when they were gone the King repented of what he had done and resolved to pursue and utterly destroy them but God dried up the Red Sea before them so that they passed safely through and the Egyptians were all drowned therein From hence their God led them to Mount Sinai and through the barren desarts of Arabia and miraculously nourished them there with food from Heaven and waters out of the Rock and caused them to be victorious over all the people of the Countreys through which they passed Thus as long as they served their God they were invincible over all their enemies devouring the Amorites Jebusites Perezites and other Nations as fire consumes the chaff and possessing their Lands and Estates But when they departed from Gods worship and defiled themselves with iniquity they were then forsaken of Heaven defeated in many battles and led captive into the land of their adversaries the Temple of their God being cast down and their Cities taken from them But they are now again returned to their former worship and their Countrey and Temple at Jerusalem where they fortifie themselves against us Let us therefore my Lord be advised before we proceed against them for if their God be angry with them by reason of any provocation it will be easy for us to subdue and destroy them but if he be reconciled and will defend them it will be in vain to attempt any thing since he will certainly ruin and defeat all that shall assault them be their strength and multitude never so great Achior having thus spoken the Commanders of the Army were extreamly incensed against him and desired he might be slain who had the confidence to imagine that so small a number of people as the Israelites were should be able to withstand the force of the Royal Army of Nebuchadnezzar whom they doubted not but to discomfit at their very first appearance Holofernes having quieted the tumult raised among his Souldiers by this Oration spake thus to him and his Associates Who art thou Achior and who are you Hirelings of Ephraim that you have prophesied we should not make War with the people of Israel because their God will defend them as if there were any other God but Nebuchadnezzar whose Servants will utterly destroy them the Mountains shall be drunk with their bloud and their Fields covered with their dead bodies And thou Achior shalt see my face no more till I take vengeance of these people that came out of Egypt and in the mean time I will deliver thee into their hands Accordingly some Souldiers were sent to carry Achior bound and throw him down the Hill near the walls of the City which the Israelites perceiving came and brought him into Bethulia and being carried before the Priests and Governors of the City who inquired the meaning of this adventure he gave them an account of all he had said to Holofernes and what Testimony he had given of the Power and Majesty of God whereat the people were even ravished for joy and fell down crying to the Lord of Heaven to behold the pride of their enemies and pity the low estate of his servants And then comforted Achior and promised him all security and protection Mean time Holofernes endeavoured to surprize little Bethulia but found it hard to be effected by reason of some valiant men who lay in ambush in the Mountains and much gauled his Army in the narrow passages whereupon his Souldiers perswaded him not to hazard his whole Army in this dangerous attempt but endeavour to stop the channels that carried the water from the Fountains which would quickly oblige them to yield This was performed accordingly and was very like to have effected their design for the people began to murmur and mutiny aloud against the Priests for bringing them into this dangerous condition by their rashness since there was little hope of prevailing against such a formidable power as had already subdued so many Nations and with one voice required them to surrender up the Town to the Assyrians Ozias in the absence of Joachim endeavoured to appease the cries and tears of the people and desired them to take courage and trust in God and if deliverance did not come in five days he would then do as they pleased There was then in the City of Bethulia a great Treasure whose worth and merit was utterly unknown It was the valiant Judith of a worthy Family of the Tribe of Reuben whose husband was named Manasseh and had been dead about three years and an half leaving her very rich She was exceeding beautiful and very religious spending all her time in devotion and wearing sackcloth upon her loyns whereby she gained much reputation among the people This worthy Lady hearing of the resolutions of Ozias was much disturbed at the miseries of her Countrey and sending for Ozias and the rest of the Princes of the people she thus addrest them O ye Governors and Inhabitants of Bethulia in my opinion you have been very rash in what you have spoken this day to the people and in the Oath you have taken and pronounced between the Lord and them in promising to deliver up the City to the enemy if God do not send you help within five days which is to tempt and prescribe to him the time of his mercies and not to depend upon his providence who knows best when and how to bring Salvation to those that put their trust in him Let us therefore continue to serve the Lord according to his Laws and Commandments and not turn aside to worship other Gods as our Fathers did before us and for which they were given up to the Sword of their Adversaries and in Gods good time which is the best he will work out deliverance for us Ozias replyed All that she had said was true and excellent and that it was not the first time wherein she had manifested her wisedom and knowledge for which she was always held in admiration but that the extream thirst of the people and the violent exclamations they raised had caused them to enter into an Oath which they durst not break But said he since we know thee to be a religious woman and upright in thy conversation we beseech thee to pray to God for us that he will please to send us rain and fill our Cisterns and then we shall take courage to defend our selves Hereupon Judith told them That she would perform an Act which should resound through all generations defiring them to leave one of the City Gates open through which she might freely pass that very night accompanied with her Servant since she had some good work in her heart for the benefit of her Countrey which she would not yet discover but assured them that God would save them by her hand within the time limited for giving up the City Ozias and the Princes bid her go in peace and pray'd the Lord God to be with her and to take vengeance of their enemies Before
