THE Famous & renowned History of Morindos a King of Spain; Who married with Miracola a Spanish Witch: and of their seven daughters, (rightly surnamed Ladies with bleeding hearts:) their births, their lives and their deaths.  
A History most wonderful, strange, and pleasant to the reader.  
LONDON Printed for H R. and are to be sold at his Shop in the Poultry under Saint Mildred's Church. 1609.   


How Morindos a King of Spain married with Miracola a Witch: and how he was transformed without shape for polluting the Temple of God.  
CHAP. ay  
WHen Spain was nursed with the milk of paganism, virtue not known; nor God honoured, there lived a people so ripe in sin, that the kéene edge of shames sickle, lay even ready whetted to reap them down for confusion's harvest: yet the subjects then living where not so wicked as the King vicious: a King we name him, (if illustrious title of majesty, may grace so pernicious a foe to nature with so royal a style) his birth was fatal, for when the midwife pulled him from the cradle of his conception, the earthquake, and heaven reigned blood: his parents ominous, the one devoured by wolves, the other burnt to death by thunder: his youth full unlucky chances, his age tyrannous and mischievous, and all his life subject to black misdeeds. When his parets by heavens wrath had ended thus their, dates, he reigned King, and wore the imperial Diadem, but such a King, good men thought never sprung from woman's womb. Morindos for so we name him, being seated upon the throne of majesty, ruled not in love but by force, making his nobles slaves to his sin, and their wives, feeders of his lust: for every day in the year he had a several concubine, all young, beautiful, and lovely: nature framed their bodies fair, though sin made their souls black: for both art and riches endeavoured to delight his insatiate desires: earth's chiefest pleasures were at his command: and all the lullabies of content, rocked him in the cradle of security: thus careless of heavens wrath, he more honoured the Devil, than he loved God: and what was the vilest to nature, he most doted upon. But now after all these pleasures of his wanton youth, the kind embraces of his fair concubines, which like earthly Angels made him happy in nature's sports, he wickedly fell enamoured upon one of the devils black saints, one Madam Miracola, a Witch of damnation, now burning in heli for her black deeds: this Madam Miracola borne of noble parentage, brought up in the deepest arts, skilful in Magic charms, and incantations, who having spent seven years in that deep mystery of conjuration, seldom sleeping without the sosciety of spirits, fairies, goblins, or nightly shapes: her chiefest study and aim was at principality, to rule sole Queens and governor of the Kingdom, and no way was there to attain to that imperial seat, but by marrying with king Morindos, though not a match fit, he being descended royally, she but nobly: yet by sorceries, witchcrafts, and magic devices, she obtained her purpose, and in this manner obtained it.  
Upon a time when King Morindos, in the height of his revels, whilst some of his fairest concubines, danced before him naked in their cambric smocks: the more to enkindle lusts fire, she entered the chamber of their licentious sports, with a mask of wonder, the like never seen in Prince's court: for all the Maskers (except herself) were infernal spirits, vissible, but not tangable, all in the shape of young Ladis, attired in more changeable silks than the colours of the Rainbow: her self in a rob of such richness, as it sémed to exceed the glory of the sun for brightness: her own body she imbathed and supled with a water of such enchantment, that what man soever first set eye upon her, either present love or present death, had destiny allotted him: for well knew she that no man presumed his presence, during this time of pleasure.  
This Madam Miracola, assisted by the black states of hell, by delusions won the king's love: whose unconstant eyes, no sooner first their inflecting beams on this kill cokatrice: but all on a sudden fire his love inflamed that nothing could quench it, but her love joined to his, which were immediately sealed together: love, desire, and lust, so conspired against his bewitched heart, that he presently avoided the chamber of his intifing damsels, and she of her deluding spirits: remaining then but two bodies, two hearts, and two tongues, he began to reveal loves secrecy in this manner: Madam quoth he (knowing her to be a long attender in his court) good or evil fortune hath enchanted me, and now thy present love or hate, must either glorify me with earthly happiness, or send me wandering to the dark some walks of death, where no society but crawling worms and dead men's bones are resident: deny me not therefore good Madam, I am this country's Potentate, I can command both wealths and power, cities, towers, and towns: Statesmen stoop, and humly kneel unto my soot: royalties, dignitles, and all other kingly promotions, are at my disposing: unto my pleasures all the land submits: delights are my vassals, both land, & sea as subjects strive to make me happy: I am an earthly God, be thou my Goddess, take all these honours, I will attend on thee, I'll be thy subject, thy servant, I will kiss thy foot: deny not my love for thou hast bewitched my heart, enchanted me, fired me with a quenchless flame, all my body burns and nothing but the sweet Dew of the grant can qualify it: make me either unfortunate or happy sweet Madam. This being breathed from his longing soul, she far more tractable to loves motions then he, made a full conclusion of a willing acceptance in this fort: I have a mind imperious monarch (said she) soaring up to the battlements of heaven, no base desires nor lowebred thought, shall any whit aspire my princely will: I aim at a kingly bed, where maisstie sleeps, whose chamber is imperious, guarded with commanding statesmen: seven weary winters, and as many summers have my hopes been climbing up this kingly ladder, and now on the top of fortune's wheel am I fallen into a prince's bosom: in loving me (great King) thou conquerest fate, thou subiectest hell, thou mayst (by my assistance) command legions of the black host to hover over thy Palace, and in the twinkling of an eye, blast up all thy wicked conspirators: if our minds but once prove equal in the cheer of soveraingty, the earth shall be far too little for thy government: my magic charms shall unbowel the earth, rip up her bosom, ransack her rich treasures for thy use: my magic charms for thee, and for thy pleasure shall empty the vast Drean and cram thy kingdom with those riches that man's eye hath not seen since the world's creation: my charms for thy content shall pave thy Court with pearls, hemorrhoids and Diamonds: command great king, and the marble stones that now compass thy palace shall dance, and the air like singing Cherubins sound us heavenly harmony: contents delights, pleasures, joys, and all the solaces of heaven and earth, shall be thy attendants by investing me thy equal in great majesty: thus, and in this manner did she climb the supremacy, and tied upon her back the title of a Quéeve. Being both enchanted thus, and entangled in the snares of desire, they immediately tied Hymen's knot, aband that none sunders but death: the marriage they solemnized the same night, not able to stay the morning's rise, but as black thoughts have black events, so in black manner was this marriage celebrated, it was even at the middle of night, when the Screech-owl, Kockes, and Doremices, sleep in foggy mists: it was even at that hour when the ghosts of dead men walk, when murderers dream of villainy, even when the earth had her sable garments on, was this sacred knot united, both being impatient of delay, he burning in lust, she aspiring a kingdom, converted the holy temple to a marriage bed: be ever black this deed of hell, and never be it sold but with a trembling tongue, for never was night more dark than this: the fable curtains of the air were all as pitch, and seemed so hide this polluted sin: the earth cast up such a misty vapour, that extingguished both fire and cresset-lights: art could not make one candles flame, nor any mean of brightness to behold each other: so wicked was this enterprise of theirs, that both heaven & earth showed fatal prodigies, and every thing (that dismal night) grew different from nature: nothing was heard but bowling Dogs, croaking Loads, and hissing snakes, unknown voices bellowed in the court, and the polluted Temple so vilely stained, was compassed about with ghastly spirits, Fire-drakes and walking Goblins. But mark now the strangest of all wonders, even at the very instant when the seed of procreation conjoined; even as it were a cry of mandrakes struck the King into a madness, blaspheming heaven till his tongue grew dumb, his eyes blind, his ears dease, his joints numb, and all his body shapeless. And as a Bear new whelped like a lamp of flesh without fashion, lay clasped in the arms of this new made Queen. But now when the morning came, and that the light of heaven summoned all creatures from sleep, the Nobles of his court came to his bed, five, thinking to give them both a joyful good morrow, but even as their lips gave way to their tongue's passage, their eyes espied this fearful accident: a judgement that heaven hath seldom yet shown, which was a king, deaf, dumb, blind and senseless, by breathing life: which strange fight struck the nobles into such a maze, that without any further speech they forsook the court, confidently thinking it unhappy, in harbouring so vile a monster as this king was. Now this new made Queen or damned enchantress, having purchased a kingdom by hirblacke proceedings, was so blinded with the greatness of majesty, and so ravished with the brightness of a crown, being now sole Queen and governor thereof, made a careless sport of god's indgment, and having in her court none left but parasites, and flatterers, such as are commonly the right hands to principalities, made the greatest sinners the most honourable, and held the vicious in best regard: the deformed shape of the king having life but no senses, she caused to be put in a brazen coffin, and fed him daily with human blood, which she poured into his mouth through quills of silver: the success hereof you shall hear in the next chapter, and what a strange conception she had after this first night of her marriage.   

