Emb: 37.   

A Woman often representeth Fame,  
I Nine present, and all of Worthy Name.  
For Virtue or for Valour all renowned  
Whose Glorious Fame doth through the World resound.  
Whereby it's evident that Woman can  
Equal if not Exceed, the Deeds of Man.  
Read, and then Judge impartially their Cause.  
No doubt my Heroines will gain Applause.    

Female EXCELLENCY, OR THE Lady's Glory. Illustrated In the worthy Lives and memorable Actions of Nine Famous Women, who have been renowned either for Virtue or Valour in several Ages of the world; namely, 

I. Deborah the Prophetess.  
II. The Valiant Judith.  
III. Queen Esther.  
iv The Virtuous Susanna.  
V The  Lucretia.  
VI Voadicia Queen of Britain.  
VII. Mariam wife to King Herod.  
VIII. Clotilda Queen of France.  
IX. Andegona Princess of Spain.    
The whole adorned with Poems and the Picture of each Lady.  
By R. B.  Licenced and Entered according to Order. 
LONDON, Printed for Nath. Crouch at the Bell in the Poultry near Cheapside. 1688.   

TO THE READER.  
THough Women from the injurious estimates of the World, have been commonly reckoned uncapable of noble undertake, from which God and Nature have no more excluded the Feminine than the Masculine part of mankind, yet it will be a little hard to pronounce that they really are so, if we consider how many outward advantages men are allowed above them, having their Parts improved by Education, Learning and Arts, and so seem by industry and Husbandry to become different from what they naturally would appear; and if Women had the same helps, I dare not say but they would make as good returns, of which there have been many famous instances in former Ages. Socrates confesses himself to have been instructed in Rhetoric by Aspasia, and even in the highest points of Philosophy by Diotime; The Roman History informs us of the deep wisdom of Tanaquil, Cornelia, Livia and others; which encouraged me, having first served my own Sex, by publishing the History of the Nine Worthies, to try whether I could not find out as many renowned Women in History, who for Virtue or Valour might seem to equal, if not in some things, excel the other, which indeed I found no very hard task, for though my Lord Montaign in his Essays writing of three Good Women, says merrily, they are not to be met with by the Dozen, yet I quickly discovered Nine whom I thought worthy to be proposed as admirable examples, either for Goodness, Courage, Chastity, Magnanimity, yea a generous contempt of Death, of which they are usually charged to have a slavish fear, whereby it appears that as their Souls are of as Divine an Original and endless a Duration as men's, so their Minds are capable of as Gallant Achievements, yet I will not undertake to justify self Homicide of which some of my Heroinies were guilty, though the exigencies and extremities to which they were reduced, may be some kind of Justification, however I hope none will make that a Precedent, since so many worthy things may be observed in their Lives and Actions, both for information and delight.  
R. B.   

The History of Deborah the Prophetess:   Deborah the Prophetess 

Deborah the Prophetess AFter the death of valiant Joshua  
The Israelites rebelled against God's Law,  
For which he gave them up unto their Foes  
Who filled their Land with miseries and woes,  
At length they cried for mercy to the Lord,  
Who doth these Penitents quick relief afford,  
Raising renowned Deborah, by whose might  
They Sisera and his Armies put to flight,  
Himself being vanquished by a Woman's hand,  
And Liberty restored unto their Land.  
Which happily they enjoyed near forty years,  
Serving the Lord; redeemed from all their fears.   
AFter the death of Joshua who brought the Israelites into Canaan, the people required Phineas to inform them whom God had appointed to succeed for managing their Affairs, and carrying on the War against the Canaanites; He answered, That the Lord had commanded them to give the Government to the Tribe of Judah, thereupon they desired Simeon to join with them, who undertook the War upon this condition, That when they had utterly rooted the remainder of the Canaanites out of their own Tribe, they should employ their conquering Armies to extinguish their Race out of all the rest; Mean time the Enemy encouraged by Joshuas decease, expected the Israelites with a great Host under Adonibezeck their King, near the City of Bezeca, with much confidence of success, but these two Tribes engaged their numerous Forces with so much valour and success, that they slew ten thousand and put the rest to flight, taking their King Prisoner in the Fight, whose hands and feet having commanded to be cut off, he acknowledged the Divine Justice therein, confessing that he had used seventy two Kings in former time in the same manner.  
The Israelites improving their Victory, over-ran the Country, and took divers Cities with small resistance in a short time; At length they Besieged Jerusalem, and entering the lower City put all the Inhabitants to the Sword, but the higher City being very well fortified with Walls and Bulwarks, together with the strength of its natural Situation, caused them not to attempt the assaulting it at present; whereupon marching to Hebron they soon became Masters thereof, and slew all therein; At this time there were still left some of the Race of the Giants, who for their Stature and Countenance were very dreadful, and their Bones which were found many hundred years after, discovered the vastness of their Limbs and Bulk; The City of Hebron was given to the Levites out of respect to them, with two thousand Cubits of Land, and the rest of the Country was bestowed upon Caleb, as Moses had commanded, he being one of the Spies who was sent to discover the Land of Canaan; There were likewise Lands and Possessions settled upon the Posterity of Jethro the Father-in-law of Moses, and the Tribes of Judah and Simeon taking Possession of Asealon and Azoth two Cities of the Mountainous Country, settled there, and after this good success discharged themselves from the Wars.  
As for the Benjamites to whom Jerusalem belonged, they took Tribute of the Inhabitants, and agreed to live in Peace with them, so that now they all employed themselves quietly in manuring the Country; The rest of the Tribes did the same, suffering the Canaanites to continue in peace, only the Tribe of Ephraim having Besieged the City of Bethel, and finding it difficult to gain it, had it at length delivered into their hands by one of their own Citizens, whom they therefore saved alive according to their agreement, but put all the rest to the Sword; After this the Israelites behaved themselves more mildly toward the Canaanites, using their service in Husbanding their Lands and Fruits, and thereby growing rich and at ease, they grew dissolute and negligent of the commands of God, and the policy and precepts of their Forefathers; whereupon the Lord was grievous angry for their wickedness, and that contrary to his express will they had spared the Canaanites, declaring that those whom they had thus preserved should in time exercise great cruelties against them; The Israelites little regarded these threats of the Almighty, but were wholly corrupted, both Magistrates and People, which caused a dreadful mutiny and commotion among themselves upon this occasion.  
A certain Levite who lived in the Tribe of Ephraim having married a wife of incomparable beauty, out of the City of Bethlem in Judah, he loved her entirely, but suspecting that she had not the same affection toward him, much difference arose between them, which increased so far that the woman leaving him, went and dwelled with her Father, The husband quickly followed her, and by reason of his extraordinary kindness to her was soon reconciled, and being treated by her Parents four days with much respect, on the fifth he designed to return home, but proceeded not on his Journey till toward noon by reason of the unwilling farewell the Father and Mother took of them; He had a Servant with him and an Ass whereon the woman road; having traveled about 30 furlongs and approaching Jerusalem, the Servant advised him to take up his lodging thereabout, lest some disaster might befall them so near an enemy's Country; but he unwilling to lodge among the Canaanites, resolved to travel 20 furlongs further to some City of the Benjamites, and accordingly came to Gibeah late in the night, where they found none to receive them, till at length an old man coming out of the Country, being an Ephraimite by birth but dwelling in that City, meeting him, asked him whence he came, and how he was so late without a lodging, he replied, he was a Levite, who having brought his wife from her Parents was returning to his house among the Ephraimites; the old man having a respect to his Tribe, entertained him into his house.  
But certain young men of the City having observed the woman, were even ravished with her beauty and resolved to assault the house and seize upon her; The old man earnestly requested them to departed and offer no violence to Strangers, but they furiously demanded to have the woman delivered, or else threatened further mischief, neither could his alleging the worthiness of her birth and parentage, the dignity of her husband, being a Levite, nor the Villainy of the Fact deter them, but they still persisted in their menaces to murder him and his Family if he did not instantly satisfy their brutality. In this extremity the old man thought it less inconvenient to prostitute his own daughter to their lawless desires than that his Guest should suffer any outrage; But this would not in the least content them, so that their rage increasing they violently seized on the woman and carried her away to their own lodgings, where having abused her all night, about break of day they thrust her out of doors, who being exceedingly disturbed at this horrid usage, and ashamed to appear before her husband after this unfortunate accident she fell down dead at the door of the house where he lay.  
In the morning her husband finding her in that posture, imagined that she was only asleep, and endeavoured to awake and comfort her, since what had been done was without her consent, and by the brutality of those miscreants, but at length perceiving there was no life in her, he with much perturbation of mind laid the dead Carcase upon his Ass, and carried it to his own house, where being arrived he divided it into twelve pieces which he sent to the twelve Tribes of Israel, commanding the Messenger to relate the occasion, and manner of his wife's death, and how horridly she had been abused. The Tribes were much disturbed at this unheard of outrage, and assembling together in Siloe before the Ark, they resolved instantly to take arms and utterly destroy the Gibeonites as their mortal and implacable Enemies; But the Elders restrained their wrath by representing to them the reasonableness of first sending to demand satisfaction for this notorious abuse, which being denied they might then justly proceed to punish them with severity; Accordingly some persons were sent to require the delivery of those young men that had perpetrated this wickedness against the woman, that they might suffer the Law according to their demerits, but the Gibeonites peremptorily deny to yield them up, since the whole Tribe of Benjamin wherein this City of Gibeah was situated resolved to join with them in defence of these profligate Wretches.  
This Report being brought to the rest of the Tribes, they solemnly bound themselves by Oath to each other, that none should give their Daughters in marriage to a Benjamite, but would mutually assist each other in the total extirpation of that Tribe, and accordingly they put themselves into arms, and in a short time brought an Army of four hundred thousand into the Field; The Host of Benjamin was about twenty six thousand, and the first Battle was fought near Gibeah wherein the Benjamites put the Israelites to flight, and slew two and twenty hundred, many escaping by the darkness of the night; The Benjamites returned joyfully to their City, but the Israelites were very much discouraged by this unexpected disaster; Yet hoping for better Success they renewed the fight next day, wherein the Benjamites again prevailed with the slaughter of eighteen thousand of the Israelites, who thereupon left their Camp and retired to Bethel. The day after they fasted, and humbled themselves before God, beseeching him to appease his wrath toward them, and that he would at length give them victory over their Enemies, which the Lord assured them by the mouth of Phinehas the High Priest, they should obtain the next day.  
Hereupon they divided their Army into two parts, one whereof they laid in ambush near the City of Gibeah, and with the other marched against the Benjamites, who issued out with assurance of the same success as before, and the Israelites thereupon retiring, confirmed them in their error, so that proceeding with much fury they were at length drawn quite out of the City, few or none being left therein since all hoped to be sharers in the spoil and prey; when on a sudden the Israelites making a stand and falling upon them, and at the same time giving notice to the ambush to come on, who quickly appeared with a great shout, the Benjamites were instantly encompassed, and though they made the best defence they were able, yet in a short time were all slain, except six hundred, who desperately fought their way through the midst of their enemies, and escaped to the Mountains, all the rest being about Twenty five thousand falling that day, and the City of Gibeah was burnt and all the women and children therein killed; using the like severity against the rest of the Cities of Benjamin.  
The fury of the Israelites being by this bloody slaughter appeased, they began to consider that by their rage they had almost extinguished one of the Tribes of their Brethren, and repenting of their severity they considered of some way to prevent their total destruction, whereupon remembering that the men of Jabesh Gilead had refused to join with them against the Benjamites, they sent twelve thousand chosen men against them, who slew all that bore arms with the women and children, reserving only four hundred Virgins; At their return the Israelites sent Messengers to the Benjamites who fled into the deserts, and had secured themselves in the rock Rimmon, to desire them to come back to their former possessions which they had forfeited by the Just Judgement of God for their wickedness in protecting such impious offenders from condign punishment; the Benjamites by the persuasions of their brethren came and possessed their inheritance, and the Israelites gave them the four hundred Virgin Captives in marriage; but because two hundred yet remained without wives, and they had solemnly sworn not to give them their daughters, they concluded the Benjamites should take the advantage of seizing two hundred of the daughters of the City of Shiloh who came to a Feast every year near Bethel; accordingly when the Feast approached these two hundred Benjamites went and hid themselves by two and three in a company among the Vines and thickets to surprise the Damsels, who suspecting nothing, were dancing very pleasantly in the Fields, when the young men suddenly issuing out seized each upon a Virgin at unawares, and carried them home to their houses, and having married them they repaired their Cities and dwelled therein, whereby the Tribe of Benjamin that was near extinguished, began in a short time to increase and flourish as before, and thus ended this fatal War.  
In this History I have followed Josephus who differs in time from what is written in the Holy Scriptures.  
After this another generation arose who forgot the works of the Lord, and disobeyed his holy Laws and Commandments, giving themselves up to all manner of Vice and Luxury, and wallowing in all the abominations and Idolatry of the Canaanites, for which cause the wrath of God was kindled, and he stirred up the Nations round about against them, delivering them into the hands of the king of Mesopotamia, who ruled over them eight years, taking many Prisoners, and bringing their Cities into subjection; In this their calamity they called upon the Lord who stirred up a certain man called Othniel, who was warned from Heaven to deliver the Israelites out of this their cruel bondage; he calling together some of his Companions in danger who were discontented at their present condition and desired a change, they first fell upon the Garrison that the Mesopotamians had placed over them, whom having soon discomfited they thereby took courage to meet them in the open Field, and their numbers increasing by this first success they seemed equal to their Enemies, whom they therefore engaged in battle and overcame with a very great slaughter, their King being taken Prisoner, and the liberty of the Israelites thereby restored to them; the terror of their arms after this was so great to all the Nations round about, that none durst oppose them, and Othniel for his valour received the Government from the people's hands and exercised the Office of a Judge over them peaceably forty years.  
After whose death the Government being void, the affairs of the Israelites began again to decline, the people neither giving due honour to God nor obedience to the Laws, whence it came to pass that Eglon K. of the Moabites observing their disorders made War and prevailed often against them, weakening their Forces, and obliging them to pay tribute, and proud of his Victories, removed his Court to Jericho, omitting no practices to vex and molest the Israelites, so that they lived in much misery under him eighteen years, when the Almighty moved with their supplications and sorrows freed them from this intolerable thraldom by the hand of Ehud the Son of Gera, who insinuated himself into the favour of Eglon, and by the gifts and presents he made him was much respected by the king and all his Court; One day it happened that as Ehud carried certain presents to Eglon accompanied by two of his household Servants, he privately girt a dagger under his Garments, and entering into the presence he delivered his gifts to the King who was then solacing himself in a Summer Chamber; being now by themselves Eglon having sent away his attendants, to hear the secret Message which Ehud said he had to deliver him, he suddenly stabbed the king into the belly with his dagger, and left the weapon swallowed up in his bowels, by reason Eglon was a very fat man; and then privately escaped shutting the door upon him; His Servants finding the door of the parlour locked, suspected nothing of mischief, but supposed it was upon some natural occasion, in this error they continued till toward Evening, when fearing what had happened they entered and found Eglon fallen down dead on the Earth; In this interval, Ehud had time to secure himself out of danger, and coming to Jericho gave them an Account of the matter, offering himself to be their Leader in recovering their lost liberty, who readily accepting this proposal presently took arms, and blowing a trumpet they assembled all the people of the Country, who joining together fell upon the Moabites before they were prepared, who were so dismayed at the dismal Accident of the death of their King, that they knew not how to make any defence, insomuch that the Israelites charging fiercely upon them killed many upon the place, and the rest being about ten thousand betook themselves to flight hoping to recover their own Country, but the Israelites having before fortified the passages of Jordan, pursued and slew them all; By this means the Israelites were freed from the servitude of Moab, and continued quiet from any Invader fourscore years.  
After this Shamgar the Son of Anath was Elected Governor, who slew six hundred of the Philistines with an Ox-goad and thereby in some measure delivered them; but the Israelites not yet reclaimed by their former sufferings returned again to impiety and disobedience though they had so lately shaken off the yoke of the Moabites; So that God in just Judgement gave them into the hands of Jabin king of Canaan, who kept his residence at Hazor on the Lake of Sachonites; He had an Army of thirty thousand Foot, ten thousand Horse, and nine hundred Chariots of iron. Over these Forces Sisera was Commander in chief a great Favourite with the King, who encountering with the Israelites reduced them into such a low condition that they accepted of servitude, and were obliged to pay tribute for twenty years; In this lamentable state, they began to reflect upon their transgressions, and provocations against the Almighty, acknowledging the Justice of Heaven in punishing them for their ingratitude and contempt of the Divine Laws, and repaired to a certain Prophetess named Deborah, which in Hebrew signifies a Bee, beseeching her that by her Prayers she would entreat the Lord to have mercy upon them, and free them from their bondage under the Canaanites; Hereupon God being inclined to compassion promised them deliverance, and appointed Baruc, whose name signifies Lightning, of the Tribe of Napthali to be their Chief; to him therefore Deborah sends a message, That he should instantly raise ten thousand choice men, and lead them against their Enemies, affirming that they were sufficient with the assistance of Heaven to conquer that mighty Host; But Baruc denying to undertake the War except she would join with him, and accompany him in the War, Deborah being somewhat moved, Wilt thou, said she, surrender up the Dignity that God hath given thee to a Woman? well I will not refuse to go with thee, but remember that this expedition will not be for thine honour since the Lord will sell Sisera into the hand of a Woman.  
Whereupon having levied ten thousand Soldiers, they pitched their Tents near the Mountain Itabar, of which Sisara having notice proceeded presently by the King's command to fall upon them, and encamped near them; Baruc and the Israelites being terrified with the multitude of their Enemies were encouraged by Deborah who commanded them that very day to give Battle, assuring them that God would assist and certainly deliver their Adversaries into their hands. Whereupon they charged the Canaanites with much valour, who were in a short time wholly discomfited, and all their Host fell with the edge of the Sword; Sisera alighted from his Chariot and fled away afoot; Josephus relates, that in the beginning of the fight there suddenly fell a storm of rain mixed with hail, which the wind drove against the faces of the Canaanites, and took away their sight, whereby those that fought with Darts and Slings were made unserviceable, and the Targeteers had their hands so benumbed with cold that they could scarce wield their Swords, but the Tempest being on the back of the Israelites was so far from disturbing them, that believing it a manifest token of the immediate favour and assistance of Heaven, they were thereby encouraged to assault their enemies with the greater vigour, and breaking through the front of their Battle they made a very great slaughter of them, so that a vast number fell by the Sword, and the rest were overrun by their own Chariots and Horsemen. Sisera flying with all speed, after he saw his Army turn their backs, arrived at the Tent of a woman of Cenetis called Jael the wife of Heber, and earnestly besought her to conceal him, which she seemed very willing to do, and covered him with a Mantle, who being very dry, desired a Cup of water, when she presented him with a dish of milk; And then covering him again, he entreated her, That if any came to inquire she should deny she had seen him, and then fell asleep; whilst he lay buried in slumbers by reason of his extreme toil and weariness, Jael took a nail and with a hammer struck it through his temples and fastened it to the ground whereby he instantly gave up the Ghost, soon after Barue with his Soldiers coming thither, she brought them in and shown what she had done, and thus a woman according to the prediction of the worthy Prophetess Deborah, was the Author of this glorious Victory; The Army being likewise managed by the conduct of Deborah a woman, the Israelites thereby subduing their inveterate Foes the Canaanites: And Baruc leading his Army to Hazor slew Jabin their King, who came out against them, levelling the City to the ground, and thereby freed the Land from bondage, which had rest forty years after this notable success; And that they might not seem ingrateful to the Lord for so great a deliverance, Deborah and Baruc composed the following Song of praise and thanksgiving, which they sung in the hearing of all the people. Deborah lived in the year from the creation 2641. and before the Nativity of our Saviour 1350.  

Judges 5.  

YOur Great Preserver celebrate  
He who revenged our wrongs of late,  
When you his Sons in Israel's aid  
Of life so brave a tender made.  
You Princes with attention hear  
And you who awful Sceptres bear,  
While I in sacred numbers sing  
The praise of our Eternal King.  
When he through Seir his Army led  
In Edom's Fields his Ensigns spread,  
Earth shook, the Heavens in drops descend  
And Clouds in tears their substance spend.  
Before his face the Mountains melt  
Old Sinai unknown servor felt,  
When Israel Shamgars Rule obeyed  
And Jael that Virago, swayed;  
She bold of Heart; He great in War,  
Yet to the fearful Traveller  
All ways were then unsafe; who crept  
Through woods, or past when others slept.  
The land uncultivated lay,  
When I arose, I Deborah  
A mother to my Country grew  
At once their Foes and Fears subdue,  
When to themselves new Gods they chose  
Then were their Walls besieged by Foes.  
Did one of forty thousand wear  
A Coat of Steel or shook a Spear  
You who with such alacrity  
Led to the Battle; O how I  
Affect your valour; with me raise  
Your voices; sing Jehovahs' praise.  
Sing you who on white Asses ride  
And justice equally divide.  
You who those ways so feared of late  
Where now no thiefs assassinate;  
You lately from your Fountains barred  
Where you their clattering quivers heard  
There with united joy record  
The Righteous Judgements of the Lord;  
You who your Cities repossess,  
Who reap in peace, his praise profess  
Arise, O Deborah, arise;  
In heavenly Hymns express thy Joys;  
Arise, O Baruc; Thou the Fame  
And Offspring of Alcinoam;  
Of Israel the renowned head  
Captivity now Captive lead:  
Nor shall the noble memory  
Of our strong aids in silence die.  
The quiver bearing Ephraimite  
Marched from his Mountain to the fight,  
Those who on Amalek confine  
The small remains of Benjamine.  
From Machir Princess not a few,  
Wise Zebulun with Letters drew,  
The valiant chiefs of Issachar,  
With Deborah, hasted to this war;  
Who down into the valley tread  
The way which noble Baruc led.  
But Reuben from the rest disjoined  
By Hills and Floods, was so in mind,  
Didst thou these glorious wars refuse  
To hear the bleating of thy Ewes?  
O Great in Council! Oh how wise!  
That couldst both Faith and Fame despise.  
Gilead of thundering drums afraid,  
Or slothful, beyond Jordan stayed;  
Dan his swift failing ships affects  
And public liberty neglects.  
While Ashur on his cliffs resides  
And fortifies against the Tides.  
But Zebulun and Nap●hali  
Who never would from danger fly,  
Were ready for the public good,  
On Tabors top to shed their blood.  
Then Kings, Kings of the Canaanites,  
To Tanach Plains addressed their fights.  
Where swift Megiddo's waters ran  
Yet neither spoil nor Trophy won,  
The heavens 'gainst Sisera fought, the Stars,  
Moved in their Courses to those wars.  
By Ancient Kishon swept from thence,  
Whose Torrent falling clouds incense  
Thou O my joyful Soul at length,  
Hast trod to dirt their mighty strength.  
Their wounded Horse with flying haste  
Fall headlong and their Riders cast:  
Thus spoke an Angel; cursed be  
Thou Meroz all who dwell in thee  
That basely wouldst no aid afford  
In that great battle to the Lord.  
O Jael, Heber's wife thou best  
Of women be thou ever blest,  
Blessed above all; Let all that dwell  
In Tents, thy Act, O Jael tell  
She brought him milk above his wish  
And butter in a princely dish.  
A hammer and a nail she took  
And into Sisera's Temples struck  
He fell, fell down unto the floor,  
Lay where he fell bathed in his gore,  
Lay grovelling on his feet, and there  
His wretched Soul sighed into air.  
His mother at her window stayed,  
And looking out from thence, she said,  
" Why are his Chariot whee it so slow?  
" And done't my Son in Triumph show?  
When her wise Ladies standing by  
Yea she herself made this reply,  
" Have not their Swords yet won the day?  
" Have they not shared the wealthy prey?  
" Now every Soldier for his pains.  
" A Hebrew Dame, or Virgin gains  
" While Sisera, choosing, lays aside  
" Rich Robes in various colours died,  
" Rich Robes with curious needles wrought  
" On either side; from Phrygia brought  
" The thread spun from the Silkworms womb  
" Such as a Conqueror become.  
Great God so perish all thy Foes,  
Love such as love thee, On let those  
Shine like the Sun when he displays  
I'th' Orient his increasing Rays.     