I left that abominable City and am come as a Messenger from Heaven to give you this advice and to perform such an act that all the earth shall be astonished therewith for thy Servant is religious and worshippeth the God of Heaven every day and night and I will pray unto him to discover his will to me and to shew me when they have committed these sins against him that so I may inform you of the utmost time which is determined for this miserable Town and then you may march even to the very gates of Jerusalem and settle your Throne there since the people will deliver themselves up to you as sheep without a shepherd and a dog shall not open his mouth against you it being very reasonable that men and beasts should submit themselves to such a formidable power as is conducted by the hand of the most High and by the direction of his providence Holofernes who was before taken by the eyes was now charmed by the ears with the pleasantness of her discourse and admired her above all women in the world both for her beauty and wisdom promising that her God should be his God and that he will advance her to great dignities in the house of Nebuchadnezzar and make her renowned through all the earth And at the same time brings her into the Chambers of his Treasure and Magnificence and ordered her provisions both of meat and wine dayly from his own Table which she excused since her Law did not permit her to eat of any other Viands but her own which she had provided and brought along with her But what says Holofernes if your own store should be spent how shall we supply you Judith replies That she did not doubt but to accomplish the business she came about before that time After this she was conducted into a stately Tent where she reposed till midnight and toward the morning watch she sent to Holofernes that he would please to permit her to go out before day to address her prayers to God which he readily granted commanding his Guards to let her pass freely She went therefore in the silence of the night into the valley of Bethulia where she washed her self in a Fountain of water and then prayed earnestly to God that he would prosper her design for freeing her Countrey and again raise up their drooping spirits Having continued in the Camp three days watching an opportunity to execute her intended project behold a fit season was presented by Holofernes himself who would needs make a sumptuous banquet for his servants and familiars only to which he resolved to invite Judith as the chief Guest hoping that when she was merry he might obtain his desire of her since the Assyrians account it a great dishonour to a man to court a woman and not enjoy her And therefore he ordered one of his Eunuchs to wait upon her and impart his Masters pleasure to her and how far she was in his favour since he desired that very day to have her company at the magnificent Feast he had prepared which was the greatest honour she could ever receive and therefore ought to make no scruple of obeying but to be pleasant and free with him who had laid so great an obligation upon her Judith soon understood what his discourse tended to and readily answered That she was wholly disposed to perform his Lords commands and would have no other will but his And instantly adorns her self in the best manner to wound his heart with her graces and charms and passing into his Pavilion seats her self nigh unto him where she eats what she had provided and tells him she will now drink chearfully since she had cause to count this the most happy day of her whole life When Holofernes saw her so near him and alone his heart was wholly ravished with her beauty he thought himself the most fortunate man upon earth His passion did not permit him to speak much he was so extreamly moved He contented himself only with inviting her to be merry and drank large draughts to make himself so And Judith expressing her great content to see him in so good an humour he to please her as he thought drank so much more than ordinary that he was even dead with drunkenness and the fumes of the strong wine The Eunuch having the word to do his Office dismisses all the servants and Attendants and shuts the door upon his Master and Judith Holofernes lay sleeping upon his bed full of wine but Judith was never more wakeful she contemplates the gallant General lying in his drunken sleep and earnestly called upon God to prosper her bold undertaking for the exaltation of Israel and going to the pillars of the bed she takes down thence the sword of Holofernes and undauntedly drawing it she takes hold of the hair of his head and saying Strengthen my arm O Lord God of Israel this day she smote him twice upon the neck with all her force and with the last blow struck off his head throwing his body on the ground then pulling down the Canopy from the Pillars and giving it her Maid with the head she put it into her bag among the meat and both of them pass through the Army without being questioned the Officers having order to let them go as usually to prayers Having passed the Camp they went up the Mourtain of Bethulia and arriving at the City gates before morning she cryed to the Centinel afar off to open the gates with all speed since God had done worders for Israel and had appeared in a strange manner for their deliverance from their enemies The people hearing her voice soon let her in and ran to give notice to Ozias and the Rulers all the inhabitants both great and small coming together to hear what tidings she had brought whom they looked upon as a lost woman and like one come from the other world and having made a great fire to give light to the Assembly they stood round about her who spake thus in the midst of them with a loud voice Praise God praise ye the Lord I say who never forsakes his own but hath by me this day accomplished his promise to his chosen people and hath by me and by my hands slain the common enemy of our Nation this very night She then drew out of the bag the horrible head of Holofernes all pale and bloudy which she shewed to them all adding Behold the head of the Capt. Gen. of the Armies of Assur and then spreading abroad his Pavilion Behold said she the Canopy wherein he reposed himself in his drunkenness and where the Lord smote him by the hand of a woman It is the living God alone that hath preserved me from all danger in this most perillous attempt and though my countenance hath been his ruin yet I take that God whose Angel hath been my guard to witness he hath not offered me the least shame nor reproach To God be all the glory
Baruc whose name signifies Lightning of the Tribe of Napthali to be their Chief to him therefore Deborah sends a message That he should instantly raise ten thousand choice men and lead them against their Enemies affirming that they were sufficient with the assistance of Heaven to conquer that mighty Host But Baruc denying to undertake the War except she would join with him and accompany him in the War Deborah being somewhat moved Wilt thou said she surrender up the Dignity that God hath given thee to a Woman well I will not refuse to go with thee but remember that this expedition will not be for thine honour since the Lord will sell Sisera into the hand of a Woman Whereupon having levyed ten thousand Soldiers they pitched their Tents near the Mountain Itabar of which Sisara having notice proceeded presently by the Kings command to fall upon them and incamped near them Baruc and the Israelites being terrified with the multitude of their Enemies were incouraged by Deborah who commanded them that very day to give Battel assuring them that God would assist and certainly deliver their Adversaries into their hands Whereupon they charged the Canaanites with much valour who were in a short time wholly discomfited and all their Host fell with the edge of the Sword Sisera alighted from his Chariot and fled away afoot Josephus relates that in the beginning of the fight there suddenly fell a storm of rain mixed with hail which the wind drove against the faces of the Canaanites and took away their sight whereby those that fought with Darts and Slings were made unserviceable and the Targetiers had their hands so benummed with cold that they could scarce weild their Swords but the Tempest being on the back of the Israelites was so far from disturbing them that believing it a manifest token of the immediate favour and assistance of Heaven they were thereby incouraged to assault their