be crown'd Her vessells all with oyle doth ouerflow And ceased not vntill the woman said My vessells all are full and then it staid 51 Then came she to the man of God and told The blessings which she had receiu'd that day Eliah said straight let the oyle be sold Wherewith thou mai'st thy creditors go pay And as the Lord this day thy state hath blest So keepe thy selfe children with the rest 52 The faithfull Shunamite deserueth well To be recorded with this sacred crue Who did the holy man of God compell To eate with her at euery season due And seriously her husband doth inuite To build a roome where he might lodge all night 53 Wherefore Eliah prayed vnto the Lord She being barren and her husband olde To make her fruitfull and he doth accord The Prophet cald the Shunamite and told For this good deed which thou to me hast done Thou shalt conceiue eke bring forth a son 54 And in due time this miracle was wrought By his great power that rules the starrie skie A ioyfull sonne into the world she brought Which shortly after happened to die Hereby to show his loue doth neuer cease To life he doth this child from death release 55 What title shall I giue this happy Queene Whose sacred worth her state doth far exceed No eare hath heard nor waÌ„dring eye hath seen An act more bloudy then is here decreed Her people all should be destroyd and slain Whose prayer and fasting did their liues obtaine 56 Of Prouinces one hundred twenty seuen The Iews should die the King had giueÌ„ seald Which was opposed by the powerfull heauen And at this gracious Queenes request repeal'd And to a shamefull end the man she brought That should this bloudy massacre haue wrought 57 Thus Hester by the Lords out stretched arme Who neuer failes them that in him doe trust Preseru'd her people from this wofull harme And brought their foes euen down in the dust For as they thought the Iewes to deale withall The same reuenge vpon their heads did fall 58 When Sarah whom her fathers maides dispise Was ouercome with hearts oppressing griefe Vnto the Lord for succour strait she flies Who heard her prayer granted her releife And husband of his grace he doth ordaine which into mirth her mourning turn'd again 59 If wisdome valor worth and zeale were lost And this rare patterne onely did remaine The world can scarce of such another boast Whereby it might redeeme them all againe Who by her prayer obtain'd from Gods high hand To saue a Cittie and preserue a Land 60 First dust and ashes on her head she throwes And all in sackcloth she doth fast and pray Then into Olofernes campe she goes Where she this famous Captaine doth betray With courage stout wisdom rare she vs'd His head she brought which al the land excus'd 61 Then did she call the Elders of the Towne Saying behold what God for you hath done With stately wreathes they did her straight way crowne And euery where with shoutes of ioy did run The riches great of Olofernes tent With one accord they doe to her present 62 Thus while she was extold and magnifi'd Whom euery eie with wonder did behold Vnto the Temple of the Lord she hi'd And off'ring all this wealth of plate and gold With humble zeale before the Alter bowes Vnto the Lord thus perform'd her vowes 63 A mirrour of a chast religious wife Is faire Susanna being fore distrest Who rather chose to loose her dearest life Then yeild vnto the Elders vild request Loe thus resolu'd aloud for helpe did cry And false accus'd she is condemned to die 64 But see how God did graciously prouide To saue this woman by a childes decree Who did the Elders seuerally deuide And found them both in seuerall tales to be For which vnworthy deed their liues they pay To her great honor who they did betray 65 A woman more then wonderfull behold Whose resolutions so vndanted are As by no earthly power can be control'd More permanent then any fixed starre Within the Spheare of that celistiall round To whom fames trumpet giues the loudest sound 66 Seuen sons she had who by the Kings coÌ„mand Because they would not his behests obey To violate the custome of their land Were all adiudg'd their dearest liues to pay By sundry tortures which she seeing plaine Imboldned them still constant to remaine 67 When six of them the Tirant had destroy'd He wild his mother moue the seuenth to turne That so he might this cruell death auoid In stead whereof she bids him boldly burne And Martyr-like the Tirants rage defie Thus with his brothers he doth brauely die 68 Like Hecuba for death of Pryam old The mother now all tearmes of life defi'd VVith courage greater then Sheuola bold And thus this euer honored Martir di'd Where we wil leaue theÌ„ to the world to mourn And to our Grandame Eue againe returne 69 And there behold the race poore man had run VVhen God Angells did him both forsake Fit for precipice thou wert vndone And could'st no way a good attonment make Till this rare creature thou dispisest so VVas chosen out to mittigate thy woe 70 Assist me now ye sacred Sisters nine That I with reuerence may her praises