sent after them his horse men who not onely rifled them but stampt their children beneath their horses feete where many of the infants perished and so in confused heaps hurried them backe into the towne bearing the spoile into the Tyrants treasurie These outrages were the least of many which I purposely omit There liued at that time an antient noble man in the cittie called Hellanicus who entred into a combination with the exiles about the suppressing of the Tyrant and by reason of his yeares was neither by him feared nor suspected by the incouragement of this Hellanicus the confined citisens assembled themselues into a citie most conuenient for their deseigne cald Amimona to whom many of their allies and friends copartners in the publique calamitie resorted Aristotemus somwhat affrighted with this new faction repaired to a place of publike assembly whether he had caused all the chiefe matrons to be before called there in a premitated oration stuft with many threats aud menaces protested to inflict vpon them rackes tortures and lingring deaths vnlesse by speedie letters they did not onely persuade but preuaile with their husbands instantly to abandon the place they had fortified To whom Megisto the wife of Tymoleon a Ladie amongst the rest most respected not daigning the tyrant the least honour or so much as rising to doe him reuerence but sitting with a bold and vndaunted courage thus speake Weart thou a true spirited man as nothing lesse appeares in thee thou wouldest not threaten women in this base kind to betray their husbands but wouldest rather haue negotiated with them who haue entire power command ouer vs and that in smoother and more deceitfull language than such by which thou hast hetherto beguiled vs. But if thy cowardise and despairation compell thee to this exigent as thinking by our meanes to complot their ruines thou art in that hope destitute of all comfort let that day neuer be callendred to memorise them among men so void of councell and discretion that by sparing the liues of their wiues and children they should betray the sacred libertie of their countrie for the mischiefe is not so great to loose vs altogether whom they haue alredy wanted so long as the good and profit that must necessarily accrue by redeemimg the citties from thy insolencie and tyrannie These words were no sooner vttered but Aristotemus distracted with rage and furie commanded her young sonne to be sought and brought whom hee purposed to massacre before the mothers face and whil'st his lictors and serieants were inquiring for him amongst others that were then busied about their childish sports she spying him or her own accord called him to her with these words Come hether to me ô my sonne and now in thy childhood before thou hast apprehension or passionate feeling of tyrrannie be freed both from the terror and burden therof for mine own part I had rather see thee innocently dying than basely and ignobly seruing The Tyrant at her last speech more inraged than the former drew out his sword with purpose to haue slaine her when Cylo one of his familiar friends but indeede a cheefe man in the confederacie with Hellanicus staid his hand and by gentle words so tempered his spleene that he departed thence without any act of murder yet purpose of a future reuenge Vpon a day as hee was sporting vpon the bed with his wife vntill dinner was prepared and disposed vpon the table it happened that an Eagle soring aboue the Pallace let fall a great stone vpon the battlements iust ouer the bed where the king then lay and alighting there made such a fearefull and prodigious noyse that it not onely amased the king within but was wonderfull to all that beheld it without The Augurers were sent for to know what omen should succeede they flatter the tyrant and promise nothing but what is good and prosperous Hellanicus the same night in his dreame immagined his sonne appeared to him which sonne was by Aristotemus before murdered with his brother who spoke to him to this effect O father arise is this a time to sleepe when the whole gouernement of the cittie must depend on you to morrow With this dreame incouraged he comforted his adherents all attending the opportunitie of reuenge Aristotemus meane time hearing that Craterus was marched as farre as Olimpius with a great armie leauied for his safetie and supporture grew so bold vpon the rumor of so great a power that without his guard accompanied with Cylo onely he aduentured into the market place whom Hellanicus meeting by chance and almost extasied to see him so weakely attended with both his hands aduanced and with an audable and cleere voice he made this clamour Where be you you good long oppessed countriemen a braue Theatre is this for so noble a contention as our libertie being seated in the middest of our countrie and centre of our cittie This Cylo inuaded the next man to the king and slew him Thrasibulus and Lampides assaulted the tyrant who fled to the temple of Iupiter where they fell vpon him killed him then dragging his bodie into the market place proclaimed their libertie The women issued out of their houses with ioy clamour embracing their husbands fathers and friends with loude and glad acclamations thence in multitudes they made concourse to the pallace The tyrants wife to preuent their furie made fast her doore and in her priuat chamber strangled her selfe Aristotemus had two beautifull yong virgins to his daughters both marriagable these they were about to dragge into the streetes with purpose to destroy them but first to excrutiate them with all disgraces and contumacies Which Megisto seeing with her best oratorie appeased their present furie proposing to them how shamefull a thing it were for a noble and free state to immitate the insolencies of a bloodie and inhumane tyrannie libertie therfore was granted the yong damosells at her intercession to retire themselues into their chambers and to make choise of what death best suited with their present feares Myro the elder sister vnloosing from her wast a silken gyrdle fastened it about her owne necke and with a smiling and cheerefull looke thus comforted the younger My sweete and deere sister I more commiserat thy fate than lament mine owne yet immitate I intreat thee my constancie in death least any abiect thing or vnworthie may be obiected against vs vnagreeable with our blood and qualitie To whom the younger replyed That nothing could appeare more terrible to her than to behold her die therefore besought her by the affinitie of sisterhood to be the first that should make vse of that gyrdle and dying before her to leaue to her an example of resolution and patience Myro to her made answere I neuer denied thee any thing sweete soule in life neither will I oppose thee in this thy last request at thy death and for thy sake will I indure that which is more greeuouous to mee than mine
to Vrania and from Memorie we are drawne vp to Heauen for the best remembrancers as Pliny saith comprehend the whole world or vniuerse in which the heauens are included and all the secrets therein as much as by inuestigation can be attaind to haue the full and perfect knowledge for the most secret and hidden things are contained in the Heauens aboue and therefore such as are expert in them cannot be ignorant of these lesse and more easie to be apprehended below Plutarch of Vrania thus speakes Plato as by their steppes hath trac'd all the gods thinking to find out their faculties by their names By the same reason we place one of the Muses in the Heauens and about coelestiall things which is Vrania for that which is aboue hath no need of diuersitie of gouernment hauing one vniuersall directresse which is Nature where therfore there be many errors excesses transgresses there the eight remaining are to be transmitted and one particular Muse still reserued one to correct this fault and another that Vrania therefore according to Plutarch hath predominance in things coelestiall which by how much they are aboue things terrestriall in excellence they are so much the more difficult Some stretch the influence of the starres to Zoriasta's magicke in which he was popularlie famous nay more his name by that art enobled notwithstanding the annalls testifie that he was subdued and slaine in battell by Ninus Pompey the great was curiouslie addicted to these diuinations yet his potencie fayl'd him and he dyed a wretched death in Aegypt Howbeit by these instances it is not to be inferred as the mysticallest and powerfull part of the Mathematicall desciplines The inuentions of Manilius most indirectlie conferres it vpon Mercury Plato in Epinomide would haue all that contemplate Astrologie to begin in their youth such is the excellencie of the art and the difficultie to attaine vnto it for these be his words Be not ignorant that Astrologie is a most wise secret for it is necessarie that the true Astronomer be not that man according to Hesiod that shall onelie consider the rising and setting of the starres but rather that hath a full inspection into the eight compasses or circumferences and how the seauen are turned by the first and in what order euery starre mooues in his owne spheare or circle in which he shall not find any thing which is not miraculous If therefore the prayse of Astronomy be so great What encomium then is Vrania worthy who first illustrated the art This onelie shal suffice that by her is meant coelestiall Astrologie so cald of the Heauen for as Pharnutus saith The intire vniverse the ancients cald by the name of Heauen So by this meanes Vrania is acknowledged to be frequent in all sciences below and speculations aboue whatsoeuer Her Etimologie importing Sublimia spectantem that is Beholding things sublime and high Of her Ouid thus Incipit Vrania fecere silentia cunctae Et vox audiri nulla nisi illa potest Vrania first began to speake The rest themselues prepar'd To heare with silence for but hers No voyce could then be heard She is then receiued from the Heauen either because all nations and languages beneath the firmament haue some learned amongst them or that such as are furnisht with knowledge she seemes to attract and carry vpwards or to conclude because glorie and wisedome eleuate and erect the mind to the contemplation of things heauenlie Fulgentius saith That some of the Greeke authours haue left written that Linus was the son of Vrania but it is elsewhere found that she was called Vrania of her father Vranus otherwise stil'd Caelum whom his sonne Saturne after dismembred Xenophon in Sympos remembers that Venus was called Vrania speaking also of Pandemius of both their Temples and Altars the sacrifices to Pandemius were called Radiouorgaraera those to Venus Agnotaera Some as Lactantius Placidas call Heleneuae that menacing star Vrania In a word that coelestiall Muse called Astrologia or Vrania intimates nothing else than after mature iudgement to deliberate what to speake what to despise to make election of what is vsefull and profitable and to cast off what is friuolous and impertinent is the adiunct of a mind coelestial and a wisedome inculpable Most true therefore is the sentence of Plato who tells vs that Vrania is she that first attracts the eyes of our mind to sublime things aboue and if it were possible would drawe our selues after CALLIOPE THere are two things in the mind chieflie predominant Knowledge and Disposition which as Plato saith are in continuall and restlesse motion Knowledge which by the Sophists vnder a colour of truth is abused with things false and erroneous and Disposition or Affection which tempted by the popular Poets vnder a bait of delight and pleasure swallowes the hooke of many perturbations and distractions those Orators that are meerelie superficiall and not seene in the grounds of wisedome corrupted with idle and vaine reasons they delude the knowledge and with vnnecessarie curiosities precipitate the affection From Sophists we must altogether beware as pestiferous and infectious from Poets and Orators in some kinds but not in all cases Plato confineth Sophisters euery where and from all places and Poets too but not all such onelie as comment false and scandalous tales of the gods nor these from all places but from the citties onelie that is from the societie of young men and such as are ignorant prone to perturbation and not capable of the allegoricall sence included admitting onely such as speake well of the gods sing diuine Hymnes and brauelie register the acts of noble and illustrious persons Such is the practise that Calliope teacheth her Poets which practise as Ficinus witnesseth is nothing but the rapture of the soule with a transmigration into the maiestie of the Muses This Poesie rouseth vs from the sleepe of the body to the awaking of the mind from the darkenesse of ignorance to the light of knowledge from death to life and from dull obliuion to a contemplation diuine and heauenlie But where the wit failes there is no helpe to be expected from the inuention for it is not within the compasse of mans capacitie to compasse deepe and great matters in a moment for all knowledge is inspired from aboue And since Poetrie comes not by fortune nor can be attained to by art it must consequentlie be a gift from the gods and Muses For when Plato names the god he intends Appollo when the Muses he vnderstands the soules of the spheares for Iupiter is the mind of the deitie who extasies and illuminates Appollo Appollo the Muses the Muses the Poets the Poets inspire their interpreters the interpreters make impression in the Auditours By diuerse Muses diuers soules are enlightned as it is in Tymaeus that sundry soules are attributed to sundry spheares The Muse Calliope is a voyce resulting or rebounding from the sound of the other spheares and of the rest the most excellent
owne death namely to see thee die When accommodating all things for the present execution shee no sooner saw her dead but she gentlely layd her out and with great modestie couered her Then she besought Megisto on her knees to haue a care of them in their deaths that nothing immodest or vncomely might bee done to their bodies which graunted she not only with courage but seeming ioy vnderwent her last fate till she expired nor was there any spectator there present to whom the memorie of the tyrant was neuer so hatefull from whose eyes and hearts this obiect did not extract teares and pittie In Megisto is exprest the Magnanimitie of spirit but in these following I will illustrate Fortitude in action The Turkes busied in the siege of some townes in Catharo Vluzales Carocossa two of no meane place and eminence among them wrought so farre with the great Admirall that he deliuered into their charge the managing of threescore gallies with munition and men in number competent to make incursions into the bordering Islands then vnder the state of Venice These two Turkish captaines land their forces before Curzala a citie that giues name to the countrie with purpose to inuest themselues before it which Antonius Contarinus then gouernour of the cittie vnderstanding like a timerous and fearefull coward taking the aduantage of the night fled with his souldiors thence not leauing the â—owne any way defensible which the cittisens vnderstanding all or the most followed after The towne thus left to the weake guard of some twenty men about fourescore women the Turks giue them a bold and fierce assault when these braue viragoes chusing rather to dye like souldiers than like their husbands runne like cowards some maintaine the Ports others defend the walls and with that noble resolution that what with fire stones scalding water and such like muniments then readiest at hand so opposed the assailants that many of the Turks in that conflict were slaine and all repulst retyring themselues with purpose some rest giuen to the souldiours to salute them with a fresh alarum But fortune was so fauourable to these Amazonian spirits that a mighty tempest from the North so tost and distrest the Turks gallyes that they were forced to abandon the Island with dishonour leauing to the besieged a memory worthy to outliue all posteritie Of Dido Cesara Gumilda and Ethelburga OF Dido queene of Carthage all Authours agree to haue falne by the sword and to haue died by her owne bold and resolute hand but about the cause that mooued her thereto diuerse differ Ausonius is of opinion That her husband Sychaeus being dead shee did it to preserue her viduall chastitie and so free hir selfe from the importunities of Hyarbus king of Getulia of his mind is Marullus and of these Remnius or as some will haue it Priscianus in the Geography of Dionisius writing De scitu orbis i. the Scituation of the world Contrary to these is the Prince of Poets he whom Scalliger cals Poeta noster Pub. Virgilius who ascribes her death to an impatience of griefe conceiued at the vnkind departure of Aeneas which though it carry no great probabilitie of truth yet all the Latin Poets for the most part in honour of the authour haue iustified his opinion as Ouid in his third booke De fastis his Epistles Metamorph. and others workes so likewise Angelus Polytianus in his Manto with diuers others Iustine in his eighteenth booke of Hystor speaking of the first erecting of Carthage saith That where they began to digge with purpose to lay the first foundation they found the head of an Oxe by which it was predicted that the cittie should be futurelie fertill and commodious but withall full of labour and subiect to perpetuall seruitude therefore they made choice of another peece of earth where in turning vp the mould they chanced vpon the head of a horse by which it was presaged their collony should in time grow to be a warlike nation fortunate and victorious In what manner she dyed I referre you to Virgill and will speake a