yoake and supplying the place of those beasts drew her in time conuenient vnto the place where the sacred Ceremonies were according to the custome celebrated The Oblations ended and she willing to gratifie their filiall dutie besought of the goddesse That if euer with chast and vndefiled hands she had obserued her Sacrifice or if her sonnes had borne themselues piously and religiously towards her that she would graunt vnto them for their goodnesse the greatest blessing that could happen to any mortall or humane creatures This prayer was heard and the two zealous sonnes drawing backe their mother in her Chariot from the Temple vnto the place where she then soiourned being wearie with their trauaile layd them downe to sleepe The mother in the morning comming to giue her sonnes visitation and withall thankes for their extraordinarie and vnexpected paines and trauaile found them both dead vpon their Pallets by which she conceiued That there is no greater blessing to be conferred vpon man than a faire death when Loue good Opinion and Honor attend vpon the Hearse These I must confesse are worthie eternall memorie and neuer-dying admiration But hath not the like pietie towards their parents beene found in women I answer Yes How did Pelopea the daughter of Thiestes reuenge the death of her father Hypsipile the daughter of Thoas gaue her father life when he was vtterly in despaire of hope or comfort Calciope would not lose her father or leaue him though hee had loâ—t and left his kingdome Harpalice the daughter of Harpalicus restored her father in battaile and after defeated the enemie and put him to flight Erigone the daughter of Icarus hearing of the death of her father strangled her selfe Agaue the daughter of Cadmus slew the king Lycotharsis in Illyria and possest her father of his before vsurped Diademe Xantippe fed her father Nyconus or as some will haue it Cimonus in prison with milke from her breasts Tyro the daughter of Salmoneus to relieue her father slew her owne children Who will be further resolued of these let him search Hyginus And so much shall suffice for filiall dutie towards their Parents Of Sisters that haue beene kind to their Brothers THe Poets and Historiographers to impresse into vs the like naturall pietie haue left diuerse presidents to posteritie Innumerable are the examples of fraternall loue betwixt Brother and Brother To illustrate the other the better I will giue you a tast of some few Volater lib. 14. cap. 2. de Antropo relates how in that warre which Cai. Cornelius Cinna Tribune beeing expelled the citie with Caius Marius and others commenced against the Romans there were two brothers one of Pompeyes armie the other of Cinnaes who meeting in the battaile in single encounter one slew the other but when the Victor came to rifle the dead bodie and found it to be his owne naturall brother after infinite sorrow and lamentation he cast himselfe into the fire where the slaughtered carkasse was burned M. Fabius the Consull in the great conflict against the Hetrurians and Veientians obtained a glorious victorie when the Senate and the people of Rome had with great magnificence and cost at their owne charge prepared for him an illustrious triumph hee absolutely refused that honour because Q. Fabius his brother fighting manfully for his countrey was slaine in that battaile What a fraternall pietie liued in his breast may be easily coniectured who refused so remarkable an honour to mourne the losse of a beloued brother Valer. cap. 5. lib. 5. Wee reade in our English Chronicles of Archigallo brother to Gorbomannus who being crowned king of Brittaine and extorting from his subiects all their goods to enrich his owne Coffers was after fiue yeeres deposed and depriued of his Royall dignitie in whose place was elected Elidurus the third sonne of Morindus and brother to Archigallo a vertuous Prince who gouerned the people gently and iustly Vpon a time beeing hunting in the Forrest hee met with his brother Archigallo whom hee louingly embraced and found such meanes that he reconciled him both to the Lords and Commons of the Realme that done he most willingly resigned vnto him his Crowne and Scepter after hee himselfe had gouerned the Land fiue yeeres Archigallo was re-instated and continued in great loue with his brother reigning ten yeeres and was buried at Yorke after whose death Elidurus was againe chosen king What greater enterchange of fraternall loue could be found in brothers To equall whom I will first begin with the sisters of Phaeton called by some Heliades by others Phaetontides who with such funerall lamentation bewayled the death of their brother that the gods in commiseration of their sorrow turned them into Trees whose transformations Ouid with great elegancie expresseth Lib. 1. Metamorph. as likewise Virgil in Cutice their names were Phaethusa Lampitiae Phebe c. Antigone the daughter of Oedipus when her brother Eteocles was slaine in battaile shee buried his bodie maugre the contradiction of the Tyrant Creon of whom Ouid Lib. 3. Tristium Fratrem Thebana peremplam Supposuit tumulo rege vetante soror The Theban sister to his Tombe