Neottide So likewise Alexâ—s in Cleobulina and Calicrates in Moscione Of Phanostrate Apollodorus writes That she was a prostitute in Athens and that of her rank were many others and was called Phttherophile of Phther Pediculus and Paele Porta Propter quod pediculos cum staret in limine Portae queritâ—bat Menander in Aâ—â—ulatore he numbers these wantons Christs Coronis Antâ—cyâ—â— Ischades and Nanniculum whom he cals Formâ—suâ—â— vaâ—de Exceeding faiâ— Quintius Curtâ—us in his tenth book of the life of Alexander the Great writes That after many honourable Conquests having already subjected sundry Nations to his jurisdiction being now in India where all his attempts were prosperous and his
designs successfull proud of his victories and thinking himselfe to be Fortunes minion insomuch that despising the off-spring from whence he came he caused himselfe to be called the Son of Iupiter Being pufâ—ed up with these thoughts and swelling up in all ambitions he betook himselfe to all voluptuous delicâ—cies and of them to the most tempting riots of wine and women insomuch that lulled in all effeminacy he so far forgot both his high majesty and that commendable temperance for which he was before all his predecessors renowned that he sent as far as Athens for a notorious strumpet branded in her life though famous for her beauty called Potonice on whom the King was so much besotted that he not only gave her most Princely and magnificent gifts in her life time but after her death caused a Tomb to be erected over her body on which structure the King bestowed thirty talents It were strange if our English Chronicles should not affoord some or other to have correspondence with these Harlotta or Arlotta THis History is recorded by an Historiographer of ancient times who writes himselfe Anonymus or without name by Gulielm Malmsbury Vincentius Ranulphus Fabian Polydore and others As Robert Duke of Normandy and father to William the Conqueror rid through the Town of Falois he beheld a beautifull Virgin a Skinners daughter playing and dancing amongst other Virgins with whose feature being on the sudden surprized he so far prevailed by his secret messages and gifts that she was privatly conveied into the Dukes Chamber and there lodged and put in a bed to await his comming who glad of such a purchase without much circumstance made himselfe ready for the businesse intended The chamber cleared and the place voided and he ready to accomplish his desires she rent her smook from the chin to the foot to make the freer way for the Prince and he demanding the reason of her so doing she made him this pretty and ready answer It were neither fit nor comely that the neither part of my smock should be turned up and kisse the lips of my Lord at which the Duke was much delighted And 〈◊〉 night was begot William the Bastard whom our Chronicles honour with the name of Conquerour whether at first in memory of this least or since in disgrace of the Wanton it is not decided But from that Harlotta or Arlotta our prostitutes and common wenches are to this day in our Vulgar Tongue called Harlots In the yeer of our Lord 1036 Henry the second Emperour of that name was married to Guinilde the daughter of Canutus a Dane and King of England This Emperor had a sister a professed Nun whom he loved so entirely that oft times he would have her lie in his own Pallace and neer to his own privy chamber It hapned in a cold Winters night a Chaplain belonging to the Court it seems to keep her the warmer and one that had been before much suspected lay with her and in the morning lest both their fâ—otingâ— should be seen in the Snow newly fallen that night she took him up and carried him out of the Court towards his chamber The Emperour chancing as his custome was to rise just at the same hour was spectator of this close conveâ—ance and beheld how all the businesse hapned Not long after fell a Bisopwrick which the Priest expected and a Nunnery which the Nun much desired Whereupon the Emperour calling them before him the one after the other Take that Benefice saith he to the Priest but faddle no more the Nun And you the Abbesse saith he to his sister saddle no more the Priest or look thou never more bear Clerk riding upon thy back It is said that this served after for a modest chiding betwixt them and that they were parted upon these friendly terms Of divers Wantons belonging to sundry famous men and others ARistophanes Apollodorus Ammonius Antiphanes and Georgia Atheniensis of your Athenian strumpets writ at large as also of the like argument Theomander Cyrenaeus Elâ—us Amasides Theophrastus in lâ—bro Amatorio Polemon de Tabellis lib. 3. Ovid and infinite others out of whom may be collected many famous wantons in their times Oâ—ymus is the name of a strumpet much beloved of a skilfull Sophist in Corinth Thalatra of Dâ—ocles Corianno of Phâ—recrates Antea of Philillius otherwise called Eunicus Thais and Phannium of Menander Opora of Alexis Clepsydra of Eubulus for so Aâ—clepiades the son of Arius reports in his Commentary upon Demetrius Phalareus where he affirms her proper name to be rather Methica which Antiphanes writes to be the name of a wanton The Poet Timocles speaks of Cinâ— Nannium Plangon Lyca Pithionica Myrhina Christis Covallis Ieroclea Lopadium Of these likewise Amphis makes mention Anaxandries in his description of the madnesse of old men amongst others he reckons up Lagisca and Theolyte Polemon the Hâ—storiographer speaks of one Cottina whose Sâ—atue is erected in the City of Lacedemon not far from the Temple of Dionysius she is mounted upon a brazen Bull. Alcibiades was beloved by a woman of Aegida of whom he was likewise amorous after relinquishing Athens and Lacena of one Medontide of Abidos and with her sailed through the Hellespont with Axiochus a friend of his and much devoted to his fellowship for so the Orator Lysias witnesseth of him in an Oration made against him He had two other mistresses with whom he was conversant Damasandya the mother of Laâ—s Junior and Theodota by whom he was preserved when remaining in Melissa a City of Phrygia Pharnabazus laid trains to entrap his life Abrotonax was the mother of Themâ—stocles a strumpet as Amphicrates relates Neanthes Cyzicenus a Greek Historiographer cals him the son of Euterpe The second Philadelphus King of Aegypt had many famous Concubines as Ptolomaeus Everges in his Commentaries witnesseth Didima and Bilistiâ—he besides these Agathoclea and Stratonica whose monument was erected in the sea Elusina Myrtium with many others Polybius in his fourteenth book of Histories remembers one Clino that was his Cup-bearer in whose honour many Statues were erected in Alexandria Mnesides a she musician of the City Mnesis and one Pothinae his most delicate houses in which he took much delight he was wont to call after the name of two of his Paraâ—ors either Myrtiae or Pothinae Timothaeus the great Captain of the Athenians was known to be the son of a common woman of Threissa which being objected to him as an aspersion he answered I am glad to have been born of such a mother that had the wisedome to chuse Coâ—on to be my father Caristius in his historicall Commentaries avers Phileterus who soveraignized in Pergamus and the new Region called Boca to be the son of a wanton she Minstrel born in Paphlagonia Aristophon the Orator who in the reign of King Euclides published a Law That all such as were not born of civill and free women
profession a piece of gold valued at a pound and had received no more then labour for his travell and bare looks for his monie to him she said Thou for this pound art made free of my daughter as those that are admitted into the school of Hyppomachus the Master-wrestler who oft times see him play but seldome prove his strength admire his skill but never trie his cunning Many such with great elegancy came frequently from her for as Lynceus saith of her she was Concinna admodum urbana Aristodemus in his second book Ridiculorum memorab relates That when two men had bargained for her at once a souldier and a mean fellow the souldier in great contumely called her Lacus or Lake Why do you thus nick-name me saith she because you two floods fall into me Lycus and Liber Lycus is a river not far from Laodicea which sometimes runneth under the earth and in many places bursteth up again She writ a book which she called Lex Convinalis imitating the Philosophers of those times who had compiled works of the like subject The project of her book was how her guests ought to behave themselves at Table towards her and her daughter The like Law Callimâ—chus composed in three hundred and three and twenty Verses Rhodope was a Courtisan of Aegypt one that by her prostitution came to such a masse of wealth that she of her own private charge caused to be erected a magnificent Pyramis equalling those that there raised by the greatest Princes Sapho cals her Dorica and makes her the mistresse of her brother Charapus upon whom he spent and consumed all his fortunes even to the utmost of penury of whom Ovid thus writes Arsit inops frater c. Aelianus and others report her for a woman most beautiful who bathing her self in a pleasant and cleer fountain in her garden her handmaids attending her with all things necessary upon a sudden an Eagle sowsing down snatched up one of her shooes and flying with it as far as the great City Memphis let it fall from above into the lap of the King Psamneticus then sitting in publike judgement who much amazed at the strangenesse of the accident but most at the riches proportion and curiositie of the shooe instantly commanded that all Aegypt should be through-sought till they could find the owner thereof by matching it with the fellow which hapned soon after Being brought before the King he was so infinitely surprized with her feature that the same hour he contracted her in marriage and consequently made her his Queen Some say she was first a Thracian Damosel and servant to Iadmone of Samos she was after carried into Aegypt by the Philosopher Zanthus Samius She was a friend and patronesse of Aesopus so famous for his Fables still frequent amongst us Metra was the daughter of Erisicâ—thon a Thessalian who having spent all his fortunes and wasted even his necessary means as brought to the lowest exigent of penury was forced to make merchandise of his daughters Chastitie but she would not yield her selfe to the imbraces of any man without the gift and tender of a horse an oxe a cow a sheep or a goat or some such like commodity to the supply of her fathers necessity for it seems that coin and jewels were not then in use For the exchange aforesaid the Thessalians fabled That she could transhape her selfe into all creatures presented unto her by her lovers And hence came that old â—dage More changeable then Erisicthons Metirâ— Much of the like continence was Cyâ—ene a notious strumpet who as Erasmus reports explaining of that old proverb Duodecim artium nemo i. A man of twelve Arts or Trades could use her professed Venery twelve severall waies Archianasse was sirnamed â—â—â—phonia as born in the City of Colophon and was beloved of Plato the Divine Philosopher of whom he himself thus protested Archianassam ego teneo Colophonis amicam Cujus in rugis mollia ludit amor Archianasse I still hold Mistresse and I say There is no wrinckle in her face In which love doth not play Thus we see the deepest Philosophers and the wisest men have made themselves the captives of beauty and vassals lust Demâ—sthenes the Orator was guilty of the like aspersions and subject to much intemperance It is said that having children by a noted strumpet when both the mother and the children were cited before the judgement seat to avoid calumny he presented the children without the mother though it were against the custome of the City for as Idomeneus saith notwithstanding he were outwardly of a modest disposition and carriage yet