These eleuen Witches beginning to dance (which is an vsual See the Kings Maiest [...]es booke, (our Soueraigne) of Damonologie. Bo­din. Remig. Delr [...]o. Mal: Maleft. And a world of others, in the generall: But let vs follow particulars. Ceremony at their Conuents, or meetings, where sometimes also they are vizarded, and masqu'd) on the sodaine, one of them missed their Chiefe, and interrupted the rest, with this speech.

AT this, the This Dame make to beare t [...] person of Are, [...] Mischiefe (for [...] I interpret it) o [...] of Homers descri [...] ­tion of her Ilia [...] I. where h [...] makes her svv [...] to hurt Mankin [...] strong, and sou [...] of her feete, a [...] Iliad. T. vvalki [...] vpon mens hea [...] in both places vsing one, and the same phrase to sig­nifie her povver, [...] Ladens home­ [...]es. I present her [...]are footed, and he fr [...]k ruck'd, to make her seeme more expedite, by Horace his antho­tity. Set. 8. lib. 1. Succinct [...]m vadere palla Canidiam pe­dib [...]s nudis, p [...]sso{que} capillo. But for her haire, I rather respect another place of his, Epod. lib. Ode. 5, vvhere she appeares Canidia breuibus imp'icata viperis Cri­neis, et incomptum caput. And that of Lucan. lib. 6. Speaking of Erictho's attire. Discolor, & vario Fur [...]ialis cultas amictu Induitur, vultus què aperitur crine remoto, Et coma vipereu substringitur horrida sertis. For her Torch, See Remig. lib. 2, cap. 3. Dame enter'd to them, naked-arm'd, bare-footed, her frock tuck'd, her haire knotted, and folded with Vipers; In her hand a Torch made of a dead mans arme, lighted; girded with a Snake. To whom they all did reuerence, and she spake, vtte­ring, by way of question, the end wherefore they came: which if it had beene done either before, or other­wise, had not beene so naturall. For, to haue made [Page]themselues, their owne decipherers, and each one to haue told, vpon their entrance, what they were, and whe­ther they would, had bin a most pitious hearing, and vt­terly vnworthy any quality of a Poeme: wherein a Wri­ter should alwayes trust somewhat to the capacity of the Spectator, especially, at these Spectacles; where men, beside inquiring eyes, are vnderstood to bring quicke eares, and not those sluggish ones of Porters, and Mechanicks, that must be bor'd through, at eue­ry act, with narrations.

DAME. HAGGES.

[Page] [Page]

HAGGES.

[Page] [Page]

DAME.

HEre, the Dame put her selfe in the midst of them, and began her following Inuocation; wherein she tooke occasion to boast all the power attributed to Witches, by the Antients: of which euery Poet (or the most) do giue some. Homer to Circe, in the Odyss. Theo­critus to Simatha, in Pharmaceutria. Virgil to Alphesiboeus, in his. Ouid to Dipsas, in Amor. to Medea, and Circe, in Metamorph. Tibullus to Saga. Horace to Canidia, Sagana, Veta, Folia. Seneca to Medea, and the Nurse, in Herc. O Ete. Petr. Arbiter to his Saga, in Frag. and Claudian to Megaera. Lib. 1. in Rufinum; who takes the habite of a Witch, as these do, and supplies that historicall part in the Poeme, beside her morall person of a Fury: Confir­ming the same drift, in ours.

[Page] [Page] [Page]

AT which, with a strange, & sodayne Musique they fell into a The manner also of their Dan­cing is confest in [...]m. lib. 2. cap. 4. And Remig. lib. 1. cap. 17. and 18. The Sum of which M. Philippo. Lud. Elich relates thus, in his Damonom. Quast. 10. Tripis­dijs interdum inter satit sacie liborâ & apertâ, interdum obducta laru. i, lin­teo, [...]ortice, reticulo, poplo vel alio vela­mine, ant fa [...]nari [...] excermculo inuolieta. And a little after. Omnta fiunt ritu absurdissin [...]o, & ab [...]mni consisetudine hominum alienissimo, do [...]sis inus cem abuersis, & in orbem iunctis n [...]anibus, saitando circumeant, perinde sua iactantes capita, vt qui oestro agitantur. Remigiu [...] addes out of the confession of Sibilla Morelia, Gyrum semper in laeuam progreds. which Plinte obsernes in the Priests of Cybele, Nas. Hist. lib. 28. cap. 2. and to be done with great religion. Bodm addes, that they vse broomes in their hands, with which we arm'd our Witches; and here we leaue them. Magical Daunce, full of praeposterous change, and gesticulation, but most applying [Page]to their property: who at their meetings, do all things contrary to the custome of Men, dauncing back to back, and hip to hip, their hands ioin'd, and making their circles backward, to the left hand, with strange phantastique motions of their heads, and bodyes. All which were excellently imitated by the maker of the Daunce, M. Hierome Herne, whose right it is here to be named.

