was as big as a Popish St. Christopher These Idols they feed every day with the smoak of hot Meats set before them but the Meat they eat themselves At Quinsay a Chineze conveyed him into a certain Monastery where he called to a Religious Person and said this Raban Francus that is this Religious French-man cometh from the Sun-setting and is now going to Cambaleth to pray for the Life of the Great Chan and therefore you must shew him some strange sight then the said Religious Person took great Baskets full of broken Reliques and led me into a little walled Park and unlocked the door we entered into a fair Green wherein was a Mount in form of a Steeple replenished with Herbs and Trees then did he ring with a Bell at the sound whereof many Creatures like Apes Cats and Monkeys came down the Mount and some had Faces like Men to the number of four thousand and two hundred putting themselves in good order before whom he set a Platter and gave them those Fragments which when they had eaten he rung the second time and they all returned to their former places I wondered at the sight and demanded what Creatures they were they are said he the Souls of Noble-men which we here feed for the love of God who governeth the World And as a man was honourable in his Life so his Soul entreth after Death into the Body of some excellent Beast but the Souls of simple and rustical People possess the Bodies of more vile and bruitish Creatures Neither could I disswade him from the Opinion or perswade him that any Soul might remain without a Body IX Gasper de la Crux being in Canton a City of China entred a certain Religious House where he saw a Chappel having therein besides many of her things of great Curiosity the Image of a Woman with a Child hanging about her Neck and a Lamp burning before her The Mystery hereof none of the Chinezes could declare The Sun Moon Stars and especially Heaven it self are Gods of the first form in their Idol School They acknowledge Laocon Tzanter the Governour of the Great God so it signifieth to be eternal and a Spirit Of like Nature they esteem Causay unto whom they ascribe the lower Heaven and power of Life and Death they subject unto him three other Spirits Tauquam Teyquam Tzuiquam the first supposed to be Author of Rain the second of Humane Nativity Husbandry and Wars the third is their Sea Neptune to these they offer Victuals Odours and Altar Cloaths presenting them also with Plays and Comedies They have Images of the Devil with Serpentine Locks and as deformed Looks as here he is painted whom they worship not to obtain any good at his hand but to detain and hold his hand from doing them evil They have many he and she Saints in great Veneration with long Legends of their Lives Amongst the chief of them are Sichia the first Inventer of their Religious Votaries of both Sects Quannia an Anchoress and Neoma a great Sorceress Fryer Martin in one Temple in Vchco told a hundred and twelve Idols They tell of one Hujansin in the Province of Cechiam which did much good to the People both by Alchimy making true Silver of Quicksilver and by freeing the Metropolitan City from a huge Dragon which he fastened to an Iron Pillar still shewed and then flew into Heaven with all his House Mice and all Lye and all and there they have built him a Temple the Ministers whereof are of that Sect. Thausu and Trigautius writes of certain Gods called Foe which they say go a visiting Cities and Provinces and the Jesuits in one City were taken for these Idols Foe At Sciauchim they in time of Drought proclaimed a Fast every Idol was sollicited with Tapers and Odours for Rain a peculiar Officer with the Elders of the People observed peculiar Rites to this purpose the Priests went on Procession all in vain When the City-Gods could do nothing they fetched a Country Idol called Locu which they carry about worship and offer to but Locu is now grown old thus they said of his Deafness at last they go to a Witch who told them Quonim a Goddess was angry that her Back was burned meaning the Converts which burn'd their Idols which incensed them against the Christians Hoaquim is the name of an Idol which hath rule over the Eyes which they carry about in Procession and beg in his name In time of Trouble they have Familiarity with the Devil Pedro de Alfero observed being in a Ship with a Chineze in this sort They cause a man to lye on the Ground groveling and then one readeth on a Book the rest answering and some make a sound with Bells and Tabors The man in short space beginneth to make Visages and Gestures whereby they know the Devil is entred and then do they propound their Requests to which he answereth by a Word or Letters And when they cannot extort an answer by Word they spread a red Mantle on the Ground equally dispersing all over the same a certain quantity of Rice then do they cause a man that cannot write to stand there themselves renewing their former Invocation and the Devil