that cause many women in their modestie rather suffered themselues to perish for want of helpe than that any man should bee seene or knowne to come about them Aboue all the Athenians were most curious that no seruant or woman should learne the art of Chyrurgerie There was a damosell of that cittie that was verie industrious in the search of such mysteries whose name was Agnodice but wanting meanes to attaine vnto that necessarie skill she caused her haire to be shorne and putting on the habit of a yong man got her selfe into the seruice of one Heirophilus a Phisitian and by her industrie and studie hauing attained to the deapth of his skill and the height of her own desires vpon a time hearing where a noble ladie was in child-birth in the middest of her painfull throwes she offered her selfe to her helpe whom the modest Ladie mistaking her Sex would by no persuasion suffer to come neere her till she was forced to strip her selfe before the women and to giue euident signes of her woman-hood After which shee had accesse to many proouing so fortunate that she grew verie famous In so much that being enuied by the colledge of the Phisitians shee was complained on to the Ariopagitae or the nobilitie of the Senat such in whose power it was to censure and determine of all causes and controuersies Agnodice thus conuented they pleaded against her youth and boldnesse accusing her rather a corrupter of their chastities than any way a curer of their infirmities blaming the matrons as counterfeiting weakenesse onely of purpose to haue the companie and familiaritie of a loose and intemperate yong man They prest their accusations so farre that the Iudges were readie to proceede to sentence against herâ— when shee opening her brest before the Senat gaue manifest testimonie that she was no other than a woman at this the Phisitians the more incenst made the fact the more henious in regard that being a woman she durst enter into the search of that knowledge of which their Sex by the law was not capable The cause being once more readie to goe against her the noblest matrons of the cittie assembled themselues before the Senat and plainely told them they were rather enemies than husbands who went about to punish her that of all their Sex had beene most studious for their generall health and safetie Their importancie so farre preuailed after the circumstances were truely considered that the first decree was quite abrogated and free libertie granted to women to imploy themselues in those necessarie offices without the presence of men So that Athens was the first cittie of Greece that freely admitted of Mid-wiues by the meanes of this damosell Agnodice Of Women that suffered Martyrdome ANd of these in briefe Corona was a religious woman who suffered martyrdome vnder the tyrannie of Antonius the Emperour Her death was after this manner she was tyde by the armes and legges betwixt two trees whose stiffe branches were forced and bowed downe for the purpose the bowes being slackned and let loose her bodie was tost into the ayre and so cruelly dissâ—uered limbe from limbe Anatholia a Virgin by the seuere commaund of Faustinianus the President was transpierst with a sword Felicula as Plutarch witnesseth when by no persuasion or threats promises or torments she could be forced to renounce the Christian Faith by the command of Flaccus Comes shee was commanded to be shut vp in a Iakes and there stifled to death Murita had likewise the honour of a Martyr who being banished by Elphedorus a certaine Arrian opprest with cold and hunger most miseraby died Hyrene the Virgin because shee would not abiure her faith and religion was by Sisimmius shot through with an arrow The like death suffered the martyr Christiana vnder Iulian the Apostata Paulina a Roman Virgin and daughter to the Prefect Artemius was with her mother Candida stoned to death by the commaund of the tyrant Dioclesian Agatho virgo Catanensis was strangled in prison by the command of the Consâ—ll Quintianus Theodora a Virgin of Antioch was beheaded by the tyrannie of Dioclesian Iulia Countes of Eulalia suffered the same death vnder the President Diaconus Margaritu a maide and a martyr had her head cut off by Olibrius Zoâ— the wife of Nicostratus was nayled vnto a crosse and so ended her life partly with the torture of the gybbet and partly with the smoke that the executioner made at the foot of the gallowes suffocated Iulia Carthagensis because she would not bow to Idolls and adore the false heathen gods but was a constant professor of the true Christian faith was martyred after the selfe same manner Emerita the sister of Lucius king of England who had the honour to be called the first Christian king of this countrie shee suffered for the Faith by fire Alexandria was the wife of Dacianus the President who being conuerted to the Faith by blessed saint George was therefore by the bloodie murderer her husbands owne hands strangled Maximianus the sonne of Dioclesian with his owne hands likewise slew his naturall sister Artemia because that forsaking all Idolatrie shee prooued a conuertite to the true Christian Faith Flauia Domicilla a noble Ladie of Rome was banished into the Isle Pontia in the fifteenth yeare of the raigne of Domitian for no other reason but that shee constantly professed her selfe to bee a Christian. These two following suffered persecution vnder Antonius Verus in France Blondina who is sayd to wearie her tormentors patiently induring more than they could malitiously inflict in so much that before shee fainted they confessed themselues ouercome she readie still to suffer and beare when they had not blows to giue for as oft as she spake these words I am a Christian neither haue I committed any euill she seemed to the spectators of her martyrdome to bee so refreshed and comforted from aboue that she felt no paine or anguish in the middest of her torture and in that patience she continued without alteration euen to the last gaspe Biblis one that before through her womanish weakenesse had fainted for feare of torments comming to see her with others executed was so strengthened to behold their constancie that as it were awakened out of her former dreame and comparing those temporall punishments which lasted but a moment with the eternall paines of Hell fire gaue vp her selfe freely for the Gospels sake Dionisius in an Epistle to Fabius Bishop of Antioch reckons vp those that suffered martyrdome vnder Decius the Emperour Quinta a faithfull woman was by the Infidels brought into a Temple of their Idolls vnto which because she denied diuine adoration they bound her hand and foot and most inhumanly dragged her along the streets vpon the sharpe stones but when that could not preuaile with her they beat her head and sides and bruised them against Mill-stones that done shee was pitiously scourged and lastly bloodily executed The same Lictors layd hands on Appolonia a Virgin
Mistresse of Pisistratus 248 Of Nitâ—tis 249 Of Bersaâ—e 250 Of the wife of Candaules 251 Rowan and Estrilda 252 The faire Lady of Norwich 253 Of Calirrhoe daughter to Boetius 256 Of the wiues of Cabbas and Phaillus c. 257 The daughters of Danaus and the sonnes of Aegyptus 259 Of Manto 260 The wife of Agetas c. 261 A Vicars daughter 262 A faire wittie Wench ibid. Of women deformed 264 The Contents of the sixt Booke inscribed Erato Treating of Chast women and Wantons A Discourse concerning Chastitie and Wantonnesse 267 Of Mary the blessed Virgin 271 Of Petronilla the daughter of S. Peter and other chast Virgins 273 Of chast Wiues and first of Penelope 276 The Historie of a woman of Casa Noua 280 Of Edeltrudis Editha and others 282 Of Wantons 284 Of common Strumpets Concubines and priuate Mistresses 285 Of such as merited the name of Honest Whores 286 Of Lais. 289 Of Glicerium alias Glicera others 293 Of Agathoclea 295 Of Cleophis 296 Callipigae Alogunes Cosmartidenes Audia c. 297 Iulia the daughter of Augustus Caesar. 