as if the last dissolution had beene then present when were seene â—wo Eagles pearched vpon the top of the Pallace presaging the two great Empires of Europe and Asia Young Alexander being growne towards manhood it happened that walking abroad with Nectenabus in the presence of his father Philip the young prince requested the Astrologian to instruct him in his art To whom Nectenabus answered that with all willingnes he would and comming neere a deepe pit Alexander thrust the Magitian headlong into that discent by which sudden fall hee was wounded to death yet Nectenabus calling to the prince demanded for what cause he had done him such outrage Who answered I did it by reason of thy art for ignoble it were in a prince to studie those vaine sciences by which men will vndertake to predict other mens fates when they haue not the skill to preuent their owne To whom Nectenabus answered Yes Alexander I calculated mine owne destinie by which I knew I should bee slaine by mine owne natural son To whom the prince in derision thus speake Base Negromancer how canst thou bee my father seeing that to the mightie king Philip here present I owe all filiall dutie and obedience to whom Nectenabus rehearsed all the circumstances before related from the beginning and as he concluded his speech so ended his life How the husband vpon this information behaued himselfe towards his wife or the sonne to his mother I am not certaine this I presume it was a kind of needfull pollicie in both the one to conceale his Cuckoldrie the other his Bastardie so much of Olimpias concerning the byrth of her son Alexander I will proceede a little further to speake of her remarkable death being as maiestically glorious as the processe of her life was in many passages thereof worthily infamous Iustine in his historie relates thus Olimpias the wife of Philip and mother of Alexanâ—â—r the Great comming from Epirus vnto Macedonia was followed by Aeacidaâ— king of the Molossians but finding herselfe to be prohibited that countrey whether annimated by the memorie of her husband incouraged with the greatnesse of her sonne or mooued with the nature of the affront and iniurie as shee receiued it I am not certain but she assembled vnto her all the forces of Macedonia by whose power and her command they were both slaine About seuen yeares after Alexander was possest of the Kingdom neither did Olimpias raigne long after for when the murders of many princes had been by her committed rather after an effeminate than regall manner it conuerted the fauour of the multitude into an vnreconcilable hatred which fearing and withall hauing intelligence of the approch of Cassander now altogether distrusting the fidelitie of her owne countriemen shee with her sonnes wife Roxana and her nephew young Hercules retired into a cittie called Picthium or Pictua in this almost forsaken societie were Deidamia daughter to king Aeacidas Thessalonice her owne daughter in law famous in her father king Philips memorie with diuers other princely Matrons a small traine attending vpon them rather for show and state than either vse or profit These things being in order related to Cassander he with all speede possible hastens towards the cittie Pictua and inuests himselfe before it compassing the place with an inuincible siege Olimpias being now oppressed both with sword and famine besides all the inconueniencies depending vpon a long and tedious warre treated vpon conditions in which her safe conduct with her traines being comprehended she was willing to submit her selfe into the hands of the conqueror at whose mercie whilest her wauering fortunes yet stood Cassander conuents the whole multitude and in a publike oration desires to be counselled by them how to dispose of the queene hauing before subborned the parents of such whose children she had caused to be murdered who in sad and funerall habits should accuse the crueltie and inhumanitie of Olimpias Their teares made such a passionate impression in the breasts of the Macedonians that with loude acclamations they doomed her to present slaughter most vnnaturally forgetting that both by Philip her husband and Alexander her sonne their liues and fortunes were not onely safe amongst their neighbour nations but they were also possessed of forreine Empire and riches from prouinces till their times scarce heard of but altogether vnknowne Now the queene perceiuing armed men make towards her and approch her to the same purpose both with resolution and obstinacie shee attired in a princely and maiesticke habit and leaning in state vpon the shoulders of two of her most beautifull handmaides gaue them a willing and vndaunted meeting which the souldiers seeing and calling to mind her former state beholding her present maiestie and not forgetting her royall offspring illustrated with the names of so many successiue kings they stood still amased without offering her any further violence till others sent thether by the command of Cassander through pierced her with their weapons which she incountered with such constancie that shee neither offered to euade their swords auoid their woundes or expresse the least feare by any effeminat clamour but after the maner of the most bold valiant men submitted her selfe to death in her last expiration expressing the inuincible spirit of her son Alexander in which she likewise showed a singular modestie for with her disheueled haire shee shaddowed her face least in the struggling betwixt life and death it might appeare vnseemely and with her garments couered her legges and feeteâ— least any thing about her might be found vncomely After this Cassander tooke to wife Thessalonice the daughter to king Aridaeus causing the sonne of Alexander with his mother Roxane to bee kept prisoners in a Tower called Amphipolitana Romilda ABout the time that the Hunnes came first into Italie and expelled the Longobards they layd siege to the cittie Anguilaea and in a hot assault hauing slaine the duke Gysulphus his wife the dutchesse Romilda making the Towne defensible brauely and resolutely maintained it against the enemie But as Cacana king of the Anes approched neer vnto the walls incouraging his souldiers to hang vp their scaling ladders and enter Romilda at the same time looking from a Cittadel cast her eie vpon the king who as he seemed vnto her with wonderous dexteritie behaued himselfe and with an extraordinarie grace became his armes This liking grew into an ardencie of loue for shee that at first but allowed of his presence now was affected to his person in so much that in the most fierce assaults though within the danger of their crosse-bows and slings she thought her selfe secure so she had the king her obiect This fire was alreadie kindled in her brest which nothing could qualifie in so much that impatient of all delay shee sent vnto her publike enemie priuate messengers That if it pleased the king being as she vnderstood a batchilor to accept her as his bride she would without further opposition surrender vp the towne
deuided themselues and casting to hit it with a stone it rebounded againe from the skull and stroke himselfe on the forehead his words be these Abiecta in triuijs inhumati glabra iacebat Testa hominis nudum iam cute caluicium Fleuerant alij fletu non motus Achillas c. Where three wayes parted a mans skull was found Bald without haire vnburied aboue ground Some wept to see 't Achillas more obdure Snatcht vp a stone and thinkes to hit it sure He did so At the blow the stone rebounds And in the face and eyes Achillas wounds I wish all such whose impious hands prophane The dead mans bones so to be stroke againe Of Mothers that haue slaine their Children or Wiues their Husbands c. MEdea the daughter of Oeta king of Colchos first slew her young brother in those Islands which in memorie of his inhumane murther still beare his name and are called Absyrtides and after her two sonnes Macareus and Pherelus whom she had by Iason Progne the daughter of Pandion murthered her young sonne Itis begot by Tereus the sonne of Mars in reuenge of the rape of her sister Philomele Ino the daughter of Cadmus Melicertis by Athamas the sonne of Aeolus Althea the daughter of Theseus slew her sonne Meleager by Oeneus the sonne of Parthaon Themisto the daughter of Hypseus Sphincius or Plinthius and Orchomenus by Athamas at the instigation of Ino the daughter of Cadmus Tyros the daughter of Salmoneus two sonnes begot by Sysiphus the sonne of Aeolus incited thereto by the Oracle of Apollo Agaue the daughter of Cadmus Pentheus the sonne of Echion at the importunitie of Liber Pater Harpalice the daughter of Climenus slew her owne father because he forcibly despoyled her of her honor Hyginus in Fabulis These slew their Husbands Clitemnestra the daughter of Theseus Agamemnon the sonne of Atreus Hellen the daughter of Iupiter and Laeda Deiphebus the sonne of Priam and Hecuba hee married her after the death of Paris Agaue Lycotherses in Illyria that she might restore the kingdome to her father Cadmus Deianira the daughter of Oeneus and Althea Hercules the sonne of Iupiter and Alcmena by the Treason of Nessus the Centaureâ— Iliona the daughter of Priam Polymnestâ—r king of Thâ—â—ce Semyramis her husband Ninus king of Babylon c. Some haue slaine their Fathers others their Nephewes and Neeces all which being of one nature may be drawne to one head And see how these prodigious sinnes haue beene punished Martina the second wife to Heraclius and his Neece by the brothers side by the helpe of Pyrrhus the Patriarch poysoned Constantinus who succeeded in the Empire fearing least her sonne Heraclius should not attaine to the Imperiall Purple in regard that Constantinus left issue behind him two sonnes Constantes and Theodosius which he had by Gregoria the daughter of Nycetas the Patritian notwithstanding hee was no sooner dead but shee vsurped the Empire Two yeeres of her Principalitie were not fully expired when the Senate reassumed their power and called her to the Barre where they censured her to haue her Tongue cut out least by her eloquence shee might persuade the people to her assistance her sonne Heraclius they maimed of his Nose so to make him odious to the multitude and after exiled them both into Cappadocia Cuspinianus in vita Heraclij A more terrible Iudgement was inflicted vpon Brunechildis whose Historie is thus related Theodericus king of the Frenchmen who by this wicked womans counsaile had polluted himselfe with the bloud of his owne naturall brother and burthened his conscience with the innocent deaths of many other noble gentlemen as well as others of meaner ranke and qualitie was by her poysoned and depriued of life for when he had made a motion to haue taken to wife his Neece a beautifull young Ladie and the daughter of his late slaine brother Brunechildis with all her power and industrie opposed the Match affirming that Contract to be meerely incestuous which was made with the brothers daughter shee next persuaded him that his son Theodebertus was not his owne but the adulterate issue of his wife by another at which words he was so incensed that drawing his sword hee would haue instantly transpierst her but by the assistance of such Courtiers as were then present shee escaped his furie and presently after plotted his death and effected it as aforesaid Trittenhemius de Regib Francorum and Robertus Gaguinus Lib. 2. Others write that hee was drowned in a Riuer after hee had reigned eighteene yeeres Auentinus affirmes That presently after hee had slaine his brother entring into one of his cities hee was strucke with Thunder Annal. Boiorum Lib. 3. But this inhumane Butcheresse Brunechildis after shee had beene the ruine of an infinite number of people and the death of ten kings at length moouing an vnfortunate warre against Lotharius to whom shee denyed to yeeld the kingdome shee was taken in battaile and by the Nobilitie and Captaines of the Armie condemned to an vnheard of punishment She was first beaten with foure Bastoones before shee was brought before Lotharius then all her Murthers Treasons and Inhumanities were publikely proclaimed in the Armie and next her Legges and Hands being fastened to the tayles of wild Horses pluckt to pieces and disseuered limbe from limbe Anno 1618. Sigebertus Trittenhemius Gaguinus and Auentinus And such bee the earthly punishments due to Patricides and Regicides Touching Patricides Solon when hee instituted his wholesome Lawes made no Law to punish such as thinking it not to be possible in nature to produce such a Monster Alex. Lib. 2. cap. 5. Romubus appointing no punishment for that inhumanitie included Patricides vnder the name of Homicides counting Manslaughter and Murther abhorred and impious but the other impossible Plutarchâ— in â—â—amulo Marcus Malleolus hauing sâ—aine his mother was the first that was euer condemned for that fact amongst the Romans his Sentence was to be sowed in a Sack together with a Cock an Ape and a Viper and so cast into the Riuer Tiber a iust infliction for such immanitie The Macedonians punished Patricides and Traitors alike and not onely such as persoâ—ally committed the fact but all that were any way of the confederacie Alex. ab Alex. Lib. 3. cap. 5. and all such were stoned to death The Aegyptians stabbed them with Needles and Bodkins wounding them in all the parts of their bodie but not mortally when bleeding all ouer from a thousand small orifices they burnt them in a pyle of Thornes Diodor. Sical Lib. 2. cap. 2. de rebus antiq The Lusitanians first exiled them from their owne confines and when they were in the next forraine ayre â—toâ—ed them to death Nero hauing slaine his mother Agrippinâ— by the hand of Anicetes had such terror of mind and vnquietnesse of conscience that in the dead of the night he would leape out of his bed horribly affrighted and say when they that attended him demanded
Mistresse of Pisistratus 248 Of Nitâ—tis 249 Of Bersaâ—e 250 Of the wife of Candaules 251 Rowan and Estrilda 252 The faire Lady of Norwich 253 Of Calirrhoe daughter to Boetius 256 Of the wiues of Cabbas and Phaillus c. 257 The daughters of Danaus and the sonnes of Aegyptus 259 Of Manto 260 The wife of Agetas c. 261 A Vicars daughter 262 A faire wittie Wench ibid. Of women deformed 264 The Contents of the sixt Booke inscribed Erato Treating of Chast women and Wantons A Discourse concerning Chastitie and Wantonnesse 267 Of Mary the blessed Virgin 271 Of Petronilla the daughter of S. Peter and other chast Virgins 273 Of chast Wiues and first of Penelope 276 The Historie of a woman of Casa Noua 280 Of Edeltrudis Editha and others 282 Of Wantons 284 Of common Strumpets Concubines and priuate Mistresses 285 Of such as merited the name of Honest Whores 286 Of Lais. 289 Of Glicerium alias Glicera others 293 Of Agathoclea 295 Of Cleophis 296 Callipigae Alogunes Cosmartidenes Audia c. 297 Iulia the daughter of Augustus Caesar. 298 Harlotta the mother to William the Conqueror 300 Of diuers Wantons belonging to sundry famous men Poets and others 301 Of famous Wantons 304 Of Mista and others 308 Of Wantons conuerted 312 The Contents of the seuenth Booke inscribed Polihymnia or Memorie Entreating of the Pietie of Daughters Mothers Sisters and Wiues A Discourse concerning Lyes Ieasts and wittie Sayings 313 Of Pious Daughters 319 The loue of Mothers to their Children 321 Friendship betwixt women 323 The loue of Sisters towards their Brothers 324 Of Matrimonie and Coniugall loue 327 Times forbidden in Marriage 328 Ceremonies before Marriage 329 Of Contracts 330 Of Nuptiall Dowers ibid. Of Nuptiall Gifts or Presents ibid. Of Nuptiall Ornaments Pompe Feasts and Epithalamions c. 332 A description of the Bride comming from her Chamber 333 The Bridegroomes first appearing 334 The Nuptiall Offering ibid. The Nuptiall Song 335 The entrance into their Bedchamber ibid. Sacred Auguries and Nuptiall Expiations 337 The Coniugall Loue of Women to their Husbands 339 Of Bawds 343 Of Age. 345 Of women addicted to Gluttonie or Drunkennesse 346 Of women beloued of diuerse creatures 349 Of women excellent in Painting Weauing c. 350 Of women contentious and bloudie 353 Of women strangely preserued from death and such as haue vnwillingly bin the deaths of their Parents 358 Of Clamorous women commonly called Skoulds 360 Of Tullia and her sister 362 Examples of Patience in women 363 Varietie of discourse concerning women 364 The daughters of Apollo ibid. The Syrens ibid. Women that haue dissembled their shape to good purposes or to bad 365 Women that haue changed their Sex 366 The Contents of the eight Booke inscribed Vrania Entreating of Women euery way Learned Of Poetresses and Witches A Discourse of Astrologie 369 Of famous Astrologians 370 Of women Orators that haue pleaded their owne Causes or others 373 Of women studious in Diuinitie 375 Of women excellent in Philosophie and other Learning 377 A discourse of Poetrie 383 Of women excellent in Poetrie 384 Of Minerua and others 387 Of Sapho 388 Of Cleobule Lindia other Poetesses 394 Of Telesilla Poetria 396 Of Perhilla c. ibid. A discourse of Witches 399 How the Deuill rewards his seruants 400 The wretched ends of sundry Magicians ibid. Seuerall sorts of superstitious Iugling 401 Of Cyrce Medea and other Witches remembred by the Poets 403 Of Witches transported from one place to another by the Deuill 406 Of Witches that haue either changed their owne shapes or transformed others 409 Lycantropia 410 A Piper transformed into an Asse 411 Other miraculous transformations ibid. Of shee Deuils 412 A Witch of Amsterdam 414 A Witch of Geneua 415 Examples of strange kinds of Witchcraft 416 Witches called Extasists 417 Diuerse things to be obserued in Witches 419 The Contents of the ninth Booke inscribed Calliope Entreating of Women in generall with the Punishments of the Vitious and Rewards due to the Vertuous interlaced with sundry Histories A Discourse of Death 419 Of women rauished 421 Of Handmaids Nurses Midwiues and Stepdames 424 The punishment of Incest in the sister of Leucippus 429 The punishment of Adulterie 432 Sisters that haue murthered their Brothers 434 The punishment of Fratricides 435 Of Mothers that haue slaine their Children and Wiues their Husbands ibid. Punishment due to Regicides 436 Punishment of vniust Diuorce 437 Whoredome punished 438 Loquacitie punished 439 Lying punished ibid. Periurie punished 440 Prodigalitie and Excesse punished 441 Witchcraft punished 444 Honor and Reward due to Fortitude 449 Honor and Reward due to Temperance 450 Reward due to Fertilitie or many Children illustrated in diuerse Histories 451 Of Beautie and the Reward thereof 453 A Conuertite rewarded 458 Of Cura or Care 462 Rewards due to women Philosophers Orators or Poetesses 463 FINIS TABVLAE NINE BOOKES OF VARIOVS HISTORIE ONELIE concerning Women Inscribed by the names of the nine Muses The first booke which is CLIO treating of the Goddesses Coelestiall Terrestriall Marine and Infernall BEFORE wee enter into a particular tractate of these Goddesses it shall not bee amisse to speake something of the opinions setled in sundry Nations concerning them Who were their first Adorers and Worshippers the multiplicitie of their gods and what seuerall rights and customes obseruations and Ceremonies they vsed in their Oblations and Sacrifices The Aethiopians are said to bee the most ancient and the first beginners of Diuine adoration as Diodorus is of opinion Imagining in themselues and verely beleeuing some of their gods to bee euerlasting and others to participate of a mortall and corruptible nature The Phoenicians they deliuered admirable and strange things concerning their gods and the first beginning and Creation of things aboue all others hauing in Diuine worship Dagona and Chamas The Atlantides a people of Affrica they are confident that the generation of the gods proceeded from them and the first that raigned amongst them they called Coelum which is heauen The Augitae another nation in the Affricke Continent acknowledged no other deityes than the Ghosts of such noble persons as were deceased to whose sepulchers they vsuallie repayred to demand answers of all such things wherein they doubted The Theologie of the Phrygians was not much different from theirs The Persians neither erected Statues nor Altars they worshipped the Heauen which they called Iupiter the Sunne by the name of Mithra the Moone Venus the Fire the Earth the Winds and the Water Isiodorus saith the Graecians first honoured Cecrops whom they stiled Iupiter and were the first deuisers of Images erecters of Altars and offerers of sacrifice The Iewes as Cornelius Tacitus relates apprehended but one diuine power and that onely they acknowledged The Germans of old as the same author affirmes were of opinion That the gods could not bee comprehended within walles nor haue any humane shape appropriated vnto them measuring their incomprehensible power by the magnitude of the heauens Now
thing sinisterlie happen vnto him through his owne temeritie and rashnes since with a prudent and well gouerned man their helpe and assistance is alwayes present The daughters of TRITON A Cesander calls Triton the sonne of Neptune Numenius in his booke de piscatoribus deriues him from Oceanus and Tethis Lycaphron in those verses wherein he tells of a cup presented vnto him by Medea calls him the sonne of Nereus The Poets ascribe to him the inuention of the trumpet and that it was first vsed in the Gigomantichia the great battaile betwixt the gods and the gyants for in the midst of the skirmish when the euent of the battaile grew doubtfull Triton blew so shrill a blast that the gyants thinking it had been the voyce of fome dreadfull and vnknowne monster that vndertooke the party of the gods turn'd their backes and fled by which accident they obtained a more suddaine and safe victorie Pausonias calls Tritia the daughter of Triton who was at first one of Mineruaes priests who being comprest by Mars brought foorth Menalippus but that he had more than her I haue not read Ino. She was the daughter of Cadmus and Harmonia who with her sonne Melicerta were entertained into the number of the Sea-gods he by the name of Palaemon she of Leucothea both these are said to haue predominance ouer saylers and power in nauigation That she cast her selfe headlong into the Sea I haue before related in the tractat of Iuno She was a stepmother and so prosecuted the children of Nephetes that she would haue sacrificed one of them to the gods for which as Polizelus saith her husband Athanas did prosecute her with such rage that flying to Gerania a mountaine amongst the Megarenses from a rocke called Maturides she cast her selfe with her son into the sea and of the same opinion is Pausonias some thinke it hapned at the same time that the Nereides were dancing there and that his bodie was transported by the waues to Sisiphus from Exhaenuntia where the Ithnian pastimes were first celebrated to his remembrance They of the cittie Megera affirme her bodie to be cast vpon their shore and by Cleso and Tauropolis the daughters of Cleson tooke vp and buryed She was afterwards called Matuta as Cicero in his Tuscal disputations saith Ino the daughter of Cadmus Is she not called by the Greekes Leucotoe and by vs Latines Matuta And that she is taken for the morning is manifest by Lucretius lib. 5. Pausan in his Messanaicis saith that she was first named Leucotoe in a small village not farre from the cittie Corone and that she had clemencie in the securing and preseruing of ships and pacifying the violent and troubled billowes of the Ocean Palaemon is also called Portunus or the Key-carrier as one that keepes a key of all the ports and hauens to exclude and keepe out all forreine enemies and the sonne of Matuta or the Morning in that time commonly the winds begin to breath and rise with the departing of night and because that from the land they rush vpon the waters they are therefore said to cast themselues head-long into the sea for the morning is the most certaine interpreter either of succeeding winds and tempests or of the countenance of a sereane sky and faire weather Strabo calls Glaucus the sonne of Anthedon a Boeotian but Theophrastus will haue him the issue of Polybus the sonne of Mercury and Euboea Promathidas Heraclaeota deriues him from Phorbus and the nymph Pampaea borne in Anthedon a famous cittie of Boetia Thelytus Methimnaeus in his Bacchik numbers brings his progenie from Nopaeus Epicus in one of his Hymnes from Euanthes the sonne of Neptune and Maedis He is said to haue rauisht Syma the daughter of Iclemis and Doris and to haue transported her into Asia and was after marryed to Hidua the daughter of Sydnus Scioneus one that vsed to diue and fetch things vp from the bottome But of his issue there is nothing left remembred It is commented of him that being a fisherman and hauing taken more fishes that he could carrie vpon his backe with ease and laying downe his burden to rest him by the shoare there grew an hearbe which the dead fishes no sooner touched or tasted but they instantlie recouered life and one by one leapt into the sea hee by tasting the same hearbe to prooue the vertue thereof was forced to leape after them and so was made a Sea-god Others are of opinion that wearied with the tediousnesse of his age he willing lie drowned himselfe The wiues and daughters of PROTEVS ZEtzes in his foure and fortith historie calls Proteus the sonne of Neptune and the nymph Phenica who trauelling from Aegypt into Phlegra there tooke to wife Torone by whom he had three sonnes Toronus Timilus and Telegonus all wicked and bloody minded men who for their crueltie perisht by the hands of Hercules Aeuripides speakes of one Psamethes a second wife by whom he had Theonoe and Theolymenus He had moreouer these daughters Cauera Rhetia and Idothaea This was she that when Menelaus doubted of his returne into his countrey hauing soiourned somewhat long in Aegypt counselled him to apparrell himselfe and his followers in the fresh skinnes of Porposes and counterfeit themselues to sleepe amongst these Sea-cattle and that about the heat of the day at what time Proteus vsed to come out of the deepes vpon the dry land and there take a nappe with his Porposes then to catch fast hold on him sleeping notwithstanding all his changeable shapes and figures not to dismisse him till he had reduc't himselfe to his owne natural forme and then he would predict to him whatsoeuer was to come This counsell giuen by Idothaea Homer excellentlie expresseth in his fourth booke of his Odissaea It is said of him that he could change himselfe sometimes into water and againe to fire to wild beasts birds trees or serpents c. Neither did this mutabilitie of shape belong to him onelie for we reade the like of Thetis and Mestra or Metre the daughter of Ereficthon the Thessalian Periclimenus the sonne of Neleus and Polymela and brother of Nestor obtained the same gift of Neptune of him Euphorion and Hesiod speaks more at large Empusa is remembred by Aristophanes to haue the same facultie and dexteritie in changing her shape so likewise Epicharmus Empusa planta bos fit atque vipera Lapisque musca pulchra illa femina Quicquid cupit vel denique ille conferat Empusa is made a plant an oxe a viper A stone a flye and a faire woman too What she desires that she doth still resemble The Poets in these changing of shapes and turning themselues into so many sundry sorts of creatures importing nothing else but the wisedome of such persons who haue searcht into the hidden mysteries of Philosophy and acquired the natures and properties of water fire hearbes trees and plants beasts birds and serpents in which being perfect they may be and not
she frees the bodie from a thousand paines and diseases deliuers the subiect from the crueltie of the tyrant makes the begger equall with his prince She to all good men is acceptable and welcome only dreadfull to the wicked who haue a presage and feare of punishments to come Alcidâ—â—â—us writ an excellent booke in the praise of Death hauing a large and copious argument in which he stroue to expresse with what an equall sufferance and modest patience she was to be entertained Of the same argument writes Plutarch in Consolator for life is nothing els but a light lent vs by the Creator of all mankind which if it be redemanded of vs ought no more grudgingly to be paid back than comming to a friends house to bee merrie in the morning and hauing feasted there all the day to returne to our home at night or to pay back what wee borrow to the owner For there is no iniurie done to vs if God demaunde that back at our hands which hee hath before but lent vs. Now from the daughter to come backe to the mother and know what is allegorically meant by Night These pests mischeifes before commemorated are therfore sayd to be her sonnes and daughters because the ignorance and mallice of man which is indeed the night of the mind is the parent and nurse of all calamities incident to vs yet may some of their violences by wisedome be mitigated though not frustrated of their ends namely Age Loue Fate Death and the like who though they be in perpetuall motion their speed may bee slackned though not stayd and their pace slowed though not quite stopt She was called the most Antient because before the Heauens and the Sunne were created there was no light extant which is said to proceede from the lower parts of the earth in regard that the Sunne compassing the world when he lights the Antipodes with his beames the earth shadowes them from vs which shaddow is nothing else than Night She is called the mother of all as being before the birth of any thing The word Nox is deriued à Nocendo of hurting or harming the reason is as some Phisitions hold opinion because the corrupt humors of the night are infectious and dangerous especially to men any way diseased of which there is continuall experience in all such as haue either woundes or aches or agues or feauers or the like to all such weakenesses or imperfections the humors of the Night are still most hurtfull and obnoxious And so much breifly what morally can be gathered by that which hath bin fabulously commented of Night That Sleepe could not fasten on the eyes of Iupiter it is intended not to bee conuenient for him that hath the charge protection of the whole Vniuerse to whose care and foresight the administration and guidance of all things are committed should so much as slumber or wincke at all neither doth the diuine Nature need any rest to repaire and comfort his troubled spirits when he is not capable of either labour or discommoditie And Lethe is called the sister of Somnus in regard that by our naturall repose wee for the time forget all paine anguish or trouble Because he comes to many creatures and at the same time he is said to be winged in regard the humor of the Night encreaseth the vapours of the stomach ascending to the higher parts of the body which after by the frigiditie of the braine descend againe lower and more coole by which Sleepe is begot hee is therefore not vnproperly called the sonne of Night which Night calls me now to rest with the finishing of this second booke called EVTERPE Explicit Lib. 2. THE THIRD BOOKE of Women inscribed THALIA Treating of Illustrious Queenes Famous Wiues Mothers Daughters c. Containing the Histories of sundry Noble Ladies GOrgias held opinion that Women were not to be honored according to their forme but their fame preferring actuall vertue before superficial beautie to incorage which in their sex funerall orations were allowed by the Roman Lawes to be celebrated for all such as had beene either presidents of a good and commendable life or otherwise illustrious for any noble or eminent action And therefore least the matrons or virgins in Rome the one should diuert from her stayed grauitie or the other from her virgins professed integritie the vse of Wine was not knowne amongst them for that woman was taxed with immodestie whose breath was knowne to smell of the grape Pliny in his naturall historie saith That Cato was of opinion That the vse of kissing first began betwixt kinsman and kinswoman howsoeuer neere allide or farre off onelie by that to know whether their wiues daughters or neeces had tasted any wine to this Iuuenall seemes to allude in these verses Paucae adeo cereris vittas contingere digna Quarum non time at pater oscula As if the father were iealous of his daughters continence if by kissing her he perceiued she had drunke wine But kissing and drinking both are now growne it seemes to a greater custome amongst vs than in those dayes with the Romans nor am I so austeare to forbid the vse of either both which though the one in surfets the other in adulteries may be abused by the vicious yet contrarilie at customarie meetings and laudable banquets they by the nobly disposed and such whose hearts are fixt vpon honour may be vsed with much modestie and continence But the purpose of my tractate is to exemplifie not to instruct to shew you presidents of vertue from others not to fashion any new imaginarie forme from my selfe and that setting so many statues of honour before your eyes of Beautie Noblenesse Magnanimitie Bountie Curtesie Modestie Temperance and whatsoeuer else in goodnes can be included each heroick and well disposed Ladie or woman lower degreed and vnderâ—qualified may out of all or some of these at least apprehend some one thing or other worthie imitation that as the best of Painters to â—â—law one exquiâ—it Veâ—us had set before him a hundred choise and selected beauties all naked to take from one an eye another a lippe a third a smile a fourth a hand and from each of them that speciall lineament in which she most excelled so hauing in these papers as many vertues exposed to your view as the Painter had beauties all left as naked to your eies you may make like vse of it draw from one a noble disposition bountie and curtesie the ornaments of great Ladies from others temperance sobrietie and gouernement things best beseeming matrons the married wiues coniugall loue and sinceritie the virgins chast life and puritie and euerie of you fashion her selfe as complete a woman for vertue as Apelles made vp the purtraiture of his goddesse for beautie I need not speake much of the worth of your sex since no man I thinke that remembers hee had a mother but honours it the renowne of which â—ome by their vertues haue as much
themselues thus merilie answered him Non capta afferimus fuerant quae capta relictis We bring with vs those that we could not find But all that we could catch we left behind Meaning that all such vermine as they could catch they cast away but what they could not take they brought along Which riddle when Homer could not vnfold it is sayd that for verie griefe hee ended his life This vnmatchable Poet whom no man regarded in his life yet when his workes were better considered of after his death hee had that honour that seuen famous citties contended about the place of his birth euerie one of them appropriating it vnto themselues Pindarus the Poet makes question whether he were of Chius or Smyrna Simonides affirmes him to be of Chius Antimachus and Nicander of Colophon Aristotle the Philosopher to bee of Iüs Ephorus the Historiographer that hee was of Cuma Some haue beene of opinion that he was borne in Salamine a cittie of Cipria others amongst the Argiues Aristarchus and Dyonisius Thrax deriue him from Athens c. But I may haue occasion to speake of him in a larger worke intituled The liues of all the Poets Moderne and Forreigne to which worke if it come once againe into my hands I shall refer you concluding him with this short Epitaph An Epitaph vpon Homer prince of Poets In Colophon some thinke thee Homer borne Some in faire Smyrna some in Iüs Isle Some with thy byrth rich Chius would adorne Others say Cuma first on thee did smile The Argiues lay claime to thee and aâ—er Thou art their countrie-man Aemus saies no. Strong Salamine sayth thou tookest life from her But Athens thou to her thy Muse dost owe As there first breathing Speake how then shall I Determine of thy countrie by my skill When Oracles would neuer I will trie And Homer wilt thou giue me leaue I will The spations Earth then for thy countrie chuse No mortall for thy mother but a Muse. Doris the sister of Nereus the Sea-god was by him stuprated of whome he begot the Nimphes called Nereides Ouid in his sixt booke Metamorph. telleth vs of Philomela daughter to Pandion king of Athens who was forced by Tereus king of Thrace the son of Mars and the Nimph Bistonides though he had before married her owne deere and naturall sister Progne the lamentable effects of which incest is by the same author elegantly and at large described as likewise Beblis the daughter of Miletus and Cyane who after she had sought the imbraces of her brother Caumus slew her selfe Mirrha daughter to Cyniras king of the Cyprians lay with her father and by him had the beautifull child Adonis Europa the mother and Pelopeia the daughter were both corrupted by Thyestes Hypermestra inioyed the companie of her brother for whom shee had long languished Menephron most barbarously frequented the bedde of his mother against whom Ouid in his Metamorph. and Quintianus in his Cleopol bitterly inueigh Domitius Calderinus puts vs in mind of the Concubine of Amintor who was inioied by his sonne Phaenix Rhodope the daughter of Hemon was married to her father which the gods willing to punish they were as the Poets feigne changed into the mountaines which still beare their names Caeleus reportes of one Policaste the mother of Perdix a hunts-man who was by him incestuously loued and after inioyed Lucan in his eight booke affirmes that Cleopatra was polluted by her own brother with whom she communicated her selfe as to a husband Nictimine was comprest by her father Nictus king of Aethiopia Martiall in his twelfe booke writing to Fabulla accuseth one Themison of incest with his sister Pliny lib. 28. cap. 2. speakes of two of the Vestalls Thusia and Copronda both conuicted of incest the one buried aliue the other strangled Publius Claudius was accused by M. Cicero of incest with his three sisters Sextus Aurelius writes that Agrippina the daughter of Germanicus had two children by her brother Claudius Caesar Cornelius Tacitus sayth that she often communicated her body with her owne sonne Nero in his cups and heat of wine he after commanded her wombe to be ripped vp that he might see the place where he had lien so long before his byrth and most deseruedly was it inflicted vpon the brutish mother though vnnaturally imposed by the inhuman sonne Aâ—silaena is worthily reprooued by Catullus for yeelding vp her body to the wanton imbraces of her vncle by whom shee had children Gidica the wife of Pomonius Laurentinus doted on her sonne Cominus euen to incest but by him refused she stangled her selfe The like did Phedra being dispised by her sonne Hippolitus Dosithaeus apud Plutarch speakes of Nugeria the wife of Hebius who contemned by her sonne in law Firmus prosecuted him with such violent and inueterate hate that she first solicited her owne sonnes to his murder but they abhorring the vilenesse of the fact she watcht him sleeping and so slew him Iohn Maletesta deprehending his wife in the armes of his brother Paulus Maletesta transpierst them both with his sword in the incestious action Cleopatra daughter to Dardanus king of the Scithyans and wife to Phinaeus was forced by her two sonnes in law for which fact their father caused their eyes to be plucked out Plutarch reports of Atossa that shee was doted on by Artaxerxes insomuch that after hee had long kept her as his strumpet against the lawes of Persia and of Greece to both which he violently opposed himselfe he made her his queene Curtius writes of one Sisimithres a Persian soldier that had two children by his mother Diogenian also speaking of Secundus the Philosopher saith that he vnawars to them both committed incest with his mother which after being made knowne to them she astonished with the horror of the fact immediately slew her selfe and he what with the sorrow for her death and brutishnesse of the deed vowed neuer after to speake word which he constantly performed to the last minute of his life Manlius in his common places reportes from the mouth of D. Martin Luther that this accident happened in Erphurst in Germanie There was saith he a maid of an honest familie that was seruant to a rich widdow who had a sonne that had many times importuned the gyrle to leaudnesse insomuch that shee had no other way to auoide his continuall suggestions but by acquainting the mother with the dissolut courses of the sonne The widdow considering with herselfe which was the best course to chide his libidinous purpose and diuert him from that leaud course plotted with the maid to giue him a seeming consent and to appoint him a place and time in the night of meeting at which he should haue the fruition of what he so long had sued for shee herselfe intending to supplie the place of her seruant to schoole her son and so preuent any inconuenience that might futurely happen The maid did according to her appointment the sonne with great ioy keepes his
would haue left their places and habitatious desolate they therefore demanded of the Oracle a remedie for so great a mischiefe which returnd them this answer That the plague should neuer cease till the young man Menalippus and the faire Cometho were slaine and offered in sacrifice to Dianae Tryclaria and the reason was because hee had strumpeted her in her Temple And notwithstanding their deaths vnlesse euery yeare at the same season a perfectly featured youth and a virgin of exquisite-beautie to expiate their transgression were likewise offered vpon the same altar the plague should still continue which was accordingly done and Menalyppus and the faire Cometho were the first dish that was serued vp to this bloody feast The same author speakes of the daughter of Aristodemus in this manner The Messenians and the Lacedemonians hauing continued a long and tedious warre to the great depopulation of both their nations those of Missene sent to know the euent of the Oracle at Delphos and to which partie the victorie would at length incline Answer is returned That they shall bee conquerors and the Lacedemonians haue the worst but vpon this condition To chuse out of the family of the Aepitidarians a virgin pure and vnblemisht and this damsel to sacrifice to Iupiter This Aristodemus hearing a Prince and one of the noblest of the familie of the Aepitidarians willing to gratifie his countrey chused out his onely daughter for immolation and sacrifice which a noble youth of that nation hearing surprised both with loue and pittie loue in hope to inioy her and pitty as grieuing she should bee so dismembred he thought rather to make shipwracke of her honour than her life since the one might bee by an after-truth restored but the other by no earthly mediation recouered And to this purpose presents himselfe before the altar openly attesting that she was by him with child and therefore not onely an vnlawfull but abhominable offering in the eyes of Iupiter No sooner was this charitable slander pronounced by the young man but the father more inraged at the losse of her honour now than before commiserating her death being full of wrath he vsurpes the office of the priest and with his sword hewes the poore innocent Lady to peeces But not many nights after this bloody execution the Idaea of his daughter bleeding and with all her wounds about her presented it selfe to him in his trouble and distracted sleepe with which being strangely mooued he conueighed himselfe to the tombe where his daughter lay buried and there with the same sword slew himselfe Herodotus in Euterpe speakes of one Pheretrina queene of the Baccaeans a woman of a most inhumane crueltie she was for her tyranny strooke by the hand of heauen her liuing body eaten with wormes and lice and in that languishing misery gaue vp the ghost Propert. in his third book speaks of one Dyrce who much grieued that her husband Lycus was surprised with the loue of one Antiopa caused her to be bound to the horns of a mad bull but her two sonnes Zethus and Amphion comming instantly at the noyse of her lowd acclamation they released her from the present danger and in reuenge of the iniurie offered to their mother fastned Dyrce to the same place who after much affright and many pittifull and deadly wounds expired Consinge was the queene of Bithinia and wife to Nicomedes whose gesture and behauiour appearing too wanton and libidinous in the eyes of her husband hee caused her to be woorried by his owne dogges Plin. lib. 7. Pyrene the daughter to Bebrix was comprest by Hercules in the mountaines that diuide Italy from Spaine she was after torne in pieces by wild beasts they were cald of her Montes Pyreneae i. The Pyrenean mountaines Antipater Tarcenses apud Vollateran speakes of one Gatis a queene of Syria who was cast aliue into a moate amongst fishes and by them deuoured she was likewise called Atergatis Sygambis was the mother of Darius king of Persia as Quintus Curtius in his fourth booke relates she dyed vpon a vowed abstinence for being taken prisoner by Alexander yet nobly vsed by him whether tyred with the continuall labour of her iourney or more afflicted with the disease of the mind it is not certaine but falling betwixt the armes of her two daughters after fiue dayes abstinence from meate drinke and light she expired Semele the mother of Bacchus a Theban Lady and of the royall race of Cadmus perisht by thunder Pliny in his second booke writes of one Martia great with child who was strooke with thunder but the infant in her wombe strooke dead onely shee her selfe not suffering any other hurt or dammage in which place he remembers one Marcus Herennius a Decurion who in a bright cleare day when there appeared in the sky no signe of storme or tempest was slaine by a thunderclappe Pausanius apud Vollateran saith that Helena after the death of her husband Menelaus being banished into Rhodes by Megapenthus and Nicostratus the sonnes of Orestes came for rescue to Polyzo the wife of Pleopolemus who being iealous of too much familiaritie betwixt her and her husband caused her to be strangled in a bath others write of her that growing old and seeing her haires growne gray that face growne wythered whose lustre had beene the death of so many hundered thousands shee caused her glasse to be broken and in despaire strangled herselfe The like Caelius lib. 6. cap. 15. remembers vs of one Acco a proude woman in her youth and growne decrepid through age finding her brow to be furrowed and the fresh colour in her checkes quite decayed grew with the conceit thereof into a strange frenzie some write that she vsed to talke familiarly to her owne image in the Mirhor sometimes smile vpon it then againe menace it promise to it or slatter it as it came into her fancie in the end with meere apprehension that she was growne old and her beautie faded shee fell into a languishing and so died Iocasta the incestuous mother to Aeteocles and Polynices beholding her two sonnes perish by mutuall wounds strooke with the terrour of a deede so facinorous instantly slew her selfe So Bisaltia a mayd dispised by Calphurnius Crassus into whose hands she had betraide the life of her father and freedome of her countrie fell vpon a sword and so perished Zoe the Emperesse with her husband Constantius Monachus both about one time died of the Pestilence Gregorius Turonensis writes of one Austrigilda a famous Queene who died of a disease called Disenteria which is a flux or wringing of the bowells Of the same griefe died Sausones sonne to Chilperick Serena the wife of Dioclesian for verie griefe that so much Martyres blood was spilt by her husbands remorseles tyrannie fell into a feauer and so died Glausinda daughter to the king of the Gothes
and wife to Athanagildus was slaine by Chilperick the sonne of Clotharius at the instigation of his strumpet Fredegunda so saith Volateranus Sextus Aurelius writes that the Emperour Constantius sonne to Constantius and Helena caused his wife Fausta by whose instigation he had slaine his sonne Crispus to die in an hot scalding bath Herodotus speakes of Lysides otherwise called Melissa the wife of Periander who at the suggestion of a strumpet caused her to be slaine which makes Sabellicus amongst others to wonder why for that deede onely he should be numbered amongst the seuen wise men of Greece Marcus Cecilius in his seuen and twentieth booke vpon Pliny accuseth Calphurnius Bestia for poysoning his wiues sleeping Plinie in his fourteenth booke nominates one Egnacius Melentinus who slew his wife for no other cause but that shee had drunke wine and was acquited of the murder by Romulus Auctoclea the daughter of Sinon and wife of Laertes king of Ithaca when by a false messenger she heard her sonne Vlysses was slaine at the siege of Troy suddenly fell downe and died The mother of Antista seeing her daughter forsaken by Pompey the great and Aemilia receiued in her stead ouercome with griefe slew her selfe Perimele a damosell was vitiated by Achelous which her father Hyppodomus tooke in such indignation that from an high promontorie he cast her headlong downe into the Sea Hyppomanes a prince of Athens deprehending his daughter Lymone in adulterie shut her vp in a place with a fierce and cruell horse but left no kind of food for one or the other in so much that the horse opprest with hunger deuoured her hence came that Adage fathered vpon Diogineanus More cruell than Hyppomanes Gregorius Turonensis remembers one Deuteria fearing least her yong daughter now grown ripe and marriageable who might bee deflowred by the king Theodebertus cast her headlong into the riuer that runs by the citie Viridunum where she was drowned Orchamus finding his daughter Leucothoe to be vitiated by Appollo caused her to be buryed aliue Lucilla the daughter of Marcus Antonius and Fausta as Herodian reports was slaine by the hand of her brother Commodus against whom she had before made a coniuration Lychione the daughter of Dedalion because she durst compare hirself with Diana was by the goddesse wounded to death with an arrow at the celebration of whose exequies when her body was to be burnt her father likewise cast himselfe into the fire Hylonome the shee Centaur seeing her husband Cillarius slaine in the battaile betwixt the Centaurs and the Lapithes fell vpon his sword and so expired Anmianus and Marcellus lib. 16. haue left recorded that Mithridates king of Pontus being ouercome in battaile by Pompey committed his daughter Dyraptis to the safe custodie of the Eunuch Menophilus to bee kept in a strong Cittadell called Syntiarium which when Manutius Priscus had straitly besieged and the Eunuch perceiued the defenders of the Castle dismaide and readie to submit themselues and giue vp the fort hee drew out his sword and slew her rather than she should be made a captiue to the Roman Generall Sextus Aurelius writes of the Empresse of Sabina the wife of Adrian who hauing suffered from him many grosse and seruile iniuries gaue her selfe vp to a voluntarie death when shee considered shee had supported so inhumane a tyrant and such a contagious pest to the common weale Pontus de Fortuna speakes of a Virgin amongst the Salattines called Neaera who greeuing that a yong man to whom shee was betrothed had forsaken her and made choice of another caused her vaines to be opened and bled to death Cleopatra after the death of Anthony least shee should bee presented as a captiue to grace the triumphs of Augustus gaue her arme to the byting of an Aspe of which shee died for in that manner was her picture presented in Rome of whom Propertius lib. 3. thus speakes Brachia spectaui sacris admorsa colubris Neaera and Charmione were the two handmaides of Cleopatra These as Plutarch others report of them would by no persuasion suruiue their queen and misteresse who perceiuing as they were gasping betwixt life and death the crowne to be falne from the temples of their dead Ladie raised themselues from the Earth with the small strength they had left and placed it right againe on her fore-head that shee might the better become her death which they had no sooner done but they both instantly fell downe and breathed their last an argument of an vnmatchable zeale to the princesse their Ladie Monima Miletia and Veronica Chia were the wiues of Mithridates who vnderstanding of his tragicall fall and miserable end gaue vp their liues into the hands of the Eunuch Bochides Monima first hanged her selfe but the weight of her bodie breaking the cord she grew somewhat recouered and fell into this acclamation O execrable power of a diadem whose command euen in this small sad seruice I cannot vse which words were no sooner spoke but she offered her throate to the sword of the Eunuch who instantly dispatched her both of life and torment Veronica dranke off a chalice of wine tempered with poyson which dispersing into her vaines and keeping her in a languishing torment her death was likewise hastned by the Eunuch Bochides A strange madnesse possest the Virgins of Milesia these as Aelianus and others haue writ gaue themseues vp to voluntarie deaths many or the most strangling themselues this grew so common amongst them that scarce one day past in which some one or other of them were not found dead in their chambers To remedie which mischiefe the Senators of the citie made a decree That what maide soeuer should after that time lay violent hands vpon her selfe the body so found dead should be stript naked and in publike view dragd through the streetes freely exposed to the eyes of all men The impression of which shame more preuailing than the terrour of death none was euer after knowne to commit the like outrage vpon themselues Phaedra the steppe-mother to Hyppolitus her son in law and wife of Theseus when shee could not corrupt the yong man her son in law to make incestuous the bed of his father despairing hung her selfe yet before her death she writ certain letters in which she accused Hippolitus to his father of incest which after prooued the speedie cause of his death Amongst many strange deaths these of two mothers are not the least remarkable most strange it is that sudden ioy should haue as much power to suffocate the spirits as the power of lightning The rumor of the great slaughter at the Lake of Thrasimenes being published one woman when beyond all hope she met her sonne at the cittie gate safely returned from the generall defeates cast herselfe into his armes where in that extasie of ioy shee instantly expired Another hearing her sonne
alwayes can the purple violet smell Or Lillies bloome in whitenesse that excell The fragrant rose whose beautie we desire The leaues once falne shewes but a naked brire O thou most faire white heires come on apace And wrinckled furrowes which shall plow thy face So likewise Petronius Arbiter in one of his Satyres Quod solum formae decus est cecidere Capillae The onely beautie of her shape her haire Fell from her head her beautie to impaire Summer succeedes the Spring her Autumne chaceth And them sad Winter with his snow disgraceth Deceitfull Nature all these youthfull ioyes Thou gau'st vs first thou art the first destroyes Now the fruits and effects of this fraile beautie especially where a faire face meeteth with a corrupted mind I will next shew you by historie Achab by the persuasion of his faire wife Iesabell was the death of many of the Prophets of the Lord. Dalila was the confusion of Sampson the Strong Strange women brought Salomon the Wise to Idolatrie and to forget God Ioram a king of Israell at the instigation of Athalia committed many horrible outrages Helena's beautie was the occasion of that infinite slaughter betwixt the Greekes and Troians Pelops succeeding in the kingdome of Phrygia made warre vpon Oenomaus the father of Hyppodamia because being surprised with her beautie she was denyde him in marriage Another Hyppodamia the wife of Perithous was the occasion of that great Centauromachia or battaiâ—e betwixt the Centaures and the Lapithes for which Propertius calls her Ischomache of the greeke word Isco which signifieth Habeo and Mache Pugna his words are these Qualis Iscomache Lapithae genus Heroinae Centauris medio grata rapina mero Such as Iscomache that was Of the Lapythaean line She whom the Centaures would haue rapt Amidst their cups of wine Pericles for his loue to Aspasia made warre against the Samians For Chrisaeis the daughter of Chrises Priest to Apollo vitiated by Agamemnon a plague was sent amongst the Greekish host which ceased not till she was returned backe to her father for so writes Tortellius Lauiniaes beautie the daughter of King Latinus and the Queene Amata was cause of the combustion betwixt Turnus and Aeneas so saith Pontanus lib. 4. de Stellis Lysimachus the sonne of Agathocles poysoned his owne sonne Agathocles by whose fortunate hand he had receiued the honour and benefit of many glorious victories at the instigation of his wife Arsinoe the sister of Ptoloâ—teus Vollateran Iphis a youth of exquisite feature strangled himselfe because he was despised by the faire but cruell Anaxarite Archilâ—â—us king of Macedon was slaine by a young man called Crateua because hauing first promised him his faire daughter he after bestowed her vpon another The Poet Archilocus called Iambographus because Lycambes denyde him his daughter in marriage writes against him such bitter Iambicks that hee despaired and hanged himselfe therefore Ouid thus writes Post modo si perges in te mihi liber Iambus Tincta Licambaeo sanguiâ—e tela dabit If thou pursu'st me still my booke Iust vengeance shall implore And in Lambickes weapons yeeld Dipt in Lycambes gore Iustine in his 27 booke relates That Seleneus Callinicus king of Syria for exiling Berenice his steppe-mother sister to Ptolomaeus was by the same Ptolomaeus inuaded and prosecuted by armes Deiphebus after the death of Paris hauing marryed Hellen to which infortunate match her beautie had inuited him was by her treacherie not onely murdered but his body hackt and mangled being almost made one vniuersall wound Tortellius reports of one Euander the nephew of Pallas king of the Arcadians at the persuasion of his mother Nicostrate slew his owne father Orestes the sonne of Agamemum slew Pyrrhus the sonne of Achilles being surprised with the beautie of Hermione daughter to Menalâ—us and Helena Pteleras king of the Thebans was slaine by king Craeon being betrayde by his owne Polydices Cleopatra was the cause of that bloody warre betwixt Ptolomaeus Philopaser and her owne father Alexander king of Syria Idas and Lyncaeus the sons of Aphareus and Arbarne fought a great battaile neere to Sparta about the two faire daughters of Leucippus Phebe and Ilaira against Castor and Pollux both which were slaine in that battaile and perisht not by shipwracke as some write in the pursuite of Paris by sea for the rape of their sister Hellen Liuie lib. 36. writes of Antiochus who warring against Rome was so taken with the beautie of a Chalcidonian damsell that neglecting all warlike discipline to spend his time in dalliance with his wanton hee became a shamefull and dishonourable prey to the enemy Octauia the sister of Augustus being repudiated by Anthony was the occasion of a ciuill and intestine war The Poet Lucretius growing mad for the loue of a faire damsell dranke poyson and so dyed Tullia incited Tarquinius Superbus to kill her owne father Seruius Tullius Martia the strumpet caused Autonius Commodus the Emperour whose Concubine she was to bee slaine by a souldiour with whom shee had many times had lustfull congression Tytus Corrancanus being sent on embassie to Teuca queene of the Illyrians because hee spake to her freelie and boldlie she caused him to be put to death against the lawes of kingdomes and nations Liuius and Florus Vollateranus writes of one Rhodoricus king of the Gothes who because he stuprated the daughter of Iulianus who was Prefect in the Prouince of Tingitana the father of the rauisht virgin brought in the Moores and raised a warre which before it was ended was the death of seauen hundred thousand men Chilpericus the sonne of Clotharius was slaine by the instigation of his wife Fridegunda in his returne from hunting Luchinus a Count of Italy warred vpon Vgolinus Gonzaga because hee had adulterated his faire wife Isabella Vollateran Otratus king of Bohemia accused of sloath and cowardise by his wife Margarita for entering league with Rodulphus Caesar raised warre betwixt them in which her husband was defeated Gandulphus the Martyr for but counselling his wife to a more chast and temperate life was murdered betwixt her and the adulterer Of warres and many other mischiefes of which faire women haue beene the originall Ouid elegantly deliuers in 2 Eleg. thus concluding Vidi ego pro â—iuea pugnantes coniâ—ge tauros Spectatrix animos ipsa innenca dabat For a white heyfer I haue seene bulls sight Both gathering rage and courage from her sight At the building of Rome Romulus to people the cittie and get wiues for his souldiers caused them to rauish the Sabine women and damsells for which warre grew betwixt the two nations Of which Proper lib. 2. Cur exempla petam Gracum Tu criminis auâ—hâ—r Nutribus duro Romule lacte lupae c. What neede I from the Greekes examples aske Thou Romulus by a fell she-wolfe nurst To rape the Sabines
