gouernment of all thinges vnder her mistresse and continually attended vpoÌ„ hir person insomuch as wheÌ„ her mistres went about her wonderful atteÌ„pt to destroy Olophernes the Lordes enemie she onlie went with her mistresse Iudith and carried the bagge of victuals and bottels of wine and oyle all the way making her prayers often together with her dame and kept her companie diligently till beeing so commaunded by Iudith her mistresse shee stood without the doore and wayted her comming while she went to praie alone and worke her feate against Holophernes Which being done and his head deliuered vnto Abra she put it in her wallet and so carried it after her mistresse to Bethulia the Citie Iudith 10.2.10.13.5.11 c. Note that this name Abra is onely read in the common or vulgar translation Achsah or Axa signifieth dect wanton the brenking or tearing asunder of the couering She was the daughter of Caleb whom according to his promise made before he gaue to Othniel the sonne of Kenez to wife and with her also the South countrie for her portion and preferment because he had smitten conquered Kiriath Sepher otherwise called Debir according to his request and desire and being now Othniels wife she moued with a little couetousnesse perswaded him to aske of her father a field that had springes in it because her south countrey was barren which she had But because her husbande tarrÃed long and somewhat neglected to satisfie this her request she tooke her Asse and rode her selfe vnto her father Caleb to requâ—st it and saide Geue me this blessing and graunt me this petition O my father thou hast geuen me the south Countrey but it is barren geue me also I pray thee a fielde that hath in it springes of water and is fruitfull And straight wayes Caleb graunted her request and gaue her a fruitfull fielde that had springes of water both beneath aboue to augment her portion and lyuing and for an inheritance to her and hers for euer as appeareth Iosua 15.16 Iudg 1.12.1 Chro. 2.49 Adah or Ada signifieth a company or congregation a witnesse or assemblie decked passing by a pray taken away c. Shee was one of the two wiues of Lamech the sonne of Methushael And the first woman that was coupled to a Concubine and had her marriage corrupted by pluralities of wiues her mates name was Zillah who seeing that all men hated their husband for his crueltie were sore afraide least he shoulde haue beene murthered and therefore gaue him good counsell and willed him to take heed and looke well to himselfe But he with great bragges and bigge boasting wordes currishly contemned their good and louing aduice to his owne hurt and their further discomfort This Adah also was the mother of Iabal the first inuenter of tentes and grasing and also of his brother Iuball the first inuenter of Instrumentes and musicke Genesis 4. 19.23 There was another woman after the flood called Adah which was the daughter of Elon and Hittite and one of the wiues of Esau vnto whom she bare a sonne called Eliphaz before the diuision made of the land betweene Iacob his brother and him Gen. 36.1.10 Ahinoam or Achinoam signifieth the brothers comlinesse or beautie She was the daughter of Ahimaaz the sonne of Zadecke the high Priest wife of king Saul mother of Ionathan that faithfull friend of Dauid in his persecutions whome Saule his father therefore much reuiled for taking Dauids part saying thou sonne of that wicked and rebellious woman thou that art euer contrarie vnto me as thy mother is 1. Sam 14.50.20.30 1. Chro. 6.8 There was an other woman called Ahinoam whiche was an Israelitesse borne and one of the wiues of Dauid that he had in his banishment and which was the mate or companion of Abigail with whom also she was taken prisoner and â—edde captiue away by the Amalekites out of Ziklag And after Dauid had by her his eldest sonne Ammon who afterward defiled his sister Thamar 1. Sam. 25.43 27. 3. 30.5.2 Sam. 13.1.14 Aholah or Oolla signifieth a mansion or dwelling in it selfe meaning Samaria which was the royall citie of Israell Aholibah or Ooliba signifieth my pauilion tent mansion or my brightnesse in her whereby is meant Ierusalem where Gods Temple was These were two sisters vnder whose names the holy Ghost doth set foorth the fornication that is to say the Idolatrie of Samaria and Hierusalem as appeareth in Ezech. 23.4 Aholibamah or Oolibama signifieth as before my pauilion some where my high pauilion or hall the brightnesse of the high one the height of the â—ent Shee was the daughter of Anah the daughter of Zibion and one of the wiues of Esau vnto whom she bare three sonnes Iehus Ialeam Corah who became greate menne in the Worlde Gene. 36.2.5 Anah Answearing or singing She was the daughter of Zibeon the sister of Anah the first inuenter of Mules and the mother of the forenamed Aholibamah Gen. 36. 2. Anna signifieth his grace fauour or gracious fauourable mercifull Ladie resting freely giuing She was the wife of olde Tobie and bare vnto him a sonne called also Toby after his fathers name And being in captiuity with her husbande shee worshipped the true GOD and forsooke al Idolatry doing diligently good deedes as her husbande did euen to her owne further trouble and impouerishment for being threatned by the king to be slaine both she and her husband for burying the dead she together with her sonne her husband fledde away naked from Niniue and hid her selfe from the crueltie of Senacheribâ— So her goods being confiscate and she left very poore it pleased God yet at the last to restore her home to her house where also her husbande beyng stroken blynde and not able to get his and her liuing shee went dayly to the weauing worke and tooke weauers woorkes to doe and looke what liuing shee coulde get with the labour of her hande shee brought it home for shee laboured sore for her liuing And when on a time shee sent home her woorke to the owners one sent her a kidde more then her wages whiche shee had earned And when Tobie her blinde husbande hearde the kidde bleate he sayde to Anna from whence came that kydde is it not stollen restore it to the owners agayne for it is not lawfull to eate any thinge that is stollen Then was Anna angrye with her husbande Tobie and rebuked him as one whose trust in God was all in vayne like to Iobes wife casting him in the teeth with his good deeds saying these or the like wordes Where are nowe thine almes and thy righteousnesse become beholde they all appeare nowe in thee manifestly which her reproch and vpbrayding so grieued the good olde blynd man that taking it very heauily at his wiues hande he wepte and made his prayers with teares vnto God to haue mercie vpon him to forgiue his wife and to take that reproche away from him And God hearde his prayer and sent his Angell to cure
young sonne and there presented before the Lord both her offering and childe to Ely the high Priest whom she then put in remembrance thereof saying oh my Lord as certainly as thy soule liueth my Lorde I am the woman that stoode with thee here of late praying vnto the Lorde for this child and because my Lorde hath geuen me my desire which I asked of him therefore also I now according to my vowe and promise made in my prayer am come to dedicate him vnto y e Lord vnto whom I haue geuen him while he liueth And so after a notable song of praise and thankes giuing made by her vnto God for her childe as appeareth in the first Lampe pag. 6. She departed with her husband home and lefte her child Samuel with Ely the Priest to minister in the temple of God in all that Ely commanded him So Samuel her child beyng but young ministred before the Lorde gyrded with a linnen Ephod And euery yeere after did Hannah his mother make a little coate for Samuel her sonne and bring it vp to him when she came with her husband to offer the yeerely sacrifice as the custome then was once euerie yeere to appeare before the Lord with their families And when she came into the house of God Ely the Priest blessed her husband her saying The Lord geue thee seed of this woman for the petitions that she asked of y e Lord. And so departed they home againe vnto their place in mount Ephraim where they dwelt And thus God tooke away her rebuke of barrennes and visited her and blessed her with moe children so that after Samuel she conceiued and bare three sonnes moe and two daughters to her great comfort and the reioycing of her husband 1. Sam. 1.2 Hazleleponi or Asalelphuni or Asalephum signifieth the shadow or drownings of the countenance the sound of tinking in the face She was the daughter of Etam and sister to Izreel Ishma and Idbash that were of the tribe of Iuda 1. Chro. 4.3 Heleah or Helaa signifieth rust weakenesse She was one of the wiues of Ashur who bare vnto him iii. sonnes Zereth Iezohar and Ethnan 1. Chro. 4.5.7 Herodias signifieth the glory of the skin or the boasting or glorying in skinnesâ— proude of his furres the hill of pride or of presumption the fierie Dragon c. She was the wife of Phillip Herode the Tetrarches brother to whom she brought foorth a daughter whose name as Iosephus reporteth was called Salomen This woman beyng very licentious and more familier with her brother in lawe Herod then honestie required grew into such fauour with him that he contrarie to the law of Moses married her his brother beyng yet aliue Against which vnlawfull marriage that holy man of God Iohn Baptist spake very much to Herods reproofe saying that it was not lawfull for him to haue his brothers wife Then she fearing least that Saint Iohn woulde make Herode breake of the incestuous marriage first caused Herode to take Saynt Iohn and binde him and put him in prison for her sake and would haue put Iohn to death openly but that he feared the multitude who counted him a Prophet of the Lordes But this wicked woman Herodias not being herewith satisfied counselled her daughter Salomen at the feast of Herodes byrthdaye when shee daunced before him to aske of him the head of Iohn Baptist in a platter who did so and it was graunted her and geuen her in a platter and shee carried it to her mother And so by the wicked deuise of this vnchaste woman Saynt Iohn Baptist lost his head to the greate trouble of the Churche and griefe of Christ Iesus and his Disciples Matth. 