The History of the Valiant Judith.   depiction of Judith 

WHen Holofernes by the proud command,  
Of Nabuchadnezzar was sent, the Land  
Of Israel to invade, and overthrow  
Their Towns and Cities, so to bring them low,  
The Hearts of all were filled with fear and dread,  
How such great force should be encountered,  
Then Valiant Judith for her Country's sake  
Deliverance for them does undertake.  
Courageously the General she slays  
And Israel's dying hopes doth thereby raise.  
Who do their flying foes fiercely pursue,  
And unto Judith render praises due.   
THough the History of Judith is placed among the Apocryphal writings, and not allowed to be canonical Scripture, as not being delivered by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit; yet it is thought by the learned that the matter thereof is true, and the worthy and reverend Archbishop Usher in his Scripture Chronology sets it down as a matter very certain, and that it happened in the year from the Creation 3348. in the reign of Manasseh King of Israel, and before the birth of our Saviour about 652.  
Having premised this to encourage the reading the life of this famous Heroine not as a fiction or Romance but a story full of veracity, I proceed.  
Nothing feminine must be expected in this woman, all her actions were manly and full of generosity, and what was wanting in her Sex, was fully recompensed in her Virtue and Valour; her hand was triumphant in destroying above an hundred thousand men, by cutting off only one head, but her eye did much more than her hand, that first conquered Holofernes, and with a little ray of its flames burnt up a whole Army. It was in the reign of Nabuchadnezzar King of Assyria, that this female worthy lived, who being elevated by the many victories and successes he had obtained, his ambition swelled him so much that he resolved to afflict the whole earth, and to destroy all the Gods of the Lands, and oblige all Nations to worship him, and that all Tongues and people should adore him only as God; to prosecute this impious design he commanded Holofernes his Chief Captain to muster an Army of an hundred and twenty thousand foot, and twelve thousand Horse; with this mighty force this renowned General ruined all before him that made resistance, and received those to mercy who desired peace and submitted to those idolatrous terms he required of them; the motions of this dreadful host brought terror to the stoutest hearts, and confusion to the weak and cowardly; before it marches Noises, Affrights and Threats; after it, Weep, Ruins, and Desolations.  
The report of this overflowing deluge of men came to the poor Israelites at Jerusalem, which raised Sighs and Groans in the most obdurate Souls, who being sensible of this furious tempest approaching, their courage was dismayed, their hands hang down, and their tongues were silent, having no other defence but their tears which they poured out abundantly in prospect of the Funerals of their Native Country; At this time Manasseh was king of Jerusalem who not foreseeing any possibility of stopping this violent torrent, or preventing the impending misery of his kingdom, abandoned himself to sorrow and desperation; but Joachim the High Priest, who likewise executed the Office of a General, used all possible means to revive the drooping Spirits of this disconsolate people; he sends Messengers to all the Cities to furnish what men and provisions they were able, to stop if possible the course of this barbarous enemy, and to endeavour to take possession of the straits and narrow passages of the Mountains where a few might do great execution, and thereby prevent their descent into the Plains, where the multitude of their Forces would soon encompass and swallow all that opposed them. He than commands public supplications to be made to the Almighty, and covers the Altar-of the Lord with Sackcloth, and the Priests with Haircloth, who with tears, and fastings (even the little children too) prostrated themselves on the earth to implore the mercy of Heaven toward them; but knowing that prayers without endeavours would be fruitless, he visits all the Cities in person, comforting the afflicted, strengthening the weak, and enlivening the dull, thereby giving life and vigour to all the members of the body politic.  
Holofernes having advice that the Jews made preparations to oppose him by force was filled with rage and disdain, and called the Princes of Ammon, Moab and the Governors of the Seacoasts to him, of whom he demanded, what people they were who inhabited canaan, what strength they had, and who was their King, that they presumed to withstand them, and would not come and submit themselves as the other Nations had done. To whom Anchor Prince of Ammon thus replied.  
If my Lord will not be angry I will give him a full Account of those people which dwell near the Hill Countries, without diminishing or concealing any thing of the truth; Be it known to my Lord that they are originally descended from the Chaldeans, but separated themselves from them by reason of their Religion, refusing to worship the Gods of their Fathers, and adoring only one God the Maker of Heaven and Earth, and departed into Mesopotamia, where they continued many years; but were at length commanded by their God to departed from thence and go into the Land of Canaan where they dwelled and multiplied exceedingly, increasing in Gold, Silver, Cattle, and all the blessings of this life. After this a terrible Famine happening in their Country they went down into Egypt to get food, where they were kept alive, and grew to a very great number insomuch that they began to be a terror to the Egyptians, and that King endeavoured by all means to diminish them, imposing cruel bondage upon them in making bricks, thereby to bring them low; upon which they cried to the Lord their God who revenged their wrongs by horrible plagues upon the Egyptians, so that they were forced to let them go whithersoever they pleased; when they were gone the King repent of what he had done, and resolved to pursue and utterly destroy them, but God dried up the Red Sea before them so that they passed safely through, and the Egyptians were all drowned therein; From hence their God led them to Mount Sinai, and through the barren deserts of Arabia, and miraculously nourished them there with food from Heaven, and waters out of the Rock, and caused them to be victorious over all the people of the Countries through which they passed; Thus as long as they served their God they were invincible over all their enemies, devouring the Amorites, Jebusites, Perezites, and other Nations as fire consumes the chaff, and possessing their Lands and Estates; But when they departed from God's worship and defiled themselves with iniquity, they were then forsaken of Heaven, defeated in many battles, and led captive into the land of their adversaries, the Temple of their God being cast down and their Cities taken from them; But they are now again returned to their former worship, and their Country and Temple at Jerusalem where they fortify themselves against us; Let us therefore, my Lord, be advised before we proceed against them, for if their God be angry with them by reason of any provocation, it will be easy for us to subdue and destroy them; but if he be reconciled and will defend them, it will be in vain to attempt any thing, since he will certainly ruin and defeat all that shall assault them, be their strength and multitude never so great.  
Achior having thus spoken, the Commanders of the Army were extremely incensed against him, and desired he might be slain, who had the confidence to imagine that so small a number of people as the Israelites were, should be able to withstand the force of the Royal Army of Nabuchadnezzar, whom they doubted not but to discomfit at their very first appearance. Holofernes having quieted the tumult raised among his Soldiers by this Oration, spoke thus to him and his Associates.  
Who art thou Achior, and who are you Hirelings of Ephraim that you have prophesied we should not make War with the people of Israel because their God will defend them, as if there were any other God but Nabuchadnezzar, whose Servants will utterly destroy them, the Mountains shall be drunk with their blood, and their Fields covered with their dead bodies; And thou Achior shalt see my face no more till I take vengeance of these people that came out of Egypt, and in the mean time I will deliver thee into their hands.  
Accordingly some Soldiers were sent to carry Achior bound and throw him down the Hill near the walls of the City, which the Israelites perceiving came and brought him into Bethulia, and being carried before the Priests and Governors of the City, who inquired the meaning of this adventure, he gave them an account of all he had said to Holofernes, and what Testimony he had given of the Power and Majesty of God; whereat the people were even ravished for joy, and fell down crying to the Lord of Heaven to behold the pride of their enemies, and pity the low estate of his servants; And then comforted Achior, and promised him all security and protection.  
Mean time Holofernes endeavoured to surprise little Bethulia, but found it hard to be effected by reason of some valiant men who lay in ambush in the Mountains, and much gauled his Army in the narrow passages; whereupon his Soldiers persuaded him not to hazard his whole Army in this dangerous attempt, but endeavour to stop the channels that carried the water from the Fountains, which would quickly oblige them to yield; This was performed accordingly, and was very like to have effected their design, for the people began to murmur and mutiny aloud against the Priests for bringing them into this dangerous condition by their rashness, since there was little hope of prevailing against such a formidable power as had already subdued so many Nations, and with one voice required them to surrender up the Town to the Assyrians; Ozias in the absence of Joachim endeavoured to appease the cries and tears of the people, and desired them to take courage and trust in God, and if deliverance did not come in five days he would then do as they pleased.  
There was then in the City of Bethulia a great Treasure whose worth and merit was utterly unknown; It was the valiant Judith of a worthy Family of the Tribe of Reuben, whose husband was named Manasseh, and had been dead about three years and an half, leaving her very rich; She was exceeding beautiful and very religious, spending all her time in devotion, and wearing sackcloth upon her loins, whereby she gained much reputation among the people. This worthy Lady hearing of the resolutions of Ozias was much disturbed at the miseries of her Country, and sending for Ozias and the rest of the Princes of the people she thus addressed them.  
O ye Governors and Inhabitants of Bethulia, in my opinion you have been very rash in what you have spoken this day to the people, and in the Oath you have taken and pronounced between the Lord and them in promising to deliver up the City to the enemy if God do not send you help within five days, which is to tempt, and prescribe to him the time of his mercies, and not to depend upon his providence who knows best when and how to bring Salvation to those that put their trust in him; Let us therefore continue to serve the Lord according to his Laws and Commandments, and not turn aside to worship other Gods (as our Fathers did before us, and for which they were given up to the Sword of their Adversaries) and in God's good time which is the best, he will work out deliverance for us. Ozias replied, All that she had said was true and excellent, and that it was not the first time wherein she had manifested her wisdom and knowledge, for which she was always held in admiration, but that the extreme thirst of the people and the violent exclamations they raised, had caused them to enter into an Oath which they durst not break; But (said he) since we know thee to be a religious woman and upright in thy conversation, we beseech thee to pray to God for us that he will please to send us rain and fill our Cisterns, and then we shall take courage to defend ourselves. Hereupon Judith told them, That she would perform an Act which should resound through all generations, desiring them to leave one of the City Gates open through which she might freely pass that very night, accompanied with her Servant, since she had some good work in her heart for the benefit of her Country, which she would not yet discover, but assured them that God would save them by her hand within the time limited for giving up the City; Ozias and the Princes bid her go in peace, and prayed the Lord God to be with her, and to take vengeance of their enemies. Before she undertook this mighty Action, she retired to her closet, and putting ashes on her head, and sackcloth on her loins, prostrated herself to the earth and prayed earnestly to God in this manner.  
O Lord the God of my Fathers to whom nothing is impossible, look down upon the Armies of Assyria who exalt themselves against thee, and glory in the strength and number of their Forces, and let them know that thou art the God of Battles, and the Lord of Hosts is thy name, and that thou breakest in pieces the mighty powers of the earth with one glance of thy eyes; Throw down their strength by thy Almighty arm, and lift up that hand which hath made itself renowned from all ages by so many wonders as thou hast wrought against those that have opposed thy peculiar people. Confound their pride, and suffer them not to violate thy Temple, pollute thy Sanctuary, nor destroy thy Tabernacle where thy Glorious name resteth, and is called upon by thy afflicted Servants: Send thy wrath upon them, and deliver into my hand who am a weak widow the Commander of their Camp, give me such eloquence and utterance that my words may prevail upon him to his destruction; And since thy strength is not in the multitude of Soldiers, nor in the valour of Horsemen, make it now appear that thou canst save by the most weak and unlikely means, and that thou who art the God of the distressed, the helper of the oppressed, the supporter of the most destitute, and the Protector and Saviour of those that are without hope, art able to bring down thy most haughty and presumptuous Foes even by the hand of an impotent woman. Remember thy Covenant O Lord, give counsel to my heart, words to my mouth, and strength to my arm for the defence of thy House and People that all the Nations of the world may know there is no God like unto thee.  
Having thus armed herself with her Prayers and Confidence in the God of Heaven, she puts off her mourning and sackcloth, and washes and adorns herself with Rings and Jewels to the best advantage, so that she appeared exceeding amiable in the eyes of all, though her virtues and graces were much the greater ornament to her, and then having prepared meat and drink for herself and servant, because she would not be polluted with the dainties of the Heathens, she leaves her house, and goes toward the gate of Bethulia where she finds Ozias, and the Chiefs of the City Chabris and Charmis, who seemed ravished with the lustre of her heavenly beauty, yet inquired not into her design, but implored the blessing of God upon her, and the enterprise she had undertaken, and the gates being opened, she attended only by her maid, went directly toward the Camp of the Assyrians, all the people of the City looking after her as far as they could see; As she went down the Mountain at break of day the Soldiers having discovered her, ran presently to seize on so lovely a prize, and were much surprised with the charms and splendour of her countenance, and having inquired of her Country, and present intentions, she told them, That she was a woman of Bethulia, and that she had that night deserted the people of that miserable City, who were obstinate to procure their own destruction from the triumphant arms of the Assyrians, into whose hands they would at last certainly fall, but that she would have no share in their crime, hoping to escape their disasters also, and that her business was to reveal to Holofernes a certain way how to take the City and all the Country round about without loss of a man. The Soldiers were amazed at her comeliness and discourse, and assured her she had taken the only course to secure her life and honour, and that their Lord would receive and entertain her with all manner of kindness and respect.  
It may seem a rash attempt that a woman so handsome as Judith, should venture herself and her honour, to the rudeness of the dissolute Soldiers, who propound to themselves the ravishing of women for one part of the reward of their dangers and toils in war; And we may be apt to think that an honest woman would scarce expose her chastity to so many hazards and affronts, although it were to save a City; In humane reason this conduct of hers can hardly be defended, but who dares condemn what seems to proceed from a manifest inspiration of Heaven, which kept her as safe in the midst of the greatest seeming difficulties as if immured in the strongest Castle.  
She was then conducted to the Tent of Holofernes, who was leaning upon his Bed under a rich Canopy of State embroidered with Gold, Purple, Emeralds and Jewels, who having notice of her approach came to the door of his Tent with Silver Lamps before him; Judith being come into his presence, struck him and all his Attendants into admiration at her furprizing handsomeness, and being fallen at his feet, he caused her to be instantly raised up, and to encourage her, treats her with incomparable sweetness, assuring her, That he was not terrible to any who would submit themselves to the obedience of his great Master Nabuchadnezzar the King of all the Earth, neither would he have permitted a Sword to have been drawn against her Nation if according to their duty they had rendered their Towns to the arms of that Mighty Monarch, and therefore desired her to inform him upon what account she had forsaken the City, and was come to his Camp.  
Judith endeavoured to gratify his request by this subtle Oration. My Lord, I am very well satisfied that the Great Nabuchadnezzar is ordained of God to be the King of the whole world, and that all the strength of his Monarchy, and management of his warlike affairs is included in your Person, and conducted by your wisdom and policy, for the safety and protection of the good, and the chastisement of evil doers. The valour and prudence of the worthy Holofernes is renowned through all the Earth, who desires to be powerful only that he may be merciful, of which all the Provinces which have fallen under his conquering arm have had comfortable experience; As for the words which Achior declared to my Lord, he hath repeated the same in the ears of the people of Bethulia, thereby endeavouring to encourage them to defend themselves valiantly, and what he hath said is most true and certain, that the Israelites shall not be punished, neither can the Sword prevail against them except they sin against their God; But now their sin will overtake them, and thereby make them an easy prey to their enemies, for since their victuals and water fail them, they are resolved to kill all their , and to eat all things, even those forbidden by their Law, and not to spare those which were sanctified, and reserved for the use of the Priests, and service of the Temple, whereby they will provoke their God to anger; For this cause, my Lord, have I left that abominable City, and am come as a Messenger from Heaven to give you this advice; and to perform such an act that all the earth shall be astonished therewith, for thy Servant is religious, and worshippeth the God of Heaven every day and night, and I will pray unto him to discover his will to me, and to show me when they have committed these sins against him, that so I may inform you of the utmost time which is determined for this miserable Town, and then you may march even to the very gates of Jerusalem, and settle your Throne there, since the people will deliver themselves up to you as sheep without a shepherd, and a dog shall not open his mouth against you, it being very reasonable that men and beasts should submit themselves to such a formidable power as is conducted by the hand of the most High, and by the direction of his providence.  
Holofernes who was before taken by the eyes, was now charmed by the ears with the pleasantness of her discourse, and admired her above all women in the world both for her beauty and wisdom, promising that her God should be his God, and that he will advance her to great dignities in the house of Nabuchadnezzar, and make her renowned through all the earth. And at the same time brings her into the Chambers of his Treasure and Magnificence, and ordered her provisions both of meat and wine daily from his own Table, which she excused, since her Law did not permit her to eat of any other Viands but her own, which she had provided and brought along with her; But what (says Holofernes) if your own store should be spent, how shall we supply you? Judith replies, That she did not doubt but to accomplish the business she came about before that time; After this she was conducted into a stately Tent, where she reposed till midnight, and toward the morning watch she sent to Holofernes that he would please to permit her to go out before day to address her prayers to God, which he readily granted, commanding his Guards to let her pass freely; She went therefore in the silence of the night into the valley of Bethulia, where she washed herself in a Fountain of water, and then prayed earnestly to God that he would prosper her design for freeing her Country, and again raise up their drooping spirits.  
Having continued in the Camp three days, watching an opportunity to execute her intended project, behold a fit season was presented by Holofernes himself, who would needs make a sumptuous banquet for his servants and familiars only, to which he resolved to invite Judith as the chief Guest, hoping that when she was merry he might obtain his desire of her, since the Assyrians account it a great dishonour to a man to court a woman and not enjoy her; And therefore he ordered one of his Eunuches to wait upon her and impart his Master's pleasure to her, and how far she was in his favour, since he desired that very day to have her company at the magnificent Feast he had prepared, which was the greatest honour she could ever receive, and therefore aught to make no scruple of obeying, but to be pleasant and free with him who had laid so great an obligation upon her; Judith soon understood what his discourse tended to, and readily answered, That she was wholly disposed to perform his Lords commands, and would have no other will but his; And instantly adorns herself in the best manner, to wound his heart with her graces and charms, and passing into his Pavilion, seats herself nigh unto him, where she eats what she had provided, and tells him she will now drink cheerfully, since she had cause to count this the most happy day of her whole life.  
When Holofernes saw her so near him and alone, his heart was wholly ravished with her beauty, he thought himself the most fortunate man upon earth; His passion did not permit him to speak much he was so extremely moved; He contented himself only with inviting her to be merry, and drank large draughts to make himself so; And Judith expressing, her great content to see him in so good an humour, he to please her as he thought, drank so much more than ordinary, that he was even dead with drunkenness and the fumes of the strong wine; The Eunuch having the word to do his Office, dismisses all the servants, and Attendants, and shuts the door upon his Master and Judith; Holofernes lay sleeping upon his bed full of wine, but Judith was never more wakeful, she contemplates the gallant General lying in his drunken sleep, and earnestly called upon God to prosper her bold undertaking for the exaltation of Israel, and going to the pillars of the bed she takes down thence the sword of Holofernes, and undauntedly drawing it, she takes hold of the hair of his head, and saying, Strengthen my arm O Lord God of Israel this day, she smote him twice upon the neck with all her force, and with the last blow struck off his head, throwing his body on the ground; then pulling down the Canopy from the Pillars, and giving it her Maid, with the head, she put it into her bag among the meat, and both of them pass through the Army without being questioned, the Officers having order to let them go as usually to prayers.  
Having passed the Camp, they went up the Mourtain of Bethulia, and arriving at the City gates before morning, she cried to the Centinel afar off to open the gates with all speed, since God had done worders for Israel, and had appeared in a strange manner for their deliverance from their enemies; The people hearing her voice, soon let her in, and ran to give notice to Ozias and the Rulers; all the inhabitants both great and small coming together to hear what tidings she had brought, whom they looked upon as a lost woman, and like one come from the other world, and having made a great fire to give light to the Assembly, they stood round about her, who spoke thus in the midst of them with a loud voice, Praise God, praise ye the Lord I say, who never forsakes his own, but hath by me this day accomplished his promise to his chosen people, and hath by me and by my hands slain the common enemy of our Nation this very night.  
She than drew out of the bag the horrible head of Holofernes, all pale and bloody which she shown to them all, adding, Behold the head of the Capt. Gen. of the Armies of Assur, and then spreading abroad his Pavilion, Behold said she, the Canopy wherein he reposed himself in his drunkenness, and where the Lord smote him by the hand of a woman; It is the living God alone that hath preserved me from all danger in this most perilous attempt, and though my countenance hath been his ruin, yet I take that God whose Angel hath been my guard to witness, he hath not offered me the least shame nor reproach; To God be all the glory whose mercy and goodness endures forever. The people were even transported with joy at this unexpected deliverance, and seeing the dismal head only by torchlight, were almost persuaded it was but a dream; But that the multitude which saw the same thing confirmed them their eyes were not deluded; They therefore shouted with praises to the God of Heaven the only worker of Miracles, and then turning to Judith they gave her a thousand thanks and blessings for being the instrument of so marvellous a salvation that day.  
Then Ozias the Prince of the people of Israel in Bethulia spoke thus to her, Blessed be you O Daughter, and most excellent above all the women in the Earth, and praised be the great Creator of Heaven and Earth who hath assisted your Victorious arm for the destruction of the principal of our Enemies, whereby you have rendered your name immortal to all ages to come, and shall be had in admiration by all that have any sense of the wonderful works of God while the world endures, since none can forget how little you valued your own life and honour, so that you might thereby free your Nation from the inevitable ruin which seemed to hang over their heads. After this Achior was called to whom showing the head of Holofernes, and assuring him that what he had affirmed of the might & power of the God of Israel was now fully verified, since he that had vowed their total desolation was now no more, and their great Commander Holofernes was himself without a head; Achior was even astonished at her words and action, and with the surprise fell down into a swound, but at length recovering he threw himself at her feet with so much reverence, as was near to adoration, and by her means was more confirmed in the true Religion, and he with all the people shouted, and gave glory to God with a loud voice.  
Judith to perfect her Conquest advised the people to place the head upon one of the highest Towers of the City, and in the morning to make a sally out upon the Assyrians, who at the alarm would presently run to the Tent of Holofernes to awake him, and finding what had happened, would be extremely amazed and sell their lives at a cheap rate, and might be pursued and utterly destroyed out of all their Coasts with very little damage to themselves. This was put in execution, and the Captains instantly repaired to the General's Tent to receive orders, desiring Bagoas the Eunuch to wake their Lord, since the Israelitish slaves had presumed to make a sally upon them though to their own destruction; The Eunuch after long tarrying at last ventured in, and coming near the bed and hearing no body stir, he at length opened the curtains thinking he had still slept with Judith, but instead thereof found the dead body cast on the floor and his head taken from him; At this fight he cried out aloud and became so furious that he rend his , and went in a rage to judith's apartment, threatening her with a thousand deaths; but missing her there, he sent out many frightful Schreeches among the People, and declared aloud, That the Slaves had dealt treacherously with them, and that one Hebrew woman had brought shame and confusion upon the House of Nabuchadnezzar, who had slain Holofernes and left his carcase without a head.  
All ran to behold this dismal Spectacle, and the whole camp was filled with horror, astonishment, and despair; Tears and howling had taken possession of the whole Army when at the same time the head of Holofernes appeared upon one of the Towers of Bethulia, which so astonished the Assyrians, that they fled and scattered themselves round about the City, every one seeking safety in running away, and none durst trust another; The Israelites pursued with all manner of briskness and vigour, making a great noise that their number might appear considerable, though there needed no great force to vanquish run-a-ways: All the neighbouring Cities came in to take part of the spoil and to pillage their routed enemies whom they cut off with a most dreadful slaughter, and the booty in the Camp was so prodigious that the people were thirty days in dividing it. The rich moveables of Gold, Silver, Pearls and Jewels found in Holofernes Tent were all presented to Judith, with the praises and acclamations of the multitude, who unanimously applauded her as the glory of Jerusalem, the joy of Israel, the honour of her people, the gallant woman, the chaste and valiant Princess by whose hand God had done great things in delivering his people, and whose fame should live to eternal Ages. The women of Israel likewise assembled themselves to meet and bless her, dancing before her with branches of Olive in their hands, whereof they composed a Garland which they put upon her head, and then Judith leading the dance before them proceeded toward her own house, all the men of Israel following in their armour with garlands on their heads and songs in their mouths. Judith likewith made the following song of Praise and Thanksgiving, which all the people sang after her.  

SIng to the Lord my God, sing praise,  
A new Psalm to him sing.  
Exalt his glorious name always,  
He is our God and King.   

The Armies he to pieces breaks  
Of those that are his Foes.  
He me delivered from their hands  
Who did me round enclose.   

Assur with thousands from the North  
Came Israel to assail,  
And by his multitudes did not doubt  
Against them to prevail.   

He boasted he our Towns would burn  
And our young men destroy,  
Women and Virgins ravish, and  
Our Infants make a prey.   

But they have disappointed been  
By the Almighty Lord.  
A woman's hand did them withstand  
They fled with one accord.   

Their Great Commander did not fall  
By any Giant's power  
'Twas judith's beauty him enthralled  
And brought his fatal hour.   

For her oppressed people she  
Her mourning laid aside.  
And to surprise his amorous eyes  
Her Person beautified.   

Her Charms over his Soul prevailed,  
And ravished his sight;  
He's made a Prisoner to her face,  
She is his Heart's delight.   

The Sword quite through his neck did pass  
And parted it asunder.  
The Persians at her boldness quake,  
The Medes thereat did wonder.   

Th' Afflicted than did shout for joy  
Thy weak Ones cried aloud.  
The Foes astonished were 'cause God  
Had overthrown the proud.   

The Young men have them pierced through,  
And wounded them in Fight,  
The Fugitives fiercely they pursue  
And slay their men of Might.   

I unto God new Songs will sing;  
O Lord thou art most Glorious,  
In power thou art Wonderful,  
Invincible, Victorious.   

Let all the Creatures worship thee  
At whose word made were they,  
At thy voice they created were  
None thee can disobey.   

The Fountains shall be moved at thee  
The Rocks shall melted be.  
Yet merciful thou art to those  
That serve and worship thee.   

All Sacrifice and Offerings  
Unto thee are but small,  
But those that fear the Lord their God  
To Honour he will call.   

woe to the Nations that advance  
Themselves 'gainst Israel.  
The Lord will vengeance take of those  
That 'gainst him do rebel.   

He will put fire into their flesh,  
And worms shall them annoy,  
They shall much misery feel; God will  
For ever them destroy.   
After this Judith dedicated to the Temple the Pavilion of Holofernes, and other rich habiliments given her by the People, that the memory of this glorious Action might never be forgotten, and then returning to her own house she there continued a chaste widow to the day of her death, being honoured and respected of all the people as their Great Deliverer; she made her servant a free woman, and lived in the house of her husband Manasseh till she was an hundred and five years old, and then dying was buried in his Sepulchre, for whom all the Israelites made a deep and solemn mourning seven days without intermission, and the terror of this admirable success made such an impression on all the Neighbour Nations that none of them troubled Israel all her days nor a long time after her death.  
How great art thou O Lord of Hosts, and how terrible is thy power thou God of Battles, a General in the midst of an Army of an hundred thousand valiant Soldiers, environed all with steel and fire, who says I will go, I will do, I will levelly with the ground, who decreed the firing of Cities and destruction of countries', behold him now conquered, slain, tumbled in his blood by a woman who makes a play-game of his head, and all this by the assistance of that God who acted in her, and put courage into her soul to overthrow the mighty, and bring to confusion the Sons of pride and violence.   

The History of Queen Esther.  

WHen Haman in his proud ambitious mind  
Utter destruction to the Jews designed,  
When for the fault of one they all must die,  
All must be ruined for poor Mordecai,  
Then prudent Esther doth herself oppose  
Against her Uncles and her People's Foes,  
Ventures her life her Nation to save,  
And Mercy for them of the King doth crave.  
Who hears and grants her suit most graciously,  
Haman is hanged for his Treachery,  
And Mordecai his Office doth enjoy,  
Who for the Jews his Interest doth employ.   
IN the year from the Creation of the world 3543. and before the birth of our Saviour 521. during the Captivity of the Jews in Babylon; Cyrus (the son of Xerxes whom the Grecians called Artaxerxes) was King of Persia; in whose reign all the race of the Jews both men, women and children were in danger to have been utterly exterminated, had it not been happily prevented by the mercy of God, and the excellent conduct and admirable courage of our renowned Heroine Queen Esther.  
For the better understanding hereof, we read that after Artaxerxes was settled in the Kingdom, and had established Governors over an hundred and seven and twenty Provinces from India as far as Ethiopia, in the third year of his reign he made a most Royal and Magnificient Feast for all the Grandees of his mighty Empire, wherein he displayed the opulency and grandeur of his Dominions for one hundred and fourscore days together; After which he for 7 days treated the Ambassadors of all Nations in the Palace of Shushan, sitting in a Tent, the Pillars whereof were Gold and Silver and the covering of Scarlet, of such a vast extent that thousands might be entertained under it; all the provisions were served in Vessels of Gold enriched with Jewels, and of excellent workmanship; The King commanded his Attendants that none should be enforced to drink, but according to the Persian usage, each at his own discretion; He also sent an Order throughout all his Countries that they should all cease from their labour many days, and make Holiday in Honour of his Royalty.  
At the same time Vashti his Queen made a Royal Banquet to her Ladies, and the King being merry with wine the seventh day of the Feast, sent one of his Eunuches to cause her to come with the Crown upon her head in the most glorious manner, and her most gorgeous attire, to display her beauty to the eyes of all the people, but she being too tenacious of the Persian custom that count it a crime to be seen by strangers, refused to come, and though he renewed his desires divers times, yet she persisted in her denial, upon which being extremely displeased, he risen suddenly from the Banquet, and calling to him seven of his Councillors by whose advice he managed his affairs, and who expounded the Law to him, he desired to know what punishment they thought due to his wife who had put such an open affront and indignity upon him before that Great Assembly; one of them answered, That this was a crime of State, and might occasion a general disorder throughout the Realm, since all other women following the example of the Queen might from thence take a licentious power to disobey their husbands, and every where domineer over them, thereby overthrowing the order of Nature, and cause quarrels and disturbance in all Families; His opinion therefore was, that she who had done him this public dishonour should be divorced from the King her husband, and that a Proclamation should be published throughout all his Provinces signifying the cause thereof, and asserting the just subjection of wives to their husbands. The King who had an extraordinary passion for Vashti, and could hardly entertain any thoughts of a separation from the dear object of his love, seemed for some time wholly abandoned to grief and sorrow, which his Nobles observing, endeavoured to remove by representing the unreasonableness of his concernment for such an unworthy woman who had so extremely disobliged him, and that he might soon find out another who in beauty and all other Princely qualifications should far exceed her, and by whose pleasing demeanour the thoughts of Vashti might be utterly extinguished.  
The King confirming the Judgement they had given against Vashti, sent abroad messengers to bring into his presence the fairest Virgins that were to be found in his Kingdoms; Whereupon a great number being assembled, there was among them a young Orphan whose parents being dead, she was educated under the tuition of her uncle Mordecai of the Tribe of Benjamin, and a principal man among the Jews, her name was Esther and was judged the most beautiful of all that youthful company, and for her amiable countenance caused all Spectators to stand still and admire her; Whereupon the Eunuches attended her with more than ordinary diligence, and she was prepared for the king's pleasure with odours and perfumes for six months, in the company of four hundred other Virgins; After which the Officer judging them fit to approach the Royal bed, sent one every night to the King, who returned her back in the morning; But when Esther came into his presence, he was so surprised with her love that he took her for his lawful wife, and settled his affections upon her above all the others; The marriage was solemnised in the seventh year of his reign in the twelfth month called Adar, or February; And edicts were sent throughout all his kingdoms to proclaim a Feast in honour of this wedding, he himself likewise feasting the Medes, Persians, and Princes of other Nations, for a whole month upon that account.  
When Esher entered the Royal Palace, the king set a Diadem of gold upon her head, and lived with her with all manner of content and satisfaction, never questioning her birth nor of what Nation she was; Her uncle Mordecai came with her from Babylon (where she was found by the King's officers) to Shusan the chief City of Persia, and walked daily before the Palace enquiring of her welfare, whom he loved as tenderly as if she had been his own; Now the king had published a Law, that no man should approach his presence unless 〈◊〉 sent for; In pursuance whereof, while he sat on his Royal Throne certain Officers stood with their Axes ready to punish any that should attempt to infringe this Decree; The king himself sat aloft, holding a golden Sceptre in his hand, and when any presumed to come near without being called, if the King would save his life he touched him therewith, who thereby avoided death.  
It happened about this time that Bigthan and Teresh two of the king's chamberlains had conspired against their Master, which Mordecai who was not of a drowsy Spirit soon perceived, and narrowly observing their carriage, he discovered the whole design, which he imparted to Queen Esther, and she to the King in the name of Mordecai, who being taken and examined confessed their abominable Treason and received their due reward; the king at present only returned Mordecai hearty thanks for saving his life, but commanded him to continue in his Palace, and ordered his name to be registered in the Chronicles of Persia with the whole process against the Malefactors.  
After this Ahasuerus exalted Haman an Amalekite above all his Princes and Nobles, and he became the chief Favourite, so that the king saw but with his eyes, and heard with his ears; All the Court adored this new Idol, and all knees were bowed before him, but Mordecai shown him no reverence nor respect both because he knew the wickedness of his nature, and that the Laws of the Jews forbade him to give honour to any of the wicked race of Amalek; Haman elevated even to giddiness by the greatness he so suddenly arrived to, had at first little regard to it, but being daily advertised thereof by his Flatterers, who informed him that they had often in vain reproved Mordecai for his contempt, he was thereat inflamed with rage against him, and understanding he was a Jew, was much disturbed that all the Persian Nobility who were free should prostrate themselves before him, and a Jewish slave should refuse to reverence him, he therefore scorns to revenge himself on Mordecai alone, as thinking it much below his grandeur to punish one man only, but resolves utterly to exterminate the whole race of the Jews, to whom he was a mortal enemy by nature, the Amalekites his predecessors having been destroyed by the Israelites in former ages; and revenge may be imagined thus to inflame him.  

Remember Haman there's no sweeter pleasure  
Than swift revenge; for to revenge by leisure  
Is but like feeding when the Stomach's past,  
Not pleasing th' eager appetite nor taste,  
'Tis not for th'honour of thy personage  
Nor stands it with thy greatness to engage  
Thy noble thoughts to make revenge so poor  
To be revenged on One alone; thy sore  
Needs many Plasters; make thy honour good  
Not with a drop, but with a world of blood,  
Borrow the sith of Time, and let thy passion  
Mow down and ruin the whole Jewish Nation.   
In pursuance of this hellish resolution Haman addresseth himself to the King and tells him; That there were a certain cursed people called Jews dispersed through all the Provinces of his kingdom, who were divided by Religion and laws from the rest of the World, and by affection from his Person and government; That they were pernicious to his Empire, and upon all occasions ready and disposed to insurrections and rebellions, and that for preventing the mischiefs which might happen by them, nothing would be more secure than to cut them off all at once, and utterly to extinguish their race, so that neither Captive nor Slave should be left alive among them; And lest their destruction should prove prejudicial to his Majesty's Revenue, he freely offered to pay out of his own Estate forty thousand Talents of Silver into the Exchequer, being willing rather to part with so much money for the public safety than that such a cursed generation of men should endanger the kingdom.  
Thus is the horrid Scene laid for the ruin of so many millions of people by the pernicious counsel of one malicious and ambitious favourite; The king is soon led away by this evil advice, and trusts this proud Haman with the execution thereof, as if he had committed the sheep to the protection of the Wolf; He triumphs with joy for having obtained his desire and the king's Ring; He calls the Secretaries and commands them in the name of Ahasuerus to write bloody Letters to all the Provinces; That the thirteenth day of the last month, (which was February) the Jews should be massacred in all the Cities and Towns within the utmost limits of the Empire and that from the least to the greatest, not sparing man, woman nor child, all should be put to the sword without remorse, & their goods to be confiscate, & exposed to pillage; These Letters confirmed with the King's seal flew like lightning through the hundred and twenty seven provinces of the Persian Monarchy; The evil was universal, and the terror began at the Capital City of Shushan, where the Edict hanged upon Pillars was seen and read to all the world, containing this dreadful Sentence.  
Ahasuerus Rex.  

Let every Province in the Persian Land,  
(Upon the day prefixed) prepare his hand  
To make the Channels flow with Rebel's blood  
And from the earth to root the Jewish brood;  
Let not the softness of a partial heart,  
Through melting pity, Love, or false desert,  
Spare either young or old or man or woman  
But like their crimes, so let their plagues be common  
Decreed and signed by our Princely Grace  
And given at Shushan from our royal place.   
This sanguinary Proclamation being published in all places, many bloody Miscreants rejoiced at the news, and prepared themselves to execute the contents thereof, resolving at the day appointed utterly to destroy the Jews, and to leave no remembrance of them upon earth; The Metropolitan City of Shushan abounded with these Instruments of cruelty, though in the mean time the K. and Haman, feasted & drowned themselves in debauchery; Poor Mordecai foreseeing the Tempest ready to fall upon his people, clothed himself with Sackcloth and put ashes upon his head, in which equipage he walked through the City protesting that his Nation had done nothing to deserve this severity designed against them, and at length arriving at the Palace he stood at the gate, (it being unlawful for him to enter in that dress) with many of the Jews in his company and in the same mourning attire; The news hereof coming to the Queen, she was much surprised, and sent an Eunuch to bid him change his garments, which he absolutely refused till the cause of his putting them on was removed; Whereupon she again dispatched her servant to him to know what sad occasion had induced him to put on that despairing habit, and to pour out such lamentable and incessant cries; Upon which Mordecai sent her an account of the terrible edict lately published against the Jews and proclaimed through all the provinces by the King's command, with the great Sum of money which Haman had offered to pay into the Exchequer, whereby he had purchased the utter desolation of the Jewish Nation; and herewith he delivered a Copy of the Edict to the Messenger, with a strict injunction to Esther to clothe herself in the most abject fashion, and to present a petition to the king for the saving her people from the deplorable destruction decreed against them. Esther having received this advertisement sent again to Mordecai to tell him; That she knew not when she should be called for by the King, and to presume to come into his presence without order would undoubtedly endanger her life, unless the king should happen to extend the golden Sceptre of mercy to her; Mordecai returned answer; That she ought to venture her own safety for saving the lives of her whole Nation, assuring her, that if she neglected their security, yet Heaven would do it by some other means, and she and her father's house should be destroyed by those she had slighted and contemned; Says he, 

Go tell the Queen it resteth in her powers  
To help; The case is hers as well as ours,  
Go tell the fearful Queen, too great's her fear,  
Too small her zeal, her life she rates too dear,  
How poor's th' adventure to engage thy blood  
To save thy people's life, and Nations good?  
Who knows if God on purpose did intent  
Thy high preferment for this happy end,  
If at this needful time thou spare to speak,  
Our speedy help shall, like the morning, break  
From Heaven, together with thy woes, and he  
That succours us, shall heap his plagues on thee.    
Upon this severe reprimand the Queen sends to Mordecai commanding him to call a general assembly of the Jews to Shushan, and to enjoin them to fast and pray three days for his safety and good success, assuring him that she & her servants would do the same, and that at the end thereof she would present herself before the king, and says she, If I perish, I perish; Mordecai according to her direction caused the people to fast and pray for her, and he himself made earnes● supplication to the Almighty; To have compassion on their desolate and distressed Nation, and as he had formerly preserved them, and pardoned their offences, so he would graciously please to deliver them from that imminent destruction which now hung over their heads, since they were now condemned to death not for any iniquity of their own but merely because he only had incensed proud Heman against them, in refusing to pay that honour and adoration to him which was due to God alone for which he had contrived this severe revenge against the whole Nation of the Jews, to cut them all off from the face of the Earth; The people likewise beseeched God to secure them from the outrage intended against them; And Esther cast herself prostratstrate on the earth clothed in Sackcloth, devoutly imploring the God of her Fathers to assist and defend her that when she should come before the King she might mollify, and persuade him to have pity upon her and her distressed people.  
The three days being over she threw off her mourning, and adorned herself in the most majestic manner that was possible, and attended by her Servants went into the presence Chamber, where the king sat on his Throne, the splendour and glory whereof did at first somewhat astonish her; When Ahasuerus holding out the golden Sceptre revived her fainting Spirits, and drawing near she touched the top thereof, and the King very endearingly asked her, What her request to him was; She replied, That she only desired his Majesty to honour her with his presence at a Banquet she had prepared for him, and that his dear Friend Haman might likewise attend him. The King readily consented, and Haman joyfully came thither; Now in the midst of the Treat when the King became warm with wine, he commanded Esther to declare her suit unto him, assuring her he would deny her nothing she should demand; Esther at present declined to discover her intent, but humbly beseeched the King to come again next day with Haman, and partake of another Banquet, when she would fulfil his desire. Ahasuerus promised to revisit her, and Haman went home with great joy that he only had the great happiness to feast with the King and Esther, an honour which none of the Nobility of the Empire had ever arrived to; But in his return observing Mordecai at the Court gate, who would not show him the least respect, his great heart swelled with indignation against him; Arriving at his house he called for his Friends and his wife Zeresh, to whom he related the glory of his riches, and the greatness of his dignity, whom the K. had advanced above all the Princes of the Realm, and that Esther suffered no man but himself to come with the King to the Banquet, and that to morrow he was again to attend his Majesty thither to a second entertainment; Yet, saith he, all this avails me nothing, nor am I in the least contented, when I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the Gate and refusing to rise or show the least reverence to me; Zeresh his wife being as full of revenge and pride as he, pronounced a sudden and short sentence against Mordecai, advising him; To cause a Gallows to be set up fifty foot high in his own Court, and the next day if he did but desire the King to let him hang Mordecai thereon, no doubt but it would be granted, and then he might go and sup with the Queen with a merry heart; This counsel pleased Haman very well, and the Gallows was soon erected, but Divine Providence had prepared other business for him to dispatch, to make him know, That no body designs the ruin of another without hastening his own destruction.  
The evening bofore this fatal day the K. was laid upon his bed to repose himself, but could get no sleep all night long, without having the least appearance of care or trouble on his spirit, and to employ himself caused his Secretary to bring & read before him the Chronicles of his Realm, wherein among other Transactions in the reign of his Ancestors and his own, he found it recorded that Bigthana, and Teresh two of the King's Chamberlains had conspired to murder him, and in all probability their Treason had succeeded, but that Mordecai the Jew happily discovered the whole Conspiracy, for which the Traitors received their deserved punishment; At the recital of this passage the King was somewhat moved and asked whether there were no mention of any honour or reward bestowed upon Mordecai as a recompense for this worthy service, who replied; That he found nothing set down of that kind, neither had he as yet received any reward upon that account; Hereupon in the morning the King demanded who was in the Court, and being told Haman was there, who came thither more early than usual to beseech the king that he would please to give him leave to put Mordecai to death, The K. commanded him to come into his presence, to whom he said; That as his faithful friend and servant he desired him to advise what honour and dignity was fit to be bestowed on that Person whom the K. had a very great favour & respect for; Haman who did not in the least doubt but the person designed to be thus advanced was himself, made this confident-reply; The man to whom your Majesty intends so much honour as to be counted the King's Friend and Favourite, aught to be mounted upon one of your own Horses, and to be clothed with the Royal Robes, with a Chain of Gold about his neck and the Imperial Crown upon his head, and let one of your most Worthy Princes go before him through all the streets of the City, and make proclamation That thus it shall be done to the man whom the King delighteth to honour; The King liking the proposal, commands Haman to go instantly to Mordecai that sat at the gate and to invest him and proclaim before him according to his own advice; Haman with a heavy heart performs the King's Orders through the whole City, and Mordecai returned triumphantly to the Palace.  
Haman hastened home confounded and ashamed at what had happened, and with tears related his strange misfortune to his Wife and Friends; who all concluded, That it was a very ominous accident, for Mordecai was of the seed of the Jews, and since he had begun to fall before him, it was much to be feared that it would end in his ruin, because God was with that Nation to save and defend them from their Enemies; While they were thus discoursing, a Messenger came from Esther to call Haman to the Banquet; The King seated at this second Entertainment, began again to be earnest with Esther to declare the petition and request she had to make to him, since he was fully resolved to gratify her therein, yea to divide his Crown and Sceptre with her rather than deny her suit; To whom Esthe after a sad sigh declared the danger she and her people were in, to this purpose; 
If in the bounty of your Princely grace  
Your sad Petitioner may find a place  
To shroud her most inutterable grief  
Which if not there may hope for no relief.  
If I have favour found, O let my Lord  
Grant me my life, my life so much abhorred  
To do him service and my people's life  
Which now lie open to a Tyrant's knife.  
Our lives are sold, 'tis I, 'tis guiltless I  
Your Loyal Spouse, 'tis she and hers must die,  
The spotless blood of me your faithful Bride  
Must suage the swelling of a Tyrant's pride.   
The King enraged at her discourse asks who was the man that had thus conspired the destruction of herself and all the Jews, she replied, Even that wicked Haman to whom your Majesty hath given your Seal, it is that perfidious Traitor that hath caused bloody Letters to be written (not to banish or sell us for Slaves, for than I should have held my peace, but) that we should be cut off by the Sword in the Provinces of the Empire.  

