on a Chalcidonian Damsell lost all his honour giving way to the enemy for an easie victory of these and the like we thus read Ovid Elegiar lib. 2. nisirapta fuisset Tyndaris Europa pax Asiaeque foret Femina silvestres Lapit has populumque biformem c. But for the rape made of the Spartian Queene Europe and Asia still in peace had beene Woman and Wine that blooddy banquet made In which the two shap't Centaurs did invade The Lapithes who doubly text with lust And the grapes juyce lay tumbling in the dust In Latin's kingdome for his Iustice praisd Woman a second Trojan tumult raisd Two buls I have seene for a faire heifer fight With lustfull fire inraged at her sight c. But contrary to these diverse of the same sex though not in that great number have beene very eminent in advancing both the profit and honour of their Nations as Dominica the wife of the Emperour Valence with her great eloquence and hazard of her person withall pacified the barbarous Goths from sacking and utterly subverting Constantinople the Metropolis of the Grecian Empire Iuguldis the sister of Childebert King of France by her Arguments and earnest sollicitations brought her Husband Hermogillus the Sonne of Lemigildus King of the Goths quite to abjure all paganisme and sincerely to professe the true Christian Religion Clotildis Queene of France after the like manner brought her Husband Clodoveus the son of Chilpericke to the profession of the faith In the yeare of grace three hundred and twelve Autaulphus King of the Goths laid his seige against Rome to assault it at least if not to spoyle it and to change the name thereof and for Roma to call it Gothia But Placida the wife of Honorius with her sweete perswasive language so insinuated into the ferocity of his barbarous diposition that she caused him to relent and quite altering his bloody purpose to raise the siege and leave the City in safety Pompeia Paulina wrought the like upon the tyrannous disposition of the Emperour Iulianus her husband causing him to take of those taxes and heavy impositions which he had with great rigour laid upon his people To which number may be added Helena the Mother of Constantine and Monica the Mother of Saint Augustine and some others and not the least meriting this Lady Elpheda the subject of our present treatise Whose Father Aluredus whom some of our Chronologers call Alphredus the fourth Sonne to Adolphus and Brother to Etheldredus late King began his raigne over the West Saxons and divers other Provinces of England in the yeare of Grace eight hundred threescore and twelve and in the thirtyeth yeare of Charles surnamed the Bald King of France It is written of him that he was twelve yeares of age before he was taught to know any Letter but after by his great industry he not onely excelled in learning his brothers but many others who were before him in time Hee was the first raised a Schoole in Oxford and gave that Towne great freedomes and Immunities He caused also many Lawes to be translated out of the Brittish tongue into the Saxons Especially the Mercean Lawes which Mercia was an absolute Kingdome called also middle England he was further a very skillfull Architector as having great knowledge in building and for hunting and hawking hee was able to instruct any but needed direction from none hee was of a comely stature and faire both of countenance and condition and of all his other children the best beloved of his Father He when he came to maturity espoused a noble Lady whose name was Etheluida by whom he had two sons Edward surnamed the elder and a second called Egelward Elpheda whom he after marryed to Etheldredus whom hee made Duke or Prince of Mercia the second was called Ethelgota he made a Nunrie or Votaresse and the third had to name Elphrida all his children as well daughters as sonnes he caused to be diligently instructed in the art of grammer so much he affected learning and was in many battles victorious over the Danes who often and in sundry places invaded the Land and tyrannized therein and amongst many other his Heroyicke acts one passage I cannot omit being so remarkeable Being in one battle much overset by reason of the multitude of his enemies he was forced with a small traine to hide himselfe in the wooddy Country about Summerset shire and had no other food save such as hee could provide by hunting and fishing yet at length being better comforted he began to shew himselfe more publicke and at large so that dayly there resorted unto him men out of Wiltshire Summerset shire Hampeshire and other places of the Kingdome so that in Processe of time he was strongly accompanied and much better accommodated then the Danes any way dreamed of upon a time the King in person tooke upon him the habit of a Bard or Musician and with his Harpe or some such instrument he entered the Tents and Pavilions of the Danes and sung unto them many pleasant Ballads and Ditties which greatly delighted them in which interim he espyed their sloth and idlenesse tooke full view of their hoast their strength and how it was ordered and withall discovered much of their Counsell and purposes and after returned unto his owne company who with some chosen men fell upon them in the night and utterly defeated and routed them having ever after the upper hand of his enemies It is further remembred of him that hee divided the night and day into three parts if he were not otherwise hindered and molested by his enemies whereof eight houres he spent in study and other eight in Almes deeds and prayer and the remainder in his dyet exercise and affaires of the Realme he raigned three and twenty yeares and dyed a notable and most memorable president to all that should hereafter sit on the throne of Majesty whom succeeded his son Edward Brother to this our Elpheda who though he was lower degreed then his Father in Arts and Literature yet excelled him in state and Majesty This high spirited Virago quite abandoning all softnesse and effeminacy betooke herselfe wholly to the practice of Armes by which she grew famously glorious assisting her Brother in all those great conflicts against the Danes but ere I come to give you a particular character of the sister let it be held no unnecessary digression to speake somewhat of the King her Brother who by his first wife named Edwina had a Sonne called Ethelstane who after succeeded him in the Throne By his second wife two Sonnes Edredus and Edwinus and seven daughters of which the eldest named Alnuda or Almida he marryed to the Emperour Otto the first of that name and Algina the second to Charles King of France surnamed the simple and the youngest of his daughters to Lewis King of Guien By his third wife Ethelswida
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
night her often examination to entangle her in her speeches her very diet served into her by groomes and common Souldiers her conducting from one place to another no day without threatning of danger no night but menacing death her very lodgings fierd about her eares as at Woodstocke And after all these miseries and farre more inexpressible calamities her owne sister to set her hand to a warrant for her execution out of all which notwithstanding God in his infinite mercy miraculously delivered her Thus I have given you a small taste of her troubles in all which as the difficulties were almost inevitable so her patience was altogether incomparable neither though by meanes of King Phillip mediating for her in her troubles though her libertie was the greater were her feares any whit the lesse all the time of her sisters raigne to the end of which I will come as briefly as I can A great rumor ran through the Land that the Queene was with child by King Philip and the time of her reckoning being come it was given forth she was brought to bed of a sonne and such an one as it was suspected was ready prepared of which Philip being informed he would not depart the chamber at the time of her delivery by which meanes the plot tooke no effect yet this young heyre was so voyced abroad that the Bells rung merrily in London and great triumphs were made at Antwarpe and other places some said shee never conceived at all others gave out that shee was with child but the Abortive miscaried others reported she had onely a Timpany and some that it was onely rumoured for policie The truth is King Philip seeing himselfe frustrate of an heyre upon the foureteenth of September tooke leave of the Queene and went over to visit his father the Emperour and to take possession of the Low Countries to her great griefe whom as many were of opinion he but little affected staying there a yeare and six moneths And after at his returne backe he was met by the Queene at Dover and thence brought through London with as great state and solemnitie as at a Coronation It is observed that Queene Maries raigne was the shortest of all Kings since the Conquest save Richard the third and that more Christian blood was spilt in that small time then had beene in case of Religion in any one Kings raignes since Lucius the first establisher of Christianitie in England In the latter end of her raigne Callis was lost which two hundred and eleven yeares had belonged to the Crowne of England It was first won by Edward the third the eleveth King from William the Conquerer who had besieged it some few moneths it was lost by Mary being the eleventh from Edward in eight dayes which when she heard shee sayd The losse of Callis is written in my heart and therein may be read when my body shall be dissected Her conception fayling great dearth in the Land raigning much harme done by thunders on shoare and by fire on her Royall Fleete by Sea home troubles forreigne losses King Philips absence and unkindnesse These with other discontents brought her into a burning Feaver of which shee dyed at Saint Iames neare Westminster the seventeenth of November Anno. 1558. after she had raigned five yeares foure moneths and eleven dayes having lived forty two yeares nine moneths and six dayes and lyeth buried in a Chappell in the Minster of Saint Peters without any monument or other remembrance The same day that Queene Mary dyed the Lady Elizabeth in the twentie fourth yeare second moneth and tenth day of her age remooved from Hatfield to the Charterhouse fâ—om whence she was royally attended to the Tower and the foureteenth of the same moneth passed from thence through the City of London towards Westminster I omit the stately Pagents and presented in the way to this her inaguration which would aske a large expression to conclude the next day following being the fifteenth shee was with all solemnitie annointed and crowned I proceede with the beginning of her raigne when the state was not onely much weakned but greatly afflicted having many enemies and few friends notwithstanding with a dauntlesse and heroick spirit shee exposed the most potent Philip King of Spaine and of the Low Countries her brother in Law upon the installing his great Grandfather Ferdinando whose daughter Katherine by the Popes authoritie had beene before espowsed to two naturall brothers Prince Arthur and Henry so he likewise by the like dispensation endeavoured to marry with two sisters first Mary and after Elizabeth but mauger all the dangers depending upon her deniall abhorring in her chaste reservations any such incestuous contract though hee pretended the connivence at least if not the full approbation of the sea of Rome by refusing the match made him her publick and professed enemy which after broake out into defiance and the publication of open wars A second observable thing was that the French King Henry the second having married his sonne Francis the Dolphin to Mary Queene of Scotland mooved by the house of Guise had interlaced the Armes of England with those of Scotland proclayming Mary his Queene and wife the indubitate heyre to the Crowne of England alleadging for their colour that Elizabeth in regard she stood at that time convicted by the Pope of heresie was uncapable of the Royall Crowne and dignitie thus animated by the Guisians they sent their Armies into Scotland with a constant assurance that as soone as Scotland was but entred England was as good as conquered in so much that Sebastianus Marteguinus a young man of the family of Luxenburg having the command of a thousand foote could hardly be diswaded from subduing England first and then to retire himselfe for his pleasure into Scotland after Thus we see her Majestie not onely threatned but ready to bee invaded on all sides by three puissant and spleenefull enemies Spaine France and Scotland The state by her predecessours Edward and Mary mightily distracted and much indebted the treasure quite exhausted the Frontier towne of Barwaick lying unfortified Callis the last yeare of her sister dishonorably lost Her subjects in Religion divided her kingdome without strength naked of Souldiers and unfurnisht of Armour notwithstanding all which defects difficulties and incombrances she managed all her affaires with that prudence and masculine spirit that manger King Philip who had then the entire government of the Low Countries shee furnisht her kingdome with Armour and ammunition out of Germany provided herselfe of tormentary Engines fit for warre caused Brasse and Iron Ordinance to be cast Calievers and Musquets to be prepared Gunpouder before fetcht from forraigne Countries to bee made at home strengthned Barwick then weake and undefensible built a strong and well accommodated Navie fortified all her Ports and Havens bred and incouraged noble and brave spirits
