his daughter to be her handmayde and seruaunt And afterwarde when Rahel perceiuing shee was barren and could beare Iacob no children she gaue Bilha her mayde vnto her husband to be his wife who conceiued by Iacob and brought him forth two sonnes The first called Dan the second called Nepthali Afterwarde Bilha and her mate zilpha went with Iacob to meete Esau and was placed formost with her children in the company and meeting Esau did him first reuerence and obeysaunce Then at the commaundment of Iacob she reformed her selfe of her Idolatrie and resigned vp vnto him her earinges Idols worshipped God aright with him and all the rest of his housholde yet after this that is in the yeare of the world 2275. Ruben the eldest Sonne of Iacob went and lay with this Bisha his fathers Concubine and caused her to commit adulterie to her shame and his curse giuen of his father vnto whose eares the vile fact came as appeareth Gene. 29.29.30.3 c. 33.2.6.35.4.22 46.25.49.3 1. Chro. 7. 13. Bithiahâ— or Bethia signi the Daughter or measure of the Lord. She was the daughter of Pharaoh and wife of Mered or after some â—he first wife of Ezrah and the mother of Mered. Read 1. Chro. 4.18 C Calmana signi a nourishing gift or present She was one of the two daughters of Adam and Eue sister to Delbora and wife to Rayn her owne brother by whom the worlde was first replenished as appeareth in Graftons Chronicle fol. 27. Candaces signi chaunged hauing breach of minde a cleane or the purest hauing in vse it is a common name to all the Queenes of Ethiopia Shee was the Queene of Ethiopia who sending her Eunuch or chiefe gouernour that had the rule of all her treasure to Ierusalem as hee rode in his charyot reading Esaye the Prophet was by the waye met with of Philip who baptised and instructed him in the true vnderstanding of the scripture he read and conuerted him to the Christian fayth by preaching vnto him Iesus so that he worshipped God aright at Ierusalem Acts. 8.27 Cleopatra signi the flourishing glory or ioy of the countrey or of the Father Shee was the daughter of Philometor king of Egipt who in the yeare of the world 3981. being first giuen in maryage by her father vpon good lyking to Alexander the sonne of noble Antiochus Epiphanes king of Syria and royally maryed with great glory after the manner of Kinges at the Citie of Ptolomays afterward vpon displeasure causeleâ—se taken by her father against her husbande she was taken away from him againe and giuen by her vnnaturall father to Demetrius the sonne of Demetrius and so became his wife also hauing now two husbands alyue as appe 1. Ma. 10.75 11.12 The Prophet Daniel also prophecyeth also of the faythfulnesse constancie of one Cleopatra a bewtiful Woman that was the daughter of Antiochus the great king of Syria wife to Ptolomeus Eptphanes king of Egypt saying in this wise Hee that is Antiochus shall set his face to enter with the power of his whole kingdome and his confederates with him agaynst Ptolomeus thus shall hee doe and hee shal giue him the daughter of women to destroy hym But she shall not stand on his side neyther before him meaning that Antiochus should giue his daughter Cleopatra to Ptolomeus to destroye him with her bewtie betray him to her father after his aduice or if that serued not he woulde destroy him together with his daughter by that marriage vnder pretence of friendship for hee lyke a moâ—t couetous and cruel wretch regarded not the lyfe of his daughter in respect of the kingdome of Egypt which hee chiefly shotte at yet for all that Daniell prophecied that she shoulde not agree to her fathers wicked counsayle but shoulde loue her husband as her duetie required and not seeke his destruction for her fathers pleasure or any friend in the world beside Read Dani. 11.17 Cozbi signi a Lyer leauing off as flowing as a fludde Shee was the Daughter of zur Prince of Midian who playing the harlot with zimry the Israelite and sonne of Salu and being taken in the verye committing and doing of the filthy facte of adulterie was by zealous Phinees the sonne of Eleazar Gods execucioner of his iust wrath thrust quite through her belly and slayne as she laye together with zimry her adulterous mate Which zealous fact of Phinies so pleased God that therefore the Lorde not onely turned awaye his wrath and caused the plague to cease which hee had sent vppon the Israelites for committing both corporall and spirituall whooredome with the woman of Moab and following their idolatry but also God made the couenant of priesthood to remaine with him and his for euer as appeareth Numb 25.6.7 D Damaris signi a little or a prety wile a still heed She was a certaine godly and deuout woman dwelling at the Citie of Athens who with Denis Areopagita and others beleeued the Gospell preached by S. Paule and was conuerted to the Christian fayth Acts. 17.34 Deborah or Debbora signi a word a Bee good vtteraunce a babler speecâ—e Shee was the wife of one Lapidoth and a Prophetesse who after the death of Ehud and Shamgar was the fourth Iudge and gouernesse of the people of Israell and iudged them by the spyrite of prophecy in resoluing of controuersies and doubtes declaring vnto theÌ„ y e wil of God And in the yeare of the world 2766. when y e childreÌ„ of Israel were giuen by the Lorde for their sinnes into the handes of Iabyn King of Canaan and inuaded by Sisara his captaine and a great hoste of enymyes They went to Deborah vnto her house that dwelte vnder a Palme tree betweene Ramah and Bethel in Mounte Ephraim and in great sorrowe and lamentation asked her aduise who vnderstanding the matter sente presently for Barack who being come she sayde vnto him hath not the Lorde GOD of Israel reuealed vnto mee by the spirite of prophecie and commaunded thee saying goe to Mounte Tabor with ten thousand men And I saieth the Lord wil drawe vnto thee to the riuer Kison Sisera with all his huge hoste and delyuer him into thy hande But Barak seeing his owne weakenesse and his enemies power desired Deborah the Prophetesse to goe with him to assure him of Gods will from tyme to tyme saying If thou wilt goe with me I will goe But if thou wilt not goe with me I will not goe Then sayd Deborah I will surely go with thee as thou desirest but for thy distrust and doubtfull minde knowe thou this that this iourney which thou takest shall not therefore be for thine honour for the Lorde shall sel Sisera into the handes of a woman So Deborah arose and went with Barak and all his host to Kedesh And when she saw Sisera and his army come ready to wage battell with Barak she still incouraged him to the enterprise by assuring him of Gods fauour and ayd saying vp
of the wise and despise not any counsell that is profitable Blesse thy Lorde God alway and desire of him that thy way may be made streight and that all thy purposes and counselles may prosper Feare not my daughter if thou be poore For the Lorde giueth all good thinges and he humbleth whom he will and as he will Content thy selfe I saie with thy poore estate For thou hast many thinges if thou feare God and flie from sinne and doe the thing which is acceptable vnto him Now therfore my daughter remēber these cōmaundements precepts neither let thē at any time depart out of thy mind Tob. 4. all A vertuous child shal haue rule vnder her mother gouerne by hir authoritie so did Sara Raguels daughter rule and guide hir fathers house as mistresse and correct and beate his maides for their faultes Tob. 3.9 She that loueth father or mother more then me saith Christ is not worthie of me Mat. 10.37 Whosoeuer shall forsake house and lande father or mother husbande and children for my names sake saith Christ shee shall receiue a hundered folde more and shall inherite euerlasting life Math. 19.29 Woe be to those children that fulfill the measure of their fathers iniquitie Mat. 23.32 God hath commaunded saying Honour thy father and mother And he that curseth father and mother let him die the death Mat. 15.4 Geue to all men their dutie feare to whom feare is due honor to whom yee owe honour Rom. 13.7 Saint Paule reckoneth those children that are without all naturall affection and disobedient to their Parentes among the wicked ones and reprobate that know not God whom God hath deliuered vp vnto a reprobate minde to commit all maner of sinne and wickednesse Rom. 1.30 Know this y t the law is geuen vnto y e lawlesse disobedient to the vngodly to murderers of fathers mothers to whoremongers harlots liers c. to take vēgeance on al such woorkers of wickednes cōtrarie to wholesome doctrine and admonition 1. Tim. 19. This knowe that in the last daies shall come perillous times for men shall bée disobedient to parentes without naturall affection 2. Tim. 3.1 The sonne shall be at variance against the father and the daughter against the mother the daughter in law against the mother in law and a mans enemies shall be they of his owne houshold Math. 10.34 What childe is it whō the father chasteneth not if then ye be not vnder correction then are yee bastardes and not children Geue therefore due reuerence vnto those your naturall parentes of your bodies which haue begotten you despise not their chastisement which correct you chasten you a few daies euē after their owne pleasures for your profite Heb. 12.5 Yée children obey your parentes in all things which are in the Lord. For this is well pleasing vnto the Lorde and right Col. 3.20 Honour thy father and mother which is the first commandement with promise that it may be well with thée and that thou maiest belong on earth Ephe. 6.1 That the childe ought not to marie or make priuate contracts without the consent and knowledge of the parentes it is manifest by manie examples in holie Scripture as in Rebecca Gen 24. 49. Sara the wife of Tobit Tob 6.12 c. in Dinah Gen. 34.4 Thamar Gen. 38.9 It is the duetie of that childe whom the father or mother dearelie loueth as most déere vnto him or chiefe of the kindred to laie his or hir hande vpon hir fathers or mothers or kinsmans eies in their departure and to shut or close them vp when he dieth for so did Ioseph as it was prophesied vppon his father Iacob Gen. 46.4 So did also Tobit close the eyes of his father and mother in lawe Tob. 14.15 The office and duetie of Maisters and Maistresses or Dames towardes their seruantes and maides IF thy brother an Hebrwe or an Hebruesse or euen Christian sell or hire himselfe to thee and serue thee sixe yeeres euen in the seuenth yéere thou shalt let him or hir goe out free from thee paying nothing for their freedome or libertie if he came himselfe alone not hauing wife nor children hee shall goe himselfe alone if hee were maried then his wife shall goe out with him free if thou his maister haue geuen him a wife and shee hath borne him sonnes and daughters the wife and her children shall bée thine till hir time of seruitude bée expired which is till the seuenth yeere or the fiftieth yeere beeing the yeere of Iubilie but her husbande thy seruaunt hee shall goe out himselfe alone if hee will But if the seruaunt say this I loue my maister or mistresse my wife and my children I will not goe out free alone then thou his maister shalt bring him vnto the Iudges and set him to the doore or to the postes where the iudges sitte and shalt bore his eare through with a naule in tokē that he shall serue thée vntill the yéere of Iubilie that is for the terme of 50. yéeres And vnto the mayde seruant thou shalt doe likewise Exod. 21.2 Deut. 15.12 Likewise if a man constrayned eyther by pouertie or els to the ende that the master shoulde mary her sell his daughter to be a seruant shée shall not goe out as the men seruantes doe For if shee please not hir master who hath betrothed hir to himselfe then shall he cause another man to buy hir of him by geuing him money so to doe For he shall haue no power to sell hir to a strange people séeing he dispised or defloured hir But if he haue betrothed hir vnto his sonne he shall deale with hir according to the custome of the daughters and geue hir dowry and if afterward he take for his sonne another wife yet shall he not diminish hir foode hir rayment and recompence of hir virginitie but if he doe none of these thrée that is neyther mary hir himselfe nor geue another money to buy hir nor bestow hir vpon his sonne then shall shée goe out frée paying no money Exod. 21.7.8 c. If thy brother also that dwelleth by thée bée impouerished and be solde vnto thee thou shalt not compell him to serue as a bond seruant but as an hyred seruant and as a soiourner hee shall bee with thee hee shall serue thee vnto the yéere of Iubilie that is 50. yéeres then shall he depart from thée both him and his children with him shal returne vnto his famelie possessiō of his fathers For they are my seruants whom I brought out of the lande of Egypt they shal not bee solde vnto perpetuall slauery as bondmen are sold neither shalt thou rule ouer them cruelly but shalt feare thy God Leuit. 25.39 Thy bond seruant also and thy bondmayd which thou shalt haue shall be of the heathen and strangers y t are rounde about thée of them shall yée buy seruants maids to be bōdmen or bondwomē not of thine owne people or natiō Moreouer