did bring Her slaught'red brothers Corse despight the king Hyas being deuoured of a Lyon the Hyades his sisters deplored his death with such infinite sorrow that they wept themselues to death And for their pietie were after by the gods translated into Starres of whom Pontanus Fratris Hyae quas perpetuus dolor indidit astris Thus you see how the Poet did striue to magnifie and eternize this Vertue in Sisters No lesse compassionat was Electra the daughter of Agamemnon on her brother Orestes and Iliona the issue of Priam when shee heard the death of young Polidore Stobaeus Serm. 42. out of the Historie of Nicolaus de morib gentium sayth That the Aethiopians aboue all others haue their sisters in greatest reuerence insomuch that their kings leaue their succession not to their owne children but to their sisters sonnes but if none of their issue be left aliue they chuse out of the people the most beautifull and warlike withall whom they create their Prince and Soueraigne Euen amongst the Romans M. Aurelius Commodus so dearely affected his sister that being called by his mother to diuide their fathers Patrimonie betwixt them hee conferred it wholly vpon her contenting himselfe with his grandfathers reuenue Pontanus de Liber cap. 11. I will end this discourse concerning Sisters with one Historie out of Sabellicus li. 3. c. 7. the same confirmed by Fulgosius lib. 5. cap. 5. Intaphernes was say they one of those confederat Princes who freed the Persian Empire from the vsurpation of the Magician brothers and conferred it vpon Darius who now being established in the supreme dignitie Intaphernes hauing some businesse with the king made offer to enter his chamber but being rudely put backe by one of the groomes or waiters he tooke it in such scorne that no
mad'st thy souldiers taske Rape Rome still loues because thou taughtst it first Since then the forme at best so soone fades and that beautie hath beene the cause of so much blood-shed Why should women be so proud of that which rated at the highest is no better than an excellent euill or a wretched wonder that had beginning therefore subiect to end created from earth and therefore consequently transitorie but on the contrary since the vertues of the mind solely acquire after fame and glory conquer obliuion and suruiue enuie and Phenix-like recouer fresh youth from forgotten ashes To such I yeeld the first place and so begin with the Amazons Of the Amazons ANd first of their countrey Cappadocia is a land that breedeth goodly and braue horses it hath on the East side Armenia on the West Asia the lesse on the North Amazonia on the South Mount Taurus by which lyeth Sicilia and Isauria as farre as the Cilicke sea that stretcheth towards the Island of Cyprus The lesse Asia cald Asia minor ioyneth to Cappadocia and is closed in with the great sea for it hath on the North the mouth and sea that is cald Euxinus on the West Propontides on the South the Aegyptian sea This lesse Asia conteineth many prouinces and lands on the North side Bythinia butting vpon the sea against Thracia and is called Phrygia the greater The chiefe cittie of Bythinia is Nicomedia Galathia takes name of the Galls that assisted the king of Bythinia in his warres and therefore had that Prouince giuen them to inhabit It was first called Gallograecia as being a people mixt of the Galls and Graecians but now they be cald Galathians and these are they to whom Saint Paul writ his Epistles Ad Galates The third part of Asia minor is called Phrygia and tooke name of Phrygia daughter to Europa the daughter of Aegenor that Phrygia was likewise called Dardania of Dardanus the sonne of Iupiter It hath on the East side Lydia and on the West the sea Hellespontus so called of Helles the sister of Phrixus who was there drowned Lydia is on the East side of East Phrygia there sometimes raigned the rich king Craesus There were two brethren kings of that countrey the one cald Liddus the other Tyrhenus but the land being too little for both they cast lots which should abide there and which should seeke abroad to plant a Collony else-where which lot fell to the younger Tyrhenus Hee toucht vpon a land then cald Galia which after he caused to be named Tyrhia of him also the sea Tyrhenus tooke denomination as the land of Lydia of his brother Lyddus Of Lydia the chiefe cittie is Smyrna to which cittie S. Iohn the Euangelist writeth in his Apocal. The chiefe riuer of that countrey is Pactolus which as the Poets fable hath golden sands The fift part of Asia Minor is called Pamphilia and Isauria the chiefe cittie is Seleucia built by king Seleucus Antiochus neere to that is Scilicia and containeth Lycia which is called likewise Licaonia in which are the two noble citties Lystris and Derbe spoken of in Actib Apostol By these citties they sayle out of Syria into Italy but the chiefe of all these citties is Tharsis downewards towards the Amasonian sea and that land is part in Asia and part scituate in Europe Now touching the Originall of the Amasons and why they were first so called diuerse authours haue diuersly writ Palaephatus in his fabulous narrations saith The Amasons were