deliuerers of her people And so much for the Legend But Richardus Diuisiensis sayth That being awed by Earle Godwin and for the feare of hasarding his life and kingdome Edward was compelled by threats and menaces to the marriage of Editha Moreouer Polydore reports That for the hate he bore her father who had not long before most trayterously slaine his brother Alphred hee caused himselfe to be diuorced from her seising her goods and dower to his owne vse and pleasure Ranulphus and one that writes himselfe Anonimos as willing to conceale his name say That shee was disrobed of all her Queene-like honors and confined into the Abbey of Warnwell with only one maid to attend her and so committed to the strict custodie of the Abbesse William of Malmesbury and Marianus Scotus haue left remembred That hee neyther dismissed her his bed nor carnally knew her but whether it was done in hatred to her kindred or purpose of Chastitie they are not able to determine Robert Fabian confesseth as much in his Chronicle Part. 6. cap. 210. Howsoeuer the effects of that abstenious life were not onely preiudiciall but brought lamentable effects vpon this distracted kingdome namely Innouation and Conquest for Edward dying without issue England was inuaded and opprest by the Normans and the people brought to that miserie that happie was that subiect that could say I am no Englishman And in this agree Matthew Paris Capgraue Fabian and Polydore As I hold it not necessarie for marryed folke to tye themselues to this strict kind of abstinence so I hold it not conuenient for any such as haue to themselues and in their soules taken vpon them the strict life of Virginitie to be compelled to an enforced marriage as may appeare by this discourse following recorded by Gulielm Malmsburien Simeon Danelmens Matthew Paris Roger Houeden Capgraue c. Henry the first of that name king of England and crowned in the yeere of Grace 1101 was by the instigation of Anselme once a Monke of Normandie but after by William Rufus constituted Archbishop of Canterburie marryed vnto Maude daughter to Malcolme the Scottish king she hauing taken a Vow and being a profest Nunne in the Abbey of Winchester Much adoe had the King her father the Queene her mother her Confessor Abbesse or the Bishop to alienate her from her setled resolution or persuade her to marriage but being as it were violently compelled thereunto she cursed the Fruit that should succeed from her bodie which after as Polydore affirmes turned to the great misfortune and miserie of her children for afterwards two of her sonnes William and Richard were drowned by Sea Besides her daughter Maude who was afterwards Empresse prooued an vnfortunate Mother and amongst many other things in bringing forth Henry the second who caused Thomas Becket to be slaine it thus happened All forraine warres being past and ciuile combustions pacified in the yeere of our Lord 1120 Henry the first with great ioy and triumph left Normandie and came into England But within few dayes following this great mirth and iollitie turned into a most heauie and fearefull sorrow for William and Richard his two sonnes with Mary his daughter Otwell their Tutor and Guardian Richard Earle of Chester with the Countesse his wife the Kings Neece many Chapleines Chamberlaines Butlers and Seruitors for so they are tearmed in the storie the Archdeacon of Hereford the Princes play-fellowes Sir Geffrey Rydell Sir Robert Maldvyle Sir William Bygot with other Lords Knights Gentlemen great Heires Ladyes and Gentlewomen to the number of an hundred and fortie besides Yeomen and Mariners which were about fiftie all these sauing one man which some say was a Butcher were all drowned together and not any one of their bodyes euer after found Many attribute this great Iudgement to the heauie Curse of Queene Maude others censure of it diuersly Howsoeuer in this King as Polydore sayth ended the Descent and Lyne of the Normans Of this Anselme before spoken of there are diuerse Epistles yet extant to many women in those dayes reputed of great Temperance and Chastitie as To Sister Frodelina Sister Ermengarda Sister Athelytes Sister Eulalia Sister Mabily and Sister Basyle To Maude Abbesse of Cane in Normandie and Maude the Abbesse of Walton here in England Hee writ a Treatife about the same time called Planctus a missae Virginitatis i. A bewayling of lost Virginitie So farre Iohn Bale And so much shall serue for Chast Wiues in this kind being loth to tyre the patience of the Reader Of Women Wantons DIon the Historiographer in Tiberio sayth that Lyuia the wife of Augustus Caesar beholding men naked sayd to the rest about her That to continent women and chast matrons such obiects differed nothing from statues or images for the modest heart with immodest sights ought not to be corrupted The vnchast eye more drawes the poyson of sinne from beautie which is Gods excellent workemanship from which the chast and contrite heart deriues the Creators praise and glorie But my hope is that in exposing vnto your view the histories of these faire Wantons you will looke vpon them should I strip them neuer so naked with the eyes of Lyuia that is to hold them but as beautifull statues or like Appelles his woman not better than a picture of white Marble I haue heard of a man that liuing to the age of threescore and ten had led so austere a life that in all that time he neuer touched the bodie of a woman and had proposed to himselfe to carrie that Virginall vow with him to his graue but at length being visited with sickenesse and hauing a faire estate purchased with his small charge and great husbandrie and therefore willing to draw out the thread of his life to what length he could hee sent to demaund the counsell of the Phisitians who hauing well considered the estate of his bodie all agreed in this that since the phisick of the soule belonged not to them but onely the phisick of the bodie they would freely discharge their duties and indeed told him that this present estate was dangerous and they found but onely one way in art for his cure and recouerie which was in plaine tearmes To vse the companie of a woman and so tooke their leaues and left him to consider of it Loath was the old man to loose his Virginitie which hee had kept so long but more loath to part with his life which he desired to keepe yet longer and hauing meditated with himself from whom he was to depart and what to leaue behind him namely his possessions his money his neighbours friends and kindred and whether hee was to remooue to the cold and comfortlesse graue he resolued with himselfe to prolong the comfort of the first and delay as long he could the feare of the last Therefore hee resolued rather than to be accessorie to the hastening his owne death to take the counsell of the doctors It was therfore so ordered by
pourtrayde the picture of the Sauiour of the world with a flower-de-lyce in his hand and so marched to Orleance Her first exploit was fortunately to raise the siege and releeue the towne From thence shee passed to Reames tooke the cittie and caused the Dolphin there to proclaime himselfe king and take vpon him the crowne of France She after tooke Iargueux a strong towne and in it the Earle of Suffolke with many other braue English gentlemen She fought the great battaile of Pathay with good successe in which were taken prisoners the lord Talbâ—â— the skourge and terror of the French nation the lord Seales the lord Hungerfâ—rd with many others both of name and qualitie she tooke in Benueele Mehun Trois and diuers other townes of great import and consequence at length in a camisado or skirmish she was taken prisoner by sir Iohn of Entenburch a Burgonian captaine and sent to Roan The French Cronicles affirme that the morning before she was surprised she tooke the sacrament and comming from Church told to diuerse that were about her that she was betraide her life sold and should shortly after be deliuered vp vnto a violent death For sir Iohn gaue a great sum of money to betray her The English comming to inuest themselues before Mondidier Ioan was aduised to issue out by Elaâ—ie and skirmish with them who was no sooner out but he shut the gates vpon her being taken she was sent to Peter Bishop of Beuoise who condemned her to the fire for a sorceresse which iudgement was accordingly executed vpon her in Roane in the market place Twentie six yeares after Charles the king for a great summe of money procured an annichilation of the first sentence from the Pope in which she was proclaimed a Virago inspired with diuine instinct in memorie of whose vertuous life and vniust death he caused a faire crosse to â—ee erected iust in the place where her bodie was burned I returne againe to the English Fabian and Harding speake of Emma sister to the Norman duke called Richard who for her extraordinarie beautie was called The flower of Normandie she was married to Ethelred king of England By her heroicke spirit and masculine instigation the king sent to all parts of the kingdome secret and strict commissions That vpon a certaine day and hour assigned all those Danes which had vsurped in the land and vsed great crueltie should be slaughtered which at her behest and the kings commaund was accordingly performed which though it after prooued ominous and was the cause of much miserie and mischiefe yet it shewed in her a noble and notable resolution Of queene Margaret the wife of Henrie the sixt her courage resolution and magnanimitie to speake at large would aske a Volume rather than a compendious discourse to which I am strictly tyed And therefore whosoeuer is deâ—irous to be further instructed in the successe of those many battailes fought against the house of Yorke in which she was personally present I referre them to our English Chronicles that are not sparing in commending her more than womanish spirit to euerlasting memorie With her therefore I conclude my female Martiallists And now me thinkes I am come where I would be and that is amongst you aire Fones Of Faire Women IT is reported of a king that for many