entring into this man causeth him to write upon the Rice but his Answers are often full of Lies In the Entries of their Houses they have an Idol Room where they incense their Deities Morning and Evening they offer to them the sweetest Odours Hens Geese Ducks Rice Wine a Hogs-head boyled is the chief Offering but little hereof falleth to the God's share which is set in a Dish apart as the tips of the Hogs Ears the Bylls and Feet of the Hens a few Corns of Rice three or four drops of Wine their Books tell much of Hell their Devotions little Their Temples are homely and filthy no Oracle is in any of them they have Fables of men turned into Dogs or Snakes and again metamorphosed into men and they which believe the Pains of Hell yet believe after a certain space that those damned Souls shall pass thence into the Bodies of Beasts But their Idolatries and religious Rites will better appear if we take a view of their different Religions and Sects X. The Chinezes do conceive thus of the Creation That there was one Taine who created Panzon and Paullina whose Posterity remained ninety thousand Years but they for their Wickedness being destroyed Taine created Luitzam who had two Horns from the right came men from the left came Women They are very much afraid when there is any Eclipse of the Sun or Moon which they hold to be man or Wife for then they think that these two Gods are angry with them In Canada the Natives worship the Devil who when he is offended with them flings Dust in their Eyes The men marry two or three Wives who after the Death of their Husbands never marry again but go still in black and besinear their Faces with Coal-Dust and
at ten a Clock at night in his Kitchin he sent for one Martin a poor old Man out of his Bed to him so that there were in the Kitchin Sprackling and his Wife one Ewell and this Martin Sprackling commanded Martin to bind Ewell's Legs which the one did and the other suffered thinking it had only been a ranting humour of their Master then he began to rage against his Wife who sat quietly by and though she gave him none but sweet and loving words yet he drew his Dagger and struck her over the face with it which she bore patiently though she was hurt in the Jaw He still continuing to rage at her she weary and in great fear rose up and went to the door Her Husband followed her with a chopping-knife in his hand with which he struck at her wrist and cut the bone in sunder so that her hand hung down only by the Sinews and Skin No help was near Ewell was bound and Martin being old and weak durst not interpose fearing his own Life only prayed his Mistris to stay and be quiet hoping all should be well and so getting a Napkin bound up her hand with it After this towards Morning still rayling and raging at his Wife he dashed her on the Forehead with the Iron Cleaver Whereupon she fell down bleeeding but recovering her self on her Knees she cryed and prayed unto God for the pardon of her own and her Husband's Sins praying God to forgive him as she did but as she was thus praying her bloody Husband chopt her head in the midst of the very Brains so that she fell down and died immediately Then did he kill six Dogs four of which he threw by his Wife and after she was dead chopping her twice into the Legs compelled Martin to wash Ewell's Face with her Blood himself also dipping Linnen in her Blood washed Martin's face and bloodied his own face with it For all which being apprehended and carried to Sandwich Goal at the Sessions following which were April the 22. 1653. he was araigned condemned and hanged on the 27. day dying very desperately and not suffering any either Minister or Gentleman to speake with him after his Condemnation XCI 2. Periander the Corinthian in a high fit of Passion trod his Wife under Foot and although she was at that time with Child of a Boy yet he never desisted from his injurious treatment of her till such time as he had killed her upon the place Afterwards when he was come to himself and was sensible that what he had done was thorough the calumniating instigation of his Concubines he caused them all to be burnt alive and banished his Son Lycophron as far as Corcyra upon no other occasion than that he lamented the death of his Mother with tears and out-cries XCII 3. Nero the Emperour being once incensed against his Wife Poppora Sabina gave her such a kick with his Foot upon the Belly that she thereupon departed this Life But though he was a man that seemed to be born to Cruelty and Blood yet he afterwards so repented himself of this act that he would not suffer her Body to be burn'd after the Roman manner but built the Funeral Pile for her of odours and persumes and so ordered her to be brought into the Julian Monument XCIII 4. Herod the Sophist being offended at his Wife Rhegilla for some slight fault of his commanded his Freed-man Alcimedon to beat her she was at that time eight Months gone with Child or near upon so that