Here the enchanted Queen made the Devils a banquet with her husband's body: her three questions to the same Devils, and their answers, and of her despairing lamentations in a dark dungeon.  
Chap. 2.  
SDone blasted were the hopes of this aspiring Queen, and scowling mischance with a bended brow, hemmed in their marriage bed: heavens wrath and hell's fury, laid heavy burdens upon them, and as it were, broke their heartstrings asunder: for Miracola, after she had coffined her deformed husband, yet breathing life, melancholy despair and pining grief chiefly atended upon her: discontent, suspicion, and fear were her gardiants by day, and by night: strange visions, doleful outcries & unquiet dreams assailed her: wild beasts strayed from the woods and in same manner made them dens within her court: unlucky birds forsook the air to sit vippon her palace, such as nightowles and crooking ravens be, sounding forth fatal and harsh harmony: the sun seemed to shine upon her with a scowling face, the moon as a shamed of her soulesdamnation (in conferring thus with devils) as it were drew back behind the pitchy clouds, and unwillingly lent light unto the meaner stars: each thing grew contrary to kind, only herself excepted, for she having made an atonement with the princes of the fiery world, put her whole confidence in them, and only trusted through their assistance, to lead Fortune in a string and at her pleasure command kingdoms. So upon an evening, when the days bright eye had left heavens sater palace, and night with her black canopy, had compassed in the earth, she betook her to her private chamber, where Medea like, she raised up her old servants, the furies or rather the spirits of darkness, from their burning beds, such as condemned souls lie flaming upon, who no sooner presented themselves before her, but she questioned them in this manner: I charge you (quoth she) you enemies to heaven and man, by the band and condition made betwixt you and me sealed with my dearest blood, and by the seven sucking babes that I once offered to you at midnight, and by the hope you have of my souloes purchase at my deaths fatal hour, answer me truly to three several questions which here I will presently propound unto you: first how long my life shall continue, secondly whether I shall die a Queen or not: lastly the number of my children and their following fortunes: to which proposttions, these instruments of mischief immediately condescended to answer, but upon this strange condition following: that as a toe to these black barrasters, she should deliver up her husband's deformed body, and serve it to them in seven several banquets, that both his flesh and blood, as a bribe to hell might be made food for spirits: which demand to this woman monster, seemed but an easierequest, and therefore like to the viper, which feeds upon her own dam, gave that life and body to the tyranny of hell, which ought to have been precious in the ease of heaven, and the dearest jewel of her own heart: These diligent deceivers having no sooner promise of this purchased prize, but in a misticali sort, or riddle like, gave answers to her three former questions, in this sort: First, for the continuance of her life, they said she should live till the seven days of the week were forgotten: the second question was, whether she should die a queen or not, they answered that neither heaven nor earth, God nor man, should take her kingdom from her: the third and last question was, to know the number of her children and their following fortunes, to this they answered, that from her boodie should spring seven branches, whose tops should reach to heaven: These answers to this accursed woman's ears, came more joyful, than the reports of pardon to a condemned man, and more pleasing to her heart then for a moorish slave from the cheaned gaily to be aduan'st unto a kingdom: therefore with a setied trust and assurauce of the spanish crown and government (little mistrusting the fly defeats of these mystical answers) with all convenient speed provided a chamber, wherein she might perform her damned condition, and deliver up her husband's body to the gluttony of hell: therefore ascending to the top of her palace, into a marble tower, she caused her husband's body to be bronght thither, and after commanded the walls to be hung round about with black mourning cloth, to signify her damned and fatal enterprise: this being done, she purposed to divide the service of her seven bauquets into seven several days, and in this manner were they accomplished: the first day upon a table of black Ebony, in two pron plates or platters, she set the two legs of her unhappy husband, which so often (in his good days of fortune) bestride the warlike palfrey in the honour of his country: the second day upon the same Ebony table, she placed his sinewed thighs (in two vessels of lead) whose blue veignes, signified the force & strength of manhood: the third day the likewise brought to the table his secret parts and bowels, in a vessel of tin or pewter, wherein lay the seed of procreation: the fourth day she furnished the same table, in a charger of brass, with the belly and inward parts of his body, which had so often been cherished with delicious and princely banquets: the fifth day in like manner in a vessel of compounded mettle named alchemy, she brought to the table his manly breast, which as a tower had many years closed up his heart: the sixth day in a platier of fine silver, she served in the two arms of her husband, which whilst virtue governed, held both thescepter of peace and the sword of war: the seventh and last, day in a vessel of pure gold, being the dearest and richest service, she brought in his head, which had so often been ornafied with an imperial diadem, centaining a tongue that could in former times, have given thee life or death: all these unnatural services by the hands of a wolvish natured woman. Being no sooner finished, the fatal table avosded, but both heaven and earth, land & sea, as it were gave echoes of terror: hell itself seemed to tremble, and spewed up corrupted savours, & from her fiery furnaces, cast abroad such sparkling flames, the even the embroidered vestures beset with goldsmith's workmanship, so gorgeously beautifing her body, were fired, and she golden traniels of her hair, burnt from her head: notwithstanding all this nothing amazed the shameless mind of Miracola, nor any way affrighted her with the terror of heavens wrath, for the thirst of promotion so bewitched her, ambitious pride so enchanted her, and the desire of a diadem so emboldened her, that thinking both crown and kingdom her asurance for ever, by the false promises of hell: immediately upon this same tower or chamber where she had thus sacrificed her husband's body, she caused certain characters or letters to be engraven upon the marble walls, concerning her perpetual happiness: The first superscription was to this effect following. Upon this earth Miracola shallive, till the seven days of the week be forgotten: which she thought was forever.  
The second superscription was: That neither heaven nor earth, God nor man should take her kingdom from her.  
The third: That her children like seven branches should reach to heaven.  
These three promises she regarded as Oracles, and believed that through them her earthly happiness should never end: but suddenly this violent joy, turned into an extreme grief, for as she stood contemplating of these never-ceasing delights, there entered invisibly into the chamber, one of the blackepotentates of hell, and under every one of these superscriptions, engraved these significations: Under the first this: The seven days of the week, be thy seven daughters now breeding in thy womb, who no sooner ripe but rotten, no sooner borne but forgotten.  
Under the second: Though neither heaven nor earth, God nor man, will take the kingdom from thee, yet hell and the devil shall.  
Under the third: The seven branches whose tops should reach to heaven, be the seven deadly sins that shall spring from thy womb, whose bloody enterprises and black deeds, shall climb heaven for an eternal judgement.  
