part of it may at this day be seen as an antient Monument in the Castle of Dover Saturn made Money of Brasse with inscriptions thereon but Numa was the first that coined Silver and caused his name to be engraven thereon for which it still retains the name in the Roman Tongue and is called Nummus Aspasia was a Milesian Damosel and the beloved oâ— Pericles she was abundantly skilled in Philosophicall studies she was likewise a fluent Rhetorician Plutarchus in Pericles Socrates imitated her in his Facultas Politica as likewise Dâ—otima whom he blushed not to call his Tutresse and Instructresse Of Lasthenea Mantinea Axiothaea and Phliasia Plato's scholers in Philosophy I have before given a short Character Themiste was the wife of Leonteius Lampsucenus and with her husband was the frequent Auditor of Epicurus of whom Lactantius saith That save her none of the Ancient Philosophers ever instructed any woman in that study save that one Themiste Arete was the wife of Aristippus the Philosopher and attained to that perfection of knowledge that she instructed her son in all the liberall Arts by whose industry he grew to be a famous professor He was called Aristippus and she surnamed Cyrenaica She followed the opinions of that Aristippus who was father to Socrates She after the death of her father erected a School of Philosophy where she commonly read to a full and frequent Auditory Genebria was a woman of Verona she lived in the time of Pius the second Bishop of Rome Her works purchased for her a name immortal She composed many smooth and eloquent Epistles polished both with high conceits and judgement she pronounced with a sharp and loud voice a becomming gesture and a facundious suavity Agallis Corcyrua was illustrious in the Art of Grammar Caelius ascribes unto her the first invention of the play at Ball. Leontium was a Grecian Damosel whom Gallius cals a strumpet she was so well seen in Philosophicall contemplations that she feared not to write a worthy book against the much worthy Theophrastus Plin. in Prolog Nat. Hist Cicero lib. de Natur. Deorum Dama the daughter of Pythagoras imitated the steps of her father as likewise his wife Theano her husband the mother and the daughter both proving excellent scholars Laert. Themistoclea the sister of Pythagoras was so practised a studient that in many of his works as he himselfe confesseth he hath implored her advice and judgement Istrina Queen of Scythia and wife to King Aripithes instructed her son Sythes in the Greek Tongue as witnesseth Herodotus Plutarch in Pericte saith That Thargelia was a woman whom Philosophy solely illustrated as likewise Hyparchia Greca Laert. Cornelia was the wife of Africanus and mother to the noble family of the Gracchi who left behind her certain Epistles most elaborately learned From her as from a fountain 〈◊〉 the innate eloquence of her children therefore Quintil. thus saith of her We are much bound to the Mother or Matron Cornelis for the eloquence of the Gracchi whose 〈…〉 learning in her exquisite Epistles she hath bequeathed to posterity The same Author speaking of the daughters of Laelius and Quint. Hortensius useth these words The daughters of Laelius is said in her phrase to have refined and excelled the eloquence of her father but the daughter of Q. Hortensius to have exceeded 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 Fulvia 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 govern Empires she was first the wife of Curio Statius Papinius was happy in a wife called Claudia excellent in all manner of learning Amalasuntha Queen of the Ostrogoths the daughter of Theodoricus King of those Ostrogoths in Italy was elaborately practised in the Greek and Latin Tongues she spake distinctly all the barbarous languages that were used in the Eastern Empires Fulgos lib. 8. cap. 7. Zenobia as Volateran speaks from Pollio was Queen of the Palmirians who after the death of Odenatus governed the Kingdome of Syria under the Roman Empire she was nominated amongst the thirty Tyrants and usurped in the time of Gallenus but after being vanquished in battel by the Emperor Aurelianus was led in triumph through Rome but by the clemency of that Prince she was granted a free Pallace scituate by the river of Tyber where she moderately and temperately demeaned her selfe she is reported to be of that chastity that she never enterteined her husband in the familiar society of her bed but for issues sake and procreation of children but not from the time that she found her conception till her delivery she used to be adored after the majestick state and reverence done to the great Sophies of Persia Being called to the hearing of any publick Oration she still appeared with her head armed and her helmet on in a purple mantle buckled upen her with rich jems she was of a clear and shril voice magnanimous and haughty in all her undertakings most expert in the Aegyptian and Greek Tongues and not without merit numbred amongst the most learned and wisest Queens Besides divers other works she composed the Orientall and Alexandrian History Hermolaus and Timolus her two sons in all manner of disciplines she liberally instructed of whose deaths it is not certain whether they died by the course of nature or by the violent hand of the Emperor Olympia Fulvia Morata was the ornament and glory of our later times the daughter of Fulv. Moratus Montuanus who was tutor in the Arts to Anna Pâ—ince of Ferrara she was the wife of Andreas Gunthlerus a famous Physitian in Germany she writ many and elaborate works in either tongue at length in the year of our Lord 1555 in the month of October being of the age of twenty nine years she died of Hedelburgh Saint Helena may amongst these be here aptly registred for thus Stow Harding Fabian and all our modern Chroniclers report of her Constantius a great Roman Consul was sent into Britain to demand the tribute due unto Rome immediately after whose arivall before he could receive an answer of his Embassie Coil who was then King died therefore the Britains the better to establish their peace dealt with the Roman Embassador to take to wife Helena the daughter of the late deceased King a young Lady of an attractive beauty adorned with rare gifts and endowments of the Mind namely Learning and Vertue the motion was no sooner made but accepted so that Constantius having received the Brittish tribute returned with his new Bride to Rome and was after by the Senate constituted chiefe Ruler of this Kingdome After twenty years quiet and peacefull government which was thought her wisedome Constantius died and was buried at York in his time was Sâ— Albon married at Verolam since called St. Albons as John
together in their fall Whilst all the Potters quake with such a ruine As when huge masts are split and crackt withall The warring winds the seamans wrack pursuing In such a tempest let the Chimnies shatter And the vast frame within its basses sink Whilst 'bout their cars the tiles and rafters clatter That all their pipkins steaâ— and pots for drink And other uses may be crusht to pouder And so convert again into that mire Whence they were forg'd Or if a horror lowder May be devis'd here vent thy worst of ire Else let that Witch that cals Apollo father Who can from hell the blackest furies call And her infectious drugs and poisons gather And sprinkle them on work-men work and all Let Chiron to this forge his Centaurs bring All that survived the battell ' gainst Jove's son That they these pots against the wals may ding And all their labours into ruine run Till what they see he nothing and these here Spectators of this wrack may howl and yell And their great losse lament with many a teare Whilst I may laugh aloofe and say 't was well And to conclude that he that next aspires But to come nere the furnace where they stand May be the fuel to these raging fires And be consum'd to ashes out of hand So may the rest that shall escape this danger Be warn'd by these how to deride a stranger That the former writers might demonstrate unto us That humane actions are not altogether so governed by the force coelestiall but that there is some place left open for mans prudence and wisedome and besides to deliver unto us how acceptable the knowledge of good things is to him who is the giver of all graces they therefore left this expression to posterity that Wisedome was the daughter of Jupiter and born without a mother since God is only wise and men not so but meerly in a similitude or shadow Therefore to manifest the power of Wisdome they feigned her to come into the world armed because the wise man respects not the injuries of Fortune nor puts his trust in any worldly felicity further then by counsell and patience to subdue the one and moderate the other stil placing his hopes in that fountaine from whence she first proceeded Next because the feare of the Lord is the beginning of Wisedome she is said to have combated Giants the sonnes of the earth such as in that Gigomantichia would have pluckt Jupiter out of his throne by which are intended the presumptions of nature and the insolencies of men who all service and adoration to the divine powers neglected are not affraid to make insurrection against heaven it selfe I may therefore conclude that all humane wisedome different against the divine will is vain and contemptible since the good man is onely wise and in the grace and favour or his Maker Diana SHE is the daughter of Iupiter and Latona the goddesse of Virginity and Chastity In the heaven she is called Luna the Moon in the earth Diana in Hell or amongst the Infernals Prosâ—erpina of which three-fold power she is called Triformis and Triula The places sacred to her were as Valerius Flaccus affirms Parthenius a flood of Paphlagonia She with her brother Apollo was born in Cinthus a mountain hanging over Delos of whom Statius saith they are both called Cinthii In Ephesus a City of Ionia or Lydia she had a magnificent Temple numbred amongst the seven wonders of the world In Bauron a City of Attica she was likewise honoured And as Lucan testates in Taurus a mountain in Sicily and as Virgil in Delos Notior ut canibus non jam sit Delia nostris Not Delia to our dogs is better known Horace reports her to have two mountains in Italy dedicated to her deity Aventinus and Algidus In her sacrifices a Hart was stall offered at her Altar and dogs or hounds as Ovid writes Extra canum Triviae vidi mactare Sabaeos Et quicunque tuas accolit Haeme Nyves The Sâ—baeans and the Thessalians inhabiting the snowie mountain Haemus used dogs in their oblations Of her Temple at Ephesus it shall not be amiss to speak a word or two by the way Plutarch in his book De vitando Aere alieno saith that the Temple of Diana was a Sanctuary wherein all debtors were safe from their creditors As the Vestals of Rome had the time of their service distinguished into three parts in the first to learn 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 gave 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 service This stately 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 only that as the richest jewell of the world It is reported of one Herostratus a wicked and debauch'd fellow who finding in himselfe nothing good to preserve his memory and willing that his name should live to posterity set this Temple on fire for no other purpose but that he would be talkt on the Ephesians understanding 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 born in Pella in the three hundred 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 Diana's Priests Why Diana being a goddess would suffer her Temple to be utterly destroied and what she was a doing the while It was answered again That it was done unawares to the goddess for she was that night at the labour of Olympias and busied about bringing Alexander into the world Notwithstanding this great ruine the people of Ephesus caused it to be re-erected and made both richer and more beautifull than before of which work Dinocrates an Architectour of Macedonia was chiefe Diana as Plutarch in his Symposaicon saith is called Elitheia or â—ucina as also Locheia as goddessâ— of child-birth she is called also Dictiana And in his Solertia animalium that Apollo would be called Lycoconos and Diana Multicida Elaphibolos The one for killing so many wolves 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 fain that she is continually exercised in hunting for no other reason but to instruct and incourage all such as professe virginity to shun sloath and idlenesse so Ovid Otia si tollas periere cupidinis areus Take sloth away and Cupids how unbends His brands â—â—â—inguish
