517 Of famous Astrologians 518 Of Women Orators that have pleaded their own causes or others 523 Of women studious in Divinity 525 Of women excellent in Philosophy other Learning 529 A discourse of Poetry 536 Of women excellent in Poetry 538 Of Minerva and others 542 Of Sapho 543 Of Cleobule Lindia and other Poetesses 550 Of Telesilla Poetria 552 Of Perhilla c. 554 A discourse of Witches 556 How the Devil rewards his servants 558 The wretched ends of sundry Magicians 559 Severall sorts of superstitious Jugling 560 Of Cyrce Medea and other Witches remembred by the Poets 563 Of Witches transported from one place to another by the Devil 567 Of Witches that have either changed their own shapes or transformed others 572 Lycantropia 573 A piper transformed into an Asse 574 Other miraculous transformations 575 Of she Devils 576 A Witch of Amsterdam 581 A Witch of Geneva 582 Examples of strange kinds of Witchcraft 583 Witches called Extasists ibid. Divers things to be observed in witches 585. The Contents of the ninth Book inscribed Calliope Entreating of Women in generall with the Punishments of the Vitious and Rewards due to the Vertuous interlaced with sundry Histories A Discourse of Death 586 Of women ravished 589 Of Handmaids Nurses Midwives and Stepdames 592 The punishment of Incest in the sister of Leucippus 603 The punishment of Adultery 605 Sisters that have murthered their brothers 606 The punishment of Fratricides 607 Of mothers that have slain their children and wives their husbands 608 Punishment due to Regicides 609 Punishment of unjust Divorce 611 Whoredome punished 612 Loquacity punished 613 Lying punished 614 Perjury punished ibid. Prodigality and Excesse punished 616 Witchcraft punished 619 Honor and Reward due to Fortitude 627 Honor and Reward due to Temperance 629 Reward due to fertility or many children illustrated in divers Histories 630 Of Beauty and the Reward thereof 638 A Convertite rewarded 641 Of Cura or Care 647 Rewards due to women Philosophers Orators or Poetesses 648 Nine Books of various History only concerning Women Inscribed by the names of the nine Muses The first Book which is CLIO treating of the Goddesses Coelestiall Terrestriall Marine and Infernall BEfore we enter into a particular tractare of these Goddesses it shall not be amisse to speak something of the opinions setled in sundry Nations concerning them Who were their first Adorers and Worshippers the multiplicity of their gods and what several Rights and Customs Observations and Ceremonies they used in their Oblations and Sacrifices The Aethiopians are said to be the most ancient and first beginners of Divine adoration as Diodorus is of opinion Imagining in themselves and verily beleeving some of their gods to be everlasting and others to participate of a mortall and corruptible nature The Phoenicians they delivered admirable and strange things concerning their gods and the first beginning and Creation of things above all others having in Divine worship Dagona and Chamas The Atlantides a people of Affrica they are confident that the generation of the gods proceeded from them and the first that reigned amongst them they called Coelum which is heaven The Augitae another Nation in the Affrick Continent acknowledged no other Deities then the Ghosts of such Noble persons as were deceased to whose Sepulchres they usually repaired to demand answers of al such things wherein they doubted The Theology of the Phrygians was not much different from theirs The Persians neither erected Statues nor Altars they worshipped the Heaâ—ens which they called Jupiter the Sun by the name of 〈◊〉 the Moon Venus the Fire the Earth the Winds and the Water Isiodorus saith the Graecians first honoured 〈◊〉 whom they stiled Jupiter and were the first devisâ—rs 〈◊〉 Images erecters of Altars and offerers of Sacrifice The Jewes as Cornelius Tacitus relates apprehended but one divine power and that onely they acknowledged The German of old as the same Author affirms were of opinion That the gods could not be comprehended within wals not have any humane shape appropriated unto them measuring theâ—â— incomprehensible power by the magnitude of the heavens Now concerning the divers opinions of men what this supreme Deity should be some held it the universe or the globe of the world of which opinion was Origenes in his fifth book against Câ—â—sus The Stoicks held it to be the first world the Platonists a second world and divers other Sâ—ctâ—sts of Greece to be a third world Thales Mâ—lesius called God a Mind that fashioned all creatures out of the water that knew â—o beginning and was not capable of end Anaximander he ascribed a Deity to the Stars and the Planets and these coelestiâ—ll bodies attributing no honour to that Mind of which Thales dreamed Anaximenes thought it to be Infinite 〈◊〉 to which he attributed the Originall of all causes and derived the birth of the gods from thence for so Saint Augustine and Cicero affirms Democritus Abderites as Cicero and Arnobius testifie of him was of opinion that it was a Mind of fire and the soule of the world Plutarch in the 〈◊〉 of Numa sets down Pythagoras his opinion concerning this godhead and thus defines it A Mind still travelling never out of motion but dispers'd and diffus'd through all the parts of the world and things naturall 〈◊〉 which all creatures whatsoever that are born take life â—ysis and Philolaus call it an unspeakable number or a summity of the greatest or smalest number for so Origenes saith Archelaus Physicus would have all things to be created of earth and as Epiphanius testates of him the beginning of all things to proceed from thence Phâ—recidas taught that the earth was before all other things and therefore to that he appropriated a divinity Heraclius Ephesius contested the gods to be made of 〈◊〉 so Varro writes of him of the same beleefe was Hippasus Metapontinus witnesse Simplicius Anaxagorâ—s Clazâ—â—en called his god Homoeomeria that is Lâ—â—â—â—esse of parte and that a divine thought was the producter of all things whatsoever So Augustine reports of him others that he held an infinite mind to be the first mover Prodicus Coeus as Epiphaenius tels us plac'd his god in the foure Elements likewise in the Sun and the Moon in which two Planets there existed a living vertue Diogenes Apollonaites derived his god from the Air as the matter from whence all things had their reality as likewise that it did participate of divine reason without which nothing could be created Cleanthes Assius would have his god of the Firmament as divers others of the Stoicks And as Arnobius witnesseth of him sometimes he call'd him the Will now the Minde then that part of the aire which is above the fire and sometimes again the reason Straton made Nature his summum bonum Antisthenes Atheniensis he taught that there were many popular gods but one onely Architector of the fabricke of the world Chrysippus Silix the Stoick hee taught that God was a naturall power endued with divine reason and
when th' one is fail'd And the other not yet perfect duls the sight No wakefull dog or clamorous cock hath rail'd Vpon the drowâ—ie Morn early to dight The Suns steeds Here the bird that sav'd of old Romes Capitâ—l is never heard to scold The brawling Crane nor yet the pâ—ating Crowe Or tatling Parret to dâ—sturb the eaâ—â— No bellowing Bull swift Hartâ—or Asse more slow Is heard to bray we have all silence here Only a murmuring river which doth flow From Lethe with his streams mongst pebbles cleer Luls the dull sense to soft and feathered rest Charming the cares and sorrowes in the brest Before the gate the drowsie Poppy springs With thousand plants and simples without number Not one but to the brain a numnessi brings Inviting all the powers of man to slâ—mber Whose milkie juice the Night on her black wings Beares t'wart the earth and scatters Who dares cumber This universall whistnesse where none come But taciturnity and silence dumbe Vpon the door no ratling hammers stroke Is heard without to startle those withn No creeking â—hinge by which oft sleep is broke Than to speak loud there 's held no greater sin Midst a vast room a bed hew'd out of Oke That had of late some ancient relâ—que been Fring'd with thâ—â—kâ—â—st and lasie â—obwebs stands Not in an age 〈…〉 with carefull hands Vpon this easie couch with 〈◊〉 hung Of duskie coloured silk you may behold The god of slâ—ep in carelesse fashion flung Stretching his drowsie limbs whom nâ—ne 〈◊〉 so bold To â—og or 〈◊〉 where snortings are heard sung Th' are pincht to softer breath Some dream of gold Of trâ—stes some his Court here Morpheus keeps Which no man sooner enters then he sleeps And this description begins to make me drowsie already But lest speaking too much of sleep I may be taxed and so taken napping my selfe I leave the brother fast sleeping to find out the sister who to the worlds end shall ever be waking Death is said to be educated by her mother Night Pausanias puts us in mind that in a Temple amongst the Eleans there was a woman poâ—tâ—aied leading two sleepy children that in her right hand White that in her left hand Black both with 〈◊〉 legs and mishapen feet the inscription upon the one Sleep upon the other Death the woman that cherâ—sht them Night This death of all the powers that are is most impartiall and implacable and because by no praiers nor intercessions she is to be moved therefore there are no Altars nor Temples nor sacrifices celebrated to her honour her impartiality and implacability Orpheus hath signified in one of his hymns Nec prece muneribus nec tu placabilis ullis She is attired in a sable garment spotted with stars The wise men of the former ages extold her with miraculous praises calling her the portand only secure harbor of rest she frees the body from a thousand pains and diseases delivers the subject from the cruelty of the tyrant and makes the begger equall with his Prince She to all good men is acceptable and welcome only dreadfull to the wicked who have a presage and feare of punishments to come Alcidamus writ an excellent book in the praise of Death having a large and copious argument in which he strove to expresse with what an equall sufferance and modest patience she was to be enterteined Of the same argument writes Plutarch in Consolator for life is nothing else but a light lenâ— us by the Creator of all mankind which if it be redemanded of us ought no more grudgingly to be paid back then comming to a friends house to be merry in the morning and having feasted there all the day to return to our home at night or to pay back what we borrow to the owner For there is no injury done to us if God demand that back at our hands which he hath before but lent us Now from the daughter to come back to the mother and know what is allegorically meant by Night These pests and mischiefes before commemorated are therefore said to be her sons and daughters because the ignorance and malice of man which is indeed the night of the mind is the parent and nurse of all calamities incidents to us yet may some of their violences by wisedome be mitigated though not frustrated of their ends namely Age Love Fate Death and the like who though they be in perpetuall motion their speed may be slackned though not staied and their pace slowed though not quire stopt She was called the most Ancient because before the Heavens and the Sunne were created there was no light extâ—nt which is said to proceed from the lower parts of the earth in regard that the Sunne compassing the world when he lights the Antipodes with his beams the earth shadowes them from us which shadow is nothing else then Night She is called the mother of all as being before the birth of any thing The word Nox is derived à Nocendo of hurting or harming the reason is as some Physitians hold opinion because the corrupt humors of the night are infectious and dangerous especially to men any way diseased of which there is continuall experience in all such as have either wounds or aches or agues or feavers or the like to all such weaknesses or imperfections the humours of the night are still most hurtfull and obnoxious And so much briefly what morally can be gathered by that which hath been fabulously commented of Night That Sleep could not fasten on the eies of Jupiter it is intended not to be convenient for him that hath the charge and protection of the whole Universe to whose care and foresight the administration and guidance of all things are committed should so much as slumber or wink at all neither doth the divine Nature need any rest to repaire and comfort his troubled spirits when he is not capable of either labour or discommodity And Lethe is called the sister of Somnuâ— in regard that by our naturall repose we for the time forget all paine anguish or trouble Because he comes to many creatures and at the same time he is said to be winged in regard the humour of the Night encreaseth the vapours of the stomack ascending to the higher parts of the body which after by the frigidity of the braine descend againe lower and more cool by which Sleep is begot he is therefore not unproperly called the son of Night which Night cals me now to rest with the finishing of this second book called Euterpe Explicit Lib. 2. THE THIRD BOOK of Women inscribed THALIA Treating of Illustrious Queens Famous Wives Mothers Daughters c. Containing the Histories of sundry Noble Ladies GOrgias held opinion that Women were not to be honoured according to their form but their fame preferring actuall vertue before superficiall beauty to incourage which in their sex funerall orations were allowed by the Roman Lawes to be celebrated for all such as had been either presidents of
hath better judgement in Painting then thy selfe Zeuxes being almost with him equally famous Apelles maligning that any Painter should be named whilst he was yet alive took occasion in an humour to make a purposed Journy to give him visitation but especially to observe the manner of his shop and work-house and crossing an arm of the Sea he came to the City where Zeuxes then lived and enquiring out his house was directed thither where knocking the maid came to the door Apelles asked her for her master she told him he was gone into the Town upon very serious occasions and was not then within but I pray Sir when my master returns who shall I say was here to speak with him Apelles spying a fair Table hanging in the shop ready to be wrought but no work therein and the Pensils and Colours all ready by it By thy leave maid saith he and entring the shop chused out a Pensill with which he only drew a curous small line crosse the Table almost of that siâ—enesse to deceive the eie which having suddenly ended Tell thy master saith he to the maid That he that drew this line was here to have spoken with him and so away he goes who was no sooner out but Zeuxes returning and asking her If any man had been there to ask for him in his absence she told him all and shewed the line drawn upon the Table on which he looking with admiration suddenly broke into an exclamation saying This could never have been done but by the hand of Apelles and instantly sent up and down the Town to seek him In the interim this president being still standing before him in a kind of emulation it animated him to adventure on something worthy the sight of Apelles when chusing out another colour differing from that Apelles had wrought he with his Pensill cut the first line just in the middle with a kind of miraculous stedfastnesse and evennesse when glorying in his work which indeed was rare Now tell the Painter saith he if he come again to enquire of me that I have been since at home witnesse that and shew him the Table and so retired himselfe into the inner part of the house Soon after comes Apelles and asks the maid if her master had been yet at home Yes Sir saith she and bad me shew you this and asks you how you like it Apelles wondered as thinking it had scarce been to be found in Art and was startled at the first but as one that never had been equalled and loth now to be exceeded he again took the Pencill and altering the colour in the very life and spirit of Art he divided the almost invisible line of Zeuxes parting it in the middest in such a constant proportion that it seemed altogether to exceed the practice of Science Which having done Now saith he commend me once more to thy Master and ask him from me if this last line hath not made good the imperfections of the former at which word Zeuxes appeared and before he had the power to give him any salutation looking upon what he had done acknowledged him Victor yet held it no dishonor to him to be so overcome This Table was after held as a rare and an unparallel'd Master-piece and being sold for a great sum of monie â—s a choice Jewel hung up in the Capitol of Rome where it was long preserved even till time had defaced the colours and razed out the memory thereof Amongst thousand Excellencies both in their Works and Inventions these shall suffice in this place I now come to my Women Painters Tymarete the daughter of Mycon or Mycaon a man eminent in that quality amongst other curious pieces wrought by her own hand made that admirall picture of Diana which was hanged up in the Temple of Ephesus claiming priority above many that proceeded from the best Artists she flourished in the time that Archelaus reigned in Macedonia Plin lib. 35. cap. 11. Irene was the daughter and scholler of the Painter Cratinus she was famous for the pencilling the Maid whose effigies was kept as a Relike sacred to Memory in the City Eleusina Calipso's excellency was expressed to the life in drawing the old Jugler