lay away their Distafs and spindles and they so discussed the hardest matters which came before the Counsell that they were holden in great Reverence and honoured of all and gayned more loue and benefite than all the Men-lawyers in that land Diodore of Sicilia had fiue Children DIODORE and all were daughters and each of them so exceeded other in Learning Behaviour and good Manners that certaine good Lawes of their making are yet in full effect in that Countrey But to shun the objections of the Calumniatours of Women who may seeme to say that I produce too manie examples of Heathen Women and the Heathen set their onlie Felicitie and Summum Bonum in the attayning to the perfection and knowledge of thinges of this lyfe therefore I turne againe to the worthie testimonies of our Ecclesiasticall Wryters and good examples of Christian Women The worthie Eusebius witnesseth in EUSEBIUS IEMNA his Church Histories that Memna mother of the Emperour Alexander Severus had such an earnest zeale to Godlinesse Learning and Vertue that she sent to Antioch desiring holie Origen ORIGEN to come vnto her even to instruct her yet farder in the way of Salvation of whose comming shee rejoyced greatlie heard his doctrine and proved a worthie Matron in true Religion and mightilie instructed others Tecla a Mayde-Disciple to Saynct TECLA Paul excelled manie of his Man-Disciples in Wisdome Learning and Godlinesse sayeth the same Eusebius Saynct Katharine a Virgin of Alexandria SAINCT KATHARINE overthrew fiftie learned Philosophers in weyghtie matters of disputation Amia and the foure daughters of AMIA Saynct Philip were prophetesses of the new Testament in the Churches of Philadelph In the dayes of Saynct Jerome were aboundance of learned wyse and religious GERONTIA FABIOLA C. Women such as Gerontia Fabiola Furia Marcella Demetridis Salvia and manie others vnto whom Saynct Jerome wrote manie learned Epistles and they to him againe Heere may Dumea Angia a Virgin DUMEA ANGIA Ladie of Honour to the Queene of Portugall of 22 yeares old take place who wrote vnto Pope Paulus the third of that name Bishop of Rome in fiue languages to wit in Latine Greeke Hebrew Chaldaicke and Arabicke So that that Pope seeing her to be such an excellent Scholler indeede was faine to vse the helpe of interpreters otherwyse it had beene vnpossible for him to haue sent her any goodlie Answeres This happened about the yeare of GOD 1548. And in those dayes dwelt a Spanish woman in Rome called Isobell Rosier ISOBEL ROSIER SCOTUS SUBTILUS who in publicke audience constructed and interpreted the bookes of Scotus Subtilus who in those dayes was holden for the subtilest Fellowe in the world Also we reade of manie Noble Women yea and of Queens who haue so highlie excelled in Learning and so skillfull in sundry Languages that they themselues answered the Ambassadours sent from anie Nation whatsoever Which their block-headed Husbandes could not doe and therefore must holde themselues as mute as doe the Myce in presence of the Cat. And thus in the just prayse of Women I conclude this Subject hastening towardes another for Their excellent Perfections are so manie great and wonderfull that I must needes confesse The more I gaze agaynst the Sunnes cleare light The more am I distracted of my sight CHAPTER IX Of the Chastitie Modestie and Temperancie in WOMEN both Wyues and Mayds to the example of luxurious vitious and libidinous Men. AS amongst the innumerable Imperfections of men there be some more gross and shamefull than others Even so amongst the beautifying perfectious Graces in WOMEN there are some more laudable and of greater estimation And as Leacherie is a capitall Imperfection in Man and ruleth in him as a Prince of all other Vices Even so CHASTITIE in WOMAN is the greatest poynt of Her Perfection and ruleth in Her as the Princesse of all other Vertues Xenocrates sayeth that although a XENOCRATES HELENA Woman had the fayrnesse of Queene Helen the wisdome of the queene of the South and the riches of Craesus yet if shee want Chastitie and puritie of bodie shee is of no value but lyke the blasted slowre and withered grasse which is troden vnder feete Yea Chastitie is a Womans owne element without the which shee cannot bee substantiall no more than