inwardly he was profuse and incontinent It is reported of him that he was wandrous prodigall and expensice in banquets and women insomuch that the publike scribe speaking of him in an Oration thus said What shall we then think of the Orator Demosthenes when what he hath by his great travel and industry purchased in a whole year he will dissolutely spend in one night upon a woman The like Nicolaus Damascenus writes of Demetrius the last of that succession who so much doted on Myrina Samia That she commanded from him all things save his Diadem so that not only Philosophers but even Kings have made themselves subject to all kind of voluptuousnesse and luxuries and what hath been the lamentable successe but shame and dishonour the wasting of private estates and the miserable subversion of Kingdomes Therefore Claudian in his third book in Stiliconis Laudes thus saith Nam caetera regna Luâ—eurâ—â— vitiâ— edusque superbia vertit c. Of other Kingdomes the imperâ—â—l state Last doth subvert with vices Pâ—â—e with hate So by the Spartons Aâ—thens was subdu'd And so 〈◊〉 fell The Medes did first intrude Into the Assyrian Monarchy their lust Burted their towring honours in the dust From the luxurious Medes the Persians reft Their proud dominion they grown lustful left Their Empire to the Macedonian sway Who kept it till they wanton grew then they Their honours to the temperate Romans sold For so the ancient Sibils had fore-told The effects of this will more plainly appear in the History ensuing Aspasia otherwise called Socratica is numbred amongst the fairest women of her time insomuch that she had several suitors from all the Provinces of Greece as Aristophanes delivers in his discourse of the Peloponnesian war insomuch that Periâ—les for the love of this Aspasia and for some servants of hers taken from her by force begun and established that terrible decree against the Mâ—garenses remembred by Stesombrotus Thasius She about her private and necessary occasions sending her bawd Symaetha to the City of Megara the young men of the City detained her upon which restraint she sent two others who not being suffered to return from these strumpets did arise a war almost to the depopulation of the greatest part of Greece It is likewise spoken of that Cyrus who warred against his brother to have had a Mistresse of great wisdome
and wonderfull beauty bred in the City of Phocis who as Zenophanes saith was first called Milto and after Aspasia Of these in generall Juvenal with great elegancy speaks in his Satyrs Nil non permittit mulier sibi turpe putat nil Cum virâ—des gemmas collo circumedit cum Auribus extentis magnos committit elenchos There 's nothing that a woman will respect Nothing so vile or odious that she fears So she with glistring Jewels may be dect And have great pendant Pearls weight down her ears Of Mista and others PHilarchus observes this Mysta to be much favoured by the King Seleucus who being expelled by the Galathians and hardly escaping with life when his Pallace was seized and surprized she casting aside all her Princely ornaments put on a servile habit and mingled her selfe in the society of her handmaids and servants having so disguised her selfe that she remained unknown and by that means was sold amongst the rest at a smal rate and bought by the Rhodian Merchants to whom after she disclosed her selfe They to insinuate into the favour of Seleucus who had recovered his former fortunes sent her to him nobly attended in great state and magnificence of whom she was accordingly received and they most bounteously rewarded Antecyra as Caelius lib. 13. cap. 6. reports was a famous or rather infamous strumpet so called because she yielded up her body to lunaticks and mad men or else because the Physiâ—ian Nicostratus at his death left her such a quantity of Hellebore Colvia Crisalpina is called by Tacitus lib. 17. the stale mistresse of Nero's lust an apt pupil for such a tutoresse Apollodorus and Caelius write of two sisters called Stragonium and Anthis both of the veneral profession These were by a nickname called by some Aphiae because of the smalnesse of their statures and the greatnesse of their eies Cynna Saluacha and Casauria were three famous strumpets or Athens many times remembred by Aristophanes in his Comedies Hemippus lib. 1. de Aristot speaks of Herpillides the Paramour of Aristotle he had by her a son called Nicomochus Melissa the daughter of Proclaeis as Pythenetus in his third book de Aegina relates was beloved of Periander ex Epâ—dauro King of Corinth and numbred amongst the seven wise men of Greece He seeing her attired after the manner of the Peloponnesians that was almost naked save a garment next to her skin and in that manner ministring wine to his servants and workmen he was suddenly so surprized with her beauty that he first enterteined her as his friend and familiar mistresse and shortly after in great state and publick solemnity received and acknowledged her his Queen and wife Xenophon reports of Socrates to have had familiar conference with Theodata whose speech was to this purpose Beâ—â—â—e thee O Socrates saith she I claim a just precedence and held my selfe the worthier person of the two he demanding the reason she thus proceeded Because thou with all thy gravity and austerity of discipline canst not alieâ—â—te from me and my society any one of my suitors and clients but I when I please can draw from thee the best of thy schollers and pupils both such as I like and at what time I best please To whom Socrates repli'd It is no wonder O Theodota since the way to thy house is meerly to naughtinesse and lies down the hill but the path to my school is solely tending to nobleness and vertue and is the way up hill therefore the passage sublime and difficult It is said that Apelles espying Lais when she was a young Virgin drawing water from the Pyrenaean fountain admiring her beauty which was not yet grown unto perfection he conducted her by the arm home to his shop and presented her to his fellow Painters but they deriding his folly that he would entertain a virgin one not capable of prostitution he said doubt you not for within this three years I will deliver her up to the game the most beautifullest of any Virgin living The like Xeaophon iâ— Mirabil testates That Socrates presaged of this Theodata in her childhood Quod pulcherrima esset dicebat pectusque quovis ratione haberet formosius i. He said That she would not only prove outwardly fair but her brest within every way more beautifull Demades the Orator had a son called Demeas by a she-minstrel one that plaied upon the Flate or the Shaum this young man puffing and blowing and being as our English phrase saith in a pelting chafe Hyperides then standing by Peace saith he young man and be patient for thy cheeks began to swel bigger then thy mothers Nicaeus in Successionis Philosoph saith That the Philosopher Doristhenites was the son of a strumpet called Olympia Lacena Sophocles the Tragedian had in his delights one Theorides in his age and decaying strength therefore in his praier to Venus he thus saith O nutrix juvenum exaudi mihi da mulierem Abnuere hanc c. Heare me thou nurse of youth I thee intreat And grant that she to whom my love 's so great May shun the beds of young men and despise Their hot affection only cast her eies On aged men whose heads are snow'd by time Who though decaid in strength have minds sublime Stasimus saith that this Theorides was the first friend of Theoris Sophocles after forsaking her made election of another called Archippe whom as Hegesander writes he made his heire Isocrates the modestest of all Orators was taxed with two wantons namely Metanira and Calles for so Lysias affirms in his Epistles Demosthenes in an Oration against Neaera confers Metanira upon Lysias who had another mistresse called Lagis whose Encomium was writ by the Orator Cephalus as Alcidamus Lâ—ites the scholler of Georgius most eloquently penned the praises of his beloved Nais This Nais Lysias gave description of in an Oration against Philonides her proper name was Archias of her Aristophanes makes mention in Geritade and in Pluto where he saith Amat ne Lais num tua Philonidem causa Which should be writ Nais not Lais as Athenaeus is of opinion Hermippus speaking of Isocrates saith That he enterteined into his house the Strumpet Lagisca by whom he had a daughter Lysias in an oration reckons up divers other prostitutes Philyra Scione Hyppaphesis Theoclea Psamathe Lagisca Anthaea Aristoclea and Dagnista Alce was the name of a famous Curtizan as may be gathered out of the words of Laberius Petrus Crinitus and others Pythagoras the Samian Philosopher in speaking of his transformations reporteth himselfe first to have been Euphorbus then Pyrander then Calidena and after a strumpet of admired feature called Alce with this Pythagorean Metamorphosis Laberius the Mimick Poet thus sported Vt nâ—s olim mutant Philosophi Et nunc de mulo hominem de muliebere colubrum Faciant i. As the Philosophers of old change us making of a Mule a Man and of a woman a Snake Petrus Crinitus cals her Famoso nominus Alce In the threescore and
give you only a taste of some few and those not altogether common â—â—d with them to compare faire women I will passe over 〈◊〉 remembred by Ovid Claâ—sias by the Port Aâ—axilas 〈…〉 by Aâ—stophanes Meclanthâ—â— by Saidas Treaeâ—â—eâ— by 〈…〉 who at one meal 〈◊〉 up a whole But in imitation 〈…〉 who devouted an Ox at a breakfast Puâ— Callonas by Laellus sirnamed Gorges as also those Roman Emperors infamous for the insacieties of their threat and â—ellies as Tiberius Nero C. Caligula Nero Galba Vuellâ—â—◠〈◊〉 Verus Plaultâ—â—â— Severus Auton Hâ—liogabolus 〈…〉 minus Imperator 〈◊〉 Galienus Augustus the most moderate in diet of them all able to ground a History 〈◊〉 remembers me of one Hâ—gotio Fagiâ—lanus a Prince who after many rough and tempestuous storm of Fortune as his last refuge retired himselfe into the Pallace of Caius Magnus Duke of Verona Hugotio being then an old man were he was magnificently feasted and received more like a father reverenced then a guest enterteined upon a time discourse being commenced at table concerning eating and devouring stomacks where many of ravenous and insaciate apâ—etites were remembred Hugotâ—o being a man faâ— grâ—sse and of an extraordinary bulk began to recite many unbeleevable things concerning his appetite in his youth One Petrus Navus sitting then at table a man of a ready and acute wit thus replied We wonder nor O Prince at these strange marvelous things which you have already related having concealed greater then you have yet spoken of for there is none here but knowes that at one dinner you devoured the two rich Dukedomes of Luca and Pysa in these few words reprehending both his incredible voracity and discommendable prodigality As a fit march to this great eater Aelianus puts us in mind of Aglais the daughter of Megacles a she-minstrel who at one meal usually devoured twelve pounds of flesh four great loaves of bread by the Grecians called Choeâ—ices panum a Choenix contained a measure of a quarter of a peck which was as much as a man was allowed to eat in one day to which she usually drunk four Congiums of wine every one conteining six Sextaries and is according to our measure a Gallon and a Pinte Timocreon of Rhodes for his gulosity in meat and wine was called Helluo which signifies an insaciable glutton after his death this Epitaph was inscribed upon his Tomb stone Multa hibens tam multa vorans male plurima dicens Multis hic jacco Tymocreon Rhodius Much drinking eating much and much ill speaking I Of many here beneath this stone Rhodian Tymocreon lie What shall I now think of Agaâ—isla the daughter of Clisthenes who it seems hâ—d an extraordinary good stomack since Aelianus in his twelfth book tels us that when Smindrides of the City Sybarita came to visite her as a suitor he sent before