the Queene and to Mordecai behold I have given Esther the house of Haman whom they have hanged upon the tree because hee presumed to lay hands upon the Iewes write ye also for them as it liketh you in my name and seale it with my Ring for the writings are written in my name and sealed with my Ring may no man revoke Then were the Kings Scribes called who wrote according to al that Mordecai did dictate unto them unto the Iewes and to the Princes and Captaines and Governours of the Provinces which were from India even unto Aethiopia an hundred and seven and twenty Provinces and unto every Province in such Letters and Language as was used amongst the people that lived therein which having sealed with the Kings Ring he sent them by posts on Horsebacke and those that rode upon beasts of price as Dromidaries and Mules in which the King granted liberty to the Iewes that in what Cities soever they were resident to assemble themselves together and stand for their lives and to roote out and destroy all the power of that people and that province which vexed them both men women and children and to make spoile of their goods so the posts went forth to execute the Kings Commandement and the decree was given in Shushan the pallace Then Mordecai went out from the King in Royall apparell of blew and white and with a great Crowne of gold upon his head and with a garment of fine linnen and purple and the Iewes in the City rejoyced and were glad to whom was come light and joy and gladnesse and honour and in all and every Province and in all and every City and place where the Kings Commandement and Decree was read there was great rejoycing a feast and a good day and many of the people of the Land became Iewes for the feare of the Nation fell upon them Now when this Decree grew neare to be put in execution in the day that their enemies hoped to have power over them It is worthy observation that Gods great providence turneth the joy of the wicked into sorrow and the teares of the godly into gladnesse for the Iewes gathered themselves together into their Cities throughout all the Dominions of King Abasuerus to lay hands on such as sought their dammage and no man durst withstand them for the feare of them fell upon all the people and the Rulers of the Provinces Princes Captaines and Officers of the King Exalted the Iewes did them honour and showed them friendship for the feare of Queene Esther and Mordecai was upon them For he still grew in favour power and honour greater and greater Thus the Iewes smote all their enemies with the sword with slaughter and destruction and what seemed pleasing in their owne eyes unto all those who had conspired their death by the instigation of wicked Haman At Shushan they slew five hundred men as also the ten sonnes of Haman but they laid not their hands on the spoyle and their number was brought unto the King Who said unto Queene Esther thy people have slaine in Shushan the pallace five hundred men and the ten sonnes of Haman what have they done in the rest of the Provinces and what is thy petition further that it may be given thee or what is thy request moreover that it may be performed unto thee then said Esther if it please the King let it be granted also that they may hang upon the tree Hamans ten sonnes and the King gave present order that it should be so done The Iewes also that were in Shushan assembled themselves upon the foureteenth day of the moneth Adar and slew of their enemies three hundred men but they laid not their hands on the spoyle and the rest of the Iewes that were in the Kings provinces assembled themselves and stood up for their lives and slew them that hated them seventy and five thousand but on the spoyle laid they no hand So they kept solemne the foureteenth and the fifteenth dayes of the moneth Adar which was the twelfth moneth in memory of their great deliverance by the hand of Esther which dayes were turned unto them from sorrow unto joy and from mourning into a glad season to keepe them as dayes of solemnity and feasting in which they sent presents every man unto his neighbour and gifts to the poore Thus raigned shee a blessed Mother in Israel and Mordecai was the second man in the Kingdome next to Ahashuerosh who was great amongst the Iews and accepted of his Brethren who procured the wealth of his people and spake peaceably unto all his seede and whose dignity and honours done unto him by the King are written at large in the Booke of the Chronicles of the Kings of Medâ—a and Persia. OF THE THREE WORTHIE WOMEN AMONG THE HEATHEN Whose Names are Bunduca Penthisilaea Artimethia BVNDVCA HOw much O Brittaine are we bound to thee Mother and Nurse of magnanimity Of which thou from antiquity hast lent Vnto all ages famous president Witnes this British Queen whose masculine spirit Shall to all future glorious fame inherit Beyond all tongues or pens who may be proud Not thunders voyce can speake it self more loud Of whom although our moderne Authors wrote But sparingly least they should seeme to dote Too much upon their Natives forraigne inke Hath beene so lavish it would make man thinke Her valour inexpressible Tacitus Made her his ample theame and to discusse Her gifts were Dio's labour Xiphiline With many others made her acts divine As above all womans performance farre To whom I onely leave this Character This British Queen whom just incensment fires Against the Roman Monarchy conspires And her revenge more hotly to pursue Of their best souldiers fourescore thousand slew Whose name all other glories might transcend Had not adverse fate crost her in the end THE FIRST OF THE THREE WOMEN WORTHIES AMONGST THE HEATHEN CALLED BVNDVCA THis Bunduca cald also by severall Authours Boodicia Boudicea Voadica and Bowndvica was the dowager Queen of Prasutagus King of the Iceni a Province which contained foure shires in England and was one of the prime of the Sceptarchy who all the time of his raigne remained in amity with the Romans and was reckoned amongst their sociall Kings who having disposed of his kingdome to Nero Caesar then Emperour and to his owne two daughters intending that having Caesar their guardian and in hope of his favour towards them receiving a childs part that they should be Queenes of their owne shires or co-partners after their Mother which being ratified by his last will and testament he deceased But the daughters poore Ladies found but a sorry partnership where the Lion was to make the partition For Neroeâ— Captaines and Officers exercised intollerable violence throughout the Kingdome and not the least upon them for the Pallace of Prasutagus their Father as also his great Riches which were abundant and long in gathering together with his
honour of his great Majesty which continued for the space of an hundred and fourescore dayes which time being expired he made a second feast for the people that were found in the pallace of Shushan which continued seven dayes in the Court of the Garden of the Kings Pallace under an hanging of white greene and blew clothes fastened with cords of fine linnen and purple in silver rings and pillars of Marble the beds were of gold and of silver upon a pavement of porphyre and marble and alablaster and blew colour and their drinke was filled in vessels of gold and they changed vessell after vessell and there was royall wine in abundance according to the power of the King and their drinking was by order no man was compeld for the King had given a charge to all the officers of his house that every man should drinke according to his owne pleasure The Queene Vasthi made also a feast for the women in the royall house of the King now it happened that upon the seventh day which was the last of the feast that Ahasuerus being merry with Wine commanded the seven chiefe Eunuches that waited in his presence to bring the Queene before him with the Crowne Royall upon her head that he might shew the Princes and the People her beauty for shee was exceeding faire to looke upon but the Queene refused to come at the Kings sending for wherefore he was very angry and his wrath was kindled in him then the King said to thē wise men who knew the times and had experience in the Law and the Iudgements who were next him and saw the Kings face and sate the first in the Kingdome whose names were Carshena Shethar Admatha Tarshis Meres Marsena and Memucan what shall we doe unto the Queene according to the Law because shee hath refused to doe the Kings pleasure by the Commission of the Eunuches To which Memucan stood up and answered the Queene Vasthi hath not in this act of disobedience done evill unto the King onely but to all the Princes and to all the people of the Empire for this act of the Queene when it shall come abroad unto the women they shall by her example despise their husbands and say King Ahasuerus commanded the Queene Vasthi to be brought before him but she denyed to come So also shall the Princesses of Persia of Media and Chaldea say unto the Princes their Husbands which shall be the occasion of much despitefulnesse and wrath Obedience sheweth nurture but rebellion corrupt nature and whosoever obey their Superiours instruct their Inferiours The humble and obedient gaine honour but the stubborne and obstinate reproofe obedience formeth peace establisheth common weales and prevents disorders for obedience to the Law is the mainetenance of the Law c. Now therefore if it please the King let a Royall decree passe from him and let it be written amongst the Lawes of Persia and Media not to be transgressed that Queene Vasthi come no more into his presence but let the King dispose of her estate to her Companion who is better and more obedient then she which Decree when it shall be published through all your large Dominions the women shall give unto their husbands all due worship and honour which saying much pleased the King and the Princes and he did after the words of Memucan publishing unto all Nations and Languages that every man had power to beare rule in his owne house after these things when the Kings wrath was appeased those that ministred unto him said let them seeke for the King beautifull young Virgins and Officers be appointed through all his Provinces to bring them unto the pallace of Shushan and the maide that shall best please the King let her raigne in the stead of Vasthi and the saying pleased the King There was at that time in the City of Shushan a Iew whose name was Mordecai which implyeth bitter or Contrition who was the sonne of Iair the sonne of Shimei the sonne of Kish a man of Iemini who had beene carryed away in the captivity from Ierusalem with Ieconia King of Iudah by Nebuchadnezzar King of Babell who then had in his tuition Esther whom some call Hester or Hadassah his Vnckles daughter who was an Orphant without Father or Mother and was very faire and beautifull now when many Virgins were brought together