y e people had giuen her and gaue the Canopie which she had taken from his bed for an oblation to the Lord. So the people reioyced as the vse is by reason of the victory for the space of three moneths and Iudith remained with them in Ierusalem by the Sanctuarie And after this euery one returned home to his owne house inheritance And Iudith went to Bethulia remained in her owne possession was for y e time right honorably taken in all the countrey land of Israel Unto her vertue also was chastitie ioyned so y t although many desired her yet she neuer knew man nor companied w t any all the dayes of her life after that Manasses her husband was dead and gathered to his people But on the high solemne feast dayes she went out with great worship increased more more in honor waxed old in her husbands house where when she had been a widow three yeeres foure moneths was become an 105. yeres old After that she had made her maide Abra free and distributed her goods to them y t were neerest of her kinred to her husband her she died in Bethulia there was most honorably buried beside her husband Whose death the Iewes or people of Israel lamented with mourning vii daies together euery yeere solemnized y e day wherin she got the victorie as a holy day to be kept for euer amōg their fastiuall daies And there was none y t made the childrē of Israel any more afraid in the dayes of Iudith nor along time after her death There was another woman called Iudith which was the daughter of Beeri an Hittite one of the wiues of Esau who with her mate Bashemath was a griefe of mind to Isaac Rebecca her father mother in lawe for her disobedience and rebellion towares them Gen. 26. 34.35 K Keren-happuch or Cornu-sibii signifieth the horne or childe of beautie She was the youngest of Iobs three daughters that he had after his fall and sister to Ieminah and Kezia a verie beautifull virgin as her sisters were vnto whom Iob her father gaue an inheritance amōgst his sonnes to her preferment and portion Iob. 42.14 Ketura or Cetura or Chethura signifieth smelling sweete like spices or perfuming or bound a good sauour Shee was the second wife or concubine of Abram whom he tooke as some think whiles Sara was yet aliue and who bare him vi sonnes as appeareth Gen. 25.1.2 Kezia or Cassiam signifieth as pleasant as Cassia or sweete spice Shee was the seconde daughter of Iob a most beautifull comely woman and virgin vnto whom also with her sisters Ieminah and Karen-happuch her father gaue an inheritance for her portion among their brethren Iob. 42.14 L Lea or Lia. signifieth painfull or weeried Shee was the eldest daughter of Laban the sonne of Nahor Abrahams brother and sister to Rahel but being bleare eyed or squint eyed shee was nothing so faire and beautifull as her sister Rahel was yet when her sister Rahel for whom Iacob serued seuen yeres should haue been giuen vnto him in marriage y e same night after the wedding feast kept by Rahel her father to prefer his eldest daughter in marriage before the yōgest especially being somwhat deformed couered his daughter Leahs face with a vaile in signe of chastitie shamefastnesse as the maner of virgins or young maried wiues then was so in the darke in steede of her sister Rahel brought her to bed to Iacob who lay with her and so she preuented her sister Rahel in marriage became Iacobs first wife this was in the yeere of the worlde 2252. And her father gaue his maid Zilpa to Leah to be her waiting maid seruant Which deceit in Laban caused Iacob to serue seuen yeres more for Rahel her sister But when the Lord saw that Lea was despised not so well beloued of her husband Iacob as her sister was shee in her affliction had recourse vnto God by prayer because children are a great cause of mutuall loue betweene man wife he heard her prayer and made deformed Lea fruitfull faire Rahel barren so y t the same yeere Leah conceiued bare a sonne called his name Ruben saying Because the Lord hath looked vpon my tribulation giuen me a childe now therefore my husband will loue me And the next yeere being the yere of the world 2253. she conceiued againe bare another sonne called his name Symeon saying because the Lord hath heard that I was hated therefore he hath giuen me this sonne also And in the yere 2254. shee conceiued againe the third time bare a sonne called his name Leuy saying Now at this time will my husband keepe mee commpanie because I haue borne him three sonnes Lastly in the yeere of the world 2255. she conceiued bare him another sonne called his name Iudah saying Now will I praise the Lord so she left bearing Afterward when she saw that for her fruitfulnes she was enuied of her barren sister Rahel that she her selfe also now had left bearing then shee gaue Zilpah her maid vnto her husband Iacob to wife who bare him a sonne Leah called his name Gad saying God doth increase me with a company or multitude of children Again Zilpah her maid conceiued and bare another sonne whose name Leah called Asshur saying Ah blessed am I for the daughters will blesse me After this in the yeere of the world 2256. it chanced that Ruben her eldest sonne in the time of wheat haruest went out into the field found certaine hearbes called Mandrakes whose roote hath a certaine likenes of the figure of a mā and brought them home vnto his mother Lea. And when Rahel her sister heard thereof she went to Lea her sister desired her to giue her of her sonnes Mandrakes but Lea vnwilling so to do answered said to her sister Rahel Is it not enough that thou hast taken away mine husband but wouldst take away my sonnes Mandrakes also Wel quoth Rahel let him sleepe with thee this night for thy sonnes Mandrakes And so Iacob cōming out of the field at euening Lea went out to meet him and said Come in vnto me lie with me this night for I haue bought paid for thee with my sonnes Mandrakes So Iacob did and God heard Leah and she conceiued by him that night bare vnto Iacob the fift sonne called his name Issachar saying God hath giuen me my reward because I gaue my maide to my husband In which wordes she offended because in steede of acknowledging her fault shee boasteth there as if God had rewarded her therfore After that in the yeere of the world 2257. Lea conceiued againe and bare Iacob the sixt sonne of her owne bodie called his name Zebulim praysing God and saying God hath indued me with a good dowry now will mine husband dwell with me because I haue borne him
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
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
the Lord liueth and as my soule liueth the Lord I say that hath kept the innocent and cleane and withholden thee from comming to shedde bloud and caused that thine hand shoulde not saue thee nor thou reuenge thy self vpon thine enimy my husband so now thine enemies shal be as Nabal they that intend to doe my Lord euill And now receiue this present I pray thee which I thine handmayde haue brought and let it be giuen vnto the young men that followe my Lorde And I pray thee forgiue the trespasse of thine handmayde for the Lorde will make my Lorde a sure house and confirme his kingdome to his posterity because my Lorde fighteth the battels of the Lorde and none euil hath beene founde in thee in all thy life And albeit that man Saule hath risen vp to persecute thee and to seeke thy soule yet the soule of my Lorde shal bee bounde in the bundle of life with the Lord thy God who shall preserue thee by his protection long in his seruice from all daungers but the soule of thine enemies shall God cast out as foorth of the myddle of a sling and vtterly destroy thē And when the Lord shall haue done to my Lorde all the good that hee hath promised thee and shall haue made thee king and ruler ouer Israel then shal it be no griefe vnto thee nor offence of mynde vnto my Lorde that thou hast not shedde causelesse nor that my Lorde hath not preserued or auenged himselfe which thinges woulde haue tormented his conscience And when the Lorde shal haue dealt well with my Lorde then thinke on thine handmayde and remember my wordes Which pithy petition of hers being done ended it not onely pacified his wrath and stayed his handes from shedding of blood that day but also gaue Dauid greate cause both to prayse GOD for sending her to be the occasion therof and also highly to commend Abigail for her wise counsell and good aduice therein And so Dauid being greatly moued with her wisedome godly perswasiōs gētly receyued her present that she had brought did cleerely remit the churlish behauiour of Nabal her husband for her wisedome and vertues sake saying Abigal blessed be the Lord God of Israel that sent thee this daye to meete me and blessed be thy good counsell and blessed be thou which hast kept me this day from shedding blood c. Now therefore goe in peace to thy house for behold I haue heard thy voyce doe graunt thy petition Which being graunted she tooke her leaue returned againe to Carmell But when she came home and found Naball her Husband so farre ouercharged with wyne that his wittes were gone through drunkennesse and belly cheere she thought it conuenient to follow the wise mans counsell Eccle. 