him a thousand Cooks a thousand Bird-catchers or Fowlers and a thousand Fishermen to catch fishes and all to the furnishing of one table Astidamas Milesius being invited to supper by the Persian Ariobarzanes he alone devoured what was provided for himselfe and all his other guests It is read likewise of Gathis Queen of Syria to be so gluttonous that she caused an Edict to be published with a great penalty depending upon the breach thereof That it was not lawfull for any subject to tast or eat fish unlesse she were invited to the feast Ravisius Philoxenus Eressius the son of Leucadius a Parrasite for his gluttony was called Philodipnos by others Philichthis by Aristotle Pachemerus and in his third book Ethicorum Opsophagos because as Melanthius before him did he wisht his neck so long as a Cranes that he might be the better delighted in the swallowing of his junkets If any dish were set before him that relished his Pallat he would purposely cast therein some nasty or noisome thing offensive to the guests that they abhorring the taste thereof he might have the liberty to devour it alone he being set at Dionysius his Table and a smal Muller being placed before him when the greater were set at the upper end of the booâ—d he took the little fish and held the mouth thereof close to his eare which Dionysius observing asked what his reason was so to do who presently answered the King that he was inquiring of that small fish concerning Nercus and Galatâ—a to be resolved of some seanewes but the young Mullet excused himselfe by reason of his youth and juniority but commended him to those his elders and greaters above from whom he might be better satisfied Dionysius pleased with his jeast reached him down the bigger fishes on which he fed to his content This Philodâ—pnos died in Syracusa after he at one meal had devoured up a whole Poâ—pâ—ise of two cubitâ— long all save the head Girald Dial. 9. Histor Poctarum Though not for such voracious devouring yet for her profuâ—senesse and prodigality in diet Cleopatra the last Queen of Aegypt is remarkable who as Sâ—donius testifies of her at one supper to which she invited Marc. Antonius bestowed an infinite masse of treasure one dish in the second course being valued at two hundred and fifty pieces of Gold more famous she was for her draught in which she drunk unto him in which she pownded a Pearl that was valued at no lesse then the ransome of a King From eating I come now to drinking The Greeks in all their feasts and celebrations used at first smal cups and moderate daughts but after bowls of greater receit and deeper quassing healths insomuch it grew to a proverb if any man took an extraordinary draught he was said Graeco more bibere that is to drink after the manner of the Grecians Alex. ab Alex. lib. 5. cap. 21. saith There was a law amongst them established that such as would not freely take the round as it past must depart the place They used at those publick meetings in their cups to salute the gods and in turning up the bottom of the bowl or glasse at the end of every draught to nominate them At the chusing of their Magistrats or conferring any new honours upon a man they drunk to him in a cup brimmed with wine as a confirmation of his dignity And from them it may be conjectured these drunken Healths so frequent in these daies had their first originall I need not reckon up any great Drinkers of old or derive the custome from antiquity since this age in which we live is not able to equall them only in deep carowsing and quaffing but far to exceed them in strange and new devised Healths nay there is now scarce any meeting without superfluity of wine and drinking even to surfet Adrianus Bâ—rlandus Centuria primae reports That a young man being at a Banquet was accused for many scandalous and calumniated words spoken against a Priest for which being questioned and cited before the Judges a question was demanded him Why he durst speak to 〈◊〉 against a man of his holy
my Author tels me greatly supported by the hand of Venus or whether the pitious earth unwilling to hurt or harm such fair and wel-featured limbs and therefore with more then accustomed courtesie favourably received her into her into her lap I am not certaine but the Lady to the wonder of all the beholders was taken up whole and sound without wound or the least astonishment and from thence conducted to the Tent of the Generall who because he made but offer to violate her chastity the ever nobly minded Romans not only took from him the charge of the Army alledging that he that could not govern his own affections was not fit to command others but confined him into the Island Coâ—sica adjacent neer to the continent of Italy Not much lesse strange was that of Perhibaea the daughter of Accathous who when Telamon the son of Aeacus and Eudeides came into the City of 〈◊〉 where she then 〈◊〉 with her father and took her at that advantage that she was by him deviâ—gined and 〈◊〉 his name or person not being known by her oâ— any and so privily escaped and fled away by night 〈◊〉 after perceiving her by assured tokens to be grown big with child and suspecting it to be done by some one of his Citizens or Subjects he was thereat so incensed that banishing all piety or patenall pity he delivered her into the hands of one of his Captains commanding him either to kil her with his sword or cast her into the sea the souldier undertakes the imposition of his Soveraign upon him with many vowes and protestations to perform his pleasure with all strictness and severity but by the way commâ—â—â—â—ting her wretched fortune and loth to be the 〈◊〉 of such youth and beauty created for better use comming neer the Sea-shore and spying a ship there at Anchor he sold her to the chief merchant for a sum of monie returning to the father with an assured relation of his daughters death The 〈◊〉 presently with this fair purchase hoised saile and a 〈◊〉 and gentle gale favouring them they attained unto the Port of Salamine and there harboured where purposing to make sale of their merchandise they exposed them to the publique view amongst the rest they set a price on the Princesse Perhibaea Tâ—lamon who was Duke of Salamine and then resiant in the City took his attendants with him and hearing of this new Merchant went down to the 〈◊〉 to take the first view of his goods and provide himselfe of such things as he wanted amongst all the fair Perhibaea pleased him best whose face he well knew and still remembred what had past betwixt them he bargained for her paid down her price conducted her to his Pallace and there acquainted her with the true passage of all his former proceedings Within few months she brought him a son which he called Ajax and this was that Ajax Telamon who at the siege of Troy betwixt the two armies combatted with bold Hector in the plain of Scamander you shall read this History in Aretades Guidius in his second book inscribed Insulâ— The next that insues hath correspondence with this Lucius Trocius had a beautifull young daughter called Florentia she was stuprated by the Roman Calphurnius and when the act came to the knowledge of her father delivered to the trusty executioner to be cast into the Sea who in the same manner was by him pitied and sold to a Merchant his ship being then bound for Italy where she being exposed to publique sale was seen known and bought by Calphurnius by whom he had a son called Contruscus I proceed to such as have unwittingly been the death of their parents Evenus the son of Mars and Steropes by his wife Alcippa the daughter of Oâ—nnemanus had a beautifull female issue whom he called Marpissa who had vowed perpetuall virginity her Idas the son or Aphareus ravished and stole away which her father hearing prosecuted him even unto his own Country but in vain for not able to overtake them and returning without her in griefe of his lost daughter whom he so deerly loved he threw himselfe into the river Lycormus and was there drowned some think that by his death the stood lost his name and was ever after celled Evenus Dâ—sithae lib 1. rerum Italicarum Anius King of the Etruscious having a rarely featured damosell to his daughter called Salia whose virginity he had vowed to Diana and therefore admitted no suitors though many great and rich offers made unto her at length as she was spotting abroad amongst other Virgins she was espied by one Calthetas a hopefull young Gentleman and â—â—nobled by his family who at the stâ—st sight of her was so extasi'd with her beauty that maugre all tear of pursuit or danger he snatcht her up in his arms and used such means that he got her safe within the wals of Rome Her father following the ravisher but not overtaking him was struck into such a deep sorrow that desperate of all comfort or counsel he violently cast himselfe into the next Foord that parted Rome and his own Kingdome which ever since that time still bears the name of Anius Calihetus had by Salia two brave sons Latinus and Salinus who were famous in their noble and flourishing issue insomuch that some of the best and greatest Families in Rome were proud from them to derive their ancestrie This history is recorded by Aristides Milesius by Alexander and Polihistor lib. tertio Italicorum Of Clamorous Women commonly called Scolds GNeius Pompeius to make his faction the stronger by his friend Munatius sent to Cato that he would be pleased of his two Neeces to contract the one of them to himselfe the other to his son by whom Cato sent word back to Pompeius That though he as a friend took gratefully the free proffer of his friendship and allyance yet being a man he had ever kept himselfe from being intricated in the snares of women but he protested he would adhere unto him in a more firm league of amity than could be contracted by kindred if he would study any thing conducent and profitable for the Common-weal but against the publique good he would neither give nor take hostages calling his Neeces who as some write were his daughters given so in matrimony no better then pledges of much future inconvenience especially in matters of State where the Common-weal is distracted and divided Eras 5. Apophtheg Socrates was wont to say that he had patiently suffered three torments Grammer Poverty and a scolding Wife Xintippe two of which he had prettily well evaded namely Grammer and Poverty but the morosity of a scold he could never put off Anton. Parle 2. Meless Serm. 34. The like may be said of Sausarion the Comick Poet equally tormented with a bitter and railing wife Pittacus Mitelenus having married the sister of Dâ—aco the son of Penthilius a proud insolent and railing woman perswaded a deer friend of his to marry with the
