is said to be Incertae patriae as no man knowing from what particular region to derive her and therefore is known by no particular name nor by the ancient Historiographers numbred amongst the ten only amongst the twelve she hath the place as may appeare by this her Prophesie When the great King of all the world shall have No place on Earth by which he can be known When he that comes all mortall men to save Shall find his own life by the world o'rthrown When the most just injustice shall deprave And the great judge be judged by his own Death when to death a death by death hath given Then shall be op'd the long shut gates of Heaven Sybilla Tiburlina IT seems she derives her selfe from the River Tyber she is otherwise called Albunaea of the City Alba which was erected before Rome as also Italica and by some Alburnaea It is reported that the Romans going about to deifie Augustus Caesar demanded advise of this Sybill who after three daies fast standing before the Altar where the Emperour himselfe was then present after many hidden words miraculously spoken concerning Christ upon the sudden Heaven opened and Caesar saw a beautifull virgin standing before the Altar who held in her arms as lovely an infant at this apparition Caesar affrighted fell on his face at which instant was heard a voice as from Heaven saying This is the Altar of the son of God In which place was after built a Temple dedicated to the Virgin Mary and called Ara Coeli i. The Altar of Heaven This Polycronicon affirms and for the truth thereof citeth Saint Augustine lib. 18. cap. 24. There is little more remembred of her life saving that in her books she prophesied of the comming of the Saviour of the world much after this manner Seven wonders of the world have been proclaimed But yet a greater then these are not named The Egyptians high Pyramides who seem'd To meet the stars a work once much esteem'd The Tower of Pharos The miraculous wall That Babylon begirt The fourth we call Diana's Church in Ephesus Fame sings T' had six and thirty Pillers built by Kings As many Next to these Mausolus Tombe Than which the Earth supporteth on her womb No braver structure Next to these there was The huge Colossus that was cast in brasse Of height incredible whom you may espie Holding a lamp fifty seven cubits high Bestriding an huge river The seventh wonder Was of great love that strikes with trisule thunder His Statue carv'd in Ivory and contriv'd By Phideas the best workman then surviv'd What at these trifles stands the world amaz'd And hath on them with admiration gaz'd Then wonder when the troubled world â— ' appease He shall descend who made them that made these Of these wonders briefly to make her divination the more plaine Of these Pyramides there were divers of which the greatest took up eight acres of ground parted into foure angles each equally distant eight hundred eighty foot and in height twenty five A second foure angles every one containing by even spaces seven hundred thirty and seven foot A third comprehended three hundred sixty three foot betwixt every angle A fourth erected by Rhodope the strumpet the mistresse of Aesop by the monie which she got by her trade Herodotus speaks of a Pyramis made by Cleopys King of Egypt of stones ferch'd from Arabia whose length was five furlongs the breadth ten paces He erected a second more magnificent which was not not finisht in twenty years upon which he spent so much treasure that he was forc'd to prostitute his daughter a most beautifull young virgin to supply his own necessity Pliny reports that in this structure he imploied so many workmen that they eat him 1800. talents in onyons and garlick 2. The Tower of Pharos built by Ptolomaeus in that Isle which served as a lanthorn to direct Navigators by sea in the night he spent upon it 5300. Talents Sostrata was the Architectour as appears by the inscription of his name upon the Cittadell 3. The wals of Babylon were built by Semiâ—amis they were as Hermodorus writes in thicknesse fifty cubits in height two hundred within the compasse of which were an hundred Ports having brazen gates that all mov'd upon hinges they were beautified with three hundred Turrets and Chariots might meet upon the top of them and have free passage without impediment 4. The Temple of Diana of which I have spoken before was in length 425 foot in breadth 220. It was beautified with 127. Columns 5. The tombe of Mausolus built by Artimesia Queen of Caria was in height 25. Cubits it was compast with 36 Columns it contained from the South to the North 33. foot the whole compasse contained 1411. That part which lay towards the East was perfected by Scopas that which was towards the North was ended by Briax that towards the Meridian by Timothaeus that which butted upon the West by Leocares 6. The Colossus of the Sun which bestrid the River Rhodes betwixt whose legs ships without vailing their top-sails came into the harbour was of that vastnesse that a man with his spread arms could not compasse his thumb every finger being as big as a common statue After it had stood six and fifty years it was emolisht by an earthquake The Souldan of Egypt having invaded Rhodes with the broken brasse thereof laded thence 900. Camels The chiefe workman was Chares Lindius the scholler of Licippus 7. The image of Jupiter to which some equall the Pallace of Cyrus King of the Meads built by Memnon the stones of which were cemented together with gold But I leave further to speake of these and proceed to the next Sybill Sybilla Aegyptia SHe was called Agrippa not numbred amongst the ten out hath place among the Twelve she prophesied upon the number of Three and on this manner Sacred's the number Three as Sybils tell Betwixt three brothers the Heaven Sea and Hell Were cast by lot The Earth as all men write In their divisions is called Tripartite Jove three waies striking hath his Trisulc Thunder Neptune's allow'd his Tâ—ident to keep under The mutinous waves Three fatall sisters spin Our thread of life Three Judges punish sin Even monsters are described so Geryon weares Three heads Grim Cerberus as many bears Sphinx hath three shapes of Bird of Beast of Maid All three in wings in feet in face displai'd Chimaera is Triform'd the monstrous creature Scilla 's of dogs fish and a womans feature The Erynnaes Harpyes Gorgons three-fold all The Sybils Trifatidicae we call Divining from the Tripos Orpheus Lyre Sings that 't was made of water earth and fire Three Charites three Fates three Syrens be Number the Muses they are three times three She 's triple Hecat's call'd Diana stil'd Trivia The ground of Musick was compil'd But on three cords at first and still exprest By voice by hand by breath In the Physicks
mortem somnum divers◠〈◊〉 somnia naâ—os Hos peperit nulli dea nox 〈…〉 marito Night evill fate brought forth black Parcâ— bred With Death and Sleep and divers Dreams beside Of all these sons she was delivered And yet the goddesse never husband tride Cicero in his third book De natura Deorum having numbred all the children oâ— Night derives them also from their father Erebus as may appear in these words Quod si ita est c. If it be so saith he those that are the Parents of heaven should likewise be reckoned in the number of the gods Aether and Dies i. Air and Day with their brothers and sisters by the ancient Geneologists thus nominated Amor Dolus Metus Labor Invidentia Fatum Sinectus Mors Tenebrae Mâ—sâ—ria Querelâ— Gratia Fraus Pertinacia Parcae Hesperides Somnia that is Love Deceit Feare Labour Envy Faâ—â— old Age Death Darknesse Misery Complaint Favor Fraud the Paâ—cae and the Helperides All which are by some imagined to be the children of Nex and Erebus I will only speak a little of two of these as they now lie in my way and that briefly too and because it may perchance be late before I have done with them I will conclude with Night Death and Sleep are brother and sister and both the children of Night Aristo cals Somnus a severe exacter from mankind who as it were viâ—lently snatcheth away the halfe part of our age to bestow on Sleep and therefore by Orpheus he is called the brother of Lethe which insinuates Forgetfulnesse which he most elegantly expresseth in his hymn to Sleep Somne beatorum Rex Rex summe virorum Quem fugiunt curiae c. Sleep of the blest man King and King of men Whom cares still flie and rest imbraceth then Of mischiefes the sole solace and best friend To give them due repose and comfort lâ—nd Who putting on the shape of Death dost give Only by that all creatures means to live Sleep thou hast but two sisters and these are Death and Oblivion both which shorten care Ovid in his Metamorphos for his so many benefits conferred upon Mortals placeth him in the catalogue of the gods The house of Seep the same Poet hath ingeniously described upon whom he confers a thousand children or rather a number not to be numbred nominating only three Morpheus Icelus and Phantâ—sus for sleep it is be moderately used is of all mortall things the sweetest best and most profitable to whom all creatures whatsoever are subject therefore not improperly by Orpheus tearmed the King of men and gods Homer in â—is Iliads makes an elegant expression to shew how wretched their conditions are above other men that are in high and eminent place and office and have predominance over the greatest affairs which he thus introduceth by making all both gods and men asleep at once saving Jupiter which Juno seeing she with great bribes and rewards corrupts Somnus that he would amongst the rest charm the eies of Iupiter which he attempting and the other perceiving the inraged god feeling sleep to steal upon him unawares cast him headlong from heaven into the sea where he had doubtlesse for ever perisht had not Night snatcht up her son and in her darknesse hid him from the wrath of Iupiter But had he been destroied Sleep had been exiled the earth and so all creatures deprived of their quotidian rest From hence likewise may be collected how wretched those sleeping gods are when Iupiter the only wise and potent is ever awake to see provide foresee and gooern by his infinite providence both men and creatures The City of Sleep Lucianus in his second book Verarum Historiaâ—um though tabulously yet hath facundiously described This City saith he is scituate in a most spatious and silent plaine yet round incompast with tall and spreading trees amongst whose leaves the wind only whispers but never robustiously blowes There Poppy growes abundantly Mandragora and all such plants herbs and simples as have the innate vertue to procure and provoke sleep There are multitudes of Bats which flie continually this way and that and betwixt one tree and other great store of Nâ—ght-ravens Owles and Screechowles no bird that is ashamed of day but is here frequently to be found But neither the crowing Cock the chattering Pie the quacking Duck the gagling Goose nor any other fowle either of song or clamor can thither have accesse Fast by this City glides a river with a slow and silent pace making a murmure but no noise rather to rock and â—ull asleep than to waken the water is thick and soft like oile the floods name is Lethe whom others call Nicty porus it flowes from two fountain heads both hid and obscured in places to no man known the one is called Pannychius the other Negreâ—as This City hath two ports or gates one of horn composed with miraculous workmanship in which as in a Table are expressed all such true dreams as exercise the fantasies of men in their depth of rest The other is made of the most purest and most white Ivory in which are carved all sorts of dreams but these as it were artificially shadowed by the pencill but none fully drawn and exprest to the life Within this City wals is a magnificent and spatious structure called the Temple of Night which with all superstitious ceremonies is religiously honoured 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 company but not a Citizen in shape or favour one like another some are lean lanck and little with crooked legs and hutch-backs rather like monsters then men others are comely well featured tall and proper with cheerfull faces and promising looks some are of a froward and terrible aspect as if they threatned mischiefe and disaster others portly gallant and regally habited and whosoever shall enter the gates of this City some domestick dream or other continually will encouter him and give 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 distaste sometimes they whisper truths but that seldome for the greatest part of that multitude are lying and deceitfull because for the most part they speak one thing and intend another and thus far Lucianus of the house of Sleep I had once occasion to write my selfe in this manner Neer to the dark Cimmeâ—ians lies a cave Beneath the foot of a declining hill Deep in the earths warm intrails like a grave Where charming silence makes all husht and still Hither did never piercing Sun-beam crave Admittance nor the voice of hunter shrill Pierce through the crannies of this concave deep Where stands the dull and leaden house of sleep Here the thick vapours from the earth exhal'd Mists all the place about a doubtfull light Begot twixt night and day