by the imprudence of him who was imployed to chastize her she received some blows upon her Belly which occasioned first her Miscarriage and soon after her Death Her Brother Brudeas a Person of great Nobility cited her Husband Herod to answer the Death of his Sister before the Senate of Rome where if he had not it is pitty but he should have received a Condign punishment XCIV 5. When M. Antonius was overcome at Actium Herod King of Judea believing that he was in danger to lose his Kingdom because he had been a fast friend to Antonius determined to meeet Caesar Augustus at Rhodes and there indeavoured to assure his favour to him having resolved upon his Journey he committed the care and custody of his Wife to Sohemus his Friend giving him withall thus much in command that in case he should hear of his death by the way or at the place whither he was intended that then he should not fail forthwith to kill Mariamne his Wife yielding this only reason of his injunction that it might not be in the power of any man to enjoy so great a Beauty after his death Mariamne had extorted this Secret from Sohemus and at Herod's return twitted him with it Herod caused Sohemus unheard to be immediately put to death and not long after he also beheaded Mariamne his beloved Queen and Wife But Herod had impotent desires of her even after she was dead he often called upon her name and frequently betook himself to uncomely lamentations he invented all the delight he could he feasted and drank liberally and yet to small purpose he therefore left off the care of his Kingdom and was so overcome with his grief that he often commanded his Servants to call Mariamne as if she had been still alive his grief increasing he exiled himself in Solitudes under pretence of hunting where continuing to afflict himself he fell into a grievous Disease and when recovered of it he became so fell and cruel that for slight causes he was apt to inflict death XCV 6. Amalasunta had raised Theodahitus at once to be her Husband and King of the Goths but upon this Proviso that he should make Oath that he would rest contented with the Title of a King and leave all matters of Government to her sole dispose But no sooner was he accepted as King but he forgot his Wife and Benefactress recalled her Enemies from banishment put her Friends and Relations many of them to death banished her self into an Island in the Vulsiner Lake and there set a strong guard upon her At last he thought himself not sufficiently safe so long as Amalasunta was alive and thereupon he dispatched certain of his Instruments to the place of her Exile with order to put her to death who finding her in a Bath gave her no further time but strangled her there But on the other side it will be fitting to give a few Instances of the Love of some Husbands XCVI 1. Darius the last King of the Persians supposing that his Wife Statira was slain by Alexander filled all the Camp with lamentations and outcryes O Alexander said he whom of thy Relations have I put to Death that thou should'st thus retaliate my severities thou hast hated me without any provocation on my part but suppose thou hast Justice on thy side should'st thou manage the War against Women Thus he bewailed the supposed death of his Wife but as soon as he heard she was
not only preserved alive but also treated by Alexander with the highest honour he then prayed to God to render Alexander fortunate in all things though he was his Enemy XCVII 2. Titus Gracchus loved his Wife Cornelia with such fervency that when two Snakes were by chance found in his House and that the Augurs had pronounced that they should not suffer them both to escape but that one of them should be killed affirming also that if the male was let go Cornelia should dye first on the other side that Gracchus should first expire if the Female was dismissed Dismiss then the Female said he that so Cornelia may survive me who am at this time the Elder It so fell out that he dyed soon after leaving behind him many Sons so entirely loved by the Mother and the memory of her husband so dear to her that she refused the proffered Marriage with Ptolomais King of Aegypt The buried Ashes of her Husband it seem'd lay so cold at her Heart that splendor of a Diadem and all the Pomp of a Rich and profered Kingdom were not able so to warm it as to make it capable of receiving the impression of a new Love XCVIII 3. M. Plautius by the command of the Senate was to bring back a Navy of sixty Ships of the Confederates into Asia he put ashore at Tarentum thither had Oristilla his Wife followed him and there overcome with a disease she departed this Life Plautius having ordered all things for the celebration of the Funeral she was laid upon the Pile to be burnt as the Roman manner was the last offices to be performed were to anoint the dead Body and to give it a valedictory kiss but betwixt these the grieved Husband fell upon his own Sword and died