the fowles without ayre and the fishes without water For as long as a Woman hath Chastitie sayeth an Ancient Father she hath all good things and is all thinges but wanting That shee hath no good thing nor is nothing And this is almost the saying of chaste Lucretia that in Woman all vertues LUCRETIA were fled away when shee was once defiled And it is true that Lucretia spake not this in an vnadvysed manner or lightlie in a spleane or that shee sayde the thing shee thought not no no for shee sealed her words even with her owne Blood GOD wots after that TARQUIN prowde Tarquine had violentlie defiled her But our Christian Women haue no fayrer example of cleanlie Chastitie than in Susanna who choosed rather SUSANNA to lose her lyfe than to commit such vncleane wickednesse THE chaste Countesse of SALISBURIE Also it is steadfastlie affirmed in the Chronicles of England that one of their Kings at the sight of the fayre Countesse of Salisburie desired her to his lustfull appetite her Husband being in France But that good Woman beeing readier to ende her lyfe with a Dagger than to satisfie his filthie desire the King stayed her hand Then shee besought the King that she might first slay her Husband and then shee would bee readie to pleasure him in anie thing Thy Husband sayde the King is in France Nay quod shee hee is lodged here in myne Heart therefore let mee kill him that hee bewray vs not Which wordes and chaste behaviour of the Countesse put the King in astonishment so that hee feared GOD left off his Devilish purpose and helde that Ladie in Honour all his dayes The Tyrant Maxentinus sayeth EUSEBIUS Eusebius in his eyght Booke Chap. 17 sent his servants for a comelie Virgin in Rome named Sophrania to deflore SOPHRANIA her of her Virginitie And when the Servantes had tolde her their message shee desired them to stay till shee attyred her selfe in her best array that their Lord might the better accept of her And going to her Chamber shee fell downe on her Face and cryed to the GOD of Heaven to delyver her from anie such filthie action And whiles the wicked Sergeants would not stay but beat vpon her Chamber doore to take her speedilie foorth by violence she lifted vp her Eyes Heart and Mynde towards Heaven and with pen-knyfe bereaft her selfe of lyfe choosing farre rather to offer her cleanlie Soule to GOD and vndefiled Corpse to the Graue by Death than to liue and abide the wicked Pollution of filthie leacherous Man Yea the same holie Eusebius writeth EUSEBIUS of an infinite number of other Womē who
and Her Greatnesse were displayd QUEENE ELIZABETH As farre as Sunne and Moone did ever shyne GOD'S mingled Service Shee did re-refyne From Romish Rubbish and from Humane Drosse Shee yearlie made the Pryde of Spayne declyne France and Belgia Shee saved from Losse Shee was Artes Patterne t' Armes Shee was a Patron Shee liv'd and died a Queene a Mayd a Matron CHAPTER III. Of the Excellencie of WOMEN whom GOD hath made the first Mothers of VERTVE and Instrumentall Finders-out of the most excellent and needfull things in the world MARCVS VARRO MARCUS VARRO testifieth That Women were the first Instruments and Finders-out of the most excellent and needfull things belonging vnto Mankynde to wit 1. The Unitie and Fellowship to dwell together in Townes Villages Freedomes and Congregations 2. That WOMEN were the first Inventers of LETTERS and Arte of Writing 3. That WOMEN are the first In-bringers and Ordayners of Lawes and Statutes Politicke Civill and Morall 4. That the comelie Arte of Barbarizing Shearing or Trimming of mens heads and beards first begunne with Women in Sicilia and brought from thence to Rome by Tirinius Rome having then beene inhabited 554 yeares without the seemlinesse of this Arte. 5. That WOMEN are the first Inventers of Horologies Dialls and Clockes which most comfortablie measure vnto vs the Day and Night into 24 parts Winter and Summer Then next vnto GOD to the glorie of Women bee it sayde That no more excellent and worthie things than these can bee in the world What can bee more precious vnto vs than LETTERS For without Letters the lyfe of man yea and his whole pilgrimage on earth would bee but a continuall death and an oblivious buriall Because nothing can bee done without Letters