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
the Queene and to Mordecai behold I have given Esther the house of Haman whom they have hanged upon the tree because hee presumed to lay hands upon the Iewes write ye also for them as it liketh you in my name and seale it with my Ring for the writings are written in my name and sealed with my Ring may no man revoke Then were the Kings Scribes called who wrote according to al that Mordecai did dictate unto them unto the Iewes and to the Princes and Captaines and Governours of the Provinces which were from India even unto Aethiopia an hundred and seven and twenty Provinces and unto every Province in such Letters and Language as was used amongst the people that lived therein which having sealed with the Kings Ring he sent them by posts on Horsebacke and those that rode upon beasts of price as Dromidaries and Mules in which the King granted liberty to the Iewes that in what Cities soever they were resident to assemble themselves together and stand for their lives and to roote out and destroy all the power of that people and that province which vexed them both men women and children and to make spoile of their goods so the posts went forth to execute the Kings Commandement and the decree was given in Shushan the pallace Then Mordecai went out from the King in Royall apparell of blew and white and with a great Crowne of gold upon his head and with a garment of fine linnen and purple and the Iewes in the City rejoyced and were glad to whom was come light and joy and gladnesse and honour and in all and every Province and in all and every City and place where the Kings Commandement and Decree was read there was great rejoycing a feast and a good day and many of the people of the Land became Iewes for the feare of the Nation fell upon them Now when this Decree grew neare to be put in execution in the day that their enemies hoped to have power over them It is worthy observation that Gods great providence turneth the joy of the wicked into sorrow and the teares of the godly into gladnesse for the Iewes gathered themselves together into their Cities throughout all the Dominions of King Abasuerus to lay hands on such as sought their dammage and no man durst withstand them for the feare of them fell upon all the people and the Rulers of the Provinces Princes Captaines and Officers of the King Exalted the Iewes did them honour and showed them friendship for the feare of Queene Esther and Mordecai was upon them For he still grew in favour power and honour greater and greater Thus the Iewes smote all their enemies with the sword with slaughter and destruction and what seemed pleasing in their owne eyes unto all those who had conspired their death by the instigation of wicked Haman At Shushan they slew five hundred men as also the ten sonnes of Haman but they laid not their hands on the spoyle and their number was brought unto the King Who said unto Queene Esther thy people have slaine in Shushan the pallace five hundred men and the ten sonnes of Haman what have they done in the rest of the Provinces and what is thy petition further that it may be given thee or what is thy request moreover that it may be performed unto thee then said Esther if it please the King let it be granted also that they may hang upon the tree Hamans ten sonnes and the King gave present order that it should be so done The Iewes also that were in Shushan assembled themselves upon the foureteenth day of the moneth Adar and slew of their enemies three hundred men but they laid not their hands on the spoyle and the rest of the Iewes that were in the Kings provinces assembled themselves and stood up for their lives and slew them that hated them seventy and five thousand but on the spoyle laid they no hand So they kept solemne the foureteenth and the fifteenth dayes of the moneth Adar which was the twelfth moneth in memory of their great deliverance by the hand of Esther which dayes were turned unto them from sorrow unto joy and from mourning into a glad season to keepe them as dayes of solemnity and feasting in which they sent presents every man unto his neighbour and gifts to the poore Thus raigned shee a blessed Mother in Israel and Mordecai was the second man in the Kingdome next to Ahashuerosh who was great amongst the Iews and accepted of his Brethren who procured the wealth of his people and spake peaceably unto all his seede and whose dignity and honours done unto him by the King are written at large in the Booke of the Chronicles of the Kings of Medâ—a and Persia. OF THE THREE WORTHIE WOMEN AMONG THE HEATHEN Whose Names are Bunduca Penthisilaea Artimethia BVNDVCA HOw much O Brittaine are we bound to thee Mother and Nurse of magnanimity Of which thou from antiquity hast lent Vnto all ages famous president Witnes this British Queen whose masculine spirit Shall to all future glorious fame inherit Beyond all tongues or pens who may be proud Not thunders voyce can speake it self more loud Of whom although our moderne Authors wrote But sparingly least they should seeme to dote Too much upon their Natives forraigne inke Hath beene so lavish it would make man thinke Her valour inexpressible Tacitus Made her his ample theame and to discusse Her gifts were Dio's labour Xiphiline With many others made her acts divine As above all womans performance farre To whom I onely leave this Character This British Queen whom just incensment fires Against the Roman Monarchy conspires And her revenge more hotly to pursue Of their best souldiers fourescore thousand slew Whose name all other glories might transcend Had not adverse fate crost her in the end THE FIRST OF THE THREE WOMEN WORTHIES AMONGST THE HEATHEN CALLED BVNDVCA THis Bunduca cald also by severall Authours Boodicia Boudicea Voadica and Bowndvica was the dowager Queen of Prasutagus King of the Iceni a Province which contained foure shires in England and was one of the prime of the Sceptarchy who all the time of his raigne remained in amity with the Romans and was reckoned amongst their sociall Kings who having disposed of his kingdome to Nero Caesar then Emperour and to his owne two daughters intending that having Caesar their guardian and in hope of his favour towards them receiving a childs part that they should be Queenes of their owne shires or co-partners after their Mother which being ratified by his last will and testament he deceased But the daughters poore Ladies found but a sorry partnership where the Lion was to make the partition For Neroeâ— Captaines and Officers exercised intollerable violence throughout the Kingdome and not the least upon them for the Pallace of Prasutagus their Father as also his great Riches which were abundant and long in gathering together with his
he received two sonnes Edmond and Eldred and two daughters Edburga and Edgina thus was he blest with a numerous Issue setting all his sonnes to Schoole to teach them knowledge in the Liberall Arts but the Ladies his daughters to spinne and card wooll taking his president from Charles of France surnamed the Conquerour from which even our greatest Ladyes nay even Princesses themselves if they be either cited in Court or arraigned upon any Capitoll offence they are indited by the name of such an one Spinster to this day About the first yeare of his raigne one Clito Ethelwaldus a neere kinsman to the King rebelled against him and strengthned himselfe at a place called Win-burne neere unto Bathe and tooke thence perforce a beautifull Nunne and with her fled unto the Danes who then had peaceably seated themselves in Northumberland animating them by very pregnant and perswasive reasons to take armes in his behalfe against the King his Nephew who notwithstanding so hotly pursued him that hee was compelled to forsake that Country quite leaving the Nun behind him and for his safety flye into France so that the King with drew his forces and left off his pursuite restoring the Nunne unto the same cloyster from whence she was violently taken In all which expeditions this brave Heroina with Etheldredus her Husband Duke of Mercia assisted the King her Brother as also in that which followeth being highly extolled above many other prime Commanders for her forward and excellent service The next yeare following this Clito before spoken off with a crew of Frenchmen landed in the East part of England and gathered unto him all the Danes of that Country robbing and pillaging all the Townes and Villages as they marched onwards especially those about Crekingsford and Crickland and after passed the River of Thames and spoyled all the Lands neere unto Bradenstuake and so from thence retyred themselves into Hast Anglia which were the two Counties of Northfolke and Suffolke But the King with his sister made after them with all possible speed making havocke of all those Lands which they then held of him by composition from the River of Owse as farre as the borders of Saint Edmonds bury and soone after the two hosts encountered where a bloody battle was fought to the great losse of both sides in which conflict Elpheda fought hand to hand with Clito and though sundred by the multitude yet came off with the best the event was that Clito with many of the Danes were slaine and left dead in the field and the King and his Sister shared in the honour of the day Those that survived were forced to seeke and sue for peace upon condition that they should keepe themselves within the bounds to them limitted and moreover pay an annuall tribute for all those grounds they held of the King In the twelfth yeare of this Edwards raigne the Danes repenting of those Covenants before made as thinking it an impairing to their honour assembled a mighty hoast with which the King and his sister met in Stafordshire at a place called Toten-hall and soone after at Wodnesfield at which two places they slew two Kings two Earles and divers Commanders of note besides many thousands of the Danes of which the Chronocles afford us no exact number most of which came out of the Country of Northumberland where they had beene peaceably seated This excellent Lady was as Religious as Valiant who amongst other of her pious acts prevailed so farre with her Husband that they betwixt them at their proper charge translated the bones of King Oswal who had beene Cannonized for a Saint from Bradony to Glocester and there erected a faire and beautifull Monastery dedicated to the honour of Saint Peter soone after which for it presently ensued the last battle before spoken of dyed Etheldredus Duke of Mercia or middle England after whose expiration the King having had so long proofe of his Sisters love valour and wisdome conferred on her the sole and entire rule and governement of that Country in as ample possession as her Lord had before injoyed it the City of London only excepted which he reserved to be under his owne patronage Of this masculine Spirited Lady to reckon up all her vertues would aske long circumstance but I will particularize unto you some few of those brave deedes she hath left memorable to all posterity as building and repairing many Townes Cities and Castles as Tamworth besides Lychfield Stafford Warwicke Shrowsbury Watersbury and Eldesbury in the Forrest besides Chester shee erected also a Castle in the North end of Mercia upon the River cald Merce in the Saxon tongue Ramcofan and since Runcora shee also built a bridge over the River Severne called Brimsbury Bridge she more over both by her purse and wisdome greatly assisted the King her Brother as well in the mannaging the affaires of the Realme as in erecting sundry Forts and Cittadels as the strong Castle of Hereford in the edge of Wales and in repairing the wals and City of Chester by the Danes much defaced which he much inlarged so that the Castle which was before without the Walles is from his time even to this day contained within them It is further reported of her that after she had once prooved the paine of travaile in Child birth shee for ever after abandoned the bed and embraces of the Duke her Husband saying it was neither convenient nor seemely for a Kings Daughter and Sister to a King to expose her selfe to any such lust full action which might beget those pangs and throws which women were inforced to indure in travell a rare continence and not found in many and that was one prime occasion why after the birth of her sole and onely Daughter Elswina she left all other effeminacies and applying her selfe unto the condition of those turbulent and combustious times became a stout and warlike Virago whose example could not chuse but put courage into the most dastardly cowards beholding a woman so valiant Of her rare continence and vowed chastity too much cannot be spoke in her praise for Chastity as Solon defineth it is the beauty of the soule the grace of the body and peace of the minde it is a vertue alwayes companion with fortitude and as it is both in Virginity and the Widdowed much approoved so even in Wedlocke it cannot be but commendable and as idlenesse is the greatest enemy unto it so by being in continuall action is to oppose it abstinence from fleshly lusts are best tryed in extremity and in the end crowned with eternity for let the body be never so faire without that it cannot be truely cald beautifull Beauty may be compared to the flowers of the Spring which soone fade but Chastity to the starres of Heaven which last ever for with the reines of reason it curbeth the rage of lust The greatest honour conferd upon women without that is