into the pallace under the hand of Hege one of the Kings Eunuches Esther was found amongst them and the Maide pleased him and shee found favour in his sight Therefore hee caused her things for purification to bee given her speedily and seven comely maides out of the King house to attend her but shee did not shew this to her kindred or people for Mordecai had charged her to the contrary Now when the course of Esther the daughter of Abthail the Vnckle of Mordecai came that she should goe into the King shee desired nothing but what Hege gave unto her and she found favour in the eyes of all that beheld her who was taken in unto the King who loved her above all the women so that he set the Crowne of the Kingdome upon her head and made her Queene in the stead of Vasthi and made a great feast unto all his Princes and his servants and called it the feast of Esther after her name and gave rest unto all his Provinces and great gifts according to the power of a King In these dayes when Mordecai sate in the Kings gate too of the Kings Eunuches whose names were Bigthan and Teresh which kept the doore of the Chamber conspired together and intended to lay hands on the King Ahasuerus which was knowne unto Mordecai and he told it to Queene Esther and she certified the King thereof in Mordecha's name And when inquisition was made it was found to be so therefore they were both hanged on a tree and this was written in the Chonicles in the presence of the King After all these things it pleased the great King Ahasuerus to exalt Haman the sonne of Hammedatha the Agagite and set his seate above al the Princes that were with him insomuch that all the Kings servants that were at his the gate at his going out and comming in bowed unto him and did him reverence for so the King had commanded Mordecai onely bended not the knee nor made unto him any obeysance To whom the Kings servants said why transgressest thou the Kings commandement but he harkned not unto them therefore they told Haman of Mordecai and withall that he was of the nation of the Iewes Which when he understood he was full of indignation and wrath and thinking it too little to lay his hands on Mordecai onely he sought to destroy all the Iewes which were in the dominions of Ahasuerus and to sweepe them from the face of the earth and to that purpose hee came unto the King and said There is a people scattered and dispersed
him and th' heire to the Earle Arminack Which raised strange combustions in the state This flourishing Kingdome nigh to ruinate In which she tooke on her a Soveraigne power Sâ—iting her present fortunes not her Dower Her many strange desasters did befall But her undaunted spirit ore-came them all She knew the mannage both of Pen and Pike The Court and Campe to her were both alike In bloody battles she tooke great delight And would if flie to day to morrow fight Who can this Queenes heroicke spirit expresse A foe to Peace in field a Championesse Vsurping all that Majesty could claime Leaving her Husband nothing save his name He weares the Crowne she Sword and Scepter bore What could the brave Semiramis doe more THE SECOND OF THE THREE WOMEN WORTHIES AMONGST THE CHRISTIANS CALLED MARGARET QVEENE OF ENGLAND IN the yeare of grace one thousand foure hundred forty and two Embassadours were sent from England into Guian where a match was concluded betwixt King Henry the sixth then of the age of one and twenty and the Daughter of the Earle of Arminacke which after was disannulled by the Earle of Suffolke a mighty man in those times which occasioned a great afront betwixt the Lord Protector and him which grew unto much rage and blood-shed as may after appeare but to follow the History close the before named Earle of Suffolke after the former match fell off went with others his Assotiates and concluded a marriage betwixt the King and the Lady Margaret Daughter to the King of Cicile and Ierusalem upon which contract were delivered unto the said King the Dutchy of Angeon and the Earledome of Maine then called the two keyes to open the way into Normandy and in the next yeare after the Earle of Suffolke being created Marquesse with his wife and other of the most honourable Ladyes of the Realme sayled into France to bring over this Lady into England which was done with all solemnity when Thomas Catwoorthe was Lord Major and Nicholas Wilford and Iohn Norman were Sherifes of London The moneth after her arrivall into the Kingdome shee was espoused to the King at a Towne called Sowthwicke in the County of Hamshire and from thence was honourably conveyed by the Lords and Peeres of the Land to Blacke-Heath and there met by the Lord Major and the Citizens and in great triumph brought to Westminster and upon the thirtyeth day of May which was the Sunday after Trinity Sunday was solemnely Crowned great Feasts Iusts and other martiall exercises were held in the Sanctuary before the Abby for the space of three dayes after But this match was held to be very unprofitable for the Kingdome first by giving up out of the Kings possession Angeon and Maine And then that for the charge of her comming over there was demanded in Parliament a fifteene and an halfe by the Marquesse of Suffolke which drew him into such a contempt and hatred of the people that it after cost him his life Some also held it very ominous because that after this Match as the King lost his revenues in France so hee also hazarded the Natives and people of his owne Nation for presently after all the Common weale and affaires of the estate were mannaged by the Queene and her Counsell being a woman of a brave and Heroicke Spirit she assumed prerogative into her hands all things began after to goe retrograds and preposterous which many conjectured was by the breach of that promise made by the King unto the Earle of Arminackes daughter for there fell upon this that the King lost all his right in Norwaige upon which followed a dissention and division of the Lord within the Realme the rebellion of the Commonalty against the Prince their Soveraigne and in conclusion the deposing of the King and the Queene with the Prince her Sonne to be compelled to avoid the Land In the five and twentyeth yeare of this Kings raigne a Parliament was held at Saint Edmunds bury in Suffolke to which all the Commons of that Country were commanded in their most defensible aray to waite upon the person of the King where the Lords were no sooner assembled but Humphrey Duke of Glocester and Vnckle to the King was arrested by Viscount Bewmount then High Constable of England accompanyed with the Duke of Buckingham and others and two and thirty of his Principal Servants committed unto severall prisons after which arrest the Duke after sixe dayes was found dead in his bed being the foure and twentieth day of February And his body being exposed to the publicke view of all men there was no wound found about him notwithstanding which of his death the Marquesse of Suffolke was shrowdly suspected he was a man greatly honoured and beloved of the Commons as well for his discreete governement of the Realme during the Kings nonage as for his brave and noble hospitality in which none ever exceeded him for which and many other of his unparalleld vertues he purchased unto himselfe and not without cause to bee called the good Duke of Glocester whose body was after conveighed unto Saint Albones and neere unto the shrine sollemnely interred Not long after in the yeare one thousand foure hundred and fifty during the foresaid Parliament the Marquesse of Suffolke was arrested and sent to the Tower where hee lived a moneth at his pleasure which Parliament being after adjourned to Lecester thither the King came attended by Suffolke where the Commons made great complaint of the delivering up of Angeou and Maine to the dishonour of the kingdome For which they accused the Marquesse and others as guilty as also for the murther of the good Duke of Glocester to appease whom they Exiled him the Land for five yeares who obeying the sentence tooke shipping in Northfolke intending to have sayled into France but was met by the way by a ship of warre called the Nicolas of the Tower whose Captaine knowing the Duke put into the Road of Dover and caused his head to be strucke off on the side of a Boat and there left both head and body upon the sands and then put to Sea againe and this was the end of the Queenes great favourite who save of her and some of his owne creatures dyed altogether unlamented I omit to speake of sundry insurrections as that of Blew-beard and the Kentish men with their Captaine Iacke Cade who called himselfe Mortimer and Cousin to the Duke of Yorke with others and come to tell you that the Duke of Somerset succeeded Suffolke in the Queenes favour by whom and her Counsell all the affaires of the Realme were mannaged For she was a Lady of an haughty and invincible spirit and in the thirty second yeare of the Kings raigne was delivered of a Princely Sonne called Edward In which interim great discontent arose among the Nobles and Peeres of the Land especially the Duke of Somerset and others of the Queenes Counsell
must To prove my loves profession does not faine Thrust into th' world amid'st the Muses traine Who being Women and in number Nine And as of all mens honour worthy mine Would say I beare to vertue little love When the Nine worthy Women could not move Th' expression of a poore respest from me Let this then for my Pen the pleader be Withall I must confesse 't was my maine end To boast The Author 's my deserving Friend So avoucheth Steph. Bradwell To the worthy Reviver of these Nine Women worthies Master Thomas Heywood Gent. AMongst the many worthy to attend Thy worthy female and thy worth commend Let me present my love too to thy choice Of this great subject and th' eternall voyce Thy Pen has given their Ashes to thy flame Their second soule now when their towring fame Was well nie Buried with them to thine Art Thy cost thy care cloathing thier every part In all th'adorements of such eminent stories So as to reade almost to see their glories In their owne greatnesse acted friend thy straine In these these brave Viragoes of thy braine This Golden issue of thy Silver head Thy many such shall when thy bodi 's dead Live as thy lines now make them live for ever Pompe lives and dy's such worthie labours never Thomas Brewer To his worthy Friend Mr. Thomas Heywood on his Nine Female Worthies WIll neither rugged time nor vast expence Of thy unfathom'd fancy and cleare sence Perswade thee to leave off but thou wilt still Make all'twixt heaven hell flow from thy Quill Nay Heav'n it selfe and all those Angels there Those powr's and vertues will themselves declare Thy Genuine searching soule But these here Thy female Angels that doe grace this Spheare Thrice worthy worthy women whose great acts Immortallize their mem'ries and exacts Not thee alone