yeeres had no issue and desirous to haue an heire of his owne bloud and begetting to succeed in the Throne vpon his earnest supplication to the diuine powers he was blessed with a faire sonne both of beautie and hope And now being possest of what he so much desired his second care was to see him so educated that hee might haue as much comfort of him in his growth as hope in his infancie hee therefore sent abroad to find out the most cunning Astrologians to calculate of his natiuitie that if the starres were any way maleuolent to him at his birth he might by instruction and good education as farre as was possible preuent any disaster that the Planets had before threatened A meeting to that purpose being appointed and the Philosophers and learned men from all parts assembled after much consultation it was concluded amongst them That if the infant saw Sunne or Moone at any time within the space of ten yeeres hee should most assuredly be depriued the benefit of sight all his life time after With this their definitiue conclusion the father wondrously perplexed was rather willing to vse any faire meanes of preuention than any way to tempt the crosse influence of the starres Hee therefore caused a Cell or Caue to be cut out of a deepe Rocke and conueying thither all things necessarie for his education hee was kept there in the charge of a learned tutor who well instructed him in the Theorie of all those Arts which best suited his apprehension The time of ten yeeres being expired and the feare of that ominous calculation past ouer the day was appointed when his purpose was to publish his sonne to the world and to shew him the Sunne and Moone of which he had often heard and till then neuer saw entire and to present vnto his view all such creatures of which he had beene told and read but could distinguish none of them but by heare-say They brought before him a Horse a Dogge a Lion with many other beasts of seuerall kindes of which he onely looked but seemed in them to take small pleasure They shewed him Siluer Gold Plate and Iewels in these likewise hee appeared to take small delight or none as not knowing to what purpose they were vsefull yet with a kind of dull discontent he demanded their names and so past them ouer At length the king commanded certaine beautifull virgins gorgeously attyred to be brought into his presence which the Prince no sooner saw but as recollecting his spirits with a kind of alacritie and change of cheare he earnestly demanded What kind of creatures they were how bred how named and to what vse created To whom his tutor ieastingly replyed These be called Deuills of which I oft haue told you and they are the great tempters of mankind Then his father demanded of him To which of all these things he had beheld he stood affected best and to whose societie hee was most enclined who presently answered O Father I onely desire to be attended by these Deuils Such is the attractiue power of beautie which women cannot fully appropriate to themselues since it is eminent in all other creatures Who wonders not at the beautie of the Sunne the glorie of the Moone and the splendor of the starres the brightnesse of the morning and the faire shutting in of the euening Come to the flowers and plants what artificiall colour can be compared to the leaues of the Marigold the Purple of the Violet the curious mixture of the Gillyflower or the whitenesse of the Lilly to which Salomon in all his glorie was not to be equalled You that are prowd of your haire
The king of England and Francis the first of that name king of France being at oddes Henry was much incensed and appointed Bishop Bonner his Embassadour to debate with him sharpely about the designes then in hand who hauing accommodated all things fitting for the journey came to take his leaue of the king his maister who vttered many bitter and disdainefull words against Francis all tending to his opprobrie and dishonour And in these tearmes sayth hee deliuer vnto him thy Embassie To whom Bonner replyed If it please your Maiestie if I should giue him such harsh and despightfull language and in his owne Court too he can doe no lesse than take off my head Thy head answered the king If hee doe it is no matter but tell him further If hee dares to cut off thy head ten thousand of his subiects heads shall be sent after it To whom Bonner after some small deliberation againe replyed But I am doubtfull my Liege whether any of these ten thousand heads will fit my shoulders in that short answere as well taxing the kings rash furie as prouident for his owne safetie With which the king somewhat satisfied and better considering with himselfe deliuered vnto him a more calme and milder Embassie So though those heads may fauour both of more Iudgement and Reading I am doubtfull whether they could more naturally sute with my owne method and stile though neuer so meane or barbarous Therefore Deo adiuvante Erato assistente I proceede The Spartans had a custome in their solemne feasts to haue a song of three parts sung by three seuerall Chorusses The first was of weake old men The second of yong able men The third of Boyes and pretie growne children The old men began with this verse Olim iuuentutem nos strenuam egimus We haue beene Strong that now Decrepit are To whom the yong men in a second quire answered Sortes sumus nos fac si vis periculum Wee are both Yong and Strong prooue vs who dare To them in a third tone the children ecchoed Nos erimus his prestantiores plurimo With these in Youth and Strength wee shall compare To this three-fold age I compare the triplicitie of the Muses The first three books are by this alredie spent in your iudgements The second three of which this is the last are the pyth and strength of my present worke in hand to which the three succeeding though yet in their infancie I shall striue to paralell if not exceed the rest And first of Chastitie It is reported of a woman of Lacena that a great man sending her rich gifts to corrupt her chastitie she returned him this answere Whilest I was a Virgin I was taught to obey my father which I accordingly did and being a wife to submit my selfe to my husbands will if then you desire any courtesie at my hands get first his consent and you shall after vnderstand my further pleasure Plutarch in Lacon Institut relates that diuerse of these Lacenaean Virgins were taken captiues and sold in open market one of them beeing cheapened was demaunded what she knew she answered To be faithfull Another being asked if he should buy her whether she would proue chast answered Whether he bought her or no she would be chast howsoeuer her maister after seeking to corrupt her she slew herselfe vttering these her last words See what a treasure thou hast lost that knewest not my worth whilest thou wast possessed of me There haue beene many men that haue left vnto women strict rules of Chastitie by their examples Saint Augustine being asked why hee would not suffer his owne sister to dwell in the house with him answered Because such as may conuerse with her are not my sisters intimating that all such as would auoid the sinne ought to shun temptation for he was wont to say It is not good to looke vpon a woman it is worse to conuerse with her but worst of all to touch her Therfore these sences of ours that are most subiect to danger ought most to be supprest and bridled Marul lib. 4. Capit. 7. and Sabin lib. 5. Hierome reports of the Abbot Hylarian That when hee found any vnchast cogitations arise in his brest hee would beate himselfe vpon the bosome as if with blowes and buffets hee would expell them thence and thus sayd I will tame thee ô Asse that thou shalt no more kick and spurne against me with thy heeles I will not henceforth feed thee with Barley but chaffe I will abate thy wantonnesse with hunger and thirst I will loade thy backe with grieuous burdens I will inure thee to the Sommers heate and the Winters cold After which time he vsed the spare dyet of rootes and the iuice of hearbes and these onely when necessitie compelled him to eate Hee inioyned himselfe the time of prayer excepted to strict and continuall labour to increase his appetite but not augment his dyet Therfore Hierom against Lust prescribes these three souereigne remedies fast prayer 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 set iust against the king a wonderous beautifull woman as excellent in voice as in face both tempting so farre that Alexander began suddenly to be surprised with her loue and demaunded of Antipadres If she were a woman whom he any way affected To whom he answered That she was indeered to him aboue all other creatures liuing Then thou foole replyde the king cause her instâ—ntly to rise and be conueyed hence from the banquet How farre then was this temperate Prince from adulterating another mans wife that was affraid to doe his host the least iniurie in his strumpet Therefore Iulianus the Emperour hauing tooke the cittie Nalaca wherein were many women of rare and extraordinarie feature was so farre from corrupting their vertues that he commanded not any of them should be suffered to come in his presence Calius lib. 7. cap. 27. tells vs that so great was the chastitie of the Paduan women in times past that not any of them walked out of their doores but with their faces couered Therefore Caius Salpitius Gallus sued a diuorse against his wife because she was met bare-browed in the streetes against whom he thus pleaded Thou art onely to be gouerned and guided by the lawes of mine eyes thy beautie is to be approoued by them and to please them alone thou oughtest to adorne thy selfe but to desire to seeme faire in the eyes of strangers incurres the imputation both of suspition and trespasse What should wee thinke then of that fantastique attyre and gawdie ornaments so much in vse now adayes which as well in youth as age rather seeme openly to professe lust than inwardly to protect chastitie Of these curiosities in vaine and vnnecessarie attire Plautus in Penâ—lo thus speakes Negotij sibi qui voleâ— vim parare nauem mulierem Hec duo sibi comparato