then the Princes of the Philistines came vp to her and brought their money in their handes which they had promised her And Dalila then so dallied with Sampson that she made him lie a sleepe vpon her knees and whilest he lay downe his head in her lappe and was a sleepe she caused a man that she had readie for the purpose to come and shaue off the seuen lockes of the haire of his head whereby she began to vexe his soule and his strength was quite gone from him not so much for the losse of his haire but for the contempt of the ordinaunce of God whiche was the cause that God departed from him Then hauing wrought her feate she after her accustomed maner cryed vnto him and saide The Philistines are vpon thee Sampson the Philistines are vpon thee And with that hee awoke out of his sleepe and thinking to escape them nowe as hee had done before he shooke himselfe But knowing not that the Lord was departed from him he had no power or strength left to flie away and therefore the Princes of the Philistines then tooke him and bound him hand and foote nowe at the last and put out his eyes and carried him away bounde in fetters to Azzah where they made him a slaue to grinde in the prison house And thus Sampsons inordinate affection towards a wicked woman caused him to loose Gods excellent giftes and became a slaue vnto them whom hee should haue ruled Where wee see howe dangerous a thing it is for any man or woman to giue place too much to our affections for if we doe without doubt we shall be sure to be destroyed as Sampson was by Dalila who thus by wicked daliance betraid him to the Philistines for money Iudg. 16.4 c. Diana signi the Moone hauing name of the day for that it giues a light counterfeiting the day lyght She was a great Goddesse of the Ephesians whose magnificence not onelye the Cytizens of Ephesus but all Asia yea and all the world worshipped as their Goddesse insomuch that when anye man went about to impeach her honour or speake against her or her Temple to bring her in little estimation among the Christians as Paule and others did then the people of Ephesus woulde bee full of wrath and cry out continually great is Diana of the Ephesians A great maynteiner of this Goddesse and her Temple was that enimie of godlinesse and superstitious fellow Demetrius the siluer smith who got great gaines and much wealth by making shrines and siluer temples for Dianas temple and who vnder her pretence raysed great sedition in the Citie and trouble to Paule and the true Christians as ye may read Acts. 19.24 c. Dinah signifieth iudgement or doome iudging or deeming She was the onely Daughter of Iacob borne in the yeare of the worlde 2258. whom Lea bare vnto him whilest hee serued Laban her father and his vncle And when her father soiourned in Sechem going towardes Egypt she being but fifteene yeares of age and taking a little too much libertie went out alone from her father and brethren to see the daughters or women of that countrey but lost her virginitie before she returned For when Sechem the sonne of Hamor the hittite and Lord of that countrey saw her among the dauncing damosels he tooke her and lay with her and deflowred her by force shee being not past fifteene yeares of age as I sayd And afterward Sichems hart stil cleauing vnto her he requested his father saying go get me this maide to be my wife And his father comming to Iacob to begge Dinah her breâ—hren hearing thereof talked first priuilye among them selues how to reuenge this villany done to their sister graunted to Hamors request if so be he with his sonne and all his people would become circumcised Christians as she and they were And they being glad to doe any thing that they myght obtayne so fayre a Damosell as shee was were all circumcised but then her brethren hauing that they would two of them to witte Symeon an Leuy tooke ech of them his sword and went boldly into the Citie and slew Sechem with his father and all their male kinde whyle they were sore and not able to resiste in full reuenge of that villany offered to their sister and when they had done they tooke their sister Dinah out of Sechems house and went their wayes with the spoyle that they had gotten of all their goodes wiues and children that were in the Citie which when her father Iacob heard he reproued his two sonnes greatly as one sorye for so great a murther so rashly commytted but they aunswered him againe saying shoulde hee abuse our sister as a whoore Gene. 34. all Dorcas or Tabitha â—ignifieth a do a Robucke a pricket or a â—allow deere readâ— of her in Tabitha Drusilla signifieth bedewed or sprinckled with deweof a quiet kinâ—ed She was the daughter of Herod Agrippa and a Iew borne in the yeare of the world 4179. who being first marryed to Azizo forsooke him and became afterwarde in the yeare of the world 4193. wife to Felix by whose counsayle he called for Paule and heard him intreate or preach of the fayth of Christ. Acts. 24. 25. E Edna or Anna sig pleasure time She was the wife of Raguell mother of Sara the wife of young Tobie Who at Tobies first coÌ„ming to her house to wooe her daughter verie courteouslie entertained him when shee vnderstoode whose sonne hee was and that hee was indeede her neere kinsman And when she heard that olde Tobie her cosin was blinde she was verie sorowfull and wept for his trouble Afterwarde hauing giuen her consent to her husband that Sara her daughter should be maried to Tobie she was present at the contract making and solemnization of the marriage betweene them and when night came and the feastes were done she prepared another faire chamber for her daughter to lie in as her husbande Raguell had commanded her and seeing her daughter fall a weeping when she should goe to bed for feare least the euill spirite Astrodias woulde come againe and slaie Tobias that night as hee had done her other seuen husbandes before Edna like a tender hearted mother wiped away her daughters teares and comforted her saying bee of good cheere my daughter the Lorde of heauen and earth shall giue thee ioye for this thy sorrowe Bee of good comfort my daughter weep not so her daughter being well comforted went to bed And in the morning Edna sent her maide to see whether Tobie were aliue or not who finding them both a sleepe and aliue went and tolde her master and dame and they for ioye praysed God together And when the dayes of feasting were ended and her daughter was to goe her way with her husbande to his friendes and countrie Edna blessed her daughter and gaue her ghostly instruction like a godly mother saying first to her The God of heauen blesse thee my daughter and make thy children to
haue reconciled himselfe to his father Isaac y t was displeased with him for marrying so many strange women of the Heathen Cananites coÌ„trarie to gods coÌ„mandement but all in vaine for he tooke not away the cause of y â— euill that is he shoulde â—irst haue put away all his vplandish wiues and then haue married this Mahalath or other woman of his owne kinred so might he easily haue bin reconciled to his father by marrying of this woman Gen. 28,9 There was another woman called Mahalath which was y e daughter of Ierimoth the sonne of Dauid one of the first of the xviii wiues that the liceÌ„tious man Roboam Salomons sonne king of Iuda tooke to wife together with her mates Abihail Maalah 2. Chr. 11.18 Mahlah or Malhah Maala Maalon sign as before in Mahalath that is a queere of Musitians strength weaknesse remission c. Shee was the eldest of the fiue daughters and coheires of Zelophehad the sonne of Hephar her sisters names were Noah Heglah Milcha and Tirzah who perceiuing that the house name tribe and familie of Manasses their grandfather was like to decay by reason their father died without issue male if they shoulde haue no portion of his lande and possession to inherite among the other tribes These fiue daughters went all together before Moses to the Tabernacle of the congregation and there in the presence of Eleazar the Priest and Iosua the sonne of Nun and before the Princes and all the assembly spake for them selues and saide Our father dyed in the wildernesse and was not among the assembly of those wicked men that were assembled against the Lorde in the company and rebellion of Korah Dathan and Abiram but dyed in his sinne according as all men die for as much as they are sinners and had no sonnes but vs his fiue daughters Wherefore that the name of our father bee not taken away from among his familie because hee hath no sonne giue vs a possession among the brethren of our father Then Moses perceiuing their request reasonable and yet hard for him to decide for as yet there had not hapned any such matter brought their cause before the Lord to be iudged and to know what hee should determine thereof as he did hard matters And the Lorde commanded Moses saying The daughters of Zilophehad speake right Thou shalt therefore giue them a possession to inherite emong their fathers brethren and shalt turne the inheritance of their father and suffer it to descende vnto them Also thou shalt make this law of discentes from hencefoorth among the children of Israel that if a man die haue no sonne then shal he turne his inheritance to his daughter And if hee haue no daughter yee shall giue his inheritance vnto his brethren and if he haue no brethren ye shall giue his inheritance vnto his fathers brethren and if his father haue no brethren yee shall giue his inheritance vnto his next kinsman of his family and he shall possesse it And this shal be vnto the children of Israel a law of iudgement or an ordinance finall decree or presidence to all posteritie to iudge by in like case of the discents of inheritance lineall or colateral to issue male or female for euer as I haue commanded thee Num. 26.33 27.1 c. Which lawe of the heritage being thus by God made for Malilah her sisters the daughters of Zolophehad whereby they were entituled to inherite the lot or inheritance of their father in the land of Canaan An order also for their marriage and succession of this their inheritance was afterward made by Moses at the request of the sonnes of Ioseph who perceiuing that other tribes to contend nowe who might marry these daughters to haue their inheritance proposed the matter to Moses saying The Lorde commanded thee my Lorde to giue the lande to inherite by lot to the children of Israel and amongest them thou my Lord wast commanded to giue the inheritance of Zelophehad our brother vnto his daughters but now if they be married to any of the sonnes of the other tribes then shall their inhâ—ritance be takeÌ„ away from our tribe of Manasses our father and bee put or fall vnto the inheritance of the tribes whereof their husbands shal be so shall our fathers inheritance be lost and his tribe decay c. Then Moses perceiuing in deede that the tribe of Manasses could not haue continued if the inheritance which was the maintenance thereof should haue beene abalienated by the marriage of these daughters to other tribes said vnto the ten tribes or the children of Israel thus The tribe of the sonnes of Ioseph haue said well and moued a good doubt This therefore is the thing that the Lorde hath yet further commanded concerning the daughters of Zelophehads marriage inheritance They shal be widdowes to whom they think best onely to the family of the tribe of their father shall they marry so shall not the inheritance of the children of Israel remoue from tribe to tribe for euery one of the children of Israel shall ioyne himself to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers And euery daughter that possesseth any inheritance for lacke of issue male of the tribe of the children of Israel shal be wife vnto one of the familie of the tribe of her father that the children of Israel may inioy euery man the inheritance of their fathers Neither shall the inheritance goe about from tribe to tribe but euery one of the tribes of the children of Israel shall sticke to his owne inheritance And as the Lorde commanded Moses so did Mahlah and her sisters for they were all married vnto their fathers brothers sonnes and became wiues to certaine of the families of the sonnes of Manasses the sonne of Ioseph so that their inheritance remained in the tribe of the familie of their father Num. 36. After when Moses was dead and Iosua being appointed gouerner came into the land of Canaan and there allotted euery tribe his portion of inheritance This Mahlah or Malhah with her other sisters came againe before Eleazar the Priest and before Iosua and the other princes of the ten tribes to put them in minde of Gods commaundemente and lawe made to Moses before concerning them and their portioÌ„s saying The Lorde commanded Moses to giue vs an inheritance among our brethren of our tribe Therefore according to the commaundement of God Iosua gaue them an inheritaÌ„ce in the land of Canaan among the brethren of their father And there fell to them fiue portioÌ„s and other fiue to the males so they did inherit among their brethren as appeareth Iosua 17.3.4.5 c. Mary Maria Maara or MiryaÌ„ signifieth my lightner or lightning them Lightâ—ing lightned the Citie or starre of the Sea the Ladie of the Sea the Sea of bitternesse a bitter Sea a bitter one reised vp The mirh of the Land the mirhe of the Sea the teacher or mistres of the Sea c. Shee was the