they could not be forced with their rude feet to leaue the least character of violence vpon limbes so faire and exquisitely fashioned The same Author remembers vs of Seritha and Signis the first a virgin of incomparable splendor to whom one Otharus was a robustious suitor the other was the daughter of one Sygarus who paralleld the first and was importunately sollicited by Hyldegislaeus Teutonicus Bryseis was so faire that she endeered vnto her loue the noblest of the Greekes Achilles who though she was but his damosell or handmaid yet he was enamored of her aboue all his other women of whom Horace Prius Insolentem Serua Bryseis niueo colore Mouit Achillem His maid Bryseis with her colour white Insolent Achilles mooued to delight Of her Ouid likewise speakes lib. 2. de Arte Amandi Fecit vt in capta Lyrneside magnus Achilles Cum premeret mollem lassus ab hoste torum This great Achilles of his Loue desired When with the slaughter of his enemies tyred He doff'd his Cushes and vnarm'd his head To tumble with her on a soft day-bed It did reioyce Bryseis to embrace His bruised armes and kisse his bloud-stain'd face Those hands which he so often did imbrew In bloud of warlike Troians whom he slew Were now imploy'd to tickle touch and feele And shake a Lance that had no point of steele Thargelia Milesia was of that excellent aspect that as Hyppias the Sophist testifies of her shee was marryed by course to foureteene seuerall husbands for so he writes in a Treatise entituled De inscripta Congregatione in which besides her character of beautie he giues her a worthie attribute for her wisedome in these words Perpulcra sapiens Anutis was the wife of a noble person called Bogazus and sister to Xerxes by the fathers side Shee as Dinon writes in his Persicke historie in the chapter entituled De prima Coordinatione in these words Haec vt pulcherrima fuit omnium mulierum quae fuerant in Asia c. Shee saith hee as shee was the fairest of all women in Asia so of them all shee was the most intemperate Timosa as Philarchus in his Lib. 19. contends was the mistresse of Oxiartes who in the accomplishments of nature anteceded all of her age shee was for her beautie thought worthie to be sent as a present from the king of Aegypt to the most excellent queene of king Statyra but rather for a wonder of nature than a president of chastitie Theopompus in his fiftie sixth booke of Historie records That Zenopithia the mother of Lysandrides was the fairest of all the women in Peloponnesus Shee with her sister Chryse were slaine by the Lacedemonians at the time when Agesilaus in an vprore and mutinous sedition raysed gaue command That Lysandrides as his publike enemie should be banished from Lacedemon Patica Cipria was borne in Cyprus Philarchus remembers her in his tenth booke of Historie Shee attending vpon Olympias the mother of Alexander was demanded in marriage by one Moâ—imus the sonne of Pythioa But the Queene obseruing her to be of more beautie in face than temperance in carriage O vnhappie man said shee that chusest a wife by the eye not by counsaile by her beautie and not behauior Violentilla was the wife of the Poet Stella shee for all accomplishments was much celebrated by Statius of her Lib. 1. Syll. he thus speakes At tu pulcherrima forma Italidum tandem casto possessa marito Thou of our Latium Dames the fair'st and best Of thy chast husband art at length possest Agarista as Herodotus calls her was the daughter of Clisthenes the Syconian shee was of that vnexpressable forme that her beautie attracted suitors from all parts of Greece amongst whom Hypocledes the sonne of Tisander is numbred From Italie came Smyndrides Sibarites Syritanus and Damnasus From the coast of Ionia Amphimnestrus Epidamnius Aetolus and Meges From Peloponnesus Leocides Amianthus Archas Heleus Laphanes Phidon son to the king of the Argiues From Attica Megacles the son of Alâ—menon From Etruria Lysanius From Thessalie Diacrides and Cranomius From Molossus Alcon in number 20. These came into Greece to expresse themselues in many noble contentions because Clistthines the son of Aristonius and father of Agarista had made proclamation that he only should inioy the Virgin who could best expresse himself in noble action and valour Hyppodamia was daughter to Oenemaus king of Aelis and of such attractiue beautie that she likewise drew many princely suitors to her fathers court though to the most certain danger of their liues Caelius writes that Marmax was the first that contended with her in the charriot race and failing in his course was slaine by the tyrant the Mares with which hee ran as some write were called Parthenia and Eripha whose throats Oenemaus caused to be cut and after buried After him perished in the same manner Alcathus the son of Parthaon Eurialus Eurimacus Crotalus Acrius of Lacedemon Capetus Licurgus Lasius Chalcodas Tricolonus Aristomachus Prias Pelagus Aeolius Chromius and Eritheus the son of Leucon Amongst these are numbered Merimnes Hypotous Pelops Opontius Acaruan Eurilachus Antomedon Lasius Chalcon Tricâ—ronus Alcathus Aristomachus and Crocâ—lus Sisigambis as Q. Curtius relates was inferiour to no ladie that liued in her age yet notwithstandig Alexander the Great hauing ouercome her husband Darius in battaile was of that continence that he onely attempted not to violate her chastitie but became her guardian and protected her from all the iniuries that might haue beene done to a captiue Plutarch writes of a Roman Ladie called Praecia of that excellent shape and admired feature as she indeered Cethegus vnto her so farre that he enterprised no dissigne or managed any affiaire without the aduise and approbation of the beautifull Praâ—cia So precious likewise was the faire Roxana in the eies of Alexander that hauing subdued all the Easterne kingdomes and being Lord of the world yet from being the daughter of a mercinarie souldier and a Barbarian he tooke her into his bosome and crowned her with the Imperiall Diademe Aegina the daughter of Aesopus king of Boetia for her excellent pulchritude was beloued of Iupiter of whom Ouid Aureus in Danaen Aesopida luseritignis In Gold faire Danae had her full desire But with th'Aesopian Girle he play'd in fire So likewise Antiopa the daughter of Nycteis and wife of Lycus king of Thebes was for the rarenesse of her forme comprest by him of whom hee begot Zethus and Amphion O what a power is in this beautie It made the Cyclops Poliphemus turne Poet who as Ouid in his Lib. 13. thus writes in the prayse of his mistresse Galataea Candidior folio niuei Galataea ligustri c. Oh Galataea thou art whiter farre Than leaues of Lillies not greene Medowes are More flourishing thy stature doth appeare Straighter than th'Elmes than Glasse thou art
beautie more pleasing him than any of his choise damosells selected out of his many prouinces in so much that he hastned the marriage which was with no small pompe according to the manner of the Persians Nitetis lying in the kings bosome and knowing how much she was indeered to him as now not casting his eye or affection vpon any other began to call to remembrance her fathers death and what a plaine and smooth way lay open to her to be reuenged on him that slew him and forgetting the honors she had receiued by Amasaes meanes in preferring her to be quenne of Persia not rating that good equal with the ill she receiued in the shedding of her fathers blood she opened to Cambises all the whole imposture withall importuned him to reuenge the death of her father Aprias The king as much pleased with her plaine and seeming simplicitie as incensed with so great an iniurie done to him by Amasa as well to reuenge her father as his owne wrongs with an inuincible armie inuaded Aegypt Dinon in his booke of the Persian Historie and Lynceas Naucratica in his Aegyptian Historie they agree that Nitetis was sent to Cyrus and that by him shee was the mother of Cambyses and that after the death of Cyrus the Armie with which he went against Amasa and inuaded Aegypt was to reuenge the wrongs of a mother and not a wife Bersane SHe as Curtius and Gellius both assent was the widdow of one Damascus of that singular aspect that Alexander the great became enamoured of her aboue all other so that when neither the rare beautie of Darius his wife and daughters could tempt him nor the whorish blandishments of Thais and others corrupt him indeede where his modestie and temperance is preferred before many other princes almost all yet with her he was intangled For those that write of him affirme that he was neuer knowne to enter into the familiar embraces of any saue his owne wife and this Bersane whom he made one of the Queenes women It is not to be questioned but that Berseba shee was a goodly faire woman and of extraordinarie feature which pierced so deepe into the brest of that most wise king and prophet Dauid that all religion and sanctitie set apart he for her loue committed the two most heinous and horrible sinnes of adulterie and murder for he caused her husband Vriah to be slaine and after married her a great blemish to his former holinesse of whom Strozza Pater thus writes Ille sacri vates operis Iesseia proles Praefecit populo quem Deus ipse suo Bersabeae captus forma The Psalmist borne of the Iesseian Line The famous Author of that worke Diuine Whom God made Ruler o're his people he Dotes on the feature of faire Bersabe Lycaste one of the daughters of Priam was faire aboue measure insomuch that Polydamus the sonne of Anthenor whom hee begot of Theano the sister of Hecuba of a Concubine made her his wife There was another Lycaste that we reade of who for her perfection in all degrees of comelinesse had the name of Venus bestowed vpon her The wife of Candaules THis Candaules whom the Grecians call Myrsilus was king of the Sardians and descended from Alcaeus the sonne of Hercules hauing a wife whom he affectionately loued and therefore iudging her to be the fairest of women could not containe his pleasures but comming to one Gyges the sonne of Dascylus a seruant of his to whom hee vouchsafed his greatest familiaritie hee to him extolls the beautie of his wife aboue measure and because sayth hee I would haue thee truly know that she is no otherwise than I haue reported her and that mens eares naturally are more incredulous than their eyes I will deuise a meanes that thou shalt see her naked To whom Gyges replyde O royall sir What words be these you speake that which rather sauours of a man distract than well counsailed and aduised women that put off their garments with them put off their modestie therefore it was well determined and proâ—ided by our fathers wherein they proposed vnto vs honest rules and examples among which this was one That euerie man should haue inspection into his owne and guide himselfe by that compasse I verily beleeue she is matchlesse aboue all other women and deseruedly to merit that character you haue giuen her but withall I beseech you that you will not persuade me to any thing which is not lawfull At these words the king seemed to be displeased and replyde Be confident ô Gyges and neyther distrust me in so persuading thee nor my wife who is altogether ignorant of what I intend since from neyther of vs any damage or detriment no not so much as the least displeasure can arise for first I haue deuised that she shall not know nor once suspect that thou hast beheld her for I will order it that thou shalt be secretly conueyed into the chamber and vnseene behold euerie passage of her making vnreadie and comming to bed Now when thou hast freely surueyed her in euerie part and lineament and spyest her backe towards thee conuey thy selfe out of the roome onely in this be carefull that at thy remoouing shee cast no eye vpon thee This done the next morning giue me thy free and true censure Gyges that could by no meanes auoid his importunitie was prepared against the time The king according to his accustomed houre conueyes himselfe into his câ—aâ—ber and so to bed the queene soone after entring despoyles her selfe of all 〈◊〉 vesture and ornaments euen to her nakednesse all which Gyges was spectator of who no sooner spyed her backe turned to goe towards bed but Gyges ships from the place where he was hid which was not so cunningly done but he was espyed by the queene shee demanding the reason of it from her husband and â—â—â—â—ertifying the truth but with what modestie he could excusing it she neyther seemed to be angry nor altogether well pleased but in her silence meditated reuenge for amongst the Lydians and almost all those barbarous nations it is held great inciuilitie and immodestie to behold a man much more a woman naked The next morning by such seruants as she best trusted she caused Gyges to be sent for who misdoubting nothing that had past as one that had many times free accesse vnto her instantly came she causing her seruants to withdraw themselues thus bespake him Two wayes are proposed thee ô Gyges and one of them instantly and without least premeditation to make choyse of Eyther thou must kill Candaules and that done be possest of me and with me the Crowne of Lydia or instantly dye for thy doome is alreadie determined of because thou shalt know that in all things it is not conuenient to obey the king or search into that which thou oughtest not to know There is now a necessitie that eyther hee that counsailed thee to this must perish or thou that obeyedst him
against all Law or Iustice to behold me against reason or modestie naked Gyges at these words was first wonderously amazed but after recollecting himselfe entreated her not to compell him to so hard an exigent as to the choyse of eyther But finding that necessitie that he must be forced to one or the other to kill the king or to be slaine by others he rather made choyse to suruiue and let the other perish and thus answered her Since generous Ladie you vrge me to an enterprise so much opposite to my milder nature and disposition propose some safe course how this may be done Euen sayth she in the selfe-same place where he deuised this mischiefe against himselfe namely his bed-chamber where to thee I was first discouered Therefore prouiding all things necessarie for so determinate a purpose and the night comming on Gyges who knew no euasion but to kill his maister or dye himselfe awaited his best aduantage and hauing notice when Candaules was asleepe followed the queene into her chamber and with a Ponyard by her prouided for the purpose stabbed him to the heart by which hee attayned both the queene and kingdome Of this historie Archilochus Parius makes mention in his Iambicks who liued about the same time affirming That Gyges was by the Oracle of Delphos confirmed in the kingdome after the Faction of the Heraclides had opposed his soueraigntie Rowan and Estrilda ROwan was a maid of wonderfull beautie and pleasantnesse daughter to Hengest a captaine of the Saxons Of this Ladie Vortiger then king grew so enamored that for her sake hee was diuorced from his wife by whom hee had three sonnes for which deed the greatest part of the Brittaines forsooke him therefore hee by the instigation of Rowan still caused more and more Saxons to be sent for vnder pretence to keepe the Land in subiection But the Brittaines considering the dayly repayre of the Saxons came to the King and told him the danger that might ensue entreating him whilest it waâ— yet time and to preuent a future miserie to expell them the Land But all in â—aine for Vortiger was so besotted in the beautie of his faire wife by whose counsaile he was altogether swayed that he would in no wise listen to the counsaile of his subiects Wherefore they with one vnited consent depriued him of his Crowne and dignitie making Vortimerus his eldest sonne king in his stead Who was no sooner crowned but with all expedition he raysed an armie and pursued the Saxons and in foure maine battailes besides conflicts and skirmishes became victorious ouer them The Saxons and their insolencies thus supâ—â—est and the king now gouerning the Land in peace after he had reigned seuâ—â— yeeres was by this Rowan in reuenge of the disgrace done to her king deposed and her countreymen disgraced most trecherously poysoned Locrin the eldest sonne of Brute chased the Hunnes which inuaded the realme of England and so hotely pursued them that many of them with their king were drowned in a riuer which parteth England and Scotland and after the name of the king of the Hunnes who there perished the riuer is to this day called Humbar This king Locrin had to wife â—â—â—â—doline a daughter of Coriâ—eus duke of Cornwall by whom he had a sonne calâ—â—d Madâ—n He kept also a Paramour called the beautifull Ladie Estrilda by whom hee had a daughter called Sabrina Locrine after the death of Corineus of whom he stood in awe diuorsed himselfe from his lawfull wife and tooke to his embraces his faire concubine mooued with this iniurie Guendoline retired herselfe into Cornewall where she gathered a great power fought with her husband slew him in battaile and after caused him to be buried in Troy-nouant That done she caused the faire Estrilda with her daughter Sabrina to be drowned in a riuer that which parts England and Wales which still beares the name of the yong Virgin and is called Seuerne These her dessignes accomplished for so much as Madun her yong sonne was but in his pupillage and not of capacitie or age to gouerne the Land by the common sufferage of all the Brittons she was made Protectoresse and Ladie Regent of the kingdome which to the comfort of the subiects and the weale of the kingdome she discreetly gouerned for the space of fifteene yeares and therefore her memorie might fitly haue beene rancked amongst the most Illustrious women Her sonne comming to age and yeares of discretion shee to him resigned the Scepter The Faire ladie of Norwich ANd now because wee traffique altogether with Historie it shall not bee amisse sometimes to mingle Seria Iocis as shall appeare by this discourse which I haue often heard related A knight both of same and memorie and whose name is still vpon record beeing eminent and of note with Henrie the fift as personally with him in all the warres in France after the king had both conquered and quieted the Land this noble Englishman retyred himselfe into his countrey He had a Ladie that was of such beautie that she attracted the eyes of all beholders with no common admiration in briefe I cannot speake of her feature sufficiently as being farre beyond the compasse of my penne and therefore I put her into the number of my Faire ones This ladie with her husband residing in the cittie of Norwich He after so many troubles and torments purposed a more sequestred life and next the solace he had in the beautie and vertues of his wife to take a course meerely contemplatiue and thought out of the aboundance of his wealth to doe some pious deeds for the good of his soule hee therefore erected in the cittie and neere to the place where his house stood a goodly Church at his owne charge and betwixt them a Religous house that entertained twelue Friers and an Abbot allowing them demeanes competent for so small a brother-hood In this couent there were two Frier Iohn and Frier Richard these were still at continuall enmitie and especiall notice taken of it amongst the rest which by no mediation could be truely reconciled but omitting that it was custome of the knight and his ladie dayly to rise to morning Mattins and she being affable and courteous to all it bred a strange inciuile boldnesse in Frier Iohn for she neuer came through the cloyster but he was still with duckes and cringes attending her which she suspecting nothing simply with modest smiles returned thankes to him againe which grew so palpable in the Frier that as farre as they durst it was whispered in the couent Briefly after these incouragements as he constered them it bred in him that impudencie that he presumed to write a letter to her in which he layde open a great deale of more than necessarie loue This letter with great difficultie came to her hand at which the ladie astonished as not dreaming that such leaudnesse should come from one that professed chastitie and not knowing whether it might be a tricke
the daughters of Thestor Chiâ—ne otherwise called Philonide the daughter of Dedalion Coramis the daughter of Phlegia adulterated by Apollo Nictimine comprest by her father Epopeus The very Index or Catalogue of whose names onely without their histories would aske a Volume For their number I will referre you to Ouid in his first booke de Arte amandi Gargarae quot segetes c. Thicke as ripe eares in the Gargarian fields As many greene boughes as Methimna yeelds Fish Fowle or Starres in Sea Ayre Heauen there bee So many prettie wenches Rome in thee Aenas mother is still lou'd and fear'd In that great citie which her sonne first rear'd If onely in young girles thou do'st reioyce There 's scarce one house but it affoords thee choyse If in new-marryed wiues but walke the street And in one day thou shalt with thousands meet Or if in riper yeeres but looke before Where ere thou go'st thou shalt find Matrons store If then one citie and at one time could affoord such multiplicitie of all ages and degrees how many by that computation may we reckon from the beginning amongst all the nations of the world I doubt not then but this draught of water fetcht from so vast a Fountaine may at least coole the pallate if not quench the thirst of the insatiat Reader Manto ZEbalia a man whose byrth ranked him in the file of nobilitie beeing imployed vpon seruice in the Turkish warres brought with him his most estimated and greatest treasure his deerest spouse stiled Manto But he dying in the crimson bed of honour the sinister hand of warre gaue her into the captiuitie of Bassa Ionuses who beholding with admiration a creature of so diuine a feature was though her conqueror taken captiue by her beautie who hauing put her vertue to the Test found it to paralell if not out-shine her forme Wherefore being couetous to engrosse so rich a bootie to himselfe he tooke her to wife bestowing on her a more honorable respect than on his other wiues and concubines and she likewise endeuored to meet his affection with an answerable obseruance and obedience This feruent and mutuall loue continued long inuiolate betwixt them insomuch that they were no lesse honoured for their eminence of state than remarkable for their coniugall affection but that cursed fiend Iealousie enuying at their admired sympathie straight vsurpes the throne of reason and sits a predominant tyrant in his fantastike braine for he grew so strangely iealous that he thought some one or other to corriuall him but yet knew not whom to taint with any iust suspition nay hee would confesse that he had not catcht the least sparke of loosenesse from her that might thus fire this beacon of distraction in him Briefly his wife as beautifull in minde as feature wearied with his daily peeuish humors and seeing all her studies aymed at his sole content were entertained with neglect and insolent scorne she resolued to leaue him and secretly to flie into her natiue countrey to further which she vnlockes this her secret intent to an Eunuch of the Bassaes giuing him withall certaine letters to deliuer to some friends of hers whom she purposed to vse as agents in the furtherance of her escape but he proouing treacherous in the trust committed to his charge betrayde her to her husband showing her letters as testimonies to his allegations The Bassa at this discouerie swolne big with rage called her before him whom in his disperate furie he immediately stabbed with his dagger thus with the cause of iealousie taking away the effect But this bloodie deed somewhat loosened him in the peoples hearts where he before grew deepely and fast rooted nor did he out-run Vengance for at the last her leaden feet ouertooke him and in this manner Selymus the first at his departure from Caire his souldiers whom he there lefe in garrison made suit vnto his highnes That in consideration of the great labours they had alreadie vndergone together with the many dangers they were hourely in expectation of that their wages might be inlarged which he granted and withall gaue this Bassa Ionuses the charge to see the performance thereof At last the pay-day came but their hopes proouing abortiue the souldiers mutined to coniure downe which spirit of insurrection messengers are dispatched to the Emperour to certifie him of the neglectiue abuse of his royall word and feare of sedition this newes ouertooke him at Larissa in Iudea Selymus inraged at this relation sends for Bassa Ionuses and examines the cause of his neglect in such and so weightie a charge Ionuses somewhat abashed as beeing conscious yet withall high-spirited gaue the Emperour a peremptorie answer at which being mightily incenced hee commanded his head to be cut off which was forthwith done and thus iustice suffered not innocent Manto to die vnreuenged The wife of Agetus the Lacedemonian HErodotus Lib. 6. thus writes of this Ladie the daughter of Alcydes the Spartan first wife of Agetus and after to the king Ariston She of the most deformed infant became the excellentest amongst women Her nurse to whose keeping she was giuen for the parents were asham'd of their Issue went with her euerie day to the Temple of Helena which stands in Therapne neere to the Church of Apollo and kneeling before the Altar besought the goddesse to commiserate the child and free her from her natiue vglinesse and loathsome deformitie Vpon a time returning from the Temple a woman appeared to her of a venerable aspect and desired to see what she carryed so tenderly in her armes the nurse told her it was an infant but such an one as shee was loth to shew and therefore desired to be excused the rather because she was enioyned by the parents not to expose it to the sight of any The more the nurse put her off with euasions the more importunate the strange woman was to behold it At length preuayling shee gently with her hand stroaked the face of the child and kissing it thus said Goe nurse and beare her home to her parents who shall in time become the most beautifull of the Spartan Ladyes From that time forward her deformitie began to fall away and a sweet grace and delightfull comelynesse to grow as well in face as euerie other lineament Comming to marriage estate she was sollicited by many but onely possest by Agetus yet after by the craft of Ariston shee was diuorced from Agetus and conferred vpon him Dion in Augusto speakes of Terentia the wife of Mecaenas to be of that rare feature that she dared to contend with Lyuia the wife of Augustus Caesar who was held to be the most amiable and exquisite Ladie of those dayes Of Terentia the daughter of Cicero I haue thus read Titus the sonne of Milo and Appius the sonne of Clodius were as remarkable for their noble friendship as their fathers notorious for their irreconcilable hatred Titus was for his fathers sake welcome to Cicero but Appius
him by faire meanes than by foâ—ce by policie than power for knowing her selfe to bee a woman of extraordinarie state and beautie she by her Embassadors sollicited an interuiew which Alexander graunting she appeared before him with such a Queenelike maiestie and her accomplishments of naâ—ure so helpâ— with the ornaments of are for she was adorned with the richest and best shining stones of India thâ—â— her glorie so captiuated the heart of the conquerour that they came to treat of composition shee proposing to him That it were no honour for so magnificent a victor so famous through the world for his conquests oueâ— men to insult vpon the weake spoyles of a woman iâ—ured to no other armes than the armes of a sweet and louing bedfellow yet if for the ransome of her Empire hee would accept of her loue and seruice in that kind shee was there in person at his command his subiect and seruant Her beautie with this submission wrought such impression in the king that it was concluded betwixt them and by both parties agreed That her honour should bee the ransome of her Empire In conclussion they louingly lay together and so ended these threatned hostilities in an amorous peace her bodie he left tainted but her kingdome vntouched She was that night with child by him of a sonne whom after his fathers name she called Alexander hee inherited the kingdome after her but by the Indians from that time forward in regard of her prostitution she was called The kings whore Callipygae SO much were the Grecians giuen to all voluptuousnesse and pleasure that amongst others diuers Chappels and Temples were dedicated to Venus Callipyga the word importing Quasi pulchras habens nates i. She that hath faire buttocks the originall of that superstition as Aegenaeus relates was this A countrey Farmer beeing the father of two beautifull young Virgins these two concluded betwixt themselues which should haue the prioritie in beautie But modestie forbidding them to dispute it with open faces they concluded betweene themselues to come to a place adioyning to the high-way and there to expose their backe-parts naked to all such as passed by and so by the most voices to bee censured Amongst many others a noble young gentleman of the next citie by accident passing that way and somewhat astonished at so vnwonted an obiect enquired the reason thereof and by one of the spectators being presently resolued he as suddenly gaue the Palme to the elder and intimating by that he saw what the rest might proue grew greatly enamoured and returning to his fathers house surprised with melancholly was of his brother demanded the cause hee after some few bashâ—ull denialls still vrged with the others importunacies discouered to him the whole circumstance of the businesse The brother deâ—iâ—ous to be further instructed was by the louer conducted to the place and obiect which made him first grow enamorated whither he was no sooner brought but he grew presently inflamed with the loue of the yonger and gaue his censure on her part These two had an old Senator to their father who much obserued his children of him they demanded these Virgins in marriage but he proposing to them matches more honourable they would no way assent But wonne at length with their importunacies hee sent in their behalfe to the Fâ—â—mer to demand his daughters in marriage An Enterview was granted the parties agreed a marriage concluded and after consummate with satisfaction on all sides From which time euer after the two young marryed wiues were called Callipygae Of these Gerâ—ldas Megapelitanus in his Iambicks to this purpose speakes These two liued in Syracuâ—a who by their marriage hauing attayned to wealth sufficient erected a famous Chappell to Venâ—â— whom they styled Dea Callipygae These diuers other cities of Greece â—â—ter them imitated This Historie Archeâ—aâ—s likewise in his Iambicks records Alogunes Cosmartidenes Andia YOu shall read in the Historie taken out of Ex Ctesiae â—ersicis That Artaxerxes being dead Xerxes his sonne succeeded the legitimate heire by his wife Damaspia who dyed the same day with her husband therefore to be registred amongst the women most mastrious after their deaths the Eunuch Bagorazus caused both their bodyes to be borne into Persia and there to bee intombed amongst their ancestors It is remembred of this Emperour Artaxerxes that he had by seuerall concubines seuenteene bastards amongst these was Secundianus borne of Alogunes hee by treason succeeded Xerxes hauing before slaine his brother this Alogunes was borne in Babylon By another concubine of the same cittie called Cosmartidenes hee had two sonnes Ochus and Arsites this Ochus by supplanting his brother Secundianus raigning some few months succeeded him in the Empire Xerxes had issue likewise by one Andia a Ladie of the same nation Bagapaeus and Parisatis who was the mother of one Cyrus and another Artaxerxes Xerxes the Persian Emperour yet liuing gaue to his second sonne Ochus the Prefect-ship ouer the Hircanians Likewise Parisatis to wife daughter to Xerxes and naturall sister to Ochus This Ochus was after called Dariaeus who in all his counsells and proiects neuer did any thing without the aduise of his sister queene before his aspiring to the Empirie hee had issue by his wife Parisatis two children a daughter called Amistris and a sonne Arsaca who after changed his name to his grandfathers and was called Artaxerxes after his instalment she brought him a sonne called Cyrus after him Artostes and so to the number of thirteene of all which onely the fourth sonne called Oxendras suruiued the rest perished in their minoritie These were concubines of Persia. Iulia. IT is remembred of Augustus Caesar whose daughter this Iulia was that hee established a law which was called Lex Iulia concerning adulterers after what processe persons so offending should be punished being conuicted and found guiltie It happened that a young gentleman of Rome being accused of the same fact with the Emperours daughter Iulia before named Augustus grew into such furie that not able to conteine himselfe he fell vpon the gentleman and gaue him many violent and sound buffets till the supposed offendor cryed out ô Emperour where is your Iustice you haue made a law concerning these matters why am I not then iudged by that At which words it so repented him of his rashnesse that all that day and night he forbore to tast any food At a certaine sword-playing or such like pastime solemnised in the great Roman Theatre Lyuia the mother and Iulia the daughter had turned the eyes of all the multitude vpon them twaine and that by reason of the difference of their habits and their attendants Lyuia being matron-like attired was accompanied with aged Senators and Ladies of approued modestie and grauitie Iulia on the contrarie loosely and wantonly habited had in her traine none but butterflie-pages wild fashion-mongers and fantasticke gallants which obserued by Augustus he the next day admonished her by letters To obserue
Conger stirring vp the fire skimming the Kettle and doing other such Cooke-like offices for his particular diet the king clapt him vpon the shoulder and said I neuer read ô Poet that Homer when hee was writing his famous Worke called the Iliades could euer find so much spare time as to kindle a fire set on water and skimme a Conger To whom he presently answered Neither remember I O king that I euer read in that Homer the Prince of Poets that Agamemnon in all the time of the tenne yeeres siege of Troy had such vacancie as thou hast now to prie into the Boothes of his souldiers and neglecting the publike affaires to busie himselfe to know how euerie priuate man cookt his owne diet This was a modest passage betwixt him that contended to act noble deedes and him that the king knew could giue them full expression Erasmus lib. 6. Apoth speakes of the Orator Crassus That when one Piso beeing accused by Sylus for some words speaking had incurred a Censure and Crassus being then the Aduocate of Piso found that Sylus his testimonie proceeded meerely from mallice and enuie after the Sentence was past Crassus thus spoke to Sylus It may be saith he this Piso notwithstanding this accusation was mooued or angry when he spake those words who answered as reuerencing his authoritie Sir It may be so It may be too Sylus said he thou didst not at that time rightly vnderstand him who againe answered It was like ynough And it may be said Crassus againe somewhat hastily That Piso neuer spoke those words which thou sayest thou heardest who answered vnaduisedly And it may be so too At which the Auditorie fell into a great laughter Piso was acquit and Sylus punisht by the reuersement of Iudgement It pleased a king of France who had heard a great fame of the learned Scotus to send for him and to seat him at his Table which was a grace not common with expectation it seemes to heare from him some extraordinarie rare discourse answerable to the fame was giuen of him The scholler seeing such rarietie and varietie set before him onely intended that for which he came and eat with a good and sound stomacke Which the king a prettie while obseruing interrupts him thus Domine qua est differentia inter Scotum Sâ—tum i. Sir What is the difference betwixt a Scot and a Sot To whom he without pause replyed Mensa tantum i. The Table onely the king playing vpon his name and hee taxing the kings ignorance A great Earle of this kingdome was sent ouer by Queene Elizabeth to debate concerning State-businesse and ioyned with him in commission one Doctor Dale a worthie and approoued scholler To meet with these from the Spaniard were sent amongst other Commissioners Richardetti that was Secretarie to K. Philip. These meeting about State-affaires question was made In what Language it was most fit to debate them Richardetti standing vp and belike hauing notice that our Embassadour was not well practised in the French Tongue thus said In my opinion it is most fit that this businesse about which wee are met be discoursed in French and my reason is because your Queene writes her selfe Queene of France At which word vp start the Doctor and thus replyed Nay then rather let it be debated in the Hebrew Tongue since your king writes himselfe King of Ierusalem These may appeare digressions I will onely because this is a womans booke end this argument with the answere of a woman remembred by Petrarch Azo the Marquesse of Este was eminent for many extraordinarie blessings both of Nature and Fortune But as these were neuer perfectly enioyed without some difficultie and trouble so it prooued in him for hauing a beautifull Ladie to his wife he grew extreamely suspitious of her faith and loyaltie He hauing by her a young sonne and heire then in the Cradle looking earnestly vpon him hee fetcht a deepe sigh of which shee demaunding the cause he thus said I would God wife this infant were as certainly mine as it is assuredly thine to confirme which to mine owne wishes and desires I would willingly part with the greatest moietie of my meanes and fortunes To whom shee answered Let this be neither griefe to your heart nor trouble to your mind for of this doubt I wil instantly resolue you and taking the infant from the Cradle and holding it in her armes she thus said No man sir I hope makes question but this child is mine to which words he assenting she thus proceeded Then to cleere all former doubts and suspitions Receiue him freely from my hands as my guife and now you may presume he is only and absolutely yours Whether she equiuocated or no I am not certaine only this I am most sured of That she hath left a precedent behind her to all succeeding wiues how their iealous husbands may be best confirmed in their suspected issue I feare I haue bin somewhat to long in the Preamble I will therefore now proceede to the matter And first of Filiall pietie ascending from Daughters to their Parents Of Pious Daughters OF Sonnes that haue beene remarkably gratefull to their Parents for their birth and breeding the Histories are many and the examples infinite as of Coriolanus to his mother celebrated by Tully in Lelio Dionisius Halicarnasseus Plutarch Pliniâ— Gellius Appianus c. as likewise of Lucius Manlius Torqâ—atus of M. Coâ—â—a Caius Flaminius Cimon remembred by Iustine lib. 2. Cleobis and Bithon Amphinomus and Anapus recorded by Herodotus and Solinus the sonne of Croesus c. Yet should I vndertake to write them all at large they cannot exceed that Pietie of which I haue read in women Suetonius and Cicero in an Oration pro Caelio speaking of Claudia one of the Vestall Virgins thus report of her Shee seeing her father in his triumphant Chariot riding through the streets of Rome and by the Tribunes of the people who enuied his glorie pluckt and haled from his seat she with a wondrous dexteritie and a masculine audacitie frâ—ed him from the hands of the Tribunes and their Lictors and maugre all their opposition lifted him vp into his Chariot nor forsooke him till shee saw him in all magnificent pompe receiued into the Capitoll insomuch that it was questioned amongst the Romans which of them merited the greater triumph hee for his vertue and valour in the Forum or shee for her zeale and pietie in the Temple of Vesta nor can it yet be decided which may claime a iust prioritie the Father for his victorie or the daughter for her goodnesse Plinie lib. 7. cap. 36. and Solinus speake of another Roman Ladie of a noble Family who when her mother was condemned at the Iudgement-Seat by the Praetor and deliuered vp to one of the Triumviri to be committed to strait prison and there for her offence to be priuately executed But the keeper of the Gaole commiserating the Matron so sentenced eyther because he
deliberation priuately to her selfe which graunted and beeing retyred shee first writ in a short Scedule these words Let none report that the wife of Pandoerus harboured so little loue as to out-line him Which Note leauing vpon the Table she tooke a sword then hanging in the chamber with which she immediately dispatcht her selfe of life and so expired following him in death with whose life shee could be no longer delighted Ibidem Equall in all Matrimoniall pietie with this Ladie was Cecilia Barbadica Veneta who after the death of her husband Philippus Vedraminus by no counsaile comfort or persuasion could be woon either by her kindred or friends to taste the least food whatsoeuer or giue answer to any word that was spoken to her in which silence and consumption shee after some few dayes of vnspeakable sorrow breathed her last Egnat lib. 4. cap. 6. Petrus Candianus after the decease of his first wife espoused a second called Walberta the daughter of Vgon one of the Princes of Italie who liued with him in all obedience with a religious obseruation of true coniugall loue and pietie neuer forsaking him in any disaster but attended him with her young sonne in law Vitalis The Duke her husband being after slaine by the Venetians in a seditious mutinie Vitalis escaped the furie of the Massacre and fled but shee stayed to abide the vtmost danger with the bodie of her dead husband meditating all posible meanes to reuenge the death of her husband vpon the Conspirators but her womannish inabilitie not preuayling shee likewise secretly left the citie and followed her sonne Vitalis in whose societie shee fled to Adeleta the wife of Otho the German Emperour who at the same time resided in the citie Placentia but after long vaine intercession seeing her hopes and purposes quite frustrate she retyred againe to her owne citie where she liued a sad and solitarie life still inuoking the name of Petrus Candianus with whose name in her mouth she not long after deceased Egnat the remembrancer of the former Historie speakes likewise of Franciscus Foscarus another Duke of Venice who married a second wife out of the noble Family of the Nanae with whom he conioynedly liued long and had by her hopefull issue But the Senate in his age depriuing him of the Principalitie with the griefe thereof he retyred himselfe into the most antient house of his owne Family and there after three dayes died Whose bodie when the Fathers would haue had brought forth to a solemne and Princely Funerall because he had once beene their Duke and Soueraigne she shut her gates against them blaming their former ingratitude alledging she had both wealth and will sufficient without them to bestow vpon him the latest rites due to a worthie and royall husband And though the Fathers were instant vpon her first with entreats and after menaces yet she constantly persisted in her resolution not suffering them once to approach the place much lesse to take thence the bodie where she had carefully bestowed it still exclayming on the Senates mallice and the Common-weales ingratitude who to their former wrongs went about to adde this new iniurie not to leaue him in death to her whom they had so periuriously in life forsaken Notwithstanding these exclamations they shut her vp in her chamber and perforce tooke thence the bodie all the Fathers attending vpon the Hearse vpon which they bestowed a solemne and a pompous Funerall The greater their counterfeit sorrow was outwardly the greater was her inward and essentiall griefe still more more weeping euery succeeding day adding to her teares to thinke that her Princely husband should in his death be for any courtesies at all beholding to his enemies desiring that he whom from his Principalitie they had degraded and compelled to a priuate life might onely by her and from her haue had a priuate Funerall with whose choyse affection and rare Coniugall pietie I haue broke off to enter vpon a new Proiect. De Laenis or of Bawdes FRom the honor of Women I now come to the disgrace and shame of their Sex in which I will striue to bee as briefe as I know the verie name to bee to all chast mindes odious Sotades Marionites Cinedus that is one abused against nature or addicted to preposterous Venerie was a Poet and writ most bawdie and beastly Iambicks in the Ionicke tongue which he intituled Cinaedi in which were described the formes and figures of seuerall new deuised Lusts and before that time vnheard-of prostitutions Of whom Martiall thus sayes Nec retro lego Sotadem Cinaedum Neither doe I read Sotades Cinaedus backeward For as Valeterran Lib. 17. Antropoph relates his verses were all to bee read backeward least their included nastinesse might appeare too plaine and palpable Tranquil reports of Tiberius Caesar That hee had built Cellers and Vaults in which all kind of lusts and monstrous congressions were practised in his presence which would offend any modest eare but to heare related The Emperour Domitian succeeded if not exceeded him in those detestable and diuillish abhominations Hee as Suetonius affirmes deuised that which was called Clinopales i. The wrestling in the bed he was often seene to bath himselfe and swimme in the companie of the basest and most common strumpets hee stuprated his brothers daughter yet a Virgin after shee was contracted to another man Cratinus Atheniensis the Comicke Poet was so dissolutely addicted both to Wine and Venerie that hee hung his chamber round with Glasses the better to discouer himselfe in his own vnnatural and beastly prostitutions The like some of our scandalous Grammarians most falsly would asperse vpon Horace Suet. confers the like vpon Tiberius as likewise Gyrald Dial. 6. Historiae Poetarum Elephantis Philaenis and Astianassa writ bookes of the seuerall wayes of Congression with the pictures of them inserted but of them I shall speake further in the title of the Poëtesses but before I come to those shee-monsters in particular I will remember some few men infamous in the like kind Erasmus in Chiliadib speakes of one Clobulus a most wicked He-bawde who kept in his house two most infamous strumpets whose bodyes he prostituted for money to all strangers and what the whoores could not extort from them hee himselfe would robbe them of from whence came the prouerbe Clobuli ingum which was still in vse when two knaues of like dishonestie were seene to haue friendship and socitie together Timaeus apud Erasmun speakes of one Cymarus a Selenusian Bawde who all his lifetime promised to leaue his ill gotten goods to the Temple of Venus in whose seruice he had got them but at his death they were all squandred and lost by the direption of the multitude One Cippius counterfeited himself to sleepe and snort that others with the lesse feare or doubt might haue free intercourse and carnall societie with his wife an argument that hee was not haunted with the fiend called Iealosie
and Helicon Aboue others most magnified by Ouid Metamorph. lib. 6. is Arachne Lydia the daughter of Idmones whose mother was borne in the small citie Hypepis shee hauing by many degrees exceeded all mortall women and that without difficultie durst compare with Minerua her selfe who for her boldnesse and pertinacie she turned into a Spyder Her controuersie with Pallas is with great elegancie expressed in Ouid. Alexander of Macedon and Octauius Augustus the one wore a Garment woauen by his Mother the other a Mantle by the hands of his Wife These Ladies had sequestred places in some part of their Pallaces and kept their handmaids and damosells at worke of which these two potent and mightie Queenes disdayned not to bee the dayly Directoresses and Ouer-seers Alexand. ab Alex. cap. 4. lib. 8. Part of the Wooll which Tanaquil spunne with her Distaffe Spindle and Slippers were long time reserued as sacred Reliques in the Temple of Ancus Martius as also a Kingly Garment or Imperiall Roabe woauen quite through with Rayes and Flames of Gold wrought with her owne hand in which Seruius Tullius oft went in state and sat in the high Iudgement-Seat in the Capitoll Varro apud eundem By the Law called Pagana all women were forbidden to spinne or draw out any thread in the streetes or the common high-wayes because they held it ominous to the prosperitie of the Graine sowne in the Earth or the Fruits blossomed or growing vpon the Trees as the same Author testifies Ausonius speakes of one Sabina not onely excellent in this Science but a Poet withall which he left to posteritie in one of his Epigrams Siue probas Tyrio textam sub tegmine vestra Seu placet inscripti commoditus tituli c. Which is thus Englished If thou affect'st a purple Roabe Woauen in the Tyrian staine Or if a Title well inscrib'd By which thy wit may gaine Behold her workes vnpartially And censure on them well Both one Sabina doth professe And doth in both excell And thus I take leaue of weauing for Memorie now transports me to another Argument Of Women Contentious and Bloodie TExtor in his Officine remembers vs of one Kailla who was of that barbarous and inhuman crueltie that being at dissention with her husband Vazules she hauing banished all coniugall pietie and pittie caused his eyes to be digged out of his head spending the remainder of his age in vncomfortable darknesse These subsequent stories of flintie and obdure hearted women though I could willingly haue spared them out of this worke that the world might almost be induced to beleeue that no such immanities could euer haue place in the smooth soft bosomes of women yet in regard I haue promised briefly to run ouer all Ages Features Affections Conditions and Degrees though they might perhaps haue beene thought well spared by some yet I make no question but they might be challenged at my hands by others The rather I present them and with the more confidence vnto your view because though their actions to the tender brested may seeme horrid and feareful and therfore the hardlier to purchase credit yet the testimonie of the Authors being authenticke and approoued will not onely beare me out as their faithfull remembrancer but in the things themselues fasten an inherent beleefe I proceed therfore Cyrce the Witch slew the king of Sarmatia to whom shee was married and vsurping the regall Throne did much oppresse her subiects of her Sabellicus writes more at large Clitemnestra was the wife of Agamemnon Archduke or Generall of the Gretians at the siege of Troy she by the helpe of Aegistus with whom she adultrated slew her husband of this Virgill speakes lib. 11. Seneca in Agamemnonae and Iuvenall in Satyr Danaus the sonne of Belus had fiftie daughters who were espoused to the fiftie sonnes of Aegistus these made a coniuration in one night to kill all their husbands which they accordingly did all saue the yongest Hypermnestra who spared the life of her husband Lynceus Senec. Hercul Fur. Alexander Phaereus a tyrant of Thessaly when hee had shewed his wife naked to a certaine Barbarian she tooke it so impatiently that she cut his throat sleeping Ouid in Ibin Volaterranus reports that Albina daughter to a king of Syria had two and thirtie sisters who all in one night slew their husbands who beeing exild their countrey landed in Brittaine and that of this Albina this Kingdome first tooke the name of Albion Laodice was the wife of Antiochus king of Syria who caused himselfe to be cald God She poysoned her husband because of his too much familiaritie with Berenice the sister of Ptolome Fabia slew Fabius Fabriclanus that shee might the more freely inioy the companie of Petronius Volentanus a young man of extraordinarie feature with whom shee had often before accompanied Agrippina poysoned her husband Tiberius Claudius the Emperor Lucilla the wife of Antonius Verus Emperor poysoned her husband because she thought him too familiar with Fabia Galeotus prince of Forolinium married with the daughter of Ioannes Bentiuolus of whom being despised and finding her selfe neglected she hyred certaine cut-throat Phisitians who slew him in his chamber Andreas the sonne of Carolus king of Pannonia was slaine by his wife Ioanna Queene of Cicily for no other reason but that he was idle and held vnprofitable to the weale publique Althaea sorrowing that her two brothers Plexippus and Toxeus were slaine by her sonne Meleager shee burned that Brand of which the fatal Sisters had made a prediction That his life and health should continue as long as that was preserued Ouid Trist. lib. 1. Bocat in Geneol Agaue a Theban woman slew her sonne Penthâ—us because he would not honour the feast of the Bachinalls with the rest of the Menades Virgill in Culice Ericthaeus taking armes against Eumolpus and hauing an answere from the Oracle That he should haue a certaine victorie if he would sacrifice his only daughter to the gods by the persuasion of his wife Praxitha gaue her vp to slaughter Euripides apud Plutarch Elearchus one of the kings of Creet at the persuasion of his second wife Phronima commaunded his onely daughter by the hand of one Themisones to bee cast into the riuer and there drowned Herodot Polidice betrayde her father king Pletera to Creon king of Thebes and caused him to bee slaine as likewise Nisus being besieged by Minâ—s by the treason of his daughter lost that purple hayre which was the stay of his soueraigntie Ouid Metam and Seruius Tiphon Aegiptius as Berosus Seneca Diodorus and others relate slew his brother Osiris then raigning in Aegypt and gouerning iustly which done hee caused him to be cut into twentie six pieces and to euerie one of the conspirators gaue a part the better to secure him of their fidelities but Isis their sister after she had lamented the
death of her brother Osiris by the assistance of her sonne who was called Oros slew Typhon and auenged his death Draomitia was a queen of Bohemia she caused Ludimillia much deuoted to religion to bee slaine by her instigation her sonne Boleslaus was the murderer of his brother Wenceslaus Volaterran The nymph Lara was of that loquacitie that raising dissention betwixt Iupiter and Iuno by telling her of his escapes that in reuenge thereof he pluckt out her tongue Talantia Spartana hauing intelligence that her sonne Pedaretes tyrannised ouer the men of Chius writ to him in this or the like language Or gouerne there better or remaine there if thou returnest to me thou art not safe thus admonishing him of better gouernment or menacing him with death Damariana was a woman of Sparta and with her owne hands slew her sonne because shee found him of a timorous condition and would not be drawne to the warres Amastris was the wife of Xerxes and did prosecute the wife of Massissa the President with that inhumane and barbarous crueltie that hauing first slaine her shee caused her breasts to be cut off and cast vnto the dogges dismembring her of her Nose Eares Eyes Lippes and Tongue Rauis Textor Cisenis the daughter of Diogerides king of Thrace was of that sauage inhumanitie that shee tooke pleasure to see liuing men to be dismembred and cut in pieces causing young children to be killed and drest after commanding them to be serued in to their parents and to be by them eaten Solinus Tullia the wife of Tarquinius Superbus she caused her Chariot to be drawne ouer the face of her dead father Seruius Tullius presently before murthered by her husband in the Capitoll Liuie Irene the Empresse was wife to Leo the fourth and caused her owne sonne Constantius Sextus to be first cast in prison and after to haue his eyes digged out because before shee had by him beene expelled the Empire Fuluia was the wife of Marcus Antoninus and how the excellentest of Orators M. Tullius being dead was tyrannized ouer by him many Authors haue commended to posteritie whose sacred hands and head being cut off were nayled vnto that Pulpit where hee had often most learnedly declaimed His head was first brought to Anthonie which he caused to be placed before him vpon a Table and scarce in a whole day could hee satiate his rancorous mallice with so sad and pittifull a spectacle but at length as Appianus Alexandrinus reports he commanded it to be tooke thence And as it is gathered out of the collections of Dion Prusius and Suidas when Fuluia the wife of Antoninus came to the sight of it shee tooke it in her hands and after the breathing of many fearefull maledictions execrations and curses against it spit in the face thereof then taking it into her lappe with a Bodkin or Penner which she wore in her haire for an ornament pricked his tongue which she had caused violently to be forced out of his iawes least there should be any thing wanting that might adde to an vndiscreet womans hate and inhumane crueltie This murther and horride act against so worthie a Senatour hath beene deplored by many as well in Prose as in Verse as Portius Latro Albutius Sylo Caestius Murrhedius and others but none more elegantly than Seuerius Cornelius in these Verses of his which we haue by tradition from Aâ—â—aeus Seneca Oraque magnanimum spirantia pene virorum In rostris iacuere suis c. As they were at large remembred in Crinitus Euridice the wife of Amintas king of Macedonia who had by him three sonnes Alexander Perdicas and Philip father to Alexander the Great as likewise a daughter called Euryones This Euridice not onely polluted the bed of her husband but sought his life to transferre the Principalitie into the hand of the adulterer and least her daughter should discouer either her whoredome or treason she likewise plotted against her life The old man in the middest of these dangers dyed leauing the kingdome to his eldest sonne Alexander she after caused him to be slaine A president of strange and almost vnheard of crueltie in a mother Iustine Histor. lib. 7. Spitamenes a puissant Captaine that had long opposed Alexander the Great in many battailes and conflicts with his competitor Daha so dearely loued his faire wife that he drew her to be a partner with him in his warres and lodged her in his Tent But being put to many affrights and distresses the common casualties belonging to warre shee grew so tyred with Alarums tumults mutinies affrights slaughters and such like that shee dayly importuned him being before onely vsed to feasts banquets and effeminate delicacies to submit him to the Macedonian Conqueror So long and so vrgently she sollicited him to peace both by her children her friends and her selfe in person that being a blunt and plaine souldier traded in combustion and to whom the very thought of submission was more odious than death though hee entirely affected her yet vpon a time hee aduanced his hand to haue strucke her and had done it had not his brother come in by accident and supprest his incensed furie yet he concluded That if euer after she persuaded him to peace or troubled his eares with that base word of submission that Hand which so long had opposed Alexander all Coniugall amitie set apart should be her luddaine and assured ruine The Ladie affrighted with the name of death thought it no safetie to interpose so robustious and setled a constancie especially in a souldier dayly and hourely enured to bloud and massacre therefore considering with her selfe what was best to be done in meditating for her owne safetie she thought it better by yeelding to conquer than by contending against power and aduantage to be ouercome After submission therefore made and a new reconcilement established betwixt them shee inuited him to a banquet in her Tent which was furnished with all the dainties the Campe would yeeld and whatsoeuer rarietie remote places could affoord where she carryed her selfe with all humilitie and obedience At this feast shee caused him to be plyed with Healths and lauish Cups till the Wine hauing got the preheminence of his better sences hee grew drowsie and retyred himselfe to his Pallat. The Tables were then withdrawne and euerie man that was inuited repaired either to his charge in the Armie or to his rest They hauing disposed of themselues and the place now priuate shee had confederated with one of her seruants by whose assistance shee in his depth of sleepe cut off the head of her husband and gaue it to him This done hauing the Word they past through the Watches and Guards and by the breake of day came vnto the Campe of Alexander desiring to haue conference with him about affaires which concerned him neerely The Prince vnderstanding it was a woman commanded shee should be admitted into his Tent which was