who for her elegant feature and extraordinarie beautie and withall because the costlie ornaments with which she vsed to attire herselfe exceeded the precise custome of her Order she was brought within suspition of lust and inchastitie for which being cal'd into question and not able legallie to acquit 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 Iustin in his 43 booke commemorates this historie Aeneas after many tedious trauells landing in Italie was by marrieng Lauinia the daughter of King Latinus made partner with him in the Kingdome for which marriage warre was commenst betwixt them two of the one partie and Turnus King of the Rutilians on the other In which combustions Turnus being slaine and Latinus yeelding to Fate Aenaeas both by the right of victorie and succession became Lord of both the Kingdome and poeple erecting a cittie called Lauinium in remembrance of his wife Lauinia In processe he made warre against Mezentias king of the Etruscians whom hauing slaine Ascanius the sonne of Aenaeas succeeded in the principalitie Ascanius leauing Lauinium built the cittie Alba which for three hundred yeares space was the capitall cittie of that Kingdome After many discents the regall honours were conferred vpon Numitor and Amulius These two Princes emulous of each others greatnesse Amulius the younger hauing opprest his brother Numitor surprised also his sole daughter Rhaea who was immediate heire to her fathers honours and regall dignities all which he couetous to ingrosse to himselfe and fearing withall least from her issue might in time descend some one that might punish his insolencies and reuenge her and her fathers iniuries deuised with himselfe how to preuent both and fearing least by putting her to death he might incurre a generall hate amongst the people in whose loue hee was not as yet fullie setled he apprehended as his safest course to shadow her vow of virginitie to be elected into the sacred seruice of Vesta Being thus confin'd into the groaue celebrated to Mars whether begot by Mars himselfe as was then beleeued or otherwise adulterouslie conceiued it is vncertaine but she was deliuered of two sonnes This being knowne to Amulius increased his feares who commanded the infants to be cast foorth and Rhaea to bee loaden with yrons vnder whose seuere sentence expiring she yeelded to Fate The two children ready to perish were miraculouslie nourced by a she wolfe and after found by the shepheard Faustulus were by him brought vp 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 deflowred by Nero. Another whose name was Pompilia because by her inchastitie she prophaned the sacred orders of Vesta was buryed aliue the same death for the like offence suffered Cornelia Floronea the Vestall was conuicted of whoredome but she to preuent one death made choice of another For taking to her selfe a braue Roman spirit shee with her owne hands boldlie slew her selfe Posthumia taxed for her two curious habit and gaudinesse 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 wittilie and noblie answered to whatsoeuer could be obiected against her so that being found guiltlesse she was absolued by the sentence of the high Priest or Archflammin Sextilia sped not so well as this Posthumia for she being suspected of inchastitie and found culpable suffered according to the law made for the punishment of the like offenders The like suffered Tutia the Vestall for her vnlawfull prostitution Plutarch in Gracchis in the Catalogue of these consecrated virgins numbers Licinia And Pliny relates that when Clodius the Emperour was in opposition with his wife Messalina that sinke of lust and most incontinent of women when their differences could be no wayes decided Messalina sent to Vbidia one of the most reuerent amongst the Vestalls by whose mediation attonement was made betwixt her and the Emperour The vestfall fire vpon a time going out and it being imputed to their inchastitie Aemilia with these words besought the goddesse Oh Vesta thou that art the protectour of this famous cittie Rome as I haue truelie and chastlie almost for thirtie yeares space celebrated thy sacrifices so either at this present crowne my puritie with fame or before this multitude brand my lust with infamy These words were no sooner spoken but casting her mantle vpon the Altar the fire instantlie brake foorth where before there was nothing in place saue cold embers by which prodigie her innocent life was protected Claudia the Vestall was of no lesse remarkeable chastitie who when a barke laden with the sacreds of the goddesse stucke fast in the riuer Tyber and by no human strength could be loosed from the sand she thus openlie protested before the people If quoth she ô goddesse I haue hitherto kept my chastitie vndefiled vouchsafe these may follow me when fastning a cord to the stearne of the ship she without any difficultie drew it along the riuer Tuscia likewise suspected of incontinence by the like wonder gaue testimonie of her innocence who inuocating Vesta in these words If saith she ô mother of the gods I haue offered thy sacrifices with chast and vndefiled hands grant that with this sieue I may take vp water from the riuer Tyber and without shedding the least droppe beare it vnto thy Altar which when she had obtained and accordinglie performed with lowd acclamations of the multitude she was absolued and her austere life euerafter held in reuerence The attributes of Modestie and Temperance are greater ornaments to a woman than gold or iewells and because all perfections cannot be in one woman at one time this Modestie is that which supplyes all things that are wanting It is a dower to her that hath no portion not onelie an ornament to deformitie but in blacknesse it impresses a kind of beautie it illustrates the ignobilitie of birth supplying all those defects wherein fortune hath beene scanting And so much shall suffice for the Vestalls Of the Prophetesses COncerning these Prophetesses I will onely make a briefe catalogue of some few whom the antient writers haue made most eminent We reade of Hyrtia the daughter of Sesostris king of Aegypt most skilfull in diuination who to her father foretold his Amplitude and Monarchy Volatteranus in Georg. writes of one Labissa a diuining woman that was eminent for many predictions in Bohemia whom succeeded her daughter Craco as well in skill as in fame Plutarch in Mario speakes of one Martha whom Marcius most honourablie circumducted in a horse-litter and at her appointment celebrated many sacrifices her the senate with a generall suffrage for her approued skill in augurie rewarded with libertie making her a free woman of the cittie Polyxo is the name of
might giue them their answer which granted Returne said she my humble duty and vassaladge to my Lord the King and tell him withall That vnlesse he receiue my faith and renouncing his false Idolls beleeue in the onely true God he can claime no interest at all in me The messenger dispatcht and this short answer returned to the Sophy he leuied an army of forty thousand men and comming into Greece the Emperour and he came vnto a peacefull enterview at which by the mediation of this royall and religious Empresse the Sophy with all his princes and souldiers there present receiued the Christian faith and after the interchange of many Princely and magnificicent gifts returned with his wife into his own countrey Another noble history I thinke not amisse to be here inserted which is recorded by one Willielmus de reg lib. 20. Gunnilda the daughter of Canutus and Emma who being accused of adultery by her husband Henry the Emperour who to iustifie his accusation had prouided a champion in stature a giant and for his presence and potencie much feared she notwithstanding relying vpon God and her owne innocence put her life vpon the valour of a priuat young gentleman of England whoÌ„ she brought with her to the same purpose These Champions adventuring their liues fought a braue and resolute combat but in the end the victory inclined to the Empresse her aduerse champion being vanquished confest his treasons and she was noblie acquit but after by no intreaties or intercessions made by the Emperour or others shee could bee wonne vnto his embraces but abiuring his bed and vowing an austere and sequestred life she retired her selfe into a Monasterie Three royall presidents of three vâ—matchable queenes the first for Magnanimitie the second for Religion and deuotion and the last for Chastitie To these I will yet adde another Willielmus de Regibus in his first booke writes that king Iue betooke his kingdom of the West-Saxons to his cosin Ethelardus and vndertooke a pilgrimage to Rome the occasion of his iournie was this The queene Ethelbnrga had often counselled her husband the king to forsake the pride and riches of the world and to haue a respect to his soules health especially now in the latter dayes of his life but not able to preuaile with him she bethought her selfe of a queint stratagem after they had left their royal pallace where they had but latly feasted in all pompe pleasure and delicacies and remoued into another house she caused him to whose charge the place from whence they departed was committed to take downe all the hangings make foule and and filthy euerie roome and chamber nay in the verie place where the king had but the other day sported with his queene was lodged a sow and pigges with all the loathsomenesse that could be deuised this done according to her commaund she by a wile inticed the king to the place thus strangely disguised The king wondering at this sudden change stood amased to whom she thus spoke I pray you my Lord where be now these rich hangings and curtaines either for state or ornament Where is all the glyttering pompe aâ—d rich array tending to nothing else saue gluttonie and luxurie Alas how suddenly are they all vanished Shall not my Lord this beautie of ours so fade and this fraile flesh euen so fall a way This with other her words to the like purpose tooke such impression in the kings brest that he