298 Harlotta the mother to William the Conqueror 300 Of diuers Wantons belonging to sundry famous men Poets and others 301 Of famous Wantons 304 Of Mista and others 308 Of Wantons conuerted 312 The Contents of the seuenth Booke inscribed Polihymnia or Memorie Entreating of the Pietie of Daughters Mothers Sisters and Wiues A Discourse concerning Lyes Ieasts and wittie Sayings 313 Of Pious Daughters 319 The loue of Mothers to their Children 321 Friendship betwixt women 323 The loue of Sisters towards their Brothers 324 Of Matrimonie and Coniugall loue 327 Times forbidden in Marriage 328 Ceremonies before Marriage 329 Of Contracts 330 Of Nuptiall Dowers ibid. Of Nuptiall Gifts or Presents ibid. Of Nuptiall Ornaments Pompe Feasts and Epithalamions c. 332 A description of the Bride comming from her Chamber 333 The Bridegroomes first appearing 334 The Nuptiall Offering ibid. The Nuptiall Song 335 The entrance into their Bedchamber ibid. Sacred Auguries and Nuptiall Expiations 337 The Coniugall Loue of Women to their Husbands 339 Of Bawds 343 Of Age. 345 Of women addicted to Gluttonie or Drunkennesse 346 Of women beloued of diuerse creatures 349 Of women excellent in Painting Weauing c. 350 Of women contentious and bloudie 353 Of women strangely preserued from death and such as haue vnwillingly bin the deaths of their Parents 358 Of Clamorous women commonly called Skoulds 360 Of Tullia and her sister 362 Examples of Patience in women 363 Varietie of discourse concerning women 364 The daughters of Apollo ibid. The Syrens ibid. Women that haue dissembled their shape to good purposes or to bad 365 Women that haue changed their Sex 366 The Contents of the eight Booke inscribed Vrania Entreating of Women euery way Learned Of Poetresses and Witches A Discourse of Astrologie 369 Of famous Astrologians 370 Of women Orators that haue pleaded their owne Causes or others 373 Of women studious in Diuinitie 375 Of women excellent in Philosophie and other Learning 377 A discourse of Poetrie 383 Of women excellent in Poetrie 384 Of Minerua and others 387 Of Sapho 388 Of Cleobule Lindia other Poetesses 394 Of Telesilla Poetria 396 Of Perhilla c. ibid. A discourse of Witches 399 How the Deuill rewards his seruants 400 The wretched ends of sundry Magicians ibid. Seuerall sorts of superstitious Iugling 401 Of Cyrce Medea and other Witches remembred by the Poets 403 Of Witches transported from one place to another by the Deuill 406 Of Witches that haue either changed their owne shapes or transformed others 409 Lycantropia 410 A Piper transformed into an Asse 411 Other miraculous transformations ibid. Of shee Deuils 412 A Witch of Amsterdam 414 A Witch of Geneua 415 Examples of strange kinds of Witchcraft 416 Witches called Extasists 417 Diuerse things to be obserued in Witches 419 The Contents of the ninth Booke 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 419 Of women rauished 421 Of Handmaids Nurses Midwiues and Stepdames 424 The punishment of Incest in the sister of Leucippus 429 The punishment of Adulterie 432 Sisters that haue murthered their Brothers 434 The punishment of Fratricides 435 Of Mothers that haue slaine their Children and Wiues their Husbands ibid. Punishment due to Regicides 436 Punishment of vniust Diuorce 437 Whoredome punished 438 Loquacitie punished 439 Lying punished ibid. Periurie punished 440 Prodigalitie and Excesse punished 441 Witchcraft punished 444 Honor and Reward due to Fortitude 449 Honor and Reward due to Temperance 450 Reward due to Fertilitie or many Children illustrated in diuerse Histories 451 Of Beautie and the Reward thereof 453 A Conuertite rewarded 458 Of Cura or Care 462 Rewards due to women Philosophers Orators or Poetesses 463 FINIS TABVLAE NINE BOOKES OF VARIOVS HISTORIE ONELIE concerning Women Inscribed by the names of the nine Muses The first booke which is CLIO treating of the Goddesses Coelestiall Terrestriall Marine and Infernall BEFORE wee enter into a particular tractate of these Goddesses it shall not bee amisse to speake something of the opinions setled in sundry Nations concerning them Who were their first Adorers and Worshippers the multiplicitie of their gods and what seuerall rights and customes obseruations and Ceremonies they vsed in their Oblations and Sacrifices The Aethiopians are said to bee the most ancient and the first beginners of Diuine adoration as Diodorus is of opinion Imagining in themselues and verely beleeuing some of their gods to bee euerlasting and others to participate of a mortall and corruptible nature The Phoenicians they deliuered admirable and strange things concerning their gods and the first beginning and Creation of things aboue all others hauing in Diuine 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 raigned amongst them they called Coelum which is heauen The Augitae another nation in the Affricke Continent acknowledged no other deityes than the Ghosts of such noble persons as were deceased to whose sepulchers they vsuallie repayred to demand answers of all such things wherein they doubted The Theologie of the Phrygians was not much different from theirs The Persians neither erected Statues nor Altars they worshipped the Heauen which they called Iupiter the Sunne by the name of Mithra the Moone Venus the Fire the Earth the Winds and the Water Isiodorus saith the Graecians first honoured Cecrops whom they stiled Iupiter and were the first deuisers of Images erecters of Altars and offerers of sacrifice The Iewes as Cornelius Tacitus relates apprehended but one diuine power and that onely they acknowledged The Germans of old as the same author affirmes were of opinion That the gods could not bee comprehended within walles nor haue any humane shape appropriated vnto them measuring their incomprehensible power by the magnitude of the heauens Now
both of them being so naturallie beautifull that they were said to be the sonnes of Adonis and Venus The elder raigned in the lower parts of Media the Iunior kept his principalitie in the higher countrey as farre as the riuer Taâ—ais not many leagues distant from thence there liued the king Homartes who had one onely daughter cald Odatis whom as diuers Authours affirme seemed in a dreame to haue seene this Zariadres and of his person to be much inamoured The like in a vision happening to him in so much that he was ardentlie affected to her whome as yet he had neuer seene This Odatis was the fairest Princesse in that time liuing in Asia and Zariadres no whit to her inferiour who sent to the king Homartes to demand her in marriage he would by no meanes yeeld to the motion because not hauing any male issue he was loath to transferre the succession of his kingdome vpon a stranger purposing rather to bestow her on some Prince of his countrey though a subiect Not long after he caused to be assembled all the friends kinsmen Nobilitie and Gentrie of his land inuiting them to his daughters marriage but not yet knowing or hauing determined in himselfe on whom to conferre her His subiects thus assembled hee inuited them all to a solemne and high feast whither hauing called his daughterâ— in the hearing of all his guests he thus bespake her We are now ô Princely daughter to celebrate thy nuptialls take therfore this golden bowle filled with rich Greekish wine and hauing throughlie and aduisedlie perused all this noble companie to whom thou shall daine first to drinke he is vndoubtedlie thy husband She hauing viewed and reuiewed them all none pleasing like that person presented to her in her dreame she demanded of her father some few daies respight which granted she sent word to Zariadres how her affaires stood concerning her marriage and withall much desiring his speedy presence He being in his army neere to Tanais and hearing this newes secretlie conueyed himselfe out of his tent and without any seruant or attendant sauing his chariotter came priuatelie into the Cittie of Homartes hauing in wondrous short space runne 8000 furlongs this done he disposed both of his charriot and driuer and withall putting himselfe into a Scythians habit hee came to the place where this marriage was to be celebrated and thronging in amongst the rest he beheld the beautifull Odatis sad in countenance and tempering her draught with a slow and vnwilling hand to whom approaching more neerer he thus whispered Behold Odatis thy dearest Zariadres for whom thou didst latelie send ready to doe thee all seruice She casting an aduised eye vpon him and perceiuing him to be a stranger beautifull and in all semblance so like the person of whom she had dreamt in a great extasie of ioy dranke to him and gaue him the cup and whilst the rest were amased at the nouell hee snatcht her vp and carryed her where his charriot stood ready and so transported her into Media This their loue was so famous amongst the barbarous people that the history was portraied in all their Pallaces and Temples nay euen in their priuate houses many of the Nobilitie in memorie of her calling their daughters by the name of Odatis Dionisius the Tyrant banisht Dion out of Sicily taking into his owne custody the exyles wife Aristomache and her daughter but after at the great intercession of one of his seruants Polycrates a man by him much affected he compelled the Lady who stil lamented the absence of her Lord vnto a second marriage with this Polycrates who was by nation of Syracusa But Dion hauing gathered fresh forces and expelling Dionisius from Syracusa vnto the Locrenses Arâ—â—e his sister meeting him and congratulating his famous victorie made intercession for Aristomache who with great shame had sequestred her selfe from the presence of her first husband not daring to looke him in the face howsoeuer her second nuptialls were made by force and compulsion But the necessitie of the cause the wondrous submission and modest excuse of Aristomache together with the mediation of Arete so much preuayled with Dion all confirming hir innocence that he receiued his wife and daughter into his familie still continuing their former loue and societie Hippo a woman of Greece trauelling by sea with her husband and being surprised by Pyrats finding the chiefe of them to be inamoured of her beautie rather than yeeld to his lustfull desires she voluntarilie threw her selfe into the sea and was drowned leauing behind her a remarkable president of chastitie her body was driuen vpon Ericheon or as some will haue it the Erythean shore in memorie of whom a sacred monument was raysed which was many yeares after yeerely celebrated with many condigne honours Valer. Max. lib. 7. cap. 1. Chiomara of whom Liâ—ius Frontinus Florus and others haue written