no sooner were those Iudges dead but they fell againe into their former rebellion and whoring after Idols For the Lord who knew them to bee a perverse and stiffe-necked generation had sayd I will no more cast out before them any of the nations which Iosuah left when he dyed that through them I may prove Israel whether they will keepe my way to walke â—herein as their Fathers kept it or no But they had soone forgot the God of their Fathers and bâ—wed to the gods of the Gentiles Baalim and Ashcroth so that his wrath was kindled against them and hee gave them into the hands of Cushan rishathaim King of Aram which is Mesopotamia whom they were compelled to serve for the space of eight yeares but groaning under so great a burden and in this their great affliction crying unto the Lord hee raysed up Othniel the sonne of Kenaz Calebs younger brother who Iudged the people and went to warre overcomming the King of Aram in battell by whose valour the whole land was in rest forty yeares But Othniel no sooner slept with his Fathers but they fall againe into their former Idolatries in so much that the Lord stirred and strengthned Egion King of Moab against them who gathering unto him the Ammonites and Amalekites smote Israel with a great slaughter and held them under his subjection for the space of Eighteene yeares But when they had againe submitted themselves and repented them of their evill wayes The Lord stirred up Ehud the sonne of Gera the son of Geinni a man lame of his right hand who slew the King of Moab in his summer parlour and after caused a trumpet to bee blowne in Mount Ephrim where assembling the people he slew of the Moabites ten thousand of the strongest and most valiant men After which victory the land was in security and quietnesse fourescore yeares A third Deliverer they also had called Shamgar the sonne of Anath who with an Oxe-goad slew six hundred of the Philistines Ehud and Shamgar yeilding to nature were no sooner layd in their Fathers sepulchers but this refractory and disobedient people altogether unmindfull of their so great and miraculous deliverances like the dogge returned to their owne vomit and defiled themselves with all their former abhominations and therefore the Lord sold them againe into the hands of Iabin King of Canaan who raigned in Hazor and whose grand Captaine was Sisera who dwelt in Haroshoth of the Gentiles This potent King had for twenty yeares sore grieved and vexed the Children of Israel Imposing upon them great taxes and tributes and kept them in intollerable servitude and slavery and the greater terror he stroke into them was that besides innumerable strong and valiant souldiers he had ready at all assayes no lesse than nine hundred Chariots of Iron which kept not onely them but all the adjacent nations in awe so that his power was held to be unresistable and so indeede it was in all humane understanding But there is a Lord of Hoasts and God of battels who resisteth the proud and at his pleasure is able to suppresse the fury of the greatest Tyrants whatsoever Whilst these things were thus in agitation and the Israelites were in this dejection there lived Deborah who was a Prophetesse a woman of great sanctity and excellent knowledge to whom the people resorted not onely to heare those sacred and divine Oracles which she spake from God but they also brought before her all differences and controversies how dificult and doubtfull soever which by her great wisedome she reconciled and ended in so much that she lived as a Princesse or governesse For as the Text reporteth of her shee Iudged Israel This excellent woman dwelt in Mount Ephraim under a Palme tree betweene Ramah and Bethel whether as to our Courts of Iustice all the people of what condition or estate soever customably came to have their causes heard and by her great wisedome decided She as I before related being inspired wiâ—h the true spirit of prophesie sent to call unto her Barak the sonne of Abinoham from Kedesh of Nepthali who presenting himselfe before her be spake him after this manner Hath not the Lord God of Israel now at the last commiserating the great affliction of his people out of all others selected and made choyse of thee commanding thee saying Goe Barak and draw towards Mount Tabor and take with thee ten thousand men pickt out of the two Tribes of Nepthali and Zebulon and I will draw unto thee neere unto the river Kishon Sisera the great Captaine of mighty Iabins Army with all his Iron Chariots and multitudes of men and deliver them as a prey and spoyle into thine hands which having thus spokâ—n unto him shee kept silence expecting his answer Who whether distrusting in Gods almighty power and providence or doubting whether this were uttered from divine inspiration or meerely begot in her owne womanish fancy or else dispairing in his owne weaknesse and disability hee thus replyd If Deborah thou thy â—elfe in person wilt associate me I will take on me this great and hazardous enterprize but if thou deniest me thy presence and that I shall not have thy company in this adventure impose this charge on whom so ever else thou pleasest for I for mine owne part will not bee the undertaker She not well pleased with so cold an answer put on a masculine spirit and said againe Yes Barak that thou mayst know how little I feare or distrust the successe of this businesse I will goe foot by foot with thee and pertake with thee in all damage whatsoever can happen But â—hat thou mayst know that I am a Prophetesse and that I spake unto thee was from the Lord know further that though thou undoubtedly prevailest over the enemy yet shall not this journey be alâ—ogether for thine honour for the Lord shall sell Sisera the Captaine of the King of Canaans Army into the hands of a woman which having spoke she instantly accommodated her selfe and after some words of comfort and incouragement she went up wiâ—h Barak unto Kedesh who made a present muster of the two Tribes of Nepthali and Zebulon the nearest unto them out of whom he made choyce onely of ten thousand fighting men for no greater was his Army For he who is the great God of battels disposeth not of the victory unto strength or number for with an handfull of men he can subdue a multitude as you may reade in the warres of the Maccabees and else where that his great power and stretched out arme may not onely be feared but magnified amongst the nations At this time Heber the Kenite who was one of the posterity of Hobab the father in law to Moses had left his owne Country and removed from the Kenites and pitched his tent as farre as from Zanaim unto Kedesh which contained a great part of that Country hee and his family living as neuters and