word or two of her sister Anna the daughter of Belus She after the death of her sister forsaking of the cittie of Carthage then inuested with siege by Hyarbus fled to Battus king the Island Melita but making no long soiourne there she put againe to sea and fell vpon the coast of Laurentum where being well knowne by Aeneas she was nobly receiued but not without suspition of too much familiaritie betwixt them in so much that iealousie possessing Lauinia the wife of Aeneas she conceiued an irreconcilable hatred against Anna in so much that fearing her threatned displeasure she cast her selfe headlong into the riuer Numicus and was there drowned for so Ouid reports in his booke de Fastis But touching the illustrious Queene Dido vnder her statue were these verses or the like engrauen in a Greeke character interpreted into Latine by Ausonius and by me in the sacred memorie of so eminent a queene thus englisht I am that Dido looke vpon me well And what my life was let my visage tell 'T is faire and smooth what wrinckle can you find In this plaine Table to expresse a mind So sordid and corrupt Why then so vneuen And blacke a soule should to a face be giuen That promiseth all vertue Virgill where Begott'st thou those ill thoughts that brand me here With lust and incest Neuer I protest Was that Aenaeas whom thou calst the best Of men in Lybia Neuer saw I land One Troian on the Carthaginian strand Because Sychaeus my first husband dead To keepe my sacred vowes to him I fled Th' imbraces of Hyarbus am I made A prostitute to nothing to a shade He came in armes to force me and compell Me a chast widdow to another hell A second marriage 'T is the gods aduise No woman can be chast that marryeth twice To auoide that sinne I slew my selfe ô why Couldst thou ô Maro then comment a lye With lust to brand my memory When heauen knowes To saue mine honour I my life did lose Giue faith to History you that Readers are Before this fabling Poesie since that far Transcends the bounds of truth for Poets can Make the high gods much more corrupt than man So much touching queene Dido and as farre as probabilitie can to acquit her of all incontinence One Paulus an historiographer in his fifth booke remembers vs of Cesara a queene of Persia who hauing some light of the Gospell trauelled as farre as Constantinople in Greece to be further instructed onely attended by a few priuat followers who being satisfied in all the fundamentall points of her faith she with her small traine was christened The Persian Sophy hauing notice thereof sent embassadours to the Emperour to know the reason why he deteined his queene wishing him to returne her safe vpon such easie sommons Cesara being in presence when this embassie was deliuered desired the Emperour that she
expectation of the obiect so much desired the messenger is summond who appeares before them with his bagge at his backe or rather vpon his necke he is commanded to discouer this strange creature so often spoken of but till then in that place not seene the sackes mouth is opened out flyes the mastiffe amongst them who seeing so many ougly creatures together thought it seemes he had beene amongst the beares in Paris garden but spying Lucifer to be the greatest and most ill-fauoured amongst them first leapes vp into his face and after flyes at whomsoeuer stood next him The diuels are disperst euery one runnes and makes what shift he can for himselfe the sessions is dissolued the bench and bale-docke cleered and all in generall so affrighted that euer since that accident the very name hath beene so terrible amongst them as they had rather entertaine into their darke and sad dominions tenne thousand of their wiues then any one man who beares the least character of a cuckold But hauing done with this sporting I proceede to what is more serious Of Women remarkeable for their loue to their Husbands IT is reported of the wiues of Wynbergen a free place in Germany that the towne being taken in an assault by the Emperour and by reason the cittisens in so valiantlie defending their liues and honours had beene the ouerthrow of the greatest part of his army the Emperour grew so inplacable that he purposed though mercy to the women yet vpon the men a bloody reuenge Composition being granted and articles drawne for the surrender of the towne it was lawfull for the matrons and virgins by the Emperours edict to carry out of their owne necessaries a burden of what they best liked The Emperour not dreaming but that they would load themselues with their iewels and coyne rich garments and such like might perceiue them issuing from the Ports with euery wife her husband vpon her backe and euery virgin and damsell her father or brother to expresse as much loue in preseruing their liues then as the men had before valour in defending their liberties This noble example of coniugall loue and pietie tooke such impression in the heart of Caesar that in recompence of their noble charitie hee not onely suffered them to depart peaceably with their first burdens but granted euerie one a second to make choice of what best pleased them amongst all the treasure and wealth of the cittie Michael Lord Montaigne in his Essayes speakes onely of three women for the like vertue memorable the first perceiuing her husband to labour of a disease incurable and euery day more and more to languish persuaded him resolutelie to kill himselfe and with one blow to be ridde of a lingring torment but finding him to be somewhat faint-hearted she thus put courage into him by her owne noble example I quoth she whose sorrow for thee in thy sicknesse hath in some sort paraleld thy torment am willing by one death both to giue date vnto that which hath for thy loue afflicted me and thy violent and vnmedicinable torture So after many persuasiue motiues to incourage his fainting resolution she intended to dye with him in her armes and to that purpose least her hold by accident or affright should vnloose she with a cord bound fast their bodies together and taking him in her louing imbraces from an high window which ouerlooked part of the sea cast themselues both headlong into the water As pious an affection shewed that renowned matron Arria vulgarlie called Arria mater because she had a daughter of the name shee seeing her husband Poetus condemned and willing that hee should expire by his owne hand rather than the stroake of the common hangman persuaded him to a Roman resolution but finding him somewhat daunted with the present sight of death she snatcht vp a sword with which she transpierst her selfe and then plucking it from her bosome presented it vnto her husband onely with these few and last words Poete non dolet Hold Poetus it hath done mee no harme and so fell downe and dyed of whom Martial in his first booke of Epigrams hath left this memory Casta suo gladium cum traderet Aria Poeto Quem dedit visceribus traxerat illa suis Si qua fides vulnus quod feci non dolet inquit Sed quod â—u facies hoc mihi Poete dolet When Aria did to Poetus giue that steele Which she before from her owne breast had tane Trust me saith she no smart at all I feele My onely wound 's to thinke vpon thy paine The third was Pompeia Paulina the wife of Seneca who when by the tyrranous command of Nero she saw the sentence of death denounced against her husband though she was then young and in the best of her yeares and he aged and stooping notwithstanding so pure was her affectionat zeale towards him that as soone as she perceiued him to bleed caused her owne vaine to be opened so to accompany him in death few such presidents this our age affordeth Yet I haue lately seene a discourse intituled A true narration of Rathean Herpin who about the time that Spinola with the Bauarians first entred the Pallatinate finding her husband Christopher Thaeon apoplext in all his limbes and members with an inuincible constancie at seuerall iournies bore him vpon hir backe the space of 1300 English miles to a Bath for his recouerie These and the like presidents of nuptiall pietie make me wonder why so many Satyrists assume to themselues such an vnbridled libertie to inueigh without all limitation against their Sex I happened not long since to steale vpon one of these censorious fellowes and found him writing after this manner I wonder our forefathers durst their liues Hazzard in dayes past with such choise of wiues And as we reade to venture on so many Me thinkes he hath enow that hath not any Sure either women were more perfect then Or greater patience doth possesse vs men Or it belongs to them since Eu's first curse That as the world their Sex growes worse and worse But who can teach me Why the fairer still They are more false good Oedipus thy skill Or Sphinx thine to resolue me lay some ground For my instruction good the like is found Mongst birds and serpents did you neuer see A milke white swan in colour like to thee That wast my mistresse once as white as faire Her downie breasts to touch as soft as rare Yet these deepe waters that in torrents meete Can neuer wash the blackenesse from her feete Who euer saw a Dragon richly clad In golden skales but that within he had His gorge stuft full of Venome I behold The woman and me thinkes a cup of gold Stands brim'd before me whence should I but sip I should my fate and death tast from thy lip But henceforth I le beware thee since I know That vnder the more spreading Misceltow The greater Mandrake thrines whose shrieke presages Or ruin or
early to attend the king who was that day to bee entertained by the earle his father in law All things were noblie prouided and Edgar royally receiued and set to dinner some write that Ethelâ—old had caused a kitchin maid to put on his wiues habit and sit at the kings Table but I find no such matter remembered in my Author the truth is the king about the middest of dinner cald for the Earle Orgarus and demanded of him whether he had a wife or no if he had why he might not haue her companie knowing it was a generall obseruation in England that without the wiues entertainement there could be no true and heartie welcome The earle replied that at that time he was an vnhappie widdower he then demaunded whether he had any children to continue his posteritie to which he answered heauen had onely blest him with one daughter a plaine damosell yet the sole hope of his future memorie The king was then importunate to see her and commanded her to be instantly brought vnto his presence which put Ethelwold into a strange agonie yet still hoping she had done as hee had late inioyned her when shee contrarie to his expectation came in apparelled like a bride in rich and costly vestures her golden haire fairely kembed and part hanging downe in artificiall curles her head stoocke with jewells and about her neck a chaine of diamonds which gaue a wonderous addition to that beautie which naked of it selfe without any ornament was not to bee paraleld a contrarie effect it wrought in the king and her husband To Edgar she seemed some goddesse at least a miracle in nature to Ethelwold in regard of his feare a furie or what worse hee could compare her to O fraile woman in this one vanitie to appeare beautifull in the eyes of a king thou hast committed two heinous and grieuous sinnes Adulterie and Murder for accordingly it so fell out Edgar was as much surprised with her loue as incensed with hate against her lord both which for the present he dissembled neither smiling on the one nor frowning on the other In the afternoone the king would needes hunt the stagge in the forrest of Werwelly since called Hoore-wood In the chace by the appointment of Edgar Earle Ethelwold was strooke through the bodie with an arrow and so slaine the king after made Elfritha his bride and queene The Earle had a base sonne then present at the death of his father of whom the king asked how hee liked that manner of hunting to whom he answered Royall sir what seemeth good to you shal be to me no way offensiue from that time forward he was euer gratious with the king And Elfritha thinking to make attonement with heauen for the murder of her husband or rather as Ranulphus saith for causing Edward to whom she was step-mother to be slaine that her owne sonne Egelredus might raigne builded an Abbie for Nunnes at Worwell where she was after buried Gunnora IN the time that Agapitus was Pope Lewis king of Fraunce the sonne of Charles caused William Longa Spata the second duke of Normandie to bee treacherously slaine this William was sonne to Rollo The Lords of Normandie with this murder much insenced watched their aduantage and surprised the king in Rhothemage where they committed him to safe custodie till he had promised and sworne to yeeld vp Normandie to Richard sonne and immediate heire to William the late murdered duke and moreouer in what place soeuer the king and the yong duke should haue meeting to conferre that Richard should weare his sword but king Lewis neither to haue sword nor knife about him This Richard being yong was called Richard the Old he had besides another attribute giuen him which was Richard without Feare because he was neuer known to be dismayde at any thing but a third aboue these was that he pretended to be wonderous religious He was duke two and fiftie yeares and tooke a Ladie to his bed from Denmarke whose name was Gunnora by whom he had fiue sonnes and two daughters the eldest of which was married to Etheldredus king of England her name was Emma and shee was called the flower of Normandie Concerning this bold yet religious duke it is reported by Marianus lib. 2. Henricus Ranulphus and others that besides many other testimonies of his sanctitie this one made him most eminent A Monke of Andoenus in Rothomage a town in Normandie going one night to meete with his sweet heart his way lay ouer a bridge and vnder that bridge was a deepe foord or riuer it so happened that mistaking his footing hee fell into the water and there was drowned He was no sooner dead but there came to carrie away his soule an Angell and a Fiend these two contended about it the one would haue it so would the other great was the controuersie betwixt them at length they concluded to put the case to duke Richard both to stand to his arbitrement much pleading there was on both sides at length the duke gaue sentence That the soule should be restored againe to the bodie be placed againe vpon that bridge from whence he had falne and if then he would offer to goe from thence to his sweet heart the diuell should take him but if otherwise he because he was a Church-man should be still in the Angels protection This was done and the Monke left his way to the woman and fled to the church as to a sanctuarie whether the duke went the next day and found the Monkes clothes still wet and told the Abbot euerie circumstance as it fell out therefore the Monke was shriuen did penance was absolued and reconciled This I haue read which I persuade no man to beleeue This duke liued with the faire Gunnora long time dishonestly and without marriage had by her those children aforesaid but at length by the persuasion of the nobilitie and intercession of the cleargie he tooke her to wife The first night after the marriage when the duke came to her bed she turned her backe towards him which she had neuer done till that time at which hee maruelling demaunded of her the reason why she did so To whom she answered before I was your strumpet and therfore as a seruant was tide to doe your pleasure in althings but now I am your wife and made part of your selfe therefore henceforth I claime with you an equall soueraigntie and will doe what mee list bearing my selfe now like a princesse not like a prostitute This I am easily induced to beleeue for how soone do honoures change manners Iuuenall in his sixt Satire speaking of marriage thus sayth Semper habet lites aeternaque iurgia lectus c. The marriage bed is sildome without strife And mutuall chidinges hee that takes a wife Bargaines for mightie trouble and small rest Sleepe growes a stranger then whilest in her brest She lodgeth Passion Selfe-will Anger Feare And from her eyes drops many a
