The exemplary lives and memorable acts of nine the most worthy women in the vvorld three Iewes. Three gentiles. Three Christians. Written by the author of the History of women.

ARTIMESIA.

OF this brave Carian Queene, my pen's at strife Whether, she better Widdow was, or Wife. In both, there's none that reads her can deny But she observ'd, her true Conjugall tye. For Chastity, or Valour▪ those fam'd most Cann••t (before her) least precedence boast, In either; who shall strive her to surmount, Needes must they come farre short in their account, For who so reades Herodotus shall finde She was of such a chaste Heroicke minde, That both in peace and warre she was like glorious, In the Court Famous, in the Campe Victorious, Who, to her Country (till her time) obscure, Hath left a Name, for ever to indure, For all the monuments, on Vertue plac't, No Envy can demolish, nor Time waste, But they shall brave all Ages to ensue, Whose Attributes. I summe up in these few. Three hundred thousand Persians this brave Queene (In a great Navall conflict, fought betweene Them and the Greekes) out shin'd; yet honoured most For one of the seaven wonders; at her cost Erected to Posterity: which rariety Shee built, to expresse her true Conjugall Piety.

[illustration]

OF ARTIMESIA. QVEENE OF CARIA, A THIRD HEROICK CHAMPIO∣NESSE AMONGST THE HEATHEN

ALmost all places, but most sure I am all ages have brought forth brave and il∣lustrious women, renowned for sundry Vertues and qua∣lities, as also severall Coun∣tries:* 1.1 for instance, we read of a Semiramis amongst the Assyrians, a Camilla of the Vol∣scians, a Thomyris of the Scithians, an Hester

of the Persians, a Cleopatra of the Egiptians, a Zenobia of the Palmirians, an Amalasan∣tha of the Gothes, a Theolinda of the Longo∣bards, a Radegunda of the Frankes or Galls, a Bunduca of the Brittaines, a Maria of the Hungarians, an Isabella of the Spaniards, a Cassiope of the Ethiopians, an Harpalice of the Amazones, an Hippolite of the Magnesians, an Electra of the Thebans, a Teuca of the Illy∣rians, a Lucresse amongst the Romans, a In∣turna of the Rutilians, a Cassandane of the Medes, a Cassandra of the Trojans, an Hermo∣dice among the Lidians, a Penelope amongst the Larissaeans, a Dido of the Carthaginians, &c.

And of others promiscuously thus:* 1.2 An∣dromache the Wife of Hector, Creusa of Enae∣us, Monima of Mithridates, Erfilia of Romu∣lus, Herpilida of Aristotle, Amastrix of Xerxes Hotina of Trajanus, Atossa of Darius, Portia of Brutus, Pyrha of Deucalion, Euridice of Orpheus, and this our Artimesia of Mousolus, &c.

She was the Daughter of King Lydamnius,* 1.3 her Paternall blood shee derived from Hali∣carnassus, the prime City of Caria, her Ma∣ternall from Cre••te: now Caria hath its name from Capitalis, i. a head Country, but as o∣thers would have it, from King Cara, who first reduc't it to a Monarchy, and is scituate in Greece, upon one side of the mountane, Tau∣rus,

betwixt the two Regions of Licia and Ionia, this illustrious Lady, as well for her Conjugall Love and Chastity, as for her He∣roicke Spirit and magnanimity, is worthily remembred to all Posterity.

There are said to be Septem orbes miracu∣la, i. seven wonders of the World,* 1.4 who for their state, magnimity and cost deserved a prime admiration above all others, of which her pompous and most magnificent structure was not the least, upon this just oc∣casion, I will as briefely as I can,* 1.5 render them unto you in order: the first were ••he Egipti∣an Pyramides built upon square stones below, but sharpe and pointed above, which the E∣giptian Kings, erected over their Tombes, and Funerall Monuments, as well in a vaine ostentation, of their Riches, as to set their people upon imployment, to keepe them from sloth and idlenesse, one of which was built of one entire stone, which either grew or was made in their owne Country, in Lon∣gitude, an hundred forty and three foote: in Altitude, threescore and two,) a second was ma••e of stone fetcht from Arabia, which sixe hundred thousand men were twenty yeares in building, three others there were, which from their first foundation till they were compleately finisht lasted threescore and eighteene yeares, with sixe moneths added.