Letters are the pillars of everlasting Memorie Letters keepe fresh to our rememberance to day what hath beene done so manie thousand yeares agoe Letters preserue all thinges done in our tymes even vnto our posterities posteritie for ever Had it not beene for Letters Socrates Plato Aristotle Cato Theophrastes Virgill Ovid Cicero with the rest of the goodly fellowship of Philosophers yea most holie and wyse Fathers had not so highly beene in estimation with the world nor the world haue reaped such great beneficiall knowledge as it hath pleased GOD next vnto His great Mercies by their paynfull studies to our great ease to bestow vpon vs. But what neede I to speake of mortall men and of late tymes Are not the workes of GOD even from the beginning and His miraculous Wonders yet extant amongst vs yea together with His revealed Word and Will and all by the meanes of Immortall Letters whereof it pleased GOD to make illustrious WOMEN the first CARMENTA Author even Renowned Carmenta or by some Writers named Nicostrata the mother of Evander king of Arcadia For whose sake all men are bound to loue and honour Her Sexe giving GOD the praise who hath lent vnto Mankinde such an excellent exceeding great Benefite as are immortall Letters If anie would heere alleadge that PLINIUS Plinius with the authoritie of Epigenes would maintayn Letters to haue beene from the beginning of the Creation yet aboundance of ancient Writers are of the contrarie opinion amongst whom is the worthie learned Theophrastus who thinketh it no shame to THEOPHRASTUS confesse that the Ladie Leontia withstood him in the face in disputation before an Assemblie and quyte overthrew him and that by reason sayeth hee shee had the knowledge and practicall vse of Letters which himselfe was ignorant of at that tyme. And Saynct Hieronymus confesseth HIERONYMUS the lyke of a woman called Eustachius to the glorie of GOD in His great Mercies towards Womans Sexe bee it sayde And Aristotle sayeth that as Man ARISTOTLE commeth of the Woman even so doe all good things and all excellencie in knowledge of Sciences Learning and Vertue proceede also from the Woman vnto Man for his comfort And therefore Glorie bee to GOD for Her To proceede then in the just praise of women Women haue not onelie beene the first instrumentall finders of such things as are indeede the Royall Ornaments of Mankynds inward vnderstanding as were Letters aforesayde but also manie other necessaries without the which man had yet lived as in former tymes that is more lyke brute beasts than reasonable creatures had it not beene for the wittie helpe and painfull hand of vertuous woman For not onlie from the Creation till Noah but long after the Deludge Man lived on Achornes rootes barkes of trees and meale of such lyke thinges Till at the last Dame Ceres CERES found out the precious grain of Corne and consequentlie invented the making and baking of bread in the countreys of Greece Italie and Sicilie And therefore was shee called a Goddesse yea and holden for the same of all our learned Poëts even till this day Moreover it is soothlie sayde of the same Dame Ceres that shee was the first ordayner of good Statutes and maker of Civill Lawes without the which no Kingdome Cōmon-wealth Congregation or Housholde could stand And yet all this commeth immediatelie from GOD vnto Woman and GOD maketh her the Destributer thereof vnto man her other halfe And for my proofe concerning Dame DIODERE OVID. HERODITE VIRGIL Ceres I take to witnesse worthie Diodore in his sixt Booke Ovid in his fift Booke of Metamorphoses and Herodote the father of all Historicians in his sixt Booke And therefore Virgil in his Booke of Aeneids calleth Her Legifera that is Law-giver And this also doeth Plinius maintayne avouch PLINIUS in his seaventh Booke of Naturall Historie Now as the Corne and Meale making Bread baking was first found by a Woman Dame Ceres as said is so CERES ISIS is there another rare Dame called Isis who found out the way how to manure and plow the land And shortlie after other vertuous Women in Gallia haue invented the Siue and some others in Spaygne the Bolting-cloath as sayeth Plinius in his eyghteenth Booke More-over in the beginning Men lived most Barbarouslie Grosslie and Brutishlie having not