Theodorus Alcisthine limned a Dancer and she Minstrel and by that got her a name amongst the best Aristarete was the daughter and scholler of the Painter Marcus and drew Asculapius One Olympias professed the same Art and instructed many schollers amongst whom as Pliny saith was Autobulus Lala Cyzizena lived a perpetuall Virgin and was the sole daughter of Marcus Varro she practised in Rome and drew both with the Pencil and with a sharp pointed Quâ—l called Cestrum she cut in ivory She medled not with the Faces of men but women only she made her own picture from a Looking-glass she was commended for the nimblenesse and dexterity of hand for none ever equalled her in quicknesse and for curiosity she exceeded two of the greatest and best practitioners in her daies Sopylon and Dionysius From Painting I come to Weaving The practise of which was held in great use and estimation amongst Princsses and the chief Matrons in which to be excellent was held as a prime honour The exercise thereof was accounted a commendable thing in Wives and a great sign of womanish modesty in Virgins It was first brought from the Phrygians to the Romans King Attalus was the first that devised to weave with threads of Gold It grew to that reverend and respected custome that sisters for their brothers mothers for their sons and women for their husbands with their own hands weaved Cloaks and Gowns And therefore the Romans in all their marriages caused the new married Virgins to present their husbands with a Distaffe Thread and Spindle it is a custome which the Iberians still observe as also That whatsoever their women first spin and after weave is brought to be viewed in publick and rared she that hath done most and best hath so much the more respect and honour Alex ab Alex. lib. 4 cap 8. Amongst the Phoeacenses the men mind only navigation and the women Texture and weaving but amongst the women of Persia it is held a great dishonour to lay her hand to the Web or Needle Penclope by the testimony of Homer and other Poets in this Art was excellently practised of which came the Proverb Tela Penelopes Icarâ—ntis The Web of Penelope or Icariotes because she was the daughter of Icarus Virg. Aeneid lib 5. nominates one Pholoe to be eminent in that exercise Plin lib. 11 ca. 22 confers the invention of Weaving upon Pamphile the daughter of Plates who devised it in the 〈◊〉 Cooâ— In this Aâ—caeus Patarenâ—â— and Helicon Caristius exceeded all 〈◊〉 these two brothers wove and embroidered a Vesture and 〈◊〉 for Pallas Poliades who was honoured in the Temple 〈◊〉 Athens which was done with such unimitable cunning that thereupon came the Adage in Greece if any thing were curiously or exquisitely performed
113 Sybilla Cumaea and her Prophesies 114 Sybilla Samia and her Prophecies 116 Sybilla Cumana and her Prophesies 118 Sybilla Hellespontiaca and her Prophecies 121 Sybilla Phrygia and her Prophesies 122 Sybilla Europaea and her Prophecies 124 Sybilla Tiburtina and her Prophesies ib. Sybilla Aegyptia and her Prophesies 126 Sybilla Erithraea and her Prophecies 127 A discourse of the Virgin Vestals 128 Of Oppia Claudia Fonteia Martia c. 131 Of the Prophetesses 134 The History of a great Magician 136 Of the Hesperides 141 The Pleiades or Hyades and why of the seven Stars but six appear at once 143 Of the Graces 145 Of the Hours 148 Of Aurora or the Morning 149 Of the Night 153 Of Sleep 155 Of Death 159 The Contents of the third Book inscribed Thalia Treating of Illustrious Queens famous Wives Mothers Daughters c. A Discourse concerning Illustrious Women 161 How kissing first came up ibid. Of three Gentlemen and their wives 166 Of Illustrious Queens 167 A Funerall Ode upon the death of Anna Panareta 169 Of divers Ladies famous for their Modesty 171 The wife of Fulvius 174 Of Aretaphila 176 Of Pieria Aspasia c. 178 The memorable History of Odatis 184 Of Aristomache Hyppo and Chiomara c. 185 Of Tertia Aemilia Turia Sulpitia Julia and Portia 187 Of Horestilla Artimesia and Hormisda 188 Of Queen Ada and Zenocrita 190 Of the wise of Pythes 192 Of the wise of Nausimenes 192 Of Ciano Medullina and Erixo ib. A Woman of the City Pergamus 195 Of Stratonica Valeria and Cloelia 196 Of Olympias and the Troades ib. Of the Phocides and women of Chios 200 Of the Persides Celtae Melitae and Tyrrhaenae 202 Examples of Modesty and Magnanimity 204 Of Dido Caesara Gumilda and Ethelburga 209 Of Policrita 213 Of Queens and other Ladies for divers Vertues memorable 214 Of women remarkable for their love to their husbands 220 The Contents of the fourth book inscribed Melpoment of Women incestuous Adulteresses and such as have come by strange deaths A Discourse perswading to good life 225 Of Women incestuous and first of Queen Sâ—miramis 228 Of Tagenna a woman of seventy Cubits high 231 Of Pasiphae 232 Of Canace Canusia and Valeria Tusculana 233 Of Iulia the Empresse 234 The sisters of Cambyses 235 Of Livia Horestilla Lollia Paulina Cesonia c. 237 Of Iocasta 238 Of Crythaeis the mother of Homer 240 An Epitaph upon Homer Prince of Poets 242 A strange Incest 244 Of Cyborea mother to Iudas Iscariot 245 Of Veronica 247 A discourse concerning Adulteresses 248 Of many great Ladies branded with Adultery amongst the Romans 251 A Country fellow and his mistresse 252 The water of a chast woman excellent for the eie-sight 254 Of Laâ—dice an unnaturall wife 255 The birth of Antoninus Commodus 256 Of Phedima and a notable Imposter ibid. Of Beguâ— Queen of Persia 259 Of Queen Olympias and the birth of Alexander 261 The death of Olympias 264 Of Romilda with â—are examples of Chastity ib. Of Ethethurga with her Epitaph 266 A merry accident concerning an Adulteresse 267 A true modern History of an Adulteresse 268 The wife of Gengulphus and divers others 274 The history of Elphritha 276 Of Guâ—â—â—ra with other intermixture of History 280 Of Women that have come by strange deaths 283 Women that died golden deaths ibid. Women that died in Child birth 285 Women that suffered Martyrdome 286 The strange death of Aristoclaea Democrita c. 289 The Hostlers Tale. 292 The Contents of the fifth Book inscribed Terpsichore Entreating of Amazons and other women famous either for Valor or Beauty A Discourse whether Valor or Beauty may claim priority 302 Of the Amazons their originall c. 310 Of other warlike women and those of masculine vertue 316 Examples of Fear ibid. Of Helerna Camilla Maria Puteolana and others ibid. The race of Hyppomanes and Atlanta 322 Of other warlike Ladies 323 A description of the Messagers 325 Of Zantippe and Mirho 327 Of a Sheep and a Shrow 329 A trick of an English scold c. 330 Of English Virago's and of Ioan de Pucil 330 A discourse of Fair women 337 Of Fair women ib. The fair Mistresse of Pisistratus 349 Of Niâ—â—tis 350 Of Bersane 352 Of the wife of Candaules ibid Rowan and Estrilda 355 The fair Lady of Norwich 356 Of Calirrhoe daughter to Boetius 361 Of the wives of Cabbas and Phaillus c. 362 The daughters of Danaus and the sons of Aegyptus 365 Of Manto 366 The wife of Agetus c. 36â— A Vicars daughter 369 A fair witty wench 376 Of women deformed 371 The Contents of the sixt Book inscribed Erato Treating of Chast women and Wantons A Discourse concerning Chastity and wantonness 375 Of Mary the blessed Virgin 380 Of Petronilla the daughter of St. Peter and other chast Virgins 383 Of chast wives and first of Penelope 388 The History of a woman of Casa Nova 393 Of Edeltrudis Editha and others 355 Of wantons 398 Of common Strumpets Concubines and private Mistresses 402 Of such as merited the name of Honest Whores 403 Of Lais. 405 Of Glicerium alias Glicera and others 411 Of Agathoclea 413 Of Cleophis 415 Callipigae Alogunes Cosmartidenes Audia c. 416 Iulia the daughter of Augustus Caesar 418 Harlotta the mother of William the Conqueror 421 Of divers Wantons belonging to sundry famous men Poets and others 422 Of famous Wantons 426 Of Mista and others 427 Of Wantons converted 432 The Contents of the seventh Book inscribed Polihymnia or Memory Entreating of the Piety of Daughters Mothers Sisters and Wives A Discourse concerning Lies Jeasts witty Sayings 439 Of Pious Daughters 447 The love of Mothers to their children 451 Friendship betwixt women 453 The love of Sisters towards their Brothers 456 Of Matrimony and Conjugall love 458 Ceremonies before Marriage 461 Times forbidden in marraige 461 Of Contracts 462 Of Nuptiall Dowers 463 Of Nuptial Gifts or Presents ibid. Of Nuptial Ornaments Pomp Feasts and Epithalamions c. 465 A description of the bride comming from her chamber 467 The bridegroome first appearing 468 The Nuptiall Oâ—â—ering ibid. The Nuptiall Song 469 The entranâ—ce into their Bedchamber ibid. 〈◊〉 Anguries and Nuptiall Expiations 472 〈…〉 of Women to their Hubands 475 Of Bawds 480 Of Age. 483 Of women addicted to Gluttony or Drunkennesse 484 Of women beloved of divers creatures 488 Of women excellent in Painting Weaving c. ibid. Of women contentious and bloody 494 Of women strangely preserved from death and such as have unwillingly been the deaths of their Parents 501 Of Clamorous women commonly called scolds 504 Of Tullia and her sister ibid. Examples of Patience in women 506 Variety of discourse concerning women 510 The daughters of Apollo ibid. The Syrens ibid. Women that have dissembled their shape to good purposes or to bad 511 Women that have changed their Sex 512 The Contents of the eight Book inscribed Urania Entreating of Women every way Learned Of Poetesses and Witches A Discourse of Astrology
posterity Sybilla Lybica SHe is by some called Phoemonoe and held to be the daughter of Apollo sirnamed Prima By all ancient writers she hath the honour to be the first that invented the heroick verse of her particular actions much is not left recorded It is reported of a Prefect whose government was over Cilicia that he gave no credit at all to these Oracles and to make proofe whether there was in them any thing worthy admiration or beleefe he inscribed a question which he sealed up his Aenigma was not known to any save himselfe this letter by one of his freed men whom he best loved and most trusted he sent to the Oracle charging him not to open it till he had received a direct answer to the demand included The messenger having made his Orisons offered sacrifice and presented gifts according to the custome of the place petitioned for an answer to his unknown request and so laid him down to sleep by the Altar In the morning being throughly awake he remembred himselfe of a vision that appeared unto him it seemed unto him that he saw one of the Sybils standing before the Altar who only spake to him this word Nigrum a black and so vanisht With this satisfaction he returns to his Lord and tels him every circumstance as it hapned withall the short answer that he received by vision when the governour unsealing the paper discovered only these words written with his own hand Alâ—um tibi an Nigrum immolabo taurum i. Shall I sacrifice unto thee a white bull or black to which the answer was given a black this ever after better possest him of the Oracles The first Oracle that was heard was by certain shepherds the chiefe of whom was called Coretas these grasing their flocks in the place where the Temple now stands heard a sound of certain words uttered by Divine instinct of which at first they took smal heed as meerly neglecting them but when by proof they found all things to happen punctually according to the prediction they gave a sacred reverence to the place which since hath enlarged the fame thereof through all the parts of the world But concerning this Sybill Lybica her prophesies concerning Christ were somewhat to this purpose A King a Priest a Prophet all these three Shall meet in one sacred Divinity Shall be to flâ—sh espous'd Oh who can scan This mystery uniting God with man When this rare birth into the world shall come He the great god of Oracles strikes dumb Plutarch in his book Oraculorum defunctione relates this history Aemilianus the Rhetorician was the father of Epitherses a Doctor in Grammer and a man of approved truth and fidelity he reports that in his travell by sea towards Italy he hapned into a ship laden with Merchants goods and full of passengers of divers nations In the evening being just against the Echinadae they sailed afore the wind till with an incertaine course they were driven neer unto Paxis Epitheâ—ses with many of the other passengers being then awake a voice was heard from the Island which to the admiration of them all called upon the name of one Thamus this Thamus was in Aegyptian and his name scarce known to any in the ship twice he was call'd but answered not but at the third summons breaking silence these words with a loud voice were uttered Thamus when thou arrivest at the Palodes tell them there that the great Pan is dead Epitherses reported that these words put them into an universall feare diverse argâ—ments being held amongst them and it being long disputed Whether it were necessary that this command should be performed or omitted But Thamus thus resolved that if the wind stood faire he would not alter his course but passe the Island but otherwise he would deliver the message according as he was injoined Comming neer the Palodes their sailes were on the sudden becalmed for neither wind was felt to blow nor tide or water perceived to move which he perceiving turned himselfe towards the Island and made this loud acclamation The great god Pan is dead which words were no sooner uttered but a great intermixture of howling yelling and mourning was heard from the Island to the infinite amasement of them all This was done in the presence of so many witnesses that the rumor thereof spread so far as Rome even to the ears of Tiberius Caesar by whom Thamus being sent for he related the circumstance in the presence of the Emperour and many learned men all which concluded that this Pan before spoken of was the same who was held to be the sonne of Mercury and Penâ—lope The truth is and agreed upon by all approved authors that at the birth of Christ all Oracle ceased and since that time were never heard to give answer unto any demand whatsoever And thus I take leave of the second Sybill Phoemonoe Sybilla Delphica SHe was called Daphne and said to be the daughter of the Prophet Tyresias many of whose verses Homer is said to assume to himselfe and make them his own She prophesied of the wars and destruction of Troy Tyresias was King of Thebes who as some say was struck blind because he unawares saw Diana naked bathing her selfe in a fountain Of whom Ovid speaks in Metamorph. At pater omnipotens c. Omnipotent Jove did for his losse of eies Iaspire him with the spirit of Prophesies Things future to predict which was I guesse To make his plague seem in his honour lesse Of him Statius likewise speaks in the second book of his Thebaiedes Some think Daphnis the neatherd who was the first inventer of the Bucolick verse to be her brother he as Sindus and Volateranus both aver was struck blind because he adulterated a woman in his drunkennesse the circumstance is so set down by Aelianus He was the darling of Mercury and no soner born but laid out under a Laurell tree the Kins which he fed were said to be the sisters of the Sunne for so Homer in his Odyssaea relates In his flower of youth he was beloved of a beautiful nymph who grew inamoured of him in Sicilia with whom he made a covenant That if ever he cast himselfe into the embraces of any second love he desired of the Faces that his eies might for ever lose the benefit of the Sun Not long after the Kings daughter fell in love with him whom he vitiated in the heat of his wine and grew blind soon after Some make him the inventor of the Beucolicks which others confer upon Stesichorus Himeraeus But touching Daphne thus Palephatus in his fabulous Narrations speaks of her Terra or the Earth fell in love with the flood Ladon of their mutuall compression of Daphne was begot of her Apollo grew inamoured and laid daily siege to her chastity but she not able to oppose his importunities and willing to preserve her virginity pure and without blemish petitioned to her mother Earth that she would again