His Friends took him up in his Gown and Shoos as he was and laying his Body by that of his Wives burnt them both together The Sepulchre of these two is yet to be seen at Tarentum and is called the Tomb of the two Lovers XCIX 4. One of the Neapolitans pity his Name as well as his Countrey is not remembred being buisily imployed in a Field near the Sea and his Wife at some distance from him the Woman was seized upon by some Moorish Pyrates who came on shoar to prey upon all they could find Upon his return not finding his Wife and perceiving a Ship that lay at Anchor not far off conjecturing the matter as it was he threw himself into the Sea and swam up to the Ship when calling to the Captain he told him that he was therefore come because he must needs follow his Wife He feared not the Barbarism of the Enemies of the Christian Faith nor the miseries those Slaves endure that are thrust into places where they must tug at the Oar his Love overcame all these The Moors were full of admiration at the carriage of the Man for they had seen some of his Countreymen rather chuse Death than indure so hard a loss as that of their Liberty and at their return they told the whole of this story to the King of Tunis who moved with the Relation of so great a Love gave him and his wife their freedom and the man was made by his command one of the Souldiers of his Life-guard C. 5. Ferdinand King of Spain married Elizabeth the Sister of Ferdinand Son of John King of Arragon Great were the Vertues of this admirable Princess whereby she gained so much upon the heart of her Husband a valiant and fortunate Prince that he admitted her to an equal share in the Government of the Kingdom with himself wherein they lived with such mutual agreement as the like hath not been known amongst any of the Kings and Queens of that Country There was nothing done in the Affairs of State but what was debated ordained and subscribed by both the Kingdom of Spain was a name common to them both Ambassadours were sent abroad in both their names Armies and Soudliers were levied and formed in both their names and so was the whole Wars and all civil affairs that King Ferdinand did not challenge to himself an Authority in any thing or in any respect greater than that whereunto he had admitted this his beloved Wife CI. 6. Meleager challenged to himself the chief Glory and Honour of slaying the Calidontan Boar but this being denied him he sat in his Chamber so angry and discontented that when the Curetes were assaulting the City where he lived he would not stir out to lend the Citizens the least of his assistance The Elders Magistrates the Chief of the City and the Priests came to him with their humble supplications but he would not move they propounded a great reward he despised at once both it and them His Father Oenaeus came to him and imbraceing his Knees sought to make him relent but all in vain His Mother came and tryed allways but was refused his Sisters and his most familiar friends were sent to him and beg'd he would not forsake them in their last extremity but neither this way was his fierce mind to be wrought upon In the mean time the Enemy had broken into the City and then came his Wife Cleopatra trembling O my dearest Love said she help us or we are lost the Enemy is already entred The Hero was moved with this voice alone and rous'd himself at the apprehension of the danger of his beloved Wife he Arm'd himself went forth and left not till he had repulsed the Enemy and put the City in its wonted safety vnd security But no less extraordinary has the Love of some Wives been to their Husbands as of the Husbands to their Wives CII 1. The Prince of the Province of Fingo in the Empire of Japan hearing that a Gentleman of the Country had a very beautiful Women to his Wife got him dispatch'd and having sent for the Widdow some days after her Husband's Death acquainted her with his Desires She told him she had much reason to think her self happy in being honour'd with the friendship of so great a Prince yet she was resolved to bite off her Tongue and murther her self if he proffer'd her any violence but if he would grant her the favour to spend one Month in bewailing her Husband and then give her the liberty to make an Entertainment for the Relations of the deceased to take her leave of them he should find how much she was his Servant and how far she would comply with his Affections It was easily granted a very great Dinner was provided whither came all the Kindred of the deceased the Gentlewoman perceiving the Prince began to be warm with his Wine in hopes of enjoying her promise she desired liberty to withdraw into an adjoyning Gallery to take the Air but as soon as she was come into it she cast her self head-long down in the Presence of the Prince and all her dead Husbands Relations CIII 2. Constantine the Ninth exercising Tyranny as well in
