bounty should stil be joyned with sinceritiâ— their smiling face shews that gifts should be given freely they are stil young because the remembrance of a good turne should never grow old they have winged feet to shew that good turns should be done quickly biâ— daâ— qui cito dat 5. They that will be bountifull must take heed they exceed not lest they make themselves as naked as the Graces are painted there is a meane in all things and no man should go beyond his strength he may be bouâ—tifull that hath Euronyme for his wife that is large possessions and patrimonies as the word signifieth 6. There be many unthankfull people who are content still to receive benefits but never returne any these are they that strip the Graces of their garments and have reduced free hearted men to povertie 7. The Graces are called in the Greek Charites 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from joy or from health and safety and they still accompany the Muses Mercurie and Venus to shew that where learning eloquence and love are conjoyned there will never be wanting true joy health and contentment 8. I thinke by the three Graces may be meant three sorts of friendship to wit honest plâ—asant and profitable honest and pleasant friendships which are grounded on vertue and delight looke towards us because they both aime at our good but profitable freindship lookes from us as aiming more at her owne gaine then our weale which as Seneca saith is rather traffick then freindship but all friendship should be naked and without guile and hypocrisie like the Graces still young and cheerefull and still nimble and quick to help 9. By the three Graces I suppose also may be meant the three companions of true love of which Aristotle speaks to wit 1. good will or benevolence 2 concord or consent of minds idem velle et idem nolle 3. bountie or beneficence these three like three Grace look one upon another and hold each other by the hands these ought to be nâ—ked pure still young and where these three are found to wit good will concord and bountie there shall not be wanting the three Graces that is 1. Thalia a flourishing estate 2. Agalia honor or glory 3. Euphresyne true joy and comfort for these are the handmaides of love 10. Faith hope and charitie are the three divine Graces pure and unspotted virgins daughters of the great God sincere and naked without guile looking upon one another and so linked together that here in this life they cannot be separated one from the other but their positure is somewhat different from the other Graces for of the other two look on us the third hath her back to us but in these three divine sisters one only looketh to us to wit charitie the other two faith and hope fix their eyes from us upon God faith is Aglaia the glory and honor of a Christian hope is Euphrosyne that which makes him joyfull we rejoyce in hope and charitie that is Thalia which would make our Christian state flourish and abound with all good things if wee would admit of her companie amongst us but by reason there is so little charitie I doubt me there is as little faith and hope for reject or admit of one you reject and admit of all CHAP. VIII H HARMONIA See CADMUS HARPIAE See BOREAS HEBE SHe was the daughter of Juno begot without a father only by eating of lettuce for Juno being invited to a feast by Apollo into Jupiters house shee presently conceived by feeding upon lettuce and bare this Hebe who for her beauty was made Jupiters cup bearer till she disgraced her self by a fall in Jupiters presence at a feast where shee discovered her nakednesse by which means shee lâ—st her office and Ganymed was chosen in her room The INTERPRETER 1. BY Juno is meant the air by Apollo the Sun by Hebe the fertility of thâ— earth which is caused by the air being warmed with the Sun and refreshed with cold and moist exhalations which is meant by the lettuce 2. By Hebe is meant the Spring by Ganymed the Winter both are Jupiters cup-bearers both moisten the earth Hebe is beautifull because the Spring is pleasant but when Hebe falls Ganymed succeeds so when the pleasant time of the yeer is gone Winter follows 3. I think rather that Heâ—e was the daughter of Jupiter and Juno for Jupiter being the heaven and Juno the air by the influence of heaven upon the air is caused both serenity and fertility in this inferiour world 4. Jupiter would have none to serve him but such as were beautifull as Hebe and Ganyâ—hed neither would God be served in the Tabernacle by such as had any deformity or blemish much lesse can they be fit to serve him who have deformed and maimed soules God is beauty it self Christ was the fairest amongst the sons of men and he will have hiâ— sister and spouse to be all fair and for this cause hee hath redeemed his Church that shee might be without spot or wrinkle or any such thing 5. Though Hebe had disgraced her self yet Jupiter married her afterward to Hercules by which is intimated that youth is accompanied with strength and vigour of body 6. Hebe was the sister of Mars to signifie that warrs doe accompany youth and fertilitie or richnesse of soyl 7. Hebe had a temple erected to her at Corinth which was a sanctuary for sugitives and idle persons so idlenesse and wantonnesse abound mosâ— in those Countries which are blessed with a temperate air and a fruitfull soile 8. Hebe was wont to be painted in the form