as shee was otherwise learned shee is likewise numbred amongst the Poets some of whose Verses are remembred by Athenaeus Hedyle was the mother of Hedylogus Samius who by the same Athenaeus Lib. 4. Dypnoph hath allotted him a place amongst the Poets shee was the daughter of Moschina Attica that writ Iambickes This Hedyle composed a Poeme inscribed Scilla shee made another called The Loues of Glaucus Sosipatra as Eugapius apud Volaterran relates was a woman practised in many kinds of Disciplines and so excellent in all her studies that shee was said to be educated by the gods Thymele was a Poetesse that first introduced Dances into the Scene which the Greekes from her call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. The place which is onely free for the Actors Of her Martial thus speakes Quae Thymele spectas derisoremque Latinum Suidas writes That Thymele was an Altar frequently vsed in the Theatres which from her borrowed the name Hildegardis Moguntina was eminent both for Learning and Pietie insomuch that from her verie childhood shee seemed inspired from aboue Eugenius the third in the Councell held at Tryer where Doctor Bernard was then present approoued her Workes shee flourisht in the yeere of Grace 1188. Of Clitagora Lacedemonia Aristophanes speakes much but Strabo in Homerica Iliade more of Hesteia Alexandria Auyle writ Epigrams against Themistocles with Verses vpon Birds which are read vnto this day Myrtis Authedonia in a Poeme expressed the death of the Damosell Ochne who had beene before the destruction of the Heroe Ennostus Praxilla Syconia flourished in the 32 Olympiad whom Antipater Thessalus giues the first place vnto amongst the nine Lyricke Poets Shee writ Dithycambi and a Worke which was called by her Metrum Praxillium Shee called Adonis from Hell to demand of him what was most beautifull in Heauen who answered The Sunne the Moone Figges Apples and Cucumbers That and such like was the subiect of her Poeme of which grew a Prouerbe against Lunatikes and mad men euery such was called Praxillaes Adonis Nossis the Poetresse was the composer of Greeke Epigrams and is by Antipater numbred with Praxilla amongst the Lyrickes Myro Byzantia shee writ Elegies and such as the Greekes call Melae or Musicall Poemes shee is said to be the mother of Homer and reckoned one of the seuen Pleiades the daughters of Atlas shee was the wife of Andromachus an illustrious Philosopher Pamphilus her Statue was erected which as Facianus witnesseth was made by Cephisiodotus Damophila was the wife of the Philosopher shee was a friend to Sapho and louer whom in all her Poemes shee striued to imitate Her Hymnes were sung at the sacrifices which were celebrated to Diana Pergaea after the manner of the Aeolians and Pamphilians Shee writ moreouer certaine bookes which shee titled Libri Amatorij Of Minerua c. MInerua the daughter of Iupiter was for no other reason numbred amongst the gods but for her excellencie and cunning in Poetrie and other good Arts of which shee is said to be the first inuentresse From her the antient Athenians haue borrowed the immortalitie of their name Next her wee reckon the Corinnaes There were three of that name The first called Corinna Thebana or Tanagraea shee was the daughter of Archelodorus and Procratia and scholler to Myrtis shee in seuerall contentions fiue sundrie times bore away the Palme from Pindarus Prince of the Lyricke Poets shee moreouer published fiue bookes of Epigrams of her Propertius speakes The second was called Corinna Thespia shee is much celebrated in the bookes of the antient Poets especially by Statius The third liued in the time of Augustus and was to Ouid much indeered but of her wantonnesse than her Muse there is more memorie extant I come to speake next of Erinna who was sirnamed Teia or as some will hane it Telia of the Island Telos not farre distant from Gnidon shee flourished in the time of Dion of Syracusa and published an excellent Poem in the Doricke tongue comprised in three hundred Verses besides diuerse other Epigrams her stile was sayd to come neere the maiestie of Homers she dyed when she was but ninteene yeares of age Damophila was a Greeke Poetesse and the wife of Pamphilus shee was Cousin-german and companion with Sapho Lyrica Poetria shee writ many Poems that were called Poemata Amatoria because their argument was meerely of loue one Poem shee writ in the praise of Diana for so much Theophrastus in the life of Appolonius remembers of her Hyppatia was a woman of Alexandria the daughter of Theon the Geometritian and wife to Isidorus the Philosopher shee flourished in the time of the Emperour Arcadius shee writ certaine bookes of Astronomie and was frequent in diuerse kinds of Poetrie shee purchased her selfe much fame for her learning in so much that shee ingrossed a great confluence of Auditors in the citie of Alexandria where she professed Suidas apud Volaterran Sapho ELianus affirmes her to be the daughter of Scamandronius Plato of Ariston Suidas and other Greeke writers deliuer to vs that there were two of that name the one called Erixia a much celebrated Poetesse who flourished in the time of the Poet Alcaeus of Pittachus and Tarquinius Priscus who first deuised the vse of the Lyre or Harpe with a quill some giue her the honor to bee the inuentor of the Lyricke verse the other was called Sapho Mitelaena long after her who was a singer and a strumpet shee published many rare and famous Poems amongst the Greekes and therefore had the honour to bee called the tenth Muse the reason why she fell in loue with Phaon Pliny attributes to the vertue of an hearbe but Babtista Egnatius a later writer and exquisite both in the Greeke and Latin tongues in trasferring this fable from the originall into the Romon tongue as likewise others of his opinion conclude that Phaon was of the profession of such as get their liuing by transporting passengers from one side of a riuer vnto another a plaine Ferrie-man and that it happened vpon a time that Venus comming to the place where he kept his passage without demaunding any hyre he gaue her a free transportage not knowing to whom it was hee did that courtesie no way suspecting she had beene a goddesse This Venus tooke so gratefully that shee thought to requite his freenesse with a bountie farre transcending the value of his paines Shee therefore gaue him an Alablaster box full of a most pretious vnguent teaching him how to apply it with which he no sooner annoynted his face but hee instantly became of all mortall creatures the most beautiful of whom the Lesbian damsels grew inamoured but espesially hee was ardently and most affectionately beloued of Sapho Phaon hauing occation to passe from Lesbos into Cicilie shee was tortured in soule for his absence intimating that it was done
tuas accolit Haeme Nyues The Sabaeans and the Thessalians inhabiting the snowie mountaine Haemus vsed dogges in their oblations Of her Temple at Ephesus it shall not bee amisse to speake a word or two by the way Plutarch in his booke De vitando Aere alieno saith that the Temple of Diana was a Sanctuarie wherein all debtors were safe from their creditours As the Vestalls of Rome had the time of their seruice distinguished into three parts in the first to learne the mysteries of Vesta in the second to do the ceremonies and in the third to instruct others that were ignorant so amongst the Priests of Diana in Ephesus the first order of them gaue them the name of Melieres that is to be capable of the Priesthood but not admitted the second was Hieres that was in present office the third Parieres that was dead from the seruice This statelie and magnificent structure was first erected by the Amazons so beautifull and sacred that when Xerxes had with sword and fire wasted and demolisht all the Temples of Asia he spared onelie that as the richest iewell of the world It is reported of one Herostratus a wicked and debosht fellow who finding in himselfe nothing good to preserue his memorie and willing that his name should liue to posteritie set this Temple on fire for no other purpose but that hee would bee talkt on the Ephesians vnderstanding this his malicious ambition they made it death once to name him Cornelius Nepos writes that the same night that this famous structure was ruin'd and defaced by fire Alexander was borne in Pella in the three hundered and eighth yeare after the building of Rome so that at the extinguishing of one light of the world another was kindled It being demanded of one of Dianaes priests Why Diana being a goddesse would suffer her Temple to be vtterlie destroyed and what she was doing the while It was answered againe That it was done vnawares to the goddesse for she was that night at the labour of Olimpias and busied about bringing Alexander into the world Notwithstanding this great ruine the people of Ephesus caused it to bee re-erected and made both richer and more beautifull than before of which worke Dinocrates an Architectour of Macedonia was chiefe Diana as Plutarch in his Simposaicon saith is called Elitheia or Lucina as also Locheia as goddesse of child-birth she is called also Dictinna And in his Solertia animalium that Apollo would be called Lycoconos and Diana Multicida Elaphibolos The one for killing so many Wolues the other Harts Amongst the Aegyptians she is called Bubastis she is celebrated witnesse Herodotus amongst the Thressae and the Peloniates amongst the Bizantians she hath the name of Diana Orthosia The Poets faine that she is continuallie exercised in hunting for no other reason but to instruct and incourage all such as prophesse virginitie to shunne sloath and idlenes so Ouid Otia si tollas periere cupidinis arcus Take sloath away aud Cupids bow vnbends His brands extinguish and his false fire spends Diana and Phoebus were therefore said to be the children of Latona because in that the ancient Poets would signifie the beginning of the world for when the matter whereof it was made was a meere confused Masse and without shape because all things were obscure and hid that darknes is signified in Latona and whereas they make Iupiter their Father it imports as much as if they should fetch Iupiter out