thy unbraded Gold There my enfranchiz'd hand on every side Shall o're thy naked polisht Ivory slide No curtain there though of transparent Lawn Shall be before thy Virgin treasure drawn But the rich minde to the enquiring eye Expos'd shall ready still for mintage lye And we will coyn young Cupid there a bed Of Roses and fresh mirtles shall be spread Under the cooler shades of Cypress Groves Our pillows of the doun of Venus Doves Whereon our panting love we 'l gentle lay In the faint respites of our active play That so our slumbers may in dreams have leasure To tell the nimble fancy of our pleasure And so our souls that cannot be imbrac't Shall the imbraces of our bodies taste Mean while the publick stream shall drown the shore Th'inamour'd chirping wood-quire shall adore In varied Tunes the Deity of Love The gentle blasts of Western windes shall move The trembling leaves and through the close boughs breathe Still Musick whilst we rest our selves beneath Their dancing shades till a soft murmurre sent From souls intranc't in amorous languishment Rouze us and shoot into our eyes fresh fire Till we in their sweet extasie expire Then as they empty be that lately bore Into the common Treasure all her store Flyes'bout the painted fields with nimble Wing Deflowring the fresh Virgins of the spring So will I risâ—e all the sweets that dwell In my delicious paradise and swell My bag with honey drawn forth by the poâ—er Of fervent kisses from each spicy flower I 'le seize the Rose buds in their perfum'd bed The Violet Knots like curious Maces spread O're all the Garden taste the ripened Cherry The Apple Apricock and Coral Berry Then will I visit with a wandring kiss The Vale of Lillies and the Bower of Bliss And where the beauteous Region doth divide Into two milky wayes my lips shall slide Down those smooth Alleys wearing as I go A track for Lovers in the printed snow Thence climing o're thy swelling Appenine Retire into thy Grove of Eglantine Where I will all those ravisht sweets distil Through loves Alembique with chymick skill From the mixt Mass one sovereign balm derive And bring that great Elixure to thy hive Now in more subtle wreaths I will entwine My lovely Thighs my Legs and Arms with thine Thou like a sea of milk shalt lye display'd Whilst I the smooth qualm Ocean doth invade With such a Tempest as when Jove of old Fell down on Danae in a storm of Gold Yet my tall pine shall in the Cyprian strait Bide safe at Anchor and unlade her freight My rudder with thy bold hand like a try'd And skilful Pilot thou shalt steer and guide My Bark into loves Channel where it shall Dance as the bounding Waves doth rise and fall Then shall thy circling armes imbrace and clip My willing body and thy balmy lip Bathe me in juice of kisses whose perfume Like a Religious Incense shall consume And send up holy vapours to those powers That bless our Loves crown our sportful hours Now Wedlock bonds unwreath our twisted Loves We seek no midnight Arbours no dark Groves To hide our Kisses there the hated name Of Husband Wife lust modest chaste or shame Are vain and empty words whose very sound Was never heard in the Elizian ground All things are lawful there that may delight Nature or unrestrained appetite Like and enjoy to will and act is one We onely sue where loves rites are not done These and ten thousand such expressions this brave King Alexander did use towards his renowned Empress but fortune not willing to favour him did cast a cloud over this pattern of vertue for no sooner had he set his Kingdom of Egypt and arrived again in Epyrus but there came a Herauld at Armes from the King of Syra to challenge him to the Field that upon the happy success of one battle the whole universe lay on 't for they two governed all the other Kings in the world Alexander with a brave courageous spirit answered the Herauld I look't for the King of Syra in the Field long ago I wonder his Chariot Wheels are so heavy in driving and bid him meet upon the Downs of Opher where I will be in person to assail him and his ten Legions and presently commanded his Drums to beat and his Trumpets to sound with other Instruments of War and so marched out with his Army taking his leave of his Royal Princess and his two Sons with showres of tears betwixt them both so parted the one from the other with heavy hearts When brave King Alexander was arrived upon the Downs of Opher he plac't his men in Battle of Aray and began to admonish them in these words Most brave and warlike Souldiers both Epirians and Egyptians I exhort you this day to be of good courage and fight manfully your Cause is just and right for the Syrans are coming against us without cause and we are upon our defence and this great Battle is the Battle for the whole world in the very heat of Battle think to your selves that you do see the grave Senators of Epyrus bowing down their hoary heads praying for your good success think that you do hear the Prayers of your Fathers Mothers Wives and Children for you and know that whosoever intends to sée their friends again must this day ransome himself with his Sword think to your selves that if the Syrans doth vanquish us how that my head will be plac't upon a Poll and pitcht up in the Market place and my Quarters hung up two in Egypt and two in Epirus our Cities and Towns burnt and turned to ashes our Maidens and Virgins deflowred our Childrens brains dasht against the walls and our young men slain and murthered and the brand of scorn upon our Kingdoms for perpetuity And on the other side if we do get the day honour and renown shall be upon our heads and the glories of Syra shall come into Epirus Gold and Silver