wâ—stâ—d by Parasites and slatterers not unfitly may be said to be a prey to their owne dogs 7. They who look upon women and lust after them lose their reason and are devoured by their own lusts 8. â—f Dâ—ani's nakâ—dnesse seen unawares was the occasion of his â—â—sfortune how blâ—me-worthy are these women who with nâ—ked brâ—asts immodest looks light behâ—viour phantastâ—call attire entice mâ—n to their dâ—struction and of mâ—n do metamorphose them unto beasts ADONIS HEe was a beautifully yâ—uth with whâ—m Venus was in love â—ut whâ—lest â—ee was 〈◊〉 was killed by a boar or by Mars in the shape of a bâ—â—r and 〈◊〉 Venus was â—uâ—ned unto a râ—d slâ—reâ— called Anerâ—one hâ—e wâ—s kâ—pt after death by Ceres and Proserpina six mâ—nths under groâ—nd and other six months by Vâ—nus above The INTERPRETER 1. THe Atheniâ—ns had certain festivall dayes called Adonia in memory of Adonis his untimely death in thesâ— feasts the women used to carry upon biâ—rs or hearses the image of a dead youth to the grave with much mournning and shedding of tears and therefore Venus was wont to be painted in the forme of a mournfull woman shedding of tears with a vail over her head bewailing the losse of Adonis By Venus may be meant the earth for this is the beautifull and 〈◊〉 mother of all living creatures By Adonis may be understood the Sun who in winter is in a sort killed when his heaâ— and presence is lessened then the earth mourns and loseth her beauty the shedding of tears is the increasing of the springs and rivers by great and continuall rains 2. If by Adonis wee understand whâ—at that lodgeth with Proserpina that is lyeth buried in the ground six months in the winter the six summer months it is above in the air with Venus by which the beautie of the year is signifiâ—d by the boar may be meant the cold frosty and snowy season in which the wheat seems to be killed 3. If with Macrobius by Adonis we understand the San hee may be 〈◊〉 to lodge six months with Proserpina in respect of his 〈◊〉 declination the other six months with Venus for then the creatures give themselves to procreation hee is killed by the boar and lamented by Venus for in winter his beams are of no force to dispell the cold which is the enemy of Adonis and Venus that is of beautie and procreation 4. 〈◊〉 in the form of a boâ—r kils him 〈…〉 and hunting are masculine exercises and not fit for weak bodies and effâ—minate spirits 5. Adonis is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to sing for beauty and musick are friends to Venus 6. Adonis may signifie the good Government of a Common-wealth which is the beauty thereof which is killed by Mars in the form of a boar for Mars and wantonnesse are enemies of all Government 7. Beautifull Adonis is turned into a fading flower to shew that beauty quickly 〈◊〉 8. Young and faire Adonis is killed by a Boar so wantonnesse and letchery are the destroyers of youth and beauty 9. Our resurrection in this may bâ— typed out for although death kill us it shall not annihilate us but our beauty shall â—â—crease and we shall spring out of the ground again like a beautiful flower in the Resurrection 10. Though our bodies die yet our good name shall flourish and like a fair flower shall live and smell when we are gone 11 Myrrha of her owne Father begot this child Adonis which Myrrha flying from her angry Father was turned into a tree and with the blow of her Fathers sword was delivered of this child because the Sun the common Father begot the sweet Gum Myrrhe of that Arabian tree of the same 〈◊〉 which Gum doth cause much delight and pleasure for so in Greek Adonis signifieth In this Gum Venus is much delighted as being a help to decayed beauty to a stinking breath to procreation and the vitiosity of the matrix 12. Let them remember who hunt too much after pleasure that the devil is that great boar who lyeth in wait to kill them ADMETUS HE being a sutor to Alceste carryed her away by the assistance of Apollo and Hercules in a Chariot drawn by a Lyon and a Boar afterward being like to 〈◊〉 was recovered by the voluntary death of his wife whom Hercules delivered out of hell and restored her to Admetus The INTERPRETER 1. ADmetus was King of Thessâ—lie whose sheep Apollo fed Every King is a shepheard who without Apollo that is wisâ—dom can never rule and guide his people 2. Admetus was the husband of Alceste which signifieth strength and a King is or should be the