am loath to dwel too long in the Proem I will now give you their names with a particular of their works who have been in many or most of these eminent Poetriae Or Women Poets OF the Sybils the Muses Priests and Prophetesses included amongst those whom we called Vates I have already spoken at large I now proceed to others Theano Locrensis was so called as born in the City of Locâ—is she writ Hyms and Lyrick Songs she was also a musicall Poetesse such as were called Melicae There was a second of that name the wife of Pythagoras a Poetesse besides a third called Thuria or Metapontina daughter of the Poet Lycophron a Pythagorist and wife of Caristius or Brantinus Crotoniata Teste Suida Nicostrata was otherwise called Carmentis skilful both in the Greek and Latine Dialect of a quick and nimble wit and conversant in divers kinds of Learning Sulpitia lived in the time of the Emperor Domitianus her husbands name was Galenus or Gadenus with whom she lived in most conjoined wedlock for the space of fifteen years Some fragments of her Poetry I have read inserted amongst the Works of Ausonius Of her Martial in one of his Epigram lib. 10. thus writes Oh molles tibi quindecim Calene Quos cum Sulpitia tua jugales Indulsit Deus peregit annos c. O those soft fifteen yeers so sweetly past Which thou Calenus with Sulpitia hast In jugall consociety no doubt A time by the gods favoured and pickt out O every Night nay Hour mark'd by thy hand With some rich stone fetch'd from the Indian strand What wars what combats have betwixt you been But to your Bed and Lamp not known or seen Of any Happy Bed and Tapers grace Made of sweet Oils whose smoak perfumes the place Thrice five yeers thou hast liv'd Calenuâ— thus Reckoning by that account thine Age to us So to compute thy yeers is thy great'st pride No longer to have liv'd then with thy Bride Were Atropos at thy entreats content To give thee back one day so sweetly spent Thou at a higher rate wouldst prize that one Then four times Nestors Age to live alone This Epigram hath expressed the love of Calenus to Sulpitia the husband to the wife but in 35 of the same book her pious Love chast Muse and Beauty the same Author hath most elegantly illustrated his words be these Omnes Sulpitiam legant puellae Vno quae cupiunt viro pâ—acere Omnes Sulpitiam legant mariti Vnae qua cupâ—unt placere nuptae c. All women 〈◊〉 Sulpitia such as can In their desires betake them to one man All husbands read Sulpitia such whose life Can be contented with one single wife She never spake of mad Medeas sin Nor why Thyestes Banquet was serv'd in It never with her pure thoughts could agree A Scilla or a Biblis there could be Save chast and pious Loves she did not write Yet mixt with modest pleasures and delight Her Verses who shall read and read again And sift them well shall find them without slain Such were the words divine Egeria spake The wife of Nâ—ma when she did betake Her self to solitude Had Sâ—pho been Tutor'd by her her Poems read and seen More chast sh ' had been with greater Art endu'd Or had rude Phaon these together view'd And both their beauties well observ'd and noted He that left her had on Sulpitia doted c. Seneca speaks of one Michaele a she Centaur who in an â—legant Poem instructed the Thessalians in the Remedy of Love whom Ovid in his Remedium Amorâ—s is said to have imitated Aristophanes as also Suidas speak of one Charixâ—na the Author of many excellent works amongst others she writ a Poem called Crumata Caelius lib. 8. cap. 1 speaks of Musaeâ— an Epigrammaâ—ist in which kind she was eminent besides she composed sundry Lyricks Textor remembers us of one Moeroe who besides her other works is most celebraâ—ed for a Hymn to Neptune Manto was the daughter of Tyresia the Propheresse of her the famous City Mantua took name she was not only a Poetesse but famous for her Dâ—vinations for by the entrails of beasts she could foretel things to come Textor Cornisicia was the sister of the Poet Cornisicius and famous for many excellent Epigrams Luccia 〈◊〉 as Pliny reports of her was a writer of Comedies in which practice she continued no lesse then an hundred years Amongst the Poets Cassandra the Propheâ—esse daughter to â—riam and Hecuba is also numbred 〈◊〉 Hermonaicus 〈◊〉 Camelion saith writes of a Poetesse called Megalostrate beloved of the Poet Alâ—mon he that first devised the amatorious Verse in which was expressed all lascivious intemperance which some attribute to Thamyris as their first inventor she Amatores vel ipsis colloquiis ad se trahere potuit i. She with her very discourse could attract lovers she was tearmed Flava Megalostrate Athenae lib. 13 cap. 16. Polla Argentaria was wife to the famous Poet Lucan and hath a merited place in this Catalogue of whom Martial thus speaks Haec est illa dies quae magni conscia partus Lucanum populis tibi Polla dedit This day of that great birth made conscious is Which gave him to the world and made thee his She was reputed to be of that excellent learning that she assisted her husband in the three first books entituled Pharsalia Her Stasius lib. 2. Sylv. thus remembers Haeâ— Castae titulum decusque Polla She likewise writ excellent Epigrams As much as Statius of her Plin. Secundus speaks of his wife Calphurnia Fulgos lib. 8. cap 3. Aspasia Milesia the beloved of Pericles as she was otherwise learned she is likewise numbred amongst the Poet 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 she was the daughter of Moschina Attica that writ lambicks This Hedyle composed a Poem inscribed Scylla she made another called The Loves of Glaucus Sosipatra as Eugapius Volaterran relates was a woman practised in many kinds of Disciplines and so excellent in all her studies that she was said to be educated by the gods Thymele was a Poetesse that first introduced Dances into the Scene which the Greeks from her call Dumelin i. The place which is only free for the Actors Of her Martial thus speaks Quae Thymele spectas derisoremque Latinum Suidas writes That Thymele was an Altar frequently used in the Theaters which from her borrowed the name Hildegardis Moguntina was eminent both for Learning and Piety insomuch that from her very child-hood she seemed inspired from above Eugenius the third in the Council held at Tryer where Doctor Bernard was then present approved her Works she flourished in the yeare of Grace 1188. Of Clitagora Lacedemonia Aristophanes speaks much but Stravo in Homerica Iliade more of Hesteia Alexandria Avyle writ Epigrams against Themistocles with verses upon Birds which are read unto
into Cappadocia Cuspinianus in vita Heraclii A more terrible judgement was inflicted upon Bâ—unechildis whose History is thus related Theodericus King of the Frenchmen who by this wicked womans counsel had polluted himselfe with the blood of his own naturall brother and burthened his conscience with the innocent deaths of many other noble gentlemen as well as others of meaner 〈◊〉 and quality was by her poisoned and deprived of 〈◊〉 when he had made a motion to have taken to wife his Neece a beautifull young Lady and the daughter of his late slain brother Brunechildis with all her power and industry opposed the Match affirming that Contract to be meerly incestuous which was made with the brothers daughter she next perswaded him that his son Theodebertus was not his own but the adulterate issue of his wife by another at which words he was so incensed that drawing his sword he would have instantly transpierc'd her but by the assistance of such Courtiers as were then present she escaped his fury and presently 〈◊〉 plotted his death and effected it as aforesaid Trittenbemâ—â—s de Regib 〈◊〉 and Roberâ—us Gaguinus lib. 2. Others write that he was drowned in a River after he had reigned 〈◊〉 years Aventinus affirms That presently after he had slain his brother entring into one of his Cities he was struck with thunder Annal. Boiorum lib. 3. But this 〈◊〉 Butcheresse Brunechildis after she had been the 〈…〉 an infinit number of people and the death of 〈◊〉 Kings at length moving an unfortunate war against Lotharius to whom she denied to yield the Kingdome she was taken in battell and by the Nobility and Captain of the Army condemned to an unheard of punishment She was first beaten with four Bastoons before she was brought before Lotharius then all her Murthers Treasons and Inhumanities were publiquely proclaimed in the Army and next her legs and hands being fastned to the tails of wild horses pluckt to pieces and dissevered limb from limb Anno 1618. Sigebertus Trittemhemius Gaguinus and Aventinus And such be the earthly punishments due to Patricides and Regicides Touching Patricides Solon when he instituted his wholsome Lawes made no Law to punish such as thinking it not possible in nature to produce such a Monster Alex. lib. 2 cap. Romulus appointing no punishment for that inhumanity included Patricides under the name of Homicides counting Manslaughter and Murther abhorred and impious but the other impossible Plutarch in Romulo Marcus Malleolus having slain his mother was the first that was ever 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 river Tiâ—er a just infliction for such immanity The Macedonians punished Patricides and Traitors alike and not only such as personally committed the fact but all that were any way of the comederacy Alex. ab Alex. lib 3. cap. 5. and all such were â—â—â—ned to death The Aegyptians stabbed them with Needles and Bodkins wounding them in all the parts of their body but not mortally when bleeding all over from a thousand small orifices they burnt them in a pile of thorns Diodor. Sicul. lib. 2. de rebus antiq The Lusitanians first exiled them from their own confines and when they were in the next forreign air stoned them to death Nero having slain his mother Agrippina by the hand of Anicetes had such terror of mind and unquietnesse of conscience that in the dead of the night he would leap out of his bed horribly affrighted and say when they that attended him demanded the cause of his disturbance That he heard the noice of trumpets and charging of battels with the grones of slaughtered and dying men from the place where his mother was interred Therefore he often shifted his houses but all in vain for this horror still pursued him even to his miserable and despairing end for so Xâ—philâ—nus testates the Abbreviator of Dion in Nerone The perfidiousnesse of Husbands to their Wives hath been thus punished By the Law of Julia all such were condemned as rioted and wasted the dowries of their Wives The Romans did not only hold such impious and sacrilegious that prophaned their Temples and despised the Altars of the gods but those also that were rudely robustious and laid violent hands upon their wives and children in such a reverent estimation they held fatherly issue and conjugal piety Alex. lib. 4. cap. 8. Almaricus having married the sister of the French King