shall be your rewards and the favour of your Prince you shall have to eternity The Souldiers answered Most great King if the Gold of Opher will make you glorious if the Treasures of Syra will make you great and if the strength of our Army will make you considerable both at home and abroad be assured great King you are this day the Master of all the Universe for here is not a Souldier but at your command will cut his Fathers Throat and sheath his Sword in his Brothers Blood to rob the Gods and pull the Temples down all this will they do if you command them By this time there was but one Fields breadth between the two Armies all Rampiers Trees and Hedges were levelled even with the ground Lions and Bears were seen to come out of the Woods as of purpose to devour dead Carkasses Vultures which are ravening Birds did darken the Air Lightning and Thunder came down that did melt the heads of the Foot-mens Spears and singed the Hair on their Heads and the Horse Manes King Alexander divided his Army into four parts his right Wing consisted of ten thousand conducted by ten Kings the Forlorn-Hope were five thousand the left Wing were ten thousand conducted by ten Epirian Lords the main Body was led by brave Alexander himself the Battle began hot and sharp the Forlorn-Hope of the Epirians were driven back to thâ— main Body then advanced Alexander himself and the Battle began to be mortal the dispute old hold till twelve a Clock and there â—ell on both sides above eight thousand In the afternoon the Battle began again and the discomfiture fell upon the Epirians for in four hours time Alexander was fain to quit the Field being totally defeated and most of his men slain Alexander was fain to throw his Crown upon the ground because he would not be known and escaped by Sea in a poor Fishermans Boat and sailed into Epirus and at the Haven where he designed to Land there his Royal Empress was waiting when any Ship would come in with news and at last she espied in a poor Fishermans Boat King Alexander himself at which sight fear smote her to the heart that she swounâ—ed upon the thought that the King was utterly overthrown but Alexander took her up in his armes and kist her with a showre of tears bedewing their Princely Cheeks but there was no remedy for their Kingdoms was wrested from them and they forced to slye into an uninhabited Island wherein they spent the remnant of their dayes with three other petty Kings Soon after Alexander dyed and his Empress who in a Sepulchre which he hewed out himself they were both interred on which was written this following Epitaph Within this House of Stone here lyes The King of Egypt who was call'd the Wise Likewise that glorious and illustrious Queen Of the Epirians here is to be seen Who from all Right and Justice were debarr'd When Syrans King in Battle with him Warr'd FINIS
to wait on him cloathed in mans apparel to satisfie his own lascivious lust and filthy appetite and charged me an innocent Virgin with all those abominable vices and wicked sins that he himself daily committed in his secret chamber he caused me seven dayes one after another to be led to the Iudgement Hall where there he sate himself and gave sentence upon me and caused me to be led to the Gallows shamefully to be burnt at a stake for crimes laid against me that I was innocent of Therefore most gracious Mother as you are the Empress of all the Eastern part of the world forasmuch as I will not own the general name till after your Decease and all you my Lords and Barons of the Prity Counsel and you also my grave and rederend Iudges whose power and authority requireth you to do justice according to the due administration of the Statutes of this Realm I do therefore demand justice upon the shameless Accuser at the Bar Radamentus and his Concubine through whose means I was in peril of my life and led seven times to the Gallows to he executed The Councels and Iudges hearing the words of the Empress were all astonisht to hear such wisdom from a woman then all the Iudges and Counsellours stood up and call'd Radamentus Radamentus your evil life and conversation is very apparent to the Court and your hellish conspiracies and notorious actions which here this day you are accus'd of are publick Evidences against you at the Bar and therefore according to Law we do all here with a general Vote pronounce Sentence against you and your Concubine that you shall be taken away from this place to the place from whence you came and from thence to be drawn at two horses tails throughout the City to the place of Execution which shall be under the common Gallows and there to be burnt to ashes The Empress having now out-lived her mortal Enemy old Radamentus she began a most happy and glorious Reign her own Mother estéem'd her as her onely joy the Nobles of the Land did honour her greatly for her excellent Learning and Wisdom the Subjects did almost adore her for the rarefy of her Iustice and the moderation of her Language her Crown then began to flourish upon her head and her Name began to spread over all the face of the earth and the longer she did reign the more her glory did shine her Mother the old Empress lived till she saw that what for her Beauty and what for her Learning the bordering Nations round about did almost give divine reverence unto her and in the heighth of this flourishing Peace the old Empress dyed and bequeathed her own Crown and Royal Scopter for to be put upon Sabrina's head in this world and a Crown of Glory in the world to come Sabrina after this did Celebrate her Funeral in the greatest Triumph which can be imaginable she also erected a most sumptuous Monument