14.1 Heuah or Eua signifieth quicke liuing or serpent woe alas life a woman the mother of all mankinde She was the last reasonable creature that God made in Paradise and the first woman that euer was For when all creatures and Adam were made Adam hauing now geuen names to all creatures and God seyng that among theÌ„ all he could not find one helper meet for AdaÌ„s society said It is not good y t man should be himself alone I will make him an help meet for him so y e Lord vpoÌ„ y e 6. day of the worlds creatioÌ„ caused an heauy sleep to fal vpoÌ„ AdaÌ„ whilest he slept he took one of his ribbes closed vp the flesh in steede therof And of the ribbe which the Lord God had taken out from the man made he the woman to finishe and make perfect the woorkemanshippe of mankinde by the womans creation whiche before was like an vnperfect buylding And the woman being thus created the Lorde brought her to the man to see how he would name her and to make her his mate who assoone as he saw her sayd thus of her This now is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh she shal be called woman or mannes because she was taken out of man Thus Adam and the woman being coupled together as man wife by the Lord in paradise to shew y t marriage requireth a greater duetie towards our wiues and likewise the wife to the husband then otherwise we are bound to our PareÌ„tsâ— therfore said God shal man leaue his father mother and shal cleaue to his wife and they shal be one flesh Now Adam and Eue beyng both naked were not ashamed because they were yet in their state of innocency for before sinne entred all things were comely and honest And being both put in y e gardeÌ„ of pleasure called Eden or Paradise Sathan enuying their felicity as he can change himselfe into an Angel of light so did he now â—irst abuse the wisedome and subtilty of the serpent the subtilest beast in the field and making the serpent his instrument he went and spake in the serpent vnto the woman and sayd yea hath God indeed sayd ye shall not eate of euery tree of the garden And the woman aunsweared the serpent saying We eate of the trees of the garden but of the fruit of y e tree which is in the midst of the garden God hath sayd yee shal not eate of it neyther shall ye touch it least ye die Then the serpent or Sathan whose chief subtilty was to cause Heua not to feare gods threatnings sayâ— vnto the woman ye shall not dye at all But GOD doth know that when ye shall eate thereof your eyes shal be opened and ye shall be as Gods knowing good and euill as though he should say God doth not forbid ye to eate of the fruite saue that he knoweth if you should eate therof yee shall be like to him So the woman Heua doubting of Gods threatning yeelded to Sathan and seyng that y e tree was good for meate and that it was pleasant to the eye and a tree to be desired to get knowledge she tooke of the fruite therof and did eate And beyng thus beguiled through the subtiltie of the serpent by whoÌ„ through enuy
sixe sonnes Last of all in the yeere of the world 2258. she conceaued brought foorth Iacob a daughter whose name she called Dinah Now when Iacob was to depart away from Laban with his wiues Leah Rahel such goods and cattell as God had blessed him with in his seruice for recompence of his true seruice Iacob perceiuing Labans children to murmure against Iacob as though he had inriched himselfe of their fathers substance to their impouerishment called his wife Leah and Rahel tolde them of that discourtesie and what the Lord had reueled vnto him concerning his departure froÌ„ Laban Leah Rahel said vnto Iacob their husbande Haue we any more portion in our fathers house doth not he count vs as strangers for he hath solde vs in that hee hath giuen vs vnto thee in recoÌ„pence of thy seruice which is a kinde of sale hath eaten vp and coÌ„sumed our portions money therfore all y e riches which God hath taken from our father is ours and our childrens Nowe then whatsoeuer God hath put in thy minde to doe doe it Whereuppon Iacob with his two wiues Leah and Rahel departed from their father Laban and returned towardes their owne countrie and hauing deuided his familie into order Leah his wife and her children were formost next the maides and their children And when they met his brother Esau comming against him to meete him Lea with her children came neere and made obeisance vnto him very reuerently And so passing on their iourney safely to Sechem a citie in the lande of Canaan there shee rested a while and gaue her daughter Dinah a little too much libertie to go abrode to gaze vpon the women of that Countrie by meanes whereof vnawares her faire daughter was violently taken rauished and deflowred and abused as a whore by Shechim the sonne of Hamor to his and his Countries destruction as appeareth in the storie of Dina. Gen. 29.30,31.33.34.1 Lydia signifieth natiuitie or generation birth begetting aforehande builded She was a cetaine woman and seller of purple of the Citie of Thiatyria who being a very deuout woman and a worshipper of God she came together with other women to the assemblie of the Apostles and Christians to the Common prayer and exercise of the worde then vsed by a riuers side without the Citie of Philippi where her heart was so by the Lorde opened at the Preaching of Paule that she gaue diligent eare and attendance to the thinges which Paul spake and was with all her housholde presently conuerted baptized to the christian faith After this she besought Paule and the other Disciples saying If yee haue iudged me to bee faithfull to the Lorde come into my house and abide there and so she constrained the Apostles to tarry with her who founde so much good faithfulnesse in the woman that afterward being cast into prison deliuered again they returned into her house to comfort the brethren which resorted thither Act. 16.14.40 Loys or Loyde signifieth better she that hath got profite Shee was a faithfull godly woman grandmother to Timothie who alwaies brought vp her children familie in the feare of God and faith knowledge of Christes doctrine as appeareth 2. Tim. 1.5 Loruhamah â—ign not obteining mercy She was the daughter of Hosea the Prophet whom Gomer y e daughter of Deblaim bare vnto him her brothers name was Loammi and when she was borne brought foorth into the worlde the Lord said vnto Hosea her father call her name Loâ—ruhama for shee is the childe of fornication of an adulterous woman and of one that of long time hath accustomed to plaie the harlot therefore I will no more haue pitie vpon the house of Israel but forget them put them cleane out of my remembrance reade this mistically Hosea 1.6 M Maacah or Maacha or Maakah or Michaiah signifieth a woman bruised or pressed Shee was the daughter of Tasmai king of Geshur and one of the wiues of king Dauid vnto whom shee bare a sonne called Absolom who afterward rebelled against his father to his owne destruction 2. Sam. 3.3.1 Chro. 3.2 There was another woman called Maachah or Michaiah which was the daughter of Abishalom Uriel or of Gibea or as it is in the second of the Chr. 11.20 of Absalom whom some think was Dauids sonne and one of the xviii wiues of y â— wicked licentious king RoboaÌ„ the sonne of SalomoÌ„ king of Iuda vnto whom she bare foure sonnes called Abiiam Atthai Ziza Shelomith And because her husband loued her best aboue all his xviii wiues and lx Concubines Therefore in his life time he made her eldest sonne Abi Abiiah or Abiiam y â— chiefe ruler amoÌ„g his brethren ordeined him to raigne as king after him for y e loue he bare to his mother as appeareth 2. Kin. 15.2.2 Chro. 11.20 21.22 13. 2. But after the death of her sonne Abiiam she was deposed by Asa her sonnes sonne froÌ„ her Regencie because she had made an idol in a groue was an idolatresse woman and Asa brake her idol stamped it into powder burnt it at the brooke Ridion And yet for all this Asa herein shewed y t he lacked zeale for whereas she ought to haue dyed both by the couenant y t he made with God to slay man woman childe also by the law of God Deut. 13.6 Yet hee gaue place to foolish pitie wold seeme after a sort to satisfie y t law 2. Chr. 15.16 There was also another womaÌ„ called Maachah which was one of the concubines of Caleb the sonne of Hur bare vnto him v. sonnes called Sheber Tirhanah Shaaph the father or prince of Madmannah and Sheua the father or prince of Machbena of Gibea and a daughter called Achsah or Axa 1. Chro. 2.48.49 Moreouer there was yet another woman called Maachah which was the daughter of Ir or Aher and sister to Huppim Shuppim after she became the wife of Machar the sonne of Manasses and bare vnto him two sonnes called Peresh and Sheresh 1. Chro. 7.12.15 16. Lastly there was yet a fift woman called Maacha which was the wife of Ieiel the father or Prince of Gibeon vnto whom she bare ten sonnes Abdon Zur Kish Baal Ner Nadab Gador Ahio zechariah Mikloth her sonne Ner begat Kish which Kish begat Saul who afterward was y e first king of y e Israelites so y t this Maacha was y e great grandmother of Saul and the first woman of whose rase and stock the first king that euer was ouer the people of God came 1. Chro. 8.29 9.35 Mahalath or Maheleth or Malath or Malaah signifieth a Queere or companie of singers a Harpe weaknesse pardon She was the daughter of Ishmael Abrahams eldest sonne the sister of Naabaioth and one of the wife 's of Esaw whoÌ„ he tooke for his third wife besides the rest of his two other Heathen wiues Iudith and Basmath thinking by marrying of her to
of gelousie and for a remembrance calling the sinne to mind and making it knowne and not purging it And the priest shall bring hir and set hir before the Lord. Then the priest shall take the holie water of purification or sprinkeling in an earthen vessell and of the dust that is in the floore of the tabernacle shall he take and put it into the water After the priest shall set the woman before the Lord and vncouer the womans head and put the offering of the memoriall in hir hands which is the gelousie offering and the priest shall haue bitter and cursed water in his hand to declare that she is accursed and turned to destruction if she be found faultie And the priest shall charge hir by an oth and saie vnto the woman If no man haue lien with thée neither thou hast turned to vncleannesse from thine husband be frée from this bitter and cursed water but if thou hast turned from thine husband and so art defiled and some man haue lien with thée besides thine husband then the priest shall charge the woman with an oth of cursing and saie The Lord make thée to be accursed and detestable for the oth among the people and the Lord cause thy thigh to rot and thy bellie to swell and that this cursed water may go into thy bowels to cause thy bellie to swell and thy thigh to rot both bicause thou hast committed so heinous a fact and forsworne thy selfe in dooing the same And the wife shall answer Amen Amen that is be it so as thou wishest After the priest shall write these curses in a booke and shall blot them out with the bitter water and wash those curses which are written into the water in the vessell and shall cause the woman to drinke the bitter and cursed water and the cursed water turned into bitternesse shall enter into hir Then the priest shall take the gelousie offering out of the womans hand and shall shake the offering before the Lord and offer it vpon the altar And the priest shall take an handfull of the offering for a memoriall thereof and burne it vpon the altar where the incense was offered and afterward make the woman