He that is idle and would businesse haue Let him of these two things himselfe prouide A Woman and a Ship no two things crane More care or cost to suite the one for pride Th' other for tackles they are both like fire For still the more they haue they more desire And this I speake by proofe from morne to noone Their labour and their trauells haue none end To wash to râ—b to wipe and when that 's done To striue whore nothing is amâ—sse to mend To polish and expolish painâ— and staine Vnguents to daube and then wipe out againe c. Now what generall censures these fantasticke garbes and meere importunities incurre if any demaund I answere What lesse than weakenesse of the braine or loosenesse of life This iest following though it be old yet me thinkes it is pittie it should dye vnremembered A gentleman meeting in the streets with a braue gallant wench and richly accommodated seeing her walke with her brests bare almost downe to the middle laying his hand vpon them demaunded of her in her eare whether that flesh were to bee sold who skornefully answered No to whom he modestly replyed Then let me aduise you to shut vp your shop-windowes I will end this monitorie counsell with an Epigram out of Ausonius which beares title of two sisters of vnlike conditions Delia nos miramur est mirabile qoud tam Dissimiles estis c. Wee wonder Delia and it strange appeares Thou and thy sister haue such censure past Though knowne a whore the habit 's chast she woares Thou saue thy habit nothing whorish hast Though than chast life she hath chast habit sought Her Manners her thy Habit makes thee nought In memorie of Virgin chastitie I will cite you one historie out of Marullus lib. 4. cap. 8. The monument of Aegiptae the daughter of Edgar king of England a professed Virgin in her life time beeing opened after shee had many yeares lyen in the graue all her bodie was turned into dust sauing her wombe and bowells and they were as fresh and faire without any corruption as at the first day of her interment Those that stood by wondering at the obiect one Clerke amongst the rest broke foorth into these tearmes Wonder not to see the rest of the bodie to taste of putrifaction and the wombe still sound and perfect which neuer was contaminated with the least stayne or blemish of lust Of her Bishop Danstan thus speakes Worthie is her remembrance to be honoured vpon Earth whose chast life is celebrated amongst the Saints in Heauen O great reward due to Virgin chastitie by which such felicitie is attayned that their soules are not onely glorified in Heauen but their bodies are not subiect to corruption on earth But because the Theame I am next to speake of is of Virgins giue me leaue to begin with the best that euer was since the beginning for Beautie Chastitie and Sanctitie nor shall it be amisse to speake a word or two concerning her Genealogie MARY the Mother of CHRIST was the daughter of Ioachim of the Tribe of Iuda her mothers name was Anna the daughter of Isachar of the Tribe of Leui. Here as S. Hierome obserues is to be noted That Anna and Emeria were two sisters of Emeria came Elizabeth the mother of Iohn Baptist also Anna was first marryed to Ioachim and had by him Mary the mother of Christ and was after espoused to Cleophas by whom she had Mary Cleophe who was marryed to Alphaeus From them two came Iames the lesse surnamed Alphaeus Symon Canâ—â—â—aus Iudas Thaddaus and Ioseph otherwise called Barsabas Eusebius in his Ecclesiasticall Historie Lib. 2. cap. 2. sayth That Iames the lesse was called the Brother of our Lord because hee was the brother of Ioseph the husband of Mary but his opinion is not altogether authenticall Also Anna was espoused to Salome and had by him Mary Salome after marryed to Zebedeus and had by him Iâ—mes the greater and Iohn the Euangelist Ioseph the husband of Mary was the brother of Cleophas It is also obserued That in the one and fortieth yeere of the reigne of Augustus Caesar in the seuenth moneth which is September in the eleuenth day of the Moone which is the foure and twentieth day of the moneth on a Thursday Iohn Baptist was conceiued and two hundred threescore and fifteene dayes after on a Fryday was borne So that he was the fore-runner of Christ both in his Conception his Birth his Baptisme his Preaching and his Death A woman goeth with child two hundred threescore and sixteene dayes for so long by computation was Christ in the wombe of the blessed Virgin though all women goe not so long with child as S. Augustine obserues Lib. 4. de Ciuitate Dei cap. 5. So that Christ was longer in the wombe by a day and more than S. Iohn Baptist. Iohn also was borne when the dayes began to shorten and wane and Christ when the dayes began to waxe long Concerning these Antiquities I conclude with a sentence of S. Augustines Against Reason sayth hee no sober man will dispute against the Scripture no Christian man contest and against the Church no religious man oppose And so I proceed to the Historie Of MARY the Blessed Virgin LEt it not be held vnnecessarie or appeare out of course amongst these Virgins to insert a historie memorable for the â—arenesse thereof to all posteritie Iohannes Wyerius in his booke intituled de Prestigijs demonum hath collected it out of Suidas In the time that Iâ—stinianuâ— was Emperour there was a prince amongst the Iewes whose name was Theodosius He hauing great acquaintance and familiaritie with one Philippâ—s a Christian a bancker or one that dealt in the exchange of money for hee was called Philippus Argentarius this Philip did often sollicite and exhort him to leaue his Iudaisme and be a conuertite and turne to the Christian religion to whom he aunswered Indeed he must ingeniosly confesse he made no question but that Iesus whom the Christians adored was the same Messias of whom the holie Prophets foretold yet he could not bee persuaded to relinquish the honours and profits that he had amongst his owne nation and giue himselfe vp to a name which they knew not or at least would not acknowledge yet that he beleeued so of Christ he was not onely persuaded by the Oracles of the holie Prophets but he found it approoued by a certaine mysterie namely a writing most charily still kept amongst the Iewes in a place most safe and secret where their choise records with the especiallest care and trust are reserued which was of this nature It was a custome amongst the Iewish nation at what time the holie Temple was yet standing in Ierusalem to haue continually the number of twentie two chiefe and selected Priests iust so many as there bee letters in the Hebrew language or bookes of the old Testamenâ— and so often as any one of these was taken away by
commemorates these Rebecka who when she saw the seruant of Abraham at the Well where she came to draw water and desiring to drinke answered cheerefully and without delay Drinke sir and I will also draw water for thy Cammells till they haue all drunke their fill Genes 24. The Midwiues feared God and did not according to the command of Pharaoh king of Aegypt but preserued the male-children whom they might haue destroyed Exodâ—s 1. The daughter of Pharaoh comming downe to the riuer to wash herselfe with her handmaid and finding the young child Moses in the arke amongst the bulrushes she had compassion on the infant and said Surely this is a child of the Hebrewes so caused him to be nursed brought vp in her fathers court and after adopted him her sonne Exod. 2. Rahab the strumpet when she knew the spies of Ioshua to be pursued and in danger of death concealed them and returned them safe to the armie Iosh. 2. The messengers that were sent to Dauid in the wildernesse to informe him of the proceedings of his sonne Absolon were by a woman hid in a Well which she couered and by that meanes deluded their pursuers Kings 2.17 When two common Women contended before Saloman about the liuing and dead infant the one had a tender and relenting brest and could not indure to see the liuing child to perish Kings 3.3 The widdow woman of Zerephath entertained Eliah as hir guest and by her he was relieued Kings 3. 17. The Shunamitish woman persuaded with her husband that the Prophet Elisaeus might haue a conuenient lodging in her house to go and come at his pleasure Kings 4. 2. When wicked Athalia had giuen strict command to destroy all the Kings seed Iosaba the daughter of King Ioram tooke Ioas one of the Kings children and by hiding him out of the way preserued his life Kings 4. 11. Esther hauing commiseration of her people when a seuere Edict was published to destroy them all and sweepe them from the face of the earth she exposed her selfe with the great danger of her owne life to the displeasure of King Ahashuerosh purchasing thereby the freedome of her nation and her owne sublimitie Esther 4.5 Women ministred to the Sauiour of the world in his way as he went preaching to the towns and cities Luk. 8. when he walked from place to place preaching and teaching he is said neuer to haue had more free and faithfull welcome than in the house of Martha and Marie Luke 10. Iohn 12. When the Scribes and Pharisees blasphemed at the hearing and seeing the Doctrine and Miracles of Christ a certaine woman giuing deuout attention to his words as extasied with his diuine Sermon burst forth into this acclamation Blessed bee the wombe that bore thee and the brests that gaue thee sucke Luke 11. Christ being in Bethania in the house of Simon the leaper as he sate at the table there came a woman with a box of ointment of Spicknard verie costly and she brake the box and poured it vpon his head and when some said disdaining To what end is this wast for it might haue beene sold for more than 300 pence and giuen to the poore Iesus said Let her alone she hath wrought a good worke on me c. and proceeded Verily I say vnto you wheresoeuer this Gospell shall be preached throughout the whole world this also that she hath done shall bee spoken in remembrance of her The woman of Canaan was so full of naturall pittie and maternall pietie that she counted her daughters miserie and affliction her owne when she said to Iesus Haue mercie vpon me oh Lord the sonne of Dauid for my daughter is vexed with an euill Spirit Math. 15. The women stood by to see the Lord suffer and followed the crosse when he was forsaken of his Apostles Luke 23. Iohn 19. they were carefull likewise to visit him in his sepulchre Math. 28. Luke 24. The wife of Pilat had more compassion of Christ and more vnwilling that he should suffer vpon the crosse than any man of whom the Scripture makes mention Math. 27. Marke 16. Iohn 20. For deeds of charitie and dealing almes to the poore and needie widdowes and orphans they intreated Peter weeping that he would visit Tabitha being dead who mooued with their teeres kneeled and praied at whose intercessions she was restored to life Act. Apost 9. Herod hauing slaine Iames the brother of Iohn with the sword and seeing that it pleased the people he proceeded further to take Peter and put him in prison deliuering him to the charge of foure quaternions of souldiers to be kept but the Angell of the Lord appeared to him in the night tooke off his double chaines and led him out of prison who hauing past the first and second watch the yron gate opened to the Angell and him and finding that which he thought to be a vision to be a reall truth he came to the house of Marie the mother of Iohn whose sirname was Marke where many had seperated themselues to praier Peter knocking a maide whose name was Rhode came to the doore who hearing and knowing Peters voice the Scripture saith she opened not the doore for gladnesse but ran in and told them that Peter stood without at the entrie In which are to be obserued two memorable women for their zeale and pietie namely Rhode the handmaid whose ioy was so great at the verie voice of Peter released from the prison of Herod and Mary her mistresse who was a deuout harboresse and one that gladly entertained the Disciples of Christ into her owne house notwithstanding the persecution to performe their zealous and religious exercises Act. Apost 12. Lydia a dier of purple beleeuing the gospell which Paul preached was baptised with her whole household after which she intreated them in these words If thou thinke me worthie saith she to be a faithfull seruant to my Lord and God vouchsafe to enter my house and abide there and she compelled vs as Luke saith By which is concluded that women haue beene the readie willing and deuout hearers of the word of God Act. Apost 16. Many no question zealous and religious women haue to their power striued to imitate those with their best of industrie Amongst others I might instance one now of a great age as hauing much past that number by which Dauid reckons the yeares of man yet from her youth hath lead a life without any noted staine or blemish deuout in her zeale remarkeable in her charitie beloued of all hated of none a Phisitian to the sicke and Chirurgion to the wounded who with her owne hands hath sent more lame and diseased persons from her gate whole and sound than Lazarus had sores about him when he lay at the rich mans gate vnrelieued she feeding with loaues when that purple glutton would not spare his crummes she doing this out of a widowes mite when he would
Mistresse of Pisistratus 248 Of Nitâ—tis 249 Of Bersaâ—e 250 Of the wife of Candaules 251 Rowan and Estrilda 252 The faire Lady of Norwich 253 Of Calirrhoe daughter to Boetius 256 Of the wiues of Cabbas and Phaillus c. 257 The daughters of Danaus and the sonnes of Aegyptus 259 Of Manto 260 The wife of Agetas c. 261 A Vicars daughter 262 A faire wittie Wench ibid. Of women deformed 264 The Contents of the sixt Booke inscribed Erato Treating of Chast women and Wantons A Discourse concerning Chastitie and Wantonnesse 267 Of Mary the blessed Virgin 271 Of Petronilla the daughter of S. Peter and other chast Virgins 273 Of chast Wiues and first of Penelope 276 The Historie of a woman of Casa Noua 280 Of Edeltrudis Editha and others 282 Of Wantons 284 Of common Strumpets Concubines and priuate Mistresses 285 Of such as merited the name of Honest Whores 286 Of Lais. 289 Of Glicerium alias Glicera others 293 Of Agathoclea 295 Of Cleophis 296 Callipigae Alogunes Cosmartidenes Audia c. 297 Iulia the daughter of Augustus Caesar. 298 Harlotta the mother to William the Conqueror 300 Of diuers Wantons belonging to sundry famous men Poets and others 301 Of famous Wantons 304 Of Mista and others 308 Of Wantons conuerted 312 The Contents of the seuenth Booke inscribed Polihymnia or Memorie Entreating of the Pietie of Daughters Mothers Sisters and Wiues A Discourse concerning Lyes Ieasts and wittie Sayings 313 Of Pious Daughters 319 The loue of Mothers to their Children 321 Friendship betwixt women 323 The loue of Sisters towards their Brothers 324 Of Matrimonie and Coniugall loue 327 Times forbidden in Marriage 328 Ceremonies before Marriage 329 Of Contracts 330 Of Nuptiall Dowers ibid. Of Nuptiall Gifts or Presents ibid. Of Nuptiall Ornaments Pompe Feasts and Epithalamions c. 332 A description of the Bride comming from her Chamber 333 The Bridegroomes first appearing 334 The Nuptiall Offering ibid. The Nuptiall Song 335 The entrance into their Bedchamber ibid. Sacred Auguries and Nuptiall Expiations 337 The Coniugall Loue of Women to their Husbands 339 Of Bawds 343 Of Age. 345 Of women addicted to Gluttonie or Drunkennesse 346 Of women beloued of diuerse creatures 349 Of women excellent in Painting Weauing c. 350 Of women contentious and bloudie 353 Of women strangely preserued from death and such as haue vnwillingly bin the deaths of their Parents 358 Of Clamorous women commonly called Skoulds 360 Of Tullia and her sister 362 Examples of Patience in women 363 Varietie of discourse concerning women 364 The daughters of Apollo ibid. The Syrens ibid. Women that haue dissembled their shape to good purposes or to bad 365 Women that haue changed their Sex 366 The Contents of the eight Booke inscribed Vrania Entreating of Women euery way Learned Of Poetresses and Witches A Discourse of Astrologie 369 Of famous Astrologians 370 Of women Orators that haue pleaded their owne Causes or others 373 Of women studious in Diuinitie 375 Of women excellent in Philosophie and other Learning 377 A discourse of Poetrie 383 Of women excellent in Poetrie 384 Of Minerua and others 387 Of Sapho 388 Of Cleobule Lindia other Poetesses 394 Of Telesilla Poetria 396 Of Perhilla c. ibid. A discourse of Witches 399 How the Deuill rewards his seruants 400 The wretched ends of sundry Magicians ibid. Seuerall sorts of superstitious Iugling 401 Of Cyrce Medea and other Witches remembred by the Poets 403 Of Witches transported from one place to another by the Deuill 406 Of Witches that haue either changed their owne shapes or transformed others 409 Lycantropia 410 A Piper transformed into an Asse 411 Other miraculous transformations ibid. Of shee Deuils 412 A Witch of Amsterdam 414 A Witch of Geneua 415 Examples of strange kinds of Witchcraft 416 Witches called Extasists 417 Diuerse things to be obserued in Witches 419 The Contents of the ninth Booke inscribed Calliope Entreating of Women in generall with the Punishments of the Vitious and Rewards due to the Vertuous interlaced with sundry Histories A Discourse of Death 419 Of women rauished 421 Of Handmaids Nurses Midwiues and Stepdames 424 The punishment of Incest in the sister of Leucippus 429 The punishment of Adulterie 432 Sisters that haue