their Cause this discreet Lady in person pleaded before the Triumvirate in the behalf of the women which she did boldly and happily for as one hereditary to her fathers eloquence she prevailed so far that the greatest part of the mulct imposed upon them was instantly remitted Differing from their Modesties was that of Caia Affrania the wife of Lycinius Bructio a woman prompt and apt for all contention and discord and in all troubles and controversies stil pleaded her own Cases before the Praetor Not that she wanted the help of an Advocate but rather to expresse her own impudence whose common railing and loquacity before the Bench grew to that scandall that it almost stretcht to the injurie of the whole Sex insomuch that if any woman were justly taxed with boldnesse or irregularity she in the way of a Proverb was branded with the name of Affrania Her spleen extended even to Caius Caesar Tertius as likewise to M. Servillus the Consul My Author leaves her with this Character That it is much better to enquire when such a Monster died then curiously to be inquisitive when or of whom she was â—orn Val. Max lib. 8. cap 3. From Orators I come to Sophists and from Declamers to Disputants It is reported of Caecilia the chast Roman Virgin being married against her wil to a noble Gentleman called Valertanuâ— when they were left together in the Bride-chamber she with her strong reasons and prompt arguments discoursed and disputed with him in the patronage and defence of her Virginity proving unto him from the Scriptures how justly vowed Chastity is more acceptable in the eies of the great Maker then Marriage insomuch that notwithstanding his heat of youth meeting with a tempting provoking beauty the convenience of opportunity time and place with the lawfulnesse of the act establisht by the Ceremonies of the Church yet he at her intercession not only absteined from that time to offer her any force or violence but ever after betwixt themselves vowing lasting Virginity She likewise when Tiburtius the brother to Valerianus contended with her in disputation refuted the opinions then generally held concerning the idolatrous worship of the false Pagan gods so that having convinced him with undeniable Propositions he turned a zealous convertite to the true Christian Faith Catherina Alexandria under the Tyranny of Maxâ—ntius argued with all the best and cunningest Sophists of those daies stoutâ—y and constantly maintâ—ining the Faith of the Gospel and sillogistically refuting all their schismatical Opinions causing many of them to deliver up their names to the â—â—cere profession of Christianity In her appeared how the wisdome of the world gave place and submitted to the Divine knowledge insomuch that notwithstanding all the 〈◊〉 cunning and sophistical dilemma's in which they were elaborately practised they were forced to yield and submit to the authority of a plain Virgins tongue her wit and reason being illuminated with Divine knowledge from above Marul lib. 5. cap. 6. Guido Bit. in his Catalogue of Philosophers reports Diodorâ—â— Socratiâ—â—â— to have had five daughters all Disputants and skilful in Logick Hypparchia the sister oâ— Megocles and wife to Câ—ates Cynicus she with one sophism put to silence Theodorus surnamed 〈◊〉 Quod faciens Theodorus non dicerâ—tur injuste facere 〈…〉 Hyppâ—rchia non diceretur injuste facere i. That which Theoâ—orus doing he is not said to do unjustly It Hypparchia do the same she is not said to do unjustly To which when he granted she added this But Theodorus beating himselfe is not said to do unjustly Ergâ— If Hyppaâ—chia beat Theodorus she cannot do unjustly To this Theodorus made no answer but in snatching up his cloak and leaving the place he â—aunted her in a Greek Iambick verse which was to this purpose Why she being a woman would trouble her selfe with such Disciplines as are solely appertaining unto men thus saying Radios apud Tâ—las retiqui femina To whom she replied Thinkest thou I have been ill councelled I that time which I might have past upon the Loom or Distâ—ff I have spentâ—n the attaining of the liberall Arts and Discâ—plinâ—s Of Debora of the Tribe of Ephraim her wisedome and her Prophesies in which she excelled the holy Scriptures gives ample testimony as likewise of Mary the sister of Moses Anna the Prophetess and others I proceed to such as have been studied and practised as well in Theology as Philosophy Of Women studious in Divinity FAbâ—ola a Roman matron was very laborious in the reading and understanding of the sacred Scriptures she was frequent in the old Prophets the Gospels and the Psâ—lms of David which she had almost ad unguem and by roat her continuall reading practised her in a more perfect knowledge she was of that reverend respect amongst the learned that Saint Jerome vouchsafed to dedicate a book unto her intituled de Vesta Sacer dotalâ— Marcella Romana 〈…〉 industry in the Scriptures in which she was 〈…〉 travelled was in many of Saint Jerom's Epistles 〈◊〉 by name Hâ— writ a book to heâ— De mundi Contemptu â— Of the contempt of the world another of the ten names by which God is called amongst the Hebrewes a third of our faith and the doctrine of the Hereticks a fourth of blasphemy against the Holy Ghost a fifth of the study of Theophilus Bishop of Alexandria with others The same Saint Jerome witnesseth of Eustochium the daughter of one Paula a Roman Matron who was excellently practised in the Greek and Latin Dialects as also in the Hebrew Character insomuch that she in her time was called The new Prodigie of the World she gave her studie chiefly to meditation upon the Scriptures insomuch that she read the Psalms of David familiarly and without the least hesitation Anastasia the scholler to Crisogonus the Martyr and wife of Publius Romanus who faining a counterfeit disease sequestred himself from her and quite abandoned her bed she writ certain Epistles to her Master and Tutor Crisogonus in which she complained that all her means and substance was consumed and wasted by her impious and sacrilegious husband who most unnaturally deteined her in prison This devout woman for the Faith and ministring to the Saints was arraigned and condemned to the fire where she publickly suffered a most glorious Martyrdom of her Volaterran makes mention Giliberta Anglica was born in Maguns or Mens in Germany where she was beloved of a young scholler for whose sake and least their private and mutuall affection should at length come to the ears of her parents all virginall modesty and womanish fear set aside she put her selfe into a young mans habit fled from her fathers house and with her dear friend and Paramour came into England where as wel as to his observance and love she gave her self to the practise of the Arts and to attain to the perfection of Learning At length the young man dying finding her self entred into some knowledge and desirous to be further instructed as one having a
part of it may at this day be seen as an antient Monument in the Castle of Dover Saturn made Money of Brasse with inscriptions thereon but Numa was the first that coined Silver and caused his name to be engraven thereon for which it still retains the name in the Roman Tongue and is called Nummus Aspasia was a Milesian Damosel and the beloved oâ— Pericles she was abundantly skilled in Philosophicall studies she was likewise a fluent Rhetorician Plutarchus in Pericles Socrates imitated her in his Facultas Politica as likewise Dâ—otima whom he blushed not to call his Tutresse and Instructresse Of Lasthenea Mantinea Axiothaea and Phliasia Plato's scholers in Philosophy I have before given a short Character Themiste was the wife of Leonteius Lampsucenus and with her husband was the frequent Auditor of Epicurus of whom Lactantius saith That save her none of the Ancient Philosophers ever instructed any woman in that study save that one Themiste Arete was the wife of Aristippus the Philosopher and attained to that perfection of knowledge that she instructed her son in all the liberall Arts by whose industry he grew to be a famous professor He was called Aristippus and she surnamed Cyrenaica She followed the opinions of that Aristippus who was father to Socrates She after the death of her father erected a School of Philosophy where she commonly read to a full and frequent Auditory Genebria was a woman of Verona she lived in the time of Pius the second Bishop of Rome Her works purchased for her a name immortal She composed many smooth and eloquent Epistles polished both with high conceits and judgement she pronounced with a sharp and loud voice a becomming gesture and a facundious suavity Agallis Corcyrua was illustrious in the Art of Grammar Caelius ascribes unto her the first invention of the play at Ball. Leontium was a Grecian Damosel whom Gallius cals a strumpet she was so well seen in Philosophicall contemplations that she feared not to write a worthy book against the much worthy Theophrastus Plin. in Prolog Nat. Hist Cicero lib. de Natur. Deorum Dama the daughter of Pythagoras imitated the steps of her father as likewise his wife Theano her husband the mother and the daughter both proving excellent scholars Laert. Themistoclea the sister of Pythagoras was so practised a studient that in many of his works as he himselfe confesseth he hath implored her advice and judgement Istrina Queen of Scythia and wife to King Aripithes instructed her son Sythes in the Greek Tongue as witnesseth Herodotus Plutarch in Pericte saith That Thargelia was a woman whom Philosophy solely illustrated as likewise Hyparchia Greca Laert. Cornelia was the wife of Africanus and mother to the noble family of the Gracchi who left behind her certain Epistles most elaborately learned From her as from a fountain 〈◊〉 the innate eloquence of her children therefore Quintil. thus saith of her We are much bound to the Mother or Matron Cornelis for the eloquence of the Gracchi whose 〈…〉 learning in her exquisite Epistles she hath bequeathed to posterity The same Author speaking of the daughters of Laelius and Quint. Hortensius useth these words The daughters of Laelius is said in her phrase to have refined and excelled the eloquence of her father but the daughter of Q. Hortensius to have exceeded her Sex in honor So likewise the facundity of the two Lyciniaes flowed hereditarily from their Father L. Crassus as the two daughters of Mutia inherited the learning of either parent Fulvia the wife of M. Antonius was not instructed in womanish cares and offices but as Volater lib. 16. Antrop reports of her rather to direct Magistracies and govern Empires she was first the wife of Curio Statius Papinius was happy in a wife called Claudia excellent in all manner of learning Amalasuntha Queen of the Ostrogoths the daughter of Theodoricus King of those Ostrogoths in Italy was elaborately practised in the Greek and Latin Tongues she spake distinctly all the barbarous languages that were used in the Eastern Empires Fulgos lib. 8. cap. 7. Zenobia as Volateran speaks from Pollio was Queen of the Palmirians who after the death of Odenatus governed the Kingdome of Syria under the Roman Empire she was nominated amongst the thirty Tyrants and usurped in the time of Gallenus but after being vanquished in battel by the Emperor Aurelianus was led in triumph through Rome but by the clemency of that Prince she was granted a free Pallace scituate by the river of Tyber where she moderately and temperately demeaned her selfe she is reported to be of that chastity that she never enterteined her husband in the familiar society of her bed but for issues sake and procreation of children but not from the time that she found her conception till her delivery she used to be adored after the majestick state and reverence done to the great Sophies of Persia Being called to the hearing of any publick Oration she still appeared with her head armed and her helmet on in a purple mantle buckled upen her with rich jems she was of a clear and shril voice magnanimous and haughty in all her undertakings most expert in the Aegyptian and Greek Tongues and not without merit numbred amongst the most learned and wisest Queens Besides divers other works she composed the Orientall and Alexandrian History Hermolaus and Timolus her two sons in all manner of disciplines she liberally instructed of whose deaths it is not certain whether they died by the course of nature or by the violent hand of the Emperor Olympia Fulvia Morata was the ornament and glory of our later times the daughter of Fulv. Moratus Montuanus who was tutor in the Arts to Anna Pâ—ince of Ferrara she was the wife of Andreas Gunthlerus a famous Physitian in Germany she writ many and elaborate works in either tongue at length in the year of our Lord 1555 in the month of October being of the age of twenty nine years she died of Hedelburgh Saint Helena may amongst these be here aptly registred for thus Stow Harding Fabian and all our modern Chroniclers report of her Constantius a great Roman Consul was sent into Britain to demand the tribute due unto Rome immediately after whose arivall before he could receive an answer of his Embassie Coil who was then King died therefore the Britains the better to establish their peace dealt with the Roman Embassador to take to wife Helena the daughter of the late deceased King a young Lady of an attractive beauty adorned with rare gifts and endowments of the Mind namely Learning and Vertue the motion was no sooner made but accepted so that Constantius having received the Brittish tribute returned with his new Bride to Rome and was after by the Senate constituted chiefe Ruler of this Kingdome After twenty years quiet and peacefull government which was thought her wisedome Constantius died and was buried at York in his time was Sâ— Albon married at Verolam since called St. Albons as John