but all the noblest wits That in the courts of truth and judgement sits To write their Legends But thy learned Pen That writ before their Story hath agen From thy owne workes substracted Nine to be The great example to posteritie I doe not flatter but I may admire To see fire turn'd t' Ashes returne to fire Thy age goes backward and thy Phaenix braine From the old Ashes is growne younge Againe George Estoutevile THE APPELLATION OF THE THREE IEWES DEbora the Prophetesse and a mother in Israel Iudeth of Bethulia the widdow of Manasses Ester the Queene of King Ahashuerosh and Neece to Mordecay the Iew. THE APPELLATION OF THE THREE GENTILES BOnduca or Boadicia the Dowager Queene of Prasutagus King of the Iceni one of the Kingdomes of the Brittish Scepterchy Penthisilaea the warlik Queen of the Amazons and friend to Hector of Troy Queen Artimesia wife to Mausolus King of Caria a Province in Greece scituate betwixt Lycia and Iania THE APPELLATION OF THE THREE CHRISTIANS ELphleda Daughter to King Alured and wife to Etheldredus Duke of Mercia or middle England Queene Margaret daughter to the King of Cecile and Hierusalem and wife to Henry the sixt King of England Elizabeth Queene of England France and Ireland c. Defender of the Faith DEBORAH HE that shall take in hand to speake at large Of womens prayse shall undergoe a charge Beyond supporture and he better were Take Atlas burden on him and to beare The Heavens upon his shoulders If then any Inquisitive bee why I amongst so many Am now that undertaker And shall aske Why to my selfe I durst assume this Taske I must appeale for answer to my rare Scarse patternd Patroness most learn'd most fayr Whom if these my unpolisht papers please It is a burden to be borne with ease Whose Approbations where soe'r Inscribd Shall passe a worke as currant as to have bribd All the Nine Sisters or invokt their ayde She now the sole out of so many made As for our worthy Iewesse now in quest The sequent Traectate can describe her best He that made man the womans Head that â—he Despis'd of her superiour might not-be Rais'd from her sex brave Dames by Text allowd Least she might prove dejected or he proud If any one this Maxime shall gaine say Let him but reade Barach and Deborah OF THE NINE VVORTHIES AMONGST WOMEN Three Iewes Three Gentiles Three Christians And first of DEBORAH TO Deborah I give the priority as first named in the holy text in which we reade of two of that name The one Rebeckahs Nurse the wife of Iacob who being dead was buried beneath Bâ—thel under an Oake which he called Alâ—on Bachuth or the Oake of Lamentation the other a Prophetesse the wife of Lapidothe who Iudged Israel the Argument of our ensuing Discourse The name Deborah in the originall implyeth a Word or a Bee neither was her name any way averse to her nature for as she was mellifluous in her tongue when she either pronounced the sacred oracles of God or sat upon any judicatory causes amongst his people so she had also a sting at all times upon any just occasion to wound and be revenged on his enemies the Cananiteâ— who then most barbarously and cruelly oppressed his owne chosen nation But the better to illustrate her history it is necessary that I give you a briefe relation of that estate in which Israel then stood Iosuah the sonne of Nun who succeeded Moses in the Empyre and was Captaine of the Lords people in his Masters place after the subduing and slaughter of one and thirty Kings and having divided the Land of Palastine amongst the twelve tribes of the Children of Israel by lots All his time and all the dayes of the Elders who were his Contemporaries and survivers and â—ad beene eye witnessâ—s of those great and stupendious woâ—kes which the Almighty had done for them served the Lord and were obedient unto his Commandements But he after he had lived an hundred and ten yeares expiring and being buried in the Coast of his inheritance all that generation being likewise gathered to their Fathers Another roâ—e after them who neither knew the Lord nor the great workes which hee had done for Israel In so much that they dwelt amongst the Cananites the Hittites the Amorites the Perizites the Hevites the Iebusites c. Taking their daughters to be their wives and giving their owne daughters to their sonnes and serving their gods which was contrary to the Commandement and the Law of Moses by which they incensed the wrath of the Lord which was now hot against them in â—o much that he delivered them into the hands of spoylers who spoyled them and sold them unto their enemies so that they were noâ— able to stand against those that hated them namely the Gentiles and Idolaters Notwithstanding which the Lord in his great mercy according to his oath sworne to their Fore-fathers the Patriarchs upon their least repentance and turning unto him raysed up some eminent amongst them whom they called Iudges who delivered them from the hands of their oppressors But
with a mantle Who hoping that the worst was now past and his life in no further danger called unto her and sayd Give mee I pray thee a little water for my travaile hath made me very thirsty who fetched presently a bottle of milke and gave him to drinke with which having sufficiently refreshed himselfe he layd him downe againe and she againe covered him and as shee was departing from him hee called once more unto her saying stand I pray thee in the doore of the Tent and if any shall come and inquire of thee and say is any man here thou shalt answer him and say nay which having spoken being weary and over tyred in his flight he fell suddenly into a deepe and dead sleepe for so indeede it proved for he never awakned after Which she perceiving and being in heart an Israelite howsoever for necessities sake they with their whole Tribe complide with the Gentiles shee would not let slip so good an advantage but unwilling to let one of Gods enemies escape out of her hands like a bold virago shee tooke a nayle of the Tent in her hand and in the other an hammer and comming softly towards him she strooke the nayle into his temples and fastned it into the ground peircing his skull unto the braine with which wound he instantly expired Now Barak after the great hoast was defeated having intelligence which way Sisera was fled Iael came out to meete him and bespake him thus Come in with mee and I will shew thee the man whom thou seekest who entring with her into the Tent she discovered unto him the body of Sisera which lay groveling on the earth dead and the nayle still sticking in his temples which object put him in mind of the words of Deborah when he denied to go into the field without her company that the honour of great Siseras death should be taken from him and bee conferd upon a woman which accordingly happened For Deborah in her song of thanksgiving after that great and miraculous victory over Sisera and his hoast giveth unto her this extraordinary character Iael the wife of Heber the Kenite shall be blessed above other women blessed shall she bee above women dwelling in Tents He asked water and shee gave him milke shee brought him butter in a Lordly dish shee put her hand to the nayle and her right hand to the workemans hammer with the hammer smote she Sisera shee smote off his head after shee had wounded and peirced his temples hee bowed him downe at her feete hee fell downe and lay still at her feet hee bowed him downe and fell and when hee had suncke downe hee lay there dead By which so often iteration of the same words she strived both to magnifie her act and eternize her memory Neither did this great honour done unto Iael any way take off or derogate from the merit and magnanimity of Deborah that any man need question which of them did better deserve the name of a Worthy The precedence and priority undoubtedly belonging to her who was a Prophetesse a Iudgesse and a mother in Israel the other onely a secondary minister and agent to have the will of the Almighty executed Deborah in person out-braving danger and standing the brunt of the battell against many thousands living Armed and awake and Iael onely taking the advantage of one single man flying trembling with feare and after to kill him sleeping I conclude of her with her owne words in her holy song after so glorious a conquest So let all thine enemies perish O Lord but they that love him shall be as the Sunne when he riseth in his might After which great discomfiture the Land had rest forty yeares IVDETH THe great Assyrian King puft up with pride Because no Prince was able to abide His potency in battle having subdu'd By his scarce to be numbred multitude All bordring Kingdomes at his mighty cost An hundred twenty dayes feasted his Host Then his chiefe Captaine Olophernes sent With a most puissant army with intent To sweepe all flesh from earth who had denayd To send him in his last great battle ayde He seekes to invade Iudea 'mongst the rest When of all other Cities most distrest Bethalmi was where Iudeth made abod Who in their great'st dispaire cald upon God And more their nations honour to advance Did undertake their free deliverance And when the spirits of the souldiers faild Put on a masculine spirit and prevaild Match me this woman amongst men who dar'd Against an Host invincible prepar'd For her whole nations ruine to invade That potent army singly with her maid And in her bold adventure so well sped To cut off and bring thence the Generals head OF IVDETH A SECOND WORTHY WOMAN AMONGST THE IEWES KING Nabuchodonosor and King Arphaxad were Contemporaries two mighty potent Princes the one raigned in Ninevey the great City over the Assyrians the other in Echbatane over the Medes A place as well strongly munified as most gloriously beautified It happened that King Nabuchodonosor purposed to make warre against King Arphaxad in the great Champian Countrey in the Coasts of Ragan and to that purpose hee assembled all those that dwelt in the Mountaines and by Euphrates Tigris and Hidaspes the Countries of Arioche the Elimeans the streames of Chelod with many other Nations and Languages He sent also into Persia and to all that dwelt in the West to Cilicia Damascus Libanus Antilibanus and all those that dwelt by the Sea coast and to all the people that are in Carmel in Galahaad in hither Galilee and the great field of Esdrelam and to all in Samaria and the Cities thereof and beyond Iordan unto Ierusalem c. But all the Inhabitans of these Countries despised the commandements of the King of the Assyrians neither would they come with him unto the battle but sent away his Embassadours sleightly and with dishonour therefore he was greatly incensed against all these Nations and swore by his Throne and Kingdome he would be avenged upon them and destroy all their inhabitants with the edge of the sword In which interim he marched in battle aray against the King of the Medes in the seventeenth yeare of his raigne and prevailed against him For he overthrew all the power of King Arphaxad his Infantry Horsemen and Chariots he woone all his Cities and entring Echbatâ—ne tooke the Towers defaced the streetes ruined the walls and turned the beauty thereof into shame Hee also surprised the King in the mountaines of Ragan and caused him to be thrust through with darts after which great victory he returned unto his owne City Ninivey Both he and all his Princes and Souldiers which were a great multitude where he passed the time in pleasure and jollity and banqueted his Hoast an hundred and twenty dayes During which triumphall feasting he communicated with those Princes and Nobles which were of his intimate counsell to destroy all flesh from the