enemies with the greater vigor and breaking through the front of their Battel they made a very great slaughter of them so that a vast number fell by the Sword and the rest were over-run by their own Chariots and Horsemen Sisera flying with all speed after he saw his Army turn their backs arrived at the Tent of a woman of Cenetis called Jael the wife of Heber and earnestly besought her to conceal him which she seemed very willing to do and covered him with a Mantle who being very dry desired a Cup of water when she presented him with a dish of milk And then covering him again he intreated her That if any came to inquire she should deny she had seen him and then fell asleep whilst he lay buried in slumbers by reason of his extream toyl and weariness Jael took a nail and with a hammer struck it through his temples and fastned it to the ground whereby he instantly gave up the Ghost soon after Barue with his Souldiers coming thither she brought them in and shewed what she had done and thus a woman according to the prediction of the worthy Prophetess Deborah was the Author of this glorious Victory The Army being likewise managed by the conduct of Deborah a woman the Israelites thereby subduing their inveterate Foes the Canaanites And Baruc leading his Army to Hazor slew Jabin their King who came out against them levelling the City to the ground and thereby freed the Land from bondage which had rest forty years after this notable success And that they might not seem ingrateful to the Lord for so great a deliverance Deborah and Baruc composed the following Song of praise and thanksgiving which they sung in the hearing of all the people Deborah lived in the year from the creation 2641. and before the Nativity of our Saviour 1350. Judges 5. YOur Great Preserver celebrate He who reveng'd our wrongs of late When you his Sons in Israels aid Of life so brave a tender made You Princes with attention hear And you who awful Scepters bear While I in sacred numbers sing The praise of our Eternal King. When he through Seir his Army led In Edoms Fields his Ensigns spread Earth shook the Heavens in drops descend And Clouds in tears their substance spend Before his face the Mountains melt Old Sinai unknown servor felt When Israel Shamgars Rule obey'd And Jael that Virago swaid She bold of Heart He great in War Yet to the fearful Traveller All ways were then unsafe who crept Through woods or past when others slept The land uncultivated lay When I arose I Deborah A mother to my Countrey grew At once their Foes and Fears subdue When to themselves new Gods they chose Then were their Walls besieg'd by Foes Did one of forty thousand wear A Coat of Steele or shook a Spear You who with such alacrity Led to the Battail O how I Affect your valour with me raise Your voices sing Jehovahs praise Sing you who on white Asses ride And justice equally devide You who those ways so fear'd of late Where now no thieves assassinate You lately from your Fountains barr'd Where you their clattering quivers heard There with united joy record The Righteous Judgments of the Lord You who your Cities repossess Who reap in peace his praise profess Arise O Deborah arise In heavenly Hymns express thy Joys Arise O Baruc Thou the Fame And Off-spring of Alcinoam Of Israel the renowned head Captivity now Captive lead Nor shall the noble memory Of our strong aids in silence dye The quiver bearing Ephraimite Marcht from his Mountain to the fight Those who on Amalek confine The small remains of Benjamine From Machir Princes not a few Wise Zebulun with Letters drew The valiant chiefs of Issachar With Deborah hasted to this war Who down into the valley tread The way which noble Baruc led But Reuben from the rest disjoin'd By Hills and Flouds was so in mind Did'st thou these glorious wars refuse To hear the bleating of thy Ewes O Great in Council Oh how wise That couldst both Faith and Fame despise Gilead of thundring drums afraid Or slothful beyond Jordan staid Dan his swift failing ships affects And publick liberty neglects While Ashur on his clifts resides And fortifies against the Tydes But Zebulun and Napâ—hali Who never would from danger fly Were ready for the publick good On Tabors top to shed their bloud Then Kings Kings of the Cananites To Tanach Plains addrest their fights Where swift Megiddo's waters ran Yet neither spoil nor Trophy wan The Heav'ns ' gainst Sisera fought the Stars Mov'd in their Courses to those wars By Ancient Kishon swept from thence Whose Torrent falling clouds incense Thou O my joyful Soul at length Hast trod to dirt their mighty strength Their wounded Horse with flying hast Fall headlong and their Riders cast Thus spake an Angel cursed be Thou Meroz all who dwell in thee That basely wouldst no aid afford In that great battel to the Lord. O Jael Hebers wife thou best Of women be thou ever blest Blest above all
imployed as his youngest Son Sextus afterward the villanous ravisher of Lucretia to whom he thus discourst We have in vain O Sextus assaulted the Gabins by power nothing now remains but craft which is the second step to Greatness Go then my Son to the Gabins seem as if you fled from me accuse me of cruelty strive to insinuate your self into their confidence behave your self as one of their confederates and companions and as you succeed you shall receive from me further instructions Sextus Tarquinius the wicked Son of a Tyrannical Father was ready prepared to execute his commands though never so impious and Tarquin found that these perfidious lessons were given to a Son who was expert in villany He obeys flies to the Gabins to whom he made a grievous complaint of his Fathers intolerable cruelty in words to this effect Lo here a Son O Gabins escaped from his Fathers Sword to shield himself under the protection of his enemies He brought me up and then designed me as a sacrifice and oblation to his cruelty if fathers thus turn unnatural enemies I hope to find my enemies a father to me in my misfortunes He hath now turned his pride and severity from strangers to his own family and would willingly cause the same desolation and solitude in his own house that he has made in the Senate He is even weary of his Children and knows not how to be a Father either of them or his Countrey All his thirst is after bloud he covets rule and dominion that he may kill and destroy He desires the command of Cities only that he may dispeople them and would utterly exterminate the whole Senate because it resembles a principality He sees he has sons and fearing they are like himself he dreads them because he dreads himself The consciousness of his own misdeeds pursues him and he is affrighted with his own imaginations which represent only dreadful things to his apprehension and thinking to secure himself from them he commits fresh murthers and the more he imbrues his hands in bloud that he may be thereby freed from the fear of others he fears himself the more 'T is safer to be Tarquins enemy than his son that being the only way to escape his private and malicious assassinations Startle not O ye Gabins at my being begot by Tarquin Children do not always resemble their Fathers if so there would be no variety in nature and you shall find that I even I will revenge so many wrongs and villanies for notwithstanding his pretence of laying aside the War yet he is preparing to surprize and ruin you with the first advantage I have escaped my Fathers Swords and Darts and think my self no where safe but among his adversaries and if my unfortunate condition can find no relief from you I will wander