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
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
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
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
unto mee when this is to be done then I will come and shew it thee and thou shalt goe forth with all thine Army and I will leade thee through the midst of Iudea till thou come before Ierusalem and I will set thy Throne in the midst thereof and thou shalt drive â—hem as sheepe that have no shepheard and not a dogge shall barke against thee for these things have beene declared unto mee according to my foreknowledge and I am sent to shew thee Which words greatly pleased Olofernes and his servants who marvelled at her wisdome and said there is no such woman in the world both for beauty and wisdome Moreover Olofernes replyed God hath done this to send thee before the people that strength might be in our hands and destruction upon them that despise my Lord. Thou art both beautifull in thy countenance and witty in thy words If thou doe as thou hast spoken thy God shall be my God thou shalt dwell in the house of Nabuchodonosor and shall bee renouned through the whole earth then he commanded to bring her in where his treasures were and that they should prepare for her of his owne meate and his owne Wine who said unto him I may neither eate nor drinke of them least there should be an offence For I can suffice my selfe with the provision that I have brought but hee replyed if those things thou hast should faile how should wee give thee the like for there is none with us of thy Nation to which she answered as thy soule liveth thy handmaide shall not spend those things that I have before the Lord worke by mine hand what he hath determined Then the servants of Olofernes brought her into the tent and she slept there till midnight and rose at the morning watch and sent unto Olofernes saying let my Lord command that thine handmaid may goe forth to prayer who presently gave order to his guard that they should not stay her thus she abode in the Campe three dayes and went out in the night into the valley of Bethulia and washed her selfe in a Fountaine in the water by the Campe and when she came out she prayed unto the Lord God of Israel that he would direct her way to the exaltation of the children of her people so she returned and remained pure in the Tent untill she ate her meate at evening In the fourth day Olofernes made a feast to his owne servants onely and saide to Bagoas the Eunuch goe call the Hebrew Woman that is with thee that shee may come and feast with us for it were a shame for us to let such a beauty alone and not talke with her For if wee tempt not her chastity shee will mocke us who came unto her and said make no difficulty to goe in unto my Lord and to be honoured in his presence and to drinke wine with us joyfully and to be intreated as one of the daughters of the children of Assur which remaine in the house of Nabuchodonosor who answered him againe who am I that I should gainesay my Lord so shee a rose and trimmed her with garments and with all the ornaments that belong to women and her maide went and spread forth her skinnes on the ground over against the place where Olofernes sate whose heart was ravished and his spirits mooved and hee greatly desired her company for he waited to insidiate her chastity from the day that he had first seene her who said unto her drinke now and be merry with us who answered and saide I drinke now my Lord because my state is exalted this day more then ever then shee ate and dranke before him such things as her maide had prepared And Olofernes rejoyced because of her and dranke more wine than he had ever done at one time since the day of his birth The evening being come his servants made haste to depart and Bagoas shut his Tent without and dismissed all from the presence of his Lord but Iudeth was left alone in the tent and Olofernes was stretched upon his bed for the feast had beene long and hee was filled with much wine Now Iudeth had commanded her maid to stand without and attend her comming forth as she had done dayly for shee said shee would anon goe forth to prayers and had spoken to Bagoas to that purpose Then Iudeth standing by the bed came to the post which was at the head of Olofernes and tooke downe his Faulchion and laid hold of the haire of his head and said strengthen mee O Lord God of Israel this day then she smote twice upon his necke with all her strength and tooke his head from him and roulled his body downe from the bed and pulled down the Canope from the Pillars and after went forth and gave the head to her maide who put it in her scrip of meate so they went together as their custome was to prayer and pressing through the Tents past about by the Valley and so up to the Mountaine of Bethulia and knocked at the Gates thereof Then Iudeth said to the watchmen open to me the gate Now when the men of the City heard her voyce they made haste to goe downe and called the Elders and they ranne altogether both small and great for it was beyond their expectation that shee should returne so they opened the gate and received her and made a great fire for a light and stood about them two then she spake unto them with a loud voyce and said praise God prayse the Lord for he hath not taken away his mercy from the house of Israel but by my hand hath this night destroyed his enemies so shee tooke the head out of the scrip and showed it them saying behold the head of Olofernes the great Captaine of the Army of Assur and behold the Canopie under which he lay in his drunkennesse the Lord hath smitten him by the hand of a woman as the Lord liveth who kept mee in the way which I went my beauty hath deceived him to his destruction yet hath he not committed with me any sinne then all the people were astonished and blessed the Lord and Ozias said unto her O daughter blessed art thou of the most high God above all the women of the earth surely this thine hope shall never depart out of the hearts of men for they shall remember the power of God for ever c. Then said Iudeth unto them heare me also my brethren take this head and hang it upon the highest turret of your walls and as soon as the morning appeares take every valiant man his weapon in his hand set a Captaine over them as if you would goe downe into the field towards the watch of the Assyrians but goe not downe Then they shall runne to the tent of Olofernes but shall not finde him and feare shall fall upon them and they shall flye before your face So you and all that inhabite the coasts
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
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
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