of a childe clothed with a rich garment of divers colours and wearing garlands of flowers on her head by this they represented the nature of the Spring which is the infancie and beauty of the yeer clothed with partie coloured fields and meadowes and graced with delightfull and fragrant flowers 9. Adam was created beautifull both in body and soule therefore God delighted in him and made him his servant but by his fall hee discovered his nakednesse in the fight of God and Angels therefore was rejected and banished from Gods presence and that earthly heaven in which hee was but afterward God taking pitie of him married him to Christ the true Hercules who only by his power subdued all the monsters of the world 10. Though Junâ— was at the feast with Apollo in Jupiters own house yet shee conceived not till shee ate lettuce this may signifie that the influence of heaven and heat of the Sun are but universall causes and do not work without the concurrence of the secondary and that the matrix is unapt to conceive if there be not a due proportion in it of heat and cold for if it be too hot it corrupteth the seed so excessive heat is a main cause of sterility 11. Jupiter would be served by young Hebe and young Ganymed to signifie that God will be served by us in our youth which
instruments which the Poet calls ara auxiliaria Lunae as it these sounds did dull the Magicians charms and abâ—e their force upon the Moon Indeed if the Moon could blush shee would be much ashamed at such madnesse as also at many other impieties committed in the night-time but the true cause of her rednesse is the mixture of her own light with the shadow of the earth or rather as Scaliger saith Exer. 62. because she is in the point of the pyramide not far from the first beams of the Sun and situated in the second beams which are the species of the first beams as the first are the species of the light CHAP. XI M MARS HEe was the god of warre and son of Jupiter and Juno or of Juno alone as some say who conceived him by touching of a flower in the garden of Olenius Vulcan finding him abed with Venus his wife wrapt them both in a net so that they could not stir till Neptune by inâ—â—eatie got Vulcan to loose them his sister was Bellona The INTERPRETER 1. MArs was called the god of warr he was the first that found out military discipline he was borne of Juno because wealth begets strise and warrs Thero or fiernesse was his nurse for fierce and salvage dispositions are most given to quarrelling therefore he was said to be bred in the cold Northern countries for the Northen people by reason of abundance of blood and excessive drinking are most given to strike and contention He was worshppied in Lemnos where men were sacrificed to him to shew the crueltie of souldiers and of that place in particular his companions were fear and anger and clamor for these do inseparably accompany war Therefore terror and feare were the two horses that drew his chariot and Bellona his sister with a bloodie whip did still wait upon him for this cause the woolfe of all creatures most savage and the ravenous vulture and the watchfull dog and the chattering pye and the cock also which is a warlike and quarrelsome bird were all dedicated to him The Scythians dedicated onely to Mars temples altars and statues and to no other gods because they delighted in wars and by rapine spoils and oppression of their neighbours they maintained their own estate hence Mars was said to be born in Thracia to shew what a warlike nation that was and because the horse is a warlike creature therefore hee was sacrificed to Mars and his chariot was drawn by horses in ancient pictures hee himself sitting on high in his compleat and terrible arms both offensive and defensive Fame having her body and wings full of eyes ears and tongues sounds the trumpet before him to shew that warres oftentimes follow upon evill reports And because the Romans would intimate how much they detested civill warres in their Citie they would not suffer the picture of Mars to be painted on their gates and private doores but in stead of him the picture of Minerva and for Mars his picture they thrust out of the Citie to be painted upon the doors of countrey mens houses abroad for by maintaining warres abroad they kept peace at home 2. By Mars the Gentiles understood the Sun as appears by that picture of Mars adorned with the Sun beams and anciently worshipped in Spain or rather the heat and vigour of the Sun which heateth the blood and occasioneth strife and warre as may bee seen in cholerick and hot constitutions and because such hot temperaments are prone to Venerie hence the Poets saigned that Mars lay with Venus and withall to shew how much souldiers are given to Venereall lusts At non ad Venerein nocturnaque praeliae tardi 3. Not without cause doe the Fathers laugh at the Gentiles who made Mars their god that was both a murtherer as also unjust impious mad and persidious as Homer describes him who was detained a prisoner by Vulcan for his adultery and was wounded by Diomedes This is that god from whom the Romans bragged they had their originall whom they made the patron of their Citie and dedicated the first moneth of the yeer to him assigned to him certain priests whom they called Salii and many divine honours I wish that Christians who professe themselves the disciples of the Prince of