THE EXEMPLARY LIVES AND MEMORABLE ACTS OF NINE THE MOST WORTHY WOMEN OF THE WORLD: 

Three jews.  
Three Gentiles.  
Three Christians.    
Written by the Author of the History of Women.  August. Lib de singul. Cleric. 
Man was created out of Paradise, but Women in Paradise  
London Printed by Tho. Cotes, for Richard Royston, and are to be sold at the sign of the Angel in Ivy Lane, 1640.   

TO THE HONOURABLE AND EMINENTLY VIRTUOUS, THE EXcellent Lady THEOPHILA, the Learned Consort of the right worthy Sir ROBERT COOK, Knight, etc.  
Excellent Madam,  
SHould I present you with your merited praise,  
What Muse should I invoke? what rapture raise?  
For my minerva, 'tis too high a strain,  
As far surpassing both my pen and brain.  
When I shall say, the Lily doth excel  
For whiteness, or the Violet for the smell;  
Or for a modest blush, the Garden Rose;  
What speak I more in this then each man knows?  
Or if I shall proclaim the Turtle chaste;  
Or praise the ripe fruits for their pleasing taste,  
The Nightingale commend for many a tune,  
And say she far excels the Bird of june.  
If in their grace I strive to do my best,  
What write I more, then is by all confessed?  
If I shall say y'are beautiful and fair,  
Matchless, unparallelled, in all parts rare;  
And to those outward should I then annex  
The inward virtues, that most grace your Sex!  
To name which, would exceed number, or to tell  
The several tongues, in which you so excel,  
Greek, Roman, French, castilian, and with those,  
Tuscan, Teutonick, in all which you pose  
The foreign Linguist: in the most select  
Both native Ideom, and choice dalect.  
Or, for all learning Moral or Divine,  
To list you a tenth Muse amongst the nine?  
When to the height of all these I am grown,  
I shall add nothing to you save your own.  
Nor can my praise the least advantage win you  
Since all that know you know these to be in you.  
If to your honours, both of Birth and Book,  
You shall but deign an animating look,  
To ' inlifen these dull papers; they shall strive,  
Alternatly to make your name survive.  
Acknowledging, in a submiss surrender  
They had died blind, not lightened by your splendour.  
Your Honours absequiously devoted. THO. Heywood▪   

TO THE EXCELLENTLY DISPOSED MISTRESS ELIZABETH THE VIRTUOUS CONSORT OF CLOVILL TANFIELD OF COPT-FOLD HALL., IN ESSEX (Esquire.) The memorable Acts of these nine most worthy Ladies are humbly presented by T. H.  
Excellent Creature,  
THat I presume to approach so fair a shrine with so mean an offering, accept not (I pray) my unworthiness but your own worthy deservings; borrowing your unspotted name to usher in these nine most incomparable Ladies; neither is it improper, but rather material, for modesty and chastity best accommodates magnanimity & courage; all virtual decorements consists not in masculine spirited Viragoes, some of your sex being for their beauty beloved, some again more for their inward virtues, then outward features affected; as virgins for their chaste and modest endowments; wives for the love and care they have to preserve their conjugal tie untainted, some widows for their wisdom, and grave matrons for their gravity; now in this misselany of your so much magnified sex, where you shall find one excellently polished; it is in your choice to make her your precedent; or if any for too much boldness branded, you may use her as a veil to make your own virtues show the more conspicuous, for contrarieties in colors best sets off each others lustre; thus after a particular acknowledgement of my duty and service, with pardon craved for my too much boldness I remain yours.  
In all observance obliged, Tho. Haywood.   

TO ALL NOBLE AND BRAVE SPIRITED GENTLEMEN, WITH THE EXCELLENT AND VERTVOUSLY DISPOSED GENTLEWOMEN in general.  
TO the most generous of both Sexes, I commend these few lines, devoted to the honour of all worthy women, of what quality or condition soever: come to their first creation; Adam was created from the dust of the earth, she from the rib of man, Adam without she, within Paradise, and whether we take them national or singular, we shall find them to parallel men, as well in the liberal Arts, as in high Facinorous Acts: For the national or provincial, what braver resolutions then in the Troádes, the Phecides, the Chiae, the A●giuae, the Persides, the Salmanicae the Milasiae, the Celticae, the Melicae, the Tyrhenae, the Liciae, the C●ae, or Cianae, etc. Of all whose magnanimities there are l●st to us memorable Histories. Come to particulars, Valeria and Cloelia, Micca and Megisto, Pieria, and Policrita, Lampsace, Aretaphila, Camm Sratonica, Chiomara, Timoclea, Erixo, Xenocrita, Pithis, Lucretia Telesilla, etc. and others without number.  
And therefore was the opinion of Gorgias received before that of Thucidades, who gave precedency and priority in place, to such as were least spoken of abroad, intimating that it was necessitous in a good woman to keep as well her fame as her body within doors, neither of them daring to be heard or seen beyond the threshold; alluding to the French proverb, La Femme in La Maiscu, et La Jambe rompue, that is, let the woman be in her house and her leg broke, intimating she ought to busy herself about household affairs only, and not to go abroad: But more approved was Gorgias, allowing both their features and fames a liberal freedom to undergo any public censure.  
And therefore commendable was that law amongst the Romans, which admitted funeral orations to be openly delivered at the obsequies of any grave and modest matron, to animate and encourage the living, who by imitating their excellent endowments and departments, might be partakers with them in their obituall praises and extolments: Plutarch in the eighty fifth of his Roman questions, saith thus, Cur antiquitus mulieres neque sinebant molere ne que coquere, etc. that is, why in the ancient times did they not suffer women either to grind at the Mill, or to play the Cooks in the Kitch●n? His answer is, it is in the memory of the Covenant made betwixt the Romans and the Sabines; for after their rape of the Sabine Virgins, a peace being concluded betwixt the two opposite nations: There was a Law written that not any of their wives should be put to such petty works, nor any of their daughters to the like servile drudgeries.  
I spoke at first of Arts and Arms, let a few instances serve for many: Come to painting; Timarete the daughter of Micaon, Irene of Cratinus, Martia of Varro, Aristarche the scholar of Nearchus, or Lala Cizizena, etc. who might compare with Apelles, Zeuxis, Apollidorus Atheniensis, Aristides, Thebanus or Nicomachus the son of Aristidamus; for music and songry Lamia, the beloved of King Demetreus, and Aglais the daughter of Megacles were no whit inferior to Arion or Orpheus: In Poetry Sappho outshined Anacreon, and for learning what man was ever known to surpass the sibils and the Muses? and for masculine and heroic spirits, though I could produce infinites to make this pocket book rather voluminus then portable, let these nine serve to vindicate the entire number.  
For whose greater honour and dignity, the seven liberal sciences, the senses, all Cities and Countries. The Cardinal virtues, the four parts of the world, the Muses, the Graces, the Charities are all figured and delivered in the portrackt of women, and even Sapientia, wisdom herself is of the same gender; who in her creation was not taken from the head of Adam, lest she should presume to overtop him, nor from his soot, lest she should be vilified by him, but from a rib near unto his heart, that she might be ever dear and entire unto him; which shows the alternate love that ought to be betwixt man and wife.  
In the composure of bodies Philosophers say some consist of parts sejunct (as an Army by Land or Navy by Sea) others of parts compact (as an house, a Ship and the like) others of parts unite, or in one nature concreate (as man, beast, and other Animals) so wedlock consisting of natural and reciprocal love, hath reference to that, composed of parts concreate: Children or issue to the compact, friends and alliance, to the sejunct, and as Physicians hold that humours in the body are totally in the total, so in the true conjugal tie, the persons or bodies, riches, friends (or what else ought to preserve that unanimity, consanguinity and correspondency, to be all in all, and wholly in the whole, which I wish to every one of that honourable order and consociety, for, venare juvitis non facile est Canibus, Fare ye well.   

TO THE GENERAL READER.  
GEnerous Reader (for all the judicious are so) know, that History in general, 
A distinction of History.  is either Nugatory as in all comical Drammae's; or adhortatory, as in the Fables of Aesop, Poggius, etc. or fictionary, as in poetical narrations; or Relatory, such as solely adhere to truth without deviation or digression; of which only the ancient Gramarians admitted, as worthy the name, and in which rank I entreat thee to receive this following tractate.  
Of History there be four species, 
The species.  either taken from place, as Geography; from time, as Chronologie; from Generation as genealogy; or from gests really done, which (not altogether unproperly) may be called Annologie: 
The elements  The Elements of which it consisteth are person, place, time, 
The definition.  manner, instrument, matter, and thing: It is defined, Rerum gestarum expositio, a declaration of such things as have been done: 
The derivation.  Budaeus in his Greek commentaries derives Historia from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is, I narrate, I look, I see, I inquire, ask, know, seek, learn, dictate, etc. besides whatsoever is gravely explicated, my go under the name of History.  

The profit that comes by reading of history.  Simon Grinaeus speaking of the utility that ariseth unto us from the reading of History hath words to this purpose. What can be thought more pleasing or profitable then in this spacious Theatre of humane life, for a man to instruct his understanding, by searching to know whatsoever is marvellously carried in all the parts thereof? To view the danger of others without any peril to himself, thereby to make him the more wise and cautelous? to make happy use of foreign precedents and examples by applying them to his own particulars? to be as it mere private with the greatest men, in their gravest counsels, and not only privy to the purpose, but partaker of the event? To be acquainted with all the passages of state, the quality of times, the succession of Ages the vicessitude of both? The situation of countries, the original of nations? the rare lives of good Princes, the lamentable ends of Cruel Tyrants? To make all that hath been precedent, as familiar with us as the present, foreign lands as well known unto us as that wherein we live: The acts of our fore fathers as visible unto our eyes as were they now in being: As ours (if we shall do aught worthy remembrance) commended to all the posterity: briefly such is the benefit of History, that comparing what is passed with the present, we may better prepare ourselves for the future.  
Further to the exact composure of History, there belongs such an accurate curiosity, that whosoever shall atta●ne to the true method and manner, may boast he hath transcended Herodatus, Xipheline, Dio, Trogus Pompeius, Justine, Livy, Curtius, Tacitus, Swetonius, and even Caesar in his Commentaries: To all which I must ingeniously confess I am so many degrees inferior that I dare not list myself in the number of the History-graphers being now rather a remembrancer or collector of some passages concerning the persons now in agitation.  
But my discourse at this present is of women, and women only, intimating to myself, that it is a kind of duty in all that have had mothers, as far as they can to dignify the Sex, which in my 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: or History of Women, I have strived to do with my utmost minerva; but that was a mere miscelaine of all ages, sexes, qualities, complexions, conditions dispositions, of rich, poor, learned, unlearned, fair, foul, well featured, deformed, barren, bearing, matron, meretrix, and all in general, from the Sceptre to the sheep book. From the Court to the Cottage. But in this tractate I have only commemorated the lives and memorable Acts of nine ●alluding to the number of the Muses.) Three jews, three Gentiles, three Christians. Courteous Reader, what is here proposed to thy view, peruse without prejudice. What thou findest worthy just taxation, correct without malice: which granted, the Nine worthy Women going before, it may be presumed that the Nine worthy Men may at some small distance follow.  
Constantly devoted to thy content, THO. HEYWOOD.   

To his much respected Friend Mr. Thomas Heywood, concerning his Work of the Nine Women Worthies.  
IS't Natures wonder; that the dead revive?  
You work a wonder then, make dead alive;  
Nor can you (being too much) create, them new,  
Yet do you (being enough) their being renew,  
Who had existence by eternal will;  
Have quasi-co-Existance by your Quill,  
That gave them several worth; and you join now  
Their worths in one, (your work) where, when, and how.  
This work as theirs speaks your deserving praise,  
Raising their, worths in these our worthless days.  
It intimates; dull spirits rouse for shame;  
Behold nine Trophies, all of female fame:  
Whom ye yourselves (if not deject) may see  
Honours high towering Pyramidds to be;  
Which justice ever distributing dew,  
Makes Tripartite to Christian, Gentile, jew.  
William Ball (alias Bennet) Esquire.   

To his learned, loving Friend Mr. Thomas Heywood, upon his History of the Nine Women worthies.  
IS't not presumption for a Penscarce known,  
To write in praise of him, that of his own  
Has Volumes of Eternallizing lines,  
Such as have fathomed even the deepest mines  
Of Poetry, and History, weighed down  
With all Arts Plummets, to bring up renown  
And fix it on his head? will not men say  
I light my Taper in a Sunshine day?  
Sure such a censure would not seem unjust;  
And yet there's a necessity, I must  
(To prove my love's profession does not fain  
Thrust into th'world amidst the Muse's train;  
Who being Women, and in number Nine,  
And (as of all men's honour) worthy mine:  
Would say, I bear to virtue little love  
When the Nine worthy Women could not move  
Th'expression of a poor respect from me:  
Let this then for my Pen the pleader be.  
Withal I must confess 'twas my main end,  
To boast, The Author's my deserving Friend.  
So avoucheth Steph. Bradwell.   

To the worthy Reviver of these Nine Women worthies, Master Thomas Heywood, Gent.  
AMongst the many worthy, to attend  
Thy worthy female, and thy worth commend,  
Let me present my love too; to thy choice  
Of this great subject, and th'eternal voice,  
Thy Pen has given their Ashes; to thy flame  
Their second soul, now when their towering fame  
Was well nigh Buried with them: to thine Art,  
Thy cost, thy care, clothing their every part,  
In all th'adorements of such eminent stories,  
So as to read almost to see their glories  
In their own greatness acted: friend thy strain,  
In these (these brave Viragoes of thy brain)  
This Golden issue of thy Silver head,  
Thy many such, shall when thy body's dead,  
Live, as thy lines, now, make them live: for ever  
Pomp lives, and dies such worthy labours never.  
Thomas Brewer.   

To his worthy Friend Mr. Thomas Heywood, on his Nine Female Worthies.  
WIll neither rugged time nor vast expense  
Of thy unfathomed fancy and clear sense  
Persuade thee to leave off, but thou wilt still  
Make all'twixt heaven & hell flow from thy Quill?  
Nay Heaven itself, and all those 
* Heywood of Angels.  Angels there,  
Those powers and virtues will themselves declare  
Thy Genuine searching soul: But these here  
Thy female Angels, that do grace this Sphere,  
Thrice worthy, worthy women, whose great acts  
Immortallize their memories, and exacts  
Not thee alone, but all the noblest wits  
That in the courts of truth and judgement sits  
To write their Legends: But thy learned Pen,  
That writ (before) their 
* Heywoods' History of women.  Story hath again  
From thy own works substracted Nine, to be  
The great example to posterity:  
I do not flatter but I may admire  
To see fire turned t' Ashes return to fire;  
Thy age goes backward, and thy Phoenix brain,  
From the old Ashes is grown young Again.  
George Estoutevile.   

THE APPELLATION OF THE THREE JEWS.  
DEbora the Prophetess, and a mother in Israel.  
judeth of Bethulia, the widow of Manasses.  
Ester, the Queen of King Ahashuerosh, and Niece to Mordecay the jew.   

THE APPELLATION OF THE THREE GENTILES  
BOnduca, or Boadicia the Dowager Queen of Prasutagus King of the Iceni, one of the Kingdoms of the British Scepterchy.  
Penthisilaea, the warlike Queen of the Amazons, and friend to Hector of Troy.  
Queen Artimesia, wife to Mausolus' King of Caria, a Province in Greece, situate betwixt Lycia and jania.   

THE APPELLATION OF THE THREE CHRISTIANS.  
ELphleda, Daughter to King Alured, and wife to Etheldredus, Duke of Mercia, or middle England.  
Queen Margaret, daughter to the King of Cecile and Jerusalem, and wife to Henry the sixth King of England.  
Elizabeth, Queen of England, France and Ireland, etc. Defender of the Faith.   


DEBORAH.  
HE that shall take in hand to speak at large  
Of women's praise, shall undergo a charge  
Beyond supporture: and he better were  
Take Atlas' burden on him, and to bear  
The Heavens upon his shoulders: If then any  
Inquisitive bee; why I (amongst so many)  
Am now that undertaker? And shall ask  
Why, to myself I durst assume this Task?  
I must appeal for answer, to my rare,  
(Scarce patternd) Patroness (most learned, most fair)  
Whom, if these my unpolisht papers please;  
It is a burden, to be borne with ease,  
Whose Approbations (where soe'er Inscribd)  
Shall pass a work as currant, as to have bribed  
All the Nine Sisters, or invokt their aid.  
She, now the sole, out of so many made.  
As for our worthy jewesse now in quest,  
The sequent Traectate, can describe her best.  
He, that made man the woman's Head, that ●he  
Despised of her superior might notbe,  
Raised from her sex brave Dames (by Text allowed)  
Lest she might prove dejected, or he, proud.  
If any one this Maxim shall gain say,  
Let him but read Barach and Deborah.   

  

OF THE NINE WORTHIES AMONGST WOMEN; 

Three jews,  
Three Gentiles,  
Three Christians.   And first of DEBORAH.  
TO Deborah I give the priority, as first named in the holy text, in which we read of two of that name. The one Rebeckahs Nurse, 
Two Deborahs'.  (the wife of jacob) who being dead, was buried beneath B●thel, under an Oak, which he called, Al●on Bachuth, or the Oak of Lamentation; the other a Prophetess the wife of Lapidothe, who judged Israel, the Argument of our ensuing Discourse. The name Deborah in the original, 
Her etimolygie.  implieth a Word, or a Bee; neither was her name any way averse to her nature, for as she was mellifluous in her tongue, when she either pronounced the sacred oracles of God, or sat upon any judicatory causes, amongst his people: so she had also a sting at all times, upon any just occasion to wound and be revenged on his enemies the Cananites, who then most barbarously and cruelly oppressed his own chosen nation. But the better to illustrate her history, it is necessary that I give you a brief relation of that estate in which Israel then stood.  

In what estate Israel then stood.  josuah the son of Nun, who succeeded Moses in the Empire, and was Captain of the Lords people in his Master's place, after the subduing and slaughter of one and thirty Kings; and having divided the Land of Palestine amongst the twelve tribes of the Children of Israel by lots: All his time, and all the days of the Elders who were his Contemporaries and survivers, and ●ad been eye witness of those great and stupendious wo●kes which the Almighty had done for them; served the Lord, and were obedient unto his Commandments. But he after he had lived an hundred and ten years, expiring, and being buried in the Coast of his inheritance; & all that generation being likewise gathered to their Fathers: Another ro●e after them, who neither knew the Lord, nor the great works which he had done for Israel. In so much that they dwelled amongst the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizites, the Hevites, the jebusites▪ etc. Taking their daughters to be their wives, and giving their own daughters to their sons, and serving their gods, 
The cause of the Isralites bondage.  which was contrary to the Commandment, and the Law of Moses; by which they incensed the wrath of the Lord which was now hot against them, in ●o much that he delivered them into the hands of spoilers, who spoiled them, and sold them unto their enemies; so that they were no● able to stand against those that hated them; namely the Gentiles, and Idolaters.  
Notwithstanding which, 
God's great mercy.  the Lord in his great mercy, according to his oath sworn to their Forefathers the Patriarches, upon their least repentance and turning unto him, raised up some eminent amongst them, whom they called judges, who delivered them from the hands of their oppressors: But no sooner were those judges dead, but they fell again into their former rebellion, and whoring after Idols. For the Lord (who knew them to be a perverse and stiffnecked generation) had said, I will no more cast out before them any of the nations which josuah left when he died, that through them I may prove Israel whether they will keep my way to walk ●herein, as their Fathers kept it or no: But they had soon forgot the God of their Fathers, and b●wed to the gods of the Gentiles, Baalim and Ashcroth, so that his wrath was kindled against them, and he gave them into the hands of Cushan rishathaim King of Aram: (which is Mesopotamia) whom they were compelled to serve for the space of eight years; but groaning under so great a burden, and in this their great affliction, crying unto the Lord, he raised up Othniel the son of Kenaz, 
The Israelites repentance.  Calebs' younger brother, who judged the people and went to war, overcoming the King of Aram in battle, by whose valour the whole land was in rest forty years. But Othniel no sooner slept with his Fathers, but they fall again into their former Idolatries, in so much that the Lord stirred and strengthened Egion King of Moab against them, who gathering unto him the Ammonites and Amalekites, smote Israel with a great slaughter, and held them under his subjection for the space of Eighteen years: But when they had again submitted themselves and repented them of their evil ways, The Lord stirred up Ehud the son of Gera the son of Geinni a man lame of his right hand, 
God's miraculous deliverance.  who slew the King of Moab in his summer parlour, and after caused a trumpet to be blown in Mount Ephrim; where assembling the people, he slew of the Moabites ten thousand of the strongest and most valiant men. After which victory the land was in security and quietness fourscore years. A third Deliverer they also had called Shamgar the son of Anath, who with an Oxe-goad slew six hundred of the Philistines.  
Ehud and Shamgar yielding to nature, were no sooner laid in their Father's sepulchres, but this refractory and disobedient people, 
The Israelites●ngratitude ●ngratitude towards God.  altogether unmindful of their so great and miraculous deliverances, like the dog returned to their own vomit, and defiled themselves with all their former abominations; and therefore the Lord sold them again into the hands of jabin, King of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor, and whose grand Captain was Sisera, who dwelled in Haroshoth of the Gentiles. This potent King had for twenty years sore grieved and vexed the Children of Israel; Imposing upon them great taxes and tributes, and kept them in intolerable servitude and slavery: and the greater terror he struck into them was, that besides innumerable strong and valiant soldiers, he had ready at all assays, no less than nine hundred Chariots of Iron, which kept not only them, but all the adjacent nations in awe, so that his power was held to be unresistable, (and so indeed it was) in all humane understanding. But there is a Lord of Hosts, 
God's great power▪  and God of battles, who resisteth the proud, and at his pleasure is able to suppress the fury of the greatest Tyrants whatsoever.  
Whilst these things were thus in agitation, and the Israelites were in this dejection, there lived Deborah who was a Prophetess, 
Deborah.  a woman of great sanctity and excellent knowledge, to whom the people resorted, not only to hear those sacred and divine Oracles which she spoke from God; but they also brought before her all differences and controversies, how dificult and doubtful soever, which by her great wisdom, she reconciled and ended, in so much that she lived as a Princess or governess; For as the Text reporteth of her, she judged Israel. This excellent woman dwelled in Mount Ephraim, under a Palm tree, between Ramah and Bethel, whether (as to our Courts of justice) all the people of what condition or estate soever customably came to have their causes heard, and by her great wisdom decided.  
She (as I before related) being inspired wi●h the true spirit of prophecy, sent to call unto her Barak the son of Abinoham, from Kedesh of Nepthali, 
Deborah to Barak.  who presenting himself before her, be spoke him after this manner. Hath not the Lord God of Israel (now at the last commiserating the great affliction of his people) out of all others selected and made choice of thee? commanding thee saying, Go Barak and draw towards Mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men, picked out of the two Tribes of Nepthali, and Zebulon, and I will draw unto thee near unto the river Kishon, Sisera the great Captain of mighty jabins' Army, with all his Iron Chariots and multitudes of men, and deliver them as a prey and spoil into thine hands? which having thus spoken unto him, she kept silence, expecting his answer.  
Who, whether distrusting in Gods almighty power and providence, or doubting whether this were uttered from divine inspiration, or merely begot in her own womanish fancy; or else despairing in his own weakness and disability, he thus replied. 
Barak to Deborah.  If Deborah thou thy ●elfe in person wilt associate me, I will take on me this great and hazardous enterprise, but if thou deniest me thy presence, and that I shall not have thy company in this adventure; impose this charge on whom so ever else thou pleasest, for I for mine own part will not be the undertaker. She not well pleased with so cold an answer put on a masculine spirit and said again: Yes Barak, that thou mayst know how little I fear or distrust the success of this business, I will go foot by foot with thee, 
Her magnanimity.  and partake with thee in all damage whatsoever can happen. But ●hat thou mayst know that I am a Prophetess, and that I spoke unto thee was from the Lord, know further that though thou undoubtedly prevailest over the enemy, yet shall not this journey be altogether for thine honour, for the Lord shall sell Sisera the Captain of the King of Canaan's Army, into the hands of a woman: which having spoke, she instantly accommodated herself, and after some words of comfort and encouragement; she went up wi●h Barak unto Kedesh, who made a present muster of the two Tribes of Nepthali and Zebulon, (the nearest unto them) out of whom he made choice only of ten thousand fight men, for no greater was his Army: For he who is the great God of battles, disposeth not of the victory unto strength or number, for with an handful of men he can subdue a multitude, (as you may read in the wars of the Maccabees,) and else where, that his great power and stretched out arm may not only be feared but magnified amongst the nations.  

Heber the Kenite.  At this time Heber the Kenite, who was one of the posterity of Hobab the father in law to Moses, had left his own Country and removed from the Kenites, and pitched his tent, as far as from Zanaim unto Kedesh, which contained a great part of that Country, he and his family living as neuters, and seeming friends both to the Israelites and the Canaanites: so temporising and complying betwixt the Gentiles and the jews, that which way so ever the stream ran or the winds blue, he sailed without damage, for if the one prevailed he was safe, if the other he was likewise secure: yet was his heart wholly inclined to the good of the Children of Israel. Now the flattering of an enemy is like the melody which the Sirens make, who sing not to stir up mirth, but rather allure unto mishap; and as a learned Philosopher observeth, It is much better to have an open foe, than a dissembling friend, as appeared in the fall of this great Captain Sisera.  

A definition of war.  War is of two sorts; Civil, and Foreign; that which they call Civil, is merely seditious and is indeed, a speedy overthrow of all estates, Kingdoms and Monarchies, and the very seminary of all kind of evils though never so execrable. For it abandoneth all reverence to God, and obedience to Magistrates, it breedeth corruption of manners, change of laws, and contempt of justice, etc. But Foreign war is that which Plato calleth a more generous or rather honourable contention, and is then only lawful when it is undertook either in the defence of true religion, or to establish peace. Indeed nothing can make war just but necessity; nor lawful, but when it is warranted by the word, either for a Prince or people to defend their own right, or to repulse God's enemies, who are ever the opposites of truth: I conclude with the Poet, 
Nulla salus bello pacem, te possimus omnes.   
All Generals of Armies, 
The office of a General.  aught to have their courages guided by wisdom, and their discretion armed with courage; neither must their hardiness darken their judgement, nor their judgement extenuate their hardiness: besides they ought to be valiant, as not fearing death, and confident as not wont to be overcome; their feet ought to be steady, their hands diligent, their eyes watchful, and their hearts resolute: all which this godly Matron and gracious mother in Israel, with sweet oratory, and her presence in the fields, being a precedent of her unparraleld magnanimity, had deeply impressed in the heart of Barak.  
Now concerning jabin the King of the Canaanites, it proved to his great dishonour, so that he had better to have studied to defend his own Country by justice, then to have sought to subdue other nations by Tyranny, and it little profiteth any Prince to be Lord of many kingdoms, if on the otherside he become bond slave to many vices: besides, it is not possible that to a man of much pride, fortune should be long friendly. The desire of coveting and having more is a vice common to such great men, breeding in them for the most part a brutish nature, tempered with unsaciable cruelty. 
The nature of ambition.  Ambition eateth gold, and drinketh blood; seeking to climb so high by other men's heads, till at the length it breaketh its own neck: It may not altogether unproperly be compared to a vapour which ascendeth high, and being at the full height disapeareth and vanisheth into nothing; for commonly those that strive to suppress and supplant others, in stead of honour and superiority, purchase to themselves, shame and indignity. So much touching the King. Now thus briefly of his Captain: That General who is bloody minded and thirsteth after revenge, is for the most part, either sold by his soldiers, or slain by his enemies: but I shorten this digression and come to the matter now in handling.  
When Sisera had by his scouts and espials, understood, 
Sisera's preparation for he war.  that Barak had gathered his forces and was gone up to Mount Tabor, and there pitched his Tents, he like a careful and vigilant General, called for all his Chariots, even nine hundred Chariots of Iron, assembling all the people, even from Harosheth of the Gentiles, unto the river Kishon. Now by the number of his Chariots, it is easy to guess of what an infinite multitude his Army did consist; who confident in his own strength, and despising the weakness of the enemy, waited in the valleys their descent from the Mount, thinking to defeat and over run them at an instant; but the event happened quite contrary to his expectation.  
For the Heroic and masculine spirited Championess, 
Deborah encourageth Barak.  knowing that the Lord never failed his own people, if they left their wicked ways and turned unto him with unfeigned repentance; came unto Barak and said, seest thou this great and (seeming) invincible Army which cover the plains & Country that environs us: fear not their foot, their horse, nor their Chariots; up therefore for this is the day that the Lord hath delivered Sisera and the host of the Canaanites into thine hand: Is not he himself gone before thee to fight his own battle? Which words inspired such courage both into him and his soldiers, (howsoever weakly accommodated for so dangerous an adventure,) that with an unanimous resolution, as if so many millstones had been precipitated from an high hill, they hurried down Mount Tabor, and fell upon the camp of the Gentiles, with a sudden and violent assault, being upon them ere they could scarce imagine them to be near them, which struck them with such a terror and amazement, (God having a hand therein) that they were so far from assaulting their enemies, that they had not the power to use their weapons to defend themselves. For too much fear openeth the way to desperation, 
The effects of fear.  being destitute of reason, and turning the greatest courage into pusillanimity and cowardice, according to that of the Poet, 
— nos auxius omnia cogit  
quae possunt firei, fact a putare timor.   
Where fear once taketh impression in the heart, what is easy to be done, it maketh to appear impossible.  
In brief, Barak with his small Army of ten thousand, 
Sisera's Army routed.  routed the great and puissant host of the Canaanites, who destroyed all their Chariots of Iron, and pursued the enemy, even to Haroshoth, with such an infinite slaughter, that they all fell by the edge of the sword, and not one● them escaped alive. In which tumultuous flight Sisera was compelled to alight from his Chariot, and cowardly to save his desperate life, fled away on foot, and finding no place wherein to hide or shelter himself from the pursuit of the Israelites, he came at length t● the Tent of jael the wife of Heber, (for peace was betwixt jabin being of Hazor, and between the families of the Kenites,) who looking out from her Tent, and espying the great Commander Sisera, late attended by so many Chariots, now forced to go upon his feet, and he that led into the field such an innumerable Army, to have neither servant, or so much as a Page to wait on him. And no doubt having heard the success of the battle, she went out to meet him, and said; Turn in to me my Lord, turn in, and fear not; who glad of so good an opportunity to be secured from the pursuit of his enemies, accepted of her friendly offer, and entering into the Tent, she covered him with a mantle.  
Who hoping that the worst was now past, and his life in no further danger, called unto her and said; Give me I pray thee a little water, for my travail hath made me very thirsty, who fetched presently a bottle of milk, and gave him to drink, with which having sufficiently refreshed himself, he laid him down again, and she again covered him; and as she was departing from him, he called once more unto her saying, stand I pray thee in the door of the Tent, and if any shall come and inquire of thee, and say, is any man here? thou shalt answer him and say, nay; which having spoken being weary, and over tired in his flight, he fell suddenly into a deep and dead sleep, (for so indeed it proved,) for he never awakened after.  
Which she perceiving, and being in heart an Israelite, howsoever for necessity's sake, they with their whole Tribe complide with the Gentiles, she would not let slip so good an advantage, but unwilling to let one of God's enemies escape out of her hands, like a bold virago she took a nail of the Tent in her hand, and in the other an hammer, and coming softly towards him, 
The death of Sisera.  she struck the nail into his temples, and fastened it into the ground, piercing his skull unto the brain, with which wound he instantly expired.  
Now Barak after the great host was defeated, having intelligence which way Sisera was fled, jael came out to meet him, and bespoke him thus: Come in with me and I will show thee the man whom thou seekest, who entering with her into the Tent, she discovered unto him the body of Sisera which lay grovelling on the earth dead, and the nail still sticking in his temples; which object put him in mind of the words of Deborah, when he denied to go into the field without her company; that the honour of great Siseras, death should be taken from him, and be conferred upon a woman, which accordingly happened. For Deborah in her song of thanksgiving, after that great and miraculous victory over Sisera and his host, giveth unto her this extraordinary character: 
Deborah of jael.  jael the wife of Heber the Kenite shall be blessed above other women, blessed shall she be above women dwelling in Tents; He asked water, and she gave him milk, she brought him butter in a Lordly dish: she put her hand to the nail, and her right hand to the workman's hammer, with the hammer smote she Sisera, she smote off his head after she had wounded and pierced his temples, he bowed him down at her feet, he fell down and lay still at her feet, he bowed him down and fell, and when he had sunk down, he lay there dead. By which so often iteration of the same words, she strove both to magnify her act, and eternize her memory.  
Neither did this great honour done unto jael, any way take off or derogate from the merit and magnanimity of Deborah, that any man need question which of them did better deserve the name of a Worthy. 
Deborah's art and jaels' compared.  The precedence and priority undoubtedly belonging to her who was a Prophetess, a judgesse, and a mother in Israel, the other only a secondary minister and agent to have the will of the Almighty executed; Deborah in person outbraving danger, and standing the brunt of the battle, against many thousands, living Armed and awake; and jael only taking the advantage of one single man flying, trembling with fear, and after to kill him sleeping. I conclude of her with her own words in her holy song, after so glorious a conquest: So let all thine enemies perish O Lord, but they that love him, shall be as the Sun when he riseth in his might. After which great discomfiture, the Land had rest forty years.    