and using her most contumeliously and basely for no other reason but that she was a faithful follower of the true Religion and quite renounced Arianisme was by her brother Chilbertus vexed and tormented with a bloody and intestine war Michael Ritius lib. 1. de Regib Francorum M. Valerius Maximus and Cai. Junius Brutus being Censors removed L. Antonius from the Senate for no other reason but that without the advice and counsell of his friends he had repudiated a virgin to whom he had been before contracted Val. Maxim lib. 2. cap. 4. So Tiberius Caesar discharged an eminent Roman from his Quaestorship for divorcing his wife the tenth day after he had been married accounting him meerly void of faith or constancy that in a businesse so weighty and of so great moment in so small a time exprest himselfe variable and inconstant Alex. lib. 4. cap. 8. Rodulphus Veromandorum Comes forsook his wife to marry the sister of the Queen Petronilla for which he was excommunicated by the Church of Rome and the Bishop Laudunensis Bartholomaeus Noviocomensis and Simon Peter Sylvanectensis that were assistants to the Earl Rodulphus in that unjust divorce were all suspended by the Pope Robertus in Chronicis The revenge of these libidinous insolencies was most apparant in the Emperor Andronicus who after the death of Emanuel who preceded him caused his son the immediate heir to the Empire to be sowed in a sack and cast into the sea And being now securely installed in the Constantinopolican Principality besides a thousand butcheries slaughters and other insufferable cruelties he addicted himselfe to all luxurious intemperance as vitiating virgins corrupting Matrons contaminating himselfe with shamefull Whoredomes and Adulteries not sparing the religious Nunneries but forcing the Cloisters ravishing thence whom he pleased to glut his greedy and insatiate lust and when 〈◊〉 own desires were qualified would deliver them up to be stuprated by his grooms and vassals With whose unbridled appetites and insufferable madnesse the people being vexed and tired they invited Isacius to the 〈…〉 besieging the Tyrant took him and presented him before the Emperor elected who because he had so malitiously trespassed against every man devised for him a punishment that might give satisfaction to all he therefore caused him to put off his Imperiall Robes and to appear no other then a private man such as he had maliciously offended next caused one of his eies to be pluckt out the punishment devised by
of the body have a consonance to the nature of that Planet under which they were born therefore some are delighted with one study some another according to the aspect of the Planeâ— For example if Mercury be in a good and pleasing aspect he begets eloquence facundity and elegancy of speech besides skill and knowledge in many things but especially in the Mathematicks the same being in conjunction with Jupiter they are bred Philosophers and Divines being join'd with Mars in his happy aspect it makes men skilfull Physiâ—ians and fortunate but in his bad aspect such as prove unskilfull unlucky and sometimes theeves and robbers which commonly happens when he is scorch'd with the Planet of the Sun Being in conjunction with Venus thence proceeds Musitians and Poets join'd with Luna wary Merchants and diligent and thrifty husbands with Saturn it infuseth men with prediction and prophesie But let this little serve to illustrate the rest so from the Muses we come to the Sybils Of the Sybils ISiodorus saith that the word Sybilla is a name of place and office and not of person It is derived of Syos which signifies Deus God and Beele as much as to say Thought So that Sybill comprehends a woman that had gods thought For as a man that prophesieth is called a Prophet so a predicting woman is called a Sybill Of their number the ancient writers much differ Aelianus in his book De varia Historia thus speaks There were foure Sybils Erithraea Samia Aegyptia and Sardinia Others to these adde six more to make the number ten amongst which are numbred Cymaea and Judaea with the three Bacchides one of Greece a second of Athens a third of Arcadia It seems he had forgot to reckon the tenth Aretine in his book De aquila volante agrees with Isiodorus In the etymology of the word Tanto sona quanto à aire mente devina He likewise numbers ten the first saith he was of Persia the second of Lybia the third was named Delphica being born in the Island of Delphos and near to the Temple of Apollo who prophesied of the wars of Troy the fourth was called Omeria and was of Italy the fifth Erythraea and born in Babylon she composed a book which in the Greek tongue was intituled Vasillogra the sixt was called Sania or rather Samia as born in the Isle Samos the seventh Cumana of the City Cuma whose Sepulchre as Isiodorus writes is in Sicily she brought certain books to Tarquinius Priscus which spake of the Roman succession and what should futurely betide them prescribing them the Ceremonies to be used in their sacrifices the eighth Ellespontiaca who likewise prophesied of the wars of Troy the ninth Phrigia the tenth and last Alburnea who prophesied many things concerning the Saviour of the world And so far Aretine The opinion of Johannes Wyerius in his book De praestigiis Daemonum is to this purpose That the devill in the theatre of this world might put a face of honesty upon all those Tragedies which he aim'd to execute upon mankind he instituted his Enthusiastae and his Pythean Oracles which were in use almost amongst all nations insomuch that their superstitions and prophanations had crept in amongst the people of God so that Moses made a law that all those that repaired to these jugling sorcerists should be stoned to death Amongst these are counted some of the Sybils though not all as the hirelings of the devill for the conservation and confirmation of his Kingdome for out of their books the Romans were drawn into many lunacies and frenzies as besides many other it is manifest in Zozâ—mus who recites many of ther verses full of tradition and superstitions meerly unlawfull though the two Sybils Erythraea and Cumana in heroick Poems prophesied of Christ and sung and declared his praises which as some conjecture they did by the sight of the prophesies of Esaias and David These Oracles lasted to the comming of our Savior but then surceast through all the parts of the world There were also a kind of sorcerists which some call Lemures the word importing the spirits and ghosts of such as perisht before times or abortively for from such they fathered their predictions and prophesies Of this kind there were many in Germany as Wyerâ—us relates who were of long continuance and such were called Alhae Mulieres or the white women which in their modern tongue implies as much as the white Sybils 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 jugling illusions of the devill yet since the Saviour of the world and our only patron hath supplanted him by the more pure and fervent preaching of the Gospell these mockeries and fallacies by which hee cheated the unlettered multitude of their faith and God of his honour are meerly adnichilated insomuch there is scarce left to posterity the least memory of their wicked traditions Of such as these it seems S. Hierom took especiall notice when in an Epistle writ to Paula upon the death of Blesilla he thus speaks Quae causa est ut saepe Dimuli Trimuli ubera lactantes c. i. What is the reason that children of two or three years of age and such as suck at the breast should be corrupted by devils The Ethnicks custome was to give names to such according to the diversity of their actions there were some called Hecataea as sent from Hecate others by the Italians Tolletae or Empedusae But this may appeare a digression from our Sybils therefore I thus proceed with them Pâ—trus Crinitus in his twentieth book De honesta disciplina speaking of the Sybils the Branchi and the Delphick prophetesses alledges Gellius Firmianus Hieronymus and other ancient writers extracting from their opinion which way and by what means these Oracles were imagined to be possest with the spirit of divination These of that order as Plato and Iamblicus have learnedly related either from the gods or spirits say they are inspired with that illumination by which they discern the fundamentall causes of things and can presage and foresee such events as shall succeed Iamblic in his book to Porphyrius saith thus The Sybill of Delphos two severall waies conceives the spirit by which she prophesies either by a soft breath or else by fire proceeding from the mouth of a certaine den or cave before the entrance of which she seats her selfe upon a three-footed or four-footed stool of brasse in which place the divine power either by whispering in her care or by some other infused blast inspired into her gives her the facility of uttering her predictions The Branchae sitting upon an axeltree held in her had a wand consecrated to some deity or other and either washt her selfe in some sacred fountain or received some influence from the vapour of
The fast two under the Messias awe And as repose by Sabbath is exprest Sun Moon and Stars all things shall then have rest It is likely and may be conjectured that she came to the light of Elias prophesies for in the like manner he distributed the world divining of the continuance of mankind and the change of times the first two thousand yeares he call Tempus inane which may be thus interpreted because the many regions of the earth were not fully inhabited Babylon not yet built and divers spatious Provinces undiscover'd or else because the politick estate of the Church was not yet visibly established and separated from other nations For then were no Empires extant which after were apparant in the Monarchies Yet doubtlesse it is that the first age was the golden and most flourishing because the nature of man was then most potent and vigorous as may appeare by their longevity living so many hundred years moreover it bred many wise old men full of the divine light that spake of God of the Creation and were witnesse of the Arts and Sciences The second time was numbred from the Circumcision to Christs comming in the flesh and being born of a Virgin which conteins little lesse than two thousand years and that is under the Law The third time if it reach not to the full number to equall the former it is for our sins which are many and great for which mankind shall be the sooner destroi'd and Christ for his elect sake will hasten his judgement Sybilla Cumana SHe was likewise called Amalthaea Hyginus in his second book speaks of Amalthaea that gave suck to Jupiter in his infancy his history he derives from Parmenesius and relates it thus There was a certaine King of Creet called Mellisaeus to whose daughters young Jupiter was sent to be nursed but they wanting milk brought unto him a goat called by that name which gave him suck This goat was so fruitfull that she ever brought forth two Kids and was then newly eased of her burden when Jupiter was brought thither to be fostred In gratitude of which good done to him he after translated her and her kids amongst the stars which Cleostratus Tenedius first observed Musaeus reports otherwise That Athemides and Amalthaea were two nurses to whom the charge of Jupiters infancy was committed both beautifull Nymphs Amalthaea having a goat whom she much loved and with whose milk she brought him up Palepbatus in his fabulous narrations speaks of the horn of Amalthaea which Hercules still bore about him which was of that vertue that it still supplyed him with all necessaries whatsoever from which grew a Proverb That all such as were supplyed without complaining of want were said to have the 〈◊〉 of Amalthaea the