31. Not to rebuke him in his wine nor to say any thing vnto him good or bad at that time but to let the matter rest till the drinke were all out of his brayne and his memory freshe for as then hee had no reason to consider the daunger hee was in or to geue thankes for this great benefite of deliuerance wrought by his wife if shee had tolde him And so on the nexte morrowe shee declared to Naball the greate and perillous danger he was in for his churlishnesse and vnkyndnesse shewed to Dauid and his seruauntes Whiche when hee hearde did smyte him so sore to the hearte that hee was colde as a stone for feare thereof and neuer enioyed it but dyed within tenne dayes after for verie sorowe Of whose death Dauid beeyng aduertised after a certayne time hee remembred Abigail as shee in her petition before had requested him and hauing had good experience of her greate godlinesse wisedome and humilitie hee sent messengers to Carmel to commune with Abigael concerning marriage and to signifie vnto her that hee was willing to take her to his wife And Abigail after great and curteous entertaynment of Dauids Embassadours or seruauntes that did the message or errand in most humble manner sayde vnto them Beholde let thy handmayde bee a seruant to washe the feete of the seruauntes of my Lorde as though she woulde saye I am more fitte to be wife vnto one of his seruauntes And with great gladnesse and good wil she made haste to make her self ready to go with thē so with her fiue maides following her she tooke horse and went with the messengers of Dauid and became his wife 1. Sam. 25. 3. c. al. And when he dwelt in Ziklag among the Philistines whiles he went with Achis the king to warre Abigal his wife and her mate Ahinoam were both taken prisoners by the Amalechites and led away captiue vntill such time as they were rescued by Dauid their husband as appeareth 1. Sam. 30.5.18 And in processe this woman Abigail bare vnto Dauid a sonne called Chiliab which in the 1. Chro. 3.1 is called Daniel 2. Sam. 3. 3.1 Chro. 3. 1. There was an other woman called Abigal or Abigael which was the daughter of Nahash or Ishai and sister to Dauid Zeruiah Ioabs mother and wife to Iether an Ishmalite vnto whom she bare a sonne called Amasa 2. Sam. 17.25.1 Chro. 2.16.17 Abihail or Abiahil sig the father of light or of prayse as before in Abiahil She was the daughter of Eliab the sonne of Ishai and one of the xviii wiues of Rehoboam king of Israel which bare vnto him iii. sonnes as 2. Chro. 11.18.19 Abishag or Abisag signifieth the Fathers ignorance or mistaking The father catching touching or encreasing c. She was a goodly fayre young damosel or virgin of the Tribe of Isacar brought vp in the Citie Shunem And for her exceeding beautie and good manners she was chosen afore all other women to lye in the bozome of king Dauid and to keepe and nourish him with her heate in his extreame olde age And she cherished the king and ministred vnto him but the king knew her not After whose death shee being still a pure virgin and mayde was greatly desired of Adoniah king Salomons halfe brother to be his wife◠and for a meanes to beg and obtaine her the sooner he vsed the helpe and mediation of Bethsheba Dauids widowe and Salomons mother to whom hee thought Salomon woulde not say nay in a greater request But this request of his mother to giue Abishag to Adoniah his brother to wife so displeased king Salomon that he did not onely say his mother nay and refused to giue him Abisag to wife but also for this presumption of Adoniah in asking Abishag to wife he tooke occasion straight waies to put Adoniah to death so that he died for it as appeareth 1. King 1.3 2.17.22 Abital or Abithal signifieth the father of dewe or shadowe She was one of the wiues of king Dauid who bare him a sonne in Hebron named Shephatiah 2. Sam. 3.4 1. Chro. 3.3 Abra signifieth awayting mayde a handmayde or seruant She was the faithfull and trustie handmaide of Iudith that had the
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
him And yet looking for death he called for his sonne and to declare his loue and good nature towards his wife hee in his death bedde gaue his sonne a great charge concerning his mother Anna saying Sonne despise not thy mother but honour her all the daies of her life and doe that which shall please her and anger her not c. as in the 4. cap. doth appeare and when shee is dead bury her by me in the same graue After this it fortuned olde Tobie to send young Tobie his sonne to the Citie Rages to receiue certayne money which in his prosperitie he had lent to one Gabael Then Anna being full of heauinesse for the departure of her sonne burst out a weeping and rebuked her husbande agayne the seconde time saying Oh what hast thou done why hast thou sent our sonne away is he not the staffe of our age and our hande to minister vnto vs I woulde to God that money had neuer been layde vp of vs nor required agayne but that it had beene lost and cast away in respect of our sonne and that wee had beene content with our pouertie and kept our sonne For that which God hath giuen vs to liue with doth suffice vs we should haue counted it riches enough that wee sawe our sonne here Then said Tobie vnto her Leaue thy weeping my sister and be not carefull our sonne shall returne in safetie and thyne eyes shall see him For the good angell doth keepe him company and his iourney shal be prosperous so that he shall both goe safely and returne to vs agayne sounde with ioy Then at these wordes Anna being somewhat comforted left off froÌ„ weping held her peace But when the dayes of the iourney were expired and her sonne came not home as shee looked then both Tobie her husbande and shee were exceeding sorowfull and beganne to weepe both together Insomuche that Anna nowe wept agayne with discomfortable teares and bewayled saying woe is mee my sonne O my sonne Tobie surely my sonne is dead seeing hee tarieth so long O what meant wee to sende thee my sonne away into a straunge countrey seeing all the thinges that wee haue are onely in thee my sonne wee shoulde not haue sent thee away from vs But nowe I care for nothing my sonne since I haue lost thee thou light of our eyes thou staffe of our age thou comfort of our life thou hope of our generation Then her husbande Tobie seeing her impaciencie comforted her agayne holde thy peace and be not discomforted for the man that went with our sonne is so faithfull that hee will bring him to vs againe safe and sounde neuerthelesse shee might in no wise be comforted but beeing too much addicted to the loue of her child and altogether distrusting gods prouidence very angerly rebuked her husbande agayne the thyrde time saying Holde thou thy peace man and deceiue mee not for my sonne is surely dead Thus was Annastill vnquiet in her minde for her sonne neyther woulde shee by any meanes be perswaded but dayly went out looked abroad and went about all the streetees whereby shee thought he should come agayne yea and dayly did shee goe to the toppe of an hill and there sitte long that if it were possible she might spy him comming a farre off neyther did shee eate any meate on the day time but did â—â—nsume whole nights in lamenting and bewayling her sonne Tobie vntill at the last as shee sate vpon the toppe of the hill still looking and wayting for him shee espised him comming a farre off and for ioy ran home and tolde her husbande saying beholde thy sonne commeth and the man that went him which being done shee ranne forth agayne to meete her sonne and meeting him shee fell in his necke and wept for ioy and sayde O my sonne Tobie nowe seeing I haue seene thee I am content from hencefoorth euen to die Afterwarde when Anna was dead her sonne buried her honourably and layde her with her husbande as his father had before giuen him in charge Tobit 1.9.20 21.11.12.4.26.5.16.17.18.20.21.10.4.5.6.7.11.5.6.9.14.12 Aâ—ma the wife of Raguel was mother of Sara young Tobies wife Looke for her storie in Edna for so is shee called in the geneua traâ—slation Tobi. 7. Anna the daughter of Phanuell of the tribe of Asser. She was a Prophetesse of a great age and had been maried to an husbande seuen yeeres from her viginitie and after continued a wydowe fourescore and foure yeeres seruing God continually in the temple with fasting and praying day and night And when Christ was brought into the Temple to bee presented vnto the Lorde in the yeere of the worlde 4142. shee came at the same instant vpon them and praysed the Lord confessing him to bee God as Simeon did and prophesied or spake of that childe to all that looked for the redemption of Israell to the admiration of all about her Luke 2.36 c. Apame signifieth eâ—pelling or driuing forth casting away She was the daughter of the famous man Bartacus and the concubine of Darius the king of the Percians who being a very impudent woman durst do more vnto the king then all other men or women