with a mantle Who hoping that the worst was now past and his life in no further danger called unto her and sayd Give mee I pray thee a little water for my travaile hath made me very thirsty who fetched presently a bottle of milke and gave him to drinke with which having sufficiently refreshed himselfe he layd him downe againe and she againe covered him and as shee was departing from him hee called once more unto her saying stand I pray thee in the doore of the Tent and if any shall come and inquire of thee and say is any man here thou shalt answer him and say nay which having spoken being weary and over tyred in his flight he fell suddenly into a deepe and dead sleepe for so indeede it proved for he never awakned after Which she perceiving and being in heart an Israelite howsoever for necessities sake they with their whole Tribe complide with the Gentiles shee would not let slip so good an advantage but unwilling to let one of Gods enemies escape out of her hands like a bold virago shee tooke a nayle of the Tent in her hand and in the other an hammer and comming softly towards him she strooke the nayle into his temples and fastned it into the ground peircing his skull unto the braine with which wound he instantly expired Now Barak after the great hoast was defeated having intelligence which way Sisera was fled Iael came out to meete him and bespake him thus Come in with mee and I will shew thee the man whom thou seekest who entring with her into the Tent she discovered unto him the body of Sisera which lay groveling on the earth dead and the nayle still sticking in his temples which object put him in mind of the words of Deborah when he denied to go into the field without her company that the honour of great Siseras death should be taken from him and bee conferd upon a woman which accordingly happened For Deborah in her song of thanksgiving after that great and miraculous victory over Sisera and his hoast giveth unto her this extraordinary character Iael the wife of Heber the Kenite shall be blessed above other women blessed shall she bee above women dwelling in Tents He asked water and shee gave him milke shee brought him butter in a Lordly dish shee put her hand to the nayle and her right hand to the workemans hammer with the hammer smote she Sisera shee smote off his head after shee had wounded and peirced his temples hee bowed him downe at her feete hee fell downe and lay still at her feet hee bowed him downe and fell and when hee had suncke downe hee lay there dead By which so often iteration of the same words she strived both to magnifie her act and eternize her memory Neither did this great honour done unto Iael any way take off or derogate from the merit and magnanimity of Deborah that any man need question which of them did better deserve the name of a Worthy The precedence and priority undoubtedly belonging to her who was a Prophetesse a Iudgesse and a mother in Israel the other onely a secondary minister and agent to have the will of the Almighty executed Deborah in person out-braving danger and standing the brunt of the battell against many thousands living Armed and awake and Iael onely taking the advantage of one single man flying trembling with feare and after to kill him sleeping I conclude of her with her owne words in her holy song after so glorious a conquest So let all thine enemies perish O Lord but they that love him shall be as the Sunne when he riseth in his might After which great discomfiture the Land had rest forty yeares IVDETH THe great Assyrian King puft up with pride Because no Prince was able to abide His potency in battle having subdu'd By his scarce to be numbred multitude All bordring Kingdomes at his mighty cost An hundred twenty dayes feasted his Host Then his chiefe Captaine Olophernes sent With a most puissant army with intent To sweepe all flesh from earth who had denayd To send him in his last great battle ayde He seekes to invade Iudea 'mongst the rest When of all other Cities most distrest Bethalmi was where Iudeth made abod Who in their great'st dispaire cald upon God And more their nations honour to advance Did undertake their free deliverance And when the spirits of the souldiers faild Put on a masculine spirit and prevaild Match me this woman amongst men who dar'd Against an Host invincible prepar'd For her whole nations ruine to invade That potent army singly with her maid And in her bold adventure so well sped To cut off and bring thence the Generals head OF IVDETH A SECOND WORTHY WOMAN AMONGST THE IEWES KING Nabuchodonosor and King Arphaxad were Contemporaries two mighty potent Princes the one raigned in Ninevey the great City over the Assyrians the other in Echbatane over the Medes A place as well strongly munified as most gloriously beautified It happened that King Nabuchodonosor purposed to make warre against King Arphaxad in the great Champian Countrey in the Coasts of Ragan and to that purpose hee assembled all those that dwelt in the Mountaines and by Euphrates Tigris and Hidaspes the Countries of Arioche the Elimeans the streames of Chelod with many other Nations and Languages He sent also into Persia and to all that dwelt in the West to Cilicia Damascus Libanus Antilibanus and all those that dwelt by the Sea coast and to all the people that are in Carmel in Galahaad in hither Galilee and the great field of Esdrelam and to all in Samaria and the Cities thereof and beyond Iordan unto Ierusalem c. But all the Inhabitans of these Countries despised the commandements of the King of the Assyrians neither would they come with him unto the battle but sent away his Embassadours sleightly and with dishonour therefore he was greatly incensed against all these Nations and swore by his Throne and Kingdome he would be avenged upon them and destroy all their inhabitants with the edge of the sword In which interim he marched in battle aray against the King of the Medes in the seventeenth yeare of his raigne and prevailed against him For he overthrew all the power of King Arphaxad his Infantry Horsemen and Chariots he woone all his Cities and entring Echbatâ—ne tooke the Towers defaced the streetes ruined the walls and turned the beauty thereof into shame Hee also surprised the King in the mountaines of Ragan and caused him to be thrust through with darts after which great victory he returned unto his owne City Ninivey Both he and all his Princes and Souldiers which were a great multitude where he passed the time in pleasure and jollity and banqueted his Hoast an hundred and twenty dayes During which triumphall feasting he communicated with those Princes and Nobles which were of his intimate counsell to destroy all flesh from the
his life and not to reward it asking what one of note was in the Court now Haman was newly come into the Inner Court of the Kings pallace to speake unto him that Mordecai might be hanged on the tree which he had prepared for him and his servants said Haman standeth in the Court and the King said let him come in who no sooner appeared before him but Ahasuerus spake unto him and said what shall be done unto the man whom the King will honour then Haman thinking in his heart to whom would the King doe honour more then to my selfe answered To him whom the King will honour let them bring forth Royall apparell such as the King useth to weare and the Horse on which hee rideth and let the Crowne Royall be set upon his head and let the rayment and the Horse be delivered by the hand of one of the Kings most noble Princes and let them apparel the man whom the King will honour and cause him to ride upon the Horse through the City and proclame before him saying thus shall it be done unto the man whom the King will honour Then said the King to Haman goe speedily and take the rayment and the Horse as thou haste saide with the royall Crowne and doe so unto Mordecai the Iew and see that thou let nothing faile of what thou hast spoken which how unpleasing it was to the Agagite may be easily conjectured since he was made the Minister and servant to doe such grace and honour to the man whom of all the men living he most hated but man purposeth and God disposeth who confoundeth the wicked in the