sing VVho was elected by the powers deuine A sanctifi'd and blessed birth to bring VVhen man to sin was subiect to thrall Became a sweet redemption for vs all 71 For euer blessed be that glorious name Which God Angells haue pronounced blest FroÌ„ whose deare loins our happy Sauiour came That to the world brought loue ioy peace and rest And did not spare his precious bloud to spil Condemned mans saluation to fulfill 72 All honor praise and glory due be done To her whose seed hath conquered death hel A happy mother of a royall sonne Before whose throne she doth in glory dwell Where she with Angells Ark-angells sings Sweet haleluiah to the King of Kings 73 This blessed woman if I could not find An other subiect to defend their case Might well perswade men if they were not blind With enuious malice vold of humaine grace To striue as much their honor to maintaine As they pursue theÌ„ with such foule disdaine 74 A second Mary doth this first succeed Whose loue zeale throughout the world is spred The teares would make a marble heart to bleed VVhich for her deare deceased Lord she shed Deep plung'd in woes in sorows great opprest Her minde amaz'd her sences dispossest 75 In this sad passion to the place she goes VVhereas she thought our blessed Sauiour lay No pen so dolefull can expresse her woes VVhen she perceiu'd the body stolne away A fresh she wept down her head she hung Like lapwings that are robbed of their yong 76 The precious ointment that with her she brought That glorious body to imbâ—lme and keepe She nought respects since it was gon she
till her time in ignorance did wander Yet afterwards acknowledge none their betters In History Philosophy or Phraise Of eloquence deseruing worthy praise 156 Aretha was in learning so profound That she in Athens publike schoole did read Philosophie with iudgment graue and sound VVherein she did the learnedst man exceed VVhose Auditors as Pollio doth declare Philosophers aboue a hundred were 157 VVhen Lucius Scilla was condemn'd to die Who falsely had three thousand Romains slaine That did vpon his word their liues relie His daughter Loelia did his life obtaine With one oration which she made in Rome Whereat the Senate did reuoke their doom 158 Senobia was in learning so repleate Both Greeke and Latin to her sons she taught And did a rare epitome repeate Of all the warres wherwith the East was fraught Athenian Pericles who soar'd so high Did from Aspasia learne Philosophie 159 Cornelia a famous Roman dame Such eloquent Epistles vs'd to write That Cicero a man of rarest fame Cōmends her workes with wonderful delight With Pallaes help to end rare Lucan broght The battaile Caesar and great Pompey fought 160 Alexandra the wife of Alexander In Iury liu'd a Bishop many yeares Whose learned wisdom like a wise commander Was reuerenc'd both of common-wealth and Peeres Dona the daughter of Pithagoras In sciences a famous scholler was 161 Two Gretian women deepely learn'd indeed The loue of Plato did so highly win That seated in his chaire about to read Before they came he seldome would begin In them saith he sage wisdom doth remaine And memory graue maxims to maintaine 162 In France a sect of women did remaine Cal'd Druides to whom Aurelian came From Rome to France their counsells to obtaine So much their wisdom was renownd by fame Mirrha Queene of Lydia men did call Agiant for her wit in stature small 163 In Rhodes a Roman and a Greeke fell out Who both desir'd their cuntries worth to raise The Greeke cōtest the Romans were more stout But vnto Greece for learning gaue the praise Wherin said he our women more doe know Then you in armes whereof you boast of so 164 Vpon which words a mortall warre insu'd 'Twixt Rome Carthage til the Rodians came VVho earnestly intreate they would conclude To make them empires in this worke of fame To whose request whē they had both agreed The noble Rhodians in this wise proceed 165 Ten Greacian women they in Rhodes ordaine VVith ten of Rome shall disputation hold which they with such rare learning did maintain In leaues of brasse deserues to be inrol'd For with the Rhodiās to their great renown with Lawrell wreathes these famous women crown'd 166 For sollid sentences and learning graue Vnto the Grecians they the praise decreed True eloquence they to the Romans gaue Wherin they thought they did the Greeks exceed But from each side such vertue rare did flow As mē could hardly who were victors know 167 The worthy Rodians in perpetuall praise That after ages might their vertues see To each of them a monument did raise VVhereby their loue shall intermixed be Twenty huge Pillers of victorious fame Whereon was writ each seuerall womans name 168 Two famous Theban virgins being told The Oracle had said they should enioy A conquest from the Orchymenians bold If two chast virgins should thēselues destroy Their country with victorious praise to kill Coragiously their dearest bloud they spill 169 Braue Celia that King Porsenna tooke VVith whom in hostage diuers virgins were With