murthered their Brothers 434 The punishment of Fratricides 435 Of Mothers that haue slaine their Children and Wiues their Husbands ibid. Punishment due to Regicides 436 Punishment of vniust Diuorce 437 Whoredome punished 438 Loquacitie punished 439 Lying punished ibid. Periurie punished 440 Prodigalitie and Excesse punished 441 Witchcraft punished 444 Honor and Reward due to Fortitude 449 Honor and Reward due to Temperance 450 Reward due to Fertilitie or many Children illustrated in diuerse Histories 451 Of Beautie and the Reward thereof 453 A Conuertite rewarded 458 Of Cura or Care 462 Rewards due to women Philosophers Orators or Poetesses 463 FINIS TABVLAE NINE BOOKES OF VARIOVS HISTORIE ONELIE concerning Women Inscribed by the names of the nine Muses The first booke which is CLIO treating of the Goddesses Coelestiall Terrestriall Marine and Infernall BEFORE wee enter into a particular tractate of these Goddesses it shall not bee amisse to speake something of the opinions setled in sundry Nations concerning them Who were their first Adorers and Worshippers the multiplicitie of their gods and what seuerall rights and customes obseruations and Ceremonies they vsed in their Oblations and Sacrifices The Aethiopians are said to bee the most ancient and the first beginners of Diuine adoration as Diodorus is of opinion Imagining in themselues and verely beleeuing some of their gods to bee euerlasting and others to participate of a mortall and corruptible nature The Phoenicians they deliuered admirable and strange things concerning their gods and the first beginning and Creation of things aboue all others hauing in Diuine worship Dagona and Chamas The Atlantides a people of Affrica they are confident that the generation of the gods proceeded from them and the first that raigned amongst them they called Coelum which is heauen The Augitae another nation in the Affricke Continent acknowledged no other deityes than the Ghosts of such noble persons as were deceased to whose sepulchers they vsuallie repayred to demand answers of all such things wherein they doubted The Theologie of the Phrygians was not much different from theirs The Persians neither erected Statues nor Altars they worshipped the Heauen which they called Iupiter the Sunne by the name of Mithra the Moone Venus the Fire the Earth the Winds and the Water Isiodorus saith the Graecians first honoured Cecrops whom they stiled Iupiter and were the first deuisers of Images erecters of Altars and offerers of sacrifice The Iewes as Cornelius Tacitus relates apprehended but one diuine power and that onely they acknowledged The Germans of old as the same author affirmes were of opinion That the gods could not bee comprehended within walles nor haue any humane shape appropriated vnto them measuring their incomprehensible power by the magnitude of the heauens Now
attaine the goale intended and therefore thus desperatly from the Earth I leape into the Sea direct me ô ye marine goddesses and Ampehitrite first AMPHITRITE IVpiter hauing expelled Saturne from his kingdome by the helpe of his brothers Neptune and Pluto and hauing cast lotts for the tripartite Empire the Heauen fell to Iupiter Hell to Pluto and the Sea with all isles adiacent to Neptune who solicited the loue of Amphitrite but shee not willing to condescend to his amorous purpose hee imployed a Dolphin to negotiate in his behalfe who dealt so well in the businesse that they were not only reconsiled but soone after married For which in the perpetuall memorie of so great and good an office done to him he placed him amongst the starres not farre from Capricorne as Higinus hath left remembred in his Fables and Aratus in his Astronomicks others contend that Venilia was the wife of Neptune but notwithstanding his loue to and marriage with Amphitrite he had many children by other Nimphes Goddesses and wantons Of Lyba he begot Phaenix Betus and Agenor of Cataeno Cataenus of Amimone Nauplius of Pylanes of whom a citie of Lacoonia bears name Auadne Aone froÌ„ whom the prouince of Aonia takes his denominatioÌ„ Phaenix that gaue the name to Phaenicia and Athon of whom the Mountaine is so called as also Pheaces from whence Pheacia now called Corcyrus is deriued Dorus that giues name to the Dorij and of Laides the daughter of Otus Althepus by Astipataea he had Periclimenus and Erginus by Alceone the daughter of Atlas Anathamus Anthas and Hyperetes by whom certaine cities amongst the Trezenians were erected and from them tooke their name Of Arne hee had Boeotus of Alope the daughter of Certion Hippothous of Ceclusa Asopus of Brilles Orion He begot the Tritons one of Celaene the other of Amphitrite of Tyrbo Palaemon and Neleus of Molio Creatus and Eurithus of Crisigone the daughter of Almus Minya of Melantho Delphus of Calirhoe Minius of Venus Erix of Alistra Ogigus of Hippothoe Taphius he had one Cygnus by Caces another by Scamandrodices by Tritogenia the daughter of Aeolus Minyas of the Nimph Midaea Aspledones of Cleodora Pernasus of Mecioâ—tica to whome as Asclepeades relates hee granted a Boone that shee should walke as firmely and stedfastly vpon the water as the land Euripilus and Euphemus Besides these he had another Euphemus that was steers-man in the Argo when all the braue Heroes of Greece made their expedition for the golden fleece As also Amicis Albion Aello Antheus Amphimanus Aethusa Aon Alebius Dercilus Neleus Peleus and Astraeus who ignorantly hauing beene incestious with his sister Alcyppa and the next day their neerenesse of blood and affinitie being knowne to him by a ring hee cast himselfe headlong into a riuer and was drowned which riuer as Leo Bizantius writes was first from him called Astraeus and after Caius of Caicus the sonne of Mercury and Ocirhoe moreouer these were his children Actorion Borgeon Brontes Busyris Certion Crocon Cromos Crysaos Cencreus Chrisogenaea Chius Dorus Euphemus Ircaeus Lelex Lamia the Prophetesse and Sibilla Hallerhoitius Laestrigone Megaraeus Mesapus Ephialtes Nictaeus Melion Nausithous Othus Occipite Poliphemus Piracmon Phorcus Pelasgus Phaeax Pegasus Phocus Onchestus Peratus Siculus Sicanus Steropes Farus Theseus Hiretus and others infinite besides fourescore whose names are remembred there are others scarce to be numbered for as Zetzes sayth in his Historie Elatos animo enim omnes omnes strenuos Filios amicos dicunt amatos à Neptuno All that are high minded and strong men were esteemed as the sonnes and friends and beloued of Neptune Amphitrite signifies nothing else but the bodie and matter of all that moyst humor which is earth aboue belowe or within the earth and for that cause she is called the wife of Neptune Euripides in Ciclope takes her for the substance of water it selfe Orpheus calls her Glauca and Piscosa that is blew and full of fish being attributes belonging solely to the goddesse of the Sea And by the Dolphines soliciting the loue of Neptune to Amphitrite and reconciling them is meant nothing else but to illustrate to vs That of all the fishes that belong to the sea he is the swiftest the most actiue and apprehensiue THETIS or TETHIES HEsiod calls her the wife of Oceanus who is stiled the father of all the floods creatures and gods because as Orpheus Thales and others are of opinion all things that are bred and borne haue need of humor without which nothing can be begot or made corruptible Isacius hath left recorded that besides her hee had two wiues Partenope and Pampholige by Partenope hee had two daughters Asia and Libia by Pampholige Europa and Thracia and besides them three thousand other children for so many Hesiod numbers in his Theogonia This Thetis was the daughter of the earth and heauen and therefore as Oceanus is called the father of the gods so is shee esteemed as the mother of the goddesses Epicharmus calls one Thetis the daughter of Chiron the Centaure and Homer in his hymne to Apollo the child of Nereus which Rhodius confirmes as also Euripides in Iphigenia and in Aulide she was the wife of Peleus and of all women liuing the most beautiful of whom Apollodorus thus speakes They say Iupiter and Neptune contended about her nuptials but she not willing to incline to Iupiter because she was educated by Iuno therefore he in his rage allotted her to be the bride of a mortall man Homer writes that she was angerie being a marine goddesse to bee the wife of a man therefore to auoid his imbraces she shifted her selfe into sundrie shapes and figures but Peleus being aduised by Chiron notwithstanding all her transformations as into fire into a Lion and others neuer to let goe his hold till she returned into her owne naturall forme in which he vitiated her and of her begot Achilles the last shape she tooke vpon her was of a Sepia which is a fish called a Cuttle whose blood is as blacke as ynke now because this was done in Magnesia a citie of Thessaly the place as Zertzes in his historie records is called Sepias Pithenatus and others say that she was not compelled or forced to the mariage of Pelius but that it was solemnised in the mountaine Pelius with her full and free consent where all the gods and goddesses sauing Discord were present and offered at the wedding for such hath been the custome from antiquitie Pluto gaue a rich Smaragd Neptune two gallant steeds Xanthus and Ballia Vulcan a knife with an haft richly carued and some one thing some another By Peleus shee had more sonnes than Achilles which euerie night she vsed to hide beneath the fire that what was mortall in them might bee consumed by which they all died saue Achilles who was preserued by being in the daytime annointed with Ambrosia therfore as Amestor in his Epithalamium vpon
with great bribes and rewards corrupts Somnus that hee would amongst the rest charme the eyes of Iupiter which hee attempting and the other perceiuing the inraged god feeling Sleepe to steale vpon him vnawares cast him headlong from heauen into the sea where hee had doubtlesse for euer perisht had not Night snacht vp her sonne and in her darknesse hid him from the wrath of Iupiter But had he beeene destroyed Sleepe had bin exiled the Earth and so all creatures depriued of their quotidian rest From hence likewise may be collected how wretched those sleeping gods are when Iupiter the onely wise and potent is euer awake to see prouide foresee and gouerne by his infinite prouidence both men and creatures The citie of Sleep Lucianâ—â— in his second booke Verarum Historiarum though fabulously yet hath facundiously described This cittie sayth he is scituate in â— most spatious and silent plaine yet round incompast with tall and spreading trees amongst whose leaues the wind onely whispers but neuer robustiously blowes There Poppy growes aboundantly Mandragora and all such plants hearbes and simples as haue the innate vertue to procure and prouoke sleepe There are multitudes of Battes which flie continually this way and that and betwixt one tree and another great store of Night-rauens Owles and Screechowles no bird that is ashamed of day but is here frequently to be found But neither the crowing Cocke the chattering Pie the quacking Duck the gagling Goose nor any other fowle either of song or clamor can thither haue accesse Fast by this citie glydes a riuer with a slow silent pace making a murmure but no noyse rather to rocke and lull asleepe than to waken the water is thicke and soft like oyle the floods name is Lethe whom others call Nictyporus it flowes from two fountaine heads both hid and obscured in places to no man knowne the one is called Pannychius the other Negretas This citie hath two ports or gates one of home composed with miraculous workemanship in which as in a table are expressed all such true dreames as exercise the fantasies of men in their depth of rest The other is made of the most purest and most white yuorie in which are carued all sorts of dreames but these as it were artificially shaddowed by the pensell but none fully drawne and exprest to the life Within this cities walls is a magnificent and spatious structure called the Temple of Nighâ— which with all superstitious ceremonies is religiously honored there is a second instituted to the goddesse Apales and a third to Alethia in both which there are Oracles The sole inhabitants of this place are an infinite companie but not a cittisen in shape or fauour one like another some are leane lancke and little with crooked legges and hutch-backes rather like monsters than men others are comely well featured tall and proper with cheerefull faces and promising lookes some are of a froward and terrible aspect as if they threatned mischiefe and disaster others portly gallant and regally habited and whosoeuer shall enter the gates of this cittie some domesticke dreame or other continually will encounter him and giue him a familiar and friendly salute in the shape of some one of these formerly rehearsed relating to him some sad things some pleasant things to minister content or distast somtimes they whisper truthes but that sildome for the greatest part of that multitude are lying and deceitfull because for the most part they speake one thing and intend another and thus far Lucianus of the house of Sleepe I had once occasion to write my selfe in this manner Neare to the darke Cimerians lies a caue Beneath the foote of a declining hill Deepe in the earthes warme intrailes like a graue Where charming Silence makes all husht and still Hither did neuer piercing Sunne beame craue Admittance nor the voice of hunter shrill Fieres through the crannies of this concaue deepe Where stands the dull and leaden house of Sleepe Here the thicke vapoures from the earth exhaild Mystâ— all the place about a doubtfull light 〈◊〉 twixt night and day when 〈◊〉 is faild And the other not yet perfect dulls the sight No wâ—â—efull doggâ— oâ— clamorous cooke hath raild Vpon the drowsie Morne earely to dight The Sunnes steedes Here the bird that faâ—'d of old Romes Capitoll is neuer heard to scould The brawlling Crane nor yet the prating Crowe Or tatling Parret to desturbe the eare No bestowing Bull swift Hart or Asse more flow Is heard to bray wee haue all silence here Only a murmuring riuer which doth flow From Lethe with his streames 'mongst peables cleere Lulls the dull sence to soft and feathered rest Charming the cares and sorrowes in the brest Before the gate the drowsie Poppie springs With thousand plants and simples without number Not one but to the braine a numnesse brings Inâ—iting all the powers of man to slumber Whose milkie iuice the Night on her blacke wings Beares t'wart the earth and scatters Who dares cumber This vniuersall whistnesse where none come But Taciturnitie and Silence dâ—mbe Vpon the doore no ratling hammers stroke Is heard without to startle those within No creeking hinge by which soft sleepe is broke Than to speake loude ther 's held no greater sinne Midst a vast roome a bed Hewd out of Oke That had of late some antient relique bin Fring'd with thick dust and lasie cobwebs stands Not in an age once stird with carefull hands Vpon this easie couch with curtaines hung Of duskie coloured silke you may behould The god of Sleepe in carelesse fashion flung Stretching his drousie limbes whom now 's so bold To iogge or stirre where snortings are heard sung They are pincht to softer breath Some dreame of gold Of Trifles some his court here Morpheus keepes Which no man sooner enters than be sleepes And this description begins to make me drowsie alreadie But least speaking too much of sleepe I may be taxed and so taken napping my selfe I leaue the brother fast sleeping to find out the sister who to the worlds end shall euer be waking Death is sayd to be educated by her mother Night Pausanias puts vs in mind that in a Temple amongst the Elaeans there was a woman pourtraied leading two sleepy children that in her right hand White that in her left hand Blacke both with crooked legges and mishapen feet the inscription vpon the one was Sleepe vpon the other Death the woman that cherisht them Night This Death of all the powers that are is most impartiall and implacable and because by no prayers nor intercessions shee is to bee mooued therefore there are no altars nor temples nor sacrifices celebrated to her honourâ— her impartialitie and implacabilitie Orpheus hath signified in one of his hymnes Nec prece muneribus nec tu placabilis vllis She is attyred in a sable garment spotted with starres The wise men of the former ages extold her with miraculous praises calling her the port and onely secure harbor or rest