beside for whereas none euer durste presume to lay handes vpon this mightie king such was his power and might that all landes stoode in awe of him Yet this bolde woman Appam woulde presume to sitte by his side and that vpon his right hande and durst take the crowne off froÌ„ his head and put it vpon her own head and also toy and play with him and smite him with her left hande before euery bodie the king himselfe in the meane season not resisting striuing nor in any thing gainesaying her but gaping gazing and smiling vpon her Yea so was he besotted with her loue that if she laughed vpon him then must he laugh also vpon her but if shee were angrie with him neuer so little then must hee flatter her and speake her fayre and all to winne her fauour and to bee reconciled with her agayne Which example of impudencie and audacitie in her Zorobabell one of the kings garde that behelde it tooke for an occasion presently to reproue the king for his follie and for an argument to proue that euen before the king himselfe but to his shame if he had had grace that such women were stronger then the king giuen to pleasure or wine vnmeasurablye drunke 3. Esdâ— 4.29 Apphia signifieth stayde chastitie free Shee was a godly professor of the gospel and a faithfull woman vnto whome Saint Paule in his Epistle to Philemon sent heartily commendations as to a deare sister and well willer to the Apostles in all their troubles and persecutions Phile. 1.3 Asenath or Asnath or Aseneth â—igni daunger or miâ—fortune Shee was the daughter of Potipherah prince of On whom Pharao the king gaue vnto Ioseph to be his wife in recompence of hiâ— faithfull and honourable seruice done vnto him whilest Ioseph was in Egypt vnto whom
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
there But she being of an hauty and cruell nature persisted still in her impietie impudencie and fearing Gods iudgementes nothing at all so soone as she heard of Iehues comming towardes her because shee would still retayne her Princely state dignitie paynted her face tyred her head trimmed her selfe in gorgious aray And so laying thus be paynted bedecked looking out of her chamber window as Iehue entred in at the gates she cryed out vpon him and called him traytour and reuiled him with these wordes saying Had Zimry peace that slew his maister Elah 1. Kin. 16.10 as if she should haue said can any traytour or any that riseth vp against his superior haue good successe Noe neither cāst thou Iehu prosper in this thine eger enterprise But forasmuch as this was Gods determination that Iesabel also should be dismaide Iehu then forthwith lifted his eies to the windowe and cried aloude to her guarde and men of her chamber said who is on my side who With that two of her own Eunuches of chief seruants looked out vnto Iehu and he said vnto them cast her downe they at his cōmandement straight waies tooke her in their armes with such violence cast her downe out of her window as she lay vaunting her selfe and rayling against Iehu that she was dashed all to peeces so miserably died with the fal who being thus dead Iehu also besprinkled her blood vpō the wall vpō the horses and trode her delicate corpes vnder his horses feet Which he did by the motiō of gods spirit that her blood should be shed who had so often shed the blood of innocents to be a spectacle and example of Gods iudgementes to all tyrauntes oppressors idolatrous persecutors And when Iehu was entred into her house and had well refreshed himselfe with meate and drinke he beyng willing yet that she shoulde haue had the honour of buriall sayde to some of his men Go visit you yonder cursed woman and bury her because she is a kings daughter But when they came to take her vp to be buried they found no more of her body left but the scull and the feete and the palmes of her hands for the dogges had eaten the rest wherof Iehu being aduertised he thē sayd now is y e word of God prophesy of Elias spoken of before fulfilled which sayd In the field of Iezreel shal the dogges eate the flesh of Iezabel the carcas of Iezabel shal be as doung vpon the ground in y e field of Iezreel so that none shall say This is Iezabel this was done in the yeere of the worlde 3240. And this we may see Gods iudgemēts doth shal appeare euē in this worlde agaynst them that suppresse his woorde and persecute his seruauntes 1. Kinges 16. 31. 18.4 13.19.2 21. all 2. Kinges 9. all Furthermore note that God so detested for euer and euer through all ages the Idolatry and crueltie of this woman Iezabel that the holie Ghost to her perpetuall reproche and infamie in the Reuelation ca. 2.18.20 findeth great fault with y e minister or Angel of the church of Thiatyra for that some among them imitating her strange religion and tyranny and both spirituall and corporall whoredome exhorted them to repentance saying thus I know thy works thy loue seruice faith and pacience c. Notwithstanding I haue a few thinges against thee namely this that thou sufferest the woman Iezabel which calleth her selfe a Prophetesse to teach deceiue my seruants to make them commit fornication to eate meate sacrificed to Idols And I gaue her space to repent of her fornication and she repented not behold I will cast her into a bed them that commit fornication with her into great affliction except they repent them of their works And I wil kill her children that is them that followe her wayes with death and all the Churches shall knowe that I am he which search the reines and hearts and I wil giue vnto euery of you according to your works Reuel 2. 18.20 c. Ioanna or Iohanna sig the grace or fauour of the Lord or the Lordes gifte or mercie She was the wife of one Chusa Herodes steward and a godly woman who with Susanna and many other godly women conuerted to the faith of Christ ministred liberally vnto Christ his Apostles of her substēce whilest he liued here on earth And after Christ had suffred his passion she went with Mary Magdalen Mary the mother of Iames other women to seeke Christ at his sepulchre And being told of the Angels that he was risen and not there she with the rest returned frō the sepulchre to the Apostles to bring thē tydinges of his resurrection But the newes or thing seemed vnto the Apostles to be but a feygned or made thing of the womens owne heades and therfore beleeued them not at the first report Luke 8.3.24.10 Iochabed or Iocabeth sig glorious the Lordes glorie sage weightie where is gaynesse she is sage or graue She was the daughter of Leuy borne in Egypt sister to Gershon Koah Merari and after she became the wife of Amram or Amaramis after Couper her brother Koaths sonne which kind of marriage was afterward in the Leuiticall law Leui. 18.12 forbidden vnto whō she bare three notable mēbers of Gods Church to wit Aaron Moses a daughter called Miriam And when she bare Moses in Egypt and was commaunded by king Pharao to cast him in the riuer to be drowned as all the Hebrewes among the Egyptians were Iochebed seeing that Moses her sonne was a very faire and proper child with a good faith in God not fearing the kinges commaundement went and hidde him the space of three monethes but when she could no longer hide him on the land she in the same faith in God tooke an Arke or Cradell made of wicker or of reede and daubed it with lome slime and pitche and layd the child therein and put it among bulrushes by the riuers brinke committing her childe to the prouidence of God whom shee could not keepe from the rage of that blooddy tyrant So whilest Miriam her daughter his sister stoode a farre off watching what would become of the child her brother Behold it happened that the daughter of the same tyrant Pharao came to wash her selfe in the riuer whilest her maydens walked along by the riuers side and being come to the banke she saw the arke among the bulrushes and sent her maydes straight to fetch it who brought the arke vnto her and she then opened it in the presence of her maydes and his sister and finding the child in it sayd surely this is one of the Hebrues children and she hearing the babe weepe and cry for sustenance had compassion on it and was moued with pitie towards it Wherevpon his sister Miriam being come neere vnto them to see the euent said vnto Pharaos daughter shall I goe and call vnto thee a nurse of the Hebrue