matters of Love as within his Empire caused the Roman Argyropulus to be sought out and commanded him to repudiate his Wife whom he had lawfully married to take his Daughter on Condition that he would make him Caesar and associate him with himself in his Dignity but if he condescended not to his Will he threatned to pull out his Eyes and to make him all the days of his Life miserable The Lady who was present seeing her Husband involved in all the Perplexities that might be and ignorant what Answer to give unto the Emperour Ah! Sir said she I see you are much hindred in a brave way if it only rest in your Wife that you be not great and happy I freely deprive my self of all yea of your Company which is more precious to me than all the Empires of the World rather than prejudice your Fortune for know I love you better than my self And saying this she cut off her Hair and voluntarily entred into a Monastery which the other was willing enough to suffer preferring Ambition before Love CIV 3. The Emperour Conrad the Third besieged Guelphus Duke of Bavaria in the City of Hensbery in Germany The Women perceiving that the Town could not possibly hold out long petitioned the Emperour that they might depart only with so much as each of them could carry upon their Backs which the Emperour condescended to expecting they would have loaden themselves with Silver and Gold c. But they came all forth with every one her Husband on her Back whereat the Emperour was so moved that he wept received the Duke into his favour gave all the Men their Wives and extoll'd the Women with deserved Praises CV 4. Hota was the Wife of Rahi Benxamut a valiant Captain and of great Reputation amongst the Alarbes she had been bravely rescued out of the hands of the Portugals who were carrying her away Prisoner by the exceeding Courage and Valour of Benxamut her Husband She shewed her thankfulness to him by the ready performance of all the Offices of Love and Duty Some time after Benxamut was slain in a Conflict and Hota performed her Husbands Funeral Obsequies with infinite Lamentations laid his Body in a stately Tomb and then for nine days together she would neither eat nor drink whereof she died and was buried as she had ordained in her last Will by the side of her beloved Husband He first deceas'd she for a few days try'd To live without him lik'd it not and dy'd CVI. 5. King Edward the First while Prince warr'd in the Holy Land where he rescued the great City of Acon from being surrendred to the Souldan after which one Anzazim a desperate Saracen who had often been employ'd to him from the General being one time upon pretence of some secret Message admitted alone into his Chamber he with an empoyson'd Knife gave him three Wounds in the Body two in the Arm and one near the Arm-pit which were thought to be mortal and had perhaps been so if out of unspeakable Love the Lady Elianor his Wife had not suck'd out the Poyson of his Wounds with her Mouth and thereby effected a Cure which otherwise had been incurable Thus it is no wonder that Love should do Wonders seeing it is it self a Wonder CVII 6. Artemisia the Queen of Caria bore so true a Love to her Husband Mausolus that when he was dead she prepared his Funeral in a sumptuous Manner she sent for the chiefest and most eloquent Orators out of all Greece to speak Orations in his Praise upon the chief day of the Solemnity When the Body was burn'd she had the Ashes carefully preserv'd and by degrees in her Drink she took down those last Remainders of her Husband into her own Body and as a further Testimony of her love to his Memory she built him a Sepulchre with such Magnificence that it was numbred amongst the seven Wonders of the World CVIII 7. Camma the Wife of Sinatus the Priestess of Diana was a Person of most rare Beauty and no less Virtue Erasmoria to enjoy her had treacherously slain her Husband he had often attempted in vain to perswade her to his Embraces by fair Speeches and Gifts and she fearing he would add force to these feigned her self to be overcome with his Importunity To the Temple they went and standing before the Altar as the Custom was the new Bride drank a Cup of Wine in a golden Viol to the Bridegroom which he received and drank of with great Pleasure which done falling on her Knees with a loud Voice she said I thank thee O venerable Diana that thou hast granted me in thy Temple to revenge the blood of my Husband which was shed for my sake which said she fell down and died Now did Erasinorix perceive the Wine he had drank was poysoned nor was it long e're he himself as another Sacrifice fell dead at the foot of the Altar CIX 8. Pandocrus was one of the Captains of the Men of War under Jacobus King of Persia who was the Son of Vsun Cassan this Man had a most beautiful young Lady to his Wife though not above sixteen Years of Age by whom he was most entirely beloved He having rebelled against his Sovereign she long besought him that he would not enter Battel with his Enemy but when he would