am loath to dwel too long in the Proem I will now give you their names with a particular of their works who have been in many or most of these eminent Poetriae Or Women Poets OF the Sybils the Muses Priests and Prophetesses included amongst those whom we called Vates I have already spoken at large I now proceed to others Theano Locrensis was so called as born in the City of Locâ—is she writ Hyms and Lyrick Songs she was also a musicall Poetesse such as were called Melicae There was a second of that name the wife of Pythagoras a Poetesse besides a third called Thuria or Metapontina daughter of the Poet Lycophron a Pythagorist and wife of Caristius or Brantinus Crotoniata Teste Suida Nicostrata was otherwise called Carmentis skilful both in the Greek and Latine Dialect of a quick and nimble wit and conversant in divers kinds of Learning Sulpitia lived in the time of the Emperor Domitianus her husbands name was Galenus or Gadenus with whom she lived in most conjoined wedlock for the space of fifteen years Some fragments of her Poetry I have read inserted amongst the Works of Ausonius Of her Martial in one of his Epigram lib. 10. thus writes Oh molles tibi quindecim Calene Quos cum Sulpitia tua jugales Indulsit Deus peregit annos c. O those soft fifteen yeers so sweetly past Which thou Calenus with Sulpitia hast In jugall consociety no doubt A time by the gods favoured and pickt out O every Night nay Hour mark'd by thy hand With some rich stone fetch'd from the Indian strand What wars what combats have betwixt you been But to your Bed and Lamp not known or seen Of any Happy Bed and Tapers grace Made of sweet Oils whose smoak perfumes the place Thrice five yeers thou hast liv'd Calenuâ— thus Reckoning by that account thine Age to us So to compute thy yeers is thy great'st pride No longer to have liv'd then with thy Bride Were Atropos at thy entreats content To give thee back one day so sweetly spent Thou at a higher rate wouldst prize that one Then four times Nestors Age to live alone This Epigram hath expressed the love of Calenus to Sulpitia the husband to the wife but in 35 of the same book her pious Love chast Muse and Beauty the same Author hath most elegantly illustrated his words be these Omnes Sulpitiam legant puellae Vno quae cupiunt viro pâ—acere Omnes Sulpitiam legant mariti Vnae qua cupâ—unt placere nuptae c. All women 〈◊〉 Sulpitia such as can In their desires betake them to one man All husbands read Sulpitia such whose life Can be contented with one single wife She never spake of mad Medeas sin Nor why Thyestes Banquet was serv'd in It never with her pure thoughts could agree A Scilla or a Biblis there could be Save chast and pious Loves she did not write Yet mixt with modest pleasures and delight Her Verses who shall read and read again And sift them well shall find them without slain Such were the words divine Egeria spake The wife of Nâ—ma when she did betake Her self to solitude Had Sâ—pho been Tutor'd by her her Poems read and seen More chast sh ' had been with greater Art endu'd Or had rude Phaon these together view'd And both their beauties well observ'd and noted He that left her had on Sulpitia doted c. Seneca speaks of one Michaele a she Centaur who in an â—legant Poem instructed the Thessalians in the Remedy of Love whom Ovid in his Remedium Amorâ—s is said to have imitated Aristophanes as also Suidas speak of one Charixâ—na the Author of many excellent works amongst others she writ a Poem called Crumata Caelius lib. 8. cap. 1 speaks of Musaeâ— an Epigrammaâ—ist in which kind she was eminent besides she composed sundry Lyricks Textor remembers us of one Moeroe who besides her other works is most celebraâ—ed for a Hymn to Neptune Manto was the daughter of Tyresia the Propheresse of her the famous City Mantua took name she was not only a Poetesse but famous for her Dâ—vinations for by the entrails of beasts she could foretel things to come Textor Cornisicia was the sister of the Poet Cornisicius and famous for many excellent Epigrams Luccia 〈◊〉 as Pliny reports of her was a writer of Comedies in which practice she continued no lesse then an hundred years Amongst the Poets Cassandra the Propheâ—esse daughter to â—riam and Hecuba is also numbred 〈◊〉 Hermonaicus 〈◊〉 Camelion saith writes of a Poetesse called Megalostrate beloved of the Poet Alâ—mon he that first devised the amatorious Verse in which was expressed all lascivious intemperance which some attribute to Thamyris as their first inventor she Amatores vel ipsis colloquiis ad se trahere potuit i. She with her very discourse could attract lovers she was tearmed Flava Megalostrate Athenae lib. 13 cap. 16. Polla Argentaria was wife to the famous Poet Lucan and hath a merited place in this Catalogue of whom Martial thus speaks Haec est illa dies quae magni conscia partus Lucanum populis tibi Polla dedit This day of that great birth made conscious is Which gave him to the world and made thee his She was reputed to be of that excellent learning that she assisted her husband in the three first books entituled Pharsalia Her Stasius lib. 2. Sylv. thus remembers Haeâ— Castae titulum decusque Polla She likewise writ excellent Epigrams As much as Statius of her Plin. Secundus speaks of his wife Calphurnia Fulgos lib. 8. cap 3. Aspasia Milesia the beloved of Pericles as she was otherwise learned she is likewise numbred amongst the Poet some of whose Verses are remembred by Athenaeus Hedyle was the mother of Hedylogus Samius who by the same Athenaeus lib. 4. Dypnoph hath allotted him a place amongst the Poets she was the daughter of Moschina Attica that writ lambicks This Hedyle composed a Poem inscribed Scylla she made another called The Loves of Glaucus Sosipatra as Eugapius Volaterran relates was a woman practised in many kinds of Disciplines and so excellent in all her studies that she was said to be educated by the gods Thymele was a Poetesse that first introduced Dances into the Scene which the Greeks from her call Dumelin i. The place which is only free for the Actors Of her Martial thus speaks Quae Thymele spectas derisoremque Latinum Suidas writes That Thymele was an Altar frequently used in the Theaters which from her borrowed the name Hildegardis Moguntina was eminent both for Learning and Piety insomuch that from her very child-hood she seemed inspired from above Eugenius the third in the Council held at Tryer where Doctor Bernard was then present approved her Works she flourished in the yeare of Grace 1188. Of Clitagora Lacedemonia Aristophanes speaks much but Stravo in Homerica Iliade more of Hesteia Alexandria Avyle writ Epigrams against Themistocles with verses upon Birds which are read unto
this day Myrtis Authedonia in a Poem expressed the death of the Damosel Ochne who had been before the destruction of the Heroe Ennostus Praxilla Siconia flourished in the 32 Olympiad whom Antipater Thessatus give the first place unto amongst the nine Lyrick Poets She writ Dithycambi and a Work which was called by her Metrum Praxillium She called Adonis from Hell to demand of him what was most beautiful in Heaven who answered The Sun the Moon Figs Apples Cucumbers That and such like was the Subject of her Poem of which grew a proverb against Lunaticks and mad men every such was called Praxilla's Adonis Nossis the Poetresse was the composer of Greek Epigrams and is by Antipater numbred with Praxilla amongst the Lyricks Myro Bizantia she writ Elegies and such as the Greeks call Melae or Musical Poems she is said to be the mother of Homer and reckoned one of the seven Pleiades the daughters of Atlas she was the wife of Andromachus an illustrious Philosopher Pamphilus her Statue was erected which as Facianus witnesseth was made by Cephisiodotus Damophila was the wife of the Philosopher she was a friend to Sapho and lover whom in all her Poems she strived to imitate Her Hymns were sung at the sacrifices which were celebrated to Diana Pergaea after the manner of the Aetolians and Pamphilians She writ moreover certain books which she titled Libri Amatorii Of Minerva c. MInerva the daughter of Jupiter was for no other reason numbred amongst the gods but for her excellency and cunning in Poetry and other good arts of which she is said to be the first inventresse From her the ancient Athenians have borrowed the immortality of their name Next her we reckon the Corinnas There were three of that name The first called Corinna Thebana or Tanagraea she was the daughter of Archelodorus and Procratia and scholler to Myrtâ—s she in severall contentions five sundry times boâ—e away the Palm from Pindarus Prince of the Lyrick Pâ—ets she moreover published five books of Epigrams of her Propertius speaks The second was called Corinna Thespia she is much celebrated in the books of the ancient Poets especially by Statius The third lived in the time of Augustus and was to Ovid much endeared but of her wantonnesse than her Muse there is more memory extant I come to speak next of Erinna who was sirnamed Teia or as some wil have it Telia of the Island Telos not far distant from Gnidon she flourished in the time of Dion of Syracusa and published an excellent Poem in the Dorick Tongue comprized in three hundred Verses besides divers other Epigrams her stile was said to come neer the majesty of Homers she died when she was but nineteen yeers of age Damophila was a Greek Poetesse and the wife of Pamphilus she was Cousin-german and companion with Sapho Lyrica Poâ—tria she writ many Poems that were called Poemata Amatoria because their argument was meerly of love one Poem she writ in the praise of Diana for so much Theophrastus in the life of Apollonius remembers of her Hyppatia was a woman of Alexandria the daughter of Theon the Geometrician and wife to Isidorus the Philosopher she flourished in the time of the Emperor Arcadius she writ certain books of Astronomy and was froquent in divers kind of Poetry she purchased her selfe much fame for her learning insomuch that she engrossed a great confluence of Auditors in the City of Alexandria where she professed Suidas apud Volaterran Sapho ELianus affirms her to be the daughter of Scamandroniâ—â— Plato of Ariston Suidas and other Greek writers deliver to us that there were two of that name the one called â—rixia a much celebrated Poetesse who flourished in the time of the Poet Alcaeus of Pittachus and Tarquinius Priscus who first devised the use of the Lyre or Harp with a quil some give her the honor to be the inventor of the Lyrick verse the other was called Sapho Mitelaena long after her who was a singer and a strumpet she published â—ny rare and famous Poems amongst the Greeks and therefore had the honor to be called the tenth Muse the reason why she fell in love with Phaon Pliny attributes to the vertue of an herb but Baptista Egnatius a later writer and exquisite both in the Greek and Latin tongues in tranâ—ferring this fable from the originall into the Roman tongue as likewise others of his opinion conclude that Phaoâ— was of the profession of such as get their living by transporting passengers from one side of a river unto another a plain Ferry-man and that it hapned upon a time that Venus comming to the place where he kept his passage without