amongst the nations throughout all the Provinces of thy Kingdomes and their lawes are diverse from all other people neither observe they their Kings lawes nor is it his profit to suffer them Therefore let it be written that they be destroyed and I will pay ten thousand tallents of silver by the hands of them thâ—t take charge of the businesse to bring into the Kings treasury To whom the King taking the Ring from his finger and giving it unto Haman said let the silver be thine and the people thine to doe with them as it shall seeme good in thine eyes Then were the Kings Scribes called and they writ according to all things which Haman did dictate unto them unto the Captaines and Chiefe Officers in every Province and the Letters were sealed with the Kings Signet and sent by Posts into all the Provinces to roote out kill and destroy all the Iewes young and old children and women in one day namely the thirteenth of the moneth Adar which is the twelfth moneth and to spoyle them as a prey and the Posts compelled by the Kings Commandement went forth and the writing was given at the pallace of Shushan and the King and Haman sate drinking together but the Iewes that were in the City were all at that time in great perplexity and trouble Which when it was related unto Mordecai he rent his cloathes and put on sacke-cloth and ashes and went into the middest of the City and cryed out with a great cry and a bitter and then came before the Kings gate but was not suffered to enter being clothed in sacke-cloth and in every Province and place where the Commission was read there was great sorrow and fasting and weeping and mourning and many of the Iewes lay in sacke-cloth and ashes then Esthers maids and the Eunuches told all these things unto her for which she was very heavy and sent rayment to cloathe Mordecai and to take his sack-cloth from him but he received it not then the Queene called Hatach the Eunuch and gave him a commandement to goe unto Mordecai and to know of him what and why such things were so Hatach went forth and met him at the gate to whom Mordecai punctually related all that had happened even to the least circumstance and gave him the coppy of the writing to shew unto Esther and charged her by him that she should goe in to the King and make humble supplication for her and her people Now when the Eunuch had delivered unto her the Coppy of the Commission and all that Mordecai had said unto him shee commanded him to returne unto him and say that whosoever man or woman came to the King into the inner Court not being called there is a law of his that all such shall dye except him to whom the King shall hold up his golden Scepter that he may live Now saide shee I have not beene called to come before the King these thirty dayes so hee certified Mordecai of all the words which Queene Esther had spoken who said that they should answer her againe thus Thinke not with thy selfe that thou shalt escape in the Kings house more then all the rest of thy Nation for if thou holdest thy peace at this time comfort and deliverance shall appeare to us from some other place and person but thou and thy Fathers house shall assuredly perish yet who knoweth but thou art come into the Kingdome for such a purpose Then Esther commanded him to go backe againe to Mordecai and answer hiâ— thus goe and assemble all the Iewes in Shushan and fast yee for me and neither eate nor drinke any thing for the space of three dayes and nights I also and my Maides will fast likewise and afterward I will goe in to the King which is against the Law and if I perish I perish which having heard Mordecai departed and did according to all that the Queene had commanded him And on the third day she put on her Royall apparell and stood in the Court of the Kings pallace within over against the house and the King sate upon his throne of Majesty who when hee saw Esther the Queene standing in the Court shee found favour in his sight and he held out the golden Scepter that was in his hand so shee drew neere and touched the toppe of the Scepter to whom the King spake and saide what wilt thou Queene Esther and what is thy request It shall be granted thee even to the halfe of my kingdome Who humbly bowing unto him said if it please your high Majesty let the King and Haman come this day unto the banquet that I have prepared for them To whom the King answered goe and cause Haman to make haste that he may come to the banquet of Queene Esther at which when they were sate the King said what is thy request I speake it againe it shall bee performed even to the halfe of my Kingdome To whom she replyed If I have found favour in the sight of the King and that it please him to grant my request let the King and Haman come to the banquet that I shall to morrow make ready and then I will declare what my petition is to the King So Haman departed thence joyfully but when he found Mordecai standing in the gate and that hee stood not up nor mooved unto him he was mightily incensed against him Notwithstanding for that time hee refrained himselfe and when he came home hee sent and invited his friends in the presence of Zeresh his wife and Haman told to them of the glory of his riches and the multitude of his children and all the honours to which the King had exalted him and that hee had set him above all the Princes and servants of the King adding moreover that Esther the Queen suffred no man to come unto the banquet with the King save himselfe and to morrow saith he I am invited but all this doth nothing please mee whilst I see stubborne Mordecai sit at the gate of the pallace Then said Zeresh his wife and all his friends unto him let there be made a tree of fifty cubits high and to morrow speake unto the King that Mordecai may be hanged thereon then shalt thou goe joyfully with the King to the banquet and the motion pleased Haman who caused the gibbet to be erected Now it happened that the same night that the King slept not quietly and therefore commanded the Bookes of the Chronicles to be read before him in which it was found written what Mordecai had told of Bigthan and Teresh the Kings Eunuches keepers of the doore who sought to lay violent hands on the King Which having heard hee demanded what honour or what dignity had beene done unto him for that service to whom it was answered by his servants that nothing at all had beene done for him He thinking it most unworthy his imperiall dignity to receive so great a benefit as
her Counsell whom shee best trusted and because her very pallace grew distastefull unto her without the consociety of her dead Lord shee utterly abandoned it nay her very Country growing as irke some to her as her pallace after she had given order for the erecting of her Husbands monument shee purposed for a time to forsake it and seeke out for some forraigne adventures It happened at that time Xerxes the great Persian Monarch ambitiously ayming to reduce all Greece under his Scepter and subjection having gathered an innumerable host by Land and a seeming invincible Navy by Sea shee adhering unto his party rigged and manned three ships of her owne of which she her selfe was Archithalassa or Armirall her people that tooke part with her in that adventure were Carians or Halicarnassians Coeans of the Isle Coos Nysimiaus and Calydinians and being thus plenally accomodated she put her selfe under the patronage of the Persian Emperour It would aske too long a circumstance to discourse of the whole navall conflict I will onely deliver unto you so much as concerneth the person of Artimesis who so valiantly did beare her selfe in that blooddy fight that her ships knowne by their flagges and streamers were eminent above all others of the Persians both for defence and offence for her small squadron more dangered the Greekish Navy then ten times their number notwithstanding which her brave opposition the Persians were vanquisht and the Greekes though against infinite odds the glorious victors in which Marine honour the Eginita had the first place and the Athenians the second and of the Commanders Policrates of Egineta and of the Athenians Eumena Anagyrasius and Aminius Palenaus who above all others most hotly pursued Artimesia in her flight but when hee had found that she was too swift of saile for him he sent other light vessels after proclaiming ten thousand Drachnes to him that could take her alive as holding it an indignity that a woman should give such an affront to their A thenian Navy notwithstanding al she with some few others escaped and safely arrived at Phalerum On the contrary part Herodatus in his Vrunia thus reports of her that Xerxes himselfe beholding how bravely above all in his fleet shee in her ship behaved her selfe even at that time when his Navy was almost quite defeated one who knew the vessell by the colours answered it was Queene Artimesia he fetching a deepe sigh uttered these words Viri quidem extiterant mibi femina femina autem viri i. All my men this day have proved themselves women and the women onely shewed themselves to be men And so much concerning Artimesia who as in her life time she was gloriously famous so after death even to all perpetuity shall survive famously glorious c. OF THE THREE WORTHIE WOMEN AMONG THE CHRISTIANS Whose Names are Elpheda Queene Margaret Queene Elizabeth ELPHEDA HEr royall birth my Muse dares not to smoother A great Kings Daughter a great King her Brother Who though she never to that height arriv'd To be stil'd Queene yet was she Prince-like wiv'd Her Husband Duke of Mercia which we Number amongst the Brittish Sceptarche By which a Kingdomes name it after gaind When as at once seven Kings in Brittaine raignd Which bred this war like Lady nâ—re the place Whence brave Bunduca doth derive her race I should but Antedate her life to tell How and in what this Lady did excell Not possible it is that one small page Should comprehend the wonder of her age And therefore further to expresse her glory I must referre the Reader to her story For that as of the rest is still the chiefe Of my intent yet thus of her in briefe Brittish Elpheda of the Saxon race To none of all