of this darknes called the Sun and the Moone More plainelie the Spirit of the Lord said Let there be light of which Light Apollo and Diana the one by day and the other by night are the greatest by this inferring that the generation of the world began first from Light CERES THe Goddesse of fruites and graine and daughter to Saturne and Ops a Law-giuer to the Sicilians therefore by Virgill called Segifera In Eleusis a cittie of Attica she had diuine worship because she there taught plantation and agriculture and of that place had the name of Elusina she was honoured in the mount Aetna in Aenna and Catana two citties of Cicilie From whence as Claudian relates she had the name of Aetnaea Aennaea and Catanensiâ— the like doth Selius c. Lactantius reports that into these her Temples erected in these citties it was not lawfull for any man to enter The manner of the rights among the Phigalenses were that no Sacrifices should bee slayne onely the fruits of planted trees Hony-combs and new shorne wooll were laide vpon the Altar and sprinkled with sweete oyle and were set a fire burnt and offered these Customes were priuatelie and publikelie obserued yearelie as Pausanias left recorded The Argiues sacrifice to this goddesse by the name of Ceres Clithonia vpon certaine set dayes in the Summer after this manner Their Sacrificiall pompe is attended by the chiefe Magistrates of the cittie after which companie the women and children next followed the boyes all in white roabes with chaplets about their browes of Hiacinthes interwouen and in the lagge end of the same troope were driuen a certaine number of faire and goodlie oxen but bound in strict bands and drag'd towards the Temple being thither come one of these beasts with his cords loosed was driuen in the rest of the people standing without the gates and looking on who no sooner see him entred but shut the gates vpon him within the Temple are foure olde women priests with hatchets and kniues by whom he is slaine and one of them hath by lot the office to cut off the head of the sacrifice This done the doores are againe set open and the rest one by one forc't in and so in order by the same women slayne and offered In a booke of the scituation of Sicilie composed by Cl. Marius Aretius a Patritian and of Syracusa Intituled Chorographia Siciliae In the cittie Aenna saith he as Strabo consenting with him were borne Ceres and her daughter Libera whom some call Proserpina From which place shee was rap't and therefore is this cittie to her sacred Neere to this cittie is a riuer of an infinite depth whose mouth lyeth towards the North from whence it is said Dis or Pluto with his chariot made ascent and harrieng the virgin thence to haue penetrated the earth againe not farre from Syracusa This is that most ancient Ceres whom not Sicilia onely but all other nations whatsoeuer celebrated Most certaine it is that she was Queene of the Sicilians and gaue them lawes taught them the vse of tillage and husbandrie and that her daughter Libera was transported thence by Orcus or Dis king of the Molossians In her Temple part of which not many yeares since was standing were two statues of Marble one sacred to her another to Proserpina another of brasse beautifull and faire but wondrous antient At the entrance into the Church in an open place without were two other faire portraitures one of her another of Triptolemus large and of exquisite
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
vpon all those Tragedies which he aym'd to execute vpon mankind he instituted his Enthusiastae and his Pytheâ—â— Oracles which were in vse almost amongst all nations in so much that their superstitions and prophanations had crept in amongst the people of god so that Moyses made a law that all such as repayred to these iugling sorcerists should be stoned to death Amongst these are counted some of the Sibells though not all as hirelings of the diuell for the conseruation and confirmation of his kingdome for out of their bookes the Romans were drawne into many lunacies and frenzies as besides many other it is manifest in Zozimus who recites many of their verses full of tradition and superstitions meerelie vnlawfull though the two Sibells Erythraea and Cumana in heroicke poems prophesied of Christ and sung and declared his prayses which as some coniecture they did by the sight of the prophesies of Esaias and Dauid These oracles lasted to the comming of our Sauiour but then surceast through all the parts of the world There were also a kind of sorcerists which some call Leâ—â—res the word importing the spirits and ghosts of such as perÌ„isht before their times or abortiuelie for from such they fathered their predictions and prophesies Of this kind there were many in Germany as Wyerius relates who were of long continuance and such were called Albae mulieres or the white women which in their moderne tongue implies as much as the white Sybells and this sort of people was ominous to women with child and to infants sucking at their mothers breasts and in their cradles These though in times of old they were most frequent and common when the world attributed too much to the iugling illusions of the deuill yet since the Sauiour of the world and our onelie patron hath supplanted him by the more pure and feruent preaching of the Gospell these mockeries and fallacies by which he cheated the vnlettered multitude of their faith and god of his honour are meerelie adnichilated in so much there is scarce left to posteritie the least memorie of their wicked traditions Of such as these it seems S. Hierom took especiall notice when in an epistle writ to Paula vpon the death of Blesilla he thus speakes Quae causa est vt saepe Dimuli Trimuli vbera lactantes c. i. What is the reason that children of two and three yeares of age and such as sucke at the breast should be corrupted by deuils The Ethnicks custome was to giue names to such according to the diuersitie of their actions there were some called Hecataea as sent from Hecate others by the Italians Tolleâ—ae or Empedusae But this may appeare a digression from our Sybills therefore I thus proceede with them Petrus Crinitus in his twentieth booke De honesta disciplina speaking of the Sybells the Branchi and the Delphick prophetesses alleadges Gallius Firâ—â—anus Hieronimus and other antient writers extracting from their opinions which way and by what means these oracles were imagined to be possest with the spirit of diuination These of that order as Plato and Iamblicus haue learnedlie related either from the gods or spirits say they are inspired with that illumination by which they discerne the fundamentall causes of things and can presage and foresee such euents as shall succeede Iamblic in his booke to Porphirius saith thus The Sybell of Delphos two seuerall wayes conceiues the spirit by which shee prophesies either by a soft breath or else by fire proceeding from the mouth of a certain den or caue before the entrance of which she seates her selfe vpon a three-footed or foure-footed stoole of brasse in which place the diuine power either by whispering in her care or by some other infused blast inspired into her giues her the facilitie of vttering her predictions The Branchae sitting vpon an axeltree held in her hand a wand consecrated to some deitie or other and either washt her selfe in some sacred fountaine or receiued some influence from the vapour of fire and by this means were made repleate with diuine splendour These Branchae deriue themselues from Branchus the sonne of Apollo vpon whom his father bestowed the gift of diuination to which Statius assents so Strabo in these verses makes him a Priest of the Temple of Apollo Phebus from Branchus axeltree His Prophet did inspire Who with a thousand Ambages Hath set the world on fire Colephonius Zenophanes hath denyed that there can be any diuination at all but Democritus hath approoued it of the same argument Chrysippus hath wriâ— two bookes one of Oracles another of Dreames Diogines Babilonius publishe one De diuinatione Antipater two Possidonius fiue Panaetius the scholler of Antipater doubted whether there were any beleefe at all to be giuen to that art or no. Cicero is of opinion that it hath onelie power ouer such things as happen accidentallie or by chance Of diuination there be two sorts one of art as by the entrails of beasts or by casting of lots the other of nature as by dreames and visions in both the coniectures made by vaticinations aime at more than they can accomplish and intend further than they can proceede Further this art is by the Greekes called Mantices that is the knowledge of things to come the first inuenters thereof were the Aegyptians and Chaldaeans by their obseruations of the starres The nations of the Cilici the Pysidauri and the inhabitants of Pamphilia neere vnto these predicted by the singing and flights of birds The Magi among the Persians had many assemblies of purpose onely to augurate and to diuine but all such are condemned of ignorance and want of art who presage meerely by concitation and rapture without the helpe of reason and coniecture Sagire signifies to perceiue acutely or sharpely therefore they are called Sagaces that know much he that is sayd Sagire viz. to know before things come to passe is sayd Presagire that is to presage It is called Diuination when it extends to a higher degree of prediction But when by diuine instinct as in the Sibells the minde is as it were transported and extaside in rapture it is then called Furâ—r or furie Amongst the Ligurians a people of Thrace it was aâ—custome for their Priests before they would demaâ—nd any thing from the Oracle to glut and gorge themselues with superfluous excesse of wine The Clarij contrarie to these in their superstitions vsed to quaffe great quantitie of water The Diuination that was made by water was called Hydromantia That which was made by an Axe or Hatchet was stiled Axinomantia That which was made by a Skin in which water was moued too and fro from whence a soft and gentle voice of presage was heard to breath was called Leâ—â—â—omantia That which did consist of certaine points and markes fixed in the Earth Geomantia That which was gathered from Figures and imaginarie shapes shining in the fire Pyromantia The Diuination by smoke was called Capnomantia That which