Who is the man that durst attempt this thing?  
Where is the Traitor? what? am I a King?  
May not our Subjects serve, but must our Queen  
Be made the Subject of a Villains Spleen?  
Is not Queen Esther bosomed in our heart?  
What Traitor then dares be so bold to part  
Our heart and us? who dares attempt this thing?  
Can Esther then be slain and not the King?  
Replied the Queen, the man that hath done this  
That cursed Haman, wicked Haman is.   
The King risen furiously from the Table, and went into the Garden; when Haman began to beseech Esther to intercede for him, and forgive the offence he had committed, and being very earnest he fell down on the bed where the Queen was, when the King returning hastily back, and finding him in that posture was much more displeased than before, and cried out; O thou most cursed among men, wilt thou ravish my Queen also? Haman was so confounded at these words that he could make no reply, and the Officers covered his face; Hereupon one of the Chamberlains stepped forth and told the King, that Haman had erected a Gallows fifty foot high at his own house whereon he designed to have hanged Mordecai; whereupon Ahasuerus commanded that Haman himself should be hanged thereon, which was instantly executed accordingly.  

For (says the King) it seemeth just and good  
To shed his blood that thirsteth after blood,  
Who plants the tree deserves the fruit; 'tis fit  
That he who bought the purchase handsel it,  
Hang Haman there for it is his own wood,  
So let the Horseleech burst himself with blood.   
And herein was the Justice of Heaven manifested' not only in punishing the wickedness of Haman according to his deserts, but in causing him to fall into that snare and pit he had prepared for an innocent person; This was the end of that great but wretched Favourite who by abusing the interest he had in the King's breast brought woeful ruin upon himself and his whole Family, his goods were given to the Queen who bestowed them on Mordecai, whom the King understanding to be her Uncle, he was called to the Palace and had Hamans' Ring given unto him, and succeeded in his dignity.  
After this Esther humbly entreated the King to command Letters to be sent through all the Provinces to countermand those contrived by Haman for the utter destruction of the Jews, for how (said she) can I endure to see the ruin of my Nation and all my Relations; This her request was thought very reasonable, and the King granted it, adding, that as he had hanged Haman because of his bloody intentions against her people, so she herself should write on their behalf in his name and by his Authority to all the Governors of his Kingdom to reverse the dreadful sentence that was gone out against them; In pursuance whereof the Secretaries of State were instantly employed in that affair, and writ to all the Magistrates of the Kingdom to this purpose.  
Ataxerxes the Sovereign Lord and King of all the Nations that are from India to Ethiopia, To the Princes and Governors of the seven and twenty Provinces of our Empire, Greeting; Whereas many through pride abusing the goodness of their Princes, and the honours bestowed upon them, do not only oppress the people, but endeavour the absolute desolation of all that do not comply with their haughty and unreasonable desires, of which the late wicked Haman an Amaletite by Nation, is a fresh instance, who being a stranger from the Persian blood, after he had been promoted by our beneficence to the second place of the kingdom hath endeavoured to cut off at once the innocent Jewish Nation, and among them our beloved Queen, and companion of our bed Esther, though we have discovered that those thus destined to death by this wicked Villain are without fault, living under excellent Laws, and are the Children of the most high, most great and everliving God by whom our Empire is given and preserved to us; We do therefore make void and disannul the Letters which that vild wretch directed to you in our names, whereby they were commanded to be murdered, he himself who was the Author of that cursed slander against them having been publicly hanged at the gate of his own Palace, God thereby rendering to him his deserts; And we further will and command you, that the Jews who live in all our Provinces according to their own Laws be protected, and that you assist them in bringing their Enemies to punishment the same day that they had determined to destroy them, that so they may revenge themselves of those that shall offer any outrage against them, and since the day of their destruction is by the providence of the Almighty turned to their preservation; We command this day to be put in the number of the Feasts, that posterity may know what recompenses we bestow on our faithful Servants and the punishment of those that oppose our will, and make attempts upon our State.  
The commands of the King were diligently executed, and the Jews were dreaded and honoured in all places by reason of the great credit that Mordecai had with his Master, who was clothed in a Royal habit, and adorned with a Crown of Gold and a Chain of the same about his neck; In short the Jews encouraged by the King's Letters slew five hundred of their Enemies in Shushan, for adhering to miserable Haman, and ten of his sons were hanged to accompany the punishment of their Father, and through all the rest of the kingdom much Persian blood was shed on the same day that had been assigned for the Massacres of the Hebrewt, so that we must acknowledge this history to be wonderfully tragical and one of the most prodigious revolutions of fortune that ever arrived to a great Favourite, and may make posterity fear the Judgements of heaven whose hand is as weighty in the chastisement of enormous crimes as his eye is quick sighted in discerning the hearts of all mortals.  

So often as I fix my serious eye  
Upon Ahashuerus reign, methinks I spy  
The Angels dance; methinks my ravished ear  
Rapt with the secret music that I hear,  
Attends the warble of an Angel's Tongue  
Resounding forth this sense bereaving song  
Vashti shall fall, and Esther rise,  
Zion shall thrive when Haman dies.    

The History of the Virtuous Susanna.   depiction of Susanna 

WHen Virtuous Susanna was accused  
By two false Elders, and her Fame abused;  
Because she would not yield unto their lust  
And be unto her marriage vows unjust.  
And falsely charged with base adultery  
For which great crime she was adjudged to die  
In this distress she unto Heaven appeals  
Who by young daniel's means, the truth reveals  
And absolutely clears her innocence.  
The perjured Elders for their vile offence  
Are both condemned at the fatal Bar  
To that sad death they had designed for her.   
THough this (as well as the former History) is not found in those Books of Scripture which are usually termed Canonical, yet the Thirty Nine Articles of the Church of England declare, That those other books commonly called Apocrypha, the Church (as St. Jerom saith) doth read for example of life and instruction of manners, but yet doth not apply them to establish any Doctrine of Christianity, and among others, sets down this History of Susanna, which from such Authority may certainly claim the credibility of any Common Story, and be reckoned no unprofitable Precedent of Chastity and Modesty and therefore proper for our present design.  
The time when this was acted is most probable to be about 3400 from the Creation, not long after that of the preceding History of Judith, when there happened to live in Babylon a man called Joachim, who married a wife named Susanna the daughter of Chelcias brought a Captive from Judea, for the sins whereby they had provoked God to anger, to Babylon, who was exceeding fair, of Person, but her soul much more beautiful in that she feared the Lord 
And as she feared, she loved; No servile fear  
Such as base slaves unto their Tyrants bear  
But like a daughter who with filial care  
TO her Father's just commands doth give an ear  
She served her Maker; so 'tis hard to say  
If Love or Fear most taught her to obey.   
Her Parents were likewise very religious, and educated their daughter in all God's commandments according to the Law of Moses; And being rich and wealthy, they had a fair Garden adjoining to their house, and many of his Captive brethren of the Jews resorted to him as a Person of the greatest remark of their Nation; Among others two of the most reverend among them who were appointed to the Judges for deciding controversies, much frequented his house and there heard all causes, and suits in Law depending between them, but instead of being upright and sincere in giving judgement, they were such as were foretold should come, Who though ancient Judges, yet from them should proceed wickedness and injustice, and instead of governing according to equity they should pervert the Law of God. These old Fornicators had east their amorous eyes upon the charms of Susanna, and having observed that she usually walked in this pleasant Garden, they contrived to surprise and ravish her there, and though they were both wounded alike with the love of her, yet they durst not discover their passion to each other, though both watched all manner of opportunities to fulfil their lustful desires, and having abandoned all thoughts of Religion and Conscience they made it their whole business to find some advantage against her. It happened once that having taken leave of each other morder to go to dinner at noon, they parted asunder, but being intent upon the same matter, which was if possible to find Susanna alone, they both returned back at the same instant, at which they were at first a little amazed, one enquiring of the other what business he had there, and after some short discourse they perceived both came about the same errand, whereupon they soon settle a right understanding between themselves, and concluded to be joint Partners in this amorous prize, only waiting a conveniency for effecting their purpose.  
During this their longing expectation a promising season seemed to fall out, for Susanna being desirous to bathe herself at the Fountain in the Garden in the heat of the season, attended only by two of her waiting Women, she sent them both away to provide Oil and Nitre in order thereto, and then unclothed herself and went into the Water; the old Lechers had watched all her proceed having secretly hid themselves under the covert of the Trees, and when they perceived her Servants were gone and had shut the doors after them, they doubted not but the happy minute was arrived, and therefore suddenly issuing out from their concealment they ran to her, and seizing upon this innocent and helpless Fair One, they began to discover the extraordinary passion they had for a long time retained for her, and that the doors being now shut if she would consent to their desires it could never be detected.  

Think how Susanna blushed, looked pale, and then  
Trembled for fear, blushed and looked pale again  
Whilst they;" Fair Creature now behold the doors  
" Are all made fast, ye are now within our powers  
" Yet we entreat; consent, come don't deny  
" We'er smitten Lady and with you must lie  
" There's none can see; 'tis witness causeth shame  
" Whilst unrevealed ills are free from blame.   
But if you refuse (say they) to comply we ourselves will complain against you, and accuse you that we found a young man committing folly with you, who sent away your maids to be more private in your wickedness.  

If you will not comply, we Judges are  
And 'gainst your innocence will both declare  
That as we walked in this neighbouring Grove  
You played the Harlot with your wanton Love,  
Therefore your maids were sent away lest they  
Should notice take of your hot amorous play.   
Susanna was in a great straight, and venting many bitter sighs and tears she said, I am in much distress on every side, and know not which way to incline, for if I do this thing I sin against the Law of God, and aught to be cut off from my people, and if I do not I shall fall under your false accusation, however it is better for me to venture suffering under a malicious prosecution than to sin in the sight of the Lord, and provoke Divine vengeance against me.  

Susanna cried, Let Heaven be my guide  
I am betrayed, distressed on every fide  
If I consent, by Moses Law 'tis said  
No Wife shall climb up to another's bed  
Unpunished which divine decree implies  
Death's the reward of all adulteries.  
If I refuse ye already have designed  
What base return true Virtue's like to find!  
Howe'er I must not, dare not sin; your skill  
Extends no further than this life to kill,  
But God will me avenge, and one day plead  
My guiltless cause with vengeance on your head.   
The Elders finding threats had no impression on her chastity, may be supposed to use the Atheistical Arguments of the debauched wits of the present age, who have thereby endeavoured to gain their lewd purposes in such strains as these, 
Lady such coyness misbecomes your years  
'Tis time enough when care hath sown grey hairs  
And plow'd deep furrows on your aged head  
Then to confine unto a husband's bed.  
Nor be offended that Old Age hath drawn  
A ghostly curtain o'er our youthful Lawn  
Or think it strange that amorous blood remains  
Still in the channel of our paler veins,  
'Tis you that gave it life, the fault is yours  
Do but consent and then it shall be ours.   
But Susanna no way moved with this lascivious Rhetoric, still makes reflection on her honour, her conscience, and her conjugal fidelity, and finding all her labour to reduce them to reason utterly in vain, she as the last remedy sets up a loud cry as they began more rudely to approach her, which was heard through the whole House; And these treacherous Elders seconded it with another as loud against her; the servants at the noise running with all speed into the garden found the Elders with her, who impudently alleged, that they saw her committing adultery, wherewith her Attendants were much surprised & ashamed, since they always esteemed her the most virtuous woman in the World. Next day when the People were assembled before Joachim her husband these Villainous Elders full of malice and indignation for such an unhappy disappointment appeared likewise, and with much confidenee required that Susanna should be brought before the Assembly and judged and executed according to the Law; Joachim could not deny their earnest desire, and therefore commanded his wife Susanna to be sent for, who came accompanied with her Father, Mother, Children and all her kindred, and being exceeding beautiful these old Miscreants ordered her vail to be taken off her face, that they might in part satiate their desires by beholding her delicate form; This being an affront not usually offered to women of her quality was yery grievous to her friends, who wept to see her thus abused, which forced tears also from all the Spectators; Then the two impious Elders stood up in the midst of the people and laying their hands on her head began to accuse her; Poor Susanna made her appeal to Heaven, humbly beseeching the Almighty Lord to vindicate her innocence when these wretches thus proceeded.  
It happened as my brother and I were walking together in the Garden alone under the shady walks, we perceived this woman and two of her maids coming in, being entered she sent them away and shut the door. Soon after a young man who lay concealed came to her and committed folly with her; We observing this wickedness ran toward them and endeavoured to seize the youth, but he being too strong for us made his escape and opening the garden door fled away with all speed; whereupon we took this woman & examined very strictly who the man was that had acted this iniquity, but by all our threats and persuasions could not prevail with her to discover him, & therefore now desire justice against her, for her crime which we here solemnly swearwe saw her commit.  

The Elders cry; O sons of Jacob dear  
To this our Evidence lend a gracious ear  
You know that Moses of eternal fame  
Who did our sacred Laws and Statutes frame  
Which after were confirmed by heavens broad seal  
That each Command did unto him reveal  
Among the rest; If man or woman be  
Surprised in th' Act of Adultery  
Both of them must abjudged be to die.  
That they, not we, may bear the iniquity  
This wicked woman (as we lately were  
I'th' Garden walking there to take the air  
And happening to cast our eyes aside)  
With an adulterous youth we there espied  
But that to innocence she might pretend  
Two maids at first upon her did attend  
Until impatient grown they did straightway  
By her command convey themselves away  
And shut the door; So that now none but we  
Who lay concealed this wicked act could see  
For then a young man by appointment sure  
Secretly lodged in the Trees coverture  
Draws near, and lovingly doth her embrace  
She likewise him, such willingness there was.  
Till close approaches (for we both it saw)  
Made them Transgressor's of the sacred Law,  
Then from a corner of the garden whence  
We closely standing saw this foul offence  
Both of us made to the adulterous pair  
And came upon them e'er they were ware  
To apprehend him; but the sturdy knave  
Got from our feeble hands and did us leave  
And in swift haste out from the Garden flew.  
As whom the guilt of conscience did pursue  
And she though much entreated nevertheless  
Will by no means the Criminals name confess;  
These things are true, which we here testify  
Now brethren judge if she ought not to die.   
The Assembly were in much consternation to hear this sever accusation against a woman who was renowned for Chastity, but having the testimony of two grave Elders and Judges of the people to justify the truth thereof, they could do no other but condemn her to death for this notorious crime; Susanna having no defence for her innocence on earth, appeals to heaven for her justification and cried out with a loud voice in the midst of the people; O everlasting God who knowest the secrets of all hearts, and from whom nothing is concealed or hidden, for thou seest all things before they are acted, I appeal to thy just judgement against these perjured and unjust Elders; Thou-knowest O Lord that what they have witnessed against me is utterly false, and behold I must die, for what I am not in the least guilty of, thou knowest that it is all forgery and malice against me, and that it is a conspiracy of these wicked Villains against my life in that which I am absolutely ignotant of; Vindicate my innocence O God of truth and bring shame and confusion upon these false accusers.  

O everlasting Lord, to whom alone  
The thoughts of all men are entirely known  
O great Jehovah whose all seeing eye  
Runs through the circle of Eternity  
Thou know stand thou alone the wrong I bear  
From those who have polluted Moses Chair  
Have Law perverted, and have witness given  
Against their conscience, my poor life, and heaven  
'Gainst me that now must innocent die, and shame  
To after ages my disgrace proclaim.   
It pleased divine providence to hearken to her request, and therefore as she was leading to execution with a train of doleful mourners following her, the Lord stirred up the H. Spirit of a young youth whose name was Daniel who cried out with a loud voice; I am clear from the blood of this woman; The whole multitude were much surprised to hear such words uttered by a young man, and turning toward him asked what was his meaning; Upon which Daniel standing up in the midst of them with an undaunted courage proceeded thus, Are you such fools ye sons of Israel that without thorough examination and proof of the truth ye have condemned a daughter of Israel? Return back into the seat of judgement and take more strict knowledge of this cause, for though you have rashly sentenced this fair Innocent to death, yet I am very certain that upon a more severe scrutiny into the matter, you will find she as altogether faultless, and that these old perjured wretches have born false witness against her.  

Are ye such fools indeed  
In weighty things to make such careless speed  
Nay when a life's concerned; For shame my friends  
See what dishonour all rash acts attends,  
It makes us odious in the sight of those  
Who neither God, nor yet true judgement knows  
When ere the truth's discovered, or the cause;  
You are so quick to execute the Laws  
And upon Israel's daughter sentence give  
Who has done nothing but she still may live  
Return ye then unto the Judgement Seat  
Examine well, for sure the impostures great  
And witnesses more false than Hell have stood  
To imbrue their hands in this  Lady's blood.   
Whereupon all the people being astonished at the becoming confidence of Daniel whom they judged to be a Prophet inspired from above, turned back again in haste, and the Judges commanded him to come and sit down among them saying, Declare to us the truth of this affair since God hath bestowed the honour upon thee to be an Elder if not in years yet in wisdom and understanding; Daniel then ordered that the two Elders should be put asunder, and then he would examine them apart; which being done, he called one and said unto him; O thou wicked wretch who art even grown old in malice and iniquity, now is the time that the villanies which thou hast formerly committed are come to light, and thy own conscience accuses thee that thou hast pronounced false Judgement and hast wilfully condemned the innocent, and let the guilty go free, though the Lord God hath said, The innocent and righteous thou shalt not slay; And now pray under what tree was it that thou pretendest thou sawest this chaste Lady commit adultery? Who answered, Under a Mastic tree; Then said Daniel; Very well, thou hast now wickedly lied, and thereby forfeited thy head to Divine Justice, and even now the Angel of God hath received commission to cut thee in two; The first being set aside, he commanded the other to be brought to whom he fiercely said; O thou seed of Cham and not of Judah, beauty hath deceived thee, and lust hath perverted thy heart, thus have you often done to other daughters of Israel, who for fear of your power, and malicious vengeance have complied and been polluted by you, but the virtuous Susanna would not be frighted into wickedness, and therefore you contrived her destruction; Under what tree I beseech you did you see the young man defile her, who answered, Under an Holm tree; Well, said Daniel, thou also hast lied against thy own life, and the Angel of God waiteth with his sword to cut thee asunder and destroy thee.  

Then pious Daniel to him mildly said  
Even now thou hast thy cursed life betrayed  
Gods holy Angel has commission ta'en  
Forthwith to cut thy wretched life in twain  
And with a sword attends this very hour  
Fierce vengeance on thy sinful head to pour   
At this strange discovery the whole Assembly were amazed and cried out aloud, glorifying and praising the name of that God who saves and delivers those that put their trust in him, and finding these two base Elders thus notoriously convicted of perjury out of their own mouths, they seized upon them, and according to the Law of Moses executed the same sentence upon them, which they maliciously and wickedly designed against this chaste Lady putting them to death in the sight of the whole multitude, who adored the divine Justice in their deserved punishment, which had that day so eminently appeared in saving innocent blood, and punishing the guilty by the unexpected prudence of young Daniel, who from that day was in much esteem and reputation among all the people; And Chelcias and his wife gave abundant praises to Heaven for vindicating their daughter's honour, Joachim her husband and all her Friends joining with them in thanksgivings that there was no dishonesty nor unchastity found in her.  

" O thou most worthy to be feared Great God  
" Who rul'st the nations with an iron rod  
" But gently dost thine own Choice Israol bring  
" To be refreshed at thy mercy's Spring  
" Our Father's trust in thee was not mistaken  
" Nor were they in their greatest wants forsaken.  
" Thou heard'st Susanna's fighs and tears even when  
" She stood betrayed, condemned by wicked men  
" Who falsely charged her, though no stain was found  
" Whereby thy faithful handmaid to confound.  
" Blessed and admired always be thy name  
" May after ages praise thy mighty fame;  
" That to death's door thou bringest man, and then  
" Proclaim'st; Return agenye sons of men    

The History of the  Lucretia.   Lucretia 

Lucretia THE  Lucretia would no longer live  
When wicked Tarquin basely did deprive  
Her of her Chastity; Hating to be  
Rather than lead her life in Infamy.  
From her own hand she cold Death doth embrace  
Which vengeance brings on Tarquin's Treacherous race  
The Roman People utterly disclaim  
His Power, His Family, and his hated name  
The Ravisher to banishment is driven  
Wheresoon his just reward he meets from Heaven  
Being stain by those to whom for life he flies  
Who seek revenge for former injuries.   
HAving already related the Lives and Actions of four Jewish Worthies, I now present you with a Noble Roman Lady even the chaste Lucretia, who to redeem her honour ravished away by Sextus Tarquin, scorned to live any longer, and therefore sacrificed herself for saving her Country; yet I cannot commend this last and great act of her life, since the Christian Law allows none to be their own Executioners, and the principle of self preservation seems to be implanted in us by nature as well as in all other living creatures; However she may serve as an example of extraordinary Chastity, which she has been reckoned to be in all ages since, and to discover great Magnanimity of Soul, who rather than live with shame and disgrace, chose not to live at all, and though her mind were absolutely innocent, yet put an end to her days with her own hands for the forcible defilement of her body.  
This tragical accident happened about the year from the Creation of the World 3432. and about fix hundred years before the Birth of our Saviour; It was in the reign of Tarqvinius Superbus, or Tarquin the Proud, the seventh and last King of the Romans from Romulus the first Founder of that Kingdom which afterward arrived to such immense grandeur; He was Surnamed the Proud because he denied his Father-in-law and Predecessor Servius Tullius the common rites of Burial, saying, That Romulus was never buried after his death; and killing all the Roman Senators whom he thought Favourers of him, for having no pretence to the Kingdom, besides force, he endeavours to maintain his Usurpation by the same means, therefore since he could repose no trust in the love and affection of the Citizens he was resolved to secure himself by fear, taking cognizance of all Capital Causes alone in Person, without the advice or consent of any of the Senators, whereby he put to death, banished, or fined any whom he thought ill-affected to his Tyranny; He reduceth the Senators to a small number that they may be less esteemed by others, and more observant of himself; He marrieth his daughter to the Latins to prevent the danger of allying her amongst his own Friends, and increases his Guards with strangers that he might Tyrannize over the Romans, and having by this marriage obtained much reputation among the Latins, he desired their Nobility to meet him one day in the Florentine Wood to treat of public affairs.  
But delaying his coming at the appointed time Turnus one of the Nobility with great liberty but small discretion made a severe Speech against him, intimating, That the Romans might well entitle him Tarquin the Proud, since he had now put so great an affront upon such an Illustrious Assembly, and that it might well be suspected he designed to impose upon them, and usurp Dominion over their Country, who could put such a slight upon the whole Nobility that came so far only upon his request; With much more to this purpose, when in the midst of his Oration, Tarquin arrived and endeavoured to excuse his delay, but having notice how Turnus had inveighed against him, he instantly contrived his destruction, and that very night again calling the Latin Nobleses together he in a studied Oration strove to possess them with the belief of a dangerous design laid by Turnus to kill him and all the Chief of the people, and having corrupted one of the Servants of Turnus with money to let him carry a great number of Swords into his Master's Lodgings, Tarquin told the Lords, That to confirm what he had said, he could make it appear that Turnus had conveyed a great quantity of Arms into his own house, wherewith he intended with the assistance of his accomplices to massacre them all next day when they should come to Council; Desiring them to accompany him to Turnus his house that they might be eye-witnesses of the truth of what he had asserted; The Lords go to his house, prepared to believe all if they found that of the Arms true; Coming thither the Officers waked Turnus and stood round about him, having first secured his servants who out of love to their Master were endeavouring to make resistance, the Swords which were hid were brought forth out of every corner of the room, which with the fierce disposition of Turnus, and the Speech he had made the day before, seemed a full confirmation of this treacherous Design, which so extremely incensed the Latins, that they would not suffer him to make the least defence for himself, but presently sentenced him to lose his life by a new kind of execution, for he was thrown into a River with an hurdle upon his head whereon stones were piled to prevent his rising again, and by this means was drowned.  
Tarquin having again summoned a Council of the Latin Nobles commends the revenge they had taken upon such a seditious Rebel, and desires them to renew their League and friendship with the Romans, who were easily induced thereto, and then commanding all the armed Youth of both Nations to meet together, he out of both form an Army, with which he makes war against the Volscians and took some Towns from them by storm with a booty to the value of four hundred Talents of Silver and Gold wherewith he designed to build a magnificent Temple to Jupiter. After this he engaged in a War against the Gabins who inhabited a Neighbouring City which he attempted to gain by storm, but being beaten back with great loss, he began to despair of obtaining his end by main strength, & he solved to add policy thereto, therefore while he pretended to have laid aside all thoughts of War, and seemed employed in the foundation of his Temple and other stately buildings in Rome he had recourse to treacheries, wherein he found none so fit to be employed as his youngest Son Sextus (afterward the villainous ravisher of Lucretia) to whom he thus discoursed; We have in vain O Sextus assaulted the Gabins by power, nothing now remains but craft, which is the second step to Greatness; Go then my Son to the Gabins, seem as if you fled from me, accuse me of cruelty, strive to insinuate yourself into their confidence, behave yourself as one of their confederates and companions, and as you succeed you shall receive from me further instructions; Sextus Tarqvinius the wicked Son of a Tyrannical Father, was ready prepared to execute his commands though never so impious, and Tarquin found that these perfidious lessons were given to a Son who was expert in villainy; He obeys, flies to the Gabins, to whom he made a grievous complaint of his Father's intolerable cruelty in words to this effect.  
Lo here a Son O Gabins escaped from his Father's Sword to shield himself under the protection of his enemies; He brought me up and then designed me as a sacrifice and oblation to his cruelty, if fathers thus turn unnatural enemies, I hope to find my enemies a father to me in my misfortunes; He hath now turned his pride and severity from strangers to his own family, and would willingly cause the same desolation and solitude in his own house that he has made in the Senate; He is even weary of his Children and knows not how to be a Father either of them or his Country; All his thirst is after blood, he covets rule and dominion that he may kill and destroy; He desires the command of Cities only that he may dispeople them, and would utterly exterminate the whole Senate because it resembles a principality; He sees he has sons, and fearing they are like himself, he dreads them because he dreads himself; The consciousness of his own misdeeds pursues him, and he is affrighted with his own imaginations, which represent only dreadful things to his apprehension, and thinking to secure himself from them he commits fresh murders, and the more he imbrues his hands in blood, that he may be thereby freed from the fear of others, he fears himself the more; 'Tis safer to be Tarquin's enemy than his son, that being the only way to escape his private and malicious assassinations; Startle not O ye Gabins at my being begot by Tarquin, Children do not always resemble their Fathers, if so, there would be no variety in nature, and you shall find that I, even I will revenge so many wrongs and villainies, for notwithstanding his pretence of laying aside the War, yet he is preparing to surprise and ruin you with the first advantage; I have escaped my Father's Swords and Darts, and think myself no where safe but among his adversaries, and if my unfortunate condition can find no relief from you, I will wander over all Latium, yea over all the Nations in the world, till I find out those who will protect innocent Children from the cruel and unjust prosecutions of unnatural and bloody Fathers, and whom I may persuade to engage against that proud King and his barbarous Followers.  
After this florid Oration he seemed indifferent whether they would entertain him or not, pretending to go instantly to some other place, which made the Gabins more ready to receive him, as they did with very great civility, telling him, That it was no wonder Tarquin proved so unnatural to his children, since he had been so treacherous to his own Countrymen & Allies, & that they did believe he would at last offer violence to himself if he wanted a subject to excercise his brutish rage upon; That Sextus his coming to them was very grateful, and they hoped by his assistance to carry the War in a short time from their own City to the very Walls of Rome. After this he was admitted into their public Councils, wherein he expressed a singular modesty in referring all things to the Judgement of the most ancient Counsellors, only he much approved of the continuance of the War, wherein he said, he pretended to the greatest knowledge as being sensible of the strength of both people, and that the pride of Tarquin must needs be very hateful to his subjects since his own Children were not able to endure it; By such discourses as these he provoked them to continue the War, and went with the most active Youth to forage the Country, where in several small Skirmishes he came off with so good success that he thereby gained such reputation as to be made General of their Army, in which office he still got more credit, for in all the bicker between the Romans and Gabins he generally had the better, so that the whole people thought him sent to them as a blessing from Heaven; For his despising of dangers, and activity in every place of difficulty, but especially his freeness in distributing all the booty, gained him so much love, and engaged the hearts of the people to him that his authority among the Gabins was no less powerful than his Father Tarquin's among the Romans.  
Having proceeded thus far in his traitorous design, and judging himself strong enough to carry on his purpose, he sends a Messenger to his Father to signify what he had done, and to receive further directions, since Heaven had so ordered it that he could act what he pleased among the Gabins; The Messenger being not thought faithful enough, Tarquin sent no positive answer by him, but taking him into the garden as if to consult what message to return, the King walked silently along, and with his staff cut off the heads of the highest Poppies; The Messenger weary of expecting an answer withdrew, and hastened back to Sextus, telling him, That whether out of anger, hatred, or natural pride he had not sent him a word in return, but only as he walked in the garden he with a stick struck off the heads of the highest Poppies. Sextus quickly apprehends these dumb signs, and thereby understands his wicked Father's mind, and soon after causes the Chief men of the City to be put to death by accusing some to the people, and stirring up others out of envy to ruin their fellow Citizens, many were executed publicly and divers against whom he could prove nothing murdered privately; Some fled their Country, others were banished, and all their Estates, as well as those put to death, distributed among the people, who for the sweetness of the booty and the particular profit they received, lost the sense of their public misfortunes, and were laid asleep from whence they never awaked till they were deprived both of counsel and power and the Gabine Liberty was at an end; The City being at length surrendered by this Subtle Stratagem to the King of Rome without the least bloodshed or resistance.  
After this Tarquin makes peace with the rest of his Neighbours, and then applies his mind to City affairs resolving to finish the Temple of Jupiter he had begun, which being with the help of many hands in a short time finished, he next employs the people it some other public works, which whilst they were intent upon a great prodigy appears, a Serpent 〈◊〉 seen to come out of a Pillar of Wood; which much affrighted Tarquin and his whole Court, filling his breast with such anxious thoughts that he could not rest till he was satisfied what it did portend; There fore though in other strange accidents, he used only the judgement of his own Country Diviners, yet i● this extraordinary case, he resolved to consult the oracle of Delphos, than the most famous upon earth▪ He therefore sends his two elder Sons, Titus and A●ron to the oracle who take with them as their companion Lucius Junius Brutus the son of Tarquinia h●● Sister, whom he had not only suffered to live after having slain his brother, but as a fate permitted hi● to keep company with his Sons.  
This young man having heard that the Chief of t●● City were murdered by his Uncle, resolved to give him no occasion of fear from any designs of his, and knowing there was no greater safety under the Tyrant, than to be scorned and neglected, since Law and Justice gave little security, he that none might covet his fortune, industriously feigned himself a fool or mad man, which was much assisted by his natural inclination to melancholy, permitting the King to dispose of his Person and Estate as he thought fit, nay did not refuse the Surname of Brutus (that is Foolish or Sottish) though under this title he concealed a noble Soul which afterward discovered itself in delivering the Roman people from slavery; At the last Scene he unmasks himself and every one than commends him when they consider him, because they did not understand him till the end of the Tragedy. The Sons of Tarquin take this dull Brutus along with them to Delphos only for sport and divertisement, though it is said he then secretly carried a golden staff, enclosed in one of Wood, as a present to Apollo, which was a sign of his ingenuity; They come to the Oracle, and having made known their Father's desires, the young men were very earnest to make inquiry of the succession, and to which of them the Roman kingdom should fall, whereupon, they say, a voice ascended from the bottom of the Cave saying, He among you three shall have the chief dominion in Rome who gives his Mother the first kiss; The two brothers agreed to conceal this answer from Sextus the youngest then at Rome, lest he should prevent them, and to commit it to fortune by Lot, which of them should first kiss their Mother when they arrived, but Brutus who knew the answers of oracles were seldom very clear, but full of a thousand ambiguities, imagining there might be some other meaning in it, pretending to fall by chance, kissed the earth which he considered was the common Mother of all men living  
They return to Rome with the answer to their Father, whom they find engaged in War against the Rutilians a rich people, and besieging Ardea, with whose Spoils the Tyrant hoped to engage the affections of the Romans, who grew very insolent and uneasy, for being made so long Carpenters and Masons. They first attacked the City by storm, but being repulsed, laid a formal Siege thereto, which made the Campaign more tedious than dangerous, so that the Officers had leisure enough to treat and entertain one another; The King's Sons and kinsmen oft feasted each other, particularly one night they were drinking together with Sextus, where Collatinus Tarqvinius the Son of Egerius being in company, there grew a contention among them concerning their wives each extolling his own above the rest, from whence a quarrel arising Collatinus said, there need no dispute in the case, since it might easily be known how far his Lucretia excelled the rest; Therefore said he; It is in vain to talk, but if you have any vigour in you, let us mount our Horses and go see with our own eyes what kind of lives our wives lead in our absence, and that shall be the test of their virtue according as each man shall find her employed at his sudden arrival. They were all heated with Wine and therefore cried unanimously, Come on, it is agreed, and so galloped to Rome, and arriving toward evening went thence to Collatia, where they found Lucretia not like the rest of the King's daughters in Law, whom they saw feasting and rioting among their companions, but fitting up late at night in the midst of her women spinning and dividing out their work; They all grant her the Victory, and with one voice commend her above their own; She received her husband and the rest very kindly, and Collatine having thus got the conquest, treated the Royal Youths with a Noble banquet; At supper a base lust surpriseth Sextus, and her beauty and chastity raising a furious desire in him to enjoy her, he resolves to compass his wicked intent with the utmost hazard, for the look of a lascivious man is like that of a Basilisk, it kills Chastity with beholding it; Having ended their Juvenile pastimes for that night, the next morning they all returned to the Camp.  
Not long after Sextus who could find no rest in his mind till he had fulfilled his unlawful desires, takes a full resolution to perpetrate that wicked Act, and without giving notice to any he secretly returns to Collatia, where he was received and treated with all kind of civility by the innocent Lucretia, who little imagined upon what impious design he made her that visit, but welcomed him with all manner of sweetness as the Friend and Companion of her beloved husband; After supper he was conducted to his Chamber, but so inflamed with love that sleep was the least thing he desired or intended, he revolves in his thoughts the hazard, and treachery of this dishonourable attempt, and yet sometimes seems to flatter himself with success from the free treatment of this chaste soul.  
Quoth he, she took me kindly by the hand  
And gazed for tidings in my eager eyes  
Fearing some bad news from the Warlike Band  
Where her beloved Collatinus lies.  
O how her fear did make her colour rise  
Nor could she put off this her trembling fear  
Until her husband's welfare she did hear.  
At length taking courage, he rises from his uneasy bed, and having observed where Lucretia lay, he opens the doors and enters her Chamber whom he found fast asleep, and approaching the bed with his drawn Sword, he lays his hand upon her breast, and hath recourse to the instruments of hatred for his assistance in love; he who was wont to vent his angry passions against his enemies with his Sword, knows not how to lay it aside in prosecuting the most tender passion; At this rude approach the poor affrighted Lucretia awaked, and finding him in this dreadful posture and herself in so dangerous a state; she was extremely amazed, when the villainous Ravisher thus addressed her, Lucretia, said he, Hold your peace, I am Sextus Tarquin, speak not a word, for if you do this Sword shall instantly end your life; He than proceeded to declare his transcendent passion for her, and uses all manner of inducements to bring her to his will, tells her, That her beauty is the cause of this misfortune, that he had considered the fatal event of it, but yet had rather endure the greatest torments, yea death itself, than not to fulfil his desire, says he, 
I have debated even in my Soul  
What wrong, what shame, what sorrow it will breed,  
But nothing can my furious Love control  
Or stop the headlong current of its speed.  
Although repentant Tears ensue the deed  
Together with reproach and enmity  
Yet I must needs embrace my infamy.   
He speaks her fair and then intermixes threats, but seeing her readier to embrace death than him, rather willing to lose her life than honour, he adds disgrace to fear, and tells her he would first kill her and then stab a slave and lay him naked by her, so that it should be certainly believed she was slain in the very act of adultery.  