the former neede give place Who for her Masculine Spirit much honour gaines In many battles fought against the Danes And might with any of her Sex compare As being Religious Valiant Wise and Faire THE FIRST OF THE THREE WOMEN WORTHIES AMONGST THE CHRISTIANS CALLED ELPHEDA AMongst so many reckoned up for their Valour and Vertue It shall not be amisse to present the Reader with a commemoration of some who have beene the occasion of much combustion and trouble Helena was the cause of the Trojan warres and Pelops succeeding in the Kingdome of Phrigia brought an army against King Oenimaus because hee denyed unto him his daughter Hippodamia of whom he was greatly inamored the Poet Arcbillus an Iambicke Writer writ so bitterly against Lycambes because he refused to give him his Daughter in marriage that upon the reading of them he presently hanged himselfe and Pericles at the instigation of his concubine Aspatia made warre upon the Sabines and subdued them to the Milesians we read also of Teuca Queene of the Illirians who because Titus Cornucanus then Ambassadour from the Romans delivered unto her a bold and peremptory message commanded him to be slaine in her presence against the Law of Armes which was the ground of much blood-shed and slaughter Menelaus being dead Megapenthus and Nicastratus the sonnes of Orestes pursued Helena cause of the tenne yeares warre betwixt the Trojans and Greekes into the Island of Rhodes In hope to shelter her selfe under the patronage of Triptolemus of whom Polizo his wife growing jealous shee caused her to be strangled for so writes Voletaranus Lavinia the daughter of King Latinus and Amata the Queene were the sole occasion of so many bloody conflicts betwixt the Trojans and the Rutilians and lastly of the death of Turnus slaine by Aeneas Dejaneira was the motive to the duell betwixt Hercules and Achelous and of the conflict with Nessus the Centaur and after of his owne death by sending him the shirt which was poysoned Evander Nephew to Pallas King of the Arcadians at the instigation of his Mother Nicostrate slew his owne Father and Ptelerus King of the Thebans by the treason of his owne daughter Polidices was betraid into the hands of Creon and slaine Lucretia being violated by Sextus Tarquinius after long warre was the cause that the Romans regained their liberty and Virginia the daughter of Virginius that the governement of the Triumviri was utterly abrogated Hippolitus being falsly accused by his step-mother Phedra for unlawfully attempting to corrupt her chastity flying his Fathers fury was hurld from his Chariot and being bruised with the fall perished Martia the strumpet of Antonius Commodus the Emperour betraide him into the hands of a Groome on whom she doted by whom he was trecherously slaine Alexander the great at the instigation of Thais the prostitute caused the great City Persepolis to be burned be with his owne hands giving the first fire and then his Concubines after Octavia the sister of Augustus Caesar being repudiated by M. Anrony was the occasion of a civill warre and Antiochus warring against the Romans by his effemiary and dotage
on a Chalcidonian Damsell lost all his honour giving way to the enemy for an easie victory of these and the like we thus read Ovid Elegiar lib. 2. nisirapta fuisset Tyndaris Europa pax Asiaeque foret Femina silvestres Lapit has populumque biformem c. But for the rape made of the Spartian Queene Europe and Asia still in peace had beene Woman and Wine that blooddy banquet made In which the two shap't Centaurs did invade The Lapithes who doubly text with lust And the grapes juyce lay tumbling in the dust In Latin's kingdome for his Iustice praisd Woman a second Trojan tumult raisd Two buls I have seene for a faire heifer fight With lustfull fire inraged at her sight c. But contrary to these diverse of the same sex though not in that great number have beene very eminent in advancing both the profit and honour of their Nations as Dominica the wife of the Emperour Valence with her great eloquence and hazard of her person withall pacified the barbarous Goths from sacking and utterly subverting Constantinople the Metropolis of the Grecian Empire Iuguldis the sister of Childebert King of France by her Arguments and earnest sollicitations brought her Husband Hermogillus the Sonne of Lemigildus King of the Goths quite to abjure all paganisme and sincerely to professe the true Christian Religion Clotildis Queene of France after the like manner brought her Husband Clodoveus the son of Chilpericke to the profession of the faith In the yeare of grace three hundred and twelve Autaulphus King of the Goths laid his seige against Rome to assault it at least if not to spoyle it and to change the name thereof and for Roma to call it Gothia But Placida the wife of Honorius with her sweete perswasive language so insinuated into the ferocity of his barbarous diposition that she caused him to relent and quite altering his bloody purpose to raise the siege and leave the City in safety Pompeia Paulina wrought the like upon the tyrannous disposition of the Emperour Iulianus her husband causing him to take of those taxes and heavy impositions which he had with great rigour laid upon his people To which number may be added Helena the Mother of Constantine and Monica the Mother of Saint Augustine and some others and not the least meriting this Lady Elpheda the subject of our present treatise Whose Father Aluredus whom some of our Chronologers call Alphredus the fourth Sonne to Adolphus and Brother to Etheldredus late King began his raigne over the West Saxons and divers other Provinces of England in the yeare of Grace eight hundred threescore and twelve and in the thirtyeth yeare of Charles surnamed the Bald King of France It is written of him that he was twelve yeares of age before he was taught to know any Letter but after by his great industry he not onely excelled in learning his brothers but many others who were before him in time Hee was the first raised a Schoole in Oxford and gave that Towne great freedomes and Immunities He caused also many Lawes to be translated out of the Brittish tongue into the Saxons Especially the Mercean Lawes which Mercia was an absolute Kingdome called also middle England he was further a very skillfull Architector as having great knowledge in building and for hunting and hawking hee was able to instruct any but needed direction from none hee was of a comely stature and faire both of countenance and condition and of all his other children the best beloved of his Father He when he came to maturity espoused a noble Lady whose name was Etheluida by whom he had two sons Edward surnamed the elder and a second called Egelward Elpheda whom he after marryed to Etheldredus whom hee made Duke or Prince of Mercia the second was called Ethelgota he made a Nunrie or Votaresse and the third had to name Elphrida all his children as well daughters as sonnes he caused to be diligently instructed in the art of grammer so much he affected learning and was in many battles victorious over the Danes who often and in sundry places invaded the Land and tyrannized therein and amongst many other his Heroyicke acts one passage I cannot omit being so remarkeable Being in one battle much overset by reason of the multitude of his enemies he was forced with a small traine to hide himselfe in the wooddy Country about Summerset shire and had no other food save such as hee could provide by hunting and fishing yet at length being better comforted he began to shew himselfe more publicke and at large so that dayly there resorted unto him men out of Wiltshire Summerset shire Hampeshire and other places of the Kingdome so that in Processe of time he was strongly accompanied and much better accommodated then the Danes any way dreamed of upon a time the King in person tooke upon him the habit of a Bard or Musician and with his Harpe or some such instrument he entered the Tents and Pavilions of the Danes and sung unto them many pleasant Ballads and Ditties which greatly delighted them in which interim he espyed their sloth and idlenesse tooke full view of their hoast their strength and how it was ordered and withall discovered much of their Counsell and purposes and after returned unto his owne company who with some chosen men fell upon them in the night and utterly defeated and routed them having ever after the upper hand of his enemies It is further remembred of him that hee divided the night and day into three parts if he were not otherwise hindered and molested by his enemies whereof eight houres he spent in study and other eight in Almes deeds and prayer and the remainder in his dyet exercise and affaires of the Realme he raigned three and twenty yeares and dyed a notable and most memorable president to all that should hereafter sit on the throne of Majesty whom succeeded his son Edward Brother to this our Elpheda who though he was lower degreed then his Father in Arts and Literature yet excelled him in state and Majesty This high spirited Virago quite abandoning all softnesse and effeminacy betooke herselfe wholly to the practice of Armes by which she grew famously glorious assisting her Brother in all those great conflicts against the Danes but ere I come to give you a particular character of the sister let it be held no unnecessary digression to speake somewhat of the King her Brother who by his first wife named Edwina had a Sonne called Ethelstane who after succeeded him in the Throne By his second wife two Sonnes Edredus and Edwinus and seven daughters of which the eldest named Alnuda or Almida he marryed to the Emperour Otto the first of that name and Algina the second to Charles King of France surnamed the simple and the youngest of his daughters to Lewis King of Guien By his third wife Ethelswida