say nothing sir for all the time of the feast mine eyes were stedfastle â—ixt vpon you my deare husband for what other mens beauties are it becoms not a married wife to inquire Cornelia the wife of Aemilius Paulus when a great lady of Campania came to her house and opening a rich casket as the custome of women is to be friendly one with another shee shewed her gold rings rich stones and iewels and causing her chests to be opened exposed to her view great varietie of costly and pretious garments which done she intreated Cornelia to doe her the like curtesie and to shew her what iewels and ornaments she had stored to beautifie her selfe which hearing she protracted the time with discourse till her children came from schoole and causing them to be brought before her turned vnto the Lady and thus said These be my iewells my riches and delights nor with any gayer ornaments desire I to be beautified Filij bonae indolis parentum lauta supellex Viz. No domesticke necessaries better grace a house than children wittie and well disposed Many haue bin of that continence they haue imitated the Turtle who hauing once lost her mate will euer mourne but neuer enter into the fellowship of another Therefore Ania Romana a woman of a noble familie hauing buryed her first husband-in her youth when her friends and kindred continuallie layd open the sollitude of widdowhood the comfort of societie and all things that might persuade her to a second marriage she answered It was a motion to which she would by no meanes assent for saith she should I happen vpon a good man such as my first husband was I would not liue in that perpetuall feare I should bee in least I should loose him but if otherwise Why should I hazard my selfe vpon one so badde that am so late punisht with the losse of one so good It is reported of Portia Minor the daughter of Cato That when a woman who had marryed a second husband was for many vertues much commended in her presence Peace saith she That woman can neither bee happy well manner'd nor truely modest that will a second time marry But I hold her in this to be too censorious yet the most antient Romans onelie conferred on her the Crowne of modestie and continence that was contented with one matrimonie as making expression of their vncorrupted sinceritie in their continewed widdowhood Especiallie such were most discommended to make choice of a second husband who had children left them by the first resembling their father To which Virgill in the fourth booke of his Aeneid seemes elegantly to allude Dido thus complaining of the absence of Aenaeas Siqua mihi de te suscepta fuisset Ante fugam soboles c. Had I by thee but any issue had Before thy flight some pretie wanton lad That I might call Aeneas and to play And praâ—e to me to driâ—e these thoughts away And from whose smiling countenance I might gather A true presentment of the absent father I should not then my wretched selfe esteeme So altogether lostâ—â—â— I now seeme Plutarch much commends the widdowhood of Cornelia the illustrious mother of the Gracchi whose care hauing nobly prouided for her children familie after the death of her husband she exprest her selfe euery way so absolute a matron that Tiberius Gracchus of whom we spake before was not ill counselled by the gods by preseruing her life to prostrate his owne for she denied to marry with king Ptolomeus and when he would haue imparted to her a diadem and a scepter she refused to be stiled a queene to keepe the honour of a chast widdow Of the like puritie was Valeria the sister Messalar who being demaunded by her kindred and deerest freinds why her first husband dead she made not choice of a second answered that she found her husband Seruius to liue with her still accounting him aliue to her whom shee had euer in remembrance A singular remarkeable sentence proceeding from a most excellent matron intimating how the sacred vnitie in wedlock ought to be dignified namely with the affections of the mind not the vaine pleasures of the body This was proued in the daughter of Democion the Athenian who being a virgin and hearing that Leosthenes to whom she was contracted was slaine in the Lemnian wars and not willing to suruiue him killed her selfe but before her death thus reasoning with her selfe Though I haue a bodie vntoucht yet if I should fall into the imbraces of another I should but haue deceiued the second because I am still married to the first in my heart Not of their minds was Popilia the daughter of Marcus who to one that wondered what should be the reason why all feminine beasts neuer admitted the act of generation but in their time and when they couet issue and woman at all times desires the companie of man thus answered the reason is onely this Because they are beasts The wife of FVLVIVS THis Fuluius the familiar and indeered friend of Augustus Caesar heard him priuatly complaine of the great solitude that was then in his house since two of his grand-children by his daughter were taken away by death and the onely third that remained was for some calumnies publisht against the Emperour now in exile so that he should bee forced to abandon his owne blood and constitute a sonne in law and a stranger to succeed in the Imperiall purple and therefore he had many motions in himselfe and sometimes a purpose to recall the yong mans banishment and to restore him to his fauour and former grace in the court This Fuluius hearing went home and vpon promise of secresie told it to his wife shee could not containe her selfe but makes what speede she can and tells this good newes to the Empresse Liuia Liuia she speeds to Augustus and briefly expostulates with him about the banishment of her grand-child what reason he had not to restore him to his former honors and why he would preferre a stranger before his own blood with many such like vpbraidings The next morning Fuluius comming as his custome was into the Presence and saluting the Emperour Augustus cast an austere looke vpon him and shaking his head sayd onely thus You haue a close brest Fuluius by this he perceiuing his wife had published abroad what he had told her in secret posts home with what speede hee can and calling his wife before him ô woman sayth he Augustus knowes that I haue reuealed his secret therefore I haue a resolution to liue no longer to whom she replied Neither is that death you threaten to your selfe without merite who hauing liued with me so long and knowne my weakenesse and loquacitie had not the discretion to preuent this danger to which you haue drawne your selfe by tempting my frailetie but since you will needs die it shall be my honour to precead you in death which she had no sooner
buâ— confirmed by the men the resolution of the women was demaunded who all with one vnanimous consent applauded the decree not one amongst them hauing will to suruiue her husband sonne or father to fall into the captiuitie of a fierce and bloody enemy This concluded the Phocenses issue and encounter the enemy and fought against them a noble and victorious battaile in which they returned conquerors The Edict made they called Aponaea as signifying A bold action arising from a desperate foundation On the day that battaile was fought and so remarkable a victory atchieued they yearely celebrate a feast to Minerua which they call Elaphebolia The Women of Chios IN Chios a gentleman of a noble familie riding through the cittie with his contracted Lady in a charriot as the custome was then amongst them king Hippasus being a familiar friend of the bride groomes meeting him in the streetes with no pretence of iniurie but rather as a testimony of their former familiaritie leapt vp into the charriot betwixt them which act beeing mistaken by the Cittisens he was violentlie assaulted and cruellie murdered in their furie Not long after their affaires on all sides succeeding but ill they perceiued they had incurd the anger of the gods and therefore sent to consult with the Oracle who returned them this answer That nothing could expiate the Butchery of Hippasus till all the Regicides were to one man exild the cittie But when all of them confest themselues guiltie of the fact the god imposed on them all an equall doome of banishment so that as well the murderers themselues as the abettors and accessaries howsoever many and mighty were forced to transport themselues with their wiues and families into Leuconia where they had not long soiourned but growing distastfull to the Leuconians as fearing their power who began to increase both in wealth and number they were commanded by such a day to depart the cittie and bound by oath to beare nothing forth the gates sauing a coat close girt to them and a loose mantle or cloake ouer them The Chij distrusting their owne strength as no way able to affront them in power and number were forced to submit themselues to the present necessitie binding themselues by oath to obserue the couenants before rehearsed The day comming on and the women seeing their sons and husbands thus meanly accoutred demanded of them Why vnarmed they would passe by the face of a publicke enemy They excused themselues by the strictnesse of the oath inioyned them to whom the women with a ioint acclamation thus replyed Shew your selues worthy the nation from whence you are deriued and guirt your armes about you if they exact from you the strict conditions of an oath answer them thus That to a souldiour and a man magnanimous his Speare is in stead of his cloake and his Target in place of the garment which he should buckle about him To whose counsell they assented and at their departure appearing so stronglie arm'd and their countenances menacing and daring It strooke such a terrour into the hearts of the Leuconians that as men amased they suffered them peaceablie to depart with honour who but by the noble and braue counsell of their women had left the place with shame and infamy As noble an act worthy memorie was not long after done by the women of Chios what time Philip the son of Demetrius opposed the cittie who published a proud and barbarous Edict to insinuate the slaues of the cittie to his aide promising them not onely free manumission but to marry them to their mistresses and possesse them of their masters fortunes which kindled such an vnquenchable wrath in the ladies and matrons of the cittie that fired with rage and disdaine they together with their seruants assisting them with incredible faith and honesty maintained the breaches defended the walls guarded the ports casting stones darts fighting exhorting and incouraging one another euen to the beating of the enemies backe raysing their shamefull siege and pursuing them flying with their weapons till Philips army was quite discomfited In all this troublous warre notwithstanding the proclamation not one seruant amongst so many had the least suspition much lesse aspersion cast vpon his fidelitie Persides CYrus hauing alienated the Persians from King Astiages was ouercome in battaile his souldiers flying towards the cittie for refuge in so much that the enemy was ready to enter with them the women this seeing issued from the gates and holding vp their cloathes as high as their breasts met them running and said Whether flye you oh you cowards basest of men haue you any hope to hide your selues in these places from whence you came Which obiect cast such a shamefull blush vpon them that renewing the battaile the conquerors were defeated and they obtained a glorious victorie In memorie of which Cyrus made a law That what Persian King should euer after approach that cittie so often as he entred it should bestow on euery woman a peece of gold It is said of Occhus his successour a couetous King that he often past by it and compast it but would neuer enter the gates onely to spare his purse and to defraud the women of their reward But euer-renowned Alexander visited the cittie twice according to the custome bestowing on euery woman one piece and vpon all such as were with child two pieces to shew himselfe as royally bountifull as the other was penuriously sparing Celtae THese be a people of France betweene the riuers Graumna and Sequana who dissenting amongst themselues fell into an intestine and implacable ciuill warre After many bloody conflicts being ready once more to ioyne battaile the women presented themselues betwixt their armies and with such smooth Oratory and persuasiue arguments layd open the miseries of warre with the aboundant commodity arising from peace and amitie that they not onely reconciled all hostilitie for the present but betwixt all the citties and chiefe families confirmed an indissoluble league of friendship which continued many yeares after Since which time either in forreine differences or domesticke quarrells as well in warre as peace their counsell is euer demanded and for the most part followed Therefore in the league which this people made with Hanniball it is thus written If the Celtae haue any thing worthy taxation to obiect against the Carthaginians let it be disputed by the generalls and Praefects in Spaine If the Carthaginians find any thing iustlie to reprooue the Celtae the matter shall be discust and arbitrated by their women Melitae THis people growing to that multitude that the citties in which they inhabited could neither conuenientlie containe their number nor supply them with victuall sufficient sought the plantation of a Collony elsewhere vnder the command of a beautifull young man called Nymphaeus These falling vpon the coast of Caria were no sooner landed to discouer the countrey but by a mighty tempest their ships were either swallowed in the sea or scattered and disperst The
Carians who then inhabited the cittie Cryassa either commiserating their distresse or fearing that boldnesse their necessities might inforce them too were pleased to allot them part of their land and suffer them peaceablie to dwell amongst them But finding them in a short space to increase both in wealth and power they consulted amongst themselues by what meanes to destroy them and vtterly extirpe their memorie this stratagem was agreed vpon to be performed at a banquet It happened that one of the Carian damsells cald Caphana a Lady of a noble familie grew much enamoured of this Nimphaeus and loath that the least detriment should happen to her best respected friend especiallie loath to see him perish she opened to him the full purpose of the cittie wishing him to vse all meanes of preuention When therefore the Cryassences came to inuite them to the feast Nimphaeus answered them that it was not the custome of the Graecians to assemble vnto any such feasts without the company of their women which the Carians hearing intreated them likewise to grace the solemnitie with their presence This done Nymphaeus relates the whole circumstance to the Melians his countreymen intreating them to beare him company to the feast all ciuilly habited and without weapons onely that euery woman should weare a sword beneath her kirtle and sit close by her husband About the midst of the banquet when the Carians were ready to giue the watchword the Graecians perceiuing that the instant for the pretended execution drew on all the women opening their garments at once shewed their concealed weapons which their hudbands snatching from their sides assaulted the barbarous Carians and slew them all to one man by which preuention they possest themselues both of the countrey and cittie But relinquishing that they built another which they called the new Cryassa and in which they planted themselues Caphaena was marryed to Nymphaeus hauing honours done to her worthy her noble fidelitie One thing in this historie is worthy especiall admiration namely Secresie to be kept amongst so many women Tyrrhenae THe Tyrrhenians were by the Spartans opprest and cast into prison where they were prouidentlie kept and guarded purposing to question them for their liues The wiues of the captiues this hearing came to the prison doores and with humble prayers and infinite teares besought those that had the charge of them that by their visitation they might administer some small comfort to their husbands which after much importunitie granted they were admitted where suddenlie they caused their husbands to change habits with them which they did and so were let forth in stead of the women they arming themselues against all the spight and furie of the Spartanes The men that had escaped repaired to Taygeta entering league with the Heilotes by which confederacie the Spartans somewhat affrighted by intercessours concluded a peace with them conditionally that taking backe their imprisoned women they should be furnished with ships and coine to seeke new fortunes elswhere they therefore made a brotherhood betwixt them and the Lacedemonians Of which Collony two brothers Pollis and Crataida of the cittie of Lacedemon were made gouernours Part of them made residence in Melo the rest with Pollis sailed into Creete and hauing asked counsell of the Oracle answer was returned them That in the place where they should leaue their goddesse and loose part of their anchor they should find a period of their trauells and vpon that continent make their aboad plant their collony and erect a cittie In processe arriuing in a part of Creete called Cheronesus a place halfe inuironed with water or almost an Island a sudden feare surprised them in so much that hasting to get backe to the nauie they left behind them the image of Diana which they had receiued from their ancestors by Brauron first brought into Lemnos and borne by them a ship-bord in all their nauigation The feare being past ouer and the tumult appeased they weighed anchor to make from shoare but Pollis perceiuing a great part of his anchor missing and left in the rockes hee remembred the Oracle and causing his people to land againe hee made his plantation in that countrey and after many battailes in which he preuailed against the inhabitants he subdued Lictium with diuers other citties of which he had prosperous and peaceable possession Examples of Modestie and Magnanimitie THe Phocenses opprest by the tyrants of Delphos in that commenced warre which was called Bellum sacrum in which the Thebans were ingaged it happened that the Bacchinalls who were women that were vsually drunke in the celebrations of the feasts of Bacchus and were called Thiades extasied in their deuine furor for so they tearmed it in their nightly wandering lost their way and erred so farre that vnwittingly they happened vpon the cittie of Amphissa and wearied as they were cast themselues dispersedly abroad in the market place there to repose themselues till they came to their better sences The Amphissesian matrons fearing least any outrage of offence might be done vnto them by reason there were at that time many forraine souldiers who were in league with the Phocenses themselues in person watched these Bacchides till morning guarding and gyrting them round least any thing vnseemely might be spied amongst them and only with a reuerent silence attended them till they awaked but finding them in their better temper ministered vnto them all such necessaries as the cittie yeelded and sent them though the wiues of their enemies in the charge safe conduct of their owne husbands peaceably home to their owne cities Comparable to their Modestie was the Magnanimitie of Megisto an eminent Ladie of the citie Elis. Aristotemus the tyrant hauing by the power of Antigonus vsurped the Franchises and Liberties of that cittie oppressed the people with infinite calamities amongst which that of Philodemus was not the least who hauing a beautifull daughter called Micca when Lacinus one of the Captaines of Aristotemus in the heate of wine and lust would forceably haue rauished her and the poore innocent Virgin fled for refuge into the armes of her father he there most inhumanly transpierced her mixing the teares of the reuerend old man with the blood of his daughter The horridnes of this nothing moued the tyrant but that if greater could possiblie be deuised he gaue countenance euen to such mischeifes causing many of the prime cittisens to be slaine and to the number of eight hundred banished But fearing in regard of their number hee might be in time by them subuerted he made proclamation That all such women that had a desire to visit their absent husbands should with such gold and treasure as they could conueniently carrie with their children haue peaceable passage from the cittie into Aetolia where many or the most of their exiled friends then soiourned Many of the women incouraged by this edict being to that purpose assembled and with such goods as they had departed the citie he
