not to make so great Account of an Embroideâ—ed and Tottering Greatness exposed to Tempests and Precipices Famous by its Shipwracks and Ruins And when they shall perceive that only Glittering things are subject to be broken that elevated Ones are liable to Falls and such as are swoln up do only burst asunder they will be affrighted with that which is the matter of their Vanity and will apprehend their Splendor Elevation and Pride Moreover Prosperous Fortunes are advertised hereby of their own Inconstancy and Frailty and the Unhappy of the Patience they ought to have and of the Merits they may Acquire In fine Men and Women of what Gold or Earth soever their Fortunes are Composed and in what Story soever of the World they are lodged ought to be instructed by this Example that no Condition or lazy Vertue can be Priviledged in this Life That the Carreer of Adversities is open to all sort of Persons That Providence Assigns to every one the Rank and Function which is proper to him That there is no Victory which is not preceded by some Combat and that it is a very great shame that Christians should endure so many Afflictions and expose themselves to so many Dangers for a handfull of Flowers which last but a day for a Perfume which is dispersed by the first blast of Wind for a Crown of Glass which may break every moment And that for Insatiable and endless Delights and for a Solid and Eternal Glory they should fear to endure but the pricking of a Thorne THE END A TABLE Of the Pictures Morall Questions and Examples The Gallant JEVVS Dâ—â—ORAH Page 1. Her Elogy p. 5. Moral Question Whether Women be capable of Government p. 7. Examples Isabella 〈◊〉 of Spain Arch-Dutchess of the Low-Countries p. 9. Margaret of Austria Dutchess of Parma Governess of the Low-Countries p. 17. JAEL p. 19. Her Elogy p. 22. Moral Question Whether there were Infidelity on the Actiâ—â— of Jael p. 24. Example Jone of Beusort Queen of Scotland Catharine Douglas p. 26. JUDITH p. 29. Her Elogy p. 34. Moral Question Concerning the choice which God hath made of Women for the preservation of States reduced to Extremity p. 36. Example Marulla of Scilimena p. 38. SALOMONA p. 41. Her Elogy p. 46. Moral Question Whether Religion be the principal Vertue of a gallent Woman p. 47. Example Margaret Moore the Daughter of Sir Thomas Moore Lord Chancelour of England p. 49. MARIAMNE p. 53. Her Elogy p. 57. Moral Question Why the most perfect Women be commonly the least Fortunate p. 59. Example Blanche of Bourbon Queen of Castle p. 61. The Gallant Barbarian Women PANTHEA p. 63. Her Elogy p. 68. Moral Question Concerning the order which a gallant Woman ought to observe in Conjugal Love p. 69. Example Indegonda and Clotilda of France p. 72. CAMMA p. 77. Her Elogy p. 81. Moral Question Why Conjugal Love is more Faithful in Women thâ—â— in Men p. 82. Example Sanchia of Navar p. 85. ARTEMISIA p. 91. Her Elogy p. 95. Moral Question In what manner a gallant Woman should mourn and what ought to be the Duties of her Widdowboâ—d p. 96. Example Blanche of Castile Queen Regent of France p. 98. MONIMA p. 103. Her Elogy p. 108. Moral Question VVhether it appertains to the duty of a gallant VVoman to expose her life to satisfie the minde of a jealous Husband p. 110. Example the brâ—ve Hâ—â—garian p. 112. ZENOâ—IA p. 115. Her Elogy p. 120. Moral Question Whether Women be capable of Military Vertues p. 122. Example Jone of Flanders Couâ—tesâ— of Monâ—fort p. 125. The Gallant Roman Women LUCRECIA p. 1. Her Elogy p. 7. Moral Question Whether Chastity belongs to the honour of Herâ—â—sses and great Ladies p. 8. Example Gondeberga of France Queen of Lombardy p. 11. CLOELIA p. 17. Her Elogy p. 23. Moral Question VVhether the Vertue of VVomen â—e as beneficial to the Publick as that of Man p. 25. Example Theodelinda Queen of Lombardy p. 29. PORCIA p 33. Her Elogy p. 38. Moral Question VVhether VVomen be capable of an eminent Generosity p. 39. Example Francis Cezely the Lady of Baâ—â—y p. 42. ARRIA page 49. Her Elogy p. 55. Moral Question Concerning the Duty of 〈…〉 Husbands in the â—â—ne of their Distresses and Misfortunes p 58. Example Jone Coello VVife of Anthony Peâ—ez Secretary to Philip the 〈◊〉 page 61. PAULINA page 67. Her Elogy p 72. Moral Question Whether Women be capable of 〈◊〉 Philosophy p. 73. Example Of Jane Gray of Suffolk Queen of England p. 78. The Gallant Christian Women THe French JUDITH p. 85. Her Elogy p 91. Moral Question Whether more Resolutiâ—n and Courage be required to make a Man Valiant then to make a Woman Chasteâ— p. 93. Example Blanche of Rossy p. 97. ELEONOR of Castile Princess of Wales p. 101. Her Elogy p. 107. Moral Question Whether it appertains to the Duty and Fidelity of Women to expose themselves to death for their Husbands p. 106. Example Margaret of Foâ—xe Dutchess of Elpernon p. 114. The Maid of ORLEANS p. 119. Her Elogy p. 125. Moral Question Whether Women may pretend to Heroick Vertue p 127. Example Isabella Queen of Castile p. 132. The Victorious Captive p. 139. Her Elogy p. 145. Moral Question Whether an Heroick Transport be necessary to the Perfection of a Womans Chastity p. 147. Example The Chaste Venetian p. 152. MARY STEWART p. 159. Her Elogy p. 165. Moral Question Whether great Ladies in Prosperity be not in a better Condition then those in Adversity p. 168. Example Margaret of Anjoâ— Queen of England pag. 173. 