courage stout by night his camp forsook Gat horse and swame a riuer void of feare VVhereat the King amaz'd without delay Did raise his siege and went with shame away 170 Hermonia a Siracusan maid To saue her country did her life defie The wife of Asdruball was lesse afraid VVhen Scipio conquered then himselfe to die Great Mithridates wife and sisters three Shew'd farre lesse feare of death then he 171 Resolued Portia hearing this sad newes Her husband and her father both were slaine That tyrannizing sorrow should abuse Her noble spirit did so much disdaine The burning coales to eate she doth deuise Thus made herselfe a liuing sacrifice 172 The pride of Aegipt that most glorious Queen Did so much scorn great Caesars campe to grace With captine bands wher she shold ly between Dispaire and hope in a contemned case With poisoned Asps whose touch to death doth hie Brauely resolu'd she rather chose to die 173 Philip proclam'd at Scyo euery slaue That would come forth with his army hold With liberty their masters wiues should haue Which when the women heard like lions bold They sally out and to their great renowne Beate Phillip and his army from the towne 174 The Scyots by th' Egiptian sore opprest Vnarm'd to leaue the towne with them agree which when the womē heard they could not rest Vntill they made them change this base decree With sheild and speare vncloth'd they march away Telling their foes that this was their aray 175 Among the Amasons two Queens they chose The forraigne and domestique state to guide Abroad Marpesia did subdue their foes At home Lampeda all things did decide VVith equall iustice void of loue or hate VVhich made them florish in a happy state 176 Constantinople being round beset With furious Gothes that ment it to destroy The Empresse bold to the wall did get VVhere valiantly she did them so annoy That many by her noble hands did die The rest were forst to raise their siege fly 177 Simeramis deserues to be inrold In brasen leaues of euerlasting praise Who by her vallour like a Tygresse bold Her hardy foes inforst their campe to raise From Babilon they surely thought to take Which she with shame compeled them to forsake 178 Senobia forst Aurelian to confesse With whom a famous war she long maintain'd To conquer Xerxes was a taske far lesse Whose greatnesse with the name of feare was stain'd Thē stout Senobia who with speare sheild Came like the God of bataile to the field 179 Penthiselia that couragious queene Encountered braue Achilles hand to hand Then which a brauer combat nere was seene Hippolita stout Theseus did withstand In single fight their honors to maintaine VVhereby they did immortallglory gaine 180 The Queene of Carryall like the God of war Did chase the Rhodians like a hare with hounds Against whose valor nothing was a barre She burnt the wals sackt their cheifest townes Whereby she forst thē to her endlesse fame To build her image and inscribe her name 181 Immortall Tass◠thou canst neuer die So worthily Clornidaes fame to write Who boldly durst that champion braue defie Renowned Tancred euen at single fight And so perform'd that men could hardly know The conqueror suruiu'd his conquered foe 182 Vndanted Hector hadst thou liued now Howmuch thy hardest soule wold blush to see That earths great monarch should be made to bow And
THE WORTH OF WOMEN LONDON Printed by William Iones dwelling in Red-crosse streete 1622. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE VERTVOVS AND TRVE RELIGIous Dame the Ladie ANNE WENTWORTH MAruell not Madam that I haue made choice Of you amongst all other Princely Dames Whose secret vertue challengeth each voice And my poore zeale beyond all ethers flames The first oblation of my morning Muse Lo here I offer at your sacred Shrine Which if you please but graciously peruse And sanctifie with those pure starres diuine Whose radiant rayes and bright reflecting flame May purifie the most impolisht rhime And bearing but the Liuery of your name Shall liue despight the cankred iawes of time And flourish like the euerliuing Bay When monuments of Marble shall decay Your Ladiships humble and deuoted seruaut Richard Ferrers To the curious Readers SVspend your iudgements censure not in haste But ere you iudge the first first see the last May 28. 