women to nurse the child for thee Yea quoth Pharaos daughter goe thy way So the mayd his sister went and called this Iochebed the childes mother and hers to whom Pharaos daughter committed the childe to nurse saying take this childe away and nurse it for me and I will reward thee Then Iochebed tooke her owne child and nursed it and so was Moses preserued from perishing by water as the king had cruelly commanded Wherby we see that mans counsell cannot hinder that which God hath determined shall come to passe nor destroy that which he wil haue saued So when the child was well growen in age Iochebed brought him vnto Pharaos daughter who made him her adoptiue soÌ„ne called his name Moses because sayde she I drew him out of the water Exod. 2.1.6 â—0 Num. 26,59 Iudith or Iudea signi praysing or confessing he that prayseth or confesseth She was the daughter of Merari the sonne of Ox and wife of one Manasses Who being dead in the yeere of the world 3492 about barly haruest time left her much riches and a great familie in the citie of Bethulia where she dwelt So beyng left a desolate wydow she made her a tent vpoÌ„ her house to pray in put on sackcloth her widowes apparrel fasted al the dayes of her widowhood saue the day before y e Sabboth the Sabboth the eues feasts or solemne dayes y t were kept in Israel yea she was a woman of so great chastity vertue godlines feared God so greatly that there was none could bring an euill report of her but euery one gaue her their good worde Nowe during the time of her widowhood it chaunced Olophernes the captayne of Nabuchodonozor king of Assyria to come and besiege the citie of Beâ—hulia where she dwelt of whose huge host mightie power the Iewes and Citizens of Bethulia were so sore afrayde that they wist not what to doe for he hauing layde siege vnto the citie 34. dayes had in that time destroyed all the water conduits so that they must eyther starue or yeeld of force Wherevpon the people with one consent men women children ran to Oseas the hie Priest and chiefe elders of the city cryed out vpon theÌ„ to yeeld giue ouer the citie to Olophernes in time least they al perished through their negligeÌ„ce who exhorted them to tarry and wayte yet fiue dayes longer for the mercy of God and if he helped them not in that space the elders woulde doe as they had required Then Iudith who all this while had kept her house and was continually in fasting and prayer hearing of the euill words of the people against the Gouernours for lacke of water and what promise Ozias the elders had made vnto the people to deliuer the city vnto the enemy within 5. daies she sent her mayd Abra that had the gouernment of all things y t she had for Ozias the other auncients of the city made this learned oration vnto them saying Heare me O yee Gouernours of the inhabitaunts of Bethulia for your wordes that yee haue spoken before the people this day are not right touching this othe and promise that ye haue made pronounced between God you haue promised to deliuer the city to the enemy vnles within these 5. daies the Lorde turne to helpe you And now what men are yee that yee haue tempted God this day set your selues in Gods steede among the children of men So now you seeke the Lord almighty but yee shall neuer know any thing for you can not find out the depth of the heart of man neither can ye perceiue the thinges that he thinketh then how can you search out God that hath made all these thinges and know his mind or comprehende his purpose Nay my brethren prouoke not the Lorde our God to anger for if he will not helpe vs within these fiue dayes hee hath power to defende vs when he will euen euery day or to destroy vs before our enemies Doe not you therefore binde the counsayles of the Lorde our God for God is not as man that hee may bee threatned neyther as the sonne of man to bee brought to iudgement Therefore this your deuise obtayneth no mercy of God but rather prouoketh him to wrath and displeasure Will yee set the mercy of the Lorde a tyme and appoint him a day at your will No exhort the people to repentance and prayer and let vs heartily fall downe before him and serue him with a meeke spirite and with weeping eyes say vnto the Lorde that hee deale with vs according to his owne will speedily in mercie that like as our heart is nowe vexed and brought low through the pride of our enemies it may so be comforted by his grace Yea let vs wayte for saluation of him and call vppon him to helpe vs and he will heare our voyce if it please him For there appeareth none in our age neyther is there any nowe in these dayes neyther of tribe nor family nor people nor citie among vs which worshippe the gods made with hands as hath bin afore time of our forefathers for the which sin our forefathers were giuen to the sworde for a spoyle and had a great fall before our enemyes as appeareth Iudg. 2.11.4.1.6.1 But as for vs wee knowe none other God but onely the Lorde therefore we trust that he will not despise vs nor any of our lynage yea for his comfort let vs tarie with meekenesse and he shall require and make inquisition for our blood from the vexation of our enemies hee shall bring downe all the heathen that rise vp agaynst vs and put them to dishonour euen the Lorde our God shall doe it neyther when wee shall be taken shall Iudea be so famous for our Sanctuarie shall bee spoyled and hee will require the prophanation thereof at our mouth And the feare of the people our brethren the captiuitie of the countrey and the desolation of our inheritaunce which they rather wishe will he turne vpon our heades among the Gentiles wheresoeuer we shall bee in bondage and wee shal be an offence and reproch to all them that possesse vs for our seruitude shall not be directed by fauour but the Lord our God shall turne it to dishonour Now therefore O deere brethren Let vs shewe an example to our brethren the people because their heartes depende vpon you and the Sanctuary and the house and the altar rest all vppon you that are the honourable and elders in the people of God Moreouer let vs giue thankes to the Lorde our God whiche tryeth vs euen as hee did our fathers and lift yee vp the heartes of the people with your exhortations that they may call to remembraunce howe our fathers also in times paste were tempted that they might bee prooued if they woorshipped theyr God aright yea put them in minde of this I saye how that our father Abraham being tempted and tryed through
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
Leaprosie as white as snowe in the yeere of the worlde 2516. Then Moses partly for pittie to see his sister in such a lothsome case and partly at the earnest request and intercession of Aaron his brother who saide to Moses Alas my Lorde I beseech thee lay not the sinne vpon vs which we haue foolishly committed and wherein we haue sinned Let her not I pray thee be as a childe dead of whom the fleshe is halfe consumed when hee commeth out of his mothers wombe hauing as it were but skinne bone Moses besought the Lorde for his sister saying O Lorde I beseeche thee heale her nowe but the Lord made him aunsweare saying if her father in his anger and displeasure had spit in her face shoulde she not haue beene ashamed seuen dayes Let her be shut out of the host seuen dayes and after she shal be receiued So Miriam was shut out of the host seuen dayes as the Lorde commaunded and the people remoued not till Miriam was restored and receiued in againe into the host Finally in the yeere of the worlde 1554. when she had liued 119. yeeres after the birth of Moses and when Moses and the children of Israel were come into the desert of Sinai to the citie Cades fortie yeere after the departure out of the land of Egypt Myriam there dyed and was buried when shee had liued aboue a 130. yeeres Exod. 2.4.7.6.20 15.20 c. Num. 12.1 20.1 1. Chro. 6.3 Milcha Milcah or Melcha or Melea sig a Queene his Queene or aduiser fulfilling She was the daughter of Haram Abrahams youngest brother the sister of Lot and as some thinke of Sarai the wife of Abraham and also was the wife of Nahor Abrahams second brother so that her husband and her father were naturall brothers the sonnes of Terah and she her selfe neere vnto her husband who was her vncle which kynde of marriage was after forbidden by the lawe after she bare vnto her husband Nahor eight sonnes to wit Uz Buz. Kemuel that was afterwarde Prince of the Assyrians Chesed Hazo Pildash Iidlaph and Bethuel which was the father of Rebecca that afterward became wife to Isaack so Milcha was Rebeccaes grādmother her mates name was Reumah Gen. 11.29.22.20 There was another woman called Milcah whiche was one of the fiue daughters and coheires of Zelohehad of the tribe of Manasses as yee may reade in Mahlah her sisters storie Number 26.33.27 1.36 Molecheth signifieth a Queene She was the sister of Gilead and daughter of Machir and bare vnto her husband three sonnes called Ishbod Abiezer and Mahalah 1. Chro. 7.18 N Naamah or Naama signifieth comlinesse fayre beautifull or greatly mouing affliction She was the daughter of Lamech and Zillah and the sister of Tubalkain the cunning brasier and smith Gen. 4.22 There was another woman called Naamah which was an Ammonitesse one of the wiues of king Salomon who bare vnto him a sonne called Rehoboam that after was king of Iuda 1. Kings 14. 