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So far was this Daughter from tempting and assaulting him with the Ruines of his tottering House that she represented to him the importance of his suffering for that Cause that Men and Angels were Spectatours of his Victory that he had the Applause and Congratulation of the Church and that the Glory of his Family was raised to the Alliance of Martyrs She spake nothing to him which he knew not before but she said nothing which did not confirm him Old reasons received a new light from her Tears and issued with more vigour out of her Mouth And whether God placed in her Voice and upon her Lips some tincture of Divine Spirit whether pleasing persons have a natural Charm and an Eloquence without Art or that their sole presence is perswasive It seemed as if an Angel appearing to this Moor had inflamed him with more Zeal or infused into him more Light In fine having received the Sentence of Death after Fourteen Moneths of imprisonment and an illustrious and solemn Confession of his Faith made in the presence of all the Ministers of the Schism his good Daughter was willing to be a spectatâ—ess of his Combat and to fortifie her self by the Evidence of his Faith and with the last Act of his Constancie she expected him in his passage and went to imbrace him in the midst of the people who gave back out of respect and with their Admiration and Tears honoured so resolute and so examplar a Piety At these last imbraces the fervour of friendship mixed with that of Zeal ascending from her Heart to her Head caused some Tears to distill from her eyes But these were couragious Tears and such as heretofore the first Heroes of Christianity shed upon the wounds and Crowns either of their Fathers or Children still warme with Martyrdom After the execution of the impious sentence which had submitted this High Judge of Equity to the sword of a Hangman Margaret prepared her self to tender her last duties to the Bodie of her Father Concerning whose Head after it had served a whole Moneth for a spectacle of terrour upon London Bridge she bought it of the Executioner and caused it to be inchased in Silver to the end it might remain with his Writings the Relique of his Family and of her Domestick Devotion Notwithstanding this Devotion wanted not Accusers and was pursued by Justice It was made a crime of State that they might have a pretence to persecute Sir Thomas Moor even after his Death and cause that part of his Heart and Spirit which he had left to his Daughter to suffer a second Martyrdom She was made a Prisoner and examined before the Schismatical Tribunal But she shewed so much Constancie in prison she answered so prudently and with so great courage she made so resolute and a noble confession of her Faith that the Commissioners themselves being become her Admirers conceived it much fitter to send her back then to give a second Victory to her Father and multiply Martyrs and Crowns in his Family MARIAMNE 〈…〉 Mariamne THIS Terrace incompassed with â—allisters of Jasper belongs to the Palace of Herod And it can be no other then Mariamne who comes out of it with so much splendour and so sumptuously apparelled There needed no Diadem and Sceptre to make her known Her Dignitie is neither Artificial nor borrowed It is from her Person and not from her Fortune And her Heroick Stature her Majestical Countenance and soveraign Beauty came from the Maccabees as well as her Blood and Courage Can you believe seeing her so Beautiful and Resolute that she is going to Execution She goes thither most fair and undaunted as you see her And all the Graces and Vertues accompany her to that place Bloody and murtherous Judges suborned by her Husband Mother and Sister in Law come to give the Sentence of death against her She appeared before this Tribunal of Tyranny and Injustice with a Countenance of Authority and a Soveraignty of Heart equal to that of her Face You would have said that the Criminal was to pronounce the Decree and that the Lives of the Judges were in her Mouth But as good Intervals stay not with sweetned Tyrants nor with charmed Vipers so malice and poison quickly return to the Judges of Iniquity Their fury which Innocence and Beauty equally Imperious had chained up with respect is loosned and confirmed And they at last pronounced her Sentence but still with Fear and Trembling As if their Faces had accused their Consciences and given the Lye to their Tongues As if their very Tongues had retracted what was done their Palenesse and stammering made a Declaration contradictory to their Decree and justified condemned Innocence In what manner do you think she received this unjust Sentence and procured by her own Husband With more Equality of Spirit with more Indifferency then she could have received his Carresses And had it been but a feigned Death they pronounced against her she could not have appeared lesse moved She is come