the citie with a strong and fearefull siege ingaging the defendants to all dangers and difficulties in so much that Clusia timerous of surprisall and preferring death before captiuitie threw her selfe from the highest part of the wall to destroy her selfe in the open view and face of the enemie but either as the former late mentioned fauoured by the windes or as my Author tels me greatly supported by the hand of Venus or whether the pittious Earth vnwilling to hurt or harme such faire and well featured limbes and therefore with more than accustomed courtesie fauorably receiued her into her lappe I am not certaine but the Ladie to the wonder of all the beholders was taken vp whole and sound without wound or the least-astonishment and from thence conducted to the Tent of the Generall who beecause he made but offer to violate her chastitie the euer nobly minded Romans not onely tooke from him the charge of the armie alleaging that hee that could not gouerne his owne affections was not fit to command others but confined him into the Island Corsica adiacent neere to the continent of Italie Not much lesse strange was that of Perhibaea the daughter of Accathous who when Telamon the sonne of Aeacus and Eudeides came into the cittie of Euboea where shee then soiourned with her father and tooke her at that aduantage that shee was by him devirgined and deflowred his name or person not being knowne by her or any and so priuily escaped and fled away by night Accathous after perceiuing her by assured tokens to bee growne bigge with child and suspecting it to be done by some one of his citisens or subiects hee was thereat so incensed that banishing all pietie or paternall pittie he deliuered her into the hands of one of his captaines commaunding him either to kill her with his sword or cast her into the Sea the souldier vndertakes the imposition of his soueraigne vpon him with many vowes and protestations to performe his pleasure with all strictnesse and seueritie but by the way commiserating her wretched fortune and loth to be the destroyer of such youth and beautie created for better vse comming neere the Sea-shore and spying a ship there at Anchor he sold her to the cheefe marchant for a summe of money returning to the father with an assured relation of his daughters death The marriners presently with this faire purchase hoysed sayle and a faire and gentle gale fauouring them they attained vnto the port of Salamine and there harboured where purposing to make sale of their marchandise they exposed them to the publique view amongst the rest they set a price on the Princesse Perhibaea Telamon who was duke of Salamine and then resiant in the cittie tooke his attendants with him and hearing of this new marchant went downe to the Key to take the first view of his goods and prouide himselfe of such things as he wanted amongst all the faire Perhibaea pleased him best whose face he well knew and still remembred what had past betwixt them hee bargained for her payd downe her price conducted her to his pallace and there acquainted her with the true passage of all his former proceedings Within few moneths shee brought him a sonne which he called Aiax and this was that Aiax Telamon who at the siege of Troy betwixt the two armies combatted with bold Hector in the plaine of Scamander you shall reade this historie in Aretades Guidius in his second booke inscribed Insulis The next that insues hath correspondence with this Lucius Trocius had a beautifull young daughter called Florentia shee was stuprated by the Roman Calphurnius and when the act came to the knowledge of her father deliuered to the trustie executioner to bee cast into the Sea who in the same manner was by him pittied and sold to a marchant his ship beeing then bound for Italie where she being exposed to publique sale was seene knowne and bought by Calphurnius by whom hee had a sonne called Contruscus I proceede to such as haue vnwittingly beene the death of their parents Euenus the sonne of Mars and Steropes by his wife Alcippa the daughter of Oennemanus had a beautifull female issue whom hee called Marpissa who had vowed perpetuall virginitie her Idas the sonne of Aphareus rauished and stole away which her father hearing prosecuted him euen vnto his owne countrey but in vaine for not able to ouertake them and returning without her in greefe of his lost daughter whom he so deerely loued hee threw himselfe into the riuer Lycormus and was there drowned some thinke that by his death the flood lost his name and was euer after called Euenus Dosithae lib. 1. rerum Italicarum Anius king of the Etruscians hauing a rarely featured damosell to his daughter called Salia whose virginitie he had vowed to Diana and therefore admitted no suitors though many great and rich offers were made vnto her at length as shee was sporting abroad amongst other virgins shee was espyed by one Calthetas a hopefull young gentleman and ennobled by his familie who at the first sight of her was so extaside with her beautie that maugre all feare of pursuit or danger hee snatcht her vp in his armes and vsed such meanes that hee got her safe within the walls of Rome Her father following the rauisher but not ouertaking him was strucke into such a deepe sorrow that desparate of all comfort or counsell hee violently cast himselfe into the next Foord that parted Rome and his owne Kingdome which euer since that time still beares the name of Anius Calihetus had by Salia two braue sonnes Latinus and Salinus who were famous in their noble nad flourishing issue insomuch that some of the best and greatest families in Rome were proud from them to deriue their ancestrie This historie is recorded by Aristides Milesius by Alexander and Polihistor lib. tertio Italicorum Of Clamorous Women commonly called Skoulds CNeius Pompeius to make his faction the stronger by his friend Munatius sent to Cato that hee would bee pleased of his two Neeces to contract the one of them to himselfe the other to his sonne by whome Cato sent word backe to Pompeius That though he as a friend tooke gratefully the free profer of his friendship and allyance yet beeing a man hee had euer kept himselfe from beeing intricated in the snares of women but hee protested hee would adhere vnto him in a more firme league of amitie than could be contracted by kindred if hee would studie any thing conducent and profitable for the common-weale but against the publique good hee would neither giue nor take hostages calling his neeces who as some write were his daughters giuen so in matrimonie no better than pledges of much future inconuenience especially in matters of state where the common-weale is distracted and diuided Eras. 5. Apotheg Socrates was wont to say that hee had patiently suffered three torments Grammer Pouertie and a skoulding Wife Xantippe two of
inequalitie of manners Therefore bold and bloodie Tullia poysons her faire and gentle-conditioned Aruns the other modest and mild-tempered sister is made away by the proud and ambitious Superbus the best are lostâ— the worst left They two contract an incestuous Marriage Pride with Crueltie and Immanitie with Ambition Murther is the ground or cause and Treason and Vsurpation the prodigious effect shee complots the death of her owne naturall father and hee the ruine of his liege Lord and Soueraigne shee a Parricide hee a Regicide The king is betwixt them slaine ouer whose dead bodie shee caused her Chariot to be drawne Her cheekes blushed not when the wheeles of her Waggon were stained with her fathers blood And so much to giue Tullia a short character the most insolent of Wiues and the worst of Daughters Of a lower voice softer spirit and more temperate condition were these wiues following Chilonia the wife of Cleombrotus king of Sparta and daughter of Leonides who had before soueranised when in those ciuile combustions the sonne in law had expulsed the father and compelled him into exile shee neuer ceased to importune her husband till shee had called him home from banishment But in processe of time when Fortune had turned her Wheele and Leonides in those dissentions hauing got the better had confined Cleombrotus shee was an hourely intercessor for the repeale of her husband but finding her father to bee obdure and her suit by him not listened too though she might in all pleasure and ease haue happily spent her age in her owne cittie with her father shee rather made choise to be a faithfull companion in all distresses with her husband Fulgos. lib. 6. cap. 7. Anaxandrides the sonne of Leontias marryed with his sisters daughter whom hee exceedingly loued but because shee was barraine and that by her he had no issue the Ephori made suit vnto him to be diuorsed from her and would haue compelled him vnto it but when he had absolutely denied to condiscend with them in that point they made another request vnto him That hee would take vnto him another wife more fruitfull least the most fortunate issue of Euristaeus might in him bee extinguished Hee therefore at their intreaties tooke to him a second wife namely Perinetades the daughter of Demarmenus and so brought her home to his house where which is strange the two women liued together peaceably without emulation or enuie His last wife brought him a sonne whom hee called Cleomenes and not long after his first wife before barraine made him the fortunate father of three sonnes the first Dorieâ—s the second Leonides the third Cleombrotus but Cleomenes the eldest by the second wife succeeded in the Soueraigntie Herodot Lib. 5. Thesca the sister of Dionisius beeing marryed to Polixenus who hauing entred into a Coniuration with other noble gentlemen to supplant the Tyrant but fearing discouerie fled for his best safetie Vpon whose flight Dionisius calls his sister into question as one that must of necessitie be priuie to his escape To whom shee boldly thus answered Thinkest thou ô Dionisius thy sister to be a woman of that seruile and degenerate condition that had shee knowne the least purpose of his retyrement shee would not haue made her selfe a companion in all his Nauigations and Trauaile Erasm. Apotheg Lib. 5. Caius Caligula the Emperour hauing found Herod the husband to Herodias Tetrarch of Galilee engaged in a reuolt from the Empire with Artahanus king of the Parthians amerced him in a great summe of money for that defect and till it was leuied and payed into the Treasurie gaue him in custodie to king Agrippa whom he had found loyall vnto him and in whose fidelitie hee much trusted Hee after banished Herod into Lyons a citie of France with an irreuocable doome of exile imposed vpon him but vnderstanding Herodias to be sister to the wife of Agrippa whom hee much fauoured out of Herods mulct or fine hee proportioned her a large Dower reserued in the hands of Agrippa to her vse as not dreaming shee would haue beene a companion with him in his confinement To which extraordinarie grace from the Emperour shee thus replyed You ô Emperour as best becomes your Maiestie speake like a royall and munificent Prince but the Coniugall Bond of Loue and Pietie in which I am tyed to a husband is to me an impediment that I am not capable of this great Largesse and vnmerited bountie Vnmeet it is that I who haue beene a partaker with him in all his prosperous and flourishing fortunes should now forsake him and not be a companion with him in the worst that disaster or aduersitie can inflict This noble answere Caligula tooke in such scorne and high displeasure to see himselfe in magnanimitie and greatnesse of spirit to be exceeded by a woman that hee banished her with her husband Herod and the bountie before bestowed on her hee conferred vpon her brother in law Agrippa Ioseph in Antiquitatibus Cleomenes the sonne of Anaxandrides and Perinetades but lately spoken of being expulsed from Sparta by Antigonus king of Macedonia fled for refuge to Ptolomeus king of Aegypt whither his wife would haue followed him but dissuaded by her parents notwithstanding a strict guard was set ouer her yet in the night shee beguiled her keepers and hauing prouided a Horse for the purpose posted with all possible speed to the next Port Towne that was least suspected where hyring a shippe with all the Coyne and Iewels shee had then about her shee sayled into Aegypt and there spent the remainder of her dayes with him in his vncomfortable exile Fulgos. lib. 6. cap. 7. I haue but one more gentle Reader to trouble thy patience with at this present Blanca Rubea Patauina the wife of Baptista a Porta betaking her selfe into the same free priuiledged Towne of which Bassianus was then Gouernour and whither her husband for his safetie was retyred in the yeere of our Redemption 1253 when Aâ—â—iolinus the Tyrant hauing lost Padua and bending all his forces to the surprisall of Bassiâ—â—â—â— compassing that at length by fraud and stratagem which by opposition and violence hee could neuer haue accomplished in the entring of which Towne Baptista was slaine and Blanca Rubea being armed and fighting boldly by his side till shee saw him fall was notwithstanding her masculine valour taken prisoner by a souldier and presented to the Tyrant who gazing on her rare feature much more beautified by the rich armour shee then had on grew exceedingly enamoured on this manly Virago and first with faire enticing blandishments hee courted her loue but finding no possibilitie to satiate his libidinous affections that waye where faire meanes fayled hee purposed force which to auoid and to preuent the dishonour intended her shee cast her selfe out from an high Bay-window two stories from the ground where being taken vp halfe dead with much difficultie shee was recouered No sooner was shee well able
bearing with her in her wombe a child begot by Salomon Lycasth in Theat Human. vitae Lib. 1. cap. de Femin doctis Adesia a woman of Alexandria a neere kinswoman to the Philosopher Syrianus both for her Chastitie and Learning is commemorated by Suidas Vata Lib. 13. cap. 3. Antrop Nicostrata by some called Carmentis helped to make vp the number of the Greeke Alphabet shee is also said to haue added to our Roman Letters Hermodica was the wife of Midas king of Phrygia shee is not onely celebrated for her rare feature and beautie but for her wisedome shee was the first that euer stamped Money or made Coyne amongst the Cimenses Heraclides Numa was the first that made Money amongst the Romanes of whose name it was called Nummus Isiodor Lib. 16. cap. 17. It is likewise called Pecunia of Pecus which signifies Cattell for the first that was made to passe currant betwixt man and man was made of the skinnes of beasts stamped with an impression It hath beene currant amongst our English Nation part of it may at this day be seene as an antient Monument in the Castle of Douer Saturne made Money of Brasse with inscriptions thereon but Numa was the first that coyned Siluer and caused his name to be engrauen thereon for which it still retaines the name in the Roman Tongue and is called Nummus Aspasia was a Milesian Damosell and the beloued of Pericles shee was abundantly skilled in all Philosophicall studies shee was likewise a fluent Rhetorician Plutarchus in Pericles Socrates imitated her in his Facultas Politica as likewise Diotima whom he blushed not to call his Tutresse and Instructresse Of Lasthenea Mantinea Axiothaea and Phliasia Platoes schollers in Philosophie I haue before giuen a short Character Themiste was the wife of Leonteius Lampsacenus and with her husband was the frequent Auditor of Epicurus of whom Lactantius sayth That saue her none of the ancient Philosophers euer instructed any woman in that studie saue that one Themiste Arete was the wife of Aristippus the Philosopher and attained to that perfection of knowledge that shee instructed her sonne in all the liberall Arts by whose industrie hee grew to be a famous professor Hee was called Aristippus and shee surnamed Cyrenaica Shee followed the opinions of that Aristippus who was father to Socrates Shee after the death of her father erected a Schoole of Philosophie where shee commonly read to a full and frequent Auditorie Genebria was a woman of Verona shee liued in the time of Pius the second Bishop of Rome Her Workes purchased for her a name immortall Shee composed many smooth and eloquent Epistles polished both with high conceits and iudgement shee pronounced with a sharpe and lowd voyce a becomming gesture and a facundious suauitie Agallis Corcyrua was illustrious in the Art of Grammar Caelius ascribes vnto her the first inuention of the play at Ball. Leontium was a Grecian Damosell whom Gallius calls a strumpet shee was so well seene in Philosophicall contemplations that she feared not to write a worthie booke against the much worthie Theophrastus Plin. in Prolog Nat. Histor. Cicero lib. de Natur. Deorum Dâ—mâ— the daughter of Pythagâ—ras imitated the steps of her father as likewise his wife Theâ—no her husband the mother and the daughter both prouing excellent schollers Laerâ— Themistoclea the sister of Pythagoras was so practised a student that in many of his workes as he himselfe confesseth hee hath implored her aduise and iudgement Istrina Queene of Scythia and wife to king Ariâ—ithes instructed her sonne Sythes in the Greeke Tongue as witnesseth Herodotus Plutarch in Pericte saith That Thargelia was a woman whom Philosophie solely illustrated as likewise Hyparchia Greca Laâ—râ—â— Cornelia was the wife of Africanus and mother to the noble Familie of the Gracobi who left behind her certaine Epistles most elaborately learned From her as from a Fountaine flowed the innate eloquence of her children therefore Quintil thus sayth of her Wee are much bound to the Mother or Matron Cornelia for the eloquence of the Gracchi whose vnparaleld learning in her exquisite Epistles she hath bequeathed to posteritie The same Author speaking of the daughters of Laelius and Quint. Hortensius vseth these words The daughters of Laelius is sayd in her phrase to haue refined and excelled the eloquence of her father but the daughter of Q. Hortensius to haue exceâ—ded her Sex in honor So likewise the facundity of the two Lyciniaes flowed hereditarily from their father L. Crassus as the two daughters of Mutia inherited the learning of either parent Fuluia the wife of M. Antonius was not instructed in womanish cares and offices but as Volater lib. 16. Antrop reports of her rather to direct Magistracies and gouerne Empires she was first the wife of Curio Statius Papinius was happie in a wife called Claudia excellent in all manner of learning Amalasuntha Queene of the Ostrogothes the daughter of Theodoricus king of those Ostrogothes in Italie was elaborately practised in the Greeke and Latine Tongues shee spake distinctly all the barbarous Languages that were vsed in the Easterne Empires Fulgosius lib. 8. cap. 7. Zenobia as Volaterran speakes from Pollio was Queene of the Palmirians who after the death of Odenatus gouerned the kingdome of Syria vnder the Roman Empire shee was nominated amongst the thirtie Tyrants and vsurped in the time of Gallenus but after beeing vanquished in battaile by the Emperour Aurelianus was led in triumph through Rome but by the clemencie of that Prince she was granted a free pallace scituate by the riuer of Tyber where shee moderately and temperatly demeaned her selfe shee is reported to be of that chastitie that she neuer entertained her husband in the familiar societie of bed but for issues sake and procreation of children but not from the time that shee found her conception till her deliuerie shee vsed to bee adored after the maiesticke state and reuerence done to the great Sophies of Persia. Beeing called to the hearing of any publique Oration shee still appeared with her head armed and her helmet on in a purple mantle buckled vpon her with rich jems she was of a cleare and shrill voice magnanimous and haughtie in all her vndertakings most expert in the Aegyptian and Greeke Tongues and not without merit numbred amongst the most learned and wisest Queenes Besides diuerse other workes she composed the Orientall and Alexandrian Historie Hermolaus and Timolus her two sonnes in all manner of disciplines shee liberally instructed of whose deaths it is not certaine whether they dyed by the course of nature or by the violent hand of the Emperour Olimpia Fuluia Morata was the ornament and glorie of our latter times the daughter of Fulu Moratus Mantuanus who was tutor in the Arts to Anna Prince of Ferrara shee was the wife of Andreas Gunthlerus a famous Physitian in Germanie shee
Neoptolemus the sonne of Achilles and Deiadamia rap't Lanissa the niece of Hercules Aiax the sonne of Telamon did the like to Tecmessa of whom Horace Mouit Aiacem Telemone satam Forma captiuae dominum Tecmessae Captiue Tecmessas beautiegaz'd vpon Insnar'd her lord the sonne of Telamon Aiax Oilaeus rauished Cassandra Nessus the Centaure Deineira the wife of Hercules sister to Meleager and daughter to Oeneus and Althea king and queene of Calidonâ— Tleoptolemus stole Axiothia from Ephira a citie of Peloponessus hee was the sonne of Hercules and Astioche he was first a suitor to Hellen and came to the siege of Troy with nine shippes and was after slaine by the hand of king Sarpedon Hypodamia the daughter of Atracius and wife of Perithous suffered the like violence by the Centaures being heated with Wine and Lust especially by Euritus of whom Ouid lib. 12. thus speakes Euritus Hyppodamea alij quam quisque probabat Aut poterat rapiunt Euritus rap't Hyppodame and after him the rest By his example did the like and snatcht where they lik't best The great enmitie betwixt the Grecians and Barbarians though it might seeme to arise by reason of the distance of countries and difference of manners yet most probable it is that their inueterate hate and irreconsilable malice tooke first originall from diuerse rapes committed on either part for first the Phoenician Merchanrs exposing their commodities to publique sale in the citie of Argis when Iö the kings daughter amongst other damosells came downe to the Key to take view of what marchandise she best liked to furnish her selfe according to her womanish fancie the Merchants beeing extreamely surprised with her beautie seised both her and the rest of her attendants and stowing them vnder hatches hoised saile and transported them into Aegypt Not long after the Cretenses awaiting the like opportunitie stole away Europa the daughter of the king of the Tyrians and bore her into Creet in requitall of the former rape The Heroes of Greece next sailed in the great Argoe to Cholcos pretending their iourney for the golden fleece and raped thence Medea the daughter of Areta after whom sending Embassadors into Greece to redemand his daughter they returned him answere That the barbarous Phoenicians had made no restitution nor satisfaction at all for the rape of Io neither would they for Medea After that Paris the son of Priam rather to reuenge the iniurie done to his Aunt Hesione than for any loue or affection to Spartan Hellen stole her from Lacedemon and brought her to Troy in Asia The Princes of Greece redemanding her answere was returned That since they made no restitution of Europa nor of Medea nor Hesione neither would they of Hellena which was the originall of that memorable siege of Troy and the destruction of that famous citie Herodotus Lib. 1. Thrasimenes being enamored of the faire daughter of Pisistratus and his affection dayly more and more encreasing he gathered to himselfe a societie of young men and watching the Ladie when shee came with other young damosells to offer sacrifice according to the custome of the countrey by the Seaside with their swords drawne they set vpon the companie that attended her and hauing dispiersed them snatched her vp and hurrying her aboord sailed with her towards Aegina But Hyppias the eldest sonne of Pisistratus beeing then at Sea to cleere those coasts of Pyrats by the swiftnesse of their Ores imagining them to be of the fellowship of the Sea robbers pursued them boorded them and tooke them who finding his sister there brought her backe with the rauishers Thrasimenes with the rest of his faction being brought before Pisistratus not withstanding his knowne austeritie would neither doe him honour nor vse towards him the least submission but with bold and vndaunted constancie attended their sentence telling him That when the attempt was first proposed they then armed themselues for death and all disasters Pysistratus admiring their courage and magnanimitie which showed the greater in regard of their youth called his daughter before him and in the presence of his nobilitie to recompence his celsitude of minde and spirit freely bestowed her vpon Thrasimenes by which meanes he reconciled their opposition and entertained them into new faith and obedience no more expressing himselfe a Tyrant but a louing and bountifull father and withall a popular citisen Polinae lib. 5. The daughters of king Adrastus were rauished by Acesteneutrix as Statius lib. 1. hath left remembred Euenus the sonne of Mars and Sterope married Marpissa daughter to Oenemaus and Alcippa whom Apharetas espying as she daunced amongst other Ladies grew innamoured of and forcibly rapt her from her companie Plutarch in Paral. Hersilia with the Sabine Virgins were likewise rap't by Romulus and his souldiers at large described by Ouid. Lib. de Arte Amandi 1. Lucrece the chast Roman Matron was stuperated by Sextus Tarquinius of whom Seneca in Octauia thus saith Nata Lucreti stuprum saeui passa Tyranni Eudoxia being left by Valentinianus was basely rauished by the Tyrant Maximus who vsurped in the Empire for which shee inuited Gensericus out of Africke to auenge her of the shame and dishonour done vnto her Sigebertus in Chronicis The same Author tells vs of Ogdilo Duke of Boiaria who forced the sister of king Pepin for which iniurie done to her the king opprest him with a cruell and bloudie warre Of Handmaids Nurses Midwiues and Stepdames PLecusa was a Handmaid to Diana whom Martial Lib. 1. thus remembers Et cecidit sectis Icla Plecusa Crinis Lagopice is another Lib. 7. remembred by the same Author Cibale was the maid-seruant to a poore man called Similus remembred by Virgil in Morete Phillis Troiana was the Handmaid to Phoceus as Briseis was to Achilles Plinie Lib. 36. cap. 27. makes Ocrisia the Damosell to the Queene Tanaquil so Horace makes Cassandra to Agamemnon Gyge as Plutarch relates was such to Parysatis Queene of Persia and mother to Cyrus Thressa was maid-seruant to Thales Milesius who as Theodoricus Cyrenensis affirmes when shee saw her maister come home durtie and myrie as being newly crept out of a Ditch chid him exceedingly for gazing at the starres to finde those hidden things aboue and had not the foresight to see what lay below at his feet but hee must stumble Herodotus in Euterpe calls Rhodope the famous Aegyptian strumpet the Handmaid of Iadmon Samiâ—s a Philosopher Elos was a Damosell to king Athamas from whom a great citie in Achaia tooke denomination and was called Aelos Lardana as Herodotus affirmes was at first no better than a seruant from whom the noble Familie of the Heraclidae deriue their first originall Titula otherwise called Philotis was a Roman Virgin of the like condition and is remembred for such by Plutarch in Camillo as also by Macrob. Lib. 1. Saturnalium Proconnesia is remembred
of some High power effectuall in the opinions of men and plac't or hauing residence about the Lunarie circle who suppresseth the loftie neckes of the proude and from the lowest of despaire erects the minds of the humble For when the wise and vnderstanding men would illustrate to vs nothing to be more acceptable to heauen or more commodious to the life of man than a moderation of the mind as well in prosperitie as aduersitie they deuised many fables to exhort men nobly to indure the miseries and afflictions of this life with constant sufferance and resolued patience And because many had by such examples yeelded their submisse shoulders to the burden of disasters but in prosperitie and in the superabundance both of Wealth and Honour knew not how well to behaue themselues they therefore introduc't Nemesis the daughter of Iustice a most graue and seuere goddesse to see punishment inflicted vpon such that in the excesse of their felicitie and height of their authoritie prooue ouer other men Tyrants and therefore intollerable LATONA SHe was honoured in Delos as there being deliuered of Apollo and Diana to illustrat whose historie the better I will giue you a taste out of Lucians dialogues the interloquutors are Iuno and Latona You haue brought to Iupiter two beautifull children saith Iuno To whom she replyde We cannot all we can not all indeede be the mothers of such sweete babes as Vulcan Iuno replyes Though he be lame as falling from the vpper region downe to the earth by the negligence of his father yet is he profitable and vsefull both to gods and men for Iupiter he prouides thunders for men armour and weapons when on the contrarie thy daughter Diana imployes her selfe onelie in hunting and vnnecessarie pastime an extrauagant huntresse neuer satiate with the blood of innocent beasts Thy beautifull sonne pretending to know all things to bee an exquisite Archer a cunning Musitian a Poet a Physitian and a Prophet and not of these alone the professour but the Patron To this purpose hath he set vp Temples and Oracles here in Delphos there in Claros and Didimus by his dilemmaes and oblique answers to questions demanded such as which way soeuer they be taken must necessarilie fall out true deluding and mocking all such as come rather to bee resolued of their doubts and feares or to know things future by these illusions raising an infinite gaine and riches to himselfe to the losse and discommoditie of others his foreknowledge meerelie consisting of legerdemaine and iugling Nor is it concealed from the wise how in his predictions he dictates false things as often as true For could he exactlie and punctuallie presage all things to come why did he not foresee the death of his Minion and know before that he was to perish by his owne hand why did he not predict that his â—oue Daphne so faire hair'd and beautifull should flie and shunne him as a monster hated and scorned these with infinite others consideredâ— I see no reason thou shouldst thinke thy selfe more happie in thy children than the most vnfortunate Niobe To whom Latona replyed I well perceiue great goddesse wherein this many killing and much gadding daughter and this lying and false prophesieing son of mine offends you namely that they are still in your eie glorious numbered amongst the gods and of them esteemed the most beautifull yet can you not denie but that he is most skilfull in the Voice and the Harpe exceeding whatsoeuer can be vpon the earth and equalling if not preceading that of the Spheres in heauen I cannot chuse but smile sayth Iuno Is it possible his skill in musicke should beget the least admiration when poore Marsias had the Muses not bin partiall but judg'd indifferently of his side had gain'd of him prioritie but he alas by their vniust sentence lost not only his honor in being best but being vanquished hee most tyranously had his skinne stead off for his ambition and this your faire Daughter and Virgin is of such absolute feature and beautie that being espied naked by Acteon bathing her selfe in the fountaine shee transform'd him into a Hart and caused him by his owne dogges to bee torne in peeces least the young man should suruiue to blabbe her deformities Besides I see no reason why to women in labour and trauell in child-birth shee should shew herselfe so carefull and common a mid-wife euerie where and to all if shee were as shee still pretends to be a Virgin With her Latona thus concluded You are therefore of this haughtie and arrogant spirit because you are the sister and wife of Iupiter and raigne with him together which makes you to vs your inferiours so contumelious and harsh but I feare I shall see you shortly againe weeping when your husband leauing the heau'ns for the earth in the shape of a Bull an Eagle a Golden shower or such like shall pursue his adulterate pleasures Ouid in his sixt booke Metamor and his third fable sayth That Niobe the daughter of Tantalus borne in Sypile a citie of Lidia hauing by Amphion sixe braue sonnes and as many daughters though shee were forewarned by the daughter of Tyresias to bee present with the Thebans at their sacrifice to Latona and her children yet shee contemptuously denied it preferring her selfe in power and maiestie before the goddesse and her owne beautifull issue before the others at which contempt the goddesse much inraged complained to Appollo and Diana in whose reuenge he slew all the young men and shee the virgins with griefe whereof Amphion slew himselfe and Niobe burst her heart with sorrow Latona is by interpretation Chaos it was beleeued that all naturall bodies seedes of things mixt and confused lay buried in darknesse Some take Latona for the earth and therefore Iuno did oppose the birth of the Sunne and Moone by reason of the frequent fogges and damps arising by which the sight of these two glorious planets are shadowed and kept from our eyes for when by the thickenesse and tenebrositie of the clowdes the Sunne is weakned and made of lesse force oft times there proceeds a pestilent aire with many pests and diseases preiudiciall both to sensible creatures and to plants but when the Sunne resumes his vertue and vigor then by the purifying of the aire all these infections are dispersed and scattered vnlesse they haue proceeded so farre as to contagion And so much for Latona FORTVNA ANtium a citie of the Latines bordering vpon the Sea had Fortune in great reuerence to whom they erected a magnificent Temple Wherefore Horace thus speakes Oh Diuae gratum quae regis Antium So Rhamnus or Rhamnis a towne in Attica where Nemesis and Fortune were held in equall reuerence and from hence rather called Ramnusia In Praeneste a citie of Italy Sortes and Fortuna were held in like adoration of which they were called Praenestine Petrus Crinitus in his first booke of honest discipline and the sixt chapter concerning this goddesse rehearseth these verses
may as well vse the feminine as the masculine and the masculine as the feminine gender as Virgill speaking of Venus Discendo ducente deo Flammam inter hostes Expedior Downe come I and the god my guide I make no stay But boldlie through the enemy and fire I force my way Vacunadea was Ladie and Gouernesse ouer those that were vacant and without businesse especiallie had in reuerence by swaines and husbandmen who after the gathering of their haruest had a cessation from labour Vallonia was held to be the goddesse of vallyes Vitula Dea had predominance ouer youthfull myrth and blandishments For Vitulari was by the ancient grammarians taken for gaudere to be glad or reioyce Volupta is held to be the goddesse of Pleasure Rhaea This goddesse hath by the Poets allowed her a charriot drawne by foure Lyons a Crowne vpon her head of Citties Castles and Towers and in her hand a golden Scepter Priests could not offer at her Altar before they were guelded which order was strictlie obserued in memorie of Aâ—yos a beautifull Phrygian youth and much beloued of Ceres but would no wayes yeeld to her desires because as he excused himselfe he had past a vow of perpetuall chastitie but after not mindfull of his promise as Dorytheus Corinthius in his histories relates he comprest and defloured the nymph Sagaritides of whom he begat Lydus and Tyrhenus Lydus gaue name to Lydia as Tyrhenus to Tyrhena For this the inraged goddesse stroke him with such furor and madnesse that he guelded himselfe and after would haue cut his own throat had not she commiserating his penitence transformed him to a Pine tree or as others will haue it restored him to his sences and made him one of her Eunuch priests Nicander in Alexipharm saith her sacrifices were obserued euery new Moone with much tinckling of brasse sound of Timbrels and strange vociferation and clamours Some fable that Iupiter being asleepe and dreaming let that fall to the earth which may be called Filius ante patrem of which the earth conceiuing produc'd a genius in an humane shape but of a doubtfull sex male and female called Agdiste the gods cut off all that belonged to the masculine sex and casting it away out of that first grew the Almond tree whose fruit the daughter of the flood Sangatius first tasting and hiding part thereof in her bosome as they wasted there and vanished so she began to conceiue and in time grew great and brought forth a Son whom laying out in the wood he was nurced by a goat and fostred till he was able to shift for himselfe As he grew in years so he did in beautie in so much that he exceeded the ordinarie feature of man of him was Agdistes wondrously inamored who when he should haue married with the daughter of the king of Pessinuntium by the inter-comming of Agdiste such a madnesse possest them both that not only Attes but his father in law likewise caused their partes of generation to be cut quite away Pausonias in Achaicis saith that for his rare beauties sake Rhea selected Attes into her seruice and made him her Priest Those of that order were called Matragyrte as either begging publikely or going from house to house to demaund things necessarie for her Offerings For the Greeke word Meter signifieth Mater or Mother and Agartes Prefigiator or Mendicus a Iugler or Beggar She was cald by diuerse names as Proserpina Isis Cibile Idaea Berecinthia Tellus Rhaea Vesta Pandora Phrigia Pylena Dindymena and Pessinuntia sometimes of the places sometimes of the causes Rhaea bearing young Iupiter in her wombe and ready to bee deliuered knowing the predicted crueltie of Saturne who commanded him to be slain retired her selfe to Thaumasius a mountaine in Arcadia fortified by Hoptodamus and his fellow giants least Saturne should come with any forcible hostilitie to oppresse her this mountaine was not farre distant from the hill Molossus in a part of Lysia where Iupiter was borne and Saturne there deluded into which place it is not lawfull for any man to enter onely women Lucian in Nigrino sayth that the Phrygian pipe was onely sufficient to yeeld musicke to her sacrifices for that was no sooner heard but they fell into a diuine rapture resembling madnesse neither was the Pine onely sacred to her but the Oake as witnesseth Apollodorus Euphorion attributes to her the Vine because out of that wood her Effigies was alwaies cut Appollonius left recorded that the Milesian priests accustomed first to sacrifice to Taetia and Cilaenus and after to Rhaea the mother of the gods whose altars were deckt and adorned with Oaken bowes By Rhaea is maent the earth or that strength of the earth which is most pertinent and auailable in the generation of things Shee is drawne in a chariot because the globe of the earth hangs in the middle of the aire without supporture neither inclining or declining to one part or another and that by nature About her chariot are wilde beasts the reason is shee is the producter and nourisher of all creatures whatsoeuer Deseruedly she weares a crowne of Towers and Turrets being the queene and mistresse of so many Townes Castles and Cities By the noyse of musicke and clamours at her sacrifices is obserued the whistling and blustring of the windes who are necessarie in all the affaires of nature especially in heate and cold bearing the showers and tempests too and fro vpon their wings to make foule weather in one place and a cleere skie in another Her chariot is drawne with foure Lions which imports those foure brothers which blow from the Orient the Australl the Occident and the Septentrion these are sayd to be her coach-steeds and hurrie her from place to place because in generation they are much auailing therefore as all things as from a fountaine deriue their originall and beginning from her she is most pertinently called Rhaea à fluendo of flowing Isis or Io. She was the daughter of the flood Inachus and as Andraetas Tinedius left written was no better than a strumpet who by sorcerie and witchcraft sought to attract the loue of Iupiter in which businesse shee vsed the assistance of Iynx the daughter of Pan and Eccho or as some will haue it of Suadela this being discouered to Iuno shee changed her into a bird which still beareth her name Iynx which is frequently vsed amongst witches in their sorceries and incantations who because shee moueth her taile so much and so often is by the Latines called Motasilla from the intrailes of this bird with other ingredients was made a confection which they say Iason gaue to Medaea to inamourat her in that expedition which he made to Colchos this Iöne or Io by the cunning of Iynx lay with Iupiter in a clowde and after to conceale her from Iuno hee transhapt her into a cowe but this iugling being discouered by Iuno shee begd her as a gift and gaue her in custodie to
Argus the sonne of Aristor whose hundered eyes Mercurie by the commaundement of Iupiter hauing charmed asleepe he cut off his head and so slewe him In these destractions she past the Ionian sea which from her beares the name though Theopompus and Archidamus rather are of opinion that that Sea tooke his denomination from Ionius an eminent man of Illyria from thence she came to Haemus and transwafted thence to a gulfe of Thracia which by her was called Bosphorus There were two Bosphori the one called Cimnerius the other Thracius so much Prometheus speakes in his Escilus she past thence into Scythia and traiecting many seas that deuide and run by Europe and Asia came at length into Aegypt and by the bankes of Nilus reassumed her humane shape and this hapned neere the cittie Iaxe so called of Io after which she brought forth Epaphus as Strabo writes in a cauerne or denne in Eubaea by the Aegean sea shore which place is to this day called Aula Bouis That she past all these Seas in the shape of a Cow the meaning is that the ship wherein she sayled had the image of a Cow carued vpon the sterne and therefore was so called By Argus with so many eyes was intended Argus a wise and prouident king of the Argiues whom Mercury hauing slaine released her from his seruitude After all her transmarine nauigations being the most beautifull of her time she was espoused to Apis king of the Aegyptians and by reason she taught them in that countrey the profitable vsurie arising from agriculture was esteemed by them a goddesse whose statue her son Aepaphus after he had builded Memphis the great cittie caused to be erected Some more ingeniouslie and diuinelie withall say that Isca by which name the first woman and wife of Adam was called imports no more than Isis whom the Aegyptians honored as the great and most antient goddesse and mother of mankinde for the Latines and Greekes corrupt the pronuntiation and aetimologie of the word speaking Isis for Issa or Isca Therefore as Isca is the wife of our great grandfather Adam so by the auncient tradition of the Aegyptians Isis was the wife of Offidis whom the Latines call Osirides transferring the Aegyptian Euphony to their owne Idioma or proper forme of speech Ate. Ate whom some call Laesio is the goddesse of Discord or Contention and by Homer termed the daughter of Iupiter Ate prisca proles quae le serit omnes Mortales Ate the ancient offspring that hath hurt and harmed all Mankinde He calls her a certaine woman that to all men hath been obnoxious and perilous alluding no doubt to the parent of vs all Eue that first transgressed and by some reliques of truth with which he was inlightned for he sayth Filia prima Iouis quaeque omnes perdidit Ate Perniciosa As much to say Pernitious Ate the eldest daughter of Iupiter who hath lost vs all In another fable hee alludes to the same purpose where he sayth Iupiter notwithstanding he was the most wise of all mortalls yet was in daies of old tempted and deceiued by his wife Iuno And this Homer hath plainly deliuered that the beginning of euill came first from a woman and by her the wisest of men was beguiled Hesiod in his booke of Weekes and Daies is of the same opinion and writes to the same purpose but in another kind of fable from the old tradition For saith he From Pandora a woman of all creatures the fairest and first created by the gods all mischiefes whatsoeuer were disperst through the face of the whole earth And though Palephatus in his fabulous narrations and Pleiades Fulgentius in his Mythologicis otherwise interpret Pandora yet Hesiodus is still constant in the same opinion as may appeare in these verses Namque prius vixere Homines verum absque labore Absque malis morboque grani tristique senecta At mulier rapto de poclo tegmine sparsit Omne mali genus morbos curasque molestas Which I thus interpret Man liu'd at first from tedious labours free Not knowing ill or grieuous maladie Nor weake and sad old age till woman mad Snatcht from the pot the couer which it had Sprinkling thereby on mankind euery ill Trouble disease and care which haunts vs still Therefore the same authour in his Theogonia as Cyrillus testifies in his third booke against Iulian and in the beginning of the booke calls women Pulchrum malum The faire euill Pandora Of her thus brieflie the better to illustrat the former Hesiod tells vs that Promaetheus vpon a time offered two oxen to Iupiter and hauing separated the flesh of either from the bones in one of the skinnes including all the flesh without bones in the other all the bones without any part of the flesh and artificiallie making them vp againe bad Iupiter make choice of these which he would haue imployed in his sacrifices who chused that with the bones and taking it in great rage to be thus deluded he to be reuenged tooke away all fire from the earth thereby to inflict the greater punishment vpon mankind But Prometheus by the assistance of Minerua ascended heauen and with a dryed cane or reed kindled at the chariot of the sunne vnknowne to Iupiter brought fire downe againe vpon the earth which Horace expresseth in these words Audax Iapeti Genus Ignem fraude mala gentibus intulit The bold issue of Iapetus By his bad fraud brought fire againe among the Nations This when Iupiter vnderstood he instantlie commanded Vulcan to fashion a woman out of clay who being the most subtle and best furnisht with all kind of arts so indued by the gods was therefore called Pandora Pausonias tearmes her the first created of that sex she was by Iupiter sent to Prometheus with all the mischiefes that are included in a boxe which he denying she gaue it to Epimetheus who taking off the couer or lid and perceiuing all these euills and disasters to rush out at once he scarce had time to shut it againe and keepe in Hope which was lowest and in the bottome The purpose of the Poets in this as I can guesse is that since Pandora signifies all arts all sciences all gifts it imports thus much for our better vnderstanding That there is no mischiefe or euill happens to man which proceedes not from a voluptuous life which hath all the arts to her ministers and seruants for from them kings were first instituted and raised to their honoures by them were plots stratagems supplantations and dangerous innouations attempted with them grew emulation and enuie discord and contention thefts spoiles warres slaughters with all the troubles cares vexations and inconueniences belonging and heriditarie to mankinde Of the Marine Goddesses IN these as in the former I will studie to auoid all prolixitie because I am yet but at the start of the race and measure in my thoughts the tediousnesse of the way I am to run before I can
attaine the goale intended and therefore thus desperatly from the Earth I leape into the Sea direct me ô ye marine goddesses and Ampehitrite first AMPHITRITE IVpiter hauing expelled Saturne from his kingdome by the helpe of his brothers Neptune and Pluto and hauing cast lotts for the tripartite Empire the Heauen fell to Iupiter Hell to Pluto and the Sea with all isles adiacent to Neptune who solicited the loue of Amphitrite but shee not willing to condescend to his amorous purpose hee imployed a Dolphin to negotiate in his behalfe who dealt so well in the businesse that they were not only reconsiled but soone after married For which in the perpetuall memorie of so great and good an office done to him he placed him amongst the starres not farre from Capricorne as Higinus hath left remembred in his Fables and Aratus in his Astronomicks others contend that Venilia was the wife of Neptune but notwithstanding his loue to and marriage with Amphitrite he had many children by other Nimphes Goddesses and wantons Of Lyba he begot Phaenix Betus and Agenor of Cataeno Cataenus of Amimone Nauplius of Pylanes of whom a citie of Lacoonia bears name Auadne Aone froÌ„ whom the prouince of Aonia takes his denominatioÌ„ Phaenix that gaue the name to Phaenicia and Athon of whom the Mountaine is so called as also Pheaces from whence Pheacia now called Corcyrus is deriued Dorus that giues name to the Dorij and of Laides the daughter of Otus Althepus by Astipataea he had Periclimenus and Erginus by Alceone the daughter of Atlas Anathamus Anthas and Hyperetes by whom certaine cities amongst the Trezenians were erected and from them tooke their name Of Arne hee had Boeotus of Alope the daughter of Certion Hippothous of Ceclusa Asopus of Brilles Orion He begot the Tritons one of Celaene the other of Amphitrite of Tyrbo Palaemon and Neleus of Molio Creatus and Eurithus of Crisigone the daughter of Almus Minya of Melantho Delphus of Calirhoe Minius of Venus Erix of Alistra Ogigus of Hippothoe Taphius he had one Cygnus by Caces another by Scamandrodices by Tritogenia the daughter of Aeolus Minyas of the Nimph Midaea Aspledones of Cleodora Pernasus of Mecioâ—tica to whome as Asclepeades relates hee granted a Boone that shee should walke as firmely and stedfastly vpon the water as the land Euripilus and Euphemus Besides these he had another Euphemus that was steers-man in the Argo when all the braue Heroes of Greece made their expedition for the golden fleece As also Amicis Albion Aello Antheus Amphimanus Aethusa Aon Alebius Dercilus Neleus Peleus and Astraeus who ignorantly hauing beene incestious with his sister Alcyppa and the next day their neerenesse of blood and affinitie being knowne to him by a ring hee cast himselfe headlong into a riuer and was drowned which riuer as Leo Bizantius writes was first from him called Astraeus and after Caius of Caicus the sonne of Mercury and Ocirhoe moreouer these were his children Actorion Borgeon Brontes Busyris Certion Crocon Cromos Crysaos Cencreus Chrisogenaea Chius Dorus Euphemus Ircaeus Lelex Lamia the Prophetesse and Sibilla Hallerhoitius Laestrigone Megaraeus Mesapus Ephialtes Nictaeus Melion Nausithous Othus Occipite Poliphemus Piracmon Phorcus Pelasgus Phaeax Pegasus Phocus Onchestus Peratus Siculus Sicanus Steropes Farus Theseus Hiretus and others infinite besides fourescore whose names are remembred there are others scarce to be numbered for as Zetzes sayth in his Historie Elatos animo enim omnes omnes strenuos Filios amicos dicunt amatos à Neptuno All that are high minded and strong men were esteemed as the sonnes and friends and beloued of Neptune Amphitrite signifies nothing else but the bodie and matter of all that moyst humor which is earth aboue belowe or within the earth and for that cause she is called the wife of Neptune Euripides in Ciclope takes her for the substance of water it selfe Orpheus calls her Glauca and Piscosa that is blew and full of fish being attributes belonging solely to the goddesse of the Sea And by the Dolphines soliciting the loue of Neptune to Amphitrite and reconciling them is meant nothing else but to illustrate to vs That of all the fishes that belong to the sea he is the swiftest the most actiue and apprehensiue THETIS or TETHIES HEsiod calls her the wife of Oceanus who is stiled the father of all the floods creatures and gods because as Orpheus Thales and others are of opinion all things that are bred and borne haue need of humor without which nothing can be begot or made corruptible Isacius hath left recorded that besides her hee had two wiues Partenope and Pampholige by Partenope hee had two daughters Asia and Libia by Pampholige Europa and Thracia and besides them three thousand other children for so many Hesiod numbers in his Theogonia This Thetis was the daughter of the earth and heauen and therefore as Oceanus is called the father of the gods so is shee esteemed as the mother of the goddesses Epicharmus calls one Thetis the daughter of Chiron the Centaure and Homer in his hymne to Apollo the child of Nereus which Rhodius confirmes as also Euripides in Iphigenia and in Aulide she was the wife of Peleus and of all women liuing the most beautiful of whom Apollodorus thus speakes They say Iupiter and Neptune contended about her nuptials but she not willing to incline to Iupiter because she was educated by Iuno therefore he in his rage allotted her to be the bride of a mortall man Homer writes that she was angerie being a marine goddesse to bee the wife of a man therefore to auoid his imbraces she shifted her selfe into sundrie shapes and figures but Peleus being aduised by Chiron notwithstanding all her transformations as into fire into a Lion and others neuer to let goe his hold till she returned into her owne naturall forme in which he vitiated her and of her begot Achilles the last shape she tooke vpon her was of a Sepia which is a fish called a Cuttle whose blood is as blacke as ynke now because this was done in Magnesia a citie of Thessaly the place as Zertzes in his historie records is called Sepias Pithenatus and others say that she was not compelled or forced to the mariage of Pelius but that it was solemnised in the mountaine Pelius with her full and free consent where all the gods and goddesses sauing Discord were present and offered at the wedding for such hath been the custome from antiquitie Pluto gaue a rich Smaragd Neptune two gallant steeds Xanthus and Ballia Vulcan a knife with an haft richly carued and some one thing some another By Peleus shee had more sonnes than Achilles which euerie night she vsed to hide beneath the fire that what was mortall in them might bee consumed by which they all died saue Achilles who was preserued by being in the daytime annointed with Ambrosia therfore as Amestor in his Epithalamium vpon
Thetis espousals relates hee was called Piresous as preserued from the fire additur hinc nomen Piresoâ—s She was the sister of Titan and brought foorth Ephire who was after married to Epimetheus and Pleione who as Ouid relates in his booke de Fastis was the wife of Atlas These are likewise numbered amongst the daughters of Oceanus and Thetis Acaste Admete Asia that gaue name to a part of the world till now called Asia Climene Idyia Ephire Eudora Eurinome Ianira Liriope Melobois Metis Plexame Prinino Rhodia Thea Thoe Tiche Xanthe Zeâ—xo Clitie who was beloued of Apollo but being iealous of his affection to Leucothoe she had discouered it to her father Orchamus Apollo therefore left her in griefe of which she vowed an abstinence from all sustenance whatsoeuer onely with fixt eyes still gazing vpon the course of the Sunne which the gods commiserating changed her into an Heliotropian which is called the Suns flower which still inclines to what part soeuer he makes his progresse But whether shee be Tethies or Thetis she is no other than the reputed goddesse of the Sea her name importing that huge masse of water or element as Virgill in his Pollio sayth necessarie to the generation of all creatures whatsoeuer Towards the East shee is called Indica towards the West Atlantica where she diuides Spaine and Mauritania towards the North Pontica and Glaciatis as likewise Rubra and Aethopica for so Strabo relates as also Rhianus in the nauigation of Hanno the Carthagenian Stiphilus in his booke de Thessalia hath bequeathed to memorie That Chiron a wise and skilfull Astrologian to make Peleus the more famous consulted with the daughter of Acloris and Mirmidâ—n and betwixt them published abroad that he by the consent of Iupiter should match with the goddesse Thetis to whose nuptialls all the gods came in great showers and tempests for he had obserued a time when he knew great store of raine would fal and from that the rumor first grew That Peleus had married Thetis But Dailochus and Pherceides report that Peleus hauing purged himselfe of the murder of his brother Phochus murdered Antigone others say that he first tooke Antigone and after her death Thetis that Chiron being an excellent Chyrurgeon was so called for the lightnesse and dexteritie of hand which is an exellent gift in the searching and dressing of wounds in any of that profession Apollodorus saith that Thetis after many windings turnings and transhapes to preseâ—ue her virginitie was at length comprest by Iupiter The Nimphes called Dorides were her ministers and handmaides NEREIDES THey were the daughters of Nereus and Doris he is sayd by Hesiod to be the sonne of Oceanus and Thetis he is stiled a prophet or south-sayer who as Horace tells did predict to Paris all the calamities that were to succeed at Troy Apollonius tells vs that his cheife mansion or place of residence is in the Aegean sea The fame is that Hercules being sent to fetch the golden apples of the Hesperides and not knowing where abouts they grew went to the nymphs that dwell by the bankes of Eridamus to be resolued by them they sent him to demaund of Nereus who thinking to delude him by shifting himselfe into sundrie shapes was notwithstanding held so fast by Hercules that hee was forced to assume his owne forme againe and tell him for so Orpheus in his Argonauticis informes vs. He is sayd to haue a principalitie in the Sea to be delighted in the companie of nymphs and damosells as also to be the beginning and end of waters of whom Orpheus in one of his hymnes thus sings Tu fundamen aquae tu terrae Finis Idem Principium es cunctis Euripides in one of his Tragedies sayth he was educated and nourced by the waters and calls him the father of the Nereides He had daughters by Doris the nymphs Halia Spio Pasitaea and Lygaea Hesiod in his Theogonia reckons of them to the number of fiftie Doris was the sister of Nereus Horace and others describe her with greene haire Theocritus in Thessalijs sayth that the birds called Halciones were to them most gratefull some say that they vse to daunce and reuell in the waters play about the chariot of Triton as nimbly as fishes Homer in his Iliades reckons of that ranke Glauce Thalia Cymodoce Nesea Spio Thoe Halie Cymothoe Actae Melite Agane Amphithoe Iaere Doto Proto Pherusa Dinamione Doris Amphinome Panope Callianira Dexamine Galataea Amathaea Callianassa Climine Ianira Ianassa Mera Orithia Hesiod besides these reckons vp Eucrate Sao Eudore Galene Glauce Pasithaea Erato Eunice Doro Pherusa Nesaee Protomedeae Doris Panope Hyppothoe Hypponoe Cymatolege Cimo Eione Halimeda Glanconome Panto Pautopenia Liagore Euagore Laomedala Polinome Antonoe Lasianassa Euarne Psamathe Menippe Neso Eupompe Themito Pronoe Nemertes Apollodorus Atheniensis adds to these Glaneothoe Nonsithoe Halia Pione Plesrure Calipso Cranto Neomeris Deianeira Polinoe Melie Dione Isaea Dero Eumolpe Ione Ceto Limnoraea and all these are held to be most beautiful it is therfore thus fabled That Cassiope wife to Cepheus king of Aethiopia gloried so much in her beautie that she held herself to be the fairest woman in the world and did not onely compare but preferre herselfe before the nymphs called Nereides for which their indignation was kindled against her and in that high measure that they sent into those seas a Whale of an incredible greatnesse the people consulting with the Oracle how to appease the goddesses and free themselues from the monster answere was returned That it could not bee done but by exposing their onely daughter Andromeda fast bound to a rocke that ouerlooked the sea to bee a prey to the sea Whale but she was thence released by the vertue of Perseus and Cassiope by his meanes as a perpetuall example that all such rashenesse ought to be auoided translated amongst the starres for so much Arataeus hath left to memorie in certaine verses interpreted by Cicero This Nerius is for no other reason said to be the sonne of Oceanus and Tethis than to denote vnto vs the counsell iudgement and cunning in guiding and directing ships by sea and therefore to haue many daughters which are nothing but inuentions new deuises stratagems and changes belonging to nauigation He is therefore said to be a Prophet because in all arts and disciplines there is a kind of knowledge by which we foresee and diuine of things to come for he is held no skilfull nauigator that cannot foretell by the weather the changes of winds and certaine signes of tempests thereby to vse preuention against them before they suddainelie come Hee is also said to change himselfe into many figures to giue vs to vnderstand that it is the part of a knowing and vnderstanding man to arme himselfe against all chances and varietie of things whatsoeuer It is therefore required of such a man to vse prouidence and care in all his affaires and actions and not to accuse the gods if any