mallice of their hearts and recompenseâ—h the innocence of the Righteous and upright man as well in the justice of his cause as to give the world a testimony how he never suffreth the innocent to fall nor the godly to perish Wee finde by proofe infallible that envy ayming at others still woundeth her selfe shee is blinde and can doe nothing but dispraise vertue she is the slime and Impostume of the soule a venome a poyson which consumeth the flesh and dryeth up the marrow in the bones it is a sicknesse growing from other mens happinesse shee barketh at the starres and spurnes at that which she cannot reach she is imagined by the Poets to dwell in a darke cave to be pale leane and looking a squint full of gall never rejoycing but in other mens harmes ever unquiet and continually tormenting her selfe shee maketh the body to be ill disposed and is called the feaver-hepticke of the Spirit and may be thus distinguished from hatred the one is secret the other is open and as griefe is a disease of the body so is shee a sickenesse of the soule Shee alwayes waites at vertues elbow but glory in the end erecteth that which envy in the beginning seekes to depresse as may appeare by the sequell For Haman whether pleased or displeased was forced to take the rayment and the Horse and brought him mounted through the streetes of the City and proclamed before him thus shall it be done to him whom the King will honour which done Mordecai went againe to the Kings gate but Haman hasted home to his house mourning and his head covered and told unto Zeresh his wife and to all his friends what had befalne him to whom after some pause they replyed If Mordecai be of the seede of the Iewes before whom thou hast begunne to fall thou shalt not prevaile against him but shall assuredly fall before him and whilst they were yet talking with him came the Kings Eunuches and invited him unto the banquet So the King and Haman sate downe with Queene Esther and the King said againe unto her what is thy petition that it may be given to thee and what is thy request who answered and said if I have found favour in thy sight O King and if it so please his high Majesty let my life be given me at my petition and the lives of my people at my request For wee are sold I and my people to be destroyed to be slaine and to perish but if wee were sold for servants and handmaides I should have held my tongue and beene silent although the adversary could not profiâ— the King so much by his mallice as hee should hinder him by the losse of my people Then King Ahasuerus saide unto Queene Esther who is he or where is hee that presumeth to doe thus who answered againe the adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman at which words Haman was startled and sore afraid before the King and the Queene then the King arose from the banquet of wine in his wrath and who knoweth not but that the anger of a Prince is like the lightning from the East and the threats of a King like the noyse of thunder and went into the Pallace Garden and Haman stood up to the Queene to make request for his life for his heart failed him because he saw there was a mischiefe prepared for him from the King Who when heÌ„ returned from the Garden into the house where they had drunke wine Haman was falne upon the bed where the Queene sate at which hee being incensed said and will he force the Queene also before me in the house which words were no sooner uttered but those which were attendants on the King covered Hamans face which was the manner of the Persians when any one was out of the Princes favour then Harbonah one of the chiefe Eunuches saide in the presence of the King behold there standeth yet the tree in Hamans house fifty cubits high which Haman had prepared for Mordecai that spake good for the King who said let him be hanged thereon so they hanged Haman on the tree which he had prepared for Mordecai and then the Kings wrath was appeased The same day did King Ahasuerus give the house of Haman to Queene Esther and Mordecai came and stood before the King for the Queene had told him of what neere alliance he was unto her and the King tooke off his Ring which he had before taken from Haman and gave it unto Mordecai and Esther set him over the house of Haman and shee spake yet more before the King and fell prostrate at his feete weeping and besought him that he would utterly abolish all those wicked decrees of Haman the Agagite and those inhumane devices which he had imagined against her people and the King held his golden Scepter towards her and shee arose from the earth and stood before him and said if it please the King and that it may be acceptable unto him let it be written that those Letters of Haman the sonne of Ammedatha be revoked which he wrote concerning the destruction of my Nation throughout all the Kings Provinces for how shall I suffer to see the evill that shall come unto my people or how can I indure the depopulation of my Kindred And the King said unto
the whole Land And now was great expectation for the landing of Queene Margaret and her Sonne Prince Edward and great provision made through all the coast to oppose King Edwards landing who in a Parliament then called was proclaimed usurper of the Crowne and the Duke of Glocester his younger Brother Traytor and both of them attainted by the said Parliament then the Earle of Warwicke rid to Dover to have received Queene Margaret but was disappointed for the wind was to her so contrary that shee lay at the Sea side tarrying for a convenient passage from November till Aprill so that he was forced to returne without effecting his purpose In the beginning of which moneth Aprill King Edward landed in the North with a small number of Flemmings and others all which could scarse mâ—ke up a thousand and sped him towards Yorke making his Proclamations in the name of King Henry and protested to the people as he went that hee came for no other intent but to claime his antient inheritance the Dukedome of Yorke notwithstanding which the City denyde him admittance till he tooke an oath which having done they opened their gates unto him when after he had refreshed his Souldiers he held his way on towards London and having passed either favor of faire words the Lord Marquesse Montacut who lay with an Army in the way to interdict his journey seeing that his strength was greatly increased and that the people dayly flockt unto him hee then made proclamations in his owne name as King of England and held on his way to London where he was releeved and the same day hee rode to Saint Pauls Church and offred at the Altar which done hee went to the Bishops pallace where hee found King Henry allmost alone for all the Lords and others to save their owne lives had utterly forsaken him Then King Edward lodged himselfe where King Henry lay and committed him to strict keeping and rested himselfe till Easter Eve who hearing of his brothers comming and the other Lords with him with a strong host unto Saint Albones hee sped him thither and lay that night at Barnet whether the Duke of Clarence contrary to his oath made to the French King came with all the strength he had and reconciled himselfe to his Brother at which the Lords were much daunted yet by the comfort and incouragement of the Earle of Oxford they marched on to Barnet the foresaid Earle leading the van and there they strongly embattelled themselves Vpon the morrow being the foureteenth of Aprill