These dismal and ominous revelations, were no sooner ceased upon, by the eyes of this accursed Queen, but all the parts of her body trembled with fear: not a member but the terror thereof distempered: now fear of God's vengeance by little and little entered into her heart, and the quivering thought of hell's damnation filled her bosom full of despair: without all hope of salvation, she enclosed herself in the century of the earth, in a cause where neither light of sun, nor the glimmering brightness of the moon might descend, nor any voice of man or other creature could yield her comfort: thus excluding herself from all worldly solaces, committing the government of her kongdome to Scicophants and careless guiders, she wasted away the time of ten months, in this dark and solitary dungeon, both day and night, making these or such like wofell lamentations: Oh Nature (quoth she) thou nurse of every living thing, why did it not thou end me in my first beginning? why did my mother's womb, bring to light this my damned soul? why did my cradle rock this my body of perdition, to so many lullabies? I wish my nurse's pap had peelded nought but venomed poison, and that my swathing clothes, had been sheets of boiling lead, that both life and body at one instant had been both consumed: but woe is me, I am resecued for an eternal torment: my tongue bathe consented to my souls everlasting damnation, and my hand sealed to to a band that can never be canceled, till I becast into hell's devowring bowels: fall upon me thou great frame of heaven & cover me: thunderclaps descend, whirl winds arise, and cast me beyond the bounds of man's imaginations: thou spirit of red vengeance, transform me to some venomous worm: make me without soul, or feeling, that my torments be not everlasting: woe upon woe pursues me, for the gaining of a crown and kingdom, have I sold and forever lost my dear soul, whom all the treasures both of earth and sea, nor the prasers of good men can evermore redeem, cursed be mine eyes that trained me to this damned study: band be my tongue that pradisd first these incantations: and woe to all my wits and senses, that so cursedly gave over themselves, to these magic charms now rave and rage, be you mad, distraught and lunatic: dig up the bowels of the earth, and wander far beyond the Antipodes: but ob for ever weep, weep thou most miserable soul, howl and lament that grief may split asunder thy sad heart, for such a woeful heart never lined in woman's breast: thus and in this manner spent she in deep lamentations, both minutes, hours, weeks and months, fill her womb grew big, and the fruit therein ripe and ready to fall.   

How the enchanted Queen was delivered of feawen daughters at one time: and how she lay in child bed one and twenty years after.  
Chap. 3.  
NOw betwixt her prodegious and unlucky marriage, ten times had the silver moon renewed her brightness, and the time of her delivery drew near unto the appointed hour: when in great torments both of soul and body, she ascended from her dark habitation, where, for forty weeks, her rhiefest food was sorrow, grief and care: but now like unto the owl ashamed of the light, she came abroad, and caused provision to be made fitting for her delivery: and although her Ladies inwardly hated her life and conversation, yet in charity and christian love, they attended her safety, being conducted to her chamber, where the painful hour of chlide bearing were to be inbured: the pinching throes so tortured her womb (bearing so strange a burden) that she in very grief and agony thereof, with her natles tore out her own eyes, and would have rend the fruit alive out of her womb, had not the tender care of her Ladies prevented her: Thus sightles and comfortless fell she in labour, wherein she centinued in great extreamltle for the space of seven days, making such bitter moan, and breathing from her painful heart such doleful groans, as would have forced even merciless Tigers to pity: and so strange was her daliverie, that the report thereof might fill large volumes with bitter lamentations: for in seven days she brought forth seven maiden children, every one as hateful to the world, as the seven deadly sins: all at one birth, a thing seldom seen, but that God in justice will show his ivogement, upon so inhuman a woman.  
The first was borne upon the sunday, which we compare unto pride, as the course of verlise hereafter shall because, which child was called Sola, after the dates name.  
The second upon the monday, which we liken unto envy, according to her lives quality, and bore the name of Lucina.  
The third upon tuesday, which we allude unto wrath, and therefore named Martia.  
The fourth upon wednesday supposed to be covetousness, which we call Mercuria.  
The fist upon thursday, which we imagine to be dronhennes, and therefore we name her jovina.  
The fixed upon friday, which we place for lechery, and give her the name of Venorina.  
The seventh and last of this ominous brood, was borne upon the saturday, which weterme to be sloth, and so call her Saturnia.  
Thus was the seed of shame brought into the world, at whose births seven black ravens, set croaking directly upon the top of her chamber, and the howlets of mischance, with fatal wings flustered against the crystal windows: each one of them borne with teeth in their mouths, whereat the midwife and other her asistants (the Ladies there present) were much amazed, and with trembling hearts seared to behold so strange a spectacle of nature: but as fate and destiny had allotted, they of their own fres wills, provived for these seven monsters (thus borne) seven several nurses, the wives of seanen shepheares, which anely had their habitations, in woddig die caves, where they were diligently brought up and not once suffered till their full age to come within the Court gates, where we will leave them to fortune's direction for a time: The woeful mother of these unfortunate children, being now safely delivered, (through her own extreme violence, lying sightless in her childbed, the only foe to worldly delights) in the hearing of many standers by, breathed forth this pitiful complaint: oh how happy is the silly worm (said she) that hath neither soul nor understanding, whereby the threatening of everlasting torments may not affright it the miseries of this world wherein I now deservedly lie, are but as delights & sports in regard of them I shall feel! when the dooms day of my life is past. I lie now as it were upon a bed of pricking thorns, & stung with a thousand serpentine stings: but woe is me, my guilty conscience doubts, that for my wilful losing of my soul. I shall lie boiling in the red hot cauldron of damnation, more thousands of years; then blades of grass grow upon the earth, leaves upon trees, or stars in the crystal firmament: and more, which terrifies my condemned soul, I shall ye there in consuming pain, (but never consumed) more millions of years then as if a heap of sand should lie on earth, whose top should reach to heaven, and once in every million of years an eagle should fetch away but one sand, yet would those years of torments have an end, but mine can never finish, for selling that sweet soul that my dear saviours life was shed for: me thinks I hear seven sucking babes knocking at heaven gates for vengeance against me, for giving up their tender bodies as a food for spirits: me thinks I hear seven virgins (all the daughters of mighty Potentates) accusing me for enchanting them, to a heap of senseless stones: me thinks I hear seven aged men, whose heads were beawtified with milk white pledges of wisdom, all coming as witnesses against me, for sucking way their blood by spirits, in the likeness of asps and adders, and after sacrificing the marrow of their bones, to the chief Prince of darkness, for which my conscience now tells me, the heavens iron hand of vengeance in even ready to strike, and that hell's wrath is inventing now tortures for my soul: and now there is a horrid voice thunders in mine ear, that this my ever stained crime shall be also scourged in my seed, and all my kindred washed from the face of the earth, into the unknown vault of forgetfulness: and now in speaking these words, all her joints grew lame and numb, thereby to join in equal misery with her sightles eyes: where we will leave her now, as the picture of calanutie, lying in childbed, for the space of one and twenty years, and speak of her children's misfortunes, whose lives were as ovious to the world, as the seven deadly sins.   

Pride's Tragedy,  
The life and death of Sola the proud, the first daughter to the enchanted Queen: a history full of dole, woe, & calamity.  
CHAP. 4  
THeeldest and first child of this viperous Queen, borne upon a sunday, hearing the name of Sola, and being the true picture of pride, in life and nature persevering in that deadly sin, for being no sooner grown to the ripeness of age, and that the years of discretion had grafted her with understanding she was by the nobles and ladies of the Land, brought to the court, in hope that after her mother's decease (by the decree of frowning chance, lying then in marnelous calamities she would prove a gracious and good queen, but it happened far otherwise, for being now on the way of preferment, and cluning up the steps of imperial dignity, a kind of commanding pride so bewitched her, that she esteemed herself above woman's kind, and that nature had framed her of no earthly substance, but rather of the pure mould of celestial angels: her crimson coloured cheeks whereon the glory of beauty seemed to shine her ivory front or forehead where art and nature strove for supremacy: and her bright twinkling eyes, within whose pretty balls, the God of love seemed to show himself, were all in her proved imaginations too precious for the sun to shine upon, and herself, with all other parts of her body, the most pure workmanship of nature's experience, she held too angel like, to tread upon the gross earth: therefore she, (the more to advance her great pride) caused a chariot of crystal glass to be made, close framed on all sides to keep both winter's blasts and summers heat from her delicate body: the which chariot by skilful art was wasted up and down, by artificial means devised man's invention: her food was the purest restoroties of the earth, both of beasts, birds, fowls and fishes, and the only quintessence of nourishments to maintain life: her pleasures were the music and singing voices of young virgins, the daughters of noble men and knights: her garments were of the finest Medean silks, weaved upon silver looms by Arabian queens: Thus pomp and pride elevating her mind, as it were beyond the ambition of Lucifer, who sought to pull God out of heaven and esteemed no man of that royal birth, worthy to match with her in miriage: Emperors and kings she accounted but as slaves to fortune, and the only subie as to variable chance: many high personages enterprizd the conquest of her love, but reaped the fruits of denial and disgrace, and were not suffered that asuming savour, as once to kiss her proud hand: yet all last three bold adventurous gallants, hearing her thundering fame rumoured about the world, attempted to purchase the conquest of this prize, that neither Emperors nor kings could obtain:  
The first was a Soldier, whose valour and matchless thinarie, upon the wings of fame was carried by and down the earth, as far as ever the golden eye of heaven hath shown his glistering brightness.  