husband of his Countrey which is the Kings strength 3. By the means of Apollo and Hercules Admetus procured his wife so by wisdome and power Priaces bring people to subjection 4. He that intends to 〈◊〉 had need take the aid of Apollo and Hercules that iâ— of wisdom and strength of body 5. A 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is one that cannot be tamed as many lusty young men are therefore it is good to marry with Alceste 6. Many foolish women like Alceste refuse many good matches and at last are carryed away by a Lyon and a Boar that is by one that is lasciviously given and who can put on the bold face of a Lyon 7. Fruitful women are like Alceste who cast themselves unto the jawes of death by child-bearing that their husbands may live in the fruit of their womb for parents live in their children But by the means of Hercules that is of the strength of Nature women are delivered from death 8. Alceste is our hope with which we shall marry if first we can subdue the Lyon of pride and the Boar of concupiscence 9. Admetus or the untamed spirit of Satan doth carry away the soul which is the daughter of God in the Chariot of vanity drawn with pride and fleshly pleasures and in hell the soul should have continued for ever if Christ our Alâ—ides had not delivered it from thence AEACUS MINOS RADAMANTHUS THese were Jupiters sâ—ns and Judges in hell at the request of Aeacus when the Hand of Aeâ—ina was depopulated with sickness Jupiter turned the Ants into â—en so was Graâ—ia delivered also by the prayers of the same Aeacus The INTERPRETER 1. NOne were admitted into the presence of these three Judges but naked souls destitute of clothes beauty money or any thing else that might move these Judges to partiality in this world we must not look for justice when we are stript of all then shall we have it for here somthing will be found about us that shall corrupt the Judge And is it not a shame that there should be more justice in hell then on earth 2. Just Judges are the sons of God as these three were the sons of Jupiter 3. The good laws of just Judges shall not be forgotten but when they are in hell that is when they are dead their laws shall be still in force 4. These
three Judges are the three effects of a wicked mans Conscience to wit to accuse condemn and torment the sinner and in this sense a man may be said to be in hell whilst he is on earth 5. Aeacus by his wisdom causing the barbarous inhabitants to foâ—sâ—kâ— their caves and holes wherein they dwelt and to build houses to leave their diet of roots and fruits and to sow corn in teaching of them civility and military discipline whereby they overcame the Pirats which usâ—d to molâ—st them for these respects he was said to turn them from Ants into men 6. In relieving Graeâ—ia by his prayers from the plague doth shew us That the prayers of the faithful avaiâ—eth much 7. Before Christ came the Gentiles were but Ants men of earthly conversation being sed with roots of superstition molested with spiritual pirats but by the preaching and intercession of Christ the wisdom of the Father and the Judge of all the world they were made men taught to forsake the dark holes of Idolatry and to build them an house in heaven to feed upon the bread of Gods Word and to â—ight against their spiritual enemies 8. These three Judges wâ—re so placed that Aeacus and Rhadaâ—nanthus being more loving brothers 〈◊〉 alwaies together but Minos by himself this is noted for his cruelty the other two for their gentlenesse and mercy to shew us that as there are two mild Judges for one cruel so justice should be tempered with mercy but so that mercy be alwaies prevalent 9. When Jupiter sent thâ—se his three sons to be judges in hell he directed them to take their journey through a delightful meadow called the field of truth I wish all Judges would passe through this field for neglect in passiâ—g through this field in these distâ—â—ctâ—d timâ—s many good and innocent men have been undone by false and lying informations AEGAEON HE was begotten of the Heaven and Earth or of the Sea he assisted Jupiter when Juno Pâ—llâ—s and Neptune made insurrection against him and would have bound him for whose good service he was made keeper of Hell gates but after waâ—ds rebelling against Jupiter he was overthrown with his thunder and laid under the hill Aeâ—â—a which alwaies bursts out with sinoak and stones when he 〈…〉 he had an hundred