had almost bene the destructiō of the whole Citie named Sheba the sonne of Bichri The Emperour Theodosius called the Youngest was so foolish that hee would put his Seale and subscription vnadvysedlie to anie Wrytinges that were brought vnto him without eyther reading or hearing the same Which his Sister Plucheria wyselie considering what great evill might ensue thereby she bethought her how she might happilie prevent all occasion of offence which might happen thorow her brother's simplicitie and to ingraff in him more deepe and solid vnderstanding So this Plucheria caused a fayre wryter PLUCHERIA to frame a goodlie Commission to looke vnto the contents whereof was That EVBOCE which was his owne Emperesse whom he beloved most dealy should be disherited of all her Dowrie and stripped of all fayre Cloathing and being wrapped in sacking should lye in a darke Dungeon seaven years And if shee lived that long then was shee ordayned to worke naked amongst the chayned slaues all the rest of her dayes This Decree the Emperour too rashly subscribed which was presentlie delivered vnto his Sister who came speedilie therewith vn-him desiring him that her name might also be incert in that Decree for companie for shee vowed to take a part of all thinges with the Empresse as well evill as good woe as weale yea and to liue and die with her The Emperour beeing amazed to heare his sister speake thus sayd My loving Sister what meane you I meane quoth she to liue and die with thy Wyfe whom thou hast cruelly condemned without knowing or asking the cause why And as one in a great furie throwing the wryting at him sayd moreover Haue there thyne own hand and Seale it can not now be mended but wryte downe my name also and we will goe to prison together for nothing but Death shall be able to part vs. And when hee saw and vnderstood the matter consideratiuelie hee cryed with a lowde voyce desiring GOD Man to forgiue him sent for the Empresse and on his knees shee falling about his neck halfe dead hee besought her to forgiue him which she willinglie granted And giving them both great thanks he never did so agayne The Duke of Castilia being imprisoned THE Dutches of CASTILIA for treason agaynst his brother the king his wyfe got leaue to visit him in Prison where shee chaunged Cloathes with him putting his vpon her and hers vpon him and sent him out of the Prison and tarried therein her selfe willing to suffer anie Torments yea to die for him if it had so fallen out But when the jaylour perceaved the matter hee told the king how that because his Majestie had given accesse to the Dutches of Castilia to come to her husband in Prison shee had beguiled them and sent him away in her cloathes and remayned in the Prison with his cloathes vpon her self and was verie willing to suffer whatsoever could bee layd to her husband's charge Which when the king vnderstood hee sent privatelie for her and caused his Queen giue her of her own rich Attire and sending his great Seale for her husband forgaue him freelie vpon good conditions and sent them home with great Honour Plutarch maketh mention of Pythius PLUTARCH in Lydia who would haue nothing done but making of Golde with all his people neglecting all manner of Husbandrie Huswyuerie and all other Occupations So that the whole land was overgone with Rubbish Briers and Thorns Which his wyse Wyfe well remarking and considering on a day her husband with the whole people being away to the making of Gold and shee at home with her maydes making readie their Dinner shee prepared the similitude of all manner of meat roast and sodden everie thing in its owne forme and colour and all of pure gold and nothing else Now her husband comming home hungrie from the Mynes with his great companie sate downe to Meat with well-prepared stomacks And drawing out their sharp Thittles hee to a dish and he to a dish but could not cut for all was Golde Whereat they took great delight for a short space but their bellies perswaded their eyes to somewhat else Then Pythius THE wyfe of PYTHIUS desired his wyfe to take that mea◠away and giue them others So shee brought other kyndes of Bread and Meat also of pure Golde still so long that hee was almost mad for hunger and began to chafe moste horriblie Wherevpon she replyed that she could giue him no other than his Countrey afforded and such as hee brought vnto her For sayde shee you haue forsaken Husbandrie our land lieth waste corns haue we none our beasts run wild vpō the mountayns traffique with other Nations haue wee none wherewithall then would ye haue me to satisfie your hunger or cloathe your nakednesse Golde onlie is the fruit of your handes eat it and bee filled put it on and bee cloathed therewith for I haue nought else to giue you And whyle they gazed one vpon another she ran and brought some other meat both grosse and not much of it wherewith they were fayne to be contented for that tyme. But afterwards Pythius took ever his wyues counsell about him employed his people in Husbandrie and all manner of Vertue made Golde also were Traffiquers with other Nations and so became a most