not women but certaine barbarous men who vsed to weare long garments and loose reaching below their ankles after the manner of the Thracian women who shaued their chinnes and wore the haires of their head long but couered with miters These Amasons were a warrelike people and did many braue and remarkeable deedes of armes But there is no likelihood saith hee that such should bee women because of that nation there is at this day no memorie but this was but his opinion Trogus Pompeius from whom Iustine extracts his history thus speaks of their origenall Scythia towards the East is of one side imbraced by the sea on the other part hem'd in by the Ryphaean mountaines the longitude and latitude thereof lyes open to Asia and the riuer Tanais These Scythians haue no portions of land amongst them which any man can call his owne they manure no fields they build no houses ignorant both of Agriculture and Architecture their riches are their heards and their cattle they delight in vnfrequented solitudes and inhabitable desarts when they remooue from one place to another they carry their wiues along with them in charriots and waggons these are couered with leather and skinnes of beasts to shroud them from summers shewers and defend themselues from winters tempests they know no houses els and for no others care Iustice is maintained by the modestie of their manners not by the seueritie of their lawes There is no offence so grieuous to them as theft because their flockes lie open without folds or sheepe coates Gold and siluer they despise as much as other nations couet it esteeming it rather an vnusefull burden than a profitable merchandise Their food is for the most part milke and hony the benefite of wooll or cloath is to them altogether vnknowne though the climate oppresse them with continuall cold their habit is furres and the skinnes of beasts their continence teacheth them that iustice That they couet nothing but what is their owne for where there is desire of riches there must necessarily be vsurie and oppression Were the like moderation and abstinence vsed amongst all nations warre and surfet would not as they now doe destroy more than age or nature Admirable it is that custome in them should attaine to as much true morall humanitie as the wise men of Greece haue reached to by the learning of arts or study of Philosophy and that vntaught Barbarians should excell them that professe to tutor others in manners more eminent farre in their ignorance of Vice than the others in their knowledge of Vertue Three times these Scythians attempted the Empire of Asia in all their expeditions remaining vnfoild at least vnconquered Darius king of Persia they put to shamefull flight Cyrus with a supposed inuincible armie they slew in the field Zopyrus the great captaine of Alexander they victoriously defeated Of the Romans they onely heard their power but neuer felt their strength The Parthian and Bactrian Empire they establisht A nation in labours vnwearied in dangers vndismaied not seeking to get what they cared not to loose in all their victories preferring the glory before the spoile The first that made warre against this nation was Vexores king of Aegypt who by his Embassadours sent them word to prepare themselues for defence by whom they returned to the king this answer We wonder that the captaine of so rich a people will wage war against vs that are knowne so poore considering the successe of warre is doubtfull
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
himselfe and after his Horse when mounting hee without more trouble came to the end of his Iourney And this sayth shee hee hath told to a hundred and a hundred Gentlemen in mine owne hearing To end this discourse in a word which by examples might be amplified into an infinite one of the guests sitting by said I can tell you a stranger thing than all these being demaunded what hee answered I beleeue all these things related to bee true Plutarch in his booke De educandis liberis sayth Prater haec omnia ad sue faciendi sunt pueri vt vera dicant c. Aboue all things children ought to be accustomed to speake the truth in which consisteth the chiefe sanctimonie but to lye is a most base seruile thing worthie the hate of all men and not to be pardoned in seruants Homer Iliad 1. to shew the difference betwixt Truth and False-hood hath these words Poene mihi est orci portis inuisior ipsis Cuius verba sonâ—â—t aliud quam mente recondit Hee 's to me hatefull as the doores of Hell That when he ill doth meane doth promise well Iuuenal in his third Satyre giues it a more full and ample expression after this manner Quid Romae faciam mentiri nescio librum Si malus est nequeo laudare c. What should I doe at Rome I cannot lye If a bad Booke be layd before me I Nor prayse it nor desire it I haue no skill In the Starres motions neither can nâ—r will I make deepe search into my fathers fate To know when he shall die nor calculate From the Frogges entrailes by inspection neuer Was it my studie how by base endeuour To panderize or close conueyance hide Betwixt th' Adulterer and anothers Bride These practises seeke they that list