was the wife of Orgiantes Regulus and borne in Galatia Plutarch calls her Oriagontes it is thus related of her The army and the forces of the Gallogrecians being part of them defeated and the rest taken captiue by Ca. Manlius then consull neere to the mount Olimpus this Chiomara the wife of Regulus a woman of most knowne modestie and chastitie being first taken and after committed to the custody of a Roman Centurion was forceably by him adulterated A commandement comming from the Consull that all the treasure of which the Lady was possest should be confiscate to the Centurion onely her selfe with that ransome to bee returned safe and vntoucht to her husband she presently promist the captaine to bring him to a place where all his desires should be satisfied He of a couetous disposition with all celeritie hasted with her to the discouerie of this Magazin where she before had placed a company of Gallogrecians her countrey men and in their language commanded them to fall vpon him kill him which done she cut off his head and presented it to her husband and kneeling to him both expressed the nature of her iniury and the manner of her reuenge The censures of the Consull Manilius and her husband Regulus both assented in this That she was of a courage vnmatchable for though her body was brought vnder the subiection of an enemy neither her mind could be conquered nor her chastitie made captiue An antient woman amongst the Syracusans when all the subiects of Dionysius with many execrations cursed and openlie inueighed against his insufferable cruelties she onely was obserued morning and euening to sollicite the gods for his long life and happinesse which comming to the eare of the king he caused her to be called before him and demanded of her the cause Why amongst all his oppressed subiects who dayly wisht his ruin she alone inuoakt the gods for his health and preseruation to whom with an vndaunted resolution she thus answered That which I doe ô King is not without due premeditation and grounded both vpon reason
behold the feathers of the Iay or Parrat with the admirable varietie of the Feasant and Peacock What Rose in the cheeke can counteruaile the Rose of the garden or what azure veine in the temples the blew flower of the field Come to outward habit or ornament what woman doth better become the richest attyre though fetcht from the farthest parts of the world than the Panther his staynes and the Leopard his pleasing and delightfull spots Are not the Fishes as beautifull in their siluer-shining skales and the terrible Dragon as glorious in his golden armour as women apparrelled in cloth of Bodkin or Tissue What is she that exceeds the Doue or Swan in whitenesse or the Pyne or Cedar in straitnesse Let me heare her voyce that can compare with the Nightingale in sweetnesse or behold that eye that can looke vpon the Sunne with the Eagles Why should you faire ones then be prowd of any thing that are by other creatures exceeded in all things Besides eâ—en the choysest beautie amongst you being once enioyed is the lesse esteemed Souldiers hauing vanquisht their enemies hang vp their armes Sea-men that haue attayned their harbour fold vp their sayles The choysest dainties are loathsome to such as haue filled their stomacks and Wine is a burthen to him that hath satiated his thirst Nobilitie of birth is a thing honorable but you are not beholding to your selues for it but your ancestors Riches and Plentie are excellent but they are the gifts of Fortune therefore subiect to change and casualtie Prayse and Honor is venerable but withall vnstable Health is precious but subiect to sicknesse and infirmitie Strength an excellent gift and blessing but neither free from age nor disease Beautie is admirable aboue all and yet subiect to all onely Learning Knowledge Art and Vertue are aboue the enuie of change or mallice of Fortune Neither are you women solely beautifull We reade in Martial lib. 1. of a boy called Achillas of admirable feature of Acanthus whom the gods at his death in memorie of his exquisite forme changed into a flower that still beares his name Amongst the Romans Scipio surnamed Demetrius and amongst the Greekes Alcibiades carryed the Palme from women who as Plutarch in his life reports of him was not onely wondered at in his youth but admired in his age his grace and comelinesse still growing with him Formosum pastor Coridon ardebat Alexim The shepheard Coridon doted on the faire Alexis Saxo Gramaticus speakes of Alphus the sonne of Gygarus whose haires exceeded the brightnesse of Siluer Amaratus was changed into a sweet-smelling flower after his death Calentius speakes of Amphimâ—don thus Formosum Phiale prius arserat Amphimedonta Amphimedon Phiales maxima cura fuâ—t Phiale was enamored of Amphimedon the faire Amphimedon of Phiale became the greatest care Antinous Bithinieus was a youth of that admirable beautie and feature that Adrian the Emperour was enamoured of him in whose memorie he erected a Temple in Mantinea and built a cittie by the riuer Nilus he caused his effigies to be stamped vpon his owne coine therefore Hieronimus as Vollaterranus reports calls him the Emperour Adrians concubine Asterius was the sonne of Ceres a yong man of a singular forme but altogether abstenious from the loue of women whom Ouid in Ilium remembres Astur is celebrated by Virgil Sequitur pulcherimus Astur Astur equo fidens versicoloribus armis The fairest Astur follows next in field Astur that trusts vnto his horse ans particoloured shield Atis the Phrigian youth was for his fairenesse beloued of the mother of the gods Virgill speakes of Auentinus in these words Victoresque ostentat equos satus Hercule pulcro Pulcher Auentinus Faire Auentinus he that of faire Hercules was borne Boasts of his conquering steedes Batillus was the fauourite or sweet-heart of Anacreon the Poet of whom Pontanâ—s de Stellis Amatum a vate Batillum Pictum oculis fuscumque coma roseumque labellis The Poet of Batillus was enamoured With painted eyes browne haire and lips like Roses red By the way Sure there was a great dearth of beautie in those dayes amongst women when boyes and catamites were so doted on by men Bellerephon was not onely affected by Sthenobaea the wife of Pretus king of the Argiues but doted on by Venus Of Castor and Pollux the two faire Tindarides Ouid. lib. 6. thus writes At gemini nondum Coelestia sidera fratres Ambo conspicâ—i niue candidioribus ambo Vectabantur equis The two twinne brothers not as yet accounted 'Mongst the coelestiall starres conspicuous bâ—th Vpon two steeds whiter than snow were mounted c. The yong boy Cestus Martiall thus commends Quanta tua est probitus c. How great thy honesty thy fame as rare Oh sweete child Cestus thou that may'st comparâ— With Theseus sonne did bright Diana see Thee naked once inamoured she would be And tyce thee to some pleasant â—iuers brim There strip her selfe and teach thee how to swim Democles an Athenian youth was of that pulchritude that he was called by all men Pulcher Democles and that which seldome meets with beautie of that rare temperance that when king Demetrius plucked him to haue made him a prostitute to his vnlawfull and beastly lusts to shun his embraces he leaped into a caldron of seething hot liquor and there drowned himselfe Plutarch in Demetrio Diadumenus the cup-bearer to Augustus was of that admirable feature that in the contention which was made at Elis he carried the palme both from men and women Volateran For no other cause was Ganimede sayd to fill Nectar to Iupiter than for his eligancie of forme Galetes was a youth of that excellent feature and so indeered to Ptolomaeus that when diuerse malefactors and for great crimes were led to execution onely at his entreatie hee spared their liues Hypoclides the sonne of Thysander as Herodotus relates was excellent aboue all the Athenians for wealth and beautie Of Hyas the sonne of Atlas and Aethra Ouid 5. de Fast. Nondum stabat Atlas humeros oneratus Olimpo Cum satus est forma conspiciendus Hias Olimpas weight did not as yet Great Atlas backe adorne When as the louely Hyas of Conspicuous shape was borne Hylas the sonne of Hyadamus was not onely indeered to Hercules but doted on by the nymphs called Driades Iulus the sonne of Aeneas and Creusa was taken for Cupid the sonne of Venus Iuuencus was the minion of Catullus as Lygurinus was to Horace so likewise Lycus of whom he thus speakes Et Lycum nigris oculis nigroque Crine decorum Lycus rare Both for his blacke eyes and his blacke sleeke haire Some thing more freely he speakes of the Pulchritude of Nearchus in Carm. and his Odes Of Nireus the sonne of Caropus and Alaga Homer speakes at large as Horace likewise in Carm. and Epedo Tibullus commends his Marathis Maximinus that his head being mangled and bloodie yet notwithstanding in death it looked admirable Marcellus the sonne of