flowrishing Countrey And all by the wisdome and fore-sight of his worthie WYFE. Thus Golde and All good Women can subdue And proue at all tymes to their Husbands true CHAPTER XI Of the constant steadfastnesse in Women not onlie suffering cruell Tormentes but also horrid Death for the Testimonie of IESVS CHRIST THe Allmightie our GOD who is the beginner of every good work doeth often tymes make choyse of weake Instruments and such as vnwyse men count fooles ever to manifest His great Power and make His Glorie knowne to all the worlde By abasing the worldlie wyse and turning their wisdome into follie By putting downe the mightie from their seate and exalting the humble and meeke By sending the rich empti◠away filling the hungrie with good things c. Which is more than manifest by an innumerable number of women who altho by nature they bee but weak vessels yet thorow influence frō Aboue manie of them haue proven more strong and steadfast in the worthiest and greatest Matters than anie men that ever were and especiallie in mayntayning defending of the true and Christian Fayth yea and suffered for the same not onlie tyrannicall torments but also cruell Death it selfe notwithstanding of the womanlie tendernesse of their most comlie proportionable featurall personages A Christian Mayd in France named Blandine in the great Persecution of BLANDINE CHRIST'S Members there vnder the Emperour Severus about the yeare of our LORD 178 was taken and bound to a Stake with strong threatninges to burne her or else to renounce the Christian Fayth But she continued rejoycinglie steadfast Then brought they wilde beastes to feede vpon her flesh and began to let them
byte her tender corpse Yet neverthelesse shee shrunke not a jot but the faster that the Serpents did byte her the lowder she cryed I am a Christian I am a Christian looking vp and calling earnestlie to the GOD of Heaven to giue her strength and patience that shee might bee worthie to finish her lyfe to the Glorie of His Name Now her torments lasted so long and shee endured so steadfast that the verie Executioner stood amazed and cut off her head The spectators bewayled her with manie tears and manie at that same houre believed and were casten inte deepe Dungeons Another Virgine called Maxima MAXIMA being so horriblie tormented by Sason prince of Vandals and yet could not be vrged to forsake CHRIST hee let her goe free But manie others which were in Prison hee banished into the Yle of Capsur vnder the king of Mores where they preached the Gospell and afterwards were eaten with wilde people Maximine was a cruell Persecuter of the Christians and tooke his chiefe pleasure in devysing new tormenting Instruments to perplexe them with a languishing death But he was not busier to invent their Sorrow than they were earnestlie readie to suffer all that hee could imagine But especiallie the Women Amongst whom were Dorothea SO PHRONIA DOROTHEA and Sophronia who chose farre rather to drinke out the verie dreggs of the Cup of Death than anie wayes to shrinke a whit from the Confession of the true Fayth And the same GOD which strengthened these Women in all kynde of Martyrdome yea and in the pangues of Death for His Names sake wroght also in the heart of this Tyrant that he was overcome with the constant steadfastnesse in the Religion of these Women In so much that hee caused publish an Edict and proclaymed through all his Empyre That none should molest them in anie thing vpon poene of Death Thus wee clearlie beholde the extraordinarie great loving Mercies of our GOD towards Woman Sexe who hath stil so mightily assisted them even with His Divine Strength to suffer all whatsoever could bee layd vpon them without shrinking vnto the last period of Breath no not in Death it selfe And thus wee proceede The Church Historie maketh mention of an ancient Virgine of Alexandria whom the persecutioner tooke and drew out all her teeth and then A VIRGINE MARTYR her tongue also and brought her to the fire to bee burnt quicke And when they intreated her yet to forsake CHRIST shee resolutelie leaped into the fire and was burnt to powder about the yeare of our LORD 251. About which tyme also was a religious Woman called Coïnth vnnaturallie COÃNTH and filthilie drawne at a horse tayle thorow all the nookes of the Citie of Alexandria And yet continuing steadfast they rent her in pieces with vglie disguysed persons lyke Devils and Death himselfe Socrates telleth that a Temple was SOCRATES LIB 6. CAP. 33. erected in the towne of Edesse in Mesopotamia to the honour of GOD and the Apostle Sainct Thomas in the which the Christians vsed to assemble and offer their sacrifices of prayer prayse and thanksgiving vnto the GOD of Heaven Which when the Emperour Valens vnderstood who was an Arch-enemie to the servants of the true God and an accursed persuer of all such as professed the Name of IESUS hee was wrathfull towards Modestus the chiefe Captayne sent for him and reproved him verie sharplie for suffering the Christians contrarie his will and commandement And gaue him charge on payne of Death and his whole posteritie