demanding any hire he gave â—ot free transportage not knowing to whom it was he did that courtesie no way suspecting she had been a goddesse This Venus took so gratefully that she thought to requite his freenesse with a bounty far transcending the value of his painâ— She therefore gave him an alabaster box ful of a most pretious unguent teaching him how to apply it with which he no sooner annointed his face but he instantly became of all moâ—â—â—ll creatures the most beautifull of whom the Leâ—bian damosels grew enamoured but especially he was ardently and most affectionately beloved of Sapho Saphon having occasion to passe from Lesbos into Sicily she was tortured in soul for his absence intimating that it was done in despight or disgrace of her first purposed to cast her selfe from Leucate a high promontory in Epyre down into the Sea which she after did yet before she would attempt it she first in an Epistle thought by all the allurements of a womans wit to call him back again into his Country which Ovid in her behalfe most feelingly hath exprest And since it lies so fiâ—ly in my way for the opening of the History I thus give it English Ecquid ut aspecta est c. Is it possible as soon as thou shalt see My character thou know'st it comes from me 〈…〉 not reading of the authors name Couldst thou have known from whom this short work came Perhaps thou maist demand Why in this vain I court thee that profâ—sse the Lyrick strain My love 's to be bewept and that 's the reason No Barbit number suits this tragick season I burn as doth the corn-fields set on fire When the rough East winds still blow high and higher Now Phaon the Typhoean fields are thine But greater flames then Aetnas are now mine No true 〈◊〉 numbers flow from hence The empty work of a distracted sense The Pâ—rhian girle nor the Methimman lasse Now please me not the Lesbians who surpasse Vâ—le's Amithon vile Cidno too the fair So Atthis that did once appear most rare And hundreds more with whom my sins not small Wretch thou alone enjoy'st the loves of all Thou hast a face and youth fit for play Oh tempting face that didst mine eies betray Take Phoebus Faith upon thee and his bow And from
like businesse intended Aeromanteia is a superstitious prediction by the aire but most certain when the wind is South Another was made from Meal or Chaste and was called Alphitomanteia or Aleuromanteia remembred by Iamblicus but to what purpose it was he explaineth not as Likewise of Lythomantea which was practised by Stones Divinition by Lawrell was called Daphnomanteia The praescience which they gathered from the head of an Asse Kephalcomanteia Puromanteia and Kapnomantesia were conjectures from fire Rabdomanteia was used by a Physitian of Tholosâ— in speaking of certain mysticall words in a low and submisse voice The like unto that was Zulomanteia with loose chips of wood much practised in Illyria But of all these devilish and detestable practises there is none saith Bodinus more Heathenish irreligious and dangerous then that so commonly in use now adaies and by witches continually practised to the injury and wrong of new married women it is commonly called Ligare ligulam or to tie knots upon a point which as it is usuall so it is not new for Herodot lib. 2 reports That Amasis King of Aegypt was by the like Exorcisme bound and hindred from having any mutuall congresse with his with Laodice till those ligatory spels were after uncharmed Paulus Aemilius in the life of Clotharus the secoâ—d witnesseth That King Theodoricus was by the like ligaments â—â—â—ascinated by his Concubines from having lawful consociety wich his wife Hermamberga Bodinus reports That he heard from the mouth of Roileius Embassadour generâ—ll amongst the Blasenses who affirmed That it the marriage of a young couple just as they were ready to receive the benediction from the Priest a boy was seen by him tying one of these Magick knots in the Temple whom thinking to have deprehended the boy fled and was not taken Bodinus further adds That in the year 1567. he then being Procurator in Patavia the Gentlewoman in whose house he sojourned being it seems a pregnant scholer in this Art related unto him in the presence of one Jacobus Baunasius That there were fifty severall waies of tying this knot to hinder copulation either to bind the Husband or the Wife only that one hating the others infirmity might the freelier pollute themselves with Adulteries She said moreover the man was often so charmed the woman seldom and difficulty besides this knot might be tied for a day for a year for the present time or for ever or whilst the same was unloosed That it might be tied for one to love the other and not be again beloved or to make a mutuall and ardent love betwixt them but when they came to congression to bite and scratch and tear one another with their teeth and nails In Tholosia a man and his wife were so bewitched who after three years being uncharmed had a fair and hopefull issue and which is more to be wondred at in that time there appeared upon some part of their bodies so many tumors or swellings like small knobs of flesh as they should have had children if that impediment had not hapned Some there are that may be charmed before Wedlock and some after but those hardly There are others whom their effascinations can keep from ejecting their Uâ—ine others to make them that they cannot restâ—ain it all but of the first divers have perished She likewise told him sundry speeches belonging these Witcherie the words whereof were neither Hebrew Greek Latine French Spanish Italian nor indeed deriving their Ecymology from any known Language whatsoever Erasmus in the explanation of the Adage Pasâ—tis Semiobutus writes of some Witches that by their incantations could command in any void room Tables on the sudden to be spread and furnished with meats and juâ—kets of all varieties to tast the palat and when the guests had sufficiently â—ed and satisfied every man his own appetite with one word could likewise command all things away as if no such thing had been others also that when they had bought any commodity of any man their backs were no sooner turned but the mouâ—e they laid out would instantly forsake the seller and return into the purse of the buyer But to begin with the ancient Poets by their testimonies it is manifest that the practise of Witches and Witch-craft hath been it great that by their Charms and Spels they have had the power to transhape men into bruit beasts to alter the course of the Planets and Stars have changed the Seasons making the natural course of the yeer preposterous further that their exorcismes have extended to Herbs Flowers Fruits and Grain to infect men with Diseases and cattel with Murren to delude the Eies and weaken the Sences bewitch the Limbs bind the Hands gyve the Feet and benumb the other Members apoplex all the vitall Spirits and raise up dead bodies from their Sepulchers nay more to call the Moon down from her Sphere with other most strange things as miraculous to relate as difficult to beleeve of such in his first book Tibullus speaks Hanc ego de Coelo ducentem sidera vidi This Wâ—ich I did espie To call the Stars and Planets from the skie Now that women have been more addicted to this devilish Art then men is manifest by the approbation of many grave Authors Diodorus in his fiâ—t book de Antiquorum Gestis Speaks of Hecate that she was the first that ever tempered Acomtum a venomous Herb which some call Libbards bane others Wolve bane applying her selfe to confections of sundry deadly poisons This was frequent among the Romans nay even among the noblest matrons as their own writers testifie Of the like Saint Austin speaks in his book de Civitate Dei so Pliny affirms in his five and twentieth book and second chapter That women are most prone to these unlawful Arts for so we read of Medea Cyrce and others whom the Poets fabled to be goddesses of whom we shall find occasion to speak of in their order Suidas of women Witches cites an old proverb Thessala Mulier by which he notes all of that practise as peculiar to that Sex not to men Therefore Quintilian speking of this argument thus determines it Theft saith he is much prevailing with men and Witchcraft most familiar with the Sex of women Of Cyrce and others remembred by the Poets SHe was the daughter of the Sun and the Nymph Persa and was said to be so exquisitely cunning in these effascinations that she changed men into severall shapes of beasts and the companions and associates of Vlysses into Swine She inhabited not far from Caieta a City of Campania The Marsians a people of Italy were said to be lineally descended from this Cyrce who likewise succeeded her in that devilish Art Gellius writes of this Nation That they had skill in taming the most poisonous Serpents and to make them gentle and servile to their use their Charms Exorcisms and Incantations by which they had power in the transhapes of creatures their mixture of herbs and tempering of drugs
L. Adrianus Ferreus vicar generall amongst the Laodunenses hath left remembred that one Margarita Bremontia the wife of Noel Laveretus confest unto him that she with her mother Mary upon a munday night not long before her examination came into a like assembly at the mil call'd Franquisenum which stands in the medow neer unto Loginum who bestriding a broomstaffe after some few words mumbled to her selfe they were presently transported thither where they found Joanna Roberta Ioanna Guillemina Mary the wife of Simon Agnes and Gulielma the wife of one Grassus every one mounted upon the like wooden horse there met them six spirits or devils according to their number in humane shape but in aspect horrible c. who after they had danced together every Devil singled out his mistresse and had with them mutuall copulation she saith the Devil kist her twice and had her company for the space of halfe an hour Guillemina confest the like as also Perfrigidum semen ab eo Excreatum The song used in those dances was this Har Har Diabole Diabole Sali huc Sali illuc Lude hic Lude illic Then answered the rest Sabaoth Sabaoth i. The feast day of c. Iohannes Megerus the accurate writer of the Flanders History relates that in the year 1459 a great number of men and women Witches were burned who publickly confessed their unguents transuections dances feasts and consociety with Devils so likewise Iacobus Sprangerus of German Witches in the Cities and Villages about Constantiensis and Ratisbone in the year 1485 reports the like I could tire the Reader with infinite examples authors testates and adjurors with the places times and circumstances one or two at the most shal suffice Ioachimus Cameracensis in his book de Natura Demonum tels us of a traveller that passing by night through a forrest hear the like noise of musick mirth dancing and revels and approaching neerer to discover the novel espied the like convention when on the sudden the Devils and Witches all vanished and left behind them certain bowls and cups of plate with the names of the owners ingraven upon them which he took and carried the next day to the Magistrates by which many of the Witches were known these discovered others all which were condemned to the stake In the year 1504 Salvertus being President amongst the Pictavians where he with Daventonius his fellow President sate as Judges three men and one woman were convicted and after doomed to the fire all these confest the ceremonies in the before named nightly meetings as also there was a Goat placed in the middest of them whose hinder parts they all kist every one holding a lighted candle in their hand At length with these lights the Goat was burned to ashes of which every of them received a quantity This dust they scattered upon the thresholds of Houses Stable doors Ox-stals or Sheep-coats to destroy either Children Horses Sheep or such Cattel of their enemies This being distributed amongst