t' attaine Such as I haue beene I will still remaine This Muse Polyhimnia vnder whom I patronize this seuenth Booke as she is the Mistresse and Ladie of Memorie and consequently of the multiplicitie both of Hymnes and Histories so from her I assume a kind of libertie to continue my varietie of Discourse and from Mendacia come to Sales or Dicteria i. From Lyes to Ieasts or ingenious and wittie answeres For which Athenaeus in his Dypnos lib. 13. remembers these women famous Lamia Gnathena Lais Glicera Hyppo Nico Phrine Thais Leontium and others Yet least women should not be content to equall men onely but to antecede them I will here commemorate some things wittily and facetiously spoken by Princes and others Anton. in Melissa Part. 1. Serm. 56. speakes of an vnskilfull Physician comming to visit an old friend of his or at least an acquaintance saluting him in this manner Sir God bee thanked you haue liued to a faire age and are growne an old man Yes Sir answered he and you Sir haue my health too for I neuer made vse of any Physician Cicero thus playd vpon Vatinius who was but a few dayes Consull A great prodigie sayth he there happened in the yeare of his Consul-ship That there was neither Spring Summer Autumne nor Winter one asking him Why he had neglected to visit the Consull in his honour he answered Hee had purposed it but the night preuented him Hee sported in the like kind vpon Caninius Of him sayth he we haue had a most vigilant Consull who neuer so much as slept in his Consul-ship Lucius Manilius an excellent Painter had drawne wonderous beautiful faces but his children were exceedingly deformed A friend of his supping with him one night taunted him in these words Non similiter fingis pingis as much to say Thou doest not get thine owne children as thou doest paint others No wonder answered hee For I get those faces in the darke but when I paint others I doe them by the light of the Sun The Christian Princes hauing vnited their forces to redeeme the Holy Land from the oppression of the Infidells Santius brother to the king of Spaine was made Generall of the Christian forces a man of great sanctitie and an austere life and withall a noble souldier hee amongst other Princes sitting in Councell with the Pope but not vnderstanding the Roman Tongue in which the businesse was then debated onely hauing his interpreter placed at his feet vpon the sudden after their Decree there was a great acclamation and clamour with flinging vp their caps c. At which Santius demanded of his interpreter What that sudden ioy meant hee told him It was because the Pope and Colledge of Cardinalls had by their publique sufferage created him king of Aegypt for the Saladine then vsurped in the Holy citie Is it so saith he then arise and proclaime the Pope Caliph of Baildacha Thus with a Princely libertie modestly taxing their forwardnesse who as they gaue him a Kingdome without a Countrie he to requite the Popes gratitude gaue him a Bishoprick without a Diocesse Pacuuius Taurus hauing for his former service sued to Augustus Caesar for some great grosse summe of money and the rather to induce the Emperor to bountie told him That it was voyced in the citie and was frequent in euerie mans mouth how hee had alreadie receiued a large donatiue from Caesar to whom hee answered Let them say what they will but doe not thou Pacuuius belleue it To another that was remooued from his commaund and sued for a pention yet insinuating with the Emperour that it was for no couetous intent or any hope of gaine but because it should be thought that for no criminall cause he was put out of his place and dismist his office that hee desired an annuall fee from the Treasurie to whom Augustus replyed Doe thou then report openly that thou hast a pention and if any shall aske me about it I will not denie but that I haue giuen it The same Augustus going into a shop to buy Purple or Skarlet for in those dayes the Emperours were not so curious as some gentlemen are now hee cheapening a piece of Cloth but not liking the colour because it was not bright ynough and the Draper hauing it seemes a darke shop such as are common amongst vs in our dayes faith the Draper to him So please your Maiestie but to hold it vp into the light and you shall see the colour more perfect Gramercie for that saith he so when I purpose to shew my selfe amongst my subiects to shew the true colour of my garments I must likewise be tyed to walke vpon the Tarresses and tops of houses Many other things are remembred of him worthie to be commended to posteritie Philip the father of Alexander the Great had a custome when his armie was in the field to leaue his owne Tent and come into the priuate Halls and Cabbins of his souldiers and obserue how they spent their idle howres The Poet Calliniad then following the campe to whom the king had a particular loue hee stole vpon him one day and found him busily seething a