JUDETH  
THe great Assyrian King, puffed up with pride  
Because no Prince, was able to abide  
His potency in battle: having subdued  
By his (scarce to be numbered) multitude,  
All bordering Kingdoms; at his mighty cost  
An hundred twenty days feasted his Host,  
Then, his chief Captain, Olophernes sent  
With a most puissant army, with intent  
To sweep all flesh from earth, who had denayed  
To send him, in his last great battle, aid  
He seeks to invade judea, amongst the rest,  
When of all other Cities, most distressed,  
Bethalmi was: where judeth made abode,  
Who in their great'st despair called upon God,  
And more, their nations honour to advance,  
Did undertake their free deliverance,  
And when the spirits of the soldiers failed,  
Put on a masculine spirit, and prevailed.  
Match me this woman amongst men, who dared  
Against an Host invincible (prepared  
For her whole nations ruin) to invade  
That potent army, singly with her maid,  
And in her bold adventure so well sped,  
To cut off, and bring thence the General's head.   

  

OF JUDETH A SECOND WORTHY WOMAN AMONGST THE JEWS.  
KING Nabuchodonosor, and King Arphaxad were Contemporaries, 
Of King Nabuchodonosor and Arphaxad  two mighty potent Princes, the one reigned in Ninevey the great City, over the Assyrians, the other in Echbatane, over the Medes: A place as well strongly munified, as most gloriously beautified. It happened, that King Nabuchodonosor purposed to make war against King Arphaxad, in the great Champion Country, in the Coasts of Ragan, and to that purpose he assembled all those that dwelled in the Mountains, and by Euphrates, Tigris, and Hidaspes, the Countries of Arioche, 
The names of sundry rivers.  the Elimeans, the streams of Chelod, with many other Nations and Languages. He sent also into Persia, and to all that dwelled in the West, to Cilicia, Damascus, Libanus, Antilibanus, and all those that dwelled by the Sea coast, and to all the people that are in Carmel, in Galahaad, in hither Galilee, and the great field of Esdrelam, and to all in Samaria, and the Cities thereof, and beyond jordan, unto jerusalem, etc. But all the Inhabitans of these Countries, 
Nabuchodonosors' commandment despised.  despised the commandments of the King of the Assyrians, neither would they come with him unto the battle, but sent away his Ambassadors slightly and with dishonour: therefore he was greatly incensed against all these Nations, and swore by his Throne and Kingdom, he would be avenged upon them, and destroy all their inhabitants, with the edge of the sword.  
In which interim, he marched in battle array against the King of the Medes, in the seventeenth year of his reign, and prevailed against him. 
Arphaxad discomfitted.  For he overthrew all the power of King Arphaxad, his Infantry, Horsemen and Chariots, he won all his Cities, and entering Echbat●ne, took the Towers, defaced the streets, ruined the walls, and turned the beauty thereof into shame. He also surprised the King in the mountains of Ragan, and caused him to be thrust through with darts, after which great victory he returned unto his own City Ninivey. Both he and all his Princes and Soldiers, which were a great multitude, where he passed the time in pleasure and jollity, and banqueted his Host an hundred and twenty days.  
During which triumphal feasting, he communicated with those Princes and Nobles which were of his intimate counsel, to destroy all flesh from the earth, which had not obeyed his commandment, and to that purpose called unto him Olophernes, 
Olophernes  his chief Captain, and gave him a strict Commission, to execute the will of the great King, and Lord of the whole earth, (for so he styled himself,) Then went forth Olophernes from the presence of his Lord, and called together, all the Governors, Captains, and Officers, of the army of Ashur, and selected an host, of an hundred and twenty thousand foot, with twelve thousand Archers on Horse back, besides Camels, and Asses, for burdens, and Sheep, Goats, and Oxen without number, and victual for every man in the army, besides great store of treasure out of the King's house, with multitudes of strangers like swarms of Grasshoppers, which attended on the Army, and to partake with the Assyrians in the spoil.  
Who from the upper Cilicia, even to Damascus, overrun many Nations, robbed their Cities, laid waste their Countries, and put all their young men to the edge of the sword, 
His Tyranny.  so that fear and trembling fell upon all the inhabitants of the Sea coasts, who sent Ambassadors unto him, and laid themselves prostrate to his mercy, and after received him with Crowns, Timbrels, and Dances, into their borders, and Cities, notwithstanding which he cut down their woods, set Garrisons in their chief Cities, and took out of them their chosen men of war, destroyed all their gods, commanding them to worship Nabuchodonosor only, and that all tongues and Tribes should call upon him as their God.  
Now when the children of Israel, who dwelled in judea, 
The preparation of the Isralites against Oloferues.  had hard what was done unto the Nations, they were greatly troubled for jerusalem, and the Temple, for they were but newly returned from the Captivity: therefore they sent into all the Coasts of Samaria, and the bordering Cities. And took all the tops of the high mountains, and walled in their Villages, and put in victuals for the provision of war: And ●oachim the High Priest sent to them of Bethulia, and the adjacent Cities, exhorting them to keep the passages of the mountains, for by them was an entry into judea: but so narrow was the passage, that two men could but elbow there at the most. Then cried they unto the Lord, even every man of Israel; 
Their prayer and repentance.  their wives and their children, all with one consent, and fell down before the Temple, in sackecloath, and ashes on their heads, praying that he would not give their children for a prey, nor their wives for a spoil, nor the Cities of their Inheritance to destruction▪ nor the sanctuary, to pollution and reproach, and a derision to the Heathen; the High Priest also, and the Levites stood before the Altar, their loins gi●t with sackecloath and ashes upon their Mitres, and called upon the Lord, who heard their prayer.  
In this interim, it was declared to the great Captain of the Assyrian army, that the Israelites had prepared for war, and shut the passage of the mountains, and laid impediments in the champion Country, where with being exceedingly moved, he assembled all the Princes of Moab, and the Captains of Ammon, and all the Governors of the Sea coast, and demanded of them who that people were? what their Cities? and what the multitude of their army? and why they alone have not come down, to submit themselves, more than all the inhabitants of the West? 
Achior Captain of the Ammonites.  To whom Achior Captain of the Ammonites replied: Let my Lord hear the words of his servant, and I will declare unto thee the truth concerning this people; and gave him a free relation of their estate from the beginning, rehearsing punctually all those great wonders that God had done for them, in delivering them from the Egyptians slavery; In dividing the red Sea, and overwhelming Pharaoh and his host, and destroying the nations before them, etc. Adding moreover, that when they sinned not before their God they prospered, but when they departed from his way, they were destroyed in many battles, and led Captives into strange Countries, but now (saith he) they are turned unto their God, and are come up from the scattering wherein they were scattered, and possess jerusalem, where their Temple stands, and dwell in the mountains which were desolate, therefore if they have now again sinned, they shall be easily overcome. 
Strange words to proceed from the mouth of an Heathen.  But if there be none iniquity, found in this people, let my Lord pass by them, lest the Lord whom they serve defend them, and we become a reproach before all the world.  
Whose words were no sooner ended, but all the Captains of the Host began greatly to murmur, And would in their fury, have slain him, but when the tumult was appeased Olofernes said unto Achior, because thou hast prophesied amongst us this day, 
The blasphemy of Olefernes.  that the people of jerusalem is able to fight against us, because their God is able to defend them: and who is God but Nabuchodonosor? therefore will I destroy them from the face of the earth, and their God shall not deliver them, but we will destroy them all as one man. And thou Achior, because thou hast spoken these words in the day of thine iniquity, thou shalt see my face no more, till I take vengeance of that people which is come from Egypt, and then shall the Iron of mine army, and the multitude that serve me, pass through thy sides, and thou shalt fall amongst their slain, nor shalt thou perish till thou be'st destroyed with them. Then commanded he his servants concerning Achior, that they should bring him before Bethulia bound, and deliver him into the hands of the Israelites, which was accordingly done: then came the men of the City and loosed him, and brought him into Bethulia, and presented him unto the governor's of the place, which were Ozias, the son of Micha, 
The Governors of Bethulia.  of the Tribe of Simeon, and Chabris the son of Gothoniel, and Charmis the son of Melchiel, who demanded of him, of all that was done, of which he gave them ample satisfaction, declaring unto them the purpose of Olofernes, and the words he had spoken in the midst of the Princes of Ashur, For which having first praised God, they comforted Achior, and commended him greatly, and Ozias took him into his house, and made a feast to the Elders, calling upon the God of Israel.  
The next day Olophernes removed his whole army near unto Bethulia, and cut off all their Springs of water, thinking without the hazard of his people, to make them perish by thirst, (for so he was counselled,) and besieged the City for the space of four and thirty days: 
The great distress of the Bethulians.  in which time all their places of water failed, and their Cisterns were empty, insomuch that they had not supply for one day, so that their children swooned, and their wives and young men failed and fell down in the streets, so that they murmured against the Elders, desiring them to deliver up the City to the enemy, for it is better for us (said they) to be a spoil unto them, then to die of thirst, since the Lord hath delivered us into their hands: which they pressed upon them so urgently, that Ozias said unto them; my brethren be of good courage, let us yet wait five days, in which time the Lord our God may turn his mercy towards us, for he will not forsake us in the end, and if these pass without help and succour from above, we will do according to your saying, with which words he appeased them for the present, and separated them, every one unto his charge.  
Now when judeth heard thereof, 
judeth the wife of Manasses.  who was once the wife of Manasses, and after his death, had continued a Widow for the space of three years and four months, in which time she wore sackecloath, and her mourning apparel, and fasted all the days of her Widowhood, save the day before the Sabbath, and the Sabbaths, and the day before the new Moon, and in the feasts and solemn days, of the house of Israel, who was of a goodly countenance, and very beautiful, having great plenty of gold, silver, and jewels, with man-servants, and maide-servants, and cattle, of whom there was none could give any evil report, for she feared God greatly. She (I say) hearing how the people had murmured against the governor's, and that Ozias had sworn unto them to deliver the City unto the Assyrians within five days, she sent her maid, who had the government of all that she had, to call Ozias, Chabris, and Charmis, the ancients of the people, who came unto her, and she greeted them thus: 
Iud●ths speech to the Governors.  Oh you the governor's of the Inhabitants of Bethulia, the words which you have spoken before the people this day are not right; for who are you that have tempted God? and set yourselves in his place, amongst the children of men? For if he will not help us within these five days; Hath he not power to defend us when he will? Do not you therefore bind the counsels of the Lord our God, for he is not as man to be threatened, neither as the son of man to be brought unto judgement, etc.  
To whom Ozias replied. 
The reply of Ozias.  All that thou hast spoken, hast thou spoken with a good heart, and there is none that is able to resist thy words: but the people were thirsty, and compelled us to do as we have done, and have brought us to an oath, which we may not transgress, therefore pray for us, because thou art an holy woman, that the Lord may send us rain to fill our Cisterns, and that we may saint no more: then said judeth unto them. Hear me; for I will do an act which shall be declared in all successive ages, to the children of our nation, you shall stand this night in the gate, and I will go forth with mine handmaid, and within the days that you have promised to deliver the City to the Enemy, the Lord will visit Israel, by mine hand, but inquire not of mine act, for I will not declare it unto you till you see the event. Then said Ozias, and the Princes unto her, go in peace, and the Lord God be before thee, to take vengeance on our enemies, so they left her, and went un●o their charge.  
Then judeth, after she had prayed unto the Lord, rose from her knees, and calling her maid, 
judeth changeth her habit  went down into the house, and casting off her sackecloath, and putting of the garments of her Widowhood, she washed her body, and anointed her with sweet ointment, and dressed the hair of her head, and put a rich attire upon it, and clothed herself with the garments of gladness, even those with which she was decked in the days of Manasses her husband, and she put slippers on her feet, and adorned her with bracelets, and sleeves, and rings, and earrings, and decked herself bravely, to allure the eyes of all that should behold her, and she gave her maid a bottle of wine, and a pot of oil, and filled a scrip with flower, and dried figs, and fine bread, and wrapped all together, and laid them upon her; thus she went down unto the gate, and when they saw how her face was changed, and her garments altered, they marvelled greatly at her wonderful beauty, and said unto her, the God of our Fathers give thee favour, and accomplish thine enterprise, to the glory of the children of Israel, and to the exaltation of jerusalem, and the Temple: which said, she commanded the gates of the City to be opened.  
Then went she forth with her maid, and the men of the City looked after her till they could see her no more, who came into the valley, and the first watch of the Assyrian army met her, demanding of her of what people she was? whence she came? and whether she was then bound? who answered, she was a woman of the Hebrews, and fled from them to save her life, because she assuredly knew that they should be utterly consumed, desiring them to bring her before the great Captain Olofernes, to whom she would show a way, how to win all the Mountains, without hazarding the life of any one of his servants; which hearing, they chose out an hundred men, and prepared a Chariot for her and her maid, 
judeth brought before O●ofernes  and brought her to the tent of the General, and they marvelled at her great beauty, and wondered at her Nation because of Her. At that time Olofernes rested upon his bed, under a Canopy, woven with purple, and gold, Emeralds, and other precious stones, who at the news of her coming, came to the entry of the tent, and they carried lamps of silver before him.  
Now when judeth saw him, she fell on her face and did him reverence, but his servants took her up, and he said unto her, Woman be of good comfort and fear not, but tell me wherefore thou art fled from thy people? For none shall hurt thee, but entreat thee as one of the servants of my Lord, King Nabuchodonosor: To which she answered, receive the words of thy servant, 
judeths' speech  and suffer thine hand maid to speak in thy presence: we have heard of thy wisdom, and of thy prudent spirit, and it is declared through the whole earth, that thou only art excellent in all the Kingdom, of a wonderful knowledge, and in feats of war marvellous. Now as concerning that which Achior did speak in thy counsel: We have heard his words in the presence of the Elders, of Bethulia and do not thou reject them, but set them in thine heart, for they were most true▪ there is no punishment against our people, nor can the sword or spear prevail against them: unless they sin against their God, which they are now about to do, for because their victuals fail, and their water is wasted, they are compelled to consume all things, which their God hath forbidden them to eat, by his Laws, which when they do, they shall be given unto thee, to be destroyed the same day: wherefore, I thine handmaid am fled from their presence, for thy servant worshippeth the God that made Heaven and Earth, and now let me remain with thee, and go out in the night into the valley, and I will pray unto my God, that he will reveal unto me, when this is to be done, than I will come and show it thee, and thou shalt go forth with all thine Army, and I will lead thee through the midst of judea, till thou come before jerusalem; and I will set thy Throne in the midst thereof, and thou shalt drive ●hem as sheep that have no shepherd, and not a dog shall bark against thee, for these things have been declared unto me according to my foreknowledge, and I am sent to show thee.  
Which words greatly pleased Olofernes, and his servants, who marvelled at her wisdom and said, there is no such woman in the world, both for beauty and wisdom: Moreover Olofernes replied, 
The answer of Olofernes.  God hath done this to send thee before the people, that strength might be in our hands, and destruction upon them that despise my Lord. Thou art both beautiful in thy countenance, and witty in thy words; If thou do as thou hast spoken; thy God shall be my God, thou shalt dwell in the house of Nabuchodonosor, and shall be renowned through the whole earth: then he commanded to bring her in, where his treasures were, and that they should prepare for her of his own meat, and his own Wine, who said unto him; I may neither eat nor drink of them, lest there should be an offence: For I can suffice myself with the provision that I have brought: but he replied, if those things thou hast should fail; how should we give thee the like, for there is none with us of thy Nation? to which she answered, as thy soul liveth, thy handmaid shall not spend those things that I have, before the Lord work by mine hand what he hath determined.  
Then the servants of Olofernes brought her into the tent, 
judeth received into the Tent.  and she slept there till midnight, and rose at the morning watch, and sent unto Olofernes, saying, let my Lord command that thine handmaid may go forth to prayer, who presently gave order to his guard that they should not stay her: thus she abode in the Camp three days, and went out in the night, into the valley of Bethulia, and washed herself in a Fountain, in the water by the Camp, and when she came out, she prayed unto the Lord God of Israel, that he would direct her way to the exaltation of the children of her people, so she returned, and remained pure in the Tent, until she ate her meat at evening.  

A great feast made by Olofernes.  In the fourth day Olofernes made a feast to his own servants only, and said to Bagoas the Eunuch, go call the Hebrew Woman that is with thee, that she may come and feast with us, for it were a shame for us to let such a beauty alone, and not talk with her; For if we tempt not her chastity she will mock us: who came unto her and said, make no difficulty to go in unto my Lord, and to be honoured in his presence, and to drink wine with us joyfully, and to be entreated as one of the daughters of the children of Assur, which remain in the house of Nabuchodonosor; who answered him again, who am I, that I should gainsay my Lord? so she a rose and trimmed her with garments, and with all the ornaments that belong to women, and her maid went and spread forth her skins on the ground, over against the place where Olofernes sat, whose heart was ravished, and his spirits moved, and he greatly desired her company, for he waited to insidiate her chastity, from the day that he had first seen her, who said unto her, drink now and be merry with us: who answered and said, 
She eateth and drinketh in the presence of Olofernes.  I drink now my Lord, because my state is exalted this day more than ever: then she ate and drank before him, such things as her maid had prepared. And Olofernes rejoiced, because of her, and drank more wine, than he had ever done at one time since the day of his birth.  
The evening being come, his servants made haste to depart, and Bagoas shut his Tent without, and dismissed all from the presence of his Lord, but judeth was left alone in the tent, and Olofernes was stretched upon his bed, for the feast had been long, and he was filled with much wine. Now judeth had commanded her maid to stand without, and attend her coming forth, as she had done daily, for she said she would anon go forth to prayers, and had spoken to Bagoas to that purpose. Then judeth standing by the bed, came to the post which was at the head of Olofernes, and took down his Falchion, and laid hold of the hair of his head, and said, strengthen me O Lord God of Israel this day, than she smote twice upon his neck with all her strength, 
Olofernes slain by judeth.  and took his head from him, and rolled his body down from the bed, and pulled down the Canope from the Pillars, and after went forth, and gave the head to her maid, who put it in her scrip of meat, so they went together (as their custom was) to prayer, and pressing through the Tents, passed about by the Valley, and so up to the Mountain of Bethulia, and knocked at the Gates thereof.  

judeth comes back to Bethulia.  Then judeth said to the watchmen, open to me the gate? Now when the men of the City heard her voice, they made haste to go down and called the Elders, and they ran altogether both small and great, (for it was beyond their expectation that she should return) so they opened the gate and received her, and made a great fire for a light and stood about them two: then she spoke unto them with a loud voice, and said, praise God, praise the Lord, for he hath not taken away his mercy from the house of Israel, but by my hand, hath this night destroyed his enemies, so she took the head out of the scrip, and showed it them saying, behold the head of Olofernes the great Captain of the Army of Assur, and behold the Canopy under which he lay in his drunkenness, the Lord hath smitten him by the hand of a woman, as the Lord liveth, who kept me in the way which I went, my beauty hath deceived him to his destruction, yet hath he not committed with me any sin, than all the people were astonished, and blessed the Lord, and Ozias said unto her, O daughter blessed art thou of the most high God, above all the women of the earth, surely this thine hope shall never depart out of the hearts of men, for they shall remember the power of God for ever, etc.  
Then said judeth unto them, hear me also my brethren, 
Her counsel to the governor's.  take this head, and hang it upon the highest turret of your walls, and as soon as the morning appears, take every valiant man his weapon in his hand, & set a Captain over them, as if you would go down into the field towards the watch of the Assyrians, but go not down. Then they shall run to the tent of Olofernes, but shall not find him, and fear shall fall upon them and they shall fly before your face. So you and all that inhabit the coasts of Israel shall pursue and overthrow them. But first call unto me Achior the Ammonite, who was presently fetched from the house of Ozias, and when he saw the head of Olofernes, 
Achiors' ecstasy.  in the hand of one of the people, he sunk down to the earth, for his spirit failed him, but after he was taken up, he laid himself down at judeths' feet, who seeing all things that God had done to Israel, believed in him unfeignedly, was circumcised and joined himself to the house of Israel.  
In the morning all things being ended according as judeth had directed, and that the Bethulians were come down by bands, unto the straits of the mountains, the Assyrians seeing them, sent to their Captains, who went to the Governors and Rulers, and came to the General's tent, and entreated them to waken Olofernes. For these slaves (said they) are come down against us unto battle. Then went Bagoas unto the Tent door and knocked, for he had thought he slept with judeth, but when none answered, he opened the door and went into the chamber, and found him cast upon the floor, and his head was taken from him. Therefore he cried with a loud voice, and after went into the Tent of judeth, but found her not, and then he ran unto the Captains and people, with a loud acclamation, and said, a woman of the Hebrews hath brought shame upon the host of King Nabuchodonosor, for behold Olofernes lieth upon the ground, without an head, which when they heard, 
The Assyrians disheartened.  their hearts were wonderfully troubled, and there was a great noise through the army.  
So that fear and trembling fell upon them all, and as men amazed, they fled every way both by the Valleys, and the Mountains, than the children of Israel rushed out upon them: And Oz●as sent to all the Coasts of judea, that all should come freely upon the enemy to destroy them. Which when they heard, they fell upon them together, they came also from jerusalem and the mountains (for they were told what was done in the Camp of their enemies, and they that were in Galahad, and Galilee, chased them with a great slaughter, till they came to Damascus; and the rest of them of Bethulia, fell upon the Camp of Assur and spoiled it, and were greatly enriched, and the Israelites who returned from the slaughter had the rest, and the Villages, and Cities, that were in the Mountains, and the Plains, had a great booty.  
Then joachim the High Priest, and the Elders of jerusalem, came to see judeth, and to salute her, and blessed her with one accord, saying, thou art the exaltation of jerusalem, the glory of Israel, and the great rejoicing of our Nation; blessed be thou of the Almighty Lord for ever, and all the people said, Amen. And they spoiled the camp for the space of thirty days, and gave to judeth the Tent of Olofernes, and all his silver, beds, and basins, and all his stuff, and she took it and laid it upon her Mules, and made ready her Chariots, and laid them thereon, then came all the women of Israel to see her, 
The Honour done to judeth for their miraculous deliverance.  and blessed her, and made a dance amongst them for her, and she took branches in her hand, and gave unto the women which were with her, they also crowned her with Ollives, and the maid that was with her, and she went before the people in the dance, and all the men of Israel followed after in their Armour, with Crowns, and Songs, etc.  

judeths' thanksgiving  Then judeth began a song of thanksgiving unto the Lord, who had saved his people, by so great and miraculous a deliverance, and after they went up to jerusalem to worship the Lord, and when the people were pacified, they offered their burnt offerings, and their free offerings, and their gifts, judeth also offered all the stuff of Olofernes, which the people had given her, and gave the Canopy which she had taken from his bed, for an oblation to the Lord, so the people rejoiced in jerusalem, for the sanctuary, for the space of three months, and judeth remained with them: after that every one returned to their own inheritance, and judeth went to Bethulia, and kept in her own possession, and was for that time honourable in her Country, and many desired her in marriage, 
Her constant Widowhood.  but none had her company all the days of her life, after Manasses her husband was dead and gathered to his Fathers.  
But she increased more and more in honour and waxed old in her husband's house, being an hundred and five years old, and made her maid free, 
Her age, and death.  and she died in Bethulia, and they buried her in the grave of her husband Manasses, and all the house of Israel lamented her seven days, and before she expired, she distributed her goods to all them that were of the next of kin to her husband, and to her own kindred, and there was none that made the childen of Israel any more afraid in the days of judeth, nor a long time after.    

ESTHER  

INstead of Vasthi, a proud insolent Queen,  
Esther, a captived Virgin is next seen  
In the throne Royal, and being there placed  
By King Ahashuerus loved and graced;  
Who when all other earth's assistance failed,  
Her beauty so far with the King prevailed  
(Joined with her prayer, and fasting) she redeemed  
All her sad Nation, then, most dis-esteemd.  
And for her Uncle Mordecai, 'cause he  
Denied to Hamman, both his cap and knee:  
The Agagite, when he his ruin sought  
Was forced, to do him honour above thought.  
This God can do, who, by their prudence saved  
His chosen people, when they most were braved,  
And thus destruction threatened on the lives  
Of the sad jews, their children and their wives  
Poured on their enemy's heads, who shall with stand  
When God himself, the quarrel takes in hand?  
Hamman a gallows makes fifty foot high,  
Where he doth threaten to hang Mordecai,  
On which he after with his ten sons died,  
So sentenced by the King (the fruits of pride  
And swollen ambition) such was their sad fate,  
Whilst Mordecai and she, guide the whole state.   

  

OF ESTHER A THIRD WORTHY WOMAN AMONGST THE JEWS.  
BEcause of the diversity of names, by which they used to title their Kings, and the supputation of years, in which the Hebrews and the greeks do much vary, divers Authors write diversely touching Ahashuerus, 
What Ahasuerus was.  some think him to have been Darius the son of Histasp●is, called also Artaxerxes, but it may appear by the Prophet Daniel, Chap. 6. v. 1. and Chap. 9 v. 1. that he was Darius, sovereign Monarch over the Medes, Persians, and Chaldeans, the Son of Astyages, called also Ahasuerus, which was a name of honour, and signified, Great, Chief, or Chief head: who reigned from India, even unto Aethiopia, over an hundred and seven and twenty Provinces.  
This Ahasuerus in the third year of his reign, 
His feast to his Princes.  sat upon his royal throne, in the palace of Shushan, and made a great feast unto all his Princes and Servants, and to the Captains, and Governors of the Provinces, to show the riches and glory of his Kingdom, and the honour of his great Majesty, which continued for the space of an hundred and fourscore days, which time being expired, he made a second feast, 
His feast to his people.  for the people that were found in the palace of Shushan, (which continued seven days, in the Court of the Garden of the King's Palace, under an hanging of white, green, and blue clothes, fastened with cords of fine linen, and purple, in silver rings, and pillars of Marble; the beds were of gold, and of silver, upon a pavement of porphyre, and marble, and alabaster, and blue colour, and their drink was filled in vessels of gold, and they changed vessel after vessel, and there was royal wine in abundance, according to the power of the King; 
Temperance observed in feasting.  and their drinking was by order, no man was compelled, for the King had given a charge to all the officers of his house, that every man should drink according to his own pleasure.  