Caphisus and Lyriope was so faire that the nymphes were surprised with his beautie Endimion was beloued of the Moone Val Flaccus lib. 8. Latmius Aestiua residet venator in vmbra Dignus amore Deae The Latmian swaine sits in the Summer shade Worthie the loue of that coelestiall maide In Ephestion was that maiesticall beautie that the wife of king Darius saluted him for Alexander for his exqusite forme hee was especially beloued of Alexander Virgill commends the shape of Eurialus the sonne of Nisus So Nysus king of the Megarenses was sayd to haue haires of gold they were of such splendor Statius commends Parthenopaus the sonne of Meleager and Atalanta or as some write of Mars and Menalippâ— Caelius Ouid and others celebrate Phaon the beloued of Sappho the Poetesse for the fairest of the world Phedrus Fliensis who was the familiar of Socrates and Plato was for exquisite shape compelled to be prostituted by the baud his maister Of Pyramus Ouid thus speakes Metamorph. lib. 4. Pyramus Thisbe Iuuenem Pulcherimus alter Yong Pyramus and Thisbe he Of all the yong men fairest And she of all the Easterne world Of louelie gyrles the rarest c. Spurinae was a youth of such an alluring beautie that when he could neither reserue himselfe from suit of men or importunities of women hee deformed his owne beautie with scratches and wounds to preserue his owne chastitie Valer. Max. de Verecundis Magnes Smyrnaeus was the most beautifull of his age and so acceptable to Gyges king of Lydia that when his parents cut off his delicate and faire haire somewhat to take off the kings affection the king was so incensed that for that cause alone he made warre against the Magnesians Pauson apud Volater The Poet Musaeus celebrates the rare forme of Leander a youth of Abidos beloued of Hero As Virgill doth the like of Lausus the son of Mezentius Aeneid lib. 7. Herodotus speaking of Xerxes sayth that he had in his armie sixtie eight miriades of men yet amongst them all hee was the beautifullest of face and tallest of stature I could reckon vp others as Pelops Idas Iason Artaxerxes Cyrus Troilus Patroclus Hymene the least of them a prince the minion to a king or the deerely beloued of some queene or goddesse This is onely to put you in mind women That though you haue ingrossed a great portion of beautie yet you are not possest of all since not onely men but diuerse other creatures share with you neither haue I introduced these to derogate any thing from your worths onely to abate some of that ambition or selfeloue which is commonly attendant vpon beautie One thing for your grace I haue read in the Spanish Cronicle of an exquisit ladie the like I did neuer of any excellent man Queene Isabell the wife of Henrie sirnamed the Humble being attyring her selfe in her window against which the Sunne shined somewhat hot it is crediblie reported that the beames of the Sunne set her curled lockes on fire some held it as a prodigie others alluded it to her miraculous beautie some thought that one pane or other in the window was of the nature of a burning glasse and that was the cause others imputed it to certain oyles and sweet vnguents with which the Queens and great ladies vse to dresse their haire howsoeuer if their Cronicle speake truth most certaine it is that her lust made greater combustion in the land than the Sunne had power to commit vpon her haire I haue one thing more to instance to your grace and so I will conclude my discourse An Embassador being to be entertained in the court of queen Elizabeth where the greatest state was still obserued he first passed through a lane of the guard in their rich coats next through the gentlemen pentioners and so through all the greater officers the Lords Eaâ—les and Counsell The Queene sat then in state at the vpper end of a long gallerie which when the Embassador should enter the great Ladies of either side richly attired were placed through the middest of whom as he passed along he as amased at the stare or admiring at their beauties cast his eye first on one side then on the other and that not without some pause as if hee had beene to take a particular surueigh of all their features but by degrees comming vp towards the Queene who fat like Diana amongst her nymphs or Ariadne in her crowne of starres instated aboue the lesser lights to giue him entertainement and obseruing his eyes still to wander she thus bespake him Auerte occulos ne videas vanitatem i. Turne away your eyes least you behold vanitie to whom hee suddenly replyde Imo potius mirabilia opera Dei i. Nay rather the wonderfull workes of God Since then you are such rather let your vertuous actions beautifie than your vitious deeds any way disgrace his so great and glorious workemanship Of Faire Women OF these Herodica shall haue the first place Niceus in his booke de Rebus Arcad relates That one Cypselus purposing to rayse a new Colonie erected a faire and goodly citie in a spacious Playne bordering vpon the riuer Alphaeus to which place multitudes of the Parrhasians came to inhabite At the same time was a Groue and an Altar celebrated with much pompe and solemnitie to Elusina Ceres with an annuall feast at this publike meeting was a contention Which of all the women was censured to be the fairest The first that had the prioritie and Palme for beautie bestowed vpon her was Herodica the wife of Cypselus Zenophon apud Coelium lib. 7. cap. 53. speakes of Panthaea the wife of Abraditus a nobleman of Persia whom Cyrus hauing defeated the armie of the Assyrians and spoyled their tents tooke captiue Abraditus at that time being absent as not long before employed vpon an Embassie to the Bactrians in which interim Panthaea was in the custodie of a nobleman of Media called Araspes who affirmed of her to the king with great admiration of her feature and beautie That in all Asia her like was not to be seene or found Paulus Diaconus writes of Theodole a Roman Ladie of that admirable splendour that shee attracted the eyes of all men that but glanced that way to dwell vpon her with wonder her haire was bright and yellow which when she pleased to vnloose and let fall about her shoulders it couered her from the crowne to the heele A large description he makes of her perfections howsoeuer most certaine it is that the king Cambeoles was extreamely entangled in the snares of her beautie Saxo Gramaticus in his Danish historie commemorates one Suabilda a Queene in all the lineaments both of bodie and face to be of that rare pulchritude that being doomed vnto a wretched and miserable death and bound with thongs of leather to be trod vpon by the hoofes of wild horses her beautie struck such an impression euen in those vnreasonable creatures that
hee O Diogenes worthie thy iust taxation to accompanie with a woman with whom many others haue had commerse Againe being by others calumniated for his often repayre and publike recourse to her in regard of her common prostitution and therefore the greater blemish to his more austere profession hee thus satisfied them This is the difference betwixt me and the rest of her Clyents I onely enioy Lais all others are enioyed by her When Demosthenes the famous Orator of Athens desired to haue had companie with her and shee for one nights lodging demanded of him a thousand Drachmaes affrighted with the name of so great a summe he thus replyed I purpose not to buy repentance so deare A young man much taken with her beautie came to Diogenes the Cinicke and asked him this question What if a man should marrie with Lais Who presently answered For a young man it is much too soone and for an old man it were farre too late Concerning her I haue read an elegant Epigram of an old man desirous of companie with her at any rate and her wittie answere to him Canus rogabat Laidis noctem Myron Tulit repulsam protinus Causamque sensit caput fuligine Fucauit atra Candidum c. White-headed Myron did of Lais craue To haue one night and he her price would pay Which she deny'd But why he could not haue His purpose he perceiu'd his head was gray He knew his age betray'd him therefore hee Dyes his hayre blacke and did his suit renew She seeing face and head to disagree And them comparing with considerate view Thus sayes Why do'st thou vrge me thus the rather Since but eu'n now I did denie thy father Nimphodorus Syracusa in his booke De admirabil writes That Lais came into Sicily from Hycaris the most defenced citie of that countrey but Strattis in Macedon or Pauson affirmes her to be of Corinth in these words Dic vnde sunt ductae puellae Venere nuper ex Megara Corinthiae Decus Lais Ingens Aelian de Varia Histor. Lib. 10. sayth That Lais casting her eyes vpon a young man of Cyrenaea called Eubatas neuer left solliciting him by all womanish enticements till shee had made him promise her marriage but the solemnization not to be performed till hee had returned Victor from the Olympicke Games in which hauing had good successe but fearing to hazard the embraces of a strumpet he tooke her Picture onely and carryed it to his citie of Cyrena boasting by the way that hee had marryed and borne thence Lais. Which she hearing and enraged at the skorne thereof writ to him this or the like Letter O false and periured man Whose lust hath no satietie Since nothing please thee can Saue changes and varietie O thou alone Constant to none In nothing settled saue Impietie Our Sex why do'st thou blame Tearme women sole offenders 'T is you that past all shame Are still your owne commenders That care nor feare To whom you sweare Cease iudging and be now suspenders Phillis was chast and faire Demophoon false and cruell Sapho thought Phaon rare And he tearm'd her his Iewell But Traytors they Their Loues betray Poore we can oft fore-see but not