CHAP. I

WHen Spaine was nursed with the milke of paganisme, vertue not knowne; nor God honoured, there liued a people so ripe in sin, that the kéene edge of shames sickle, lay euen ready whetted to reape them downe for confusions haruest: yet the subiects then liuing where not so wicked as the King vitious: a King we name him, (if illustrious title of maiestie, may grace so pernitious a foe to nature with so royall a stile) his birth was fatall, for when the midwife pulled him from the cradle of his conception, the earthquake, and heauen rained blood: his parents ominous, the one de­uoured by wolues, the other burnt to death by thunder: his youth full vnlucky chances, his age tirannous and mischieuous, and all his life subiect to blacke misdéedes. When his parets by heauens wrath had ended thus their, dates, he raigned King, and wore the imperiall Diademe, but such a King, good men thought neuer sprong from wo­mans wombe. Morindos for so we name him, being seated vpon the throane of maiestie, ruled not in loue but by force, making his nobles flaues to his sinne, and their [Page] wiues, feeders of his lust: for every day in the yeare hee had a seuerall concubine, all young, beawtifull, and loue­ly: nature framed their bodies faire, though sinne made their soules blacke: for both art and riches indeuored to delight his insatiate desires: earths chiefest pleasures were at his command: and all the lullabies of content, rockt him in the cradle of securitie: thus careles of heauens wrath, he more honoured the Deuill, then he loued God: and what was the vilest to nature, he most doted vppon. But now after al these pleasures of his wanton youth, the kind imbraces of his fayre concubines, which like earthly Angells made him happy in natures sports, he wickedly fell inamored vppon one of the Deuills blacke saints, one Madam Miracola, a Witch of damnation, now burning in heli for her blacke deedes: this Madam Miracola borne of noble parentage, brought vp in the deepest artes, skil­full in Magick charmes, and incantations, who hauing spent seauen yeres in that déepe mistery of coniuration, sil­dome sleeping without the sosciety of spirrits, fayries, goblins, or nigtly shapes: hir chiefest studie and ayme was at principallitie, to rule sole Queens and gouernour of the Kingdome, and no way was there to attaine to that imperial seat, but by marying with king Morindos, though not a match fit, he being discended royally, she but nobly: yet by sorceries, witchcrafts, and magicke deuises, shee obtained hir purpose, and in this manner obtained it.

Vppon a time when King Morindos, in the height of his reuelles, whilst some of his fairest concubines, daun­ced before him naked in their cambrick smockes: the more to inkindle lustes fire, shee entred the chamber of their li­centious sports, with a maske of wonder, the like neuer seene in Princes court: for all the Maskers (except hir selfe) were infernall spirrits, vissible, but not tanga­ble, all in the shape of young Ladis, attired in more changeable silkes then the collours of the Rainebowe: hir [Page] selfe in a robe of such richnes, as it sémed to exceede the glorie of the sunne for brightnes: hir owne bodie shee im­bathed and supled with a water of such inchantment, that what man soeuer first set eye vppon her, either present loue or present death, had destinie allotted him: for well knew she that no man presumed his presence, during this time of pleasure.

This Madam Miracola, asisted by the blacke states of hell, by delusions won the kings loue: whose vnconstant eyes, no sooner firt their inflecting beames on this killing cokatrice: but all on a sodaine fire his loue inflamed y^t no­thing could quench it, but hir loue ioyned to his, which were imediately sealed togither: loue, desire, and lust, so conspired against his bewitched heart, that he presently a­voided the chamber of his intifing damsels, and shee of hir deluding spirits: remaining then but two bodies, two hearts, and two tongues, he began to reueale loues secre­sie in this manner: Madam quoth he (knowing hir to be a long attender in his court) good or euill fortune hath in­chanted me, and now thy present loue or hate, must either glorifie me with earthly happinesse, or send me wandring to the dark some walkes of death, where no soscietie but crawling wormes and dead mens benes are resident: de­ny me not therefore good Madam, I am this countries Potentate, I can commaund both wealths and power, ci­ties, towers, and townes: Statesmen stoope, and hum­ly kneele vnto my soote: royalties, dignitles, and al other kingly promotions, are at my disposing: vnto my pleasurs all the land submits: delights are my vassels, both land, & sea as subiects striue to make me happy: I am an earth­ly God, be thou my Goddesse, take all these honours, I will attend on thee, Ile bee thy subiect, thy seruant, I will kisse thy foote: deny not my loue for thou hast bewitcht my heart, inchaunted me, fired mee with a quenchlesse flame, all my boddie burnes and nothing but the sweete Dewe of the graunt can [Page] quallifie it: make mee either vnfortunate or hap­py sweet Madame. This being breathed from his longing soule, she farre more tractable to loues motions then he, made a full conclusion of a willing acceptance in this fort: I haue a minde imperious monarche (said she) soaring vp to the batlements of heauen, no bace desires nor lowebred thought, shall any whit aspire my princely will: I ayme at a kingly bed, where maisstie sleepes, whose chamber is imperious, garded with commanding statesmen: seauen weary winters, and as many sommers haue my hopes bene climing vp this kingly ladder, and now on the top of fortunes wheele am I fallen into a princes bosome: in louing me (great King) thou conquerest fate, thou subiectest hell, thou maist (by my assistance) commaund legions of the black hoast to houer ouer thy Pallace, and in the twinkling of an eye, blast vp all thy wicked consperators: if our mindes but once proue equall in the cheare of soueraingty, the earth shall be farre too lit­tle for thy gouernement: my magick charmes shall vn­bowell the earth, rip vp her bosome, ransack her rich trea­sures for thy vse: my magicke charmes for thee, and for thy pleasure shall empty the vast Drean and cram thy kingdome with those riches that mans eye hath not séene since the worlds creation: my charmes for thy content shall paue thy Court with pearles, emrodes and Dia­monds: commaund great king, and the marble stones that now compase thy pallace shal daunce, and the ayer like singing Cherubins sound vs heauenly hermony: con­tents delights, pleasures, ioyes, and all the solaces of heauen and earth, shall be thy attendants by inuesting me thy equall in great maiestie: thus, and in this manner did she clime the supremacie, and tyed vpon her backe the title of a Quéeue. Being both inchanted thus, and intangled in the snares of desire, they imediately tied Himens knot, aband that none sunders but death: the mariage they so­lemnized the same night, not able to stay the mornings rise, [Page] but as blacke thoughts haue blacke euents, so in blacke manner was this mariage celibrated, it was even at the midle of night, when the Scritch-owle, Kockes, and Doremice, sleepe in foggy mistes: it was euen at that houre when the ghoastes of dead men walke, when mur­therers dreame of villany, even when y^e earth had her fable garments on, was this sacred knot vnited, both being impatient of delay, he burning in lust, she aspiring a king­dome, conuerted the holy temple to a mariage bed: be e­uer black this deede of hell, and neuer be it sould but with a trembling tongue, for neuer was night more darke then this: the fable curtines of the ayer were all as pitch, and seemd so hide this poluted sinne: the earth cast vp such a misty vapour, that extingguished both fire and cresset­lights: art could not make one candles flame, nor any meane of brightnesse to beholde each other: so wicked was this enterprise of theirs, that both heauen & earth shewed fatall prodegies, and euerie thing (that dismall night) grew different from nature: nothing was heard but bowling Dogges, croaking Loades, and hissing snakes, vnknowne voyces bellowed in the court, and the polluted Temple so vilely stained, was compassed about with gast­ly spirits, Fire-drakes and walking Goblins. But marke now the strangest of al wonders, euen at the verie instant when the seede of procreation conioyned; euen as it were a crie of mandrakes strooke the King into a madnes, blas­pheming heauen till his tongue grew dumbe, his eyes blinde, his eares dease, his ioyntes numbe, and all his bo­dye shapelesse. And as a Beare new whelpt like a lampe of flesh without fashion, lay clasped in the armes of this new made Queene. But now when the morning came, and that the light of heauen sommond all creatures from sleepe, the Nobles of his court came to his bed, five, think­ing to giue them both a ioyfull good morrow, but euen as their lips gaue way to their tongues passage, their eies es­pied this fearefull accident: a iudgement that heauen hath [Page] sildome yet showne, which was a king, deafe, dumb, blinde and senceles, by breathing life: which straunge fight stroke the nobles into such a maze, that without any further speach they forsooke the court, confidently thinking it vn­happie, in harboring so vile a monster as this king was. Now this new made Queene or damned inchantresse, ha­uing purchased a kingdome by hirblacke proceedings, was so blinded with the greatnesse of maiestie, and so rauished with the brightnesse of a crowne, being now sole Queene and gouernour thereof, made a carelesse sport of gods indg­ment, and hauing in hir court none left but parasites, and flatterers, such as are commonly the right hands to prin­cipalities, made the greatest sinners the most honorable, and held the vitious in best regard: the deformed shape of the king hauing life but no sences, she caused to be put in a brasen coffen, and fed him dayly with humane blood, which she poured into his mouth through quilles of filuer: the successe hereof you shall heare in the next chapter, and what a straunge conception she had after this first night of hir mariage.