peace did not too much worship this impious god of war wee erect not temples and altars to him abroad but wee doe this in our hearts wee doe not sacrifice to him horses alone but men also even those for whom Christ died so that neither Lemnos nor Thracia did more adore him then Christians doe But however the Gentiles worshipped him yet Homer tels us that Jupiter hated him I am confident that the true God whose name is Jehovah Shalom the Lord our peace hates and detests warrs among brethren of the same faith for hee breaks their bows knaps their spears in sunder and burns their chariots in the fire I wish with S. Austin that it were as certain there were no warre as it is certain that Mars is no god Vtinam quam manifestum est quod non sit deus tam non sit bellum Lib. 7. de Civit. cap. 14. But so long as pride ambition covetousnesse and malice reign among us so long Mars must be worshipped by us 4. Mars is described by the Poets as a great enemie to Minerva the goddesse of wisdome and arts wee see by experience how true this is for wisdome arts learning justice and true pietie are trampled upon in time of warre 5. Mars who by Homer is described the swiftest of all the gods was caught in a net by limping Vulcan the slowest of them all Tardus velocem assequteur let men run never so swiftly in wayes of wickednesse yet slow-paced vengeance at last will overtake them Raro antecederuem sâ—elestum deseruit pede poena â—laudo 6. Though Mars thought to have committed adultery with Venus in secret yet hee was seen by all the gods there is no wickednesse done so secretly which is not made obvious to the all-piercing eye of the Almighty There is nothing so secret that shall not be revealed saith Christ. 7. Mars was absolved from the murther which hee committed in the Areopage a place where the Athenian Magistrates used to judge to let us see that the smallest homicides are punished in time of peace whereas the greatest and most horrible murthers goe free in time of warre As Seneca complained of theft so may I of murther Parva furia puniuniur magna in triumphis aguniur small murthers are punished great ones are honoured with triumphs 8. Mars was conceived of Juno by touching a flower what is more specious to the eye and yet what more frivolous then a flower By this wee may see that rich and potent men have specious pretences for their warrs but when they are sifted they prove no lesse frivolous then a fading flower 9. Vulcan bound Mars and Venus together but Neptune got them to be loosed I think they meant by this
life of Students and that wisâ—dom is still joyned with proving 7. By Minerva's help Prâ—onosheus stole fire out of Heaven by which he brought many Arts to perfection because wisedom is the Inventor of 〈◊〉 and fire by its light and Heat is the instruments whereby artificial things are proâ—â—eed 8. Of old in 〈◊〉 and Colledges they used to paint Mercury and Minerva close together which picture they called Hermathena from Hermes and Athene to signifie that Wisedome and Eloquence must not be separated but that Scholars should strive as well to hâ—ve wise heads as eloquent tongues 9. They gave her a golden Helmet sometimes with a Sphinx upon the top of it to shew that Wisedome is glorious and shining and withall that wise men use not to babble out secrets for it is Wisedome in some things to play the Sphynx and not to divulge all we know to all men promiscuously Christ himself spoke sometimes by Parables to She is called Pallas from the Gyant Pallas whom she killed or from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to shake or brandish for so she hath been seen shaking of her spear Therefore Virgil calls it hastain trementem her Image was called Palladium which was sent from Heaven and kept to carefully at Rome in Vestas Temple that none had leave to see or touch it but the Virgins that kept it by shaking the Spear I think may be meant that Wise Princes in time of peace whereof Minerva had the charge should exercise their armes and not suffer their youth to live idely and forget military discipline lest their enemies take advantages by their security as for the Palladium that I a knowledge to be our Religion which came down from Heaven to us which ought carefully to be kept in the Temple of Vesta where the sacred fire burned perpetually The sacred fire of zeale and devotion is the meanes to preserve our Religion especially if we be Virgins that is pure and holy and we must not suffer prophane and ignorant men to meddle with the sacred Function of the Minâ—stery When the Trojans lost their Palladium they quickly after lost their Citie so if we lose our Religion we must also looke to lose that Citie whose Builder and Maker is God 11. She is called Minerva from monendo and minanâ—io for wise Governours should partly by admonitions partly by threatnings rule their people and subdue vice and indeed should be still shaking the Speare to keep disordered men in awe whom they should affright with the Gorgens head of the Law by which their authority should be reverenced as Minerva was â—â—ared for her Speare and terrible Buckler 12. The Olive was dedicated to Pallas and with the leaves thereof she was crowned and at Athens a golden Lampe was dedicated in which oyle did burne continually both because shee found out the use and way of making oyle as also to shew us that Wisedome is the