whose feature Hercules being much delighted he hosted there longer than his purpose which Iolaus taking ill Amalthaea out of a horne in which she had hoarded some quantitie of money furnisht Hercules with all things needfull which some strangers taking especiall notice of they rumord it abroad and from thence first grew the Prouerbe But to returne to our Amalthaea Cumana This was she by whose conduct Aeneas had free passage into hell as Virgill expresseth at large in his sixt booke She brought to Tarquinius Priscus those three bookes of Prophesies of which two were burnt and one preserued By which computation comparing the time betwixt Aeneas and Tarquin she could liue no lesse than fiue hundred yeares nor is it altogether incredible since when Liuia the daughter of Rutilius Terentia of M. Cicero and Clodia of Aulus the first liued ninetie seauen yeares the second a hundred and thirtie the third a hundred and fifteene after the bearing of fifteene children Gorgias Leontius the tutor of Isocrates and many other learned men in the hundred and seauenth yeare of his age being asked Why he desired to liue any longer answered Because he felt nothing in his body by which to accuse age Herodotus Pliny Cicero and others speake of one Arganthonius Gaditanus who raigned fourescore yeares being sixtie yeares of age before he came to his crowne Solynus and Ctesias with others auerre that amongst the Aethiopians a hundred and thirty yeares is but a common age and many arriue vnto it Hellanicus testates that the Epians a people of Aetolia attained to two hundred whom Damiates exceedes naming one Littorius that reached to three hundred the like we reade of Nestor I will conclude with Dondones whom Pliny affirmes suruiued fiue hundred yeares yet neuer stooped with age More liberallie speakes Zenophon who bestowes on one of the Latin Kings eight hundred and six hundred vpon his father but I will forbeare further to speake of her age and come to her Oracle Vnto the Assyrian Monarchy we assigne One thousand yeares two hundred thirty nine When thirty six successions shall expire The last his glories pompe shall end in fire Thence to the Meades it transmigrates and they Shall in nine full successions beare chiefe sway Three hundred yeares shall memorise their deeds Wanting iust eight The Persian then succeedes In th' vniuersall Empire which must last Fourteene Kings raigns and then their sway be past Ouer to Greece but ere their light blow out Two hundred fiftie yeares shall come about Adding fiue moneths The Monarchy now stands Transferd on Macedonia who commands The world but Alexander by him is guided The spatious earth but in his death diuided Amongst his captaines Macedon one ceaseth Asia another Syria best pleaseth A third Aegypt a fourth thus lots are cast Two hundred eighty eight their pompe shall last And then expire Great Rome shall then looke hye Whose proud towers from 7. hills shall braâ—e the skye And ouerlooke the world In those blest dayes Shall come a King of kings and he shall raise A new plantation and though greater farre Than all the Monarches that before him are In maiestie and power yet in that day So meeke and humble he shall daine to pay Tribute to Caesar yet thrice happy he That shall his subiect or his seruant be After the death of Alexander the kingdome of Macedonia was successiuelie inioyed by fifteene Kings and indured a hundred fiftie seauen yeares and eight moneths Asia and Syria were gouerned by nineteene Kings and lasted two hundred eightie nine yeares Aegypt was possest by tenne Ptolomies and lastlie by Cleopatra and it continued two hundred eightie eight yeares These Kingdoms fayling the Romans gained the chiefe predominance Of this Sybell S. Isiodore Virgill and Ouid writ more at large she writ her Prophesie in leaues of trees and then plac't them ouer the Altar which when the wind mooued or made to shake they had no efficacie but when they remained firme and without motion they receiued their full power and vertue therefore Dante the famous Italian Poet thus writes Come la neue al sole se distilla Cosi al vento nelle foglie leue Si perdea la sententia de Sibille I cannot here pretermit Ouids expression of this Sybell who when Aeneas hauing receiued from her that great curtesie to enter hell and to come safe thence and for that would haue sacrificed to her done her diuine adoration she thus answered him Nec dea sum dixit nec sacrifuris honore c. I am no goddesse goddesse sonne 't is true Nor are these diuine honours to me due I had beene such and darknesse not haue seene Had I a prostitute to Phoebus beene For whilst he courts my loue and day by day Hopes with large gifts mine honour to betray Aske what thou wilt oh bright Cumaean maide It shall be granted thee Apollo said I willing that my dayes should euer last Prostrate vpon the earth my selfe I cast And graspt as much dust as my hand could hold Let me then liue said I till I haue told So many yeares as there are bodies small Lockt in this hand The god could not recall Nor I vnsay I had forgot in truth To insert in my rash boone All yeares of youth Euen that too to haue yielded to his will I might haue had but I am virgin still Haue to this houre remaind my happier dayes Are all forespent Decrepit age now layes His weake hand on me which I must endure Long time to come seauen ages I am sure Are past nor shall my thread of life be spuune Vntill the number of these sands be runne The houre shall be when this my body here Shall small or nothing to the sight appeare This time and age haue power to doe and when I shall not louelie seeme as I did then Nay doubtlesse Phoebus will himselfe deny That e're he cast on me an amorous eye Saue by my voice I shall no more be knowne But that the Fates haue left me as mine owne Ouid hath fabulated that she was changed into a Voyce the word Sybilla importing Vox She prophesied much of the Roman warres and the successe of their Empire SIBILLA HELLESPONTICA SHe hath the denomination of Marrinensis and as most Authours affirme deriues her selfe Ex agro Troiano from Troy in Asia She sung of the warres betwixt the Troians and the Greekes I will be briefe with her because I feare I haue beene too tedious in the former her Prophesie of Christ I haue included in these few lines When Atlas shoulders shall support a starre Whose ponderous weight he neuer felt before The splendour of it shall direct from farre Kings and Wisemen a new light to adore Peace in those dayes shall flourish and stearne warre Be banisht earth lost mankind to restore Then shall the Easterne Monarches presents bring To one a Priest a Prophet and a King And so much for Sybilla Hellespontica SYBILLA PHRIGIA SHe was called
Queene of Aethiopia Harpalice of the Amazons Hyppolite of Magnesia Teuca of the Illyrians c. Of these in their places Amongst whom let me not be so vnnaturall to her merit or so ingratefull to my countrey thrice blest and diuinelie happie in her most fortunate raigne as not to remember that euer to be celebrated Princesse Elizabeth of late memory Queene of England She that was a Saba for her wisedome an Harpalice for her magnanimitie witnesse the Campe at Tilburie a Cleopatra for her bountie a Camilla for her chastitie an Amalasuntha for her temperance a Zenobia for her learning and skill in language of whose omniscience pantarite and goodnesse all men heretofore haue spoke too little no man hereafter can write too much sacred be still her memorie to vs on earth as her blessed soule liues euer glorified in heauen Her succeeded though not in her absolute Monarchy yet a Princesse of vnspotted fame incomparable clemencie vnmatchable goodnesse and most remarkable vertue Queene Anne whom all degrees honored all nations loued and no tongue was euer heard to asperse with the least callumnie who in her too short eminence heere amongst vs was knowne to be the step of dignitie to many but detriment to none in whom all were glad by whom none had euer the least cause of sorrow vnlesse in the lamented losse of so graue and gratious a princesse And for my owne part gentle and curteous reader let me borrow so much of thy patience that I may vpon this so iust and good occasion remember a long neglected dutie by inserting in this place a few funerall teares vpon her hearse A Funerall Oade vpon the death of ANNA PANARETA NOw Hymen change thy saffron weedes To roabe and habit sable For ioyfull thoughts vse funerall deedes Since nothing's firme or stable This alas we May read and see As in a mappe or printed table It was not at the time of yeare Birds bid the Spring god-morrow Nor when we from the Summer cleare Her warmth and pleasures borrow Nor when full fields Ripe Autumne yeelds That we are thus inuolu'd in sorrow But when the barren earth denyes Fruits to the reapers mowing When Meteors muster in the skyes And no faire fruits are growing When winter cold Dry seare and old His frozen fingers or'e the fire sits blowing When the Sunne scants vs of his heat And Phoebe tempests threateth When Boreas blustring in his seat His frozen pineons beateth And as a King Aboue the Spring The fresh and timely budds defeateth In this great barrennesse were we Our plenty made to smother But what might this rare iewell be A Saint a Queene a Mother An Hester faire A Iudith rare These dead oh point me out another Saue Debora that 's likewise dead Fam'd for her countries freeing But shall we henceforth see or reade Of such another being Oh what a dearth Is now on earth That heare none liues with these agreeing Saba was wise so was our Queene For beautie others famed Some for their vertue crown'd haue beene And in large legends named Who liuing shall Contend in all With her alas shall be but shamed But since our prayses at their best Shorten so farre her merit Leaue her to her eternall rest A glorious Sainted spirit For aye to sing Vnto heauens King Thanks for these ioyes she doth inherit Yet 't is a duty that we owe To giue our griefe expression The greater that our sorrowes grow It shewes the lesse transgression