wherein she interred the body of her Mother with this Inscription written on it Within this Monument interr'd here lies The onely Mother of Sabrina the wise Who counsell'd was by Radamentus sway To take Sabrina's precious life away But time and fortune favour'd her at last Whose Life was sav'd and Radamentus lost Sabrina the young Empress having buried the old Empress in such state was commended above all her predecessors for never was such a Monument erected before Now Sabrina being Empress of all the Eauerne part of the World began to grow very potent and great for all people gave her reverence and did homage unto her Kings and Princes sent her rich presents and came from sarre Counteys to visit and complement her but more especially to hear her grave wisdom and to sée the excellency of her Arts and Sciences which bad so much spread over the whole world she was accounted the greatest Philosopher that was in those dayes in the world she continually keeping all sorts of Professours and Artificers that so she might thereby know the nature of all Vâ—gitables as Plants Hearbâ— Roots Leaves and Trées she kept four thousand Stables of Horses which were on purpose for her own Attendance there was no Nation at war and variance with her but onely one and they were the Tarters so that now to prevent their Incroachment upon her most rich and plentiful Dominions she chose a fifth man out of all her Empire to build a brazen Wall betwéen her and her Enemies about fiftéen hundred miles long and at every ten miles end she caused to be built a strong and famous Castle wherein she plac't ten thousand men for to keep guard against the said Tartars which were People inhabiting in a poor and barren Countrey for they fought not to revenge any quarrel or injury done to them but méerly for some of the Gold and Riches this glorious Sabrina had and to sée if they could get into any of her plentifull Countreys to inhabit for all her Countreys were golden Valleys both for profit and pleasure and though this brazen Wall was built and strongly made yet the fury of the Tartars was so iuraged that they broke over according to the old Proverb Hunger will break through stone walls and for thrée hours time there was a mortal Battle but the young Empress Sabrina had a Champion in her Army called Gorgon a Gyant you must conceive he was for he was seven Cabits high the Club that he bore was like the mast of a Ship his Helmet was made of Brass weighing an hundred shekels of Iron this Gyant fought most courageously and made lanes through the Army of the Lartars that all dreaded and feared the place where he came And on on a time it happening that this Gyant was in the heat of the Battle and being extream hot he went to the main Ocean to drink and to refresh himself and in the vehemency of his draught he swallowed a Souldiers Knapsack full of Linnen which made it swim and he spate at it as if it had béen but a mote in his glass but finding himself not very well he sent for the Empress Physician who hearing the great Champion was not well made what expedition he could to disit him and seeing him in such a sad distemper he caused a Ladder for to be put down his Threat into his Belly which was a usual thing or custome in that Countrey especially to such men of such vaste and great stature and commanded his Man to go down the Ladder into his belly and there for to sée if he could finds and know by his skill and good discretion what was the cause of his grief and heaviness but his man would not venture to go down except he had a Link in his hand and thereupon he lighted a good blazing Torch and down he goes But he had not descended downe above two steps but the breath of the Gyant arising from his smoaking Gorge did very much dimnifle the light of his Link and to
chanced by the way to fall sick of a Feaver and lying in such a desperate condition without hopes of recovery he considered more the education of his young Daughter then the state and condition of his whole Empire in reference to the innocency and weakness of her age and therefore it induced him to write unto his Empress this following Letter Dear Lady my Journey hath proved very illsuccessful to me for by the way I am taken sick with a most sad and grievous Feaver therefore pray make haste unto me that we may provide for the education of our young Daughter Sabrina and the State and settlement of our Empire for I am without hopes of recovery and if you make not great speed you are never like to see me alive The messenger posted away to the Empress and finding her walking in the Garden expecting every hour news from her beloved husband he did reverence unto her and delivered the Letter the Empress broke it up and reading what condition her Lord was in fell in a swound to the astonishment of all her Ladies but as soon as she had recovered life she caused her Chariot and Horses to be made ready incontinent and halted both night and day till she came to her Lord the King who she found almost dead and she fell upon his breast and kissed his clay cold lips he rising half up in his bed with snowres of fears betwixt each face he to her spake thus O my dear Lady it joyes me that you are come where with you I may impart all my troubled minde I am possest withall since I may not escape this infirmity the natural love and care I bear unto you and your young Daughter Sabrina makes me sue unto you thus First that you cause her to be brought up with the best experienced and wisest Matron in all the Realm whereby she might be tutored and well educated in all Arts and Sciences befitting a Princess so nobly descended and after that she hath attained unto all those