not agree to her in that she then intreated that at least he would kill her before the Fight that so she might not be compelled to out-live him when he had also denied her in this he gave Battel wherein he was overcome and slain and his Wife being taken was by the King bestowed upon one of his Captains When therefore he would take her to Wife she long opposed his Intentions and when at last she perceived he went about to gain that by force which he could not by entreaty she requested some time wherein to deliberate upon the Matter it was granted and when she had sent him a Note wherein she had written No Man shall ever say that the Wife of Pandocrus did long survive him she fell upon a Sword and died CX 9. Leonidus King of Sparta had married his Daughter Chelonis to Cleambrotus afterwards he fell out with him and would have slain him Chelonis taking her two little Sons went to her Husband earnestly begging his Life of her angry Father telling him that if he proceeded to kill her Husband she would first kill her self and pitifully complaining she laid her Face upon Cleombrotus his Head and casting her swoln and blubber'd Eyes upon the Standers by Leonidus was mov'd to Pity and commanded Cleombrotus to get him thence into Exile withall praying his Daughter for his sake to remain with him and not to forsake her Father who did so dearly love her as for her sake alone to save the forfeit Life of her Husband But she by no means would yield to his Request but rising up with her Husband she gave him one of his Sons and taking
with greater curiosity and then discovered how with the Milk in her Breasts she allayed the Famine of her Mother The news of this strange Spectacle of the Daughter suckling her Mother was by him carried to the Triumviri by the Triumviri to the Pretor from the Pretor it was brought to the Judgment of the Consul who pardoned the Woman as to the Sentence of Death passed upon her and to preserve the Memory of that Fact where her Prison stood they caused an Altar to be erected to Piety CXIX But now I will take the liberty to give some Instances of the Indulgence Fondness and great Love of some Parents to their Children and begin with Solon who was a Person famous throughout all Greece as having given Laws to the Athenians Being in his Travels came to Miletum to converse with Thales who was one of the seven wise Men of Greece these two walking together upon the Market-place one comes to Solon and told him that his Son was dead afflicted with this unexpected as well as unwelcome News he fell to tearing of his Beard Hair and Cloaths and fouling of his Face in the Dust immediately a mighty Conflux of People was about him whom he entertained with Howlings and Tears When he had lain long upon the Ground and delivered himself up to all manner of Expressions of Grief unworthy the Person he sustained so renown'd for Gravity and Wisdom Thales bad him be of good Courage for the whole was but a Contrivance of his who by this Artifice had desired to make experiment whether it was convenient for a Wise Man to marry and have Children as he had pressed them to do but that now he was sufficiently satisfied it was no way conducible seeing he perceived that the loss of a Child might occasion a Person famous for Wisdom to discover all the signs of a Mad-Man CXX Mahomet the Second first Emperour of the Turks was no sooner possessed of his Father's Throne but as a young Tyrant forgetting the Laws of Nature was presently in Person himself about to have murdered with his own hands his youngest Brother but rather to commit the Execution thereof to some other which thing Mahomet commanded him the Author of that Counsel forthwith to do so Moses taking the Child from the Nurse strangled it with pouring Water down the Throat thereof The young Lady understanding of the Death of her Child as a Woman whom fury had made past fear came and in her Rage reviled the Tyrant to his Face shamefully upbraiding him for his inhumane Cruelty when Mahomet to appease her Fury requested her to be content for that it stood with the Policy of his State and willed her for her better Contentment to ask whatsoever she pleased and she should forthwith have it But she desiring nothing more than in some sort to be revenged demanded to have Moses the Executioner of her Son delivered unto her bound which when she had obtained she presently struck him into the Breast with a Knife crying in vain upon his unthankful Master for help and proceeding in her cruel Execution cut an hole in his right-side and by piece-meal cast out his Liver and cast it to the Dogs to eat to that Extremity did she resent the Death of her beloved Son CXXI Egeus stood upon a high Rock whence he might see a great way upon the Sea in expectation of the Return of his Son Theseus from Creet having made him Promise at his Departure that if all things went well with him at his Return his Ship should be fet forth with Sails and Streamers