would haue left their places and habitatious desolate they therefore demanded of the Oracle a remedie for so great a mischiefe which returnd them this answer That the plague should neuer cease till the young man Menalippus and the faire Cometho were slaine and offered in sacrifice to Dianae Tryclaria and the reason was because hee had strumpeted her in her Temple And notwithstanding their deaths vnlesse euery yeare at the same season a perfectly featured youth and a virgin of exquisite-beautie to expiate their transgression were likewise offered vpon the same altar the plague should still continue which was accordingly done and Menalyppus and the faire Cometho were the first dish that was serued vp to this bloody feast The same author speakes of the daughter of Aristodemus in this manner The Messenians and the Lacedemonians hauing continued a long and tedious warre to the great depopulation of both their nations those of Missene sent to know the euent of the Oracle at Delphos and to which partie the victorie would at length incline Answer is returned That they shall bee conquerors and the Lacedemonians haue the worst but vpon this condition To chuse out of the family of the Aepitidarians a virgin pure and vnblemisht and this damsel to sacrifice to Iupiter This Aristodemus hearing a Prince and one of the noblest of the familie of the Aepitidarians willing to gratifie his countrey chused out his onely daughter for immolation and sacrifice which a noble youth of that nation hearing surprised both with loue and pittie loue in hope to inioy her and pitty as grieuing she should bee so dismembred he thought rather to make shipwracke of her honour than her life since the one might bee by an after-truth restored but the other by no earthly mediation recouered And to this purpose presents himselfe before the altar openly attesting that she was by him with child and therefore not onely an vnlawfull but abhominable offering in the eyes of Iupiter No sooner was this charitable slander pronounced by the young man but the father more inraged at the losse of her honour now than before commiserating her death being full of wrath he vsurpes the office of the priest and with his sword hewes the poore innocent Lady to peeces But not many nights after this bloody execution the Idaea of his daughter bleeding and with all her wounds about her presented it selfe to him in his trouble and distracted sleepe with which being strangely mooued he conueighed himselfe to the tombe where his daughter lay buried and there with the same sword slew himselfe Herodotus in Euterpe speakes of one Pheretrina queene of the Baccaeans a woman of a most inhumane crueltie she was for her tyranny strooke by the hand of heauen her liuing body eaten with wormes and lice and in that languishing misery gaue vp the ghost Propert. in his third book speaks of one Dyrce who much grieued that her husband Lycus was surprised with the loue of one Antiopa caused her to be bound to the horns of a mad bull but her two sonnes Zethus and Amphion comming instantly at the noyse of her lowd acclamation they released her from the present danger and in reuenge of the iniurie offered to their mother fastned Dyrce to the same place who after much affright and many pittifull and deadly wounds expired Consinge was the queene of Bithinia and wife to Nicomedes whose gesture and behauiour appearing too wanton and libidinous in the eyes of her husband hee caused her to be woorried by his owne dogges Plin. lib. 7. Pyrene the daughter to Bebrix was comprest by Hercules in the mountaines that diuide Italy from Spaine she was after torne in pieces by wild beasts they were cald of her Montes Pyreneae i. The Pyrenean mountaines Antipater Tarcenses apud Vollateran speakes of one Gatis a queene of Syria who was cast aliue into a moate amongst fishes and by them deuoured she was likewise called Atergatis Sygambis was the mother of Darius king of Persia as Quintus Curtius in his fourth booke relates she dyed vpon a vowed abstinence for being taken prisoner by Alexander yet nobly vsed by him whether tyred with the continuall labour of her iourney or more afflicted with the disease of the mind it is not certaine but falling betwixt the armes of her two daughters after fiue dayes abstinence from meate drinke and light she expired Semele the mother of Bacchus a Theban Lady and of the royall race of Cadmus perisht by thunder Pliny in his second booke writes of one Martia great with child who was strooke with thunder but the infant in her wombe strooke dead onely shee her selfe not suffering any other hurt or dammage in which place he remembers one Marcus Herennius a Decurion who in a bright cleare day when there appeared in the sky no signe of storme or tempest was slaine by a thunderclappe Pausanius apud Vollateran saith that Helena after the death of her husband Menelaus being banished into Rhodes by Megapenthus and Nicostratus the sonnes of Orestes came for rescue to Polyzo the wife of Pleopolemus who being iealous of too much familiaritie betwixt her and her husband caused her to be strangled in a bath others write of her that growing old and seeing her haires growne gray that face growne wythered whose lustre had beene the death of so many hundered thousands shee caused her glasse to be broken and in despaire strangled herselfe The like Caelius lib. 6. cap. 15. remembers vs of one Acco a proude woman in her youth and growne decrepid through age finding her brow to be furrowed and the fresh colour in her checkes quite decayed grew with the conceit thereof into a strange frenzie some write that she vsed to talke familiarly to her owne image in the Mirhor sometimes smile vpon it then againe menace it promise to it or slatter it as it came into her fancie in the end with meere apprehension that she was growne old and her beautie faded shee fell into a languishing and so died Iocasta the incestuous mother to Aeteocles and Polynices beholding her two sonnes perish by mutuall wounds strooke with the terrour of a deede so facinorous instantly slew her selfe So Bisaltia a mayd dispised by Calphurnius Crassus into whose hands she had betraide the life of her father and freedome of her countrie fell vpon a sword and so perished Zoe the Emperesse with her husband Constantius Monachus both about one time died of the Pestilence Gregorius Turonensis writes of one Austrigilda a famous Queene who died of a disease called Disenteria which is a flux or wringing of the bowells Of the same griefe died Sausones sonne to Chilperick Serena the wife of Dioclesian for verie griefe that so much Martyres blood was spilt by her husbands remorseles tyrannie fell into a feauer and so died Glausinda daughter to the king of the Gothes
and howsoeuer the euent prooue the reward of the victorie is nothing but the dammage arising from the fight manifest Their answer went before which their resolution as suddenlie and swiftlie pursued after for their army and their answer almost arriued together whose celeritie in march and resolution in purpose when Vexores vnderstood he forsooke his tents and all prouision for warre and betooke himselfe to a base and dishonourable flight They pursued him to the Aegyptian fennes but by reason of the marishes and vncertaine ground their further passage was prohibited Retyring thence they ouerranne Asia and subdued it vnder their predominance imposing on the Nations a small tribute rather in acknowledgement of the title than to be gainers by the victory the enemy rather suffering disgrace than oppression fifteene yeares they continued in Asia rather to settle the estate than to extort from the inhabitants From thence they were called by the wickednesse of their wiues from whom they receiued word That vnlesse they instantly repayred home they would seeke issue from the neighbour nations for they would not suffer the posteritie of the antient Scythians to bee in the women extinct Asia was for many yeares tributarie to the Scythians Trogus and Iustine say for a thousand and fiue hundred yeares which ended in Ninus king of Assyria In this interim two princely youthes among the Scythians Plinos and Scolopitus being by the optimates and chiefe of the people expulst from their families drew to their societie a mightie confluence and inuaded Cappadocia planting themselues neere to the riuer Thermedon and being by conquest possest of the Prouince of Themisciria there hauing for many yeares made spoyle of the neighbour nations by the conspiracie of the multitude who were opprest with their insolencies they were betraide and slaine Their wiues by reason of their exile halfe in despaire boldly tooke armes and first retyring themselues and making their owne confines defensible after grew to the resolution to inuade others Besides they disdained to marry with their neighbours calling it rather a seruitude than Wedlock A singular example to all ages Thus they augmented their seigniories and establisht their common-weale without the counsell or assistance of men whose fellowship they began now altogether to despise and to communicate their losse to make the widdowes of equall fortune with the wiues they slew all the men that yet remained amongst them and after reuenged the deaths of their husbands formerlie slaine vpon the bordering people that conspired against them At length by warre hauing setled peace least their posteritie and memory should perish they had mutuall congression with their neighbour nations The men children they slew the female they nourced and brought vp not in sowing and spinning but in hunting and practise off armes and horsemanship and that they better might vse their launces and with the more ease at seauen yeares of age they seared or rather burnt of their right breasts of which they tooke the name of Amasons as much as to say Vnimammae or Vrimammae i. those with one breast or with a burnt breast There were of them two queenes that ioyntly held the soueraigntie Marthesia and Lampedo these diuided their people into two armies and being growne potent both in power and riches they went to warre by turnes the one gouerning at home whilest the other forraged abroad and least there should want honour and authoritie to their successes they proclaimed themselues to be deriued from Mars in so much that hauing subdued the greater part of Aeurope they made incursions into Asia and there subdued many fortresses and castles where hauing built Ephesus with many other citties part of their army they sent home with rich and golden spoyles the rest that remained to maintaine the Empire of Asia were all with the queene Marthesia or as some write Marpesia defeated and slaine In whose place of soueraigntie her daughter Orythia succeeded who besides her singular valour and fortunate successe in warre was no lesse admired for her constant vowe of virginitie which to her death she kept inuiolate The bruite of their glorious and inuincible acts reaching as farre as Greece Hercules with a noble assembly of the most Heroicke youthes furnisht nine ships with purpose to make proofe of their valor two of foure sisters at that time had the principalitie Antiope and Orythia Orythia was then imployde in forreine expeditions Now when Hercules with the young Heroes landed vpon the Amasonian continent the queene Antiope not iealous of the least hostility stood then with many of her ladies vnarmed on the shore who being suddainly assaulted by the Graecians were easily put to rout and they obtained an easie victorie in this conflict many were slaine and diuers taken amongst whom were the two sisters of Antiope Menalippe surprised by Hercules and Hyppolite by Theseus hee subdude her by armes but was captiuated by her beautie who after tooke her to his wife and of her begot Hyppolitus Of her Seneca in Agamemnon thus speakes Vidit Hyppolite ferox pectore emedio rapi Spolium sagittas The bold Hyppolite did see that day Her breast despoyld and her shafts tane away Of Menalippe Virgill thus Threicean sexto spolianit Amazona Baltheo Hauing relation to the golden belt of Thermedon which was numbered the sixt of Hercules his twelue labours He receiued that honour and she her libertie Orythia being then abroad and hearing of these outrages and dishonours done at home that warre had beene commenced against her sister and Theseus prince of Athens borne thence Hyppolite whom she held to be no better than a rauishor impatient of these iniuries shee conuented all her forces and incited them to reuenge inferring that in vaine they bore Empire in Europe and Asia if their dominions lay open to the spoyles and rapines of the Grecians Hauing incouraged and persuaded her owne people to this expedition she next demanded ayd of Sagillus king of the Scythians to him acknowledging herselfe to be descended from that nation showes the necessitie of that warre and the honour of so braue a victorie hoping that for the glorie of the Scythian nation his men would not come behind her women in so iust an enterprise the successe of which was vndoubtedly spoyle for the present and fame for euer Sagillus with these motiues incouraged sent his sonne Penaxagoras with a great armie of horsemen to ayd Orithea in this warre but by reason of a discention that fell in the campe the prince of Scythia withdrew all his auxiliarie forces and with them retired into his countrey by reason of which defect the Amazons were defeated by the Grecians yet many of them after this battaile recouered their countries After this Orythea succeeded Penthisilaea shee that in the ayd of Priam or as some say for the loue of Hector came to the siege of Troy with a thousand Ladies where after many deeds of chiualrie by her performed she was slaine by
c. The same author lib. 2. speakes of one Tiburna Saguntina the wife of one Marhus a braue and bold female warrior Zenobia queene of the Palmyrians after the death of her husband Odenatus tooke vpon her the imperiall regencie and made tributarie the kingdome of Syria neither feared shee to take armes against the Emperour Aurelianus by whom she was ouercome and led in triumph but when it was obiected to Caesar as a dishonour and reproach that he had triumpht ouer a woman he answered It was no disgrace at all being ouer such a woman as excelled most men in Masculine vertue Of whom Pontanus thus speakes Qualis Aethiopum quondam sitientibus aruis In fuluum regina gregem c. As did the Aethiopian queene In the dry fields of old Incounter with the yellow heards whose rough haires shin'd like gold Opposing the sterne Lions paw Alone and without ayde To see whom wrestle men aloofe stood quaking and afraid Such 'tweene two warlike hosts appeares This Amasonian Queene Zenobia with her strong bow arm'd And furnisht with shafts keene Hypsicrataea the wife of Mithridates was still present with him in battaile and left him in no danger cutting her haire short least it should offend her when she put on her beauer Artimesia queene of Caria after the death of her husband was admired through Greece who not onely in a nauall expedition ouercame the inuading Rhodians but pursued them euen vnto their owne coasts and tooke possession of the Island amidst whose ruines she caused her owne glorious statue to be erected of whom Herodotus thus writes I cannot wonder sufficiently at this warlike queene Artimesia who vnforced and vncompeld followed the expedition of Xerxes against Greece out of her owne manly courage and excellencie of spirit She was the daughter of Lydamus her father was of Halicarnassus her mother of Creete shee furnished fiue shippes of her owne charge with Halicarnassaeans Coeans Nisirians and Calidnians in the great sea fight neere Salamine to behold which battaile Xerxes had retired himselfe and stood but as a spectator Iustine lib. 2. saith There was to bee seene in Xerxes womanish feare in Artimesia manly audacitie for shee demeaned herselfe in that battaile to the admiration of all men of whose ships the king taking especiall notice but not knowing to whom they belonged nor in whose management they then were one spake to the king and said Great Lord behold you not how brauely the queene Artimesia beares her selfe this dayâ— the king would not at first beleeue that such resolution could bee in that Sex at length when notwithstanding her braue seruice hee perceiued his nauie beaten and put to flight he sighing thus said All my men this day haue shewed themselues women and there is but one woman amongst them and she onely hath shewed herselfe a man Many of the most illustrious persons dyed that day as also of the Meades amongst whom was the great captaine Aria Begnes the sonne of Darius and brother of Xerxes Cleopatra queene of Aegypt the daughter of Dionisius Auletes after the death of Iulius Caesar hauing taken Antonius in the bewitching snares of her beautie shee was not contented with the kingdomes of Aegypt Syria and Arabia but she was ambitious to soueraignise ouer the Roman Empire in which though she fayled it shewed as inuincible a spirit in the attempt as shee exprest an vnmatched courage in the manner of her voluntary death Cyrus the Persian inuading the Messagets and Scythians of which Tomyris then raigned queene she sent against him her onely sonne Spargapises with a puissant army to beat him back againe beyond the riuer Araxes which he had late with a mightie host traiected But the young man not inured to the stratagems and policies of warre suffered his souldiours in the height of wine and surfets to be inuaded his tents rifled his army defeated and himselfe taken prisoner by Cyrus To whom the queene sent to this purpose Thou hast surprised my sonne by fraud not strength by deceit not warre be now counselled by me Returne me the Prince and with the honour to haue vanguisht the third part of my people vnpunished depart out of my countrey which if thou dost not I vow by the Sunne the Lord and God to which the Messagets giue due adoration that I will quench thy thirst beest thou neuer so much insatiate of blood This message being deliuered to Cyrus he regarded it not but held it as the vaine boast of a franticke woman But Spargapises the sonne of Tomyris being awaked from the drowsinesse of wine and perceiuing into what mischiefe he was falne intreated Cyrus he might be released from his bonds to which the Persian granted who no sooner found his legges vnbound and his hands at libertie but he instantly catcht hold of a weapon with which he slew himselfe The queene hauing intelligence of the death of her sonne and withall that Cyrus gaue no heed to her admonition collected a puissant armie of purpose to giue him battaile who inticed him by a counterfeit flight into certaine straits of her countrey where hauing ambusht her men she fell vpon the Persians and made of them an infinite slaughter to the defeating of their whole host In this strange and bloody execution Cyrus himselfe fell whose body Tomyris caused to be searcht for and being found filled a vessell with blood into which commanding his head to be throwne shee thus insultingly spake Of human blood in thy life thou weart insatiate and now in thy death thou mayst drinke thy fill The fashions of the Messagets are after this manner described by Herodotus Their habit and their food is according to the Scythians they fight as well on horsebacke as on foot being expert in both they are both archers and lanciers in all their weapons armour or caparisons vsing gold and brasse in the heads of their speares their quiuers their daggers and other armour they were brasse but whatsoeuer belongs to the head or to the belt is of the purest gold the breast-plates of their horses and what belongs to their trappings and caparisons are buckled and studded with brasse but that which appertaines to the headstall or raines is of gold of yron and siluer they haue small vse or none as being rare in their countrey but gold and brasse they haue in aboundance Euery man marrieth a wife but not to his owne peculiar vse for they keepe them in common for what the Greeks in this kind remember of the Scythians they do not it is customable onely amongst the Messagets if any man haue an appetite to a woman he onely hangs his quiuer vpon the next bough prostitutes her in publike without taxation or shame There is no limit proposed to terminate their liues when any growes old his neighbours about him make a generall meeting and with great ceremony after the manner of a sacrifice cause him to be slain with