Chap. 2.

SDone blasted were the hopes of this aspiring Queene, and scowling mischance with a bended brow, hemd in their mariadge bed: heauens wrath and hells fury, layd heauie burthens vppon them, and as it were, broke their heart-strings asunder: for Miracola, after she had coffend her deformed husband, yet breathing life, melancholly dis­paire [Page] and pining griefe chiefely atended vppon her: discontent, suspition, and feare were her gardiants by day, and by night: straunge visions, dolefull out­cries & vnquiet dreames assayled her: wilde beasts straide from the woods and in same manner made them dennes within her court: vnlucky birds forsooke the ayre to sit vippon her pallace, such as nightowles and crooking ra­uens be, sounding forth fatall and harsh harmony: the sun seemd to shine vppon her with a scowling face, the moone as a shamd of her soulesdānation (in conferring thus w^t de­uills) as it were drew backe behinde the pitchy clowdes, and vnwillingly lent light vnto the meaner starres: eache thing grew contrary to kinde, onely her selfe excepted, for she hauing made an atonement with the princes of the fie­ry world, put her whole confidence in them, and onelye trusted through their asistance, to lead Fortune in a string and at her pleasure commaund kingdomes. So vppon an euening, when the daies bright eye had left heauens sater pallace, and night with her blacke canopie, had compast in the earth, she betooke her to her priuate chamber, where Medea like, she raised vp her ould seruants, the furies or rather the spirrits of darkenes, from their burning beds, such as condemned soules lye flaming vppon, who no soo­ner presented themselues before her, but shee questioned them in this manner: I charge you (quoth she) you ene­mies to heauen and man, by the band and condition made betwixt you and me sealed with my dearest blood, and by the seauen sucking babes that I once offred to you at mid­night, and by the hope you haue of my soulos purchase at my deaths fatall hower, answere me truly to three seue­rall questions which here I will presently propound vnto you: first how long my life shall continue, secondly whe­ther I shall die a Queene or not: lastly the number of my children and their following fortunes: to which propost­tions, these instruments of mischiefe imediately condis­cended to aunswere, but vppon this straunge condition following: that as a toe to these blacke barrasters, shee [Page] should deliuer vp her husbands deformed body, and serue it to them in seauen seuerall banquets, that both his flesh and blood, as a bribe to hell might be made foode for spir­rits: which demaund to this woman monster, seem'd but an easierequest, and therefore like to the viper, which feeds vppon her owne dam, gaue that life and body to the ty­rany of hell, which ought to haue bene pretious in the ese of heauen, and the dearest iewell of her owne heart: These diligent deceiuers hauing no sooner promise of this pur­chased prize, but in a misticali sort, or riddle like, gaue an­sweres to her three former questions, in this sort: First, for the continuance of her life, they saide she should liue til the seauen daies of the weeke were forgotten: the second question was, whether she should dye a queene or not, they answered that neither heauen nor earth, God nor man, should take her kingdome from her: the third and last question was, to know the number of her children and their following fortunes, to this they answered, that from her boodie should spring seauen braunches, whose tops should reach to heauen: These answers to this accursed womans eares, came more ioyfull, then the reports of par­don to a condemned man, and more pleasing to her heart then for a moorish slaue from the cheaned gaily to be ad­uan'st vnto a kingdome: therefore with a setied trust and assurauce of the spanish crowne and gouernment (litle mi­strusting the flie defeates of these misticall answeres) with all conuenient speed prouided a chamber, wherein she might performe her damned condition, and deliuer vp her husbands body to the gluttony of hell: therefore ascending to the top of her pallace, into a marble tower, she caused her husbands bodie to be bronght thether, and after com­maunded the walles to be hung round about with blacke mourning cloth, to signifie her damned and fatall enter­prise: this being done, she purposed to deuide the seruice of her seauen bauquets into seauen seuerall daies, and in this manner were they accomplished: the first day vppon a ta­ble [Page] of blacke Ebony, in two pron plates or platters, she set the two legs of her vnhappy husband, which so often (in his good daies of fortune) bestride the warlike palfrey in the honour of his country: the second day vppon the same Ebony table, she placed his fine wd thighes (in two vessels of lead) whose blew veignes, signified the force & strength of manhood: the third day the likewise brought to the table his secret partes and bowels, in a vessell of tin or pewter, wherein lay the seed of procreation: the fourth day she fur­nished the same table, in a charger of brasse, with the belly and inward partes of his body, which had so often bene cherisht with delicious and princely banquets: the fift day in like manner in a vessell of compounded mettle named alchemye, she brought to the table his manly breast, which as a tower had many yeares clos'd vp his heart: the sixt day in a platier of fine siluer, she serued in y^e two arms of her husband, which whilst vertue gouernd, held both thescepter of peace and the sword of warre: the seauenth and last, day in a vessell of pure gould, being the dearest and richest seruice, she brought in his head, which had so often bene ornafied with an imperiall diadem, centaining a tongue that could in former times, haue giuen thée life or death: all these vnnaturall seruises by the hands of a woluish natured woman. Being no sooner finished, the fatall table auosded, but both heauen and earth, land & sea, as it were gaue echoes of terror: hell it selfe seemed to trem­ble, and spewed vp corrupted sauors, & from her fiery fur­naces, cast abroad such sparckling flames, y^e euen the im­brodered vestures beset with goldsmiths workmanship, so gorgeously beautifing her bodie, were fiered, and she golden traniels of her haire, burnd from her head: notwith­standing all this nothing amazed the shameles minde of Miracola, nor any way affrighted her w^t the teror of hea­uens wrath, for y^e thirst of promotiō so bewitched her, am­bitious pride so inchanted her, and the desire of a diadem so imboldned her, that thinking both crown and kingdom her asurance for euer, by y^e false promises of hel: imediately [Page] vpon this same tower or chāber wher she had thus sacrifi­ced her husbands body, she caused certaine characters or let­ters to be ingrauen vpon the marble walles, concerning her perpetuall happiness: The first superscription was to this effect following. Vpon this earth Miracola shalliue, till the seauen daies of the weeke be forgotten: which she thought was foreuer.

The second superscription was: That neither heauen nor earth, God nor man should take her kingdome from her.

The third: That her children like seauen braunches should reach to heauen.

These three promises she regarded as Oracles, and be­leeued that through them her earthly happines should neuer end: but suddainely this violent ioy, turned into an extreame griefe, for as she stood contemplating of these neuer-ceasing delights, there entred inuisiblie into the chamber, one of the blackepotentates of hell, and vnder euery one of these superscriptions, ingraued these signifi­cations: Vnder the first this: The seauen daies of the weeke, be thy seauen daughters now breeding in thy wombe, who no sooner ripe but rotten, no sooner borne but forgoten.

Vnder the second: Though neither heauen nor earth, God nor man, will take the kingdome from thee, yet hel and the deuill shall.

Vnder the third: The seauen braunches whose tops should reach to heauen, be the seauen deadly sinnes that shall spring from thy wombe, whose bloody enterpri­ses and blacke deedes, shall clime heauen for an eternall Iudgement.

These dismall and ominous reuelations, were no soo­ner ceazed vppon, by the eyes of this accursed Queene, but all the partes of her body trembled with feare: not a member but the terror thereof distempered: now feare of Gods vengeance by little and little entred into her heart, and the quiuering thought of hells damnation filld her bo­some full of dispaire: without all hope of saluation, she in­clos'd [Page] herselfe in the centorie of the earth, in a caus where neither light of sunne, nor the glimmering brightnes of the moone might discend, nor any voice of man or other crea­ture could yeeld her comfort: thus excluding her selfe from all worldly solaces, committing the gouernment of hir kongdome to Scicophants and carelesse guiders, she wast­ed away the time of ten moneths, in this dark and solita­rie dungeon, both day and night, making these or such like wofell lamentations: Oh Nature (quoth she) thou nurse of euery liuing thing, why did it not thou end me in my first beginning? why did my mothers wombe, bring to light this my damned soule? why did my cradle rock this my body of perdition, to so many lullabies? I wish my nurses pappe had peelded nought but venomed poyson, and that my swathing clothes, had ben sheetes of boyling lead, that both life and body at one instant had been both consu­med: but woe is me, I am resecued for an eternal torment: my tongue bath consented to my soules everlasting dam­nation, and my hand seald to to a band that can neuer be can­cel'd, till I becast into hels deuowring bowels: fall vpon me thou great frame of heauen & cover me: thunder-claps descend, whirle windes arise, and cast me beyond the bounds of mans imaginations: thou spirit of red venge­ance, transforme me to some venemous worme: make me without soule, or feeling, that my torments be not ever­lasting: woe vppon woe pursues me, for the gayning of a crowne and kingdome, haue I sould and foreuer lost my deare soule, whome all the treasures both of earth and sea, nor the prasers of good men can euermore redeeme, curst be mine eies that traind me to this damned studdy: band be my tongue that pradisd first these incantations: and woe to all my wits and senses, that so cursedly gaue over themselves, to these magick charmes now rane and rage, be you mad, distraught and lunaticke: dig vp the bowelles of the earth, and wander far beyond the Antipodes: but ob for euer weepe, weepe thou most miserable soule, howle [Page] and lament that griefe may split asunder thy sad heart, for such a woful heart neuer lin'd in womans breast: thus and in this maner spent she in deepe lamentations, both minutes, howers, weekes and moneths, fill her wombe grew big, and the fruit therein ripe and ready to fall.