history is thus Hercules travelling through Boeotia to visit his Nephew Iolaus sojourned by the way for a season amongst the Thespians where lived a woman of approved beauty and vertue called Amalthaea with whose feature Hercules being much delighted he hosted there longer than his purpose which Iolaus taking ill Amalthaea out of a horn in which she had hoarded some quantity of monie furnisht Hercules with all things needfull which some strangers taking especiall notice of they rumour'd it abroad and from thence first grew the Proverb But to return to our Amalthaea Cumana This was she by whose conduct Aeneas had free passage into hell as Virgil expresseth at large in his sixth book She brought to Tarquinius Priscus those three books of Prophesies of which two were burnt and one preserved By which computation comparing the time betwixt Aeneas and Tarquin she could live no lesse then five hundred years nor is it altogether incredible since when Livia the daughter of Rutilius Terentia of M. Cicero and Clodia of Aulus the first lived ninety seven yeares the second a hundred and thirty the third a hundred and fifteen after the bearing of fifteen children Gorgias Leontius the tutor of Isocrates and many other learned men in the hundred and seventh year of his age being asked Why he desired to live any longer answered Because he felt nothing in his body by which to accuse age Herodotus Pliny Cicero and others speak of one Arganthonius Gaditanus who raigned fourscore yeares being sixty yeares of age before he came to his crown Solinus and Ctesias with others averre that amongst the Aethiopians a hundred and thirty years is but a common age and many arrive unto it Hellanicus testates that the Epians a people of Aetolia attained to two hundred whom Damiales exceeds naming one Littorius that reached to three hundred the like we read of Nestor I will conclude with Dondones whom Pliny affirms survived five hundred years yet never stooped with age More liberally speaks Zenophon who bestowes on one of the Latine Kings eight hundred and six hundred upon his father but I will forbear further to speak 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 pomp shall end in â—iâ—e Thence to the Meads it transmigrates and they Shall in nine full successions beare chiefe sway Three hundred years shall memorise their deeds Wanting just eight The Persian then succeeds In th' universall Empire which must last Fourteen Kings reigns and then their sway be past Over to Greece but ere the light blow out Two hundred fifty years shall come about Adding five months The Monarchy now stands Transferr'd on Macedonia who commands The world but Alexander by him is guided The spatious earth but in his death divided Amongst his Captains Macedon one ceaseth Asia another Syria best pleaseth A third Egypt a fourth thus lots are cast Two hundred eighty eight their pomp shall last And then expire Great Rome shall then look hie Whose proud towers from 7. hils shall brave the skie And overlook the world In those blest daies Shall come a King of Kings and he shall raise A new plantation and though greater far Than all the Monarchs that before him are In majesty and power yet in that day So meek and humble he shall dain to pay Tribute to Caesar yet thrive happy he That shall his subject or his servant be After the death of Alexander the Kingdome of Macedonia was successively injoied by fifteen Kings and indured a hundred fifty seven years and eight months Asia and Syria were governed by nineteen Kings and lasted two hundred eighty nine years Egypt was possest by ten Ptolomies and lastly by Cleopatra and it continued two hundred eighty eight years These Kingdomes failing the Romans gained the chiefe predominance Of this Sybill S. Isiodore Virgil and Ovid writ more at large she writ her Prophesie in leaves of trees and then plac'd them over the Altar which when the wind moved or made to shake they had no efficacy but when they remained firm and without motion they received their
imperiall purple Narses the Eunuch had fought under him many brave and victorious battels against the Goths who had usurped the greatest part of Italy from whence he expelled them slew their King and freed the whole Country from many outrages Notwithstanding his great good service he was calumniated to the Emperor and so hated by the Empresse Sophia that she sent him word That she would make him lay by his sword and armour and with a distaffe spin wool amongst her maids to which message he returned answer That he would make such a thread to put in her loom that all the weavers in the Empire should scarce make good cloath on Upon this ground he sent to Alhinus King of the Huns who then inhabited Pannonia asking him why he would dwell in the barren continent of Pannonia when the most fertile Countrie of Italy lay open to his invasion Albinus apprehending this incouragement from Narses in the yeare six hundred threescore and eight made his first incursion into the Emperors consines who sent certain spies to discover the forces of Albinus of which he having intelligence caused all the women to untie their haire and fasten it about their chins thereby to seem men and make the number of his army appear the greater The spies observing them wondred amongst themselves and asked what strange people these were with the Long beards and from hence their names were first derived which hath since been remarkable in the most pleasant and fertile climate of all Italy from them called Lombardy Others say that when they went to fight against the Vandals There was a man that had the spirit of Prophesie whom they besought to pray for them and their good successe in the battell now when the Prophet went to his orisons the Queen had placed her selfe and her women just against the window where he praied with their haire disposed as aforesaid and just as he ended his devotions they opened their casements and appeared to him who presently said to himselfe what be these Long beards to whom the Queen replied To these Long-beards then whom thou hast named let the victory happen thus saith the history Rhodegondis was Queen of France but after her not any Now some may demand the reason why the Salick law was first made by which all women were made incapable of succession in the principalities which as Policronicon relates was this The Crown lineally descending to a Princess of the blood whom for modesties sake he forbears to name or at least their Chronicles are loath to publish this Lady having many Princely sutors neglected them all and fell in love with a Butcher of Paris whom she privately sent for and as secretly married since when all of that sex were by an irrevocable decree disabled of all soveraignty Cassiope was the famous Queen of Aethiopia Harpalice of the Amazons Hippolite of Magnesia Teuca of the Illyrians c. Of these in their places Amongst whom let me not be so unnaturall to her merit or so ungratefull to my Country thrice blest and divinely happy in her most fortunate reign as not to remember that ever to be celebrated Princesse Elizabeth of late memory Queen of England She that was a Saba for her wisedome an Harpalice for her magnanimity witnesse the Camp at Tilbury a Cleopatra for her bounty a Camilla for her chastity an Amalasuntha for her temperance a Zenobia for her learning and skill in language of whose omniscience pantarite and goodness all men heretofore have spoken too little no man hereafter can write too much sacred be still her memory to us on earth as her blessed soule lives ever glorified in heaven Her succeeded though not in her absolute Monarchy yet a Princesse of unspotted fame incomparable clemency unmatchable goodnesse and most remarkable vertue Queen Anne whom all degrees honoured all Nations loved and â—â—â—ongue was ever heard to asperse with the least calumny who in her too short eminence here amongst us was known to be the step of dignity to many but detriment to none in whom all were glad by whom none had ever the least cause of sorrow unlesse in the lamented losse of so grave and gracious a Princesse And for my own part gentle and courteous Reader let me borrow so much of thy pacience that I may upon this so just and good occasion remember a long neglected duty by inserting in this place a few funerall tears upon her hearse A Funeral Ode upon the death of Anna Panareta NOw Hymen change thy saffron weeds To robe and habit sable For joyfull thoughts use Funerall deeds Since nothing's firm or stable This alas we May read and see As in a map or printed table It was not at the time of yeare Birds bid the spring good-morrow Nor when we from the Summer cleare Her warmth and pleasures borrow Nor when full fields Ripe Autumne yields That we are thus involv'd in sorrow But when the barren earth denies Fruits to the reapers mowing When Meteors muster in the skies And no faire fruits are growing When winter cold Dry feare and old His frozen fingers o'r the fire sits blowing When the Sun scants us of his heat And Phoebe tempests threateth When Boreas blustring in his seat His frozen pinions beateth And as a King Above the Spring The fresh and timely buds defeateth In this great barrennesse were we Our plenty made to smother But what might this rare jewell be A Saint a Queen a Mother An Hester faire A Judith rare These dead oh point me out another Save Debora that 's likewise dead Fam'd for her Countries freeing But shall we henceforth see or read Of such another being Oh what a dearth Is now on earth That here none lives with these agreeing Saba was wise so was our Queen For beauty others famed Some for their vertue crown'd have been And in large legends named Who living shall Contend in all With her alas shall be but shamed But since our praises at their best Shorten so farre her merit Leave her to her eternall rest A glorious Sainted spirit For aye to sing Vnto heavens King Thanks for these joies she doth inherit Yet 't is a duty that we owe To give our griefe impression The greater that our sorrowes grow It shewes the lesse transgression A losse like this 'T is not amisse That we then leave to all succession Skies mourn her death in stormy clouds Seas weep for her in brine Thou earth that now her frailty shrouds Lament though she be thine Only rejoice Heaven with loud voice That you are now become her shrine For this appear'd the Blazing starre Yâ—â— fresh in our memory Thaâ— Christâ—ndome both neer and far Might tell it as a story Great Jove is sent With an intent Only to get her to her glory In the Catalogue of Queens having so late remembred the mother how can I forget the daughter she to whom I must give that attribute which all souldiers bestow upon her