him and th' heire to the Earle Arminack Which raised strange combustions in the state This flourishing Kingdome nigh to ruinate In which she tooke on her a Soveraigne power Sâ—iting her present fortunes not her Dower Her many strange desasters did befall But her undaunted spirit ore-came them all She knew the mannage both of Pen and Pike The Court and Campe to her were both alike In bloody battles she tooke great delight And would if flie to day to morrow fight Who can this Queenes heroicke spirit expresse A foe to Peace in field a Championesse Vsurping all that Majesty could claime Leaving her Husband nothing save his name He weares the Crowne she Sword and Scepter bore What could the brave Semiramis doe more THE SECOND OF THE THREE WOMEN WORTHIES AMONGST THE CHRISTIANS CALLED MARGARET QVEENE OF ENGLAND IN the yeare of grace one thousand foure hundred forty and two Embassadours were sent from England into Guian where a match was concluded betwixt King Henry the sixth then of the age of one and twenty and the Daughter of the Earle of Arminacke which after was disannulled by the Earle of Suffolke a mighty man in those times which occasioned a great afront betwixt the Lord Protector and him which grew unto much rage and blood-shed as may after appeare but to follow the History close the before named Earle of Suffolke after the former match fell off went with others his Assotiates and concluded a marriage betwixt the King and the Lady Margaret Daughter to the King of Cicile and Ierusalem upon which contract were delivered unto the said King the Dutchy of Angeon and the Earledome of Maine then called the two keyes to open the way into Normandy and in the next yeare after the Earle of Suffolke being created Marquesse with his wife and other of the most honourable Ladyes of the Realme sayled into France to bring over this Lady into England which was done with all solemnity when Thomas Catwoorthe was Lord Major and Nicholas Wilford and Iohn Norman were Sherifes of London The moneth after her arrivall into the Kingdome shee was espoused to the King at a Towne called Sowthwicke in the County of Hamshire and from thence was honourably conveyed by the Lords and Peeres of the Land to Blacke-Heath and there met by the Lord Major and the Citizens and in great triumph brought to Westminster and upon the thirtyeth day of May which was the Sunday after Trinity Sunday was solemnely Crowned great Feasts Iusts and other martiall exercises were held in the Sanctuary before the Abby for the space of three dayes after But this match was held to be very unprofitable for the Kingdome first by giving up out of the Kings possession Angeon and Maine And then that for the charge of her comming over there was demanded in Parliament a fifteene and an halfe by the Marquesse of Suffolke which drew him into such a contempt and hatred of the people that it after cost him his life Some also held it very ominous because that after this Match as the King lost his revenues in France so hee also hazarded the Natives and people of his owne Nation for presently after all the Common weale and affaires of the estate were mannaged by the Queene and her Counsell being a woman of a brave and Heroicke Spirit she assumed prerogative into her hands all things began after to goe retrograds and preposterous which many conjectured was by the breach of that promise made by the King unto the Earle of Arminackes daughter for there fell upon this that the King lost all his right in Norwaige upon which followed a dissention and division of the Lord within the Realme the rebellion of the Commonalty against the Prince their Soveraigne and in conclusion the deposing of the King and the Queene with the Prince her Sonne to be compelled to avoid the Land In the five and twentyeth yeare of this Kings raigne a Parliament was held at Saint Edmunds bury in Suffolke to which all the Commons of that Country were commanded in their most defensible aray to waite upon the person of the King where the Lords were no sooner assembled but Humphrey Duke of Glocester and Vnckle to the King was arrested by Viscount Bewmount then High Constable of England accompanyed with the Duke of Buckingham and others and two and thirty of his Principal Servants committed unto severall prisons after which arrest the Duke after sixe dayes was found dead in his bed being the foure and twentieth day of February And his body being exposed to the publicke view of all men there was no wound found about him notwithstanding which of his death the Marquesse of Suffolke was shrowdly suspected he was a man greatly honoured and beloved of the Commons as well for his discreete governement of the Realme during the Kings nonage as for his brave and noble hospitality in which none ever exceeded him for which and many other of his unparalleld vertues he purchased unto himselfe and not without cause to bee called the good Duke of Glocester whose body was after conveighed unto Saint Albones and neere unto the shrine sollemnely interred Not long after in the yeare one thousand foure hundred and fifty during the foresaid Parliament the Marquesse of Suffolke was arrested and sent to the Tower where hee lived a moneth at his pleasure which Parliament being after adjourned to Lecester thither the King came attended by Suffolke where the Commons made great complaint of the delivering up of Angeou and Maine to the dishonour of the kingdome For which they accused the Marquesse and others as guilty as also for the murther of the good Duke of Glocester to appease whom they Exiled him the Land for five yeares who obeying the sentence tooke shipping in Northfolke intending to have sayled into France but was met by the way by a ship of warre called the Nicolas of the Tower whose Captaine knowing the Duke put into the Road of Dover and caused his head to be strucke off on the side of a Boat and there left both head and body upon the sands and then put to Sea againe and this was the end of the Queenes great favourite who save of her and some of his owne creatures dyed altogether unlamented I omit to speake of sundry insurrections as that of Blew-beard and the Kentish men with their Captaine Iacke Cade who called himselfe Mortimer and Cousin to the Duke of Yorke with others and come to tell you that the Duke of Somerset succeeded Suffolke in the Queenes favour by whom and her Counsell all the affaires of the Realme were mannaged For she was a Lady of an haughty and invincible spirit and in the thirty second yeare of the Kings raigne was delivered of a Princely Sonne called Edward In which interim great discontent arose among the Nobles and Peeres of the Land especially the Duke of Somerset and others of the Queenes Counsell
grew in great hatred for the giving up of Normandy by appointment for which and other grievances the Duke of Yorke father to him who was after King Edward the fourth with other confederate Lords opposed the Queene and her faction of which mortall warre ensued The King being much instigated by this magnanimous Lady his Queene accompanyed with the Duke of Somerset with a great army tooke their journey towards the Marches of Wales being ascertained that the Duke of Yorke with sundry other Lords were up in Armes who understanding of the Kings comming with so great a power swarved from his Hoast and tooke his way towards London but because hee could not be received into the City to refresh his people he went over Kingstone Bridge and so into Kent where on a place cald Bremt heath he embatteld himselfe soone after came the King to Blacke-heath and did the like these two Armies affronting each other a motion was made to mediate a peace betwixt them to further which to the Duke were sent the Bishops of Winchester and Elye and the Earles of Warwicke and Salisbury to whom the answer was that he intended no violence against the person of the King onely to remoove from about him some evill disposed persons by whose meanes his people was much oppressed and the Commons greatly impoverished the chiefest of which was the Duke of Somerset to satisfie whom it was concluded by the King that hee should be kept in durance to answer all such Articles as the Duke could object against him Vpon which promise made by the King the first day of March being thursday the Duke broke up his Campe and personally came to the Kings tent where he found the Duke of Sommerset at liberty and the next attending on the King and by the Queenes meanes the Duke of Yorke was sent to London where he remained in a sort a prisoner and more straitly had beene kept if present newes had not come that his Sonne Edward then Earle of Marsh was hastning up towards London with a strong power of Welsh and Marchmen which stroke so suddaine a terrour into the Queene and her Counsell that the Duke was set at large having liberty to retire himselfe into his owne country soone after by meanes of the Queene the Duke of Summerset was created Captaine of Callis which kindled a new fire in the Yorkists insomuch that the Duke being in the Marches of Wales called unto him the Earles of Warwicke and Salisbury with divers other Lords Knights and Esquires and sufficiently strengthened himselfe and in Aprill made what speed he could towards London Which hearing the King and the Queene shee suddenly caused using the Kings name and Authority in all things a strong Army to be levyed entending to conveigh the King West-ward without incountring the Duke of Yorke In which were imployed the Dukes of Summerset and Buckingham the Earles of Stafford and Northumberland the Lord Clifford and others who held their journey towards Saint Albones which the Duke hearing coasted the Country and upon Thursday before Whitsunday tooke one end of the Towne where whilst motion of peace was treated on the one party the Earle of Warwicke with the March-men entered on the other and skirmished violently against the Kings people In conclusion the day fell to the Yorkists where that time was slaine the Duke of Sommerset the Earle of Northumberland and the Lord Clâ—fford with many other Noble Gentlemen which victory thus obtained by the Duke hee with great seeming honour and reverence the morrow following conveighed the King to London and lodged him in the Bishops pallace and soone after by a Parliament held at Westminster the Duke of Yorke was made Protector of England the Earle of Salisbury Chancellour and the Earle of Warwicke Captaine of Callis and all persons before neere unto the King remooved and the Queene and her Counsell who before ruled all both King and land utterly disabled for having voyce in either at all which her high Spirit seemed nothing daunted But with some Lords who secretly adhered unto her party she so far perswaded that in making the King insufficient it was such a dishonour to him and disgrace to the Realme that by pollicy and friendship shee caused the Duke of Yorke to be discharged of his Protectors place and the Earle of Salisbury from being Chancellour which was the cause of new combustion and finding as shee thought the City of London to favour more the Yorkists then her faction shee caused the King to remove thence to Coventry whether the Duke with the Earles of Warwicke and Salisbury were sent for who in their way were so ambusht that with great difficulty they