behold the feathers of the Iay or Parrat with the admirable varietie of the Feasant and Peacock What Rose in the cheeke can counteruaile the Rose of the garden or what azure veine in the temples the blew flower of the field Come to outward habit or ornament what woman doth better become the richest attyre though fetcht from the farthest parts of the world than the Panther his staynes and the Leopard his pleasing and delightfull spots Are not the Fishes as beautifull in their siluer-shining skales and the terrible Dragon as glorious in his golden armour as women apparrelled in cloth of Bodkin or Tissue What is she that exceeds the Doue or Swan in whitenesse or the Pyne or Cedar in straitnesse Let me heare her voyce that can compare with the Nightingale in sweetnesse or behold that eye that can looke vpon the Sunne with the Eagles Why should you faire ones then be prowd of any thing that are by other creatures exceeded in all things Besides eâ—en the choysest beautie amongst you being once enioyed is the lesse esteemed Souldiers hauing vanquisht their enemies hang vp their armes Sea-men that haue attayned their harbour fold vp their sayles The choysest dainties are loathsome to such as haue filled their stomacks and Wine is a burthen to him that hath satiated his thirst Nobilitie of birth is a thing honorable but you are not beholding to your selues for it but your ancestors Riches and Plentie are excellent but they are the gifts of Fortune therefore subiect to change and casualtie Prayse and Honor is venerable but withall vnstable Health is precious but subiect to sicknesse and infirmitie Strength an excellent gift and blessing but neither free from age nor disease Beautie is admirable aboue all and yet subiect to all onely Learning Knowledge Art and Vertue are aboue the enuie of change or mallice of Fortune Neither are you women solely beautifull We reade in Martial lib. 1. of a boy called Achillas of admirable feature of Acanthus whom the gods at his death in memorie of his exquisite forme changed into a flower that still beares his name Amongst the Romans Scipio surnamed Demetrius and amongst the Greekes Alcibiades carryed the Palme from women who as Plutarch in his life reports of him was not onely wondered at in his youth but admired in his age his grace and comelinesse still growing with him Formosum pastor Coridon ardebat Alexim The shepheard Coridon doted on the faire Alexis Saxo Gramaticus speakes of Alphus the sonne of Gygarus whose haires exceeded the brightnesse of Siluer Amaratus was changed into a sweet-smelling flower after his death Calentius speakes of Amphimâ—don thus Formosum Phiale prius arserat Amphimedonta Amphimedon Phiales maxima cura fuâ—t Phiale was enamored of Amphimedon the faire Amphimedon of Phiale became the greatest care Antinous Bithinieus was a youth of that admirable beautie and feature that Adrian the Emperour was enamoured of him in whose memorie he erected a Temple in Mantinea and built a cittie by the riuer Nilus he caused his effigies to be stamped vpon his owne coine therefore Hieronimus as Vollaterranus reports calls him the Emperour Adrians concubine Asterius was the sonne of Ceres a yong man of a singular forme but altogether abstenious from the loue of women whom Ouid in Ilium remembres Astur is celebrated by Virgil Sequitur pulcherimus Astur Astur equo fidens versicoloribus armis The fairest Astur follows next in field Astur that trusts vnto his horse ans particoloured shield Atis the Phrigian youth was for his fairenesse beloued of the mother of the gods Virgill speakes of Auentinus in these words Victoresque ostentat equos satus Hercule pulcro Pulcher Auentinus Faire Auentinus he that of faire Hercules was borne Boasts of his conquering steedes Batillus was the fauourite or sweet-heart of Anacreon the Poet of whom Pontanâ—s de Stellis Amatum a vate Batillum Pictum oculis fuscumque coma roseumque labellis The Poet of Batillus was enamoured With painted eyes browne haire and lips like Roses red By the way Sure there was a great dearth of beautie in those dayes amongst women when boyes and catamites were so doted on by men Bellerephon was not onely affected by Sthenobaea the wife of Pretus king of the Argiues but doted on by Venus Of Castor and Pollux the two faire Tindarides Ouid. lib. 6. thus writes At gemini nondum Coelestia sidera fratres Ambo conspicâ—i niue candidioribus ambo Vectabantur equis The two twinne brothers not as yet accounted 'Mongst the coelestiall starres conspicuous bâ—th Vpon two steeds whiter than snow were mounted c. The yong boy Cestus Martiall thus commends Quanta tua est probitus c. How great thy honesty thy fame as rare Oh sweete child Cestus thou that may'st comparâ— With Theseus sonne did bright Diana see Thee naked once inamoured she would be And tyce thee to some pleasant â—iuers brim There strip her selfe and teach thee how to swim Democles an Athenian youth was of that pulchritude that he was called by all men Pulcher Democles and that which seldome meets with beautie of that rare temperance that when king Demetrius plucked him to haue made him a prostitute to his vnlawfull and beastly lusts to shun his embraces he leaped into a caldron of seething hot liquor and there drowned himselfe Plutarch in Demetrio Diadumenus the cup-bearer to Augustus was of that admirable feature that in the contention which was made at Elis he carried the palme both from men and women Volateran For no other cause was Ganimede sayd to fill Nectar to Iupiter than for his eligancie of forme Galetes was a youth of that excellent feature and so indeered to Ptolomaeus that when diuerse malefactors and for great crimes were led to execution onely at his entreatie hee spared their liues Hypoclides the sonne of Thysander as Herodotus relates was excellent aboue all the Athenians for wealth and beautie Of Hyas the sonne of Atlas and Aethra Ouid 5. de Fast. Nondum stabat Atlas humeros oneratus Olimpo Cum satus est forma conspiciendus Hias Olimpas weight did not as yet Great Atlas backe adorne When as the louely Hyas of Conspicuous shape was borne Hylas the sonne of Hyadamus was not onely indeered to Hercules but doted on by the nymphs called Driades Iulus the sonne of Aeneas and Creusa was taken for Cupid the sonne of Venus Iuuencus was the minion of Catullus as Lygurinus was to Horace so likewise Lycus of whom he thus speakes Et Lycum nigris oculis nigroque Crine decorum Lycus rare Both for his blacke eyes and his blacke sleeke haire Some thing more freely he speakes of the Pulchritude of Nearchus in Carm. and his Odes Of Nireus the sonne of Caropus and Alaga Homer speakes at large as Horace likewise in Carm. and Epedo Tibullus commends his Marathis Maximinus that his head being mangled and bloodie yet notwithstanding in death it looked admirable Marcellus the sonne of
much hated in regard of enmitie betwixt him and his father Clodius for Cicero was of Miloes faction Titus had long and dearely loued the faire Terentia but vnderstanding that his friend Appius was likewise exceedingly inamoured of her hee left his owne suit and earnestly sollicited the ladie in his behalfe who was easily persuaded to the motion hauing long before cast an affectionate eye vpon Appius but durst make no expression thereof much fearing the displeasure of her father Titus so well managed the businesse for his friend that hee brought him priuily into the house of Cicero where the two louers had mutuall conference her father comming home by accident and finding them together in the heate of his impatience excluded him and lockt her vp in safe and close custodie Which the poore Ladie tooke so to heart that shee fell into an extreame feauer and languishing daily her father now when it was too late desired to know what he might doe to minister vnto her the least comfort shee onely besought him that before her death shee might take her last and louing leaue of Appius who was instantly sent for at his sudden comming in shee was extaside with his sight and expired in his embraces which the noble youth perceiuing hee drew out a short dagger which hee then wore about him and in the presence of her father and his owne deere friend slew himselfe A more comicall conclusion hath that which I shall next tell you An old Vicar in the countrey hauing a wonderous faire wench to his daughter it happened that a young scholler that for want of meanes had left the Vniuersitie was preferred to the seruing of a Cure somewhat neere him by which hee had opportunitie to woo the maid and after had the parents consent to marrie her It happened not long after this young man had a Parsonage bestowed vpon him by his patron the father and the sonne meeting vpon a time at a market towne with diuers gentlemen of the countrey being at dinner amongst other discourse cauelling about an argument they fell into controuersie which should bee the better man many rough words passed in so much that the gentlemen were forced to come betwixt them and keepe the peace The old man he stood vpon his grauitie and the name of father the young man pleaded That in regard he was a Parson and the other but a Vicar that he was the better of the two This raised the vprore afresh which the gentlemen had much adoe to appease at length the young man demaunded audience but for a few words in which sayth he if I doe not conuince him and make it plaine and palpable before you all that I am the worthier of the two for name place and antiquitie I will yeeld him prioritie and precedence for euer after The words of Name and Antiquitie the old man heard with much impatience at length audience being granted and silence obtained Now yong knaue sayth the old Vicar what canst thou say for thy selfe I onely desire answered the young man to be resolued in one question propound iâ— sayâ—h the other Marrie thus sayth he When the world was distroyed in the generall deluge all saue eight Parsons tell me Where were the Vicars then The old man was blanke the gentlemen smiled and the young man carried it so that euer after the sonne tooke place of the father and the faire daughter of the mother I will onely remember you of a faire young gentlewoman a countrey woman of mine and so conclude with my Faire ones A gallant newly come to his lands became a suitor to a proper young Virgin her fathers onely child and heire Hee hauing had conference with her father conditions on both sides were debated the match concluded and the day of marriage appointed the father and the sonne in law riding abroad one morning to take the ayre the antient gentleman was mounted on an easie paced Mare which he kept his owne saddle this beast the young gallant was so enamored of that hee offered to buy her at any rate though neuer so vnreasonable but the old man entreated him to hold him excused because the beast was easie and gentle fitting his age and being disfurnished of her hee knew not how to come by the like therefore his resolution was neyther to depart from her for loue nor money The gentleman grew so obstinate to haue her and the other so selfe-will'd to keepe her that at length the sonne in law told him plainely That if hee would not sell him his Mare he would not marrie his daughter The father at this grew into choller and told him If he respected his child no better but set her so slight he bad him come when he sent for him and vpon these short tearmes they parted A fortnight passed in this discontent at length the young gallant better aduising with himselfe and the gentlewomans beautie still sticking in his stomacke he began to recant his former obstinacie and purposely tooke horse to renew old acquaintance and giue her fresh visitation and comming something neere the house it was the young gentlewomans fortune to spye him from a bay window who instantly steps downe to the gate meaning her selfe to play the porter Three or foure times hee knockes at the gate but no bodie answered at length hee rapt so loud that shee opened the wicket and asked him Who he was and what he would haue He seeing it was she smilingly answered It is I sweet-heart doe you not know me Not I indeed replyed she for to my remembrance I neuer saw you before To whom he againe answered I am such a man and by these and these tokens I can put you in mind that you cannot chuse but know me Oh I crie you mercie it is true indeed saith shee I now very well remember you You are hee that came a wooing to my fathers Mare so clapt to the gate and left him and neuer after would giue him the least entertainment Of Women Deformed IT is remembered of the Poet Hypponax by Plinie Lib. 36. cap. 5. to be of that vnhappie shape vnseemely presence and vncomely countenance so deformed both in face and feature that he became a generall scorne to all insomuch that two famous Painters Bubulus and Anterinus drawing his picture and setting it out to sale had pensill'd him in such ridiculous and vnfashionable manner that the Table begot laughter from all such as passed by and beheld it Which Hypponax hearing hee so persecuted the poore Painters in his bitter Iambicks and inuectiue Satyres that despayring they hanged themselues Then blame me not if I be sparing in ripping vp the deformities of women least they prosecute me as seuerely with their rayling tongues as the Poet did the Painters with his Satyricall penne It is an argument therefore that I desire to be briefe in Athenaeus Lib. 9. tells vs That Anacharsis the Philosopher sitting at a Banquet with his wife who was a wondrous blacke
some that were about him that the next night a lustie young wench was brought to his bed one that feared not the robustious violence of youth much lesse to encounter the imbesillitie of sicke and weake age I know not with what queasie stomach the patient relished his phisicke but early in the morning he gaue content to his shee Apothecarie who was conueyed out of the house vndiscouered The next day diuers of his friends comming to comfort him they found him sadly weeping and by no meanes could they weane him from that extasie at length the one of them who was priuie to the former nights passage began to compassionate with him and told him hee was sorie for his extreame heauinesse and as knowing the cause sayd No doubt but God was mercifull and wished him not to despaire but bee of comfort and with ghostly counsell persuaded him to take nothing to his heart because hee hoped all would bee well The old man told him hee vnderstood not his meaning but desired him to be more plain that he might know to what purpose his language did inâ—end His neighbour answered him againe Sir I haue beene acquainted with you long haue knowne your continence and strictnesse of life and withall your abstinence from women and I am sorie that your last nights businesse should be the occasion of this melancholly and these teares To whom the sicke but pretily well recouered man thus replyde Neighbour you much mistake the cause of my sorrow I neither greeue nor weepe for the good wholsome phisicke I had the last night but I now vex and torment my selfe that I haue so idly spent mine age there being such a pleasure vpon earth aboue all that I haue hetherto inioyed that I neuer had the grace to know it sooner and trie what it was before this time If then Lust can strike this stroke and haue this efficacie in age ô how much should wee pittie youth readie dayly and hourely to run into this dangerous inconuenience Of these Wantons there bee two sorts Meretrices and Scorta that is Whores and common Women such as either for Lust or Gaine prostitute themselues to many or all The second are Concubina or Pâ—llices Concubines to kings and princes or such as wee call the priuate Mistresses to great men The last are as our Accidence teacheth like Eduardus or Gulielmus proper names to this man or that The first like Homo common to all men both degrees sinners but not in the like kind I haue read of a third sort but know not what consonant or agreeing name to conferre vpon them I haue heard of some that haue beene called honest whores It may bee those that I shall speake of were such and because they are the strangest I will begin with them first Dosithaeus lib. 3. Lydiacorum tells vs that the Sardians hauing commenced warre with the Smyrnaeans inuested themselues before the cittie of Smyrna and hauing begyrt them with a straight and difficult siege those of Sardis it seemes being hot fellowes sent their Embassadors into the citie to this purpose That vnlesse they would send them their wiues to adulterate at their pleasures they would not onely race their citie and leuell it with the earth but kill man woman and child and so extirpe their memorie This message bringing with it not onely terror but horror much perplexed the besieged and betwixt the distractions of perpetuall infamie and most certaine death not able what to determine and hauing sat long in