of white Colours to express the Joyfulness of his Return The old man after his long watching at last did discern the Ship making homewards but it seems they had forgot to advance the white Colours as they had promised when therefore Egeus saw nothing but black concluding that his Son had miscarried in his Journey and was dead not able to endure the grief he had conceived hereof he threw himself head-long into the Sea from the top of the Rock whereon he stood and so died CXXII And now I will go on in giving some Examples of brotherly Love In the Year 1584. the Portugal Ship called S. Iago was cast away upon the Shallows near to S. Lawrence and towards the Coast of Mosambique here it was that divers Persons had leap'd into the great Boat to save their Lives and finding that it was burthened they chose a Captain whom they swore to obey who caused them to cast Lots and such as the Lot light upon to be cast over-board There was one of those that in Portugal are called New Christians he being allotted to be cast over-board into the Sea had a younger Brother in the same Boat who suddenly rose up and desired the Captain that he would pardon and make free his Brother and let him supply his place saying My Brother is elder and of better Knowledge in the. World than I therefore more fit to live in the World and to help my Sisters and Friends in their need so that I had rather dye for him than live without him At which Request they remitted the elder Brother and threw the younger at his own Request into the Sea who swam at least six hours after the Boat and although they held up their Hands with their naked Swords willing him that he should not once come to touch the Boat yet laying hold thereon and having his Hand half cut in two he would not let go so that in the end they were constrained to take him in again CXXIII When the Emperour Augustus had 〈◊〉 Adiatoriges a Prince of Cappadocia together 〈◊〉 Wife and Children in War and had led them to Roâ—â— in Triumph he gave order that the Father and the elder of the Brothers should be slain The designed Ministers of this Execution were come to the place of Restraint to this unfortunate Family and there enquiring which of the Brethren was the eldest there arose a vehement and earnest Contention between the two young Princes each affirming himself to be the elder that by his Death he might preserve the Life of the other when they had long continued in this pious Emulation the Mother at last not without difficulty prevailed with her Son Dyetentus that he would permit his younger Brother to dye in his stead as hoping that by him she might most probably be sustain'd Augustus was at length certified of this great Example of Brotherly Love and not only lamented that Act of his Severity but gave an honourable Support to the Mother and her surviving Son by some called Clitatus CXXIV Heliodorus the Britain had afterwards the sir-name of Pius upon this occasion The People provoked with the Cruelty and Avarice of Archigallus had deposed him and raised Heliodorus to the Throne of his Brother One time when the King went a hunting he accidentally met with his Brother Archigallus in the Wood whose altered Visage and ragged Cloaths gave sufficient Evidence
of the Romans willing her to remember her Birth and Estate and accordingly to take order for her self At the receipt of this Message and Present she only said that if her Husband had no better present for his new Wife she must accept this adding that she might have died more honourably if she had not wedded so lately before her Funerals and herewithal she boldly drank off the Poyson CLXVI Dr. Fecknam was sent to the Lady Jane Gray that she must prepare her self to die the next day which message was so little displeasing to her that she seemed rather to rejoyce at it The Doctor being earnest with her to leave her new Religion and to embrace the old she answered that she had now no time to think on any thing but of preparing her self to God by Prayer Fecknam thinking that she had spoken this to the end she might have some longer time of life obtained of the Queen three days longer and then came and told so much to the Lady Jane whereat she smiling said You are much deceived if you think I had any desire of longer life for I assure you since the time you went from me my life hath been so odious to me that I long for nothing so much as Death and since it is the Queens pleasure I am most willing to undergo it CLXVII Queen Anne the Wife of Henry the eighth when she was led to be beheaded in the Tower she called one of the King's Privy-Chamber to her and said unto him commend me to the King and tell him he is constant in his course of advancing me for from a private Gentlewoman he made me Marchioness and from a Marchiones to a Queen and now that he hath left no higher degree of worldly honour for me he hath made me a Martyr CLXVIII Calanus the Indian of great fame and name for Philosophy and