drinke this water So when he hath made hir drinke the water if shée be defiled and haue trespassed against hir husband then shall the cursed water turned into bitternesse enter into hir and hir bellie shall swell and hir thigh shall rot and the woman shall be accursed among hir peoople But if the woman be not defiled but be cleane she shall bée frée and shall conceiue and beare This is the lawe of gelousie when a wife turneth from hir husband and is defiled c. And the man shall be frée from sinne but the woman being found giltie shall beare hir iniquitie so that you sée the man might accuse his wife and not be reprooued by Gods lawe Numb 5 verse 12 c. The woman shall not weare that which perteineth to the man neither shall the man put on womans apparell For all that doo so are abhomination vnto the Lord and alter the order of nature to despite God as it were Deut. 22 5. When two men fight or striue togither if the wife of the one come néere for to rid hir husband out of the hands of him that smiteth him and put foorth hir hand and take him that smiteth hir husband by the priuie members then shalt thou cut off hir hand thine eie shall not spare hir Which lawe of God importeth that godlie shamefastnesse is to be preserued For it is an horrible thing to sée women past shame Deut. 25 verse 11. If a woman that hath an husband either by open vow or solemne promise pronounce ought with hir lips wherwith she bindeth hir selfe to mortifie hir selfe by abstinence or other bodilie exercise if hir husband heare it and hold his peace concerning hir the same daie he heareth it then hir vow shall stand and hir bonds wherewith she hath bound hir selfe shall remaine in effect but if hir husband disalow hir the same daie that he heareth it then shall he make hir vow bond promise and that she hath pronounced with hir lips and bound hir selfe of none effect and the Lord will forgiue hir For she is in subiection of hir husband and can performe nothing without his consent during couerture Read more in the chapter Num. 30 7 c. Unto the maried I command not I but the Lord let not the wife depart from hir husband but and if she depart let hir remaine vnmaried or be reconciled vnto hir husband and let not the husband put awaie his wife saue for whooredome But to the remnant I speake and not the Lord If anie brother haue a wife that beléeueth not if she be content to dwell with him let him not forsake hir And the woman which hath an husband that beléeueth not if he be content to dwell with hir let hir not forsake him For the vnbeléeuing husband is sanctified by the beléeuing wife and the vnbeléeuing wife is sanctified by the beléeuing husband else were your children vncleane but now are they holie But if the vnbeléeuing depart let him depart A brother or a sister is not in subiection in such things but God hath called vs in peace For what knowest thou O wife whether thou shalt saue thine husband Or what knowest thou O man whether thou shalt saue thy wife c. 1. Cor. 7 10,11 c. The wife which is in subiection to a man is bound by the lawe of matrimonie to cleaue inseparablie vnto hir husband while he liueth but if he be dead she is deliuered from the lawe of the man and at libertie to marie whom she will in the Lord as ye may read more in diuorcement and second mariages Rom. 7 2. 1. Cor. 7 39. Read more of the wiues dutie c. In Uirginitie Mothers and mistresse dutie Praise and dispraise of women Threatnings against women Widowes Diuorcement and Second mariages Liues and stories of women That the wife ought to be sorie for hir husbands trouble and séeke by counsell and all godlie meanes to comfort him and preuent those euils hanging ouer his head we haue example in the two wiues of Lamech as ye may read in their liues Gen. 4 23. In Michal Esaie 19,11 In Abigael Esaie 25. In Ieroboams wife 1. King 14,2 Yea and in respect of hir husband though to a wicked end in wicked Iâ—zabel 1. King 21,5 2. King 9,30 In Cleopatra Dan. 11,17 And in Pilats wife Matth. 27 19. The dutie of mothers and parents towards their children THE mother ought not to baptise hir owne children For though Zipporah circumcised hir owne sonne as forced so to doo to please God and turne awaie his wrath then conceiued against hir husband Moses whom for neglecting so necessarie a sacrament the Lord had smitten with sicknesse almost to death so that he could not doo it and the Lord euen then required it to be
diuorcement iudiciall and voluntarie separation and for what cause a woman may or ought to be diuorced and for what◠not by Gods worde WHen a man taketh a wife and marrieth hir if so be shée finde no fauour in his eyes because he hath espied some filthinesse in hir then let him write hir a bill of diuorcement and put it in hir hand and sēd hir out of his house whereby God approoueth not that light diuorcement but permitteth it to auoyde further incōuenience mischiefe as appeareth afterward in Math. 5. And when shée is departed out of his house and gone hir way and marrie with an other mā and if the latter husband hate her also write hir a letter of diuorcement and put it in hir hand and send hir away out of his house or if the latter man dye which tooke her to wife then hir first husband may not take hir againe to be his wife after y ◠she is defiled and séeing that by dimitting hir he iudged hir to bée vncleane and polluted For that is abhomination in the sight of y e Lord and thou shalt not cause the land to sinne which God hath geuen thée to inherite Deut. 24.1 c. They say according as it is written Deut. 24.4 before If a mā put away his wife shée goe frō him and become another mās wife shall he returne againe vnto hir shall not that lande be polluted if h◠take such one to wife againe but thou hast playd the harlot with manie louers yet turne againe to me saith the Lord c. Iere. 3.1 It hath béene saide Deut. 24. before whosoeuer shall put away his wife let him geue her a testimoniall of diuorcement but I saie vnto you whosoeuer shall put away his wife except it bee for fornication causeth her to committe adulterie in that hee giueth her leaue to marrie another by the testimoniall And whosoeuer shall marrie hir that is diuorced committeth adulterie Math. 5.31 The Pharasies came and asked Christ if it were lawfull for a man to put away his wife and tempted him and hee aunsweared and saide to them what did Moses Deut. 24. commaunde you And they saide Moses suffered to write a bill of diuorcement and to put hir away then Iesus replied and saide For the hardnesse of your hearte he wrote this precept vnto you but at the beginning of the creation it was not so For in the beginning GOD made them male and female saying for this cause shal man leaue his father and mother cleaue to his wife and they twayne shal be one fleshe so that they are no more twayne but one fleshe Therefore what GOD hath coupled together let not man separate Marke 10. 2 c Againe in the house his Disciples asked him of this matter of diuorce and he saide vnto them whosoeuer shall put away his wife and marriage another committeth adulterie against hir for the secōd is not his wife but his harlot And if a woman put away her husbande and bée married to another shée committeth adulterie against him Mark 10.12 For the second is not her husband The woman is in subiection to the man and bond vnto him by the law vnto him so long as he liueth So that if while the man liueth she take an other man shée shal be called an adulteresse Rom. 7.2.3 Unto the married I commaunde not I but the Lorde let not the wife depart from hir husband But and if shée depart for hatred dissention anger or anie such light occasion let hir remaine vnmarried or bée reconciled vnto hir husband and let not the husband put away his wife But to the remnaunt I speake and not the Lorde if anie brother haue a wife that beléeueth not if shée be content to dwell with him let him not forsake hir and the woman which hath an husband that beleeueth not if he be content to dwell with hir let hir not forsake him For the vnbeleeuing husband is sanctified by the beléeuing wife and the vnbeléeuing wife is sanctified by the husband else were your children vncleane but nowe are they holy But if the vnbeleeuing depart let him depart a brother or a sister is not in subiection in such things done without cause for God hath called vs in peace For what knowest thou O wife whither thou shalt saue thine husbande Or what knowest thou O man whither thou shalt saue thy wife c. But as God hath distributed to all and called euery one so let him walke for so ordaine I in all churches 1. Cor. 7.10 A woman ought to bée the wife but of one husbande at once and therefore being iustly diuorced from hir first husbande shée ought not to marrie againe for that were to the slander of the Church as appeareth in widowes 1. Tim. 5.9 Thou saith God speaking to priestes shalt not take to wife an whore or one polluted or haue an euill name or are defamed neyther shalt thou marrie a woman diuorced from hir husbande because thou art holy vnto God c. Leuit. 21.7.14 Ezech. 44.22 Euery vowe of hir that is diuorced shall stande in effect with hir because shee is not vnder the authoritie of man Numb 30.10 Sée more in the dutie of husbandes Of Widowes and seconde Marriage SHée that is left alone and to be counted in the number of true widowes in déede trusteth in God and continueth in supplication and prayers night day 1. Timo. 5.5 For so did Anna the prophetesse as ye◠may reade Luke 2.36 and Iudith the wydowe of Manasses Iudith 16. Furthermore if any widowe haue children or nephewes or kinsfolkes that are able to relieue and comfort hir shee ought not to put the Churche to any charge but to seeke comfort at hir childrens or kinsfolkes handes who as nature bindeth them ought to nourishe their mother and to recompence their kindred For that is an honest thing acceptable before God for the children kinsfolke to shew godlinesse and liberalitie towards their owne house and familie 1. Tim. 5.4 Also a widowe sayth Saint Paul ought not to be taken into the number of true widowes in déede vnder threescore yeeres olde and that hath béen the wife but of one husbande and well reported of for good workes and vnlesse shee haue nourished her children and lodged strangers washed the Saintes féete ministred vnto them that are in aduersitie and except shee haue bin continually giuen to euerie good worke For such things are commanded vnto widows that they may bée blamelesse and worthy the name But the younger widowes which begin to waxe wanton against Christ and will marrie to liue in pleasure and delites or which being ydle learne to go about from house to house to prattle like busiebodies and speake things which are not comely Such wanton and ydle widowes I say saith S. Paul are dead being aliue because they are altogether vnprofitable Yea they haue all readie damnation because they haue broken their first faith that is they shall bée punished with