but like a Mandrakes Apple faire in shew and poyson in taste it is the seale of Grace the staffe of Devotion the glory of life the comfort in death which when it is joyned with Humility and Charity they may be called the three vertues of the soule I come now to the thirteenth of this King Edwards raigne and the first or second at the most of her Widdow-hood at which time a great Navy of Danes which in the time of King Alured were beaten from the coast and forced to flye into France now returned and sayled about the West Country and landing in diverse places tooke sundry preies at their best advantage and then retyred themselves into their shippes againe and amongst other of their direptions they spoyled a towne called Irchinfield from which place they tooke a Bishop and carryed him aboord their ships whom they soone after ransomed for forty pounds sterling but as soone as the King and his Noble Sister had intelligens of these out-rages he assembled his Forces and they sped them West-ward by Land and sent out a Navy by Sea of which the Danes hearing they cowardly quit the Land and fled into Ireland And therefore to prevent the like inconveniences to which the Realme in those dayes was much subject the King by the advise of his fellow Championesse built a Castle at the mouth of the River Avon and another at Buckingham and a third neare unto it and after returned into Northamptonshire and gave battle to the Danes who had there planted themselves under a great Duke cald Turbetillus whom they utterly defeated and had of them an honourable victory It is further Recorded of this Martiall Virago that she without the ayde of her Brother gathered her Knights together and where the Welsh-men made invation into the Land about Brecknocke shee valiantly opposed them in all violent Hostility and amongst other prisoners and preyes surprised the Queene of their Country who came in person to the field and thinking to aspire unto her fame came farre short of her Forture The yeare following which was the foureteenth of the Kings raigne hee caused to be erected or at the least reedified the Townes of Torsetor and Wigmore Vtterly demolishing a strong and famous Castle which the Danes for their security and defence had built at Temesford The same yeare also this Noble Lady won the Towne of Derby from the power of the Danes in which assault they put her to that hard adventure that foure Knights which were called the guardians of her Corps were slaine close by her yet shee notwithstanding by her great valour escaped and after so many perils hazards battles and conflicts in all which both for magnanimity and action shee out did the most and equalled the best death which durst not looke upon her in her Armour as being frighted at the terrour of her angry countenance stole upon her unawares when her plumed helmet victorious sword and impenetrable Curace was laid by arrested her by the hand of his minister sickenesse and then taking the advantage of her infirmity and weakenesse strucke her dead about the Summer Solstice which is the middle of Iune Who was much lamented by the King and the Commons and her body with great solemnity interred in the Monastery of Saint Peters which the Duke her Lord and shee had before erected in Glocester which was after in the troublesome combustions of the Danes quite raced and demolished but in the processe of time againe reedified by Aldredus Bishop both of Yorke and Worcester who was loath that the memory of so magnanimous a Lady should be drowned in Lethe and not her monument remaine to all posterity This excellent Lady being dead her young daughter Elswina was possessed of all her seigniory for a season having a like principality with her mother who preceaded her and was stiled Princesse of Mercia or middle England but the King her Vnckle taking the affaire into his more mature consideration by the advice of his Nobles thought it to be too great a burden for her to support especially her indisposition comming so farre short of the wisedome and valour of her Mother and therefore discharged and dispossessed her thereof annexing it to the Crowne and making it a prime limbe of the body of his Kingdome which though it was done with some contention and difficulty yet the King prevailed in his purpose allotting unto her the Townes of Notingham Tom-woorth and Derby expecting shee would have defended them in as brave and warlike a manner as her Mother before her had done but finding the contrary he tooke them also from her and reduced them into his owne subjection Henry Arch-bishop of Huntington an Histriographer and Poet such as those times afforded wrote much of the Chronicles of England and composed many Elegies and Ditties of this noble Lady Elpheda of which these ensuing are a part Caesars triumphs were not so much to praise As was of Elpheda that shields so oft did raise Against her enemies this noble vanqueresse Virago whose vertues can I not expresse These amongst others are remembred by Fabiam one of our English Chronologers whom in this briefe tractate for the contractednesse used in his Annals I have strived to imitate King Edward in the death of his Royall sister Elpheda having lost his chiefe supportresse yet notwithstanding builded a new Towne directly over against old Nothingham and made a faire Bridge to make a passage betwixt them of whom Marianus the Scot William of Malmsbury and Henry of Huntington further report that he subdued the two Kings of Scotland and Wales who about the twentieth yeare of his raigne elected and acknowledged him for their Lord and Patron Hee also in the North part of Mercia by the River Merce built a City or Towne called Thylwall and after repaired the City of Mouchester which had beene much defaced by the Danes after which and many other his structures and noble atchievements which would appeare too tedious here to relate He finally expired having raigned in great honour and trouble at Tarringdon in the twenty fourth yeare of his raigne and from thence his body was conveighed to Winchester and interred in the Monastery of Saint Swithine leaving behinde him divers Sonners of which Ethelstane was the eldest and succeeded in the Throne Imperiall who began his raigne over the greatest part of England in the yeare of grace nine hundred and twenty five and in the third yeare of Rodolphus King of France this Ethelstane much beautified the tombe of his Aunt Elpheda and is said to be the first annointed King of this Land c. QVEENE MARGARET QVeene Margarets Father as all pens agree King of Ierusalem and Sicilee Had neither Crowne nor Country th' Annals say And what 's command where none are to obey Yet those meere timpanous Titles Suffolke drew Twixt her and the sixt Henry to pursue A speedy match mauger the prae-contract Tweene
the whole Land And now was great expectation for the landing of Queene Margaret and her Sonne Prince Edward and great provision made through all the coast to oppose King Edwards landing who in a Parliament then called was proclaimed usurper of the Crowne and the Duke of Glocester his younger Brother Traytor and both of them attainted by the said Parliament then the Earle of Warwicke rid to Dover to have received Queene Margaret but was disappointed for the wind was to her so contrary that shee lay at the Sea side tarrying for a convenient passage from November till Aprill so that he was forced to returne without effecting his purpose In the beginning of which moneth Aprill King Edward landed in the North with a small number of Flemmings and others all which could scarse mâ—ke up a thousand and sped him towards Yorke making his Proclamations in the name of King Henry and protested to the people as he went that hee came for no other intent but to claime his antient inheritance the Dukedome of Yorke notwithstanding which the City denyde him admittance till he tooke an oath which having done they opened their gates unto him when after he had refreshed his Souldiers he held his way on towards London and having passed either favor of faire words the Lord Marquesse Montacut who lay with an Army in the way to interdict his journey seeing that his strength was greatly increased and that the people dayly flockt unto him hee then made proclamations in his owne name as King of England and held on his way to London where he was releeved and the same day hee rode to Saint Pauls Church and offred at the Altar which done hee went to the Bishops pallace where hee found King Henry allmost alone for all the Lords and others to save their owne lives had utterly forsaken him Then King Edward lodged himselfe where King Henry lay and committed him to strict keeping and rested himselfe till Easter Eve who hearing of his brothers comming and the other Lords with him with a strong host unto Saint Albones hee sped him thither and lay that night at Barnet whether the Duke of Clarence contrary to his oath made to the French King came with all the strength he had and reconciled himselfe to his Brother at which the Lords were much daunted yet by the comfort and incouragement of the Earle of Oxford they marched on to Barnet the foresaid Earle leading the van and there they strongly embattelled themselves Vpon the morrow being the foureteenth of Aprill and Easterday very earely in the morning the two hosts defied each other upon the one party were two Kings Edward and Henry who brought him with him to the battle Clarence and Glossester the Lord Barnes c. And upon the other was the Duke of Exeter the two Earles of Warwicke and Oxford the Marquesse Mountacute with many other men of note and name In which fight the Earle of Oxford quit himselfe so manfully that he quite routed that part of the field which hee set upon insomuch that newes was carryed to London King Edward had lost the day and if his Souldiers had kept their rankes and not falne to rifling most likely it had beene so But after long and cruell fight King Edward got the victory having slaine of his enemies the Marquesse Mountacute the Earle of Warwicke his brother with many others on the Kings party the Lord Barnes and upon both parties to the number of fifteene hundred and upwards the same after noone came King Edward to London and made his offring at Saint Pauls and after rode to Westminster and there lodged and King Henry was againe committed to the Tower where he remained till his death And now great preparation was made against the landing of Queene Margaret and her sonne who all this while had beene nere to the Sea side expecting a winde which after blew for her most infortunately yet was shee safely landed with an Army of French men and others and entered so farre within the Realme till shee came to a place called Teuxbury where the King met with her and after some resistance distressed and chased her whole company in which conflict many were slaine and their bodyes found dead in the place and shee her selfe with her sonne Edward both taken Prisoners and brought to the King whom shee fronted with a bold and an undaunted countenance and forgetting what shee was then a prisoner boldly spake to him as what shee had beene a commanding Princesse which the King not having the patience to indure commanded her from his presence The Prince also the true heire to his Mothers magnanimous spirit being not onely reprooved but somewhat villified by the King whose blood was not yet cooled since the late battle replyed unto him in a language best suiting his birth and the Sonne of such a Mother at which King Edward being highly mooved and beyond all patience incensed having then his Gantlet on for he had not yet put of his armour strucke him upon the face which blow was no sooner given but he was instantly dragged from the Kings presence and by the Duke of Glocester as same reports most tyrannously murthered and this hapned upon the fourth day of May. When the Queene heard of the death of her Sonne and the manner thereof the more to aggravate it great no question was her griefe but much greater and altogether inexpressible her rage and fury not having power to revenge her selfe upon her enemies this more tormenting her then the durance of the King her husband her owne captivity or the losse of her kingdome yet outwardly shee is said to have borne all these disasters with an incomparable magnanimity who was first conveighed to London and from thence with small attendance and lesse estate sent over into her owne Country and upon Assention Eve next ensuing the body of Henry the sixth late King was brought unreverently from the Tower through the high streetes of the City to Saint Pauls and there left for that night and the next morrow with bills and glaves as he was the day before brought from the Tower thither conveighed to Chertsey and without any sollemnity at all there interred of the manner of whose death there be divers reports but the common fame went that he was stab'd to death with a dagger by the bloody hand of Richard Duke of Glocester QVEENE ELIZABETH THis Virgin Soveraigne of our Maiden Isle On whom blind Fortune did both frowne and smile Great Honour and great Horrour did indure Not safe being Subject not being Queene secure Examine both It is not easily guest In which of them she did demeane her best And of those double Fates t is hard to know In which she did most dangers undergoe Had I more heads then Spanish Gerion he Who to one body had no lesse them three More hands then great Briareus to be wondred