eschew ill Falser than eyther thou As foulely hast betray'd me But I le beware thee now As Heauen I hope shall ayd me All thy procurements And slye allurements Hence-forth shall neuer more persuade me Thy Oathes I hold as Lyes As skorne thy craftie smiling Thy shape a meere disguise Thy practise but beguiling All thy protests As scoffes and ieasts And thy faire words no better than reuiling Poysons I le thinke thy Kisses And from mine keepe thee fastings Thy torments count my blisses Thy breathings feare as blastings And thanke my fate I now can hate Thee whom I now abandon euerlasting It is moreouer reported of her That being of purpose conueyed into the bed of Xenocrates by the meanes of his schollers whom hee had instructed in all austeritie and strictnesse of life but she by no whorish blandishments able to corrupt his temperance his schollers asking her the next morning How shee sped shee told them They had lodged her with a Statue or an Image but no man Tymaeus in his thirteenth booke of Histories sayth That she was beaten to death with woodden foot-stooles by certaine women of Thessalie in iealousie and madnesse because she was beloued of a beautifull young man called Pausonias 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 euer after called The Groue of wicked or vniust Venus Her Sepulcher was neere vnto the riuer Paeneus in Thessalie which runnes betwixt the two great mountaines of Ossa and Olympus and vpon her Tombe-stone this inscription was grauen Roboris inuicti ac animi sit Graecia quamuis Victa tamen formae paruit illa suae Laiais ipse parens Amor est aluitque Corinthus At nunc ipsa tenet inclita Thessalia Though Greece of vnmatcht strength and courage bee It obey'd Lais to thy shape and thee Loue was thy father thee Corinthus bred Who now in stately Thessaly lyest dead This notwithstanding some will not allow her to haue beene educated in the Cranaeum which is a place of exercise in the citie of Corinth Phrine SHe for her beautie was emulated by Lais and was a prostitute in Thespis a citie of Boetia who being for some capitall crime conuented before the Senate and notwithstanding she had a famous Aduocate to plead in her behalfe fearing some harsh and seuere censure she trusting to her beautie bethought her of this proiect before the Sentence was pronounced shee cast off her loose and vpper garments and without any word speaking as farre as womanish modestie would suffer her exposed her bodie naked to the Iudges O Beautie thou canst more preuayle than the tongues of a thousand Orators With her rare forme and extraordinarie feature the old gray-beards were so taken that where before their purpose was to inflict vpon her some seuere punishment they changed their austeritie into loue and pitie and dismissed her without mulct or fine Therefore the famous Orator and Grammarian Quintilian thus speakes The admirable beautie of so compleate a Fabricke more preuayled with the Senate than all the Rhetoricall eloquence of the Aduocate Hyppariâ— Vpon this occasion an Edict was published That from thence-forward no Clyent whatsoeuer should be in presence whilest their Cause was in pleading least either pitie or affection to the person should sway the ballance of Iustice and equitie It is further remembred of her That Praxitiles the most excellent Painter of his time for some courtesies shee had done him or some fauours grac't him with promised to giue her the best and most curious Table in his worke-house but shee by no persuasion or cunning able to wrest from him which amongst so many had the prioritie shee bethought her of this sleight watching a time when the Painter was abroad
pittied her grauitie or suspected her innocence did not cause her to be instantly strangled according to the rigor of her sentence At the importunacie of the daughter he gaue her leaue to visit and comfort her mother but narrowly searcht before her entrance into the prison least shee should carrie with her any food or sustenance to her reliefe rather desiring she should perish by famine and dye that way than himselfe to haue any violent hand in her execution The daughter hauing dayly accesse to the mother who now had past ouer more dayes than the keeper thought was possible by nature and wondering in himselfe how she should draw her thred of life out to that length without any meanes to maintaine it hee casting a more curious eye vpon the young woman and watching her might perceiue how shee first drew out one breast and after another with her owne milke relieuing her mothers famine At the noueltie of so strange and rare a spectacle being amazed he carryed newes thereof to the Triumvir he to the Praetor the Praetor he related it to the Consuls they brought it before the Senate who to recompence what was good in the daughter pardoned all that was before thought ill in the mother For what will not loue deuise or whither true zeale not penetrate What more vnheard or vnexpected thing could be apprehended than for a mother to be fed from the breasts of her daughter Who would not imagine this to be against nature but that we see by proofe true naturall pietie transcends all bounds and limits The like of this we may read of in Plinie of another young marryed woman who when her father Cimon was afflicted with the same sentence and subiect to the like durance prolonged his life from her breasts for which she deserues to be equally memorized Our Parents in no dangers or necessities are to be by vs abandoned and that by the example of Aeneas in whose person Virgil thus speakes as to his father Anchises Aeneid 2. Eia age chare pater ceruici imponere nostrae Ipse subibo numeris nec me labor iste grauabit c. Come my deare father and get vp for see No burthen to my shoulders you can bee No weight at all and hap what can betide One danger or one safetie wee 'l abide Sabellic lib. 3. cap. 6. remembers vs of Rusticana a noble Matron of Rome and the daughter of Synnarchus who with his brother Boetius the famous Philosopher being put to death by Theodoricus king of the Gothes Shee after the Tirants miserable end was the cause that all his Statues in Rome were demollished and ruined purposing vtterly if it were possible to extirpe his memorie that was the inhuman murderer of her father for which fact of hers being called in question before king Totila who succeeded him she was so far from excuse or deniall that she approued the deed with all constancie whose noble magnanimitie resolution prooued more auailable to her saftie than any timerous euasion could haue done for he not only dismissed her vnpunished but highly applauded and commended Fulgos. Sabellicus and Egnatius writing of Alboinus king of the Longobards who at his first enterance into Italie hauing subdued and slaine Turismundus whom some call Cunimundus sonne to Cunimundus king of the Gepidanes and after taken his daughter Rosamunda to wife the Historie sayth hee made a bole of her fathers skull in which one night hauing drunke somewhat lauishly he caused it to be filled with wine and sent to Rosamunda then in her chamber with this message Commend me to my Queene and say I command her to drinke with her father The Ladie though shee knew him to be slaine by the Longobards receiuing his death by a common casualtie and chance of war and by this assuring her selfe that he fell by the hand of her husband betwixt filiall dutie and coniugall loue being for a time destracted the bond of affection towards her father preuailed aboue those nuptiall fetters in which she was tyde to her Lord in so much that to reuenge the death of the one she resolued to take away the life of the other to bring which about she deuised this proiect she had obserued one Hemegildus a noble man amongst the Lumbards to bee surprised with the loue of one of her waiting gentlewomen with whom she dealt so far that when her maid had promised to giue this Hemegildus meeting in a priuate and darke chamber she her selfe supplyde the place of her seruant after which congression she caused lightes to be brought in that he might know with whom he had had carnall companie and what certeine preiudice he had therein incurred protesting withall that vnlesse he would ioyne with her in the death of the king shee would accuse him of rape and outrage The Lumbard to preuent his own disaster vndertooke his soueraignes death which was accordingly betwixt them performed The murder done they fled together to Rauenna she preferring the reuenge of a slaughtered father before the life of a husband the title of a Queene State Soueraigntie or any other worldly dignitie whatsoeuer Something is not amisse to be spoken in this place concerning the loue of mothers towards their children which as Plutarch in his Grec Apotheg saith was excellently obserued in Themistocles Prince of the Athenians who was wont to say That hee knew no reason but that his young sonne whom his mother most dotingly affected should haue more power and commaâ—nd than any one man in Greece whatsoeuer and being demanded the reason hee thus answered Athens sayth he commands all Greece I Themistocles haue predominance ouer Athens my wife ouer-swayes me â—nd my sonne ouer-rules his mother Olympias the mother of Alexander caused Iollaes graue to be ript vp who was Butler to her sonne and his bones to be scattered abroad raging against him in death on whom in his life time shee could not be reuenged on for the death of her sonne to whom this Iollas was said to haue ministred poyson Agrippina the mother of Domitius Nero by all meanes and industrie possible labouring to confirme the Empire vnto her sonne enquired of the Chaldaeans and Astrologers Whether by their calculations they could find if he should liue to be created Caesar who returned her this answer That they found indeed by their Art that he should be Emperour but withall that he should be the death of his mother To whom she answered Inter-ficiat modo Imperet i. I care not though he kill me so I may but liue to see him raigne Sab. lib. 3. cap. 4. The same Author tells vs that in the second Punick warre the Romanes being ouerthrowne with infinite slaughter in the battailes fought at Thrasiamenus Cannas many that were reported to be assuredly dead escaping with life after their funeralls had beene lamented returning home vnexpectedly to their mothers such infinite ioy oppressed them at once that as if sinking beneath too