hither with all the Calmnesse of her Heart the Reproaches and Injuries of her wicked Step Mother who combined with her Enemies did not provoke her And had she gone to a publick Sacrifice or to some solemn Feast She could not have carried thither a better composed Modesty Since it is decreed that she must die she resolves to die resolutely and like a Macchabee And there will not only appear a Constancy in her Suffering but even a Dignity and Grace Pitty it is nevertheless that so perfect a Light should be extinguished at its high Noon and in the midst of its Carreer And the Mists must needs be very thick and malignant which could not be dissipated by it But we amuse our selves in bewailing her we lose her last splendour and the last examples of her Vertue She is already arrived at the Place of Execution And the envious Saloma hath so violently pressed the Execution that at the very instant I speak there is an end of poor Mariamne Herod himself is come too late to save her His Retraction was fruitlesse They left him not so much leasure as to suspend the wicked Sentence or to keep back even for one moment the Arm of the Executioner And repentant Love which brought him thither found nothing but sorrows to vent and unprofitable tears to shed Affrightment Horror and Despair entred into his Soul at the sight of Mariamne dead Spite Anger and Jelousie at the same time issued from thence And the marks of these Passions mix'd at their encounter caused this distemper in his Eyes and the Confusion you behold on his Face His Bodie half reversed and his arms extended follow the posture of his Soul which remains as it were in suspence between astonishment and aversion between the respect and horrour of these deplorable Reliques He was willing at once both to remove his sight from thence and to sacrifice himself upon them for the expiation of just blood by blood that was guilty And to
them nothing but the exteriour to burn Neither do I know whether they respect not the very marks which appear upon these bloody and torn reliques Surely they owe this and more to that Fire superiour to all others And the impression of Charitie ought to be at least in like reverence and no less sacred then the impression of Lightning Heretofore the Flames of the Babylonian Furnace had this discretion either Natural or Divinely inspired They respected the three Jews whom Faith and Charity had consecrated And by a violent breaking out like that of a Lion who should leave his prey and fall upon his Keeper they devoured those Ministers of Impiery who kindled them But nothing but Miracles of Courage and Patience will be wrought here God will permit the Consummation of the Sacrifice and receive all the Smoak of it Salomona her self who hath hitherto fought but in heart and been only tryed against Compassion shall be suddenly tryed against Grief By the same Force wherewith she restrained all her Tears she will pour out all her Blood She will overcome Cruelty as she hath vanquished Nature And after seven Deaths suffered in Minde and by Piece-meal she will endure the last which shall be the Recompence and Coronation of all the rest SONNET IN Natures sight in sight of Heav'n above Brave Salamona combats Grief and Love Which through her seven Sons Breasts with deadly Smart Have made a Rent in her undaunted Heart Nor Blood nor Tears do trickle from her wound All that 's in her is with true Valour Crown'd Her Faith dâ—â—ends that Breach â—midst horrid pains Her Soul much more believes then it sustains What cannot Love improve its force unto What hath not Faith abundant pow'r to do The Love of seven brave Sons dear as her Eyes Makes her endure seven Deaths before she dies Yet Faith does more and by a rare â—ffort Which Love should emulate in its transport Makes her seven times a Martyr ere paâ—e Death Constrains her to forsake her vital Breath ELOGIE OF SALOMONA THe Mother of the Macchabees was peradventure the first Gallant Woman who sought without Arms and overcame by death She was the Daughter of holy Conquerers and the Mother of Martyrs and gave to Judâ—â— a Christian Heroess before Christianity In the common ruine of her Countrey and general Martyrdom of her Nation all sorts of Enginâ— were applyed to withdraw her Children from the Religion of their Parents They were put to defend themselves against objects both of delight and terrour and to overcome a Tyrant armed with favours and punishments The Couragious Mother assisted at all their Combats and contributed her voice her â—eal and spirit to their Victory so far was she from concealing them from Torments and Death that she produced them one after another armed with her Vertue and fortified with her Admonitions she animated them with her faith and warmed them with her tears she gathered together their â—lead skins and their mutâ—lated members as the matter both of their Crowns and of her own and as many deaths as she numbred so many accomplished Victories she counted in her Thoughts Not that she was lesse a Mother then the tender and weeping ones 〈◊〉 Her soul endured Iron and Fire in the bodies of her Children she â—ell in 〈◊〉 with their Members and her