abhominations which they doe héere in the Lords houseâ— c. Therefore will I execute my wrath vpon them mine eye shall not spare them neither will I haue pitie and though they crie in mine eares with a loude crie yet will I not heare them saith the Lorde Eze. 8.14 15. c. Reade in the stâ—â—â—s of women more Yea because ther were certain supersticious womeÌ„ which made an art of mourning and taught their daughters and other women to mourne and wéepe with feined teares for the dead Therfore the Lorde by his Prophets Ieremie derideth the superstition of these women and threateneth them saying Heare the word of the Lord O yée women and let your eares regard the wordes of his mouth teach your daughters to mourne and euerie one her neigbour to lament for death is come vp into your windowes and is entred into your palaces to destroy the children without and the young men in the stréetes and there is no meanes to deliuer you nor any of y e wicked from my iudgements that shall fall vpon you Ierem. 9. 20. c. 17. And when the Lord woulde deride the prophets lacke of repenâ—tance and hardnesse of heart that coulde not lament for their ownâ— sinnes hee willed them by his Prophete Ieremie in the same chapter to call for thoâ—e foolish women whom of a superstition they had to lament for the dead that they by their fained teares might prouoke them to some sorow and remorce saying Thus saith the Lord take héede and call for the mourning women among you that they may come and sende for skifull women that they may come and let them make hast and let them take vp a lamentation for you that your eies may cast foorth teares and your eye liddes gush out of water For a lamentable noise is hearde in Sion saying Howe are wee destroyed and vtterly confounded c. Iere. 9.17 If a woman haue a spirite of diuination or soothsaying in her shee shall bee stoned to death as a sorceresse or witche Leuit. 20â— 27. Thou shalt not suffer a witch to liue Exodus 22. 18. Deut. 18â—10 And woe bée vnto the women that sowe pillowes vnder all mens arme holes and make vailes vppon the head of euerie one that standeth vp to hurt soules Will yée hurt the soules of my people and will yée giue life to the soules that come vnto you will yée pollutâ— me among my people for an handful of Barley for a péece of bread to â—laie the soules of them that shoulde not die and to giue life to the soules that shoulde not liue in lying to my people that heare your lies Wherefore thus saith the Lorde God Beholde I will haue to do with your pillowes wherwith ye hurt the soules of my people to make them flee and cause them to perish depart from the bodieâ— and I will teare them from your armes and will let the soules goe whom ye hunt to make them flie or depart from the bodie Your vailes also will I teare in péeces and deliuer my people out of your handes they shal be no more in your hands to be abused or hunted to death and ye shall know that I am the Lord. Because that with your lyes threatnings ye haue made the hart of the righteous foolishy resorting vnto you sad whoÌ„ I haue not made sad because ye haue contrariwise strengthened y e hands of the wicked stil running vnto you that he should not returne froÌ„ his wickednes euil waies by promising him life vnto whom I haue threatned death for haunting your houses coÌ„mitting abhominations in Israel Therefore ye shal sée no more vanitie nor diuine diuinations for I will deliuer my people out of your handes ye shall know that I am the Lorde Ezech. 13.18 c. Thus doth the Lord threaten a curse and woefull destruction vnto all those supersticious women coÌ„monly called Calkâ—rs or wise women but indéede witches who for lucre sake do prophesie or take vpon them to tell euerie man his fortune or who stole his goods and where they are become which women in old time vsed to giue to those that came vnto them pillowes to leane vpon kerchifs to couer their heads to the intent they might the more allure bewitch theÌ„ which sorceresses also to make the word of god blasphemously to serue their bellie made the people beleeue that they could preserue life or destroy it at their pleasures and that it should come to euerie one according as they diuined or prophesied If any turne after such as worke with spirites after wise women or soothsayers to go a whoring after theÌ„ then wil I set my face against that person be it man or woman wil cut him or her off froÌ„ among my people saith the Lord. Leui. 20.6 Deut. 18.10 That the daughter or childe which is stubborn rebellious riotous and disobedient to her fathers or mothers instruction correction or infected with such like notorious vice ought by Gods law to be stoned to death yée may reade in the chapter of the daughters dutie to her parents Deut. 21 2â— If a womans father spit in her face in his displeasure conceiued against her for her disobedience she should by the law be shut out froÌ„ his sight and be ashamed for seuen daies together before shee were reconciled as appeareth Num. 12.14 in the storie of Miriam If there be any woman that curseth her father or mother she shal die the death Leuit. 20.9 reade more in the childes dutie The wife that committeth adultrie with an other man beside her husbande shall die the death saith the Lorde Leuit. 20.10 Deut. 22.22 The mother that lyeth with her sonne or sonne in lawe shall die the death She that lyeth with her owne natural brother or brother in law or with her father in lawe shall die the death And if a woman come to anie beast and lie with it she shal die the death and be burnt with fire her blood shall be vpon her for all that commit such villanie and abhomination are execrable and detestable before God and shal be cut off by violent death as appeareth Leu. 11. 12.17 c. She that lieth with her nephew or cosin germane her brother or sisters sonne c. shall die the death and their children counted as bastardes Leui. 20.29 The maide or virgin that playeth the harlot in her fathers house ought to be stoned to death as appeareth in virginitie and daughters Deut. 22.20 The maid betrothed to an husband that lieth w t an other man in the citie or towne before marriage ought also to bee stoned to death as yée may reade at large in virginitie Deut. 22.25.28 If a Priestes daughter fall to play the whore shee polluteth her fathers house therefore shall shée bée burnt with fire Leuit. 21.9 The women that are giuen vp into vile affections doe change the naturall vse into that which is against nature beeing full of
go in peace and presently there went out of her seuen diuelles or foule spirites to the admiration of all that sate at the table Then Marie feeling her self much bounde to Christ which had forgiuen her so many sinnes and cast out of her so many diuels fel in so great loue of Christ that al her whole meditation and studie euer after y t time was only vpon him Insomuch that to acknowledge y e great benefites which shee had receiued of him and to shew her perseuerance in thankfulnes and knowledge of Christ shee diligently followed Christ with Ioanna the wife of Chuza and Susanna and many other women whom Christ had healed together with her of their euil spirits and infirmities and ministred vnto Christ of her substance And when her sister Martha receiued Christe into her house to meate and was cumbred about muche seruing of Christ at the table Marie Magdalen chusing y e better part sate at Iesus feete all the while and heard his preaching Also when her brother Lazarus was dead and laide in the graue and Iesus was comming to her sisters Marthas house to rayse Lazarus agayne to life so soone as her sister Martha called her secretly and tolde her that her maister Christ was comming and asked for her shee to declare her affection and reuerence that shee bare to Christ arose with speede and went to meete him and when shee was come where Iesus was and sawe him shee fell downe at his feet wept saying vnto him Lord if thou hadst bin here my brother had not bin dead And when Iesus saw her weepe for very compassion as one y t felt our miseries suffered y e lik he groned in spirit was troubled in himselfe wept also together w t her for sorrow as ye may read more in the storie of her sister Martha Moreouer when Iesus suffered his passion this Marie Magdalen with Marie the virgine and mother of Christ and Marie the wife of Cleophas and with other women who had followed Iesus from Galilee to Ierusalem ministring vnto him first stood a farre off and behelde howe he was crucified and afterward came and stood by the crosse to see the ende and when hee was taken down by Ioseph Aremathea and wrapt in linnen clothes to be buried shee with Marie Ioses mother sate ouer against the sepulchre and behelde where he shoulde be layde and so returned home to buy and prepare odours and sweete oyntments to anoynt his body and rested the Sabboath day according to the commaundement And the morrowe after the Sabbath day when shee came with sweete oyntmentes very early in the morning before sunne rising to the sepulchre thinking to haue anointed and embalmed the body of Iesus in his graue and sawe the stone taken away from the tombe shee with feare and great ioy at the Angelles commaundement ranne to Peter and Iohn and tolde them saying they haue taken the Lord out of the sepulchre we knowe not where they haue laide him But Peter and Iohn not beleeuing her words ran both of them to the graue to trie the matter finding her wordes true they returned backe againe to their companies leauing Marie standing at the graue weeping for the loue she bare vnto Iesus And as she wept bowed her self to looke into y e graue again as one not satisfied w t seeking Iesus her Lord behold she saw two Angels sitting in white clothes who said vnto her woman why weepest thou Oh quoth shee they haue taken away my Lord and I knowe not where they haue laid him And turning her selfe about shee sawe Iesus standing but knew not y t it was he to whom he said Woman why wepest thou whom doest thou seeke she supposing it had bin the gardner said sir if thou hast borne him hence tell me where thou hast laid him I will fet him Thē Iesus said vnto her Marie with y t she turned her selfe and saide vnto him Rabbony which is to say Maister and fell downe to the grounde to haue kissed his feete But to withdrawe her from beeing too much addicted to his corporall presence and to teache her to lift vp her minde by faith into heauen where onely after his ascention he remayneth Iesus said vnto her Touch me not for I am not yet ascēded to my father but go to my brethrē tel them that I ascende to my father to your father to my God your God Thus Iesus after his resurrection hauing appeared first to Marie Magdalē a sinfull woman out of whom he had cast seuen diuels Shee then went to the disciples told them that shee had now seene the Lord and what things hee had sayde vnto her to the better