altogether vnproperlie said to change themselues into the similitudes of so many creatures The daughters of PHORCIS THis Phorcis whom the Latines call Phorcus was the sonne of Terra and Pontus the Earth and the Sea as Hesiod in his Theogonia makes him But Varro will haue him to be the issue of Neptune and the Nymph Thosea He had besides those daughters begot one Ceto the Phorcidae namelie the Gorgons and Thoosa who lay with Neptune and brought forth the Ciclops Poliphemus as Homer witnesseth He is cald also the father of the serpent that kept the Hesperides by Hesiod But I will forbeare the rest to speake something of his daughter Medusa Medusa She for her lust and immoderate appetite to inchastitie incurred the ire of the gods being so impudent as to suffer the imbraces of Neptune in the Temple of Minerua There were diuers of that name one the daughter of Priam another of Sthenelus and Nicippe Pausanias in Corinthiacis calls her the daughter of Phorbus others of a sea monster which I take to be Phorcus before mentioned Minerua for the prophanation of her Temple being grieuouslie incenst thought to punish her in those haires which a little before were so wondrous pleasing to Neptune and turned them into hissing and crawling snakes giuing her this power that whosoeuer gased vpon her face should be in the instant conuerted into stone Isacius is of opinion that that was not the cause of her calamitie but relates it another way That Medusa was of Pisidia and the fairest of all women who glorying in her feature but especiallie the beautie of her haire dared to contend with Pallas which arrogant impudencie the goddesse heinouslie taking her haire in which she so ambitiouslie gloried she changed into filthie and terrible snakes and then gaue her that killing look before mentioned but pittying at length so generall a mischiefe incident to mortall men by that meanes she sent Perseus the sonne of Iupiter and Danae or rather as some will haue it he was imployed by Polydectes king of the Seriphians to cut off her head who hauing before receiued a hooked skeyne called Harpe from Mercury and a shield from Pallas came to the fenne called Tritonides amongst whose inhabitants she exercised her mischiefe and first approaching Pephredo and Aenio two of the Phorcidae and of the Gorgonian sisterhood who were old and wrinckled croanes from their natiuitie they had betwixt them but one eye and one tooth which they did vse by turnes and when they went abroad or when they had no occasion to imploy them layde them vp in a casket for so Ascilus relates He borrowed of them that eye and tooth neither of which he would restore till they had brought him to the nymphes with winged shooes which taking from them and being armed with the Helmet of Pluto the sword of Mercury and the mirrour of Pallas he fled to Tartessus a cittie of Iberiae where the Gorgons then inhabited whose heads crawled with adders whose teeth were like the tuskes of a boare their hands of brasse and their wings of gold and there arriuing found them asleepe and spying her head in Mineruaes glasse in which he still looked it directed him so that at one blow he cut it off out of whose blood Pegasus sprung forth The other two sisters Sthumo and Aeuryale awaking and this seeing with the lowde hissing of these innumerable snakes made a noyse most dreadfull and horrible From whence Pallas first deuised the pipe with many heads The forme and shape of these Phorcidae Hesiod elegantlie describes Crisaor and Pegasus were begot of the blood dropping from Medusaes head as Apollonius Rhodius writes in his building of Alexandria The Gorgons were called Graee as Zetzes explicates in his twenty two historie Menander in his booke de Misterijs numbers Scilla amongst these Gorgons and that they inhabited the Doracian Islands scituate in the Aethiopick sea which some call Gorgades of whom they tooke the names of Gorgones Nimphodorus in his third booke of Histories and Theopompus in his seauenteenth affirme their guirdles to bee of wreathed vipers so likewise Polemo in his booke to Adaeus and Antigonus The occasion of these fictions are next to be inquired after By these Graee the daughters of Sea monsters is apprehended Knowledge and such Wisedome as is attained too by Experience They are said to haue but one eye which they vsed when they went abroad because Prudence is not so altogether necessarie to those that stay within and solely apply themselues to domesticke affaires as to such as looke into the world and search after difficulties Of this Wisedome or these Graee not impertinentlie called the sisters of the Gorgons is meant the pleasures and vaine blandishments of the world with the dangers that appertaine to the life of man from either of which no man without the counsell of Wisedome can acquit himselfe Therefore is Perseus said to ouercome the Gorgons not without the Helmet of Pluto the eye of the Graee the sword of Mercury and the mirror of Pallas all which who shall vse aright shall prooue himselfe to be Perseus the friend and sonne of Iupiter SCILLA and CHARIBDIS A Cusilaus and Appollonius both nominate Scilla to be the daugther of Phorcia and Hecate but Homer that her mothers name was Crataeis Chariclides calls her the issue of Phorbantes and Hecate Stesichorus of Lamia Tymeus tearmes her the daughter of the flood Cratus Pausanias in Atticis and Strabo in lib. 8. agree that this Scilla was the daughter of Nysus King of the Megarenses who surprised with the loue of King Mynos stole from her fathers head that purple locke in which consisted the safetie of his owne life and kingdome The Athenians hauing inuaded his dominion and ceised many of his townes and wasted the greatest part of his countrey by their fierce and bloody incursions they at length besieged him in the cittie Nysaea Some are of opinion that Nisus incensed with the foulenes of that treason caused her to be cast into the sea where she was turned into a sea-monster Pausanias auers that she was neither changed into a bird nor a monster of the sea nor betrayde her father nor was marryed to Nisus as he had before promist her but that hauing surprised Nisaea he caused her to be precipitated into the sea whose body tost too and fro by the waues of the Ocean till it was transported as farre as the Promontorie called Scylaea where her bodie lay so long vpon the continent vnburyed till it was deuoured by the sea-fowles this gaue place to that fable in Ouid Filia purpureum Nisi furata capillum Puppe cadens nauis facta refertur auis 'T is said the daughter hauing stolne her fathers purple Haire Falls from the hin-decke of the ship and thence sores through the Aire Zenodorus saith that she was hanged at the stearne of Minos his ship and so dragged through the waters till she dyed and that Scylla the
the number of three because it is easie to obserue that euerie sound which begets any materiall thing concerning musicke is tripartite by nature either it proceedes from the voyce simplie as to those that sing without an instrument or with the breath as the Trumpet Cornet or Sackbut or by the stroakes as the Lute Harpe or Gitterne The names of these statue-makers Augustine saith were Cephisodotus Strongilio and Olimpiosthines Pausonias relates that in times of old there were acknowledged no more than three by Oto and Ephialtes the sonnes of Aloeus cald Meditation Memorie and Song or Musicke Archestratus the Poet affirmes as much as also that these two were the first that offered diuine sacrifice to the Muses and imposed these names vpon them in Hellicon Some authours will approue but two others will make them vp foure for the excellencie of the number which the Pythagorists held to be so sacred that by that as Plutarch replyes they vsed to sweare Per quaternionem sacrum qui animae nostrae tradiâ— naturam aeternam c. By the holy number of foure which lends to the soule an eternall nature c. Some haue raysed them to fiue others to seauen Pierius Macedo he increased their number to nine Some are of opinion that the names of the nine daughters of Pierius were imposed vpon the Muses these are character'd by Hesiod in his Theogonia Lucan in his third dialogue of the supernall gods calls the Muses virgines and such as are contented with their natiue colour and beautie he likewise tearmes them invulnerable as not to be toucht or wounded with the wanton darts of Cupid They were crowned diuerse wayes by diuerse nations some bestow Coronets of the palme-tree vpon them some-lawrell others chaplets of roses to which Sapho seemes to allude most elegantlie taunting an vnlearned woman Mortua Iacebis Nec enim hortulum habes rosarum ex Piâ—ria Thou shalt lye dead Without Pierian roses 'bout thy head Cornutus in a booke intituled De natura Deorum saith that there were first onelie three according to that number which is attributed to the deitie as the most simple and perfect of all others Those that made foure as Cicero or fiue had reference to the auncient instruments of musicke then in vse and which yeelded no more seuerall sounds Those that approoued seauen to the seauen liberall arts alluded the seauen Muses But there are nine receiued and allowed amongst vs and that for diuerse reasons as first because the number of nine is held to be vertuall and perfect being an euen foure arising from a first odde and then odlie to an odde it is likewise deuided and distinguished into three equall oddes then it consists of Triangulors c. Besides Mnemosiâ—e who is said to be the mother of the Muses her name consists of nine letters Fulgentius saith that the nine Muses with their brother Apollo import nothing else than the tenne modulations of mans voyce therefore is Apolloes harpe represented with ten strings so in the Scripture we reade of the Decachord or Psalterie others moralise it to be the foure former teeth against which the tongue striketh the two lips which are the Cymbals or Instruments to fashion the words the tongue and the string of the tongue the pallate whose concauitie begets a sound the wind-pipe which is the passage of the breath and the lungs which like a paire of bellowes giues and takes backe the ayre or spirit Virgill of the Muses writes thus Clio gesta canens transact is tempora reddit Melpomene tragico proclamat maesta boatâ— Comica lasciuo gaudet sermone Thalia Dulciloqui calamos Euterpe flatibus vrget Terpsichore affectus Cytharis mouet imperat auget Plectra gerens Erato saltat pede carmine vultu Carmina Calliope libris heroica mandat Vrania poli motus scrutatur Astra Signat cuncta manâ— loquiturque Polimnia gestu Mentis Apolliniae vis has mouet vndique Musas In medio residens complectitur omnia Phebus Clio past acts to after ages sings Melpomine with tragicke buskin she In bellowing breath proclaimes disasterous things Comick Thalia affects wanton lie To speake and write The eloquent mans quill Euterpe vndertaketh to inspire With her learn'd breath Terpsichore is still Busied about the musicke of the Lyre Th' affections to command to mooue and sway But Erato a Rebeck beares and knowes To tread to it of Verse she can the way And how to frame the gesture Number flowes In straynes Heroick from Calliop's penne Which she to bookes commits The starres and spheares Vrania searcheth and instructeth men In their true motion Polihimnia steares Action and language by her hand directed Which by her helpe an orator much graceth By Phoebus thus the Muses liue protected He in the midest the Nine about him placeth It may now lastly bee demaunded by those that are studious of antiquities Why the Vertues the Disciplines the Muses the Deuisers and Patrons of all good arts with diuers of the like nature should rather bee comprehended vnder the faeminine sexe by the names of Virgins and women as also their pictures drawne to the portraitures of damosells than either by masculine nomination or according to the effigies of men the rather since not onely the Ethnickes and Morrall men but euen Christians and Theologists themselues in all their bookes and writings which they commit to posteritie continue them vnder the same gender for who is ignorant that Sophia which signifies Wisdome was not from the beginning and before the world who is sayd to be the mother of the three Theologicall Vertues Faith Hope and Charitie and these represented as Women why should the seuen liberall Arts bee exprest in Womens shapes why the nine Muses bee the daughters of Iupiter as all writers agree Why is Wisdome called the Daughter of the highest and not rather the Sonne as witnesseth the booke of Wisdome why Pallas otherwise called Minerua not the Sonne but the Daughter of Ioue of whose braine she was borne and why the most curious and diligent inquisiters into these curiosities figure the liberal Arts and Disciplines like women and not rather like men or by what reason the Muses should be personated rather like Damosells than young men strenuous and excelling in masculine Vertue To all these obiections it is briefely answered by Lilius Gregorius as likewise by Cornutus whom some cal Pharnutus That by the symbole or semblance of such women much science is begot and besides much fruit ariseth from the judgment of the soule besides it was a custome of old for Virgins to play and daunce in companies which excellently fitted the coupling and sisterhood of the sciences these coherences are called by Martianus Capella Ciclicae from whence Vitruuius grounded his Euciclium besides the Greekes Euciclopaedia is frequent with Plinie Plutarch and the rest likewise in Beroaldus commentaries vpon the Golden Asse he adds this one thing worthie obseruation to the great honour and commendation of the feminine sex the foure parts
who is not onely a friend of Poets but the companion of Kings as Hesiod saith Calliopeque haec excellentissima est omnium Haec enim reges venerandos comitatur Hee makes her the mother of Orpheus and to inspire him as Vrania did the Poet Musaeus Clio Homerus Polyhimnia Pyndarus Erato Sapho Melpomene Thamyras Terpsichore Hesiodus Thalia Virgilius Euterpe Pub. Ouidius Thus the nine Muses who haue reference and hold correspondence with the nine coelestiall sounds make one harmonie and consent by inspiring nine illustrious Poets Amongst them Calliope is held to be the most antient Antient likewise is Poesie whose inuention is giuen to Calliope as to the Championesse that defends the standard of the Muses Besides Orpheus some say she had two other sons Ialmus and Hymenaeus of whom we spake before Hymenaeus was beloued of Thamiras who was the first Poetiser of vnchast venerie She is also said to haue a sonne called Cymothon by Oeagrus some also make the Syres the daughters of Calliope others of Melpomene Venus because Orpheus the sonne of Calliope discouered Adonis whom she had deliuered to Proserpina to be six moneths concealed gaue him to be lacerated and torne in pieces by the Thracian women But now to search what was chieflie aymd at by the Poets in this Muse Calliope It appeares that by her they apprehended the sweetnesse and modulation of song as taking her denomination à bona voce of a good and tunable cleere voice therefore she is called Vox deae clamantis The voyce of the calling goddesse from which they gaue her the dominion ouer the persuasiue art of Rhetoricke and Poetrie The generall tractat of the Muses ayming onelie at this That the first thing requisite is to haue a will to knowledge and learning the second to be delighted in that will the third to be constant in that wee delight the fourth to attaine to that in which wee are constant the fift to commemorate that which we haue attained the sixt to make similitude and compare what we haue commemorated the seauenth to iudge of those likes which we haue made and compared the eighth to make elections of such things as thou hast iudged the last eloquentlie to speake and facundiouslie to delate of that thing of which before thou hast made election So much Fulgentius And those no doubt that haue long and much exercised themselues in these disciplines and haue beene the deuout adorers of the Muses the daughters of Iupiter and practised themselues as well in the gentler sciences as the hidden mysteries of Philosophie shall not onelie by their endeauours attaine to the perfection of fame and glorie but purchase to themselues incredible ioy pleasure content and delectation A word or two of the Muses in generall and so conclude with them They are held to be the soules of the Spheares Vrania of the starrie Heauen and of that spheare which is called Aplanes Polyhimnia of Saturne Terpsichore of Iupiter Clio of Mars Melpomene of the Sonne Erato of Venus Euterpe of Mercury Thalia of Luna These eight Muses are referred to the eight Tones of the spheares from all which Calliope not till now named amongst them ariseth and is begot these being neere to the body that is first mooued which is said to be next to the seat of the supreame deitie are said by Hesidus to daunce about the Altar of Iupiter But because diuerse and sundry are the studies of these Muses therefore by their influence the minds of mortall men are inspired with sundry and diuerse delectations which as the Pythagorians thinke descend downe vpon them from these spheares Those ouer whom the Moone hath predominance participate of the nature of Thalia and are therefore delighted with comick lasciuiousnesse and wantonnesse Those whom the spheare of Saturne gouernes or Polyhimnia being of a drie and cold temperature they are wondrous retentiue in the remembrance of things long past For the dispositions of the mind and constitutions of the body haue a consonance to the nature of that planet vnder which they were borne therefore some are delighted with one study some another according to the aspects of the planet For example if Mercury be in a good and pleasing aspect he begets eloquence facunditie and elegancie of speech besides skill and knowledge in many things but especiallie in the Mathematicks the same being in coniunction with Iupiter they are bred Philosophers and Diuines beeing ioyn'd with Mars in his happy aspect it makes men skilfull Physitians and fortunate but in his bad aspect such as prooue vnskilfull vnluckie and sometimes theeues and robbers which commonlie happens when he is scorcht with the planet of the Sunne Being in coniunction with Venus thence proceedes Musitians and Poets ioyn'd with Luna warie merchants and diligent and thriftie husbands with Saturne it infuseth men with prediction and prophesie But let this little serue to illustrate the rest so from the Muses we come to the Sybells Of the SYBELLS ISiodorus saith that the word Sybilla is a name of place and office and not of person It is deriued of Syos which signifies Deus God and Beele as much as to say Thought So that Sybell comprehends a woman that had gods thought For as a man that prophesieth is called a Prophet so a predicting woman is called a Sybill Of their number the antient writers much differ Aelianus in his booke De varia Historia thus speakes There were foure Sybells Erithraea Samia Aegyptia and Sardinia Others to these adde six more to make the number tenne amongst which are numbred Cymaea and Iudaea with the three Bachides one of Greece a second of Athens a third of Arcadia It seemes he had forgot to reckon the tenth Aretine in his booke De aquila volante agrees with Isiodorus In the Etimologye of the word Tanto sâ—na quanto a dire mente dâ—uina He likewise numbers tenne the first saith he was of Persia the second of Libia the third was named Delphita being borne in the Island of Delphos and neere to the Temple of Apollo who prophesied of the warres of Troy the fourth was called Omeria and was of Italy the fift Erythraea and borne in Babylon she composed a booke which in the Greeke tongue was intituled Vasillogra the sixt was called Sanâ—a or rather Samia as borne in the Isle Samos the seauenth Cumana of the cittie Cuma whose sepulchre as Isiodorus writes is in Sicilie she brought certaine bookes to Tarquinius Priscus which spake of the Roman succession and what should futurelie betide them prescribing them the Ceremonies to be vsed in their sacrifices the eight Ellespontiaca who likewise prophecied of the warres of Troy the ninth Phrigia the tenth and last Alburnea who prophecied many things concerning the Sauiour of the world And so farre Aretine The opinion of Iohannes Wyerius in his booke De prastigijs Demonum is to this purpose That the diuell in the theaâ—re of this world might put a face of honestie
her brother Astraeas the sonne of Hyperion and Thia she brought forth Argestre Zephyrus Boreas and Notus with a daughter called Iadama She was marryed to Tythonus the sonne of Laomedon and brother to King Priam but by diuers mothers Priam being the sonne of Leucippe Tython of Strimo or as others inuert it of Rhaeo daughter to the flood Scamander It is commemorated by the Poets that this Aurora begged for her husband Tython Immortalitie which was granted her by the gods But forgetting in her petition to insert that withall he should not grow old in processe he grew to that extremitie of decrepit age that liuing to be twice a child he was swath'd and cradled Tython had two sonnes by Aurora Memnon and Aemathaeon of whom she tooke the name Aemathia Pausonias calls Memnon the king of Aethiopia and from thence or rather as some more approoued will haue it from Susis a cittie in Persia he came to the warres of Troy for he before that expedition had subdued and subiugated all the nations neere or adiacent to the riuer Choaspes Strabo relates that in the cittie of Abidus not far from Ptolomais in Aegypt he had a magnificent pallace all built of stone than which the Easterne world affoorded not a more miraculous structure in which there was a labyrinth of the same stone and erected by the selfe-same worke-master which was called after his name Memnonium He died in a single Monomachia valiantlie by the hand of Achilles in a battaile fought betwixt the Greekes and the Troians In the place where he was slaine a fountaine presentlie issued which yearelie as that day flowed nothing but blood which Calaber commemorates his sepulcher was in Paltus in Syriaâ— neere to the riuer Bada for so saith the Poet Symonides Some haue held argument that Aurora made suit to Iupiter that when Memnons body was committed to the funerall fire he would transhape him into a bird which accordinglie happened as his Metamorph. most liuelie expresseth it in these words Memnonis orba mei venio qui fortia frustra c. Depriu'd of my sweete Memnon who in vaine Tooke Armes for his deere vnkle and now slaine By great Achilles in his prime of yeares For so you gods would haue it Loe appeares Before thy throane oh Ioue thou chiefe and rector Of all the gods their patron and protector A weeping mother begging to assure Honors to him by which my wounds to cure To this great Ioue assents The funerall fire Is kindled the bright sparks towards heau'n aspire And like so many starres they make repayre Through the thicke smoake which clouds and dulls the ayre Darkning the cleere day as when damps and fogges Exhal'd from riuers or from marish bogges Before the sunne hath power In such a myst Vp flye the obscur'd sparkes till they subsist Aboue all in one body which assumes First shape then face next collour from the fumes Thus from that Pyle the Metnnian bird first springs Fire gaue it life and lightnesse lent it wings It is said that many of these birds which still beare the name were seene to arise from his ashes which diuiding themselues into diuers squadrons fought so long amongst themselues till they fell dead into the fire sacrificing their owne liues to his obitts But Theocritus in his Epitaph vpon Bion speakes of none but Memnon onely who himselfe was changed into a bird and was seene to flye about and soare ouer his owne funerall fires Lucian in Philopseudo speakes of a prodigie or rather a miracle which was most frequent where his statue was erected in the Temple of Serapis no sooner did the rising sunne begin to shine vpon his monument and seem'd to touch it but his statue yeelded a most sweet and melodious sound but when he tooke his leaue to rest himselfe in the West as if it mourned the Sunnes departure it breathed an harmony so sadlie passionate that oft times it drew teares from the hearers which was thus interpreted That he still reioyced at his mothers approach and presence but lamented her departure and absence Cornelius Tacitus and Sâ—idas both report the same as likewise Zetzes Chil. histor 64. But to returne to his mother Aurora she was still held to be the sweetest the most delightfull and welcome of all to the nymphs and goddesses not to man onelie but to all other creatures beasts and plants Orpheus in one of his hymnes affirmes no lesse By thee ô goddesse mankind is made glad Thy gracious presence cheares such as be sad Since Memnons death in teares thou risest still And from thine eyes thick shewers of dew-drops spill Through all the spatious earth which to thy grace The mornings sunne still kisses from thy face By thee his glorious pallace is much graced By thee the pitchy night to Laethe chaced All sleepie mankind to their sport thou wakest And sleepie slumbers from their eyelids shakest Thy beautie to behold or heare thy voyce Serpents and men beasts birds and all reioyce The very Marine Frye thy presence craues And to behold thee dance vpon the waues And these things are the most remarkeable which haue beene fabulouslie obserued of Aurora who is therefore supposed to be the daughter of Hyperion and Thia because by the diuine bountie Light proceedeth from the Sunne to illumine the earth and all the inhabitants thereof for there is no benefit eyther of pleasure or profit that can accrue to vs which flowes not from their immediate grace and goodnes She is said to haue a ruddy colour because she appeares as if she came blushing from the pallace of the Sunne And for that cause they describe her with roseat fingers a high complexion a golden seat and red steedes to draw her charriot to answer and correspond to the liuerie which the Sunne giues his being all of the like colour For the swiftnesse of her motion she is allowed a charriot and such as conferre white steedes vpon her deriue not their hew from the gray vapours that arise from the earth but rather from the cleere and perspicuous splendour of the light it selfe Those that of this fable would make a historie say that Tythonus marryed a wife out of the Easterne countries by whom he had the fore-named children and after liued to that age that he grew not onelie decrepit and bed-rid of his limbs but doating and childish of his braine From hence ariseth the fable That Aurora was inamoured of him by reason of the temperature of those Orientall climates to be possest of which pleasant places she purchast for him Immortalitie And where some fable that he was turned to a grashopper it signifies nothing els but the loquacitie of age ambitiouslie groaning in the often repetition of things past glorying in times of old and despising those latter in respect of them such a one did Homer personate in Nestor The marke at which all these arrowes are aim'd in this fable is to persuade men by wisedome patientlie to vndergoe all
the chances and changes incident to vs both in time and nature since death by the bountie of the gods is granted to man as a rest and cessation from all calamities and troubles For when Aurora had beg'd immortalitie for Tython he feeling the infirmities and defects of age became himself a suppliant to the gods That they would be to him so gracious as to giue him leaue to sleepe with his fathers accounting it much better and happier to dye once and be at rest than to bee continuallie afflicted with the troubles and difficulties of a wearie and despised life NOX or the Night AFter morning past the Sunne gone about and the day spent comes Night neither was she in meane honour amongst the antient Poets who taught her to be the first and long before all other nymphs or goddesses as possessing all places and all things hauing in her owne dispose and gouernment that deformed and vnshapen matter called Chaos ouer which she raigned Emperesse before the gods themselues had any existence or being notwithstanding some contend to make her the daughter of this Chaos as Hesiod and others Inde Chao est Erebus Nox tenebros a creati From Chaos Erebus and the Night tenebrous Were both created And because so borne she was called The most antient the reason is approoued For before the masse was opened the matter of which to make things distinguished and the world it selfe created there could nothing be which might be properlie called Night therefore Aratus in Astronomac stiles her Nox antiqua and Orpheus in one of his hymnes The mother of gods and men as both hauing their birth from her She is drawne in a charriot with starres waiting vpon her wheeles and vshering her as Theocritus left recorded Salueteque Noctis Sydera quae Canthis tacite praecurritis alta Hayle all you starres so bright Softlie forerunning the round wheeles of Night She is habited in sable garments for so all writers agree her head bound vp in a blacke vayle whom the starres attend behind her charriot as well as before for so Euripides in Ione testates Inuita nigris vestibus currum in silit Nox Astra sunt deum secuta protinus Night in blacke vesture mounts into her carre Behind the starres attend her but not farre Virgill giues her two horses to her charriot therefore Appollonius in this third book describing the Night comming saith Nox iniecit equis iuga The night vpon her horses cast her yoake But this maner of the nights progresse is later than in the time of Homer for in his dayes she was allowed neither charriot nor horses they onelie deciphered her with wings like Cupid or Victorie Some introduce her at the departure of the day to rise out of the sea as Virgill in his Aeneids Vertitur interea Coelum ruit Oceano Nox Inuoluens vmbramagna Terramque polumque The Heauen meane time is turn'd the Night Leapes from the sea in hast In darke and pitchy cloudes the Earth And Poles inuoluing fast Her whom Virgill brings from the sea Euripedes inuocates as comming from Erebus in these words Verenda Verenda Nox ex Erebo veni Oh reuerent reuerent Night ascend from Erebus Orpheus relates that she sends day to the regions below and againe chaseth her thence in her owne person bringing them darknesse Quae Lucem pellis sub terr as rarsus ipsa Tartara nigra petis Below the earth thou driuest Light And then againe thou bring'st them Night In all her sacrifices a cocke was still kild and offered as a creature much opposed against silence for so Theagines hath left recorded Night had many children Euripides in his Hercules Furens calls one of hir daughters Rabies her name importing outragious Madnesse a second daughter of hers was called Rixa which is Brawling and Scolding a third Inuidia or Enuy for so saith Hesiod in his workes and dayes but in his Theogonia he makes mention of others whom he calls her sonnes in these verses Nox peperit Fatumque malum parcamque nigrantem Et mortem somnum diuersaque somnis natos Hos perperit nulli deanox connicta marito Night euill Fate brought forth blacke Parca bred With Death and Sleepe and diuers Dreames beside Of all these Sonnes she was deliuered And yet the goddesse neuer husband tride Cicero in his third booke De natura Deorum hauing numbred all the children of Night deriues them also from their father Erebuâ— as may appeare in these words Quod si ita est c. If it be so saith hee those that are the Parents of heauen should likewise be reckoned in the number of the gods Aether and Dies i. Ayre and Day with their brothers and sisters by the antient Geneologists thus nominated Amor Dolus Metus Labor Invidentia Fatum Senectus Mors Tenebrae Miseria Querela Gratia Fraus Pertinatia Parcae Hesperides Somnia that is Loue Deceite Feare Labour Enuie Fate ould Age Death Darknesse Miserie Complaint Fauour Frawde the Parcae and the Hesperides All which are by some imagined to be the children of Nox and Erebus I will only speake a little of two of these as they now lie in my way and that verie briefly too and because it may perchance be late before I haue doone with them I will conclude with Night Death and Sleepe are brother and sister and both the children of Night Aristo calls Somnus a seuere exacter from mankind who as it were violently snatcheth away the halfe part of our age to bestow on Sleepe and therfore by Orpheus he is called the brother of Lâ—the which insinuates Forgetfulnesse which he most elegantlie expresseth in his hymne to Sleepe So miâ—e beatorum rex rex summe virorum Quem fugiunt curia c. Sleepe of the blest man King and King of men Whom cares still flie and rest imbraceth then Of mischiefes the sole solace and best friend To giue them due repose and comfort lend Who putting on the shape of Death doest giue Onely by that all creatures meanes to liue Sleepe thou hast but two sisters and these are Death and Obliuion both which shorten care Ouid in his Metamorphos for his so many benefits conferred vpon Mortalls placeth him in the catalogue of the gods The house of Sleepe the same Poet hath ingeniously described vpon whom hee conferres a thousand children or rather a number not to be numbered nominating onely three Morpheus Icelus and Phantasus for sleepe if it be moderately vsed is of all mortall things the sweetest best and most profitable to whom all creatures whatsoeuer are subiect therefore not improperly by Orpheus tearmed the king of men and gods Homer in his Illiades makes an elegant expression to show how wretched their conditions are aboue other men that are in high and eminent place and office and haue predominance ouer the greatest affaires which hee thus introduceth by making all both gods and men asleepe at once sauing Iupiter which Iuno seeing shee
say nothing sir for all the time of the feast mine eyes were stedfastle â—ixt vpon you my deare husband for what other mens beauties are it becoms not a married wife to inquire Cornelia the wife of Aemilius Paulus when a great lady of Campania came to her house and opening a rich casket as the custome of women is to be friendly one with another shee shewed her gold rings rich stones and iewels and causing her chests to be opened exposed to her view great varietie of costly and pretious garments which done she intreated Cornelia to doe her the like curtesie and to shew her what iewels and ornaments she had stored to beautifie her selfe which hearing she protracted the time with discourse till her children came from schoole and causing them to be brought before her turned vnto the Lady and thus said These be my iewells my riches and delights nor with any gayer ornaments desire I to be beautified Filij bonae indolis parentum lauta supellex Viz. No domesticke necessaries better grace a house than children wittie and well disposed Many haue bin of that continence they haue imitated the Turtle who hauing once lost her mate will euer mourne but neuer enter into the fellowship of another Therefore Ania Romana a woman of a noble familie hauing buryed her first husband-in her youth when her friends and kindred continuallie layd open the sollitude of widdowhood the comfort of societie and all things that might persuade her to a second marriage she answered It was a motion to which she would by no meanes assent for saith she should I happen vpon a good man such as my first husband was I would not liue in that perpetuall feare I should bee in least I should loose him but if otherwise Why should I hazard my selfe vpon one so badde that am so late punisht with the losse of one so good It is reported of Portia Minor the daughter of Cato That when a woman who had marryed a second husband was for many vertues much commended in her presence Peace saith she That woman can neither bee happy well manner'd nor truely modest that will a second time marry But I hold her in this to be too censorious yet the most antient Romans onelie conferred on her the Crowne of modestie and continence that was contented with one matrimonie as making expression of their vncorrupted sinceritie in their continewed widdowhood Especiallie such were most discommended to make choice of a second husband who had children left them by the first resembling their father To which Virgill in the fourth booke of his Aeneid seemes elegantly to allude Dido thus complaining of the absence of Aenaeas Siqua mihi de te suscepta fuisset Ante fugam soboles c. Had I by thee but any issue had Before thy flight some pretie wanton lad That I might call Aeneas and to play And praâ—e to me to driâ—e these thoughts away And from whose smiling countenance I might gather A true presentment of the absent father I should not then my wretched selfe esteeme So altogether lostâ—â—â— I now seeme Plutarch much commends the widdowhood of Cornelia the illustrious mother of the Gracchi whose care hauing nobly prouided for her children familie after the death of her husband she exprest her selfe euery way so absolute a matron that Tiberius Gracchus of whom we spake before was not ill counselled by the gods by preseruing her life to prostrate his owne for she denied to marry with king Ptolomeus and when he would haue imparted to her a diadem and a scepter she refused to be stiled a queene to keepe the honour of a chast widdow Of the like puritie was Valeria the sister Messalar who being demaunded by her kindred and deerest freinds why her first husband dead she made not choice of a second answered that she found her husband Seruius to liue with her still accounting him aliue to her whom shee had euer in remembrance A singular remarkeable sentence proceeding from a most excellent matron intimating how the sacred vnitie in wedlock ought to be dignified namely with the affections of the mind not the vaine pleasures of the body This was proued in the daughter of Democion the Athenian who being a virgin and hearing that Leosthenes to whom she was contracted was slaine in the Lemnian wars and not willing to suruiue him killed her selfe but before her death thus reasoning with her selfe Though I haue a bodie vntoucht yet if I should fall into the imbraces of another I should but haue deceiued the second because I am still married to the first in my heart Not of their minds was Popilia the daughter of Marcus who to one that wondered what should be the reason why all feminine beasts neuer admitted the act of generation but in their time and when they couet issue and woman at all times desires the companie of man thus answered the reason is onely this Because they are beasts The wife of FVLVIVS THis Fuluius the familiar and indeered friend of Augustus Caesar heard him priuatly complaine of the great solitude that was then in his house since two of his grand-children by his daughter were taken away by death and the onely third that remained was for some calumnies publisht against the Emperour now in exile so that he should bee forced to abandon his owne blood and constitute a sonne in law and a stranger to succeed in the Imperiall purple and therefore he had many motions in himselfe and sometimes a purpose to recall the yong mans banishment and to restore him to his fauour and former grace in the court This Fuluius hearing went home and vpon promise of secresie told it to his wife shee could not containe her selfe but makes what speede she can and tells this good newes to the Empresse Liuia Liuia she speeds to Augustus and briefly expostulates with him about the banishment of her grand-child what reason he had not to restore him to his former honors and why he would preferre a stranger before his own blood with many such like vpbraidings The next morning Fuluius comming as his custome was into the Presence and saluting the Emperour Augustus cast an austere looke vpon him and shaking his head sayd onely thus You haue a close brest Fuluius by this he perceiuing his wife had published abroad what he had told her in secret posts home with what speede hee can and calling his wife before him ô woman sayth he Augustus knowes that I haue reuealed his secret therefore I haue a resolution to liue no longer to whom she replied Neither is that death you threaten to your selfe without merite who hauing liued with me so long and knowne my weakenesse and loquacitie had not the discretion to preuent this danger to which you haue drawne your selfe by tempting my frailetie but since you will needs die it shall be my honour to precead you in death which she had no sooner
betaking herselfe to a solitarie and retired life spending the rest of her age in spinning weauing and the like womanish chares amongst her handmaides Many of the Iönes by reason of a discord that fell betwixt them and the sonnes of Neleus were forced to leaue the cittie Miletum where they before inhabited and were driuen to plant a new collonie in Minus betwixt which cities there was perpetuall jarre and enmitie in so much that from a priuat quarrell it grew to a publike warre yet not in that violence but that vpon some certaine feastiuall daies there was free recourse betwixt the citisens of the one and the other to be present at the sacred solemnities There was amongst these of the cittie of Minus one of a noble familie whose name was Pythes his wife was called Iapigia and his daughter Pyeria He when the great feast celebrated to Diana called Nelaim of the opposit familie was kept sent thither his wife and daughter intreating the Milesians to suffer them to participate of their solemnities which was granted at which enterview Phrigius the chiefe of the sonnes of Neleus a man most potent in the cittie grew inamoured on Pyeria and in courting her desired her to demaund what curtesie soeuer the cittie or his power could yeeld and it should be instantly granted to which she answered That nothing could be more acceptable vnto her than that the Iönes might haue more often and peaceable recourse into their cittie By which he apprehended that shee desired no more than a cessasion of armes and that peace might be established betwixt the two citties which by their marriage was accordingly effected and Pyeria euer after honoured for the motion In so much that it grew to a prouerbe All the Milesian women desiring to bee no better beloued of their husbands than Pyeria was of her Phrigius Aspasia being the daughter of Hermotimus Phocencis her mother dying of her in childbirth was by her fathers care brought vp though meanelie yet modestlie and growing towards vnderstanding shee had many dreames as presages of her future fortunes namelie that succeeding times should affoord her a husband faire good and rich In this interim she was troubled with an vnseemelie swelling of the chinne so great that it grew almost to a deformitie being a sorrow to the father and almost a heart-breake to the daughter Hermotimus carefull of her health presents her malady to the Physition who was willing to vndertake the patient but withall proposed too great a summe for the cure the one replying The demand is aboue my strength the other answered Then is the cure aboue my skil and so departed This discouragement from a Tumor without grew to a Corsiue within as much tormented with the despaire of her recouerie as the violence of the disease In this anxietie of thoughts and agonie of paine being much perplexed she gaue her selfe to all abstinence and forbare to eate till on a time a gentle slumber stealing vpon her there appeared to her a Turtle which was instantlie transhapt into a woman most beautifull who drawing more neere bids her take courage and be of comfort and forgettting the Physitions with all their drugges vnguents and emplasters onely to apply to the place then grieued rose leaues dryed to powder and not to doubt of her present recouerie and hauing thus said vpon the instant vanisht Aspasia awaking and by this vision much comforted applyed to her face such things as she was taught in short time all swelling was taken away and she restored to her pristine beautie with such an addition of comelinesse that those with whom she before was held but equall she in the eyes of all men might now claime ouer them a iust precedence for she is thus described Her haire somewhat yellow and from the temples naturallie curling her eyes bigge and cleere her nose somewhat but most becomminglie hooked her eares short her skinne white and soft her cheekes seeming to lodge the sweet blushes of the rose for which cause the Phocenses cald her from an infant Milto her lippes red her teeth than snow more white her feet without all fault her voyce so sweet and rauishing that when she spake she would put you in mind of what you haue read of the Syrens From all effeminate curiosities she studied to alienate her selfe these being commonlie the superfluities of wealth and abundance she being but of humble fortunes and descended from meane parentage It happened this Aspasia was by a Persian souldiour taken from her father as all their citties in those dayes were subiect to the like oppressions and presented vnto Cyrus the sonne of Darius and Parasatides but much against her owne will or the liking of her father thus presented to him in the company of other of the most choice virgins she was commended aboue them all both for the modestie of her countenance the ciuilitie of her carriage and an irreproouable beautie without all staine or blemish and that which heightned the loue of all men towards her shee was of singular wisedome for which Cyrus afterward often admitted her into his counsells and so oft as he was swayd by her aduise his disseignes neuer fayled their wished successe The first time she stood before the King was at supper time which ended and Cyrus after the Persian manner willing to take his cuppes somewhat lauishly in middest of their healthing there were presented before him foure Grecian damosells with Aspasia the Phocensian making vp the number the other three being richly adorned whose friends had set their baire out in curles beautified their heades with jewells and polisht their faces and bodies with sweete odours and vnguents besides they had instructions how to behaue themselues towards the king how to insinuate into his fauour not to moue backe when he came forward nor make squemish of any curtesie he should offer but freely to recompence kisse for kisse being fully instructed in the amatorious precepts belonging to such a businesse But on the contrarie Aspasia would not present her selfe in any curious or gay vesture nor suffer any roabe of honour or state to be put vpon her neither would she wash or bath her selfe but in sadnesse and sorrow she muoakt all the Graecian and Eleutherian gods to her assistance still calling vpon her fathers name accounting those vnusuall ornaments and superfluous garments rather the markes of seruitâ—de than honor and scarce with stripes could she be forced to appeare in any kind rather a strumpet than a chast and vnblemisht virgin The others comming before Cyrus smiled vsing many immodest and lasciuious gestures she onely with her eyes deiected and manifest blushes in her cheekes by her teares expressed an extraordinarie bashfulnesse The king commanding them to sit downe in his presence the rest boldly contended who should place herselfe next him but this Phocean damosell at first seemed not to heare nor without the robustious vsage of that souldier who first surprised her could be wonne to sit
businesses quite neglected many hauing died in the Mine and many readie to perish for want of food by reason the earth lay neglected The women came to make a petitionarie complaint to the wife of Pythes who vnderstanding their greefes with faire language returned them backe somewhat pacified though not altogether satisfied yet putting them in good hope that their griefes should shortly be redressed They thus dismist she sent for all the goldsmiths that were knowne to bee exquisit workemen and sequestring them into a remote place of the house where she had fitted them with forges all things necessarie for the purpose she commanded them to mold and cast all kinde of fruits as Apples Citrons Mellons and such like with whose tast her husband was most delighted and to fashion them all of gold Pythes comming from his Mine with a good stomacke as soone as he had seated himselfe called to eat his Ladie serued him in a golden table but with no meate that could be eaten but euerie dish composed of sollid gold Being at the first delighted with this banquet as pleased that art should so imitate nature after being much delighted with the obiect he demanded meate againe and calling for such a dish and such a dish as his appetite was best inclined to but shee still whatsoeuer was brought to the table caused it to be all of gold he still growing more hungrie and verie angry withall she made him this modest and effectuall answere Oh sir consider with your selfe of these and such like dishes you haue prouided for your selfe and your subiects plentie but of other viands no plentie at all we haue store of artificiall but the vse of naturall things hath vtterly forsaken vs no man tills plowes sowes or manurs the fieldes plantation or hope to reape from the earth is now forgot onely we studie for things vnprofitable and as you see vnnecessarie to please the eye and not the palate the fancie and not the stomacke such indeede as to your subiects bring sorrow but no satisfaction great molestation but no meate at all to suffise the necessities of nature This short but pithy speech tooke such impression in Pythes that though he would not altogether desist from his Mines yet vpon her vrgence he onely peculiarised to himselfe a fift part of the people and the rest were imployed in agriculture and tillage planting and such things most vsefull for mans sustenance This Pythes after many disasters as rich men are sildome without some or other as the death of his children who all came to violent vnexpected deaths by the meanes of Xerxes he fell into a wonderous deepe melancoly for hee hated life and yet was loath to die and like a foolish rich man as this age affoords many griefe still would haue killed him had not the thought of his wealth still recouered him therefore he proposed this farewell betwixt the wearinesse of life and the tediousnesse of death There was in the cittie a great heape of gold by which a riuer softly glyded which was called Pythopolite within the midst of this great magazin he had prouided himselfe a sepulcre and had so turned the channell that the water might come iust to the brinke of the shore where his monument was readie prepared The worke being finished he committed the sole gouernement of the state and empire to his wife with this charge That none should dare to approch his tombe but daily to send him such a quantitie of victualls in a boat by the riuer and when they found the meat vntoucht to forbeare to send any more for they should then imagine him dead And such was the couetous mans end in the middest of his treasure His wife after mannaged the state wth great wisedome and pollicie and to the generall good of the subiect The wife of Nausimines HErodotus reports of one of the sonnes of Craesus that he was borne dumbe and neuer spake word from his birth being in all things els compleat of an able body and a spirit vndanted to supply which defect he vsed all means possible that art or humane skill could deuise but all failing as his last refuge he consulted with the Oracle which returned him this answer Lyde genus rex multorum c. Thou of the Lydian off-spring and the king Of many nations if such be thy care To know this secret and effect that thing Which diuine worke no mortall can or dare Be thus resolu'd His tongue shall accent giue When saue by it thou canst no longer liue Craesus being besieged in Sardis and the cittie taken as first entered by one Mardus Hyreades a PersiaÌ„ that had disguised himself of purpose to murder Crasus in his pallace who insinuating into his presence and now lifting vp his hand to strike the fatall blow the king by reason of his present distresse not apprehending the danger which his son comming in at the instant and espying the strings of his tongue were vnloosed on the sudden and he cryed out Oh man spare the king Craesus and from that time forward his imprisoned voice was euer at libertie More disastrous was that which besell the wife of Naâ—simenes the Athenian who happening by chance vpon the place where she found her sons and daughters mixt together in the horrible action incest shee was suddenly strooke with that horror and extasie that neither able to punish the fact nor reprooue the heinousnesse of the sinne shee was strucke mute and dombâ— Her children punisht their owne offence with voluntarie death and shee was depriued the vse of speech all her life time after Cyane and Medullina DOsithaeus in his booke Rerum sicularum commemorates this historie Cyanippus Syracusanus sacrificing to the gods amongst all others he had neglected the celebrations of Bacchus at which the god incenst and to reuenge himself of the iniurie punished him with drunkennes when at a high feast he found him pleasantlie disposed being otherwise in his owne condition of a knowne abstinence the heate of his wine wrought with such violence vpon him that meeting by accident his owne daughter Cyane in a darke and remote place and ignorant who she was hee forcibly defloured her in which wrestling together she wrong the ring off from his finger hoping by that in time to find out the adulterer This ring she gaue her nurse in keeping not long after a pest raigning in the cittie the Oracle being consulted with returned this answere That vnlesse the incestuous person were sacrificed to the gods that haue the charge of punishing these horrible vices the plague should still continue amongst them The people being as much to seeke as before in regard that the person aymed at was to them altogether vnknowne Cyane truely apprehending the intent of the Oracle tooke her father by the reuerend lockes and dragging him to the temple slew him there before the altar which she intended for the common good but to expiate her owne sinne in killing her father she