these verses in old English Maud the daughter of Henrie the first was married to Henrie the fourth Emperour of that name after the death of her husband she bore the title of Maud the Empresse her father in his life time swore all the nobilitie to her succession but he being dead many fell from their oathes of alleagence adhering to Stephan Earle of Bulleine who by the sisters side was neaphue to the deseased king He notwithstanding he had before sworne to her homage caused himselfe to be crowned at London vpon a Saint Stephens day by William Archbishop of Canturburie one that had before past his oath of alleagence to the Emperesse Much combustion there was in England in those dayes betwixt Maude and Stephan and many battails fought in which the successe was doubtfull the victorie sometimes inclining to the one and againe to the other the circumstances rather would become a large Chronicle than a short tractat I will therefore come to that which sorts best with my present purpose This lady tooke the king in battaile and kept him prisoner at Bristoll from Candlemas day to Hollyrood day in haruest for which victorie the people came against her with procession which was approoued by the Popes legate From Bristoll she came to Winchester thence to Wilton to Oxford to Reding and Saint Albons all the people acknowledging her their queene and soueraigne excepting the Kentishmen onely shee came thence to London to settle the estate of the land whether came the wife of king Stephan for her husbands deliuerie vpon condition that Stephan should surrender the kingdome vp entirely into her hands and betake himselfe euer after to a sequestred and religious life But to this motion the Emperesse would by no meanes assent the Cittisens likewise intreated her that they might vse the fauourable lawes of S. Edward and not those strict and seuere statutes and ordinances deuised established by King Henry her father neither to this would the bold-spirited Lady agree For which the people began to withdraw their affections from her purposed to haue surprised her of which she hauing notice left all her houshold proâ—ision and furniture and secretly conueighed her selfe to Oxford where she attended her forces who were by this time dispersed and diuided But taking with her her Vncle Dauid king of Scots shee came before Winchester laying a strong siege to the bishops tower with was defended by the brother of king Stephan But now obserue another female Warrior The wife of the imprisoned King being denyed his freedome now takes both spirit armes and associated with one William Iperus came with such a thundring terror to rayse the siege that the hardie Empresse to giue way to her present furie was from strength forced to flye to stratageme for finding her powers too weake to withstand the incensed Queene she counterfeited her selfe dead and as a Corse caused her bodie to be conueyed to the citie of Glocester and by this meanes escaped But Robert her brother was there taken prisoner and committed to safe custodie Then the Queene imployed herselfe on the one part for the release of her husband and the Empresse on the other for the enfranchisement of her brother at length after long debating of the businesse it was determined by the Mediators on both sides that Stephan should be restored to the Kingdome and Duke Robert to his Lordship and Earledome and both as they had disturbed the peace of the Land so now to establish it To this the Earle would not assent so that all that yeere there was nothing but spoyle manslaughter direptions and all manner of violence robbing of the rich and oppression of the poore The King vpon Holy-Rood day was released and besieged the Empresse in the citie of Oxford from Michaelmas day to mid-Winter where being oppressed with famine she tooke the aduantage of the Frost and Snow and attyring her selfe all in white escaped ouer the Fennes and came to the castle of Wallingford And so much shall suffice to expresse the magnanimitie and warlike dispositions of two noble and heroicke English Ladies A French Ladie comes now in my way of whom I will giue you a short character In the minoritie of Henry the sixt when France which was once in his entire possession was there gouerned by our English Regents the famous duke of Bedford and others Charles the Dolphin styled after by the name of Charles the seuenth being a Lord wihout land yet at that time maintaining what hostilitie he was able whilest the English forraged through France at their will and commanded in all places at their owne pleasure the French in vtter despaire of shaking off the English yoake there arose in those desperate times one Ioane Are the daughter of Iames Are and his wife Isabel borne in Damprin This Iames was by profession a Shepheard and none of the richest Ioane whom the French afterwards called Ioane de Pucil whilest she was a yong maid and kept her fathers sheepe would report to diuerse That our blessed Ladie S. Agnes and S. Katherine had appeared vnto her and told her That by her meanes France should regayne her pristine libertie and cast off the yoke of English seruitude This comming to the eare of one Peter Bradicourt an eminent captaine then belonging to Charles the Dolphin hee vsed meanes that she should be sent to haue conference with his maister who soiourned then in Chynon in his lowest of deiection and