resigned his kingdome to his Nephew and betooke himselfe to a religous and Monasticke life after his vowed pilgrimage The queene Ethelburga went to the Abbey at Berking in which place her sister had beene before Abbesse and there spent the remainder of her life in deuotion and penitence Polycrita THere arose great warres betweene the Milesians and Naxians kindled by the adultrate practise of the wife of Hypsicreon a Milesian who violating her coniugall vowes by throwing her selfe into the lustfull imbraces of Promedon a Naxian then her guest and fearing the iust anger of her husband and withall the punishment due to her adultrate sinne fled with him into Naxos from whence being againe demanded but denied this priuate wrong turned to a publique ruin for deuouring warre accompained with many calamities preyed vpon both their countries But as this Beacon was first fired by a womans lewdnesse so was it at last extinguished by a womans vertue Diognetus who had the command of those Erythraeans which came in ayde of the Milesians had committed to his custodie a certaine strong hold scituated against the citie Naxos who hauing taken from the Naxians a prize of women and free virgins he was deepely stroke in loue with one Polycrata whom he led with him not as a captiue but as his wife It chanced that the Miletians celebrated a generall festiuall day Polycrita besought Diognetus to make her so far indebted to his fauour as to suffer her to send her brothers part of those iuncates then at the table which willingly he granted she secretly writ vpon the leaden table of the marchpane what shee had proiected withall charging the bearer to intreat her brothers not to let any participate therof saue themselues when they had heard the writing which contained thus much in effect Take hold vpon the opportunitie which occasion thrusts into your hands this night you may seise the Castle for the enemie will lie downe in wine and sleepe in a presumptious securitie They shew it to the chiefe commanders of Naxos who vniting themselues giue the affrighted vnweaponed Miletians a sudden and vnexpected assault and hauing slaughtred many possesse themselues of the castle But by Polycritas intercessiue intreaties surprised Diognetus scapes with life And for this noble exploit of hers the glad citisens running to meete her with shoutes and acclamations euery one bearing in his hand a Garland to receiue her with those wreathes of honor Polycrita was so farre extaside that her sudden ioy vshered a sudden death for as she stood amased at the gate she instantly fell downe exanimated in which gate she was buried and her sepulchre called The tombe of Enuie because it is supposed that Fortune grew so enuious of her merits that thus she robd her of her life that so she might cheat her of her deserued honors And thus much speakes the histories of the Naxians Aristotle affirmes Polycrita was no captiue but onely that Diognetus hauing seene her hee grew so far enamoured of her that to enioy her he proferred her any thing that was in his power to giue She promises to yeeld to his desire if he will grant her the fruition of one boone which when hee had confirmed to her by oath shee demanded Delium to be surrendred vp for the castle was so called Diognetus being so much inchanted with her beautie and moreouer bound by the religion of his vow deliuered vp to her and the cittisens the castle Delium Of Queenes and other Ladies for diuers vertues memorable WEe reade
early to attend the king who was that day to bee entertained by the earle his father in law All things were noblie prouided and Edgar royally receiued and set to dinner some write that Ethelâ—old had caused a kitchin maid to put on his wiues habit and sit at the kings Table but I find no such matter remembered in my Author the truth is the king about the middest of dinner cald for the Earle Orgarus and demanded of him whether he had a wife or no if he had why he might not haue her companie knowing it was a generall obseruation in England that without the wiues entertainement there could be no true and heartie welcome The earle replied that at that time he was an vnhappie widdower he then demaunded whether he had any children to continue his posteritie to which he answered heauen had onely blest him with one daughter a plaine damosell yet the sole hope of his future memorie The king was then importunate to see her and commanded her to be instantly brought vnto his presence which put Ethelwold into a strange agonie yet still hoping she had done as hee had late inioyned her when shee contrarie to his expectation came in apparelled like a bride in rich and costly vestures her golden haire fairely kembed and part hanging downe in artificiall curles her head stoocke with jewells and about her neck a chaine of diamonds which gaue a wonderous addition to that beautie which naked of it selfe without any ornament was not to bee paraleld a contrarie effect it wrought in the king and her husband To Edgar she seemed some goddesse at least a miracle in nature to Ethelwold in regard of his feare a furie or what worse hee could compare her to O fraile woman in this one vanitie to appeare beautifull in the eyes of a king thou hast committed two heinous and grieuous sinnes Adulterie and Murder for accordingly it so fell out Edgar was as much surprised with her loue 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 afternoone the king would needes hunt the stagge in the forrest of Werwelly since called Hoore-wood In the chace by the appointment of Edgar Earle Ethelwold was strooke through the bodie with an arrow and so slaine the king after made Elfritha his bride and queene The Earle had a base sonne then present at the death of his father of whom the king asked how hee liked that manner of hunting to whom he answered Royall sir what seemeth good to you shal be to me no way offensiue from that time forward he was euer gratious with the king And Elfritha thinking to make attonement with heauen for the murder of her husband or rather as Ranulphus saith for causing Edward to whom she was step-mother to be slaine that her owne sonne Egelredus might raigne builded an Abbie for Nunnes at Worwell where she was after buried Gunnora IN the time that Agapitus was Pope Lewis king of Fraunce the sonne of Charles caused William Longa Spata the second duke of Normandie to bee treacherously slaine this William was sonne to Rollo The Lords of Normandie with this murder much insenced watched their aduantage and surprised the king in Rhothemage where they committed him to safe custodie till he had promised and sworne to yeeld vp Normandie to Richard sonne and immediate heire to William the late murdered duke and moreouer in what place soeuer the king and the yong duke should haue meeting to conferre that Richard should weare his sword but king Lewis neither to haue sword nor knife about him This Richard being yong was called Richard the Old he had besides another attribute giuen him which was Richard without Feare because he was neuer known to be dismayde at any thing but a third aboue these was that he pretended to be wonderous religious He was duke two and fiftie yeares and tooke a Ladie to his bed from Denmarke whose name was Gunnora by whom he had fiue sonnes and two daughters the eldest of which was married to Etheldredus king of England her name was Emma and shee was called the flower of Normandie Concerning this bold yet religious duke it is reported by Marianus lib. 2. Henricus Ranulphus and others that besides many other testimonies of his sanctitie this one made him most eminent A Monke of Andoenus in Rothomage a town in Normandie going one night to meete with his sweet heart his way lay ouer a bridge and vnder that bridge was a deepe foord or riuer it so happened that mistaking his footing hee fell into the water and there was drowned He was no sooner dead but there came to carrie away his soule an Angell and a Fiend these two contended about it the one would haue it so would the other great was the controuersie betwixt them at length they concluded to put the case to duke Richard both to stand to his arbitrement much pleading there was on both sides at length the duke gaue sentence That the soule should be restored againe to the bodie be placed againe vpon that bridge from whence he had falne and if then he would offer to goe from thence to his sweet heart the diuell 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 Monke left his way to the woman and fled to the church as to a sanctuarie whether the duke went the next day and found the Monkes clothes still wet and told the Abbot euerie circumstance as it fell out therefore the Monke was shriuen did penance was absolued and reconciled This I haue read which I persuade no man to beleeue This duke liued with the faire Gunnora long time dishonestly and without marriage had by her those children aforesaid but at length by the persuasion of the nobilitie and intercession of the cleargie he tooke her to wife The first night after the marriage when the duke came to her bed she turned her backe towards him which she had neuer done till that time at which hee maruelling demaunded of her the reason why she did so To whom she answered before I was your strumpet and therfore as a seruant was tide to doe your pleasure in althings but now I am your wife and made part of your selfe therefore henceforth I claime with you an equall soueraigntie and will doe what mee list bearing my selfe now like a princesse not like a prostitute This I am easily induced to beleeue for how soone do honoures change manners Iuuenall in his sixt Satire speaking of marriage thus sayth Semper habet lites aeternaque iurgia lectus c. The marriage bed is sildome without strife And mutuall chidinges hee that takes a wife Bargaines for mightie trouble and small rest Sleepe growes a stranger then whilest in her brest She lodgeth Passion Selfe-will Anger Feare And from her eyes drops many a