counsaile but nothing amongst them concluded a yong lustie Virago one that was hand-maid or bond-woman to Philarchus desired to be admitted into the Senate And being called in amongst them to know what shee had to say shee told them That vnderstanding to what miserable exigent they were driuen shee had deuised so pleased them to be swayed by her direction a meanes not onely to deliuer themselues from skorne their wiues from dishonor their children from the reproach of bastardie and their liues and goods from spoyle but to subiect the barbarous enemie into their hands with a noble and memorable victorie No maruell if to such a proiect they gaue attention when greedily demanding By what meanes the least of these proposed blessings might be accomplished she thus counsailed them Send saith she to these lustfull Sardinians and tell them you will in all points satisfie their desires At the time appointed let me with the rest of your slaues and vassals be attyred in the habits of our ladies and mistresses for no question being deckt in their ornaments and iewels wee shall appeare not onely free women but sufficiently beautifull Now in the night when we are fast lodged in their embraces and they dreaming of no further dangers than their present delights and that you thinke wee haue sufficiently cooled their hot courages arme your selues against the Sardinians whom if they offer to rise and arme themselues at the Alarme giuen wee will keepe still fast lockt in our armes till what wee haue left of them being naked you your selfe dispatch being armed This counsaile was followed and accordingly tooke effect In memorie of this the Feast called Elâ—theria i. of Free-women is yeerely celebrated in Smyrna in which the maid-seruants attyred in their mistresses habits sit at the Table and are waited on by them whom they attend all the yeare after Aristides Milesius lib. 1. Italicorum parallels this Historie thus Atepomarus king of the Gaules infesting the Romans with warre and hauing compelled them to the like exigent demanded the like horrible conditions of peace namely to adulterate their wiues but being in the same manner aduised by their hand-maids and hauing intelligence giuen them by one Retana the chiefe of that counsaile when the Gaules were sunke in sleepe and lust they set vpon them in the night and gaue them a braue defeat from whence the Feast of the Handmaids tooke beginning which is celebrated amongst the Romans euen to this day A Tale something like vnto these I haue beene told of a Mistresse that in some sort did as much to saue her maids honestie but whether to the same commendable purpose of that I am somewhat doubtfull In some great citie it was I cannot say London that a citisen of good reckoning hauing a faire wife kept diuerse prentices and maid-seruants in his house one of those busie young fellowes had cast a wanton eye vpon her that ruled the rost in the kitchin and longing as much to be in her bookes as out of his time and waiting many nights for opportunitie to find her in some remote place or darke entry it happened that one night hee dogg'd her at the heeles she hearing him to tread softly after her to escape him stept vp a payre of stayres iust as her mistresse came downe The prentice groping in the darke catcht hold vpon his mistresse and without any word speaking began to proportion his worke according to the shortnesse of his time The
from him grew the adage which Cicero vsed in an epistle to Fabius Gallus Non omnibus dâ—rmio i. I sleepe not to all men Lucilius apud Beroaldum Catullus remembers vs of the Bawde Silo and Guido of one Bitraphus that made his wife basely mercenarie Cai. Ticinius Minternensis prouoked his wife to inchastitie for no other reason than to defraud her of her ioynter Gemellus one of the Tribuns in Rome a man of a noble familie yet was of that corrupt and degenerat condition that he made his owne Pallace no better than a common stewes in so much that in the Consullship of Metellus and Scipio hee suffered two great Ladies Mutia and Fuluia innobled both waies in their families with the noble child Saturnius to be vitiated in his owne house Clemens Alexandrinus Lib. 3. Stromatum and Euseb. Lib. 4. haue left remembred that the Arch-heriticke Nicolaus hauing a faire wife and beeing reprooued of Iealosie by the Apostles to show himselfe no way guiltie thereof hee brought her into the publique assembly offering her freely vp to the prostitution of any man whatsoeuer more in my mind offending in his too much remisnesse than before in his ouer great strictnesse Nay least this detestable sinne should want a countenancer euen from royaltie Lycosthenes in his Theater of Humaine life tells vs of Henricus Rex Castalionensis who shamed not to bee a Bawde to his owne Queene you may reade further of him in the Spanish historie by the title of Henrie the Vnable Now of She-Bawdes and of them briefly Plutarch in the life of Pericles reports That Aspatia his sole delight made her house a Stewes in which the bodies of the fairest young Women were made common for money It is reported that Callistion sirnamed Proche being hyred to lye with a common fellow or bond-man and by reason of the hot weather beeing naked she espyed the markes and skarres of blowes and stripes vpon his shoulders to whom she sayd Alas poore man how came these he willing to conceale his base condition answered That being a child hee had skalding hot Pottage poured downe his necke I beleeue it sayth shee but sure they were Calues Pottage or made of Calues flesh promptly reproouing his quallitie because slaues eate Pottage made of Veale and the things with which they were lashed and skourged were made of Calues-skinnes Erasm. Apotheg 6. Dipsas is the name of an old Bawde in one of Ouids Elegies whom for instructing his mistresse in the veneriall trade he reprooues in these verses Est quaedam quicunque volet cognosere lenam Audiat est quaedam nomine Dipsas as anus If any man an old Bawde list to know 'T is the crone Dipsas she is titl'd so Of the Bawde Quartilla I haue before giuen you a true character from Petronius Arbiter Tacitus lib. 17. puts vs in minde of Caluia Crisalpina who was the schoole-mistresse of Neros Lures a fit tuteresse for such an apt and forward pupile In my opinion to be wondered at it is that these beeing past their owne actuall sinnes wherein too much sacietie hath bred surfet or the infirmitie of age or disease a meere disabilitie of performance yet euen in their last of dayes and when one foot is alreadie in the graue they without any thought of repentance or the least hope of grace as if they had not wickednesse ynough of their owne to answere for heape vpon them the sinnes of others as not onely intycing and alluring Virgins and young wiues to that base veneriall trade and the infinite inconueniences both of Soule and bodie depending thereupon but to weare their garments by the prostitution of others and eate their Bread and drinke Sacke and Aqua-vitae by their mercenarie sweat and so base an vsurie and vncomely a trauell of their bodies as is not onely odious in the eyes of Man but abhominable in the sight of Angells This apprehension puts mee in mind of what Cornelius Gallius writes in a Periphrasis of old Age which I hold not altogether impertinent to be here inserted These be his words Stat dubius tremulusque senex semperque malorum Credulus stultus qua facit ipse timet Laudat preteritos presentes despicit annos Hot tantum rectum quod facit ipse 〈◊〉 c. What he speakes of the old man may be as well appropriated to the aged woman his Verses I thus English The trembling old man he is doubtfull still And fearefull in him selfe of that knowne ill Of which hee 's author and in this appeares His folly to be cause of what he feares Past yeeres heâ—l praise the present hee 'l despise Nought saâ—e what 's his seemed pleasing in his eyes It after followes Hae sunt primitiae c. Of Death these the first fruits are and our fâ—thers Declining towards the Earth she her owne gathers Into her selfe though with a tardie pace We come at length the colour of the face Our habit nor our gate is still the same Nor shape that was yet all at one place ayme For the loose garments from one shoulders slides And what before too short seem'd now abides A trouble to our heeles we are contracted As if of late in a new world compacted Decreasing still our bones are dride within As seemes our flesh shrunke in our wither'd skin We haue scarce libertie on Heau'n to looke For prone old Age as if it in some booke Meant to behold his face lookes downe-ward still Prying where he th'indebted place might fill From whence he first was borrowed and the same Matter returne to Earth from whence it came We walke with three feet first as infants creepe Next crawle on foure as if the ground to sweepe We follow our beginning all things mourne Till to their generation they returne And fall vpon the brest where they were nurst ,That goes to nothing which was nothing first This is the cause that ruinous Age still beates Th' Earth with th'staffe he leanes on and intreates A place to rest in as if he should say With often knocking mother giue me way At length into thy bosome take thy sonne Who faine would sleepe now all his labour 's done Let this suffice as a short admonition to these old corrupters of Youth De Gulosis Vinolentis i. Of Women addicted to Gluttonie and Drunkenesse OF these there are not many left to memorie the reason as may bee coniectured is because to seeme the more temperat being inuited to publique Feasts and Banquets many of them will dyne at home before they come eating in priuat and drinking in corners Of men for their incredible voracitie there are presidents infinite I will giue you onely a tast of some few and those not altogether common and with them to compare some women I will passe ouer Eriâ—iethon remembred by Ouid Ctaesias by the Poet Annaxilas Morichus obserued by Aristophanes Melanthius by Suidas Theagines by Raues Textor who at one meale eate vp a
accordingly done and she appeared before him all stayned and sprinkled with blood for she had not yet changed her habite at which hee grew at the first amased demaunding the cause of her repaire thither She desired her seruant might be likewise admitted who attended at the doore of his Tent for hee had that about him by which he should be better informed His entrance was graunted but being suspected by the guard because they perceiued him hide something folded vp in his garments they searcht him and found a head cut off but by reason of the palenesse of the face which was disfigured with the clottered and congealed bloud the countenance thereof could hardly be discerned The seruant was brought in with the head still dropping blood in his hand At which the king more wondering desired by her to be better certified concerning the Nouell to whom she boldly replyed Loe here ô Alexander the end of thy many troubles and feares the head of the great Captaine Spitamenes who though my husband yet because hee was thine enemie I haue caused his head to be cut off and here present it vnto thee At the horridenesse of these words the king with all that stood by were abashed euerie one glad of the thing done but in their hearts detesting the manner of the deed The Ladie still expecting an answer Alexander after some pawse thus replyed I must confesse Ladie the great courtesie and infinite benefit receiued from you in presenting me the head of an Out-Law a Traytor and one that was to mee a great obstacle and an hinderance in the smooth passage to my intended Victories but when I vnderstand it to be done by the hands of a woman nay a wife the strange horridenesse of the fact takes away all the thankes and reward due to the benefit I therefore command you instantly to depart the Campe and that with all speed possible for I would not haue the sauage and inhumane examples of the Barbarians contaminate and infect the mild and soft temper of the noble Grecians With which words she was instantly hurried from his presence As noble a president of Iustice in a Prince as it was an abhorred example of crueltie in a most vnnaturall wife Q. Curt. lib. 8. de Alexandri Histor. From a remorselesse wife I come now to as obdurate a step-mother Pelops hauing married Hyppodamia the daughter of Tantalus and Eurianassa had by her two sonnes Thiestes and Atreus and by the Nymph Danais a third sonne called Crisippus to which he seemed outwardly better affected than to the former on whom king Laius of Thebes casting an amorous eye at length stole him from his father But Pelops with his two sonnes by Hyppodamia made warre vpon Laius tooke him prisoner and recouered Crisippus and when hee truly vnderstood that loue was the cause of his rape hee was attoned with Laius and an inuiolable league of amitie combined betwixt them Whilest the Theban yet soiourned with Pelops Hyppodamia persuaded with Atreus and Thiestes to conspire against the life of Crisippus as one that aymed at the succession in the kingdome but not preuayling she meditated with her selfe how to despoyle him of life with her owne hands when hauing conueyed the sword of Laius out of his chamber when he was fast sleeping she came to the bed of Crisippus and transpierced him as he lay leauing the sword still in his bodie and left the place vndiscouered accusing the Theban for his death but the youth not fully dead recouered so much spirit as to discouer the murtheresse for which king Laius was acquitted and she from her husband receiued condigne punishment for her immanitie and murther Dosythaeus in Pelopedis Progne to reuenge the rape of her sister Philomela vpon her husband Tereus king of Thrace feasted him with the bodie of his owne sonne Itis of which you may read at large in Ouids Metamorphosis Some women haue beene so vnnaturall as to betray their fathers After Troy was vtterly subuerted and despoyled king Diomede one of the most valiant amongst the kings of Greece in the returne towards his countrey being by stormes and tempests violently cast vpon the coast of Thrace where Lycas the sonne of Mars then reigned and according to the bloodie custome of the countrey sacrificed all such strangers as landed vpon his Continent his daughter Callirhoe surprised with the loue of king Diomede not onely released him from durance but betrayed the life of Lycus her father into his hands notwithstanding hee most trecherously left her for which ingratitude and vrged with remorse of conscience for proouing so vnnaturall vnto him from whom she had her being by strangling her selfe shee despairingly expired Iuba lib. 3. Libicorum Paralleld with this is that which wee reade of Calphurnius Crassus an illustrious Roman and sent by M. Regulus against the Massilians to take in a most defensible Castle called Garaetium but by the crosse disaster of fortune being surprised in the siege thereof and reserued the next day to be sacrificed to Saturne being in despaire either of rescue or life Besalia daughter to the king who was then possest of the Port falling in loue with Calphurnius not onely deliuered vp vnto him the keyes of the Castle that hee might freely escape with life but betrayed vnto him the libertie and life of her father but after being most degenerately forsaken by him she desperately slew her selfe Hegesinax lib. 3. rerum Africarum I am wearie with setting downe these immanities in women and Polihimnia now inuites me to a new argument Of Women strangely preserued from death and such as haue vnwillingly beene the death of their Fathers NIceas Maleotes as Plutarch in his thirteenth Paralell testates reports That when Hercules for the loue of Iole the daughter of Cacus inuaded Oechalia and shee abhorring the embraces of him who had before slaine her father retyred herselfe for safetie into the strongest Cittadell in her countrey in which beeing straightly besieged by Hercules and the Fort readie to be surprised taken she hauing no way to escape and vnwilling to stand to the mercie of so louing an enemie mounted vp into the highest Turret of the Castle and from thence cast her selfe headlong downe towards the Earth but the wind gathering vnder her loose garments so extenuated the fall that she came to the ground without any hurt at all by which miraculous fortune shee inioyed a desperate life and Hercules a most desired mistresse Answerable vnto this is that which Theophilus Italicorum tertio relates The Romans in the Etrurian warre instituted Valerius Torquatus Generall of their forces hee hauing beheld Clusia the daughter of the Tuscan king grew innamoured of the Virgin◠and sent Embassadors to demaund her of her father but shee not willing to make any contract with her countries enemie and her father as loth to contradict his daughter the motion and offer of Torquatus was peremptorily denied at which inraged hee begyrt