Heart melted away through theâ—â— Wounds But she knew the order and quality of her obligation It was her belief that she owed more to God then to her own blood and more to Religion then to her Race And knowing that a 〈◊〉 Death is more happy then a sinner who lives and reigns she chose rather to make a Family of Saints then of Apostates and to be rather a Mother in Heaven then upon Earth MORAL REFLECTION LEt our Ladies learn of this Jew to be Mothers and Christians Let them learn by her Example that Children given to God are not lost That it would be much better to have them innocent in a Grave then vitious on a Throne That a good Death is the best Fortune they can attain to And that it is for the glory of the Macchabees and the good of Children to be saved even before their time even with many pains even by their own blood and through all the Engines of Death and not to be damned after their old Age loaden with sorrows and sins It is a glory to the Earth that Marble stones which come out of its Bosom should become excellent Figures under the Hammer And it is better that a Shute should be cut off when it is yet tender and that it be grafted in the Garden of a Prince then to have it wither upon the Stem and serve only for matter of Fuell MORAL QUESTION Whether Religion be the Principal Vertue of a Gallant Women THere are some Vertues indeed of greater noise and carrying a saâ—er Glose then Religion but none of greater use not more necessary for a Gallant Woman All the rest what 〈◊〉 soever they make and what colour soever they have are without her but Stage-Vertues They resemble those superficial bodies made only for shew which are all Mask and Garment they have neither life nor spirit they are without form and consistence And though they seem to be active and full of motion yet they act to no purpose nor move but by Artificial wheels Even Force and Valour which are not supported by Religion are feeble and impotent At the most they have but a Flash of Choller and a precipitous Brutallity Prudence 〈◊〉 blinde without her â—â—ght And the Graces cannot please if Religion hath not adorned and instructed them There is then no solid and perfect Vertue without Religion and by this common reason 〈◊〉 all the rest should 〈◊〉 Religion ought to be the principal Form and the predominant Quality of a Gallant and sollidly Vertuous Woman But that is effected by a more 〈◊〉 and which reflects particularly upon the Courage which 〈…〉 this place there are 〈◊〉 functions of courage and 〈◊〉 were 〈◊〉 general duties which supportall particular ones and give a solid state and consistence to the whole life By the first it makes us act equally and with a constant and regulated â—â—ennesse by the second it fortifies the Mind against either Fortune and keeps it up what winde soever bloweth between the elevation and the fall By the third it arms the Heart against the corruptions of flesh and blood and preserves it from maternal Passions By the last it secures it against the apprehensions of Death 〈…〉 it victorious over this dreadful thing which is the common 〈◊〉 Bear of mankinde and the terrour of Nature These duties are noble and sublime But force should impertimently strive to use extraordinary violences it could never acquit it self with the aid of Morality alone it hath need of a more powerful assistance to support it of a supernatural and Divine Coadâ—â—â—esse to labour joyntly with it And this Coadjuâ—â—ess can be no other then Religion whose
Roles of her Marriage should be overspred with Thorns She had made choice of Ferdinand Prince of Aragon and King of Sicily before Alphâ—â—sâ— King of Pâ—â—tugal and Charles Duke of â—uievâ—â— brother to Lewis the Eleventh And this Choice wherein Inclination was fortified by Interest had been generally approved by all the high Degrees of this Kingdom The King her Brother who ought to be the first in purchasing Honours to his Crown and House singly opposed this general Approbation and blasted the publick joy by the sharpness of a private Grudge He spred snares of all sorts upon the ways of his Sisters Innocence He used a great deal of Art to dissolve the knot of her Marriage He endeavoured to break it by violence But this Tye not being to be broken or looâ—ened and his snares being too visible and too grosly laid to catch the prey which he pursued he turned his forces and anger upon the Places which belonged to the Patrimony of Isabella And if his malice had been more prosperous and better conducted if Defenders of the Right of Innocence had not risen up he would have turned her naked out of the Kingdom But God who delights in defeating the Designs of Iniquity and tyes up at his pleasure the hands of Usurpers did not permit that Injustice though Powerfull and assisted by Authority should prevail against disarmed Right and forsaken Innocence He was pleased to make use of Henry to exercise Isabella as Nature makes use of Wind to fasten young Palms as Artists imploy Fire and Iron to purifie Gold and to give a kinde of Soveraignty with the Image of the Prince And after that the Vertue of Isabella made Warlike and Fortified Instructed and Beautified by this