honour consume the remainder of their liues in great discontent sorrow and anguish Of this custome Cicero remembers vs Tusc. Quest. lib. 5. Vaeler Maxim lib. 2. cap. 1. Alex. ab Alex. Aelianus Egnatius and others This funerall ceremonie as Fulgos. lib. 2. cap. 6. is continued amongst them vnto this day alluding to this purpose is that of Propert. lib. 3. Foelix eo is lex funeris vna maritis c. Which I thus paraphrase in English You Easterne Husbands in your funerall Lawes Most happie and their first inuentors wise In which you are more famous then because On you the blushing morning first doth rise When Death hath with his last mortiferous wound The Husband strucke his last Rites to prepare A pious troupe of Wiues engirt him round Drying their moist cheekes with their scatt'red haire Who striue which shall associate him in fate And bed with him together in the flame To liue beyond him is a thing they hate And he once dead life is to them a shame She that can die with him hath her desire And leapes with ioy into the funerall fire The like is obserued by a people of Thrace that inhabite a little aboue the Crestonaeans They likewise are delighted with pluralitie of wiues who after the decease of their husbands enter into the like contention as the women of India and she that is Victoresse as if glorying in some great conquest adorned in her best and richest ornaments is with great ceremonious pompe amongst all her kindred and allyes conducted vnto the place where his bodie is to be interred where being slaine by her next of kinne as the best office he can doe her she is buried in the same graue with her husband Herod lib. 5. The wiues amongst the Geates repayre to their husbands Sepulchre and holding all life tedious and burthensome without them offer their bodies willingly either to the sword or to the fire The custome of the Catheoreans was That when the Bride chose her husband she made a couenant with him at his death to be burnt in the same Pile Alex. ab Alex. lib. 1. cap. 25. The women amongst the Herulians a people that inhabite beyond the riuer of Danubius repayre to the graues of their husbands and iust ouer-against them strangle themselues Which marriage-loue appeares the more strange because the men are of that barbarous and inhumane incontinence that they hold it no shame to leaue the societie of their women and haue congression with brute beasts Bonifacius in his Epistle vnto king Ethelbaldus as Gulielm Malmsbur lib. 1. cap. 64. de Anglia relates it sayth That the Winedi are the worst and the most nastie people among the Germans yet their wiues are of that incomparable zeale and pietie toward their husbands that shee is held to be the most laudable and prayse-worthie that with her owne hand kills her selfe to burne with him in his last funerall fire From the generalitie of women I descend to particulars Admirable was the loue of Phila towards her husband king Demetrius and haughtie and magnanimous her spirit who receiuing newes of his defeat in battaile and that his whole armie being dispersed and scattered he was retyred into Cassandria dranke poyson and so died The wife of Straton Prince of Sydonia when the citie was straitly besieged by the Persians her greatest care was least the person of her husband should fall into the hands of the mercilesse enemie which she purposed to preuent by death When therefore shee heard they had skaled the walls and were readie to be instantly possest of the towne and seize vpon the person of her husband she snatcht from him his sword with which she first â—lew him and then laying out his bodie with as much comelinesse as the shortnesse of the time would permit after fell vpon the same sword thus by voluntarie death preuenting the dishonor of captiuitie Fulgos. lib. 4. cap. 6. Fannia the daughter of Arria the younger wife to Poetus Patauinus before remembred in her braue and heroick death with her husband was the Spouse of Heluidius Priscus who followed him in all his exile euen to his vnfortunate and most vniust death she was the third time confined from the reigne of Tiberius Nero to the death of Domitian Plinie with infinite prayses applauds the incomparable vertues of this Fannia with both the Arriaes in Lib. 9. in his Epistle to Quadratus and in his seuenth to Genitor and Priscus Triaria was the noble and chast wife of L. Vitellius brother to Aul. Vitellius the Emperor who as Hypsicrataea followed Mithridates in all his combustious warres so she neuer forsooke her husband but was present with him in all those ciuile dissentions against Vespasian And the night when Vitellius her Lord with a great armie of souldiers inuaded and entred the citie Terecyna shee presented her selfe in the middest of the slaughter not onely daring but doing equally with the most valiant killing on all sides till shee had hemmed her selfe in with dead bodies slaine by her owne hand so bold and magnanimous a spirit had the coniugall loue to her husband imprest in her Her memorie is made famous by the same Author Antonia Flaxilla by some called Archona when her husband Priscus was found guiltie of the Pysonian Faction and for that cause exiled by Nero and when shee might haue enioyed all the plentie and abundance in Rome left all the pleasures and delights of the citie to accompanie her desolate Lord in his penurious and vncomfortable banishment Her example Egnatia Maximilla imitated who likewise associated her husband Gallus guiltie of the same Conspiracie with Priscus Fulgos. lib. 6. cap. 7. From Iacobus the sonne of Vsson Cassannus amongst many other Captaines that reuolted there was one eminent in that Rebellion called Pandoerus who had a most beautiful young wife her age exceeded not sixteene yeeres to whom he was ardently and in conioyned loue affected He being by her often earnestly entreated to forbeare all conflicts with the enemie but by no meanes either mooued by her teares or perswaded with her intercessions and prayers persisting resolute for a present encounter shee then begged of him That before he hasarded himselfe to the extremitie of danger hee would first take away her feares by transpiercing her with his sword which when he likewise denyed he presently left her and gaue signall of battaile in which conflict he was vanquished and slaine his Tent rifled his wife surprised and committed into the hands of one of the chiefe Captaines belonging to the king who pittying her teares and sorrow to which her feature and beautie gaue no common lustre made instant suit vnto her to make her his wife Shee whilest shee could put him off with all possible delayes but after perceiuing that what hee could not compasse with her good will hee purposed to attaine vnto by compulsion and force shee craued onely some few houres of
her ancestors And because eyther her good fortune assisted her or her valour so protected her that shee neuer receiued any apparant wound in battaile may shee not therefore and without any palpable absurditie bee thought invulnerable And so much to apologie in the way of discourse for those supposed impossibilities onely producing these Histories least any thing that sauours not of immodestie that can bee spoke of Women should be left vnremembred Explicit Liber Septimus Inscriptus POLYHIMNIA THE EIGHTH BOOKE Inscribed VRANIA Intreating of Women euerie way Learned of Poetresses and Witches c. POLYHIMNIA remembers me to looke vp to her Sister VRANIA whose contemplation is in the Starres and Planets where mee thinkes I behold the twelue Signes as Manilius in his first booke ASTRONOMICON thus describes their order Aurato Princeps Aries in vellere fulgens Respicit admirans aduersum surgere Taurum c. The Princely Ramme clad in his golden Wooll Lookes backe admiring to behold the Bull Against him rise who with a chearefull face Calls to the Twinnes to bid them mend their pace The Crab these followes and the Lyon than Next the Celestiall Maid not knowne by man Libra comes after who least Time should faile Weighes out the Nights and Dayes in equall Skale And calls the Scorpion on who in his trayne Beares a bright fulgent starre at which in vaine The Centaure with his string drawne to his eare Aimes his keene shaft the Goat doth next appeare