hands and fifty heads he is also called 〈◊〉 and Enâ—â—ladus The INTERPRETER 1. AEGaeon as the other Giants were painted like 〈…〉 the waste but like serpents under Commâ—â—us that bloâ—â—y Emperor when he would represent Hercules with a Lyons skin about his shoulders and a club in his hand caused some men whom he meant to kill in sport be sent for Now that he might seem to fight for the gods against the gyants he would cause the leggs and thighâ—s of these men to be set away or wrest aside that so they might seem to be like the gyants and then with his club he knocked them down and bruised them This was not indeed to sight for the gods but to satisfie his own cruelty and bloody nature there be too many that pretend they sight for God when indeed they sight for their own ends and to make the matter the more plausible they will by traducing give the enemies serpents feet though they have none and make them seem to be gyants against whom they fight though they be not such 2. By this many handed and many headed monster is meant the Wind the power and 〈◊〉 whereof are many and wonderful it is begot of they 〈◊〉 of the earth and sea by the heat and iâ—slâ—ence of heaven when Jupiter that is the heaven is obscured 〈…〉 bound up from uâ— with thick mists extracted by Minerva that is the Sun out of Neptune or the Sea and received by Juno or the Aire these three are said to conspire against Jupiter then comes the wind and blowes away these mists and so Jupiter is relieved and the heavens cleared AEgaeon is said to keep hell gates because the winds are often inclosed in the bowels of the Earth and Sea 3. AEgaeon sights against Jupiter when the South-wind obscures the Heaven with clouds then with his Sun-beams or thunder the Air is cleared and the wind setled and because Aetna never vomits out fire but when there is wind generated in the hollow holes and cavernosities thereof therefore AEgaeon is said to lie and move there 4. Gâ— hath made our stomack and belly to be the receptacle o◠〈◊〉 vapors which notwithstanding sometimes 〈…〉 the heaven of our brain and fight against our Jupiter that is our judgement and reason but oftentimes are overcome and 〈◊〉 back by the strength of nature and properâ— of the 〈◊〉 5. Juno that is vapors Neptune that is too much moisture and Pallâ—s that is too much 〈…〉 the brain and assault judgement and reason but the hâ—lp of AEgaeon or the strength of the animal spirits do relieve the brain and make peace 6. In 88. the Spanish Juno that is their wealth Minerva their policieâ— and Neptune their Sea-god I mean their great Fleet which 〈…〉 the Ocean conspired to invade our heaven that is our Church and State but AEgaeon the stormie wind sent by Thetis but by the power of the Almighty scattered their forces and relieved our Jupiter â— Every pyratical ship robbing honest men of their goods may be called AEgaeon for they fight against God himself and their end for the most part is featful 8. Arius and other hereticks opposing Christs divinity with AEgaeon fight against God and being struck with the thunder of Gods Word without repentance they are sent to hell 9. All seditious persons rebelling against the Church and State are AEgaeon fighting against God and they must look for this reward AENAEAS HE was a Trojâ—n Prince son of Venus by whose help he was delivered from being killed by the Graeâ—ians he carried his old father on his 〈◊〉 out of Troy with his houshold gods he was seven years by the malice of Juno tost upon the seas and kept back from Italy who when he arrived thither was molested by a long war caused by Juno and Alecto having at last killed Turnus ended his 〈◊〉 in peace and honour he went down to Hell to visit his father in the Elisian fields who by the help of 〈◊〉 and the golden 〈…〉 all the dangers of hell his acts are eternized by the Prince of Poets The INTERPRETER 1. WHen AEnaeâ—s went down to hell the dog Cerberus barked against him which used to sawn upon others even so the Devil is an enemie to vertuous men such as AEnaeas was but he is a friend to the wicked 2. He was called the son of Venus because that planet was mistresse of his horoscope or because of his beauty and comely proportion and to shew that love is the chiesest guard of Princes and that which doth most subdue and keep people in subjection 3. Juno and AEolâ—s the aire and wind conspired against him to drown him so sometimes Princes are oftentimes vexed