confirmation of their beliefe in his resurrection read Matthewe 26.7.27.56.28.1 Mark 14.3.15.40 47.16.1,9 Luk 7.37.8.2.10.39.23.55 Iohn 11.12.3.19.25.20 all Marie the mother of Iohn and Marke Shee was a godly and faithfull woman vnto whose house Peter came after the Angell of God had deliuered him out of pryson from the handes of Herod where many were gathered together in prayer beeyng let in after muche knockyng by her maide Rhode that kept the doore Act. 12.12 Marie the mother of Iames the lesse and of Ioses She was as some thinke the same Marie Cleopas before named which was the sister to the virgine Marie and was so called after her second husbands name which was Cleopas who being first married to one Alpheus had by him two sonnes the one Iames the lesse whoe was called the brother of Christ and the other Ioses And shee being a very godly deuout woman who with Marie Magdalen amōg other women followed Iesus from Galilee to Ierusalem ministred vnto him of her substaunce And when he was led to be crucified she folowed him also lamenting and bewailing him vnto whom Iesus saide Yee daughters of Ierusalem weep not for me but weepe for your selues for your children for behold the dayes will come when men shall say blessed are the barren the wombes that neuer bare the pappes w t neuer gaue sucke Then shall they begin to say to the mountaynes fall on vs to y e hils couer vs. For if they do these things to a greene tree that is if they thus handle me being an innocent what shal be done to the drie that is to the wicked man And when Christe was crucified she with Marie Magdalen among the rest of the women stood a far off beheld him suffer his passion to see what would become of him and after his death drewe nere stood euer against his sepulchre where hee should be buried afer went home to prepare odors came the morow after the Sabboth very early to embalme the bodie of Iesus but found him not there for he was risen gone so was a witnesse of his resurrection as ye may read in the story of Marie Magdelen Mat. 27.56 28.1 Mar. 15.40.47.16.1 Luk. 8.3.23.27 There was another woman called
1. Sam. 14.49.18.17.19 2. Sam. 21.8 Michaiah or Maacha sig the Lords pouertie or lowlinesse the Lords stripe who is the Lorde She was the daughter of Uriel or Abshalom the wife of Roboam mother of Abiiah king of Iuda called also Maacha as ye may reade in the story of Maacha 1.2 Chro. 13.2 Michal or Michol sig who is perfect who is all but you who is fully appoynted but you The very goodnesse or perfectnesse or forbidding of the waters al the water or of all She was the youngest daughter of king Saul whom because shee loued Dauid well her father gaue vnto Dauid to be his wife but yet with this diuelishe and hipocriticall intent that shee might be a snare to bring him into the handes of the Philistines to be destroyed as he before had promised to geue him her sister Merab vppon the like wicked practise But Michal loued Dauid her husband so faithfully that her father could not haue his wicked purpose that way to take effect For when after this marriage he had assayed to kill Dauid with his owne hand and could not And therefore sent men of purpose to watche his house and to stay him there in his owne bedde God so moueth the heart of Michal against the tyrant her father and to fauour her husbande that she knowing of that conspiracie went and tolde Dauid therof saying If thou saue not thy selfe this night to morow thou shalt be slaine wherefore to saue the life of Dauid her husband shee let him downe at a backe windowe that he escaped and layde an image in his bedde with a pillow vnder his head stuffed with Goates haire and couered it with a cloth And when her fathers blooddie messengers came into her house in the morning and asked for Dauid Michal said he was sicke the cruell messengers thinking to haue carried Dauid bedde and all to the king that he himselfe might slay him as he commaunded went into Dauids chamber and when they came there and founde nothing els in y e bed but a block they were ashamed to be so mocked so returned to Saul told him Then Michal being demanded of Saul wherfore she had so derided him and sent his enemy Dauid away made her excuse that if she had not let him goe he would haue killed her for hee so to doe had threatned her So Dauid by her meanes and pollicie escaped and fled frō Saule After this her father tooke her from Dauid and gaue her to one Phaltiel the sonne of Laish to wife with whom she remayned till the death of Saul And then Dauid beeing somewhat setled in his kingdome made truce with Abner the house of Saul vpon this condition that Abner woulde bring him his wife Michal with him when he came which condition being graunted Dauid sent messengers to Ishboseth Sauls sonne saying Deliuer mee my wife Mychal which I married for an hundred skinnes of the Philistines and for whose sake I put my life so desperately in daunger So Ishboseth as he that feared Dauid and durst doe none other tooke Michal away from her husbande Phaltiel sent her by Abner to Dauid And her husband Phaltiel so deerely loued her and was so loth to depart from her that he went with her and came weeping all y e waye behind her for sorrow til she came to a place called Bahurim there and then being commanded by Abner so to doe he forsooke her and returned home and Abner brought her to Dauid to Hebron there left her and went his way so was she restored againe vnto Dauid by Abners meanes Finally whē Dauid came dauncing before the Arke of God in his shirt or linnen Ephod to the citie of Dauid it chaunced Michal to looke out at a window beholding y e king her husband how he leaped daunced before the Arke she like a worldling not able to comprehend the motions of Gods spirite that moued him and zeale of Dauid the childe of God began to despise him in her heart and meeting him after all thinges were done comming home to blesse and pray for his owne house as he had done before for the people she interrupted him greatly and sayd O how glorious was the king of Israel this day which was vncouered to day or naked in the eyes of the maydens of his seruantes as a foole vncouereth himselfe But Dauid whom no worldlie affection caused so to doe but onely the zeale that he bare to Gods glorie rebuked Michal his wife saying It was before the Lorde which chose me rather then thy father and all his house and made me ruler of his people therefore did I play and daunce before the Lorde yea and I will yet be more vile then thus and will bee lowe in myne owne sight and of the verye same mayde seruauntes which thou hast spoken of shall I be had in honour And so for thus despising and mocking her husband Dauid the faithfull holy child zealous seruaunt of God the Lord plagued her with barrennes that she neuer had childe 1. Sam. 14.49.18.20 c. 19.11 c. 25.44 2. Sam. 3.13 c. 6.16 c. Miriam or Marie sig exalted or reaching or bitter as before in Marie She was the daughter of Amram and Iochebed and sister to Aaron and Moses who in her young Maydenly yeeres was called Aimia or Alima and being aboue x. yeeres old when her brother Moses was borne and laide in an Arke and cast into bulrushes by the riuer to bee drowned as Pharao had cruelly commaunded she stoode a farre of to wit what would become of him And seeing Pharaos daughter called Memphetica take him out of the water which was in the yeere of the world 2434. she ran to her and sayd shall I goe and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew women to nurse the child and she said goe wherevpon she went and called her owne mother Iochebed who came and tooke Moses so by Gods prouidence she nursed her owne childe whō God thus maruellously had preserued to bee a notable member of his Churche And when her brother Moses had brought the children of Israel through y e red sea king Pharao their persecutor w t all his host was drowned therin she being a prophetesse took a timbrel in her hād with other womē following her in like sort begā ioyfully to daūce sing y e song y t Moses made which was this Sing ye vnto the Lord for he hath triumphed gloriously The horse and the rider hath hee ouerthrowen in the Sea as before in the firste Lampe pag. 1. After this she grudged against her brother Moses which had taken an Ethiopian or woman of Inde to his wife called Zipporah sayinge what hath the Lord spoken but onely by Moses hath he not spoken also by vs Which her murmuring Moses beeyng a very meeke gentle man gently bare but the Lord beyng therewith highly displeased and very angry did therefore smite Myriam with a
there is one neerer of kinne to thee then I if hee will doe the kinsmans parte vnto thee well let him doe it if hee will not then will I. And so in the morning he gaue her so much â—orne as shee could cary home And shortly after shee became his wife because the other kinsman refused to marie her and solde resigned her his right to Boaz. And in processe that is in the yeere of the worldes creation 2717. Ruth conceiued brought forth a sonne called Obed which was the father of Isha the father of Dauid Read the storie of Naomy Ruth 1.2.3.4 Salome or Mary Salome signi peacefull iust rewarding c. Shee was the wife of zebideus and the mother of his two sonnes called Iohn the Euangelist and Iames the great a very faythfull and godly woman who when Iesus went vp to Ierusalem with his disciples followed him and came with her sonnes worshipping him and desired a certain thing of him saying Graunt that these my two sonnes may sitte the one at thy right hande and the other at thy lefte hande in thy kingdome But Iesus to put her from ambition and to set the cuppe or crosse of affliction before her eyes answered her and sayde Yee know not what yee aske are yee able to drinke of the cuppe that I shall drinke off and to bee baptised with the bastime y t I shal be baptised with yea sayde shee and her sonnes wee are able yee shall drinke in deede of my cup quoth Christ and shall be baptised with the baptisme that I am baptised with but to sit at my right hande and at my left is not mine to giue but it shal be giueÌ„ to theÌ„ for whoÌ„ it is prepared of my father as if hee should haue sayde God my father hath not giuen mee charge to bestow offices of honour here but to bee an example of humilitie vnto all Fynallye shee with Marye Magdalen Mary the mother of Iames and Ioses other women folowed Iesus from Galilee ministring vnto him of her substaunce and when hee was crucifyed stoode a farre off to beholde the ende And after his death shee brought sweete odours to annoynt his body and was a witnesse of his resurrection Math. 20.20.27.56 c. Marke 10.35 15.40.16.1 Iosephus li. 18. ca. 3 maketh mentioÌ„ of an other Salome that was the sister of king Herod Salomen signi rewarding peacefull Shee was the Daughter of Herodias and Phillip and beeing a very wanton wench and dauncing damosel laciuiously brought vp vnder an vnchaste mother When on a