Chap. 3.

NOw betwirt her prodegious and vnlucky ma­riage, ten times had the siluer moone renewd her brightnesse, and the time of her deliuerie drew neare vnto the appointed hower: when in great torments both of soule and bodie, she ascended from her darke habitation, where, for fortie weekes, her rhiefest foode was sorow, griefe and care: but now like vnto the owle ashamed of the light, she came abroad, and caused prouision to be made fitting for her deliuery: and although her Ladies inwardly hated her life and conuer­sation, yet in charitie and christian love, they attended her safetie, being conducted to her chamber, where the painefull hower of chlide bearing were to be inbured: the pinching throes so tortured her womb (bearing so strange a burthen) that she in verry griefe and agonie thereof, with her natles tore out her owne eies, and wonld haue rent the fruit aliue out of her wombe, had not the tender care of her Ladies preuented her: Thus sightles and com­fortlesse fell she in labor, wherein she centinued in great extreamltle for the space of seauen daies, making such bitter mone, and breathing from her painefull heart such dolefull groanes, as would haue forced euen merciles [Page] Tigers to pittie: and so straunge was her daliuerie, that the report thereof might fill large volumes with bitter la­mentations: for in seauen daies she brought forth seauen maiden children, euery one as hateful to the world, as the seauen deadly sines: all at one birth, a thing sildom seene, but that God in instice will shew his iuogement, vppon so inhumane a woman.

The first was borne vpon the sunday, which we compare vnto pride, as the course of verlise hereafter shall because, which childe was called Sola, after the dates name.

The second vppon the munday, which we liken vnto enuy, according to her liues quallitie, and bore the name of Lucina.

The third vppon tuesday, which we alude vnto wrath, and therefore named Martia.

The fourth vppon wednesday supposd to be couetous­nes, which we call Mercuria.

The fist vppon thursday, which we imagine to be dron­hennes, and therefore we name her Iouina.

The fixt vppon friday, which we place for letchery, and giue her the name of Venorina.

The seauenth and last of this ominous brood, was borne vppon the saturday, which weterme to be sloth, and so call her Saturnia.

Thus was the seede of shame brought into the world, at whose birthes seauen black rauens, set croaking direct­ly vppon the top of her chamber, and the howlets of mis­chaunce, with fatall wings flustered against the christall windows: eache one of them borne with teeth in their mouthes, whereat the midwife and other her asistants (the Ladies there present) were much amazed, and with trembling hearts seared to behold so strange a spectacle of nature: but as fate and destinye had alotted, they of their owne fres willes, prouived for these seauen monsters (thus borne) seauen seuerall nurses, the wiues of seanen shepheares, which anely had their habitations, in wod­dig [Page] die caues, where they were diligently brought vp and not once suffered till their full age to come within the Court gates, where we will leaue them to fortunes direction for a time: The wofull mother of these vnfortunate chil­dren, being now safely deliuered, (through her owne ex­treame violence, lying sightlesse in her childbed, the onely foe to worldly delights) in the hearing of many standers by, breathed forth this pittifull complaint: oh how happy is the silly worme (saide she) that hath neither soule nor vnderstanding, whereby the threatning of euerlasting torments may not affright it the miseries of this worlde wherein I now deseruedly lie, are but as delights & sports in regard of them I shall feele! when the doomes daye of my life is past. I lye now as it were vppon a bed of pric­king thornes, & stung with a thousand serpentine stings: but woe is me, my guiltie conscience doubts, that for my wilfull loosing of my soule. I shall lye boyling in the red hotte chaldron of damnation, more thousands of yeares; then blades of grasse growe vppon the earth, leaues vpon trees, or starres in y^e christall firmament: and more, which terrifies my condemned soule, I shall ye there in consu­ming paine, (but neuer consumed) more millions of yeres then as if a heap of sand should lye on earth, whose toppe should reach to heauen, and once in euery million of yeres an eagle should fetch away but one sand, yet would those yeares of torments haue an end, but mine can neuer fi­nish, for selling that sweete soule that my deere sauiours life was shed for: me thinkes I heare seauen sucking babes knocking at heauen gates for vengeance against me, for giuing vp their tender bodies as a foode for spirrits: me thinks I heare seauen virgins (all the daughters of migh­tie Potentates) accusing me for inchanting them, to a heape of senceles stones: me thinkes I heare seauen aged men, whose heads were beawtified with milke white pledges of wisdome, all comming as witnesses against me, for sucking way their blood by spirrits, in the likenes [Page] of aspes and adders, and after sacrificing the marrow of their bones, to the chiefe Prince of darknes, for which my conscience now tels me, y^e heauens yron hand of vengeance in euen ready to strike, and that hells wrath is inuenting now tortures for my soule: and now there is a horred voice thunders in mine eare, that this my euer stained crime shall be also scourged in my seede, and all my kinred washt from the face of the earth, into the vnknowne vault of for­getfulnes: and now in speaking these words, all her ioints grew lame and numbe, thereby to ioyne in equall misery with her sightles eyes: where we will leaue her now, as the picture of calanutie, lying in childbed, for the space of one and twentie yeares, and speake of her childrens mis­fortunes, whose liues were as ovious to the world, as the seauen deadly sinnes.

CHAP. 4

THeeldest and first childe of this viperous Queene, borne vppon a sunday, hearing the name of Sola, and being the true pic­ture of pride, in life and nature perseue­ring in that deadly sinne, for being no soo­ner growne to the ripenesse of age, and that the yeares of discreation had grafted hir with vnder­standing she was by the nobles and ladies of the Land, brought to the court, in hope that after her mothers decease (by the decree of frowning chaunce, lying then in marne­lous calamities shee would proue a gratious and good [Page] queene, but it happened farre otherwise, for being now on the way of preferment, and cluning vp the steps of imperi­all dignitie, a kinde of commaunding pride so bewitched her, that she esteemd her selfe aboue womans kinde, and that nature had framd her of no earthly substance, but ra­ther of the pure mould of celestiall angels: her crimson co­loured cheekes whereon the glory of beautie seemd to shine her iuory front or forehead where art and nature stroue for supremasie: and her bright twinckling eyes, within whose pretty balls, the God of loue seemd to shew himselfe, were al in her proved imaginations too pretious for the sun to shine vppon, and her selfe, with al other partes of her bo­die, the most pure workmanship of natures experience, she held too angel like, to tread vpon the grose earth: there­fore she, (the more to aduance her great pride) caused a chariot of christal glasse to be made, close framed on al sides to keepe both winters blastes and sommers heat from her delicate bodie: the which chariot by skilfull art was wasted vp and downe, by artificial meanes deuised mans inuention: her foode was the purest re­storoties of the earth, both of beastes, birds, fowles and fishes, and the onely quintisence of nourishments to main­taine life: her pleasures were the musique and singing voi­ces of young virgins, the daughters of noble men and knights: her garments were of the finest Medean silkes, weau'd vpon siluer loomes by Arabian queenes: Thus pomp and pride eleuating her minde, as it were beyond the ambition of Lucifer, who sought to pull God out of heauen and esteemd no man of that royall birth, worthy to match with her in miriage: Emperors and kings she accounted but as slaues to fortune, and the onely subie as to variable chaunce: many high personages enterprizd the conquest of her loue, but reaped the fruites of deniall and disgrace, and were not suffered that asuming sauour, as once to kisse her prowd hand: yet al last three bould aduenturous gal­lants, hearing her thūdring fame rumord about the world, [Page] attempted to purchace the cōquest of this prize, that neither Emperours nor kings could obtaine:

The first was a Soldier, whose valor and matchles thinarie, vpon the wings of fame was carried by and down the earth, as far as euer the golden eie of heauen hath shew­en his glistering brightnesse.