a City of Cipria others amongst the Argives Aristarchus and Dyoâ—isius Thrax derive him from Athens c. But I may have occasion to speak of him in a larger work intituled The lives of all the Poets Modern and Forreign to which work if it come once againe into my hands I shall refer you concluding him with this short Epitaph An Epitaph upon Homer the Prince of Poets In Colophon some think thee Homer borne Some in faire Smyrna soâ—e in Ius isle Some with thy birth rich Chius would adorn Others say 〈◊〉 a first on thee did smile The Argives lay claim to thee and aver Thou art their Country man Aemus saies no. Strong Salamine saith thou tookest life from her But Athens thou to her thy Muse dost owe As there first breathing Speak how then shall I Determine of thy Country by my skill When Oracles would never I will try And Homer well thou give me leave I will The spatious Earth then for Country chuse No mortall for thy mother but a Muse 〈◊〉 the sister of Nereus the Sea-god was by him stupratedâ— of whom he begot the Nymphs called Nercides Ovid in his sixt book Metamorph telleth us of Philomela daughter to Pandion King of Athens who was forced by Tereus King of Thrace the son of Mars and the Nymph Bâ—stonides though he had before married her own dear and naturall sister Progne the lamentable effects of which incest is by the same Author elegantly and at large described as likewise Beblis the daughter of Miletus and Cyane who after she had sought the embraces of her brother Caumus slew her selfe Mirrha daughter to Cyniras King of the Cyprians lay with her father and by him had the beautifull child Adonis Europa the mother and Pelopeia the daughter were both corrupted by Thyestes Hypermestra injoied the company of her brother for whom she had long languished Menephron most barborously frequented the bed of his mother against whom Ovid in his Metamorph. and Quintianus in his Cleopol bitterly inveigh Domitius Calderinus puts us in mind of the Concubine of Amintor who was injoied by his son Phaenix Rhodope the daughter of Hemon was married to her father which the gods willing to punish they were as the Poets feign changed into the mountains which still bear their names Caeleus reports of one Policaste the mother of Perdix a hunts-man who was by him incestuously loved and after injoied Lucan in his eight book affirms that Cleopatra was polluted by her own brother with whom she communicated her selfe as to a husband Nictimine was comprest by her father Nictus King of Aethiopia Martial in his twelfe book writing to Fabulla accuseth one Themison of incest with his sister Plin. lib. 28. cap. 2. speaks of two of the Vestals Thusia and Copronda both convicted of incest the one buried alive the other strangled Publius Claudius was accused by M. Cicero of incest with his three sisters Sextus Aurelius writes that Agrippina the daughter of Germanicus had two children by her brother Claudius Caesar Cornalius Tacitus saith that she often communicated her body with her own son Nero in his cups and heat of wine he after commanded her womb to be ripped up that he might see the place where he had laien so long before his birth and most deservedly was it inflicted upon the brutish mother though unnaturally imposed by the inhumane son Ansilaena is worthily repoved by Catullus for yielding up her body to the wanton imbraces of her uncle by whom she had children Gidica the wife of Pomonius Laurentius doted on her son Cominus even to incest but by him refused she strangled her selfe The like did Pheora being despised by her son Hippolitus Dosithaeus apud Plutarch speaks of Nugeria the wife of Hebius who contemned by her son in Law Firmus prosecuted him with such violent and inveterate hate that she first sollicited her own sons to his murder but they abhorring the vilenesse of the fact she watcht him sleeping and so slew him John Maletesta deprehending his wife in the arms of his brother Paulus Maletesta transpierc'd them both with his sword in the incestuous action Clepatra daughter to Dardanus King of the Scythians and wife to Phinaeus was forced by her two sons in law for which fact their father caused their eies to be plucked out Plutarch reports of Atossa that she was doted on by Artaxerxes insomuch as that after he had long kept her as his strumpet against the Laws of Persia and of Greece to both which he violently opposed himself he made her his Queen Curtius writes of one Si simithres a Persian souldier that had two children by his mother Diogenian also speaking of Secundus the Philosopher saith that he unawares to them both committed incest with his mother which after being made known to them she astonied with the horror of the fact immediately slew her selfe and he what with the sorrow for her death and brutishnesse of the deâ—d vowed never after to speak word which he constantly performed to the last minute of his life Manlius in his common places reports from the mouth oâ— D Martin Luther that this accident hapned in Erphâ—rst in Germany There was saith he a maid of an honest family that was servant to a rich widdow who had a son that had many times importuned the girle to lewdnesse insomuch that she had no other way to avoid his continuall suggestions but by acquainting the mother with the dissolute courses of the son The widdow considering with her self which was the best course to childe his libidirous purpose and divert him from that lewd course plotted with the maid to give him a seeming consent and so appoint him a place and time in the night of meeting at which he should have the fruition of what he so long had sued for she her selfe intending to supply the place of her servant to school her son and so prevent any inconvenience that might futurely happen The maid did according to her appointment the son with great joy keeps his houre so did the mother who came thither on purpose to reform her son but he being hot and too forward in the action and she overcome either by the inticements of the devill the weaknesse of her Sex or both gave her selfe up to incestuous prostitution the young man knowing no otherwise but that he had enjoied the maid Of this wicked and abominable congression a woman child was begot of whom the mother to save her reputation was secretly delivered and put it out privately to nurse but at the age of seven years took it home When the child grew to years the most infortunate sonne fell in love with his sister and daughter and made her his unhappy wife what shall I think of this detestable sinne which even beasts themselves abhor of which I will give you present instance Aristotle in his history Animal who was a diligent searcher into all naturall things affirms that a Camel being bliâ—ded
killing and much gadding daughter and this lying and false prophesying son of mine offends you namely that they are still in your eie glorious numbered amongst the gods and of them esteemed the most beautifull yet can you not deny but that he is most skilfull in the Voice and the Harp exceeding whatsoever can be upon the earth and equalling if not preceding that of the Sphears in heaven I cannot chuse but smile saith Iuno Is it possible his skill in musick should beget the least admiration when poor Marsias had the Muses not been partial but judged indifferently of his side had gain'd of him priority but he alas by their unjust sentence lost not only his honour in being best but being vanquished he most tyrannously had his skin flead off for his ambition and this your fair Daughter and Virgin is of such absolute feature and beauty that being espi'd naked by Actaeon bathing her selfe in the fountaine she transform'd him into a Hart and caus'd him by his own dogs to be torn in pieces lest the young man should survive to blaze her deformities Besides I see no reason why to women in labour and travell in child-birth she should shew her selfe so carefull and common a mid-wife every where and to all if she were as she still pretends to be a Virgin With her Latona thus concluded You are therefore of this haughty and arrogant spirit because you are the sister and wife of Iupiter and rain with him together which makes you to us your inferiors so contumelious and harsh but I fear I shall see you shortly again weeping when your husband leaving the heavens for the earth in the shape of a Bul an Eagle a golden shower or such like shall pursue his adulterate pleasures Ovid in his sixth book Metamor and his third fable saith That Niobe the daughter of Tantalus born in Sypilera City of Lydia having by Amphion six brave sons and as many daughters though she were forewarned by the daughter of Tyresias to be present with the Thebans at their sacrifice to Latona and her children yet she contemptuously denied it preferring her selfe in power and majesty before the goddesse and her own beautifull issue before the others at which contempt the goddesse much inraged complained to Apollo and Diana in whose revenge he slew all the young men and she the virgins with griefe whereof Amphion slew himselfe and Niobe hurst her heart with sorrow Latona is by interpretation Chaos it was beleeved that all naturall bodies and seeds of things mixt and confused lay buried in darknesse Some take Latona for the earth and therefore Juno did oppose the birth of the Sun and Moon by reason of the frequent fogs and damps arising by which the sight of these two glorious planets are shadowed and kept from our eies for when by the thicknesse and tenebrosity of the clouds the Sun is weakned and made of lesse force oft-times there proceeds a pestilent aire with many pests and diseases prejudiciall both to sensible creatures and to plants but when the Sun resumes his vertue and vigour then by the purifying of the air all these infections are dispersed and scattered unlesse they have proceeded so far as to contagion And so much for Latona Fortuna ANtium a City of the Latines bordering upon the Sea had Fortune in great reverence to whom they erected a magnificent Temple Wherefore Horace thus speaks Oh Divae gratum quae regis Antium So Rhamnus or Rhamnis a Town in Attica where Nemesis and Fortune were held in equall reverence and from hence rather called Ramnusia In Preneste a City of Italy Sortes and 〈◊〉 were held in like adoration of which they were called Praenestine Petrus Crinitus in his first book of honest Discipline and the sixâ— Chapter concerning this goddesse reheaâ—seth these verses from Pacuvius Fortunam insanam esse Brutam perhibent Philosophi Saxique ad instar globosi praedicant esse Volabâ—lem Quia quo saxum Impulerit Fo rs Ea Cadere Fortunam autumant Caeâ—am ob eam rem esse vocant quia nil Cernant quo sese applicet Insanam autem aiunt quia atrox incerta Instabilisque sit Brutans quia dignum aut indignum Nequeat ignoscire Which I thus English The Philosophers tell us that Fortune is both mad and brutish They preach to us that like a round rolling Stone she is voluble Intimating wheresoever chance shall force Fortune shall incline Therefore they make her blind because she can discern nothing to which she can apply her selfe They term her mad because she is cruell without Pity uncertaine and unstable Brutish because she cannot distinguish betwixt what is right and injury Hitherto Pacuvius whose verses M. Cicero commemorates Pliny to Vespasian speaks thus concerning the power of Fortune Through the whole world saith he and in all places at all houres and by all tongues Fortune is still invocated and shâ— alonâ— she is onely nominated shee alone is accused alone made guilty solely thought upon solely commended solely reproved and with her reproches ador'd of many shee is held mutable and blind she is wandering inconstâ—nt incertain diverse and a favourer of the unworthy at her shrine are all things expended to her are all things acceptable offered she altogether swaies guides and directs the reason of men Amongst the Scythians she is painted without feet she had only hands and feathers Amongst the Smyâ—nians with her head she supported Heaven bearing in one of her hands the horn of Amalthea that is of Plenty She is described by Pausanias in the statue of a Buffe or wild Ox but amongst all her figures and attributes let me not forger that of ingenious master Owens the Epigrammatist speaking of Fortune Spem dat pauperibus divitibusque metum She is the poor mans hope and the rich mans feare Livy Dionysius Halicarnasseus Lactantius Plutarch and others affirm that the statue of Fortune which stands in the Latine way with the Temple was dedicated at the same time that Coriolanus by his mothers intercession withdrew his forces from the sack and spoile of Rome Which image was heard to speak these words Rite me matronae vidistis viteque dedicastis So superstitious they were in the daies of old that they attributed all their intents actions and events of things to the guidance and will of Fortune nay that she had a power in their very birth-daies and daies of death as of Euripides the most famous Tragick-Poet he was born on the same day that before Salamine the Greeks and the Meads fought that famous Sea-battel and died upon the birth-day of Dionysius senior the Tyrant of Sicily When as Timaeus saith at one instant Fortune took away the imitator of Tragick calamities and brought in their true actor and performer Ascribed it is to Fortune that Alexander the Conqueror and Diogenes the Cynick should dye both on a day and that King Attalus left the world the same day of the year that he entered into
done whilst the greatest part of the Nobility were absent and none since admitted into the Palace much lesse into the presence lest the Magician might be unvizarded and the deceit made palpable The greater fears and doubts still invironing the Princes because Praxaspes not daring to justifie the murder kept it still lockt in his own breast The Magician in this interim was not only possest of all the Kings Pallaces and treasures but he enjoied all his wives and concubines amongst which was a beautifull Lady called Phaedima the daughter of Otanes a man of great power amongst the Persians This Lady first of all the rest most indeared to Cambyses and now since to the counterfeit Smerdu Otanes apprehends to be the first instrument by which to discover the truth He therefore by a secret messenger sends to his daughter to know by whom she nightly lay whether with Smerdis the sonne of Cyrus or with some other to whom she answered that it was altogether unknown to her who was her bedfellow because she yet had neither seen Smerdis the son of Cyrus nor that man whatsoever he was into whose embraces she was commanded He then sent her word that if she her selfe could not come to the sight of him to demand of Atossa the daughter of Cyrus and brother to Smerdis who doubtlesse could decipher him in every true lineament To which the daughter returns him That she was separated both from the society and sight of Atossa for this man whosoever he is as soon as ever he had possest himselfe of the Empire commanded all the women into severall lodgings neither could they have any discourse or entercourse at all together This answer made Otanes the more and more suspitious and desirous with any danger to find out the truth he adventured a third message to Phaedima to this purpose It behooves you O daughter being descended from noble ancestors to undergo any hazard especially at the request of your father when it aims at the generall good of the Common-weal or Kingdome if that impostor be not Smerdu the brother of Cambyses as I much feare it becomes him neither to prostitute and defile your body nor to mock and abuse the whole estate of Persia unpunished therefore I charged you as you tender my love your owne honour and the Empires weale that the next night when you are called unto his bed you watch the time when he is soundliest asleep and then with your fingers gently feel both the sides of his head if thou perceivest him to have both his ears presume then thou lodgest by the side of Smerdis the son of Cyrus but if on the contrary thou findest his cors wanting then thou liest in the bosome of Smerdis that base Magician To this she replied by letter Though I truly apprehend the danger should I be taken seeking of such things as he perhaps knowes wanting which can be no less then death yet for your love and the common good I will undergo the perill and with this briefe answer gave satisfaction to her father But greater content he received from her when having discovered and laid open whatsoever her father suspected she sent him a faithfull relation of every circumstance These things discovered by Phaedima Olanes makes a conjuration amongst the Princes all vowing the supplantation of this usurper who in the interim the more to confirm the people in their errour he sent to Praxaspes promising him honours and treasures but to pronounce him once more before the people to be the true and legitimate heire This charge Praxaspes undertakes the multitude from all parts of the City were by the Magi assembled and he mounted unto the top of an high Turret the better to be heard silence being made and attention prepared Praxaspes begins his oration in which he remembers all the noble acts of Cyrus with the dignity of his blood and progeny and passing over Cambyses to come to speak of his brother Smerdis contrary to the expectation of the Magician with teares began to commemorate the death of the Prince murdered and made away by his infortunate hand Then told them whom in his stead they had voiced into the sacred Empire namely a groom and one of low and base descent one that for cozenages and forgeries had lost his ears a Magician a Conjurer one that had long deluded them with his devilish sorceries a slave not worthy at all to live much lesse to raign and govern so noble a people and as a further confirmation that dying men speak true these words were no sooner ended but he casts himselfe off from the top of the Turret and slew himselfe After this the Pallace was assaulted by the Princesse the imposter slaine and all his adherents put to massacre Of the sequel of the history the succession of Darius c. you may further read in Herodotus But concerning Phaedima only for whose sake I have introduced the rest I know not whether I have indirectly brought her into this catalogue because she was so a noble a means of so notable a discovery yet considering she was one of the wives of Cambyses and he being dead so suddenly changing her affection to another and after being injoied by him of what condition soever to betray him all these circumstances considered I give her free liberty to be ranked amongst the rest Begum Queen of Persia ABdilcherai a brave and valiant Prince of Tartaria taken prisoner by Emirhamze Mirize eldest son to the King of Persia in a battell betwixt the Persians and Tartarians was sent to the King into Casbia where his captivity in regard of his birth and valour was so easie that he rather seemed a deâ—ison then a forreiner a Prince of the blood then a Captive he not long so journed there but he insinuated himselfe into the love of the Queen Begum wife to the then King of Persia who spent their time together in such publicke dalliance not able to contain themselves within the bounds of any lawfull modesty that their familiarity grew almost into a by-word as far as his just taxation the Queens dishonour and the Kings scorn insomuch that both Court and City made them not only their argument of discourse but theam of table talk Yet in all this banding of their reputation and the Kings infamy nothing ever came within the compasse of his ear knowledge or suspition insomuch that seeing him to be so well a featured Gentleman knowing the Tartar to be so brave a souldier and approving him to be so compleat a Courtier and withall acknowledging from what high linage he was descended as boasting himselfe to be the brother of the great Tartar Chan The King of Persia therefore determined to marry him to his daughter hoping by that means to unite such a league and confirm such an amity betwixt the Tartarian Precopenses and himselfe that they might not only denie all aid and assistance to Amurath the third of that name and then