Pliny writeth that King Cleopes consumed upon the workemen in one of them,* 1.6 one thousand and eight hundred talents in no∣thing else but Leekes, Onions, and Garlike, by which may easily be conjectured how great and prodigious his expense was in their meate, when their sallets cost him so much: the scituation thereof tooke up eight acres of ground: which unheard of prodigality so exhausted his treasure, and drew him to that penury, that he was forced to prostitute the fairest of his daughters to supply his present necessities. Herodotus in his Eutirpe speaketh of diverse others, too long to recite in this place, one of which but the least was erected by the famous strumpet Rhodope,* 1.7 (once the Mistresse of Esopus samius, (still knowne to us in his excellent fables) with the great riches shee gathered together by her Meretrician practise, of these Lucan speaketh in his eight Booke, as also Martiall in these words: Barbara Pyramidum sileat Miracula memphis.

A second Wonder,* 1.8 was that excellent structure, built at the charge of Ptolomeus the great, in the Isle of Pharos, for no other use but to continue a lampe all the night long, to direct Navigators in their course, and how to avoide the rockes, shelves, and Quicke-sands, frequent in those places: It is said to have cost eight hundred talents of which Sostratus was the famous Archi∣tector,* 1.9 in the most e∣minent

place whereof he left his name inscri∣bed.

In the rancke of these miraculous Edisi∣cees, are numbred the walls of Babilon,* 1.10 either first renued or royally repaired by Queene Semiramis in height two hundred foote, and in breadth fifty, upon the top Chariots might meete without jetting one against the other, they had moreover three hundred Towers, and more should have had but that the Ma∣rishes, and Fennes, were of the one side a suf∣ficient defence for the City. In this worke three hundred thousand workemen were for some yeares imployed at once: Herodatus writeth that these walls were two hundreth cubits in height, and fifty cubits in thicknesse, and that there were an hundred gates of brasse that mooved upon hinges, the swift River of Euphrates running through the Towne.

* 1.11To the former is added the magnificent Temple of Diana in Ephesus, to which all A∣sia contributed towards the buildings, which was ere it was fully perfected, the space of two hundred and twenty yeares, the foun∣dation whereof was laid in a Marish, or Fen∣ny ground, because it should not be subject to any earth-quake: it was in longitude three hundred twenty and five foote, according to the standard, and in latitude, two hundred and twenty, being supported by two hun∣dred

and seven and twenty Collumnes every one of those pillars being at the charge of a severall King, of which number twenty se∣ven were curiously and most artificially car∣ved and graven, of which glorious worke C••esiphon is nominated to be the prime over∣seer.* 1.12

A fifth Wonder was the Colossus at Rhodes,* 1.13 being the figure or Image of Apollo, made of Brasse, and of that magnitude that it bestri∣ded a small arme of the Sea, betweene whose legges ships might saile, without vayling their maine tops, it was in height threescore and ten cubits, which after it had stood by the space of fifty and sixe yeares, was utter∣ly demolisht by an earthquake, one of his thumbes a man could scarcely fadome, and his fingers were like large statues, yet not one joynt about it, which was not proporti∣onably suiting with the size thereof: this Colossus was lined with stones of an extra∣ordinary bignesse, with smaller intermixed amongst them, it was twelve yeares in com∣posing, and the charge thereof amounted to three hundred talents.* 1.14 The chiefe Artifex was Chares Lyndius, the Scholler of Lysippus. The Souldan of Aegypt invading Rhodes, La∣ded Nine hundred Camels with the brasse thereof, from this Colosse, The Rhodians were called Colossians, and the Island it selfe Colossicula.

* 1.15A sixth to these was the Image of Iupiter, which Phidias the most excellent Artist made of Ivory, Gold, and other precious ma∣terialls,* 1.16 for the Aelians of which Propertius the excellent Poet speakes, lib. I. in these words.

Nam neque Pyramidum sumptus ad sidera ducti Nec Iovis Elaei caelum imit at a Domus. For not the least of the great Pyramids Even to the starres elate. Nor the Elean house of love Which Heaven did imitate.

* 1.17Some ranke with this the Pallace of Cyrus King of the Medes and Persians, all the stones whereof were simmond with gold, whereas others are done with plaister, of which Memnon was the Architector, but having occasion to speake of this sixth wonder,* 1.18 though I make a small deviation, I hope no Iudiciall Reader, but he will say it is some∣what to purpose,* 1.19 It thus followeth.