sister received with joy and of the people with loud acclamations and being now possessed of the Imperiall dignity the better as he thought to secure himselfe having power answerable to his will after the barbarous custome of the Turkish tyranny he first caused his eight younger brothers to be beheaded stretching his bloody malice to all or the most part of his own affinity not suffering any to live that had been neer or deer to his deceased brother so that the City Casbin seemed to swim in blood and ecchoed with nothing but lamentations and mournings His cruelty bred in the people both fear and hate both which were much more increased when they understood he had a purpose to alter their form of religion who with great adoration honour their prophet Aly into the Turkish superstition his infinite and almost incredible butcheries concern not my project in hand I therefor leave them and return to his sister whose name was Periaconcona who when this Tyrant was in the middest of his securities and the sister as he imagined in her sisterly love and affection upon a night when he was in all dissolute voluptuousnesse sporting amidst his concubines she into whose trust and charge he had especially committed the safety of his person having confederated with Calilchan Emirchan Pyrymahomet and Churchi Bassa the most eminent men in the Empire admitted them into the Seraglio in womans attire by whom with her assistant hand in the midst of his luxuries he was strangled an act though happily beneficiall to the common good yet ill becomming a sister unlesse such an one as strived to parallel him in his unnaturall cruelties Turkish History Equall with this was that of Quendreda who after the death of Ranulphus King of Mercia his young son Kenelm a child of seven years of age raigning in his stead whose roiall estate and dignity being envied by his sister she conspired with one Heskbertus by whose treacherous practise the King was enticed into a thick forrest and there murdered and privately buried his body long missed and not found and the conspirators not so much as suspected But after as Willielm de regib lib. 1. and de Pontificibus lib. 4. relates a Dove brought in her bill a scrole written in English golden letters and laid it upon the Altar of Saint Peter which being read by an Englishman contained these words by which the place where the body lay was discovered At Clent in Cowbach Kenelme Keneborn lieth under Thorn heaved by weaved that is in plainer English At Clent in Cowbach under a thorn Kenelm lieth headlesse slain by treason Some say it was found by a light which streamed up into the air from the place where his body lay covered His hearse being after borne towards his sepulchre to be a second time interred with solemn Dirges sung by the Churchmen Quendreda sitting then in a window with a Psalter in her hand to see the funerall solemnly pass by whether in scorn of the person deâ—ision of the Ceremony or both is not certain but she began to sing the Psalm of Te Deum laudamus backward when instantly both her eies dropped out of her head with a great flux of blood which stained her book and it was after kept as a sacred relique in memory of the Divine judgement What need I trouble you with citing antiquities how this sin ought to be punished on earth when we see how hatefull it is in the eies of heaven besides to insult upon the bodies of the dead is monstrous and even in things senslesse to be punished Ausonius remembers us of one Achillas who finding a dead mans scull in a place where three sundrie waies divided themselves and casting to hit it with a stone it rebounded again from the scull and stroke himself on the forehead his words be these Abjecta in triviis inhumati glabra jacebat Testa hominis nudum jam cute calvicium Fleverant alii fletu non motus Achillas c. Where the three waies parted a mans soul was found Bald without hair unburied above ground Some wept to see 't Achillas more obdure Snatcht up a stone and thinks to hit it sure He did so at the blow the stone rebounds And in the eies and face Achillas wounds I wish all such whose impious hands prophane The dead mans bones so to be stroke again Of Mothers that have slain their Children or Wives their Husbands c. MEdea the daughter of Oeta King of Colchos first slew her young brother in those Islands which in memory of his inhumane murther still bear his name and are called Absyrtides and after her two sons Macarâ—â—â— and Pherelus whom she had by Iason Progne the daughtâ—er of Pandion murthered her young son It is begot by Terâ—us the son of Mars in revenge of the rape of her sister 〈◊〉 Ino the daughter of Cadmus Melicertis by 〈◊〉 the son of Aeolus Althea the daughter of Theseus slew her son Meleager by Oeneus the son of Parthaon Themisto the daughter of Hypseus Sphincius or Plinchius and Orchomenus by 〈◊〉 at the instigation of Ino the daughter of Cadmus Tyros the daughter of Salmoneus two sons begot by 〈◊〉 the son of Aeolus incited thereto by the Oracle of Apollo Agave the daughter of Cadmus Pentheus the son of Echiâ—â— at the importunity of Liber Pater Harpalice the daughter of Climenus slew her own father because he forcibly despoiled her of her honor Hyginus in Fabulis These slew their Husbands Clitemnestra the daughter of Theseus Agamemnon the son of Atreus Hellen the daughter of Iupiter and Laeda Deiphobus the son of Priam and Hecuba he married her after the death of Paris Agave Lycotherses in Illyria that she might restore the Kingdom to her father Cadmus Deianeira the daughter of Oeneus Althea Hercules the son of Iupiter Alomena by the Treason of Nessus the Centaur Iliona the daughter of Priam Polymnestor King of Thrace Semyramis her husband Ninus King of Babylon c. Some have slain their Fathers others their Nephewes and Neeces all which being of one nature may be drawn to one head And see how these prodigious sins have been punished Martina the second wife to Heraclius and his Neece by the brothers side by the help of Pyrrhus the Patriarch poisoned Constantinus who succeeding in the Empire fearing left her son Heraclius should not attain to the Imperiall Purple in regard that Constantinus left issue behind him two sons Constantes and Theodosius which he had by Gregoria the daughter of Nycetas the Patritian notwithstanding he was no sooner dead but she usurped the Empire Two years of her Principality were not fully expired when the Senate reassumed their power and called her to the bar where they censured her to have her tongue cut out lest by her eloquence she might perswade the people to her assistance her son Heraclius they maimed off his Nose so to make him odious to the multitude and after exiled them both
killing and much gadding daughter and this lying and false prophesying son of mine offends you namely that they are still in your eie glorious numbered amongst the gods and of them esteemed the most beautifull yet can you not deny but that he is most skilfull in the Voice and the Harp exceeding whatsoever can be upon the earth and equalling if not preceding that of the Sphears in heaven I cannot chuse but smile saith Iuno Is it possible his skill in musick should beget the least admiration when poor Marsias had the Muses not been partial but judged indifferently of his side had gain'd of him priority but he alas by their unjust sentence lost not only his honour in being best but being vanquished he most tyrannously had his skin flead off for his ambition and this your fair Daughter and Virgin is of such absolute feature and beauty that being espi'd naked by Actaeon bathing her selfe in the fountaine she transform'd him into a Hart and caus'd him by his own dogs to be torn in pieces lest the young man should survive to blaze her deformities Besides I see no reason why to women in labour and travell in child-birth she should shew her selfe so carefull and common a mid-wife every where and to all if she were as she still pretends to be a Virgin With her Latona thus concluded You are therefore of this haughty and arrogant spirit because you are the sister and wife of Iupiter and rain with him together which makes you to us your inferiors so contumelious and harsh but I fear I shall see you shortly again weeping when your husband leaving the heavens for the earth in the shape of a Bul an Eagle a golden shower or such like shall pursue his adulterate pleasures Ovid in his sixth book Metamor and his third fable saith That Niobe the daughter of Tantalus born in Sypilera City of Lydia having by Amphion six brave sons and as many daughters though she were forewarned by the daughter of Tyresias to be present with the Thebans at their sacrifice to Latona and her children yet she contemptuously denied it preferring her selfe in power and majesty before the goddesse and her own beautifull issue before the others at which contempt the goddesse much inraged complained to Apollo and Diana in whose revenge he slew all the young men and she the virgins with griefe whereof Amphion slew himselfe and Niobe hurst her heart with sorrow Latona is by interpretation Chaos it was beleeved that all naturall bodies and seeds of things mixt and confused lay buried in darknesse Some take Latona for the earth and therefore Juno did oppose the birth of the Sun and Moon by reason of the frequent fogs and damps arising by which the sight of these two glorious planets are shadowed and kept from our eies for when by the thicknesse and tenebrosity of the clouds the Sun is weakned and made of lesse force oft-times there proceeds a pestilent aire with many pests and diseases prejudiciall both to sensible creatures and to plants but when the Sun resumes his vertue and vigour then by the purifying of the air all these infections are dispersed and scattered unlesse they have proceeded so far as to contagion And so much for Latona Fortuna ANtium a City of the Latines bordering upon the Sea had Fortune in great reverence to whom they erected a magnificent Temple Wherefore Horace thus speaks Oh Divae gratum quae regis Antium So Rhamnus or Rhamnis a Town in Attica where Nemesis and Fortune were held in equall reverence and from hence rather called Ramnusia In Preneste a City of Italy Sortes and 〈◊〉 were held in like adoration of which they were called Praenestine Petrus Crinitus in his first book of honest Discipline and the sixâ— Chapter concerning this goddesse reheaâ—seth these verses from Pacuvius Fortunam insanam esse Brutam perhibent Philosophi Saxique ad instar globosi praedicant esse Volabâ—lem Quia quo saxum Impulerit Fo rs Ea Cadere Fortunam autumant Caeâ—am ob eam rem esse vocant quia nil Cernant quo sese applicet Insanam autem aiunt quia atrox incerta Instabilisque sit Brutans quia dignum aut indignum Nequeat ignoscire Which I thus English The Philosophers tell us that Fortune is both mad and brutish They preach to us that like a round rolling Stone she is voluble Intimating wheresoever chance shall force Fortune shall incline Therefore they make her blind because she can discern nothing to which she can apply her selfe They term her mad because she is cruell without Pity uncertaine and unstable Brutish because she cannot distinguish betwixt what is right and injury Hitherto Pacuvius whose verses M. Cicero commemorates Pliny to Vespasian speaks thus concerning the power of Fortune Through the whole world saith he and in all places at all houres and by all tongues Fortune is still invocated and shâ— alonâ— she is onely nominated shee alone is accused alone made guilty solely thought upon solely commended solely reproved and with her reproches ador'd of many shee is held mutable and blind she is wandering inconstâ—nt incertain diverse and a favourer of the unworthy at her shrine are all things expended to her are all things acceptable offered she altogether swaies guides and directs the reason of men Amongst the Scythians she is painted without feet she had only hands and feathers Amongst the Smyâ—nians with her head she supported Heaven bearing in one of her hands the horn of Amalthea that is of Plenty She is described by Pausanias in the statue of a Buffe or wild Ox but amongst all her figures and attributes let me not forger that of ingenious master Owens the Epigrammatist speaking of Fortune Spem dat pauperibus divitibusque metum She is the poor mans hope and the rich mans feare Livy Dionysius Halicarnasseus Lactantius Plutarch and others affirm that the statue of Fortune which stands in the Latine way with the Temple was dedicated at the same time that Coriolanus by his mothers intercession withdrew his forces from the sack and spoile of Rome Which image was heard to speak these words Rite me matronae vidistis viteque dedicastis So superstitious they were in the daies of old that they attributed all their intents actions and events of things to the guidance and will of Fortune nay that she had a power in their very birth-daies and daies of death as of Euripides the most famous Tragick-Poet he was born on the same day that before Salamine the Greeks and the Meads fought that famous Sea-battel and died upon the birth-day of Dionysius senior the Tyrant of Sicily When as Timaeus saith at one instant Fortune took away the imitator of Tragick calamities and brought in their true actor and performer Ascribed it is to Fortune that Alexander the Conqueror and Diogenes the Cynick should dye both on a day and that King Attalus left the world the same day of the year that he entered into