his master had sent him together with the manner of his meeting with Rebecca their Daughter at the well whom he disired them to giue to his maysters Sonne to wife Wherevnto Laban her brother and Bethuel her mother so soone as they perceiued by his discourse and tale that he tolde that this was Gods ordinaunce they yeelded to the mans request saying This thing is procured of the Lorde we cannot therefore saye vnto thee neyther euill nor good Behold Rebecca is before thee and at thy commaundement take her and goe that shee may bee thy masters sonnes wife euen as the Lorde hath ordeined Which words so greatly reioyced the man that he hauing first praysed the Lord for his mercy towardes his maister and for that he had his request graunted tooke forth more iewelles of gold and siluer and riche apparell and gaue them Rebecca in the presence of her friendes Hee gaue giftes also vnto her brother and mother for tokens of goodwil and to requite their courtesie and then satte downe and did eate and drinke merily with them And on the morowe when the man made haste to bee gone with Rebecca her brother and mother to shew that parentes haue not authoritie to marye their children without consēt of the parties called the Damosel forth to aske her counsel and to know whether she would goe with the man or noe And she being content to goe with him prepared her selfe readye but before shee went her brother and mother blessed her saying Thou art our sister grow into thousandes and thy seede possesse the gate of thine enemies and be victorious ouer them which blessing was afterwarde fullye accomplyshed in Iesus Christ. So Rebecca taking her nurse Deborah and her maydens with her shee lefte her brother and mother and rode away with the man who brought her towardes Isaak his maisters sonne and when shee espyed Isaak comming by the way in the fielde to meete her shee sayde vnto the seruant who is yonder man that commeth in the fielde to meete vs It is Isaak my maisters sonne quoth the seruant who walketh yonder praying in the fieldes as his manner is so when shee came neere him shee alighted and in token of shamefastnesse and chastitie as the custome of euery spouse firste brought vnto her husband was she tooke a vaile couered her head face and was deliuered vnto Isaak being 40. yeares old who brought her vnto his late mothers Saraes tent so she became his wife and this was in the yeare of the world 2148. was deerely beloued of him Wherby he hauing newly left mourning for his mother Sara that was lately departed this lyfe was now by Rebecca his wife greatlye comforted and cheered againe to his great comfort And this maryage was made in the yeare of the worldes creation 2148. Afterward Rebecca hauing bin xx yeares barren and without anye childe at y e last at the earnest petition prayers of her vertuous husbād whom God heard conceiued with 2. children at once when she felt them striue together within her wombe she made her mone to God saiing Seeing it is so that one shal destroy an other why am I thus with childe but God made her answere saying There are two manner of people in thy wombe two nations shal be deuided out of thy bowels and the one nation shal be mightier then the other and the elder shal be seruant to the younger And so when her time was come to bee deliuered she brought forth two twinnes the one red rough that came out first whose name was called Esaw the other white and smoothe that came out last held his brother by y e heele whose name they called Iacob which two afterward became mighty men in the world But Rebecca loued Iacob her youngest sonne better then Esaw her eldest for Esaw had married in processe of time two wiues at once of the daughters of the Hittites one called Iudith y e other Beshemath who were a continual griefe of minde vnto her for their disobedience rebellion And to preferre Iacob before Esaw she sayd vnto Iacob Heare mee my sonne Behold thy father is blinde as thou knowest I haue heard thy father say to thy brother goe and kill some venison and make mee meat therof such as I loue that I may eate blesse thee before y e Lord afore I die Now therfore my sonne heare my voyce in that which I cōmaund thee Get thee now to y e flock bring me thence 2. good kids y t I may make pleasant meate of thē for thy father such as he loueth thou shalt bring it him to eate that he may blesse thee before his death Which subtill dealing of Rebecca with her husband is blame worthy because she should haue taryed til God had performed his promise made towardes Iacob the younger and not to haue sought by this sinister meanes to preuent Esaw Then sayd Iacob vnto her Mother my brother Esaw is a rough man I am smooth and if my father shal happē to feele me I shal seeme vnto him as I went about to deceiue him so shal I bring a curse vpō me not a blessing Wel quoth Rebecca vpō me be thy curse my sonne only heare my voice go fetch me y t kids so he went fet thē vnto her she made pleasant meat therof such as his father her husband loued And when she had done shee fet out certeine fayre cloathes of Esawes put thē vpon Iacob and couered his hands and the smooth of his necke with Goates skinnes and put the meat in Iacobs handes to cary to his father By which pollicie of Rebecca Iacob gat firste his Fathers blessing to fulfill the word of y e Lord who before had sayde to Rebecca that the elder shoulde serue the younger But when shee heard how Esaw her sonne threatned to kill her sonne Iacob his brother for stealing awaye thus by subtyltie his blessing she tolde it Iacob saying Thy brother Esaw threatneth to sleye thee therefore my sonne heare my voyce make thee ready and get thee to Laban my brother at Haran and there tarye with him a while vntyll thy brothers furye and fiercenesse be asswaged and that his wrath bee turned awaye from thee and hee forget the thinges which thou haste done vnto him and then will I send and fetch thee away from thence for why should I bee depriued of you both by murder in one daye And when shee had giuen her sonne Iacob this counsaile to flye away she wente to Isaak her husbande to perswade him to anger for Iacobs departure and sayde I am weary of my life for this Iudith and Bathshemath the daughters of Heath my sonne Esaws wiues for they continually vexe my heart with their disobedience and therfore if my sonne Iacob should take a wife also of y e daughters of Heath such a one as these are of the daughters of that lande what good should my life
condemnation in the day of iudgement Luke 8.3 Tabitha is by interpretation Dorcas that is a doe a deere a robucke or fawne Shee was a certeine godlye woman and a disciple of Christe dwelling at Ioppa who in her lyfe tyme hadde beene vertuouslye occupyed and especiallye in the workes of mercie relieuing the poore and needie And while Peter was preaching and dooing his office at Lydda which was a Citie not farre from Ioppa it was her chaunce to fall sicke and dye And when her friendes after their custome hadde doone with washing her dead corpes and layde it forth in an vpper chamber to bee annoynted readye to the buryal they sente for Peter to come vnto them who beeing come they hadde him vppe to the chamber where the dead corse lay and where the widdowes came aboute him weeping and laying forth the coates and other garmentes which Tabitha had prepared in her lyfe tyme for the poore before him Then Peter put them all forth of the chamber and being alone kneeled downe and prayed and turning him to the dead body sayde Tabitha arise at the which wordes she arose and looked vpon Peter who then gaue her his hand and lift her vp and called the Saintes and widowes and restored Tabitha vnto them aliue which he did not for her own sake but for their sakes that were alyue to the intent they might hereby haue occasion to beleeue and glorifie God the authour of that myracle wrought by Peter And this was done in the yeere of the world 4179. Acts. 9.36 c. Tahpnes or Taphnes or Taphnes signi a priuy temptation a flight a couered banner Shee was a Queene and the wife of Pharao that was king of Egipt in the dayes of Solamon aâ—d sister to the wife of Hadad the Edomite that first rebelled against king Salomon whose sonne her nephew called Genubath shee weaned and brought vppe in her husbande Pharaos house amoÌ„g y e sons of Pharao as one of her own 1. Ki. 11.19 Talitha signi mayden She was the little daughter of Iarus one of y e rulars of the sinagogue who being of the age of 12. yeeres fel sick died was restored again afterward at y e earnest request of her father to life by Iesus speaking onely these two wordes Tabitha cumi which is by interpretation Mayden arise and straight wayes she arose and walked which myracle greatlye confirmed the fayth of her father and all that heard therof Mark 5.22.41 Tamar or Thamar signi a palme tree or a date tree a date a chaung or exchaunge bitternesse a sharpning to displeasure She was first the wife of that wicked man Er the eldest sonne of Iudah the fourth sonne of Iacob Leah after the death of Er whoÌ„ the Lord slewe for his wickednesse she was giuen by her father in lawe Iudah to Onan his second sonne to wife and so she became wife to two natural brothers to the end there should be seede raysed vp by one brother to an other brother if the firste died without issue which order was then vsed in the olde lawe for the preseruation of the stocke that the childe begotten by the second brother should haue the name and inheritaunce of the first and this is now in the new testament vtterly abolyshed But Onan her husbande knowing that the seede shoulde not be his refused to lye with Thamar his wife for which his wickednes the Lord slewe him also as hee had done his brother Er. Now Thamar being a widdowe againe and Iudah fearing to marry his thirde sonne vnto her least he should die also sayd to his daughter in law Thamar Thamar remayne a widdowe in thy fathers house til Selah my youngest sonne growe vp to mans state So Thamar for as much as shee could not marry in any other family so long as Iudah would reteine her in his wente and dwelte a widdowe in her fathers house during which time Suah Iudahs wife also dyed so that he became a widdower And when it was told Thamar that Iudah her father in law was a widdower and that he had left mourning and was gone to a place called Timnah with his friend Hyra to see his sheepeshearers she perceiuing that Selah was not giuen to her in marryage caste off her widdowes garments from her and couered her with a vayle and wrapped her selfe and so went disguised like a common harlot and satte downe in an open place by the hye way side going to Thimnah And as Iudah her father in law passed that way and saw one sit muffled with her face couered like a whore and being wonderfully blinded by God that he could not know her by her talke to bee his daughter in lawe hee wente vnto her and sayde Come I praye thee lette mee lye with thee What wilte thou giue mee then quoth shee I will quoth hee sende thee a kidde from the flocke Then leaue me a pledge quoth she till thou send it What pledge shal I leaue thee quoth Iuda thy signet quoth she vpon thy finger thy cloake and thy staffe He did so and lay with her and she was begotten with childe by him at the same time which was in the yere of the world 2283. And then she arose and went and put her vayle from her and put on her widdowes rayment againe Afterward Iudah comming to his flocke according to his promise sent her a kydde by his friend Hyra to the ende no other might know of his wickednesse and gaue him charg to bring with him his ring cloake and staffe that hee had left with her in pledge Who comming to the place and finding not the woman there hee asked of the men there aboute where the whore was that sat in the hye way as they came They made answere againe there was no whore there Then Hyra returned to Iuda and told him he could not finde her Well sayd Iuda who feared man more then God as it appeareth let her take it to her least we be ashamed Now was Tamar coÌ„ceiued with childe and when she had gon three monethes the thing was espyed and one came and told Iuda that his daughter in law Tamar had played the whore and was with childe Then bring her forth quoth hee and let her bee burnte Whereby wee see that the lawe which was written in mans heart taught them that whordome shoulde be punished with death Albeit as yet no lawe was giuen And as shee was lead forth to the fire to be burnt to death she sente the pledges to Iudah her father in lawe saying by the same man to whome these thinges doe pertaine am I with chylde Then Iudah knowing his pledges that is his ring his cloake and staffe and hauing the horror of the sinne condemning him sayde she is more righteous then I yea shee ought rather to accuse mee then I her for shee hath done this deede through my defaulte and negligence because I gaue her not to Sela my sonne as I promised So was Tamar saued from