time she daunced trymly before Herode her vncle with whome her mother Herodias lyued in incest and forsooke Philip her husband shee so greatly pleased delighted him with her dauncing that he bad her aske what shee would and hee sware to giue it her yea though it were eueÌ„ to the halfe of his kingdom Than she went forth to her mother Herodias to aske her aduice what to begge at Herodes hands and her mother hauing long before caused Iohn Baptist to bee cast in prison and sought his death for speaking against the incestuous lyfe of Herod but could not till this occasion offered bring her wicked purpose to passe then instructed her and gaue her counsayle to goe vnto Herode and aske of him Iohn Baptistes head in a platter So Salomen to please her mother ranne in haste vnto the king her vncle and begged of him Iohn Baptistes head saying I would O king y t thou shouldest giue me now in a charger y e head of Iohn Baptist. The king then hearing her aske such a petition euen the life of such a iust man whom he feared and reuereÌ„ced for his holines and vertue was very sory in his minde and repented that hee made such a promise yet for his oth sake and for their sakes which satte at meate with him hee would not denye or resiste her but then graunted her petition And sente forthwith his hangman to behead Iohn Baptist lying in prison and gaue him a charge to bring his head in a charger before him which being done accordingly and his head giuen vnto Salomen she straight wayes brought it vnto her bloodthirstie mother for a present And thus wee see what a great mischiefe and inconuenience vnto the Church and Saintes of God came by the lewde licentious life of a dauncing damosell Mat. 6.12 Saphira signifieth telling or numbring beautifull shewing bookish learned Shee was the wife of Annanias who in the yeere of the worlde 4174. hauing first of hypocrisie because she woulde seeme as religious and beneficiall to the poore as other consented with her husband to sell a possession to distribute among the Saints Afterward of distrust for lacke of liuing together with her husband committed Sacrilege and was of counsaile with him to keepe backe part of the price of the possession which they had solde and laid the rest at the Apostles feete And when her husband hearing the Apostle Peter reproue him for this his dissembling lying to the holy Ghost fel downe sodenly starke dead and was stricken with soden death to the terror of all that stoode by It chanced that about the space of three houres after Saphira also came vnto Peter and the Apostles ignorant of that which had happened to her husband vnto whom Peter saide Tell mee Saphira solde yee the land for so much yea quoth shee for so much Why haue yee two thus conspired and agreed together to tempt the spirite of the Lorde Beholde the feete of them that haue buried thine husband are at the dore and shall carry thee out also And with that only worde of Peter not of any outward violence but of a spirituall feare she fell downe and gaue vp the Ghoste like as her husband before had done and this was done in the yeere of the worlde 4174. And the same men that caried her husband to buriall came and carried her out also and buried her beside her husband to the further terror feare of all hypocrits dissemblers distrusters in Gods prouidence Church robbers and lyars Act 5.1 c. Sarai or Iscah or Sarah Serah Sherah Sara Sarra sig my Princesse or Ladie my Lorde or Prince the Prince or song of the Lord the Lordes gate regard value or headheare my song the Lordes goat barley the Lord of spirites a Leaper Hornet a woman after Ischa Shee was the daughter of Haran borne in Ur in Chaldea in the yeere of the worlde 2018 the sister of Lot and Milcha and wife of Abraham her fathers halfe brother which mariage within the degree of consanguinitie was after forbidden in the Leuiticall lawe Leuit. 18. And Sarah being a faire woman as shee trauelled with her husbande towards Egypt by the way made this couenant with her husbande for his fafetie as shee thought but to the great perill of her honestie that she would call him brother and not husband say wheresoeuer she became that shee was his sister and not his wife So
circumcised or cutte away the foreskinne of her sonne and cast it at her husbandes feete and very impaciently saide vnto him thou art indeede a blooddy husbande vnto mee So when the Angel of Gods indignation that would haue killed him was departed from Moses and he recouered of his disease zippora again very angerly vpbrayded him with his negligence and said O blooddy husband and this she said because she was driuen to circumcise her child whom her husband ought to haue done long before Whervpon Moses seeing the great impaciencie of his wife zippora fearing least if she should goe on still with him she would be a great let and hinderance to his vocation which was now most daungerous and troublesome to deliuer Gods people from the tyranny of such a mighty tyrant and oppressour as Pharao was therefore he sent zippora his wife with her 2. sonnes backe againe vnto her father Iethro where she remayned til after the deliuerance of the Israelites through the redde Sea And in the yeere of the world 2515 when she heard what God had done for her husband and for his people she with her two sonnes and her father came vnto her husband Moses into the wildernes by the mount of God called Horeb where the Israelites camped and euer after she remayned with Moses her husband Howbeit not without some grief to Moses kinred for afterward at Hazerotes both Miriam his sister and Aaron his brother murmured and spake against Moses because hee had married zippora that was a woman of Ethiopia but Moses beyng a very meeke man bare with their grudginges although he knew them and loued his wife zippora neuer the lesse And God being angry with Miriam punished her with a grieuons leprosie for murmuring against her brother and sister as yee may reade in her story Exod. 2.16.4.24 18. 2. Num. 12.1 Here follow the liues and stories of other women mentioned in Scripture without name which for the readier finding out are set downe according to the Alphabet of the names of their fathers mothers maisters mistresses husbands diseases cities countries or places where they dwelt c. A Abelitesse THere was a certaine wise woman in the citie called Abel neere to Bethmaachah in the tribe of Nepthalim who perceiuing the citie to be besieged about to be ouerthrowen by Ioab Dauids captayne being ignorant of the cause went her selfe vppon the walles of the city there cried out w t a loude voyce vnto Ioabs host saying Heare heare I pray you desire Ioab your captayne to come hither that I may speake with him So Ioab beeing come she said vnto him art thou Ioab yea quoth he heare thē the words of thine handmaiden said she They spake in the old time saying they should aske of Abel so haue they continued as if she would haue sayd Thou knowest Ioab y t the old custome is not to destroy a citie before peace be offered as appeareth by the law of armes battel Deut. 20.11 I therefore in the name of all the citie speake vnto thee and say I am one of them that are peaceable and faithfull in Israel and thou goest about now to destroy a citie and me a mother in Israel Why wilt thou deuour the inheritance of the Lord Then Ioab hearing his fault so wisely told him by a woman gaue place to reason and telling her the whole matter required onely him that was the Author of the treason and sayd O God forbid God forbidde it me that I shoulde deuour or destroy it The matter is not so but a man of mount Ephraim Sheba the sonne of Bichri by name hath lifted vp his hand rebelled against king Dauid deliuer vs him onely and I will depart from the city If that be the matter quoth shee beholde his head shal be throwen thee ouer the wall and with y t she went vnto al the people so with her wisedome perswaded them all to cutte of the head of Sheba the traitour and cast it ouer the wall to Ioab who straight wayes raysed his siege retyred from the city returned therwith to the king vnto Ierusalem And thus by the wisedome pollicy valiantnes of this worthy wise gentlewomā the city and people were happily preserued frō bloodshed death destructinn to Gods glory the Citizens safety hir perpetual prayse to al posterity 2. Sam. 20.16.17 c. Aduoutresse There was a certaine woman taken in aduoutry brought by the Scribes Pharisies into the Tēple before Christ as he was teaching the people to be condēned or acquited by his iudgement when they had set the woman in the myds they beganne thus to accuse her vnto Christ and sayde Maister this woman was taken in adultry in the very act and deed doing Now Moses in the law Leui. 20.1 commādeth vs y t such should be stoned what sayest thou therfore But Iesus knowing their dissembling and hypocritical heartes that they sayd this but to tempt him that they might haue whereof to accuse him eyther for breaking the law if he did deliuer her or of lightnesse and inconstancy if he did condemne her and not for any zeale of godlinesse or honesty y e they had to see vice and adultery punished stouped downe and with his finger wrote on the ground And when he saw they being very importunate vpon him continued still asking his opinion and iudgement thē Iesus lift vp himselfe said vnto them Let him y t is among you without sinne cast the first stone at her and with that he stouped down again and wrote on the groūd with his finger as before with these words being accused with their owne consciences while Iesus stouped downe the scribes pharisees her accusers both eldest and youngest first and last secretly withdrew thēselues one by one and stole away out of the presence of Christ. So Iesus being left alone and the woman stāding in the myds lift him selfe vp againe and perceiuing no man but the woman left he sayd vnto her woman where are those thine accusers Hath no man condemned thee No man Lord quoth she neyther doe I condemne thee said Christ goe thy way and sinne no more Which Iesus spake not to abolish the law against Adulterie but that for his office as now was not to meddle with such matters but onely to bring sinners to repentance and newnesse of life by beleeuing the truth whiche God geue vs grace to doe Amen Iohn 8.3 c. B Bahumitesse There was a certayne mans wife in Bahurim a citie of the tribe of Beniamin who when Ionathan and his brother Ahimaas Dauids friendes beyng narrowly pursued by Absolom that woulde haue apprehended and killed them fled into her house and there had hid themselues primly in a well that she had in her backside she finding them there and vnderstanding the matter went and threwe a couerlet ouer the welles mouth and therevpon spread a great deale of corne y t the well might not