Queen Vasthi her feast.  The Queen Vasthi made also a feast for the women, in the royal house of the King: now it happened that upon the seventh day, which was the last of the feast, that Ahasuerus being merry with Wine, commanded the seven chief eunuchs, that waited in his presence, to bring the Queen before him, with the Crown Royal upon her head, that he might show the Princes, and the People her beauty, for she was exceeding fair to look upon: 
Her contempt of the King's command.  but the Queen refused to come at the Kings sending for, wherefore he was very angry, and his wrath was kindled in him, than the King said to them wise men, (who knew the times, and had experience in the Law, and the judgements:) who were next him, and saw the King's face, and sat the first in the Kingdom: whose names were Carshena, 
His chief Princes.  Shethar, Admatha, Tarshis, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, what shall we do unto the Queen, according to the Law; because she hath refused to do the King's pleasure, by the Commission of the eunuchs?  
To which Memucan stood up and answered, the Queen Vasthi, hath not in this act of disobedience, done evil unto the King only, but to all the Princes, and to all the people of the Empire, for this act of the Queen, when it shall come abroad unto the women, they shall by her example, despise their husbands, and say, King Ahasuerus commanded the Queen Vasthi to be brought before him but she denied to come. So also shall the Princesses of Persia, 
What obedience is.  of Media, and Chaldea, say unto the Princes their Husbands, which shall be the occasion of much despitefulness and wrath. Obedience showeth nurture, but rebellion, corrupt nature, and whosoever obey their Superiors, instruct their Inferiors. The humble and obedient gain honour, but the stubborn and obstinate, reproof, obedience formeth peace, establisheth common weals, and prevents disorders; for obedience to the Law, is the mainetenance of the Law, etc.  
Now therefore if it please the King, let a Royal decree pass from him, and let it be written amongst the Laws of Persia, and Media, (not to be transgressed) that Queen Vasthi come no more into his presence, but let the King dispose of her estate to her Companion, who is better, and more obedient than she, which Decree, when it shall be published through all your large Dominions, the women shall give unto their husbands, all due worship and honour, 
A decree against the Queen.  which saying, much pleased the King, and the Princes, and he did after the words of Memucan, publishing unto all Nations and Languages, that every man had power to bear rule in his own house: after these things, when the King's wrath was appeased, those that ministered unto him, said, let them seek for the King, beautiful young Virgins, and Officers be appointed through all his Provinces, to bring them unto the palace of Shushan, and the maid that shall best please the King, let her reign in the stead of Vasthi, and the saying pleased the King.  
There was at that time in the City of Shushan, a jew, whose name was Mordecai, (which implieth bitter, 
Mordecai.  or Contrition,) who was the son of jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a man of jemini, who had been carried away in the captivity from jerusalem, with jeconia King of judah, by Nabuchadnezzar King of Babel, who then had in his tuition Esther, 
Esther or Hadassah.  whom some call Hester, or Hadassah, his Uncle's daughter, who was an Orphan without Father or Mother, and was very fair and beautiful: now when many Virgins were brought together, into the palace, 
Esther received into the palace.  under the hand of Hege, one of the King's eunuchs, Esther was found amongst them, and the Maid pleased him, and she found favour in his sight. Therefore he caused her things for purification to be given her speedily, and seven comely maids out of the King house to attend her: but she did not show this to her kindred or people, for Mordecai had charged her to the contrary.  
Now when the course of Esther, the daughter of Abthail, the Uncle of Mordecai, came that she should go into the King, she desired nothing but what Hege gave unto her, and she found favour in the eyes of all that beheld her, who was taken in unto the King, 
Esther crowned Queen.  who loved her above all the women, so that he set the Crown of the Kingdom upon her head, and made her Queen in the stead of Vasthi, and made a great feast unto all his Princes, and his servants, and called it the feast of Esther after her name, and gave rest unto all his Provinces, and great gifts according to the power of a King. In these days when Mordecai sat in the King's gate, too of the King's eunuchs, whose names were Bigthan and Teresh, which kept the door of the Chamber, conspired together and intended to lay hands on the King Ahasuerus, 
Treason against the King discovered by Mordecai.  which was known unto Mordecai, and he told it to Queen Esther, and she certified the King thereof, in Mordecha's name. And when inquisition was made, it was found to be so, therefore they were both hanged on a tree, and this was written in the Chonicles in the presence of the King.  
After all these things, it pleased the great King Ahasuerus, 
The exaltation of Haman.  to exalt Haman, the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, and set his seat above all the Princes that were with him, insomuch that all the King's servants that were at his the gate at his going out, and coming in, bowed unto him, and did him reverence, (for so the King had commanded) Mordecai, only bended not the knee, nor made unto him any obeisance. To whom the King's servants said, why transgressest thou the King's commandment? but he hearkened not unto them, therefore they told Haman of Mordecai, and withal that he was of the nation of the jews. Which when he understood, he was full of indignation and wrath, and thinking it too little, to lay his hands on Mordecai only, he sought to destroy all the jews, which were in the dominions of Ahasuerus, 
Hamans' purpose utterly to supplant the jews.  and to sweep them from the face of the earth, and to that purpose he came unto the King and said: There is a people scattered and dispersed amongst the nations throughout all the Provinces of thy Kingdoms, and their laws are divers from all other people, neither observe they their King's laws, nor is it his profit to suffer them: Therefore let it be written that they be destroyed, and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver by the hands of them th●t take charge of the business, to bring into the King's treasury.  
To whom the King (taking the Ring from his finger, and giving it unto Haman,) said let the silver be thine, and the people thine, to do with them as it shall seem good in thine eyes. Then were the King's Scribes called, 
The decree s●aled for the destruction of the jews.  and they writ according to all things which Haman did dictate unto them, unto the Captains, and Chief Officers in every Province, and the Letters were sealed with the King's Signet, and sent by Posts, into all the Provinces, to root out, kill, and destroy, all the jews, young and old, children and women, in one day, namely, the thirteenth of the month Adar, which is the twelfth month, and to spoil them as a prey, and the Posts (compelled by the King's Commandment) went forth, and the writing was given at the palace of Shushan, and the King and Haman sat drinking together, but the jews that were in the City, were all at that time in great perplexity and trouble.  
Which when it was related unto Mordecai, 
Mordecai's sorrow for his people  he rend his clothes, and put on sackcloth and ashes, and went into the midst of the City and cried out with a great cry, and a bitter: and then came before the King's gate but was not suffered to enter, being clothed in sackcloth, and in every Province and place where the Commission was read, there was great sorrow, and fasting, and weeping, and mourning, and many of the jews lay in sackcloth and ashes, than esther's maids and the eunuchs, told all these things unto her, for which she was very heavy, and sent raiment to clothe Mordecai, and to take his sackcloth from him, but he received it not, than the Queen called Hatach the Eunuch, and gave him a commandment to go unto Mordecai, and to know of him, what and why such things were? so Hatach went forth and met him at the gate, to whom Mordecai punctually related all that had happened, even to the least circumstance, and gave him the copy of the writing, to show unto Esther, 
esther's first knowledge thereof.  and charged her by him, that she should go in to the King, and make humble supplication for her and her people.  
Now when the Eunuch had delivered unto her the Copy of the Commission, and all that Mordecai had said unto him, she commanded him to return unto him and say, that whosoever man or woman came to the King, into the inner Court not being called, there is a law of his, that all such shall die, except him to whom the King shall hold up his golden Sceptre, that he may live. Now (said she) I have not been called to come before the King these thirty days, so he certified Mordecai of all the words which Queen Esther had spoken, who said, that they should answer her again thus. Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the King's house more than all the rest of thy Nation, for if thou holdest thy peace at this time, comfort and deliverance, shall appear to us from some other place and person, but thou and thy Father's house shall assuredly perish, yet who knoweth, but thou art come into the Kingdom for such a purpose? Then Esther commanded him to go back again to Mordecai, and answer hi● thus: go and assemble all the jews in Shushan, and fast ye for me and neither eat nor drink any thing, for the space of three days, and nights, I also and my Maids will fast likewise, and afterward I will go in to the King, which is against the Law, 
A Queen by her resolution  and if I perish, I perish, which having heard, Mordecai departed, and did according to all that the Queen had commanded him.  
And on the third day she put on her Royal apparel, and stood in the Court of the King's palace within, over against the house, and the King sat upon his throne of Majesty, 
Esther●rac't ●rac't by the King.  who when he saw Esther the Queen standing in the Court, she found favour in his sight, and he held out the golden Sceptre that was in his hand, so she drew near, and touched the top of the Sceptre, to whom the King spoke, and said, what wilt thou Queen Esther, and what is thy request? It shall be granted thee, even to the half of my kingdom: Who humbly bowing unto him said, if it please your high Majesty, let the King and Haman come this day unto the banquet that I have prepared for them. To whom the King answered, go and cause Haman to make haste, that he may come to the banquet of Queen Esther, at which when they were sat; the King said what is thy request? (I speak it again) it shall be performed, even to the half of my Kingdom: To whom she replied. If I have found favour in the sight of the King, 
The King and Haman invited to her banquet.  and that it please him to grant my request; let the King and Haman come to the banquet that I shall to morrow make ready, and then I will declare what my petition is to the King.  
So Haman departed thence joyfully, but when he found Mordecai standing in the gate and that he stood not up nor moved unto him, 
Haman, hate to Mordecai.  he was mightily incensed against him. Notwithstanding, for that time he refrained himself, and when he came home he sent and invited his friends in the presence of Zeresh his wife: and Haman told to them of the glory of his riches, and the multitude of his children, and all the honours to which the King had exalted him, and that he had set him above all the Princes, 
Hamans' pride and confidence.  and servants of the King, adding moreover that Esther the Queen suffered no man to come unto the banquet with the King save himself, and to morrow, saith he, I am invited, but all this doth nothing please me, whilst I see stubborn Mordecai sit at the gate of the palace Then said Zeresh his wife and all his friends unto him, let there be made a tree of fifty cubits high, and to morrow speak unto the King, that Mordecai, may be hanged thereon, then shalt thou go joyfully with the King to the banquet, and the motion pleased Haman, who caused the gibbet to be erected.  
Now it happened that the same night, that the King slept not quietly, and therefore commanded the Books of the Chronicles to be read before him, in which it was found written, what Mordecai had told of Bigthan and Teresh, the King's eunuchs, keepers of the door, who sought to lay violent hands on the King. Which having heard, he demanded what honour, or what dignity had been done unto him for that service? to whom it was answered by his servants that nothing at all had been done for him: 
God's providence to preserve his people.  He thinking it most unworthy his imperial dignity, to receive so great a benefit as his life, and not to reward it, ask what one of note was in the Court? (now Haman was newly come into the Inner Court of the King's palace, to speak unto him that Mordecai might be hanged on the tree which he had prepared for him) and his servants said, Haman standeth in the Court, and the King said, let him come in, who no sooner appeared before him, but Ahasuerus spoke unto him and said: what shall be done unto the man whom the King will honour? then Haman thinking in his heart, to whom would the King do honour more than to myself? answered. To him whom the King will honour, let them bring forth Royal apparel, 
Pride catcht in her own net.  such as the King useth to wear, and the Horse on which he rideth, and let the Crown Royal be set upon his head, and let the raiment and the Horse be delivered by the hand of one of the Kings most noble Princes, and let them apparel the man whom the King will honour, and cause him to ride upon the Horse through the City, and proclaim before him, saying: thus shall it be done unto the man whom the King will honour.  
Then said the King to Haman, go speedily and take the raiment and the Horse, (as thou haste said) with the royal Crown and do so unto Mordecai the jew, 
The case is altered with Haman.  and see that thou let nothing fail of what thou hast spoken: which how unpleasing it was to the Agagite, may be easily conjectured, since he was made the Minister, and servant to do such grace and honour to the man, whom of all the men living he most hated, but man purposeth and God disposeth, who confoundeth the wicked in the malice of their hearts, and recompenseth the innocence of the Righteous and upright man, as well in the justice of his cause, as to give the world a testimony how he never suffreth the innocent to fall, nor the godly to perish.  
We find by proof infallible, 
What envy is  that envy aiming at others, still woundeth herself, she is blind and can do nothing but dispraise virtue, she is the slime and Impostume of the soul, a venom, a poison which consumeth the flesh, and drieth up the marrow in the bones, it is a sickness growing from other men's happiness, she barketh at the stars, and spurns at that which she cannot reach, she is imagined by the Poets to dwell in a dark cave, to be pale, lean, and looking a squint, full of gall, never rejoicing but in other men's harms, ever unquiet, and continually tormenting herself, she maketh the body to be ill disposed, and is called the feaver-hepticke of the Spirit, and may be thus distinguished from hatred, the one is secret, the other is open, and as grief is a disease of the body, so is she a sickness of the soul. She always waits at virtue's elbow, but glory in the end erecteth that, which envy in the beginning seeks to depress, as may appear by the sequel.  
For Haman, whether pleased or displeased, was forced to take the raiment and the Horse, and brought him mounted through the streets of the City, and proclaimed before him, thus shall it be done to him whom the King will honour, 
Honour done to Mordecai.  which done Mordecai went again to the King's gate, but Haman hasted home to his house mourning, and his head covered, and told unto Zeresh his wife, and to all his friends what had befallen him, to whom (after some pause) they replied: If Mordecai be of the seed of the jews, before whom thou hast begun to fall, thou shalt not prevail against him, but shall assuredly fall before him, and whilst they were yet talking with him, came the King's eunuchs and invited him unto the banquet.  
So the King and Haman sat down with Queen Esther, and the King said again unto her, what is thy petition, that it may be given to thee? and what is thy request? who answered and said, 
qsthers' reEuest to the King.  if I have found favour in thy sight O King, and if it so please his high Majesty, let my life be given me at my petition, and the lives of my people at my request. For we are sold, I and my people to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish, but if we were sold for servants, and handmaids, I should have held my tongue, and been silent, although the adversary could not profi● the King so much by his malice, as he should hinder him by the loss of my people. Then King Ahasuerus said unto Queen Esther, who is he? or where is he that presumeth to do thus? who answered again, the adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman, at which words Haman was startled and sore afraid, before the King and the Queen, than the King arose from the banquet of wine in his wrath: and who knoweth not, but that the anger of a Prince, is like the lightning from the East, 
Hamans' pride turned into base fear.  and the threats of a King like the noise of thunder, and went into the Palace Garden, and Haman stood up to the Queen, to make request for his life, for his heart failed him, because he saw there was a mischief prepared for him from the King.  
Who when he returned from the Garden, into the house where they had drunk wine, Haman was fall'n upon the bed where the Queen sat, at which he being incensed, said, and will he force the Queen also before me in the house? which words were no sooner uttered, but those which were attendants on the King covered Hamans' face, which was the manner of the Persians, when any one was out of the Prince's favour: then Harbonah one of the chief eunuchs, said in the presence of the King, behold, there standeth yet the tree in Hamans' house, fifty cubits high, which Haman had prepared for Mordecai that spoke good for the King, who said let him be hanged thereon, 
Haman hanged on the tree prepared for Mordecai.  so they hanged Haman on the tree which he had prepared for Mordecai, and then the King's wrath was appeased.  
The same day did King Ahasuerus, give the house of Haman to Queen Esther, and Mordecai came and stood before the King, for the Queen had told him, of what near alliance he was unto her, and the King took off his Ring, which he had before taken from Haman, and gave it unto Mordecai, and Esther set him over the house of Haman, and she spoke yet more before the King, and fell prostrate at his feet weeping, and besought him that he would utterly abolish all those wicked decrees of Haman the Agagite, and those inhuman devices, 
Esther petitioneth for the jews.  which he had imagined against her people, and the King held his golden Sceptre towards her, and she arose from the earth, and stood before him and said, if it please the King, and that it may be acceptable unto him, let it be written that those Letters of Haman the son of Ammedatha, be revoked, which he wrote concerning the destruction of my Nation, throughout all the King's Provinces, for how shall I suffer, to see the evil that shall come unto my people? or how can I endure the depopulation of my Kindred.  
And the King said unto the Queen, and to Mordecai, behold, I have given Esther the house of Haman, whom they have hanged upon the tree, because he presumed to lay hands upon the jews, 
The decree against the jews renounced.  write ye also for them as it liketh you in my name; and seal it with my Ring, for the writings are written in my name, and sealed with my Ring, may no man revoke. Then were the King's Scribes called who wrote according to all that Mordecai did dictate unto them, unto the jews and to the Princes, and Captains, and Governors of the Provinces, which were from India even unto Aethiopia, an hundred and seven and twenty Provinces, and unto every Province in such Letters and Language as was used amongst the people, that lived therein, which having sealed with the King's Ring, he sent them by posts on Horseback, and those that road upon beasts of price, as Dromidaries, and Mules, 
Liberty granted to the jews.  in which the King granted liberty to the jews, that in what Cities soever they were resident to assemble themselves together, and stand for their lives, and to root out and destroy all the power of that people, and that province which vexed them both men, women, and children, and to make spoil of their goods; so the posts went forth, to execute the King's Commandment, and the decree was given in Shushan the palace.  
Then Mordecai went out from the King in Royal apparel, 
Mordecai's royal apparel  of blue, and white, and with a great Crown of gold upon his head, and with a garment of fine linen, and purple, and the jews in the City rejoiced and were glad, to whom was come light, and joy, and gladness, and honour, and in all and every Province, and in all and every City, and place, where the King's Commandment and Decree was read, there was great rejoicing, a feast and a good day, and many of the people of the Land became jews, for the fear of the Nation fell upon them.  
Now when this Decree grew near to be put in execution, in the day that their enemies hoped to have power over them. It is worthy observation, that God's great providence, turneth the joy of the wicked into sorrow, and the tears of the godly into gladness, for the jews gathered themselves together into their Cities, throughout all the Dominions of King Abasuerus, to lay hands on such as sought their damage, and no man durst withstand them, for the fear of them fell upon all the people, and the Rulers of the Provinces, Princes, Captains, and Officers of the King, Exalted the jews, did them honour and showed them friendship, for the fear of Queen Esther and Mordecai was upon them. For he still grew in favour, power, and honour, greater and greater. Thus the jews smote all their enemies with the sword, 
The jews revenged upon their enemies.  with slaughter, and destruction, and what seemed pleasing in their own eyes unto all those who had conspired their death, by the instigation of wicked Haman: At Shushan they slew five hundred men, as also the ten sons of Haman, but they laid not their hands on the spoil, and their number was brought unto the King.  
Who said unto Queen Esther, thy people have slain in Shushan the palace, five hundred men, and the ten sons of Haman, what have they done in the rest of the Provinces? and what is thy petition further, that it may be given thee? or what is thy request moreover, that it may be performed unto thee? then said Esther, if it please the King, let it be granted also, that they may hang upon the tree, 
Hamans' ten sons hanged.  Hamans' ten sons, and the King gave present order that it should be so done. The jews also that were in Shushan, assembled themselves upon the foureteenth day of the month Adar, and slew of their enemies three hundred men, but they laid not their hands on the spoil, and the rest of the jews that were in the King's provinces, assembled themselves and stood up for their lives, and slew them that hated them, seventy and five thousand, but on the spoil laid they no hand. So they kept solemn, the foureteenth and the fifteenth days of the month Adar, (which was the twelfth month) in memory of their great deliverance, 
A memorall for their great deliverance.  by the hand of Esther, which days were turned unto them from sorrow unto joy, and from mourning into a glad season, to keep them as days of solemnity, and feasting, in which they sent presents every man unto his neighbour, and gifts to the poor. Thus reigned she a blessed Mother in Israel, and Mordecai was the second man in the Kingdom, next to Ahashuerosh, who was great amongst the jews, and accepted of his Brethren, who procured the wealth of his people, and spoke peaceably unto all his seed, and whose dignity and honours, done unto him by the King, are written at large in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Med●a, and Persia.    

OF THE THREE WORTHY WOMEN AMONG THE HEATHEN  
Whose Names are, 

Bunduca.  
Penthisilaea.  
Artimethia.    

BUNDUCA  
HOw much O Britain, are we bound to thee  
Mother, and Nurse of magnanimity?  
Of which thou from antiquity hast lent  
Unto all ages famous precedent,  
Witness this British Queen, whose masculine spirit  
Shall to all future, glorious fame inherit,  
Beyond all tongues or pens, who may be proud,  
Not thunders voice, can speak itself more loud,  
Of whom, although our modern Authors wrote  
But sparingly, lest they should seem to dote  
Too much upon their Natives, foreign ink  
Hath been so lavish, it would make man think  
Her valour inexpressible; Tacitus  
Made her his ample theme, and to discuss,  
Her gifts, were Dio's labour: Xiphiline,  
(With many others) made her acts divine,  
As above all woman's performance far,  
To whom I only leave this Character.  
This British Queen whom just incensement fires,  
Against the Roman Monarchy conspires,  
And her revenge more hotly to pursue,  
Of their best soldiers fourscore thousand slew.  
Whose name all other glories might transcend  
Had not adverse fate crossed her in the end.   

  

THE FIRST OF THE THREE WOMEN WORTHIES AMONGST THE HEATHEN CALLED BUNDUCA.  
THis Bunduca (called also by several Authors, Boodicia, Boudicea, Voadica, and Bowndvica) was the dowager Queen, of Prasutagus, King of the Iceni a Province which contained four shires in England, and was one of the prime of the Sceptarchy, who all the time of his reign remained in amity with the Romans, and was reckoned amongst their social Kings, who having disposed of his kingdom to Nero Caesar, (than Emperor) and to his own two daughters, 
Prasutagus maketh Caesar coheir with his Queen and daughters  intending, that having Caesar their guardian, and in hope of his favour towards them (receiving a child's part) that they should be Queens of their own shires, or copartners after their Mother, which being ratified by his last will and testament, he deceased.  
But the daughters, (poor Ladies) found but a sorry partnership, where the Lion was to make the partition: For Neroe● Captains and Officers, exercised intolerable violence throughout the Kingdom, and not the least upon them, for the Palace of Prasutagus their Father, 
The unjust proceeding of the Romans.  as also his great Riches, which were abundant, and long in gathering, together with his whole Realm, was not received into custody, for the good of the Orphans, nor Nero's part sequestered, and laid apart as a bequest and legacy, but that, and all that which belonged to the Virgins was ransacked, and made a mere booty: they also that were of the blood Royal, and kinsmen to the King, were no better reckoned of, than prisoners and vassals, surprised in the war, and held in the nature of slaves and bondmen.  
These injust beginnings, pressing in the first place, were 〈◊〉 by others fame more barbarous, and villainous, for the too Princely sisters, being yet under the wing of their Mother, were vitiated, and irrecoverably dishonoured in their bodies, 
Their barbarous lust and cruelty.  and Bunduca herself, their infortunate mother, full of most just grief and wrath, and all the tempestuous passions which embased nobility, or violated nature can suggest, was thought to bleed in person under smarting whips, and cutting lashes, nor to be privileged from being forced and ravished by the lascivious Romans: of all which inhuman violences, she after in an Oration made unto her Army, grievously complained, but before I enter further into her History, I will give a lively description of her person and quality.  

Bundula's person and condition.  This Bunduca or Bondicia the Widow of Prasutagus was not as some have described her a martial Bosse, or Amazonian Giantess, but tall of stature, and moderately fat and corpulent, her face excellently comely, yet with all incomparably terrible, her complexion very fair and beautiful, which who will wonder at in a Lady borne in Britain? her copious tresses flowing about her shoulders, and dangling in compass even to her knees, were of a most bright yellow, though by her complexion, her constitution might seem to be cold, yet her noble actions declared that choler had the predominance in her, even to adustion, her eyes were sparkling sharp and piercing, her tongue shrill and harsh, as her person was tall and great, her progenitors, Kings in Britain, and as it may be Heralisd, descended even from mighty Cassibiline himself.  
Now the general reasons (besides those particular before alleged) which made the Britons to attempt the massacre of the Romans, 
Reason's inducing the Britons to rebel against the Romans.  were great and many; a deep contempt of Nero was one, for that emboldened his Officers to do wrong, and drove the sufferers to despair of an orderly redress: some assign too principal causes. The confiscation of goods, and Senecaes' intolerable usuries, and Bunduca's quarrel to be the chief, which prepared the Britons for an open hostility: now in the absence of Suetonious Paulinus, who with his forces was busy in taking in the Isle of Nerva, or Anglesey, upon an earnest desire to annex it to the rest of the Empire, (which Suetonius was Nero's Lieutenant in Britain, and commanded in chief over all the Roman forces) Bunduca taking the advantage of his employment, in a place so far remote from them; interpreted it as a good Omen, sent from Heaven, which gave her fit opportunity to assemble the Britons her friends to a sudden insurrection, their conventions were first private to avoid all suspicion, and after public to defy all prevention.  
Now the forwardness of the Dowager Queen, 
Their first insurrection.  unlocked all hearts and tongues amongst themselves, and whilst every one laid open their griefs which in telling, kindly, they all agree to rise with her in arms: as for the sworn covenants between the Romans and the Britons, they are annihilated and broken: the sword is made the judge and Umpire, to decide all causes betwixt them; Right, and common liberty, the main of their quarrel; and confusion, spoil, and thirst of blood, the success of their combustion: One hundred and twenty thousand men appeared openly for war at Bunduca's musters, 
A royal army  being out of all the British Kingdom a strange effect, of a close and sudden conspiracy.  
Now Bunduca, the head and life of these revolted Britons came forth in state, 
Her habit in battle.  attended with the chief of that conspiracy, her body clothed in a deep and full gathered garment, embroidered with divers colours, all over, about her neck a chain of great wreathed links of gold, upon her shoulders, she wore a military clock, o● a thick wrought mantle, buttoned before, her fair goodly tresses flowing in length down her back, served in the stead of a veil or golden cover to all the rest, and such was her attire. She held more over with the one hand in the lap of her gown a young Hair or Leveret as a mystery, and in the other a Lance for terror; upon her head she wore an helmet with a Crown, and rising from thence a goodly plume of feathers, and thus acoutred she takes her stand upon a square hillock of turfs rising after the fashion of a Roman tribunal in field, 
The place where she encamped.  the place where the camp was then, is supposed to be either in Marshland, or in the Isle of Ely, amongst all those in the Icenis Country, a place of the most safety: herself in her own person being most conspicuous, had her natural tallness, so holpen out with the advantage of that earthy stage, mounted upon the level flatness of the open Land, that she easily over looked all their heads, whilst their eyes were intentive upon her, the effects of whose Oration to her people, are these as I have gathered them from a worthy and very learned Author.  
The Romans are few and strangers, 
The effect of her Oration to her soldiers.  the Britons are domestic and many: the Romans have their Helmets, and Cuirasses, which load them with their brazen weight, and render them unapt for pursuit; the Britons have neither Helmets nor Cuirasses, but Swords, and Bucklers, and Darts, which are not burdensome: The Romans trust to their walls, trenches, and parapets, which consisting of Oaken stubs, one fretted and woven into another, do show them as shut up in boxes. The Britons have their tents in the open field, and for their defence Marshes, Bogs, and Mountains. The Romans must have their shady bowers, houses over head, bread of ground Corn, Wine, and Oil, or else they cannot continue in the Army: the Britain's brook hunger and thirst, cold and heat, when any root or stock serves them for food: water will quench their thirst, and every tree is to them a Roof, or Canopy.  
The Romans sow Corn, and are handicraft men; the Britons have learned nothing, but to fight: the Romans must have their warm baths, their catamites, their dainty fare, and their bodies suppled with oil; the Britons use none of these, but have their wives, and other things in common, and count all children their own, which makes the females as valiant as the men: the Romans are insolent, injust, insatiable, and worthy to be the slaves unto bungling Fidlars: the Britons by such base fellows are wronged and overborne: the Romans who so long have endured the yoke of their Lady and Mistress, Madam Nero, (for who can think him to be a man?) deserve to continue slaves still. The Britons have heretofore been free, and though others should be so base, as to spend their days under a Donitia, or Neronia, (fitter names for him then any of the masculine gender) yet it is certainly my last resolution, rather than live basely, to die bravely. The Romans are Foxes, and Hares, the Britons are wolves and Greyhounds.  
At which word, she suffered the Hare to slip out, 
A pretended Omen to stir up the spirits of her Soldiers.  which had all that time been hid in the folds of her skirt, which they taking for a lucky Omen, spent their mouths in an universal shout, making both heaven and earth to echo again, to the name of Bunduca, she accepts of their loving and hearty acclamation, 
The goddess Audate.  and after thanks given to Audate, (the goddess to whom she was chiefly devoted, and the same which Victoria was amongst the Romans,) she recommended her cause to her special protection, and when her Orisons and other Rites were finished, she rideth and leadeth them fiercely on, utterly to extirpate, and root out with sword and fire, and all the extremities of war whatsoever, was Roman in Britain, against which for the present there could be no prevention or stop, the sudden Torrent grew so great and violent, and Camolodunum felt the first mischief of that tempest, and perished under it.  
Now Paulinus Suetonius, 
The providence of Paulinus Suetonius  being absent (as before was said) in the conquest of Anglesey, he like a provident Governor, took not all his Forces along with him, to that undertaking but he left both the Provinces and their Borders, full of Legionary Soldiers, and of their Aids, three men are named to have remained behind. 
Catus Decianus, procurator under Caesar.  Catus Decianus Principal, as being the Steward, Attorney, and Auditor general of all Caesar's profits in Britain, and the Romans call such a man Procurator, 

Petilius Cerealis.  
Paenius posthumus.  
Ostorius Scapulae.   Petilinus Cerealis, who commanded over the ninth Legion, and was quartered about Gilsborrow, and Daintree, the third Paenius posthumus, Campemaster of the second Legion, (surnamed, Augusta, and these two seats, of Legions Ostorius Scapula, ordained when he was General here under Claudius Caesar.  
The twentieth Legion, as some are of opinion, was not transported hither, till after Nero's days: yet Tacitus writes that the Vexillaries, which some read the Vicesimarians themselves, (that is, the twentieth Legion) were with Suetonius at the great battle: as for the foureteenth Legion; (of all other in Britain the most renowned;) there is scarcely any word mentioned concerning it, 
The strength of the Romans in Britain.  till the battle against Bunduca: now, all the Countries were full of Roman Castles, Holds, and Forts, full of dwellings and inhabitants all over, and not at Camolodunum, London, and Virolam only, though they be solely named for their singular misfortunes: other stays and affiances they also had which consisted not in Armed power, but in amity, for the Romans were too provident, to rely themselves, where they came upon their own strength wholly, and for that cause made themselves as many Confederates and Friends, as they could possibly with their honour.  
In this famous place of Camolodunum, 
Claudius' Caesar.  Claudius Caesar had placed a Colony of old Soldiers, who did not only thrust the Natives out of their permitted dwellings, and dispossessed them of their Lands, but heightened these wrongs with revile, terming them captives and slaves, wherein they much mistook. For the Britons were conquered to yield, but not to be trod upon, for though force had mastered their strength, yet their natural indignation remained, and look how many old soldiers so many new Lords there were, this bred so deep an hatred, that they began to side with Bunduca, as foreseeing that it was no short bondage they were likely to undergo, but in the purpose of the Romans, a perpetual; this Town at that season lay open on all sides, 
The estate of the City at that time.  having neither wall, ditch, trench, or pallisad, only the Majesty of the Roman name? which was reputed as a wall of Brass for the defence thereof.  
This place, Bunduca suddenly assaulted, as also all other of the Roman Soldiers, who lay scattered here and there upon the Frontiers, in Forts, and Castles, and fencing the Garrisons, rushed over them with such violence, into the bosom of the Country, as a Sea at a breach; making up with all speed to the Colony itself, the main object of their greatest fury: now, the Roman party upon the first appearance of danger, had sent to Catus Decianus for aid, who only spared them two hundred Soldiers, and those not completely armed. The Colony itself with their Wives, Children, and Servants, could not amout to above 20000. yet it was that brave and noble Legion, surnamed Gemina Martia victoria, first planted there by Claudius Caesar, 
Gemina martia victoria. Victricensia.  and by him styled Victricensia, but these ancient Soldiers, for the space of ten years, living secure and in peace, had abandoned the use of Arms, and being over mellow, with ease and pleasure, held it enough to watch up and down with Warders, and trouncheons in their hands, (a fashion of honour.)  