The second was a Scholar, whose Academic skill in all the seven liberal sciences, might challenge in all prince's courts, the honours of the golden tongue.  
The third and last was a merchant, whose traveles by sea, round about the earth, compassing seven times the equinoctial line, purchased such wealth, as builded one of the greatest cities in the world: These three (times honoured champions) coming before this proud Lady of the earth, who sitting then like a goddess, upon the tribunal seat of majesty, began their loves embassage, in this manner.  
Divine Sola (said the Soldier) thou miracle of woman kind, at whose birth good fortune danced, this body of mine is become thy humble vassal, and now yields all his purchased honours at thy gracious feet: I that by war have foragd kingdoms, unpeopled countries, and made whole fields flowing with blood, will now at thy royal command, kiss the sacred plot of ground, where thy celestial foot but stangeth: I that have died the flinty pavements of conquered cities with the purple gore of humane carcases: and fed my pampered steeds with the flesh of man, am now subjecteth to thy thrice glorious person, and challenged to myself, no other happiness, but one smiling glance from thy angelical eyes: grant then thy love thou jewel of nature, and let my soul feed upon the 〈◊〉 pines that proceeds from the censure of thy blessed tongue in condescending to my love: legions of adventurous knights shall fill thy palace with renown, and by their knightly prowess, fetch conquered kings from all the parts of the world, to one obeisance to thy imperial greatness. And in loving me great princess (qd. the scholar) the unsearched studies of all sciences, shall be at thy command: the pleasures of music, the helps of physic, the eloquence of tongues, the secrets of stars, the natures of nations, and moreover the sweet consolation of divine meditations, shall elevate thy soul to the shining paradise of unspeakable blessedness: then make a scholar happy in thy lone sweet Sola, in whose deep understanding, lie the secrets both of air, earth and sea.  
And in loving me thou paragon of beauty, (quoth the merchant) the far fetched treasures of rich India, the gold of Arabia, and the unvalued carbuncles of goulen Ganges, abundantly shall fall into thy lap: I have measured the earth seven times about, and upon the sea spread such a fleet of ships, and rich Argosies, which like to a topless forest seemed to hide heaven, all these for thee and for thy love shall sail to those nations where no sun shines, nor moon gives light: to those kingdoms where one night continues six months, (and their purchase by long travel) those inestimable valued vestures, which had wont to beautify the proud queens of Asia: bamasks, goalden tissues, and robes of silver, shall be as common to thy delights, as rich scarlets were to the princes of judea: in loving me thou shalt be atended with more roilties, than king Solomon was in all his pomp: these and such like were the proffered courtesies of these three gallant gentlemen, every one hoping thereby to obtain the good will of this proud Lady: who was as far from kind acceptance of their services, as the starved Lioness is from merry when the seizeth upon the innocent lamb: therefore rething no other councillors but pride and ambition, the only nurses of confusion, without any further consideration, made them this answer.  
That man (high spirited gentlemen) that in my bed shall set his foot, and crop the bud of my virginity, the which I have denied unto kings, shall win the same grace with a severe task or knightly adventure. First to you, thou undaunted knight of war, if thou canst either by policy or manhood, either wit or conquest of thy sword, gain and purchase me a bed, that shall be filled with a softer substance than the soft down, that grows upon the milk white swans back, thou shalt enjoy my love, and I will only be thy wife: Likewise to thee thou scholar like man of art, if by thy learning or any other deep mystery, thou canst frame me a fountain, that shall contain a purer water than that which rains from heaven, or that which springs from the cundets of the earth. thou shalt gain my love, and I will be only thy wife. Lastly to thee thou noble adventurous merchant, if thou by any travail either by land or sea, canst find me a bread that shall be better than that of wheat, thou shalt have my love, and I will only be thy wife. Upon these strict conditions, or rather Nerculian labours, these three gallants without any further reply, departed each one his several way, striving which of them should accomplish the task proposed unto them: where we will leave them for a while travailing strange countries, diligently seeking to bring these their strange labours to an end, and speak of the woeful miseries that the heaven afflicted this proud Lady withal.  
Many months passed over the head of this hated woman after their departures: and as she grew in age, so did her pride increase, in somuch that for the maintenance of her vain beauty, she had attending upon her a hundred of fair and young wives, that once every day with the milk of their breasts, filled a cistern of fine gold, with the which every morning she bathed her body, only to make her beautiful fair and white skin more smooth and amiable: and that food which nature gave for the nourishment of young infants, according to Gods will, she wickedly abulediu the maintenance of pride and in the service of the devil: This vile course of life she long wandered in, losing herself in the wilderness of black iniquitte, till the allseeing seeing eyes of wrath descended heaven, and in a moment struck this proud exeature, into such on ovious leprosy, that neither eye could endure her sight, nor nostrellavide her corrupting savours: now that body so finely framed of nature's chiefest mould, that lately would not endure the whistling of the gentle winds, were now more loathsome than the spotted adder: and that clear celestial face, that disdained to entertain the comfortable heat of the warm sun, was now more ovious (to man's sight) than the swelling toad and all those Ladies that had wont to attend upon her, forsook her company, and fled her chamber, as from adenne of snakes: they that kept nearest to her, were distressed people and vile malefactors, such as were lately delivered from loathsome prisons and deep dungeons: and these in contempt of heavens judgement, caused she with sharp razors to slay off the upper skin, from her spotted face and leprous body, in hope that a new, young, and fresh skin would again grow, and that her beawtte in a lively manner would again be replenished, and not as now blemished with one stained spot or soul ulcer: all this according to her will was immediately performed, but to small purpose, for the envy of heaven clothed with red vengeance had doomed her to a miserable death, for neither art nor nature, by any practice could ever after cover her hated body with any kind of skin, but that all her flesh continued raw and loathsome, and putrefied unto her bones: in this torment (as a judgement of her pride) remained she, desiring death, but could not die, till the moon had twice twelve times renewed her brightness, and that the earth had twice put on her spring (times livery) and twice frosty bearded winter disrobd dame natures Gardens: then, oh than returned the three wandering lovers, with conquest of their strange adventures, earth one hoping to reap the deserts of their true merits.  
The Soldier whose task was to find a bed filled with a solter substance then the down feathers of swans, in this dangerous manner brought he his labour to an end.  
First, after his departure from this proud Lady Sola, he traveled many strange countries, meeting with many strange people, and in searching many strange places, he happened into a cave, where liu'da satire of such bigness, as man's eye had hardly seen: this satire lived upon the spoil of traveliers, within whose Cave lay the signs of such as he had murdered and devoured: the number of the dead bones and skulls which lay heaped there together, drove such an admiration into the soldiers heart, that for a time his fear so abounded that he stood as it were senseless: but at last being ornefied with the bold courage of manhood, he drew forth his short scimitar, and with one blow smote of the Satyr's head, whilst he lay sleeping upon a bed stuffed with nothing but wind, the which the soldier no sooner perceived, but he verily believed his task to be ended, and that a bed stuffed close with wind, were far more softer than the down of signets, so taking up the same bed, and packing it upon his Bennet behind him, he arrived as you heard at the palace of this proud Lady, whose misfortunes with fatal news no sooner gave him entertainment, but he fell into a melaucholly despair, and now seeing his long and dangerous travails, reaping no better success, as one wearied both of life and good chance, conveyed the said windy bed into a field, up to the top of a high mountain, where upon he laid his bruised body, and was by the said wind imediatiely carried away for ever.  