The second was a Scholler, whose Academick skill in all the seauen liberall sciences, might challenge in all prin­ces courts, the honours of the golden tongue.

The third and last was a marchant, whose trauelles by sea, round about the earth, compassing seauen times the equinoctiall line, purchased such wealth, as builded one of the greatest citties in the world: These three (times hono­red champions) comming before this prowd Ladie of the earth, who sitting then like a goddesse, vpon the tribunall seat of majestie, began their loues embassage, in this man­ner.

Deuine Sola (saide the Soldier) thou miracle of woman kinde, at whose birth good fortune daunced, this bodie of mine is become thy humble vassell, and now yeelds all his purchast honours at thy gracious feete: I that by warre haue foragd kingdomes, vnpeopled countries, and made whole fields flowing with blood, wil now at thy roial com­maund, kisse the sacred plot of ground, where thy celestiall foote but stangeth: I that haue dyed the flinty pauements of conquered cities with the purple goare of humaine car­kasses: and fed my pampered steedes with the flesh of man, am now subiected to thy thrice glorious person, and chal­lendge to my selfe, no other happines, but one smiling glaunce from thy angellicall eyes: graunt then thy loue thou Iewell of nature, and let my soule feed vpon the [...] pines that proceedes from the censure of thy blessed tongue in condiscending to my loue: legions of aduenturous knights shall fill thy pallace with renowne, and by their knightly prowesse, fetch conquered kings from al the parts of the world, to one obeysance to thy imperiall greatnesse. [Page] And in louing me great princesse (qd. the scholler) the vn­searched studies of all sciences, shall be at thy commaund: the pleasures of musique, the helpes of phisicke, the elo­quence of tongues, the secrets of starres, the natures of na­tions, and moreouer the sweet consolation of deuine medi­tations, shal eleuate thy soule to the shining paradice of vn­speakeable blessednes: then make a scholler happy in thy lone sweet Sola, in whose deepe vnderstanding, lye the se­crets both of aire, earth and sea.

And in louing me thou paragon of beawtie, (quoth the marchant) the far fetcht treasures of rich India, the gould of Arabia, and the vnualued carbuncles of goulen Ganges, aboundantly shall fall into thy lap: I haue measured the earth seauen times about, and vpon the sea spread such a fleete of ships, and rich Argoses, which like to a toplesse forrest seemd to hide heauen, all these for thee and for thy loue shal sayle to those nations where no sunne shines, nor moone giues light: to those kingdomes where one night continues sixe months, (and their purchase by long trauel) those inestimable valued vestures, which had wont to beawtifie the prowd queenes of Asia: bamasks, goalden tissues, and robes of siluer, shall be as common to thy de­lights, as rich scarlets were to the princes of Iudea: in louing me thou shalt be atended with more roilties, then king Salomon was in all his pompe: these and such like were the proffered curtesies of these three gallant gentle­men, euery one hoping thereby to obtaine the good will of this prowd Ladie: who was as far from kind acceptance of their seruices, as the starued Lionesse is from merry when the ceazeth vpon the innocent lambe: therefore re­thing no other councellors but pride and ambition, the onely nurses of confusion, without any further considera­tion, made them this answere.

That man (high spirited gentlemen) that in my bed shall set his foote, and crop the bud of my virginitie, the which I haue denied vnto kinges, shall win the same grace [Page] with a seuere taske or knightly aduenture. First to you, thou vndaunted knight of war, if thou canst either by po­licy or manhood, either wit or conquest of thy sword, gaine and purchase me a bed, that shall be fild with a softer sub­stance then the soft downe, that grows vppon the milke white swans backe, thou shalt inioy my loue, and I will onley be thy wife: Likewise to thee thou scholler like man of art, if by thy learning or any other deep mistery, thou cāst frame me a fountaine, that shall containe a purer water then that which raines from heauen, or that which springs from the cundets of the earth. thou shalt gaine my loue, and I will be onely thy wife. Lastly to thee thou noble ad­venturous marchāt, if thou by any trauaile either by land or sea, canst finde me a bread that shall be better then that of wheat, thou shalt haue my loue, and I will onely be thy wife. Vpon these strict conditions, or rather Nerculian la­bours, these three gallants without any further reply, de­parted each one his seurall way, striuing which of them should accomplish the taske proposed vnto them: where we will leaue them for a while trauailing straunge cun­tries, dilligently seeking to bring these their straunge la­bours to an end, and speake of the woful miseries that the heauen aflicted this prowd Ladie withall.

Many months passed ouer the head of this hated woman after their departures: and as she grew in age, so did her pride increase, in somuch that for the mainteinance of her vaine beautie, she had atending vppon her a hundred of faire and yong wiues, that once euerie day with the milke of their breasts, fild a cestern of fine gould, with the which euery morning she bathed her bodie, onely to make her beawtiful faire and white skin more smooth and amiable: and that foode which nature gaue for the nourishment of young infants, according to Gods will, she wickedly abu­lediu the mainteinance of pride and in the seruice of the de­uill: This vile course of life she long wandred in, loosing herselfe in the wildernesse of blacke iniquitte, till the all­seeing [Page] seeing eies of wrath descended heauen, and in a moment strooke this prowd exeature, into such on ovious leapro­sie, that neither eye could indure her sight, nor nostrella­vide her corrupting sauours: now that bodie so finely framd of natures chiefest mould, that lately would not in­dure the whistling of the gentle windes, were now more lothsome then the spotted adder: and that cleare celestiall face, that disdaind to entertaine the comfortable heate of the warme sunne, was now more ovious (to mans sight) then the swelling toad and all those Ladies that had wont to atend vppon her, forsooke her company, and fled her chamber, as from adenne of snakes: they that kept nearest to her, were distressed people and vile malefactors, such as were lately deliuered from loathsome prisons and deepe dungeons: and these in contempt of heauens iudgement, caused she with sharpe rasers to flea off the vpper skinne, from her spotted face and leaprous bodie, in hope that a new, young, and fresh skinne would againe growe, and that her beawtte in a liuely manner would againe be re­plenished, and not as now blemished with one stained spot or soule vlcer: all this according to her will was imediate­ly performed, but to small purpose, for the enuy of heauen cloathed with red vengeauce had doomed her to a misera­ble death, for neither art nor nature, by any practise could euer after couer her hated bodie with any kind of skin, but that all hir flesh contine wed rawe and loathsome, and pu­trified vnto her bones: in this torment (as a iudgement of hir pride) remained she, desiring death, but could not dye, til the moone had twice twelue times renewd her bright­nes, and that the earth had twice put on her spring (times liuery) and twice frostie bearded winter disrobd dame natures Gardens: then, oh then returnd the three wandring louers, with conquest of their straunge ad­ventures, earth one hoping to reape the deserts of their true merrits.

The Soldier whose taske was to finde a bedde fild [Page] with a solter substance then the downe feathers of swans, in this daungerous manner brought he his labour to an end.

First, after his departure from this prowd Lady So­la, he trauelled many strange countries, meeting with many straunge people, and in searching many strange places, he happend into a caue, where liu'da Satyr of such bignes, as mans eye had hardly seene: this Satyr liu'd vppon the spoile of traueliers, within whose Caue lay the signes of such as he had murthered and deuowred: the number of the dead bones and sculles which lay heaped there together, draue such an admiration into the soldiers heart, that for a time his feare so aboun­ded that hee stood as it were senceles: but at last be­ing ornefied with the bould courage of manhood, hee drew foorth his short semiter, and with one blow smote of the Satyrs head, whilst he lay sleeping vppon a bedde stuffed with nothing but winde, the which the soldier no sooner perceiued, but he verily beleeued his taske to be ended, and that a bedde stuffed close with winde, were farre more softer then the downe of signets, so taking vp the same bedde, and packing it vppon his Bennet behinde him, he arriued as you heard at the pallace of this prowd Ladie, whose misfortunes with fatall newes no sooner gaue him intertainement, but he fell into a melaucholly dispaire, and now seeing his long and dan­gerous trauailes, reaping no better successe, as one wea­ried both of life and good chaunce, conuaide the saide windie bedde into a field, vp to the toppe of a high moun­taine, where vppon he laide his brused bodie, and was by the saide winde imediatiely carried away for euer.

