The famous & renowned history of Morindos a king of Spaine who maryed with Miracola a Spanish witch: and of their seauen daughters, (rightly surnamed ladies with bleeding hearts:) their births, their liue and their deaths. A history most wonderfull, strange, and pleasant to the reader.

How Morindos a King of Spaine married with Miracola a Witch : and how he was transformed without shape for polluting the Temple of God .

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 slaues to his sinne , and their 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 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 that 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 , I le 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 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 , 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 the earth had her sable 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 cresset-lights : 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 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 .

Here the inchanted Queene made the Deuils a banquet with hir husbands bodie : her three questions to the same Deuils , and their answers , and of her dispairing lamentations in a darke dungeon .

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 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 with 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 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 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 sinewd 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 the 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 , the 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 with the teror of heauens wrath , for the thirst of promotion 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 the false promises of hel : imediately vpon this same tower or chamber 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 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 raue 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 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 .

How the inchanted Queene was deliuered of feawen daughters at one time : and how she lay in child bed one and twentie yeares after .

Chap. 3.

NOw betwixt 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 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 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 the 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 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 , the 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 .

Prides Tragedie ,

The life and death of Sola the prowd , the first daughter to the inchanted Queene : a history ful of dole , woe , & calamitie .

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 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 thundring fame rumord about the world , attempted to purchace the conquest 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 . 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 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 canst 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 marchant , 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 all-seeing 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 slea 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 vengeance 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 continewed 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 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 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 I le 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 inteligence of the liues ruins , of those 3. gallant 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 .

Enuies Tragedie : The life and death of Lucina , the enuious , the second daughter to the inchanted queene .

Chap. 5.

LVcina being the second daughter to the inchanted queene , bearing in her breast the burning fier of enuy , 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 shal be 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 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 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 bowels , 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 desiring children cannot 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 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 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 commons 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 that earth , with such a feareful tempest , and thunder , that the fruites of the earth flamed & the leaues of trées were scortched to satisfie the angry wrath of heauen , wherat the king afrighted in minde , challenged the queene of some 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 d ee . 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 .

Wraths Tragedie : The life and death of Marsia the wrathfull , the third daughter to the inchanted queene .

Chap. 6.

THe third sister of this fatall generation , might in the right of nature , challenge as great supremasie of beautie 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 betwixt them and the surges of the vastocean .

This excellent peece of workmanship 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 milke-white 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 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 the 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 , ( 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 .

Auarice her Tragedie : Or the life & death of Mercuria the couetous , the fourth daughter to the inchanted queene .

Chap 7.

THe fourth of these vnhappy children , bearing the name of Mercuria the couetous , esteeming the countries content , beyond the glories of the court , banishing from her selfe alprincely desires , accounting them the brands of ambition , & 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 betwixt 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 betwixt 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 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 : but 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 carried 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 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 hunger-starued 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 .

Gluttonies Tragedie : Or the life and death of Iouina , the drunkard , the fist daughter to the inchanted queene .

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 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 the nations 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 . 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 contrary snbstance , her bread heauen changed into stoues , her meat into venemous toads , and crawling wormes : and her drinke into a puddle of poysone liquor , the stench & sauour whereof no nosthril could induro : 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 .

Letcheries Tragedie : Or the life and death of Veneria the lustfull , the sixt daughter to the inchaunted queene .

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 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 fancy 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 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 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 sildome heard of .

Sloths Tragedies : Or the life and death of Saturnia the sluggard , the seauenth and last daughter of the inchanted Queene .

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 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 .

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 .

Of the inchanted queenes dispaire ; and how she was caried away aliue by deuils .

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 , 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 .

FINIS .