that cause many women in their modestie rather suffered themselues to perish for want of helpe than that any man should bee seene or knowne to come about them Aboue all the Athenians were most curious that no seruant or woman should learne the art of Chyrurgerie There was a damosell of that cittie that was verie industrious in the search of such mysteries whose name was Agnodice but wanting meanes to attaine vnto that necessarie skill she caused her haire to be shorne and putting on the habit of a yong man got her selfe into the seruice of one Heirophilus a Phisitian and by her industrie and studie hauing attained to the deapth of his skill and the height of her own desires vpon a time hearing where a noble ladie was in child-birth in the middest of her painfull throwes she offered her selfe to her helpe whom the modest Ladie mistaking her Sex would by no persuasion suffer to come neere her till she was forced to strip her selfe before the women and to giue euident signes of her woman-hood After which shee had accesse to many proouing so fortunate that she grew verie famous In so much that being enuied by the colledge of the Phisitians shee was complained on to the Ariopagitae or the nobilitie of the Senat such in whose power it was to censure and determine of all causes and controuersies Agnodice thus conuented they pleaded against her youth and boldnesse accusing her rather a corrupter of their chastities than any way a curer of their infirmities blaming the matrons as counterfeiting weakenesse onely of purpose to haue the companie and familiaritie of a loose and intemperate yong man They prest their accusations so farre that the Iudges were readie to proceede to sentence against herâ— when shee opening her brest before the Senat gaue manifest testimonie that she was no other than a woman at this the Phisitians the more incenst made the fact the more henious in regard that being a woman she durst enter into the search of that knowledge of which their Sex by the law was not capable The cause being once more readie to goe against her the noblest matrons of the cittie assembled themselues before the Senat and plainely told them they were rather enemies than husbands who went about to punish her that of all their Sex had beene most studious for their generall health and safetie Their importancie so farre preuailed after the circumstances were truely considered that the first decree was quite abrogated and free libertie granted to women to imploy themselues in those necessarie offices without the presence of men So that Athens was the first cittie of Greece that freely admitted of Mid-wiues by the meanes of this damosell Agnodice Of Women that suffered Martyrdome ANd of these in briefe Corona was a religious woman who suffered martyrdome vnder the tyrannie of Antonius the Emperour Her death was after this manner she was tyde by the armes and legges betwixt two trees whose stiffe branches were forced and bowed downe for the purpose the bowes being slackned and let loose her bodie was tost into the ayre and so cruelly dissâ—uered limbe from limbe Anatholia a Virgin by the seuere commaund of Faustinianus the President was transpierst with a sword Felicula as Plutarch witnesseth when by no persuasion or threats promises or torments she could be forced to renounce the Christian Faith by the command of Flaccus Comes shee was commanded to be shut vp in a Iakes and there stifled to death Murita had likewise the honour of a Martyr who being banished by Elphedorus a certaine Arrian opprest with cold and hunger most miseraby died Hyrene the Virgin because shee would not abiure her faith and religion was by Sisimmius shot through with an arrow The like death suffered the martyr Christiana vnder Iulian the Apostata Paulina a Roman Virgin and daughter to the Prefect Artemius was with her mother Candida stoned to death by the commaund of the tyrant Dioclesian Agatho virgo Catanensis was strangled in prison by the command of the Consâ—ll Quintianus Theodora a Virgin of Antioch was beheaded by the tyrannie of Dioclesian Iulia Countes of Eulalia suffered the same death vnder the President Diaconus Margaritu a maide and a martyr had her head cut off by Olibrius Zoâ— the wife of Nicostratus was nayled vnto a crosse and so ended her life partly with the torture of the gybbet and partly with the smoke that the executioner made at the foot of the gallowes suffocated Iulia Carthagensis because she would not bow to Idolls and adore the false heathen gods but was a constant professor of the true Christian faith was martyred after the selfe same manner Emerita the sister of Lucius king of England who had the honour to be called the first Christian king of this countrie shee suffered for the Faith by fire Alexandria was the wife of Dacianus the President who being conuerted to the Faith by blessed saint George was therefore by the bloodie murderer her husbands owne hands strangled Maximianus the sonne of Dioclesian with his owne hands likewise slew his naturall sister Artemia because that forsaking all Idolatrie shee prooued a conuertite to the true Christian Faith Flauia Domicilla a noble Ladie of Rome was banished into the Isle Pontia in the fifteenth yeare of the raigne of Domitian for no other reason but that shee constantly professed her selfe to bee a Christian. These two following suffered persecution vnder Antonius Verus in France Blondina who is sayd to wearie her tormentors patiently induring more than they could malitiously inflict in so much that before shee fainted they confessed themselues ouercome she readie still to suffer and beare when they had not blows to giue for as oft as she spake these words I am a Christian neither haue I committed any euill she seemed to the spectators of her martyrdome to bee so refreshed and comforted from aboue that she felt no paine or anguish in the middest of her torture and in that patience she continued without alteration euen to the last gaspe Biblis one that before through her womanish weakenesse had fainted for feare of torments comming to see her with others executed was so strengthened to behold their constancie that as it were awakened out of her former dreame and comparing those temporall punishments which lasted but a moment with the eternall paines of Hell fire gaue vp her selfe freely for the Gospels sake Dionisius in an Epistle to Fabius Bishop of Antioch reckons vp those that suffered martyrdome vnder Decius the Emperour Quinta a faithfull woman was by the Infidels brought into a Temple of their Idolls vnto which because she denied diuine adoration they bound her hand and foot and most inhumanly dragged her along the streets vpon the sharpe stones but when that could not preuaile with her they beat her head and sides and bruised them against Mill-stones that done shee was pitiously scourged and lastly bloodily executed The same Lictors layd hands on Appolonia a Virgin
c. The same author lib. 2. speakes of one Tiburna Saguntina the wife of one Marhus a braue and bold female warrior Zenobia queene of the Palmyrians after the death of her husband Odenatus tooke vpon her the imperiall regencie and made tributarie the kingdome of Syria neither feared shee to take armes against the Emperour Aurelianus by whom she was ouercome and led in triumph but when it was obiected to Caesar as a dishonour and reproach that he had triumpht ouer a woman he answered It was no disgrace at all being ouer such a woman as excelled most men in Masculine vertue Of whom Pontanus thus speakes Qualis Aethiopum quondam sitientibus aruis In fuluum regina gregem c. As did the Aethiopian queene In the dry fields of old Incounter with the yellow heards whose rough haires shin'd like gold Opposing the sterne Lions paw Alone and without ayde To see whom wrestle men aloofe stood quaking and afraid Such 'tweene two warlike hosts appeares This Amasonian Queene Zenobia with her strong bow arm'd And furnisht with shafts keene Hypsicrataea the wife of Mithridates was still present with him in battaile and left him in no danger cutting her haire short least it should offend her when she put on her beauer Artimesia queene of Caria after the death of her husband was admired through Greece who not onely in a nauall expedition ouercame the inuading Rhodians but pursued them euen vnto their owne coasts and tooke possession of the Island amidst whose ruines she caused her owne glorious statue to be erected of whom Herodotus thus writes I cannot wonder sufficiently at this warlike queene Artimesia who vnforced and vncompeld followed the expedition of Xerxes against Greece out of her owne manly courage and excellencie of spirit She was the daughter of Lydamus her father was of Halicarnassus her mother of Creete shee furnished fiue shippes of her owne charge with Halicarnassaeans Coeans Nisirians and Calidnians in the great sea fight neere Salamine to behold which battaile Xerxes had retired himselfe and stood but as a spectator Iustine lib. 2. saith There was to bee seene in Xerxes womanish feare in Artimesia manly audacitie for shee demeaned herselfe in that battaile to the admiration of all men of whose ships the king taking especiall notice but not knowing to whom they belonged nor in whose management they then were one spake to the king and said Great Lord behold you not how brauely the queene Artimesia beares her selfe this dayâ— the king would not at first beleeue that such resolution could bee in that Sex at length when notwithstanding her braue seruice hee perceiued his nauie beaten and put to flight he sighing thus said All my men this day haue shewed themselues women and there is but one woman amongst them and she onely hath shewed herselfe a man Many of the most illustrious persons dyed that day as also of the Meades amongst whom was the great captaine Aria Begnes the sonne of Darius and brother of Xerxes Cleopatra queene of Aegypt the daughter of Dionisius Auletes after the death of Iulius Caesar hauing taken Antonius in the bewitching snares of her beautie shee was not contented with the kingdomes of Aegypt Syria and Arabia but she was ambitious to soueraignise ouer the Roman Empire in which though