and Easterday very earely in the morning the two hosts defied each other upon the one party were two Kings Edward and Henry who brought him with him to the battle Clarence and Glossester the Lord Barnes c. And upon the other was the Duke of Exeter the two Earles of Warwicke and Oxford the Marquesse Mountacute with many other men of note and name In which fight the Earle of Oxford quit himselfe so manfully that he quite routed that part of the field which hee set upon insomuch that newes was carryed to London King Edward had lost the day and if his Souldiers had kept their rankes and not falne to rifling most likely it had beene so But after long and cruell fight King Edward got the victory having slaine of his enemies the Marquesse Mountacute the Earle of Warwicke his brother with many others on the Kings party the Lord Barnes and upon both parties to the number of fifteene hundred and upwards the same after noone came King Edward to London and made his offring at Saint Pauls and after rode to Westminster and there lodged and King Henry was againe committed to the Tower where he remained till his death And now great preparation was made against the landing of Queene Margaret and her sonne who all this while had beene nere to the Sea side expecting a winde which after blew for her most infortunately yet was shee safely landed with an Army of French men and others and entered so farre within the Realme till shee came to a place called Teuxbury where the King met with her and after some resistance distressed and chased her whole company in which conflict many were slaine and their bodyes found dead in the place and shee her selfe with her sonne Edward both taken Prisoners and brought to the King whom shee fronted with a bold and an undaunted countenance and forgetting what shee was then a prisoner boldly spake to him as what shee had beene a commanding Princesse which the King not having the patience to indure commanded her from his presence The Prince also the true heire to his Mothers magnanimous spirit being not onely reprooved but somewhat villified by the King whose blood was not yet cooled since the late battle replyed unto him in a language best suiting his birth and the Sonne of such a Mother at which King Edward being highly mooved and beyond all patience incensed having then his Gantlet on for he had not yet put of his armour strucke him upon the face which blow was no sooner given but he was instantly dragged from the Kings presence and by the Duke of Glocester as same reports most tyrannously murthered and this hapned upon the fourth day of May. When the Queene heard of the death of her Sonne and the manner thereof the more to aggravate it great no question was her griefe but much greater and altogether inexpressible her rage and fury not having power to revenge her selfe upon her enemies this more tormenting her then the durance of the King her husband her owne captivity or the losse of her kingdome yet outwardly shee is said to have borne all these disasters with an incomparable magnanimity who was first conveighed to London and from thence with small attendance and lesse estate sent over into her owne Country and upon Assention Eve next ensuing the body of Henry the sixth late King was brought unreverently from the Tower through the high streetes of the City to Saint Pauls and there left for that night and the next morrow with bills and glaves as he was the day before brought from the Tower thither conveighed to Chertsey and without any sollemnity at all there interred of the manner of whose death there be divers reports but the common fame went that he was stab'd to death with a dagger by the bloody hand of Richard Duke of Glocester QVEENE ELIZABETH THis Virgin Soveraigne of our Maiden Isle On whom blind Fortune did both frowne and smile Great Honour and great Horrour did indure Not safe being Subject not being Queene secure Examine both It is not easily guest In which of them she did demeane her best And of those double Fates t is hard to know In which she did most dangers undergoe Had I more heads then Spanish Gerion he Who to one body had no lesse them three More hands then great Briareus to be wondred
must To prove my loves profession does not faine Thrust into th' world amid'st the Muses traine Who being Women and in number Nine And as of all mens honour worthy mine Would say I beare to vertue little love When the Nine worthy Women could not move Th' expression of a poore respest from me Let this then for my Pen the pleader be Withall I must confesse 't was my maine end To boast The Author 's my deserving Friend So avoucheth Steph. Bradwell To the worthy Reviver of these Nine Women worthies Master Thomas Heywood Gent. AMongst the many worthy to attend Thy worthy female and thy worth commend Let me present my love too to thy choice Of this great subject and th' eternall voyce Thy Pen has given their Ashes to thy flame Their second soule now when their towring fame Was well nie Buried with them to thine Art Thy cost thy care cloathing thier every part In all th'adorements of such eminent stories So as to reade almost to see their glories In their owne greatnesse acted friend thy straine In these these brave Viragoes of thy braine This Golden issue of thy Silver head Thy many such shall when thy bodi 's dead Live as thy lines now make them live for ever Pompe lives and dy's such worthie labours never Thomas Brewer To his worthy Friend Mr. Thomas Heywood on his Nine Female Worthies WIll neither rugged time nor vast expence Of thy unfathom'd fancy and cleare sence Perswade thee to leave off but thou wilt still Make all'twixt heaven hell flow from thy Quill Nay Heav'n it selfe and all those Angels there Those powr's and vertues will themselves declare Thy Genuine searching soule But these here Thy female Angels that doe grace this Spheare Thrice worthy worthy women whose great acts Immortallize their mem'ries and exacts Not thee alone but all the noblest wits That in the courts of truth and judgement sits To write their Legends But thy learned Pen That writ before their Story hath agen From thy owne workes substracted Nine to be The great example to posteritie I doe not flatter but I may admire To see fire turn'd t' Ashes returne to fire Thy age goes backward and thy Phaenix braine From the old Ashes is growne younge Againe George Estoutevile THE APPELLATION OF THE THREE IEWES DEbora the Prophetesse and a mother in Israel Iudeth of Bethulia the widdow of Manasses Ester the Queene of King Ahashuerosh and Neece to Mordecay the Iew. THE APPELLATION OF THE THREE GENTILES BOnduca or Boadicia the Dowager Queene of Prasutagus King of the Iceni one of the Kingdomes of the Brittish Scepterchy Penthisilaea the warlik Queen of the Amazons and friend to Hector of Troy Queen Artimesia wife to Mausolus King of Caria a Province in Greece scituate betwixt Lycia and Iania THE APPELLATION OF THE THREE CHRISTIANS ELphleda Daughter to King Alured and wife to Etheldredus Duke of Mercia or middle England Queene Margaret daughter to the King of Cecile and Hierusalem and wife to Henry the sixt King of England Elizabeth Queene of England France and Ireland c. Defender of the Faith DEBORAH HE that shall take in hand to speake at large Of womens prayse shall undergoe a charge Beyond supporture and he better were Take Atlas burden on him and to beare The Heavens upon his shoulders If then any Inquisitive bee why I amongst