men was beguiled Hesiod in his book of Weeks and Daies is of the same opinion and writes to the same purpose but in another kind of fable from the old tradition For saith he From Pandora a woman of all creatures the most fairest and first created by the gods all mischiefs whatsoever were dispers'd through the face of the whole earth And though Palephatus in his fabulous narrations and Pleiades Fulgentius in his Mythologicis otherwise interpret Pandora yet Hesiodus is still constant in the same opinion as may appear in these verses Namque prius vixere Homines verum absque labore Absque malis morboque gravâ— tristique senecta At mulier rapto de poclo â—egmine spâ—â—rsit Omne mali genus morbos curasque molestas Which I thus interpret Man liv'd at first from tedious labours free Not knowing ill or grievous maladie Nor weak and sad old age till woman mad Snatcht from the pot the cover which it had Sprinkling thereby on mankind every ill Trouble disease and care which haunts us still Therefore the same author in his Theogonia as Cyrillus testifies in his third book against Iulian and in the beginning of the book cals women Pulchrum malum The faire evill Pandora Of her thus briefly the better to illustrate the former Hesiod tels us that Promaetheus upon a time offered two Oxen to Iupiter and having separated the flesh of either from the bones in one of the skins including all the flesh without bones in the other all the bones without any part of the flesh and artificially making them up again bad Iupiter make choise of these which he would have imploied in his sacrifices who chused that with the bones and taking it in great rage to be thus deluded he to be revenged took away all fire from the earth thereby to inflict the greater punishment upon mankind But Prometheus by the assistance of Minerva ascended heaven and with a dried cane or reed kindled at the Charriot of the Sun unknown to Iupiter brought fire down again upon the earth which Horace expresseth in these words Aâ—dax Iapeti Genus Ignem 〈◊〉 malu gentibus intulit The bold 〈◊〉 of Japetus By his had fraud brought fire again among the nations This when Iupiter understood he instantly commanded Vulcan to fashion a woman out of clay who being the most subtle and best furnisht with all kind of arts so indued by the gods was therefore efore called Pandora Pausanias tearms her the first created of that sex she was by Iupiter sent to Prometheus with all the mischiefes that are included in a box which he denying she gave it to Epimetheus who taking off the cover or lid and perceiving all these evils and disasters to rush out at once he scarce had time to shut it againe and keep in Hope which was the lowest and in the bottome The purpose of the Poets in this as I can guesse is that since Pandora signifies all arts all sciences all gifts it imports thus much for our better understanding That there is no mischiefe or evill happens to man which proceeds not from a voluptuous life which hath all the arts to her ministers and servants for from them Kings were first instituted and raised to their honours by them were plots stratagems supplantations and dangerous innovations attempted with them grew emulation and envy discord and contention thefts spoiles wars slaughters with all the troubles cares vexations and inconveniences belonging and hereditary to mankind Of the Marine Goddesses IN these as in the former I will study to avoid all prolixity because I am yet but at the start of the race and measure in my thoughts the tediousnesse of the way I am to run before I can attain the goale intended and therefore thus desperately from the Earth I leap into the Sea direct me O ye Marine goddesses and Amphitrite first Amphitrite JVpiter having expelled Saturn from his Kingdome by the help of his brothers Neptune and Pluto and having cast â—â—ts for the tripartire Empire the Heaven fell to Iupiter Hell to Pluto and the Sea with all the Isles adjacent to Neptune who solliâ—iced the love or Amphitrite but she not willing to condescend to his amorous porpose he imploied a Dolphin to negotiate in his behalfe who dealt so well in the businesse theâ— they were not only reconciled but soone after married For which in the parpetuall memory of so great and good an office done to him he placed him amongst the stars not far from Capricorn 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 love to and marriage with Amphicrite he had many children by other Nymphs Goddesses and wantons Of Lyba he begot Phaenix Betus and Agenor of Cataeno Cataenus of Amimone Nauplius of Pylanes of whom a City of Lacoonia bears name Avadne and Aone from whom the province of Aonia takes his denomination Phaenix that gave the name to Phaenicia and Athon of whom the mountain is so called as also Pheaces from whence Pheacia now called Corcyrus is derived Dorus that gives name to the Dorii and of Laides the daughter of Otus Althepus by Astipataea he had Periclimenus and Erginus by Alccone the daughter of Atlas Anathamus Anthas and Hyperetes by whom certain Cities amongst the Trezenians were erected and from them took their name Of Arne he had Boetus of Alope the daughter of Certion Hippothous of Câ—clusa Asopus of Brilles Orion He begot the Tritons one of Celaene the other of 〈◊〉 of Tyrho Palaemon and 〈◊〉 of Molio Crâ—atus and Eâ—ithus of Crisigone the daughter of Almus 〈◊〉 of Melantho Delphus of 〈…〉 of Venus Erix of Alistra Ogigus of Hippothee Tapâ—â—â—us he had one Cygnus by Caces another by Scamaâ—drodices by Tritogenia the daughter of Aeolus Minyas of the Nymph Midaea Aspledones of Cleodora Pernasus of Mâ—cioâ—ca to whom as Asclepeades relates he granted a Booâ— that shee should walk as firmly and stedfastly upon the water as the land Euripilus and Euphemus Besides these he 〈◊〉 another Euphemus that was steers man in the Argo when all the brave Heroes of Greece made their expedition for the golden fleece As also Amicis Albion 〈…〉 Amphimanus Aethusa Aon Alebius Dercilus 〈…〉 and Astraeus who ignorantly having been 〈◊〉 with his sister Aleyppa and the next day their 〈◊〉 of blood and affinity being known to him by a 〈…〉 himselfe headlong into a river and was drowned which 〈…〉 Leo Bizantius writes was first from him called 〈◊〉 and after Caius of Caicus the sonne of Mercury and 〈◊〉 moreover these were his children Actoâ—on 〈◊〉 Bromes Busyris Certioâ— Crocon Cromos Crysoos 〈◊〉 Chrisogenaea Crius Dorus Euphemus Ircaeus Lelex Lamia the Prophetesse and Sâ—billa Hallerhoitius Laestrigone Mâ—garaeus Mesaâ—us Ephialtes Nictaeus Melion Nausithous Oâ—hus Occipite Poliphemus Piracmoa Phorcus Pelasgus Phaeax Pegasus Phocus Onchestus Peratus Siculus Sicanus Steropes Farus Theseus Haretus
doth etymologise Melpomene from Molpe which signifies the sweetnesse of the voice for one of the chiefest ornaments in an Orator is first Action then a constancie in Voice Motion and Gesture beseeming and comly Most certain it is that all these things commented of Melpomente either concerning the derivation of her name or her invention of arts meet in this one center to which so many lines aime to signifie to us a well spoken learned and eloquent man from whose lips issue all foecundity and sweetnesse And that he may attain to this elegancy which so much graceth an Oratour behoves him to take counsell of M. Cicero that is to join Wisdome with his Eloquence and substance and matter to his pronuntiation and phrase by which practise he may prove to the Common-wealth a most necessary and profitable member Lastly Fulgentius teacheth that by this Muse is meant a maid given to meditation as first Clio begets a will secondly Euterpe a desire to prosecute that which the will is bent unto thirdly Thalia to be delighted in that which we have acquired fourthly Melpomene to meditate upon that in which we are delighted And so much for meditation or the fourth of the Muses Terpsichore IN the fifth place succeeds Terpsichore whose name is derived à Tâ—â—po delâ—cto and Koreâ—a tripudium that is delighting in dancing This Muse hath no lesse reference to Musick then 〈◊〉 her eldest sister the one governs the voice and hath predoâ—â—nance over songs the other over dancing 〈◊〉 measures They are by the great writers much commended who therefore make the Muse the inventresse of them being the daughter of Jupiter the originall of dancing they derive from the high heavens from the order of the stars and planets from their motion their going forward and return backward which even at the first creation began in an harmonia call measure of the coelestiall bodies Of Dances there be sundry kinds some took name from the song and such was called Emmelcia that was held to be Tragicall a second was called Cordax Comica or a Country dance of such Arriamnus in his Indian Commentaries remembers us some bestow the invention of such upon the Satyrs others affirm that Bacchus by his Orgyan leapings or dances brought the Tyrthenians the Indians and Lydians all warlike nations to his subjection Therefore those that were called Siccinastae they confer on him or some of his fellowes and adherents though the Sicinni were the people of Creet amongst whom that kind of measure was most celebrated In what estimation these were of old may be easily imagined when no sacrifice was offered at Delos but dances were the chiefe in all their superstitious ceremonies The Brachmani a people of India morning and evening in their adoration of the Sun frequently use them Amongst the Aethiopians the Thracians the Aegyptians the Scythians their sacreds are not solemnized without them as first instituted by Orpheuâ— and Musaeus Some danc'd in the honour of Mars The Lacedemonians had them in continuall practise so likewise the Thessalians insomuch that the most wise Socrates after he was grown in years practised to dance and not only gave such exercises an extraordinary character of commendations but numbred them amongst the best Sciences These dances were not in custome without musick especially in their festivals and sacrifices for the boies or young men went in the first place some playing upon harps and pipes and others selected for the dances whose custome was as they tripped and skipped about the Altar they first proceeded so that from the left hand they might incline to the right to observe the course of the Zodiack and again from the right hand turn to the left to imitate the motion of the Primum mobile Pindarus cals Apollo Orcheste that is Saltator a dancer Plato in his first book de Legum latione saith that the first ground of learning proceeded from the works of Apollo and the Muses holding that man untutored and ignorant that was not practised in the measures of the Muses and him accomplished and best instructed that could tread them with the best agility and cunning By which it may be concluded that these Choreae were begot by musick and fetch'd from the very intrails of number used in verse which some of Rith mus call Rime and from other Ethick observations therefore some attribute to her the invention of that which we call Humanitatis Disciplina which signifies The discipline of humanity By the son of Achâ—lous she had the Syrenes though Fulgentius cals them the daughters of Calâ—ope and by Mars Bistone of whom the Country is called Bistonia she is therefore rankt in the fifth place and said Choreis delectari because it is a pleasure and delight to the auditors for the benefits they received by hearing the mysteries of learning and knowledge manifested and laid open unto them as if we should say Terpsichore is a delight in instruction or to take a felicity to be instructed Fulgentius will have Polymnia to take place before her his reason is because after invention or much memory which is Polyhimnia it is then necessary to judge and determine of that which was before devised and invented Cornutus saith that good men transmit the best and greatest part of their lives in delectation and joy or else that they bring pleasure and content to all such with whom they shall converse of which delight this Muse is the patronesse Others think she was so called because she was so pleasing to the society of the rest of her sisters but whence soever she had that name bestowed upon her it was neither idle nor unmomentary the Fable of this Muse thus much insinuating that part of the Muses are intentive only upon serious and solid matters as Philosophy the Mathematicks and the like the rest upon recreations sports and pastimes By which the ancients would teach us That it is not possible but he that hath spent most of his age and study upon Calliope and Vrania but shall in that knowledge be most joifull and filled with all manner of delectation which pleasure and content they signified by dances musick and banquets Erato IN Plato's Sanctuaries it is left recorded that Amor which is love in Greek called Erota which is the name of the Muse of whom we are now to speak and by him called the voice of Venus is known to be nothing else by such as truely understand then the desire of beauty of which Plotinus makes a threeâ—old distinction it is either in the Mind begot by vertue and that is called Vâ—nâ—stas which may extend to a gracefull pleasantnesse in speech or delectable utterance or in the Body of the lineaments and colour meeting in the greatest 〈◊〉 and that is called Decus which is comlinesse or a sweetnesse of proportion the last is the concordance and pleasantnesse of sounds which comprehends in it an excellent though invisible fairnesse or puleâ—â—itude This threefold beauty hath three sences subservient or
to nothing no man could distinguish one from the other Simonides by remembring in what place every man sate notwithstanding that confusion distinguisht the bodies and gave to every one his friend and kinsman to give unto them their due rights of buriall according as their births or offices in the Common-weale deserved This approves unto us that order is a chiefe rule in memory which Cicero himselfe hath observed Ammianus Marcellinus is of opinion that he strengthened and preserved his memory with potions extracted from the juice of divers drugs and simples Most requisite and necessary is Polyhimnia to all such as shall enter the Chappell where the holy things of the Muses are kept Whether the memory come by nature or by art or practise and exercise who knowes not but all men are retentive of such things as they are first instructed in and that by nature neverthelesse it is to be observed that children and old men the first have not their memories so perfect the latter not so full and strong for being in continuall motion the brains of the one not ripe and of the other somewhat decaied answer not to the vaâ—eity or greatnesse of the body the prime sences being opprest with an unwieldy and unprofitable burthen in those likewise that are fat and full of thick and grosse humours the exact forms of things are not so easily designed or exprest Plutarch in his book of Oracles cals the Antistrophon to Divination for things past only belong to Memory and things present are the objects of the senses Themistius saith that the Sâ—uthsayer deals only in predictions And Plato in his Philebus affirms That memory is neither sence nor imagination nor understanding but an habit or affection of these with Time added by which there is made an impression and a spectre or imaginary fancy lâ—ft in the soule Lucian saith he that proposeth to himselfe to have Polymnia propitious unto him endeavours to keep all things in memory She is called also Polyhimnia by Horace à multudine cantus of the multiplicity of songs as Lambinus observes in his Commentaries Ovid gives them the same title as Muretus writes upon this verse Dissensere Deae quarum Polyhimnia prima Caepit The goddesses were at odds of which Polyhimnia first began So Virgil Nam verum fateamna amat Polyhimnia verum We must confesse it sooth For Polyhimnia nothing loves but truth In many place and by divers Authors she is sometimes called Polymnia of Memory and againe Polyhimnia of variety in history In the