Lucrece, says he, this night I must enjoy thee  
If thou deny then force must work my way.  
For in thy bed I purpose to destroy thee  
And then some wretched slave of thine i'll slay  
To kill thine honour with thy lives decay.  
And in thy dead arms I resolve to place him  
And swear I slew him finding thee embrace him.   
See how this villain threatens to bereave her of her honour, that he may thereby bereave her of it; Lucretia thus assaulted makes many compassionate pleas in defence of her chastity, upbraids him with his unreasonable and brutish lust, adjures him by all manner of Arguments not to use violence against a poor weak woman, but nothing she could say had the least influence upon him.  

She him conjures by fear of Heaven above  
By her untimely tears, her husband's love,  
Quoth she," Reward not hospitality  
" And Friendship, with such wicked treachery  
" Think but how vile a spectacle it were  
" Did thy crime in another man appear  
" If ever man was moved with woman's moans  
" Be moved with my tears, my sighs, my groans,  
" Melt at my tears and be compassionate  
" Some pity enters at an iron gate  
" Thou seem'st not what thou art, a God, a King.  
" For Kings like Gods should govern every thing.  
Have done, quoth he, my uncontroulled tide  
Turns not, but swells the higher by this let,  
Small lights are soon blown out, huge fires abide  
And with the wind in greater fury fret.   
And putting his words into act he first gauged, and then ravished her notwithstanding the utmost resistance she could possible use, so that she forcibly yielded to Sextus prevailing lust, who having obtained his will goes away overjoyed, and returns to the Camp Triumphant, while the most unhappy Lucretia remains overwhelmed with grief; She sends to her Father Spurius Lucretius, and her husband, that they would instantly repair to Collatia with two or three of their most assured Friends, since a most unfortunate and grievous accident had befallen her; They make speed to come, and bring Publius Valerius and Lucius Junius Brutus along with them; They find Lucretia in a very desolate condition, who upon their coming into her Chamber burst out into a flood of Tears; Her husband asked her; art thou not well my Dear, No said she, how can that woman be well who hath lost her Chastity, the signs of another man O dear Collatine are yet to be seen upon the bed, yet is my body only violated, my mind is still guiltless of which my death shall be an undoubted evidence, but first give me your hands and solemn promises that you will not suffer the Adulterer to go unpunished, Sextus Tarquin is the man, who like an enemy rather than a Guest came last night armed to my bed, and thence forced pleasures, which if you are men of courage may prove as fatal to him as they are like to be to me; They all one after another engaged to revenge the injury she had received, and endeavoured to comfort and persuade her grieved soul that she was altogether innocent, and the guilt lay only upon the Ravisher, and that her mind (not her body) could only commit the offence, and where was no consent there was no crime; Do you, says she, consider what the Ravisher deserves? for though I absolve myself from the crime, yet I will not be free from the punishment; Nor shall any unchaste woman ever plead hereafter that Lucretia was an Example of lendness to her. And then proceeded to this purpose.  
And what could unfortunate Lucretia do? If she had died that she might have lived , you would have thought her slain for having been unchaste; O most cruel Law of Honour, which savest not the innocent! A Law never descended from Heaven but came from the deepest Abyss of Hell, I who would have my honesty proclaimed to all, have more studied glory than chastity, and whilst I was ambitious of the name of , I am with infamy become unchaste, I was enforced to choose life that I might preserve my honour, and by my living I have lost it; I am resolved to die if not for what hath already befallen me, at least for what may hereafter happen to me; But what then? If I die I shall seem to acknowledge I have done amiss; they will say my guilty conscience killed me; If I live you will believe I have done so too and say I consented out of two much love of life, O of all others the most unfortunate Lucretia, whose innocence neither life nor death can justify. This Soul (O Collatine) whose delight was chastity abhors now that body which is polluted, and as being wholly thine cannot endure to have any longer a being since I can no more be only thine. The wicked Ravisher did never prostitute me, it was not Lucretia it was a Carcase, for the Soul is not where it consents not, sin is the offspring of the will not of the body, where consent is not there is no sin, yet I think myself worthy of death 'cause he desired, and blame myself though faultless because I pleased him; O Beauty perniciously coveted by our unsound minds! O frail and fading vanity of the body whereby the eternal beauty of the Soul is clouded! they which are endowed with you either sin with you, or cause others to sin by you. But what was there in me that encouraged this vile miscreant to commit so great a crime? perhaps my honesty which he thought greater than others; Most sacred Honesty art thou then become an incitement to lust? and instead of defending dost thou offend? Instead of bridling unlawful desires, dost thou provoke to fury and violence? His cruel heart that delights only to kill the innocent, is likewise a receptacle of wicked lust that covets none but the ; To attain what they desire is not that which the Tarquins desire, they find no pleasure where they use no force, and like lightning rend and destroy most where they meet most resistance; And whither can unfortunate Lucretia go for revenge? To the King's Family? It is they have injured me; To my own Friends? It is I have injured them. O ye Gods of Hospitality, it is you I call upon, but to what purpose call I on you since you have permitted it? Revenge me you Infernal Powers, but why invoke I you, since you were his assistants in this horrid crime? I myself will revenge myself, and will by my own death take greater vengeance on this my Enemy than by living. I will die not to lessen my own faults, but to aggravate his villainy, not because I have sinned, but to show that she did not subject herself to sense, who voluntarily deprives herself of sense. I will die that I may not live in such wretched times that make life a shame, and to be born is the greatest misfortune, my fall shall ease your thoughts, and make my revenge happy, and I who will not live an example of dishonour to Women will die an example of courage to men.  

Ah poor Lucretia! what a cruel Guest  
Didst thou receive? How was thy House unblessed  
And by mistake how sadly didst thou prove  
Thy Table fed a Serpent not a Dove   
As she uttered these last words she plunged a knife into her breast and fell down dead thereon; Her Father and Husband surprised at this sudden stroke set out a loud cry, 
Daughter, Dear Daughter, old Lucretius cries  
That life was mine which thou hast here deprived  
If in the Child the Father's Image lies  
Where shall I live now Lucreece is unlived?   
Collatinus her husband seconds these Lamentations, 
My Dear Lucretia, in whose breast doth lie  
My Life, is fled unto Eternity,  
She's dead, She's dead and Oh! if that were all  
In time I might endeavour to recall  
My Grief; but she's (ah what I speaks too true)  
Ravished by Death, ay and by Tarquin too.   
Brutus while they where full of grief drew forth the bloody knife out of Lucretia's wound and said; I swear by this blood which was so chaste before the wicked Ravisher stained it (and ye Gods be ye all witnesses of my vow and resolution) that I will endeavour to extirpate Tarquin the proud, his wife, and all his Race with sword, fire or any other violent means that I have power to use, nor will suffer them nor any other King to have any Authority or Dominion in Rome; At these words Collatine and Lucretius the husband and Father, and likewise Valerius, were even astonished to see the dull disposition of Brutus so soon altered, they therefore threaten nothing but revenge, and their Laments are turned into indignation, resolving to follow the resolutions of Brutus who thus incited them to endeavour to root out the wicked Family of the Tarquins from among them.  
In prosecution whereof they carried the body of the bleeding Lucretia into the Market place, where they endeavoured to inflame the people with the presence of so dismal an object, which occasioned every one to exclaim against the cruelty and violence of the Tarquins, yet had not this woeful sight nor the doleful cries of her Father and husband so much effect upon them as the earnest excitations of Brutus who with all manner of eloquence and zeal persuaded them to act as became men, and Romans, who were solicitous for the liberty of their Country, by taking Arms against their common Enemy. Upon which the brisk young men immediately assembled ready armed and having left sufficient Guards at the Gates of Collatia to prevent any Intelligence from going to Tarquin, the rest followed Brutus their Commander to Rome, where being arrived the people of that City were much alarmed, and seeing such considerable Persons command them, thought it was no rash attempt they had undertaken; So that the multitude running from all parts to the Market place, the Crier summoned them to appear before the Tribune, which Office Brutus himself at that time happened to bear; Being assembled he made a very ingenious and pathetic speech to them, wherein he discovered much more sense and understanding than he had ever before pretended to, in words to this effect; Most Noble Romans, will you still suffer this ravenous, cruel, lustful tyrant? To what end do you bring up your Sons? To what purpose do you give education to your daughters? Wherefore do you heap up riches? for a Cruel wretch which will kill your Sons, for a Lascivious Tyrant to debauch your daughters, for an avaricious taskmaster who will rob you of your wealth; If you bear with Tarquin or any of his Race in hopes they may amend, 'tis vanity; If because you fear him, 'tis madness; A Tyrant is a Monster who is by nature intended only for a scourge to men and therefore none can be safe under him, he equally fears and hates both good and wicked men, and despiseth lukewarmness and indifferency; What is it you expect? perhaps the old king's death; Who can imagine the Sons will be better than the Father; Their tempers are composed of the blood of two wicked ones; They are educated by a Tyrant, born in the proud commanding family of the Tarquins, and therefore like to be altogether as insupportable as their parents. Tarquin's lust is not extinguished by Lucretia's death, 'twill be more raging if it remain unpunished, the calamities of other persons may be a lesson to you, and he who can learn by others harms though he may want experience, yet he is certainly more happy; Let your bosoms then be no more exposed to the loss of blood, for increasing the grandeur and dominion of that City which belongs to another; And for which you will be rewarded with nothing but blood and wounds; Are you not ware that you conquer Nations only to reduce them under Tarquin's tyranny? That by bringing others into bondage you make your own slavery the greater; No longer then suffer your hands which were formerly accustomed to noble deeds and to bring home glorious Triumphs for adorning your Capitol, to be basely employed in emptying Vaults, and removing Uncleanness; Courage! Noble Citizens, deceive yourselves no longer through ignorance of your own power, but henceforth learn to know your own strength, delay no longer in such an enterprise wherein delaying may be your ruin; Now you have one to lead, you need not fear to want followers, all men's wills are alike opposite to Tyrants, only few are so daring as to begin, I will be your Head to drive out Tarquin, I will be your companion in forming your liberty, I will be the first in danger and the last in happiness.  
Brutus' his words make a sudden impression upon the People, and he who would have them follow him need use no other enchantment but the name of Liberty, which carries an universal influence with it though very few truly understand what it is; The incensed multitude unanimously resolve to abrogate Tarquin's power and banish him with his Wife and Children; Whilst Brutus and his youthful Volunteers went to Ardea to inflame the Army against the King, He having notice of these mutinous practices at Rome hastened thither but found the Gates shut against him, and defiance proclaimed to him and all his Family whom they declared to be banished from ever having any command in the Government for the future; Brutus mean while arrived another way at the Camp, where having fully informed them of all passages he was received with extreme Joy as the deliverer of their City by expelling thence the Tyrant and his Children.  
Tarquin much surprised at this unexpected turn of fortune, retires toward the Tuscans for security, and his son Sextus Tarquin the Ravisher, and unhappy cause of the ruin of his Family flies to the Gabins where he breathes forth nothing but revenge and discontent.  

Must I be banished then into a place  
Of no Society, and there embrace  
Perpetual woe? Oh! how could hell contrive  
So great a plague to keep me still alive  
What shall I do in this extreme Abiss  
Of woe and torments? Death had been a bliss  
Beyond expression; Ah! must wretched I  
Be so accursed t' offend, and yet not die  
But stay, shall I forget? Was I not born  
A noble Roman and shall I not scorn  
Their impositions? Shall I now relent  
And prove a willing slave to discontent?  
Courage my heart, be bold and let them find  
Thou hast an Army in thy valiant mind.  
Ah what a sad companion is a heart  
Burdened with guilt? Alas! I can impart  
No comfort to myself, all things declare  
My ruin, that's attended with despair  
Methinks I have a still continued flood  
Before my eyes of chaste Lucretia's blood,  
Nor is my eye disturbed alone, my ear  
Is grown of late accustomed to hear  
Strange Dialects, methinks Lucretia cries  
Revenge, Revenge my woeful injuries.  
And thus my eyes and ears sadly portend  
A present woe, a miserable end,  
Lucretia, ah Lucretia thou didst find  
A body rapeed; but I a ravished mind.   
Neither were these forebodings of Sextus Tarquin vain, for though he had lost that power and reputation among the Gabins which made him to be feared and esteemed, yet thinking himself rather beloved by them than only tolerated, not having lost those qualities which he thought desirable, he returns to them, as unto his own Kingdom, but found his reputation much sunk with his fortune, for he was soon after slain by certain Persons who resolved by his death to revenge the ancient quarrels he himself by slaughter and rapine had been the Author of Brutus and his Companions imposed an Oath upon all the Roman People not to suffer any of the Tarquins to reign at Rome, and was so enraged against them that some time after he beheaded divers Noble Youths, among whom were foam of his own and his Sister's Sons, for conspiring to restore the Regal race again; And Tarquin himself after several unsuccessful attempts to regain his kingdom, died a banished man at Cumae after he had reigned twenty five years, the Roman People being after governed by Consuls. All this desolation of the Tarquins, and the stupendious alterations which followed being chief occasioned by the Rape of our gallant and  Heroine Lucretia.   

The History of Voadicia Queen of Britain.   depiction of Boadicea, Queen of Britain 

THe Noble Voadicia whose hard fate  
Subjected her unto the Roman State  
O'er which the bloody Nero did command  
And cruel thraldom brought upon her Land.  
Her countrymen doth gallantly incite  
That for their Ravished freedoms they would fight  
And that herself will their Commander be  
And venture all, that their lost liberty  
They may redeem; And to fulfil her word  
Her utmostaid she doth to them afford  
Discomfiting their Roman Enemies  
Then bravely in the bed of Honour dies.   
THe next instance of Feminine Valour is a Lady of our own Nation called Voadicia Queen of Britain in the time of the Roman Government here, the bloody Tyrant Nero being then Emperor; But because I am willing to take all occasions to inform my Countrymen of whatever may be useful to them concerning their own Nation, I shall therefore relate what is written by some ancient Authors of the Original Inhabitants of this renowned Island, of which they may have heard some imperfect account, but are ignorant of what has been recorded of them, though as to the certainty and credibility of these relations so far distant from us in time, every man is left to his own belief.  
Though the beginning of this as well as all other Nations is doubtful, yet some writers of great Antrquity are of opinion that this Island was formerly part of the continent and joined to France, but afterward divided either by some mighty inundation or dreadful Earthquake, but to let this pass, John Bale our Countryman and a diligent searcher into such obsolete Histories doth probably conjecture that this Land was inhabited and replenished with People before Noah's flood, when the Scripture says, That men began to multiply upon the face of the Earth; After the flood Noah was the sole Monarch of all the world, which he divided among his sons, assigning to Shem the eldest all that part now called Asia; to his second son Cham, Africa, and to Japhet his third, Europe, with the Isles thereto belonging and ours among the rest; He is said to have died in Mauritania and by confent of the Greek and Latin writers first peopled Europe which he after left to his Children, Tubal having the Kingdom of Spain; Gomer, Italy, and Samothes Celtica, containing Germany, France and Britain. Thus was this Nation peopled two hundred years after the Deluge, and we read in Genesis that in the time of Peieg the offspring of Japhet inhabited the Isles of the Gentiles of which Britain is one. Samothes is reported to excel in learning and knowledge which he imparted to his people in the Phenician Language and Letters, from whence his Followers were called Samotheans, who saith Aristotle were skilful in the Law of God and man. Magus his Son succeeded who built many Cities in Germany and Britain, whose names then bore the addition of their Founder as Neomagus now Chester, Niomagus now Buckingham with divers others; The name is applied by the Persians to their Priests or Magicians, who were called Magis from their skill in Magic, as the Poet Mantuan intimates.  

Ille penes Persas Magus est qui fidera novit, etc.  
The Persians him a Magis call  
Who the Stars course doth know  
The power of Herbs; and what worship  
Man unto God doth owe.  
By threefold knowledge thus the name  
Of Magus then did grow.   
Sarron his Son was his Successor who founded certain public places for Professors of Learning and Moral Philosophy, without whose assistance the people were taught not to sacrifice to their Gods as reckoning them skilful in divine Mysteries, and near to God, by whose intercession they expected all the good they required, and whose advice they followed both in peace and war. Druis was his Successor, both in his Dominions and Wisdom from whom proceeded the famous Sect called Druids, many of whom went hence into Gallia, now France, and other Countries, they had their residence in the Isle of Anglesey; These saith J. Caesar in his Commentaries, had the office of sacrificing, of discussing points in Religion, of educating youth, determining differences, with full power to exclude those from Sacrifice who disobeyed their precepts and sentence; To make the people valiant they strove to arm them against the fear of death by teaching, That men's Souls could not die but passed out of one body into another; They were likewise Astrologers, and not altogether ignorant of one Eternal and Almighty God; All their Learning was written in the Greek Tongue of which the British language retains many words to this day; But as all things degenerate so these Druids in time grew very barbarous, for they use to stab men to death, and by their falling, bleeding, or dismembering pretended to foretell things to come, for which and many other wicked practices this Sect was extirpated in Gallia, and long after in Britain by King Lucius when he had received the Gospel.  
Bardus the Son of Druis succeeded, and was much admired by his People for inventing Songs and Music, and such as excelled therein he constituted into an Order of Philosophical Poets or Heralds, calling them by his own name Bards, and J. Caesar reports he found some of them here at his arrival; Their business was to record the noble exploits of their valiant Captains in Songs and Ditties, which they sung to their Instruments at the solemn Feasts of their Grandees, and were so highly esteemed that when two Armies were even ready to engage if a Bard had stepped between, both Parties would have held their hands (to hear his advice,) till he were out of danger, of whom Lucan thus sings, 

Vos quoque qui fortes animas belloque peremptus, etc.  
Then you brave Bards securely sung  
The Praises of dead Peers.  
In lofty strains so to prolong  
Their Fame for many years.    
And because these Poets were neither repugnant to the Roman civility nor the Christian Religion they alone above all other Sects were suffered to continue long after the birth of Christ, nay some report there are many of them to be found in Wales to this day still called Barthes', and an Island near that Country is named Bardsey upon that account.  
After Bardus death the people neglecting the Laws of their Predecessors and falling into Luxury were easily subjected by Albion the Giant, said to be the Son of Neptune the Sea God and the same with Naphthuim (mentioned by Moses) the Son of Cham, who had by his wife Amphitrea four Sons to each of whom he gave an Island; Albion the youngest landed in England which he quickly subdued, arriving in light Ships covered over with beasts skins, and called the Country by his own name, so that the race of the Samotheans being extinguished the Succession was changed from the Family of Japhet to that of cursed Cham; Having named the Isle Albion, he and his Companions were called Giants, though not as some think from their stature, which yet was much larger than now, but Gigantes or Sons of the Earth, many huge bones discovered in our age demonstrating that they were much taller than we are now; As Albion conquered Britain so his Brother Berguin commanded in Ireland and the Orkneys; These two had notice that the Great Hercules their Cousin after he had subdued Spain resolved to pass into Italy against their Brother Lestrigo to revenge the murder of his Father Osiris, whom these Sons of Cham had slain, though he was their uncle, as being Brother to Neptune, and to add to their barbarity had divided his carcase each preserving a piece of his flesh as a monument of their victory; Upon this account Hercules whom (Moses calls Laabin) proclaiming War against them, having first destroyed the Tyrants Tryphon and Busiris in Egypt, Anteus in Mauritania, and the Gerion's in Spain, he leads his Armies thence toward Italy, both the Brothers joined to oppose him, and near Rhodanus a terrible Battle was fought, wherein Hercules doubting of success his Soldiers having spent all their arrows, he commanded them to throw stones, (whereof there were plenty) at their enemies, by which they obtained an entire victory, killing Albion and Berguin in the field with most of their Forces which made the Poets feign that Jupiter assisted his Son Hercules by throwing down stones from Heaven.  
Albion being thus slain, the people at home having no Governor fell into all kind of disorders and seemed to differ little from wild beasts till the arrival of the daughters of Danaus, of whom ancient Historians give this Account. Belus the son of Epaphus had two sons Danaus and Egyptus; both Kings of Egypt, Danaus ruled the upper Region, and by divers wives had fifty daughters, and his brother Egyptus happened likewise to have 50 sons, who desiring the Dominion of the whole Country, earnestly required the daughters to be married to his sons; But Danaus' having notice by an Oracle, That he should receive his death by a son in law, refused the proposal, whereupon his brother made War upon him and drove him out of his Kingdom, who embarking himself and his daughters in some small Boats, arrived in Greece, and dispossessing Gelenor King of Argos of his Realm by the assistance of his own subjects who hated him, he reigned there with so much glory that the Greeks were after called Danai from his name; Egyptus his brother vexed that he should escape, sent his Sons with a great Army to pursue their uncle, with commission not to return till they had either slain Danaus, or obtained his daughters in marriage; who thereupon coming into Greece were so successful that he was forced to give them up, and married they were, but Danaus' bent upon revenge, gave every one a dagger charging them after their husbands were asleep to kill them all, and that he would certainly be the death of her who should refuse; They all obey his will but Hypermenestra, over whom love prevailed more than fear of her Father's severity, who awakeed her husband Lynceus, and advising him to fly back to Egypt for safety; Danaus having notice of the disobedience of Hypermenestra resolved to have put her to death but was hindered by the Argives yet kept her close Prisoner. He then endeavoured to get husbands for his daughters, but they were so abhored for their treachery, that it was hard to procure them.  
Lynceus arriving safe in Egypt, his Father was so incensed at the murder of his other sons that he sent him back with strong Forces against his uncle, who prevailed and soon dispatched him, setting his wife at liberty, and subduing the whole Kingdom of the Argives, and then sending for Danaus' daughters he judged them not worthy to live for their cruelty, yet being his wife's sisters he would not put them to death but commanded they should be put into a Ship without Sails or Oars, and so left to the mercy of the wide Ocean; Who after many dangers were at length cast happily upon this Isle of Albion, where getting ashore, and seeking for food by hunting Deer, they met with some of the Inhabitants, who were rude and Savage Giants, living more like Devils than men, yet finding no others they had commerce with them, from whom proceeded a generation not unlike their Parents, yet none of these Ladies were named Albina as some conjecture, so that the Island was called Albion from the Giant aforementioned.  
And thus you have the History of the Inhabitants of this land before Brute of which you may judge as you please; I now proceed to Brutus' arrival hither, of whom we find recorded, that he was the son of Julius whose Father was Aeneas of Troy; So that the Abionists being gone off the stage, the Trojans next succeeded; Brute being about twenty five years old was hunting with his Father in the Forest whom by misfortune he killed with an arrow in shooting at a Deer, for which he was banished his Country of Italy and in the company of several young Trojans arrived in Greece, where they found divers of their Countrymen in slavery, who joining with them they took several Forts and Castles, and then sent a Letter to Pandrasus the King of the Country to this effect.  
Brute Leader of the remnant of the Trojan people to Pandrasus King of the Greeks sends greeting; Because several of the Noble blood of Dardanus have received high affronts, and have not been treated according to their merits, therefore they have chosen to live freely in woods and Forests rather than comply with the pride of ingrateful men, and have contented themselves with herbs and raw flesh to avoid the yoke of thraldom which they must otherwise be subject to; And if this course of life offend your Highness, yet they are not to be blamed but pardoned since every Captive Slave desires to be restored to his former freedom and liberty. If then you have any compassion for our condition, suffer us to remain quietly within these woods which we have got into our possession, and if not then suffer us quietly to departed out of your Country into some other place.  
Pandrasus was much furprized with their Letter and request, but considering their small number, he resolved to root them out, before they should increase, and marching with his Forces to that purpose, as he passed near the Town Sparatinum toward the Woods, Brute suddenly issued out thence with three thousand men, and assaulted them with such fury that they fled, hoping to save themselves in the adjoining River of Akalon, but were so hotly pursued that many were drowned; Antigonus the King's brother made a stand with some Grecians hoping to renew the battle, but the Trojans pressing on them, took him Prisoner slaying and dispersing the rest; After which Brute put 600 men into the Town, and returning to the rest in the woods was received with extreme joy; Pandrasus vexed at his ill success raised another Army wherewith he came before the Town, in hope to have taken it by storm, but Brutus' men held it very valiantly till wanting provisions they sent to him for speedy relief, who being too weak to engage in open Field, came suddenly in the night upon the King's Camp, being directed by a Prisoner he had taken where to make the easiest approach, so that he encountered them with much advantage and overthrow their whole Forces taking Pandrasus himself Prisoner, whereby the War was ended and soon after an absolute peace concluded, by which The King was obliged to give Brute his daughter Innogen in marriage, with a sufficient Dowry in gold and silver; To furnish him and his people with a Navy of Ships well provided of all necessaries, and Lastly, That they should freely departed the Country whither they pleased to seek adventures; This being performed, Brute with his wife and people embarked, and after two days sail arrived at an Island called Leogitia (now unknown to modern Geographers) where they consulted with an Oracle, or Idol of Diana, Brute kneeling and holding a bowl of Wine prepared for sacrifice in his right hand, and the Blood of a white Hind in the other, thus addressed himself to the Goddess.  

Diva potens nemorum, terror Sylvestribus apis etc.  

Thou Goddess that in Woods  
And Groves dost take delight  
Who dost pursue the foaming Boar  
That flies thy dreadful sight   

Thou who dost soar aloft  
And glidest through the Sky  
Who div'st into the dismal Cells  
That in dark earth do lie.   

Declare to us our Fate,  
Direct us in our way  
Where we may habitations find  
And where to make our stay.   

Where thou desirest we  
Temples to thee should build  
Where Virgins may thy Praises sing  
Who are in Music skilled.    
After this Prayer and performing the Ceremonies of Pagan Superstition, Brute expecting an answer chanced to fall asleep; when the Goddess appearing made him this return.  

Brute sub occasum solis, trans Gallia regna, etc.  

Brute farther west, beyond  
The Gallic shore is found  
A noble Island which the Sea  
Doth quite encompass round.   

Where Giants once did dwell  
But now are rooted out  
There's room enough to plant thyself  
And all thy warlike Rout.   

Sail thither then with speed  
Possess it as thy due  
A lasting seat for thee and thine  
Where Troy shall rise anew.   

Kings of thy Noble Race  
In after times shall rise  
Who all the world shall conquer, and  
Their Fame shall reach the Skies.    
Having thus Complemented the Lady, and received this gentle answer in the same language he courted her; Brute when he awaked remembered his Dream, and began to question whether it were a Vision, or the real Advice of the Goddess who had thus spoken to him with Humane Voice; whereupon consulting his Companions it was unanimously concluded to be the counsel of the Divine Oracle, at which there was much rejoicing, and bonfires made wherein wine, milk and other superstitious ingredients were thrown, which done they instantly went a shipboard in hope of the promised success, and sailing westward arrived at the straits of Gibarlter., where on the Spanish Coasts they met with another company of Trojans who were descended from Antenor after his escape from the Siege of Troy; Their Captain was called Corineus a man of great wisdom and valour, with whom upon consideration of their Country they joined and made one entire body, these new comers adventuring their Fortunes with them; Sailing Eastward they came to the mouth of the River Loire in France, and landed in the Dominions of a King called Goffarius Pictus because his people painted their faces and bodies wherein consisted their gallantry, and the Country from thence (it is thought) is called Poictou to this day (part of Scotland being named Pictland upon the same account) Goffarius having notice of their arrival sent to know how they durst presume to come into his Land without licence; The Messengers addressed themselves to Corineus whom they found with two hundred of his Company that came with him from the Ships, hunting Venison in a Forest for sustaining their lives and gi●●ng Corineus some disdainful words he endeavoured to appease them, when Imbert their Chief suddenly let fly an arrow at him, which Corineus soon returned with such force that it clavae his head in sunder, whereat the rest of the Poictovins fled and brought the news to Goffarius, who instantly raised a mighty Army, wherewith he marched to encounter the Trojans, between whom a sharp battle was fought, but in the end Brute by the admirable courage of Corineus obtained the Victory, and Goffarius fled further up into Gallia or France endeavouring to incite all his Neighbour Princes to join with him in this common danger; Brute mean time marched forward destroying all before him with Fire and Sword, and having got great booty carried it to his Ships; Goffarius and his Confederates with mighty forces resolving to revenge these injuries came suddenly upon the Trojans, being thirty times as many, and assaulted them often in their Camp with so much fury and such inequality of numbers that they besieged them therein, hoping by famine to compel them to yield to mercy.  
In this extremity Corineus and Brute resolved to use some stratagem for their deliverance, and the next night Corineus drawing three thousand choice men out of the Camp into a wood that lay on the back of the enemy, in the morning Brute fell upon them furiously in the front, when at the same time Corineus assaulting them courageously on the Rear they were so surprised and confounded that they instantly fled, whom the Trojans eagerly pursued with great slaughter, Brute lost many of his men in this battle, and among others his Nephew Turnus from whom, it is said, the City of Tours in France, which Brute built, took its name and was called Turonium, Turnus being there buried: though Brute had cause to rejoice in this victory, yet finding his forces decay every day and his enemies increase, it was resolved they should bring the riches they had got to their Ships, and all embark once again to find out the Island the Oracle had promised; After a few days sailing they arrived at an haven now called Totnes in Devonshire, in the year from the Creation of the World 2850. After the destruction of Troy 66. From the deliverance of the Israelites out of Babylon 397. in the eighteenth year of the reign of Tyneas King of Babylon, and the thirteenth of Melanthus King of Athens; Before the building of Rome 368. And before the Nativity of our Saviour 1116. For as the Poet sings of Brute.  