Amongst the Grecians there was a generall Law enacted, of which every particular pro∣vince tooke notice, that whosoever should rob the statue of any of their heathen gods, or any Temple dedicated unto him, it was held sacriledge in the highest degree,* 1.20 and he must imiaedtely upon his apprehension for∣feit his hands to be cut of: it so fell out that the senate of Elis, having a purpose to erect the Image of Iupiter, sent to the Arerpagita,

who were the optimates of Athens to bor∣row of them the most excellent Artist,* 1.21 Phi∣dias, who was at that time the choyse and prime workeman of the World: they wil∣ling to further so pious a worke, (for so they thought it) as to make a god, assented to the motion, and delivered Phidias unto them, but upon condition, that they should returne him backe (the worke being perfected) eve∣ry way as sound and compleate, as they recei∣ved him from them or else to forfeit an hun∣dred Talents.

Which contract being drawne and con∣cluded upon, betwixt these two famous Ci∣ties, Phidias is sent to undertake the worke, and finisheth it, which was done with such inimitable Art, that it begot in them infinite admiration: insomuch that they ambitiously covetous to engrosse so excellent a peece to themselves, knowing it was not to be paral∣leld through the world, and presuming that he who had done that, was able to compose the like, or perchance a better, having now before him so faire a president, therefore to prevent all such doubts and feares, they laid unto his charge, that he having received from them such a quantity of gold, and so much Ivory, with sundry other costly and preci∣ous materialls, had detained a great part of them, not bestowing all upon the same; and therefore reserving somewhat to his owne

peculiar use, had incurred the due penalty, belonging to a sacrilegious person, for which he was convented, convicted, and by the Se∣nate condemned,* 1.22 so that Manus tanquam sa∣crilego praeci••erunt, they cut off his hands as a punishment imposed on him who had committed sacriledge: and so sent him backe handlesse unto the Athenians.

Who with great sorrow and pitty commi∣serating the wretched estate of their dis∣membred Country man and Friend, deman∣ded by their Ambassadors, of the Elians, the hundred talents, according to their for∣mer covenant, who thus argued against them:* 1.23 we can no more lend to you, or to o∣thers, a Phidias, who had hands to helpe himselfe, before he tooke in hand your em∣ployment, he made you a god, nay a Iupi∣ter, you then, not he, are the sacrilegious, who durst offer violence to hands consecrated: and your owne god (made by him) shall doubtlesse revenge on you the blood of his owne maker, for which wee testate, and withall implore Iupiter, now the proper god of our Friend, Artist, and Countryman, Phidias.

It is Art that supplyeth others in their neede: the excellency of his Art hath one∣ly made him necessitous and withall misera∣ble, The hands of Phidias were the onely ground of our covenant; now wanting

these hands, how are our covenants perfor∣med, and what hope have wee, that we can receive him from you; if he be not returned unto us, as he was delivered unto you?

We sent you one whose hands could make gods, you send us one backe, who hath not hands to lift up unto the gods: Moreover, are you not ashamed, to owe your god to one whom you call sacrilegious? most true it is that the man liveth but the Artist is perished: you returne not unto us Phidias, but the pu∣nishment which was not due unto Phidias: for those hands which before have made gods, cannot now be mooved to intreate men: he made you such a Iupiter as that you desired, it should bee the last Iupiter that should be made: Hands we lent you, and of these hands we desire (nay, the same hands) restitution; for how could there be a compe∣tent tryall, when the Elians were the accu∣sers, the Elians witnesses; and the Elians judges? onely our poore friendlesse Coun∣try man, the accused and sufferer? wee in∣voke the gods, even these whom Phidias hath already made, and those which (but for your barbarous cruelty) he might have made, against your unjust proceedings, for we cannot say we have received a Phidias, unlesse you had delivered him unto us, in the same state that wee gave him unto you, and might upon the like occasion have lent him unto others.