them the devil cried with a loud voice Revenge your selves of your enemies or die your selves At the next meeting every one was particularly examined of the mischiefes they had done and such as could not give just account of some or other ill were publiquely mocked and derided by the rest and after received so many stripes as were adjudged her by the Devil insomuch that one Witch confessed she could never rest and be at quiet in her own thoughts unlesse she were doing some villany or other and if she had no worse work in hand she must break Pots Glasses pluck out the Spiggots and let the Beer run out of the barrels into the Cellar floors to keep her hand in ure Of the power of Witches and Witchcraft Virgil who was held not to be the least amongst the Magicians speaks in many places but none more amply then Ovid when he thus writ Quam volui ripis ipsis mirantibus amnes In Fontes rediere suos c. When so I list I make the banks admire To see the floods back to their heads retire And stay them there when standing on the shore I strike the Seas I make the billowes rore And calm them being angry I beat back The stormy Clouds or can command the Rack To bring in sweeping Tempsts the four Winds My Incantation doth let loose or binds I remove Woods shake Mountains when I speak The Vipers jawes I by my spels can break When I but please the Earth beneath me grones And Sepulchers from the corrupted Bones Send forth their Ghosts before my face t' appear I thee O horned Moon call from thy Sphear c. Much more might be cited out of the ancient Poets to illustrate these collected out of our moderne histories of later times and almost every day presented before our eies But this one shall serve for mauy Of Witches that have either changed their own shapes or transformed others VVHether this be possible in nature or no or whether it hath any time been suffered by the Divine permission hath been a Question as well amongst the Theologists as the Philosophers It is no businesse of mine at this time to reconcile their Controversies my promise is only to acquaint you with such things as I have either read or heard related which if they erre in any thing from truth blame not me but the Authors Concerning Lycantropia or men that change themselves into Wolves Doctor Bordinus generall Procurator for the King relates That a Wolfe setting upon a man he shot him with an arrow through the thighâ— who being wounded and not able to pluck out the shaft fled to his house kept his bed being found to be a man and the arrow after known by him that shot it by the Lycantropies confession Those that are the diligent Inquisitors after Witches report it in a book intituled Malleum Maleficarum That a Countryman was violently assaulted by three great Cats who in defence of himself wounded them all dangerously and these were known to be three infamous Witches who were after found bleeding and by reason of their hurts in great danger of death Petrus Mamorius in his book de Sortilegis affirms that he saw the like in Sabaudia Henricus Coloniensis in Libello de Lamiis affirms for an undoubted truth as also Vlricus Molitor in his book dedicated to Sigismund Caesar in a Disputation before the Emperor confidently witnesseth That he saw of these Lycantropi which have transhaped themselves at Constantinople accused convicted condemned and upon their own confession delivered unto death These the Germans call Werwolff the Frenchmen Loups Garous the Picards Loups Warous i. divers Wolves the Greeks call them Lukanthropous or Mormolukias the Latines or the Romans call them Versipelles i. Turn-coats or Turn-skins as Pliny in these transmutations hath observed Francisâ—â— Phoebus Fecensis Comes in his book de Venatione i. of Hunting saith That by the Garouz is signified Gardez-vous i. Guard or look to your selves Pomponatius and
questions as were demanded him These things have been so common that Saint Augustine himself as he will not affirm the transformation of Apuleius so he doth not deny it but leaves it as a thing possible to be done by Witch craft De Civitate Dei lib. 18. cap. 18. Of the like opinion is Paulus Aegenita Theophrastus Paracethus Pomponalius and Fernetius the excellentest Physitians of their age Fern. lib. de abditis rerum causis You may read in the History of Saint Clement That Simon Magus transformed Faustinianus into his own shape that he was not only unknown to familiar friends but denied and abjured by his own wife and children This Simon came likewise to Nero and told him if he cut off his head he would within three daies appear to him alive which Nero having caused to be done in a great confluence of people he came to him after according to his promise for which Nero caused a Statut to be erected to his honour and inscribed upon the same Simoni Mago deo i. To Simon Magus the god From which time Nero wholely applied himselfe to that devilish Art But Simon as the History relates had deceived the eies of the Emperor with the multitude and had caused a Goat to be beheaded in his shape The like Apuleius relates of himself who when he had thought he had slaine three sundry men with his own hand found them after three Goats skins effacinated by the Witch Pamphila Among these Witches it shall not be amisse to insert a she-devill or two Franciscus Picus Mirandulanus in his book de Praenotione tels of a Priest who was a Witch called Benedictus Berna of the age of fourscore years with whom he had conference he confessed unto him that for the space of forty years and upward he had carnall consociety with a shee Spirit who called her self Hermione who continually attended on him but visible to no man save himself He further confest that he had sucked the blood of many infants with other most horrid and exâ—â—â—able commissions and in this Wiâ—â—ius and Bodin though in many opinions they were Antagonists agree They relate a further History confirmed by Cardanus de varietat lib. 15. cap. 80. of one Pinnetus who lived to the age of seventy years and upward and exercised the like congression with a Spirit in a feminine shape who called her self Florinâ— and continued their familiarity and acquaintance for the space of forty years How true or false I know not but I have heard the like not many years since by an English Gentleman whose name I am loath to use who had the like company of a Spirit who called her selfe Cadua the circumstances I cannot discover without offence though they be worthy both relation and observation Of Witches that have confest themselves to have raised tempests in a most serene Skie with other things of no lesse admiration IN the book of Inquisitors lib. 4. de Malific it is recorded that Anno Dom. 1488. in Constantiensis there were terrible tempests prodigious hail and storms the like not seen before and these within the compasse of four miles but the air or temperate heavens beyond that space seemed no way disturbed upon which the villagers laid hands upon all such suspected women as were thought to be of that devilish practise amongst which were two the one called Anna de Mindele the other Agnes who first obstinately denied themselves to be so addicted but after being called before the Magistrates and strictly examined apart they confest that the one unknown to the other went into the fields where either of them made a pit in the earth into which they poured a certain quantity of water somewhat before noon and by uttering certain words not fit to be named and invoking the name of the Devill they were no sooner got home to their cottages but those miraculous storms and tempests hapned The same author specifies the confession of another Witch of the same place who seeing all her neighbours and acquaintance invited to a solem wedding where after dinner in a fair and temperate day all the guests disposed themselves into the fields to sport and dance according to the custome she caused her selfe to be transported into the air by the Devill in the open day and sight of certain shepherds to a certain hill neer unto the Village where because she had no water ready she notwithstanding digged a pit and for necessity because it is a ceremony used in all these diabolicall practises she made water which stirring in the same pit and speaking some blasphemous words instantly the air and skie which was then clear and unclouded was filled with storms hall and tempest which poured with such vehemency upon the guests of the Village and upon them alone that they were pitiously wet and weather-beaten till they had not any of them a drie thread about them all imagined this to be done by Witch-craft the same woman was accused by the shepherds who confessing the fact was adjudged unto the stake In this is to be oâ—served that the fruits the grain nor vines were blasted though there is a law extant in the twelve tables Qui 〈…〉 poenas dato i. They that shal inchâ—â—nâ— or blast the fields let them be punished There was another edict which prohibited any man from drawing the fertility and harvest of another mans field into his own ground in these words Ne alienam segetem pellexeris incantando and in another place Ne incantanto ne agrum defraudanto which hath reference to the former By the authority of these Roman Ordinances specified in the twelve Tables Turniâ—â— was accused by Sparius Albinus because when there was a dearth in the Country his fields were only abundant and plentifull and where other mens cattell died of the 〈◊〉 and murren his were fat fair and in good plight and liking upon this accitement he caused his horses his oxen his â—eems cattel and servants all to appear with him before the Senate and there pleaded that the Masters eie made the cattel fat and his care and industry the servant thriving sightly and in good liking protesting he knew no other inchantments and for that answer was acquited by the Senate Notwithstanding this we may read in Sprangerâ—â— of Hyppenes and 〈◊〉 two famous Magicians of Germany who confessed that they could at any time steal the third part of the crop one of anothers field at their pleasure when by the most authentick judgements it is approved that no Witch or Conjurer was ever known to 〈◊〉 himselfe â—he value of one 〈◊〉 by his Magick documents The like I could 〈…〉 of Pontanus and other Authors withal 〈◊〉 ancient verse borrowed by all the Magicians from Virgil 〈…〉 If to my 〈…〉 I will 〈…〉 that mine In the Scottish-Chronicle it is related of King Dussus to be troubled with a strange disease that he could eat wel drink wel and in the constitution of his body found no imperfection