The Gods did guide his sail and course  
The winds were at command.  
And Totnes was the happy shore  
Where first he came to land.   
Brute having entered the Country he immediately went in search of it from one end to the other, and found it to abound in Woods, Grass, pleasant Springs, and fair Rivers, though in the way he was encountered by divers strong and mighty Giants, whom he at length subdued and brought the Land wholly into subjection; Among others there was one Giant of extraordinary strength and reputation called Gogmagog, with whom Brute obliged Corineus to wrestle at a place near Dover where it happened that Gogmagog broke one of the ribs of Corineus with a fall, who being therewith enraged, recovered himself, and redoubling his courage he prevailed against the Giant and cast him down headlong from one of the Rocks now called Dover Cliffs, but for many ages after retained the name of Gogmagog's leap, and if Tradition is to be relied on in this case, it may somewhat confirm the truth of the foregoing History, since the two Figures placed in Guildhall London are by some believed to represent these two Giants, Gogmagog and Corineus; For this and many other valiant Achievements Brute bestowed upon Corineus the whole Country of Cornwall whose Inhabitants are still famous for wrestling, occasioned it may be from this their first governor.  
I. Brute having conquered all that opposed him in the whole Island, resolved to build a City which might be the Royal Seat of his kingdom, to which purpose he chose a plat of ground on the Northside of the Thames, convenient for pleasantness, clearness of air, goodness of soil, plenty of woods, and especially accommodated with a Noble River for bringing in Merchandise and all other necessaries proper for a multitude of inhabitants; He began to lay the foundation thereof in the tenth year of his reign, which he called Troynovant or New Troy in remembrance of that famous City from whence he and his people were descended, but now named London, which having finished, he by the advice of his Nobility commanded the Isle of Albion to be called Britain and the people Britain's, as a perpetual memorial that he was the first who brought them hither. He had by his wife three sons Locrine, Camber & Albanack, to the elder at his death he gave that part now called England which was long called Loegria from his name, To the second Wales named from him Cambria, and to the third all the North part of the Isle beyond the River Humber, which he called Albany, now Scotland. Having thus divided the Land Brute died in the twenty fourth year after his arrival, and was buried at Troynovant or London, but in what place is now unknown  
II. Locrine his eldest Son succeeded in Loegria and his brother Albanack in Albania, but Humber King of the Hunns or Scythians invading his Country slew him in battle, and took possession of his Land, till Locrine with his brother Camber King of Wales joining their Forces to revenge their brother's death, fell upon him with such valour that they put his Army to flight, and pursued him so eagerly that he with abundance of his people were drowned in the River which divided Loegria from Albania, and from that K. hath ever since retained the name of the River of Humber among many others, three Virgins of excellent beauty were taken Prisoners, with one of whom called Estrild a Scythian Kings daughter Locrine fell so in love, that notwithstanding a former contract between him and Gwendolyn daughter of Corineus King of Cornwall he resolved to marry her, but by the persuasions and threats of her Father durst not do it in his life time, and though he married Gwendolyn he kept Estrild as his Concubine, and after Corineus' death forsook Gwendolyn and married her; Who being thus cast off by her husband went to her kindred in Cornwall whom she provoked to make War upon Locrine her husband, wherein he was slain near the water of Stour, after he had reigned twenty years and was buried by his Father at Troynovant.  
III. Madan his Son by Gwendolyn succeeded him, but being under age his Mother was by common consent of the Britain's made Ruler of the kingdom, wherein she administered justice and equity fifteen years till her Son came to manhood, to whom she then resigned the government, of whom little is recorded but that he used much Tyranny over his Subjects forty years, after which as he was one day going on hunting he lost his company and was devoured of Wild Beasts in the Woods, leaving two Sons Mempricius and Manlius; He is said to have built Madan Castle now Doncaster.  
iv Mempricius at the beginning of his reign had much trouble from his brother Manlius, who out of an ambitious mind of ruling provoked the Britain's to rebellion and the war was long and bloody; But Manlius under pretence of treating being slain, he reigned more peaceably which yet produced as bad an effect, for being quiet he ran into all manner of debauchery, ravishing the Wives and daughters of his Subjects, and at length grew so unnatural in his lust that he forsook his wives and Concubines, and fell into the abominable sin of Sodomy; Whereby he became odious to God and man, and met with the fate of his Father being slain by Wolves in the forests, after twenty years' reign.  
V Ebrank his Son by his lawful wife was his Successor, he had (as is said) twenty one wives on whom he begot twenty sons and thirty daughters. He built many Cities in his own kingdom and elsewhere; He sent his daughters into Italy to be married to some noble Trojans whom his sons conducted thither, and in their return conquered part of Germany, that impeded their passage, and planted themselves there. Ebrank built Caerbrank now York, and Maiden's Castle in Scotland, now Edinburgh. After which he invaded Gallia now France, and subduing the Galls returned home with great riches, and having reigned forty years died and was buried at York.  
VI Brute Greenshield his Son was King after him in the year of the world 2009. Asa being then King of Judah, and Baasha of Israel. He always wore a Green Shield from whence he took his Surname, and prosecuted his Father's Conquests in France, which he wholly subdued, and then dying.  
VII. Leil his Son built the City of Carlisle after his own name, and repaired Caerleon now Chester which was built before Brutus' coming by a famous Giant named Leon Gaur; In the beginning of his reign he was very good and virtuous, but afterward degenerated into all kind of voluptuousness, whereby he caused great divisions and disturbances among his Subjects which continued during his life; He was buried at Carlisle and left the Government to his Son.  
VIII. Lud or Hudibras who appeased the dissensions raised in his Father's reign, and reduced the Realm to quietness; he built Kaerkin now Canterbury, C●●rguent now Winchester, and Mount Palondour, now Shaftsbury; In his reign Aquila a learned man writ his Prophecies of which some fragments now remain in Latin. Having reigned thirty nine years he left his kingdom to his Son.  
IX. Bladud who was famous for Astronomy and Necromancy by which means he is reported to have made those hot Baths in the City of Caerbran now called Bath, and was so addicted to the study of Magic and other strange practices that he taught them to his people, and to magnify his Skill therein undertook to fly in the air, but his Skill failing he fell upon the Temple of Apollo in Troynovant now London, and was dashed to pieces after he had reigned twenty years.  
X. Lear his Son undertook the Government after him, a Prince of a gallant temper and ruled with much justice; He built the Town of Caerlier now Leicester upon the River Sore. It is related he had three daughters named Gonerilla, Regan, and Cordilla, whom he loved very tenderly especially the youngest, and growing aged without an Heir, he resolved to try the affection of his daughters, and to leave the Kingdom to her who should express most fatherly kindness to him; He therefore demanded of the first how much she loved him, who with great earnestness called Heaven to witness That she loved him above her own life, & was very ready to lose it for preserving his; With which reply he was well satisfied, and asked the same question of the second, who with mighty attestations assured him, That her affection was beyond expression, and that she valued him above all things in the World; Lastly he required Cordilla the youngest to declare what kindness she had for him, who replied, Knowing the extreme love and parental indulgence you have always born to me, I do solemnly and from my conscience protest I ever did, and ever shall love you as a natural Father, and no otherwise. Lear was much discontented at her answer, and therefore soon after married his two eldest daughters one to the Duke of Cornwall and the other to the Duke of Albany, and ordained that after his death the Kingdom should be divided between them, but reserved nothing for Cordilla; Yet it happened that Aganippus King of Gallia, now France, hearing of her beauty, wisdom and virtue, sent to her Father to desire her in marriage, who answered; He might marry if he pleased without a Dowry, since all his land was already disposed to her elder sisters; Aganippus notwithstanding for her excellent qualities made her his Queen; He was one of the twelve Kings that then ruled in Gallia.  
Lear was now very aged, and the two Dukes thinking it very long before they enjoyed the Kingdom, taking arms deprived him of the Government, only allowing him a certain revenue during life, but after a while they grew weary, and much diminished his allowance, yea his two daughters who made such zealous profession of love, now thought much of what their Father enjoyed, so that he went from the eldest to the second to whom he represented the unnaturalness of her sister, who used him as ill as the other, and at last reduced him to so mean a condition that he had not one servant to wait on him. At length wearied with their affronts and abuses, he fled secretly into France to seek relief of his youngest daughter, Cordilla having notice of the arrival of her Father in so mean and wretched a state, she sent him privately some money to provide necessaries, and to retain a number of servants that he might appear at Court honourably attended according to his former dignity, whither being come, he was received with all manner of respect and honour by the King and his daughter, wherewith he was exceedingly comforted, and gave them an account of the bad treatment he had received from his other daughters upon which Aganippus raised a great Army and conveyed them over into Britain in a gallant navy of Ships, together with King Lear for recovering his Kingdom, who had made an agreement that Cordilla should succeed after his decease, since her sisters by their disobedience had forfeited their former right; In short time they landed in Britain Cordilla being with them, and meeting with the two Dukes they engaged in battle and put them to flight, the Duke's being both slain, and Lear thereupon restored to his Kingdom, who reigned two years after, and then died after he had ruled in all forty years, and was buried in a vault under the Channel of the River Soar near Leicester.  
XI. Cordilla being admitted Queen of the Realm reigned very happily five years, at the end of which her two Nephews Morgan and Cunegad her sister's sons disdaining to live under the government of a woman raised a rebellion against her, and having destroyed great part of the Country and defeated her Forces they took her and kept her close Prisoner, wherewith, being much disturbed, and despairing of regaining her liberty she out of Feminine valour stabbed herself to the heart and died after five years' reign.  
XII. After her death the two Nephews divided the Land, that part beyond Humber even as far as Caitness in Scotland falling to Morgan, and the other to Cunegad; Having reigned jointly two years, Morgan was incited by some evil counsellors to endeavour to gain the whole to himself he being Son of the eldest daughter, and was told it was a shame to be partner with a younger brother; Pride, Covetousness and Ambition soon prevailed upon him to raise an Army for effecting this unjust design, wherewith entering the Territories of Cunegad he miserably ruined all before him, but was quickly met by his brother's Forces, who gave him battle, wherein a great number of Morgan's men being slain, the rest fled and were pursued from one Country to another till they came into Wales, where Morgan resolved once more to try his fortune, but being too weak for a victorious army he was there slain in the Field, the Country being afterward called from his name Glamorgan. After which Cunegad became sole Governor of Britain, which he ruled peaceably thirty three years and was buried at Troynovant, He is reported to have built three Temples, one dedicated to the God Mars at Perth in Scotland, another to Mercury at Bangor, and a third to Apollo in Cornwall.  
XIII. Rival his Son ruled after him in much prosperity. In whose time it reigned blood three days together, after which followed such a multitude of noisome and poisonous flies, that breeding a great contagion many died thereof. Rome was built about this time; He reigned forty six years and was buried at York, leaving the Realm to XIV Gurgusius his Son, in the year of the world 3249. of whom little is related in our British Chronicle, but that having reigned thirty seven years he was buried at York likewise, XV Sysillus his Son who succeeded, or his Brother's Son as some write has as little recorded of him, nor of XVI Jago Cousin of Gurgusius, but that he died without issue. XVII Kinmark his Brother governed after him and reigned fifty four years; XVIII Gorbodug succeeded, and after sixty three years died and was buried at London, leaving the Land to be ruled jointly by XIX Ferrex and Porrex his two Sons, who continued some years in good correspondence, but flattery and thirst of Dominion at length raised variance between them whereby Ferrex was forced to fly into France, and having received aid from that Prince returned in hope to conquer all for himself, but his Brother being ready to receive him, he was slain with the greatest part of his Army; The Mother of them having greater love for Ferrex than his Brother, was so enraged at his death, that she contrived to murder the Survivor, which she effected with the help of her women while he was asleep in the night, and then cut him into small pieces to evidence the malice of her feminine revenge; After this for fifty years the Kingdom was in great distraction, the Government being divided between five Governors, who were all at length subdued by Dunwallo Duke of Cornwall; And here ancient writers affirm the line of Brute ended, there being none of his Race left alive after the two brethren Ferrex and Porrex; The names o● the five Rulers are said to be, Rudacus' King of Wale● Clotenus King of Cornwall, Pinnor King of Loegria, St●●terus King of Albania, and Yewan King of Northunberland, but Dunwallo having obtained the rule of t●● whole Land, begun his Reign about seven hundr●● years after Brutus' arrival, who was the first Crow●ed King of Britain, for before this the Chief Magistrates of the Kingdom were indifferently cal● Kings, Rulers or Governors, but had not any sol● Coronation according to the custom of other Countries; I shall therefore now begin a new Catalogue with a new Family, of which,  
I. Malmutius Dunwallo Duke of Cornwall was the first in the year of the world 3529. and about five hundred years before our Saviour's Nativity. He built in Troynovant or London, the Temple of Peace, which some think is Blackwell Hall, now used for selling cloth; He made many good Laws which were called by his name, and long after translated out of British into Latin and mingled among the Statutes of King Alfred; He gave privileges to Temples, Ploughs and Cities; that whoeser fled to either in any criminal cause should be secured, and have liberty to go thence into what Country he pleased, he built Malmsbury and the Devizes. After he had settled the Kingdom he by the advice of his Lords caused himself to be Crowned with a Crown of Gold with all the Heathen Ceremonies of that Age, and was therefore called the first Monarch of Britain; He ordained rules about Weights and Measures, and made strict Laws against Robbers, and after forty years' reign was buried in the Temple of Peace leaving the Kingdom to be ruled by his two Sons.  
II. Belinus and Brennus, the first governing Loegria, Wales, and Cornwall, and Belin all the Country beyond Humber; They both reigned very quietly about seven years, when Brennus ambitious of gaining the whole was persuaded by some unquiet youths to sail into Norway where he married the daughter of Elsing Duke of that Country; Belin vexed that he should marry without his advice, in his absence seized all his Castles and Fortresses, and put Garrisons therein, of which Brennus having intelligence, he was assisted by his Father-in-law with a great Fleet of Ships and a stout Army of Norwegians wherewith sailing homeward, he was encountered by the way by Guldac King of Denmark who with his Navy lay in wait to surprise the young Lady Brennus had married, to whom Guldac had been long a Servant but could never obtain her Father's consent. The two Fleets meeting, a bloody fight ensued, but at length the King of Denmark prevailed and took the Ship wherein the Lady was, whom he brought into his own Vessel Brennus making his escape; The Danes had no sooner obtained this great victory and prize when a sudden tempest arising the navy was scattered, and the King in danger of being lost, but after five days he was driven by storm into Northumberland with the few Ships that remained; Belin being then in that Country providing defence against his brother, having notice of it caused the King to be detained.  
Mean time Brennus having again got together his dispersed Ships, and furnished them and his Soldiers with all necessaries, sent to his brother to demand the restoring his wife, and his Country, both which were wrongfully detained from him; But receiving a positive denial to both, he landed his Army in Albany, now Scotland, and his brother coming toward him, a cruel battle was fought near a Wood called Calater wherein the Britain's at length discomfited the Norwegians with so great a slaughter that few were left alive; Brennus was forced to fly into France, where having made his addresses for Succour to several Princes in vain, he was at length entertained by Seguin Duke of Savoy, or as others say of Armorica, called afterward Little Britain.  
Belin having subdued his Enemies called his Council at York to consult what to do with the King of Denmark, where at length it was agreed that he should have his liberty on condition to do homage for his kingdom to the King of England, and to pay yearly a thousand pound Tribute; Belin now sole Governor of Britain, confirmed his Father's Laws, and finished the four highways begun by him for the convenience of Travel; The first was called the Foss beginning at Totnes in Devonshire and passing thence through Sommerset-shire by Tutbury and Cotswald to Coventry, Leicester, Newark, and ending at Lincoln; The second named Watling-street which began at Dover passing through the middle of Kent over Thames near Westminster, and thence to Saint Alban, Dunstable, Stratford, Worcester, Cardigan and the Irish Sea; The third was Erminstreet beginning at St. David's in Wales and stretching to Southampton; The fourth Hicknelstreet going from Worcester to Winchcomb, Brumigam, Litchfield, Derby, Chesterfield, York, and ending at Tynmouth Castle.  
Belin thus employed in the affairs of his Realm his brother Brennus who fled into France only with eleven persons, being a complete handsome Gentleman, and a Man of honour and courage, became a very great Favourite to Duke Seguin, who for his worthy qualities gave him his daughter in marriage, and declared, that if he died without issue Male, he should succeed, but if otherwise then his heir should assist Brennus in recovering his rightful inheritance from his brother Belin; These conditions being mutually assented to by the Duke & his Nobility, Brennus about a year after Seguin died, and his Duchess not being with Child by him, the Lords of the Country received Brennus for their Supreme Governor; Being settled in his Government he raises an Army wherewith he lands in Britain to make war on his brother, who soon assembles his forces to entertain him, but being just ready to join in battle, by the intercession of their mother, who interposed between the Armies, and used all manner of tender persuasions to them not to go on thus to destroy and ruin themselves and their Subjects, she prevailed so far that a perfect agreement and friendship was confirmed between them.  
After which both coming to London, they called their Peers and Councillors together, to advise about settling their Dominions where it was at length accorded between them, that both Armies should go into Gallia to subdue that Country, where they had such notable success that in a short time (saith Jeffery of Monmouth) they conquered most part of Gallia, Italy and Germany, and at length took the City of Rome itself (if at least these be those Commanders who led the Gauls into Italy, and made such devastations in that part of Europe) Having passed the Alps, and arriving in Tuscany they besiege the City of Clusium, which being distressed, sent to Rome for succour; the Romans though they had no League with the Clusians, yet considering it might soon be their own condition, sent Ambassadors to the Captains of the Gauls in the name of the Senate not to molest their Neighbours, and friends, to which Brennus returned answer; That they were willing to make peace with the Clusians if they would consent to let them have part of their Country, who had more than they could employ, but otherwise no peace would be granted; The Ambassadors offended at this demand, asked; What they had to do in Tuscany; Which raising fierce disputes, they at length resolved to end the matter by arms, and the Ambassadors contrary to the Law of Nations, went presently and joined themselves to the Clusians, encouraging them to hold out the City, which so enraged the Gauls that with one voice they required their Princes to raise the Siege from Clusium that they might go and take Rome itself; Brennus first sent Messengers to the Senate requiring that those who had thus broken the Laws might be punished as they deserved, but the Ambassadors were so far from being blamed that they were chosen Tribunes for their good Service.  
Whereat the Gauls were so much provoked that they instantly marched toward Rome destroying all before them. The Romans at length met them with an Army of Forty thousand, and engaging near the River Albia about eleven miles from Rome, the Romans were quickly discomfited and overthrown. The Gauls could hardly believe they had got the victory with so small resistance, but perceiving all had left the Field they got together the plunder, and marched directly to Rome, at whose approach the Citizens were so affrighted, that the young Senators, and all the youthful Gentry retired into the Capitol which they provided with all necessaries for a long Siege; The Ancient Fathers and Common people remained still in the City resolving to expect the fate thereof; The Gauls soon after entered by the Gate Collina and went directly to the Market place, but were much surprised to observe that the Houses of the meaner sort were shut against them, but the Greater and richer stood wide open, and at first were cautious of entering for fear of Treachery, but at length some going in, found the Reverend Senators sitting in their Chairs clothed in rich Robes at if they had been in the Senate house, with so much gravity and state that the Gauls reverenced them as Gods; It happened that Marcus Papyrius struck one of the Gauls on the head with a staff for presuming to struck his beard, wherewith being provoked he instantly slew Papyrius as he sat, wherewith the Slaughter being begun, all the rest of those Honourable Persons were killed in their Chairs, the whole City without regard to age or sex suffering the like Calamity with them; And thus was Rome taken by the two brethren Belin and Brennus 265 years from the building thereof.  
After this the Gauls attempted to take the Capitol in the night, and had certainly succeeded but that some Geese with their noise and crying discovered the design, by awaking the Sleeping Romans, who seasonably repulsed their enemies; Being in great distress, they resolved to recall Camillus whom they had unjustly banished, and make him Dictator, and Sole Commander over all their Lives and Estates, who forgetting the injuries done him applied himself instantly for delivering his Country, and raised as puissant an Army as the time would permit: Mean while those in the Capitol being even famished for want of Victuals treated with the Gauls, and made an agreement to give them a thousand pound weight in gold for their liberty; which being paid they were to march out of the City and all the Roman Territories. As the money was weighing some of the covetous Gauls threw their swords into the Scales where the weights were that they might get the more, which the Romans would not admit, and while some difference arose upon this account, Camillus with his Forces comes in amongst them, and commands the Gold to be carried away since no composition could be made without consent of the Dictator, and bid the Gauls prepare for battle, who having more mind to the Gold than to fight were soon defeated, many being slain, and the rest flying out of the City; Some affirm that a Peace was concluded between them, and that Brennus went afterward into Germany and Belin returned home to Britain employing the rest of his reign in building Churches and beautyfying Cities and Palaces; among others he built a famous Gate at a Port in London on the top whereof was set a Vessel of Brass, wherein the ashes of his body (which was burnt according to the custom of those times) were afterward put, which was then called belinus but now Billingsgate; He also built a Castle not far off which was called belins Castle now the Tower of London. Having reigned 26 years he left the Kingdom to his son III Gurgint, who sailed with a mighty Army into Denmark for recovering the Tribute promised to his Predecessors, where he made such devastations with fire and sword that the King of Denmark by persuasion of his Nobles was compeiled to continue the payment thereof. As he returned home he met with thirty Ships near the Isles of Orkney freighted with men, women and children under their Captain named Bartholin, who being brought before the King declared, They were banished out of Spain and were called Balenses, who had sailed long on the Sea in hope to find some generous Prince who would assign them a place to inhabit, and to whom they would willingly be subject, humbly beseeching him to commiserate their condition; Who with the advice of his Barons granted them Ireland for an habitation, which then lay waste; Though some writers relate that, it was peopled long before by a people called Hibernensis from Hiberus their Captain who brought them from Spain. Gurgint returning home made many good Laws, and administered Justice worthily nineteen years; In whose reign Cambridge and the University are said to be built by one Cantaber.  
iv Guintolin succeeded, a prudent Prince and happy in a virtuous and beautiful Queen, who after his death administered the affairs of the Kingdom during the minority of her Son; After he had revived and enforced all the good old Laws and added what new were wanting, whereby he settled the Land in peace and tranquillity, he left it to his Son.  
V Sicilius, not then about seven years old, who reigned about seventeen years, most part of which his Mother Martia managed all State affairs.  
VI Kinarus his Son ruled after him, who giving himself up to Luxury and Debauchery was slain by some of his enemies as he was a hunting in the Fields.  
VII. Elanius his Son, or as others writ, his Brother was his Successor, of whom little is recorded but his name, and that he reigned eight years, and then VIII Morindus his Son by a Concubine was admitted King of Britain, a man of much valour, and conduct, but withal so barbarously cruel that he delighted to inflict lingering torments upon those that offended him, yea oftentimes with his own hands he severely tortured his people. In his reign a certain King of a people called Moriani landed with a great Army in Northumberland and made horrid ravage with fire and sword; Against whom Morindus having raised his Britain's marches with all expedition, and in a dreadful battle defeated and pursued them to their Ships, taking a great number Prisoners, whom to satisfy his bloody humour he caused to be executed in his presence, some being beheaded, some strangled, and others ripped up alive. They were thought to come from some part of Germany. At length this bloody Prince hearing there was a Monster come ashore out of the Irish Sea, resolved to encounter therewith, but was devoured by it after he had reigned eight years, leaving five Sons, Gorbomen, Archigallo, Elidure, Vigenius and Peredurus.  
IX. Gorbomen the eldest succeeded, and was a very religious Prince according to the devotion of that age, repairing many old Temples, and erecting divers new. He built the Town of Grantham and enclosed Cambridge with walls, and a strong Castle, procuring Philosophers to come thither from Athens, who instructed the youth of the Kingdom in Learning and the Liberal Sciences, he died without issue, and X Archigallo his Brother came after him who much degenerated from his Father, and caused dissension among his Nobility by taking away their Honours and Estates illegally, and bestowing them upon mean unworthy persons, whereby the Gentry were reduced to beggary and misery, who therefore conspired against him, and at length deprived him of his Royal Dignity having reigned only one year advancing XI Elidure the third Son of Morindus to the Throne, who was a person of such a gallant temper that he used all manner of means for restoring his Brother to the Crown. It happened that as he was one day hunting in a Wood near York he met Archigallo wand'ring to seek relief, whom he treated with all kindness, conveying him secretly to his own house; soon after he feigned himself sick, and sent with all speed for his Barons to attend him with whom he dealt so effectually one by one in his Privy Chamber that at length they agreed to admit his Brother again to be King, and then assembling a great Council at York he resigned his Dignity to him after he had ruled with much wisdom three years; A worthy example of fraternal love, considering how ambitious all men naturally are of dominion. Archigallo thus restored in hope of his upright administration of justice for the future, did not disappoint his people, but became a new man, and acted with so much prudence and moderation that he was beloved of all his Subjects to the end of his life, and having reigned ten years was buried at York. After which Elidure having right by Succession as well as by the inclination of the Britain's was acknowledged King with general Applause, who had not sat on the Throne a year when his two Brothers raised a Rebellion against him, and in a pitched Field he was taken Prisoner and committed to the Tower of London, after which XII Vigenius and Peredurus the two youngest Sons of Morindus divided the Kingdom between them, all the Country from Humber west falling to the eldest, and the other northward to Peredurus. Vigenius after seven years died, and Peredurus took possession of the whole Land, and reigned very tyrannically eight years, and then dying without issue, XIII Elidure as next Heir was the third time admitted King, having continued in Prison all this while, and during his four years reign managed all matters to the great satisfaction of his people, and being then grown very aged died and was buried at Carlisle. From this time to the reign of Helie there passed about one hundred and eighty years, and some ancient Authors have reckoned up near thirty three Kings who reigned in that space, but do not agree either in their names or number, and therefore we shall let them pass as Fairy Princes and proceed.  
XIV. Helie is the next in order from whom some think the Isle of Ely is named, though others affirm it to arise from a multitude of Eels into which the married Priests were said to be transformed for refusing to obey St. Dunstan's Order, That Priests should tive single, though the true denomination may come from Helig in British a Willow with which that Isle abounds. This Helie had three Sons Lud, Cassibelane, and Nunnius.  
XV. Lud succeeded his Father in the year of the World 3895. And before the birth of Christ seventy two. He was a very worthy Prince who repealed many old Laws and evil customs establishing better; He repaired several decayed Cities, but took particular delight to beautify Troynovant now London which he enlarged with buildings and fortified with strong Walls, Towers and Gates, and among the rest Ludgate so called from him to this day; He founded a Temple where it is thought St. Paul's now stands, and a Palace not far off judged to be Baynalds Castle whereby this City became famous and full of Inhabitants above any other in the Land, & the name was changed to Cair Lud, or Luds Town, and afterward London; He was successful against his enemies, bountiful in hospitality, and very much honoured and beloved of all his people; and having reigned prosperously eleven years he died and was buried near Ludgate leaving two sons Androgeus and Theomantius, who being under age their uncle XVI. Cassibelane was admitted to the administration of the Government, wherein he behaved himself with so much justice and uprightness, that the Britain's had little regard to the sons of Lud; But lest it might be thought he usurped their right, he assigned them an honourable maintenance during their nonage, Androgeus enjoying London and the County of Kent, and Theomantius the County of Cornwall while Cassibelane ruled in Britain Julius Caesar being sent by the Senate of Rome with a mighty Army for the conquest of Gallia or France, after he had subjected them, resolved to try his fortune in subduing Britain, which the Romans knew nothing of but by report, yet had heard that great supplies came daily thence to assist the Gauls their Enemies, and though it was now towards Winter, he resolved to attempt the discovery of their Ports, and the nature and manners of the Inhabitants of which he could receive no satisfaction from such Merchants as traded thither; Hereupon he draws his Forces toward Calais called then Itius Portus, and sent out a small vessel to survey the Coasts, and return again.  
The Merchants giving notice to the Britain's of the intended Invasion, all that were able were put into arms, and several Cities, who it seems had particular Governors of their own, sent Ambassadors to offer subjection to the Romans, whom Caesar received with much kindness, and sent one of his Commanders back with them to persuade the other Cities to submit themselves likewise; But he names no King they had nor is Cassibelan mentioned till his second Voyage though the British Histories say; That Caesar required Tribute of him who answered, He had not yet learned to live in bondage, but with sword in hand resolved to defend the Liberty of his Country if the Romans blinded with covetousness and ambition should adventure to disquiet them. The Galley that went upon discovery returning in five days with a full account of all the Coasts on that side, Caesar embarked two Legions of Soldiers in several Ships, and about midnight departed from Calais arriving next day at noon upon the British Shoar near Dover which he found all covered with men of War to inintercept his landing, who observing the inconvenience of going aland there because of the high Cliffs from whence the Britain's might annoy them with their bows and darts, he sailed seven or eight miles farther toward Deal where the shore was more flat and level; Which the Britain's perceiving caused all their Horse and Chariots of War wherein they fought to march thither the rest soon following, so that Caesar much doubted of success, yet resolving to venture, he brought his great Ships as near land as possible from whence his Soldiers issuing, were forced to march a great way in the water loaden with their heavy armour, and were briskly assailed by the British Horse who went into the Sea, and courageously assaulted them with their arrows at such disadvantage that the Romans unused to this kind of fight were ready to give ground; which Caesar perceiving ordered the Galleys to row near the shore, and annoy the Britain's with their Darts and slings while their companions got to land; At which the Britain's, having never seen Galleys with Oars, were much amazed, and being severely galled with the Roman Artillery they began a little to retire which a Roman Ensign-bearer observing, he cried out, Leap out now Worthy Companions in Arms if you will secure the Ensigns of your Honour from the Enemy, for I am resolved to do my duty both to the Commonwealth and my General; And therewith throwing himself into the water he marched with his Ensign directly toward the Enemy; The Romans doubting the disgrace of losing their Ensign leapt out of their Ships with all expedition and followed their gallant Leader, but were put into some disorder, finding no sure footing in the water, and not able to march orderly under their own Ensigns, of which the Britain's took the advantage, and being acquainted with the shelves and shallows of the Water, they again fiercely encountered them with their Horse, so that a multitude of them would encompass a small party of the Romans, and the numerous Darts of the Britain's from the shore galled them exceedingly, which Caesar observing caused his Soldiers to go into small boats for relieving those who were most distressed, and thus new succours continually supplying the place of those that fell, the Romans at length got all to land, and putting themselves into order soon forced the undisciplined Britain's to fly, but could no● pursue them for want of their Horse, which they lef● behind in France, and expected long ere now, which seemed a little to cross the fortune of Caesar, who in all other erterprises was usually exceeding successful.  
After this the Britain's sensible of their own weakness sent Hostages to treat of Peace, and with them the Roman Ambassador that Caesar had before sent to persuade them to subjection, whom contrary to the Law of Arms they had made Prisoner, for which he reproved them severely, but at length pardoned their folly; requiring Hostages to remain with him for securing their Fidelity; Having accordingly received them, four days after the Romans arrival a Peace was concluded between them, at which time the eighteen Ships on which the Horse were embarked approached so near the British Coasts that the Romans in their Camp had sight of them, when there suddenly risen so dreadful a Tempest that they were all dispersed, together with those that brought over the Foot, wherewith the Romans were much discouraged since they had no provisions for Winter, and little hope to get back again to France. The British Commanders perceiving their disturbance, and judging by the small circuit of their Camp, their number was not considerable, resolved to assemble their Forces, and hinder any relief from coming to them, of which Caesar having intelligence, sent one of his Legions to reap Corn a good distance from the Camp, who when they had begun their work were suddenly surprised by the Britain's out of the Woods, who slew divers and disordered the rest, which Caesar by the extraordinary dust thereabout perceiving, sent another Legion to their assistance, who were very hardly beset by the British Chariots which moved with great swiftness in the most dangerous places, but upon the approach of these fresh succours, the Britain's retreated into the Woods, and the Romans not knowing the Country, would not venture to pursue them.  
Mean time the Britain's sent through all the Land to give notice that the strength of the Romans was so inconsiderable that if they would join together they might easily free themselves from servitude for ever, whereupon a multitude of Horse and Foot approached the Roman Camp, and Caesar considering if he should repulse them they would as formerly make their escape by swiftness of foot, he placed thirty Horsemen which came from France in the Front, and then joined battle with his Legions; the Britain's unable to sustain the impression of such valiant men fled with all speed, the Roman Horse pursuing, and killing many, and burning their Houses all about, returned to their Camp; That very day they again sent Ambassadors to Caesar to sue for Peace which he gladly accepted on condition they sent over to France double the number of Hostages before agreed on for securing their Faith; After which having repaired his broken Vessels, he returned back with all his people into France; This account he himself gives in his Commentaries of his first Journey hither, though the British History relates, That Caesar being beaten in a pitched field at the first encounter, withdrew back into Gallia, and made this Rhyme upon him.  