21. Naarah or Naara or Naari signifieth a puzill a damosell striking of or walking She was one of the two wiues of Ashur the father or Prince of Tekoa her mates name was Heleah and she bare vnto her husbande foure sonnes called Ahuzam Hepher Temeni and Haashtari 1. Chro. 4.36 Naomi or Noemi or Mara sig fayre comely or prouoking much or greatly assuring Bitter She was the wife of a certaine man called Elimelech dwelling in the land of Iuda in a citie called Bethlem and for because of the present dearth which was ouer all the lande of Iuda in the time that the Iudges ruled She went with her husband and her two sonnes called Mahlon and Chilion into the countrey of Moab to soiourne where in processe of time her husband first died and her two sonnes w t whom she remained being married to two of the Moabitish damosels to wit Orphah Ruth died there also So that Naomi which had dwelt in the land of Moab ten yeeres was now left desolate both of her husband and of her sonnes Then Naomy hearing how the Lord had visited her countrie againe with plentie returned from Moab homewardes againe her two daughters in lawe Orpha and Ruth bringing her on y e way in her iourney And when shee sawe they had gone a good way with her and coueted not to returne from her shee saide vnto them Goe nowe my daughters and returne eche of you vnto your mothers house and the Lorde deale as kindly with you as yee haue dealt with the dead men my sonnes and with mee their sorowfull mother And the Lorde graunt that you may finde rest eyther of you in the house of her husband and so kissed them to haue bid them farewell But when she saw that they wept and would not depart from her she sayde vnto them agayne returne my daughters I pray you for what cause will yee goe with me Are there anie moe children within my wombe to bee your husbandes Turne againe therefore I say and goe your way for I am too olde to haue an husband And if I should say I had hope of children or if I had an husband this night or had already borne sonnes Woulde yee tarrie for them till they were growen of age and refrayne from taking of husbandes so long No not so my daughters it greeueth mee much for your sakes that the hand of the Lord is gone out against me Then they wept altogether and Orpha kissed her mother in lawe and tooke her leaue and returned into her owne lande of Moab agayne But because it was Gods woonderfull prouidence that Ruth shoulde become one of his housholde shee abode still with Naomy But Naomy did all that shee could to perswade her likewise to depart and returne with her sister saying beholde thy sister in law is gone backe vnto her people and vnto her Gods returne thou also after her But when Naomy saw that for no entreaty Ruth would depart from her but was stedfastly mynded to goe on with her she left speaking vnto her And so when they came to Bethlehem Iuda which was about the beginning of barley haruest or in April where when her cōming was noysed abroad the women of the citie which saw Naomy knowing her to come of a great familie and to haue been of great reputation when she dwelt among them said one to another is not this Naomy Naomy saide shee call me not Naomy that is beautifull but call me Mara that is bitter for the almighty hath geuen mee much bitternes I went out full and the Lorde hath brought me againe emptie Why then call yee me Naomy seeing the Lord hath humbled me and the almighty hath brought me vnto aduersitie And so Naomy remayned in Bethleem Iuda her daughter in law Ruth with her where shee liued poorely by the corne that Ruth gleamed for her sustenaunce in the fieldes of Booz her husbande Elimelechs kinsman and when Ruth brought home the corne and tolde her where shee had it she
the Diuel Asmodeus bound him sent him into the wildernes of the higher Egypt And after that they were both shut in Tobias rose out of the bed said vnto the virgin vp sister Sara arise let vs make our prayer vnto God that hee would haue pitie on vs to day to morrowe and the thirde day for these three nightes will wee ioyne or reconcile our selues to God and when the thirde holy night is past wee shall ioyne together in the duetie of marriage For wee are the children of holy men and wee may not come together as the Heathen that knowe not God Then shee arose and they stood vp both together and besought God earnestly that he would preserue them praying and saying as in the first Lampe of Uirginitie And after their prayer ended they went to bed and slept both together that night But Raguel Saraes father thinking Tobias was dead as the other seuen made a graue for him and purposing to haue buryed him secretly the same night that none shoulde haue knowen of it Hee sent his maide into the chamber to see whether hee were dead or aliue who comming into the chamber and finding them both safe and sounde fast a sleepe together brought good tidings again to Raguel and tolde him that Tobias was aliue which caused Raguell not a little to reioyce and prayse the Lorde because hee had mercye on them two which were the only begotten children of their fathers And after commaunding the graue to bee filled vp he made a greate wedding feast which hee kept for ioy 14. dayes and gaue halfe of his goods to Tobie towardes the marriage of his daughter Sarra assuring the rest vnto him her by writing after his and his wiues death So after the fourteene dayes expired in the which space Tobias begate his wife with childe When Raguel by no intreatie coulde persuade Tobie to carry any longer from his sorrowfull father mother that long expected his returne He deliuered his daughter Saâ—ra vnto him together with her portion and so sent her away from him with health and ioy and with his blessing saying The God of heauen make you my children to prosper before I die And with this exhortation giuen to Sarra his daughter saying Honor thy father and mother in lawe which are now thy parents that I may heare good report of thee Also see thou loue thine husband and rule well thine houshold keeping them in good order that thou mayest shewe thy selfe faultlesse and so kissed them and tooke his leaue of them And to Tobias her mother Edna gaue this charge concerning Sarra saying The Lorde of heauen restore thee my deare brother and graunt that I may see thy children of my daughter Sarra that I may reioyce before the Lorde Beholde now I commit to thee my daughter as a pledge doe not intreate her euill So shee imbraced her daughter kissed her let her goe So Sarra went with her husband to Niniuie there dwelt with her husbandes father olde Tobie and where after his her mother in lawes death she returned againe with her husband to Ecbatan to her owne father there dwelt with him while he and her mother liued and after their death which was in the yeere of the world 3456. she inherited al their substance there liued died with her husband before y e destructioÌ„ of Niniuie Tob. 3.7.6.10 c. 7.8.9.6.10.10 c. 11.1.14.13 Serah or Sarah or Sarai sig the same that Sarah doth She was the daughter of Asher the second sonne of Iacob begotten of Zilpa his concubine and the handmaid of Lea and sister to Beriah Isui Iesuah and Iimnah the sonnes of Asher her father Gen. 46.17 Num. 26 46. 1. Chro. 7.30 Sherah or Seera or Seerah or Sara sig the same also that Sara doth She was the daughter of Ephraim or as some thinke his Niece daughter of Manasses who being a noble woman and riche in possessions built to her perpetuall fame three great cities in Gezar in y e lande of Ephraim her father and gaue vnto them seuerall names the one being called Bethhoron the neather the second Bethhoron the vpper the third Uzzen Sheerah after her owne name 1. Chr. 7.24 Which cities being afterward taken spoyled by Pharo king of Egypt were giuen by him for a present vnto his daughter king Salomons wife and after repaired and fortified againe by Salomon as appeareth 1. King 9.16 2. Chro 8.5 Shelomith or Selomith Salomith sig a peacefull woman or perfect or recompensing She was the daughter of Dibri of the tribe of Dan became wife to an Egyptian by whom she bare a sonne that afterward was the first y t euer was imprisoned and stoned to death for blaspheming of the Lord by swearing or despiting God in a fray or mutinie that hee made with another man of Israel vpon which occasion God among other made this lawe for euer to remaine against all blasphemers That whosoeuer curseth his God should be punished and beare his sinne and he that blasphemeth the name of the Lord should bee put to death for it But this lawe being nowe out of vse the more is the pitie it woundeth the heartes of the godly to heare the blasphemers in euery place in this wicked age of the worlde without any publike reproofe or penall punishment inflicted by the Magistrate so crucifie Christe againe and rente his most precious members asunder one froÌ„ another by rapping out of infinite vgly and most horrible othes and execrable cursings to the great disglory of God the prophanation of his sacred law too too much offence of the godlie and zealous Christian. There was another woman called Shelomith or Salomith or Selomith which was the daughter of Zerubbabell the sonne of Pedaiah and nephew of Zalathiell which came of the stocke of Dauid of whose line or stock Christ came also she was sister to Meshullam Hananiah 1. Chr. 3. 19. Shimrath or Semath or Semaath sig hearing obeying She was an Ammotish woman and mother to Zabad who with his fellowe Ieho zabed traiterously killed his master king Ioash and was therefore iustly slaine and put to death by Amaziah the king after the death of his father whom they slue 2. Chr. 24.25.26.25.2 Shimrith or Simrith or Semarith sig shee is warned hard as a Diamond a thorne dregges Shee was a Moabitish woman and mother of Iehozabat the other traiterous seruaÌ„t of king Ioash who with his fellowe zabad the sonne of Shimrath before most vilanously conspired together and slue their master king Ioas as hee lay sicke in his bed but afterwarde for this his blooddie fact hee suffered the condigne punishment of shamefull death by the handes of Amaziah the king and sonne of Ioah as appeareth 2. Chr. 24.25.26 25.2 Shiphrah or Siphrah or Sephora sig faire fairenes pleasing a sparrowe his birde a Trumpet wel doing goodnes early a Goat She with her companion Puah were two of the most famous and