wherewith to cover their nakednesse but the Shins of wilde Beasts and barks of Trees vntill the time that the Women found out the making of Cloath In which Arte Dame Tannaquil or as some TANNAQUIL call her Caja was extraordinarie painfull and expert and therefore is called the Goddesse of good House-wyues But the first that ever began to spinne Wooll was a comelie fayre and vertuous Virgine in the Countrey of Lydia called Arachne as testifieth Plinius ARACHNE and Ovid in his Metamorph. But I know not what would haue become of sillie Man had not Dame Pallas found our Flax and Hempe and PALLAS the invention of making of Linnen Cloath For I am sure that without Linnen Men would bee much fouler and vncleaner than Beasts so that his Habitation would bee more odious than the stall of Augia And these enormities are all prevented even by Women
stratagems and feats of Armes shee so defeated the Grecians that they were almost vtterlie vndone had it not beene for Achilles who subtillie deceaved that valiant Queene Penthesilia and shee PENTHESILIA was slayne in Battell wherethrough the rest returned home to their owne Countrey of Amazone choosing another Queene called Thalistris And this Thalistris governed and reygned THALISTRIS in great Wealth and prosperitie over the Amazones even in the dayes of Alexander the Great when as hee had Warres agaynst the Hircanites And whether for feare or loue I know not yet Alexander never molested the Amazones but helde their Queene in great estimation and reverence But after her decease when Men forsooth came to governe the Amazones all thinges went backwards agaynst them so that their Enemies prevayled and within short tyme that Kingdome was brought to nothing Againe the Emperour Claudius the second having Warres agaynst the Gothes and on a day beeing victorious over them in Battell himselfe in proper person perceaved some valiant fighting Souldioures amongst the Gothes exceeding manie others in cowrage which hee caused take aliue as prisoners but onlie ten in number And when their Armour was laide off these ten were perceaved to bee Women Whereat the Emperour stood greatlie amazed and gaue them great praise and rich Gifts judging them to haue beene descended of the valiant Amazones And lykewyse the Countrey of Francia Antartica is extraordinarilie well governed and defended even by Women till this day as wryteth Thevet THEVET ANGOMOZIN Angomozin in his Diversitie of Histories Hearken yet vnto Lactantius who famouslie commendeth the women of Lacedemonia who issued foorth of their Citie when their Enemies had most stronglie besiedged them and behaved themselues so victoriouslie that few of their Enemies escaped In testification whereof those worthie Lacedimonian Women even of the Golden Treasure of their Enemies they made a large Image of Venus in compleat Armour in token of their Victorie to an everlasting remembrance and encowragement to all succeeding Ages Neyther ought wee to passe by the Valiantnesse and Cowrage of the Women of Cimber who although their men were slayne to the number of one hundreth fourtie thousands by Catulus and Marius of Rome yet the Women proved more valiant and avenged the death of their Husbands choosing rather with them to die than to bee deflored of their Enemies And this came to passe more than 90. yeares before the comming of Christ Yet to proceede in the just prayse of Women Petrus Cirnitus writing of PETRUS CIRNITUS ZENOBIA Worthie Discipline in his 26. Booke and 14. Chapter sayeth that Zenobia Queene of Palmyren fought a cruell Battell agaynst the Emperour Aurelian and obtayned great victorie Yet because he thought her but a Woman hee made no great matter of it but wrote vnto her and bade her yeelde But shee having receaved his letter with a smiling Countenance Cowragious mynde answered him thus It must not bee with Messiues but with might of Armes if thou shalt obtayne aniething at my hands For let thy grosse vnderstanding bee assured that Cleopatra had rather want lyfe than CLEOPATRA AENEAS SYLVIUS Honour And Aeneas Sylvius who afterwardes was Pope and great Bishop of the holie Citie of Rome called Pius the second declareth at length that the land of Bealme was long time happilie governed by Women But because all Histories