A losse like this T is not a misse That we then leaue to all succession Skyes mourne her death in stormie cloudes Seas weepe for her in brine Thou earth that now her frailtie shroudes Lament though she be thine Onely reioyce Heauen with lowd voyce That you are now become her shrine For this appear'd the Blazing starre Yet fresh in our memory That Christendome both neere and farre Might tell it as a story Great Ioue it sent With an intent Onely to get her to her glory In this Catalogue of Queenes hauing so late remembred the mother how can I forget the daughter she to whom I must giue that attribut which all soldiers bestow vpon her The Queene of women and the best of Queenes whose magnanimitie in war and gentlenes in peace resolution in the one and generous affabilitie in the other haue so sweet a correspondence that when the Canon roared lowd at the gates and the bullet forced a passage euen through the Pallace where she lodged was no more daunted in courage nor dismayd in countenance than when the gentle and soft musicke melodiouslie sounded at the celebration of her espousalls Sacred oh Princely Lady for euer be your memorie and fortunate and happy your hopefull posteritie may your wombe prooue a bed of souldiours and your breasts the nursserie of Kings may the sonnes victories redeeme the losses of the father and the daughters surmount the fertilitie of their mother may your future fortunes be answerable to your former vertues that as you haue the earnest prayers of all good men so you may haue the successe of their wishes which millions that neuer yet saw you desire but all that vnderstand you know you worthilie deserue And to conclude that as you are the last of these in this my Catalogue by order posterity may reckon you the first amongst the Illustrious by merit Of diuers Ladies famous for their Modestie OH thou Chastitie and puritie of life thou that art the ornament as well of man as woman from whence shall I inuoke thee thou diddest first helpe to kindle the sacred fires of Vesta where virginitie was made Religion Thou that was wont to frequent the chambers of great Ladies with sinnelesse and vndefiled hands make the beds of the cittie Matrons and to be obsequious about the Pallats strowed in the countrey cottages where shall I find thee now to direct this my pen in her large and vnbounded progresse or to tutour me so farre that I may know what on this argument thou thy selfe wouldest haue done Liuie Florus Plutarch and others speaking of the wonder of the Roman chastitie Lucresse accuse fortune or nature of error for placing such a manlie heart in the breast of a woman who being adulterated by Sextus Tarquinius after she had sent to her friends and to them complained her iniuries because she would not liue a by-word to Rome nor preserue a despoiled body for so noble a husbands embraces with a knife which she had hid vnder her garment for the same purpose in presence of them all slew her selfe which was after the cause that the Tyrannicall monarchy of Rome was transferd into a Consular dignitie Armenia the wife of Tygranes hauing beene with her husband at a sumptuous banquet made by King Cyrus in his Pallace Royall when euery one extold the maiestie and applauded the goodlinesse of the Kings person at length Tygranes askt his queene what her opinion was of his magnitude and person She answered I can
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
season free from the blastings of disease and canker wormes of sicknesse able to make the fairest amongst you to looke aged in her youth Then may the choicest of you with beautifull Lais who when she saw the Lillies in her brow faded and the Roses in her chekes withered the Diamonds in her eyes loose their lustre and the Rubies in her lippes their colour as being now growne in yeares in these words giue vp your looking-glasses backe to Venus Nunc mihi nullus in hoâ— vsus quia cernere talem Qualis sum nolo qualis eram nequeo Now there 's no vse of thee at all Because I haue no will To see what I am now and what I was I cannot still If then this rare ornament be of such small permanens euen in the best How much then is it to bee vnderprised when it is contaminated and spotted with lust and vnlawfull prostitution since it is a maxime That things common are so farre from begetting appetite and affection that they rather engender the seedes of contempt and hatred for how should any thing festered and corrupt please the eye or that which is rotten and vnsound giue content vnto the pallat But to returne to my first appollogie needfull it is that to the Tragicke Muse Melpomone I should suit Tragicall historie wherein if any women be personated for Incontinence Intemperance Adulterie Incest or any such vile and abhominable action shee hath in that disgraced herselfe not her Sex as stretching no further than the delinquent If any man object and say they are bad presidents to him I answere they are examples of horror to be eschewed not immitated which in their owne natures beget a loathing not liking and for placing them next to and so neere to the women Illustrious I will excuse my selfe in this short Epigram A skilfull Painter hauing lim'd a face Surpassing faire of admirable feature Sets by the same to giue it the more grace The pourtrait of some foule deformed creature No doubt as much Art in the last is showne As in the first albeit that pleaseth most How euer to the workeman 't is well knowne They both to him are of like care and cost T is so with me I haue set before you many Braue Ladies of them all to take full view Pleasing toth ' eye not of these peeces any Whome a more willing workeman euer drew Should these appeare rough hew'd or of bad fauour And whose aspect cannot so well content you Perhapes the next of more delight may sauour And grinding other colours I 'le present you A smoother peece and limne if I be able A fairer face in a more curious table Of Women incestuous and first of Q. Semiramis IT is questioned by some authors concerning this potent and mightie Queen Whether she be more renowned for her braue and magnanimous exploits or notorious for her ignoble and infamous actions some willing that for her vertues sake her vices should be vtterly buried in obliuion others in regard of what was bad in her that nothing good or commendable might of her to posteritie be remembred I purpose to giue you a tast of both Some say she was called Semiramâ—is of the birds named Semiramides by which it is sayd she was fostered in her infancie but that bearing no show of truth others deriue her denomination from Samir which in the Hebrew the Syrian dialect imports as much as Adamant because her noble and braue atchieuements attracted the heartes of that barbarous rude nation to her admiration and loue as the Adamant drawes yron Plutarch in libro Amator saith she was a damosell of Syria and concubine to the king of that countrey with whose loue Ninus being after besotted tooke her to his wife of whom shee had that predominance that though before he had conquered all the Easterne parts subiugated his neighbour kings and subdued Zoroastes monarch of the Bactrians he that was the first inuentor of the Art magicke that deuised the principles of Astrologie and found out the true motions of the starres notwithstanding she so farre preuailed with him that for one day she might fit in the royall throne and for that space haue the regall jurisdiction in her full power with intire command ouer the whole Empire In the morning of her soueraigntie she imposed vpon the subiects such modest milde iniunctions that ere noone shee had insinuated into their bosomes so farre that shee found them so plyable and conformable to her desires that shee presumed there was nothing so difficult and impossible which for her sake they would not boldly and resolutely vndertake Vpon this presumption she stretched her vsurpation so farre that she commaunded them to lay hands vpon the king her husband before night and committing him to prison caused him within few daies to be put to death She had by Ninus one sonne called Ninus junior who should haue succeeded his father that for fiftie two yeares space had swaied the Babylonian Empire but whether in her owne ambition desirous of the principalitie or finding her sonne too effeminate to be lord ouer so great a people and vncertaine withall whether so many men and of so many sundrie nations would submit themselues to the soueraigntie of a woman all these suppositions being doubtfull certaine it is that in the steade of the mother of Ninus shee assumed the person of Ninus hir sonne changing her womans shape into the habit of a mans for they were of one stature proportioned in lineaments alike semblant in voice and in all accomplements difficultly to be distinguished in somuch that neuer mother and child could haue more true resemblance hauing therefore luld her sonne in all effeminacie and attired him in her queenelike vesture the better to shadow her owne proportion she suited her selfe in long garments and commanded all her subiects to do the like which habit hath bin amongst the Assirians Bactrians Babylonians in vse euen to this day Vpon her head she wore a Turbant or Myter such as none but kings vsed to adorne their heads with so that in the beginning she was known for no other than the prince in whose name she accomplisht many notable and noble atchieuements at whose amplitude Enuie and Emulation stood amased confessing her in all her attempts supereminent neither did her heroick actions any way derrogate from the honour of the Empire but rather adde to the splendor thereof admiration in regard a woman had not onely excelled all of her Sex in valour but might claime a iust prioritie ouer men She built the mightie cittie Babylon and the stately walls reckoned amongst the seuen wonders She not onely conquered all Aethiopia and made that kingdome to her state tributarie but inuaded India being the first that durst attempt it and sauing her none since but Alexander who was the second and the last Thus farre Iustine out of the historie of Trogus Pompeius Berosus affirmes as much These be his words Nemo