her Let me alone the tenement is mine own and I may lie where I list so long as I pay rent for the house Some few nights after comming home in the like tune and sitting asleep in a chair before the chimnie his wife being gone to bed presently the man fals into the fire the maid cries out to her Mistresse O mistresse my Master is falne and lies in the fire even in the midst of all the fiâ—e she lay still and turning her on the other side said so long as he paies rent for the house he may lie where he please But to more serious businesse for I have done sporting Of English Viragoes And of Joan de Pucil OF Guendoline the wife of King Locrine and daughter to Corinaeus Cuke of Cornwall I shall take more occasion to speak more at large in the discourse of the beautifull Estreld Elphleda was sister to King Edward before the conquest sirnam'd the fourth she was wife to Etheldredus Duke of Mercia who assisted her husband in the restoring of the City of Chester after it had been destroied and demolished by the Danes encompassing it with new wals he was Generall to the King in all his expeditions against the Danes in the last battell that he fought against them at a place called Toten Hall in Stafforshire he gave them a mighty overthrow but a greater at Wooddensfield where were slain two Kings two Earls and of the souldiers many thousands which were of the Danes of Nothumberland In this battel were the King and Elphleda both present Soon after this victory Etheldredus died and she governed many years after him in all Mercia or middle England except the two Cities of London and Oxford which the King her brother reserved to himselfe She builded many Cities and Towns and repaired others as Thatarn Brimsbury the Bâ—idge upon Sâ—vern Tamworth Liechfield Stafford Warwick Shrewsbury Watrisbury Edisbury in the Forrest besides Chester which is since utterly defaeced and destroied Also she built a Cily and a Castle in the North part of Mercia which then was called Runcofan and after Runcorn Thus far Ranulphus William de regib with others give her this noble Character This Lady having once assaid the throwes of childbirth would never after be drawn to have any carnall society with her husband alledging that it was not sitting or seemly for a woman of her degree being a Princesse a Kings daughter and a Kings sister to 〈◊〉 selfe to such wanton embraces whereof should 〈◊〉 so great pain and sorrow She tamed the Welchmen and in many conflict chased the Danes after whose death the King took the province of Mercia intirely into his own hand 〈◊〉 her daughter Elswina whom he led with him into West-Saxon Henricus lib. 5. hath left this Epitaph as a memoriall over her Tomb Oh Elphlede mighty both in strength and mind The dread of men and victoresse of thy kind Nature hath done as much as nature can To make thee maid but goodnesse makes the man Yet pity thou shouldst change ought save thy name Thou art so good a woman and thy same In that growes greater and more worthy when Thy seminine valour much out shineth men Gâ—eat Caesars acts thy noble deeds excell So sleep in peace Virago maid farewell Mucâ— to this purpose hath Trevisa expressed these verses in old English Maud the daughter of Henry the fourth Emperour of that name after the death of her husband she bore the title of Maud the Empresse her father in his life time swore all the nobility to her succession but he being dead many fell from their oaths of Alleagiance adhering to Stephen Earl of Bullein who by the sisters side was Nephew to the deceased King He notwithstanding he had before sworn to her homage caused himselfe to be crowned at London upon St Stephens day by William Archbishop of Canturbury one that had before past his Oath of Alleapiance to the Empress Much combustion there was in England in those daies betwixt Maud and Stephen and many battel 's fought in which the successe was doubtfull the victory sometimes inclining to the one and again to the other the circumstances rather would become a large Chronicle then a short tractate I will therefore come to that which sorts best with my present purpose This Lady took the King in battell and kept him prisoner at Bristoll from Candlemas day to Holyrood day in harvest for which victory the people came against her with procession which was approved by the Popes legate From Bristol she came to Winchester thence to Wilton to Oxford to Reding and St Albans all the people acknowledging her their Queen and soveraign excepting the Kentish men only she came thence to London to settle the estate of the Land whither came King Stephen for her husbands delivery upon condition that Stephen should surrender the Kingdome up entirely into her hands and betake himselfe ever after to a sequestred and religious life But to this motion the Empresse would by no means assent the Citizens likewise intreated her that they might use the favourable lawes of S Edward and not those strict and severe Statutes and Ordinances devised and established by King Henry her father neither to this would the bold spirited Lady agree For which the people began to withdraw their affections from her and purposed to have surprized her of which she having notice left all her houshold provision and furniture and secretly conveied her selfe to Oxford where she attended her forces who were by this time dispersed and divided But taking with her her Uncle David King of the Scots she came before Winchester laying a strong siege to the Bishops Tower which was defended by the brother of King Stephen But now observe another another female warrior The wife of the imprisoned King being denied his freedome now takes both spirit and arms and associated with one William Iperus came with such a thundring terror to raise the siege that the hardy Empresse to give way to her preâ—ent â—ury was from strength forced to sâ—e to stratagem for finding her powers too weak to withstand the incensed Queen she counterseited her selfe dead and as a Corse caused her body to be conveied to the City of Glocester and by this means escaped But Robert her brother was there taken prisoner and committed to safe custody Then the Queen emploied her selfe on the one part for the release of her husband and the Empresse on the other for the enfranchisement of her brother at length after long debating of the businesse it was determined by the mediators on both sides that Stephen should be restored to the Kingdome and Duke Robert to his Lordship and Earldome and both as they had disturbed the peace of the Land so now to establish it To this the Earl would not assent so that all that year there was nothing but spoile man-slaughter direptions and all manner of violence robbing of the rich and oppressing of
at the upper end of a long gallery which when the Embassador should enter the great Ladies of either side richly attired were placed through the middest of whom as he passed along he as amazed at the state or admiring at their beauties cast his eie first on one side then on the other and that not without some pause as if he had been to take a particular survey of all their features but by degrees comming up towards the Queen who sate like Diana amongst her nymphs or Ariadne in her crown of stars instated above the lesser lights to give him entertainment and observing his eies still wander she thus bespake him Averte oculos ne videas vanitatemâ— Turn away your eies least you behold vanâ—ty to whom he suddenly replied Imo potius miribilia opera Deiâ—â—â— Nay the wonderfull works of God Since then you are such rather let your vertuous actions beautifie then your vitious deeds any way disgrace his so great and glorious workmanship Of Faire Women OF these Herodica shall have the first place Niceus in his book de Rebus Arcad. relates That one Cypselus purposing to raise a new Colony erected a faire and goodly City in a spacious Plaine bordering upon the river Alphaeus to which place multitudes of the Parrhasians came to inhabit At the same time was a Grove and an Altar celebrated with much pomp and solemnity to Elusina Ceres with annuall feast at this publike meeting was a contention Which of all the women was censured to be the fairest The first that had the priority and Palm for beauty bestowed upon her was Herodica the wife of Cypselus Zenophon apud Coelium lib 7. cap. 53. speaks of one Panthaea the wife of Abraditus a Noble man of Persia whom Cyrus having defeated the army of the Aslyrians and spoiled their tents took captive Abraditus at that time being absent as not long before emploied upon an Embassie to the Bactriaus in which interim Panthaea was in the custody of a Noble man of Media called Araspes who affirmed of her to the King with great admiration of her feature and beauty That in all Asia her like was not to be seen or found Pâ—ulus Dâ—aconus writes of Theodole a Roman Lady of that admirable splendour that she attracted the eies of all men that but glanced that way to dwell upon her with wonder her haire was bright and yellow which when she pleased to unloose and leâ— fal about her shoulders it covered her from the crown to the heel A large description he makes of her perfections howsoever most certain it is that the King Cambeâ—les was exâ—â—eamly entangled in the snares of her beauty Saxo Grammaâ—icus in his Danish history commemorates one Suabilda a Queen in 〈◊〉 the lineaments both of body and face to be of that rare pulchritude that being doomed unto a wreâ—ched and miserable death and bound with thongs of leather to be trod upon by the hoofs of wild horses her beauty strook such an impression even in those unreasonable creatures that they could not be forced with their rude 〈◊〉 to leave the least character of violence upon lambs so fair and exquisitely fashioned The same Author remembers us of Seritha and Signis the first a virgin of incomparable splendour to whom one Otharus was a 〈…〉 the other was the daugher to one Sygarus who paralleld the first and was importunately sollicited by 〈…〉 Brysaeis was so faire that she endeaâ—ed 〈…〉 of all the Greeks Achilles 〈…〉 or handmaid yet he 〈…〉 of her above all his other women of whom Horace 〈◊〉 Insolentem Serva Brysaeis niveo colore 〈…〉 His 〈…〉 with her colour white Iasolent 〈◊〉 moved to delight Of 〈◊〉 Ovid likewise speaks lib. 2. de Arte Amandit 〈◊〉 ut in capta Lyrnâ—side magnus Achilles Cum premeret 〈◊〉 lossus ab hoâ—te torum This 〈…〉 of his Love 〈◊〉 When with the slaughâ—er of his enemies tired He doff'd his Cushes and unarm'd his head To 〈◊〉 with her on a soft day bed It did rejoice Bryseis to embrace His braised arms and kisse his blood stain'd face Those hands which he so often did imbrew In blood of warlike Trosans whom he slew Were now imploâ—'d to tickle touch and feel And shake a Lance that had no point of steel Thargelia Molesia was of that excellent aspect that as Hyppias the Sophist testifies of her she was married by course to fourteen severall husbands for so he writes in a Treatise entituled De inscripta Congregatione in which besides her character of beauty he gives her a worthy attribute for her wisedome in these words Perpulchra sapiens Anutis was the wife of a noble person called Bogazus and sister to Xerxes by the fathers side She as Dinon writes in his Persick history in the chapter entituled De prima Coordinatione in these words Haec ut pulcherrima fuit omnium mulierum quae fuerant in Asia c. She saith he as she was the fairest of all women in Asia so of them all she was the most intemperate Timosa as Philarchus in his Lib. 19. contends was the mistresse of Oxiartes who in the accomplishments of nature anteceded all of her age she was for her beauty thought worthy to be sent as a present from the King of Aegypt to the most excellent Queen of King Statyra but rather for a wonder of nature then a president of chastity Theopompus in his fifty sixth book of History records That Zenopithia the mother of Lysandrides was the fairest of all the women in Peloponnesus She with her sister Chryse were slain by the Lacedemonians at the time when Agesâ—laus in an uprore and mutinous sedition raised gave command That Lysandrides as his publick enemy should be banished from Lacedemon Patica Cipria was born in Cyprus Philarchus remembers her in his tenth book of history She attending upon Olympias the mother of Alexander was demanded to marriage by one Monimus the son of Pythioa But the Queen observing her to be of more beauty in face then temperance in carriage O unhappy man said she that chusest a wife by the eie not by counsell by her beauty and not behaviour Violentilla was the wife of the Poet Stella she for all accomplishments was much celebrated by Statius of her lib. 1. Syll. thus speaks Al tu pulcherrima forma Italidum tantem casto possessa marito Thou of our Latium Dames the fair'st and best Of thy chast husband art at length possest Agarista as Herodotus cals her was the daughter of Clisthenes the Syconian she was of that unexpressable form that her beauty attracted suitors from all parâ—s of Greece amongst whom Hypocledes the son of Tisander is numbred From Italy came Smyndrides Sibarites Syritanus and Damnasus From the Coast of Ionia Amphimnestrus Epidamnius Aetolus and Meges From Peloponnesus Leocides Amianthus Aâ—â—has Hâ—leus Laphanes and Phidon son to the King of the Argives From
from high heaven descend on thee I am jealous now my fear is vanisht And the hot ardor of Affection banisht My fire is cool'd reason re-assumes his place And now methinks thou hast not thine own face Do'st thou demand why I am chang'd Behold The cause I 'll tell thee thou didst ask me gold Thou look'st that for my pleasure I should pay And that alone doth fright me still away Whilst thou wert simple and in all things kind I with thy sweet proportion lik'd thy mind Thou now art cunning grown what hath that gain'd Thy bodies beauty by thy mind is stain'd c And after proceeds thus Look on the beasts that in the medows stray Shall women bear more savage minds then they What gifts do Kine from the rude Bull enforce What price demands the Mare of the proud Horse Oâ— of the Ram the Ewe they 'll couple twice Before they once debate upon a price Women alone have learnt to bargain well Their pleasures borne with them alone they sell Alâ—ne they prize the night and at a rate Châ—ssâ—r themselves to strangers O vile state Alone for mutuâ—ll pastime Coin they crave And ere they sport ask first what shall I have That which delighteth both to which both run And but by joint assistance is not done The pleasures which we both on even hand try Why should one party sell the other buy Why should the sweets which we alike sustain To me be double losse thee double gain That which comes freely much by that we set Thou givâ—st 〈◊〉 me and I am still in debt The love that 's har'd is plainly sold and bought Thou hast thy price and then I owe thee nought Then O you Fair ones all such thoughts expell What Nature freely gives you spare to sell Let not your bodies to base use be lent Goods leaâ—dly got are ever loosely spent c. And which this gentle admonition I take leave as well of the Fair as the deformed Explicit lib. quintus Inscriptus Terpsichore THE SIXTH BOOK inscribed ERATO Treating of Chast Women and of Women Wantons ERATO signifies Love of which there are but two kinds that is the love of Vertue or of Vice then under what Muse could I more properly patronize the Chast and the wanton But methinks I hear some of our Câ—iticks murmure and say Whither doth this man purpose to wonder that hath lost his way and gone too far already He might do wel to break off here and leave it to some other heads either more ingeniously witty or more gravely serious To such I make the same answer that Bishop Bonner did once to Henry the eight The King of England and Francis the first of that name King of France being at ods Henry was much incensed and appointed Bishop Bonner his Embassadour to debate with him sharply about the designs then in hand who having accommodated all things fitting for the journy came to take his leave of the King his Master who uttered many bitter and disdainfull words against Francis all tending to his opprobry and dishonour and in these terms saith he deliver unto him thy Embassie To whom Bonner replied If it please your majesty if I should give him such harsh and despightfull language and in his own Court too he can do no lesse then take off my head Thy head answered the King If he do it is no matter but tell him further if he dares to cut off thy head ten thousand of his subjects heads shall be sent after it To whom Bonner after some small deliberation again replied But I am