of the Sea Tiberius still fretting and chasing inwardly with himselfe that he had beene so long fooled with vaine and idle promises by the Mathematician his maister he rated him with bitter and harsh tearmes reuiling his Art and was readie to haue cast him headlong in this extremitie of rage from the promontorie when Thrasillus intreating his patience but a few houres espyed a ship with full â—ayles making towards the harbour when suddenly reioycing Be of good comfort Tiberius saith he for in yon ship is brought thee what thou most deâ—irest which prooued accordingly for they attending their landing letters were deliuered to Tiberius from Augustus and Lyuia of his repeale from exile and his calling backe to Rome at which time was layd the foundation of his Empire Fulgos. lib. 8. cap. 11. Dion in August reports it thus Tiberius walking with Thrasillus and priuately intending to cast him from the rocke without any appearance of anger on the sudden he grew wonderous melancholly and sad vpon which Tiberius demanding the cause Thrasillus answered because I find there is now a present mischiefe intended against me vpon which words the purpose of Tiberius was altered and the others prescience by him much commended Euen Tiberius himselfe studious and expert in Astrologie Astronomie and other mysticall and hidden Arts insomuch that he caused many noble gentlemen of Rome to be innocently put to death for no other reason than that by calculating vpon their natiuitie hee presupposed them dangerous to the state he obserued the carriage and conditions of all men and whosoeuer excelled others in vertue or entred into least popular loue him hee cut off It is sayd that meeting with Galba vpon his marriage day he cast a stedfast looke vpon him and withall vttered these words Et tu â—liquando Principâ—tum degustobis i. And thou also shalt in time attaine vnto the Principalitie The Emperour Hadrianus was not onely industrious in the attaining to the height of perfection in the knowledge of all other generall learning but also in the Mathematicks in so much that Marius Maxim affirmes of him That hee assuredly knew all things that were spoken of or by him he writ downe euerie morning with his owne hand the chances and successes that should follow the same day and thus hee continued to the houre of his death He was often heard to say of Verus whom he had adopted Ostendent terris hunc tantum fata nec vltra Esse sinent c. The fates will to the Earth but shew him then Ere fully seene snatch him away agen Volaterran Auturo lib. 23. saith That he continued the writing downe daily of those predictions euen to the last moneth of the yeere in which he dyed and then gaue ouer speaking openly that within the compasse of that moneth he should be gathered to his fathers Fulgos. lib. 8. c. 11. Seuerus Pertinax hauing buried his wife Martia made choise of a second called Iulia borne of obscure parents for no other reason but that by the inspiration into those Starres that were predominant at her birth he found that she was borne to participate of Imperiall honours Volaterran lib 23. An Astrologian in the court of Frederick the second Emperour with great ceremonie and diligence obserued Rodulphus Earle of Hausburch a plaine gentleman of meane fortunes and lesser hopes and one whom all the other courtiers despised and still he was mocked when he had neglected others of great place and office to be only obsequious to him this being to the Emperor he commanded the Artist before him demanding the reason of his so doing to whom he answered Because ô Frederick in this Rodulphus I see a succeeding Emperour who when thy issue shall faile must repaire the dignitie of the Caesars and his noble memorable acts fill all Christendome with condigne praises neither was this presage friuolous or vainely spoken for in the yeere of our redemption 1273 in the Kalends of October this Rodulphus was by the Princes of Germanie confirmed in the Imperiall dignitie and crowned at Frankefort Caspinianus in Caesaribus Marullus speakes of one Byliâ—tus an Astronomer who died with eating of Mushroms or such as we call Toadstooles his words be these Dum canet Astrologus prituris sidera amicis Dum sibi Boletos non canet ipse perit Whil'st to foresee his friends mishaps His skill the Artist tryde His owne sad fate he could not find But eating Mushroms dyde Rare effects of this Art were showed in Guido Boiatus foro liuiensis who liued vnder Martin the fourth who sent to Guido Earle of Mountferrat that if such a day and at such an houre he would issue out of the citie and by stratagem inuade his enemyes posteritie should remember him in that honourable victorie in which he should giue them a strange defeate and assuredly ouercome and himselfe receiue a dangerous wound in the thygh The Earle at the day appointed issued from the citie and assaulted them prouiding himselfe of all things necessarie about him for a wound Hee winnes the day followed the victorie was hurt in the same place and after healed Fâ—lgos Lib. 8. cap. 11. Egnat Lib. 8. cap. 11. Paulus tertius Pope Farnesius was miraculously skilfull in Astrologie He sent to his sonne Peter Aloysius who at that time with great crueltie vsurped in the Dukedome of Parma and Placentia and warned him to beware and take heed of his owne safetie the tenth day of September in the yeere of Grace 1547. for that day was malignant to his life and opposite to his good aboue all others The father as my Author saith had power to fore-warne his sonne but the soone had not grace to preuent the danger for the same day predicted hee was slaine in his owne Castle by Augustinus Landus and Iacobus Scotus two Earles of Placentia who pretended priuate conference with him Being dead hee was deliuered vp to the long afflicted people who first hanged him vp by the priuie parts and after without all humane pitie tore him limbe from limbe to satisfie their malicious vengeance Sleidanus Lib. 19. Comment I feare I haue stayed too long amongst the Starres and conferred so much amongst those Men that some may feare I haue forgot the Women but it is otherwise for I now proceed with them And first Of Women Orators that haue pleaded their owne Causes or others STrange and admirable is the efficacie and force of Eloquence It is writ of the Poet Tyâ—aeaus That when the Lacedemonians had beene in three sundrie battailes defeated and were in despaire for euer reobtaining their pristine honours and dignities in this lowest of their deiectednesse hee with his excellently eloquent Verses so kindled and awaked their dull and drowsie courages that they the fourth time opposed the Massenians their enemies and wearing about them the names of their noble ancestors whose braue exploits hee in his Poemes had celebrated they reassumed their former forces and courages with such an addition and encrease of
Windes grew calme the tempest ceased and she had a faire and speedie passage into England and this the same gentlewoman hath often related Nor is this more incredible than that which in Geneua is still memorable A young wench instructed in this damnable science had an Iron Rod with which whomsoeuer she touched they were forced to dance without ceasing til they were tired lay down with wearinesse She for her Witchcraft was condemned to the fire to which she went vnrepentant with great obstinacie and since which time as Bodinus saith who records this historie all dancing in memorie of her is forbidden and held euen till this day abhominable amongst those of Geneua Our most learned writers are of opinion that these Inchantresses can bewitch some but not all for there are such ouer whom they haue no power The same Author testifies That he saw a Witch of Auerne in the yere 1579 who was taken in Lutetia about whom was found a Booke of a large Volume in which were drawne the hayres of Horses Oxen Mules Swine and other beasts of all colours whatsoeuer She if any beasts were sicke would vndertake their cure by receiuing some number of their hayres with which she made her Spells and Incantations neither could she helpe any beast by her owne confession but by transferring that disease or maladie vpon another neither could shee cure any creature if she were hyred for money therefore she went poorely in a coat made vp with patches A nobleman of France sent to one of these Witches to cure a sicke Horse whom he much loued shee returned him answer That of necessitie his Horse or his Groome must die and bid him chuse whether The nobleman crauing some time of pawse and deliberation the seruant in the interim died and the Horse recouered for which fact she was apprehended and iudged It is a generall obseruation That the Deuill who is a destroyer neuer heales one creature but by hurting another and commonly he transmits his hate from the worse vnto the better For instance if a Witch cure a Horse the disease falls vpon one of higher price if shee heale the wife shee harmes the husband if helpe the sonne she infects the father Of this I will produce one or two credible instances The first of the Lord Furnerius Aureliensis who finding himselfe mortally as hee thought diseased sent to a Witch to counsaile with her about his recouerie who told him there was no hope of his life vnlesse he would yeeld that his yong sonne then sucking at the Nurses breast should haue his mortall infirmitie confirmed vpon it The father to saue his owne life yeelds that his sonne should perish of which the Nurse hearing iust at the houre when the father should be healed is absent and conceales the child The father is no sooner toucht but helped of his disease the Witch demands for the child to transferre it vpon him the child is missing and cannot be found which the Witch hearing broke out into this exclamation Actum est de me puer vbinam est i. I am vndone where is the child when scarce hauing put her foot ouer the threshold to returne home but she fell downe suddenly dead her body being blasted and as blacke as an Aethiope The like remarkable Iudgement fell vpon a Witch amongst the Nanuetae who was accused of bewitching her neighbour The magistrates commanded her but to touch the partie distempered with her Inchantments which is a thing much vsed by all the German Iudges euen in the Imperiall Chamber it selfe the Witch denyed to doe it but seeing they began to compell her by force shee likewise cryed out I am then vndone when instantly the sicke woman recouered and the Witch then in health fell downe suddenly and died whose bodie was after condemned to the fire And this Bodinus affirmes to haue heard related from the mouth of one of the Iudges who was there present In Tholosa there was one skilfull in Magicke who was borne in Burdegall hee comming to visit a familiar friend of his who was extreamely afflicted with a Quartane Ague almost euen to death told him he pittied his case exceedingly and therefore if he had any enemie but giue him his name and he would take away the Feauer from him and transferre it vpon the other The sick gentleman thanked him for his loue but told him there was not that man liuing whom he hated so much as to punish him with such a torment Why then saith he giue it to thy seruant the other answering That he had not the conscience so to reward his good seruice Why then giue it me sayth the Magician who presently answered With all my heart take it you who it seemeth best knowes how to dispose it Vpon the instant the Magician was stroke with the feauer and within few dayes after dyed in which interim the sicke gentleman was perfectly recouered Gregorie Turonensis lib. 6. cap. 35. sayth That when the wife of king Chilperick perceiued her young sonne to bee taken away by Witch-craft shee was so violently incensed and inraged against the verie name of a Sorceresse that she caused diligent search to be made and all such suspected persons vpon the least probabilitie to be dragged to the stake or broken on the wheele most of these confessed that the kings sonne was bewitched to death for the preseruation of Mummo the great Master a potent man in the kingdome this man in the middest of his torments smiled confessing that he had receiued such inchanted drugs from the Sorcerists that made him vnsensible of paine but wearied with the multitude of torments he was sent to Burdegall where he not long after died I desire not to be tedious in any thing for innumerable Histories to these purposes offer themselues vnto me at this present but these few testimonies proceeding from authenticke Authors and the attestations of such as haue beene approouedly learned may serue in this place as well as to relate a huge number of vnnecessarie discourses from writers of lesse fame and credit Neither is it to any purpose heare to sâ—â—ake of the Witches in Lap-land Fin-land and these miserable and wretched cold countries where to buy and sell winds betwixt them and the merchants is said to be as frequent and familiarly done amongst them as eating and sleeping There is another kind of Witches that are called Extasists in whose discouerie I will striue to be briefe A learned Neapolitan in a Historie not long since published that treates altogether of naturall Magicke speakes of a Witch whom he saw strip her selfe naked and hauing annointed her bodie with a certaine vnguent fell downe without sence or motion in which extasie she remained the space of three houres after she came to her selfe discouering many things done at the same time in diuers remote places which after inquirie made were found to be most certaine Answerable to this is that reported by the President
Turetranus who in the Delphinaâ— saw a Witch burned aliue whose storie he thus relates She was maidseruant to an honest citisen who comming home vnexpected and calling for her but hearing none to answere searching the roomes he found her lying all along by a fire which she had before made in a priuate chamber which seeing he kickt her with his foot and bid her arise like a lasie huswife as she was and get her about her businesse but seeing her not to mooue he tooke a tough and smart wand and belabored her verie soundly but perceiuing her neither to stirre nor complaine he viewing her better and finding all the parts of her bodie vnsensible tooke fire and put it to such places of her bodie as were most tender but perceiuing her to haue lost all feeling was persuaded she was dead and called in his next neighbours telling them in what case he found her but concealing vnto them the shrewd blowes he had giuen her the neighbors left the house the master and mistresse caused her to be laid out so left her and went to their rest but towards the morning hearing some bodie to stir and groâ—ne in the chamber they found their seruant remooued and laid in her bed at which the good man much amased asked her in the name of God being laâ—e dead how came she so soone recouered to whom she answered Oh master master why haue you beaten me thus the man reporting this amongst his nighbours one amongst the rest said if this be true she is then doubtlesse a Witch and one of these Extasists at which the Master growing suspitious vrged her so strictly that she confessed though her bodie was there present yet her soule was abroad at the assemblie of diuers Witches with many other mischiefes for which she was held worthie of death and iudged At Burdegall in the yere 1571 when there was a decree made in France against the strict prosecution of Witches an old Sorceresse of that place amongst many horrid and fearefull things confessed by her she was conuicted and imprisoned where D. Boletus visited her desiring to be eye-witnesse of some of those things before by her acknowledged to whom the Witch answered That she had not power to do any thing in prison But desirous to be better satisfied concerning such things he commanded her for the present to be released and brought out of the Gaole to another lodging where she in his presence hauing annointed her bodie with a certaine vnguent from the crowne to the heele naked fell into a sodaine apoplex appearing to them as dead depriued of all sence or motion but after fiue houres returning to her selfe as if she awaked out of a dreame she related many things done neere and farre off in that interim of which sending to know the truth they found her to erre in nothing this was confirmed to Bodinus by an Earle of great honour who was then present when this thing was done Olaus Magnus in his historie saith That those things are common in the Northren parts of the world and that the friends of those Extasists diligently keepe and safeguard their bodies whilest their Spirits are abroad either to carrie rings tokens or letters to their friends though neuer so farre off and bring them answers backe againe with infallible tokens of their being there Many I could here produce to the like purpose I will end with S. Augustine lib. de Ciuitate Dei 18. who affirmes the father of Prestantius hath confest himselfe to haue beene transported with such extasies that when his Spirit hath returned to him againe he hath constantly affirmed that he hath beene changed into an horse and in the companie of others carried prouision into the campe when in the meane time his bodie was knowne to lie at home in his chamber breathlesse and without moouing and this hath reference to Liranthropia i. The changing of men into beasts So much spoken of by the antient writers and now so frequent in the Orientall parts of the world Some obserue as Strangerus Danaeus and others that no Witch can weepe or sâ—ed a teare Others as the Germans in some parts that a Witch cannot sinke nor drowne in the water and therefore to trie them being suspected they cast them into moates and riuers They can do nothing in prison neither will they confesse any thing till the Deuill hath quiâ—e forsaken them I meane in his power to helpe them not in his couenant to inioy them They are all penurious and needie neither haue they the least power of the Iudges they haue art to hurt others but none any way to benefit themselues There is not any of them but weares the Deuills marke about her They neuer looke any man or woman stedfastly in the face but their eyes wander of the one side or other but commonly they are deiected downward they answer pertinently to no question demanded them They all desire to see the Iudges before they come to their arraignement being of a confident opinion that if they behold them first the Iudges haue no power to condemne them but if they be first brought to the place all their Sorceries are vaine and of no validitie Others are remembred by D. Adamus Martinus Procurator of Laodâ—num prooued vpon the famous Witch Beibrana whom hee sentenced to the stake But these shall suffice for this present for CALLIOPE now pluckes me by the elbow to remember her Explicit Liber Octauus Inscriptus VRANIA THE NINTH BOOKE Inscribed CALLIOPE Intreating of Women in generall with the Punishments appertaining to the Vitious and Rewards due to the Vertuous WHEN I enter into a true consideration of how many seuerall Affections Dispositions Actions and Passions in Women I haue had occasion to speakeâ— of the Good and Bad Famous and Infamous Vertuous and Dishonest Illustrious and Obscure next of all Ages from the Cradle to the Graue the Swathband to the Winding sheetâ— then of all Estates Degrees and Callings from the Empresse in the Court to the Shepheardesse in the Village when I next ponder with my selfe that all these are gathered to the Earth from whence they came and that wee who are yet breathing doe but hourely tread vpon our Graues lingring and prolonging a few vncertaine minutes and must necessarily follow and that our liues are but a Circular motion or a Circle drawne by a Compasâ— ending where it first began being but as the wheeles of a Clocke wound vp and as we mooue in the passage of our life like the Hand of a Dyall point first to one houre then a second so to a third still shewing our yeeres in our growth that any man may reade what a Clocke it is with vs by our Age but when the Plummets and Weights haue forced our Wheeles so often about till there is no more Lyne left then wee cease both motion noyse and being Next that all know they must die but none the time when they shall die and