IN the heat of their Daunce, on the sodaine, was heard a sound of loud Musique, as if many instruments had made one blast; with which, not onely the Haggs themselues, but the Hell, into which they ranne, quite vanished, and the whole face of the Scene altred, scarse suffering the memory of such a thing: But in the place of it, appeared a glorious, and magnificent Building, figuring the House of Fame, in the top of which, were discouered the twelue Masquers, sitting vpon a Throne triumphall, erected in forme of a Pyramide, and circled with all store of light. From whom a Person, by this time descended, in the furniture of Perseus, and, expres­sing herotque, and masculine Vertue, began to speake.

[Page] [Page]

HEre, the Throne wherein they sate, being Machi­na versatilis, sodainly chang'd; and in the place of it appear'd Fama Bona, as she is describ'd (in Iconolog. di Cesare Ripa) attir'd in white, with white wings, hauing a collar of gold about her neck, and a heart hanging at it: which Orus Apollo, in his Hierogl. interprets the note of a good Fame. In her right hand, she bore a Trompet, in her left an Oliue branch: And for her State, it was, as Aeneid. 4. Virgil describes her, at the full, her feet on the ground, and her head in the cloudes. She, after the Musique had done, which wayted on the turning of the Machine, cal'd from thence, to Vertue, and spake this following speech.

AT which, the loud Musique sounded, as before; to giue the Masquers time of descending. And here, wee cannot but take the opportunity, to make some more particular description of their Scene, as also of the Persons they presented; which, though they were dis­posed rather by chance, then election, yet is it my part to iustifie them all: And then, the Lady that will owne her Presentation may.

To follow, therefore the, rule of Chronologie, which I haue obseru'd in my verse, the most vpward [Page]in time was PENTHESILEA. She was Queene of the Amazons, & succeeded Otrera, or (as some wil) Orithya; she liu'd, and was present, at the warre of Troy on their part, against the Greekes, and (as^s Iustine giues her te­stimony) Inter fortissimos viros, magna eius virtutis do­cumenta extitere. She is no where nam'd, but with the preface of honor, and vertue; and is alwaies aduanced in the head of the worthiest Women. Hist. lib. 2. D [...]odorus Sculus makes her the Daughter of Mars. She was ho­nord in her death to haue it the act of Achilles. Of which Lib. 3. Eleg. 10. Propertius sings this Triumph to her beauty.

Next, followes CAMILLA, Queene of the Volscians, celebrated by Aen [...]d. Lib. 7. Virgil, then whose verses nothing can bee imagin'd more exquisite, or more honouring the person they describe. They are these, where hee reckons vp those, that came on Turnus his part, a­gainst Aeneas.

And afterward tels her attire. and Armes, with the ad­miration, that the Spectators had of her. All which if the Poet created out of himselfe, without Nature, he [Page]hee did but shewe, how much so diuine a Soule could exceed her.

The third liu'd in the age of Cyrus, the great Persian Mo­narch; and made him leaue to liue. THOMYRIS, Queene of the Scythians, or Massagets. A Hero [...]ne of a most in­uincible, & vnbroken fortitude. Who, when Cyrus had inuaded her, and, taking her onely sonne (rather by trechery, then warre, as shee obiected) had slaine him; not touch'd with the griefe of so great a losse, in the iuster comfort shee tooke of a greater reuenge, pursued not onely the occasion, and honour of conquering so potent an Enemy, with whom fell two hundred thou­sand Souldiers: but (what was right memorable in her victory) left not a Messenger suruiuing, of his side to report the massacre. She is remembred both by In Cho. He­rodotus and Epit. lib. 1. Iustine, to the great renowne, and glory of her kinde: with this Elogie. ‘Quod potentissimo Per­forum Monarchae bello congressa est, ipsamque & vita & eastris spoli [...]uit, ad iustè vlciscendam filij eius indignissi­mam mortem.’