king Deiotarus and barren and knowing how desiroâ—s her husband was to haue issue from his owne loynes to succeede in the kingdome sollicited him and that with great importance to select some beautifull Ladie whom he best fancied and by her to raise his posteritie which the king ouercome with so vnexpected a curtesie and therefore vnwilling to wrong her bed refusing she of her owne accord out of many captiue virgins chused one who seemed to excell all the rest in feature and modestie and suiting her in all respects like a princesse presented her to the king as a jewell to be receiued from her hand This Virgins name was Electra by whom Deiotarus had faire and fortunate issue to whom Stratonica was a second mother and sawe them educated with as much magnificence and state as if they had beene borne of her bodie and shee giuen them sucke from her owne brests Her example is memorable but since her time by few that I can reade of immitated Valeria and Cloelia TArquinus Superbus being expulsed the kingdome because his sonne Sextus had stuprated the faire Lucretia wife to Collatine to reobtaine his principalitie hee insinuated vnto his aide Porsenna king of the Tuscans These with an infinite armie besieged Rome insomuch that the cittisens were not onely wearied with long warre but opprest with famine therefore knowing Porsenna as well in warre as peace to be a prince eminent both for justice and humanitie they made choise of him to arbitrate and determine all controuersies betwixt Tarquine and them This motion being offered by the Romanes Tarquine refused to stand to any such comprimise not allowing Porsâ—â—â—â— a lawfull iudge in regard of their late league commensed This Porsenâ—â— not well relishing treated with the Romans about a peace conditionally that they should restore backe certaine lands before taken from the Etruscians and of them put him in peaceable possession and till this were performed to send him tenne young men and as many virgins of the noblest families for hostage which was accordinglie done and he dismist his armie These virgins walking by the riuer side which parted the campe and cittie for though he had sent away the greatest part of his armie he had not yet raised his tents two of the chiefe the one Cloelia the other Valeria daughter to the Consull Publicola persuaded the rest and by persuading so farre preuailed that they were all resolued to passe the riuer when stripping themselues naked and holding as well as they conuenientlie could their cloathes aboue their heads they ventured ouer that vnknowne passage full of whirlepooles and where there was no stedfast footing and what by wading and swimming to all mens wonders got safe to shore and presented themselues to their fathers and friends who though they admired their boldnesse and commended their resolutions yet disallowing the Act it selfe as those that in their faith and honour would not be outbid by any they sent them backe to king Porsenna and submitted their rashnesse to be punisht at his pleasure These virgins being presented before him he demanded of them Which she was that first animated and incouraged the rest to so rash and dangerous an enterprise when Cloelia beckning to the rest to keepe silence tooke all the iniurie contempt or whatsoeuer they pleafed to call it vpon her selfe protesting the rest innocent and she of what would be obiected the sole authour Porsenna obseruing and withall admiring her vndanted courage caused presently a horse furnished with rich trappings to be broughtâ— which he gaue to Cloelia in recompence of her magnanimous attempt sending them all in his regall curtesie back to their friends and parentsâ— Vpon this horse giuen to Cloelia by Porsenna some haue grounded that she first past the riuer on horsebacke sounding the way for the rest which others deny onely that the king thought to gratifie her manly courage with the meede of a souldier Her statue on horsebacke is erected in Via sacra This some confer vpon Cloelia others on Valeria Olympias ALexander hauing caused himselfe to be called the sonne of Iupiter writ to his mother in this maneer King Alexander the sonne of Iupiter Hamon to his mother Olimpias sends health to whom with great modestie she thus rescribed Deare sonne as you loue me insteed of doing me honour proclaime not my dishonour neither accuse me before Iuno besides it is a great aspertion you cast vpon nice to make me a strumpet though to Iupiter himselfe A great moderation in a woman who for no swelling title or vaine ostentation could be woon to loose the honour to be called a Loyall and chast wife Troades AMongst those frighted Troians that fled from the fearfull ruins of subuerted Troy some by the violence of outragious tempests were driuen vpon the coasts of Italy where landing at certaine ports neere to the riuer Tygris they made vp into the countrey the better to acquaint themselues with the conditions of those places In which interim the women began to apprehend that they had better farre to take vp an abiding place in any land than againe to commit themselues to the mercilesse furie of the seas Wherefore with one ioynt consent they agreed to make that their fixed habitation seeing all hope of their former losses at Troy were vtterly desperate Hauing thus conspired together with all possible expedition they burnt the shippes in this exploit one Roma is reported to be chiefe which being done they ran to meet their husbands making to their Nauie to quench it fearing their anger for their rash enterprise some of them embracing their husbands others their friends and acquaintance they tempred their amorous kisses with such persuasiue Rhetoricke that soone allayd the angry tempest of their husbands furie From these as some haue writ the custome of kissing at salutations by the Roman women to their kinsmen first tooke Originall The Troianes now tyed by necessitie and likewise finding the inbahitants so louing and curteous they much applauded this deede of the women and dwelt there with the Latines The Phocides AFter an implacable war betwixt the Thessalians and the Phocenses which had long lasted with much slaughter on both sides those of Thessaly bringing their army through the Locrenses inuaded the men of Phocis on all sides making a decree to kill all that were of age and the women and children to beare away captiue Diaphantes the sonne of Bathillius with his two colleagues then gouerning the cittie he persuaded the besieged boldlie and valiantlie to issue out and giue the enemy battaile but with this caution That all their wiues daughters and children euen to one soule should be brought into a place circled and compast in with all manner of dry wood and matter combustible and the dores by which they entered to be shut after them and so guarded and if the day were lost and they perisht in battaile the pile to bee kindled and all their bodies to be burned at once This being not onely proposed
of diuerse other women for diuerse noble actions Illustrious Dominica the wife of the Emperour Valens when the Gothes had threatned the vtter subuersion of Constantinople by her wisedome and descretion mediated with the enemie was the sole means of the safetie both of the people and citie Sex Aurelius reports of Pompeia Plautina when hir husband Iulian the Emperor had with intollerable exactions oppressed the people insomuch that their discontents were readie to breake out into rebellion this vertuous princesse so farre temporised with the Emperour that by her meanes they were released from all exactions and tributes Diaconus makes mention of Placidia the sister and wife of Honorius who in the yeare 412 when Ataulphus king of the Gothes presented himselfe with an inuincible armie before the walls of Rome threatning vtterly to subuert the cittie and after rebuild it againe and in steede of Rome to call it Gothia so wrought with the barbarous king by persuasions and promises that she turned his pride to pitie and his immanitie to mercie so that he departed thence without any assault made against the cittie or the least spoile done vnto the countrey Vollateranus speakes of Inguldis the sister of Childebert who being marryed to Hermogillus sonne to Lemigildus king of the Gothes persuaded her husband then an infidell to bee a true and constant professour of the Christian faith The like we reade of Cleotilda queene of France who did the like good worke vpon her husband Clodoncus the sonne of Childericke Nor hath our owne nation beene barreine of good examples since Helena the mother of Constantine may in that kind claime equalitie if not precedencie before any As Rome affoorded a Volumnia mother to Martius Cariolanus so England yeelded as eminent a Ladie in all points the mother to Brennus and Belinus The first when her sonne had worthilie deserued of his countrie euen to the attaining of all militarie honours and as an addition to the rest for his braue seruice against the cittie of Coriolorus had the denomination of Coriolanus bestowed vpon him by the publique sufferage of the Senat yet notwithstanding for all his merites and vnmatchable exploits by which he purchased to himselfe the honor to be called Pater Patriae yet after by the ingratefull multitude who were euer emulous of any mans deserued greatnesse hee was not onely degraded from all his titles of dignitie but had the doome of euerlasting banishment denounced against him in reuenge of which ingratitude hauing raised an armie and inuaded the townes of the Roman empire readie to inuest himselfe before the quaking and affrighted cittie when they had first sent to him to make their attonement their priests who by reason of their sacred offices were held in much reuerence next their Augurers and South-sayers then the Aeditiae which were the keepers of their Temples and last their prophets but none of these preuailing as their last refuge the Roman matrons presented themselues before Volumnia the mother of Martius humblie intreating her to make intercession betwixt her sons rage and the imminent calamitie This reuerent Ladie mooued with their teares and acclamations accompanied with Virgilia the wife of Coriolanus and many other noble matrons and damosells hauing before promised to plead in their behalfes as farre as a miserable mother could claime interest in an iniured sonne repaired to his tent and casting themselues downe at his feete humblie besought him of compassion the feare exprest in their faces and the sorrow in their habits cast vpon the enemy a sudden reuerence and silence when Volumnia with such feeling accents and moouing Oratorie mixed with teares besought the peace of the cittie that they made a reuerent impression in the heart of Coriolanus who supporting his mother and aduancing his wife from the earth brake out into this extasie Vicistis You haue ouercome me Thus by these excellent women all combustions of warre were appeased a threatned misery preuented and a generall and safe peace setled in the Commonweale Of no lesse remarke was the wife of Mulmutius Dunwallo the sonne to Cloten duke of Cornwall who as Fabian remembers of him hauing in great peace and tranquilitie gouerned the kingdome for the space of fortie yeres and was after buried in a place by him before erected cald the Temple of peace leauing the land equally deuided betwixt his two sonnes Belinus and Brennus to Belinus the elder was allotted England Wales and Cornewall vnto Brennus all the North parts beyond Humber who being a young man and desirous of honour not content with the principalitie appointed him commenced against Belinus a fearefull war But as the two brothers were readie to ioyne battaile the mother presented herselfe betwixt the armies exposing her bodie to their opposit weapons shewing the breasts that gaue them sucke and with noble admonitions and motherlie persuasions so molified the hearts of the incensed princes that all ciuill and seditious warre layd aside they entered a friendly and brotherly league which was so established in the reuerent vertues of the mother that it was neuer after violated in all their life times after With what condigne honours is queene Marcia's memorie worthie to be celebrated who being the wife to Guinthelinus king of Britaine the sonne of Gurgunscius was in those daies of that excellent learning and knowledge that she deuised many profitable and wholsome lawes to the benefit of the Common-wealth which were much esteemed amongst the Brittaines and carefully obserued being cald after her name The Mercean laws many ages insuing But being loath to instance too many to one purpose least I should rather seeme tedious than delightfull to the reader I will adde onely one English lady in another kind memorable and worthy for her goodnes an euerlasting character There was a noble man of England created Earle of Couentrie this man was so austere to the citisens that he had iniuriously wrested from them all their ancient franchises and priuiledges insomuch that by his oppressions insufferable exactions the cittie was much decaied the people disabled in their power and weakened in their fortunes These petitioned to the Countesse a noble and well disposed lady to mediate for them to the Earle That their customes and former liberties might be restored The lady vndertakes their suit and with much importunitie solicited her lord in their behalfe but he being of a haughtie and insolent disposition stil persisted immoueable but she commiserating their estate as daily mooued with their complaints without cessation still sollicited for them and with such vrgence that he had neither peace at boord nor quiet in bed he at length as much wearied with her importunitie as she tired with their petitions she wrested from him this churlish and indeffinite answer Cease Lady further to persuade me for I protest and that with an vnaltered resolution that there is but one onely meanes by which their franchises are to be recouered which
vnquam huic feminae comparandus est virorum tanta in eius vita scribuntur cum ad vituperationem tum maxime ad laudem i. No man was euer to be compared with this woman such great things haue beene written of her partly to her disgrace but chiefely to her praise He proceedes further She was the fourth that raigned in Assiria for so it is approued Nimrod was the first being father to Belus and grand-father to Ninus which Ninus was the first that made warre vpon his neighbours and vsurped their dominions in whom began to cease the Golden world whom his widdow Queen succeeded counterfetting the shape of man She was after slaine by her sonne Ninus the second of that name who as Eusebius writes after her death swaid the scepter thirtie and eight yeares One memorable thing is recorded of her by Diodorus Siculus lib. 3. as also by Vitruuius This queene being making her selfe readie in her pallace royall when the one part of her haire was bound vp and the other halfe hung loose vpon her shoulders suddenly newes was brought her That the cittisens of Babylon were reuolted and all or the most of them in mutinie and vprore She presently posted into the citie and what with her presence and persuasion attonde the discord before she had leasure to put her disordered curles in forme reconciled the hearts of that innumerable people to her obedience for which her statue was erected in the cittie being pourtraied halfe readie halfe vnreadie in memorie of that noble and magnanimous aduenture Some thing of the best that was in her though not all you haue heard the worst is to come Iuba apud Pli. relates that she immitated the fashions of men neglecting the habit of her own Sex and in her latter yeares grew to that deboisht effeminacie and forâ—id lust that shee did not onely admit but allure and compell into her goatish embraces many of her souldiers without respect of their degrees or places so they were well featured able and lustie of performance whom when they had wasted their bodies vpon her shee caused to be most cruelly murdered Shee was slaine by her owne sonne because shee most incestuously sought his bed but which of all the rest is most prodigious and abhominable she is reported to haue had companie with a horse on whom shee vnnaturally doted But these things whether related for truth or recorded of malice I am altogether ignorant and therefore leaue it to censure Herodotus Plutarch and others writ that she caused these words to be inscribed vpon her Tombe Quicunque rex pecunijs indiget aperto monumento quod voluerit accipiat that is What king soeuer hath neede of coyne search this moâ—ument and he shall find what he desires This when king Darius had read thinking some Magazin of treasure had beene there included he caused the Tombe-stone to be remooued where he found vpon the other side thereof these words ingrauen Misi rex auarus esses pecuniae insatiabilis mortuorum monumenta non viâ—lasses i. Haddest thou not been an auaritious king and insasiable of Coyne thou wouldest not haue ransacked the graue of the dead Thus as Franciscus Patritius Pontifex saith the excellent Ladie in her death taunted the gripple auarice of the liuing That the monuments of the dead are no way to be violated or defaced Sertorius hath taught vs who hauing subdued the cittie Tigenna scituate in the countrey of Maurusia in which a noble sepulchre was which the inhabitants sayd belonged to Antaus which was the gyant slaine by Hercules when the greatnes of the graue exceeded all beleefe Sertorius caused it to be ruined and there digged vp a bodie as Plutarch witnesseth of seuentie cubits in length which beholding and wondering at hee caused it to be repaired with greater beautie than before least by deminishing that he might haue ruined a great part of his owne honour Some thinke it was the bodie of Tagenna the wife of Antaeus whom Hercules prostituted after the death of her husband of her he begot Siphax who after erected that cittie and in memorie of his mother called it by her name Pasiphae THis Ladie though I cannot fitly introduce her within the number of the incestuous yet for that horrid act which the Poets haue reported of her I shall not impertinently place her next to Semiramis Appollodorus Gramatticus in his booke de Deorum origine as Benedictus Aegius Spoletinus interprets him thus sets downe her historie Ninus king of Creet espoused Pasiphae daughter of the Sunne and Perseis or as Asclepiades calls her Creta the daughter of Aterius she had by him foure sonnes Cretaeus Deucalion Glaucus and Androgeus and as many daughters Hecate Xenodice Ariadne and Phaedra This Minos peaceably to inioy his kingdome had promised to offer such a Bull to Neptune but hauing obtained his desires hee sent that Bull before markt out backe to the heard and caused another of lesse value to bee sacrificed at which Neptune inraged knew not with what greater punishment to afflict him for the breach of his faith than to make his wife most preposterously and against nature to dote on that beast which he had so carefully preserued She therefore confederated with Dedalus a great Artsmaster one that for murder had fled from Athens and with his sonne Icarus there secured himselfe hee deuised by his mischieuous skill a wodden cow hollowed within with such artificiall conuayance that the Queene inclosed had satisfaction of her desires to the glutting of her libidinons appetite Of this congression she conceiued and brought forth a sonne called Asterion or as the most will haue it Minotaurus shaped with a Bulls head and a mans body About this monstrous issue Minos consulted with the Oracle which aduised him to shut him in a Labyrinth and there see him safelie brought vp and kept This Labyrinth the first that euer was was built by Dedalus beeing a house so intricated with windings and turnings this way and that way now forward then backward that it was scarce possible for any that entered therein to finde the direct way backe thus farre Apollodorus But Palephatus in his Fabulous narrations reduceth all these commented circumstances within the compasse of meere impossibilitie and thus deliuers the truth concerning Pasiphae Minos being afflicted with a disease in his secret parts with which he had beene long grieued was at length by Crides who belonged to Pandion cured In the interim of this his defect and weakenesse the queene cast an adulterat eye vpon a faire young man called Taurus whom Seruius saith was the scribe or secretary to the king shee prostituting her selfe to his imbraces when the full time was expired shee produced her issue Which Minos seeing and taking a true supputation of the time comparing the birth with his discontinuance from her bed by reason of his disease apprehended the adulterie notwithstanding hee was vnwilling to kill the bastard because it had a resemblance to the rest of
his children though an impression of the fathers face by which the adulterer might easily bee knowne Minos therefore to conceale his owne discontents and as much as in him lay to hide his wiues shame whom he endeeredly affected caused the infant to be carryed into a remote mountaine and there by the Kings heardsmen to be fostered But growing towards manhood he likewise grew intractable and disobedient to those to whose charge he was committed The king therefore confinde him into a deepe caue digd in a rocke of purpose not to curbe his fierce and cruell disposition but rather incourage it for whosoeuer at any time hee feared or whatsoeuer he was that had offended him he sent him to this Minotaure on some impertinent message or other by whom hee was cruelly butchered The caue was called Labyrinthus and therfore described with so many intricate blind Meanders in regard of the difficultie of his returne with life who was seene to enter there Therefore when Theseus came to Minos hee sent him to be deuoured by this Minotaure of which Ariadne hauing notice being enamoured of Theseús she sent him a sword by which he slew the monstrous Homicyde and that was the clew so often remembred by the Poets which guirded Theseus out of the Labyrinth Canace Canusia Valeria Tusculana MAcareus and Canace were brother and sister the sonne and daughter to Aeolus king of the winds for so the Poets feigned him because the clouds and mists rising from the seauen Aeolian Islands of which he was king alwaies pretended great gusts and tempests hee is reported to be the sonne of Iupiter and Alceste daughter to Hyppotes the Tyrian of whom he had the denomination of Hippotides This Macareus and Canace hauing most leaudly and incestuously loued one another couering their bedding and boosoming vnder the vnsuspected pretext of consanguinitie and neerenesse in blood It could no longer be conceald by reason Canace at length brought forth a sonne which as she would secretly haue conueyed out of the court by the hands of her trustie nurse who had beene before acquainted with all their wicked proceedings the infant by crying betrayed it selfe to the grand-father who searching the nurse examining the matter finding the incest and miserably distracted with the horridnesse of the fact instantly in the heat of his incensed anger caused the innocent infant to be cut in pecces and limbe by limbe cast to the dogges and before his face deuoured This Macareus hearing tooke sanctuarie in the Temple of Apollo but Canace by reason of her greenenes and weake estate not able to make escape and shunne the violence of her fathers threatned furie he sent her a sword and withall commanded her to punish her self according to the nature of the fact Which she receiuing writ a passionate letter to her brother in which she first besought him to haue a care of his safety and next to cause the bones of the slaughtered infant to be gathered together and put into an vrne with hers this hauing done with the sword sent her by her father she transpierst her selfe and so expired The like we reade of Canusia daughter of Papirius Volucris who being found with child by Papirius Romanus her own naturall brother when the heinousnesse of the fact came to the knowledge of the father he sent to either of them a sharpe sword with which they as resolutely slew themselues as they had before rashly offended The like successe of her incestuous affection had Valeria Tusculana who as Plutarch relates by the counsell of one of her handmaids comming priuately in the night into the armes of her father and the deede after made knowne to Valerius he in detestation of the act slew her with his owne hand Iulia the Empresse THese abhominable sinnes that haue beene punisht in inferiour persons haue in great ones beene countenanced Sextus Aurelius and Aelius Spartianus both testifie That Antonius Caracalla Emperour doting vpon his stepmother Iulia was often heard to say in her presence I would if it were lawfull at length apprehending his purpose to these his words she made this reply What you list to doe 〈◊〉 Emperour you may make lawfull Princes haue power to make lawes but are not 〈◊〉 to keepe any by which words imboldned he tooke her to his bed whose sonne Geâ—a but a while before he had caused to be slaine Herodotus remembers vs of one Opaea the stepmother to Scithes king of the Scythians who likewise tooke her to his bed and made her his queene So Berenices the sister of Ptolomaus Euergetes was made partner both of his bed and kingdome Arsinoe the sister of Ptolomaeus Philodelphus became his concubine The like did Herod Antipas vnto Herodias the wife of his brother Philip. We reade also of one Leucon who slew his brother Oxilochus king of Pontus for the loue of his wife whom he after marryed Faustina the sister of Marcus Antonius Emperour became her brothers paramour on whom he begat Lucilla whom he after gaue in marriage to his brother L. Antonius Theodoricus king of the Frenchmen marryed the daughter of his owne brother whom he before had slaine And Pontanus remembers vs of one Iohannes Ariminensis who espoused his owne sister Phillip the brother of Alphonsus the tenth king of Spaine forcibly married Christiana daughter to the king of Dacia his owne brothers wife all Christianitie and Religion set apart Volaterranus remembers vs of one Stratonice who being deuilishly doted on by Antiochus Soter king of Syria his owne father at his importunitie gaue her vp into his sonnes incestuous embraces Virgill in his tenth booke speakes of Casperia stepmother to Anchemolus the sonne of Rhatus king of the Marhubians who was by him adulterated These prodigious acts haue beene incouraged by kings drawing their presidents from Iupiter who vitiated Ceres and marryed his sister Iuno when in my opinion the industrie of the Poets in illustrating the escapes of Iupiter and the other gods was aymed at no other end than to manifest vnto all men That such deities were not worthy adoration that were callumnised with so many whoredomes adulteries and incests The sisters of Cambises THese might seeme fearfull enough before related but I will giue you a short tast of some more abhominable I haue shewed the examples of Lust but these following are besides lust polluted with vnheard of tyranny Herodotus in his third booke speaking at large of the life and acts of Cambyses the great Persian king and sonne of Cyrus relates that hauing shewed his puissance abroad in Aegipt Greece and other places to the terror of the greatest of the world he caused his innocent brother Smerdis to be secretly made away by the hand of his most trusted Praxaspes The next inhumanitie which he purposd to exemplifie vnto the world was the death of his sister who followed him in his Campe to Aegipt and back againe being not only his sister by parents
but his wife also The manner how she came to be his queene was as followeth Before his time it was not lawfull but punishable amongst the Persians to marry into that proximitie of blood but Cambyses surprised with the loue of his sister and hauing resolued by what meanes soeuer to make her his wife yet to colour his purpose he sent for those honorable persons who were stiled the kings Iudges being selected men for their wisedomes and of great place and qualitie as those that inioy their offices Durante vita vnlesse some capitall crime bee prooued against them besides they are the expounders of the lawes and to their causes all matters of doubt and controuersie are referred These being cōuented the king demanded of them Whether they had any one law amongst so many which licenst a man that had a will so to doe to contract matrimony with his sister to whom the Iudges thus ingeniously answered We haue indeed no law which giues licence for a brother to marry with a sister but we haue found a law oh Soueraigne which warrants the king of Persia to doe whatsoeuer liketh him best Thus they without abrogation of the Persian lawes soothed the kings humour and preserued their owne honours aud liues who had they crost him in the least of his disseignes had all vndoubtedly perisht This hee made the ground for the marriage of the first and not long after hee aduentured vpon the second The younger of these two who attended him into Aegypt he slew whose death as that of her brother Smerdis is doubtfully reported The Graecians write that two whelps one of a Lyon the other of a Dog were brought before Cambises to fight and try maisteries at which fight the young Lady was present but the Lyon hauing victorie ouer the Dog another of the same litter broke his chain and taking his brothers part they two had superioritie ouer the Lyon Cambises at this fight taking great delight shee then sitting next him vpon the sudden fell a weeping this the king obseruing demaunded the occasion of her teares she answered it was at that obiect to see one brother so willing to helpe the other and therefore she wept to remember her brothers death and knew no man then liuing that was ready to reuenge it and for this cause say the Greekes she was doom'd to death by Cambises The Aegyptians report it another way That she sitting with her brother at table out of a sallet dish tooke a lettice and pluckt off leafe by leafe and shewing it to her husband asked him Whether a whole letice or one so despoiled shewed the better who answered a whole one then said shee behold how this lettice now vnleaued looketh euen so hast thou disfigured and made naked the house of king Cyrus With which words he was so incensed that he kickt and spurnd her then being great with child with that violence that she miscarryed in her child-birth and dyed ere she was deliuered and these were the murderous effects of his detestable incest Of Lyuia Horestilla Lollia Paulina Cesonia c. IT is reported the Emperour Caligula that he had not onely illegall and incestuous conuerse with his three naturall sisters but that bee after caused them before his face to be prostituted by his ministers and seruants thereby to bring them within the compasse of the Aemilian Law and conuict them of adultery He vitiated Liuia Horestilla the wife of C. Pisonnius and Lollia Paulina whom he caused to be diuorced from her husband C. Memnius both whose beds within lesse than two yeares he repudiated withall interdicting them the companie and societie of man for euer Caesonia he loued more affectionatly insomuch that to his familiar friends as boasting of her beautie he would often shew her naked To adde vnto his insufferable luxuries he defloured one of the vestall virgins Neither was the Emperour Commodus much behind him in diuelish and brutish effeminacies for he likewise strumpeted his owne sisters and would wittingly and willingy see his mistresses and concubines abused before his face by such of his fauorites as hee most graced hee kept not at anie time lesse than to the number of three hundred for so Lampridius hath left recorded Gordianus iunior who was competitor with his father in the Empire kept two and twentie concubines by each of which he had three or foure children at the least therefore by some called the Priamus of his age but by others in dirision the Priapus The emperour Proculus tooke in battaile a hundred Sarmatian virgins and boasted of himselfe that he had got them all with child in lesse than fifteene dayes this Vopiscus reportes and Sabellicus But a great wonder is that which Iohannes Picus Mirandula relates of Hercules as that hee lay with fiftie daughters of Lycomedes in one night and got them all with child with forty nine boyes onely fayling in the last for that prooued a guirle Iocasta APollodorus Atheniensis in his third booke De deoroum Origine records this history After the death of Amphion king of Thebes Laius succeeded who tooke to wife the daughter of Menocoeas called Iocasta or as others write Epicasta This Laius being warned by the Oracle that if of her he begat a sonne he should prooue a Patricide and be the death of his father notwithstanding forgetting himselfe in the distemperature of wine he lay with her the same night she conceiued and in processe brought forth a male issue whom the king caused to be cast out into the mountaine Cytheron thinking by that meanes to preuent the predicted destinie Polybus the heardsman to the king of Corinth finding this infant bore it home to his wife Periboea who nourced and brought it vp as her owne and causing the swelling of the feet with which the child was then troubled to be cured they grounded his name from that disease and called him Oedipus This infant as he increased in yeares so hee did in all the perfections of nature as well in the accomplishments of the mind as the body insomuch that as well in capacitie and volubilitie of speech as in all actiue and generous exercises he was excellent aboue all of his age his vertues beeing generally enuied by such as could not equall them they thought to disgrace him in something and gaue him the contemptible name of counterfeit and bastard this made him curiously inquisitiue of his supposed mother and she not able in that point to resolue him hee made a iourney to Delphos to consult with the Oracle about the true knowledge of his birth and parents which forewarned him from returning into his countrey because he was destinied not onely to be the deathsman of his father but to adde misery vnto mischiefe he was likewise borne to be incestuous with his mother Which to preuent and still supposing himselfe to be the sonne of Polybus and Peribaea he forbore to returne to Corinth and hyring a charriot tooke the way
towards Phocis It happened that in a strait and narrow passage meeting with his father Laius and Polyphontes his charioter they contended for the way but neither willing to giue place from words they fell to blowes in which contention Polyphontes kild one of the horses that drew the charriot of Oedipus at which inraged he drew his sword and first slew Polyphontes and next Laius who seconded his seruant and thence tooke his ready way towards Thebes Damasistratus king of the Plataeenses finding the body of Laius caused it to be honorably interred In this interim Creon the sonne of Menecoeus in this vacancie whilest there was yet no king inuades Thebes and after much slaughter possesseth himselfe of the kingdome Iuno to vexe them the more sent thither the monster Sphinx borne of Echidna and Tiphon she had the face of a woman the wings of a fowle and the breast feete and tayle of a lyon she hauing learned certaine problemes and Aenigmaes of the muses disposed her selfe in the mountaine Phycaeus The riddle which she proposed to the Thebans was this What creature is that which hath one distinguishable voyce that first walkes vpon foure next two and lastly vpon three feet and the more legges it hath is the lesse able to walke The strict conditions of this monster were these that so often as he demanded the solution of this question till it was punctually resolued he had power to chuse out any of the people where he best liked whom hee presently deuoured but they had this comfort from the Oracle That this Aenigma should be no sooner opened and reconciled with truth but they should bee freed from this misery and the monster himselfe should be destroyed The last that was deuoured was Aemon son to king Creon who fearing least the like sad fate might extend it selfe to the rest of his issue caused proclamation to bee made That whosoeuer could expound this riddle should marry Iocasta the wife of the dead king Laius and be peaceably inuested in the kingdome this no sooner came to the eares of Oedipus but he vndertooke it and resolued it thus This creature saith he is Man who of all other hath onely a distinct voice he is borne foure-footed as in his infancy crawling vpon his feet and hands who growing stronger erects himselfe and walkes vpon two onely but growing decrepit and old he is fitly said to mooue vpon three as vsing the helpe of his staffe This solution was no sooner published but Sphinx cast her selfe headlong from the top of that high Promontory and so perisht and Oedipus by marrying the queene was with a generall suffrage instated in the kingdome He begot of her two sonnes and two daughters Eteocles and Polinices Ismene and Antigone though some write that Oedipus had these children by Eurigenia the daughter of Hiperphantes These former circumstances after some yeares no sooner came to light but Iocasta in despaire strangled her selfe Oedipus hauing torne out his eyes was by the people expulsed Thebes cursing at his departure his children for suffering him to vndergoe that iniurie his daughter Antigone lead him as farre as to Colonus a place in Attica where there is a groue celebrated to the Eumenides and there remâ—ined till he was remooued thence by Theseus and soone after dyed And these are the best fruits that can grow from so abhominable a roote Of the miserable end of his incestuous issue he that would be further satisfied let him reade Sophocles Apollodorus and others Of him Tyresius thus prophesied Neque hic laetabitur Casibus euentis suis nam factus c. No comfort in his fortunes he shall find He now sees cleerely must at length be blind And begge that 's now a rich man who shall stray Through forreine countreyes for his doubtfull way Still groaping with his staffe The brother hee And father of his children both shall be His mothers sonne and husband first strike dead His father and adulterate next his bed Crithaeis SHe was wife to one Phaemius a schoolemaster and mother to Homer prince of the Greek Poets Ephorus of Cuma in a book intituled the Cumaean Negotiation leaues her storie thus related Atelles Maeones and Dius three brothers were borne in Cuma Dius being much indebted was forced to remoue thence into Ascra a village of Boetia and there of his wife Picemeda hee begot Hesiodus Atelles in his owne countrey dying a naturall death committed the pupillage of his daughter Crithaeis to his brother Meones but comming to ripe growth she being by him vitiated and proouing with child both fearing the punishment due to such an offence she was conferred vpon Phaemius to whom she was soone after married and walking one day out of the cittie to bath her selfe in the riuer Miletus shee was by the flood side deliuered of young Homer and of the name thereof called him Melesigines But after loosing his sight hee was called Homer for such of the Cumaeans and Ionians are called Omouroi Aristotle he writes contrarie to Ephorus that what time Neleus the sonne of Codrus was President in Ionia of the Collonie there then newly planted a beautifull Virgin of this nation was forced and deflowred by one of the Genius's which vsed to daunce with the Muses who after remooued to a place called Aegina and meeting with certaine forragers and robbers that made sundrie incursions into the countrie shee was by them surprised and brought to Smyrna who presented her to Meonides a companion to the king of the Lydians hee at the first sight inamoured of her beautie tooke her to wife who after sporting herselfe by the bankes of Miletus brought foorth Homer and instantly expired And since we haue had occasion to speake of his mother let it not seeme altogether impertinent to proceede a little of the sonne who by reason of his being hurried in his childhood from one place to another and ignorant both of his countrey and parents went to the Oracle to be resolued concerning them both as also his future fortunes who returned him this doubtfull answere Faelix miser ad sortem es quia natus vtramque Perquiris patriam matris tibi non patris extat c. Happie and wretched both must be thy fate That of thy Countrey doost desire to heaâ—â— Knowne is thy mothers Cl'ime thy father 's not An Island in the Sea to Creet not neer Nor yet farre off in which thou shalt expire When boyes a riddle shall to thee propose Whose darke Aenigma thou canst not acquire A double Fate thy life hath thou shalt loose Thine eyes yet shall thy loftie Muse ascend And in thy death thou life haue without end In his latter daies he was present at Thebes at their great feast called Saturnalia and from thence comming to Ius and sitting on a stone by the water-port there landed some fishermen whom Homer asked what they had taken but they hauing got nothing that day but for want of other worke onely lousing
houre so did the mother who came thither on purpose to reforme her sonne but he being hot and too forward in the action and she ouercome either by the inticements of the diuell the weakenesse of her Sex or both gaue herselfe vp to Incestuous prostitution the young man knowing no otherwise but that hee had inioyed the maid Of this wicked and abhominable congression a woman child was begot of whom the mother to saue her reputation was secretly deliuered and put it out priuately to nourse but at the age of seuen yeares tooke it home When this child grew to yeares the most infortunate sonne fell in loue with his sister and daughter and made her his vnhappie wife what shall I thinke of this detestable sinne which euen beasts themselues abhor of which I will giue you present instance Aristotle in his historie Annimal who was a diligent searcher into all naturall things affirmes that a Cammell being blinded by his keeper was brought to horse his damme but in the action the cloth falling from his eyes and he perceiuing what he had done presently seised vpon his keeper and slew him in detestation of the act he had committed and to reuenge himselfe vpon him that had betraied him to the deed The like the same author reports of a horse belonging to a king of Scythia who could by no meanes be brought to couer his damme but being in the same fashion beguiled and the cloath falling away and perceiuing what hee had done neuer left bounding flinging and galloping till comming vnto an high rocke hee from thence cast himselfe headlong into the sea If then this sinne be so hatefull in bruite beasts and vnreasonable creatures how much more ought it to be auoided in men and women and which is more Christians Cyborea the mother of Iudas Iscariot THis that I now speake of is remembred by Ranulphus Monke of Chester Ierome and others There was a man in Ierusalem by name Reuben of the Tribe of Isachar his wife was called Cyborea The first night of their marriage the woman dreamed that she was conceiued of a sonne who should bee a traytour to the Prince of his owne people she told it to her husband at which they were both sad and pensiue The child being borne and they not willing to haue it slaine and yet loath to haue it prooue such a monster to his owne nation they in a small boat cast it to sea to try a desperate fortune this vessell was driuen vpon an Island called Iscariot where the Queene of that place had then no child This babe being found she purposed to make it her owne and put it to be nobly nurced and educated calling his name Iudas and Iscariot of the Island where he was taken vp But not long after shee was conceiued of a sonne who prouing a noble and hopefull gentleman Iudas whose fauour in court began to wane and his hope of inheritance which but late flourisht now quite to wither he plotted against his life and priuately slew him but fearing least the murder might in time bee discouered and hee compeld to suffer according to the nature of the fact hee fled thence to Ierusalem where he got into the seruice of Pontius Pilatus and found meanes to be protected by him being then in the cittie deputie gouernour for the Romans Iudas because their dispositions were much of one condition grew into his especiall familiaritie and fauour The Pallace of Pilot hauing a faire bay window whose prospect was into Reubens Orchard he had a great appetite to eate of some of those ripe apples which shewed so yellow and faire against the sunne This Iudas vnderstanding promist him to fetch him some of that fruit and mounting ouer the orchard wall he was met by his father who rebuking him for the iniurie Iudas with a stone beat out his braines and vnseene of any conueyed himselfe backe Reubens death was smothered and the murderer not knowne Cyborea being a rich widdow Pylate made a match betwixt her and his seruant Iudas who being marryed to his mother was now possest of his owne fathers inheritance Not long this incestuous couple had liued together but Cyborea being vpon a time wondrous sad and melancholy and Iudas demanding the cause she began to relate to him her many misfortunes First of her dreame then of her sonne in what manner he was put to sea then how she lost her husband being slaine and the murderer not found and lastly how by the authoritie of Pilat she was now compeld to match against her will who had protested to her selfe a lasting widdowhood By these circumstances Iudas most assuredly knew that he had slaine his father and had marryed his mother which acknowledging to her she persuaded him to repent him of these great euills and to become a Disciple of Iesus who was then an eminent Prophet amongst the Iewes It shall not be amisse to speake a word or two of Pilate It is said that a king whose name was Tyrus begat him on a Millers daughter Pyla whose father was called Atus who from his mother and grandfather was called Pylatus at foure yeares of age he was brought to his father who by his lawfull wife had a prince iust of the same age These were brought vp together in all noble exercises in which the prince hauing still the best Pylat awaited his opportunitie and slew him loath was the king to punish him with death least he should leaue himselfe altogether Issulesse therefore hee sent him an hostage to Rome for the payment of certaine tribute which was yearly to be tendred into the Roman treasurie Liuing there as hostage he assotiated himselfe with the son to the king of France who lay pledge in Rome about the like occasion and in a priuate quarrell was also slaine by Pylat The Romans finding him of an austere brow and bloodie disposition made him gouernour of the Island called Pontus the people were irregular and barbarous whom by his seueritie he reduced to all ciuill obedience for which good seruice he was remooued to Ierusalem bearing the name of Pontius from that Island there hee gaue sentence against the Sauiour of the world Tiberius Caesar being then Emperour was sicke of a grieuous maladie who hearing that in Ierusalem was a Prophet who with a word healed all infirmities whatsoeuer hee sent one Volutianus to Herod to send him this man but Christ was before condemned and crucified There Volutianus acquainted himselfe with one Veronica a noble Ladie of the Iewes who went with him to Rome and carried with her the lynnen cloth which still bore the impresse and likenesse of Christs visage vpon which the Emperour no sooner looked but he was immediately healed The Emperour then vnderstanding the death of this innocent and just man caused Pylat to be brought to Rome who being called before Caesar the historie saith he had at that time vpon him the roabe of our Sauiour which was called Tunica
riding vpon an Asse and the stone on which she was seated held as polluted and abhominable Aelianus in his twelfe booke thus sets downe the punishment of an adulterer amongst the Cretans He was first brought before the judgement seate and being conuicted hee was crowned with wooll to denote his effeminacie fined with an extraordinarie mulct held infamous amongst the people and made vncapable of office or dignitie in the common-weale Amongst the Parthians no sinne was more seuerely punished than adulterie Carondas made a decree That no cittisen or matron should be taxed in the commodie vnles it were for Adulterie or vaine curiositie Plutarch remembers two young men of Syracusa that were familiar friends the one hauing occasion to trauell abroad about his necessarie occasions left his wife in the charge of his bosome companion whom he most trusted who broke his faith and vitiated the woman in his friends absence hee returning and finding the iniurie done him concealed his reuenge for a season till he found the opportunitie to strumpet the others wife which was the cause of a bloodie and intestine warre almost to the ruin of the whole cittie The like combustion was kindled betwixt Pardalus and Tirhenus vpon semblant occasion Lyuie in the tenth booke of his Decades relates that Q. Fabius Gurges sonne to the Consull amerced the matrons of Rome for their adulteries and extracted from them so much coine at one time as builded the famous Temple of Venus neere to the great Circus So much of the same in generall now I come to a more particular suruey of the persons Of many great Ladies branded with Adultery amongst the Romans and first of Posthumia THis Posthumia was the wife of Seruius Sulpitius as Lollia the wife of Aulus Gabinus Tertullia of Marcus Crassus Mutia the wife of C. Pompeius Seruitia the mother of Marcus Brutus Iulia the daughter of Seruitia and the third wife of Marcus Crassus Furies Maura the Queene of King Bogades Cleopatra of Aegypt and after beloued of Marcus Antonius one of the Triumuirat all these Queenes and noble Matrons is Iulius Caesar saide to haue adulterated Liuia the wife of Augustus Caesar was by him first strumpeted and beeing great with child to recompence her wrong hee hastened the marriage This was obiected to him in an oration by Antonius Tertullia Drusilla Saluia Scribonia Tilisconia with all these noble matrons he is said to haue commerse Likewise with a great Senators wife whose name is not remembred Augustus being at a publique banquet in his owne pallace withdrew himselfe from the table in the publique view and before the cloth was taken vp brought her back againe and seated her in her owne place with her haire ruffled her cheekes blushing and her eyes troubled Messalina the wife of Claudius Tiberius first priuatly then publiquely prostituted her selfe to many insomuch that custome grew to that habit that such as she affected and either for modesties sake or feare durst not enter into her imbraces by some stratagem or other she caused to be murdred as Claudian saith her insatiat desires yet stretched further making choice of the most noble virgins and matrons of Rome whom she either persuaded or compelled to be companions with her in her adulteries She frequented common brothel-houses trying the abilities of many choice and able young men by turnes from whence it is said of her she returned wearied but not satisfied if any man refused her imbraces her reuenge stretched not only to him but vnto all his familie And to crowne her libidinous actions it is proued of her that in the act of lust she contended with a mercenarie and common strumpet which in that kind should haue the prioritie and that the empresse in the 25 action became victor Of hir Pliny Iuuinall and Sex Aurelius speakes more at large a strange patience it was in an emperour to suffer this I rather commend that penurious fellow who hauing married a young wife and keeping her short both in libertie and diet she cast her eyes vpon a plaine countrie fellow one of her seruants and in short time grew with child the old churle mistrusting his owne weaknesse beeing as much indebted to his bellie as to his seruants for their wages for his parsimonie made him ingaged to both and now fearing a further charge would come vpon him he got a warrant to bring them both before a justice They being conuented and he hauing made his case knowne the gentlewoman being asked vpon diuers interogatiues modestly excused her selfe but not so cleanly but that the complaint sounded in some sort iust and the case apparant The countrie fellow was next called in question to whom the justice with an austere countinance thus spake Syrra syrra resolue me truly saith he it shal be the better for thee Hast thou got this woman with child yea or no to whom the plaine fellow thus bluntly answered Yes sir I think I haue how quoth the justice thou impudent and bawdie knaue shew me what reason thou hadst to get thy mistresse with child to whom the fellow replied I haue serued my master a verie hard man so many yeares and I neuer got any thing else in his seruice How this businesse was compounded I know not certainly onely of this I am assured that our English women are more curtious of their bodies than bloodie of their minds Such was not Roman Fabia who as Plutarch in his Paralells relates was the wife of Fabius Fabricanus and gaue her selfe vp to a young gentleman of Rome called Petronius Valentianus by whose councell she after slew her husband that they might the more freely inioy their luxuries Salust and Valerius Maximus both report of Aurelia Oristilla who suffered her selfe to be corrupted by Catelyn against whom Cicero made many eloquent orations who the freelier to enioy her bed caused her sonne to be poisoned Comparable to Fabia sauing in murder was Thimen the wife of king Agis who forsaking the lawfull bed of her husband suffered her selfe to be vitiated by Alcibiades of Athens Martiall in his Epigrams writes of one Neuina who going chast to the bath returned thence an adulteresse of her thus speaking Incidit in Flammam veneremque secula relicto Coniuge Penelope venit abatque Helena Which is thus Englisht She fell in fire and followed lust Her husband quite reiected She thither came Penelope chast Went Hellen thence detected Paula Thelesina Proculina Lectoria Gellia all these are by some authors branded for the like inchastities An Egyptian Lady I Haue heard of a young cittisen who hauing marryed a pretty wanton lasse and as yong folke loue to be dallying one with another set her vpon his knee and sporting with her and pointing one of his fingers at her face now my little rogue saith hee I could put out one of thine eyes to whom with her two longest fingers stretched forth right and ayming at him in the like fashion she thus
answered If with one finger thou put out one of mine eyes with these two I will put out both yours This was but wantonnesse betwixt them and appeared better in their action than in my expression and though I speake of a blind King hee lost not his eyes that way Herodotus relates that after the death of Sesostris king of Aegypt his sonne Pherones succeeded in the kingdome who not long after his attaining to the principalitie was depriued of his sight The reason whereof some yeeld to bee this Thinking to passe the riuer Nilus either by inundations or the force of the winds the waters were driuen so farre backe that they were flowed eighteene cubites aboue their woonted compasse at which the king inraged shot an arrow into the riuer as if he would haue wounded the channell Whether the gods tooke this in contempt or the Genius of the riuer was inraged is vncertaine but most sure it is that not long after hee lost all the vse of sight and in that darknesse remained for the space of tenne yeares After which time in great melancholly expired hee receiued this comfort from the Oracle which was then in the cittie Butis That if hee washt his eyes in the vrine of a woman who had beene marryed a full twelue moneth and in that time had in no wayes falsified in her owne desires nor derogated from the honour of her husband he should then assuredlie receiue his sight At which newes beeing much reioyced and presuming both of certaine and sudden cure he first sent for his wife and queene and made proofe of her pure distillation but all in vaine he sent next for all the great Ladies of the Court and one after one washt his eyes in their water but still they smarted the more yet hee saw no whit the better but at length when hee was almost in despaire he happened vpon one pure and chast lady by whose vertue his sight was restored and he plainely cured who after hee had better considered with himselfe caused his wife withall those Ladies sauing she onely by whose temperance and chastitie hee had reobtaind the benefite of the Sunne to bee assembled into one cittieâ— pretending there to feast them honourably for ioy of his late recouerie Who were no sooner assembled at the place called Rubra Gleba apparrelled in all their best iewells and chiefest ornaments but commaunding the cittie gates to be shut vpon them caused the cittie to be set on fire and sacrificed all these adulteresses as in one funerall pile reseruing onely that Lady of whose loyaltie the Oracle had giuen sufficient testimony whom he made the partaker of his bed and kingdome I wish there were not so many in these times whose waters if they were truely cast by the doctors would not rather by their pollution put out the eyes quite than with their cleerenesse and purity minister to them any helpe at all Laodice IVstine in his 37 booke of History speakes of this Laodice the wife and â—ister to Mithridates king of Pontus After whose many victories as hauing ouerthrowne the Scythians and put them to flight those who had before defeated Zopyron a great captaine of Alexanders army which consisted of thirtie thousand of his best souldiours the same that ouercame Cyrus in battaile with an armie of two hundred thousand with those that had affronted and beaten king Philip in many oppositions being fortunately and with great happines stil attended by which he more and more flourisht in power and increased in maiestie In this height of fortune as neuer hauing knowne any disaster hauing bestowed some time in managing the affaires of Pontus and next such places as he occupyed in Macedonia he priuately then retyred himselfe into Asia where he tooke view of the scituation of those defensed citties and this without the iealousie or suspition of any From thence he remooued himselfe into Bythinia proposing in his owne imaginations as if hee were already Lord of all After this long retirement hee came into his owne kingdome where by reason of his absence it was rumoured and giuen out for truth that he was dead At his arriuall he first gaue a louing and friendly visitation to his wife and sister Laodice who had not long before in that vacancie brought him a young sonne But in this great ioy and solemnitie made for his welcome hee was in great danger of poyson for Laodice supposing it seemes Mithridates to be dead as it before had beene reported and therefore safe enough had prostituted her selfe to diuers of her seruants and subiects and now fearing the discouerie of her adulterie shee thought to shaddow a mightie fault with a greater mischiefe and therefore prouided this poysoned draught for his welcome But the king hauing intelligence thereof by one of her handmaides who deceiued her in her trust expiated the treason with the bloods of all the conspirators I reade of another Laodice the wife of Ariarythres the king of Cappadocia who hauing six hopefull sonnes by her husband poysoned fiue of them after she had before giuen him his last infectious draught the youngest was miraculously preserued from the like fate who after her decease for the people punisht her crueltie with death succeeded in the kingdome It is disputed in the greeke Commentaries by what reason or remedy affection once so diuelishly setled in the brest or heart of a woman may bee altered or remooued or by what confection adulterous appetite once lodged and kindled in the bosome may bee extinguished The Magitians haue deliuered it to bee a thing possible so likewise Cadmus Milesius who amongst other monuments of history writ certaine tractates concerning the abolishing of loue for so it is remembred by Suidas iu his collections And therefore I would inuite all women of corrupted breasts to the reading of this briefe discourse following A remarkeable example was that of Faustina a noble and illustrious Lady who though she were the daughter of Antonius Pius the Emperour and wife to Marcus Philosophus notwithstanding her fathers maiestie and her husbands honor was so besotted vpon a Gladiator or common fencer that her affection was almost growne to frensie for which strange disease as strange a remedie was deuised The Emperour perceiuing this distraction still to grow more and more vpon his daughter consulted with the Chaldaeans and Mathematicians in so desperat a case what was best to bee done after long consideration it was concluded amongst them that there was but onely one way left open to her recouerie and that was to cause the fencer to be slaine which done to giue her a full cuppe of his luke-warme blood which hauing drunke off to goe instantlie to bed to her husband This was accordingly done and she cured of her contagious disease That night was as they said begot Antoninus Commodus who after succeeded in the Empire who in his gouernment did so afflict the Commonweale and trouble the Theatre with fensing and prises and