Whose active skill at once could moove an hundred In every one a pen As many eyes As Iuno's Argus waking to devise Of her perfections onely Head Hands Sight In striving but to patterne her aright All though in their full vigour I should sinde Strucke on the suddaine Stupid Dull and Blinde Chaste Virgin Royall Queene belov'd and fear'd Much on the Earth admir'd to Heaven indeer'd Single and singular without another A Nurse to Belgia and to France a Mother Potent by Land sole Soveraigne of the Maine Antagonist to Rome the scourge of Spaine THE LAST OF THE THREE WOMEN WORTHIES AMONGST THE CHRISTIANS CALLED ELIZABETH QVEEN OF ENGLAND FRANCE AND IRELAND c. AS the most famous Painter of his Time Apelles to frame the picture of one Venus had aâ— once exposed to his view an hundred of the most choyce and exquisite Virgins of Greece to take from one the smoothest brow from a second the most sparkling eye a third the Rosiest colloured cheeke a fourth the best Corrall like lippe a fifth the sweetest dimpled chinne a sixth the daintiest swelling brest a seventh the whitest hand from another the most delicate foote and so of the rest and all to make the exact portrature of that Emergent goddesse so in the accurate expression of this rare Heroicke Elizabeth should I peruse all the ancient and Authenticke Histories and out of them select the lives of the most vertuous Ladyes for their rare and admirable indowments commended to posterity and perpetuity taking and extrâ—cting from them severally those sundry gifts and graces by which they were remarkeably eminent above others whether Piety or Virginâ—ll purity Beauty and bounty Majesty and magnanimity Language and learning polliticke Governement or practise of goodnesse pitty of forraâ—gne distressed nations or indulgence over her owne Natives c. Nay what praecelling vertue soever was commendable in any one particular or all in generall may without flattery be justly conferred on her Shee was the Daughter of King Henry the eighth of that name and of his second wife the Lady Anne Bullaine first created Marchionesse of Pembrooke and then espoused to the King the five and twentyeth day of Ianuary 1533. and upon Whitsunday next following at Westminster crowned Queene the seventh of September after shee was delivered of a faire Daughter to the great and unspeakeable joy both of the Prince and people shee was Christened the third day next ensuing being Wednesday in the Fryers Church in Greenewich in a Font of silver The old Dutchesse of Northfolke held the Babe Her Godfather was Thomas Cranmer Arch-bishop of Canterbury and Metropolitane of all England her Godmothers the Dutchesse of Northfolke and the Marquionesse of Dorset both Widdowes Not long after the birth of this young Princesse a generall oath of Allegiance past through the Kingdome to support and maintaine the successive heires descending from the bodies of the King and Queene Anne lawfully begotten in the possession of the Crowne and Scepter and all Imperiall honours to them belonging by which Katherine of Spaine his former wife and the Princesse Mary their daughter were disabled to lay any claime at all to the Royall dignity and for this cause were the two young Ladies brought up a part which might be a reason also why there was such distance in their dispositions I have further read of this young Lady Elizabeth that there were pregnant hopes of her even in her Mothers conception Mercury being the starre which was at that season most predominant whose influence is sharpenesse of wit and ingenuity Iupiter at her birth being in conjunction with Venus and Soi with a favourable Aspect shining on either a doubtlesse presage that the Infant borne under that Constellation should bee faire and fortunate powerfull in warre yet a Patronesse of peace excellent in Learning exquisite in language in life honoured in death lamented who in her tender Infancy was said almost as soone to speake as to goe and that her words had sence as soone as sound and not being full foure yeares of age used every morning when shee opened her eyes to aske for her booke before shee called for bread and at all other times of the day was observed to bee more ready to pray then to prattle Queene Annes life being taken away by a violent death the morrow after the King was marryed to his third wife the Lady Iane Seymer daughter to Sir Iohn Seymer who on the twelfth day of October In the yeare of grace 1537. was at Hampton Court delivered of a Sonne whose Mother dyed the second day after much lamented and pittyed and the young Prince called Edward was the eighteenth of the same moneth created Prince of Wales and Duke of Cornwall and Chester the Father being so joyfull of his Sonne that hee cast a neglectfull eye on his two former daughters Mary and Elizabeth but the later of the two was in the first grace for when Mary was separated from comming neere the Court Elizabeth was admitted to keepe the young Prince company and from his Tutors received all such necessary documents that by her childish dictating unto him he might be the more capable to understand them and such was their proxinity in blood that it begot in them a mutuall and alternate affection insomuch that he no sooner knew her but he beganne to acknowledge her neither was their love the lesse comming from one loynes then had they issued from one and the same wombe being equally fortunate and unfortunate as having one Royall Father but either of them to be deprived of a mother and in that too having a kinde of mutuall correspondence that though her Mother suffered by the sword and his dyed in Child bed yet both indured violent and inforced deaths To cut off circumstance in the yeare one thousand five hundred forty sixe and of his raigne the thirty eighth King Henry the eighth expired the 28. of December and was the sixteenth day of February next following with great solemnity buryed at Windsor And upon the one and thirtyeth day of Ianuary was Prince Edward proclaimed King over all his Fathers Dominions and Realmes by the stile of Edward the sixth of that name and on the nineteenth of February he rode with his Vnckle Sir Edward Seymor Duke of Summerset and Lord Protector through the City of London And the day following was annoynted and Crowned King at Westminster by Thomas Craâ—mer Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and Metropolitane of all England who that day administred the holy Sacraments c. The King was no sooner Crowned but the Lady Elizabeth gave way to the present state neither continued they in that frequent familiarity as before for whereas in former time she loved him as a Brother her discretion now taught her to honour him as her King for though hee was a Prince of great meekenesse and modesty for that Royall Majesty which makes the difference betwixt the
night her often examination to entangle her in her speeches her very diet served into her by groomes and common Souldiers her conducting from one place to another no day without threatning of danger no night but menacing death her very lodgings fierd about her eares as at Woodstocke And after all these miseries and farre more inexpressible calamities her owne sister to set her hand to a warrant for her execution out of all which notwithstanding God in his infinite mercy miraculously delivered her Thus I have given you a small taste of her troubles in all which as the difficulties were almost inevitable so her patience was altogether incomparable neither though by meanes of King Phillip mediating for her in her troubles though her libertie was the greater were her feares any whit the lesse all the time of her sisters raigne to the end of which I will come as briefly as I can A great rumor ran through the Land that the Queene was with child by King Philip and the time of her reckoning being come it was given forth she was brought to bed of a sonne and such an one as it was suspected was ready prepared of which Philip being informed he would not depart the chamber at the time of her delivery by which meanes the plot tooke no effect yet this young heyre was so voyced abroad that the Bells rung merrily in London and great triumphs were made at Antwarpe and other places some said shee never conceived at all others gave out that shee was with child but the Abortive miscaried others reported she had onely a Timpany and some that it was onely rumoured for policie The truth is King Philip seeing himselfe frustrate of an heyre upon the foureteenth of September tooke leave of the Queene and went over to visit his father the Emperour and to take possession of the Low Countries to her great griefe whom as many were of opinion he but little affected staying there a yeare and six moneths And after at his returne backe he was met by the Queene at Dover and thence brought through London with as great state and solemnitie as at a Coronation It is observed that Queene Maries raigne was the shortest of all Kings since the Conquest save Richard the third and that more Christian blood was spilt in that small time then had beene in case of Religion in any one Kings raignes since Lucius the first establisher of Christianitie in England In the latter end of her raigne Callis was lost which two hundred and eleven yeares had belonged to the Crowne of England It was first won by Edward the third the eleveth King from William the Conquerer