the very name hath been so terrible amongst them as they had rather encertein into their dark and sad dominions ten thousand of their wives then any one man who hears the least character of a Cuckold But having done with this sporting I proceed to what is more serious Of Women remarkable for their love to their Husbands IT is reported of the wives of Wynbergen a free place in Germany that the Town being taken in an assault by the Emperor and by reason the Citizens in so valiantly defending their lives and honours had been the overthrow of the greatest part of his army the Emperour grew so inplacable that the purposed though mercy to the women yet upon the men a bloody revenge Composition being granted and articles drawn for the surrender of the Town it was lawfull for the matrons and virgins by the Emperours edict to carry out of their own necessaries a burden of what they best liked The Emperour not dreaming but that they would load themselves with their jewels and coin rich garments and such like might perceive them issuing from the Ports with every wife her husband upon her back and every virgin and demosel her father or brother to expresse as much love in preserving their lives then as the men had before valour in defending their liberties This noble example of conjugall love and piety took such impression in the heart of Caesar that in recompence of their noble charity he not only suffered them to depart peaceably with their first burdens but granted every one a second to make choice of what best pleased them amongst all the treasure and wealth of the City Michael Lord Montaigne in his Essaies speaks only of three women for the like vertue memorable the first perceiving her husband to labour of a disease incurable and every day more and more to languish perswaded him resolutely to kill himselfe and with one blow to be rid of a lingring torment but finding him to be somewhat faint-hearted she thus put courage into him by her own noble example I quoth she whose sorrow for thee in thy sicknesse hath in some sort paralleld thy torment am willing by one death both to give date unto that which hath for thy love afflicted me and thy violent and unmedicinable torture So after many perswasive motives to encourage his fainting resolution she intended to die with him in her arms and to that purpose lest her hold by accident or affright should unloose she with a cord bound fast their bodies together and taking him in her loving embraces from an high window which overlooked part of the sea cast themselves both headlong into the water As pious affection shewed that renowned matron Arria vulgarly called Arria mater because she had a daughter of the name she seeing her husband Poetus condemned and willing that he should expire by his own hand rather then the stroke of a common hangman perswaded him to a Roman resolution but finding him somewhat danted with the present fight of death she snatcht up a sword with which she transpierc'd her selfe and then plucking it from her bosome presented it unto her husband only with these few and last words Poete non dolet Hold Poetus it hath done me no harm and so fell down and died of whom Martial in his first book of Epigrams hath left this memory Casta suo gladium cum traderet Aria Poeto Quem dedit visceribus traxerat illa suis Si qua fides vulnus quod seci non dolet inquit Sed quod tu facies hoc mihi Poete dolet When Aria did to Poetus give that steel Which she before from her own brest had tane Trust me quoth she no smart at all I feel My only wound 's to think upon thy pain The third was Pompeia Paulina the wife of Seneca who when by the tyrannous command of Nero she saw the sentence of death denounced against her husband though she was then young and in the best of her years and he aged and stooping notwithstanding so pure was her affectionat zeale towards him that as soon as she perceived him to bleed caused her own vein to be opened so to accompany him in death few such presidents this our age affordeth Yet I have lately seen a discourse intituled A true Narration of Rathean Herpin who about the time that Spinola with the Bavarians first entred the Pallatinate finding her husband Christopher Thaeon Appoplext in all his limbs and members with an invincible constancy at severall journies bore him upon her back the space of 1300 English miles to a Bath for his recovery These and the like presidents of nuptiall piety make me wonder why so many Satyrists assume to themselves such an unbridled liberty to inveigh without all limitation against their Sex I hapned not long since to steale upon one of these censorious fellowes and found him writing after this manner I wonder our fore-fathers durst their lives Hazard in daies past with such choice of wives And as we read to venture on so many Methinks he hath enow that hath not any Sure either women were more perfect then Or greater patience doth possesse us men Or it belongs to them since Eve'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 toresolve me lay some ground For my instruction good the like is found ' Mongst birds and serpents did you never see A milk 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 deep waters that in torments meet Can never wash the blacknesse from her feet Who ever saw a Dragon richly clad In golden scales but that within he had His goâ—ge stufe full of venome I behold The woman and methinks 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 'll beware thee since I know That under the more spreading Misceltow The greater Mandrake thrives whose shrieke presages Or ruine or disaster Who ingages Himselfe to beauty he shall find dependants Contempt Disdain and Scorn with their attendants Inconstancy and Falshood in their train Wait loosnesse and intemperance But in vain Before the blind we glorious objects bring Lend armour to the lame or counsell sing To them will find no ears be 't then approv'd None ever fair that hath sincerely lov'd If beautifull she 's proud if rich then scorn She thinks becomes her best But ' ware the horn Thou man if she be crost once bright or black Well shap'd or ugly doth she fortunes lack Or be she great in means haunts she the Court City or Countrie They all love the sport Further he was proceeding when I staied his pen and so stopped the torrent of his poeticall raptureo and so laid before him
the best How much then is it to be underprized when it is contaminated and spotted with lust and unlawfull prostitution since it is a maxime That things common are so far from begetting appetite and affection that they rather engender the seeds of contempt and hatred for how should any thing festered and corrupt please the eie or that wich is rotten and unsound give content unto the palate But to return to my first Apology needfull it is that to the Tragick Muse Melpomene I should suit Tragicall history wherein if any women be personated for Inconstancy Intemperance Adultery Incest or any such vile and abominable action she hath in that disgraced her selfe not her sex as stretching no further then the delinquent It any man object and say they are bad presidents to him I answer they are examples of horror to be eschewed not imitated which in their own natures beget a loathing not liking and for placing them next to and so neer to the women Illustrious I will excuse my selfe in this short Epigram A skilfull Painter having limm'd a face Surpassing faire of admirable feature Sets by the same to give it the more grace The pourtrait of some foule deformed creature No doubt as much art in the last is shown As in the first albeit that pleaseth most How ever to the workman 't is 〈…〉 They both to him arâ— of likâ— care and cost 'T is so with me I have set before you many Bâ—ave Ladies of theâ— all to take full view Pleasing to th' eie 〈…〉 Whom a more willing workman 〈…〉 Should these appeare rough hew'd or of bad savour And whose aspect cannot so well 〈◊〉 you Perhaps the next of more delight 〈…〉 And grinding other colours I 'll preâ—â—â— you A smoother piece and liâ—â—â— if I be able A fairer face in a more curious fable Of women incestuous and first of Q. Semiramis IT is questioned by some authors concerning this potent and mighty Queen whether she be more renowned for her brave and magnanimous exploits or notorious for her ignoble and infamous actions some willing that for her vertues sake her vices should be utterly buried in oblivion others in regard of what was bad in her that nothing good or commendable might of her to posterity be remembred I purpose to give you a taste of both Some say she was called Semiramis of the birds named Semiramides by which it is said she was fostered in her infancy but that bearing no shew of truth others derive her denomination from Samir which in the Hebrew and the Syrian dialect imports as much as Adamant because her noble and brave atchievements attracted the hearts of that barbarous rude Nation to her admiration and love as the Adamant drawes iron Plutarch in libro Amator saith she was a damosell of Syria and concubine to the King of that Country with whose love Ninus being after besotted took her to his wife of whom she had that predominance that though before he had conquered all the Eastern parts subjugated his neighbour Kings and subdued Zoroastres Monarch of the Bactrians he that was the first inventor of the Art magick that devised the principles of Astrology and found out the true motions of the stars notwithstanding she so far prevailed with him that for one day she might sit in the roiall throne and for that space have the regall jurisdiction in her full power with intire command over the whole Empire In the morning of her soveraignty she imposed upon the subjects such modest and mild injunctions that ere noon she had insinuated into their bosomes so far that she found them so pliable and conformable to her desires that she presumed there was nothing so difficult and impossible which for her sake they would not boldly and resolutely undertake Upon this presumption she stretched her usurpation so far that she commanded them to lay hands upon 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 son called Ninus junior who should have succeeded his father that for fifty two years space had swaied the Babylonian Empire but whether in her own ambition desirous of the principality or finding her son too effeminate to be Lord over so great a people and uncertaine withall whether so many men and of so many sundry Nations would submit themselves to the soveraignty of a woman all these suppositions being doubtfull certain it is that instead of the mother of Ninus she assumed the person of Ninus her son 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 insomuch that never mother and child could have more true resemblance having therefore lull'd her son in all effeminacy and atâ—iâ—â—d him in her Queen-like vesture the better to shadow her own proportion she suited her selfe in long garments and commanded all her subjects to do the like which habit hath been amongst the Assyrians Bactrians and Babylonians in use even to this day Upon her head she wore a Turbaâ—â— oâ— Myter such as none but Kings used to adorn their heads with so that in the beginning she was known for no other then the Prince in whose name she accomplisht many notable and noble atchievements at whose amplitude Envy and Emulation stood amazed confessing her in all her attempts supereminent neither did her heroick actions any way derogate from the honour of the Empire but rather add to the splendour thereof admiration in regard a woman had not only excelled all of her sex in valour but might claim a just priority over men She built the mighty City Babylon and the stately wals reckoned amongst the seven wonders She not only conquered all Aethiopia and made that Kingdome to her state tributary but invaded India being the first that durst attemptie and saving her no 〈…〉 but Alexander who was the second and the last Thus 〈◊〉 Justin out of the history of Trogus Pompeius Berosus affiâ—ms as mâ—ch these be his words Nemo unquam huic seminae comparandus est virorum tanta in ejus vita scribuntur cum ad vituperationem tum maxime ad laudem No man was ever to be compared with this woman such great things have been written of her partly to her disgrace but chiefly to her praise He proceeds further She was the fourth that reigned in Assyria for so it is approved Nimâ—oâ— was the first being father to Belus and grand-father to Ninus which Ninus was the first that made war upon his neighbours and usurped their dominions in whom began to cease the Golden world whom his widdow Queen succeeded counterfeiting the shape of man She was after slain by her sonne Ninus the second of that name who as Eusebius writes after her death swai'd the Scepter thirty and eight years One memorable thing is recorded of her by Diodorus S. culuâ— lib. 3.