* 1.24To which the Elians made this short an∣swer, wee had gold which was hallowed, we had Ivory which was sacred, and divers Iewels and G••mmes, which were to holy u∣ses consecrate, for the imployment of these we desired and sought an Artist, to dispose of them to our owne pious, not his proper u∣ses; with these and the like materials, our purpose was that your Phidias should have made us other gods: but we thought it not so needefull and just to adorne them as to vindicate them, &c. This controversie, for arguments came after to be decided by armes. In which it may be presumed (by the justice of their cause) the Athenians were victors, I hope any understanding Reader will excu••e this my short digression, I come now to the argument in hand, namely a se∣venth Wonder of the world, which was e∣rected by this Artimesia, (which was a sump∣tuous tombe or monument) over Mausolus her deceased husband.

* 1.25The heighth whereof was twenty five cu∣bits, and girt or compast with thirty fixe col∣lumnes, or pillars. It was apparant from the South to the North, threescore and twelve foote, the whole compasse thereof amoun∣ted unto foure hundred and eleven foote. That part which looked towards the East, one Scopas ingraved:* 1.26 that which lay to∣wards the North, one Briax, that which re∣flected

upon the South one Tymotheus, and that part which looked upon the West,* 1.27 Leo∣cares. This rare Queene of Caria, ever to be remarkt for this her conjugall piety, though she yeelded unto fate and dyed before this admirable worke was accomplished, yet by her last testiment, left such order and meanes withall, that the worke should still goe on, which was compleated and absolutely fini∣shed, by the workemen before named. A rare president in a woman which shewed that her love to her deceased Husband, end∣ed not in her death, but that she desired to have it live to all posterity that should suc∣ceede her.

We reade of divers sundry Architectors, and famous structures made by them, but to this none to be paralleld, as being worthy to be reckoned one of the seven wonders: For instance, Spintharus Corinthius built the Temple of Apollo,* 1.28 Melagines that of Mi∣nerva, Theodorus Phocensis made the glori∣ous Altar, on which all the great offerings presented to the Delphicke Oracle were laid. Philo Atheniensis made the Pyraan Arcenal, or armory, Hermogines, the Doricke house dedicated to Iuno, of Magnesia, Hermodorus, a stately Obelisque, Dedalus, Zmilus, Rholus, and Theodorus, were famous for sundry La∣borinthes, Valerius Ostiensis, for building the great Roman Theater, Romulus for his A

silum; Mnesiclus, for a famous Tower in A∣thens, and to omit infinite others, you may reade Machab. 2.13. That Simon Prince and High Priest, the Sonne of Mattathias, and brother to that famous worthy Iudas Macha∣beus, after his brother Ionathan, who pre∣ceaded him in the government, was treche∣rously slaine. He tooke up his bones, and bu∣ryed them in Media his Fathers City, and he made upon the sepulchre of his Father,* 1.29 and his Brethren, a building high to looke unto, of hewn stone, behind and before, and set up seven stately graven pillers upon it, one a∣gainst the other, for his Father, his Mother, and his foure Brethren, and set other great pillars round about them, and set armes up∣on the pillars for a perpetuall memory, and carved ships besides the Armes, that they might be seene by the Navigators, sayling nere unto that coast by sea, which sepulchre (according to the phrase of the Text) stand∣eth even to this day.

Yet neither that, nor the others before na∣med (it seemes) could parallell the former structure built by this Queene Artimesia, from which all the funerall monuments e∣rected upon the bones of Princes, Kings, and Emperours, built with great magnificence and state, are even to these times called Mausolea,* 1.30 of which Propertius, lib. 3. speakes.

Nec Mausolaei dives fortuna sepulcri Mortis ab extrema conditione vacat. Mausolus rich tombe can no warrant have, To keepe it selfe from the devouring grave.

And we read Martiall lib. 1. thus.

A ere nec vacuo pendentia Mausolaea Laudibus immodicis cares ad astra ferunt. The great Mausolean tombe that seemes hanging in the ayre to be, Even to the starres O Carian Queene shall loudly eccho thee.

So much for her conjugall love towards her Husbands, an imitable example for all Wives, and chaste Matrons whatsoever, it remaineth now to speake something of her heroicall magnanimity, in which she was no way inferiour to the former.

For being a Dowager Queene,* 1.31 after the de∣cease of her husband, and the dayes of her mourning now growne over, she laid by her Widdowes habit, and resumed the robes and regall ornaments belonging to a Prin∣cesse, but finding the affaires of state, too burdensome for her free and unlimitted spi∣rit, shee disposed of her estate to those of her Counsell, whom shee best trusted, and because her very pallace grew distastefull un∣to her, without the consociety of her dead Lord, shee utterly abandoned it, nay, her very Country growing as irke some to her, as her pallace, after she had given order for the

erecting of her Husbands monument, shee purposed for a time to forsake it, and seeke out for some forraigne adventures.