Earthly They give wings arrowes and torches to both but the wings of Coelestial love carry up our thoughts and affections above all transitory things the arrowes of that love are not to wound and kill us as the arrowes of Terrestriall love doe but to wound and kill all carnall affections in us and so the Torches thereof are not to burne our hearts as the torches of earthly love do but to illuminate our mindes and to purifie our hearts from all carnall lusts and worldly desires 2. There was a kind of love among the ancients called Amor Lethaeus whose Image was worshipped in the Temple of Venus Erjcins this Love was painted dipping his arrowes in the River to signifie that some are willing to forget divers things that they have loved I wish that we could with this Amor Lethaus quench the torches of vain love and the fervent affections wee have to earthly things in the waters of teares and repentance 3. There was a Temple dedicated to Venus Libitinâ— where the coffins of the dead were kept to shew that love is the cause of corruption as well as of generation I am sure love in many Impotent and intemperate young people may be called Venus Libitinâ— for she brings many to their grave before they have lived half their dayes 4. Mutuall love called by the Greekes â—ros and Anteros wâ—s expressed by two little Cupids whereof the one did struggle with the other to get away the branch of Palme which he had in his hand â—o signifie that wee should strive to overcome one another in Love 5. Venus was painted of old rising out of the Sea sitting in a shell in which she was carried to Paphos she was also painted nakâ—d crowned with Roses having her chariot drawn sometime with Doves sometime with white Swannes and Sparrowes to signifie the nature of carnall love or lust which is begott of the Sea froth for Salt is a friend to Venus and froth is quickly gone and to shew that Cyprus was much given to Venery therefore she was worshipped there most of all and called Cypria from thence shee is naked for she strips men of their estates and the whore will leave them naked at last or her nakednesse may signifie that all things should be open and naked among lovers and nothing hid in the heart or by this nakednesse is meant that love cannoâ— be concealed or long hid her crowne of Roses shew that sweet smells especially of Roses are provocatives to lust the Doves shew the sincerity and want of gall quarrelling or malice or malice in love the white Swans shew that love is or should be innocent and clean because the Swannes sing sweetely as they held by which they would shew that Musick procures love the Sparrowes signifie wantonnesse her crossing over the Sea in a shell signifies the dangers bitternesse and divers stormes or troubles that lovers are subject to 6. There was at Rome the Image of Venus Verâ—icordia because she turned mens hearts and affections from lust to modestie and vertue I wish our young wanton gallants would looke upon that Image that so they might be converted from lasciviousnesse to the wayes of vertue modestie and goodnesse 7. The Râ—se was dedicated to Venus to shew the nature of love which is full of prickles as well as of sweetnesse when the sweetnesse and beauty of the Rose is gone the prickles remaine even so after the pleasure of lust which quickly vanisheth there remain the stings of Conscience and indeed the blushing colour of the Rose may teach all wantons to blush at and be ashamed of their owne madnesse and vanity 8. The Myrtle tree was consecrated to Venus and with the same Conquerours in their lesser Tryumphs called Ovations were crowned to shew that love is the great Conquerour and that Conquerours should use the conquered with love The Myrtle also was a symbole of peace so there ought to be no jarres or strife among lovers 9. They placed neer to Venus Mercury Pytho and the Graces to shew that love is procured and maintained by eloquence perswasion and bounty 10. Marcellus built the Temple of Venus after the subduing of Syracusa a mile from the Citie but Venus hath her Temples no where so frequent as within our Cities by this we may see how much we degenerate from the Romane modestie 11. Venus was wont sometimes to be painted sitting upon a goat and treading upon a snaile to shew that a modest woman should subdue goatish wantonnesse and should like the snail carry her house about her and give her selfe to silence for the tortoise or snail