Gynaikeion: or, Nine bookes of various history. Concerninge women inscribed by ye names of ye nine Muses. Written by Thom: Heywoode.

Loosenesse of life first conuerted, and the conuersion rewarded, in a home-bred Historie.

* 1.1A Ciuile gentleman (within memorie) in the heat of Summer hauing beene walking alone in the fields, contemplating with himselfe, and returning backe not the same way hee went out, but through ano∣ther part of the Suburbes, to which hee was a meere stranger, and fin∣ding himselfe extreamely athirst, hee stepped into the first house that fairelyest offered it selfe to him, and called for a Cup of Beere, seating himselfe in the first Roome next to the street. He had not well wiped the sweat from his face with his Handkerchiefe, but two or three young Wenches came skittishly in and out the Roome; who seeing him a man of fashion, and therefore likely to be of meanes, they thought to make of him some bootie, being (it seemes) set on by the Grandam of the house, for as it prooued, it was a common Brothelhouse. The youngest and handsomest amongst the rest was put vpon him: who en∣treated him, not to be seene below, where euerie Porter, C••••••an, and common fellow came to drinke, but to take a more conuenient ••nd re∣tyred Roome. The gentleman suspecting the place (as it was indeed) to be no better than it should be, and being willing to see some fashions,

tooke her gentle proffer, and went with her vp the stayres: where they two being alone (and a Bed in the Roome) Beere being brought vp, shee began to offer him more than common courtesie, being so farre from modestie, that shee almost prostituted her selfe vnto him. Which hee ap∣prehending, asked her in plaine tearmes, If these were not meere prouo∣cations to incite him to Lust? which shee as plainely confessed. To whom he replyed, That since it was so, he was most willing to accept of her kind proffer; onely for modestie sake, hee desired her to shew him into a darker roome. To which she assented, and leads him from one place to another; but hee still told her, that none of all these was darke enough: insomuch, that shee began at length somewhat to distaste him, because in all that time hee had not made vnto her any friendly proffer. At length shee brought him into a close narrow roome, with nothing but a Loope-hole for Light, and told him, Sir, vnlesse you purpose to goe into the Coale-house, this is the darkest place in the house: How doth this please you? To whom he answered, Vnlesse (thou strumpet) thou canst bring me to a place so palpa∣bly tenebrious, into which the eyes of Heauen cannot pierce and see me, thou canst not persuade me to an act so detestable before God and good men: For cannot he that sees into the hearts and reines of all, behold vs here in our wickednesse? And further proceeding, told her the heynous∣nesse of her sinne towards God, that her prostitution was in sight of him and his Angels, and the euerlasting punishment thereto belonging. Or if (irreligious as shee was) shee held these but Dreames and Fables, hee bad her consider her estate in this world, and what her best could be; a Whore: the name odious, the profession abhominable; despised of the indifferent, but quite abandoned of those confirmed in Vertue: That shee was in her selfe but a meere Leprosie, to destroy her selfe, and infect others, a Sinke of Sinne and Diseases. Or if her extraordinarie good fortune were such, to escape the Spittle and the Surgeon, yet shee was a continuall vasall to euerie Constable and Beadle, neuer certaine of her Lodging, if not in the Stocks, in the Cage, but the chiefest of her hopes in Bridewell, &c. To conclude, hee read vnto her so strict and austere a Lecture, concerning her base and debosht life, that from an impudent Strumpet, hee wrought her to be a repentant Conuertite. Her Brasen forhead melted at his fie∣rie zeale, and all those skales of Immodestie (like a Maske plucked off) fell from her face, and shee appeared to him in her former simple and innocentious life. When further questioning with her of her birth and countrey, shee freely confessed vnto him, That shee was borne in the North countrey, her father a gentleman, once of faire Reuenue; but being impouerished by peeuish Suites in Law, her mother first, and hee (whether by age, or griefe, shee knew not) soone after died. Shee being an Orphant, and left distressed, loth to begge of those whom her Pa∣rents had before relieued, finding charitie there cold, and willing rather to appeare base any where, than where shee was knowne, sold such small things as shee had, to come vp to London with the Carriers: where shee was no sooner allighted at her Inne, but shee was hyred by this Bawd (altogether vnacquainted with her base course of life) who by degrees trayned her to such base prostitution: but withall protested with teares, that course of life was hatefull vnto her; and had shee any friend, or kinsman, tha•• could propose her any meanes to relinquish that Trade,