riding vpon an Asse and the stone on which she was seated held as polluted and abhominable Aelianus in his twelfe booke thus sets downe the punishment of an adulterer amongst the Cretans He was first brought before the judgement seate and being conuicted hee was crowned with wooll to denote his effeminacie fined with an extraordinarie mulct held infamous amongst the people and made vncapable of office or dignitie in the common-weale Amongst the Parthians no sinne was more seuerely punished than adulterie Carondas made a decree That no cittisen or matron should be taxed in the commodie vnles it were for Adulterie or vaine curiositie Plutarch remembers two young men of Syracusa that were familiar friends the one hauing occasion to trauell abroad about his necessarie occasions left his wife in the charge of his bosome companion whom he most trusted who broke his faith and vitiated the woman in his friends absence hee returning and finding the iniurie done him concealed his reuenge for a season till he found the opportunitie to strumpet the others wife which was the cause of a bloodie and intestine warre almost to the ruin of the whole cittie The like combustion was kindled betwixt Pardalus and Tirhenus vpon semblant occasion Lyuie in the tenth booke of his Decades relates that Q. Fabius Gurges sonne to the Consull amerced the matrons of Rome for their adulteries and extracted from them so much coine at one time as builded the famous Temple of Venus neere to the great Circus So much of the same in generall now I come to a more particular suruey of the persons Of many great Ladies branded with Adultery amongst the Romans and first of Posthumia THis Posthumia was the wife of Seruius Sulpitius as Lollia the wife of Aulus Gabinus Tertullia of Marcus Crassus Mutia the wife of C. Pompeius Seruitia the mother of Marcus Brutus Iulia the daughter of Seruitia and the third wife of Marcus Crassus Furies Maura the Queene of King Bogades Cleopatra of Aegypt and after beloued of Marcus Antonius one of the Triumuirat all these Queenes and noble Matrons is Iulius Caesar saide to haue adulterated Liuia the wife of Augustus Caesar was by him first strumpeted and beeing great with child to recompence her wrong hee hastened the marriage This was obiected to him in an oration by Antonius Tertullia Drusilla Saluia Scribonia Tilisconia with all these noble matrons he is said to haue commerse Likewise with a great Senators wife whose name is not remembred Augustus being at a publique banquet in his owne pallace withdrew himselfe from the table in the publique view and before the cloth was taken vp brought her back againe and seated her in her owne place with her haire ruffled her cheekes blushing and her eyes troubled Messalina the wife of Claudius Tiberius first priuatly then publiquely prostituted her selfe to many insomuch that custome grew to that habit that such as she affected and either for modesties sake or feare durst not enter into her imbraces by some stratagem or other she caused to be murdred as Claudian saith her insatiat desires yet stretched further making choice of the most noble virgins and matrons of Rome whom she either persuaded or compelled to be companions with her in her adulteries She frequented common brothel-houses trying the abilities of many choice and able young men by turnes from whence it is said of her she returned wearied but not satisfied if any man refused her imbraces her reuenge stretched not only to him but vnto all his familie And to crowne her libidinous actions it is proued of her that in the act of lust she contended with a mercenarie and common strumpet which in that kind should haue the prioritie and that the empresse in the 25 action became victor Of hir Pliny Iuuinall and Sex Aurelius speakes more at large a strange patience it was in an emperour to suffer this I rather commend that penurious fellow who hauing married a young wife and keeping her short both in libertie and diet she cast her eyes vpon a plaine countrie fellow one of her seruants and in short time grew with child the old churle mistrusting his owne weaknesse beeing as much indebted to his bellie as to his seruants for their wages for his parsimonie made him ingaged to both and now fearing a further charge would come vpon him he got a warrant to bring them both before a justice They being conuented and he hauing made his case knowne the gentlewoman being asked vpon diuers interogatiues modestly excused her selfe but not so cleanly but that the complaint sounded in some sort iust and the case apparant The countrie fellow was next called in question to whom the justice with an austere countinance thus spake Syrra syrra resolue me truly saith he it shal be the better for thee Hast thou got this woman with child yea or no to whom the plaine fellow thus bluntly answered Yes sir I think I haue how quoth the justice thou impudent and bawdie knaue shew me what reason thou hadst to get thy mistresse with child to whom the fellow replied I haue serued my master a verie hard man so many yeares and I neuer got any thing else in his seruice How this businesse was compounded I know not certainly onely of this I am assured that our English women are more curtious of their bodies than bloodie of their minds Such was not Roman Fabia who as Plutarch in his Paralells relates was the wife of Fabius Fabricanus and gaue her selfe vp to a young gentleman of Rome called Petronius Valentianus by whose councell she after slew her husband that they might the more freely inioy their luxuries Salust and Valerius Maximus both report of Aurelia Oristilla who suffered her selfe to be corrupted by Catelyn against whom Cicero made many eloquent orations who the freelier to enioy her bed caused her sonne to be poisoned Comparable to Fabia sauing in murder was Thimen the wife of king Agis who forsaking the lawfull bed of her husband suffered her selfe to be vitiated by Alcibiades of Athens Martiall in his Epigrams writes of one Neuina who going chast to the bath returned thence an adulteresse of her thus speaking Incidit in Flammam veneremque secula relicto Coniuge Penelope venit abatque Helena Which is thus Englisht She fell in fire and followed lust Her husband quite reiected She thither came Penelope chast Went Hellen thence detected Paula Thelesina Proculina Lectoria Gellia all these are by some authors branded for the like inchastities An Egyptian Lady I Haue heard of a young cittisen who hauing marryed a pretty wanton lasse and as yong folke loue to be dallying one with another set her vpon his knee and sporting with her and pointing one of his fingers at her face now my little rogue saith hee I could put out one of thine eyes to whom with her two longest fingers stretched forth right and ayming at him in the like fashion she thus
transpierst himselfe and fell downe dead vpon the body of Aristoclaea Of no such death dyed Democrita whose history next ensueth Alcippus the Lacedemonian had two daughters by his wife Democrita He hauing with great iustice and integritie managed the affaires of the weale publike more for the common good than any peculiar gaine or profit of his own was affronted by an opposite faction which emulated his goodnesse and being brought before the Ephori it was deliuered to them in a scandalous and lying oration how and by what meanes Alcippus intended to abrogate and adnichilate their lawes for which he was confind from Spatta neither could his wife daughters who willingly offered themselues to attend vpon his aduersity be suffered to associate him but they were deteined by the power and command of the publike magistrate Moreouer an edict was made That neyther the wife was capable of inheritance nor the daughter of dower out of their fathers goods notwithstanding they had many sutors of such noble gentlemen as loued them for their fathers virtues It was likewise by the enemy most enuiously suggested to the Senat that the two Ladies might be debard from marriage their reason was that Democrita was heard often to wish and withall to presage that she should see children borne of her daughters who would in time reuenge the wrongs of their grandfather This being granted and shee euery way circumscribed both in her selfe her husband and issue euery way confind she expected a publike solemnitie in which according to the custome the women of the cittie with the virgins houshold seruants and infants had meeting but the matrons and wiues of the nobilitie kept their night-festiuall in a conclaue or parlor by themselues Then she guirt her selfe with a sword and with her two daughters secretlie conueyd her selfe into the Temple attending the time when all the matrons were most busie about the ceremonies and mysteries in the conclaue then hauing made fast the doores and shut vp the passages and heaped together a great quantitie of billets with other things combustible prouided for the purpose but especially all that sweete wood that was ready for the sacrifice of that solemnitie she set all on fire which the men hastening to quench in multitudes she before them all with a constancie vndaunted first slew her daughters and after her selfe making the ruins of this Temple their last funerall fire The Lacedemonians hauing now nothing left of Alcippus against which to rage they caused the bodies of Democrita and her daughters to be cast out of the confines of Sparta For this ingratitude it is said by some that great earth-quake happened which had almost ouerturned the cittie of Lacedemon from Democrita I come to Phillis Demophrâ—â— the sonne of Theseus and Phadra the halfe brother of Hippolitus returning from the warres of Troy towards his countrey by tempests and contrarie winds being driuen vpon the coast of Thrace was gently receiued and affectionately entertained by Phillis daughter to Lycurgus and Crustâ—â—ena then king and queene of that countrey and not onely to the freedome of all generous hospitalitie but to the libertie and accesse vnto her bed He had not long soiourned there but he had certaine tydings of the death of Muestham who after his father Theseus was expulsed Athens had vsurped the principalitie pleased therefore with the newes of innouation and surprised with the ambition of succession he pretending much domesticke businesse with other negotiations pertaining to the publike gouernment after his faith pawned to Phillis that his returne should be within a moneth hee got leaue for his countrey therefore hauing calked and moored his ships making them seruiceable for the sea he set saile towards Athens where arriued he grew altogether vnmindfull of his promised faith or indented returne Foure moneths being past and not hearing from him by word or writing she sent him an Epistle in which she complaines his absence then persuades him to call to mind her more than common curtesies to keepe his faith ingaged to her and their former contract to make good by marriage the least of which if he refused to accomplish her violated honour she would recompence with some cruell and violent death which she accordingly did for knowing her selfe to bee despised and vtterly cast off she in her fathers Pallace hung her selfe From Phillis I proceede to Deiaâ—eira Iâ—piter begat Hercules of Alcmena in the shape of her husband Amphitrio ioyning three nights in one whom Euristius king of Micena at the vrgence of his stepmother Iuno imployd in all hazardous and fearefull aduentures not that thereby he might gaine the greater honour but by such meanes sooner perish but his spirit was so great and his strength to eminent that from foorth all these swallowing dangers he still plunged a victor amongst these difficulties was that combat against Achelous a Flood in Aetolia who transhapt himselfe into sundry figures for the loue of Deianeira daughter to Oeneus and Althaea king and queene of Calidon and sister to Meleager he whom no monsters nor earthly powers could tame by the conquest of Achelous wonne Deianeira for his bride But he whom all tyrants and terrours were subiect to submitted himselfe to effeminacie and the too much dotage vpon women for when Euritus king of Oechalia had denied him his daughter Iöle before promist him the citty taken and the king slaine he tooke her freely into his embraces with whose loue he was so blinded that at her imperious command hee layd by his clubbe and Lions skinne the trophyes of his former victories and which was most vnseemely for so great a conquerour put on a womanish habit and blusht not with a distaffe in his hand to spinne amongst her damsells In briefe what slauerie and seruitude soeuer he had before suffered vnder the tyranny of Omphale queene of Lydia of whom he had begot Lamus he indured from her which Deianeira hearing in a letter she layes open to him all his former noble acts and victories that by comparing them with his present deboishtnesse it the better might incourage him to returne to the first and deterre him from the last But hauing receiued newes of Hercules calamitie by reason of the poisoned shirt sent him by her seruant Lychas dipt in the blood of the Centaure Nessus in which she thought there had beene the vertue to reuoke him from all new loues and establish him in his first for so Nessus had persuaded hir when in her transwaftage ouer the flood Euenus he was slaine by the arrow of Hercules dipt in the poyson of Lerna when she I say heard of the death of her husband and that though vnwillingly it happened by her meanes shee dyed by a voluntarie wound giuen by her owne hand Not such was that which followes The Ionians through all their Prouince being punisht with a most fearfull and horrible pest in so much that it almost swept the cittie and countrey and had it longer continued