The Soldier's resistance.  The Soldiers being so suddenly and violently assaulted, seeing no hope left for a common defence, quit the streets and market place, and thronged themselves within the great temple, built by Claudius: which in veneration of him was held as a sanctuary: (but the name of Nero the present Emperor, was void of all honour,) yet all was to no purpose; for Bunduca being Mistress of all the Town at an instant, did suddenly sack and fire whatsoever lay without the walls of the Temple, the assault whereof was never intermitted till it was won; 
The City demolished.  which happened upon the second day of the siege, than all went to wrack therein, as in the rest; sword, fury and fire concurring in the execution: neither was any thing which might be called Roman, which force spoiled not, or revenge devoured not.  
The Britons were so fleshed with this bloody handsel, 
Bunduca intercepteth the Roman expedition.  that Bunduca, or Bondicia, understanding how Petilius Cerealis, who commanded the ninth Legion, was marching to the succour of the Colony, she encounters him, giving in with so round and home a charge, that utterly unable to resist, he was beaten from his ground, and compelled to fly away upon the spur, with his troops of Horse only: the Infantry of the Legion being thus left naked, and immediately overlaid, was driven to the earth, and cut in pieces, and not any one taken to mercy; she than fell upon such places as had the fattest booties, 
She prosecuteth her victory.  and least defences, upon which they committed many insolent and bloody outrages.  
Whilst these things were thus in agitation, Suetonius Paulinus sensible of the danger, 
A careful General.  the whole land stood in at that time, he left off the Conquest of Nerva, or Anglesey, and through many difficulties with an admirable constancy, through swarms of enemies, got safe to London, but by reason of the weakness of his Forces, not able to maintain the place, at the rumour of Bunduca's approach, he was forced to abandon it, who had no sooner quit the place, but she suddenly became absolute Mistress thereof, and all therein: then the wild uplandish crew of her irregular troops, spared nothing, quick or dead: thirst of revenge in her, and rapine in them, banished all humanity: the streets and houses were filled with miserable murders; The wares and goods found ruder Owners, than the right ones, nor did they content themselves with a simple massacre? but they fired the whole City: but whilst they consumed what persons or things it pleased them, 
Rage above reason.  they also consumed time to their undoing, which was the cause that they utterly miscarried.  
But the same misery that the Londoners suffered, 
Virulum sacked and spoilt.  befell unto Virulum, which was totally over run by Bunduca, and though the Officers, and chief of the Town, were natural Britons, yet because they had been received into the freedom of Rome, they gave them equal quarter with the Romans not sparing any of them; Where sword and fire (the instruments of all wrath and fury) devoured what rape and robbery had left. Nor fewer thousands then ten, (of these four score which the Bunducans' slew in all) could probably perish therein.  
And thus far the Actions of that mighty, yet much misgoverned body of her Army, (assembled under a most glorious Title, namely, the recovery of the common liberty, and commanded in chief by Bunduca) prospered above precedent; but now being at the top-most height, as well for success as insolence, it fell suddenly to the ground; neither was it any wonder, in regard of their ill demeanour, and badness of their carriage, for there was no quarter allowed, no hope of ransom, (as in other wars,) only swords, 
The cruel behaviour of the enraged Britons.  halter's, fire, gibbets, they not only striving to match their oppressors, for wrongs formerly done unto them, but to outdo them in worse, and greater: for they took the most honourable Dames amongst their enemies, stripped them naked, then cut of their paps or dugs, and stitched them to their mouths, to make them seem feeding, and after put their bodies upon stakes, the men's bellies whom they took prisoners, they ripped up alive, cut out their bowels, and others they gored upon burning spikes, or sod to death in oil, or water, cruelties at which barbarism itself might blush, and in themselves most horrible.  
Whilst this brave Championess and her people grew ripe for ruin, the Roman General mainetained retreat, whom she hotly pursued: but he preferring safe courses, grounded upon reason, before good fortune imagined to happen by chance; wh●n he beheld the bravery of the woman, maintaining a personal chase upon him, he thought it now was high time, either to redeem his fame or to die with honour, 
The courage of the Roman General.  and necessity of action, often begets felicity in Action, and a state of fear proveth often a state of guard: the number of his army, some held to be about ten thousand, but with his auxiliary Forces, some voluntaries addicted to the Roman faction, and other aides which appertained to the Legions, might make up to the number of nineteen thousand; now concerning the number of men that were in Bundicia's army, their nations, qualities and arms, it thus followeth.  

The number of Bunduca's Army.  She had two hundred and thirty thousand fight men in field, which were assembled from all the parts of the Kingdom, some say that she had in her Camp six thousand armed Ladies, but that is not altogether approved: only it is probable, that she had Soldiers completely armed and light, both horse and foot, with chariots for war, etc. the Level or ground, on which the two hosts were imbattelled must of necessity be a plain, 
Of the place where she encamped.  at the least five or six miles over in breadth, and betwixt two woods at either end one, some think it was upon Salisbury Plain, and some further of, besides Severne, but of the two, that which seems to carry the greater credit, that this battle was fought upon the skirts of the Plain of Salisbury, not far from Stone hedge, or Stonage, about which place there survive to this age the memorable Relics of three ancient Camps, distinguist by the common people by three several names Yanesbury Castle, Dunshot, and Woldsbury; and notwithstanding Vespasian was the Founder or Author of Yanesbury, under Claudius Caesar, It hinders not, but that Paulinus Suetonius might make use of it at that time under Nero, both as a strength, ready wrought, and a fortunate handsel, by the luck of so great a Commander, 
The time of the year.  and concerning the time of the year, it is probably conjectured to be towards Winter, and in the month of September.  
N●w the Roman General like a provident and wise Captain, did principally labour to keep all his enemies before him, lest their number might enclose or any way oppress him, 
The management of the Roman Army.  and therefore he made choice of a place, with a wood at his back, to serve as a wall or Bullwarke behind; and ground well selected for fight, is no small step to victory: and having thus devised for the best, and forestalled the choice of the field, he drew out his Soldiers, well furnished, and refreshed, and set them in order of battle, deviding the body of his army (within these straits) into three wards or bands, so that he might fight at once, and in front quite through, the middle ward, or main consisted on such as were armed with Helmets, and Breast plates, each of them balancing too or three piles, or darting javelins in their hands, plated with Iron, which they could deliver with such violence to strike through a Corslet, and sometimes the Armour, and Man together.  

The fashion of their Targets.  Ever one had also a Target, either oval, or round, or square and hollow, about thirty inches thwart, and about fifty long, with a broad Spanish sword, which hung somewhat off behind, the blade not much above two foot in length, but of excellent temper, fine and thin, able to lop of limbs, and besides very sharp and poignant; their troops of horse stood ready in wings; the ordinary proportion to a Legion, 
The proportion of a legion  was but three hundred, which they divided into two main bodies, and subdivided by thirty into Cornets, indeed they were all so carefully disposed, that fight all close together, they might at once be inpenitrable, and invincible: then the General passing from Company to Company, inspiring them with courage, by the life of his presence, and power of his language, which done (as my Author saith) he prepared himself for a Grave or a Garland.  
On the contrary part Queen Bunduca brings up her two hundred and thirty thousand men, 
Bunduca in the battle.  and casting aside the softness of her sex, she performs in person all the duties of a most vigilant and diligent Chieftain, and being mounted in an open Chariot, with her two ravished daughters, (the objects of compassion, and with all a spur, to their greater fury) she rideth about the Plain, and marshalleth her Army, even to the last man, arranging all her several Nations, into several Battalions: 
The order of her battles,  the Front of her battle extended itself to five or six miles out right, and the frame thereof was semicircular, as meaning to enclose them, and before this huge, and wide spread battle of the Britons, Chariots of war were placed, with sharp scythes, standing out to mow down their enemies.  
Against the main body of the Roman Battalia, she set her Corslet men, such as were whole armed, behind she placed the Carriages, walling the back of her Battala's with Wagons, Wanes, and Carts, in which the British Wives and Women, 
Her encouraging of her Soldiers.  stood as spectators; of the presupposed victory, neither was she more wanting to her people's encouragement, then to their disposure for fight, her person, conspicuity, and postures in speaking, adding to the life of her words, for riding about from one embatteld people to another, she turned herself to them all, in her open Chariot, Royally accommodated, presenting unto them her own just quarrel, with the miserable fortunes of her Princely daughters, who sat with her in sight, (a lively and stirring instigation to revenge) this done, by giving the word she prepared for battle.  
The first assault began with shrill sounds and clamours, 
The beginning of the battle.  but quickly to be dampt with the groans of the dying: on the contrary Suetonius Paulinus finding his men prompt and fiery after signal given, stood to receive them in great silence, the Romans (holding loud acclamations, no more than a terrible toy,) kept close together, as well to increase their enemy's presumption, as to prevent their own circumvention, and when the Britons had discharged their Arrows at random, and were advanced within the reach of mischief, the Romans (before silent) now join together, in an universal and martial shout, and flinging their heavy darts into the thickest of their coming enemies, they drew their swords, and clashing them against their shields, sallied out at once with all the strength they could possibly make, and now they encountered together every where, and all over: the fight continued hot and doubtful to the evening, which by one of our best and latest Writers, is thus described.  
The light armed of the one side, lay fiercely at the light armed of the other: 
A description of the fight.  the well armed oppose their like, as, Horse encounter Horse, the Roman Archers, let fly at the Chariots of the Britons, they again run headlong against the Romans, and tumble them over, but for want of Armour to mock the shot, they were enforced with the storms of Roman Arrows, to fall off again, the foot, trampled under foot by the horse, and the horse beaten back by the foot: many close together, to make up with a joint force, against the wagons of war: they on the other side bear many down before them, and compel others to fly, here the Archers advancing over forwardly beyond the protection of their Cavallary are glad to save themselves by running away: there others keep aloof, for fear of the piercing Arrows: these things whilst they were not acted in one place only, but in three at once (according to the triple distinction of the Roman host,) the conflict was long maintained of both parts with equal boldness and bravery. 
Valour on both sides.   
Now in this remarkable conflict, where the natural liberty of Britain, and the title of the Empire lay at stake, the Romans dashing in with the whole breadth of their Battalia tear their ranks in pieces, and struck the rest of the adverse Army with amazement and terror, whom their weapons could not reach: engaging themselves so far as that they were enforced by reason of their enclosure, to fight all at once and about the setting of the sun, found themselves every where through out the field victorious, now when the Britons in the head of the battle began to shrink, 
The Romans Victor's.  it was a shrewd blow to all that were behind them, who being many thousands, and remained untouched, during the former fight, because they could not come up to handy strokes, by reason of want of room in the narrowness of the field: It was the cause that those who first turned their backs and fled, 
The Brittanes Army routed  were amongst their own friends, as unresistable as their enemies, carrying along a strong necessity, to disband, and scatter, and wholly to rely on flight, for their present safety.  
In this confusion, Bunduca seeing how the die of war went, left the field and fled, but the Romans, as bold in attempting, as nimble in pursuing, fell upon slaughter, making no difference betwixt sex and sex, for all perished together, yet many were saved alive, after there was an infinite great glut of blood, and a victory assured: Multitudes also escaped, some by their swift running, others by the benefit of night. In which Battalia, (as our best approved remembrancers have left recorded) there fell of the Britons to the number of fourscore thousand, 
The numbers slain on both sides.  and of the Romans but four hundred slain, and few more hurt, for which cause this famous victory was remarked amongst the most famous of old, and deservedly it might be so, for besides, the glory of the day, it reduced Britain to the Roman Empire, and fixed it to endure for sundry ages after.  
Some say that after this defeat Bunduca (this brave British Championess) slew herself by falling on her Lance, 
Of Bunduca after the battle.  some that she died by sickness, others by poison, yet all conclude, that she was one of the bravest Shee Worthies in the whole universe: her death was grievously lamented of all her surviving friends, 
Her death.  who honoured her funeral with most stately Rites, and buried her remains ambitiously brave. I conclude her History with the place of her burial.  
In her death, 
Of the place of her burial.  the two injured Princesses (her Daughters) lie obscured, of them there is no remembrance (after her) remaining to Posterity; now concerning the place of Interrement, (as many be gathered from the premises it was the admirable monument of the stones upon Salisbury Plain, not being any work of the Romans, but of the Britons, (who were wont to make stones Vocal by inscriptions) It is called to this day Stonehendge, or Stonage, though some think them to have been brought from Ireland by Merlin: The Roman Historiographers, report that she was buried pompously, and with great magnificence by the Britons, and what greater than that could be consecrated to the perpetual memory of Bunduca? then this, whose History the whole globe of the earth affordeth not a rarer? If any man shall think, as some of our Chronologers write, that it was the place where those murdered Lords in the time of Aurelius Ambrose (whom the Pagan Hengist most traterously slew) were buried, yet it is no hindrance to give credit, that it had been first erected in honour of that Heroical, and Masculine spirited Championess Bunduca, since the bones of men digged up near that place, convince it to have been sepulcrall, but Armours of a large and antique fashion; 
A probability assuring truth.  upon which the spade and pickeaxe, have sometimes hit; do clear the Owners from being in the number of those British Lords, whom the traitorous Danes slew unarmed, and weaponless.    


PENTHISILAEA.  
SOme, in their critic fancies would maintain,  
(As having women's honour in disdain.)  
Averring, it not possible can be,  
That such should equal men in Chivalree.  
And they would ground a Maxim thereupon,  
That never in the world was Amazon,  
Nor can I scarce conjecture, which is chief  
In such, their ignorance, or misbelief.  
But had such stupids, but the least commerce  
With Homer, or read Ovid's amorous verse:  
Or almost any of the Poets; they  
Of force must sing a Palinode, and say  
In their blind error they were much misled,  
Or had they either Quintus Curtius read,  
Or justine: (both Historians) they'd confess,  
Their Learning to be small, their judgement less,  
But leaving them, now thus much understand,  
Concerning this Virago now in hand,  
This Amazon, though many were of name,  
May 'bove the rest, a just Precedence claim.  
The first brave Championess observed in field,  
Armed with a Polleax and a Moved shield.  
And shall a lasting memory enjoy.  
For aiding Priam in the wars of Troy.   

  

OF PENTHISILAEA THE SECOND FAMOUS CHAMPIONESS AMONGST THE HEATHEN  

Virago.  ALL these heroic Ladies are generally called Viragoes, which is derived of Masculine Spirits, and to attempt those brave and Martial Enterprises, which belong to the honour of men, in which number this Penthisilaea hath prime place, amongst the ancient remembrancers, we read of many warlike Women, of the like condition and quality, 
Women of masculine spirits.  of some few of them, I will give a particular denomination.  

Camilla.  Camilla, Queen of the Volscians, gave manifest signs of her future eminence in arms, even from her Infancy, not being effeminately, educated with careful and indulgent Nurses, but brought up in the Woods, and Forests, and fed with the milk of wild beasts, for so she was disposed of by her Father Metabus, who growing to maturity, cast aside the action of those common exercises, whose practice belong to women, as the Needle, the Web, and the like, but clothing herself in the skins of savage beasts, she followed Hunting and the Chase, using the javelin, the Bow and Quiver, and to outstrip the Hart in running, and in the wars betwixt Turnus and Aeneus, she sided with the Rutilians against the Trojans, of whom Virgil giveth a notable Character.  
Hilerna also the Daughter of janus, 
Hilerna.  her Father being dead reigned by the River Tiber, taking upon her the sole sovereignty, which before her time belonged to the men only.  
Semiramis ambitious of sovereignty, 
Semiramis.  demanded the guidance of the Sceptre for five days only, in which interim she commanded the King her 
* Ninus.  Husband to be first imprisoned and after slain, then taking the whole principality upon her, she reigned over the Assyrians, who at least royally repaired, if nor really built the Walls about Babylon.  
Zenobia Queen of the Palmireans, 
Zenobia.  after the death of her Husband Odenatus took upon her the Sovereignty of all Syria, neither feared she to take up arms against the Emperor Aurelianus, of whom being vanquished, and led in triumph after his victorious chariot, it being objected unto him as a dishonour, that he being so potent an Emperor, would triumph over a woman? made answer, that it was no shame for him, being over such a woman, who was inspired with a more than masculine spirit: 
Hipsicratea.  and Hipsicratea, the wife of Methridates, in all the dangers of war, never left the side of her Husband, but cut her hair short, lest it might be any impediment to the sitting close of her Helmet.  

Tomyris.  Tomyris Queen of the Scythians, opposed in battle great Cyrus, the most puissant King of the Persians, and in revenge of her siers' death, rifled his Tents, spoilt his Camp, and slew him, and after cutting off his head, caused it to be cast into a great vessel, brimmed with blood, saying, after humane blood thou ever thirsted in thy life, and now drink thy fill thereof in death: 
Teuca.  and Teuca the wife of Argon Queen of the Illyrians, in person in sundry battles opposed the Romans and became victress overthem. 
Maria Puteolana.   
Maria Puteolana, who had that namen conferred upon her, from Puteolis, a City of Campania, (the place of her descent) flourished in the time of the famous Italian Poet, Francis Petrarch,, by whom she is thus deciphered: she was patient in all labour and travail, sparing of diet, and abstinent from Wine; Never applying herself to any of those chares, belonging to Women, but was wholly exercised in the practice of arms, delighting in the Bow, the Dart, the Helmet, and she was so vigilant that she would watch some nights together with out sleep, and that little rest which she took, was not upon a bed, but the bare earth, her head instead of a pillow being laid upon her Target, and though she was always conversant amongst Soldiers, and armed men, for which some might have laid upon her the aspersion of impudence and incontinence, yet she studied nothing more than Virginal Chastity, in which she continued even to death, and was worthily ranked in the life of the Heroic Ladies. Let these suffice for the present, and being to discourse of an Amazonian Championess, it shall not be altogether impertinent to the Story now in hand, if I speak something of their Original.  
The Scythians a warlike nation, having spent many years in opposing Xexores King of Egypt, 
Of the Amazons in general.  and after, staying long in the subduing of Asia, their wives sent unto them, that if they made not speedy haste home, they would provide themselves of issue from their neighbour Nations, in process of time, two Princely youths of the Scythians, Plinos, and Scolopytus, by a decree of the Optimates, being exiled their Country, took with them along, a great number of young men, to seek a new fortune, planting a new Colony upon the Borders of Capadocia, near to the River Thermodoon, and having subdued the Temiscerians, occupied their grounds, these having long tyrannised over the bordering Nations, were at the last insidiated by the enemy, and treacherously slain, which their Wives at home hearing, took Arms to defend their own territories, which was not without good and great success; and finding the sweetness of liberty, and sovereignty added, they refused to take Husbands, either of friends or enemies, 
Their Original.  accounting Matrimony, no better than a miserable servitude.  
Notwithstanding, they not only (without the aid of men) maintained their own, but trenched upon others: holding the masculine sex in mere contempt, and because they would bear a like fortune, and that no one should be held more happy than the other, they slew all those Husbands which yet remained amongst them, and now after many conflicts, having settled peace, lest their posterity should fall, they desired congres with their neighbours: all the male children borne unto them they strangled, but the female they preserved, and brought them up in the practice of Arms, searing of their right paps, lest otherwise it might be an impediment unto them in the use of the Bow or the Spear, of which they had the denomination of Amazons or Vnimammae. 
Whence they derived their names. Marthesia. Lampedo.   
Of these were two Queens Marthesia, and Lampedo, who, the more to increase their Dignity, and Authority, proclaimed themselves to be the Daughters of Mars, and having subdued a great part of Europe, invaded Asia also, erecting divers famous Cities, as Ephesus and others, and having sent part of their Army with great preys and booties into their Country, the rest who stayed to maintain the Empire of Asia, under the Command of Marthesia, were with herself, by the Barbarians miserably slain: In her place succeeded Orythia, 
Orythia, or Otreta.  who for her martial discipline, and many glorious victories, and for her constant vow of Virginity, as she was much famed, so she was much honoured.  
Two of four sisters reigned at once, 
Antiope.  Orythia, whom some call Otreta, and Antiope, In whose time Hercules, with many of the prime Heroes of Greece, invaded their confines at such a time of their security, that their troops were carelessly scattered abroad, by taking which advantage, he slew many of them, and took other prisoners, amongst which were two of those Princely sisters, Antiope, whom Hercules ransomed for her golden baldric, 
Menalippe.  and Menalip, of whom Theseus after her surprisal grew enamoured, and took her to wife by whom he had issue, Hippolytus: Orithia taking grievously this affront done to her sisters, purposed to make war upon Greece, and to that end she negotiated with King Sagillus, who then reigned over the Scythians, soliciting his aid, who sent to them his son Penegagaras, with a mighty army of Horsemen: but the Amazons and he falling to dissension, by which the Grecians set upon them, disbanded them, and were victorious over them; yet they had before fortified so many places by the way that in their retreat unto their Country they were not dammaged by any nation, through whose Provinces they were compelled to make their passage.  
Orythia deceasing Penthisilaea succeeded, she for the great love she bore unto the fame of Hector, 
Penthisilaea.  came with a thousand armed Viragoes, to take part with the Trojans, against the greeks, but Hector being before cowardly slain by Achilles, and his Myrmidons, and Achilles soon after, shot by the hand of Paris, in the Temple of Apollo, where he should have married Polixna, the daughter of Priam and Hecuba, And now Pyrrbus, otherways called Neoptolemus, the Son of Dejademeia, the daughter of Lycomedes, remaining the sole Champion of hope, upon the party of the greeks, she marked out him as the main aim of her revenge: she is said to be the first that ever devised the Pole-axe, and therefore because she much practised that weapon, 
Sncurigera.  she was called securigera, as bearing an Axe, 
Vexilifera.  she was also called Vexillifera, as bearing upon her Lances point, a flag or Ensign, 
Peltifera.  and Peltifera from those shields, made in the form of half Moons, which the Amazons used to wear. Of her Virgil in the first of his Aeneiids, thus writes: 
Ducit Amazonidum lunatis Agmina peltis  
Penthisilaea●urens ●urens mediisque in millibus ardet  
Armed with their Moony shields, the Queen her Amazonians leads,  
And raging seems to burn, amidst those thousands where she treads.   
Of her rare beauty added to her valour, divers Authors give ample testimony, and amongst them not the least, Propertius in these words, 
Ausa feroxab e quo quondam appugnare sagitis  
Moetis Danaum Penthisilaea rates,  
Aurea cui posi quam nudavit Cassida frontem,  
Vixit victorem candida forma virum.   
Thus paraphrased.  
The bold Penthisilaea durst the Danish fleet oppose:  
And from her steed sharp arrows shoot to gall her armed foes:  
No sooner was the battle done (Her golden helm laid by,  
But whom by arms she could not take, she captived with her eye.  
Valerius Flaccus lib. 5, Statius lib. 12. Hor. lib. 4. and Ovid in his Epistles of Phaedra, to Hippolytus, useth these words, speaking of her.  
Prima securigeras inter virtute puellas.  
She is also by him remembered in his second book De Ponto, and the third book De Arte Amandi, he sportively begins thus: 
Armed at all points, the Greek to field is gone  
To encounter with the naked Amazon,  
Behold, like weapons in my power remain,  
For thee Penthisilaea and thy train. etc.   

The death of Penthesil●a.  Some think her to have been slain in single combat by Achilles, but the most are of opinion that she fell by the hand his son Neoptolemus, about the beginning of the tenth and last year of the siege: after whose death the Trojans altogether unable to resist the fury of the enemy, where forced to immure themselves and keep close within their walls, till after the Grecians entered the City by stratagem, as you may read it fully and excellently delivered by the Prince of Poets, Virgil, To whom I refer you.  
Penthisilaea thus dead, and many of her Ladies perishing with her, those few which remained alive retired themselves with much difficulty into their Country, where they had much ado to defend their Frontiers, and support themselves against their bordering Nations, and others, overwhom they had for a long time tyrannised, in which incertain state they remained until the time of Alexander the Great, over whom Minothaea, or Monithaea, 
Monithaea, or Thalestris.  called also Thalestris, then reigned she in admiration of his great conquests, made earnest suit unto him to enjoy his company in bed for the space of fourteen nights together, which she obtained at his hands, and so returned with her train unto her own Country, in great hope that her expected issue would equal the fame and fortunes of the Father, but the success it seems came short of her hope, for after her decease the Amazonian Nation, 
The end of the Amazonian race.  with their name, were quite swept away from the face of the earth.  
Generally, of the Nation of the Scythians, their manners and their customs, 
The manner of the Soithians.  (from whence the Amazonians claim their descent) it is further left thus recorded: their dwelling houses are but small, not built upon he earth, but lifted and reared upon Wanes and Wagons, to shift and remove from place to place; as the necessity of occations, or their private fancies lead them. Horace calls them Campestres, and Lucan calls them Errantes, wanderers, for they are never constant to one place, but remove according to the nature of the seasons. By the virtue of one herb called Spartiana, the taste thereof giveth them ability to abstain from meat and drink for the space of twelve days together, they are bold, and much glory in the thundering of their Horses hooves.  
There custom is at Cessant times to drinken deep, as being naturally much addicted that way, but when they find themselves to have transgressed order, and took their cups too much, they strike hard upon the strings of their bend Bows, by which they make an harmony and such a kind of music, as weaneth them from their voluptuousness, and recalle●h them to their Pristime continence: sometimes, (but that of necessity) they have not spared to feed on human flesh, and such strangers as have been accidentally cast upon their coasts, they have sacrificed to Mars, and after kept their skulls to make their quaffing bowls, they are for the most part pale of complexion, and of condition bold and hardy: for so much the nature of the climate under which they live, (being very cold) implies, the beads of their Arrows they dip in the blood of Man, and Vipers mixed together, the least wound, racing but the skin, being irrecoverable, and necessitous death.  
The Scythians live by theft, 
The Scythians  nor will they labour of themselves, but feed only upon the prey, which they can gain from others, but 〈◊〉 natural Scythians, (I mean the most ancient, of whom I spoke before,) have all things amongst themselves common, saving their swords, and their quaffing bowls, those they reserve as peculiar to themselves. Their Wives and their Children, they hold promiscuously begot, the one knowledge no certain Fathers, and the other acknowledging no constant husbands, they were in the original a most simple people, and most observant in the exact laws of justice, as allotting suum cuique, i. to every man his own: but falling of from that regularity, they grew as violent in the contrary, extreme, as observing none at all, Forsoone after they grew to that inhuman barbarism, that whosoever of any foreign Nation came within their confines, they cut off his nose as a mark to distinguish him from the rest of their Nation.  
They are naturally inclined to wrath and anger: 
Sauromates.  and betwixt them and the Sauramates, this one thing is common, that they sacrifice their living wives at the obsequies of the dead husbands: they wholly study grass and cattle, but neglect Tillage, and grain, as feeding upon roots rather than bread, their habit or attire is the skins of wild beasts, which being tanned they wear the hairy side outwards, that to the Foe they may seem the more terrible: Theft they abhor, because they have all the gs amongst them free and common: Drunkenness is frequent amongst them: in somuch that to be toxt with Wine, to give it the more emphatical expression, the Latin saith Scithissare, which is the same with Inebriari. 
Both which words imply to be drunk.   
In their solemn feasts, their custom is to have a great massy bowl brimmed with Wine to be carried from man to man, in which none is suffered to drink, who cannot give account of the slaughter of some enemy, and he that hath slain most hath the honour to drink deep●st: they have neither walled Towns, nor Cities, but whether soever they travel, they carry their houses in Wagons or Chariots, along with them; Images, Altars, and Temples they abhor, only such as are dedicated to Mars; they embrace wood, they have scarce any or none at all, and therefore such cattle as they kill, they eat the flesh sod, or roasted with a fire made of the bones: in any set battle, the first enemy they surprise, they first kill him, and then quaff healths the one to another in his blood: Those are most honoured amongst them, who can give account that by his own hand he hath slain most of the enemies; and of them contrary, those that have done no facinorious act, they extremely vilify.  
When the King shall command any man to death, 
Barbarous cruelty.  all his male children, under go the like censure, but the wife and daughters are free; in all contracts and covenants, they drink the one to the other, in wine mixed with blood and such compacts are held inviolable: no slave is admitted, or mercenary man, to attend upon the supreme Majesty, who being dead, fifty of the prime who attended him, are strangled, and as many of his best horse, who are also buried with him in his sepulchre.    