vnquam huic feminae comparandus est virorum tanta in eius vita scribuntur cum ad vituperationem tum maxime ad laudem i. No man was euer to be compared with this woman such great things haue beene written of her partly to her disgrace but chiefely to her praise He proceedes further She was the fourth that raigned in Assiria for so it is approued Nimrod was the first being father to Belus and grand-father to Ninus which Ninus was the first that made warre vpon his neighbours and vsurped their dominions in whom began to cease the Golden world whom his widdow Queen succeeded counterfetting the shape of man She was after slaine by her sonne Ninus the second of that name who as Eusebius writes after her death swaid the scepter thirtie and eight yeares One memorable thing is recorded of her by Diodorus Siculus lib. 3. as also by Vitruuius This queene being making her selfe readie in her pallace royall when the one part of her haire was bound vp and the other halfe hung loose vpon her shoulders suddenly newes was brought her That the cittisens of Babylon were reuolted and all or the most of them in mutinie and vprore She presently posted into the citie and what with her presence and persuasion attonde the discord before she had leasure to put her disordered curles in forme reconciled the hearts of that innumerable people to her obedience for which her statue was erected in the cittie being pourtraied halfe readie halfe vnreadie in memorie of that noble and magnanimous aduenture Some thing of the best that was in her though not all you haue heard the worst is to come Iuba apud Pli. relates that she immitated the fashions of men neglecting the habit of her own Sex and in her latter yeares grew to that deboisht effeminacie and forâ—id lust that shee did not onely admit but allure and compell into her goatish embraces many of her souldiers without respect of their degrees or places so they were well featured able and lustie of performance whom when they had wasted their bodies vpon her shee caused to be most cruelly murdered Shee was slaine by her owne sonne because shee most incestuously sought his bed but which of all the rest is most prodigious and abhominable she is reported to haue had companie with a horse on whom shee vnnaturally doted But these things whether related for truth or recorded of malice I am altogether ignorant and therefore leaue it to censure Herodotus Plutarch and others writ that she caused these words to be inscribed vpon her Tombe Quicunque rex pecunijs indiget aperto monumento quod voluerit accipiat that is What king soeuer hath neede of coyne search this moâ—ument and he shall find what he desires This when king Darius had read thinking some Magazin of treasure had beene there included he caused the Tombe-stone to be remooued where he found vpon the other side thereof these words ingrauen Misi rex auarus esses pecuniae insatiabilis mortuorum monumenta non viâ—lasses i. Haddest thou not been an auaritious king and insasiable of Coyne thou wouldest not haue ransacked the graue of the dead Thus as Franciscus Patritius Pontifex saith the excellent Ladie in her death taunted the gripple auarice of the liuing That the monuments of the dead are no way to be violated or defaced Sertorius hath taught vs who hauing subdued the cittie Tigenna scituate in the countrey of Maurusia in which a noble sepulchre was which the inhabitants sayd belonged to Antaus which was the gyant slaine by Hercules when the greatnes of the graue exceeded all beleefe Sertorius caused it to be ruined and there digged vp a bodie as Plutarch witnesseth of seuentie cubits in length which beholding and wondering at hee caused it to be repaired with greater beautie than before least by deminishing that he might haue ruined a great part of his owne honour Some thinke it was the bodie of Tagenna the wife of Antaeus whom Hercules prostituted after the death of her husband of her he begot Siphax who after erected that cittie and in memorie of his mother called it by her name Pasiphae THis Ladie though I cannot fitly introduce her within the number of the incestuous yet for that horrid act which the Poets haue reported of her I shall not impertinently place her next to Semiramis Appollodorus Gramatticus in his booke de Deorum origine as Benedictus Aegius Spoletinus interprets him thus sets downe her historie Ninus king of Creet espoused Pasiphae daughter of the Sunne and Perseis or as Asclepiades calls her Creta the daughter of Aterius she had by him foure sonnes Cretaeus Deucalion Glaucus and Androgeus and as many daughters Hecate Xenodice Ariadne and Phaedra This Minos peaceably to inioy his kingdome had promised to offer such a Bull to Neptune but hauing obtained his desires hee sent that Bull before markt out backe to the heard and caused another of lesse value to bee sacrificed at which Neptune inraged knew not with what greater punishment to afflict him for the breach of his faith than to make his wife most preposterously and against nature to dote on that beast which he had so carefully preserued She therefore confederated with Dedalus a great Artsmaster one that for murder had fled from Athens and with his sonne Icarus there secured himselfe hee deuised by his mischieuous skill a wodden cow hollowed within with such artificiall conuayance that the Queene inclosed had satisfaction of her desires to the glutting of her libidinons appetite Of this congression she conceiued and brought forth a sonne called Asterion or as the most will haue it Minotaurus shaped with a Bulls head and a mans body About this monstrous issue Minos consulted with the Oracle which aduised him to shut him in a Labyrinth and there see him safelie brought vp and kept This Labyrinth the first that euer was was built by Dedalus beeing a house so intricated with windings and turnings this way and that way now forward then backward that it was scarce possible for any that entered therein to finde the direct way backe thus farre Apollodorus But Palephatus in his Fabulous narrations reduceth all these commented circumstances within the compasse of meere impossibilitie and thus deliuers the truth concerning Pasiphae Minos being afflicted with a disease in his secret parts with which he had beene long grieued was at length by Crides who belonged to Pandion cured In the interim of this his defect and weakenesse the queene cast an adulterat eye vpon a faire young man called Taurus whom Seruius saith was the scribe or secretary to the king shee prostituting her selfe to his imbraces when the full time was expired shee produced her issue Which Minos seeing and taking a true supputation of the time comparing the birth with his discontinuance from her bed by reason of his disease apprehended the adulterie notwithstanding hee was vnwilling to kill the bastard because it had a resemblance to the rest of
themselues thus merilie answered him Non capta afferimus fuerant quae capta relictis We bring with vs those that we could not find But all that we could catch we left behind Meaning that all such vermine as they could catch they cast away but what they could not take they brought along Which riddle when Homer could not vnfold it is sayd that for verie griefe hee ended his life This vnmatchable Poet whom no man regarded in his life yet when his workes were better considered of after his death hee had that honour that seuen famous citties contended about the place of his birth euerie one of them appropriating it vnto themselues Pindarus the Poet makes question whether he were of Chius or Smyrna Simonides affirmes him to be of Chius Antimachus and Nicander of Colophon Aristotle the Philosopher to bee of Iüs Ephorus the Historiographer that hee was of Cuma Some haue beene of opinion that he was borne in Salamine a cittie of Cipria others amongst the Argiues Aristarchus and Dyonisius Thrax deriue him from Athens c. But I may haue occasion to speake of him in a larger worke intituled The liues of all the Poets Moderne and Forreigne to which worke if it come once againe into my hands I shall refer you concluding him with this short Epitaph An Epitaph vpon Homer prince of Poets In Colophon some thinke thee Homer borne Some in faire Smyrna some in Iüs Isle Some with thy byrth rich Chius would adorne Others say Cuma first on thee did smile The Argiues lay claime to thee and aâ—er Thou art their countrie-man Aemus saies no. Strong Salamine sayth thou tookest life from her But Athens thou to her thy Muse dost owe As there first breathing Speake how then shall I Determine of thy countrie by my skill When Oracles would neuer I will trie And Homer wilt thou giue me leaue I will The spations Earth then for thy countrie chuse No mortall for thy mother but a Muse. Doris the sister of Nereus the Sea-god was by him stuprated of whome he begot the Nimphes called Nereides Ouid in his sixt booke Metamorph. telleth vs of Philomela daughter to Pandion king of Athens who was forced by Tereus king of Thrace the son of Mars and the Nimph Bistonides though he had before married her owne deere and naturall sister Progne the lamentable effects of which incest is by the same author elegantly and at large described as likewise Beblis the daughter of Miletus and Cyane who after she had sought the imbraces of her brother Caumus slew her selfe Mirrha daughter to Cyniras king of the Cyprians lay with her father and by him had the beautifull child Adonis Europa the mother and Pelopeia the daughter were both corrupted by Thyestes Hypermestra inioyed the companie of her brother for whom shee had long languished Menephron most barbarously frequented the bedde of his mother against whom Ouid in his Metamorph. and Quintianus in his Cleopol bitterly inueigh Domitius Calderinus puts vs in mind of the Concubine of Amintor who was inioied by his sonne Phaenix Rhodope the daughter of Hemon was married to her father which the gods willing to punish they were as the Poets feigne changed into the mountaines which still beare their names Caeleus reportes of one Policaste the mother of Perdix a hunts-man who was by him incestuously loued and after inioyed Lucan in his eight booke affirmes that Cleopatra was polluted by her own brother with whom she