fire Vpon whose smooth brow cannot â—it a frowne She can make flints seeme feathers bare boords downe I will now trouble thy patience gentle Reader with a discourse that hath in it more mirth than murther and more sport than spight and yet a touch of both A mad fellow newly married had onely one yong child by his wife of some quarter old whom he deerely and tenderly loued as being his first but he was much giuen to good fellowship and shee altogether addicted to sparing and good huswiferie still when he vsed to come merrie from the tauerne where he had beene frollicke with his boone companions she being as sparing of his purse as prodigall of her tongue for she was little better than a skold would often vpbraide him with his expences that what hee wasted at the Tauerne were better bestowed at home that he spent both his mony time and that being so often drunke it was preiudiciall both to his bodie and estate with many such matron-like exhortations but alwaies concluding her admonitions with a vow That if euer he came home againe in that pickle shee would happen what could come fling the child into the moat for the house was moated about It hapned about some two daies after that he reuelling till late in the euening in a cold frostie winters night and she hauing intelligence by her scouts where he was then drinking and making no question but he would come home flustred she commanded her maide to conueigh the infant to the further part of the house and to wrap the cat in the blankets and put it in the cradle and there to sit and rocke it presently home comes the husband shee falls to her old lesson and beginnes to quarrell with him and he with her Ill words begot worse and much leaud language there was betwixt them when the woman on the sudden stepping to the cradle hauing spyde her aduantage I haue long sayth she threatned a mischiefe and that reuenge I cannot worke on thee come dogs come diuells I will inflict vpon the brat in the cradle and instantly snatching it vp in her armes ran with it to the moate side and flung it into the middle of the water which the poore affrighted man following her and seeing leauing to pursue her and crying saue the child ô saue the child in that bitter cold night leapt vp to the elbowes in water and waded till hee brought out the mantell and with much paine comming to the shore and still crying alas my poore child opened the cloathes at length the frighted cat crying mewe being at libertie leapt from betwixt his armes and ran away the husband was both amased and vexed the woman laught at her reuenge and retyred her selfe and the poore man was glad to reconcile the difference before she would yeeld to allow him either fire or dry linnen Considering this me thinkes it was not amisse answered of a gentleman who being persuaded by a friend of his not to marry with such a gentlewoman to whom hee was a suitor his reasons alleadged were because she had no quicke and voluble tongue neither was she of any fine witte or capacitie to whom he instantly replyde I desire to haue a woman to bee my wife that shall haue no more tongue to answer mee to a question than yea or nay or to haue more wit than to distinguish her husbands bed from another mans Another woman hauing a husband who customably came drunke home and shrinking from his stoole or chaire would oft fall vpon the floore and there lie along stil when she cald him to bed he would answer her Let me alone the tenement is mine owne and I may lye where I list so long as I pay rent for the house Some few nights after comming home in the like tune and sitting asleepe in a chaire before the chimney his wife being gone to bed presently the man falls into the fire the maide cryes out to her Mistresse Oh mistresse my master is falne and lyes in the fire euen in the midst of all the fire shee lay still and turning her on the other side sayd so long as hee payes rent for the house he may lye where he please But to more serious businesse for I haue now done sporting Of English Viragoes And of Ioan de Pucil OF Guendoline the wife of king Locrine and daughter to Corinaeus duke of Cornwall I shall take more occasion to speake at large in the discourse of the beautifull Estreld Elphleda was sister to king Edward before the conquest sirnamed the fourth she was wife to Etheldredus duke of Mercia who assisted her husband in the restoring of the citie of Chester after it had beene destroyed and demolished by the Danes encompassing it with new walls he was generall to the king in all his expeditions against the Danes in the last battaile that he fought against them at a place cald Toten Hall in Staffordshire hee gaue them a mightie auerthrow but a greater at Wooddensfield where were slaine two kings two Earles and of the souldiours many thousands which were of the Danes of Northumberland In this battaile were the king and Elphleda both present Soone after this victorie Etheldredus dyed and she gouerned many yeres after him in all Mercia or middle England except in the two cities of London and Oxford which the king her brother reserued to himself She builded many cities and townes and repayred others as Thatarne Brimsbury the bridge vpon Seuerne Tamwoorth Liechfield Stafford Warwicke Shrewsbury Watrisbury Edisbury in the Forrest besides Chester which is since vttery defaced and destroied Also shee built a cittie and a castle in the North part of Mercia which then was cald Runcofan and after Runcorn Thus farre Ranulphus William de regib with others giue her this noble character This Lady hauing once assayde the throwes of childbirth would neuer after bee drawne to haue any carnall societie with her husband alleaging that it was not sitting or seemely for a woman of her degree being a princesse a kings daughter and a kings sister to inure herselfe to such wanton embraces wherof should ensue so great paine and sorrow She tamed the Welchmen and in many conflicts chased the Danes after whose death the king tooke the prouince of Mercia intirely into his owne hand disinherited her daughter Elswina whom he led with him into West-Saxon Henricus lib. 5. hath left this Epitaph as a memoriall ouer her Tombe Oh Elphlede mightie 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 maide but goodnesse makes the man Yet pittie thou should'st change ought saue thy name Thou art so good a woman and thy fame In that growes greater and more worthie when Thy feminine valour much out-shineth when Great Caesars acts thy noble deeds excell So sleepe in peace Virago maide farewell Much to this purpose hath Treuisa expressed
the daughters of Thestor Chiâ—ne otherwise called Philonide the daughter of Dedalion Coramis the daughter of Phlegia adulterated by Apollo Nictimine comprest by her father Epopeus The very Index or Catalogue of whose names onely without their histories would aske a Volume For their number I will referre you to Ouid in his first booke de Arte amandi Gargarae quot segetes c. Thicke as ripe eares in the Gargarian fields As many greene boughes as Methimna yeelds Fish Fowle or Starres in Sea Ayre Heauen there bee So many prettie wenches Rome in thee Aenas mother is still lou'd and fear'd In that great citie which her sonne first rear'd If onely in young girles thou do'st reioyce There 's scarce one house but it affoords thee choyse If in new-marryed wiues but walke the street And in one day thou shalt with thousands meet Or if in riper yeeres but looke before Where ere thou go'st thou shalt find Matrons store If then one citie and at one time could affoord such multiplicitie of all ages and degrees how many by that computation may we reckon from the beginning amongst all the nations of the world I doubt not then but this draught of water fetcht from so vast a Fountaine may at least coole the pallate if not quench the thirst of the insatiat Reader Manto ZEbalia a man whose byrth ranked him in the file of nobilitie beeing imployed vpon seruice in the Turkish warres brought with him his most estimated and greatest treasure his deerest spouse stiled Manto But he dying in the crimson bed of honour the sinister hand of warre gaue her into the captiuitie of Bassa Ionuses who beholding with admiration a creature of so diuine a feature was though her conqueror taken captiue by her beautie who hauing put her vertue to the Test found it to paralell if not out-shine her forme Wherefore being couetous to engrosse so rich a bootie to himselfe he tooke her to wife bestowing on her a more honorable respect than on his other wiues and concubines and she likewise endeuored to meet his affection with an answerable obseruance and obedience This feruent and mutuall loue continued long inuiolate betwixt them insomuch that they were no lesse honoured for their eminence of state than remarkable for their coniugall affection but that cursed fiend Iealousie enuying at their admired sympathie straight vsurpes the throne of reason and sits a predominant tyrant in his fantastike braine for he grew so strangely iealous that he thought some one or other to corriuall him but yet knew not whom to taint with any iust suspition nay hee would confesse that he had not catcht the least sparke of loosenesse from her that might thus fire this beacon of distraction in him Briefly his wife as beautifull in minde as feature wearied with his daily peeuish humors and seeing all her studies aymed at his sole content were entertained with neglect and insolent scorne she resolued to leaue him and secretly to flie into her natiue countrey to further which she vnlockes this her secret intent to an Eunuch of the Bassaes giuing him withall certaine letters to deliuer to some friends of hers whom she purposed to vse as agents in the furtherance of her escape but he proouing treacherous in the trust committed to his charge betrayde her to her husband showing her letters as testimonies to his allegations The Bassa at this discouerie swolne big with rage called her before him whom in his disperate furie he immediately stabbed with his dagger thus with the cause of iealousie taking away the effect But this bloodie deed somewhat loosened him in the peoples hearts where he before grew deepely and fast rooted nor did he out-run Vengance for at the last her leaden feet ouertooke him and in this manner Selymus the first at his departure from Caire his souldiers whom he there lefe in garrison made suit vnto his highnes That in consideration of the great labours they had alreadie vndergone together with the many dangers they were hourely in expectation of that their wages might be inlarged which he granted and withall gaue this Bassa Ionuses the charge to see the performance thereof At last the pay-day came but their hopes proouing abortiue the souldiers mutined to coniure downe which spirit of insurrection messengers are dispatched to the Emperour to certifie him of the neglectiue abuse of his royall word and feare of sedition this newes ouertooke him at Larissa in Iudea Selymus inraged at this relation sends for Bassa Ionuses and examines the cause of his neglect in such and so weightie a charge Ionuses somewhat abashed as beeing conscious yet withall high-spirited gaue the Emperour a peremptorie answer at which being mightily incenced hee commanded his head to be cut off which was forthwith done and thus iustice suffered not innocent Manto to die vnreuenged The wife of Agetus the Lacedemonian HErodotus Lib. 6. thus writes of this Ladie the daughter of Alcydes the Spartan first wife of Agetus and after to the king Ariston She of the most deformed infant became the excellentest amongst women Her nurse to whose keeping she was giuen for the parents were asham'd of their Issue went with her euerie day to the Temple of Helena which stands in Therapne neere to the Church of Apollo and kneeling before the Altar besought the goddesse to commiserate the child and free her from her natiue vglinesse and loathsome deformitie Vpon a time returning from the Temple a woman appeared to her of a venerable aspect and desired to see what she carryed so tenderly in her armes the nurse told her it was an infant but such an one as shee was loth to shew and therefore desired to be excused the rather because she was enioyned by the parents not to expose it to the sight of any The more the nurse put her off with euasions the more importunate the strange woman was to behold it At length preuayling shee gently with her hand stroaked the face of the child and kissing it thus said Goe nurse and beare her home to her parents who shall in time become the most beautifull of the Spartan Ladyes From that time forward her deformitie began to fall away and a sweet grace and delightfull comelynesse to grow as well in face as euerie other lineament Comming to marriage estate she was sollicited by many but onely possest by Agetus yet after by the craft of Ariston shee was diuorced from Agetus and conferred vpon him Dion in Augusto speakes of Terentia the wife of Mecaenas to be of that rare feature that she dared to contend with Lyuia the wife of Augustus Caesar who was held to be the most amiable and exquisite Ladie of those dayes Of Terentia the daughter of Cicero I haue thus read Titus the sonne of Milo and Appius the sonne of Clodius were as remarkable for their noble friendship as their fathers notorious for their irreconcilable hatred Titus was for his fathers sake welcome to Cicero but Appius
bearing with her in her wombe a child begot by Salomon Lycasth in Theat Human. vitae Lib. 1. cap. de Femin doctis Adesia a woman of Alexandria a neere kinswoman to the Philosopher Syrianus both for her Chastitie and Learning is commemorated by Suidas Vata Lib. 13. cap. 3. Antrop Nicostrata by some called Carmentis helped to make vp the number of the Greeke Alphabet shee is also said to haue added to our Roman Letters Hermodica was the wife of Midas king of Phrygia shee is not onely celebrated for her rare feature and beautie but for her wisedome shee was the first that euer stamped Money or made Coyne amongst the Cimenses Heraclides Numa was the first that made Money amongst the Romanes of whose name it was called Nummus Isiodor Lib. 16. cap. 17. It is likewise called Pecunia of Pecus which signifies Cattell for the first that was made to passe currant betwixt man and man was made of the skinnes of beasts stamped with an impression It hath beene currant amongst our English Nation part of it may at this day be seene as an antient Monument in the Castle of Douer Saturne made Money of Brasse with inscriptions thereon but Numa was the first that coyned Siluer and caused his name to be engrauen thereon for which it still retaines the name in the Roman Tongue and is called Nummus Aspasia was a Milesian Damosell and the beloued of Pericles shee was abundantly skilled in all Philosophicall studies shee was likewise a fluent Rhetorician Plutarchus in Pericles Socrates imitated her in his Facultas Politica as likewise Diotima whom he blushed not to call his Tutresse and Instructresse Of Lasthenea Mantinea Axiothaea and Phliasia Platoes schollers in Philosophie I haue before giuen a short Character Themiste was the wife of Leonteius Lampsacenus and with her husband was the frequent Auditor of Epicurus of whom Lactantius sayth That saue her none of the ancient Philosophers euer instructed any woman in that studie saue that one Themiste Arete was the wife of Aristippus the Philosopher and attained to that perfection of knowledge that shee instructed her sonne in all the liberall Arts by whose industrie hee grew to be a famous professor Hee was called Aristippus and shee surnamed Cyrenaica Shee followed the opinions of that Aristippus who was father to Socrates Shee after the death of her father erected a Schoole of Philosophie where shee commonly read to a full and frequent Auditorie Genebria was a woman of Verona shee liued in the time of Pius the second Bishop of Rome Her Workes purchased for her a name immortall Shee composed many smooth and eloquent Epistles polished both with high conceits and iudgement shee pronounced with a sharpe and lowd voyce a becomming gesture and a facundious suauitie Agallis Corcyrua was illustrious in the Art of Grammar Caelius ascribes vnto her the first inuention of the play at Ball. Leontium was a Grecian Damosell whom Gallius calls a strumpet shee was so well seene in Philosophicall contemplations that she feared not to write a worthie booke against the much worthie Theophrastus Plin. in Prolog Nat. Histor. Cicero lib. de Natur. Deorum Dâ—mâ— the daughter of Pythagâ—ras imitated the steps of her father as likewise his wife Theâ—no her husband the mother and the daughter both prouing excellent schollers Laerâ— Themistoclea the sister of Pythagoras was so practised a student that in many of his workes as he himselfe confesseth hee hath implored her aduise and iudgement Istrina Queene of Scythia and wife to king Ariâ—ithes instructed her sonne Sythes in the Greeke Tongue as witnesseth Herodotus Plutarch in Pericte saith That Thargelia was a woman whom Philosophie solely illustrated as likewise Hyparchia Greca Laâ—râ—â— Cornelia was the wife of Africanus and mother to the noble Familie of the Gracobi who left behind her certaine Epistles most elaborately learned From her as from a Fountaine flowed the innate eloquence of her children therefore Quintil thus sayth of her Wee are much bound to the Mother or Matron Cornelia for the eloquence of the Gracchi whose vnparaleld learning in her exquisite Epistles she hath bequeathed to posteritie The same Author speaking of the daughters of Laelius and Quint. Hortensius vseth these words The daughters of Laelius is sayd in her phrase to haue refined and excelled the eloquence of her father but the daughter of Q. Hortensius to haue exceâ—ded her Sex in honor So likewise the facundity of the two Lyciniaes flowed hereditarily from their father L. Crassus as the two daughters of Mutia inherited the learning of either parent Fuluia the wife of M. Antonius was not instructed in womanish cares and offices but as Volater lib. 16. Antrop reports of her rather to direct Magistracies and gouerne Empires she was first the wife of Curio Statius Papinius was happie in a wife called Claudia excellent in all manner of learning Amalasuntha Queene of the Ostrogothes the daughter of Theodoricus king of those Ostrogothes in Italie was elaborately practised in the Greeke and Latine Tongues shee spake distinctly all the barbarous Languages that were vsed in the Easterne Empires Fulgosius lib. 8. cap. 7. Zenobia as Volaterran speakes from Pollio was Queene of the Palmirians who after the death of Odenatus gouerned the kingdome of Syria vnder the Roman Empire shee was nominated amongst the thirtie Tyrants and vsurped in the time of Gallenus but after beeing vanquished in battaile by the Emperour Aurelianus was led in triumph through Rome but by the clemencie of that Prince she was granted a free pallace scituate by the riuer of Tyber where shee moderately and temperatly demeaned her selfe shee is reported to be of that chastitie that she neuer entertained her husband in the familiar societie of bed but for issues sake and procreation of children but not from the time that shee found her conception till her deliuerie shee vsed to bee adored after the maiesticke state and reuerence done to the great Sophies of Persia. Beeing called to the hearing of any publique Oration shee still appeared with her head armed and her helmet on in a purple mantle buckled vpon her with rich jems she was of a cleare and shrill voice magnanimous and haughtie in all her vndertakings most expert in the Aegyptian and Greeke Tongues and not without merit numbred amongst the most learned and wisest Queenes Besides diuerse other workes she composed the Orientall and Alexandrian Historie Hermolaus and Timolus her two sonnes in all manner of disciplines shee liberally instructed of whose deaths it is not certaine whether they dyed by the course of nature or by the violent hand of the Emperour Olimpia Fuluia Morata was the ornament and glorie of our latter times the daughter of Fulu Moratus Mantuanus who was tutor in the Arts to Anna Prince of Ferrara shee was the wife of Andreas Gunthlerus a famous Physitian in Germanie shee