Hircanus the king and his sonne Alexander thy husbaÌ„d any name or remnant at all The Queene gaue them no woorde to aunsweare whereat Aristobulus her sonne was angry and letted not to vtter to his mothers face but shee woulde not heare him Wherefore Aristobulus counselled the Sectaries to goe their wayes and departe out of Ierusalem to choose them Cities in the lande of Iuda where they might dwell with their honoure and not to suffer them selues to bee slayne vnder the Pharisies handes Wherefore departing from Ierusalem they dwelte in the Cities of Iuda Not long after this it fortuned the Queene fell sore sicke that shee was like to dye Whereof when Aristobulus hearde hee feared least the Pharisies woulde make his brother Hircanus king and at lengthe apprehende him wherefore hee fledde awaye by night to the Cities of the Sadduces to bee their heade and make warre vppon his brother if hee woulde presume to raygne Hee came therefore to the Prince of the Sadduces called Galustius who was a good manne of warre And after he hadde gathered a stronge armie of the Saduces his mother the Queene sent vnto him y t hee shoulde returne vnto her which he would not doe but rather went to warre vppon the nations that dwelt about him where he wanne twentie Cities and gotte him greate renowne thereby Nowe as the Queene his mother waxed sicker and sicker the chiefe Pharisies came vnto her with her sonne Hircanus weeping before her and saying howe they were afraide of her sonne Aristobulus who if he shoulde come into Ierusalem and take it hee woulde deliuer them vp into the handes of the Sadduces Unto whom shee aunsweared I am as you see at the poynt of death not able to talke muche with you There is heere in my house greate treasure that my husbande and my father gathered and their Parentes kinges of the posteritie of Chasmonani take that vnto you and make my sonne Hircanus king ouer you If Aristobulus will perturbe him and make warre agaynst him yee may wage men of warre therewith and succour him as you thinke good And euen with this shee faynted and dyed and was buried amongest her people after she had reigned nine yeeres ouer Israel Iosephus fol. 21. 22.23.24.75 There was another woman of this name called Alexandra whiche was the daughter of Hircanus the king of Israel and sonne to the afore named Alexandra and when shee hearde that her father Hircanus was taken prisoner depriued of his kingdome and ledde away captiue by Antigonus into Persia shee with her daughter Marimy that shee had by Alexander the sonne of Aristobulus her vncle went towardes Rome where by the way Herode mette with her and her daughter and brought them agayne into the lande of Israell where hee tooke Marimy her daughter to wife and solemnized the marriage with her in the mount of Galilee for there the chiefe of all Israell dwelt and so became king of Ierusalem Afterwarde when her father Hircanus was released and came home to Ierusalem Herode her sonne in lawe came out to meete him embraced him and kissed him after brought him into his house and feasted him daylie calling him his father before all menne albeeit in his hearte hee conspired to murder him And that knewe Alexandra his daughter and mother in lawe to Herode who opened it vnto Hircanus her Father but hee woulde not credite her at the first till on a time hee perceiued the matter cleare to be so then deuised he how to flie to Maloc king of Arabia but before he could get away Herode so handled y e matter that he was accused put to death wrongfully by this meanes Herod was the better established in his kingdome After hee had thus dispatched Hircanus his wiues progenitour father of Alexandra his mother in law and had deposed Haniel from the office of the high Priesthoode and preferred his wiues brother Aristobulus to that dignitie Which he did to quiet his wife and to fulfill his mother in lawes mynde Notwithstanding this Alexandra his wiues mother was not content nor satisfied for the death of her father was such a greefe but alwayes spake snappishly to the king that hee committed her to ward Then she wrote to Cleopatra Queene of Egypt and wife to Marcus Antonius a Noble man of Rome declaring vnto her all the mischiefe that Herode had done to the posteritie of Chasmonanie and desiring her of ayde To whom Cleopatra made this aunsweare if thou canst finde the meanes to come to me secretly thou shalt perceiue what I will doe for thee When Alexandra had read the letter shee sent to Aristobulus her sonne the high Priest shewing him that shee woulde flye to the Sea Iapho and from thence woulde take shipping into Egypt perswading him also to flie with her We will sayth shee make two coffers one for mee another for thee and wee will with rewardes allure our seruauntes to carrye vs out priuilye whereby wee may flye to saue our liues This their deuise was pecceyued of one of Herodes seruauntes who foorthwith made the king priuye vnto it The king commaunded his seruaunt that bewrayed them that when they did conueye their coffers they shoulde bring them to him whiche the seruaunt did So when the coffers were brought to the kinges presence hee caused them to bee opened and tooke out Alexandra and her sonne Aristobulus to whome the king spake sharpely and rebuked them sore But Alexandra aunsweared him againe as short insomuche that the king moued with anger flaÌ„g awaye from her into his chamber saying It is better to sitte solitarye in a corner of the house then with a brawling or scoulding woman in an open place The king dissembled the matter and shewed outwardly no great displeasure whatsoeuer he did inwardly But a yeere after the king fearing sore y t the Israelites woulde in the ende restore the kingdome vnto Aristobulus and the children of their fathers he perceyuing euery mans heart to be so inclined to Aristobulus for his vertue and godlinesse sake wickedly deuised and secretly concluded at a feast made to Aristobulus and all his Nobles that certayne of his owne seruants beeing disposed to goe and swimme in Iordan shoulde desire Aristobulus the young man to goe and bathe with them in Iordan and then and there to drowne him So Aristobulus coÌ„tinuing swimming with the kings seruants till sunne setting when it began to be darke they drowned him amongst them Wherof when tydings came to the court it was wel knowen that he was dead all the people made great lamentation for him but chiefly Marimy his sister and Alexandra the young mans mother she could in no wise be comforted Yea and although she sawe the king himselfe also to weepe and make great mone for it repented him that he had done so wicked an act yet all the people knew wel iâ—ough that y e thing was procured by him Insomuch that Alexandra his mother in law letted not to tel it him to
meete him and to folow and go with him to y e wedding chamber of his celestiall paradise to do him perpetuall honor least if ye make no prouision in time for oyle to your lamps but suffer them to go out and be quenched for lacke thereof whiles ye go to buy oyle for your lampes the bridgrome come and finding you absent and vnreadie go his way and shut the gate of heauen against you and so you afterwarde bee fayne to seeke that which yée haue contemned and all too late to cry Lorde Lorde open to vs but then he will answer and say vnto you verily verily I know ye not neyther will I open vnto you because yee haue once giuen your selues to follow me but haue not continued but fayled in the mid-way Watch therefore I say and be your selues like vnto the wise virgins and seruants that waite for the bridgrome maister when he will come and returne from the wedding that when he commeth and knocketh yee may open vnto him immediatly For yée knowe neyther the day nor the houre when the sonne of man will come Math. 25. 1. c. Luk. 12.36 FINIS THE Seuenth Lampe of virginitie conteining the acts histories liues deaths of all maner of women good and bad mentioned in holy Scripture as well by name as without name set forth in alphabeticall order with the signification and interpretation of most of their names and in some part paraphrastically explaned and enlarged for the better vnderstanding of the story and benefite of the simple reader ¶ Wherevnto are added for the affinitie they haue with some part of the Scripture the liues and storyes of sundrie suche other women as are mentioned in the thirde booke of Macchabees and Iosephus A treatise very necessary pleasant and profitable for sundrie good vses and purposes especially to the true imitation of vertue and shunning of vice by example in all women kinde Newely collected and compiled to the glorie of God and benefite of his Church by the saide T. B. G. Prouer. 31.29.30.31 Many daughters through the feare of the Lord haue done vertuously and gotten thereby great renown giue them therefore of the fruit of their hands and let their own workes prayse them 1582. The seuenth Lampe of Virginitie Conteyning the names actes and hystories liues and deathes of all manner of women mencioned in holie Scripture as well by name as without with the interpretacion of euery of their names set foorth in Alphabeticall order A Abi or after some translation Abiiah signifieth by interpretation an â—ome time ready my Father the will of the Lorde c. SHe was the daughter of Zachariah the Sonne of Ierobam king of Israel or as Lyranus thinketh of Zacharie the Prophet whome Ioas the king of Ierusalem stoned to death and being after the wife of Ahaz the good king of Iuda she bare vnto him a vertuous sonne called Hezechiah which afterwarde also was a godlie and zealous king of Iuda as yee may reade at large 2. Kings 18.2 2. Chro. 29.1 Abia or Abiah signifieth my fathers plentie father Lorde the father was the will of the Lord. She was the daughter of Machir Prince of Giliad and wife of Hezron the sonne of Phares who married her when she was three-score yeere olde in the yeere of the worlde 2358. and she bare vnto him two sonnes the one named Segub in her husbands life time the other after his death called Ashur that was Prince of Tekoa at a Towne called Bethlehem or Caleb Ephratah belonging to the tribe of Iuda 1. Chro. 2.21.24 Abiahil or Abihail or Abiaiei signifieth Father of strength of the host or of riches a vaunt mure or forewall father Also father of griefe of light or of prayse She was the wife of Abishur and bare vnto him two sonnes called Ahban and Molid 1. Chro. 2.29 Abigail or Abigal or Abigael signifieth my fathers ioye reioâ—ing or gladnes or the father of reioysing She was the wife of the Churle Naball the Carmelite and a woman man not only beautifull but of a singuler wisedome withal For wheÌ„ her faithfull and diligent seruantes told her how her husband had rayled on Dauids messengers and currishly driuen them away without anie victuals or sustenance to relieue their master Dauid and his weary souldiers in their necessity And being counselled by her wise seruants to take heed therfore y t some mischiefe came not vnto her her familie through her negligence her husbaÌ„ds their masters wickednesse She then like a wise woman not contemning the iudgement of her vertuous seruauntes as Iob teacheth chap. 31.13 but following their aduice tending to so good purpose wisely considered the greate perill and daunger that might arise of the wilful occasion offered by her foolish husbands niggardship both to her selfe and all her familie and by and by made greate hast and loaded her Asses with sundry kinds both of good and fresh victuals and sent them foorth by her owne seruants to relieue Dauid and his men Which shee did vnawares to her husband because she knew his crooked nature to be such that he would rather haue perished then consented to that her wise godly and charitable enterprise Yea she her selfe also like a couragious and bold woman without any feare as she that doubted not but to pacifie the fuâ—ie of the Lyon rode after and followed her men with speede to appease the wrath of Dauid and as she was ryding a priuy way to shun the multitude the prouidence of God was so that she met Dauid and his men by the way vpon the side of an hill comming towardâ—s Carmell where her husband and she dwelt and full determined vtterly to haue destroyed her husband all that he had by the dawning of y e day following to haue left none to pisse against the wall as her seruants had foretold her Then she perceiuing the vnlawfull othe vniust fury of Dauid prouoked against her and hers for her husbands only offeÌ„ce lighted downe of her Asse and falling flat on y e ground before Dauid at his feete she with all reuerence to Dauids kingly personage wisely gaue apt remedies for y e sore mischiefe of her husbaÌ„d Nabal in recoÌ„peÌ„ce of her husbaÌ„ds nigardly denying victuals she first preseÌ„ted Dauid with abuÌ„dance of presents gifts of corporal food or sustenaÌ„ce and for her husbaÌ„ds rayling churlish laÌ„guage she gaue Dauid sweet pleasant words made this her learned oration huÌ„ble peticion or request vnto him and sayd O my Lord I haue coÌ„mmitted the iniquity I pray thee therfore let thine haÌ„dmayd speake vnto thee heare thou y e words of thine handmayden Let not my Lord I pray thee regard this wicked man Nabal who hath requited thee euill for good For as his name is so is he Nabal is his name and folly is with him But I thine handmayd saw not the young men of my Lord when thou sentest theÌ„ Now therefore my Lord as