despaire of hope supplie or comfort In her iourney thither shee came to a towne called Faire-boys where taking vp her Inne a place which shee had neuer before seene shee desired a souldier to goe to a secret by-corner where was a heape of old yron and from thence to bring her a Sword The souldier went according to her direction and searching the place amidst a great quantitie of old tongs shouels hand-yrons and broken horse-shooes found a faire bright sword with fiue Flower-delyces vpon either side engrauen This Sword with which she after committed many slaughters vpon the English shee gyrt to her and so proceeded to Chynon to giue the Dolphin meeting Being there arriued Charles concealed himselfe amongst many others whilest she was brought into a faire long gallerie where he had appointed another to take his place and to assume his person she looking vpon him gaue him neither respect nor reueâ—ence but sought out Charles among all the other in that assemblie and pickt him from amongst the rest to whom making a low obeysance she told him that to him only was her businesse The Dolphin at this was amased the rather because she had neuer before seene him and was somewhat comforted by reason that she shewed cheare and alacritie in her countenance they had together long and priuat conference and shortly after she had an armie giuen to bee disposed and â—irected by her Shee then bespake her selfe armour Cap a Pe bearing a white Ensigne displaide before her in which was
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
fell vpon the same sword and in her death mingled her blood with his Aristides writes a historie to the like effect In the celebrations of Bacchus feasts Arnutius who was likewise a man of knowne temperance from his birth was for the like contempt alike punished by the god of Healths This Roman touched with the like distemperature in the darke vitiated by force his daughter Medullina she also by his ring knowing the incestuous be thought a greater mischiefe for hauing a second time besotted him in the dregges of the grape and crowning him with Vine leaues like a Bacchinall slew him at the altar Excuse me Reader I illustrat not these as they are parrasides but as without respect of time person or place they thought no reuenge great ynough to be inflicted on the corrupters of their virginities Erixo ARchelaus the Tyrant vsing many tyrannies vpon the Cyraeneans ouer whom hee vsurped but more by the euill instigation of one Laarchus whom he had entertained as his familiar friend and counsellor was at length supplanted by this Laarchus whom he most trusted and as some thinke poysoned Archelaus left behind him a sonne after his grandfathers name Battus Falix called Battus who because he was weake of body and lame of his feet his mother Erixo in whose guardianship he was was by that meanes held in more respect and reuerence being a woman of approoued humanitie and goodnes Lâ—archus notwithstanding she had the loue and hearts of all the cittisens yet he inioyed the power and by the helpe of his mercenarie souldiers vsurped the dominion ouer all But apprehending in himselfe that his tyrannie could not last long without better supporture he sent to this chast dowager to treat with her of marriage proposing to her as a maine article to make her sonne Battus copartner with him in his regencie About this motion shee consulted with her brothers pretending a seeming consent They debated with Laarchus but somewhat protractedly about the matter in which interim shee priuately sent to the vsurper one of her damosells with a message That notwithstanding her brothers as vnwilling the match should goe forward had made needlesse delaies yet her purpose was so fixt vpon the motion especially since it concerned the generall good that she wholly submitted herselfe to his seruice in so much that if it pleased him to vouchsafe to come priuatly in the night she would yeeld her honor intirely vp into his hand vpon which beginning a good successe would doubtles follow for then in vaine her brothers and kindred should oppose themselues against that to which the publike good occasion place opportunitie all things necessarie inuited them This message was plausible to Laarchus who apprehended at once the imbraces of a beautious lady a principalitie and a countinuance therof Briefly the night was betwixt them appointed and hee in regard of her honour to come priuatly and vnattended all which she reueal'd to her eldest brother Poliarchus making him solely of her counsell who at the time of their appointed meeting hid himselfe in his sisters chamber Laarchus comes singly according to promise and is admitted by Erixo and in the midst of his hopes ready to cast himselfe into her imbraces is transpierst and slain his body cast ouer the walls Battus proclaimed Prince and pristine libertie restored to the long opprest Cyraenians This Poliarchus did in reuenge of Archilaus death husband to his chast sister Erixo There were then about the cittie many soldiers belonging to Amasis king of Aegipt by whose assistance Laarchus had bin long terrible to the people these complained to the