over all Latium yea over all the Nations in the world till I find out those who will protect innocent Children from the cruel and unjust prosecutions of unnatural and bloudy Fathers and whom I may persuade to ingage against that proud King and his barbarous Followers After this florid Oration he seemed indifferent whether they would entertain him or not pretending to go instantly to some other place which made the Gabins more ready to receive him as they did with very great civility telling him That it was no wonder Tarquin proved so unnatural to his children since he had been so treacherous to his own Countreymen Allies that they did believe he would at last offer violence to himself if he wanted a subject to excercise his brutish rage upon That Sextus his coming to them was very grateful and they hoped by his assistance to carry the War in a short time from their own City to the very Walls of Rome After this he was admitted into their publick Councils wherein he exprest a singular modesty in referring all things to the Judgment of the most ancient Counsellers only he much approved of the continuance of the War wherein he said he pretended to the greatest knowledge as being sensible of the strength of both people and that the pride of Tarquin must needs be very hateful to his subjects since his own Children were not able to endure it By such discourses as these he provoked them to continue the War and went with the most active Youth to forrage the Countrey where in several small Skirmishes he came off with so good success that he thereby gained such reputation as to be made General of their Army in which office he still got more credit for in all the bickerings between the Romans and Gabins he generally had the better so that the whole people thought him sent to them as a blessing from Heaven For his despising of dangers and activity in every place of difficulty but especially his freeness in distributing all the booty gained him so much love and ingaged the hearts of the people to him that his authority among the Gabins was no less powerful than his Father Tarquins among the Romans Having proceeded thus far in his traiterous design and judging himself strong enough to carry on his purpose he sends a Messenger to his Father to signifie what he had done and to receive further directions since Heaven had so ordered it that he could act what he pleased among the Gabins The Messenger being not thought faithful enough Tarquin sent no positive answer by him but taking him into the garden as if to consult what message to return the King walkt silently along and with his staff cut off the heads of the highest Poppies The Messenger weary of expecting an answer withdrew and hastned back to Sextus telling him That whether out of anger hatred or natural pride he had not sent him a word in return but only as he walkt in the garden he with a stick struck off the heads of the highest Poppies Sextus quickly apprehends these dumb signs and thereby understands his wicked Fathers mind and soon after causes the Chief men of the City to be put to death by accusing some to the people and stirring up others out of envy to ruin their fellow Citizens many were executed publickly and divers against whom he could prove nothing murthered privately Some fled their Countrey others were banished and all their Estates as well as those put to death distributed among the people who for the sweetness of the booty and the particular profit they received lost the sense of their publick misfortunes and were laid asleep from whence they never awaked till they were deprived both of counsel and power and the Gabine Liberty was at an end The City being at length surrendred by this Subtle Stratagem to the King of Rome without the least bloudshed or resistance After this Tarquin makes peace with the rest of his Neighbours and then applies his mind to City affairs resolving to finish the Temple of Jupiter he had begun which being with the help of many hands in a short time finished he next
imploys the people it some other publick works which whilst they were intent upon a great prodigy appears a Serpent 〈◊〉 seen to come out of a Pillar of Wood which much affrighted Tarquin and his whole Court filling his breast with such anxious thoughts that he could not rest till he was satisfied what it did portend There fore though in other strange accidents he used only the judgment of his own Countrey Diviners yet iâ— this extraordinary case he resolved to consult the oracle of Delphos then the most famous upon earth He therefore sends his two elder Sons Titus and Aâ—ron to the oracle who take with them as their companion Lucius Junius Brutus the son of Tarquinia hâ—â— Sister whom he had not only suffered to live after having slain his brother but as a fate permitted hiâ— to keep company with his Sons This young man having heard that the Chief of tâ—â— City were murdered by his Uncle resolved to give him no occasion of fear from any designs of his and knowing there was no greater safety under the Tyrant than to be scorned and neglected since Law and Justice gave little security he that none might covet his fortune industriously feigned himself a fool or mad man which was much assisted by his natural inclination to melancholly permitting the King to dispose of his Person and Estate as he thought fit nay did not refuse the Sirname of Brutus that is Foolish or Sottish though under this title he concealed a noble Soul which afterward discovered it self in delivering the Roman people from slavery At the last Scene he unmasks himself and every one then commends him when they consider him because they did not understand him till the end of the Tragedy The Sons of Tarquin take this dull Brutus along with them to Delphos only for sport and divertisement though it is said he then secretly carried a golden staff inclosed in one of Wood as a present to Apollo which was a sign of his ingenuity They come to the Oracle and having made known their Fathers desires the young men were very earnest to make inquiry of the succession and to which of them the Roman kingdom should fall whereupon they say a voice ascended from the bottom of the Cave saying He among you three shall have the chief dominion in Rome who gives his Mother the first kiss The two brothers agreed to conceal this answer from Sextus the youngest then at Rome lest he should prevent them and to commit it to fortune by Lot which of them should first kiss their Mother when they arrived but Brutus who knew the answers of oracles were seldom very cleer but full of a thousand ambiguities imagining there might be some other meaning in it pretending to fall by chance kissed the earth which he considered was the common Mother of all men living They return to Rome with the answer to their Father whom they find ingaged in War against the Rutilians a rich people and besieging Ardea with whose Spoils the Tyrant hoped to ingage the affections of the Romans who grew very insolent and uneasy for being made so long Carpenters and Masons They first attacked the City by storm but being repulsed laid a formal Siege thereto which made the Campaign more tedious than dangerous so that the Officers had leasure enough to treat and entertain one another The Kings Sons and kinsmen oft feasted each other particularly one night they were drinking together with Sextus where Collatinus Tarquinius the Son of Egerius being in company there grew a contention among them concerning their wives each extolling his own above the rest from whence a quarrel arising Collatinus said