were kept found at the kings charges for the space of a twelue moneth or one whole yeare with all manner of sumptuous apparell and gorgeous deckings vnder the haÌ„ds custody of y e foresayd Hege y t kings Eunuch keeper of y e kings Uirgins and women to the end the king might chuse one of them whome he fancâ—ed best to be his Queene For as the abuse of these countrey heatheÌ„ kings was great in inueÌ„ting many meanes to serue y â— lusts of Princes and ordayning wicked lawes that the king myght haue whose Daughter he would so had they three diuers houses appoynted for women to be keept in neere the King as one for them whyest they were Uirgins another when they were Concubines and for the Queenes an other euery house hauing a seueral man or an Eunuch to be theyr gouernour guyde and keeper as Hege who was the keeper generall of the first house of Women especially while they were Uirgins to adorne them puryfie them and send them fyrst to y t King Next Shaashgaz the Eunuch who was the keeper of the second house of the Women that were Concubynes that is such as were dislyked of the King the first night and came at him no more vnlesse it pleased him to call for them specyally by name And lastly Hathach the Eunuch who was keeper of the thirde house and namely of her that was Queene and serued her and attended vpon her person at the Kings commandement And when the course of euery Mayde or Uirgin came to goe into the King after that she had bin xii months a purifying according to the manner of women that is vi months with oyle of Myrhe other vi months with sweete odours so long were the dayes of those womens purification y t should go into y e king then looke whatsoeuer she asked or required of the Eunuch Hege whether it were apparel iewels or other ornaments for womeÌ„ y t was he bound to giue her when she went out of the womeÌ„s house vnto the king In the euening commonly she first went vnto the king and on the morow shee returned into the second house of women Concubines if the king disliked her neyther might she come any more vnto y e king except it pleased him to seÌ„d cal for hir specially by name So when Ester among other Uirgins was thus by coÌ„mission brought vnto y e kings â—ouse in Suâ—han vnder the handes of Hege keeper of the women the maide Ester so greatly pleased him that shee found fauour presently in his sight whervpon he thinking her meetest for the king in his iudgment therfore caused her things for purificatioÌ„ to be giuen her speedily with such things as belonged to her portion or state appoynted her seuen comly maidens out of the kings house of women Uirgins to attend vppon her person vnto whom also hee gaue chaunge or suites of apparel and other things of the best that was in the house of women both to her and her maydens Now when the course of Ester came y t she should goe into the king such was her modestie maydenly sobrietie that she desired no apparel iewels or any other ornament or thing to set forth her bewtie with brauery as others before her did but stoode to the Eunuch Heges appoyntment tooke whatsoeuer he said she should haue although sheeâ— might haue commaunded him as before appeareth but she by Gods prouidence finding fauour not onely in y e sight of Hege her keeper but also of all other that looked vppon her had al things giuen her by Hege her gouernour that might possibly adorne her and set her forth gorgeously and gallantly to the king And so Ester being brought vnto the king Asuerus into his house royally at Shushan in the moneth of Ianuary in the seuenth yeare of his reigne the king courteously tooke her vnto him and he loued her aboue all the women for she found more grace and fauour in his sight then all the other Uirgins yea and because he lyked her best he then set the crowne of the kingdome vppon her head made her Queene in steede of Uasthi this was in y e yeare of the world 3613. And for ioy of her y e king made a great most royall magnificall mariage feast which hee called Esters feast at which feast also for her sake hee not onely lyberallye released manye prouinces of their tribute y t was due vnto him but also gaue most large and princely gifts vnto his princes seruants prouinces And thus was her cosin Mardocheus dreame verified of her who dreamed a little before that a little fountaine became a floud of much water a light or lampe as bright glorious as y e sonne in his heighest orieÌ„t which floud sunne in troth he found to be his cosin Ester whoÌ„ he saw thus exalted to y t dignity of a Queene and maried to y â— great king Ashuerus to his no little reioycing her her peoples comfort as after shal appeare Then Mordecay her cosin being at y â— kings câ—urt to see y t soleÌ„nizatioÌ„ of her mariage feast charged her y t shee as yet shoulde in no wise declare or shew her kinred people of this her prefermeÌ„t And she thogh nowe a royall queene yet was as obedient vnto Mordecay her poore kinsman as wheÌ„ she was vnder his gouernmeÌ„t was nourished of him at home in his house kept al things close froÌ„ y â— king for y e space of 5. yeares did in euery thing after y e counsel aduise of her cosâ—n Mordecay to y e good exaÌ„ple of al childreÌ„ to their pareÌ„ts of one kinsmaÌ„ to another After this whilst Mordecay her cosin was in y e kings house it fortuned y t two of y e kings Eunuchs BiglhaÌ„ Terâ—she y t kept y e dore like traytours coÌ„spired the death of y e king sought to lay their violent hands on him to kil him which treasoÌ„ being known to Mordecay her cosin so soone as he vnderstood therof he straight waies came to Ester y t queene told it her she likewise by by in the yeare of the worlde 3614. went to the king her husbaÌ„d certified him therof in Mordecays naÌ„e which being inquisitioÌ„ found true the offâ—ndours like traytors were both put to death for it and the thing registred and written in the booke of Actes and Chronicles of the kings of the Meeds Persians Now in the yeare of the world 3619. the king hauing highly promoted one called Haman commanded al his Princes seruants people to doe this Haman reuerence honour it harned y t her cosin Mordecay being coÌ„manded yet would not do so to â—aâ—â—aÌ„ because he saw y t he was both an ambicious a proud man wherof Haman being aduertised by sycophants clawbacks of the court thinking it a small reuenge for him to fyle his hands on
of the Deuil she was first deceiued and guilty of the transgression of Gods commaundement And so consequently the beginning of sin and first entraunce of death ouer all flesh into the world She gaue also of the same fruite vnto her husband Adam and so entised him also to sinne with her And he not so much to please his wife as moued by ambition at her perswasion did eate also of the forbidden fruit Whervpon immediatly the eyes of them both being opened they knew that they were naked and began to feele their miserie but yet starting froÌ„ God as those that had no grace to seeke to him for remedie they foolishly sewed figge leaues together and made themselues breeches thereof or things to gyrde about their loynes to hyde their priuities and so hauing sinfull consciences hid themselues for shame from the presence of the Lorde God as they thought emong the trees of the garden And this fall of Adam and Eue was as some thinke vpon the tenth day of May. But the Lord God walking in the mids of the garden in the coole of the day with a mighty voyce called first vnto the maÌ„ and sayd Adam where art thou Who aunsweared Lord I heard thy voyce and was afraid because I was naked and therefore hid I my selfe Wherein his hipocrisie appeared in that he hid from God the cause of his nakednes which was the transgression of Gods commandement And the Lord saide vnto Adam who told thee that thou wast naked hast thou eaten of the tree wherof I commanded that thou shouldest not eate in no case Then Adam said the woman which thou gauest to be with me she gaue me of the tree and I did eate Where note the wickednesse and lacke of true repentaunce in Adam in that he burdened God with his fault because he had geuen him a wife which entised him to offend Then the Lorde called the woman and saide vnto her why hast thou done this And the woman Heua also in stead of confessing her fault increased it by accusing the Serpent saying The Serpent beguiled me and I did eate Thus God hauing asked the reason of the man and the woman because he would bring them to some remorce and repentaunce for their sinne that he might haue mercie vpon them if they had had the grace to confesse their follies as like Hypocrites they posted it of from one to another woulde no longer stand reasoning or debating the matter so with the Serpent because he would shewe him no compassion at all but straight cursing andâ— condemning Sathan in the Serpent he saide vnto the Serpent because thou hast done this thou art cursed aboue all cattell and aboue euerye beast of the field vpon thy bellie shalt thou goe and as a vile and contemptible beast shalt thou eate dust and filth all the dayes of thy life I wil also put enmity betweene thee meaning Sathan by whose motion and craft the serpent deceiued the woman and the woman betweene thy seede and her seede He that is Christ shall breake thine head that is the power of sinne death And thou shalt bruse his heele that is Sathan shall sting Christ and his members but not ouercome them And to comfort Adam and Eue againe by the promise of the Gospell or the blessed seede as also to punish the body of woman for the sinne which the soule should haue smarted for that the spirite hauing conceyued hope of forgiuenesse might liue by faith in Christ therefore the Lorde sayde againe vnto Eua and in her to all women I will greatelie increase thy sorrowe and thy conceptions In sorrowe shalt thou bring foorth children and thy desire shal be subiect to thine husband and hee shall rule ouer thee Also to Adam GOD sayde because thou hast obeyed the voyce of thy wife and eaten of the forbidden fruite cursed is the earth for thy sake in sorrow shalt thou eate of it all the daies of thy life Thornes also and thistles as vnnaturall fruites proceeding of the corruption of sinne shall it bring foorth vnto thee thou shalt eate the herbs of the field yea in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eate bread til thou returne to the earth for out of it wast thou taken because thou art dust to dust shalt thou returne Thus the transgression of Gods commandemeÌ„ts in Adam and Eue was y e cause that both they all mankind in them together with all other creaturs were subiect to the curse of God And then GOD deriding as it were Adams miserie wherevnto hee was fallen by ambition to Adams greate reproche sayde beholde the man is become as one of vs to knowe good and euill And nowe least he should put foorth his hande and take also of the tree of life and eate and liue for euer therefore the Lorde God hauing first made coastes of skinnes to cloath both Adam and Eua or geuen them knowledge to make themselues garmentes to couer their nakednesse he sent them foorth and cast out man and woman from the garden of Eden to till the earth whence they were taken And at the East side of the garden of Eden hee sette an Angell or Cherubin with the blade of a swoorde shaken to keepe the way of the tree of life from Adam And thus Adam Eue nowe depriued of life soft also the signes thereof Afterward Adam chaÌ„ged his wiues name and called her name Heua because she was the mother of all liuing who before was called woman mannes or Adam And Heua conceiued and bare Adam her husband three sonnes Cayn Abell and Seth and two daughters Calmana and Delbora by whom the worlde was first replenished When her first sonne Cayn was borne she greatly reioyced praised God for him and promised to offer him vnto the Lord as the first fruits of her byrth saying I haue obtayned a sonne to or by the Lorde And when after the death of Abel she coÌ„ceyued and bare another sonne she called his name Seth and praysed God also saying God hath appoynted me another seede for Abel whom his brother Cayn hath â—layne Gen. 2.3.4 Hodesh or Hodes signifieth a moneth a newelty She was one of the wiues of Shaharaim whoÌ„ he tooke after he had put away his 2. other wiues Hushim Baara which Hodesh bare vnto him diuers soÌ„nes y t became great meÌ„ in y e world as appereth 1. Chr. 8.9 Hodia or Odaia the prayse or acknowledging of the Lord. She was the sister of Naham 1. Chro. 4.19 Hoglah or Hegla signifieth her holiday cheere or wherling about She was one of the 5. daughters of Zelophead the sonne of Hephar of the familie of Manasses who together with her sisters inherited al her fathers lands by partitioÌ„ as coheires or partners for want of heire male and who was afterward maried to one of her vncles sonnes of y e tribe of Manasses to the end their inheritaunce should remaine in that tribe for euer read Mahlah Num. 26.33.27.1.36 all