The fourth was honer'd to life in the time of Xerxes, and present at his great expedition into Greece; ARTR­MISIA, the Queene of Caria: whose vertue In Poly [...]. Herodotus, not without some wonder, records. That, a Woman, a Queene, without a husband, her sonne a ward, and shee administring the gouernement, occasion'd by no necessity, but a meere excellence of spirit, should em­baique herselfe for such a Warre; and there, so to be­haue her, as Xerxes beholding her fight, should say: Herod. is Vrania. Viri quidem extiterunt [...] feminae, feminae autem vtri. [Page]She is no lesse renowned for her chastity, and loue to her Husband, Mausolus, Val. Max. lib. 4. cap. 6. and A G.l. [...]b. 10. cap. 18. whose bones (after hee was dead) shee preseru'd in ashes, and drunke in wine making herselfe his Tombe: and, yet, built to his me­mory a Monument, deseruing a place among the seuen wonders of the World, which could not be done by lesse then a wonder of Women.

The fifth was the faire-hair'd daughter of Ptolomaeus Philadelphus, by the elder Arsinoe; who, maried to her brother Ptol [...]maeus, surnamed Euergetes, was after Queene of Egypt. I find her written both BERONICE, & BERENICE. This Lady, vpon an expedition of her new wedded Lord into Assyria, vowed to Venus, if hee re­turn'd safe, and conquerer, the offering of her haire; which vow of hers (exacted by the successe) she after­ward perform'd: But, her Father missing it, and there­with displeas'd, Conon, a Mathematician, who was then in household with Ptolomaee, and knew well to flatter him, perswaded the king that it was ta'ne vp to heauen, and made a Constellation; shewing him those seuen Starres, ad caudam Leonis, which are since called Coma Beronices. Which story, then presently celebrated by Callimachus, in a most elegant Poeme, Catullus more elegantly cōuer­ted; wherin they cal her the Magnanimous, euen from a Vir­gin: alluding (as Astrono [...]. lib. 2. in Leo. Hyginus sayes) to a rescue she made of her Father in his flight, and restoring the courage and honour of his army, euen to a victory. Their words are Catul. de Coma Ber [...]ni [...]. ‘Cognoram à parua virgine magnanimam.’

The sixth, that famous wife of Mithridates, and Queene of Pontus, HYPSICRATEA, no lesse an exam­ple of vertue then the rest; who so loued her husband, [Page]as shee was assistant to him in all labors, and hazards of the warre, in a Masculine habite. For which cause (as Lib 4. cap. 6. de Amor. conug. Valerius Maximus obserues) shee departed with a chiefe ornament of her beauty. Tonsis enim capillis, e­quo se et armis assuefecit, quo facilius laboribus & periculis eius interesset. And, afterward, in his flight from Pom­pey, accompanied his misfortune, with a minde, and bo­dy equally vnwearied. She is solemnely registred, by that graue Author, as a notable president of Mariage­loyaltie, and loue: vertues, that might raise a meane person to equality with a Queene; but a Queene to the state, and honour of a Deity.

The seuenth, that renowne of Aethiopia, CANDA­CE: from whose excellencie, the succeeding Queenes of that Nation were ambitious to be called so. A woman, of a most haughty spirit against Enemies, and a singu­lar affection to her Subiects. I finde her celebrated by Hist. Rom. lib. 54. Dion, and Nat. Hist. lib. 6. cap. 29. Plinie, inuading Egypt in the time of Augu­stus; who, though she were enforc'd to a peace by his Lieutenant Petronius, doth not the lesse worthily hold her place here; when, euery where, this Elogie remaines of her Fame: That she was Maximi animi multer, tanti­que in suos meriti, vt omnes deinceps Aethiopum reginae eius nomine fuerint appellatae. She gouern'd in Meroe.

The eight, our owne honor, VOADICEA, or BOO­DICEA; By some BVNDVICA, and BVNDVCA: Queene of the Iceni. Ap [...]ople, that inhabited that part of our Iland which was called East-anglia, and compre­hended, Suffolke, Norfolke, Cambridge, and Huntington Shires. Since she was borne here at home, we will first [Page]honor her with a home borne testemony; from the graue and diligent Reu [...]no of Time. Spenser.