commentary upon the Argonauts she is said to be the mistresse of the Lyre or Harp Hesiod gives Geometry to her and other of the Greek Poets Grammer Cassiodorus in variis intreating of the Comedy makes her the first inventresse of Mimick action and Plutarch in Symâ—â—sia of Histories For saith he She is the remembrancer of many Polymnia therefore or Polyhimnia is called Multa memoria because memory is most behovefull to all such as practise the study of Arts and Disciplines De Vrania FRom Polymnia I proceed to Vrania and from Memory we are drawn up to Heaven for the best remembrancers as Pliny saith comprehend the whole world or universe in which the heavens are included and all the secrets therein as much as by investigation can be attained to have the full and perfect knowledge for the most secret and hidden things are contained in the heavens above and therefore such as are expert in them cannot be ignorant of these lesse and more easie to be apprehended below Plutarch of Vrania thus speaks Plato as by their steps hath traâ—'d all the gods thinking to find out their faculties by their names By the same reason we place one of the Muses in the Heavens and about coelestiall things which is Urania for that which is above hath no need of diversity of government 〈…〉 full directresse which is Nature where 〈…〉 excesses and transgresses there 〈…〉 to be transmitted and one particular Muse still reserved one to correct this fault and another that Vrania therefore according to Plutarch hath predominance in things coelestiall which by how much they are above things terrestriall in excellence they are so much the more difficult Some stretch the influence of the stars to Zoriasta's magick in which he was popularly famous nay more his name by that art enobled notwithstanding the annals testifie that he was subdued and slain in battell by Ninus Pompey the great was curiously addicted to these divinations yet his potency fail'd him and he dyed a wretched death in Aegypt Howbeit by these instances it is not to be inferred as the mysticallest and powerfull part of the Mathematicall Disciplines The inventions of Manilius most indirectly confers it upon Mercury Plato in Epinomide would have all that contemplate Astrology to begin in their youth such is the excellency of the art and the difficulty to attain unto it for these be his words Be not ignorant that Astrology is a most wise secret for it is necessary that the true Astronomer be not that man according to Hesiod that shall only consider the rising and setting of the stars but rather that hath a full inspection into the eight compasses or circumferences and how the seven are turned by the first and in what order every star moves in his own sphear or circle in which he shall not find any thing which is not miraculous If therefore the praise of Astronomy be so great What encomium then is Vrania worthy who first illustrated the art This only shall suffice that by her is meant coelestiall Astrology so call'd of the Heaven for as Pharnutus saith The intire universe the ancients call'd by the name of Heaven So by this means Vrania is acknowledged to be frequent in all Sciences below and speculations above whatsoever Her etymology importing Sublimia spectantem that is Beholding things sublime and high Or her Ovid thus Incipit Urania secere silentia cunctae Et vox audiri nulla nisi illa potest Urania first began to speak The rest themselves prepar'd To heare with silence for but hers No voice could then be heard She is then received from the heaven either because all nations and languages beneath the firmament have some learned amongst them or that such as are furnisht with knowledge she seems to attract and carry upwards or to conclude because glory and wisedome elevate and erect the mind to the contemplation of things heavenly Fulgentius saith That some of the Greek authors have left written that Linus was the son of Vrania but it is elsewhere found that she was called Vrania of her father Vranus otherwise stil'd Caelum whom his son Saturn after dismembred Xenophon in Sympos remembers that Venus was called Vrania speaking also of Pandemius of both their Temples and Altars the sacrifices to Pandemius were called Radiovorgaraera those to Venus Agnotaera Some as Lactantius Placidas call Helenevae that menacing star Vrania In a word that coelestiall
rest Three Principles God World and Creature fram'd Creator Parent Issue these are nam'd In all production Into Three we cast Mans age two legs next three then foure at last Physitians three things to observe are sure First to preserve prevent and then to cure Three governments are famous in Romes state That of the Tribunes and Triumvirate Three sorts of people they distinguish can The Senate Souldier and the common Man In the taking height of stars w' observe these Three First Distance then the Form next Quality But which of us observes that sacred Trine Three persons in one Godhead sole divine That individuall essence who dares scan Which is shall be and ere the world began Was in eternity When of these Three One of that most inscrutable Trinity The second person Wisedome shall intombe All majesty within a Virgins wombe True Man true God still to that blest Trine linckt True light shall shine and false stars be extinct Sybilla Erythraea SHe is the twelfth and last born in Babylon of the Assyâ—ian nation and daughter to Berosus a famous Astrologian She writ in Greek a book called Vasillogra which some interpret Penalis Scriptura which as Eugenius in his Res de Sicilia testates was transferred into Latin She prophesied of all the Greeks that came to the siege of Troy designed the places whence and how long they should continue there In those books she spake of Homer and that he should write of those wars partially according to his affection and not truth In the same volume she prophesied of Christ after this manner The times by the great Oracle assign'd When God himselfe in pitie of mankind Shall from the Heav'n descend and be incarnate Entring the world a lamb immaculate And as himselfe in wisedome thinks it meet Walke in the earth on three and thirty feet And witâ— six fingers all his subjects then Though a King mighty shall be fisher men In number twelve with these war shall be tride Against the devill world and flesh their pride Humility shall quell and the sharp sword With which they fight shall be the sacred Word Establisht upon Peter which foundation Once laid shall be divulg'd to every Nation The onely difficulty in this prophesie is Trenta tre piede which signifies thirty three year sand Mese dito six fingers intimating the time of six months And thus I take leave of the Sybils Of the Virgins Vestals FEnestella in his book entituled de Sacerdotiis Romanis proposeth Numa Pompilius to be the first that devised the form of this Vestall adoration though the first institution thereof was held to be so ancient that Aeneas transferred it â—rom the Trojans to the Albans as Virgil. witnesseth in these words Vestamque potentem Aeternumque aditis adsert penetralibus ignem To this goddesse Vesta whom some call the earth others the Mother of the gods Fire perpetually burning was consecrated and to this observation and custome certaine Virgins pickt out of the noblest families were chosen as directors and chiefe overseers of that Order by whose negligence if by chance at any time that sacred fire was extinguished their judgement was to be beaten to death with strokes by the hand of the chiefe Priest or Flamin Valerius Maximus reports that the same judgement was executed upon the same negligence by P. Licinius Crassus then in the high Priesthood All such as were found guilty of incest were condemned to be buried alive nor was it lawfull as Labeo Antistius writes for any under six years or above ten to be admitted into that service besides she must not be the only child of her father and mother neither must she have a lisping or stammering tongue be deaf of her eares nor marked with any blemish about her body neither such an one whose parents one or both have lived in servitude or have been conversant in any base offices neither such a one whose sister hath been elected into the Priesthood all these are excused from the service of Vesta neither she whose father is a Flamin a South-saier or one of the Decemviri in the sacrifices or of the Septemvirate in the banquets There is likewise a dispensation with the daughters of Kings and Priests as uncapable of this ministery neither can that mans child be admitted that hath not a known house and an abiding place in Italy for so Capito Atteius writes so likewise the children of all such as are restrained as have the number of Three or more By the edict of the Praetor that no Virgin Vestall or Dialis which belongs to the sacrifices of Jupiter shall be compelled to any thing these be the words of the Praetor by the mouth of the crier Through all my jurisdiction I will not urge or force an oath from the Vestall Virgins nor from the Flamin Dialis in the chusing of the Vestall these things were observed There is a caution by the law called Lex Papia That by the approbation of the chiefe Priest and by his speciall appointment twenty virgins were selected out of the people but this ordinance with many other were abrogated and abolisht by Time insomuch that it was sufficient if any of free parents and honestly descended petitioned or made means to the high Priest she might without more difficulty enter her oath and be admitted into the sacred order being received by him as one snatcht and taken violently from the hands of her enemies The words he used were these This vestall Priest whom I enter into this holy office according to the institution of the best law I receive by the name of Amata to make her intercessions for the Nobility and people of Rome It was a custome to admit them all by the name of Amata because she that was first chosen by King Numa was so called and with these Ceremonies she was as it were hurried to the Temple of Vesta In Labeons commentaries it is thus found recorded The Vestall virgin is incapable to be made heire of any man or woman that dies intestate her goods likewise after her death return to the common treasury Pomponius Laetus in his book de Sacerdotiis agrees with Fenestella That Aenâ—as first brought the Vestall fire from Troy into Italy and Lavinium being built he there erected a Temple to her honour After this Ascanius consecrated another in a part of the hill Alba beneath which or at the foot thereof was a thick grove in which Mars vitiated Illia the mother of Romulus These Ministers of Vesta were tied to an oath of perpetuall viginity for it was a custome among the Latines to make choice of the most noble and chast virgins After many years Romulus devised all the chast ceremonies belonging to that Order and as Varro declares to us created threescore Priests to those publick services selected by their Tribes and Families but of the most noble and unblemisht stocks amongst the Romans The Temple of Vesta is built round and is betwixt the Capitol and the Palace in
this is kept the perpetuall fire for the Etymology of Vesta is nothing else but Purus ignis i. pure Fire Some are of opinion that in that Temple are kept the remembrances of many both sacred and secret monuments some strange and unknown even to Priests and Virgins Some speak of two tuns of no great quantity the one continually shut the other open and empty some of the Virgins have reported that the Palladium that fell from Heaven and was received into Troy is there still to be seen The first Virgins appointed by Numa were foure Gegania Berenia Camilla Tarpeia two others were added by Servius Tullius Their vowes of virginity were unalterable for thirty years In the first ten yeares they were to learn the ceremonies and to be as ministers aud handmaids in the rest she was to govern and instruct others and the thirty years expired she had liberty if she pleased to marry If any of these Vestals had wantonly offended she was to be chastised by the Priest but such â—s were found incestuous were punished after this manner Being first bound she was laid upon a Beer like a coarse already deceased and so carried through the mid Forum to the port or gate called Collina for there betwixt two wals is the grave of the unchast Vestals still apparant there is a cave hollowed under the earth the descent is with a ladder by the mouth which is of no great widenesse in this vault is a bed ready prepared a light burning with bread milk and oile these things being all made ready for the purpose the delinquent is set down her hands loosed and her head covered the high Priest whispering certain secret things in her eare the other Priests turning their faces from her which is no sooner done but she is let down into the cavern earth thrown upon her the grave filled and she stifled alive and that day on which this execution is done there is a generall silence and sadnesse through the whole City Oppia SHe was one of the Vestall virgins who being taken in whordome and the fast manifestly proved she was convented convicted and had her doom to be buried alive Upon whom Strozza filius inscribed this Epitaph Vestalis virgo laesi damnata pudoris Contegor hoc vivens Oppia sub tumulo I Oppia once a Vestall that For sinne my judgement have Condemn'd for lust am living shut And covered in this grave Claudia There were two of that name as Livy in his 22 book reports who were addicted to the ceremonies of Vesta Fonteia was the sister of Marc. Fonteius who being a Prefect or Governour amongst the Gauls was accused before the Senate of injustice and misgovernment as transgressing the lawes and edicts of the Romans Marcia was a Vestall virgin and one that attended upon the sacred ceremonies she was condemned of incest and as Oppia was before her buried alive Minutia also a minister of Vesta's sacrifices who for her elegant feature and extraordinary beauty and withall because the costly ornaments with which she used to attire her selfe exceeded the precise custome of her Order she was brought within the suspition of lust and inchastity for which being call'd into question and not able legally to acquit quit her selfe she was brought