ARTIMESIA.  
OF this brave Carian Queen, my pen's at strife  
Whether, she better Widow was, or Wife.  
In both, there's none that reads her can deny  
But she observed, her true Conjugal tye.  
For Chastity, or Valour▪ those famed most  
Cann●t (before her) lest precedence boast,  
In either; who shall strive her to surmount,  
Needs must they come far short in their account,  
For who so reads Herodotus shall find  
She was of such a chaste Heroic mind,  
That both in peace and war she was like glorious,  
In the Court Famous, in the Camp Victorious,  
Who, to her Country (till her time) obscure,  
Hath left a Name, for ever to endure,  
For all the monuments, on Virtue placed,  
No Envy can demolish, nor Time waste,  
But they shall brave all Ages to ensue,  
Whose Attributes. I sum up in these few.  
Three hundred thousand Persians this brave Queen  
(In a great Naval conflict, fought between  
Them and the greeks) out shined; yet honoured most  
For one of the seven wonders; at her cost  
Erected to Posterity: which rariety  
She built, to express her true Conjugal Piety.   

  

OF ARTIMESIA. QUEEN OF CARIA, A THIRD HEROIC CHAMPIONESS AMONGST THE HEATHEN  
ALmost all places, but most sure I am all ages have brought forth brave and illustrious women, renowned for sundry Virtues and qualities, as also several Countries: 
Heroic women in all ages.  for instance, we read of a Semiramis amongst the Assyrians, a Camilla of the Volscians, a Thomyris of the Scythians, an Hester of the Persians, a Cleopatra of the Egyptians, a Zenobia of the Palmirians, an Amalasantha of the Goths, a Theolinda of the Longobards, a Radegunda of the Frankes or Galls, a Bunduca of the Britons, a Maria of the Hungarians, an Isabel of the Spaniards, a Cassiope of the Ethiopians, an Harpalice of the Amazons, an Hippolyta of the Magnesians, an Electra of the Thebans, a Teuca of the Illyrians, a Lucrece amongst the Romans, a Inturna of the Rutilians, a Cassandane of the Medes, a Cassandra of the Trojans, an Hermodice among the Lydians, a Penelope amongst the Larissaeans, a Dido of the Carthaginians, etc.  
And of others promiscuously thus: 
Renowned women.  Andromache the Wife of Hector, Creusa of Enaeus, Monima of Mithridates, Erfilia of Romulus, Herpilida of Aristotle, Amastrix of Xerxes Hotina of Trajanus, Atossa of Darius, Portia of Brutus, Pyrha of Deucalion, Eurydice of Orpheus, and this our Artimesia of Mousolus, etc.  
She was the Daughter of King Lydamnius, 
Queen Artimesia.  her Paternal blood she derived from Halicarnassus, the prime City of Caria, her Maternal from Created: now Caria hath its name from Capitalis, i. a head Country, but as others would have it, from King Cara, who first reduced it to a Monarchy, and is situate in Greece, upon one side of the mountane, Taurus, betwixt the two Regions of Licia and jonia, this illustrious Lady, as well for her Conjugal Love and Chastity, as for her Heroic Spirit and magnanimity, is worthily remembered to all Posterity.  
There are said to be Septem orbs miracula, i seven wonders of the World, 
The seven wonders of the world.  who for their state, magnimity and cost deserved a prime admiration above all others, of which her pompous and most magnificent structure was not the least, upon this just occasion, I will as briefly as I can, 
The Pyramids of Egypt.  render them unto you in order: the first were ●he Egyptian Pyramids built upon square stones below, but sharp and pointed above, which the Egyptian Kings, erected over their Tombs, and Funeral Monuments, as well in a vain ostentation, of their Riches, as to set their people upon employment, to keep them from sloth and idleness, one of which was built of one entire stone, which either grew or was made in their own Country, in Longitude, an hundred forty and three foot: in Altitude, threescore and two,) a second was ma●e of stone fetched from Arabia, which six hundred thousand men were twenty years in building, three others there were, which from their first foundation till they were completely finished lasted threescore and eighteen years, with six months added.  
Pliny writeth that King Cleopes consumed upon the workmen in one of them, 
King Cleopas.  one thousand and eight hundred talents in nothing else but Leeks, Onions, and Garlic, by which may easily be conjectured how great and prodigious his expense was in their meat, when their salads cost him so much: the situation thereof took up eight acres of ground: which unheard of prodigality so exhausted his treasure, and drew him to that penury, that he was forced to prostitute the fairest of his daughters to supply his present necessities. Herodotus in his Eutirpe speaketh of divers others, too long to recite in this place, one of which but the least was erected by the famous strumpet Rhodope, 
Rhodope.  (once the Mistress of Esopus samius, (still known to us in his excellent fables) with the great riches she gathered together by her Meretrician practise, of these Lucan speaketh in his eight Book, as also Martial in these words: Barbara Pyramidum sileat Miracula memphis.  
A second Wonder, 
The second wonder.  was that excellent structure, built at the charge of Ptolomeus the great, in the Isle of Pharos, for no other use but to continue a lamp all the night long, to direct Navigators in their course, and how to avoid the rocks, shelves, and Quicksands, frequent in those places: It is said to have cost eight hundred talents of which Sostratus was the famous Architector, 
Sostratus a famous Architecture.  in the most eminent place whereof he left his name inscribed.  
In the rank of these miraculous Edisicees, are numbered the walls of Babylon, 
A third wonder.  either first renewed or royally repaired by Queen Semiramis in height two hundred foot, and in breadth fifty, upon the top Chariots might meet without jetting one against the other, they had moreover three hundred Towers, and more should have had but that the Marshes, and Fens, were of the one side a sufficient defence for the City. In this work three hundred thousand workmen were for some years employed at once: Herodatus writeth that these walls were two hundreth cubits in height, and fifty cubits in thickness, and that there were an hundred gates of brass that moved upon hinges, the swift River of Euphrates running through the Town.  

A fourth wonder.  To the former is added the magnificent Temple of Diana in Ephesus, to which all Asia contributed towards the buildings, which was ere it was fully perfected, the space of two hundred and twenty years, the foundation whereof was laid in a Marish, or Fenny ground, because it should not be subject to any earthquake: it was in longitude three hundred twenty and five foot, according to the standard, and in latitude, two hundred and twenty, being supported by two hundred and seven and twenty Collumnes every one of those pillars being at the charge of a several King, of which number twenty seven were curiously and most artificially carved and graven, of which glorious work C●esiphon is nominated to be the prime overseer. 
Clesiphon.   
A fifth Wonder was the Colossus at Rhodes, 
A fifth wonder.  being the figure or Image of Apollo, made of Brass, and of that magnitude that it bestrided a small arm of the Sea, between whose legs ships might sail, without vailing their main tops, it was in height threescore and ten cubits, which after it had stood by the space of fifty and six years, was utterly demolished by an earthquake, one of his thumbs a man could scarcely fathom, and his fingers were like large statues, yet not one joint about it, which was not proportionably suiting with the size thereof: this Colossus was lined with stones of an extraordinary bigness, with smaller intermixed amongst them, it was twelve years in composing, and the charge thereof amounted to three hundred talents. 
Chares Lyndius.  The chief Artifex was Chares Lyndius, the Scholar of Lysippus. The Sultan of Egypt invading Rhodes, Laded Nine hundred Camels with the brass thereof, from this Colosse, The Rhodians were called Colossians, and the Island itself Colossicula.  

The sixth wonder.  A sixth to these was the Image of jupiter, which Phidias the most excellent Artist made of Ivory, Gold, and other precious materials, 
Aelians.  for the Aelians of which Propertius the excellent Poet speaks, lib. I. in these words.  
Nam neque Pyramidum sumptus ad sidera ducti  
Nec jovis Elaei caelum imit at a Domus.  
For not the least of the great Pyramids  
Even to the stars elate.  
Nor the Elean house of love  
Which Heaven did imitate.  

The Palace of Cyrus.  Some rank with this the Palace of Cyrus' King of the Medes and Persians, all the stones whereof were simmond with gold, whereas others are done with plaster, of which Memnon was the Architector, but having occasion to speak of this sixth wonder, 
Memnon.  though I make a small deviation, I hope no judicial Reader, but he will say it is somewhat to purpose, 
A remarkable controversy.  It thus followeth.  
Amongst the Grecians there was a general Law enacted, of which every particular province took notice, that whosoever should rob the statue of any of their heathen gods, or any Temple dedicated unto him, it was held sacrilege in the highest degree, 
A law among the Grecians.  and he must imiaedtely upon his apprehension forfeit his hands to be cut of: it so fell out that the senate of Elis, having a purpose to erect the Image of jupiter, sent to the Arerpagita, who were the optimates of Athens to borrow of them the most excellent Artist, 
Phidias.  Phidias, who was at that time the choice and prime workman of the World: they willing to further so pious a work, (for so they thought it) as to make a god, assented to the motion, and delivered Phidias unto them, but upon condition, that they should return him back (the work being perfected) every way as sound and complete, as they received him from them or else to forfeit an hundred Talents.  
Which contract being drawn and concluded upon, betwixt these two famous Cities, Phidias is sent to undertake the work, and finisheth it, which was done with such inimitable Art, that it begot in them infinite admiration: insomuch that they ambitiously covetous to engross so excellent a piece to themselves, knowing it was not to be paralleled through the world, and presuming that he who had done that, was able to compose the like, or perchance a better, having now before him so fair a precedent, therefore to prevent all such doubts and fears, they laid unto his charge, that he having received from them such a quantity of gold, and so much Ivory, with sundry other costly and precious materials, had detained a great part of them, not bestowing all upon the same; and therefore reserving somewhat to his own peculiar use, had incurred the due penalty, belonging to a sacrilegious person, for which he was convented, convicted, and by the Senate condemned, 
A cruel and an injust sentence.  so that Manus tanquam sacrilego praeci●erunt, they cut off his hands as a punishment imposed on him who had committed sacrilege: and so sent him back handless unto the Athenians.  
Who with great sorrow and pity commiserating the wretched estate of their dismembered Country man and Friend, demanded by their Ambassadors, of the Elians, the hundred talents, according to their former covenant, who thus argued against them: 
The plea of the Athenians  we can no more lend to you, or to others, a Phidias, who had hands to help himself, before he took in hand your employment, he made you a god, nay a jupiter, you then, not he, are the sacrilegious, who durst offer violence to hands consecrated: and your own god (made by him) shall doubtless revenge on you the blood of his own maker, for which we testate, and withal implore jupiter, now the proper god of our Friend, Artist, and Countryman, Phidias.  
It is Art that supplieth others in their need: the excellency of his Art hath only made him necessitous and withal miserable, The hands of Phidias were the only ground of our covenant; now wanting these hands, how are our covenants performed, and what hope have we, that we can receive him from you; if he be not returned unto us, as he was delivered unto you?  
We sent you one whose hands could make gods, you send us one back, who hath not hands to lift up unto the gods: Moreover, are you not ashamed, to owe your god to one whom you call sacrilegious? most true it is that the man liveth but the Artist is perished: you return not unto us Phidias, but the punishment which was not due unto Phidias: for those hands which before have made gods, cannot now be moved to entreat men: he made you such a jupiter as that you desired, it should be the last jupiter that should be made: Hands we lent you, and of these hands we desire (nay, the same hands) restitution; for how could there be a competent trial, when the Elians were the accusers, the Elians witnesses; and the Elians judges? only our poor friendless Country man, the accused and sufferer? we invoke the gods, even these whom Phidias hath already made, and those which (but for your barbarous cruelty) he might have made, against your unjust proceedings, for we cannot say we have received a Phidias, unless you had delivered him unto us, in the same state that we gave him unto you, and might upon the like occasion have lent him unto others.  

The answer of ●he Elians'.  To which the Elians made this short answer, we had gold which was hallowed, we had Ivory which was sacred, and divers jewels and G●mmes, which were to holy uses consecrate, for the employment of these we desired and sought an Artist, to dispose of them to our own pious, not his proper uses; with these and the like materials, our purpose was that your Phidias should have made us other gods: but we thought it not so needful and just to adorn them as to vindicate them, etc. This controversy, for arguments came after to be decided by arms. In which it may be presumed (by the justice of their cause) the Athenians were victors, I hope any understanding Reader will excu●e this my short digression, I come now to the argument in hand, namely a seventh Wonder of the world, which was erected by this Artimesia, (which was a sumptuous tomb or monument) over Mausolus her deceased husband.  

The seventh wonder.  The height whereof was twenty five cubits, and girt or compassed with thirty fix collumnes, or pillars. It was apparent from the South to the North, threescore and twelve foot, the whole compass thereof amounted unto four hundred and eleven foot. That part which looked towards the East, one Scopas ingraved: 
Scopas. Briay.  that which lay towards the North, one Briax, that which reflected upon the South one Tymotheus, and that part which looked upon the West, 
Tymothius. Leocares.  Leocares. This rare Queen of Caria, ever to be remarked for this her conjugal piety, though she yielded unto fate and died before this admirable work was accomplished, yet by her last testiment, left such order and means withal, that the work should still go on, which was completed and absolutely finished, by the workmen before named. A rare precedent in a woman which showed that her love to her deceased Husband, ended not in her death, but that she desired to have it live to all posterity that should succeed her.  
We read of divers sundry Architectors, and famous structures made by them, but to this none to be paralleled, as being worthy to be reckoned one of the seven wonders: For instance, Spintharus Corinthius built the Temple of Apollo, 
Rare buildings and Architectors.  Melagines that of Minerva, Theodorus Phocensis made the glorious Altar, on which all the great offerings presented to the Delphic Oracle were laid. Philo Atheniensis made the Pyraan Arcenal, or armoury, Hermogines, the Doric house dedicated to juno, of Magnesia, Hermodorus, a stately Obelisque, Dedalus, Zmilus, Rholus, and Theodorus, were famous for sundry Labyrinths, Valerius Ostiensis, for building the great Roman Theatre, Romulus for his A silum; Mnesiclus, for a famous Tower in Athens, and to omit infinite others, you may read Machab. 2.13. That Simon Prince and High Priest, the Son of Mattathias, and brother to that famous worthy judas Machabeus, after his brother jonathan, who preceaded him in the government, was treacherously slain. He took up his bones, and buried them in Media his Father's City, and he made upon the sepulchre of his Father, 
A glorious tomb built by Simon the High Priest.  and his Brethren, a building high to look unto, of hewn stone, behind and before, and set up seven stately graven pillars upon it, one against the other, for his Father, his Mother, and his four Brethren, and set other great pillars round about them, and set arms upon the pillars for a perpetual memory, and carved ships besides the Arms, that they might be seen by the Navigators, sailing ne'er unto that coast by sea, which sepulchre (according to the phrase of the Text) standeth even to this day.  
Yet neither that, nor the others before named (it seems) could parallel the former structure built by this Queen Artimesia, from which all the funeral monuments erected upon the bones of Princes, Kings, and Emperors, built with great magnificence and state, are even to these times called Mausolea, 
Mausolea.  of which Propertius, lib. 3. speaks.  
Nec Mausolaei dives fortuna sepulcri  
Mortis ab extrema conditione vacat.  
Mausolus' rich tomb can no warrant have,  
To keep itself from the devouring grave.  
And we read Martial lib. 1. thus.  
A ere nec vacuo pendentia Mausolaea  
Laudibus immodicis cares ad astra ferunt.  
The great Mausolean tomb that seems hanging in the air to be,  
Even to the stars O Carian Queen shall loudly echo thee.  
So much for her conjugal love towards her Husbands, an imitable example for all Wives, and chaste Matrons whatsoever, it remaineth now to speak something of her heroical magnanimity, in which she was no way inferior to the former.  
For being a Dowager Queen, 
The magnanimity of Queen Artimesia.  after the decease of her husband, and the days of her mourning now grown over, she laid by her Widow's habit, and resumed the robes and regal ornaments belonging to a Princess, but finding the affairs of state, too burdensome for her free and unlimited spirit, she disposed of her estate to those of her Counsel, whom she best trusted, and because her very palace grew distasteful unto her, without the consociety of her dead Lord, she utterly abandoned it, nay, her very Country growing as irk some to her, as her palace, after she had given order for the erecting of her Husband's monument, she purposed for a time to forsake it, and seek out for some foreign adventures.  

Xerxes.  It happened at that time Xerxes, the great Persian Monarch, ambitiously aiming to reduce all Greece under his Sceptre, and subjection, having gathered an innumerable host by Land, and a seeming invincible Navy by Sea, she adhering unto his party, rigged and manned three ships of her own, of which she herself was Archithalassa, or Armirall: her people that took part with her in that adventure were Carians, or Halicarnassians, Coeans, of the Isle Coos, Nysimiaus, and Calydinians, and being thus plenally accommodated, she put herself under the patronage of the Persian Emperor.  
It would ask too long a circumstance to discourse of the whole naval conflict, I will only deliver unto you so much as concerneth the person of Artimesis, who so valiantly did bear herself in that bloody fight, that her ships (known by their flags and streamers) were eminent above all others of the Persians, 
Her demeanour in the Naval fight.  both for defence and offence, for her small squadron, more dangered the Greekish Navy, than ten times their number, notwithstanding which her brave opposition, the Persians were vanquished, and the greeks (though against infinite odds) the glorious victors, in which Marine honour: the Eginita had the first place, and the Athenians the second: 
The greeks prime Commanders.  and of the Commanders, Polycrates of Egineta, and of the Athenians, Eumena, Anagyrasius, and Aminius Palenaus, who above all others, most hotly pursued Artimesia in her flight, but when he had found that she was too swift of sail for him, he sent other light vessels after, proclaiming ten thousand Drachnes' to him that could take her alive, as holding it an indignity that a woman should give such an affront to their A thenian Navy, notwithstanding all, she with some few others escaped and safely arrived at Phalerum.  
On the contrary part, Herodatus in his Vrunia, thus reports of her that Xerxes himself beholding how bravely above all in his fleet, she in her ship behaved herself even at that time, when his Navy was almost quite defeated, one who knew the vessel by the colours, answered it was Queen Artimesia, he fetching a deep sigh uttered these words Viri quidem extiterant mibi femina: 
Xerxes' his character of Queen Artimesia.  femina autem viri. i. All my men this day have proved themselves women, and the women only showed themselves to be men: And so much concerning Artimesia, who as in her life time she was gloriously famous, so after death, even to all perpetuity shall survive famously glorious, etc.    

OF THE THREE WORTHY WOMEN AMONG THE CHRISTIANS.  
Whose Names are, 

Elpheda.  
Queen Margaret.  
Queen Elizabeth.    

ELPHEDA.  
HEr royal birth my Muse dares not to smother  
A great King's Daughter, a great King her Brother,  
Who, though she never to that height arrived,  
To be styled Queen, yet was she Princelike wived,  
Her Husband Duke of Mercia, which we  
Number amongst the British Sceptarche,  
By which a Kingdom's name it after gained,  
When as at once, seven Kings in Britain reigned,  
Which bred this war like Lady n●re the place  
Whence brave Bunduca doth derive her race.  
I should but Antedate her life to tell  
How, and in what this Lady did excel,  
Not possible it is that one small page  
Should comprehend the wonder of her age.  
And therefore further to express her glory,  
I must refer the Reader to her story.  
For that (as of the rest) is still the chief  
Of my intent, yet thus of her in brief.  
British Elpheda, of the Saxon race,  
To none of all the former need give place,  
Who for her Masculine Spirit much honour gains  
In many battles fought against the Danes.  
And might with any of her Sex compare,  
As being Religious, Valiant, Wise, and Fair.   

  

THE FIRST OF THE THREE WOMEN WORTHIES AMONGST THE CHRISTIANS, CALLED ELPHEDA.  
AMongst so many reckoned up for their Valour and Virtue. It shall not be amiss to present the Reader with a commemoration of some who have been the occasion of much combustion and trouble. 
Of turbulent and combustious women. Helena.   
Helena was the cause of the Trojan wars, and Pelops succeeding in the Kingdom of Phrigia, brought an army against King Oenimaus, because he denied unto him his daughter Hippodamia, 
Hippodamie.  of whom he was greatly enamoured: the Poet Arcbillus, an jambicke Writer, writ so bitterly against Lycambes, because he refused to give him his Daughter in marriage, that upon the reading of them, he presently hanged himself, and Pericles at the instigation of his concubine Aspasia, 
Aspasia:  made war upon the Sabines, and subdued them to the Milesians; 
Teuca.  we read also of Teuca Queen of the Illirians, who because Titus Cornucanus, then Ambassador from the Romans delivered unto her a bold and peremptory message, commanded him to be slain in her presence, against the Law of Arms, which was the ground of much bloodshed and slaughter.  
Menelaus being dead, Megapenthus, and Nicastratus, the sons of Orestes, pursued Helena, (cause of the ten years' war betwixt the Trojans and greeks) into the Island of Rhodes, In hope to shelter herself under the patronage of Triptolemus: of whom Polizo his wife growing jealous, 
Polizo.  she caused her to be strangled, for so writes Voletaranus: Lavinia, 
Lavinia.  the daughter of King Latinus, and Amata the Queen: were the sole occasion of so many bloody conflicts betwixt the Trojans and the Rutilians, and lastly, of the death of Turnus, slain by Aeneas: Dejaneira was the motive, 
Dejaneira.  to the duel betwixt Hercules and Achelous, and of the conflict with Nessus the Centaur, and after of his own death, by sending him the shirt which was poisoned. Evander Nephew to Pallas, King of the Arcadians, at the instigation of his Mother Nicostrate, 
Nicostrate.  slew his own Father, and Ptelerus King of the Thebans by the treason of his own daughter Polidices, 
Polidices.  was betrayed into the hands of Creon and slain.  

Lucretia  Lucretia being violated by Sextus Tarqvinius, after long war, was the cause that the Romans regained their liberty, and Virginia the daughter of Virginius that the government of the Triumvirs, 
Virginia  was utterly abrogated: Hippolytus being falsely accused by his stepmother Phedra, for unlawfully attempting to corrupt her chastity, 
Phedra.  flying his Father's fury, was hurled from his Chariot, and being bruised with the fall perished. Martia, 
Martia.  the strumpet of Antonius Commodus the Emperor, betrayed him into the hands of a Groom, on whom she doted, by whom he was treacherously slain. Alexander the great, 
Thais.  at the instigation of Thais the prostitute, caused the great City Persepolis to be burned, be with his own hands giving the first fire, and then his Concubines after Octavia the sister of Augustus Caesar, being repudiated by M. Anrony, was the occasion of a civil war, and Antiochus warring against the Romans by his effemiary, and dotage on a Chalcidonian Damsel, lost all his honour, giving way to the enemy, for an easy victory of these and the like, we thus read Ovid Elegiar: lib. 2.  
— nisirapta fuisset  
Tyndaris, Europa, pax Asiaeque foret,  
Femina silvestres Lapit has populumque biformem, etc.  
But for the rape made of the Spartian Queen,  
Europe and Asia, still in peace had been,  
Woman and Wine, that bloody banquet made,  
In which the two shaped Centaurs did invade  
The Lapiths, who doubly text with lust,  
And the grapes juice, lay tumbling in the dust.  
In Latin kingdom (for his justice praised  
Woman, a second Trojan tumult raised,  
Two bulls I have seen for a fair heifer fight,  
With lustful fire enraged at her sight, etc.  
But contrary to these, 
A brief catalogue of eminent and excellent women.  divers of the same sex (though not in that great number) have been very eminent in advancing both the profit and honour of their Nations, as Dominica, the wife of the Emperor Valence, 
Dominica.  with her great eloquence, and hazard of her person withal, pacified the barbarous Goths, from sacking, and utterly subverting Constantinople, the Metropolis of the Grecian Empire. 
juguldis  juguldis the sister of Childebert, King of France, by her Arguments and earnest solicitations, brought her Husband Hermogillus, the Son of Lemigildus, King of the Goths, quite to abjure all paganism, and sincerely to profess the true Christian Religion; Clotildis Queen of France, after the like manner brought her Husband Clodoveus, 
Clotildis.  the son of Chilpericke, to the profession of the faith, In the year of grace, three hundred and twelve, Autaulphus, King of the Goths, laid his siege against Rome, to assault it at least, if not to spoil it, and to change the name thereof, and for Roma to call it Gothia, But Placida the wife of Honorius with her sweet persuasive language, 
Placida.  so insinuated into the ferocity of his barbarous disposition, that she caused him to relent, and quite altering his bloody purpose, 
Pompeia Paulina.  to raise the siege, and leave the City in safety: Pompeia Paulina wrought the like upon the tyrannous disposition of the Emperor julianus her husband, causing him to take of those taxes, and heavy impositions, which he had with great rigour laid upon his people. To which number may be added Helena the Mother of Constantine, and Monica, 
Helena. Monica.  the Mother of Saint Augustine, and some others, and not the least meriting, this Lady Elpheda, 
Elpheda.  the subject of our present treatise.  
Whose Father Aluredus, (whom some of our Chronologers, call Alphredus,) the fourth Son to Adolphus, and Brother to Etheldredus, late King: began his reign over the West Saxons, and divers other Provinces of England, in the year of Grace, eight hundred threescore and twelve, and in the thirtyeth year of Charles, surnamed the Bald, King of France. It is written of him that he was twelve years of age, before he was taught to know any Letter, but after by his great industry, he not only excelled in learning his brothers, but many others, who were before him in time. 
The first School in Oxford.  He was the first raised a School in Oxford, and gave that Town great freedoms and Immunities. He caused also many Laws to be translated out of the British tongue into the Saxons, Especially the Mercean Laws, 
Mercia.  which Mercia was an absolute Kingdom, called also middle England, he was further a very skilful Architector, as having great knowledge in building, and for hunting, and hawking, he was able to instruct any, but needed direction from none, he was of a comely stature, and fair, both of countenance and condition, and of all his other children, the best beloved of his Father.  
He when he came to maturity, espoused a noble Lady, 
Ethel●ida.  whose name was Etheluida, by whom he had two sons, 
King Alareds' issue.  Edward surnamed the elder, and a second called Egelward, Elpheda, whom he after married to Etheldredus, whom he made Duke, or Prince of Mercia) the second was called Ethelgota, he made a Nunnery or Votaress, and the third had to name Elphrida, all his children as well daughters as sons, he caused to be diligently instructed, in the art of grammar (so much he affected learning) and was in many battles victorious over the Danes, who often and in sundry places invaded the Land, and tyrannised therein, and amongst many other his heroic acts, one passage I cannot omit being so remarkable.  

A remarkable accident  Being in one battle much overset, by reason of the multitude of his enemies, he was forced with a small train to hide himself in the woody Country, about Summerset shire, and had no other food save such as he could provide by hunting, and fishing, yet at length being better comforted, he began to show himself more public, and at large, so that daily there resorted unto him, men out of Wiltshire, Summerset shire, Hampeshire, and other places of the Kingdom, so that in Process of time, he was strongly accompanied, and much better accommodated, than the Danes any way dreamt of, upon a time the King in person took upon him the habit of a Bard or Musician, and with his Harp or some such instrument, he entered the Tents, and Pavilions of the Danes, and sung unto them many pleasant Ballads, and Ditties, which greatly delighted them, in which interim he espied their sloth and idleness, took full view of their host, their strength and how it was ordered, and withal discovered much of their Counsel and purposes, and after returned unto his own company, 
The Danes defeated by stratagem.  who with some chosen men, fell upon them in the night, and utterly defeated and routed them, having ever after, the upper hand of his enemies.  
It is further remembered of him, 
The day well divided.  that he divided the night and day into three parts, (if he were not otherwise hindered and molested by his enemies,) whereof eight hours he spent in study, and other eight in Alms deeds, and prayer, and the remainder in his diet, exercise, and affairs of the Realm: he reigned three and twenty years, and died a notable, and most memorable precedent, to all that should hereafter sit on the throne of Majesty, whom succeeded his son Edward, Brother to this our Elpheda, who though he was lower degreed then his Father in Arts, and Literature, yet excelled him in state and Majesty.  
This high spirited Virago quite abandoning all softness, 
Elpheda too as Virago.  and effeminacy, betook herself wholly to the practice of Arms, by which she grew famously glorious, assisting her Brother in all those great conflicts against the Danes, but ere I come to give you a particular character of the sister, let it be held no unnecessary digression to speak somewhat of the King her Brother, who by his first wife named Edwina, had a Son called Ethelstane, 
King Edward's Royal and numerous issue.  who after succeeded him in the Throne. By his second wife two Sons, Edredus, and Edwinus, and seven daughters, of which the eldest named Alnuda, or Almida, he married to the Emperor Otto, the first of that name, and Algina, the second, to Charles' King of France, surnamed the simple, and the youngest of his daughters to Lewis King of Guien: By his third wife. Ethelswida, he received two sons, Edmond and Eldred, and two daughters, Edburga, and Edgina, thus was he blest with a numerous Issue, setting all his sons to School, to teach them knowledge in the Liberal Arts, but the Ladies his daughters to spin, and carded wool, taking his precedent from Charles, of France surnamed the Conqueror, from which, even our greatest Ladies, nay even Princesses themselves, if they be either cited in Court, 
Spinster from whence it came.  or arraigned upon any Capitol offence, they are indicted by the name of such an one Spinster, to this day.  
About the first year of his reign, one Clito Ethelwaldus, a near kinsman to the King, rebelled against him, and strengthened himself at a place called Win-burne, near unto bath, and took thence perforce a beautiful Nun, and with her fled unto the Danes, 
A Nun ravished.  who then had peaceably seated themselves in Northumberland, animating them by very pregnant and persuasive reasons, to take arms (in his behalf) against the King his Nephew, who notwithstanding so hotly pursued him, that he was compelled to forsake that Country quite, leaving the Nun behind him, and for his safety fly into France, so that the King with drew his forces, and left off his pursuit, restoring the Nun unto the same cloister from whence she was violently taken: In all which expeditions, this brave Heroina, 
The first proof of Elphedaes' valour.  with Etheldredus her Husband, Duke of Mercia, assisted the King her Brother, as also in that which followeth, being highly extolled above many other prime Commanders, for her forward and excellent service.  
The next year following, this Clito (before spoken off,) with a crew of Frenchmen landed in the East part of England, and gathered unto him all the Danes of that Country, robbing and pillaging all the Towns and Villages, as they marched onwards, especially those about Crekingsford, and Crickland, and after passed the River of Thames, and spoilt all the Lands near unto Bradenstuake, and so from thence retired themselves into Hast Anglia, which were the two Counties of Norfolk, and Suffolk.  
But the King with his sister made after them with all possible speed, making havoc of all those Lands, which they then held of him by composition from the River of Owse, as far as the borders, of Saint edmond's bury, and soon after the two hosts, encountered, where a bloody battle was fought, to the great loss of both sides, in which conflict Elpheda, 
Her monomachy.  fought hand to hand with Clito, and though sundered by the multitude, yet came off with the best; the event was, that Clito with many of the Danes were slain, and left dead in the field, and the King and his Sister shared in the honour of the day. Those that survived were forced to seek and sue for peace, upon condition that they should keep themselves within the bounds to them limited, and moreover pay an annual tribute for all those grounds they held of the King.  
In the twelfth year of this Edward's reign the Danes repenting of those Covenants before made (as thinking it an impairing to their honour, assembled a mighty host, with which the King and his sister met in Stafordshire, at a place called Toten-hall, 
A brave victory.  and soon after, at Wodnesfield, at which two places, they slew two Kings, two Earls, and divers Commanders of note, besides many thousands of the Danes, of which the Chronocles afford us no exact number, most of which came out of the Country of Northumberland, where they had been peaceably seated.  
This excellent Lady was as Religious, as Valiant, 
Her valour and piety.  who amongst other of her pious acts, prevailed so far with her Husband, that they betwixt them at their proper charge, translated the bones of King Oswal, (who had been Cannonized for a Saint) from Bradony to Gloucester, and there erected a fair and beautiful Monastery, dedicated to the honour of Saint Peter, soon after which (for it presently ensued) the last battle before spoken of) died Etheldredus Duke of Mercia, 
The death of Etheldredus.  or middle England, after whose expiration the King having had so long proof of his Sister's love, valour, and wisdom, conferred on her the sole and entire rule and government of that Country, in as ample possession, as her Lord had before enjoyed it, the City of London only excepted, which he reserved to be under his own patronage.  
Of this masculine Spirited Lady, to reckon up all her virtues would ask long circumstance, 
Elphedaes' Acts, Buildings, etc. and reparations of decayed Cities.  but I will particularise unto you some few of those brave deeds, she hath left memorable to all posterity, as building, and repairing many Towns, Cities, and Castles, as Tamworth, besides Lychfield, Stafford, Warwick, Shrowsbury, Watersbury, and Eldesbury, in the Forest besides Chester, she erected also a Castle in the North end of Mercia, upon the River called Merce, in the Saxon tongue Ramcofan, and since Runcora, she also built a bridge over the River Severne, called Brimsbury Bridge, she more over both by her purse and wisdom, greatly assisted the King her Brother, as well in the managing the affairs of the Realm, as in erecting sundry Forts, and Citadels, as the strong Castle of Hereford, in the edge of Wales, and in repairing the walls and City of Chester, by the Danes much defaced, which he much enlarged, so that the Castle which was before without the Walls, is from his time, even to this day contained within them.  