that the next tyme that the Christians coveaned in Saynct Thomas Church hee should murder them all both young and olde Now this Modestus MODESTUS the chiefe Captayne was a good Man and sent private advertisement to the Christians that vpon their next awonted day of assemblie in Sainct Thomas Church none should bee found there who loved his lyfe Neverthelesse vpon their vsuall day they came to the Church in great numbers to say their Prayers and Modestus making a show to satisfie the Emperours evill purpose was marching thitherwards with a band of armed souldiours and seeing a Christian Woman with a chylde in her armes running towards the Church hee called her saying Vnhappie Woman that thou art whither art thou going Shee answered To the Temple of Saynct Thomas Hast thou not heard tell quoth hee that the Emperour hath commanded mee to slay all that are in the Temple to day Yes shee sayde and therefore I haste mee thitherwardes with my chylde that wee may die with the rest of our Brethren and Sisters This chiefe Captayne seeing the Woman so resolutelie bent with her little one to suffer for the Name of CHRIST returned with his souldiors to the Emperour tolde him what the Woman had sayde and desired rather to suffer Martyrdome himselfe with the Christians than to worke anie thing agaynst them Whereby the Emperour was put from his hellish purpose The Arch-bishop of Saleucia had a Sister called Tharbua who because she THARBUA would not renounce the fayth of IESUS was bound to a post and her Mayde to another and were cut in twayne in the middle with a Saw and never shrunke for the matter And vnder the Reygne of Emperour Adrian there was an holie wyse Matron called Sophia who had three daughters SOPHIâ— which shee saw cruellie executed for the Name of IESUS shee standing by and giving them cowrage to the last gaspe And beeing dead shee buried them with her owne handes without the Citie of Rome giving great prayse vnto GOD glorie and thanks who had made her so happie a Woman that the fruit of her Wombe was so respected of the LORD as to account them worthie to bee of the number of those that suffered for the Name and Glorie of the LORD IESUS But seeing it is not possible for me nor none else to registrate all the steadfast constant Women in Godlinesse Vertue Wisdome Learning Knowledge Cowrage Chastitie and manie other excellent perfections for indeed such a taske would fill the world full of Bookes and yet never bee ended Therefore at this tyme I thinke to conclude this my little Essay to the Honour of GOD and good Women with the ecclesiasticall Historie of the Maccabees Wee reade that two Women were brought in and accused for not observing the manners of the Gentiles because according to the Law of GOD they had circumcised their little ones which hanging on their Mothers breasts they hurried them shamefullie round about the Citie and then both Women and Infants were throwne headlongs downe from the Wall Agayne a Mother with her seaven Sonnes were cruellie and vnhumanelie tortured and also put to Death because they would not forsake the Law of GOD and their fathers And this part of Scripture testifieth That the Woman was marvelous aboue all and worthie of honourable memorie for when shee saw her seaven Sonnes slayne within one dayes space shee bare it with a good cowrage because of the hope
Thus Men may vnderstand that all Heavenlie Gifts and Graces shew themselues farre more excellentlie in Women than in Men. And I neede not to make much adoe to proue that the Women are in no degree so greedie and avaricious as are vnhappie Men. And thus I durst appeale to everie honest Mans Conscience yet never-the-lesse I can hardlie passe by heere to tell you how Queene Semiramis approved this SEMIRAMIS DARIUS on King Darius for she caused build a costlie and Sumptuous Tombe vpon the which she caused write this Poesie Who so desireth gold silver much such Breake down this Tombe he shall find all And as King Darius happened to come that way and beholding the Tombe and reading the superscription hee caused open the same and on the innerside of the same stone was written thus Thou Gracelesse Man and full of Greedinesse That Women doe surpasse thee now confesse Hadst thou beene other but a catiue Wretch Thy Hands on dead Mens Tombes thou wouldst not stretch And so finding nothing within but dust and clay and seeing himselfe so farre deceaved this greedie Gluttonous Man departed looking as angrielyke as a March-Hare Eusebius in his Church Histories EUSEBIUS wryteth greatlie to the just Prayse of Women by the example of the Mother of Origen for manie Martyrs on ORIGEN a day beeing condemned to bee burnt by the Enemies of the Gospell of CHRIST this Origen was in the mynde voluntarilie and vnaccused to haue suffered death with them on the morrow But his Mother happie Woman beeing aware thereof came quyetlie into his Chamber the night before tooke away all his Cloathes So that when Origen rose in the morning with full resolution to sacrifice himselfe with the other Martyrs hee had nothing to put on and so was faine to tarrie in his Chamber