by transpiercing her with his sword which when he likewise denied he presently left her and gave signall of battell in which conflict he was vanquished and slain his Tent rifled his wife surprized and committed into the hands of one of the chief Captains belonging to the King who pitying her tears and sorrow to which her feature and beauty gave no common lustre made instant suit unto her to make her his wife She whilst she could put him off with all possible delaies but after perceiving that what he could not compasse with her good will he purposed to attain unto by compulsion and force she craved only some few hours of deliberation privately to her selfe which granted and being retired she first writ in a short Scedule these words Let none report that the wife of Pandocrus harboured so little love as to out-live him Which Note leaving upon the table she took a sword then hanging in the chamber with which she immediately dispatcht her selfe of life and so expired following him in death with whose life she could be no longer delighted Ibidem Equall in all Matrimoniall piety with this Lady was Cecilia Barbadica Veneta who after the death of her husband Philippus Vedraminus by no counsell comfort or perswasion could be won either by her kindred or friends to taste the least food whatsoever or give answer to any word that was spoken to her in which silence and consumption she after some few daies of unspeakable sorrow breathed her last Egnat lib. 4. cap. â— Petrus Candianus after the decease of his first wife espoused a second called Walberta the daughter of Vgon one of the Princes of Italy who lived with him in all obedience with a religious observation of true love and piety never forsaking him in any disaster but attending him with her young son in law Vitalis The Duke her husband being after slain by the Venetians in a seditious mutiny Vitalis escaped the fury of the 〈◊〉 and fled but she staied to abide the utmost danger with the body of her dead husband meditating all possible means to revenge the death of her husband upon the conspirators but her womanish inability not prevailing she likewise secretly left the City and followed her son Vitalis in whose society she fled to Adeleta the wife of Otho the German Emperor who at the same time resided in the City Placentia but after long vain intercession seeing her hopes and purposes quite frustrate she retired again into her own City where she lived a sad and solitary life still invoking the name of Petrus Candianus with whose name in her mouth she not long after deceased Egnat the remembranceâ— of the former History speaks likewise of Franâ—scus Fosâ—arus another Duke of Venicewho married a second wife out of the Noble Family of the Nanae with whom he conjoinedly lived long and had by her hopefull issue But the Senat in his age depriving him of the Principality with the gâ—iefe thereof he retired himselfe into the most ancient house of his own family and there after three daies died Whose body when the Fathers would have had brought forth to a solemn and Princely Funerall because he had once been their Duke and Soveraign she shut her gates against them blaming their former ingratitude alledging she had both wealth and will sufficient without them to bestow upon him the latest â—â—tes due to a worthy and to all husband And though the Fathers were instant upon her first with entreats and after menaces yet she constantly 〈◊〉 in her resolution not suffering them once to approach the place much lesse to take thence the body 〈…〉 carefully bestowed it still exclaiming on the Senates 〈◊〉 and the Commonweals 〈◊〉 gratitude who to 〈…〉 wrongs 〈…〉 new injury not 〈…〉 whom they had so perjuriously 〈…〉 forsaken Notwithstanding these exclamations they 〈◊〉 her up in her chamber and peâ—fore took thence the body all the Fathers attending upon the Hearse upon which they bestowed a solemn and a pompous funerall The greater their counterfeit sorrow was outwardly the greater was her essentiall griefe still more and more weeping every succeeding day adding to her tears to think that her Princely Husband should in his death be for any courtesies at all beholding to his enemies desiring that he whom for his principality they had degraded and compelled to a private life might only by her and from her have had a private Funerall with whose choice affection and rare conjugall piety I have broke off to enter upon a new Project De Laenis Or of Bawds FRom the honor of Women I now come to the disgrace and shame of their Sex in which I will be as briefe as I know the very name to be to all chast minds odious Sotâ—des Marionites Cinedus that is one abused against nature or addicted to preposterous Venery was a Poet and writ most bawdy and beastly Iambicks in the Ionian tongue which he intituled Cinaedi in which were described the forms and figures of severall new devised Lusts and before that time unheard of prostitutions Of whom Martial thus â—aies Nec retro lego Sotadem Cinaedum Neither do I read Sotades Cinaedus backward For as Voleterran lib. 17. Antropoph relates his verses were all to be read backward lest their included nastiness might appear too plain and palpable Tranquil reports of Tiberius Caesar That he built Cellars and Vaults in which all kind of lusts and monstrous congressions were practised in his presence which would offend modest ears but to hear related The Emperor Domitian succeeded if not exceeded him in those detestable and devilish abominations He as Suetonius affirms devised that which was called Clinopales i. The wrestling in the bed he was often seen to bath himselfe and swim in the company of the basest and most common strumpets he stuprated his brothers daughter yet a Virgin after she was contracted to another man Cratinus Atheniensis the Comick Poet was so dissolutely addicted both to Wine and Venery that he hung his chamber round with Glasses the better to discover himselfe in his own unnaturall and beastly prostitution The like some of our scandalous Grammaâ—â—â— most falsly would asperse upon Horace Suet. confers the like upon Tiberius as likewise Gyrald Dial. 6. Historiae Poctarum Elephantis Philaenis and Astianassa writ books of the severall waies of Congression with the pictures of them inserted but of them I shall speak further in the title of the Poetesses but before I come to these she-monsters in particular I will remember some few men infamous in the like kind Erasmus in Chiliadâ—b speaks of one Clobulus a most wicked He-bawd who kept in his house two most infamous strumpets whose bodies he prostituted for money to all strangers and what the whores could not extort from them he himselfe would râ—b them of from whence came the Proverd Clebuli ignum which was still in use when two knaves of like dishonesty were seen to have friendship and society together Timaeus