which in her soule she detested, she would become a new woman, desiring that one moneth of her leaudnesse might be forgot, for from that houre shee protested Chastitie all her life time after. Her apparant teares and see∣ming penitence much perswading with the gentleman, he protested, If it lay in him, he would otherwise dispose of her according to her wishes; and withall charging her, That if hee sent vnto her within two or three dayes with money, to acquit her of the house, that shee would attyre her selfe as modestly as shee could possibly, not bringing with her any one ragge that belonged to that abhominable house, or any borrowed garment in which she had offended, but instantly to repaire vnto him, at his first sending: and this being agreed betwixt them, for that time they parted. The gentle∣man wonderous carefull of his vndertaking (because shee was now his new creature) came to a Matron-like gentlewoman, a kinswoman of his afarre off (with whom and her husband hee had familiar acquaintance, and by that meanes daily accesse to the house, who had prettie fine children, and were of a faire reuenue) and told her there was a ciuile maid (a kinswoman of his, lately come out of the countrey) who wanted a seruice, whom if shee pleased to entertaine, it might prooue a great good to her, and no lesse courtesie to him. Briefely, the motion was accepted, shee sent for, according to appointment, and (after he had tutored her in all things which shee should answere) accepted, and entertained. Her modest behauior and faire carriage, with her tender loue and diligence about the children, woon her in short time a good opinion of her maister, a greater affection from her mistresse, and a generall loue of the whole household; insomuch, that within lesse than a yeere shee was raysed from a Chambermaid, to be Waiting-gentlewoman, and the onely bosome friend of her mistresse: who falling sicke, euen to death, readie to expire her last, so much doted on her new seruant, that shee sent for her husband, and besought him (if it stood with his good liking so to dispose of himselfe) after her decease to make that woman his wife, and mother to his children; for one more louing and carefull hee should not finde, and search England thorow and thorow. The gentlewoman soone after dyes, hee is left a widower, and the charge of the whole house committed to our new Conuertite, with the bringing vp of his children. Which shee executed with such fidelitie, that hee casting a more curious eye vpon her youth and beautie, and with∣all remembring his wiues last words, not knowing for the present how better to dispose of himselfe (Time, Place, and Opportunitie, all things furthering her preferment) hee contracted himselfe vnto her, and they were soone after married. But before any of these late passages happe∣ned, I must remember you, that instantly vpon the preferment of this young woman, the gentleman who brought her this fortune, aduentured all his meanes vpon a Voyage, which miscarryed (for the shippe wherein hee sayled, was taken by the Spaniard, and hee almost a tweluemoneth kept prisoner in Lisbone.) But at length (by what meanes I know not) be∣ing ransomed, he came for his countrey, but so poorely and deiected, that hee was ashamed to shew himselfe to any of his friends: for hauing tryed some, and finding their charitie cold, hee was loth to make proofe of the rest; insomuch, that hee walked by Owle-light, without a Cloake, and scarce had honest ragges to couer him from nakednesse, or hide him from shame. It happened, that iust vpon his returne the old gentleman died too,