light and lampe of the minde and that neither it nor learning can be attained to without lucubration study and spending of much oyle and light 13. At certaine Feasts of Minerva in March the Maides were wont to be served by their Mistresses as in the Saturnalls the Men-servants by their Masters The serving Maides claimed this as their due from Minerva because it was by them that the workes of her invention were performed as spinning sowing and weaveing by this servants were comforted and incouraged in their service and Masters and Mistresses were admonished not to insult over their servants If this equity was observed among the Gentiles much more should it be among Christians For in Christ wee know there is no difference betweene bond and free master and servant 14. Minerva was worshipped upon the same Altar sometime with Vulcan sometime with Neptune to shew that Arts and Handy-crafts cannot be exercised without Fire and Water and whereas Vulcan would have married Minerva but could never gâ—t her good will for shee was a perpetuall Virgin therefore she was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to shew that Wisedome and Learning never die by this â—e may see that the hottest and most furious Sâ—iters that are cannot overcome Chastity where iâ— is â—oyned with wisedome for this cause Minerva is armed to shew how Virgins had need to stand upon their guard for they shall not want Vulcans to assault them 15. Juno Venus Minerva strove once who should be accounted most beautifull Paris was Judge to whom Juno promised a wealthy Venus a beautiful but Minerva a wise Wife Paris preferred Venus by which we see the folly of many young men who in their matches preferre fading beauty â—o wealth or wisedome 16. As Athenâ— preferred Minerva to Neptune and her Olive to his Harpe so should all Christian States and Cities 〈◊〉 Peace to Warre Tranquillitie to Troubles and Civill Tempests whereof Neptune or the stormie Sea is an Embleme and Spinning Sowing Weaving Building and other peaceable Arts which she found out to fighting quarrelling and destroying 17. As there were certain Images dedicated to Minerva and Mercury called Hermâ—henae so there were some erected to Mercury and Hercules together called Hermerachae to shew that these three to wit Mercury Hercules and Minerva that is Eloquence Strength and Wisedome are the three main Deities of States and Cities and must be most of all sought after and honoured by Princes 18. Minerva had power over stormes which the Poet shâ—weth in the first and second of his Aeneads He calls the storme which she sent against the Grecians Minervae sidus She had power also over Jupiters thunder Ipsa Joâ—is rapidum jaculata e nubibus igneâ— By which I thinke he understood the Sunne under Minerva's name for be by his heat of all the Planets hath the greatest power in causing stormes and thunder 19. As Minerva the Goddesse of Wisedome was worshipped on the sime Altar with Vulcan the God of Fire so let us not separate zeale from wisedome but let us cherish the fire of zeal in our hearts as well as wisedome in our heads but some have zeale without knowledge and some knowledge without zeale this is to part Vulcan and Minerva 20. Homer gives to Minerva a fiery Charâ—ot Iliad 8. and describeâ— her carrying of a golden Lampe and holding out a beautifull light Odâ—ss 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yet he makes her invisible when she went up into Diâ—medes his Chariot then she put on the dark Helmet of 〈◊〉 so that Mars could not see her by this is not onely intimated that Minerva is the Sun who is the light of the World and to whom the Poets give a fâ—ery Chariot and that he is obscured by Orcus his helmet is meant the want of his light to us when he goeth under our Hemisphere but by this Fiction also is understood that wisedome is the light of the mind and a wise man is the chief light and life of a State and that it is not the least part of wisedome in time of Warres and Tumults for
is the prime of our life therefore young men are not made for themselves and their own pleasures but to serve God Remember thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth And remember young man that thou must come to judgement Josiah in his youth served the Lord. 12. Hebe fell in her younger yeers and when shee was at a feast youth and feasting are dangerous tenâ—ations and occasions of falling young peoples feet are slippery youth is more apt to fall then old age which made David pray Lord remember 〈◊〉 the sins of my youth And that feasting is the occasion of much falling is too apparent for it made Job goe to sacrificing when his children went to feasting and doubtlesse if they had not first fallen then in sin the house had not fallen then on them Therefore let all especially youth beware of feasting and drinking which drinking matches and merry-meetings were fitly from the ancient Greâ—ks from Hebe called Hebetria 13. If Jupiter did not spare his own daughter which hee had of Juno but thrust her out of her office and drove her from his presence when she fell then let not the children of God think that they are more priviledged from punishment when they fall then others are â—ay judgement oftentimes begins at Gods own house and hee will correct every son whom he receiveth he neither spared the Angels nor Adam that were his sons by creation hee spared