communicated her selfe as to a husband Nictimine was comprest by her father Nictus king of Aethiopia Martiall in his twelfe booke writing to Fabulla accuseth one Themison of incest with his sister Pliny lib. 28. cap. 2. speakes of two of the Vestalls Thusia and Copronda both conuicted of incest the one buried aliue the other strangled Publius Claudius was accused by M. Cicero of incest with his three sisters Sextus Aurelius writes that Agrippina the daughter of Germanicus had two children by her brother Claudius Caesar Cornelius Tacitus sayth that she often communicated her body with her owne sonne Nero in his cups and heat of wine he after commanded her wombe to be ripped vp that he might see the place where he had lien so long before his byrth and most deseruedly was it inflicted vpon the brutish mother though vnnaturally imposed by the inhuman sonne Aâ—silaena is worthily reprooued by Catullus for yeelding vp her body to the wanton imbraces of her vncle by whom shee had children Gidica the wife of Pomonius Laurentinus doted on her sonne Cominus euen to incest but by him refused she stangled her selfe The like did Phedra being dispised by her sonne Hippolitus Dosithaeus apud Plutarch speakes of Nugeria the wife of Hebius who contemned by her sonne in law Firmus prosecuted him with such violent and inueterate hate that she first solicited her owne sonnes to his murder but they abhorring the vilenesse of the fact she watcht him sleeping and so slew him Iohn Maletesta deprehending his wife in the armes of his brother Paulus Maletesta transpierst them both with his sword in the incestious action Cleopatra daughter to Dardanus king of the Scithyans and wife to Phinaeus was forced by her two sonnes in law for which fact their father caused their eyes to be plucked out Plutarch reports of Atossa that shee was doted on by Artaxerxes insomuch that after hee had long kept her as his strumpet against the lawes of Persia and of Greece to both which he violently opposed himselfe he made her his queene Curtius writes of one Sisimithres a Persian soldier that had two children by his mother Diogenian also speaking of Secundus the Philosopher saith that he vnawars to them both committed incest with his mother which after being made knowne to them she astonished with the horror of the fact immediately slew her selfe and he what with the sorrow for her death and brutishnesse of the deed vowed neuer after to speake word which he constantly performed to the last minute of his life Manlius in his common places reportes from the mouth of D. Martin Luther that this accident happened in Erphurst in Germanie There was saith he a maid of an honest familie that was seruant to a rich widdow who had a sonne that had many times importuned the gyrle to leaudnesse insomuch that shee had no other way to auoide his continuall suggestions but by acquainting the mother with the dissolut courses of the sonne The widdow considering with herselfe which was the best course to chide his libidinous purpose and diuert him from that leaud course plotted with the maid to giue him a seeming consent and to appoint him a place and time in the night of meeting at which he should haue the fruition of what he so long had sued for shee herselfe intending to supplie the place of her seruant to schoole her son and so preuent any inconuenience that might futurely happen The maid did according to her appointment the sonne with great ioy keepes his
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
bearing with her in her wombe a child begot by Salomon Lycasth in Theat Human. vitae Lib. 1. cap. de Femin doctis Adesia a woman of Alexandria a neere kinswoman to the Philosopher Syrianus both for her Chastitie and Learning is commemorated by Suidas Vata Lib. 13. cap. 3. Antrop Nicostrata by some called Carmentis helped to make vp the number of the Greeke Alphabet shee is also said to haue added to our Roman Letters Hermodica was the wife of Midas king of Phrygia shee is not onely celebrated for her rare feature and beautie but for her wisedome shee was the first that euer stamped Money or made Coyne amongst the Cimenses Heraclides Numa was the first that made Money amongst the Romanes of whose name it was called Nummus Isiodor Lib. 16. cap. 17. It is likewise called Pecunia of Pecus which signifies Cattell for the first that was made to passe currant betwixt man and man was made of the skinnes of beasts stamped with an impression It hath beene currant amongst our English Nation part of it may at this day be seene as an antient Monument in the Castle of Douer Saturne made Money of Brasse with inscriptions thereon but Numa was the first that coyned Siluer and caused his name to be engrauen thereon for which it still retaines the name in the Roman Tongue and is called Nummus Aspasia was a Milesian Damosell and the beloued of Pericles shee was abundantly skilled in all Philosophicall studies shee was likewise a fluent Rhetorician Plutarchus in Pericles Socrates imitated her in his Facultas Politica as likewise Diotima whom he blushed not to call his Tutresse and Instructresse Of Lasthenea Mantinea Axiothaea and Phliasia Platoes schollers in Philosophie I haue before giuen a short Character Themiste was the wife of Leonteius Lampsacenus and with her husband was the frequent Auditor of Epicurus of whom Lactantius sayth That saue her none of the ancient Philosophers euer instructed any woman in that studie saue that one Themiste Arete was the wife of Aristippus the Philosopher and attained to that perfection of knowledge that shee instructed her sonne in all the liberall Arts by whose industrie hee grew to be a famous professor Hee was called Aristippus and shee surnamed Cyrenaica Shee followed the opinions of that Aristippus who was father to Socrates Shee after the death of her father erected a Schoole of Philosophie where shee commonly read to a full and frequent Auditorie Genebria was a woman of Verona shee liued in the time of Pius the second Bishop of Rome Her Workes purchased for her a name immortall Shee composed many smooth and eloquent Epistles polished both with high conceits and iudgement shee pronounced with a sharpe and lowd voyce a becomming gesture and a facundious suauitie Agallis Corcyrua was illustrious in the Art of Grammar Caelius ascribes vnto her the first inuention of the play at Ball. Leontium was a Grecian Damosell whom Gallius calls a strumpet shee was so well seene in Philosophicall contemplations that she feared not to write a worthie booke against the much worthie Theophrastus Plin. in Prolog Nat. Histor. Cicero lib. de Natur. Deorum Dâ—mâ— the daughter of Pythagâ—ras imitated the steps of her father as likewise his wife Theâ—no her husband the mother and the daughter both prouing excellent schollers Laerâ— Themistoclea the sister of Pythagoras was so practised a student that in many of his workes as he himselfe confesseth hee hath implored her aduise and iudgement Istrina Queene of Scythia and wife to king Ariâ—ithes instructed her sonne Sythes in the Greeke Tongue as witnesseth Herodotus Plutarch in Pericte saith That Thargelia was a woman whom Philosophie solely illustrated as likewise Hyparchia Greca Laâ—râ—â— Cornelia was the wife of Africanus and mother to the noble Familie of the Gracobi who left behind her certaine Epistles most elaborately learned From her as from a Fountaine flowed the innate eloquence of her children therefore Quintil thus sayth of her Wee are much bound to the Mother or Matron Cornelia for the eloquence of the Gracchi whose vnparaleld learning in her exquisite Epistles she hath bequeathed to posteritie The same Author speaking of the daughters of Laelius and Quint. Hortensius vseth these words The daughters of Laelius is sayd in her phrase to haue refined and excelled the eloquence of her father but the daughter of Q. Hortensius to haue exceâ—ded her Sex in honor So likewise the facundity of the two Lyciniaes flowed hereditarily from their father L. Crassus as the two daughters of Mutia inherited the learning of either parent Fuluia the wife of M. Antonius was not instructed in womanish cares and offices but as Volater lib. 16. Antrop reports of her rather to direct Magistracies and gouerne Empires she was first the wife of Curio Statius Papinius was happie in a wife called Claudia excellent in all manner of learning Amalasuntha Queene of the Ostrogothes the daughter of Theodoricus king of those Ostrogothes in Italie was elaborately practised in the Greeke and Latine Tongues shee spake distinctly all the barbarous Languages that were vsed in the Easterne Empires Fulgosius lib. 8. cap. 7. Zenobia as Volaterran speakes from Pollio was Queene of the Palmirians who after the death of Odenatus gouerned the kingdome of Syria vnder the Roman Empire shee was nominated amongst the thirtie Tyrants and vsurped in the time of Gallenus but after beeing vanquished in battaile by the Emperour Aurelianus was led in triumph through Rome but by the clemencie of that Prince she was granted a free pallace scituate by the riuer of Tyber where shee moderately and temperatly demeaned her selfe shee is reported to be of that chastitie that she neuer entertained her husband in the familiar societie of bed but for issues sake and procreation of children but not from the time that shee found her conception till her deliuerie shee vsed to bee adored after the maiesticke state and reuerence done to the great Sophies of Persia. Beeing called to the hearing of any publique Oration shee still appeared with her head armed and her helmet on in a purple mantle buckled vpon her with rich jems she was of a cleare and shrill voice magnanimous and haughtie in all her vndertakings most expert in the Aegyptian and Greeke Tongues and not without merit numbred amongst the most learned and wisest Queenes Besides diuerse other workes she composed the Orientall and Alexandrian Historie Hermolaus and Timolus her two sonnes in all manner of disciplines shee liberally instructed of whose deaths it is not certaine whether they dyed by the course of nature or by the violent hand of the Emperour Olimpia Fuluia Morata was the ornament and glorie of our latter times the daughter of Fulu Moratus Mantuanus who was tutor in the Arts to Anna Prince of Ferrara shee was the wife of Andreas Gunthlerus a famous Physitian in Germanie shee