and left her possessed of eight hundred a yeere during the minoritie of the children, but the thirds howsoeuer: and withall (so great and good opinion he had of her) that he made her full Executor. Now iust as shee followed the Herse to the Church (hauing diuerse suitors before her hus∣bands bodie was scarce cold) this gentleman by chance comming by, like the picture of the Prodigall (as I before relate him to you) shee casting her eye aside, had espyed him, and presently apprehended him to be the man he was, and whispering a seruant in the eare (willing to be truly satis∣fied) bad him to fall into discourse with him, to enquire his name, his Lod∣ging, with other questions, as she directed him, and so proceeded to the Fu∣nerall; but in any case to speake nothing as from her. The seruant fell off from the Trayne, and did as he was commanded, and without suspition of him that was questioned, brought her true word how all things stood. The next morning (by her appointment) came a gentleman very early to his Lodging (shee hauing taught him his Lesson before hand) who desired to speake with him, and first asked him his name, which (though loth) he told him: the other proceeded, that if he were the same man he pretended, he had heard of his worth and noble qualities, and withall, of his casualties at Sea; and not willing that any gentleman should groane beneath so great a burthen, told him there was a hundred pounds, bad him furnish himselfe with apparrell and other necessaries, and so was readie to take his leaue. The other extasied with so great a courtesie from a stranger, whom hee had not seene before, enforced him backe, to know what reason he had to be so cha∣ritable, entreating him to consider what hope he had of future satisfaction, or at least to resolue him what securitie he demanded. The other answe∣red, That for the first, his courtesie was grounded vpon his worth; his sa∣tisfaction, was in his acknowledgement; and his securitie, in that he knew him honest, and told him some three dayes after he would call vpon him, when hee was habited like himselfe, to entreat his further acquaintance, and so presently left him. But troubled in his mind aboue wonder, to receiue such bountie from a man vnknowne, when all his kindred and fa∣miliar friends were ashamed of his acquaintance; yet tooke the benefit of the present occasion, and suited himselfe according to his former, not his present fortunes. When the gentleman came according to promise, he see∣med glad to see this present alteration, and withall entreated him to walke abroad with him to dinner: hee (who could not denie him any thing) see∣med willingly to assent, not once demanding whither. In the meane time, the late widow had prouided a great Feast, whither shee had inuited all her suitors (who were not few) this gentleman whom shee had imployed (and knew no further of her mind) being one of the chiefest. Meat was vpon the Table, the guests readie to sit downe; now the last that came in, were the two new friends late remembred: In comes the widow, to bid them all welcome. This new made vp gentleman ignorant of what∣soeuer had before happened, demanded of his friend, If it were not such a woman? who briefely told him all: How shee came a stranger to the house, and what a fortune by her good demeanure she had in a short time purchased; That shee was now a widow, had such and such meanes left, and all or most of those gentlemen (and himselfe amongst the rest) were suitors, and that their hope was, this day shee would make choyse of a husband. Whatsoeuer he thought, he said nothing for the present.

The widowes turne was to place euerie man according to his degree, or at least to our owne fancie: this new gentleman was neglected, and the stooles being furnisht, left standing at a bay window: She tooke place at the tables end only, leauing her husbands chaire emptie, when suddenly starting vp, Me thinks saith she, some one in this roome might be well spared, for we haue more guests than stooles. The gentleman at these words bit his lip, and was intreated to sit downe by his friends, but whilest they were straining curtesie, she proceeded, Is this a suitor too? no question some that either hath borrowed his clothes, or ingaged all his credit for this one new suit, in hope to gaine the widdow; but women are now adaies growne more wise. By whose acquaintance came he hither? Mine, answered his friend: then saith she, perhaps he wants a dinner, and hath not mony to pay for his or∣dinarie: Well, he may sit downe amongst the rest; some of you there make him some small elbow roome. These words made him wish himselfe againe prisoner in Lisbone, or any where, saue where he was. This was sport to the rest, but torture to him, who much blamed her ingratitude, yet arming him with patience (the rather for his friends sake who brought him thither) he sate downe silent with an ill stomack, eating as little as he spake. All were merrie at the table, some of them making him their mirth the rather to please her. A Health went round to the widowes next husband: All pledged it gladly, hee enforcedly. At length rising from her stoole: Me thinkes (saith she) we are all merrie, onely that gentleman at the lower end of the Table is melancholy: but I know the reason, it is perhaps because he is placed so low; but if that be his disease, I haue for it a present reme∣die: when walking to him where he sat, she pluckt him by the sleeue, desi∣ring him to remooue, for she had another place for him. Who desiring her to torment him no further, refused to rise: but shee would needs enforce him, the rest likewise persuading, as wondering what further sport shee would make with him. Well (saith hee) I am this day yours, but will be mine owne euer hereafter: And so being drawne by her to the vpper end of the chamber like a Beare to the stake, where her late husbands Chayre stood emptie: Now Sir (saith shee, with a more serious countenance than before) my new husband, sit here in my old husbands Chayre, and bid these your guests welcome. Still hee fretted, and they laught, as before: when she crauing pardon for so abusing his patience, openly protested, That this meeting was meerely for his sake, and to make them witnesses of their present contract: for if hee refused her to wife, shee vowed neuer to haue other husband; acknowledging, that all her fortunes (next to the Diuine Prouidence) came by his goodnesse (omitting the former circumstances) and that she knew no way better to expresse her gratitude, than to conferre them on him, by whom they first came. Thus the close proued better than the be∣ginning, and the banquet of Sweet-meats made amends for the harsh Feast, for they found this last (of all the other passages) to be only serious. They were there contracted (the suitors witnesses and soone after married. And thus his vertue and her conuersion had one ioint Reward.

Notes

• * 1.1

  A Conuertite rewarded.