within the compasse of the law and for her supposed offence had both the sentence and execution due to the like delinquents Justin in his 43. book commemorates this history Aeâ—eas after many tedious travels landing in Italy was by marrying Lavinia the daughter of King Latinus made partner with him in the Kingdome for which marriage war was commenc'd betwixt them two of the one party and Turnus King of the Rutilians on the other In which combustions Turnus being slain and Latinus yielding to Fate Aeneas both by the right of victory and succession became Lord of both the Kingdome and people erecting a City called Lavinium in remembrance of his wife Lavinia In processe he made warre against Mezentius King of the Etruscians whom having slaine Ascanius the son of Aeneas succeeded in the principality Ascanius leaving Lavinium built the City Alba which for three hundred years space was the Capitall City of that Kingdome After many descents the regall honours were conferred upon Numitor and Amulius These two Princes emulous of each others greatnesse Amulius the younger having opprest his brother Numitor surprised also his sole daughter Rhaea who was immediate heir to her fathers honours and regall dignities all which he covetous to ingrosse to himselfe and fearing withall left from her issue might in time descend some one that might punish his insolencies and revenge her and her fathers injuries devised with himselfe how to prevent both and fearing lest by putting her to death he might incur a generall hate amongst the people in whose love he was not as yet fully setled he apprehended as his safest course to shadow her wrong beneath a veile of honour and so caused her with a strict vow of virginity to be elected into the sacred service of Vesta Being thus confin'd into the grove celebrated to Mars whether begot by Mars himselfe as was then beleeved or otherwise adulterously conceived it is uncertain but she was delivered of two sons This being know to Amulius increased his fears who commanded the infants to be cast forth and Rhaea to be loaden with irons under whose severe sentence expiring she yielded to Fate The two children ready to perish were miraculously nursed by a she wolfe and after found by the shepherd Faustulus were by him brought up and called Remus and Romulus and so much of Rhaea Tranquillus and Cornelius Tacitus both of them remember one Rubria a Vestall virgin who was forceably defloured by Nero. Another whose name was Pompilia because by her inchastity she prophaned the sacred orders of Vesta was buried alive the same death for the like offence suffered Cornelia Floronea the Vestall was convicted of whoredome but she to prevent one death made choice of another For taking to her selfe a brave Roman spirit she with her own hands boldly slew her selfe Posthumia taxed for her too curious habit and gaudiness in attire as much transcending the custome of that more strict Order was suspected of Lust and accited before the Senate and there arraigned she wittily and nobly answered to whatsoever could be objected against her so that being found guiltlesse she was absolved by the sentence of the high Priest or Arch-Flammin Sextilia sped not so well as this Posthumia for she being suspected of inchastity and found culpable suffered according to the law made for the punishment of the like offenders The like suffered Tutia the Vestali for her unlawfull prostitution Plutarch in Gracchis in the Catalogue of these consecrated virgins numbers Licinia And Pliny relates that when Clodius the Emperor was in opposition with his wife Messalina that sink of lust and most incontinent
were two brothers famous and renowned in these Provinces Hespereus and Atlas that were possest of sheep beautifull and fair whose fleeces were yellow and of the colour of gold Hesperus having a daughter called Hesperia conferr'd her on his brother Atlas of this Hesperia the region was called Hesperitis By her Atlas had six daughters and therefore they had a double denomination from him Atlantides from her Hesperides Their beauties being rumour'd far off it came to the ears of Busiris who desirous of so rich a prey sent certain pirats and robbers with a strict command by some stratagem or else by force to steal them thence and so to transport them within the compasse of his dominions These Damosels sporting themselves in the garden were by these spies and outliers surprised and borne thence which hapned just about the time that Hercules combatted Antaeus these Virgins being shipt away the pirats went on shore to repose themselves with their prey upon the beach of which Hercules having notice who had heard before of the rape he sallied upon them and slew them all to one man returning the Virgins safe to their father for which he received not only a present of those sheep the reward of so great a benefit but many other courtesies amongst other things he instructed him in Astronomy and to distinguish of the stars which knowledge Hercules first bringing into Greece he was therefore said to ease Atlas and in his stead to support heaven upon his shoulders So the Hesperides are called the daughters of Hesperus which signifies the evening And they are said to have gardens in the Occident which bringeth froth golden Apples by reason the colour of the stars are like gold and their orbs round as apples neither rise they but in the west because instantly after the setting of the Sun the Stars appear which by reason of his splendour are concealed and obscured all the day time the Dragon some think it to be the Sign-bearing Circle ther 's a river that by many windings and serpent-like indents incompast the Orchard And so much for the explanation of the Hesperides Pleiades or Hyades OVid in his first book de Fastis leaves remembred how Atlas took to wife Pleione the daughter of Oceanus and Thetis by whom he received seven daughters these when Orion with their mother had for the space of five yeares together prosecuted only to vitiate and deflower them they all jointly petitioned to the gods That they might be rescued from all violence whose praiers Jupiter hearing and withall commiserating their distresse he changed the seven sisters into seven stars whose names Aratnâ— in Astronomicis thus recites Septem illae esse feruntur Quamvis sint oculis hominam sex obvia signa Alcinoe Meropeque Electraque diva Celaeno Taigete Sterope praeclaro Lumine Maia Seven stars th' are held to be Though we with our weak eies but six can see Celaeno Electra Alcyone Merope Clere-sighted Maia Taygete Sterope All these stars are plac'd in the head of the Bull two in his ears two in his eies two in his nostrils and one in the middle of his forehead where the haire curls and turns up Some reckoned the daughters of Atlas to the number of twelve and that Hyas was their brother who being stung to death by a serpent five of his sisters took his death so grievously that they died with sorrow of whom Jupiter took such pity that he translated them into so many stars which still beare their brothers name and are called Hyades Hesiod thus gives us their names Phoeola Coronis Cleia Phoeo and Eudora Quas nymphas Hyades mortales nomine dicunt Others nominate them after this manner Ambrocia Coronis Eudora Dione Aesila and Polyxo Others have added to thâ—â—â— Thicâ— and Proitele which they have beleeved to be Nâ—â—ses of Bacchus as also Dodoninas so called of Dodonus the son of Europa but write them as descended from other parents whence some held them for the daughters of Erecheus others of Cadmus some would have Calypso to be the daughter of Atlas Neither is their number free from controversie for Thales Milesius holds them but two the one Australis the other Borealis Euripides in his Tragedy de Phactonte adds a third Achaeus makes them foure and Euripides six some think them called Hyades because they were the Nurses of Bacchus who is also called Hyes of which opinion Euphorion is Hyae cornuto Dionysio Iratae Others think them to have took name of the Raine because their rising still portends shewers in the spring Besides these are the most certaine signes of weather which the Navigators at sea gather from the rising of these stars as Euripides in Ione most perspicuously demonstrates These Pleiades and Hyades are therefore called the daughters of Atlas because Atlas signifies Axis mundi i. the axeltree of the world The Columns of Atlas are the North and the Meridian or South poles on which the heaven is thought to be supported Now the axeltree first made the stars were next created some think them the issue of Atlas Libicus who being a most skilfull Astronomer called his daughters by the names of the stars thereby to eternise their memory as divers others have done the like Amongst whom was Conon who liv'd in the time of Pâ—olomaeus who called his Coma and Berenices Proclus in his Comment upon Hesiodus his works and daies writes that these Pleiades are all divine and their stars the souls of the Planets as Ceraeno is the soule of Saturn Sterope of the sphear of Jupiter Merope of Mars Electra of Apollo or the Sun Alcione of Venus Maia of Mercury and Taigete of the Moon Of whom some have had congresse with their own Planets and some with other of the gods Which Ovid in his fourth book Fastor hath with much elegancy related Pleiades Incipiunt humeros relevare paternos The wandring Pleiades gadding abroad Begin to ease their father of his Load Who though in number Seven all shining bright Yet only six of them appear in sight Twice three of these themselves have prostrate cast Into the gods imbraces Mars clings fast To Sâ—erope Alcione the faire And sweet Celaeno Neptunes darlings are Maia Electra and Taigete three Of that bright sister-hood Joves wantons be But Merope the seventh of mind more base Stoop'd lower to a mortall mans imbrace The thought of which fact she doth so detest She since nere shew'd her face amongst the rest And so much for the Pleiades and Hyades shall suffice Of the Graces THese whom the Latines call Gratiae or Graces the Greeks call Charites Hesiod cals them the daughters of Jupiter and Eurinome these called Oceanus father Orpheus in an hymn sung to the praise of these sisters cals them the daughters of Eunomea and Jupiter Antilemachus derives them from Aegles and the Sun others from Antinoe and Jupiter as they differ in their birth so they do in their names and number some allow but two and name them Clita
appear in these words Sponte fores Coeli patuerunt c. The gates of Heaven did of themselves stand wide Those which the virgin hours are set to keep As their great charge The Poles they likewise guide With all the upper regions From the deep The showers exhal'd they store and when they please The borrowed raine pay back into the seas They are called Horae of the Greek word which signifies Custodire or to keep and therefore said to be the guardians of heavens gates as having power to admit of our devotions and give them accesse unto the gods or otherwise if they be not faithfull and sincere to exclude them at their pleasures having moreover alwaies been and still continue great favourers and prosperers of all such as are laborious and studious They are called the daughters of Jupiter and Themis because as the Graces import nothing else but the hilarity and gladnesse that ariseth from the increase of the earth so these Houres signifie the fruit it selfe for the Greek word Carpo is Fructus properly then they are said to be the attendants of the Graces as the Graces are still the handmaids of Venus for the fruits of the earth are the increase as that plenty still followes delight and therefore they all equipage together as being by the Poets never separate Besides the names of the Hours are thus properly Englished Law Justice and Peace The abundance of all things is the companion of Vertue and Honesty but Scarcity and Dearth are the pages to Irreligion and Impiety for there is not a clearer mirrour in which may trulier be discerned the malice or gratitude of men towards the gods and consequently of their punishment and pity towards men then in the alterations of the Seasons which the ancient writers the better to signifie unto us made the Hours the Porters to heaven gates and gave them power over the clouds both in the mustering of them or dispersing them And so much for the Houres Aurora or the Morning HEsiodus in Theog tearms her the daughter of Hyperion and the nymph Thya and sister to the Sun and Moon Others derive her from Tytan and Terra they call her the way leader to the Sunne as Luciser the day-star is stil'd her henshman or usher for so saith Orpheus in an hymn to Aurora Homer in an hymn to Venus allowes her roseat fingers a red or ruddy colour and to be drawn in a golden Chariot Virgil sometimes allowes her foure horses sometimes but two and those of a red colour Theocritus describes them white or gray according to the colour of the morning Lycopheon in Alexandra brings her in mounted upon Pegasus Pausanias in Laconic wrâ—tes that she was doatingly besotted of the faire young man Câ—phalus as likewise of Orion in which Homer agrees with him Apollodorus makes her the mother of the winds and the stars Hesiod is of the same opinion that by prostrating her selfe to her brother Astraeus the son of Hyperion and Thia she brought forth Argâ—stre Zephyrus Boreas and Notus with a daughter called Jadama She was married to Tythonus the son of Laomedon and brother to King Priam but by divers mothers Priam being the son of Leucippe Tython of Strimo or as others invert it of Rhaeo daughter to the flood Scamander It is commemorated by the Poets that this Aurora begged for her husband Tython Immortality which was granted her by the gods But for getting in her pâ—tition to insert that withall he should not grow old in processe he grew to that extremity of decâ—epit age that living to be twice a child he was swath'd and crudled Tython had two sons by Aâ—â—ora Memnon and Aemathaeon of whom she 〈◊〉 the name Aemathia Pausanias cols Memnon the King of Aetheopia and from thence or rather as some more approved will have it from Sâ—sis a City in Persia he came to the wâ—rs of Troy for he before that expedition had subdued and subjugated all the nations neer or adjacent