chiefest midwiues of the Hebrue women in the lande of Egypt vnto whom king Pharao in his cruel rage against the Israelites and the children of God gaue this commandement saying when yee doe the office of a midwife to the women of the Hebrues or Israelites and set them on their stooles or seates whereupon they satte in trauelling of childe If it be a sonne then ye shall kill him but if it be a daughter theÌ„ let her liue Notwithstanding these two midwiues feared God more then the king did not murther the infants of the women of Israel in y e birth as y t bloody butcher king Pharao had coÌ„maÌ„ded theÌ„ But coÌ„trariwise preserued y e meÌ„ children still aliue which wheÌ„ y t tyrant the king vnderstood he sent for these two good midwiues rebuked theÌ„ saying why haue ye preserued aliue y e meÌ„ childreÌ„ coÌ„trary to my coÌ„mandment But the Midwiues made their excuse and answered the king saying Because O king quoth they the Hebrue women are not like the women of Egypt for they are more strong and sturdie women and liuelie and quicklie deliuered yer the Midwiues come at them Which answere the tyrannous king well allowing of when he saw he could not preuaile by that craft he burst foorth to open rage against Gods people and commaunded all his people that they should cast euery man childe of the Hebrue women into the riuer but to reserue euery maidechilde aliue But as touching this act of Shiprah and her fellow Midwife as their disobedience heerein to the king was lawfull enough so their dissembling and lying in their excuse so vnto him was euill howbeit because the Midwiues feared God therefore God made them houses and prospered them that is God rewarded their constancie not their lying and blessed and increased the families both of the Midwiues and of the Israelites by their meanes so that the people of Israel multiplied and were very mightie Yea by their meanes that notable member of Gods Church and holy man of God Moses was preserued by whom God deliuered his people out of the oppression and slauery of that Tyrant Pharo to his vtter destruction in the redde Sea Exod. 1.15.16 c. Shuah or Sua or Suaa sig crying sauing mightie honorable regardful of the sauiour lowlinesse studie speech budding praier She was a Cananitish woman borne the daughter of one Suah or as some thinke of Hirah an Addulamite and became the wife of Iudah the sonne of Iacob which affinitie notwithstanding was condemned of God so shee bare vnto Iuda three sonnes Er Onan and Shelah at a place called Chezib But because her two eldest sonnes were both wicked men in the sight of the Lorde therefore the Lorde slue them both to her great griefe And in processe of time shee also died after whose death her husband Iudah committed horrible incest with her daughter in lawe Tamar the wife of Er her eldest sonne to the slander of the Church and offence of the godlie as ye may reade Gen. 28. 1. Chro. 2.3 There was another woman called Shuah which was the daughter of Hebar the sonne of Beriah the sonne of Ashur and who also was the sister of Iaphlet Shomer and Hotham 1. Chr. 7.32 Susanna or Suesâ—hanna sig a Lilly a Rose Mirth his Lilly grace or Lady her grace and good behauiour louely fauourable c. Shee was the daughter of Helchias of the tribe of Iuda and wife of Ioachim a very great riche man and of high reputation and honour among the Iewes in Babylon where hee dwelt Nowe shee beeing a very fayre woman well brought vp and instructed by her parentes in the law of Moses one y t feared God In the same first yere that she was married there were two Iudges made of y e Ancients of the people which resorted muche to her husbande Ioachims house because hee was the most honorable of all others and all they of the Iewes which had any thing to doe in the lawe came thither also vnto them to haue their matters hearde and decided These two Iudges beeing wicked men were so wounded with the loue of Susanna and burned so in lust towards her both at one time vnwitting one to the other that they wist not what to doe but neither durst tel the other his grief nor yet for shame vtter their inordinate dotage and lust vnto her And so on a day when they had sate long in Ioachims house about matters of the lawe and waited for to haue their purpose on Susanna and coulde not they brake vp and went home to dinner And at their returne againe togethers the one brake to y e other their whole minds appointed a time when they mighte take her alone And when they had espied out a conuenient time y t Susanna went into a faire garden that shee had adioyning vnto her house as her manner was there to walke euer about noone when her husbandes Clients were all gone home to dinner with two of her maidens onelie accompanying her there to walke wash herselfe in the heate of the day Behold these two olde lechers hid them selues in the garden against her comming And assoone as her maidens had shut the garden or orcharde dore and were gone for oyle and sope for their mistres as shee had commaunded them These two wicked Elders or lecherous Iudges who had lyen there priuilie hid vnknowen to Susanna and her maidens like two neighing horsses came vpon her now beeing all alone and saide Beholde the garden dores are nowe shut that no man can see vs and wee burne in loue with thee therefore consent vnto vs and lye with vs if thou willt not wee will beare wtinesse against thee that a young man was in the Orchard with thee and y t therefore thou sentest away thy maydens from thee because thou wouldest commit adultery with him And then Susanna sighed and saide Alas I am in trouble on euery side for if I followe your mindes and doe the thing it will bee my death And if on the other side I consent not vnto you nor doe it not yet can I not escape your handes Well it is better for mee to fall into your handes without the deede doing then to sinne in the sight of y e Lord by doing it And with that shee cryed out vpon them with a loude voice And the olde lechers cryed out as fast against her which clamour on both parties was so great that it was hard among her seruants without which ranne to the garden dore and burst it open for hast to see what the matter was And when the seruants had heard the elders false report of Susanna they beeing a little too hastie in beleeuyng so false a reporte of their mistres were greatly ashamed of her for there was neuer suche a report made of Susanna before So on the morrowe after these two wicked Iudges full of mischeuous imaginations againste Susanna came to Ioachim her husbandes house as the manner
so vnnaturallye with his owne sister to the terrour of all Athiestes vngodly wretches incestuous lyuers that abounde in these dayes so greatlye in all places abroad and runne headlonge to their own damnation without anye shame remorce or conuersion without dread eyther of Gods vengeaunce to lyght vppon them in this worlde or of the deuilles tormentes to vexe them in the worlde to come 2. Sam. 13. all Tamar the daughter of Absolon was a verye fayre woman also to looke vppon shee had a sister called Maacha which was the wife of Roboam king of Iuda and best beloued of all his wiues and Concubynes as appeareth in her storie 2. Sam. 14.27 2. Chron. 11.20 1. Kings 15.2 Taphath or Tapheth or Taphet dropping a drop a prety one Shee was the daughter of king Salomon and wife to Abinadab one of his xii chief officers and purueiours for his victuals in the countrie or region of Dor. 1. Kings 4.11 Timna or Thimna or Thamna signi an image shape a numbring telling forbidding fayling faythfull perfectnesse c. Shee was the Concubine of Eliphaze the sonne of Esawe and mother of Amaleck of whome came the curssed Amalekites Gene. 36.12 There was an other woman called Thimna which was the daughter of Seir an Horite and sister to Lotan one of the chife and mighty Princes of the Horites with whome Esaw grew in affinitie Gene. 36.22 1. Chro. 1.39 Tirzah or Thirza or Thersa signi pleasing well liking contenting willing sweete running Shee was the youngest of the fiue daughters and coheires of zelophead the sonne of Hephir of the tribe of Manasses the sonne of Ioseph of her read more in her eldest sister Mahlahs storie Numbe 26. 