escaped from being surprised an other assembly of all the Lords was appointed at London where all of them were richly accompanyed and strongly attended where a seeming attonement was made betwixt them for joy of which upon our Ladyes day in Lent the King the Queene and Lords of both parties went in sollemne procession to Pauls But this smothered fire broke quickely into open flame I will let passe many of the circumstances and come to the matter The Duke of Yorke knowing the inveterate malice which the Queene bore unto him assembled his Friends and gathered a strong army of March-men and others in the beginning of the thirty eight yeare of the King and strongly encamped himselfe at Ludlow the Queene also gathered like strength to encounter the Duke unto whose aide the Earle of Warwicke sent a strong band of men from Callis in whose company one Andrew Trollop who the night before the incounter with the entire company of those Callis souldiers left the Dukes Hoast and went unto the Kings where they were joyfully received which much dismaide the Yorkists and the more because they were privy to all their counsell wherefore upon mature deliberation they resolved to flye and leave their Campe standing as if they had still kept the field the Duke with his two sons and some few others fled into Wales and so after into Ireland and there remained the other Lords of his confederacy tooke their way into Devonshire from thence they sayled into Garnesy and after to Callis In the morning when all this was knowne to the adverse party there was sending and running to all Ports and places to surprise these Lords but their pursuite came to late so that the Kings Army spoyled Ludlow and the Castles and tooke the Dutchesse of Yorke and her children and sent them to the Dutchesse of Buckingham her sister then were all the Yorkists proclaimed Rebels and Traitors and the young Duke of Summerset made by the Queene Captaine of Callis but notwithstanding all the Kings Authority joyned with hers hee could not be there received which was the cause of many skirmishes and much blood shed in which though the Lords lost many men yet they came dayly so thicke unto them
elected King and being royally accompanyed to Westminster was invested in the Throne and tooke possion of the Crowne thence by the Clergy he was conveighed in sollemne procession to Saint Edmunds shrine and there offered as King receiving the Homage and â—ealty of all the Lords there present c. Then was great provision made for the North against the Queene and her partisans the Earle of Warwicke upon a Saturday in the beginning of March with a great puissance of people departed from London Northward and on the Wednesday following the Kings Infantry followed and upon Fryday next after being the tenth of March the King rode through the City with a great band of men passing Bishopsgate and so holding on his journey sped him so well that he with the rest of his Forces met with their enemies at a Village nine miles and an halfe on this side Yorke called Towton or Shirborne Vpon Palme sunday he gave them battle which was fought with such eagernesse and fury that in the field and in the chase were slaine of the Queenes party thirty thousand men besides those of speciall note and name amongst which are numbred the Earle of Northumberland the Earle of Westmerland the Lord Clifford the Lord Egremond Sir Andrew Trollop who had before revolted with his Callis Souldiers from the Yorkists at Ludlow with divers others there were taken also the Earle of Willshire or Devonshire who was sent to Yorke and there after beheaded of which bloody conflict and irrecoverable losse Henry and Margaret having notice they with their sonne Edward the Duke of Summerset the Lord Rosse and others in all hast fled towards Scotland and the King upon the morrow with much of his people entred into Yorke and there kept his Easter Thus the most infortunate Prince Henry of whom it is truely observed that he was never personally in any battle but it was lost when he had raigned full thirty eight yeares sixe months and odde dayes and that Heroycall Lady Margaret whom even this last disaster could not daunt was forc't to flye whilst King Edward having setled all the affaires in the North under the charge of the Earle of Warwicke visited all the Countryes South and East and about the beginning of Iune came to his Mannor of Sheene since called Richmond in which time of his abode there provision was made for his royall Coronation Then upon the twenty seventh of the same moneth being Fryday hee rode to the Tower of London attended by the Lord Major and his Brethren and upon the morrow being Saturday he made twenty eight Knights of the Bathe and foure more after the same afternoone he was with great solemnity conveyed through the City those two and thirty Knights riding before him in blew gownes and hoods and upon the morrow being Sunday and Saint Peters day with great triumph Crowned and annoynâ—ed by the Archbishop of Canterbury c. In the second yeare of this King Margaret late Queene came out of France into Scotland and thence into England with an Army of Frenchmen and Scots of which King Edward having notice he sped him into the North with a strong Army at the rumour of which by reason of the cowardice of her Souldiers she was forced to disband and flye and tooke a small ship intending to saile into France but by reason of a great tempest shee was forced to leave her owne barke and take a small Fisher-boate by meanes of which shee landed at Barwicke and came unto the Scottish King where shee heard her barke perished in the tempest in which shee had great riches and treasure notwithstanding at her instigation the yeare after shee with her Husband invaded England with a great Army of Scottish men which hearing then the Lord Montague Brother to the Earle of Warwicke he assembled the Northerne men and gave them battle at a place calld Exham and there routed them chasing Henry so nere that he surprized certaine of his followers habited in Iackets of blew Velvet garnished with Crownes of gold and fretted with pearle and other rich stones notwithstanding his so narrow escape in the end of the same yeare hee was taken in a wood in the North Country by one named Cantlow and presented to the King who sent him as Prisoner to the Tower where he remained a long time after Some few moneths before this King Edward at a place called Graston neere unto Stony Stratford upon the first day of May secretly espoused Elizabeth late wife of Sir Iohn Grey Knight who was slaine at Towton field neere unto Yorke at which marriage were present none save themselves the Dutchesse of Bedford her Mother two Gentlewoman and one Gentleman who the next yeare after upon Whitsunday was with great sollemnity Crowned at Westminster which marriage was the occassion of much trouble in the Land of which I am loath long to insist as unwilling to meddle with any impertinences not genuine with the particular actions and fortunes of the Queene Margaret the subject now in hand Yet thus farre I must travell in the History to informe you that the Earle of Warwicke was before sent into France to treate about a marriage betwixt the King and the Lady Bova who by reason of the former match thought himselfe much disparaged and dishonoured therefore hee withdrew himselfe from the King and confedered unto him the Duke of Clarens who had before marryed his daughter and notwithstanding the King sent peaceably unto them as desiring reconsilement yet they sayled into France solliciting the ayde of Lewis the eleventh who by reason of the former affront concerning the Lady Bova gladly condiscended to their request where they consulted with Queene Margaret and the Earle of Oxford for their returne into England in which meane space King Edward commanded them to be proclaimed as Rebels and Traitours throughout the Realme In the tenth yeare of the King and the month of Sceptember the Duke of Clarence the Earles of Warwicke Pembrooke and Oxford with others landed at Dertmouth in Devonshire and made Proclamations in the name of King Henry to whom much people desirous of innovation resorted and drew towards the King then being in the North who having with him but small strength and of them too those whom hee durst scarse trust he with the Duke of Gloster the Lord Hastings and a few others tooke the next way towards the Washes in Lincolneshire and with great danger not without the losse of some of his company got over into Flanders and sped thence to Charles Duke of Burgoine who had before marryed his sister where he rested for a season meane space the Duke of Clarence and the other Lords drew nere unto the City and after rode unto the Tower and withall honour and reverence brought out King Henry and conveighed him to Saint Pauls and lodged him in the Bishops pallace who was generally admitted and taken for King through
Whose active skill at once could moove an hundred In every one a pen As many eyes As Iuno's Argus waking to devise Of her perfections onely Head Hands Sight In striving but to patterne her aright All though in their full vigour I should sinde Strucke on the suddaine Stupid Dull and Blinde Chaste Virgin Royall Queene belov'd and fear'd Much on the Earth admir'd to Heaven indeer'd Single and singular without another A Nurse to Belgia and to France a Mother Potent by Land sole Soveraigne of the Maine Antagonist to Rome the scourge of Spaine THE LAST OF THE THREE WOMEN WORTHIES AMONGST THE CHRISTIANS CALLED ELIZABETH QVEEN OF ENGLAND FRANCE AND IRELAND c. AS the most famous Painter of his Time Apelles to frame the picture of one Venus had aâ— once exposed to his view an hundred of the most choyce and exquisite Virgins of Greece to take from one the smoothest brow from a second the most sparkling eye a third the Rosiest colloured cheeke a fourth the best Corrall like lippe a fifth the sweetest dimpled chinne a sixth the daintiest swelling brest a seventh the whitest hand from another the most delicate foote and so of the rest and all to make the exact portrature of that Emergent goddesse so in the accurate expression of this rare Heroicke Elizabeth should I peruse all the ancient and Authenticke Histories and out of them select the lives of the most vertuous Ladyes for their rare and admirable indowments commended to posterity and perpetuity taking and extrâ—cting from them severally those sundry gifts and graces by which they were remarkeably eminent above others whether Piety or Virginâ—ll purity Beauty and bounty Majesty and magnanimity Language and learning polliticke Governement or practise of goodnesse pitty of forraâ—gne distressed nations or indulgence over her owne Natives c. Nay what praecelling vertue soever was commendable in any one particular or all in generall may without flattery be justly conferred on her Shee was the Daughter of King Henry the eighth of that name and of his second wife the Lady Anne Bullaine first created Marchionesse of Pembrooke and then espoused to the King the five and twentyeth day of Ianuary 1533. and upon Whitsunday next following at Westminster crowned Queene the seventh of September after shee was delivered of a faire Daughter to the great and unspeakeable joy both of the Prince and people shee was Christened the third day next ensuing being Wednesday in the Fryers Church in Greenewich in a Font of silver The old Dutchesse of Northfolke held the Babe Her Godfather was Thomas Cranmer Arch-bishop of Canterbury and Metropolitane of all England her Godmothers the Dutchesse of Northfolke and the Marquionesse of Dorset both Widdowes Not long after the birth of this young Princesse a generall oath of Allegiance past through the Kingdome to support and maintaine the successive heires descending from the bodies of the King and Queene Anne lawfully begotten in the possession of the Crowne and Scepter and all Imperiall honours to them belonging by which Katherine of Spaine his former wife and the Princesse Mary their daughter were disabled to lay any claime at all to the Royall dignity and for this cause were the two young Ladies brought up a part which might be a reason also why there was such distance in their dispositions I have further read of this young Lady Elizabeth that there were pregnant hopes of her even in her Mothers conception Mercury being the starre which was at that season most predominant whose influence is sharpenesse of wit and ingenuity Iupiter at her birth being in conjunction with Venus and Soi with a favourable Aspect shining on either a doubtlesse presage that the Infant borne under that Constellation should bee faire and fortunate powerfull in warre yet a Patronesse of peace excellent in Learning exquisite in language in life honoured in death lamented who in her tender