to the river Chaâ—â—â—â—â— Strabo relates that in the City of Abidus not far from Pâ—olomais in Aegypt he had a magnificent Palace all built of stone then which the Eastern would afforded not a more miraculous structure in which there was a labâ—rinth of the same stone and erected by the selfe same work master which was called after his name 〈◊〉 He died in a single Monomachia valiantly by the hand of 〈◊〉 in a battel fought betwixt the Greeks and the Tâ—ojans In the place where he was slain a fountain presâ—â—â—ly issued which yearly at that day â—â—stâ—wed nothing but blood which Calaber commemorates his Sâ—pulchre was in 〈◊〉 in Syria neer to the river Bada for so saith the Poet Simonides Some have held argument that Auâ—oâ—a made suit to Iupiter and when Memnons body was committed to the funerall fire he would transhâ—pe him into a bird which accordingly hapned as his Metamorph most lively expresseth in these words Memnonis orba mei venio qui fortia fâ—ustra c. Depriv'd of my sweet Memnon who in vaine Took arms for his deer Vncle and now slaine By great Achilles in his prime of years For so you gods would have it Loe appears Before thy throne oh Jove thou chiefe and rector Of all the gods their patron and protector A weeping mother begging to assure Honours to him by which my wounds to cure To this great Jove assents The funerall fire Is kindled the bright sparks towards heav'n aspire And like so many stars they make repaire Through the thick smoak which clouds and duls the aire Darkning the cleer day as when damps and fogs Exhaâ—'d from rivers or from marish bogs Before the Sun hath power In such a mist Vp flâ—e the obscur'd sparks till they subsist Above all in one body which assumes First shape then face next colour from the sumes Thus from that Pile the Memnian bird first springs Fire gave it life and lightnesse lent it wings It is said that many of these birds which still beare the name were seen to arise from his ashes which dividing themselves into divers squadrons fought so long amongst themselves till they fell dead into the fire sacrificing their own lives to his obits But Theocritus in his Epitaph upon Bion speaks of none but Memnon only who himselfe was changed into a bird and was seen to flie about and soare over his own funerall fires Lucian in Philopseudo speaks of a prodigie or rather a miracle which was most frequent where his statue was erected in the Temple of Serapis no sooner did the rising Sunne begin to shine upon his monument and seem'd to touch it but his statue yielded a most sweet and melodious sound but when he took his leave to rest himselfe in the West as if it mourned the Suns departure it breathed an army so sadly passionate that oft times it drew teares from the hearers which was thus interpreted That he still rejoiced at his mothers approach and presence but
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
a chain of Diamonds which gave a wondrous addition to that beauty when 〈◊〉 of it selâ—e without any ornament was not to be 〈◊〉 A contrary effect it wrought in the King and 〈◊〉 husband To Edgar she seemed some goddesse at least a miracle in nature to Ethelwold in regard of his fear a fury or what worse he could compare her to O frail woman in this one vanity to appear beautifull in the eies of a King thou hast committed two heinous sins Adultery and Murder for accordingly it so fell out Edgar was as much surprised with her love as incensed with hate against her Lord both which for the present he dissembled neither smiling on the one nor frowning on the other In the afternoon the King would needs 〈◊〉 the stag in the forrest of Werwelly since called 〈◊〉 wood In the chase by the appointment of Edgar Earl Ethelwold was strook through the body with an arrow and so slain the King after made Elfritha his bride and Queen The Earl had a base son then present at the death of his father of whom the King asked how he liked that manner hunting to whom he answered Roial Sir what seemeth good to you shall be no way offensive from that time forward he was ever gracious with the King And Elfritha 〈◊〉 to make attonement with heaven for the murder of her husband or â—â—ther as Ranulphus saith for causing Edward 〈◊〉 whom she was step mother to be slaine 〈◊〉 her own son Egelredus might reign builded an Abby for Nunnes at Worwell where she was after buried Gunnora IN the time that Agapitus was Pope Lewis King of France the son of Charls caused William Longa Spata the Duke of Normandy to be treacherously slain this William was son to Rollo The Lords of Normandy with this murder much incensed watched their advantage and surprised the King in Rhothemage where they committed him to safe custody till he had promised and sworn to yeeld up Normandy to Richard son and immediate heire to William the late murdered Duke and moreover in what place soever the King and the young Duke should have meeting to confer that Richard should car his sword but King Lewis neither to have sword nor knife about him This Richard being young was called Richard the Old he had besides another attribute given him which was Richard without Feare because he was never known to be dismaid at any thing but a third above these was that he pretended to be wondrous religious He was Duke two and fifty years and took a Lady to his bed from Denmark whose name was Gunnora by whom he had five sons and two daughters the eldest of which was married to Etheldredus King of England her name was Emma and she was called the flower of Normandy Concerning this bold yet religious Duke it is reported by Marianus lib. 2. Henricus Ranulphus and others that besides many other testimonies of his sanctity this one made him most eminent A Monk of Andoenus in Rothomage a Town in Normandy going one night to meet with his Sweet heart his way lay over a bridge and under that bridge was a deep foord or river it so hapned that mistaking his footing he fell into the water and there was drowned He was no sooner dead but there came to carry away his soul an Angel and a Fiend these two contended about it the one would have it so would the other great was the controversie betwixt them at length they concluded to put the case to Duke Richard and both to stand to his arbitriment much pleading there was on both sides at length the Duke gave sentence That the soul should be restor'd again to the body and be placed again upon that bridge from whence he had falne and if then he would offer to go from thence to his Sweet heart the Devill should take him but if otherwise he because he was a Church-man should be still in the Angels protection This was done and the Monk left his way to the woman and fled to the Church as to a sanctuary whither the Duke went the next day and found the Monks cloths still wet and told the Abbot every circumstance as it fell out therefore the Monk was shriven did penance was absolved and reconciled This I have read which I perswade no man to beleeve This Duke lived with the faire Gunnora long time dishonestly and without marriage had by her those children aforesaid but at length by the perswasion of the nobility and intercession of the Clergy he took her to wife The first night after the marriage when the Duke came to her bed she turned her back towards him which she had never done till that time at which he marvelling demanded of her the reason why she did so To whom she answered before I was your strumpet and therefore as a servant was tied to do your pleasure in all things but now I am your wife and made part of your selfe therefore henceforth I claime with you an equall soveraignty and will do what me list bearing my selfe now like a Princesse not like a prostitute This I am easily induced to beleeve for how soon do honours change manners Juvenall in his sixth Satyr speaking of marriage thus saith Semper habet lites aeternaque jurgia lectus c. The marriage bed is seldome without strife And mutuall chidings he that takes a wife Bargains for mighty trouble and small rest Sleep growes a stranger then whilst in her brest She lodgeth Passion Selfe-will Anger Feare And from her 〈◊〉 drops many a feigned teare c. Somewhat to this purpose spake Terentius in his Adelpâ—â—s Duxi uxorem quam ibi non miseriam vidi c. I made choice of a wife with judgement sound What miserie have I not therein found Children are born they prove my second care They should be comforts that my corfives are For her and them I study to provide And to that purpose all my time 's apply'd To keep her pleas'd and raise their poor estate And what 's my meed for all but scorn and hate And so much for Gunnora It seems the Emperor Valentinianus was neither well read in Juvenal nor Terence He when his wife commended unto him the beauty of the Lady Justina took her to his bed and for her sake made a law That it should be lawful for any man to marry two wives It is read of Herod the Great that he had nine wives and was divorsed from them all only for the love of Mariamnes niece to Hirâ—anus for whose sake he caused himselfe to be circumcised and turned to the faith of the Jewes he begot on her Alexander and Aristobulus on Dosides Antipater on Metheta Archelaus on Cleopatra Philip and Herodes Antipas he that was afterward called Tetrarch one of the four Princes Aristobulus that was Herodes son begotten on Beronica the daughter of his own Aunt called Saloma he begot the
common sofferage of all the Brittains she was made Protectoresse and Lady Regent of the King which to the comfort of the Subjects and the weal of the Kingdome she disâ—râ—â—tly governed for the space of fifteen years and therefore her memory might fitly hath been ranked amongst the most illustrious women Her son comming to age and years of discretion she to him resigned the Sâ—epter The faire Lady of Norwich AND now because we traffick altogether with history it shall not be amisse sometimes to mingle Serâ—a Jocis as shall appear by this discourse which I have often heard related A Knight both of fame and memory and whose name is still upon record being eminent and of note with Henry the fift as personally with him in all the wars in France after the King had both conquered and quiered the Land this noble Englishman retired himselfe into his Country He had a Lady that was of such beauty that she attracted the eies of all beholders with no common admiration in briefe I cannot speak of her feature sufficiently as being far beyond the compasse of my pen and therefore I put her into the number of my Fair ones This Lady with her husband residing in the City of Norwich He after so many troubles and torments purposed a more sequestred life and next the solace he had in the beauty and vertues of his wife to take a course meerly contemplative and thought out of the abundance of his wealth to do some pious deeds for the good of his soul he therefore erected in the City and neer to the place where his house stood a goodly Church at his own charge and betwixt them a Religious house that entertained twelve Friers and an Abbot allowing them demeans competent for so small a brother-hood In this covent there were two Frier John and Frier Richard these were still at continuall enmity and especiall notice taken of it among the rest which by no mediation could be truly reconciled but omitting that it was the custome of the Knight and his Lady daily to rise to morning Mattins and she being affable and courteous to all it bred a strange incivil boldnesse in Frier John for she never came through the Cloister but he was still with ducks and cringes attending her which she suspecting nothing simply with modest smiles returned thanks to him again which grew so palpable in the Frier that as farre as they durst it was whispered in the covent Briefly after these encouragements as he construed them it bred in him that impudency that he presumed to write a letter to her in which he laid open a great deal of more then necessary love This letter with great difficulty came to her hand at which the Lady astonished as not dreaming that such lewdnesse should come from one that professed chastity and not knowing whether it might be a trick complotted by her husband to make triall of her chastity howsoever lest her honour should be any way called in question she thought it the best and safest course to shew the letter to her husband of which he had no sooner took a view but he began to repent him of his former charity in regard of their so great ingratitude But there yet wants revenge for so great a wrong the Knight concealing his â—age causes an answer of this letter to be drawn to which he commanded her to set to her hand the contents to this effect That she was greatly compassionate of his Love and that such a night her husband being to ride towards London he should be admitted lodged and entertained according to his own desires This letter was sealed closely sent received by the Frier with joy unspeakable against the night he provides him clean linnen a perfumed night-cop and other necessaries he keeps the time observes the place is closely admitted and by her selfe without witnesse and so conveied him into a close chamber Which he was no sooner entred but in comes the Knight with his man and in great fury without giving him the least time either to call for help to the house or to heaven strangled the poor Frier and left him dead upon the ground The deed was no sooner done and his rage somewhat appeased but he began to enter into consideration of the foulnesse of the fact and heinousnesse of the murder withall the strict penalty of the law due for such an offence which would be no lesse then forfeiture of life and estate and now he begins better to ponder with himselfe how to prevent the last which may give him further leasure to repent the first After divers and sundry projects cast betwixt him and his man it came into his mind by some means or other to have his body conveied back into the Monastery which being divided from his house only with a brick wall might be done without any great difficulty this was no sooner motioned but instantly his man remembers him of a ladder in the back-yard fit for the purpose briefly they both lay hand to the body and the man with the Frier on his back mounts the ladder and sits with him astride upon the wall then drawing up the ladder to the contrary side descends with him down into the Monastery where spying the house of office he set him upon the same as upright as he could there leaves him and conveies himselfe again over the wall but for hast to getting the ladder and so delivers to his master how and where he had bestowed the Frier at which being better comâ—orted they betook themselves both to their rest All this being concealed as well from the Lâ—dy as the rest or the hoâ—shold who were in their depth of sleep It hapned at the same instant that 〈◊〉 Râ—chard being much troubled with a loosnesse in his body had occasion to rise in the night and being somewhat hastily and unhandsomely taken makes what speed he can to the house of office but by the light of the Moon discerning some one before him whilst he could and was able he conteined himselfe but finding there was no remedy he first called and then in â—eated to come away but hearing no body answer he imagin'd it to be done on purpose the rather because approaching the place somewhat neerer he might plainly perceive it was Frier John his old adversary who the louder he called he seemed the lesse to listen I loath he was to play the sloven in the yard the rather because the whole covent had taken notice of a cold he had late goâ— and how it then wrought with him therefore thinking this counterfeit deasnesse to be done of purpose and spight to make him ashamed of himselfe he snatcht up a brick-bat to be revenged and hitting his adversary full upon the brest down tumbles Frier John without life or motion which he seeing thought at first to raise him up but after many proofs finding him to be stone dead verily beleeves that he had slain him What shall he now do The