having learned certaing problems and aenigmas of the muses disposed her selfe in the mountaine Phycaeus The riddle that she proposed to the Thebans was this What creature is that which hath one distinguishable voice that first walkes upon four next two and lastly upon three feet and the more legs it hath is the lesse able to walk The strict conditions of this monster were these that so often as he demanded the solution of this question till it was punctually resolved he had power to chuse out any of the people where he best liked whom he presently devoured but they had this comfort from the Oracle That this Aenigma should be no sooner opened and reconciled with truth but they should be freed from this misery and the monster himselfe should be destroied The last that was devoured was Aemon son to King Creon who fearing lest the like sad fate might extend it selfe to the rest of his issue caused proclamation to be made That whosoever could expound this riddle should marry Jocasta the wife of the dead King Laius and be peaceably invested in the Kingdome this no sooner came to the ears of Oedipus but he undertook it and resolved it thus This creature saith he is man who of all other hath only a distinct voice he is born four footed as in his infancy crawling upon his feet and hands who growing stronger erects himselfe and walkes upon two only but growing decrepit and old he is fitly said to move upon three as using the help of his staffe This solution was no sooner published but Sphinx cast herselfe headlong from the top of that high Promontory and so perished and Oedipus by marrying the Queen was with a generall suffrage instated in the Kingdome He begot of her â—wo sons and two daughters Eâ—eocles and Polâ—nâ—ces Ismâ—ne and Antigone though some write that Oedipus had these children by Rurigenia the daughter of Hyperphantes These former circumstances after some years no sooner came to light but Jocasta in despair strangled her selfe Oedipus having torn out his eies was by the people expulsed Thebes cursing at his departure his children for suffering him to undergo that injury his daughter Antigone lead him as far as to Colonus a place in Attica where there is a grove celebrated to the Eumenides and there remained till he was removed thence by Theseus and soon after died And these are the best fruits that can grow from so abominable a root Of the miserable end of his incestuous issue he that would be further satisfied let him read Sophocles Apollodorus and others Oâ— him Tyresias thus prophesied Neque hic laetabitur Calibus eventis suis nam factus c. No comfort in his fortunes he shall find He now sees clearly must at length be blind And beg that 's now a rich man who shall stray Through forrein Countries for his doubtfull way Still gripping with his staffe The brother he And father of his children both shall be His mothers son and husband first strike dead His father and adulterate next his bed Crithaeis SHE was wife to one Phaemius a schoolmaster and mother to Homer Prince of the Greek Poets Ephorus of Coma in a book intiteled the Cumaean Negotiation leaves her story thus related Atelles Maeones and Dius three brothers were born in Cuma Dius being much indebted was forced to remove thence into Ascra a village of Boeotia and there of his wife Pâ—cemedâ— he begot Hesiodus Atelles in his own Country dying a naturall death committed the pupillage of his daughter Crithaeis to his brother Maeones but comming to ripe growth she being by him vitiated and proving with child both fearing the punishment due to such an offence she was conferred upon Phaemius to whom she was soon after married and walking one day out of the City to bath her selfe in the river Miletus she was by the stood side delivered of young Homer and of the name thereof called him Mâ—lesigines But after losing his sight he was called Homer for such of the Cumaeans and Ionians are called Omouroi Aristotle he writes contrary to Ephorus that what time Neleus the son of Codrus was President in Ionia of the Collony there then newly planted a beautifull Virgin of this Nation was forced and deâ—â—oured by one of the Genius's which used â—o dance with the Muses who after remâ—ved to a place called Aegina and meeting with certain forragers and robbers that made sundry incursions into the Country she was by them surprized and brought to Smyrna who presented her to Meonides a companion to the King of the Lydians he at the first sight inamoured of her beauty took her to wife who after sporting her selfe by the banks of Milâ—rus brought forth Homer and instantly expired And since we had occasion to speak of his mother let it not seem altogether impertinent to proceed a little of the son who by reason of his being hurried in his childhood from one place to another and ignorant both of his Country and parents went to the Oracle to be resolved concerning them both as also his future fortunes who returned him this doubtfull answer Foelâ—x miser ad sortemes quia natus utramque Perquiris patrians matris tibi non patris câ—â—tat c. Happy and wretched both must be thy fate That of thy Country dost desire to heare Known is thy 〈◊〉 clime thy father 's not An Island in the sea to Creet not neer Nor yet far â—ss in which thou shalt expire When 〈◊〉 a riddle shalt to thee propose Whose dark Aenigma thou canst not acquire A double Fate thy life hath thou shalt lose Thine eies yet shall thy lofty Muse ascend And in thy death thou life have without end In his later daies he was present at Thebes at their great feast called Saturnalia and from thence comming to Ius and sitting on a stone by the water port there landed some fishermen whom Homer asked what they had taken but they having got nothing that day but for want of other work only lousing themselves thus merily answered him Non capta afferimus fuerant quae capta relictis We bring with us those that we could not find But all that we could catch we lâ—ft 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 unfold it is said that for very griefe he ended his life This unmatchable Poet whom no man regarded in his life yet when his works were better considered of after his death he had that honour that seven famous Cities contended about the place of his birth every one of them appropriating it unto themselves Pindarus the Poet makes question whether he were of Chius or Smyrna Simonides affirms him to be of Chius Antimachus and Nicander of Colophon Aristotle the Philosopher to be of Ius Ephorus the Historiographer that he was of Cuma Some have been of opinion that he was born in Salamine
the women of the City with the Virgins houshold servants and intent 〈◊〉 meeting but the matrons and wives of the nobility 〈…〉 night-festivall in a conclave or parlor by themselves 〈◊〉 she 〈◊〉 her selfe with a sword and with her two daughters secretly conveied her selfe into the Temple 〈◊〉 the time when all the matrons were most busie about the ceremonies and mysteries in the conclave then having made fast the doors and shut up the passages and heaped together a great quantity of billets with other things combustible provided for the purpose but especially all that sweet wood that was ready for the sacrifice of that solemnity she set all on fire which the men hastning to quench in multitudes she before them all with a constancy undaunted first slew her daughters and after her selfe making the ruins of this Temple their last funerall fire The Lacedemonians having now nothing left of Alcippus against which to rage they caused the bodies of Democrita and her daughters to be cast out of the confines of Sparta For this ingratitude it is said by some that great earthquake hapned which had almost overturned the City of Lacedemon from Democrita I come to Phillus Demophron the son of Theseus and Phaedra the halfe brother to Hippolitus returning from the wars of Troy towards his Country by tempests and contrary winds being driven upon the coast of Thrace was gently received and affectionately enterteined by Phillis daughter to Lyâ—urgus and Crustumena then King and Queen of that Country and not only to the freedome of all generous hospitality but to the liberty and accesse unto her bed He had not long sojourned there but he had certain tidings of the death of Muesthaeus who after his father Thesâ—us was expulsed Athens had usurped the principility pleased therefore with the newes of innovation and surprized with the ambition of succession he pretending much domestick businesse with other negotiations pertaining to the publike government after his faith pawned to Phillis that his return should be within a month he got leave for his Countrie therefore having calked and moored his ship making them serviceable for the sea he set saile towards Athens where arrived he grew altogether unmindfull of his promised faith or indented return Four months being past and not hearing from him by word or writing she sent him an Epistle in which she complains of his absence then perswads him to cal to mind her more then common courtesies to keep his faith ingaged to her and their former contract to make good by marriage the least of which if he refused to accomplish her violated honour she would recompence with some cruel and violent death which she accordingly did for knowing her selfe to the despised and utterly cast off she in her fathers Palace hanged her selfe From Phillis I proceed to Deianeira Jupiter begat Hercules of Alâ—mena in the shape of her husband Amphitrio joining three nights in one whom Euristius King of Micena at the urgence of his stepmother Juno imploid in all hazardous and fearfull adventures not that thereby he might gaine the greater honour but by such means sooner perish but his spirit was so great and his strength so eminent that from forth all these swallowing dangers he still plunged a victor amongst these difficulties was that combat against Achelous a Flood in Aetolia who transhaped himself into sundry figures for the love of Deianeira daughter to Oeneus and Althaea King and Queen of Calidon and sister to Meleager he whom no monsters nor earthly powers could came by the conquest of Achilous won Deianeira for his bride But he whom all tyrants and terrours were subject to submitted himselfe to effeminacy and the too much dotage upon women for when Euritus King of Oechalia had denied him his daughter Iole before promised him the City taken and the King slaine he took her freely into his embraces with whose love he was so blinded that her imperious command he laid by his club and Lions skin the trophies of his former victories and which was most unseemly for so great a conquerour parâ—on a womanish habit and blusht not with a distasse in his hand to spin amongst her damosels In briefe what slavery and servitude soever he had before suffered under the tyranny of Omphale Queen of Lydia of whom he begot Lamus he endured from her which Deianeira hearing in a letter she â—aies open to him all his former noble act and victories that by comparing them with his present 〈◊〉 it the better might encourage him to 〈◊〉 the first and deter him from the last But having receved newes of Hercules calamity by reason of the poisoned shire sent him by her servant Lychas dipt in the blood of the Centaur Nessus in which she thought there had been the vertue to revoke him from all new loves and establish him in his first for so Nessus had perswaded her when in her transwafcage over the flood Evenus he was slain by the arrow of Hercules dipt in the poison of Lerna when the I say heard of the death of her husband and that though unwilling it hapned by her means she died by a voluntary wound given by her own hand Nor such as that which followes The Ionians through all their Province being punisht with a most fearfull and horrible pest insomuch that it almost swept the City and Country and had it longer continued would have left their places and habitations desolate they therefore demanded of the Oracle a remedy for so great a mischiefe which returned them this answer That the plague should never cease till the young man Menalippus and the faire Cometho were slain and offered in sacrifice to Diana Tryclaria and the reason was because he had strumpeted her in the Temple And notwithstanding their deaths unlesse every yeare at the same season a perfectly featured youth and a virgin of exquisite beauty to expiate their transgression were likewise offered upon the same Altar the plague should still continue which was accordingly done and Menalippus and the faire Cometho were the first dish that was served up to this bloody feast The same author speaks of the daughter of Aristodemus in this manner The Messenians and the Lacedemonians have continued a long and tedious war to the great depopulation of both their Nations those of Missenâ— sent to know of the event of the Oracle at Delphos and to which party the victory would at length incline Answered is returned That they shal be conquerors and the Lacedemonians have the worst but upon this condition To chuse out of the family of the Aepitidarians a virgin pure and unblemisht and this damosel to sacrifice to Jupiter This Aristodemus hearing a Prince and one of the noblest of the family of the Aepitidarians willing to gratifie his Countrie chused out his only daughter for immolation and sacrifice which a noble youth of that Nation hearing surprized both with love and pity love in hope to enjoy her and