Infancy was said almost as soone to speake as to goe and that her words had sence as soone as sound and not being full foure yeares of age used every morning when shee opened her eyes to aske for her booke before shee called for bread and at all other times of the day was observed to bee more ready to pray then to prattle Queene Annes life being taken away by a violent death the morrow after the King was marryed to his third wife the Lady Iane Seymer daughter to Sir Iohn Seymer who on the twelfth day of October In the yeare of grace 1537. was at Hampton Court delivered of a Sonne whose Mother dyed the second day after much lamented and pittyed and the young Prince called Edward was the eighteenth of the same moneth created Prince of Wales and Duke of Cornwall and Chester the Father being so joyfull of his Sonne that hee cast a neglectfull eye on his two former daughters Mary and Elizabeth but the later of the two was in the first grace for when Mary was separated from comming neere the Court Elizabeth was admitted to keepe the young Prince company and from his Tutors received all such necessary documents that by her childish dictating unto him he might be the more capable to understand them and such was their proxinity in blood that it begot in them a mutuall and alternate affection insomuch that he no sooner knew her but he beganne to acknowledge her neither was their love the lesse comming from one loynes then had they issued from one and the same wombe being equally fortunate and unfortunate as having one Royall Father but either of them to be deprived of a mother and in that too having a kinde of mutuall correspondence that though her Mother suffered by the sword and his dyed in Child bed yet both indured violent and inforced deaths To cut off circumstance in the yeare one thousand five hundred forty sixe and of his raigne the thirty eighth King Henry the eighth expired the 28. of December and was the sixteenth day of February next following with great solemnity buryed at Windsor And upon the one and thirtyeth day of Ianuary was Prince Edward proclaimed King over all his Fathers Dominions and Realmes by the stile of Edward the sixth of that name and on the nineteenth of February he rode with his Vnckle Sir Edward Seymor Duke of Summerset and Lord Protector through the City of London And the day following was annoynted and Crowned King at Westminster by Thomas Craâ—mer Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and Metropolitane of all England who that day administred the holy Sacraments c. The King was no sooner Crowned but the Lady Elizabeth gave way to the present state neither continued they in that frequent familiarity as before for whereas in former time she loved him as a Brother her discretion now taught her to honour him as her King for though hee was a Prince of great meekenesse and modesty for that Royall Majesty which makes the difference betwixt the
Sonne and the Father distinguisheth betwixt the Sister and the Brother for they which had lived in great familiarity now meete not but at distance which proceeded not from his will but the Majesty of state the death of the Father which raised him to the Crowne Remooved her from the Court into the Country in which retirement being nobly attended by divers voluntary Ladies and Gentlewomen as also her owne traine and houshold servants shee led there though a more solitary yet a more safe and contented life and being there setled shee received to adde unto her revenue many private gifts with often visits sent from the King who was very indulgent over her honour and health Scarse was shee full foureteene yeares of age when her second Vnckle Seymor Brother to the Lord Protector and Lord High Admirall of England brought her a Princely suiter richly habited aud nobly attended who after much importunity both by himselfe and friends finding himselfe by her modest repulses and cold answers crost in his purpose setled in his minde though not satisfied in her denyall retyred himselfe into his Country The first unwelcome motion of marriage was a cause why she studyed a more retyred life as being seldome seene abroad and if at any time the King her Brother had sent to injoy her company at Court shee made there no longer stay then to know his Highnesse pleasure and make tender of her duty and service and that done with all convenient speede tooke her journey backe into the Country where shee spent the entire season of her Brothers raigne who the sixth day of Iuly in the sixteenth yeare of hiâ— age and the seventh of his Princely governement departed the world at Greenewich The two Vnckles of the King the onely Supporters on which the safety of his Minority leaned being cut off by violent deaths It was a generall feare through out the Kingdome that the Nephew should not survive long after them which accordingly happened for the two great Dukes of Northumberland and Suffolke being in the prime and sole authority concluded a match betwixt the Lord Guildford Dudley Sonne to Northumberland and the Lady Gray Daughter to Suffolke thinking thereby to disable both the Sisters Mary and Elizabeth from any claime to the Crowne and therefore the fourth day after the Kings death the Lady Iane was proclaimed Queene The Lady Mary being then at Framingham was much perplexed with that newes especially when shee heard it was done by the consent of the whole Nobiliâ—y to whom the Suffolke men assembled themselves offring her their volentary assistance to attaine unto her lawfull inheritance which bruited at Wort The Duke of Northumberland having a large and strong Commission granted him from the body of the whole Counsell raised an Army to suppresse both her and her Assassinates which was no sooner advanced but the Lords repenting of so great an injury done to the late Kings Sister â—ent a Countermaund after him and when he thought himselfe in his greatest security the nobility forsaking him and the Commons abandoniâ—g him being at Cambridge saving his sonnes and some few servants he was left alone where he proclaimed the Lady Mary Queene in the open Market place Notwithstanding he was arrested in Kings Colledge of high Treason and from thence was brought up to the Tower where upon the Hill at the common Execution place he lost his head the twelfth of August next ensuing the like fate happened to the Duke of Suffolke not many weekes after as also to the sweete young couple the Lord Guilford Dudly and the Lady Iane Grey of whose much lamented deathes I cannot now insist The Lady Mary was proclaimed by the Suffolkemen Queene at Framingham the twentyeth of Iuly and the third of August next went by water to take possession of the Tower her sister the Lady Elizabeth whom shee had before sent for out of the Country accompanying her in the Barge from the Tower shee rode through London towards the Pallace at Westminster The Lady Elizabeth to whom all this time shee showed a pleasant and gracious countenance rid in a Chariot next after her drawne by six white Horses trapt in cloath of Silver the Open Chariot being covered over with the same in which sate onely to accompany her the Lady Anne of Cleave The first day of October Mary was crowned Queene at Westminster by Stephen Gardiner Bishop of Winchester the Lady Elizabeth being most Princesse-like attended and present at her sisters Coronation I come now to her troubles and notwithstanding her many and miraculous dangers and deliverances being an absolute Princesse yet greater were the difficulties shee past being a Prisoner then those the which the Pope menac'st her with his Bulls abroad now the Popes agents seeke to supplant her with their power at home and then her adversaries were Alians now her opposites are natives Then forraigne Kings sought to invade her now a moderne Queene laboureth to intrap her they strangers she a sister She lived then at freedome and without their jurisdiction shee lives now a captive subject to an incensed sisters indignation she was then attended by her Nobilitie and grave Counsellours she hath now none to converse with her but Keepers and Jaylours she in her soveraigntie never stirred abroad without a strong guard of tall Yeomen and Gentlemen Pentioners shee now is kept within close prisoner waited on onely by rude and unmannerly white and blacke coate Souldiers But having before published a tractate of this excellent Lady intituled from her cradle to her Crowne I will now onely give you a briefe nomination of these passages most pertinent to this project now in hand referring the Reader for his better satisfaction to the discourse before remembred Stephen Gardiner Bishop of Winchester and other Romists offended with her Religion laboured not onely to supplant her from the Queenes love but if possible to deprive her of her life possessing the Queene that shee was consenting unto Sir Thomas Wyats insurrection therefore a strict Commission was sent downe to Ashridge where she then sojourned and lay extreamly sicke where the Lords the Commissioners besieged the house with Souldiers entred her Bed-chamber without leave And notwithstanding two learned Doctors affirmed she could not bee removed without danger of life the next morning hoysted her into an Horslitter towards London Being arived at Court for foureteene dayes confin'd to her chamber no acquaintance to confer with her no friend to comfort her whereafter she was strictly examined and sharpely reprooved and notwithstanding nothing could be proved against her commanded to the Tower by water and at such a time when in shooting the Bridge the Barge grated against the Arches being in great danger of splitting her landing at the Traytors staires her churlish entertainment her keeping close prisoner her Family dissolved her servants discharged her frights by day her terrours by
making them fit for action so that in a short season before her great enemies were well aware she was not onely able to maintaine a defensive but make an offensive warre being ever as ready to maintaine the causes of others oppressed as to support her owne ingaged I passe to the fourth yeare of her raigne in which Arthur Poole with his brothers descended from George Duke of Clarens confedered with one Anthony Fortescue who had married their sister these conspired with the Duke of Guise to bring over an Army into Wales and there to proclaime the Scottish Mary Queene of England then was sent abroad the thundring Bull of Pope Pius Quintus which Ipso facto deposed Queene Elizabeth and infranchised all her subjects quitting them from their allegeance this was the first animating and giving life to the insurrection in the North first set on foot by the Earles of Northumberland and Westmerland into which the Duke of Norfolke that noble gentleman deluded with vaine hopes was so farre ingaged that it cost him his head but all this great conjuration was both prudently and politickly prevented For it was so projected by the enemy that if the two Earles Forces joyning with the Dukes could have beene brought to one head in any convenient place of the Land one Army was appointed to run from Ireland another the Duke D'alva was to send out of the Low Countries to seaze upon the person of the Queene subvert the state supplant the Religion and to despose of the Crowne and kingdome at their pleasure all this was cast but not compast so by them proposed but by God Almightie otherwise dispos'd yet this royall virago notwithstanding their menaces rested unmoved at all these devillish plots being no whit daunted After these Leonard Dakers second sonne to William L. Dakers of Gellesland after hee had given his faith to the Queene for the suppressing of these troubles in the North and having tooke leave of her Majestie to that seeming purpose made a contract with those rebells first attempting to kill the Lord Scroope and the Bishop of Carlile but fayling in his project tooke Grastocke Castle with Naworth Castle and others fortifying them but the noble Lord Hunsden with the trained Souldiers of Barwick met with him by the River of Geli and rowted his people who fled into Scotland and thence into the Low Countries and after dyed miserably at Lovaine After this were divers commotions raised in Ireland but suppressed by the Earle of Ormend the King of Spaine never ceasing with his Ministers and agents to molest her Majestie in all places and upon all occasions he first pretended the deliverance of the Scotch Queene but Duke D'alva being then his Generall in the Low Countries disswaded him from that enterprise by reason of her former marriage with the French King alledging that when England was first invaded and then conquered which they presumed was to bee as soone atchieved as attempted it would rather fall to the French then the Spaniard yet they concluded that