To which, see her Orations in story, made by Annal. lib 14. Ta­citus, and Ey [...] lo [...]. Xiph [...] [...]. in Nor. Dion: wherin is expressed all magnitude of a spirit, breathing to the libertie and redemption of her Country. The later of whom, doth honest her beside, with a particular description. Bunduica, Britanica fe­mina, or ta stirpe regia, quae non solum eis cum magna dig­nitate praefuit, sed etiam bellum omne administrauit; cuius aninius virilis, potius quā muliebris crat. And afterwards, Femina, forma honestissima, vuliu seuero, &c. All which doth waigh the more to her true praise, in comming from the mouthes of Romanes, and Enemies. Shee liu'd in the time of Nero.

The ninth, in time, but equall in same, and (the cause of it) vertue, was the chast ZENOEIA, Queene of the Palmyrenes, who, after the death of her husband O­denatus, had the name to be reckoned among the xxx. that vsurped the Romane Empire, from Galienus. She con­tinued along and braue warre, against seuerall Chiefes; and was at length triumphed on by Aurelian: but, easpe­cie, vt nihil pompabilius. P. Rom. videretur. Her Chas [...]ity was such, Vt ne virum suum quidem sciret, nisi tentatis con­ceptionibus She liu'd in a most royall manner, and was ador'd to the custome of the Persians. When she made Orations to her souldiers, she had alwayes her caske [Page]on A woman of a most diuine spirit, and incredible beautie. In In trigin, Ty­rann. Trebellius Pollio, reade the most noble de­scription of a Queene, and her; that can be vtter'd, with the dignity of an Historian.

The renth, succeeding, was that learned, and Her [...]i­que AMALASVNTA, Queene of the Ostrogothes, Daugh­ter to Theodorick, that obtained the principallity of Ra­uenna and almost all Italy. She draue the Burgundians, and Almaines out of Liguria, and appear'd in her go­uernement rather an Example, then a Second. She was the most eloquent of her Age, and cunning in all Lan­guages, of any Nation that had cōmerce with the Ro­mane Emptre. M. Amon. Coo [...] Sabel. (out of Ca [...] sied) Enmad, 7. [...] [...]. It is recorded of her, that, sine venerati­one eam viderit nemo, pro miraculo fuerit ipsam audire be­quentem. Tantaque ill [...] in decernendo grauitas, vt [...]rim [...] ­nis conuicti, cum plecterentur, nihil sibi acerbum pati vide­rentur.

The eleuenth was that braue Bohemian Queene, VA­LASCA, who for her courage, had the surname of bold: That to redeeme her selfe and her Sexe, from the tyranny o [...] men, which they liu'd in, vnder Primislans, on a night, & at an houre appointed, led on the womē to the slaugh­ter of their barbarous Husbands, and Lords. And, posses­sing themselues of their Horses, Armes, Treasure, and places of Strength, not onely ruled the rest, but liued many yeares after, with the libertie, and fortitude of A­mazons. Celebrate a by In Geograp. lib. 7. Raphael Volaterranus, and in an elegant tract of an Italians Forcia. Qua [...] in Latine, (who names himselfe Philalethe [...], Polytopiensis ciuis) inter prastantissimas faminas.

The twelu'th, and worthy Soueraigne of all I make BEL-ANNA, Royall Queene of the Ocean; of whose dig­nity, and person the whole Scope of the Inuention doth speake throughout: which, to offer you againe here, might but proue offence to that sacred Modesty, which heares any testimony of others iterated, with more delight, then her owne praise. She being plac'd aboue the need of such ceremony, & safe in her Prince­ly vertue, against the good, or ill, of any witnesse. The Name of BEL-ANNA I deuis'd, to honor hers proper by; as adding to it, the attribute of Fatre: And is kept by me, in all my Poemes, wherein I mention her Maiesty with any shadow, or figure. Of which, some may come forth with a longer desteny, then this Age, commonly, giues to the best Births, if but help'd to light by her gratious, and ripening fauour.

But, here, I discerne a possible obiection, arising a­gainst me; to which I must turne: As, How I can bring Persons of so different Ages, to appeare properly toge­thers or, why (which is more vnnaturall) with Virgil's Mezentius, I ioyne the liuing with the dead? I answere to both these, at once. Nothing is more proper; No­thing more naturall. For these all liue; and together, in their Fame: & so I present them. Besides, if I would fly to the all-daring power of Poetry, where could I not take Sanctuary? or in whose Poeme? For other obie­ctions, let the lookes and noses of Iudges houer thick; so they bring the braines: or if they do not, I care not. When I suffer'd it to goe abroad, I departed with my right: And now, so secure an Interpreter I am of my chance, that neither praise, nor dispraise shal affect me.