he sate at the table there came a woman with a box of ointment of Spicknard very costly and she brake the box and poured it upon his head and when some said disdaining To what end is this wast for it might have been sold for more then 300 pence and given to the poor Jesus said Let her alone she hath wrought a good work on me c. and proceeded Verily I say unto you wheresoever this Gospell shall be preached throughout the whole world this also that she hath done shall be spoken in remembrance of her The woman of Canaan was so full of naturall pitty and maternall piety that she counted her daughters misery and affliction her own when she said to Jesus Have mercy upon me O Lord the son of David for my daughter is sore vexed with an evill Spirit Mat. 15. The women stood by to see the Lord suffer and followed the crosse when he was forsaken of his Apostles Luke 23. Iohn 19. They were carefull likewise to visit him in his sepulcher Mat. 28. Luke 24. The wife of Pilat had more compassion of Christ and more unwilling that he should suffer upon the crosse then any man of whom the Scripture makes mention Mat. 27. Mark 16. Iohn 20. For deeds of charity and dealing alms to the poor and needy widdowes and Orphans they intreated Peter weeping that he would visit Tabitha being dead who moved with their tears kneeled and praied at whose intercessions she was restored to life Acts 9. Herod having slain Iames the brother of Iohn with the sword and seeing that it pleased the people he proceeded further to take Peter and put him in prison delivering him to the charge of four quaternions of souldiers to be kept but the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in the night took off his double chains and led him out of prison who having past the first and second watch the iron gate opened to the Angel and him and finding that which he thought to be a vision to be a reall truth he came to the house of Mary the mother of Iohn whose surname was Mark where many had separated themselves to praier Peter knocking a maid whose name was Rhode came to the door who hearing and knowing Peters voice the Scripture saith the opened not the door for gladnesse but ran in and told them that Peter stood without at the entry In which are to be observed two memorable women for their zeal piety 〈…〉 whose joy was so great at the very 〈…〉 from the prison of Herod and Mary 〈…〉 was a devout harboresse and 〈…〉 disciples of Christ into 〈…〉 persecution to perform their zealous and 〈…〉 Acts 12. Lydia 〈…〉 purple beleeving 〈…〉 which Paul preached was baptised with her 〈…〉 after which she intreated them in their words 〈…〉 think me worthy saith she to be a faithful servant 〈◊〉 Lord and God vouchsafe to enter my house 〈…〉 here and she compelled us as Luke â—aith By which is concluded that women have been the ready willing and devoâ—â— hearers of the word of God Acts 1â— Many 〈◊〉 question zealous and religious â—omen have to their power strived to imitate those with their best of industry Amongst others I might instance one now of a great age as having much past that number by which David reckons the years of man yet from her youth hath lead a life without any noted stain of blemish devout in her zeal remarkable in her charity beloved of all hated of none a Physitian to the sick and Chirurgion to the wounded who with her own hands hath sent more lame and diseased persons from her gate whole and sound then Lazarus had sores about him when he lay at the rich mans gate unrelieved she feeding with loaves when that purple glutton would not spare crums she doing this out of a widowes mite when he would not do any thing out of a Mammons treasures happy be her resurrection as her birth was hopefull whose name at the Font was a future prediction to her blessednesse above Felicity she is called on Earth Eternall Felicity may she enjoy in Heaven Peter de Loyre a French in his book of Specters Sights and Appaâ—itions hath very well observed that the Syrens and Muses may be in some sort compared together for as there are three sorts of Nymphs namely of Air Water and Earth so there are of the Muses some that take their being from the continuall moving and stirring of Waters a second made by the agitation of the Air engendring sounds a third from the Earth which is called Voice or distinguishable words spoken to the capacity of the hearer So of the Syrens Parthenope presented with a womanish amiable and inchanting face importeth the Voice and proceedeth from the Earth as of the three the most materiall and weighty Ligia denoteth Harmony arrising from the melodious sounds of the Air. And Leâ—eosia called Alba dea or the white goddesse is the Hieroglyphick of the ebbing and flowing in the Sea which begetteth the white froth or some of which Venus is said to be engendred so that by these three the Nymphs the Muses and the Syrens are comprehended the art of Musick existing of three things Harmony Rythme and Number Harmony proceeding from the air Number from the Sea bounded within his compass yet as we see in Hexameter and Pentameter and other verse ebbing and flowing according to the growth and wane of the Moon To these is added the Voice which the Greeks call Logos the French Romans Dictier To Harmony are appropriated Sounds to Number or Rythme Dances and to the Voice all kind of Verse But to come to my present purpose all these including one generall musick and Calliope as she participates from every one so comprehending all I think it not impertinent as in a consort many Instruments make but one melody so in this book to recollect my selfe and give you a taste of many or the most heads discoursed of in the former the better to put you in mind of the penalty due to the Vicious and the guerdon and reward stored for the Vertuous and that in compendious History The Goddesses Nymphs Graces Muses Sybils Vestals c. I omit as sufficiently spoken of and apply my selfe to things more familiar and necessary to instruction I begin with the bad because my desire is to end with the best and of Incest first The sister of Leucippus I Insist not of the several sorts of Incest neither purpose I to stand upon the multiplicity of History let this one serve to remember you of the former Leucippus the son of Xanthius who derived his Genealogy from Bellerophon he was excellent both in strength and valour above all that lived in his daies not in private contentions only but in forreign combustions he demeaned himself with such discretion and courage that having subdued the Lycians and awed all the neighbor nations about him having no enemy to invade nor opposite people to lift up a rebellious
Floralia Of her Ovid thus speaks in his fifth book Fastorum Hunc mens implevit generosa Flore maritus Atque ait arbitrium tu dea Floris eris Tro and Thor. These are the names of a goddesse and a god spoken of in the history of Saxo Grammaticus Furina Is the goddesse of theeves her sacrifices are kept in the night as best affecting deeds of darknesse The Etruscians call her the goddesse of lots such as are drawn for the taking up of controversies Hippona She hath the government and protection of Horses whom hostlers and grooms of stables have in great adoration her picture is still in the place where their horses stand of her Juvenal speaks in his eighth Satyre Horchta is a goddesse worshipped in the City of Etruria as the genius of the same place From her the village by called Horchianus takes name Laverna She is over theeves who make supplication to her for good and rich booties as that she would charm the houshold with sleep keep the dogs from barking and the door hinges from creeking to detend them from shame and keep them from the gallowes Horace in his first book of Epistles Pulchra Laverna Da mihi â—allere da sanctum justumque videri Viz. Oh faire Laverna grant me that I may cousen and deceive but grant me withall that I may appear to the world a just man and an holy Mania was a goddesse and mother of the Lares or houshold gods to whom children were used to be offered in sacrifice for the safety of their familiar friends that were in travell by land or sea or in any feare of danger But Junius Brutus in his Consulship altered the property of that oblation and changed the innocent lives and blood of Infants into the heads of garlick and poppie which served in the stead thereof Medetrina Mellonia Mena Murcea c. Medetrina She was the medicinall goddesse and was called so à Medendo she had power in the ministring of Physick her solemnities were called Medittinatia So likewise Mellonia was thought to be goddesse and chiefe Patronesse of honie Mena had predominance of some secrets belonging to women Murcea was she that was worshipped by such as were lazie idle and sloathfull Nundina She was a goddesse amongst the Romans taking her denomination of the ninth day called dies Lustricus In that day children had their names given them as Macrobius relates the males on the ninth day the females on the eight day after their birth Pecunia likewise was numbred among their goddesses Pitho Razinna Robigo Rumilia Pitho was thought to be the goddesse of eloquence the Latines called her Suada Razenna was one amongst the Etruscians who was to rule in Wedlock and marriages Robigo and Robigus were a two sex deity of whom the Romans were opinionated that they could preserve their sheaves and unthresh'd corn from being musty or mouldy Their Festivals were called Robigalia Rumilia was the protectâ—â—sse of sucking infants as ancient Writers are of opinion for Ruma signifies mamma a dug and therefore sucking lambs are called Subrumi Runcina belongs to the gardens and is said to be the goddesse of weeding her the poor women weeders have in great reverence Seia Segesta Tutilina c. Seia the ancients report to be the goddess of sowing and Segesta had her name from the binding up of the sheaves both these had their Temples in Rome in the time of Pliny Tutilina and Tutanus were gods so called of Tutando preserving or keeping safe Eanius cals them Aevilernos and Aevilogros as much as Ever liv'd and ever in the perfectness and strength of their age because it was in full power and vigour not subject to mutability or capable of alteration In naming of gods we may as well use the feminine as the masculine and the masculine as the feminine gender as Virgil speaking of Venus Discendo ducente deo Flammam inter hostes Expedior Down come I and the god my guide I make no stay But boldly through the enemy and fire I force my way Vacuna dea was Lady and Governess over those that were vacant and without business especially had in reverence by swains and husbandmen who after the gathering of their harvest had a cessation from labour Vallania was held to be the goddess of vallies Vitula dea had predominance over youthfull mirth and blandishments For Vitulari was by the ancient grammarians taken for gaudere to be glad or rejoice Volupta is held to be the goddess of Pleasure Rhaea This goddess hath by the Poets allowed her a Charriot drawn by four Lyons a Crown upon her head of Cities Castles and Towers and in her hand a golden Scepter Priests could not offer at her Altar before they were guelded which order was strictly observed in memory of Atyos a beautifull Phâ—ygian youth and much beloved of Ceres but would no waies yeeld to her desires because as he excused himselfe he had a past vow of perpetuall chastity but after not mindfull of his promise as Dorytheus Corinthius in his histories relates he comprest and defloured the nymph Sagaritides of whom he begat Lydus and Tyrhenus Lydus gave name to Lydia as Tyrhenus to Tyrhena For this the imaged goddess strook him with such furie and madnesse that he guelded himselfe and after would have cut his own throat had not she commiserating his penitence transform'd him to a Pine-tree or as others will have it restored him to his sences and made him one of her Eunuch Priest N. cander in Alexâ—pharm saith her sacrifices were observed every new Moon with much tinckling of brass sound of timbrels and strange vociferation and clamours Some fable that Jupiter being asleep and dreaming let that fall to the earth which may be called Filtus ante patrem of which the earth conceiving produc'd a genius in an humane shape but of a doubtfull sex male and female called Agdâ—stâ— the gods cut off all that belonged to the masculme â—ex and casting it away out of that first grew the Almond tree whose fruit the daughter of the flood Sangatius first casting and hiding part thereof in her bosome as they wasted there and vanished so she began to conceive and in time grew great and brought forth a son whom laying out in the wood he was nursed by a goat and fostered till he was able to shift for himself As he grew in years so he did in beauty insomuch that he exceeded the ordinary feature of man of him was Agdistes wondrously inamored who when he should have married with the daughter of the King of Pestinuntium by the inter-comming of Agdiste such a madness possest them borth that not only Attes but his father in law likewise caused their parts of generation to be cut quite away Pausanias in Achaicis saith that for his tare beauties sake Rhea selected Attes into her service and made him her Priest Those of that order were called Matragyrte as either begging publickly or going