Territa quaesitiis ostendit terra Brittannis   

He Britain's fought but force  
To conquer them doth lack  
And therefore like a coward flies  
And shows his fearful back.   
After Caesar's arrival in France two Cities only sent their Hostages, whereupon resolving on an entire conquest of the Island, next Spring he landed with five Roman Legions, whom the Britain's on the Shoar durst not oppose, but fled for safety to the Mountains, the sight of eight hundred Ships great and small upon their Coasts being very terrible to them; Caesar being safely landed went in pursuit of his enemies twelve miles into the Country and there discovered their Camp, and assaulting them with his horse they fled into the Woods, which they secured with trees laid cross all the passages; Caesar ignorant of the Country, called back his forces to fortify his own Camp; Next day he had intelligence that a terrible storm had shattered a great part of his Navy, which having employed one of his Legions ten days in repairing, and sending for more Ships from France, he again advanced toward his Enemies, who giving general notice through the kingdom of the great forces wherewith Caesar was again returned, they all made Cassibelane their General, with full power to order all things as he should think meet for the common defence of their Country. The Horse and Chariots had divers Skirmishes with the Romans, and were oft forced to retreat into the woods, where they cut off many of their enemies who too eagerly pursued them: This kind of fight they renewed several times, the Britain's issuing out of the Woods in small parties, having others to secure them, and falling suddenly upon the Romans did them much mischief, whom their heavy armour made unfit for such kind of warfare; At length Caesar resolving to engage in a set battle followed them to Kingston, where he intended to pass over with all his Forces of which Cassibelane and the Britain's being ware placed sharp stakes at the bottom of the Thames thereby to annoy them, standing in readiness on the other side to oppose their coming a shore, yet the Roman courage surmounted those difficulties, who passed over both Horse and Foot without inconvenience, the foot being so deep in the water that nothing but their heads appeared above, and getting to the further bank assaulted the Britain's with such violence that not able to sustain their force they instantly fled.  
Cassibelane after this would not venture the trial of a battle, but keeping about him four thousand Chariots he wasted all the Champaign Country, and fortified himself within the thick woods and Forests from whence he often started out in ways well known upon the Roman foragers and did them much damage; Mean time the Troynovants, which are thought to be the people of Essex and Middlesex, whose City of London had escaped the desolation which others felt, sent Ambassadors to Caesar to offer their submission and obedience who commanded them to send him forty Hostages and provisions for his Army, which being performed he took them into his protection, after whose example several other Countries submitted themselves, by whom he understood that the Town wherein Cassibelan resided and defended by the thickness of the Woods, was not far off, and assaulting it two ways at once, they with some loss at length prevailed, and entering the fortress found great numbers of  killing and taking Prisoners many Britain's. Whereupon Cassibelane sent to the four chief Rulers in Kent to muster all their strength, and assail the Roman Camp which lay there for defence of the Ships, which they attempted accordingly, but were received with such valour by the Romans who issued out of their Camp that they were utterly defeated; Cassibelane much discouraged at these repeated losses sends Ambassadors to Caesar who intending to winter in France, took Hostages, and appointed him to pay a yearly Tribute, strictly charging him not to disturb the Londoners, and then taking all his Romans aboard his Ships he returned into Gallia.  
Thus Caesar and other credible writers have related this Transaction, though the British Historians differ herein, affirming, that Caesar at his second coming was repulsed and beaten as at first, and wonderfully annoyed by piles armed with iron placed in the Thames by Cassibelane which destroyed his Ships, and that at his landing he was defeated by the Britain's; For joy of which victory Cassibelane made a Royal Feast at London and sacrificed to their Gods; At which time there happened a quarrel about wrestling between two young Gentlemen Herilda Nephew to Cassibelane, and Ewelyn Kinsman to Androgeus' Earl of London, and a desperate fray happening thereupon by the partakers on each side, Herilda was slain and divers others killed and wounded, at which the King much displeased resolved to punish Ewelyn according to Law, who was summoned to appear, but being countenanced by Androgeus he refused to obey and both departed the Court in great contempt of the King, who thereupon raising forces resolved to reduce them to reason, but they sensible of their own weakness, sent Letters to Julius Caesar for his assistance, who joyful of the message and the variance between them returns speedily with a mighty Army toward Britain, but doubting some treachery in Androgeus, he first takes thirty of the Nobility for Hostages, and then landing joins with Androgeus in a Valley near Canterbury; Cassibelane having notice thereof comes with all the power of Britain to give them battle, where having fought long with much courage, Androgeus fell so vigorously upon their right wing that the Britain's were utterly discomfited, and killed without mercy, yea the pursuit was so furious that Cassibelane retiring with four thousand to a place as he thought of safety, was environed with the Roman Legions and compelled to a composition, being obliged to pay Caesar three thousand pound yearly Tribute. Who having settled all affairs here returned to France with Androgeus in his company who much feared the displeasure of Cassibelane; Yet did not Caesar wholly subdue Britain, for he never came toward the north (which several Roman Emperors after him endeavoured for many years to bring into subjection) but conquered only those parts of the Island lying next France, so that he may seem rather to have discovered than subjected it to the Roman power. This happened in the year from the creation ●913. And before our Saviour 53.  
Julius Caesar having thus made the Britain's Tributants returned into Gallia, after which Cassibelane reigned seven years in all 17 and then died; It appears both by Caesar's Commentaries, and other authentic Writers that Britain in those days was not ruled by one Supreme Monarch but divided into several Governments, and that Cassibelane commanded over the Counties of Oxford, Berks, Buckingham and Bedford, in which state it continued during the Roman Dominion and long after, even till it was finally subjected by the Saxons.  
XVI. Theomantius the youngest Son of Lud succeeded Cassibelane, Androgeus his elder brother having utterly abandoned the Land, being sensible the Britain's abhorred him for his Treachery in assisting the Romans against his Uncle Cassibelane; He governed the kingdom with much justice and peace; paying constantly the Tribute his Predecessor had agreed to give the Romans, and having reigned twenty two years died and was buried at London.  
XVII. Kymbeline his Son was by the Britain's admitted King after him; He is said to have had his education at Rome, and was made a Knight by Augustus Caesar (Successor to Julius,) and that he served under him in his Wars, and obtained so much favour with him, that when he came to be King he left him at liberty whether he would pay the usual Tribute or not; Thus our British Historians writ, though the Romans relate that Augustus designed no less than thrice to make an expedition hither and recover his rights but was as oft diverted by insurrections in divers parts of his mighty Empire. He reigned 25 years, and then left the kingdom to his eldest Son, XVIII. Ginderus who began his reign in the 17 year of our Lord, and being a man of much courage refused to own any homage to the Romans; Whereupon Caligula the Emperor disliking the negligence (as he termed it) of his Predecessors Augustus and Tiberius, resolved to reduce Britain as being the utmost bounds of the Roman Monarchy, making very great provision for this noble enterprise in the fourth year of his reign, which Ginderus having notice of, prepared to make the best defence possible, and daily expected his arrival, but after all this pompous show he only came to Calais, from whence he beheld the Cliffs of Britain with much admiration, but hearing they were ready to receive him on the opposite Shoar, seeming nothing discouraged he went aboard a Galley, in which having passed about two bow-shots from the land, he immediately returned, and then getting up into a Pulpit purposely provided on the Sea side, he from thence by sound of Trumpet gave a signal to his Soldiers to engage, yet not the Britain's who were for enough off, but charged every man to gather up Cockle Shells from the Shoar, which he called, The Speils of the Ocean, and gave as great rewards to them for these trifles as if they had performed some notable Service in War; He carried many of these Shells to Rome boasting of this honourable Voyage, and requiring to have a Triumph granted him for this ridiculous expedition, which the Senate seeming unwilling to grant, he was almost resolved to have murdered them all. From the Senate he ascended his Royal Throne in the Market place, and summoning the Common people together, told them a long story of his Adventures in conquering the Ocean, and when he perceived them to begin to shout as if they acknowledged him to be a God or a mighty Champion, to increase their cry he threw great quantities of Gold and Silver among them, in striving for which many were pressed to death, and others murdered with the calthrop's made of iron with three spikes standing up, which having poisoned he cast out with the money on purpose to do mischief wherewith many in the crowd were invenomed and died, and this was the end of the ridiculous Voyage of Caligula into Britain.  
But Claudius his successor upon a rebellion that arose, sent two of his Commanders Plautius and Narcissus hither, who coming unexpected found no resistance, the Britain's flying into the Woods for security, so that they had more trouble to discover than subdue them, but having at length met with several Parties they soon defeated them, by killing their Chariot Horses; Yet others growing very troublesome to the Romans, Plautius' pursuant to his orders sent for the Emperor Claudius who soon arriving fell upon the Britain's encamped about the Isle of Shepey in Kent, and putting them to flight, took the City of Camalodunum now Malden in Essex, and having thus subjected part of the Britain's, he returned back to Rome six months after his departing thence, and named his son Brittanicus in memory of this Conquest. The British story says, That Claudius landing at Porchester now Portsmouth, besieged that Town; to relieve which King Ginderus came in person and giving the Romans battle prevailed, till one Hamo a Roman arming himself like a Britain, thrust unsuspected into the midst of the Army till coming where Ginderus was, he instantly slew him, which Arviragus the King's brother perceiving he to prevent the Britain's from being discouraged, clothed himself with the Royal habiliments, and fought with such courage that he put the Romans to the rout, Claudius returning to his Ships, and Hamo flying to the adjoining Forest, whom Arviragus so fiercely pursued that at length he drove him toward the Sea, and there slew him before he could get to the Haven, from whence (it is said,) it obtained the name of Hamo's Haven, and after Hampton, now Southampton.  
XIX. Arviragus succeeded his brother, forty six years after Christ, who after the departure of Claudius went in progress about the Realm, repairing decayed Towns and Cities and making new Laws for governing his people, and finding that in short time the Land begun to flourish, he was so elated that he denied to pay the Romans their accustomed Tribute, whereupon Claudius sent Vespasian (afterward Emperor) as his Lieutenant into Britain, who attempting to land at Sandwich was valiantly opposed by Arviragus, so that sailing farther West he came ashore at Totnes in Devonshire, and besieged Exeter, but by the Queen's means a reconciliation was made without blows; Thus writ the Britain's, but Suetonius the Roman Historian relates, That Vespasian being sent with a Legion of Soldiers into Britain fought thirty feveral battles and brought under obedience two mighty Nations, and above Twenty Towns with the Isle of Weight; Arviragus finding his strength insufficient to contend with the power of the Empire, in his old age made a firm League with the Romans which continued till his death, who having reigned thirty years died and was buried at Gloucester.  
In his time about fifty three years after the birth of Christ, Joseph of Arimathea being sent by Philip the Apostle, came into Britain with several other Christians, preaching the Gospel and instructing them in the Religion of the blessed Jesus, whereby many were converted and baptised, these Holy men continued here all their lives having a place assigned them by the King near the City of Wells, where after was erected the Abbey of Glastenbury. This Arviragus was reckoned a very puissant Prince by the Romans as appears by what Juvenal Writes.  

Regem aliquam capies aut de Temone Brittanno  
Excidit Arviragus.   

It shows to honour thou shalt rise,  
Or some great King restrain,  
Or shake the fierce Arviragus  
Out of his British Wain.   
After his death the Land was many years under Roman Governors or Lieutenants; First Ostorius then Aulus Didius, and after him by Pautinus Suetonius, during which the Britain's made many Essays for recovering their lost liberty, wherein they sometimes prevailed, and were otherwhile defeated; In the reign of that cruel Emperor Nero Successor to Claudius, the Romans received a great overthrow from the Britain's, which Paulinus endeavoured to retrieve by assaulting the Isle of Anglesey then fully inhabited with people of desperate fortunes, and having provided flat bottomed boats to ferry over his Forces, the Britain's were ready to oppose him on the shore, the women likewise with the hair about their ears, clothed in strange garments, ran about the Camp with firebrands in their hands, and a great company of Druids or Priests appeared who lifting their hands toward Heaven thundered out curses and execrations against the Romans, who were so much surprised at this unexpected treatment that they suffered themselves to be slain like senseless creatures, till by the incitation of their General, and their encouraging each other not to be daunted by a company of mad women, they came forward with so much fury that they beat down all before them, and with their own fires smothered and burnt the Britain's to ashes, taking possession of the whole Island, and cutting down their woods wherein they use to Sacrifice the Prisoners they had taken to their Gods, and by their entrails when dismembered pretended to Divine their future success. While Paulinus was thus employed, the Britain's in other parts of the Land got together and consulted how to free themselves from the insupportable slavery and misery wherein they lived, one among the rest deploring their wretched condition in words to this effect.  
Dear Countrymen and Friends, the more wrongs and injuries we patiently endure from the governing his people, and finding that in short time the Land begun to flourish, he was so elated that he denied to pay the Romans their accustomed Tribute, whereupon Claudius sent Vespasian (afterward Emperor) as his Lieutenant into Britain, who attempting to land at Sandwich was valiantly opposed by Arviragus, so that sailing farther West he came ashore at Totnes in Devonshire, and besieged Exeter, but by the Queen's means a reconciliation was made without blows; Thus writ the Britain's, but Suetonius the Roman Historian relates, That Vespasian being sent with a Legion of Soldiers into Britain fought thirty several battles and brought under obedience two mighty Nations, and above Twenty Towns with the Isle of Wight; Arviragus finding his strength insufficient to contend with the power of the Empire, in his old age made a firm League with the Romans which continued till his death, who having reigned thirty years died and was buried at Gloucester.  
In his time about fifty three years after the birth of Christ, Joseph of Arimathea being sent by Philip the Apostle, came into Britain with several other Christians, preaching the Gospel and instructing them in the Religion of the blessed Jesus, whereby many were converted and baptised, these Holy men continued here all their lives having a place assigned them by the King near the City of Wells, where after was erected the Abbey of Glastenbury. This Arviragus was reckoned a very puissant Prince by the Romans as appears by what Juvenal Writes.  

Regem aliquam capies aut de Temone Brittanno  
Excidit Arviragus.   

It shows to honour thou shalt rise,  
Or some great King restrain,  
Or shake the fierce Arviragus  
Out of his British Wain.   
After his death the Land was many years under Roman Governors or Lieutenants; First Ostorius then Aulus Didius, and after him by Paulinus Suetonius, during which the Britain's made many Essays for recovering their lost liberty, wherein they sometimes prevailed, and were otherwhile defeated; In the reign of that cruel Emperor Nero Successor to Claudius, the Romans received a great overthrow from the Britain's, which Paulinus endeavoured to retrieve by assaulting the Isle of Anglesey then fully inhabited with people of desperate fortunes, and having provided flat bottomed boats to ferry over his Forces, the Britain's were ready to oppose him on the shore, the women likewise with the hair about their ears, clothed in strange garments, ran about the Camp with firebrands in their hands, and a great company of Druids or Priests appeared who lifting their hands toward Heaven thundered out curses and execrations against the Romans, who were so much surprised at this unexpected treatment that they suffered themselves to be slain like senseless creatures, till by the incitation of their General, and their encouraging each other not to be daunted by a company of made women, they came forward with so much fury that they beat down all before them, and with their own fires smothered and burnt the Britain's to ashes, taking possession of the whole Island, and cutting down their woods wherein they use to Sacrifice the Prisoners they had taken to their Gods, and by their entrails when dismembered pretended to Divine their future success. While Pautinus was thus employed, the Britain's in other parts of the Land got together and consulted how to free themselves from the insupportable slavery and misery wherein they lived, one among the rest deploring their wretched condition in words to this effect.  
Dear Countrymen and Friends, the more wrongs and injuries we patiently endure from the Romans, the greater pressures they lay upon us; Our Country had formerly but one King over it, but now we have two, the Lieutenant who with his Officers and Soldiers spills our Blood like water, and the Treasurer, or rather Thief who bereaves us of all our Goods and Estates; so that nothing is free from their Tyranny or Covetousness, and the greatest Robber is counted the stoutest man, yea our Houses are commonly plundered by cowardly Rascals, who never acted in any warlike enterprise. Our Children are taken from us and we ourselves pressed into Foreign Wars as if we knew not how to spend our lives in defence of our Country, and how many thousands of us have been transported into other Countries upon this account none of you are insensible of; The Germans have by their valour thrown off the heavy Roman yoke, though parted from them only by a River, whereas we are defended and separated by the Main Ocean; The Britain's fight in a just cause, even the defence of their Country, their Parents, Wives, Children, Liberties, yea their own Lives, the Romans only out of an avaricious desire to gain by rapine what others have gathered by labour, to serve their insatiable lusts and pleasures. And if we Britain's did but exert some of that gallant courage and prowess which was found in our Ancestors when they compelled Julius Caesar to departed the Land, and not shrink or be discouraged at small losses, we might soon rid ourselves of this insulting enemy, for Fortune always assists the bold, and the Gods seem now to take some pity on the poor Britain's by confining our Foes within the compass of a narrow Island, let us therefore take the opportunity offered, and proceed with all speed in our business, resolving rather to die manfully in endeavouring to regain our freedom than to suffer death tamely for thus consulting to effect the same.  
This warm Oration had such influence upon the people that they concluded to adventure all for their future security, having been sufficiently provoked by the multiplied wrongs the Romans had offered, and among others, That whereas King Arviragus had made Nero the Emperor and his two daughters his Heirs, hoping thereby to secure the Kingdom to his Family it happened otherwise, for the Land was spoiled and ruined by the Roman Captains and his Queen Voadicia beaten and abused by the Soldiers, her daughters ravished, the Nobles bereft of their Estates and the King's Friends made slaves, together with confiscating the lands of many other Chief men whom Claudius had before pardoned, to which was added this misfortune, that Seneca having lent some of the Nobility five hundred thousand pound Sterling at high interest, he now required the whole sum at once with much rigour though he had forced his money upon them; Likewise the Roman Soldiers quartered at Camolodienum (now Maidon in Essex) expelled the Britain's out of their Houses and possessions accounting them their conquered Vassals; yea the Priests who served at the Temple built in honour of Claudius, spoiled and destroyed their neighbour's goods unpurnshed. And as in times of general defection every accident is reckoned an encouragement, many strange Signs and Prodigies were reported to happen which incited the Britain's to proceed; It being said that the Image of Victory in the Temple of Camolodunum fell down and turned her back upon the Romans as if she had now forsaken them; great and wonderful noises were heard in the Hall of Justice, with much laughing, and disturbance in the Theatre, and sometimes woeful weeping, lamentation and howling, when it was certainly known no humane Creature was there. The Sea at Springtide appeared like blood, and the Tide being gone the shapes of men's bodies were visible on the Sands; Many women as if bereft of their wits, prophesied that some tremendous desolation was at hand which much elevated the Britain's, and dejected the Romans. Whether these things happened from natural causes, or by illusion of the Devil or ill men, or whether the Almighty would hereby warn the people of approaching calamities, I shall not now determine, only mention them as matters of Fact. But they were chief provoked to an insurrection by the just complains of our Valiant Heroine Queen Veadicia.  
And now I am at length arrived to the subject matter of my History, and have purposely made so large a Prologue, for though in a book of the same volumn called England's Monarches, I have given some brief account of some of these Transactions, yet I had never so pertinent an opportunity to enlarge upon particulars as at this time, wherein I have given a succinct account of the Original Inhabitants of these famous Islands with as much truth and authority as things of so great Antiquity will allow.  
To proceed; Queen Voadicia made many sensible Remonstrances to the Britain's of the unsufferable wrongs had been put upon her, and because they found her earnestly bend upon revenge, and perceived her inveterate hatred to the Romans, they made use of her name and authority with the People, and chose her their Commander in chief against their Enemies, and entering into a general conspiracy, wherein the Londoners and Essexians were engaged, they raised an Army of an hundred thousand men, and without scrupling haet sex willingly submitted to her Conduct as Captain General; who ordering a place to be erected where she might be heard of all, she made a long and pertinent Oration to encourage them in this gallant undertaking; Her tall and comely Person, her severe countenance and Majestic voice; Her tresses of Hair hanging below her middle with her noble Apparel caused reverence and admiration in the multitude, she wore a massy Chain of Gold about her neck, and a glorious Garment of divers colours next her, over which was a Royal Robe of State, a Spear in her hand, and a Crown on her head; in which Equipage she thus addressed herself to the Army.  
I doubt not (Dear Lovers, Friends and Companions in Arms) but every one here present is very sensible how much freedom and liberty is to be valued before bondage and thraldom, but if hitherto any of you have been so deceived by the illusions of the Romans as not to perceive much difference, yet I hope that now you have tried both, your judgement is better informed, and by the miseries you have suffered you will acknowledge your mistake and recant your former error; And if some of you have preferred Foreign power above the Laws and Customs of your own Country, I question not but you now perfectly understand that poverty with liberty is much better than riches to which servitude is entailed. For what can possibly happen more intolerable to the nature of man, than what the Romans since their entering this Island have inflicted upon us? Are we not all deprived of our Lands and Estates? Do we not Till the ground for their advantage, and yet do we not pay all kind of Tributes, yea our very carcases are subject to their pleasures; How much better is it then to hazard all thereby to become Free indeed, than under the false name and pretext of Liberty to pay continually for the worst of slaveries? How much more commendable is it to lose our lives in defence of our Country, than not to have even our own heads toll free, but to be daily oppressed and loaden with innumerable exactions? But why do I repeat these things, since they will not suffer Death itself to make us free, for none here is ignorant how much we are forced to pay for those that are dead; No Nations were ever under such dismal slavery but that by death they were always discharged from bondage, the Romans only make dead Vassals to be still alive to them, only to increase their gain and advantage; If any of us are without money (as I know not well how we should get any) then are we robbed of all that is in our Houses, which are left desolate and we ourselves remain as dead within them. And how shall we expect better usage hereafter since they already deal so cruelly with us, but to speak the truth, we ourselves are the Authors of our own Calamities, who at first suffered them to set foot on our Island, and did not immediately drive them back, as we did Caesar, or kill them ere they were settled; or make them sensible how dangerous it was to attempt any thing against us, as we sometimes treated Agustus and Caligula; We therefore who inhabit this Island which for the largeness thereof may be called another World, encompassed with the Sea; We I say, whose name and Nation have been for many ages hid from the most learned and enquiring men, are now contemned and despised by those who aim at nothing but Tyranny and the invading other men's Rights; Therefore my wellbeloved Citizens, Friends and Kindred (for so are all the native Britain's) Let us now, even now attempt what we have too long neglected, and while the remembrance of our ancient liberty remains with us let us unanimously join together and perform what becomes People of renowned valour and courage, that we may at length enjoy not the name only, but freedom itself, and thereby leave examples of magnanimity to our posterity, for if we who have been brought up in freedom should utterly forget our former felicity, what will become of our successors who will be born and bred to thraldom and misery? I do not rehearse these things to provoke your dislike of your present condition being fully satisfied you already sufficiently abhor it, nor to frighten you with vain fears of what may hereafter come to pass, since nothing is more certain than the destruction we foresee will happen if things continue in this posture; But that I may return you hearty thanks for your readiness and willingness to engage in this Common Cause without any dread of the Roman Power; If you respect their numbers they are no greater than yours; If their strength, they are no stonger, as appears by your Armour and Weapons, and by the Walls, Ditches, and Trenches you have made to defend yourselves, and offend your Foes afar off according to the rules of martial discipline; Therefore we do far exceed them in force, our arms are stronger than their stone Walls, and our Targets far less cumbersome and more useful than their heavy armour, so that if we obtain the victory our adversaries must be all our prisoners, or if we lose the Field our escape will be easy, for we have the Marshes below to hid and the hills above to defend ourselves against their fury, who being loaden with their own arms, will neither be able to pursue us if we fly, nor to escape us if themselves should be defeated, and if at any time they make Sallies upon us out of their Camp we may follow and take them as birds in a Net; In all which things as they are inferior to us so especially are they unable to endure hunger, thirst, cold, and heat as we can do. In their Houses and Tents likewise they cannot subsist without their baked Meats, Oil, and Shadows from the burning heat of the Sun, if any of these fail them they either die presently or else languish and consume with sickness, whereas to us Britain's every herb and root is food, every juice an oil, all water pleasant, and every shady tree an House; Beside, no place of advantage in the Country is unknown to us for our security, whereas the Romans are utterly ignorant where they march; We can with ease either clothed or naked swim over those deep Rivers which they with their great Ships are scarce able to perform; Let us therefore with assurance of good success fall upon them courageously and make them understand that since they are no better than Hares and Foxes it will be an unequal match to engage against Greyhounds and Wolves.  
At which words Voadicia lets slip a Hare she had concealed under her garments as an Omen to them of their good success and accordingly, all the people raised loud shouts of approbation and consent to what she had declared resolving unanimously to revenge the violences offered to so magnanimous and worthy a Princess. Then Voadicia again commanding silence proceeded in a Prayer to Adraste one of the British Deities with her hands elevated, to this purpose.  
I give thee thanks O Adraste, and call upon thee thou worthiest of women, who dost not reign over the slavish Egyptians like Nicotius, nor over their Merchants as Simiramis, for these fables we have lately learned of the Romans; Neither dost thou rule over the people of Rome as not long since Messalina and Agrippina did, and as Nero doth now, who is called a man, but by his voice, his harp and his woman's attire appears of the other Sex, but I address myself to thee as the Goddess that governest the Britain's, who employ themselves not in tilling the Fields, or mechanic Trades, but in the more noble Art of War, who have their Wives and Children as well as all other things in common whereby women arrive to the same audacity and boldness in battle with men; Therefore since I have obtained a kingdom in so mighty and gallant a Nation, I beseech thee grant them conquest and liberty, and subdue those wicked contentious men who Tyrannize over them, if they may be properly called men who indulge themselves with warm baths, delicate fare, hot Wines, sweet Oils, soft beds and pleasant Music to gratify their outrageous lusts, and who are altogether addicted to avarice and cruelty as their actions have too plainly discovered. Let not I beseech thee the Neronian tyranny any more prevail against me, or rather against thee, but make those submit to thee, whose heavy oppressions upon thy people thou hast so long been sensible of, and be thou our Protector and defender O most noble Lady we humbly beseech thee.  
Having concluded her prayer she proceeds with all alacrity against her enemies, who were at that time without a Commander, Paulinus being then confined in the Isle of Anglesey as hath been said; The Romans in Garrison at Camoludunum sent for more aid to Caius the Treasurer, who could furnish them with only two hundred ill armed men; the City was not fortified either with Ditch or Rampart they being persuaded by those in the Conspiracy that the able youth within were a sufficient defence, so that not suspecting any assault the Britain's easily overthrew all before them, entering and burning the City, and slaying all they met with, the Romans being so amazed at the mighty force of the Britain's that they made very weak resistance, so that in two days the place was won, and every Soul within it slain; The Britain's encouraged with this first success, went to encounter Petus with the ninth Legion, whom they soon vanquished killing all the Foot, Petus with the Horse narrowly escaping back into the Trenches; Caius the Treasurer affrighted with this overthrow and sensible of the hatred of the Britain's toward him who by his covetousness had occasioned all these mischiefs fled over to France; But Paulinus advertised of all, with much courage broke through his enemies, and marched toward London, where at that time were few Romans, it being full of Merchants & Merchandise; when considering the weakness of his forces, and the fate of Petus he concluded not to venture all for recovering one Town, and therefore retired into places of safety, nothing moved with the prayers and tears of his Countrymen who craved secure from him.  
After this, Ver●lamium a famous Roman City near St. Alban ran the same fate, being utterly destroyed by the Britain's who leaving the Castles and strong Forts unassaulted pursued their Victory by plundering all the Romans in the open Country, using their conquest with so much cruelty that it is recorded they slew above seventy thousand Romans, carrying Fire, Gibbets, and other instruments of revenge wherever they went, sparing neither age nor Sex; Some Noble Ladies they hanged up naked, cutting off their duggs and forcing them into their mouths that they might seem to feed on them, & others were impaled upon stakes, with all manner of barbarities that a people bereft of their liberties could invent for revenge upon their oppressors. At the same time feasting and sacrificing to Andates the Goddess of Victory in the Roman Temples.  
Mean while Paulinus having received a supply of ten thousand Soldiers, and finding a scarcity in his Camp, resolved to give the enemy battle, choosing an advantageous place very narrow, and backed by a thick wood; The Britain's confident in their multitude and good fortune, resolved to engage them though at disadvantage, and Queen Voadicia conducting them, the other Ladies being placed in Chariots to see the fight) she with her daughters mounted in a lofty Chariot rid through the armed Bands, encouraging the Soldiers of divers countries' to fight valiantly though under a woman's command, it being the custom of the Britain's to make no distinction of Sexes, and that she came not now among them as a person of high birth and Nobility to fight for her kingdom, but as one equal with themselves, who sought to regain their freedom and to revenge herself on her enemies for scourging her like a Vagabond, and deflowering her daughters, whose lascivousness was insupportable, having whipped her an ancient Lady stark naked to satisfy their malice, and ravished her daughters to cool their filthy lust, but (saith she) The Gods are at hand to take just vengeance on their villainies; The Legion which presumed to encounter us is destroyed, the rest fled into their strong Holds unable to endure the noise of our multitudes, if you therefore scriously consider what moved you to engage in this War; you will certainly resolve within yourselves either to die with honour in battle, or to vanquish your implacable adversaries, for I though a woman have made this resolution, rather than to be ever again brought into bondage.  
Paulinus was not wanting to encourage his Soldiers by telling them, there were more women than men in the British Army, and many of them being without Armour and unskilled in discipline would never endure the force of the Romans who had so oft put them to flight, and though their own number were small yet would the glory be the greater to vanquish so vast a multitude with so few hands, and that they ought not to regard the spoil till they had assured the victory, which would then be certainly their own to divide at pleasure; The Romans much encouraged by this Oration, the onset was given in those straits much to their advantage, who were but an handful in comparison of their enemies, the fight at first was very obstinate and bloody, but the Britain's unable to relieve each other or encompass the Romans with their numbers in that narrow place, or to sustain the violence of their Foes, were constrained to retreat in disorder, and in a short time were utterly discomfited; There were slain of the Britain's that day near fourscore thousand as Tacitus writes, for the straits being stopped by their own Chariots the Britain's could not easily escape, and the Romans were so bend on revenge that they spared none in the heat of the Battle, though they afterward took many Prisoners; There died of the Romans in this memorable Battle not above four hundred, and as many wounded; Those that escaped would have recruited and fought a second time, when Queen Voadicia who had made her escape, after she had showed all the courage of a gallant Commander, and had made such a notable though unsuccessful attempt for redeeming he● Country from Bondage, Doubting she might at one time or other fall into the hands of her Enemies, (like another Lucretia) fell upon her Sword and died. This happened in the seventy third year from our Saviour's Birth.  
After this several other Roman Emperors commanded here, as Galba, Otho, Vitellius, Vespasian Titus, Domitian, Nerva, Trajan, Adrian, Antonin●●, Commodus, Pertinax, Didius, Severus, Caracalla, M●crinus, Heliogabilus, and others, Theodosius being the last that had power in Britain in 423. when the Goth who had served under the Romans twenty years, being disobliged, risen against them, and caused dreadful devastations in the Empire, forcing them to leave their Conquests, after they had commanded here 500 years; When they took their last farewell, but had levied so many Soldiers from hence for Foreign Countries that the Land was almost unpeopled, so that the Britain's were at length obliged to call in the Saxons against their new Enemies the Picts, and having overcome them, they themselves finally made a complete Conquest of the whole Country except Wales, whither the Britain's fled for safety, and continue there to this day.   