wants a tongue 12. Venus armata was painted in her compleat armes in memory of the Lacedemonian women who put the Messenians to flight but I think this was to let us see that militat omnis amans every lover is a souldier and that no sword is sharper then Venus her launce and that he who is in love must have a good head-piece corsâ—et and target to keep of the disdainful repulses â—f a proud or coy woman when she is loved or sought after and as Venus was painted with fetters at her feet so no men are tyed with such strong fetters as they who are held with the fetters of love 13. Venus calvata or â—â—ld Venus was worshipped in memory of the Romane women who when the Capitol was besieged by the Gauls parted with their haire to make strings for the warlike Engines but I thinke Venus may be called calvata or balde because intemperate venery begets baldnesse by exhausting the radical moisture of the body 14. Venus barbaâ—a or bearded Venus was to shew that there was no diffâ—rence of sexe in the gods therefore Virgil Aen. 2. calls Venus the male god Descendo ac ducenâ—e Deo slâ—mmam inter hostes and she was painted with a mans beard and a womans combe but I thinke this was rather to mock the masculine venery of those times and it is though that bearded Venus is too much in request among the Romane Cardiâ—als at this day An Hermaphrodite also may be called Venus barbara besides in love there is both action and suffering neither can there be procreation but when the male and female are united in one 15. Venus is sometimes painted with a vaile over her face bemoaning the beautifull youth Adonis that was killed by the boare by which doubâ—lâ—sse is meant that wantonnesse and venery beget shâ—me and sorrow when upâ—n serious thoughts men call to mind how they have lost their youth by the boar of intemperance and lust 16. Venus and Mars were found together in one bed and Bacchus was her armour-bearer this is to let us see that they are given to adulterie in whose nativity Mars and Venus meet and it is known how much souldiers are addicted to Venerie By this also they would shew that generation consisteth in heat and moisture expressed by Mars and Venus But Bacchus is fittest to be her armour-bearer for wine furnisheth Venus with
courage and vigour Sine Cerere Baccho friget Venus therefore wine was offered in the sacrifices of the terrestiall or popular Venus but never in the sacrifices of the celestiall Venus for wine is an enemy rather then a friend to divine contemplation for which cause the sacrifices of Mercurie the Muses Aurora the Sun Moon Nymphus and celestiall Venus were called Nephalia that is Sober sacrifices 17. Venus Juno and Pallas strove for the golden apple which Paris assigned to Venus there hath ever been emulation between beautie riches and wisdome but too many with Paris preferre beautie and Venereall pleasure to wealth and especially to wisdome In a Prince wisdome is chiefly to be regarded for misery must fall on that State where an unwise Prince reignes though hee were as rich as Juno and as beautifull as Venus 18. Venus is married to Vulcan because there can be no generation in the world if there were not an union between the naturall heat expressed by Vulcan and the radicall moisture signified by Venus 19. There was Venus Cloacina among the Romans some will have her have her called Cluacina from clueo to fight in memory of the quarrell between the Romans and the Sabines which wâ—s happily ended in their mutuall marriages But I think rather her name was Cloacina from cloaca by which they expressed the nature of a common whore as Venus was for though such a woman were as beautifull as Venus yet shee is but Cloacina a publick sink or jakes 20. Because Pompey would not be checked by the Censors as Tertullian observes lib. de spectac for erecting such a huge Theater to luxurie and wantonnesse hee placed over it the temple of Venus that under the vail of religion hee might cover the practice of impietie and wantonnesse Thus wee see how religion is still the cloak to cover all knavery and mischief 21. Diomedesâ— souldier wounded Venus the goddesse of love I am sure by our civill warres wee have wounded Christ the true God of love VESTA SHe was the daughter of Saturn and Rhea or the mother of Saturn as others say her prieâ—â—s called Vestall virgins kept the sacred fire on her altars The INTERPRETER 1. BY Vesta they meant sometimes the earth it