she fayled it shewed as inuincible a spirit in the attempt as shee exprest an vnmatched courage in the manner of her voluntary death Cyrus the Persian inuading the Messagets and Scythians of which Tomyris then raigned queene she sent against him her onely sonne Spargapises with a puissant army to beat him back againe beyond the riuer Araxes which he had late with a mightie host traiected But the young man not inured to the stratagems and policies of warre suffered his souldiours in the height of wine and surfets to be inuaded his tents rifled his army defeated and himselfe taken prisoner by Cyrus To whom the queene sent to this purpose Thou hast surprised my sonne by fraud not strength by deceit not warre be now counselled by me Returne me the Prince and with the honour to haue vanguisht the third part of my people vnpunished depart out of my countrey which if thou dost not I vow by the Sunne the Lord and God to which the Messagets giue due adoration that I will quench thy thirst beest thou neuer so much insatiate of blood This message being deliuered to Cyrus he regarded it not but held it as the vaine boast of a franticke woman But Spargapises the sonne of Tomyris being awaked from the drowsinesse of wine and perceiuing into what mischiefe he was falne intreated Cyrus he might be released from his bonds to which the Persian granted who no sooner found his legges vnbound and his hands at libertie but he instantly catcht hold of a weapon with which he slew himselfe The queene hauing intelligence of the death of her sonne and withall that Cyrus gaue no heed to her admonition collected a puissant armie of purpose to giue him battaile who inticed him by a counterfeit flight into certaine straits of her countrey where hauing ambusht her men she fell vpon the Persians and made of them an infinite slaughter to the defeating of their whole host In this strange and bloody execution Cyrus himselfe fell whose body Tomyris caused to be searcht for and being found filled a vessell with blood into which commanding his head to be throwne shee thus insultingly spake Of human blood in thy life thou weart insatiate and now in thy death thou mayst drinke thy fill The fashions of the Messagets are after this manner described by Herodotus Their habit and their food is according to the Scythians they fight as well on horsebacke as on foot being expert in both they are both archers and lanciers in all their weapons armour or caparisons vsing gold and brasse in the heads of their speares their quiuers their daggers and other armour they were brasse but whatsoeuer belongs to the head or to the belt is of the purest gold the breast-plates of their horses and what belongs to their trappings and caparisons are buckled and studded with brasse but that which appertaines to the headstall or raines is of gold of yron and siluer they haue small vse or none as being rare in their countrey but gold and brasse they haue in aboundance Euery man marrieth a wife but not to his owne peculiar vse for they keepe them in common for what the Greeks in this kind remember of the Scythians they do not it is customable onely amongst the Messagets if any man haue an appetite to a woman he onely hangs his quiuer vpon the next bough prostitutes her in publike without taxation or shame There is no limit proposed to terminate their liues when any growes old his neighbours about him make a generall meeting and with great ceremony after the manner of a sacrifice cause him to be slain with
fire Vpon whose smooth brow cannot â—it a frowne She can make flints seeme feathers bare boords downe I will now trouble thy patience gentle Reader with a discourse that hath in it more mirth than murther and more sport than spight and yet a touch of both A mad fellow newly married had onely one yong child by his wife of some quarter old whom he deerely and tenderly loued as being his first but he was much giuen to good fellowship and shee altogether addicted to sparing and good huswiferie still when he vsed to come merrie from the tauerne where he had beene frollicke with his boone companions she being as sparing of his purse as prodigall of her tongue for she was little better than a skold would often vpbraide him with his expences that what hee wasted at the Tauerne were better bestowed at home that he spent both his mony time and that being so often drunke it was preiudiciall both to his bodie and estate with many such matron-like exhortations but alwaies concluding her admonitions with a vow That if euer he came home againe in that pickle shee would happen what could come fling the child into the moat for the house was moated about It hapned about some two daies after that he reuelling till late in the euening in a cold frostie winters night and she hauing intelligence by her scouts where he was then drinking and making no question but he would come home flustred she commanded her maide to conueigh the infant to the further part of the house and to wrap the cat in the blankets and put it in the cradle and there to sit and rocke it presently home comes the husband shee falls to her old lesson and beginnes to quarrell with him and he with her Ill words begot worse and much leaud language there was betwixt them when the woman on the sudden stepping to the cradle hauing spyde her aduantage I haue long sayth she threatned a mischiefe and that reuenge I cannot worke on thee come dogs come diuells I will inflict vpon the brat in the cradle and instantly snatching it vp in her armes ran with it to the moate side and flung it into the middle of the water which the poore affrighted man following her and seeing leauing to pursue her and crying saue the child ô saue the child in that bitter cold night leapt vp to the elbowes in water and waded till hee brought out the mantell and with much paine comming to the shore and still crying alas my poore child opened the cloathes at length the frighted cat crying mewe being at libertie leapt from betwixt his armes and ran away the husband was both amased and vexed the woman laught at her reuenge and retyred her selfe and the poore man was glad to reconcile the difference before she would yeeld to allow him either fire or dry linnen Considering this me thinkes it was not amisse answered of a gentleman who being persuaded by a friend of his not to marry with such a gentlewoman to whom hee was a suitor his reasons alleadged were because she had no quicke and voluble tongue neither was she of any fine witte or capacitie to whom he instantly replyde I desire to haue a woman to bee my wife that shall haue no more tongue to answer mee to a question than yea or nay or to haue more wit than to distinguish her husbands bed from another mans Another woman hauing a husband who customably came drunke home and shrinking from his stoole or chaire would oft fall vpon the floore and there lie along stil when she cald him to bed he would answer her Let me alone the tenement is mine owne and I may lye where I list so long as I pay rent for the house Some few nights after comming home in the like tune and sitting asleepe in a chaire before the chimney his wife being gone to bed presently the man falls into the fire the maide cryes out to her Mistresse Oh mistresse my master is falne and lyes in the fire euen in the midst of all the fire shee lay still and turning her on the other side sayd so long as hee payes rent for the house he may lye where he please But to more serious businesse for I haue now done sporting Of English Viragoes And of Ioan de Pucil OF Guendoline the wife of king Locrine and daughter to Corinaeus duke of Cornwall I shall take more occasion to speake at large in the discourse of the beautifull Estreld Elphleda was sister to king Edward before the conquest sirnamed the fourth she was wife to Etheldredus duke of Mercia who assisted her husband in the restoring of the citie of Chester after it had beene destroyed and demolished by the Danes encompassing it with new walls he was generall to the king in all his expeditions against the Danes in the last battaile that he fought against them at a place cald Toten Hall in Staffordshire hee gaue them a mightie auerthrow but a greater at Wooddensfield where were slaine two kings two Earles and of the souldiours many thousands which were of the Danes of Northumberland In this battaile were the king and Elphleda both present Soone after this victorie Etheldredus dyed and she gouerned many yeres after him in all Mercia or middle England except in the two cities of London and Oxford which the king her brother reserued to himself She builded many cities and townes and repayred others as Thatarne Brimsbury the bridge vpon Seuerne Tamwoorth Liechfield Stafford Warwicke Shrewsbury Watrisbury Edisbury in the Forrest besides Chester which is since vttery defaced and destroied Also shee built a cittie and a castle in the North part of Mercia which then was cald Runcofan and after Runcorn Thus farre Ranulphus William de regib with others giue her this noble character This Lady hauing once assayde the throwes of childbirth would neuer after bee drawne to haue any carnall societie with her husband alleaging that it was not sitting or seemely for a woman of her degree being a princesse a kings daughter and a kings sister to inure herselfe to such wanton embraces wherof should ensue so great paine and sorrow She tamed the Welchmen and in many conflicts chased the Danes after whose death the king tooke the prouince of Mercia intirely into his owne hand disinherited her daughter Elswina whom he led with him into West-Saxon Henricus lib. 5. hath left this Epitaph as a memoriall ouer her Tombe Oh Elphlede mightie both in strength and mind The dread of men and victoresse of thy kind Nature hath done as much as nature can To make thee maide but goodnesse makes the man Yet pittie thou should'st change ought saue thy name Thou art so good a woman and thy fame In that growes greater and more worthie when Thy feminine valour much out-shineth when Great Caesars acts thy noble deeds excell So sleepe in peace Virago maide farewell Much to this purpose hath Treuisa expressed