sixe sonnes Last of all in the yeere of the world 2258. she conceaued brought foorth Iacob a daughter whose name she called Dinah Now when Iacob was to depart away from Laban with his wiues Leah Rahel such goods and cattell as God had blessed him with in his seruice for recompence of his true seruice Iacob perceiuing Labans children to murmure against Iacob as though he had inriched himselfe of their fathers substance to their impouerishment called his wife Leah and Rahel tolde them of that discourtesie and what the Lord had reueled vnto him concerning his departure froÌ„ Laban Leah Rahel said vnto Iacob their husbande Haue we any more portion in our fathers house doth not he count vs as strangers for he hath solde vs in that hee hath giuen vs vnto thee in recoÌ„pence of thy seruice which is a kinde of sale hath eaten vp and coÌ„sumed our portions money therfore all y e riches which God hath taken from our father is ours and our childrens Nowe then whatsoeuer God hath put in thy minde to doe doe it Whereuppon Iacob with his two wiues Leah and Rahel departed from their father Laban and returned towardes their owne countrie and hauing deuided his familie into order Leah his wife and her children were formost next the maides and their children And when they met his brother Esau comming against him to meete him Lea with her children came neere and made obeisance vnto him very reuerently And so passing on their iourney safely to Sechem a citie in the lande of Canaan there shee rested a while and gaue her daughter Dinah a little too much libertie to go abrode to gaze vpon the women of that Countrie by meanes whereof vnawares her faire daughter was violently taken rauished and deflowred and abused as a whore by Shechim the sonne of Hamor to his and his Countries destruction as appeareth in the storie of Dina. Gen. 29.30,31.33.34.1 Lydia signifieth natiuitie or generation birth begetting aforehande builded She was a cetaine woman and seller of purple of the Citie of Thiatyria who being a very deuout woman and a worshipper of God she came together with other women to the assemblie of the Apostles and Christians to the Common prayer and exercise of the worde then vsed by a riuers side without the Citie of Philippi where her heart was so by the Lorde opened at the Preaching of Paule that she gaue diligent eare and attendance to the thinges which Paul spake and was with all her housholde presently conuerted baptized to the christian faith After this she besought Paule and the other Disciples saying If yee haue iudged me to bee faithfull to the Lorde come into my house and abide there and so she constrained the Apostles to tarry with her who founde so much good faithfulnesse in the woman that afterward being cast into prison deliuered again they returned into her house to comfort the brethren which resorted thither Act. 16.14.40 Loys or Loyde signifieth better she that hath got profite Shee was a faithfull godly woman grandmother to Timothie who alwaies brought vp her children familie in the feare of God and faith knowledge of Christes doctrine as appeareth 2. Tim. 1.5 Loruhamah â—ign not obteining mercy She was the daughter of Hosea the Prophet whom Gomer y e daughter of Deblaim bare vnto him her brothers name was Loammi and when she was borne brought foorth into the worlde the Lord said vnto Hosea her father call her name Loâ—ruhama for shee is the childe of fornication of an adulterous woman and of one that of long time hath accustomed to plaie the harlot therefore I will no more haue pitie vpon the house of Israel but forget them put them cleane out of my remembrance reade this mistically Hosea 1.6 M Maacah or Maacha or Maakah or Michaiah signifieth a woman bruised or pressed Shee was the daughter of Tasmai king of Geshur and one of the wiues of king Dauid vnto whom shee bare a sonne called Absolom who afterward rebelled against his father to his owne destruction 2. Sam. 3.3.1 Chro. 3.2 There was another woman called Maachah or Michaiah which was the daughter of Abishalom Uriel or of Gibea or as it is in the second of the Chr. 11.20 of Absalom whom some think was Dauids sonne and one of the xviii wiues of y â— wicked licentious king RoboaÌ„ the sonne of SalomoÌ„ king of Iuda vnto whom she bare foure sonnes called Abiiam Atthai Ziza Shelomith And because her husband loued her best aboue all his xviii wiues and lx Concubines Therefore in his life time he made her eldest sonne Abi Abiiah or Abiiam y â— chiefe ruler amoÌ„g his brethren ordeined him to raigne as king after him for y e loue he bare to his mother as appeareth 2. Kin. 15.2.2 Chro. 11.20 21.22 13. 2. But after the death of her sonne Abiiam she was deposed by Asa her sonnes sonne froÌ„ her Regencie because she had made an idol in a groue was an idolatresse woman and Asa brake her idol stamped it into powder burnt it at the brooke Ridion And yet for all this Asa herein shewed y t he lacked zeale for whereas she ought to haue dyed both by the couenant y t he made with God to slay man woman childe also by the law of God Deut. 13.6 Yet hee gaue place to foolish pitie wold seeme after a sort to satisfie y t law 2. Chr. 15.16 There was also another womaÌ„ called Maachah which was one of the concubines of Caleb the sonne of Hur bare vnto him v. sonnes called Sheber Tirhanah Shaaph the father or prince of Madmannah and Sheua the father or prince of Machbena of Gibea and a daughter called Achsah or Axa 1. Chro. 2.48.49 Moreouer there was yet another woman called Maachah which was the daughter of Ir or Aher and sister to Huppim Shuppim after she became the wife of Machar the sonne of Manasses and bare vnto him two sonnes called Peresh and Sheresh 1. Chro. 7.12.15 16. Lastly there was yet a fift woman called Maacha which was the wife of Ieiel the father or Prince of Gibeon vnto whom she bare ten sonnes Abdon Zur Kish Baal Ner Nadab Gador Ahio zechariah Mikloth her sonne Ner begat Kish which Kish begat Saul who afterward was y e first king of y e Israelites so y t this Maacha was y e great grandmother of Saul and the first woman of whose rase and stock the first king that euer was ouer the people of God came 1. Chro. 8.29 9.35 Mahalath or Maheleth or Malath or Malaah signifieth a Queere or companie of singers a Harpe weaknesse pardon She was the daughter of Ishmael Abrahams eldest sonne the sister of Naabaioth and one of the wife 's of Esaw whoÌ„ he tooke for his third wife besides the rest of his two other Heathen wiues Iudith and Basmath thinking by marrying of her to
1. Sam. 14.49.18.17.19 2. Sam. 21.8 Michaiah or Maacha sig the Lords pouertie or lowlinesse the Lords stripe who is the Lorde She was the daughter of Uriel or Abshalom the wife of Roboam mother of Abiiah king of Iuda called also Maacha as ye may reade in the story of Maacha 1.2 Chro. 13.2 Michal or Michol sig who is perfect who is all but you who is fully appoynted but you The very goodnesse or perfectnesse or forbidding of the waters al the water or of all She was the youngest daughter of king Saul whom because shee loued Dauid well her father gaue vnto Dauid to be his wife but yet with this diuelishe and hipocriticall intent that shee might be a snare to bring him into the handes of the Philistines to be destroyed as he before had promised to geue him her sister Merab vppon the like wicked practise But Michal loued Dauid her husband so faithfully that her father could not haue his wicked purpose that way to take effect For when after this marriage he had assayed to kill Dauid with his owne hand and could not And therefore sent men of purpose to watche his house and to stay him there in his owne bedde God so moueth the heart of Michal against the tyrant her father and to fauour her husbande that she knowing of that conspiracie went and tolde Dauid therof saying If thou saue not thy selfe this night to morow thou shalt be slaine wherefore to saue the life of Dauid her husband shee let him downe at a backe windowe that he escaped and layde an image in his bedde with a pillow vnder his head stuffed with Goates haire and couered it with a cloth And when her fathers blooddie messengers came into her house in the morning and asked for Dauid Michal said he was sicke the cruell messengers thinking to haue carried Dauid bedde and all to the king that he himselfe might slay him as he commaunded went into Dauids chamber and when they came there and founde nothing els in y e bed but a block they were ashamed to be so mocked so returned to Saul told him Then Michal being demanded of Saul wherfore she had so derided him and sent his enemy Dauid away made her excuse that if she had not let him goe he would haue killed her for hee so to doe had threatned her So Dauid by her meanes and pollicie escaped and fled frō Saule After this her father tooke her from Dauid and gaue her to one Phaltiel the sonne of Laish to wife with whom she remayned till the death of Saul And then Dauid beeing somewhat setled in his kingdome made truce with Abner the house of Saul vpon this condition that Abner woulde bring him his wife Michal with him when he came which condition being graunted Dauid sent messengers to Ishboseth Sauls sonne saying Deliuer mee my wife Mychal which I married for an hundred skinnes of the Philistines and for whose sake I put my life so desperately in daunger So Ishboseth as he that feared Dauid and durst doe none other tooke Michal away from her husbande Phaltiel sent her by Abner to Dauid And her husband Phaltiel so deerely loued her and was so loth to depart from her that he went with her and came weeping all y e waye behind her for sorrow til she came to a place called Bahurim there and then being commanded by Abner so to doe he forsooke her and returned home and Abner brought her to Dauid to Hebron there left her and went his way so was she restored againe vnto Dauid by Abners meanes Finally whē Dauid came dauncing before the Arke of God in his shirt or linnen Ephod to the citie of Dauid it chaunced Michal to looke out at a window beholding y e king her husband how he leaped daunced before the Arke she like a worldling not able to comprehend the motions of Gods spirite that moued him and zeale of Dauid the childe of God began to despise him in her heart and meeting him after all thinges were done comming home to blesse and pray for his owne house as he had done before for the people she interrupted him greatly and sayd O how glorious was the king of Israel this day which was vncouered to day or naked in the eyes of the maydens of his seruantes as a foole vncouereth himselfe But Dauid whom no worldlie affection caused so to doe but onely the zeale that he bare to Gods glorie rebuked Michal his wife saying It was before the Lorde which chose me rather then thy father and all his house and made me ruler of his people therefore did I play and daunce before the Lorde yea and I will yet be more vile then thus and will bee lowe in myne owne sight and of the verye same mayde seruauntes which thou hast spoken of shall I be had in honour And so for thus despising and mocking her husband Dauid the faithfull holy child zealous seruaunt of God the Lord plagued her with barrennes that she neuer had childe 1. Sam. 14.49.18.20 c. 19.11 c. 25.44 2. Sam. 3.13 c. 6.16 c. Miriam or Marie sig exalted or reaching or bitter as before in Marie She was the daughter of Amram and Iochebed and sister to Aaron and Moses who in her young Maydenly yeeres was called Aimia or Alima and being aboue x. yeeres old when her brother Moses was borne and laide in an Arke and cast into bulrushes by the riuer to bee drowned as Pharao had cruelly commaunded she stoode a farre of to wit what would become of him And seeing Pharaos daughter called Memphetica take him out of the water which was in the yeere of the world 2434. she ran to her and sayd shall I goe and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew women to nurse the child and she said goe wherevpon she went and called her owne mother Iochebed who came and tooke Moses so by Gods prouidence she nursed her owne childe whō God thus maruellously had preserued to bee a notable member of his Churche And when her brother Moses had brought the children of Israel through y e red sea king Pharao their persecutor w t all his host was drowned therin she being a prophetesse took a timbrel in her hād with other womē following her in like sort begā ioyfully to daūce sing y e song y t Moses made which was this Sing ye vnto the Lord for he hath triumphed gloriously The horse and the rider hath hee ouerthrowen in the Sea as before in the firste Lampe pag. 1. After this she grudged against her brother Moses which had taken an Ethiopian or woman of Inde to his wife called Zipporah sayinge what hath the Lord spoken but onely by Moses hath he not spoken also by vs Which her murmuring Moses beeyng a very meeke gentle man gently bare but the Lord beyng therewith highly displeased and very angry did therefore smite Myriam with a