there need no dispute in the case since it might easily be known how far his Lucretia excelled the rest Therefore said he It is in vain to talk but if you have any vigor in you let us mount our Horses and go see with our own eyes what kind of lives our wives lead in our absence and that shall be the test of their virtue according as each man shall find her imployed at his sudden arrival They were all heated with Wine and therefore cryed unanimously Come on it is agreed and so galloped to Rome and arriving toward evening went thence to Collatia where they found Lucretia not like the rest of the Kings daughters in Law whom they saw feasting and rioting among their companions but fitting up late at night in the midst of her women spinning and dividing out their work They all grant her the Victory and with one voice commend her above their own She received her husband and the rest very kindly and Collatine having thus got the conquest treated the Royal Youths with a Noble banquet At supper a base lust surprizeth Sextus and her beauty and chastity raising a furious desire in him to enjoy her he resolves to compass his wicked intent with the utmost hazard for the look of a lascivious man is like that of a Basilisk it kills Chastity with beholding it Having ended their Juvenile pastimes for that night the next morning they all returned to the Camp. Not long after Sextus who could find no rest in his mind till he had fulfilled his unlawful desires takes a full resolution to perpetrate that wicked Act and without giving notice to any he secretly returns to Collatia where he was received and treated with all kind of civility by the innocent Lucretia who little imagined upon what impious design he made her that visit but welcomed him with all manner of sweetness as the Friend and Companion of her beloved husband After supper he was conducted to his Chamber but so inflamed with love that sleep was the least thing he desired or intended he revolves in his thoughts the hazard and treachery of this dishonourable attempt and yet sometimes seems to flatter himself with success from the free treatment of this chast soul Quoth he she took me kindly by the hand And gaz'd for tydings in my eager eyes Fearing some bad news from the Warlike Band Where her beloved Collatinus lyes O how her fear did make her colour rise Nor could she put off this her trembling fear Until her husbands welfare she did hear At length taking courage he rises from his uneasy bed and having observed where Lucretia lay he opens the doors and enters her Chamber whom he found fast asleep and approaching the bed with his drawn Sword he lays his hand upon her breast and hath recourse to the instruments of hatred for his assistance in love he who was wont to vent his angry passions against his enemies with his Sword knows not how to lay it aside in prosecuting the most tender passion At this rude approach the poor affrighted Lucretia awaked and finding him in this dreadful posture and her self in so dangerous a state she was extreamly amazed when the villanous Ravisher thus addrest her Lucretia said he Hold your peace I am Sextus Tarquin speak not a word for if you do
this Sword shall instantly end your life He then proceeded to declare his transcendant passion for her and uses all manner of inducements to bring her to his will tells her That her beauty is the cause of this misfortune that he had considered the fatal event of it but yet had rather endure the greatest torments yea death it self than not to fulfil his desire says he I have debated even in my Soul What wrong what shame what sorrow it will breed But nothing can my furious Love controul Or stop the headlong current of its speed Although repentant Tears insue the deed Together with reproach and enmity Yet I must needs imbrace my infamy He speaks her fair and then intermixes threats but seeing her readier to imbrace death than him rather willing to lose her life than honour he adds disgrace to fear and tells her he would first kill her and then stab a slave and lay him naked by her so that it should be certainly believed she was slain in the very act of adultery Lucrece says he this night I must enjoy thee If thou deny then force must work my way For in thy bed I purpose to destroy thee And then some wretched slave of thine I 'le slay To kill thine honour with thy lives decay And in thy dead arms I resolve to place him And swear I slew him finding thee imbrace him See how this villain threatens to bereave her of her honour that he may thereby bereave her of it Lucretia thus assaulted makes many compassionate pleas in defence of her chastity upbraids him with his unreasonable and brutish lust adjures him by all manner of Arguments not to use violence against a poor weak woman but nothing she could say had the least influence upon him She him conjures by fear of Heaven above By her untimely tears her husbands love Quoth she Reward not hospitality And Friendship with such wicked treachery Think but how vile a spectacle it were Did thy crime in another man appear If ever man was mov'd with womans moans Be moved with my tears my sighs my groans Melt at my tears and be compassionate Some pity enters at an iron gate Thou seem'st not what thou art a God a King. For Kings like Gods should govern every thing Have done quoth he my uncontroulled tyde Turns not but swells the higher by this let Small lights are soon blown out huge fires abide And with the wind in greater fury fret And putting his words into act he first gag'd and then ravished her notwithstanding the utmost resistance she could possible use so that she forcibly yielded to Sextus prevailing lust who having obtained his will goes away over-joyed and returns to the Camp Triumphant while the most unhappy Lucretia remains overwhelmed with grief She sends to her Father Spurius Lucretius and her husband that they would instantly repair to Collatia with two or three of their most assured Friends since a most unfortunate and grievous accident had befallen her They make speed to come and bring Publius Valerius and Lucius Junius Brutus along with them They find Lucretia in a very desolate condition who upon their coming into her Chamber burst out into a floud of Tears Her husband asked her art thou not well my Dear No said she how can that woman be well who hath lost her Chastity the signs of another man O dear Collatine are yet to be seen upon the bed yet is my body only violated my mind is still guiltless of which my death shall be an undoubted evidence but first give me your hands and solemn promises that you will not suffer the Adulterer to go unpunished Sextus Tarquin is the man who like an enemy rather than a Guest came last night armed to my bed and thence forced pleasures which if you are men of courage may prove as fatal to him as they are like to be to me They all one after another engaged to revenge the injury she had received and endeavoured to comfort and perswade her grieved soul that she was altogether innocent and the guilt lay only upon the Ravisher and that her mind not her body could only commit the offence and where was no consent there was no crime Do you says she consider what the Ravisher deserves for though I absolve my self from the crime yet I will not be free from the punishment Nor shall any unchast woman ever plead hereafter that Lucretia was an Example of lendness to her And then proceeded to this purpose And what could unfortunate Lucretia do If she had died that she might have lived Chast you would have thought her slain for having been unchast O most cruel