not Christ his onely begotten son by an inâ—fsible generation much lesse will hee spare them that are his sons onely by adoption Qui flagellat unicum sine peccaâ—o â—kin relinquet adopâ—ivâ—m cum peccato saith Augustine 14. Hercules was not married with Hebe till hee was received into heaven and his spirit placed among the starrs so whilest our sou's are in this earthly tabernacle they are deprived oâ— that true beautie youth vigour and alacrity which they shall enjoy in heaven 15. In that Juno conceived not till she had eat of the lettuce by this perhaps they did intimate that lettuce accidentally is the cause of fecundity for as Dioscorides Mattheolus and othâ—rs shew lettuce or the seed thereof is good against the Gonorrhoea and also against nocturnall pollution in sleep which are hinderances to procreation 16. In that Jupiter removes Hebe from her office and his presence wee see in what slippery places Princes favourites are and how suddenly the affections of Princes are altered Steâ— quicunque volet lubens aulae culmine lubâ—ico me dulcis saâ—â—â—eâ— quies HECATE SHe was the daughter of Night or of Hell and the queen of hell of a huge stature and deformed face having snakes in stead of hairs and serpents for feet shee was accompanied with dâ—gs and had three heads to wit of a horse of a dog and of a man or of a wild hog as some think shee is called Luna Diana Proserpina Hecate Juno Lucina The INTERPRETER HEcaâ—e is so called either from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is an hundred because she hath a hundred waies of working upon sublunary bodies or because of the hundred-fold increase of grain which Proserpina or the earth yeeldeth or from the hecaâ—ombe or 100 sacrifices that were offered to her or from the 100 yeeres walking about the river Sâ—yx of those soules whose bodies are unburied Cenium eâ—rant annoâ— volitantque haec littora circum or from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is one of the titles of Apollo whose sister Hecate was and hee is so called from shooting his darts or rayes afar off 2. Hecate was said to be accompanied with dogs by which are meant the Furies and by these the tortures of an evill conscience which most of all howle and rage in the night time of which Hecate is queen Visaeque canes ululare per umbram Adventanie dea therefore her sâ—crifices were performed in the night and she was howled or called upon in the night by her priâ—sts Nocturnisque Hecateâ—riviis â—riviis ululata per urbes and her sacrifices were black by all which the Poets elegantly signifie the terrours that accompany the guilt of sin chiefly in the night for then it was that Job complains hee was affrighted with visions and terrified with dreams and David saith that his sould refused comfort in the night 3. Hecate was said to be the goddesse or protectrix of witches because witches doe work most in the night and the time of darknesse is most fit for such works of darknesse and for such as are the servants of the prince of darknesse 4. Rich men were wont at night when they were going to bed to place a table for Hecate in the high wayes which they furnished with lupins mallowes leeks and other mean and savourlesse cates which the poor in a confused manner snatched all away while the rich men were asleepe hence arose those Proverbs Hecaâ—ae coena for a meane and beggarly supper as also for a tumultuary or confused Feast And Anus digna Hecatae sacris for a miserable beggarly or poor woman Rich men now adayes use when they are ready to sleep their long sleep or to die to bequeathe some small share of their ill gotten goods to the poor and as it fared with these rich Romans so doth it now with our rich cormorants the wealth which they have with much care and pains been scraping together all their life is oftentimes dissipated and snatched away by strangers and wee see that the poor are more beholding to rich men in their death then in their life 5. Hecate is called Trivia because shee hath the charge of high-wayes because the high-waies are discernable by the Moon-light which in the dark are not easily found out and because the high-wayes are barren or fruitlesse hence Hecate is said to be a perpetuall virgin 6. Hecate was said to affright and terrifie men by which I suppose the Poets meant that fear and terrours proceed from an evill conscience 7. Hecate was the name of a cruell woman who delighted in hunting and in stead of killing or shooting beasts murthered men sure shee had been a fit wife for that mighty hunter Nimrod 8. The common conceit is that Hecate is so called whilest shee is in hell Luna while shee is in heaven and Diâ—na on the earth but I could never finde the reason of this conceit therefore I doe suppose that the Moon hath these three names from her divers affections or aspects for in the full shee is Luna quasi Lucens una giving light alone for then the Starres shine not though some of then are seen So shee is called also Lucina and Diana 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the light of the Moon is a speciall gift of God Her other name Proserpina which is a serpendo hath relation to her increase and decrease for her light as it were insensibly creeping comes and goes But the third name Hecate was given to signifie the change in which shee affords us no light at all but then seems to be the Queen of hell or