Vertues I will that you take her home to your Royal Palace and to have recourse to your honourable Councel whereby she may perfect her self in all State and Temporal Affairs And thirdly that after your decease she may enjoy the Empire and wear the Royal Diadem And you my dear Lady considering you are old add well stricken in years I will that you chuse by the advise of your Honourable Councel a wise and grave Senator to assist your Royal person in all things appertaining to the affairs of the Empire and Guardian to your young Daughter Sabrina till she come to Maturity The grieved Empress answered My dear Lord all these things shall be performed and done according to your will and request then kissing each other the King turned himself upon his Pillow and gave up the ghost afterwards conveighed into his own Countrey and his doleful Funeral solemnized he was honourably interred in his own Chappel Chap. 1. How the Empress and her Councel committed the charge of her Daughter Sabrina to seven Wise Mistrisses for her Education in all Arts and Sciences IT happened upon a time as the Empress was solitary walking in her Garden she bethought her solâ— of the death of her late Husband and musing in her heart of the words he spake unto her at his last breath concerning the State of his Empire and especially his young Daughter Sabrina whose onely delight in all the world she was muttered in her heart and said Now my dear Lord and Husband is dead and gone there is but one in the world whom I take pleasure in and that is my onely Daughter Sabrina the dory stower and glory of all other Virgins and but she alive to inherit my Realm after me it is good whiles she is yong that she be set unto some wise experienced Matron who is a bâ—ly and devout Virgin to learn understanding and to resolve Reasons when time might require her upon the Iudgement Seat Thereupon the Empress assembled all the Lords of her Councel before her and demanded every one his advice concerning her young daughter Sabrina and some of them gave their advice that the Empress should build a Tower within her own Câ—stle and cause to be put in there the young Lady with fide devout and wise Virgins to attend her and two Philosopers which then lived in Rome to instruct her in natural Philosophy and other arts and scices but the other Lords of the Councel would not agrée thereto and flood up and said to the Empress thus Most Sovereign Lady this is not expedient that she should be in such a tower nor in such a way instructed for thrée things First if she be in such a tower your Nobles and Ladies that frequent your Palace by too often visiting her will make her minde more the pleasures of the Court then to practice in her learning Secondly Men tutors are not méet for such a Princess so incomparable in beauty as she is for through too much familiarity and weakness of her tender years great injuries may ensue and her Princely Vertues stained Thirdly for her Attendants being but five weak Ladies and consequently not over skilful might for hopes of future advancement to please the young Lady give her too much liberty in yielding to her fancies and thereby destroy the best time of her studience But gracious Lady there is living not far from this City in a fair and stately Cloister seven Wise Mistrisses most cunning and expert in wisdom answering all Reasons and Questions and for their famous skill and learning excelleth all women in the world the Empress hearing this accorded to their advice and sent her Letter of Summons unto them upon great penalties to appear before her Majesty They anon came and the Empress demanded the cause of their coming they answered we shall resolve you the cause for we have seen it in a dream which was this We saw a high and mighty trée whose branches covered all the Realm under whose leaves the beasts of the earth did shelter without number and in an instant we sawit fall dissolve that nothing but the roots remained obvious The Empress said shew me the meaning thereof they said the trée which we saw was our Sovereign Lord the King the sproading branches signified his power extending over all his Empire when the trée falling it signified our Lord died out of whose roots is sprung up a young Cien who shall rule the Empire with equity and honour whose learning and education you will commit to our charge You have said right answered the Empress for my Lord is dead and I have but one onely Daughter in all the world who I commit unto you to instruct and conform in all good wayes and vertues learning so that by your skill and wisdom she may attain to all good things appertaining to so great and noble a Patronage c. The first Mistris named Halicuja said great Lady commit the education of your
neâ—â—e receiv'd thy wicked counsel but since I embraced thy hellish advice with this hand that first handled the cursed King I will be revenged on my self and so took a knife and thrust it into her breast and so ended her life Then said the Mistris to the Empress understand you what I have said Yes right well said the Empress you have shew'd me a good example without doubt this day my Daughter shall not dye Then said the Mistris if you do so you will do wisely and I thank you for sparing your Daughters life this day for my sake The second Complaint of Radamentus When Radamentus understood the Princess had obtain'd Pardon through the means of Hallicuja the wise Mistris he retired to his Chamber and seemed to grieve and lament extraordinary but alas it was nothing but falshood and deceit so that he refused to come to Councel whereat the Empress was much troubled and thereupon sent for him and demanded the cause