Law of Honour which savest not the innocent A Law never descended from Heaven but came from the deepest Abyss of Hell I who would have my honesty proclaimed to all have more studied glory than chastity and whilst I was ambitious of the name of Chast I am with infamy become unchast I was inforced to chuse life that I might preserve my honour and by my living I have lost it I am resolved to dye if not for what hath already befallen me at least for what may hereafter happen to me But what then If I die I shall seem to acknowledge I have done amiss they will say my guilty conscience kill'd me If I live you will believe I have done so too and say I consented out of two much love of life O of all others the most unfortunate Lucretia whose innocence neither life nor death can justify This Soul O Collatine whose delight was chastity abhors now that body which is polluted and as being wholly thine cannot indure to have any longer a being since I can no more be only thine The wicked Ravisher did never prostitute me it was not Lucretia it was a Carcase for the Soul is not where it consents not sin is the off-spring of the will not of the body where consent is not there is no sin yet I think my self worthy of death ' cause he desired and blame my self though faultless because I pleased him O Beauty perniciously coveted by our unsound minds O frail and fading vanity of the body whereby the eternal beauty of the Soul is clouded they which are endowed with you either sin with you or cause others to sin by you But what was there in me that incouraged this vile miscreant to commit so great a crime perhaps my honesty which he thought greater than others Most sacred Honesty art thou then become an incitement to lust and instead of defending dost thou offend Instead of bridling unlawful desires dost thou provoke to fury and violence His cruel heart that delights only to kill the innocent is likewise a receptacle of wicked lust that covets none but the Chast To attain what they desire is not that which the Tarquins desire they find no pleasure where they use no force and like lightning rend and destroy most where they meet most resistance And whither can
or rather against thee but make those submit to thee whose heavy oppressions upon thy people thou hast so long been sensible of and be thou our Protector and defender O most noble Lady we humbly beseech thee Having concluded her prayer she proceeds with all alacrity against her enemies who were at that time without a Commander Paulinus being then confined in the Isle of Anglesey as hath been said The Romans in Garrison at Camoludunum sent for more aid to Caius the Treasurer who could furnish them with only two hundred ill armed men the City was not fortified either with Ditch or Rampart they being perswaded by those in the Conspiracy that the able youth within were a sufficient defence so that not suspecting any assault the Brittains easily overthrew all before them entring and burning the City and slaying all they met with the Romans being so amazed at the mighty force of the Brittains that they made very weak resistance so that in two days the place was won and every Soul within it slain The Brittains incouraged with this first success went to encounter Petus with the ninth Legion whom they soon vanquisht killing all the Foot Petus with the Horse narrowly escaping back into the Trenches Caius the Treasurer affrighted with this overthrow and sensible of the hatred of the Brittains toward him who by his covetousness had occasioned all these mischiefs fled over to France But Paulinus advertised of all with much courage broke through his enemies and marched toward London where at that time were few Romans it being full of Merchants Merchandize when considering the weakness of his forces and the fate of Petus he concluded not to venture all for recovering one Town and therefore retired into places of safety nothing moved with the prayers and tears of his Countreymen who craved succour from him After this Verâ—lamium a famous Roman City near St. Albans ran the same fate being utterly destroyed by the Brittains who leaving the Castles and strong Forts unassaulted pursued their Victory by plundering all the Romans in the open Countrey using their conquest with so much cruelty that it is recorded they slew above seventy thousand Romans carrying Fire Gibbets and other instruments of revenge wherever they went sparing neither age nor Sex Some Noble Ladies they hanged up naked cutting off their duggs and forcing them into their mouths that they might seem to feed on them others were impaled upon stakes with all manner of barbarities that a people bereaved of their liberties could invent for revenge upon their oppressors At the same time feasting and sacrificing to Andates the Goddess of Victory in the Roman Temples Mean while Paulinus having received a supply of ten thousand Souldiers and finding a scarcity in his Camp resolved to give the enemy battel chusing an advantagious place very narrow and backt by a thick wood The Brittains confident in their multitude and good fortune resolved to ingage them though at disadvantage and Queen Voadicia conducting them the other Ladies being placed in Chariots to see the fight she with her daughters mounted in a lofty Chariot rid through the armed Bands incouraging the Souldiers of divers Countreys to fight valiantly though under a womans command it being the custom of the Brittains to make no distinction of Sexes and that she came not now among them as a person of high birth and Nobility to fight for her kingdom but as one equal with themselves who sought to regain their freedom and to revenge her self on her enemies for scourging her like a Vagabond and deflouring her daughters whose lascivousness was insupportable having whipt her an ancient Lady stark naked to satisfy their malice and ravisht her daughters to cool their filthy lust but saith she The Gods are at hand to take just vengeance on their villanies The Legion which presumed to encounter us is destroyed the rest fled into their strong Holds unable to endure the noise of our multitudes if you therefore scriously consider what moved you to ingage in this War you will certainly resolve within your selves either to die with honour in battel or to vanquish your implacable adversaries for I though a woman have made this resolution rather than to be ever again brought into bondage Paulinus was not wanting to incourage his Souldiers by telling them there were more women than men in the Brittish Army and many of them being without Armor and unskilled in discipline would never endure the force of the Romans who had so oft put them to flight and though their own number were small yet would the glory be the greater to vanquish so vast a multitude with so few hands and that they ought not to regard the spoil till they had assured the victory which would then be certainly their own to divide at pleasure The Romans much incouraged by this Oration the onset was given in those Streights much to their advantage who were but an handful in comparison of their enemies the fight at first was very obstinate and bloudy but the Brittains unable to relieve each other or incompass the Romans with their numbers in that narrow place or to sustain the violence of their Foes were constrained to retreat in disorder and in a short time were utterly discomfited There were slain of the Brittains that day near fourscore thousand as Tacitus writes for the Streights being stopt by their own Chariots the Brittains could not easily escape and the Romans