both Spirituall and Temporall as well olde as new make so much mention of the Valiantnesse Cowrage of Women I neede not to tarrie anie longer heerevpon but to goe forewardes in the due prayse of Women declaring to the World their other rare perfections also even to the astonishment and bashfulnesse of all their Gainsayers whatsoever And so I conclude this Chapter proceeding to another with this great encowragement to the Women now of our tymes and hereafter for ever Let their Example bee a Spurre to you That yee their worthie Vertues may persue Women they were and you are even as much They were Victorious you may even bee such They had great Cowrage guarded with good Skill Which Skill and Cowrage Fortune Grace and Will I doe implore th' Almightie to bestow On each of you the High and eke the low CHAPTER V. Of sundrie good Women who wittilie and valiantlie haue cleansed whole Countreys and Congregations of cruell Tyrants and Heretickes ANd if men haue obtained anie prayse and glorie on earth by mayntayning their Kingdomes Countreys Townes and other thinges of this world by the losse of limbes and lyues then I am assured that our worthie women haue deserved farre more happie fame prayse and renowne who haue not spared their vttermost endevours painful travels their goods children limbes nor lyfe in the defence of things Aboue as GODS true Religion and the holie Gospell of IESUS CHRIST It is sayde in the Booke of Judeth that when the pryde of Nabuchodonozor was puffed vp even to the Heavēs giving commandement vnto Olofernes chiefe captayne of his armie to bring the whole world vnder his subjection Where was ever heard tell of such lyke pryde in Women But what followed Forsooth the LORD sent holie Judeth into the campe of the Assyrians lying before Bethulia and tooke off the head of the tyrant Olofernes even with his owne sword whereby shee discomfited the hudge armie of the enemies of GODS People and preserved her citie But because I haue sayde somewhat heereof and of Deborah Jael before in my second Chapter therefore I goe forwards to others moe whose number is so infinite that this little volume can not contayne the hundreth part onlie I shall recite a few and so proceede to another subject even in the just prayse of Women bee it sayde Abimelech that Arch-tyrant murdered his threescore and ten Brethren destroyed the Citie of Sechem burnt IUDGES 8. 35. and 9. 1. 2. 3 4. c. the Counsell-house and sowed the Citie with salt And not content with this hee presentlie besiedged the Citie of Thebes and having chased the people into a strong Tower hee came to the doore thereof of purpose to set it on fyre with his owne cruell handes IUDGES 9. 56. 7 53. 54. 2. SAM 11. 21. But a certaine woman sayth the Scripture threw downe a piece of a Mill-stone vpon Abimelech's head so that his brayne pan was broken Then caused he a young man to thrust his sword thorow him and so hee died shamefullie In this same manner died also King Pyrrhus who lying in siedge before the Towne of Argoes a woman threw a stone vpon his head And being blinded with blood a womā caused a Souldiour called Zopyrus to run him thorow with a Speare And Plutarch in his booke of famous Women speaketh verie laudably of Aretaphilia who marvelouslie and ARETAPHILIA verie periculouslie delivered her owne Countrey from the tyrannie of Nicocrates and Leander both which she put to death and caused Calniam to bee burnt beeing the occasion of their tyrannie Stand yet abacke yee
great Studie Care Pains which sillie man hath bestowed to attayne vnto Wisdōe Knowledge Learning and Good Manners whereby their Names and Honours might bee immortalized is nowayes to bee compared with the wyse curious zealous vpright pious and religious industrie of Women For indeed Women haue excelled and exceeded not onlie the Men of late tymes and our recent Doctors but also the eldest and wysest Fathers and Philosophers the which to the just prayse of Women I dare take in hand to proue as thus And because the Sybills are of the most Renowned Rememberance from ancient Tymes therefore I thinke it not amisse for the present to giue thē heere the first place and that verie shortlie since Lactantius Eusebius Hieronymus LACTANTIUS EUSEBIVS c. Orasius and others haue more