The Scholler whose long tranells and deepe studdie, nothing inferiour to the Soldier, after he had spent two yeares practice in framing a Fountaine, that should yeelde such a Water, that neither rayned [Page] from heauen, nor sprung from the conduits of the earth: a taske as he thought impossible yet good chaunce so direct­ed his steps, that he ariued in the Ile of Delphos, at the Dracle of Apollo, who after his deuine sacrifice, had this pleasing answere reuealed to him: The dew of heauen is neither water from the clowds, nor water springing from the earth: replenith a fountaine therewith and so conquer fate, for inded he conquered fate: for at his returne to the prowd Ladies court, in hearing of heauens iudgement laid vppon her, and how that he had consumed two yeres labor to no effect, he presently fell lunaticke and dyed. Lastly, the marchant tasted of deaths cup, as dearly as the others did, for after he had brought a bread far better then the bread of wheat, which is the bread of saluation, the sacred bible of God which he fetcht from the temple in Ierusalem: but when he saw the end of his hopes rewarded with a vision of calamitie, he departed to a desert wildernesse, onely in­habited with wilde beastes, where for want of foode, he fa­mished himselfe to death.

Then Sola after she had inteligēce of the liues ruins, of those 3. gallāt gentlemen, whom she had so cruelly doomed to miserable trauailes, and that for her sake they all three lost their liues, she in great dispaire of eternall happinesse, breathed her soule into the aire, wishing her sir sisters by her example to imbrace humilitie.

Chap. 5.

LVcina being the second daughter to the inchanted queene, bearing in her breast the burning fier of enuy, [Page] neuer differed from that deadly sinne, all the date of her wretched life: for after the dicease of her prowd sister, no long time passed on, before Iulianus then king of France, tooke her in mariage, whose nuptiall rights these two countries solemnized, in most princely manner, and the chiefest delights and pleasures belonging to a Queene daily attended vpon her: all things she could either wish or desire were at her commaundment: heauen and earth concluded to make her a happy princesse: onely this, con­tent of minde wanted, for nature denied to fructifle her bo­die, and grace her with the name of a mother: therefore in wanting children she grew enuious to the world, and spighted those women that heauen had so blessed: now in processe of time, the king, queene and the nobilitie of the land road a progresse, into the countrie, more by their presence to win their subiects loue, then for their owne contents and pleasure: and as in great state, and moste princely manner, they passed by a forest side, where then was scituated the castle of an auncient knight, and an old seruit or to the kings father in the christian warres, and therefore was intitled one of the knights of the Roads, in which castle as the queene passed by, a moste pleasant and delightfull melodie of musique sounded in her eare, at which not saeing any, she greatly maruelled, and demaun­ded the cause of that extraordinarie reioysing: the answere was, that vppon that day was borne to the knight and la­die of the castle, a man childe, who neuer before that time, for the space of twelue yeres, was grac'd with any: is this the cause (saide the queene) now I sée bace subiects in dis­grace of the queenes barrennes, will not sticke but make therof a may-game, and to mine owne eares giue me a dis­honourable scandall, as I am now queene of frannce this their presumption shall be quittanced with death, and short shalbe the ioy they receiue in this childes birth: thus enuy like a conquerer, seazd vppon all the parts of her bo­die: & with the vndeserued hate she bore vnto this knight [Page] and his ladie, her verry heart plotted straunge confusion [...] all the way as the road along not a word proceeded from her month, but sanord of enuy and mallice, and not a flumber closed vp her eyelids, but it begot dreams of hate and furie: all her meditations were of the ouerthrow of these two guiltiesse soules, who little mistrusted what deadly plots she decised against their deare liues: eury day to this enuious queene seemd a yeare till their progresse ended, which as ill fortune had allotted, was broke of in this manner.

The commous of Normandie and Pikardie, made an insurrection against the nobilitie, and none but the kings presence could alay their tumulteous furies, who with al speede, princely prouided with men, mony and munition, tooke his iorney towards them, whose absence no sooner gaue way to the queenes mallice, bat she dispatched a messenger (one of the groomes of the kings chamber) to the betraied knight and his ladie, not yet churched comman­ding them by the dewtie of aleadgeance, to repaire vnto the court, and giue attendance in her chamber, till the kings returne (onely as she dissembled) the dearest friends to trust vnto.

This message of the Queenes pleasure, being no sooner deliuered to the knight and his ladie, but as dutifull subiects, reioyced that their seruices in the kings absence, could bring vnto the queene such high pleasure, therefore leauing their castle in quiet gouernment, with all conuenient speede they repaired to the queenes pallace, bearing with them their little childe, who at the first were in­tertaind with a friendly regard, and their childe by the queenes commaundment taken from them, and as shee saide) put feorth to nurse: but such a bloodie nursery I think neuer tender babe induced: little suspected the good knight and his gentle ladie, what a balefull banquet was preparing for them, for the enuious and angry queene, in steed of tender paps to giue the infant nourishment, shee [Page] commaunded it to be made foode for that wombe, that gaue it first life: is hauing blooddie ministers readie pre­pared for that tirranicall enterprize according to her wic­ked meaning, the prestie babe as a seruice (bakt in a pie) was brought to the table of the vnhappy parents, whome the queene had then placed in two chaires in her chamber, directly the one against the other, where after they had saitisfied hanger (vnknowne to them) with the fruit of their owne howels, she locking fast the chamber doore, a­sisted by three or feure bloody murtherers, prouided for the same purpose, and bound them both fast in their chaires with hempen coardes, bands vnsitting for such noble minded personages, and being now seltered in the gins of confusion with an enuious tongue she vitered forth the rancour of her heart in this manner.

Maruell not prowd knight (quoth the queene) nor thou thou painted minion of beawtie, at this your sodaine mis­usage, for till I behould both your hearts liuelesse, your eyes sightles, and your tongues speachles, the rauening fawes of fury feeds vppon my soule: what hath nature in you grafted more then in me? you being bacely borne, haue the gifts of children, I royally descended, am made barren, by desteny: and because the seede of procreation prospers in your adulterous beds, you liue in all sollitie, making reioycing melodie to my disgrace, whilst I pi­ning in woe, vainely desiting children cānot obtaine them: therefore know that I being a queene, hauing a boddie yong, faire, and likely to conceaue, crost and spighted by the cruelties of nature, haue protested a secret reuenge a­gainst you, and all such as so my dishonour haue their bodies seeming with children: and now you two shall be the beginners of my intended massacars: therefore knowe, as the first act to this my blacke tragedie, you haue fed and satisfied hunger, with the fruit of your owne bowels: so vppon thee (thou father of this deed infant, by thine owne selfe heere deuowred) I will extend such a [Page] torment, as neuer Lirant deuised, but as thou art a Soldi­er, so Soldier like shalt thou finish vp thy daies, whervp­pon she caused an armour burning red hot from the fire to be brought, and without either mercy or pittie, buckeld it vnto his naked backe, where (like vnto Hercules putting on the shirt that cruell Nessus sent) he made such pittifull moane as might haue inforced teares to fal from a Tigers eye, and the verry marble stones giue signes of laments, but poore knight as without cause he indurd this dying pu­nishment, so with great patienes yeelded he vp his ghoast, in the sight of his beloued Ladie, who being no lesse perplered with the frights of pale death, awaited the fatall hower of the like dying torments, which according to her sorrowfull expectation, she was imediately presented withall, for whilst she sate fast bound in her chaire, gazing vppon the dead broiled bodie of her husband, this enuious queene caused her to be stript starke naked, and to her two tender breasts, placed two speckled venomd snakes, almost starued for want of foode, which with their poisoned stings suckt her hearts life blood quight through her breasts, du­ring which time of her dying torments, continuing for the space of an hower, these and such like lamentations shee breathed foorth.

Oh you dreadfull powers of heauen! why in a milde womans breast, haue you placed a Tigers heart? why haue you suffered kinde to worke against kinde, nature a­gainst nature, and reason against reason? one woman thus cruelly to betray another? oh where is gentlenes become? whether is mercy fled? one beast will not hurt each other, the vilest worme the earth breedes, will by nature pittie one another: but here is a woman that hath shamd her sex, distaind nature, poluted woman kinde, an enemie both to heauen and earth: she hath made me husbandlesse, and childlesse, and imediately will make me liuelesse: oh thou celestiall tower, where iustice sits enthroaned open thy glorious gates toe utertaine a widows curse, strike downe [Page] with a heauy hand, let shame and distruction persue her to death, let some miracle of her tirany be the worlds mark till doomes day: some strange confusion finish vp her life to appease the soules of three vnfortunate wretches, onely made miserable through the enuy of a malicious queene: and now thou earth farwell, thou nurse and mother of my life adiew, let three liues in two bodies be in thy bosome intombd, for now I feele deaths wrath tearing my heart in sunder and the verry minute of my life fading, and gen­tle death now art thou welcome: thus with a groane I close thee in my bosome: and in speaking these wordes the braunches of her life witheced: The enuious queene thus triumphing in the victorie of their destructions, not any whit relented at the pitteous moane of this good Ladie, but like an vntamed Panther, deuised new cruelties against their dead bodies, which she performed in this vile maner: Contrary to good nature and all humanitie, she caused a furnace to be heat red hot, and therein consumed the sub­stance of these dead bodies into pale ashes, from whences flew sparckling flames of fire, like flakes of bloud vp to­wards heauen, as it were chalendging vengeance at the throne of maiestie.