so many Am now that undertaker And shall aske Why to my selfe I durst assume this Taske I must appeale for answer to my rare Scarse patternd Patroness most learn'd most fayr Whom if these my unpolisht papers please It is a burden to be borne with ease Whose Approbations where soe'r Inscribd Shall passe a worke as currant as to have bribd All the Nine Sisters or invokt their ayde She now the sole out of so many made As for our worthy Iewesse now in quest The sequent Traectate can describe her best He that made man the womans Head that â—he Despis'd of her superiour might not-be Rais'd from her sex brave Dames by Text allowd Least she might prove dejected or he proud If any one this Maxime shall gaine say Let him but reade Barach and Deborah OF THE NINE VVORTHIES AMONGST WOMEN Three Iewes Three Gentiles Three Christians And first of DEBORAH TO Deborah I give the priority as first named in the holy text in which we reade of two of that name The one Rebeckahs Nurse the wife of Iacob who being dead was buried beneath Bâ—thel under an Oake which he called Alâ—on Bachuth or the Oake of Lamentation the other a Prophetesse the wife of Lapidothe who Iudged Israel the Argument of our ensuing Discourse The name Deborah in the originall implyeth a Word or a Bee neither was her name any way averse to her nature for as she was mellifluous in her tongue when she either pronounced the sacred oracles of God or sat upon any judicatory causes amongst his people so she had also a sting at all times upon any just occasion to wound and be revenged on his enemies the Cananiteâ— who then most barbarously and cruelly oppressed his owne chosen nation But the better to illustrate her history it is necessary that I give you a briefe relation of that estate in which Israel then stood Iosuah the sonne of Nun who succeeded Moses in the Empyre and was Captaine of the Lords people in his Masters place after the subduing and slaughter of one and thirty Kings and having divided the Land of Palastine amongst the twelve tribes of the Children of Israel by lots All his time and all the dayes of the Elders who were his Contemporaries and survivers and â—ad beene eye witnessâ—s of those great and stupendious woâ—kes which the Almighty had done for them served the Lord and were obedient unto his Commandements But he after he had lived an hundred and ten yeares expiring and being buried in the Coast of his inheritance all that generation being likewise gathered to their Fathers Another roâ—e after them who neither knew the Lord nor the great workes which hee had done for Israel In so much that they dwelt amongst the Cananites the Hittites the Amorites the Perizites the Hevites the Iebusites c. Taking their daughters to be their wives and giving their owne daughters to their sonnes and serving their gods which was contrary to the Commandement and the Law of Moses by which they incensed the wrath of the Lord which was now hot against them in â—o much that he delivered them into the hands of spoylers who spoyled them and sold them unto their enemies so that they were noâ— able to stand against those that hated them namely the Gentiles and Idolaters Notwithstanding which the Lord in his great mercy according to his oath sworne to their Fore-fathers the Patriarchs upon their least repentance and turning unto him raysed up some eminent amongst them whom they called Iudges who delivered them from the hands of their oppressors But
seeming friends both to the Israelites and the Canaanites so temporizing and complying betwixt the Gentiles and the Iewes that which way so ever the streame ranne or the winds blew hee sayled without damage for if the one prevailed he was safe if the other he was likewise secure yet was his heart wholly inclined to the good of the Children of Israel Now the flattering of an enemy is like the melody which the Syrens make who sing not to stirre up mirth but rather allure unto mishap and as a learned Philosopher observeth It is much better to have an open foe than a dissembling friend as appeared in the fall of this great Captaine Sisera Warre is of two sorts Civill and Forraigne that which they call Civill is meerely seditious and is indeed a speedy overthrow of all estates Kingdomes and Monarchies and the very seminary of all kinde of evils though never so execrable For it abandoneth all reverence to God and obedience to Magistrates it bredeth corruption of manners change of lawes and contempt of Iustice c. But Forraigne warre is that which Plato calleth a more generous or rather honourable contention and is then onely lawfull when it is undertooke either in the defence of true religion or to establish peace Indeed nothing can make warre just but necessity nor lawfull but when it is warranted by the word either for a Prince or people to defend their owne right or to repulse Gods enemies who are ever the opposites of truth I conclude with the Poet Nulla salus bello pacem te possimus omnes All Generals of Armies ought to have their courages guided by wisedome and their discretion armed with courage neither must their hardinesse darken their judgement nor their judgement extenuate their hardinesse besides they ought to bee valiant as not fearing death and confident as not wont to be overcome their feete ought to bee steddy their hands diligent their eyes watchfull and their hearts resolute all which this godly Matron and gratious mother in Israel with sweete oratory and her presence in the fields being a president of her unparraleld magnanimity had deepely imprest in the heart of Barak Now concerning Iabin the King of the Canaanites it proved to his great dishonour so that he had better to have studied to defend his owne Country by Iustice then to have sought to subdue other nations by Tyranny and it little profiteth any Prince to bee Lord of many kingdomes if on the otherside he become bond slave to many vices besides it is not possible that to a man of much pride fortune should bee long friendly The desire of coveting and having more is a vice common to such great men breding in them for the most part a brutish nature tempered with unsaciable cruelty Ambition eateth gold and drinketh blood seeking to climbe so high by other mens heads till at the length it breaketh its owne necke It may not altogether unproperly bee compared to a vapor which ascendeth high and being at the full height disapeareth and vanisheth into nothing for commonly those that strive to suppresse and supplant others in stead of honour and superiority purchase to themselves shame and indignitie So much touching the King Now thus briefly of his Captaine That Generall who is bloody minded and thirsteth after revenge is for the most part either sold by his souldiers or slaine by his enemies but I shorten this digression and come to the matter now in handling When Sisera had by his skouts and espials understood that Barak had gathered his forces and was gone up to Mount Tabor and there pitched his Tents hee like a carefull and vigilant Generall called for all his Chariots even nine hundred Chariots of Iron assembling all the people even from Harosheth of the Gentiles unto the river Kishon Now by the number of his Chariots it is easie to guesse of what an infinite multitude his Army did consist who confident in his owne strength and despising the weakenesse of the enemy waited in the vallies their descent from the Mount thinking to defeate and over runne them at an instant