they should never bee peaceably possest of the Low Countries till they had England in their possession which to compasse they thought it best to beginne with Ireland but after some vaine attempts not answering their hopes and many preparations which they kept smothered all in the yeare eightie eight burst out into flame and combustion In the interim were divers domestick conspiracies discovered in which were ingaged Thomas Standly and Edward his brother the younger sonnes of the Earle of Darby in this were interessed Thomas Gerard Hall and Rolstone a Pentioner to the Queene who was the first that disclosed the dissigne Sir Henry Percy made another attempt to the like purpose upon condition that his brother the Earle of Northumberland might bee delivered out of Scotland where he sheltered himselfe his assotiates were Powell Sanford a Gentleman pentioner and one Owen a servant to the Earle of Arundell about this businesse were committed the Earles of Arundell and South-hampton the Lords Lumlee and Cobham c. After these in the yeare 1576. Don Iohn of Austria brother to Phillip king of Spaine much tumored with the honour purchased in that incomparable Sea fight against the Turke commonly called the battaile of Lepantho in which he had beene chiefe Generall and now being made Governour of the Low Countries conceiving that poore title too narrow to limit his unbounded aymes begins to cast divers projects how first by releasing and after marrying the Queene of Scots to possesse himselfe of the two Crownes of England and Scotland but King Phillip unwilling the younger brother should parallell the elder either in stile or state and reserving England as a daintie morsell to relish his owne pallate would neither afford him countenance nor assistance though to that purpose he was earnestly sollicited by one Escovedus sent by him out of the Neatherlands into Spaine but being slightly put off by Peresius Secretary to the Catholicke King yet secretly and subtilly did Don Iohn negotiate this businesse labouring to have in his intire possession all the havens of Biskey where a Navie might bee prepared there to make their randevoues ready at all opportunitie to invade England deepely dissembling all that while with Queene Elizabeth under the colour of soliciting a perpetuall peace which jugling was first discovered by the Prince of Orange and shee finding it to bee true concluded a league with the Low Countries with a promise of mutuall ayde one to another which soever should bee first distressed soone after Don Iohn in the height of his hopes and prime of his age expired some thinke by poyson others of the Plague others of griefe to be so slighted by the King his brother after he successively had aymed at the kingdome of Funis where Guleta in Affrick was left to his great dishonour I cannot here omit the trayterous attempts of captaine Thomas Stukeley who after he had rioted his whole estate here in England went over into Ireland and there having projected with some Romists went thence into Italy where by his great ostentations and bragges he got admittance into the presence of Pope Pius quintus whom by his insinuation hee made constantly beleeve that with a small Band of Italian Souldiers he would not onely expell all the English out of Ireland but bring it under the principalitie of Rome burning the Queenes Navy c. but Pope Pius dying before ought was concluded he then importuned his successour Gregory the thirteenth who hearkned unto him upon promise to make Iames Beulampagno who went under the name of the Popes bastard and was a little before made Marquesse of Vineola King of Ireland Stukeley also should be honored with the titles of Marquesse of Lageu Earle of Wepford and Caâ—erlogh Viscount of Morough and Baron of Rosse all these things concluded Stukeley was made generall of eight
hundred Italian Souldiers who were stipendaries to the king of Spaine But Stukeley arriving with his army in Portugall and entering the mouth of Tagus found there Sebastian the young King before sollicited by Mahomet the sonne of Abdela King of Fesse prepared for the African warres which King so farre perswaded and prevailed with Stukeley that he assotiated him with his Italians into 〈◊〉 and was slaine in that great battaile of A'lcazer where dyed with him that day three Kings Sebastian Mahomet and Aâ—del Mâ—lech by Sebastians death the King of Spaine altered his purpose for the present invading England to possesse himselfe of the Crowne of Portugall and his pretended invasion did not discover it selfe till the yeare eightie eight Notwithstanding the death of Stukeley new troubles were raysed in Ireland by one Nicolas Saunders a pestilent Traytor whose pen and tongue were most maliciously saucie against her sacred Majestie who in his contumelious Libells neyther spared the Queenes mother dead nor the daughter living hee having purchased a consecrared Banner landed amongst the Rebells with power Legantine whether also was sent one Sam. Iosephus with seven hundred Italians and Spaniards to joyne with the rovolted Earle of Desmond his brother Fitsmoris and others but in small processe after much effusion of blood on both sides the Earle dyed miserably and Saunders mad To passe over the Treason of Sommervele and his father in Law Arderne in which the young man animated by the Iesuits drew his sword in the Court to have slaine the Queen as also the conspiracie of Thomas Lord Paget Francis Throgmorton s Charles Arundell with divers noble gentlemen drawne into the suspition of horrible undertaking as Henry Earle of Northumberland Phillip Earle of Arundell Henry Howard brother to the Duke of Norfolke which drew themselves into question of their loyaltie by their severall commitments Monstrous also and unmanly were the projections of Bernardinus Mendoza Embassadour here for the Catholick King who most perfidiously and against the Lawes of kingdomes and nations during his residence here conspired against the life of her sacred Majestie not onely hiring Ruffaines and debnist male contents to that purpose but even seeking to corrupt her Mayds of Honour next about her which though proved against him yet she suffered him to depart her presence gently admonisht but no way disgraced but stung in his owne conscience hee soone after basely and shamefully as a man branded with all infamies stole out of the Land The like machinations were hatched by Cardinall Alan Engle-field and Rosse both against her person and Provinces being all her naturall subjects as also the Hispaniâ—ied and Italionated Doctor Parry made up out of Spaines pollicie and Italies poyson who notwithstanding her Majestie had pardoned his life forfeit for burglary and after received him to grace and vouchsafing him her presence was armed with a Pistoll to have flaine her in her Garden Concerning the foureteene Traytors I will onely give you their names whose Iesuiticall plots began in one savadge whom report gave out to bee Filius populi a Bastard being as he sayd perswaded to that treason by Gilbert Gifford and one Hodstone Priests that being begot in her was seconded by Anthony Backington incorporated into that blooddy action by Ballard Priest to these were conlatinated Edward Winsore a young Gentleman Thomas Salsoury of an ancient house in Denbigh-shire Charles Filney a young heyre and the sole hope of his Family Pentioner to the Queene Chedioc Fitchburne of Hamshiere Edward Abenton whose father was Cofferer Robert Gage of Surry Iohn Traverse Iohn Charnock of Lancashiere Gentlemen Iohn Iones whose father had beene Queene Maries Taylor Henry Dunne a Clearke of the first fruits Office and Barowell an Irish Gentleman who of all the rest was onely knowne to her Majejestie One thing I cannot here forget to observe her great magnanimitie and confidence in the Almightie when this conspiracie was knowne unto her notwithstanding all these lay lurking about the Citie to waite their best opportunitie yet shee not forbearing to shew her selfe abroad and living then at Richmond and walking to take the Ayre upon the greene before the Court gate she espyed Barowell and taking speciall notice of him as one that had vowed her death though she saw him armed to the like purpose she went towards him when suddenly turning her selfe to Sir Christopher Hatton and the rest of the Lords she sayd am not I well guarded thinke you my Lords who conducting mee abroad if I should bee injured or assaulted have not one Sword amongst you all to defend me then looking earnestly upon Barnwell sayd unto him but here is a Gentleman I see who walkes better armed this done shee retired her selfe and thus much Barnwell the same night told to the rest of the conspirators whom the devill had so blinded that they perceived not by that their plot to be disclosed all the use they made of it was to say how easily might shee then have beene dispatched if more of us had beene then present but to come to their ends they were all apprehended committed convicted and condemned and on the twentieth of September in Lincolnes Inne fields hang'd and quartered In the yeare 1567. L' Aubespineus the French Embassadour a man wholly ingaged into the Guisian faction was no lesse turbulent then Bernard Mendoza the Spaniard he by his Secretary Trappius and others daily undermining the State and insidiating the Queenes person dealt with a Gentleman cald William Stafford whose mother was of the Queenes Bedchamber who promised him wonders both from the Guisians and the King of Spaine if hee would undertake to kill the Queene which confessed by Stafford and being palpably proved against him he excused all his proditory underminings with the priviledge of his place Next was the great preparation of the Spanish Armado stiled by the Pope the Navy invincible provided with infinite care and accommodated with inestimable cost which till it was discovered upon the Seas was not knowne to be ready for action by reason that the Duke of Parma at that time continued his dissembled treatise of peace and had Deligates then in England with commission to the same purpose but their supposed invincibilitie being really vanquisht and their great Armado most of it sunke and the rest destitute and scattered yet the beaten and battled Spaniard seeing hee could neither indanger her Land nor damage her life by force set his Engines on worke to undermine them by fraud and though in that great and invaluable losse sustained in the perishing of his Navie when his Coffers were almost quite exhausted yet could they offord fiftie thousand crownes promist though not payd downe to corrupt Doctor Lopez a Iew borne and one of her sworne Phisitions to take away her life by poysonous confection the easilier to bee done because hee was one in whose fidelitie shee much trusted which the
upon their enemy 64 Hamans ten sons hang'd 65 A memoriall for the Jewes great deliverance ib. Mordecai the second man in the kingdome ib. BONDVCA HEr severall appellations 70 Prasutagus her husband maketh Caesar Co-keyre with his Queene and daughters 71 The unjust proceedings of the Romans ib. Their barbarous lust and crueltie 72 Bunduca's person and condition ib. Reasons Inducing the Brittaines so rebell against the Romans 73 Swetonius Paulinus the Roman Generall ib. Bunduca's first insurrection 74 Her royall Army ib. Her habit in Battaile ib. The place where shee encampt 75 Her oration to her Souldiers ib. Her devision of the Romans 76 The goddesse Andate or victory 77 The providence of Paulinus Swetonius ib. The strength of the Romans in Brittaine 78 The estate of the Citie Comelodunum at that time 79 The estate of the Roman Colonies 80 The Citie demolished 81 Bunduca intercepteth the Roman expidition ib. She prosecuteth her victory ib. The demeaner of the Roman Generall 82 Virulam sackt and spoiled ib. The cruell behaviour of the inraged Brittains 83 The courage of the Roman Generall 84 The number of the Bunduca's Army ib. The place where she incamped 85 The time of the years ib. The martialling of the Roman Army 86 The proportion of a Legion ib. Bunduca in the Battaile 87 The order of her Battaile ib. She incourageth her Souldiers 88 The onset on both sides ib. A description of the Battaile 89 Valour on both sides ib. The Romans Victors 90 The Brittaines Army routed ib. The numbers slane on both sides 91 Of Bunduca after the battaile ib. Her death and place of buriall ib. Divers opinions concerning her place of enterrement ib. PENTHISILAEA OF Viragoes or women of masculine Spirit 96 Of Camilla Helerna Semiramis Zenobia 97 Hypsecratea Tomyris Teuca Maria Puteolana 98 Of the Amazons in generall 99 Their originall 100 Whence they derived their names 101 Marthesia Lampedo Orreta Antiope ib. Menelippe Penthifilaea 102 Securigera Vexillifera Peltifera 103 Penthisilaea's