and slept with me had not I lift vp my voyce and cryed as loude as I could but when he hearde me so crie then for haste he left his garment behinde with me fled away and is gone out So shee layde vp Iosephs garment by her vntill her Lord and husband Potiphar came home And then at his returne shee vp and tolde him also the same false tale of Ioseph saying The Ebrewe seruant which thou hast brought vnto vs came into mee in thine absence to mocke me and do me vilanie and shame But as sone as I lift vp my voyce and cryed he left his garment with me and fled out with speede When Potiphar heard his wife thus report of Ioseph his seruant whom he so much loued and trusted hee being too light of credence so sone without further and better tryall to beleeue the false and slaunderous reporte of his wife beganne to waxe wroth with Ioseph and nowe causlesse turned his good opinion of Ioseph into ielosie his loue into hatred and his trust into tyrannie For presently vpon his wiues suggestion he apprehended Ioseph and for the harlot his wiues sake he cast poore innocent Ioseph in the prison where hee lay fettered with yrons in the stockes and was very euil intreated for the space of three yeeres vntill by Gods prouidence hee was deliuered by Pharao king of Egypt Gen. 39.7 c. Q Queene of Saba Queene of Saba or of Ethiopia dwelling in the South partes of the worlde farre from Ierusalem when shee heard of the great fame of king Salomon that went farre and neere ouer all the worlde concerning the name of the Lorde his wisedome and high fauour that he was in with the Lorde Shee came in the yeere of the worlde 3137. with a very great traine from the vttermost partes of the earth to Ierusalem to proue Salomon with harde questions and to knowe whether his wisedome were so great as the reporte was and hauing brought with her great and many presentes to giue him as namely much golde precious stons and sweete odours shee came to Salomon and communed with him of all that was in her heart vnto whom Salomon declared al her hard questions neyther was there any question so hard propounded by her but Salomon did resolue and expounde it vnto her Now when shee sawe his wisedome his stately buildings and the whole trade and goodly order of his house in euery thing shee was greatly astonished and saide vnto the king It was a true reporte that I heard in mine owne lande of thy sayings actes and wisedome Howebeit I beleeued not this report till I came and mine eyes haue seene it and nowe beholde I must needes confesse that the one halfe of thy great wisedome and prosperitie was not tolde mee For thou farre exceedest the fame that I heard of thee and hast more wisedome and prosperitie then was reported Happie are thy men and happie are these thy seruantes whiche stande before thee alwaye and heare thy wisedome Blessed bee the Lorde thy God which loued thee to set thee on his throne of Israel as king in stead of the Lorde thy God because the Lorde thy God loueth Israel for euer to establishe it therefore hath hee made thee king ouer them to execute iudgement and iustice and to do equitie and righteousnes Then shee gaue the king sixescore talents of gold and all her precious stones and sweete odours that shee had brought neither was there such sweete odors since as the Queene of Sheba gaue vnto the king And Salomon the king beside that which of his kingly liberalitie for recompence of that treasure which she brought gaue vnto the Queene of Sheba euery pleasant thing that shee asked and so shee returned and went with all her seruauntes home to her owne countrey 1. King 10. 1. 2. Chron. 9.1 Whose fact and not whose person our Sauiour Christ him selfe commendeth and recited to condemne and rebuke the vnfaithfull Iewes that woulde not beleeue him without signes and tokens saying The Queene of the South shall rise in iudgement with this generation and shall condemne it For shee came from the vttermost partes of the earth to heare the wisedome of Salomon and beholde a greater then Salomon is here Math. 12.42 Luke 11.31 And it came to passe as Iesus saide these thinges a certayne woman of the company lift vp her voyce and sayde vnto him Blessed is the wombe that bare thee and the pappes which thou hast sucked but Christ perceiuing that shee omitted the chiefe prayse which was due vnto him gaue her a priuie taunt and said Yea rather blessed are they that heare the worde of God and keepe it For they are blessed in deede to whome hee communicateth him selfe by his woorde Luke 11,27 S Samaritesse IN Samaria a Citie of Syria adioyning to Iudea and the chiefest Citie of the tenne tribes There was a certayne poore widowe whiche had been sometime wife to one of the sonnes of the Prophetes who in his life time being fallen in debt not by vnthriftinesse but by the hande of God died and left her verye poore and not able to paye his creditors who neuerthelesse being very cruell towardes her and coueting to haue her children serue it out as slaues vnto them when shee heard that Elisha the Prophet was come into the Citie Samaria shee came crying and making great mone vnto him and sayde Thy seruaunt mine husbande is dead and thou knowest that thy seruaunt did feare the Lorde and the creditor is come to take my two sonnes to bee his bondemen Then Elisha being mooued to pitie her miserie demaunded of her and said What shall I doe for thee tell mee What hast thou at home Thine handmaide quoth shee hath nothing at home saue a pitcher of oyleâ— Goe thy way sayde Elisha and borrowe as many emptie vesselles among thy neyghbours as thou canst gette and when thou commest home hast shut thy dore vpon thee powre out the oyle that is in thy pitcher into all those emptie vesselles till they bee all full and then set them aside So the poore widowe departed and did as Elisha bad her And when the emptie vesselles were all full shee saide vnto her sonnes bring mee yet an other vessell There is no more quoth they and with that the oyle in her picther ceased to augment and increase in the vesselles After this shee went and tolde Elisha the man of God that shee had done as hee bad her Nowe goe sayde Elisha and sell the oyle in the vesselles and with the money that aryseth thereof pay thy husbandes creditors and them that thou art in debt vnto and liue thou and thy children on the rest 2. King 4.1 c. By which story the holy Ghost doeth giue vs to vnderstande that God neuer fayleth to prouide for his seruauntes their wiues and children if they trust in him that his doctrine and profession shoulde be kept without slaunder And that he suffereth his children many tymes to bee
with hardened heartes they say why shoulde wee not be like to our fathers in crueltie For our father Abraham when as he had but one only sonne he went to sacrifice him to the Lord whom in deed I doe not reprehend for this fact for why I knowe not the misterie thereof albeit I marueile howe he had no pitie on his sonne I haue heard also of a certayne king of theirs called Gefta who the same day hee went forwardes to the warres made a vowe to God that he would offer a sacrifice if hee shoulde haue good successe in his warres And when hee returned from the warres hee offered to God his onely daughter and so perfourmed his vowe that he had vowed vnto God And hereby I knowe they are men of a stubborne spirite for what so euer it giueth them in their heades to doe that they thinke must needes bee done and they are a noughtie people and most heynous sinners Wherefore except thou wilt deliuer them vnto mee I will giue ouer the warres For I will not be slayne with them without all iudgement When Titus had thus sayde hee battered the wall of Hierusalem with an yron Ramme and cast it downe Then came foorth many of the Nobles of the Saduces vnto him and made peace with him Pheroras wife hauing had a vyall of poyson whiche Antipater bought as hee went to Rome and sent vnto her husbande to keepe for him till his returne In the meane while her husbande Pheroras dyed And when Antipater came home agayne from Rome Pheroras wife and hee fell at variaunce insomuch that shee obiected vnto hym that hee was the cause that her husbande Pheroras was banished the kinges presence the sorrowe whereof was his death On the other side Antipater went about to accuse her sowing discorde betweene her and the king to sturre him agaynst her Hee suborned also a certaine Eunuche or gelded person to goe vnto Herode the king and enfourme him howe that at what time as hee tooke displeasure with Pheroras his brother and banished him his presence Pheroras procured a strong poyson and gaue it to his wife commaunding her to destroy the king therewith The king hearing this was wroth with the Eunuch and sayde I searched for that venome long agoe when it was noysed that my housholde seruauntes woulde haue giuen it mee to drinke but I coulde not finde the thing to bee true Yea I haue been too rashe in such matters For I put my wife Marimi to death without a cause and Alexandra my mother in Lawe with my two children When Antipater hearde that the king credited not the Eunuche hee made suite to the king to sende him to Octauian the seconde tyme for hee was afrayde for the viall that was in Pheroras wiues house Hee had written also with his hande howe that hee sent it intending therewith to poyson the kings sonnes children but hee that prepareth a pitte for other oft times falleth into it him selfe and desiring the king to sende him hee let him goe After this the king commaunded to make searche if the Eunuches woordes were true or no He sent first for Pheroras housholde seruauntes examined them whether euer they coulde perceyue that Pheroras was in minde to hurt him They all sware no. Then the king commaunded to scourge them very sore but they confessed nothing although some dyed vnder their handes in the examination Some he ordered with diuers kindes of tormentes of some hee caused to plucke out all their teethe And as hee had scourged a certaine woman seruaunte whiche had beene verye trustie to Pheroras at length when shee coulde no longer stande for strokes shee cryed out and sayde The holy and blessed God reuenge vs of Rostios the kinges wife which is the cause of this The king hearing these wordes badde let her alone shee will disclose all Then spake shee Antipater made feastes euery foote for thy brother Pheroras and him selfe And as they eat and dranke they deuised howe to poyson thee especially when as Antipater was going to Octauian For they sayde except wee destroy him hee will destroy vs as hee hath done all the children of this house Moreouer hee loueth the children of his sonnes that were put to death whiche growe apace and it is possible hee may alter his minde and make one of them king Antipater also saide to thy brother The king makes as though hee hee were much my friende but I trust him not Hee gaue me sayth hee an hundred pounde weight of golde but all that satisfieth not mee When the king heard this hee told howe he had giuen Antipater this golde secretly The woman sayde moreouer There is yet a vyall of