king accusing Poliarchus and Erixo of the murder of Laarchus But as he was about to inuade the Cyraenians his mother happily died and so hindered that expedition Polyarchus and Erixo notwithstanding purposed a voluntarie iournie into Aegipt to purge themselues of all accusations commenced against them in which iourney Critola a woman of great reuerence and very aged as hauing beene the wife of Battus Felix would needs accompanie them These appearing before Amasis so well pleaded their owne cause that their iniuries appeared to him much to surmount their reuenge so that imbrasing Erixo he commended her fortitude and temperance and with princely gifts sent them back into their owne countrie A Woman of the cittie Pergamus MIthridates king of Pontus hauing diuerse waies opprest the Galatians as by sending to the citie by way of inuitation to Pergamus for diuerse of the chiefe citisens and then vniustly detaining them This wrought such an impression to supplant the tirant in the hart of Toredorix Tetrarch of Tosipporus that he made a combination wherein many noble gentlemen of qualitie were ingaged all which had vowed the tyrants death Their plot being discouered and they in the attempt surprised were all commaunded to death in the midst of the execution Mithridates remembred a beautiful yong man of extraordinarie shape and feature that was one in the conspiracie but half despairing whether hee were yet aliue hee sent in hast that if the hang man had not done his office vpon him to reprieue him to his mercie This yong mans name was Bepolitanuâ— whose turne being come and he presenting himselfe to the block it happened at that time hee had on a rich and pretious garment of purple embrothered with gold of which the executioner being greedie and carefull to keepe it from blood thereby to make the better sale of it he spent so much time in disposing his head this way and that way not for the prisoners ease but for his own aduantage till the messengers appeared from the king and called aloude to make stay of iustice by which meanes Bepolitanus his garment was as much beneficiall to his life as the kings mercie and couetousnesse that hath beene the destruction of many was the meanes of his vnexpected safety The executioner in his greedinesse making good the old english Adage All couet all loose To leaue circumstances and come to the matter The bodie of Toredorix was cast out and by the kings edict denied all rights of buriall with a grieuious penaltie imposed vpon any such as should contradict the kings writ This notwithstanding dismaid not a faire Pergamaean damosell with whom Toredorix had beene in familiaritie to accomplish the vowed office of a louer and a friend who in the night watched the opportunitie to take thence the bodie and bestow on it a faire interment but being taken by the souldiers in the performance of this last memorable dutie and brought before the tyrant either her beautie so much mooued him or her teares so farre preuailed with him as that his bodie was not onely left freely to her dispose but to recompence her loue and loyaltie shee had a faire and competent dower allotted her out of the lands and goods of the trespassor Stratonica OF Stratonica Galatia may boast as breeding a Ladie scarce matchable before her time or since in her condition she being the wife of
king Deiotarus and barren and knowing how desiroâ—s her husband was to haue issue from his owne loynes to succeede in the kingdome sollicited him and that with great importance to select some beautifull Ladie whom he best fancied and by her to raise his posteritie which the king ouercome with so vnexpected a curtesie and therefore vnwilling to wrong her bed refusing she of her owne accord out of many captiue virgins chused one who seemed to excell all the rest in feature and modestie and suiting her in all respects like a princesse presented her to the king as a jewell to be receiued from her hand This Virgins name was Electra by whom Deiotarus had faire and fortunate issue to whom Stratonica was a second mother and sawe them educated with as much magnificence and state as if they had beene borne of her bodie and shee giuen them sucke from her owne brests Her example is memorable but since her time by few that I can reade of immitated Valeria and Cloelia TArquinus Superbus being expulsed the kingdome because his sonne Sextus had stuprated the faire Lucretia wife to Collatine to reobtaine his principalitie hee insinuated vnto his aide Porsenna king of the Tuscans These with an infinite armie besieged Rome insomuch that the cittisens were not onely wearied with long warre but opprest with famine therefore knowing Porsenna as well in warre as peace to be a prince eminent both for justice and humanitie they made choise of him to arbitrate and determine all controuersies betwixt Tarquine and them This motion being offered by the Romanes Tarquine refused to stand to any such comprimise not allowing Porsâ—â—â—â— a lawfull iudge in regard of their late league commensed This Porsenâ—â— not well relishing treated with the Romans about a peace conditionally that they should restore backe