a good and commendable life or otherwise illustrious for any noble or eminent action And therefore lest the matrons or virgins in Rome the one should divert from her staied gravity or the other from her virgins professed integrity the use of Wine was not known amongst them for that woman was taxed with modesty whose breath was known to smell of the grape Pliny in his naturall history saith That Cato was of opinion that the use of kissing first began betwixt kinsman and kinswoman howsoever neer allied or far off only by that to know whether their wives daughters or Neeces had tasted any wine to this Juvenal seems to allude in these verses Paucae adeo cereris vitas contingere dignae Quarum non timeat pater oscula As if the father were jealous of his daughters continence if by kissing her he perceived she had drunk wine But kissing and drinking both are now grown it seems to a greater custome amongst us then in those daies with the Romans nor am I so austere to forbid the use of either both which though the one in surfets the other in adulteries may be abused by the vicious yet contrarily at customary meetings and laudable banquets they by the nobly disposed and such whose hearts are fixt upon honour may be used with much modesty and continence But the purpose of my tractate is to exemplify not to instruct to shew you presidents of vertue from others not to fashion any new imaginary form from my selfe and that setting so many statues of honour before your eies of Beauty Noblenesse Magnanimity Bounty Curtesie Modesty Temperance and whatsoever else in goodnesse can be included each heroick and well disposed Lady or woman lower degreed and underqualified may out of all or some of these at least apprehend some one thing or other worthy imitation that as the best of Painters to draw one exquisite Venus had set before him a hundred choise and selected beauties all naked to take from one an eie another a lip a third a smile a fourth a hand and from each of them that speciall lineament in which she most excelled so having in these papers as many vertues exposed to your view as the Painter had beauties and all leâ—t as naked to your eies you may make like use of it draw from one a noble disposition bounty and curtesie the ornaments of great Ladies from others temperance sobriety and government things best beseeming matrons the married wives conjugall love and sincerity the virgins chast life and purity and every of you fashion her selfe as compleat a woman for vertue as Apelles made up the pourtraiture of his goddesse for beauty I need not speak much of the worth of your sex since no man I think that remembers he had a mother but honours it the renown of which some by their vertues have as much nobilitated as others by their vitious actions have studied to disgrace of both which though my promise bind me to speak in their course yet you Ladies in this treatise as you most worthily deserve have the precedence and priority of place What man was ever known to be eminent whom woman in some manner hath not equalled Come to Fortitude as there was an Hercules and a Theseus so there was a Menalippe and an Hippolite to encounter them who as they conquered not so they were not vanquished Come to limning or drawing of Pictures as there was a Zeusis a Timanthes an Androcides and a Parrhasius so the world yielded a Timarete the daughter of Micaon an Irene the daughter and scholler of Cratinus an Anistarite the issue and pupil of Nearchus a Lala Cizizena and a Martia M. Varronis to boot to them in that art no whit inferior In Poetry compare the Lyricks of Sapho with Anacreons and Corinnaes with Pindarus and it shall be easily made manifest that Sapho in all points parallel'd the first and Corinnae in five severall contentions for the palm preceded the last But the similitude or discrepance of men and womens vertues conferr'd together can be made no better apparant as Plutarch saith then by comparing Life with Life and Action with Action by which we shall see they have almost one and the same effigies For oppose the magnificence of Sesostriâ— against that of Semiramis the craft and subtilty of Servius Tullius against Tanaquils the magnanimity of Brutus against Porceas compare Pelopidas with Timoclea and which shall yield to the other preheminence especially if we exactly consider the end at which the vertue it self doth aime for divers vertues have divers colours laid upon them according to the temperature of body or the disposition of the mind Achilles was valiant one way and Ajax another yet both their endeavours intended to one Fortitude the Prudence of Nestor unlike that of Vlysses yet both wise men Cato and Agesilaus were both upright men yet executed justice two sundry waies Irene loved one way Alceste another yet both enderedly affected their husbands so likewise Cornelia and Olympias were differently magnanimous yet either of them attained to that height of honour to which their heroick minds aspired But to come to our former comparison from which I have somewhat digrest in what greater vertue can either sex expresse themselves than in true conjugall love Cicero de Divinatione and Pliny in lib. 1. cap. 16. report of Tiberius Gracchus That finding two snakes in his house male and female he consulted with a south-sayer concerning the prodigy who told him as a consequence infallible That if he slew the male swift Death should surprise himselfe but if he killed the female himself should escape death and his wife in like manner perish but to one of them that fate must necessarily happen He therefore preferring the safety of his wife before his owne health caused the male to be instantly cut in pieces and the female let goe beholding with his own eies his own instant destruction in the death of the serpent Therefore it was disputed whether Cornelia were more happy in enjoying such a husband or made more wretched in losing him An admirable and rare president in man and a husband which I can easily instance in woman and a wife for as there is nothing more divelish and deadly than a malitious and ill disposed woman so there is on the contrary nothing more wholsome and comfortable to man than one provident gentle and well addicted for as she that is good and honest will upon just necessity lay down her life for her husbands health and safety so the other will as wilingly prostitute hers for his destruction and ruin Therefore a wife by how much neerer she is to us in the strict bond both of divine and humane lawes by so much either the sweetnesse of her behaviour tasts the pleasanter or the harshnesse of her crabbed condition relishes more bitter for she is ever either a perpetuall refuge or a continuall torment she of whâ—m I intend to speak is none such as