a day or two till GOD changed his mynde and lived manie yeares after and proved an excellent instrument in propagating the Gospell of GOD as appeareth till this day by his worthie and holie Wrytings Yet before I conclude this Chapter I must rehearse vnto you two worthie Women who in excellencie of learning and Governament were not behinde anie Men that ever wee reade of The first of these was a Woman borne in England of Heroicke Parents and her selfe of a loftie spirit and subtill ingenious wit and having passed the English Schooles at home shee departed from England in Mans Cloathing and came to Athens which Citie at that tyme flowrished aboue all others in Learning and Policie in which she extraordinarilie studied and profited exceedinglie calling her selfe POPE IOHN Iohn And afterwardes comming to Rome shee taught and disputed openlie in the Schooles in the habite of a most graue Doctor and was so well lyked of that they thought her the paragon of that Age. And after the death of Leo the fourth of that name Pope of Rome about the yeare of our LORD 852. shee was chosen Pope of Rome and governed that Place with great wisdome in good Civilitie and happie Peace the space of three yeares two moneths and foure dayes and ended her lyfe with great Renowne Another rare wise and excellent Woman was Theodosia Empresse of Constantinople who through the basenesse of the Emperour her Husband who seeing Disturbances lykelie to fall out in his Empire cowardlie left all betooke himselfe to a Closter and became a Monke and lykewyse her Brother Zoc beeing slaine shee governed the Empyre her selfe and that so valiantlie and judiciouslie that she was out of measure beloved of her Subjects and feared of her Enemies all the dayes of her lyfe and departed this lyfe in peace about the yeare of CHRIST 1050. And to conclude this Chapter I speake thus much with pardon to the Women of these tymes to follow the Vertue of these their aforesayde predecessours To Vertue and to Honour once in Rome Two statelie Temples there erected was Where none might vnto Honours Temple come But first through Vertues Temple they must passe Which was an Embleme and a Document That wee by Vertue must true Honour win And that that Honour shall beâ— permanent Which onlie did from Vertue first begin Then sith these Women haue truâ— Vertue wun See yee with them the paths of Vertue run CHAPTER IV. Of the Valiantnesse Boldnesse and Cowrage of Women and of their Victorious Battells farre surpassing the engine or Cowrage of Man SUch Striplings as take pleasure as farre as they may to impeach the Honour and Credit of Women and to denye their rare perfection in everie excellent thing even aboue Man let such stand abacke I say and withdrawe themselues vnto these learned Authors who preferre the Valour Cowrage and bold-heartinesse of Women to all the Men that ever were and for this purpose let them with great reverence reade Ammianus Marcellinus Trogus Pompeius Justinus Orosius Diodorus Siculus Plinius Herodotus Curtius Solinus Pomponius Mela and manie others in the renowned Histories of the Amazones where it is clearlie showne that the just praise of Women in Martiall affaires also farre aboue Men hath sounded through the World Now these Amazones dwelt in Scythia this Scythia lying in North Asia the which now-adayes is called Tartaria whereby it is knowne from that Scythia which lyeth in Europe And the Amozones having no King but a Queene called Orithie together with ORITHIE a valiant Ladie whom the Queene made her Vice-Gerent called Antiope These two Women governed the Amazones so wyselie and valiantlie that they were feared of all their neyghbours So that Euristeus the Athenian King was compelled to intreat Great Hercules himselfe to put on his Armour and to helpe him against two Women forsooth who then so wiselie governed the Amazones that his bowles quaked for feare of them Now this Hercules beeing pricked with Ambition jealous of Honour greedie for preferment as commonlie Men haue ever beene hee assemall the forces that hee might and taking with him Theseus and other mightie Friends and assistants they imbarked themselues to sayle towards Scythia agaynst the Queene of the Amazones and after great Skaithe of their owne people are returned without victorie not daring to bide bargaine when the Queene in proper person came to giue them Battell but destroyed some of the Countrey with fire and so fled away lyke Men. But soone after that the Queene and her Forces followed over into Europe to bee avenged on the Gricks and on Euristeus where they made such havock on the Borders and Frontures of the Athenians that their King was faine to compone with the Queene and to buy her out of his Countrey Great Hercules being slayn In token whereof the Athenians hold him for their Patron till this day And a long time thereafter the Grecians going into Asia agaynst the Trojanes and Penthesilia then beeing successiue PENTHESILIA Queene to Orithie Queene of the Amazones shee levied a gallant Armie more Women than Men and came over and assisted the Trojanes in such sort that through her