certaine lands before taken from the Etruscians and of them put him in peaceable possession and till this were performed to send him tenne young men and as many virgins of the noblest families for hostage which was accordinglie done and he dismist his armie These virgins walking by the riuer side which parted the campe and cittie for though he had sent away the greatest part of his armie he had not yet raised his tents two of the chiefe the one Cloelia the other Valeria daughter to the Consull Publicola persuaded the rest and by persuading so farre preuailed that they were all resolued to passe the riuer when stripping themselues naked and holding as well as they conuenientlie could their cloathes aboue their heads they ventured ouer that vnknowne passage full of whirlepooles and where there was no stedfast footing and what by wading and swimming to all mens wonders got safe to shore and presented themselues to their fathers and friends who though they admired their boldnesse and commended their resolutions yet disallowing the Act it selfe as those that in their faith and honour would not be outbid by any they sent them backe to king Porsenna and submitted their rashnesse to be punisht at his pleasure These virgins being presented before him he demanded of them Which she was that first animated and incouraged the rest to so rash and dangerous an enterprise when Cloelia beckning to the rest to keepe silence tooke all the iniurie contempt or whatsoeuer they pleafed to call it vpon her selfe protesting the rest innocent and she of what would be obiected the sole authour Porsenna obseruing and withall admiring her vndanted courage caused presently a horse furnished with rich trappings to be broughtâ— which he gaue to Cloelia in recompence of her magnanimous attempt sending them all in his regall curtesie back to their friends and parentsâ— Vpon this horse giuen to Cloelia by Porsenna some haue grounded that she first past the riuer on horsebacke sounding the way for the rest which others deny onely that the king thought to gratifie her manly courage with the meede of a souldier Her statue on horsebacke is erected in Via sacra This some confer vpon Cloelia others on Valeria Olympias ALexander hauing caused himselfe to be called the sonne of Iupiter writ to his mother in this maneer King Alexander the sonne of Iupiter Hamon to his mother Olimpias sends health to whom with great modestie she thus rescribed Deare sonne as you loue me insteed of doing me honour proclaime not my dishonour neither accuse me before Iuno besides it is a great aspertion you cast vpon nice to make me a strumpet though to Iupiter himselfe A great moderation in a woman who for no swelling title or vaine ostentation could be woon to loose the honour to be called a Loyall and chast wife Troades AMongst those frighted Troians that fled from the fearfull ruins of subuerted Troy some by the violence of outragious tempests were driuen vpon the coasts of Italy where landing at certaine ports neere to the riuer Tygris they made vp into the countrey the better to acquaint themselues with the conditions of those places In which interim the women began to apprehend that they had better farre to take vp an abiding place in any land than againe to commit themselues to the mercilesse furie of the seas Wherefore with one ioynt consent they agreed to make that their fixed habitation seeing all hope of their former losses at Troy were vtterly desperate Hauing thus conspired together with all possible expedition they burnt the shippes in this exploit one Roma is reported to be chiefe which being done they ran to meet their husbands making to their Nauie to quench it fearing their anger for their rash enterprise some of them embracing their husbands others their friends and acquaintance they tempred their amorous kisses with such persuasiue Rhetoricke that soone allayd the angry tempest of their husbands furie From these as some haue writ the custome of kissing at salutations by the Roman women to their kinsmen first tooke Originall The Troianes now tyed by necessitie and likewise finding the inbahitants so louing and curteous they much applauded this deede of the women and dwelt there with the Latines The Phocides AFter an implacable war betwixt the Thessalians and the Phocenses which had long lasted with much slaughter on both sides those of Thessaly bringing their army through the Locrenses inuaded the men of Phocis on all sides making a decree to kill all that were of age and the women and children to beare away captiue Diaphantes the sonne of Bathillius with his two colleagues then gouerning the cittie he persuaded the besieged boldlie and valiantlie to issue out and giue the enemy battaile but with this caution That all their wiues daughters and children euen to one soule should be brought into a place circled and compast in with all manner of dry wood and matter combustible and the dores by which they entered to be shut after them and so guarded and if the day were lost and they perisht in battaile the pile to bee kindled and all their bodies to be burned at once This being not onely proposed