33.27.1.36.11 Triphena signi both one thing as meaning returning a nise woman a cleere delicate and fine dame Triphosa signi both one thing as meaning returning a nise woman a cleere delicate and fine dame These were two certeine godlye women to whome among other godly women S. Paule in his Epistle to the Romans for their diligent labour in the Gospell sendeth greeting saying salute Triphena and Triphosa which women laboured in the Lord. Rom. 16.12 V Uashti or Uasti or Uasthi signi drinking bibbing doubling putting flaxe on the distaffe Shee was the wife of Ahasuerus otherwise called Artaxersis or Cambysis king of Persia And when on a time shee made a great and princely feaste and bankette of wine for all the women of the Citie of Susan in the royal house of the king her husbande as hee likewise did at the same time vnto all the men to shew his magnificence and glorye of his kingdome So it was that the king her husband being merye with wine sent certeine noble men about him and commaunded them to bring Queene Uashti before him with the crown royall vpon her head that hee might shewe the people and the Princes there assembled at the feaste her bewtie for shee was a verye fayre and goodlye woman to looke vppon But the Queene Uashti refused to come vnto him at the king her husbands commaundement Therfore y e king being very angry with her in the 3. yeere of his raigne and in the yeere of the world 2610. called 7. Princes of Persia Media whiche were of his priuie Councell together and sayde vnto them What shall we doe vnto Queene Uashti according to the law because she did not obey our commaundement nor come vnto vs when we sent for her by commission geuen to y e Eunuches The Memuchan one of his seuē chiefe Counsellers gaue this aduice and counsell and saide The Queene Uashti by her disobedience hath not onelie done euill against the king but against all the Princes and people that are in the Prouinces of the king for thereby hath she giuen an example to all the women in the land to doe the like vnto their husbands For it cannot be chosen but that the act and disobedience of the Queene shall come abroade into the eares of all women both Princesses and other so that they shall by her euill example dare to displease their husbands yea and despise them also in their owne conceytes and opinions and arrogantly shall say Loe the king Ahasuerus commaunded Uashti the Queene to be brought in before him but she came not at his sending for nor obeyed him So shall the Princesses and noble women of Persia and Media this day take first occasion hereof to doe the like And say also vnto all the kings and Princes whē they heare of the act of y e Queene as she did then also the rest of the inferiour women in y e land wil by continuance doe the same By which occasion much despitefulnesse and wrath shall arise and shal be ingendred may intend if this example goe vnpunished in Uasty if it please the king therefore let a royal decree be enacted and proceede from him and let it be written and registred for a lawe inuiolable and neuer to be transgressed in the statutes of Persia and Media that Uasti be diuorced and come no more before the king and let the king giue her royall estate vnto another of her companions that is better then she and more worthye to bee made Queene in her steede And when this decree or statute of the king shal be made and published by proclamation throughout all his kingdome then shall all women both great and smal feare to offend their husbāds by following Uasties euill example and shall geue their husbandes more due honour reuerence and obedience at the least if not for loue as they ought yet for feare of further punishment by the lawe as they are compelled Which wise and graue aduise of his priuy counsell so pleased the king and the Princes that the king straight wayes followed the same and put it in execution So that the Queene Uashti was diuorced from the king Hester receiued in her place and after y e law statute made y e king sent from his court letters in diuers lāguages to publishe the same law statute in all his prouinces and to euery people after their language straightly charging cōmanding y t euery man should beare rule in his own house y t euery wife shoulde be subiect to her husband at his commandement Hester 1.9 c. Zebudah or zebida sig edowed dowment She was the daughter of Pedaiah of Rumah wife of Iosiah king of Iuda and mother of Eliakim otherwise called Ioiakim whō Pharao Necho made king deposed Iehoahaz 2. King 23.36 Zeresh or Sares sig a roote a smal chaine a forraine misery or inheritance a seuered misery or heritage a rundel or crowne of vnhappines or of inheritance She was the wife of y t proude and ambitious man Haman who whē he was exalted by Assuerus y e king in steed of acknowledging his change and humbling himselfe waxed so ambitious and disdaynefull and cruel that because Mordicay a Iewe woulde not doe any reuerence vnto him he wrought all the spyte
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
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
Simeon and mother Anna the prophetesse prophesie strange thinges of Christ her sonne and confesse him openly to be the Sauiour of the worlde shee marueyled greatly at those thingâ—s which wâ—re spoken touching him Especially when Simeon blessed her and her babe and sayde vnto her beholde this thy chylde is appoynted for the fall of the reprobate and raysing agayne of many of the elect in Israel and for a signe which shall bee spoken agaynst Yea and a swoorde that is sorrowes shall pearce through thy soule or heart that the thoughtes of many heartes by the triall of the crosse may bee opened And when shee had performed all thinges at Ierusalem according to the lawe shee returned with Ioseph her husbande home to the Citie of Nazareth agayne And being accustomed yeerely she and her husband to goe vp at the feast of Ester to Ierusalem shee chaunced on a tyme to forget her Sonne Iesus behind her and supposing that he had beene in the company went a dayes iourney and sought him among her kinsfolke and acquaintance But when she could not finde him she tourned backe to Ierusalem and there sought him for the space of three dayes ere she could finde him At the last she found him out in the temple sitting in the middes of the doctours hearing and apposing them with questions and sayd vnto him Sonne why haste thou thus delt with vs thy father and I haue sought thee with heauy heartes but he preferring his duetie to God before father or mother sayd how is it that ye sought me Knowe yee not that I must goe about my fathers businesse but they vnderstood him not So hee came and went home to Nazareth with her and was subiecte vnto his mother who kept all these his sayinges in her heart Another time as she was with her sonne at a marriage feast in Cana a towne in Galilee when the wine fayled at the feast she tolde her Sonne that they lacked wine and receiuing his answere meekely she bad the ministers or seruantes to doe whatsoeuer hee commaunded them Fynallye when shee with her sister Mary the wife of Cleophas and Mary Magdalen stoode by the crosse whereon her Sonne Iesus houng crucified and shedde his blood as well for her as for all other Christians sorow then pearced her heart like a sword according as Simeon had prophecied and foretolde her And when Iesus sawe her and the Disciple Saint Iohn standing by her whome hee loued Hee sayde vnto his mother woman beholde thy Sonne Then sayde hee also to the Disciple beholde thy mother and from that houre the Disciple tooke her home vnto him and comforted her To conclude after Christes ascention vp into heauen she kept companye with the Apostles and together with the other women and all the Apostles continued in one accorde in prayer and supplication in Ierusalem Luke 1. Math. 1â—2 Luke 2. Iohn 2.3.19.25.26 Act. 1. 