many other bloody butcheries that he much better deserued the name of Gladiator than Emperour This that I haue related Iulius Capitolinus writes to Caesar Dioclesianus Were all our dissolute matrons to be cured by the like Phisicke there would no question be amongst men lesse offendors and among women fewer patients that complained of sicke stomackes Phaedima CAmbises hauing before vnnaturally slaine his brother Smerdis by the hands of his best trusted friend Praxaspes but after the death of the king for the horridnes of the fact the Regicide not daring to auouch the deed to the people least it might preiudice his owne safetie One Smerdis a Magician whose eares Cambises had before caused to be cut off tooke this aduantage to aspire to the kingdome and beeing somewhat like in fauour to the murdered Prince who was by the souldiours generally beleeued to liue it purchast him so many abettors such as were deluded with his impostures that he was generally saluted and crowned Emperour This was done whilest the greatest part of the Nobilitie were absent and none since admitted into the pallace much lesse into the presence least the Magitian might bee vnviserded and the deceit made palpable The greater feares and doubts still inuironing the Princes because Praxaspes not daring to iustifie the murder kept it still lockt in his own breast The Magitian in this interim was not onely possest of all the Kings Pallaces and Treasures but he inioyed all his wiues and concubines amongst which was a beautifull Lady called Phaedima the daughter of Otanes a man of great power amongst the Persians This Lady first of all the rest most indeered to Cambyses and now since to the counterfeit Smerdis Otanes apprehends to bee the first instrument by which to discouer the truth He therefore by a secret messenger sends to his daughter to know by whom she nightly lay whether with Smerdis the sonne of Cyrus or with some other to whom she answered that it was altogether vnknowne to her who was her bedfellow because shee yet had neither seene Smerdis the sonne of Cyrus nor that man whatsoeuer he was into whose imbraces she was commanded He then sent her word that if she her selfe could not come to the sight of him to demaund of Atossa the daughter of Cyrus and brother to Smerdis who doubtlesse could decipher him in euery true lineament To which the daughter returnes him That she was separated both from the societie and sight of Atossa for this man whatsoeuer he is as soone as hee had possest himselfe of the Empire commanded all the women into seuerall lodgings neither could they haue any discourse or intercourse at all together This answer made Otanes the more and more suspitious and desirous with any danger to finde out the truth he aduentured a third message to Phaedima to this purpose It behooues you ô daughter being descended from noble ancestours to vndergoe any hazzard especially at the request of your father when it aimes at the generall good of the common-weale and kingdome if that imposter bee not Smerdis the brother of Cambises as I much feare it becoms him neither to prostitute and defile your body nor to mocke and abuse the whole estate of Persia vnpunished therefore I charge you as you tender my loue your owne honour and the Empires weale that the next night when you are called vnto his bed you watch the time when he is soundliest asleepe and then with your fingers gently feele both the sides of his head if thou perceiuest him to haue both his eares presume then thou lodgest by the side of Smerdis the sonne of Cyrus but if on the contrary thou findest his eares wanting then thou lyest in the bosome of Smerdis that base Magitian To this she replyed by letter Though I truely apprehend the danger should I be taken seeking of such things as hee perhaps knowes wanting which can be no lesse than death yet for your loue and the common good I will vndergoe the perill and with this briefe answer gaue satisfaction to her father But greater content he receiued from her when hauing discouered and layd open whatsoeuer her father suspected she sent him a faithfull relation of euery circumstance These things discouered by Phaedima Otanes makes a coniuration amongst the Princes all vowing the supplantation of this vsurper who in the interim the more to confirme the people in their errour he sent to Praxaspes promising him honours and treasures but to pronounce him once more before the people to bee the true and legitimate heire This charge Praxaspes vndertakes the multitude from all parts of the cittie were by the Magi assembled and he mounted vnto the toppe of an high Turret the better to be heard silence being made and attention prepared Praxaspes begins his oration in which hee remembers all the noble acts of Cyrus with the dignitie of his blood and progenie and passing ouer Cambises to come to speake of his brother Smerdis contrary to the expectation of the Magitian with teares began to commemorate the death of the Prince murdered and made away by his infortunate hand Then told them whom in his stead they had voyced into the Sacred Empire namely a groome and one of low and base descent one that for cousenages and forgeries had lost his eares a Magitian a Coniurer one that had long deluded them with his diuelish sorceries a slaue not worthy at all to liue much lesse to raigne and gouerne so noble a people and as a further confirmation that dying men speake true these words were no sooner ended but he casts himselfe off from the toppe of the Turret and slew himselfe After this the Pallace was assaulted by the Princesse the imposter slaine and all his adherents put to massacre Of the sequel of the history the succession of Darius c. you may further reade in Herodotus But concerning Phaedima onely for whose sake I haue introduced the rest I know not whether I haue indirectly brought her into this catalogue because she was so noble a meanes of so notable a discouerie yet considering she was one of the wiues of Cambises and he being dead so suddenly changing her affection to another and after being inioyed by him of what condition soeuer to betray him all these circumstances considered I giue hir free liberty to bee ranked amongst the rest Begum Queene of Persia. ABdilcherai a braue and valiant Prince of Tartaria taken prisoner by Emirhamze Mirize eldest sonne to the king of Persia in a battaile betwixt the Persians and Tartarians was sent to the king into Casbia where his captiuity in regard of his birth and valour was so easie that hee rather seemed a denison than a forreiner a Prince of the blood than a captiue hee not long soiourned there but he insinuated himselfe into the loue of the Queene Begum wife to the then king of Persia who spent their time together in such publike daliance not able to containe themselues within
feigned teare c. Somewhat to this purpose spake Terentius in his Adelphis Duxi vxorem quam ibi non miseriam vidi c. I made choice of a wife with iudgement sound What miserie haue I not therein found Children are borne they proue my second care They should be comforts that my corsiues are For her and them I studie to prouide And to that purpose all my times's applyde To keepe her pleas'd and raise their poore estate And what 's my meede for all but scorne and hate And so much for Gunnora It seemes the Emperor Valentinianus was neither well read in Iuuenall nor Terrens He when his wife commended vnto him the beautie of the Ladie Iustina tooke her to his bed and for her sake made a law That it should be lawfull for any man to marrie two wiues It is read of Herod the Great that he had nine wiues and was diuorsed from them all only for the loue of Mariamnes neice to Hircanus for whose sake he caused himselfe to bee circumcised and turned to the faith of the Iewes he begot on her Alexander and Aristobulus on Dosides Antipater on Metheta Archelaus on Cleopatra Philip and Herodes Antipas he that was afterward called Tetrarch one of the foure princes Aristobulus that was Herodes sonne begotten on Beronica the daughter of his own Aunt called Saloma he begot the great Agrippa Aristobulus Herod that was strooke by the Angell also on the aforesaid Beronica hee begot two daughters Mariamnes Herodias who was after Philips wife that was Vncle to Aristobulus neuerthelesse whilest Philip was yet aliue Herodias became wife to his brother Herod At length there fell debate betwixt her Mariamnes and Saloma Herods sister Herod by the instigation of Saloma slew Hyrcanus the Priest and after Ionathas the brother of Mariamnes who against the law hee had caused to be consecrated Priest at the age of seuenteene yeares After that he caused Mariamnes to bee put to death with the husband of his sister Saloma pretending that Hyrcanus and Ihonathas had adulterated his sister After these murders Herod grew madde for the loue of Mariamnes who was held to bee the fairest Ladie then liuing innocently put to death He then tooke againe his wife Dosides and her sonne Antipater to fauour sending Alexander and Aristobulus the sons of Mariamnes to Rome to be instructed in the best litterature whom after hee caused to be slaine And these were the fruites of Adulterous and Incestuous marriages Of Women that haue come by strange Deaths THere are many kinds of deaths I will include them all within two heades Violent and Voluntarie the Violent is when either it comes accidentally or when we would liue and cannot the Voluntarie is when we may liue and will not and in this wee may include the blesseddest of all deaths Martyrdome I will begin with the first and because gold is a mettall that all degrees callings trades mysteries and professions of either Sex especially acquire after I will therefore first exemplifie them that haue dyed golden deaths Of the Mistresse of Brennus Of Tarpeia and Acco a Roman Matron OF Midas the rich king and of his golden wish I presume you are not ignorant and therefore in vaine it were to insist vpon his historieâ— my businesse is at this time with women Brennus an Englishman and the yonger brother to Belinus both sonnes of Donwallo was by reason of composition with his brother with whom hee had beene competitor in the kingdome disposed into France and leading an armie of the Galls inuaded forreine countries as Germanie Italie sacking Rome and piercing Greece In so much that his glorie stretched so farre that the French Croniclers would take him quite from vs and called him Rex Gallorum witnesse Plutarch in his seuenteenth Paralel This Brennus spoyling and wasting Asia came to besiege Ephesus where falling in loue with a wanton of that cittie he grew so inward with her that vpon promise of reward shee vowed to deliuer the cittie into his hands the conditions were that he being possest of the Towne should deliuer into her safe custodie as many jewells rings and as much treasure as should counteruaile so great a benefit to which he assented The towne deliuered and he being victor shee attended her reward when Brennus commanded all his souldiers from the first to the last to cast what gold or siluer or iewells they had got in the spoyle of the cittie into her lap which amounted to such an infinite masse that with the weight thereof she was suffocated and prest to death This Clitiphon deliuers in his first booke Rerum Gallicar to answere which Aristides Melesius in Italicis speakes of Tarpeia a noble Virgin or at least nobly descended and one of the keepers of the Capitoll she in the warre betwixt the Sabines and the Romans couenanted with king Tatius then the publike enemie to giue him safe accesse into the mountaine Tarpeia so hee would for a reward but possese her of all the gold and iewells which his souldiers the Sabines had then about them This shee performing they were likewise willing to keepe their promise but withall loathing the couetousnesse of the woman threw so much of the spoyle and treasure vpon her that they buried her in their riches and she expired amiddest a huge Magozin But remarkable aboue these is the old woman Acco or Acca who hauing done an extraordinarie courtesie for the cittie of Romeâ— they knew not better how to requite her than knowing her auaritious disposition to giue her free libertie to goe into the common treasurie and take thence as much gold as she could carrie The wretched woman ouerioyed with this donatiue entered the place to make her packe or burden which was either so little she would not beare or so great she could not carrie and swetting and striuing beneath the burden so expired The like though somthing a more violent death died the Emperour Galba who in his life time being insatiate of gold as being couetous aboue all the Emperours before him they powred moulten gold downe his throat to confirme in him that old Adage Quâ—lis vita finis ita The like was read of the rich Roman Crassus Of such as haue died in child-byrth THough of these be infinites and dayly seene amongst vs yet it is not altogether amisse to speake someting though neuer so little which may haâ—e reference to antiquitie Volaterranus remembers vs of Tulliota the daughter of Marcus Cicero who being first placed with Dolobella and after with Piso Crassipides died in child-bed The like Suetonius puts vs in minde of Iunia Claudilla who was daughter to the most noble Marcus Sillanus and wife to the Emperor Caius Calligula who died after the same manner Higinus in his two hundred threescore and fourth Fable tells this tale In the old time sayth he there were no midwiues at all and for
transpierst himselfe and fell downe dead vpon the body of Aristoclaea Of no such death dyed Democrita whose history next ensueth Alcippus the Lacedemonian had two daughters by his wife Democrita He hauing with great iustice and integritie managed the affaires of the weale publike more for the common good than any peculiar gaine or profit of his own was affronted by an opposite faction which emulated his goodnesse and being brought before the Ephori it was deliuered to them in a scandalous and lying oration how and by what meanes Alcippus intended to abrogate and adnichilate their lawes for which he was confind from Spatta neither could his wife daughters who willingly offered themselues to attend vpon his aduersity be suffered to associate him but they were deteined by the power and command of the publike magistrate Moreouer an edict was made That neyther the wife was capable of inheritance nor the daughter of dower out of their fathers goods notwithstanding they had many sutors of such noble gentlemen as loued them for their fathers virtues It was likewise by the enemy most enuiously suggested to the Senat that the two Ladies might be debard from marriage their reason was that Democrita was heard often to wish and withall to presage that she should see children borne of her daughters who would in time reuenge the wrongs of their grandfather This being granted and shee euery way circumscribed both in her selfe her husband and issue euery way confind she expected a publike solemnitie in which according to the custome the women of the cittie with the virgins houshold seruants and infants had meeting but the matrons and wiues of the nobilitie kept their night-festiuall in a conclaue or parlor by themselues Then she guirt her selfe with a sword and with her two daughters secretlie conueyd her selfe into the Temple attending the time when all the matrons were most busie about the ceremonies and mysteries in the conclaue then hauing made fast the doores and shut vp the passages and heaped together a great quantitie of billets with other things combustible prouided for the purpose but especially all that sweete wood that was ready for the sacrifice of that solemnitie she set all on fire which the men hastening to quench in multitudes she before them all with a constancie vndaunted first slew her daughters and after her selfe making the ruins of this Temple their last funerall fire The Lacedemonians hauing now nothing left of Alcippus against which to rage they caused the bodies of Democrita and her daughters to be cast out of the confines of Sparta For this ingratitude it is said by some that great earth-quake happened which had almost ouerturned the cittie of Lacedemon from Democrita I come to Phillis Demophrâ—â— the sonne of Theseus and Phadra the halfe brother of Hippolitus returning from the warres of Troy towards his countrey by tempests and contrarie winds being driuen vpon the coast of Thrace was gently receiued and affectionately entertained by Phillis daughter to Lycurgus and Crustâ—â—ena then king and queene of that countrey and not onely to the freedome of all generous hospitalitie but to the libertie and accesse vnto her bed He had not long soiourned there but he had certaine tydings of the death of Muestham who after his father Theseus was expulsed Athens had vsurped the principalitie pleased therefore with the newes of innouation and surprised with the ambition of succession he pretending much domesticke businesse with other negotiations pertaining to the publike gouernment after his faith pawned to Phillis that his returne should be within a moneth hee got leaue for his countrey therefore hauing calked and moored his ships making them seruiceable for the sea he set saile towards Athens where arriued he grew altogether vnmindfull of his promised faith or indented returne Foure moneths being past and not hearing from him by word or writing she sent him an Epistle in which she complaines his absence then persuades him to call to mind her more than common curtesies to keepe his faith ingaged to her and their former contract to make good by marriage the least of which if he refused to accomplish her violated honour she would recompence with some cruell and violent death which she accordingly did for knowing her selfe to bee despised and vtterly cast off she in her fathers Pallace hung her selfe From Phillis I proceede to Deiaâ—eira Iâ—piter begat Hercules of Alcmena in the shape of her husband Amphitrio ioyning three nights in one whom Euristius king of Micena at the vrgence of his stepmother Iuno imployd in all hazardous and fearefull aduentures not that thereby he might gaine the greater honour but by such meanes sooner perish but his spirit was so great and his strength to eminent that from foorth all these swallowing dangers he still plunged a victor amongst these difficulties was that combat against Achelous a Flood in Aetolia who transhapt himselfe into sundry figures for the loue of Deianeira daughter to Oeneus and Althaea king and queene of Calidon and sister to Meleager he whom no monsters nor earthly powers could tame by the conquest of Achelous wonne Deianeira for his bride But he whom all tyrants and terrours were subiect to submitted himselfe to effeminacie and the too much dotage vpon women for when Euritus king of Oechalia had denied him his daughter Iöle before promist him the citty taken and the king slaine he tooke her freely into his embraces with whose loue he was so blinded that at her imperious command hee layd by his clubbe and Lions skinne the trophyes of his former victories and which was most vnseemely for so great a conquerour put on a womanish habit and blusht not with a distaffe in his hand to spinne amongst her damsells In briefe what slauerie and seruitude soeuer he had before suffered vnder the tyranny of Omphale queene of Lydia of whom he had begot Lamus he indured from her which Deianeira hearing in a letter she layes open to him all his former noble acts and victories that by comparing them with his present deboishtnesse it the better might incourage him to returne to the first and deterre him from the last But hauing receiued newes of Hercules calamitie by reason of the poisoned shirt sent him by her seruant Lychas dipt in the blood of the Centaure Nessus in which she thought there had beene the vertue to reuoke him from all new loues and establish him in his first for so Nessus had persuaded hir when in her transwaftage ouer the flood Euenus he was slaine by the arrow of Hercules dipt in the poyson of Lerna when she I say heard of the death of her husband and that though vnwillingly it happened by her meanes shee dyed by a voluntarie wound giuen by her owne hand Not such was that which followes The Ionians through all their Prouince being punisht with a most fearfull and horrible pest in so much that it almost swept the cittie and countrey and had it longer continued
mad'st thy souldiers taske Rape Rome still loues because thou taughtst it first Since then the forme at best so soone fades and that beautie hath beene the cause of so much blood-shed Why should women be so proud of that which rated at the highest is no better than an excellent euill or a wretched wonder that had beginning therefore subiect to end created from earth and therefore consequently transitorie but on the contrary since the vertues of the mind solely acquire after fame and glory conquer obliuion and suruiue enuie and Phenix-like recouer fresh youth from forgotten ashes To such I yeeld the first place and so begin with the Amazons Of the Amazons ANd first of their countrey Cappadocia is a land that breedeth goodly and braue horses it hath on the East side Armenia on the West Asia the lesse on the North Amazonia on the South Mount Taurus by which lyeth Sicilia and Isauria as farre as the Cilicke sea that stretcheth towards the Island of Cyprus The lesse Asia cald Asia minor ioyneth to Cappadocia and is closed in with the great sea for it hath on the North the mouth and sea that is cald Euxinus on the West Propontides on the South the Aegyptian sea This lesse Asia conteineth many prouinces and lands on the North side Bythinia butting vpon the sea against Thracia and is called Phrygia the greater The chiefe cittie of Bythinia is Nicomedia Galathia takes name of the Galls that assisted the king of Bythinia in his warres and therefore had that Prouince giuen them to inhabit It was first called Gallograecia as being a people mixt of the Galls and Graecians but now they be cald Galathians and these are they to whom Saint Paul writ his Epistles Ad Galates The third part of Asia minor is called Phrygia and tooke name of Phrygia daughter to Europa the daughter of Aegenor that Phrygia was likewise called Dardania of Dardanus the sonne of Iupiter It hath on the East side Lydia and on the West the sea Hellespontus so called of Helles the sister of Phrixus who was there drowned Lydia is on the East side of East Phrygia there sometimes raigned the rich king Craesus There were two brethren kings of that countrey the one cald Liddus the other Tyrhenus but the land being too little for both they cast lots which should abide there and which should seeke abroad to plant a Collony else-where which lot fell to the younger Tyrhenus Hee toucht vpon a land then cald Galia which after he caused to be named Tyrhia of him also the sea Tyrhenus tooke denomination as the land of Lydia of his brother Lyddus Of Lydia the chiefe cittie is Smyrna to which cittie S. Iohn the Euangelist writeth in his Apocal. The chiefe riuer of that countrey is Pactolus which as the Poets fable hath golden sands The fift part of Asia Minor is called Pamphilia and Isauria the chiefe cittie is Seleucia built by king Seleucus Antiochus neere to that is Scilicia and containeth Lycia which is called likewise Licaonia in which are the two noble citties Lystris and Derbe spoken of in Actib Apostol By these citties they sayle out of Syria into Italy but the chiefe of all these citties is Tharsis downewards towards the Amasonian sea and that land is part in Asia and part scituate in Europe Now touching the Originall of the Amasons and why they were first so called diuerse authours haue diuersly writ Palaephatus in his fabulous narrations saith The Amasons were not women but certaine barbarous men who vsed to weare long garments and loose reaching below their ankles after the manner of the Thracian women who shaued their chinnes and wore the haires of their head long but couered with miters These Amasons were a warrelike people and did many braue and remarkeable deedes of armes But there is no likelihood saith hee that such should bee women because of that nation there is at this day no memorie but this was but his opinion Trogus Pompeius from whom Iustine extracts his history thus speaks of their origenall Scythia towards the East is of one side imbraced by the sea on the other part hem'd in by the Ryphaean mountaines the longitude and latitude thereof lyes open to Asia and the riuer Tanais These Scythians haue no portions of land amongst them which any man can call his owne they manure no fields they build no houses ignorant both of Agriculture and Architecture their riches are their heards and their cattle they delight in vnfrequented solitudes and inhabitable desarts when they remooue from one place to another they carry their wiues along with them in charriots and waggons these are couered with leather and skinnes of beasts to shroud them from summers shewers and defend themselues from winters tempests they know no houses els and for no others care Iustice is maintained by the modestie of their manners not by the seueritie of their lawes There is no offence so grieuous to them as theft because their flockes lie open without folds or sheepe coates Gold and siluer they despise as much as other nations couet it esteeming it rather an vnusefull burden than a profitable merchandise Their food is for the most part milke and hony the benefite of wooll or cloath is to them altogether vnknowne though the climate oppresse them with continuall cold their habit is furres and the skinnes of beasts their continence teacheth them that iustice That they couet nothing but what is their owne for where there is desire of riches there must necessarily be vsurie and oppression Were the like moderation and abstinence vsed amongst all nations warre and surfet would not as they now doe destroy more than age or nature Admirable it is that custome in them should attaine to as much true morall humanitie as the wise men of Greece haue reached to by the learning of arts or study of Philosophy and that vntaught Barbarians should excell them that professe to tutor others in manners more eminent farre in their ignorance of Vice than the others in their knowledge of Vertue Three times these Scythians attempted the Empire of Asia in all their expeditions remaining vnfoild at least vnconquered Darius king of Persia they put to shamefull flight Cyrus with a supposed inuincible armie they slew in the field Zopyrus the great captaine of Alexander they victoriously defeated Of the Romans they onely heard their power but neuer felt their strength The Parthian and Bactrian Empire they establisht A nation in labours vnwearied in dangers vndismaied not seeking to get what they cared not to loose in all their victories preferring the glory before the spoile The first that made warre against this nation was Vexores king of Aegypt who by his Embassadours sent them word to prepare themselues for defence by whom they returned to the king this answer We wonder that the captaine of so rich a people will wage war against vs that are knowne so poore considering the successe of warre is doubtfull
to the knowledge of her parents and being by them persuaded to marrie to preuent the loathed embraces of a husband trusting to her owne incomparable swiftnesse she deuised a race in which she proposed her selfe the prise of the victor but the vanquished were mulcted with the losse of their heads after the slaughter of many princes Melanion before spoken of inflamed with her loue receiued of Venus three golden apples which he let fall one after another in the swiftnesse of their course she by stooping to take them vp slackened her speed and by loosing the race became his prise and bride Some write that they ran in chariots and armed trusting to the swiftnesse of their steeds not the verocitie of their owne feet The manner of their running is elegantly described in Ouid of which I will guie you present expression Hesiod Naso and others will not allow Atalanta to be the daughter of Iasus but Schoeneus Euripides deriues her from Menalus making her the bride of Hyppomanes the sonne of Megaraeus grand-child of Neptune not of Melamion The manner of their course is thus set downe Metamorph. lib. 10. Signa tubae dederuns c. The signalls giuen whilest both prepared stand Now on they goe their heeles but kisse the sand And leaue no print behind you would suppose They might passe seas and yet their nimble toes Not mingle with the billowes or extend Their course ore ripe eares yet the stalks not bend On all sides the young men spectators cry Well runne Hippomenes who seemes to flye More swiftly than their voyces if thy meed Be worth thy toyle now now t is time to speede Clamour and shoutes incourage both her pace She sometimes slackes to looke backe on his face His labour made it liuely on the way Which forc't her oft when she might passe him stay She outstrippes him tho but halfe against her will And feeles his dry breath on her lockes play still Which her speede cast behind The course is long He seemes to faint and she appeares more strong The bold Neptunian Heroe from his hand One of those golden apples on the strand Before her bowles she stoopes amaz'd and wonne With th'riches of the iewell is out-runne Stooping to take it vp he now gets ground Whilst lowd applaâ—siue shoutes the people sound At which her slacknesse she redeemes and time Lost in that small delay she as a crime Now in her speed corrects and like the wind Flyes towards the goale and leaues the youth behind Againe he drops another and againe She for the second stoopes whilst hee amaine Striues for the start and gets it but her pace She still maintaines being formost in the race The last part of the course lyes plaine before He now begins faire Venus to implore And the third fruit pluckt from the golden tree He further casts yet where she needes must see The apple shine 't was throwne out of the way The ground vneuen to mooue the more delay The warlike lasse though tempted with the show Doubts in her selfe to take it vp or no. Venus persuades in fauour of her knight And made it weightie which before seemd light Which as from th' earth she labours to diuide He gaines the goale and her for his faire bride It is said by Palephatus Appollodorus Ouid and others That for their ingratitude to Venus he was turned into a Lion and she into a Lionesse The probabilitie is that being in the chace they retyred themselues into a caue which proued to be a denne of Lions where they were torne to pieces and deuoured They being mist by the people who after saw two Lions issue from that place the rumour grew that they were transform'd into beasts of that shape This Atlanta had by Meâ—amion or Hyppomanes or as some write by Mars Parthenopaeus who after made warre vpon the Thebans Of other warlike Ladies ABout Meroe raigned the queene Candaces and had principalitie ouer the Aethiopians a woman of a mightie spirit who in all her conquests in person led her people to the field amongst whom she obtained that dignitie and honour that as amongst the kings of Aegypt from the first of that name that was renowned and beloued they were for many successions cald Pharaoes and after Ptolomyes and since the time of Iulius all the Roman Emperours haue in memory of him taken vpon them the sirname of Caesar so for many yeares after her decease the queenes of Aethiopia were cald Candaces The women of Lacena imitated the men in all things in schooles in hunting and in armes These in the warre commenst against the Messenians aduentured equally in the battaile with their husbands by whose assistance they purchased a noble victorie It is reported of Valasca a queene of the Bohemians that hauing made a coniuration with the women of her countrey to take away all the prerogatiue and iurisdiction from the men she instructing them in Militarie exercises leuied an armie of her owne sex with which they met their husbands and ouerthrew them by which meanes they attained the soueraigne principalitie and as the Amasons had before times done for many yeares space mannaged all affaires as well for offence as defence without the helpe or counsel of men The women of Bellouaca being long and fearfully besieged by Charles the great duke of Burgundie most resolutely defended the walls tumbling the assailants from their scaling ladders into the ditches to the euerlasting honour of their Sex and the reproach of the enemy Lesbia a virgin beeing besieged by the Turkes hazarded her selfe to discouer their workes and mines and when the cittisens were deliberating to surrender vp the towne to the mercilesse enemy shee opposed their purpose and presented her selfe vpon the walls to the violence of their arrowes and engines by whose onely valour and encouragement the citie was preserued the assailants repulst with dishonor Amalasuntha queeene of the Gothes kept her principalitie neere to Rauenna and as Volaterran hath left recorded by the helpe of Theodotus whom she made competitor in the Empire shee expeld from Italy the Burgonians Almaines and Ligurians Teuca the wife of Argon tooke vpon her the soueraigntie shee was queene of the Illyrians a warlikenation whom she wisely gouerned by whose valour and fortitude she not only opposed the violence of the Romans but obtained from them many noble victories Hasbites was a warlike Virago and lead armies into the field of her Siluius lib. 1. thus speakes Haec ignara viri vacuoque assuâ—ta cubili Venatu siluis primos defenderat as â—nnos c. She knew not man but in a single bed Vpon an emptie pillow cast her head Her youth she spent in hunting to th'alarâ—e Of the shrill bugle on her sinâ—wy arme She wore no Osier basket would not know Or teach the fingers how to spinne or sow To trace Dictinna she did most desire And in swift course the long breath'd stagge to tyre
feasted Mecenas being of a corrupt and licentious disposition and much taken with her beautie could not containe himselfe but he must needs be toying with her vsing action of plaine Incontinence in the presence of her husbandâ— who perceiuing what he went about and the seruants it seemes for modestie hauing withdrawne themselues from forth the chamber the Table â—ot yet being taken away Cabbas to giue Meâ—enas the freer libertie caâ—ts himselfe vpon the bed and counterâ—eits sleepe Whilest this ill-managed businesse was in hand one of the seruants listning at the doore and hearing no noyse but all quiet with soft steps enters the chamber to steale away a flaggon pot that stood full of wine vpon the Table Which Cabbas espying casts vp his head and thus softly said to him Thou rascall Doest thou not know that I sleepe onely to Mecenas A basenesse better becomming some Ieaster or Buffoon than the noble name of a Roman In the citie of Argis grew a contention betwixt Nicostratus and Phaillus about the management of the Common-weale Philip of Macedon the father of Alexander comming then that way Phaillus hauing a beautifull young wife one esteemed for the verie Paragon of the citie and knowing the disposition of the king to be addicted to all voluptuousnesse and that such choyse beauties and to be so easily come by could not lightly escape his hands presently apprehends that the prostitution of his wife might be a present Ladder for him to climbe to the principalitie and haue the entire gouernment of the citie Which Nicostratus suspecting and many times walking before his gates to obserue the passage of the house within hee might perceiue Phaillus fitting his wiues feet with rich embrodered Pantofles iewels about her hayre rings on her fingers bracelets about her wrists and carkanets vpon her arme in a Macedonian vesture and a couering vpon her in the manner of a Hat which was onely lawfull for the kings themselues to weare And in this manner habited like one of the kings pages but so disguised that she was scarce knowne of any he submitted her to the king There are too many in our age that by as base steps would mount to honor I could wish all such to carrie the like brand to posteritie Chloris was the daughter of Amphion and the wife of Neleus the sonne of Hyppocoon as fruitfull as beautifull for she brought twelue sonnes â—o her husband of which ten with their father were slaine by Hercules in the expugnation of Pylus the eleuenth called Periclemenes was transformed into an Eagle and by that meanes escaped with life the twelfth was Nestor who was at that time in Ilos Hee by the benefit of Apollo liued three hundred yeeres for all the daies that were taken from his father and brothers by their vntimely death Phoebus conferred vpon him and that was the reason of his longeuitie Aethra the daughter of Pytheus was of that attractiue feature that Neptune and Aegeus both lay with her in the Temple of Minerua but Neptune disclayming her issue bestowed it on Aegeus who leauing her in Troezene and departing for Athens left his sword beneath a huge stone enioyning Aethra That when his sonne was able to remooue the stone and take thence his sword she should then send him to him that by such a token he might acknowledge him his sonne Theseus was borne and comming to yeeres she acquainted him with his fathers imposition who remooued the stone and tooke thence the sword with which hee slew all the theeues and robbers that interposed him in his way to Athens Danae the daughter of Acrisius and Aganippe had this fate assigned her by the Oracle That the child shee bore should be the death of her father Acrisius which hee vnderstanding shut her in a Brazen Tower restrayning her from the societie of men but Iupiter enamoured of her rare feature descended vpon her in a shewer of Gold of which congression Perseus was begot whom Acrisius caused with his mother to be sent to sea in a mast-lesse boat which touching vpon the Island Seriphus was found by a fisher-man called Dyctis who presents the desolate Ladie with her sonne to king Polydâ—ctâ—s He surprised with her beautie marryed her and caused her sonne Perseus to be educated in the Temple of Minerua and after made attonement betwixt them and Acrisius But Polydectes dying at the funerall games celebrated at his death in casting of a mightie stone being one of the exercises then vsed Perseus whose hand fayled him cast it vnawares vpon the head of Acrisius and slew him against his owne purpose making good the will of the Oracle Acrisius being buried Perseus succeeded his grandfather in the citie Argos Helena was first rauished by Theseus and afterwards by Paris shee had these suitors Antiochus Ascalaphus Aiax Oeleus Antimachus Aeoeus Blanirus Agapenor Aiax Telamonius Clyrius Cyanaeus Patroclus Diomedes Penelaeus Phaemius Nyraeus Polypates Elephenor Fumetus Stenelus Tlepolemus Protesilaus Podalyrius Euripilus Idomenaeus Teliotes Tallius Polyxenus Protus Menestaeus Machaon Thoas Vlysses Philippus Meriones Meges Philoctetes Laeonteus Talpius Prothous but she was possest by Menelaus Aâ—ge was the faire daughter of Aleus and comprest by Hercules and deliuered of her sonne in the mountaine Parthenius at the same time Atalanta the daughter of Iasius exposed her sonne begot by Meleager vnto the same place these children being found by the shepheards they called the sonne of Hercules Telephus because he was nursed by a Hart which fed him with her milke they called the sonne of Meleager Parthenopaeus of the mountaine Auge fearing her fathers displeasure fled into Moesia to king Teuthrus who for her beauties sake hauing himselfe no children adopted her his heire These following are the fiftie faire daughters of Danaeus with the fiftie sonnes of Aegiptus whom the first night of their marriage they slew Idea killed Antimachus Philomela Pantheus Seilla Proteus Philomone Plâ—xippus Euippe Agenor Demoditas Chrysippus Hyale Perius Trite Enceladus Damone Amintor Hypâ—thoe Obrimus Mirmidone Mineus Euridice Canthus Cleo Asterius Arcania Xanthus Cleopatra Metalces Philea Phylinas Hyparite Protheon Chrysothemis Asterides Pyraule Athamas her name is lost that slew Armoasbus Glaâ—cippe Niâ—uius Demophile Pamphilus Antodice Clytus Polyxena Egiptus Hecabe Driantes Achemantes Echominus Arsalte Ephialtes Monuste Euristhanes Amimone Medamus Helice Euideus Amoeme Polidector Polybe Iltonomus Helicta Cassus Electra Hyperantus Eubule Demarchus Dâ—plidice Pugones Hero Andromachus Europone Atlites Pyrantis Plexippus Critomedia Antipaphus Pyrene Dalychus Eupheno Hyperbius Themistagora Podasimus Palaeno Ariston Itâ—â— Aâ—tilochus Erate Endemon Hypernâ—nestra was the onely Ladie that in that great slaughter spared her husband Lyncaeus What should I speake of Antigona the sister of Polinices Electra the daughter of Clytemnestrà Hermione of Helen Polyxena of Hecuba Iphigenia of Agamemnon Erigone Merope Proserpina Amimone Oenone Calisto Alope the daughter of Cercyon and Theophane of Bysaltis both stuprated by Neptune Thâ—onoe and Zeutippe
Amata was a professed Virgin who in fortie yeares space neuer set foot ouer the threshold of that Cloyster wherein she had confined her selfe in which time she neuer tasted food saue bread and roots Sara liued in the time of Theodosius the elder she made a Vow neuer to lodge beneath any roofe but inhabiting the banke of a certaine riuer remoued not from that place in threescore yeeres The like is read of Syluia a Virgin the daughter of Ruffinus a Prefect or Ruler in Alexandria who betooke her selfe to sollitude for the space of threescore yeeres in which time she neuer washt any part of her bodie saue her hands nor reposed her selfe vpon any bed saâ—e the ground It is reported by Edward Hall Iohn Leisland Iohn Sleyden and others of S. Ebbe Abbesse of Collingham That to preserue her owne and her sisters Chastities and keepe their Vowes inuiolate because they would seeme odible to the Danes who had done many outrages both against Law and Religion and then tyrannized in the Land shee cut off her owne nose and vpper lippe and persuaded all the other Nunnes to doe the like for which act the Danes burnt the Abbey with all the Sister-hood Fulgos. Lib. 4. cap. 3. speakes of Ildegunda a German Virgin borne in Nassau who after many temptations to which shee feared her beautie might subiect her in the yeere 1128 shee changed her habit and got to be entertained in a Priorie neere vnto Wormes called Schuna beu Heim in which she liued long by the name of Ioseph in singular continence and modestie still conuersing amongst the learnedest and best approued schollers euen till the time of her death neyther was she then knowne to be a woman till comming to wash her bodie her Sex was discouered In the same Monasterie and amongst that Couent liued Euphrosyna a Virgin of Alexandria by the name of Smaragdus as also one Marina who called her selfe Marinus both dissembling their Sex Gunzonis daughter to the duke of Arboa was possessed by an euill spirit but after by the prayers of holy men being recouered she vowed perpetuall Virginitie And after being demanded in marriage by Sigebertus king of the Frenchmen she was deliuered vnto him by her father who debating with her concerning his present purpose she humbly desired to be excused by his Maiestie in regard she had alreadie past a pre-contract The king demanding To whom she answered She was a betrothed Spouse to her Redeemer At which the king being startled forbore to compell her any further but suffered her to take vpon her a religious life shee preferring her Virgin Chastitie before the state and title of a Queene And these shall suffice for Religious Virgins I now proceed to others that grounded their vertue on meere moralitie Baldraca was a Virgin but of meane parentage and of a deiected fortune yet to her neuer-dying honor and president to all ages to come notwithstanding she was not able to supply her selfe with things needfull and necessarie eyther for sustenance or ornament neyther by threats or menaces promises of worldly honors or promotion shee could not be tempted to prostitute her selfe to the Emperour Otho Saxo Gramaticus writes of Serytha the daughter of Synaldus king of the Danes to be of that modestie that when the fame of her beautie had attracted a confluence of many suitors to the Court of her father yet she could neuer be woon eyther to conuerse with or so much as to looke vpon any of them Tara was a French Ladie of a noble and illustrious Familie shee liued in the time of Heraclius who when her father Hagerticus and her mother Leodegunda would haue compeld her to marrie she fell into that excesse of weeping that with the extraordinarie flux of teares she grew blind soone after Dula was a Virgin famous for her Chastitie who chose rather to be slaine by the hand of a Souldior than to be despoyled of her Virginitie Statyra and Roxana were the sisters of Mithridates king of Pontus who for the space of fortie yeeres had kept their Vow of Virginitie inuiolate these hearing the sad fate of their brother and fearing to be rauished by the enemie at least to fall into their captiuitie by taking of poyson finished both their dayes and sorrowes Plutarch writes of one Roxana drowned in a Well by Statyra It is reported of an Hetrurian Damosell taken by a Souldior who to preserue her Virginitie leapt off from the bridge Ancisa into the riuer Arnus of whom Benedictus Varchius hath left this memorie in one of his Epigrams Perdâ—ret nitactum ne Virgo Etrusca pudorem In rapidas sese praecipitanit aquas c. Th' Hetrurian Girle her Honor still to keepe Precipitates her selfe into the Deepe And from the bottome three times being cast Vp into th' ayre as loth that one so chast Should there be swallow'd she as oft sinkes downe Her modest face her martyrdome to crowne And shame the lustfull world What shall we say Of the chast Eucrece famous to this day She for one death is call'd the Romans pride To saue her Fame this Tuscan three times di'de Bernardus Scandeonus Lib. 3. Classe 34. Histor. Patâ—ninae writes That when Maximilian the Emperour made spoyle of the Paduan territories diuerse of the countrey people leauing the villages emptie fled into the citie amongst whom was one Isabella a Damosell of Rauenna who being seized on by some of the Venetian souldiors that then had the charge of the citie and surprized with her beautie drew her aside with purpose to haue dishonored her but finding no other meanes to shun the violence of their lust shee from the bridge cast her selfe headlong into the riuer Medoacus where shee was drowned and afterwards her bodie being drawne out of the riuer was buryed vnder a banke without any other ceremonie belonging to a Funerall Martia the daughter of Varro was of that admirable continence and chastitie that being most excellent in the Art of Painting shee not onely alienated and restrayned her Pensill from limning any thing that might appeare obscene or shew the least immodestie but shee was neuer knowne to delineate or draw the face of a man Rauis in Officin The like is reported of Lala Cizizena alike excellent in Painting and as remarkable for her Virgin Chastitie Britonia a beautifull maid of Crete giuing her selfe wholly to Hunting and the Chase to shun the importunities of king Minos who layd traynes to vitiate her threw her selfe into a riuer and was drowned Daphne the daughter of Amiela retyred her selfe both from walled cities and all publike societie and was at length entertained into the fellowship of Diana frequenting the Laconian fields and Peloponnesian mountaines Of her Leucippus the sonne of Oenemaus was enamored who hauing attempted diuerse wayes to compasse his will but not preuayling in any he bethought himselfe what course Iupiter tooke
but to graunt her the hearing of a few words at which the prince making a sudden pause shee poynting with her finger to the picture of the blessed Virgin for Sforza was neuer without that or the like in his bed-chamber she intreated him euen for the remembrance he bore to the person whom that Table presented for the honour due to her Sonne and his Sauiour and for the dignitie of his goodnesse and for the sacred memorie of his noble auncestors not to infringe her matrimoniall Vow nor violate her coniugall Chastitie but deliuer her backe an vnspotted wife to her vnfortunate husband who was then a prisoner amongst many other wretched captiues Her words tooke such impression in the noble General that notwithstanding her tempting beautie the motiues to inchastitie his present opportunitie and absolute power ouer her as she was his vassall and prisoner yet to show his miraculous temperance hee preferred the name of a chast and continent prince before the imputation of a tyrant or an adulterer and instantly leapt out of the bed and left her to her modest and more quiet rest In the morning he sent for her husband to whom after a great character of her Chastitie giuen he deliuered her not onely freeing them both without ransomeâ— but from his owne coffers bountifully rewarding her vertue in the subduing of his owne affections gaining more honour than in the conquest of so great a cittie In this act not onely imitating but exceeding Scipio For that incomparable Ladie that was presented vnto him was of high linage and of princely parentage besides he liued in a free cittie and to haue dishonoured her he had not onely incurred censure but being then in a forrein nation purchased to himselfe the name of tyrant and hazarded a new reuoult of the people but that was nothing to oppose prince Sforza in the satisfying of his lust saue his owne goodnesse for what conquerour hath not power ouer his captiue Fulgos. lib. 4. cap. 3. Anastatia Constantino politana when Theodora Augusta was iealous that shee was not beloued of her husband Iustinianus Augustus and hauing to that purpose receiued some taunting words from the Emperesse to approue her innocencie shee fled both court and cittie and retyred her selfe into Alexandria where shee liued obscured in the societie of certaine chast Virgins But after hearing of the death of Theodora her feares were not diminished but augmented for the Emperors loue appeared to her a greater burden than the hate of the Emperesse therfore to auoid that which many would haue sought with greedinesse shee changed her habit and taking the shape of a young man vpon her fled into the furthest part of Aegypt called by the name of Anastatius where shee liued priuately austerely and ended her chast life in great sanctitie Hieronim writes that Paula Romana after the death of her husband was so farre from being persuaded to a second that shee was neuer knowne from that time to eate or drinke in mans companie Of a contrarie disposition was Barbara the wife of Sigismund Emperor Aenaeus Silu. relates of her that her husband being dead when diuers persuaded her to continue still in her widowhood proposing vnto her that women ought to imitate the Turtles who if one be taken away by death the other will neuer chuse other mate but deuote her selfe to perpetuall chastitie thus answered If you haue none else to bid me imitate but byrds that haue no reason why doe you not as well propose me for example the Doues or the Sparrowes As contrary againe to her was the daughter of Demotian prince of the Arcopagitae who no sooner heard that her husband Leosthenes was slaine in the Lamick warre but inâ—tantly slew her selfe least she should suruiue a second marriage Others there bee that haue kept a viduall chastitie euen in wedlocke The Virgin Edeltrudis as Sigilbertus and Beda both witnesse was the daughter of Annas a Christian king of the East-Angles shee was first deliuered by her father in marriage to Candibertus a great prince who were no sooner married but by mutuall consent they vowed lasting Virginitie at length he dying shee was by her father compelled to a second nuptialls with king Cephordus with whom shee liued twelue yeares yet neuer as they could adiudge it vnloosed her Virgin gyrdle After which time by her husbands consent she tooke vpon her a religious life and entered a monasterie where as Marullus lib. 4. cap. 8. sayth she liued a more secure but not a more chast life Infinite to this purpose are remembered by Fulgosius Marullus Albertus Cranzius c. as of Maria Desegnies Margarita Aegypta Cecilia Virgo Kunegunda Augusta wife to Henry of that name the first Emperour Bafilissa espoused to Iulianus Antiochenus Stamberga the niece of Clodonius married to Arnulphus a noble Frenchman These and others without number which is somewhat difficult to beleeue haue wedded bedded boorded lyne and liued together yet went as pure Virgins to their graues as they came first to their cradles Of these I may say as Ouid Metamorph. lib. 1. of Daphne Saepe pater dixit generum mihi filia debes Saepe pater dixit c. Thou ow'st me sonnes oft would her father say Yong Boyes and Gyrles with whom my age might play Thou ow'st me child this would he oft repeat When shee as if with skorne and hatred great Sh'abhor'd the nuptiall bed and held it sinne With modest blushes dyde the tender skinne Of her faire cheeke then to her father growes And her white armes about his neck she throwes And saith Deere sir this one thing grant your child That I may liue from lustfull man exil'd A voteresse Diana this desired And from her father had what she required I will onely produce one historie or two at the most from our moderne Histories and so cease further to speake of our marryed Virgins It is reported in the Legend That after Editha the daughter of Earle Godwin was married to king Edward otherwise called S. Edward they mutually vowed betwixt themselues perpetuall chastitie and therein perseuered to the end of their liues There continued in them sayth the Legend a Coniugall loue without any Coniugall act and fauourable embraces without any deflowring of Virginitie for Edward was beloued but not corrupted and Editha had fauour but was not touched she delighted him with loue but did not tempt him with lust she pleased him with discourse and sweet societie yet prouoked him to no libidinous desire It is moreouer in that Treatise recorded That they vsed to call Marriage a shipwracke of Maiden-head comparing it to the fierie Furnace of the Chaldaeans to the Mantle that Ioseph left in the hand of a strumpet the wife of Putiphar to the lasciuious outrage of the two wicked Elders who would haue oppressed and vitiated Susanna the wife of Ioachim and lastly to the enticements of drunken Holofernes towards faire Iudith one of the
deliuerers of her people And so much for the Legend But Richardus Diuisiensis sayth That being awed by Earle Godwin and for the feare of hasarding his life and kingdome Edward was compelled by threats and menaces to the marriage of Editha Moreouer Polydore reports That for the hate he bore her father who had not long before most trayterously slaine his brother Alphred hee caused himselfe to be diuorced from her seising her goods and dower to his owne vse and pleasure Ranulphus and one that writes himselfe Anonimos as willing to conceale his name say That shee was disrobed of all her Queene-like honors and confined into the Abbey of Warnwell with only one maid to attend her and so committed to the strict custodie of the Abbesse William of Malmesbury and Marianus Scotus haue left remembred That hee neyther dismissed her his bed nor carnally knew her but whether it was done in hatred to her kindred or purpose of Chastitie they are not able to determine Robert Fabian confesseth as much in his Chronicle Part. 6. cap. 210. Howsoeuer the effects of that abstenious life were not onely preiudiciall but brought lamentable effects vpon this distracted kingdome namely Innouation and Conquest for Edward dying without issue England was inuaded and opprest by the Normans and the people brought to that miserie that happie was that subiect that could say I am no Englishman And in this agree Matthew Paris Capgraue Fabian and Polydore As I hold it not necessarie for marryed folke to tye themselues to this strict kind of abstinence so I hold it not conuenient for any such as haue to themselues and in their soules taken vpon them the strict life of Virginitie to be compelled to an enforced marriage as may appeare by this discourse following recorded by Gulielm Malmsburien Simeon Danelmens Matthew Paris Roger Houeden Capgraue c. Henry the first of that name king of England and crowned in the yeere of Grace 1101 was by the instigation of Anselme once a Monke of Normandie but after by William Rufus constituted Archbishop of Canterburie marryed vnto Maude daughter to Malcolme the Scottish king she hauing taken a Vow and being a profest Nunne in the Abbey of Winchester Much adoe had the King her father the Queene her mother her Confessor Abbesse or the Bishop to alienate her from her setled resolution or persuade her to marriage but being as it were violently compelled thereunto she cursed the Fruit that should succeed from her bodie which after as Polydore affirmes turned to the great misfortune and miserie of her children for afterwards two of her sonnes William and Richard were drowned by Sea Besides her daughter Maude who was afterwards Empresse prooued an vnfortunate Mother and amongst many other things in bringing forth Henry the second who caused Thomas Becket to be slaine it thus happened All forraine warres being past and ciuile combustions pacified in the yeere of our Lord 1120 Henry the first with great ioy and triumph left Normandie and came into England But within few dayes following this great mirth and iollitie turned into a most heauie and fearefull sorrow for William and Richard his two sonnes with Mary his daughter Otwell their Tutor and Guardian Richard Earle of Chester with the Countesse his wife the Kings Neece many Chapleines Chamberlaines Butlers and Seruitors for so they are tearmed in the storie the Archdeacon of Hereford the Princes play-fellowes Sir Geffrey Rydell Sir Robert Maldvyle Sir William Bygot with other Lords Knights Gentlemen great Heires Ladyes and Gentlewomen to the number of an hundred and fortie besides Yeomen and Mariners which were about fiftie all these sauing one man which some say was a Butcher were all drowned together and not any one of their bodyes euer after found Many attribute this great Iudgement to the heauie Curse of Queene Maude others censure of it diuersly Howsoeuer in this King as Polydore sayth ended the Descent and Lyne of the Normans Of this Anselme before spoken of there are diuerse Epistles yet extant to many women in those dayes reputed of great Temperance and Chastitie as To Sister Frodelina Sister Ermengarda Sister Athelytes Sister Eulalia Sister Mabily and Sister Basyle To Maude Abbesse of Cane in Normandie and Maude the Abbesse of Walton here in England Hee writ a Treatife about the same time called Planctus a missae Virginitatis i. A bewayling of lost Virginitie So farre Iohn Bale And so much shall serue for Chast Wiues in this kind being loth to tyre the patience of the Reader Of Women Wantons DIon the Historiographer in Tiberio sayth that Lyuia the wife of Augustus Caesar beholding men naked sayd to the rest about her That to continent women and chast matrons such obiects differed nothing from statues or images for the modest heart with immodest sights ought not to be corrupted The vnchast eye more drawes the poyson of sinne from beautie which is Gods excellent workemanship from which the chast and contrite heart deriues the Creators praise and glorie But my hope is that in exposing vnto your view the histories of these faire Wantons you will looke vpon them should I strip them neuer so naked with the eyes of Lyuia that is to hold them but as beautifull statues or like Appelles his woman not better than a picture of white Marble I haue heard of a man that liuing to the age of threescore and ten had led so austere a life that in all that time he neuer touched the bodie of a woman and had proposed to himselfe to carrie that Virginall vow with him to his graue but at length being visited with sickenesse and hauing a faire estate purchased with his small charge and great husbandrie and therefore willing to draw out the thread of his life to what length he could hee sent to demaund the counsell of the Phisitians who hauing well considered the estate of his bodie all agreed in this that since the phisick of the soule belonged not to them but onely the phisick of the bodie they would freely discharge their duties and indeed told him that this present estate was dangerous and they found but onely one way in art for his cure and recouerie which was in plaine tearmes To vse the companie of a woman and so tooke their leaues and left him to consider of it Loath was the old man to loose his Virginitie which hee had kept so long but more loath to part with his life which he desired to keepe yet longer and hauing meditated with himself from whom he was to depart and what to leaue behind him namely his possessions his money his neighbours friends and kindred and whether hee was to remooue to the cold and comfortlesse graue he resolued with himselfe to prolong the comfort of the first and delay as long he could the feare of the last Therefore hee resolued rather than to be accessorie to the hastening his owne death to take the counsell of the doctors It was therfore so ordered by