in despight or disgrace of her first purposed to cast herselfe from Leucate a high promontorie in Epyre downe into the Sea which she after did yet before she would attempt it she first in an Epistle thought by all the allurements of a womans wit to call him backe againe into his countrey which Ouid in her behalfe most feelingly hath exprest And since it lies so fitly in my way for the opening of the Historie I thus giue it English Ecquid vt aspecta est c. I st possible as soone as thou shalt see My charracter thou knowst it comes from mee Or else not reading of the authors name Could'st thou haue knowne from whence this short worke came Perhapes thou maist demand Why in this vaine I court thee that professe the Lyricke straine My lou 's to be bewept and that 's the reason No Barbit number suits this tragicke season I burne as doth the corne-fields set on fire When the rough East winds still blow high and higher Now Phaon the Typhoean fields are thine But greater flames than Aetnaes are now mine No true disposed numbers flow from hence The emptie worke of a distracted sence The Pirhian gyrle nor the Methimnian lasse Now please me not the Lesbians who surpasse Vil's Amithon vile Cidno too the faire So Atthis that did once appeare most rare And hundreds more with whom my sinn's not small Wretch thou alone inioyest the loues of all Thou hast a face and youth too fit for play Oh tempting face that did'st mine eyes betray Take Phoebus Faith vpon thee and his bow And from Apollo who can Phaon know Take hornes and 'bout thy temples wreaths of vine What 's he can say but th' art the god of Wine Phoebus lou'd Daphne Bacchus Gnosis bright Yet neither she nor she could Lyrickes write The nine Muse-sisters of my verse dispose And what my numbers are the whole world knowes Nor can my countrey-man Alcaeus more Than I though he in age stand rank't before Nor though his name sound louder can he raise Or from his Lyre or Country greater praise If niggard Nature haue denide things fit Yet what I want in shape I haue in wit My statur's low but know my name is high And bruited through all regions farre and nigh I am not faire what therein doe I lacke Andromida pleas'd Perfeus yet she blacke The whitest Doues with mingled colours make And the blacke Turtle will the Greene-bird take If none can be thought worthie of thy loue But such as shall thy like in beautie proue Young man despaire thou art for euer free None such ere was none such shall euer bee When first thou readst my Verses thou didst say I onely pleas'd and I was faire that way That I became my phrase and none so well Then did I sing wee louers all must tell And I remember thou 't is still my pride At euery Note didst on my lippes diuide Nay euen those kisses pleas'd thee wondrous well But most of all when I beneath thee fell My wantonnesse contented thee ' boue measure My nimble motion and words apt for pleasure Then when in confus'd rapture we both lay Fulnesse of ioy depriu'd all vse of plaâ— Now the Sicilian girles are thy new spoyle I le be of them and leaue the Lesbian sayle You Nisean mothers and faire daughters bred In Sicilie let him be banished From forth your earth nor let the many Lyes The smoothnesse of his false tongue can deuise Beguile your simple truth what to you â—e Speaks now h' hath spoke a thousand times to me And goddesse Erecina thou that do'st The barbarous rude Sicania honor most Aduise thy Poetesse by thy wit diuine And giue me counsell since thou know'st I am thine Can Fortune in this bitter course still run Vowes she to end those Ills she hath begun Six yeeres are past since my abortiâ—e grâ—nes Mourn'd and my teares wet my dead parents bones My needie brother as a second crosse Dotes on a strumpet suff'ring shame with losse Turn'd Pyrate prooues the Seas with sayle and oare And badly seekes wealth lost as ill before Because my faithfull counsaile that course rated My guerdon is that I by him am hated And least my endlesse torments should find ease My yong irregular daughter addes to these The last and great'st cause why I thus miscarrie Thou art my Barke still sayles with winds contrariâ— Behold my erst well-ord'red Locks mis-plac'd And those that in times past my temples grac'd Neglected are as if they were not mineâ— No precious gemmes vpon my fingers shine My habit 's vile my haire no Crispin weares Nor smell my Locks of sweet Arabian teares Whom should I seeke to please since â—ee's absent That was sole author of mine ornament My soft heart is with easie shafts imprest There 's still new cause to lodge loue in my brest Either because the Sisters three had force When I was borne to spin my thread so course Or this my studies in the Arts constraine Since soft Thalia doth infuse my braine What wonder if a youth of the first chinne Surprise me yeres which man to man might winne I was afraid least faire Aurora thou For Cephalus would'st steale him and I now Am still in feare for surely this had past But that thy first loue holds thee still so fast If Phoebus that spyes all things thee had seene Phaon in lasting slumbers cast had beene Venus had rapt him into heauen by this But that she fear'd Mars would haue made him his Thou that no child and yet scarce man appeares Best age the pride and glorie of thy yeares Returne vâ—to my bosome since of thee I beg not loue but that thou lou'd would'st bee Lo as I write teares from mine eyes amaine Still drop behold how they my paper staine Thy parting had beene gentler in words few Had'st thou but sayd Sweet Lesbian lasse adue Thou took'st with thee no parting kisse no teares I little dream't I was so neere my feares Of thine saue wrong I nothing haue no more Thou let that mooue thee all my loue dost store I gaue thee no command nor had that day Vnlesse some such Do not forget me pray By Loue that neuer can forsake that brest By our nine sacred sisters I protestâ— He 's gone when some but who I know not sayd For a long space both words and teares were stayd Mine eyes had banish't teares and greefe my tongue Through cold my heart vnto my ribs was clung My greefe retyr'd I gaâ— to beat my brest To teare my haire nor blush to walke vndrest Like carefull mothers who with loude exclaimes Beare their dead children to their funerall flames Charaxus walkes by lang hing too and fro And from my extasie his pleasures grow And which more shame vnto my sorrow giues Askes why this woman weepes her daughter liues But Shame and Loue are two the people stare To see my garments torne and brests vnbare Thou
the guests of the village and vpon them alone that they were pittiously wet and weatherbeaten till they had not any of them a drie thred about them all imagined this to be done by Witchcraft the same woman was accused by the sheepheards who confessing the fact was adiudged vnto the stake In this is to be obserued that the fruits the graine nor vines were blasted though there is a law extant in the twelue tables Qui fruges incantassit poenas dato i. They that shall inchant or blast the fields let them be punished There was another edict which prohibited any man from drawing the fertilitie and haruest of another mans field into his owne ground in these words Ne alienam segètem pellexeris incantando in another place Ne incantanto ne agrum defraudanto which hath reference to the former By the authoritie of these Roman ordinances specified in the twelue tables Turnius was accused by Spurius Albinus because when there was a dearth in the countrie his fields were onely aboundant and plentifull and where other mens cattell died of the roâ— and murren his were faâ— faire and in good plight and liking vpon this accitement he caused his horses his oxâ—n his teemes cattell and seruants all to appeare with him before the Senate and there pleaded that the masters eye made the cattell fat and his care and industrie the seruant thriuing sightly and in good liking protesting he knew no other inchantments and for that answere was acquited by the Senat. Notwithstanding this wee may reade in Sprangerus of Hyppones and Stradlinus two famous Magitians of Germany who confessed that they could at any time steale the third part of the croppe out of anothers field at their pleasure when by the most authenticke iudgements it is aprooued that no Witch or Coniurer was euer knowne to inrich himselfe the value of one mite by his Magick documents The like I could produce out of Pontanâ—s and other Authors with that antient verse borrowed by all the Magitians from Virgill Flectere si nequeam superos acheroeta mouebo If to my prayers the gods will not incline I will sollicit Hell and make that mine In the Scottish-Cronicle it is related of king Duffus to be troubled with a strange disease that he could eate well drinke well and in the constitution of his bodie found no imperfection at all onely he could not sleepe but spent the tedious night in faint and cold sweats insomuch that there was despaire of the kings health and safetie There was at length a rumor published That the Morauians certaine inhabitants of Scotland once great rebells and enemies of the king but since made regular and reconciled to their faithfull obeysance had hyred certaine Witches to destroy king Duffus vpon which report one Douenaldus was made Preâ—â—â—â— to enquire after this businesse and had authoritie to passe into Morauia and if he found any such malefactors to punish them according to their offences he being carefull of the charge imposed on him had such good intelligence and withall vsed such prouidence that hee came iust at the instant when certaine Witches were rosting of a Picture called by the name of the king and basted it with a certaine liquor Douenaldus surprising them in the act examined them who confessed the treason and were condemned to the stake at which instant by all iust computation the king recouered and was restored to his pristine rest and health After the same manner it seemes Meâ—eager was tormented by his mother the Witch Althaea who in the fatall Brand burned him aliue as it is expressed at large by Ouid in his Metamorph. The like effacinations wee haue had practised in our memorie euen vpon the person of Queene Elizabeth A woman of good credit and reputation whom I haue knowne aboue these foure and twentie yeares and is of the same parish where I now liue hath often related vnto me vpon her credit with manie deepe protestations whose words I haue heard confirmed by such as were then passengers with her in the same ship That comming from the Landsgraues Court of Hessen where shee had beene brought a bed to trauaile for England and staying something long for a passage at Amsterdam either her businesse or the wind detaining her there somewhat longer than her purpose 7 an old woman of the towne entreated her to lend her some money of a Ketâ—â—e which she did knowing it to be seruiceable for her to keepe a Charcoale fire in at Sea to comfort her and her child When the wind stood faire and that she with her seruants had bargained for their passage and they were readie to go aboord she sent for this woman to know if shee would redeeme her pawne for shee was now readie to leaue the towne and depart for her countrey The old woman came humbly entreating her she would not beare away her Kettle notwithstanding she had as then no money to repay of that she had borrowed but hoped that she was a good gentlewoman and would proue her good mistresse c. she answered her againe That she had lent her so much mony and hauing a pawne sufficient in her hand finding it necessarie for her purpose she would make the best vse of it she could a shipboord The old woman finding her resolute left her with these words Why then saith shee carrie it away if thou canst Marry and I will crie what I can doe replyed she againe and so they parted The Maister called aboord the wind stood faire the Sea was calme and the weather pleasant but they had not beene many houres at Sea when there arose a suddaine sad and terrible tempest as if the winds and waters had beene at dissention and the distempered ayre at warre with both A mightie storme there arose insomuch that the Maister protested that in his life time he had not seene the like and being in despaire of shipwracke desired both Saylers and passengers to betake themselues to their prayers This word came from them that laboured aboue the Harches to those that were stowed vnder their present feare made them truly apprehend the danger and betake themselues to their deuotions when suddenly one casting vp his eyes espyed an old woman sitting on the top of the maine Mast the Maister saw her and all those that were aboue being at the sight much amased The rumor of this went downe which the gentlewoman hearing who was then sitting with her child in her Cabbin warming it ouer a Charcoale fire made in the Kettle O God sayth she remembring her former words then the old woman is come after me for her Kettle the Maister apprehending the businesse Marrie and then let her haue it saith he and takes the Kettle coales and all and casts them ouer-boord into the Sea This was no sooner done but the Witch dismounts her selfe from the Mast goes aboord the Brasse Kettle and in a moment sailes out of sight the Ayre cleared the
his ieast notwithstanding his bonds and captiuitie thus answered If I cannot be assured of safetie till I be brought before the eyes of your king Antigonus he hauing but one eye for he had lost the other in battaile what then shall become of me At which words Antigonus being enraged caused him instantly to be slaine who had he kept his tongue might haue beene sent home safe and ransomelesse Fulgos. Lib. 8. cap. 1. Plautus in Asinaria thus reprooues your verbositie Nam multum loquaces merito habemur omnes Nec mutam profecto repertam vllam esse Hodie dicunt mulierem illo in seculo Great praters all we women are they say And full of words there 's not amongst vs found Any that can keepe silence but betray Our selues we must and seeke the whole world round If then Loquacitie be so reproueable in your Sex how ill then would Lyes which women tearme Excuses appeare in your mouthes For who will beleeue the chastitie of your Liues that finds no truth in your Lippes It is reported of two Beggars who watching Epiphanius a zealous and charitable man as he came forth of his gates to gaine of him the greater almes the one of them fell prostrate vpon the earth and counterfeited himselfe dead whilest the other seemed pittiously to lament the death of his companion desiring of Epiphanius something towards his buriall The good man wished rest to the bodie diseased and drawing out his Purse gaue bountifully towards his Funerall with these words Take charge of his Corse and cease mourning my sonne for this bodie shall not presently rise againe and so departed who was no sooner gone but the Beggar commending his fellow for so cunningly dissembling iogges him on the elbow and bids him rise that they might be gone but he was iustly punisht for his dissimulation for he was strucke dead by the hand of Heauen which his fellow seeing ran after Epiphanius with all the speed he could make desiring him humbly to rayse his companion againe to life to whom he answered The Iudgements of God once past are vnchangeable therefore what hath happened beare with what patience thou canst Zozomenus Lib. 7. cap. 26. Therefore Plantus in Mercatore thus sayth Mihi scelus videtur me parenti proloqui mendacium i. It appeares a heynous thing to me to lye to my father If Lying be so detestable what may we thinke of Periurie The Indians vsed to sweare by the water Sandaracines a floud so called and who violated that Oath was punished with death or else they were curtailed of their Toes and Fingers In Sardinia was a Water in which if the Periurer washt his eyes hee was instantly strucke blind but the innocent departed thence purer in his fame and more perfect in his sight Alex. Lib. 5. cap. 10. Miraculous are those Ponds in Sicilia called Palici neere to the riner Simethus where Truths and Falsehoods were strangely distinguished The Oathes of men and women being written in Tables and cast in them the Truths swum aboue water and the Lyes sunke downe to the bottome All such as