That 's Capricornus call'd who oft-times lowres Because to quench his starre Aquarius powres His Lauer forth next after him are plac't Pisces that of the twelue Signes are the last And now whilest mine eyes are yet fixt vpon the starres let it appeare no vnprofitable digression to speake something concerning Astronomie Atlas for his skill in that Art the Poets fabled him to support Heauen on his shoulders and Endimion for obseruing the course of the Moone was therefore sayd to be her friend and louer The Babylonians are reported to bee the first obseruers of the Starres and Planets by whom the Grecians being instructed found out the two Poles deuised the Dyall and distinguished the Day and the Night into foure and twentie houres Zoroastres that flourished in the time that Ninus raigned in Assiria was in this Art famous Palamides the sonne of Nauplius and Climene was the first amongst the Greekes that accommodated the Weekes Moneths and Yeares and proportioned them to the true course of the Sunne hee obserued the terrible eclipse of the Sunne and taught it to be a meere natural cause and not prodigious as it was then feared Philostratus in Heroicis Thales Milesiuâ— one of the seuen wisemen of Greece applyde himselfe to this studie and as Calimachus witnesseth of him was the first that disputed vpon Vrsa maior as Eâ—demus predicted the Eclips of the Sunne to the Ionians which happened in the time that Haliattes was king of Lidia and fought a great and terrible battaile against Aiaxaris king of the Medes Herodotus in Clio. Laertius Lib. 1. Anaximander Milesius the scholer of Thales first taught that the Moone shined only by a borrowed Light and that the Sunne equalled in bignesse the compasse of the whole frame of the Earth and was the purest fire he made the first Sun-dyall in Lacedemon and placed it where it might best giue a shaddow from the reflection of the Sunne he obserued the Aequinoctiall and made Spheres and Horoscopes Laert. lib. 2. Anaxagoras Clazimonius taught That the Sunne was a fire perpetually burning greater in the Circumference than the Island of Peloponessus hee called it a fierie Stone he predicted that a stone should fall from the Orbe of the Sunne which happened neere to Aegos a flood in Thrace in the second yere of the seuentie eight Olimpiad This made Euripides his scholer in Phaâ—tontide to call the Sunne a golden Turfe and that the Moone conteined within her Sphere Houses and Dwellings Hills Valleys Forrests Beasts and People Hee affirmed the Galaxia or Milkie-path to be a meere reflex of the Sunne and no inter-light arising from the Starres Commets he taught to bee a concourse of the wandering Starres and the flames or beards which proceed from them loose sparkes shaken by the Ayre Being asked to what end he was borne into the world hee answered Onely to haue inspection into the Sunne the Moone and the Planets Laert. li. 2. Plin. lib. 2. cap. 60. In this were eminent Parmenides Eleates the scholer of Xenophon Leucippus Eleates Democrates Abderites Xenocrates Chalcidonius who writ six bookes de Astrologia as Laertius witnesseth lib. 4. Eâ—doxus Guidius Theophrastus Erisius Oenopides Chius Meton Lacedemonius both remembred by Aelianus Protagorus Astrologus with infinite others and among these Hyppatia a learned woman of Alexandria daughter of Theon the famous Geometrition and wife to the Phylosopher Isiodorus shee writ of Astronomie kept schoole in Alexandria where she was frequented by many worthie schollers shee flourished in the time of Arcadius the Emperour and was after by such as enuied her fame in learning pittifully slaine and massacred From the professors of this Art I come to the effects therof It is related of Meton the expert Astrologian when the Athenian forces were to be shipped into Sicily to fight against the Syracusans hee foreseeing by his Art the lamentable successe of that battell which after proued accordingly to auoid the danger thereof being a man of especiall imployment in that businesse and to come off without suspision of feare or cowardise hee counterfeited madnesse which the better to confirme hee fiâ—ed a Summerâ—house of his owne which stood neere Pyceta by which act he was iudged to be distracted in his sences and for that reason dismist from his charge Plutarch in Alcebiad P. Nigidiâ—s Figalus was of the Pythagorian Sect excellent both in the Mathematickes and Physicke of whom Lucian lib. 1. At Figulus cui cura deos secretaque mundi Nosse fuit But Figulus whose cheife care was to find And know the gods with secrets from mankind Conceald c. Hee flourished in the time of Caesar hee was skillfull in the reuolutions of the Heauens aboue all that liued in his time amongst other notable effects of his Art hee predicted to Angustus beeing an infant the Imperiall Purple Xiphilin in Augusto Scribonius Mathematicâ—â— told Lyuia the mother of Tiberius Caesar being with child that shee was great with a male infant not a female adding wherein his Art failed Verum sine diademate i. But without a Diademe as ignorant then to what height the maiestie of the Caesars were to ascend Sabellicus lib. 1. cap. 1. It is reported of the Astrologian Thrasillus that when Tiberius was banished by Augustus into the Island of Rhodes and in his greatest mellancholly and discontent had beene often comforted by Thrasillus his schoole-maister as promising him some speedie good newes apprehended from his Art But on a time they two walking together vpon the bankes
in despight or disgrace of her first purposed to cast herselfe from Leucate a high promontorie in Epyre downe 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 backe againe into his countrey which Ouid in her behalfe most feelingly hath exprest And since it lies so fitly in my way for the opening of the Historie I thus giue it English Ecquid vt aspecta est c. I st possible as soone as thou shalt see My charracter thou knowst it comes from mee Or else not reading of the authors name Could'st thou haue knowne from whence this short worke came Perhapes thou maist demand Why in this vaine I court thee that professe the Lyricke straine My lou 's to be bewept and that 's the reason No Barbit number suits this tragicke season I burne as doth the corne-fields set on fire When the rough East winds still blow high and higher Now Phaon the Typhoean fields are thine But greater flames than Aetnaes are now mine No true disposed numbers flow from hence The emptie worke of a distracted sence The Pirhian gyrle nor the Methimnian lasse Now please me not the Lesbians who surpasse Vil's Amithon vile Cidno too the faire So Atthis that did once appeare most rare And hundreds more with whom my sinn's not small Wretch thou alone inioyest the loues of all Thou hast a face and youth too fit for play Oh tempting face that did'st mine eyes betray Take Phoebus Faith vpon thee and his bow And from Apollo who can Phaon know Take hornes and 'bout thy temples wreaths of vine What 's he can say but th' art the god of Wine Phoebus lou'd Daphne Bacchus Gnosis bright Yet neither she nor she could Lyrickes write The nine Muse-sisters of my verse dispose And what my numbers are the whole world knowes Nor can my countrey-man Alcaeus more Than I though he in age stand rank't before Nor though his name sound louder can he raise Or from his Lyre or Country greater praise If niggard Nature haue denide things fit Yet what I want in shape I haue in wit My statur's low but know my name is high And bruited through all regions farre and nigh I am not faire what therein doe I lacke Andromida pleas'd Perfeus yet she blacke The whitest Doues with mingled colours make And the blacke Turtle will the Greene-bird take If none can be thought worthie of thy loue But such as shall thy like in beautie proue Young man despaire thou art for euer free None such ere was none such shall euer bee When first thou readst my Verses thou didst say I onely pleas'd and I was faire that way That I became my phrase and none so well Then did I sing wee louers all must tell And I remember thou 't is still my pride At euery Note didst on my lippes diuide Nay euen those kisses pleas'd thee wondrous well But most of all when I beneath thee fell My wantonnesse contented thee ' boue measure My nimble motion and words apt for pleasure Then when in confus'd rapture we both lay Fulnesse of ioy depriu'd all vse of plaâ— Now the Sicilian girles are thy new spoyle I le be of them and leaue the Lesbian sayle You Nisean mothers and faire daughters bred In Sicilie let him be banished From forth your earth nor let the many Lyes The smoothnesse of his false tongue can deuise Beguile your simple truth what to you â—e Speaks now h' hath spoke a thousand times to me And goddesse Erecina thou that do'st The barbarous rude Sicania honor most Aduise thy Poetesse by thy wit diuine And giue me counsell since thou know'st I am thine Can Fortune in this bitter course still run Vowes she to end those Ills she hath begun Six yeeres are past since my abortiâ—e grâ—nes Mourn'd and my teares wet my dead parents bones My needie brother as a second crosse Dotes on a strumpet suff'ring shame with losse Turn'd Pyrate prooues the Seas with sayle and oare And badly seekes wealth lost as ill before Because my faithfull counsaile that course rated My guerdon is that I