but the event happened quite contrary to his expectation For the Heroicke and masculine spirited Championesse knowing that the Lord never failed his owne people if they left their wicked wayes and turned unto him with unfaigned repentance came unto Barak and said seest thou this great and seeming invinceable Army which cover the plaines Country that invirons us feare not their foote their horse nor their Chariots up therefore for this is the day that the Lord hath delivered Sisera and the hoast of the Canaanites into thine hand Is not hee himselfe gone before thee to fight his owne battell Which words inspired such courage both into him and his souldiers howsoever weakely accommodated for so dangerous an adventure that with an unanimous resolution as if so many mil-stones had beene precipitated from an high hill they hurried downe Mount Tabor and fell upon the campe of the Gentiles with a sudden and violent assault being upon them ere they could scarse imagine them to bee neere them which strooke them with such a terror and amazement God having a hand therein that they were so farre from assaulting their enemies that they had not the power to use their weapons to defend themselves For too much feare openeth the way to desparation being destitute of reason and turning the greatest courage into pusillanimity and cowardize according to that of the Poet nos auxius omnia cogit quae possunt firei fact a putare timor Where feare once taketh impression in the heart what is easie to be done it maketh to appeare impossible In briefe Barak with his small Army of ten thousand rowted the great and puisant hoast of the Canaanites who destroyed all their Chariots of Iron and pursued the enemy even to Haroshoth with such an infinite slaughter that they all fell by the edge of the sword and not oneâ— them escaped alive In which tumultuous flight Sisera was compeld to alight from his Chariot and cowardly to save his desparate life fled away on foote and finding no place wherein to hide or shelter himselfe from the pursute of the Israelites he came at length tâ— the Tent of Iael the wife of Heber for peace was betwixt Iabin being of Hazor and betweene the families of the Kenites who looking out from her Tent and espying the great Commander Sisera late attended by so many Chariots now forced to goe upon his feete and hee that led into the field such an innumerable Army to have neither servant or so much as a Page to waite on him And no doubt having heard the successe of the battell shee went out to meete him and said Turne in to me my Lord turne in and feare not who glad of so good an opportunity to bee secured from the pursute of his enemies accepted of her friendly offer and entering into the Tent she covered him
earth which had not obeyed his commandement and to that purpose called unto him Olophernes his chiefe Captaine and gave him a strickt Commission to execute the will of the great King and Lord of the whole earth for so he stiled himselfe Then went forth Olophernes from the presence of his Lord and called together all the Governours Captaines and Officers of the army of Ashur and selected an hoast of an hundred and twenty thousand foote with twelve thousand Archers on Horse backe besides Camels and Asses for burdens and Sheepe Goates and Oxen without number and victuall for every man in the army besides great store of treasure out of the Kings house with multitudes of strangers like swarmes of Grasse-hoppers which attended on the Army and to pertake with the Assyrians in the spoyle Who from the upper Cilicia even to Damascus overrunne many Nations robbed their Cities laid waste their Countries and put all their young men to the edge of the sword so that feare and trembling fell upon all the inhabitants of the Sea coasts who sent Ambassadors unto him and laid themselves prostrate to his mercy and after received him with Crownes Timbrels and Dances into their borders and Cities notwithstanding which he cut downe their woods set Garrisons in their chiefe Cities and tooke out of them their chosen men of warre destroyed all their gods commanding them to worship Nabuchodonosor onely and that all tongues and Tribes should call upon him as their God Now when the children of Israel who dwelt in Iudea had hard what was done unto the Nations they were greatly troubled for Ierusalem and the Temple for they were but newly returned from the Captivity therefore they sent into all the Coasts of Samaria and the bordering Cities And tooke all the toppes of the high mountaines and walled in their Villages and put in vittailes for the provision of warre And â—oachim the High Priest sent to them of Bethulia and the adjacent Cities exhorting them to keepe the passages of the mountaines for by them was an entry into Iudea but so narrow was the passage that two men could but elbow there at the most Then cryed they unto the Lord even every man of Israel their wives and their children all with one consent and fell downe before the Temple in sacke-cloath and ashes on their heads praying that hee would not give their children for a prey nor their wives for a spoyle nor the Cities of their Inheritance to destruction nor the sanctuary to pollution and reproach and a derision to the Heathen the High Priest also and the Levites stood before the Alter their loynes giâ—t with sacke-cloath and ashes upon their Miters and called upon the Lord who heard their prayer In this interim it was declared to the great Captaine of the Assyrian army that the Israelites had prepared for warre and shut the passage of the mountaines and laid impediments in the champion Country where with being exceedingly mooved he assembled all the Princes of Moab and the Captaines of Ammon and all the Governours of the Sea coast and demanded of them who that people were what their Cities and what the multitude of their army and why they alone have not come downe to submit themselves more then all the inhabitants of the West To whom Achior Captaine of the Ammonites replyed Let my Lord heare the words of his servant and I will declare unto thee the truth concerning this people and gave him a free relation of their estate from the beginning rehearsing punctually all those great wonders that God had done for them in delivering them from the Aegyptians slavery In dividing the red Sea and overwhelming Pharaoh and his hoast and destroying the nations before them c. Adding moreover that when they sinned not before their God they prospered but when they departed from his way they were destroyed in many battles and led Captives into strange Countries but now saith hee they are turned unto their God and are come up from the scattering wherein they were scattered and possesse Ierusalem where their Temple stands and dwell in the mountaines which were desolate therefore if they have now againe sinned they shall be easily overcome But if there be none iniquity found in this people let my Lord passe by them least the Lord whom they serve defend them and we become a reproch before all the world Whose words were no sooner ended but all the Captaines of the Hoast began greatly to murmur And would in their fury have slaine him but when the tumult was appeased Olofernes said unto Achior because thou hast prophesied amongst us this day that the people of Ierusalem is able to fight against us because their God is able to defend them and who is God but Nabuchodonosor therefore will I destroy them from