Leaprosie as white as snowe in the yeere of the worlde 2516. Then Moses partly for pittie to see his sister in such a lothsome case and partly at the earnest request and intercession of Aaron his brother who saide to Moses Alas my Lorde I beseech thee lay not the sinne vpon vs which we haue foolishly committed and wherein we haue sinned Let her not I pray thee be as a childe dead of whom the fleshe is halfe consumed when hee commeth out of his mothers wombe hauing as it were but skinne bone Moses besought the Lorde for his sister saying O Lorde I beseeche thee heale her nowe but the Lord made him aunsweare saying if her father in his anger and displeasure had spit in her face shoulde she not haue beene ashamed seuen dayes Let her be shut out of the host seuen dayes and after she shal be receiued So Miriam was shut out of the host seuen dayes as the Lorde commaunded and the people remoued not till Miriam was restored and receiued in againe into the host Finally in the yeere of the worlde 1554. when she had liued 119. yeeres after the birth of Moses and when Moses and the children of Israel were come into the desert of Sinai to the citie Cades fortie yeere after the departure out of the land of Egypt Myriam there dyed and was buried when shee had liued aboue a 130. yeeres Exod. 2.4.7.6.20 15.20 c. Num. 12.1 20.1 1. Chro. 6.3 Milcha Milcah or Melcha or Melea sig a Queene his Queene or aduiser fulfilling She was the daughter of Haram Abrahams youngest brother the sister of Lot and as some thinke of Sarai the wife of Abraham and also was the wife of Nahor Abrahams second brother so that her husband and her father were naturall brothers the sonnes of Terah and she her selfe neere vnto her husband who was her vncle which kynde of marriage was after forbidden by the lawe after she bare vnto her husband Nahor eight sonnes to wit Uz Buz. Kemuel that was afterwarde Prince of the Assyrians Chesed Hazo Pildash Iidlaph and Bethuel which was the father of Rebecca that afterward became wife to Isaack so Milcha was Rebeccaes grādmother her mates name was Reumah Gen. 11.29.22.20 There was another woman called Milcah whiche was one of the fiue daughters and coheires of Zelohehad of the tribe of Manasses as yee may reade in Mahlah her sisters storie Number 26.33.27 1.36 Molecheth signifieth a Queene She was the sister of Gilead and daughter of Machir and bare vnto her husband three sonnes called Ishbod Abiezer and Mahalah 1. Chro. 7.18 N Naamah or Naama signifieth comlinesse fayre beautifull or greatly mouing affliction She was the daughter of Lamech and Zillah and the sister of Tubalkain the cunning brasier and smith Gen. 4.22 There was another woman called Naamah which was an Ammonitesse one of the wiues of king Salomon who bare vnto him a sonne called Rehoboam that after was king of Iuda 1. Kings 14. 21. Naarah or Naara or Naari signifieth a puzill a damosell striking of or walking She was one of the two wiues of Ashur the father or Prince of Tekoa her mates name was Heleah and she bare vnto her husbande foure sonnes called Ahuzam Hepher Temeni and Haashtari 1. Chro. 4.36 Naomi or Noemi or Mara sig fayre comely or prouoking much or greatly assuring Bitter She was the wife of a certaine man called Elimelech dwelling in the land of Iuda in a citie called Bethlem and for because of the present dearth which was ouer all the lande of Iuda in the time that the Iudges ruled She went with her husband and her two sonnes called Mahlon and Chilion into the countrey of Moab to soiourne where in processe of time her husband first died and her two sonnes w t whom she remained being married to two of the Moabitish damosels to wit Orphah Ruth died there also So that Naomi which had dwelt in the land of Moab ten yeeres was now left desolate both of her husband and of her sonnes Then Naomy hearing how the Lord had visited her countrie againe with plentie returned from Moab homewardes againe her two daughters in lawe Orpha and Ruth bringing her on y e way in her iourney And when shee sawe they had gone a good way with her and coueted not to returne from her shee saide vnto them Goe nowe my daughters and returne eche of you vnto your mothers house and the Lorde deale as kindly with you as yee haue dealt with the dead men my sonnes and with mee their sorowfull mother And the Lorde graunt that you may finde rest eyther of you in the house of her husband and so kissed them to haue bid them farewell But when she saw that they wept and would not depart from her she sayde vnto them agayne returne my daughters I pray you for what cause will yee goe with me Are there anie moe children within my wombe to bee your husbandes Turne againe therefore I say and goe your way for I am too olde to haue an husband And if I should say I had hope of children or if I had an husband this night or had already borne sonnes Woulde yee tarrie for them till they were growen of age and refrayne from taking of husbandes so long No not so my daughters it greeueth mee much for your sakes that the hand of the Lord is gone out against me Then they wept altogether and Orpha kissed her mother in lawe and tooke her leaue and returned into her owne lande of Moab agayne But because it was Gods woonderfull prouidence that Ruth shoulde become one of his housholde shee abode still with Naomy But Naomy did all that shee could to perswade her likewise to depart and returne with her sister saying beholde thy sister in law is gone backe vnto her people and vnto her Gods returne thou also after her But when Naomy saw that for no entreaty Ruth would depart from her but was stedfastly mynded to goe on with her she left speaking vnto her And so when they came to Bethlehem Iuda which was about the beginning of barley haruest or in April where when her cōming was noysed abroad the women of the citie which saw Naomy knowing her to come of a great familie and to haue been of great reputation when she dwelt among them said one to another is not this Naomy Naomy saide shee call me not Naomy that is beautifull but call me Mara that is bitter for the almighty hath geuen mee much bitternes I went out full and the Lorde hath brought me againe emptie Why then call yee me Naomy seeing the Lord hath humbled me and the almighty hath brought me vnto aduersitie And so Naomy remayned in Bethleem Iuda her daughter in law Ruth with her where shee liued poorely by the corne that Ruth gleamed for her sustenaunce in the fieldes of Booz her husbande Elimelechs kinsman and when Ruth brought home the corne and tolde her where shee had it she
Idols were the cause that Rahel and some of Iacobs family worshipped strange Gods as appeareth Gen. 35. where Iacob was commaunded by GOD to clense his houshold and to cause them to put away the strange Gods from among them and to worship God aright in Bethel So when Iacob Rahel were gone LabaÌ„ hasted after as fast as he could ouertaking Iacob Rahel at Mount Gilead there he chid Iacob for stealing away his heart carrying away his daughters without leaue taking of him made no litle ado with Iacob for his Gods saying Wherfore hast thou yet stollen away my Gods for he wist not y t Rahel his daughter had stollen them and therefore hee layde them to Iacobs charge But Iacob altogether ignoraunt of such matter guiltles bad Laban make search for his Gods saying search thou all y t I haue with whoÌ„ thou findest thy Gods let him not liue Wherevppon LabaÌ„ began and searched Iacobs tent Leas tent the two maydens tentes but found not his Gods and when he came to search Rahel his daughters tent she hauing hid his Idols in the Cammels lytter sate downe vpon theÌ„ as her father was ruffling about the place where she sate she said vnto him O my Lord be not angrie y t I caÌ„not rise vp before thee for the custome of women is vpon me so the thing for all his searching was not known TheÌ„ after a litle chiding had betwixt Iacob LabaÌ„ there was a couenaÌ„t of peace made betwixt them vppon condicion y t Iacob should vse Rahel Lea his wiues wel to take no mo wiues vnto theÌ„ to vexe them whervnto Iacob easily grauÌ„ted so LabaÌ„ hauing blessed Rahel Lea his daughters he took his leaueâ— departed back again Iacob went on his iourney to meet Esau his brother placing his wife Rahel her soÌ„ne Ioseph last y t they might be furthest froÌ„ daÌ„ger wheÌ„ she met her brother in lawe Esau Rahel drew neere did reuerence vnto him and so tooke her leaue departed safe with Iacob vnto Sichem And when she was going vp with her husbaÌ„d to Bethel to dwel she put away the strange Gods that she had stollen from Laban her father and earinges that houng in her eares and gaue them to Iacob when he reformed his housholde who tooke her Idols and superstitious trashe and hidde them vnder an Oke by Sichem And when she departed from Bethel and came within halfe a dayes iourney to Ephrath Rahel there by the way trauelled with her second child and in traueling beeing in greate paynes and sore labour the mydwife to comfort her sayde vnto her feare not Rahel for thou shalt haue this sonne also but she through sore and perillous labour being about to yeelde vp the ghost euen in the byrth called her childes name Benony y t is the sonne of my sorrow but his father Iacob called his name Beniamin and so she died in childbed in y e yeere of the world 2275. after that she had bin married 23. yeeres to Iacob shortly after y e death of her nurse Rebecca was buried in y e way to Ephrata which is BethleheÌ„ in y e border of BeÌ„iamin where Iacob caused a piller of stone to bee set vpoÌ„ her graue as a ceremony to testifie the resurrectioÌ„ to come not generally reueyled which piller was euer after called Rahels piller or graue or sepulchre stone Gen. 29.30.31.33.35.48.7 1. Sam. 10.2 After whose death y e prophet Ieremy loÌ„g after did coÌ„pare y e destruction captiuity of the Iewes to y e destructioÌ„ of the Beniamites or Israelits saying This saith y e Lord a voyce was heard on hye mourning bitter weeping Rahel weeping for her childreÌ„ refused to be coÌ„forted because they were not aliue but dead y t is the Beniamites Israelites were so destroyed y t if Rahel the mother of Beniamin coulde haue risen againe to seeke for her children she should haue found none remayning Ier. 31 15. Which prophecie of Rahel her children was afterward fulfilled at the byrth of our sauiour Christ Iesus when y e cruel blooddy tyrant king Herod renewed the sores of the Beniamites suffered long before by causing all the young children vnder 2. yeeres old y t were in Bethlehem to be slaine of purpose to kil Christ among them but al in vain for mauger his head Christ did doeth raygne a king blessed foreuer Math. 2.18 Rebecca or Rebekah sig great patience much sufferance she that hath beene well rewarded Gods glorie bearing afausone grosse or welfauoured wenche c. Shee was the daughter of Bethuell the sonne of Milcha the wife of Nahor Abrahams brother borne in the yere of the world 2118. and sister to Laban who being a very fayre maide and bewtifull virgin vnknowne of man as she went on a tyme with a pitcher vpon her head to the common wel without the Citie to drawe water it chaunced Abrahams seruant or stewarde whom he had sent to get a wife for Isaak his Sonne to stand by the same well with ten Camelles lying thereaboutes who when the mayde had filled her potte and set it vpon her head ready to goe away desired her that he might drinke a little of her water And she very courtuously set downe her potte and not only gaue him drinke but also shee powred out the reste into the water trough and ranne againe to the well and drewe water for his Camelles also vntill they had all dronken their fill Then Abrahams man perceyuing thereby that God had hearde his prayer and graunted his request to make his iourney prosperous in that hee sawe this was the woman whome God had prouided for his maisters Sonne tooke out two golden eareringes of two sicles weight which were worth 32 s and two bracelets of golde weighing ten sickels which were worth 23. poundes and gaue them to the mayde demaunding whose Daughter shee was I am quoth Rebecca the Daughter of Bethuel the Sonne of Milcha which shee bare vnto Nahor Then tell mee I praye thee sayde the man is there â—oome in thy fathers house to lodge in yea quoth shee there is both roome and lodging and also both lytter and prouender enough for your beastes Blessed bee God quoth hee that hath dealte so mercyfullye with my mayster and hath brought mee the right waye to my maysters Brothers house Then Rebecca hearing him speake of her fathers Brother ranne home and told al things what the man had sayd in the presence and hearing of Laban her brother who beholding the earinges and bracelettes vppon his sisters handes and marking what shee said ranne presentlye forth to meete the manne and with gentle entertainment brought him home into the house and sawe his Camelles drest and prouided for of prouender and when he had so done hee set meate also before the man to eate but the man would not eate before he had done his maisters message and declared the cause wherefore