1622. THE WORTH OF WOMEN 1 MY infant Muse that slept in silence long Resolu'd no more her vntun'd notes to sing Asham'd to heare the ignominous wrong Detracting idle heads did daily bring Vpon that noble sexe of women-kinde Prepar'd her selfe some Antidote to fince 2 Within an humble valley where she lay That was with loftie hils inuiron'd round Through which a pleasant christal brook did play With pibble stones that roled on the ground Where chirping birds melodiously did sing To entertaine the sweet refreshing Spring 3 There Philomela did bewaile the rape Of wicked Terius that incestuous King And louely Laeda in her Swan-like shape Hid her blacke foote vnder her snowie wing The matelesse Turtle you might also see Sit mourning by vpon a Willow tree 4 Vindictiue Progne by her selfe alone Vpon an old decayed Trunke did keepe Vnder the which Halcyone did moane Vpon a bush whose dolefull note was Weepe And Pyres daughters in those pleasant vaies Would oft be chattering prety wanton tales 5 From hence among the lowly Mirtle boughes Oretopt with Pines and loftie Cedars tall She pearcht her selfe and made a stately rouze Wherewith a quill she from her wing let fall Intending now to take a higher flight She bids me make a pen sit downe write 6 Which I obeying had no sooner done But all the carping-critick-squint-eyd rout Like dogs to carion did about me runne And fortie faults in twentie words found out Each seuerall humour must his censure giue And at their verdict I must die or liue 7 Their great god Momus did no sooner spie My books rich title but in heart repining Began to draw his goodly mouth awrie As if his worship had on Plaice bin dining Reades some few lines in a furious snuffe Casts it aside and sweares 't is simple stuffe 8 Which Zoilus straight snatcheth vp againe And viewing but a vertuous womans name Cries fie vpon this poore mans silly vaine To reade his booke it were a burning shame Whereat the rout of giddie headed geese Did all bestow at least a word a peece 9 One cries a woman is composde of feather Another sweares their faith is like the winde A third their zeale is made of frostie weather The fourth a chaste one neuer yet could finde A fig for these since better spirits know Saue ignorance true knowledge hath no fo 10 Emboldned thus my daring Muse goes on Attir'd with naked Truths vnspotted robe And Eagle-like beholds the dazeling Sunne Euen in the Apogean of his globe To teach these Criticks that haue err'd in this To know hereafter what a woman is 11 Know then the woman God did first create And with the man in Paradise did place Was for an helpe when he was desolate Coequall with him in the state of grace Out strait cries the multitude 't was she That pluckt the fruit frō the forbidden tree 12 Euen heere this rable haue deuis'd a lie The Serpent pluckt she gaue the man to eate VVho had free will this weake attempt to flie Knowing the heauy vengeance God did threat VVhat time soeuer hee this fruite did taste That he should die the death be displac't 13 Which surely followed for when God did call For Adam as he vsually had done He now perceiuing his most wretched fall From his all-seeing presence would haue run But finding no escape cry'd out and said I heard thy voice O Lord and was afraid 14 VVhy hast thou eate of the forbidden tree Which I cōmanded thee thou shouldst not stir He said the woman hath deceiued me She pleades the Serpent had beguilled her Whē God in iustice saw their fault was euen Both with a curse from Paradise were driuen 15 Yet shortly after see how God did blesse Obedient Sarah Abrahams faithfull wife And fruitfull made her aged barrennesse Euen in her latter dying daies of life A son she doth conceiue within her wom be From whom shall Kings realmes nations come 16 A blessed mother of a chosen sonne VVith whom the Lord hath promised he will Establish his couenant now beguune VVhich Isack is ordained to fulsill And as with him saith God I haue decreed So after him for euer with his seed 17 This promise God inuiolate will hold Which to confirme he doth Rebeccha chuse A vertuous woman more esteem'd then gold Whom Isack for his wife doth not refuse From Esau she the blessing did obtaine To Iacob where the couenant doth remaine 18 And as to Isack so did God prouide For Iacob faithfull women full of zeale Rahell and Leah are to him affi'de With whom the Lord most graciously doth deale For being barren by their prayers conceiue Childrē which they vnto successe shal leaue 19 Though wicked Pharoh strictly did command The Mid wiues all men children to destroy This practise they would neuer take in hand But did his vild iniunction disobey And durst no child of his deare life depriue But fearing God preseru'd them all aliue 20 Whereat the King with anger them pursues Saying How durst you my cōmandmēt break Which matter they so wisely did excuse As that the King had not a word to speake Wherfore God prosper'd thē in all things wel And built thē houses wherin they might dwel 21 Now see how God miraculously wrought By Pharohs daughter this poore child to saue Who vnto her by stratagem was brought Euen by the mercie of a senslesse waue She fearing nought her father 's sterne decree Gaue straight cōmand it should preserued be 22 And by the secret prouidence of God This infant to his mother doth commend The miracle effected by his rod His poore oppressed people to defend The Oceans parting testifieth most Wherein did perish Pharoh and his hoast 23 Behold the Lord a woman chuseth out In all the towne his secret Spies to hide Who being straight examin'd thereabout With constant zeale she seruently denide And closely them into a roofe conuayd Who otherwise their liues had surely payd 24 And euen about the deadest time of night Out at a window she