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
dayes affected it for seldome doth Adulterie but goe hand in hand with Murther From the Sinne I come to the Punishment Amongst the Israelites it was first punished with Finâ—s as may be collected from the historie of Thamar who being with child by Iudas hee threatened her to the stake and had accordingly performed it had shee not shewed by manifest tokens that he himselfe was the author of her vnlawfull issue Genes 38. The Aegyptians condemned the Adulterer so deprehended to a thousand Scourges the Adulteresse to haue her Nose cut off to the greater terror of the like Delinquents Diodor. Sicul. Lib. 2. cap. 2. Coel. Lib. 21. cap. 25. By Solons Lawes a man was permitted to kill them both in the act that so found them Rauis In Iudaea they were stoned to death Plat. Lib. 9. de Legibus punisheth Adulterie with death The Locrenses by tradition from Zaluces put out the Adulterers eyes The Cumaei prostituted the Adulteresse to all men till shee died by the same sinne shee had committed Alex. ab Alex. Lib. 4. cap. 1. It was a custome amongst the antient Germans for the husband to cut off his wiues haire so apprehended to turne her out of doores naked and scourge her from Village to Village One bringing word to Diogenes That a fellow called Dydimones was taken in the Act Hee is worthie then saith hee to be hanged by his owne name for Didymi in the Greeke Tongue are Testiculi in English the Testicles or immodest parts By them therefore from whence he deriued his name and by which he had offended he would haue had him to suffer Laert. Lib. 6. Hyettus the Argiue slew one Molurus with his wife apprehending them in their vnlawfull congression Coelius Iulius Caesar repudiated his wife for no other reason but because P. Clodius was found in his house in womans Apparrell And being vrged to proceed against her hee absolutely denyed it alledging That hee had nothing whereof to accuse her but being further demanded Why then hee abandoned her societie hee answered That it was behoofefull for the wife of Caesar not onely to be cleare from the sinne it selfe but from the least suspition of crime Fulgos Lib. 6. cap. 1. Augustus banished his owne Daughter and Neece so accused into the Island called Pandateria after into Rhegium commanding at his death That their bodies being dead should not be brought neere vnto his Sepulchre To omit many Nicolaus the first Pope of that name excommunicated king Lotharius brother to Lewis the second Emperour because hee diuorced his wife Therberga and in her roome instated Gualdrada and made her Queene Besides he degraded Regnaldus Archbishop of Treuers and Gunthramus Archbishop of Collen from their Episcopall dignities for giuing their approbation to that adulterate Marriage And so much for the punishment I will conclude with the counsaile of Horace Lib. 1. Satyr 2. Desine Matronas sectarier vnde laboris Plus haurire mali est quam ex re decerpere fructum est Cease Matrons to pursue for of such paine Thou to thy selfe more mischiefe reap'st than gaine Sisters that haue murdred their Brothers AFter the vntimely death of Aydere his brother Ismael succeeded him in the Persian Empire who arriuing at Casbin was of his sister receiued with ioy and of the people with loude acclamations and beeing now possessed of the Imperiall dignitie the better as hee thought to secure himselfe hauing power answerable to his will after the barbarous custome of the Turkish tyrannie he first caused his eight younger brothers to be beheaded stretching his bloodie malice to all or the most part of his owne affinitie not suffering any to liue that had beene neere or deere to his deseased brother so that the â—â—ttie Casbin seemed to swimme in blood and ecchoed with nothing but lamentations and mournings His crueltie bred in the people both feare and hate both which were much more increased when they vnderstood hee had a purpose to alter their forme of religion who with great adoration honour their prophet Aly into the Turkish superstition his infinite and almost incredible butcheries concerne not my proiect in hand I therefore leaue them and returne to his sister whose name was Periaconcona who when this Tyrant was in the middest of his securities and the sister as hee imagined in her sisterly loue and affection vpon a night when he was in all dissolute voluptuousnesse sporting amidst his concubines she into whose trust and charge he had especially committed the safetie of his person hauing confederated with Calilchan Emirchan Pyrymahomet and Churchi Bassa the most eminent men in the Empire admitted them into the Seraglio in womans attyre by whom with her assistant hand in the middest of his luxuries hee was strangled an act though happily beneficiall to the common good yet ill becomming a sister vnlesse such an one as striued to paralel him in his vnnaturall cruelties Turkish Histor. Equall with this was that of Quendreda who after the death of Ranulphus king of Mercia his young sonne Kenelme a child of seuen yeares of age raigning in his stead whose royall estate and dignitie beeing enuied by his sister shee conspired with one Heskbertus by whose treacherous practise the king was inticed into a thick forrest there murdered and priuatly buried his bodie long missed and not found and the conspirators not so much as suspected But after as Willielm de regib li. 1. and de Pontificibus lib. 4. relates a Doue brought in her bill a scroule written in English golden letters and layde it vpon the Altar of Saint Peter which being read by an Englishman contained these words by which the place where the bodie lay was discouered At Clent in Cowbach Kenelme Keneborne lyeth vnder Thorne heaued by weaued that is in plainer English At Clent in Cowbach vnder a thorne Kenelme lyeth headlesse slaine by treason Some say it was found by a light which streamed vp into the Ayre from the place where his bodie lay couered His hearse being after borne towards his sepulchre to be a second time interred with solemne Dyrges sung by the Churchmen Quendreda sitting then in a window with a Psalter in her hand to see the funerall solemnely passe by whether in skorne of the person derision of the ceremonie or both is not certaine but she began to sing the Psalme of Te Deum laudamus backeward when instantly both her eyes dropped out of her head with a great flux of blood which stained her booke and it was after kept as a sacred relique in memorie of the diuine iudgement What need I trouble you with citing antiquities how this sinne ought to be punished on earth when we see how hatefull it is in the eyes of Heauen besides to insult vpon the bodies of the dead is monstrous and euen in things sencelesse to be punished Ausonius remembers vs of one Achillas who finding a dead mans skull in a place where three sundrie wayes
death immediately another was elected to succeed in his place and being chosen in a booke kept in the treasurie for that onely purpose expressely to write downe his owne name and the names of both his parents with the dayes punctually set downe of the decease of the one and the succession of the other Now in the time that Christ was conuersâ—nt in Iudaea and yet had not shewed himself to the world nor preached the Word openly to the people it happened that one of the Priests of the foresaid number dyed neyther after many voyces and sundrie nominations was any agreed vpon or thought fit to be ascribed into his place At length was propounded IESVS the sonne of the Carpenter Ioâ—eph for so they tearmed him a man though young yet for the sanctitie of his life his behauiour and doctrine aboue all the rest commended This suffrage standing as hauing generall approbation from all it was thought conuenient to send for his mother for his father Ioseph was late dead into the Consistorie onely to know their names and to register them in the aforesaid booke She therefore being called and diligently questioned of her sonne and his father thus answered That indeed she was the mother of IESVS and brought him into the world of which those women are testates that were present at his birth but that he had no father from Earth in which if they desired to be further instructed shee could make it plainely appeare For being a Virgin and then in Galilee the Angell of God sayth shee entred the house where I was and appearing vnto me not sleeping but thus as I am awake he told me That by the Holy-Ghost I should conceiue and bring foorth a sonne and commanded me that I should call his name IESVS Therefore beeing then a Virgin by that Vision I conceiued I brought foorth IESVS and I still remaine a Virgin vnto this day When the Priests heard this they appointed faithfull and trustie Midwiues with all diligence and care to make proofe whether Mary were a Virgin or no they finding the truth most apparant and not to be contradicted deliuered vp to the Priests That shee was a Virgin pure and immaculate Then they sent for those women that were knowne to be at her deliuerie and were witnesses of the Infants comming into the world all which did attest and iustifie That shee was the mother of the same IESVS With these things the Priests amazed and astonished they presently entreated Mary that shee would freely professe vnto them what his Parents were that their names according to custome might be registred amongst the others To whom the blessed Virgin thus answered Certaine I am that I brought him into the world but know no father that he hath from the Earth but by the Angell it was told me That hee was the Sonne of GOD Hee therefore is the Sonne of GOD and me This the Priests vnderstanding they called for the Booke which being layd open before them they caused these words to be inscribed Vpon such a day deceased such a Priest borne of such and such Parents in whose place by the common and vnite suffrage of vs all is elected Priest IESVS the Sonne of the liuing GOD and the Virgin MARY And this Booke Theodosius affirmed by the especiall diligence of the