imperiall purple Narses the Eunuch had fought under him many brave and victorious battels against the Goths who had usurped the greatest part of Italy from whence he expelled them slew their King and freed the whole Country from many outrages Notwithstanding his great good service he was calumniated to the Emperor and so hated by the Empresse Sophia that she sent him word That she would make him lay by his sword and armour and with a distaffe spin wool amongst her maids to which message he returned answer That he would make such a thread to put in her loom that all the weavers in the Empire should scarce make good cloath on Upon this ground he sent to Alhinus King of the Huns who then inhabited Pannonia asking him why he would dwell in the barren continent of Pannonia when the most fertile Countrie of Italy lay open to his invasion Albinus apprehending this incouragement from Narses in the yeare six hundred threescore and eight made his first incursion into the Emperors consines who sent certain spies to discover the forces of Albinus of which he having intelligence caused all the women to untie their haire and fasten it about their chins thereby to seem men and make the number of his army appear the greater The spies observing them wondred amongst themselves and asked what strange people these were with the Long beards and from hence their names were first derived which hath since been remarkable in the most pleasant and fertile climate of all Italy from them called Lombardy Others say that when they went to fight against the Vandals There was a man that had the spirit of Prophesie whom they besought to pray for them and their good successe in the battell now when the Prophet went to his orisons the Queen had placed her selfe and her women just against the window where he praied with their haire disposed as aforesaid and just as he ended his devotions they opened their casements and appeared to him who presently said to himselfe what be these Long beards to whom the Queen replied To these Long-beards then whom thou hast named let the victory happen thus saith the history Rhodegondis was Queen of France but after her not any Now some may demand the reason why the Salick law was first made by which all women were made incapable of succession in the principalities which as Policronicon relates was this The Crown lineally descending to a Princess of the blood whom for modesties sake he forbears to name or at least their Chronicles are loath to publish this Lady having many Princely sutors neglected them all and fell in love with a Butcher of Paris whom she privately sent for and as secretly married since when all of that sex were by an irrevocable decree disabled of all soveraignty Cassiope was the famous Queen of Aethiopia Harpalice of the Amazons Hippolite of Magnesia Teuca of the Illyrians c. Of these in their places Amongst whom let me not be so unnaturall to her merit or so ungratefull to my Country thrice blest and divinely happy in her most fortunate reign as not to remember that ever to be celebrated Princesse Elizabeth of late memory Queen of England She that was a Saba for her wisedome an Harpalice for her magnanimity witnesse the Camp at Tilbury a Cleopatra for her bounty a Camilla for her chastity an Amalasuntha for her temperance a Zenobia for her learning and skill in language of whose omniscience pantarite and goodness all men heretofore have spoken too little no man hereafter can write too much sacred be still her memory to us on earth as her blessed soule lives ever glorified in heaven Her succeeded though not in her absolute Monarchy yet a Princesse of unspotted fame incomparable clemency unmatchable goodnesse and most remarkable vertue Queen Anne whom all degrees honoured all Nations loved and â—â—â—ongue was ever heard to asperse with the least calumny who in her too short eminence here amongst us was known to be the step of dignity to many but detriment to none in whom all were glad by whom none had ever the least cause of sorrow unlesse in the lamented losse of so grave and gracious a Princesse And for my own part gentle and courteous Reader let me borrow so much of thy pacience that I may upon this so just and good occasion remember a long neglected duty by inserting in this place a few funerall tears upon her hearse A Funeral Ode upon the death of Anna Panareta NOw Hymen change thy saffron weeds To robe and habit sable For joyfull thoughts use Funerall deeds Since nothing's firm or stable This alas we May read and see As in a map or printed table It was not at the time of yeare Birds bid the spring good-morrow Nor when we from the Summer cleare Her warmth and pleasures borrow Nor when full fields Ripe Autumne yields That we are thus involv'd in sorrow But when the barren earth denies Fruits to the reapers mowing When Meteors muster in the skies And no faire fruits are growing When winter cold Dry feare and old His frozen fingers o'r the fire sits blowing When the Sun scants us of his heat And Phoebe tempests threateth When Boreas blustring in his seat His frozen pinions beateth And as a King Above the Spring The fresh and timely buds defeateth In this great barrennesse were we Our plenty made to smother But what might this rare jewell be A Saint a Queen a Mother An Hester faire A Judith rare These dead oh point me out another Save Debora that 's likewise dead Fam'd for her Countries freeing But shall we henceforth see or read Of such another being Oh what a dearth Is now on earth That here none lives with these agreeing Saba was wise so was our Queen For beauty others famed Some for their vertue crown'd have been And in large legends named Who living shall Contend in all With her alas shall be but shamed But since our praises at their best Shorten so farre her merit Leave her to her eternall rest A glorious Sainted spirit For aye to sing Vnto heavens King Thanks for these joies she doth inherit Yet 't is a duty that we owe To give our griefe impression The greater that our sorrowes grow It shewes the lesse transgression A losse like this 'T is not amisse That we then leave to all succession Skies mourn her death in stormy clouds Seas weep for her in brine Thou earth that now her frailty shrouds Lament though she be thine Only rejoice Heaven with loud voice That you are now become her shrine For this appear'd the Blazing starre Yâ—â— fresh in our memory Thaâ— Christâ—ndome both neer and far Might tell it as a story Great Jove is sent With an intent Only to get her to her glory In the Catalogue of Queens having so late remembred the mother how can I forget the daughter she to whom I must give that attribute which all souldiers bestow upon her