against all Law or Iustice to behold me against reason or modestie naked Gyges at these words was first wonderously amazed but after recollecting himselfe entreated her not to compell him to so hard an exigent as to the choyse of eyther But finding that necessitie that he must be forced to one or the other to kill the king or to be slaine by others he rather made choyse to suruiue and let the other perish and thus answered her Since generous Ladie you vrge me to an enterprise so much opposite to my milder nature and disposition propose some safe course how this may be done Euen sayth she in the selfe-same place where he deuised this mischiefe against himselfe namely his bed-chamber where to thee I was first discouered Therefore prouiding all things necessarie for so determinate a purpose and the night comming on Gyges who knew no euasion but to kill his maister or dye himselfe awaited his best aduantage and hauing notice when Candaules was asleepe followed the queene into her chamber and with a Ponyard by her prouided for the purpose stabbed him to the heart by which hee attayned both the queene and kingdome Of this historie Archilochus Parius makes mention in his Iambicks who liued about the same time affirming That Gyges was by the Oracle of Delphos confirmed in the kingdome after the Faction of the Heraclides had opposed his soueraigntie Rowan and Estrilda ROwan was a maid of wonderfull beautie and pleasantnesse daughter to Hengest a captaine of the Saxons Of this Ladie Vortiger then king grew so enamored that for her sake hee was diuorced from his wife by whom hee had three sonnes for which deed the greatest part of the Brittaines forsooke him therefore hee by the instigation of Rowan still caused more and more Saxons to be sent for vnder pretence to keepe the Land in subiection But the Brittaines considering the dayly repayre of the Saxons came to the King and told him the danger that might ensue entreating him whilest it waâ— yet time and to preuent a future miserie to expell them the Land But all in â—aine for Vortiger was so besotted in the beautie of his faire wife by whose counsaile he was altogether swayed that he would in no wise listen to the counsaile of his subiects Wherefore they with one vnited consent depriued him of his Crowne and dignitie making Vortimerus his eldest sonne king in his stead Who was no sooner crowned but with all expedition he raysed an armie and pursued the Saxons and in foure maine battailes besides conflicts and skirmishes became victorious ouer them The Saxons and their insolencies thus supâ—â—est and the king now gouerning the Land in peace after he had reigned seuâ—â— yeeres was by this Rowan in reuenge of the disgrace done to her king deposed and her countreymen disgraced most trecherously poysoned Locrin the eldest sonne of Brute chased the Hunnes which inuaded the realme of England and so hotely pursued them that many of them with their king were drowned in a riuer which parteth England and Scotland and after the name of the king of the Hunnes who there perished the riuer is to this day called Humbar This king Locrin had to wife â—â—â—â—doline a daughter of Coriâ—eus duke of Cornwall by whom he had a sonne calâ—â—d Madâ—n He kept also a Paramour called the beautifull Ladie Estrilda by whom hee had a daughter called Sabrina Locrine after the death of Corineus of whom he stood in awe diuorsed himselfe from his lawfull wife and tooke to his embraces his faire concubine mooued with this iniurie Guendoline retired herselfe into Cornewall where she gathered a great power fought with her husband slew him in battaile and after caused him to be buried in Troy-nouant That done she caused the faire Estrilda with her daughter Sabrina to be drowned in a riuer that which parts England and Wales which still beares the name of the yong Virgin and is called Seuerne These her dessignes accomplished for so much as Madun her yong sonne was but in his pupillage and not of capacitie or age to gouerne the Land by the common sufferage of all the Brittons she was made Protectoresse and Ladie Regent of the kingdome which to the comfort of the subiects and the weale of the kingdome she discreetly gouerned for the space of fifteene yeares and therefore her memorie might fitly haue beene rancked amongst the most Illustrious women Her sonne comming to age and yeares of discretion shee to him resigned the Scepter The Faire ladie of Norwich ANd now because wee traffique altogether with Historie it shall not bee amisse sometimes to mingle Seria Iocis as shall appeare by this discourse which I haue often heard related A knight both of same and memorie and whose name is still vpon record beeing eminent and of note with Henrie the fift as personally with him in all the warres in France after the king had both conquered and quieted the Land this noble Englishman retyred himselfe into his countrey He had a Ladie that was of such beautie that she attracted the eyes of all beholders with no common admiration in briefe I cannot speake of her feature sufficiently as being farre beyond the compasse of my penne and therefore I put her into the number of my Faire ones This ladie with her husband residing in the cittie of Norwich He after so many troubles and torments purposed a more sequestred life and next the solace he had in the beautie and vertues of his wife to take a course meerely contemplatiue and thought out of the aboundance of his wealth to doe some pious deeds for the good of his soule hee therefore erected in the cittie and neere to the place where his house stood a goodly Church at his owne charge and betwixt them a Religous house that entertained twelue Friers and an Abbot allowing them demeanes competent for so small a brother-hood In this couent there were two Frier Iohn and Frier Richard these were still at continuall enmitie and especiall notice taken of it amongst the rest which by no mediation could be truely reconciled but omitting that it was custome of the knight and his ladie dayly to rise to morning Mattins and she being affable and courteous to all it bred a strange inciuile boldnesse in Frier Iohn for she neuer came through the cloyster but he was still with duckes and cringes attending her which she suspecting nothing simply with modest smiles returned thankes to him againe which grew so palpable in the Frier that as farre as they durst it was whispered in the couent Briefly after these incouragements as he constered them it bred in him that impudencie that he presumed to write a letter to her in which he layde open a great deale of more than necessarie loue This letter with great difficultie came to her hand at which the ladie astonished as not dreaming that such leaudnesse should come from one that professed chastitie and not knowing whether it might be a tricke
them with garlands vpon their heads of which whilest some are called apart others still returne for their passages to and fro are distinguished by small cords or strings which direct strangers vnto such women to whom they are most addicted But of these not any returne to their houses after they haue once tooke vp their seats till some clyent hath cast some coyne or other into her lappe be it neuer so small or great and haue had carnall companie with her in a sequestred place of the Temple which done hee is to say So much I did owe thee ô goddesse Melitta Nor was any woman to refuse the money that was offered her whatsoeuer it were because it was to be employed in their supposed pious vses Neyther was it lawfull for a woman to refuse any man but she was compelled to follow him that cast the first coyne into her apron This beeing done it was lawfull for her to mingle her selfe in prostitution with whom she pleased The fairest and most beautifull were for the most part soonest dispatcht but others that haue beene vgly and deformed haue beene forced to sit in the Temple some one some two some three yeeres and vpwards before they could meet with any by whose helpe they might giue satisfaction to the Law returne to their owne houses and make vse of their free libertie The like custome though not in euerie particular was in Cyprus Amongst the Caunians a people in Coria there was a yeerely conuention of yong men and women to the like purpose as the same Author in the same booke affirmes Aelianus de var. Histor. lib. 4. sayth That the Lydian women before their marriage presented themselues for gaine till they had purchased to themselues a competent dowrie but hauing once selected a husband they from that time liued in all continence and chastitie From this generalitie I come to particulars and first of Thais Shee was a strumpet of Corinth whose beautie bewitched all the Atticke youth Her the Greeke Poet Menander in his workes most celebrated of whom shee was called Menandraea Clitarchus specifies vnto vs That shee was much beloued of Alexander the Great at whose request after the conquest of Cyrus all the Imperiall Pallaces in Persepolis with the greatest part of the citie were set on fire and burned downe to the earth This strumpet after the death of Alexander was marryed to the first Ptolomey of Aegypt by whom she had two sonnes Leontiscus and Lagus with one daughter called Irene whom Solon king of Cyprus after tooke to wife Lamia was a Courtizan of Athens and entyred to Demetrius a lord of many Nations insomuch that in his Armour and Crowne with his Imperiall Diademe he was often seene publikely to enter her roofe to conuerse with her and eate at her Table It had beene lesse dishonour for so great a person to haue giuen her meeting more priuately In this one thing Diodorus the Minstrell was preferred before Demetrius who being diuerse times sent for to this Courtezans house refused to come This Lamia was wont as Aelianus Lib. 12. reports to compare the Greekes to Lyons and the Ephesians to Wolues Gnathana was of the same countrey and borne in Athens of whom it is thus remembred A noble fellow drawne as farre as the Hellespont by the attractiue fame