The Scholar whose long tranells and deep study, nothing inferior to the Soldier, after he had spent two years practice in framing a Fountain, that should yield such a Water, that neither rained from heaven, nor sprung from the conduits of the earth: a task as he thought impossible yet good chance so directed his steps, that he arrived in the I'll of Delphos, at the Dracle of Apollo, who after his divine sacrifice, had this pleasing answer revealed to him: The dew of heaven is neither water from the clouds, nor water springing from the earth: replenith a fountain therewith and so conquer fate, for indeed he conquered fate: for at his return to the proud Lady's court, in hearing of heavens judgement laid upon her, and how that he had consumed two years labour to no effect, he presently fell lunatic and died. Lastly, the merchant tasted of death's cup, as dearly as the others did, for after he had brought a bread far better than the bread of wheat, which is the bread of salvation, the sacred bible of God which he fetched from the temple in jerusalem: but when he saw the end of his hopes rewarded with a vision of calamity, he departed to a desert wilderness, only inhabited with wild beasts, where for want of food, he famished himself to death.  
Then Sola after she had intelligence of the lives ruins, of those 3. gallant gentlemen, whom she had so cruelly doomed to miserable travails, and that for her sake they all three lost their lives, she in great despair of eternal happiness, breathed her soul into the air, wishing her sir sisters by her example to embrace humility.   

envies Tragedy: The life and death of Lucina, the envious, the second daughter to the enchanted queen.  
Chap. 5.  
LVcina being the second daughter to the enchanted queen, bearing in her breast the burning fire of envy, never differed from that deadly sin, all the date of her wretched life: for after the decease of her proud sister, no long time passed on, before julianus then king of France, took her in marriage, whose nuptial rights these two countries solemnized, in most princely manner, and the chiefest delights and pleasures belonging to a Queen daily attended upon her: all things she could either wish or desire were at her commandment: heaven and earth concluded to make her a happy princess: only this, content of mind wanted, for nature denied to fructifle her body, and grace her with the name of a mother: therefore in wanting children she grew envious to the world, and spited those women that heaven had so blessed: now in process of time, the king, queen and the nobility of the land road a progress, into the country, more by their presence to win their subjects love, then for their own contents and pleasure: and as in great state, and most princely manner, they passed by a forest side, where then was situated the castle of an ancient knight, and an old seruit or to the king's father in the christian wars, and therefore was entitled one of the knights of the Roads, in which castle as the queen passed by, a most pleasant and delightful melody of music sounded in her ear, at which not saeing any, she greatly marveled, and demanded the cause of that extraordinary rejoicing: the answer was, that upon that day was borne to the knight and lady of the castle, a man child, who never before that time, for the space of twelve years, was graced with any: is this the cause (said the queen) now I see base subjects in disgrace of the queen's barrenness, will not stick but make thereof a may-game, and to mine own ears give me a dishonourable scandal, as I am now queen of france this their presumption shall be quittanced with death, and short shallbe the joy they receive in this child's birth: thus envy like a conqueror, seized upon all the parts of her body: & with the undeserved hate she bore unto this knight and his lady, her very heart plotted strange confusion ● all the way as the road along not a word proceeded from her month, but sanord of envy and malice, and not a flumber closed up her eyelids, but it begot dreams of hate and fury: all her meditations were of the overthrow of these two guiltiesse souls, who little mistrusted what deadly plots she decised against their dear lives: every day to this envious queen seemed a year till their progress ended, which as ill fortune had allotted, was broke of in this manner.  
The commous of Normandy and Pikardie, made an insurrection against the nobility, and none but the king's presence could allay their tumultuous furies, who with all speed, princely provided with men, money and munition, took his journey towards them, whose absence no sooner gave way to the queen's malice, bat she dispatched a messenger (one of the grooms of the king's chamber) to the betrayed knight and his lady, not yet churched commanding them by the duty of aleadgeance, to repair unto the court, and give attendance in her chamber, till the king's return (only as she dissembled) the dearest friends to trust unto.  
This message of the Queen's pleasure, being no sooner delivered to the knight and his lady, but as dutiful subjects, rejoiced that their services in the king's absence, could bring unto the queen such high pleasure, therefore leaving their castle in quiet government, with all convenient speed they repaired to the queen's palace, bearing with them their little child, who at the first were entertained with a friendly regard, and their child by the queen's commandment taken from them, and as she said) put feorth to nurse: but such a bloody nursery I think never tender babe induced: little suspected the good knight and his gentle lady, what a baleful banquet was preparing for them, for the envious and angry queen, in steed of tender paps to give the infant nourishment, she commanded it to be made food for that womb, that gave it first life: is having bloody ministers ready prepared for that tyrannical enterprise according to her wicked meaning, the prestie babe as a service (baked in a pie) was brought to the table of the unhappy parents, whom the queen had then placed in two chairs in her chamber, directly the one against the other, where after they had saitisfied hanger (unknown to them) with the fruit of their own bowels, she locking fast the chamber door, assisted by three or feure bloody murderers, provided for the same purpose, and bound them both fast in their chairs with hempen cords, bands unfittinging for such noble minded personages, and being now seltered in the 'gins of confusion with an envious tongue she vitered forth the rancour of her heart in this manner.  
Marvel not proud knight (quoth the queen) nor thou thou painted minion of beauty, at this your sudden misusage, for till I behold both your hearts lifeless, your eyes sightles, and your tongues speechless, the ravening fawes of fury feeds upon my soul: what hath nature in you grafted more than in me? you being bacely borne, have the gifts of children, I royally descended, am made barren, by destiny: and because the seed of procreation prospers in your adulterous beds, you live in all sollitie, making rejoicing melody to my disgrace, whilst I pining in woe, vainly desiring children cannot obtain them: therefore know that I being a queen, having a body young, fair, and likely to conceive, crossed and spited by the cruelties of nature, have protested a secret revenge against you, and all such as so my dishonour have their bodies seeming with children: and now you two shall be the beginners of my intended massacres: therefore know, as the first act to this my black tragedy, you have fed and satisfied hunger, with the fruit of your own bowels: so upon thee (thou father of this deed infant, by thine own self here devoured) I will extend such a torment, as never Lirant devised, but as thou art a Soldier, so Soldier like shalt thou finish up thy days, whereupon she caused an armour burning red hot from the fire to be brought, and without either mercy or pity, buckled it unto his naked back, where (like unto Hercules putting on the shirt that cruel Nessus sent) he made such pitiful moan as might have enforced tears to fall from a Tiger's eye, and the very marble stones give signs of laments, but poor knight as without cause he endured this dying punishment, so with great patienes yielded he up his ghost, in the sight of his beloved Lady, who being no less perplexed with the frights of pale death, awaited the fatal hour of the like dying torments, which according to her sorrowful expectation, she was immediately presented withal, for whilst she sat fast bound in her chair, gazing upon the dead broiled body of her husband, this envious queen caused her to be stripped stark naked, and to her two tender breasts, placed two speckled venomed snakes, almost starved for want of food, which with their poisoned stings sucked her heart's life blood quite through her breasts, during which time of her dying torments, continuing for the space of an hour, these and such like lamentations she breathed forth.  
Oh you dreadful powers of heaven! why in a mild woman's breast, have you placed a Tiger's heart? why have you suffered kind to work against kind, nature against nature, and reason against reason? one woman thus cruelly to betray another? oh where is gentleness become? whether is mercy fled? one beast will not hurt each other, the vilest worm the earth breeds, will by nature pity one another: but here is a woman that hath shamed her sex, distained nature, polluted woman kind, an enemy both to heaven and earth: she hath made me husbandless, and childless, and immediately will make me lifeless: oh thou celestial tower, where justice sits enthroaned open thy glorious gates toe utertaine a widows curse, strike down with a heavy hand, let shame and destruction pursue her to death, let some miracle of her tyranny be the world's mark till dooms day: some strange confusion finish up her life to appease the souls of three unfortunate wretches, only made miserable through the envy of a malicious queen: and now thou earth farewell, thou nurse and mother of my life adieu, let three lives in two bodies be in thy bosom entombed, for now I feel death's wrath tearing my heart in sunder and the very minute of my life fading, and gentle death now art thou welcome: thus with a groan I close thee in my bosom: and in speaking these words the branches of her life witheced: The envious queen thus triumphing in the victory of their destructions, not any whit relented at the piteous moan of this good Lady, but like an untamed Panther, devised new cruelties against their dead bodies, which she performed in this vile manner: Contrary to good nature and all humanity, she caused a furnace to be heat red hot, and therein consumed the substance of these dead bodies into pale ashes, from whences flew sparkling flames of fire, like flakes of blood up towards heaven, as it were challenging vengeance at the throne of majesty.  