her before the President who at first despising her youth began to talk with her as to a child but finding her answers modest and weighty began further to argue with her but seeing himselfe unable to hold argument as being convinced in all things he grew into such a malitious rage that he first caused her to be scourged before his face even till the flesh gave way to discover the bones but this not prevailing he commanded her instantly to be dragged from thence and from an high place to be cast headlong into the sea I will conclude this discourse of Martyrs with one of our own modern stories Our English Chroniclers report that Maximus the Emperour having held long war with one Conon Meridock a reâ—olute and bold Brittain having in many bloody conflicts sped diversly sometimes the victory inclining to one side and then to another but in conclusion to the losse of both their hostility was by mediation at length attoned and a firm peace establisht betwixt them that done Maximus made war upon the Gals and invading a Province then called America but since Little Brittain he won it by the sword and after surreendered it to Conon to hold it for ever as of the Kings of Great Brittain This Conon Meridock was a Welch man and from these it may be That all that Nation assume to themselves the name of Brittains This eminent Captain being only furnisht with souldiers for the present warres but wanting women to maintein further issue to him was sent S. Vesula with eleven thousand virgins to be espoâ—to Conon and his Knights But being met at sea by Pagan Pirates because they would neither change their faith nor prostitute themselves to their barbarous and beastly lusts they were all by these inhumane wretches cut to pieces and cast over booâ—d and therefore in mine opinion not unworthily reckoned amongst the Martyrs From these I will proceed to others Aristoclaea OF all the deaths that I have read of this of Aristoclaea methinks exceeds example with which howsoever her body was tormented 〈◊〉 soul could not be grieved for never woman died such a loving death Plutarch in his Amatorious narrations hath thus delivered it Aliartes is a City of Boeotia in which was born a virgin so beautified and adorned with all the gifts and perfections of nature as she seemed unparalleld through Greece her name was Aristoclaea the sole daughter of Theophanes To her there were many sutors but three especially of the noblest families of the City Strato Orchomenius and Calisthenes Aliartius Of these Strato being the richest he seemed the most endeared to her in affection for he had first seen her at Lebedaea bathing her selfe in the fountaine Hercyne from whence having a basket upon her arm which she was to use in the sacrifice to Jupiter he took a full view of her in her way to the Temple yet Callisthenes he sed himselfe with the greater hopes because he was of more proximity and virgin in in alliance betwixt these two Orchomenius stood as a man indifferent Her father Theophanes upon their importunities doubtfull and not yet having determined on which to confer his daughter as fearing Strato's potency who in wealth and nobility equalled if not anteceded the best the in the City he therefore put it off to one Trophonius to be decided but Strato most confident in his own opinion and strength took the power of her disposing from Tropâ—onius and gave it up freely into her own will The damosell in a confluence of all her kindred and friends gathered for that purpose and in the sight of heâ— suitors was publickly demanded of which of them she made choice who answered of Callisthenes Strato taking this in an iâ—â—econcilable disgrace and in the greatnesse of his spirit not able to disgest an injury as he took it of that 〈…〉 his spleen and some two daies after meeting with Thâ—ophanes and Callisthenes he gave them a friendly and an unexpected salutation 〈◊〉 still a continuance of their ancient love and friendship that since what many covet one can but enjoy he could content himselfe with his own lot howsoever deâ—â—â—ing that their amity might remain perfect and unchanged these words came so seemingly from the heart that they with great joy did not only enterteine his love and voluntary reconcilement but in all courtesie gave him a solemn invitation to the wedding which he as complementally enterteined 〈◊〉 upon these terms they paâ—ted 〈…〉 a crew 〈◊〉 as he might best trust and add them to the number of his servants these he ambushes in divers places selected for his purpose but all to be ready at a watch-word Callisthenes bringing Aristoclaea towards the 〈◊〉 called 〈◊〉 theâ—e to perform the first sacreds belonging to marriage according to the custome of her ancestors Strato with his faction ariseth and with his own hands selfeth upon the virgin on the other side Callisthenes he catcheth the fastest hold he can to keep her Strato and his pull one way Callishenes and his another thus both contending in the heat of their affection but not regarding her safety whom they did affect she as it were set upon the rack of love plucked almost to peeces betwixt them both expired Which seeing Callisthenes he was suddenly lost neither could any man ever after tell what became of him whether he punished himselfe by some extraordinary death or betook himselfe to voluntary exile Strato openly before his own people transpierc'd himselfe and fell down dead before the body of Aristoclaea Of no such death died Democrita whose history next ensueth Alcippus the Lacedemonion had two daughters by his wife Democrita He having with great justice and integrity mannaged the weal publick more for the common good then any peculiar gain or profit of his own was affronted by an opposite faction which emulated his goodnesse and being brought before the Ephori it was delivered to them in a scandalous and lying oration how and by what means Alcippus intended to abrogate and annihilate their lawes for which he was confind from Sparta neither could his wife and daughters who willingly offered themselves to attend upon his adversity be 〈◊〉 to associate him but they were deteined by the power and command of the Magistrate Moreover an edict was made That neither the wiâ— was capable of inheritance nor the daughter of dower out of their fathers goods notwithstanding they had many 〈◊〉 of such noble Gentlemen as loved them for their father vertues It was likewise by the enemy most enviously suggested to the Senate that the two Ladies might be debarred from 〈…〉 their reason was that Democrita was heard often to wish and withall to presage that she should see children born of her daughters who would in time revenge the wrongs of their grandfather This being granted and she every way circumscribed both in her selfe her husband and issue every way confin'd she expected a publick solemnity in â—hich according to the Custome