doubtfull my Liege whether any of these ten thousand heads will fit my shoulders in that short answer as well taxing the Kings rash fury as provident for his own safety With which the King somewhat satisfied and better considering with himselfe delivered unto him a more calm and milder Embassie So though those heads may savour both of more Judgement and Reading I am doubtfull whether they could more naturally sute with my own method and stile though never so mean or barbarous Therefore Deo adjuvante Erato assistente I proceed The Sparâ—ans had a custome in their solemn Feasts to have a long of three parts sung by three severall Chorus's The first was of weak old men The second of young able men The third of boies and pretty grown children The old men began with this verse Olim juventutem nos strenuam egimus We have been Strong that now Decrepit are To whom the young men in a second quire answered Fortes sumus nos fac si vis periculum We are both Young and Strong prove us who dare To them a third tone the children ecchoed Nos â—rimus his praestantiore plurimo With these in Youth and Strength we shall compare To this three fold age I compare the triplicity of the Muses The first three books are by this already spent in your judgements The second three of which this is the last are the pith and strength of my present work in hand to which the three succeeding though yet in their infancy I shall strive to parallel if not exeed the rest And first of Chastity It is reported of a woman of Lâ—cena that a great man sending her rich gifts to corrupt her chastity she returned him this answer Whilst I was a Virgin I was taught to obey my father which I accordingly did and being a wise to submit my selfe to my husbands will if then you desire any 〈◊〉 at my hands get first his consent and you shall after understand my further pleasure Plutarch in Lacon 〈…〉 those Lucenaean Virgins were taken captives and 〈◊〉 open market one of them being cheapned was demanded what she knew she answered To be faithfull Another being asked if he should buy her whether she would prove chast answered Whether he bought her no she would be chast howsoever her master after seeking to corrupt her she slew her self uttering these her last words See what a treasure thou hast lost that knewest not my worth whilst thou wast possessed of me There have been many men that have left unto women strict rules of Chastity by their examples Saint Augustine being asked why he would not suffer his own sister to dwel in the hâ—use with him answered Because such as may converse with her are not my sisters intimating that all such as would avoid the sin ought to shun the temptation for he was wont to say It is not good to look upon a woman it is worse to converse with her but worst of all to touch her Therefore these sences of ours that are most subject to danger ought most to be supprest and bridled Marul lib. 4. Capit. 7. and Sabin lib 5. Hierome repoots of the Abbot Hylarian That when he found any unchast cogitations arise in his breast he would bear himselfe upon the bosome as if with blowes and buffets he would expell them thence and thus said I wil tame thee O Ass that thou shalt
chast life Infinite to this purpose are remembred by Fulgosius Marullus Albertus Cranzius c. as of Maria Desegnies Margarita Aegypta Cecilia Virgo Kâ—nâ—gunda Augusta wife to Henry of that name the first Emperor 〈◊〉 espoused to Julianus Antiâ—chenus Stamberga the Niece of cloâ—ovius married to Arnulphus a noble Frenchman 〈◊〉 and others without number which is somewhat difficult 〈…〉 wedded bended boarded lien and lived together yet went as pure Virgins to their graves as they came first to their â—â—adles Of these I may say as Ovid 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 Sh' abhorr'd the nuptiall bed and held it sin With modest blushes did the tender skin Of her fair cheek then to her father growes And her white arms about his neck she throwes And saith Deer Sir this one thing grant your child That I may live from lustfull man exil'd A voteresse 〈◊〉 Diana this desired And from her father had what she required I will produce one history or two at the most from our modern Histories and so cease further to speak of our married Virgins It is reported in the Legend That after Editha the daughter of Earl Godwin was married to King Edward otherwise called St Edward they mutually vowed betwixt themselves perpetual chastity and therein persevered to the end of their lives There continued in them saith the Legend a Conjugall love without any conjugall act and favourable embraces without any deflowring of Virginity for Edward was beloved but not corrupted and Editha had favour but was not touched she delighted him with love but did not tempt him with lust she pleased him with discourse and sweet society yet provoked him to no libidinous desire It is moreover in that Treatise recorded That they used to call marriage a shipwreck of Maidenhead comparing it to the fiery furnace of the Chaldaeans to the Mantle that Joseph left in the hâ—nd of a strumpet the wife of Potiphar to the lascivious outrage of the two wicked Elders who would have oppressed and vitiated Susanna the wife of Ioachim and lastly to the enticements of drunken Holoâ—ernes towards faire Judith one of the deliverers of her people And so much for the Legend But Richardus Davisiensis saith That being awed by Earle Godwin â—nd for the feare of hazarding his life and Kingdome Edward was compelled by threats and menaces to the 〈◊〉 of Editha Moreover Polidore 〈◊〉 That for the haâ—e he bore her father who had not long before most trâ—iterously slain his brother Alphred he caused himselfe to be divorced from her seizing her goods and dower to his own use and pleasure Ranulphus and one that 〈◊〉 himselfe Anonymos as willing to conceal his name say That she was disrobed of all her Queen-like honours and confined into the Abbey of Warnwel with only one maid to attend her and so committed to the strict custody of the Abbâ—sse William of Malâ—sbury and Marianus Scotus have left remembred That he neither dismissed her his bed nor carnally knew her but whether it was done in hatred to her Kindred or purpose of chastity they are not able to determine Robert Fabian confesseth as much in his Chronicle Part. 6. cap. 210. Howsoever the effects of that abstemious life were not only prejudiciall but brought lamentable effects upon this distracted Kingdome namely Innovation and Conquest for Edward dying without issue England was invaded and opprest by the Normans and the people brought to that miserie that happy was that subject that could say I am no Englishman And in this agree Matthew Paris Capgrave Fabian and Polydore As I hold it not necessary for married folk to tie themselves to this strict kind of abstinence so I hold it not convenient for any such as have to themselves and in their souls taken upon them the strict life of Virginity to be compelled to an enforced marriage as may appeaâ—â—y this discourse following recorded by Gulielm â—â—â—sburien Simeon Danelmens Matthew Paris Roger Hovedâ—â— Capgrave c. Henry the first of that name King of England and crowned in the year of Grace 1101 was by the instigation of Anselm once a Monk of Normandy but after by William Ruâ—us constituted Archbishop of Canterbury married unto Maud daughter to Malcolm the Scottish King she having taken a Vow and being a profest Nun in the Abbey of Winchester Much ado had the King her father the Queen her mother her Confessor Abbesse or the Bishop to alienate her from her setled resolution or perswade her to marriage but being as it were violently compelled thereunto she cursed the fruit that should succeed from her body which after as Polydore affirms turned to the great misfortune and misery of her children for afterwards two of her sons William and Richard were drowned by Sea Besides her daughter Maud who was afterwards Empresse proved an untortunate Mother and amongst many other things in bringing forth Henry the second who caused Thomas Becket to the slain it thus hapned All forreign wars being past and civill combustions being pacified in the year of our Lord 1120 Henry the first with great joy and triumph left Normandy and came into England But within few daies following this great mirth and jollity turned into a most heavy and fearfull sorrow for William and Richard his two sons with Mary his daughter Otwell their 〈◊〉 and Guardian Richard Earl of Chester with the Countesse his wife the Kings Neece many Chaplains Chamberlains Butlers and Servitors for so they are tearmed in the story the Archdeacon of Hereford the Princes play-fellowes Sir Geffrey Rydell Sir Robert Maldvyle Sir William Bygot with other Lords Knights Gentlemen great Heirs Ladies and Gentlewomen to the number of an hundred and forty besides Yeomen and Mariners which were about fifty all these saving one man which some say was a Butcher were all drowned together and not one of their bodies ever after found Many attribute this great Judgement to the heavy curse of Queen Maud others censure of it diversly Howsoever in this King as Polydore saith ended the Descent and Line of the Normans Of this Anselm before spoken of there are divers Epistles yet extant to many women in those daies reputed of great Temperance and Chastity as To Sister Frodelina Sister Ermengarda Sister Athelytes Sister Eulalia Sister Mabily and Sister Basyle To Maud Abbesse of Cane in Normandy and Maud the Abbesse of Walton here in England He writ a Treatise about the same time called Planctus amissae Virginitatis i. e. A bewailing of lost Virginity So far John Bale And so much shall serve for Chast wives in this kind being loth to tire the patience of the Reader Of Women Wantons DIon the Historiographer in Tiberio saith that Livia the wife of Augustus Caesar beholding men naked said to the rest about her That to continent and chast matrons such objects differed nothing from statues or images for the modest heart with immodest sights ought not to be corrupted The unchast eie more drawes
profession a piece of gold valued at a pound and had received no more then labour for his travell and bare looks for his monie to him she said Thou for this pound art made free of my daughter as those that are admitted into the school of Hyppomachus the Master-wrestler who oft times see him play but seldome prove his strength admire his skill but never trie his cunning Many such with great elegancy came frequently from her for as Lynceus saith of her she was Concinna admodum urbana Aristodemus in his second book Ridiculorum memorab relates That when two men had bargained for her at once a souldier and a mean fellow the souldier in great contumely called her Lacus or Lake Why do you thus nick-name me saith she because you two floods fall into me Lycus and Liber Lycus is a river not far from Laodicea which sometimes runneth under the earth and in many places bursteth up again She writ a book which she called Lex Convinalis imitating the Philosophers of those times who had compiled works of the like subject The project of her book was how her guests ought to behave themselves at Table towards her and her daughter The like Law Callimâ—chus composed in three hundred and three and twenty Verses Rhodope was a Courtisan of Aegypt one that by her prostitution came to such a masse of wealth that she of her own private charge caused to be erected a magnificent Pyramis equalling those that there raised by the greatest Princes Sapho cals her Dorica and makes her the mistresse of her brother Charapus upon whom he spent and consumed all his fortunes even to the utmost of penury of whom Ovid thus writes Arsit inops frater c. Aelianus and others report her for a woman most beautiful who bathing her self in a pleasant and cleer fountain in her garden her handmaids attending her with all things necessary upon a sudden an Eagle sowsing down snatched up one of her shooes and flying with it as far as the great City Memphis let it fall from above into the lap of the King Psamneticus then sitting in publike judgement who much amazed at the strangenesse of the accident but most at the riches proportion and curiositie of the shooe instantly commanded that all Aegypt should be through-sought till they could find the owner thereof by matching it with the fellow which hapned soon after Being brought before the King he was so infinitely surprized with her feature that the same hour he contracted her in marriage and consequently made her his Queen Some say she was first a Thracian Damosel and servant to Iadmone of Samos she was after carried into Aegypt by the Philosopher Zanthus Samius She was a friend and patronesse of Aesopus so famous for his Fables still frequent amongst us Metra was the daughter of Erisicâ—thon a Thessalian who having spent all his fortunes and wasted even his necessary means as brought to the lowest exigent of penury was forced to make merchandise of his daughters Chastitie but she would not yield her selfe to the imbraces of any man without the gift and tender of a horse an oxe a cow a sheep or a goat or some such like commodity to the supply of her fathers necessity for it seems that coin and jewels were not then in use For the exchange aforesaid the Thessalians fabled That she could transhape her selfe into all creatures presented unto her by her lovers And hence came that old â—dage More changeable then Erisicthons Metirâ— Much of the like continence was Cyâ—ene a notious strumpet who as Erasmus reports explaining of that old proverb Duodecim artium nemo i. A man of twelve Arts or Trades could use her professed Venery twelve severall waies Archianasse was sirnamed â—â—â—phonia as born in the City of Colophon and was beloved of Plato the Divine Philosopher of whom he himself thus protested Archianassam ego teneo Colophonis amicam Cujus in rugis mollia ludit amor Archianasse I still hold Mistresse and I say There is no wrinckle in her face In which love doth not play Thus we see the deepest Philosophers and the wisest men have made themselves the captives of beauty and vassals lust Demâ—sthenes the Orator was guilty of the like aspersions and subject to much intemperance It is said that having children by a noted strumpet when both the mother and the children were cited before the judgement seat to avoid calumny he presented the children without the mother though it were against the custome of the City for as Idomeneus saith notwithstanding he were outwardly of a modest disposition and carriage yet inwardly he was profuse and incontinent It is reported of him that he was wandrous prodigall and expensice in banquets and women insomuch that the publike scribe speaking of him in an Oration thus said What shall we then think of the Orator Demosthenes when what he hath by his great travel and industry purchased in a whole year he will dissolutely spend in one night upon a woman The like Nicolaus Damascenus writes of Demetrius the last of that succession who so much doted on Myrina Samia That she commanded from him all things save his Diadem so that not only Philosophers but even Kings have made themselves subject to all kind of voluptuousnesse and luxuries and what hath been the lamentable successe but shame and dishonour the wasting of private estates and the miserable subversion of Kingdomes Therefore Claudian in his third book in Stiliconis Laudes thus saith Nam caetera regna Luâ—eurâ—â— vitiâ— edusque superbia vertit c. Of other Kingdomes the imperâ—â—l state Last doth subvert with vices Pâ—â—e with hate So by the Spartons Aâ—thens was subdu'd And so 〈◊〉 fell The Medes did first intrude Into the Assyrian Monarchy their lust Burted their towring honours in the dust From the luxurious Medes the Persians reft Their proud dominion they grown lustful left Their Empire to the Macedonian sway Who kept it till they wanton grew then they Their honours to the temperate Romans sold For so the ancient Sibils had fore-told The effects of this will more plainly appear in the History ensuing Aspasia otherwise called Socratica is numbred amongst the fairest women of her time insomuch that she had several suitors from all the Provinces of Greece as Aristophanes delivers in his discourse of the Peloponnesian war insomuch that Periâ—les for the love of this Aspasia and for some servants of hers taken from her by force begun and established that terrible decree against the Mâ—garenses remembred by Stesombrotus Thasius She about her private and necessary occasions sending her bawd Symaetha to the City of Megara the young men of the City detained her upon which restraint she sent two others who not being suffered to return from these strumpets did arise a war almost to the depopulation of the greatest part of Greece It is likewise spoken of that Cyrus who warred against his brother to have had a Mistresse of great wisdome