Lady with her son to King Polydectes He surprized with her beauty married her and caused her son Perseus to be educated in the Temple of Minerva and after made attonement betwixt them and Acrisius But Polydectes dying at the funerall games celebrated at his death in casting of a mighty stone being one of the exercises then used Perseus whose hand failed him cast it unawares upon the head of Acrisius and slew him against his own purpose making good the will of the Oracle Acrisius being buried Perseus succeeded his grandfather in the City Argos Helena was first â—avished by Theseus and afterwards by Paris she had these suitors Antiochus Ascalaphus Ajax Oeleus Antimachus Aeceus Blanirus Agapenor Ajax Telamonius Clyrius Cyanaeus Patroclus Diomedes Penelaeus Phaemius Nyraeus Polyâ—â—tes Elephenor Fumetus Stâ—nelus Tlepolemus Protesilaus Podalyrius Euripilus Idomâ—naeus Telioâ—es Tallius Polyxeâ—us Protus Menestaeus Machaon Thoas Vlysses Philippus Meriones Mâ—ges Philocletes Laeonteus Talpius Prothous but she was possessed by 〈◊〉 Auge was the faire daughter of Aleus and comprest by Hercules and delivered of her son in the mountain Parthenius at the same time Atalanta the daughter of Jasius exposed her son begot by Mâ—leager unto the same place these children being found by the Shepherds they called the son of Hercules Telephus because he was nursed by a Hart which sed him with her milk they called the son of Meleager Parthenopaeus of the mountain Auge fearing her fathers displeasure fled into Moesia to King Teâ—thrus who for her beauties sake having himselfe no children adopted her his heire These following are the fiâ—ty fair daughters of Danaeus with the fifty sons of Aegiptus whom the first night of their marriage they slew Idea killed Antimachus Philomela Pantheus Scilla Pâ—oteus Philomone Plexippus Euippe Agenor Demoditas Chrysippus Hyale Perius Trite Enceladus Damone Amintor Hypothoe Obrimus Mirmidone Mineus Euridice Canthus Cleo Asterius Arcania Xanthus Cleopatra Metalces Philea Phylinas Hyparite Protheon Chrysothemis Asterides Pyraule Athamas her name is lost that slew Armoasbus Glaucippâ— Niavius Demophile Pamphilus Antodice Clytus Polyxena Egyptus Hecabe Driantes Achemantes Echominus Arsalle Ephialtes Monuste Euristhenes Amimone Medamus Helice Evideus Amoeme Polydector Polybe Iltonomus Helicta Cassus Electra Hyperantus Eubule Demarchus Daplidice Pugones Hero Andromachus Europone Atlites Pyrantis Plexippus Critomediâ— Antipaphus Pyrene Dolychus Eupheno Hyperbius Themistagora Podasiâ—us Palaeno Ariston Itaea Antilochus Erate Endemon Hypâ—â—â—â—nestra was the only Lady that in that great slaughter spaâ—ed her husband Lyncaeus What should I speak of Antigona the sister of Polynices Electra the daughter of Clytemneâ—tâ—a Hermâ—â—ne of Heten Polyxena of Hecuba Iphigenia of Agameniaon Erigone Merope Proserpina Amimone Oenone Calisâ—e Alope the daughter of Cercyon and Theophane of Bysaltis both stuprated by Neptune Theonoe and Zeutippe the daughters of Thestor Chione otherwise called Philâ—nide 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 only without their histories would ask a Volume For their number I will refer you to Ovid in his first book de Aâ—te Amandi Gargara quot sâ—getes c. Thick as ripe ears in the Gargarian fields As many green boughs as Methimna yeelds Fâ—sh Foule or Stars in Sea Air Heaven there be So many pretty wenches Rome in thee Aeneas mother is still lov'd and fear'd In that great City which her son first rear'd If only in young girls thou do'st rejoice There 's scarce one house but it affoords thee choice If in new-married wives but walk the street And in one day thou shalt with thousands meet Or if in riper years but look before Where ere thou go'st thou shalt find Matrons store If then one City and at one time could affoord such multiplicity 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 fetch'd from so vast a fountain may at least cool the palate if not quench the thirst of the insatiate Reader Manto ZEbalia a man whose birth ranked him in the file of nobility being emploied upon service in the Turkish wars 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 war gave her into the captivity of Bassa Jonuses who beholding with admiration a creature of so divine a feature was though her conqueror taken captive by her beauty who having put her vertue to the Test found it to parallel if not out shine her form Wherefore being covetous to engrosâ— so rich a booty to himselfe he took her to wife bestowing on her a more honourable respect then on his other wives and concubines and she likewise endeavoured to meet his affection with an answerable observance and obedience This fervent and mutuall love continued long inviolate betwixt them insomuch that they were no lesse honoured for their eminence of state then remarkable for their conjugall affection but that cursed fiend Jealousie envying at their admired sympathy stâ—aight usurpâ— the throne of reason and sits a predominant tyrant in his fantastick brain for he grew so strangely jealous that he thought some one or other to corrivall him but yet knew noâ— whom to â—aint with any just suspicion nay he would confesse that he had not catcht the least spark of loosenesse from her that might thus fire this beacon of distraction in him Briefly his wife as beautifull in mind as feature wearied with his daily peevish humours and seeing all her studies aimed at his sole content were enterteined with neglect and insolent scorn she resolved to leave him and secretly to flie into her native Country to further which she unlocks this her secret intent to an Eunuch of the Bassaes giving him withall certain letters to deliver to some friends of hers whom she purposed to use as agents in the furtherance of her escape but he proving treacherous in the trust committed to his charge betrai'd her to her husband shewing her letters as testimonies to his allegations The Bassa at this discovery swoln big with rage called her before him whom in his desperate fury he immediately stabbed with his dagger thus with the cause of jealousie taking away the effect But this bloody deed somewhat loosened him 〈◊〉 the peoples hearts where he before grew deeply and â—â—st rooted nor did he out-run vengeance for at the last her leaden feet overtook him and in this manner Selymus the first at his departure from Cairo his soldiers whom he there left in garrison made suit unto his Highnesse That in consideration of the great labours they had already undergone together with the many dangers they were hourly in expectation of that their wages might be enlarged which he granted and withall gave this Bassa Jonuses the charge to see the performance thereof At last the
no more kick and spurn against me with thy heels I will not henceforth feed thee with Barley but chaff I will abate thy wantonness with hanger and thirst I will load thy back with grievous burdens I will inure thee to the Summers heat and the Winters cold After which time he used the spare diet of roots and the juice of herbs and these only when necessity compelled him to eat He enjoined himselfe the time of praâ—er excepted to strict and continuall labour to encrease his appetite but not augment his diet Therefore Hierom against Lust prescribes these three soveraign remedies Fast Praier and hard Labour The examples are innumerable as well amongst Ethnick men as Christians Alexander supping with Antipadres there was brought to the table and see just against the King a wondrous beautifull woman as excellent in voice as in face both tempting so far that Alexander began suddenly to be surprised with her love and demanded of Antipadres If she were a woman whom he any way affected To whom he answered That she was endeared to him above all other creatures living Then thou fool repli'd the King cause her instantly to rise and be conveied hence from the banquet How farre then was this temperate Prince from adulterating another mans wife that was affraid to do his host the least injury in his strumpet Therefore Julianus the Emperor having took the City Nalaca wherein were many women of rare and extraordinary feature was so far from corrupting their vertues that he commanded not any of them should be suffered to come in his presence Caelius lib. 7 cap 27. tels us that so great was the chastity of the Paduan women in times past that not any of them walked out of their doors but with their faces covered Therefore Caius Sulpitius Galla sued a divorce against his wife because she was met bare-browed in the streets against whom he thus pleaded Thou art only to be governed and guided by the lawes of mine eies thy beauty is to be approved by them and to please them alone thou oughtest to adorn thy self but to desire to seem fair in the eies of strangers incurs the imputation both of suspâ—tion and trespass What should we think then of that fantastick attire and gawdy ornaments so much in use now adaies which as well in youth as age rather seem openly to proâ—esse lust then inwardly to protect chastity Oâ— these curiosities in vain and unnecessary attire Plautus in Peâ—ulo thus speaks Negotii sibi qui volet vim parare navem mulierem Hec duo sibi comparato c. He that is idle and would businesse have Let him of these two things himselfe provide A Woman and a Ship no two things crave More care or cost to suit the one for pride Th' other for tackles they are both like fire For still the more they have they more desire And this I speak by proof from morn to noon Their labours and their travels have no end To wash to rub to wipe and when that 's done To strive where nothing is amisse to mend To polish and expolish paint and stain Vnguents to daub and then wipe out again c. Now what generall censures these fantastick garbs and meer importunities incur if any demand I answer What lesse then weaknesse of the brain or loosnesse of life This jest following though it be old yet me thinks it is pity it should die unremembred A Gentleman meeting in the streets with a brave gallant wench and richly accommodated seeing her walk with her breasts bare almost down to the middle laying his hand upon them demanded of her in her ear whether that slesh were to be sold who scornfully answered No to whom he modestly replied Then let me advise you to shut up your shop windowes I will end this monitory counsell with an Epigram out of Ausonius which bears title of two sisters of unlike conditions Delia nos miramur est mirabile quod tam Dissimiles estis c. We wonder Delia and it strange appears Thou and thy sister have such censure past Though known a where the habit 's chast she wears Thou save thy habit nothing whorish hast Though thou chast life she hath chast habit sought Her manners her thy Habit makes thee nought In memory of virgiâ— chaâ—tity I will cite you one history out of Marullus lib. 4. cap. 8. The monument of Aegypta the daughter of Edgar King of England a professed Virgin in her life time being opened after she had many years lain in the grave all her body was turned into dust saving her womb and bowels and they were as fresh and faire without any corruption as at the first day of her interment Those that stood by wondring at the object one Clerk amongst the rest broke forth into these terms Wonder not to see the rest of the body tast of putrifaction and the womb still sound and perfect which never was contaminated with the least stain or blemish of lust Of her Bishop Dunstan thus speaks Worthy is her remembrance to be honoured upon Earth whose chast life is celebrated amongst the Saints in Heaven O great reward due to Virgin chastity by which such felicity is attained that their souls are not only glorified in Heaven but their bodies are not subject to corruption on earth But because the Theam I am next to speak of is of Virgins give me leave to begin with the best that ever was since the beginning for Beauty Chastity and Sanctity nor shall it be amisse to speak a word or two concerning her Genealogy Mary the mother of Christ was the daughter of Joachim of the Tribe of Juda her mothers name was Anna the daughter of Isachar of the Tribe of Levi. Here as Saint Hierome observes is to be noted That Anna and Emeria were two sisters of Emeria came Elizabeth the mother of John Baptist also Anna was first married to Ioachim and had by him Mary the mother of Christ and was after espoused to Clcophas by whom she had Mary Cleophe who was married to Alphaeus From them two cames James the lesse surnamed Alphaeus Simon Cananaeus Judas Thaddaeus and Joseph otherwise called Barsabas Eusâ—bius in his Ecclesiasticall history lib 2. cap. 2. saith That James the lesse was called the brother of our Lord because he was the brother of Joseph the husband of Mary but his opinion is not altogether authenticall Also Anna was espoused to Salome and had by him Mary Salome after married to Zebedeus and had by him James the greater and John the Evangelist Josâ—ph the husband of Mary was the brother of Cleophas It is also observed That in the one and fortieth yeare of the reigne of Augustus Caesar in the seventh month which is September in the eleventh day of the Moon which is the four and twentieth day of the month on a Thursday Iohn Baptist was conceived and two hundred threescore and fifteen daies after on a