The History of Mariam the wife of King Herod.   Mariamne, wife of King Herod 

HErod a furious Monster made of blood  
Who boldly God and Nature's Laws withstood  
Neither with Virtue, nor with Grace endued  
Of Visage hideous, and of manners rude.  
To whom the beauteous Mariam was  
A Chafed and Loyal wife; But yet alas!  
He that used Tyranny and foul debate  
As well in Love as in his Royal state.  
This Virtuous Queen did from the Earth remove  
To seat her in a Higher state above.  
Who lives thus bravely, and thus leaveth breath  
Makes of a Dying life a living Death.   
ABout fifty years before the birth of our Saviour the Kingdom of Judea, which had continued through many invissitudes from the time of King David almost a thousand years, was brought into great distractions by the discord between two Brothers; The Chief Rulers over the Jews who had for many years contented themselves with the title of Governors or High Priests, now aspire to the name of Kings among whom Hircanus reigned, a good man but a bad King, who had honesty and innocence, but not sufficient prudence nor courage to manage so great a charge; He being sensible of his own weakness freely resigned the Kingdom to his brother Aristobulus, a valiant and stout though unsuccessful Prince; At which time Antipater the Father of Herod an Idumean being a wealthy desiquing person, resolved to take the opportunity of those concussions in the state to advance himself to the Throne, but found it would be very difficult to attain his ends whilst the courageous Aristobulus bare sway, he therefore sows seditious seeds of revolt among the People, intimating That they had done very ill in removing so good a Prince and suffering him to be dethroned to promote another who was of so turbulent and violent a spirit that they should soon find his ill management of affairs would occasion much defolation in Palestine, but however it was not yet too late to prevent the threatened mischiefs if they would return to their Loyalty and duty and again restore Hyrcanus to the Government, whose modesty in declining advancement made him appear most worthy of having it bestowed upon him.  
The common people not reaching the depth of Antipater's designs (who if he could again advance Hyrcanus did not question but by the facility of his nature he might bring all into his own power, and raise up a Monarchy to himself and Heirs,) began to give ear to his Remonstrancers, especially those that loved change, and some out of a sense of Justice; Antipater having thus begun, resolved to prosecute the bu●●ess to the utmost, endeavouring to gain the good opinion of Hyrcanus by all manner of observances, and pretences of friendship which at length prevailed so much upon his easy temper, that Hyrcanus resigned himself and his affairs absolutely to his conduct; whereupon Antipater proceeded to represent to him his great miscarriage in suffering the Kingdom to be taken from him, and earnestly persuaded him to endeavour to resume it; but found this motion received very cold entertainment from Hyrcanus who objected the breach of his Oath, whereby he had absolutely renounced the Sovereignty and his inability to regain it with force; to the first Antipater replied, That the matter of the Oath was illegal, and thereby void in itself, and to the second, that he would supply him with Arabians who should enable him to recover his right; By such discourses he at length gained him, especially by instilling jealousies into his mind that Aristobulus designed to take away his life, so that Antipater having engaged Arethas an Arabian King in the quarrel, he comes into Jude● ●ith a great Army ruining all before him, and at length driving Aristobulus into Jerusalem which they besieged; At which very time the Romans ambitious of enlarging their already immense Dominions sent Pompey the Great into Syria, whose Forces so far surmounted the Arabians that they durst not stand before him, but were scattered as chaff before the wind, and the whole Country soon reduced to their obedience; The two Brothers both plead their cause at the feet of Pompey, who seemed more inclined to Aristobulus, he having prepossessed his mind by a Noble present of a Golden Vine, accounted one of the greatest rarities in the world; and other rich Gifts.  
Antipater perceiving which way things tended and doubting his projects would miscarry endeavoured by all kind of aspersions and misrepresentations to render Aristobulus odious and suspected by the Romans, who penetrating into his designs was so enraged that he desperately engaged against the strength of that mighty Empire, but soon found the match very unequal, Aristobulus himself was taken Prisoner and laid in fetters, and with his two Sons and as many daughters carried to Rome to heighten the glory of Pompey's Triumph, Jerusalem is brought under Tribute, and Hyrcanus (late King) now constituted High Priest but the chief authority given to Antipater, who in his name managed all affairs, and at length being sensible of the weakness of the High Priest, and his own strength, he makes his eldest Son Phaselus' Governor of Jerusalem and Herod his youngest Tetrarch of Galilee.  
After his death the two brothers endeavour equally to obtain the favour of Hyrcanus making him own what either of them had done; Yet Herod seemed to be of the most aspiring humour, who being as politic and intreguing as his Father, gained much interest among the Romans by all manner of submission and Services, thereby hoping at length to obtain the kingdom which yet seemed at a great distance from him, his elder brother being alive, and ruling the greatest part of Judea, and Aristobulus who was in Chains at Rome having likewise two Sons; The eldest named Alexander Father to our excellent Mariam and Antigonus, the youngest; Alexander who succeeded his Father in misfortune getting some forces together attempted the recovering his Country but was soon suppressed by the Romans who assisted Herod and by their Order beheaded; Antigonus and his Father Aristobulus escaping from Rome fled to the Parhians, who engaged to re-establish him in the kingdom, and came upon Herod so suddenly and with so much fury, though Hyrcanus and Phaselus were joined with him that they discomfited Herod's Army and had almost surprised his Person, which so much astonished him that he was ready to have fallen upon his own Sword, Phaselus his brother unable to bear so strange a change of fortune beat out his brains against the side of a rock, and Hyrcanus by the cruel command of Antigonus had his ears cut off, being thereby made forever uncapable of the Office of Highpriest.  
Herod being a little recovered from his amazement, resolved still to throw himself upon the assistance of the Romans, imploring their help, and representing the mischiefs committed by Antigonus, and with all manner of arts so far insinuated himself into their favour, that he is declared King of Judea, and Antigonus at the same time proclaimed an utter enemy to the Empire, who being taken by Mark Antony was beheaded at Antioch, and Herod thereby secured in the Throne, Hyrcanus being carried Captive to the Parthians, he there continued peaceably, little moved with all the horrible changes he had met with; However he was much respected by the Jews that fled thither for security from their own Country, who gave him as great reverence as if he were still their King, though now in Captivity in a strange Land; Herod hearing of it, and fearing the consequence, sends great gifts and earnest Letters to the Parthian King, beseeching him to send home Hyrcanus his Father and Benefactor that he might share the Sceptre with him, and have the comfort of so faithful a Friend and Counsellor; The King of Parthia sensible what interest Herod had with the Romans, give Hyrcanus leave to go whither he pleased, who resolved to return to Jerusalem, though dissuaded by his most faithful friends, and was there received with much seeming kindness by Herod who had now all the Royal Family of Judea in his own power.  
Alexandra the daughter of Hyrcanus a woman of an imperious Spirit was Wife to Alexander aforementioned by whom she had two Children. Aristobulus, and Mariam; This daughter was reckoned one of the greatest beauties in the World, and admired by many Neighbour Princes, and therefore could hardly escape the observation of Herod, who required her in marriage of her Grandfather and Mother, who having neither courage nor power to deny, and hoping she might incline him to be kind to the Royal blood, gave her to him for a Wife, though she herself were sensible that she was hereby delivered into the paw of the Lion, who might seem to take delight in her beauty but would at length destroy her. Yet perferring obedience to her Parents before her own safety she seemed contented with their determination; But though this marriage might seem somewhat to fortify his Title to the kingdom, yet Herod was unquiet whilst so many others appeared to have more right thereto, and already shown his disaffection to these his new Allies; For Hyrcanus' being uncapable of holding the High Priesthood because of his deformity in the loss of his ears, all men's eyes were upon Aristobulus brother to Mariam a Person of excellent hopes and bred up in the Court whereby he was accomplished for this great Office; But Herod doubting he had already too much favour with the People designed to prefer another Jew named Ananel whom he had found out beyond Euphrates; Mariam perceiving by this how her family was affronted, and what an indignity it would be for her brother to be deprived of that honour, which by nature and kindred he seemed designed for, being of a generous mind addressed herself to Herod telling him; That her brother was the only hope of her house, which yet was so decayed that he had no reason to be suspected of attempting the Crown; If he would bestow the High Priests Office on him he would make him his Creature who was yet so young that any impression might be made upon him, and that this act would endear him in the affections of his Subjects to be so kind to a Grandson of Hyrcanus whose virtue they had always admired. Herod was persuaded by these pressing reasons from so sweet a Tongue and constituted young Aristobulus High Priest dismissing Ananel who at present did officiate; Alexandra the mother was so transported at the news that she wept for joy and freely declared to Herod; That she was ambitious of no more advancement for her Son, and did absolutely renounce all pretensions to the kingdom, and could now die very well satisfied since she was so happy to see her daughter a Queen and her Son High Priest.  
At the feast of Tabernacles Aristobulus then but seventeen years old entered into his Office, and was much reverenced by the Jews who had a great opinion that he would equal if not exceed his Predecessors. They remembered that his Grandfather Hyrcanus was but like a Statue, and Aristobolus was carried in Chains to Rome like a Galleyslave, and his Father Alexander and Uncle Antigous had lost their lives by opposing foreign Servitude, and hoped that this young Prince who had escaped so many Shipwrecks was reserved for some notable Service to his Country; Herod whose jealousy never slept, observing with what affection the people received him, caused Spies to be set upon him, his Sister and Mother, so that they could not stir out of the Palace but he had notice of it; Mariam was so discreet as not to discover much resentment at this unkind usage, but her mother Alexandra not enduring this Royal confinement, resolved to endeavour her freedom, and therefore writes to Cleopatra the renowned Queen of Egypt, who upon many accounts had an aversion to Herod, complaining of the calamities she suffered from him, and entreating her assistance in order to their deliverance, or that she would afford them a sccure retreat into her kingdom till the storm of Herod's jealousy was overblown.  
Cleopatra invited her to come with all speed into Egypt with her Son, and that she should think it her glory to be instrumental in serving so great a Princess, whereupon she resolved secretly to departed with Aristobulus her Son, not daring to impart the secret to her daughter Mariam lest the tenderness of her Nature should divert her from so perilous an attempt; She than caused two Coffins to be made in which she contrived herself and Son should be carried out in the night, and put into a Bark prepared for that purpose which should instantly sail into Egypt, but one of her Servants discovering the design to Herod he took no notice thereof till it was put in execution, and then seizing the Coffins surprised them both, yet seemed not much concerned but pretended to pardon her out of the greatness of his Spirit, though the chief cause was the fear of disobliging Cleopatra whom he knew would highly resent it, however he inwardly resolved to make away Aristobulus after some time, that it might not be suspected to be any act of revenge in him.  
When the Feast was over Herod went to Jericho where he was entertained at the house of Alexandra, and feigned to have buried all past actions in oblivion, entertaining Aristobulus with much endearedness, and playing like a young man with him at several sports, wherewith they exercised themselves so long that being all in a great heat, they concluded to cool their bodies in the adjoining River which was shaded with Trees and pleasant Arbours; Aristobulus by the persuasions of Herod went in likewise, when Herod's Confederates whom he had hired to commit the murder came toward him, and pretending to hold him in sport under water, they never left him till he was stifled therein.  
The news coming to Jerusalem the whole City was drowned in tears, and the women made woeful lamentations over the dead body, and all thought themselves concerned in this public loss, but especially Alexandra the mother, who was so enraged at this unspeakable mischief, especially since she was sensible how treacherously he was destroyed; yet durst not discover her knowledge lest it should prevent her revenge; Mariam who suffered in the sorrows of her mother, had not the least share in this deplorable misfortune, especially in the death of a Brother whom she loved as her own life, and though endued with extraordinary patience and discretion, could now hardly resist the impetuous violence of her passion, and approaching the Corpse of her Brother, I have nothing now left in this world, says she, either to fear or hope, he for whom I feared and for whom I hoped being now by a secret providence of Heaven taken from me, to whose will I desire entirely to resign myself in all things, resolving for the future to wean my soul from all temporal felicities, and place my affections upon more divine and sublime objects.  
Herod endeavoured to make it appear by his external behaviour, and the magnificence of his Funeral whereat he shed many tears, that he was no way accessary to his death, though Alexandra who knew the truth of the business was the more enraged thereat, and resolved to bring speedy vengeance on his head for the same, and therefore sent Cleopatra a full account of the whole matter, and incited her by all means to assist her, who having long desired occasion against Herod, enjoined Mark Anthony the Roman General and her Lover to call him to account for his Villainies, who having obtained the Kingdom without any just Title imbrued his hands in the blood of the Royal Family, Mark Anthony disliking this cruel act sent for Herod to appear and answer the accusations laid against him, who not daring to deny, though he much feared Cleopatra's violent prosecution, went to Anthony committing the Government of his Kingdom in his absence to his Uncle Joseph with secret Orders, That if any mischief should happen to him and prevent his return he should put Mariam to death, for whom he had such an extravagant passion that he was either jealons or envious any should enjoy her even after his decease.  
When Herod was gone Joseph was very conversant with Mariam, both upon account of public affairs, and for his own private divertisement, wherein he often discoursed of the extraordinary Passion Herod had for her, whom he valued above all the World, Alexandra the mother seemed to laugh and slight these pretended kindnesses of Herod to her daughter, judging them not real but upon design, when Joseph being earnest to confirm the truth of his assertions, unadvisedly replied; That nothing could be a greater evidence of his ardent love for her than that he could neither live nor die without her, since if he should miscarry in his Journey he had commanded him to put her to death, to accompany him into the other World.  
The Ladies were much scandalised at this kind of passion, and considered it not as a demonstration of Herod's good will to her, but rather a manifestation of his sanguinary and malicious nature, who at his death would have her perish with him. At this time there was a report raised by Herod's enemies in Jerusalem that M. Anthony had inflicted so great torments upon him that he died under them, whereupon all his Court were much disturbed and especially the Ladies, so that Alexandra persuaded Joseph to remove from Court, and secure themselves under the protection of the Roman Legions (who were at that time quartered about the City under the command of Julius the Tribune) where they might be safe if any mischief should happen in the King's house and have the Romans assistance, and that afterward if M. Anthony did but see her daughter Mariam he would be so taken with her beauty that she might obtain all things at his hands, and no doubt he would restore her to her Kingdom and Royal dignity; While they were thus consulting there came Letters from Herod of his sudden return, who coming into the presence of M. Anthony obtained so much favour by the rich Presents he made him, that the matter being suddenly heard it was soon determined in his favour, and Anthony fully appeased and satisfied, though it were little pleasing to Cleopatra, to whom Anthony pleaded; That there was no reason a King should be acountable for what he did in his own Kingdom, since he would thereby cease to be King, who with that dignity had all other Regal power and authority given to him; Herod at length returned with large Testimonials of the favour of M. Anthony, who entertained him with much kindness in several public Feasts and Assemblies; Cleopatra likewise renounced her pretences to Judea, having received of M. Anthony, Caelosyria instead of it.  
Upon his arrival his Mother and Sister Solome the wife of Joseph gave him a full account of the intentions of Alexandra and her Friends, accusing also her husband Joseph of two much intimacy with Mariam (who it seems had once objected to them the meanness of their birth.) Herod was much disturbed at the news, but however the inflamed affection he bore toward Mariam restrained him from that violence which his rage and jealousy suggested to him, and therefore examining her strictly what secret familiarity had passed between her and Joseph, she by many solemn Oaths and Protestations, with all manner of Allegations of her innocency, so far appeased him that he was fully satisfied she had sufficiently cleared herself from all those slanders raised against her, so that he gave her a thousand thanks for her conjugal fidelity and affection to him, and openly declared the great esteem and love he had for her; At length as it oft happens among Lovers, both fell into tears and embraced each other with a most endearing passion, whereupon Mariam said covertly to him; It is no great sign of such unfeigned Love that thou wast so unkind to give command if any ill should happen to thee I should instantly be put to death, had who never in the least offended thee, neither is it any great argument of love to a wife to desire her company in another World.  
Herod seemed thunderstruck with these words, and fell into such a monstrous rage that he cried out and tore his hair with the greatest fury imaginable, saving, He had now very evident proof that Joseph had committed Adultery with her, since he would never have discovered what he had so strictly enjoined him to keep secret unless they had put great confidence in each other, and that there were much intimacy between them; And in this furious jealousy he could hardly refrain from killing his wife, yet his former love at length returning, he forbore though with much inward trouble and emotion; However he ordered Joseph to be instantly put to death without Trial or Justification, and committed Alexandra the author of all these troubles close Prisoner.  
After this Aretas the Arabian King refusing to pay Herod his accustomed Tribute, he pretends to make War against him, and coming suddenly upon the Arabians was in great probability of obtaining the conquest, when Athenio who then commanded some of Cleopatra's Forces in those parts, bearing a secret grudge to Herod, stood ready to observe the event of the battle, resolving not to meddle if the Arabians overcame, but they having the worst, he sent them a fresh supply who snatched the Victory out of the hands of the Jews and made a great slaughter among them, so that they were wholly discomfited; Though Herod with some recruits made divers successful inroads afterward into Arabia, and prevailed notably against them; Whereat being much elevated his joy was soon checked by the death of Mark Anthony his Patron who was slain by Augustus Caesar in the battle of Astium, and his Army wholly overthrown; Wherewith Herod was much dismayed, not doubting but he should be severely treated for entertaining so strict a friendship and alliance with him as he had hitherto done; His Friends and Enemies judged him a lost man, yet having escaped so many dangers he resolves not to despair but to find out Caesar then at Rhodes and prostrate himself before him, but was loath to undertake this Voyage while Hyrcanus the only remainder of the Royal Line was alive, and his own friends gave a seeming pretence to effect his wicked purpose.  
For Hyrcanus' being of a very mild temper was unwilling all his life time to intermeddle in state affairs, but Alexandra his daughter a proud aspiring woman solicited him continually no longer to suffer Herod's Tyranny, who was the plague of their Family, but to endeavour to resettle himself in the Kingdom; Which motion he at first absolutely refused, but by her continual importunity was at length prevailed upon by her advice to send to the Governor of Arabia to assist him with some Horsemen to make his escape from Jerusalem; The Letters being intercepted and brought to Herod he commanded Hyrcanus to be presently put to death; After which Alexandra and Mariam were more closely confined than before, yet the daughter endeavoured to sweeten the discontents of the Mother, though she herself received no comfort but from Heaven, and thus discoursed with herself; How unhappy am I above all women, from the time the Diadem was placed on my head, I have felt nothing but Thorns, and Royal Dignity hath been to me Royal slavery, but since I can find no consolation here, I must expect it in another place to which I care not how soon I remove.  
Hyrcanus' being thus dispatched the bloody Herod addresseth himself with more satisfaction to his Journey to Caesar, and committed Alexandra and his wife close Prisoners, in the Castle of Alexandriam to the custody of Sohemus the Itrurian, giving him strict order that if any finister hap befell him he should kill them both, and endeavour to the utmost to retain the Kingdom in his Family; Here these poor Ladies were detained in a continual expectation of death, and every visit the Jailor made them, expected he came to fetch them to execution, but at length Sohemus growing more familiar with his Royal Prisoners, Mariam presumed to ask him, what news there was abroad, adding; That though they were now in this deplorable condition yet she did not doubt but that the storm would blow over, and we (says she) may be able to reward your kindness, therefore pray tell us why Herod has locked us up here, and how his Affairs stand. Sohemus' wonderfully surprised at these words, knew not what return to make, but at length overcome by their repeated entreaties, he gave a full account of his Commission, Well then, said the poor Princess, we must die whatever happens, wherever I turn me I behold the Image of death with which I now begin to be well acquainted.  
Herod all stained with blood was now embarked in his Voyage to Caesar, and being admitted into his presence freely declared what service he had done to Mark Anthony, promising no less duty and service to him if he might be received into his favour; Caesar observing the resolution wherewith he made his defence, was inclined to embrace his Friendship, and setting the Diadem on his head exhorted him to be as faithful to him as he had been to Anthony; Herod overjoyed at this Royal bounty attended Caesar toward Egypt, and entertained his Army by the way with all kind of Provisions, and having presented him with eight hundred Talents for his many favours, returned to his own Kingdom where he found Alexandra and Mariam much discontented, especially his wife, who could see no end of her miseries, and going to visit and give her an account of his exalted fortune, she instead of receiving satisfaction therein burst forth into a flood of tears, which so discontented Herod that he entered into new jealousies, and was confirmed in his mind that she had an utter hatred and aversion to him, so that he was even distracted between love and revenge, when at the same time his Sister Salome and her mother having notice of his disturbance resolved to take this opportunity to ruin her, and endeavoured to whet his anger by many vile slanders raised against her, which he seemed willing to hear, yet had not the heart to attempt any thing against his wife, who was both chaste and faithful to him, but not able to bear the many injuries she imagined were offered her, presumed so much upon the entire affection he bore toward her as sometimes publicly to reproach him with his crimes.  
It happened one day that the King having withdrawn into his Banqueting room sent for Mariam, whom he entertained with all kind of pleasantness and dalliance, but found her very averse to his humour, neither would she accept of his addresses, but told him severely of his cruelty to her Father and Brother; wherewith Herod extremely moved was ready to strike her, when Salome his Sister hearing a noise within, sent the Butler (whom she had hired falsely to accuse Mariam) into the room, commanding him to tell the King, That his Wife had prepared a drink to incite and quicken him to love; and if he found him disturbed at it, and should inquire the meaning, to tell him boldly, That Mariam having prepared a Cup of Poison for his Majesty had been tempting him to present it; Having delivered this message Herod was much troubled, and caused one of Mariamnes most faithful Servants to be tortured and examined concerning the Poison, judging it could not be undertaken without his knowledge; He in the midst of his Torments confessed nothing about the poisoning, but told the King, That the aversion Mariam discovered toward him proceeded from what Sobemus had revealed to her; He had scarce uttered these words, when Herod cried out aloud, That if Sohemus who had hitherto been so faithful to him and his Kingdom had declared his secret Orders to Mariam, it was a clear evidence of a criminal familiarity between them; and therefore commanded him to be instantly seized and put to death.  
He then resolved to bring his wife to a public trial, always endeavouring to procure some colour of Justice for hiding his most exorbitant actions, and assembling his most intimate Friends, who with horror and silence expected the conclusion of this Tragedy, he brings forth the courageous Mariam who armed with invincible constancy was little concerned, against whom the monster belches out this accusation.  
Dear Friends, it hath pleased the Almighty to counterbalance the prosperity he has given me by many piercing misfortunes, and I who have escaped so many dangers, and found safety in such great winds and tempests, have now met with the most deplorable storms in my own House; You are all very sensible how tenderly I have cherished the Family of Hyrcanus even in their greatest calamities, and yet I have taken into my bosom a Serpent instead of a Dove, by whom I have been often stung but have as oft by patience cured myself, yet I am not so unsensible that no injuries will penetrate me, and therefore being provoked by new wrongs I can no longer suffer them; Behold the Queen my wife, who (following her mother's example) is always studying to disquiet and hinder my repose. For after my return from so perilous a Voyage when I brought her the happy news of my success, she received me and my intelligence with the greatest scorn and disdain, and denied me those favours which I had right to demand, and she ought not to have refused to a husband, and not content herewith, she proceeded to contrive bloody designs against me, endeavouring to have suborned one of my own servants to poison me; Thus I who returned with my head crowned with Laurel am made the mark of the malice and treachery of a woman whom I can neither reclaim by love nor gifts no more than if she were a Lioness; Judge you therefore whether it is not time for me to secure myself from so implacable a creature, who can never be safe so long as she lives.  
Mariam knowing it in vain to defend herself (though she was altogether innocent of the charge laid against her,) being sensible his violent nature would not be contradicted, made little reply, only as to the business of poisoning she appealed to all the Assembly, whether there were any probability of it since she was always more afraid of Herod's love than hatred; But however she declared, That her life was a burden to her having had little comfort in it, and much loss in the Court wherein she never enjoyed the least contentment, and that if false Testimonies must make her guilty, none were safe, it being very easy thereby to remove any who should be thought troublesome, and though her husband did deprive her of her head, yet it was not in his power to bereave her of the reputation of a Princess of Honour, which descended to her from her Ancestors, and which she would carry to her Grave.  
There were none found bold enough to plead the cause of this Innocent, or to endeavour to mollify Herod's passion, but on the contrary all seemed to approve of his resolution: Yet this bloody man began ostartle when he thought seriously of being deprived of so sweet a Companion, & commanded her only to Custody; But his Sister, the enraged Salome continually alleged the danger of some sedition if he should keep her alive in Prison, so that at length he spoke these bloody words; Let her be taken away; Whereupon instantly an Officer was dispatched to her with this message, Madam the King commands that you shall presently die; She without any emotion replied, Let us then go, my Friend, it cannot be more pleasing to Herod than it is welcome to me; And to Crown her patience, Alexandra her own Mother and the Companion of her imprisonment fearing the like usage from Herod and hoping to free herself from the Suspicion of being concerned with her daughter in those crimes whereof Mariam was accused, went out to meet her going to execution, and very undecently laying aside her former magnanimity, reproached this dying Innocent, crying out, she was a wicked and ingrateful woman to her husband and well deserved the punishment she was going to suffer for her vile attempt, and her ingratitude to so loving and gracious a Prince, yea proceeded so far in her rage that she would have dragged her on the pavement by the hair of the head had not the people prevented her, who all condemned her shameful hypocrisy; Mariam took little notice of these horrid indignities only mildly answered, Mother, Let my Soul departed in peace which is already upon my lips, and trouble not the repose of my death; Then passing on with a generous filence and invincible courage and unconcern to the place of execution she there put an end to all her sorrows (by having her head divided from her body) which then began in the Spectators whose eyes were full of tears and their hearts of grief to observe so much Nobility, Virtue, Constancy & admirable Beauty sacrificed to the jealousy of a cruel Tyrant; Who after her death became more powerfully inflamed in his affections toward her, so that he would not believe she was dead, often calling for her as if alive, but being at length recovered from this strange distraction, his grief for her death exceeded his rage when living, wherewith he was so overwhelmed that the Plays and Entertainments which he provided to divert his thoughts profited him nothing & a plague happening soon after in the City, he interpreted it as a just Judgement of God for the unjust death of his Queen; Her unnatural Mother having again attempted something against Herod was put to death; Her two sons when they grew up and understood this impious act of their Father accounted him their mortal Enemy; whom he at length caused to be strangled; So that Caesar hearing of it said; He had rather be Herod's swine than his Son; Because the Jews will not kill nor eat Swine, This is that wicked King Herod of whom we read in the Holy Scriptures, in whose reign our blessed Saviour was born, and who executed that merciless butchery upon the innocent Infants of Bethlem, and committed many other horrible massacrees for which at length the hand of God seized upon him by an horrible disease being visited with a vehement pain and Ague; With an intolerable Itch over his whole body, the Colic daylytormented him; His feet and Belly were swollen with the dropsy; His privities putrified and bred worms, he had great difficulty of breathing, and a violent cough; was almost famished with hunger yet could not eat; All which terrible afflictions made him weary of his life calling for a knife to cut his throat, and five days after died miserably having reigned thirty seven years.   

The History of Clotilda Queen of France.   Clotilda Queen of France 

THis Virtuous Queen by her True Zeal did cause  
Renowned Clovis to embrace Christ's Laws  
Who all his Pagan vain Idolatry  
Did quite renounce and utterly defy.  
And after by Heavens mighty help and aid  
His fiercest Enemies his Power obeyed.  
And Clovis by his Strength and Policy,  
Founded the Potent, Great, French Monarchy.  
Clotilda Earthly Glory did despise  
And only True Religion doth prize  
Which to promote she spared no cost nor pains,  
Fully assured of Everlasting gains.   
CLovis the husband of our worthy Heroine was King of France in the year of our Lord 485. And had scarce arrived to fifteen when he was seated on the Royal Throne, a Prince of growing hopes, born to build up that Great Monarchy where of his Predecessors had laid the foundation having the honour to be the first king who received the Christian Religion which was the choicest Jewel in his Crown; France was at that time divided into several petty Royalties to which great privileges were annexed, yet acknowledging Clovis to be their Sovereign; But this being little more than having the name and Title of King, Clovis resolved if possible to become absolute Master of this goodly Country, to obtain which he gins with the weakest and most obnoxious, whereby he at length attained his end getting possession of the greatest part of Gaut, and then having the County of Burgundy in his eye, he desires Gombalt at that time Duke to let him have Clotilda (the daughter of his younger brother Chilperick whom he had barbarously murdered) to wife, Gombalt was very averse to this alliance, yet not daring to discover the real cause alleged that his Niece had never the ambition to aim so high as to be Queen of France, and besides there was one essential hindrance, namely the diversity of their Religion, it being a thing without example that a Christian Lady should marry an Heathen Prince which he could not permit to be done without manifest danger to her Soul and wounding his own honour to all posterity. The French Ambassador replied; That since his Master had a great respect for Clotilda, he was very well pleased with her quality, and that it was probable his Master by converse with a Princess of such admirable virtues and perfections might be at length induced to embrace Christianity.  
Gombalt said, Matters of so great consequence ought not to be left at uncertainty; And with this answer dismissed the Messenger, hoping he had now utterly prevented the match; but Clovis transported with an entire affection to her, soon returned an answer to this objection, solemnly promising to renounce his Pagan Superstition, and embrace Christianity; Whereat Gombalt was extremely disturbed since he understood, that in case he gave a denial the King of France would proceed to arms which might be fatal to his Country, especially since many of the Burgundian Gentry were very conversant in the French Court and passionately desired this alliance as the greatest security and advantage to their Nation.  
This business being of much importance, was not thought fit to be concluded without the general consent of the States of the Country, who being assembled to that purpose Gombalt endeavoured by many arguments to infuse jealousies into their minds of the great danger of being so nearly allied to so potent a Monarchy, but found his allegations had little effect upon the Burgonians, who unanimously concurred to have the marriage consummated, as the surest bond of peace, since the French were become so powerful it was dangerous to deny them any thing, and it might therefore be feared that the entreaties of a Lover would be changed into the rage of a Conqueror; That Clotilda whose Piety to God and love to her Country were both very eminent, might by her worthy demeanour to her husband prevail upon him both to embrace Christianity, and to be very kind to her Nation.  
Gombalt could not well find an answer to these convictive reasons, but at length raised another scruple; That Clotilda had vowed Virginity to Heaven, and was resolved not to be married at all; At this the Ambassador smiled, desiring she might be called that herself might give him his answer; Clotilda being asked the question replied; That she had never yet been so devout to make any vow of Virginity, and though she were extremely pleased with her present retirement, yet if her Uncle thought fit to marry her to the King of France upon condidition he would become a Christian, she would not be so undiscreet to refuse it. At these words the Ambassador and his Attendants gave a loud shout declaring the marriage was concluded; Gombalt dissembled his resentment since he could not prevent the appointments of Heaven, and therefore made speedy provision for her Journey into France saying, Well Niece I now find you are of the humour of most other women, and had rather be a Queen than continue with an Uncle, your affectation of glory exceeding your devotion, however I am very well satisfied with your choice and wish you all manner of content therein, having always made it my endeavour to advance your family according to my power; And as for the death of your Parents I take God to witness no man was more concerned thereat than myself it being done by the advice of my Council to secure the peace and welfare of my Subjects, and now I hope though you leave your Country you will not forget to perform all good Offices in your power for the benefit thereof.  
After this he kissed her, and taking his leave Clotilda began to weep, though she had never more cause of Joy, being now delivered out of the paw of the Lion, and going to be the wife of a Great Monarch, who expected her at Soissons with the utmost impatience, and at her arrival was even transported at his happiness in the enjoyment of so absolute a beauty and so discreet a Princess, He embraced her with the most tender affection and was never weary of gazing on her; She fell at his feet, and told him, She came to offer her service to him as her Lord and King, and to be subject to all his commands; He quickly takes her up, kisses her, and entertains her with the most endearing expressions of kindness; The Nobility and People adored her even almost to Idolatry, and nothing was to be seen in the Court but Feasting Comedies and all manner of diversions and demonstrations of satisfaction.  
The Queen would not suffer herself to be too much elevated with these prosperities, for she had still some kind of concernment how to manage the main affair which was the Conversion of her Lord, and therefore during the preparations for solemnising the Nuptials, she offered divers occasions to him to discourse of Religion, which he as politicly evaded, but at length taking courage she resolved to discover her mind, and spoke thus to him; I find your Majesty has so generous a soul that you bestow your bounty and liberality upon all the World, and have therefore no reason to doubt your denial of one request that I shall make to you; The King supposing she would ask some favour for one of her Attendants readily answered; Madam, Whatever you desire cannot be denied and therefore ask confidently what you please and it shall be granted; Well than says she, if your Majesty has that kindness for me which you seem to demonstrate, I would beseech you that I might not enter the bed of a Pagan the first night of my Nuptials, but that I may embrace a Christian for my Husband and Sovereign, than which nothing can be more desirable to your most obedient Wife; The King a little surprised told her, It was not yet time to think of that matter, though he would take the first opportunity to consider seriously of it, and act accordingly, his thoughts being now too much employed in admiring her perfections to think of any thing else, but however she need not scruple in the mean time to converse with a Pagan Husband, since her own Law taught her, That the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the believing wife.  
Clotilda somewhat doubted whether she should embrace his company till he had fulfilled his promise; but fearing to exasperate and make him quite reject Christianity, she resolved to render him all marriage duties, and endeavour to gain him by her prayers and good example. The King observing her discreet carriage was very much pleased, and respected her the more, who finding she had an absolute Empire over his heart, used her power with all kind of sweetness and complasance, exercising her devotions with the greatest sincerity and constancy, so that her Apartment seemed rather like an Oratory or Chapel, than a place dedicated to vanity or pleasure, which the King having very often observed it bred in him a very great inclination and reverence to her Religion and caused him more highly to honour her Person; But upon occasion he would be objecting to her some difficulties that appeared in the Christian Religion, as believing the Trinity and the Doctrine of a Crucified Jesus; The threats of Judgement and promises of mercy in another life; And therefore he thought it better to continue in his own Religion wherein he was educated, and did not doubt but God would have mercy upon him since he practised to the best of his knowledge.  
To this Clotilda answered; That he ought not to be deterred by such seeming difficulties, since God who created the Soul of man hath made it capable of believing things above the reach of human reason, and whose small understanding must submit to the Divine Wisdom, and his finite knowledge must not think to equal that which is infinite, since God alone is the immense Fountain of Goodness, Wisdom and Knowledge; That if his Majesty should promise a Servant what to his reason might seem impossible and incredible, yet he is bound to believe it without any reply, as depending upon the King's infallible word, now if one smful mortal man doth thus exact faith of another, why should you doubt says she what the Sovereign Lord of Heaven and Earth has declared to be true? Why should we not believe there are three Persons, and one only God, since we daily find our memory, understainding and will make but one Soul? Why should we scorn to adore a Crucified Man, since nothing can more confirm our believe than that Consideration, For if our blessed Saviour had come to subdue the World by Legions of Horses & Armies as your Majesty conquers Kingdoms, it would not have appeared so great a wonder, but when only by sufferings and the cross he hath brought the greatest part of the World, yea many Crowned heads under the Dominion of his Laws and Precepts, this makes it appear that all is done only by the Almighty power of God since so little of man is seen in it, I would therefore humbly beseech your Majesty no longer to defer your Baptism, that you may be one of the most glorious Kings on earth that France ever enjoyed, and happy in Heaven to all Eternity.  
Clovis replied, that her persuasions and arguments were unanswerable, and that his soul was convinced of the truth of what she had affirmed, but Policy and Religion being different things, he ought maturely to consider whether forsaking the Gods of his own Country who were worshipped by such a multitude of his Subjects might not occasion some rebellion or disturbance among his people in defence of their Old Religion. Clotilda who found this one of the main obstacles of his Conversion briskly answered, That his Nobility and People were already sufficiently convinced of the falsity of their Idolatrous superstition, and wanted nothing but his example and encouragement to declare their belief of the truth of the Christian Faith, but that if it were otherwise, yet he ought to encounter all difficulties, and venture all dangers for the salvation of his Soul. These earnest solicitations of the Queen being often renewed, the King at length began seriously to consider the reasonableness of them, and soon after Clotilda being delivered of a Son, he permitted him to receive Christian Baptism, but the Child dying soon after, he told her, Shewas too vehement in her Religion, and that he feared the health of the Child was impaired by its being so soon Baptised. The Queen answered that life and death were in the hands of God, and this Infant was not so much to be lamented having now changed this vain life into that of Angels, and that God if he pleased could yet bless their Royal Bed with a numerous issue, and she was sure Baptism was no prejudice to him since it was an Ordinance and Appointment of Heaven, and therefore being delivered of a second Son she conferred Baptism upon it as well as on the former, which likewise dying soon after, Clovis was more offended than before, saying, He believed that that water was fatal to Children, and she should take care never to move him for the like liberty again; Clotilda with a resolved mind alleged, that if God should have made her barren, he ought to have been contented, and adore the divine providence, and not to reflect upon the Baptism of Christians but upon her sins as the cause of the loss of her Children; The King was fully pacified with this prudent return, and at length became resolved to profeus Christianity, which was hastened upon this occasion.  
The Swevi a People of Germany passing the Rhine under the command of several Princes, with design to root out the Gauls or French, and ruin their new erected Monarchy, Clovis with the assistance of some of his neighbours resolved to oppose their numerous Forces, and a great Battle was fought near Collen where the King commanding in chief, he was suddenly surrounded by his Enemies and in great danger of his life, and though he performed the duty both of a great Captain and a valiant Soldier, yet terror had so seized his flying Army that his affairs were in a very desperate posture, when by the perfuasion of one of his chief Favourites he made a solemn Vow to God, That if he returned victorious he would perform his promise made to the Queen and be Baptised a Christian, and then calling aloud upon the God whom Clotilda worshipped for assistance and deliverance, his Forces rallied, and his Foes seemed to decline, whom he so vigorously prosecuted that the Fields were all covered with dead bodies, and this sudden discomfiture struck such terror into the other Germane Princes that they speedily sent to desire Peace, and became Tributary to him.  
The Queen was very joyful at this notable success, but much more at the devout resolution of her husband, and therefore went several miles to meet him in his return accompanied by a renowned Bishop called Remigius, a person famous for piety in that age; Clovis no sooner approached the Queen but even ravished both with her presence and his great Victory he told her; That he had indeed triumphed over the Almains, but she had conquered him, and that he would now defer his Baptism no longer; The Queen extremely pleased at the news told him, that the glory of his Conquests was only due to the God of Battles, to whom he could not make a more pleasing return than by giving up himself to his worship and service, and that she had brought an Holy person with her to perform that acceptable duty to the Almighty; Soon after he was accordingly Baptised with great Solemnity at Rheims, and it is said, that his Children, his Sisters, and above three thousand Courtiers, Gentlemen, Commanders and Soldiers were made partakers of the like blessing at the same time; After which Clovis publishing a favourable Edict toward the Christians, almost all the French Nation were converted, and with much Zeal threw down the Idols and Altars of their former Superstition.  
The Queen to prosecute this blessed work she had so happily begun, persuaded Clovis to build divers Christian Churches and endow them with considerable revenues, after which he subdued Burgundy and united it to his Kingdom together with Provence, Dauphine and Savoy, and then marches with his Victorious Army into Langudoc against the Visegoths where he slew Alarick their king with his own hand and obtained a remarkable Victory, seeming irresistible in all his attempts and having extended his Empire from the Rhine to the Sein and from the Pyrenean Mountains to the Ocean, he at length submitted to the fate of all other Mortals, and died leaving his dominions divided between his four Sons.  
Clotilda was very sensibly afflicted for the loss of so indulgent an husband, and so great a Conqueror, but time having in some measure abated her sorrows, she resolved to wear out the remainder of her days in a devout and retired life, but however was much disturbed in this her recluse condition by hearing of the horrible confusions and disorders among her Sons, who not content with their Father's allotment, raised dreadful wars against each other, till at length after the destruction of all the rest, Clotair the third Son alone enjoyed the whole kingdom; Clotilda used her utmost endeavours to have appeased their quarrels, and one time among the rest prevented a battle ready to begin by her prudent advice, saying; My Dear Children I had great expectation that after the death of my loving Lord I should have reaped much comfort from your mutual agreement, and never expected that you could believe it a worthy matter to unpeople the World, or that you ought to violate the law of nature and brotherly love for enlarging your power, or to establish your Thrones by the blood of each other; Return then my Children to the ways of peace which you have forsaken and be united in an indissoluble affection, do justice to your people, and live now as you expect to die; I give you my last farewell, and pray remember the words of your dying Mother and bury me in the Sepulchre of the King your Father as I have ever desired; At which words they laid by all their anger, and were at present made Friends; After this being sensible of her death approaching she continued in sweet ecstasies of Soul, and praises to God for her deliverance out of this troublesome World, and about midnight uttering with much earnestness these words; To thee O Lord I commit my Soul; O God I have put my trust in thee therefore let me never be ashamed, She gave up the ghost; Her name and memory being in much reverence in France to this very day.   