These tyrannical deeds both against life and death were no sooner effected, but news came unto her, of her Princely husbands return from quieting the commons tumults, whom she purposed with a disembling countenance of joy to entertain: so atiring herself in her richest ornaments, attended on with a troup of honourable Ladies, some mile distant, from her blood-stained palace, she gratulated the king with a princely welcome home: but (as the angry fates had justly decreed) before the word of welcome could proceed from her mouth, the heavens cast such a dark cloud over that earth, with such a fearful tempest, and thunder, that the fruits of the earth flamed & the leaves of trees were scorched to satisfy the angry wrath of heaven, whereat the king affrighted in mind, challenged the queen of some black misdeed by her committed, bevy in the sight of heaven, in being thus offended with the world, but she whose heart, blushies' sin had hardened, grew impatient at his speeches, and wished that beaven might make her one of the world's wonders, if ever she wrought or consented to any deed of shame, other than what virtue put her in mind to dye. this presumptuous wish of hers so displeased the all-seeing powers, that immediately the bowels of the earth cleaved, and swallowed her up alive into her gaping womb: and directly in the same place where in sinking she gave the world a farewell, sprung up a blood red statue of stone, seeming to have weeping eyes, and wring hands, which to this day there still stands, and is recorded in the french Annals to be one of the seven wonders of France: the king having a confetence touched with remorse and dreading least the heavy wrath of Heaven, should for her blood-stained sin light upon the whole country: therefore after he had searched out the whole faction of this black misdeed, and put them to execution: as a pilgrim bore legged, bare footed, clothed in bairecloth, be wandered to jerusalem, and at the Sepulchre of juda's God, craved remission for this his dead queen's offence: by which means he washed away this stained spot, from his country's brow: and after spent his days in tranquillitises and peace.   

Wraths Tragedy: The life and death of Marsia the wrathful, the third daughter to the enchanted queen.  
Chap. 6.  
THe third sister of this fatal generation, might in the right of nature, challenge as great supremacy of beauty as the other her two former sisters: and not only an amiable countenance and comely proportion, ornefied her outward shape, but an excellent gift of art and nature beautified her inward parts, for her mind being replenished with artificial misreries, so indiciall in the tongues of learning, so perfect in eloquence, so curtons in needle-workes, the only excercise of princes, that the world eseemed her one of the muse's darlings, and the very paragon of woman kind: in her the whole lands happiness consisted: the only excellent artist of her time, having a supernatural gift, in the noble science of Limming. Wherein she greatly delighted, and the more to make her fame glorious in the world, she with a pencil portrayed in a map or picture, the frame of the creation of the world: every thing in his right shape, so lively set forth, as both beasts, fowls and sishes seemed to retatine life: the sun, moon and stars, as it were gave a kind of light, so artificially shadowed she their qualities: woods, fields, and forests appeared properly green and flourishing, and the watery sea gliding through the earth's bosom, glistereb like crystal, and her swelling billows seemed to rise and fall, that no earthly eye could make a difference betwixt them and the surges of the vastocean.  
This excellent piece of workmanship being to her hearts content finished, was set to the open view of all eyes, challenged a superiority in that misery above all others of the time: but now amongst many that came from all parts of the kingdom, to behold this race piece of workmanship, there came one, whose skill therein, the whole earth admired, the which in former times had been tutor to this Princess and first instructed her in the principles of this delightful art: this reverent man (for his milk-white head claimed reverentnesse) after he had in the presence of many noble personages, circumspecty viewed every secret of this rare work, and marking every curious shadow how it was laid, lastly found a deformity in the portraiture of man, and to this Princess disgrace, as she took it, found great fault therewith, at which Marsias wrath so enkindled, and with such flames fired her whole body, that in presence of all the nobility, with a silver bodkin striking in the golden trammuels of her hair, she furiously stabbed the good old man unto the heart, so greatly her wrath prevailed: this bloody and enraged fact, by the whole assembly was generally lamented, and by her wrathful hand no sooner done but repent, for wrath being of nature sudden, a little overpassed, converts into remorse, so happened it with this Lady, for when her eye beheld the purple gore of his lifeless heart, panting upon the ground, she strived in revenge thereof to tear out her own eyes, and would have committed that bloody cruelty upon herself, had not the standers by prevented her, whereupon in great agony, she uttered forth this enraged complaint.  
Oh why will not heaven (quoth she) take my blood stained life, and breath into his breathless body new air? or why may not my eyes forsake their hated cells, within his eyes to give a seeing power: oh the this breast of mine were now unboweled, and this my wrathful heart torn from my bosoms closet, and sacrificed upon that carcase, which my cruel hand hath untimely slain: be therefore of thou fatal hand, for ever lame, deny to give sustenance to this my vile body, harbouring now nothing but cogitations of revenge: grant this oh heaven, that from henceforth I may never taste one bit of food in joy, nor walk abroad but in discentent, nor steep but in frightful fears, nor dream but of melancholy despair, for my sudden hand hath slain, the miracle of humanity, within whose head, (whilst life lasted) dwelled true wisdom, a tongue tipped with eloqnence, and a voice resounding reports of celestial understanding: these and such like passions uttered she from the fury of her repentant soul, which immediately had broke her heart strings, had not the care of her Ladies, (than there attending) conducted her to her chamber, where they with the harmony of music and melody of voices, rocked her grieved senses into a silent flumber, in which quiet rest (as they imagined) they left this distressed princes: but far otherwise happeneth still to a troubled mind, for as she lay sighing and sobbing upon her bed, grieving at the blood she so wrathfully spilled, there appeared before her face, the ghastly shape of the murdered old man, wan, & pale in visage: breathing forth hollow groans, to the deep terror other sonle, and seemed to her affrighted eyes, to open the closet of his bleeding breast, as it were thirsting for revenge, and desiring blood for blood: This fearful and strange sight, so deeply molested her conscience, that from that time forward, she banished away all thoughts of terestialliay, and delighted in nothing but her own confusion, so heavy lay the guilt of murder upon her soul, for after that time not any food would she ever take into her body, nor ever after endure the fellowship of people, nor never suffer one small flumber to close up her eye lids, but in great woe and misery, overwatched and pined herself to death, to the great discomfort and sorrow of the whole land, who by a general consent, entombed both their bodies in one grave, and erected there upon a sumptuous sepulchre, the which to this day standeth in great glory in the city of Paris.   

Avarice her Tragedy: Or the life & death of Mercuria the covetous, the fourth daughter to the enchanted queen.  
Chap 7.  