Neoptolemus the sonne of Achilles and Deiadamia rap't Lanissa the niece of Hercules Aiax the sonne of Telamon did the like to Tecmessa of whom Horace Mouit Aiacem Telemone satam Forma captiuae dominum Tecmessae Captiue Tecmessas beautiegaz'd vpon Insnar'd her lord the sonne of Telamon Aiax Oilaeus rauished Cassandra Nessus the Centaure Deineira the wife of Hercules sister to Meleager and daughter to Oeneus and Althea king and queene of Calidonâ— Tleoptolemus stole Axiothia from Ephira a citie of Peloponessus hee was the sonne of Hercules and Astioche he was first a suitor to Hellen and came to the siege of Troy with nine shippes and was after slaine by the hand of king Sarpedon Hypodamia the daughter of Atracius and wife of Perithous suffered the like violence by the Centaures being heated with Wine and Lust especially by Euritus of whom Ouid lib. 12. thus speakes Euritus Hyppodamea alij quam quisque probabat Aut poterat rapiunt Euritus rap't Hyppodame and after him the rest By his example did the like and snatcht where they lik't best The great enmitie betwixt the Grecians and Barbarians though it might seeme to arise by reason of the distance of countries and difference of manners yet most probable it is that their inueterate hate and irreconsilable malice tooke first originall from diuerse rapes committed on either part for first the Phoenician Merchanrs exposing their commodities to publique sale in the citie of Argis when Iö the kings daughter amongst other damosells came downe to the Key to take view of what marchandise she best liked to furnish her selfe according to her womanish fancie the Merchants beeing extreamely surprised with her beautie seised both her and the rest of her attendants and stowing them vnder hatches hoised saile and transported them into Aegypt Not long after the Cretenses awaiting the like opportunitie stole away Europa the daughter of the king of the Tyrians and bore her into Creet in requitall of the former rape The Heroes of Greece next sailed in the great Argoe to Cholcos pretending their iourney for the golden fleece and raped thence Medea the daughter of Areta after whom sending Embassadors into Greece to redemand his daughter they returned him answere That the barbarous Phoenicians had made no restitution nor satisfaction at all for the rape of Io neither would they for Medea After that Paris the son of Priam rather to reuenge the iniurie done to his Aunt Hesione than for any loue or affection to Spartan Hellen stole her from Lacedemon and brought her to Troy in Asia The Princes of Greece redemanding her answere was returned That since they made no restitution of Europa nor of Medea nor Hesione neither would they of Hellena which was the originall of that memorable siege of Troy and the destruction of that famous citie Herodotus Lib. 1. Thrasimenes being enamored of the faire daughter of Pisistratus and his affection dayly more and more encreasing he gathered to himselfe a societie of young men and watching the Ladie when shee came with other young damosells to offer sacrifice according to the custome of the countrey by the Seaside with their swords drawne they set vpon the companie that attended her and hauing dispiersed them snatched her vp and hurrying her aboord sailed with her towards Aegina But Hyppias the eldest sonne of Pisistratus beeing then at Sea to cleere those coasts of Pyrats by the swiftnesse of their Ores imagining them to be of the fellowship of the Sea robbers pursued them boorded them and tooke them who finding his sister there brought her backe with the rauishers Thrasimenes with the rest of his faction being brought before Pisistratus not withstanding his knowne austeritie would neither doe him honour nor vse towards him the least submission but with bold and vndaunted constancie attended their sentence telling him That when the attempt was first proposed they then armed themselues for death and all disasters Pysistratus admiring their courage and magnanimitie which showed the greater in regard of their youth called his daughter before him and in the presence of his nobilitie to recompence his celsitude of minde and spirit freely bestowed her vpon Thrasimenes by which meanes he reconciled their opposition and entertained them into new faith and obedience no more expressing himselfe a Tyrant but a louing and bountifull father and withall a popular citisen Polinae lib. 5. The daughters of king Adrastus were rauished by Acesteneutrix as Statius lib. 1. hath left remembred Euenus the sonne of Mars and Sterope married Marpissa daughter to Oenemaus and Alcippa whom Apharetas espying as she daunced amongst other Ladies grew innamoured of and forcibly rapt her from her companie Plutarch in Paral. Hersilia with the Sabine Virgins were likewise rap't by Romulus and his souldiers at large described by Ouid. Lib. de Arte Amandi 1. Lucrece the chast Roman Matron was stuperated by Sextus Tarquinius of whom Seneca in Octauia thus saith Nata Lucreti stuprum saeui passa Tyranni Eudoxia being left by Valentinianus was basely rauished by the Tyrant Maximus who vsurped in the Empire for which shee inuited Gensericus out of Africke to auenge her of the shame and dishonour done vnto her Sigebertus in Chronicis The same Author tells vs of Ogdilo Duke of Boiaria who forced the sister of king Pepin for which iniurie done to her the king opprest him with a cruell and bloudie warre Of Handmaids Nurses Midwiues and Stepdames PLecusa was a Handmaid to Diana whom Martial Lib. 1. thus remembers Et cecidit sectis Icla Plecusa Crinis Lagopice is another Lib. 7. remembred by the same Author Cibale was the maid-seruant to a poore man called Similus remembred by Virgil in Morete Phillis Troiana was the Handmaid to Phoceus as Briseis was to Achilles Plinie Lib. 36. cap. 27. makes Ocrisia the Damosell to the Queene Tanaquil so Horace makes Cassandra to Agamemnon Gyge as Plutarch relates was such to Parysatis Queene of Persia and mother to Cyrus Thressa was maid-seruant to Thales Milesius who as Theodoricus Cyrenensis affirmes when shee saw her maister come home durtie and myrie as being newly crept out of a Ditch chid him exceedingly for gazing at the starres to finde those hidden things aboue and had not the foresight to see what lay below at his feet but hee must stumble Herodotus in Euterpe calls Rhodope the famous Aegyptian strumpet the Handmaid of Iadmon Samiâ—s a Philosopher Elos was a Damosell to king Athamas from whom a great citie in Achaia tooke denomination and was called Aelos Lardana as Herodotus affirmes was at first no better than a seruant from whom the noble Familie of the Heraclidae deriue their first originall Titula otherwise called Philotis was a Roman Virgin of the like condition and is remembred for such by Plutarch in Camillo as also by Macrob. Lib. 1. Saturnalium Proconnesia is remembred
deuided themselues and casting to hit it with a stone it rebounded againe from the skull and stroke himselfe on the forehead his words be these Abiecta in triuijs inhumati glabra iacebat Testa hominis nudum iam cute caluicium Fleuerant alij fletu non motus Achillas c. Where three wayes parted a mans skull was found Bald without haire vnburied aboue ground Some wept to see 't Achillas more obdure Snatcht vp a stone and thinkes to hit it sure He did so At the blow the stone rebounds And in the face and eyes Achillas wounds I wish all such whose impious hands prophane The dead mans bones so to be stroke againe Of Mothers that haue slaine their Children or Wiues their Husbands c. MEdea the daughter of Oeta king of Colchos first slew her young brother in those Islands which in memorie of his inhumane murther still beare his name and are called Absyrtides and after her two sonnes Macareus and Pherelus whom she had by Iason Progne the daughter of Pandion murthered her young sonne Itis begot by Tereus the sonne of Mars in reuenge of the rape of her sister Philomele Ino the daughter of Cadmus Melicertis by Athamas the sonne of Aeolus Althea the daughter of Theseus slew her sonne Meleager by Oeneus the sonne of Parthaon Themisto the daughter of Hypseus Sphincius or Plinthius and Orchomenus by Athamas at the instigation of Ino the daughter of Cadmus Tyros the daughter of Salmoneus two sonnes begot by Sysiphus the sonne of Aeolus incited thereto by the Oracle of Apollo Agaue the daughter of Cadmus Pentheus the sonne of Echion at the importunitie of Liber Pater Harpalice the daughter of Climenus slew her owne father because he forcibly despoyled her of her honor Hyginus in Fabulis These slew their Husbands Clitemnestra the daughter of Theseus Agamemnon the sonne of Atreus Hellen the daughter of Iupiter and Laeda Deiphebus the sonne of Priam and Hecuba hee married her after the death of Paris Agaue Lycotherses in Illyria that she might restore the kingdome to her father Cadmus Deianira the daughter of Oeneus and Althea Hercules the sonne of Iupiter and Alcmena by the Treason of Nessus the Centaureâ— Iliona the daughter of Priam Polymnestâ—r king of Thâ—â—ce Semyramis her husband Ninus king of Babylon c. Some haue slaine their Fathers others their Nephewes and Neeces all which being of one nature may be drawne to one head And see how these prodigious sinnes haue beene punished Martina the second wife to Heraclius and his Neece by the brothers side by the helpe of Pyrrhus the Patriarch poysoned Constantinus who succeeded in the Empire fearing least her sonne Heraclius should not attaine to the Imperiall Purple in regard that Constantinus left issue behind him two sonnes Constantes and Theodosius which he had by Gregoria the daughter of Nycetas the Patritian notwithstanding hee was no sooner dead but shee vsurped the Empire Two yeeres of her Principalitie were not fully expired when the Senate reassumed their power and called her to the Barre where they censured her to haue her Tongue cut out least by her eloquence shee might persuade the people to her assistance her sonne Heraclius they maimed of his Nose so to make him odious to the multitude and after exiled them both into Cappadocia Cuspinianus in vita Heraclij A more terrible Iudgement was inflicted vpon Brunechildis whose Historie is thus related Theodericus king of the Frenchmen who by this wicked womans counsaile had polluted himselfe with the bloud of his owne naturall brother and burthened his conscience with the innocent deaths of many other noble gentlemen as well as others of meaner ranke and qualitie was by her poysoned and depriued of life for when he had made a motion to haue taken to wife his Neece a beautifull young Ladie and the daughter of his late slaine brother Brunechildis with all her power and industrie opposed the Match affirming that Contract to be meerely incestuous which was made with the brothers daughter shee next persuaded him that his son Theodebertus was not his owne but the adulterate issue of his wife by another at which words he was so incensed that drawing his sword hee would haue instantly transpierst her but by the assistance of such Courtiers as were then present shee escaped his furie and presently after plotted his death and effected it as aforesaid Trittenhemius de Regib Francorum and Robertus Gaguinus Lib. 2. Others write that hee was drowned in a Riuer after hee had reigned eighteene yeeres Auentinus affirmes That presently after hee had slaine his brother entring into one of his cities hee was strucke with Thunder Annal. Boiorum Lib. 3. But this inhumane Butcheresse Brunechildis after shee had beene the ruine of an infinite number of people and the death of ten kings at length moouing an vnfortunate warre against Lotharius to whom shee denyed to yeeld the kingdome shee was taken in battaile and by the Nobilitie and Captaines of the Armie condemned to an vnheard of punishment She was first beaten with foure Bastoones before shee was brought before Lotharius then all her Murthers Treasons and Inhumanities were publikely proclaimed in the Armie and next her Legges and Hands being fastened to the tayles of wild Horses pluckt to pieces and disseuered limbe from limbe Anno 1618. Sigebertus Trittenhemius Gaguinus and Auentinus And such bee the earthly punishments due to Patricides and Regicides Touching Patricides Solon when hee instituted his wholesome Lawes made no Law to punish such as thinking it not to be possible in nature to produce such a Monster Alex. Lib. 2. cap. 5. Romubus appointing no punishment for that inhumanitie included Patricides vnder the name of Homicides counting Manslaughter and Murther abhorred and impious but the other impossible Plutarchâ— in â—â—amulo Marcus Malleolus hauing sâ—aine his mother was the first that was euer condemned for that fact amongst the Romans his Sentence was to be sowed in a Sack together with a Cock an Ape and a Viper and so cast into the Riuer Tiber a iust infliction for such immanitie The Macedonians punished Patricides and Traitors alike and not onely such as persoâ—ally committed the fact but all that were any way of the confederacie Alex. ab Alex. Lib. 3. cap. 5. and all such were stoned to death The Aegyptians stabbed them with Needles and Bodkins wounding them in all the parts of their bodie but not mortally when bleeding all ouer from a thousand small orifices they burnt them in a pyle of Thornes Diodor. Sical Lib. 2. cap. 2. de rebus antiq The Lusitanians first exiled them from their owne confines and when they were in the next forraine ayre â—toâ—ed them to death Nero hauing slaine his mother Agrippinâ— by the hand of Anicetes had such terror of mind and vnquietnesse of conscience that in the dead of the night he would leape out of his bed horribly affrighted and say when they that attended him demanded