These tirannicall deedes both against life and death were no sooner effected, but news came vnto her, of her Princely husbands returne from quieting the cōmons tu­mults, whom she purposed with a disembling countenance of ioy to entertaine: so atiring herselfe in her richest orna­ments, attended on with a troope of honourable Ladies, some mile distant, from her blood-stained pallace, she gratu­lated the king with a princely welcome home: but (as the angry fates had iustly decreed) before the word of welcome could proceed from her mouth, the heauens cast such a darke clowd ouer y^t earth, with such a feareful tempest, and thun­der, that the fruites of the earth flamed & the leaues of trées were scortched to satisfie y^e angry wrath of heauen, wherat the king afrighted in minde, challenged the queene of some [Page] black misdeed by her committed, beauy in the sight of hea­uen, in being thus offended with the world, but she whose heart, blushies sinne had hardned, grew impatient at his speaches, and wisht that beauen might make her one of the worlds wonders, if euer she wrought or consented to any deede of shame, other then what vertue put her in minde to dee. this presumptious wish of hers so displeased the al-seeing powers, that imediately the bowels of the earth cleaued, and swallowed her vp aliue into her gaping wombe: and directly in the same place where in sinking she gaue the world a farwell, sprung vp a blood red statue of stone, seeming to haue weeping eies, and wringing hands, which to this day there still stands, and is recor­ded in the french Annalls to be one of the seauen wonders of Fraunce: the king hauing a confetence touched with re­morce and dreading least the heauy wrath of Heauen, should for her blood-stained sinne light vppon the whole country: therefore after he had searched out the whole fac­tion of this blacke misdeed, and put them to execution: as a pilgrime bare legd, bare footed, clothd in bairecloth, be wandred to Ierusalem, and at the Sepulcher of Iudaes God, craud remission for this his dead queenes offence: by which meanes he washt away this stayned spot, from his countries browe: and after spent his daies in tranquillitis and peace.

Chap. 6.

THe third sister of this fatall generation, might in the right of nature, challenge as great supremasie of beau­tie [Page] as the other her two former sisters: and not onely an amiable countenance and comely proportion, ornefied hir outward shape, but an excellent gift of art and nature beautified her inward parts, for her minde being replenished with artificial misreries, so indiciall in the tongues of learning, so persit in eloquence, so curtons in needle-workes, the only excercise of prinees, that the world e­seemed her one of the muses darlings, and the verry par­ragon of woman kinde: in her the whole lands happines consisted: the onely excellent artist of her time, hauing a supernaturall gift, in the noble science of Limming. Wherein she greatly delighted, and the more to make her fame glorious in the world, she with a pencell portraied in a map or picture, the frame of the creation of the world: euery thing in his right shape, so liuely set foorth, as both beastes, fowles and sishes seemed to retatine life: the sunne, moone and starres, as it were gaue a kinde of light, so ar­tificially shaddowed she their quallities: woods, fieldes, and forests appeared properly gréene and flourishing, and the watry sea gliding thorough the earths bosome, gliste­reb like christall, and her swelling billowes seemd to rise and fall, that no earthly eye could make a diffrence be­twirt them and the surges of the vastocean.

This excellent peece of workmāship being to her hearts content finished, was set to the open vew of all eies, chal­lenged a superioritie in that miserie aboue all others of the time: but now amongst many that came from al parts of the kingdome, to behold this race peece of workman­ship, there came one, whose skill therein, the whole earth admired, the which in former times had bin tutor to this Princesse and first instructed her in the principles of this delightfull arte: this reuerent man (for his milke­white head claimd reuerentnesse) after he had in the pre­sence of many noble personages, circumspecty vewed e­uery secret of this rare worke, and marking euery cury­ous shadow how it was laide, lastly found a deformitie in [Page] the portraiture of man, and to this Princesse disgrace, as she tooke it, found great fault therewith, at which Marsi­as wrath so inkindled, and with such flames fiered her whole bodie, that in presence of all the nobilitie, with a sil­uer bodkin striking in the goulden trammuels of her haire, she furiously stabbed the good old man vnto the heart, so greatly her wrath preuailed: this bloodie and inraged fact, by the whole assembly was generally lamented, and by her wrathfull hand no sooner done but repented, for wrath be­ing of nature sodaine, a little ouerpassed, conuerts into re­morse, so happened it with this Ladie, for when her eye be­held the purple goare of his liueles heart, panting vpon the ground, she striued in reuenge thereof to teare out her own eies, and would haue committed that bloody crueltie vp­pon her selfe, had not the standers by preuented her, where­vpon in great agonie, she vttered foorth this inraged com­plaint.

Oh why will not heauen (quoth she) take my blood stai­ned life, and breath into his breathles bodie new aire? or why may not my eyes forsake their hated cels, within his eies to giue a seeing power: oh y^e this breast of mine were now vnbowelled, and this my wrathfull heart torne from my bosomes closset, and sacrifised vppon that carkasse, which my cruell hand hath vntimely slaine: be therefore of thou fatal hand, for euer lame, deny to giue sustenance to this my vile bodie, harboring now nothing but cogitati­ons of reuenge: graunt this oh heauen, that from hence­foorth I may neuer tast one bit of foode in ioy, nor walke abroad but in discentent, nor steepe but in frightfull feares, nor dreame but of melancholly dispaire, for my sodain hand hath slaine, the miracle of humanitie, within whose head, (whilst life lasted) dwelled true wisedome, a tongue tipt with eloqnence, and a voice resounding reports of celestial vnderstanding: these and such like passions vttered shee from the fury of her repentant soule, which imediately had broake her heart strings, had not the care of her Ladies, [Page] (then there atending) conducted her to her chamber, where they with the harmony of musique and melodie of voices, rockt her grieued sences into a silent flumber, in which quiet rest (as they imagined) they left this distressed prin­ces: but far otherwise happeneth still to a troubled minde, for as she lay sighing and sobbing vppon her bed, greeuing at the blood she so wrathfully spilt, there appeared before her face, the gastly shape of the murthered old man, wan, & pale in visage: breathing forth hollow groanes, to the déepe terror other sonle, and seemd to her affrighted eies, to o­pen the closset of his bleeding breast, as it were thirsting for reuenge, and desiring blood for blood: This fearefull and strange sight, so deepely molested her conscience, that from that time forward, she banished away al thoughts of terestialliay, and delighted in nothing but her owne confu­sion, so heauy lay the guilt of murther vppon her soule, for after that time not any foode would she euer take into her bodie, nor euer after indure the fellowship of people, nor neuer suffer one small flumber to close vp her eye lids, but in great woe and miserie, ouerwatched and pined her selfe to death, to the great discomfort and sorrow of the whole land, who by a generall consent, intombed both their bo­dies in one graue, and erected there vppon a sumptuous se­pulcher, the which to this day standeth in great glory in the citie of Paris.

Chap 7.