remain Whose power no limit can no place contein Who being born did'st now begin to see All these great works created first by thee The work and workman of thy selfe not scorning T' obey those weary hours of Ev'n and Morning Of which th' art Lord and tell each minute o'r Made by thy Wisdome for mans use before And took'st on thee our shape only to show To us that God we did till then not know c. Petronilla VVHen Peter the Apostle had by his faith cured all infirmities and diseases and in all places yet he suffered his daughter Petronilla to be grievously afflicted with a Feaver and being demanded why he that had cured others did not help her he answered Because he knew her sicknesse to be most behoofful for her souls health for the weaker she was in body she was so much the stronger in faith setling her cogitations on the joies of heaven and not the pleasures of the world desiring of God that she might rather die a chast Virgin then to be the wife of the Counsull Flaccus by whom she was at that time most earnestly solicited whose praier was heard for she died of that sicknesse and the Consull was prevented of his purpose who had long insidiated her chastity Marul lib 4 cap. 8. The like we read of Hillarius Pâ—ctaviensis Episcopus who having long trained up his daughter Appâ—a in chastity and sanctity of life fearing lest time might alter her vowes and tempt her with the vain pleasures of the world he besought the giver of all graces that he might rather with joy follow her to her grave then 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 only president of Virginall chastity Tora the virgin was of that chast and austere life that having took a vow and once entred her profession she never put on her back any new garment or so much as changed her shooes Maria Aegyptiaca lived the life of an Hermit in the solitude of an unfrequented desart some write of her that as aften as she was seen to pray she seemed to be lifted up from the Earth into the Aire the height of a cubit Columba a Virgin of Perusina is reported to be of that chastity and abstinence that she never tasted any other food then the bare fruits of the earth from the years of her discretion till the hour of her death Amata was a professed Virgin who in forty yeâ—rs space never set foot over the threshold of that Cloister wherein she had confined her self in which time she never tasted food save bread and roots Sara lived in the time of Theodosius the elder she made a Vow never to lodge beneath any roof but inhabiting the bank of a certain river removed not from that place in threescore years The like is read of Sylvia a Virgin the daughter of Russinus a Prefect or Ruler in Alexandria who betook her selfe to solitude for the space of threescore years in which time she never washt any part of her body save her hands nor reposed her selfe upon any bed save the ground It is reported by Edward Hall John Leisland John Sleyden and others of S. Ebbe Abbesle of Collingham That to preserve her own and her sisters chastities and keep their vowes inviolate because they would seem odible to the Danes who had done many outrages both against Law and Religion and then tyrannized in the Land she cut off her own nose and upper lip and perswaded all the other Nuns to do the 〈◊〉 for whâ—â—h act the Danes burnt the Abby with all the 〈…〉 Fulgos lib. 4. cap. 3. speaks of Ildegunda a Germane Viâ—gin born in Nassau who after many temptations to which she feared her beauty might subject her in the year 1128 she changed her habit got to be entertein'd in a Priory neer unto worms called Scuâ—na beu Hiem in which she lived long by the name of Joseph in singular continence and modesty stil conversing amongst the learnedst and best approved schollers even till the time of her death neither was she then known to be a woman till comming to wash her body her Sex was discovered In the same Monastry and amongst that Covent lived 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 evil spirit but after by the praiers of holy men being recovered she vowed perpetuall Virginity And after being demanded in marriage by Sigebertus King of the French men she was delivered unto him by her father who debating with her concerning his present purpose she humbly desired to be excused by his majesty in regard she had already 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 upon her a religious life she preferring her Virgin Chastity before the state and title of a Queen And these shall suffice for Religious Virgins I now proceed to others that grounded their vertue on meer morality Baldraca was a Virgin but of mean parentage and of a dejected fortune yet to her never-dying honour and president to all ages to come notwithstanding she was not able to supply her selfe with things needfull and necessary either for sustenance or ornament neither by threats or menaces promises of worldly honours or promotion she could not be tempted to prostitute her selfe to the Emperor Otho Saxo Grammaticus writes of Serytha the daughter of Synaldus King of the Danes to be of that modesty that when the fame of her beauty had attracted a confluence of many suitors to the Court of her father yet she could never be won either to converse with or so much as to look upon any of them Tara was a French Lady of a noble and illustrious family she lived in the time of Heracâ—ius who when her father Hagerticus and her mother Leodegunda would have compell'd her to marry she fell into that excesâ—e of weeping that with the extraordinary flax of â—eares she grew blind soon after Dula was â— Virgin famous for her chastity who chose rather to be slain by the hand of a Souldier then to be despoiled of her Virginity Statyra and Roxana were the sisters of 〈◊〉 King of Pontus who for the space of forty yeers had kept their vow of Virginity inviolate these hearing the sad fate of their brother and fearing to be ravished by the enemy at least to fall into their captivity by taking of poison finished both their daies and sorrowes Plutarch writes of one Roxana drowned in a Well by Statyra It is reported of an
this day Myrtis Authedonia in a Poem expressed the death of the Damosel Ochne who had been before the destruction of the Heroe Ennostus Praxilla Siconia flourished in the 32 Olympiad whom Antipater Thessatus give the first place unto amongst the nine Lyrick Poets She writ Dithycambi and a Work which was called by her Metrum Praxillium She called Adonis from Hell to demand of him what was most beautiful in Heaven who answered The Sun the Moon Figs Apples Cucumbers That and such like was the Subject of her Poem of which grew a proverb against Lunaticks and mad men every such was called Praxilla's Adonis Nossis the Poetresse was the composer of Greek Epigrams and is by Antipater numbred with Praxilla amongst the Lyricks Myro Bizantia she writ Elegies and such as the Greeks call Melae or Musical Poems she is said to be the mother of Homer and reckoned one of the seven Pleiades the daughters of Atlas she 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 she was a friend to Sapho and lover whom in all her Poems she strived to imitate Her Hymns were sung at the sacrifices which were celebrated to Diana Pergaea after the manner of the Aetolians and Pamphilians She writ moreover certain books which she titled Libri Amatorii Of Minerva c. MInerva the daughter of Jupiter was for no other reason numbred amongst the gods but for her excellency and cunning in Poetry and other good arts of which she is said to be the first inventresse From her the ancient Athenians have borrowed the immortality of their name Next her we reckon the Corinnas There were three of that name The first called Corinna Thebana or Tanagraea she was the daughter of Archelodorus and Procratia and scholler to Myrtâ—s she in severall contentions five sundry times boâ—e away the Palm from Pindarus Prince of the Lyrick Pâ—ets she moreover published five books of Epigrams of her Propertius speaks The second was called Corinna Thespia she is much celebrated in the books of the ancient Poets especially by Statius The third lived in the time of Augustus and was to Ovid much endeared but of her wantonnesse than her Muse there is more memory extant I come to speak next of Erinna who was sirnamed Teia or as some wil have it Telia of the Island Telos not far distant from Gnidon she flourished in the time of Dion of Syracusa and published an excellent Poem in the Dorick Tongue comprized in three hundred Verses besides divers other Epigrams her stile was said to come neer the majesty of Homers she died when she was but nineteen yeers of age Damophila was a Greek Poetesse and the wife of Pamphilus she was Cousin-german and companion with Sapho Lyrica Poâ—tria she writ many Poems that were called Poemata Amatoria because their argument was meerly of love one Poem she writ in the praise of Diana for so much Theophrastus in the life of Apollonius remembers of her Hyppatia was a woman of Alexandria the daughter of Theon the Geometrician and wife to Isidorus the Philosopher she flourished in the time of the Emperor Arcadius she writ certain books of Astronomy and was froquent in divers kind of Poetry she purchased her selfe much fame for her learning insomuch that she engrossed a great confluence of Auditors in the City of Alexandria where she professed Suidas apud Volaterran Sapho ELianus affirms her to be the daughter of Scamandroniâ—â— Plato of Ariston Suidas and other Greek writers deliver to us that there were two of that name the one called â—rixia a much celebrated Poetesse who flourished in the time of the Poet Alcaeus of Pittachus and Tarquinius Priscus who first devised the use of the Lyre or Harp with a quil some give her the honor to be the inventor of the Lyrick verse the other was called Sapho Mitelaena long after her who was a singer and a strumpet she published â—ny rare and famous Poems amongst the Greeks and therefore had the honor to be called the tenth Muse the reason why she fell in love with Phaon Pliny attributes to the vertue of an herb but Baptista Egnatius a later writer and exquisite both in the Greek and Latin tongues in tranâ—ferring this fable from the originall into the Roman tongue as likewise others of his opinion conclude that Phaoâ— was of the profession of such as get their living by transporting passengers from one side of a river unto another a plain Ferry-man and that it hapned upon a time that Venus comming to the place where he kept his passage without demanding any hire he gave â—ot free transportage not knowing to whom it was he did that courtesie no way suspecting she had been a goddesse This Venus took so gratefully that she thought to requite his freenesse with a bounty far transcending the value of his painâ— She therefore gave him an alabaster box ful of a most pretious unguent teaching him how to apply it with which he no sooner annointed his face but he instantly became of all moâ—â—â—ll creatures the most beautifull of whom the Leâ—bian damosels grew enamoured but especially he was ardently and most affectionately beloved of Sapho Saphon having occasion to passe from Lesbos into Sicily she was tortured in soul for his absence intimating that it was done in despight or disgrace of her first purposed to cast her selfe from Leucate a high promontory in Epyre down into the Sea which she after did yet before she would attempt it she first in an Epistle thought by all the allurements of a womans wit to call him back again into his Country which Ovid in her behalfe most feelingly hath exprest And since it lies so fiâ—ly in my way for the opening of the History I thus give it English Ecquid ut aspecta est c. Is it possible as soon as thou shalt see My character thou know'st it comes from me 〈…〉 not reading of the authors name Couldst thou have known from whom this short work came Perhaps thou maist demand Why in this vain I court thee that profâ—sse the Lyrick strain My love 's to be bewept and that 's the reason No Barbit number suits this tragick season I burn as doth the corn-fields set on fire When the rough East winds still blow high and higher Now Phaon the Typhoean fields are thine But greater flames then Aetnas are now mine No true 〈◊〉 numbers flow from hence The empty work of a distracted sense The Pâ—rhian girle nor the Methimman lasse Now please me not the Lesbians who surpasse Vâ—le's Amithon vile Cidno too the fair So Atthis that did once appear most rare And hundreds more with whom my sins not small Wretch thou alone enjoy'st the loves of all Thou hast a face and youth fit for play Oh tempting face that didst mine eies betray Take Phoebus Faith upon thee and his bow And from