worthilie set downe their prayse than it is possible for mee to imagine Now the word Sybilla is not the name of anie particular Woman but doeth signifie Prophetesse or Soothsayer or as Thomasius sayeth a Woman THOMASIUS which hath the spirit of prophesie And of these Sybillaes were ten in number the first was called Persica 2. TEN SYBILLS Lybia 3. Delphica 4. Cumaea 5. Erythraea 6. Samia 7. Cumana 8. Hellespontia 9. Phrygia and the 10. Tyburtina And all these even long before the comming of our blessed MESSIAS did prophesie no lesse than was set downe by the holie Prophets in the olde Testament concerning the Hebrew Childe even CHRIST our Redeemer But amongst these Sybills there were two farre more renowned than the other to wit Cumana and Erythrea CUMENA ERYTHREA These two were in the dayes of our Ancient Fathers and excelled all the Men of those dayes in perfection Knowledge Learning and Divination as can testifie their goodly books decored with golden Sentences extant till this day telling of the ende of the World of the day of Iudgement of Empyres and Kingdomes of Common-wealths Congregations and Politicke Governament and manie other worthie things even in the Booke of Revolution wherevnto the wyse and anciēt Romans had ever their recourse and tooke counsell thereat as witnesseth Cicero in his second Booke of Divination CICERO saying that the Sentences of the Sybills in those dayes had as much authoritie as now-a-dayes the holie Scripture Aulus Gellius speaketh of an olde AULUS GELLIUS Woman which came to the prowde King Tarquin and brought with her TARQUIN nyne Bookes asking him if hee would buy them Tarquin asking the pryce of the Bookes shee said 300 Ducates And whiles hee Skoffed at her shee tooke three of the Bookes and burnt them in the fire Then shee asked if he would giue 300 Ducates for the other sixe But seeing hee regarded her not yet she burnt other three Then hee began to repent and sayd Woman thou hast burnt sixe Bookes what wilt thou haue for the other three No lesse said shee than the pryce of the whole nyne taking the hinmost three vp to throw them into the fire But hee stayed her and gaue her the money for them And when hee perused and considered the Bookes hee was almost besides himselfe for want of the other sixe Yet thorow those three Bookes hee became a better man than of before Besides these Sybills wee ought to keepe in rememberance the worthie Queene of Sheba which some call Nicaula and others Mangueda who MANGUEDA bare such a loue to Wisdome and Vertue that shee came from the vttermost parts of the world to heare the wisedome of Salomon as you may reade in SALOMON 1. KINGS 10. the first booke of Kings and is greatly commended in the Gospell even by CHRIST Himselfe who sharplie reproved those wicked Men Scribes and Pharisees and even in the just prayse of Women bee it sayde Hee sayeth That that one Woman should MATTH ryse vp in judgement and condemne that whole male generation Now this Queene of Sheba or of the South put the wyse Salomon to his vttermost shifts in disputation for shee reasoned with him from the Hysope branch vnto the Cedar trees that is concerning the vertue and qualitie of the smallest Herbs to the tallest trees in Lebanus And yet I proceede in this subject to the just prayse of Women thus The learned writings of Pythagoras PYTHAGORAS DAMA had never come to light if his daughter Dama had not beene of learned Skill to interpret the same after the decease of her father ARETA ARISTIPPUS METRODIDACTUS Queene Areta was so wonderfullie well learned that her sonne Aristippus had no other to teach him but her selfe and therefore was hee called Metrodidactus that is to say Taught of his Mother Hortensia the daughter of the renowned Oratour Hortensius made such a learned Oration publicklie in the Citie of Rome and with such a comelie gesture and excellent modest behaviour that shee is registrated in the imperiall Annalls of statelic Rome even to the example of all ensuing Ages Thus may wee know That Good Women then were never yet combynde But evermore haue borne as braue a mynde As did the men in Ages whatsoever Their Cowrage Skill and Will was conquer'd never Therefore I 'll forwardes in our Mothers prayse Of whom next vnto GOD wee holde our lyfe