who had besieged it some few moneths it was lost by Mary being the eleventh from Edward in eight dayes which when she heard shee sayd The losse of Callis is written in my heart and therein may be read when my body shall be dissected Her conception fayling great dearth in the Land raigning much harme done by thunders on shoare and by fire on her Royall Fleete by Sea home troubles forreigne losses King Philips absence and unkindnesse These with other discontents brought her into a burning Feaver of which shee dyed at Saint Iames neare Westminster the seventeenth of November Anno. 1558. after she had raigned five yeares foure moneths and eleven dayes having lived forty two yeares nine moneths and six dayes and lyeth buried in a Chappell in the Minster of Saint Peters without any monument or other remembrance The same day that Queene Mary dyed the Lady Elizabeth in the twentie fourth yeare second moneth and tenth day of her age remooved from Hatfield to the Charterhouse fâ—om whence she was royally attended to the Tower and the foureteenth of the same moneth passed from thence through the City of London towards Westminster I omit the stately Pagents and presented in the way to this her inaguration which would aske a large expression to conclude the next day following being the fifteenth shee was with all solemnitie annointed and crowned I proceede with the beginning of her raigne when the state was not onely much weakned but greatly afflicted having many enemies and few friends notwithstanding with a dauntlesse and heroick spirit shee exposed the most potent Philip King of Spaine and of the Low Countries her brother in Law upon the installing his great Grandfather Ferdinando whose daughter Katherine by the Popes authoritie had beene before espowsed to two naturall brothers Prince Arthur and Henry so he likewise by the like dispensation endeavoured to marry with two sisters first Mary and after Elizabeth but mauger all the dangers depending upon her deniall abhorring in her chaste reservations any such incestuous contract though hee pretended the connivence at least if not the full approbation of the sea of Rome by refusing the match made him her publick and professed enemy which after broake out into defiance and the publication of open wars A second observable thing was that the French King Henry the second having married his sonne Francis the Dolphin to Mary Queene of Scotland mooved by the house of Guise had interlaced the Armes of England with those of Scotland proclayming Mary his Queene and wife the indubitate heyre to the Crowne of England alleadging for their colour that Elizabeth in regard she stood at that time convicted by the Pope of heresie was uncapable of the Royall Crowne and dignitie thus animated by the Guisians they sent their Armies into Scotland with a constant assurance that as soone as Scotland was but entred England was as good as conquered in so much that Sebastianus Marteguinus a young man of the family of Luxenburg having the command of a thousand foote could hardly be diswaded from subduing England first and then to retire himselfe for his pleasure into Scotland after Thus we see her Majestie not onely threatned but ready to bee invaded on all sides by three puissant and spleenefull enemies Spaine France and Scotland The state by her predecessours Edward and Mary mightily distracted and much indebted the treasure quite exhausted the Frontier towne of Barwaick lying unfortified Callis the last yeare of her sister dishonorably lost Her subjects in Religion divided her kingdome without strength naked of Souldiers and unfurnisht of Armour notwithstanding all which defects difficulties and incombrances she managed all her affaires with that prudence and masculine spirit that manger King Philip who had then the entire government of the Low Countries shee furnisht her kingdome with Armour and ammunition out of Germany provided herselfe of tormentary Engines fit for warre caused Brasse and Iron Ordinance to be cast Calievers and Musquets to be prepared Gunpouder before fetcht from forraigne Countries to bee made at home strengthned Barwick then weake and undefensible built a strong and well accommodated Navie fortified all her Ports and Havens bred and incouraged noble and brave spirits
of Israel shall pursue and overthrow them But first call unto me Achior the Ammonite who was presently fetcht from the house of Ozias and when he saw the head of Olofernes in the hand of one of the people he sunke downe to the earth for his spirit failed him but after he was taken up he laide himselfe downe at Iudeths feete who seeing all things that God had done to Israel beleeved in him unfainedly was circumcised and joyned himselfe to the house of Israel In the morning all things being ended according as Iudeth had directed and that the Bethulians were come downe by bands unto the straits of the mountaines the Assyrians seeing them sent to their Captaines who went to the Governours and Rulers and came to the Generalls tent and intreated them to waken Olofernes For these slaves said they are come downe against us unto battle Then went Bagoas unto the Tent doore and knocked for he had thought hee slept with Iudeth but when none answered hee opened the doore and went into the chamber and found him cast upon the floore and his head was taken from him Therefore he cryed with a loud voyce and after went into the Tent of Iudeth but found her not and then he ranne unto the Captaines and people with a loud acclamation and said a woman of the Hebrewes hath brought shame upon the hoast of King Nabuchodonosor for behold Olofernes lyeth upon the ground without an head which when they heard their hearts were wonderfully troubled and there was a great noyse through the army So that feare and trembling fell upon them all and as men amazed they fled every way both by the Valleyes and the Mountaines then the children of Israel rushed out upon them And Ozâ—as sent to all the Coasts of Iudea that all should come freely upon the enemy to destroy them Which when they heard they fell upon them together they came also from Ierusalem and the mountaines for they were told what was done in the Campe of their enemies and they that were in Galahad and Galilee chased them with a great slaughter till they came to Damascus and the rest of them of Bethulia fell upon the Campe of Assur and spoyled it and were greatly enritched and the Israelites who returned from the slaughter had the rest and the Villages and Cityes that were in the Mountaines and the Plaines had a great booty Then Ioachim the High Priest and the Elders of Ierusalem came to see Iudeth and to salute her and blessed her with one accord saying thou art the exaltation of Ierusalem the glory of Israel and the great rejoycing of our Nation blessed bee thou of the Almighty Lord for ever and all the people said Amen And they spoyled the campe for the space of thirty dayes and gave to Iudeth the Tent of Olofernes and all his silver beds and basins and all his stuffe and she tooke it and laid it upon her Mules and made ready her Chariots and laide them thereon then came all the women of Israel to see her and blessed her and made a dance amongst them for her and shee tooke branches in her hand and gave unto the women which were with her they also crowned her with Ollives and the maide that was with her and she went before the people in the dance and all the men of Israel followed after in their Armour with Crownes and Songs c. Then Iudeth beganne a song of thankesgiving unto the Lord who had saved his people by so great and miraculous a deliverance and after they went up to Ierusalem to worship the Lord and when the people were pacified they offered their burnt offerings and their free offrings and their gifts Iudeth also offered all the stuffe of Olofernes which the people had given her and gave the Canopie which shee had taken from his bed for an oblation to the Lord so the people rejoyced in Ierusalem for the sanctuary for the space of three moneths and Iudeth remained with them after that every one returned to their owne inheritance and Iudeth went to Bethulia and kept in her owne possession and was for that time honorable in her Country and many desired her in marriage but none had her company all the daies of her life after Manasses her husband was dead and gathered to his Fathers But she increased more and more in honour and waxed old in her husbands house being an hundred and five yeares old and made her mayde free and shee dyed in Bethulia and they buryed her in the grave of her husband Manasses and all the house of Israel lamented her seven daies and before she expired shee distributed her goods to all them that were of the next of kin to her husband and to her owne kindred and there was none that made the childen of Israel any more affraid in the dayes of Iudeth nor a long time after ESTHER INstead of Vasthi a proud insolent Queene Esther a captiv'd Virgin is next seene In the throne Royall and being there plac't By King Ahashuerus lov'd and grac't Who when all other earths assistance fail'd Her beauty so far with the King prevail'd Ioyn'd with her prayer and fasting she redeemd All her sad Nation then most dis-esteemd And for her Vnckle Mordecai 'cause he Denide to Hamman both his cap and knee The Agagite when he his ruine sought Was forc't to doe him honour above thought This God can doe who by their prudence sav'd His chosen people when they most were brav'd And thus destruction threaten'd on the lives Of the sad Iewes their children and their wives Powrd on their enemies heads who shal with staÌ„d When God himselfe the quarrel takes in hand Hamman a gallowes makes fifty foote high Where he doth threaten to hang Mordecai On which he after with his ten sons dy'de So sentenc't by the King the fruites of pride And swolne ambition such was their sad fate Whilst Mordecai and she guide the whole state OF ESTHER A THIRD WORTHY WOMAN AMONGST THE IEWES BEcause of the diversity of names by which they used to title their Kings and the supputation of yeares in which the Hebrewes and the Greekes do much vary divers Authours write diversly touching Ahashuerus some thinke him to have beene Darius the sonne of Histaspâ—is called also Artaxerxes but it may appeare by the Prophet Daniel Chap. 6. v. 1. and Chap. 9. v. 1. that he was Darius soveraigne Monarch over the Medes Persians and Chaldeans the Sonne of Astiages called also Ahasuerus which was a name of honour and signified Great Chiefe or Chiefe head who raigned from India even unto Aethiopia over an hundred and seven and twenty Provinces This Ahasuerus in the third yeare of his raigne sate upon his royall throne in the pallace of Shushan and made a great feast unto all his Princes and Servants and to the Captaines and Governours of the Provinces to shew the riches and glory of his Kingdome and the