habit and called her selfe Pelagius proceeding in that sanctity of life that where before of Pelagia she was called Pelagus Vitiorum i. A sea of Vices she was after stiled Pelagus Vertutum amarissimus Marath aquas in dulces convertens i. An Ocean of Vertues turning the most bitter Waters of Marath into sweet And thus I conclude with these Wantons wishing all such whose lives have been us ill and infamous that their ends might prove as good and glorious Explicit lib. Sextus Inscriptus Erato THE SEVENTH BOOK inscribed POLYHIMNIA or MEMORY Intreating of the Piety of Daughters towards their Parents Women to their children Sisters to their Brothers Wives to their Husbands c. THere is no gift according to Reason bestowed upon man more sacred more profitable or availing towards the attaining of the best Arts and Disciplines which include all generall Learning then Memory which may fitly be called the Treasure-house or faithful Custos of Knowledge and Unstanding Therefore with great wisdome did the Poets call her the mother of the Muses and with no lesse elegancy did they place Oblivion below in Hell in regard of their opposition and antipathy Our Memory as Sahellicus saith is a benefit lent us from above that hath her existence in Nature but her ornament and beauty from Art Alexand. ab Alex. Lib. 2. cap. 19. That the Aegyptians in their Hieroglyphicks when they would figure any man of an excellent memory they would do it by a Fox or a Hare with upright and erected ears But when they would represent one dull and blockish they did by a Crocodile That Nation of all others hath been remarkable for their admirall retention who before they knew the true use of Letters had all the passages of former ages by heart and still the elder delivered them to the younger keeping no other Records then their own remembrances Themistocles in this was eminent insomuch that Sâ—monides the Poet promising by Art to add something unto that which he had already perfect by Nature he told him he had rather he could teach him the Art of Forgetfulnesse because he was prone to remember such things as he desired to forget but could not forget such things as he gladly would not remember Cic. lib. 2. de Finibus It proceedeth from a moderate temperature of the brain and therefore may be numbred amongst the necessary good things which belong unto mankind Many men have in this been famous but few women unlesse for remembring an injury Most necessary to a good Memory is Meditation for as Ausonius saith in Ludo septem sapientâ—um Is quippe solus rei gerendae est efficax Meditatur omne qui prius negotium He only squares his deeds by measure true That meditates before what shall ensue And again Nâ—hil est quod Ampliorem Curam postulat c. Nothing there is that greater care should ask Then to sore-think ere we begin our task All humane actions justly are derided That are by Chance and not by Counsel guided There is a Proverb frequent amongst us Oportet mendacem esse memorem It behoves a Lyar to have a good memory Neither is the sentence more common then the practise is in these corrupt daies insomuch that one speaking of the generally of it thus said or to the like effect Young men have learnt to lie by practise and old men claim it by authority Gallants lie oftner to their mistresses then with them nay even womens aprons are stringed with excuses Most of our Trades-men use it in bargaining and some of our Lawyers in their pleading The Souldiers can agree with the thing it selfe but quarrels at the name of the word It hath been admitted into Aldermens Closets and sometimes into States-mens studies The Traveller makes the modestest use of it for it hath been his admittance to many a good meal At a meeting of Gentlemen about this Town whether in a Tavern or an Ordinary I am not perfect but amongst other discourse at the Table one amongst the rest began thus It is recorded saith he by a Spanish Nobleman who had been Embassador in Russia that in the time of his residence there a strange accident befel which was after this manner A poor man of the Country whose greatest means to live was by gathering stricks and rotten wood in the forrest and after to make merchandize thereof amongst the neighbour Villages he climbing a hollow tree much spent with age and that Country above many others being full of Bees as appears by their traffick of Wax and Hony of which in the bulk and concavity of the Tree there was such a quantity that treading upon a broken branch and his fâ—ot-hold failing he sell into the trunk thereof where presently he was up to the arm-pits deep in Honey besides the emptinesse above his head not being able to reach to any thing by which he might use the help of his hands In this sweet pickle he continued the space of three daies feeding upon the reliefe the place affoorded but altogether despairing ever to be released thence as not daring to cry or call out for help fearing the danger of wild beasts of which in those wildernesses there are infinite plenty But it so fell out that a mighty great Bear coming that way and by reason of the poor mans moving and stirring himselfe up and down the Tree smelling the Honey which they say Bears have appetite unto above all other things whatsoever he mounts the Tree and as their custome is not daring to thrust in their heads first as fearing to fall headlong provident Nature hath allowed them that foresight as catching fast hold upon the top with their fore-feet with one of their hinder legs as with a plummet they sound the depth of the place and how far it is to the commodity for which they come to search All this the Bear did at such time as the miserable poor man was casting his arms abroad to catch hold of any thing by which he might raise himselfe out of that pittiful Purgatory who meeting with such an unexpected Pulley or Crane catch fast hold upon the Bears leg at which the beast being suddenly affrighted fearing to leave one of his limbs behind him drew it up with such a mighty strength that he pluckt out the man withall to the top where he first fell in by which means the poor wretches life was preserved and the affrighted Bear as if the Devil had been at his tail never looked back till he had got into the thickest part of the wildernesse His discourse being ended and every one admiring the strangenesse of the accident a Traveller that sat next affirmed it for truth as being then in the Country at the same time and thereupon took occasion to discourse of the Cities the Rivers the Manners and Dispositions of the people and withall the coldnesse of the Clime which in some places saith he I protest is so extream that one of my Country men and I talking
profession and sacred order who answered Should he invite me again unto the like Feast and ply me so fast with wine as he did then I should not only be apt to malign and revile but beat out of the room if they were then present the twelve Apostles The Judges by this understanding that his contempt only proceeded from the excesse of wine dismist him unpunished and upon the Priest that had first invited him and after accused him they laid this pennance That he should taste no wine for four whole daies together Old Ennius notwithstanding these effects never buckled himselfe to the writing of any brave Heroick Verse before his brain was moistned and his Muse kindled and awaked with the spirit of the grape of whom Horace Ennius ipse pater nunquam nisi potus ad arma Prosituit c. They need no further explanation the former words expresse them fully Tiberius was so addicted to immoderate cups that bring in the camp the souldiers used to nickname him and instead of clodius called him Caldus for Tiberius Biberius and for Nero Mero all of them reproving his intemperate Vinosity Juvenal in his Satyrs reports one Lanfella a woman for an incontinent wine-bibber Martial taxes another called Myrtale for her insaciaâ—e drinking but because her breath should not smel of the Grape she used to temter her wine with the leaves of Lawrel His words be these Foetore multo Myrtale solet vino Sed fallat ut nos folia devorat Lauri Myrtale drinks much wine which to excuse Lest that her breath thereof should stink and smel To deceive us she in her cups doth use To have her wine with Lawrell temp'red well The like Epigram he hath lib. 1. of another called Fescenina a great drinker of wine whom he brands for her intemperance In so great a custome was this rioting in drink grown that when the great and sumptuous Espousals of Hyppolita and Alphonsus were celebrated by King Ferdinand his father where every thing was carried with extraordinary magnificence and state as well the maâ—tiall exercises abroad as the Masks Revels and private sports within which extended not only to condign praise but admiration of all the spectators and all these Pastimes Feasts and Banquets kept to the end with great plenty and abundance yet without vain excesse and 〈…〉 In the shutting up all these solemnities one amidst the multitude by Nation a German clamoured out aloud even to the hearing of the King and all his Princely guests in these words Oh valeant ludi quibus nemo bibit i. Happy be those sports in which there is no excesse in drinking Pontanus And thus for the present I give over Healthing Of Women beloved of divers creatures EGesidemus upon Pliny tels us That the child Hermias was so beloved of a Dolphin that she would come to the Sea-shore and suster him to get upon her back then swim with him into the sea and having sported with him sufficiently bring him safe to land and then attend him the next day It hapned that having long continued this love betwixt them upon a time being mounted on the Dolphins back a sudden tempest arose by the violence of which the Lad was beaten off and so perished in the sea Which the Dolphin perceiving and having lost him whom she much loved she left the water and casting her selfe upon the dry Continent there gave up her selfe to a voluntary death Of the love of that kind of Fish to men and children there are divers remembrances as of Arion and others In Argis the child Olenus was affected by a Goose so likewise Lycidas the Philosopher who would never depart from him nor be driven out of his company but was his continuall associate in publike and private in the Bath in the night the day without any intermission Plin. lib. 10. cap. 22. Glauce the Harper was beloved of a Ram a youth of Sparta by a Daw. Nicander apud Caelium witnesseth That one Selandus the Butler to the King of Bithynia was beloved of a Cock whom they called Centaurus A Cock doted likewise on a young Lad whose name was Amohilochus by Nation an Olenian Why may we not then as well give credit that Semiramis was affected by a Horse and Pasiphae by a Bull when Pliny tels us that in Leucadia a young Damosel was so beloved of a Peacock that the enamoured bird never left her in life and accompanied her in death for seeing the Virgin dead she never would receive food from any hand but so pined away and died also In the City of Sestâ—s a young Eagle taken in a nest was carefully brought up by a Virgin The Bird being come to full growth would every day take her flight abroad and all such foul as she could catch bring home and lay them in the lap of her mistresse And this she used daily as it were to recompence her for her fostering and brinking up At length this Virgin dying and her body being borne unto the Funerall fire the Eagle still attended which was no sooner exposed unto the flames but the bird likewise cast her selfe with a voluntary flight amidst the new kindled pile and to her mistresses Hearse gave her selfe a most grateful sacrifice Plin. lib. 10. cap. 5. Saxo Grammat in the tenth book of his Danish History reports That certain young maids of a Village in Swethland playing and sporting together in the fields upon a holy-day suddenly an huge he Bear rushed out of the forrest and snatched up the fairest amongst them and hurried her away to his Den but gently and without any harm where having bestowed her long gazed on her face as if with a kind of admiration he grew so enamoured of her on the sudden that in the stead of a murtherer he became a lover imparting unto her all the prey that he got abroad The sequele of this History which is almost past beliefe I am loth for many speciall reasons to prosecute any further here therefore though abruptly I break it off Of Women excellent in the Art of Painting Weaving c. INnumerable are the men that have been excellent in the quality of Painting the Catalogue of their Names without a Capitulation of their Works would ask much paper but great pains to set down Yet as of the rest I will give you a small taste of their exquisite dexterity in that Art I have read That Apelles having made an excellent Piece in which he had deciphered a Horse to the life he thought it then a Present worthy Alexander and comming to present it to the King he only gave it a neglected look neither praising it nor discommending it but found other discourse The Painter still holding it up Bucephalus on whom the King was then mounted casting his 〈◊〉 upon the Table fell a neighing thinking the lively effigies had been a living Beast Which Apelles observing could no longer contain himselfe but cried out aloud O Alexander I now well perceive thy Horse
it was called The work of Acecaeus and Helicon Above others most magnified by Ovid. Metamorph. lib. 6. is Arachne Lydia the daughter of Idmones whose mother was born in the smal City Hypepis she having by many degrees exceeded all mortall women and that without difficulty durst compare with Minerva her selfe who for her boldnesse and pertinacy she turned into a Spider Her controversie with Pallas is with great elegancy expressed in Ovid. Alexander of Macedon and Octavius Augustus the one wore a Garment woven by his Mother the other a Mantle by the hands of his Wife These Ladies had sequestred places in some part of their Pallaces and kept their hand-maids and damosels at work of which these two potent and mighty Queens disdained not to be the daily Directoresses and Over-seers Alex. ab Alex. cap. 4. lib. 8. Part of the Wool which Tanaquil spun with her Distaffe Spindle and Slippers were long time reserved as sacred Reliques in the Temple of Ancus Martius as also a Kingly Garment or Imperiall Robe woven quite through with Raies and Flames of Gold wrought with her own hand in which Servius Tullius oft went in state and saâ—e in the high Judgement-Seat in the Capitol Varro apud eundem By the Law called Pagana all women were forbidden to spin or draw out any thread in the streets or common high waies because they held it ominous to the prosperity of the Grain sown in the Earth or the Fruits blossomed or growing upon the Trees as the same Author testifies Ausonius speaks af one Sabina not only excellent in this Science but a Poet withall which he left to posterity in one of his Epigrams Sive probas Tyrio textam sub tegmine vestra Seu placet inscripti commoditus tituli c. Which is thus Englished If thou affect'st a purple Robe Woven in the Tyrian stain Or if a Title well inscrib'd By which thy wit may gain Behold her works unpartially And censure on them well Both one Sabina doth professe And doth in both excell And thus I take leave of weaving for Memory now transports me to another Argument Of Women Contentious and Bloody TExtor in his Ossicine remembers us of one Kailla who was of that barbarous and inhumane cruelty that being at dissention with her husband Vazules she having banished all conjugall piety and pitty caused his eies to be digged out of his head spending the remainder of his age in uncomfortable darknesse These subsequent stories of flinty and obdure hearted women though I could willingly have spared them out of this work that the world might almost be induced to beleeve that no such immanities could ever have place in the smooth and soft bosomes of women yet in regard I have promised briefly to run over all Ages Features Affections Conditions and Degrees though they might perhaps have been thought well spared by some yet I make no question but that they might be challenged at my hands by others The rather I present them and with the more confidence unto your view because though their actions to the tender breasted may seem horrid and fearful and therefore the hardlier to purchase credit yet the testimony of the Authors being authentick and approved will not only bear me out as their faithfull remembrancer but in the things themselves fasten an inherent beleefe I proceed therefore Cyrce the Witch slew the King of Sarmatia to whom she was married and usurping the regall throne did much oppresse her subjects of her Saâ—â—llâ—cus writes more at large Clitemnestra was the wife of Agamemnon Arch Duke or Generall of the Grecians at the siege of Trâ—y she by the help of Aegistus with whom she adulterated slew her husband of this Virgil speaks lib. 11. Seneca in Agâ—memnon and Juvenal in Satyr Danaus the son of 〈◊〉 had fifty 〈◊〉 who were espoused to the fifty son of Aegustus 〈◊〉 made a eonjuration in one night to kill all their husbands which they accordingly did all save the 〈…〉 who spared the liâ—e of her husband 〈…〉 Hercul Fur. Alexander Phaeâ—cus a Tyrant of 〈◊〉 when he had shewed his wife 〈◊〉 to a 〈…〉 it so impatiently that she cut his throat sleeping Ovid in Ibâ—n Volâ—teâ—ranus repoâ—e that Albina daughter to a King of Syria had two and thirty sisters who all in one night slew their husbands who being exil'd their Countrie landed in Brittain and that of this Albina this kingdome first took the name of Albion Laodice was the wife of Antiochus King of Syria who caused himself to be call'd God the poison'd her husband because of his too much familiarity with 〈◊〉 the sister of Ptolomey Fabia slew Fabius Fabricianue that she might the more freely enjoy the company of Petronius Volentanus a young man of extraordinary feature with whom she had often before accompanied Agrippina poisoned her husband Tiberius Claudius the Emperor Lucilla the wife of Antonius Verus Emperor poisoned her husband because she thought him too familiar with Fabia Aaâ—â—oâ—us Prince of Ferolivium married with the daughter of Joannes Bentivolus of whom being despised and finding her self neglected she hired certain cot-throat Physitians who slew him in his chamber Andreas the son of Carolus King of Pannonia was slain by his wife Joanna Queen of Sicily for no other reason but that he was iâ—le and held unprofitable to the weal publick Althaea sorrowing that her two brothers Plexippus and Toxeus were slain by her son Meleager she burned that Brand of which the fattall Sisters had made a prediction That his life and health should continue as long as that was preserved Ovid Trist lib. 1. Bocat in General Agave a Theban woman slew her son Penthaeus because he would not honour the feast of the Baâ—hinals with the rest of the Menades Virg. in Culiceâ—â—â—ctha taking arms against Eumolpus and having an answer from the Oracle That he should have a certain victory of the would sacrifice his only daughter to the gods by the perswâ—sion of his wife Prâ—xitha gave her up to slaughter Euripides apud Plutarch Elearchus one of the Kings of Creet at the perswasion of his second wife Phroâ—â—ma commanded is only daughter by the hand of one Themisones to be cast into the river and there drowned Herodot Polidice betraied her father King Pletera to Crocon King of Thebes and caused him to be slain as likewise Niâ—us being besieged by Minos by the treason of his daughter lost that purple hair which was the stay of his sovereignty Ovid Metam and Servius Tiphon Aegyptius as Berosus Seneca Diodorus and other relate slew his brother Osiris then reigning in Aegypt and governing justly which done he caused him to be cut in twenty six pieces and to every one of the conspirators gave a part the better to secure him of their fidelities but Isis their sister after she had lamented the death of her brother Osiris by the assistance of her son who was called Oâ—os flew Tiphon and avenged his death Draomitia was a Queen of Bohemia