neighbour we feare to offend the higher Majesty and next that fear the terrour of eternall death and dammation by the first we preâ—evâ— our bodies by the second our honours by the last our soules But those other â—bject fears I purpose â—ere to exemplifie only such as proceed from Effeminacy and Cowardâ—â—â— It is read of Pysander of Greece that being alive he â—eared leâ—t his soul had already forsaken his body Likewise of one Artemon who was of that haâ—â—-hearted disposition 〈◊〉 he moved not abroad without Targers of bâ—asse borne over him like Canopies lest any thing should â—â—ll from aloft and â—eat out his brains or if he rid it was 〈◊〉 horse-litter ceiled and crosse-barâ—'d with gadâ— oâ— steel and plates of iron for which he was called Peripharetes Sâ—bellicus writes that Cassander so feared Alexander that long time after his death comming to Delphos to behold the goodâ—y statues there erected at the very sight of his old masteâ—s eâ—â—igies he fell into such a timorous feâ—ver that his very 〈◊〉 danced in his skin and long time it was â—re they could constantly settle themselves in them own places This was that Cassander who had caused Olympias the mother of Alexander to be so cruelly butchered It is 〈◊〉 of St Valleâ—â— Duke of Valentinois in France that being condemned to death for not disclosing the treasons of the Duke of Burbon just at the instant when the executioner should have strook off his head the King sent him his gracious pardon but all in vain the fear of the blow before it came had dispatched him of life Hereof hath grown a proverb to any man that hath a strong apprehension of feare they will say he hath La fieure de Saint Vallier i. the feaver of Saint Vallier Another thing is recorded of a fellow that was so affraid of the name of Hercules that he hid himselfe in caves and rocks though he knew not of any quarrell betwixt them at length stealing from the obscure cavern where he had denned himselfe to see if the coast were clear casting his eie by chance on the one side and espying Hercules who came that way by chance his life blood sinking into his heels she shook them a little and died in that feaver I could recite terrors and vain fears which have arisen from nothing that have terried whole Cities of Grecians armies of Romans and multitudes of other nations but these particulars shall suffice for my purpose is not too farre to esteminate men nor too much to embolden women since the most valiant man that is is timorous enough and the modestest woman that is may be made sufficiently bold But to the purpose in hand Debora a warlike woman was a Prophetesse and judged Israel by whose counsell and courage they were not only freed from the inroads and incursions of the neighbour nations but many times returned from the field with rich spoiles and glorious conquests of her you may read more at large in the Judges Janus was an ancient King of Italy he enterteined King Saturn when by his son Jupiter he was châ—ced out of Creet Because he was a provident and wise Prince the Romans pictured him with two faces and received him into the number of their gods they attributed to him the beginning and end of things celebrating to his honour the first month January which took the denomination of Janus from his name one face looked upon the year to come the other looked back on the yeare past in his right hand he had a golden key which 〈◊〉 the Temple of Peace in his left a staffe which he strook upon a stone from whence a spring of water seemed to issue out he is thus described by Albricus the Philosopher in his book de Deorum Imaginibus This Janus left behind him a beautiful fair daughter whose name was Helerna she succeeded her father in his Kingdom which was 〈◊〉 by the river Tiber and was a woman of masculine spirit and vertue she reigned over men without the counsell or assistance of men she subdued Nations by her valour and conquered Princes by her beauty of whom may be truly spoken as Propertius lib. 2. writes of the Queen Penthisilaea Ausa ferox ab equo quondam oppugnare sagittis c. Penthisilaea from her steed When her high courage rose Durst with her shaâ—â—s and warlike darts The Darnish fleet oppose No sooner was her beaver up And golden caske laid by But whom by force she could not take She captiv'd with her eie Camilla and others THis Camilla was Queen of the Volscians who even in her craâ—le gave manifest tokens of her future vertue and valour for in her infancy she was neither swathed in soft cloathing nor wrapt in silken mantle not attended by a tender nurse nor â—ed with curious dainties or â—arre fetcht delicates but fostered by her father Meâ—abus with the milk of hinds and wild goats her court was a forrest and her palace a dark and obscure cave Having somewhat outgrown her infancy she took no pleasure in rattles puppets or timbrels in which children for the most part delight neither did she inure her hands to spinning or any such like womanish chares her cloathing was the skins of wild beasts her exercise hunting her practise shooting her arms the bow and quiver her drink the fountain water and her food Venison To this â—bsteâ—â—ous life she vowed the strict vow of chastity At length war being commenc'd betwixt Turnus and Aeâ—eas she adhered to the Ruâ—ilian faction and to those wars brought a regiment of gallant horse which she in person 〈◊〉 Her magnanimity Virgil in the latter end of his 〈◊〉 book thus sets down Hos super 〈◊〉 volsca de gente Camilla Agmea 〈◊〉 equâ—um florentes aere catervas To their supply Camilla came The gallant Volscian Lasse Who bravely did command the horse With troops that shin'd in brasse Of the like condition was Maria Puteolana so called of Peuâ—eolum a City of Campania she was of a warlike condition and an invincible courage and flourisht in the age of Franciis Pitrarch she is described to be most patient of labour and untired with travell moderate in diet but altogether abstinent from wine sparing of words 〈◊〉 boasting but alwaies daring The needle the wheel and the 〈…〉 horse armour the bow the 〈◊〉 and the target above all other delights she embraced she used to walk whole nights without the least sleep and travell whole daies together without rest if necessity at any time compelled her eies to wink or her body to lie down the earth was her bed and her shield her pillow she abandoned the society of women her continuall conversation was with Captains and Commanders which though 〈…〉 a face of boldnesse and as some term it impudency yet his apparant to all men in what a soveraign respect she held her chastity and honour which she maintained without the least blemish unspotted to the end from