Lâ—dgate Monk of Buty testifies who in English heroical verse compiled his History Constantius saith he the younger succeded his father Constantius as wel in the Kingdome of England as divers other Provinces a noble and valiant Prince whose mother was a woman religious and of great sanctimony this young Prince was born in Britain and proved so mighty in exploits of war that in time be purchased the name of Magnus and was stiled Constantine the Great a noble protector and defender of the true Christian Faith In the sixt year of his reign he came with a potent Army against Maxentius who with grievous tributes and exactions then vexed and oppressed the Romans and being upon his match he saw in a vision by night the sign of the Cross in the air like fire and an Angel by it thus saying Constantine in hoc signo vinces i. Constantine in this sign thou shalt conquer and overcome with which being greatly comforted he soon after invaded and defeated the army of Maxentius who flying from the battel was wretchedly drowned in the river Tiber. In this interim of his glorious victory Helena the mother of Constantine being on pilgrimage at Jerusalem there found the Crosse on which the Saviour of the world was crucified with the three nails on which his hands and feet were pierced Ranulphus amplifies this story of Helena somewhat larger after this manner That when Constantine had surprized Maxentius his mother was then in Brittain and hearing of the successe of so brave a conquest she sent him a letter with great thanks to heaven to congratulate so fair and wished a Fortune but not yet being truly instructed in the Christian Faith she commended him that he had forsaken idolatry but blamed him that he worshipped and beleeved in a man that had been nalled to the Cross The Emperor wrote again to his mother That she should instantly repair to Rome and bring with her the most learned Jewes and wisest Doctors of what faith or beleefe soever to hold disputation in their presence concerning the truth of Religion Helena brough with her to the number of seven score Jewes and others against whom Saint Silvester was only opposed In this controversie the misbeleevers were all nonplust and put to silence It hapned that a Jewish Cabalist among them spake certain words in the ear of a mad wild Bull that was broke loose run into the presence where they were then assembled those words were no sooner uttered but the beast sunk down without motion and instantly died at which accident the judges that sate to hear the disputation were all astonished as wondring by what power that was done To whom Silvester then spake What this man hath done is only by the power of the devil who can kil but not restore unto life but it is God only that can slay and make the same body revive again so Lyons and other wild beasts of the Forrest can wound and destroy but not make whole what is before by them perished then saith he if he will that I beleeve with him let him raise that beast to life in Gods name which he hath destroied in the devils name But the Jewish Doctor attempted it in vain when the rest turning to Silvester said If thou by any power in Heaven or Earth canst call back again the life of this beast which is now banished from his body we wil beleeve with thee in that Deity by whose power so great a miracle can be done Silvester accepted of their offer and falling devoutly on his knees made his praiers unto the Saviour of the world and presently the beast started up upon his feet by which Constantius was confirmed Helena converted al the Jews and other Pagan Doctors received the Christian Faith and were after baptized and after this and upon the same occasion Helena undertook to seek and find out the Cross Ambrose and others say she was an Inne-keepers daughter at Treverent in France and that the first Constantius travelling that way married her for her beauty but our Histories of Britain affirm her to be the fair chast and wise daughter of King Coil before remembred The perfections of the mind are much above the transitory gifts of Fortune much commendable in women and a dowry far transcending the riches of gold jewels Great Alexander refused the beautiful daughter of Darius who would have brought with her Kingdomes for her Dower and infinite treasures to boot and made choice of Barsine who brought nothing to espouse her with save her feature and that she was a scholer and though a Barbarian excellently perfect in the Greek tongue who though poor yet derived her pedigree from Kings And upon that ground Lycurgus instituted a Law That women should have no Dowers allotted them that men might rather acquire after their Vertues then their Riches and women likewise might the more laboriously imploy themselves in the attaining to the height of the best and noblest Disciplines It is an argument that cannot be too much amplified to encourage Vertue and discourage Vice to perswade both men and women to instruct their minds more carefully then they would adorn their bodies and strive to heap and accumulate the riches of the Soul rather then hunt after pomp Vain glory and the wretched wealth of the world the first being everlastingly permanent the last dayly and hourly subject to corruption and mutability Horace in his first Epistle to Mecaenas saith Vitius Argentum est Auro virtutibus Aurum Silver is more base and cheap then Gold and Gold then Vertue To encourage which in either Sex Plautus in Amphit thus saies Virtus praemium est optimum virtus omnibus Rebus anteit profecto c. Vertue 's the best reward and before all Justly to be preferr'd That which we call Liberty Life our Parents Children Wealth Our Country Reputation Honour Health By this are kept though by the bad despis'd All that is good in Vertue is compris'd Moreover all that are Noble Vertuous Learned Chast and Pious have their places allotted them above when on the contrary their souls are buried lower in the locall place of torment then their souls that are laid to sleep iâ— the grave At the blessednesse of the good and future glory assigned unto them Lucan most elegantly aimed at lib. 9. de bello Civili where he thus writes Ac non in Pharia manes jacuere favilla Nec cinis exiguus tantum compescuit umbram c. Which I thus English In th' Pharian flames the bright Soul doth not sleep Nor can so small a Dust and Ashes keep So great a Spirit it leaps out of the fire And leaving the halfe burnt menbers doth aspire And aims up to the place where Jove resides And with his power and wisdome all things guides For now no air his subtil passage bars To where the Axle-tree turns round the stars And in that vast and empty place which lies Betwixt us and the Moon the visible
altogether spent and wasted gave approbation touching the marriage which was accordingly publiquely and with great pomp solemnized These two now the only hopes of that future posterity had fair and fortunaâ—e issue males and females who were no sooner grown to any perfection and disposed of to liberall and vertuous education but which is remarkable in two so young they conferred together to this purpose that since Heaven had blessed them with that for â—â—ich marriage was ordained and the purpose for which the dispensation was granted namely issue and to revive a dying family that they would with an unanimous consent again enter into religious vowes and orders This motion was betwixt them resolved and having nobly disposed of their children he took upon him holy orders and retired himselfe to the Monastery of St Nicholas his wife Anna erected a Nunnery not far from Torcellus which she made sacred to Saint Adrian how great and almost miraculous was their abstinence and piety thâ—t abandoning all worldly pleasures and delights when they flowed about them in all abundance even then vowed themselves to solitude and heavenly meditations in which profession they both in a fair and ful age deceased Egnat lib. 4 cap. 3. and Marullus in Vita Vitalis Not much different from this is that which we read of Pharon Meliâ—nsis a noble Prelate who with his wife after some years of affectionate consociety passed betwixt them made by a united 〈◊〉 a strict vow of future chastity she be took herself to a Nunnâ—â—y he to a Monastry but after seven sollitary winters passed he was still troubled in his thoughts for often calling to remembrance the beauty of his wife he repented himselfe of his former vow and often solicited her for a private meeting which she still denying and he more and more importuning at length the yielded to give him visitation but the prudent and chast Lady had her face covered her eies dejected and presented her sâ—lfe in a base and sordid garment where with her entreaties mixt with tears she so far prevailed with him that without breach of their promise made to heaven they took their lasting leave he still remaining in his Covent and she repairing to her Cloister Marul lib. 4. cap. 7. Volaterran writes of Petrus Vrseolus Duke of Venice who after he had one son by his wife by their unanimous consent they vowed perpetuall abstinence from all venereall actions So likewise Aloysius de Caballis a noble Venetian with his wife a Lady derived from the blood of the Patritians these two agreed together never to have carnall congression but only for issue sake neither would they suffer any motion temptation or any word look or gesture that might tend to the least provocation insomuch that if we may beleeve report the very linnen which they wore next them was so interwoven and disposed about them that when they lay together with great difficulty one might touch the others naked body Egnat lib. 4. cap. 3. Now what meed these deserve I am not able to judge I leave it to his wisedome who is the rewarder of all goodnesse and is the searcher of the hearts and reins and knowes who are hypocrites who true professors who pretend devotion meerly for devotion sake and who professe it for sincere zeal and religious piety Of Beauty and the reward thereof TO the great and solemn marriage betwixt Peleus the father of Achilles and Thetis all the gods and goddesses were invited saying Eris i. Discord who taking it ill that she alone of the immortall deities should be either forgotten or neglected in that high and solemn convention and was not admitted to the banquet she casts in amongst them a golden Ball or Apple with this inscription Detur pulcherrimae i Let this be given to the fairest This was no sooner done but up start the then most potent goddesses every one assuming to themselves the excellency of Beauty insomuch that snatching at the Ball it had almost come to blowes till Jupiter was by them entreated to end the controversie But knowing how it would offend his wife to bestow it upon either of his daughters and again if on the one he must of force distaste the other he therefore rather then to sentence partially willing to be no judge at all commanded Mercury to conduct them to the mount Ida and there this dissention to be ended by Paris the son of Priam who then was a Neatherd and kept cattell in the mountains These suddenly appearing before him and the young man abashed Mercury cheered him up cold his message from Jupiter and withall delivered to him the golden prize to be disposed of at his pleasure to whom the bashful Neatherd thus answered How can I O Mercury that am but a mortall man and brought up in all â—osticie be a just and equall censurer of such divine Beauties such causes ought to be decided by those that have been trained up in the urbanity of walled Towns or the delicacies of Courts to both which even from my infancy I have been an alien and meer stranger I alas have only judgement to distinguish this shee-goat from that and which heifer or the other is the fairer but for these coelestiall beauties in my eies they are all infinitely absolute and alike equall insomuch that I look not upon one but my sight dwels upon her and if I transfer mine eies upon a second though I be refresht yet I am not benefited and if upon a third I am cloied with variety not disparaging any but still applauding the present if I cast my eie upon her she is fairest if upon the other she appears no lesse if on the last she equals both the other and stil that which is neerest seems the best as if succession bred excellency And now I could wish my selfe like Argus to be eies all over that the pleasure I receive from two might by taking these miraculous objects from an hundred at once be multiplied unto me according to the number to make my now saciety a surfeit Besides the one is Juno the wife and sister of Jupiter the other are Minerva and Venus his two daughters so that of necessity in gaining one uncertain friend I shall purchase two most unconstant enemies therefore saith he I entreat you O Mercury so far to mediate for me to these goddesses that since but one can conquer the two vanquished will not be offended with me but rather to impute my error if any be to the weaknesse of my humane sight then to any premeditated and pretended spleen or malice To which every one trusting to their own perfections willingly assented when Paris thus proceeded Only one thing I desire to know whether it be sufficient for me being a judge to censure of these features as they are paralleld or more accurately to prie into every lineament of their bodies it be behoofeful for me to see them naked To whom Mercury replied You being Judge and they now standing at the