forswore themselues washing in these waters dyed not long after but others returned thence with more validitie and strength The sinne of Periurie was hatefull amongst the Aegyptians and the punishment fearefull All Periurers had their heads cut off as those that had two wayes offended in their pietie towards the gods and in their faith to men Diodor. Sicul. Lib. 2. cap. 2. de rebus antiquis From instructing your Tongues I come next to your Attyres but hauing touched it elsewhere I will onely speake of the iust Taxation luxurious Habite or prodigalitie in Apparrell hath been branded with in all ages and reprooued in all persons especially in such whose garments exceed their estates which argues apparant pride or such as pretend to be meere Fashion-mongers pursuing euery fantasticke and outlandish garbe and such may iustly be reprooued of folly but since they are both so common in our Nation to discouer both too plainely I should but contend against custome and seeking to please few offend many There was a Law amongst the Grecians That all such as vainely spent their patrimonie either in riotous excesse or prodigalitie in attyre as well women as men were not suffered to be buried in the sepulchres of their fathers Alex. Lib. 6. cap. 14. So hatefull was sprucenesse in habite and effeminacie amongst the Macedonians that Philip the father of Alexander depriued a Nobleman of Tarentum of all his Honours and Offices because hee but delighted in warme Bathes thus reproouing him It seemes thou art neither acquainted with the customes nor manners of the Macedonians amongst whom thou hast not once heard of a woman though great with child that euer washt but in cold water I see not how that which is so reprooueable in men can be any way commendable in women What shall we thinke then of those affected pleasures now adayes so much in vse as Riots Reuels Banquets Pride Surfets Vinocitie Voracitie which as in men I meane being vsed in excesse they appeare odious so in young Virgins in whom should be nothing but affected Modestie in married Wiues that ought to be presidents of Chastitie and temperate and graue Matrons that should be the patternes and imitable obiects of sincere Vertue they cannot but shew abhominable The inconuenience of these Excesses Silius Italicus well obserued Lib. 15. de Bello Punici when he thus said Inde aspice late Florentes quondam luxus quas vertitit vrbes Quippe nec Ira Deum tantum nec tela c. Thence looke abroad and see How many flourishing Cities ruin'd bee Famous of old since neither the Gods Rage The hostile Weapon nor the Enemies strage Hath ruin'd Man in that abundant measure As Riot hath mixt with vnlawfull pleasure These are the sinnes that punish themselues who as it is said of Lust carrie their owne whips at their girdles I was bold in some part of this Worke presuming on the goodnesse of your Sex as to say There was no excellent gift in man which was not in some sort paralleld by one woman or other Therefore if any of you haue beene or are still addicted to these enormities I entreat them but to remember what is writ of Themistocles who in his youth was so wholly giuen ouer to all dissolutenesse namely these two excesses Wine and Women that his father banished him his house and his owne mother through griefe strangled her selfe Valer. Max. Lib. 6. cap. 11 But after Miltiades was made Generall and fought that memorable battaile at Marathon in which against infinite oddes hee defeated the Barbarians there was neuer any thing seene or knowne in him which was not modest and comely And being demanded how hee came so suddainely changed Militia inquit c. The thought of Warre saith hee will admit neither slouth in me nor wantonnesse Plutarch in Grecor Apotheg Would you but entertaine into your thoughts as
settled an enmitie against all Vices your publike enemies as hee did against the Persians the forraine inuaders you shall vndoubtedly after the Battaile of the Mind constantly fought against all barbarous temptations be ranked equall with him in all his triumphs It is likewise recorded of Isaus an Assyrian Sophist who in his youth being giuen to all voluptuousnesse and effeminate delicacies but comming to riper vnderstanding assumed to himselfe a wonderous continencie of life and austeritie in all his actions insomuch that a familiar friend of his seeing a beautifull young woman passe by and asking him If shee were not a faire one To him hee answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. Desij laborare de oculis i. I am no more sicke of sore eyes To another that demanded What Fish of Fowle was most pleasant to the taste hee replyed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. I haue forgot to looke after them and proceeded I perceiue that I then gathered all my Fruits out of the Garden of Tantalus insinuating vnto vs that all those vaine Pleasures and Delights of which Youth is so much enamored are nothing else but shadowes and dreames such as Tantalus is said to be fed with Of seuerall degrees of Inchastities and of their Punishments PHilip of Macedon making warre against the Thebans Aeropus and Damasippus two of his cheefe captaines had hyred a mercenarie strumpet and kept her in one of their tents which the king hearing he not onely cashiered them from their commaunds but banished them his kingdome Polynaeus lib. 4. In Germanie Chastitie and Modestie is held in that reuerent respect that no meane Artificer though of the basest trade that is will entertaine a Bastard into his seruice or teach him his science neither in the Accademies will they permit any such to take degree in schooles though it be a strange seueritie against innocent children who gaue no consent to the sinnes of their parents yet it is a meane to curbe the liberties of men and women deterring them from the like offences Aeneus Siluius lib. 1. of the sayings and deeds of king Alphonsus tells vs of one Manes Florentinus who being taken in forbidden congression with a strumpet was adiudged to pennance which was not altogether as our custome in England is to stand in a white sheete but naked all saue a linnen garment from his wast to his knees after the fashion of Bases the Priests comming to strip him in the Vestrie would haue put vpon him that roabe to couer his shame which hee no way would admit but was constantly resolued to stand as our phrase is starke naked but when the church officers demanded of him If he were not ashamed to shew his virile parts in such a publike assemblie especially where there were so many Virgins married Wiues and widow Women he answered Minime gentium nam pudenda haec quae peccauerunt ea potissimum dare panas decet i. By no meanes quoth he most fit it is that those shamefull things that haue offended and brought me to this shame should likewise doe open penance Pontius Offidianus a knight of Rome after he had found by infallable signes his daughters virginitie to be dispoyled and vitiated by Fannius Saturnius her schoole-maister was not content to extend his iust rage vpon his seruant and punish him with death but hee also slew his daughter who rather desired to celebrat her vntimely exequies than follow her to her contaminated Nuptialls Val. lib. 6. cap. 1. Pub. Attilius Philiscus notwithstanding in his youth hee was compelled by his master to prostitute his owne bodye to vnnaturall lusts for bruitish and vnthriuing gaine yet after prooued a seuere father for finding his daughter to haue corrupted her virginall chastitie hee slew her with his owne hand How sacred then may wee imagine and conceiue puritie and temperance was held in Rome when such as had professed base prostitution in their youth became iudges and punishers therof euen vpon their owne children in their age Val. Max. lib. 6. c. 1. Appius Claudius Regillanus the most eminent amongst the Decemviri so doted on Virginia the daughter of Virginius a Centurion who was then in the campe at Algidus that he suborned a seruant of his to seise her claim her as his bondwoman and bring the cause to be decided before him needs must the businesse passe on his side beeing both the accuser and the iudge The father being certified of these proceedings by Icilius a hopefull young gentleman before contracted vnto her leauing his charge abroad repaires to the citie and appearing before the iudgement seat sees his owne lawfull daughter taken both from himselfe and betrothed husband and conferred vpon another as his slaue and bondwoman The iudgement being past he desires leaue to speake with his daughter apart it was granted him by the Court who slew her with his owne hand then taking vp her bodie and lifting it vpon his shoulders posted with that lamentable burden to the campe and incited the souldiers to reuenge Liuie Volater lib. 14. cap. 2. Antropol Quintus Fabius Seruilianus hauing his daughters chastitie in suspition first deliuered her to death and after punished himselfe with voluntarie banishment The punishment of these inchastities is by the Poets to the life illustrated in the fable of Titius the sonne of Terra who intending to stuperate Latona was by Apollo slaine with an arrow and being thrust down into Hell and chained to a rocke his Liuer and Heart is perpetually tyred on by a rauenous Vulture who still renewes his inceasible torments Virgill lib. Aeneid 6. vnder the person of Titius would pourtray vnto vs the vnquiet conscience which though sometimes it may be at a seeming peace yet the torment by beeing still renewed dayly increaseth and gnawes the heart-strings of all such persons as to themselues are guiltie Of Witches and the Punishment due to them VIncentius cites this following Historie from Guillerimus in Specul Histor. lib. 26. cap. 26. which also Iohannes Wyerius Ranulphus and others commemorats an English woman that dwelt at a towne called Barkley in England being a Witch yet not being much suspected liued in indifferent good opinion amongst her neighbours and beeing feasting vpon a time abroad and wonderous pleasant in companie shee had a tame crow which she had brought vp that would be familiar with her and sit vpon her shoulder and prate to her in the best language it could she at this feast the Table being readie to be drawne sported with her which spake to her more plainely than it vsed some wordes which shee better than the rest of the companie vnderstood at which suddenly her knife dropped out of her hand her colour changed the blood forsooke her cheâ—kes and shee looked pale readie to sinke downe and fetching some inward suspires and grones shee at length broke forth into this language Woe is mee my plow is now entred into the last furrow for this day I shall heare of some great
losse which I must forciblly suffer The rest wondring at her sudden change from myrth to passion next at her alteration of looke and lastly at her mysticall language when her words were scarce ended but a messenger rushed hastily into the roome and told her that her eldest sonne with all the whole familie at home were found suddenly dead which she no sooner heard but ouercome with sorrow she fainted and beeing recouered and conducted to her owne house she tooke her bed and presently caused the onely two children she had liuing to be sent for the one a Monke the other a Nunne who presently came to visit her and know her pleasure to whom with a pensiue and destracted heart the teares running from her eyes she thus speake Alas my children behold me your mother and commiserat my wretched and distressed estate whose fate hath beene so maleuolent and disastrous that I haue hetherto beene a wicked professor of diabolicall Witchraft hauing beene a mistresse of that Art and a great persuader to those abhominations now all the refuge I haue to flie to is your religious zeale and pietie in this despaire for now is the time that the Deuils will exact their due Those that persuaded me to this mischiefe are readie to demand their Couenant Therefore by a mothers loue I charge you and by your filiall dutie I coniure you since the Sentence of may Soules perdition is irreuocable that you will vse your best endeuour and industrie for the preseruation of my Bodie This therefore I enioyne you in stead of a Winding-sheet sowe my Bodie in the skinne of a Hart or Bucks Leather then put me in a Coffin of Stone which couer with Lead and after bind it with Hoopes or Barres of Iron to which fasten three strong Chaynes If my Bodie thus coffin'd lye three dayes quiet burie me the fourth day though I feare the Earth for my manifold Blasphemies will scarce giue entertainment to my Bodie For the first two nights together let there be fiftie Psalmes sung for me and as many Masses for so many dayes which said shee gaue vp her last breath Shee dead the brother and sister were carefull to performe the mothers last Will and did all things accordingly The first two nights when the Quires of Church-men sung Psalmes about the Bodie the Deuils with much ease broke open the Church doores which were bolted barr'd lockt and propt and broke two of the Chaynes by which the Coffin was fastened but the third remained stedfast The third night about the time when the Cocke begins to crow the foundation of the Temple seemed to shake with the noyse of the Deuils who clamoured at the doore one of the rest taller in stature and more terrible in countenance than his fellowes knocked with more violence than those which attended him till hee had broken the doore to shiuers when stalking to the Coffin he called the woman by her name aloud and bad her arise and follow him to whom the dead bodie answered I cannot for these Chaynes To whom he answered Those shall be loosed to thy mischiefe when tearing them asunder as they had beene Linkes made of Rushes hee snatched vp the Coffin and carried it to the Church doore where stood readie a blacke Sumpter-horse loudly neighing whose hoofes were diuided like Eagles tallons vpon which he layde the bodie hurried it away with seeming ioy whilest all the Quirristers looked on and so vanished Her shrikes and eiulations were heard foure miles off Let this one suffice for many I come now to Temporall Punishments The Iudges called Areopagitae when they deprehended a Witch and were to deliuer her to death if shee were with child stayed the execution till shee were deliuered of her Infanâ— because they would not punish the innocent with the delinquent Aelian de var. Histor. Lib. 5. The Law to punish Witches amongst the Persians was to bring them to a place where their heads were beaten to pieces betwixt two Rockes So suffered Gyge the handmaid to Parisatides the mother of Cyrus Plutarch in Artaxerxes Charles the seuenth king of France or the Frenchmen caused Prince Egidius de Raxa Marshall of France to be first hanged then burnt because hee confessed himselfe to be a Witch and professor of Magicke and withall to haue beene the death of an hundred and twentie children and women great with child A Witch of Auerne was burnt aliue for killing young infants and salting their flesh and putting them into Pyes and baking them for publike sale Fulgos. Lib. 9. cap. 2. Iohaâ—nes Bodinus Lib. Mag. Demonomaniae 4. cap. 5. tells vs That there is a Law sacred in France That if any Magician or Witch or Soothsayer or Mathematician that shall goe beyond the true rules of Astrologie or expounder of Dreames shall frequent the Court be he neuer so great in fauour or potent in office he shall be immediately degraded from all his honours and put to the racke and torture And this Law is fitting saith he to be writ in golden characters vpon euery Court gate because there is no greater Pest extant either to Prince or people than this viperous brood therefore aboue our Christian Princes hee commends the Ethnick kings In the time of Marius an Inchantresse whose name was Martha who pretended to fore-tell to the Roman Senat the successe of the Cimbrian warre was banished Plutarch in Mario Claudius Caesar condemned a knight of Rome to death and forfeited all his goods to the people because he wore about him a Cocks egge as a Charme to dispence with Religionâ— and that all the causes which hee had in controuersie should in despight of the Iudges passe of his side Euen fellowes that were scarce of any name or opinion in the world that were but suspected of Negromancie were condemned to death vnder Tiberius Caesar. The Emperor Caracalla adiudged all such as but vsed inchanted hearbes to the curing of Agues and Feauers Spartian in Caracalla The Scripture saith Thou shalt not suffer a Witch to liue Bodinus contrarie to Wyerius who will scarce beleeue there be any such accounting all those Iudges as condemne them to the Stake or Gallowes no better than Executioners and Hangmen hee shewes diuerse probable Reasons why they ought not to liue The first is Because all Witches renounce God and their Religion now the Law of God saith Whosoeuer shall forsake the God of Heauen and adhere to any other shall be stoned to death which punishment the Hebrewes held to be the greatest could be inflicted R. Maymon Lib. 3. The second thing is That hauing renounced God and their Religion they curse blaspheme and prouoke the Almightie to anger The Law saith Whosoeuer shall blaspheme their sinne shall remaine with them and whosoeuer shall take his name in vaine or in contempt shall be punished with death The third thing is That they plight faith and make couenant with Deuil adore him and sacrifice vnto him as