strong poyson in my mistresse house that thy sonne sent out of Egypt With that the king sent straightwayes to Pheroras wife that shee shoulde bring him the vyall of poyson her owne selfe but when shee espied the kinges Eunuches come to fetch her whether shee woulde or no shee gate her vp to the toppe of the house and cast her self down headlong to kill her self because she would not see the king nor abide his torments Yet shee died not thereof Wherevpon the kinges messengers brought her in a horselitter and set her before the king Then shee confessed vnto him howe Antipater his sonne had conspired with Pheroras his brother to kil him with a strōg poyson that hee had bought in Egypt and sent it to Pheroras her husbande to keepe when hee went to Octauian And howe that Pheroras being at the point of death repented him thereof charging that wee shoulde neuer giue that venome to Antipater but powre it out vpon the grounde that the king might not bee poysoned therewith and I did as he badde me cast it out all saue a litle that I kept in the glasse bottome For I euer feared that which is nowe come to passe Then at the kinges commaundement the viall was brought forth before him and there was a litle of the venome left wherefore they gaue better credite to her woordes so the king was content and bad his phisitions heale her and shee recouered Ioseph 55.56.57 Pheroras maide seruaunt that disclosed the treason of Antipater to poyson his father king Herode of her read next before in Pheroras wiues storie and howe shee was handled before shee woulde confesse it c. Ioseph 56.57 Rostios was one of the wiues of Herode king of the Iewes and the mother of Antipater that woulde haue poysoned his father as yee may reade at large before in Pheroras wiues storie Ioseph 56 Salumith was the daughter of one Antipater and Kyparim his wife and sister to Pheroras and Herode which Salumith came but of base blood of her malice and spitefull dealing towardes Marimi reade more at large in the storie of Marimi Ioseph 25.42.43.44 45. Schimeons mother and wife were killed both by the sayde Schimeon the mother first least shee shoulde entreate him for the children and bee sory for their sakes Then his wife came running of her owne accorde and helde her necke downe to the sworde least shee shoulde be constrayned to see her children die and last of all hee slue him selfe as yee may reade more at large in Ioseph fol. 72. There was another woman that was the wife of a cruell Cutte-throate amonge the Iewes called Schimeon who liuing like an outlawe and his wife dwelling in Ierusalem at the last she fled out of the Citie with her men and women seruauntes towardes her husband for feare least she should be slayne for her husbandes cruelties sake if shee should haue tarried at Ierusalem but as she passed by where Iehochanan lay in ambushment for to take her husband her he tooke brought againe to Ierusalem not a little proude of such a pray thinking nowe we shall haue Schimeon at our pleasure seeing we haue his wife our prisoner hee loueth her so entirely that hee will doe for her sake whatsoeuer we will haue him This came to Schimeons eare who had taken at that time many of Iehochanans men and cutte of their right hands sending them so with shame to Ierusalem to their maister Hee sent moreouer Embassadours to Iehochanan willing him to send him his wife in suche sorte that shee might come to him with all that was hers or if he refused to doe it he should be the extreemelier handled for he would take the towne ere it were long and to Iehochanans shame cut of the hands and legges of all them that did inhabite it Iehochanā hearing this was sore afrayde and all they that were with him and therefore they sent him his wife whereupon Schimeon kept him still without the Towne and playde the tyrant without as fast as Iehochanan did within rauishing the Israelites wiues before their faces shedding innocent blood vnmercifully Iosephus 134. Iosephus reporteth that at the siege of Titus and Uespasian against Ierusalem the men souldiers were so scant and destroyed that the women were faine to defend the walles where it chaunced that a greate stone shotte by the Romaines hit a woman with childe with such a violence that it passed through her bodie and carried the child with it by the space of halfe a myle FINIS Imprinted at London at the three Cranes in the Vintree by Thomas Dawson for the assignes of William Seres 1582.
beeing come into Pharaos court in Egypt the Princes and Courtiers of the Egyptians behelde her beautie and commended her vnto Pharao to be a very faire woman Whereupon Sara was straight way caught vp and taken into Pharaos house to be his wife who intreated Abraham well for her sake and inriched him greatly with sheepe Beeues Asses Camels and men seruants and maide seruantes But the Lorde tooke the defence of the poore stranger against a mightie king and as hee is euer carefull ouer his so did hee preserue Sara cleane and vndefiled and from beeing defloured by the king or his princes but plagued Pharao and al his house with great plagues that could not be cured but by the prayers of Abraham and that because hee had violently taken Sara Abrahams wife from him to defloure her Which when Pharao felt and sawe then hee called Abraham and saide why hast thou done this vnto mee and why didst thou not tell mee plainely that shee was thy wife But callest her sister which made me take her to bee my wife Nowe therefore beholde thy wife take her and goe thy way So when shee was restored home to Abraham againe honest pure and vnpolluted to the intente none shoulde hurt either Sarai or Abraham her husbande gaue his men charge and commandement to conduct them safe out of his countrie with all that they had After this Sara nowe being come into the land of Canaan and hauing been long barren and perceiuing that the Lord had restrained her from bearing of children as she that had respect to Gods couenant and promise made before vnto her husband that one which should come out of his owne loynes should bee his heire according to his request in earnest prayer that his seede should be as the starres in the skie for number c. She gaue her husband Abrahā leaue to take Hagar her Egyptian maide to wife saying Behold now the Lorde hath restrained mee from childe bearing I pray thee go in vnto my maide it may be that I shall receiue a childe by her Wherein note that Sarai offended God in binding his power to the common order of nature by giuing her young maide Hagar to her husband to wife as though God could not giue her children in her olde age So Abraham did as shee bad him and her maide Hagar conceiued with childe brought foorth a sonne called Ismael But when Sara saw herselfe despised of her maid that had conceiued which punishment God suffered to fall vpon Sara to declare what they gaine that attempt any thing against the worde of God Then she made her complaint vnto Abraham said Thou doest me wrong I haue giuen my maid into thy bozome and she seeth that she hath conceiued and I am despised in her eyes the Lorde iudge betweene thee and me Behold quoth Abraham thy maid is in thy hande and power doe with her as it pleaseth thee Then Sara dealt roughly with Hagar her maid was so quick sharpe with her that she made her run away Neuerthelesse at the humble submission of Hagar Sara receiued her againe After this it pleased God to renewe his promise and couenant made with Abraham her husband concerning the issue that he should haue of the body of Sarai his wife whose name God then changed with her husbands and called Sarah that before was Sarai And to that ende when God sent his three Angels to renew the same promise to Sarah herselfe in the plaine of Mamre shee courteously entertained those three Angels and made them a feast in her tent and as she stood behind the tent dore and heard the Angels say vnto her husband Abraham Lo Sarah thy wife shall haue a soone Shee rather hauing respect to the order of nature because she being well stricken in age and very olde euen fourescore and tenne yeere olde insomuch that it ceased to be with her after the maner of women that is past childe bearing Then beleeuing the promise of God so often made and repeated and thinking it impossible for her to haue a childe she I say then laughed within her selfe said Is it of a suretie y t I shall haue a sonne Shal I now giue my selfe to lust being old my Lord is old also 1. Pet. 3.6 And when she had talked thus with her selfe the Angel of the Lord seeing the distrust of Sara at the first saide vnto her husband Abraham wherefore did Sarah thus laugh as though quoth he it were a hard thing for the Lord to performe his promise Then she being asked the question reproued for her incredulitie of the Angell denied it saying I laughed not for shee was afraide but the Angell said it is not so for thou laughedst Afterward Sara going frō Mamre soiourning in y e land of Gerar among the Philistines It chanced y t Abimelech y e king of Gerar hearing of her wonderful beautie sent tooke Sara away frō her hushusband of purpose to haue lyen w t her But God whoeuer most greatly detesteth y e breach of marriage by dreame or vision in y e same night before y t euer he had come neere her or touched her reuealed vnto Abime Behold thou art but dead because of the womā which thou hast taken for shee is a mans wife whereunto Abimelech as one failing by ignorance and not doing euill of purpose nor thinking to doe any man harme made his excuse to God againe and said for himselfe thus Lord wilt thou slay euen the righteous nation saide not hee that is Abrahā vnto me Shee is my sister yea and shee herselfe saide hee is my brother which fault she had now twise fallen into such is mans frailtie with an vpright minde and innocent handes haue I done this I knowe it saide God that thou didst so but yet I kept thee also that thou shouldest not sinne against mee therefore suffered I not thee to touch her now therefore deliuer the man his wife againe For he meaning Abraham her husband is a Prophet and he shal pray for thee that thou maiest liue but if thou deliuer her not againe be sure that thou shalt die the death and all that thou hast Then Abimelech in all hast very early in the morning called for Abraham and said vnto him what hast thou done vnto vs and wherein haue I haue offended thee that thou hast brought on me my kingdom this great sin Thou hast done this vnto mee by calling thy wife sister that ought not to bee done Because quoth Abraham I thought this with my selfe surely the feare of God is not in this place and they will slay mee for my wiues sake therefore did I call her sister yet in very deede shee is my sister that is my cosin germane for shee is the daughter of my father that is of my fathers brother But not the daughter of my mother and she is my wife And that shee calleth mee brother is but of a couenant of kindnesse that