and dayes CHAPTER VIII Of Women who not onlie surpassed Men in Poësie but also overthrew the learned Doctors and Philosophers in Disputation CORINNA AMongst other worthie learned Poëticall Women Corinna is said to haue surpassed the Poët Pindar verie farre in compiling of lyricke verse PINDAR THEANO Also Heroicke Theano bare away the prayse from all the poëticall Men in her dayes which were not a few neyther vnexpert SOCRATES The Renowned Socrates thought it no shame to confesse that hee had gotten great Knowledge in Poësie by the instruction of the famous Ladie Aspasia ASPASIA LEANTIA THEOPHRASTUS And Ladie Leantia overcame that great Philosopher Theophrastus in Disputation Now because Plato saw that Wisdome Learning and Knowledge grew to such an height in Women hee envyed their aspyring estate and procured a Law and Ordinance That no Woman-kynde should frequent the Schooles or bee brought vp in learning But sillie man that hee was the meanes that hee made to hinder women of learning proved but a Motiue to stirre them forwards therevnto For then more eagerlie than before manie worthie Virgins such as Lascenia Ariota and others neglected LASCENIA ARIOTA not carnestlie to haunt the Schoole of Plato himselfe in mans cloathing and profited greatlie Cornelia the wyfe of Scipio was so CORNELIA excellent well learned that shee hath left behinde her even to the due praise of Women manie excellent and learned verses called Cornificia which CORNIFICIA beeing justlie interpreted signifieth as much as shee was a shyning and glancing Light or Lampe yeelding Light in Learning to the darkened men of her age Caria and Afrania beeing but poore CARIA AFRANIA Women yet grew so expert in the Lawes that the Magistrates compelled them to
byte her tender corpse Yet neverthelesse shee shrunke not a jot but the faster that the Serpents did byte her the lowder she cryed I am a Christian I am a Christian looking vp and calling earnestlie to the GOD of Heaven to giue her strength and patience that shee might bee worthie to finish her lyfe to the Glorie of His Name Now her torments lasted so long and shee endured so steadfast that the verie Executioner stood amazed and cut off her head The spectators bewayled her with manie tears and manie at that same houre believed and were casten inte deepe Dungeons Another Virgine called Maxima MAXIMA being so horriblie tormented by Sason prince of Vandals and yet could not be vrged to forsake CHRIST hee let her goe free But manie others which were in Prison hee banished into the Yle of Capsur vnder the king of Mores where they preached the Gospell and afterwards were eaten with wilde people Maximine was a cruell Persecuter of the Christians and tooke his chiefe pleasure in devysing new tormenting Instruments to perplexe them with a languishing death But he was not busier to invent their Sorrow than they were earnestlie readie to suffer all that hee could imagine But especiallie the Women Amongst whom were Dorothea SO PHRONIA DOROTHEA and Sophronia who chose farre rather to drinke out the verie dreggs of the Cup of Death than anie wayes to shrinke a whit from the Confession of the true Fayth And the same GOD which strengthened these Women in all kynde of Martyrdome yea and in the pangues of Death for His Names sake wroght also in the heart of this Tyrant that he was overcome with the constant steadfastnesse in the Religion of these Women In so much that hee caused publish an Edict and proclaymed through all his Empyre That none should molest them in anie thing vpon poene of Death Thus wee clearlie beholde the extraordinarie great loving Mercies of our GOD towards Woman Sexe who hath stil so mightily assisted them even with His Divine Strength to suffer all whatsoever could bee layd vpon them without shrinking vnto the last period of Breath no not in Death it selfe And thus wee proceede The Church Historie maketh mention of an ancient Virgine of Alexandria whom the persecutioner tooke and drew out all her teeth and then A VIRGINE MARTYR her tongue also and brought her to the fire to bee burnt quicke And when they intreated her yet to forsake CHRIST shee resolutelie leaped into the fire and was burnt to powder about the yeare of our LORD 251. About which tyme also was a religious