comely that the nether part of my smocke should be â—â—â—ned up and kisse the lippes of my lord at which the duke was much delighted And that night was begot Williaâ— the Bastard whom our Chronicles honour with the name of Conqueror whether at first in memorie of this least or since in disgrace of the Wanton it is not decided But from that Harlotta or Arlotta our prostitutes and common wenches â—re to this day in our vulgar Tongue called Harlots In the yeere of our Lord 1036 Henry the second Emperour of that name was marryed to Guinilde the daughter of Canâ—tus a Dâ—ne and king of England This Empeâ—our had a sister a professed Nunne whom he loued so entirely that oft times he would haue her lye in his owne Pallace and neere to his owne priuie chamber It happened in a cold Winters night a Chaplaine belonging to the Court it seemes to keepe her the warmer and one that had beene before much suspected lay with her and in the morning least both their footings should be seene in the Snow newly fallen that night shee tooke him vp and carryed him out of the Court towards his chamber The Emperour chancing as his custome was to rise iust at the same houre was spectator of this close conueyance and beheld how all the businesse happened Not long after fell a Bishopricke which the Priest expected and a Nunnerie which the Nunne much desired Whereupon the Emperour calling them before him the one after the other Take that Benefice saith he to the Priest but saddle no more the Nunne And you the Abbesse saith hee to his Sister saddle no more the Priest or looke thou neuer more beare Clerke riding vpon thy backe It is said that this serued after for a modest chiding betwixt them and that they were parted vpon these friendly tearmes Of diuerse Wantons belonging to sundry famous men and others ARistophanes Appollodorus Ammonius Antiphanes and Georgia Atheniensis of your Athenian strumpets haue writ at large as also of the like argument Theomander Cyrenaus Eleus Amasides Theophrastus in libro Amatorio Polemon de Tabellis lib. 3. Ouid and infinite others out of whom may be collected many famous wantons in their times Ocymus is the name of a strumpet much beloued of a skilfull Sophist in Corinth Thalatra of Diocles Corianno of Pherecrates Antea of Philillius otherwise called Eunicus Thais and Phannium of Menander Opora of Alexis Clepsydra of Eubulus for so Asclepiades the sonne of Arius reports in his Commentarie vpon Demetrius Phalareus where hee affirmes her proper name to be rather Methica which Antiphanes writes to be the name of a wanton The Poet Timocles speakes of Cina Nannium Plangon Lyca Pithionica Myrhina Chrisis Conallis Ieroclea Lopadium Of these likewise Amphis makes mention Anaxandries in his description of the madnesse of old men amongst others hee reckons vp Lagisca and Theolyte Polemon the Historiographer speakes of one Cottina whose Statue is erected in the citie of Lacedemon not farre from the Temple of Dionisius she is mounted vpon a brasen Bull. Alcibiades was beloued by a woman of Aegida of whom hee was likewise amorous after relinquishing Athens and Lacena of one Meâ—ontide of Abidos and with her sayled through the Hellespont with Axiochâ—s a friend of his and much deuoted to his fellowship for so the Orator Lysias witnesseth of him in an Oration made against him Hee had two other mistresses with whom hee was conuersant Damasandra the mother of Lais Iunior and Theodota by whom hee was preserued when remaining in Melissa a citie of Phrygia Pharnabazus layd traines entrap his life Abrotonax was the mother of Themistocles a strumpet as Amphicrates relates Neanthes Cyzicenus a Greeke Historiographer calls him the sonne of Euterpe The second Philodelphus king of Aegypt had many famous Concubines as Ptolomaeus Eâ—â—rgetes in his Commentaries witnesseth Didima and Bilistiche besides these Agathoclea and Stratonica whose monument was erected in the sea Elâ—sina Myrtium with many others Polybius in his foureteenth booke of Histories remembers one Clino that was his Cup-bearer in whose honor many Statues were erected in Alexandria Mnesides a shee-Musitian of the citie Mnesis and one Pothinae his most delicate houses in which he tooke much delight he was wont to call after the name of two of his Paramours eyther Myrtiae or Pothinae Timothaeus the great Captaine of the Athenians was knowne to be the sonne of a common woman of Threissa which being obiected to him as an aspersion hee answered I am glad to haue beene borne of such a mother that had the wisedome to chuse Conon to bee my father Caristius in his Historicall Commentaries auerres Phileterus who soueraignized in Pergamus and the new Region called Boca to be the sonne of a wanton shee-Minstrell borne in Paphlagonia Aristophon the Orator who in the reigne of king Euclides published a Law That all such as were not borne of ciuile and free women approued for their modestie and temperance should be held as bastards yet hee himselfe is mocked by the Comicke Poet Calliades for being the sonne to the Prostitute Chorides as may appeare in the third booke of his Commentaries Of Lamia the strumpet the king Demetrius had a daughter called Phila Polemon affirmes Lamia to haue been the daughter of Cleonor the Athenian Machon the Comick Poet numbers Leaena amongst this kings mistresses with many others Ptolomaeus the sonne of Agesarchus in his Historie of Philopater speaking of the mistresses of kings bestowes Philinna a Dancer vpon Philip of Macedon by whom he had Aridaeus who succeeded after Alexander Damo was the delight of Antigonus by whom he had Alcyonaeus Mysta and Nisa were the beloued of Seleucus Iunior and Mania most famous for her wit and ingenious discourse of Demetrius Poliorcetes Of her Machon the Poet writes much as also of Gnathaena who with Depithaea were said to be two Lasses much beloued of the Poet Diphilus The citie of Athens was so full of famous strumpets that Aristophanes Byzantius reckon'd vp at one time 135. but Appollodorus more so likewise Gorgias as these Parenum Lampride Euphrosine the daughter of a Fuller of Cloth Megista Agaellis Thaumarium Theoclea otherwise called Corone Lenetocistus Astra Gnathaena with two neeces by her daughter Gnathenum and Siga Synoris sirnamed Lichnus Euclea Grammea Thriallis Chimaera Lampas Glicera Nico sirnamed Capra Hippe Metanira of whom many things worthie obseruation are remembred One Sapho is likewise numbred amongst these loose ones not Sapho the Lyrick Poetresse but another borne of a strumpet Many Roman wantons may here likewise not vnfitly be inserted as some related others beloued and celebrated by them in their Poems as Ipsithilla of Catullus Quintilia of Caluus Licinius Lyde of Calimachus Bathis of Phileta Lycinea and Glicera of Horace Leucadia of Terentius Varro Arecinus Delia Sulpitia Nemesis Neaera all these affected by Tibullus Hostia otherwise called Cinthia by
them with garlands vpon their heads of which whilest some are called apart others still returne for their passages to and fro are distinguished by small cords or strings which direct strangers vnto such women to whom they are most addicted But of these not any returne to their houses after they haue once tooke vp their seats till some clyent hath cast some coyne or other into her lappe be it neuer so small or great and haue had carnall companie with her in a sequestred place of the Temple which done hee is to say So much I did owe thee ô goddesse Melitta Nor was any woman to refuse the money that was offered her whatsoeuer it were because it was to be employed in their supposed pious vses Neyther was it lawfull for a woman to refuse any man but she was compelled to follow him that cast the first coyne into her apron This beeing done it was lawfull for her to mingle her selfe in prostitution with whom she pleased The fairest and most beautifull were for the most part soonest dispatcht but others that haue beene vgly and deformed haue beene forced to sit in the Temple some one some two some three yeeres and vpwards before they could meet with any by whose helpe they might giue satisfaction to the Law returne to their owne houses and make vse of their free libertie The like custome though not in euerie particular was in Cyprus Amongst the Caunians a people in Coria there was a yeerely conuention of yong men and women to the like purpose as the same Author in the same booke affirmes Aelianus de var. Histor. lib. 4. sayth That the Lydian women before their marriage presented themselues for gaine till they had purchased to themselues a competent dowrie but hauing once selected a husband they from that time liued in all continence and chastitie From this generalitie I come to particulars and first of Thais Shee was a strumpet of Corinth whose beautie bewitched all the Atticke youth Her the Greeke Poet Menander in his workes most celebrated of whom shee was called Menandraea Clitarchus specifies vnto vs That shee was much beloued of Alexander the Great at whose request after the conquest of Cyrus all the Imperiall Pallaces in Persepolis with the greatest part of the citie were set on fire and burned downe to the earth This strumpet after the death of Alexander was marryed to the first Ptolomey of Aegypt by whom she had two sonnes Leontiscus and Lagus with one daughter called Irene whom Solon king of Cyprus after tooke to wife Lamia was a Courtizan of Athens and entyred to Demetrius a lord of many Nations insomuch that in his Armour and Crowne with his Imperiall Diademe he was often seene publikely to enter her roofe to conuerse with her and eate at her Table It had beene lesse dishonour for so great a person to haue giuen her meeting more priuately In this one thing Diodorus the Minstrell was preferred before Demetrius who being diuerse times sent for to this Courtezans house refused to come This Lamia was wont as Aelianus Lib. 12. reports to compare the Greekes to Lyons and the Ephesians to Wolues Gnathana was of the same countrey and borne in Athens of whom it is thus remembred A noble fellow drawne as farre as the Hellespont by the attractiue fame of her beautie shee gaue him both meeting and entertainment of which he growing proud and somewhat insolent vsing much loquacitie and superfluous language being in the heat of wine and lust shee asked him Whether as he pretended he came from the Hellespont To whom he answered He did She replyed And doe you know the name of the chiefe citie there He told her Yes She then desired him to giue it name Hee told her it was called Sygaeum By which shee ingeniously reproued his verbositie since Syga of which Greeke word the citie takes denomination signifieth silence and taciturnitie Of her prompt and wittie answeres the Poet Machon sets downe many for shee was held to bee wondrous facetious and scoffing and exceedingly beloued of the Poet Diphilus Lynceus likewise remembers many things concerning her Pausonius Lacus beeing dauncing in her presence in doing a loftie tricke aboue ground and not able to recouer himselfe hee fell headlong into a Vessell that stood by See sayth she Lacus in cadum incidit i. The Poole hath powred himselfe into the Vessell Lacus not only signifies a Poole but a Vessell which receiueth the wine when it is pressed Another offering her a small quantitie of wine in a great and large Bole and told her withall That it was at least seuenteene yeeres old Truly answered she it is wondrous little of the age Two young men in the heat of wine quarrelling about her and going to buffets to him that had the worst shee thus said Despayre not youth Non enim Coronarium est certamen sed Argenteum i. This was a prize for Money onely not for a Garland When one had giuen her faire daughter who was of the same profession a piece of Gold valued at a pound and had receiued no more than labour for his trauaile and bare lookes for his money to him she said Thou for this pound art made free of my daughter as those that are admitted into the schoole of Hyppomachus the maisterwrastler who oft times see him play but seldome prooue his strength admire his skill but neuer trie his cunning Many such with great elegancie came frequently from her for as Lynceus sayth of her shee was Concinna admodum vrbana Aristodemus in his second booke Ridiculorum memorab relates That when two men had bargained for her at once a souldier and a meane fellow the souldier in great contumelie called her Lacus or Lake Why doe you thus nick-name me sayth she because you two flouds fall into me Lycus and Liber Lycus is a riuer not farre from Laodicea which sometimes runneth vnder the earth and in many places bursteth vp againe Shee writ a booke which shee called Lex Conuinalis imitating the Philosophers of those times who had compiled workes of the like subiect The proiect of her booke was how her guests ought to behaue themselues at Table towards her and her daughter The like Law Callimachus composed in three hundred and three and twentie Verses Rhodope was a Curtesan of Aegypt one that by her prostitution came to such a masse of wealth that she of her own priuate charge caused to be erected a magnificent Pyramis equalling those that were raised by the greatest Princes Sapho calls her Dorica and makes her the mistresse of her brother Charaxus vpon whom he spent and consumed all his fortunes euen to the vtmost of penurie of whom Ouid thus writes Arsit inops frater c. Aelianus and others report her for a woman most beautifull who bathing herselfe in a pleasant and cleere fountaine in her garden her handmaides attending her with all things necessarie vpon a sudden an Eagle sowsing downe snatched
pittied her grauitie or suspected her innocence did not cause her to be instantly strangled according to the rigor of her sentence At the importunacie of the daughter he gaue her leaue to visit and comfort her mother but narrowly searcht before her entrance into the prison least shee should carrie with her any food or sustenance to her reliefe rather desiring she should perish by famine and dye that way than himselfe to haue any violent hand in her execution The daughter hauing dayly accesse to the mother who now had past ouer more dayes than the keeper thought was possible by nature and wondering in himselfe how she should draw her thred of life out to that length without any meanes to maintaine it hee casting a more curious eye vpon the young woman and watching her might perceiue how shee first drew out one breast and after another with her owne milke relieuing her mothers famine At the noueltie of so strange and rare a spectacle being amazed he carryed newes thereof to the Triumvir he to the Praetor the Praetor he related it to the Consuls they brought it before the Senate who to recompence what was good in the daughter pardoned all that was before thought ill in the mother For what will not loue deuise or whither true zeale not penetrate What more vnheard or vnexpected thing could be apprehended than for a mother to be fed from the breasts of her daughter Who would not imagine this to be against nature but that we see by proofe true naturall pietie transcends all bounds and limits The like of this we may read of in Plinie of another young marryed woman who when her father Cimon was afflicted with the same sentence and subiect to the like durance prolonged his life from her breasts for which she deserues to be equally memorized Our Parents in no dangers or necessities are to be by vs abandoned and that by the example of Aeneas in whose person Virgil thus speakes as to his father Anchises Aeneid 2. Eia age chare pater ceruici imponere nostrae Ipse subibo numeris nec me labor iste grauabit c. Come my deare father and get vp for see No burthen to my shoulders you can bee No weight at all and hap what can betide One danger or one safetie wee 'l abide Sabellic lib. 3. cap. 6. remembers vs of Rusticana a noble Matron of Rome and the daughter of Synnarchus who with his brother Boetius the famous Philosopher being put to death by Theodoricus king of the Gothes Shee after the Tirants miserable end was the cause that all his Statues in Rome were demollished and ruined purposing vtterly if it were possible to extirpe his memorie that was the inhuman murderer of her father for which fact of hers being called in question before king Totila who succeeded him she was so far from excuse or deniall that she approued the deed with all constancie whose noble magnanimitie resolution prooued more auailable to her saftie than any timerous euasion could haue done for he not only dismissed her vnpunished but highly applauded and commended Fulgos. Sabellicus and Egnatius writing of Alboinus king of the Longobards who at his first enterance into Italie hauing subdued and slaine Turismundus whom some call Cunimundus sonne to Cunimundus king of the Gepidanes and after taken his daughter Rosamunda to wife the Historie sayth hee made a bole of her fathers skull in which one night hauing drunke somewhat lauishly he caused it to be filled with wine and sent to Rosamunda then in her chamber with this message Commend me to my Queene and say I command her to drinke with her father The Ladie though shee knew him to be slaine by the Longobards receiuing his death by a common casualtie and chance of war and by this assuring her selfe that he fell by the hand of her husband betwixt filiall dutie and coniugall loue being for a time destracted the bond of affection towards her father preuailed aboue those nuptiall fetters in which she was tyde to her Lord in so much that to reuenge the death of the one she resolued to take away the life of the other to bring which about she deuised this proiect she had obserued one Hemegildus a noble man amongst the Lumbards to bee surprised with the loue of one of her waiting gentlewomen with whom she dealt so far that when her maid had promised to giue this Hemegildus meeting in a priuate and darke chamber she her selfe supplyde the place of her seruant after which congression she caused lightes to be brought in that he might know with whom he had had carnall companie and what certeine preiudice he had therein incurred protesting withall that vnlesse he would ioyne with her in the death of the king shee would accuse him of rape and outrage The Lumbard to preuent his own disaster vndertooke his soueraignes death which was accordingly betwixt them performed The murder done they fled together to Rauenna she preferring the reuenge of a slaughtered father before the life of a husband the title of a Queene State Soueraigntie or any other worldly dignitie whatsoeuer Something is not amisse to be spoken in this place concerning the loue of mothers towards their children which as Plutarch in his Grec Apotheg saith was excellently obserued in Themistocles Prince of the Athenians who was wont to say That hee knew no reason but that his young sonne whom his mother most dotingly affected should haue more power and commaâ—nd than any one man in Greece whatsoeuer and being demanded the reason hee thus answered Athens sayth he commands all Greece I Themistocles haue predominance ouer Athens my wife ouer-swayes me â—nd my sonne ouer-rules his mother Olympias the mother of Alexander caused Iollaes graue to be ript vp who was Butler to her sonne and his bones to be scattered abroad raging against him in death on whom in his life time shee could not be reuenged on for the death of her sonne to whom this Iollas was said to haue ministred poyson Agrippina the mother of Domitius Nero by all meanes and industrie possible labouring to confirme the Empire vnto her sonne enquired of the Chaldaeans and Astrologers Whether by their calculations they could find if he should liue to be created Caesar who returned her this answer That they found indeed by their Art that he should be Emperour but withall that he should be the death of his mother To whom she answered Inter-ficiat modo Imperet i. I care not though he kill me so I may but liue to see him raigne Sab. lib. 3. cap. 4. The same Author tells vs that in the second Punick warre the Romanes being ouerthrowne with infinite slaughter in the battailes fought at Thrasiamenus Cannas many that were reported to be assuredly dead escaping with life after their funeralls had beene lamented returning home vnexpectedly to their mothers such infinite ioy oppressed them at once that as if sinking beneath too
great a burden betwixt their kisses and embraces they suddenly expired Aruntius the Roman being proscribed by the Triumuirat his wife would neddes haue him take her deerely beloued sonne along with him to associat and comfort him in his trauels who when they had gone a ship-boord intending for Sicilia and crost by an aduerse tempest could neither proceede on in their voyage nor returne to any safe landing such was their fate that they perished by famine which the mother vnderstanding more for the greefe of her sonne whom she her selfe proscribed than for her husband exiled by the Triumuirat slew her selfe The matrons of Carthage in the third Punick warre when the choysest of all the noble young men of the cittie were selected to bee sent as hostages into Sicilia with weeping and lamentation followed them to the water side and kept them hugged in their strict embraces not suffering them to goe aboord but when they were forcibly plucked from them and sent vnto the ships they no sooner hoysed saile but many of these wofull and lamenting mothers opprest with the extreamitie of sorrow cast themselues headlong into the Sea and there were drowned Sabel lib. 3. cap. 4. The wife of Proclus Naucratides hauing a wilde and misgouerned sonne addicted meerely to voluptusnesse and pleasure and withall to Cockes Horses Dogges and such like pastimes his mother did not only not reproue him in this licensiousnesse but would be still present with him to helpe to feed his Cockes dyet his Horses and cherish his Dogges for which being reproued by some of her friends as an incourager of his vnstayd and irregular courses to whom shee answered No such matter hee will sooner see then into himselfe and correct his owne vices by conuersing with old folkes than keeping company with his equalls Niobes sorrow for her children Auctoliaos death at the false rumor of her sonne Vlysses his Tragedie Hecubaes reuenge vpon Polymnestor for the murder of her yong sonne Polydore and Tomiris queene of the Massagets against Cyrus for the death of her sonne Sargapises are all rare presidents of maternall pietie nay so superaboundant is the loue of mothers to their children that many times it exceedes the bounds of common reason therfore Terens in Heuton thus saith Matres omnes filijs In peccato ad iutrices auxilio in patres Solent esse i. All mothers are helpers in their childrens transgressions and ayd them to commit iniuries against their fathers Therefore Seneca in his Tragedie of Hippolitus breakes out into this extasie Oh nimium potens Quanto parentes sanguinis vinclo tenes Natura quam te colimus inuiti quoque Nature oh Too powerfull in what bond of blood thou still Bind'st vs that parents are commanding so Wee must obey thee though against our will So great was the loue of Parisatis the mother of Cyrus the lesse to her sonne that he being slaine her reuenge vpon the murtherers exceeded example for she caused one of them whose name was Charetes to be ten daies together excruciated with sundrie tortures after commanded his eyes to be put out and then moulten lead to be powred downe into the hollow of his eares the second Metroclates for the same treason shee commaunded to be bound fast betwixt two boats and to be fed with figges and honey leauing him there to haue his guts gnawne out by the wormes which these sweet things bred in his intrailes of which lingring torment he after many dayes perished the third Metasabates she caused to be flayed aliue and his bodie to be stretched vpon three sharpe pikes or stakes and such was his miserable end a iust reward for Traitors Fulgos. lib. 5. cap. 5. tels vs That Augustus Caesar hauing subdued Cappadocia and taken the king Adiatoriges prisoner with his wife and two sonnes after they had graced his triumphs in Rome hee gaue command That the father with the eldest sonne should be put to death now when the ministers designed for that execution came to demand which of the two brothers was the elder for they were both of a stature they exceedingly contended and either affirmed himselfe to be the eldest with his owne death to repriue the others life this pious strife continuing long to the wonder and amasement of all the beholders At length Dietenius at the humble intercession of his mother who it seemes loued him some deale aboue the other gaue way though most vnwillingly for the younger to perish in his stead Which after being knowne and told to Augustus hee did not onely lament the innocent young Princes death but to the elder who was yet liuing with his mother he gaue great comforts and did them after many graces and fauours so great a reuerence and good opinion doth this fraternall loue beget euen amongst enemies Neither was this Queene to he taxed of seueritie or rigor to the youngest since it was a necessitie that one must dye it was rather a Religion in her hoping to leaue her first-borne to his true and lawfull inheritance Now least I should leaue any thing vnremembred that comes in my way that might tend to the grace and honor of the Sex there is not any vertue for which men haue beene famous in which some women or other haue not beene eminent namely for mutuall loue amitie and friendship Marul Lib. 3. cap. 2. tells vs of a chast Virgin called Bona who liued a retyred life in a house of religious Nunnes Shee had a bedfellow vnto whom aboue all others shee was entired who lying vpon her death-bed and no possible helpe to be deuised for her recouerie this Bona being then in perfect health of bodie though sicke in mind for the infirmitie of her sister fell vpon her knees and deuoutly besought the Almightie that shee might not suruiue her but as they had liued together in all sanctitie and sisterly loue so their chast bodies might not be separated in death As shee earnestly prayed so it futurely happened both died in one day and were both buried in one Sepulchre being fellowes in one House one Bed and one Graue and now no question ioyfull and ioint inheritors of one Kingdome Thus farre Marrull But now to returne a little from whence wee began Some sonnes haue beene kind to their parents as in Sicilia when the mountaine Aetna began first to burne Damon snatcht his mother from the fire Aeneas in the fatall massacre of Troy tooke his father vpon his backe his sonne Ascanius in his hand his wife Creusa following him and passed through the sword and fire Wee reade likewise in Hyginus of Cleops and Bilias whom Herodotus calls Cleobis and Bython who when their mother Cidippe the Priest of Iuno Argyua should be at the Temple at the appointed houre of the Sacrifice or failing to forfeit her life but when she came to yoake the Oxen that should draw her Chariot they were found dead her two sonnes before named layd their neckes vnder the
honour consume the remainder of their liues in great discontent sorrow and anguish Of this custome Cicero remembers vs Tusc. Quest. lib. 5. Vaeler Maxim lib. 2. cap. 1. Alex. ab Alex. Aelianus Egnatius and others This funerall ceremonie as Fulgos. lib. 2. cap. 6. is continued amongst them vnto this day alluding to this purpose is that of Propert. lib. 3. Foelix eo is lex funeris vna maritis c. Which I thus paraphrase in English You Easterne Husbands in your funerall Lawes Most happie and their first inuentors wise In which you are more famous then because On you the blushing morning first doth rise When Death hath with his last mortiferous wound The Husband strucke his last Rites to prepare A pious troupe of Wiues engirt him round Drying their moist cheekes with their scatt'red haire Who striue which shall associate him in fate And bed with him together in the flame To liue beyond him is a thing they hate And he once dead life is to them a shame She that can die with him hath her desire And leapes with ioy into the funerall fire The like is obserued by a people of Thrace that inhabite a little aboue the Crestonaeans They likewise are delighted with pluralitie of wiues who after the decease of their husbands enter into the like contention as the women of India and she that is Victoresse as if glorying in some great conquest adorned in her best and richest ornaments is with great ceremonious pompe amongst all her kindred and allyes conducted vnto the place where his bodie is to be interred where being slaine by her next of kinne as the best office he can doe her she is buried in the same graue with her husband Herod lib. 5. The wiues amongst the Geates repayre to their husbands Sepulchre and holding all life tedious and burthensome without them offer their bodies willingly either to the sword or to the fire The custome of the Catheoreans was That when the Bride chose her husband she made a couenant with him at his death to be burnt in the same Pile Alex. ab Alex. lib. 1. cap. 25. The women amongst the Herulians a people that inhabite beyond the riuer of Danubius repayre to the graues of their husbands and iust ouer-against them strangle themselues Which marriage-loue appeares the more strange because the men are of that barbarous and inhumane incontinence that they hold it no shame to leaue the societie of their women and haue congression with brute beasts Bonifacius in his Epistle vnto king Ethelbaldus as Gulielm Malmsbur lib. 1. cap. 64. de Anglia relates it sayth That the Winedi are the worst and the most nastie people among the Germans yet their wiues are of that incomparable zeale and pietie toward their husbands that shee is held to be the most laudable and prayse-worthie that with her owne hand kills her selfe to burne with him in his last funerall fire From the generalitie of women I descend to particulars Admirable was the loue of Phila towards her husband king Demetrius and haughtie and magnanimous her spirit who receiuing newes of his defeat in battaile and that his whole armie being dispersed and scattered he was retyred into Cassandria dranke poyson and so died The wife of Straton Prince of Sydonia when the citie was straitly besieged by the Persians her greatest care was least the person of her husband should fall into the hands of the mercilesse enemie which she purposed to preuent by death When therefore shee heard they had skaled the walls and were readie to be instantly possest of the towne and seize vpon the person of her husband she snatcht from him his sword with which she first â—lew him and then laying out his bodie with as much comelinesse as the shortnesse of the time would permit after fell vpon the same sword thus by voluntarie death preuenting the dishonor of captiuitie Fulgos. lib. 4. cap. 6. Fannia the daughter of Arria the younger wife to Poetus Patauinus before remembred in her braue and heroick death with her husband was the Spouse of Heluidius Priscus who followed him in all his exile euen to his vnfortunate and most vniust death she was the third time confined from the reigne of Tiberius Nero to the death of Domitian Plinie with infinite prayses applauds the incomparable vertues of this Fannia with both the Arriaes in Lib. 9. in his Epistle to Quadratus and in his seuenth to Genitor and Priscus Triaria was the noble and chast wife of L. Vitellius brother to Aul. Vitellius the Emperor who as Hypsicrataea followed Mithridates in all his combustious warres so she neuer forsooke her husband but was present with him in all those ciuile dissentions against Vespasian And the night when Vitellius her Lord with a great armie of souldiers inuaded and entred the citie Terecyna shee presented her selfe in the middest of the slaughter not onely daring but doing equally with the most valiant killing on all sides till shee had hemmed her selfe in with dead bodies slaine by her owne hand so bold and magnanimous a spirit had the coniugall loue to her husband imprest in her Her memorie is made famous by the same Author Antonia Flaxilla by some called Archona when her husband Priscus was found guiltie of the Pysonian Faction and for that cause exiled by Nero and when shee might haue enioyed all the plentie and abundance in Rome left all the pleasures and delights of the citie to accompanie her desolate Lord in his penurious and vncomfortable banishment Her example Egnatia Maximilla imitated who likewise associated her husband Gallus guiltie of the same Conspiracie with Priscus Fulgos. lib. 6. cap. 7. From Iacobus the sonne of Vsson Cassannus amongst many other Captaines that reuolted there was one eminent in that Rebellion called Pandoerus who had a most beautiful young wife her age exceeded not sixteene yeeres to whom he was ardently and in conioyned loue affected He being by her often earnestly entreated to forbeare all conflicts with the enemie but by no meanes either mooued by her teares or perswaded with her intercessions and prayers persisting resolute for a present encounter shee then begged of him That before he hasarded himselfe to the extremitie of danger hee would first take away her feares by transpiercing her with his sword which when he likewise denyed he presently left her and gaue signall of battaile in which conflict he was vanquished and slaine his Tent rifled his wife surprised and committed into the hands of one of the chiefe Captaines belonging to the king who pittying her teares and sorrow to which her feature and beautie gaue no common lustre made instant suit vnto her to make her his wife Shee whilest shee could put him off with all possible delayes but after perceiuing that what hee could not compasse with her good will hee purposed to attaine vnto by compulsion and force shee craued onely some few houres of
accordingly done and she appeared before him all stayned and sprinkled with blood for she had not yet changed her habite at which hee grew at the first amased demaunding the cause of her repaire thither She desired her seruant might be likewise admitted who attended at the doore of his Tent for hee had that about him by which he should be better informed His entrance was graunted but being suspected by the guard because they perceiued him hide something folded vp in his garments they searcht him and found a head cut off but by reason of the palenesse of the face which was disfigured with the clottered and congealed bloud the countenance thereof could hardly be discerned The seruant was brought in with the head still dropping blood in his hand At which the king more wondering desired by her to be better certified concerning the Nouell to whom she boldly replyed Loe here ô Alexander the end of thy many troubles and feares the head of the great Captaine Spitamenes who though my husband yet because hee was thine enemie I haue caused his head to be cut off and here present it vnto thee At the horridenesse of these words the king with all that stood by were abashed euerie one glad of the thing done but in their hearts detesting the manner of the deed The Ladie still expecting an answer Alexander after some pawse thus replyed I must confesse Ladie the great courtesie and infinite benefit receiued from you in presenting me the head of an Out-Law a Traytor and one that was to mee a great obstacle and an hinderance in the smooth passage to my intended Victories but when I vnderstand it to be done by the hands of a woman nay a wife the strange horridenesse of the fact takes away all the thankes and reward due to the benefit I therefore command you instantly to depart the Campe and that with all speed possible for I would not haue the sauage and inhumane examples of the Barbarians contaminate and infect the mild and soft temper of the noble Grecians With which words she was instantly hurried from his presence As noble a president of Iustice in a Prince as it was an abhorred example of crueltie in a most vnnaturall wife Q. Curt. lib. 8. de Alexandri Histor. From a remorselesse wife I come now to as obdurate a step-mother Pelops hauing married Hyppodamia the daughter of Tantalus and Eurianassa had by her two sonnes Thiestes and Atreus and by the Nymph Danais a third sonne called Crisippus to which he seemed outwardly better affected than to the former on whom king Laius of Thebes casting an amorous eye at length stole him from his father But Pelops with his two sonnes by Hyppodamia made warre vpon Laius tooke him prisoner and recouered Crisippus and when hee truly vnderstood that loue was the cause of his rape hee was attoned with Laius and an inuiolable league of amitie combined betwixt them Whilest the Theban yet soiourned with Pelops Hyppodamia persuaded with Atreus and Thiestes to conspire against the life of Crisippus as one that aymed at the succession in the kingdome but not preuayling she meditated with her selfe how to despoyle him of life with her owne hands when hauing conueyed the sword of Laius out of his chamber when he was fast sleeping she came to the bed of Crisippus and transpierced him as he lay leauing the sword still in his bodie and left the place vndiscouered accusing the Theban for his death but the youth not fully dead recouered so much spirit as to discouer the murtheresse for which king Laius was acquitted and she from her husband receiued condigne punishment for her immanitie and murther Dosythaeus in Pelopedis Progne to reuenge the rape of her sister Philomela vpon her husband Tereus king of Thrace feasted him with the bodie of his owne sonne Itis of which you may read at large in Ouids Metamorphosis Some women haue beene so vnnaturall as to betray their fathers After Troy was vtterly subuerted and despoyled king Diomede one of the most valiant amongst the kings of Greece in the returne towards his countrey being by stormes and tempests violently cast vpon the coast of Thrace where Lycas the sonne of Mars then reigned and according to the bloodie custome of the countrey sacrificed all such strangers as landed vpon his Continent his daughter Callirhoe surprised with the loue of king Diomede not onely released him from durance but betrayed the life of Lycus her father into his hands notwithstanding hee most trecherously left her for which ingratitude and vrged with remorse of conscience for proouing so vnnaturall vnto him from whom she had her being by strangling her selfe shee despairingly expired Iuba lib. 3. Libicorum Paralleld with this is that which wee reade of Calphurnius Crassus an illustrious Roman and sent by M. Regulus against the Massilians to take in a most defensible Castle called Garaetium but by the crosse disaster of fortune being surprised in the siege thereof and reserued the next day to be sacrificed to Saturne being in despaire either of rescue or life Besalia daughter to the king who was then possest of the Port falling in loue with Calphurnius not onely deliuered vp vnto him the keyes of the Castle that hee might freely escape with life but betrayed vnto him the libertie and life of her father but after being most degenerately forsaken by him she desperately slew her selfe Hegesinax lib. 3. rerum Africarum I am wearie with setting downe these immanities in women and Polihimnia now inuites me to a new argument Of Women strangely preserued from death and such as haue vnwillingly beene the death of their Fathers NIceas Maleotes as Plutarch in his thirteenth Paralell testates reports That when Hercules for the loue of Iole the daughter of Cacus inuaded Oechalia and shee abhorring the embraces of him who had before slaine her father retyred herselfe for safetie into the strongest Cittadell in her countrey in which beeing straightly besieged by Hercules and the Fort readie to be surprised taken she hauing no way to escape and vnwilling to stand to the mercie of so louing an enemie mounted vp into the highest Turret of the Castle and from thence cast her selfe headlong downe towards the Earth but the wind gathering vnder her loose garments so extenuated the fall that she came to the ground without any hurt at all by which miraculous fortune shee inioyed a desperate life and Hercules a most desired mistresse Answerable vnto this is that which Theophilus Italicorum tertio relates The Romans in the Etrurian warre instituted Valerius Torquatus Generall of their forces hee hauing beheld Clusia the daughter of the Tuscan king grew innamoured of the Virgin◠and sent Embassadors to demaund her of her father but shee not willing to make any contract with her countries enemie and her father as loth to contradict his daughter the motion and offer of Torquatus was peremptorily denied at which inraged hee begyrt
which he had prettily well euaded namely Grammer and Pouertie but the morositie of a Skould hee could neuer put off Anton. Parle 2. Meless Serm. 34. The like may be sayd of Sausarion the Comicke Poet equally tormented with a bitter and rayling wife Pittacus Mitelenus hauing married the sister of Draco the sonne of Penthilius a proude insolent and rayling woman persuaded a deere friend of his to marrie with the other sister for if hee were neuer so much giuen to wrath and anger shee would teach him sufferance and patience Laertius when Georgias the Sophist at the solemnitie of the Olimpicke games had made an elabourat Oration Concerning concord and to persuade men to vnitie one Melanthius in the conclusion or catastrophe thereof spake aloude This man persuades all Greece to peace who hauing but one wife and three maides at home yet his house is neuer without clamour and dissention and with all his smooth and filed phrases cannot make his owne peace Erasm. 6. Apotheg Mar. Pacuvius vpon a time sayd weeping to his familiar friend and neighbour Actius alias Arius Deere friend saith he I haue a tree in my garden in my minde the most prodigious and vnhappie that euer the earth produced or gaue sappe vnto for vpon that my first wife hanged her selfe and after that the second and now but this morning my third and last to whom Arius his neighbour replyde I wonder you beeing a learned man and approoued for your wisedome should be any way greeued at these successes and chances Dij boni inquit quot tibi dispendia arbor iste suspendit i. Oh you gods how many of thy dammages and losses hast thou hanged vpon that tree and proceeded thus Deere friend giue me some of those grafts and scientes tha I may plant them in my orchard or garden Valerius records this in an epistle to Rufinus As also Cicero reports the like of a Sicilian in 2. de Orat. and Gyraldus Dial. 8. Histor. Poetarum Euen Cato Censorius could not escape a brawling and crabbed wife though he married her from an ignoble stocke and familie Guid. Bitturn sayth That Hadrianus had a wife called Sabina hard peruerse vntoward rude in her behauiour towards her husband and worthie to be repudiated and her bed and societie abandoned Alphonsus king of Naples demaunding of one Antonius Panormita What noble Neapolitane gentlemen were delighted in Hunting or whether any late Writer had published any Treatise concerning the goodnesse and excellencie of Dogges To whom Panormita answered I beseech thee ô king rather aske this knight pointing to one that was then in presence who can better resolue you who for the space of fortie yeeres hath beene continually so conseruant amongst such creatures that euerie night he beddeth with a Canicula which word as it signifieth a Brach or Bitch so it is taken for a detractor or snarling slanderer as also for a Dogge-fish and proceeded Therefore hee ô king can best describe vnto you their natures and conditions This knight of Naples whose name for his honors sake is concealed onely smiled at the taunt giuen by Antonius well apprehending that by Canicula hee intended his wife a woman barkingly clamorous most contentious and bitter Pontanus Gregorius Hamburgensis a famous and eloquent Lawyer amongst all the German practisers the most approoued when all his busie imployments were ended in the Court of Caesar where hee was stayed some two moneths or thereabouts and as wee say in our English phrase the Terme being done and hee returning home to his owne house not farre from the Towne of Nurimburch where hee then dwelled hee met with a friend and neighbour who after some familiar salutes past betwixt them told him That his wife was liuing and in good health at home to whom shaking his head he made this short reply Si vxor viuit saene obij i. If my wife be liuing then am I but dead thereby intimating that the morositie of a curst wife is no better than a dayly death to her husband Aeneas Sylu. Lib. 3. Commentar de reb Cestis Alphonsi Thisponius the Lawyer and of the learned Councell to king Alphonsus hauing at one time three hundred pieces of Gold stolne from him which was part of the Dower of a peruerse and peeuish wife whom hee had lately married for which being wondrous sad and pensiue in the presence of the king Alphonsus looking vpon him and seeming to commiserate his sadnesse broke out into these tearmes O how happie a man were Thisponius if the theeues had stolne away his wife and left the Gold behind them Panormita Lib. 1. de Gestis Alphons Euripides the most excellent of the Greeke Tragicke Poets had two wiues the name of the first was Cherile or as Suidas calls her Charine the daughter of Mnesilochus by whom hee had three sonnes Mnesiloches the Actor or Stage-player Mnesarchides the Marchant and the third Euripides the Orator yet partly for suspition of adulterie and by reason hee led with her an vnquiet life after so hopefull an issue shee was diuorced from him After this separation hee married another called Melitto who being apprehended in adulterie with Ctesiphon the Player hee was so branded for a Cuckold and so taunted and ieasted at by the Comicke Poets in the publique Theatre that he was forced to leaue the citie and to remoue himselfe into Macedonia where hee spent the remainder of his life in the Court of king Archelaus Gell. Lib. 15. cap. 20. Athenaeus Lib. 13. Arnus Tarquinius and Tullia liued together in perpetuall discord and dissention by reason of her vntoward and crabbed condition Adrianus Berlandus tells vs of an Inne-keeper or Host a pleasant and frolicke fellow who when a guest of his complained vnto him that he could not endure such noyse and clamour for his wiues tongue neuer ceased walking finding fault with this thing then that besides there was no cessation of her perpetuall brawling and chiding with her maids and seruants To whom the merrie Host replyed And I pray my friend is this a iust cause for your impatience or discontent What doe you thinke of me then that for two and thirtie yeeres space haue had this noyse and clamour continually in mine eares night and day without ceasing and yet you see with what sufferance I beare it and cannot you endure it for the space of a few minutes By which words hee not onely gaue present satisfaction to his guest but conuerted his wiues anger into laughter Seruius Tullius king of the Romanes conferred his two daughters vpon the two Tarquius Aruns and Superbus of seuerall dispositions were the men and of sundrie conditions the women as they were opposite in humour they were as vnfitly disposed To Aruns a man of a quiet and mild temper Tullia a Ladie bold and daring was giuen on Superbus a Prince haughtie and insolent the other beeing a modest and meeke Ladie was bestowed Disparitie of mindes could not brooke the
that as Seneca in Hercule Furente sayth Prima quae vitam dedit hora carpsit i. That the first houre of our life takes an houre from our life These considerations of humane frailetie as that there is but one Life but many wayes to destroy it but one Death yet a thousand meanes to hasten it mooues me to persuade all as well men as women young as old noble as base of both Sexes and of what calling or condition soeuer to doubly arme themselues with constancie to abide it and courage to entertaine it For as Ausonius in Periandri Sententia saith Mortem optare malum timere peius i. As it is ill to wish death so it is worse to feare it besides as it is base Cowardise dishonourably to shun it so it is meere Pusillanimitie despairingly to hasten it It is obserued such as liue best dread it least Let this then persuade you vnto Vertue since to the Vicious onely it seemes terrible why should we feare the Graue since there the modest and chast Virgin◠lyes fearelesse and secure though by the side of the libidinous Adulterer there the true man may rest and though he haue twentie Theeues about him sleepe soundly and neuer dreame of Robbing there the poore Tenant is not afraid of his oppressing Landlord nor trembles the innocent to lye next the wicked and corrupt Iudge the Handmaid is not frighted with the tongue of her proud and curst Mistresse nor quakes the young scholler at the terrible voice of his Maister There is no Brawling but all Peace no Dissention but all Concord Vnitie and Equalitie which Propertius in his third booke Eleg. 5. elegantly illustrates Haud vllas portabis opes Acherontis ad vndas Nudus ad Infernus stulte vehere rates c. No Wealth thou canst beare with thee O thou foole All naked thou must passe the Stigian Poole There is no strife in Weapons or in Wits But now the vanquisht with the Victor sits The Captiue Iugurth hath an equall place With Consull Marius now in eithers face Shines Loue and Amitie There is no Throne For Lydian Croesus he is now all one With poore Dulichian Irus no regard Of persons there he dies best dies prepar'd Then since all things acquire and pursue their ends that no earthly thing hath beene made that shall not be destroyed why should we not with as much cheare and alacritie welcome our newest and last houre as the Labourer desires to rest or the wearie Traueller to come to his inne To this purpose Seneca speakes in his Tragedie of Agamemnon Qui vultus Acherontis atri Qui Stigia tristem non tristis videt Audetque vitae ponere finem Par ille Regi par superis erit Feareles who dare gaze vpon Blacke and griesly Acheron He that merrily dare looke On the gloomie stygian Brooke Who so beares his spirit so hye That he at any houre dares dye A king he is in his degree And like the gods in time shall bee Some may wonder why I haue tooke this occasion to speake of death I am willing to giue them this satisfaction The Muse CALIOPE vnder whom I patronise this last book being no other than a redundance of sound or one entire Musicke arising from eight seuerall Instruments and therefore as shee participates from euerie one so she exists of all therefore in this succeeding tractate I purpose by the helpe of the deuine assistance to take a briefe suruey of what hath passed in the eight former bookes to show you the punishments belonging to all such vices as I haue discouered in the frailtie of the Sex to deterre the Vicious and expose vnto the eyes of the Noble Chast and Learned the honour and reward due to their excellent gifts thereby to incourage the Vertuous Then since besides the Shame or Honour in this life the one is punished and the other glorified in the life to come what more necessarie meditation than that wee may liue the better hourely to thinke of death and that is the scope I ayme at but before I can arriue so farre I purpose to deliuer vnto you the dispositions conditions and quallities of diuerse sorts of women by me not yet remembred Of Women Rauished c. MArpissa the daughter of Euenus was rauished by Apollo shee was the wife of Idas So Proserpine the daughter of Iupiter and Ceres by Pluto therefore hee is called by Claudian Ouid and Sylus lib 14. the infernall Rauisher Perhibea by Axus the sonne of Oceanus as Europa by Iupiter and Auge by Hercules Castor and Pollux who for their valour were called Dioscuri which imports as much as the issue of Iupiter they from Messene raped the two daughters of Leucippus Phoebe and Ilaira whom they after married of Pollux and Phoebe was begot and borne Mnesilius of Castor and Ilaira Anagon They with their associats Idas and Lynceas the sons of Aphareus had driuen away a great prey of cattell when they came to diuide the bootie a motion was made that an Ox should be diuided into foure according to the number of the brothers with this condition that he which could deuoure his quarter first should haue the one halfe of the cattell and hee that had next made an end of his part should possesse the remainder This was no sooner agreed vpon but Idas suddenly eate vp his owne portion and presently deuoured that which belonged to his brother by which hee claimed the whole heard and being stronger in faction than the Dioscuri draue the prey backe to Messene With which iniurie the two brothers incensed they leuied fresh forces◠inuaded Messene and tooke from thence a much greater bootie than the former the spoile being safely disposed off Castor and Pollux awaited the pursuers ambushed themselues beneath a broad spreading Oake quick-sighted Linces espying Castor showed him to his brother whome Idas slew with an arrow whom Pollux pursuing transpiersed Linceus with his iaueline and vnaduisedly chasing Idas was brained by him with a stone for which Iupiter stroke Idas with a Thunder-bolt and translated the two princely brothers the Dioscuri into starres Of these Propert. lib. 1. thus sayth Non sic Leucippi succendit Castora Phoebe Pollucem cultu non Ilaira soror Faire Phoebe did not so inflame Her Castor with desire Nor Ilaira Pollux brest Deckt in her best attire Theseus rapt Ariadne daughter of king Ninus as also Hellen the daughter of Tindarus and Laeda and sister to Castor and Pollux long before Paris but returned her backe vnuitiated Achilles forced Diomeda the daughter of Phorbas from Lesbos as Boreas the faire Orithea daughter of Erisicthon from Athens Hercules rauished the nymph Pyrene of Bebritia from her the Pyrenaean Mountaines tooke name of whom Syllius Nomen Bebricia duxere à virgine colles Hospitis Alcidae crimen c. From the Bebrician maid these hills tooke name Of her guest Hercules the fault and blame Pyrhus sirnamed
by Plinie who in one day brought forth two children the one like her maister and the other like another man with whom she had had companie and being borne deliuered either child to his father Lathris was the Handmaid to Cinthia so much spoken by Propert. as Cypassis was to Cersinna the mistresse of Ouid of whom he thus writes Eleg. Lib. 2. Commendis in mille modis praefecta capillis Comere sed solas digna Cipasse Deas She rules her mistresse hayre her skill is such A thousand seuerall wayes to her desires O worthie none but Goddesses to touch To combe and decke their heads in costly Tyres Chionia was Handmaid to the blessed Anastasia so likewise was Galanthis to Alcmena the mother of Hercules of whom the same Author Lib. 9. thus sayes Vna ministrarum media de plebe Galanthis Flaua comas aderat faciendis strenua iussis Amidst them all Galanthis stood With bright and yellow haire A wench that quicke and nimble was Things needfull to prepare From Handmaids I proceed to Nurses Annius vpon Berosus and Calderinus vpon Statius nominate Caphyrna or Calphurnia the daughter of Oceanus to haue beene the Nurse of Neptune as Amalthea and Melissa were to Iupiter who fed him with the Milke of a Goat in his infancie when hee was concealed from his father Hence it came that the Poets fabled how Iupiter was nursed by a Goat for which courtesie hee was translated amongst the starres Others say he was nursed by Adrastea and Ida the two daughters of king Melisaeus for so Erasmus teacheth in the explanation of the Adage Copiae Cornu Ino was the Nurse of Bacchus as Ouid witnesseth in Ib. where he likewise calls her the Aunt to Bacchus in this Verse Vt teneri Nutrix eadem Matertera Bacchi Of the same opinion with him is Statius Lib. 2. Silu. But Ammonius Grammaticus makes Fesula the woman that gaue him sucke Plinie calls her Nisa and saith shee was buried neere to the citie Scythopolis Polycha was the Nurse of Oedipus who fostered him when his father Laius cast him out in his infancie because the Oracle had fore-told he should perish by the hand of his sonne Barce was the Nurse to Sychaeus the most potent and rich king of the Phoenicians and husband to Dido Her Virgil remembers Aenead Lib. 4. Charme was Nurse to the Virgin Scilla of whom the same Author in Syri thus sayes Illa autem quid nunc me inquit Nutricula torques i. Why ô Nurse doest thou thus torment me Beroe Epidauria was Nurse to Cadmeian Semele the mother of Bacchus as Aceste was to the daughters of Adrastus Stat. Lib. 1. Theb. Eupheme is memorated to be the Nurse to the Muses shee had a sonne called Erotus who inhabited the Mountaine Pernassus and was wholly deuoted to Hunting and the Chafe Spaco was Nurse to Cyrus who because that word in the Median Language signifies a Bitch Cyrus was said to be nursed by a Brache for so saith Herodotus in Clio. Archimorus the sonne of Licurgus king of Thrace whose Nurse was called Hypsiphile being left by her in the fields was fed by a Serpent Teste Statio Ericlia or Euriclia was the Nurse to Vlysses Homer in Odyss and Ouid. in Epist. Caieta was Nurse to Aeneas Lib. 7. Aenead Tu quoque littoribus nostris Aeneia Nutrix Aeternam moriens famam Caieta dedisti And thou Aeneas Nurse Caieta Vnto our Shores hast left A neuer dying fame because There of thy life bereft Alcibiades had a Nurse whose name was Amicla or as some would haue it Amida his schoolemaster was Zopyrus so saith Plutarch in Lycurg Alcibiad Hellanice was the Nurse to Alexander the great witnesse Qu. Curtius Acca Lauentia was Nurse to Romulus so saith Plinie li. 18. ca. 2. so Statius li. 1. Sil. in this Distican I am secura parens Thuscis regnabat in agris Ilia portantem lassabat Romulus Accam Our parent Ilia now secure The Tuskan waters keepes The whilest in Accaes wearied armes Young Romulus fast sleepes Yet Liuie and almost all the Roman Historiographers write that Romulus and Remus were nourst by Lupa wife to the sheepeheard Faustulus she was so called because she prostituted her selfe for gaine they were cast out by the king Amulius and was found by the bounds of Tiber. Plinie calls her Acca Laurentia Philix was Nurse to the Emperor Domitian who when he was slaine and his corse lay derided and neglected tooke vp his bodie and putting it in a common Beare caused it by ordinarie and mercinarie bearers to be carried to the suburbs wherein she liued and interred it in the Latine highway Author Sueton. Macrina was a pious and religious woman the disciple and scholler of Gregorie Neocaesariensis she was Nurse and schole mistresse in the first foundation of Christian religion to the great Basilius as he himselfe witnesseth in an Epistle to the Neocaesarienses From Nurses a word or two of Midwiues Phanarite was one the mother of Athenean Socrates she is remembred to be the first that disputed of Morality that which we cal Ethick Instructions and taught the mysticall Philosophie of the Starres and Planets how it might be made familiar and haue correspondence with our humane and terrestriall actions The sonne imitated the mother and prooued as happie a Midwife of the mind as she of the bodie both helping into the world ripe timely and fruitfull issues Volateran lib. 19. Laertius in eius vita and Valerius Maxim lib. 3. cap. 4. Plinie lib. 28. cap. 7. speakes of two Midwiues the one called Sotyra the other Salpe whose opinions and rules he obserueth in the cures of many diseases of Salpe he speakes more largely lib. 32. cap. 6. Lycosthenes speakes of one Philippa Midwife to Iolanta who indured many distresses and changes of fortune Of Stepmothers I will only name some few and so passe them ouer because where they be can be exprest nothing but malice and vnnaturall crueltie in women The histories must of force appeare harsh and vnpleasant besides some of their bloodie acts I haue touched before vnder another title Ino was Sepmother to Phrixus and Helles the daughter of Athamus Hyppodamia to Chrisippus Stratonice to Antiochus Soter Iulia to Anton. Caracalla Gedica to Cominius Iuno to Hercules Opaea to Scylis king of Scithia Eribaea to Mercurie Alphriga to Edward the second of that name before the Conquest king of England Martina to Constantinus Heraclius who she slew by poison c. Of Women for their Pietie and Deuotion remembred in the sacred Scriptures I Desire to leaue nothing vnspecified or not remembred in this worke that might not make the excellencie of good Women oppose in all contradiction the excesse of the bad and to draw if it were possible the worst to the imitation of the best Hanapus c. 125.