held in great reverence by Alexander the Great when he had lived seventy three years in perfect health and was now seized upon by a Disease accounting that he had arrived at that term of Felicity which both nature and fortune had allotted him determined to depart out of life and to that purpose desired of Alexander a Funeral Pile to be erected and that as soon as he had ascended to the top of it he would appoint his Guard to put fire to it The King not able to divert him from his purpose commanded the Pile to be erected an innumerable multitude of People flocked together to behold such an unusual a spectacle Calanus as he had said with a marvellous alacrity ascended the top of the pile and there laid him down wherein he was consumed to Ashes CLXIX But now it is time to bring them to their Graves and give an account of the Customs of several Nations in the Burial of their dead and begin with the Inhabitants dwelling near the River Nile who not satisfied with Natures Treasures as Gold Precious Stones Flesh in variety and the like the Destruction of Men and Women neighbouring them better contents them whose dead Carkasses they devour with a Vultures appetite whom if they miss they serve their Friends so as they miscall them such scurvy sauce butchering them and thinking they excuse all in a Complement that they know no better way to express Love then in making not two Soules two Bodies one by such an Union yea some as some report worn by age or worm-eaten by the Pox prosser themselves to the Shambles and accordingly are disjoynted and set to saile upon the Stalls CLXX The Funerals of the Bannyans are of the old stamp sacring the Corps to Ashes in a holy fire compounded of all sorts of Wood and Aromatick Spices the Wife also in epectation to injoy her Husband amongst incomparable pleasures invelops her dainty Body with the merciless Flames for which Affection she obtains a living memory CLXXI. The Inhabitants of the Canary Islands washt their dead and kept them erected in a Cave a Staff in one hand and a Pail of Milk and Wine set near him to support and comfort him in his Filgrimage to the Elizian Fields CLXXII The Indians that dwell near the River Ganges have likewise the liberty to burn with their dead Husbands so that death having cut in two their Union the Relict conceits her self a loathed Carcass and resolves to make her self an Holocaust robes her Body with a transparent Lawn her Arms Legs and Thighs are also fettered with Chains expressing Love but her Ears Nose and Fingers are adorned with Pearls and precious Stones with one hand she holds a Nosegay of Flowers in the other a Ball both which are emblems of Paradice She is attended with a great number some accompanying her for Love others for Civility but most for her incouragement and honour of the Ceremony the Priests all the way she goes describe the Joys she is to possess and the assurance she has to injoy her Husband speedily in the blessed shades below she returns a modest Smile trips on chawing something in her Mouth that intoxicares her Brains and upon sight of the Flames seems transported with satisfaction So soon as she sees the Carkass of her Husband laid upon a Pile and the fire burn like a mad Lover she whirles about the Pit and having bid farewel to Parents Children and Friends willingly incorporates with the Fire which quickly makes them one in Ashes Musick of sundry sorts and acclamations of the Spectators yell aloud at the same instant both for the greater honour of the obsequie and that the screeches of the poor wretch may not be heard whereby others may be discouraged Now albeit some Women of this perswasion living under a Mahometan Prince being denied this liberty to burn with the Bodies of their Husbands Corps have been known of late years to make themselves away yet others more Wise and less valuing a place in the Catalogue of those fiery Zealots doe refuse to burn but in such wise by way of Ignominy they are commanded to shave their heads and to sequester themselves from company which is a punishment Howbeit this custom of burning is much more ancient with men amongst the Brachmans than with the other Sex for with the latter it came not in practice until several of their Husbands were made away by Poyson which their lascivious Wives would frequently minister upon giving them distaste or other slight provocations for prevention whereof this Law was devised and injoin'd the Relict and though in its institution it seem'd severe it was to deterr them from that wicked practice which long custome had made familiar and reputable whereof amongst many other instances we find that of Mandanis the Gymnosophist who as Strabo reports was courted by Alexander the Great to accept of a rich Present he made the Philosopher but contemning it and his glory it at least seeming so incensed the King that the Brachman for his arrogancy was condemned to death and being told he might be pardoned so he