Lycuâ—gus for Adulterers he mounted him upon an Asse with his face towards the tail which being forced to hold in his hand and putting a Garland of Deâ—ision about his temples commanded him to be led through all the streâ—ts of the City allowing all men and women to speak against him what opprobâ—y they pleased without limitation and do him all outrages that stretched not to destroy his life Thus was the Tyrant conducted along through an implacable multitude enterteined by the way with Clamors Shouts Railings Curses and all manner of Contempts and deâ—isions some spitting others casting soile and durt the women emptying uncleanly vessels upon his head insomuch that no disgrace or abject usage could be devised of which he was not then in some kind sensible This done he was carried to the common place of execution and there like a Felon hanged upon the gallowes Guielo Bituricensis And this which was done to him undoubtedly belongs to all such shamelesse barbarous and bruitish women who with brazen impudence having abandoned all grace and goodnesse expose themselves to the profession of all impurity and abominable dâ—shonesty making their corrupt bodies no better then Sinks of Sins and Spittles of diseases not only pleased in their own ruins without the destruction of others till their souls be as leprous as their infacted Bodies nay more since the Maladies and Aches of the one is but momentary and for them the Grave is a Bed of Rest and Death the Surgeon but the other are permanent and endlesse namely those of the Soul of which Hell is the Prison and the Devil the Tormentor From these greater I now proceed to lesse and though not in that measure yet in some kind punishable O Loquacity and Excesse and how they have been punished BEcause I desire Women to entertein nothing either to the prejudice of themselves or others I could ingeniously wish by taking away the cause to remove the effect and by suppressing the temptation to cut off all occasion that might allure men to offend Two things there are that be great corrupters of Modesty and provokers to Sinne namely Wanton and unbridled Discourse and vain and fantastick prodigality in Attire I will speak a little of the due repâ—ehension belonging unto these ere I begin with others If then the tongue be the Orator of the heart and by our words our minds are especially signified how much care ought women to have what they speak and with what modesty to govern the Oâ—gan of their thoughts since corrupt words arise from corrupt apprehensions and nothing but what is pure and irreprovable should proceed from a heart that is without stain and blemish Besides too much Loquacity I could wish you to forbear with which many of your Sex hath been unsparingly branded Many also have accused you to be so open breasted that you cannot conceal any secret committed unto your trust I advise you to to be counselled by Horace lib 1. Epistol ad Saevam Sed tacitus pasci si posset Corvus haberet Plus dapâ—s rixae multo minus invidiaeque Would the Crow eat in silence and not prate Much better she might feed with much lesse hate It is reported of Theocritus Chius being taken in battell that in the way as the souldiers conducted him with purpose to present him before the King Antigonus they perswaded him when he appeared before the eies of the Conqueror to bear himselfe with all submiss humility and no doubt but he should find the Prince roiall He rather willing to hazard his life then lose his jeast notwithwanding his bonds and captivity thus answered If I cannot be assured of safety till I be brought before the eies of your King Antigonus he having but one eie for he had 〈◊〉 the other in battell what then shall become of me At which words Antigonus being 〈…〉 to be slain who had he kept his tongue might have been sent home safe and ransomlesse Fubgos lib. 8. cap. 1. Plautus in Asinaria thus reproves your verbosity Nam multum loquaces merito habemur omnes Nec mutam profecto repertam ullam esse Hodie dicunt mulierem illo in seculo Great 〈…〉 they say And 〈…〉 found Any that can keep silence but betray Our selves we must and seek the whole world round If then Loquacity be so reprovable in your Sex how ill then would Lies which women term Excuses appear in your mouths For who will believe the chastity of your Lives that finds no truth in your Lips It is reported of two Beggars who watching Epiphanius a zâ—alous and charitable man as he came forth of his gates to gain of him the greater alms the one of them fell prostrate upon the earth and counterfeited himselfe dead whilst the other seemed piteously to lament the death of his companion desiring of Epiphanius something towards his buriall The good man wished rest to the body deceased and drawing out his Purse gave bountifully towards his funerall with these words Take charge of his Corse and cease mourning my son for this body shall not presently rise again and so departed who was no sooner gone but the 〈◊〉 commending his fellow for so cunningly dissembling jogs him on the elbow and bids him rise that they might be gone but he was justly punisht for his dissimulation for he was struck dead by the hand of Heaven which his fellow seeing ran after Epiphamus with all the speed he could make desiring him humbly to 〈◊〉 his companion again to life to whom he answered The judgements of God once past are unchangeable therefore what hath hapned bear with what patience thou canst Zozamenus lib. 7. cap. 6. Therefore Plautus in Meâ—catore thus saith Mihi scelus videtur me parenti proloqui mendacium â— It appears to me 〈◊〉 heinous thing to lie to my father If Lying be so detestable what may we think of Perjury The Indians used to swear by the water Sandaracines a flood 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 Perjurer washt his eies he was instantly struck blind but the innocent departed thence purer in his fame and more perfect in his sight 〈◊〉 lib. 5. cap. 10. Miraculous are those ponds in Sicilia called Palici neer to the river Simethus where Truths and Falshoods are strangely distinguished The Oaths of men and women being written in Tables and cast in them the Truths swam above water and the Lies sunk down to the bottom All such as forswore themselves washing in these waters died not long after but others returned thence with more validity and strength The sin of Perjury was hatefull amongst the Aegyptians and the punishment fearfull All Perjureâ—s had their heads cut off as those that had two waies offended in their piety towards the gods and in their faith to men Diodor. Sicul. lib. 2. cap. 2. de rebus antiquis From