THe fourth of these vnhappy children, bearing the name of Mercuria the couetous, esteeming the countries con­tent, beyond the glories of y^e court, banishing from her selfe [Page] alprincely desires, accoūting thē the brāds of ambitiō, & the onely spurs of distruction: so making her three former sis­ters a memoriall example of princip allities downefall, she purposed to spend her daies as a shepheardisse in the coun­trie, where in stead of a royall court, she had the siluaine fieldes and mountaines to liue in, & in piace of her prince­ly attendance, she had her flocks of sheeps to delight in, whose plentifull increase of wooll, wereas the treasures both of land and sea: her imperiall diadem, was her sheeps­hooke: her pleasurable musique, the chirping melodie of birds: her guard, the pretty watchfull curre, that with his shirle barking gaue notice of insuing daungers: and the treasons complotted against her, were the tiranny of deuowring wolues: but snch was her siluaine care and countrie dilligence, that her flocks sustained small hurt by the bloody rage of this spoiler, by which means in short time, her riches grew vnualuable, and her treasures with­out number: but the greedy thirst of her wealths further increase, so bewitched her insatiate desires, that her verry soule grew sotted with vile couetousnes, and the smallest losse thereof drew drops of blood from her heart: she feared to trust the aire with her mony, least the winde should con­sume it away: nor the earth, least the wormes should con­sume it: nor the sea, least fishes should purloine it: but in a more securermanner (as she thought) the intended to hide it betwirt heauen and earth, that both months, weeks daies, and howers, she might with the sight thereof glutte the sight of her thirstie eies, so hauing a huge some of pure gould, closed in an Iorne truncke, the which in a darke gloomy night, (the secret concealer of all blacke deedes) she conuaide and hid in the hollow trucnk of an old withe­red oake, standing betwirt two steepy hills: where the tracking steps of man sildome treadeth: in which hollow tree, almost rotten with age, she secretly hid this rich iew­ell of her soule: intombing it therein with these speeches: Lie thou there (qurth shee) my sweet gould, thou great [Page] commaunder of mankinde, my desires content, my earths happines, my heart rauither: by seeing thee I am raui­shed with joy, & in possessing thee I feede vppon the plea­sures of the world: what is it not but gould can bring to passe? gould can purchace kingdomes, and betray Prin­ces: gould can buy preferment, and make men mightie: gould can make the smitsh wife, and curb authoritie: gould can win faire Ladies, and wrong the mariage bed: gould can tempt the chastest, and sack virginitie: nay goulde can change vice into vertue, falshood into troth and vile villany into pure honestie: then be thou sweet gould my second soule, for in loosing thee the world ends with me: in this manner left she this corrupting gould lying in the hollow tree, purposing euery day once to feed her eies with the bewitching sight thereof: bnt now marke what hap­pend to this couetous woman, the next morning by the opening of the daies windows, there came vnto the same place where this gould lay, a pooreman, a disiressed wretch with a rope in his hand, vppon the same tree to end his wearisome life: the reason was, that the pittiful cries of his wife and children, complayning for bread at his hands he not being able to satisfie their wants, came thether to hang himselfe, and so by that meanes rid himselfe from the complayning cries of his poore wife and néedy children, but as the good chaunce of smiling heauen was, in tying the roap about an arme or braunch of the same tree, making a noose to put ouer his head, and in giuing the vnkinde world a dolefull adew, he espied this coffer of gould, at which he staid from that selfe wild murther, and being ioyfull of so rich a purchase, left the rope there still hanging, and rar­ried ried the coffer home, to the comfort of his wife & children: thus you see heauen by good meanes, sand the deare soule of this desperate man, and releeued the distressed estate of his almost starued family: which we leaue now in groat ioy, and speake of the wofull calamitte, tyed vppon the backe of this couetous ladie, who imediately after this poore means departure, came vnto the aforesaide tree to [Page] looke vppon her gould, whereby her heart might leape at the topfull sight thereof: but no sooner found she her hopes frustrate, her gould gon, and an instrument of death left hanging vppon the tree in place thereof, she grew into such a violent dispaire, that without either care of her liues safetie, orpreuention of her soules damnation, in the same corde she strangleb herself: her bodie being thus made breathlesse, exempted from the sight of people, had no other buriall but in the rauening mawes of hunger­starued so wies: whose straunge confusion had neuer bin knowne, but through the voice of her troubled ghoast, which walked many yeares after betwirt those two hils, and reuealed it to the country inhabitants: thus was her couetousnes scourged for a grieuous sin, both by heauen and hell.

CHAP. 8.

IOuina now the subiect of our tragick sto­rie, and fist daughter to this inchanted Queene, as fate and chaunce ordained, was matcht in marriage to the rich Car­dinall of Lorraine, whose court for mag­nificéce, equallizd and any prelates before his time: for euery day vprising and downe lying, he had a thowsand officers in his pallace, and prouision for the mainteinance thereof, were the customes of three riche dukedomes: this haughtie and prowd Cardinall, was in his life so vitious, that he accounted drunkennes a deed of manhood: and he that could best deuise new feruises to [Page] pamper vp gluttonie, he aduanced to great authoritie: and his riotous table was accounted the treasurie of earth, aire and sea of beastes, soules and fishes: but God owing him a grieueus shame, in the middle of his magnificence, when he feasted at one time in the honour of his greatnes, three christian kings: to the wonder of them all, he was choakt with a grape huske, hapning in a cup of Arabian wine: this his sodaine death not onely amazed the whole compa­ny, but draue such a discontent into the minde of Iouina, that she purposed a present reuenge vpon the whole coun­trie: and as the customes of y^e natiōns are, that by the death of such an imperious prelate, all the land & reuenews fals from the wife: so she to make aspoile thereof made such a funerall banquet, as Spaines chronicles to this day speaks of for no sooner had the earth closed vp the Cardi­nalls perfumed bodie, and deliuered the same to the fary of consuming wormes, but this gluttonous woman by sound of drum and trumpets, caused a proclamation to be made throughout all the country, of a free banquet for the space of seauen daies, awarding to him or her that could rate or drinke the moste, a hoepe of pure gould to compasse in their bellies: she report of this deadly prize of sin, being no soouer bruted abroad, but of rioters, spendthrists, glut­tons, and drunkards, from al parts arriued such numbers, that the walles of Lorraine could hardly conteine them, the tables whereat they sat were as natures storehouse, variably yeelding all kinde of delicacies, and their pam­pred wombes as the insatiate gulfe of hell neuer suffized: some there were that had their bellies split in sunder by o­uerfilling them: some in the midle of their gluttony choakt with superfluities, some by ouercharging themselues with wine, vomited out their inward partes, and some fell in­to such deadly sleepes, as they neuer wakened againe and of all these multitudes of people, the tenth man departed not away with life, so consuming a tragedie brought this vile déed of gluttonie, and drunkennes vpon that country. [Page] Now Iouina her selfe seeing the earth almost strewd ouer with stifeled carkasses began to enuy at the powers of hea­uen, and in contempt thereof, drew foorth a sharpe knife, and threw it vp toward the aire, saying, I wil wound fate and dismember the destinies, in crossing thus the glory of my magnificent banquet: but the knife she cast vp neuer more descended, but instead thereof fell downe thrée drops of bloud, directly before her vppon the table where she sat, which strange and dismall sight stroake terror and remorse into her conscience, and such a dispairing repentance into her cogitations, that from that time forward (as the angry heauens had appointed) she consumed the remnant of her life (which was but short) in bitter lamentations: Nou blacke vengeance (quoth she) hath doomd me with a thow­sand calamities, and the scarlet canopie of destruction is euen readie to close in my hated life: in moste vile courses haue my loathed steps wandred in, and now the reward thereof is shame & confusion: me thinks I heare succour­les people calling for that food I so gluttonously haue spent: me thinks I heare the vnpittied widdow, and the hungry orphant, challendging my destruction: me thinks I hears the decrepit and aged wretches, soliciting heauen for re­ueuge: me thinks I heare the pining prisoners, in deepe dungeons, exclayming againe my riotous gluttony, and me thinks the troubled earth, bellowes vp reuenging ec­choes, against my sinne drowned bodie: thus mourned her relenting tongue, till her vnstanchable wombe grew as it were starued with hunger, and then striuing to suffize na­ture, could not, for the pipes of her lieus mainten̄ce, were clunged vp, and by the iust powers of mortallitie, had a heauier iudgement laide vppon her, for that foode which heauen and nature ordained for her liues sustinance, were congerted into a cōtrary snbstance, her bread heauen chan­ged into stoues, her meat into venemous toads, and craw­ling wormes: and her drinke into a puddle of poyso ne li­quor, the stench & sauour whereof no nosthril could induro: [Page] thus exempted both from heauens grace and earths pittie, she languished many daies, hated of God and man: till the fatall sisters finished her wearisome life: this was the hea­uens scourage for gluttonie and drunkennes, as black a sin and as deadly as any of the seauen.

Chap. 8.