were so bent on revenge that they spared none in the heat of the Battel though they afterward took many Prisoners There dyed of the Romans in this memorable Battel not above four hundred and as many wounded Those that escaped would have recruited and fought a second time when Queen Voadicia who had made her escape after she had shewed all the courage of a gallant Commander and had made such a notable though unsuccessful attempt for redeeming heâ— Countrey from Bondage Doubting she might at one time or other fall into the hands of her Enemies like another Lucretia fell upon her Sword and died This happened in the seventy third year from our Saviours Birth After this several other Roman Emperors commanded here as Galba Otho Vitellius Vespasian Titus Domitian Nerva Trajan Adrian Antoninâ—â— Commodus Pertinax Didius Severus Caracalla Mâ—crinus Heliogabilus and others Theodosius being the last that had power in Brittain in 423. when the Goth who had served under the Romans twenty years being disobliged rose against them and caused dreadful devastations in the Empire forcing them to leave their Conquests after they had commanded here 500 years When they took their last farewel but had levied so many Souldiers from hence for Foreign Countreys that the Land was almost unpeopled so that the Brittains were at length obliged to call in the Saxons against their new Enemies the Picts and having overcome them they themselves finally made a compleat Conquest of the whole Countrey except Wales whither the Brittains fled for safety and
Father was so far prevaild on by these discourses that he sent an Executioner to his Son in prison with this Message That a Sword or a Crown were now presented to his choice that if he would renounce his Religion he should be received into favour and enjoy the Scepter after him But if not he should be instantly beheaded in that place Ermangild told him That he would rather dye by a thousands torments than forsake the true faith which he had imbraced and added I thank thee O Almighty God that as thou hast given me a mortal perishing uncertain life from my Father so by his means I shall now receive a glorious and happy life to all Eternity And then kneeling down and praying earnestly for his Father Step-mother and all his enemies and persecutors he cheerfully stretcht out his neck to the Executioner pronouncing the name of his dear Andegona to the last moment and at one blow had his head severed from his body The sad tydings of this lamentable accident arrived to Andegona who had made her escape into Africa where she likewise received the last Letter from her husband out of Prison Her attendants at the news began to make doleful Lamentations as if themselves had been condemned to dye But Andegora kissing the Letter of her dear Lord and then reading it cryed out Ah noble and faithful Soul thou hast acted as a good man ought to do thou hast fought the good fight of Faith and hast now attained the Crown of glory and I desire nothing but to imitate thy constancy Weep not then my Servants for me since it is this day I am a Queen indeed and esteem my self the most happy Princess on earth who have a husband a Martyr in Heaven And then taking her little Son Ermangild almost tired with hard Travel she said Go sweet babe partake of the blessings of your dear Father God hath bestowed great favours in you to be banished already for your Religion go then little Innocent and rejoice with others before the Altar of the Lamb your Mother will not stay long behind you The Child dyed soon after and the magnanimous Andegona having long combated with these Armies of afflictions at length resigned up her Soul with these words O my God the father and son are at rest there now remains nothing but to take the mother I have ended all my hopes in this World why stayest thou O my blessed Saviour to receive my Soul which is now upon my lips Her prayer was heard for a few days after wasted with love travel and desires she died an exemplary death and found a Tomb in Africa FINIS There are Newly Published one and Twenty other very useful pleasant and necessary Books all sold by Nath. Crouch at the Bell in the Poultrey near Cheapside I. A View of the English Acquisitions in Guinea and the East-Indies With an Account of the Religion Government Wars strange Customs Beasts Serpents Monsters and other Observables in those Countreys And among others the Life and Death of Mahomet the Grand Impostor with the Principal Doctrines of the Turkish Religion as they are display'd in the Alcoran Two Letters one written by the Great Mogol and the other by the King of Sumatra in the East-Indies to our King James the First of an unusual and extravagant stile The cruel Executions in those Parts With the manner of the Womens burning themselves with their dead husbands Together with a Description of the Isle of St. Helena And the Bay of Souldania where the English usually refresh in their Voyages to the Indies Intermixt with pleasant Relations and Enlivened with Picture Price one Shilling II. THE English Empire in America or a Prospect of his Majesties Dominions in the West-Indies namely New-found-land New-England New-York New-Jersey Pensylvania Mary-land Virginia Carolina Bermuda's Barbuda Anguilla Montserrat Dominica St. Vincent Antego Mevis or Nevis St. Christophers Barbadoes and Jamaica With an Account of their Discovery Scituation and Product The Religion and Manners of the Indians and other excellencies of these Countreys To which is prefixed a Relation of the first Discovery of this New-World and of the Remarkable Voyages and Adventures of Sebastian Cabot Sir Martin Frobisher Captain Davies Captain Weymouth Captain Hall Captain Hudson Sir Thomas Cavendish the Earl of Cumberland Sir Walter Rawleigh and other English Worthies to divers places therein Illustrated with Maps and Pictures of the strange Fruits Birds Beasts Fishes Insects Serpents and Monsters found in these Parts of the World. Pr. 1. s. III. THE Second Edition of Englands Monarchs very much enlarged Or A Compendious Relation of the most Remarkable Transactions and Observable Passages Ecclesiastical Civil and Military which have happened during the Reigns of the Kings and Queens of England from the Invasion of the Romans under Julius Caesar to this present Adorned with Poems and the Pictures of every Monarch from King William the Conqueror to our most gracious Soveraign King James the Second with his present Majesties Life Heroick Actions late Gracious Declaration and other Occurrences to this time The names of his now Majesties most Honourable Privy Council The Great Officers of the Crown A List of the Dukes Marquesses Earls Viscounts Bishops Barons and Deans The Knights of the most Noble Order of the Garter at Windsor and the Principal Officers Civil and Military in England The number of the Lords and Commons who have Votes in both Houses of Parliament and many other very useful particulars Price One Shilling IV. THE History of the Kingdoms of Scotland and Ireland containing 1. An Account of the most Remarkable Transactions and Revolutions in Scotland for above Twelve hundred years past during the Reigns of Sixty eight Kings from the year of our Lord 4â—4 to the Happy Union of both Kingdoms under King James the Sixth of Scotland and first of England of Blessed Memory in 1602 and among other particulars the lamentable Murther of King Duffe with the strange Discovery and Punishment thereof The wonderful History of Mackbeth and the Witches with the many Notable Occurrences in his Reign 2. The History of Ireland from the Conquest thereof unto King Henry the Second to this time With a Relation of the Miraculous Persons and Places in that Countrey A full Account of St. Patrick's Purgatory and divers other memorable Matters Intermix with Variety of Excellent Speeches Strange Accidents Prodigious Appearances and other very considerable things both pleasant and profitable With a List of the Nobility and Great Officers of State in both Kingdoms Illustrated with near Thirty Pictures of several Kings and other extraordinary Observables Price 1 Shilling V. DElights for the Ingenious In above Fifty Select and choice Emblems Divine and Moral Ancient and Modern Curiously Ingraven upon Copper Plates with Fifty delightful Poems and Lots for the more Lively Illustration of each Emblem Whereby Instruction and Good Counsel may be promoted and furthered by an honest and pleasant Recreation To which is prefixed An