most noble amongst the Iewes and the chiefe Princes was reserued from the great sacke and destruction of the citie and Temple and was transferred into the citie of Tiberias and there kept a long time after Sâ—idas testifies That hee hath heard this discourse from honest men who deliuered it to him word by word as they themselues haue heard it from the mouth of Philippus Argentarius This most blessed and pure Virgin Mary the mother of our Lord and Sauiour was borne of the holy Matron S. Anne in the yeere of the World 3948 and in the yeere before Christ fifteene Of him Claâ—dian thus elegantly writes â—n one of his Epigrams Proles vera Dei â—unctisque antiquior Annis Nâ—â—c geniâ—â—s qui semper er as True Sonne of God older than Time that hast Thy byrth but now yet from beginning wast Author of Light and Light before all other Oh thou that art the parent of thy mother And by thine equall-aged father sent From Heauen vnto this terrhene continent Whose word was made Flesh and constrain'd to dwell In the straight prison of a Virgins cell And in a narrow angle to remaine Whose power no limit can no place conteine Who being borne did'st now begin to see All these great workes created first by thee The worke and workeman of thy selfe not skorning Tâ—obey those wearie houres of Eu'n and Morning Of which th' art Lord and tell each minute ore Made by thy Wisdome for mans vse before And took'st on thee our shape onely to show To vs that God we did till then not know c. Petronilla WHen Peter the Apostle had by his Faith cured all infirmities and diseases and in all places yet he suffered his daughter Petronilla to bee grieuously afflicted with a Feauor and being demanded why hee that had cured others did not helpe her he answered Because hee knew her sickenesse to be most behoofefull for her soules health for the weaker she was in bodie she was so much the stronger in Faith setling her cogitations on the ioyes of Heauen and not the pleasures of the world desiring of God that she might rather die a chast Virgin than to be the wife of the Consull Flaccus by whom she was at that time most earnestly sollicited whose prayer was heard for she dyed of that sicknesse and the Consull was preuented of his purpose who had long insidiated her chastitie Marull lib. 4. cap. 8. The like we reade of Hillarius Pictauiensis Episcopus who hauing long trained vp his daughter Appia in chastitie and sanctitie of life fearing least time might alter her vowes and tempt her with the vaine pleasures of the world hee besought the giuer of all graces that hee might rather with ioy follow her to her graue than with sorrow to her marriage bed which was accordingly granted as the same Author testifies Eustochium the daughter of Paula a noble matron of Rome is celebrated by Saint Hierom for the onely president of Virginall chastitie Tora the virgin was of that chast and austere life that hauing tooke a vow and once entered her profession shee neuer put on her backe any new garment or so much as changed her shooes Maria Aegyptiaca liued the life of an Hermit in the sollitude of an vnfrequented desart some write of her that as often as she was seene to pray shee seemed to be lifted vp from the Earth into the Ayre the heigth of a cubit Columba a Virgin of Perusina is reported to be of that chastitie and abstinence that she neuer tasted any other food than the bare fruits of the Earth from the yeares of her discretion till the houre of her death
Amata was a professed Virgin who in fortie yeares space neuer set foot ouer the threshold of that Cloyster wherein she had confined her selfe in which time she neuer tasted food saue bread and roots Sara liued in the time of Theodosius the elder she made a Vow neuer to lodge beneath any roofe but inhabiting the banke of a certaine riuer remoued not from that place in threescore yeeres The like is read of Syluia a Virgin the daughter of Ruffinus a Prefect or Ruler in Alexandria who betooke her selfe to sollitude for the space of threescore yeeres in which time she neuer washt any part of her bodie saue her hands nor reposed her selfe vpon any bed saâ—e the ground It is reported by Edward Hall Iohn Leisland Iohn Sleyden and others of S. Ebbe Abbesse of Collingham That to preserue her owne and her sisters Chastities and keepe their Vowes inuiolate because they would seeme odible to the Danes who had done many outrages both against Law and Religion and then tyrannized in the Land shee cut off her owne nose and vpper lippe and persuaded all the other Nunnes to doe the like for which act the Danes burnt the Abbey with all the Sister-hood Fulgos. Lib. 4. cap. 3. speakes of Ildegunda a German Virgin borne in Nassau who after many temptations to which shee feared her beautie might subiect her in the yeere 1128 shee changed her habit and got to be entertained in a Priorie neere vnto Wormes called Schuna beu Heim in which she liued long by the name of Ioseph in singular continence and modestie still conuersing amongst the learnedest and best approued schollers euen till the time of her death neyther was she then knowne to be a woman till comming to wash her bodie her Sex was discouered In the same Monasterie and amongst that Couent liued Euphrosyna a Virgin of Alexandria by the name of Smaragdus as also one Marina who called her selfe Marinus both dissembling their Sex Gunzonis daughter to the duke of Arboa was possessed by an euill spirit but after by the prayers of holy men being recouered she vowed perpetuall Virginitie And after being demanded in marriage by Sigebertus king of the Frenchmen she was deliuered vnto him by her father who debating with her concerning his present purpose she humbly desired to be excused by his Maiestie in regard she had alreadie past a pre-contract The king demanding To whom she answered She was a betrothed Spouse to her Redeemer At which the king being startled forbore to compell her any further but suffered her to take vpon her a religious life shee preferring her Virgin Chastitie before the state and title of a Queene And these shall suffice for Religious Virgins I now proceed to others that grounded their vertue on meere moralitie Baldraca was a Virgin but of meane parentage and of a deiected fortune yet to her neuer-dying honor and president to all ages to come notwithstanding she was not able to supply her selfe with things needfull and necessarie eyther for sustenance or ornament neyther by threats or menaces promises of worldly honors or promotion shee could not be tempted to prostitute her selfe to the Emperour Otho Saxo Gramaticus writes of Serytha the daughter of Synaldus king of the Danes to be of that modestie that when the fame of her beautie had attracted a confluence of many suitors to the Court of her father yet she could neuer be woon eyther to conuerse with or so much as to looke vpon any of them Tara was a French Ladie of a noble and illustrious Familie shee liued in the time of Heraclius who when her father Hagerticus and her mother Leodegunda would haue compeld her to marrie she fell into that excesse of weeping that with the extraordinarie flux of teares she grew blind soone after Dula was a Virgin famous for her Chastitie who chose rather to be slaine by the hand of a Souldior than to be despoyled of her Virginitie Statyra and Roxana were the sisters of Mithridates king of Pontus who for the space of fortie yeeres had kept their Vow of Virginitie inuiolate these hearing the sad fate of their brother and fearing to be rauished by the enemie at least to fall into their captiuitie by taking of poyson finished both their dayes and sorrowes Plutarch writes of one Roxana drowned in a Well by Statyra It is reported of an Hetrurian Damosell taken by a Souldior who to preserue her Virginitie leapt off from the bridge Ancisa into the riuer Arnus of whom Benedictus Varchius hath left this memorie in one of his Epigrams Perdâ—ret nitactum ne Virgo Etrusca pudorem In rapidas sese praecipitanit aquas c. Th' Hetrurian Girle her Honor still to keepe Precipitates her selfe into the Deepe And from the bottome three times being cast Vp into th' ayre as loth that one so chast Should there be swallow'd she as oft sinkes downe Her modest face her martyrdome to crowne And shame the lustfull world What shall we say Of the chast Eucrece famous to this day She for one death is call'd the Romans pride To saue her Fame this Tuscan three times di'de Bernardus Scandeonus Lib. 3. Classe 34. Histor. Patâ—ninae writes That when Maximilian the Emperour made spoyle of the Paduan territories diuerse of the countrey people leauing the villages emptie fled into the citie amongst whom was one Isabella a Damosell of Rauenna who being seized on by some of the Venetian souldiors that then had the charge of the citie and surprized with her beautie drew her aside with purpose to haue dishonored her but finding no other meanes to shun the violence of their lust shee from the bridge cast her selfe headlong into the riuer Medoacus where shee was drowned and afterwards her bodie being drawne out of the riuer was buryed vnder a banke without any other ceremonie belonging to a Funerall Martia the daughter of Varro was of that admirable continence and chastitie that being most excellent in the Art of Painting shee not onely alienated and restrayned her Pensill from limning any thing that might appeare obscene or shew the least immodestie but shee was neuer knowne to delineate or draw the face of a man Rauis in Officin The like is reported of Lala Cizizena alike excellent in Painting and as remarkable for her Virgin Chastitie Britonia a beautifull maid of Crete giuing her selfe wholly to Hunting and the Chase to shun the importunities of king Minos who layd traynes to vitiate her threw her selfe into a riuer and was drowned Daphne the daughter of Amiela retyred her selfe both from walled cities and all publike societie and was at length entertained into the fellowship of Diana frequenting the Laconian fields and Peloponnesian mountaines Of her Leucippus the sonne of Oenemaus was enamored who hauing attempted diuerse wayes to compasse his will but not preuayling in any he bethought himselfe what course Iupiter tooke