was compelled by his master to prostitute his own body to unnaturall lusts for bruitish and unthriving gain yet after proved a severe father for finding his daughter to have corrupted her virginall chastity he slew her with his own hand How sacred then may we imagine and conceive purity and temperance was held in Rome when such as had professed base prostitution in their youth became judges and punishers thereof even upon their own children in their age Val. Max. lib. 6. cap. 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 camp at Algidus that he suborned a servant of his to seize her and 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 judge The father being certified of these proceedings by Icilius a hopefull young Gentleman before contracted unto her leaving his charge abroad repairs to the City and appearing before the judgement seat sees his own lawfull daughter taken both from himselfe and betrothed husband and conferred upon another as his slave and bondwoman The judgement being past he desires leave to speak with his daughter apart it was granted him by the Court who slew her with his own hand then taking up her body and lifting it upon his shoulders posted with that lamentable burden to the camp and incited the soulders to revenge Livy Volater lib. 14. c. 2. Antropol Quintus Fabius Servilianus having his daughters chastity in suspition first delivered her to death and after punished himselfe with voluntary banishment The punishment of these inchastities is by the Poets to the life illustrated in the fable of Titius the son of Terra who intending to stuprate Laâ—ona was by Apollo slain with an arrow and being thrust down into hell and chained to a rock his Liver and Heart is perpetually tyred on by a ravenous Vulture who still renewes his inceaseable torments Virgil lib. Aeneid 6. under the person of Titius would pourtray unto us the unquiet conscience which though sometimes it may be at a seeming peace yet the torment by being still renewed daily increaseth and gnawes the heartstrings of all such persons as to themselves are guilty Of Witches and the Punishment due to to them VIncentius cites this following History from Guillerimus in Specul Histor lib. 26. cap. 26. which also Johannes Wyerius Ranulphus and others commemorates an English woman that dwelt at a Town called Barkley in England being a Wircht yet not being much suspected lived in indifferent good opinion amongst her neighbors and being feasting upon a time abroad and wondrous pleasant in company she had a tame crow which she had brought up that would be familiar with her and sit upon her shoulder and prate to her in the best language it could she at this feast the table being ready to be drawn sported with her which spake to her more plainly then it used some words which she better then the rest of the company understood at which suddenly her knife dropped out of her hand her colour changed the blood forsook her cheeks and she looked pale ready to sink down and fetching some inward suspites and grones she at length broke forth into this language Woe is me my plow is now entred into the last furrow for this day I shall hear of some great losse which I must forcibly suffer The rest wondring at her sudden change from mirth to passion next at her alteration of look and lastly at her mystical language when her words were scarce ended but a messenger rushed hastily into the room and told her that her eldest son with all the whole family at home were sound suddenly dead which she no sooner heard but overcome with sorrow she fainted and being recovered and conducted to her own house she took her bed and presently caused the only two children she had living to be sent for the one a Monk the other a Nun who presently came to visit her and know her pleasure to whom with a pensive and distracted heart the tears running from her eies she thus spake Alas my children be hold me your mother and commiserate my wretchâ—◠〈…〉 distressed estate whose fate hath been so 〈…〉 disastrous that I have hitherto been a wicked 〈◊〉 diabolicall Witchcraft having been a mistresse of that 〈…〉 and a great perswader to those abominations now 〈◊〉 refuge I have to flie to is your religions zeal and 〈…〉 this despair for now is the time that the Devils will exact their due Those that perswaded me to this mischiefe are ready to demand their Covenant Therefore by a motherâ— love I charge you and by your filiall duty I conjure you since the Sentence of my Souls perdition is irrevocable that you will use your best endeavour and industry for the preservation of my Body This therefore I enjoin you instead of a winding sheet 〈◊〉 my body in the skin of a Hart or Bucks Leather then put me in a Coffin of Stone which cover with Lead and after bind it with Hoops 〈◊〉 Bars of Iron to which fasten three strong Chains If my Body thus coffin'd lye three daies quiet bury me the fourth day though I fear the Earth for my manifold Blasphemies will scarce give enterteinment to my Body For the first two nights together let there be fifty Psalms sung for me and as many Masses for so many daies which said she gave up her last breath She dead the brother and sister were careful to perform the mothers last Will and did all things accordingly The first two nights when the Quires of Church-men sung Psalms about the Body the Devils with much ease broke open the Church doors which were bâ—lted barr'd lockt and propt and broke two of the Chains by which the Coffin was fastned but the third remained stedfast The third night â—bout the time when the Cock begins to crow the foundation of the Temple seemed to shake with the noise of the Devils who â—lamored at the door one of the rest taller in stature and more terrible in countenance then his fellowes knocked with more violence then those which attended him till he had broken the doors to shivers when stalking to the Coffin he called the woman by her name aloud and bad her arise and follow him to whom the dead body answered I cannot for these Chains To whom he answered Those shall be loosed to thy mischiefe when tearing them asunder as they had been links made of rushes he snâ—tched up the Coffin and carried it to the Church door where stood ready a black Sumpter-horse loudly neighing whose hoofs were divided like Eagles tallons upon which he laid the body burried it away with seeming joy whilst all the Quiâ—â—sters looked on and so vanished Her shriâ—ks and 〈◊〉 were heard four miles off Let this one suffice for many I come now to temporall punishments The