of her beautie shee gaue him both meeting and entertainment of which he growing proud and somewhat insolent vsing much loquacitie and superfluous language being in the heat of wine and lust shee asked him Whether as he pretended he came from the Hellespont To whom he answered He did She replyed And doe you know the name of the chiefe citie there He told her Yes She then desired him to giue it name Hee told her it was called Sygaeum By which shee ingeniously reproued his verbositie since Syga of which Greeke word the citie takes denomination signifieth silence and taciturnitie Of her prompt and wittie answeres the Poet Machon sets downe many for shee was held to bee wondrous facetious and scoffing and exceedingly beloued of the Poet Diphilus Lynceus likewise remembers many things concerning her Pausonius Lacus beeing dauncing in her presence in doing a loftie tricke aboue ground and not able to recouer himselfe hee fell headlong into a Vessell that stood by See sayth she Lacus in cadum incidit i. The Poole hath powred himselfe into the Vessell Lacus not only signifies a Poole but a Vessell which receiueth the wine when it is pressed Another offering her a small quantitie of wine in a great and large Bole and told her withall That it was at least seuenteene yeeres old Truly answered she it is wondrous little of the age Two young men in the heat of wine quarrelling about her and going to buffets to him that had the worst shee thus said Despayre not youth Non enim Coronarium est certamen sed Argenteum i. This was a prize for Money onely not for a Garland When one had giuen her faire daughter who was of the same profession a piece of Gold valued at a pound and had receiued no more than labour for his trauaile and bare lookes for his money to him she said Thou for this pound art made free of my daughter as those that are admitted into the schoole of Hyppomachus the maisterwrastler who oft times see him play but seldome prooue his strength admire his skill but neuer trie his cunning Many such with great elegancie came frequently from her for as Lynceus sayth of her shee was Concinna admodum vrbana Aristodemus in his second booke Ridiculorum memorab relates That when two men had bargained for her at once a souldier and a meane fellow the souldier in great contumelie called her Lacus or Lake Why doe you thus nick-name me sayth she because you two flouds fall into me Lycus and Liber Lycus is a riuer not farre from Laodicea which sometimes runneth vnder the earth and in many places bursteth vp againe Shee writ a booke which shee called Lex Conuinalis imitating the Philosophers of those times who had compiled workes of the like subiect The proiect of her booke was how her guests ought to behaue themselues at Table towards her and her daughter The like Law Callimachus composed in three hundred and three and twentie Verses Rhodope was a Curtesan of Aegypt one that by her prostitution came to such a masse of wealth that she of her own priuate charge caused to be erected a magnificent Pyramis equalling those that were raised by the greatest Princes Sapho calls her Dorica and makes her the mistresse of her brother Charaxus vpon whom he spent and consumed all his fortunes euen to the vtmost of penurie of whom Ouid thus writes Arsit inops frater c. Aelianus and others report her for a woman most beautifull who bathing herselfe in a pleasant and cleere fountaine in her garden her handmaides attending her with all things necessarie vpon a sudden an Eagle sowsing downe snatched
and hard-fauoured woman one of the guests that sat with him at the Table being in his cups could not contayne himselfe but said aloud O Anacharsis you haue marryed a wife deformed enough to whom the Philosopher with great modestie replyed I haue indeed but Boy sayth he calling to one that attended on the Cup-board Fill the gentleman more Wine and shee will then appeare to him sufficiently beautifull more taunting his intemperance than hee her deformitie As Ouid speakes of the Night so may it be said of Wine Nocte latent menda The Night hides faults the Midnight houre is blind And no mis-shap'd deformitie can find Martial Lib. 3. describes one Vetustina Shee hath sayth hee onely three teeth and three hayres the breast of a Grasse-hopper the legge of an Ant the belly of a Spider a rough and rugged brow her mouth in smyling shewed like the Crocodiles her voyce in singing like the Frogges and Gnats her face like the Owles and her sauour like the Goates with other such like offensiue imperfections The same Author Lib. 1. speakes of Philenis Oculo Phileâ—is semper altero plorat Quo fiat istud quaeris modo Lusea est Philenis seemes with one eye still to mone Would'st thou the reason know she hath but one I see no cause why any man should mocke such imperfections as come by nature therefore I commend the answer of a gentlewoman who being followed by a gallant at the heeles and seeing her to be of an vpright and straight bodie slender wasted and cleane legged hee commended her in his thoughts for an exceeding proper and well-limb'd woman who mending his pace to ouertake her and spying her masked entreated her in courtesie to vnpinne her maske with purpose to kisse her but seeing her face to be swartie and somewhat wrinckled and not according to his expectation answering to the other parts of her bodie Mistresse saith he I had purposed to haue begged a kisse of you had I liked you before as well as I did behind Then Sir quoth shee so please you you haue leaue to kisse me where you best like The Persians affect such as haue hooked noses those the Greekes call Gripos and such they hold to beautifie the face best because Cyrus to which nation no kings memorie was euer dearer had his nose so fashioned There are of those two kinds one which in the discent from the brow instantly riseth in the fashion of a Crowes byll and such sayth Aristotle is a marke of Impudence the second hath his bending separate from the brow and the swelling in the middle part of the nose like a Hawkes byll and those are the markes of Courage and Beautie and such we tearme a Hawkes nose or a Roman nose I know not which of these it was the wench had of whom Sir Thomas Moore compiled his Epigram which was after this manner A louely Lasse that had a Roman nose Meeting with Tyndarus he would haue kist her But when he should haue met her at the close I would quoth he but cannot kisse you sister For had not your egregious long Nose bin I would haue kiss'd your lips and not your thin The poore wench blusht and burnt with secret ire Which set her changing colour all on flame And saith to him To furnish your desire Since that you faine would kisse and craue the same Because my Nose no more shall let your will Kisse where is none there freely take your fill Thus you see euen the greatest schollers and grauest men will sometimes make sport with the Muses Many other things there are which blast the brightest beauties making women loathed where they haue beene most liked their number is infinite Amongst many I will giue you a taste of one borrowed from an Elegie in Ouid which beares Title Ad Amicam to his Mistresse that demaunded hyre for her prostitution As faire as she that made two husbands iarre Raysing 'twixt Troy and Greece a Ten-yeeres warre As bright as feathered Laeda great Ioues rape She that was chang'd into a Swan-like shape As faire as Amimone euen so bright Were you my Mistresse That which Poets write Of metamorphos'd Ioue how ost Loue chang'd him And from his owne celestiall shape estrang'd him To an Eagle or a Bull I fear'd least hee Would likewise from high heauen descend on thee I am not iealous now my feare is vanisht And the hot ardor of Affection banisht My fire is cool'd Reason re'assumes his place And now me thinkes thou hast not thine owne face Do'st thou demand why I am chang'd Behold The cause I le tell thee thou didst aske me gold Thou look'st that for my pleasure I should pay And that alone doth fright me still away Whil'st thou wert simple and in all things kind I with thy sweet proportion lik'd thy mind Thou now art cunning growne what hath that gayn'd Thy bodies beautie by thy mind is stayn'd c. And after proceedes thus Looke on the beasts that in the medowes stray Shall women beare more sauage minds than they What gifts doe Kane from the rude Bulls enforce What price demands the Mare of the proud Horse Or of the Ram the Ewe they 'le comple twice Before they once debate vpon a price Women alone haue learnt to bargaine well Their pleasures borne with them alone they sell Alone they prize the night and at a rate Chaffer themselues to strangers O vile state Alone for mutuall pastime Coyne they craue And ere they sport aske first What shall I haue That which delighteth both to which both run And but by ioint assistance is not done The pleasures which we both on euen-hand try Why should one partie sell the other buy Why should the sweetes which we alike sustaine To me be double tosse thee double gaine That which comes freely much by that we set Thou giu'st it me and I am still in debt The loue that 's hyr'd is plainely sold and bought Thou hast thy price and then I owe thee nought Then ô you Faire-ones all such thoughts expell What Nature freely giues you spare to sell Let not your bodies to base vse be lent ,Goods leaudly got are euer loosely spent c. And with this gentle admonition I take leaue as well of the Faire as the Deformed Explicit Liber Quintus Inscriptus TERPSICHORE THE SIXT BOOKE Inscribed ERATO Treating of Chast Women and of Women Wantons ERATO signifies Loue of which there are but two kinds that is the loue of Vertue or of Vice then vnder what Muse could I more properly patronize the Chast and the Wanton But me thinkes I heare some of our Critickes murmure and say Whither doth this man purpose to wander that hath lost his way and gone too farre alreadie Hee might doe well to breake off here and leaue it to some other heads eyther more ingeniously wittie or more grauely serious To such I make the same answere that Bishop Bonner did once to Henry the eight