when a certaine rich Ladie of Ionia came to Lacena and with great boasting and pride shewed her her pretious iewells and rich garments shee pointed to her foure faire children whom shee had liberally and vertuously educated and sayd These are treasures onely in which modest and discreet women ought to glorie Plutarch in Apotheg Luconic Eumele the wife to Basilius Helenopontamos of Pontabus as Nazianzenus testifies had by him fiue sonnes of which three at one time were learned bishops and stour champions for the Gospell namely Gregorius Nissenus Basilius Magnus Caesariensis and Petrus Sebasta then I blame nor Epaminondas who in all his noble exployts and prosperous successes in warre was often heard to say That nothing was so pleasing and delightfull to him as that both his parents were yet aliue to participate with him in his honours hee in the great battaile called Lenctricum had a glorious victorie ouer the Lacedemonians Plutarch in Grec Apotheg So Basilius Magnus Bishop of Cesaria gloried of nothing so much with dayly thankes to God as that hee was borne of Christian parents namely Helenopoâ—tanus his father and schoole maister and Enmele Capadoce his mother and that hee was nourced by Macrina who had beene a zealous and frequent auditor of Gregory Naeocae Soriensis his grandfather in that bloodie persecution vnder the Emperour Maximinus with his kinsmen and familie retyred himselfe into a Caue in a moate where with bread onely hee miraculously fed himselfe and the rest for the space of seuen yeares and after for the Faith of the Gospell suffered a blessed and glorious Martyrdom Licosck in Theat Human. Vitae Saint Hierom commends Paula the religious Roman matron for her nobilitie of byrth as being begot by Rogatas a Gretian who deriued himselfe from Agamemnon king of Mecene and royall Generall of those famous expeditious against Troy and borne of Blesilla Romana of the antient familie of the Scipioes and the Gracchi and was married vnto Toxilius illustrous in his blood as claiming his descent from Aeneas and the Iulian pedegree but nobility of byrth not being our owne but our ancestors it is not my purpose to insist of it any further It followes that I should speake something of such as haue beene the restorers of antient and decayde Families euen when they were at the last gaspe and readie to perish and be as it were swept from the face of the Earth Vital is Michael duke of Venice returning with his weather-beaten Nauie out of Greece where almost for the space of two yeares together without cessation he had opposed Prince Emanuel Constantinopolitanus beeing so exhausted that scarce Commanders Marreners or any nauall protection sufficiently accommodated was left to bring backe his fleete whether by a pestilentiall mortallitie or that Prince Manuell had poysoned the Springs and Fountaines where the Venetian souldiers furnished themselues with fresh water is not certaine but most sure it is besides many other disasters and discommodities that which hee held to be the greatest was that there was not any of male issue of the Iustinian Familie left aliue but all of them in that infortunate expedition perished to one man not any of that noble stocke suruiuing by whom the memorie thereof might bee restored to posteritie This the Duke Michaell often pondering with himselfe in great sadnesse and sorrow at length he bethought him of one Nicholaus a young man who had deuoted himselfe to a sequestred and religious life and was of the order of the Benedictan Fryers he had besides one onely daughter whose name was Anna her he had a great desire to conferre vpon Nicholaus so he could any way admit a dispensation from Alexander then Pope therefore to that purpose hee earnestly petitioned him and made great friends to sollicite him in that behalfe who willing to repaire the ruines of so noble a familie now altogether spent and wasted gaue approbation touching the marriage which was accordingly publikely and with great pompe solemnised These two now the onely hopes of that future posteritie had faire and fortunate issue males and females who were no sooner growne to any perfection and disposed of to liberall and vertuous education but which is remarkable in two so yong they conferd together to this purpose that since Heauen had blessed them with that for which marriage was ordained and the purpose for which the dispensation was granted namely issue and to reuiue a dying familie that they would with an vnanimous consent againe enter into religious vowes and orders This motion was betwixt them resolued and hauing nobly disposed of their children hee tooke vpon him holy orders and retyred himselfe to the monasterie of Saint Nicholas his wife Anna erected a Nunnerie not far from Torcellus which shee made sacred to Saint Adrian how great and almost miraculous was their abstinence and Pietie that abandoning all worldly pleasures and delights when they flowed about them in all aboundance euen then vowed themselues to solitude and heauenly meditations in which profession they both in a faire and full age deseased Egnat lib. 4. cap. 3. and Marullus in Vita Vitalis Not much different from this is that which wee reade of Pharon Meliensis a noble Prelat who with his wife after some yeares of affectionate consocietie passed betwixt them made by a vnited consent a strict vow of future chastitie shee betooke her selfe to a Nunnerie hee to a Monasterie but after seuen sollitarie winters passed hee was still troubled in his thoughts for often calling to remembrance the beautie of his wife he repented himselfe of his former vow and often sollicited her for a priuat meeting which shee still denying and he more and more importuning at length shee yeelded to giue him visitation but the prudent and chast Ladie had her face couered her eyes deiected and presented herselfe in a base and sordid garment where with her intreaties mixt with teares she so farre preuailed with him that without breach of their promise made to Heauen they tooke their lasting leaue he still remaining in his Couent and shee repairing to her Cloyster Marul lib. 4. cap. 7. Volateran writes of Petrus Vrseolus duke of Venice who after he had one sonne by his wife by their vnanimous consent they vowed perpetuall abstinence from all venerall actions So likewise Aloysius de Caballis a noble Venecian with his wife a Ladie deriued from the blood of the Patritians these two agreed together neuer to haue carnall congression but onely for issue sake neither would they suffer any motion temptation or any word looke or gesture that might tend to the least prouocation in so much that if we may beleeue report the verie linnen which they wore next them was so interwoauen and disposed about them that when they lay together with great difficultie one might touch the others naked bodie Egnat lib. 4. cap. 3. Now what meede these deserue I am not able to iudge I leaue it to his wisedome who is the
Arsinoe Anaxarite Berenice Nicostrate Hermione Polidices Plebe Ilaira Octauia Tullia Marcia Teuca Fridegund Margarita Lib. 1. cap. de Amazonib The custome of the Scythians The braue acts of the Scythians A base flight The first beginning of the Amasons Whence the name of Amasons was deriued Marthesia Lampedo Orythia Menalippe Hyppolite Penthisilaea Minithra or Thalestris Harpalice Harpe A law among the Amazons * Venus * Cupid Of Feares Examples of Feare Debora Helerna Metabus Maria Puteolana Bona Longabarba Atalanta Three sorts of Furlongs The race of Hippomenes and Atlanta Candaces Lacena Valasca Bellouacae Lesbia Amalasuntha Teuca Hasbites Tiburna Saguntina Zenobia Hipsicrataea Artimesia Cleopatra Tomyris Resolution in a Prince Satiate sanguine quem â—â—tiâ—â—ie A description of the Messagets Petr. Crinit lib. 1. cap. 11. Aulus Gel. A sheepe A shrow A tricke of an English skold A pretie reuenge Guendolyne Elphleda * Toten Hall Elswina Maude Another English Virago Ioane de Are or de Pucil Emma Queene Margaret Sthenoboea Herodica Panthaea Theodole Suabilda Seritha Signis Briseis Thargelia Milesia Anutis Timosa Zenopithia Patica Cipria Violentilla Agarista Hyppodamia Sisigambis Praecia Roxana Aegina Antiopa Galataea Pisistrati amica Lib. 3. Athenae lib. 13. cap. 7. Athenae lib. 13. cap. 4. Lib. 3. Lib. 6. 8. Berseba Herodotus in Clio. Plat. 2. de Repub Stowe Harding Estrilda Harding in Fabian Plut. Amat Narration Plutarch in Amatorio Chloris Aethra Danae Helena Auge The daughters of Danaeus * Venus Terentia Mecenatis Terentia Ciceronis A Vicars daughter A faire wittie Wench Vetustina Philenis Plut. in Apoth Caelius lib. 24. cap. 26. Antiq. Lect. Plutarch in Lacon Apotheg Plut Apotheg Reg. Fulgos. lib. 4. cap. 3. Erasmus lib. 6. Apotheg Aegiptae Ranulphus Marian. lib. 2. Iohan. Wyerus de Lamijs lib. 3. Suidas Appia Eustochium Tora Maria Aegipt Columba Amata Sara Syluia S. Ebbe Ildegunda Euphrosyna Marina Gunzonis Baldraca Serytha Tara Dula Statyra Roxana Etrusca Virgo Isabella Martia Lala Cizizena Britonia Daphne Rhodogune Theoxena Tyro Hypsicrataea Homer lib. 1. Odiss Odiss lib. 17. Perioch Odyss lib. 18. Odyss lib. 19. Perioch 20. Odyss Perioch 21. Perioch 22. Perioch 23. Euadne Laodamia Panthaea Sophronia Antonia Timoclea Brasilla Dyrrachina A woman of Casanoua She was the contractâ—d bride to the prince Inâ—iâ—ilis Anastatia Paula Romana Barbara Edeltrudis Editha Susanna Iudith Maude Retana Panachis Quartilla Timandra Campaspe Satyrus in â—itis Pliniâ—â— lib. 21. cap. 2. Pythonica Dicaearch de discensu ad Trophonium Irene Athenaeâ— Dipr. lib 13. Lib. 12. Danae and Laodice Iustine lib. 30. Laodice Iustine Hist. lib. 12. Q. Curtius Athenaeus Alogunes Cosmartidenes Andia In Cenegide Potonice Guinilde â—â—ban Bal. Act. Engl Votâ—r Guliel Malms li. 2. de reg c. Athen. in Dypnos In Agrestis In Nouaculis Athen. in Dypnos Hist. lib. 3. Lib. 3. Polem de Var. porticu Heracl Lembus Histor. lib. 33. Lynceus Comicus Caelius Prop. lib. 1. Gellius Origines Athena Gimos lib. 13. cap. 18. Myrtilus Clearch in reb Amator Nicol. Damascen The manner of the Babylonians Thais Lamia Gnathana Rhodope Metra Cyrene Archianassa Myrina Samia Aspasia Antecyra Caluia Crisalpina Stagonium Anthis Cinna Saluacha Casauria Herpillides Melissa Theodota Olimpia Lacaena Theorides Archippe Metanyra Calles Lagis Nais Alce Leaena Synope Nannium Acca Laurentia Flora or Laurentia Manilia Phebe Caelia Lesbia Chrisis Damostrato Marie Magdalen Aphra Niceta Aquilina Faucula Clauia Thais Aegyptiâ— Pelagia Antiochena A poore man and a Beare A cold Countrey My Hostesses Lye A Physician Cicero Lucius Manilius Santius of Spaine Pacuuius Taurus Augustus Caesar. Philip of Macedon Crassus Scotus Doctor Dale The wife of the Marquesse of Este. Claudia The Historie of a Pious Daughter Rusticana Rosamunda The loue of mothers to their children Olympias Agrippina Louing Mothers The Mothers of Carthage The wife of Proclus Parisatis The wife of Adiatoriges Friendship in women Bona. Cidippe Pelopea Hypsipile Calciope Harpalice Erigone Agaue Xantippe Tyro Examples of fraternall Pietie Phaetontides Antigone Hyades Electra Iliona The wife of Intaphernes Times forbidden in Marriage Ceremonies before Marriage Of Contracts Of Nuptiall Dowries Of Nuptiall Gifts or Presents Metulia Dotata Nuptiall Ornaments The Bride comming out of her chamber The Bridegroomes first appearing The Nuptiall Offering The Nuptiall Song A Ceremony for them to cast Nuts about vsed amongst the Romans Their going to bed Nuptiall Pompe Alex. ab Alex. lib. 1 cap. 24. Cinxia Gamelia Euclia Hymnes and Inuocations Caia Cecilia or Tanaquil Nuptiall Diet. Nuptiall Copulation Indian women Thracians Geates Catheoreans Herulians Winedi Phila. The wife of Straton Fannia Triaria Antonia or Archona Egnatia Maximilla The wife of Pandoerus Cecilia Barbadica Walberta Adeleta The wife of Franc. Foscarus Mutia Fuluia Of him came the Nicolaietans Aspatia Callistion or Proche Dipsas Caluia Crisalpina Of Age. Aglais Agarista Gathis Cleopatra The first drinking of Healths Lanfella Myrtale Fescenina Semiramis Pasiphae A Virgin of Leucadia Gratitude A Virgin of Sestos Tymarete Irene Calipso Alcisthine Aristarete Olimpias Lala Cyzicena * From him all rich and costly Arras Hangings are called Attalia Penelope Pholoe Pamphile Arachne Olimpias Lyuia Tanaquil Sabina Kailla Cyrce Clitemnestra The wife of Alex. Phaereus Albina Laodice Fabia Agrippina Lucia Filia Bentiu Ioanna Althaea Agaue Praxitha Phronima Polidice Isis. Draomitia Ludimillia Lara Talantia Damariana Amastris Cisenis Tullia Irene Fuluia Euridice The wife of Spitamenes Hyppodamia Progne Callirhoe Besalia Iole Clusia Perhibaea Florentia Marpissa Salia Suidas calls him Arius Sabina Cherile or Chaerine Melitto Tullia and her sister Chilonia Perinetades Thesca Herodias The wife of Cleomenes Blanca Rubea Patauina The daughters of Apollo The Syrens Oenanthe Aristonica Aglais Women that haue dessembled their shape Theodora Euphrosina Pelagia Semiramis Women that haue changed their Sex Iphis. Telethusa Ianthe Thaleste Caenis Metam lib. 12. Hyppatia Amesia Hortensia Caia Affrania Caecilia Catherina Alex. Hypparchia Tabiola Marcella Eustochium Anastatia Giliberta Anglica Rosuida Elizabetha Abatista Constantia Baptista Baptista Prima Isota Nauarula Nicaula Adesia Nicostrata Hermodica Aspasia Diotima Themiste Arete Cyrenaica Genebria Agallis Leontium Dama Theano Themistoclea Istrina Thargelia Cornelia Fuluia Claudia Amalasuntha Zenobia Olimpia Fulu Morata S. Helena Barsine Theanae tres Nicostrata or Carmentis Michaele Charixena Musaea Moeroe Manto Cornificia Luccia Mima Cassandra Megalosâ—rate Polla Argentaria Calphurnia Aspasia Milesia Hedyle Moschina Sosipatra Thymele Hyldegardis Clitagora Hesteia Auyle Myrtis Anthedonia Praxilla Siconia Nossis Myro Byzantia Damophila Minerua Corinnae tres Megalostrata Poetria Athenaeus lib. 13. cap. 16. Lib. 3. Silu. Erinna Proper lib. 2. Damophila Hyppatia Elian. lib. 12. Plato Suidas Plin. lib. 23. Bablist Egnat Ouid. Epist. Sapho Phaoni * Barbitos id est Carmen Lyricum * Alcaeâ—s a Lyrick Poet of Mitelene * Nisea a mountaâ—nous countrey neere Aetna * Venus called so of Erix a mountaine in Sicilie where shee had a famous Temple * Chorâ—xus who doted on the famous strumpet Rhodopâ—â— whome hee bought of Aesopus for a great summe of money * Clâ—is a wantoÌ„ daughter to Sapâ—o * The teares of Mirrha with which they vsed to perfume their haire * Philomela * Lothos the daughter of Neptune turned into a Tree so called Ambracia a citie in Epire so called of king Ambraces Cleobulina or Eumite Helpis Eudocia Philenis Elephantis Astianassa Bocho Elephantis Spinthria Lalage Proba Valeria Falconia Lib. de Vâ—rtutib Mulier Perhilla Ouid. lib. Trist. 3. Eleg. 7. Vittoria Lib. 20. de Subtilit How the Deuil rewards his seruants The wretched ends of sundry Magitians Seuerall sorts of superstitious Iugling Laodice Hermamberga Valer. lib. 2. Lib. 3. cap. 17. Lib. 5. Orat. Instit. Virgill in Beucol Lib. 16. cap. 11. * From the Island of the Cyclops where hee thrust out Polyphâ—mus his eye Islands in the Sea so called Medea Vitia Lib. 12. Micale Locusta Satyr 1. Eriphila Thracia Gyge Canidia Neapol In Epod. Erictho Gunthrune Sagana Veia Folia A Witch of Scotland Io. Heruiâ—â—eria Beronda A Spanish Magician A Witch of Brill Margarita Bremontia Lycantropia Lycaon who was transformed into a Wolfe A strange Witch-craft Miraculous Transformations Simon Magus She Diuels Hermione alias Hermelina Florina Cadua Anna de Mindele Agnes Lib. 5. Boetius lib. 2. Althaea A Tale of a Witch A Witch of Geneua Another kind of Witchcraft The Lord Furnerius Example of the like Witches called Extasists A strange kind of Witchcruft Things obserued in Witches Beibrana Marpissa Perhibaea Europa Auge Phaebe Ilairia Apâ—llod lib. 3. Ariadne Diomeda Orythea Pyrene Lanissa Tecmessa Axiothia Astioche Io. Medea Hesione The daughter of Pisistratus Marpissa Hersilia Eudoxia Plecusa Lagopice Cibale Phillis Ocrisia Gyge Thressa Rhod. Thracia Elos Lardana Titula Proconnesia Lathris Cypassis Chionia Galanthis Caphirna Amalthea Melissa Adrastea Ida. Ino. Fesula Policha Barce Charme Beroe Aceste Eupheme Spaco Hypsiphile Euriclia Caieta Amicla Hellanice Acca Lauentia Ilia the mother of Romulus Lupa Philix Macrina Phanarite Sotyra Salpe Philippa Rebecka Rahab Iosaba Esther Martha Marie * Which is six pound English Tabitha Rhode Lydia Parthenope Ligia Leucosia The sister of Leucippus Leucophria Cynarus Mirha The punishment of incest Parisia The wife of Argento Coxus Fredigunda The punishment of Adulterie Therberga Gualdrada Fratricides Periaconcona Quendreda The punishment of Fratricides Parricides c. Martina Gregoria Brunechildis Punishment due to Regicides Punishments of vniust Diuorce Whoredome punished Punishment of Loquacitie Punishment of Lying Punishment of Puriurie Aristotle calls this Fountaine Acedinus Punishment of Prodigalitie and Excesse Virginia Punishment of Witchcraft Martha Tacit. Plinâ— Lib. 29. cap. 3. Some say a Serpents â—gge Reason 1. Deut. 13. 2. Leuit. 24. 3. Exod. 20.32 Deut. 13.27 Numb 25. 4. Leuit. 21. Deut. 18. 5. 6. Deut. 18. 7. Deut. 13. 8. Ierem. 5.12.9 9. 10. 11. Deut. 19. 12. 13. 14. 15. Tirgatao Moeotis Comiola Turinga Honour and Reward to Fortitude * Orchestra a place in the Theatre onely for the Nobilitie Honor due to Temperance Galdrata Bertha Regina Lampedo Eumele Macrina Blesilla Anna Veneta Higinus lib. 1. Fab. Reward of Beautie Berta * The Prouince belonging to Padua Bountie rewarded Charitie rewarded A Conuertite rewarded So called of Sabbea cheefe citie of Arabia