There rests, only, that we giue the description (we promis'd) of the Scene, which was the House of Fame. The Structure, and Ornament of which (as is profest before) was entirely M^r. Iones his inuention, and de­signe. First, for the lower Columnes, he chose the Sta­tues of the most excellent Poets, as Homer, Virgil, Lucan, &c. as being the substantiall supporters of Fame. For the vpper, Achilles, Aeneas, Caesar, and those great He­roes, which these Poets had celebrated. All which stood, as in massy gold. Betweene the Pillars, vnder­neath, were figur'd Land-battayles, Sea-fights, Triumphs, Loues, Sacrifices, and all magnificent subiects of honor: in brasse, and heighten'd with siluer. In which, he pro­fest to follow that noble description, made by Chaucer, of the place. Aboue were sited the Masquers, ouer whose heads he deuis'd two eminēt Figures of Honor, & Vertue, for the Arch. The Freezes, both below, & aboue, were filld with seueral-color'd lights, like Emeralds, Ru­bies, Saphyres, Carbuncles, &c. the reflexe of which, with other lights, placed in the Concaue, vpon the Masquers habits, was full of glory. These habits had in them the excellency of all deuice, and riches; and were worthi­ly varied by his inuention, to the Nations, whereof they were Queenes. Nor are these, alone, his due; but diuers other accessions to the strangenesse, and beauty of the Spectacle: as the Hell, the going about of the Chariots, the binding the Witches, the turning Machine, with the presentation of Fame. All which I willingly acknow­ledge for him: since it is a vertue, planted in good na­tures, that what respects they wish to obtaine fruitful­ly from others, they will giue ingenuously themselues.

By this time, imagine the Masquers descended; and [Page]againe mounted into three triumphant Chariots, ready to come forth. The first foure were drawne with Ea­gles, (whereof I gaue the reason, as of the rest, in Fames speech) their foure Torchbearers, attending on the Cha­riot sides, and foure of the Hagges, bound before them. Then followed the second, drawne by Griffons, with their Torch-bearers, and foure other Hagges. Then the last, which was drawne by Lyons, and more eminent; (wherein her Maiesty was) and had sixe Torch-bearers more, (peculiar to her) with the like number of Haggs. After which, a full triumphant Musique, singing this Song, while they rode, in State, about the stage.

Here they lighted from their Chari [...]ts, and daunc'd forth their first Daunce; then a second, immediatly follo­wing it: both right curious, and full of subtile and ex­cellent changes, and seem'd perform'd with no lesse spirits, then of those they personated. The first was to the Cornets, the second to the Vyolenes. After which, [Page]they tooke out the men, and daunc'd the Measures; en­tertaining the time, almost to the space of an houre, with singular variety: when, to giue them rest, from the Musique which attended the Chariots, by that most ex­cellent tenor voyce, and exact singer (her Maiesties ser­uant, M. Io. Allin) this Ditty was song.

After it, succeeded their third Daunce; then which, a more numerous composition could not be seene: Gra­phically disposed into Letters, & honouring the Name of the most sweete and ingenious Prince, Charles, Duke of Yorke. Wherein, beside that principall grace of per­spicuity, the Motions were so euen and apt, and their expression so iust; as if Mathematicians had lost Proporti­on, they might there haue found it. The Author was M. Tho. Giles. After this, they daunc'd Galliards, and Cor­rantos. And then their last Daunce, no lesse elegant (in the place) then the rest. with which they tooke their Chariots againe, and triumphing about the Stage, had their returne to the House of Fame celebrated with this last Song; whose Notes (as the former) were the worke, and honor of my excellent friend, Alfonso [...]errabosco.

To conclude which, I know no worthier way of Epi­logue, then the celebration of who were the Celebra­ters.

• The QVEENES MAIESTY.
• The Co. of ARVNDELL.
• The Co. of DERBY.
• The Co. of HVNTINGTON.
• The Co. of BEDFORD.
• The Co. of ESSEX.
• The Co. of MONTGOMERY.
• The Vico. CRANBORNE.
• The La. EL. GVILFORD.
• The La. ANNE WINTER.
• The La. WINDSORE.
• The La. ANNE CLIFFORD.