14. Marye the wife of Cleophas or Clophas was sister to Marie the Uirgin mother of our Sauiour Christ stoode with her by y e crosse wheroÌ„ Christ dyed to behold with teares sorowe of heart his pacient suffring guiltles passion for them and all Christians Iohn 19.25 Mary Magdalen which word Magdalen signi magnified or exalted Shee was the sister of Martha and Lazarus whome Christ raysed from death being a very sinful woman dwelling in Bethynia it pleased God for the comfort of al sinners to call her so to repentaunce remorce for her former foule wicked life y t when she knew Iesus to sit at meate in one of the Pharises houses called Symon the Leaper she went with a boxe of very costly and sweete oyntment called Spiknard or Nardus in her hande the which boxe after she had broken it and powred the Oyle vpon Christes head as he sat so that it ran downe along vpon his bodye she then fell downe also at his feete behynd him and wept so abundantly for her sinnes that she washed his feete with her teares and did wipe them with the hayres of her head and also kissed them and annoynted them with that sweete oyntment so that the house was filled with the sweete sauour and odour thereof Which her godly facte was verye offensiue both to Iudas his Apostle the dissembling traytour and also to Symon the ignoraunt Pharisie and maister of the feast Insomuch as Iudas hereby tooke occasion to betraye Christe For hauing indignation against it not for y t he cared for the poore because he was a theefe and bare the bag of money that was giuen to the poore he murmured and disdayned in himselfe sayd why was not this oyntment solde for three hundred pence giuen vnto the poore But Iesus to excuse or rather approue and commend Maries fact said vnto him Let her alone why trouble ye her she hath wrought a good worke on me done that she could comming before hand to annoynt my body to y e burying to honour my buryal withal The poore ye haue with you alwayes and when yee wil yee may doe them good but me ye shal not haue alwaies Therfore verily I say vnto you whersoeuer this Ghospel shal be preached thorowe out al the world this fact which she hath done shal be spoken of in her worthy remeÌ„brance perpetual memorial Also when Symon the Pharisie which bad Christ to the feast saw what Mary had done he likewise murmured grudged within himself began to doubt of Christ to iustify himselfe to condemne Mary saying if this man were a Prophet he would surely haue known who what maÌ„ner of womaÌ„ this is which toucheth him for she is a sinner or coÌ„mon harlot but Iesus seeing y e great faith of y e woman knowing his hypocritical thoughts preseÌ„tly put foorth this parable said to him SimoÌ„ I haue soÌ„what to say to thee say on master quoth he There was said Christ a certein creditor had 2. debtors y e one ought him 5. hundred pence the other fifty wheÌ„ they had nought to pay he them both which of them therefore thinkest thou wil loue him most tel me I suppose quoth Simon that he to whoÌ„ he forgaue most will loue him most Thou hast iudged truely said Christ and with that turned him to the woman said to Simon Seest thou this woman I entred into thine house and thou gauest me no water to my feete but shee hath washed my feet with teares and wiped them with the haire of her head Thou gauest mee no kisse but shee since the time that I came in hath not ceassed to kisse my feet My head with oyle thou diddest not anoint but shee hath anointed both my head and feete with oyntmente Wherefore I say vnto thee many sinnes are forgiuen her for she loued much To whom a litle is forgiuen he doth loue a litle And then he turned him to Marie Magdalen and sayde vnto her woman thy sinnes are forgiuen thee and thy fayth hath saued thee
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
of the child was importunate vpoÌ„ Elisha to goe himself vnto her child said As the Lord liueth as thy soule liueth I wil not leaue thee vntil thou goe with me thine owne selfe wherupon Elisha theÌ„ arose went himselfe with her who met his maÌ„ Gehazi by the way returning from the child y t told him how he had layd the staffe vpon the face of the childe but he neither spake nor heard for all that neyther was he as yet awaked Wherfore Elisha weÌ„t forward on his iourney with the mother of the child when he came into the womaÌ„s house entred into his own chamber or lodging behold there he found the child dead layd vpon his bed TheÌ„ causing euery body to depart he shut the doore vpon himselfe the dead child prayed heartily vnto the Lord for the childs life After prayer he went vp lay vpon the child and put his mouth on the childes mouth his eyes vpon his eyes and his haÌ„ds vpon his hands stretched himselfe vpon him so y t at the last the flesh of the child waxed warme TheÌ„ he went from him walked vp down in the chaÌ„ber after went vp vpon the bed spread himselfe vpon the child agayn the secoÌ„d time then the child neesed vii times together opened his eies And when he saw the child restored to life he called to his maÌ„ bad him cal y e Shunamitesse his mother who being come vnto him he said vnto her heere take thy sonne with that for ioy reuerence she fel downe at his feet bowed her selfe to the ground then tooke vp her sonne went out and Elisha returned to Gilgall After this when the great famine was in the land of Israel it chaÌ„ced that Elishâ— came againe into this Shunamites house whose sonne he had restored to life and finding her now a widowe for her husband was dead hee prophesied vnto her the dearth of seuen yeeres to come willed her to prouide for her selfe in time saying vp and goe thou and thine house and soiourne where thou canst finde a commodious place to dwell in and whereas is plenty for the Lorde hath called for a Famine and it commeth also vpon the land for the space of vii yeeres And the woman arose and did after the counsell of the man of God went both shee and her houshold and soiourned in the land of the Philistins seuen yeeres And at the seuen yeeres end she returned out of the land of the Philistines home to Sunem her owne citie and countrie But so it was y t in her absence other naughty couetous persoÌ„s had takeÌ„ her house lands from her kept her out of her own possessions by force and disseason whereuppon she then poore widowe vrged through this wrong to come by her owne lawfully tooke her sonne with her and went out to complaine vnto the king Iehoram against those intruders and being come into the kings presence such was the woonderful prouidence of God that shee there found Gehazi the seruauâ—t of Elisha the man of God talking with the king as it fell out preparing an entrance indeede vnto her sute for the king being very desirous to heare of Gehazi of all the famous Actes and greate miracles done by Elisha his maister amongest all other thinges Gehazi tolde him howe that he had restored one dead to life and as he spake these wordes the woman knowing that he meant her sonne and wisely taking so good opportunity offered with that stept boldly vnto the king and called vpon him for her house and land wrongfully taken from her whom when Gehazi beheld and saw that she was his maisters hostesse of whoÌ„ he spake he presently to confirme his tale and former reporte sayde vnto the king My Lord O king this is the very same woman whom I spake off and this is her sonne whom my maister Elisha restored froÌ„ death to life And when the king asked the woman whether that were so or no she aunswdred that it was most true and that she was the woman indeede and the same was her sonne that was restored to life by Elisha Then the king without any further delay vpon the troth of y e matter known appoynted her an Eunuche or one amongst his chiefest officers and commaunded him to put her in possession of her owne agayne and to restore all that was hers together with all the fruites and profites of her landes since the day she left the citie or countrie euen vntill the time of her returne and so shee was iustly restored to that which was wrongfully withholden from her to her comfort and y â— glory of God that so graciously wrought in the heart of the king to doe her that good turne 2. King 4.8 c. 8.1 c. T Tekoitesse In Tekoah a citie of Iuda sometimes built by Rehoboam king of Israel and being sixe myles distant from Bethleem there dwelt a certayne subtile or wise woman whom Ioab Dauids captaine sent for to Ierusalem of purpose to vse her for a meanes to reconcile Absolom nowe out of Dauid the king his fathers fauour and a banished man for killing his brother Ammon that had defloured his sister Thamar And when she was come he being also a very suttle man taught her what to say and how by way of a parrable or darke phrase of speech she should describe vnto the king the death of Ammon by Absolom how she should best perswade the king to reconciliation saying I pray thee quoth he vnto her now put on mourning apparrell and annoynt not thy selfe with oyle but fayne thy selfe to mourne and to be as a widowe woman that hath now long mourned for the death of her husbaÌ„d and goe to the king and speake vnto him after this manner So the woman being thus taught her lesson before by Ioab what to say weÌ„t disguysed vnto king Dauid and falling prostrate before his feete vpon her face on the ground did her obeysance and said Helpe O king saue me desolate woman or els I perish The king seeing her in that woful plight said presently vnto her agayne woman what ayleth thee O my Lord quoth she I am indeed a widowe woman whose husbande is lately dead and thine handmayde had two sonnes who stroue and fought so long together in the field till the one slue the other because there was none to part them And now beholde the whole family is risen against thine handmayde and call vpon me saying Deliuer vs him that hath slayne his brother that he may be put to death for that his fact according to the law in reueÌ„ge of his brothers death which if I should do theÌ„ would they destroy the heire also of mine husband so they shal leaue to myne husbande neither name nor posteritie vpon the earth for that cause O king I am come to begge mercie pardon of thee for my sonne that is left
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