selfe and in this respect shee is called the mother of Saturne for shee is the mother of all the gods And sometimes they meant the fire within the bowels of the earth or that naturall heat by which all earthly creatures are generated and fomented so Vesta is the daugâ—ter of Saturne and Rhea because this fire or native heat is begot by Time in the earth and of thâ— earâ—h 2. To this goddesse a temple was erected at Rome of a round forme to shew the roundnesse of the earth on it was a round altar upon which burned continually two lamps kept and maintained by the Vestall Virgins if at any time these lamps went out the Vestall Nunnes were punished with death thus they were let down by a ladder into a deep vault with some meat and drink and a light by them that so they might not be thought to suffer a violent death but might die by degrees as their food and â—ight failed them This going out of the Vestall fire and the punishment of her virgins was alwayes held ominous and fatall to the State of Rome I am sure it is an ominous thing to our State and indeed the ruine of it is portended by the going out of the fire of love and charitie amongst us which ought to burn perpetually on the altars of our hearts 3. As on Vesta's altar burned two lamps which if they went out were not to be kindled again by any earthly fire but by the celestiall heat of the Sun even so there should burne and shine on the altars of our hearts the two lamps of love to wit the love of God and of our neighbour which being extinguished cannot be kindled againe but by the celestiall fire of Gods Spirit which descended upon the Apostles in sirie tongues 4. From Vesta the thresholds and porches of houses were called vestibula for they were consecrated to her and in them the Romans did eat and drink as wee doâ— in our parlours intimating that all their food came from the earth and therefore in all sacrifices shee was first nominated before any other gods because without the benefits and increase of the earth there could be no sacrifice and because there can be no house-keeping or families maintained without food which is the benefit and fruit of the earth they made her one yea the cheifest of their PENATES or houshold gods 5. Upon the top of Vesta's Temple stood the image of Vesta holding little Jupiter in her armes because it was said that shee fed Jupiter in his infancie it is the earth indeed that feeds us all both rich and poor princes and beggars 6. When all the other gods move abroad in their chariots onely Vesta is said to stay at home or to remaine unmoveable in Jupiters house by this they meant that of all the simple bodies the earth onely remaines unmoveable in the midst of Jupiters house that is in the air which doth encompasse her round about 7. Vesta taught men at first to build houses therefore shee was held the chiefe of the houshold-gods and it may be shee taught them to wear clothes also therefore shee is called Vesta a vestiendo or because shee is the earth shee may be so called in that the earth is clothed with grasse flowers plants and trees and indeed shee is our mother that feeds us therefore called Pales the goddesse of fodder and shee clothes us also hence shee is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And though shee be a mother yet shee is called a virgin and was served by virgins onely as shee is taken for the earth shee is the mother of all living creatures as for the fire shee is a virgin for nothing is engendered of fire and as all things are made of the earth so are they turned into the earth again therefore the Grecians used to begin and to end their sacrifices with Vesta A te principium tibi desinet ULYSSES HEe was the sonne of Laertes and Antichea the husband of Penelope and father of Telemachus a subtile eloquent and valiant Grecian who having done good service in the Trojan warres and having suffered much both by sea and land after twenty yeers absence returns again to his Penelope and killed all her suters The INTERPRETER 1. IN the person of Vlysses wee have painted out to us the actions and sufferings of a wise and good man the first wise action of his which wee read of was this that hee shâ—wâ—d his aversenâ—sse to goe to warre by counterfeiting himselfe mad when hee plowed with beasts of a diffâ—rent nature and sowed salt in stead of corn no wise man will be too hastie to undertake a war Omnia prius tentanda quam and arma ventendum 2.