beauty ib. The death of Penthisilaea 104 Monithaea or Thalestris in the time of Alexander 105 The end of the Amazonean race ib. The manners of the Scithians 106 The custome of the Sarromates 107 Their Kings at their death 109 ARTIMESIA HEroicke women in all ages 112 Renowned women 113 The seaven wonders of the world and first of the Aegiptian Pyramids 114 Of King Cleopas and RhodopeÌ„ the second wonder 115 The third and fourth wonder 116 A fift wonder 117 The sixt wonder 118 The beautiful Pallace of Cyrus ib. A strange controversie betwixt the two Citties of Athens and Elis. ib. Phidias 118 The pleading of the Athenians 120 The stout answer of the Aelians 122 The seaventh wonder erected by Queene Artimesia ib. The gravers of King Mausolus Tombe 123 Rare builders and Architectors ib. Mausolea 124 The magnanimity of Queene Artimeâ—ia 125 Her brave demeanour in that great navall fight betwixt the Persians and the Grecians Xerxes his character of Queene Artimesia 126 ELPHLEDA OF comâ—ustions and 〈◊〉 women 132 Helena Hyppodamia Aspaâ—ia Poliâ—o Lavinia 133 Dejareira Nicostrate Polidices Lucretia ibid. Virginea Phaedra Martia Thais 134 A Catalogue of excellent and eminent women ib. Dominica Iuguldis 135 Glotildis Placida Pompâ—ia Paulinâ— Helena Monicha 136 Etheldredus raised the first Schoole in Oxford 137 King Alureds issue ib. A remarkable accident 138 The Danes defeated by stratagem 139 King Edwards numerous issue 140 Whence Spinsters came ib. The first proofe of Elphledas valour 141 Her monomachy and brave victory 142 Her valour and pietie 143 Her Acts buildings and repayring of decayed Cities ib. Her rare chastitie and of her daughter Elswina 144 Of chastitie and beautie 145 Further of her valour the Danes outrages and the death of Turbitillus 146 An emulation betwixt two women with a strange deliverance 147 Elphleda's death and further of her daughter 148 Her Epitaph 149 Her brother King Edwards victories and of King Ethelstane 150 Queene MARGARET A Preparation for her mariage 154 Her bringing over into England with her marriage to King Edward the sixt 155 She assumeth regall prerogative 156 The death of Humphrey Duke of Gloster with his Character 157 A Parliament at Lecester the death of the Marquesse of Suffolke 158 Blew-beard Iack Cade the birth of Prince Edward 159 The Queene the raiser of all combustions ib. The proceedings of the Duke of Yorke a peace betwixt the King and the Duke The Duke of Yorke sent to the Tower 160 Sommerset made Captaine of Callis new combustion by the Queenes partie 161 The battaile at Saint Albans the King prisoner the Duke of Yorke Protector and discharged of his Protectorship 162 Procession to Pauls and of Andrew Trollop 163 Iohn Dinham surpriseth the Kings Navy and Simon Mountford beheaded by the Yorkists 165 The bettaile at Northampton the King taken and Yorke lodged in the Kings Pallace 166 Yorke claimes the Crowne his pride the decree of the Parliament 167 The battaile of Wakefield the Duke of Yoâ—ke slaine 168 Another battaile at Saint Albans Prince Edward made King the Earle of Marsh raiseth new Forces 169 Edward Earle of Marsh made King the bloody battaile at Sherborne 170 Henry with his Queene flye into Scotland 171 Edward crowned Queene Margarets Army her distresse by Sea 172 Exam-field Henry tooke prisoner King Edward marrieth the Lady Grey 173 The Lady Bona the Duke of Clarens and Earle of Warwicke proclaimed Rebells 174 Henry Proclaymed King againe and Edward flyes the Land 175 Edward Lands in England possesseth Yorke King Henry surprized by Edward 176 The battaile at Barnet 177 Queene Margaret Lands in England the battaile at Teuxbury 178 Queene Margarets magnanimitie Prince Edward murdered by the Duke of Gloster 179 Queene Margaret sent into her countrey King Henries death and buriall 180 Queene ELIZABETH A Character of Queene Elizabeth 184 Her descent 185 Her birth baptisme Queene Katherine the mother and Mary her daughter disabled of all regall clayme 186 The Lady Elizabeths constellation infancie childhood 187 Prince Edward created Prince of Wales ibid. The great love betwixt Edward and Elizabeth brother and sister 188 The death of King Henry the eighth ibid. Prince Edward proclaymed King his Coronation 189 The Lady Elizabeths first suiters her modesty 190 The death of King Edward the sixt the Lady Jane proclaimed Queene 191 The Duke of Northumberland sent against the Lady Mary ib. Northumberland beheaded the deaths of the Duke of Suffolke the Lady Jane and Guilford Dudley 192 Mary proclaymed Queene ib. Her Coronation the Lady Elizabeths troubles 193 The Bishop of Winchester pursueth her life her committing to the Tower 194 Her cruell usage and patience King Philip favoureth her 195 An imposterous birth ib. King Phillip discovereth the plot his departure out of the Land 196 Observations concerning Q. Maries raigne Callis lost ib The death of Queene Mary the Lady Elizabeth proclaymed Queene 197 Her Coronation and how the state stood in the beginning of her raigne 198 King Phillip would marry Queene
Clesiphon A fifth wonder Chares Lyndius The sixth wonder Aelians The Pallace of Cyrus Memnon A remarkeable controversie A law among the Grecians Phidias A cruell and an injust sentence The plea of the Athenians The answer of â—he Elians The seventh wonder Scopas Briay Tymothius Leocares Rare buildings and Architectors A glorious tombe built by Simon the High Priest Mausolea The magnanimity of Queene Artimesia Xerxes Her demeanor in the Navall fight The Greekes prime Commanders Xerxes his character of Queene Artimesia Of turbulent and combustious women Helena Hippodamie Aspatia Teuca Polizo Lavinia Dejaneira Nicostrate Polidices Lucretia Virginia Phedra Martia Thais A briefe catalogue of eminent and excellent women Dominica Iuguldis Clotildis Placida Pompeia Paulina Helena Monica Elpheda The first Schoole in Oxford Mercia Ethelâ—ida King Alareds issue A remarkeable accident The Danes defeated by stratagem The day well divided Elpheda too as Virago King Edwards Royall and numerous issue Spinster from whence it came A Nunne ravisht The first profe of Elphedaes valour Her monomachy A brave victory Her valour and piety The death of Etheldredus Elphedaes Acts Buildings c. and reparations of decayed Cities Her rare Chastity Elswinâ— Chastity Beauty Further of Elphedaes valour The outrages of the Danes Turbetillus defeated An Emlation betwixt two women A strange deliverance Elphedaes death Elphedaes Daughter Her Epitaph King Edward subdued the two Kings of Scotland and Wales King Ethelstane Preparation for a marriage The Lady Margaret brought over into England The marriage of the King to the Lady Margaret An unprofitable match The Queene assumes regall prerogative Humphrey Duke of Glocester the Kings Vnckle His death A true character of Duke Humphrey A Parliament at Lecester The death of the Marquesse of Suffolke Blew-beard Iacke Cade The birth of Prince Edward The Queene the instigator of all combustions The proceeding of the Duke of Yorke A Peace mediated betwixt the King and the Duke The Duke of Yorke sent to the Tower The Earle of March soone to the Duke of Yorke Summerset created Captaine of Caâ—is A new combustion Lords of the Queenes party The battle at Saint Alâ—ones The Kings prison The Duke of Yorke Protector Yorke discharged of his Protectorship Procession to Pauls Andrew Trollope Yorkes flight and his Army dissolved The Dutchesse of Yorke prisoner and Ludlow spoyled The Yorkists proclaimed Traitors Iohn Dinham surprised the Kings Navy Simon Mountford beheaded by the Yorkists The Yorkâ—sts land in England The battle at Northampton The Kings host discomfitted The King taken Yorke lodgeth in the Kings Pallace Yorke layeth claime to the Crowne The Queenes magnanimity Yorks pride The decree of the Parliament The battle of Wakefield The Duke of Yorke slaine Another battle at Saint Albons Prince Edward made Knight Edward Earle of March raiseth new forces Henry thought worthy to be deposed Edward Earle of March made King The bloody battle at Towton or Shirborne Henry with his Queene flye into Scotland Henry in all his actions most infortunate The Coronation of King Edward the fourth of that name Queene Margarets Army Margaret distressed by Sea Exham field Henry tooke Prisoner King Edward marryeth Elizabeth Gray The Lady Bova The Duke of Clarens and Earle of Warwicke proclamed Rebels Henry againe proclaimed King King Edward flyes the land Henry received as King Strange alteration in the state Glocester who was after Richard the third Edward landeth in England He maketh his Proclamations in the name of King Henry Edward possesseth Yorke Henry surprised by Edward The Earle of Oxford leadeth the Van. The Battle at Barnet Lords slaine in the battle Queene Margaret landeth in England The battle at Teuxbury Margaret with the Prince her son taken Her magnanimity Prince Edward murthered by the Duke of Glocester Queene Margaret sent into her owne Country The death of Henry His buriall A Character of Queene Elizabeth Her descent Her birth Her Baptisme An oath of Allegiance taken Katherine the mother and Mary the daughter disabled of allâ— regall claime Vnder what Constellation she was borne Her Infancy Her Childhood Queene Anne dead Prince Edward borne Created Prince of Wales An alternate affâ—ction betweene the Prince and his sister Elizabeth The death of King Henry the eighth Prince Edward proclâ—imed King His Coronation Her retirement into the Country Her first suiter His name is conceald Her Virgin modesty The death of King Edward the sixth The Lady Iane Gray proclaimed Queene The Duke of Northumberland sent against the Lady Mary Northumberland beheaded The deaths of Suffolke the Lady Ianâ— and Guâ—lford Dudley Mary proclamed Queene Her Coronation The troubles of the Lady Elizabeth Her danger greater in her solitude then in her soveraigntie The reasons Winchester infidiateth her life Doctor Guin and Doctor Wendiffe Her committing to the Tower Her hard usage Her infinite dangers Her great patience King Phillip favoureth the Lady Elizabeth An imposterous birth King Phillip discovereth the plot Triumphs for the supposed heyre King Phillips departure out of the Land His returne Observations concerning Queene Maries raigne Callis lost The death of Queene Mary Lady Elizabeth proclaymed Her Coronation How the state stood in the beginning of her raigne King Phillip a suiter to marry Queene Elizabeth Great prepaâ—ation of the French to invade England A weake ground to support so great a title Sebastian Marteguinus two forward Spaine France and Scotland combine against Queene Elizabeth Her debilities Her prudent preparations Arthur Poole incouraged by the Guisians c. New invasions tâ—eatned The Bull of Pope Pius Quintus A rebellion in the North. Duke D'Alva Man purposeth God disposeth Dakers revolt from the Queene Bakers Forces routed by the Lord Hunsden Commotions in Ireland Spanish Plots Eighty eight Domestick conspiracies Discovered Prevented Don Iohn of Austria aymes at the Crowne of England and Scotland One brother crosseth the other England aymed at by all The death of Don Iohn Captaine Thomas Stukeley Brave boasts Tempting titles Stukeley slaine in the great battaile of Alcazer Nicolas Saunders a pestilent Traytor Sam. Iosephus The unpittied death of the rebells Divers other conspirators Bernardinus Mendoza base proceeding Cardinall Alan and others Doctor Parry The foureteene traytors Queene Elizabeths confidence in the Almightie A rare spirit in a Princesse The death of the foureteen Traytors The French Embassador The Spanish Armado The Navie stiled invincible defeated Doctor Lopes his treason His death Her Majesties deportment in the Campe at Tilbury The next yeare she assaulted Lysbone The treason of Edward Squire A miraculous preservation A Character of Queene Elizabeth