the face of the earth and their God shall not deliver them but we will destroy them all as one man And thou Achior because thou hast spoken these words in the day of thine iniquity thou shalt see my face no more till I take vengeance of that people which is come from Aegypt and then shall the Iron of mine army and the multitude that serve mee passe through thy sides and thou shalt fall amongst their slaine nor shalt thou perish till thou beest destroyed with them Then commanded hee his servants concerning Achior that they should bring him before Bethulia bound and deliver him into the hands of the Israelites which was accordingly done then came the men of the City and loosed him and brought him into Bethulia and presented him unto the governours of the place which were Ozias the sonne of Micha of the Tribe of Simeon and Chabris the sonne of Gothoniel and Charmis the sonne of Melchiel who demaunded of him of all that was done of which he gave them ample satisfaction declaring unto them the purpose of Olofernes and the words he had spoken in the midst of the Princes of Ashur For which having first praysed God they comforted Achior and commended him greatly and Ozias tooke him into his house and made a feast to the Elders calling upon the God of Israel The next day Olophernes removed his whole army neere unto Bethulia and cut off all their Springs of water thinking without the hazard of his people to make them perish by thirst for so he was counselled and besieged the City for the space of foure and thirty dayes in which time all their places of water failed and their Cisternes were empty insomuch that they had not supply for one day so that their children swouned and their wives and young men failed and fel downe in the streetes so that they murmured against the Elders desiring them to deliver up the City to the enemy for it is better for us said they to be a spoyle unto them then to dye of thirst since the Lord hath delivered us into their hands which they prest upon them so urgently
that Ozias said unto them my brethren be of good courage let us yet waite five dayes in which time the Lord our God may turne his mercy towards us for he will not forsake us in the end and if these passe without helpe and succour from above we will doe according to your saying with which words he appeased them for the present and separated them every one unto his charge Now when Iudeth heard thereof who was once the wife of Manasses and after his death had continued a Widdow for the space of three yeares and foure moneths in which time shee wore sackecloath and her mourning apparell and fasted all the dayes of her Widdow-hood save the day before the Sabbath and the Sabbaths and the day before the new Moone and in the feasts and sollemne dayes of the house of Israel who was of a goodly countenance and very beautifull having great plenty of gold silver and Iewels with men-servants and maide-servants and cattell of whom there was none could give any evill report for shee feared God greatly Shee I say hearing how the people had murmured against the governours and that Ozias had sworne unto them to deliver the City unto the Assyrians within five dayes she sent her maide who had the governement of all that shee had to call Ozias Chabris and Charmis the ancients of the people who came unto her and she greeted them thus Oh you the governours of the Inhabitants of Bethulia the words which you have spoken before the people this day are not right for who are you that have tempted God and set your selves in his place amongst the children of men For if he will not helpe us within these five dayes Hath hee not power to defend us when hee will Do not you therefore binde the counsels of the Lord our God for hee is not as man to be threatned neither as the sonne of man to be brought unto Iudgment c. To whom Ozias replyed All that thou hast spoken hast thou spoken with a good heart and there is none that is able to resist thy words but the people were thirsty and compelled us to doe as wee have done and have brought us to an oath which wee may not transgresse therefore pray for us because thou art an holy woman that the Lord may send us raine to fill our Cisternes and that wee may saint no more then saide Iudeth unto them Heare me for I will doe an act which shall be declared in all successive ages to the children of our nation you shall stand this night in the gate and I will goe forth with mine handmaid and within the dayes that you have promised to deliver the City to the Enemy the Lord will visit Israel by mine hand but inquire not of mine act for I will not declare it unto you till you see the event Then saide Ozias and the Princes unto her goe in peace and the Lord God be before thee to take vengeance on our enemies so they left her and went unâ—o their charge Then Iudeth after she had prayed unto the Lord rose from her knees and calling her maide went downe into the house and casting off her sackecloath and putting of the garments of her Widdow-hood she washed her body and annointed her with sweet oyntment and dressed the haire of her head and put a rich attire upon it and cloathed her selfe with the garments of gladnesse even those with which shee was decked in the dayes of Manasses her husband and shee put slippers on her feete and adorned her with bracelets and sleeves and rings and eare-rings and decked her selfe bravely to allure the eyes of all that should behold her and she gave her maide a bottle of wine and a pot of oyle and filled a scrip with flower and dryed figges and fine bread and wrapped all together and laide them upon her thus she went downe unto the gate and when they saw how her face was changed and her garments altered they marvelled greatly at her wonderfull beauty and saide unto her the God of our Fathers give thee favour and accomplish thine enterprize to the glory of the children of Israel and to the exaltation of Ierusalem and the Temple which said she commanded the gates of the City to be opened Then went she forth with her maide and the men of the City looked after her till they could see her no more who came into the valley and the first watch of the Assyrian army met her demanding of her of what people shee was whence shee came and whether she was then bound who answered she was a woman of the Hebrewes and fled from them to save her life because shee assuredly knew that they should bee utterly consumed desiring them to bring her before the great Captaine Olofernes to whom she would shew a way how to winne all the Mountaines without hazarding the life of any one of his servants which hearing they chose out an hundred men and prepared a Chariot for her and her maide and brought her to the tent of the Generall and they marvelled at her great beauty and wondred at her Nation because of Her At that time Olofernes rested upon his bed under a Canopy woven with purple and gold Emeraulds and other pretious stones who at the newes of her comming came to the entry of the tent and they carryed lamps of silver before him Now when Iudeth saw him she fell on her face and did him reverence but his servants tooke her up and he said unto her Woman be of good comfort and feare not but tell me wherefore thou art fled from thy people For none shall hurt thee but intreate thee as one of the servants of my Lord King Nabuchodonosor To which she answered receive the words of thy servant and suffer thine hand maide to speake in thy presence wee have heard of thy wisdome and of thy prudent spirit and it is declared through the whole earth that thou onely art excellent in all the Kingdome of a wonderfull knowledge and in feates of warre marvellous Now as concerning that which Achior did speake in thy counsell Wee have heard his words in the presence of the Elders of Bethulia and doe not thou reject them but set them in thine heart for they were most true there is no punishment against our people nor can the sword or speare prevaile against them unlesse they sinne against their God which they are now about to doe for because their victuals faile and their water is wasted they are compelled to consume all things which their God hath forbidden them to eate by his Lawes which when they doe they shall be given unto thee to be destroyed the same day wherefore I thine handmaide am fled from their presence for thy servant worshippeth the God that made Heaven and Earth and now let me remaine with thee and goe out in the night into the valley and I will pray unto my God that he will reveale