commemorates these Rebecka who when she saw the seruant of Abraham at the Well where she came to draw water and desiring to drinke answered cheerefully and without delay Drinke sir and I will also draw water for thy Cammells till they haue all drunke their fill Genes 24. The Midwiues feared God and did not according to the command of Pharaoh king of Aegypt but preserued the male-children whom they might haue destroyed Exodâ—s 1. The daughter of Pharaoh comming downe to the riuer to wash herselfe with her handmaid and finding the young child Moses in the arke amongst the bulrushes she had compassion on the infant and said Surely this is a child of the Hebrewes so caused him to be nursed brought vp in her fathers court and after adopted him her sonne Exod. 2. Rahab the strumpet when she knew the spies of Ioshua to be pursued and in danger of death concealed them and returned them safe to the armie Iosh. 2. The messengers that were sent to Dauid in the wildernesse to informe him of the proceedings of his sonne Absolon were by a woman hid in a Well which she couered and by that meanes deluded their pursuers Kings 2.17 When two common Women contended before Saloman about the liuing and dead infant the one had a tender and relenting brest and could not indure to see the liuing child to perish Kings 3.3 The widdow woman of Zerephath entertained Eliah as hir guest and by her he was relieued Kings 3. 17. The Shunamitish woman persuaded with her husband that the Prophet Elisaeus might haue a conuenient lodging in her house to go and come at his pleasure Kings 4. 2. When wicked Athalia had giuen strict command to destroy all the Kings seed Iosaba the daughter of King Ioram tooke Ioas one of the Kings children and by hiding him out of the way preserued his life Kings 4. 11. Esther hauing commiseration of her people when a seuere Edict was published to destroy them all and sweepe them from the face of the earth she exposed her selfe with the great danger of her owne life to the displeasure of King Ahashuerosh purchasing thereby the freedome of her nation and her owne sublimitie Esther 4.5 Women ministred to the Sauiour of the world in his way as he went preaching to the towns and cities Luk. 8. when he walked from place to place preaching and teaching he is said neuer to haue had more free and faithfull welcome than in the house of Martha and Marie Luke 10. Iohn 12. When the Scribes and Pharisees blasphemed at the hearing and seeing the Doctrine and Miracles of Christ a certaine woman giuing deuout attention to his words as extasied with his diuine Sermon burst forth into this acclamation Blessed bee the wombe that bore thee and the brests that gaue thee sucke Luke 11. Christ being in Bethania in the house of Simon the leaper as he sate at the table there came a woman with a box of ointment of Spicknard verie costly and she brake the box and poured it vpon his head and when some said disdaining To what end is this wast for it might haue beene sold for more than 300 pence and giuen to the poore Iesus said Let her alone she hath wrought a good worke on me c. and proceeded Verily I say vnto you wheresoeuer this Gospell shall be preached throughout the whole world this also that she hath done shall bee spoken in remembrance of her The woman of Canaan was so full of naturall pittie and maternall pietie that she counted her daughters miserie and affliction her owne when she said to Iesus Haue mercie vpon me oh Lord the sonne of Dauid for my daughter is vexed with an euill Spirit Math. 15. The women stood by to see the Lord suffer and followed the crosse when he was forsaken of his Apostles Luke 23. Iohn 19. they were carefull likewise to visit him in his sepulchre Math. 28. Luke 24. The wife of Pilat had more compassion of Christ and more vnwilling that he should suffer vpon the crosse than any man of whom the Scripture makes mention Math. 27. Marke 16. Iohn 20. For deeds of charitie and dealing almes to the poore and needie widdowes and orphans they intreated Peter weeping that he would visit Tabitha being dead who mooued with their teeres kneeled and praied at whose intercessions she was restored to life Act. Apost 9. Herod hauing slaine Iames the brother of Iohn with the sword and seeing that it pleased the people he proceeded further to take Peter and put him in prison deliuering him to the charge of foure quaternions of souldiers to be kept but the Angell of the Lord appeared to him in the night tooke off his double chaines and led him out of prison who hauing past the first and second watch the yron gate opened to the Angell and him and finding that which he thought to be a vision to be a reall truth he came to the house of Marie the mother of Iohn whose sirname was Marke where many had seperated themselues to praier Peter knocking a maide whose name was Rhode came to the doore who hearing and knowing Peters voice the Scripture saith she opened not the doore for gladnesse but ran in and told them that Peter stood without at the entrie In which are to be obserued two memorable women for their zeale and pietie namely Rhode the handmaid whose ioy was so great at the verie voice of Peter released from the prison of Herod and Mary her mistresse who was a deuout harboresse and one that gladly entertained the Disciples of Christ into her owne house notwithstanding the persecution to performe their zealous and religious exercises Act. Apost 12. Lydia a dier of purple beleeuing the gospell which Paul preached was baptised with her whole household after which she intreated them in these words If thou thinke me worthie saith she to be a faithfull seruant to my Lord and God vouchsafe to enter my house and abide there and she compelled vs as Luke saith By which is concluded that women haue beene the readie willing and deuout hearers of the word of God Act. Apost 16. Many no question zealous and religious women haue to their power striued to imitate those with their best of industrie Amongst others I might instance one now of a great age as hauing much past that number by which Dauid reckons the yeares of man yet from her youth hath lead a life without any noted staine or blemish deuout in her zeale remarkeable in her charitie beloued of all hated of none a Phisitian to the sicke and Chirurgion to the wounded who with her owne hands hath sent more lame and diseased persons from her gate whole and sound than Lazarus had sores about him when he lay at the rich mans gate vnrelieued she feeding with loaues when that purple glutton would not spare his crummes she doing this out of a widowes mite when he would
continued their priuate meetings in so much that custome bred impudence and suspition certaine proofe of their incestuous consocietie At length it comes to the eare of him that had contracted her with attestation of the truth thereof he though he feared the greatnesse of Leucippus his knowne valor and popular fauour yet his spirit could not brooke so vnspeakeable an iniurie he acquaints this nouell to his father and certaine noble friends of his amongst whom it was concluded by all iointly to informe Xanthius of his daughters inchastitie but for their owne safetie knowing the potencie of Leucippus to conceale the name of the adulterer They repaire to him and informe him of the businesse intreating his secrecie till he be himselfe eye-witnesse of his daughters dishonor The father at this newes is inraged but armes himselfe with inforced patience much longing to know that libidonous wretch who had dishonoured his familie The incestuous meeting was watcht and discouered and word brought to Xanthius that now was the time to apprehend them he calls for lights and attended with her accusers purposes to inuade the chamber great noise is made she affrighted rises and before they came to the doore opens it slips by thinking to flie and hide her selfe the father supposing her to be the adulterer pursues her and pierceth her through with his sword By this Leucippus starts vp and with his sword in his hand hearing her last dying shreeke prepares himselfe for her rescue he is incountred by his father whom in the distraction of the sodaine affright he vnaduisedly assaulted and slew The mother disturbed with the noise hasts to the place where she heard the tumult was and seeing her husband and daughter slaine betwixt the horridnesse of the sight and apprehension of her owne guilt fell downe sodainely and expired And these are the lamentable effects of Incest the father to kill his owne daughter the sonne his father and the mother the cause of all to die sodainely without the least thought of repentance These things so infortunately happening Leucippus caused their bodies to be nobly interred when forsaking his fathers house in Thessalie he made an expedition into Creet but being repulst from thence by the inhabitants he made for Ephesia where he tooke perforce a citie in the prouince of Cretinaea and after inhabited it It is said that Leucophria the daughter of Mandrolita grew innamored of him and betrayed the citie into his hands who after maried her and was ruler thereof This historie is remembred by Pâ—rthenius de Amatorijs cap. 5. Of incest betwixt the father and daughter Ouid lib. Metam speakes of whose verses with what modestie I can I will giue you the English of and so end with this argument Accipit obscoeno genitor suà ◠viscera lecto Virgeneosque metus leâ—â—t Hortaturque timentem c. Into his obscene bed the father takes His trembling daughter much of her he makes Who pants beneath him ' bids her not to feare But be of bolder courage and take cheare Full of her fathers sinnes loath to betray The horrid act by night she steales away Fraught that came thither emptie for her wombe Is now of impious incest made the Tombe Next to the sinne I will place the punishment Iacob blessing his children said to Reuben Thou shalt be poured out like water thine excellencie is gone because thou hast defiled thy fathers bed Genes 49. Absolon went in to his fathers concubines and soone after was slaine by the hand of Ioab Kings 2.16 18. Of later times I will instance one Nicolaus Estensis Marquesse of Ferrara who hauing notice that his sonne Hugo a toward and hopefull young gentleman had borne himselfe more wantonly than reuerence and modestie required in the presence of his stepmother Parisia of the familie of Malatestae and not willing rashly either to reprooue or accuse them he watcht them so narrowly by his intelligencers and spies that he had certaine and infallible testimonie of their incestuous meetings for which setting aside all coniugall affection or paternall pittie he caused them first to be cast in strict and close prison and after vpon more mature deliberation to be arraigned where they were conuicted and lost their heads with all the rest that had beene conscious of the act Fulgos. lib. 6. cap. 1. I will borrow leaue to insert heare one remarkable punishment done vpon a Iew at Prague in Bohemia in the yeare 1530 who being taken in adulterie with a Christian woman they compelled him to stand in a tonne pitched within they boared a hole in which they forced him to put in that part with which he had offended iust by him was placed a knife without edge blunted for the purpose and there he stood loose saue fastened by the part aforesaid fire being giuen he was forced through the torment of the heat with that edgelesse knife to cut away that pars virilis and ran away bleeding after whom they set fierce mastifes who worried him to death and after tore him to peeces Lychost in Theatro Human. vitae Of Adulterie THe wife of Argento-Coxus Calidonius being tanted by Iulia Augusta because it was the custome of their countrie for the noble men and women promiscuously to mixe themselues together and to make their appointments openly without blushing to her thus answered I much commend the custome of our countrie aboue yours we Calidonians desire consocietie with our equals in birth and qualitie to satisfie the necessarie duties belonging to loue and affections and that publickely when your Roman Ladies professing outward temperance and chastititie prostitute your selues priuatly to your base groomes and vassals The same is reported to haue beene spoken by a Brittish woman Dion Nicaeus Xiphilin in vita seueri Her words were verified as in many others that I could heere produce so in the French Queene Fredigunda who though she infinitly flattered the King Chilpericus her husband outwardly yet she inwardly affected one Laudricus to whom she communicated her person and honour these in the Kings absence were scarce to be found asunder in so much that Chilperick himselfe could not more freely command her person by his power than the other by his loose and intemperate effeminacies It happened the king being on hunting and leauing the Chase before his houre stole suddainely vpon his Queene and comming behind her as shee was taking her Prospect into the Garden sportingly toucht her vpon the head with the Switch hee had then in his hand without speaking shee not dreaming of the kings so suddaine returne and thinking it had beene her priuate friend without looking backe Well sweet-heart Landricus saith shee you will neuer leaue this fooling and turning towards him withall discouered the king who onely biting his lippe departed in silence Shee fearing the kings distaste and consequently his reuenge sends for Landricus and as if the king had beene the offendor betwixt them two conspired his death and within few
settled an enmitie against all Vices your publike enemies as hee did against the Persians the forraine inuaders you shall vndoubtedly after the Battaile of the Mind constantly fought against all barbarous temptations be ranked equall with him in all his triumphs It is likewise recorded of Isaus an Assyrian Sophist who in his youth being giuen to all voluptuousnesse and effeminate delicacies but comming to riper vnderstanding assumed to himselfe a wonderous continencie of life and austeritie in all his actions insomuch that a familiar friend of his seeing a beautifull young woman passe by and asking him If shee were not a faire one To him hee answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. Desij laborare de oculis i. I am no more sicke of sore eyes To another that demanded What Fish of Fowle was most pleasant to the taste hee replyed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. I haue forgot to looke after them and proceeded I perceiue that I then gathered all my Fruits out of the Garden of Tantalus insinuating vnto vs that all those vaine Pleasures and Delights of which Youth is so much enamored are nothing else but shadowes and dreames such as Tantalus is said to be fed with Of seuerall degrees of Inchastities and of their Punishments PHilip of Macedon making warre against the Thebans Aeropus and Damasippus two of his cheefe captaines had hyred a mercenarie strumpet and kept her in one of their tents which the king hearing he not onely cashiered them from their commaunds but banished them his kingdome Polynaeus lib. 4. In Germanie Chastitie and Modestie is held in that reuerent respect that no meane Artificer though of the basest trade that is will entertaine a Bastard into his seruice or teach him his science neither in the Accademies will they permit any such to take degree in schooles though it be a strange seueritie against innocent children who gaue no consent to the sinnes of their parents yet it is a meane to curbe the liberties of men and women deterring them from the like offences Aeneus Siluius lib. 1. of the sayings and deeds of king Alphonsus tells vs of one Manes Florentinus who being taken in forbidden congression with a strumpet was adiudged to pennance which was not altogether as our custome in England is to stand in a white sheete but naked all saue a linnen garment from his wast to his knees after the fashion of Bases the Priests comming to strip him in the Vestrie would haue put vpon him that roabe to couer his shame which hee no way would admit but was constantly resolued to stand as our phrase is starke naked but when the church officers demanded of him If he were not ashamed to shew his virile parts in such a publike assemblie especially where there were so many Virgins married Wiues and widow Women he answered Minime gentium nam pudenda haec quae peccauerunt ea potissimum dare panas decet i. By no meanes quoth he most fit it is that those shamefull things that haue offended and brought me to this shame should likewise doe open penance Pontius Offidianus a knight of Rome after he had found by infallable signes his daughters virginitie to be dispoyled and vitiated by Fannius Saturnius her schoole-maister was not content to extend his iust rage vpon his seruant and punish him with death but hee also slew his daughter who rather desired to celebrat her vntimely exequies than follow her to her contaminated Nuptialls Val. lib. 6. cap. 1. Pub. Attilius Philiscus notwithstanding in his youth hee was compelled by his master to prostitute his owne bodye to vnnaturall lusts for bruitish and vnthriuing gaine yet after prooued a seuere father for finding his daughter to haue corrupted her virginall chastitie hee slew her with his owne hand How sacred then may wee imagine and conceiue puritie and temperance was held in Rome when such as had professed base prostitution in their youth became iudges and punishers therof euen vpon their owne children in their age Val. Max. lib. 6. c. 1. Appius Claudius Regillanus the most eminent amongst the Decemviri so doted on Virginia the daughter of Virginius a Centurion who was then in the campe at Algidus that he suborned a seruant of his to seise her claim her as his bondwoman and bring the cause to be decided before him needs must the businesse passe on his side beeing both the accuser and the iudge The father being certified of these proceedings by Icilius a hopefull young gentleman before contracted vnto her leauing his charge abroad repaires to the citie and appearing before the iudgement seat sees his owne lawfull daughter taken both from himselfe and betrothed husband and conferred vpon another as his slaue and bondwoman The iudgement being past he desires leaue to speake with his daughter apart it was granted him by the Court who slew her with his owne hand then taking vp her bodie and lifting it vpon his shoulders posted with that lamentable burden to the campe and incited the souldiers to reuenge Liuie Volater lib. 14. cap. 2. Antropol Quintus Fabius Seruilianus hauing his daughters chastitie in suspition first deliuered her to death and after punished himselfe with voluntarie banishment The punishment of these inchastities is by the Poets to the life illustrated in the fable of Titius the sonne of Terra who intending to stuperate Latona was by Apollo slaine with an arrow and being thrust down into Hell and chained to a rocke his Liuer and Heart is perpetually tyred on by a rauenous Vulture who still renewes his inceasible torments Virgill lib. Aeneid 6. vnder the person of Titius would pourtray vnto vs the vnquiet conscience which though sometimes it may be at a seeming peace yet the torment by beeing still renewed dayly increaseth and gnawes the heart-strings of all such persons as to themselues are guiltie Of Witches and the Punishment due to them VIncentius cites this following Historie from Guillerimus in Specul Histor. lib. 26. cap. 26. which also Iohannes Wyerius Ranulphus and others commemorats an English woman that dwelt at a towne called Barkley in England being a Witch yet not being much suspected liued in indifferent good opinion amongst her neighbours and beeing feasting vpon a time abroad and wonderous pleasant in companie shee had a tame crow which she had brought vp that would be familiar with her and sit vpon her shoulder and prate to her in the best language it could she at this feast the Table being readie to be drawne sported with her which spake to her more plainely than it vsed some wordes which shee better than the rest of the companie vnderstood at which suddenly her knife dropped out of her hand her colour changed the blood forsooke her cheâ—kes and shee looked pale readie to sinke downe and fetching some inward suspires and grones shee at length broke forth into this language Woe is mee my plow is now entred into the last furrow for this day I shall heare of some great
Apuleius testifies of Pamphila Larissana a Witch of Thessalie as likewise a Witch in the Laodunensian suburbes in the month of May 1578. who blushed not to doe the like before many witnesses now the Law saith Who that shall but incline or bow downe to Images which the Greekes call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall be punished with death The Hebrew word Tistaueb and the Chaldaean Fisgud which all our Latine Interpreters translate Adorare imports as much as to incline or worship now these Witches doe not onely incline vnto him but inuoke and call vpon him A fourth thing is which many haue confessed That they haue vowed their children to the Deuill now the Law saith God is inflamed with reuenge against all such as shall offer their children vnto Moloch which Iosephus interpretes Priapus and Philo Satanus but all agree that by Moloch is signified the Deuill and malignant spirits A fifth thing is gathered out of their owne confessions That they haue sacrificed Infants not yet baptized to the Deuill and haue kild them by thrusting great pinnes into their heads Sprangerus testifies that he condemned one to the fire who confessed that she by such meanes had been the death of one and fortie children A sixt thing is That they doe not only offer children in the manner of sacrifice against which the Holy Ghost speakes That for that sinne alone God will extirpe and root out the people but they vow them in the wombe A seuenth is That they are not themselues blasphemers and Idolaters only but they are tied by couenant with the Deuill to allure and persuade others to the like abhominations when the Law teacheth That whosoeuer shall persuade another to renounce his Creator shall be stoned to death An eight is That they not onely call vpon the Deuill but sweare by his name which is directly against the Law of God which forbids vs to sweare by any thing saue his owne Name A ninth is That adulterous Incests are frequent amongst them for which in all ages they haue been infamous and of such detestable crimes conuicted so that it hath almost growne to a Prouerbe No Magician or Witch but was either begot and borne of the father and daughter or the mother and sonne which Catullus in this Distick expresseth Nam Magus ex Matre gnato gignatur oportet Si vera est Persarum impia Relligio Intimating that if the impious Religion of the Persians were true Witches of necessitie should be the incestuous issue of the mother and sonne or else è contra A tenth They they are Homicides and the murtherers of Infants which Sprangerus obserues from their owne confessions and Baptista Porta the Neapolitan in his booke de Magia Next That they kill children before their Baptisme by which circumstances their offence is made more capitall and heinous The eleuenth That Witches eat the flesh of Infants and commonly drinke their blouds in which they take much delight To which Horace seemes to allude when he saith Nue pransae Lamiae vinum puerum extrahat Aluo Nor from the stomacke of a Witch new din'd Plucks he a yet ' liue Infant If children be wanting they digge humane bodies from their sepulchres or feed vpon men that haue been executed To which purpose Lucan writes Laqueum nodosque nocentes Ore suo rupit pendentia corpora carpsit Abrasit cruces c. The Felons strangling Cord she nothing feares But with her teeth the fatall Knot she teares The hanging bodies from the Crosse she takes And shaues the Gallowes of which dust she makes c. Apuleius reports That comming to Larissa in Thessaly he was hyred for eight pieces of Gold to watch a dead body but one night for feare the Witches of which in that place there is abundance should gnaw and deuoure the flesh of the partie deceased euen to the very bones which is often found amongst them Also Murther by the Lawes of God and man is punishable with death besides they that eat mans flesh or deliuer it to be eaten are not worthie to liue Cornel. Lib. de Sicarijs A twelfth is That they kill as oft by Poysons as by Powders and Magick Spells now the Law saith It is worse to kill by Witchcraft than with the Sword Lib. 1. de Malific A thirteenth is That they are the death of Cattell for which Augustanus the Magician suffred death 1569. A fourteenth That they blast the Corne and Graine and bring barrennesse and scarcitie when there is a hoped plentie and abundance A fifteenth That they haue carnall consocietie with the Deuill as it hath beene approued by a thousand seuerall confessions Now all that haue made any compact or couenant with the Deuill if not of all these yet vndoubtedly are guiltie of many or at least some and therefore consequently not worthy to liue And so much for the Punishment of Witches and other knowne malefactors I come now to the Rewards due to the Vertuous and first of some noble Ladies for diuerse excellencies worthie to be remembred Of Tirgatao Moeotis Camiola Turinga and others TIrgatao a beautifull and vertuous Ladie was ioyned in marriage to Hecataeus king of those Indians that inhabite neere vnto the Bosphor which is an arme of the Sea that runneth betwixt two coasts This Hecataeus being cast out of his kingdome Satyrus the most potent of these kings reinstated him in his Principalitie but conditionally That he would marrie his onely daughter and make her Queene by putting Tirgatao to death But he though forced by the necessitie of the time and present occasion yet louing his first wife still would not put her to death according to the couenant but caused her to be shut in his most defenced Castle there to consume the remainder of her life in perpetuall widowhood The Ladie comforted with better hopes borne to fairer fortunes deceiued the eyes of her strict keepers and by night escaped out of prison This being made knowne to the two kings the sonne in law and the father they were wonderfully perplexed with the newes of her flight as fearing if shee arriued in her owne countrey she might accite the people to her reuenge They therefore pursued her with all diligence and speed but in vaine for hiding her selfe all the day time and trauelling by night through pathlesse and vnfrequented places at length she arriued amongst the Ixomatae which was the countrey of her owne friends and kindred But finding her father dead she married with him that succeeded in the kingdome by which meanes now commanding the Ixomatae she insinuated into the breasts of the most warlike people inhabiting about Moeotis and so leuied a braue Armie which she her selfe conducted She first inuaded the kingdome of Hecataeus and infested his countrey with many bloudie incursions she next wasted and made spoyle of the kingdome of Satyrus insomuch that they both were forced with all submisse
potent and puissant kings whose martiall valour righted her owne iniuries in person met them braued them and beat them in field and after many victorious defeats vassalled their insolent pride and subiected them to her owne Heroicall mercie If amongst the Romans he that in battaile had saued but the life of one citisen and bestrid him in battaile and in the same conflict had slaine an enemie was honoured with a Ciuicke Crowne and Garland to which the Golden Honours the Murall and those Wreathes of Dignitie that either belonged to the Campe or the Pulpit gaue place which as hee was tyed perpetually to weare so all the people were enioyned to giue him way and doe him honour insomuch that if hee came late to be a spectator of the Sports in the Theatre at his first appearance in the Orchestra all the Princes and Senators arose from the highest to the lowest and offered him place How shall we celebrate the euer to be admired magnanimitie of the Amazons Marpesia Lampedo Orythea Antiope Penthesilea and others of that masculine Vertue and courage The Archduke Agamemnon because Aiax had but fought with Hector though not vanquisht him caused an Oxe to be sacrificed vnto him rewarding him with the hinder Loynes and the Hornes Homer Lib. 7. Iliad 10. What Immolations then deserued Menalippe for combatting Hercules or Hippolite who hand to hand encountred Theseùs The same Generall presented Achilles for his valour because he slew Hector though as some write with the oddes of base aduantage with seuen three-footed Pots of Brasse twentie Cauldrons ten Talents of Gold twelue Steeds and seauen beautifull Lesbian Damosels Idem How would he haue guerdoned the magnanimitie of Teâ—câ— the wife of Argoâ— and Queene of Illyria who not onely led valiant men in person to the field but opposed the Roman Legions in all their might and flourishing time of their Empire obtaining from them many glorious Victories The ordinarie souldiers in Rome euen for priuate and common seruices were guerdoned some with Obsidionall Nauall and Ciuicke Garlands others with Lances headed with Gold some with Iuorie Chayres others with Staues of Iuorie figured Gownes called Vestes Palmatae which were wrought or embroidered all ouer with Palme trees such Conquerors vsed in Warre and Consuls in the time of Peace blew Ensignes for Sea-conquest golden Chaynes double Corne double stipendarie Wages or Pay and sometimes with the dignitie of ciuile Magistracie and Office Others were presented with Rings Bracelets Flags or Pendants Coats of Mayle and golden Vessels some were allowed Ouations others Triumphs with Laudations Acclamations Gratulations c. If these things were allowed to men onely borne for action What Celebrations Dignities Prayses and Encomiâ—â—s what rich Chaynes of Pearles and Carkanets of Diamonds nay Crownes embellished with Carbuncles what Pictures Statues Sepulchers and Monuments to eternize their memorie if it were possible beyond all posteritie merits Hypsicratea the wife of Mithridates Artemisia of Mansoâ—â—s Tomyris Queene of the Scythians Zenobia of the Palmirians Amalasumhâ— of the Gothes who haue changed their soft effeminacies into noble Virilitie and their feminine weakenesse into masculine Valour in which by following they haue got the start and by imitating excelled I now proceed to the honor due to Modestie and Temperance lately expressed in Comiola Turinga Otho the fourth Emperour being in Florence and amongst many other beautifull young Damosels then in the flower of their age casting his eye vpon one Galdrata Bertha daughter to a Florentine citizen whose name was Bellincionus he spake liberally of her beautie in the presence of her father insomuch that his words sauored of great loue and affection towards the Virgin which apprehended by Billincionus he told the Emperour That if his fancie were that way addicted and in the presence of the Damosell that hee might freely kisse and embrace her at his will and pleasure To whom shee instantly replyed vpon his words first desiring the Emperours pardon That shee had made a Vow that shee would neuer kisse any man saue him whom shee assuredly knew should futurely be her husband Which answer the modest Prince tooke in such good part as that he purposed her vertue should not passe without reward who asking If shee were yet contracted to anyâ— and shee answering No Then saith the Emperour giuâ— me leaue to prouide thee of a husband when calling to him one Guâ—â—o Germanus a noble young gentleman and one in his especiall fauour to him hee presently contracted her a man as hee was approued in Armes and Vertue so hee was eminent in his Stocke and Familie being nobly descended and gaue her for her Dower all that large Valley which lyes beneath the Hill Casentinus in the fields that are called Aretini Agri and made it an Earledome which Tide he bestowed on him And from them two proceeded the famous Familie of the Earles Gâ—â—donâ— whose eminence endured many hereditarie successions Fulgos. Lib. 6. cap. 1. I could samplifie the Reward due to Temperance and illustrate it with as many modest and chast women before remembred as I haue Magnanimitie in the Heroike Queenes and Warlike Ladies But to auoid prolixitie which I labour to shâ—â— let this one suffice for many The reward due to Fertilitie or many Children with such as haue restored their decayed Families THere was a law amongst the Spartans that whosoeuer had three sonnes that familie should be quit from watching and warding and such common seruice but he that had stored the common weale with fiue hee claimed immunitie in all publique offices Aelian lib. 6. de Var. Histor. Amongst the Persians those that had the most numerous offspring were capable of the most honours to whome the king yearely sent rich presents Herodot lib. 1. What merited honours then deserued Regina the daughter of Mâ—scinus Scalliger and Thadaea Garroriensis who beeing married to Prince Bernobonus Viscount of Mediolanum had by him foure sonnes and twelue daughters The first and eldest was married to Peter king of Cyprus the second o Lewis Dolphin and first borne sonne to the French king the third to the Duke of Bauaria the fourth to the Duke of Austria the fifth to Vicount Gallenâ—ius the sixth to Leopoldus of Austria grandfather to Frederick the third Emperour the seuenth to another Duke of Bauaria the eighth to Frederick king of Sicilia the ninth to Frederick Gonzage the tenth to Duke Ernestus Monachus the eleuenth to Frederick his younger brother the twelfth and last to the Earle of Kent eldest sonne to the king of great Brittaine from whose generous offspring most of the royallest houses of Christendome such as still flourish in their pristine honours claime their descent so that this fruitfull queene may bee called a Cibele or mother of the gods Bernardus Scardeonus lib. 3. Histor. Pat. Plinie confers great felicitie vpon a Lacedemonian Ladie called Lampedo because she was the daughter of a king the wife of a king and mother to a king
when a certaine rich Ladie of Ionia came to Lacena and with great boasting and pride shewed her her pretious iewells and rich garments shee pointed to her foure faire children whom shee had liberally and vertuously educated and sayd These are treasures onely in which modest and discreet women ought to glorie Plutarch in Apotheg Luconic Eumele the wife to Basilius Helenopontamos of Pontabus as Nazianzenus testifies had by him fiue sonnes of which three at one time were learned bishops and stour champions for the Gospell namely Gregorius Nissenus Basilius Magnus Caesariensis and Petrus Sebasta then I blame nor Epaminondas who in all his noble exployts and prosperous successes in warre was often heard to say That nothing was so pleasing and delightfull to him as that both his parents were yet aliue to participate with him in his honours hee in the great battaile called Lenctricum had a glorious victorie ouer the Lacedemonians Plutarch in Grec Apotheg So Basilius Magnus Bishop of Cesaria gloried of nothing so much with dayly thankes to God as that hee was borne of Christian parents namely Helenopoâ—tanus his father and schoole maister and Enmele Capadoce his mother and that hee was nourced by Macrina who had beene a zealous and frequent auditor of Gregory Naeocae Soriensis his grandfather in that bloodie persecution vnder the Emperour Maximinus with his kinsmen and familie retyred himselfe into a Caue in a moate where with bread onely hee miraculously fed himselfe and the rest for the space of seuen yeares and after for the Faith of the Gospell suffered a blessed and glorious Martyrdom Licosck in Theat Human. Vitae Saint Hierom commends Paula the religious Roman matron for her nobilitie of byrth as being begot by Rogatas a Gretian who deriued himselfe from Agamemnon king of Mecene and royall Generall of those famous expeditious against Troy and borne of Blesilla Romana of the antient familie of the Scipioes and the Gracchi and was married vnto Toxilius illustrous in his blood as claiming his descent from Aeneas and the Iulian pedegree but nobility of byrth not being our owne but our ancestors it is not my purpose to insist of it any further It followes that I should speake something of such as haue beene the restorers of antient and decayde Families euen when they were at the last gaspe and readie to perish and be as it were swept from the face of the Earth Vital is Michael duke of Venice returning with his weather-beaten Nauie out of Greece where almost for the space of two yeares together without cessation he had opposed Prince Emanuel Constantinopolitanus beeing so exhausted that scarce Commanders Marreners or any nauall protection sufficiently accommodated was left to bring backe his fleete whether by a pestilentiall mortallitie or that Prince Manuell had poysoned the Springs and Fountaines where the Venetian souldiers furnished themselues with fresh water is not certaine but most sure it is besides many other disasters and discommodities that which hee held to be the greatest was that there was not any of male issue of the Iustinian Familie left aliue but all of them in that infortunate expedition perished to one man not any of that noble stocke suruiuing by whom the memorie thereof might bee restored to posteritie This the Duke Michaell often pondering with himselfe in great sadnesse and sorrow at length he bethought him of one Nicholaus a young man who had deuoted himselfe to a sequestred and religious life and was of the order of the Benedictan Fryers he had besides one onely daughter whose name was Anna her he had a great desire to conferre vpon Nicholaus so he could any way admit a dispensation from Alexander then Pope therefore to that purpose hee earnestly petitioned him and made great friends to sollicite him in that behalfe who willing to repaire the ruines of so noble a familie now altogether spent and wasted gaue approbation touching the marriage which was accordingly publikely and with great pompe solemnised These two now the onely hopes of that future posteritie had faire and fortunate issue males and females who were no sooner growne to any perfection and disposed of to liberall and vertuous education but which is remarkable in two so yong they conferd together to this purpose that since Heauen had blessed them with that for which marriage was ordained and the purpose for which the dispensation was granted namely issue and to reuiue a dying familie that they would with an vnanimous consent againe enter into religious vowes and orders This motion was betwixt them resolued and hauing nobly disposed of their children hee tooke vpon him holy orders and retyred himselfe to the monasterie of Saint Nicholas his wife Anna erected a Nunnerie not far from Torcellus which shee made sacred to Saint Adrian how great and almost miraculous was their abstinence and Pietie that abandoning all worldly pleasures and delights when they flowed about them in all aboundance euen then vowed themselues to solitude and heauenly meditations in which profession they both in a faire and full age deseased Egnat lib. 4. cap. 3. and Marullus in Vita Vitalis Not much different from this is that which wee reade of Pharon Meliensis a noble Prelat who with his wife after some yeares of affectionate consocietie passed betwixt them made by a vnited consent a strict vow of future chastitie shee betooke her selfe to a Nunnerie hee to a Monasterie but after seuen sollitarie winters passed hee was still troubled in his thoughts for often calling to remembrance the beautie of his wife he repented himselfe of his former vow and often sollicited her for a priuat meeting which shee still denying and he more and more importuning at length shee yeelded to giue him visitation but the prudent and chast Ladie had her face couered her eyes deiected and presented herselfe in a base and sordid garment where with her intreaties mixt with teares she so farre preuailed with him that without breach of their promise made to Heauen they tooke their lasting leaue he still remaining in his Couent and shee repairing to her Cloyster Marul lib. 4. cap. 7. Volateran writes of Petrus Vrseolus duke of Venice who after he had one sonne by his wife by their vnanimous consent they vowed perpetuall abstinence from all venerall actions So likewise Aloysius de Caballis a noble Venecian with his wife a Ladie deriued from the blood of the Patritians these two agreed together neuer to haue carnall congression but onely for issue sake neither would they suffer any motion temptation or any word looke or gesture that might tend to the least prouocation in so much that if we may beleeue report the verie linnen which they wore next them was so interwoauen and disposed about them that when they lay together with great difficultie one might touch the others naked bodie Egnat lib. 4. cap. 3. Now what meede these deserue I am not able to iudge I leaue it to his wisedome who is the
rewarder of all goodnesse and is the searcher of the hearts and reines and knowes who are Hippocrites who true prosessors who pretend deuotion meerely for deuotion sake and who professe it for sincere zeale and religious pietie Of Beautie and the reward thereof TO the great solemne marriage betwixt Peleus the father of Achilles and Thetis all the gods and goddesses weae inuited sauing Eris i. Discord who taking it ill that she alone of the immortall deities should either bee forgotten or neglected in that high and solemne conuention and was not admitted to the banquet shee casts in amongst them a golden Ball or Apple with this inscription Detur pulcherrimae i. Let this be giuen to the fairest This was no sooner done but vp start the then most potent goddesses euerie one assumming to themselues the excellencie of Beautie in so much that snatching at the Ball it had almost come to blowes till Iupiter was by them intreated to end the controuersie But knowing how it would offend his wife to bestow it vpon either of his daughters and againe if on the one hee must of force distast the other hee therefore rather than to sentence partially willing to bee no iudge at all commanded Mercurie to conduct them to the mount Ida and there this dissention to bee ended by Paris the sonne of Priam who then was a Neateheard and kept cattell in the mountaines These suddenly appearing before him and the young man abashed Mercurie cheered him vp told his message from Iupiter and withall deliuered him the golden prise to bee disposed of at his pleasure to whome the bashfull Neateheard thus answered How can I ô Mercurie that am but a mortall man and brought vp in all rusticie bee a iust and equall censurer of such diuine Beauties such causes ought to bee decided by those that haue bin trained vp in the vrbanitie of walled townes or the delicacies of Courts to both which euen from my infancie I haue beene an alien and meere stranger I alas haue onely iudgement to distinguish this shee-goat from that and which heighfer or the other is the fairer but for these coelestiall beauties in my eyes they are all infinitely absolute and alike equall in so much that I looke not vpon one but my sight dwells vpon her and if I transferre mine eyes vpon a second though I be refresht yet I am not benefited and if vpon a third I am cloyed with varietie not dispariging any but still applauding the present if I cast mine eye vpon her she is fairest if vpon her she appeares no lesse if on the last she equalls both the other and stil that which is neerest seemes the best as if succession bred excellencie And now I could wish my selfe like Argus to bee eyes all ouer that the pleasure which I receiue from two might by taking these miraculous obiects from an hundred at once bee multiplied vnto me according to the number to make my now sacietie a surfeit Besides the one is Iuno the wife and sister of Iupiter the other are Minerua and Venus his two daughters so that of necesssitie in gaining one vncertaine friend I shall purchase two most constant enemies therefore sayth he I intreat you ô Mercurie so farre to mediate for me to these goddesses that since but one can conquer the two vanquished will not bee offended with me but rather to impute my errour if any be to the weakenesse of my humane sight than to any premeditated and pretended spleene or malice To which euerie one trusting to their own perfections willingly assented when Paris thus proceeded Only one thing I desire to know whether it be sufficient for me being a iudge to censure of these features as they are apparelled or more accuratly to prie into euerie linement of their bodies it be behoouefull for mee to see them naked To whom Mercurie replyde You being iudge and they now standing at the barre of your censure haue power to commaund them at your pleasure then sayth Paris for my better satisfaction I desire to see them naked Mercurie then sayd Strippe your selues to your skinnes ô you goddesses for it behooues him to see that iudges for mine owne part I am neither one that sits vpon the bench to censure nor stand at the barre for witnesse therfore whilest you show all I will see nothing but turne my face and looke another way At this Iuno first began T is right ô Paris and see as most presuming I first vnlace my selfe and behold these are small and slender fingers blew vayned wrists white armes and faire and delicat shoulders looke vpon my round yourie brests proportioned wast smooth and soft skinne nor doe I onely boast the splendor of my amiable face and cleere and pâ—esent eyes for the lower thou lookest thou wilt the more commend my feature for know I am queene and goddesse of marriage totally equally and vniformely faire all ouer This sayd Paris bad Venus expose herselfe to his free view to which Minerua replyde Not ô Paris before shee haue vnloosed and cast aside that golden and embossed gyrdle for she is a Witch it is not fit that thou beiug aiudge shouldst be effacinated by her neither ought shee to haue come to this place so neately accommodated nor so painted and plastered with colours temptations rather beseeming a strumpet than a goddesse when in the deciding of so weightie a contention it is fitting that all our lineaments should bee exposed without addition simplie and of themselues To whom Venus replyde If I be compelled to put off my virginall gyrdle that which all young married men vse to vnloose from the wasts of their fresh and flourishing brides before they can enter into the new Elisium and of virgins make them women why doest not thou then Minerua lay by thy helmet by which it may bee thou hopest to seeme terrible to the iudge and so awe him to thy will thou oughtest to shew thy head and forehead bare as mine is but perhaps thou thinkest with thy broad and threatening burgonet to shaddow thy faint and blew eyes which to thy pretended beautie will appeare no small or ordinarie blemish Then satih Minerua There lyes my helmet Venus And there my gyrdle and so they presented themselues before him all three naked at which sight Paris beeing extaside broke foorth into this acclamation Oh Iupiter thou monster-maker and tamer what spectacle is this what pleasure what delight what pulchritude what beautie is this in her what regall state and maiestie In the second what affright what terrour yet withall what amiablenesse in honour and what sweetnesse in victorie In the third what tempting lookes and alluring smiles what inticing effeminacies and bewitching blandishments able to melt yron and soften marble ô who shall then be vanquished when euerie one is wotthie to ouercome I haue enough of felicitie for I swim in a vast and boundlesse ocean of rapture and surfeit in a riot of superaboundant delacies