out of diverse parts of England that their losse was not perceived In which interim one Iohn Dinham was sent with certaine ships to set upon the Kings Navy at Portsmouth who sped him so well that he tooke the Lord Rivers in his bed with the Lord Skales his son with other rich preys taking of the Kings Navy what shippes them best liked which some conjecture was not without the consent of the Mariners who bore a singular affection to the Earle of Warwicke With part of these ships the Earle of Warwicke sayled into Ireland to conferre with the Duke of Yorke about their re-entry into the Land and returned into Callis with safety in which time a Parliment was held at Coventry by Authority whereof the Duke of Yorke with the other Lords were attainted and their Lands and goods ceased to the Kings use then provision was made to defend the Havens and Ports and at Sandwich was ordained a new strength under the command of one Sir Simon Mountford that none should passe unto the aide of the Lords of which they having intelligence sent out another Navy unâ—o Sandwich and after long fight with the said Mountford tooke him and at a place called Ris-banke smote off his head after which the confederate Lords seeing what power they had with them and knowing that many hearts in England adhered to their faction after they had set Callis in order they prepared for England and landed at Dover and marching through Kent came to London the second day of Iuly where having well refreshed their people they sped them towards the King who was then at Coventry and awaited there with a sufficient army Who marching as farre as Northampton the ninth day of Iuly both hosts incountred where betwixt them was a blooddy battle fought but in the end the victory fell to the Earles of Warwicke and Salisbury and the Kings host were utterly defeated and many of his Noblemen slaine amongst which were the Duke of Buckingham the Earle of Shrewsbury the Vicount Bewmount Lord Egremond and others and the King taken in the field after which victory by the Lords obtained they brought the King still keeping his estate up to London and lodged him in the Bishops pallace and sent newes of their happy successe to the Duke of Yorke who was at that time in Ireland A Parliament was then cald in the name of the King and holden at Westminster during which the Duke of Yorke upon the tenth day of October came to the City of Westminster and lodged him in the Kings pallace upon which a rumour rose that Henry should be deposed and the Duke of Yorke made King Whilst these things were thus in agitation the Duke came one day unto the Parliament Chamber and in the presence of the Lords sate him downe in the Kings Chaire and boldly made claime to the Crowne as his rightfull inheritance At which the Lords began to murmure as well his friends as others and after the matter was long disputed the Duke was perswaded to renounce that claime during the life of King Henry In all which time the Queene whom all these terrours could not daunt kept her selfe with the Lords of her party in the North and using the Kings name gathered a strong power which as she protested in the front of her Campe was to be revenged on the Kings Rebells and Enemies There is one thing worthy observation that during this Competitorship betwixt the King and the Duke though they lodged both within one pallace yet would he for no intercession or intreaty once visit the King which could be little lesse interpreted then an haughty and ambitious insolence To proceede it was after concluded by the Authority of the whole Parliament that King Henry should continue King all his naturall life but after his death Prince Edward his sonne to be made incapable of that Royall dignity but the Duke and his Heires to be Kings and he in the meane time to be made Protector and Regent of the Land and if at any time the King of his owne free will were disposed to resigne it should be to the Duke if he then lived or else to his Heires after him which on the Saturday next being the ninth day of November was proclaimed through the City And further because Queene Margaret with the Prince her Sonne the Dukes of Summerset and Exeter with divers other Lords kept her still in the North and came not up at the Kings sending it was concluded by the Lords there present that the Duke of Yorke with the Earle of Salisbury and others should raise an Army to fetch in the said Queene and Lords who hearing of their comming met with him neere unto Wakefield where was fought betwixt them a sharpe and bloody battle in which the Duke of Yorke was slaine with his young Sonne the Earle of Rutland with Sir Thomas Nevell sonne to the Earle of Salisbury and the Earle himselfe was taken alive and soone after beheaded It is said that the Duke of Yorke being sore wounded was brought before the Queene who in great derision and scorne placed him on a molehill instead of a Throne and put a Crowne of paper on his head for a Diadem and after she had sufficiently taunted his ambition caused him to be slaine this done with her victorious host shee made what speede shee could towards London and at Saint Albones was met by the Earle of Warwicke and the Duke of Northfolke who brought the King with them to the field where after a strong fight upon a Shrove-tuesday in the morning the Duke and Earles Army were routed and the King againe taken and brought unto the Queene The same day she caused her sonne Edward to be made Knight with other Gentlemen to the number of thirty persons The Queene being now in her former supreame command and thinking to sway all things as before at her owne pleasure newes were brought that Edward Earle of March eldest Sonne to the Duke of Yorke and the Earle of Warwicke were met with a great strength of March-men and others and were speeding towards London which tidings compelled the King and Queene to retire them with their Army Northward the other taking this advantage entred the City the first weeke in Lent to whom resorted great numbers of Gentlemen from the South and East then was a great Counsell called of the Lords spirituall and temporall who after many argumenâ—s debated gave up this sentence that forasmuch as King Henry contrary to his honour and promise at the last parliament made and also that he was reputed unable and insufficient to governe the Realme by their generall assents he was thought worthy to be deposed and discharged of all royall dignity Then incontinently by the Authority of the said Counsell and consent of the Commons there present Edward the eldest son to the Duke of Yorke with an unanimous suffrage was
Elizabeth ib. Preparations of the French to invade England Spaine France and Scotland combine against her 199 Her prudent preparations new invasions threatned the Bull of Pope Pius Quintus 200 A rebellion in the North Leonard Dakers his revolt from the Queene 201 Dakers Forces routed by the Lord Hunsden commotions in Ireland Spanish plots 202 Domestick conspiracies discovered prevented and of Don John of Austria 203 The death of Don John and of Captaine Thomas Stukeley 204 His brave boasts tempting titles and at length slaine in the battaile of Alcazar 205 Nicholas Saunders a pestilent Traytor Sam. Josephus the Earle of Desmond with divers others conspirators 206 Bernardin Mendozas base proceedings Cardin Allan Doctor Parry the foureteene Traytors 207 Q. Elizabeths great confidence in the Almightie 208 The death of the foureteene Traytors the French Embassadour 209 The Spanish Armado stiled Invincible Doctor Lopez his Treasoâ— and death 210 Her Majesties departments in the Campe of Tilbury the Treason of Edward Squire 211 Queene Elizabeths miraculous preservation her Character 212 Excusing the Compositor who received this Coppy in a difficult and unacquainted hand and the Corrector who could not bee alwayes ready in regard of some necessary imployments I intreate the generous Reader to take notice of these Errata following and to rectifie them in his reading after this manner FOr Geinni reade Gemini Page 8. for firei r. 〈◊〉 p. 16. for Bethalmir Bethâ—â—â—â— p. 10. for moved r. mooned p. 94. for 〈◊〉 r. sons p. 98. for â—â—xores r. veâ—bres p. 99. for oâ—bes r. orbis p. 114. for Azerpegita r. Areopagitae p. 117 for for r. from p. 112. for Medâ—â— r. Modiâ— p. 124. for Vruâ—ia r. Vrania for 〈◊〉 Elphleda p. 130. and so through the whole history for effeminary Efferminacy p. 13â— for possion r. possession p. 170. for Lady Bovâ— r Bona p. 174. for worâ— r Coâ—rt p. 191. for exposed r. opposed for demend r. ormard p. 202. for Funis r. Tunis for lest r. lost p. 204. for wepsond r weâ—sord p. 205. for Backington r. â—ubington p. 208 for Conlatinated r. concatinated ibid. for filney r. Tylâ—ey ibid for Fichburne r. Tichburne for 〈…〉 ibid c. FINIS A distinction of History The species The Elemens The definition The derivation The profit that comes by reading of history * Heywood of Angels * Heywoods History of women Two Deborahs Her etimolygie In what estate Israel then stood The cause of the Isralites bondage Gods great mercy The Israelites repentance Gods miraculous deliverance The Israelitesâ—ngratitude â—ngratitude towards God Gods great power Deborah Deborah to Barak Barak to Deborah Her magnanimity Heber the Kenite A definition of warre The office of a Generall The nature of ambition Sisera's preparation for he warre Deborah incourageth Barak The effects of feare Sisera's Army routed The death of Sisera Deborah of Iael Deborah's art and Iaels compared Of King Nabuchodonosor and Arphaxad The names of sundry rivers Nabuchodonosors commandement despised Arphaxad discomfitted Olophernes His Tyranny The preparation of the Isralites against Oloferues Their prayer and repentance Achior Captaine of the Ammonites Strange words to proceede from the mouth of an Heathen The blasphemy of Olefernes The Governours of Bethulia The great distresse of the Bethulians Iudeth the wife of Manasses Iudâ—ths speech to the Governours The reply of Ozias Iudeth changeth her habit Iudeth brought before Oâ—ofernes Iudeths speech The answer of Olofernes Iudeth received into the Tent. A great feast made by Olofernes Shee eateth and drinketh in the presence of Olofernes Olofernes slaine by Iudeth Iudeth comes backe to Bethulia Her counsell to the governours Achiors extasie The Assyrians disheartned The Honour done to Iudeth for their miraculous deliverance Iudeths thankesgiving Her constant Widow-hood Her age and death What Ahasuerus was His feast to his Princes His feast to his people Temperance observed in feasting Queen Vasthi her feast Her contempt of the Kings command His chiefe Princes What obedience is A decree against the Queene Mordecai Esther or Hadassah Esther received into the pallace Esther crowned Queene Treason against the King discovered by Mordecai The exaltation of Haman Hamans purpose utterly to supplant the Iewes The decree sâ—aled for the destructiâ—n of the Iewes Mordecaies sorrow for his people Esthers first knowledge thereof A Queene by her resolution Estherâ—rac't â—rac't by the King The King and Haman invited to her banquet Haman hate to Mordecai Hamans pride and confidence Gods providence to preserve his people Pride catcht in her owne net The case is altered with Haman What envy is Honour done to Mordecai qsthers reEuest to the King Hamans pride turned into base feare Haman hanged on the tree prepared for Mordecai Esther petitioneth for the Iewes The decree against the Iewes renounced Liberty granted to the Iewes Mordecaies royall apparel The Iewes revenged upon their enemies Hamans ten sons hanged A memorall for their great deliverance Prasutagus maketh Caesar co-heire with his Queene and daughters The unjust proceeding of the Romans Their barbarous lust and cruelty Bundula's person and condition Reasons inducing the Brittaines to rebell against the Romans Their first insurrection A royall army Her habit in battle The place where she incamped The effect of her Oration to her souldiers A pretended Omen to stir up the spirits of her Souldiers The goddesse Audate The providence of Paulinus Suetonius Catus Decianus procurator under Caesar. Petilius Cerealis Paenius posthumus Ostorius Scapulae The strength of the Romans in Brittaine Claudius Caesar. The estate of the City at that time Gemina martia victoria Victricensia The Souldiers resistance The City demolished Bunduca intercepteth the Roman expedition She prosecuteth her victory A carefull Generall Rage above reason Virulum sackt and spoyled The cruell behaviour of the inraged Brittaines The courage of the Roman Generall The number of Bunduca's Army Of the place where she incamped The time of the yeare The management of the Roman Army The fashion of their Targets The proportion of a legion Bunduca in the battle The order of her battles Her incouraging of her Souldiers The beginning of the battle A description of the fight Valour on both sides The Romans Victâ—rs The Brittanes Army routed The numbers slaine on both sides Of Bunduca after the battle Her death Of the place of her buriall A probability assuring truth Virago Women of masculine spirits Camilla Hilerna Semiramis * Ninus Zenobia Hipsicratea Tomyris Teuca Maria Puteolana Of the Amazones in generall Their Originall Whence they derived their names Marthesia Lampedo Orythia or Otreta Antiope Menalippe Penthisilaea Sncurigera Vexilifera Peltifera The death of Penthesilâ—a Monithaea or Thalestris The end of the Amazonian race The manner of the Soithians The Scithians Sauromates Both which words imply to be drunke Barbarous cruelty Heroicke women in all ages Renowned women Queene Artimesia The seven wonders of the world The Pyramids of Egipt King Cleopas Rhodope The second wonder Sostratus a famous Architecture A third wonder A fourth wonder