Her rare Chastity.  It is further reported of her, that after she had once proved the pain of travail in Child birth, she for ever after abandoned the bed, and embraces of the Duke her Husband: saying, it was neither convenient nor seemly for a King's Daughter, and Sister to a King, to expose herself to any such lust full action, which might beget those pangs, and throws, which women were enforced to endure in travel, a rare continence and not found in many, and that was one prime occasion, 
Elswin●.  why after the birth of her sole and only Daughter Elswina, she left all other effeminacies, and applying herself unto the condition of those turbulent and combustious times, became a stout and warlike Virago, whose example could not choose, but put courage into the most dastardly cowards, beholding a woman so valiant.  
Of her rare continence and vowed chastity: too much cannot be spoke in her praise for Chastity as Solon defineth, it is the beauty of the soul, 
Chastity.  the grace of the body, and peace of the mind: it is a virtue always companion with fortitude, and as it is both in Virginity and the Widowed, much approved, so even in Wedlock it cannot be but commendable: and as idleness is the greatest enemy unto it, so by being in continual action, is to oppose it, abstinence from fleshly lusts, are best tried in extremity, and in the end crowned with eternity: for let the body be never so fair, without that, it cannot be truly called beautiful: Beauty, may be compared to the flowers of the Spring, 
Beauty.  which soon fade, but Chastity to the stars of Heaven, which last ever, for with the reins of reason it curbeth the rage of lust. The greatest honour conferred upon women, without that, is but like a Mandrake's Apple, fair in show, and poison in taste, it is the seal of Grace, the staff of Devotion, the glory of life, the comfort in death which when it is joined with Humility, and Charity, they may be called the three virtues of the soul:  
I come now to the thirteenth of this King Edward's reign and the first or second at the most, 
Further of Elphedaes' valour.  of her Widowhood, at which time a great Navy of Danes, which in the time of King Alured, were beaten from the coast, and forced to fly into France, now returned and sailed about the West Country, 
The outrages of the Danes.  and landing in divers places, took sundry preys at their best advantage, and then retired themselves into their ships again, and amongst other of their direptions, they spoiled a town called Irchinfield, from which place they took a Bishop, and carried him aboard their ships, whom they soon after ransomed for forty pounds sterling, but as soon as the King and his Noble Sister, had intelligens of these outrages, he assembled his Forces, and they sped them Westward by Land, and sent out a Navy by Sea, of which the Danes hearing, they cowardly quit the Land, and fled into Ireland.  
And therefore to prevent the like inconveniences, to which the Realm in those days was much subject, the King by the advice of his fellow Championess, built a Castle at the mouth of the River Avon, and another at Buckingham, and a third near unto it, and after returned into Northamptonshire, and gave battle to the Danes, who had there planted themselves under a great Duke called Turbetillus, 
Turbetillus defeated.  whom they utterly defeated, and had of them an honourable victory.  
It is further Recorded of this Martial Virago, that she without the aid of her Brother, gathered her Knights together, and where the Welsh-men made invation into the Land, about Brecknock, she valiantly opposed them in all violent Hostility, and amongst other prisoners, and preys surprised, the Queen of their Country, 
An Emlation betwixt two women.  who came in person to the field, and thinking to aspire unto her fame, came far short of her Forture. The year following, which was the foureteenth of the King's reign, he caused to be erected, (or at the least re-edified) the Towns of Torsetor, and Wigmore. Utterly demolishing a strong and famous Castle, which the Danes for their security and defence, had built at Temesford.  
The same year also, this Noble Lady won the Town of Derby, from the power of the Danes, in which assault, they put her to that hard adventure, that four Knights which were called the guardians of her Corpse, 
A strange deliverance.  were slain close by her, yet she (notwithstanding) by her great valour escaped; and after so many perils, hazards, battles, and conflicts, in all which, both for magnanimity and action, she out did the most, and equalled the best: death which durst not look upon her, in her Armour, as being frighted at the terror of her angry countenance, stole upon her unawares, when her plumed helmet, victorious sword, and impenetrable Cuirass, was laid by, arrested her by the hand of his minister sickness, and then taking the advantage of her infirmity and weakness, 
Elphedaes' death.  struck her dead about the Summer Solstice, which is the middle of june. Who was much lamented by the King and the Commons, and her body with great solemnity interred, in the Monastery of Saint Peter, which the Duke her Lord, and she had before erected in Gloucester, which was after in the troublesome combustions of the Danes, quite razed and demolished, but in the process of time, again re-edified by Aldredus, Bishop both of York, and Worcester, who was loath that the memory of so magnanimous a Lady should be drowned in Lethe, and not her monument remain to all posterity.  

Elphedaes' Daughter.  This excellent Lady being dead, her young daughter Elswina was possessed of all her signory for a season, having a like principality with her mother, who preceaded her, and was styled Princess of Mercia, or middle England: but the King her Uncle taking the affair into his more mature consideration, by the advice of his Nobles, thought it to be too great a burden for her to support, especially her indisposition coming so far short of the wisdom, and valour of her Mother, and therefore discharged and dispossessed her thereof, annexing it to the Crown, and making it a prime limb, of the body of his Kingdom: which though it was done with some contention, and difficulty; yet the King prevailed in his purpose, allotting unto her the Towns of Nottingham, Tomwoorth, and Derby: expecting she would have defended them in as brave and warlike a manner, as her Mother before her had done, but finding the contrary, he took them also from her, and reduced them into his own subjection.  
Henry, Archbishop of Huntingdon, an Histriographer, and Poet (such as those times afforded) wrote much of the Chronicles of England, and composed many Elegies, and Ditties of this noble Lady Elpheda, of which these ensuing are a part.  
Caesar's triumphs were not so much to praise, 
Her Epitaph.   
As was of Elpheda, that shields so oft did raise  
Against her enemies, this noble vanqueresse  
Virago, whose virtues can I not express.  
These amongst others are remembered by Fabiam, one of our English Chronologers, whom in this brief tractate (for the contractednesse used in his Annals) I have strived to imitate.  
King Edward, in the death of his Royal sister Elpheda, having lost his chief supportress, yet notwithstanding builded a new Town directly over against old Nothingham, and made a fair Bridge, to make a passage betwixt them, of whom Marianus the Scot, William of Malmsbury, and Henry of Huntingdon further report, that he subdued the two Kings of Scotland and Wales, 
King Edward subdued the two Kings of Scotland and Wales.  who about the twentieth year of his reign elected, and acknowledged him for their Lord and Patron. He also in the North part of Mercia, by the River Merce, built a City or Town called Thylwall, and after repaired the City of Mouchester, which had been much defaced by the Danes, after which and many other his structures, and noble achievements, which would appear too tedious here to relate. He finally expired, (having reigned in great honour and trouble) at Tarringdon; in the twenty fourth year of his reign, and from thence his body was conveyed to Winchester, and interred in the Monastery of Saint Swithine: leaving behind him divers Sonners, of which Ethelstane was the eldest, and succeeded in the Throne Imperiall, who began his reign over the greatest part of England, in the year of grace, nine hundred and twenty five, and in the third year of Rodolphus King of France this Ethelstane, 
King Ethelstane.  much beautified the tomb of his Aunt Elpheda, and is said to be the first anointed King of this Land, etc.   

QUEEN MARGARET  
Queen Margaret's Father, as all pens agree,  
King of jerusalem and Sicilee.  
Had neither Crown nor Country (th' Annals say)  
And what's command, where none are to obey?  
Yet those mere timpanous Titles, Suffolk drew  
'twixt her, and the sixth Henry to pursue,  
A speedy match, maugre the precontract,  
'Tween him and th' heir to the Earl Arminack,  
Which raised strange combustions in the state,  
This flourishing Kingdom, nigh to ruinate.  
In which, she took on her a Sovereign power,  
S●iting her present fortunes, not her Dower,  
Her: many strange desasters did befall,  
But her undaunted spirit overcame them all.  
She knew the manage both of Pen and Pike,  
The Court and Camp to her were both alike,  
In bloody battles she took great delight,  
And would, (if fly to day) to morrow fight.  
Who can this Queen's heroic spirit express,  
A foe to Peace, in field, a Championess,  
Usurping all that Majesty could claim,  
Leaving her Husband, nothing save his name,  
He wears the Crown, she Sword and Sceptre bore,  
What could the brave Semiramis do more?   

  

THE SECOND OF THE THREE WOMEN WORTHIES AMONGST THE CHRISTIANS, CALLED MARGARET QUEEN OF ENGLAND.  
IN the year of grace, one thousand four hundred forty and two, Ambassadors were sent from England into Guian, 
Preparation for a marriage.  where a match was concluded betwixt King Henry the sixth, then of the age of one and twenty, and the Daughter of the Earl of Arminacke, which after was disannulled by the Earl of Suffolk, (a mighty man in those times) which occasioned a great affront betwixt the Lord Protector and him, which grew unto much rage and bloodshed, (as may after appear,) but to follow the History close, the before named Earl of Suffolk, after the former match fell off, went with others his Assotiates, and concluded a marriage betwixt the King, and the Lady Margaret, Daughter to the King of Cicile, and jerusalem, upon which contract were delivered unto the said King, the Duchy of Angeon, and the Earldom of Maine, then called the two keys, to open the way into Normandy, and in the next year after, the Earl of Suffolk, being created marquis, with his wife and other of the most honourable Ladies of the Realm, 
The Lady Margaret brought over into England.  sailed into France, to bring over this Lady into England, which was done with all solemnity; when Thomas Catwoorthe, was Lord Major, and Nicholas Wilford, and john Norman were Sheriffs of London.  
The month after her arrival into the Kingdom, 
The marriage of the King to the Lady Margaret.  she was espoused to the King, at a Town called Sowthwicke, in the County of Hamshire, and from thence was honourably conveyed, by the Lords and Peers of the Land, to Black-heath, and there met by the Lord Major, and the Citizens, and in great triumph brought to Westminster, and upon the thirtyeth day of May, which was the Sunday after Trinity Sunday, was solemnly Crowned; great Feasts, justs, and other martial exercises, were held in the Sanctuary, before the Abbey, for the space of three days after: But this match was held to be very unprofitable for the Kingdom; 
An unprofitable match.  first by giving up out of the King's possession Angeon and Maine: And then, that for the charge of her coming over, there was demanded in Parliament, a fifteen and an half, by the marquis of Suffolk, which drew him into such a contempt and hatred of the people, that it after cost him his life.  
Some also held it very ominous, because that after this Match, as the King lost his revenues in France, so he also hazarded the Natives and people of his own Nation, for presently after, all the Common weal, and affairs of the estate, were managed by the Queen, 
The Queen assumes regal prerogative.  and her Counsel, (being a woman of a brave and Heroic Spirit) she assumed prerogative into her hands, all things began after to go retrograds, and preposterous, which many conjectured was by the breach of that promise made by the King, unto the Earl of Arminackes daughter, for there fell upon this, that the King lost all his right in Norwaige, upon which followed a dissension and division of the Lord within the Realm; the rebellion of the Commonalty, against the Prince their Sovereign, and in conclusion, the deposing of the King, and the Queen, with the Prince her Son, to be compelled to avoid the Land.  
In the five and twentyeth year of this King's reign, a Parliament was held at Saint Edmunds bury, in Suffolk, to which all the Commons of that Country, were commanded in their most defensible array, to wait upon the person of the King, where the Lords were no sooner assembled, 
Humphrey Duke of Gloucester the King's Uncle  but Humphrey Duke of Gloucester, and Uncle to the King, was arrested by Viscount Bewmount, then High Constable of England, (accompanied with the Duke of Buckingham, and others) and two and thirty of his Principal Servants, committed unto several prisons: 
His death.  after which arrest, the Duke after six days was found dead in his bed, being the four and twentieth day of February. And his body being exposed to the public view of all men, there was no wound found about him, notwithstanding which, of his death the marquis of Suffolk, 
A true character of Duke Humphrey.  was shrewdly suspected, he was a man greatly honoured, and beloved of the Commons, as well for his discreet government of the Realm, during the King's nonage, as for his brave and noble hospitality, in which none ever exceeded him, for which and many other of his unparallelled virtues, he purchased unto himself, (and not without cause) to be called the good Duke of Gloucester, whose body was after conveyed unto Saint Alban's, and near unto the shrine solemnly interred.  
Not long after, in the year one thousand four hundred and fifty, during the foresaid Parliament, the marquis of Suffolk was arrested and sent to the Tower, where he lived a month at his pleasure, which Parliament being after adjourned to Leicester, 
A Parliament at Leicester.  thither the King came, attended by Suffolk, where the Commons made great complaint of the delivering up of Angeou and Main, to the dishonour of the kingdom; For which they accused the marquis, and others as guilty, as also for the murder of the good Duke of Gloucester: to appease whom, they Exiled him the Land for five years, who obeying the sentence, took shipping in Norfolk, intending to have sailed, into France, but was met by the way by a ship of war, called the Nicolas of the Tower, whose Captain knowing the Duke, put into the Road of Dover, and caused his head to be struck off on the side of a Boat, 
The death of the marquis of Suffolk▪  and there left both head and body upon the sands, and then put to Sea again, and this was the end of the Queen's great favourite, who save of her, and some of his own creatures, died altogether unlamented.  
I omit to speak of sundry insurrections, as that of Blue-beard, 
Blue-beard, jack Cade.  and the Kentish men, with their Captain jack Cade, who called himself Mortimer, and Cousin to the Duke of York, with others, and come to tell you that the Duke of Somerset, succeeded Suffolk in the Queen's favour, by whom, and her Counsel, all the affairs of the Realm were managed: For she was a Lady of an haughty and invincible spirit, and in the thirty second year of the King's reign, 
The birth of Prince Edward.  was delivered of a Princely Son called Edward: In which interim great discontent arose among the Nobles and Peers of the Land, especially the Duke of Somerset, and others of the Queen's Counsel grew in great hatred, for the giving up of Normandy by appointment: for which and other grievances, the Duke of York (father to him who was after King Edward the fourth,) with other confederate Lords, opposed the Queen, and her faction, of which mortal war ensued.  
The King being much instigated by this magnanimous Lady his Queen, 
The Queen the instigator of all combustions.  accompanied with the Duke of Somerset, with a great army, took their journey towards the Marches of Wales, being ascertained that the Duke of York, with sundry other Lords, were up in Arms, who understanding of the Kings coming with so great a power, 
The proceeding of the Duke of York  swarved from his Host, and took his way towards London, but because he could not be received into the City, to refresh his people, he went over Kingston Bridge, and so into Kent, where on a place called Bremt heath he embatteld himself: soon after came the King to Black-heath, and did the like; these two Armies affronting each other, a motion was made to mediate a peace betwixt them, to further which, to the Duke were sent the Bishops of Winchester, and Elye, and the Earls of Warwick, and Salisbury, to whom the answer was, that he intended no violence against the person of the King, 
A Peace mediated betwixt the King and the Duke.  only to remove from about him, some evil disposed persons, by whose means his people was much oppressed, and the Commons greatly impoverished, the chiefest of which was the Duke of Somerset, to satisfy whom, it was concluded by the King, that he should be kept in durance to answer all such Articles, as the Duke could object against him.  
Upon which promise made by the King, the first day of March, being thursday, the Duke broke up his Camp, and personally came to the King's tent, where he found the Duke of Somerset at liberty, and the next attending on the King, 
The Duke of York sent to the Tower.  and by the Queen's means, the Duke of York was sent to London, where he remained in a sort a prisoner, and more straight had been kept, 
The Earl of March soon to the Duke of York.  if present news had not come, that his Son Edward then Earl of Marsh, was hastening up towards London, with a strong power of Welsh, and Marchmen, which stroke so sudden a terror into the Queen and her Counsel, that the Duke was set at large, having liberty to retire himself into his own country: soon after by means of the Queen, 
Summerset created Captain of Ca●is.  the Duke of Summerset, was created Captain of Calais, which kindled a new fire in the Yorkists, insomuch that the Duke being in the Marches of Wales, called unto him the Earls of Warwick and Salisbury, 
A new combustion.  with divers other Lords, Knights, and Esquires, and sufficiently strengthened himself, and in April, made what speed he could towards London.  
Which hearing the King and the Queen, she suddenly caused, (using the King's name and Authority, in all things) a strong Army to be levied, intending to convey the King Westward, without encountering the Duke of York. In which were employed the Dukes of Summerset and Buckingham, 
Lords of the Queen's party  the Earls of Stafford and Northumberland, the Lord Clifford and others, who held their journey towards Saint Alban's, which the Duke hearing coasted the Country, and upon Thursday before Whitsunday: took one end of the Town, where whilst motion of peace was treated on the one party, the Earl of Warwick with the Marchmen, entered on the other, and skirmished violently against the King's people: 
The battle at Saint Al●ones  In conclusion, the day fell to the Yorkists, where that time was slain the Duke of Somerset, the Earl of Northumberland, and the Lord Cl●fford, with many other Noble Gentlemen: which victory thus obtained by the Duke, he with great seeming honour and reverence, the morrow following, 

The King's prison.  
The Duke of York Protector.   conveyed the King to London, and lodged him in the Bishop's palace, and soon after by a Parliament held at Westminster, the Duke of York, was made Protector of England, the Earl of Salisbury, Chancellor, and the Earl of Warwick, Captain of Calais, and all persons (before) near unto the King, removed, and the Queen and her Counsel, who before ruled all, both King, and land, utterly disabled for having voice in either: at all which her high Spirit seemed nothing daunted.  
But with some Lords, who secretly adhered unto her party, she so far persuaded that in making the King insufficient, it was such a dishonour to him, and disgrace to the Realm, 
York discharged of his Protectorship.  that by policy and friendship, she caused the Duke of York, to be discharged of his Protectors place, and the Earl of Salisbury, from being Chancellor, which was the cause of new combustion, and finding (as she thought) the City of London, to favour more the Yorkists, than her faction, she caused the King to remove thence to Coventry, whether the Duke with the Earls of Warwick and Salisbury, were sent for, who in their way were so ambushed, that with great difficulty they escaped from being surprised: an other assembly of all the Lords, was appointed at London, where all of them were richly accompanied, and strongly attended where a seeming atonement was made betwixt them, for joy of which, upon our Lady's day in Lent, the King, the Queen, and Lords of both parties, 
Procession to Paul's.  went in solemn procession to Paul's.  
But this smothered fire broke quickly into open flame, I will let pass many of the circumstances, and come to the matter: The Duke of York knowing the inveterate malice, which the Queen bore unto him: assembled his Friends, and gathered a strong army of Marchmen and others, in the beginning of the thirty eight year of the King, and strongly encamped himself at Ludlow; the Queen also gathered like strength, to encounter the Duke, unto whose aid the Earl of Warwick sent a strong band of men from Calais, 
Andrew Trollope.  in whose company one Andrew Trollop, who the night before the encounter, with the entire company of those Calais soldiers, left the Duke's Host, and went unto the Kings, where they were joyfully received, which much dismayed the Yorkists, and the more because they were privy to all their counsel, 
York's flight and his Army dissolved.  wherefore upon mature deliberation, they resolved to fly and leave their Camp standing, as if they had still kept the field: the Duke with his two sons, and some few others fled into Wales, and so after into Ireland, and there remained: the other Lords of his confederacy, took their way into Devonshire, from thence they sailed into Garnesy, and after to Calais.  
In the morning, when all this was known to the adverse party, there was sending and running to all Ports, 
The Duchess of York prisoner, and Ludlow spoilt.  and places, to surprise these Lords, but their pursuit came to late, so that the King's Army spoilt Ludlow, and the Castles, and took the Duchess of York, and her children, and sent them to the Duchess of Buckingham, her sister, than were all the Yorkists proclaimed Rebels, 
The Yorkists proclaimed Traitors.  and Traitors, and the young Duke of Summerset made by the Queen, Captain of Calais: but notwithstanding, all the King's Authority joined with hers, he could not be there received, which was the cause of many skirmishes, and much blood shed, in which, though the Lords lost many men, yet they came daily so thick unto them, out of divers parts of England, that their loss was not perceived; In which interim one john Dinham, was sent with certain ships, to set upon the King's Navy at Portsmouth, 
john Dinham surprised the King's Navy.  who sped him so well that he took the Lord Rivers in his bed, with the Lord Skales his son, with other rich preys, taking of the King's Navy what ships them best liked; which some conjecture was not without the consent of the Mariners, who bore a singular affection to the Earl of Warwick.  
With part of these ships the Earl of Warwick sailed into Ireland, to confer with the Duke of York, about their reentry into the Land, and returned into Calais with safety, in which time a Parliament was held at Coventry, by Authority whereof, the Duke of York with the other Lords were attainted and their Lands and goods ceased to the King's use, than provision was made to defend the Havens, and Ports, and at Sandwich was ordained a new strength, under the command of one Sir Simon Mountford, that none should pass unto the aid of the Lords, of which they having intelligence, sent out another Navy un●o Sandwich, and after long fight with the said Mountford, 
Simon Mountford beheaded by the Yorkists.  took him, and at a place called Risbanke, smote off his head: after which the confederate Lords seeing what power they had with them, and knowing that many hearts in England adhered to their faction, after they had set Calais in order, they prepared for England, and landed at Dover, and marching through Kent, 
The York●sts land in England.  came to London the second day of july, where having well refreshed their people, they sped them towards the King, who was then at Coventry, and awaited there with a sufficient army.  

The battle at Northampton.  Who marching as far as Northampton, the ninth day of july both hosts encountered, where betwixt them was a bloody battle fought, but in the end, the victory fell to the Earls of Warwick and Salisbury, and the King's host were utterly defeated, 
The King's host discomfitted.  and many of his Noblemen slain, amongst which were the Duke of Buckingham, the Earl of Shrewsbury, the Viscount Bewmount, Lord Egremond and others, and the King taken in the field: 
The King taken.  after which victory by the Lords obtained, they brought the King (still keeping his estate) up to London, and lodged him in the Bishop's palace, and sent news of their happy success to the Duke of York who was at that time in Ireland: A Parliament was then called in the name of the King, and holden at Westminster, during which, the Duke of York, upon the tenth day of October came to the City of Westminster, and lodged him in the King's palace, 
York lodgeth in the King's Palace.  upon which a rumour rose that Henry should be deposed, and the Duke of York made King.  
Whilst these things were thus in agitation, the Duke came one day unto the Parliament Chamber, 
York layeth claim to the Crown.  and in the presence of the Lords, sat him down in the King's Chair, and boldly made claim to the Crown, as his rightful inheritance. At which the Lords began to murmur, as well his friends, as others, and after the matter was long disputed, the Duke was persuaded to renounce that claim, during the life of King Henry: In all which time the Queen, whom all these terrors could not daunt, 
The Queen's magnanimity.  kept herself with the Lords of her party, in the North, and using the King's name, gathered a strong power, which (as she protested in the front of her Camp) was to be revenged on the King's Rebels, and Enemies: There is one thing worthy observation, that during this Competitorship betwixt the King and the Duke, though they lodged both within one palace, yet would he for no intercession or entreaty, 
Yorks pride.  once visit the King, which could be little less interpreted, than an haughty, and ambitious insolence.  
To proceed, it was after concluded by the Authority of the whole Parliament, 
The decree of the Parliament.  that King Henry should continue King all his natural life, but after his death, Prince Edward his son to be made incapable of that Royal dignity, but the Duke and his Heirs to be Kings; and he in the mean time to be made Protector, and Regent of the Land and if at any time the King of his own free will, were disposed to resign, it should be to the Duke, if he then lived, or else to his Heirs after him: which on the Saturday next, being the ninth day of November, was proclaimed through the City. And further, because Queen Margaret, with the Prince her Son, the Dukes of Summerset, and Exeter, with divers other Lords, kept her still in the North, and came not up at the Kings sending, it was concluded by the Lords there present, that the Duke of York with the Earl of Salisbury, and others, should raise an Army to fetch in the said Queen, and Lords, who hearing of their coming met with him near unto Wakefield, where was fought betwixt them a sharp and bloody battle, 
The battle of Wakefield. The Duke of York slain.  in which the Duke of York was slain with his young Son, the Earl of Rutland, with Sir Thomas Nevell, son to the Earl of Salisbury, and the Earl himself was taken alive, and soon after beheaded.  
It is said that the Duke of York being sore wounded, was brought before the Queen, who in great derision and scorn, placed him on a molehill, instead of a Throne, and put a Crown of paper on his head for a Diadem, and after she had sufficiently taunted, his ambition, caused him to be slain; this done with her victorious host, she made what speed she could towards London, and at Saint Alban's was met by the Earl of Warwick and the Duke of Norfolk (who brought the King with them to the field, 
Another battle at Saint Albon.  where after a strong fight, upon a Shrove-tuesday in the morning, the Duke, and Earls Army were routed, and the King again taken and brought unto the Queen. 
Prince Edward made Knight.  The same day she caused her son Edward to be made Knight, with other Gentlemen to the number of thirty persons.  
The Queen being now in her former supreme command, and thinking to sway all things as before, at her own pleasure: news were brought that Edward Earl of March, eldest Son to the Duke of York, 
Edward Earl of March raiseth new forces.  and the Earl of Warwick were met, with a great strength of Marchmen, and others, and were speeding towards London; which tidings compelled the King and Queen, to retire them with their Army Northward, the other taking this advantage entered the City, the first week in Lent; to whom resorted great numbers of Gentlemen, from the South and East, than was a great Counsel called of the Lords, spiritual and temporal, who after many arguments debated, gave up this sentence, that forasmuch as King Henry contrary to his honour, and promise at the last parliament made, and also that he was reputed unable and insufficient to govern the Realm, by their general assents he was thought worthy to be deposed, and discharged of all royal dignity. 
Henry thought worthy to be deposed.   
Then incontinently by the Authority of the said Counsel, and consent of the Commons, there present: Edward the eldest son to the Duke of York, with an unanimous suffrage was elected King, 
Edward Earl of March made King.  and being royally accompanied to Westminster, was invested in the Throne, and took possion of the Crown, thence by the Clergy, he was conveyed in solemn procession to Saint Edmund's shrine, and there offered as King, receiving the Homage and ●ealty, of all the Lords there present, etc. Then was great provision made for the North, against the Queen and her partisans, the Earl of Warwick, upon a Saturday, in the beginning of March, with a great puissance of people, departed from London Northward, and on the Wednesday following, the King's Infantry followed, and upon Friday next after, being the tenth of March, the King road through the City, with a great band of men, passing Bishopsgate, and so holding on his journey, sped him so well, that he with the rest of his Forces, met with their enemies, at a Village, 
The bloody battle at Towton, or Shirborne.  nine miles and an half on this side York, called Towton or Shirborne.  
Upon Palm sunday he gave them battle, which was fought with such eagerness and fury, that in the field, and in the chase were slain of the Queen's party, thirty thousand men, besides those of special note and name, amongst which are numbered the Earl of Northumberland, the Earl of Westmoreland, the Lord Clifford, the Lord Egremond, Sir Andrew Trollop, (who had before revolted with his Calais Soldiers, from the Yorkists at Ludlow) with divers others, there were taken also the Earl of Willshire, or Devonshire, who was sent to York, and there after beheaded, 
Henry with his Queen fly into Scotland.  of which bloody conflict, and irrecoverable loss, Henry and Margaret, having notice, they with their son Edward, the Duke of Summerset, the Lord Rosse, and others, in all hast fled towards Scotland, and the King upon the morrow, with much of his people entered into York, and there kept his Easter.  
Thus the most infortunate Prince Henry, (of whom it is truly observed, 
Henry in all his actions most infortunate.  that he was never personally in any battle, but it was lost) when he had reigned full thirty eight years, six months and odd days, and that Heroical Lady Margaret, (whom even this last disaster could not daunt) was forced to fly, whilst King Edward having settled all the affairs in the North, under the charge of the Earl of Warwick, visited all the Countries, South and East, and about the beginning of june, came to his Manor of Sheen, (since called Richmond) in which time of his abode there, provision was made for his royal Coronation. Then upon the twenty seventh of the same month being Friday, he road to the Tower of London, attended by the Lord Major and his Brethren, and upon the morrow being Saturday, he made twenty eight Knights of the bath, and four more after: the same afternoon he was with great solemnity conveyed through the City, 
The Coronation of King Edward, the fourth of that name.  those two and thirty Knights riding before him in blue gowns, and hoods, and upon the morrow being Sunday, and Saint Peter's day, with great triumph Crowned, and anointed by the Archbishop of Canterbury, etc.  