exercise had received the last form of Heroick Vertue he sent death which snatched the Crown from the spiteful and usurping Brother and placed it upon the head of the Sister ordained to the glory of Spain and to the discovery of the new World It cannot be said with what Designs she ascended the Throne with what Dextenty and Force with what Purity of Intention and Capacity of Minde she set her hand to the Helm Policy was never more able nor more found or better Designed Reason of State was never more extended or powerful the Graces were never more vigorous nor efficacious then in this Princess She was the Domestick Oracle of Ferdinand and the visible Intelligence of his Councel The Wise and Speculative of his Kingdom received from Her their purest Lights They deliberated of nothing but in her presence and by the clarity of her Minde And ordinarily the uncertainty and doubts of Consultation were not cleared but by her Councels which dis-intangled confused opinions which Fortified the Timerous and Irresolute which gave the being and consistency to Affairs She held likewise the Place of the first Cause and principal Agent in the conduct of this great Engine And the History of Spain acknowledgeth that Ferdinand I say that able and wise Ferdinand did act nothing but by the direction and as subaltern to Isabella Her first care was to rally the parts of the State which the past troubles had dis-joynted Having rallyed them she used much Art to link them together And her Art was so efficacious and successful as she set them all in their former places and rendred to every one their first Settlement and Natural Functions Scarce had she restored Health and Repose to this great Body but she was necessitated to put her self in Arms to defend it Alphonsâ— King of Portugal invited by Disgusted and Factious People invaded Castile with great Forces and greater Pretences Certainly the fire must needs be great which was stirred by Domesticks and inkindled by Strangers Isabella hastened to the noise and smoke and did not return till she had quench'd it with the blood of those who had prepared either the Bait or Matter of it Her Crown being setled she applied her thoughts to the Expedients how to inlarge it and to adde new Howers and Titles thereunto And because there are no Conquests more Just more Illustrious nor more Heroick then those which inlarge the bounds of the Church and Religion and give new Subjects and Kingdoms to Iesus Christ She undertook the destruction of the Empire of the Mooâ—s who for so many Ages had been the Dishonour Scandal and Yoke of Spain It is true that this Enterprise was her Master piece She performed therein all that an exact and expert Commander could have done with all his Wit and Understanding She was alwaies present in the Field she assisted at the taking of principal Places And after many years of Toyl and Agitation she caused that great Colâ—â—â—us to â—all which so many Ages and hands had raised and returned with 〈◊〉 added to her Crown and the Title of Catholique which she â—cquired to her self and the Kings her Successors Not content to raign in a known World and to overcome by the sun of Europe she desired to vanquish and raign in another World and under other Planets For this end she contributed with her Courage and Treasure to the resolution and designs of Columba She sent her Fortune with him in quest of a concealed Heaven and of an unknown Nature And if Europe at present be enriched with Gold and precious Stones out of new Countries if the new found Lands be enlightened by the Faith and Religion of Europe both Europe and the new Discovered lands ought to serve as an Ornament and Lustre to the Magnanimity of Couragious Isabella This Understanding and Magnanimity were accompanied with an exact and severe an incorruptible and Disinterelled Justice Whereupon I call to minde that being sollicited to pardon a Criminal of quality who offered a very considerable summ for the maintainance of some Troops which marched against the Moors She made these Solliciters fully understand that she was not raised to the Throne to make Traffick of Favours and Pardons and to set Impunity and Crimes to sale And to the end there might not seem to be any thing of Interest in her Integrity or that she aimed at the Confiscation of the Criminals Estate she gave it all entire to his Children and would not suffer their Succession to be in the least measure diminished by it So far was she from grating upon Crimes and Penalties so far was she from laying up in her Coffers the price of blood and the revenue of tears that this good Princess took no greater pleasure then in giving with liberall hands then in making men rich and happy She measured the felicities of her Kingdome by the extent of her good deeds She counted her Revenues by the gratifications which issued forth of her Exchequer and her chief stock her most dear and precious Treasure consisted in the hearts and affections of her people Never were any liberalities more natural nor less restraind more obliging or better disposed then hers Never did Magnificence act more gallantly nor after a more Heroick manner then