unto mee when this is to be done then I will come and shew it thee and thou shalt goe forth with all thine Army and I will leade thee through the midst of Iudea till thou come before Ierusalem and I will set thy Throne in the midst thereof and thou shalt drive â—hem as sheepe that have no shepheard and not a dogge shall barke against thee for these things have beene declared unto mee according to my foreknowledge and I am sent to shew thee Which words greatly pleased Olofernes and his servants who marvelled at her wisdome and said there is no such woman in the world both for beauty and wisdome Moreover Olofernes replyed God hath done this to send thee before the people that strength might be in our hands and destruction upon them that despise my Lord. Thou art both beautifull in thy countenance and witty in thy words If thou doe as thou hast spoken thy God shall be my God thou shalt dwell in the house of Nabuchodonosor and shall bee renouned through the whole earth then he commanded to bring her in where his treasures were and that they should prepare for her of his owne meate and his owne Wine who said unto him I may neither eate nor drinke of them least there should be an offence For I can suffice my selfe with the provision that I have brought but hee replyed if those things thou hast should faile how should wee give thee the like for there is none with us of thy Nation to which she answered as thy soule liveth thy handmaide shall not spend those things that I have before the Lord worke by mine hand what he hath determined Then the servants of Olofernes brought her into the tent and she slept there till midnight and rose at the morning watch and sent unto Olofernes saying let my Lord command that thine handmaid may goe forth to prayer who presently gave order to his guard that they should not stay her thus she abode in the Campe three dayes and went out in the night into the valley of Bethulia and washed her selfe in a Fountaine in the water by the Campe and when she came out she prayed unto the Lord God of Israel that he would direct her way to the exaltation of the children of her people so she returned and remained pure in the Tent untill she ate her meate at evening In the fourth day Olofernes made a feast to his owne servants onely and saide to Bagoas the Eunuch goe call the Hebrew Woman that is with thee that shee may come and feast with us for it were a shame for us to let such a beauty alone and not talke with her For if wee tempt not her chastity shee will mocke us who came unto her and said make no difficulty to goe in unto my Lord and to be honoured in his presence and to drinke wine with us joyfully and to be intreated as one of the daughters of the children of Assur which remaine in the house of Nabuchodonosor who answered him againe who am I that I should gainesay my Lord so shee a rose and trimmed her with garments and with all the ornaments that belong to women and her maide went and spread forth her skinnes on the ground over against the place where Olofernes sate whose heart was ravished and his spirits mooved and hee greatly desired her company for he waited to insidiate her chastity from the day that he had first seene her who said unto her drinke now and be merry with us who answered and saide I drinke now my Lord because my state is exalted this day more then ever then shee ate and dranke before him such things as her maide had prepared And Olofernes rejoyced because of her and dranke more wine than he had ever done at one time since the day of his birth The evening being come his servants made haste to depart and Bagoas shut his Tent without and dismissed all from the presence of his Lord but Iudeth was left alone in the tent and Olofernes was stretched upon his bed for the feast had beene long and hee was filled with much wine Now Iudeth had commanded her maid to stand without and attend her comming forth as she had done dayly for shee said shee would anon goe forth to prayers and had spoken to Bagoas to that purpose Then Iudeth standing by the bed came to the post which was at the head of Olofernes and tooke downe his Faulchion and laid hold of the haire of his head and said strengthen mee O Lord God of Israel this day then she smote twice upon his necke with all her strength and tooke his head from him and roulled his body downe from the bed and pulled down the Canope from the Pillars and after went forth and gave the head to her maide who put it in her scrip of meate so they went together as their custome was to prayer and pressing through the Tents past about by the Valley and so up to the Mountaine of Bethulia and knocked at the Gates thereof Then Iudeth said to the watchmen open to me the gate Now when the men of the City heard her voyce they made haste to goe downe and called the Elders and they ranne altogether both small and great for it was beyond their expectation that shee should returne so they opened the gate and received her and made a great fire for a light and stood about them two then she spake unto them with a loud voyce and said praise God prayse the Lord for he hath not taken away his mercy from the house of Israel but by my hand hath this night destroyed his enemies so shee tooke the head out of the scrip and showed it them saying behold the head of Olofernes the great Captaine of the Army of Assur and behold the Canopie under which he lay in his drunkennesse the Lord hath smitten him by the hand of a woman as the Lord liveth who kept mee in the way which I went my beauty hath deceived him to his destruction yet hath he not committed with me any sinne then all the people were astonished and blessed the Lord and Ozias said unto her O daughter blessed art thou of the most high God above all the women of the earth surely this thine hope shall never depart out of the hearts of men for they shall remember the power of God for ever c. Then said Iudeth unto them heare me also my brethren take this head and hang it upon the highest turret of your walls and as soon as the morning appeares take every valiant man his weapon in his hand set a Captaine over them as if you would goe downe into the field towards the watch of the Assyrians but goe not downe Then they shall runne to the tent of Olofernes but shall not finde him and feare shall fall upon them and they shall flye before your face So you and all that inhabite the coasts