counsell with her about his recovery who told him there was no hope of his life unlesse he would yield that his young son then sucking at the Nurses breast should have his mortall infirmity confirmed upon it The father to save his own life yields that his son should perish of which the Nurse hearing just at the hour when the father should be healed is absent and conceals the child The father is no sooner toucht but helped of his disease the Witch demands for the child to transfer it upon him the child is missing and cannot be found which the Witch hearing broke out into this exclamation Actum est de me puer ubinam est i. I am undone where is the child when scarce having put her foot over the threshold to return home but she fell down suddenly dead her body being blasted and as black as an Aethiope The like remarkable Judgement fell upon a Witch amongst the Nanvetae who was accused of bewitching her neighbor The Magistrates commanded her but to touch the party distempered with her Inchantments which is a thing that is used by all the German Judges even in the Imperiall chamber it selfe The Witch denied to do it but seeing they began to compell her by force she likewise cried out I am then undone when instantly the sick woman recovered and the Witch then in health fell down suddenly and died whose body was after condemned to the fire And this Bodinus affirms to have heard related from the mouth of one of the Judges who was there present In Thoâ—oâ—a there was one skilful in Magick who was born in Burdegall he comming to visit a familiar friend of his who was extreamly afflicted with a Quartane Ague almost even to death told him he pitied his case exceedingly and therefore if he had any enemy but give him his name and he would take away the Feaver from him and transfer it upon the other The sick Gentleman thanked him for his love but told him there was not that man living whom he hated so much as to punish him with such a torment Why then saith he give it to my servant the other answering That he had not the conscience so to reward his good service Why then give it me saith the Magician who presently answered With all my heart take it you who it seemeth best knowes how to dispose it Upon the instant the Magician was stroke with the Feaver and within few daies after died in which interim the sick Gentleman was perfectly recovered Gregory Turonensis lib. 6. cap. 35. saith That when the wife of King Chilperick perceived her young son to be taken away by Witchcraft she was so violently incensed and inraged against the very name of a sorceresse that she caused diligent search to be made and all such suspected persons upon the least probability to be dragged to the stake or broken on the wheel most of these confessed that the Kings son was bewitched to death for the preservation of Mummo the great Master a potent man in the Kingdom this man in the midst of his torments smiled confessing that he had received such inchanted drugs from the Sorcerists that made him unsensible of pain but wearied with the multitude of torments he was sent to Burdegall where he not long after died I desire not to be tedious in any thing for innumerable Histories to these purposes offer themselves unto me at this present but these few testimonies â—roceeding from authentique Authors and the attestations 〈◊〉 such as have been approvedly learned may serve in this place as well as to relate a huge number of unnecessary discourses from writers of less fame and credit Neither is it to any purpose here to speak of the Witches in Lap-land Fin land and these miserable wretched cold Countries where to buy and sell winds betwixt them and the Merchants is said to be as frequent familiarly done amongst them as eating and sleeping There is anâ—ther kind of Witches that are called Extasists in whose discovery 〈◊〉 strive to be briefe A learned Neapolitan in a history 〈◊〉 since published that treats altogether of naturall Magick speaks of a Witch whom he saw strip her 〈◊〉 naked and having annointed her body with a certain 〈◊〉 fell down without sence or motion in which extasie she remained the space of three hours after she came to her selfe discovering many things done at the same time in divers remote places which after enquiry made were found to be most certain Answerable to this is that reported by the President Turetranus who in the Delphinate saw a Witch burned alive whose story he thus relates She was a maid-servant to an honest Citizen who comming home unexpected and calling for her but hearing none to answer searching the rooms he found her lying all along by a fire which she had before made in a private chamber which seeing he kickt her with his foot and bid her arise like a lazy huswiâ—e as she was and get her about her businesse but seeing her not to move he took a tough and smart wand and belaboured her very soundly but perceiving her neither to stir nor complain he viewing her better and finding all the parts of her body unsensible took fire and put it to such places of her body as were most tender but perceiving her to have lost all feeling was perswaded she was dead and called in his next neighbors telling them in what case he found her but concealing unto them the shrewd blowes he had given 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 body to stir and grone in the chamber they found their servant removed and laid in her bed at which the good man much amazed asked her in the name of God being late dead how came she so soon recovered to whom she answered Oh master master why have you beaten me thus the man reporting this amongst his neighbors 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 urged her so strictly that she confessed though her body was there present yet her soul was abroad at the assembly of divers Witches with many other mischiefs for which she was held worthy of death and judged At Burdegall in the year 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 fearfull things confessed by her she was convicted and imprisoned where D. Boletus visited her desiring to be eie-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 Goale to another lodging
sister received with joy and of the people with loud acclamations and being now possessed of the Imperiall dignity the better as he thought to secure himselfe having power answerable to his will after the barbarous custome of the Turkish tyranny he first caused his eight younger brothers to be beheaded stretching his bloody malice to all or the most part of his own affinity not suffering any to live that had been neer or deer to his deceased brother so that the City Casbin seemed to swim in blood and ecchoed with nothing but lamentations and mournings His cruelty bred in the people both fear and hate both which were much more increased when they understood he had a purpose to alter their form of religion who with great adoration honour their prophet Aly into the Turkish superstition his infinite and almost incredible butcheries concern not my project in hand I therefor leave them and return to his sister whose name was Periaconcona who when this Tyrant was in the middest of his securities and the sister as he imagined in her sisterly love and affection upon a night when he was in all dissolute voluptuousnesse sporting amidst his concubines she into whose trust and charge he had especially committed the safety of his person having confederated with Calilchan Emirchan Pyrymahomet and Churchi Bassa the most eminent men in the Empire admitted them into the Seraglio in womans attire by whom with her assistant hand in the midst of his luxuries he was strangled an act though happily beneficiall to the common good yet ill becomming a sister unlesse such an one as strived to parallel him in his unnaturall cruelties Turkish History Equall with this was that of Quendreda who after the death of Ranulphus King of Mercia his young son Kenelm a child of seven years of age raigning in his stead whose roiall estate and dignity being envied by his sister she conspired with one Heskbertus by whose treacherous practise the King was enticed into a thick forrest and there murdered and privately buried his body long missed and not found and the conspirators not so much as suspected But after as Willielm de regib lib. 1. and de Pontificibus lib. 4. relates a Dove brought in her bill a scrole written in English golden letters and laid it upon the Altar of Saint Peter which being read by an Englishman contained these words by which the place where the body lay was discovered At Clent in Cowbach Kenelme Keneborn lieth under Thorn heaved by weaved that is in plainer English At Clent in Cowbach under a thorn Kenelm lieth headlesse slain by treason Some say it was found by a light which streamed up into the air from the place where his body lay covered His hearse being after borne towards his sepulchre to be a second time interred with solemn Dirges sung by the Churchmen Quendreda sitting then in a window with a Psalter in her hand to see the funerall solemnly pass by whether in scorn of the person deâ—ision of the Ceremony or both is not certain but she began to sing the Psalm of Te Deum laudamus backward when instantly both her eies dropped out of her head with a great flux of blood which stained her book and it was after kept as a sacred relique in memory of the Divine judgement What need I trouble you with citing antiquities how this sin ought to be punished on earth when we see how hatefull it is in the eies of heaven besides to insult upon the bodies of the dead is monstrous and even in things senslesse to be punished Ausonius remembers us of one Achillas who finding a dead mans scull in a place where three sundrie waies divided themselves and casting to hit it with a stone it rebounded again from the scull and stroke himself on the forehead his words be these Abjecta in triviis inhumati glabra jacebat Testa hominis nudum jam cute calvicium Fleverant alii fletu non motus Achillas c. Where the three waies parted a mans soul was found Bald without hair unburied above ground Some wept to see 't Achillas more obdure Snatcht up a stone and thinks to hit it sure He did so at the blow the stone rebounds And in the eies and face Achillas wounds I wish all such whose impious hands prophane The dead mans bones so to be stroke again Of Mothers that have slain their Children or Wives their Husbands c. MEdea the daughter of Oeta King of Colchos first slew her young brother in those Islands which in memory of his inhumane murther still bear his name and are called Absyrtides and after her two sons Macarâ—â—â— and Pherelus whom she had by Iason Progne the daughtâ—er of Pandion murthered her young son It is begot by Terâ—us the son of Mars in revenge of the rape of her sister 〈◊〉 Ino the daughter of Cadmus Melicertis by 〈◊〉 the son of Aeolus Althea the daughter of Theseus slew her son Meleager by Oeneus the son of Parthaon Themisto the daughter of Hypseus Sphincius or Plinchius and Orchomenus by 〈◊〉 at the instigation of Ino the daughter of Cadmus Tyros the daughter of Salmoneus two sons begot by 〈◊〉 the son of Aeolus incited thereto by the Oracle of Apollo Agave the daughter of Cadmus Pentheus the son of Echiâ—â— at the importunity of Liber Pater Harpalice the daughter of Climenus slew her own father because he forcibly despoiled her of her honor Hyginus in Fabulis These slew their Husbands Clitemnestra the daughter of Theseus Agamemnon the son of Atreus Hellen the daughter of Iupiter and Laeda Deiphobus the son of Priam and Hecuba he married her after the death of Paris Agave Lycotherses in Illyria that she might restore the Kingdom to her father Cadmus Deianeira the daughter of Oeneus Althea Hercules the son of Iupiter Alomena by the Treason of Nessus the Centaur Iliona the daughter of Priam Polymnestor King of Thrace Semyramis her husband Ninus King of Babylon c. Some have slain their Fathers others their Nephewes and Neeces all which being of one nature may be drawn to one head And see how these prodigious sins have been punished Martina the second wife to Heraclius and his Neece by the brothers side by the help of Pyrrhus the Patriarch poisoned Constantinus who succeeding in the Empire fearing left her son Heraclius should not attain to the Imperiall Purple in regard that Constantinus left issue behind him two sons Constantes and Theodosius which he had by Gregoria the daughter of Nycetas the Patritian notwithstanding he was no sooner dead but she usurped the Empire Two years of her Principality were not fully expired when the Senate reassumed their power and called her to the bar where they censured her to have her tongue cut out lest by her eloquence she might perswade the people to her assistance her son Heraclius they maimed off his Nose so to make him odious to the multitude and after exiled them both