of his grief and the reason wherefore he did not attend to Councel who answered Great Lady what greater pain can there be to a man then when he is reviled of every vulgar tongue undeservedly for all people know I am you assistant in the Empire and think I am at the helm of Iustice where I do rather more support wickedness then equity and maintain vice where I should tertue since of late there hath béen whoredom and debauchery committed in the very Court and the Empress own Daughter did it what scandal is this that I shall lye under beside your Royal Person will be defamed and the honour of your Kingdom the object of the world for you abstain Iustice from being executed upon that vile wretch your cursed Daughter so that she liveth to the ruine of the Empire therefore it shall happen to you as it did to the Quéen of Pirus and her daughter The Empress said I pray you shew me that Example why said Radamentus let me shew you never so many it availeth not nevertheless I will shew you this which is as followeth The second Example of Radamentus IN Pirus reigned a vertuous Quéen her Husband being dead she had one onely Daughter whom she tendered above her life this Daughter grew apace crafty and cunning and often conversed with Sorcerers to whom she complained there was but one Nobleman which hindered her from hading her will and liberty said the Sorcerer I le teach you a way to betray his life and then you may do well enough with your mother Pray shew me that way said she that I will said the Sorcerer that is this When he is walking in the Garden go you to him and if he sit down sit you by him 't will be a provocation to move his spirit and as he doth precéed then give him incouragement if he refuse you cry out he has ravisht you So this impudent wretch sate by this Nobleman and smiled upon him and smute him with the palm of her hand upon the chéek and said come let us solace our selves in the bosom of love until the dark Evening Then said the Lord Great Lady excuse me for I am not furnisht with so much considence as to deflower the Pearls of our Land At which words this Lady tore her locks down about her shoulders and cryed out alas alas what shall I do The Quéen her Mother being in the Window heard the cry and looking out espied her Daughter in the Garden crying and wringing her hands she sent down her Lords to know the matter and she said this man meaning the harmless Lord hath constrained me by force under yonder trée and he hath dest wrâ—d me of my Virginity The Quéen hearing this said surely he shall dye Then said the Lords it is good that you hear him before you put him to death Nay said the Quéen I have heard my daughter what 〈…〉 anâ— further witness I will believe her testimony above all the worlds and thereupon commanded the Lord to be led away and put to death which accordingly was done This Lord was the uprightest man and greatest Counsellor the Quéen had from this time forth she alwayes sought the destruction of her mother and thus she began Great Princess and Mother through my obedience and diligent care I bear to you I would wish you to speak not unto every mean subject when they come for justice but that I between you and them may deliver their message for too much familiarity will breed contempt therefore the Queen reposing so much confidence in her daughter thought all for good whatsoever she did do and thereupon set forth a Proclamation that all persons whatsoever having business at the Court should address themselves to her Daughter who alwayes sitting in an outward Chamber as people came to her she seemed very milde amiable and courteous so through her cunning and dissimulation all people took affections to her and she would say to them my mother is very rash being ancient but if you will take me for your Sovereign I le do you justice according to the due administration of the law at which words they were all very joyful and promised faithfully to perform it but said she raise your army stand in your own defence and plead your Subsidies and heavy burthens ate too weighty for you to bear this do till you hear from me so the rude multitude did as this Imp had advis'd them Then away she went to her mother and acquâ—inted her there was a factious people had rebell'd and it were good to prevent them in time least they should grow too populous so the Queen gave her the supream Authority in granting Commissions to raise an Army so when she had got the Seal she told her mother she must have a great quantity of Gold to pay them Then the Queen delivered two hundred thousand marks of Gold and having got this money she hasted with it all away to her factious Crew and there paid then all with her mothers own Treasure and gave them Commissions under her own Seal that all the rest of the Subjects were in a maze for seeing their Commissions under the Quéens Seal all lay still and not one moved for the Quéen thinking it had béen no Rebellion At last this new Army advanced towards the Court and being come this wicked Wretch the Quéens Daughter hasted to her mother and told her that she by her fair spéeches had asswaged the fury of the people and brought them there to beg their pardon which she desired the Quéen to grant them which being alwayes betrayed through her subtle words condescended and as she was going out to sign their Pardons and conducted by her daughter she passed over a boarded Alloy where underneath was a Room and Cauldron of boyling Oyl that this wicked Daughter had provided with a board wheron her mother was to tread tilting up the Quéen sell in and thereby was destroy'd And after was this wicked Wretch proclaimed Quéen that through lascivious