the infant any way betray the Sex for as Ovid Metamorph. lib. 9. saith of it Cultus erat 〈◊〉 facies quam sive puellae Sive dares pueri â—icrat formosus uterque The habit of a Bâ—y she wore And it had such a face As whether she were Boy or Girl It either Sex would grace Lictus gives it the name of the grandfather and cals it Iphis a name that may belong equally either to man or woman the mother holds it as a fortunate Omen The infant growes to be ripe for marriage and the father is as ready to provide a wife for his supposed son Ianthe is found the daughter of Dyctaeus and Thaleste a young damosel of large dower and commendable beauty Iphiâ— and Ianthe were of equall years and alike in feature they were bred together brought up and schooled together and as they had like instructions so they had like affections they were paralell'd in love but not in hopes Ianthe expected to be possessed of Iphis Iphis was in despair ever to enjoy Ianthe as her fear stil growes greater so the marriage day approacheth neerer the fathers joy and comfort is the mothers dread and grief the ones exaltation to bliss the others dejection to sorrow The Contract is past the Nuptial day come there are two Brides and no Bridegroom notwithstanding Hymen is present Juno at hand Vâ—nus not far off and Lucina the goddesse of Child-birth in hope of future imploiment The mother retires to her praiers the daughter to her tears Where humane hope fails and Nature opposeth or at least helpeth not whither should we slie but to the gods for assistance So they repair to the Altar where they humbly kneel and as devoutly pray Praiers are said to be the daughters of Jupiter and have at all hours accesse to the ears of their father Their Orisons ended the mother and the daughter returned if not helped yet in their resolutions armed against hurt In the way back as Ovid my Master tels me it thus hapned Mater abit Templo sequitur Comes Iphis euntem Quam solita est majore gradu c. The mother from the Temple Iphis guides She followes her but yet with larger strides Then when she thither went and thinks it strange To find within her self such sudden change Because she feels about her something grow The like she never saw nor yet doth know The whitenesse in her cheek begins to fade She seems more swart besides more breadth is laid Vpon her spreading shoulders she is now More strong then erst and in her modest brow A look more manly her fair hair that hung Below her Waste still shortens and her Tongue Hath got a bigger tone nor marvel when Iphis the Maid may now be rank'd ' mongst men What and how great joy this prodigious change was I leave to them that can truly apprehend the happinesse of such a hopelesse and unexpected fortune betwixt two Lovers but whether this was done meerly by the miraculous work of the gods or were possible in Nature might be disputed To this purpose he that collected the Memorable Histories of these times hath quoted an Author in many things beleevable That the like hath been known in our later ages yea children have been born that by the Midwives Nurses and Parents have been mistaken for daughters and so continued for some years But growing to the age of twelve or thereabouts and are able to distinguish of good or evil being capable of passions and subject to affections whether Love or Time hath produced these strange effects I am not certain but those manly parts that were before inverted and concealed within the body have burst forth and been made apparent insomuch that they have been forced to change their womens names into mens with the exchange of their habits and after made choice of wives and as this Iphis to Ianthe have been joifully married Ovid in his twelfth book of Metamorphosis remembers the like transhape from the mouth of Nestor Caenis saith he the daughter of Elataeus one of the most beautiful virgins of Thessaly and of such fame that even Peleus the father of Achilles amongst many others was an earnest suitor unto her to have made her his Bride and Queen but the proud Girl despising both his proffers and person gave him a like repulse with the rest pretending a perpetual vow of Chastity At length Neptune grew enamoured of her and encountred her at such opportunity and advantage that maâ—ger all resistance she was by him vitiated and devirgined To recompence which injury he bad her ask whatsoever was in his power being a god to grant and she should be recompenced to the fulnesse of her wishes and desires She fearing lest the temptation of her incomparable beauty might bring her in danger of the like violence and to base prostitution which she above all things hated to him she thus answered Magnum Caenis ait facit haec injuria votam Tale pati jam posse nihil da femina ne sim Omnia praestiteris c. My injury doth make me Caenis said To ask a mighty 〈◊〉 which grant I pray That I no more in this kind be betraâ—'d Make me to be no woman from this day 'T is all I beg The last words that she spake Seemd to be utter'd with more manly sound Then were the first Great Neptune for her sake Had granted it which in her self she found And added more to recompence this deed Never shall that smooth skin by weapon bleed After which time she proveth invulnerable changed her name to Caneus practised arms and proved a famous souldier She was in that great battel betwixt the Centaurs and the Lapithes where fel by her hand Stiphilus Bromus Antimachus Helimus and Pyrachmon five valiant Centaurs Now though this may seem somewhat to savour of fabulous Poetry may not she leaving out the compression of Neptune or being made wound free by the former probability so late remembred being born of a warlike race and having in her the inherent seeds of hereditary valor though she was first thought a damosel yet when time produced her virility make shew of that imperfect Nature had not til then ripened and practise Aâ—ms agreeable with the brave spirits of her ancestors And because either her good fortune assisted her or 〈…〉 her that she never received any apparant wound in battel may she not therefore and without any palpable absurdity be thought invulnerable And so much to Apology in the way of discourse for those supposed impossibilities only producing these Histories least any thing that savors not of immodesty that can be spoke of women should be left unremembred 〈…〉 Polyhimnia FINIS THE EIGHTH BOOK inscribed VRANIA Intreating of Women every way learned of Poetresses and Wiâ—ches c. POlyhimnia remembers me to look up to her Sister Vrania whose contemplation is in the Stars and Planets where me thinks I behold the tâ—â—lve Signs as Maniâ—us in his first book Astronomicon thus
wondrous prompt and accute brain she stil continued her habit and withal her laborious study as wel in the Scriptures as other humane Learnings At length comming to Rome she read publickly in the Schools where she purchased her selfe a great and frequent Auditory And besides her singular wisedome she was much admited and beloved for her seeming sanctity and austerity of life and after the death of Leo the fifth elected and confirmed in the papall Dignity for thus writes Volaterran Sigebertus Platina and others that have writ the lives of the Roman Bishops she is remembred likewise to this purpose by Boccatius in his book de Claris Mulieribâ—â— But Sabellicus lib. 1. Aneadis cals her Joanna Anglica i. Joan English who in her minority dissembled her Sex and so habited travelled as far as Athens and there studied with infinite gain and profit insomuch that comming to Rome few or none could equall her in Disputation or Lectures which begot her such reverence and authority with all men that she was by a general Suffrage elected into the Papacy and succeeded Leo the fourth Ravisius in Officina tit 6. Others will not allow that ever any such woman was Pope and excuse it thus There was one Bishop of Rome who was a decrepit and weak old man He by reason of age not being well able to manage his temporall affairs and domestick businesse received into his Pallace as a guide and governesse a woman called Joanna his sister or neer kinswoman this woman took upon her great pride and state and usurped upon the infirmity of her pride and state and usurped upon the infirmity of her brother insomuch that having the command of all things and being avaricious by nature no businesse was dispatched but by her nor any thing concluded without her for which she was both hated and scorned and therefore upon her that usurped the authority of the Pope they likewise bestowed his stile and nick-named her Pope Joan. This I have not read but I have heard some report it From her I come to Rosuida born in Germany and by Nation a Saxon she lived under Lotharius the first and was of a religious place called Gandresenses in the Diocesse of Hildesemensis she was facundious in the Greek and Roman Tongues and practised in all good Arts she composed many Works not without great commendation from the Readers one especially to her fellow Nuns and Votaresses exhorting them to Chastity Vertue and Divine worship She published six Comedies besides a noble Poem in Hexameter verse of the Books and Heroick Acts done by the Otho Caesars She writ the Lives of holy women but chiefly a Divine Work of the pious and chast life of the blessed Virgin in Elegick verse which began thus Vnica spes Mundiem Cranzius lib. 6. cap. 20. Metrapoleos Fulgos lib. 8. cap. 3. Elizabeth Abbesse of Schonaugia zealously imitated the practise and studies of this Rosuida which she professed in the City of Triers She writ many things in the Latin Tongue of which she was divinely admonished and inspired from above besides many perswasive Epistles to her Covent of Sisters and others ful of great conceit and elegancy A Book also that was entituled A path to direct us the way to God besides a Volume of many learned Epistles ful of great judgement and knowledge Fulgos lib. 8. cap. 3. and Egnat ibidem Conâ—lantia the wife of Alexander Sforza is deservedly inserted in the Catalogue of women famous and excellent in Learning She from her childhood was so laborious in the best Disciplines that upon the sudden and without premeditation she was able sufficiently to discourse upon any argument either Theological or Philosophical besides she was frequent in the works of St Hierom St Ambrose Gregory Cicero Lactantius For her extemporal vein in Verse she was much admired in which she was so elegantly ingenious that she attracted the ears of many judicious scholers to be her daily Auditors And this facility is reported to be innate and born with her as proceeding with such smoothness and without the least â—orce or affectation Her daughter Baptista succeeded her both in fame and merit beeing accepted and approved for one equally qualified with her mother Constantia Therefore Politianus in Nutricia doubts not to rank her amongst the best learned and most illustrious women Baptista Prima the daughter of Galeatinus Malatesta Prince of Pisauriâ— and after the wife of Guido Monteseltrensis Earl of Urbin made many commendable proofs of her wit and learning for she held many disputations even with those that were best practised and grounded in the Arts from whence she came off with no common applause She writ a Volume in Latin which she titled The frailty of mans Life with other praise-worthy books De vera Religione i. Of true Religion Fulgos lib. 8. cap. 3. Isota Navarula Veronensis devoted her life wholly to the study of all humane knowledge and withall to the contemplation of Divine Mysteries to which she added the honour of perpetuall Chastity She writ many eloquent Epistles to Pope Nicolaus Quintus as also to Piuâ— the second being sufficiently seen as wel in Theology as Philosophy Amongst other Works she composed a Dialogue in which it was disputed which of the two of our parents Adam and Eve sinned first or more offended in the beginning Egnat and Fulgos lib. 8. cap. 3. Alpiadâ—s a Virgin who much â—â—sired to be instructed in the true Faith was inspired fâ—om above 〈◊〉 a miraculous knowledge in the Scriptures 〈…〉 Of Women excellent in Philosophy and other Learning FRom Theology I descend to Philosophy Nicaula Queen of Saba travelled from the farthest part of Aethiopia up to Hierusalem to prove the wisdome of Solomon in dark Problems and hard Questions which when he had resolved and satisfied her by his divine wisdome inspired into him from above she returned into her Country richer by her gifts more benefited by her knowledge and fruitfull as bearing with her in her womb a child begot by Solomon Lycosth in Theat Human. vitae lib. 1. cap. de Femin doctis Adesia a woman of Alexandria a neer kinswoman to the Philosopher Syrianus both for her Chastity and Learning is commemorated by Suidas Vata lib. 13. cap. 3. Antrop Nicâ—strata by some called Carmentis helped to make up the number of the Greek Alphabet she is also said to have added to our Roman Letters Hermodica was the wife of Midas King of Phrygia she is not only celebrated for her rare feature and beauty but for her wisedome she was the first that ever stamped Money or made Coin amongst the Cimenses Heraclides Numa was the first that made mony amongst the Romans of whose name it was called Nummus Isiodor lib. 16. cap. 17. It is likewise called Pecunia of Pecus which signifies Cattel for the first that was made to passe currant betwixt man and man was made of the skins of beasts stamped with an impression It hath been currant amongst our English Nation