the right of her pertaine and thou must marry her seeing thou alone art the remnant of her fathers kinred and the maide is faire and wise nowe therefore heare mee and I will speake vnto her father that we may make the mariage when we are returned from Rages for I know that Raguel cannot marry her to another according to the lawe of Moses els hee shoulde deserue death because the right of her doth rather appertaine to thee then to any other man Then answered the young man Tobias and saide I vnderstand and haue heard brother Azariah that this maide hath beene giuen to seuen men who died in the marriage chamber and were slaine of the Diuell I am afraide therefore least such thinges shoulde happen vnto mee for if I as thou knowest the only begotten sonne of my father should go into her whoÌ„ I feare the wicked spirits do loue because they hurt no bodie but those which come into her it should come to passe y t I also should die as y e other vii I should I feare me bring my father mothers life because of me to y e graue in sorrow for they haue none other sonne to bury theÌ„ Then said the Angel againe vnto him doest thou not remembtr the precepts that thy father gaue thee when he charged thee of his blessing that thou shouldest marry a wife of thine owne kinred wherfore heare me O my brother for shee shal be thy wife neither bee thou carefull or fearefull of the euill spirite For I will tell thee what they be of whom the Diuell hath power namely they that receiue mariage after suche a fashion that they shut God out of them and from their heartes and giue themselues to their owne lustes euen as it were an Horse and Mule whiche haue no vnderstanding vppon suche hath the the same Diuell Asmodeus power But this same night shall Sarah bee giuen thee in marriage And when thou takest her and art come into the bed chamber withold thy selfe from her three dayes and giue thy diligence to nothing but vnto prayer together with her And in the first night take the heart and liuer of the fishe and lay it vpon hot coles and make a perfume thereof to perfume the chamber and when the Diuell doth smell the same hee shall flee away and neuer come againe any more The seconde night also when thou shalt come to her and goe into thy bed ryse vp both of you and pray to God which is mercifull who will haue pitie on you and saue you and so shall you bee receiued into the companie of the holy Patriarches The third night arise and pray likewise both together that yee may obtaine the blessing of God and haue whole and sounde children begotten and borne of your bodies And after the thirde night feare not but take the maiden in the feare of God for shee is appointed vnto thee from the beginning and abuse her not but vse her body modestly more for the desire of children then for any fleshly lust that in the feede of AbrahaÌ„ thou maiest obtaine the blessing in children And thou shalt keepe her and shee shall goe with thee Moreouer I suppose that shee shall beare thee children Now when young Toby heard these thinges hee loued Sara before that â—uer he sawe her and in his heart he was effectually ioyned to her And when they were come to Raguels house in Ragis it was Saraes chaunce to meet them first who after gentle salutations vsed ech to other brought them into her fathers house where after further acquaintance taken when shee heard that olde Toby was blinde she with her father and mother wept and were very sorowfull for that his affliction And after much good cheere and courteous entertainemente made by her father and mother and her selfe vnto them the Angell brake the matter and cause of their comming first to Raguel and communed with him about the giuing of his daughter to young Toby his cosin And Raguel Saraes father being very willing so to doe tolde him all the doubt and thinges that hee feared woulde discourage the young man saying It is meete that thou shouldest marry my daughter Neuertheles I will declare vnto thee al y e truth I haue giuen my daughter alredy in mariage to seuen men who dyed that same night y t they came into her Therefore I feare least it should chance vnto thee in like maner No quoth the Angel feare not to giue him thy daughter in mariage for vnto this man Tobie which feareth God doth thy daughter Sara belong to wife therefore might many marry her but none other haue or inioy her as appeareth by thy saying in that the seuen men are all dead before they euer lay with her Yea quoth yoÌ„g Toby who for all this was couragious mery constantly set in the loue of Sara I will neither eate nor drinke here this day except thou first graunt me my petition that is doe not only promise mee to giue me thy daughter Sara but also bring her foorth hither and presentlie betroth her to me to be my wife Then Raguel perceiuing this to bee the worke of God who had sent them for the same intent y t his daughter might bee maried in her owne kinred according to the law of Moses doubted not to giue her vnto young Tobie but said vnto him take her then marry her according to the custome for thou art her cosin she is thine and God which is mercifull make this prosperous to you both in al good things So he called his daughter Sara who came vnto him he tooke her by the right hand gaue her into the right hand of Tobie for a wife vnto him blessed theÌ„ saying Behold take her after the law of Moses lead her away to thy father And the God of Abraham the God of Isaak the God of Iacob be with you ioyne you together fulfill his blessing in you And then y t is to say in the yeere of the world 3414. Raguel with his wife Edna made a contract of mariage sealed it to approue both their consents to the marriage of their daughter so after the feast praised God And when night came her mother Edna at her husbands commandement prepared another chaÌ„ber for Sara to lie in who so soone as she was brought thither fel a weping But her mother wyped away her daughters tears comforted her with sweete wordes saying Be of good cheere my daughter the Lord of heauen earth giue thee ioy for this thy sorrow heauinesse y t thou hast suffered be of good comfort my daughter So when she was in the chamber a bed they brought in Tobie her husband also into her who remembring the Angels wordes perfumed the chamber with the liuer of the fish which perfume when the euill spirite had smelled hee fled straight way into the vttermost parts of Egypt for the Angel Raphael had taken hold of
his face that he was the murtherer of her husbande and her father and now last of all of her sonne to whoÌ„ the king aunsweared neither good nor bad From that day forewardes there was perpetuall hatred betweene Alexandra and Marimy and Riparim the mother of Herode and Salumith her sister that came of base and seruile blood After this Salulumith on a time perceiuing that the king detested Marimy tooke occasion to accuse Marimy of treason and that shee woulde poyson the king her husband which the king too lightly beleeuing to bee true at her false report commaunded Marimy to be brought foorth and to be beheaded in the citie And as she was brought foorth vnto the market place of the citie all the women of the citie followed her Alexandra her mother also cursed and rated at her saying come out thou y t hast abhorred conspired against the Lord. Alexandra wept also as though it had byn for the wickednes that her daughter had committed thinking surely to please the king by that meanes and to bleare his eyes if peraduenture he might suffer her to liue til she might haue opportunity to poyson him but all would not helpe for Marimy for all this was guiltlesse beheadded and put to death by the king her husband as you may reade more in her history Then the king repenting him of her death for loue of her he fel sick and being at deaths doore Alexandra his mother in law sought meanes how to poyson him which being vttered to the king he commanded to apprehend her to kil her which was done accordingly So was Alexandra also beheaded and put to death as appeareth in Iosephus fo 35.38.40.41.42.45.46.56 Anna of this name there haue bin many noble women one was a Iewe wife of Elcana and mother of Samuel as yee may reade in the Scripture another was an old widow prophetesse in Ierusalem in Christes time c. y e 3. was daughter to Isachar of y e tribe of Leui or as Damascen saith of y e tribe of Iuda was married to Ioachim of y e same tribe which being long barren at last brought foorth y e blessed virgin Mary after the death of Ioachim she was married to Cleophas and after his death to Solome Cooper in his dictionary Damascen Aristobulus wife the Queene vpon a false report geuen out against her good brother in lawe Antigonus commaunded him to be cruelly put to death in prison without knowledge of the king her husbands and his brothers mynd which cruell murder blooddy fact of hers hastened her husbands death speedily for being very sick before now for thought died Ioseph fol. 17. Afterward when her sonne Alexander fled to Alexandria and there was narrowly besieged pursued by Gabinius a Romain with a stroÌ„g army she like a good mother went forth to Gabinius weeping and besought him y t he would not destroy her sonne so for her sake Gabinius spared her sonne Alexander did him no harme Ioseph fol. 30. Arsinoe was the daughter of Ptolome sister to Philopater who going to warres against Antiochus w t her brother Philopater as they fought fiercely together Arsinoe weÌ„t diligeÌ„tly about her meÌ„ weeping pitifully with her haire about her shoulders desired theÌ„ y t they woulde helpe her fight valiaÌ„tly promising to giue vnto euery of their wiues childreÌ„ if she had the victory 2. pounds of gold Thus by her meanes it came to passe y t their enimies were ouerthrowen her brother Philopater got y e victory ouer Antiochus as yee may reade more at large in the 3. booke of the Machabees fol. 1.2 3. Beronice who was sister vnto king Agrippa wheÌ„ she came by chance to Ierusalem of deuotion to visite the holie place sawe one Florus president aâ—d captayne of the Romaines most greeuously and violently to oppresse the people of the Iewes and for payment of exactions and tollage to slaye manye of them euen at the entraunce of the Temple Shee came foorth weeping vnto Florus that furious wretche and besought him to bee fauourable and spare the people for shee pitied them very greatly but Florus relented nothing But when she was departed from him he flouted and mocked her although she wâ—re the kings sister and that in the temple of the Lord to her great discomfort Afterward Eliasar the seditious people hauing gotten y e rule of the citie Ierusalem not only furiously set a fire the king Agrippas house and all therin but Beronices house also the kings sister they burnt to the ground deuided the spoyle amoÌ„gst them as yee may reade in Iosephus fol. 64.68 Cleopatra Queene of Egypt wife vnto Marcus Antonius a noble man of Rome hauing receyued letters of ayde from Alexandra made this comfortable aunsweare agayne in another letter If thou canst finde the meanes to come to me secretly thou shalt perceyue what I will doe for thee After this Marcus Antonius her husband being made next vnto the Emperour Augustus and sent by him to warre vpon the kings of the West countries as hee that raigned in Egypt nowe by his wiues Cleopatras prouocation hee rebelled against Octauian Augustus his maister and made warre with him both by Sea and by land and ioyned in league with Herode king of the Iewes But at the last her husband being slain and dead by Octauians host comming by ship to the Isle of Rhodes Herode escaped hauing reconciled him selfe to Octauian Then they went both together towards Egypt to be reuenged vpon Cleopatra as she that was the only cause of her husbands conspiracie and rebellion by inciting him therevnto But saith Iosepus that wicked woman when she saw her city to be ouercome put out her most precious apparrel sitting vpoÌ„ y e throne of her kingdome commaunded a Uiper to be brought vnto her which assoone as she had suffered to sting her brest she died As Octauian Augustus came to the place saw her sit there he reioyced that he might be reuenged of her coÌ„manded to thrust her from her throne but wheÌ„ they came to her found her dead it displeased Octauian the Emperor and grieued him very sore Iosph 40.44 Deboras saith Iosephus a prophitesse by her prayer brought to passe great health in Israell so did diuers other iust and godly women which by their prayers obteyned many thinges at Gods hand Iosephus fol. 184. Hyrcanus wife the Queene being a widowe was banished from Ierusalem by her owne sonne Aristobulus together with Alexander her youngest sonne Ioseph fol. 17. Hasmonais maide being very well beloued of one Herod the seruant also of the said Hasmonai that killed her maister and the whole familie saue this maide whom he loued and vsurped the kingdome ouer Israel When shee sawe that her maister and all his familie were dead and shee onely left aliue shee distrusting Herodès crueltie went and clymed vp to the toppe of an house saying There is no body left aliue of my