by him am hated And least my endlesse torments should find ease My yong irregular daughter addes to these The last and great'st cause why I thus miscarrie Thou art my Barke still sayles with winds contrariâ— Behold my erst well-ord'red Locks mis-plac'd And those that in times past my temples grac'd Neglected are as if they were not mineâ— No precious gemmes vpon my fingers shine My habit 's vile my haire no Crispin weares Nor smell my Locks of sweet Arabian teares Whom should I seeke to please since â—ee's absent That was sole author of mine ornament My soft heart is with easie shafts imprest There 's still new cause to lodge loue in my brest Either because the Sisters three had force When I was borne to spin my thread so course Or this my studies in the Arts constraine Since soft Thalia doth infuse my braine What wonder if a youth of the first chinne Surprise me yeres which man to man might winne I was afraid least faire Aurora thou For Cephalus would'st steale him and I now Am still in feare for surely this had past But that thy first loue holds thee still so fast If Phoebus that spyes all things thee had seene Phaon in lasting slumbers cast had beene Venus had rapt him into heauen by this But that she fear'd Mars would haue made him his Thou that no child and yet scarce man appeares Best age the pride and glorie of thy yeares Returne vâ—to my bosome since of thee I beg not loue but that thou lou'd would'st bee Lo as I write teares from mine eyes amaine Still drop behold how they my paper staine Thy parting had beene gentler in words few Had'st thou but sayd Sweet Lesbian lasse adue Thou took'st with thee no parting kisse no teares I little dream't I was so neere my feares Of thine saue wrong I nothing haue no more Thou let that mooue thee all my loue dost store I gaue thee no command nor had that day Vnlesse some such Do not forget me pray By Loue that neuer can forsake that brest By our nine sacred sisters I protestâ— He 's gone when some but who I know not sayd For a long space both words and teares were stayd Mine eyes had banish't teares and greefe my tongue Through cold my heart vnto my ribs was clung My greefe retyr'd I gaâ— to beat my brest To teare my haire nor blush to walke vndrest Like carefull mothers who with loude exclaimes Beare their dead children to their funerall flames Charaxus walkes by lang hing too and fro And from my extasie his pleasures grow And which more shame vnto my sorrow giues Askes why this woman weepes her daughter liues But Shame and Loue are two the people stare To see my garments torne and brests vnbare Thou
golden heapes weighed by the pound Or if a thousand Oxen plow my ground What profits me my house although it stand On Phrigian collumns wrought by curious hand Dig'd first and fetcht from the Tenarian Mine Or else Caristus whether brought from thine Or woodes beneath my roofe planted for state Which seeme the sacred groues to imitate My golden beames and floores with marble pau'd Or my Pearle-shinining vessalls so much crau'd From th' Ericthraean shores what all my pryde In wooll that 's in Sydonian purple dyde Or what besides the vulgar sets on fire Who still most enuie where they most admire These but the temporall gifts of Fortune are And 't is no pompe can free my thoughts from Care Rewards due to Philosophers Orators and poets IN what honour all Philosophers haue beene of old with Princes and Emperours lyes next in me to speake of as Agathe Pithagoricus with Arcesilaus king of Macedon Plato with Dionisius Aristotle with Philip Alexander Xeno Citteius the sonne of Mnasenus with the Athenians Theophrastus honoured by Demetrius Psaleraeus with golden statues Posidonius entyred to Cneius Pompeius Magnus Ariston to Iulius Caesar Zenarchas to Augustus Appollonius Tyanaeus to Bardosanes king of Babylon Dion Prusienis to the Emperour Traianus Arrius to Alexander Heliodorus to Adrianus Sopater to Constantinus Magnus wiâ—h infinite others of which it is not necessarie now to insist Plutarch remembers vs in the life of Alexander That hee hauing taken ten of these Gymnosphists that were the cause of the falling off of the Sabbea a people of Arabia who had done many outrages to the Macedonians because they were esteemed Phylosophers and famous for their readie and accute answeres he therfore to those ten propounded ten seuerall questions with this condition that hee who answered the worst of them should bee first slaine and so in order the rest and of this hee made the eldest iudges Of the first he demanded Whether in his iudgement he thought there to be more men liuing or dead who answered Liuing because the dead are not The second Whether the Earth or the Sea harboured the greater Monsters Resp. The Earth because the Sea is but part thereof The third What beast of all creatures was the most craftie Resp. That which to man is best knowne The fourth Why did the Sabbae reuolt from Macedon Resp. That they might either Liue well or Dye ill The fifth Whether the day was before the night or the night before the day Resp. The day for one day was before another The sixth What was the best way to make a man generally beloued of all Resp. To be the best man and no tyrant The seuenth How might a man bee made a god Resp. By doing that which a man is not able to doe The eigth Whether is Life or Death the stronger Resp. Life because it beareth so many disasters The ninth hee demanded How long hee thought a man to liue Who answered Iust so long as he desired not to see Death When the king turning to the iudge bad him giue iust sentence hee sayd that one had answered more impertinently than another then sayth the king thou art the first that oughtest to die for so iudging But he replyde Not so ô king because it was your owne condition that he should suffer first that made the worst answere This sayd the king dismissed them bounteously and royally rewarded If then for ambiguous answeres to such slight and yet doubtfull questions Alexander thought them worthie of such gifts and presents with what Memories what Praises what Crownes Collumnes and Statues ought we to dignifie and celebrate the names of queene Zenobia Amalasuntha Aspatia Fuluia Morata and others This Salomon the wisest not only of kings but of men well knew when hauing made proofe of the wisedome of Nicaulis Queene of Aethiopia he sent her backe into her countrey so liberally furnished and so royally rewarded What I haue spoke of these may be pertinently applyde to our women studious in Diuinitie Oratorie and Sophistrie and laboriously practised in all other liberall Arts and Sciences Nor can I more fitly in my mind conclude this worke than as I begun with goddesses so to end with good women Onely of the honour due to Poetesses because it belongs something to mine owne profession I will borrow my conclusion from Ouid in his last Elegie of the first booke Amorum the title is Ad iuuidos quod fama poetarum sit perennis Quod mihi liuor edax ignauos obijcis annos Ingenij que vocas carmen inerte meum Why eating Enuie dost thou as a crime Obiect vnto me Sloath and mispent time Tearming the Muse and sacred Numbers vaine The fruitlesse issue of an idle braine I am not woon to spend my youth in warre By which our predecessors famous are It tempt's not me to search the brabling laws Or at the barre to quarrell in a cause These studies mortall are and transitorie When mine shall purchase me eternall glorie Whil'st Ida stands or Tenedos hath name Or Symois streames shall run so long thy fame Meonides shall liue whil'st graine shall grow Which men with sythe or sicle reape or mowe Whilst vineyards grapes and these grapes yeeld vs wine Famous Ascraeus euen so long shall thine Battiades the whole world shall impart For what he wants in wit he hath in art No losse can chance to thy Cothurnate straine Oh Saphocles nor Aratus thy vaine The honours by the Muses you haue wunne Shall last if not outlast both Moone and Sunne Whil'st ther 's a craftie Seruant or hard Sire Fat Bawde or merrie Whoore men shall admire Menander thee Ennius although obscure And weightie Accius you shall both indure All shall reade Varro that but heare of Greece In him the first ship lancht to fetch the fleece Then shall Lucretius thy bright fame decay When all the world shall perish in one day Whil'st Rome triumphant o're the world shall bee So long ô Maro shall the world reade thee Whil'st Cupid shall beare shafts or amorous fire So long Tibullus shall thy Muse respire Gallus in the East and Gallus in the West With faire Lycoris whom he loued best Shall both be famous Whil'st there 's Tree or Stone Or Plant or Hearbe or Ground to tread vpon When Flints consume and when the Plow shal wast And be forgot yet Numbers still must last Vnto the Muse euen Monarchies must yeeld And glorious Tpiumphs purchast in the field To her yeeld Tagus with thy golden shine You Terrhene are and onely she diuine Let then the vulgar what is vile admire That nothing else saue â—anthie drosse desire Gold hair'd Apollo with full hand shall bring My flowing cup fill'd from the Muses spring And crown'd with myrtle I shall now be sung And be made frequent in each louers tongue Enuie the liuing sole detracts but Fate Concluding life she likewise ends her hate And then her rancour is no longer fed When liuing Honor shall maintaine vs