sister received with joy and of the people with loud acclamations and being now possessed of the Imperiall dignity the better as he thought to secure himselfe having power answerable to his will after the barbarous custome of the Turkish tyranny he first caused his eight younger brothers to be beheaded stretching his bloody malice to all or the most part of his own affinity not suffering any to live that had been neer or deer to his deceased brother so that the City Casbin seemed to swim in blood and ecchoed with nothing but lamentations and mournings His cruelty bred in the people both fear and hate both which were much more increased when they understood he had a purpose to alter their form of religion who with great adoration honour their prophet Aly into the Turkish superstition his infinite and almost incredible butcheries concern not my project in hand I therefor leave them and return to his sister whose name was Periaconcona who when this Tyrant was in the middest of his securities and the sister as he imagined in her sisterly love and affection upon a night when he was in all dissolute voluptuousnesse sporting amidst his concubines she into whose trust and charge he had especially committed the safety of his person having confederated with Calilchan Emirchan Pyrymahomet and Churchi Bassa the most eminent men in the Empire admitted them into the Seraglio in womans attire by whom with her assistant hand in the midst of his luxuries he was strangled an act though happily beneficiall to the common good yet ill becomming a sister unlesse such an one as strived to parallel him in his unnaturall cruelties Turkish History Equall with this was that of Quendreda who after the death of Ranulphus King of Mercia his young son Kenelm a child of seven years of age raigning in his stead whose roiall estate and dignity being envied by his sister she conspired with one Heskbertus by whose treacherous practise the King was enticed into a thick forrest and there murdered and privately buried his body long missed and not found and the conspirators not so much as suspected But after as Willielm de regib lib. 1. and de Pontificibus lib. 4. relates a Dove brought in her bill a scrole written in English golden letters and laid it upon the Altar of Saint Peter which being read by an Englishman contained these words by which the place where the body lay was discovered At Clent in Cowbach Kenelme Keneborn lieth under Thorn heaved by weaved that is in plainer English At Clent in Cowbach under a thorn Kenelm lieth headlesse slain by treason Some say it was found by a light which streamed up into the air from the place where his body lay covered His hearse being after borne towards his sepulchre to be a second time interred with solemn Dirges sung by the Churchmen Quendreda sitting then in a window with a Psalter in her hand to see the funerall solemnly pass by whether in scorn of the person deâ—ision of the Ceremony or both is not certain but she began to sing the Psalm of Te Deum laudamus backward when instantly both her eies dropped out of her head with a great flux of blood which stained her book and it was after kept as a sacred relique in memory of the Divine judgement What need I trouble you with citing antiquities how this sin ought to be punished on earth when we see how hatefull it is in the eies of heaven besides to insult upon the bodies of the dead is monstrous and even in things senslesse to be punished Ausonius remembers us of one Achillas who finding a dead mans scull in a place where three sundrie waies divided themselves and casting to hit it with a stone it rebounded again from the scull and stroke himself on the forehead his words be these Abjecta in triviis inhumati glabra jacebat Testa hominis nudum jam cute calvicium Fleverant alii fletu non motus Achillas c. Where the three waies parted a mans soul was found Bald without hair unburied above ground Some wept to see 't Achillas more obdure Snatcht up a stone and thinks to hit it sure He did so at the blow the stone rebounds And in the eies and face Achillas wounds I wish all such whose impious hands prophane The dead mans bones so to be stroke again Of Mothers that have slain their Children or Wives their Husbands c. MEdea the daughter of Oeta King of Colchos first slew her young brother in those Islands which in memory of his inhumane murther still bear his name and are called Absyrtides and after her two sons Macarâ—â—â— and Pherelus whom she had by Iason Progne the daughtâ—er of Pandion murthered her young son It is begot by Terâ—us the son of Mars in revenge of the rape of her sister 〈◊〉 Ino the daughter of Cadmus Melicertis by 〈◊〉 the son of Aeolus Althea the daughter of Theseus slew her son Meleager by Oeneus the son of Parthaon Themisto the daughter of Hypseus Sphincius or Plinchius and Orchomenus by 〈◊〉 at the instigation of Ino the daughter of Cadmus Tyros the daughter of Salmoneus two sons begot by 〈◊〉 the son of Aeolus incited thereto by the Oracle of Apollo Agave the daughter of Cadmus Pentheus the son of Echiâ—â— at the importunity of Liber Pater Harpalice the daughter of Climenus slew her own father because he forcibly despoiled her of her honor Hyginus in Fabulis These slew their Husbands Clitemnestra the daughter of Theseus Agamemnon the son of Atreus Hellen the daughter of Iupiter and Laeda Deiphobus the son of Priam and Hecuba he married her after the death of Paris Agave Lycotherses in Illyria that she might restore the Kingdom to her father Cadmus Deianeira the daughter of Oeneus Althea Hercules the son of Iupiter Alomena by the Treason of Nessus the Centaur Iliona the daughter of Priam Polymnestor King of Thrace Semyramis her husband Ninus King of Babylon c. Some have slain their Fathers others their Nephewes and Neeces all which being of one nature may be drawn to one head And see how these prodigious sins have been punished Martina the second wife to Heraclius and his Neece by the brothers side by the help of Pyrrhus the Patriarch poisoned Constantinus who succeeding in the Empire fearing left her son Heraclius should not attain to the Imperiall Purple in regard that Constantinus left issue behind him two sons Constantes and Theodosius which he had by Gregoria the daughter of Nycetas the Patritian notwithstanding he was no sooner dead but she usurped the Empire Two years of her Principality were not fully expired when the Senate reassumed their power and called her to the bar where they censured her to have her tongue cut out lest by her eloquence she might perswade the people to her assistance her son Heraclius they maimed off his Nose so to make him odious to the multitude and after exiled them both
my Author tels me greatly supported by the hand of Venus or whether the pitious earth unwilling to hurt or harm such fair and wel-featured limbs and therefore with more then accustomed courtesie favourably received her into her into her lap I am not certaine but the Lady to the wonder of all the beholders was taken up whole and sound without wound or the least astonishment and from thence conducted to the Tent of the Generall who because he made but offer to violate her chastity the ever nobly minded Romans not only took from him the charge of the Army alledging that he that could not govern his own affections was not fit to command others but confined him into the Island Coâ—sica adjacent neer to the continent of Italy Not much lesse strange was that of Perhibaea the daughter of Accathous who when Telamon the son of Aeacus and Eudeides came into the City of 〈◊〉 where she then 〈◊〉 with her father and took her at that advantage that she was by him deviâ—gined and 〈◊〉 his name or person not being known by her oâ— any and so privily escaped and fled away by night 〈◊〉 after perceiving her by assured tokens to be grown big with child and suspecting it to be done by some one of his Citizens or Subjects he was thereat so incensed that banishing all piety or patenall pity he delivered her into the hands of one of his Captains commanding him either to kil her with his sword or cast her into the sea the souldier undertakes the imposition of his Soveraign upon him with many vowes and protestations to perform his pleasure with all strictness and severity but by the way commâ—â—â—â—ting her wretched fortune and loth to be the 〈◊〉 of such youth and beauty created for better use comming neer the Sea-shore and spying a ship there at Anchor he sold her to the chief merchant for a sum of monie returning to the father with an assured relation of his daughters death The 〈◊〉 presently with this fair purchase hoised saile and a 〈◊〉 and gentle gale favouring them they attained unto the Port of Salamine and there harboured where purposing to make sale of their merchandise they exposed them to the publique view amongst the rest they set a price on the Princesse Perhibaea Tâ—lamon who was Duke of Salamine and then resiant in the City took his attendants with him and hearing of this new Merchant went down to the 〈◊〉 to take the first view of his goods and provide himselfe of such things as he wanted amongst all the fair Perhibaea pleased him best whose face he well knew and still remembred what had past betwixt them he bargained for her paid down her price conducted her to his Pallace and there acquainted her with the true passage of all his former proceedings Within few months she brought him a son which he called Ajax and this was that Ajax Telamon who at the siege of Troy betwixt the two armies combatted with bold Hector in the plain of Scamander you shall read this History in Aretades Guidius in his second book inscribed Insulâ— The next that insues hath correspondence with this Lucius Trocius had a beautifull young daughter called Florentia she was stuprated by the Roman Calphurnius and when the act came to the knowledge of her father delivered to the trusty executioner to be cast into the Sea who in the same manner was by him pitied and sold to a Merchant his ship being then bound for Italy where she being exposed to publique sale was seen known and bought by Calphurnius by whom he had a son called Contruscus I proceed to such as have unwittingly been the death of their parents Evenus the son of Mars and Steropes by his wife Alcippa the daughter of Oâ—nnemanus had a beautifull female issue whom he called Marpissa who had vowed perpetuall virginity her Idas the son or Aphareus ravished and stole away which her father hearing prosecuted him even unto his own Country but in vain for not able to overtake them and returning without her in griefe of his lost daughter whom he so deerly loved he threw himselfe into the river Lycormus and was there drowned some think that by his death the stood lost his name and was ever after celled Evenus Dâ—sithae lib 1. rerum Italicarum Anius King of the Etruscious having a rarely featured damosell to his daughter called Salia whose virginity he had vowed to Diana and therefore admitted no suitors though many great and rich offers made unto her at length as she was spotting abroad amongst other Virgins she was espied by one Calthetas a hopefull young Gentleman and â—â—nobled by his family who at the stâ—st sight of her was so extasi'd with her beauty that maugre all tear of pursuit or danger he snatcht her up in his arms and used such means that he got her safe within the wals of Rome Her father following the ravisher but not overtaking him was struck into such a deep sorrow that desperate of all comfort or counsel he violently cast himselfe into the next Foord that parted Rome and his own Kingdome which ever since that time still bears the name of Anius Calihetus had by Salia two brave sons Latinus and Salinus who were famous in their noble and flourishing issue insomuch that some of the best and greatest Families in Rome were proud from them to derive their ancestrie This history is recorded by Aristides Milesius by Alexander and Polihistor lib. tertio Italicorum Of Clamorous Women commonly called Scolds GNeius Pompeius to make his faction the stronger by his friend Munatius sent to Cato that he would be pleased of his two Neeces to contract the one of them to himselfe the other to his son by whom Cato sent word back to Pompeius That though he as a friend took gratefully the free proffer of his friendship and allyance yet being a man he had ever kept himselfe from being intricated in the snares of women but he protested he would adhere unto him in a more firm league of amity than could be contracted by kindred if he would study any thing conducent and profitable for the Common-weal but against the publique good he would neither give nor take hostages calling his Neeces who as some write were his daughters given so in matrimony no better then pledges of much future inconvenience especially in matters of State where the Common-weal is distracted and divided Eras 5. Apophtheg Socrates was wont to say that he had patiently suffered three torments Grammer Poverty and a scolding Wife Xintippe two of which he had prettily well evaded namely Grammer and Poverty but the morosity of a scold he could never put off Anton. Parle 2. Meless Serm. 34. The like may be said of Sausarion the Comick Poet equally tormented with a bitter and railing wife Pittacus Mitelenus having married the sister of Dâ—aco the son of Penthilius a proud insolent and railing woman perswaded a deer friend of his to marry with the
other sister for if he were never so much given to wrath and anger she would teach him sufferance and patience Laertius when Georgias the Sophist at the solemnity of the Olympick games had made an elaborate Oration concerning concord and to perswade men to uninity one Mâ—lanthius in the conclusion or catastrophe thereof spake aloud This man perswades all Greece to peace who having but one wife and three maids at home yet his house is never without clamour and dissention and with all his smooth filed phrases cannot make his own peace Eras 6. Apophtheg Mar. Pacuvius upon a time said weeping to his familiar friend and neighbor Actius alias Arius Deer friend saith he I have a tree in my garden in my mind the most prodigious and unhappy that ever the earth produced or gave sap unto for upon that my first wife hanged her selfe and after that the second and now but this morning my third and last to whom Arius his neighbour replied I wonder you being a learned man and approved for your wisdome should be any way grieved at these successes and chances Dâ—i boni inquit quot tibi dispendia arbor iste suspendit i. Oh you gods how many of thy dammages and losses hast thou hanged upon that tree and proceeded thus Deer friend give me some of those grafts and syents that I may plant them in my Orchard or garden Valerius records this in an Epistle to Rufinus As also Cicero reports the like of a Cicilian in 2 de Orat. and Gyraldus Dial. 8. Poetarum Even Cato Ceasortus could not escape a brawling and crabbed wiâ—e though he married her from an ignoble stock and family Guid Bitturn saith That Hadrianus had a wife called Sabina hard perverse untoward rude in her behaviour towards her husband and worthy to be repudiated and her bed and society abandoned Alphonsus King of Naples demanding of one Antonius Panormita What noble Neapolitan Gentlemen were delighted in Hunting or whether any late Writer had published any Treatise concerning the goodnesse and excellency of dogs To whom Panormitâ— answered I beseech thee O King rather ask this Knight pointing to one that was then in presence who can better resolve you who for the space of forty years hath been continually so conservant amongst such creatures that every night he beddeth with a Canicula which word as it signifieth a Bâ—ach or Bitch so it is taken for a detractor or snarling slanderer as also for a Dog-fish and proceeded Therefore he O King can best describe unto you their natures and conditions This Knight of Naples whose name for his honors sake is concealed only smiled at the taunt given by Antonius well apprehending that by Canicula he intended his wife a woman barkingly clamorous most contentious and bitter Pontanus Gregorius Hamburgensis a famous ond eloquent Lawyer amongst all the German practisers the most approved when all his busie imploiments were ended in the Court of Caesar where he was staied some two months or thereabouts and as we say in our English phrase the Terme being and he returning home to his own house not far from the Town of Nurimburgh where he then dwelled he met with a friend and neighbour who after some familiar salutes past betwixt them told him That his wife was living and in good health at home to whom shaking his head he made this short reply 〈◊〉 vivit saneobâ—◠〈◊〉 If my wife be living then am I but dead thereby intimating that the moâ—osity of a câ—rst wife is no better then a daily death to her husband Aeneas 〈…〉 reb Gestis Alphonsâ—â— Thisponius the 〈…〉 of the learned Councel to King Alphonsus having at one time three hundred pieces of Gold stoln from 〈◊〉 which was part of the Dower of a perverse and peevish 〈◊〉 whom he had lately married for which being wondrous 〈◊〉 and pensive in the presence of the King Alphoâ—sus looking upon him and seeming to commiserate his sadnesse broke out into these terms O how happy a man were Thisponius if the theeves had stolne away his wife and left the Gold behind them Pâ—normita lib 1 de Gestis Alphons Euripides the most excellent of thâ— Greek Tragick Poets had two wives the name of the first was Cherâ—le or as Sâ—â—das cals her Chaerinâ— the daughter of Mâ—nâ—silâ—chus by whom he had three sons Mâ—â—siloches the Actor or Stage-plaier Mnesarchides the Merchant and the third Euâ—â—pides the Orator yet partly for suspition of adultery and by reason he led with her an unquiet life after so hopeful an issue she was divorced from him After this separation he married another called Melitto who being apprehended in adultery with Ctesiphon the Plaier he was so branded for a Cuckold and so taunted and jeasted at by the Comick Poets in the publique Theater that he was forced to leave the City and to remove himselfe into Macedonia where he spent the remainder of his life in the Court of King Archelaus Gel. lib. 15. cap. 20. Athenaeus lib. 13. Arnus Tarquinius and Tullâ—a lived together in perpetuall discord and dissention by reason of her unto 〈◊〉 and crabbed condition Adrianus Bâ—rlâ—ndus tels us of an Inne keeper or Host a pleasant and trolick fellow who when a guest of his complained unto him that he â—ould not endure such noise and clamour for his wives tongue never ceased walking finding fault with this thinâ— then that besides there was no cessation of her perpetuall brawling and chiding with her maids and servants To whom the merry Host replied And I pray my friend is this a just cause for your impatience or discontent What do you think of me then that for two and thirty yeers space have had this noise and clamour continually in mine eaâ—s night and day without ceasing and yet you see with what sufferance I bear it and cannot you endure it for the space of a few minutes By which words he not only gave present satisfaction to his guest but converted his wives anger into laughter Servius Tullius King of the Romans conferr'd upon his two daughters upon the two Tarquins Aruns and Superbus of severall dispositions were the men and of sundry conditions the women as they were opposite in humour they were as unfitly disposed To Aruns a man of a quiet and â—â—ld temper Tullia Lady 〈◊〉 and daring was given on Superbus a Prince haughty and insolâ—nâ— the other being a modest and â—eek Lady was bestowed Disparity of minds could not brook the inequality of manners Therefore bold and bloody Tullia poisons her faire and gentle conditioned Aruns the other modest and mild-tempered sister is made away by the proud and ambitious Superbus the best are lost the worst left They two contract an incestuous Marriage Pride with Cruelty and Immanity with Ambition Murther is the ground oâ— cause and Treason and Usurpation the prodigious effect she complots the death of her own naturall father and he the ruine of his liege Lord and Sovereign she a Parâ—icide he a Râ—gicide The