Queen Margaret's Army.  In the second year of this King, Margaret late Queen, came out of France into Scotland, and thence into England, with an Army of Frenchmen, and Scots, of which King Edward having notice, he sped him into the North, with a strong Army, at the rumour of which (by reason of the cowardice of her Soldiers, she was forced to disband and fly, 
Margaret distressed by Sea.  and took a small ship, intending to sail into France, but by reason of a great tempest, she was forced to leave her own bark, and take a small Fisher-boate, by means of which she landed at Berwick, and came unto the Scottish King, where she heard her bark perished in the tempest in which she had great riches and treasure: notwithstanding, at her instigation, the year after, she with her Husband invaded England, with a great Army of Scottish men; which hearing, than the Lord Montague, (Brother to the Earl of Warwick) he assembled the Northern men and gave them battle at a place called Exham, 
Exham field.  and there routed them, chase Henry so ne'er that he surprised certain of his followers, habited in jackets of blue Velvet, garnished with Crowns of gold, and fretted with pearl, and other rich stones; notwithstanding his so narrow escape, in the end of the same year, 
Henry took Prisoner.  he was taken in a wood in the North Country, by one named Cantlow, and presented to the King, who sent him as Prisoner to the Tower, where he remained a long time after.  
Some few months before this, King Edward at a place called Graston, near unto Stony Stratford, 
King Edward marryeth Elizabeth Grace.  upon the first day of May, secretly espoused Elizabeth, late wife of Sir john Grey, Knight, who was slain at Towton field near unto York, at which marriage were present none save themselves, the Duchess of Bedford, her Mother, two Gentlewoman, and one Gentleman, who the next year after, upon Whitsunday, was with great solemnity Crowned at Westminster, which marriage was the occasion of much trouble in the Land, of which I am loath long to insist, as unwilling to meddle with any impertinences, not genuine with the particular actions, and fortunes of the Queen Margaret, the subject now in hand.  
Yet thus far I must travel in the History, to inform you that the Earl of Warwick, was before sent into France, to treat about a marriage betwixt the King and the Lady Bova, 
The Lady Bova.  who by reason of the former match, thought himself much disparaged and dishonoured: therefore he withdrew himself from the King, and confedered unto him the Duke of Clarens, who had before married his daughter, and notwithstanding the King sent peaceably unto them, as desiring reconsilement, yet they sailed into France, soliciting the aid of Lewis the eleventh, who by reason of the former affront (concerning the Lady Bova) gladly condescended to their request, where they consulted with Queen Margaret, and the Earl of Oxford, 
The Duke of Clarens, and Earl of Warwick proclaimed Rebels.  for their return into England, in which mean space, King Edward commanded them to be proclaimed as Rebels, and Traitors, throughout the Realm.  
In the tenth year of the King, and the month of Sceptember, the Duke of Clarence, the Earls of Warwick, Pembroke, and Oxford, with others landed at Dertmouth in Devonshire, and made Proclamations in the name of King Henry, 
Henry again proclaimed King.  to whom much people desirous of innovation resorted, and drew towards the King, (then being in the North,) who having with him, but small strength, and (of them too) those whom he durst scarce trust, he with the Duke of Gloster, the Lord Hastings, and a few others, took the next way towards the Washeses in Lincolnshire, and with great danger, not without the loss of some of his company, 
King Edward flies the land.  got over into Flanders, and sped thence to Charles Duke of Burgoine, who had before married his sister, where he rested for a season, mean space the Duke of Clarence, and the other Lords drew ne'er unto the City, and after road unto the Tower, and withal honour and reverence, 
Henry received as King.  brought out King Henry, and conveyed him to Saint Paul's, and lodged him in the Bishop's palace who was generally admitted, and taken for King, through the whole Land.  
And now was great expectation for the landing of Queen Margaret, 
Strange alteration in the state.  and her Son Prince Edward, and great provision made through all the coast, to oppose King Edward's landing, who in a Parliament then called, 
Gloucester, who was after Richard the third.  was proclaimed usurper of the Crown, and the Duke of Gloucester his younger Brother Traitor, and both of them attainted by the said Parliament, than the Earl of Warwick rid to Dover, to have received Queen Margaret, but was disappointed, for the wind was to her so contrary, that she lay at the Sea side, tarrying for a convenient passage, from November till April, so that he was forced to return without effecting his purpose.  

Edward landeth in England  In the beginning of which month April, King Edward landed in the North, with a small number of Flemings, and others, all which could scarce m●ke up a thousand, and sped him towards York, making his Proclamations in the name of King Henry, 
He maketh his Proclamations in the name of King Henry.  and protested to the people as he went, that he came for no other intent but to claim his ancient inheritance, the Dukedom of York; notwithstanding which, the City denied him admittance, till he took an oath, which having done, 
Edward possesseth York.  they opened their gates unto him, when after he had refreshed his Soldiers, he held his way on towards London; and having passed (either favour of fair words) the Lord marquis Montacut, who lay with an Army in the way to interdict his journey, seeing that his strength was greatly increased, and that the people daily flocked unto him, he then made proclamations in his own name as King of England, and held on his way to London, where he was relieved, and the same day he road to Saint Paul's Church, 
Henry surprised by Edward.  and offered at the Altar, which done he went to the Bishop's palace, where he found King Henry, almost alone, for all the Lords, and others, to save their own lives, had utterly forsaken him.  
Then King Edward lodged himself, where King Henry lay, and committed him to strict keeping, and rested himself till Easter Eve, who hearing of his brothers coming, and the other Lords with him, with a strong host, unto Saint Alban's, he sped him thither, and lay that night at Barnet, whether the Duke of Clarence, (contrary to his oath made to the French King) came with all the strength he had, and reconciled himself to his Brother: at which the Lords were much daunted, yet by the comfort and encouragement of the Earl of Oxford, 
The Earl of Oxford leadeth the Van.  they marched on to Barnet, (the foresaid Earl leading the van) and there they strongly embattelled themselves.  
Upon the morrow being the foureteenth of April and Easterday, very early in the morning, the two hosts defied each other, upon the one party were two Kings, Edward and Henry, (who brought him with him to the battle, 
The Battle at Barnet. ) Clarence, and Glossester, the Lord Barnes, etc. And upon the other was the Duke of Exeter, the two Earls of Warwick and Oxford, the marquis Montacute, with many other men of note, and name: In which fight, the Earl of Oxford quit himself so manfully, that he quite routed that part of the field which he set upon, insomuch that news was carried to London, King Edward had lost the day, and if his Soldiers, had kept their ranks, and not fall'n to rifling, most likely it had been so. But after long and cruel fight King, Edward got the victory, 
Lords slain in the battle.  having slain of his enemies, the marquis Montacute, the Earl of Warwick his brother, with many others: (on the King's party, the Lord Barnes, and upon both parties, to the number of fifteen hundred and upwards: the same after noon came King Edward to London, and made his offering at Saint Paul's, and after road to Westminster, and there lodged; and King Henry was again committed to the Tower, where he remained till his death.  
And now great preparation was made against the landing of Queen Margaret, and her son: who all this while had been ne'er to the Sea side, expecting a wind, which after blue for her, 
Queen Margaret landeth in England.  most infortunately: yet was she safely landed, with an Army of French men, and others, and entered so far within the Realm, till she came to a place called Teuxbury, where the King met with her, 
The battle at Teuxbury.  and after some resistance, distressed and chased her whole company, in which conflict many were slain, and their bodies found dead in the place, 
Margaret with the Prince her son taken.  and she herself with her son Edward, both taken Prisoners, and brought to the King: whom she fronted with a bold and an undaunted countenance, and forgetting what she was then, a prisoner: 
Her magnanimity.  boldly spoke to him, as what she had been, a commanding Princess; which the King not having the patience to endure, commanded her from his presence.  
The Prince also, the true heir to his Mother's magnanimous spirit, being not only reproved, but somewhat vilified by the King, whose blood was not yet cooled, since the late battle, replied unto him in a language, best suiting his birth, and the Son of such a Mother, at which King Edward being highly moved, and beyond all patience incensed, (having then his Gauntlet on) (for he had not yet put of his armour) struck him upon the face, 
Prince Edward murdered by the Duke of Gloucester.  which blow was no sooner given, but he was instantly dragged from the King's presence, and by the Duke of Gloucester (as same reports) most tyrannously murdered, and this happened upon the fourth day of May.  
When the Queen heard of the death of her Son, and the manner thereof, the more to aggravate it, great (no question) was her grief, but much greater, and altogether inexpressible, her rage and fury, not having power to revenge herself upon her enemies: this more tormenting her, than the durance of the King her husband, her own captivity, or the loss of her kingdom, yet outwardly she is said to have borne all these disasters, with an incomparable magnanimity: who was first conveyed to London, and from thence, (with small attendance, 

Queen Margaret sent into her own Country.  
The death of Henry.   and less estate) sent over into her own Country, and upon Ascension Eve next ensuing, the body of Henry the sixth late King, was brought unreverently from the Tower, through the high streets of the City, to Saint Paul's, and there left for that night, and the next morrow with bills and glaves, (as he was the day before) brought from the Tower thither, conveyed to Chertsey, and without any solemnity at all, there interred, 
His burial.  of the manner of whose death there be divers reports, but the common fame went, that he was stabbed to death with a dagger, by the bloody hand of Richard Duke of Gloucester.    


QUEEN ELIZABETH.  
THis Virgin Sovereign of our Maiden Isle.  
On whom blind Fortune did both frown, and smile  
Great Honour, and great Horror, did endure,  
Not safe, being Subject, not being Queen, secure;  
Examine both: It is not easily guest,  
In which of them she did demean her best;  
And of those double Fates, 'tis hard to know  
In which, she did most dangers undergo.  
Had I more heads then Spanish Geryon, he  
Who to one body had no less them three,  
Moore hands then great Briareus (to be wondered)  
Whose active skill (at once) could move an hundred,  
In every one a pen: As many eyes,  
As Juno's Argus, waking; to devise.  
Of her perfections only; Head, Hands, Sight,  
(In striving but to pattern her aright)  
All, (though in their full vigour) I should finde,  
Struck on the sudden, Stupid, Dull, and Blind.  
Chaste Virgin, Royal Queen, beloved and feared,  
Much on the Earth admired, to Heaven endeared.  
Single, and singular, (without another)  
A Nurse to Belgia, and to France; a Mother  
Potent by Land, sole Sovereign of the Main,  
Antagonist to Rome, the scourge of Spain.   

  

THE LAST OF THE THREE WOMEN WORTHIES AMONGST THE CHRISTIANS, CALLED ELIZABETH, QVEEN OF ENGLAND, FRANCE, AND IRELAND, etc.  
AS the most famous Painter of his Time, Apelles, to frame the picture of one Venus, 
A Character of Queen Elizabeth.  had a● once exposed to his view an hundred of the most choice and exquisite Virgins, of Greece, to take from one the smoothest brow, from a second, the most sparkling eye: a third, the Rosiest coloured cheek, a fourth the best Coral like lip; a fifth, the sweetest dimpled chin: a sixth the daintiest swelling breast, a seventh, the whitest hand: from another, the most delicate foot, and so of the rest: and all to make the exact portraiture of that Emergent goddess; so in the accurate expression of this rare Heroic Elizabeth, should I peruse all the ancient, and Authentic Histories, and out of them select the lives of the most virtuous Ladies, for their rare and admirable endowments, commended to posterity, and perpetuity; taking and extracting from them severally, those sundry gifts and graces by which they were remarkably eminent above others, (whether Piety, or Virginal purity; Beauty, and bounty; Majesty, and magnanimity; Language, and learning; politic Government, or practise of goodness; pity of foreign distressed nations, or indulgence over her own Natives, etc.) Nay, what praecelling virtue soever, was commendable in any one particular, or all in general, may, without flattery be justly conferred on her.  
She was the Daughter of King Henry, the eighth of that name; 
Her descent.  and of his second wife, the Lady Anne Bulloyne, first created marchioness of Pembroke, and then espoused to the King, the five and twentyeth day of january, 1533. and upon Whitsunday next following at Westminster crowned Queen, the seventh of September after, 
Her birth.  she was delivered of a fair Daughter, to the great and unspeakable joy, both of the Prince, and people, she was Christened the third day next ensuing, 
Her Baptism.  being Wednesday, in the Friar's Church in Greenwich, in a Font of silver, The old Duchess of Norfolk held the Babe: Her Godfather was Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury, and Metropolitan of all England, her Godmothers, the Duchess of Norfolk, and the Marquionesse of Dorset, both Widows.  
Not long after the birth of this young Princess, 
An oath of Allegiance taken.  a general oath of Allegiance passed through the Kingdom to support and maintain the successive heirs, descending from the bodies of the King, and Queen Anne, lawfully begotten, in the possession of the Crown and Sceptre, and all Imperial honours to them belonging, 
Katherine the mother, and Mary the daughter disabled of all● regal claim.  by which Katherine of Spain his former wife, and the Princess Mary their daughter were disabled to lay any claim at all to the Royal dignity: and for this cause were the two young Ladies brought up a part, which might be a reason also, why there was such distance in their dispositions.  
I have further read of this young Lady Elizabeth, that there were pregnant hopes of her, 
Under what Constellation she was borne.  even in her Mother's conception, Mercury being the star which was at that season most predominant, whose influence is sharpness of wit, and ingenuity; jupiter, at her birth being in conjunction with Venus; and Soi, with a favourable Aspect, shining on either, a doubtless presage, that the Infant borne under that Constellation, should be fair and fortunate, powerful in war, yet a Patroness of peace, excellent in Learning, exquisite in language, in life honoured, in death lamented: 
Her Infancy.  who in her tender Infancy was said, almost as soon to speak as to go, and that her words had sense, as soon as sound, and not being full four years of age, 
Her Childhood,  used every morning when she opened her eyes, to ask for her book, before she called for bread, and at all other times of the day was observed to be more ready to pray, then to prattle.  
Queen Anne's life being taken away by a violent death, 
Queen Anne dead.  the morrow after, the King was married to his third wife, the Lady jane Seymer, daughter to Sir john Seymer, who on the twelfth day of October, 
Prince Edward borne. Created Prince of Wales.  In the year of grace 1537. was at Hampton Court delivered of a Son, whose Mother died the second day after, much lamented and pitied, and the young Prince called Edward, was the eighteenth of the same month created Prince of Wales, and Duke of Cornwall, and Chester: the Father being so joyful of his Son, that he cast a neglectful eye on his two former daughters, Mary and Elizabeth, but the later of the two was in the first grace, for when Mary was separated from coming near the Court, Elizabeth was admitted to keep the young Prince company, and from his Tutors received all such necessary documents, that by her childish dictating unto him, he might be the more capable to understand them, and such was their proxinity in blood, 
An alternate affection between the Prince and his sister Elizabeth.  that it begot in them a mutual and alternate affection, insomuch that he no sooner knew her, but he began to acknowledge her, neither was their love the less, coming from one loins, than had they issued from one and the same womb, being equally fortunate and unfortunate, as having one Royal Father, but either of them to be deprived of a mother, and in that too, having a kind of mutual correspondence, that though her Mother suffered by the sword, and his died in Child bed, yet both endured violent and enforced deaths.  
To cut off circumstance: in the year one thousand five hundred forty six, 
The death of King Henry the eighth.  and of his reign the thirty eighth, King Henry the eighth, expired the 28. of December, and was the sixteenth day of February, next following, with great solemnity buried at Windsor.  
And upon the one and thirtyeth day of january, 
Prince Edward proclaimed King.  was Prince Edward proclaimed King over all his Father's Dominions and Realms by the stile of Edward, the sixth of that name, and on the nineteenth of February, he road with his Uncle, Sir Edward Seymor, Duke of Summerset, and Lord Protector through the City of London. And the day following was anointed and Crowned King, at Westminster, by Thomas Cra●mer. Archbishop of Canterbury, and Metropolitan of all England, who that day administered the holy Sacraments, etc.  
The King was no sooner Crowned, but the Lady Elizabeth gave way to the present state, 
His Coronation.  neither continued they in that frequent familiarity as before, for whereas in former time she loved him as a Brother, her discretion now taught her to honour him as her King, for though he was a Prince of great meekness and modesty: for that Royal Majesty, which makes the difference betwixt the Son and the Father, distinguisheth betwixt the Sister and the Brother. for they which had lived in great familiarity, now meet not but at distance, which proceeded not from his will, but the Majesty of state, the death of the Father which raised him to the Crown: 
Her retirement into the Country.  Remooved her from the Court into the Country, in which retirement, being nobly attended by divers voluntary Ladies, and Gentlewomen, as also her own train and household servants, she led there (though a more solitary) yet a more safe and contented life, and being there settled, she received, to add unto her revenue, many private gifts, with often visits sent from the King, who was very indulgent over her honour, and health.  
Scarce was she full fourteen years of age, when her second Uncle Seymor, Brother to the Lord Protector, and Lord High Admiral of England brought her a Princely suitor, 
Her first suitor.  richly habited, and nobly attended, who after much importunity, both by himself and friends, finding himself by her modest repulses, and cold answers, crossed in his purpose, 
His name is concealed.  settled in his mind, though not satisfied in her denial, retired himself into his Country.  
The first unwelcome motion of marriage, was a cause why she studied a more retired life, as being seldom seen abroad, and if at any time the King her Brother had sent to enjoy her company at Court, 
Her Virgin modesty.  she made there no longer stay, then to know his Highness' pleasure, and make tender of her duty, and service; and that done, with all convenient speed, took her journey back into the Country, where she spent the entire season of her Brother's reign; who the sixth day of july, in the sixteenth year of hi● age, and the seventh of his Princely government, 
The death of King Edward the sixth.  departed the world at Greenwich.  
The two Uncles of the King (the only Supporters, on which the safety of his Minority leaned) being cut off by violent deaths, It was a general fear, through out the Kingdom, that the Nephew should not survive long after them, which accordingly happened: for the two great Dukes of Northumberland and Suffolk, being in the prime and sole authority, concluded a match betwixt the Lord Guildford Dudley, Son to Northumberland, and the Lady Grace, Daughter to Suffolk, thinking thereby to disable both the Sisters, 
The Lady jane Grace proclaimed Queen.  Mary and Elizabeth, from any claim to the Crown: and therefore the fourth day after the King's death, the Lady jane was proclaimed Queen.  
The Lady Mary being then at Framingham was much perplexed with that news, especially when she heard it was done by the consent of the whole Nobili●y: to whom the Suffolk men assembled themselves, offering her their volentary assistance, 
The Duke of Northumberland sent against the Lady Mary.  to attain unto her lawful inheritance; which bruited at Wort, The Duke of Northumberland, having a large and strong Commission granted him, from the body of the whole Counsel, raised an Army to suppress both her and her Assassinates, which was no sooner advanced, but the Lords repenting of so great an injury done to the late King's Sister, ●ent a Countermand after him and when he thought himself in his greatest security, the nobility forsaking him, and the Commons abandoning him: being at Cambridge, saving his sons and some few servants, he was left alone, where he proclaimed the Lady Mary Queen, in the open Market place: Notwithstanding, he was arrested in King's College, of high Treason, 
Northumberland beheaded  and from thence was brought up to the Tower, where upon the Hill, at the common Execution place, he lost his head, the twelfth of August next ensuing, the like fate happened to the Duke of Suffolk, 
The deaths of Suffolk, the Lady Ian●, and Gu●lford Dudley.  not many weeks after, as also to the sweet young couple, the Lord Guildford Dudley, and the Lady jane Grey, of whose much lamented deaths, I cannot now insist.  
The Lady Mary was proclaimed by the Suffolkemen Queen at Framingham, 
Marry proclaimed Queen.  the twentyeth of july: and the third of August next, went by water to take possession of the Tower: her sister, the Lady Elizabeth, (whom, she had before sent for out of the Country) accompanying her in the Barge. from the Tower she road through London, towards the Palace at Westminster: The Lady Elizabeth to whom all this time she showed a pleasant and gracious countenance, rid in a Chariot next after her, drawn by six white Horses trapped in cloth of Silver, the Open Chariot being covered over with the same, in which sat, only (to accompany her) the Lady Anne of Cleave. The first day of October, 
Her Coronation.  Mary was crowned Queen at Westminster, by Stephen Gardiner Bishop of Winchester; the Lady Elizabeth being most Princesse-like attended, and present at her sister's Coronation.  
I come now to her troubles, 
The troubles of the Lady Elizabeth.  and notwithstanding her many and miraculous dangers and deliverances being an absolute Princess, yet greater were the difficulties she passed being a Prisoner, than those the which the Pope menac'st her with his Bulls abroad: 
Her danger greater in her solitude then in her sovereignty.  now the Pope's agents seek to supplant her with their power at home, and then her adversaries were Aliens, now her opposites are natives. Then foreign Kings sought to invade her, now a modern Queen laboureth to entrap her, they strangers, she a sister: She lived then at freedom and without their jurisdiction, 
The reasons.  she lives now a captive subject to an incensed sister's indignation; she was then attended by her Nobility and grave Counselors; she hath now none to converse with her, but Keepers and jailors: she in her sovereignty never stirred abroad without a strong guard of tall Yeomen and Gentlemen Pensioners; she now is kept within close prisoner, waited on only by rude and unmannerly white and black coat Soldiers.  
But having before published a tractate of this excellent Lady, entitled from her cradle to her Crown, I will now only give you a brief nomination of these passages most pertinent to this project now in hand, referring the Reader for his better satisfaction to the discourse before remembered.  

Winchester infidiateth her life.  Stephen Gardiner Bishop of Winchester, and other Romists, offended with her Religion, laboured not only to supplant her from the Queen's love, but (if possible) to deprive her of her life, possessing the Queen that she was consenting unto Sir Thomas Wyat's insurrection; therefore a strict Commission was sent down to Ashridge, where she than sojourned and lay extremely sick, where the Lords, the Commissioners besieged the house with Soldiers, entered her Bedchamber without leave. 
Doctor Guin and Doctor Wendiffe.  And notwithstanding two learned Doctors affirmed she could not be removed without danger of life, the next morning hoisted her into an Horslitter towards London: Being arrived at Court, for fourteen days confined to her chamber, no acquaintance to confer with her, no friend to comfort her; whereafter she was strictly examined and sharply reproved, and notwithstanding nothing could be proved against her, commanded to the Tower by water, 
Her committing to the Tower.  and at such a time when in shooting the Bridge, the Barge grated against the Arches, being in great danger of splitting: her landing at the Traitor's stairs, 
Her hard usage.  her churlish entertainment, her keeping close prisoner, her Family dissolved, her servants discharged, her frights by day, her terrors by night: her often examination to entangle her in her speeches: her very diet served into her by grooms and common Soldiers; her conducting from one place to another, no day without threatening of danger, 
Her infinite dangers.  no night but menacing death: her very lodgings fired about her ears (as at Woodstock.) And after all these miseries and far more inexpressible calamities, her own sister to set her hand to a warrant for her execution, out of all which, notwithstanding, God in his infinite mercy miraculously delivered her.  
Thus I have given you a small taste of her troubles, in all which as the difficulties were almost inevitable, 
Her great patience.  so her patience was altogether incomparable, neither though by means of King Philip (mediating for her in her troubles, 
King Philip favoureth the Lady Elizabeth. ) though her liberty was the greater, were her fears any whit the less all the time of her sister's reign, to the end of which I will come as briefly as I can.  
A great rumour ran through the Land that the Queen was with child by King Philip, 
An imposterous birth.  and the time of her reckoning being come, it was given forth she was brought to bed of a son, and such an one as it was suspected was ready prepared, of which Philip being informed, he would not depart the chamber at the time of her delivery, 
King Philip discovereth the plot.  by which means the plot took no effect, yet this young heir was so voiced abroad that the Bells rung merrily in London, and great triumphs were made at Antwerp and other places: 
Triumphs for the supposed heir.  some said she never conceived at all, others gave out that she was with child, but the Abortive miscarried, others reported she had only a Timpany, and some that it was only rumoured for policy: The truth is King Philip seeing himself frustrate of an heir, 
King Phillip's departure out of the Land.  upon the foureteenth of September took leave of the Queen, and went over to visit his father the Emperor, and to take possession of the Low Countries, to her great grief, whom (as many were of opinion) he but little affected, staying there a year and six months: 
His return.  And after at his return back he was met by the Queen at Dover, and thence brought through London with as great state and solemnity as at a Coronation.  

Observations concerning Queen Mary's reign.  It is observed that Queen Maries reign was the shortest of all Kings since the Conquest (save Richard the third, and that more Christian blood was spilt in that small time than had been (in case of Religion) in any one Kings reigns since Lucius the first establisher of Christianity in England. In the latter end of her reign Calais was lost, 
Calais lost.  which two hundred and eleven years had belonged to the Crown of England: It was first won by Edward the third, (the eleveth King from William the Conqueror) who had besieged it some few months, it was lost by Mary, being the eleventh from Edward, in eight days which when she heard, she said; The loss of Calais is written in my heart, and therein may be read, when my body shall be dissected.  
Her conception failing, great dearth in the Land reigning, much harm done by thunders on shore, and by fire on her Royal Fleet by Sea, home troubles, foreign losses, King Philip's absence, and unkindness. These with other discontents brought her into a burning Fever, 
The death of Queen Mary.  of which she died at Saint james near Westminster the seventeenth of November, Anno. 1558. after she had reigned five years four months and eleven days, having lived forty two years, nine months, and six days, and lieth buried in a Chapel in the Minster of Saint Peter, without any monument or other remembrance.  
The same day that Queen Mary died, 
Lady Elizabeth proclaimed.  the Lady Elizabeth in the twenty fourth year, second month, and tenth day of her age remooved from Hatfield to the Charterhouse, f●om whence she was royally attended to the Tower, and the foureteenth of the same month passed from thence through the City of London towards Westminster: I omit the stately Pageants and presented in the way to this her inaguration (which would ask a large expression) to conclude the next day following being the fifteenth she was with all solemnity anointed and crowned. 
Her Coronation.   
I proceed with the beginning of her reign; 
How the state stood in the beginning of her reign.  when the state was not only much weakened but greatly afflicted, having many enemies and few friends, notwithstanding with a dauntless and heroic spirit she exposed the most potent Philip King of Spain and of the Low Countries her brother in Law, upon the installing his great Grandfather Ferdinando, whose daughter Katherine (by the Pope's authority had been before espoused to two natural brothers, Prince Arthur and Henry, so he likewise by the like dispensation endeavoured to marry with two sisters, first Mary and after Elizabeth: 
King Philip a suitor to marry Queen Elizabeth.  but maugre all the dangers depending upon her denial, abhorring in her chaste reservations any such incestuous contract, though he pretended the connivance at least, if not the full approbation of the sea of Rome, by refusing the match made him her public and professed enemy, which after broke out into defiance, and the publication of open wars.  
A second observable thing was, that the French King Henry the second, having married his son Francis the Dolphin to Mary Queen of Scotland, (moved by the house of Guise) had interlaced the Arms of England with those of Scotland, 
Great preparation of the French to invade England.  proclaiming Mary his Queen and wife the indubitate heir to the Crown of England, alleging for their colour that Elizabeth, 
A weak ground to support so great a title.  in regard she stood at that time convicted by the Pope of heresy was uncapable of the Royal Crown and dignity: thus animated by the Guisians, they sent their Armies into Scotland with a constant assurance that as soon as Scotland was but entered, 
Sebastian Marteguinus two forward.  England was as good as conquered: in so much that Sebastianus Marteguinus a young man of the family of Luxenburg having the command of a thousand foot could hardly be dissuaded from subduing England first, and then to retire himself for his pleasure into Scotland after.  
Thus we see her Majesty not only threatened, but ready to be invaded on all sides by three puissant and spleenful enemies, 
Spain, France and Scotland combine against Queen Elizabeth.  Spain, France and Scotland: The state by her predecessors Edward and Mary mightily distracted, and much indebted, the treasure quite exhausted, 
Her debilities.  the Frontier town of Barwaick lying unfortified; Calais the last year of her sister dishonourably lost. Her subjects in Religion divided, her kingdom without strength naked of Soldiers, and unfurnished of Armour: notwithstanding all which defects, difficulties and encumbrances, she managed all her affairs with that prudence and masculine spirit that manger King Philip who had then the entire government of the Low Countries, she furnished her kingdom with Armour and ammunition out of Germany, 
Her prudent preparations.  provided herself of tormentary Engines fit for war; caused Brass and Iron Ordinance to be cast, Calievers and Muskets to be prepared, Gunpowder before fetched from foreign Countries to be made at home, strengthened Barwick, then weak and undefensible, built a strong and well accommodated Navy, fortified all her Ports and Havens, bred and encouraged noble and brave spirits, making them fit for action, so that in a short season before her great enemies were well aware, she was not only able to maintain a defensive but make an offensive war, being ever as ready to maintain the causes of others oppressed, as to support her own engaged.  
I pass to the fourth year of her reign in which Arthur Pool, 
Arthur Poole encouraged by the Guisians, etc.  with his brothers descended from George Duke of Clarens, confedered with one Anthony Fortescue, who had married their sister; these conspired with the Duke of Guise, to bring over an Army into Wales, and there to proclaim the Scottish Mary Queen of England; 
New invasions t●eatned.  then was sent abroad the thundering Bull of Pope Pius Quintus which Ipso facto deposed Queen Elizabeth, 
The Bull of Pope Pius Quintus.  and enfranchised all her subjects quitting them from their allegiance; this was the first animating and giving life to the insurrection in the North, first set on foot by the Earls of Northumberland and Westmoreland, into which the Duke of Norfolk that noble gentleman, 
A rebellion in the North.  deluded with vain hopes was so far engaged that it cost him his head; but all this great conjuration was both prudently and politicly prevented.  
For it was so projected by the enemy, that if the two Earls Forces joining with the Dukes could have been brought to one head in any convenient place of the Land, one Army was appointed to run from Ireland, 
Duke D'Alva  another the Duke D'alva was to send out of the Low Countries to seize upon the person of the Queen, subvert the state, supplant the Religion, and to despose of the Crown and kingdom at their pleasure, all this was cast but not compassed; 
Man purposeth, God disposeth.  so by them proposed, but by God Almighty otherwise disposed, yet this royal virago notwithstanding their menaces rested unmoved at all these devilish plots being no whit daunted.  
After these Leonard Dakers second son to William L. Dakers of Gellesland, 
Dakers' revolt from the Queen.  after he had given his faith to the Queen for the suppressing of these troubles in the North, and having taken leave of her Majesty to that seeming purpose made a contract with those rebels first attempting to kill the Lord Scroop, and the Bishop of Carlisle, but failing in his project took Grastocke Castle with Naworth Castle and others fortifying them, 
Baker's Forces routed by the Lord Hunsden  but the noble Lord Hunsden with the trained Soldiers of Barwick, met with him by the River of Geli, and routed his people, who fled into Scotland, and thence into the Low Countries, and after died miserably at Louvain.  