she undertook this mighty Action she retired to her closet and putting ashes on her head and sackcloth on her loyns prostrated her self to the earth and prayed earnestly to God in this manner O Lord the God of my Fathers to whom nothing is impossible look down upon the Armies of Assyria who exalt themselves against thee and glory in the strength and number of their Forces and let them know that thou art the God of Battels and the Lord of Hosts is thy name and that thou breakest in pieces the mighty powers of the earth with one glance of thy eyes Throw down their strength by thy Almighty arm and lift up that hand which hath made it self renowned from all ages by so many wonders as thou hast wrought against those that have opposed thy peculiar people Confound their pride and suffer them not to violate thy Temple pollute thy Sanctuary nor destroy thy Tabernacle where thy Glorious name resteth and is called upon by thy afflicted Servants Send thy wrath upon them and deliver into my hand who am a weak widdow the Commander of their Camp give me such eloquence and utterance that my words may prevail upon him to his destruction And since thy strength is not in the multitude of Souldiers nor in the valour of Horsemen make it now appear that thou canst save by the most weak and unlikely means and that thou who art the God of the distressed the helper of the oppressed the supporter of the most destitute and the Protector and Saviour of those that are without hope art able to bring down thy most haughty and presumptuous Foes even by the hand of an impotent woman Remember thy Covenant O Lord give counsel to my heart words to my mouth and strength to my arm for the defence of thy House and People that all the Nations of the world may know there is no God like unto thee Having thus armed her self with her Prayers and Confidence in the God of Heaven she puts off her mourning and sackcloth and washes and adorns her self with Rings and Jewels to the best advantage so that she appeared exceeding amiable in the eyes of all though her virtues and graces were much the greater ornament to her and then having prepared meat and drink for her self and servant because she would not be polluted with the dainties of the Heathens she leaves her house and goes toward the gate of Bethulia where she finds Ozias and the Chiefs of the City Chabris and Charmis who seemed ravished with the lustre of her heavenly beauty yet inquired not into her design but implored the blessing of God upon her and the enterprize she had undertaken and the gates being opened she attended only by her maid went directly toward the Camp of the Assyrians all the people of the City looking after her as far as they could see As she went down the Mountain at break of day the Souldiers having discovered her ran presently to seize on so lovely a prize and were much surprized with the charms and splendor of her countenance and having inquired of her Countrey and present intentions she told them That she was a woman of Bethulia and that she had that night deserted the people of that miserable City who were obstinate to procure their own destruction from the triumphant arms of the Assyrians into whose hands they would at last certainly fall but that she would have no share in their crime hoping to escape their disasters also and that her business was to reveal to Holofernes a certain way how to take the City and all the Countrey round about without loss of a man. The Souldiers were amazed at her comeliness and discourse and assured her she had taken the only course to secure her life and honour and that their Lord would receive and entertain her with all manner of kindness and respect It may seem a rash attempt that a woman so handsom as Judith should venture her self and her honour to the rudeness of the dissolute Souldiers who propound to themselves the ravishing of women for one part of the reward of their dangers and toils in war And we may be apt to think that an honest woman would scarce expose her chastity to so many hazards and affronts although it were to save a City In humane reason this conduct of hers can hardly be defended but who dares condemn what seems to proceed from a manifest inspiration of Heaven which kept her as safe in the midst of the greatest seeming difficulties as if immured in the strongest Castle She was then conducted to the Tent of Holofernes who was leaning upon his Bed under a rich Canopy of State imbroidered with Gold Purple Emeralds and Jewels who having notice of her approach came to the door of his Tent with Silver Lamps before him Judith being come into his presence struck him and all his Attendants into admiration at her furprizing handsomness and being fallen at his feet he caused her to be instantly raised up and to incourage her treats her with incomparable sweetness assuring her That he was not terrible to any who would submit themselves to the obedience of his great Master Nebuchadnezzar the King of all the Earth neither would he have permitted a Sword to have been drawn against her Nation if according to their duty they had rendred their Towns to the arms of that Mighty Monarch and therefore desired her to inform him upon what account she had forsaken the City and was come to his Camp. Judith endeavoured to gratifie his request by this subtle Oration My Lord I am very well satisfied that the Great Nebuchadnezzar is ordained of God to be the King of the whole world and that all the strength of his Monarchy and management of his warlike affairs is included in your Person and conducted by your wisdom and policy for the safety and protection of the good and the chastisement of evil doers The valour and prudence of the worthy Holofernes is renowned through all the Earth who desires to be powerful only that he may be merciful of which all the Provinces which have fallen under his conquering arm have had comfortable experience As for the words which Achior declared to my Lord he hath repeated the same in the ears of the people of Bethulia thereby endeavouring to incourage them to defend themselves valiantly and what he hath said is most true and certain that the Israelites shall not be punished neither can the Sword prevail against them except they sin against their God But now their sin will overtake them and thereby make them an easy prey to their enemies for since their victuals and water fail them they are resolved to kill all their Cattel and to eat all things even those forbidden by their Law and not to spare those which were sanctified and reserved for the use of the Priests and service of the Temple whereby they will provoke their God to anger For this cause my Lord have