The History of Andegona Princess of Spain.   Andegona, Princess of Spain 

SWeet Andegon the most endeared wife,  
Of Ermangild, who loved her as his life  
Though of Great Sufferings she did partake  
Yet the true Faith by no means would forsake,  
Neither could all the Wiles nor cruelty  
Of a Stepmother shake her constancy.  
Which o'er her husband's Soul such power did gain  
He the same Faith with zeal did entertain  
And with such courage doth the same profess  
His bloody Father could not dispossess  
His mind thereof; But with unnatural rage  
Puts him to death his fury to assuage.   
OUr Ninth and last Feminine Worthy I shall fetch from Spain, her name Andegona, who in the year of our Lord 486. was married to Ermangild Son to Lenigild King of Spain an Arrian, she was one of the most accomplished Princesses in the World, in whom virtue, grace and beauty made an admirable harmony; Her native Country was France being the daughter of Sigebert grandchild of the pious Clotilda our former Heroine; At her arrival in Spain her husband Ermangild was surprised with her graces and his Soul was transported with a sweet violence toward a person of such extraordinary endowments, so that never were Nuptials more full of content, nor amities more faithful than between these two endeared Lovers, which yet in a short time met with some Clouds of discontent and trouble.  
Lenigild her Father in Law was about this time married to a second Wife an Arrian, named Gosintha, as deformed in body as mind, who notwithstanding had obtained such Sovereignty over the heart of this old King, that she had the sole management of his affairs, and all was acted according to her will and pleasure; However she pretended an extraordinary contentment at the consummation of this marriage, and went in Person to wait upon and entertain the Princess, seeming to overwhelm her with kindness and courtesy. Yet at length out of an envious or malicious disposition, she seemed much disturbed at the chaste dalliances between them, especially since she saw Ermangild wholly transported with love to his excellent Lady, so that he could hardly endure her out of his fight, whereby their discourses, conversation, and pleasures became as troublesome to Gosintha as if she had been one of those Infernal Spirits that possess and torment poor mortals.  
Though Andegona had the greatest passion in the World for her Lord, yet she durst not refuse the company of this troublesome Creature, whereby her husband to his great regret was deprived of it, who told her, That she ought to be satisfied with the power and interest she had in affairs of state, and not pry into nor interrupt his converse with his dearest spouse, Gosintha repled, That the frequent Conferences she had with his Princess were only in order to convert her to the Arrian Faith (so called from Arrius Bishop of Alexandra the author of a wicked and blasphemous Heresy against the Divinity of our blessed Saviour denying him to be equal with God the Father) and in prosecution of this impious design she spared no pains nor endeavours, using both Flattery and Threats, to induce her to comply thereto, insinuating; That God might as well be worshipped in one Religion as another, and that she ought to conform herself to the usages and customs of the place wherein she was, especially since thereby she would very much oblige the King and create greater respect in him toward her: That she was not come into Spain to give but receive Laws, and to exercise obedience; That her husband could never faithfully love her if she entertained any other Sentiments, Opinions or Sacraments than himself;' That she could never expect to reign happily over a People who were of a contrary Faith to hers; That she should not fear the reproaches of her own Countrymen who would count her very indiscreet not to comply with the times, and that if for small matters some great men would be persuaded to renounce their former Religious Observances, much more might she be excused in her conformity to the Truth, when the reward thereof was no less than a Kingdom.  
With such pungent motives and arguments as these this wicked woman did continually afflict the ears of this innocent Princess, who nothing moved therewith, replied; That if she persisted in these discourses she would for the future take all occasions to avoid her company, since nothing could be less grateful to her than using so many subtleties to remove her from her Faith from which she was resolved never to recede during her life, yea though the utmost torments were inflicted on her to force a renunciation. And therewith going hastily out of her Chamber, Gosiniha was very much offended, yet concealing her anger, resolved to attempt her once more not without hope of prevailing, and having by a thousand protestations of kindness and affection endeavoured to make up the breach, she at length more earnestly pressed her with many urgent reasons to be again baptised after the Arrian manner, which Andegona absolutely refused prudently replying; That thanks be to God she was already baptised in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and that if the water of the Arrian Baptism should be cast on her head, though she loved her hair as well as any woman need, yet she would pluck it off, yea tear the Skin along with it that had been defiled with such an abomination.  
This was the last effort Gosintha made, and judging herself extremely affronted at this resolute reply, she left Andegona, foaming with Rage and Threats, That since she refused the Arrian Baptism, she should be baptised in another manner, which should wash her from head to foot; And returning again soon after, she barbarously dragged this poor Princess, about by the hair of the head, and then abusing her to the loss of blood she commanded two or three of her waiting women to strip her stark naked, and bind her with cords, and in this posture to throw her into a pool of water in a very cold season of the year; It was a miserable spectacle to see the daughter of a King who was so lately received with such Triumphs and Rejoices thus cruelly treated in the same place; Gosintha who stood at the brink of the Pool to behold this unworthy execution, ordered her to be drenched in the water by degrees that she might be more sensible of the piercing cold, and often repeated these words, If you will confess you are an Arrian, you are safe, and shall be presently released from your misery; But the courageous Princess who had not so great an apprehension of death as fear to be seen naked, cried out aloud, I am a Christian, an Orthodox Christian, take away my life if you will, yet shall neither fire nor water force me to gainsay or renounce my Profession; Gosintha finding all her attempts in vain, at length suffered her to come out and put on her garments, admiring and envying the constancy and greatness of her Soul, which no tortures could shake or disturb.  
Ermangild utterly ignorant of what had passed, perceiving his Princess somewhat pale and disordered by this rough usage, asked whether she were discomposed either in body or mind, which she prudently endeavoured to conceal as not worthy his notice, but by the manner of her discourse finding she had received some sensible affront, he made a strict scrutiny of those who were able to inform him, who soon related the cruel indignity his Mother-in-law Gosintha had put upon her, which raised his passion to such an height, that he had certainly torn that wicked Queen in pieces had not the fear of God and the charming Eloquence of his wife somewhat pacified his fury; The Virtuous Andegona fell at his feet, beseeching him not to precipitate himself and her likewise into inevitable danger by any extremities, so that at length they concluded to remove from the Court to Sevil, which was given him as a Patrimony by his Father for his present subsistence; Wither being retired they fully enjoyed those delights which had been in some measure obstructed by this ill accident, Ermangild believing himself the happiest of all mortals in beholding so many Virtues in so great a beauty; And the modesty and piety wherewith she had managed her last disgrace made him think he could not sufficiently adore so much goodness.  
Andegona observing what power she had over her husband by the repeated instances of his tender affection, and being now without fear of a Stepmother resolved to improve this opportunity for the good of his Soul, and solicited him seriously to renounce his Arrianism and embrace true Christianity, by insisting on the falseness and unreasonableness of this opinion so derogatory to the honour of the Son of God and Saviour of the World, the author of it being a wicked Priest who was made a Bishop out of mere spite, and was rejected and solemnly condemned in a Council of three hundred and eighteen Bishops; And that it had been remarked, that all the Arrian Kings round about had come to unhappy ends and it might be feared Spain could not escape the vengeance of Heaven unless it were purged from these pestilent errors. Ermangild could not well resist the strength of truth and love both assaulting him at once in the same Person, and therefore took time to deliberate; Whereupon the good Princess prevailed with him to confer with a famous Bishop who so well managed the Spirit of this gallant Prince that by divine assistance and the continual solicitations and prayers of Andegona who moved Heaven and Earth for his conversion, he at length renounced his error, and became an Orthodox Christian.  
Lenigild the Father having notice hereof was exceedingly displeased, and Gosintha his Wife was not wanting to inflame him against his son, however not willing presently to bring things to extremity knowing the greatness of his Spirit, and that many of the Nobility were ready to engage in his cause; He sent Letters to him full of fair promises and invitations to return to Court, not without some sharp reflections upon the change of his Religion without his consent, and that he had put himself into a posture of War and rebellion against his own Father, which no pretence to Piety could possibly justify. Ermangild seemed doubtful what answer to return, but his young Councillors too warmly alleged; That there was now no place to retire, since he had to do with a Prince who was both imperious and turbulent, and with a Mother in Law altogether irreconcilable and revengeful, who would never be satisfied but in his utter destruction, and that if he did not now take arms to secure his life he would be chased like awild Beast, and hardly find security even in the deserts; He therefore sent back to his Father; That his Religion had taught him to bear patiently the sharpness of his words to whom he was bound by immortal obligations, but that he could not think his life safe in a place where his wife, for whose sake only he lived, had received such horrible abuses, and as for his changing his Religion he ought to know; That a Father requireth imnatural obedience when he exacteth it of a Child against his conscience, and therefore humbly desired that he would suffer him to repose peaceably at Sevil lest their arms might be as shameful to the Conqueror as miserable to the vanquished.  
Lenigild more exasperated now than before, especially by the constant aggravations of the wicked Stepmother, resolved to reduce his son by force, and acts of Hostility were begun, till at length Ermangild was besieged in Sevil, where he had continued three years since his departure from Court; The Religious Andegona apprehending the sad effects of these impending distractions, besought her husband with the utmost tenderness and tears in her eyes, to reconcile himself to his Father, who unable to resist such potent pleaders seemed wholly changed at her motion and told her that since she desired it, he was resolved to submit to his father, but advised her, That to prevent falling again into the hands of the merciless Gosintha, he should retreat to Constantinople for safety till she faw what entertainment he should meet with. Andegona was extremely afflicted at this proposal, and wept bitterly at the thoughts of being separated from the chief object of her love; But however necessity compelling them Ermangild took his little Son that hung at the breast and told her, See here Madam the most precious pledge of our marriage which I recommend to your care, Let God dispose of it as he please, but you must bring it up as a King; At which redoubling her sighs they parted with violent convulsions of grief, Andegona at her last farewell adjuring him that by no means he should lose his faith, which he assuring her to maintain to the last moment, they were then separated never to meet again in this World.  
The King understanding his Son was inclined to peace rejoiced thereat, and dispatched his younger brother Ricardo to his Camp, who arriving there, and seeing his brother Ermangild cried out; O my brother before I embrace thee I desire to know whether I am come to a friend or an enemy; Ermangild embraced him tenderly in sight of the whole Army assuring him of the great affection he had ever born both to his Father and himself, and instantly both hasten to the Court where the Prince prostrating himself at the feet of the King, he with all kind of submission declared. That he was ready to live or die at his feet; The King either feignedly or in earnest told him that he found he had been much misrepresented, but that this action had cleared all his suspicions, and that he was very welcome, enquiring where his wife was; Who replied, she would speedily be at Court; Gosintha then present seemed mightily pleased showing him all manner of kindness, upon which Ermangild banishing all suspicion resolved to send for Andegona to Court; But all her pretences were only pernicious flatteries, for much doubting if he should gain his Father's heart, her faction might be disturbed, she forged Letters and suborned witnesses to swear that all this submission of his Son was only a trick and design to bereave him of the Kingdom, which she seemed so clearly to demonstrate that the old doting King was in a greater fury than before, and commanded him to be arrested for treason and committed him close Prisoner loaden with irons and clothed in Sackcloth,  
The Prince by this violent procedure perceiving his hour was nigh, renounced all the concernments of this World, and courageously prepared himself for death, when the King coming to visit him, was so far transported with rage as to call him, Ingrateful wicked wretch; To whom the Prince mildly answered, that he could not possibly imagine what he was guilty of, and therefore must die in silence and without making any defence; His father told him his own evil conscience sufficiently accused him if he would be so just as to acknowledge his vile intentions, and of which he should be very glad to find him innocent; Hereupon Ermangild made a large Apology wherein he fully cleared himself from all things charged upon him; So that the King being convinced had nothing to charge him with but the change of his Religion, which the Prince freely acknowledged and vowed That he would die a thousand deaths rather than reneunce that True faith which he had now embraced. The father called him fool, and remanded him back to Prison wherewith some difficulty he writ a letter to his dear Andegona, wherein he returns her many thanks that from her he had received the true knowledge of God, and was resolved to suffer the utmost extremity in defence of the same, advising her after his death, to make her escape to Constantinople.  
Mean while Ricardo his younger brother was extremely troubled that by being a mediator for peace he had been the occasion of this deplorable Tragedy, and seeing Ermangild covered with sackcloth and loaded with chains he stood at first mute like a statue, and then breaking forth into tears said, Ah brother it is I that have betrayed you, it is I who have fettered you like an ignominious slave, take therefore my dagger and revenge your wrongs upon my guilty head for being accessary though against my will, to your destruction. His brother endeavoured by gentle words to appease his passion, and told him it was no fault of his, and that he would most willingly lay down his life for his Religion which was the only charge his enemies had against him; Riccardo went to the King and by all manner of entreaties endeavoured to mollify his bloody mind, but the Faction of Gosintha much doubting the resentment of the brothers, sounded nothing in his ears but the danger of so great an Offender, who shown himself so insolent in his misery that nothing could be expected but his utmost vengeance in his prosperity; The credulity of the unfortunate Father was so far prevailed on by these discourses, that he sent an Executioner to his Son in prison with this Message; That a Sword or a Crown were now presented to his choice, that if he would renounce his Religion he should be received into favour and enjoy the Sceptre after him; But if not he should be instantly beheaded in that place; Ermangild told him; That he would rather die by a thousands torments than forsake the true faith which he had embraced, and added; I thank thee O Almighty God that as thou hast given me a mortal, perishing, uncertain life from my Father, so by his means I shall now receive a glorious and happy life to all Eternity; And then kneeling down, and praying earnestly for his Father, Stepmother and all his enemies and persecutors, he cheerfully stretched out his neck to the Executioner, pronouncing the name of his dear Andegona to the last moment, and at one blow had his head severed from his body.  
The sad tidings of this lamentable accident arrived to Andegona who had made her escape into Africa, where she likewise received the last Letter from her husband out of Prison; Her attendants at the news began to make doleful Lamentations as if themselves had been condemned to die; But Andegora kissing the Letter of her dear Lord, and then reading it cried out, Ah noble and faithful Soul, thou hast acted as a good man ought to do, thou hast fought the good fight of Faith, and hast now attained the Crown of glory, and I desire nothing but to imitate thy constancy; Weep not then, my Servants for me, since it is this day I am a Queen indeed and esteem myself the most happy Princess on earth, who have a husband a Martyr in Heaven. And then taking her little Son Ermangild almost tired with hard Travel she said, Go sweet babe partake of the blessings of your dear Father, God hath bestowed great favours in you to be banished already for your Religion, go then little Innocent and rejoice with others before the Altar of the Lamb, your Mother will not stay long behind you. The Child died soon after, and the magnanimous Andegona having long combated with these Armies of afflictions at length resigned up her Soul with these words; O my God the father and son are at rest, there now remains nothing but to take the mother, I have ended all my hopes in this World, why stayest thou O my blessed Saviour to receive my Soul which is now upon my lips. Her prayer was heard, for a few days after wasted with love, travel and desires, she died an exemplary death and found a Tomb in Africa.  
FINIS.   

There are Newly Published one and Twenty other very useful, pleasant and necessary Books, all sold by Nath. Crouch at the Bell in the Poultry near Cheapside.  
I. A View of the English Acquisitions in Guinea and the East-Indies. With an Account of the Religion, Government, Wars, strange Customs, Beasts, Serpents, Monsters, and other Observables in those countries'. And among others, the Life and Death of Mahomet the Grand Impostor, with the Principal Doctrines of the Turkish Religion as they are displayed in the Alcoran. Two Letters, one written by the Great , and the other by the King of Sumatra in the East-Indies, to our King James the First, of an unusual and extravagant stile; The cruel Executions in those Parts; With the manner of the women's burning themselves with their dead husbands. Together with a Description of the Isle of St. Helena; And the Bay of Souldania where the English usually refresh in their Voyages to the Indies. Intermixed with pleasant Relations, and Enlivened with Picture. Price one Shilling.  
II. THE English Empire in America, or a Prospect of his Majesty's Dominions in the West-Indies, namely, Newfoundland, New-England, New-York, New-Jersey, Pensylvania, Mary-land, Virginia, Carolina, Bermudas, Barbuda, Anguilla, Montserrat, Dominica, St. Vincent, Antego, Mevis or Nevis, St. Christopher's, Barbadoss, and Jamaica; With an Account of their Discovery, Situation and Product; The Religion and Manners of the Indians, and other excellencies of these countries'; To which is prefixed a Relation of the first Discovery of this New-World, and of the Remarkable Voyages, and Adventures of Sebastian Cabot, Sir Martin Frobisher, Captain Davies, Captain Weymouth, Captain Hall, Captain Hudson, Sir Thomas Cavendish, the Earl of Cumberland, Sir Walter Raleigh, and other English Worthies to divers places therein. Illustrated with Maps and Pictures of the strange Fruits, Birds, Beasts, Fishes, Infects, Serpents, and Monsters found in these Parts of the World. Pr. 1. s.  
III. THE Second Edition of England's Monarches, very much enlarged; Or, A Compendious Relation of the most Remarkable Transactions, and Observable Passages Ecclesiastical, Civil, and Military, which have happened, during the Reigns of the Kings and Queens of England, from the Invasion of the Romans, under Julius Caesar, to this present; Adorned with Poems, and the Pictures of every Monarch from King William the Conqueror, to our most gracious Sovereign King James the Second, with his present Majesty's Life, Heroic Actions, late Gracious Declaration, and other Occurrences to this time: The names of his now Majesties most Honourable Privy Council; The Great Officers of the Crown: A List of the Dukes, Marquesses, Earls, Viscounts, Bishops, Barons and Deans; The Knights of the most Noble Order of the Garter at Windsor, and the Principal Officers, Civil and Military in England. The number of the Lords and Commons, who have Votes in both Houses of Parliament; and many other very useful particulars. Price One Shilling.  
iv THE History of the Kingdoms of Scotland and Ireland, containing, 1. An Account of the most Remarkable Transactions and Revolutions in Scotland for above Twelve hundred years past, during the Reigns of Sixty eight Kings, from the year of our Lord 4●4, to the Happy Union of both Kingdoms under King James the Sixth of Scotland and first of England, of Blessed Memory, in 1602; and among other particulars, the lamentable Murder of King Duffe, with the strange Discovery and Punishment thereof: The wonderful History of Macbeth and the Witches, with the many Notable Occurrences in his Reign. 2. The History of Ireland from the Conquest thereof unto King Henry the Second to this time; With a Relation of the Miraculous Persons and Places in that Country; A full Account of St. Patrick's Purgatory, and divers other memorable Matters. Intermix with Variety of Excellent Speeches, Strange Accidents, Prodigious Appearances, and other very considerable things both pleasant and profitable: With a List of the Nobility and Great Officers of State in both Kingdoms. Illustrated with near Thirty Pictures of several Kings and other extraordinary Observables. Price 1 Shilling.  
V DElights for the Ingenious, In above Fifty Select and choice Emblems Divine and Moral, Ancient and Modern, Curiously Engraven upon Copper Plates; with Fifty delightful Poems and Lots, for the more Lively Illustration of each Emblem; Whereby Instruction and Good Counsel may be promoted and furthered by an honest and pleasant Recreation. To which is prefixed, An Incomparable Poem Entitled, Majesty in Misery, or an Imploration to the King of Kings written by his late Majesty, King Charles the First, with his own Hand, during his Captivity in Carisbrook Castle, in the Isle of Wight, 1648. with a curious Emblem. Collected by R. B. Price half a Crown.  
VI Surprising Miracles of Nature and Art, in two parts, containing, I. The Miracles of Nature, or the wonderful Signs, and Prodigious Aspects and Appearances in the Heavens, Earth and Sea; With an Account of the most famous Comets, and other Prodigies, from the Birth of Christ to this time. II. The Miracles of Art, describing the most Magnificent Buildings, and other curious Inventions in all Ages; as, the Seven Wonders of the World, and many other excellent Structures and Rarities throughout the Earth, beautitified with Sculptures. Price One Shilling.  
VII. TWo Journeys to Jerusalem, Containing first, A strange and true Account of the Travels of two English Pilgrims some years since, and what Admirable Accidents befell them in their Journey to Jerusalem, Grand Cairo, Alexandria, etc. With the wonderful manner of hatching many Thousand Chickens at once in Ovens. Secondly, The Travels of Fourteen Englishmen in 1669. from Scanderoon to Tripoli, Joppa, Ramah, Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Jericho, the River of Jordan, the Lake of Sodom and Gomorrah, and back again to Aleppo. By S. B. With the rare Antiquities, Monuments, and memorable places and things mentioned in the Holy Scripture; and an exact Description of the Old and New Jerusalem; to which is added, a Relation of the great Council of the Jews assembled in the Plains of Ajayday in Hungary, 1650. to examine the Scriptures concerning Christ. By S. B. an English man there present: With the notorious Delusion of the Jews, by a counterfeit Messiah, or false Christ, at Smyrna in 1666. and the event thereof. Lastly, The fatal and final Extirpation and Destruction of the Jews throughout the Kingdom of Persia, whereby many thousands of all Qualities and Ages were cut off in 1666. and the remarkable occasions thereof. The Epistle of K. Agbarus to our Saviour, with our Saviour's Answer; Beautified with Pictures. Price One Shilling.  
VIII. THE Wars in England, Scotland and Ireland; containing an Impartial Account of all the Battles, Sieges, and other remarkable Transactions, Revolutions and Accidents which have happened from the beginning of the Reign of King Charles the First, 1625. to His Majesties happy Restauration; The illegal Trial of King Charles I. at large, with his last Speech at his Suffering. And the most considerable matters which happened till 1660. With Pictures of several Accidents. Price One Shilling.  
IX. HIstorical Remarks and Observations of the Ancient and Present State of London and Westminster, showing the Foundations, Walls, Gates, Towers, Bridges, Churches, Rivers, Wards, Halls, Companies, Government, Courts, Hospitals, Schools, Inns of Court, Charters, Franchises, and Privileges thereof; with an account of the most remarkable Accidents, as to Wars, Fires, Plagues, and other occurrences, for above nine hundred years past, in and about these Cities; to the Year 1681. Illustrated with Pictures, with the Arms of the 65 Companies of London and the time of their Incorporating. Price One Shilling.  
X. ADmirable Curiosities, Rarities and Wonders in England Scotland, and Ireland, or an Account of many remarkable persons and places, and likewise of the Battles, Sieges, Prodigious Earthquakes, Tempests, Inundations, Thunders, Lightnings, Fires, Murders and other considerable Occurrences and Accidents for many hundred years past. Together with the natural and artificial Rarities in every County in England, with several curious Sculptures. Price One Shilling.  
XI. Wondered Prodigies of Judgement and Mercy, discovered in above 300 memorable Histories, containing, 1. Dreadful Judgements upon Atheists, Blasphemers, and perjured Villains. 2. The miserable ends of many Magicians, Witches, Conjurers, etc. with divers strange Apparitions and Illusions of the Devil. 3. Remarkable predictions and presages of approaching death, and how the event has been answerable. 4. Fearful Judgements upon bloody Tyrants, Murderers, etc. 5. Admirable Deliverances from Imminent Dangers, and Deplorable Distresses at Sea and Land. Lastly, Divine Goodness to Penitents, with the Dying Thoughts of several famous Men, concerning a future state after this Life. Embellished with divers Pictures. Price One Shilling.  
XII. THE Divine Banquet, or Sacramental Devotions, consisting of Morning and Evening Prayers, Contemplations and Hymns for every day in the Week, in order to a more Solemn Preparation for the worthy Receiving of the Holy Communion: Representing the several steps and degrees of the Sorrow and Sufferings of our Blessed Saviour, till he gave up the Ghost; As, 1. His Agony in the Garden: 2. His being Betrayed by Judas. 3. His being falsely Accused, Smitten buffeted and Spit upon before. Caiphas' the High Priest. 4. His Condemnation, Scourging, Crowning with Thorns, and being delivered to be Crucified by Pontius Pilate. 5. His bearing his Cross to Golgotha. 6. His Crucifixion and bitter Passion. Lastly, Our Saviour's Institution of the Blessed Sacrament. Together with brief Resolutions to all those Scruples and Objections usually alleged for the omission of this important Duty. With Eight curious Sculptures, proper to the several parts. To which is added, The Devout Christians Daily Sacrifice, or Morning and Evening Prayers for every day upon Ordinary Occasions; with Graces. Price One Shilling.  
XIII. THE Young Man's Calling, or the whole Duty of Youth, in a serious and compassionate Address to all young persons to remember their Creator in the days of their Youth. Together with Remarks upon the Lives of several excellent Young Persons of both Sexes, as well ancient as modern, who have been famous for Virtue and Piety in their Generations; namely, on the Lives of Isaac and Joseph in their Youth. On the Martyrdom of seven Sons and their Mother; of Romanus a young Nobleman, and of divers holy Virgins and Martyrs. On the Lives of King Edward 6. Q. Jane, Q. Elizabeth in her Youth, Prince Henry  Son to King James, and the young Lord Harrington, etc. With Twelve curious Pictures illustrating the several Histories. Price Eighteen Pence.  
XIV. THE English Hero: or, Sir Francis Drake Revived. Being a full Account of the Dangerous Voyages, Admirable Adventures, Notable Discoveries, and Magnanimous Achievements of that Valiant and Renowned Commander. As, I. His Voyage in 1572. to Nombre de Dios in the West-Indies, where they saw a Pile of Bars of Silver near seventy foot long, ten foot broad, and 12 foot high. II. His encompassing the whole World in 1577. which he performed in Two years and Ten months, gaining a vast quantity of Gold and Silver. III. His Voyage into America in 1585. and taking the Towns of St. Jago, St. Domingo, Carthagena, and St. Augustine. iv His last Voyage into those Countries in 1595. with the manner of his Death and Burial. Recommended as an Excellent Example to all Heroic and Active Spirits in these days to endeavour to benefit their Prince and Country, and Immortalize their Names by the like worthy Undertake. Revised, Corrected, very much enlarged, reduced into Chapters with Contents, and beautified with Pictures. By R. B. Licenced according to Order. Price One Shilling.  
XV. THE History of the Nine Worthies of the World; Three whereof were Gentiles; 1. Hector Son of Priamus King of Troy. 2. Alexander the Great King of Macedon and Conqueror of the World. 3. Julius Caesar first Emperor of Rome. Three Jews. 4. Joshua Captain General and Leader of Israel into Canaan. 5. David King of Israel. 6. Judas Maccabeus a Valiant Jewish Commander against the Tyranny of Antiochus. Three Christians. 7. Arthur King of Britain, who courageously defended his Country against the Saxons. 8. Charles the Great K. of France and Emperor of Germany; 9 Godfrey of Bullen King of Jerusalem. Being an account of their Glorious Lives, Worthy Actions, renowned Victories and Deaths. Illustrated with Poems and the Picture of each Worthy. By R. B. Price One Shilling.  
XVI. A Guide to Eternal Glory: Or, Brief Directions to all Christians how to attain Everlasting Salvation: To which are added several other small Tracts, As 1. Saving Faith discovered in Three Heavenly Conferences between Our Blessed Saviour and 1. A Publican. 2. A Pharisee. 3. A Doubting Christian. II. The Threefold state of a Christian. 1. By Nature. 2. By Grace, 3. In Glory. III. The Scriptures Concord, compiled out of the words of Scripture, by way of Question and Answer, wherein there is the sum of the way to Salvation, and Spiritual things compared with Spiritual. iv The Character of a True Christian. A brief Directory for the Great, Necessary and Advantageous Duty of Self-Examination, whereby a serious Christian may every day Examine himself. VI A short Dialogue between a Learned Divine and a Beggar. VII. Beams of the Spirit, or Cordial Meditations, Enlivening, Enlightening, and Gladding the Soul. VIII. The Seraphic Souls Triumph in the Love of God. With short remembrances and Pious thoughts. IX. History Improved or Christian Applications and Improvements of some remarkable passages in History. X. Holy Breathe in several Divine Poems upon divers Subjects and Scriptures. Price One Shilling.  
XVII. EXcellent Contemplations Divine and Moral; Written by the Magnanimous and truly Loyal A. L. Capel. Baron of Hadham; Together with some Account of his Life, and his Affectionate Letters to his Lady the day before his Death, with his Heroic Behaviour and last Speech at his Suffering; Also the Speeches and Carriages of D. Hamilton and the E. of Holland, who suffered with him: With his pious Advice to his Son. Price One Shilling.  
XVIII. Youths Divine Pastime; Containing Forty Remarkable Scripture Histories, turned into common English Verse. With Forty curious Pictures proper to each Story; very delightful for the virtuous employing the vacant hours of Young Persons, and preventing vain and vicious Divertisements. Together with several Scripture Hymns upon divers occasions. Price Eight pence.  
XIX. Unparalleled Varieties, Or the Matchless Actions and Passions of Mankind; Displayed in near four hundred notable instances and examples; Discovering the transcendent effects; 1. Of Love, Friendship, and Gratitude. 2. Of Magnanimity, Courage, and Fidelity. 3. Of Chastity, Temperance and Humanity; And on the contrary, the Tremendous Consequences, 4. Of Hatred, Revenge and Ingratitude, 5. Of Cowardice, Barbarity and Treachery, 6. Of Unchastity, Intemperance and Ambition. Embellished with Proper Figures. Price One Shilling.  
XX. EXtraordinary Adventures of several Famous Men; with the strange Events, and signal Mutations and Changes in the Fortunes of divers Illustrious Places and Persons in all Ages; Being an account of a Multitude of Stupendious Revolutions, Accidents, and Observable matters in States, and Provinces throughout the whole world, The Cruelties usued by the Turks upon the Christians at Algiers, their manner of selling Slaves, etc. The dreadful Mutiny in the City of Naples in 1647. and how Massanello a Fisher-boy ruled there for 10 days, with greater Power than any King or Emperor. An account of several Nations destroyed or driven from their Habitations by Gnats, Moles, Pismires, Sparrows, Locusts, Hares, Coneys, Fleas, Frogs Mice, Grasshoppers, Serpents, Worms, and other inconsiderable Creatures; The Tragical Deaths of Joqn and Cornelius de Wit, at the Hague in Holland. Remarks on the Life and Death of Sir W. Raleigh, with his last Speech and Behaviour on the Scaffold; with Pictures Price One Shilling,  
XXI. Winter Evenings Entertainments in Tw● Parts; Containing, 1. Ten Pleasant Relations of many Rare and Notable Accidents and Occurrences; with brief Remarks upon every one. 2. ●●ty Ingenious Riddles, with their Explanations, and useful Observations; and Morals upon each. Enliven● with above Threescore Pictures, for Illustrating eve●● Story and Riddle. Excellently Accommodated to th● Fancies of Old or Young, and useful to cheerful Society and Conversation. Price One Shilling.  
FINIS.