Commotions in Ireland.  After this were divers commotions raised in Ireland, but suppressed by the Earl of Ormend, the King of Spain never ceasing with his Ministers and agents to molest her Majesty in all places, and upon all occasions; he first pretended the deliverance of the Scotch Queen, but Duke D'alva being then his General in the Low Countries dissuaded him from that enterprise, 
Spanish Plots.  by reason of her former marriage with the French King, alleging that when England was first invaded, and then conquered, which they presumed was to be as soon achieved as attempted, it would rather fall to the French then the Spaniard, yet they concluded that they should never be peaceably possessed of the Low Countries till they had England in their possession; which to compass they thought it best to begin with Ireland, but after some vain attempts not answering their hopes, and many preparations which they kept smothered all, in the year eighty eight burst out into flame and combustion. 
Eighty eight.   
In the interim were divers domestic conspiracies discovered, 
Domestic conspiracies.  in which were engaged Thomas Standly and Edward his brother the younger sons of the Earl of Derby; in this were interessed Thomas Gerard, Hall, and Rolstone, a Pensioner to the Queen, who was the first that disclosed the design: Sir Henry Percy made another attempt to the like purpose, upon condition that his brother the Earl of Northumberland might be delivered out of Scotland, 
Discovered.  where he sheltered himself; his assotiates were powel Sanford, a Gentleman pensioner, and one Owen, a servant to the Earl of Arundel; 
Prevented.  about this business were committed the Earls of Arundel and South-hampton, the Lords Lumlee and Cobham, etc.  
After these in the year 1576. Don john of Austria brother to Philip king of Spain, 
Don john of Austria aims at the Crown of England and Scotland.  much tumored with the honour purchased in that incomparable Sea fight against the Turk, commonly called the battle of Lepantho, in which he had been chief General, and now being made Governor of the Low Countries, conceiving that poor title too narrow to limit his unbounded aims, begins to cast divers projects how first by releasing, and after marrying the Queen of Scots, to possess himself of the two Crowns of England and Scotland, 
One brother crosseth the other.  but King Philip unwilling the younger brother should parallel the elder, either in stile or state, and reserving England as a dainty morsel to relish his own palate, would neither afford him countenance nor assistance, though to that purpose he was earnestly solicited by one Escovedus sent by him out of the netherlands into Spain; but being slightly put off by Peresius, Secretary to the Catholic King, yet secretly and subtly did Don john negotiate this business, labouring to have in his entire possession, all the havens of Biskey where a Navy might be prepared there to make their randevoves, ready at all opportunity to invade England; 
England aimed at by all.  deeply dissembling all that while with Queen Elizabeth, under the colour of soliciting a perpetual peace, which juggling was first discovered by the Prince of Orange; and she finding it to be true, concluded a league with the Low Countries, with a promise of mutual aid one to another, which soever should be first distressed: 
The death of Don john.  soon after Don john in the height of his hopes and prime of his age expired, some think by poison, others of the Plague, others of grief, to be so slighted by the King his brother, after he successively had aimed at the kingdom of Funis, where Guleta in Africa was left to his great dishonour.  

Captain Thomas Stukley.  I cannot here omit the traitorous attempts of captain Thomas Stukley, who after he had rioted his whole estate here in England went over into Ireland, and there having projected with some Romists', went thence into Italy, where by his great ostentations and brags, he got admittance into the presence of Pope Pius quintus; whom by his insinuation he made constantly believe that with a small Band of Italian Soldiers he would not only expel all the English out of Ireland, 
Brave boasts.  but bring it under the principality of Rome, burning the Queen's Navy, etc. but Pope Pius dying before aught was concluded; he than importuned his successor Gregory the thirteenth who harkened unto him upon promise to make james Beulampagno (who went under the name of the Pope's bastard, and was a little before made marquis of Vineola) King of Ireland; 
Tempting titles.  Stukley also should be honoured with the titles of marquis of Lageu, Earl of Wepford and Ca●erlogh, Viscount of Morough, and Baron of Rosse; all these things concluded, Stukley was made general of eight hundred Italian Soldiers who were stipendaries to the king of Spain. But Stukley arriving with his army in Portugal, and entering the mouth of Tagus found there Sebastian the young King (before solicited by Mahomet the son of Abdela King of Fez (prepared for the African wars, which King so far persuaded and prevailed with Stukley that he assotiated him with his Italians into 〈◊〉, 
Stukley's slain in the great battle of Alcazer.  and was slain in that great battle of A'lcazer, where died with him that day three Kings; Sebastian, Mahomet, and A●del M●lech: by Sebastian's death the King of Spain altered his purpose, for the present invading England to possess himself of the Crown of Portugal, and his pretended invasion did not discover itself till the year eighty eight.  
Notwithstanding the death of Stukley, new troubles were raised in Ireland by one Nicolas Saunders, 
Nicolas Saunders a pestilent Traitor.  a pestilent Traitor; whose pen and tongue were most maliciously saucy against her sacred Majesty, who in his contumelious Libels neither spared the Queen's mother dead, nor the daughter living; he having purchased a consecrared Banner landed amongst the Rebels, 
Sam. josephus.  with power Legantine, whether also was sent one Sam. josephus with seven hundred Italians and Spaniards to join with the rovolted Earl of Desmond his brother Fitsmoris and others, but in small process after much effusion of blood on both sides the Earl died miserably, 
The unpitied death of the rebels.  and Saunders mad.  
To pass over the Treason of Sommervele, and his father in Law Arderne, in which the young man animated by the jesuits drew his sword in the Court to have slain the Queen: 
Divers other conspirators.  as also the conspiracy of Thomas Lord Paget, Francis Throgmorton, s Charles Arundel, with divers noble gentlemen, drawn into the suspicion of horrible undertaking; as Henry Earl of Northumberland, Philip Earl of Arundel, Henry Howard, brother to the Duke of Norfolk, which drew themselves into question of their loyalty by their several commitments.  
Monstrous also and unmanly were the projections of Bernardinus Mendoza, 
Bernardinus Mendoza base proceeding.  Ambassador here for the Catholic King, who most perfidiously and against the Laws of kingdoms and nations, during his residence here, conspired against the life of her sacred Majesty, not only hiring Ruffaines and debnist male contents to that purpose, but even seeking to corrupt her Maids of Honour next about her, which though proved against him, yet she suffered him to depart her presence, gently admonished but no way disgraced, but stung in his own conscience he soon after basely and shamefully as a man branded with all infamies stole out of the Land.  
The like machinations were hatched by Cardinal Alan Engle-field and Rosse, 
Cardinal Alan and others  both against her person and Provinces, being all her natural subjects, as also the Hispani●ied and italianated Doctor Parry made up out of Spain's policy and Italy's poison, 
Doctor Parry.  who notwithstanding her Majesty had pardoned his life forfeit for burglary, and after received him to grace, and vouchsafing him her presence was armed with a Pistol to have slain her in her Garden.  
Concerning the fourteen Traitors I will only give you their names, 
The fourteen traitors.  whose jesuitical plots began in one savage, whom report gave out to be Filius populi, a Bastard being (as he said) persuaded to that treason by Gilbert Gifford and one Hodstone, Priests, that (being begot in her) was seconded by Anthony Backington; incorporated into that bloody action by Ballard Priest, to these were conlatinated Edward Winsore a young Gentleman, Thomas Salsoury of an ancient house in Denbighshire, Charles Filney, a young heir, and the sole hope of his Family, Pensioner to the Queen, Chedioc Fitchburne of Hamshiere, Edward Abenton, whose father was Cofferer, Robert Gage of Surry, john Traverse, john Charnock of Lancashiere Gentlemen, john jones, whose father had been Queen Mary's Tailor, Henry Dunne a Clerk of the first fruits Office, and Barowell an Irish Gentleman, who of all the rest was only known to her Majejestie.  

Queen Elizabeth's confidence in the Almighty.  One thing I cannot here forget to observe her great magnanimity and confidence in the Almighty, when this conspiracy was known unto her, notwithstanding all these lay lurking about the City to wait their best opportunity, yet she not forbearing to show herself abroad, and living then at Richmond, and walking to take the Air upon the green before the Court gate she espied Barowell, and taking special notice of him as one that had vowed her death, though she saw him armed to the like purpose, she went towards him, when suddenly turning herself to Sir Christopher Hatton and the rest of the Lords she said, am not I well guarded think you my Lords, 
A rare spirit in a Princess  who conducting me abroad if I should be injured or assaulted have not one Sword amongst you all to defend me? then looking earnestly upon Barnwell said unto him; but here is a Gentleman I see who walks better armed; this done she retired herself, and thus much Barnwell the same night told to the rest of the conspirators, whom the devil had so blinded that they perceived not by that, their plot to be disclosed: all the use they made of it was to say, how easily might she then have been dispatched if more of us had been then present; but to come to their ends, 
The death of the fourteen Traitors.  they were all apprehended, committed, convicted and condemned, and on the twentieth of September in Lincoln's Inn fields hanged and quartered.  
In the year 1567. L' Aubespineus the French Ambassador, a man wholly engaged into the Guisian faction, 
The French Ambassador.  was no less turbulent than Bernard Mendoza the Spaniard, he by his Secretary Trappius and others daily undermining the State, and insidiating the Queen's person, dealt with a Gentleman called William Stafford, whose mother was of the Queen's Bedchamber, who promised him wonders both from the Guisians, and the King of Spain, if he would undertake to kill the Queen, which confessed by Stafford, and being palpably proved against him he excused all his proditory undermine with the privilege of his place.  

The Spanish Armado.  Next was the great preparation of the Spanish Armado, styled by the Pope the Navy invincible, provided with infinite care, and accommodated with inestimable cost, which till it was discovered upon the Seas, was not known to be ready for action, by reason that the Duke of Parma at that time continued his dissembled treatise of peace, and had Deligates then in England with commission to the same purpose; but their supposed invincibility being really vanquished and their great Armado most of it sunk, 
The Navy styled invincible defeated.  and the rest destitute and scattered, yet the beaten and battled Spaniard, seeing he could neither endanger her Land, nor damage her life, by force, set his Engines on work to undermine them by fraud, and though in that great and invaluable loss sustained in the perishing of his Navy; when his Coffers were almost quite exhausted, yet could they offord fifty thousand crowns (promised, though not paid down, to corrupt Doctor Lopez a jew borne, and one of her sworn Physicians to take away her life, 
Doctor Lopes his treason.  by poisonous confection; the easilier to be done because he was one in whose fidelity she much trusted, which the avaricious wretch (whose motto was Quid labitis) undertaking, was like a perfidious Traitor soon after drawn, hanged, and quartered. 
His death.   
Let me not here forget the Camp at Tilbery in which her Majesty was in person, 
Her Majesty's deportment in the Camp at Tilbury.  and that if the Spaniard had prevailed by Sea to have given him battle by land, appearing in the head of her Troops, and encouraging her Soldiers, habited like an Amazonian Queen, Buskined and plumed, having a golden Truncheon, Gauntlet, and Gorget; Arms sufficient to express her high and magnanimous spirit, who when she understood the proud enemy was utterly defeated, and that her English soil was too hot for any invaders to tread upon, she dissolved her Campe. And to show how much she vilefied their former undertake, and how little she feared what they might attempt thence after; the very next year following she sent an Army into Portugal, 
The next year she assaulted Lysbone.  invading the invaders, and braving her much daunted enemy even in his own dominions.  
I conclude all her miraculous preservations with that of Edward Squire, 
The treason of Edward Squire.  one belonging to the Queen's stable; who being in Spain received from one Walpoole a jesuit, a strong and mortiferous confection in a bladder, to poison the Pommel of her Saddle, who after his return waiting his opportunity, and by reason of his place and former acquaintance not being suspected, when her Majesty was to take horse, he came openly with a smiling countenance in the presence of many, and having pricked the bladder wearing a thick caned glove clapped his hand upon the Pommel of the Saddle, and with a cheerful voice said, God save the Queen, wherein it pleased God (as mine author saith) to take his word not his meaning; for by God's great providence neither in mounting nor alighting, nor all the way she road she once touched the Pommel. 
A miraculous preservation.  For which attempt he by his voluntary confession was convicted and condemned.  
Thus have I described unto you a Vestal for virginity, 
A Character of Queen Elizabeth.  a Mirror of Majesty, no less celebrated for religious piety, then regal dignity; with no afflictions affrighted, no disasters daunted: to her friends a mother, her foes a terror, maliciously pursued, miraculously preserved, of women the wonder, of Princess, the Paravant, Elizabeth.   
FINIS.   

A brief Index or Table of the Contents in the Premises.  


In the life of DEBORAH.  
WHat this Deborah was. Page 5.  
The Etimoligy of her name. p. 6  
Her Character. ibid.  
In what estate Israel stood in her time. ibid.  
joshuahs' victories with the manner of his death. ib.  
Israel's Idolatry. p. 7  
Gods great mercy towards them. ib.  
The judges. ib.  
Israel's Trial. ib.  
Baalaim and Asheroth. p. 8  
Of Cushan Kishataim, King of Aram. ib.  
Othnill the son of Ken●z. ib.  
Eglon King of Moab. ib.  
Ehud the son of Gera who slew Eglon ib.  
Shamgar the son of Anath. ib.  
The Israelites ingratitude towards God. p. 9  
The tyranny of jabin, King of Canaan. ib.  
Deborah a judgesse in Israel. p. 10  
The place where she dwelled. ib.  
Her speech to Barack the son of Abinoham. ib.  
Baracks' timorousness. p. 11.  
Deborah's magnanimity. ib.  
The muster of the two Tribes of Nepthali and Zebulon. ibid.  
Of Heber the Kenite. p. 12  
His temporize betwixt the Israelites and the Canaanites. ib.  
The dangerous effects of war. p. 13  
The office of a General. ib.  
The fruits of tyranny. p. 14  
The nature of Ambition ib.  
Of Sysera and his preparation for war. p. 15  
Mount Tabor. ib.  
The River Kishon. ib.  
Deborah encourageth Baruck before the battle. ib.  
The effects of fear. p. 16  
Syseras Army ro●ted. ib.  
He flying, comes to the Tent of Jael the wife of Hebar. ib.  
Her entertainment of Sysera. p. 17  
His fear being in her tent. ib.  
J●el killeth Sisera. p. 19  
Deborah and Jael compared for their masculine virtue. ib.     


JUDETH.  
OF the two Kings Nabuchodonozer and Arphaxad. p. 22  
The two great Cities of Niniveh and Echbatane. ib.  
The nomination of sundry Rivers. p. 23  
Nabuchodonozers commandment despised. ib.  
King Arphaxad discomfited and slain. ib.  
Nebuchodonozer after his victory feasteth his boast an hundred and twenty days. p. 24  
Holophernes his chief Captain; and his Army. ib.  
The magnificent provision of his boast. ib.  
His tyranny. p. 25  
Nabuchodonozer proclaimed a God. ib.  
The preparations of Israel against Holophernes. ib.  
Joachim the high Priest. ib.  
The Israelites prayer and repentance. p. 26.  
Achior Captain of the Amorites. ib.  
His speech to Holophernes. p. 27  
The blasphemy of Holophernes. ib.  
Achior brought into Bethulia. p. 28  
Ozias, Chabris, and Charmis, Governors of Bethulia. ib.  
Achior comforted and feasted by the Elders. ib.  
The great distress of Bethulia. p. 29  
Judeth the widow of Manaffes. ib.  
Her zeal and abstinence. p. 30  
She reproacheth the Elders of Bethulia. ib.  
The reply of Ozias to Judeth. p. 31  
She changeth her garments of widowhood. ib.  
Her wonderful beauty. p. 32  
Her maid. ib.  
Judeth brought before Holophernes. p. 33  
Her speech to him. ib.  
The answer of Holophernes. p. 35  
She is brought into his Tent. ib.  
The feast of Holophernes to his servants. p. 36  
Bagoas the Eunuch. ib.  
Holophernes infidiateth her chastity. ib.  
She eateth and drinketh in his presence. p. 37  
Holophernes overcome with wine. ib.  
Holophernes slain by Judeth. p. 38  
Judeth with her maid come back to Bethulia. ib.  
Her counsel to the Governors. p. 39  
Achiors ecstasy at the sight of the head of Holophernes. ib.  
Holophernes found without an head. p. 40  
The Assyrians disheartened. ib.  
Their buast utterly discomfited. p. 41  
The High Priests and the Eldersblesse Judeth. ib.  
Their honour done to her for their miraculous 〈◊〉. p. 42  
Judeths' thanksgiving and offering. ib.  
Her age and death. p. 43    


ESTHER.  
WHat Ahashueras was. p. 46  
His great feast to his Princes. p. 47.  
His feast to the people. ib.  
Queen Vasthis feast. 48.  
Her contempt of the King's command. ib.  
Memucans' censure of Vasthi. ib.  
A decree against the Queen. 49  
Who Mordecai was. 50  
Who Esther or Hadasha was. ib.  
Esther received into the King's Palace. ib.  
Esther crowned Queen. 51  
Treason against the King discovered by Mordecai. ib.  
The exaltation of Haman, Mordecai bendeth not the knee to Haman. ib.  
Hamans' purpose utterly to supplant the Jews. 52  
The decree sealed for the destruction of the Jews. 53  
Mordecai's sorrow for his people. ib.  
Queen Esther comforteth her Uncle Mordecai. 54  
Queen esther's fast. 55  
Queen Esther appears before the King and finds favour. ib.  
The King and Haman invited to her banquet. 56  
Hamans' hate to Mordecai. ib.  
His pride and confidence. ib.  
Haman maketh a Gibbet fifty foot high to hang Mordecai. 57  
Gods providence to preserve his people. ib.  
Pride catchy in her own net. 58  
Haman is force to honour Mordecai. ib.  
What envy is. 59  
The King and Haman at esther's banquet. 60  
esther's request to the King. ib.  
Hamans' pride turned into base fear. 61  
Haman hanged on the gallows prepared for Mordecai. ib.  
esther's petition for the Jews. 62  
The decree against the Jews broken. ib.  
Liberty granted to the Jews. 63  
Mordecai's royal apparel. ib.  
The Jews revenge upon their enemy. 64  
haman's ten sons hanged. 65  
A memorial for the Jews great deliverance. ib.  
Mordecai the second man in the kingdom. ib.    


BONDUCA.  
HEr several appellations. 70  
Prasutagus her husband maketh Caesar Co-keyre with his Queen and daughters. 71  
The unjust proceedings of the Romans. ib.  
Their barbarous lust and cruelty. 72  
Bunduca's person and condition. ib.  
Reason's Inducing the Britons so rebel against the Romans. 73  
Swetonius Paulinus the Roman General. ib.  
Bunduca's first insurrection. 74  
Her royal Army. ib.  
Her habit in Battle. ib.  
The place where she encamped. 75  
Her oration to her Soldiers. ib.  
Her division of the Romans 76  
The goddess Andate or victory. 77  
The providence of Paulinus Swetonius. ib.  
The strength of the Romans in Britain. 78  
The estate of the City Comelodunum at that time. 79  
The estate of the Roman Colonies. 80  
The City demolished. 81  
Bunduca intercepteth the Roman expidition. ib.  
She prosecuteth her victory. ib.  
The demeanour of the Roman General. 82  
Virulam sacked and spoiled. ib.  
The cruel behaviour of the enraged Britain's. 83  
The courage of the Roman General. 84  
The number of the Bunduca's Army. ib.  
The place where she encamped. 85  
The time of the years. ib.  
The martialling of the Roman Army. 86  
The proportion of a Legion. ib.  
Bunduca in the Battle. 87  
The order of her Battle. ib.  
She encourageth her Soldiers. 88  
The onset on both sides. ib.  
A description of the Battle. 89  
Valour on both sides. ib.  
The Romans Victors. 90  
The Britons Army routed. ib.  
The numbers slain on both sides. 91  
Of Bunduca after the battle. ib.  
Her death and place of burial. ib.  
Divers opinions concerning her place of enterrement. ib.    


PENTHISILAEA.  
OF Viragoes, or women of masculine Spirit. 96  
Of Camilla, Helerna, Semiramis, Zenobia. 97  
Hypsecratea, Tomyris, Teuca, Maria, Puteolana. 98  
Of the Amazons in general. 99  
Their original. 100  
Whence they derived their names. 101  
Marthesia, Lampedo, Orreta, Antiope. ib.  
Menelippe, Penthifilaea. 102  
Securigera, Vexillifera, Peltifera. 103  
Penthisilaea's beauty. ib.  
The death of Penthisilaea. 104  
Monithaea or Thalestris in the time of Alexander. 105  
The end of the Amazonean race. ib.  
The manners of the Scythians. 106  
The custom of the Sarromates. 107  
Their Kings at their death. 109    


ARTIMESIA.  
Heroic women in all ages. 112  
Renowned women. 113  
The seven wonders of the world, and first of the Egyptian Pyramids. 114  
Of King Cleopas and Rhodopen, the second wonder. 115  
The third and fourth wonder. 116  
A fifth wonder. 117  
The sixth wonder. 118  
The beautiful Palace of Cyrus. ib.  
A strange controversy betwixt the two Cities of Athens and Elis. ib.  
Phidias. 118  
The pleading of the Athenians. 120  
The stout answer of the Aelians. 122  
The seaventh wonder erected by Queen Artimesia. ib.  
The gravers of King Mausolus' Tomb. 123  
Rare builders and Architectors. ib.  
Mausolea. 124  
The magnanimity of Queen Artime●ia. 125  
Her brave demeanour in that great naval fight betwixt the Persians and the Grecians, Xerxes his character of Queen Artimesia. 126    


ELPHLEDA.  
OF com●ustions and 〈◊〉 women. 132  
Helena, Hyppodamia, Aspa●ia, Poli●o, Lavinia. 133  
Dejareira, Nicostrate, Polidices, Lucretia. ibid.  
Virginea, Phaedra, Martia, Thais. 134  
A Catalogue of excellent and eminent women. ib.  
Dominica, juguldis. 135  
Glotildis, Placida, Pomp●ia, Paulin●, Helena, Monicha. 136  
Etheldredus raised the first School in Oxford. 137  
King Alureds' issue. ib.  
A remarkable accident. 138  
The Danes defeated by stratagem. 139  
King Edward's numerous issue. 140  
Whence Spinsters came. ib.  
The first proof of Elphledas' valour. 141  
Her monomachy, and brave victory. 142  
Her valour and piety. 143  
Her Acts, buildings and repairing of decayed Cities. ib.  
Her rare chastity and of her daughter Elswina. 144  
Of chastity and beauty. 145  
Further of her valour, the Danes outrages, and the death of Turbitillus. 146  
An emulation betwixt two women, with a strange deliverance. 147  
Elphleda's death, and further of her daughter. 148  
Her Epitaph. 149  
Her brother King Edward's victories, and of King Ethelstane. 150    


Queen MARGARET.  
A Preparation for her marriage. 154  
Her bringing over into England with her marriage to King Edward the sixth. 155  
She assumeth regal prerogative. 156  
The death of Humphrey Duke of Gloster, with his Character. 157  
A Parliament at Leicester: the death of the marquis of Suffolk. 158  
Blue-beard, jack Cade, the birth of Prince Edward. 159  
The Queen the raiser of all combustions. ib.  
The proceedings of the Duke of York, a peace betwixt the King and the Duke; The Duke of York sent to the Tower. 160  
Somerset made Captain of Calais, new combustion by the Queen's party. 161  
The battle at Saint Alban, the King prisoner, the Duke of York Protector, and discharged of his Protectorship 162  
Procession to Paul's, and of Andrew Trollop. 163  
john Dinham surpriseth the King's Navy, and Simon Mountford beheaded by the Yorkists. 165  
The bettaile at Northampton, the King taken, and York lodged in the King's Palace. 166  
York claims the Crown, his pride, the decree of the Parliament. 167  
The battle of Wakefield, the Duke of Yo●ke slain. 168  
Another battle at Saint Alban, Prince Edward made King, the Earl of Marsh raiseth new Forces. 169  
Edward Earl of Marsh made King, the bloody battle at Sherborne. 170  
Henry with his Queen fly into Scotland. 171  
Edward crowned, Queen Margaret's Army, her distress by Sea. 172  
Exam-field: Henry took prisoner, King Edward marrieth the Lady Grey. 173  
The Lady Bona, the Duke of Clarens, and Earl of Warwick proclaimed Rebels. 174  
Henry Proclaimed King again, and Edward flies the Land. 175  
Edward Lands in England, possesseth York, King Henry surprised by Edward. 176  
The battle at Barnet. 177  
Queen Margaret Lands in England, the battle at Teuxbury. 178  
Queen Margaret's magnanimity, Prince Edward murdered by the Duke of Gloster. 179  
Queen Margaret sent into her country, King Henry's death and burial. 180    


Queen ELIZABETH.  
A Character of Queen Elizabeth. 184  
Her descent. 185  
Her birth, baptism; Queen Katherine the mother and Mary her daughter disabled of all regal claim. 186  
The Lady Elizabeth's constellation, infancy, childhood. 187  
Prince Edward created Prince of Wales. ibid.  
The great love betwixt Edward and Elizabeth, brother and sister. 188  
The death of King Henry the eighth. ibid.  
Prince Edward proclaimed King, his Coronation. 189  
The Lady Elizabeth's first suitors, her modesty. 190  
The death of King Edward the sixth, the Lady Jane proclaimed Queen. 191  
The Duke of Northumberland sent against the Lady Mary. ib.  
Northumberland beheaded, the deaths of the Duke of Suffolk, the Lady Jane, and Guildford Dudley. 192  
Mary proclaimed Queen. ib.  
Her Coronation, the Lady Elizabeth's troubles. 193  
The Bishop of Winchester pursueth her life, her committing to the Tower. 194  
Her cruel usage and patience, King Philip favoureth her. 195  
An imposterous birth. ib.  
King Philip discovereth the plot, his departure out of the Land. 196  
Observations concerning Q. mary's reign, Calais lost. ib  
The death of Queen Mary, the Lady Elizabeth proclaimed Queen. 197  
Her Coronation, and how the state stood in the beginning of her reign. 198  
King Philip would marry Queen Elizabeth. ib.  
Preparations of the French to invade England, Spain, France and Scotland combine against her. 199  
Her prudent preparations, new invasions threatened, the Bull of Pope Pius Quintus. 200  
A rebellion in the North, Leonard Dakers, his revolt from the Queen. 201  
Dakers Forces routed by the Lord Hunsden, commotions in Ireland, Spanish plots. 202  
Domestic conspiracies discovered, prevented, and of Don John of Austria. 203  
The death of Don John, and of Captain Thomas Stukley 204  
His brave boasts, tempting titles, and at length slain in the battle of Alcazar. 205  
Nicholas Saunders a pestilent Traitor Sam. Josephus the Earl of Desmond, with divers others, conspirators. 206  
Bernardin, Mendozas base proceedings, Cardin, Allan, Doctor Parry, the fourteen Traitors. 207  
Q. Elizabeth's great confidence in the Almighty. 208  
The death of the fourteen Traitors, the French Ambassador 209  
The Spanish Armado, styled Invincible, Doctor Lopez, his Treason and death. 210  
Her Majesty's departments in the Camp of Tilbury, the Treason of Edward Squire. 211  
Queen Elizabeth's miraculous preservation, her Character. 212    

Excusing the Compositor, who received this Copy in a difficult and unacquainted hand, and the Corrector who could not be always ready in regard of some necessary employments, I entreat the generous Reader to take notice of these Errata following, and to rectify them in his reading after this manner,  
FOr Geinni, read Gemini Page 8. for firei, r. 〈◊〉, p. 16. for Bethalmir. Beth●●●● p. 10. for moved. r. mooned p. 94. for 〈◊〉 r. sons p. 98. for ●●xores, r. ve●bres p. 99 for orbs r. orbis p. 114. for Azerpegita r. Areopagitas p. 117 for for r. from p. 112. for Med●● r. Modi●. p. 124. for Vru●ia r. Urania, for 〈◊〉. Elphleda p. 130. and so through the whole history, for effeminary, Efferminacy p. 13● for possion r. possession p. 170. for Lady Bov● r Bona p. 174. for wor● r Co●rt, p. 191. for exposed r. opposed, for demend r. ormard p. 202. for Funis r. Tunis▪ for lest r. lost p. 204. for wepsond r we●sord p. 205. for Backington r. ●ubington p. 208 for Conlatinated r. concatinated, ibid. for filney r. Tyl●ey, ibid., for Fichburne r. Tichburne, for 〈…〉 ibid., etc.  
FINIS.