STill followes one misfortune vppon a no­thers necke, woe vppon woe, calametie v­pon calametie: and this seed so wickedly sowne, could not chuse but be blassed in the bloome: now to our sad discourses, no sooner had Veneria the sixt daughter of this inchanted queene, yeelded vp the tender bud of her virginitie, changing her mayden head for a wiues hon­our, being then conioynd in mariage with the Princely king of Bohemia: before one month had consumd thirtie daies, grew inamord vppon a bace groome, one of the kit­chen scullions, whom in her lustfull eye, seemd to be a iew­ell of knightly behauiour, though a deformed vassell of humble seruitude, therefore as the temptations of sin had deluded her, careles of her princely husbands honour, and regardles of her owne reputation, vppon a time in her hus­band absence, she caused this hated night-owle the scul­lion, to be sent for, touching (as she dissembled) some seri­ous busines to be imploid in: who being no sooner priuat­ly come into her presence, but reuealing the burning heat of her lust, she gaue him this vnlookt for intertainement: Little thinkst thou good Antonio (quoth she, for so was he [Page] named) what high promotions are heaped vppon hty head: for nature in thy first creation, ordained thee to enioy the pleasures of a princely bedde: though enuious time now burthens thee with flanery, yet fate and good fortune crownes thee with happines: then knowe thou iewell of mine eye, that my bosome containes a heart dauncing at thy presence, and without the fruition of thy loue, it will quight consume away: I being a Princesse am more hap­ies then the country milke-maide, for she may challenge that same loue that fācy leads her to, but I dare not claime the least interest of my pining passions: be not hard hear­ted then deere Antonio, be as gentle as the clasping vine, hem in my bodie with thy manly armes, take the pleasures of my honours sacke, feede on content, if content be in my yeelding bodie, for I am impatient of delay: my husbands armes are like vnto she twinding imbraces of serpents, his kisses as the crokadils, and his bed more loathsome then a den of snakes: oh that nature had made me humble as thy selfe, partner in thy fortunes, and thy second selfe, either now yeeld to my desires, or I vow by him that made both heauen and earth, I will pursue thee with a vengeance more terrible, then euer mans icefull heart i­magined: and conclude on this, that either continuall hap­pines, or euerlasting misery is put vnto thy hearts choyce: now this poore wretch, vnacustomed to these demaunds, stood for a time as one new dropt from the clowdes, not knowing what to resolue vppon: but at last as it were ra­uished with all celestiall blessednes, and seeing time as he thought fit for euer to make himselfe happy, by inioying the delightsome sauours of so great a princesse, condescen­ded to satisfie the desires of her barning lust: and according to her pleasure, with blacke misdeeds distaind the whight honours of her mariage bed: Veneria hauing thus wonne him to her wishes, caused his bace affires to be stripped off and his bodie to be clothed in rich vestures, the more to feede lustes gluttonie, and appointed him the next night [Page] to set foote within her adulterous bedde, which in moste wicked manner was accomplished: But now marke how shame cannot lye long hid, nor the concealer of sinne (darke night) couer this polluted crime: but as confusions watch­bel seunded these her dishonours abroad, through the faith­full beautie of the kings chamber-keepers, he had intelli­gence thereof: so chusing to himselfe a selected number to effect his reuenge, at the middle hower of night, when nothing disquiesed the sleepes of humaine creatures, but the gentle blustering of windes, and the musicall murmu­rings of running waters: he entred the chamber of this his lustfull and adulterous queene, who securely lay them sleeping in the bosome of this bace scullion, droue such a rage into the heart of the vnquiet king, as flesh and blood could hardly indure it: therefore drawing a short semiter from his side, he sheathed it in the breast of his wiues mi­nion, whose blood with such fury gushed from his poluted bosome, as it wakened the sinne-stained queene, who at the first sight of her husbands presence, in her smock all to be sprinckled with the scullions blood, fell downe vppon her knees, crauing remission for that crime which she so long had thirsted after: but the inraged king to her penitent contrition, was as remorseles as the dease adder, and as far from graunting her life, as the soules in hell bee from saluation, yet being his second selfe, a collop of his owne flesh, and his ownely mariage choice, he would not desfils his cleare hands with her detested blood, therefore as a pi­ning pennance for this lustfull fact, for this mariage bed so distaind, for this nuptiall promise broken, for this worlds scandall, this mariedmans dishonour, and for this euer­lasting spot of disgrace, he inflicted vppon her a lingring pu­nishment, which in this manner was imediately effected: First he caused a large coffen to be brought, wherein he put the murthered bodie of the scullion: then to the same dead bodie, (beginning now to peutrifie and stinck) he tyed the liue bodie of his queene, and so in the coffen closed them vp [Page] both together, that as she inioyd his fellowship in life, so might she consume with him being dead, by which meanes the verry wormes that bred vppon the dead carkasse, in a manner deuowred vp her liue bodie: and thus were the sinnes of lust and adulterie, scourged with a plague but fil­dome heard of.

Chap. 9

SAturnia the last, but not the vnhappiest of these sisters, had the gentlest fortune of them al allotted her, yet in striuing to pre­uent fate, was taken in her owne trap, and when she least dreamed on, tasted of the bitter cup of death: the worlde she accoun­ted the wildernes of iniquitie, and the verry puddle of mi­sery: therefore hating the fellowship of mankinde, she pur­posed to forsake all princely glories, courtly delights, and worldly pleasures, and betake her to the solitary life of Diana, and to spend remnant of her daies in some desert wilderness, where no sinne abounded. So vppon an eue­ning, without copmpany she stole from the court, guided by the pale light of the moone, and the twinckling star-light of heauen, she happened into a thicke groue of trees, as it were inhabited onely by fayeries, elues, and the ghoastes of dead men: day and night there seemd all one: the glorious sunne as a straunger there shewd his face, and the voices of humaine creatures were accounted fatall to be there heard: night-rauens, howlats, battes with leather wings, flying griffens and kokatrises, couered quight o­uer [Page] these thickets: vpon the ground lay red bellied worms, speckled snakes, hissing adders, venemous toads, lothsome spiders, and sleeping doremice: so that neither heath nor grasse was there to be seene, onely heaps of browne mosse, vppon the which she rested her discontented bodie: twice twelve moneths without waking slept she therevpon, one­ly fed by the gentle meanes of greene-capt fairies, in which long sleepe her dreames were of the torments of hell, and the manner of her six sisters punishments in that damned region.

First in her sleepe she beheld her eldest sister, bearing the name of Pride, attired in a garment boyled in molten lead, with a neckercher about her necke of flaming fire: and her dainty feete seemed to walke vppon red burning coals.

Next, she Beheld her second sister, called Enuy, gras­ping in her hands a paire of fiery stinging snakes, which as it were lay feeding vppon her flesh, euen readie to burst with the aboundance of blood suckt from her bosome.

Then she beheld her third sister called Wrath wading into a boyling caldron of fire brimstone, vp to the very chin, and in brazen ladels casting the same vp and downe in great fury.

Then fixt the her eye vpon her fourth sister named Co­uetousnes, feeding on melted gould, and euery part of her bodie behung with burning pearles, saphirés & diamonds, which seemed to seare the verry flesh from her bones.

After this she beheld her fist sister, which was Gluttony sitting in a flaming chaire, at a table of red hotte yorne, serued by deuils, with broiled loads vppon grid-yorns, and drinking downe challices of boyling mettles.

The next vision was her sixt sister, named Letchery, ly­ing in a bed of smoking sulpher, deliuered of a brood of vi­pers, who with their fiery teeth fed vppon her bowels, and as it were had her bodie spread all ouer with vile leapro­sie.

[Page]These were her scarefull dreames and continuall appa­ritions, in which vnquiet sleepe she remained without waking, till her bodie grew shapeles, hauing no proporti­on, as then made the shelter for toads, frogs, and vene­mous wormes, to breed in the excrements of the earth, and the deformities of nature: thus vanished her life away in sleepe, being no way able to withstand the scuaere indigna­tion of heauen.

CHAP. 9.

IFter the death of all these seauen deadly sisters, now brought to confusion by the blacke doome of mortallitie: our tragick story bids vs returne to the inchaunted queene, lying all this while in childbed, fightles and lame, hauing no feeling in a­ny part of her members, which miracle of misery, after she had intelligence of her seauen daughters tragicall ends, a­suredly beleeued that then her life was at the last period, and the time of fearefull death drew néere, according to her conditions made to the deuil, who promised she should liue till the seauen daies of the weeke were forgotten, which she aluded to her seauen daughters so named: now feare, terror, and pining dispaire assailed her on all sides: now dreaded she euery minute, her soules departure to that burning furnace, whose fire is ten times more hotte then this earthly fire, and now euery small noise she heard, she supposed, to be the hurring of deuils that came to take pos­session both of soule and bodie: euery minute wished she now to be whole yeares, howers, millions and daies end­les, [Page] time to stand still, or the world to end: now she repen­ted her ambition, her aspiring dignities, and all those de­sires of a kingdome: now repented she the selling of her soule: her bands sealing with her owne blood, and all her agreements with blacke hell: euery time the clocke struck put her in minde of eternall damnation, and how that hels gaping mouth stood readie to receiue her: cursing the be­getters and causers of her creation: thus in deepe remorse of conscience, suent she out the tiresome day, the last day of her worldly life, till the clowdy euening with her pitchy manlie aproached, the onely comparatiue of gloomy hell, the which had no sooner shut vp the bright eye of heauen, but clowdes more darke then darknes itselfe, checked the world with motions of pale death: such tempests of light­ning and thunder, broake from heauens christall portalls, that it euen blasted the beautie of the earth, and atired both trees, hearbes, and flowers, in a mournfull liuery: this night so al mankind was a night of feare, a night of relent­les terror, a night of confused desolation, in which extre­mitie of horror it continued till the mid-nights hower, at which instant time with a clamorous roaring, that seemd to shake both heauen and earth, the wrathfull powers of blacke hell, fetcht away both her bodie and soule: the which being done, the heaues cleared, the earth replenished, and after followed a time of plentie, peace and prosperitie.