settled an enmitie against all Vices your publike enemies as hee did against the Persians the forraine inuaders you shall vndoubtedly after the Battaile of the Mind constantly fought against all barbarous temptations be ranked equall with him in all his triumphs It is likewise recorded of Isaus an Assyrian Sophist who in his youth being giuen to all voluptuousnesse and effeminate delicacies but comming to riper vnderstanding assumed to himselfe a wonderous continencie of life and austeritie in all his actions insomuch that a familiar friend of his seeing a beautifull young woman passe by and asking him If shee were not a faire one To him hee answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. Desij laborare de oculis i. I am no more sicke of sore eyes To another that demanded What Fish of Fowle was most pleasant to the taste hee replyed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. I haue forgot to looke after them and proceeded I perceiue that I then gathered all my Fruits out of the Garden of Tantalus insinuating vnto vs that all those vaine Pleasures and Delights of which Youth is so much enamored are nothing else but shadowes and dreames such as Tantalus is said to be fed with Of seuerall degrees of Inchastities and of their Punishments PHilip of Macedon making warre against the Thebans Aeropus and Damasippus two of his cheefe captaines had hyred a mercenarie strumpet and kept her in one of their tents which the king hearing he not onely cashiered them from their commaunds but banished them his kingdome Polynaeus lib. 4. In Germanie Chastitie and Modestie is held in that reuerent respect that no meane Artificer though of the basest trade that is will entertaine a Bastard into his seruice or teach him his science neither in the Accademies will they permit any such to take degree in schooles though it be a strange seueritie against innocent children who gaue no consent to the sinnes of their parents yet it is a meane to curbe the liberties of men and women deterring them from the like offences Aeneus Siluius lib. 1. of the sayings and deeds of king Alphonsus tells vs of one Manes Florentinus who being taken in forbidden congression with a strumpet was adiudged to pennance which was not altogether as our custome in England is to stand in a white sheete but naked all saue a linnen garment from his wast to his knees after the fashion of Bases the Priests comming to strip him in the Vestrie would haue put vpon him that roabe to couer his shame which hee no way would admit but was constantly resolued to stand as our phrase is starke naked but when the church officers demanded of him If he were not ashamed to shew his virile parts in such a publike assemblie especially where there were so many Virgins married Wiues and widow Women he answered Minime gentium nam pudenda haec quae peccauerunt ea potissimum dare panas decet i. By no meanes quoth he most fit it is that those shamefull things that haue offended and brought me to this shame should likewise doe open penance Pontius Offidianus a knight of Rome after he had found by infallable signes his daughters virginitie to be dispoyled and vitiated by Fannius Saturnius her schoole-maister was not content to extend his iust rage vpon his seruant and punish him with death but hee also slew his daughter who rather desired to celebrat her vntimely exequies than follow her to her contaminated Nuptialls Val. lib. 6. cap. 1. Pub. Attilius Philiscus notwithstanding in his youth hee was compelled by his master to prostitute his owne bodye to vnnaturall lusts for bruitish and vnthriuing gaine yet after prooued a seuere father for finding his daughter to haue corrupted her virginall chastitie hee slew her with his owne hand How sacred then may wee imagine and conceiue puritie and temperance was held in Rome when such as had professed base prostitution in their youth became iudges and punishers therof euen vpon their owne children in their age Val. Max. lib. 6. c. 1. Appius Claudius Regillanus the most eminent amongst the Decemviri so doted on Virginia the daughter of Virginius a Centurion who was then in the campe at Algidus that he suborned a seruant of his to seise her claim her as his bondwoman and bring the cause to be decided before him needs must the businesse passe on his side beeing both the accuser and the iudge The father being certified of these proceedings by Icilius a hopefull young gentleman before contracted vnto her leauing his charge abroad repaires to the citie and appearing before the iudgement seat sees his owne lawfull daughter taken both from himselfe and betrothed husband and conferred vpon another as his slaue and bondwoman The iudgement being past he desires leaue to speake with his daughter apart it was granted him by the Court who slew her with his owne hand then taking vp her bodie and lifting it vpon his shoulders posted with that lamentable burden to the campe and incited the souldiers to reuenge Liuie Volater lib. 14. cap. 2. Antropol Quintus Fabius Seruilianus hauing his daughters chastitie in suspition first deliuered her to death and after punished himselfe with voluntarie banishment The punishment of these inchastities is by the Poets to the life illustrated in the fable of Titius the sonne of Terra who intending to stuperate Latona was by Apollo slaine with an arrow and being thrust down into Hell and chained to a rocke his Liuer and Heart is perpetually tyred on by a rauenous Vulture who still renewes his inceasible torments Virgill lib. Aeneid 6. vnder the person of Titius would pourtray vnto vs the vnquiet conscience which though sometimes it may be at a seeming peace yet the torment by beeing still renewed dayly increaseth and gnawes the heart-strings of all such persons as to themselues are guiltie Of Witches and the Punishment due to them VIncentius cites this following Historie from Guillerimus in Specul Histor. lib. 26. cap. 26. which also Iohannes Wyerius Ranulphus and others commemorats an English woman that dwelt at a towne called Barkley in England being a Witch yet not being much suspected liued in indifferent good opinion amongst her neighbours and beeing feasting vpon a time abroad and wonderous pleasant in companie shee had a tame crow which she had brought vp that would be familiar with her and sit vpon her shoulder and prate to her in the best language it could she at this feast the Table being readie to be drawne sported with her which spake to her more plainely than it vsed some wordes which shee better than the rest of the companie vnderstood at which suddenly her knife dropped out of her hand her colour changed the blood forsooke her cheâ—kes and shee looked pale readie to sinke downe and fetching some inward suspires and grones shee at length broke forth into this language Woe is mee my plow is now entred into the last furrow for this day I shall heare of some great
Apuleius testifies of Pamphila Larissana a Witch of Thessalie as likewise a Witch in the Laodunensian suburbes in the month of May 1578. who blushed not to doe the like before many witnesses now the Law saith Who that shall but incline or bow downe to Images which the Greekes call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall be punished with death The Hebrew word Tistaueb and the Chaldaean Fisgud which all our Latine Interpreters translate Adorare imports as much as to incline or worship now these Witches doe not onely incline vnto him but inuoke and call vpon him A fourth thing is which many haue confessed That they haue vowed their children to the Deuill now the Law saith God is inflamed with reuenge against all such as shall offer their children vnto Moloch which Iosephus interpretes Priapus and Philo Satanus but all agree that by Moloch is signified the Deuill and malignant spirits A fifth thing is gathered out of their owne confessions That they haue sacrificed Infants not yet baptized to the Deuill and haue kild them by thrusting great pinnes into their heads Sprangerus testifies that he condemned one to the fire who confessed that she by such meanes had been the death of one and fortie children A sixt thing is That they doe not only offer children in the manner of sacrifice against which the Holy Ghost speakes That for that sinne alone God will extirpe and root out the people but they vow them in the wombe A seuenth is That they are not themselues blasphemers and Idolaters only but they are tied by couenant with the Deuill to allure and persuade others to the like abhominations when the Law teacheth That whosoeuer shall persuade another to renounce his Creator shall be stoned to death An eight is That they not onely call vpon the Deuill but sweare by his name which is directly against the Law of God which forbids vs to sweare by any thing saue his owne Name A ninth is That adulterous Incests are frequent amongst them for which in all ages they haue been infamous and of such detestable crimes conuicted so that it hath almost growne to a Prouerbe No Magician or Witch but was either begot and borne of the father and daughter or the mother and sonne which Catullus in this Distick expresseth Nam Magus ex Matre gnato gignatur oportet Si vera est Persarum impia Relligio Intimating that if the impious Religion of the Persians were true Witches of necessitie should be the incestuous issue of the mother and sonne or else è contra A tenth They they are Homicides and the murtherers of Infants which Sprangerus obserues from their owne confessions and Baptista Porta the Neapolitan in his booke de Magia Next That they kill children before their Baptisme by which circumstances their offence is made more capitall and heinous The eleuenth That Witches eat the flesh of Infants and commonly drinke their blouds in which they take much delight To which Horace seemes to allude when he saith Nue pransae Lamiae vinum puerum extrahat Aluo Nor from the stomacke of a Witch new din'd Plucks he a yet ' liue Infant If children be wanting they digge humane bodies from their sepulchres or feed vpon men that haue been executed To which purpose Lucan writes Laqueum nodosque nocentes Ore suo rupit pendentia corpora carpsit Abrasit cruces c. The Felons strangling Cord she nothing feares But with her teeth the fatall Knot she teares The hanging bodies from the Crosse she takes And shaues the Gallowes of which dust she makes c. Apuleius reports That comming to Larissa in Thessaly he was hyred for eight pieces of Gold to watch a dead body but one night for feare the Witches of which in that place there is abundance should gnaw and deuoure the flesh of the partie deceased euen to the very bones which is often found amongst them Also Murther by the Lawes of God and man is punishable with death besides they that eat mans flesh or deliuer it to be eaten are not worthie to liue Cornel. Lib. de Sicarijs A twelfth is That they kill as oft by Poysons as by Powders and Magick Spells now the Law saith It is worse to kill by Witchcraft than with the Sword Lib. 1. de Malific A thirteenth is That they are the death of Cattell for which Augustanus the Magician suffred death 1569. A fourteenth That they blast the Corne and Graine and bring barrennesse and scarcitie when there is a hoped plentie and abundance A fifteenth That they haue carnall consocietie with the Deuill as it hath beene approued by a thousand seuerall confessions Now all that haue made any compact or couenant with the Deuill if not of all these yet vndoubtedly are guiltie of many or at least some and therefore consequently not worthy to liue And so much for the Punishment of Witches and other knowne malefactors I come now to the Rewards due to the Vertuous and first of some noble Ladies for diuerse excellencies worthie to be remembred Of Tirgatao Moeotis Camiola Turinga and others TIrgatao a beautifull and vertuous Ladie was ioyned in marriage to Hecataeus king of those Indians that inhabite neere vnto the Bosphor which is an arme of the Sea that runneth betwixt two coasts This Hecataeus being cast out of his kingdome Satyrus the most potent of these kings reinstated him in his Principalitie but conditionally That he would marrie his onely daughter and make her Queene by putting Tirgatao to death But he though forced by the necessitie of the time and present occasion yet louing his first wife still would not put her to death according to the couenant but caused her to be shut in his most defenced Castle there to consume the remainder of her life in perpetuall widowhood The Ladie comforted with better hopes borne to fairer fortunes deceiued the eyes of her strict keepers and by night escaped out of prison This being made knowne to the two kings the sonne in law and the father they were wonderfully perplexed with the newes of her flight as fearing if shee arriued in her owne countrey she might accite the people to her reuenge They therefore pursued her with all diligence and speed but in vaine for hiding her selfe all the day time and trauelling by night through pathlesse and vnfrequented places at length she arriued amongst the Ixomatae which was the countrey of her owne friends and kindred But finding her father dead she married with him that succeeded in the kingdome by which meanes now commanding the Ixomatae she insinuated into the breasts of the most warlike people inhabiting about Moeotis and so leuied a braue Armie which she her selfe conducted She first inuaded the kingdome of Hecataeus and infested his countrey with many bloudie incursions she next wasted and made spoyle of the kingdome of Satyrus insomuch that they both were forced with all submisse
deliuerers of her people And so much for the Legend But Richardus Diuisiensis sayth That being awed by Earle Godwin and for the feare of hasarding his life and kingdome Edward was compelled by threats and menaces to the marriage of Editha Moreouer Polydore reports That for the hate he bore her father who had not long before most trayterously slaine his brother Alphred hee caused himselfe to be diuorced from her seising her goods and dower to his owne vse and pleasure Ranulphus and one that writes himselfe Anonimos as willing to conceale his name say That shee was disrobed of all her Queene-like honors and confined into the Abbey of Warnwell with only one maid to attend her and so committed to the strict custodie of the Abbesse William of Malmesbury and Marianus Scotus haue left remembred That hee neyther dismissed her his bed nor carnally knew her but whether it was done in hatred to her kindred or purpose of Chastitie they are not able to determine Robert Fabian confesseth as much in his Chronicle Part. 6. cap. 210. Howsoeuer the effects of that abstenious life were not onely preiudiciall but brought lamentable effects vpon this distracted kingdome namely Innouation and Conquest for Edward dying without issue England was inuaded and opprest by the Normans and the people brought to that miserie that happie was that subiect that could say I am no Englishman And in this agree Matthew Paris Capgraue Fabian and Polydore As I hold it not necessarie for marryed folke to tye themselues to this strict kind of abstinence so I hold it not conuenient for any such as haue to themselues and in their soules taken vpon them the strict life of Virginitie to be compelled to an enforced marriage as may appeare by this discourse following recorded by Gulielm Malmsburien Simeon Danelmens Matthew Paris Roger Houeden Capgraue c. Henry the first of that name king of England and crowned in the yeere of Grace 1101 was by the instigation of Anselme once a Monke of Normandie but after by William Rufus constituted Archbishop of Canterburie marryed vnto Maude daughter to Malcolme the Scottish king she hauing taken a Vow and being a profest Nunne in the Abbey of Winchester Much adoe had the King her father the Queene her mother her Confessor Abbesse or the Bishop to alienate her from her setled resolution or persuade her to marriage but being as it were violently compelled thereunto she cursed the Fruit that should succeed from her bodie which after as Polydore affirmes turned to the great misfortune and miserie of her children for afterwards two of her sonnes William and Richard were drowned by Sea Besides her daughter Maude who was afterwards Empresse prooued an vnfortunate Mother and amongst many other things in bringing forth Henry the second who caused Thomas Becket to be slaine it thus happened All forraine warres being past and ciuile combustions pacified in the yeere of our Lord 1120 Henry the first with great ioy and triumph left Normandie and came into England But within few dayes following this great mirth and iollitie turned into a most heauie and fearefull sorrow for William and Richard his two sonnes with Mary his daughter Otwell their Tutor and Guardian Richard Earle of Chester with the Countesse his wife the Kings Neece many Chapleines Chamberlaines Butlers and Seruitors for so they are tearmed in the storie the Archdeacon of Hereford the Princes play-fellowes Sir Geffrey Rydell Sir Robert Maldvyle Sir William Bygot with other Lords Knights Gentlemen great Heires Ladyes and Gentlewomen to the number of an hundred and fortie besides Yeomen and Mariners which were about fiftie all these sauing one man which some say was a Butcher were all drowned together and not any one of their bodyes euer after found Many attribute this great Iudgement to the heauie Curse of Queene Maude others censure of it diuersly Howsoeuer in this King as Polydore sayth ended the Descent and Lyne of the Normans Of this Anselme before spoken of there are diuerse Epistles yet extant to many women in those dayes reputed of great Temperance and Chastitie as To Sister Frodelina Sister Ermengarda Sister Athelytes Sister Eulalia Sister Mabily and Sister Basyle To Maude Abbesse of Cane in Normandie and Maude the Abbesse of Walton here in England Hee writ a Treatife about the same time called Planctus a missae Virginitatis i. A bewayling of lost Virginitie So farre Iohn Bale And so much shall serue for Chast Wiues in this kind being loth to tyre the patience of the Reader Of Women Wantons DIon the Historiographer in Tiberio sayth that Lyuia the wife of Augustus Caesar beholding men naked sayd to the rest about her That to continent women and chast matrons such obiects differed nothing from statues or images for the modest heart with immodest sights ought not to be corrupted The vnchast eye more drawes the poyson of sinne from beautie which is Gods excellent workemanship from which the chast and contrite heart deriues the Creators praise and glorie But my hope is that in exposing vnto your view the histories of these faire Wantons you will looke vpon them should I strip them neuer so naked with the eyes of Lyuia that is to hold them but as beautifull statues or like Appelles his woman not better than a picture of white Marble I haue heard of a man that liuing to the age of threescore and ten had led so austere a life that in all that time he neuer touched the bodie of a woman and had proposed to himselfe to carrie that Virginall vow with him to his graue but at length being visited with sickenesse and hauing a faire estate purchased with his small charge and great husbandrie and therefore willing to draw out the thread of his life to what length he could hee sent to demaund the counsell of the Phisitians who hauing well considered the estate of his bodie all agreed in this that since the phisick of the soule belonged not to them but onely the phisick of the bodie they would freely discharge their duties and indeed told him that this present estate was dangerous and they found but onely one way in art for his cure and recouerie which was in plaine tearmes To vse the companie of a woman and so tooke their leaues and left him to consider of it Loath was the old man to loose his Virginitie which hee had kept so long but more loath to part with his life which he desired to keepe yet longer and hauing meditated with himself from whom he was to depart and what to leaue behind him namely his possessions his money his neighbours friends and kindred and whether hee was to remooue to the cold and comfortlesse graue he resolued with himselfe to prolong the comfort of the first and delay as long he could the feare of the last Therefore hee resolued rather than to be accessorie to the hastening his owne death to take the counsell of the doctors It was therfore so ordered by