Woman called Coïnth vnnaturallie COÃNTH and filthilie drawne at a horse tayle thorow all the nookes of the Citie of Alexandria And yet continuing steadfast they rent her in pieces with vglie disguysed persons lyke Devils and Death himselfe Socrates telleth that a Temple was SOCRATES LIB 6. CAP. 33. erected in the towne of Edesse in Mesopotamia to the honour of GOD and the Apostle Sainct Thomas in the which the Christians vsed to assemble and offer their sacrifices of prayer prayse and thanksgiving vnto the GOD of Heaven Which when the Emperour Valens vnderstood who was an Arch-enemie to the servants of the true God and an accursed persuer of all such as professed the Name of IESUS hee was wrathfull towards Modestus the chiefe Captayne sent for him and reproved him verie sharplie for suffering the Christians contrarie his will and commandement And gaue him charge on payne of Death and his whole posteritie that the next tyme that the Christians coveaned in Saynct Thomas Church hee should murder them all both young and olde Now this Modestus MODESTUS the chiefe Captayne was a good Man and sent private advertisement to the Christians that vpon their next awonted day of assemblie in Sainct Thomas Church none should bee found there who loved his lyfe Neverthelesse vpon their vsuall day they came to the Church in great numbers to say their Prayers and Modestus making a show to satisfie the Emperours evill purpose was marching thitherwards with a band of armed souldiours and seeing a Christian Woman with a chylde in her armes running towards the Church hee called her saying Vnhappie Woman that thou art whither art thou going Shee answered To the Temple of Saynct Thomas Hast thou not heard tell quoth hee that the Emperour hath commanded mee to slay all that are in the Temple to day Yes shee sayde and therefore I haste mee thitherwardes with my chylde that wee may die with the rest of our Brethren and Sisters This chiefe Captayne seeing the Woman so resolutelie bent with her little one to suffer for the Name of CHRIST returned with his souldiors to the Emperour tolde him what the Woman had sayde and desired rather to suffer Martyrdome himselfe with the Christians than to worke anie thing agaynst them Whereby the Emperour was put from his hellish purpose The Arch-bishop of Saleucia had a Sister called Tharbua who because she THARBUA would not renounce the fayth of IESUS was bound to a post and her Mayde to another and were cut in twayne in the middle with a Saw and never shrunke for the matter And vnder the Reygne of Emperour Adrian there was an holie wyse Matron called Sophia who had three daughters SOPHIâ— which shee saw cruellie executed for the Name of IESUS shee standing by and giving them cowrage to the last gaspe And beeing dead shee buried them with her owne handes without the Citie of Rome giving great prayse vnto GOD glorie and thanks who had made her so happie a Woman that the fruit of her Wombe was so respected of the LORD as to account them worthie to bee of the number of those that suffered for the Name and Glorie of the LORD IESUS But seeing it is not possible for me nor none else to registrate all the steadfast constant Women in Godlinesse Vertue Wisdome Learning Knowledge Cowrage Chastitie and manie other excellent perfections for indeed such a taske would fill the world full of Bookes and yet never bee ended Therefore at this tyme I thinke to conclude this my little Essay to the Honour of GOD and good Women with the ecclesiasticall Historie of the Maccabees Wee reade that two Women were brought in and accused for not observing the manners of the Gentiles because according to the Law of GOD they had circumcised their little ones which hanging on their Mothers breasts they hurried them shamefullie round about the Citie and then both Women and Infants were throwne headlongs downe from the Wall Agayne a Mother with her seaven Sonnes were cruellie and vnhumanelie tortured and also put to Death because they would not forsake the Law of GOD and their fathers And this part of Scripture testifieth That the Woman was marvelous aboue all and worthie of honourable memorie for when shee saw her seaven Sonnes slayne within one dayes space shee bare it with a good cowrage because of the hope