THe fourth of these unhappy children, bearing the name of Mercuria the covetous, esteeming the country's content, beyond the glories of the court, banishing from herself alprincely desires, accounting them the brands of ambition, & the only spurs of destruction: so making her three former sisters a memorial example of princip allities downfall, she purposed to spend her days as a shepheardisse in the country, where in stead of a royal court, she had the sylvan fields and mountains to live in, & in piace of her princely attendance, she had her flocks of sheep to delight in, whose plentiful increase of wool, whereas the treasures both of land and sea: her imperial diadem, was her sheepshooke: her pleasurable music, the chirping melody of birds: her guard, the pretty watchful cur, that with his shirle barking gave notice of ensuing dangers: and the treasons complotted against her, were the tyranny of devowring wolves: but snch was her sylvan care and country diligence, that her flocks sustained small hurt by the bloody rage of this spoiler, by which means in short time, her riches grew unvaluable, and her treasures without number: but the greedy thirst of her wealths further increase, so bewitched her insatiate desires, that her very soul grew sotted with vile covetousness, and the smallest loss thereof drew drops of blood from her heart: she feared to trust the air with her money, lest the wind should consume it away: nor the earth, lest the worms should consume it: nor the sea, least fishes should purloin it: but in a more securermanner (as she thought) the intended to hide it betwixt heaven and earth, that both months, week's days, and hours, she might with the sight thereof glut the sight of her thirsty eyes, so having a huge some of pure gold, closed in an jorne trunk, the which in a dark gloomy night, (the secret concealer of all black deeds) she conveyed and hid in the hollow trucnk of an old withered oak, standing betwixt two steepy hills: where the tracking steps of man seldom treadeth: in which hollow tree, almost rotten with age, she secretly hid this rich jewel of her soul: intombing it therein with these speeches: Lie thou there (qurth she) my sweet gold, thou great commander of mankind, my desires content, my earth's happiness, my heart ravither: by seeing thee I am ravished with joy, & in possessing thee I feed upon the pleasures of the world: what is it not but gold can bring to pass? gold can purchase kingdoms, and betray Princes: gold can buy preferment, and make men mighty: gold can make the smitsh wife, and curb authority: gold can win fair Ladies, and wrong the marriage bed: gold can tempt the chastest, and sack virginity: nay gold can change vice into virtue, falsehood into troth and vile villainy into pure honesty: then be thou sweet gold my second soul, for in losing thee the world ends with me: in this manner left she this corrupting gold lying in the hollow tree, purposing every day once to feed her eyes with the bewitching sight thereof: but now mark what happened to this covetous woman, the next morning by the opening of the days windows, there came unto the same place where this gold lay, a pooreman, a disiressed wretch with a rope in his hand, upon the same tree to end his wearisome life: the reason was, that the pitiful cries of his wife and children, complaining for bread at his hands he not being able to satisfy their wants, came thither to hang himself, and so by that means rid himself from the complaining cries of his poor wife and needy children, but as the good chance of smiling heaven was, in tying the roap about an arm or branch of the same tree, making a noose to put over his head, and in giving the unkind world a doleful adieu, he espied this coffer of gold, at which he stayed from that self wild murder, and being joyful of so rich a purchase, left the rope there still hanging, and carried the coffer home, to the comfort of his wife & children: thus you see heaven by good means, sand the dear soul of this desperate man, and relieved the distressed estate of his almost starved family: which we leave now in groat joy, and speak of the woeful calamitte, tied upon the back of this covetous lady, who immediately after this poor means departure, came unto the aforesaid tree to look upon her gold, whereby her heart might leap at the topful sight thereof: but no sooner found she her hopes frustrate, her gold gone, and an instrument of death left hanging upon the tree in place thereof, she grew into such a violent despair, that without either care of her lives safety, orprevention of her soul's damnation, in the same cord she strangleb herself: her body being thus made breathless, exempted from the sight of people, had no other burial but in the ravening maws of hunger-starved so wies: whose strange confusion had never been known, but through the voice of her troubled ghost, which walked many years after betwixt those two hills, and revealed it to the country inhabitants: thus was her covetousness scourged for a grievous sin, both by heaven and hell.   

Gluttonies' Tragedy: Or the life and death of jovina, the drunkard, the fist daughter to the enchanted queen.  
CHAP. 8.  
IOuina now the subject of our tragic story, and fist daughter to this enchanted Queen, as fate and chance ordained, was matched in marriage to the rich Cardinal of Lorraine, whose court for magnificéce, equallizd and any prelate's before his time: for every day uprising and down lying, he had a thousand officers in his palace, and provision for the maintenance thereof, were the customs of three rich dukedoms: this haughty and proud Cardinal, was in his life so vicious, that he accounted drunkenness a deed of manhood: and he that could best devise new feruises to pamper up gluttony, he advanced to great authority: and his riotous table was accounted the treasury of earth, air and sea of beasts, souls and fishes: but God owing him a grievous shame, in the middle of his magnificence, when he feasted at one time in the honour of his greatness, three christian kings: to the wonder of them all, he was choked with a grape husk, happening in a cup of Arabian wine: this his sudden death not only amazed the whole company, but drove such a discontent into the mind of jovina, that she purposed a present revenge upon the whole country: and as the customs of the nationns are, that by the death of such an imperious prelate, all the land & revenues falls from the wife: so she to make aspoile thereof made such a funeral banquet, as Spain's chronicles to this day speaks of for no sooner had the earth closed up the cardinals perfumed body, and delivered the same to the fairy of consuming worms, but this gluttonous woman by sound of drum and trumpets, caused a proclamation to be made throughout all the country, of a free banquet for the space of seven days, awarding to him or her that could rate or drink the most, a hoepe of pure gold to compass in their bellies: she report of this deadly prize of sin, being no soover bruited abroad, but of rioters, spendthrists, gluttons, and drunkards, from all parts arrived such numbers, that the walls of Lorraine could hardly contain them, the tables whereat they sat were as nature's storehouse, variably yielding all kind of delicacies, and their pampered wombs as the insatiate gulf of hell never sufficed: some there were that had their bellies split in sunder by overfilling them: some in the middle of their gluttony choked with superfluities, some by overcharging themselves with wine, vomited out their inward parts, and some fell into such deadly sleeps, as they never wakened again and of all these multitudes of people, the tenth man departed not away with life, so consuming a tragedy brought this vile deed of gluttony, and drunkenness upon that country. Now jovina herself seeing the earth almost strewed over with stifled carcases began to envy at the powers of heaven, and in contempt thereof, drew forth a sharp knife, and threw it up toward the air, saying, I will wound fate and dismember the destinies, in crossing thus the glory of my magnificent banquet: but the knife she cast up never more descended, but instead thereof fell down three drops of blood, directly before her upon the table where she sat, which strange and dismal sight stroke terror and remorse into her conscience, and such a despairing repentance into her cogitations, that from that time forward (as the angry heavens had appointed) she consumed the remnant of her life (which was but short) in bitter lamentations: Now black vengeance (quoth she) hath doomed me with a thousand calamities, and the scarlet canopy of destruction is even ready to close in my hated life: in most vile courses have my loathed steps wandered in, and now the reward thereof is shame & confusion: me thinks I hear succourless people calling for that food I so gluttonously have spent: me thinks I hear the unpitied widow, and the hungry orphan, challendging my destruction: me thinks I hears the decrepit and aged wretches, soliciting heaven for reveuge: me thinks I hear the pining prisoners, in deep dungeons, exclaiming again my riotous gluttony, and me thinks the troubled earth, bellows up revenging echoes, against my sin drowned body: thus mourned her relenting tongue, till her unstanchable womb grew as it were starved with hunger, and then striving to suffice nature, could not, for the pipes of her lieus maintence, were clunged up, and by the just powers of mortality, had a heavier judgement laid upon her, for that food which heaven and nature ordained for her lives sustenance, were congerted into a contrary substance, her bread heaven changed into stoves, her meat into venomous toads, and crawling worms: and her drink into a puddle of poison liquor, the stench & savour whereof no nostril could induro: thus exempted both from heavens grace and earth's pity, she languished many days, hated of God and man: till the fatal sisters finished her wearisome life: this was the heavens scourage for gluttony and drunkenness, as black a sin and as deadly as any of the seven.   

Letcheries Tragedy: Or the life and death of Veneria the lustful, the sixth daughter to the enchanted queen.  
Chap. 8.  