Judges called the Areopagitae when they deprehended a Witch and were to deliver her to death if she were with child staied the execution till she were delivered of her Infant 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 Rocks So suffered Gyge the hand-maid to Parisatides the mother of Cyrus Plutarch in Artaxerxes Charls the seventh King of France or the Frenchmen caused Prince Egidius de Roxa Marshall of France to be first hanged then burnt because he confessed himselfe to be a Witch and professor of Magick and withall to have been the death of an hundred and twenty children and women great with child A Witch of Avern was burnt alive for killing young infants and salting their flesh and putting them into pies and baking them for publique sale Fulgos lib. 9. cap. 2. Johannes Bodinus lib. Mag. Demonomaniae 4. cap. 5. tels us that there is a Law sacred in France that if any Magician or Witch or Soothsaier or Mathematician that shall go beyond the true rules of Astrology or expounder of Dreams shall frequent the Court be he never so great in favor or potent in office he shall be immediately degraded from all his honours and put to the rack and torture And this Law is fitting saith he to be writ in golden Characters upon every Court gate because there is no greater Pest extant to Prince or people then this viperous brood therefore above our Christian Princes he commends the Ethnick Kings In the time of Marius an Inchantress whose name was Martha who pretended to foretell to the Roman Senat the successe of the Cimbrian war 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 Charm to dispence of Religion and that all the causes which he had in controversie should in despight of the Judges paste of his side Even fellowes that were scarce of any name or opinion in the world that were but suspected of Negromancy were condemned to death under Tiberius Caesar The Emperor Caracalla adjudged all such as but used inchanted herbs to the curing of Agues and Feavers Spartian in Caracalla The Scripture saith Thou shalt not suffer a Witch to live Bodinus contrary to Wyerius who will scarce beleeve there be any such accounting all those Judges 〈◊〉 condemn them to the Stake or Gallowes no better then Executioners and Hangmen he shewes divers probable Reasons why they ought not to live The first is Because all Witches renounce God and their Religion now the Law of God saith Whosoever shall forsake the God of Heaven and adhere to any other shall be stoned to death which punishment the Hebrews held to be the greatest could be inflicted R. Maymon lib. 3. The second thing is That having renounced God and their Religion they curse blaspheme and provoke the Almighty to anger The law saith Whosoever shall blaspheme their sin shall remain with them and whosoever shall take his name in vain or in contempt shall be punished with death The third thing is That they plight faith and make covenant with the Devil adore him sacrifice unto him as Apâ—lâ—ius testifies of Pamphila Larissana a Witch of Thessaly as liâ—ewise a Witch of the Laodunensian suburbs in the month or May 1578. who blushed not to do the like before many witnesses now the Law saith Who that shall but incline or bow down to Images which the Greeks call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall be punished with death The Hebrew word 〈◊〉 and the Chaldaean Fisgud which all our Latine Interpreters translate Adorare imports as much as to incline or worship now these Witches do not only incline unto him but invoke and call upon him A fourth thing is which many have confessed That they have vowed their children to the Devil now the Law saith God is inflamed with revenge against all such as shall offer their children unto Moloch which Josephus interprets Priapus and Philo Satanus but all agree that by Moloch in signified the Devill and malignant spirits A fifth thing is gathered out of their own confessions That they have sacrificed Infants not yet baptized to the Devill and have kill'd them by thrusting great pins into their heads Sprangerus testifies that he condemned one to the fire who confessed that she by such means had been the death of one and forty children A sixth thing is That they do not only offer children in the manner off sacrifice against which the Holy Ghost speaks That for that sin alone God will extirp and root out the people but they vow them in the womb A seventh is That they are not themselves blasphemers and Idolaters only but they are tied by covenant with the Devil to allure and perswade others to the like abominations when the Law teacheth That whosoever shall perswade another to renounce his Creator shall be stoned to death An eighth is That they not only call upon the Devil but swear by his name which is directly against the Law of God which forbids us to swear by any thing save his own Name A ninth is That adulterate incests are frequent amongst them for which in all ages they have been infamous and of such detectable crimes convicted so that it hath almost grown to a Proverb No Magician or Witest but was either begot and born of the father and daughter or the mother and son which Caâ—ullas in this Distick expresseth Nam Magus ex Matre gnato gignatur oportet Si vera est Prâ—sarum impia Religio Infimating that if the impious Religion of the Persians were true Witches of necessity should be the incestuous issue of the mother and son or else è contra A tenth That they are Homicides and the murtherere of Infants which Sprangerus observes from their own confessions and Baptista Porta the Neapolitan in his book de Magia Next That they kill children before their baptism by which circumstances their offence is made more capitall and heinouâ— The eleventh That Witches eat the flesh of Infants and commonly drink their bloods in which they take much delight To which Horace seems to allude when he saith Nâ—u pransae Lamiae vinum pucrum extrahat Alvo Noâ— from the stomack of a Witch new din'd Plucks he a yet live infant If children be wanting they dig humane bodies from their sepulchers or feed upon them that have been executed To which purpose Lucaâ— writes Liqueam nodosque nocentes Ore 〈…〉 corpora carpsit Abrasit 〈◊〉 c. The Felons strongling 〈◊〉 she nothing fears But with her teeth the fatall Knot she tears The hanging bodies from the 〈◊〉 she takes And shaves the Gallowes of which dust she makes c. Apuletus reports That comming