* 1.32It happened at that time Xerxes, the great Persian Monarch, ambitiously ayming to re∣duce all Greece under his Scepter, and subje∣ction, having gathered an innumerable host by Land, and a seeming invincible Navy by Sea, shee adhering unto his party, rigged and manned three ships of her owne, of which she her selfe was Archithalassa, or Ar∣mirall: her people that tooke part with her in that adventure were Carians, or Halicar∣nassians, Coeans, of the Isle Coos, Nysimiaus, and Calydinians, and being thus plenally ac∣comodated, she put her selfe under the patro∣nage of the Persian Emperour.

It would aske too long a circumstance to discourse of the whole navall conflict, I will onely deliver unto you so much as concer∣neth the person of Artimesis, who so valiant∣ly did beare her selfe in that blooddy fight, that her ships (knowne by their flagges and streamers) were eminent above all others of the Persians,* 1.33 both for defence and offence, for her small squadron, more dangered the Greekish Navy, then ten times their number, notwithstanding which her brave oppositi∣on, the Persians were vanquisht, and the Greekes (though against infinite odds) the glorious victors, in which Marine honour:

the Eginita had the first place, and the Athe∣nians the second:* 1.34 and of the Commanders, Policrates of Egineta, and of the Athenians, Eumena, Anagyrasius, and Aminius Palena∣us, who above all others, most hotly pursu∣ed Artimesia in her flight, but when hee had found that she was too swift of saile for him, he sent other light vessels after, proclaiming ten thousand Drachnes to him that could take her alive, as holding it an indignity that a woman should give such an affront to their A thenian Navy, notwithstanding al, she with some few others escaped and safely arrived at Phalerum.

On the contrary part, Herodatus in his V∣runia, thus reports of her that Xerxes him∣selfe beholding how bravely above all in his fleet, shee in her ship behaved her selfe even at that time, when his Navy was almost quite defeated, one who knew the vessell by the colours, answered it was Queene Arti∣mesia, he fetching a deepe sigh uttered these words Viri quidem extiterant mibi femina:* 1.35 femina autem viri. i. All my men this day have proved themselves women, and the women onely shewed themselves to be men: And so much concerning Artimesia, who as in her life time she was gloriously famous, so after death, even to all perpetuity shall sur∣vive famously glorious, &c.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Heroicke wo∣men in all a∣ges.
• * 1.2

  Renowned women.
• * 1.3

  Queene Ar∣timesia.
• * 1.4

  The seven wonders of the world.
• * 1.5

  The Pyra∣mids of Egipt.
• * 1.6

  King Cleopas.
• * 1.7

  Rhodope.
• * 1.8

  The second wonder.
• * 1.9

  Sostratus a fa∣mous Archi∣tecture.
• * 1.10

  A third won∣der.
• * 1.11

  A fourth wonder.
• * 1.12

  Clesiphon.
• * 1.13

  A fifth won∣der.
• * 1.14

  Chares Lyn∣dius.
• * 1.15

  The sixth wonder.
• * 1.16

  Aelians.
• * 1.17

  The Pallace of Cyrus.
• * 1.18

  Memnon.
• * 1.19

  A remarkea∣ble contro∣versie.
• * 1.20

  A law among the Grecians.
• * 1.21

  Phidias.
• * 1.22

  A cruell and an injust sentence.
• * 1.23

  The plea of the Athenians
• * 1.24

  The answer of ••he Elians.
• * 1.25

  The seventh wonder.
• * 1.26

  Scopas. Briay.
• * 1.27

  Tymothius. Leocares.
• * 1.28

  Rare buil∣dings and Architectors.
• * 1.29

  A glorious tombe built by Simon the High Priest.
• * 1.30

  Mausolea.
• * 1.31

  The magna∣nimity of Queene Arti∣mesia.
• * 1.32

  Xerxes.
• * 1.33

  Her demeanor in the Navall fight.
• * 1.34

  The Greekes prime Commanders.
• * 1.35

  Xerxes his character of Queene Arti∣mesia.