STill follows one misfortune upon another neck, woe upon woe, calametie upon calametie: and this seed so wickedly sown, could not choose but be blassed in the bloom: now to our sad discourses, no sooner had Veneria the sixth daughter of this enchanted queen, yielded up the tender bud of her virginity, changing her maiden head for a wives honour, being then conjoined in marriage with the Princely king of Bohemia: before one month had consumed thirty days, grew enamoured upon a base groom, one of the kitchen scullions, whom in her lustful eye, seemed to be a jewel of knightly behaviour, though a deformed vassal of humble servitude, therefore as the temptations of sin had deluded her, careless of her princely husband's honour, and regardless of her own reputation, upon a time in her husband absence, she caused this hated night-owle the scullion, to be sent for, touching (as she dissembled) some serious business to be employed in: who being no sooner privately come into her presence, but revealing the burning heat of her lust, she gave him this unlooked for entertainment: Little thinkst thou good Antonio (quoth she, for so was he named) what high promotions are heaped upon hty head: for nature in thy first creation, ordained thee to enjoy the pleasures of a princely bed: though envious time now burdens thee with flanery, yet fate and good fortune crowns thee with happiness: then know thou jewel of mine eye, that my bosom contains a heart dancing at thy presence, and without the fruition of thy love, it will quite consume away: I being a Princess am more hapies than the country milkmaid, for she may challenge that same love that fancy leads her to, but I dare not claim the least interest of my pining passions: be not hard hearted then dear Antonio, be as gentle as the clasping vine, hem in my body with thy manly arms, take the pleasures of my honour's sack, feed on content, if content be in my yielding body, for I am impatient of delay: my husband's arms are like unto she twinding embraces of serpents, his kisses as the crokadils, and his bed more loathsome than a den of snakes: oh that nature had made me humble as thyself, partner in thy fortunes, and thy second self, either now yield to my desires, or I vow by him that made both heaven and earth, I will pursue thee with a vengeance more terrible, then ever man's icefull heart imagined: and conclude on this, that either continual happiness, or everlasting misery is put unto thy heart's choice: now this poor wretch, unaccustomed to these demands, stood for a time as one new dropped from the clouds, not knowing what to resolve upon: but at last as it were ravished with all celestial blessedness, and seeing time as he thought fit for ever to make himself happy, by enjoying the delightsome savours of so great a princess, condescended to satisfy the desires of her barning lust: and according to her pleasure, with black misdeeds distained the white honours of her marriage bed: Veneria having thus won him to her wishes, caused his base affires to be stripped off and his body to be clothed in rich vestures, the more to feed lusts gluttony, and appointed him the next night to set foot within her adulterous bed, which in most wicked manner was accomplished: But now mark how shame cannot lie long hid, nor the concealer of sin (dark night) cover this polluted crime: but as confusions watchbel seunded these her dishonours abroad, through the faithful beauty of the king's chamber-keepers, he had intelligence thereof: so choosing to himself a selected number to effect his revenge, at the middle hour of night, when nothing disquiesed the sleeps of humane creatures, but the gentle blustering of winds, and the musical murmurings of running waters: he entered the chamber of this his lustful and adulterous queen, who securely lay them sleeping in the bosom of this base scullion, drove such a rage into the heart of the unquiet king, as flesh and blood could hardly endure it: therefore drawing a short scimitar from his side, he sheathed it in the breast of his wives minion, whose blood with such fury gushed from his polluted bosom, as it wakened the sinne-stained queen, who at the first sight of her husband's presence, in her smock all to be sprinkled with the scullion's blood, fell down upon her knees, craving remission for that crime which she so long had thirsted after: but the enraged king to her penitent contrition, was as remorseless as the dease adder, and as far from granting her life, as the souls in hell be from salvation, yet being his second self, a collop of his own flesh, and his ownely marriage choice, he would not desfils his clear hands with her detested blood, therefore as a pining penance for this lustful fact, for this marriage bed so distained, for this nuptial promise broken, for this world's scandal, this mariedmans' dishonour, and for this everlasting spot of disgrace, he inflicted upon her a lingering punishment, which in this manner was immediately effected: First he caused a large coffin to be brought, wherein he put the murdered body of the scullion: then to the same dead body, (beginning now to peutrifie and stink) he tied the live body of his queen, and so in the coffin closed them up both together, that as she enjoyed his fellowship in life, so might she consume with him being dead, by which means the very worms that bred upon the dead carcase, in a manner devoured up her live body: and thus were the sins of lust and adultery, scourged with a plague but seldom heard of.   

Sloths Tragedies: Or the life and death of Saturnia the sluggard, the seventh and last daughter of the enchanted Queen.  
Chap. 9  
SAturnia the last, but not the unhappiest of these sisters, had the gentlest fortune of them all allotted her, yet in striving to prevent fate, was taken in her own trap, and when she least dreamt on, tasted of the bitter cup of death: the world she accounted the wilderness of iniquity, and the very puddle of misery: therefore hating the fellowship of mankind, she purposed to forsake all princely glories, courtly delights, and worldly pleasures, and betake her to the solitary life of Diana, and to spend remnant of her days in some desert wilderness, where no sin abounded. So upon an evening, without copmpany she stole from the court, guided by the pale light of the moon, and the twinkling starlight of heaven, she happened into a thick grove of trees, as it were inhabited only by fairies, elves, and the ghosts of dead men: day and night there seemed all one: the glorious sun as a stranger there showed his face, and the voices of humane creatures were accounted fatal to be there heard: night-ravens, howlats, bats with leather wings, flying griffins and kokatrises, covered quite over these thickets: upon the ground lay red bellied worms, speckled snakes, hissing adders, venomous toads, loathsome spiders, and sleeping doremices: so that neither heath nor grass was there to be seen, only heaps of brown moss, upon the which she rested her discontented body: twice twelve months without waking slept she thereupon, only fed by the gentle means of greene-capt fairies, in which long sleep her dreams were of the torments of hell, and the manner of her six sisters punishments in that damned region.  
First in her sleep she beheld her eldest sister, bearing the name of Pride, attired in a garment boiled in molten lead, with a neckercher about her neck of flaming fire: and her dainty feet seemed to walk upon red burning coals.  
Next, she Beheld her second sister, called Envy, grasping in her hands a pair of fiery stinging snakes, which as it were lay feeding upon her flesh, even ready to burst with the abundance of blood sucked from her bosom.  
Then she beheld her third sister called Wrath wading into a boiling cauldron of fire brimstone, up to the very chin, and in brazen ladels casting the same up and down in great fury.  
Then fixed the her eye upon her fourth sister named Covetousness, feeding on melted gold, and every part of her body behung with burning pearls, saphirés & diamonds, which seemed to sear the very flesh from her bones.  
After this she beheld her fist sister, which was Gluttony sitting in a flaming chair, at a table of red hot yorne, served by devils, with broiled loads upon grid-yorns, and drinking down chalices of boiling mettles.  
The next vision was her sixth sister, named Lechery, lying in a bed of smoking sulphur, delivered of a brood of vipers, who with their fiery teeth fed upon her bowels, and as it were had her body spread all over with vile leprosy.  
These were her scarefull dreams and continual apparitions, in which unquiet sleep she remained without waking, till her body grew shapeless, having no proportion, as then made the shelter for toads, frogs, and venomous worms, to breed in the excrements of the earth, and the deformities of nature: thus vanished her life away in sleep, being no way able to withstand the scuaere indignation of heaven.   

Of the enchanted queen's despair; and how she was carried away alive by devils.  
CHAP. 9  
IFter the death of all these seven deadly sisters, now brought to confusion by the black doom of mortality: our tragic story bids us return to the enchanted queen, lying all this while in childbed, fightles and lame, having no feeling in any part of her members, which miracle of misery, after she had intelligence of her seven daughters tragical ends, asuredly believed that then her life was at the last period, and the time of fearful death drew near, according to her conditions made to the devil, who promised she should live till the seven days of the week were forgotten, which she aluded to her seven daughters so named: now fear, terror, and pining despair assailed her on all sides: now dreaded she every minute, her soul's departure to that burning furnace, whose fire is ten times more hot than this earthly fire, and now every small noise she heard, she supposed, to be the hurrying of devils that came to take possession both of soul and body: every minute wished she now to be whole years, hours, millions and days endless, time to stand still, or the world to end: now she repented her ambition, her aspiring dignities, and all those desires of a kingdom: now repented she the selling of her soul: her bands sealing with her own blood, and all her agreements with black hell: every time the clock struck put her in mind of eternal damnation, and how that hell's gaping mouth stood ready to receive her: cursing the begetters and causers of her creation: thus in deep remorse of conscience, suent she out the tiresome day, the last day of her worldly life, till the cloudy evening with her pitchy manly approached, the only comparative of gloomy hell, the which had no sooner shut up the bright eye of heaven, but clouds more dark than darkness itself, checked the world with motions of pale death: such tempests of lightning and thunder, broke from heavens crystal portals, that it even blasted the beauty of the earth, and attired both trees, herbs, and flowers, in a mournful livery: this night so all mankind was a night of fear, a night of relentless terror, a night of confused desolation, in which extremity of horror it continued till the midnight's hour, at which instant time with a clamorous roaring, that seemed to shake both heaven and earth, the wrathful powers of black hell, fetched away both her body and soul: the which being done, the heaves cleared, the earth replenished, and after followed a time of plenty, peace and prosperity.  
FINIS.